Chapter 16

The following morning Fiona was bubbling with happiness; so much so that Sheila remarked on it. Fiona merely gave her a beaming smile. She almost skipped into the hospital but suddenly remembered to get Hank a copy of The Times.

"He'd better not dare to even look at the crossword while I'm with him," she thought.

She waved a cheerful good morning as she passed the nurses' station but was stopped by a call from Sister.

"Good morning, Mrs Adams. The brigadier is so much better that we've been able to move him onto the general ward."

"Oh!" Fiona tried not to sound disappointed but failed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you would have preferred the privacy but we do have to keep the two single rooms for the more serious cases."

"Yes, of course. I quite understand. Thank you."

She went to the door of the general ward and looked for Hank. He was at the far end next to a window. The tent over his legs was gone and he was sitting up reading a magazine. Fiona's throat constricted. She almost ran to his bedside. He did not notice her until she arrived. He looked up and gave her a delighted smile.

She tossed the newspaper on the bed and gently took his face in her hands. Her eyes gazed lovingly into his.

"If you're well enough to be moved into here you're well enough to be kissed properly," she whispered. She gently touched her lips to his. His arm reached up around her shoulder and held her to him. She was careful not to press her lips to his in case she hurt him. She was happy though with that and the fact that he was holding her and showing no rush to release her.

She had to pull away eventually though due to the strain on her back. She sat beside him and took his hand in both of hers. Her eyes never left his.

"I've never seen you look so lovely," Hank murmured. "You're radiant."

She smiled, nodded and gently squeezed his hands.

He stared into her eyes. There was something different in them. Instead of just fondness and affection there was a new warmth and happiness. He had never seen her looking happier. Then it hit him. She was looking at him with love. His chest contracted with joy and his voice came out as a croak.

"Oh, my darling!"

She fell forward and laid her cheek against his. His arms went round her again and, oblivious of any pain, he held her tightly to him.

"And you're mine," she whispered in his ear.

"At last," he murmured.

"Sorry, I've been so stupid."

"You haven't. You've been very sensible. You had more to take into consideration than I did."

"No, Hank darling, when I realised I loved you there was no reasoning, no consideration just a blinding glimpse of the obvious."

He released his hold on her and took her face in his hands. He kissed her.

"I love you, Fiona. Will you marry me?"

Her eyes filled. Her lips trembled. She could only nod vehemently. She fell forward and buried her face in his pillow as sobs wracked her. He held her tightly.

One of the nurses came over. "Is everything all right?" she asked anxiously.

Hank, smiling broadly, nodded. Fiona's tear stained face came up sharply.

"Very, very all right," she said and beamed. "Sorry," she added, "I'm making an exhibition of myself."

She disentangled herself from Hank and kissed his nose. She grabbed a tissue from box on the bedside table and blew her nose and dabbed away her tears. The young nurse was still hovering.

"Can I tell her?" Fiona asked Hank.

He smiled at her and nodded.

"He's just asked me to marry him."

The nurse's face lit up. "How wonderful and how romantic!" she exclaimed. "Congratulations to you both!" She hurried away to tell the others.

"I must go and wash my face, darling," said Fiona.

Reluctantly Hank let her go. It seemed an age before he saw her coming back and then she was waylaid by Sister.

"Mrs Adams," she said sternly. "I cannot allow unseemly demonstrations of unbridled affection on the general ward."

Fiona bit her lip to stop giggling at such pomposity.

A twinkle appeared in Sister's eye. "So," she said still trying to sound stern, "I'm having your fiancé's bed moved back into his old room." Her face broke into a smile. "Congratulations. I hope you'll both be very happy for years to come."

Fiona could not help herself. She hugged Sister. "Thank you, thank you!" she gushed.

Sister pulled back. "Now I know why you got the giggles yesterday when I called you Mrs Brierson." She chuckled and then said more seriously, "You do realise that if we need that room we'll have to move you out immediately."

"Of course. I'm so grateful and I'm sure Hank will be too."

Hank was. Two minutes later two orderlies materialised and wheeled Hank's bed back to his former room. Fiona followed with such belongings as he had.

Once they were alone Hank said to her, "Help me shift over a bit, darling." It was a bit of a struggle but at length they succeeded. "Now pull my pillows over a bit." She did so. "Now lie down beside me."

He reached out an arm. Fiona kicked off her shoes and lay beside him in the crook of his arm.

"That's better," said Hank. "Now I can get at you whenever I feel the urge."

He kissed her lips softly. "I'm looking forward to these things healing fully," he murmured.

"Me too. Oh Hank, I'm so happy I hardly know what to do with myself."

"Just stay very close to me for the time being."

"That sounds a very good idea."

She caressed his face with the tips of her fingers. "Now I can tell you," she said. "You're a very, very good looking man and your smile turns me gooey."

Hank snorted. "And you, my darling, are a very beautiful woman. When I first met you I thought you were quite good looking but that it was spoiled because you looked tired and careworn. Then, as you began to perk up, you started to look even better. Now you've shrugged all that off and, as I said earlier, you're radiantly beautiful. You don't look a day over thirty."

"Rubbish but thank you, darling. When are we going to get married?"

"I'd prefer to be walking normally again but if I have to be in a wheelchair so be it. What sort of a wedding do you want?"