Lady in Red Ch. 17

"Dinner will be ready in an hour and a half, Steve. Would you like to lie down for awhile? You look a little drowsy," commented Paula.

"Good idea, Mom! Come on, Steve. I'll help you get situated. I forget what you've been through, at least until I look at your face. Let's get you in bed so you can rest," prompted Gwen.

"You'd better come back and watch TV with us pretty soon or we'll all know he's not getting any rest," laughed Caroline as Gwen closed the bedroom door.

"Mom, do you think we made a mistake allowing Gwen to be with Steve?" asked Paula in a serious tone.

"Seriously? Not even close. I'm a little old fashioned, but you can't keep those two apart, even if you tried. They wouldn't lie or sneak around, but that boy has a serious dose of testosterone pumping in his veins and Gwen is about as beautiful a woman as I've ever seen. They can't be kept apart and it would be wrong to try. They aren't your average high school kids, not by a long shot. I don't think there's any limit to what they can accomplish together. Your daughter's amazing and she's found her match. We just need to stand back and watch what they achieve," finished Caroline as Diane, Stephanie, and Kate nodded in agreement.

Steve was hoping to simply lie down on top of the bed and rest, but Gwen would have none of it. "You get out of those clothes and climb under the sheets. You need proper rest. Here, let's get this shirt off you. Oh! Steve!" exclaimed a shocked Gwen.

Gwen had pulled Steve's shirt over his head and had her first real look at his torso since the beating. He had always been in bed and covered with a hospital gown when she was with him. She was shocked at the bruises that crossed his back, chest, and abdomen. Suddenly the door swung open and Paula stepped inside.

"We were afraid that Steve had fallen or been hurt when you cried out," began Paula as she suddenly stopped in her tracks with her eyes glued to Steve's upper body. "My God! I had no idea what that man did to you! I'm so sorry!"

Steve and Gwen both turned to face Paula. Behind her were Caroline, Diane, Kate, and Stephanie. They all had stunned looks on their faces as they stared at Steve. Embarrassed, he held his shirt in front of his chest.

"It isn't as bad as it looks," assured Steve as he blushed in front of the women. "It's gotten a lot better already. Maybe I should stay with Uncle Joe."

"Not a chance!" responded Paula as she began chasing the others from the room. "We'll leave you two alone. Gwen, take care of your man."

Gwen managed to get Steve undressed and under the covers. She kissed him gently and promised to wake him when dinner was ready. He fell asleep as she watched. She then returned to the living room, wiping tears from her eyes as she sat down by Kate.

"He'll be okay, Sis. He's lucky he has a family now to take care of him, especially you. None of us realized how badly that bastard beat him until we saw the bruises. If they're better now than they were, I'm glad we didn't see them before. I can't imagine how much he suffered last week, but this week he's going to have all of us females taking care of him all the time. We'll help him get well, you'll see."

Paula was relieved to watch Steve eat. She knew a good appetite was a sign of improving health and Steve ate with gusto. Any time his plate began to empty, Gwen or Kate would scoop up more food to place on it.

After dinner, Steve sat and watched TV for a little while. Then he excused himself and headed for bed. He was obviously still feeling the effects of the pneumonia and infections as he slowly walked across the room. Gwen jumped to her feet, smiled at the others, and then turned to follow Steve. A few minutes later, Steve was lying naked in bed with an equally naked Gwen next to him.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't have the strength to enjoy your body tonight, Gwen. I'm just too tired and sore to be any good for anything."

"That's fine with me. That way we'll be quiet and no one watching TV will hear any suspicious noises. I'm here to help you get better, not wear you out. I'll make sure you take your medicines and get very clean in the shower, and take care of any other needs that may arise."

Before going to bed, Paula knocked on the door and then opened it. She looked at the sleeping teens and felt a lump in her throat. They looked perfect together. Paula couldn't imagine a better looking couple. Her daughter had found a man beyond anything Paula could have wished for her and that pleased her motherly instincts. Her daughters deserved the best and Gwen had managed to find it. Lisa seemed quite interested in a very fine young man, and that brought another smile to Paula's face. To think that she had worried that Steve would create a rift between her daughters.