The Way to Never (The Never Trilogy Book 2), page 25
“There’s a little response but she might not be able to get full function back for a while.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, and before I could control it I felt tears fill my eyes and fall down my cheeks. I quickly turned away and wiped them away.
“Nathan, she’ll be fine.”
“I know that,” I said. “But she might not believe it. Has he told her? How did she react?”
“He has but he didn’t give her an estimated recovery time.” she replied, her gaze watchful.
“He should tell her it’s just a few days at most, or a week.”
“It might be longer than that.”
“It doesn’t matter. She always expects the worst. I don’t want her to feel that way. I’ll go talk to the doctor.”
“He’s not in yet,” she almost yelled. “It’s too early, wait till he comes by.”
“I’ll just call him.”
“He won’t tell you anything. She still hasn’t properly spoken to him yet.”
I shook my head. When this was over I was going to kill Gary. I still couldn’t believe that he’d refused to say anything to me.
Slowly, the rest of her friends came in and Wendy updated them, but I refused to leave. I wanted to be there when she opened her eyes. Wendy warned everyone not to say anything and to just be neutral when she woke up, and when Gary finally came to the door Wendy stood up and took him outside to talk to him. He came back in frowning.
She woke up and looked a bit overwhelmed to see a full room so everyone was asked to leave, except Wendy. Somehow she had established herself as the sole guardian of Nora but so as not to cause a scene, which she looked ready to host, everyone left.
I gave Nora’s hand a squeeze and placed a kiss on her cheek before I left. A few minutes later we were allowed to come back in just as Gary left. I wanted to speak to him but I wanted to spend a bit of time with her before I had to leave so I told him I’d see him later, and went in with the rest.
According to Gary, the operation was as successful as they’d hoped for. She was recovering but we needed to be patient to see how quickly she regained her functions back. That was okay for her, but as expected she didn’t look happy and neither did Wendy. Everyone remained for a bit just talking about all that had been going on. Carlie and Elisa updated her on company talk, while Peter and Craig eventually left for work. The baby was around so I had to leave my spot for a bit so Lenora could play with him a little. When he needed changing and Elisa had to step out, Nora called me to her then and held my hand.
“Go and rest,” she said with a smile and it overwhelmed me with love for her.
“I’m fine,” I told her, but she shook her head.
“Please, for me? You look like shit.”
I bent down and gave her a soft kiss on her lips, and then turned around to leave.
“I’ll be back soon,” I said, and walked out. I got into the elevator just as Damian got out of it. He turned to me, with questions in his eyes. Just before the door closed, I answered him.
“She’s okay,” I told him, and the relief on his face was immense.
Lenora
Damian didn’t take the news so well. For a moment he looked so incredibly upset that I was scared that we’d made a mistake by lying.
“What does he mean by he doesn’t know how long it’ll take?” he said to Wendy. “So, she can’t walk right now?”
“Damian, calm down,” I said.
“How am I supposed to calm down?” he asked. “And how are you okay with just waiting? Isn’t there something he can do?”
“He has to give her a chance to recover first,” Wendy replied looking irritated. I felt so terrible for what we were doing. I could feel my legs, I could move them even, and I suspected that in a few hours I wouldn’t even need the catheter. I was recovering and we were lying to him that I wasn’t. He’d been through so much already.
“Is this what Roque meant when he said you were okay? Because this is not okay.”
“It’s progress,” Wendy said.
“I need, I … I’ll be right back. I need some air.”
He turned and stormed out of the room.
“Wendy,” I said, frustrated, “this is not funny.”
“Oh, please shut up,” she said and returned to her magazine. “It’ll be over soon.”
*
I was able to go home a week after that. The pain had still not completely disappeared because a portion of the disc had been removed and still needed to heal, but it got better every day. Truthfully, I was okay, and had begun physical therapy to ensure that I did exercises that would help my back heal faster and my legs become stronger. I could walk on my own but all of this I could only do away from everyone since I was still pretending to be paralyzed. The joke had gone on too long, and even though I knew everyone was worried they all managed to put up a good front while Wendy refused to let up.
Damian took care of me but there was no light from him. He didn’t look gloomy, he just looked distant and it tore at me. He took me home and helped me set up everything I would need to manage my ‘still improving paralysis’. There would be nurses to help me every day so that he could dive back into work, and physical therapists to assist me with walking.
This allowed Nathan to come by more often, and one time he brought his dad along with him who was still a bit ill but getting better.
Elisa and Carlie were in on the whole thing because I couldn’t keep it from them but I was getting tired of lying about nurses coming over, and moving around in a wheelchair when I could walk perfectly well. I had a feeling I was tempting karma and it scared me. A few days after I’d been back from the hospital, I got up from my office chair and headed over to the kitchen to make myself some lunch.
Dorothy had brought me everything that I’d missed so far and I had quite a lot to catch up on. Nathan had called earlier to say that he would be stopping by for lunch, but I couldn’t wait for him anymore so I got to the fridge and began to ransack it looking for something quick to eat.
It hurt a bit to walk and I was forever banned from lifting anything heavy – Nathan had issued a command that the only thing I was to ever lift was myself which was ridiculous – and I was required to take it easy with bending and my exercises because my disc could herniate again. Everything was still sore.
I found some leftover pizza from the previous evening so I decided to reheat it. I had just popped it in the oven and was about to turn it on when I heard the door ding open. I panicked. I couldn’t return to my study because it was all the way across the foyer, so I ran into the dining room and hid beside the table. I felt like a thief in my own home.
“Nora!” I heard Nathan call out but I couldn’t respond. As he headed towards my bedroom, I started to edge towards the beginning of the table so that I could make a run for it the moment he walked in to search for me. When he did, I rose to my feet and hurried back to my office. I got into the chair, arranged myself and just stared at the computer trying not to wince from the ache I had just caused my back and my legs.
When he came in his lips parted in a heart-stopping grin.
“Hey,” he said. “I thought you were in your room.” Then he frowned. “Have you been here all day?”
My smile felt like acid on my face. “I have a lot of work to do.”
“Are you kidding me?”
He came over and grasped the edges of the wheelchair. He turned me to the side and lifted me into his arms. He hated pushing me in the chair because he didn’t want me to get used to it. I wasn’t sure then which would be safer to get used to; the chair or his arms because there was a huge chance that when he found out about my lies he would be done with me, and so would Damian.
He took me into the kitchen with my arms wrapped around him and me staring into his eyes.
“What did you get for lunch?” I asked.
“I’m cooking for you today,” he said and my eyes widened with amusement.
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s an apology for lying to you.”
My gut twisted with guilt. Sometimes I could have sworn he was onto me and was just biding his time until I ratted myself out.
He looked at me. “What? You don’t think I can cook? My dad told you I could.”
“Yeah, but that was easily fifteen years ago.”
“It’s a lifelong skill.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“I cook for myself at home,” he confessed. “So, actually it’s been just over a day since I last cooked.” He placed me on one of the high chairs when we reached the kitchen and went over to the counter. “I brought some groceries along with me but I thought maybe you’d want to go outside to get some more.”
“What, you mean to the grocery store?”
“Yeah. Maybe we can even stop by central park, have a hot dog or ice cream.”
“How will I get around?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked, amused. “We’ll use the chair- I’ll push you around. Or I can piggy back you if you want. I’ve done it before… on our way back from the waterfall. Do you remember? But then you weren’t so heavy though,” he teased. “I’m not sure about now.”
I scowled at him, and his grin grew wider. He leaned on the counter and towards me.
“I just want you to get some air and move around. You’ve been cooped up in this apartment for way too long.”
His suggestion made me smile but I turned it down. “No I’m fine. I’d rather stay in today.”
“Okay,” he replied and straightened.
“So, what are you making?” I asked.
“Don’t get too excited, it’s just pasta. And I’m not really that good of a cook. I just know what works for me.”
“Are you trying to lower my expectations?”
He cocked his head in a comical frown. “Is that what I’m doing? I didn’t realize.”
“Smooth,” I commented and he smiled.
“I’m making linguine with some meat and peppers. Is that okay?”
I sucked in my breath. “Sounds fattening … I’m watching my weight.”
He ran his eyes sarcastically down my upper body. “What weight? Do you know how many pounds you’ve lost in the last month?”
“Fine …” I groaned. “I’ll eat your fattening food.”
“Do you like spicy food?”
“Yeah, I can handle it.”
“Okay.”
“I want to help.”
“It’s fine.”
“Nathan …”
“Okay. Here are the bell peppers,” he said, and he passed them over to me. “Can you lean forward to access the sink?”
“I’m fine, Nate.”
He placed a knife and chopping board in front of me and said in a husky voice that sent chills down my body, “I like it when you call me Nate.”
He held my gaze, and for a second I could only stare. I recovered and picked up the knife. He took his hand off the counter before I brought the sharp edge down on it.
“Stop flirting with me, I’m engaged,” I said.
“It was just a comment,” he replied as he turned to pull the fridge open. “I’m only responsible for what I say, not what you interpret.”
“Whatever,” I said and got to work. He got out the garlic and butter and put some water in the pot to begin boiling. He then turned around to prepare the meat. He had chicken, shrimp and sausages.
We spoke as we worked. First about how my catching up on work was coming along and secondly about his work.
“I have some speaking engagements scheduled next month but I want to take my dad home and spend some time with him. We’ll probably be leaving next week.”
That made me quiet for a few moments.
“Wish you could come along,” he said. “We live near the ocean so it can be a vacation. You need it.”
I smiled. “I can’t just up and leave with you.”
“It’s just a vacation. You’re allowed to have those aren’t you?”
“Not with you.”
“You don’t have to be with me, in theory, of course. Its two friends traveling together with an old man. It can’t get more innocent than that.”
I remained silent, wondering about whether I was going to let him go still thinking I was paralyzed, or if I was going to tell him the truth.
“I’ll see you when you come back,” I said. “How long are you staying?”
“A week or so. I have to come back for my engagements and then I have to get ready for the next season of my show. I’m still yet to renew my contract.”
I looked up at him as the reality of what that meant hit me. I had totally forgotten that he didn’t live in New York. He was slicing some onions and started to lift his head up at my silence, so I immediately brought it back down. It pained me to ask but I just had to. My breathing was already becoming harder.
“You’re going back to Atlanta, right?”
“Probably,” he answered. His tone was even.
“What do you mean by probably?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “It means I’m not sure yet.”
“Okay,” I said, but we both knew why I was asking.
“Do you have something to say?”
“No,” I said. “Nothing at all.”
*
Half an hour later, our linguine was served with all the vegetables, chicken, shrimp and sausages.
He placed a plate in front of me and my mouth watered. It smelled and looked wonderful. He really did know how to cook.
I picked up my fork and rolled a bit of linguine on it, stabbed some meat and vegetables and brought it up to my mouth.
I groaned at the explosion of flavor in my mouth, and quickly returned for another forkful.
“Oh my god, this is good Nate,” I said, and I drew my head back as I put the fork in my mouth. A bit of the juice from the sauce drifted slightly down the side of my lips but before I could bring my tongue out to correct it, I felt his hand on the side of my neck, just before his lips closed around the side of my lips. I froze as he kissed the juice away and then let go of my neck. For a second there I really couldn’t feel my legs, my whole body had turned into a melted mass of arousal.
He walked away and back around the counter. “Do you want wine?” he asked, and it took me a few seconds to respond.
I cleared my throat. “Yes, please.”
He retrieved an already opened bottle from the counter and two glasses and came over to pour it.
“You know, you could have just passed me some paper towels,” I said quietly.
“I know,” he said as he passed the glass over to me. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”
“It’s fine,” I said, and we continued on with lunch but it wasn’t the same. The air was charged with so much sexual tension that it became hard to breathe. The moment he excused himself to go the bathroom, I picked up the phone and called Wendy.
“This has to end today,” I told her. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“I was going to call you later to talk about it. I have a plan.”
“I don’t want to hear any more of your crazy plans.”
“Just listen…ask Damian to marry you.”
“What?”
“Tell him you want to get married.”
“When? Today?”
“No you dummy, in a few days, or the coming week.”
“And what is that supposed to achieve?”
“Convince you that Eminem is actually gay. What is wrong with you? It’ll tell you if he really loves you.”
“And what if he agrees?”
“Then you marry him, or isn’t that the point of this whole test?”
“I feel like I missed an entire conversation that you think we had.”
“Listen, if he says yes then you confess to him, seek his forgiveness. He’ll forgive you. If he’s ready to marry you crippled then he should be able to look past your manipulative ways.”
“Your manipulative ways,” I corrected. “Not mine.”
“Whatever, you can use my name if you want.”
“But what if he refuses?”
“I don’t understand, do you really need me to spell all of this out or are you really this slow? If he refuses then you leave him, and go to Nathan.”
“What if Nathan is pissed and doesn’t want anything to do with me?”
“Then you forget him too. You’ve been saying for the last ten years that you don’t need to be in a relationship so what’s the problem now? If they’re both too offended then you move on. Less baggage.”
“Wendy?” I said, sounding panicked. It felt like she was throwing me under the bus.
She sighed. “Who are you in love with? Nathan?”
I didn’t reply. “We’ll take that as a yes. If he’s pissed, find a way to get him to forgive you and cool him down.”
“What if there’s no way?”
“Find a way. Consider it practice for the future because you’re going to piss him off again, and if he still refuses then there’s your answer right there. Look, it might be painful but you are looking for better or for worse, not until it’s no longer good or you find out that I’m a manipulative bitch.”
“I feel like you’re throwing me under the bus.”
She laughed then. “Can you relax? Life is about taking risks. I’m busy now, we’re taking inventory. Some of these idiots are stealing my food. Call Damian, and see what happens. Update me when you’re done.” She cut the call and I was left staring at the windows in front of me.
Nathan returned. “Are you alright?” he asked, looking worried at my blank stare.
“I am,” I replied, and turned back to my food. My appetite was gone.
« CHAPTER 18 »
Damian
I had literally thrown myself into my painting. Since Lenora had returned from the hospital, I’d not been able to stop myself from spending as much time as I could in my studio. It was because I didn’t want to think, about a lot of things; about her, and if she didn’t recover, and about how our lives would be. Everyone was hopeful that she would recover but I’d already been in this situation twice in my life, first for my mum, and then my dad. Everyone had hoped that they would recover, but in the end they didn’t.
