Chapter 4
When Mark and Amanda arrived for dinner with bags of food from Bob's, Steve stood up and went to unburden Amanda who had the drinks. "Let me guess," Steve said with a mischievous grin. "All this is on my tab?"
"Now how did you know," Mark chuckled as Amanda went to help Jesse sit up a bit in the bed.
"Great," Jesse said as his voice sounded stronger. "I'm starving in here and he's eating all my trays."
"What?" Steve said jovially. "It's meatloaf night.
"Some where I went really wrong with you," Mark said with a grin as he winked at Jesse.
Amanda slide a tray with a simple meal in front of Jesse who started to dig in right away.
Mark watched him eating from where he sat and smiled. "I'm moving you to a regular room tomorrow if you can hold that down tonight," he said smiling.
"No problem," Jesse said with a grin. "I feel great."
Mark's eyebrows rose as he looked over at Steve who bore the same expression on his face. "Okay, what's going on?" he asked curiously.
"What?" Steve said chewing up his food and swallowing.
"Jesse?" Mark said looking at the younger man.
Amanda looked from Steve to Jesse and smiled. "You two are definitely hiding something, what is it?"
"Guess we've been had," Jesse said looking at Steve. "You tell them," he said with a chuckle.
"No, you," Steve said enjoying the little game they were playing.
"Well someone tell us what is going on!" Mark asked a bit flabbergasted.
"Steve and I are getting married," Jesse said with a broad smile.
Amanda let out a little squeal of delight as she looked at Mark who was smiling as wide as Jesse if not bigger. "It's a bout time," Mark said joyfully. "I was sort of expecting this sooner."
"You were?" Steve asked curiously. "I didn't think you'd approve if it was any sooner."
"Steve, son," Mark said grinning. "Jesse's been at the house over a year, how long did you need to know it was gonna be forever!"
"He can't help it if he's clueless, Mark," Jesse said with a slight giggle. "He's a detective remember."
"Hey," Steve said with a wounded look. "You're supposed to be on my side."
"Sorry, buddy," Jesse said with a laugh. "But dad's right."
It wasn't lost on Mark or Steve what Jesse had just said. Putting his plate aside, Mark stood and leaned over to kiss Jesse's forehead. "You both have made me so very happy," he whispered.
"Thank you," Jesse said smiling at Mark.
"Don't be quite so happy yet," Steve said with a smirk. "Wait until you hear where we want to have the wedding."
"Where?" Mark asked curiously.
"We want a beach wedding, right outside the house," Jesse said excitedly.
"That's fine with me," Mark said with a nod. "In fact, I love the idea."
"Well yes," Amanda said excitedly. "It's perfect, the house is plenty big enough for the reception after."
"It's gonna be a lot of work," Steve said. "We'll need a caterer, music, you know the works."
"And that's what you'll have," Mark said with a nod at Jesse. "As soon as Jesse gets well enough, we'll start making plans."
"I'm so excited," Amanda said smiling. "Now I just have to keep myself from crying at it."
Jesse held the mirror up that Mark gave him the next day so he could see the incision on his scalp from the surgery to fix the brain bleed. Half his head was shaved and he'd have a scar for life but it wouldn't be noticeable once his hair grew back.
"I think we can take the drainage tube out now," Mark said checking the drainage level.
Steve cringed as Mark went for the sutures holding it in place on Jesse's head. "You're going to pull that out right now!" He said looking a bit green.
"Why not," Mark said snipping the sutures and gently pulling the tube.
"Oh gross," Steve said turning and walking away as Mark and Jesse grinned.
"And that from the guy who can look at every murder scene imaginable but can't watch this," Jesse said giggling as Mark bandaged the site.
"In my defense, those people are dead," he said with a shrug. "It's different."
"You'd never make it as a Doctor," Jesse said smiling.
"That why I leave that up to you two," Steve said as Mark smirked.
"All done," Mark said patting Jesse's shoulder. "We need to get you on your feet now but remember, your equilibrium maybe a bit off for a few days so no getting out of bed unless you got us or a nurse with you."
Jesse nodded. "I know the drill," he said flipping the covers back. "Let's see what happens."
Mark stood on one side of Jesse while Steve was on the other. Jesse placed his feet firmly on the floor and pushed himself up. "Little wobbly," he said before taking a tentative step.
The only thing that kept him from falling flat on his face was Steve's strong grip on Jesse's hospital gown and the arm he threw underneath him as he started to fall forward.
"And that's what I was talking about," Mark said once Steve had Jesse sitting on the side of the bed.
"When will it pass!" Jesse said anxiously as Mark put a hand on his shoulder.
"Jesse, you know it will take several days to get over the worst of it," Mark said smiling. "Don't worry, you're doing fine, just take it slow."
Jesse nodded as he took a deep breath and looked up at Steve. "I want to try again," he said letting Steve get a firm grip on his arm as he stood up again.
Mark shook his head and watched with a bit of amazement as Jesse took not one but two steps with Steve's help.
"You'll get there," Mark said once Jesse was back in bed. "It's just going to take time."
"Yeah," Jesse said with a smile as Steve sat down beside him. "It's a good thing you're so buff," he teased as Steve smirked.
"I'm always going to be there to stop you from falling flat on your face, Jess," he said laughing.
"I don't know if that's a good thing or not," Mark said chuckling. "I've got rounds to do, you boys behave yourselves."
"Yes, dad," Jesse and Steve chorused as Mark left the room with a big smile.
Amanda came off the elevator as Mark walked by. "Hey," she said grinning excitedly. "How's Jesse today?"
"He's doing great honey, I've moved him to the third floor and took out the drainage tube and with Steve's help, he took a few steps already," Mark said smiling. "Wish I could take all the credit but I don't think what's driving him is me."
"Steve," Amanda said knowingly as Mark nodded.
"I've never seen either of them so happy and at ease, it's really amazing to watch," Mark said with a sigh. "You go say hi, I've got rounds to make."
"Okay," Amanda said smiling. "Catch up to you later."
When Mark returned to Jesse's room later, the three friends were engaged in a rather exciting conversation about weddings. Mark chuckled as they stopped and looked in his direction. "If you ask me," he said crossing his arms. "What you need is a wedding coordinator."
"Oh yeah," Amanda said nodding. "I don't know why I didn't think of that!"
"You mean actually paying someone to make all the arrangements?" Steve asked as Mark nodded.
"Sounds good to me," Jesse said grinning. "I'm lost when it comes to weddings and stuff, have no idea where to start."
"Don't worry," Amanda said smiling. "I'll make a couple phone calls and have them meet you later at the house once Jesse's feeling up to it, okay?"
Both Steve and Jesse nodded affirmatively. "Well," Mark said with a grin. "Now that that's been settled, let's talk about Jesse going home, how's tomorrow sound?"
"Really?" Steve asked excitedly. "It's not too soon? He can barely walk."
"You'll be there and I'll be there," Mark said with a smile. "He'll be fine."
"Yeah," Jesse said putting his hand in Steve's. "I'm ready to get out of here."