by Barbara Goss
“I will not be wheeled down the aisle. I cannot marry you until I can walk.”
“That’s ludicrous! How could that possibly make a difference? And what if the treatments can’t make you walk? Are you saying we’ll never marry? I couldn’t bear for that to happen, Alex.”
“I’ll think about it,” Alex said, without enthusiasm. “I do like the honeymoon part.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Be careful today. Be sure to tell the driver what time to pick you up. I’ve purchased a newspaper with a crossword in it, so I’ll be occupied until you return.”
On her ride to visit her mother, she remembered the message from Nathan. She’d forgotten all about it. She decided to visit her mother first, then go to the park and see what Nathan wanted so urgently.
Nora had a pleasant visit with her mother and aunt, and when her driver returned, she asked him to take her to the park. Five minutes before noon, the driver pulled up to the park entrance. She asked the driver to wait; she would not be long. She pointed out the bench where she’d be and asked him to keep his eye on it to insure her safety. He seemed puzzled, but agreed, and she scurried over to the bench where Nathan, who was already there, was pacing.
“Hello Nathan,” she greeted.
“Oh, thank God! I thought I’d never see you again.” He hugged Nora.
She pulled away, and asked, “What’s so urgent? You aren’t going to tie me up again are you?”
“Of course not. I wanted to show you that I’m not all bad.” He pulled a paper from his pocket. “This is one of the papers Alex signed, the other two are exact copies.”
Nora took the paper and scanned it. “I don’t believe it! How did you ever pull that off?”
Nathan smiled. “I never wanted to hurt either of you, but you know I’ve always been afraid to stand up to Mother. Well, this time I felt she went too far. When she told me to get the merger papers, I switched them for these papers and prayed she wouldn’t notice.”
“What about you? Your mother must have been furious.”
“Like a lion at feeding time. I am no longer living with her. Celeste and I are engaged again. We're staying with friends. This time I know she's marrying me for love because there's absolutely nothing in it for her. She’s even agreed to my studying law. Her father fumed when he heard and threw her out, as well.”
“So Alex is still the sole owner of the mill?” she asked.
“Yes. And a homeowner.” Nathan seemed so proud of himself that she couldn’t resist throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.
“I need to ask you for another favor,” Nora said, “to make up for your tying me up and all.”
“Anything!” he said, lightly stroking her cheek.
“Alex and I are going to Sweden. There is a procedure there that may help him to walk again. Will you continue to run the mill until he and I return?”
“Of course I can. My classes don’t start until fall. If you aren’t back by then, I’ll arrange to start in January.”
“Oh, thank you, Nathan!”
Alex couldn’t find a pencil to start his crossword, so he ventured into Nora’s room to see if she had one. He found one on her nightstand. As he wheeled himself to the adjoining door, he spotted a paper lying on the floor. He picked it up and read it, then went back into his own room and scanned the newspaper. Seeing the date was today, he cried loudly, “I don’t believe this!”
Nora came charging into his room, and threw herself onto his lap. “Oh, Alex, you will never believe my news!”
Alex held up the note, “What? That you had a secret rendezvous with Nathan?”
Nora stood. She couldn’t believe the look of almost hatred apparent on his face. “I was going to tell you about it, but you were already upset—”
“Upset? I would have been less upset than I am now.”
Nora noted his red face and knew he was at his boiling point. “If you let me explain, you won’t be angry, I promise.”
“Nora,” he said, calmly but sternly, “please leave me alone for a while. For me, your seeing Nathan behind my back is like reliving the past all over again.” He wheeled to his window and stared.
“But—“
“I don’t want to hear anymore,” he yelled loudly. “Leave me alone!”
Nora fled to her room. Why hadn’t she told him about Nathan’s note? Now, he was reliving what had happened after his accident when Celeste had left him for Nathan. She paced her room for several minutes trying to decide what to do. . If he’d only let her explain. Maybe when he cooled down they could talk. Why hadn’t she insisted he listen?
Nora remembered when she first met Alex, and he’d refused to play games or talk to her. He’d asked her to leave, and she’d stood up to him and refused. She should have done that again.
It’s never too late. She opened the adjoining door, stepped into the room and stared with dismay at an empty room.
16
Nora searched the hotel dining room, the sunroom, and the lobby, but she couldn’t find Alex. Finally, she went to the desk and spoke to the clerk. “Excuse me, but have you seen Mr. Vanderhorn lately?”
The clerk shrugged and said, “Mr. Easton ordered Mr. Vanderhorn another room.”
Nora’s heart sank and felt as if it landed in the pit of her stomach. “Another room? Can you tell me the room number?”
“No, ma’am. That’s confidential.”
Embarrassed and discouraged, Nora returned to her room and sat on her bed, prepared to cry herself to sleep, but then she began to miss Alex. She worried that Alex would leave for Sweden without even saying goodbye. She felt hurt, angry, and lonely, all at once. After slipping into her nightgown, she wandered into Alex’s adjoining room and crawled into his bed where she felt close to him. She could even smell the lotion he used to slick down his hair. She decided to spend the night there. This way, if he came back, she’d not miss seeing him.
After almost an hour of tossing and fretting, she finally fell asleep.
Alex sat in the room Harry Easton had given him and stared out the window, for all the good it did him, now that it was dark out his room was on the second floor, and the view wasn’t nearly as good as the one from his fourth-floor room had been. As he looked closer, he realized the room was facing the opposite direction and he could see the moon, and it reminded him of his moonlight backrubs. Nora had let him down. She'd turned out to be no better than Celeste. The comparison he'd made startled him. No! Nora could never be compared to Celeste— what was he thinking?
Alex wheeled himself over to the dresser and reread the note from Nathan. Now that the shock of seeing Nathan’s missive had passed and he was able to read it rationally, it didn’t look like a love note, he had to admit. Could he have been wrong? Could her meeting him have been as innocent as she'd claimed? Nathan hadn't signed the letter, “love Nathan”, but simply “yours”, instead, which was a completely acceptable term for anyone to use in a letter.
He went back to stare at the sky and the half-moon. Missing its other half, the illumination reminded him that he was also without his other half. He’d only been apart from Nora for a few hours and he already missed her like crazy. What would he do when he went to Sweden for months without her?
He fondly remembered her telling him that day in the park: “Gratitude wouldn’t last long, but love would last forever and she’d added: “At least mine will.”
Suddenly, he felt ashamed. How could he even think…? Too upset to finish his own thought, he swung his wheelchair to the door and headed for the elevator. He got off on the fourth floor and headed for his room. He fumbled in his pocket for the key, and then opened the door, wheeled himself inside, and silently closed the door behind him.
He wheeled directly to the adjoining door, and noticed that her room was dark, but he thought it possible she might still be awake. He fumbled in the darkness to turn the oil lamp on, and stared at the empty bed. She’d left him! A hollow feeling enveloped his being. He held his head in his hands an
d nearly cried. What had he done?
He wheeled himself slowly back to his adjoining room. He decided he’d need a good night’s sleep in order to find Nora tomorrow, somehow.
He undressed, rummaged in the dresser for his nightshirt, slipped it on, and wheeled himself to the bed. He had no idea how he’d ever fall asleep with his heart broken, and without his backrub. He got into the large, double bed, and covered himself. He always prayed before falling asleep, and tonight he’d started to beg for God’s help when he felt a warm limb brush his side. He nearly jumped out of bed, thinking he’d entered the wrong room, or someone else had, when a familiar aroma filled his nostrils.
He inhaled Nora’s floral talcum powder, and smiled, even while wondering why she’d chosen to sleep in his bed. He considered what to do next. He didn’t want to frighten her.
He was relieved. She’d not left him as he’d thought, but now he had her exactly where he’d always wanted her—in his bed. He lay there thinking up a plan of action, and a battle between his body and his conscience ensued, as he contrasted what he should do with what he wanted to do. He finally decided—Nora’s dream was to have a pure and memorable wedding night, and he aimed to make that dream come true for her. He rolled over and fell asleep, comforted by the fact that she laid beside him.
Sometime during the night Nora awoke when she felt an arm go around her waist. It startled her and she sat up with a squeal, which woke up the person on the other end of the arm. She sat in the dark prepared to scream when she heard a familiar husky whisper saying, “Come here, Darlin’.”
Nora let out the breath she’d been holding back to power her scream. “Alex!” She grabbed him and hugged him. “I love you, Alex. Only you. You must believe me! I didn’t do anything wrong.” She was crying.
“Hey,” Alex said in a soothing voice as he fumbled for the lamp, turned it on, and held her close. He wiped her tears with his hand. “Don’t you dare cry,” he whispered. “I was the one in the wrong. I should have trusted you. I beg your forgiveness, Nora. I’m sorry I put you through such an emotional upheaval.” He pressed her closer to him, and that was when he realized she was wearing nothing but a flimsy nightgown. He felt his willpower weakening.
He moved her gently to her own side of the bed, took his pillow, and laid it between their bodies before pulling her close again. “You will have your perfect wedding night, I promise.” He wiped her tears away once more. “I’m going to turn off the lamp, and we will go back to sleep, and talk about this in the morning. We can cuddle tonight, but the pillow stays between us.”
Through her tears, Nora said, “I love you so much Alex, that it hurts right here,” she pointed to her heart. He kissed the spot she’d pointed to.
Alex turned the lamp off and whispered, “Goodnight, my love,” and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Nora woke first, slipped out from Alex’s embrace and ran to her room to get dressed before Alex awoke.
Alex awoke the moment Nora left the bed and he'd detected her missing from his embrace. He felt proud of himself for having exerted his willpower. He crawled out of bed and dressed before Nora returned. When she got back they’d have to talk this thing through and make some decisions.
When Nora returned to Alex’s room, he was sitting in his chair staring out the window, a behavior that always raised a red flag in her mind. She worried something must be wrong, but then he turned his head towards her and smiled.
“That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years. Let’s sleep like that every night. I’ll see if I can get room service to bring us another pillow… my neck’s a mite stiff.”
Nora wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “You are the only one who holds the key to my heart, Alex. If you ever suspect me of being even remotely interested in anyone else, remember those words.” She kissed his forehead. “Now let’s get some breakfast. I missed dinner last night and I’m famished.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. “Your words are what brought me to my senses last night. I remembered you telling me at the park: “Gratitude wouldn’t last long, but love would last forever, at least it would for you, and it made me realize how foolish I’d been. I couldn’t get here fast enough to beg your forgiveness.”
“And I came to your bed to feel closer to you.”
“Let’s go down, have breakfast, and discuss how we’ll solve our problems. We will you know—our love will see us through them,” he said.
Having eaten and sipping his second cup of coffee, Alex said, “So, what did Nathan want?”
“He wanted to give me something,” she said casually.
“Don’t get me started, Nora…” Alex warned, but winked nonetheless.
Nora reached into her pocket and drew out a paper. “Remember the papers that Sylvia made you sign?”
“The merger papers. How could I forget?”
She handed him the paper. “This is what you signed… three times.”
He scanned the document, and his mouth fell open. “We own the house?”
She nodded with a broad smile. “I couldn’t wait to tell you.”
“And I spoiled it. I’m so sorry, Nora. Again, please forgive me?”
“You made up for it last night,” she said with a shy smile.
“Your dream is a memorable wedding night that we can remember while grandkids jump all over our senile bodies—I couldn’t take away your dream.”
“And that is why I love you so much,” she said. “But back to the paper. Sylvia sent Nathan to get the merger papers, and he switched them with real estate papers. He didn’t want to do her bidding, but he could never refuse that woman anything. She’s been controlling him for years. He’s engaged again to Celeste, he’s planning to go back to law school, and they’re living with friends because both their parents threw them out.”
“I wish them well, but this also brings up another problem. How can I leave the country if I have to run the mill? I don’t think I can go, Nora.”
“You can, and you will. I’ve asked Nathan for a return favor, and he agreed. He’ll keep running the mill until we return, whether you are walking or not.”
“What should we do about the house?”
“I thought maybe my mother could live there while we’re in Sweden. She’ll be living there when we return, anyway. She’ll take good care of it.”
“We”? Alex asked, “Then you are coming with me?”
“If we get married first.”
“Oh, Nora,” he moaned. “You have no idea how much I want to marry you. I do! I can hardly wait. But, your dream is a perfect wedding night, and my dream is to walk down the aisle as a man, not as an invalid. I never envisioned getting married from a wheelchair or spending my wedding night as a cripple.”
“You are a man! Whether you’re walking or sitting, you are very much a man, Alex. Think of it this way,” she said, “If I marry you as you are, you and everyone else will know that I’m marrying for love, and that I’m not afraid to marry someone who cannot walk. It will show people how superficial something like that is. And remember, even if you never walk again, you can still run the mill, drive a buggy and do everything everyone else can.”
“Except dance,” he added with a smile.
“Except dance.” She gave him a peck on the cheek
“So many places are inaccessible to wheelchairs—”
“We’d manage. Together.”
“I would miss you terribly if you didn’t come with me. Can we negotiate?”
“Of course, we can.”
“I’ll agree to marry you in this chair, if you promise to marry me again when I can walk. Also, we won't invite guests until the second marriage, when I'm able to walk. Deal?”
“If you change ‘, when I'm able to walk’ to ‘if I'm able to walk’ then you have a deal. You have to realize, that it may never happen, Alex, no matter how hard you try, which is why it is ridiculous to even suggest your walking as a stipulation for us to marry.
I love you just as you are.” She patted him on the hand. “Besides, if you start walking, Celeste will probably waste no time to try and steal you away.”
Alex laughed. “That would make me run!” He seemed deep in thought for several minutes before he slapped his hand on the table, making the cups clatter, “Let’s do it.”
Nora squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Alex.”
“But first, we need to make a solemn oath to never keep secrets from each other,” he said. “If you had told me about Nathan’s letter, last night’s drama could have been avoided. Sure, I’d have been upset, but not as upset as when I discovered the letter.”
“I promise, Alex,” Nora said sincerely. “And you’ll promise to trust me?”
“Yes," he said. "Because our marriage has to be based on honesty and trust.” He motioned to the waiter for their check.
“We’ll need a marriage license, and a justice of the peace,” she reminded him.
“Now we still have a problem we need to solve,” he said as he paid the check.
“What problem? I thought we’d solved them all!”
Alex’s frowned. “No justice of the peace. It has to be a church marriage, Nora. Our vows need to be said in church before God. Our marriage has to include God, and we have to start including Him in our lives more. My mother told me once that her marriage to my father was a threesome: her, my father and God.“
“I agree. Mother and I went to church regularly in Uniontown, but when we relocated to Pittsburgh, we never picked it up again. I agree that we need a church wedding. I want God in my life and my marriage too.”
