Spring had always been the season that Seth loved best and that was especially true this year. The gloom of winter had finally faded, replaced with a tranquil sense of warmth and a resurgence of energy that had been missing for far too long. Everything was so much more alive in the spring, from the birds singing in the trees to the sweet smell of the blooming field flowers. He rolled on his back and chewed a long piece of green grass as he stared upwards, allowing his imagination to form familiar shapes from the cotton clouds that floated aimlessly across the blue sky. It was days like this that he could see hope; days like today that he really believed things were going to get better.
"I'm feeling kind of horny," he said out loud.
Sarah didn't answer. He heard a loud crunch as she bit into the ripe red apple just retrieved from the wooden basket near the edge of the picnic blanket. She was seated against the massive trunk of the maple tree, her legs extended and crossed, her yellow sundress drawn high enough to reveal the gentle, feminine curves of her calf muscles. A new Mary Higgins Clark novel--one of several books she had picked up from the library--was draped across her lap as her eyes swept rhythmically across the page.
"The car's on fire," Seth said in a flat tone as he watched her read.
"Hmmm?" she asked, crunching and chewing another wedge from the apple.
"I said that when I'm alone I like to dress in baby diapers. It makes me feel pretty and safe."
She looked up and rolled her blue eyes. "I heard you when you said you were horny, Seth. I was ignoring you."
He laughed. "I noticed. You're in the zone, Sarah . . . the reading zone."
"This is pretty good," she said, turning the page.
Seth scooted across to where she was sitting and gently closed the book, placing it to the side. "You know I can be way more interesting than any old library book. Even one by Mary Higginbothem."
"Higgins Clark," Sarah said with a smile, brushing the hair from Seth's face. "You think so, huh? She's pretty interesting."
"I’m way more interesting . . . and I can prove it."
She glanced down as he ran his fingers along the length of her sundress, working up a handful of material and drawing it to mid-thigh level.
"Uh, I don't think so," she said, tugging it back down.
"Nobody's around," he teased with a mischievous grin. "And besides, it's my birthday. I'm supposed to get anything I want on my birthday."
"Nice try. What if somebody drives by?"
"How long have we been coming to this spot for picnics?"
"I don't know . . . long time, why?"
"And when was the last time you saw a car drive by?"
Sarah smiled nervously as Seth uncrossed her ankles and gently nibbled at the inside of her knee. She giggled and ran her fingers through his thick hair in a feigned attempt to hold him at bay. He maneuvered her legs further apart and brushed his lips against the soft flesh of her inner thigh, leaving a moist trail as his mouth climbed higher towards her lap.
"Seth . . ." she mumbled. "Not here . . . let's go back to the house."
He looked up and smiled. "Oh, c'mon. There's something exciting about here . . . the warm breeze . . . the sounds . . . the risk that somebody could catch us . . .."
She bit her lip as he finished his sentence and his head disappeared under the float of her sundress. He nibbled at the elastic edges of her panties until she grabbed him by the cheeks. "Enough, okay! You're relentless, you know that?"
He reappeared, grinning as he lifted her dress and wrapped it around her waist. "I think you need to lay down . . . will you do that for me?"
Sarah giggled and shook her head, setting the apple to the side and stretching out onto the picnic blanket. "I can't believe I'm letting you do this."
"Believe it," Seth whispered.
He loved this; the slow seduction; watching her finally give in as her arousal simmered. Her thighs started to stiffen as his palm brushed across her sex. The cotton of her panties was moist to the touch and his mouth resumed its climb. Her breathing grew heavier with each passing second, her fingers gripping clumps of his hair for leverage as he dragged the thin cotton strip to the side, allowing his tongue to invade her wetness.
"That . . . feels nice," she moaned.
He smiled and darted circles around her sensitive nib until her thighs began to tremble. "Pull em down, sweetheart," he whispered, tugging on the sides of her underpants. "Just a little."
She did as he asked, arching high enough to draw the panties to a mid-point on her thighs. "Do you realize how crazy you make me?" she asked.
He smiled and brushed his fingertips between her legs. She wiggled her hips and pushed her panties down to her ankles, kicking them to the side as Seth rolled on his stomach and draped her thighs over his shoulders. This had to be his favorite part; unbridled access to her very essence, breathing in her fragrance and tasting her pulse. His finger joined with the movements of his mouth, probing her core as his lips circled and teased. He gently scooped her clitoris between his teeth and added another finger to the mix, withdrawing and plunging as his tongue tickled her clit.
"Oh god, Seth!" she gasped, her thighs squeezing against his cheeks as his tongue moved back and forth across her sensitive button. "Yes . . . that . . . there!"
He increased the friction, driving forward, covering her sex and bathing his mouth with the juices of her arousal. She began to thrash helplessly against him, gripping handfuls of the picnic blanket and moaning in uncontrollable spasms as her orgasm arrived. He stayed with her, following her rhythms, eventually sliding his forearms under her thighs and lacing his fingers with hers as he brought her gently downward from the peak of her climax.
"That . . . was . . . beyond words," Sarah muttered.
Seth laughed and rubbed his mouth along inside of her thigh, drying his lips, before inching forward and resting his head on her stomach. "I love that," he said before pausing. "I just wish . . .."
Sarah took a deep breath like she was short on air. "You wish what?"
"I just wish I could really satisfy you . . . entirely."
They were silent for several minutes, until Sarah said, "Okay, I think I can finally breathe again. Let me up."
Seth rolled off and she pulled down her sundress before sitting up.
"This nonsense about you satisfying me. I knew you were going to say that." She leaned across him and took his face in her hands. "Listen to me. I've said this to you before and I'll say it again. You, Seth Jensen, give me everything I need. Everything. I want for nothing. It means so much that you're still interested in pleasing me after everything that's happened to you. Besides, the doctors told you it's the pain meds. Things will eventually return to normal and I'll be right here when they do."
He smiled weakly. "I know. It's just on days like today . . . I get impatient. I want it all back right now."
"Which reminds me." She lifted a wrist and looked at her watch. "We're late."
"Oh, c'mon . . . it's my birthday. Let's take the day off."
"No, no days off. Get up. Now."
"Baby Hitler," Seth mumbled under his breath.
"What!" Sarah quipped, as she slid on her panties.
Seth laughed. "Nothing, dear."
She started to pack the picnic basket until all that was left was the blanket and some trash. Seth waited as Sarah retrieved the wheelchair from behind the maple tree.
"Ready?" she said, bracing her bodyweight in preparation for Seth to hoist himself onto the seat. "One -- two -- three, LIFT!"
He settled in and picked up the picnic basket as Sarah adjusted the collapsible feet on the chair, then folded and added the blanket to his lap.
"Here, I'll help," he said, manually turning the wheels as Sarah pushed the chair towards the Green Ford Mustang parked near the edge of the road.
"Thanks," she answered, already out of breath. "It's hard to roll across this grass."
* * *
Seth gripped the horizontal poles, clamping down with all his strength until his forearms burned from the burden of supporting his body weight. He squeezed his eyes tight and tried to focus, willing a movement--even inches--to shift the thighs that seemed to dangle lifelessly from his hips.
"C'mon Seth!" Sarah urged. "You can do this."
"Goddamnit, Sarah, I'm trying!"
She smiled. "You're swearing. Just like when I first met you."
He focused every ounce of his being on the movement of his right foot. He could feel his face grow hotter with the rise of his blood pressure, the veins in his neck throbbing as he tried to move his leg, if only an inch.
"Move it, Seth. I'm here."
His foot started to drag across the floor. Barely noticeable, but it was movement.
"Yes!" Sarah shouted. "You did it! C'mon, Seth!"
"It didn't move . . . FUCK!" he shouted, locking his elbows to keep from collapsing.
Sarah grabbed him around the torso in support.
"I can't do this . . . I can't fucking do this, Sarah!"
She gripped him tighter around his waist. "Okay, that's enough for today anyway. Just hang tight for a second."
Sarah moved quickly, rolling his wheelchair into a ready position. Seth fell into the leather seat and reached for the nearby towel, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "It's no use, Sarah . . . it's no fucking use."
She took a seat on the edge of the couch. "Seth, you did it today. I'm telling you, your foot moved."
"What, like an inch? That's not even crutches."
"But don't you see, it's a start."
"I can't do it. I'm in this fucking chair for the rest of my life . . . what little life I've got left."
Sarah took a deep breath. "How many times do we have to talk about this, Seth? You had a good day today. We had a good day. You need to look at how far you've come and not how far you have to go. You're going to make it, I know you are."
"Yeah, right, that's so easy for you to say. You're not the one who has roll your way from room to room . . . you walk wherever you please, whenever you please." He glared at her. "You have no idea what it's like."
His words hung in the air as he spun the chair in the opposite direction and rolled towards the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, recklessly grabbing and tossing food items on the counter, before pulling out a six-month-old bottle of beer. Sarah marched in behind him and grabbed the beer from his hand, slamming it on the tile counter.
"How dare you!" she shouted. Her eyes were white with furious tension and her lips were pursed. "How dare you tell me I don't know what it's like? In case you haven't figured it out, Seth Jensen, I make my fucking living helping people a whole lot worse off than you! People who won't ever walk again, who can't even go to the fucking bathroom by themselves! I see them every day and you know what? They don't have half the advantages you have and they're not nearly the whiner you are either! They're not the famous Seth Jensen. They don't have a big house to live in, or bunches of fans sending them cards and flowers, or all this expensive equipment in their own home! You have so damn much to be thankful for and all you do is bitch about poor Seth!"
He watched her solemnly until his mouth arched into a smirk. "Was it something I said?"
Sarah leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. "Don't patronize me, Seth."
He watched as she turned her head to the side. It was then that he saw the tears welling in her eyes. It was then that he realized how cutting his loss of control had been. Sarah was the pillar of strength. In the ten months that she had been his therapist, he had never seen her cry. Not a single tear. He rolled his chair closer and tried to take her hands in his. She jerked them back and broke down. Deep, uncontrolled sobs that seemed to rush forward in heaping gasps.
"Sarah . . . honey . . . I'm sorry."
Seth tried to console her, wishing most of all that he could stand up and take her in his arms. Her tearful wails continued until she reached for a paper towel and moved past him, stumbling towards a seat at the table as he rolled after her.
"Honey, I'm so sorry. You're right."
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Do you how hard it is for me Seth? You think I don't want to see you get better? I see patients every day that I wish would improve, but nobody as much as you. I love you. I would give anything to see you walk again. And not for me, Seth, for you."
Seth turned his head in an attempt to force back his own tears. "I know you would . . . that's not what I meant. I don't know what to say, Sarah, except that I'm sorry. You've been here for me from the beginning and I owe you so much more than how I just behaved. It's just . . . I'm just so tired, you know? I just want my life back. I just want us to feel like a normal couple."
She looked into his eyes and placed a hand on his cheek. "Seth . . . I've been doing this long enough to know that you can get better. If you really want it, it's possible, and the doctors' opinions reinforce that. No, it's not going to be easy, but the thing is, you can do it. Some people don't have that option, no matter how much they want it, no matter how much they try--their lives will never change. But yours can . . . if you don't give up."
"I know you keep saying that, but it's not that easy."
"You're not hearing me. I didn't say it was easy . . . I said it's yours if you really want it."
He nodded that he understood.
"I'm going to the store. We're out of groceries. Then I need to go the medical supply and pick up some things for the rest of the week."
Seth pulled on her hand, stopping her from leaving. "Sarah, I'm truly sorry."
She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Just don't give up, Seth. Not for me, but for yourself. If you want your old life back, you've got to take it back. Nobody's going to hand it to you."
Seth said nothing as she pulled her hands from his. He sat motionless as he heard the front door open and close, followed by the engine of Sarah's car. He almost wondered if she would return. Deep down he knew she would, but he didn't know exactly why. Whatever happened to him going forward, she was the best thing to ever enter his life. Admittedly it was ironic that it took such a personal tragedy for their paths to cross. But in that way it felt like an unexplainable destiny. Even if he didn't believe in his ability to recover, he knew he owed it to Sarah to try his best.
He grabbed the beer from the counter, tucked it between his legs, and rolled down the ramp into the living room. A large picture window covered most of one wall and provided a breathtaking view of the valley below. The sun was beginning to set, painting vibrant streams of orange and yellows against the horizon. Seth again sensed the energy of the changing seasons as he stared out the window. It was then he realized how right Sarah was. He had been focusing on the wrong things; on the things in his life that were missing and not on the opportunities that lay ahead.
He tipped the beer back and his gaze caught the reflection of his guitar in the window, perched in the corner and gathering dust. Before the accident there wasn't a day that went by when he didn't play that guitar. Even if a gig or rehearsal wasn't scheduled, he still found the time, sometimes playing for hours until his fingers ached. Music wasn't something Seth chose to do; it was something he had to do; a threaded part of his being. Yet in the six months that he'd been home, he'd lost all desire. It was like that part of him had been stolen with his ability to walk, flittering away like some hazy memory.
He sat the beer on the windowsill and rolled across the room to pick up the instrument, running his fingers down the strings, flinching and smiling at the out-of-tune twang. He strummed it a second time, then spent a few minutes turning the keys and running through the basic cords. Amazingly, it felt like only yesterday since he'd held a guitar. He closed his eyes and could still hear the music, even before the guitar began to deliver the notes.
It felt good to play. Liberating. Like releasing a breath that had been held too long. A bit rough around the edges, but comfortable, like an unexpected meeting with an old family friend. The memories of the songs he used to enjoy--both alone and in front of thousands--started to filter back. Unconsciously he rocked in his chair, the warmth of the melodies filling his senses.
He didn't hear the phone until almost the third ring. Carefully he returned the guitar to its place against the wall and rolled his chair to the opposite side of the room.
"Hello?"
"Seth, you lazy ass, you're late. We had a date to go jogging, remember?"
Seth smiled. "Hey, Max."
Max was Seth's business partner and his best friend, no longer in that order. A husky man that stood over six feet tall with wavy blond hair and a thick blonde handlebar mustache, Max looked more like the lumberjack character on the paper-towel roll than he did a shrewd player in the music industry, a fact that Max frequently used to his advantage. It was no secret that he was responsible for taking Seth from a lounge act to a top national draw, a career progression that seemed all but over one fateful Sunday evening.
Max was at the hospital at Seth's side when the doctor explained the prognosis. Seth was indeed lucky to be alive, but it was certain that he was facing a changed life. His back had been fractured in the accident, although it appeared that his spinal chord was still intact, which meant that a full recovery was a viable option. However, that would involve surgery to repair the damaged bones, along with three to four months of bed rest and related therapy before he could actually leave the hospital. After that he could return home, but that would only be the beginning. Then the most painful part of recovery would begin, requiring an extensive and demanding therapy regimen. Most things that he considered normal--including his career--would have to be put on indefinite hold.
Without touring and performing, Seth's ability to turn an income would be reduced to royalties from existing catalog sales. In truth, he had more money than he would ever spend, plus insurance that would cover the medical bills. However, if Seth didn't turn an income, neither did Max, at least as it related to their management agreement. Seth told his friend that he understood the need to sever the business relationship and for Max to move on.
That was assumed to be the plan until Seth heard about Max's decision to leave professional act management on the nightly entertainment news. His official statement to the press was that he needed a change. Concert promoting in the local tri-county area would provide the break he was looking for. But Seth knew that it was really a move designed to reduce the requirement for travel, allowing him to be closer to home, his wife Kelly, and to assist Seth during his recovery. What had started as a business relationship had transpired into an irreplaceable friendship.
"So what's shaking?" Seth asked.
"All the things that should be, my friend."
Seth smiled. "That's a little too much information, Max."
Max laughed. "Well, I really called to say happy birthday. I was kind of hoping that gorgeous live-in of yours would answer the phone so I could flirt with her before I had to talk to you."
"Thanks. She's out getting groceries but I'll tell her you called hoping for a cheap thrill."
"Yeah, do that. She's a keeper."
"She is indeed," Seth said seriously. "So how's Kelly doing?"
"Doing well. Sends her best. Busy as a one-legged man in an ass kickin' contest trying to help me close the details on Breckenridge, but other then that."
"How's that all going?'
"Not as well as I'd like. Ticket sales have been flat. We'll cover costs, but that's not what I need to be doing right now. I need to turn a profit on this or it's going to get tough to draw interest on the other shows we've got planned for the rest of the year. It's these friggen overpaid musicians," Max said sarcastically.
Seth smiled. "Yeah, well I seem to remember when you were my manager, overpaid wasn't part of your vocabulary."
"Things change," Max said with a chuckle. "You know us promoters . . . older . . . wiser. I've still got a month before the show, so hopefully things will turn around."
Seth looked across the room at his guitar and paused. Sarah's words echoed in his mind. If you want your old life back, Seth, you've got to take it back.
"Seth . . . you there?" Max asked.
"Yeah, I'm here. How's the bill for the festival?"
"Well, the acts are all covered. Problem is the line-up I've got isn't moving tickets. I'll tell you, I don't get it. I thought this'd be a slam dunk."
"Well, I was wondering . . . you think they'd be any interest in watching a crippled guy try and sing some old songs?"
The line was silent for a moment until Max said, "Seth, you can't be serious."
"Yeah, I think I am. I need to get on with things, Max. I need to get back to what makes me tick. If you'd be interested, I'd like a slot at Breckenridge. I don't know if it'll make a difference in ticket sales, but you know . . . the sympathy factor has to be good for something."
"Seth!" Max sounded so excited he almost couldn't form his sentences. "No, it wouldn't be a sympathy factor. Do you know how many times a day I get asked if you'll perform again? Shit, if you'll do this, I'll sell this thing out in a week. I'll make you the top bill!" Max's enthusiasm shifted suddenly. "No offense, buddy, but how much you asking for? Does this mean as your manager I'm negotiating against myself?"
Seth laughed. "No charge, Max. It's not the money. If you think it would help, it's the least I could do after all you've done for me. Just pay the roadies, the band, and the equipment transfers. You can handle that?"
"Oh man, easy. Seth, this means a lot. This fixes everything. Look, I gotta go! Shit, I gotta tell Kelly. We gotta get this to on the air and in the newspapers." He paused and his voice flattened. "So, you're sure you want to do this . . . you're sure you can do this?"
Seth smiled. "Yeah, Max . . . this is something I have to do. But hey, before you go . . . there's something else I need your help on."
"Name it," Max answered without hesitation.
* * *
The Breckenridge festival was an annual county event that had evolved and grown over some thirty years. It started out as a fair, an opportunity for surrounding counties to converge and participate in the usual small-town festivities such as bake sales, farm machinery debuts, and livestock exhibitions. As business and farming in the respective areas grew, so did the size and commercial appeal of the festival. Corporate sponsors were secured and the once shabby fairgrounds with sand-lots for exhibits was transformed into a paved convention area with supporting conveniences such as power hook-ups, food concessions, and a large hall now used to showcase a multi-act concert on the last day of the festival's run.
The festival was a key event for Max, one that would demonstrate to sponsors that he could formulate and attract a combined billing that would enable him to move on to larger venues with larger draws. When Seth mentioned his willingness to perform, Max and Kelly began an overnight media blitz around a huge concert announcement. Newspapers, radio, and television were all used to generate the maximum amount of hype and, just as anticipated, the remaining tickets sold within an hour of announcing that Seth Jensen would make his debut performance since his near-fatal accident.
The crowd sat anxiously on the lawn as the dubbed warm-up songs blasted through the wall-sized concert speakers and the band ran through their warm-up backstage. Sarah rolled Seth's chair up the ramp and they watched together as Max shouted some last minute instructions to the stage crew, then made his way over to where they were waiting.
"We're almost ready," Max said. "You ready?"
Seth took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Sarah leaned down on one knee and kissed Seth on the cheek. "I want you to know something. I am so proud of you for coming this far."
Seth placed his hand on hers. "I couldn't have done it without you."
She smiled. "You nervous?"
"Big time."
They laughed together, helping to break the pending tension as the warm up music faded and the lights dropped. The band was the first to leave the wings and take their positions on the stage as Max followed, illuminated by a single, bright spotlight.
"Are you having a good time tonight!" Max shouted to the crowd.
The audience erupted into a wave of shouts and applause. Max laughed and stumbled back in an exaggerated stagger, then returned to the microphone. "It is my personal pleasure to welcome back after far too long, Seth Jensen!"
The stage flashed with a multitude of rainbow colored floodlights as Seth rolled himself onto the stage, waving at the crowd as he appeared from the wings. He took the guitar from the tech and waited as Max helped to adjust the microphone.
The first song was a little stiff. Even though the breaks all fell into place, Seth's voice felt thin and raw. He started to get concerned that all the rehearsing in the final days had strained his vocal chords, but realized as the set progressed that it was his nerves working overtime more than anything else. After the first couple of songs, he moved through the remaining numbers, his voice reaching the deep, rich resonance that had made him a household name.
The audience was silent during the performance of each number, then erupted into applause with each finish, until the moment arrived for the last song to be sung. Seth looked over his shoulder, first nodding to his band, then to Max, who keyed the lights. The stage fell to a momentary curtain of black, before a single blue light illuminated Seth and his chair. He smiled and waited for the crowd to calm, eventually raising his hands in a signal that he wanted to speak.
"First of all . . . from the bottom of my heart . . . I want to say thanks for letting me play for you tonight."
The crowd roared again and Seth laughed as he waited for another pause.
"As most of you know, this is the first time in almost a year that I've performed in public. What you might not know is that it's one of the first times in the last month that I've tried to play any music at all, much less in front of people.
"In a way it seems like years and not months that I was driving home from rehearsal when another car ran a red light and smashed into my jeep."
The crowd fell silent as Seth continued.
"Somebody told me later the guy was going between ninety and a hundred miles an hour. If he'd hit the driver's side instead of the passenger's, I wouldn't be here at all. I'd fractured my back and bruised my spinal cord, and I couldn't walk or move my legs. The only good news was that the bones could be repaired with surgery, and with extensive physical therapy, I had a chance for a recovery, but there were no guarantees.
"Now, many of you might think like I did . . . that it was over . . . that I didn't have much to live for. But sometimes it takes the darkest hour to see the brightest light. Through everything that's happened . . . through all this tragedy . . . I've been blessed in a way I never imagined. After the accident a woman came into my life. A woman who's taught me more about what's really important and more about myself than I ever imagined learning. A woman who stepped in to not only help me walk again, but a woman who taught me how to take my life back. I'm convinced that it's a woman who was sent from heaven . . . a woman who I this song for . . .."
The band faded into the shadows and left the stage, with only Seth and his acoustic guitar remaining. He paused to wipe the sweat from his face, then closed his eyes and delivered the initial notes of the song he'd dedicated to Sarah . . .
Would you know my name,
if I saw you in Heaven?
Would it be the same,
if I saw you in Heaven?
You've made me strong . . . to carry on,
And I know you must belong . . . up in heaven.
Would you hold my hand,
if I saw you in Heaven?
Would you help me to stand,
if I saw you in Heaven?
With you I've found the way,
through each painful night and day.
And I wonder when you'll return . . . to your place in heaven.
Only in time will I really know,
how far I can really grow.
But today I'm sure you've been,
sent from heaven.
He finished the last verse and squeezed his eyes in an attempt to fight back the tears that pushed forward from his soul. Sarah appeared from the side of the stage, not nearly as composed, laughing and wiping the tears from her eyes as she bent down and hugged Seth's neck.
"You have no idea what that meant to me," she whispered into his ear before burying her face into his shoulder.
"You have no idea what you mean to me," he whispered back. "But there's something else."
Sarah leaned back and looked at him. "What?"
Seth smiled and dug into his pocket, before holding out the velvet-covered box. "Sarah . . . will you be my wife?"
The stage began to shake with the roar of the crowd. Sarah stared at the box in Seth's outstretched hand, then looked at him. "Yes," she said, nodding her head, covering her mouth with trembling fingers as the tears began to stream down her face.
She leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck. They hugged as she cried, and he cried, until finally he pulled back and wiped the tears from her cheek with his thumb.
"I love you, Sarah," he said.
"Oh, Seth . . . I love you so much."
* * *
The concert finished and Seth participated in the usual round of 'meet and greets' backstage before he, Max, Kelly and Sarah returned to the house for celebratory glass of wine. The fireplace crackled as Max pushed another log into the flames. Heat filled the room, along with the rich aroma of burning oak. Sarah returned from the kitchen with the half-emptied bottle.
"Anybody for more?" she asked.
"None for me," Kelly answered from the couch.
Max returned to the seat and reached for his glass, drained the last of his wine, and made an exaggerated smack of his lips.
"Max!" Kelly said, elbowing him in the side. "That's so rude."
Sarah laughed. "It's okay. Want some more, Max?"
Max stood up and rubbed his belly. "No thanks, I think it's time we hit the road."
"I was wondering when you'd get the hint and leave," Seth said with a grin.
Kelly stood up and moved to Seth, leaning down and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You were incredible tonight. Congratulations."
"Thanks," Seth responded.
Kelly moved over and hugged Sarah. "I'm so happy for you two."
Sarah grinned. "Thanks, you guys, for everything."
Max stood in front of Seth with his hands on his hips. "Well, you going to stand up and give me a hug."
Kelly laughed nervously and Sarah said nothing.
Seth fought hard to suppress a smile. All those afternoons when he had cut his therapy sessions with Sarah short, just to save enough energy for when Max would arrive. It all came down to this one moment.
"I'm ready," Seth said with an evident determination in his voice.
Sarah watched with obvious concern as Max held out his forearm, just as he and Seth had rehearsed. Seth grabbed hold and started to raise himself from the chair.
"Seth!" Sarah shouted.
"It's okay," Max said, holding out his free hand. "This isn't the first time."
With a look of unbridled determination, Seth raised his body from the seat and into a standing position. Max gripped him by the waist and held him steady until he had achieved his balance.
"Okay," Seth said, and Max nodded, stepping slowly away.
"Seth!" Sarah shouted, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh my god, Seth . . . you're standing up!"
Seth laughed and looked at Max. Kelly stared on in astonishment, unable to respond. Max laughed and held out his arms, until he and Seth fell into an embrace. The two men hugged before Seth turned to Sarah.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, holding out his hands.
Sarah moved to him slowly, hesitantly wrapping her arms around his neck. It was the first time Seth had ever held her in a standing embrace. She paused, then leaned back and stared into his eyes.
"What . . . this isn't the first time? Why haven't you told me?" Sarah asked.
Seth laughed out loud and tried to catch his breath. "It was meant to be a surprise."
They finished the remainder of the wine with a toast and Seth filled in the additional details. He would hold back during his scheduled therapy sessions with Sarah, pretending to be too tired, in pain, or simply unmotivated to go on, all so he would have enough energy left over for when Max arrived. After Sarah would leave for work, Max would come over and the real work would begin. With his friend's assistance, Seth had actually taken steps, although he still wasn't ready walk on his own. Still, the progress he had made was an unquestionable indication that his road to recovery had indeed begun.
Seth rolled himself closer to the hearth and stirred up the fire as Sarah escorted Max and Kelly out the door before returning to the living room.
"Well, Mr. Faker, are you about ready for bed?"
Seth laughed. "I wasn't totally faking, Sarah. I just wanted to surprise you, that's all. Believe me, I struggled every time Max came over and I really didn't think I would make it. I think wanting to surprise you was the only thing that kept me going."
Sarah looked reflective. "I thought you'd given up. All those days when you'd quit early . . . I was getting worried. You know, Max is a pretty incredible guy to help you like that. Maybe he's got a second career as a physical therapist?"
"I wouldn't let him massage me," Seth said with a smile. "But you're right . . . I owe him a lot."
"You'd do the same for him. So you ready for bed?"
"Well, this fire just got going. Let's stay out here for a while until it burns out a bit. This chair is getting to me, though. I'd rather be laying down."
"Well, don't try and stand up. Let me help you. Wait right there."
Sarah changed the CD to some slow jazz, then went to the closet and retrieved a comforter, spreading it out in front of the fireplace. She helped Seth to ease himself out of the chair and lower towards the floor. He winced slightly as he extended his legs and Sarah forcibly massaged the muscles to increase the blood flow.
"You okay?" she asked, eventually lying out beside him.
"Yeah . . . this feels better."
She put her head on his chest and cuddled closer. The heat from the crackling fireplace seemed to wrap around them like a blanket. Seth could feel Sarah's breath against his chin, the remnants of her perfume swirling though his senses as her hand caressed his chest.
"I can hear your heart beating," she said.
He placed a bent finger under her chin and raised her eyes to meet his own. She smiled and leaned up, kissing him gently. He pulled her to him, languishing in the softness of her mouth, exploring and tasting the remnants of the wine she had been drinking earlier. He rolled on his side to face her, gently releasing the buttons of her top, one after another.
"Seth, you don't need to do that. Cuddling and kissing is enough for me."
"I love doing this. It helps me to feel close to you."
"Me too."
He released the last button and opened her blouse, gently caressing the soft texture of her bra with the back of his fingers. Her nipples were already stiff and pressing against the fabric, rising to the pressure of his touch.
"Cuddling and kissing is enough?" he asked sarcastically. "Seems like not all of you agrees."
"Well . . . it would have been enough," she answered, her breathing getting heavy.
"Why don't you slip this off and get a little more comfortable."
She sat up and dragged the elastic band from her ponytail and shook her auburn hair loose across her shoulders. Seth watched silently as she drew the blouse off her slender arms and allowed it to fall to the floor. With a lustful grin she reached behind her back and unfastened the clasp of her bra, teasingly holding it in place as, one at a time, she pulled the straps down her shoulders.
"You're so beautiful," he said.
She blushed, then allowed the bra to fall, revealing the soft swell of her breasts as shadows from the fireplace danced across her skin. Seth leaned forward and engulfed her aroused nipple with his mouth as she inhaled sharply, combing her fingers through his hair and pulling his face tighter against her bare chest. He worked carefully from breast to breast, sketching his tongue in slow wet circles around each areola.
Sarah's breathing was getting more jagged as Seth eased her on to her back. His mouth returned to hers in a lustful kiss and his hand descended her stomach, working loose the snap of her jeans, then dragging down the zipper.
"Do you how turned on you make me?" she whispered.
Seth smiled. "I think I'm about to find out. Why don't you take down your pants . . .."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, arching her bottom and pushing her jeans down her hips. His hand began to tease around the elastic edges of her underpants, his palm sliding against the damp wetness between her thighs. Their kisses became more aggressive as he slipped his fingertips inside, crossing the coarse tuft of hair and against the slippery folds of her sex.
"You weren't kidding," he smiled.
Sarah didn’t speak, instead pulling Seth's lips back to her own. Her tongue invaded his mouth as his fingers continued exploring, eventually focusing in tiny circles around her swelling clitoris. Her breathing became choppy -- short jagged breaths that he'd heard before, a signal that she was getting close. He increased the rhythm and friction until she arched her bottom again, wiggling her jeans and panties the remainder of the way down before kicking them to the side in impatient excitement. Now bottomless, she wrapped her arms tight around his neck, arching her hips with the movements of the hand between her legs and moaning as he pushed her closer to the edge. Seth followed her rhythms, speeding and slowing the pace, until . . .
"Oh, Seth!"
She gripped him tight around the next, squeezing him as he worked her arousal, his touch coinciding with the surging patterns of her climax until finally she fell still, her breathing beginning to flatten. . .
"Thank you," she said, raising a hand to her head as if to quell a fever. "That was . . . incredible."
"I have one more confession," Seth said, pushing the hair from her face.
Her eyes opened. "What?"
"I've stopped taking my pain medication."
Sarah looked concerned. "When?"
"A little over two weeks ago."
"Seth!" she said, sitting up on her elbows. "I asked you about that when I thought the doctor should re-evaluate your prescription! That's why you've been having problems sleeping!" She paused. "I don't get it . . . just yesterday I saw you take your pill?"
"Under the tongue until you weren't looking," he said mischievously.
"I’m sorry, Seth, but that's dumb . . . why would you do that? You're only hurting yourself."
"I've got my reasons. For one, the pain isn't nearly what it was. And more then that . . .." Seth grinned and placed her hand on top of his erection. "It wasn't worth what I was missing."
Sarah jerked her hand back in astonishment. She looked at him and bit her lip, slowly returning her fingers to the outline of his cock that pressed against his jeans. "It's . . . pretty hard," she giggled.
He placed a hand on her cheek and drew her into another kiss as she hesitantly caressed him.
"You're not hurting me," he said, closing his eyes and pressing her hand tighter against his crotch.
"You're sure?" she asked, running her fingertips along his length.
"Believe me . . . I'm positive. I almost forgot what this felt like."
She began to stroke him harder. "Well, tomorrow you go back on the medication until you've made more progress. But tonight . . . "
"Tonight?" he added with anticipation.
"Tonight it's your turn to relax." She put her hands on his chest and rolled him on to his back.
Carefully she undid the snap of his pants and together they dragged his jeans down his thighs. The outline of his arousal pushed forcibly against his underwear. Sarah looked at the bulge in his shorts, then bit her lip and smiled.
"Look what I've been missing," she said with an awkward giggle, placing her hand on his thickening cock.
She scooted lower, then pulled down his jockeys. Seth closed his eyes as the heat from the fireplace poured across his naked torso. He waited as she worked the jeans and underwear down further and untangled them from his ankles. She finished with his socks as he slipped off his shirt.
Sarah stretched out beside him, taking his erection in her grip and delivering a gentle stoke. He couldn't be sure, but it looked like she was starting to blush.
"What?" he said, from between broken breaths. "You've seen me before in the bathtub."
"I know, it's not that," she said with a smirk.
"Then what is it?"
"It's just . . . I didn't realize that when you were aroused . . . you know, that it got this big."
They laughed together. Faster she stroked until the sound of his wet excitement started to blend with the crackling of the fireplace. "Am I doing this okay?" she asked.
Seth reached across and placed a hand on her bare breast. "It's been so long," he whispered.
Sarah smiled, tucked her hair over one ear and leaned her head down, gently wrapping her lips around the swollen head of Seth's cock. She took her time, savoring the moment like she was peeling layers from a melting ice-cream cone. Seth gently caressed her cheeks, moving his hips with the motion of her mouth. She took more of him; sinking and withdrawing, occasionally pausing to deliver unhurried swirls with her tongue.
"You taste so good," she whispered before engulfing more of his cock.
She moved faster, drawing up, then working her mouth lower. Her one hand rested on his stomach and fondled the line of hair that ran from his navel to his pelvis while her other hand cupped and gently caressed his balls. He had found heaven.
"Honey . . . I can't take much more of this," he moaned.
She rose up and stroked him with her hand. "Seth, it's your turn. Go ahead, baby. Go as far as you want."
Before he could respond she had wrapped her mouth around his cock, delivering tight, long strokes. The boiling sensation in his balls started to form. He grabbed hold of her shoulders and forced her up. She lifted her head, panting hard, a passionate, erotically charged expression in her eyes.
"What? You don't want to like that?"
He pulled her towards him. She wrapped a leg over his and straddled his hips. "Seth, I'm not on the pill or anything."
"We'll cross that bridge . . .." he moaned.
"When we come to it?" she laughed.
Seth laughed in return. "Wasn't what I meant but since you mention it . . . here, lift up."
She raised high enough for him to ready his cock for entry. Her lips arched into a relieved smile and she closed her eyes, her mouth falling open slightly as she sat back, consuming his length with her sex. With his hands on her hips, they joined one another. She felt warm and tight around him. He had longed for this moment. He watched her as she rode him. Her eyes were closed in sensual concentration, her lip clenched tightly between her teeth, her fingernails digging into the flesh of his chest. He grabbed the soft swell of her behind and began to move her hard against him until their combined moans filled the room.
Seth knew he wasn't going to last much longer. The increased sensitivity brought by his abstinence was pushing him closer to the edge, irrespective of his desire to hold on to the moment.
"Honey, I can't . . . pretty soon--"
Sarah sensed his need. She reached a hand between her legs and accented their motion with brisk finger strokes against her clit. "Just try hold on for . . . one . . . more . . . second."
He grabbed her hips and fucked her forcefully.
"Oh Seth!" she cried out, wracking her body against his as the wave of her second orgasm crashed through.
Hearing her call out his name with such raw passion drained him of any remaining self-control. "Sarah!" he moaned in a weak attempt to warn her.
Her eyes squeezed tighter as she rode in a final series of strides while he came inside her. Her movements slowed and she collapsed against his chest. He hugged her close; their bodies still joined as one.
* * *
Seth sat with his back against the trunk of the maple tree, sipping his beer and enjoying the rich sounds and smells of the summer afternoon. It was hard to imagine the brutal sting of winter on a day like this. Sarah searched around the picnic blanket with a pained expression, then leaned across to see around the tree.
"What are you looking for?" he asked.
"The sodas," she answered with a perplexed look.
"In the red cooler. It's still in the car. I only brought the one with the beer."
"Are you serious?"
He laughed and placed his beer on grass. "Actually, I am serious, but it wasn't on purpose. Sit tight and I'll get it."
He stood up and walked towards the edge of the road, taking his time, enjoying the breeze against his face. Even with the occasional pain and stiffness that reminded him his recovery wasn't complete, it still felt good to have back these simple parts of his life. He opened the trunk, grabbed the second cooler, and started back towards where Sarah was waiting.
"Your soda pop, m'lady," he said, setting the cooler on the blanket. She grinned and gave no reply. "What are you smirking about?"
"Just thinking I was glad you forgot and left the cooler in the car."
"Why's that?" Seth asked, returning to his seated position against the tree.
"Cause I got to watch that cute little butt of yours while you walked to the car."
Seth smiled and shook his head. "I feel like such a sex object around you, Sarah."
She laughed. "You know . . . I'm feeling kind of horny . . .."
Seth sipped his beer and smiled, giving no reply.
She grinned in return and pulled her legs to her chest, sliding her panties down her hips and around her ankles.
"I don't think so, Sarah. It's not your birthday."
She started to crawl towards him on her hands and knees. "How come?" she said with a disappointed pout.
"What if somebody drives by?"
Sarah leaned forward and kissed him passionately on the mouth, before sitting up and straddling his hips.
"Oh, Seth . . . how long have we been coming to this spot for picnics?"
He laughed as she unbuttoned his shirt. She spread the lapels across his shoulders and ran her hands down his chest, forcefully squeezing his nipples.
"Long time . . . why?" he said, already out of breath.
"And when was the last time you saw somebody drive by?" she asked, with a serious tilt of her head.
Seth laughed as she scooted back and unfastened his belt, then unsnapped his jeans and dragged down his zipper. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard as she inserted her fingertips inside the band of his underwear to tickle the swollen head of his erection that was fighting to be freed.
"Why don't we go back to the house?" he said. Not waiting for an answer he leaned forward and ran his hands under her skirt, squeezing the soft flesh of her naked behind.
"And why don't you just fuck me right here?" she answered, delivering another wet and passionate kiss to his mouth. He finally pulled back, out of breath.
"You're sure it's okay?
"Okay?" she answered like she didn't understand.
He put his hand on the burgeoning swell of her tummy. "You know . . . it won't hurt the baby?"
She bit her lip and smiled, shaking her head. "I already asked the doctor and she said it's fine. In fact, she told me we should take advantage while it's still relatively easy. A few more months and we're going to have to get more creative with our positions."
"Then we better not waste any time driving back to the house," Seth said with a smile, taking her face in his hands and staring into her eyes. "I love you, Mrs. Jensen."
She smiled. "And I love you too, Mr. Jensen.
