Chapter Two #3
Vaia held Axa’s hand and leaned against Azreen. True to the estimation, Axa exhaled, and her eyes fluttered. She opened her eyes, and Vaia got to her feet.
“Axa. Oh, Axa, you have been out for a while.”
“Vaia? Oh, you are dressed fancy.”
Vaia laughed. “I had my hen night with a friend, and when I talked about you, she made some calls, and now you are awake.”
“How long was I out?”
Vaia froze.
Azreen stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “You have been in a coma for seven years.”
Axa gasped. “What? Wait. Who are you?”
“I am her husband, Azreen. Our vow renewal is tomorrow. This time, we are choosing each other.”
Vaia smiled. “Seeing you awake is the best present ever.”
Axa looked at the medical team. “What are they doing?”
“Waiting for us to let them in so they can swarm you. It was your dwarf biology that mixed with the drug at the club.”
“Right. Fucker. Did they catch him?”
“I am going to have to ask about that.”
Axa looked at the medical staff. “So, Vaia, where is your friend?”
Vaia brought up her phone. “I sent her home. She’s my wedding coordinator, and also my cousin, weirdly enough. Here she is. Her name is Krys.”
Axa frowned and rubbed her forehead before she looked at the picture. She started laughing and giggling and snorting. “A fairy godmother? Your friend is a fairy godmother?”
Vaia thought about it. “She is. She’s also great at go-kart, even in the poofy dress.”
“You bought it?”
“I did. You can come and play any time, all the time. Lifetime pass.”
Axa smiled. “What’s the catch?”
“You have to get off your ass and let the staff do their thing. They gave you a new dwarf ident band.”
“That’s good. I guess the other one came off when I was fighting off that guy when you were in the ladies’ room. That’s the last thing I remember.”
“I came back, and you were hitting the floor. I called an ambulance, and one of the bouncers helped me get you to the door. I grabbed your glass and carried it, so they tested it and were able to treat you for the poisoning, but you didn’t wake up.”
“Sorry. You know I like my naps.”
Vaia laughed and pressed her head to Axa’s hand. “I remembered that. I spend time here, reading to you, chatting with you. Oh, I have met my father. He’s... interesting.”
Axa smiled. “Is he tall, dark, and handsome?”
“He’s the king of a group of under-the-bed monsters. He can do everything with shadows, and an acquaintance is currently in his sights or probably his tentacles.”
Axa blinked. “So, a friend is going to be your stepmom?”
“Yeah. Oh, shit. You met her. Hura.”
“The dance instructor? Wow, well, she could certainly move her hips.”
They laughed softly. Vaia filled Axa in on the shop and the dresses, and Axa got sleepy again.
“Right. We are going to go. Tomorrow is our vow renewal, but I don’t think you are up for it.”
“Probably not. Dance for me, and we will get together when I can do more than just feel the bedding on my toes.”
“Okay. I will set you up with a phone tomorrow. Don’t be surprised if it’s someone else who delivers it.”
Axa grinned. “I will take any connection to what is going on now.”
Azreen said, “We will send you someone to help you get back on your feet.”
Vaia grinned. “On the plus side, you can do physio and such at our place as long as you don’t mind weddings frequently. Krys can keep your room from being disturbed. So, you have a place to go.”
Axa nodded and lay back. “Thanks. I am looking forward to rejoining the world.” She looked at the fidgeting medical staff. “As soon as I am clear to move around and pee on my own.”
Vaia laughed and kissed her forehead. “Okay. Phone tomorrow. I am hoping you can video call for the wedding. There are so many different races coming; you would be stunned to meet them all. Next week, the property is hosting a dark elf and his war companion. So, there are going to be dark elves and all the off-duty XIA that are available. Plus, families and a wonderful woman who lives on site. She’s a ghost who lives in a statue that was carved to look like she did when she was alive. ”
Azreen smiled. “Her name is Sable.”
“You are really her husband?”
“Yes. Now that we are both adults, it is a lot more practical, actually, to say vows versus the arrangement she was forced into. We have been married for fifteen years, so tomorrow we start again. This time, together.”
Axa smiled and leaned back, closing her eyes.
Vaia looked at her friend and got up, hugging Azreen. He smoothed his hands down her back, and then they walked out of the hospital room while the staff went in and spoke quietly to Axa.
Azreen walked her out, and a car was waiting for them. She said, “Can we get a phone right now?”
“I will arrange it tonight. She will have it in the morning. You need sleep. I need to hold you when you sleep.”
She smiled. That had become normal over the last week. He had used the logic that their actual wedding was fifteen years earlier to get around them not seeing each other before the wedding.
They headed back to the mansion, which was feeling like home after they had started moving furniture into the common spaces.
Stands for flowers were in place and out in the yard. Sable was walking and ticking things off on her tablet. Vaia walked out and looked at the skeleton of the event. Sable came over and smiled. “Ready for tomorrow?”
Vaia said confidently, “Yes. Does everything look good here?”
“Everything is under control. You are going to have an amazing day.”
“Did Krys tell you to say that?” Azreen said with a grin.
“Yup. She said that you two are going to be focused on each other, and that is how it should be. Anything that can be smoothed out of the way will be, and anything else will be denied wholeheartedly.”
Vaia walked over and hugged Sable. “You are adapting so well to this job.”
“Thanks. It is a lot of fun, and Krys has a lot of patience with me, well, with everyone.”
Vaia chuckled and leaned back. “She does. I have a special thank you for her tomorrow.”
Azreen grabbed her and hauled her into the house. “The sooner you get some sleep, the sooner the wedding will be here.”
Vaia chuckled. “Fine, but only because I have been promised cake.”
He laughed. “You can put anything into your mouth that you like tomorrow.”
She paused. “That’s flirty.”
“I know. I need to practice. We will have lifetimes together, and I need to stay on my game.”
He opened the door to their room and unlaced the back of her dress. He kissed her shoulder, and she eased out of his grip, grabbed a gown, and headed to the bathroom. “One more night, Azreen.”
He chuckled. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
She laughed and got ready for bed, walking back into their room. One more night before she would finally feel like she had a proper connection to him that hadn’t been chosen by someone else.
Tomorrow would be theirs.