This is the sequel to REACH. Before you read this, read that first...
Roy Walker becomes paralyzed after a movie stunt gone wrong. While in the hospital, he befriends an avant-garde nurse named MacKenzie, and soon both are pulled into an intense em...
After making out in the Fritzges swimming pool non stop for several minutes, Roy and MacKenzie headed back inside, giggling like children.
While Roy got a change of clothes, MacKenzie headed to go get some towels and slip on a loose blouse and comfy slacks.
Just as Roy finished putting on his shirt a key turned in the lock and the front door open.
"Fraulein MacKenzie?" A young girl peeked her head in. She looked around cautiously before noticing Roy and pulled her sister inside.
"Hello girls," Roy said kindly.
MacKenzie jogged out of the bathroom and threw a towel at Roy.
"Hey girls!" MacKenzie said. "How was piano?"
"Who's this?" The one who opened the door frowned. "I thought we were having the weekend to build forts."
"Yeah and tell us more stories," the other girl, smaller and meeker said.
"Don't worry, girls, of course we are." MacKenzie twisted her hair up in a towel. Roy never understood how girls made those towel hats.
"And why are you wet!"
"Roy and I stumbled into your pool today," she sighed. "You haven't met Roy, have you? Come on, girls, introduce yourself."
"I'm Heidi," the first girl said.
"Gillian," replied the other.
"My names Roy," he smiled.
"Don't you work for Papa?" Gillian questioned.
"Yeah," Roy nodded.
"Hmm," she studied him.
"Roy's gonna spend the weekend with us, is that okay with you two?" MacKenzie smiled.
"Only if we're still doing your plans," exclaimed Heidi.
"Of course!" MacKenzie replied. "And Roy will be helping me. And actually, we were just getting set up in the living room..."
Both their eyes lit up and proceeded to run into the living room. MacKenzie laughed and Roy followed them.
This room was themed red, the carpet was thick and Roy didn't realize how hard it would be to wheel on it. Even the furniture was red, and the antique wallpaper with an exotic pattern looked like it had been recently refurbished.
Gillian sat cross legged on the floor. Heidi looked over at Roy, studied him for a bit looking interested, and quickly ran over to him, sitting on his lap and giving the biggest hug a six year old could ever give.
"How old are you?" She asked curiously.
"26, why?" Roy chuckled.
"I don't know, I'm 6."
She took the towel Roy was still holding and rubbed his head with it. She looked back at Gillian and said something in German. Although they both sounded American like their mother, their German was flawless.
"I like him," she said.
Gillian followed Heidi by sitting on Roy's lap with her and continued to tousle his hair.
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"Mr. Roy, are you and Fraulein MacKenzie in love?"
MacKenzie put her hands to her mouth, blushing. She had started gathering several chairs from the dining room and sheets and blankets from the linen closet.
"Of course we are," Roy smiled.
"Are you married?" Gillian asked.
"Okay, girls, help me set up our palace," MacKenzie beckoned them.
They climbed off of Roy and proceeded to line several pillows in between the chairs. Heidi took a silk bed sheet and tossed it over Roy's head."
"Oh my god Heidi," MacKenzie chuckled.
"Guess I'm a ghost now," Roy whispered. MacKenzie grinned, pulling the sheet off Roy and draping it over the chairs.
Roy proceeded to watch and observe them create their masterpiece, MacKenzie directing them on what to do.
"Can we please bring the cot down this time?" Gillian pleaded. "The ground hurts after awhile, the pillows aren't enough."
"No, Gillian, we're not sleeping down here, plus the cot is upstairs."
"But have Mr. Roy bring it down!"
"Mr. Roy is staying put downstairs," she grinned. "He's designated palace watcher."
"No, no," Roy insisted. "Girls, it's so easy. MacKenzie will come upstairs with you, you'll sit on the cot and go sledding down the stairs. And of course I'll stay here and guard the palace."
MacKenzie's eyes widened, she gave Roy the look. The girls looked so excited, like they wouldn't have thought of riding a mattress down the stairs in a million years.
"Fraulein MacKenzie, we have him to guard the palace!" Heidi tugged on her hand and Gillian had already ran to go upstairs.
"Yeah, and then ya'll can camp out down here for the night. The palace always is exciting at night..."
"Y'all?" Heidi cocked her head confused.
"Let's go," MacKenzie sighed.
And soon Roy heard a bump bump bump and wheeled out to see MacKenzie and the two kids laughing hysterically at the bottom of the stairs on top of a mattress.
"Alright, let's finish our palace," she said, dragging the mattress into the living room and under the sheets.
"I'm ready, I'm ready!" Gillian explained, crawling into the fort. Heidi followed her, and so did MacKenzie.
"Aren't you coming?" Heidi questioned Roy.
"Yeah, aren't you coming, Roy?" MacKenzie smiled.
Roy honestly didn't want to transfer out of his wheelchair to the floor in front of children, least of all MacKenzie. And he felt stupid for feeling anxious, but he slowly did it anyway, extra careful not to fuck up, and scooted inside next to MacKenzie.
The girls studied him carefully as he did so.
"How do you do that!" Heidi exclaimed.
"Practice," Roy grinned.
"You're neat," Gillian said. She crawled over to Roy, who had situated himself cross legged, and proceeded to settle herself on his lap.
MacKenzie was so amused. "So now you can tell us your story."
"My story?" Roy raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, Roy. They must be sick of hearing all my stories every day."
"Hmm." Roy pondered. "Alright. Alright close your eyes."
They did just that.
"What do you see?" Roy asked.
"Nothing," Gillian responded and Heidi frowned in disappointment. MacKenzie was still grinning.
