Secret Valentine

"No. Stop." Melanie grabbed his hand. "Remember, you've been in a wreck, and you were badly injured. It sounds like a terrible ordeal. Don't apologize any more, or I will take this iPad away from you. You need to rest your hand. Here."

She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it.

"See the clock over there? You're going to lie back and rest quietly for fifteen minutes."

"While you rest, I'm going to talk some more. I want you to understand me, clearly. I was angry Monday night, because I thought you had stood me up, or you weren't serious. If you had more experience, you might realize just how shitty some men can be about not showing up, and not calling.

"Here's the thing, the next day, Tuesday, I was done being angry. I was just sad, I thought maybe I had scared you away somehow. By then, you had been smashed up in the bottom of some ravine for fifteen hours already, perhaps.

"Wednesday, you're down there now thirty hours, forty hours, more, and I figured out you weren't flaky, you were missing. Oh, I left out part of the story, a while ago."

She explained about the flyer visibly lodged under his apartment door.

"If not for that worthless piece of paper, I might not have found you here. I wouldn't have taken a day off from work; you know I can't afford to.

"Jacob, I'm not done with you yet. You're getting out of here in a few days. How?"

dont know my car is totlld cant driv cant walk ambulc? taxi? uberr?

"You're coming home with me, dumbass. Amy and I will be taking care of you, until you can get around better on your own."

why?

"Jacob, you are lucky there are hospital rules that prevent me from bitch slapping some sense into your poor broken face. I just told you how worried I was about you.

"Helping you now repays the debt I owe you for Amy's safety, that is, the Honda repairs. No, don't start. It's a moral debt, not a financial debt. This is a way I can help you out, after you helped us out. I am not asking, I am not negotiating. You are coming home with me."

Chapter 16: Mother Knows Best.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023, 10:00 a.m.

Melanie drove out of visitor parking up to the hospital's porte-cochère, a grandiose name for a driveway and covered parking spot next to the giant building's exit. Jacob was attended and seated there in a wheelchair.

With her front passenger seat moved all the way back, the orderly carefully folded Jacob (and his broken ankles) into her little Civic. The wheelchair went around back into the hatch, and they were off.

Jacob had been able to speak since Monday morning when his injuries were healed enough for his jaw to be freed.

"Thank you, Melanie, for helping me. I can't imagine how much harder everything would be without you being so kind."

"Jacob, I'm going to need your help, too. I see you have regular clothes on, except for your lower body. We have a blanket for your legs, and you will have to get by with those disposable slipper socks for now. I assume you have your wallet and keys? Good, because we have to go to your bank ATM and get some money out, it was Pelle Marco, right? Oh, look, there's one of their branches just ahead on the left."

Once they were parked, Melanie explained.

"We need money for a few reasons. First, I'm not getting wages for the days I spend with you, there's no paid leave at my stupid job. Second, we need to get groceries for the three of us. Third, the hospital took the very last bit of my cash for the deposit on your wheelchair.

"I am presuming that you have a good income or assets, based on what you have done, and what you told me. You must already know that I'm right at the edge, financially. So I want to take care of you physically, Jacob, but I need you to help me out with some cash."

He answered, "Please, you are doing wonderful things for me, and I promise you won't have to absorb any of the cost. Not a dime! Instead of the ATM, let's go inside so we can get things moving more quickly for you. I promise you now, there will be no more edge."

Forty Minutes Later.

"I have never seen a banker move so fast. Do you own their stock or something?"

"Naw, I just have a lot of money deposited there. You understand, Melanie, that Debit card is on that new joint account they set up for us, yes?"

"I understand. Are you sure? You put eighty-five hundred dollars in that account! And there's another $900 in cash in my bag, including $200 stuffed into my old wallet."

"Trust me, as I have said, I could spend ten times that amount and not even notice it. I do have a lot of money, obviously, and I need you to have flexibility and easy access for us while I'm laid up.

"But, to be honest, today I want you to excuse me from grocery shopping with you. My pain meds are wearing off, and I'm really uncomfortable packed into your little car. I want to get back to the apartments."

"Of course, Jacob, we'll go there right now. While I'm thinking about it, what kind of food should I buy for you?"

"Really, I'm happy with whatever you want to get. I don't have any restrictions, although I prefer meat and poultry over fish and shellfish. I need calcium and protein to help my ankles heal, so maybe some steaks would be good. We should get more of the Montreal seasoning. Also, please do pick up a bottle of chewable calcium tablets for me."

"You got it, Jacob. See, we're almost back to our complex."

Ten Minutes Later.

"But, Melanie, this is your bed!"

"It's what I have for you, and please don't argue. Here's a mayonnaise jar to use, if necessary, while I'm gone. Remember I need to pick up Amy also, so I'm going to be a while. Start thinking about what you need from your apartment while you are staying here with us, and I will go get it tonight. And, one more thing."

She bent over his prone body, and kissed him full on the lips.

"Welcome home, Jacob. I'm glad you're with me."

With a warm smile, she got back to her feet and left the apartment.

At last, with some dead quiet time for himself, Jacob could reflect on his new situation. He realized, that in the space of a few days, he had gone from despair to joy. Being trapped in his crashed car over two long cold nights had been an excruciating ordeal. He had come close to giving up all hope.

In that long stretch of time trapped in the car while he was still able to think, what stung the most was, because of his fearful dithering, he had not actually been able to talk to Melanie face-to-face. And, not even on the telephone.

But now, not only was she being so sweet, she had just kissed him, again. After putting him into her own bed! He was glowing, now.

After some time had passed, he remembered his assignment. Twisting around, he found his new iPad. It was on Caps lock, and he didn't bother to change it.

THINGS I WANT / THINGS I NEED

ANOTHER KISS (-:

MY LAPTOP (AND POWER CORD)

MY MAIL, INCLUDING THE PILE ON MY KITCHEN COUNTER

CORNSTARCH ("BABY") POWDER

ANTI-HISTAMINE PILLS

WATER PITCHER AND GLASS

T-SHIRTS AND BRIEFS

AND SOME WAY TO THANK YOU PROPERLY!

He put the pad aside and closed his eyes. An hour later, he was compelled to use the glass jar. He put it on the floor beside the bed.

The next time he awoke, it was from the sound of Melanie's apartment door opening.

"We need to put away the groceries, then we will come talk to you, Jacob!"

A few minutes later, mother and daughter were at the bed with him.

"Hello, Jacob. I'm Amy. Mama says you crashed your car and broke both of your foots."

"That's right, Amy, the bones in my ankles got cracked and I can't walk for a while. That's why I have these plaster things on my legs, they're called casts."

"So you can't get out of bed? But, what if you have to pee?"

Melanie looked around, suspiciously. "Yeah, Jacob. What if you have to pee?"

He grimaced and retrieved the mayonnaise jar. "But, how did your pee get in there?" asked Amy.

Oops. Jacob looked at Melanie, not knowing how to answer.

"Amy, I will tell you later. But do you want to talk about pee, or will you wash up and help me make dinner for us?"

She hopped off the bed and left the room quickly.

Chapter 17: Jacob's First Time with Amy.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023, 7:45 p.m.

After a delicious steak dinner, Melanie had an inspiration. She found tonight's book and handed it to Jacob; he started reading to Amy. Melanie stopped him after a few lines.

"Baby, is it OK with you if he keeps on reading to you instead of me?"

"Mama, I like the way he reads. I think he's good at it."

"Baby, you are right about that. He does voices and stuff better than I can. Would you like to stay up so he can read you an extra chapter tonight?"

"Oh yeah! Thank you Mama. Thank you, Jacob."

Amy hugged him, spontaneously, then settled back into the pillows for more listening.

While he was reading, his ankles were throbbing with pain. But he kept his attention on reading the story as best he could. Watching her drift off to sleep, he quieted and slowed his voice until he was sure she was asleep.

Melanie carried her 35 lb. (16 kg) child across to her own bed and put her in the blankets with her stuffed animal (a lioness). As usual, Amy slept through the process, and her mother quietly returned to Jacob.

"That went really well. I'm glad Amy doesn't seem to mind my coming here to stay with you."

"Oh, yeah. She takes her cues from me. If I'm comfortable with you, she can tell, and we're good. Do you need the bathroom? No? Then let's shift you over to the mattress. Oof! I've read your list, sweetie. You're feeling itchy?"

"I'm sorry, Melanie. The skin under the casts is really uncomfortable, and I'm worried that it's going to get worse. I want to slip some powder in there if I can. And I'm overdue for my pain meds, which means I was really struggling towards the end of my reading time."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Let me get those for you right now... There you go, and here's some water. Let me grab your keys, and you just relax while I go get your stuff. Back in a jiffy!"

Melanie bustled out the door. First, in the lobby of the complex, she emptied Jacob's full mailbox. Then she went upstairs to his apartment. Once his door was opened, she put aside the pizza flyer, merged the two collections of mail, and headed to his bedroom and bathroom for the other listed items. In his closet, she found a rolling luggage bag like you would commonly see in an airport.

Inside the bag went the t-shirts, briefs, powder, pills (she added a bottle of acetaminophen). She found and added his laptop computer and power adapter and filled the remaining space with his collected mail. Bag zipped closed, lights off, and door locked, Melanie returned to her apartment pulling the rolling bag behind her.

"I got everything, sweetie, here you go. After you take your other pills, I'm going to undress you so we can get some powder in there. Oh, and something else from your list."

Once again, she was on top of him and kissing him. Quite thoroughly. Passionately, even.

"In all of that writing you did before the hospital, you never told me how hot you were, Jacob. I hate that you're in pain, but I am also thrilled that you are, so quickly, in my bed. Here's a little more water for the pills you wanted. Good."

One by one, she opened the buttons down the front of his shirt, then the two buttons on his cuffs. Pulling him up by his shoulder, she pulled the shirt off his torso and tossed it aside. Then she eased him back to lie on the mattress, while caressing the light spray of chest hair between his nipples.

"Perfect," she breathed. Jacob was lean and fit, his body like that of a runner or a professional dancer. He seemed to be about her height and weight, not intimidating and certainly not muscle-bound or pudgy. In the present circumstances, it was helpful that she could manage his bulk and weight for transfers and positioning.

His complexion was intermediate, Caucasian but consistent with Mediterranean origins. Jacob's hair was dark brown and wavy, his eyes were brown, and his facial hair was also brown. The injuries to his face were mostly internal. Despite the swelling, he was very handsome in Melanie's eyes.

Moving her hands down, she started on the pajama pants which he had been issued by the hospital. Because of the large casts on his lower legs, the pants were fastened with zippers on the outer seams. In this way, the legs could be opened widely instead of trying to pull each leg and cast through a tube shape as with conventional pants.

Gently, she pushed and pulled until the garment was loose from underneath him and was removed.

For the first time in years, she was in bed with a naked man.

A beautiful, handsome, naked man.

But he was crying!

"Jacob! Oh, No! What's wrong!"

Chapter 18: Meeting Your Expectations.

"For so long, I was hoping to meet someone. Someone I could share my life with. But I was sure it wouldn't happen, because I saw no way past being too shy to go out, to date.

"But with you I was really beginning to hope, that we might have something special together. I was starting to have dreams about us, you and I, and being intimate. And that you might look at me with the same kind of interest, of anticipation, that I felt for you.

"You're such a blazing beauty. Melanie. I hoped you might look at me and feel interested too.

"But tonight, we're thrown together unexpectedly, and I am NOT ready. The one thing I didn't anticipate: at the moment of truth, I'm limp. You must think I was lying about my feelings for you; how terribly dishonest to you I have been.

"I can see it now, it's in your face. Your eyes are wet and wide with horror. Your knuckles are in your open mouth. You are betrayed!"

Quietly, Melanie hissed out, "Shut up."

"What?"

Melanie was furious. And loud.

"Shut up! Shut your FUCKING mouth! God damn it, Jacob! Shut the fuck up and LISTEN. Shit! Are you listening to me now?"

"Yes, Melanie."

"Any more of this bullshit and you WILL get bitch slapped. Jacob, I haven't even LOOKED at your dick. (Not yet, anyway.) Jesus, men and their cocks!

"I brought you here, to my home, because I care about you!

"You oaf!

"You have been in a bad accident, with broken bones, shivering for two nights out in the woods without any help. For all I know you could have frostbite on your dick!

"I have a dildo, and a vibrator. What I don't have is a sweet man, who cares for me and my little girl, and reads her bedtime stories.

"Hell, after listening to you tonight, I want you to read ME bedtime stories.

"You just accused me of being disappointed, because of what, your penis? That is offensive, Jacob. I deserve better."

From the doorway: "Mama?"

Melanie whirled around and wrapped her arms around her daughter, fleeing, taking her back over to the smaller bedroom.

"I'm OK, Amy, Jacob told me something scary, and it made me shout. But it's OK, it's all fixed now."

"You were mad at him?"

"Just for a minute, but we worked it out."

"That's good. He should stay here until his ankers, uh, ankles are better."

"I told him, no more scary stuff, or I won't give him any pancakes tomorrow. He said, OK."

"Really?"

"Well, kind of. First he said, 'Ooh, pancakes!' And then he said, 'I promise.' So, Amy, go back to sleep now, so I can make us breakfast in the morning. Good night, baby."

Back in the master bedroom.

"Phew! She didn't get a good look. If she had, I would be back to explaining you and the mayonnaise jar. Now, Jacob, are you going to give me any more trouble tonight? No? Good. Let me get some powder in there, under the casts.

"When you are more comfortable, AND when you are NOT doped up to your eyeballs in libido-suppressing pain medications, THEN you and I can spend some time being frisky, OK? O.K.?!"

"Yes, ma'am. I understand."

"Now, let's see how much margin they left us for the cornstarch to get in there."

Chapter 19: Madera por la Mañana.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 7:00 a.m.

"Good morning, sweetie. How do you feel?"

"Honestly, Melanie, I feel confused. Down at the ends of my legs, I'm feeling the usual pain, so I don't think I'm still asleep. But in front of my eyes is the spectacular face of a goddess, so I must be dreaming.

"And about halfway between those places, I'm being held and stroked by a warm soft hand, which is leading up to a crisis, I have to say. An urgent crisis. Uh, a messy crisis. Oh! Ah! Ahh!

"It seems my pain meds have worn off, because my ankles really hurt and my sex drive is coming back. Melanie, I think I'm better off without those meds, even considering the ankle pain."

It was a bit clumsy, but he embraced her and kissed her. He tried his best to put everything into it: all of his affection, gratitude, happiness, lust, all of it. But he was unskilled, inexperienced. Melanie pushed him away with a chuckle.

It seems Ginny didn't counsel him very well on kissing skills. Something I will have to get to. Also, we have to figure out good ways, good positions to have sex considering his ankles. Work, work, work!

"I understand your feelings right now, after all, you just exploded all over my hand. No, it's fine, don't worry about it. You're showing appreciation, I don't mind the mess. We can have more fun and more kissing tonight.

"Right now, I promised Amy pancakes, I need to rush. Here's some wipes so you can clean up. Can I transfer you to your chair now?"

In a virtual blur, Melanie managed to make the pancakes, get Amy (and herself) dressed and ready, and make sure Jacob had what he needed for the day. Just before leaving, she bent over and gave him a long, thorough kiss.

As they left the complex, Amy burst out with, "You KISSED him!"

"Of course I kissed him. Isn't he cute?"

"Mama, you have never kissed anyone but me before, that I can remember. You didn't kiss the guy at the car place, and he was cute."

"Ew. No. That guy was creepy."

"No, not HIM. I mean, Carrie's daddy."

"You're right, that guy was cute. But, I didn't know him. Amy, it's different with me and Jacob. We have been sending emails back and forth on the computer, so we know each other."

"Oh, OK."

While this was going on, back inside Jacob was already on the phone. Although his iPhone had survived the crash, it was damaged. And, he wanted to upgrade to a model with a larger-screen. So he was speaking with the bank, asking to rehire the same courier and arrangement they used for his iPad.

Next, he called the company that had helped with Robert's needs a few years ago. Once he set up a new account with them (with a substantial deposit), he was connected to Graciela, an occupational therapist, who was also an RN.

They had a good discussion and he explained his needs, and he asked her to bring over some items. They agreed, the mayonnaise jar was not a long-term solution. (Plus, he was afraid he would drop the jar in the bathroom leaving shattered glass everywhere.)

Graciela suggested a fixed pole, attached floor to ceiling, which he could use to help transfer in and out of bed. But Jacob put that off, being just a guest in Melanie's apartment. They did agree on a snap-on frame that fit around the toilet and provided rails on each side to help him get on and off. When the list was complete, they agreed she would arrive with everything at 2 p.m.

When Amy and Melanie returned in the evening, he told them immediately about the change in the bathroom, so Amy would not be alarmed. The mayonnaise jar was in the kitchen sink, filled with soapy water.