Chapter Eight

It took ten minutes for me to get properly adjusted on the floor. Stella said that I could sit with my back leaning against the end of her bed and Liam brought me his coloring table to use. Nolan had carefully straightened my legs out in front of me and then we all chose a box of crayons and some construction paper—multi-colored of course.

At the suggestion of Liam, everyone made me a birthday card. I laughed when he said it, because he looked so excited about the idea. So, while they all busied themselves with coloring pictures on the front of the card and writing things inside, I busied myself with making thank you cards for each of them.

When we were all done, Stella insisted that everyone stand up and read their card to me before letting me have them. She also insisted that she go first.

"Dear Janey, Thank you for being born. You are the best big sister anyone could ever ask for. I love you very much and wish we had a party for you. Love, Stella."

She handed me the card and gave me a big hug. I thanked her and gave her the thank you card I had made for her, and she grinned widely.

As she went and sat back down, Liam stood up.

"Dear Janey, I wish that I could give you my legs as a birthday present so that you wouldn't have to be in that wheelchair. But I can't. I'm sorry. I love you, Liam."

"Oh, Nugget," I whispered tearfully when he hugged me. I took the card from him and gave him his thank you card.

Nolan stood up and cleared his throat nervously.

"Jane, I've never in my life met anyone that I believe in as much as I do you. I believe in the fact that you are the kindest person I've ever met. I believe in the fact that your love is so strong for others and that your heart is so big that you have to be confined. I believe it wouldn't be fair to the world to have someone as beautiful and endearing as you to be able to walk too, so you were given an obstacle. But, in the little bit of time that I've known you, I've realized it isn't an obstacle at all. While there are times that you seem unhappy because of your situation, you rarely let it show on the outside. That is why I wanted to ask you a very important question." He looked up at me for a moment, then back down to his birthday card. "Will you, Jane Camille East, do me the honor of marrying me?"

"Yes!" the kids yelled together.

I was crying by that point. I wanted to say yes, more than anything in the world, but I also knew that if I did I would become a burden on someone new. I didn't want him to have to take care of me for the rest of my life. I loved Nolan more than I could put into words, but... I couldn't do that to him.

"I can't," I sobbed.

"Yes you can."

I looked up and saw Mom and Dad had been standing in the doorway. I didn't know how long they had been there, but their faces were red, and they both looked like they were both fighting back tears.

"You deserve to be happy, too. Even though I think this entire friendship moved way too quickly toward this, you can't help what your heart wants. And Nolan's heart wants you, Janey," my father said.

I held up my hands and took a deep breath. I needed to steady myself for what I was going to tell them. After about five minutes of hiccup breathing, I was finally able to talk.

"I can't be a burden to everyone that loves me. And that's what I'll be to you," I said looking up at Nolan. "I can't take a bath or a shower without Mom undressing me and putting me in the bath chair. I can't find anywhere that will hire me, so I wouldn't be able to pull in half of what we would need to support ourselves. We'd need to build a special kitchen where I could reach everything just to be able to cook for you. We'd need ramps installed so I can get in and out of the house when you aren't home. I wouldn't be able to give you children; that's something that everyone deserves."

Nolan came over to where I was sitting and knelt down beside me. He took my hands in his and put his forehead against mine.

"Everything you just said is either material or trivial. True love doesn't ask for anything other than the person it wants. I'd be happy living in the streets if you were with me. I don't need a big fancy house; I don't need children, hell, I don't even need you to cook for me. I. Just. Need. You."

Fresh tears poured from my eyes and Nolan kissed me gently. He took a deep breath and let it out after a moment.

"Jane. I think he deserves an answer. One from your heart and not your mind," Daddy said.

"Are you sure you want a life like this?" I asked, gesturing around me.

"Positive."

I took a deep breath and looked at Stella and Liam who were watching us with big hopeful eyes. I looked over at my mom as she leaned her head onto my dad's shoulder. I watched him put his arm around her and hold her close to him. I looked down for a moment and then back up into Nolan's expectant face.

"Then yes. I will marry you," I whispered.

As he leaned in and kissed me, hard and passionately, my father cleared his throat.

"Considering that she's only twenty one and you're twenty two, I expect a long engagement. Furthermore—"

"Oh honestly, Aaron! Let them have this moment before you start filling it with demands," my mother scolded, dragging him away from the door.

"Stella! Liam! Come here, please!" Mom called over her shoulder.

"Does this mean you're going to be our brother?" Liam whispered as he walked past us.

"Yeah, I guess it does," Nolan answered.

Liam hugged him tightly before he ran out of the room.

"So..." Nolan said.

"So..."

"I was kind of wondering if you really said yes, or if this is a dream," he said with a laugh.

"I did indeed say yes," I assured him.

He sat next to me, and I put my head on his shoulder. "I feel like this isn't official until I present you with a ring of engagement. Fortunately, I have one in mind. I'll bring it to you tonight."

"I would think that as my fiancée you should be able to just walk in the front door," I reasoned.

"A'scuse me," Liam said, poking his head into the room. "Daddy wants to talk to both of you."

I sighed heavily. I had a feeling that our special moment wasn't going to last very long. Nolan got to his feet, bringing me up with him. I hovered in his arms as he slid his feet underneath mine and walked me toward the door. When we reached the top of the stairs, he sat down and secured me on his lap.

"Ready?" he asked mischievously.

"For what?" I asked in confusion.

"To go down, of course."

He used his hands to give us a start down the stairs, before securing his arms tightly around me. I closed my eyes and let out a little squeal of terror and joy as we rode down the staircase on his rear end.

I laughed when we got to the bottom. Nolan was laughing too, and Mom looked amused. Dad, on the other hand, opened my wheelchair and scooped me off of Nolan.

"I need you to start being a little more responsible," he said quietly to me as he lowered me onto the chair.

"Yes, Dad. Sorry about that."

Nolan was sitting on the third from bottom step, his hands locked in front of him, as he waited for Dad to talk to both of us.

"I just wanted to say a couple of things," he finally said, clearing his throat. "I am aware that when you get married, you'll want to move out and have a home of your own. I don't expect that day to be a long time from now."Mom sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "But what I do expect is for Jane to stay here with us until you've found a place for the two of you to live. We know best how her daily routine goes and we need you to become aware and accustomed to it before you can take her."

I exchanged a glance with Nolan. I saw his half-smile starting to sneak across his face and I wondered if any smart ass remark would come out of him.

"Mr. East, I understand what you're saying. And while I would like to take her off of your hands right now, just push her straight out the door and never look back, I completely concede that it wouldn't be responsible. On any level. So, if I may, I'd like to counter your offer."

I raised an eyebrow at him, but he was careful not to look at me.

"Go on," Dad said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"As her betrothed, I think that you should let her move in with me and my parents or let me move in here. We're not going to do anything under your roof that would be disrespectful, but if you want me to learn her daily routine, the easiest way would be for me to observe from when she wakes up until she goes to sleep. Wouldn't you agree?"

My eyes became huge. Nolan still wouldn't look at me. He was intent on holding my father's gaze. I looked at my mother who looked as equally surprised and horrified as I did.

Now, I wasn't horrified at the prospect of living with Nolan under anyone's roof. I mean, his argument made sense. To learn, he'd have to observe from beginning to end. No, what worried me was how my father, Aaron East, was going to react.

"Call your parents and ask them to come over please," he said curtly as he left the hallway.

Mom looked as confused as I felt. I expected him to put his foot down and completely deny his request.

"May I use your phone?" Nolan asked my mother.

"Of course you can. Starr, can show you where it is," she said, as she quickly left the room to check on my father.

"That went a little better than I expected," he remarked.

I put my wheels into motion and led him into the kitchen without saying anything. I was worried about Daddy. I wanted to go check on him as soon as Nolan's phone call was being placed.

"Well, there it is. I'm gonna go see how he's doing," I said, nodding toward the backyard.

Nolan nodded as he picked up the receiver and began to dial. I made my way quickly out of the kitchen to the back door, and shoved it open after a couple of tries. Dad was standing in the middle of the backyard with his hands in his pockets and staring up at the sky. I noticed that Mom was sitting on her chair swing just outside the door, watching him. When she saw me go past her, she went inside.

"Hi, Daddy," I said softly as I stopped next to him.

"You know I remember the day you were born," he replied. "You were so healthy, strong, and perfect. I knew that you'd be my little girl forever; even after you got sick. Jane, I love you more than I can ever say, I just never thought this day would come. And it has nothing to do with your... situation. I just. No father ever thinks their little girl will leave them. No matter how silly it sounds."

"I'll always be your little girl. I'm just grown up now," I assured him softly.

"I meant what I said upstairs. You deserve to be happy. I'm glad that you said yes to Nolan, but you have to understand that I will never trust him. Not since the aquarium; and I need you to accept that."

I put a hand on his leg. He looked down at me and I nodded. He let out a sigh and turned his attention back to the sky. I sat next to him in silence and watched the sky with him.

Ten minutes later, Stella ran out to announce that Nolan's parents had arrived.

Dad cleared his throat and straightened himself out before we went in. He held the door open for me and I made my way into the living room. His parents were sitting in the love seat talking to my mother, and Nolan was sitting in his usual spot with Liam in his lap and Stella standing at his side.

"There you two are!" Mom said brightly. "Aaron, you remember Rosalie and Bryan don't you?"

Dad nodded and went to sit next to Mom. I was wheeling my way over there when Nolan reached out an arm and stopped me. I glanced at him, and he grinned as he pulled me backwards until I was sitting next to him. Liam climbed off of his lap and moved down the couch with Stella.

I raised an eyebrow when he stood up after a moment and lifted me out of the chair. He set me into the spot next to him and put his arm around me. I clasped my hands in my lap and leaned my head against his shoulder.

"Doesn't hurt, does it?" he asked me quietly. I shook my head and he grinned again.

I felt his body heat starting to permeate throughout me again and I closed my eyes for a moment.

I loved feeling him so close.

"Nolan tells us that you have something you'd like to discuss with us," Bryan said to my father.

Dad explained everything to them. From the park to the aquarium to the proposal to his idea for living arrangements. By the end of it, Nolan's parents were looking at us very seriously.

"Are you sure this is something you both want to do? From the sounds of it, neither of you have been very responsible so far. Especially you," Bryan said, looking pointedly at his son.

"Um, excuse me, Mr. ...Uh..."

It suddenly dawned on me that I had no idea what Nolan's last name was.

"Ransom," Nolan whispered.

I looked at him incredulously.

"I swear it is," he whispered again laughing.

"Mr. Ransom." When his father didn't react any differently to mine being called Mr. East, I knew Nolan wasn't lying. "I understand where this might look bad, but I can't let Nolan take the blame for all of the unsafe things we did. I am a big girl and had I not wanted to do any of it, then I wouldn't have. He didn't have to coerce me into anything. And I think that the fact that he's been so careful with me and the fact that I can think for myself, speaks volumes of responsibility."

"While that may be, I think the two of you should really think about this. He has no history of ever interacting with someone... in your position and I'm sure you've never dealt with someone as headstrong as my son can be."

"And what ‘position' is that, Dad?" Nolan asked, removing his arm from around my shoulders and leaning forward.

"Son, all I'm saying is that people who are generally unhealthy only become unhealthier faster over time. Is that something you think you can deal with? "

I felt that flash of heat I felt whenever Nolan was near me go through me again. But... he wasn't pressed against me, so it finally dawned on me that it had never come from him. It had been coming from me.

And almost as if in some Shakespearean tragedy, I proved his father's point by losing consciousness and pitching forward onto the living room floor.