Music of the Soul 1, 2, & 3 Starter Bundle

by Erik Schubach

  Vicky whispered, “Just how cute are you two?” and she snapped like the ten millionth picture of us since she met us. Valla reached down with one hand to grasp my good hand, interlacing our fingers as we all discussed everything from how we were going to catch up on our coursework to how this was going to work with the three of us in one room until I recover enough to be on my own in my dorm again.

  After we gorged ourselves on pizza and soda it was extremely late, the two girls had class in the morning. Before I knew it I heard tiny snores and looked down to see Vic asleep across my legs, hugging my left calf. Valla moved from behind me to beside me and cuddled into my good side. And just stared into my eyes.

  I don't know what came over me but my eyes watered up and I whispered, “I love you.” to Valla. A tear did escape her eye and she whispered back, “I love you too.”

  She looked happy and amazed at the same time. “Wow. So that's what it's like? The deafening whisper.” I didn't understand but I didn't care, we had finally spoke the words we were longing to hear. They echoed in my head as I dropped into the first peaceful slumber I had had in over a week.

  Chapter 9 – Valla's Confession

  I woke up to Valla coughing in the bathroom. Vicky was nowhere to be seen, she had probably already gone to breakfast. Valla wandered out in some boxer shorts and a t-shirt and stopped shyly when she saw me admiring her.

  “Did my coughing wake you baby? I'm sorry.” She said, offering me a small smile.

  I frowned, “It's fine. I'm worried about you, you spread yourself too thin taking care of me at the hospital.”

  She shook her head slowly as she responded, “It's just a tickle in my throat. I'll be fine. Now let me go do something about breakfast for you before I have to go to class.” She walked over and handed me my pills and a bottle of water to wash them down with. I did it with a silly grin on my face. She was so hawt when she was taking care of me.

  She caught my hungry appraisal of her, as I bit my lower lip. “Hey now. None of that until we can both do something about it you tease.” She grinned with a predatory look as she leaned down into a heated kiss. Then she pulled back, smiling bigger leaving my lips parted with want.

  I was frustrated, “Who's the tease now?” We both laughed, then I remembered something I had wanted to ask her.

  “You said something about a deafening whisper last night. What did you mean by that?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

  Her eyes glittered with love and happiness as she replied, “Well, a deafening whisper, once spoken, is a defining moment in time, where two lives are changed irrevocably, whether for the good or the bad. Just as our whispers last night changed us forever. Not only am I yours but I want to be yours forever.”

  My eyes were getting misty, she made me so happy! And speaking like that just brought my happiness to a whole new level. I was about to speak when she bit her lower lip seductively, “Hurry up and get better, I made you a promise the night of the party and I aim to keep it.”

  I remembered her flirty promise and gasped. “Damn you!” I said, “No fair getting me aroused when I can't do anything about it!”

  She leaned in for another teasing, lingering kiss before moaning and turning for the door. “Be right back with foodage baby... I love you!”

  I swooned and yelled back as the door was closing, “I love you too!”

  I got up and grabbed my crutch then hobbled my way into the bathroom and got ready for yet another exciting day of forced bed rest. I rolled my eyes at the prospect. I had already gone stir crazy at the hospital, this was going to be just as bad. It was only Wednesday and I wouldn't be able to get back to the real world until Monday!

  I looked at my bruised face in the mirror. The bruises looked awful, turning a sickly brown and yellow as they were healing. At least most of the the swelling had gone down around my eye and lip. The cuts were scabbed up and healing quite nicely. I couldn't change my clothes without a good deal of pain, so I decided to stay in my bed clothes. I'm helpless!

  After getting cleaned up the best I could, I hobbled back to the bed, my chest aching from the movement. I grabbed one of my course books and Little Vee and started catching up on the two weeks I'd been out of commission. But my mind kept drifting back to the attack, I was so scared.

  I had to go through that simply because I loved a girl. Why the hell are some people filled with so much hate? It seems the only thing I ever did to them was to simply exist. My thoughts were interrupted when my goddess came back in the room with some breakfast burritos and a couple of coffees.

  I placed my book back on the stack, pushing it around and nudging it with my finger until it was lined up perfectly. Valla coughed a little, and we ate. She noticed me stuffing Little Vee back in my pants, and she smiled. “You sure you are okay Valla? That cough sounds awful.” I asked, concern tinging my voice.

  She grinned softly back at me, “Never been better, let's concentrate on you getting better.”

  She gave me a tantalizing kiss, and started toward the door before I called out to her, “Valla. Could you... umm... help me get changed? I couldn't get out of these damn clothes.” I looked down in embarrassment.

  She crossed back over to me and put a finger on my chin, raising my eyes to hers. I'll never get enough of the feline look of her eyes, punctuated with those darker flecks of amber. “Of course baby.”

  We had difficulty getting the oversized t-shirt off without causing too much pain, so we decided blouses were the way to go. She selected one of hers from her closet. I could button them without problems, though twisting to bring the shirt around my shoulders was still out of my current pain threshold capability.

  She kissed the bare skin of my shoulders, causing a delightful warmth to bloom throughout my body as she wrapped my shoulders in the blouse. It smelled of Valla. I inhaled shallowly, wishing I could take deeper breaths of her intoxicating scent without hurting my ribs.

  I dropped my pants in a happy daze and stepped out of them. She grabbed another pair from my bag beside the bed I tried to bend to pull them up, but I couldn't bend much beyond my waist without pain overriding me. “God, I'm helpless.” I said, shaking my head as Valla bent to check my ankle wrap then pull the pants up my legs, stopping to kiss the skin of my thighs before I grabbed the tops of them and pulled them over my hips, breathing raggedly as I zipped and buttoned them. “Tease!” I muttered huskily.

  “No... payback.” she grinned and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “Gonna be late to class. See you here at lunch. Vickster will be checking in between classes too. Love you!” before I could respond she was out the door like a giggling whirlwind. Leaving me alone and aroused. Back to my studies.

  ***

  Over the next couple days Valla's cough was getting worse and even Vicky was getting on her case about getting it checked out. She kept insisting that the first priority was getting me healthy again. Vicky and I would exchange worried glances.

  Saturday morning rolled around and I woke up to Valla sitting on the edge of the bed coughing violently. She pulled her hand from her mouth when she saw that I was awake, I noticed something and I grabbed her hand and looked at it. There was blood on it. “Valla! We are going to the hospital, now!” I exclaimed, glaring at her for not letting on how serious this was getting.

  She was opening her mouth to protest when Vicky sat up in her bed. “What's going on?” I looked over at her, “Get the car Vic, we need to get Valla to the doctor, now!” Without a word she jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes. Walking over to the dresser and throwing clothes at Valla.

  My girl opened her mouth to protest again but wound up coughing instead. Then she just lowered her eyes to the floor and started getting dressed. There was a shirt in my face, I grabbed it from Vicky as she started peeling off the sleeping shirt I had on. As I was buttoning up the shirt she was already sliding some pants up my legs. I was stunned, she was a calm machine!

  I hobbled up onto my crutch as she rummaged through the pan
ts I had worn yesterday, retrieving Little Vee, and handing her to me as she grabbed Valla by the shoulders and started leading her out to the car. I hobbled after them.

  There wasn't much talking on the way to the hospital, Valla instructed Vicky to go to a different clinic instead. We both kept looking at Valla, not wanting to ask. I was getting so worried. I felt... No. Not now. I started fighting off an episode. By the time we arrived, I was wringing my hands in the effort of staving it off.

  Valla was pale and kind of out of it but Vicky glanced at me and she noticed. I'm sure my face was strained with the effort. I had to let loose but I couldn't, not until Valla was checked in. I needed release. I was sweating badly.

  We got to the reception desk and with one look at Valla the receptionist exclaimed, “Miss Taylor! I'll call Dr. Townsend right away.” Valla nodded and the receptionist turned to Vicky, “Just bring her back to the second door on the right. The doctor will be in in a minute.” The woman said, already lifting the receiver to her ear.

  If I had been thinking straight at that time, I would have realized that Valla must come here frequently. They knew exactly who she was and didn't ask any questions about what was going on. I numbly followed them into the exam room. I was in phantom pain, restraining myself, fighting hard not to explode.

  A nurse met us in the room with what was apparently Valla's chart which Vicky made a point of keeping her eyes away from. She didn't want the information burned into her brain.

  As soon as Valla was lying on a bed with the nurse taking her vitals, Vicky was grabbing my arm and quickly dragging me out of the room. “We'll be right back.” she said calmly to the nurse as we passed by. I followed her wobbling on my crutch numbly until we arrived at a restroom in the corridor.

  She pulled the door open then stuck her head in. After pulling back, she gave my arm a gentle squeeze and pushed me in the room shutting the door behind me.

  The moment the door shut I blurted, “Fuck!” as my shoulder spasmed to my cheek with a vengeance. I almost fell off my crutch. I sat on the toilet seat and just let my body do whatever it wanted. “Fuck!” The spasms were violent after being denied for so long, but I could feel the tenseness draining with each one. “Fuck it!” I felt relief.

  I heard Vicky telling someone in the corridor, “She's fine. I got this.” I was crying now, riding out the waves as they slowly subsided. Finally Vicky cracked the door open and looked at me, then walked in, locking the door behind her and watching my last couple shoulder shrugs. “Hey.” she said cheerfully with a big smile, handing me a tissue. “You ready to go see your girl?”

  After drying my eyes, I struggled to my feet. I looked in the mirror. Well at least I couldn't look any worse with my bruised up face. I looked to Vic and whispered, “Thank you.”

  She looked at me and shrugged. “What? This?” she waved it off, “You're the dumbass that fought it off so long.” She winked and I almost laughed. She's only the second person ever to not show pity over my condition. No quarter asked, no quarter given. She smiled and opened the door and ushered me out.

  We got to Valla's room and I peeked in the door, she was listening to the doctor as she was huffing on a nebulizer. I looked back to Vicky and she put a hand on my shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze as she spoke. “I'll be in the waiting room.” I watched her leave, then hobbled my way into the room, putting a smile on my face for Valla.

  She took the nebulizer out of her mouth long enough to say, “Hey baby.” I grinned at her, trying to hide my concern. “Hey yourself.” I replied. I looked at the doctor. “H-how's my girl doing?” He glanced over at Valla and she nodded slightly in permission before he spoke. “Well, Miss Taylor is just having another nasty bout with walking pneumonia. Looks like she waited quite a long time to come in this time.”

  This has happened before? I felt guilty that she ignored it to watch over me and mumbled to him, “S-she was taking care of me. I should have m-made her come in sooner.”

  He looked at us and his demeanor softened. “Well, no harm, no foul THIS time.” he said then looked at her accusingly. “Stop being so stubborn when it comes to your treatment.” he chastised as he removed the nebulizer and started writing things on her chart, and took her vitals again.

  “Sorry Doc.” she said like a little kid who had just got caught stealing cookies.

  I looked at her, picking my words carefully. “What's wrong with you Valla. You have to tell me.” She looked at me, her lips pursed tightly shut and looking at the doctor pleadingly.

  He apparently understood her implied consent and turned to me. “Vee here is just having another nasty round with her cystic fibrosis.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently as he walked toward the door, calling back to Valla, “A nurse will be in in a minute to get you your prescriptions, and have you fill out some paperwork.”

  I was still standing there stunned and unmoving. Cystic fibrosis? Isn't that terminal? What, like a 25-30 year life expectancy? My eyes were watering up. I turned to her and she looked... ashamed? She wouldn't meet my eyes. “When we get back, we need to talk.” she whispered hoarsely. I just nodded and went to where she was sitting on the edge of the bed, I joined her silently, and laid my head on her shoulder to wait for the nurse.

  With the prescriptions in hand and an order of two days bed rest and warned to take it easy for at least two weeks more, we picked up Vicky doing every crossword in the magazines in the waiting room at the same time, and we were off.

  The ride back to the VV Lair was silent, with me cuddled into Valla. Vicky, knew not to talk. She had been amazing all day. If I hadn't been so worried about my girl I probably would have wondered how she was able to turn off her hyperactive personality at the proper times.

  ***

  Back in the room we laid down in bed, Vicky making an excuse to leave us alone to talk. Something about bringing back chicken soup for healing all of us up. I turned to Valla on my good side and she turned so that we were face to face, inches apart with my hand in hers.

  I looked at her and asked with pain in my voice, “Cystic fibrosis?”

  She nodded and responded, “Sorry I never said anything, that I hid it. I just wanted to be with you without that hanging over us.”

  I was tearing up as I choked out, “But... I want to be with you forever.”

  She reached up to my cheek, stroking it gently with her thumb as she whispered, “I never expected to meet you. I never expected to fall madly in love with you. I never expected US... and then WE happened. Then I couldn't tell you. I couldn't bear to see you hurt. I just didn't know what to do. I thought I'd lose you if I revealed it.”

  She tore her eyes from mine and looked down at our hands. A million questions were going through my mind, but one dominating the rest. I whispered, “How much longer?”

  I reached over with my cast and brought her gaze back to mine, lifting her chin with my finger as she replied. “Two, maybe three years... I hope to finish college before...”

  We were both silently crying now. “But... it's not fair.” I whispered. She shook her head in agreement. I took a gasping breath, “Am I yours?” She nodded. “Are you mine?” my emerald eyes searched her amber as she nodded again. “Then it's enough. Can I have every moment?” I choked out. She nodded again and buried her head in the crook of my neck and I held her as she sobbed herself to sleep.

  I numbly sat there and just watched her breath. God I love her. I took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in my ribs from doing so, and forced my tears to stop. It was at that moment that I resolved that I was going to fill every day, every moment with her for as long as we had with nothing but love. I would not be weak, I would be strong for her, for us. I kissed the top of her head and waited for Vicky to return.

  About an hour later Vicky returned with chicken noodle soup and soft drinks. I gently woke up Valla and we all sat around on the bed, taking turns with the big spoons, dipping into the huge communal bowl of soup.

  Vic's bubbly personalty h
ad returned with a vengeance, keeping us all smiling and laughing the rest of the weekend. She knew it was needed. We all had an unspoken agreement that we would hold off a bit before any serious talks. Right now it was about being together and healing.

  Molly stayed in the VV Lair on Sunday night and they made some suggestive squeaking noises most of the night over on Vic's bed, when they thought we were asleep. Valla and I had to fight back our giggles.

  Chapter 10 – Planning the Future

  Monday morning rolled around and Molly was nowhere to be seen. Valla and I were officially off of bed rest. I can actually go to class today! I was able to actually dress myself with great difficulty after my shower. I must be recovering. Valla made it difficult for me to focus as she combed out my hair for me, leaving hot wet kisses all over the exposed skin of my neck.

  I made sure Little Vee was in my pocket and we headed out the door. My ankle was feeling pretty good today, only a couple more days with the crutch and I should be able to walk fine without it. We made our way to one of the cafeterias for breakfast, with Valla and Vicky carrying my books and purse. How pathetic am I?

  “See if you can't snag an open table ladies and I'll go order us some grub.” Valla said with a quick kiss, leaving my lips parted, wanting more.

  As we turned toward the tables, I bumped into someone. “S-sorry.” I said and stopped when I realized who it was. “S-sorry Missy.” I repeated looking at the floor.

  She looked me up and down, cringing at my face a bit. “Not a problem.” she said quickly as she turned to walk off. “Wait!” I called after her.

  She stopped with her back still to me but didn't turn around. Vicky was looking back and forth between the two of us in confusion. I quietly said, “Thanks for helping to s-save me.”