It’s Only Temporary by Iona Rose

Bianca

I’d had the cast for so long that it felt like I was about to lose an old friend. My sister and I sat in the cast room waiting for the technician who was going to saw it off. I wished Connor was with me and then instantly felt bad as soon as that thought was out.

Eva had left her work in the studio to come with me. It had been a long morning. Apparently, getting a cast removed is not a fast procedure. I’ve already had an x-ray done, and being examined by the doctor who declared it ready to be removed.

My phone vibrated from my handbag and I reached for it. I smiled. It was from Connor.

Connor: Hi beautiful, is the deed done yet?

Me: Not yet but close.

Connor: Remember your promise?

Me: You bet.

Connor: It’s a date. I’ll pick you up at six.

Me: Sounds good.

Connor: See you later beautiful.

Everything was working out so well. Eva and I were busy at work with the orders coming in fast and furiously. I was booked solid with custom orders for the next four months and we still had to keep making our signature pieces.

Jen had been right in her prediction of how popular our pieces would be with her clients. It was a fun exciting time for our company and I couldn’t wait for the cast to be off to enable me to get even more done.

“You’re smiling.”

“I’m meeting Connor tonight and I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’m glad you’re having so much fun. You deserve it,” she said.

She patted her belly, something I’d noticed she’d started doing a lot lately. It made me smile to imagine my niece or nephew nestled in there. “Are you feeling anything at all?” I asked her.

Eva grinned. “She’s the size of a bean, anything I feel is totally my imagination.”

We laughed.

“Names?”

“I’m only just coming around to the idea of a baby in my belly. We haven’t talked about names yet,” Eva said, a vulnerable look on her features.

I reached out to squeeze her hand. “You’ll be a wonderful mom. The kind that’s always hugging their child.”

“I hope so.”

“Don’t forget I’m coming with you guys to the ultrasound day after tomorrow. Are you sure it’s okay?”

Eva had asked me to accompany her and Jeremy to her first ultrasound. I’d worried that Jeremy might find it too much of an intrusion on my part.

“Of course it’s okay. We’re twins. We do the important stuff together,” Eva said. “Jeremy knows and expects it.”

The technician came into the waiting room and asked me to go in. I grinned at Eva. “This is it. I can’t believe I’ll soon be rid of this dreaded thing.”

“It’ll be weird to see you without it,” she said as she followed me into the cast room.

The technician got me comfortable with my leg with the cast lifted up onto a stool. He was gentle as he explained to me the process. I just wanted the damn thing off. I’d missed my leg.

“I’m going to cut one side lengthwise and do the same on the other side,” he said and took a saw.

Eva had once broken her arm when we were kids so we pretty much knew the process. Soon the room was filled with the jarring noise from the electrical saw.

In minutes he had sawed both sides and was peeling the cast off my leg. I closed my eyes and reveled in the feeling of my leg being free. The technician made me do a few exercises and asked me to keep doing them at home.

“Take it easy for a few days,” he said. “Just as you would when you had the cast. Avoid any impact activities.”

I wondered if sex counted as an impact activity.

“No hanky-panky today,” Eva said as we walked out of the clinic.

“Hanky-panky?” I said.

“You did say you were going to Connor’s today, right?”

I didn’t care about the teasing, I was too happy to have my leg back even though it was gross to look at. For one, I had lost muscle but the technician had said that all it took was two weeks of inactivity for the muscles to start shrinking.

My skin had taken on an ugly pale color but that would go back to normal with time. I just hoped looking at it wouldn’t turn Connor off.

Outside, we grabbed an Uber back to my apartment and to work. I willed the hours to go by fast so that I could see Connor.

After my bath, I picked a short dress but changed my mind when I remembered the state of my leg. I settled for a maxi dress but it was still nice to know that I didn’t have to lug that cast around. I was still walking with the crutches and would continue to do so for another week.

I couldn’t wait to see Connor’s apartment. I’d tried to imagine how his home looked and failed. With men, you just never knew. He could be the neatest person when it came to his dress code but his home be a mess.

I was ready and waiting for Connor in the living room at quarter to six. My stomach rolled with butterflies as if I was about to go on my first date. The bell rang and I was about to jump to my feet when I remembered the technician’s words of caution to take it easy.

I flung the door open and Connor stood there staring at me. I lifted my dress to show him my castless leg.

“Look at that,” he said in admiration.

“It looks weird but that will change with time,” I said, suddenly insecure about the appearance of my leg.

“Nonsense!” He took a step forward and hugged me, lifting my feet off the ground. “It looks perfect.”

Warmth flooded me. I’d never thought I’d ever meet a man who would be blind to my faults. It was a good feeling. A feeling I never wanted to lose.

“I’m ready,” I said when he gently put me back down. “I just need to grab my crutches.”

“I’ll get them for you,” he said.

“I have to use them for a week and then I’ll be truly free,” I said to Connor when he brought them to me.

“Makes sense.”

“And no impactful movements,” I said, shooting him a pointed stare.

“I have no idea what you’re trying to insinuate. My plans for the evening are dinner with my woman and a night spent cuddling in bed,” Connor said.

I laughed and then stopped short when it dawned on me, what he had said. “Dinner? I thought we were going straight to your place.”

He looked me up and down as the elevator doors shut. “When you’re dressed like that? No way am I taking you straight home. Besides we need to celebrate getting that cast off.”

An Uber was waiting for us downstairs and Connor held my crutches while I entered. I loved that he was such a gentleman. It made me feel special and … loved.

“How do you feel?” Connor asked me on the drive to the restaurant.

I grinned. “I feel like a new person. That thing took a lot of energy to carry around.”

I told him about the process of getting the cast removed.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to hold your hand,” he said.

“You were there when I got it done and I was in pain. This was nothing.”

We got to the restaurant and after paying the driver we made our way to the entrance. Connor had a reservation and we were shown to a nice table for two.

“It’s nice to arrange my leg how I want it,” I said.

“Small pleasures that we overlook when we’re well,” Connor said.

The server came and handed us two menus. We gave our order for food and water and settled back to relax. When I looked at Connor, I still got surprised that I’d somehow landed myself such a great guy. The kind of guy other girls found but not me.

“Are you okay?” he said. “You look so deep in thought.”

“I couldn’t be better. I was thinking how lucky I am to have you,” I said without an ounce of self-consciousness.

“I’m the lucky one,” he said. “I never thought I would ever find the woman that I love so quickly.”

All air left my lungs. My surprise must have shown on my face.

“I don’t joke around Bianca and neither would I string a woman along, wasting her time and mine. I’ve fallen in love with you and I want you for keeps.”

It was a little frightening to hear him express himself so confidently. His feelings were intense and so were mine but I wasn’t ready to express mine so openly.

“Hey, no pressure. You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said with a chuckle.

I tried to laugh but it came out like a soft bark. Luckily, the server brought our drinks and when he left, the moment had passed.

I asked him about his work and the new boss.

“She’s pretty good at her job,” Connor said. “I’m feeling lucky to be in a position where I’m learning so much.”

“It’s great,” I said. “I just feel sorry for Marjorie. She’s not getting any action, is she?”

A guilty look came over Connor’s features. “I asked Samantha about that and hinted to her that she should involve Marjorie more. She promised she would.”

“That’s nice,” I said and listened as Connor continued heaping praise on his new boss.

I’ll be honest. I did feel a pang of something, despite knowing it was a professional relationship and Connor would never cross the line. I reminded myself of how loyal Connor had been when he and Angie had been dating. I had never seen him flirt with a woman at the cocktail bar.

That’s the kind of man he was. I doubted that Miss Samantha Price’s intentions were all noble but I wasn’t going to share my thoughts with Connor. He would definitely be offended that I would question his integrity and he would be right.

I had no reason to worry or feel threatened by another woman.

The server brought our food and my stomach rumbled at the delicious scent wafting up my nostrils.

“How is work going?” Connor asked as we dug into our food.

“Great. Super busy. Having our jewelry at the store has gotten us a lot of exposure. Would you believe that we’re getting almost five hundred visitors in our online store, a third of whom are resulting into sales.”

Eva and I had started discussing our initial plans to move our base from my apartment to another location that would have ample space for my studio and our offices. I confided in Connor all this and he was just as enthusiastic as Eva and I had been.

After dinner, we ordered two glasses of wine to celebrate my cast getting off. It was Connor’s idea, not mine. My mind had shifted gears and I was eager to leave and see his apartment.

He toasted me and we clinked glasses. I loved the way his eyes shone with merriment. The realization dawned on me that we actually made each other happy. I had found a man who filled my life with pleasure and meaning, so effortlessly.

“I love you Connor,” I said with feeling.

He went still and then the biggest grin split his face. He glanced around the restaurant as if he wanted to tell everyone before swinging his gaze back to me. “Say that again.”

I smiled. “I love you Connor.”

“Damn!” he exclaimed making me laugh. “I love you, Bianca.”