Here are a few more chapters in the struggle of my beloved Ilian Jansen.
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thank you very much.
Penelope didn’t plan on seeing Jack that Saturday.
She was already cranky about losing the parking battle to the stroller industrial complex, and the day had started with a text from her mom that just said:
“Do you remember that girl from swim team who broke her arm? The one you liked. She’s engaged now. To a lesbian!”
Which somehow felt equal parts supportive and threatening.
Chapter 3 - Video Games
Jack hated company happy hours on principle.
They were loud, overpriced, and full of people performing friendship like it was part of their job description. Everyone clustered in tight little circles, shouting over music that wasn’t good enough to justify the volume. Someone had already taken their badge off and clipped it to their waistband like it was a personality.
He’d said yes this time only because Penelope asked with a voice that dared him not to.
“You coming tonight?” she’d asked, leaning on the side of his desk, breath smelling faintly like those tiny oranges she hoarded. “Or are you gonna fake a calendar invite again?”
He scoffed. “That was one time.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You color-coded it.”
“It was a deeply important fake meeting.”
She’d just smiled, slow and smug. “So… I’ll see you there?”
You awake?
DependsAm I being propositioned or do you need rescuing
She stared at it, half-laughed through her nose, then typed with stiff fingers.
Dead carCold fingersMild shameHelp?
I feel honored to be able to share my beloved Ilian Jansen with you.
I started this book in September and it has been a great pleasure to tell this story.
Thank you for the feedback. Please let me know if you find any errors or inconsistencies. Advice is welcome.
Thank you for reading..
Hello everyone,
I've been visiting this blog for many years but this is the first time I've written. I have one book already completed and I'm writing the second volume. It's a large book and I intend to post a few chapters here every Tuesday. Please let me know if there are any errors. Thank you very much.
Not really, but that would be amazing, wouldn't it?
Hi everyone, Lovis again!
Lately I’ve been jumping back and forth between several story projects. It’s fun… but also a terrible strategy if I ever want to finish even one of them. Since I simply can’t decide which one to focus on, I figured I’d let you choose for me. Hah, problem solved, right?
Below are first chapters to three brand-new stories, each featuring a guy with cerebral palsy in a different setting. Please use the poll at the end to vote for the one you’d like to see developed into a full story.*
*Author is making no promises whatsoever...
Story 1: Assisting David
Laura works as a personal assistant for David. One day he trusts her enough to admit that he’s never had an orgasm in his life. Laura—who’s very much in tune with bodily pleasures herself—is determined to change that. But it turns out to be far more complicated than she expected, blurring first professional, then emotional lines.
Story 2: Third Wheel
Ethan has a crush on his flatmate Jared… until he discovers Jared is actually in a relationship with his newly returned boyfriend, Tyler. Ethan can't decide which is worse: finding out that Tyler is indeed ridiculously attractive, or listening to the two of them having very enthusiastic sex on the other side of the wall each night.
Story 3: Benjamin, the Dragon, and I
Lea finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Benjamin, her professor’s son. He’s unlike any other boy she’s ever dated—down to his power wheelchair and the fact that he needs help with the simplest tasks. To make things even more complicated, Lea is almost convinced that his assistant, Vivienne, breathes fire.
So yes… you can probably see why choosing just one is impossible for me.
Thanks for helping me out! 💛
Lovis
Edit:
The poll is now closed. Thanks for voting, everyone! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the stories, and you’ve made the decision clear: Story 3 wins with 39 votes! Yay—confetti, fireworks, Lea possibly getting drunk and falling into Benjamin’s lap… oh wait, too early!
Honorable mentions go to Story 1 with 22 votes and Story 2 with 7 votes. Oodles of love for these stories and for everyone supporting them!
I’m really looking forward to writing Benjamin and Lea’s story, and I hope to hear from you sometime soon(-ish). Have a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year, everyone!
Hey everyone!
This short story is the first chapter of a novel I started writing ages ago. Then real-world events caught up with my story and I never had the heart to continue. Who knows, one day I might be able to go back to it—I sincerely hope that will be the case. For now, I've polished up this first chapter to share as a standalone piece. I know it won't cure our collective hunger for stories, but maybe it'll stave off the craving for a while?
Oh, and that may be of potential interest for some: The story features a quadriplegic character! It’s a first for me. So... tell me what you think of The Messenger!
Wishing you all a great week!
Lovis
Hey everyone
Sorry for the insanely long wait and thank you for your patience and all the comments!
Here it is — Chapter 19 of TOWGA.
And I apologize in advance: The next one will take me a while again — lots going on right now.
Happy Friday and have a great weekend!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away — Table of Contents
Hey everyone
I made it — here is Chapter 18 of TOWGA.
Heads up: This one is... explicit!
Happy friday!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away — Table of Contents
This story was posted last month on my Patreon, but wanted to share here too. It was based on the prompt: "If you tell anyone I cried during that movie, I'll block you." Hope you all like it! 🙂
Hi everybody
I'm back with a new update to TOWGA — Chapter 17. Hope you enjoy it.
Note: If you already read "Beverage Guy", still don't skip this chapter — it's a slightly different and expanded compared to the standalone version.
Have a good weekend!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away — TOC
Hi everyone
Here is the rest of Chapter 16.
This one was tough to write – but it needed to be done.
If you haven't read Part One of this chapter, make sure to go there first.
Happy Friday and good weekend!
xoxo, Merigold
TOWGA — Table of Contents
This is super short – just Part One of this chapter. The rest isn't ready yet.
But I thought since it's Friday, and since the last Chapter ended in the middle of a scene, I'd give you this as a small bonus.
xoxo, Merigold
Thank you for your patience! Better late than never, right?
Going through this chapter again after not really looking at it for years, I realized I don't like it at all. But I also don't feel like rewriting it, so this is how it is: Chapter 15.
Have a good week everyone!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – Table of Contents
Hi people
Same as last time – haven't had the chance this week to do the formal editing. Maybe I'll be able to post the next chapter on Sunday or Monday, but no promises.
Heads up that it might be like this for the next five weeks, because summer break has started, so I'm very busy with the kids.
But everything will be posted, no worries.
xoxo, Merigold
Happy Friday everybody
It's date night! Please enjoy Chapter 14 of TOWGA
As always, thank you so much for reading and commenting ♡
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – TOC
Firfir protests sleepily as I push him off my stomach and fold back the two layers of blanket I'm buried under. He shakes his head, yawns, and hops off the sofa, his eyes sparkling in the dim light as he stretches and scratches his claws on the carpeted floor before vanishing toward the door.
Right. There was a knock at the door—the reason I woke up. I squint to find my warm flannel house shoes and hurry to slip my feet inside. It's almost dark in the living room, the light over the table off although I'm sure I switched it on earlier. Another blackout. The fireplace is barely giving light; the wood is too wet for a decent fire, and it took me half an hour to get it burning in the first place.
"Ma'am?" A low voice, muffled behind the door.
"Dawit?"
I hear the door handle creak. The door opens and when I turn my head, I see Firfir‘s tail slipping past two black feet clad in dusty sandals.
Hello dear readers
Thank you so much to all of you who are still here. Love your comments every week ♡
I know you all are waiting for that first date, but that's next week. Today, the love/cheese fest continues with Chapter 13.
Happy Friday everyone!
xoxo, Merigold
TOWGA – Table of Contents
Ok, everyone
We're back. Here is Chapter 12 of TOWGA. It's somewhat slow. Hope you guys will still like it.
Have a good weekend!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – Table Of Contents
This was a short story posted last month on my Patreon, but wanted to share here too. It's a bit different from my usual fare (very dialogue heavy...I'm practicing, y'all! 😅) but hopefully one or two people still enjoy it.
Please let me know what you think about Pillow Talk.
Hey everyone!
Since things are a bit quieter this week, I thought I'd share a new short story with you: Onsight.
Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine wherever you are!
Best,
Lovis
Hey lovely people
The next one's up – here comes Chapter 11, aka "the moment".
I hope you all like cheese...!
Happy Friday and xoxo, Merigold
I met Mr. Carlson right in front of the door, my key already in hand.
“Oh—Miss Goodman.”
“Good morning, Mr. Carlson.”
He looked rushed, his hair less tidy than usual and his coat only half on. He clutched his black leather case and a scarf in one hand, about to close the door with the other—only to hold it open for me instead.
The first time he heard the noise coming from the other side of the wall, Ethan thought his roommate must have had a terrible accident. He lay frozen in bed for a split second, heart hammering as he listened in shock, before throwing the heavy comforter aside. The cold stung with the contrast to the warmth of the bed as Ethan‘s body was suddenly exposed to fresh air, but he pushed himself upright and hurried into the hallway. No doubt Jared needed his help.
I blink against the sunbeam slicing through a gap in the blinds, landing square on my face. Black silk sheets. The wall papered in matte purple. A framed picture showing two bodies intertwined in shadow. Next to it, a pencil sketch of a nude woman. I pause—his ex? A full laundry basket in the corner. Beside a glossy black wardrobe, a stack of throw pillows.
I let my head sink back into the remaining pillow on my side of the bed and close my eyes. Late twenties, I'm thinking. Reasonably successful. Charming. Probably surprised I came home with him last night, but not overly so. Single for... a year?
Hi everyone,
Chapter 9 is up, and it's... probably not what you would have expected. Honestly, I struggled with this one, and I'm still not super happy with the result.
On the plus side, this is the longest chapter yet!
Have a great weekend!
xoxo, Merigold
PS: Thank you very much for all your comments last week!
The One Who Got Away – Table Of Contents
Hello lovely people,
Chapter 8 has arrived!
To everyone who's still here: Thank you! Lost quite a few readers with Chapter 5, which is totally fine and was to be expected, because not everyone is into the medical crisis thing.
All the more grateful I am for all of you who are still reading and commenting! ♡
Happy Friday!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – Table Of Contents
Hi everyone
Chapter 7 of TOWGA is now up. I promise this is the last one where virtually nothing happens.
Have a nice weekend!
Hello everyone,
The story continues – Chapter 6 is now up! A slightly shorter one this time, and a bit of a filler, sorry.
Have I mentioned you all are absolutely amazing for loving Seth and Kay with me? :D Thank you for all your lovely comments!
Happy Friday and xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – TOC
This is one I posted on my Patreon several months ago, and also DeviantArt, but never posted here. Whoops! I'll say, it's a little disability lite, but it's still one of my favorite things I've written, so wanted to put it here too 🙂
Hello lovely people
Thank you again for the comments last week. They mean THE WORLD <3
I've just uploaded the next chapter of TOWGA. Another one I don't feel too confident about... not much is happening.
Anyway, here is Chapter 5.
Have a great weekend!
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – Table Of Contents
Hi everyone
Please enjoy Chapter 4 of TOWGA :)
Let me know what you think!
Also, once you've reached the end of Part One, can you guess what's going on?
Happy Easter!
xoxo, Merigold
Hi people,
thank you for all the comments last week, I truly appreciate every single one!
Here comes Chapter 3 of TOWGA.
This is one of those that I'm not really happy with, to be honest. It's also quite slow and fragmented. But because it's needed for the story development, I can't just scratch it.
I hope you'll still enjoy it a bit.
xoxo, Merigold
The One Who Got Away – Table Of Contents
Hi everyone,
Climbing spots aren't quiet. You'd think you need silence to concentrate when there's hundreds of feet of air below you, or maybe people would keep quiet out of respect for nature or others around. But no. Usually there's lots of yelling—requests for more rope or less rope, questions about route direction or comments on its quality, the general screams of support (best if offered as a choir), and then of course the frustrated cry from the climber and collective groan from spectators accompanying a fall. There's rarely silence at climbing spots.
Hi everyone,
This is it!! Chapter 32 has arrived, concluding our steamy journey with Jay and Darren. It took me a while to write this final chapter because I'm just terrible at goodbyes! :)
I hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. It was such fun! I'll definitely miss these two characters and posting new chapters. I may return with a short story or another longer project in the future. Until then, I'm confident the story blog is in good hands with old and new authors. I just looove all the new stories that have popped up recently!!
Thank you all for reading and your comments, love you!
Have a great week!
Lovis
Hello lovely people
You asked for it, so here it is :D Kay and Seth's full story.
Just a few heads up I'd like to give:
Anyway, here's
Kay had specifically planned on not being nervous.
Well, here she was: a nervous mess. Introducing a new boyfriend to family was nerve-wracking in itself, but adding a disability into the mix took it to a whole new level.
"Is that her?" Seth pointed his chin towards the other end of the plaza. Kay followed his gaze and nodded. Her older sister was approaching the café in her usual brisk stride, high heels clacking. She was in business woman mode.
The knot in Kay's stomach tightened, and she wrapped her hands around Seth's slim upper arm, momentarily burying her face in his shoulder with a groan.
A kiss brushed the top of her head. "It's gonna be fine."
She looked up, meeting those dark deep eyes that always managed to calm her down. Those eyes that never failed. And just like that, her nervousness dissipated, transforming into something else: A sense of We. This was her man. Whoever had a problem with her relationship could go fuck themselves. Stella included. She craned her neck and placed a kiss on Seth's lips. "I love you", she whispered, then turned around to see her sister now just a few strides away from their table and seeking her gaze.
Kay stood up. "Hey you." Please don't fuck this up Sis. Please please please.
Kay could only hope that her sister would keep in mind what they had talked about on the phone."Is there anything I should know about… you know, dealing with him?" Stella had asked, and Kay had told her the one and only thing there was to know: "He's a regular person, Stel. Please don't treat him any differently."
"Hi Sis," Stella now offered a quick hug, then her eyes darted from Kay to Seth. They didn't linger any longer on him than a second. "Hi", she nervously gripped the strap of her handbag. "I'm Stella."
"Hey Stella. I'm Seth." As always with people who were being weird around him, he didn't bat an eye at her apparent discomfort. Instead, he gave her a genuine smile.
Stella stiffly shifted on her feet, and it was clear that she was feeling awkward about the impossibility of a handshake.
"We haven't ordered yet", Kay said to fill the silence, shoving the menu card across the table."Never been here before", Stella gladly went along with the small talk as she sat down. "Cute place." She picked up the menu card, studying it with just a little too much interest, apparently relieved to have something to focus on. "Oh, they have a nice tea selection", she murmured approvingly.
"The Genmaicha is really good", Seth remarked. "If you're into green tea."
Stella looked up distractedly. Or more like startled. As if the fact that he was taking part in the conversation surprised her. "I love that one", she responded with an uneasy smile, and Kay could see she was doing that thing many people did when talking to Seth: Keeping her gaze unnaturally fixated on his face, as if the rest of him was forbidden to look at.
Kay rolled her eyes to herself. This was something she herself had never done when she had first seen him post-injury. Quite the opposite actually, she hadn’t been able to stop staring. Granted, she and Seth hadn’t been strangers at that point. Far from that.
The First Friday
The clock strikes 5 pm, and the sleek lobby of VegaTech begins to fill with people. Most of them stare a bit, as they walk by me on their way to a well-deserved weekend. I’m an easy target to stare at, from the huge electric wheelchair to my habit of decorating it with pride flags. One of the men walking by gives me that furtive, out-of-the-corner-of-his-eye-once-over-look that I can clock as a certain kind of interest from a mile away. He’s cute enough, and usually, I’m always up to a flirt with a devotee, but today I ignore him. My sister Vanessa is now officially an hour late. That might not be a big deal for some people, but for me it’s a deal the size of the Louisiana Purchase.
Next to me, Steve is pacing. He’s a good guy and a great caregiver, but after a 12 hour shift stretching into a 13th hour, he’s just as annoyed as I am. His wife and kids are waiting back home, but I absolutely must not be left alone ever, for fear something could go wrong with my vent, and Steve will stick by my side until Vanessa is here to take his place. Among many other duties she has, it’s her job to take me to my weekly therapy appointment. I already missed it last week, and I’m still pissed off about it.
Steve points towards the elevators.
“Isn’t that dude over there on Nessy’s team?”
He’s right. A guy in cargo shorts and a dark blue VegaTech polo shirt, one of Vanessa’s fellow engineers, fresh out of the elevator, spots me hanging out by the reception desk and jogs over.
“Sorry, Toby! Nessy is still upstairs, the new manager just gave us a new deadline.”
Oh, yes, same as last week. Three months ago, the kind older gentleman who understood my sister’s time constraints as one of my carers was replaced by a jerk straight from company headquarters. Ever since my usually dependable sister has become flaky. I understand her worries, and of course, her cushy position at VegaTech is what keeps us afloat, but I also need to be at my appointment, or I’ll risk losing the very little function I have left as a c1/c2 quad.
That’s it. VegaTech likes to brag about their track record with inclusivity. It’s time to see what that’s worth. Using the sip-and-puff control, I turn my power chair around and make my way over to the reception desk.
“Hi, Kristy. Can you tell Mr. Gerber that Toby Burnett is here to see him?”
Continuing with the preview of, Eroshenko, here is Chapter Two. Thanks everyone who ordered already.
I grip the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles are white against the black leather. Is that little clacking sound the car makes normal? Maybe it’s just me, hyper-aware of everything right now.
Because of Brandon.
He sits beside me in the passenger seat, calm as ever, his right leg stretched out comfortably. The left one is a prosthetic, not that anybody could tell underneath his jeans. His hooks, much more obvious than his missing leg, glint in the corner of my eye, one idly tapping against the other in a steady rhythm to the radio.
“It’s accessible,” I say again, glancing at him quickly before returning my eyes to the road. “I checked, like, three times. I called them, went through their website, even cross-referenced reviews. They’ve got ramps, an elevator, even grab bars in the shower.”
Brandon leans his head back against the seat, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He’s so handsome. My stomach churns.
“You know, Jen, you don’t have to go through all this trouble. I’ve stayed in places that weren’t exactly...perfectly accessible, and I managed just fine.”
“That’s not the point,” I say, trying to keep my tone light but feeling the heat rise in my chest. “It’s supposed to be perfect. This is your first trip with me. Our first trip. I don’t want you worrying about managing. I want you to participate in everything the spa has to offer.”
He chuckles softly. It’s so easy for him. That’s part of what I love about Brandon—he’s grounded in a way I don’t quite know how to be. He shifts slightly, his myoelectric left leg whirring faintly as the sensors adjust. He doesn’t seem to notice the sound anymore, but I always do. It reminds me of all the things I have to remember—things I don’t want to mess up.
“Relax,” he says, his voice warm but firm. “This trip isn’t about proving anything. I’m already with you, remember?”
I swallow hard, my fingers easing their death grip on the wheel. “I know. I just want it to be special.”
“It already is,” he says, his voice softer now. “You’re driving. I’m relaxing. And you’ve put way more thought into this than anyone else ever has.”
My cheeks flush, and I let myself glance at him again. He’s looking at me now, his hazel eyes full of unshakable calm. The hooks resting on his thighs gleam faintly in the sunlight. I know he’s not self-conscious about them, and he’s told me I don’t need to tiptoe around them either. Still, I can’t help myself. The sight of them makes my stomach tighten, a flash of heat that I force down with every ounce of willpower I have.
I can’t let it show. Not now. Not ever.
As promised, you have lots of choices if you don't want to give money to Amazon. Purchase the ebook or paperback from:
Bookshop.org is now also offering ebooks, not just paperbacks. It's a great way to support local bookstores.
Or bypass all these corporations and order a paperback directly from me HERE, for a $3 discount.
If you don't want to buy a copy, you can request your local library to order a paperback or ebook. Or if you have a Librarything or Netgalley account, you can request a review copy, but only until the end of this month.
No matter where you read, please leave a review, especially on Goodreads. It helps a lot! Thanks so much for your support. I really appreciate it!
And now a preview for your enjoyment...
This is a photo of Eroshenko performing in a concert with other students from the Tokyo School for the Blind, probably in 1915.
Click through to read Chapter One
The clerk’s fake smile doesn’t falter, but it’s still fake. I lean a little closer to the desk, gripping the edge. “You don’t understand. I can’t just sleep in my car. It’s freezing out there.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am.” His voice is syrupy, the kind that doesn’t actually mean sorry. “We’re fully booked. This storm caught a lot of people off guard.”
“Right, including me.” My voice is sharper than I mean it to be, and I feel bad for it instantly, but I’m exhausted, soaked, and the thought of sitting in my car all night makes my stomach twist. “There has to be something. A closet. A cot in the basement. I’ll take anything.”
The guy glances over my shoulder, probably hoping someone else will step up and distract me. No luck for him. The lobby is practically empty except for a guy passed out on one of the couches. The clerk’s fingers drum on the desk. “I’ve already told you—”
“Ellie?”
I freeze, grip tightening on the desk. That’s not possible. Not here. Slowly, I turn.
And there he is. Jack Baker. Ten years, and he’s still unmistakably Jack—sharp jawline, the same easy grin, even under the shadow of a soaked baseball cap. But what stops me, what shifts everything, is the sleek black wheelchair he’s sitting in. His hands rest on the push rims, his posture casual like he’s been here all along.
“Jack?” My voice wavers for half a second before I clamp it down. My brain is working overtime, trying to connect the dots. Last I knew, he was climbing mountains out west. Now he’s here, wheels glinting in the fluorescent light, grinning at me like we bumped into each other at the grocery store.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he says, rolling a little closer. The grin doesn’t falter. “Ellie Thompson, of all people. Small world, huh?”
Chapter 1: Deja Vu
Chapter 2: Six Years Earlier / The Moment
Chapter 3: Six Years Earlier / The P Word / Waving Hand Emoji
Chapter 4: Disability Etiquette / Six Years Earlier
Chapter 5: Cold Grip / Hot Potato / Five Years Earlier
Chapter 6: Exuses / Balancing
Chapter 7: The Body You Desire / Blocked / Four Years Earlier
Chapter 8: Any Random Idiot / Not A Pool Party
Chapter 9: Yeti Bastard
Chapter 10: Something In Between / Not Today
Chapter 11: Quad Architect / Forever
Chapter 12: No Such Manual / Girlfriend
Chapter 13: Spurred
Chapter 14: No Clue
Chapter 15: Here / Cuddling Logistics
Chapter 16 PT 1: Radical Concepts
Chapter 16 PT 2+3: Not A Footnote / The Elephant
Chapter 17: Beverage Guy
Chapter 18: The Look / Serious Tilt
Chapter 19: The Angle
Hi everyone,
please enjoy Chapter 31 of Not Gay! Thanks for your comments, you guys are all incredible!
Have a great week!
Lovis
Twenty minutes too early. Of course. Not that Kay did it intentionally. It was simply that she always ended up early wherever she went. Others took it for a commendable quality; they assumed she was this reliable, highly disciplined person who would never make anyone wait.
In truth, it was just poor time management. For some people, that meant being notoriously late. With her, it was the opposite – being notoriously early. If you combined a poor sense of time with an ever looming panic to be late, that's what you got.
Kay steered the car into Mulberry Lane. She knew this neighborhood, because she sometimes drove through here on the way to the firm when traffic was bad. Slowing down, she scanned the houses and soon spotted the property in question. The driveway was already blocked by two cars, one of them a huge black van, and she ended up parking a few paces further down against the sidewalk.
She looked at her watch. Fifteen minutes. Kay sank deeper into her car seat and took out her iPad to check her email. She pulled up the one with the assignment details. Though one couldn't actually call that two-sentence message ‘detailed’.
"Assessment for remodeling after botched previous remodeling job", her boss had written. The clunky wording was typical for him; he was good at designing things, not at describing them.
This type of assignment was abundantly familiar to Kay. During the few months she had been working for Stettler & Ilk, half of her clients had been people who were unhappy with previous works done by other firms. It wasn’t exactly the kind of work that most architects associated with the highest prestige, but Kay liked it. She was fascinated with problem solving – the more complex the problem and the more intricate the solution, the better. It was one of the aspects that had initially drawn her to architecture and later to specializing in Design-build. As a general species, architects tended to be very theoretical in the way they approached projects. That wasn't Kay. She liked the practical, tangible side of her craft.
Ten minutes. She adjusted the rearview mirror to check her hair and make-up, tucking a couple of dark blond strands back into her ponytail and re-applying some sheer pink lipstick.
Five minutes. Kay looked at the two-story house in front of her again. Whatever kind of remodeling had been done here before had to be on the inside. There didn't seem to be any kind of annex, and the facade didn't look like it had been renovated recently. The only thing that looked newer than the rest of the house was the long teak ramp bypassing the three front steps. Maybe the remodeling had to do with accommodations for a physically disabled person.
The energetic woman greeting her at the door sure didn't appear to be disabled. She was maybe in her early sixties and looked perfectly healthy. Her handshake was firm.
"I'm Kay Martens from Stettler & Ilk.", Kay said, and the woman gave her a warm smile. "Cora Bell. Come on in."
"That's a beautiful home you have here", Kay remarked, stepping inside. "1920s?"
"That's exactly right", the other woman beamed approvingly, and Kay's gaze lingered on her face for a second, finding something oddly familiar about it. Even though she was positive she had never met the woman in her life. There was something about those features… Déjà vu, maybe? She cleared her throat. "Mr. Stettler mentioned you've had some work done to the house and now are not happy with the outcome?"
Cora Bell weighed her head. "Well, not exactly. The remodeling downstairs has turned out fine. The problem is the second floor.” She gestured towards the staircase. "Why don't I just show you."
Kay followed her up the stairs, while Mrs. Bell kept talking: "We had to move our study – or library, whatever you want to call it, up here, plus the contents of a whole hallway closet. And the space is just not… adequate."
She led Kay through one of the doors, and they stepped into, well, whatever it was supposed to be. Kay nodded. "I can see what you mean", she murmured, looking at the relatively small space filled up with bookshelves, an antique writing desk, an armchair and a huge cupboard – among other things.
"This used to be our elder son's room", Mrs. Bell explained, clasping her hands. "After he moved out, we kept it as a guest room for him." Her voice was sort of melancholy now. Had the son died? Or cut ties with his parents? In any case, this was apparently no longer a guest room.
The club was steadily filling up. Tapping her fingers to the rhythm of some Goldfrapp remix, Kay watched Seth walk across the room towards her, smoothly navigating their drinks through the crowd.
"You have an audience", she grinned, taking the Amaretto Sour he handed her. She pointed her head towards the group of girls in the other corner. They looked like college freshmen and had been ogling him the whole time. "Now they're bummed, because they think I'm your girlfriend."
Seth chuckled with a shrug, probably because he didn't care. He never seemed to care about the fact that he was turning heads. Not because he was arrogant, but because he just wasn't vain enough to care.
He sat down and they clinked glasses. "Next round is on me", she promised, then took a sip of the sweet goodness in her hand. "Even though it's kind of unfair that all you ever order for yourself is beer. I can't return the favor of buying you an expensive drink."
"That's ok, you're still poor", he responded teasingly, a cheeky smirk on his face. "I can forgive you the imbalance."
"Hey, I'm not poor! The money just hasn't reached me yet."
Seth laughed. "You think it got lost somewhere on the way?"
"How's the view up there? On that high horse of yours, I mean." She stuck out her tongue.
It was the joke of the year, because if there was one person not on any high horse whatsoever, it was Seth.
He took a sip from his beer. "How are you? It's been a while."
"Tell me about it." She pursed her lips, silently counting back through the calendar in her head. "Yeah, almost three months. Way too long, again."
"We somehow keep doing that."
"I guess this is what happens when people near their thirties."
"Or are already there", Seth grimaced, because he had turned thirty months ago.
Kay comfortably leaned back on the lounge. "So what have you been up to?"
He shrugged. "Drowning in work, basically. We have a deadline by the end of next week."
"That contest for the community center?"
He nodded. "And one of our senior architects has taken a sabbatical, now of all times."
She grimaced in sympathy. "Meanwhile, my boss let me know the other day that I'm not doing enough overtime."
"What?" Seth scowled, setting his glass onto the lounge table. "That's ridiculous. Considering how little she lets you do in the first place."
"I know, right?" She shrugged. "Honestly, I don't care anymore. Now that I know London is happening and I'm leaving by the end of the year."
"How did she react to those news?"
Kay laughed dryly, then imitated the high-pitched and condescending voice of her boss: "'Well, good luck I guess.'"
Seth rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "They don't deserve you. It's high time you work for someone who appreciates your talent."
Kay beamed at him. "You think way too highly of my talent."
Seth gave her a wink. "I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about."
"Understood, Boss." She grinned.
Enough about work though. There were other things she was dying to know.
"How is it going with TA-mara?" She couldn’t help the slight quip when saying his girlfriend's name – the woman annoyed her. Not that she had ever met her or anything. But Seth’s girlfriend always annoyed her – whoever it was.
"I slept with Seth."
"You WHAT?" Kay's friend Micah almost dropped the ice cream cone she was holding, and her jaw practically fell to the ground.
They were sitting on the grass in a public park; around them were families, groups of students and smooching couples, all enjoying the sunny spring afternoon.
Micah looked unsure of whether to be shocked or excited. "When? How? Why? And what the fuck, Kay?"
Kay smirked sheepishly at her own ice cream. "Last night." She shrugged. "It just… happened."
"Uh huh", Micah said with a scoff. "Right."
"Really! I didn't mean to do it." Seeing the alarmed look on her friend's face, she quickly clarified: "I mean, I wanted to, we both did. It simply wasn't planned."
Micah gave her a lazy smirk. "You just accidentally fell on top of him?"
With a laugh, Kay rolled her eyes. "We were at Glow and then his car conked out. So I invited him to crash at my place."
Now Micah rolled her eyes as well.
Kay gave her a look. "What?"
"So much for 'It wasn’t planned'."
"But it really wasn't!" Kay protested. "I don't know what happened, Micah, we suddenly… wanted each other."
Her friend lent her a telling look. "You didn't ‘suddenly’ want each other. He's always had the hots for you."
Kay averted her eyes, trying not to smile. "Oh please."
"What I really want to know is: Why? Why would you sleep with Pretty Boy? Doesn't he have a girlfriend?"
Kay scowled at her. She hated when Micah called him that. Sure, Seth was good looking – he even was what one would have called 'a beautiful man'. But obviously naming him 'Pretty Boy' was not a compliment on Micah's side. She didn't know Seth well and somehow had never really warmed up to him. Not that she had ever directly said so, but Kay suspected she didn't get what Kay saw in him as a person. From the moment Kay had introduced him to her at a party, Micah had immediately categorized Seth. Guys who looked like that couldn't be cool and multi-layered – Micah’s theory. The fact that Kay knew him much better and could attest for the theory not applying here hadn't been able to sway Micah in her preconception. That was Micah for you – quick to judge and hard to bring around.
"No, he doesn't have a girlfriend." Kay told her, not able to withhold the annoyance from her tone. "And will you stop calling him that? It's offending me."
At that, Micah laughed out loud. "It's offending you?"
Kay rolled her eyes, snorting. "And unfair to him, obviously. But you're implying I'm not a good judge of character. Do you seriously still think I would be such close friends with Seth if he was some shallow bore?"
"Girl, come on." Micah put her hand on Kay's knee. "I never said that. He's obviously a nice guy. Him and I just don't vibe well, that's all."
"You are the one not vibing", Kay corrected her, holding up a finger. "Seth's got nothing to do with it."
Micah sighed. "Look Dude, can we not argue about this? 'Cause I really, desperately want to fucking hear all the details already."
Kay huffed. Normally, she wouldn't have let this go. But right now, the part of her that needed to process last night was stronger. She took a deliberate, long lick of her yogurt ice cream, then intensely looked at her friend. "It was the best sex of my life."
Still, she wondered what was going on. The windows were tinted, so she couldn't see inside – they probably could see her, though. Was Seth having second thoughts or something?
But then the automatic door on the side suddenly started to open, bringing him into view. And an unexpected wave of nausea swept over Kay.
She knew it was stupid, but seeing Seth in that big wheelchair he now steered onto a platform lift was almost as much of a blow as it had been the first time. Back in his parents' living room, it had all seemed surreal. But here he was, in the parking lot of Lakeside Park, still just as paralyzed as he had been a few days ago. And his disability suddenly appeared more blatant to Kay, magnified – it felt… real. She swallowed as she uncrossed her feet, straightening in her posture.
In the meantime, a blond guy with a beard and a man-bun had jumped out of the van. He was about their age and looked like one of those super laid back hipsters and not at all what Kay had imagined Seth's care assistant to be like – which, if she thought about it, was pretty ridiculous on her end, because she didn't actually know what else she had expected.
During the process of the lift descending, Seth tried to look anywhere but at her, repeatedly rolling his neck. He's nervous. Kay knew his body language inside out – well, that of his former body. He would have scratched the back of his neck right now, or run a hand through his hair. But those days were over, so rolling his neck it was.
Once he was on the ground and propelling the chair forward, Kay slowly started to walk toward him. It felt like an impossible distance. But then Seth finally met her gaze, and the eye contact immediately made her feel calmer. Like it always had. She smiled.
"Hey", he said, and his shoulders twitched as if they failed to respond to an instinctive brain command.
"Hi." Bending down, Kay gave him a peck on the cheek, her hand on his shoulder. That he wasn't able to touch her back still felt strange.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting", he said. "Sometimes it takes a while to get out." He turned his head to look behind him. "This is Brian, my PCA."
"Hi Brian", Kay extended her hand to the guy. "I‘m Kay."
He shook it, a curiously bemused smirk playing his lips. "Nice to meet you, Kay." He flashed his employer a look, and Seth stifled a chuckle.
Kay looked back and forth between the two men, raising a curious eyebrow. "What."
Seth gave her one of those disarming smiles of his, dimples showing. "Brian just lost a bet", he explained. "We have this game where we speculate how people are going to react to us."
"Not to us as a pair." Brian interjected to clarify. "But to him as a quad and to me as his carer."
"Right", Kay drawled. "And I did what?"
"You shook his hand and introduced yourself." Seth stated with a content smile. "Which I told him you would.“
Boys. With a lopsided smirk, Kay crossed her arms. "As opposed to what?"
"Barely saying hello", Brian replied with a shrug. "Some people think they're supposed to pretend I'm not there. Like a butler."
Now Kay couldn't help but laugh. "That's what you predicted I would do?"
Sheepishly, Brian scratched his beard. "Well, no."
"He said you would say Hi with a wave", Seth smirked.
Kay tsk-ed in mock disapproval, then she gave Seth a fond smile. "I'm glad you knew better."
He smiled back, then shifted his shoulders and pointed his chin towards the park. "Shall we?"
"Let's."
It all went so fast that Kay didn't even have time to grasp what was happening. One minute Seth was perfectly fine, the next he inhaled sharply and his face scrunched up in a grimace.
"Are you ok?" she asked uneasily, but she didn't get an answer. In a matter of seconds, he was profusely breaking out in a sweat on head and neck, and his skin color turned to bright red.
Kay's heart skipped a beat, something icy closing its grip around her insides. "Seth?"
"Get Brian", he grunted through clenched teeth, and Kay jumped up from her chair.
Hearing her shout his name was all it took for the PCA to practically drop his coffee onto the bench in a heartbeat and hurry over to them. Either the guy had very fine instincts, or she had just sounded as alarmed as she was.
Standing before Seth and taking one look at him, Brian seemed to have an idea what was going on. He grabbed and ripped open a backpack that was hanging on the back of the wheelchair, and a second later, he had slipped a blood pressure device around the other man's floppy wrist. Then he put a hand on his shoulder "Seth."
Seth didn't answer – he was too busy squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his head back against the headrest with a groan.
"Can you look at me?" Brian addressed him again, this time touching his face. "Come on Dude."
Now those dark eyes squinted open, but he was barely even seeing him, obviously in some kind of agony. Kay bit down on her bottom lip, her trembling hands clenching until they hurt. She had never seen Seth in pain.
The blood pressure monitor beeped, in a particularly high-pitched tone. Brian cursed softly upon reading the number on the display. He crouched down and started pushing up the jeans on Seth's right leg, revealing a bag halfway filled with urine, strapped to a pale calf. Kay swallowed, averting her eyes, because she knew Seth wouldn't have wanted her to look.
For a short moment, her peripheral vision registered their surroundings. The other guests in the café, along with Server Guy, were staring at them like it was a blockbuster movie, and people who were walking by slowed their pace to see what was going on. Kay wanted to murder them all.
Blinking, she looked back at Brian, who was shaking his head to himself now, a frown on his face. From his crouching position, he looked up at her. "Did something happen just now? Anything that could have hurt him in some way?"
Utterly confused, she shook her head. "What do you mean? We were just talking."
Brian didn't answer. He started undoing the straps across Seth's feet, then took off his sneakers and socks.
Meanwhile, Seth was still moaning and sweating, jaw clenched, eyes squeezed shut again. Kay went to stand at his side, tentatively laying a hand on his shoulder.
And that was when she saw it.
It was clinging to the back of his right upper arm, half concealed by the short sleeve of his navy blue shirt, and it had stung at least twice. That damn wasp. With a soft curse, Kay instinctively ripped the insect off. "Seth", she uttered. "Are you allergic to wasps?"
The slightest confusion crossed the grimace that currently was his face. "What?" he asked, his voice strained.
"No, he's not", Brian threw in, looking up sharply. "Why, is there a bite?"
