Martin Murphy listened for the sounds of the nurse bringing his afternoon meds. According to the radio he had been listening to it was about that time. The nurses were punctual enough to set your watch by. He heard something. No mistaking that sound, he only ever heard it on Monday mornings when the nurses stood inspection on each ward. The rest of the time, they wore rubber-soled shoes.
These sounded different yet familiar. He knew he had heard that exact sound before. Where? The clicks got closer and he heard them enter his room he was sure. They slowed and stopped beside him.
He heard a sob and gentle hands touched his. Hot drops fell on his hands. Soft lips pressed briefly against his.
"Oh! Marty, I am so sorry! So God damned sorry! I just heard yesterday morning. I didn't know anything until your mother called me before I was leaving for work."
"Hey, Mi Lee, why should anyone tell you? We are separated, waiting for you to sign divorce papers."
"Marty, I couldn't sign them until I could talk to you in person. I just couldn't do that."
"Why not? You said you were through with me, you were ready to move on."
"I was wrong. Terribly wrong! I knew it the second you walked out of the door. It was like half of me left. Then when I heard you volunteered for active duty I wanted to die. I called every Marine Base in the country and couldn't find you. No one would tell me anything. Then your mother called to see how I was doing. I cried with her for
a
long time. I even went and spent the night with her. She said you had called her but couldn't tell her where you were."
Her hands were holding and caressing his. He felt the hot tears again, "Marty, when is your operation?"
"Tomorrow, then in another day the bandages come off and I will know if
I
will ever see again."
"Marty, I am still your wife, I never stopped loving you. I just thought you were controlling my life too much. I thought I wanted to be free. I was so wrong. I didn't know how much I needed you to tell me what to do in many cases. You wouldn't let me go wrong. I thought you were being bossy, you were protecting me. I was a damned fool."
"Were you a complete fool? Did you go to that Romeo who was trying to get in your pants?"
"No! I talked to some other girls at work about him. I told them what you said. They all said you were absolutely right about him. He has screwed almost every one of them. I felt like such a fool. A stupid fool. I had the best husband in the world and didn't know it until I ran him off."
"Well girl, I tried to tell you. I think you wanted him as bad
as
he wanted you. You wouldn't listen. I'm sorry things didn't work out like you wanted them to. Thanks for stopping by to see me, it was very sweet of you."
"Marty, I am not going anywhere, I am going to stay with you until you are well. I took a leave of absence to be with you. Work was wonderful! Just as I was leaving the big boss called and told me that since my husband was wounded in action they would put me on paid leave until you are well. I can't believe they did that."
"They must like you."
"No, it was for you they did it. You are a hero."
"I am happy to hear you voice, I will not pretend I don't wish I could see you."
He felt her take his hand and place his fingertips on her face. He gently touched her face, her eyes, her little pug nose, her eyes and her lips.
"I can tell you are still beautiful, girl. I wish I could see all of you."
"Marty, I never stopped loving you. I never cheated on you. Ever! I never really wanted to cheat on you. I just thought Fred was a nice guy who liked me as a friend. I never wanted him as a lover, I had you."
"Well, I think you were spending more time with him than you were with me, you met him for coffee in the morning, had lunch with him, then stopped with him for a drink on the way home. How would I believe anything else?"
"Honest, Billy, I thought he just wanted a friend to talk to, his wife didn't understand him. I told him you didn't understand me. He said you were a fool, and that I was so nice and wonderful you didn't deserve me. I can see what he was doing clearly now. Seduction, he is very good at it. You knew it, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I listened to you brag on how nice and sweet he was and I knew what he was after. I am a guy too! I knew you are a beautiful, sexy, sweet and wonderful desirable girl too! I knew what he was after. My wife! So she chose him and I left."
"I guess that is how it seemed to you. Only I never went to him. I knew I was wrong when you were gone. I tried to find you. I hunted all over town. I was heart broken the next day when I called and asked for you at your work and they said you had called in and quit and were leaving town. I never dreamed you would go back on active duty. Then when I found out I had nightmares that you had gone off to get yourself killed because of me. I wanted to die. I couldn't find out anything."
"I gave it my best shot."
"You wanted to die?"
"Yeah! I guess I did. I really didn't care one way or the other, my life was over."
"OH, NOOO! Marty, I did this to you. I hurt you and blinded you. Oh god, how can I live with that?" She put her face in her hands and sobbed. He was very distressed to hear her sobbing and pushed the nurses call button.
The nurse came in and asked what the problem was. Mi Lee sobbed and said that it was all her fault he was hurt. She had almost killed him and had blinded him. The nurse calmed her down and told her that she would have to leave if she could not control herself. The nurse took his blood pressure and was upset that it was elevated.
The nurse said his wife would have to go. Marty said, "If she goes, I go with her. She is all I want to see after the operation, if she isn't here I don't need the operation."
"Let me come back in ten minutes and see how things are going. OK?"
"I'll be good, I promise, I just realized I was the one who caused him all this pain and suffering. It is hard to handle, when you know it was all your fault."
The nurse smiled at Mi Lee, "Honey, I don't know what you did, but I do know he has already forgiven you. You are all he talks about. His doctor will meet with you at four this afternoon as you requested."
Tears ran from Mi Lee's eyes as she looked lovingly at her husband. Mi Lee and Marty talked quietly for an hour before She told him she had to go talk to his doctor. She tenderly kissed him an said she would be back as soon as she could.
When she returned she was excited. "Marty, they have a room for us for a few days with a double bed.
I
can stay with you. Isn't that great?"
"Do you really want to?"
"Hell yes! Do you?" He heard the half sob in her voice.
"More than anything in the world, yes, yes, yes." he answered.
An hour later Marty sat in an easy chair. He heard Mi Lee moving around the room putting their things away in drawers and in the bathroom. She was humming softly as she worked.
"Mi Lee, you sound happy, are you really happy to be here?"
"Oh! Yes, I really am. I will always be happy to be with my man anywhere."
"Come and sit on my lap, girl, I want to touch you." He felt her weight as she settled on his lap. He felt her soft lips against his. He sighed. She felt damned good. He put his arms around her. She kissed him harder. He rubbed his hands over her body and knew she had to feel his erection growing.
