Seeing Forever

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “Did you like your work?”

  “It was okay. Well, at least it was a steady job that paid my rent.”

  “I hope you’re getting paid to train Willow and work with me.”

  “Sure, Jake’s company hired me. As it’s only part-time I’m also looking for another part-time one, so if you hear of anything let me know, because I’m desperate to get my own place again.”

  “Not being independent, especially when you once were, sucks.”

  “That’s so true. So are you ready to do some training with Willow?”

  Luc knew it was going to be a waste of time. First of all, he didn’t think a dog could help him. The dog might be able to lead him around the house but deep down he wanted more than any canine could offer him.

  “How about you stand and take his leash here and we’ll practice having him lead you and guide you around a few obstacles like the coffee table and the armchair,” said Katey.

  He’d do this for one reason. He was doing Katey a favor because she was earning a wage and maybe one of them would make a break for their independence again.

  She placed the harness strap into his palm and showed him how to hold it tight.

  “Willow, lead,” she said.

  The dog began pulling him and Katey held his arm as they made their way around the room.

  “He’ll probably do it automatically but the word is ‘lead’ if he needs some encouragement.” Her breath was minty fresh and cool as it played on his cheek.

  The dog was unbelievable––they’d turned around twice, and so far Luc hadn’t run into anything. He hadn’t been able to do that since he lost his sight.

  “You and Willow are doing just great together. How about we go for a walk to the park tomorrow?”

  He didn’t want to, but the idea of walking side by side with Katey suddenly gave him a reason to look forward to the following day. Most days he dreaded waking up and realizing that it hadn’t all been a bad dream.

  “Sure, that would be great,” he said.

  “And if you want him to stop, just give a little tug on the harness, like this.”

  Her hand intertwined with his, almost melting their palms together. A simple act that excited him in a way he would have never have believed. Neither of them budged an inch, and he could feel the warmth of her body seeping into his own skin, suddenly arousing him. He imagined her lying beside him in bed. He knew it was wrong, but it’s all he could think about. Well, that and kissing her. He wanted to turn it into reality.

  He turned his face toward her. He knew he was aiming in the right direction because he could hear her breathing. He leaned over a little and…

  The doorbell rang.

  He’d been lost in the moment and forgotten that the nurse was stopping by. Had she ruined things for him, or saved him from doing something very stupid?

  “How about letting Willow take you to the front door to answer that?”

  Her question jarred him.

  “Willow, lead,” he said.

  ****

  Katey smiled as she walked behind Luc and Willow as they made their way to the front door. Before the doorbell had rung, and for one crazy minute, she’d thought he was about to kiss her.

  In my dreams. A guy as cute as Luc, kissing me.

  He slapped around on the wood searching for the handle on the door. She was tempted to help him but thought it best that she didn’t. He finally found it and pulled it open. A woman in her mid-fifties wearing light blue scrubs stood on the step.

  “Hi, Luc … and this must be the dog your sister was talking about.”

  “This is Willow.”

  He stepped aside to let the nurse in and she patted Willow on the head.

  “And you must be Katey,” she said.

  “That’s right.”

  “Hi, I’m Jeanie,” she said, extending her hand.

  “Luc, I got your Braille watch so I’ll show you how to use it. And also I have some books in Braille so we can work on you learning how to read them, so you don’t have to just sit and listen to music every day.”

  “Why don’t I take Willow out for a bathroom break while you visit with Jeanie?” said Katey.

  “That sounds perfect,” said Jeanie. “I’ll only be here for a short time today and then he’s all yours again.”

  Katey led Willow through to the back of the house where she opened the patio door and took him out into the backyard. While he ran about she sat on a patio chair and looked around. It was nicely landscaped and she wondered if Luc had done this all by himself. The flowers were in full bloom and she suddenly felt sad that he wasn’t able to see their beauty.

  Willow ran over to her and then sat by her feet.

  “You like your new home?” She patted him on the head. The flowerbeds did need some weeding and she wondered if Luc would like her to tackle that one day. She’d never had a garden of her own but it was something she was looking forward to one day when she had enough money to buy a house.

  She raised her face up to the sun, remembering that Luc had commented on its warmth and brightness on him. This was so relaxing, sitting here with Willow at her feet. It was so nice to be away from her step-mother, enjoying some peace and quiet.

  “Katey, you still out here?”

  Luc’s voice jarred her and she sat up, not realizing that she’d fallen asleep. At first she’d wondered where she was and if she was in bed dreaming.

  “Katey.”

  Not dreaming, and she hadn’t responded to Luc’s question.

  “Yes, I’m sorry. I sat down and must have dozed off.”

  “No problem, I just wondered where you were. Jeanie’s gone if you want to come back inside.”

  “Sure.”

  Katey stood and headed into through the kitchen with Willow in tow. Luc was standing by the counter, trying to get some bread out of a container and not having much luck.

  “If I’m starving you must be too,” he said.

  “I am.”

  “Cheese and ham sandwiches okay with you?”

  “Perfect, and I hope you won’t get offended if I help.”

  “Don’t mind at all.”

  Katey opened the fridge and found the packages of ham and cheese along with a jar of mayonnaise.

  “How did things go with Jeanie?”

  “Okay, and now at least I can tell the time. You don’t realize how you miss little things like knowing whether it’s morning or afternoon until you can’t see a clock or a watch.”

  “I know there are lots of things I probably take for granted,” said Katey. She spread some mayo on each slice of bread and then topped it with cheese and ham. “Did you do all the landscaping out back?” she asked.

  “Yep. Last time when I was home from duty I got bored and went to town on it.”

  “It’s beautiful. You mind if one day while I’m here I pull some weeds for you?”

  “Not at all. Even when I had my sight that was my least favorite thing to do.”

  “And are you going to be okay on your own tonight with Willow?”

  “My sister said she’d sleep over. I hate asking her because she has her own family to take care of, but she insists.”

  “I bet she wouldn’t offer if she didn’t really want to.”

  He shrugged his shoulders.

  “Would you do me a favor and stay over tomorrow night, so she can have a break?” He raised his hands. “Hey, I promise you, it’s completely innocent.”

  His request had thrown her, and not because she was thinking that he was intending to seduce her or anything.

  “Yes, I guess I could do that.”

  Chapter Six

  What had he been thinking? Asking Katey to stay over. She’d left about four hours ago and now he and Josie sat eating supper, but he still couldn’t get it out of his mind.

  “What’s Katey like?”

  Josie’s question had jarred him and he wondered if she could read his thoughts.

  “She seems nice. I think she was
shy at first but now she seems more relaxed around me.”

  “Good, and it’s someone else who can spend time with you, and teach you useful things.”

  “I guess.”

  Like how to eat. He sensed some pasta sauce had fallen off the spoon as he’d raised it to his mouth.

  “I can stay over tomorrow night too, well, any night until you get the hang of looking after your dog.”

  “No, that’s fine because I asked Katey and she said yes.”

  Josie kicked his shin. “Hey, I hope that was my accident, because it hurt like hell,” he said, rubbing his leg.

  “I take it that Katey’s brought out the male in you.”

  “No idea what you’re talking about.”

  She gave him another kick but this time it wasn’t so hard.

  “I thought she could show me what needs to be done with Willow at night. I mean, when I’m on my own and he needs to go outside. Even service dogs need to do that.”

  Willow barked and Luc smiled. That was the second thing that had made him smile today. Maybe Katey and Willow were going to be good for him.

  “That’s your story and you’re sticking with it, I suppose,” said Josie.

  “I am.”

  “You know, Luc, just because you’ve lost your sight doesn’t mean you have to become a monk and never date again.”

  “And just because I’ve asked a member of the opposite sex to stay, you’ve steered the conversation onto that topic.”

  “Just saying.”

  “And I’m just saying we have a professional relationship. Let’s change the subject…how about some dessert? I thought I smelled apple pie.”

  ****

  Katey clicked on the Internet icon on her laptop computer. She wanted to find as much as she could about working with the blind. She’d tried to convince herself it was job-related, but the truth was she was curious about just one person, and that was Luc. She wanted to know as much as she could about helping him because, yes, she’d admit it, she was attracted to him. Now she found herself wanting to learn about some of the challenges of being in a relationship with someone who’d lost their sight.

  Relationship––what star am I floating on?

  “Katey, dinner’s ready.”

  It was her father’s voice and luckily he was home because she couldn’t stand sitting eating with just Ruth at the table. It had been the reason she’d retreated to her bedroom as soon as she’d arrived home.

  She closed down the lid on the laptop and made her way downstairs where Ruth and her father were just about ready to eat.

  “How did your first day of work go?” asked her dad.

  “Pretty good,” said Katey, taking one of the chicken breasts off the platter. “Luc seems like a nice guy and Willow, that’s the dog, is already great with him.”

  “Maybe you’ll be able to find a proper job sooner than you thought,” said Ruth.

  Her dad gave his wife one of his looks, hoping to defuse the tension that usually built between Katey and her step-mother. Sadly, it never seemed to work.

  “I think working with service dogs is a wonderful idea, and if you want to make a career out of it, then you have our support.” He put his hand on Katey’s arm while looking at Ruth. She hoped his wife noted the emphasis he’d placed on the word our.

  “And before I forget, I’ll be staying over at Luc’s tomorrow night. He’s got his sister with him now but I think he’s nervous about letting the dog out during the night.”

  “That’s understandable,” said her dad. “Is he good-looking, by any chance?”

  “Dad,” said Katey, slapping his arm.

  “About time you found yourself a nice young man….not that I’m trying to get rid of you,” said her dad.

  “I know.”

  “At least you wouldn’t have to worry about your weight,” said Ruth. “I mean he wouldn’t know you were gaining a pound now and then.”

  Both Katey and her dad looked at Ruth at the same time.

  “Katey’s big-boned like me,” he said.

  She patted her father’s arm again. That was a sweet thing to say and to hear him come to her rescue like that was priceless. How he’d ever gotten together with Ruth was beyond her. Yes, she did, he’d been lonely after her mother died and Ruth had circled him like a vulture. A bird of prey, with a sharp tongue and beak.

  She almost laughed watching Ruth tuck into her chicken and thinking of her as a scavenger bird. Katey took an extra scoop of mashed potato and placed it on her plate, hoping it was sending Ruth the message that she didn’t care about fitting into size five clothing because she was happy as she was. And at least tomorrow, she could eat in peace at Luc’s house without any snide remarks about her plus-size figure.

  ****

  Luc’s list of things he regretted not being able to do anymore, had grown by one today.

  He could no longer look out of the window to watch for someone’s arrival. Not just anyone’s, but Katey’s. He felt the edge of the talking clock that Josie had brought him yesterday, and pressed the button. The mechanical voice told him that it was almost eleven. She’d be here any time now.

  He’d tried to be casual and not give too much away when he’d gotten up that morning. Since the accident he hadn’t really given a shit about much, not least his appearance, but this morning, he’d had his sister check his hair, making sure every strand was in place. She’d checked his teeth, ensuring that nothing was wedged between them, and that both his jeans and t-shirt were stain-free.

  “I’m so happy for you, little brother, welcome back to the world. And like I said, don’t be a monk.”

  Those had been Josie’s parting words when she’d left an hour ago.

  He’d given himself away, and now like a child waiting for Christmas to roll around so he could open gifts, he sat and anticipated Katey’s arrival.

  Luc sensed that Willow was on full alert too, and then he heard a car pulling into the driveway. Luc stood and felt for the dog’s harness as the doorbell rang.

  “Willow, lead,” he said. He hoped that Willow already knew where to go when the bell sounded. They made their way out of the room. Luc was amazed at the skill the dog had to guide him around any obstacle as he led him forward.

  The dog stopped and Luc reached out and felt around for the door handle.

  “Good boy,” said Luc as he made contact with it. He pulled it open, hoping he was right, and it was in fact, Katey.

  “Hi, Luc, and good morning, Willow.”

  Four simple words and she’d made his heartbeat edge up to a dangerous level. “Hi, Katey.” He reached out hoping she’d take his hand. Please take it. Make my day. She did and now he could hear his heartbeat in his ears too. A warm feeling rushed over him, almost sending him into a panic.

  He pulled her inside and the temptation to kiss her was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. But what if he missed her mouth completely and looked like an idiot? Worse still, if he found her mouth and she slapped his face?

  “How’s everything today?” she asked.

  Wonderful now that you’re here.

  “It’s good. Willow led me to the door without any problem. Even alerted me that you’d arrived.”

  “Did you, Willow? That’s what I want to hear.”

  He sensed that she was kissing and hugging the dog, and it made him jealous. How stupid was that? Envious, of a German shepherd…

  “How about we start today’s training with a walk to the park?” asked Katey.

  “Okay, does he need a special leash?”

  “Nope, you’ll use his indoor harness. The sun’s out but there’s a cool breeze, so do you want to put a jacket on?”

  “Maybe I should.”

  He knew Josie had hung two of his jackets on the pegs by the opposite wall. He made his way over there while saying a silent prayer that he wouldn’t trip and fall in front of Katey. Lucky for him, he didn’t. Luc had asked his sister to place two neutral-colored ones there so he never ha
d to worry about them clashing with any of his pants. Luc grabbed one and slipped his arm inside. He was prepared to walk back on his own but Katey put her hand on his arm and he felt the pleasant warmth rush through him again.

  “Is that the front door key hanging on this hook?”

  “Yes, my sister thought it would be a good spot for me. Do you want to take it for us?”

  “Sure and let’s get outside, lock the door, and get set up out on the driveway.”

  She maneuvered him outside and he felt Willow close by.

  He tilted his head up, letting the sun kiss his face. He hadn’t been for a walk since…since two days before he’d lost his sight. Back before his life had turned into a nightmarish world.

  “Here, take Willow’s harness in your hand like this and we’re all set. I’ll be right beside you, teaching you how he’ll make sure you cross the road safely and avoid obstacles and people as you walk down the road. And just to make sure you’re paying attention, there will be a short quiz after.”

  He laughed. Twice, she’d made him do something he never thought he would again.

  “And I should mention that next week I’ll be sending you out on your own.”

  He took a deep breath. He’d never be ready for that.

  “Willow, lead,” said Luc.

  The dog began walking and he sensed that Katey was as she’d promised, right by his side. Then the dog stopped.

  “Did I do something wrong?” asked Luc.

  “Nope, he’s checking the sidewalk. Now, he’s going to have to learn along with you which way he has to go. While I was driving here I noticed that the park was to the left so you need to train him with your signals on the leash. Here’s what Jake had him do, tug a little on the left side of the harness here.”

  She put her hand on his and together they gave a quick tug. How he wished she’d just leave it there so it would be like they were walking hand in hand to the park.

  The dog began moving again. Katey’s body now brushed his. She’d been forced closer to him as the street narrowed as they got closer to the park.

  “How we doing?” he asked.

  “Like old pros.”

  “Hi, Luc … it’s so good to see you again.”

  It was a man’s voice and it took him by surprise. There was silence for a few minutes.