Gray Skies

Chapter Twenty-Eight Devils and Demons

"All my life, all my dreams, all I had is lost it seems. All my life, all my days keep on turnin' there's a devil in me. All my life, all my days, keeps on turning there's a devil in me. Find it hard to see the light in the kingdom I behold. I see him in the morning. I see him in the night. I see him in the morning. I see a devil in my life." Jamie N. Commons 'Devil in Me'

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Devils and Demons

                “Look at you!” Jessica exclaimed proudly, “You’re walking all on your own!”

                Matthew felt his chest swell with pride though honestly his leg was already throbbing from the four or five steps he had taken, “It’s been long enough,” he replied.

                “Yes but it’s been a week less than we thought it would be,” Jessica countered and Matthew couldn’t help but find joy in her happy smile. Her smile deepened that tiny cleft in her chin and made her big blue eyes shine.

                “I had a good nursemaid,” Matthew replied. A blush colored Jessica’s cheeks and Matthew reached a hand out to smooth a stray hair behind her ear. She leaned into his touch and Matthew felt his heart pick up a faster rhythm in his chest.

                “Nice to see you on your feet,” Fred’s voice came from behind Matthew and he quickly jumped away from Jessica, twisting his leg incorrectly.

                Pain shot through him and he grunted with it as he felt himself falling. Fred’s arms were quickly around his middle and he was pulled up against the man’s rather impressive gut, “Let’s get you back up on the porch,” Fred stated.

                Matthew felt Jessica’s tiny hands on his other arm as the two of them helped him back up the porch steps. He was limping heavily and let out a sigh of relief when he finally sat down in the rocking chair.

                “I hate being so weak,” Matthew mumbled, smacking the arm of the chair angrily.

                “You’re so much stronger already,” Jessica assured him. “It will only be a matter of time before you’re back to who you were before the accident.”

                “Jessica, why don’t you go on out to the garden now and pick us some lettuce for lunch,” Fred ordered as he pulled off his glasses. Jessica nodded, scooped her basket from the porch and headed off around the house toward the gardens, “Do we need to have another chat about staying away from my daughter, son?” Fred asked as he wiped his glasses on the sleeves of his white shirt.

                Matthew shifted in his chair, “No, sir. I remember just fine how you feel about me and your daughter.”

                Fred studied him a moment and Matthew held his gaze. He was tired of being told Jessica was off limits. The woman was beautiful, kind, soft, sweet and intelligent. She was what Matthew wanted in his wife—hell she was who Matthew wanted for his wife. He had known her a month and a half now and he had fallen pretty damn hard for her.

                “From where I stood it appeared you forgot.”

                “No, I didn’t forget.”

                “Does that mean you no longer care what my wishes are then?” Fred’s eyes narrowed dangerously and Matthew sighed. He was in a difficult position. He owed this man immensely for finding him, saving his life and helping to restore him to health and yet at the same time he wasn’t willing to simply walk away from Jessica because her father said he had to.