I Hope You Dance

"Good morning!"

Chantal groaned at the intrusive sound of Martin's voice. "What the hell's good about it?"

"Hm, let's see. You're alive?"

"Unfortunately."

Martin paused in his job of opening the curtains and looked over at her. "Now why would you say something like that?"

"Because that's how I feel obviously."

"You don't want to be alive?"

"Not really."

"Then why are you here?"

"To get the fuck out of my parents' house!"

"I warned you ... " The kiss came quick and unexpected but had the same effect on her. She was determined to push him away, no matter how wonderful his lips felt but he held on, breathing warm breath on her cheek when he pulled away. "Do I have to warn you again?"

"Yes." She said dreamily, then snapped out of the dream. "Uh, n-no. You don't have to kiss me again."

Martin smiled, slowly releasing her. "It wasn't that bad, was it?" The way she touched her lips told him that it wasn't but he decided to leave her with that realization for now. As sunshine cascaded into the room, he gleefully flung the curtains open. "Today is a new beautiful day and it's time that you were beautiful in it."

Chantal resisted Martin. Each day, she awoke with a sullen outlook and each day, he breezed into her room with joy and happiness, hoping that some of it would rub off on her. Each night, she lay down to sleep, prefacing her slumber with a hot masturbation session in which Martin was the center of her imagination and each night, he listened from the hallway, muffling his grunts of pleasure even as they mirrored her own.

And bit by bit, she learned. She slowly opened up to the therapist and with a little prodding, began to explore the world outside the door. Martin watched her progress, wishing that he could dash out and help her up each time she fell but knowing that she would be stronger if she could rely upon herself. Two months went by, then two more, peppered with visits from her father and mother and Chantal felt herself becoming someone different. She was becoming someone who wanted to live.

She held a secret close to her heart and she drifted down the hallway each day, a grin on her face. She felt so good that there was nothing that could bring her back down to Earth, except ...

"Hello, honey."

The sound of Jean-Claude's voice made her feel hollow inside and her head filled with static. She felt his breath against her cheek before he placed a kiss there and let him lead her over to a bench under a tree.

"It's nice to see you again."

"What 's wrong, not enough pussy for you out there?"

Jean-Claude laughed. "Oh, no, dear Chantal. That is not a problem that Jean-Claude will ever have. There is more than enough pussy for me. I just missed yours."

"How can you miss what you've never had?"

"Exactly." He moved closer, nuzzling her ear and breathing in the fruity fragrance. "I've come to make you an offer."

"An offer?"

"Yes. You see, I still want to marry you."

Chantal laughed, throwing her head back. "You must be crazy!"

"No, I'm not crazy." He took her face in his hands, gazing into her sightless eyes. "I'm still in love with you."

"Jean-Claude," Chantal raised her hands and gently removed his from her face. "It's been a year since the accident and you haven't been by to visit me at all. Why now?"

The handsome man took a breath. "It's been very hard,

cherie

. Too hard to come by and see that beautiful face of yours and know that you can't see me. I've lain awake at night and cried over your loss." He took Chantal's hand and rubbed her fingertips in the tear tracks that now striped his cheeks. "I did not mean to cheat on you, Chantal. It's just that with you being so beautiful and I wasn't allowed to touch you ... " He released a sob when her fingers cupped his cheek. "All I want to do is make you mine. I want to be your first and your last lover."

"Oh, Jean-Claude ... "

"Chantal?" Martin's voice cut through the romantic haze and she leaned away from her ex-fiancé, suddenly embarrassed. "You're late for your session with Dr. Parris."

Chantal stood with a slight nod to Jean-Claude, taking Martin's arm. "Thanks, Martin. Goodbye, Jean-Claude."

"Wait!" He grabbed her arm. "May I come back and see you?"

Chantal grinned, giving Jean-Claude a smile that Martin ached for. "Of course. Call first, though. I have a busy schedule."

Jean-Claude laughed and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. "See you soon."

Martin watched the man walk away, anger heating his cheeks. "What did he want?"

"To see me." Chantal replied gaily. "He still wants to marry me."

"You aren't going to go through with it, are you?"

"Why shouldn't I? Being happily married would be a better existence than living alone, don't you think?"

Martin bit his tongue, wishing that he had a hard enough heart to tell Chantal that Jean-Claude had been visiting for months and fucking every woman that would let him. He just wondered why, after all this time, he wanted to see his ex-fiancé again.