Lyle has been in the hospital for two weeks now. He’s being observed for a while, just to see if the loss of his leg function was temporary or not. I was there when the doctor broke the news.
“I don’t think you’ll be walking again, Lyle.” the doctor informed him with a sigh, “You won’t be playing anymore baseball, I’m afraid.”
“Fine.” Lyle responded.
“I’m sorry, pardon?”
“Fine. As long as I have Emerson, I’ll live.”
Lyle took my hand and squeezed it. We exchanged loving glances. Suddenly, the nurse barged in.
“Lyle’s mother wants to come in, Doctor.” the nurse said.
“Tell her to leave.” Lyle responded coldly, “Tell her that her presence will only upset me.”
“Um...yes, what he said. Yes.” the doctor repeated.
As the nurse opened the door, Molly pushed her out of the way frantically. Tears were rolling down her made-up face, black tears traveling down her cheeks. How could a mother disown her child and still cry over the loss of his legs? Some people sure are hypocrites.
“Lyle, I...” Molly sobbed, “What’s that...monster doing here?”
“Because I love him, Mom,” Lyle screamed, “and he loves me!”
“Where did you get that idea, sweetness?” Molly asked, “He’s just a dirty, rotten, soulless murderer!”
“Well, he’s my dirty, rotten, soulless murderer!”
“I love you too, darling.” I interrupted, squeezing his hand.
“You don’t love anything!” Molly screamed at me, “You fear nothing, therefore, you love nothing!”
“You’re right.” I responded, earning a shocked gaze from Lyle, “I don't really, truly love anything, but your son, he's the only exception to that. He's my only exception."
I stared lovingly into my soul mate's emerald eyes. He squeezed my hand gently. He lifted my wrist up to his lips and held it against his cheek.
"You are both sick little monsters, you know that, right?" Molly sneered at our display of affection.
Lyle's head jerked toward his mother, anger in his gem-like eyes, twitching in anger. He tightened his grip on my hand like it kept him grounded. I expected smoke to burst out of his ears.
"Get out!" he commanded threw his teeth.
Molly didn't move a muscle.
"Now," he warned, "or I'll run you over with this thing!"
When Molly still didn't move, he used his wheelchair to herd her out of the room like a lost lamb. It was rather entertaining to watch.
~
Lyle and I, despite his handicap, have lived together happily without too much difficulty. Our house, even before Lyle's incident was very handicap-friendly, with minor adjustments. I helped him out of bed every morning, made him his meals, and never left his side for exactly one year. It was the closest thing to heaven I'll ever get.
"Hello, Emerson." Melody greeted me one day, exactly one year after she took my Lyle's legs, "How's your cripple?"
"Fine, thank you," I replied coldly, "considering you're the reason he can't walk anymore."
"That's an easy fix."
I stared at her, wide-eyed. She must have been joking! Right?
"What are you saying?" I asked, bewildered.
"I can fix what I break easily enough. I get it from my father, not the writer but the singer. They are both artists all the same."
"Why didn't you say anything a year ago?"
"I wanted to see if you were infatuated enough with this...Neanderthal...that you would be willing to wait on him every day for an entire year, and I guess you are."
"What are you just standing there for? Are you gonna heal me or not?" Lyle asked impatiently as he rolled into the room, "Let’s get cracking, igit!"
Melody rolled her eyes, annoyed, and let out a melodramatic sigh.
"Don't you like Emerson waiting on you like you're royalty?"
"Just do it, igit!"
"Man, you sound old!"
Melody snapped her fingers, and Lyle's left foot stepped off the chair and soon his right. He was standing for the first time in an entire year. He ran toward me and gave me an urgent, celebratory kiss.
"Aw!" she cooed, "You remind me so much of my dads!"
"Really?" Lyle asked.
"No!" Melody snapped, "They were never that affectionate in public! Daddy wasn't one to show too much emotion, you see, while Father was just the opposite. They balanced each other out, challenged each other, and they are still in love to this day."
"Well, we aren't them," I responded, "but we are just as in love."
"I know that!" Melody snapped, "I'm not incompetent!"
"Be nice, Mel." Elizabeth scolded, "Lyle's on our side now."
Melody's eyes narrowed, analyzing my Lyle's every move. She seemed suspicious. I would have been too if I weren't so enamored with him. I gazed toward my Lyle, my life, who was gazing at me adoringly. The infamous blush rose up my neck to my cheeks.
Lyle took my hands in his and led me out to the balcony where we shared our first of many kisses. We looked out at the expanse of forest as Lyle wrapped his arm around my waist and nestled his face in my neck.
"I love you." he whispered as he kissed my neck softly.
"I love you too." I replied immediately, stroking his white blonde hair.
He smiled against my neck. Lyle breathed me in as if I was a red rose. I heard the cricket’s melodic chirps in the distance, taking me back to the night we met.
"I remember when I first saw you." Lyle whispered, passionately nostalgic, "I could have sworn that I died and went to heaven."
I chuckled at the image of me, all in white with feathery angel wings. I gently pecked his forehead.
"I never thought someone as beautiful and selfless as you could ever love me. If someone came up to me two years ago, showed me your picture, and said this is the man that I'll spend the rest of my life with, I would have asked if they were high."
I laughed at Lyle's chosen words, as eloquent and poetic as always. I tucked a stray white curl behind his ear as I kissed his lips.
"And so," Xanthe announced, mocking, "this is the story of Juliet and his Romeo."
"Shut up!" Lyle and I exclaimed in unison.
YOU ARE READING
The Nightingale Code (Monsters Series #2) (COMPLETE)
Romance"The Nightingale Code, the rules for every Guardian to follow, and the list of important people in a Guardian’s life. There are many minor rules, such as never cross a threshold with a crucifix above it; it’s an omen of discovery. The one major rule...
