Crystal finds out how Erick feels toward her romantically without the limbs |
Chapter Four: Their First Night Together They arrived home at about 2:15 AM that next morning. As Erick got out of the truck and walked around to the passenger side, he saw Bob Turner on his porch across the street, smoking a cigarette. He and his wife had made themselves a rule once their first child was born. No smoking in the house. For the kids' sake. So, here he was, at 2:15 in the morning, on his porch. Erick had to admire them. As far as he knew, they'd stuck to that rule for over 13 years. Allison turned 13 this year. But Erick still felt better about the fact that neither he nor Crystal had ever smoked at all. He felt very proud of that. Erick opened the passenger door after setting up her wheelchair nearby, on the front walk. He kissed her as he picked her up gently. She'd fallen asleep on the trip from the airport after that exhausting intimate experience he'd given her. As he picked her up, she awakened. "We're home, darling! Do you want to ride in the chair into the house or would you rather I carry you? Or... is that a..." "Yeup. That's a stupid question," Crystal laughed, finishing his sentence for him. "I love it in your arms, remember?" she grinned. "How can I possibly forget when I even hate to have to put you in the truck seat to drive home?" Erick asked. She grinned again. "I love you, Erick!" "I love you, too, gorgeous!" "Hey, Erick! Did you just get married or something? Looks like you're getting ready to carry somebody over the threshold!" Bob called, laughing. Erick decided he might as well start bragging about his Brown Eyes right from the beginning. "Would you mind meeting one of your new neighbors for just a minute, honey? I know we're tired, but I can't resist the chance to show you off. I'm very proud to have you by my side, you know!" he smiled. "No, not at all, honey. I just don't want to be too long. I... want to be affectionate again," Crystal said lovingly. "In that case I'll definitely make it short," he said. He saw her smile as he walked across the street with her. "Well, Bob, you're half right now, and you'll be right about the other half in a few weeks," he said as he carried her up Bob's front steps. "Bob Turner, this is Crystal Sandlewood, my fiancée. Crystal, darling, Bob Turner." Bob reached out to shake her hand. That's when he saw she couldn't. Erick saw the surprise on his face. "Now you know why I'm carrying her over the threshold, Bob, even though the wedding date isn't final yet. She doesn't have her right leg, either," Erick said, to save him the embarrassment of coming up with a reply. "Hi, Mr. Turner," Crystal said as she smiled. "I'd shake your hand with my left one, but it's around Erick's neck right now for balance." "Hi, Crystal," Bob said, still a little flustered. "Sorry if I didn't know how to respond there. I... never encountered that before." "Bob, that's OK. I was thinking this might happen, and I wanted you both to have the experience," Erick said calmly. "I wanted you to get used to her right away so you two don't have any problems talking later on, but I mainly wanted her to see your reaction so she could start to get used to the way many others may react to her for a while." Erick turned to her and gently kissed her. He saw the tears in her eyes again. "What is it, honey?" "Erick, you're really thinking ahead on taking care of me, aren't you? First you start me on my therapy by having me pull that suitcase with the strap, now you take the first opportunity to show me how others might react to me, especially when I start school. Thank you, darling. Your devotion and attention to me are too wonderful for words. I love you!" Crystal said as the tears began falling from her eyes. "I love you, too, honey," Erick said warmly as he sat down in a chair next to Bob and put her on his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder and worked at drying her eyes a bit. "Erick?" "Yeah, Bob?" "Sorry if I embarrassed either of you." "No problem, Bob. You didn't, really." "That's right," Crystal added. I'm glad Erick did this, really. Now I know what to expect from others so I hopefully won't let it bother me that much from now on." "Can I ask you something, Crystal?" "Sure, Bob." "How long have you...?" "Been without my arm and leg?" "Yeah." "Only about 3 weeks or so. That's why I'm going to college here, so Erick can take care of me while I learn how to do everything myself, all over again. God, I never thought of it that way before, darling," she said, turning to Erick. "That's scary." "It's okay, honey, I'm right here," Erick said as he squeezed her. "Thanks for telling me," said Bob. I must admit I was curious when I saw Erick pick you up and didn't see you walking. Then I spotted the wheelchair. I just never thought they were actually missing. Until you got over here, that is. Um... how did you...?" "Car accident," she said quickly. "They were both crushed. I was afraid at first that Erick would have trouble with this since we were engaged before it happened, and he never got a chance to see me for real until tonight. I should have listened to my heart, though," she said, smiling at Erick. "Then I would have known he'd still love me." "Sounds like you two really have something special there. How long have you been engaged?" "For three years, since I was 15." "Well, that's a little different," he said, smiling. "Sorry if I was surprised there. It's just that you don't see couples as far apart in age as you two every day." "That's okay, Bob," she said calmly. We need to expect that reaction from people for a while, too." "He didn't get a chance to see you at all in those three years?" "No, he didn't." Crystal and Erick smiled at each other as they both knew where this was going, and couldn't wait to see his reaction. "Go ahead, honey," Erick said, smiling. "Tell him." "Bob, Erick and I met through a web site we both use frequently. And since I was just fifteen, no one could know about us because Erick would have gotten in trouble. He proposed to me using an instant message, and I accepted. But we couldn't see each other till after I was eighteen, to keep him out of trouble," she laughed. "Oh. And the accident happened before he got a chance to see you." "Exactly," Erick said. He and Crystal smiled at each other again. "How do your parents feel about it now?" Bob asked, obviously curious. "My dad gave him the third degree interrogation," Crystal laughed. "Even ran a background check on him. And he passed with flying colors. Now my parents both agree I picked the right man, despite our age difference. They admit that his love is special since he still loves me, even like this, and had never seen me before, let alone had a chance to date me. They think the world of him, now," she finished, smiling broadly. Erick stood up, picking her up as he did. "Bob, I'm going to get her home so she can get some sleep. She's been through a lot in the last three weeks, and she starts at UK in two days. We've got a lot to do by then. Tell Barb we'll stop over next time we see you guys outside and she can meet Crystal, too." "Right, Erick, I will. Nice to meet you, Crystal. Good luck to both of you," he said as he and Erick shook hands. "Thanks, Bob," Crystal said. "Yeah, thanks, Bob," Erick added. "See you later." As he went in the house Erick carried Crystal back across the street to their place. "I like him," Crystal said as they reached the front walk. "I'm glad you do, honey, he's good people. You'll like Barb, too. She's just as friendly." Erick sat her in the wheelchair just long enough to get his keys out, unlock and open the front door wide. "Okay, darling," he said as he picked her up again. He stopped at the threshold for a moment. "Welcome to your new home, my darling Brown Eyes!" he almost shouted as he carried her into the living room. He kicked the door shut, carried her over to the couch, gently sitting her on it. "Sweetheart, sit still for just a minute. I need to get your wheelchair and lock the truck, and I don't want you falling when I'm not here to catch you. OK?" "I won't move a muscle till you're next to me again, honey," she said, smiling. "I'll be right here." Erick walked quickly through the front door. It felt to Crystal as if it was only a few seconds before he came back through the door with her wheelchair folded, rolled it over against the wall and sat down right next to her, putting her on his lap again. "Honey, is there... anything you want to do before we go to bed? It's been a long day for you." "Yes, Erick, there is." "What, honey?" "Can we just sit here, quietly, with you holding me and squeezing me for a while? I mean without saying anything? I want to just let myself enjoy the fact that not only is your love for me as wonderfully strong as ever, but that we're finally together and you're really here for me. To take care of me, and love me, and help me. I just want to let my mind think about all that wonderful stuff for a while and relax. Can we? Please?" "You bet, darling. I won't say a word until you break the silence first. Just remember that if you wait too long we could fall asleep like this," he said, laughing. "Yeah, and I wouldn't want you to drop me when you dozed off!" she laughed back. "I won't Erick. Just for a little while." She snuggled in, laying her head on his shoulder. "Hold me tighter, honey. I want to feel both your arms around me while I do this," she said lovingly. He squeezed her with all he had.. Fifteen minutes later, Crystal said, "Okay, sweetheart. Thank you, honey. I needed that. It feels wonderful just being here in your arms after all this time and knowing that you still love me so very much. And I love you just as much, you know!" She kissed him. "Yes, I know you do, darling. And that's why I want to say something now. It's your decision, honey, but I want you to know that no matter what you decide I'll love you just as much either way. I just want you to know that if you want to change one thing we'd been planning it's okay with me." Erick knew she'd be confused. He wanted her to ask. That way he knew she'd hear every word of his response. "What are you talking about, Erick? Change what?" "Sweetheart, for three years we've talked about not making love until our wedding night. About how we like that old fashioned idea. But I've seen and heard the fear you have right now about dealing with all this. It will take quite a while for that fear to go away, honey. So I want to make sure one part of it you know you don't have to worry about, ever, is where my love is concerned. If you want to make love before our wedding night, I'll do it whenever you want, and love you all the more for your courage in fighting the fear, honey. I just want you to know you have the choice if you want to use it. Anytime. And my love for you will only grow stronger with each moment, regardless of what you choose to do about this. I love you!" Erick said as he squeezed her again. She immediately put her lips on his and they shared another long, passionate kiss. "Erick, I can't get over how well you know me already, and how much you're thinking ahead to help me. I love you, too, my Little Firework, and... I think I want to... change that plan... if it's okay." "Why the hesitation honey? I just told you it's okay with me, whichever way you want to do it." Erick said as he smiled warmly and kissed her again. "Thanks, honey. You see, you're right about the fear, about all of that fear. But there's a special part of that fear that applies to us, and I can't stand it any more. It's part of the shock of all this I think, but wherever it's coming from I want to get rid of it. Um... I know you really love me, honey, please know that. But... I don't feel... whole right now. I don't feel like a whole person. I know you said this doesn't change how you feel," Crystal said as she pointed to her missing limbs, "but I need to know that you really do feel I'm a whole woman in your eyes, honey. That I'm a whole woman to you. A whole woman who is totally sexually attractive to her man. Totally sexually attractive to the point that you can't wait to do it with me. And the only way I can think of to let me see and feel that for sure, for myself, is for you to make love to me. Now. Right now. Please, darling!" Pulling her close to him, tighter than he had all night, he said slowly, carefully, and lovingly, "Nothing would please me more, my darling. I've wanted to make love to you for three long years. Yes, doing it the first time on our wedding night would have been special, too. But you know something? I think our doing it now, tonight, will mean even more to us when we look back on these times together. Because we'll remember that it gave our already deep bond of love an even deeper meaning by uniting us in the deepest show of true love two people can share, and proving to you at that very same moment, that you are, indeed, a whole woman. In every way. Not just to your husband-to-be, but to yourself. Because you'll realize that not only does your man genuinely want to do it with you, but that you are just as able to satisfy him in bed as you always wanted to be able to do." He stood up. Naturally, she was still in his arms. "Darling, the moment of our union has come," he said warmly as he carried her to the bedroom. He carried her through the door, walked over between the dresser and the bed, and slowly put her down so she could stand. "Lean on the dresser for balance, honey, while I do my promised duty and undress you," he said, warmly smiling. He began slowly unbuttoning her blouse. "God, I'm actually nervous, Erick!" she said, smiling and shivering with delight as he opened the blouse to take it off of her. "I don't know if I'm nervous because I've never had my clothes off in front of a man before, or if I'm nervous about what you'll think of my body when you finally see it for the first time." He slipped the blouse off her right side. "Lean on me honey," he said warmly. She leaned on his chest, and that let him get the blouse off her left arm. "Okay, you can put your left hand back on the dresser, honey. As for the nervousness, it's probably both of those ideas," he chuckled as he knelt to unzip her skirt. "Yeah, it probably is," she laughed. "Hey - what about my bra?" "I'll get there, darling," he laughed. "I'm being selfish for a minute. I want to see exactly what you look like in just your underwear," he said, smiling. He dropped the skirt to the floor. "Now don't get scared, honey. I'm going to pick you up for a second so the skirt comes off your leg." "Okay, honey." He picked her up with both arms around her and the skirt went to the floor. "Okay, sweetheart. You can stand again." He put her down and she put her hand back on the dresser. He stepped back to look her over. "Well?" she asked, obviously nervous. "What do you... think of my body, darling?" He embraced her warmly. "I'll be answering that question again when you're naked in a minute," he said, "but I sure do like what I see already!" She started to grin and he stopped her by kissing her. "Okay," he said, "now for the best part!" "Oh, you!" she said, laughing. He reached lovingly around her with both hands, and unfastened the bra. He felt her shiver with nervousness as he removed it from her right side. "I know - lean on you again," she laughed, doing so as she spoke. Erick took the bra off her left arm, and she stood up again. "See? You're learning already," he laughed, hoping to get her mind off the fear and nervousness. "Yeah, I guess I am, aren't I? I'll already know how to do this tomorrow night!" she said, smiling. He could tell she was actually relieved at the idea of knowing how to handle some of this already, and it made him feel good to see her beginning to relax. Taking a moment to totally enjoy the look of her naked breasts, he knelt down in front of her and lowered her panties to the floor, making a point to get a good look at her womanhood in the process. She caught him. "Pick me up so we can get the panties off, then I want you to tell me exactly what you think about my breasts and my... womanhood," she said knowingly. "I saw you looking at them as you knelt down there," she laughed. "Yes, dear," Erick said teasingly, as he picked her up. With the panties on the floor, he stood her back down. "Well?" she queried. Erick smiled warmly inside. It was nice to hear laughter creeping into her voice along with the fear. He could tell she was slowly getting comfortable with things, and it made him feel good to know he was doing things right to help her get there. "Darling, your breasts are just as wonderful as I imagined they'd be, and I love the look, and even the fragrance of your womanhood." "What?" she laughed. "That's a 'fragrance'?" "It is to your man, darling. Simply because I've wanted to be this close, this wonderfully and meaningfully intimate with you for three years. And that smell tells me I finally have that opportunity. The opportunity to love you with everything I am, in every way you're willing to let me. Yes, darling, to your fiancé, that's a wonderful fragrance that I look forward to experiencing for a lifetime. Don't be surprised if I make a point of it once in a while. Which reminds me. Lean over toward the dresser, honey, so I can get behind you. There's something else we talked about three years ago that I can now share with you properly." "What?" she asked, obviously not remembering. He decided to show her rather than explain it. He knew it wouldn't take long to refresh her memory. He stepped up to her from behind, put his arms around her, and began gently fondling both of her breasts from behind, pulling her back against him as he continued. Then he nibbled her ears and kissed the back of her neck without missing a beat with his hands on her chest. "Oooohhh, yeaaaa," now I remember," she moaned with delight. "I remember you describing this to me, too, now!" He kept fondling her, kissing her neck and nibbling her ears for about 3 minutes, to get both of them in the best mood for that ultimate moment. "God, I... love you, Erick!" she said lovingly, between moans. "Are you ready now, darling?" He said lovingly but with a touch of teasing. "Uh... yeah, I think I am," she said haltingly as he went around to her side to pick her up. "I'm glad to hear that, my love," he said as he gently placed her in the center of the bed. "Now just give me one little minute," he said as he flew to the foot of the bed and threw off his own clothes as fast as he could. He slowly climbed on the bed. Moving her left leg a little, he got into place above her, taking in the totally beautiful look of the sexy and very desirable woman that lay before him . He leaned down, slowly ran his fingers through her hair, and looked directly into her deep brown eyes once again. Then he kissed her with everything that was in him. As she smiled widely and lovingly with the love that kiss and the look in his eyes had her already feeling, he said lovingly, "Crystal, my darling, my love, my sweetheart, I have wanted this moment with you for three long years. My love for you has only grown by leaps and bounds during that time, and now I finally have the chance to show you once and for all how very deeply I love you, cherish you, need you, and want you. In my life, in my heart, and yes, in my bed. I see before me the most beautiful, most desirable, sexiest woman on this earth, with whom I've wanted to share my life, and to make love, for three long years. You are all I've ever wanted, my love, and you always will be. I love you, Brown Eyes!" he said as he made the final move. "OOW... oooohhhhh," she moaned as he entered her. "I... love... you... too, my... Little... Firework," she said haltingly as he continued his efforts. "Oohhhh, Erick! I never dreamed it would feel this wonderful! I... thought the... feelings you... gave me... before were... the best... but... aaaahhhh..." Just like earlier, in the truck, she had reached the point where she couldn't speak a sound. And he knew then that he'd done it right. Only this time she was already that far in the clouds and they weren't done yet. A very short time later, Erick reached his limit and the warm stream flowed from him deep into her waiting womanhood. "Ooooohhhhhh, god that... feels so good, Erick!" "I'm... glad... I'm... making you... feel that... good, darling," Erick stammered as he pushed the last few short streams into her with all his strength. "That's what... I've wanted to do for... three years. To... prove my love... for you... in the best... way... possible," he said as they both reached the moon and started the gentle floating trip back to earth. He laid beside her, and gently began stroking her hair and fondling her. "God, Erick, I... don't know what to say. I..." Crystal stopped, and laughed out loud. "I... need words I... just can't find, honey, she said, remembering their favorite line from a song he'd sent her the words to the year before. That was wonderful, sweetheart!" "Was it everything you wanted it to be?" he asked, smiling, but nervous. "All that and more, darling," she said warmly. "Honest. Only the truth between us, remember?" she lovingly reminded him. "Thanks, my love. That means a great deal to your fiancé right now. Um...do you believe me now when I tell you that you're a whole woman to this man?" he asked lovingly, but he was also watching her face intently. "Yes, darling, I do. Once you were over me I could tell that the limbs truly don't matter to you. That you meant all you ever said about this not changing the person I really am. The look in your eyes was so full of love, affection and desire that I knew. You've removed all doubts, my darling! And with the way you made me feel, the way I still feel inside, I know that I don't have to worry about whether or not I'm a whole woman to you. I know now that I am. Thank you, my love! I love you with all my heart, Erick, and I thank you for loving me so very much!" Crystal said as the tears began cascading from her lovely cheeks. "Come here, my love," Erick said warmly. He helped her turn over on her side, facing him, so he could embrace her. "I love you, Brown Eyes, with everything that's within me. And I always will. I'll be here for you, darling. Because you are my life. And I can't wait for that wonderful day to come when you'll be my wife." "You're rhyming, you know that," she laughed through her tears of joy. "But I love what you're saying just the same. And it makes me feel even more whole to know that after all this you still want to marry me. I love you, my Little Firework!" she said as the tears continued. "Yes, my darling, my sweetheart, I still want to marry you. For even now you are my life, my reason for living. Think we'll remember to call your parents in the morning and tell them you made it?" he asked, smiling. "Yeah, they already knew I'd be getting in late so they don't expect a call tonight," she said as her sobs quieted down. "Good," he said. "We were... a bit too busy to get around to it," he laughed. "Yes, we were, weren't we?" Crystal laughed back through the last of her happy tears. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, honey. I love you! And I still need words I just can't find. To tell you how grateful I am that you love me enough to do all this for me. I felt all the way down here that I'd still somehow be a burden to you, honey. And now, you've made me feel so good about being here, and in your arms, that I know I could never be a burden to you. Thank you for taking away that fear, too, my love!" "You're more than welcome, my darling. I don't want you to ever fear anything where our relationship is concerned. I know that's idealistic, but I'll be trying for the rest of my life to get you as close to that as I can. Because I love you." As they talked over the next few minutes, sleep gradually overtook them both, and they finally fell asleep, still in each other's arms. They were finally together, and they knew they would be for the rest of their lives. And that's all that really mattered to them now.
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