Chapter 5
After the revelation of the previous night Damon worried he had blown things with Melissa, his fears were unfounded though as the next day he had a visitor. "Melissa!" he remarked as she appeared in his lounge room.
"Hey you! Lydia let me in" she smiled.
"So good to see you. I know it was only last night but I was worried it might have been too heavy"
"Well yeah to be honest it was quite a bombshell. I looked at both sides of the story though and I know in all reality you couldn't tell me any earlier than what you did" reasoned Melissa. "No more things I need to know though right?"
"No that's it. For sure and certain. How about you?"
"Nothing that needs to be dealt with here and now" replied Melissa cryptically.
"Hmm.. that's a strange thing to say" replied Damon curiously.
"Well I'm a strange girl, get used to it!" laughed Melissa.
After a bit more talk Damon made comment on what Melissa was wearing. "Have to say those jeans are definitely agreeing with you"
"Really? I always stress over what to wear when I go out but I thought they looked alright"
"Well they are a definite winner. I'd give that cute bum of yours a pinch but I'm just too lazy" joked Damon.
"Oh would you now!!??" remarked Melissa enjoying this bit of flirting. "Have to say no fair though, I haven't seen your bum, you keep hiding it in that chair!"
"Well anytime you want to see it just ask" smirked Damon.
They both looked at each other, smiles as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge and knew they made each other happy.
After a couple more hours of kisses, flirting and talking there was a knock on the door. "Oh that must be my parents, I can hear them talking outside" informed Damon.
"Are you serious??? I'm not ready to meet them yet. I'm only wearing a t-shirt and jeans!!" worried Melissa.
"Don't worry you will be fine. My parents are pretty cool"
Melissa quickly fixed up her hair and readied for them to come in. Lydia opened the door and soon they were in the lounge room.
"Oh hello" remarked Grace, Damon's mother upon seeing Melissa.
"Hello Mrs Rivers I'm Melissa, how are you?" replied a nervous Melissa
"I'm very well dear. So your the Melissa my son has been raving about" addressed Grace.
With this said Melissa looked over at Damon a bit embarrassed before his Dad came over.
"Hello. Bill Rivers" he said before enthusiastically pushing out his hand to shake.
"Hey Mr Rivers I'm Melissa"
"Please. Call me Bill" offered Damon's father.
"Ok Bill!" gleamed Melissa.
Once all the formalities were out of the way they all settled down on the couch to get to know each other, Melissa's hands almost shaking while she nervously looked at Damon's parents. "So what were you two up to before we turned up?" asked Grace to start off conversation again.
Melissa looked at Damon to answer it but with his position in the room he could only see her out the corner of his eye. "Oh we were just talking and stuff" replied Melissa after a pause. "How about you? What plans have you got for today?"
"Oh we were thinking of spending the whole day with you two" informed Grace.
Upon hearing this Melissa's face went almost white."Oh... ok"
"Haha. I was only teasing" laughed Grace. "We just wanted to check up on Damon, we will head off in a few minutes and let you two have your alone time"
"Oh you don't have to head off on my account" worried Melissa that she was now keeping them from her son.
"No it's all good. I'm just glad I met you. I haven't seen my son smile this much in a long time"
"Well he makes me smile a lot too" gushed Melissa.
"So Melissa what do you do for work?" asked Bill, Damon's father.
"I work at the nursing home. You know the one on Fletcher Street" replied Melissa.
"That's a very honourable and underrated job Melissa. The elderly need good care just like everyone else" praised Grace.
"Yeah they are great down at the home. Always telling funny stories about their life and that" commented Melissa feeling a little more comfortable.
"Anyway I can see Damon is well so we'll be off now. Great to meet you Melissa and I'm sure we will be seeing a bit of each other if things go well" announced Grace. "Take good care of Damon for me"
"I will"
"Ok bye"
"Bye"
With goodbyes said Damon's parents left the house. "See that wasn't too bad was it?"
"No it was ok. God my palms are so sweaty though. Haven't met a boyfriend's parents in a while" remarked Melissa.
"So we are official now? I'm your boyfriend?"
"Yeah for sure" answered Melissa both with her voice and her mouth as she landed a juicy kiss on Damon's lips before eventually heading home.
The next night Melissa made her way to Damon's place again, after Melissa fed Damon a bit of dinner they moved into the lounge room to watch a bit of tv, as they did this Damon noticed Melissa looking at him like she wanted something. "Damon can we go to your bed?" she asked
"My bed??"
"Yes"
Damon worried knowing that normally means one thing, something he couldn't give Melissa. "I'm sorry but I can't ..well.. you know"
"Haha did you think I meant sex?? No I just want to cuddle, we can't do that while your in your chair!"
"Oh ok. I can definitely cuddle. Well be cuddled anyway!" replied a relieved Damon.
They moved into Damon's bedroom and with the help of the nurse relieving Lydia he was strapped into the lift and lowered into bed, it was the first time Melissa had seen Damon placed in bed and she was sure it wouldn't be the last, even making herself useful by holding Damon's head while he was in motion being swung into place, while Damon was quite strong in the mind she could see a lot of fear in his eyes at the transfer, an uncomfortable part of being a quadriplegic. Soon Damon was set up in his bed, they planned to watch a bit of tv in his room as well so he reclined his bed up to about a 90 degree angle. "Oooh this is a different kind of mattress" Melissa noticed as she kicked her shoes off and hopped on.
"Yeah it's a special air mattress. Helps prevent pressure sores" replied Damon
"Well it's definitely comfy. I like it" enthused Melissa.
Once Damon was settled Melissa moved over closer and placed her head on Damon's chest, just to the side of the vent hose hurtling down his chest. "This is nice" she mused. As she got more comfortable she started to run her bare foot down Damon's paralyzed and atrophied lower limbs, while Damon was over the moon with how things were going with Melissa he wished he could feel her foot caressing his legs, or her head on his heart. "Do you think it will be an issue later on?" asked Damon
"What?"
"Sex, and the lack there of"
"Not really. Not at the moment anyway. Sex is overrated, I'm in complete bliss just lying next to you cuddling. I don't need anymore"
"Are you just staying that?" worried Damon
"No I really mean it. I couldn't be happier or more at peace in this present moment" assured Melissa.
Hearing this made Damon feel a lot better, if Melissa didn't need sex then why was he stressing out then. "Just when I think you can't get any more amazing you do"
"Yeah I am pretty amazing" replied Melissa before they both just looked at each other and started laughing.
As the night wore on two of them got very heavy eyes before Melissa fell asleep. She was only awoken a couple of hours later by the arrival of Lydia. "Sorry I have to come in and turn Damon. He needs to have it done every 3 or 4 hours to make sure he doesn't get a pressure sore"
"I thought the mattress prevented that" replied a sleepy Melissa
"Well yes it does to a degree but you can never be too careful"
Melissa hopped off the bed and decided to make herself useful by helping Lydia turn Damon. "Gee he's heavy" remarked Melissa. How on earth do you do this by yourself?"
"Oh it's just practice. Sometimes his family or the relief nurse might be here so they help"
As they rolled him over Melissa caught sight of Damon's bum. "Nice" she whispered into Damon's ear causing him to smile.
After that was done Melissa took up residence back on the bed, morning soon arrived though and time for Damon's usual morning routine. As Lydia moved in and checked Damon's catheter and his body for pressure sores Melissa just stood there taking it all in, as she continued to watch Lydia came in and washed his face and body, after a few more checks and what have you Damon was finally ready to be dressed and placed in his wheelchair, Melissa looked at her watch and couldn't believe how long it all took. "Wow two hours. Is that the same very morning?" she asked Lydia.
"Yeah normally. Once you get into a routine it's not that hard though" replied Lydia
As that was said Damon was lowered into his wheelchair, once again Melissa could see this exercise was uncomfortable for Damon, she knew it was essential though as even though Damon didn't necessarily have anywhere to go, he still needed to get out of bed and out and about a bit for his mental health. Sure enough Damon was ready to be on his way and they all moved into the kitchen.
Upon arrival In the kitchen Melissa made a bit of toast which she quickly wolfed down before making up a bit of porridge, once again feeding Damon. "Your going to put me out of a job soon" joked Lydia.
"Haha. Doubt it. Can't watch him 24/7!!" replied Melissa. "I would like to learn more about his care though if that's ok"
"Yeah sure. No worries"
Hearing this made Damon feel like this was finally it, a definite start to a fresh new life..
Chapter 6
Over the course of the next couple of weeks Melissa and Damon went from strength to strength, Melissa was slowly learning more and more about Damon's care, from how to re-attach his vent if it came loose to his medication, she was learning everyday, a fact not lost on Damon. "What did I do to deserve you?" he mused one day.
"Nothing. You won me over by just being you" smiled Melissa.
As further time passed by the two of them continued to get out and about, Damon's paralysis not stopping them one bit from going to any show they wanted to attend or movie as the case may be, they often went for a walk in the park not far from where Damon lived and even started to go swimming, Damon having a specially made pool with an ultra shallow end that he can be dropped into and lie flat while Melissa holds up his head. The pool was quite useful on a hot day to keep Damon's blood pressure down and he always liked seeing Melissa in her swimmers, albeit a singlet and board shorts with Melissa still shy about her body. Spending so much time over at Damon's place Melissa started to get to know his parents even more too, they were overjoyed that their union now seemed to be as strong as oak, their son deserving happiness after the tragedy that had befallen him in his life.
After another day enjoyed spent together Melissa went in the bathroom to wash up, when she came out though she saw Damon looking at the picture of Emily, seeing this upset Melissa and even though she knew her relationship with Damon was getting stronger she still felt insecure.
"I know I shouldn't ask this but how do I compare? Like to Emily I mean" asked Melissa.
"Why would you ask that? What we have is totally different" replied Damon swinging around in his wheelchair to answer.
"I know, I'm just being silly."
"What happened with Emily and I will be something I will never forget, but your the only woman I love now"
"You love me??"
"Yeah of course"
"Oh wow. I love you too I've just been too scared to say it!!" beamed Melissa with a smile that would have lit up a small nation. She rushed over and stormed Damon's lips with her own, clashing together in a fury of emotion and sheer joy.
"Wow!!" laughed Damon not believing how happy he had just made Melissa, and how unbelievable he felt too.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't experienced love in such a long time. If at all really" Melissa slipped out.
"You've never had love? Of any sort? Not even parents?" questioned Damon
"Not really" mumbled Melissa going quiet.
"I've never wanted to press but you never talk about your parents"
"Nothing much to say really. They aren't here with us now and I'm fine with that" replied Melissa matter of factly.
"Yeah but you must still feel something towards them"
"I guess so. But I think it's fair to say they would never have won any parenting awards. Dad had wandering hands and Mum never did anything to stop him"
"Wandering hands?" asked Damon worried by what he was hearing.
"Come on Damon, don't make me spell it out for you, I think you know what that means. It's probably the reason I got so big I think. I just kept eating in the hope that I would get so fat he wouldn't want me anymore. Didn't work though of course, all getting fat did was make my life at school complete hell by way of teasing"
Damon couldn't believe what he was hearing, it had all flooded out of Melissa's mouth like a raging torrent and he wasn't sure what to say. "I'm so sorry that happened to you"
"Yeah well so am I. If you don't mind I'd like to change the subject now thanks"
"No worries" replied Damon still a little stunned by what he had heard. They went onto another subject and Melissa continued to talk as if nothing happened. Damon knew that Melissa still hurt over it all though and he would do his best to get her through.
A week passed and soon enough it became time for Damon's 30th birthday. "The big 3-0 hey?" teased Melissa.
"Yes unfortunately. Getting old. Not as old as you though!" laughed Damon in reply knowing Melissa was a couple of months older than him.
"Ok that's enough out of you buddy!!!"
While Damon wasn't big on parties his family were and they were all invited, mum, dad, nieces, nephews, the lot. Naturally this all made Melissa quite anxious.
"No need to sweat babe, you know my parents already so you'll be fine!" assured Damon. Melissa wasn't so sure but knew she was probably over stressing like she normally did. Soon enough all the guests arrived, Melissa couldn't believe how much immediate and extended family had turned up to Damon's birthday. "This is unbelievable, there must be 80 people here" she remarked.
"Yeah I know it's like a madhouse" acknowledged Damon in a good mood at the sight of them all. Most of them seeing him at hos worst having visited him in hospital lending their support when he was going through his harrowing ordeal in the hospital and afterwards. "Oh come over here I want you to meet my grandma Mavis. Damon zoomed his chair over to his Nan who smiled straight away at the sight of her grandson "Damon! So great to see you" she sparkled putting her hand on Damon's.
"Hey Grandma, great to see you too, your looking well"
"Oh your too kind! Who is this lovely woman next to you?" asked Mavis.
"This is Melissa, she is my new girlfriend" beamed Damon happily looking at Melissa next to him out the corner of his eye.
"Nice to meet you dear" smiled Mavis
"Great to meet you too" replied Melissa.
"Just look after him, he's had a tough time of late" encouraged Mavis making mention of past events.
"I will" assured Melissa
After meeting Mavis for the next hour Damon seemed to be introducing Melissa to someone in his family every 5 minutes. First his uncle, then his niece, nephews. "God so many people to remember" mentioned an overwhelmed Melissa.
"Sorry I'm just so glad to see them all, I haven't seen some of them in a while and I just want to show you off" replied an excited Damon
After meeting some more of Damon's family Melissa told Damon she needed to go 'powder her nose'. She headed off toward the toilet, once she got there she sat on the toilet seat and started to cry, she wasn't sure why but she guessed it was just meeting all of Damon's family, she only had one relative left and she had lost touch with them. She eventually composed herself and came out of the toilet, as she left Damon's mother Grace came along and noticed she had been crying.
"Sweetheart are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine" replied Melissa wiping away what tears were left on her face
"I hope so. You can tell anything you know. I'm here to help" offered Grace with a concerned look on her face.
"I'm just being a sook. I've never really known a tight knit loving family like the one you seem to have"
"Well your a part of that too now. It might be only a couple of months but I think you and my son will be together a long time. The way you look at each other is the way I used to look at Damon's father Bill"
With this said Grace moved in and gave Melissa a hug, the warmth of the hug made Melissa feel really good and she was now ready to go back out again. Once she got outside Damon wondered what took so long. "Oh I was just talking to your mother" replied Melissa.
"That's a worry" laughed Damon.
Melissa just looked at him and simply said "I love you. So much". They embraced in front of Damon's family and all of Melissa's hangups just disappeared.
Soon enough the party ended, Damon was lowered into bed utterly exhausted. "Had a great day today. Thanks for everything"
"No thank you, your family are great" replied Melissa. She gave him a kiss on the cheek then headed off.
As Melissa pulled up into her driveway she heard her phone go off. "Wonder who that is?" she mumbled to herself. Once inside she checked her phone, the message was from Shelley who she hadn't heard from in weeks.
"Hey Mel, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened last time we saw each other, I freaked out over it all and was just stupid. Friends again?"
Upon reading this Melissa was pleased, not pleased over what happened that night but pleased Shelley wanted to be friends again as she was the only one she really had. She decided to reply "All good. Friends again:)". After a couple more messages the air was cleared and Melissa went to bed a very tired but very happy woman...
Chapter 7
Over the course of the next twelve months Melissa and Damon's relationship flourished, the longer the time they spent together the more Melissa's worries about her past subsided, Damon always lending an ear when she needed to talk. Melissa was now almost a 2nd nurse for Damon behind Lydia and the three of them all worked in tandem with each other, all parties were happy with how things were going and it made Damon think about asking the most important question in a man's life when it comes to a woman. A marriage proposal.
With help from Lydia, Damon headed into town to check out rings, while he worried that Melissa might not like his choice of ring he knew it could always be exchanged, plus he had to buy one as proposing without a ring didn't have the same effect, Melissa had given him a second chance of happiness and she deserved the best. After sorting out the ring Damon wondered how he would pop the question, obviously being on bended knee was out of the question but that was no big deal, there were plenty of other ways it could be done, he just had to come up with it. After a good deal of thought he decided on a way to do it and set the wheels in motion for it to happen.
The day after the ring was purchased Damon was quite nervous, sure he knew that Melissa was in love with him but that was still no certainty for marriage, he was glad that she didn't seem to know anything about it though and it would be a surprise, hopefully a good one.
With a bit of lunch under their belts Damon decided to propose a walk to the local park, it had been a place they had gone a bit lately, just watching people play football or run around with their dogs, just enjoying the sun and the simple things life has to offer. As they got to the middle of the park they could hear a plane roaring overhead.
"Gee that plane is noisy" gestured Melissa.
"I guess" replied Damon.
As the plane continued to fly up above they noticed that it started to write out a name. "Hey that plane is writing out my name" laughed Melissa in almost disbelief at the sight of her name in the sky.
"Yeah I see it. He hasn't finished yet it seems" hinted Damon
As the skywriter continued to spell out words Melissa suddenly put her hand to her mouth stunned by what was now being written, the words "Melissa will you marry me?" now there for the world to see.
"Oh my god Damon is this for real?" she squealed as she looked around at her man.
"You better believe it" replied Damon. "Check my top pocket"
Melissa checked the top pocket of his shirt and in there was a small felt box, in it a ring that sparkled brighter than the morning sun. "It's wonderful" cried Melissa putting it on straight away then almost bowling Damon over in his wheelchair in a strong embrace.
"So that's a yes?" asked Damon making sure
"Yes, yes. Of course yes!!! A thousand times yes!!!" beamed Melissa.
As they continued to embrace the other people in the park had now stopped to congratulate the happy couple hopelessly in love. While neither of them had experienced the smoothest of lives that didn't matter one bit now, they had each other.
After the excitement of the engagement Melissa feverishly prepared for the wedding, spending hours on end in bridal shops and arranging everything else, Damon just sitting back and watching what would soon be his happy bride doing her business. After that was all sorted she had to work out a bridesmaid, there was only one choice for bridesmaid though, her best friend Shelley. Naturally enough she said yes and the marriage of Damon and Melissa was finally scheduled.
The day of the wedding arrived and it was a glamorous affair, there was ice sculptures and a harmonic orchestra not to mention the array of stunning flowers, rather than being held in a church it was held on Damon's spacious back lawn, the chairs were all set up and everyone in Damon's family naturally turned up to see their relation be wed. At first Melissa worried no-one from her family would be there but she then got an unexpected surprise. "Hello dear" said a voice behind Melissa before she went to walk down the aisle. She turned around to see it was her last remaining relative alive, the relative she had lost touch with. "Oh my god Aunty June!!" she cried as she laid eyes on her before rushing up to hug in her long flowing white dress. "I can't believe your here" she remarked.
"Well I couldn't miss this could I?" replied Aunty June pleased to see Melissa so happy.
"Oh you have just made this day even more wonderful"
After the reunion with her Aunty, Melissa prepared to walk down the aisle, she couldn't wait to see Damon in his wheelchair and tux at the end of it looking all hot and dapper, Melissa didn't have her own father to walk her down the aisle but that didn't worry her one bit as she had become close to Damon's father, he offered his arm and they walked arm in arm down the aisle, waiting at the end was Damon and as soon as he saw Melissa he started to tear up, she just looked so beautiful that he almost couldn't believe it. The feeling was mutual was though.
"You just look amazing" gushed Melissa upon seeing her beau.
"Eclipsed by your beauty though that's for sure" replied Damon not believing this was all happening.
They both took up there spots facing one another and the priest started. "Ladies and Gentleman, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of these two fine people". As the priest continued to talk there was barely a dry eye in the crowd or between Damon and Melissa. Soon enough it came time to put the rings on one another, Damon's little 12 year old niece walking over with them, Melissa picked up Damon's hand and slid it on before putting on her own ring. As the service came to a close the priest finally announced that famous phrase "I now declare you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride"
Upon hearing this Damon moved his wheelchair forward and Melissa planted the sweetest of kisses on his expectant lips, they stayed in lip lock for many a second while everyone cheered them on wildly. They eventually made their way down the aisle and into a waiting van, Damon's exit taking a little longer than most newlywed grooms but no-one cared, least of all Damon who was just in extreme bliss. Before loading up into the van Melissa threw her bouquet, after a tight tussle it was won by her best friend Shelley, very pleased with her efforts.
Soon they pulled away from Damon's place where the wedding was held and set out on their honeymoon, it would be a retreat on the East Coast and was sure to be a lot of fun with wheelchair accessibility not to be a problem. After the honeymoon they would come back to live at Damon's and lead the happiest and most fruitful life possible. For Melissa she found the love she always wanted and craved and Damon heart was filled again, brimming full of Melissa's love..And everyone couldn't be happier for them..
THE END
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