Fascination Street

by Bridget Midway

  Tears stung his eyes when he saw Zora with tubes coming out of her nose. Her thick hair had been tucked under her head, causing a slight halo effect. But seeing her face made his heart stop completely. Scratches marred her delicate flesh. Bruising had already formed under both eyes and on her forehead. And he saw one of her hands wrapped in bandages.

  Grant gravitated to her until Art stepped in front of him to stop him.

  “Grant, I know you see her and you’re worried,” Art began. “She looks worse than what’s going on with her.”

  Grant couldn’t talk. His throat closed on him with the onset of heavy tears.

  “I’m sure you know what happened.”

  Grant nodded. Again, it was his fault. If he hadn’t toyed with Stephanie’s emotions, she wouldn’t have felt compelled to come after him. He had to take Zora away from all of this madness.

  “The car hit her pretty hard but since Zora has been exercising and taking care of herself, she was in a lot better shape and didn’t sustain as many injuries as she could have had. I won’t kid you. She could be dead right now. Had she landed on our driveway or on the curb instead of on the grass, we would be having a different conversation.”

  Grant covered his mouth with his hand.

  “Aside from the scratches you see, Zora has a broken wrist, a couple of broken ribs and a slight concussion. No other broken bones and the doctors did a thorough check. The impact did some internal damage. We want to keep her here for observation for the concussion and the internal injuries.”

  Grant dropped his hand. “Have, um, have you been taking care of her?”

  Art offered a slight, comforting smile. “This is not my expertise. Another doctor has been attending to her. When he’s not here, I come here and stay with her. I assure you, nothing will happen to her. Zora will get the best care.”

  Grant nodded, unable to express his deep gratitude. Coming around to the other side of the bed where Winta had been, he kept his gaze on Zora as he took her hand.

  “Let’s give him time to be alone with her,” Winta said.

  Art ushered Winta and the nurse from the room. Grant bolted from his seat.

  “Art, wait.”

  The once too-cool-for-words man now looked shaken and mountain top snow white in appearance. Knowing that Zora’s fragile state affected him as much as it did Grant touched him deeply.

  “Bring everyone in here. I need you all around Zora…and me right now.”

  Art opened his mouth like he wanted to spout the hospital policy on visitors but he quickly closed it and nodded.

  “Will do.”

  Grant returned to Zora. With the gentlest of touches, he held her hand again as though it were made of eggshells. He stared at her. Her hand, also scarred from scratches, felt cold in his.

  Overwhelmed by emotions, Grant didn’t wait for the group to return. What he wanted to say came from his heart.

  “It’s my fault you’re like this,” he began. “I didn’t listen to you and I should have.”

  The door to her room opened. Although he kept his attention on Zora, on her beaten and battered face, from his peripheral vision he saw them all file into the room and group around him and Zora’s bed. Their support elevated him until he felt powerful. If only their strength could heal her.

  “You told me that I should learn to trust people like the way I trust you. But it’s hard. Moving from state to state and country to country growing up because my dad was in the Navy, I never learned to rely on other people, especially neighbors, because I never got to know them very well.” Grant gazed up. He scanned the faces of the people who had saved his girlfriend’s life. “I have learned the hard way that to know these people is just as important as having you in my life.” He returned his attention to her. “I don’t know if you can hear me.”

  “Keep talking, Grant,” Art prodded. “She can hear you.”

  Grant nodded. “Like I said, I made a mistake. I thought that when I fucked up with Winta and you before that I could easily replace these people with substitutes. I led Stephanie on at work thinking that I could bring her into our lives and that would make you happy.”

  Grant squeezed his eyes closed when he heard one of the women gasping at his admission.

  “I drove her to do this and hurt you. I never meant for anyone to get hurt, least of all you. I love you so much. And for what these people did for you,” he glanced up again, “and what they’ve done for me, I love them too.” He squeezed Zora’s hand. “We have to leave Fascination Street because of a stupid mistake I made. I made several stupid mistakes. But I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a red ring box. “I wanted to give this to you under better circumstances.”

  Another wave of gasps rippled through the group. This one, though, pumped his heart.

  “I never wanted to ask you to marry me and have you think it was because I wanted to keep up with the lifestyle. When I thought about how you’ve changed for the better, how much you’ve grown into an amazing woman in such a short time, I fell in love with you all over again. I wanted to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. And since this accident, I realize just how short life is and how I could have lost you.” He slipped the ring on her left ring finger. “You hold this for now. I’ll be here when you wake up and give me your answer.” He kissed her hand. “I love you, baby.”

  “We love you, too.”

  After blinking and replaying that statement in his head over again, Grant tried to convince himself that Garland just didn’t say those words. Perhaps Lynia’s voice had changed. Or maybe Winta had adopted a more forceful tone than normal.

  Steeling his frazzled nerves, he peered up and became entranced in Garland’s intense stare.

  “You don’t believe me, do you,” she said, a hand on her hip.

  “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” To ground himself, he held onto Zora’s hand, smoothing his thumb over the back in order to steady his racing heart.

  “Do you think we would all be here if we didn’t give a damn about you or Zora?” Garland pressed.

  “Shhh, not in front of her,” Lynia whispered as she nodded toward Zora’s still body.

  “She’s right, Grant.” Winta accommodated Lynia’s request by speaking a hair above a whisper. “Over these past few months, all of us have grown to love both you and Zora. We’re hurting just as much as you are to see her like this.”

  “But you didn’t feel a damn thing about kicking us out of the house, huh?” Despite their kind words, Grant couldn’t forget the fact that he and Zora would have to look for a new home soon.

  “Perhaps we could discuss that,” Art said. He glanced at the rest of the group. “As pissed off as I was at Grant for what he allowed to happen to Winta, I’ll be the first to admit that I would miss them both if they left.”

  “So what are we saying?” Brax asked.

  Before another word could be uttered, a nurse entered the room. As a shocked expression covered her face, she demanded that all but two had to leave the room.

  “We’re not leaving you here alone, buddy,” Evan said. “We’re watching over her in shifts.”

  “I’m going to bring some clean clothes over for you,” Winta said, her smile warm as always.

  “Have you eaten? I could make something for you.” Lynia, wearing a sundress that barely hid her nude body, looked close to jumping up and down when she made the offer.

  “You all go. I’ll stay here with Grant and Zora,” Art said. “Her first twenty-four hours are critical. She needs a lot of love and immediate medical attention around her.”

  Words couldn’t express how Grant felt about this group of people, the same group he said he could do without, the same group he thought had turned their backs on him and Zora, the same group he’d shared many an intimate moment with over the past few months. Before letting any of them go, Grant hugged the men and kissed the women. Whenever he tried explaining to them how he f
elt, they shushed him and asked that he and Art take care of Zora.

  Taking care of Zora now would be the easy part. Hearing what she had to say to him once she found out what really happened would cut him to the core. ***

  Pain. Deep, to-the-bone excruciating pain struck Zora, who struggled to open her eyes. Even the dim lighting hurt her eyes as she blinked in slow motion to remove the haze from her view. After one long blink, she peered around the room.

  Wine-colored roses met her gaze when she looked to her left and right. Scanning the room, it didn’t take her long to see that flowers of all kinds, shapes and colors surrounded her. A couple of Mylar balloons with ‘Get well’ sentiments floated by the foot of her bed.

  When she raised her hand to scratch her head, her fingertips brushed against soft hair. Bringing her gaze down, she saw Grant’s dark curly hair sticking up every which way as he rested his head on her bed.

  Grant. Whatever had happened to her, he had remained by her side. Her heart monitor audibly captured her increasing heartbeat as she stared at her man, her Grant. She stroked his head. It didn’t take him long to stir.

  Mimicking her same blinking ritual to focus, Grant struggled to focus several times before he rubbed his eyes. He held her hand close to his cheek, then moved closer to her.

  Before uttering a word, Zora swallowed. “Wh--what happened,” she stammered, like it was the first time she’d used her vocal chords in months.

  “You were hit by a car in front of the house,” Grant said in a soothing tone.

  Hit by a car in front of their home? A sharp sting zipped between her eyes when she furrowed her eyebrows.

  “Hit? Who? Why?”

  Grant explained everything about Stephanie and why he’d done what he did. The look of remorse on his face hurt her more than her bandaged hand and her broken ribs.

  “You tried replacing our neighbors?” she asked.

  He nodded.

  “You can’t.”

  He nodded.

  “They’re special.”

  “I know. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know what would have happened to you. They saved you. And Art has been making sure you’re comfortable.”

  She balled her hand into his and felt a noticeable snag against his palm. After pulling her hand back, she gazed at a large, sparkling ring on her ring finger.

  She smiled. “Did that include Winta donning me with her jewels until I got better?”

  Grant commandeered her hand again. His stare became so intense that the smile melted from Zora’s face.

  “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Grant began. “I don’t know what I would do without you. I’ve always felt that way, even before the accident. And although I wanted to ask you under better circumstances, like the saying goes, there’s no time like the present. Zora, will you marry me?”

  Stunned, she stared at Grant, searching his weary face for truth. His normally warm eyes held the last spark of hope. A crusty five o’clock shadow covered his noble chin. Even his mouth drew into a long line.

  “Are you asking me so that we don’t have to leave the house?” she asked.

  He rutted his eyebrows this time. She saw the muscles in his jaws flex.

  “No. That was my whole problem living in the house. I never wanted to ask you then because I was afraid you would think that was the reason I wanted to marry you.”

  She cleared her throat and it sent her into a coughing jag. Grant dropped her hand long enough to pour her a cup of water and help her drink it. With the fit gone, he resumed holding her hand.

  “And you’re not asking me out of guilt for hitting on Stephanie and making her hit on me, right?”

  Grant moved closer to her. “Absolutely not. I want her behind bars for what she did to you. And it’s you I want. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Even if we have to live in our cars for the rest of our lives, I want you by my side.”

  “We may have to live in our cars.” She pushed up a smile. “Where’s my purse? Hopefully the paramedics didn’t take it.”

  Like an explorer, Grant rummaged through the small closet designated for Zora’s belongings. He retrieved her purse and sifted through it until he came across a black velvet box.

  “Open it,” she squeaked.

  He did. His mouth dropped open. With one look at her, his eyes filled with tears.

  “I guess we were both thinking the same thing,” she said. “Will you marry me?”

  He laughed. “I asked you first.”

  “Yes,” she said. “Yes.”

  “That goes double for me too. Yes.” And he planted the softest kiss on her lips.

  She’d been beaten but she wasn’t broken.

  When he pulled back she asked, “Do you think we’ll get to stay in the house?”

  Slipping on the ring, Grant avoided making eye contact. She knew what his grim response would be but she still wanted to hear it.

  “I doubt it. But you know what? It’s okay. I know that they’ll always be friends.”

  Zora blinked. “You believe that they want to be our friends now?”

  A smile hitched up the corner of his mouth. “Took a lot but it’s gotten through my thick skull.”

  She held his hand. But when a realization hit her, her heartbeat slowed. “I’ll miss the special relationship we had with them. Won’t you?”

  “I don’t want it from anyone else. It’s them or no one, so I guess it’ll have to be no one.”

  “If it has to be that way, okay.” She feigned a genuine smile. “It was fun while it lasted, right?”

  He kissed her forehead. “It’ll be fun for us again. Just us.”

  She nodded but inside she felt lost. Who was she now without being a part of the Fascination Street group? She’d become so ingrained in the life that she didn’t think she could do anything else or want anything else.

  Her gaze fell onto her engagement ring.

  Did she want something else?

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Slapping her hands together as she gazed around the empty living room of her former home, Zora let out a long sigh. When she turned back to the front window, the same window she and Grant had looked out of six months ago when they’d caught Winta giving Art his daily blow job, she caught the sight of Lynia’s eyes peeking around the post on her porch. The woman tried acting like she hadn’t been watching Grant and Zora pack the last of their belongings in both of their vehicles but Lynia was too honest and curious to be sly.

  Like she’d been doing over the last couple of months whenever she’d caught Lynia or Winta or even Garland looking her way, Zora waved to Lynia through the window. From across the street, she saw the petite blonde offer a quick wave back before seeking security in her home.

  “Well, that’s it,” Grant announced as he entered the room.

  Thinking of how she would never see these people again, Zora let out a long breath and replied, “Yep, that’s it.”

  “How’s your wrist feeling?” he asked. He held her hand and caressed the underside of her wrist.

  The touch sent goosebumps over her flesh and zipped a shiver up her spine.

  “Better,” she said, then kissed him. “This wasn’t how I wanted to spend our holidays.”

  He nodded. “I know.”

  “I liked it here.” She snaked her arms around him. “I liked the people, and beyond just the sex.”

  “They’ll still be a part of our lives. But just as friends. Nothing else. Are you okay with that?”

  Nuzzling her face into his chest, she shook her head. “No.”

  She felt his long, strong arms wrap around her body. The chill of the winter air nipped at her ear and caused her to tremble. In response, Grant held her tighter.

  She winced. “Easy, baby.” A sharp, stabbing pain shot through her body when he touched her still aching ribs. “The ribs aren’t one-hundred percent yet. But they will be.”

  “So no more sex with you on top?” he growled.
r />   That’s when she felt his growing need pressing against her stomach.

  “I’ll still do that. You know that’s my favorite.” She smiled. “I’m just limited in some of the other acrobatic stuff we used to do.”

  “I guess I had better take it nice and slow.”

  To start, he kissed the side of her face until he held her chin and pulled her face around so that he could plant a warm kiss on her lips. The connection drew heat from his mouth and into her body, warming her up considerably.

  “What do you say? One last time for old time’s sake.” His hand cupped her breast over her thick sweatshirt.

  The touch made it hard for her to respond in any other way but yes. She barely got the response out before he had his hands under her top, seeking her full breasts.

  It wasn’t like they hadn’t continued to maintain a full sex life after she was discharged from the hospital. Zora remembered clearly the day she came back home. Flowers, balloons and cards from the neighbors met her when Grant opened the door for her. They did care and that meant a lot to her.

  When it came time for her bath, Grant had volunteered to give her a sponge bath. He’d stripped her naked, and patted the warm, round sponge all over her body except for her vagina. That area he’d personally laved until she came hard enough to hurt her sides again. After that Grant limited his sexual contact to sensual massages. With his large hands, he always reduced her to a pool of jelly.

  Today was no exception. Before she knew it, Grant reached behind her, his hands still under her Pittsburgh Steelers sweatshirt and undid her bra. Unbound, his hands easily snaked under her loose bra to cup her breasts.

  She gasped. The sudden intake of breath moved her ribcage in such a way that the old pains from a couple of months ago came back and caused her to wince again.

  “I can’t keep hurting you like this.” Grant kept his hands on her tits but in a loose way, so that his hands cradled them instead of squeezing them. Then he slid his hands out, leaving her body cold. He grabbed her hand and said, “Come on.”