by Graham, Jan
Both surgeries seemed to take forever. Angel came out of hers first but had problems in recovery. She finally made it to the intensive care ward not long before Kathy did. Daniel explained to Steve that Kathy was going to be fine from today’s injury. Unfortunately, during the surgery they had spotted a lesion on her lung. It had shown up on one of the scans taken to assist with the surgery. Daniel said they suspected it was a small-cell lung carcinoma. They had biopsied it while Kathy was knocked out and sent it away for testing.
“So today may have its benefits after all. If this is a cancer, it’s been found early.” Steve tried to remain positive.
“Exactly.” Daniel smiled.
Steve sat holding Kathy’s hand. Daniel had explained she probably wouldn’t truly wake for a day or so due to the trauma and the body’s natural mechanism to sleep to overcome injury. Still, he was determined to make sure he was sitting with her just in case she stirred, even a little. Angel was in the bed next to Kathy, and Steve looked at her pale skin and tiny frame. How had she managed to drag Kathy to safety with the injuries she herself had sustained? He always knew she was a tough little thing, and he would be forever grateful to her for getting Kathy away from the house.
Steve listened intently as Angel’s doctor explained the surgery to Daniel and Christian. The bleeding had been contained, the gallbladder removed, the liver repaired along with various blood vessels. The prognosis looked good. She would need bed rest for a few weeks, and recovery to full health may take up to four months because of the extent of the damage to the liver. Daniel asked about the transfusion. The doctor relayed the information he had been given about a man showing up in emergency that just happened to be a perfect match. The doctor took Daniel aside and spoke to him briefly; Daniel looked at Angel’s chart and nodded before handing the clipboard back and returning to her bedside.
“Something wrong?” Christian asked when Daniel returned.
“No, just an anomaly in the donor blood results they’re rechecking. It’s probably just an error due to rushing through the checks for compatibility.”
“I will have you know I don’t have abnormal blood. You heard the doctor, it was a perfect match.” Steve smiled. “You can all thank me later.”
“You, you’re B negative? You donated blood when you arrived at the hospital?” Daniel looked slightly confused.
“Yeah, I didn’t realize it was for Angel though, or I would have given more.”
Angel began to stir and opened her eyes to see the faces of four men staring down at her. She smiled as she looked at Daniel, Christian, Andrew Shore, and Steve.
“Are we all okay?” she asked.
“We’re all fine.” Christian smiled.
Daniel told Angel what was happening, that she had been operated on and was being given blood that Steve had donated. He told her that she needed to sleep some more and they would be here when she woke up again. Angel glanced at the bag of blood slowly infusing into her body and then glanced toward Steve.
“Is dragon blood good for me?” Angel asked dreamily.
“It’s the best,” Steve whispered to her as she drifted back to sleep.
Andrew Shore insisted that the three men go and get some food now that everyone was out of danger. He agreed to wait with Angel and Kathy until they returned. With a bit of persuasion, they agreed they would go to the staff cafeteria and eat something. It was going to be a long night because none of them had any intention of leaving the hospital. The staff cafeteria ran twenty-four hours, seven days a week, and according to Daniel, the meals were much nicer than the other options at the hospital. Eating Steak Diane and vegetables at two in the morning wasn’t the usual thing to do, but as the three men sat downstairs, it seemed almost natural under the current circumstances.
“Steve, remember when you found out your dad wasn’t your biological father?” Daniel asked.
“Yep, I couldn’t donate a kidney because we didn’t match,” Steve replied.
“Did you ever ask your mum who your real dad was before she passed away?” Daniel asked cautiously.
“Well, as a matter of fact, Dan, I did.” Steve took a break from eating “Apparently she had been at a party and hooked up with some guy called Hazza W. She couldn’t give me any more information on him, but I heard his name again today.”
“And so did I.” Christian looked shocked as he stared at Steve.
“Yeah, Hastings referred to Angel’s father as Hazza W. I was going to ask you how I’d go about finding out if it might be the same person.” Steve looked at Daniel and smiled. “I did leave you a message to call me before our day went to hell.”
“You donate blood and have it show familial markers when matched to Angel.” Daniel laughed. “That was the anomaly the test result showed. You told the pathologist you didn’t have a sister when she questioned you. They assumed they’d made a mistake with the result.”
“Oh, Angel is going to love this. Imagine the death stare and smart comments you’ll get when she finds out.” Christian laughed.
Suddenly Steve looked aghast, the shock hitting him like a lead balloon.
“Well, I’m cool with being Angel’s brother, but it does also mean something else. It also means that this afternoon I was in a gunfight with my two half brothers and killed them both.” Steve’s expression was somber.
“Shit happens, I guess. It wasn’t like you weren’t provoked.” Christian looked at his friend compassionately.
“And better them than you,” Daniel added. “It wasn’t like knowing would have changed the outcome of what happened.”
“True.” Steve tried to smile. “And I’m a better brother for Angel than either of them ever was.”
The next day Angel was informed that Adrian Hastings had passed away from his wounds received during the gunfight. Angel couldn’t believe Adrian hadn’t survived. She wondered whether that had been his intention all along, especially after Steve told her that Adrian had stepped in front of him to prevent Steve from being hit. Adrian had never really explained what was wrong when she had spoken to him that morning, and given the fact that things looked like they were about to end for him businesswise, he may have decided to go out in a blaze of glory.
Angel felt a strange loss knowing he would no longer be around, but it made her feel safe knowing the past, along with Adrian and her brothers, was gone for good. Besides, she had a new brother. Angel thought Steve was joking when he told her, but Daniel and Christian had confirmed it was true. Angel decided that at least she and Steve liked each other, and he was definitely easy to annoy. Angel actually liked the idea of having Steve as her brother. After all, he had never tried to shoot her, even though some days he may have liked to.
A few days after their surgeries, both Kathy and Angel were out of intensive care and on the road to recovery. Daniel organized for them to be in a shared room, which Angel assumed was just one of the perks he received for being a doctor at the hospital. Angel really liked Kathy, and Kathy seemed equally as thrilled with Angel’s new status as sister-in-law. The diagnosis of the lesion discovered on Kathy’s lung during surgery was as expected. It was a small-cell carcinoma. The treatment options included another surgery and chemotherapy which would be started as soon as Kathy had recovered significantly from the trauma of the shooting. Her prognosis was unknown. Without any treatment, the life expectancy for Kathy was between six and twelve months. With treatment, that time frame could be extended for up to two years. Many tears were shed on the days surrounding Kathy being told the news, and Angel knew many more tears would be shed before Kathy finally left this world. Unfortunately for Kathy and everyone who loved her, the reality was that one day within the next year or so, she would be gone from their lives.
After a week of being in hospital, Angel decided it was no place for a sick person to recover. In fact, it was exhausting. The beds were uncomfortable. The nursing staff seemed to wake everyone up at change of shift which, at six in the morning, was really annoying. And there wa
s always someone visiting. It was nice to know that she was loved, but some days the room was so full Kathy and she could have made a fortune if they had charged entry. The police came to take official statements or just to visit. Family constantly trolled in and out, as did friends of Kathy’s. The only visitors Angel didn’t mind seeing were Christian, Daniel, and Steve, who were there every night without fail.
Christian and Daniel were seeing to Angel’s affairs while she was laid up. Angel was given numerous pieces of information and bits of paperwork that she needed to sign in order to finalise the life she had known before meeting her two beloved men.
There were insurance claims, real estate agent claims, address changes, insurance policy changes, opening of investment accounts for the money left in Samuel’s safe, and the sale of the house that Samuel had left Angel. Christian and Daniel handled it all with ease. Angel was grateful for the help. Most paperwork did her head in, and she often put off dealing with things that should have had high priority. For Christian and Daniel, these things seemed to be a breeze and, according to Daniel, something that a Dom should assist their sub with.
Angel decided she wouldn’t argue. She’d just sign, and by the time Angel finally went back home, everything had been settled. Angel had spent two weeks of bed rest in the hospital, and even now that she was home she was not allowed to do anything strenuous for a minimum of three months. Angel had no idea slicing open her liver on a bit of broken window could be so limiting to her daily activity. She had been horrified to think that no strenuous activity included sex, but apparently it did. At least, it included the type of sex she enjoyed with Daniel and Christian. Daniel joked that he may consider allowing her to have starfish sex after a month or so, but he would make no promises.
The one thing Angel was allowed to do was to sleep in bed with Daniel on one side and Christian on the other. The first night home she lay in bed, revelling in every glorious snuggle, every touch and brush of their hard bodies against hers. She was so glad to be back in their arms, their bed, and their home. Life was perfect and so were they.
Epilogue
Four months later
Angel woke early. If Kathy had meant what she said about helping Angel prepare for the day, then she expected a knock on the door at any minute. She quickly showered and dressed.
Angel prepared the coffee and placed the two chickens, a large piece of pork, and beef into the oven to start roasting. She was sure she would have enough food to feed an army, but she didn’t want any of their guests tonight to go home hungry. Angel made of list of things she needed to do before their guests arrived. Pick up the cake and flowers, prepare the remaining food, decorate the outdoor area, and most importantly…stay calm. Angel wondered if she was turning a simple event into a major catastrophe, but she had insisted on organising everything so she couldn’t change her mind now.
The bonding ritual was only meant to be a quiet ceremony, but once family and friends found out about it, Angel was now faced with organising a much larger event.
To Angel’s surprise, Christian and Daniel appeared from the bedroom wearing blue denim dress jeans and white collared shirts, sleeves rolled to just below the elbow. Before Angel could comment, the doorbell rang. As Christian strode over to answer the door, Daniel instructed Angel to go and change into the dress laid out on her bed. Angel didn’t know what to think but immediately obeyed. The temptation of a surprise awaiting her in the bedroom far outweighed her need to know what was going on.
She heard voices and lots of activity in the living area of the house as she put on the beautifully feminine Ralph Lauren Silk Jersey Dress. The pale, pearl-gray coloured dress was an elegant, off-the-shoulder design, contoured to fit snugly across the bust and shoulders before flowing loosely around the hips and finally flaring at the hem, which sat just above the knee. Angel scooped her hair into a loose bun. She clipped it in place, leaving a few strands of curls loose to caress her cheeks. Angel felt a little overdressed for seven in the morning, but then so were the two men waiting outside in the living area of the house.
By the time she returned to the living room, Christian and Daniel were standing chatting with a small group of four people. Kathy waved at her from behind the boys and looked like she was so excited she was about to pee. Steve gave her a wink as the brothers turned around to face her.
“She isn’t wearing any shoes,” Christian stated, looking down at Angel’s feet.
“I prefer her barefoot.” Daniel smiled. “Especially when she has her toenails painted that pretty pinkie-red colour like they are now.”
Christian walked over to her and opened the small box he held in his hand. He took the necklace out and placed the Cartier Trinity necklace around her neck then gently kissed her cheek before returning to stand next to Daniel. Angel looked down at the three delicately intertwined circles of pink, yellow, and white gold that formed the shape of a heart.
“It’s beautiful.” She smiled as Daniel walked up to her and took her hand in his.
“Angel Wylde, I think you are the most beautiful creature in the world, and I would be honoured if this morning you would agree to marry me, thereby legally taking the name of Shore, becoming bound to both Christian and I in name for all time.”
“Oh my, yes, if that’s what you both agree, then yes,” Angel squealed in delight.
“Of course we both agree.” Christian laughed, moving forward to hug her.
Angel quickly discovered the two strangers in the room were a marriage celebrant and photographer. Steve and Kathy acted as official witnesses to the ceremony. Christian gave Angel to be married to Daniel and acted as best man. When the time came, Christian produced two Cartier platinum wedding bands, each set with three single diamonds on the top and the words “An Eternal Trinity” engraved on the underneath. Daniel and Angel both said, “I do,” declaring their love and commitment to each other during the legally binding, traditionally worded ceremony.
Just as the final photos were being taken, the doorbell rang again and Meg and Barry from the Eat This Café arrived with a tray of fresh croissants, muffins, and pastries along with heated serving dishes containing sausages, bacon, and eggs. Steve farewelled the celebrant and photographer before joining everyone at the table for breakfast. Fussing over Kathy and annoying Angel seemed to be what made him happiest these days, so neither woman tried to stop him.
After breakfast, Daniel and Christian carried Angel, who was protesting she had things to do, back into the bedroom. It didn’t take either man long to convince Angel that the bedroom was exactly where she needed to be, and for rest of the morning Angel was kept busy satisfying her men and being satisfied in return. The hours of sex included everything from acts that were slow and passionate to downright dirty, hardcore, and smutty. It was one o’clock when Steve banged on the bedroom door stating, “Time’s up.”
Daniel ran Angel a bath complete with rose petals and scented oil, telling her she had thirty minutes to soak and recover from her morning’s activities before Kathy needed to take her to the mall.
As Angel soaked in the tub, she thought about her list of things to do and laughed. If nothing else, the guests tonight would have a variety of roast meat to eat. Angel had just finished dressing when Kathy came in to take her to the salon for a hair appointment. Angel assumed everything would be ready by this stage of the day and she would at least have a few hours to rest before the guests arrived. That obviously wasn’t meant to be. She would have to scramble to get things ready for the ceremony once she returned home.
By the time Angel got back to the house, the place had been transformed. The dining table was covered in a white linen cloth with two large vases of long-stemmed, red roses at either end. A guest book and pen sat at one end of the table and a large photo album with the morning’s wedding pictures was at the opposite end. The deck had been cleared and turned into what Angel could only describe as a bar, with a table covered in glassware of different varieties, large, metal tubs filled with ice a
nd either soft drink or beer. Bottles of wine, both red and white, lined the end of the table.
A white marquee had been erected in the back yard, with tables and chairs beautifully decorated with linen table clothes, candles, and silverware. To the side of the marquee was a low, round table with a wrought-iron fire pit at its centre. A garden arch draped in silk ribbon and roses stood as a backdrop to the fire pit, and tall, stainless-steel garden torches spiked into the lawn circled the ceremony area.
She walked out onto the back deck where Steve, Daniel, Christian, and Barry sat enjoying a cold beer and admiring their handiwork. Meg and her eldest daughter were walking back from the marquee, having finished putting the dinner plates at the end of what Angel assumed was the table ready for the buffet dinner.
The thirty or so guests began to arrive not long after everyone that had worked on setting up the house had finished changing into their party clothes. Angel smiled at the eclectic mix of people filling the yard. Mr. and Mrs. Shore looked like traditional parents of the grooms. Mistress Mercedes, clad sexily in tight leather, stood in stark contrast to Kathy in her classic black cocktail dress. Jig had changed his coloured hair to include bright red tips rather than purple. He nestled himself against a stunning, buff young man. Trevor looked a bit lost as he chatted with Steve and Barry. The traditional values he obviously lived by were probably being tested, but Angel was sure he would have fun all the same. Chocolate was entertainingly loud as usual. He had already declared himself mother of the bride, which Angel had no problem accepting. After all, who wouldn’t want a tranny dressed to emulate Elizabeth Taylor as their parent figure for an event like this?
