Chapter 45 You're Married?!

Marcus, as it turned out, had an uncanny ability not to feel embarrassed by the lack of encouraging reactions. "I bet Curtis never mentioned me to you. I mean, he's a bit of an ass, but it's mostly because I'm not usually around here. I heard he got married, which is the weirdest news ever, and so I ran all the way here to congratulate him and… found you! Which is why I'm here! To say hi!" Sabrina's embarrassment only intensified. Did he really, really need to "say hi" at the entrance of a hospital like this? And was it just her, or was there something bordering on rude with this guy? She opened her mouth and yet she could not find anything to say at all! It was Finnick who finally showed some reaction. "Y-You… You're married?!" he stammered. He had hoped to reconnect with Sabrina, thinking that seeing her around was a sign of fate—and now it turned out she was married?! He did not even know who her husband was. Sabrina knew it was impossible to hide this, so she nodded as confirmation. That exchange, however, surprised Marcus. Suddenly, he wondered if he had ruined these two's plans—whatever it was. "Okay, okay, this is... awkward," he remarked as he turned to look at Victor for help. There was no way in hell Victor was getting into this. Marcus had now made himself part of the show instead of watching the show, and Victor was smarter than getting his ass dragged into it. Sabrina forced a smile. "Alright, uh, let's try this again, okay? I'm Sabrina, and uh, I'm here to see my grandpa, who's in a coma. Would you like to join us?" she asked. Most people would take that as the cue to leave. Unfortunately for her, Marcus was not "most people." He nodded enthusiastically and injected himself between Finnick and Sabrina before launching into an unstoppable chat. Finnick had been mostly silent during their encounter, and he wanted to ask Sabrina about her marriage but was unable to get a word in. As Marcus continued to dominate the conversation, Sabrina texted Curtis for help. [Hey, your friend is at the hospital with me. Can you please come collect him?] Curtis was already on his way, having received a report from Victor earlier. Sabrina's message confirmed his friend's antics. Just imagining the sort of embarrassing shenanigans his annoying friend might have been up to made his head hurt. Marcus acted as if he had been a part of the hospital staff since day one. He began chatting with the nurse, Annie, whose hesitance melted away within just a minute of their conversation. He asked so many questions and showed so much concern about Parker that he unwittingly made Sabrina look bad. Ugh, she wished Curtis would show up already. Honestly, how the hell was this guy his friend? Curtis was stoic to a fault, aloof, and a bit too pragmatic in his outlook. Meanwhile, Victor was simultaneously dependable and not dependable at all. How did these three even become friends in the first place? Finnick could no longer contain himself. "S-Sabrina? Can I ask? When… exactly did you two get married? Have you known each other for long? Is he good to you?" The last question was the most critical to him. If there was even the slightest hint that Sabrina was mistreated, Finnick would do all he could to help her out of that marriage. His own self-interest was not the most significant concern at this point. Sabrina gave him the most watered-down fib: they met on a dating app, felt they were good for each other, and got married. "You know what happened between me and Aaron, right? After that fiasco, all I wanted was to find someone good to settle down with, and he happened to fit the bill. He's not a bad person at all," Sabrina said. "I'd love to introduce Curtis to you one day." Sabrina was not oblivious to Finnick's feelings for her. The whole marriage was an awkward point for her, something she should have disclosed, but Finnick never asked. So she never said anything. Marcus' blunder today gave her the opportunity to come clean. "I… see! I didn't expect you to get married so soon, Sabrina! I'm… surprised!" His smile was forced, and she could tell. But there was nothing she could say or do to comfort him, as she was the target of his affection. They fell into silence. That was when Curtis finally stepped inside. The first thing he saw was Sabrina sitting next to a stranger, the two of them in an awkward situation. Oddly enough, he felt a little upset. "Sabrina?" he called out. They raised their heads at the same time. Finnick immediately felt threatened. He could tell that this was no ordinary man. He considered Sabrina worriedly and wondered if she was truly happy living with a guy like this. She rose to her feet and rushed toward Curtis. "God, finally! You're here! Can you please do something about your 'bro'? He's been a bit too much for me, chatting with everyone inside nonstop!" Sabrina was so overwhelmed by Marcus that she couldn't help but complain to Curtis immediately. Yet, this action stirred two very different emotions in both men. Curtis found his bubbling rage subsiding instantly. Finnick, on the other hand, felt a pang of sorrow welling up in his chest. Everything in Sabrina's attitude told him that she genuinely considered herself as Curtis's wife. There was nothing he could do.