Chapter 9 - The Recovery of Wes
Six months later.
The sunshine streamed brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the recovery suite at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in downtown Chicago.
Seven-year-old Wes sat in the middle of a massive hospital bed, surrounded by new video games, superhero action figures, and a mountain of colorful paper cranes.
A clean, white bandage was visible beneath his pajama top, but his cheeks were rosy, his eyes were bright, and his oxygen levels were at a perfect one hundred percent.
"Look, Nico!" Wes giggled, holding up a complex paper crane made from gold foil paper. "I made this one for you! It's the commander crane!"
Nico sat on the edge of the bed, wearing a tailored suit, carefully taking the gold paper crane from the boy's small hands.
"It's magnificent, Wes," Nico said with a warm, genuine smile that he reserved only for this room. "I'm going to put it on the main desk in my private office so everyone knows who the real boss is."
Wes beamed with pride, grabbing a juice box from the nightstand.
Adeline stood by the window, watching them with a joy so deep it made her eyes sting with tears.
She wore a beautiful light green silk dress, her brown hair styled in soft, elegant waves falling over her shoulders. The tired, stressed girl from Cicero was gone, replaced by a radiant, confident woman who was deeply, unconditionally loved.
Nico stood up from the bed, walking over to Adeline, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his side.
"How is he doing?" Nico asked softly, kissing the top of her head.
"The chief surgeon just left," Adeline smiled, resting her head against his shoulder. "His heart is completely repaired. He'll be able to run, play soccer, and live a completely normal, healthy life."
Nico looked down at her, his dark eyes filled with endless warmth. "Good. Because he's going to need all that energy for the trip to Italy next month."
Adeline raised her eyebrows, looking up at him. "Italy?"
"I bought a villa in Lake Como," Nico revealed smoothly, pulling a small velvet box from his jacket pocket. "I thought it would be the perfect place for a wedding."
Adeline’s breath caught in her throat.
Nico dropped down onto one knee right there in the hospital room, opening the velvet box to reveal a breathtaking, flawless six-carat emerald-cut diamond ring that sparkled like the stars.
"Adeline Marsh," Nico said, his voice filled with profound love and devotion. "You saved my life, healed my soul, and showed me what true loyalty means. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Wes gasped from the bed, clapping his hands excitedly. "Say yes, Addie! Say yes so we get to live in the castle!"
Adeline laughed through her tears, stepping forward and kneeling down in front of him, pulling his face into her hands.
May you like
"Yes," she whispered fiercely against his lips. "A thousand times yes, Nico!"
Nico slipped the ring onto her finger, pulling her into a powerful, passionate embrace as Wes cheered from the bed.
