“So I guess I will see you tomorrow, Morgan.” When Morgan didn’t respond she let herself out and was gone, leaving the two to talk privately.
“Hun, you look scrumptious,” he joked, “especially lying there looking so vulnerable.” His smile was genuine and sincerely ebbed his words.
“Liar.”
“Now you know I would never lie to you.” Breathy words escaped his lips as they pressed against her mouth.
“I don’t feel that great right now.” Morgan shied away and tried to hide her scars from him.
“Morgan, it’s not the end of the world. With a little love and care you will be back on your feet in no time, and if it really bothers you, there are great cosmetic surgeons who are available just for circumstances like this.” His words were tender and careful. He didn’t want to offend her but he wanted her to know that she was every bit the woman he loved and if she so chose, could be every bit the woman she needed to feel she was.
“I just don’t know how I got into this mess.” She choked on her words, stifling her tears.
“Mistakes happen, that’s just like honey.” He smiled, resting his right arm across her while sitting in the spot on the left side of the bed that Alexandra abandoned. He took his left hand and lifted her chin to him, forcing her to look him in the eyes.
“Now, if you would let me, I would love to show you how beautiful I think you are, how rare as precious diamonds, and I want to take care of you allowing you to rest on a bed of flowers that I will prepare for you.” His eyes glistened with moisture as he brushed his lips lightly against hers.
“It was you? How could I have not figured that out?” She tried to speak but he cut off her words with a deep kiss, sending shudders down her body that had been numb since she returned from her short one-week vacation in Europe. For the first time in what felt like forever, Morgan felt happy, hopeful, at peace. She was ready to begin her healing with Isaiah by her side.
Healing
Morgan was happy to be back in her home. It seemed like so much time had passed, but the home she returned to was definitely not the home that she left almost two month before. She returned to her bedroom scattered with flowers, and so many petals on her bed that she wasn’t sure if it was a bed or a flowers bed. Isaiah had kept his promise. He stopped work and completely dedicated his time to her. He was there with her every waking moment and kissed her passionately each time she closed her eyes at night. He served her hand and foot, washing her in her most embarrassing and private of places. He never made her feel helpless or vulnerable and they grew together laughing, talking, sharing, and getting to know each other in ways that only love grows and through the day-to-day grind of a tragedy.
Morgan felt loved like she never had; in his eyes her scars disappeared, under his loving touch she healed; in his arms she found safety and security. She was never more sure that this was the man for her. This is what she had always wanted, and needed. A man who would give to her selflessly, love her no matter what, guide her without condescension, seduce her without her feeling used. She felt like screaming his name from the top of a mountain. Only two weeks of him taking care of her and she felt like love had grown a garden in her heart.
“Could you get the phone, honey?” Morgan yelled from her wheelchair as she ate the egg-and-grits breakfast Isaiah had made her. She could feel her face glow with joy as she watched Isaiah strut from the kitchen in his boxers and a cotton shirt to grab the cordless telephone. When he came back looking somewhat puzzled she placed her fork on the table and swallowed. “What’s wrong? Who was on the phone?”
“I don’t know,” he told her, heading back to the kitchen but she could see he was bothered.
“You look a little disturbed Isaiah, what is it?” She wheeled her chair over to the kitchen and stared at his broad shoulders. His back was turned to her and she could feel the energy of his pain radiating from him.
“It’s just that since I have been here, I have been receiving the same call from the same international number. At first the gentleman asked for you and I told him you weren’t here, now the same number just calls with a string of hang ups.” He turned around to face her as the last words left his lips. He braced his hands against the kitchen counter and looked softly at her. “Is there something going on here that I should know, sweetie?” His words of anguish pierced her heart. She had completely forgotten about Seymen-Cansin and the last thing she wanted to do was to hurt Isaiah, but telling him the truth was the only thing she could do. She also knew that telling him the truth could cause him to walk away from her. What she did was reckless and irresponsible. She went to a different country to choose between three men and added another to the mix. Not only did she add another man to the equation, she had slept with him and now she had regrets though her time with him was wonderful, he took her breath away and had the circumstances been different, he might have been her choice. But it was a slap in the face to know that Isaiah had been right under her nose and she didn’t see it. Shame riddled her in the light of her clarity; hindsight is 20/20 and she could not take it back, nor could she take away the pain she now saw in the eyes of the man she loved.
She raised her chin so her eyes could look upon him, but she couldn’t get the words out to answer right away. Isaiah turned his back to face her for a few moments, then took the dishcloth to wipe his hands; he replaced it on the counter and walked away.
Morgan followed him, rolling her wheelchair.
“Isaiah, please stop.” But he kept moving. He walked away from her to the bathroom and closed the door. “Isaiah, please come out so I can talk to you.”
“I just need a few minutes. I will be out in a second.” She knew he was only saying that so as not to face her. She felt stupid . . . why couldn’t she just tell him what the situation was? Why was she stalling? She knew why, she was afraid to loose Isaiah. She sat outside the commode for what seemed like forever until Isaiah felt like coming out.
“Are you okay?” she asked, trying to find a way to break the ice.
“I am fine; you wanted to talk to me?” He closed the door and sat on the marble-tiled floor in front of her waiting for her to speak. Her eyes became watery as she tried to hold back tears of confusion and regret knowing she better say something very fast before she lost his attention.
“Isaiah, Seymen is someone I met recently. Remember a few months back when you couldn’t reach me, I had taken some time and took a trip to Europe to clear my head. I met Seymen-Cansin there. It was nothing.” She hoped that Isaiah’s laid-back personality would let this one slide, but the fact that he wasn’t saying anything bothered her. “He was just someone I met that helped me around the city, that’s all.” Her voice became shrill and urgent, but Isaiah only looked at her.
“Okay,” he said, standing. He reached over and brushed his lips against her forehead.
“Okay?” Morgan rolled behind him once more as he stalked back to the kitchen. “Isaiah, what do you mean okay?” she asked, guilt biting at her soul.
“You said it was nothing and I say it’s fine, darling.” He turned to her and offered her a tight smile, then placed his now cold breakfast in the microwave to reheat it and place it on the table, then following suit with hers.
“You don’t have to do that. I am no longer hungry,” she told him, wheeling herself to the living room to look outside of the large bay windows of her penthouse suite. Isaiah decided to leave her to mull over whatever was on her mind and finish eating his breakfast before it was cold again. If and when she was ready to talk to him he knew she would, so he let it go.
When the phone rang again Morgan made it her business to answer; she was very relieved that it was Alexandra.
“Hey Morgan, are you excited? Today is the big day.” Her friend’s jovial disposition irked her in the moment but it triggered her attention as she was completely at a loss as to what her friend was talking about.
“Alex, could you please just cut it out and tell me what you are referring to.�
� When Alexandra got really quiet on the phone she knew she sounded a bit bitchy. “I’m sorry, I am just in a foul mood.”
“What? Trouble in paradise after only two weeks?” she teased but realized it was in bad taste and bad time, though she had discussed her feelings with Morgan, she couldn’t help feeling resentful that she now had to share what little attention she got from Morgan with a man. She shook it off and went back to the matter at hand.
“Morgan, today is your surgery to remove the scars from the accident, remember? I thought you were anxious about this day to take the first step towards getting your drop-dead gorgeous good looks back without blemishes.” Alexandra remained upbeat. She knew Morgan had looked forward to this day since she first awoke in the hospital more than two months ago now.
“Oh my goodness, thanks for calling, Alex, it had completely slipped my mind.”
“Do you want me and David to come over and accompany you to the hospital? We don’t mind and I have been on pins and needles waiting for this day myself. I really would like to be there, Morgan.” Morgan thought about it. Yes, her arms were out of the cast but her legs were still healing. She could roll around but she really needed help. She felt bad about asking Isaiah to help her knowing he was mad but she needed to get dressed.
“How soon can you be here?” Morgan asked quietly into the phone not wanting to disturb Isaiah.
“We were already on the way. David will drop me off and I will drive with you and Isaiah if you don’t mind the company,” she chirped.
“That sounds good. Hurry, I am still not dressed. I don’t know what to wear and I could use a woman’s perspective.” Morgan lied; Isaiah was as good at dressing her as he was at dressing himself. He had a refined taste and had been able to coordinate her essentials as though he had been doing it for years.
“Who was that on the phone, hun?” Morgan turned to find Isaiah sitting on the floor not far from her, pain in his eyes as if she had literally slapped him.
“Alex, I had forgotten that I had my first cosmetic appointment today to remove the glass scars from my face.” She looked down at her socked toes and tried to look anywhere but at Isaiah.
“I didn’t forget sweetheart, your appointment is not for another couple hours. That’s why I had this great breakfast, your attire is already prepared and waiting for you to slip into them and the house is clean just the way you like it.” He shrugged bashfully as he realized how he sounded. He hoped she realized how much she meant to him even though he knew he hadn’t been as forthcoming with telling her he loved her. He had bought her a white four-karat solitaire engagement ring that he had kept for almost six months now hoping he would be her choice. He knew it was probably a foolish move, but he had to have faith that she would see the treasure in him that he had found in her.
“Oh thanks darling. You are always anticipating my needs. How can I thank you for being here?” She rolled the chair closer to where he sat so his head could rest on her inner thigh. “I am sorry to have hurt you Isaiah; I never want to hurt you. That was a different time for me, and now it seems like a lifetime ago.” She smiled down at him and hoped he heard what she was trying to say with mere words that didn’t do it justice. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, but then he slowly raised his head from her lap and looked up at her.
“Let’s get you dressed, lady. You have an appointment with destiny.” He winked lovingly at her causing butterflies to form in her stomach. She really wished at that moment she could make love to him, but she knew that she would make it up to him once she was fully healed. Only another month and she could remove the leg casts and begin rehabilitation for walking. By then she should have finished the three stages of cosmetic face surgery that it would require to bring her facial looks back to almost normal. Her doctors were optimistic, which filled her with excitement of what the end results would look like.
“I think that’s Alexandra at the door,” Morgan yelled from the bathroom as she finished applying a little foundation to somewhat camouflage the scars that caused her self-esteem to plunge below confidence.
“Is everyone ready?” Alexandra asked as she rushed into the bedroom to see if Morgan needed any assistance. Isaiah just smiled having now become accustomed to her friend’s outgoing personality. “Okay children, let’s go!” she commanded as they left the suite.
Confronting the Past
It had only been three days since her facial cosmetic surgery attempt and it was very successful, though depending on the healing she would have to do at least two more. Alexandra stayed with Morgan despite the complaints of her husband David while Isaiah went on an important business trip and was not expected back for a few hours. Morgan was excited about his return because tomorrow she would be able to remove the Band-Aids to see the first healing results. She couldn’t wait.
“Morgan, I have to tell you that I really underestimated Isaiah,” Alexandra said, putting down the magazine she was reading and looked over to Morgan who was stretched out on the sofa with the Bose speaker headphones on her ears jamming to one of her favorite songs by Daniel Bedingfield. She had always liked the song but loving Isaiah had brought new meaning to it. She never thought she would really say those words and mean it, or have a song like that have personal meaning in her life. She was at peace.
Alexandra looked over and realized that Morgan couldn’t hear her. She walked the short distance to where she lay and removed the headphones.
“What did you do that for?” Morgan protested playfully.
“Because I want to talk to you.” Alexandra laughed, falling to sit next to her on the floor.
“What’s wrong, Alex?” Morgan turned slightly to her side as she was able to maneuver a bit more as she healed, even with the casts still on her legs.
“You don’t have to say that Alex, I know he has charmed his way into your heart too.” Morgan smiled proudly though it hurt for her to put any kind of excessive expressions on her face. It felt tight, almost numb.
“He is really wonderful, Morgan. I cannot believe all that he’s done for you, waited on you hand and foot as though you are the last breath he would ever take.” A touch of melancholy hitched her voice. “It’s what I have always wanted for you and what I thought I had found in David.” She looked at Morgan who now strained to keep focus through the bandages on her face. “You really are a lucky woman, and it was Bruce’s and Troy’s loss the way they behaved so stupidly at the hospital. Them not wanting you was a blessing in disguise,” she finished, allowing her gaze to drop to the marble floors and shuffling to adjust her bum on the large throw pillow on the floor next to the sofa.
“What do you mean their behavior at the hospital? They were surprisingly very civil to each other,” Morgan reminisced.
“Yeah, in your presence, but those two are ridiculously childish.” She shook her head as she thought back to the conversation she overheard.
“Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that something happened so long ago and you haven’t told me?” Morgan turned to her side and looked at her friend.
“It was a very fragile time for you. I didn’t want to make it worse,” Alexandra reflected. Trying to compose herself, Morgan knew she couldn’t be angry at Alexandra. She was doing what she thought was best for her and if she were to be honest with herself she had to accept that.
“Well, are you going to tell me or what?” Morgan asked nicely. Alexandra looked at her, co
ntemplating whether this would be the right time and somewhat kicking herself for saying as much as she did. Looking at Morgan she realized that she was not going to get away with not spilling the beans so she did.
When she was finished, all Morgan could do was lie where she was, numbed by the information. She couldn’t believe all that had transpired. She couldn’t believe they disrespected her like that in front of her friend, behind her back, after all the aggravation they put her through. But she was a grown woman and she didn’t have to allow herself to go through that. She snickered when she thought of Bruce’s proposal.
“Good thing I didn’t marry him,” she uttered.
“What?”
“Nothing, I just cannot believe them. I knew that my spirit was in a strange place and I couldn’t understand why it was so hard for me to make up my mind.”
“Well, that’s all in the past now. Look at your consolation prize. He turned out to be better than the prize and the surprises.” Alexandra smiled broadly at her. “I totally approve of this choice though it was by default,” Alexandra taunted her.
“Yes, Isaiah is a special man. Sometimes I wonder how he truly feels, though.”
“What do you mean?” Alexandra turned almost 180 degrees to face Morgan. “Well, I know he cares for me a great deal, but I don’t know if he loves me. What if he is just feeling sorry for me and doing all this until I am well and then leaves? What if he feels like Troy and Bruce does, that I am now damaged goods?” She sighed, not wanting to get too emotional about it. She had thought about it quite often but she didn’t expect to be baring her soul about the situation in that moment.
“I see what you are saying, Morgan, but it’s obvious that man loves you deep down to his bones. I cannot imagine anybody doing this just to do it, and there is no way you will get that man to walk away from you unless you do something really dishonorable to him,” Alexandra reassured her, but when tears began running down Morgan’s face, she stopped.