The new nurse was frail as a flower. Her hair, the color of the moon, was twisted into a neat braid. Just above her creamy chin, a ripe mouth was turned up in a smile. Above that, a perfect nose. A pair of the most beautiful eyes, in which he could see green fields and mountains. A bolt of light lingered at the back of her pupils; watching; waiting.
He looked at her pale arms, so thin and yet so supple. The soft, peachy hands attached to them adjusted the pillow under his head; brushed a lock of hair from his face. Her velvet fingers stroke his cheek lightly for a moment, and Ebenezer resisted the urge to close his eyes and lean into the palm of her hand.
“Hello, handsome,” she said cheerily, moving over to the window. She opened the blinds (not being blind – that was another thing they said he was “lucky” for. Somehow, his eyesight had been spared, even when his eyebrows and lashes had been seared off) carefully, throwing looks at him to make sure it didn’t hurt him. “Is that all right?”
“Perfect,” he answered. His gaze zoomed in on her nametag gracing the white fabric that strained against her chest. Ava Gingerroots, that was her name. It was beautiful; befitting of her, even though he thought she should have been called something even more poetic. Perhaps Venus, for her ethereal beauty or Sun or Moon; something that described the planes of her perfect skin; the healthy glow that surrounded her whole being.
“Did you sleep well?” she asked. Her voice was the finest thing he’d ever heard in all of his eighteen years; an angel’s lullaby. It washed over him, more soothing than any other sedative in the world. “You look a bit tired.” Her hand came to rest on Ebenezer’s forehead ever so lightly and his mouth went dry. This was more bittersweet than any dream his mind could conjure up.
“No, not really,” Ebbie admitted. “I had some bad dreams.”
This was where Ava would smile sympathetically; turn away and tell him she would be back later. Maybe give him a reassuring squeeze of the hand. And he would watch her walk away; watch the way her hips swung and imagine the soft velvety texture of her skin against his, something that would never happen. Dear God, he couldn’t even get a hard on. They might as well have chopped off his . . . well. Ebenezer winced at that thought.
Thus, he was flabbergasted when she sat down on the edge of his bed and pulled a face. How old was she? Twenty-three? Younger? Older? Was she a volunteer? “I hate nightmares. They haunt you, don’t they? The recurring ones are terrible especially.” She chewed her plump bottom lip absentmindedly, and Ebenezer felt his heart yearn for her. “I used to have them all the time. About a crocodile in the sewers, waiting to eat me.” She grinned at him; a tongue-in-cheek sort of smile. “What are yours about? If you don’t mind telling me.”
He didn’t mind. He absolutely didn’t. “They’re about . . .” Ebenezer swallowed. Where had his self-confidence gone to? Had it burned with his good looks? “Well, about accidents, mostly. Someone always gets hurt or dies.” He didn’t dare look her in the eye. “What’s weird is that it’s sort of worth it. I mean, just before the bad stuff happens, I’m so happy. I’ve still got everything in the world. Like before” – his voice faltered – “well, this happened to me.”
Ava said nothing for a while, but then took his hand and gave him a diminutive smile. “Don’t let it get you down.”
Ebenezer looked up carefully. “Will you believe that I used to be really handsome? Athletic, popular . . . I had a really nice girlfriend, too.” He snorted. “Although that’s sort of debatable.”
“You’re still a looker,” Ava responded, grinning again. “And charming, you are.”
“Charming, you are,” Ben repeated, mimicking Yoda to the best of his ability. His heart gave a little excited jump when this elicited a beautiful, genuine smile with Ava. The cutest dimple was formed in her cheek, which had turned rosy somewhere along the conversation. He’d only known her for a few minutes, but already, Ebenezer found that he wanted her to stay; that he wanted her to touch him again, and not just on his forehead.
Ava was about to respond, but saw the clock on the wall and did a double take. “Oh, sweet Jesus. I’m so sorry, but Mrs. Cruz is going to kill me for being late!” She jumped up, flustered. “I’ll send Nina to get you to the bathroom, sweetheart.” Patting his hand, Ava added, “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Ava!” The name bubbled out of his throat without his permission; a sound sweet, true, and oh-so-natural. Ebenezer’s heart thumped as she halted, still wearing that friendly look on her face. “It was nice meeting you,” he blurted out. “Really nice.”
Her open eyes didn’t change; no wary shutters descended upon them, even though he could hear the longing in his own voice; the desperation, almost. It had been years since he’d held a girl in his arms; a sweet, round girl, who could curl into him so naturally that at that very moment, it would be impossible to imagine a life without her. But Ava was still a nurse, if a hot one. There was no chance, no way, that she would give in to any flirtatious approach he might make. This woman would never rest in his arms. Her warm breath, sweet as honey, would never tickle his skin.
“Bye bye, sweetie” Her simple smile faded nor grew as she whirled around and bounced out of the door. Her braid bounced on her back – her slim, beautiful back – and Ebenezer realized he must be getting pretty desperate if he was thinking such things about a nurse (“I mean, ‘Hello?’” a voice in his head asked. “A nurse?”). As her dress fluttered when she shot the door, Ebbie suddenly realized he had never even told her his name. The knowledge that he didn’t have to tell her shot a pang through his heart; she would already know. Every nurse who came into his room knew his name.
It would be nice to meet someone whom he’d have to introduce himself to. Someone like Ava, who could look at him without flinching. Someone who loved him despite everything that had happened. Who wouldn’t mind not being able to really have intercourse or helping him bathe. Someone who meant it when they said, “Through sickness and health, till death do us part.”
Truth was, a person like that was hard to find regardless of what you looked like.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Those Who Spoon
बेतरतीबEbenezer Soon is born lucky. He's intelligent, good-looking and charming. Loved by one and all, Ben - as he insists on being called - has never had a bad day in his life . . . right until he catches his girlfriend cheating on him, trips over a spoon...
