Sunrise for Two

by Merlot Montana

  Chris couldn't help stepping forward, when Julia knocked her painfully into a printer. He pushed her carefully into the corridor and reluctantly relinquished control. Harry thanked him, and he noted the embarrassed flush on her dainty throat. He wanted to walk out with them and carry her into the car, but he guessed that she would not accept that, and that she would find it intolerable. Slowly he walked back to his office fighting the loneliness he had carried since adolescence.

  Harry closed her eyes and thought longingly of her sofa. She took a deep breath when they reached the car park and tried to gather her strength. Silently Julia pulled out the transfer board and realised how easily Harry normally handled the practicalities of her paralysis. A group of construction workers looked curiously across the grey puddles of the tarmac and she took a sigh of relief when Harry was in the car. Gently Belinda took the board from her tired hands and slid it back into place her wheelchair, then she helped her friend find a comfortable position.

  “I can't believe Chris was there.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to block out the world for a moment.

  “I know honey I'm sorry.” Julia reached across her delicate frame and fastened her seat belt, then she carefully closed the door. Harry opened her eyes and smiled at her friend as she climbed into her own seat.

  “At least I've got you. Thank you so much for getting me out of there.”

  “I bashed your arm.” Julia said wretchedly.

  “The point is you left work early and you're taking me home.”

  “I would always leave early if you asked me to.” Julia told her. She wanted to add that Belinda had no right to make her work as hard as she did, but she knew that this was the wrong moment to mention Harry’s vulnerability.

  Finally, finally Harry was in her house, she rubbed the back of her neck and exhaled in relief. “Do you want to choose a box set for us?” Julia asked, pouring her out of glass of water and picking up the post.

  Harry grinned at her and arched an eyebrow, “I haven't forgotten your date with that interesting paramedic.” she said firmly, “You've got me home, I can take it from here.”

  “I’d rather be with you.” Julia said softly, but Harry persuaded her friend to go and get ready for her date. Then she slowly pulled off her clothes and made her tired way into the shower.

  Julia hurried through her reluctant preparations. She couldn't stop thinking about the delicate woman next door, and she rushed back around as soon as she could. There was no answer when she announced her arrival and she hurried into the bathroom and switched off the water. “Why on earth didn't you wait for me?” she asked, helping Harry move her shower chair back into the bathroom.

  “I can shower by myself.” Harry told her, feeling her embarrassment deepen.

  “Honey I'm your best friend, and I’m a doctor.” She helped Harry into her dressing gown and handed her a towel. “Let me get you into bed.”

  “Can we go to the sofa?” Harry asked unsteadily, memories of her unhappy adolescence flooding into her mind, “I spent my whole childhood in bed when I wasn't feeling well.” She transferred shakily onto the sofa and stretched out on the comfortable cushions. Then she smiled up at her friend. “Get out of here you.” she said affectionately. “I want full details tomorrow.”

  “I can't leave you. What if you need another drink?”

  “Then I'll get it.” Harry told her, and jumped slightly when the door opened. “Look who I found outside.” Olivia said triumphantly, and let Chris into the lounge.

  “I don’t know what comfort food you like the best, so I thought I’d hedge my bets and bring you pizza and curry.” he said hopefully, looking only at Harry. Her first thought was how pleased she was to see him. Then she realised how hungry she was, and how good the food smelt. “I noticed that you hadn’t touched that sandwich so I’m betting you haven’t eaten since yesterday.” He stood in the middle of her lounge, the combination of dark shirt and dark tie and badly chosen trousers making her like him even more.

  “If you stay then we’re watching one of my box sets.” she said, finally.

  “Come on.” Julia said to Olivia, tugging her friend to her feet.

  “But he's got lots of food.” Olivia protested, thinking about the emptiness of their own fridge.

  “And I think they're both very hungry.” Julia said firmly.

  Chris was vaguely aware of their departure. He took a deep breath and focused on bringing his hormones under control. She was sitting in the corner of her large L-shaped sofa with her elegant legs stretched out. He knew it had been far too long since his last girlfriend, but the sight of her dainty ankles was having a powerful effect on him. He looked up into her dark eyes and listed all the drinks he'd brought. She listened with a polite smile on her face until he offered her a glass of wine. “Wonderful!” she said gratefully, “I hate it when people treat me as though I'm this delicate flower. I'd love a glass.”

  He grinned at her and pulled out his favourite red. “Is that the kitchen?” she nodded and watched approvingly when he tugged out the cork in a fluid movement.

  He found a little table and placed it next to the sofa. Then he busied himself gathering plates and cutlery and she relaxed back against the cushions and realised with concern that she was enjoying herself. “Do you mind if I move your wheelchair?” he asked with a sensitivity that surprised her.

  “I trust you doctor.” She said, as casually as she could.

  “I'd like that,” he replied softly and sat down beside her, “A large glass?”

  “Perhaps lots of little ones. When I get tired my co-ordination is not so good.”

  "Can I ask why?”

  “I think you just did.” she said, taking an appreciative mouthful of wine.

  “Is that okay?”

  She looked at him for a moment then said quietly, “I was hit by a cyclist when I was seven. He went over the base of my spine and severed lots of the nerves, and he also bruised my spine below my shoulders.”

  “I'm sorry.” He said unsteadily, thinking about the senselessness of the accident, and regretting everything that had been taken from her.

  “It's okay. It was a long time ago, now are we going to watch a box set?”

  “So we're not talking about it?”

  “You're on fire tonight doctor,” she said with a smile “now choose us something good to watch.”

  To his delight she shared his love of crime dramas and he pulled out a programme that he loved and sat back down beside her. Then he chose a small plate and put out manageable portions of the different foods. Gently he placed the food on her legs, savouring the tingle of their touch. It felt good to communicate his growing feelings towards her without resorting to the words he always seem to use so badly around her, and he picked up a piece of pizza and realised that he couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy.

  Harry relaxed back against her cushions, they were finally alone together, she wished that she was wearing something more flattering, and thought wistfully of her new skirt. A tiny part of her mind imagined walking quickly into her room and effortlessly pulling on something he would notice. She squashed the thought down and smiled at him. He watched her as unobtrusively as he could, taking her plate when she finished eating and filling her glass. When she rubbed the back of her neck and tried to shift her position, he tentatively reached out his hand to help. Harry remembered the precarious state of her modesty and tugged at her gown. “I'd never do anything you weren't comfortable with.” Chris said, concern and distress in his intense eyes, “I don't want to make you feel vulnerable.”

  “It's not that I feel vulnerable,” she paused realising that she liked this man too much not to be honest. “It's just that I'm not wearing anything other than this gown.”

  “Oh,” he said softly, his eyes darkening. She felt the heat of his molten gaze sweeping over her breasts and lingering at the junction of her thighs. “That's a very interesting idea.” He said finally, his gaze not moving from her hip
s. He ran one of his powerful hands along her jaw and she watched his deliciously large biceps and his long expressive fingers. She felt his hand sliding down her neck and when Julia opened the door with tears streaming down her face, it was an effort of will not to look exasperated.

  “Oh no am I interrupting” Julia asked, her tears falling even faster.

  “Honey what happened?” Harry asked and smiled her thanks when Chris found her a wine glass.

  “He doesn't fancy me at all he thinks I'm fat. I mean I am fat, but I thought he liked me.” She picked up a piece of pizza and chewed for a moment.

  “He likes you Harry. He invited me out to learn more about you.”

  “Who is this guy?” Chris couldn't help asking.

  “I don't think that's the issue.” Harry said coldly, and he shifted closer to her, charged with possessiveness and desire. He noticed suddenly that she painted her toenails and he took a mouthful of wine and decided that he needed to claim her as his own as quickly as he could.

  “It was all going so well,” Julia continued, still eating the food he had brought for Harry, “we spoke about films and politics then I ate some of the chips on his plate and he made a crack about my weight.”

  “That's out of order.” Chris said and Harry smiled at him approvingly. He smiled back, nobody else was going to come anywhere near her he decided.

  Julia picked up another piece of pizza and in her agitated state, knocked a further piece into Harry's lap. “I'm sorry.” she said, grabbing at the fabric of the dressing gown and briefly exposing one of Harry's breasts. Harry looked up into the hungry hungry gaze of the big surgeon and felt her embarrassment colouring her neck. She spared herself a moment of self-pity, she had survived the longest day of her working life and now everyone around her that she cared about seemed to be conspiring to make her feel awkward. Julia started crying again, and to her relief and delight Chris offered to make coffee.

  Chris stood in the kitchen and decided that getting her alone was now a matter of urgency. He savoured the memory of her dark curves and her delicious kissable nipple. Then he poured out her cup with extra care, filling it half way and filling it again when she saw that she had finished. Afterwards he walked home and allowed himself to imagine carrying her into bed.

  “Shall we finish the wine?” Harry asked, as the sound of his feet receded into the street.

  “Please,” said Julia and stretched out beside her friend. “Did I ruin the moment?”

  “It doesn’t matter honey, we always look after each other, I would have hated it if you hadn’t have come round.”

  “Looks like I came round just in time,” she said ruefully, “otherwise I’m guessing you might have been out of that gown.”

  “Oh don’t remind me.” Harry said and suppressed a smile.

  “He liked what he saw.” Julia told her, and he does have very big hands.

  “I think I like him.” Harry said softly, “but I’m still not sure what he thinks about my wheelchair. I mean he reacted so badly the first time we met and he asked me a bit about it today. If it’s a deal breaker then I want to know now.”

  She brushed her teeth under Julia’s protective gaze, then she transferred into bed and closed her eyes. She remembered the feel of his hand on her mouth and fell asleep wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

  Chapter five

  Harry woke up the next morning with an aching head and a sore throat. She drank honey and lemon and of course coffee, and her spirits lifted when she remembered the night before, particularly the part where Chris had almost kissed her. She knew without a doubt that she would have kissed him back.

  “You look terrible.” Julia told her thoughtfully, “Really terrible, like you’ve got flu.”

  “Thank you and good morning.” Harry handed her a cup of coffee and a cereal bar and they sat at her kitchen table with the radio on. “Are you okay?” Harry added as Julia put down the unopened bar and drank a glass of water with a grimace on her face.

  “I need to lose weight.” She said miserably.

  “Only if you want to honey. And cereal is always a good idea.”

  Julia smiled shakily at her and opened her breakfast, “How are you? I'm really sorry about messing up your night.”

  “Which time?” Harry said with a grin, then added more gently, “I was joking. Don’t worry, I had fun and you’re my friend.” They finished their coffee in comfortable silence and slid into the jolting morning traffic.

  “Have you remembered that I'm finishing late tonight?” Julia asked anxiously, she loved their routines and she hated the idea of Harry having to struggle into a taxi.

  “Mike is giving me a lift, he told me he was going to empty all the crisp packets out of his car.”

  “Oh good.” Julia said unconvincingly, feeling slightly disconcerted, her exclusivity and closeness to Harry were very important to her. She slid into a space in the car park and handed Harry a packet of paracetamol. “Are you sure you're going to be okay Harry?”

  Harry nodded. “I'm always okay.” She wheeled down to the IT portacabin and thanked Mike for the first coffee of the day. There were two people off sick, and Belinda was in a worse mood than usual. She sent Harry an email about mandatory training and sat in her office with the door closed.

  Harry answered the phone and tried not to cough. She thought anxiously about the blood results. If the system went down today then the whole hospital would grind to a halt. She answered the phone to a series of unhappy clinicians and rescued Mike from a pharmacist in a very bad mood. Rafiq slipped outside for a much needed break and picked up her favourite salad. He slid it onto her desk while Belinda was reading out the updated fire safety policy. “Just once it would be nice if you thought about me too.” Belinda told him, and started reading the policy from the beginning again.

  The IT secretary interrupted her, and Belinda focused her displeasure on the anxious woman. “Lady Caroline is here, our new hospital patron.”

  “I know who she is.” Belinda said bitingly, she read her trust newsletter from cover to cover. She buttoned up her jacket and put her clipboard down. Lady Caroline swept into the room with her husband and daughter following. Belinda noticed with a degree of satisfaction that her daughter had not inherited her good looks, and she stepped forward with her hand out to preparing to show them round her scruffy kingdom.

  The visiting dignitary arched an eyebrow in quiet disdain, she looked past her to Harry and said imperiously “Aren't you going to say hello?”

  “Hello mother.” Harry said quietly, feeling the quiet surprise from Mike and Rafiq. Her sister smiled sympathetically at her, and she took another mouthful of coffee and looked up into the cool blue eyes.

  “Harriet the heads of the hospital are holding a fundraising event. You are required to attend.”

  “Mother the IT department needs me more.” Harry replied, feeling her vowel sounds crystallising back into the accent of her childhood. Lady Caroline turned to look down at Belinda.

  “Can you manage without her?”

  “Yes of course.” the plump woman in the badly fitting suit told her, unable to ignore the disappointment in her most loyal employee's eyes.

  “Excellent.” Lady Caroline said without a trace of warmth, “Now Harriet I brought your crutches and something decent for you to wear.”

  Her sister stepped forward and Harry led the way into the disabled toilets. “I can't do it Libby.” she said unsteadily, “I haven't used the crutches for ages, and I've got a cold.” She took a deep breath and wished more than ever that she was miles away from her mother’s unsympathetic influence watching a box set.

  “Do you want me to tell mother, you don’t feel up to it?” Libby asked gently.

  “No thanks honey, you know she won’t accept that. But thank you it's good of you to offer.”

  “I asked her not to bring them.” Libby said softly. She helped Harry into her braces and into the expensive dress Lady Caroline had chosen. At five foot ei
ght with a fondness for fried food, she towered over her lovely older sister. “If it's any consolation you look beautiful,” Libby told her, “and I'll be by your side all day.”

  “Thank you.” Harry said unsteadily, remembering the way her loyal little sister had started looking after her from almost the moment she could walk. “You’re the best sister a girl could want.” Harry pulled open the emergency make-up supply she kept beside the department first aid kit, and liberally applied a waterproof mascara, she decided she needed all the support she could get.

  “As are you Harry.” Libby told her gently, helping her sister adjust to the uncomfortable crutches.

  “Onward into battle,” Harry said finally, then she took a deep breath and swung herself out into the IT department. Belinda noted enviously that she looked lovelier than ever. she wondered how she had missed the strong mother and daughter resemblance; the classical features reflected through a dark delicate and diminutive lens. All same, the unhappiness in her dark eyes was hard to miss. “I’ve left my notes about the bloods next to my computer.” She said to Mike, and he nodded mutely at her, she had turned into one of the women that terrified him, and he didn’t return her tentative smile.

  The elegant party moved slowly to the front of the hospital where Lady Caroline's car was obscuring the no parking signs. The chauffeur, a man who had taken Harry to a lot of hospital appointments during her lonely childhood, touched her shoulder and she smiled up at him, glad of the support. Then she slid onto the slippery leather seats and smoothed her skirt over her legs, she had grown up at events like this, she knew what she had to do.

  Chris read the memo again and cursed softly in a way that made the secretaries offer him coffee and food. “I have to represent the department at a wine and cheese event today.” He explained, running his hand frustratedly through his dark wavy hair. His personal secretary contemplated mentioning that she had emailed him reminders repeatedly for the whole of the past month. But instead she filled up his coffee mug and returned to his dictation. Chris dug his emergency tie out of his desk drawer, and found his crumpled jacket under a layer of coats and handbags. He had been planning to spend his afternoon off researching accessible places to take Harry, and he stalked out the car park cutting a swathe through the late lunchtime corridors.