by Heidi Lewis
“You must be Maria’s mom. Great to meet you,” said Jack, smiling his most charming smile.
“And you too,” Maria’s mother replied graciously.
Jack could tell that Maria had inherited her kindness and good looks from her mother. As she reached out both arms and hugged Jack tightly, she whispered into his ear;
“Welcome to the family.”
An awkward silence prevailed. For once, Jack was lost for words.
“Why don’t we go grab some lunch and leave these two alone?” Maria’s mom asked. She grabbed her husband by the arm and dragged him out of the room as if he was a naughty child throwing a tantrum in a supermarket.
“It was nice to finally meet you both,” Jack said but they had already gone.
Alone, at last, Jack walked over to the bed and kissed Maria passionately on the lips. “Yummy, what did I do to deserve that.”
“Nothing, I just can’t help myself around you!”
“Aww shucks.” Maria teased.
“Hey listen, I got a surprise for you tonight. I’ll come back around seven. Wear something fancy!” Jack winked cheekily.
“What are you up to?” Maria stared at Jack, amazing by how handsome he was, at that moment. With the cheeky boyish look on his face, his slightly muscular arms, and the blond hair standing up straight on his head, he was perfection.
“You’ll see, right, I got to go, I’ve some major planning to do.” He kissed her softly on the forehead and disappeared out the door leaving Maria wondering what he could be up to this time.
***
Johnny stood on top of a footstool trying to keep steady as he struggled to pin the large white sheets to the wall.”
Why do I get all the good jobs?”
“Just born lucky, bro!” Jack laughed as he handed another white sheet to Johnny.
“The last one I promise.”
Johnny hammered the last pin into the wall, praying that the masonry would not crumble. Reaching up onto his toes he hung the final white sheet onto the nail.
“I knew you could do it, best brother ever!”
Johnny stepped cautiously off the footstool, took a few steps back and smiled to himself, proud of his handy work.
“See, you and dad thought my DIY skills were non-existent.”
“You can do anything when you put your mind to be, you hear me bro, and the world is your oyster!”
Jack stared at his brother, a sudden sadness creeping in at the thought that he would not be there to see him grow up. “Thanks for doing this for me!” Johnny hugged Jack, wondering if there would be many more hugs were left in him.
“You must really like this girl! I’ve never seen you make such an effort for any of the girls you dated.”
“This one is different. When you know you know. So what time did mom say she’s bringing the food?”
“About six forty-five. Lasagne right?”
“Everyone loves Mom’s lasagne.”
“True!” Jack replied while looking around the room, proud of how things were coming together.
“Right bro, I had better, head away. I’ve got basketball practise soon.”
“No worries, thanks for all your help, oh wait! Did you bring that bag I asked you for?”
“Of course, have I ever let you down?”
“You’re a legend, you know that?”
“I know.”
Johnny handed Jack a small back plastic bag and patted him on the back.
“Best of luck tonight. I’ll be in tomorrow to hear all the details,” Johnny said while making humping movements which caused Jack to erupt in laughter.
“Go on, get lost!” Jack said as he watched his brother walk out the door.
***
Jack stood by the door, looked around the room and felt delighted with how it looked. White sheets were draped around the room, covering the drab yellow paint underneath. An extra chair had been brought in from another room and now one chair faced the other, separated by a small table, covered in a white linen cloth. A crystal vase holding a single red rose stood in the centre of the table. Fairy lights, from the family Christmas tree, had been drafted in to illuminate the room.
Rustling around in the plastic bag Johnny had given him, Jack stared inside, smiling to himself. The item in the bag contained so many happy memories for Jack. It was perfect. It was the best idea he ever had.
A knock on the door dragged him away from his thoughts. He walked over and opened the door. Nurse Patricia stood there, her mouth open in surprise as she entered and looked at Jack and Johnny’s handiwork.
“Wow, Honey, what a great job! I’ve never seen one of these old rooms looking so…. so… um…romantic.”
“Thanks. Just goes to show what some white sheets and fairy lights can do, eh?”
“Absolutely!” Listen, I have got you a little something.”
A sly smile spread across her face as she stretched out her hand. It held a large brass key.
“It’s a key to the room so that you won’t be disturbed. I’ve warned all the nurses to stay away for as long as possible, and they all think this is the most exciting thing to happen here in years!”
Excitement filled every fibre of Jack’s being. He had never felt this enthusiastic before, not about anything nor anyone. The feeling seemed somehow magical. Taking the key from Patricia’s hand, he reached in and planted a kiss on her cheek; “Thanks to you, this means so much, do you know that?”
“I know” she replied coyly, “Enjoy the night, Honey. You can fill me in on the details tomorrow.” She winked as she walked out the door, singing to herself, “When a man loves a woman….”
Jack stared at the key in his hand. It was such a kind gesture. That was the worst thing about the hospice- privacy seemed to be a foreign concept. But tonight would be different. Just he and Maria. No nurses, no family members, no distractions. Just him and the girl he had grown to love so dearly.
***
Across the hall, Maria’s sister was busy beautifying Maria for the night ahead. Although Maria did not know what was planned, Jack had told her to wear something fancy. She remembered that Nurse Patricia had been acting strange all day, even winking at her from time to time. Actually, all the nurses seemed to have been acting strangely today. It was as if everyone was in on a big secret, except her! It was the most excited she had felt about anything in months. The events of the day provided some much-needed distraction for her deteriorating condition.
“Are we going for smoky eyes or sultry eyes?” Kathleen asked, rummaging through the contents of the make-up bag in front of her.
“Sultry!” Maria announced. She closed her eyes as she waited for her sister to apply the eye shadow.
“Good choice! So what are you going to wear?”
“My little black dresses of course, what else!” Maria replied. Her sister could not help but notice the twinkle in Maria’s eyes. It was the happiest she had seen in her months.
“Pumps or heals?” Kathleen asked, with her eyes narrowed.
“Are you kidding me? I’m a heels girl! I always have been, always will be!” Maria replied. It was just like old times when they used to get ready to go out on a Saturday night or to family functions. This moment was magic for them both. It was a slither of normality and fun in the worst of situations. Her sister could hardly contain her emotions. It was like having the old Maria back, just for one night. Tears filled her eyes and she could no longer hold them in. She tried her best to hold them back, but her attempts were futile. Tears streamed, uncontrollably, down her face.
“What’s wrong?” Maria asked.
“Nothing, I’m being silly. Don’t mind me… It’s just great to see you so happy. I haven’t seen you this excited about anything in, well, forever!
I … I love you so much, sis,” she whispered.
“You know what I always say, right? We were born sisters, but love made us best friends,” Maria replied.
Her own eyes suddenly filled with tears.
>
“Oh, stop or my makeup will start to run,” Maria giggled, wiping her cheeks.
The sisters held hands and then they both took a few deep breaths, trying so hard to keep their emotions in check.
Kathleen applied the finishing touches to Maria’s makeup and she stood back to admire her work.
“I should have been a beautician! You look stunning. Now let’s get that dress on.”
She helped Maria up from the bed and they headed to the bathroom. Maria felt weak and she knew that she was going to need a lot of help to get dressed. She stood in her nightdress feeling helpless.
“Can you please help me take this off?” Maria asked, embarrassed that she did not even have the strength to change her clothes. A lump welled up in her Kathleen’s throat, and it took every bit of will power she had, to swallow it.
“Of course!” she eventually managed to reply. She helped Maria to lift the nightdress over her head and she was shocked at how thin and frail her sister had become. Bones jutted out of her body and the skin barely covered them. She resembled a skeleton as there was not an ounce of fat on her body. Kathleen tried hard to conceal her shock as she continued to undress sister until she stood naked on the bathroom floor.
After putting on fresh underwear, she placed the little black dress over her sister’s head and zipped it from the back. Thankfully, it was still a good fit. She had always bought her dressed a little bit too tight. The next step was to get Maria into her high heels. Maria had to sit on the toilet seat while her sister helped her into them.
“How do I look?” Maria asked tentatively.
“Amazing! He is one lucky guy! Right, sis, I had better go home. The kids will be wondering where I am. I will call you in the morning and I will want all the details! Have the best night of your life, and that is an order!”
“I hear you.” Maria kissed her sister goodbye and sat on the edge of the bed to await Jack’s arrival.
Chapter Fifteen
Jack burst through the door. He was trying desperately to catch his breath “Sorry…… I…I…I know I’m late!”
He placed his hand on the wall and bent over slightly, as he tried to regain his composure. He had not seen Maria yet. Slowly, he stood up straight again and turned to face Maria. His mouth dropped open in surprise and he found that he was speechless with delight. She looked amazing. Jack stood staring at her. In her little black dress and high heels, she was his image of perfection. Her hair was smooth and sleek and, with a touch of makeup on her face, she looked perfectly healthy again.
They stood there, smiling at each other. They were both awe-struck at the sight of the other.
“What an entrance!” Maria said jokingly.
“Yea… am …Sorry… you…you look… just amazing!” Jack stammered, like a schoolboy.
“You scrub up pretty well, yourself,” Maria said, as she eyed Jack up and down.
Jack wore a pair of beige chinos with a white shirt tucked in at the waist. He had the sleeves rolled up and the first two buttons were open at the neck to reveal his hairless chest. His hair had been flattened by a ton of hair gel and no longer stood on end in its usual manner. Maria breathed in the smell of his aftershave. It was musky, sensual and she felt aroused by the fragrance. Jack extended his arm and taking her hand, he said,
“Ready?”
Maria nodded and placed her arm through his. Slowly, he escorted her across the hall and came to a halt outside his bedroom door.
“So what do you think?” Jack asked, slightly nervously.
Maria looked confused.
“This is it?” she asked.
“Yep!” Now, close your eyes and don’t open them until I say.”
Okay!” Maria said softly and hesitantly.
“You promise?” he reiterated.
“I promise,” she said more convincingly.
Before opening the door, he placed his hands over Maria’s eyes- just in case she decided to try and peep. Guiding her into the room, he could not believe how romantic and perfect everything looked. Closing the door with his foot, he could hardly contain his excitement. “You ready?”
“I’m ready,” she replied, although she was a bit confused as to what the hell Jack was playing at. Jack removed his hands from her eyes and said, “Now open!”
Maria gazed around in wonder. The room was unrecognisable. White linen bed sheets covered the walls, fairly lights illuminated every corner and the odd candle, scattered here and there, made it look all magical and inviting.
A small table, with a single rose in a vase, had been placed between the two leather chairs. Two large dinner plates were covered with silver cloches and a bottle of champagne was cooling in a silver ice bucket. Rose petals were scattered throughout the room and Maria’s favourite song was playing on the old boom box on the corner.
Maria was struggling to string a sentence together.
“I…. nobody… Nobody has ever done anything like this for me before. It’s perfect Jack. It is perfect.”
“Perfect. Just like you!” Jack replied and placed a kiss gently on her lips. Her lips tasted like heaven. Her perfume made him weak at the knees and at that moment he realized that, without doubt, that this was the woman he loved. The kiss seemed to last forever but, eventually, Maria pulled back, keeping her eyes closed for a second as if she had been completely lost in the moment.
“You’ve got a little lipstick on you,” she giggled.
Jack rubbed his lips with his hands, but only managed to smudge it more. She laughed loudly and eventually extended her hand and gently rubbed any trace of lipstick from his mouth. Her touch was so soft, so loving, and so womanly. It was one of those moments that happen just once or twice in a lifetime. This was one of those moments when two people acknowledge their true feelings for the other.
At that moment, lust and love mixed to create a concoction neither could resist. It was that special moment when two souls demand to become one.
The feel of Jack’s skin on her hand seemed magnetic, and she ran her hand from his mouth to around the back of his neck and pulled him closer, wanting to taste his lips on hers. Jack placed both hands around her, one on the small of her back, the other higher. With their eyes still closed, they broke their kiss for milliseconds;
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jack asked.
Maria did not respond, simply gazing into his eyes, with a look that provided all the assurance he needed.
His hand grasped the zipper on her dress and he unzipped it slowly and gently. In response, she grabbed Jack’s shirt and wrenched it free from his chinos. There was no more need for words. Lust and desire had taken over and they were now powerless to stop something so much bigger than themselves. They stumbled to the bed in the corner and made love into the early hours of the morning.
***
Jack lay on the bed and Maria seemed to be wrapped around him. It was two am. He stared at the ceiling and he could feel every breath she took. He wished that the moment could last forever or that they could stay in that bed forever, safe in each other’s arms for eternity.
Maria looked around the room and she could see that he had put so much effort into tonight. It was mind-boggling to her because no guy had ever treated her like this, never. She could feel every breath Jack took and the sound of his breathing was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. She could not hide her true feelings anymore, there was no point denying anything, time was too precious. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face Jack. Lying face to face, their heads on the pillow she gazed into his eyes; “I love you, Jack. I truly love you, you’re amazing.”
Jack tried to hide a sudden surge of emotions but they had somehow taken over. Tears escaped from his eyes as visions of a non-existent future flashed through his mind; “I love you, Maria Keegan, you have no idea how much I love you!” Placing their foreheads together, they lay in the darkness of the room, crying for a future they both so desperately wished they could have.
***
The following morning Maria was the first to awaken. Jack was still asleep, snoring slightly. He looked so peaceful. So Happy. So content. Sitting up in the bed she tried not to wake him but his eyes had begun to open periodically.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked sleepily.
“I need to get out of here, the nurses will be looking for me, and my parents will be looking for me!”
“Excuses, excuses. Come here” Jack said as he pulled Maria towards him for a long passionate kiss. Embracing every moment, she reluctantly pulled back after a minute.
“Right, I need to go this time.” Grabbing a white sheet from the bed she wrapped it around her body, holding her heels and little black dress in her hand and walked towards the door while noticing the silver dishes covering the plates on the table.
“Sorry Jack, we never ate the food, and you went to so much trouble.”
“Meh, I wasn’t hungry anyway,” he said smiling from the bed. “Doing the walk of shame again eh? A pretty girl like you will get a reputation you know!”
“Oh just shut it!” she smirked and tiptoed across the hall while noticing a trio of young nurses standing outside the nurse’s office giggling excitedly amongst one another. Maria smiled to herself as she knew her and Jacks love affair was probably the most exciting thing to have happened in the hospice for years. Entering her room, she grabbed her robe threw her dress on the floor and sat on the old leather chair, trying to process last night’s events.
Across the hall, Jack had slowly edged his way out of bed and grabbed a vest and pyjama pants to make himself look decent. He knew that the catering staff would soon bring breakfast around.
He ripped the sheets and fairy lights from the wall and packed them into the big bag Johnny had brought them in the day before. After clearing up, he climbed back into bed and stared out the window.
It was a crisp winter’s morning and the sun shimmered on the water of the lake. The usual group of swans glided across. Jack heard a knock on the door and he knew exactly who it was who was knocking.
“Morning, Honey. How are you doing today?” Patricia asked slyly.
“In other words, how did last night go?” Jack said the words that he knew she meant.