by Barbara Goss
“Rise above it, Nathan. And do plan on going back to school because Alex will run the mill again, whether or not he walks again. I’ll see to it.”
Nathan reached over and gave Nora a hug. “That’s a friendship hug, but don’t tell Alex.”
They both laughed.
Alex laid waiting for Nora when she entered his room, on his back, with his nightshirt off, and his arms crossed behind his head. It was a warm evening, with hardly a breeze coming in through the open window. The moonlight lit the whole room, giving it a romantic ambiance. When Nora walked in, he immediately flipped over in preparation for his nightly backrub.
As she prepared the lotion, he asked, “So, what did you think of the house?”
“Oh, Alex! It’s beautiful. You’ll love it.” Nora described each room to Alex as she gave him his backrub.
When she put the cap on the lotion in preparation to leave, Alex turned over and sat up.
He grabbed her hand and kissed it. Then he pulled her hand towards him so she’d have to bend down, and he kissed her lips. Nora meant to pull away—she knew she should have—yet she found herself enjoying his kiss instead, because his lips felt so good and right, that she eagerly returned the kiss. This caused Alex to groan and press her even closer. She could feel his tongue, and teeth—and she tingled from head to toe.
Halfway through the kiss, he practically pulled her into his bed. When she realized this, she pulled away, stood up straight, and cast her eyes down in shame for allowing her emotions to manifest in such a wanton way.
“It’s all right, Nora,” he whispered hoarsely. “It's just nature taking its course. Never deny your body what it craves I don’t, which is why I kissed you.”
“I shouldn’t have allowed the kiss. It’s definitely not professional behavior,” Nora tried to hide her grin.
He still held onto her hand. “Nora, I know I’m in no position to say this, but I have to, because I can’t hide my feelings any longer. I seem to have fallen in love with you.”
She shook her head, “No, Alex. You’re grateful… nothing more. I completely understand that.” She patted the hand that was holding onto hers. “You need to examine your feelings and be sure of them before making such a serious statement as that.”
“I already have. How about you? Am I reaching too high in hoping that you might feel a bit of the same for me? Your kiss spoke volumes.” He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm, sending her nerves prickly.
She pulled her hand free. She wasn’t sure what to say to him. Yes, she felt love for him but what if his feelings were nothing more than gratitude? If she professed her love, then she’d only wind up hurt and humiliated. She bit her lip. “Alex, I did like the kiss, but love? That’s a powerful and a strong emotion. I’ve never been there before, so it’s difficult for me to say whether I am now or not. I love being with you; does that count?”
“It counts,” he said. “Is it because of my condition?”
“No! Absolutely not! I simply need to be sure that what you’re feeling for me is something more than gratitude.” She turned to the door. “Goodnight, Alex.”
Alex lay in bed wondering if he’d said too much too soon. As soon as she'd returned his kiss, a pleasurable shock had run through his entire body. He’d never felt that way during a kiss with anyone before. That was when he knew—he was definitely in love. He hugged his pillow and revisited the kiss in his mind. He’d rejoiced inside when he’d felt Nora return the kiss instead of scolding him, as he thought she might.
She did care for him, of that he was sure. Tomorrow, he’d double up on his exercises. He had to walk again. His reasons for it were stronger than ever now. He would never wheel down the aisle to marry, no matter how much he loved the bride, he vowed.
12
“No! I won’t do it, Mother!” Nathan protested loudly.
“Don’t raise your voice at me, Nathan! You will do as you are told.” Sylvia slammed the door to her room and left an angry Nathan standing in the hallway.
Nathan turned to his own bedroom and went inside. He punched the wall with his fists. Why did she always order him to do things that he didn't want to do? And why did he always end up doing them?
Nora checked on Alex. He was exercising, but stopped when she walked in. “Good morning Magic Fingers.”
Nora smiled. “Would you like me to bring in your wash bowl and—”
“No, I can go into the water closet and wash up on my own.”
“Well, don’t overdo it,” she said walking to the door.
“I’m going to walk again, Nora,” he said.
“I hope you do, but my feelings for you won’t change if you don’t.” She winked. “You’ll always be my favorite patient.”
“Gee, thanks. Weren’t all of your other patients elderly females?”
“Yes, but they always behaved themselves. I’ll be back in a while.” Nora fled the room; dodging the pillow Alex threw her way.
Nora went down to the kitchen, and ran into Nathan. “Good morning, Nathan,” she greeted brightly.
“Good morning, Nora,” he said with what Nora thought was false cheerfulness.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” He stood rubbing his eyes. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“I have a question for you,” Nora said. “Is the wheelchair that you’re having made finished yet?”
“It is. I’ve told him to hold it until we move,” he answered.
“Since your mother didn’t remove your stepfather’s ramp, I thought I might use it to take Alex for walks,” she said.
“Good idea." Nathan smiled. "I'll stop and get it today after I leave the mill." He disappeared out the back door.
Nora wondered why he seemed so glum. She shrugged and climbed the stairs.
When Nora entered Alex’s room to change his bedding, she stood, staring in shock. “Alex,” she whispered. He had hold of the pulley, but loosely so. He was, for all intents and purposes, standing of his own volition. For the first time, Nora noticed how tall he was—she'd never seen him standing long enough to measure him with her eyes before.
Alex didn’t turn to face her, as he seemed to be concentrating on his performance.
“Alex,” she whispered again. “Try to bend one of your knees while you are standing.”
He fought for balance, raised one foot about four inches from the floor, and then collapsed into his chair. He turned to her, wearing a smile from ear to ear, which made Nora’s heart skip a beat.
“I counted to fifty while standing!” He exclaimed. “Come here,” he ordered with a laugh. “I need to celebrate that with you.”
She stepped near him, and he put his arm around her and pulled her onto his lap, and kissed her as he had last night. She didn’t try to pull away, but instead, pressed even closer to him. Her arms suddenly went around his neck. She returned his kiss with a fiery passion. After they mutually broke the kiss, Alex kept going back for small kisses and nibbles. She laughed and laid her head on his shoulder. “Oh, Alex, what am I to do with you?”
“If I were merely filled with gratitude,” Alex whispered, “would my heart be racing and my whole body trembling from our kisses?” When Nora didn’t answer, he continued. “Would I want another kiss right away? Would my heart leap into my stomach every time you walk into my room?”
Nora released her grasp on his neck and looked into his green, questioning eyes. “I feel the same.”
Alex groaned and hugged her to him. “All right. We’ve established we’re in love. Now what?”
“Now,” Nora said, “we enjoy it.”
“I want to enjoy it fully. Will you marry me if I am able to walk down the aisle?”
“It’s a bit too soon for that question, Alex, but my answer doesn’t depend on whether or not you can walk. My feelings for you will not change.”
“And that is one of the million reasons that I love you. I’m not going to stop asking that question until I wear you down an
d you give me an answer.”
Nora removed herself from his lap. “I spoke with Nathan this morning and I asked him to bring home the new wheelchair. I would love to take you out for walks on these beautiful, sunny days, like today.”
Alex smiled, a smile that resembled a cat that had just finished drinking his cream, a relaxed and satisfied smile. He gave her a mock salute. “I’d like that. Now I’m going back to my exercises. I am determined to walk down the aisle, if I should be lucky enough to get the right answer from you, that is.”
That evening, as promised, Nathan brought the new chair home. Alex tried it out, wheeling himself around his room, and surprised Nora by knocking on her door when she was putting her freshly laundered clothing away. She swung open the door, expecting to find Nathan or Sylvia there, and was shocked to see Alex sitting there, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She wanted to hug him, but Nathan was standing in Alex's doorway across the hall.
“I see I have an unexpected visitor to my room,” she quipped.
“But I won’t come in because it wouldn’t be professional behavior.” He smiled and spun his chair around as though he’d been in one for years, and wheeled himself back to his room.
Nora mouthed a ‘Thank you’ to Nathan.
Nathan nodded and closed Alex’s door. “Now that you have the chair, Alex, how about going with me to see the house you put a down payment on?”
Alex said, “I could, couldn’t I? You’ll help me?”
Nathan nodded. “Of course, I will. How does Sunday sound?” When Alex nodded, he turned abruptly. “I have to go; I haven’t had my dinner yet.” He left closing the door softly behind him.
Alex couldn’t help but wonder why Nathan seemed so troubled. Was it due to missing Celeste?
He felt excited about seeing the house, but he didn’t want Nora to come with him. He feared his first trip outside in the wheelchair might be a clumsy one. Sunday would be the perfect time because she’d be visiting her mother.
While Nora gave Alex his backrub by the glow of moonlight, he told her, “Nathan's taking me to see the house on Sunday.”
“I can’t wait to hear what you think of it,” she said.
“I’ll take the list you made and if I see something not on the list, I’ll add it.”
She put the top on the lotion, and Alex again flipped over and sat up. This time he grabbed Nora by the waist, and tugged her across his body and onto the bed to lie beside him. He didn’t kiss her, but held her close. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the beating of his heart. She moved away to look up at him through the moonlight, and he pulled her to his lips and kissed her passionately.
“My love,” he crooned. “I wish we could stay like this all night.”
“Oh, but Alex,” she said, “That would not—”
“Be professional behavior!” he finished. “But I don’t give an owl’s hoot, remember?”
“Maybe someday,” she teased by planting light kisses on his neck.
“All right! Enough, or you’ll not leave this room at all tonight.”
She pulled away from him and got to her feet. She touched his cheek, “I do love you, Alex. Goodnight.”
She covered him and tiptoed to the door. As she opened the door she heard him say, “I love you more.” She smiled, and closed the door.
Alex lay there thinking how fortunate he was to have found love with a woman as wonderful as Nora. She churned his blood like no other woman ever had. To make him even luckier, she didn’t base her love on whether or not he could walk. She loved him unconditionally, just as God loves us. He thanked God for Nora every night in his prayers. He sincerely felt that Nora was a gift from God. He vowed to always treat his precious gift from God with the greatest care and respect.
When Nora walked into Alex’s room the next morning, she was surprised to find Celeste sitting on his bed again. She hadn’t visited in days, and they’d both thought she’d finally given up. Alex was sitting in his new wheelchair exercising. Celeste looked so beautiful that Nora felt a strange pang in her stomach. She wondered how Alex could ever turn someone like her down. Celeste had everything a successful business owner could want.
“Hello, Flora,” Celeste said without a smile.
“It’s Nora,” Alex snarled between his teeth.
“Whatever...” Celeste shrugged.
“Come here, Nora,” Alex said in a seductive tone that made Nora’s insides melt.
Nora walked to his wheelchair. He took her hand and kissed it. “How did you sleep, my love?”
Celeste inhaled a gasp so suddenly that it set off a coughing fit.
“Are you all right?” Nora asked. “Can I get you some water?”
Celeste jumped off the bed, ran into the water closet, and closed the door.
“That was cruel, Alex,” Nora said.
“Yes. She nearly choked to death; shame that she didn’t isn’t it?” he laughed.
“Alex! I know you don’t mean that,” Nora scolded gently.
Alex whispered, “Why does she keep coming here? I’m hoping now that she knows I’m in love with you, she’ll not come back.”
“She isn’t coming out of the water closet,” Nora said.
“She probably went out the other door,” Alex said without concern.
Nora walked over to the water closet and slowly opened the door. The room was empty. “You're right. She’s gone.”
“Good,” Alex said.
“When I first saw her here, I wondered how you could possibly resist her, Alex. She’s beautiful, sophisticated, socially connected—”
“And a snob.”
“I supposed that goes with the territory,” Nora said.
“In my eyes, you’re more beautiful than Celeste because your inside goodness shines through and makes you so. You can take the most gorgeous woman in the world, and sometimes all she has to do is open her mouth and her beauty fades. Remember, beauty is only skin deep? It’s true, especially where Celeste is concerned.
“Now, come here, darlin’,” he said in that seductive, gravelly tone he’d used earlier. Alex’s soothing, low voice thrilled her.
She obeyed, and stooped down to his eye level.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re beautiful, and you came from a good, respectable, hardworking, family. That’s what made America what it is today. Where would my mill be without the loyal and dedicated laborers who work hard every day?” He stroked her hair. “You, have the most beautiful hair—it has this reddish hue when the sun shines on it. Most women would love to have hair this gorgeous. You also have the most remarkable blue eyes that twinkle with sincerity and compassion. You have this little nose,” he touched it lovingly, “that looks like a tiny, little button. When you smile at me, you are the most gorgeous woman in the world, and I feel lucky to have won your heart.” They kissed for several moments before he said, “Now, do I get breakfast? I’m starving.”
“That’s it. I’m done with this game. I’m finished!” Celeste cried.
“What now?” Sylvia asked as she polished her silver.
“Alex! I’m not going back! You can kiss the merger goodbye. You and Father can forget my part in this scheme. I’m done!”
“Is he still ignoring you?”
“More than that. He’s having a fling with his companion, or aide or whatever she is. He kissed her hand,” she spat. “I’m humiliated to have been cast aside for a servant.”
“Oh, that’s just gratitude,” Sylvia said.
“He called her ‘my love’. ”
“Did he, now?” Sylvia dropped her rag and pushed the silver aside. “I’ll be right back.” Sylvia sped up the stairs and into the bathroom, where the door to Alex’s room had been left ajar. She saw Alex kissing Nora. She flew back down the stairs and approached a still-weeping Celeste.
“I need to talk to your father. We tried to get the merger by friendly means, but now we get nasty. We have to act before he moves out. And that son of mine had better he
lp me.”
“I’m sick of these games! I really do care for Nathan, you know… and now I’ve lost him,” Celeste said. She wiped tears from her eyes.
“I know you do, and now you can get him back. Trying to get you back with Alex again wasn’t a good idea. If only you hadn’t broken off with him in the first place. That was the big mistake.” Sylvia frowned. “Now, we have to play dirty.”
“I couldn’t bear being with an invalid, and besides, it was Nathan all along for me,” Celeste said.
“Well, what’s done is done.” Sylvia hugged Celeste. “We’ll fix things. Run along and send your father to me at once.”
As soon as Nathan returned home, Sylvia cornered him in the hallway. “Into my office, now!” she demanded.
When they were in her office with the door closed, Sylvia turned on Nathan. “Did you know that Alex and Nora romantically involved?”
Nathan shrugged. “I thought they might be, but I didn’t know for sure.”
“And you didn’t think to tell your mother about it?”
“Well, the subject never came up. Had you asked me—”
“Shut up, Nathan! Now you listen to me! You will do as I say, or I am cutting you out of my life. I have a chance to make a successful marriage, and you have to help me secure Phillip. If I can get that merger for him, I’m as good as his wife. Do you understand?”
“But it’s hard for me to do the things you want me to. I love Alex and adore Nora. I don’t want to do anything to hurt—”
“Stop blathering! You sound like a little girl, for heaven sake! No one will get hurt, at least, not if you follow my directions carefully.”
“I don’t want to run the mill. I want to be a lawyer,” he said.
“Good. You can be a lawyer and you can have Celeste back. It was my fault she broke it off with you. I thought she could get Alex back and get him to sign the merger. Once Alex signs the merger, I don’t care who runs the mill. Phillip will get half the profits. His mill is dying.“
