Part III
Beauty is in the eye of the beholderIt had been three weeks since the surgery and things on the surface seemed to be sort of back to normal. The guys had their daily bought with Limburger and fighting against the Plutarkians plan to steal land from earth, Chicago being the center of the action for the most part.
Charley concentrated most of her time on repairing and upgrading the guy's bikes and working on other vehicles that kept the Last Chance Garage in the black. Venna kept close watch on her patient and having a reason to see Modo more often was a pleasant plus to the situation.
Around everyone else Charley seemed to be her old fun loving self, but behind close doors Throttle was dealing with a serious change in their relationship. Charley had said she wanted to temporarily sleep in the spare bedroom just until her injury was closer to being healed. That temporary had tuned into them having separate bedrooms. She would lock the bathroom door and even if they were alone lounging around the house Charley would be completely covered in sweats or some old flannel work shirt and dirty over alls.. He loved seeing her in those cute lacey sleeping things that her girlfriends gave her before they were married.
He talked to Venna and she said it was normal for the woman to be very self-conscience after this type of surgery. He was really trying to be patient, but he missed being with her, snuggling with her in his arms, the smell of her hair and the incredible softness of her skin. He'd waited his whole life to share intimately with a life mate and being with Charley was far beyond anything he might have imagined. It was just like it had said in that little black book Charley read from all the time, and the two would become one flesh. She was that to him and no amount of scaring could or would ever change that. He just had to remind Charley.
He stood in the living room doorway watching Charley just having come out of the shower, wrapped in her favorite over sized terrycloth robe, hugging a sofa pillow while staring at something on the TV.
"Feel like a little company, Darlin?"
She looked over at him giving him a shy smile, "I'm watching one of those notorious chick flicks. Sure you want to?"
"Hey, I'm an open minded, 21st century kinda guy. I think I can handle it. What is it?"
"Hitch." She answered scooting closer to the corner of the sofa while pulling her knees close to her chest making room for him to join her.
He sat a little distance away not wanting to make her uncomfortable, "Feel like a little foot rub?" He asked cautiously.
She smiled warmly and nodded yes stretching her legs out to lay them across his lap so he could reach her feet.
"So far so good," he thought as he began gently massaging her tiny feet warming them between his hands. Her contented sigh gave him even more encouragement and he could feel her relax. He hesitated a split second then decided to take it a step further by lifting her foot and softly kissing one of her toes. As if someone had stabbed her with a knife Charley bolted straight up and yanked her foot out of his grasp.
"NO! Please don't, Throttle I..I can't," she squealed pitfully.
He took a sad frustrated sigh and stood up to leave, "Okay, baby, okay. If that's what you want. I just missed you so much and I thought that maybe…well never mind. I'll see you in the morning." He left and head up the stairs to the bedroom alone again.
Charley could see the hurt she was causing him and if there was one person who should never have to be hurt again it was, Throttle. He'd given his whole life to protect and care for others and during the war had lost so many people that he dearly loved. Even Carbine, though she hadn't died was focusing her life to the rebuilding of Mars and there was no longer any room for him in it.
It wasn't that she didn't want to be with her husband it was just that she was so, so ugly now. She didn't want him to have to go through looking at her disfigurement. He deserved to have a whole woman and she was no longer that.
She bit her bottom lip and slowly followed him up the stairs. She walked into their bedroom and there was Throttle lying on the bed, in the dark, without his shirt, staring at the ceiling. He taken off the field specs and in the dim light that was coming through the small window she could see a tiny sparkle of light shinning in the tears that were streaming down his cheek.
"It's not you. It's me. I…I don't want you to have to look at me. I see that horrible scar and know it would be hard for anyone to want to touch me, let alone make love to me. I couldn't stand seeing the disgust that would be on your face once you saw it." She'd sat on the bed holding tight around her own waist and hanging her head very low in shame.
"I've been trying to avoid that ever happening." Her voice was a child like whisper filled with remorse.
Throttle desperately wanted to show how wrong she was. He leaned up on one elbow and shook his head. Charley's hand held the front of the robe closed. He reached over and opened her fingers making her release the material allowing the robe to fall open. He could see the scar and delicately ran his finger down the length of it.
"This is the most beautiful part of you because it saved your life. You never have to hide anything from me, sweetheart. The beauty I see in you goes so deep that nothing, not this cancer or anything else will ever change how much I love you or take away how much I need you. Remember what your book said, a three-fold cord isn't easily broken. Ours is indestructible."
His hand went up her shoulder and cupped her cheek bringing her closer to his face and the kiss that was exchanged only solidified their already strong bond.
To be continued…