Lonnie's POV
I have been home for almost a week now, and I'm finally starting to move around better. My ribs are still giving me hell, but even I know that it will take awhile for those to heal to where I can move without some kind of pain. My arm on the other hand, is a lot better since I went back to the orthopedic surgeon. I got rid of the bulky splint and he took the staples out of my incisions where all the hardware was put in and now I'm sporting a cast from the middle of my upper arm all the way down the beginning of my fingers. I even got the 'Ole Miss logo, which Harper just rolled her eyes at, but it feels much better now that I got rid of the splint. At least now I can do a little more for myself so Harper doesn't have to spend every waking minute taking care of me, not that she has complained or anything, because she hasn't. She's has helped me so much without batting an eye or making me feel like a complete invalid, knowing just when to help me and when to back off and let me try and do it myself. Her patience has been unlimited and I will never be able to thank her enough. She's got so much on her plate already, but I think it helps her to stay busy to keep her mind off of all that's been going on. Today Harper has been particularly quiet since she came back from her therapy appointment. I tried to get her to talk to me about it, and her eyes filled with tears.
"I can't right now", she said quietly slipping off to the den where the grand piano of Aunt Cora's was kept and began playing anything from classical pieces to more modern music.
I didn't know what to do to help her, so while Harper was busy playing away, I made a phone call to Althea Tibbs, hoping she could advise me on what I could do to help her. Unfortunately, the only advice she could give me was to be patient and let Harper tell me on her own terms when she was ready and to be as supportive as I can. This was not exactly what I wanted to hear, but deep down I know she's right.
I could hear the faint sounds of everything from Fur Elise to John Lennon's Imagine, but I knew better than to interrupt, knowing that playing was her therapeutic outlet of sorts. While Harper was busy playing, I busied myself into a few cold case files that Parker had snuck over for me to keep from going stir-crazy, but I couldn't keep my mind on what I was doing and gave up after catching myself reading the same line over and over. Gingerly easing myself off the couch, I made my way into the den and eased myself into the overstuffed chair and propped my feet on the ottoman while Harper played on. I watched in awe and her hands flawlessly moved across the keys as the sound that came from the Baldwin baby grand was fluid and full of emotion. Harper finished playing and her hands rested gracefully in her lap as she turned to face me with a defeated look on her face.
"I don't mean to shut you out, Lonnie. It's just that today was pretty tough, and I'm still a little rattled about it", she admits sadly.
"What can I do to help, babe? It's killin' me not knowing what to do to help you after all you've done to help me this week", I tell her motioning for her to come sit on the ottoman in front of me as I shift my legs to make room for her.
"Just being here and letting me take care of you helps more than you know. I'm just trying to figure out how to talk to you about all this. It's hard for me to understand sometimes, but I think that most of it is the fear I have that he'll try to finish what he started and until he's sent back to prison, I'm going to have that fear in some shape or form", she says plopping dejectedly beside my feet.
"As long as I'm around, hurt or not, he won't ever get near you again, Harper", I reassure not only her, but myself as well.
"I just don't want to see you get hurt again because of me. I don't think I could take it if that happened again", she said as her eyes filled with tears that she tried to blink away.
"Aw, babe, don't cry", I beg her while I use my good arm to pull her gently into my lap. She eases herself down and gently curls her petite frame into my good side and rests her head into the junction of my neck and shoulder. Wrapping my right arm around her, I hold her as tight as I can while I feel her tears soak into my t-shirt. I'm content to rest here with her for awhile.
It was starting to get late when we finally unwound from each other and made our way upstairs, slowly but surely with Harper right beside me helping take some of the weight off of my injured side. I eased myself down on the bed while Harper helped me maneuver my shirt over my cast, taking care not to jostle my ribs in the process. The rest I can do by myself, but I'm letting her help me a little more tonight, since I know it makes her feel better and I kinda enjoy her babying me. We both get ready for bed, then Harper helps me get all propped up in bed, making sure my arm is resting on several pillows. After I'm in a comfortable position, she comes back with all my medication and a glass of water and I gratefully swallow the pain pills and muscle relaxer that will help me sleep through the night. I'm ready for Harper to spoon in beside me, but tonight instead, she slides down to the end of the bed starts pulling off my socks. I'm a little nervous because my feet are extremely ticklish and its worse when I'm tired, which I am, but I keep quiet and hope that whatever she has in mind doesn't involve that. The next thing I know, she has my left foot in her lap and is rubbing firm strokes across my heel up into the instep of my foot which makes me bark out a short laugh and try to pull my foot away from the torturous sensation.
"My feet are ticklish, babe, don't", I laugh, bracing my ribs.
"Oh, my gosh, I'm sorry!" she apologizes. "I'll use firmer strokes this time. It's supposed to relax you, not torment you", she says as her face falls in disappointment.
"Hey, it's okay. I should have warned you, although, I know you will use it against me later on", I say shooting her a knowing grin. "You may proceed ma'am", I say wiggling my toes at her.
"You behave or I'll tickle those toes", she threatens locking my leg under her arm.
"Don't! Ok, ok, I'll behave myself", I grin.
I just so happens that her foot massages are just as amazing as her back rubs, and I was asleep pretty quickly. We both slept soundly for once that night, waking up in the same positions we fell asleep in. As a result, we're both stiff and I'm a little more sore that usual, but nothing a good soak in the tub won't fix. I'm hoping I can get Harper to join me, but she's still a little gun-shy about anything intimate just yet, but you can't blame a guy for trying though. My God, she's beautiful inside and out, and I love her with everything I have, so if I have to wait a little while for the more physical part of our relationship to come along, then so be it. I know it will be well worth the wait.
