Author: Audrey Frank
The
Lonely One
Eva Webster skillfully headed her
wheelchair to the front door and the mail slot. Did she get some postcards
today? She couldn't travel, so she had joined an international club where she exchanged cards with people
from all over the world. Those small greetings were her window on the world.
There were two cards and a large
envelope. She looked at the cards first and smiled. Two new names. One from
England, the other from France. She hastily ripped open the remaining envelope
and frowned. When would her mother's friends stop sending her invitations to
their parties? She knew her mother meant well, trying to include her so she
would get out of the house and her mind off
her disability. It wasn't working.
Before the accident she loved going to
parties and events. With long, brilliant black hair and luminous blue-green
eyes, she always felt like the belle of the ball. Each party gave an excuse to
buy a new gown.
“Good afternoon, Miss Eva. I was just
going to pick up the mail for you.”
“Nancy, you startled me. I am perfectly
capable of getting the mail by myself.”
She inwardly winced as she realized how
harsh her voice sounded. Nancy was a loyal companion for three years. She
didn't need to be there every minute, though.
“I'm sorry, Nancy, but wheelchair or not,
I'm still able to take care of little things.” There was that tone again. What
was wrong with her today? She handed the invitation to Nancy.
“Mother's at it again. I don't want to go
to parties. When will she accept that fact?”
“She means well, Miss Eva. Maybe it would
lighten your spirit to head out into the world again. The accident shouldn't be
the end of life as you knew it. You're young, you've got money, you're smart,
and you're beautiful.”
Eva reached for Nancy's hand and squeezed
it. Nancy was sixty,on the plump side, and full of Irish wisdom. Eva had grown
to love her. Maybe she should stop hiding away. She was lonely always being
cooped up at home.
“I'll think on it. Here, let me show you
my latest post cards.”
They laughed together and the rest of the
afternoon went smoothly, until Elizabeth Webster flounced through the front
door.
“There you are, my darling girl. Did you
get the invitation to Harley's dinner party?
We can both go together. It will
be a lovely evening. You are going, aren't you? You must get out of this house
and mingle.”
Eva sighed. “I'm thinking about it. Just
don't push me.”
Her mother cocked one perfectly groomed
eyebrow and shrugged. As she walked out of the room, Eva and Nancy looked at
each other. Nancy rolled her eyes upward.
“She'll never change. I best get supper on the
table before she starts complaining.”
After dinner and when Nancy had left for
the night, Eva wheeled herself into the bedroom. It was lavishly decorated with
a brilliant gold bedspread and matching drapes. Mahogany furniture lined up
against pale green walls.
If I had my 'druthers, Eva thought, I'd
have furnished this room in bright colored furniture with cottage style
accessories. Ever since Eva's father died, her mother had become the challenging
widow, changing everything to wreak of wealth. Sometimes Eva wondered did her
mother ever really love her father or had she married him for his money?
She pulled a shoebox off the desk and
carefully placed her new postcards in alphabetical order. All those wonderful
places and people. They were enjoying life and she was living vicariously
through them. It had to stop, she decided. Maybe her mother was right.
She needed to stop her own lonely pity-party.
The next morning when Nancy arrived, Eva
told her she was going to take the advice her mother had given and tackle going
to the party.
“That's wonderful, Miss Eva.” Nancy
beamed down at her.
“You'll have to help me shop for a new
gown. We can drive to that little boutique on
Simpson Avenue. Surely I'll find something there.”
Plans made, Nancy helped her into the
car, and headed out. They laughed during lunch. Eva was actually excited about
the party. At the boutique, with the shop owner's help, she tried on several
gowns. She couldn't stand to get the whole effect, but her reflection in the
mirror helped. Which one would she
settle on,she wondered. Each time the dressing room door opened, Nancy would
clap her hands telling Eva what colors she liked. Four gowns later, Eva was ready
to decide. She felt exhausted from the effort.
Finally back in her wheelchair, she was
startled to feel someone's hand on her shoulder. She looked up into a ruggedly
handsome face with the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen.
“Didn't mean to startle you, but you
should buy that teal number. You look gorgeous in it.”
“And you are?”
“Ex-captain in the army. My name is Steve
Archer, and you're the most beautiful woman I've seen in three years. You
really need the teal dress. It brings out your eyes.”
Eva felt her cheeks warm. She looked
closer at this stranger. A shock of slightly graying hair matched his brown
eyes. She noticed he was bracing himself on a cane. She held out her hand.
“I'm Eva Webster” she offered.
“Hey,
are you getting that dress to go to my mother's party? You'll be the youngest
and most gorgeous woman there.”
Eva's eyes widened. “You're Harley
Archer's son? I thought you were in Afghanistan.”
“I was until I got blown away. Now I'm home
and ready to start life again. Can't think of anyone better to start it with
than you.” He winked, a slow grin spreading across his lips. “May I have the
honor of taking you to the party?”
Nancy decided it was time to interrupt
before Eva could decline.
“That would be lovely,” Nancy said,
shaking his hand. “I'm so proud of you young men, keeping us all safe. And he's
right, Miss Eva, you should buy the teal dress.”
Eva smiled.“Well, I guess you two have
the last word. I'll buy the dress and be happy to be with you at the party,
Steve.”
After making plans, on the drive home Eva
thought about Steve.
“Nancy, do you know more of how he was
hurt?”
“I do that. Lost a leg below the knee
when a ground mine blew up near him. I marvel how well he's adapting, don't
you?”
Eva nodded. How lovely. Two cripples
helping each other get through a party.
That night Eva's sleep was fitful. How
would they get along? She thought of his missing leg. Did it bother him? He
seemed so confident. Would it bother her? She tossed until nearly dawn, then
fell into a restless sleep.
At ten the next morning, the front bell
rang. When she opened the door it was Steve, holding a bouquet of yellow
daisies.
“I think I might have overstepped things
yesterday at the store.” He held out the daisies.
Second thoughts, Eva decided. She
should have known better. She took the daisies and wheeled into the living
room. Steve followed her.
“I was pretty brash at the store
yesterday. You really didn't have a chance to decline. I'm sorry about that,
but you're so lovely I just wanted to grab on while I had the chance.”
Eva's eyes widened. He still wanted to
take her? He went on to explain how painful it was when his own mother looked
at him like broken goods. He didn't understand her attitude and decided that,
even as an amputee, he'd show her that life could be normal and he could be happy. He asked Eva
what kind of accident put her in a wheel chair. He wasn't trying to pry, just curious.
If she didn't want to talk about it...
“No, that's okay. Three years ago my
horse bolted when a rabbit jumped out on the trail. The doctors all agreed I
would never walk again, so here I am.”
“Bull shit!” Steve exploded. “If I can
walk you can walk. Have you tried physical therapy or even gotten a second
opinion?”
“Not really. My mother accepted the fact
and I felt it was just useless.”
“Your mother accepted the fact so you've
wasted three years of your life.” Resentment tightened his face, his brows drew
together. What was it about their mothers?. Most families gave support.
He and Eva were just the exceptions. That bonded them and he was determined to
help her.
Eva reached out and touched his cheek. He
crushed her hand in his.
“I didn't mean to blurt all that out,
Eva. I just have this gut feeling that if you try you can walk again. Let me
help you, please. I know some great physical therapists. At least give it a
shot.”
“Okay, but after the party. Let's just
get through that, then we'll see.”
He impulsively kissed her cheek. Yes,
they were bonded and it would grow stronger.
The party turned out better than she had
expected. Steve never left her side. Every one was delighted to see her again.
If they were just fawning or meant it,
the words soothed her nervousness. When Steve drove her home he softly
kissed her goodnight. He'd be in touch tomorrow and they'd head to the doctors.
That night Eva told Nancy what she was
about to do.
“But I don't want Mother to know.
Eventually, if it works, I'll surprise her. Until that happens, we keep it our
secret, okay?”
Nancy nodded. “It shouldn't be too
difficult. She's always floating off somewhere in the afternoon, so your secret
will be safe with me.”
Nancy hugged Eva. She always felt there
was the possibility of Eva walking again. Then she laughed, her booming voice ringing through the room.
“There's a reason they call them
practicing physicians. I always thought it was a joke. You may just prove them
wrong.”
At the therapy appointment, Eva felt
every nerve tighten as she was run through the MRI, then examined by two
doctors. She was told it should be possible for her to walk again if she
followed instructions and kept a positive attitude. She was introduced to
someone named Tony. He had muscular arms with tattoos and crossed them as he
explained what would happen. They would start tomorrow. Eva shuddered. It would
be grueling work and it was all up to her.
Had she realized how grueling, she
probably wouldn't have agreed to anything. She
started with weight pressing to strengthen her arms. So many exercise
machines. Monsters ready to gobble her down. Tony explained she first had to
build up the muscles in her arms so she could work the bars and bicycles. She was drenched with sweat at the end of the
session.
Steve was waiting when Tony wheeled her
out to the lobby.
Tony chuckled. “You got a real woman
there. She complained a lot, but she didn't quit.”
Eva rubbed sweat from her brow and
grimaced at Steve.
“ I think I could kill you for getting
me into this. I never had to exercise and now I'm chained to machines.”
“Better than chained to a wheelchair.”
Steve draped a towel around her as Tony carried her to the car. That night her
muscles ached and she wondered where all this would lead. With my luck,
probably nowhere. She thought of Steve and his enthusiasm. No way could she
let him down. She fell asleep and dreamed what it would be like to walk hand in
hand with Steve. She already knew she was falling in love with him. She smiled
in her sleep.
Days became weeks. Weeks became months of
terrifying ups and downs. Still she could feel progress. Muscles, that she
hadn't felt for years, started cramping. She could actually wiggle her toes.
Walking the bars was the hardest part, but Tony was close by to be sure she
didn't fall. She felt life returning to her body.
Steve started coming to her sessions,
urging her on. When he showed up in walking shorts one day Eva saw his
prosthetic limb for the first time. What wonders surgeons could do now. It
almost looked natural. He had mastered
not using a cane, and Eva longed to walk to him and passionately kiss him. The
look in his eyes told her he was feeling the same way.
That night, sitting together on the
living room couch, Steve put his arms around her as she nestled against his
chest. He kissed the top of her head.
“I love you, Eva. Felt it the first day
we met.” He lifted her chin and kissed her.
Eva reached up and curled her arms around
his neck. “I'm going to walk again, Steve, just for you. I promise.”
The next morning before she headed out
she questioned Nancy. Did her mother suspect anything? Nancy rolled her eyes, a
habit that started when she first came to work. Mrs. Webster was like no one
she had ever worked for. An impossible woman to please, but she stayed because
of Eva.
“Darlin' girl, your mother is so wrapped
up in herself she hasn't even realized you're not at home during the day. You
just keep on working those legs so we can have a party and watch her faint.”
The next week at therapy, Tony rubbed the
stubble on his chin and looked deep into Eva's eyes. He had gotten her to stand
alone. To him, that in itself was a miracle. She was ready.
“The time has come, Missy, for a quick
rehearsal. You're gonna walk by yourself today. Not far, but alone. No bars,
just you. If you start to fall I'll be there. Okay?”
Eva ran her tongue over parched lips. Her
eyes stared back at Tony. She felt her heart beating in her throat. He reached
out his arms and took her hands.
“Are you sure, Tony? I'm not. Maybe
tomorrow?”
“This is your moment, Kiddo. After almost
six months of physically pushing yourself to the limit, I think you're ready.”
He pulled her gently to a standing
position. What if I can't do this? All those months of trying and maybe
it hadn't worked. Tony released her hands and stood back. She was actually
standing alone. But walking?
Tony pointed to the door. “Just six
steps. It'll be easy, I promise.”
Eva took one step, her arms extended to
her sides for balance. First the right, then miraculously the left. Right.
Left. Slowly, but she was moving on her own. She looked up to see Steve coming
through the door. He reached out to her. She barely remembered how many slow,
tortuous steps she had taken until she was in his arms, sobbing.
The staff was applauding, but Eva was
oblivious as she clung to Steve. She had walked. She was ready to start her
life over.
Tony interrupted and told her how great
she had done. He said she needed to move slowly and he still wanted her to
return for final instructions. It was agreed she'd take off a few days.
When they drove back to the house her
mind was bubbling over with the one thing she wanted to do. She told Steve to
wait for her in the living room while she walked to her bedroom, using the
walls as leverage. She reached for her box of postcards and sighed. She gently
plucked at each card, remembering how they had become her world. No more.
Tomorrow she would drop them off at the library. Perhaps they would open
someone else to their beauty. She didn't have to live vicariously through them
any more. Her loneliness was over, her life with Steve just beginning.