I own none of the characters of October Road -Sorry for the delay in posting. My laptop died so I had to get a new computer and when I did that my internet went down and it took four days for it to get fixed but now everything is working again. YEAH
Eddie was woken up by the sound of groaning in his ear. He opened his eyes and had to squint against the sunlight. He figured that's why Janet was groaning because he had forgotten to close the drapes and the sun was shinning right in her eyes. He untangled his arms and legs from hers, pulled himself out of bed and shut the drapes.
"Thank you." She mumbled.
"Sweetheart you need to take more aspirin." He told her as he walked over to her side of the bed.
"No…sleep." She sounded like a little girl and he couldn't help but smile.
"Come on J. It'll help with your hangover. Trust me baby, I know. Now work with me please." He helped her sit up just like he did the night before. "Now open wide." With closed eyes she opened her mouth, placed the pills on her tongue, placed the water bottle to her lips and she drank. "Good girl." He complimented her as he helped her lay back down. "Now get a few more hours of sleep so you'll be bright eyed for our wedding." She nodded, rolled over and immediately fell back asleep.
Eddie was now awake and had no desire to go back to sleep so he headed to the bathroom to shower and shave. After the shower and a fresh pair of clothes he grabbed his morning pills from the nightstand, kissed Janet's head and slipped out of the room so he could go to breakfast because he couldn't take his medication on an empty stomach. He thought about ordering room service but he didn't want to risk waking Janet. He would just bring something back for her.
He was surprised when the elevator doors opened and he found Nick standing inside. "What goes on Eddie?"
"Fiancé is sleeping off a hangover and I need to eat. What about you?" Eddie asked as he stepped in the elevator.
"After you bailed last night we went out drinking and got shitfaced so they are still practically unconscious and I'm hungry."
"Well since you're hungry and I've got to eat let's eat together." Eddie suggested and Nick just laughed.
The men rode in silence down to the lobby/casino and found a restaurant. Nick ordered eggs, bacon, pancakes and potatoes while Eddie ordered a bowl of oatmeal and toast.
"Dude that's all you're ordering?" Nick asked.
"Not much of an appittite lately. It's either the cancer or the medicine but one of them is killing my desire to eat."
"You've lost a lot of weight Eddie."
"I've got cancer and I'm dying. Weight loss is part of it all." Nick fell silent until the waitress brought them their food.
"I hate it when you talk like that." Nick mumbled taking a big bite of his eggs.
"It's the truth and I'm not hiding behind it. You've got to face it Nicky."
"I don't want to. I don't want my best friend to die." He snapped. This is the first time the two friends have been alone since Eddie gave them the news.
"Do you think that I want this Nick? Hell I'm getting married today and I can only give her a few god damn months when I should be able to give her a whole lifetime. I want to live to be old and gray, have grandkids sitting on my lap in a rocking chair out on my front porch but you know what Nick? I'm not going to get any of that. I'm never going to be a father let alone a grandfather. I'm going to have one maybe two months of a happy marriage before I start drooling all over myself and become unable to function. Do you really think that I want this Nick? Do you?" Eddie stood up, tossed his napkin along with some cash for his breakfast and stormed off. Nick quickly did the same and rushed after him.
"Eddie wait." Nick shouted running to catch up with him but Eddie ignored him and increased his pace. "Dammit Eddie stop."
Even though Eddie heard Nick shouting for him he continued to ignore him and rush away. He didn't want Nick to see his tears. He hated thinking about everything he would never have and the pain he was putting his friends, family and Janet through. Every night before he fell asleep there was a small part of him that wished he would die in his sleep so he wouldn't have to see the hurt and sadness that surrounded him on a daily basis but the part of him that wanted to live each and every day to it's fullest was much bigger. Eddie finally found a nice solitude bench away from the world. He collapsed on it, head in his hands.
"Jesus dude for someone who is dying you sure can run fast." Nick panted sitting next to his best friend.
"Leave me alone Nicky."
"No man, I ain't leaving you alone."
"I'm not in the mood."
"We don't have to talk. We can just sit here in silence but you're not doing it alone."
"I'm scared Nicky. I'm so god damned scared." Eddie admitted softly.
"I'm scared for you Eddie." Nick put a hand on Eddie's shoulder.
"Why did I wait so long? She was right in front of me for years and I didn't see it. I've wasted so much time, so much time that we could have been together all wasted; time that we will never have together."
"Eddie you couldn't have known but you're doing the right thing. You are making every moment that you have left with Janet count."
"But will it be enough for her when I'm gone?"
"I think it will be. You are filling these days with love and memories and hopefully they will be enough."
"Look Nick. You love Hannah. It's so obvious and I know she feels the same. Don't waste another minute being apart because it could all be taken away tomorrow. Go get your girl."
"I will."
"Promise me Nicky. Promise me that you'll be happy." Eddie insisted vehemently.
"I promise Eddie."
--
"Wakey Wakey beautiful." Eddie mumbled in her ear as he placed kisses on her neck. Janet groaned and tried to pull the blankets over her face but found it impossible since Eddie was laying on top of the covers.
"Go away." She mumbled.
"I brought you breakfast?" She opened her eyes. "Blueberry pancakes."
"I love blueberry pancakes." She pulled herself into a sitting position.
"I know." He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "How are you feeling sweetheart?"
"Wonderful. Happy. Excited. It's our wedding day." She took a bite of her breakfast.
"No hangover?" She shook her head and swallowed.
"Nope because someone took such great care of me."
"Did you have fun last night?" He asked
"We did. There is this bar downstairs, Coyote Ugly and it's just like the movie. It was so cool. We sang, dance and drank way too much. I actually think that I got up on top of the bar and danced." Eddie stared laughing.
"I would have paid to see that."
"I think Hannah or your sister has pictures. What about you? Did you have fun?" She asked between bites.
"Yeah. We played poker. Phil kicked our asses."
"Phil? He's here?"
"Nah. We videoed conferenced him in on the laptop and he joined the game. I would hold up his cards in front of the camera and then he would tell us what to discard and pick up. It was a riot."
"Did you have fun?"
"Yeah I did." Janet placed her empty plate on the night stand, scooted forward, wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down on the bed while kissing him. They were deeply involved in a hot and heavy make out session when Janet suddenly pushed him off of her.
"Janet?"
"What time is it?" Eddie rolled over and looked at the clock.
"11:30"
"Shit." Janet flew out of bed. "I have an appointment for a massage in thirty minutes and you aren't you supposed to go golfing?" She asked rushing into the bathroom taking her clothes off as she went.
He didn't bother answering her because he heard the shower turn on and he knew she wouldn't hear him. "Need some help in there?" He asked walking in the bathroom.
"I'm good thanks." He heard her giggle.
"Are you sure? I can wash those special places for you if you." He poked his head behind the curtain and he admired her backside as she shaved her legs.
"I think I've got it handled." He reached out and smacked her ass making her jump in surprise.
"Eddie." She shrieked.
"Love you babe."
After taking one of the fastest showers of her life Janet jumped out of the shower, threw on some clothes, piled her hair on top of her head and grabbed her makeup. She wouldn't put her makeup on until right before the wedding, after her hair appointment. "Bye babe. I love you." She told him.
"I love you too. I'll see you in a few hours. I'll be the sexy guy in the nice suit in the front of the chapel."
"I'll see you then." They shared a long passionate kiss before they parted ways before their wedding.
--
Janet spent the morning getting a massage, manicure, pedicure and finally a hair appointment. Eddie liked her hair down so she chose to keep it down and curly and the stylist placed a crown of flowers in her hair.
"You look beautiful Janet." Hannah whispered softly as both women got dressed.
"Thank you."
"Are you nervous?"
"No I'm not. I have no reason to be. I'm marrying the man that I love. I couldn't be happier."
"Nick told me he loves me and wants to be with me." Janet looked at her friend in shock.
"How do you feel?"
"I love him Janet."
"Then go for it girl. It can be taken away in an instant. Don't waste a minute." Janet wiped the few tears that had fallen from her eyes. "Treasure every day that you have together."
"Janet I am so sorry that this is happening to you. It's not fair. You and Eddie deserve a lifetime of happiness not the few months that you've been given. I wish that there was something I could do to make this better for you, to take away your pain."
"Do you have a cure for brain cancer lying around?" Tears filled Hannah's eyes. "Then you're doing everything you can. Just being here with me, on my wedding day means the world to me."
"The limo's here ladies." Katie said happily.
"Let's go get you married." Hannah said as both girls linked hands and headed out the door.
--
Nick heard the vomiting through the closed bathroom door. He knocked softly. "Eddie you okay in there dude? Nervous butterflies too much for you?"
"Pills. Bring me my pills." Nick heard Eddie grunt from the other side of the door. Nick looked around the room and saw a bunch of pill bottles on the nightstand. He didn't know what pills he needed so he grabbed them all.
"Eddie?" Nick walked into the bathroom and found his friend lying on the bathroom floor, head resting on the toilet. "I didn't know what pills you wanted so I brought them all." Eddie reached his hand out and Nick gave him the pills.
Eddie squinted against the pain and read the labels on the pill bottles until he found what he was looking for. "Water." He grunted as he opened the bottles. Nick quickly filled a paper cup that was on the bathroom sink and handed it to Eddie.
"What can I do?" Nick asked and Eddie shook his head as he swallowed a few pills. "Eddie you look really bad. Maybe I should call Janet." Eddie shook his head.
"No…don't call…her…"
"You can't get married in this condition."
"I'll be fine in a few minutes. I just need to give my medicine time to kick in." He didn't take his really powerfully strong medicine because if he did he would be knocked out for the rest of the day and he wasn't going to ruin this day for Janet.
"You guys can reschedule your wedding. You're in Vegas for crying out loud. Janet wouldn't want you to go through with it in this condition."
"I'm not canceling the wedding." He snapped lying down on the bathroom floor. "She wants this more than anything and I'll be damned if I'm going to let my cancer stop me from marrying the woman I love today."
"Eddie…"
"Don't Nick. I've got time to let the meds kick in. Just let me rest here and I'll be fine."
"Come on let's get you in bed." Nick resigned.
"No. It hurts to bad to walk. I'll just stay here."
"If you can't walk to the bed how the hell are you going to get married?"
"I'll do it. Now turn the light off and let me be." Nick didn't move. "Nicky please do this for me."
"Fine." Nick shut the light off and left his friend lying on the bathroom floor in severe pain. He really wanted to call Janet but he knew Eddie would never forgive him. His best friend was stubborn as hell and he knew Eddie would die angry at him and Nick didn't want to risk that so he turned on the TV and waited until he could wake Eddie up and he hoped like hell Eddie would be feeling better.
An hour later Nick went in the bathroom to wake Eddie. He squatted down next to the sleeping man and shook him gently. "Eddie it's time to wake up." Eddie groaned and rolled over, opening his eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." Nick stared at Eddie who was sitting up, head between his hands, taking deep breaths.
"Liar."
"Look dude, I'll be fine. I just need to get moving." His head still hurt like hell but he wasn't going to admit it to Nick. Placing his hands on the edge of the sink he pulled himself to his feet, fighting waves of dizziness and nausea. He grabbed two more of his pain pills.
"Should you be taking more pills so soon?" Nick asked him.
"Mind your own business Nicky." Eddie snapped swallowing the pills. "When do we leave?"
"Twenty minutes. Can you pull yourself together that quickly?"
"Yeah. I just need to put my suit on." Eddie slowly made his way to the room and got dressed. The guys showed up just as he had finished getting dressed and was struggling with his tie when they walked in.
"Need some help son?" Jack asked and Eddie nodded. Jack walked over to his son. "You okay?"
"I've got a really bad headache." He whispered. Jack opened his mouth to speak but Eddie stopped him. "I'm not canceling the wedding. I'm marrying Janet today."
"Whatever you want Eddie." Jack smiled softly at his son and tied his tie for him.
"Eddie we have one more surprise for you." Owen said happily.
"You shouldn't have." Eddie insisted.
"It wasn't us." Ikey opened the door and in walked Phil.
"Phyz what the hell are you doing here?"
"I couldn't miss your wedding. It was hard but I got myself out of the house, on a plane and here I am." Eddie walked over and embraced his friend tightly, fighting back his tears.
"I am so glad that you're here. You have no idea what it means to me to have you here. Thank you Phyz. Thank you so much." Eddie whispered softly.
"Come on Eddie. You'll be late for you're wedding."
"Let's do this." Eddie said with a smile.
--
Eddie stood at the front of the chapel, fighting the pain in his head, waiting for his bride to walk to him. Since all of his friends showed up and he couldn't decide which one to stand up for him and he didn't want anyone to get upset that they weren't chosen so he and Janet decided to stand alone. When the music began to play "Here comes the bride" he focused his attention on the back of the chapel and when he saw his beautiful Janet walking towards him the pain in his head seemed to disappear. He had never seen her look so beautiful and the dress she had chosen fit her perfectly. When he saw the tears streaming down her face his own fell.
"Hi." He whispered when she joined him.
"Hi."
"You look beautiful."
"Thank you."
"Are you ready to get started?" The man who performing the ceremony asked them,
"Oh yeah. Sorry. Please go ahead." Janet told him.
If either the bride or groom had been asked what was said during the ceremony neither of them would have been able to recall anything but each other. Their hands were linked and they stared at each other the whole time, tuning out everything but each other. Eddie and Janet finally snapped out of their trance when they heard their friends saying their names.
"Sorry. What did I miss?"
"Vows. Repeat after me." Eddie nodded. "I John Edward Latekka take Janet Edith Meadows to be my lawfully wedded wife; to love, honor and cherish all the days of my life." Eddie and Janet decided to go with the traditional vows minus the "obey and to death do us part" part of the vows. With tears in his eyes Eddie repeated those words to his bride then Janet followed suit.
After their vows were said they exchanged rings with shaking hands and then they were pronounced husband and wife by the state of Nevada. "You may now kiss your bride." They finally released hands and Eddie placed his hand on her cheek and they kissed softly as their friends and Eddie's family stood and cheered. They newlyweds kissed until they had no more breath left. "Thank you." Janet whispered when they broke apart.
"For what?"
"Marrying me. Making me the happiest woman alive."
"Thank you for asking me to marry you." He clucked her chin.
"I love you husband."
"I love you Mrs. Latekka."
"Come on you two. I'm hungry." Ikey quipped.
"Do you ever think about anything but food?" Eddie asked him tearing his gaze away from his wife.
"Now what kind of question is that?" Ikey responded and everyone laughed.
"Come on baby. We don't want to upset our guests." Janet said.
They spoke with the man in charge who told them that they could stop by the next day and pick up their pictures and DVD. They thanked him for everything and then joined their friends and family outside for congratulatory hugs.
"We've decided that since there are two limo's we'll all pile into one and leave the second one for you two to have some alone time." Laura told them.
"Works for me. We'll see you at the restaurant." Eddie told his mother, grabbing his wife and pulling her into the limo before she could open her mouth to respond. "Finally we're alone." He mumbled pulling her onto his lap so she was straddling him.
"You have a headache." She told him cupping his cheek. His headache returned a few minutes ago.
"I'll be fine."
"Eddie…"
"I'll be fine." He repeated pressing his lips to hers. His hand found the back of her dress, he unzipped it, slipped it down over her shoulders.
"Eddie…we shouldn't"
"Oh yes we should and besides sex is supposed to get rid of headaches." He argued. He pulled her breasts out of her bra and placed his mouth on them. Janet reached for his pants and unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Janet sat up on her knees, Eddie lifted his ass off the seat and Janet yanked his pants down. Pushing her underwear to the side she slid down on top of Eddie's erection. "Oh hell Janet. You feel so damn good." He grunted. Placing his hands on her hips he helped her move on top of him. "Faster sweetheart. Please faster." He begged and Janet's body began to move faster over him. "Oh…yeah…that's it." He groaned staring at her breasts as they bounced with every thrust.
"Eddie…I'm…coming…" She moaned.
"Let it go baby and come for me."
"Oh…Eddie" She cried as her juices gushed over him.
"Janet." Eddie shouted as he exploded inside of her. "I love you." He said and then kissed her passionately until their trembling ceased.
"Married sex rocks." Janet told him as she put herself back together.
"Sex with you rocks married or not." Eddie responded zipping up his pants.
"Zip me please." She turned her back towards him and he zipped her dress back up. "How's you're head?"
"It hurts." He answered honestly.
"How long have you had it?"
"It was only a slight one when I was getting ready." He lied.
"Did you take your pills?"
"Before I left."
"Baby why don't we go back to the hotel and skip dinner." He shook his head.
"No. I can make it through." She looked at him, raising her eyebrows. "Really sweetheart. I'll be fine." The limo pulled to a stop.
"If it gets too bad you'll tell me and we'll leave okay?" He nodded. "Promise?"
"Yeah Janet. I promise." The driver opened the door and Eddie grabbed her hand. "Come on. Let's celebrate our wedding." Janet took her hand and reluctantly allowed Eddie to pull her out of the limo. She had a bad feeling but she pushed it aside.
--
Halfway through their dinner Eddie looked miserable. Janet could tell his headache was worsening with every minute that he sat there and everyone else knew it too and because Eddie wasn't enjoying himself and everyone else was having a hard time enjoying themselves.
"Janet I'm going to go lay down in the limo." Eddie painfully told her.
"Wait a second and I'll come with you and we'll go back to the hotel." She told him.
"No. Stay here and finish eating. I'll be fine." She opened her mouth to respond by the placed a finger over her lips. "Please stay and enjoy yourself. I just need some sleep." Janet had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. He leaned forward and kissed her and then stood. "Thank you all for everything. It was wonderful." With one last look at Janet he slowly shuffled off and Nick came over and took Eddie's seat next to Janet.
"I'm worried about him Janet." She nodded. "He's had this headache for hours and it's not getting any better."
"What do you mean for hours? He said it came on as he was getting ready."
"I'm sorry Janet. I showed up a couple of hours before the wedding and found him on the bathroom floor puking. He was really bad Janet. I gave him his pills but he didn't take the stronger ones because he didn't want to be knocked out for the wedding. I begged him to let me call you to reschedule the wedding but he refused. I told him you would understand but he wouldn't budge. He slept on the bathroom floor because it would hurt too much to walk to the bed."
"That stubborn, lying son of a bitch." Janet muttered. She tossed her napkin on the table and went out to the parking lot followed by Nick. That bad feeling that she had suddenly intensified as she rushed to the back of the parking lot where the limo was parked. She was about ten feet away when she saw him lying on the pavement about a foot away from the limo. "EDDIE." She screamed running over to him. "Nick call 911." Janet begged tearfully. "Eddie, honey." She gently rolled him over on his back and his eyes fluttered opened.
"Hurts J…hurts." He mumbled. "I just wanted to rest."
"I know. Help is on the way sweetheart. Hang on." She tried to lift h is head onto her lap and he groaned in agony and Janet burst into tears. "I'm sorry Eddie. I'm so sorry." She whispered over and over until the ambulance arrived.
Thanks for reading. Please review. I really do appreciate them.