“Thanks for coming, Ric. I know this is hard for you.”
“I’m sad, but I know she is happy, and that’s important to me. Robert’s a good man.” He gave Debbie a quick hug and left.
When Debbie went back to the living room, Gini was down on the couch crying hard.
“Baby.” Debbie pulled her close to her.
“Reek… be… uff… fend.”
“Yes. Shh, shh. You are a strong woman. I know that was hard, but it meant a lot to him coming from you.”
She held Gini in her arms until she finally fell asleep.
Robert walked in about one. “What’s going on?” he whispered, kneeling in front of the couch.
“Ric was here this morning. It was difficult for her. She cried and cried.”
Robert picked Gini up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
That night Robert and Debbie talked more about Ric’s visit after Gini went to bed.
“I was surprised at her reaction. I didn’t think she’d cry so hard. There is a special place in her heart for him,” Debbie said.
“They’re family.”
“You’re right, they are.”
“Robert…” Debbie took a deep breath and let it out. “You know Gini isn’t going to make love with you.”
He sat back more comfortably on the couch and rubbed his chin. “I know, Debbie.”
“You’ll never have children with her.”
“And I know that also, mama.” He smiled.
“I… I just needed to tell you she doesn’t know about any of that. She has explored her body some, and I’ve tried to explain some of it, but she doesn’t know, she doesn’t get it.”
“I just want to be with her. I want to be a part of her life and have her a part of mine. We can be in love without being intimate. I know what I’m getting myself into. I never knew I could love anyone as much as I love her.”
So that day was the telling day. A lot of talk and things cleared up.
Robert received a call from Catherine White requesting an appointment with him a few weeks after the engagement. She wanted to know more about Gini’s condition.
When Catherine arrived at Robert’s office, she was shown in.
They shook hands. “Please, have a seat.” He pointed to a two-chair sitting area.
Catherine seemed uneasy—nervous.
“I think I’m going to be a spoiler.”
“Oh…?” Robert wasn’t sure what that meant.
“You’re aware Gini worked for me. But it was more than that, we were best friends.”
Robert nodded as she talked.
“Turns out I wasn’t a very good friend, after all. I went to see her when she was in the hospital only once. I couldn’t bear to see her that way. Her body seemed to lie weird, and her mouth… Anyway, I realized she was never going to have a life again, and it affected me deeply.” She was fidgety while she talked.
“I’ve tried to keep in touch with Ric, Ric Santini, but he’s busy, and I’m, well, I’m always on the go. Our jobs are crazy for both of us.
“I was surprised when Debbie sent me an email Gini had typed. It really was a bunch of nothing with a word or two here and there. And then I got this.” She opened her bag and handed him a folded piece of paper. Her hand was shaking.
Robert opened it and read the message:
Cathe///rin e,
I going to marry Dr. Robert Young. He nice man and has hel0 pped recover my accident caus bain injury. It hard …… rto do right thing now, like tink or re---member, but I get better of time. I know love Robert and 33 ### want be with him until die
]]]]\]
I reee member you best friend. be together. I want see you a gain and you meet Rober. Please come condo ttttt f dinner.
Gini
The more he read, the bigger his smile got. When he finished reading, he handed it back to her. “She’s getting much better at typing.”
“Through correspondence and Debbie’s help interpreting, that dinner’s tonight. I believe it’s a surprise for you to meet me.” She looked at him directly. “Sorry for spoiling it. But I had to talk to you.” A couple of tears trickled down her cheeks.
“I don’t know what to expect. And I don’t want to say something or do anything that may upset her. I mean look at me.” She wiped her tears. “Is she in a wheelchair, or maybe still bedbound? How will she react to me? Please help me understand what it will be like tonight so I can do this right. I love her and respect her.” Catherine lowered her head.
Robert had been sitting back comfortably in his chair listening. He sat up straighter and moved a little closer to her.
“Gini is a remarkable woman. She impressed us all with her will to live, because in most cases, with a severe injury like hers, people don’t make it. I’m usually grateful because those patients would have no meaningful life.
“She walks and talks. Her words are broken, similar to her typing, but most of the time you can understand her. Debbie has taught her to sign, so she does that some. Her hands don’t work well, so she can’t feed herself or dress herself. But Debbie’s always there to take care of her, or I am. We don’t know what she sees. Her brain and eyes don’t always communicate, and she doesn’t know how to keep them open or blink. Most of the time, she can make her way around the condo, other times she needs to be led. I mean, those are things we never even think about doing. Gini has to work very
