A Walk Down the Aisle

Body, Mind, and Soul

Two months later...

"Why are you rushing to get married?" Arny asked as Danny was getting fitted for his suit.

"We are not rushing. We are just going to do it." Danny explained as the tailor was making the marker in the fabric. Arny came up to get fitted for his best man suit.

"I mean, you proposed only two months ago. On your channel no less."

"That was complete accident. I started to word vomit and now we are here." Danny looked at the fit of the suit. He nodded in approval.

"Is Lara okay with all this? Hell, she was in that car crash less than a year ago. I mean." Arny took Danny by the shoulders. "At the wedding, Lara will mostly likely be in the wheelchair. Is that the wedding she wants?"

Danny looked away. When he envisioned their wedding before the crash, he always saw her walking down the aisle with her father. Now, she would have to be rolled to the altar. What about the first dance?

"I...I don't know."

"Talk to Lara today." Arny told him. "Before you both get hurt."

At Lara's work...

"I have been released to be office work, such as answering the phones and filing that I can do. I know the systems. It would free up the others to let them help more patients." Lara told her administrator. True, she was not able to help patients like she was in the past, but she was not an invalid. She would show them that she still could be a great asset to the office, even in a wheelchair.

"I am sorry Lara. We had to hire another person when you got hurt. We just don't have the funds to keep both of you." The administrator said. Lara nodded her head and tried to keep from crying. They were going to keep the one who could walk.

Outside near the fountain, Lara finally let herself weep. Everything was going well. She was so hopeful that she could go back to work. Now, the weight of the world was back on her shoulders.

"Miss, are you okay?" A feminine voice asked, holding a tissue to Lara. Lara looked up, seeing an older woman, probably her mother's age in a smart business suit in sunshine yellow. Her salt and pepper hair was done up in a French twist.

Lara took the tissue. "I will be okay. Thank you." Lara dried her eyes.

"A young woman crying outside of a medical office is never okay. What is it, sweetie?" The woman asked, placing her hand on Lara's arm to comfort her.

"I was in an accident, and I was trying to get my job back in a way. They said that they can't afford me." Lara sighed, looking back to the office.

"Hmm, because of this." The woman gestured to her wheelchair. Lara nodded. "Bigots." The woman said hatefully.

The woman stood up. "Before this, what did you do?"

"I was a register nurse. This place hired me right out of nursing school." Lara told the woman.

"I am Diana. Come to this address tomorrow at nine. I am having interviews for a new medical office opening here in the next few days." She handed Lara a card.

"Really?" Lara could cry, but happy tears this time.

"I was given a chance when I was younger. Now, I try to do the same for others. This." Diana pointed at Lara's chair. "Should only stop you from using the stairs, not living your life."

That night over dinner at Danny's house...

"The Mind, Body, and Soul Wellness Center." Danny read the card. They were sitting at the table, enjoying Danny's cooking and talking about what happen at Lara's old job. "You have been talking to get into rehab therapy since you started yours. This is your sign to do it."

"I just don't know how much I can do. My legs, they seem to be taking longer to respond to the exercises." Lara sighed as she ate. "What if I can't be useful?"

"You were worried about the physical portion of the job. I understand that darling. You won't hit the ground running. You need to do baby steps."

"That is all I have been doing. I am tired of barely making progress. I am tired of feeling half of a human. Danny, at this rate I will have to have my father roll me down the aisle to our wedding." Lara let out what she had been bottled up. Her shoulders slumped.

"I know." Danny took her hand. He kissed her fingers. "I know. And I will be waiting at the end."

"Danny, there is more that we need to talk about. What if I can't...you know." She looked away.

"Know what?"

"What if we can't have sex? What if I can't get off? I mean, you would probably have to do all the work and that would get boring after a while. And you start to reg..." Lara's words got cut off by Danny's kissing her.

"Thought about it. Talk to a few people who are in a same situation that we are in. Their sex lives are great. Now, we can go upstairs and test it out ourselves." Danny said, brushing her hair from her face.

"Can we finish dinner first? It is really good and... might need the energy." Lara asked, looking a bit shy.

"Okay." Danny went back to his plate. He looked back to her. "Eat, darling." He slipped into his 1800s British Gentleman accent. Lara dropped her fork and covered her face. He smirked when she gave him the 'stop turning me on while busy with something else' look that he loved to get. He shrugged and continued eating.