CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Lance walked into the hospital room just as they were removing Angus's breakfast tray. He'd been going home at night for a week now, confident that Angus was going to be okay. He still struggled to sleep alone at night, but it wouldn't be much longer before Angus was back by his side.
He still hadn't gone back to work but would soon.
Today, Angus was being moved to a rehab center where they would work on building his strength back and making sure weeks of immobility didn't have any lasting effect on him.
He still wore a neck brace to keep him from moving his head too much, but he was healing nicely.
"Morning." Angus gave him a huge smile.
"Morning." Lance went straight to the bed and leaned in to give Angus a kiss. "How are you today?"
"Glad to be getting out of here. I'd rather go home, but at least the rehab will have a different view, and hopefully keep me busy so I'm not laying on my back all day." He tossed the blanket off his legs. "Help me get into my sweatpants?"
"Of course." Lance went to the small closet where the clothes he'd brought in were kept.
"Mom called a bit ago. Her and Dad are going to visit me at the rehab tonight. They figured we'd be busy this morning with the transfer and everything," Angus told him.
Angus's voice was back to normal, and he didn't seem to have any issues swallowing.
Thankfully, he'd come through this with nothing more than a few new scars.
Considering all he'd been through, that was a blessing.
"I talked to them last night. Lizzy is glad they don't have any dietary restrictions for you at this new place.
I'm betting she's spending the day making all your favorite foods to bring to you. "
"I told her not to, but you're probably right. I worry she's doing too much with her leg still healing, but she won't listen." Angus pulled the gown down. "Help me get this shirt on. I can't manage easily with this damn brace on my neck."
Lance smiled. "Gladly." He ran his fingers down Angus's chest. "I've missed seeing this."
Angus groaned. "Don't go getting me aroused. Not until we can be alone. If I get hard, those sweats won't hide anything, and the nurses will be coming in anytime to boot me out of this place."
"As badly as I want you, I can wait until you get home.
I'm not going to risk anyone interrupting us once I get you in my arms again.
" Lance didn't tell Angus how hard it was to wait.
Dreams of them together haunted his nights.
He hated the hospital and how little privacy there was.
"Here, turn so I can help you get your pants on. "
Angus slowly eased his feet over the side of the bed.
Lance quickly slid the pants over his feet and pulled them almost up to Angus's knees before offering his arms to Angus so he could carefully hold on to Lance as he stood.
His legs shook as he straightened to his full height, but nowhere as badly as he had a few days ago when they'd finally got him up and walking the halls with the therapist.
"Okay, sit back," Lance told him.
"Not yet. Want to hold you for a minute." Angus leaned in and hugged him.
"You're the one that said not to get you aroused." Lance wrapped Angus in his arms, enjoying the closeness, but also cautious to make sure Angus didn't fall.
"Am I interrupting something?" Brad, the physical therapist Angus had been working with asked from the doorway.
"You're just in time." Angus smiled, then kissed Lance quickly before putting a bit of space between them. "Lance, if you could take a few steps back, I've asked Brad to help me with something."
Lance moved, making sure that Brad had Angus's hands before he released him. "What's going on?" He was confused. Brad wasn't supposed to help Angus today. Other than being released to the rehab, there shouldn't have been anything scheduled.
Brad handed something to Angus, then moved slightly to his side, still keeping hold of him, but allowing Angus to look directly at Lance.
"I wanted to do this before I went to rehab.
I've been wanting to do it for a while now, but never found the right time.
After this, I know there is no right time.
I don't want to wait anymore." With intense focus, Angus slowly went down on one knee.
Brad holding on to his arm as he lowered.
Once there, he held up a ring to Lance. "I love you more than anything, and I want you to know I'm in this for the long-haul. Lance, will you marry me?"
Lance shook his head while at the same time gasping, "Yes.
" Tears filled his eyes as he lowered himself so he was at Angus's level.
"Of course, I'll marry you. You beat me to it.
I've had your ring for months but was waiting for the right moment.
I was going to propose as soon as you got home.
" He kissed Angus, then watched as the ring slid on his finger.
"It's perfect." The solid black titanium ring was simple but perfect, and was almost a match to the one he'd picked out for Angus. "I love you."
"Love you too, but need to get up." Angus laughed as he let Brad and Lance both help him back to standing, then eased back on the bed.
"I can't believe you beat me to it." Lance moved to sit beside Angus on his bed. "I'll grab your ring from my nightstand the next time I go home."
"I'll give you two a moment." Brad quietly left the room.
"I wish I'd given it to you before all this happened," Angus admitted. "Not just because I want you as my husband, but if I'd died, I want you to get all my—"
Lance placed a finger over Angus's lips. "No more talk of dying." He held up his hand to show Angus the ring. "This means we are going to grow very old together. I refuse to even think about anything happening to either one of us until we hit ninety."
Angus laughed. "Ninety, huh? We both might need physical therapy at that point.
" Angus lifted his hand and brushed his fingers over Lance's cheek.
"I can't imagine how hard this was for you.
Even more that you refused to leave me. Thank you for being here for me.
I hate you had to go through this, but I'm so glad Betty saved me and we get a chance to grow old together. "
"Me too." Lance kissed him again, this time deepening the kiss just enough to where they wouldn't lose control.
When he pulled back, he stared into Angus's eyes.
"I've known almost since the day we met that you were the one for me.
Neither one of us is perfect, but we're perfect for each other.
Does anyone else know you were going to do this? "
Angus nodded. "Jackson and Megan know. I had to ask Jackson to get the ring from our room.
He brought it to me yesterday when they visited.
I almost asked you then, but Brad made me promise not to attempt to get down on one knee without him close by.
We've been practicing the last few days so I was sure I could do it. "
"You didn't have to be on one knee. It was the question that mattered, not how you were when you asked it." Lance looked up as a nurse walked in.
"Ready to get out of here?" She set a stack of papers on the small side table.
"More than ready." Angus took Lance's hand. "Two weeks of rehab, then home." He gave Lance's hand a squeeze.
"Then our wedding." Lance smiled.
"We have to pick a date," Angus said.
"Something tells me we should talk to Betty and your mother first. I have a feeling they're going to want a part in it." Lance knew Lizzy and Martin would be overjoyed to know they were engaged.
"We can tell them tonight. I don't care if we go to the courthouse or have a huge wedding as long as it happens soon and when it's over, I'll have you with me till death do us part," Angus told him.
Lance put his fingers to Angus's lips again. "I said no more talk of dying. I came too close to losing you. Right now, all I want to think about is our life together. We can revisit the conversation when we're both ninety." He slowly stood from the bed so the nurse could get to Angus.
As he listened to her explain his discharge orders and about transport to the rehab, Lance touched his ring.
They were finally engaged. The right moment had never come, but that moment didn't matter anymore.
They'd come too close to losing it all. He was glad Angus had asked him.
Glad they both had forever in mind. They still had a long way to go, but they would get through it all together. One step and one day at a time.