Jareth finally managed to arrange the wedding in Baston exactly as Marilla had always dreamed.
For over a month, Mr. Fairhaven felt as if he was being pulled in a million different directions.
He had his wife to care for, a corporation to run, wedding details to oversee, staff to coordinate, engagement photos to approve, and even the placement of every single flower at the venue demanded his personal attention.
He shuttled back and forth between Baston and Elmsworth on his private jet so many times, it nearly ran out of fuel.
Dean, worried about Jareth's wellbeing, suggested he oversee the preparations in Baston himself. But Jareth refused, preferring to bear the brunt of the workload, even at the expense of his sleep and health, to personally ensure everything was perfect.
"Mr. Fairhaven, why put yourself through all this?" Dean asked, seeing his red-rimmed eyes and the noticeable weight loss, feeling both heartbroken and guilty. "I could handle these minor tasks. I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed and you're worried, but you're running yourself ragged. How can your body take it?"
"Dean, it's not that I don't trust you or find you inadequate," Jareth said, gently placing a newly bought pink teddy bear on the bedside table, his voice soft and warm. "This wedding is not just any wedding; it's mine and Marilla's. It represents the realization of a dream, and I want to pour every ounce of my effort into making it perfect. Marilla wanted to keep it private. Even though it's her wish, I still feel I owe her more than that."
Dean felt a lump in his throat. "Mr. Fairhaven."
Jareth's gaze lingered on the pink teddy bear, an image of Lily smiling and laughing flashing before his eyes, piercing his heart with pain.
He quickly closed his eyes, taking deep breaths like a drowning man gasping for air, trying to calm the overwhelming surge of sorrow and longing.
"Dean, I've lived a life full of regrets. From now on, I don't want to leave any room for regret in mine and Marilla's life."
In the hospital room, it was just Jareth and Dean.
Marilla was out for a check-up with her doctor and nurse, giving Jareth a moment to arrange the collection of toys he'd gathered from around the world in every corner of the room.
The trauma of a brutal kidnapping had left Marilla with severe internal injuries, requiring long-term hospitalization and medication.
To combat the sterile hospital environment, Jareth transformed the room into a cozy haven, even setting up an easel and paints, hoping to reignite Marilla's passion for painting, a hobby she hadn't pursued since Lily's death.
Similarly, Jareth had closed off Whispering Pines Manor, both of them coping with their loss in their own ways.
When the door opened, and Marilla was escorted back by the nurse and her doctor, Jareth's eyes lit up with warmth. He rushed to embrace her, his strong arms providing a sense of security and love.
"Darling!" he exclaimed, holding her close, his hug full of protective love.
Marilla's voice was soft, their days apart magnified by their deep longing for each other.
"Mr. Fairhaven, could I have a word with you outside?" the doctor asked, his expression complex.
In the consultation room, Jareth, now a man transformed by love and responsibility, offered the doctor a token of appreciation for his wife's care, a gesture of his newfound humility and gratitude.
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