The next day, Perry placed Della on the couch after breakfast. "Let's see what we can get moving today. Can you move your ankle?" Della tried, but nothing. Perry started to gently rotate her ankles. "What else have you been unable to do?"
"Get a good night's sleep, but that's because I keep having nightmares."
"Didn't the doctor give you sleeping pills?"
"Yes, but they fell on the floor and rolled under my bed."
"Why didn't you say something last night?"
"I guess I didn't think to until we were already in bed. I didn't want to wake you."
"Darling, if it's something you need, wake me. I want you to."
"Okay, I'm sorry."
"I'll go find them now so we don't forget." Perry went to her room and found the pills. He placed the bottle on her nightstand and returned to the living room.
The following day, Della slept until eleven. She woke up just in time for lunch. After lunch, Perry placed her on the couch while he cleaned the kitchen. When he returned, he saw her smiling. "Look," she said and pointed to her moving ankles.
"I bet tomorrow we can get you on your feet."
"I wonder how much I can do with my hip."
"You've been having therapy for the past month. You should be fine."
"I hope you're right." Della was nervous that this was all a fluke. That she would wake up tomorrow, unable to move again.
Della tested her toes and ankles the next morning. She was relieved that she could still move them. After breakfast, Perry took Della to the couch while he cleaned up. When he was done, he returned to the living room. Perry helped Della to her feet. He held on gently, but tightly as she was quite wobbly. "You ready?"
"I don't know," she said, "what if I can't?"
"What if you can?"
Della tried to take a step, but it didn't happen, "see."
Perry sat her back on the couch and had an idea. He remembered something her doctor had said and decided to try something else. "Della, why did you run in front of that car?"
"I didn't do it on purpose. I wasn't paying attention."
"What had you so distracted? It looked like you had been crying."
"I don't remember." Perry stood and walked towards the door, "where are you going?"
"I can't help you if you won't be honest with me."
"I just don't think I can tell you."
"Tell me or I walk out that door and you'll never see me again."
"It was you!" she yelled, "you were why I was crying. You were why I was distracted and running away."
Perry felt his heart sink. It was his fault, "what did I do?"
"I overheard you telling Paul that you needed a change in your life. That there was a chance you'd need to find a new secretary. I heard you say that you love her and want to marry her."
"Who?"
"I don't know. I ran out before you said anything."
"Well, if you had stayed, you would have saved yourself a lot of pain."
"What do you mean?"
"Della, that night, weren't we supposed to work late?"
"Yes," she said.
"We didn't have to work late. Paul and I planned the whole thing. I was going to pretend to send him somewhere so you and I could be alone. I was going to ask you to marry me."
"What?"
"I wasn't sure if you'd want to work after we got married. I was having second thoughts because I didn't want to lose the best secretary I've ever had, but I also didn't want to lose the love of my life."
"I'm the love of your life?"
"Yes," he said. The next thing he knew, Della had propelled herself from the couch and ran to his arms, "Della!" he said in shock.
"Oh, Perry, I feel the same way about you."
"Della, look," he said.
The woman pulled back and realized what she had done. She smiled, "I guess now I can walk down the aisle."
"I'll be waiting for you. Don't take too long."
"I could run towards you."
"If you do, I'll catch you."
"Perry, I hate to say this, but I need to sit."
"What's wrong?"
"Well, I forgot about my hip. I shouldn't have moved so quickly."
"Do you want me to carry you?"
"Not yet," she said. Perry helped Della turn and walk to the couch. She was limping, but she was walking. Once she was seated, Perry moved the coffee table closer and put a pillow on it so she could rest her leg.
"I'm going to call your doctor and leave a message." He talked to the doctor for a few minutes before hanging up and calling Paul. After, he looked at Della, "the doctor is sending a prescription for pain relievers to the pharmacy. He has some information about recovery from a hip fracture that Paul is going to pick up before picking up your prescription. You have an appointment in two days. He wants to see how you're doing and what progress you've made."
"Thank you," she said.
"Anything, for my fiance."
"You know, technically I didn't say yes. I just said I could walk down the aisle. You haven't properly proposed."
Perry picked up the phone and called Paul, "I forgot something," he told the man, "can you go to my office and get the little black box I showed you a month ago? It's in the same spot. Thanks," he said before hanging up. "I guess now I need to find the right way to ask you."
"Shouldn't be too hard."
Paul arrived two hours later, "hi, Perry. Hello, beautiful," he smiled.
"Hi, Paul," Della smiled back, "what do you have for me?"
He held up the drugstore bag, "pain killers." The man handed the information about her hip recovery to Perry. "The doctor also sent this," the man held up a folded-up walker, "he said you need to use this for now. That even though you can walk, you still need to take it easy. This will help keep some weight off of your hip."
Della smiled as the man unfolded the aid and placed it in her reach, "thank you, Paul."
"So, are you coming back to work now?"
Della laughed, "we'll see what the doctor says when I see him in two days."
Paul sighed, "Perry's no fun without you."
"I was going to say the same about you," Perry said.
Paul stayed for a few more minutes and left. That night, Perry cooked Della's favorite meal and the two ate in candlelight. "You really outdid yourself, Mr. Mason."
"Well, it's a special night." Perry pulled the ring box out of his pocket. "Now, I was supposed to do this the proper way." He got down on one knee, "Della, you are the love of my life, the person who makes every day worth living, my soul mate. I can't imagine my life without you and I don't want to ever be without you again. Will you marry me?"
"Yes, Perry, I will marry you," she smiled as she felt tears forming. Perry kissed his fiance. When their lips parted, Perry opened the ring box to reveal a pear-shaped blue diamond ring. "It's beautiful," she gasped, "it matches your eyes."
"You've mentioned my eyes a few times. I figured you'd love a stone that was the same color."
"Smart man," she said. Perry slipped the ring on her finger. Della cupped his face with both hands and leaned in to kiss him again.
