A Prelude To A Dance

by Kay Edwards

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Helen stretched. She suddenly remembered what had happened and smiled. She snuggled closer to Logan. When his hand came around her waist, Helen giggled. “Good morning.” She whispered softly.

  Logan pulled her even closer. “Good morning.” He whispered close to her ear. He smiled as she giggled.

  Helen knew it was time to get out of bed. Their mothers were coming over for breakfast. “We have guests coming for breakfast” Helen whispered.

  Logan smiled. “We should get out of bed.”

  Helen reached for her robe and then stopped her face had a look of peace. “Logan?”

  Logan watched Helen. He looked at her lovely face. “Yes?”

  Helen loved her husband so much. “Thank you for waiting for me to be ready. I feel cherished.”

  “I would have waited forever for you. You are cherished. I love you more than I thought I could love anyone.” Logan’s voice was raw with emotion. His wife was beautifully sweet and loving. He would do anything for her.

  Helen slipped into her robe and looked back at her husband. “I am going to spend the rest of our lives thanking God for you.”

  Logan reached up and touched her face. “I think I may do the same. I am still humbled that God has given you to me. To have such a gift entrusted to my care is amazing.”

  The couple got out of bed and dressed. They were on their way downstairs when the front doorbell rang. Logan winked at his wife as he went to answer it.

  Ester took one look at her daughter and knew things had changed. She smiled gently as she kissed her daughter on the cheek. “Good morning, Helen.”

  “Good morning, Mamma.” Helen kissed her mother back.

  Logan smiled at Elaina. He bent to kiss her cheek. “I hope you slept well.” He said to her.

  Elaina and Ester followed their children into the kitchen. Ester started making coffee and Helen started frying bacon. “How was your rest?” Helen asked her mom.

  “It was great. Elaina and I have started walking every evening to stay in shape. It makes me ready for bed.” She said with a laugh.

  Elaina and Logan went to get something out of the car leaving the two women alone in the kitchen. “Helen?”

  Helen looked at her mom. “Yes?”

  Ester was trying to find a way to talk to her daughter. The abuse she had endured needed to be addressed by a doctor. “You know that there could be damage to your body? Have you thought about going to a physician?”

  Helen looked at her mom. She had thought about it in the past but could not bring herself to do it. “I have thought about it. I’m just not thrilled with the idea.”

  Ester walked up to Helen and hugged her. “I want you to know I will go with you. It will not be easy, and I can explain what the doctor will do. I’m sure you have had classes on it but going to an appointment is different.”

  Helen looked at her mom. She knew she was right. “Do you know of a doctor that I would be comfortable with?”

  “I like my doctor, but my doctor is a male. If you want we can find a female.” Ester said gently.

  Helen thought for a moment. She was not sure it mattered who touched her. She was not thrilled either way. “Your doctor is gentle?”

  “He is,” Ester answered honestly.

  “You will go with me?” Helen asked her mom.

  “I will go with you.”

  Helen took a deep breath. She realized she wanted to know if she was hurt. She looked at her mom. “I guess I can go to your doctor.”

  Ester smiled. She knew how hard this was for her daughter. “Would you like me to make the appointment?”

  Helen suddenly felt like a little girl. She totally needed her mom at that moment. “Would you please?”

  Ester kissed her daughter’s cheek. “It is going to be ok. I promise.”

  “Thanks, Mamma” Helen whispered softly.

  Logan and Elaina came into the kitchen with a quilt that Elaina had made for their wedding present. Logan glanced at Helen “Look what my mom made.”

  Helen looked at the blanket. It was beautiful. “Mother Day. You did not have to do this. It is beautiful. Thank you.” She said as she kissed the woman’s cheek.

  Elaina smiled. “I have been working on it since the day you and Logan started dancing.”

  Helen looked at her. “…really?”

  “I knew that you were special. A mother can hope, so I did.” She winked at Logan as she said that.

  Helen and Logan finished making the bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, and toast. “I think we are ready to eat,” Helen said as she put the last plate on the table.

  The little family held hands. Logan blessed the food. He thanked God for all of the blessings they had in their lives.

  Ester put a bite of potato in her mouth. She looked over at Logan surprised. “This is really good.”

  Logan smiled at his mother-in-law. “Thanks. I used the bacon fat that Helen had left. A little onion and a bit of pepper before you know it you have some very yummy potatoes.”

  Helen smiled at Logan. “He is becoming very accomplished in the kitchen. The other day he made a roast in the crock pot. It was great.”

  Elaina smiled at her son. “You make your mom proud.”

  “Helen is the one that has me addicted. She looks up these recipes online and then she starts talking about them. Before you know it, I’m at the grocery store with her picking up all the ingredients. We make a great team in the kitchen.” He winked at his wife.

  Helen smiled at Logan. She loved him so much. “We make a great team no matter what.” She said with her heart in her eyes.

  Helen looked at Ester. “I forgot to tell you that Logan and I will be out of town next weekend. He has an interview scheduled that he can’t miss.”

  “That sounds exciting. Where is it?” Ester asked.

  “It is in New York City. We are going to stay with Toby while we are there.”

  “You make sure you send my love to him. He is such a good man.” Ester said.

  “We will” Logan assured her. “He is excited to see us. He says he misses this area. It would be nice if he moved here.”

  Elaina spoke then. “I agree. He is a special man. It would be nice to have him close.”

  The four sat around the table for the next hour enjoying the company and the food. It was time for Helen to start thinking about getting ready for her classes. Ester and Elaina got up to help clear the table. When that was done, the two left. Ester told Helen she would call her with the details of the appointment. Helen thanked her mom again for helping her.

  Logan drew water in the sink. Helen smiled at him as she started doing the dishes. Logan smiled back. Helen asked. “How can this simple touch be so intimate?”

  Logan caressed her palm with his thumb. “I don’t know.” He whispered. Their hands danced together in a way that touched them both. Maybe, it was because that was their way of showing affection when they first met. Neither knew why. They just knew for them this very simple display of affection was a unique part of their day.

  Helen looked up at her husband. Logan smiled down at her. He gently leaned down and claimed her lips. She leaned into him. “I love you.” She whispered softly.

  “I love you” Logan responded.

  When the dishes were finished, the couple went into the living room and sat down. Helen had about an hour before her first class. She wanted to talk to Logan about what her mom had brought up. She crawled into his lap.

  Logan looked down at her. She was so tiny. “I love it when you sit on my lap.”

  Helen laughed. “I love sitting on your lap. Sometimes I forget how big you are. I don’t think I could feel fat even if I tried.”

  Logan laughed. “You are super tiny.”

  Helen looked up at Logan. “My mom is going to make a doctor’s appointment for me.”

  L
ogan glanced at Helen. “Ok. Do you mind if I ask what for?”

  Helen looked down. “She thinks it would be a good idea if the doctor made sure I am not injured.”

  Logan understood what she was talking about. He had thought about it before. “That sounds like a good thing. If something is wrong, it would be good to know. How do you feel about it?”

  Helen shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure. A part of me is dreading it. I am in school to be in the medical field. I know what the doctor is going to do. I’m thinking no matter what, I would feel that way.”

  Logan looked at her with sympathy. “I’m sorry this is hard for you. I know that you are doing the right thing.”

  Helen looked up at Logan. “What if he tells me we can’t have children?”

  Logan did not hesitate. “We can adopt.”

  Helen was surprised at how fast he answered. “You have thought of this?”

  “I have. I have always been aware that you could be injured. I am also very aware that I love you. Whatever the future holds as long as it is with you, I’m good.” Logan answered honestly.

  Helen was thankful God had put them together. “I am so happy to hear you say that. I was worried you might be upset.”

  “Aside from God, you are my life. I could never be upset with you for something you had no control over.” Logan kissed her forehead. His eyes were moist as he finished. “My world is complete with you in it. I meant it when I said you are cherished.”

  Helen’s eyes teared up at the beautiful words spoken to her. “Aside from God, you are my world too. I never dreamed that this kind of love would be mine. I am so happy it is.”

  Helen sat in her husband lap until it was time to go. They talked about the upcoming trip. They laughed about Jody and Tiffany. They even talked about their fears.

  Helen was anxious about the fact that her rapist had seemed to vanish. She was afraid that she would let her guard down and he would take her. Logan expressed the same fear. When it was time to leave the couple reluctantly got up and walked toward the door. “I wish you could come to class with me.”

  Logan smiled down at his wife. “If I did that, Tiffany and Jody might get their wish. I think I would be a distraction.”

  “It would be a lovely distraction,” Helen said as she tried to give him her best dreamy look.

  Logan laughed. “I think the only ones who wouldn’t be distracted would be Tiffany and Jody. We are old news to them.”

  Helen laughed at the picture. “You are probably right.”

  Logan opened the door and followed his wife out. She smiled up at him. He tweaked her nose and guided her to the car. They had no idea they were being watched.

  The man could feel the anger rising in him. He knew he had to keep it under control. He would not allow it to control him again. He breathed deeply and exhaled. His eyes radiated evil as he looked at Helen. His very being was saturated with vile thoughts as he watched her laugh up at her husband. He clenched his fists. She would pay. He would make sure of it. He would wait. When they made a mistake, and he knew they would, he would be there, and he would take her. He smiled as he pushed his anger down. This was not over until he said it was.

  Jody, Tiffany, and Andy watched Logan pull into the parking lot. They waved as he got out of the car and opened Helen’s door.

  Jody smiled at Logan. “Did you keep her from studying?” she asked innocently.

  Helen thought about the previous night and blushed. She looked up at Logan. He winked at her as he answered Jody “I tried, but she insisted on bringing her books to bed.”

  “You can’t say I didn’t warn you. I told you she was trouble.” Jody said with a frown.

  Logan shook hands with Andy as he walked up to the trio with Helen by his side. “She did say she wished I could come to class with her.”

  Jody thought that was a brilliant idea. “If you were in class, Tiffany and I would be the only ones listening. We would have the highest grades for sure.”

  Helen laughed. “If you didn’t start doing your nails that would be true.”

  Logan gave Helen a kiss goodbye. He watched them as they headed for class. He allowed his eyes to scan the area around them. Nothing seemed out of place. He wished they would be able to catch this man that had altered their lives. Helen looked back over her shoulder at him and smiled. She gave him one last wave before she disappeared over the hill with the others.

  Helen gave her husband a final wave. She knew he was worried. Helen could tell by the look on his face. She looked over at Tiffany. “How much longer do you have until the cast comes off?”

  Tiffany smiled. “The doctor says two weeks. It looks like it will be the day after graduation.”

  Helen laughed. “You will be the brightest one there.”

  Tiffany looked at Helen. “I will be so glad when they catch him. I can still see his eyes when I close mine.”

  Helen knew how she felt. “I know how you feel. Until Logan and I married, I did too. I’m sorry I got you involved in this.”

  Tiffany looked at her friend. “I’m glad to be a part of your life. I knew the risk. It was one I was willing to take.”

  Helen hooked her arm to Tiffany’s good one. “I have not had any friends since I was nine. I’m glad that we found each other.”

  Tiffany smiled at Helen. “To be honest, you and Jody are the only real friends I have ever had. My mom never let me have any.”

  Helen looked at her friend. “Your mom must have been very protective of you.”

  Tiffany smiled. She neither agreed nor disagreed as she shrugged her shoulders. “She is my mom.”

  Helen didn’t know why but she had the feeling Tiffany was hiding something. She knew what it was to need space. Helen gave Tiffany’s hers. Taking a deep breath, Helen said brightly. “Day one of finals here we come.”

  Jody visibly shuddered. She looked up and talked out loud to God. “There are less than two weeks for the finals to finish and then we have our diplomas. Please make it go fast and painless.”

  Helen laughed. “You are bad.”

  Jody laughed. “I know. It is kind of what makes me tick.”

  Helen busted out laughing. She decided to take the sarcastic route. “It is what makes you so endearing.”

  Jody looked at Helen. “Our micro final is on Friday. Are you up for a study session?”

  Helen thought for a moment. “If it is ok with you, I would like to ask Logan if we can have it at our place. We can pull an all-nighter. Micro is my weakest subject. I am pretty confident I won’t have an issue with the final, but a bit more studying could help.”

  “I know I could use a bit more studying.” Tiffany expressed as they walked into the classroom and sat down.

  The three watched the professor walk in. He handed out the final test. They had an hour and a half to complete it. Helen bowed her head and said a prayer. With all that was going on in her life, she knew Who held her in His hand.