by BL Miller
They chuckled for a few seconds before the seriousness of the situation took over. Ronnie set the pencil on the desk and moved her chair closer to the bed. "As much as I'd like to let you stay hidden away, everyone knows there's a bathroom in here." The women found their conversation interrupted by Maria, as she entered the room with the tray of food and a decanter of coffee.
"Where are you going to want the tree?" the housekeeper asked.
"In someone else's house," Ronnie wisecracked, drawing a snort from her companion. "I don't care. Rose and I are going to hide out in here all night."
"Don't even think about it, Veronica Louise." Maria set the tray over Rose's lap and began pouring coffee into the ceramic mug. Ronnie held her own cup out expectantly. "There isn't enough time to get the carpets cleaned."
"Vacuuming will be fine. Thanks." She pulled the cup to her lips and took a grateful sip. "Do you want me to call somewhere and get extra help to get the place ready?"
A look akin to hurt flashed through the brown eyes of the housekeeper. "Just because you don't run around like your mother checking for dust doesn't mean that I've let this house go unattended. I polish the silver regularly even if you don't use it. Except for a quick run of the vacuum and moving the furniture, we're all set for company. Of course, I can't put that coffee table back the way it should be."
"I'm sorry, Maria, I didn't mean to suggest that you did anything less than a perfect job. I'll take care of the coffee table and everything else." She drained her cup. "Right now I need to run out and get a few things." Ronnie stood up and gave Rose a smile. "Your nurse should be here in a little while and I'll be back in a couple of hours. What's your favorite color?"
"Really, I don't…"
"Color?" Ronnie repeated, making it clear she was not taking no for an answer.
Rose looked into deep azure depths and the answer came without thought. "Blue."
"Easy to find something nice in that color. What shade? Do you prefer light tones like turquoise or dark ones like cobalt?" Ronnie did not fail to notice that the green orbs continued to stare into her own.
"Um…a bright blue, I guess. Something deep and rich." Rose shifted nervously and looked down at her toast. "I guess any shade is fine."
"I'll make sure to pick out something nice." Ronnie smiled inwardly at the thought of being able to pick a dress for her to wear.
"If it's too much trouble I can go in another room. I could take a book into the laundry room. No one will go in there," Rose offered, feeling very much in the way.
"No." Ronnie answered quickly. "I'm not going to hide you. You're a guest in my home and they're just going to have to accept it." She flashed a look to Maria, who nodded in agreement.
"I'll be back before lunch."
part 5
It was easy enough for Ronnie to walk into the exclusive boutique and pick out a dress for herself. It was quite another thing to pick out something for Rose to wear. For the better part of an hour she sat there watching the model try on different combinations of blouses and skirts, pantsuits, and dresses. Nothing seemed right.
"Perhaps if you told me exactly what you were looking for, Miss Cartwright?" The manager asked.
"I'm not really certain how to explain it, but none of these will work." Ronnie waved a hand at the rack of clothes. The matronly woman looked at her particular customer and frowned.
"What is wrong with them? Perhaps we can figure out what you're looking for that way."
"There's nothing wrong with them so much as they're just not right." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maybe I should just look around and see if there's something I like."
"By all means." The boutique manager waved her arm. "Monica will be happy to model anything you wish."
Ronnie walked through the racks of expensive garments, barely giving any of them more than a passing glance. Then she saw it. Tucked into the corner, she almost missed it and in fact wasn't even sure what made her look in that direction. She reached over and pulled the dress out to look at it. Just a shade below a bright blue, the silk shimmered with beauty and softness. The material gathered at the elastic waistband before flaring out again. Ronnie guessed that it would reach down to Rose's ankles, easily covering the casts. "This one," she announced, drawing the manager's attention.
"Would you like Monica to model it?"
"That won't be necessary. This is the one I want." She glanced at the size tag. "Yes, this will be perfect."
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The Jeep worked its way through the holiday traffic. A glance at the clock on the radio told the executive it was almost eleven. So far she had been to the boutique and the jeweler's. Now it was off to the mall to fight with other shoppers for the little things that were needed…like gifts. She was within a mile of the mall when a corner lot full of trees caught her eye. She pulled the Cherokee over and walked through the aisles of pine and balsam propped up against wooden rails. Sensing a sale, the stocky merchant dashed over to her side.
"What can I help you with today?"
"I need a tree with nice full boughs and a sturdy top." Ronnie gave disapproving looks at the group in front of her.
"We have very nice ones toward the back," he said, gesturing toward the taller pines leaned against the chain link fence that ran along the back of the lot. "How tall are you looking for?"
Ronnie's brow furrowed as she tried to imagine just how tall the trees in her home usually were.
"Tall. Over eight feet."
"Oh, well then." His eyes lit up even more and the pace quickened. "We have some beautiful nine and ten footers."
Ronnie settled on a ten-foot tree that seemed to want to burst forth from the ropes holding it. The man called his son over to help but it still took some help from the strong woman to get it on the top of the Jeep. It hung over the front, the white rope running from the tree to the front bumper. A pair of ropes did the same to the back. Once fully secured, Ronnie resumed her journey to the mall. She pressed the scan button on her radio and settled on a station playing holiday music. When the Carpenter's song Merry Christmas, Darling came on, Ronnie lost herself in the haunting sounds and harmony. Without thinking about it, she began singing along, her rich contralto voice blending in with the unique tones of the late Karen. She ignored the strange looks being thrown at her by the other drivers, preferring instead to lose herself in the song. Even after pulling into the parking space, she left the car running until the song was over.
********************
Holiday ditties were piped through the speakers, adding to the general din of the crowd. Everyone had bags in their hands and was in a hurry to finish up their shopping. Ronnie gripped her purse closer to her body and headed for Macy's. A few gift certificates and her shopping would be done. As she moved through the bustling crowd, she saw the Christmas shop, a generic store opened just for the holidays to sell everything from tinsel to lights to ornaments of every possible design. The clerks alternated between ringing up sales and watching for shoplifters. Ronnie picked up a shopping basket and began filling it with the usual decorations. Soon the basket was full but she was not finished. After nailing down a clerk to help her, Ronnie spent the better part of an hour picking both tasteful and fun things to convert her dour residence into a festive home. Just as she handed the clerk her credit card, she noticed one item had been overlooked. "Oh, wait. I'll need that too." She pointed an elegant finger at the item in question. As the sprig of mistletoe was added to her purchases, Ronnie's mind entertained the possible benefit of catching Rose beneath it. "Add a few more, will you please?"
*****************************
"Let's try again," Karen said gently, putting her hands in position.
"No, wait, please?" Rose cried. "Can't we do this later?"
"Miss Grayson, you have to stretch at least twice a day."
"I know," she said, wiping a tear off her cheek. The door opened and Ronnie entered with several shopping bags in her hands.
"Wh
at's going on?"
"I-it's okay," Rose croaked, embarrassed at the drops that continued to run down her cheeks. She looked up and saw Ronnie's concerned face. "I have to stretch and it hurts."
"Let me try," Ronnie said, replacing Karen's hands with her own. The young woman watched as the nurse explained how to properly stretch. Satisfied she knew what she was doing, the executive looked back at Rose. "You think you're ready?"
She nodded, her eyes conveying her fear of the pain. "Be gentle?" She was still hesitant but there was something reassuring about the warmth of Ronnie's hands on her foot.
"I swear." The softly spoken words bathed her with a sense of reassurance. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the strong fingers on her skin. Slowly she raised her leg to the point where she felt the pull up the back of her thighs. "Come on, Rose…that's it, just a little more now." She felt her limb being raised higher and fought the urge to fight against it. "That's good, you're doing great, Rose. You think we can go a little higher? Just a little bit?"
Ever so slowly she lifted her leg until she couldn't take the pain anymore. Dimly she realized that it was higher than she had been able to go before, but that was immaterial at the moment.
"Please…"
"Okay, relax now. We're going to go back down now." Rose's eyes were closed tightly and she clung fervently to Ronnie's words and soothing tone. "There you go, almost done now." Soon the sheet greeted her heel and she let out a deep breath. "How do you feel?"
Rose opened her eyes with surprise at the proximity of the voice and found herself staring into the endless blue depths. "It hurts."
"Shh, it's over now." Ronnie looked up at Karen. "I think we're done for the day. I have a party here tonight we have to get ready for. Is there anything else that has to be done?"
"Just bathing Miss Grayson."
"Oh." Rose looked from one woman to the other. "I can wash myself mostly if someone can get the water and washcloth for me." She tried to tell her friend with her eyes that this was what she preferred to do. Ronnie nodded in understanding.
"Okay. I guess we can handle everything else, Karen. We'll see you tomorrow."
Rose relaxed with Ronnie's words, until she remembered the rest of them… a party here tonight we have to get ready for. "Oh God, the party."
"Don't worry about it," the dark-haired woman replied, walking into the bathroom. "I'll get the things together you'll need to wash up and then we'll get you dressed." The sound of water running into the basin mixed with the words. "I've got to get everything else from the car and find the stand for the tree." She returned with the washbowl, soap, and cloth. "I think it's in the attic. Do you need anything else before I go?"
"No, this is great." Rose maintained her smile until the older woman left the room. Her legs throbbed from the physical therapy but panic overrode the pain. A party. A party full of strangers. A party full of high class strangers. A party full of high class strangers related to Ronnie. The Dartmouth shirt found its way off her body and onto the bed. Rose felt the pressure building from within. Oh God, please don't let me do anything to embarrass her. The soapy cloth moved over her arms and shoulders as she thought about the possible disasters that could befall the evening. Her legs could get bumped accidentally, she could spill a drink down her front, she could say the wrong thing, all those and a dozen others passed through her mind while she continued to clean herself.
She was just finishing up when Ronnie knocked on the door. "May I come in?"
"Just a minute." She covered her chest with the fluffy towel. "Okay."
Ronnie walked in with a bag in one hand and the most gorgeous dress Rose had ever seen in the other.
"It's beautiful," she whispered in awe.
"Glad you like it. I've got all the things you'll need to wear with it so now is just as good a time as any to get you dressed." Ronnie walked over to the bed and set the bag down. "Then you can help me with the other things that need to be done." She reached into the bag and pulled out a lacy brassiere, snapping off the price tags effortlessly. "I um…I got one that closed in the front." Ronnie handed her the bra and quickly turned to rummage through the bag. "I thought that would be easier for you."
"Yes, it would be. Thank you." She was not sure how to take what appeared to be shyness mixed with enthusiasm from her friend. Ronnie seemed almost nervous to her. She took the bra and ran her fingertips over the lacy trim. They were low cut cups, designed to be worn with something that showed cleavage and had no padding, not that she needed any help in that department. Rose was quite comfortable with her 36C bust that had only recently begun to droop. She looked at the size tag. 36B. Well, it would still fit, she decided, just make her appear more busty. She let the towel drop and slipped her arms through the straps before hooking it. "It fits nicely, thanks," she said, drawing Ronnie's attention away from the sales receipt she had been studying intently.
"Oh, good. I wasn't sure what size to get. Do the straps need adjusting?"
"Actually, yeah, they do." Rose sat up as best she could, while Ronnie sat down next to her on the bed and slipped her fingers under the thin strap.
"Let me know when it feels right," she said. The blonde woman nodded and tried to focus on the task at hand.
"A little higher…no, a little less than that…yeah, that's good." She placed her hand on the side of her right breast and checked the fit. Yes, it felt just right. Ronnie walked around to the other side and repeated the process. The end result was exactly what Rose thought it would be. Her breasts pushed up from the confines of the lacy bra, making her appear to be larger than usual.
"Um…do you like it? I can still run out and get a different one if you don't like it."
"No, no. It's fine, really," she assured. "Truthfully, I don't think I've ever owned such a pretty bra." She looked up to see a smile on Ronnie's face. "It's very nice of you, thanks."
"Oh, there's more." She returned to the bag and pulled out a silky lace half-slip and equally delicate panties. "I had to guess at the size for these too, but they should be close.
With the older woman's help, Rose pulled the half-slip over her head and into position. She flushed with embarrassment as Ronnie helped her get the panties on, unable to take over the job herself until they were within inches of being pulled all the way up. "How are we going to get the dress on?"
"Easy. We have to put you in the chair first, though."
Sitting in nothing but undergarments in the wheelchair, Rose patiently waited while Ronnie gathered the layers of blue material. "Put your arms up." She did as she was told and soon the dress was in position. It hurt her hamstrings to lean forward while it was zipped and tucked around her waist but it was over quickly. A new pair of large tube socks covered her feet and ankles. "That's the best I can do. I don't think slippers or anything like that would fit over the cast."
Ronnie stepped back to admire her handiwork. She had good reason to be proud. Rose was a vision, even with the stitches still prominently displayed on her right cheek. Her golden hair hung loosely over her shoulders, creating the aura that captivated the older woman. The rich blue highlighted the alabaster skin and the low front accented another set of lovely features. Looking at the vision before her, Ronnie could no longer deny she was feeling an attraction to the young woman. "You look beautiful," she said, sadly, knowing inside she could never act on that feeling. The true circumstances of the accident had ruined any chance of that.
"Thank you," Rose replied. She ran her hand down the shimmering fabric. It was so delicate, so beautiful. A lump formed in her throat and she found herself blinking rapidly. It was obvious Ronnie had taken great care in picking out the clothes. She didn't even want to think about how much everything cost her wealthy friend. "Everything is perfect…it's all…"
"Hey, if it really is too much for you, I'll figure out something else," Ronnie cooed, kneeling down next to the chair.
"No, I can do this. I…" She sniffled and lifted her head, convinced she had
her emotions under control. "I told you about my life. I've never been to fancy parties or worn beautiful clothes like this. I've given up on trying to figure out why you're helping me but it's still a bit overwhelming sometimes." She clasped the larger hand resting on her own. "I know I thank you all the time and I seem to cry at the drop of a hat, but I can't remember when anyone has been so good to me." Rose lowered her eyes, the gentle green partially obscured by naturally long lashes. "You're a very special woman, Veronica Cartwright."
"So are you," Ronnie countered, squeezing the hand beneath hers. The grandfather clock in the living room bonged with the arrival of the top of the hour. "I'd better finish getting everything inside and get changed. The decorators and caterers will be arriving soon." She stood up, reluctantly removing her hand from between Rose's. "Do you want to hang out in the living room or stay in here for a while longer?"