Page 158 of Begin Again, Part 2

"A lifetime of kisses."

"Well, get ready to kiss my butt for eternity!"

"Kisses, Liam. On the lips. Not butt kisses!"

"Again, is there a difference?"

"I think that bullet nicked your brain too."

"Where's my phone and laptop?" he asked, looking around the room. "I thought you were supposed to bring them? I have to do some work and attend a meeting."

"In that outfit, and looking like that?" Eden pointed at his face. She looked through her bag and pulled out her compact case when her comment didn't register.

"Look!" she snapped it open.

Liam gasped at his reflection. "That bastard, what did he do to my face?" he groaned, pointing at the Band-Aids. "And who put all these stickers on my face and hands?"

"Aiden," Eden lied with a smile. "But yeah, no meetings for you for a while."

She kissed him on the lips and grabbed her handbag.

"Where are you going?"

"To get your Burberry PJs and toiletries, and if you ask nicely, I might even get you a new phone. Clara will send your new laptop soon. IT is still setting it up."

"I'm sick. You can't leave me."

"You were shot!"

"Fine," he sighed. "James will send you an address. There's a package I need you to pick up for me."

"I'm not your errand girl, you know."

"You're still my assistant until the end of the month, so I still own you," he smirked. "Now, don't forget to pick up my package."

Later that evening, when Eden walked into Liam's ward with Aiden in her arms, she was surprised to find him clean-shaven and fully clothed in joggers, sneakers and a hoodie, like he was ready to go somewhere.

"Daddy!" Aiden screamed with joy as soon as he saw his father rolling around the room in a wheelchair.

Liam roared right back at him, his voice thundering through the room as he opened his arms. "Kool-Aid!"

Eden set their son down, and he ran to his father.

Liam scooped him up despite his visible agony, yelping out in pain when he tried to throw him up in the air. Eden was instantly at his side, worry dancing in her eyes, the travel bag in her hands falling at her feet with a dull thud. Aiden, too, looked just as concerned.

"I'm okay," Liam assured them, but the anguish on his face told a different story.

"Why are you even out of bed?" Eden scolded him, much to Aiden's disapproval.

"Mommy, no!" he shook his head at her and babbled away in a long rant.

"See, even Kool-Aid knows I'm sick, and you should handle me with care."

With that, Liam turned all his attention to Aiden, and for a little while, Eden watched the two of them babble away, totally enamoured with each other, her vision blurry from her tears. But it wasn't tears of sadness or joy. It was tears of gratitude. She was so thankful that her prayers and bargaining had worked, and God had delivered the miracle she'd asked for.

"How do you like my new wheels?" Liam asked, a small frown in his eyes when he caught her wiping her tears away.

"Are you even allowed to use it?"

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