Chapter 48
Parker
My entire body hurts. I didn’t think my eyelids could hurt, but even prying them open is painful.
I can feel Lily next to me, and that’s the only positive I can feel right now.
I’ve hardly been aware of my surroundings for I don’t know how long, but I’ve always felt her here with me.
I haven’t been able to move or say much, but I’ve heard her, felt her. I always can feel her.
Finally getting to see her feels amazing, and despite all the pain in my body, I relax at the sight.
My throat feels like I’m speaking through razor blades as I croak her name.
She shoots up. I hold back a grunt as she throws herself onto me.
It takes all my strength to hug her to me.
I don’t want her to move. I don’t care if it hurts. I want to hold her.
She moves back to look at me, and I want to haul her back into me, but I don’t have that much strength back yet. My arms feel like Jell-O. She’s looking at me with red rimmed eyes and tears on her cheek.
Then she speaks, and it’s not what I was expecting at all. “Parker, we’re going to have a baby.”
I’m hallucinating. Or still stuck in my mind; I haven’t been dreaming, but maybe I am now.
I push through to speak again. “Really?”
She nods, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my entire life.
Nothing matters right now, not the pain, not my injuries, not a single thing.
Everything I’ve wanted with her is coming true.
The only thing that’s going to be better than having Lily in my life is having a mini-Lily running around.
I’ve always been able to picture my future, and it includes her. Now, I can see it even clearer knowing we’re going to have a baby.
I pull her tightly against me, bracing through the pain and using every ounce of strength I have to hold her. Knowing I’m holding more than just her against me has me finding even more strength.
I speak, not even registering the razor blades shredding through my throat as I do. “I’m not going anywhere, Lil.”
I’m determined to get better and go home even more now. I’m not used to laying in a bed all the time; I need to get out and do things. I need to move, work, and being forced to not do those things is going to drive me insane.
My mom and Lily keep telling me I need to take it easy, but it doesn’t stop me from asking every single person that comes into my room when I’m going home.
“Parker,” my mom scolds around the tenth time I ask.
“What? I know I’m recovering, and I can do that at home,” I insist.
Lily squeezes my hand, and I know she wants me to go home as well.
“I have my own personal nurse to take care of me.” I squeeze her hand back.
The doctor looks over my chart, yet again. I swear there’s nothing new in there he hasn’t seen already. “I want to run another set of tests just to be sure. If everything comes back clear, then I’m okay with letting you recover at home.”
“Fuck yeah.” I want to get started now so I can do home.
“Parker,” my mom scolds again lightly. “That’s great news, thank you Doctor.”
“I’ll get the orders sent so you can return home soon, Mr. Fuller.”
He leaves, and I pull Lily into bed with me because I want her close to me at all times. She tries to fight me but gives in easily and I know she wants to be there just as badly as I do.
She sits up to look at me, her eyebrows narrowed. “Why was I the one Jameson called? Why didn’t he call your mom first?”
“Because you’re my emergency contact,” I answer, easily.
“Since when?”
“Since forever.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, and I pull her close again, kissing the top of her head. “It’s always been you, Lil.”
I’m finally able to go home, pushing through immense pain and probably stretching my body past its current limits. I insist on walking to the car, though I’m scolded by everyone. We get to my truck, and I look over at Lily who’s holding onto my arm. “Did you drive this here?”
“Yeah, and it was quite the sight I’m sure.” She shakes her head. “I don’t think it likes me very much.”
“Of course she likes you.” I smirk. “You just have to sweet talk her. Kind of like my girlfriend.”
“Oh, you’re girlfriend, huh? I don’t remember you asking.”
I chuckle, thinking about that fact that she’s not going to be my girlfriend for long because I’m going to ask her to be something else soon. Very soon.
I start to walk to the driver’s side, but I’m stopped. “No way, you’re not driving.”
“You just complained about how my truck doesn’t like you.”
“And we will work out our differences with you in the passenger seat.”
She was right that watching her drive my truck is quite the sight to see. It’s an old truck with its quirks you have to figure out, and Lily definitely does not sweet talk it.
“I really am okay to drive,” I try to tell her.
“No, you’re down an arm, full of drugs and still recovering,” she insists.
I shake my head, chuckling, and then hide my grimace at the pain it causes. I reach over to grab Lily’s hand, holding it tightly in my own, needing the comfort she brings me. I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed, next to my girl, and get started on the rest of our lives together.
As soon as we get back to my house, Lily takes me inside, and instead of Franki greeting me violently, she rubs herself against my leg.
“Did you tell her to be nice to me?” I question.
“Yeah, we had a long talk about being nice to you while you’re recovering.”
“I’ll take it for now.”
Lily starts to lead me to my bedroom, and Franki follows, even jumps on the bed as Lily helps me down onto it.
“You’re joining me, right?” I ask, settling into the much comfier bed than I’ve been in for days.
“No funny business.” She points her finger at me, and I pull her onto me with a laugh. She quickly moves to lay next to me instead of on top of me. “I just said no funny business.”
I shrug, wrapping my good arm around her. “It was worth a try.”
She settles against me, and rests her hand on her stomach, rubbing it up and down which I’ve noticed her doing often.
“What do you think it’s going to be?” she asks quietly.
“Perfect,” I answer immediately. Because no matter what, I know our baby is going to be absolutely perfect.
Lily looks up at me with a smile. “I love you.”
“I love you so fucking much,” I lean down to press my lips against hers. When I try to slide my tongue through her lips, she pushes me back and I groan.
“Don’t tempt me. You need to be a good boy.”
“I can be such a good boy for you, Lil.” I wink and she shakes her head.
“You’re going to be a problem, aren’t you?”
“I’m your problem.”
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She kisses me again. I don’t try to push it this time, I just enjoy being here. With her.
My entire focus has been on planning the best proposal for Lily. Yes, I should be recovering and I’m doing that too. But knowing we’re going to have a baby has me ready to ask her the question I’ve wanted to ask for years.
Of course, I push the limits of my recovery several times. The result has been Lily yelling at me, but I truly do feel better. The only thing that hinders me is my damn broken arm. It’s my left, but it’s a huge pain in the ass to not be able to use it.
I want to wait to propose until after the cast’s off, though it’s killing me to wait.
It’s also killing me not to go back to work.
I hate not doing anything. I end up going with Lily to her parent’s house to pack up some of her things.
I’m intent on helping her, but she says that if I try she’s going to make me wish I was still in the hospital.
Instead, I go with her to see Ethan. I haven’t seen him since the fire, and Lily told me how guilty he feels. I want to make sure he’s okay and that he knows I’m not upset with him.
Lily gives me a pointed look when I try one more time to help her pack some of her things and shoos me away to go see Ethan. He’s in his room, and I knock on the cracked door before entering.
As soon as he sees me, he perks up from his tablet. “Parker!” he exclaims, trying to rush out of bed, but I see his wince of pain at how fast he moves.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” I tell him as he wraps his arms around me in a tight hug. When he lets go, I see his eyes go to my arm and his face drops.
“I’m so sorry.” He sniffs.
I kneel down to be closer to eye level with him, even though my legs scream at me. “You don’t need to be sorry, okay? I know you were just trying to help, maybe next time leave it to the pros.”
He nods. “I will, I just wanted to get the animals out for you.”
“I know you did, bud. And guess what? Those animals lived because of you.”
“But I lived because of you,” he counters.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know you wouldn’t. Because you’re the best firefighter in the world.”
I chuckle at his faith in me and then decide to take a risk. “Can I tell you a secret?”
He nods, excitedly.
“I’m going to ask Lily to marry me. Is that okay with you?”
He scrunches his face. “Are you sure she’ll say yes?”
“I really hope so.”
“If you get married, does that mean we aren’t going to be friends anymore?” His shoulders drop.
“Of course not. It would be even better because we will be family.”
He perks up. “Really?”
“Yup. We’ll be brothers.”
“Hell yeah!”
“I’ll let that one slide.” I shake my head. “And don’t tell anyone about this. I want it to be a surprise.”
“I won’t even tell Jerry Lee,” he promises. I’m glad he made that clear because we all know that damn bird would be shouting it from the rooftops.
“That’s a good plan,” I encourage. “Are we good, then?”
“Yeah, we’re good.” He puts his fist out for me to hit with my own.
I encourage him to get more rest, and unlike everyone else he doesn’t tell me I need to do the same. Then, I go to check on Lily and help her if needed.
She’s attempting to pull a suitcase up the stairs. I quickly move to help her with my unbroken arm. She tries to swat me away. “No, I got this.”
“I know you do, but I want to help,” I counter, taking the handle from her.
She huffs as I carry the case up the rest of the way.
“I had it,” she insists again.
“I know you did, Lil.” I lean down to press a chaste kiss to her lips because I can.
“Hunky Parker!” Jerry Lee calls out.
“I still love that bird,” I joke.
“Jizz! Bitch! Shut up, Vern!”
“Yeah, he’s great.” Lily rolls her eyes.