Interview for a Wife by Ruth Ann Nordin
Chapter Eight
Deanne didn’t know why she had assumed Bill would sleep in the parlor after they moved. She should have known that the only reason she had slept alone in bed before was because he couldn’t go upstairs in a wheelchair. But such a thing had not occurred to her, and it was with a mixture of shyness and uncertainty that she watched him come into the bedroom that evening. She had already put on her nightgown and had braided her hair so it wouldn’t tangle through the night.
“Amber and Vernon are finally asleep,” he said as he took the hardbound book off of his lap and set it on the dresser. “I think it’s going to take them a few days before they can go to sleep at bedtime.”
She moved aside so she wouldn’t get in his way. She had no idea where he intended to go, and the room wasn’t that big, even though there was plenty of room for him to get around the bed.
“It’s hard for anyone to sleep well in a new place,” she said as he took off his tie and vest. She cleared her throat.
He glanced at her. “Are you alright with me sleeping in here?”
“This is your bed. You can sleep in it.”
He set the pocket watch on the dresser then turned the wheelchair so he was facing her. “I didn’t mean to make you nervous. I assumed it would be fine to be in here.”
“It is fine,” she insisted, aware that there was a slight tremble in her voice even as she spoke the assurance. “I’ve been married before. I’ve shared a bed with another person.”
“There won’t be anything that happens in the bed. All I plan to do is sleep. I thought I explained that.”
At once, she felt much better. She didn’t know why the thought of being intimate made her so nervous, except that it would expose the truth about her inability to have children.
“You said you were fine if there wasn’t anything of a physical nature between us,” Bill softly said.
“I am fine with it,” she hurried to reply. “I meant that. I just thought that since you slept in the parlor at the other home, you’d do so here, too. It shocked me that you came in here.”
She thought she saw his hands relax on the arms of the wheelchair. Was he nervous, too?
“The bed is more comfortable than the couch,” he said after a moment.
“That’s true. I’d rather sleep on the bed than the couch. No one can blame you for wanting to be in here.” She hesitated to offer help since she wasn’t sure if it would make things more awkward than they already were, but finally, she asked, “Would you like me to help with anything? I can get your side of the bed ready for you and put the wheelchair next to the bed after you’re settled in.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t mind some assistance getting into the bed. It’s higher than the couch. It’ll probably be a challenge to get in.”
“I can help.” She’d much rather do something than just stand by and watch. “What would you like me to do?”
He hesitated then said, “After I get my nightshirt, I’d like you to help me get into the bed. I’ll use the arms of the chair as much as possible so I don’t overwhelm you with my weight.”
“I’ll pull back the blankets so the bed is ready while you get your nightshirt.”
He nodded, and at once, she felt the tension in the room ease. She couldn’t blame him for feeling awkward. She felt it, too. He probably wasn’t used to asking for help. Sure, he had accepted it from his aunt and uncle, but other than that, he seemed to do everything by himself. It couldn’t be easy for him to allow someone new to do what came so naturally to everyone else. As for her, she had no idea how to help someone who was in a wheelchair. It wasn’t something she’d ever had to do before.
She didn’t know if the children would wake up, but she shut the door so that if they happened to come to this room, they wouldn’t have to see their father struggling to get into the bed. She knew if it was her, she wouldn’t want anyone to see her needing help with this kind of task.
She went to the bed and pulled the blankets back and then fluffed the pillow. By the time she was ready, he had his nightshirt resting on his lap. He wheeled over to the bed and backed up so that he was parallel with it. She didn’t think the task was going to be all that difficult once she realized the bed was only slightly higher than the chair.
“Do you want to put one of your arms around my shoulders?” she asked.
He set the nightshirt on the pillow and nodded. “That seems to be the best way to do it. It’s what Henry did for me right after the accident.” He locked the wheels then straightened up. “I’m ready.”
She bent down to assist him. As he had promised, he put most of his weight on the arm of the wheelchair as she helped him onto the bed.
“I didn’t tell you what happened to my legs, did I?” he asked, surprising her.
She shook her head. “No, but you don’t have to.”
“I don’t mind telling you. As you know, I lived on the farm. After Jennifer died, I tried to continue running it. I didn’t do much, but I did plant a couple of small crops. One day while I was on the tractor, I leaned over to grab my hat when it blew off.” He shook his head. “It was the stupidest thing I could have done, and I knew better, but I didn’t think things through. Anyway, I fell out, and the back tire ran over the bottom part of my legs.”
She winced. “That sounds painful.”
“The funny thing is that I didn’t feel the pain right away. It wasn’t until I couldn’t stand up that I realized something was wrong. It was then that I started to feel the pain. Fortunately, Marsha was out on the farm watching the children. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know how long I would have been out there in the field.”
“I’m sorry it happened.”
“Thank you, but it’s fine. I accepted the way things turned out. I’m just glad the children are alright and that people keep buying things at the store. I’m also glad you’ve been married before because this whole thing would be even more awkward if you were a virgin.”
“Really? How so?”
“I was thinking it might be nice to have help getting the pants off. That part always takes the longest whenever I go to bed. It’s also a struggle to put them on, too.”
She offered him an understanding smile. Of course, a woman who wasn’t used to seeing a man without clothes would shy away from the task. “I’ll be happy to help with that.”
And she did help him. She tried to avoid looking at his legs as she helped him out of the drawers and pants, but her curiosity got the best of her and she took a peek. His legs had been cut off just below the knees. She could only imagine how hard it would be to live like this. So as not to embarrass him, she hurried to put away the clothes he’d been wearing that day.
“Would you like me to keep the window open?” she asked since she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I like the fresh air, but it can get chilly in the early morning hours,” he said after he had the nightshirt on.
She glanced at the window. “What if I leave it partly open? That should prevent the room from getting too cold.”
He nodded. “Let’s do that.”
She went to the window and lowered it down. By the time she got into the bed, he was already settled into a comfortable position. It was strange to be in bed with someone again after having gotten used to sleeping by herself. Fortunately, the bed was big enough to accommodate them both so she didn’t have to be pressed right up against him. That eased the situation somewhat. Knowing they wouldn’t be doing anything but sleeping further relieved her nerves.
“It’s much more comfortable in the bed than the couch,” he said. “It’s been so long since I slept in this bed that I’d forgotten how nice it is.”
“It is a comfortable bed,” she replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a better one.”
“I almost didn’t get it since it was more expensive than most, but Jennifer assured me it would be worth it since I wouldn’t have to replace it for a long time.”
She supposed she shouldn’t feel uneasy about sleeping in a bed that Bill used to share with another woman, but she did. It almost felt like she should be the one sleeping on the couch. Unlike her marriage to Terry, Bill and Jennifer had loved each other. This bed probably brought him good memories of her.
“Are you alright?” Bill asked.
How did he have a way of picking up on her mood when she was uncomfortable? It was a bit spooky. “I’m fine,” she replied.
“So seeing my legs the way they are didn’t bother you?”
Was that what he thought? Her eyebrows furrowed. Did he worry she was repulsed by the fact that he didn’t have all of his legs? She turned her gaze to him. “I already knew you had part of them amputated when I first saw you in the wheelchair.” Her face growing warm, she added, “I was curious about what amputated legs looked like without pants covering them up. I’ve never seen anyone without a limb before.”
“It took me a while to get used to it.”
“I bet it did.” Anyone would struggle with not having all of their legs. “I don’t care that you need a wheelchair, and I don’t mind helping you whenever you need it. To tell you the truth, I like that you let me help you, whether it’s at the store selling things or here at home in this room. It gives me a purpose. I don’t like sitting around and doing nothing all day. I prefer to keep busy.”
“Are you sure you like keeping busy at the store? It seems like you barely have a moment to sit down for a good portion of the day.”
She chuckled. “Time goes faster when there are customers in the store.”
“Yes, but you also have to put items away when a new shipment comes in. You also have to clean up the place.”
“That doesn’t bother me. When I’m done, it’s nice to see the store looking nice and tidy. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
He reached over and took her hand in his. “I can’t imagine any other woman being as good as you are in that store. I’m glad you made the trip from Omaha.”
Her skin warmed more from the pleasure of his words than the gentleness of his touch. She couldn’t recall a time when anyone had given her such a high compliment. She searched her memories, but nothing came rising to the surface. Surely, she must have received kind words in the past. It’d just been so long ago that it was difficult to remember them.
“Good night,” Bill whispered.
He released her hand and turned onto his side to go to sleep.
She turned onto her side and closed her eyes. The warm feeling stayed with her all night.