Page 66 of Anger Banger

“At least you’re in good spirits, but you’re still full of shit,” Cara remarks. “Did they give you the good stuff?”

“No pain and my face feels fuzzy so probably yes.”

“We brought you a get well basket,” Louise says, placing it on the bed beside him.

His gaze leaps to Freda, and she holds up her hands. “This one doesn’t include bug poison or contaminated water, I promise.”

The basket is stuffed with items. A heating pad, an ice pack, and a ton of snacks, including cookies, chips, nuts, and fruit. There’s even a gift card to get a few meals delivered from local restaurants.

Cooper looks around at the neighbors who have become his friends. “This is great. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Freda says, answering for everyone.

“What’s this?” Cooper asks, pulling a thin book with a box of colored pencils taped to the back from the basket. He cracks up and his hand leaps to hold his abdomen as the sudden movement pulls on his stitches. The cover bears a racy outline drawing of a woman on her knees between a man’s legs.

There’s no doubt in my mind who added that when I ask, “A porn coloring book?”

Louise gives an excited nod. “That was my contribution. I like to color when I’m bored.”

“I can’t wait to get started,” Cooper tells her.

“There’s also a little bell in there that he can ring if he needs you,” Cara says.

Her cheesy smile says it all when I give her a sideways look. “Thank you Misses Helpful.”

Cooper snatches it up and shakes it. “Fluff my pillows and bring on the sponge bath. With a happy ending, of course.”

“You’re going to be ending with one of those fluffy pillows over your face.”

We joke around and chat for another minute or so, before leaving him to get some rest. As everyone files out my front door, Louise pauses to pull me aside and give me a hug.

“I saw this coming! Cosmic intervention. It was destiny!”

There’s no point in arguing with Louise and her mystical announcements but I have to ask. “Destiny gave him a bad appendix?”

“You don’t have to believe it, but it’s true. You’re destined to stay here and fall in love while I go get some Daytona dick!” She heads out the door with a loud, “Woo hoo!”

“I’m going to need updates on how this trip goes,” I tell Lila, as she hugs me goodbye.

She and Cara both glance down the hall and Cara replies, “We’re going to need updates from this situation too. I’m thinking a summer wedding would be pretty.”

“Get the hell out of here.”

By the time I return to Cooper, he’s asleep again. A nap sounds like a great idea after such an early morning wake up and long day. I crawl in beside him and drift off to sleep.

His groan wakes me, and I’m shocked to see we’ve slept for almost four hours. Shit. His pain meds are due. His eyes open at the movement of the bed when I sit up and grab the prescription bottle.

“Hey, you need to wake up and take these,” I tell him, holding the pills and a bottle of water out to him.

With a grimace, he obeys, hands the bottle back to me, and lies back down with a pained sigh.

“How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been impaled on a hot poker.”

I slip my hand into his. “Try to lie still until the pills kick in.”

“Mmm,” he agrees, running his thumb over the back of my hand. “I’m supposed to work with the plumber tomorrow.” He blinks, focusing on the clock that shows it’s two o’clock in the morning and corrects himself. “Today.”

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