"I cannot say for certain but I believe the first doctor was hasty in his diagnosis. He seems to have good reflexes in both of his legs," Dr. Watson said as he took a small tool and tapped it on Todd's knees. The little boy giggled every time his leg kicked out in response. "Either that or he has made quite the recovery, if it was first assumed he would never gain strength back in his lower extremities."
"Do you think he will be able to walk again?" My mother asked, her hand on Todd's back, standing beside him in his wheeled-chair.
My family has only been here for three days and already we decided to bring the doctor in Tarantsmo to visit. My family, Stanton, the doctor and I all sat in my family's new living room.
"I cannot make promises but I feel optimistic from my assessment today. I would suggest you buy him a walking assistance device – we have them at my office, you may pick one up there. I highly recommend that you do therapy every day. First just help him stand and work his legs with your hands, slowly introduce him to walking. It will take time for him to regain the strength he needs but he is young, I am hopeful, I will visit again in a few weeks time," the doctor said as he put all of his tools back in his black carrying case.
"Thank you so very much, we will do all that we can to help him recover," my father said as he shook the doctor's hand.
Todd was smiling ear to ear as the door closed behind the doctor.
"I told you I was feeling better mama, I told you!" he said as he looked at his feet, toes wiggling.
"I can do this again!"
My mother only smiled wistfully as she walked up to Stanton and I,
"What have you planned for the day?"
"I was hoping we could visit the orphanage again today – if Stanton wishes to as well," I said before turning my head to face him. I couldn't get little Thomas out of my mind since Todd had been here. They were so alike and Thomas was so alone.
"Oh, there is an orphanage – perhaps we could come as well? I think some fresh air would do us all some good and it is a beautiful day," my mother said as she motioned to my father and Todd. Todd affirmed with a thumbs up.
In moments we were outside in the warm sun, walking along the cobble streets to the orphanage. I was surprised my mother wanted to come with – she always became so upset with the circumstances of the children and not being able to help ate away at her.
The orphanage was on the other side of Tarantsmo so it was a lengthy walk but a pleasant one. Todd would often wheel ahead of us, weaving left and right, smiling and waving at the townsfolk. He seemed so carefree, not even affected by the chair he was bound to.
"He seems well," Stanton mentioned offhandedly as he watched the young boy.
"He is, his spirits have been exceptionally high since we arrived here, he is not having any problem adjusting," my father replied as he watched Todd lovingly.
We entered Helen's Henhouse and my mother and father both introduced themselves to Helen. All of the children seemed to stop for a moment and look at Todd's chair. A couple children came up to him and began asking a ton of questions, all of which Todd answered excitedly.
Stanton and I took a seat on a small loveseat that was positioned in the main living room of the orphanage.
"Becca!" I heard a familiar little voice squeal as I saw a small chesnut head come bobbing towards us.
"Hi Thomas," Stanton smiled as the little boy tried to climb up onto the loveseat. Stanton lifted him up and positioned him on his lap.
"Hi!" the little boy squealed happily and pinched Stanton's cheek.
He then leaned forward and reached his arms out towards me, "Becca!" he squealed again.
"Oh, um," I fumbled as I reached for the boy and put him on my lap awkwardly. I panicked as the boy wriggled around.
"Hi!" he chimed to me and he put both of his hands on my cheeks, squeezing them.
"Hello Thomas," I laughed through squished cheeks. "How have you been?"
"Good!" he said.
I smiled as the boy leaned back against me and got comfortable. A few short moments later, Helen came over. "Hello Stanton, Rebecca," she smiled at us. I didn't see any of the stiffness from our first meeting in her gaze, she must have gotten used to the idea that Stanton was married.
"I do hate so to interrupt but it is time for Thomas' treatment. There has been a nasty, nasty sickness going around and each of the children must take some medicine before each meal," she explained, a somber look on her face.
"Oh, alright," I said as I tried to hand the child off to her. He screamed in protest and clung to my neck. Panicking, I looked to Stanton, unsure of what to do with the small boy.
"I know you don't like it Thomas, I'm sorry. Everybody else has taken theirs," the woman cooed as she tenderly rubbed the boys back.
"Will!" the boy turned and shrieked.
"William cannot have your medicine, it will not help," the woman explained to the boy. "We are doing all that we can for him, please, Thomas," the woman plead.
He must have understood the desperation in her voice as he slowly unwrapped his arms from around me and reached to her. "I'll be back shortly," she said as she walked away and into another room.
"I wonder what she meant about William," I spoke to Stanton.
"I do not know, I hope all is well," he shook his head.
We sat in silence and watched as Todd continued to play with the other children with my parents overlooking with smiles on their faces. Alayna looked at us and waved but continued to play with the rest of the children.
Shortly after Helen returned with Thomas, who had a sour look on his face. She placed him down with the rest of the children and came over to where Stanton and I sat.
"William is not well, he has gotten the worst of this sickness. The doctor has given me enough medicine for the rest of the children but it does not help him," she shook her head, sadness lacing her words.
"Will he be alright?" I asked, hoping.
"It does not look good at the moment, he hasn't gotten out of bed in days and can barely keep food down," she explained as she looked at the other children.
"It's been years since we've had sickness in the orphanage like this, I dread it," she said, her voice cracking.
"You must hope for the best," Stanton said as he soothed the woman with his words. Much to my surprise, she cried out and turned and pushed her face into the nape of his neck and lay her hands upon his chest, running them up behind his neck. His eyes popped open wide and I couldn't stop the piercing jealousy that stabbed my heart. I felt my face heat in anger. He looked at me pleadingly, as he turned his palms up towards me in plea, he did not want me to be angry.
"Oh, I'm sorry, that was terribly inappropriate," the woman said as she straightened up, wiping at her eyes.
I resisted the urge to tell her how right she was, biting my tongue.
"No worry, though I think it is time that Rebecca and I took our leave," Stanton said to the woman as he started on the path towards my parents and brother, leaving me behind next to her.
I watched the woman's eyes follow as he walked away. "You are a lucky woman," she breathed wistfully.
"Yes, I am," I said as I walked away, joining my husband, fighting back a much more colorful and less pleasant reply.
"Mother, father, though I hate to cut the visit short, I think it is time for Stanton and I to head back," I said as I smiled, despite my annoyance with Helen as Thomas climbed up the side of Todd's wheelchair and sat on his lap.
"Alright, we will stay a bit longer, thank you again for everything you have done for us," my mother said as she gave both Stanton and I a hug in turn. My father followed suit and kissed my forehead before putting his arm around my mother, watching the two small boys talk excitedly. Just as we left I watched as Alayna walked up to the boys, joining them as they talked and laughed.
I walked quickly out of the orphanage, hoping to clear my head of the annoyance that refused to leave.
"I am sorry about Helen, Rebecca, I did not know she would seek comfort in me," he said as he took my hand.
I pulled my hand from his and turned to face him, "But she did. Why?" I asked. I couldn't help but feel that they must have been close if she would go into his arms the way she did.
"I have spent a lot of time at the orphanage," he said shortly as he dropped his hands to his sides.
"You have a close relationship with her then?" I asked, hating the jealous tone in my voice but wanting to know.
"You don't understand," he said, shaking his head, getting frustrated.
"Then enlighten me," I said as I began walking, intending on going home.
"The orphanage is where I went after my family was killed. Helen was there as well. We grew up together and when I left to become a knight, she began working at the orphanage which lead to her operating it," he explained.
This only further ignited the fire of jealousy in my chest. The woman had grown up with Stanton. She knew of his hardships, how many times had he confided in her growing up? How many times had she been the one he turned to, and vice versa?
"It was never anything more than friendship, Rebecca, I promise you," he said as he walked along side me.
"On your side – it is very clear that the woman has feelings for you, Stanton. I could tell from the moment you introduced me the first time I met her," I explained quickly. Why was I angry with him? He had not done anything. I hated this feeling and I hated myself for allowing it to eat away at me. This was a marriage I was forced into with a man I barely knew, why should I care if this woman was infatuated with him? It's not like I loved the man. But I was tied to him and he was tied to me and I felt a vehement possessiveness when the woman touched him. I did not want her or any other woman touching my husband.
"That may be so but nothing has ever come from it and nothing ever will," Stanton huffed.
I nodded in acknowledgment but I didn't say anything more, I was too busy warring with myself and the myriad of emotions I was having.
We continued in silence all the way until we reached our home, entering through the front doors. The entire time I couldn't get the image of the woman touching him out of my mind. How dare she seek comfort in his chest, the chest of a married man, right in front of his wife?
"Rebecca, I did not ask the woman to seek comfort in me, can we not just forget about it?" Stanton asked through gritted teeth. It was obvious he was trying not to lose his patience with me.
I stopped abruptly and stood up on my toes, grabbing his face and pulling it down to mine. I kissed him deeply, my hands knotting in his hair. I parted my lips from his just slightly before I whispered "You are my husband. My husband to kiss," I ran my hands over his chest, "My husband to touch and mine alone," I said as I grabbed his hand and began walking to our chambers.
This feeling of jealousy, this anger epitomized deep within the pit of my stomach. Stanton was my husband and I, alone the only one who may touch him. There was a possessive hunger that was new to me but there was only one way I knew to sate it.
"Rebecca, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice husky.
I did not respond, my breathing ragged as I opened the doors to our chamber, pulled him through and slammed the door behind him.
"Rebecca," he said again as he tried to caress my cheek. I knocked his hand away and pushed him into the door behind him, pressing myself to him and kissing him fiercely as I gripped the bottom of his tunic.
"You are my husband and I alone can have you," I growled as I pulled the tunic above his head. The fierce jealousy and anger in my heart had not ebbed and it fueled a passionate need deep within me that I would not deny.
His eyes widened for a moment as he processed what I was implying. I reached back and pulled the pins that were holding my hair back and dropping them to the floor, sighing as my hair fell in waves down my back.
Stanton reached for the ties of my dress that sat just below my bosom, again I knocked his hands away. He growled in frustration, my answer to which was dropping to my knees and kissing just above his pants line, to either side of his muscular abdomen. How had I never noticed how defined his muscles were – a deeply attractive "v" forming between his hips. I licked and nibbled each side as I held his hands pressed to the door behind him. I did not want him to touch me yet, no, not until I had my fill of touching him.
I stood again and put a finger behind the tie of his trousers, pulling on it, hearing a hiss of air escape between his lips.
I undid the tie and let the trousers fall from his hips, hastily pushing down his undergarments as well. He stood completely naked in front of me and I took a moment to take in the sight of him, my husband. I dropped his hands and stood back, meeting his eyes, which held mine with intensity. His lips were parted as he breathed heavy, his chest rising and falling in time with my own.
I brought my hands to the ties of my gown and undid them, slipping the small cuff of a sleeve off of each arm in turn. I then stripped myself of my undergarments and pressed the front of my naked body to his.
I kissed him once, lightly, quickly, before I took his hand and lead him to our bed, watching him behind me as his eyes watched my naked body. When we reached the edge of the bed I pulled him so he was in front of me and pushed on his chest. He sat on the edge of the bed and slowly brought himself back so he was fully laying on it. I wasted no time and climbed upon him, my legs on either side of his hips as I pressed my groin into his.
He groaned and put his hands on my hips, which I quickly pulled off and pressed above his head. "Rebecca," he growled.
I continued to grind into him for a few short moments but it was obvious he was ready for what was to come, as was I. I sat up straight and following my instincts, I slowly lowered myself onto him, hissing out a slow breath as his manhood filled me deeply. There was pain at first as my body was still new to uniting with a man. I tilted my head back and gave my body a moment to adjust, getting familiar with the feeling of being full with my husband in this way.
I felt his hands on my thighs as he raised his hips. I could hear his ragged breathing and I smiled, rocking my hips slowly. This was a very different sensation than before. I set the tempo as I rocked my hips and pressed my groin to him. I gasped when I felt his hand press to the top of my womanhood, I looked down and his thumb was massaging the most sensitive part of me, in slow, torturous circles. His thumb matched the tempo of my hips as I began to increase my speed. All of the raw hunger and emotion, the jealousy, the anger welled up inside me again as I began to rock my hips back and forth quickly. Again, his thumb quickened as it massaged my jewel more quickly now, sending shocks of pleasure throughout.
I could feel the pressure building, the pleasure increasing with each pass. Becoming needy, I grabbed both of his hands and pushed them above his head as I began to grind my hips harder against him, his manhood reaching deep within me and the friction between our bodies continuing the sensations where his thumb had left off.
He fought against my hands, wanting to touch me, grab me, but I kept them above his head as I brought my face to his, kissing him and sucking on his lip. I knew the release that was possible and I wanted it – grinding myself into him desperately, quickly, as hard as I could. He groaned once and began raising his hips in time with mine, the short bucking sensation against my jewel just what I was looking for.
Soon my entire body began heating up, my skin wet with sweat. I brought my mouth to his chest as I bit down and at the sound of his breath hitching I relinquished control of his hands. They found their way to my breasts as his fingers massaged them. With one quick, light tug on the aroused peak, he sent me toppling over the edge. I cried out as I exploded around him, more powerful than before as my legs trembled but I didn't stop my pursuit, each rocking motion of my hips sending waves of pleasure throughout. He cried out as he grabbed my hips as he too found his release.
I swore out as I fell on top of him, our sweaty chests meeting in a heated reunion. Stanton buried his hands in my hair as he nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck, taking a deep breath.
"My god, woman," he spoke as he wound his arm around me and ran his hand lightly up my side and slowly back down. Closing my eyes, I exhaled deeply, the cathartic feeling in my chest was rejuvenating and refreshing. Not long after, I drifted off into a peaceful sleep to the feeling of him caressing my side.