"Why?" Francie asked. "Why can't you wait a few years? We're just starting to know our new sister and now you want to take her away from us!""Uncle Lee, it won't be the same without you here!""You can't leave now, Lee!"He held up his hands grimly. "I don't want to lose you guys, either. But if you think about it, Flores would be a wonderful place to raise that baby that is in Tory's belly, as well as all of the other ones that we plan to create. So you see-"Someone screeched in joy and then suddenly everyone had left their seats to hug and kiss the couple.Ten sets of hands touched Tory's belly although she didn't want to say that the roundness there wasn't due to a baby bump. In light of this new information there was a change of heart. The baby would be Portuguese and that was that. The parents had no say. It would be born on Flores and then they could return to the states at a later date. It was settled. Tory and Lee just hugged and grinned. Whatever; as long as the argui
She sat down and pulled him down on the edge of the bed next to her and placed her head on his shoulder. "I can ask you the same thing, honey. Most men that would look at me would just see an overweight, under-employed college drop out...with a pretty face."After a quiet moment he nudged her head with his. "Hey, stop talking about the mother of my baby like that. I happen to be very attracted to overweight, under-employed college dropouts with pretty faces."They sat that way for a while, quiet, holding hands and thinking about how lucky they were to have each other. "Tory…""Hmm?""I need to show you something."She looked at him. He seemed worried. "What baby?""I need your computer."She led him to the computer. She had the built in voice activation turned on so that he could use it to check his emails. He sat at her desk while she watched him peck away expertly. "Is everything okay?" She asked. He looked up at her. "Yes. I found this and when my parents were here I sh
He nodded and stood. "I'm so sorry. I was being childish and lashing out because…" he ran his hand through his hair in distress. "Because you can't control the world? Earth to Lee; Even us sighted people can't." After a few moments he reached out and she gave him her hand. He pulled her towards him and hugged her. "Tory…you deserve so much more than this. You should have someone who can-""Take care of me?"He nodded. She swallowed. "Would you rather…" She stepped out of his arms. "Would you rather be with someone like Rosalind?""Tory!""Someone who can anticipate your every need and who doesn't need to be taught how to care for you? Someone who would leave her husband so that she can be with you in the right way?""For the last time, I don't want Rosalind!""Good. For the last time, I don't want anyone but you. Got it?! I don't want a guy just because he can see! I don't want to be in love with anyone but you!"He looked towards her quietly. His posture relaxed and then
The most difficult thing about being in love with a blind man is remembering that his being blind is the least of it all. Being in love with a man that had his own individual thoughts, feelings and reactions was just as much of a consideration. Tory rolled onto her side in her lonely bed and tried to sleep. She tossed and turned before falling into a restless sleep well after midnight. The ringing of the telephone woke her up and she checked the time, 9 am. She reached for her cell phone and saw that it was Lee. Her heartbeat spiked but right before she was going to answer she put the phone back onto her bedside table. Yeah, I'm chickening out. But it was more than that, she was actually a little angry. His rejection last night had been devastating. She wasn't ready for an angry confrontation—not until she at least had gone to the bathroom.She used the bathroom, brushed her teeth and then lifted up her nightshirt and stared at her stomach. Today she would make an appointment for
Tory spent hours at the hospital getting tested and treated for what turned out to be a mild case of pneumonia. Her doctor wanted to admit her in order to put her on an intravenous course of antibiotics but she begged him to allow her to go home. He met her half way and gave her a three hour I.V. and then released her. By that time it was well after six and she was nearly fit to be tied with anxiety and worry. In the hours that she'd had to sit and think while accepting the I.V. Tory replayed Lee's words, examining them from all angles and she came to a difficult realization. She needed to tell him everything about her rape. Maybe he would think that she was dirty for having an STD; the clap, and living with it for months. It was a stigma that she couldn't live down, especially since her mother and father had to be told once she was emitted to emergency. What if Lee looked at her with the same shock, disappointment and disgust?Tory stopped walking, suddenly feeling overwhelmed as h
Lee chuckled. "You are really out of it today. Are you feeling okay?""Yeah, I'm just…I quit my job this morning.""Did they hassle you?""No, it actually went pretty smooth.""Good. I wouldn't want to have to pay them a visit. I can do a lot of damage with my cane." Tory smiled and then reached for his hand and held it. "So, do you want to go ring shopping?"She forced herself to put her past behind her where maybe she could bury it again. She smiled at her man. "Hell yeah! Let's go ring shopping!" They found their rings that very day and were told that they would be ready for pick up in about a week. They scheduled their final doctor's appointment for the same day and then after the check up and the ring pick up, the plan was to visit the restaurant and show them off to the family. Lee had already called everyone to a gathering and Tory suspected that he was going to propose again but this time present her with the engagement ring. She was becoming spoiled at his attention bec