A year ago Mary was sure that she would never see Nick again. She would see him physically, sure, but emotionally he had been lost. With Robert and Mary by his side Nick had managed to beat his homecoming blues. They made sure he kept up with his physical therapy and had even convinced him to talk to a counsellor after a particularly rough battle with nightmares. Then one day it was like a switch had turned off in his mind and he was almost normal again. He felt secure enough to propose to, and subsequently marry Mary.

Before the wedding Nick had seen the prosthetics doctor that Dr. Burton had recommended so that he would have two arms for his wedding, his only requirement. Mary didn’t care either way but she loved the extra confidence he had with the prosthetic. As she had described it to friends, it was almost like he stood taller, not worried about hiding his arm. 

Overall, Nick’s emotional recovery had turned out to be faster (but not necessarily easier) than his physical one. He still had nightmares, and sometimes at night his arm would itch or ache for hours and the lack of relief would frustrate him. The biggest change in Nick’s disposition was his sudden drive for career success. He’d told Mary all about the vision he’d had for a partner store, despite believing it to be impossible. 

“Why can’t we do it?” Mary wondered, knowing that something had to happen since his money earned overseas was drying up, and her job at the library couldn’t support them, not to mention she would soon be leaving them. 

“Have you ever seen a one-armed tailor?” Nick asked dryly. 

Ignoring his attitude, Mary pressed on, “It doesn’t matter. I’ve seen you use a sewing machine with one hand. Anything that needs to be hand stitched either your father or I will help you.”

“You?” he asked sceptically. 

“Yes! Measuring, cutting, any of that I can help you with! It doesn’t matter how many arms you have, that can’t change your vision. That doesn’t make you any less talented. Besides, I love the idea of having a family business and if you won’t take over your fathers than we should at least have our own.”

Nick took a fair few minutes to think (too long for Mary) before smiling slightly, “Okay, let’s do it!” he said. He wasn’t completely sure about the venture but he wanted what Mary had said about vision and talent to be true. 

Nick thought back to a time where he would have called this idea boring. He’d complain about it being ordinary, unadventurous, and dull. Now that he’d had adventure, and excitement, the extraordinary life he’d always craved right at his feet, he realized that he had adventure right here at home this whole time. He watched Mary hold her stomach and smiled at the thought that their child would arrive in a few months. He was going to be a father. Now that was an adventure. 

Mary, their family, his new business venture, and his life in the most ordinary town in the country was all he could ever need or want and he wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. 

FINIS