Chapter XX
Maybe That's Why We Hold On As Hard As We Do. We Can Never Believe That Such A Miracle Could Ever Happen To Us Twice. But It Does.
As this, being the last chapter of this particular story, I am very sorry to say that it is coming to close. Your reviews and constant opinions have helped to boost my inditing efforts and excel in something that I normally would not look toward as a part-time activity. Gosh, look at me, I'm getting all mushy…I'm such a sap…
But really, you guys have meant so much to me that I wish I could go to all your people's houses and hug each and every one of you…but since I am unable to do that…I would just like to give shout out to those who stuck with my story until the bitter end.
Khaki: for your inspiration and guiding tactics that always made me do better than half-ass and showing me things that I would otherwise never have the energy to learn about…
Rach 8^)3: for always being on top of the game and trying to review back as quickly as possible for my untimely updates…you'll always be my ever-faithful fan…
samantha: for never giving up hope that a quirky love-sequence would come along at any moment and always made me appreciate the fact that I even decided to post this up on the internet…
karen: for your first review that helped to turn this story into what it is right now, I couldn't have done it without you…
And finally, Jen: for always checking my story each and every day just to see if I had made an update yet and always posting a review mostly within the same day…
And even if your name is not one of the five above, your contributions to my story have filled me heart and soul and have pushed me to branch off and continue on with other more simple stories in this same subject…but finally, I'd like to thank you all for putting up with my Eddie-torture, goodnight and I hope your life is like toilet paper: long and useful!!!
(\^. .^/) *MOO* (\^. .^/)
{*_*} *MOO* {*_*}
(FYI: That's two cows. The "." represent eyes while the "*" represent the cows' nostrils!! (Can you see it?!?!?!?))
"Jeez honey, I am soooo sorry," Jane objected as she stepped into the apartment, even before Eddie could turn around from the burners on the oven.
"I couldn't get a cab and then the rain slowed me down and…" She sulked mostly to herself as she hung up her dripping raincoat on the coat rack, removing her shoes and throwing her briefcase on the floor.
The weather outside the apartment was absolutely atrocious, the sky was a forbidding dark gray and then rain came down so hard that it seemed as though it could possibly break through the windows.
She looked up when no sounds came from Eddie, and had expected that he had fallen out of his chair or something. But he only smiled back at her, one eyebrow raised in incredulity.
"It's okay, China and I have been hanging out making dinner." He turned away from Jane, back towards his concealed recipe boiling over the oven. Jane's ambition turned away from apologizing and into coaxing out his forgiveness, not understanding why he was uncommonly mellow about it.
She walked silently up behind him in her damp socks, closing her eyes and taking in a delicious scent that was familiar, but unnamed.
"And what is Mr. Connoisseur preparing for this evening's banquet?" Jane laughed seductively and placed her lips against the smooth skin behind Eddie's jaw, kissing it gently.
Eddie laughed and stirred what was on the stove, adding a French accent to his deep voice as though it would make his secret recipe that much more coveted. "I call it: Macaroni and cheese."
Jane laughed and patted him lightly on the shoulder, shaking her head at his humor.
"I hear four out of five chefs prefer it…" Eddie added with a smile, turning to Jane as she walked toward the living room, picking up stray magazines from the countertop as she went.
"Where'd you read that?" Jane tossed her hair back from her face, smiling up at him. "Martha Stewart magazine?"
"No," Eddie held in his smile in as he responded. "The Costco Coupon book."
Jane threw her head back and laughed, dropping the collected magazines down on the coffee table, only to be found by a tugging hand at her shirt.
'Mommy! Mommy!' China's big eyes met Jane's with a dazzling shine, despite the disgusting weather outside. 'Come see, come see!' China signed ecstatically.
China grabbed her by the hand and led her into the back room, the one that had the giant hole in the wall that Eddie had finally gotten around to fixing just before he asked for Jane's hand in marriage, but was now China's personal room.
China left Jane at the door as she got down on her belly and stuck her arms under the bed, searching out something. Jane was puzzled, then surprised as there was a meek sound and China pulled out something fuzzy from the bed.
'Look what daddy brought us!' China signed happily, gingerly handing over the fuzzy ball of black and white fur.
The little kitten meowed awkwardly and stared up at Jane with huge, green eyes, it's little pink nose shining through her little, round face. It was completely black, except for blotches of white around half of it's face and one of its front paws.
'What are we going to name it?' Jane signed as she handed the kitten back to China, who set it on the floor. They watched it stumble a few times on new legs, before falling over and looking up at them in surprise.
'Daddy says we should name it Sushi…' China seemed puzzled. 'Mommy? What's "Sushi"?'
'Well baby, that's the name of our new cat…' Jane smiled as she led China out of the room, the little kitten following haphazardly behind, trying to pounce on China's untied shoelace.
"I see you have added to the family." Jane pronounced as she came back out into the living room, watching Eddie as he turned away in almost embarrassment. He had the dishes set out and was just beginning to pour the mac n' cheese into the separate bowls.
"I just thought China needed something to play with…" Eddie tested, not chancing a look up as he scooped out the gooey orange noodles.
"And you named her Sushi?"
"You don't like it?" Eddie seemed crushed.
"No…well…shouldn't cats have names like Mitten or Fluffy?" She never really had any cats as a child, so she had no clue.
"Come on Jane," Eddie snorted with laughter, "have a little fun!" He proudly threw the last bit of the mac n' cheese into his dish and threw the serving ladle single-handedly into the sink on the far counter.
"Score!" He mimicked the screaming of the crowd and put his hands up like field goals, gently bending his head back like a champion.
Jane crossed her hands over her chest and tried to look cross, but her placid face kept breaking with a smirk.
Eddie turned back to her with an evil smile, "guess that means you owe me another cheer, Tomcat…" he popped a loose noodle into his mouth and scrunched up his nose like an angry cat as he chewed.
Suddenly, China was jumping up and down in the living room, and when her parents turned their attention towards her, she slapped her hands across her wide, embarrassed smile.
'What's the matter?' Jane signed, taking only one step forward. Her daughter was smiling, so she didn't seem to be in trouble.
'Well…' China was reluctant to explain for fear that they may be mad. 'The kitty was playing with my shoe when she…maid a mess on the carpet…' She smiled broadly and began to laugh hysterically, falling back into the big chair behind her.
Eddie sucked in his breath as Jane turned back to him, her hands on her hips and her eyes buried beneath her eyebrows. He smiled and tried to laugh casually, but his smile dropped as she nonchalantly approached him.
"Looks like that cheer's going to have to wait until later, Mojo…" She placed the tip of her finger against his nose. "I have to go get some carpet cleaner and a kitty box…" She smiled and leaned down, kissing his cheek and rising to walk toward the door.
"Which really should be your job…but since you're sick…" She smiled with new black mail as she walked toward the front door. "You owe me...big time…"
Just as she pulled on her still-damp coat, China was standing in front of her, her little eyes filled with worry. 'Sushi didn't mean to make a mess.' She tried to cover for the cat. "She's not in trouble, is she?"
'Don't worry baby,' Jane stooped and ran her hand over China's hair and looked up to Eddie, smiling once more before getting a goodbye kiss from China on the cheek.
As she rose to shift her coat around her shoulders, she signed back without taking her eyes off Eddie's priceless face. 'Daddy's the one that's in trouble…" And was out the door.
*MOO*
"Taxi!" Jane yelled, waving her arm at the checkered yellow cab driving aimlessly through the water towards her. She stepped back from the curb as it sent up a huge crest of muddy water.
The driver was a fat Indian man with a large, bulbous, turban wrap on his head and a gold, ornament, crown sitting on his dashboard. A thick, black beard rested against his chest and his clothes were worn as though they had been thrown on with a pitchfork.
"Hi," Jane said automatically, unintentionally stepping back as a waft of putrid stench exited the open door. It was immediately wrestled down by the rain but Jane still shook her head at the intensity. She just wanted to get out of the rain, no matter who with.
"Jane!" A voice came from behind.
She turned from the cab door to see Eddie pushing his wheelchair frantically out of the door to catch her, only his tee shirt and pants keeping him from the pouring rain.
"Eddie! What are you doing?" She couldn't believe that he was coming out into the weather so ill prepared and vulnerable.
"Lady?" The taxi driver called out at her from the car with a thick Indian accent, obviously not a man of much patients.
"Just, hold on, please, for one minute." Jane pleaded, shaking her hands at him in justification for this awkward moment. The fat cab driver sighed agitatedly and nodded reluctantly, turning back to watch the road dance with raindrops.
"What are you doing out here?" Jane proclaimed as she began to come toward Eddie, but stopped when Eddie held up his hand.
"Hold on," He paused, taking a deep breath and pushed himself up from his wheelchair with extreme agitation, something he was not suppose to do.
"No, Eddie, don't-" But it was too late, he was already standing awkwardly up from his wheelchair, with the rain pouring off his head and making his shirt and pants stick against him like a second skin.
Her eyes couldn't help but trail down the smooth curves of his chest and thighs, sending a slight chill up her spine, but still, she didn't like the look of pain on his face as he stood there.
Jane cupped her hands around her mouth and covered her eyes in anxiety, her feet pacing unnervingly on the slick sidewalk as she watched Eddie cringe and sink down onto one knee.
"Jane," Eddie blinked the rain away from his eyes, trying to get out what he was about to say, even with the rain pounding against his still-wounded head and causing pain to shoot down through his spine.
She didn't understand what was going on, so she just held her breath.
There was an awkward moment of silence, and it seemed like the rain has suddenly eased up a bit out of appreciation for the moment. This was a very important time for both of them, and Eddie wanted it to be perfect.
"I want to start our lives over again…the last one didn't do it for me and I want this one to be different. No more bulls, or cows, or quadrupeds with love problems. I just want to be normal." He reached back into the pocket on his wheelchair.
"Jane Alden," He presented a small, black box from the pocket and opened it up, his fingers shielding its innards from the pouring rain. "Will you marry me…again?"
Jane couldn't help as a rush of tears burned forward in her eyes and she swallowed the rock in her throat. Watching as Eddie slowly and haphazardly rose to his feet, flinching slightly at the movement.
Jane ignored the cab driver's detestable grunts and approached Eddie, looking inside the box to see a two-karat diamond ring sparkly brightly within satin padding.
She glanced up to Eddie, who looked down and picked up the ring, slipping it gently onto her finger and pushing it up against the last one that she wore.
And all Jane could do was smile through a cascade of tears that rushed warmly down her cheeks and unexpectedly jump into Eddie's arms, through a rush of rich emotions.
Eddie stumbled backwards a few steps before catching himself and smiling as she wrapped her legs around his waist for leverage and put her head on his shoulder, whispering her response into his ear.
"Yes…always…"
*MOO*
Maybe That's Why We Hold On As Hard As We Do. We Can Never Believe That Such A Miracle Could Ever Happen To Us Twice. But It Does.
As this, being the last chapter of this particular story, I am very sorry to say that it is coming to close. Your reviews and constant opinions have helped to boost my inditing efforts and excel in something that I normally would not look toward as a part-time activity. Gosh, look at me, I'm getting all mushy…I'm such a sap…
But really, you guys have meant so much to me that I wish I could go to all your people's houses and hug each and every one of you…but since I am unable to do that…I would just like to give shout out to those who stuck with my story until the bitter end.
Khaki: for your inspiration and guiding tactics that always made me do better than half-ass and showing me things that I would otherwise never have the energy to learn about…
Rach 8^)3: for always being on top of the game and trying to review back as quickly as possible for my untimely updates…you'll always be my ever-faithful fan…
samantha: for never giving up hope that a quirky love-sequence would come along at any moment and always made me appreciate the fact that I even decided to post this up on the internet…
karen: for your first review that helped to turn this story into what it is right now, I couldn't have done it without you…
And finally, Jen: for always checking my story each and every day just to see if I had made an update yet and always posting a review mostly within the same day…
And even if your name is not one of the five above, your contributions to my story have filled me heart and soul and have pushed me to branch off and continue on with other more simple stories in this same subject…but finally, I'd like to thank you all for putting up with my Eddie-torture, goodnight and I hope your life is like toilet paper: long and useful!!!
(\^. .^/) *MOO* (\^. .^/)
{*_*} *MOO* {*_*}
(FYI: That's two cows. The "." represent eyes while the "*" represent the cows' nostrils!! (Can you see it?!?!?!?))
"Jeez honey, I am soooo sorry," Jane objected as she stepped into the apartment, even before Eddie could turn around from the burners on the oven.
"I couldn't get a cab and then the rain slowed me down and…" She sulked mostly to herself as she hung up her dripping raincoat on the coat rack, removing her shoes and throwing her briefcase on the floor.
The weather outside the apartment was absolutely atrocious, the sky was a forbidding dark gray and then rain came down so hard that it seemed as though it could possibly break through the windows.
She looked up when no sounds came from Eddie, and had expected that he had fallen out of his chair or something. But he only smiled back at her, one eyebrow raised in incredulity.
"It's okay, China and I have been hanging out making dinner." He turned away from Jane, back towards his concealed recipe boiling over the oven. Jane's ambition turned away from apologizing and into coaxing out his forgiveness, not understanding why he was uncommonly mellow about it.
She walked silently up behind him in her damp socks, closing her eyes and taking in a delicious scent that was familiar, but unnamed.
"And what is Mr. Connoisseur preparing for this evening's banquet?" Jane laughed seductively and placed her lips against the smooth skin behind Eddie's jaw, kissing it gently.
Eddie laughed and stirred what was on the stove, adding a French accent to his deep voice as though it would make his secret recipe that much more coveted. "I call it: Macaroni and cheese."
Jane laughed and patted him lightly on the shoulder, shaking her head at his humor.
"I hear four out of five chefs prefer it…" Eddie added with a smile, turning to Jane as she walked toward the living room, picking up stray magazines from the countertop as she went.
"Where'd you read that?" Jane tossed her hair back from her face, smiling up at him. "Martha Stewart magazine?"
"No," Eddie held in his smile in as he responded. "The Costco Coupon book."
Jane threw her head back and laughed, dropping the collected magazines down on the coffee table, only to be found by a tugging hand at her shirt.
'Mommy! Mommy!' China's big eyes met Jane's with a dazzling shine, despite the disgusting weather outside. 'Come see, come see!' China signed ecstatically.
China grabbed her by the hand and led her into the back room, the one that had the giant hole in the wall that Eddie had finally gotten around to fixing just before he asked for Jane's hand in marriage, but was now China's personal room.
China left Jane at the door as she got down on her belly and stuck her arms under the bed, searching out something. Jane was puzzled, then surprised as there was a meek sound and China pulled out something fuzzy from the bed.
'Look what daddy brought us!' China signed happily, gingerly handing over the fuzzy ball of black and white fur.
The little kitten meowed awkwardly and stared up at Jane with huge, green eyes, it's little pink nose shining through her little, round face. It was completely black, except for blotches of white around half of it's face and one of its front paws.
'What are we going to name it?' Jane signed as she handed the kitten back to China, who set it on the floor. They watched it stumble a few times on new legs, before falling over and looking up at them in surprise.
'Daddy says we should name it Sushi…' China seemed puzzled. 'Mommy? What's "Sushi"?'
'Well baby, that's the name of our new cat…' Jane smiled as she led China out of the room, the little kitten following haphazardly behind, trying to pounce on China's untied shoelace.
"I see you have added to the family." Jane pronounced as she came back out into the living room, watching Eddie as he turned away in almost embarrassment. He had the dishes set out and was just beginning to pour the mac n' cheese into the separate bowls.
"I just thought China needed something to play with…" Eddie tested, not chancing a look up as he scooped out the gooey orange noodles.
"And you named her Sushi?"
"You don't like it?" Eddie seemed crushed.
"No…well…shouldn't cats have names like Mitten or Fluffy?" She never really had any cats as a child, so she had no clue.
"Come on Jane," Eddie snorted with laughter, "have a little fun!" He proudly threw the last bit of the mac n' cheese into his dish and threw the serving ladle single-handedly into the sink on the far counter.
"Score!" He mimicked the screaming of the crowd and put his hands up like field goals, gently bending his head back like a champion.
Jane crossed her hands over her chest and tried to look cross, but her placid face kept breaking with a smirk.
Eddie turned back to her with an evil smile, "guess that means you owe me another cheer, Tomcat…" he popped a loose noodle into his mouth and scrunched up his nose like an angry cat as he chewed.
Suddenly, China was jumping up and down in the living room, and when her parents turned their attention towards her, she slapped her hands across her wide, embarrassed smile.
'What's the matter?' Jane signed, taking only one step forward. Her daughter was smiling, so she didn't seem to be in trouble.
'Well…' China was reluctant to explain for fear that they may be mad. 'The kitty was playing with my shoe when she…maid a mess on the carpet…' She smiled broadly and began to laugh hysterically, falling back into the big chair behind her.
Eddie sucked in his breath as Jane turned back to him, her hands on her hips and her eyes buried beneath her eyebrows. He smiled and tried to laugh casually, but his smile dropped as she nonchalantly approached him.
"Looks like that cheer's going to have to wait until later, Mojo…" She placed the tip of her finger against his nose. "I have to go get some carpet cleaner and a kitty box…" She smiled and leaned down, kissing his cheek and rising to walk toward the door.
"Which really should be your job…but since you're sick…" She smiled with new black mail as she walked toward the front door. "You owe me...big time…"
Just as she pulled on her still-damp coat, China was standing in front of her, her little eyes filled with worry. 'Sushi didn't mean to make a mess.' She tried to cover for the cat. "She's not in trouble, is she?"
'Don't worry baby,' Jane stooped and ran her hand over China's hair and looked up to Eddie, smiling once more before getting a goodbye kiss from China on the cheek.
As she rose to shift her coat around her shoulders, she signed back without taking her eyes off Eddie's priceless face. 'Daddy's the one that's in trouble…" And was out the door.
*MOO*
"Taxi!" Jane yelled, waving her arm at the checkered yellow cab driving aimlessly through the water towards her. She stepped back from the curb as it sent up a huge crest of muddy water.
The driver was a fat Indian man with a large, bulbous, turban wrap on his head and a gold, ornament, crown sitting on his dashboard. A thick, black beard rested against his chest and his clothes were worn as though they had been thrown on with a pitchfork.
"Hi," Jane said automatically, unintentionally stepping back as a waft of putrid stench exited the open door. It was immediately wrestled down by the rain but Jane still shook her head at the intensity. She just wanted to get out of the rain, no matter who with.
"Jane!" A voice came from behind.
She turned from the cab door to see Eddie pushing his wheelchair frantically out of the door to catch her, only his tee shirt and pants keeping him from the pouring rain.
"Eddie! What are you doing?" She couldn't believe that he was coming out into the weather so ill prepared and vulnerable.
"Lady?" The taxi driver called out at her from the car with a thick Indian accent, obviously not a man of much patients.
"Just, hold on, please, for one minute." Jane pleaded, shaking her hands at him in justification for this awkward moment. The fat cab driver sighed agitatedly and nodded reluctantly, turning back to watch the road dance with raindrops.
"What are you doing out here?" Jane proclaimed as she began to come toward Eddie, but stopped when Eddie held up his hand.
"Hold on," He paused, taking a deep breath and pushed himself up from his wheelchair with extreme agitation, something he was not suppose to do.
"No, Eddie, don't-" But it was too late, he was already standing awkwardly up from his wheelchair, with the rain pouring off his head and making his shirt and pants stick against him like a second skin.
Her eyes couldn't help but trail down the smooth curves of his chest and thighs, sending a slight chill up her spine, but still, she didn't like the look of pain on his face as he stood there.
Jane cupped her hands around her mouth and covered her eyes in anxiety, her feet pacing unnervingly on the slick sidewalk as she watched Eddie cringe and sink down onto one knee.
"Jane," Eddie blinked the rain away from his eyes, trying to get out what he was about to say, even with the rain pounding against his still-wounded head and causing pain to shoot down through his spine.
She didn't understand what was going on, so she just held her breath.
There was an awkward moment of silence, and it seemed like the rain has suddenly eased up a bit out of appreciation for the moment. This was a very important time for both of them, and Eddie wanted it to be perfect.
"I want to start our lives over again…the last one didn't do it for me and I want this one to be different. No more bulls, or cows, or quadrupeds with love problems. I just want to be normal." He reached back into the pocket on his wheelchair.
"Jane Alden," He presented a small, black box from the pocket and opened it up, his fingers shielding its innards from the pouring rain. "Will you marry me…again?"
Jane couldn't help as a rush of tears burned forward in her eyes and she swallowed the rock in her throat. Watching as Eddie slowly and haphazardly rose to his feet, flinching slightly at the movement.
Jane ignored the cab driver's detestable grunts and approached Eddie, looking inside the box to see a two-karat diamond ring sparkly brightly within satin padding.
She glanced up to Eddie, who looked down and picked up the ring, slipping it gently onto her finger and pushing it up against the last one that she wore.
And all Jane could do was smile through a cascade of tears that rushed warmly down her cheeks and unexpectedly jump into Eddie's arms, through a rush of rich emotions.
Eddie stumbled backwards a few steps before catching himself and smiling as she wrapped her legs around his waist for leverage and put her head on his shoulder, whispering her response into his ear.
"Yes…always…"
*MOO*