The One Who Got Away — CH 17

 

Chapter 17: Beverage Guy

"Why don't you guys come over for dinner?" Stella suggested. 

Kay was on the phone with her, shopping for groceries. She unconsciously shook head, putting back a cereal box she had just picked up. "That won't work. You have stairs everywhere." 

"Oh." Stella sounded dumbfounded. "Well… can't he just —"

Kay cut her off. "No, he can't."

Silent irritation crackled from the other end. "You didn't even know what I was going to suggest."

"Doesn't matter. If it starts with ‘can't he just’, it's unrealistic."

Stella snorted softly. "So how does he get into your apartment then? There's no elevator in your building."

Kay blinked, feeling a slight pang. "Yeah," she said. "He doesn't."

There was a pause. "He doesn't?"

She rolled her eyes. "Did you think he could just switch off his paralysis whenever he wants to visit his girlfriend?" Cringing at her own tone, she pinched her nose. If she wanted to put Stella at ease about Seth, this certainly wasn't the way.

Her sister huffed into the phone. "No need to get so defensive."

"Yeah, I know," Kay muttered, walking further down the cereal aisle without actually looking at any of the products. "I'm just… really traumatized by that lunch the other day. You have no idea how much that hurt." And what a strain it put on my relationship.

Stella sighed. "I'm sorry, ok? I know our reaction wasn't… ideal." Then, a little softer: "I'm on your side, baby sis."

Kay stared at the display of chocolate spreads in front of her. ‘On your side’... Stella only ever said that when she thought her little sister was being stupid. It meant: ‘I want to protect you from your own bad choices’. It didn't mean she supported the relationship. Kay rubbed her eyes. She picked out one of the spreads and put it in her cart. Choosing to ignore Stella's comment, she said: "You only realize how inaccessible our world is once you spend time with a wheelchair user. Seth is never going to see my place. Not in person anyway."

He had seen it through her phone — she'd given him a full tour on FaceTime. But it wasn’t the same. And it never would be. Kay swallowed hard and pushed the cart forward. She wouldn’t stay in that apartment forever. That much was clear.

Stella was clearing her throat. "Well, that… sucks. Especially when it comes to spending the night."

Kay smirked at the selection of nuts and kernels in front of her, sort of amused at how little her sister knew. Good thing Stella had no idea what 'spending the night' actually entailed. If she'd known, she would've already launched a “Save Kay” campaign. 

"So what would be a good place to meet then?" Stella asked. "Some restaurant?" 

Kay had already thought about that — of course she had. Browsed her and Seth’s mind for what would be a good place to meet up with that 'Team Bench' sister of hers. Public, not too crowded. Casual. "There's that cute coffee place on Marina Plaza," she said. "Let's meet in the afternoon. We can go for dinner another time." Or any main meal, for that matter. 

"In the afternoon?" Stella hesitated. "Oh… I don’t know if I can make that. You know, the house…"

"It's a Saturday, Stel. I'm sure you'll figure something out.” 

A pause, then a reluctant huff. "Okay."

"Great,” Kay nodded to herself. "I think we could be there around three, but I'll confirm with Seth."

There was another pause. Kay could feel her sister squirming through the silence.

"Kay…"

"Yes?"

"I feel kind of like an idiot asking this, but… Is there anything I should know about, you know, dealing with him?"

Kay stopped in front of the rice shelf, one hand tightening around the cart handle. 'Dealing with him' — ugh. At least Stella was trying. "Actually, there is," she said calmly. "He's my boyfriend, Stella. The only thing that's different about him is that he can't move his body." She took a breath. "So please… just treat him like a person."

 

It was warm and sunny. Sounds of chatter, birds, and passing traffic drifted across the plaza, mingling with the soft clinking of dishes and cutlery from the outdoor café.

Kay and Seth had chosen a table in the outer row — more space for the wheelchair. They were early, of course. Kay was grateful that Seth quietly accepted her “time anxiety”, as he called it — instead of trying to talk her out of it. 

Her hand rested loosely on his forearm as she glanced at him. At her beautiful, perceptive, vulnerable, and deeply loving Seth.

The remnants of that fight three days ago still lingered between them, but gently, like something that had brought them closer together, creating a new level of trust and openness. Kay felt more seen now, more valued for the work she put into their relationship. And she understood Seth better, too; the fact that even almost two years post-injury, he was still healing in a way. And how he was still showing up for her in all the ways he could.

The way he made space for her.

The way he listened — really listened — even when her words exposed him.

The way he held her with his eyes when his arms couldn’t.

The way he let her in, even when it scared him.

The way he made room not just for her pain, but for her joy, too.

The way he was here, right now, waiting with her for a sister full of prejudice — one who didn't believe in them. In him. And he wasn’t even nervous about it.

Unlike Kay. She had specifically planned on going into this calm. Not nervous. Well, here she was: a nervous mess. 

"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 — tight already — pulled even tighter. 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 eyes, dark deep eyes that always managed to comfort and steady her. Those eyes that never failed. And just like that, her nervousness dissipated, transforming into something else: A sense of We. This was her man. And whoever had a problem with that 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, Stella. Please please please. 

"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 a handshake being off the table here.

Kay shoved the menu toward her. "We haven't ordered yet," she said — mainly to fill the silence.

"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 rather, startled. As if she had already forgotten that he could talk. "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.

They ordered their drinks — Chai Latte for Kay, Iced Rooibos for Seth and Genmaicha for Stella. The young waitress was of the flustered sort. She avoided eye contact with all three of them and just nodded fervently when scribbling down their orders, never looking up. Kay sighed silently. There was always something. Every single time. Either they were unnaturally friendly, or they talked too loud, or spoke of Seth in the third person, or acted super stiff, or — like the girl right here — they were flustered. She exchanged a silent look with her boyfriend. He smirked, giving her a discreet wink. Because of course he knew what she was thinking. Knew how she was quietly getting worked up again — like always. And like always, he took the awkwardness with grace. Which still amazed her, every time.

As soon as she had the orders down, the waitress couldn’t hurry off fast enough. And because she made sure to keep her eyes down, she somehow tripped over her own feet and bumped into the back of Seth’s chair. "Are you ok?" he asked, turning his head, but she was so busy apologizing that she didn’t even hear him. After the tenth version of "I'm SO sorry", she scurried away, face bright red.

"I almost feel bad for her now," Kay remarked dryly, and she glanced at her sister. But Stella was preoccupied with something else entirely, a somewhat dumbfounded look on her face. Kay followed her gaze — and immediately understood what this was about: One of Seth’s legs had started spasming, jumping slightly — at least as far as the strap across the ankle would allow it to. Just briefly, Kay considered pressing down on the bouncing knee, but it was one of those loose spasms Seth didn't even register, and it wasn’t causing him any discomfort, so she let it be. 

Across from her, Stella's gaze bore into her like a laser beam. She was probably hoping for some kind of clue — or cue. Kay gave her a short, pointed look. No, I'm not gonna fill the silence for you. She put on her sunglasses, coolly leaning back in her chair. 

Stella had no other option but to eventually turn to Seth, again doing that face-fixating thing with her eyes. "It's so good to finally meet you", she said. "I've been hearing about you for a decade."

An unreadable look momentarily crossed Seth’s face, and one corner of his lips twitched. "Actually, I've realized that we've met before," he said after a small pause. "Years ago, at Kay’s 25th birthday party."

Kay arched an eyebrow at her boyfriend — this was news to her, too. But then again, her 25th birthday had happened eight years ago, which was basically the Stone Age. And it had ended with a lot of Tequila. So she might just as well have forgotten.

Stella, for her part, looked utterly confused — her face one big question mark. "25th birthday?"

"It was that party where I rented the cabin next to the woods," Kay said to help her out. "It was a really hot night… Oh, and I think you had to leave early because of some job trip the next day."

Seth nodded, looking at Stella. "We talked only briefly when you were on your way out. I'm not sure we even exchanged names. I certainly didn't know that you were Kay's sister."  

Kay knew that, unlike Seth with his photographic memory, her sister was hopeless at remembering people — and even worse with faces. For a long moment, Stella continued to look clueless, her brow knitted in confusion. But then her eyes suddenly widened and her jaw dropped. "Beverage Guy," she uttered, more to herself, then she quickly cleared her throat. "You were the guy hauling in all the crates with the drinks."

"That's right." Seth smiled — and only Kay noticed the subtle tension in his jaw.

Stella was staring at him, frozen, a whole set of emotions moving across her face in the span of one second. And Kay knew exactly why: Her sister had just had an image flash before her inner eye — the image of a tall, broad-shouldered Adonis carrying around heavy boxes; a Greek God walking the earth. Even someone not good at remembering faces would remember that guy. And then apparently store the mental snapshot attached to some cheesy nickname.

The awkward silence now stretching between the three of them didn't bother Kay in the slightest — she welcomed it. She stayed quiet, watching her sister closely. Waiting. 

Guilt flashed across Stella's face. Yup, Kay thought, not without satisfaction. You just realized he's actually a man. That I'm not in love with a personified wheelchair — I'm in love with THAT guy.

And then she saw Stella look at Seth. Really look at him for the first time. Her gaze finally left his face, furtively taking in his body; the unmoving limbs, the way they rested in the chair. And the overwhelm on her face gave way to something else entirely: Clarity.

Kay nodded unconsciously. This was the moment Stella saw Seth's disability for what it truly was: A once-strong body that no longer worked — nothing more, nothing less. 

It was Seth who eventually broke the silence, still looking at Stella. "I had longer hair back in those days. So it’s no wonder you didn't recognize me just now." 

And then his straight face broke into one of those disarming, irresistible, dimpled grins of his. 

God, Kay thought, gazing at her boyfriend, can you actually make me fall in love with you even more?

For a fraction of a second, Stella just stared at him. Then a hesitant smile formed — and a moment later, all three of them burst into laughter. Kay could practically see the tension melt from her sister’s body, and she smiled to herself. 

Welcome to Seth Bell, Stella.

 

Stella seemed much more at ease after that. And while Kay was glad for it, there was a faintly bitter aftertaste, knowing it probably would’ve taken her much longer to get to this point if she hadn’t suddenly remembered able-bodied Seth. Then again, Kay had yet to meet a person he couldn't put at ease with the friendly calmness he exuded. Plus, that smile.

Kay let him and Stella do most of the talking — this was about the sister and the boyfriend getting to know each other, after all. As the conversation went on, Stella seemed to forget more and more about the wheelchair and Seth’s inability to move, and she seemed more like her usual self. Only occasionally did her gaze flick away awkwardly, before creeping back again — like when Kay helped him with his tea, or when he tilted his chair back for a short pressure relief. But with time, even those furtive looks started to shift. From uneasy to curious. From guarded to open.

"You live up on Pinehill, right?" Seth asked. "Very nice area."

Stella nodded, her face lighting up at the mention of her home. "We got lucky. I always dreamed of living in one of those properties, and my husband happened to know someone who was selling."

"Their house is gorgeous," Kay nodded. "I always say it's like visiting the set of a cheesy rom-com."

The older sister rolled her eyes, chuckling. "I actually wanted to invite you both over today," she told Seth. "But Kay said it wouldn't be… accessible."

Seth gave Kay a side glance, because yes, she hadn’t even told him about that invitation. "Ah." He looked back at Stella, his left shoulder rising in a shrug. "That tends to be the case a lot."  

Noticing the guilty look on Stella's face, he offered her a smile. "Not your fault. There were significantly fewer wheelchair users in Victorian times — back when those houses were built."

"I wonder why that is," Stella mused. "It's not like people had fewer accidents back then, is it?"

"No." Seth shook his head. "It's because if someone had a spinal injury back then, they usually just died." 

Stella’s face fell — another thing she’d probably never considered, now hitting with full force. 

Kay cleared her throat gently. "Good thing medicine’s come a long way since then." She gave her boyfriend a soft, loving look. "Now they just need to figure out the healing part."

Stella was quiet, pointedly focusing on pouring herself more tea. She looked a little embarrassed, clearly at a loss for words, so Kay jumped in, steering the conversation away with a casual, "I feel like ordering something sweet. Anyone with me?"

They opted for carrot cheesecake, and Stella watched with interest as Kay and Seth shared a piece. At one point a bit of cream landed on his chin when Kay miscalculated the angle of the fork, and they both laughed as she wiped it off. Seth gave that subtle, sexy chin movement of his — the one that said he wanted a kiss, and she leaned up quickly, planting her lips on his with a grin. 

"So," Stella asked, after silently observing them for a while, "how did the two of you first meet, anyway?" 

Kay stared at her. "Jesus, Stel," she groaned. "Do you ever listen to anything I say? I've told you that story at least three times over the last ten years."

Seth laughed. "Must be one hell of a story."

"Well, apparently not — if my own sister keeps forgetting it."

Stella held up her hands. "Sorry, but you tend to lose yourself in details when you tell me stuff. So it’s not exactly easy to keep track of all of all those stories."

Kay gave her a look. "All those stories, Stella? Really?"

The sister smirked, then turned to Seth. "I don't think I'll get anything out of her, she's too busy being a pain in my a— Ow!" She winced as a sisterly punch landed on her shoulder. "So would you do me the favor of telling me how you first met my sister?"

He offered a cheeky grin. "I just hope my story matches up with hers."

"It was during college, right?" Stella asked.

Kay, mid-bite on the last piece of carrot cheesecake, held up a finger. "Only I was still in college," she said through a mouthful. "He's a few years older than me."

"You shush,” Stella said with a grin. "I'm asking Seth now."

He laughed, apparently very entertained by the sisterly bickering. "The agency I worked for at the time was doing a charity project where we built houses for disadvantaged families," he began. “And I was responsible for the planning on site. As well as coordinating and supervising the volunteers." With a smile, he pointed his chin in the direction of his girlfriend, "One of which was your sister." He and Kay shared an intimate gaze for a second, then he turned back to Stella. "So. It was the very first morning of the project. I got to the building site an hour before the volunteers were supposed to show up, so I was surprised when I wasn't the first one to arrive. It was cold and foggy, and I just saw this lone figure standing in the field, cursing loudly." He made a dramatic pause, and Kay buried her face in her hands. "So I went closer, half expecting a homeless person or some partygoer who had gotten lost on their way home. But when I stood before them, I realized it was just a girl, stuck in the mud." 

Kay wiped a tear from her eye — she couldn’t stop laughing.

Across the table, Stella remarked, "Yep, that sounds exactly like something she'd do." 

"She couldn’t decide whether she wanted to be annoyed by the mud or try to make a good impression," Seth went on. "One minute she was introducing herself and listing half of her résumé, the next she started cursing again, desperately trying to pull her feet out." He grinned. "It was really cute."

Putting her hand on his arm, Kay shook her head, laughing. "I knew he was sort of my boss for the project, and I didn’t want him thinking I was some spoiled bimbo who had a problem with getting dirty. But my feet were really fucking cold in that mud, so…" She gave him a smitten look. "You were the epitome of graciousness when you offered me your hand and pulled me out." Her eyes flicked down — not on purpose, just reflex. To where her hand now rested on his unresponsive forearm. Seth’s gaze followed hers.

Stella had a whimsical grin on her face. "Well Seth," she drawled after a pause, dramatically leaning back in her chair. "That's almost exactly how I remember Kay telling it."

Kay's dropped. "Oh you sneaky little…" She practically lunged across the table to land another punch on Stella's shoulder. "I fucking should have known!"

Stella held her shoulder, laughing. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist. It's too much fun getting you riled up." Then she turned to Seth, her tone lightening. "Besides, it was interesting hearing your side. I was never quite sure if Kay made it out to be more romantic than it actually was — but now I might be convinced." She gave her sister a wink. 

"Well, it wasn't romantic back then," Kay said, blushing. "Only in hindsight."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself," Stella shrugged. "All I know is, one day you started telling me about that new friend of yours — and you basically haven't shut up about him ever since."

Blushing even more, Kay shared a loving look with her chuckling boyfriend, then leaned up to give him a quick kiss. "Guilty as charged, I guess."

"Yet you guys never dated," Stella remarked thoughtfully.

Seth nodded, his eyes still resting affectionately on Kay. "Even though we actually liked each other, right?"

Kay grinned. "Oh yeah. I mean, what was not to like?" She gave him a flirtatious wink. "But I didn't want to like you in that way."

When he raised a teasing eyebrow, she shrugged. "Not least because we were both in relationships at the time. We started out with that friendly co-worker vibe and just… became closer in a purely platonic way. I guess I kind of kept myself on that course by default, you know?"

Seth nodded. "I do. Same."

Meanwhile, Stella was resting her chin on her hand, watching the exchange with a content smile. "Well," she sighed, "better late than never." 

Kay turned to look at her, unable to fully hide her amazement. 

Her sister gave her a genuine smile.

Kay swallowed, suddenly feeling emotional. Just a few days ago, Stella hadn’t been able to say a single good thing about this new relationship — her view clouded by ableist prejudice. And now here she was, sitting across from them with a level of approval in her eyes that Kay had never seen with any of her previous boyfriends.

It felt almost miraculous. Then again, she should’ve known. This was Seth, after all.

The sisters ordered another round — this time with alcohol, because it was after five and therefore officially cocktail time. Seth took only a sip of Kay’s martini, otherwise sticking with his tea.

Stella leaned in, genuinely curious now, asking more about his career and what had drawn him to architecture in the first place. When he began talking about the project he was currently working on, Kay saw that flicker again. The one Seth always called “disability unease”. It flashed across Stella’s face like a glitch in the system.

"So, you, uh…," she started, voice faltering. "You still…"

Knowing exactly what she was trying not to say, Seth nodded calmly. "Yes, I still work." He gave a small shrug. "Or, again, to be exact — I went back about six months ago."

Stella nodded, looking embarrassed. "Oh. That’s great."

But there was still a question mark on her face. And again, Seth helped her out."There’s excellent voice command and eye-tracking software now — even for design work.”

"It's really cool," Kay said. "Kind of sci-fi."

She loved watching Seth work. She couldn’t even explain why, exactly — but there was something ridiculously sexy about the calm, concentrated way he navigated those programs with such precision. All with just his eyes. 

"You know", Stella remarked teasingly. "You guys should go into business together. Haven't there been some successful architect couples before?"

Kay snorted. "No thanks." 

Her dry tone made Seth laugh. "Should I feel hurt?"

"No, I just can't envision being partners in life and in work," Kay smirked. "Imagine going to bed at night and having to bicker about investors and schedules."

"Well," Seth said with mock severity, "I guess that means I'm going to cancel the—"

He abruptly lost his voice mid-sentence when a spasm hit his trunk, stealing the air before he could finish. Kay saw him tense in discomfort, his gaze turning inward as the upper part of his body — along with his arms — began shaking with fine, rhythmic vibrations.

From the other side of the table, there was a soft gasp. Stella looked visibly alarmed, and she mouthed to Kay: "Is he ok?"

Kay responded with a nod. He wasn't exactly ok, that was putting it too positively. But it also wasn’t anything to worry about. She turned back to Seth, watching closely as the tremble in his muscles went on for a few more seconds before it stopped. It took him a moment to catch his breath, his shoulders heaving, and she leaned over. "Want me to get Brian?" she whispered, glancing across the café, where the PCA was sitting at a single table, reading a book. 

Seth shook his head, and that was enough to put Kay at ease. She turned back to her sister, who still looked a little rattled. 

"My boss's former agency partner is also his ex-wife," Kay said, picking up the thread from before. "There are all kinds of stories floating around the office about what a disaster that was."

It was obvious that Stella was only half-listening. Her eyes kept darting toward Seth’s hand — the left one, of course. Lately, it had developed a habit of flipping over. Which had happened now, after it had gone rigid during the spasm. It hung limply from the armrest, in that odd angle it sometimes landed in. Without interrupting her story, Kay casually repositioned it so his palm rested on the cushioned surface again.

All the while, she could still feel her sister’s gaze. She didn't like that look — because it wasn’t a curious one. It was… something else. Kay had seen it on strangers' faces. Discomfort. Pity.

Of course Seth noticed the stare, too. He rejoined the conversation — still a little short of breath. He didn’t have the air to speak loudly, which was not ideal in a crowded café full of background chatter. Twice in a row, Stella leaned in but still couldn't catch what he said over the clatter around them. He didn’t try a third time. And while he kept his expression neutral, Kay could tell he was becoming frustrated with his body.

Stella, in turn, looked embarrassed for having embarrassed him. The relaxed atmosphere had slipped, just like that. Like so often. It only ever seemed to take this little.

But Kay kept going, refusing to let it stall. She pulled up an anecdote from their childhood.

"Remember how we always had to yell at Grandma whenever we were in a public place with her? She never understood a word."

Stella laughed despite herself, nodding. "It was like she went completely deaf the second there was background noise."

"And you were always so mortified by it," Kay teased. "Because you were deep in your awkward-teenager phase."

Stella rolled her eyes, and Kay snickered. "You wanted to be left alone all the time." She turned to Seth. "Talk to the hand" — that was her favorite line."

He chuckled, and Stella scoffed. "Maybe that was because my little sister wouldn't shut up and kept babbling at me all day and night."

"She still does that," Seth remarked, his voice fuller now. Kay glanced at him, finding that he was looking at her with quiet affection. She knew what his eyes were saying: Thank you.

They stayed at the café for almost another hour.

When it was time to say goodbye, the sisters gave each other a hug. It was longer this time, and much more affectionate than the one at Stella's arrival.

Then Stella turned to Seth, awkwardly clasping her hands. "This was really nice. Let's do it again sometime." 

He smiled, nodding. "Let's."

Kay almost wished her sister had had the courage to give him a hug too — or at least touch his shoulder.

But the smile Stella gave him was warm and sincere, and that alone was already more than Kay had dared to hope for.

As her sister walked away to her car, Kay slung her arms around Seth's neck from behind. "What do you think?" she asked, placing a kiss on his cheek. 

Seth turned his head towards her. "I think," he said, his nose playfully nudging her, "it's gonna be fine."

To be continued...