"You good?"
"You know how good I am!"The sass in my voice makes him stiffen then he squeezes me too tight.I realize now that's when he knew something was wrong yesterday.I pat his back, reassuring him."I'm good.As long as I know you are here.I'm good."
"I'll always be here."
I chuckle."Till death do us part?"
"Exactly!"
"Good, because I'm lost without you."
26
* * *
Aurei
* * *
Flying back to Vegas, I keep looking over at Siri to watch her.She's taking in everything and enjoying herself.I catch her laughing at something that only she sees and marvels at her enthusiasm for life.To think that the motherfucker almost stole that from her pisses me off all over again, and I vow to make it my mission to see to it that he rots in the prison system for not only armed robbery and kidnapping but attempted murder too.
When we land at the airport, it's late morning.I toss her the keys and tell her."You drive.I need to work."
I bury myself in my phone and only occasionally look up to see where we are.In no time, we've arrived, and I've only scratched the surface of my emails.
She pulls up to the gate and puts the window down, but it swings open automatically."Alfred?"She asks.
"No, automatic opener."I show her my phone app."I need to hook you up with all my little goodies."
She drives up and into the garage.When we exit and enter the house, she asks."Can we sleep tonight in my condo after the party?"
"Sure.I'll pack a change of clothes to keep there."
"We have a lot to sort out."She smiles as we make our way up the stairs to the master suite.
"We'll get through it."
She flops back on the bed to rest while I go about packing my backpack."I'm sending James a text to meet us for dinner.Where would you like to eat?"
"I thought we were meeting at your condo."
"Oh hell no!"She laughs."James is too dramatic for that.He'll start to cry, and I'll start to cry, and, no, a public place is much better."
"Whatever you think," I tell her.
"Come to think of it, let's just pop in for a surprise visit to the Club, then if he isn't too emotional, he can join us at Bart's Steakhouse.That way, everyone will be happy to see me, and we'll get the 'OMFG's WTH's out of the way."
"Sounds like a positive plan of action."
"Offense."She laughs.
"A surprise attack.I like it."
Her brow crinkles as she smirks."Umm, I prefer ambush."
"I like that too."
"Speaking of ambush and surprises, when do you want to tell everyone we are married?"
