Spending an indefinite amount of time in the hospital didn't sit well with Liam. So, as soon as they returned to his ward after their brisk walk, he tried every trick in the book to get Eden to speak to the doctors to discharge him. But to his dismay, she refused to do his dirty work.
"Whose side are you on?" He glared at her. He thought she'd want him home as soon as possible.
"Yours, of course, but I'd rather not take any chances," she said as she helped him up on the bed. Their son sat on the floor and craned his neck at the blank TV screen in the corner while he sipped his boxed juice.
Liam had never met a kid who loved watching TV as much as Aiden, and he wondered if it was normal. Maybe spending all that time with Brenda during the day wasn't such a good idea. Maybe he needed to start school to stimulate his mind.
"I'm someone's fiancée now, you know, and I need my groom present for the shotgun wedding. So, we're not taking any chances." Eden tilted his bed to make him more comfortable before staring at the ring on her finger again, her eyes sparkling with sheer delight and something Liam could only describe as awe. She looked utterly beautiful and so happy, and he was chuffed to know he was responsible for her joy.
"You love it that much, you haven't even looked at me since I slipped it on you," he grumbled, pulling her down beside him. But before he could steal a kiss or three, Aiden toddled over to the bed and stood on tiptoes, staring up at them while babbling something to Eden and pointing at the TV.
"PAW Patrol is finished, Aid." She ruffled his hair, but turned on the TV anyway, and Aiden clapped his hands when she miraculously found a cartoon network.
"Thank you!" he squealed with glee and dashed off to the corner again.
"How do you even understand him?" Liam asked. "Speaking of, I'm going to need your cheat notes."
Eden looked up from her ring, scratching her head in confusion. "What cheat notes?"
"On Aiden. There must be some notes to help me figure out what he's saying."
What he thought was a reasonable request was funny as hell to Eden. She erupted into laughter and slapped her thigh as she gasped for air.
"You've got jokes," she said, flicking the tears from the corners of her eyes with her thumb. "There are no cheat notes."
"What do you mean? How am I supposed to understand what he's saying?"
As if he knew he was the topic of the hour, Aiden returned to the bed to place kisses on parts of Liam's face not covered with plasters. Touching his cheeks, he gently blew over his skin and said, "there, all better," to Eden's delight.
"Good job, Aid," she said as she placed him back on the floor.
"Where did he learn to do that?"
"From everyone, I guess," Eden replied and poured him a glass of water. "He was here every day and watched the nurses. I thought having him close would help with your recovery."
"It did," he assured her as he took the glass even though he wasn't thirsty, and his bladder could do without any more liquids.
He took her hand, placed it over his heart as he pulled her down on the bed again, and held her even though it was uncomfortable as fuck.
"A month from today," Eden mumbled in his chest.
"What?" he stared at her.
"Our wedding day."
"Isn't that too soon?" he asked. His mom would freak out at the little time she had to pull off the wedding of the century.
"It took us two years to get here, and for a few days, we were blissfully happy. But then we almost lost it all. I don't want to waste any more time."
"Me too," Liam agreed. "Let's do it."
"So we're doing this?" she wiggled on the bed and propped herself on her elbow to look at him.
"We are!" he nodded, and she eased her face close to his and kissed him properly, igniting places she had no business firing up in his condition.
"If you don't stop, I'll fuck you right here," he said hoarsely, and reluctantly pushed her away.
"No, you won't, not with your son in the room," Eden smiled cheekily as she jumped off the bed and fixed her clothes.