In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Three

The limo pulled into the driveway just before 11 that night. It was dark and still warm on the balmy early fall evening. "Stay still, Jamie, let me get your chair," Eddie said as she got out of the car. "You are way too tired to try to walk it in the dark."

Jamie nodded, he'd dozed off in the car on the way from Staten Island to Brooklyn. The pain in his back and both legs was bordering on excruciating. Eddie held his hand and rubbed his arm up and down gently. Quickly Eddie got out of the car, retrieved Jamie's wheelchair from the house and helped him get into. Together they pushed him into the house. Eddie removed her jacket then laid Jamie on the bed. She made short work of his tuxedo and as she had often done when he was first home or even before his stroke, let him lay in bed in only a tee shirt and boxers. "There, how's that?" Eddie asked stroking Jamie's cheek. "You want me to put your leg up on pillows since it hurts?"

Jamie sighed, "No, maybe some Advil and a glass of water. Then come to bed too. We both had a long day."

Eddie wasn't the least bit tired, she was still pumped on adrenaline and happiness from the big day but she would slide into bed beside Jamie and be what he needed her to be for him. Eddie took her hair down and slid out of her gown. Jamie watched with hooded eyes. Eddie didn't hide her body from his gaze.

Slowly she slid off her slip, rolled down each stocking, and removed her bra and panties. She stood in the light from the bathroom and watched as Jamie smiled. He reached out both arms as Eddie slowly walked over to him. She crawled into bed beside him and curled into his side. "Tomorrow my love," she promised in a breathy voice. "When you feel better and we can enjoy ourselves. We'll have quiet now that Joey moved back to the city and Lila has her own place." Eddie kissed Jamie's cheek, "We will miss them but we'll make the best of it too."

Jamie turned his head and kissed her softly. "You are still so beautiful."

"You aren't so bad yourself." Eddie laid her head on Jamie's chest and played with the sheet. "It feels really weird...to be empty nesters, you know?"

Jamie laughed, "Some days, I feel young, like I can't believe that I'm this age, you know. That I'll be sixty in six weeks. Other days I feel like I can't believe I'll be only sixty...like now. I'm so sorry, baby, I have to try to sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open."

Eddie kissed Jamie again, a gentle peck. "Rest, there's plenty of time for us to figure out the next stage of our lives. I have what I need to get through anything, you by my side."

Eddie waited for an answer, "Jamie?" Her only reply was a very soft snore, one of the only reminders of his stroke and all they had been through. When he was lying down, there were no visible deficits, when he was moving, only the cane and the limp remained as evidence. The snoring though, that was something that was likely to remain. Eddie didn't mind it, it was evidence not only of his stroke, but of his being alive. "Sleep well Jamie."

Across town, Steven carried Lila, wedding gown and all, into his apartment. "Welcome home, Mrs. Tenney," he said punctuating each word with a kiss as he carried her over the threshold. "How do you feel?"

Lila looked up at Steven beaming, "Wonderful. I couldn't have imagined a better wedding day. My father walked me down the aisle and danced with me, all our friends were there with us...I love you so much!"

Steven reached out and took Lila into his arms and tipped his head to claim her lips in a kiss. "I love you, too. I am so glad we waited for this night, for this moment..." Steven deepened the kiss, slowly working his hand up to work the zipper down the back of Lila's dress. With tender care, he removed the gown and while Lila worked on removing his shirt. Steven gently discarded the dress, laying it on the sofa. Tomorrow they would take it with them to Eddie and Jamie's for preservation, before leaving on their honeymoon.