Part 35 (1/2)
”Are you sure? I mean--”
”Of course I'm sure. I'm not a piece of fragile china, Luke Casteel.”
He brought the wheelchair to my bed and gently pulled back my blanket. Then he slipped his left hand under my thighs and embraced me at the waist with his right arm.
”I'm not too heavy, am I?”
”Too heavy? You're as light as a warm, soft dream.”
He held me in his arms for a moment. Our faces were so close that when I turned toward him, my lips nearly grazed his. We gazed into each other's eyes. I felt a warm glow move down my body, a magical, soft, silky tingle.
”I could hold you like this forever and ever,” Luke whispered. His eyes were so intense, so fixed on mine, I felt as though he were looking into my soul.
”What if I told you to do that? To hold me forever and forever?” I asked him in a silvery, soft voice.
He smiled and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes.
”I won't put you down until you tell me to,” ”Let's pretend again,” I said. ”Pretend you found me at Farthy asleep in that horrible room, under a spell cast by the wicked Devil. Put me back on the bed,” I commanded. He smiled and did so. I put my arms at my sides and closed my eyes.
”I burst through the doors!”
”Yes,” I said, excited that he had taken up the challenge. ”And you see me and your heart is broken.” I kept my eyes closed.
”Because I think you will never wake up and I have lost you forever and ever.”
”But you remember the magic. A long time ago you were told this would happen and you must kiss the sleeping princess to wake her. Only, your kiss must be sincere,” I added.
He didn't reply, and for a moment I thought the game was over, but I didn't dare open my eyes. First, I felt him leaning over me. Then I sensed his face coming closer . . . closer . . . until . . his lips touched mine. And his kiss lingered on my hungry lips.
”Had to make it sincere,” he whispered, and I opened my eyes. I wanted to reach up and pull him down to me, but I was so taken with my own feelings and the look in his eyes, I couldn't move. Then he smiled.
”It worked! You're awake.”
He scooped me up into his arms again.
”My prince,” I said, and embraced him more tightly.
”And now, to carry you off and away.” He held me like that for a few long moments. If he were struggling, he didn't show it. Finally, I laughed.
”Okay, my prince, put me in the chair. I believe you,” I said, thinking that someone could come into the room and find us like this.
He lowered me ever so gently and then stepped back.
”How do I look to you? Tell me the truth,” I added quickly, afraid that I had changed dramatically and lost whatever beauty I had once possessed.
”Well, . . you're thinner. And I am having some trouble getting used to that hair color, I'm afraid.”
'Im changing back to my own natural color tomorrow,”
”But other than that, you're no different, just as pretty as ever.”
”Luke Toby Casteel, you'd tell me I was pretty even if my face were covered with chicken pox,” I said, trying to cover my obvious pleasure.
”I remember when it was and I did think you were still pretty, or at least, cute.” He fidgeted about for a few moments. ”You want me to wheel you anywhere?”
”No, just stay here for a while.”
He nodded, his dark blue eyes narrowing on me.
”When I just looked down at you, with your eyes closed like that, I. . I didn't want to pretend. I wanted it to be a real kiss, Annie,” he confessed.
”It was a real kiss,” I said. ”A wonderful kiss.”
He nodded and then looked away quickly, knowing that if he didn't, we might say too much.
”Oh, Luke, I missed you so much.”
He pressed his teeth down softly over his lower lip and nodded gently. I saw that he was holding back tears.
”Well now, I see ya up and ready to get started. That's good.” Suddenly f.a.n.n.y was in the doorway. ”Want ta wash up and stuff and get ready for breakfast?
”Yes, Aunt f.a.n.n.y.”
”Okay then. You scoot of Luke, and get Annie up and dressed.”
”I'll bring up her breakfast,” Luke offered, He started out.
”Luke,” I called. He turned around quickly. ”Thanks, but from now on, no more meals in bed. No more invalid.”
He smiled. ”Great. We'll work on your walking as many times during the day as you want.” He looked at his mother.
”If ya two are gonna keep talkin' like this, I'll jist go back ta the livin' room and twiddle ma thumbs.”
”I'm leavin'.” He flashed a smile at me and walked out.
”Ya eva see anyone gab as much as that boy kin? Takes after his grandpappy Toby, all right. That man could sit out on the porch of that cabin whittlin' rabbits and jawin' till the sun dropped. Why, long after ma grandma Annie died, he still talked ta her as if she was still around, ya know.”
”I understand why now, Aunt f.a.n.n.y. It's hard to give up the people you love, and sometimes you just refuse to do it, no matter what reality tells you.”
She stepped back and considered me. ”I guess ya changed a lil Annie. Grew in some ways 'cause of this tragedy and all that followed. Maybe ya learned things I neva learned 'bout people. Granny used ta say hard times kin wise ya up plenty. Know they did that fer Heaven. She was a lot smarter than me.
”Oh, I had hard times, too, but I was always feelin' sorry fer maself, so I didn't have time ta learn nothin'.” She shook her head.
”Well, here I am jawin' away like Luke. Must run in the family. Let's tend ta ya bathroom needs and get ya dressed.”
Mrs. Avery came in to help, too. The way she and Aunt f.a.n.n.y fussed over me surely made me feel at home again. What a difference between their loving hands and soothing words and Mrs. Broadfield's coldly efficient and mechanical ways. All the money and elaborate medical attention in the world couldn't rival tender loving care. I should have known that from the start, and when Tony offered to get me the best doctors and the best medical care money could buy, I should have simply asked to go home.