Chapter 19: Madera por la Mañana

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 7:00 a.m.

“Good morning, sweetie. How do you feel?”

“Honestly, Melanie, I feel confused. Down at the ends of my legs, I’m feeling the usual pain, so I don’t think I’m still asleep. But in front of my eyes is the spectacular face of a goddess, so I must be dreaming.

“And about halfway between those places, I’m being held and stroked by a warm soft hand, which is leading up to a crisis, I have to say. An urgent crisis. Uh, a messy crisis. Oh! Ah! Ahh!

“It seems my pain meds have worn off, because my ankles really hurt and my sex drive is coming back. Melanie, I think I’m better off without those meds, even considering the ankle pain.”

It was a bit clumsy, but he embraced her and kissed her. He tried his best to put everything into it: all of his affection, gratitude, happiness, lust, all of it. But he was unskilled, inexperienced. Melanie pushed him away with a chuckle.

It seems Ginny didn’t counsel him very well on kissing skills. Something I will have to get to. Also, we have to figure out good ways, good positions to have sex considering his ankles. Work, work, work!

“I understand your feelings right now, after all, you just exploded all over my hand. No, it’s fine, don’t worry about it. You’re showing appreciation, I don’t mind the mess. We can have more fun and more kissing tonight.

“Right now, I promised Amy pancakes, I need to rush. Here’s some wipes so you can clean up. Can I transfer you to your chair now?”

In a virtual blur, Melanie managed to make the pancakes, get Amy (and herself) dressed and ready, and make sure Jacob had what he needed for the day. Just before leaving, she bent over and gave him a long, thorough kiss.

As they left the complex, Amy burst out with, “You KISSED him!”

“Of course I kissed him. Isn’t he cute?”

“Mama, you have never kissed anyone but me before, that I can remember. You didn’t kiss the guy at the car place, and he was cute.”

“Ew. No. That guy was creepy.”

“No, not HIM. I mean, Carrie’s daddy.”

“You’re right, that guy was cute. But, I didn’t know him. Amy, it’s different with me and Jacob. We have been sending emails back and forth on the computer, so we know each other.”

“Oh, OK.”

While this was going on, back inside Jacob was already on the phone. Although his iPhone had survived the crash, it was damaged. And, he wanted to upgrade to a model with a larger-screen. So he was speaking with the bank, asking to rehire the same courier and arrangement they used for his iPad.

Next, he called the company that had helped with Robert’s needs a few years ago. Once he set up a new account with them (with a substantial deposit), he was connected to Graciela, an occupational therapist, who was also an RN.

They had a good discussion and he explained his needs, and he asked her to bring over some items. They agreed, the mayonnaise jar was not a long-term solution. (Plus, he was afraid he would drop the jar in the bathroom leaving shattered glass everywhere.)

Graciela suggested a fixed pole, attached floor to ceiling, which he could use to help transfer in and out of bed. But Jacob put that off, being just a guest in Melanie’s apartment. They did agree on a snap-on frame that fit around the toilet and provided rails on each side to help him get on and off. When the list was complete, they agreed she would arrive with everything at 2 p.m.

When Amy and Melanie returned in the evening, he told them immediately about the change in the bathroom, so Amy would not be alarmed. The mayonnaise jar was in the kitchen sink, filled with soapy water.

“Guess you want to stay, huh.”

He folded his hands, prayerfully. “Please, please, please. I promise to be good.”

“What do you think, Amy?”

“Only if he still reads to me.”

“I will. I will!”

“I guess you can stay, then, until you can get around better. I’m going to go make dinner. Baby, go use the bathroom and wash up. Then tell Jacob what happened in daycare today while I am busy in the kitchen.”

It wasn’t so much the tales of daycare that interested him. It was that she just crawled into his lap and started talking, as if this was an everyday thing.

This was entirely new to him, this warm, trusting little person in his lap. She talked about her friend Jordan, about the smaller kids who needed time outs, and so on.