Chapter 3
Of Course They Didn't Tell You
There was only one place Megan could go while she grounded and that was to the hospital and/or doctor's offices for her check ups and/or workshops. The secretary in the front was a nice young woman named Juliet who was also paralyzed from the waist down but not because she was born to a drug infested Mother but because a drunk driver plowed into her car at 95MPH. Donna got Megan settled but had to make a quick stop in town to meet with one of her editor's at the newspaper. The doctor was running late and Megan was the only patient in the waiting room. She wheeled herself to Juliet's desk for a Jolly Rancher that she kept in glass jar in the shape of a Christmas tree.
"Sure—feel free." She took a green apple candy.
Megan noticed the pictures on her desk, "Juliet, I didn't know that you had a boyfriend."
He didn't look like there was anything different about him.
"Yeah, we've been dating for two years."
"Since my Mom is gone and the doctor isn't here yet, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, Megan, what's on your mind?"
"I—this is hard to talk about---"
Juliet looked at her, she was such a sweet girl, she's known her for the three years she's worked in this office.
"Do you have a boyfriend, Megan?"
"Yeah," Well they weren't an official couple, but Hunter was a boy and he was her friend and he told her he loved her, so yeah, "Um—I can't go on the internet, my parents took it away, because I'm grounded—so I can't research anything---"
"I know what you want to know—When you are off your groundation, I want you to find a book called "Enabling Romance"—I used to have a copy but I gave it a way."
"Do YOU feel—pleasure?" She was embarrassed and put her head down.
"Don't be embarrassed, Megan, I can't believe your Mother at least didn't tell you.
Yes, you can."
"I thought the intercourse would just be for his physical benefit."
"Not at all."
Megan smiled. "We almost 'Did It' but our parents caught us and that's why the both of us are grounded." She didn't bother to tell Juliet about their little bus trip to New York City.
"How did you feel?" Juliet felt like a psuedo therapist but she wanted Megan to leave this office confident. Especially if she had parents that wanted to sweep her sexuality under the carpet. It happens all the time. All they see is "Wheelchair" even if they don't mean to.
"Good—Although, I felt like I was going to—um—have an accident."
"That's normal. It's happened to me a lot, sweetie, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I want you to get your hands on that book and buy your boyfriend a copy."
"I can't put Hunter—Oops, I didn't mean to say his name—through all this. I don't want to be a burden."
"Megan, you're not a burden. Sure our sex might be a little bit more complicated, and you might be too young to realize it now, but the foreplay is amazing and the end of the journey satisfying. I don't suppose you can talk to your parents about this?"
"God no, Juliet! My Mom told me I know nothing about sex and my Dad would probably prefer it if I never did it."
"As long as you have a very loving and supportive partner, that's all that matters."
Megan smiled. This was the kind of talk that she needed. Not the parental cr** that she had to deal with.
"Thanks, Juliet," Megan looked at the clock, her Mother should be back soon, "I needed to talk to someone about this, outside of my family, because even though I love them, and they love me, they DON'T understand a lot of my issues."
"You're welcome. And I know what you mean, Megan. While my paralysis came later. I still have to put up with my family. Keep in mind that most families are just well meaning."
"Well, I wish mine weren't so well meaning." Megan wheeled herself back to the table with the old magazines on it.
She couldn't wait to be with Hunter again, she hoped he would be that loving and supportive partner. Still it was a great deal of pressure to put on a sixteen-year-old boy. Suddenly she felt relief wash over her soul that they were caught before they had a chance to have intercourse.
How could she ask Hunter to throw all of his life and future away by choosing The Cripple? (Author's note-her thought) The smile vanished from her face as she grabbed a magazine off the table and pretended to be interested in "101 Fashion Tips". How could she ask him to make that sacrifice for her?
Next Day
Eric threw all of the paper junk mail in the garbage, damn Hyde putting him
on the mailing list for certain pharmaceutical products! Of course it was funny and he wished he thought of it. He opened up the fridge and was looking forward to the last piece of lemon cake; so naturally, either Donna or Megan ate it! He didn't feel like eating the celery and carrot sticks that Donna always purchased. He wasn't a mouse. Donna came in holding a blue and white envelope.
"Donna, my love, did you eat the last piece of lemon cake?"
"Aww—is Eric going to have a tantrum because there's no more cake left?" Donna did a baby voice
"I hope you enjoyed it! You knew I wanted the last piece."
"Thanks, I did, actually. Have a celery stick if you are hungry."
"Well we better not be out of peanut butter," He went to the cupboard to check, he made a face as he noticed the only kind they had in the house was the natural, organic cr**** kind. "We need to go food shopping this week. What's in the envelope?"
"Glad you finally noticed. This ought to make Megan's day."
"What?"
"We're invited to Hyde and Jackie's."
"What's the official invitation?"
"The salon association that Jackie belongs to is honoring her because she's the top seller in their region, and we're invited. It's next Saturday. I suppose we can suspend her grounding for one day. I think that's enough peanut butter, Eric."
"This isn't Jif, this is your health food store organic cr**. It's not real peanut butter." Eric whined
"Well, take your celery with you, let's tell Megan now, I bet seeing Hunter again will make her very happy."
Although Eric did have some slight issues with Hyde's son, no Father wants to see his daughter half naked on the living room sofa with their best friend's son on top of her. He knew this news would make his daughter pleased.
Donna and Jackie agreed on the telephone that since all of the parents were going to be there, there was no reason why they couldn't attend the party for Jackie. Who wanted everyone she cared about there while she got her plaque.
Megan was in her room lying on her bed. Juliet had come by to visit her this morning while her Father was upstairs in the shower and her Mother was at the bank. She came across a paperback copy of "Enabling Romance" put a paper cover around it so no one would know what she was reading and had to rush it over to her house to give it to her. It should've made Megan blissful, but with the turn of each page it made her feel like s***. She heard her parents walking down the ramp, 'oh great, a tag team lecture' and she quickly put the book in the pile of books that she had on her end table. It blended in perfectly.
"Hey, lollipop, what'cha doin'?" Eric asked
"Nothing since I'm grounded."
"That's what we're here to discuss." Donna said
"What is it?"
"Your lucky day—Jackie is getting an award for her business and we're invited to the party. Your Father and I decided to suspend your grounding for one day."
She felt her heart break. "That's nice." 'No. You can't do this to me!'
"Is that all?" Eric asked, he was expecting her to be squealing with delight. But she wasn't.
"Yeah. That's nice." She knew she couldn't ask to stay home, because they would have tried desperately to talk the truth out of her.
"Are you okay?" Donna asked
"I'm fine. I'd like to finish my summer reading now." Her school assigned her class three books to read over the summer. She was reading Harper Lee's, "To Kill A Mockingbird".
"Sure. Lunch will be in an hour." Donna kissed her on the cheek.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Eric asked, he smelled like peanut butter.
"Yeah, Dad. I'm okay."
She waited for both of her parents to be safely back upstairs before she let the tears flow down her cheeks. She had to hurt him in person.
It's Jackie's Party And Megan Will Cry If She Wants To
It was one o'clock in the afternoon when Hyde caught Hunter in his closet again.
"You know, I'm going to start putting a lock on it." Hyde laughed, his son had very good taste, but he wanted ALL of his shirts.
"Can I wear this tonight?" Hunter held up a mint green button down shirt.
"Borrow—"
"Yeah, can I borrow this to wear tonight to Mom's party?"
"Sure. And borrow means to put it back when you're done with it."
"Don't you want it dry cleaned first?"
"So it could stay in your closet? No, Hunter, your Mom takes care of that stuff. Is she still throwing shoes around in her 'Diva Room'?"
"I don't know, I'm not going in there." Hunter couldn't wait to see Megan again; it was their first face-to-face contact since their New York City Disaster.
"Wise son, very wise. She won't be ready until the very last minute."
"I heard that, Steven!" Jackie came in the room.
"Did you find the shoes you wanted to wear, Mom?" Hunter had to ask, she was an amazing woman to watch.
"No! A pair of five hundred dollar shoes just doesn't get up and walk away. Pardon the pun." Jackie opened the door to her side of the closet.
Hyde raised his eyebrow, how could Jackie spend five hundred dollars on a pair of shoes? Still he couldn't complain too much, she always looked beautiful, but
the money that she threw away on clothes, make up, jewelry, shoes, and other accessories could easily wipe out the National Debt! No wonder she was being honored tonight, she had no trouble making other women think they needed expensive products and salon services. She was a capitalist. But a sexy capitalist who looked beautiful in just his rock t-shirts and nothing else.
"Maybe, Hannah BORROWED them." Hunter said
"You might be right," Jackie emerged from the closet and kissed her son on the cheek, "You're going to look handsome in that shirt tonight—Steven make sure he wears a tie."
"A tie?" Hunter moaned
"And you too, Steven, you're both wearing ties! End of discussion." Jackie went to Hannah's room to see if she had her Manolo's.
"Do I have to wear a tie, Dad?"
"If I have to wear a tie, son, so do you. I don't want to sleep on the couch tonight."
"You could've always said 'no' to Mom." He hated wearing ties.
Hyde laughed, "Yeah, right, Hunter—you have a lot to learn."
Hunter slightly smiled; he couldn't wait to see Megan again. For her, he'd wear the tie; maybe that's what it was all about—To do all these little things like wear stupid ties for them.
Megan spent the whole plane ride thinking of how she was going to avoid Hunter. It broke her spirit. In her dreams, she pictured them running towards each other and kiss each other passionately until they wound up in a beautiful rhythm on the sandy beach. She loved him so much. But she had to build her defenses up. It was for the best. Hunter Hyde deserved better than her. Megan "The Cripple" Forman. She kept her nose buried in her copy of "To Kill A Mockingbird" and by the time they got to Hyde and Jackie's cottage she finished the book, but she couldn't remember a word she had read. It meant nothing to her; she just wanted to be back in her bedroom in Point Place wishing she didn't feel anything for Hunter good or bad. Megan usually had a bright, cheery, optimistic outlook on life, but when it came to matters of the heart, all she saw was 'freak'. She hoped he wasn't home but she did have a plan to avoid him for as long as she could. You couldn't make a fast getaway in a wheelchair but as soon as Jackie scooped Donna in to critique her choice of evening clothes, Megan who wasn't in the house yet, was able to wheel herself to the side of the house as soon as her Father started to talk to Hyde. She didn't know how long she could stay here but she needed to avoid Hunter until they were all at Jackie's award ceremony/party then she'd be around all the parents—and Hannah. She never gave Hannah much thought. It sounded cruel; she didn't mean it to be. Some times best friends grow apart. It happens. She wanted to cry so bad but couldn't with everyone in close proximity.
"Hey, Megan, what are you doing back here?" She knew that voice.
Megan's POV
I don't want to see him. Why couldn't I have been born blind? Hunter kissed me gently on the cheek. I looked at him. He was out of his fashion element but still looked very handsome in his black suit and tie. His collar was bothering him. I tried to pretend he didn't exist. Now came the hard part. The most difficult thing I didn't want to but I felt that I had to do. I had to break his heart.
"Leave me alone, Hunter."
He seemed shocked at first, "What's wrong, Megan?"
I wished I could tell him everything. "I lied when I told you I loved you back. I guess the moral here is that just because that I'm in a wheelchair doesn't mean I can't be a total bitch."
That was not me. Not at all. I don't know where it came from. I love him so much. I turned my chair around and proceeded to go into the house. I had to get my dress put on for the party. I hated hurting him like that.
He's better off with without me.
Hunter was frozen on the spot. He couldn't bring himself to cry when he wasn't in the safety of his own room. He felt a hand go on his shoulder. He turned around nearly jumping out of his skin.
"Sorry about that." Hyde said
"Dad—how long have you been---never mind."
"She didn't mean a word she said. For some reason Megan put up a wall with you."
"Why?" Hunter was surprised that he needed a hug from his Father, there was something solid about him, and no wonder his Mother loved getting held by him.
"I don't know, son. Give her time."
"I love her, I really do---"
"I know, Hunter."
It was the first time that Steven Hyde believed his son's feelings for Megan.
"Did you and Hunter have a fight?" Jackie asked as she helped Megan with her eye shadow.
"No, Jackie, we just decided maybe we shouldn't date each other. That ought to make all of you adults happy."
Donna didn't get why she would give Hunter the cold shoulder treatment? After all that was spoken, what they walked in on them about to do, and their little trip to Tiffany's apartment you would think they'd be inseparable.
"Is there something that you'd like to tell us?" Donna asked
"No."
"Go easy on the blush, Jackie."
"Mom! I'm sixteen. Let Jackie do my make up, she knows more about it than you do. Isn't that why we're here?"
Donna was going to let that statement go due to her daughter's broken heart, however if she said anything out of line again she would be grounded until her eighteenth birthday. And Sgt. Donna would do it too.
The Party
Hyde thought that was an hour of his life he wouldn't get back. They went on and on about absolutely nothing before presenting Jackie with her plaque. She looked so beautiful and graceful with her hair up and wearing a long red sequined dress with a thigh slit. She found her matching red stiletto's they were in Hannah's room. He took a picture that was his job whenever he had to go to one of these 'dos. The tension between the kids was predictably so thick you did need a knife. Hunter and Megan were going through a rough patch, Hannah was angry at Megan because Megan wasn't her friend anymore, Tiffany really didn't want to be here but promised Jackie that she would if it meant "that much" to her. Eric actually wanted to dance with Donna and joined Jackie and Hyde on the dance floor. Hannah picked at her shrimp cocktail. Hunter went inward before getting up and ducking for cover in the men's room.
"How could you hurt my brother like that?"
"Shut up, Hannah. I don't need you as my friend anymore. I don't need anyone for anything."
She made her getaway; maybe she could park herself in the lot and hope someone in a limousine would run her over.
"Nice one. Still as lame as ever." Tiffany replied, checking her voice mail on her cell phone.
"Shut up, Tiffany."
"Same as ever." She hoped her brother and Megan would be all right.
Megan found an empty lounge area and put her break on. Now she could cry. She went to the ceremony and party for Jackie, she got rid of Hannah, and what hurt her soul the most was dumping Hunter before they even began. She wished her heart were paralyzed that way she wouldn't have to feel it break.
"Do you fancy company?" Hyde noticed her wheel herself in here and asked Forman and Donna if he could talk to her.
"Not really, Hyde." She wiped her eyes
He took a sip of his beer and put the bottle on the table.
"I heard what you told Hunter earlier. I wasn't eavesdropping; I just went outside and heard the two of you. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No."
"You see I understand part of what you're going through. I had walls my whole life. It took me a very long time to accept the fact that I deserved love. Because my parents abandoned me and I felt inferior for a very long time. But I covered it with Zen and coolness. You and Hunter have known each other since you were babies. As I told Hunter about himself I will also tell you, YOU DON'T NEED ANY WALLS. I don't believe for a second that you don't love my son. It's all over your face, Megan."
"I CAN'T love him, Hyde."
"Why not? If it's because you think all of us 'old folks' don't support you—you've got it wrong. We do. We just don't like how you guys went about things."
"It's not about you guys. He deserves better than me. He's sixteen years old; does he really want to spend all of his life with a cripple? What can I give him?" Megan turned around to get a paper cup of water from the cooler that was next to the end table
"You can give him hope." Hunter said in the third person.
'Dirty f***ing trick, Hyde' She massacred the paper cup after she gulped down the water.
"Go away, Hunter."
"No!" If she didn't turn her chair around, he made sure to face her.
"I have nothing to say to you."
"What's this nonsense of I can do better than you?"
"If you really want to know so bad, open my knapsack. Then leave me alone."
""To Kill A Mockingbird"?"
"No, the other book."
Hunter took the brown paper covered book out of her bag and read the title out loud, "Enabling Romance—A guide to love, sex, and relationship for those with disabilities. And the people who care about them."
"I don't get it."
"And you won't with the freak of Point Place. I'm a goddamn cripple. I can't see without my glasses and my hearing sucks without my hearing aid, you'd think I was ninety years old instead of sixteen. I'm glad they caught us, because it would have been a terrible mistake. I refuse to have you throw your life away on me, Hunter. You deserve so much better than me."
"Okay," He bent down
"What are you doing?"
He kissed her. She kissed him in return, caressing his back and putting her hands on his shoulders.
"Now tell me again that I'm throwing my life away. I love you, Megan Forman. And I'm not going anywhere because that kiss tells me you want me, you want us. Can I borrow this book?"
"Yes, read it—Can we just be friends for now? You look very handsome in your suit."
"We'll always be friends. And thanks. You're beautiful, too."
She smiled. "You have to put that book back in my knapsack. Mom and Dad don't know about it. I'll give it to you later."
"Okay, can I have one more kiss?"
"I'd like that, Hunter."
They shared an intimate kiss before breaking it off.
"By the way, Megan, you are NOT a goddamn cripple nor a freak."
"I love you, too, Hunter. I lied when I said I didn't. I'm sorry about that. I just thought---"
"Ssh," He kissed her on the cheek and put his hands on her wheelchair handles,
"I don't care if this is motorized, I still like taking you out for a stroll."
"Will you be patient with me, Hunter?" Megan asked as she undid the break.
"For as long as it takes. Now come on, let's get something to eat, since neither one of us ate much of anything tonight."
"I wish I could dance with you." Megan said as they rejoined everyone back at the table.
"Me too." And he hated to dance.
Hunter smiled at his Father to indicate that at least he and Megan were 'on terms' again.
"How are you, lollipop?" Eric asked, they were gone for an awful long time.
"Okay, Dad."
"I'll go the bar—" Hunter started to say
Hyde coughed.
"For a soda, Dad. What do you want to drink, Megan?"
"Water."
"I'll be back."
"Mom your plaque is beautiful." Hannah added, she couldn't stand Megan anymore. What a snot she became.
"Thank you. Steven---don't you dare think of taking that tie off, the party isn't over yet."
"Whipped like the family pig." Donna said
"I need a glass of wine." Tiffany got up; there was something about Donna that irked her.
"So the next time you say that to me, you should look in a mirror." Eric said
"Why don't you get bent, Forman?"
Megan laughed.
"Are you hungry? I told the staff to keep the food warm for the both of you." Jackie asked, flagging down the waiter.
"Yeah."
Hunter came back with the bottled water for Megan and the can of soda for himself.
Donna whispered something to Eric, who in turn whispered something to Jackie,
who in turn whispered it to Hyde, who whispered it to Hannah, who had to be slightly poked in the arm to get up from her chair.
"Why did they all leave?" Megan asked, stirring her mashed potatoes nervously.
"I think they wanted us to have a date. But it's not a date until I ask you out properly. And you just want to be friends—so—hmm, what do we do, Megan?"
He cut the chicken, he saw pink, and decided to just eat the potatoes instead.
"We can have a friends date." Megan said
"Okay, a friends date—I'm still grounded you know."
"So am I. Mom mentioned something about Thanksgiving."
"That's a million years away!" He exaggerated
"Hunter—"
"Yeah, Megan?"
"For as long as it takes?" She gently reminded him of what they were talking about earlier. He put his hand over hers.
"I'll always be there for you, Megan, don't you ever doubt that anymore, okay?"
While she was still unsure of herself as someone who could be a complete and total romantic intimate person. She didn't doubt Hunter's words for a second. He was a 'For Keeps' kind of young man it scared and delighted her all at the same time.
"I'm sorry I hurt you earlier—"
"Don't worry about it. We're okay now."
"Are they looking at us?"
He looked up, "Yeah, but they're trying to act like they aren't."
"Figures."
Hunter looked at Megan and saw the future; he hoped that she saw a future with him in it as more than just a friend.
"You know something---"
"What is it, Hunter?"
"I don't know if this will make a difference or not, but I wasn't sure—I had doubts too—it had NOTHING to do with your handicaps, I swear. But when I found out you were coming for a visit, I was happy, and I even put on this stupid tie for you—and when you didn't want to be with me—I knew I couldn't be without you. I probably just made you even more insecure---I'm sorry."
Hunter was not a talkative soul but Megan was the only person he could truly converse with.
"No, you didn't. And I'm glad you had doubts, too," She held up her water bottle as she waited for him to hold up his soda can for a toast, "To friendship—may we never lose our core."
He smiled, "To friendship." They clicked
"Can we go back to the table now?" said Eric, he wondered what they were talking about. She was growing up too fast, it was hard to believe she was sixteen and dealing with boy-girl issues when it just seemed like yesterday that she was a sweet TINY baby girl clinging for dear life in St. Louis.
"No, we're going to let them eat dinner together." Donna replied, stirring her daiquiri with the small straw.
"What did you say to Megan, Steven?" asked Jackie
"That's between Megan and I. Let's give them some privacy."
"They're still grounded." Donna reminded
"Yeah but we suspended that for one day, did we not? I'll take Hannah home, she's sulking somewhere." Hyde said looking at Eric
"All right, I'll come for the ride," Eric gave Donna the keys to the rental van
"Come on, Jackie, I want to change out of this dress, then we'll come back after a coffee and pick up Megan and Hunter."
"Okay," Jackie thought somewhere through the course of the evening the moment wasn't about her and her little plaque anymore, it was about Megan and her beautiful son, "I'll tell the kids."
Later
Hunter and Megan were waiting inside by the front doors waiting for Donna and Jackie to come pick them up. He was supposed to get his learner's permit this summer but they took that away along with his artist camp as another part of his punishment. He sat on the floor reading Megan's book. He unbuttoned the first three buttons on his (his Dad's) shirt. and put his tie in his blazer pocket, which was on the floor.
"Is it grossing you out yet, Hunter?"
He looked up at her, "No.—It's different yeah, but it doesn't gross me out. Sorry Megan, you'll have to find another excuse to get rid of me."
Megan saw the lights shine in the parking lot indicating that Jackie and Donna were back. Donna beeped the horn.
"They're back."
Hunter closed the book quickly and put it back in her knapsack. He put his blazer back on.
"Kids—we don't have all night." They heard Jackie's voice through the closed door.
"I wish we did have all night," Hunter kissed her neck, "and that wasn't a friendship kiss Megan, so there."
She smiled as he opened the door for her and pushed her chair for her as they strolled to the van.
"Did you two have a nice evening?" asked Donna
"Yes." They responded in unison.
"Oh, Hunter, your jacket is all wrinkled." Jackie stated. The second thing Steven did when he got home was take off his tie, the first thing he did was to grab another beer.
"Isn't that what God made irons for?"
Megan laughed. He wanted her. He couldn't be without her. It seemed like it should have been a dream, but it was real. Hunter Hyde wanted HER. Just as much as she wanted HIM.
"Mom, can we talk later?" Megan asked
Donna was almost taken aback. Megan never wanted to talk one on one with her on purpose anymore.
"Sure, sweetie."
During the whole ride back to Jackie and Hyde's, Hunter held Megan's hand the entire way. She better get used to him loving her because he wasn't going away.
Not now. Not ever.