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Sorry for the delay. My computer broke and i had to hunt for my back up story...

Chapter 3

Meet the parents

“…So I turn to Dirk and smile at him before sticking my plectrum up his nose.” Pauli smiled.
I laughed as he walked me to my hotel.
Dinner had finished at around 9 and we went to the bar of the local hotel. He bought me a coke and out of politeness only had a coke too and instead of standing at the bar as he usually did, (by last nights standard anyhow) he headed to a table instead. We sipped our drinks and had a good long chat about anything and everything. Things I don't remember, but I felt that feeling you get after you have after a really good long chat. That feeling of contentment and fulfillment. Like you have eaten a good meal.
After that, he offered me his jacket and walked with me. Now he was speaking about the time Dirk had suggested he had failed to tune his guitar correctly. Dirk was The bands former guitar and bass technician. He had left to concentrate on his career as a singer of his own band: Swans of Avon.
I was learning…
“You sound like you have a lot of fun at gigs.” I replied.
“Oh…we do. We make sure we do. It always shows if we don't…”
“How so?” I asked.
“Well. We are miserable…and very depressed. We want to enjoy it. But sometimes. We miss our families…”
I nodded.
“So would I. I once spent about four months in a London hospital and my parents lived about 60 miles away. So I rarely got to see them. Of course I understand that isn't the same thing…”
He nodded.
“…Do you still have to go to hospitals?”
“Only for the occasional check up. They say I'm an ‘outpatient’…I know they’ve closed the book on my case. I don't care. Like I said, it can’t get much worse can it?”
He shook his head.
“I guess not. I mean—If I lost my arm. I’d be severely depressed. In this business. Music has to be your life, and if you lose the ability to play. You lose the ability to live.”
I nodded.
“Wise words there…”
He nodded and grinned.
“Never knew I had it in me!”
I laughed and looked up at the placard of my hotel.
“Ah…I'm here…Shame. I’ve had a lovely night Pauli. I mean it…a really really nice night.”
He smiled and crouched to my level.
“I'm glad. You’re a lovely lady…And, if its not being too forwards…I’d really like to see you in Loose tomorrow. I will drop the passes by tomorrow if you would like that?”
“I would love that…”
“Great.” He smiled and closed his eyes before moving towards my lips.
“Uh…” I began wheeling back. He noticed the change in mood and nodded.
“I am sorry.” he smiled and reached for my hand instead before kissing it softly.
“Shall we say…10 am. I will come around with passes, and pick you and your friends up?”
“Perfect!” I smiled and nodded. “Thank-you for paying for dinner…”
“Thank-you for being the perfect dinner guest.” He smiled and stood. “I’ll watch you to go in…”
I smiled and nodded to him before wheeling into the hotel up the blue ramp into the lift.
What a perfect gentleman.
Stopped the kiss when I asked, paid for dinner despite my pleas for going Dutch. By this he made a joke that he thought I was English…
His English was a bit…weak. But his intent was clear and full.
He was the best guy I had ever met. And Hell yeah I wanted to meet him again…and again…and again!
But we had not discussed the fact, I was soon going home. I had five days left with him. And he had already made an impression on me. Not dancing around the fact I had no use in my legs, he asked me so many questions…
Questions I was happy to answer, and my reward?
Being able to gaze happily into his eyes and see genuine intrigue. Not morbid fascination.
Total and utter enchantment.
Those eyes were pools of blue magic. I wanted to slip into his eyes. Slip deep into them and be with him…I wanted to hold him, I wanted him to hold me…
Was all this too much for a first date? Should I ask the girls? Would they think I was too stupid?
I smiled as the lift doors opened and I wheeled to my room, slotting the card in I was greeted my Leigh with a face pack on, (kiwi fruit and sea cucumber) and her hair in rollers.
“And what time do we call this?”
“I believe the time is 11.56 PM. But it might be a trick question so I'm going to go with Banana.” I grinned.
She rolled her eyes.
“I have been worried sick! No texts! No calls!”
“I didn't want to worry you! The second you heard that tone you would have run straight down to the restaurant with a battering ram and a cudgel.”
She sighed and shook her head.
“Are you okay?”
“I am better than I have ever felt…He is absolutely lovely. And I can’t wait to speak to him again. Speaking of which. 10 am tomorrow. We are all going to Loose to watch The Rasmus set up! He’s got us passes!”
“Oh wow!” Leigh smiled. Her mask cracked. “Oh great…now I look like a Danish pastry that's gone off…”
I laughed and wheeled in.

*

The next morning I woke up early, I got myself dressed. Black jeans, black new rocks, and a black Hoody. I was going to be myself today. No doubt, the make up yesterday made me look normal. But today I was going to a rock gig. And that's all the I was going to do…
Maybe kiss Pauli.
I would love to kiss his lips. Last night, I was watching them as he spoke. When he spoke Finnish they looked different to when he spoke English, and the tone and pitch of his voice changed too.
His lips were red and shiny, perfect. No blotches, no loose skin, no scrapes or scars. Soft…exquisite...I wanted to feel his breath on my lips, his touch on my skin. The feeling of his fingers against my cheek.
Would he know what else to do?
Most men would touch girls knees, run their hands up slightly…squeeze their backsides and stroked their thighs gently. What would Pauli do to me? If we got that far?
Would he hold my hand? Stroke my neck? Kiss my shoulder? Stroke my arms and whisper in my ear?
All I wanted was to love him, and for him to make me feel more loved than I had ever imagined…
Was that too much to ask?
Last night, one question simmered beyond all of the polite conversation. I knew he was desperate to ask, even though I told him.
He wanted to ask if I could have sex…But I knew it wasn't on a carnal inquisition. It was a genuine question about my lifestyle.
I can…and I will. One day...
His sensitivity, his kindness, his absolute softness to me. It made me feel safe, warm…and even made me desire him at an intimate level.
Not sexually at this point, just to hold him and thank him for his kindness.
I woke the others at nine and smiled as I got a text from the man in question:
“Hi! Its Pauli. Bringing passes at 10. Be at loose by 11. Might go for food first? What is your room number? Text back please. Pauli. p.s last night was so nice…”
I smiled and texted him straight back.
“Room 114. And can’t wait to see you. Thanks for last night too…”
I smiled as Tania looked at me.
“I heard you come in about 12 last night. Dirty stop out!” she grinned at me and handed me one of my pills.
I took it and smiled.
“Dress in black and prepare to go to a real rock gig. You thought McFly was rock—Meet some masters…”
“She's been brainwashed…” Gem yawned. “Nobody could beat McFly…You can keep your Cradle of Filth, Your Meshugah, Your CKY, Your Green Day, Your Blink 182 and your SUM 41. Busted and McFly are all where its gonna be at Christmas…”
“Oh Gem. Get over the Christmas number one popularity contest. No-one gives a toss. There is much more to music than Christmas sales…There’s history, album sales, tours, gig sales, merchandise sales, request polls, and not to mention popularity by word of mouth…”
“Yeah yeah…” she nodded and reached for her Busted T-shirt.
I shook my head and sat in front of the mirror in our room to do my make up. Black eye shadow, liquid eye liner, mascara that made my lashes long and strong enough for birds to land on.
I just hoped he’d like it as much as he liked me last night…
The hour dragged by and finally when I saw a big car pull up at ten on the dot I got all excited and smiled.
“He’s here!!”
Leigh smiled and stroked my hair straight before waiting for them to knock at the door.
Gem was dressed in a McFly T-shirt and blue denim jeans. Tania had opted for a velvet top and skirt with boots. Leigh had chosen more traditional black T-shirt and combats with black trainers.
I sometimes think Leigh copied or imitated me so I could look in place with my chair. Sometimes I was grateful, sometimes I was a little bit annoyed. But nevertheless. Leigh was my best friend. And I loved her like my sister. The sister I didn't have.
My parents decided once I was born, that any subsequent children may also be paralyzed. And they didn't want the risk. When I was growing up it made me feel as if I had been a mistake. That if they had known, I might have been aborted. But they assured me when I blurted it out in an argument when I was 15 that I was always wanted, and when I was born I was their only miracle.
It still made me feel very strange about my condition. Would my children have it? Would it be a generation thing?
There was knocking at the door which roused me from my thoughts and made me sit up straight.
Tania ran over to open the door.
She unlocked it and smiled.
“Hei!” she cheered. “You must be Pauli…”
“I am. Pauli Rantasalmi…Pleased to meet you…Is…?”
“She’s right there…” Tania replied and looked to me.
I smiled hopefully to him. He walked over and knelt in front of me.
“You look beautiful.” He smiled and kissed my hand. “…Extraordinarily so.”
“Thanks…” I smiled and looked at the girls who were giggling.
“Uh…Pauli, these are they girls you met the other night, Leigh Turner. Gem Richards and Tania Lucas.” I smiled.
Pauli turned to see them before taking each of their hands and shaking them.
“Pleased to meet you…” replied Pauli after each one had said their piece. “I have passes to Loose. Your names are down as ‘Guest: Rantasalmi 1, 2, 3, 4…’ so if we’re ready…”
They all nodded.
“The car awaits.” He smiled.
They Aki excitedly crammed into the hall as Pauli turned to me.
“…So. How did you sleep?” he asked softly kneeling down besides me.
“Like a baby…Yourself?”
“Better than in a long time.” He smiled and stroked my cheek. “Sorry. I woke up this morning and wanted to stroke your cheek.”
If only he knew what I wanted to do when I woke up this morning.
“Come on…lets get moving. We can get a breakfast meal in Macdonalds…”
“Cool!” I smiled and got my bag. I began to wheel to the door.
“…Can I push you?”
I looked up at him.
“Pauli, I have this thing about people pushing my wheelchair. I have been self-propelling since I was seven. Nobody pushes my chair unless I’m tired or my arms ache.”
“I understand…” he smiled and walked beside me. We went into the lift and he looked at me before crouching again.
“I hope you don't mind me crouching to your level but I like eye contact…” he smiled, letting his eyes twinkle the way I liked.
“I like it when people are on my level…”
He smiled and stood as the lift pinged.
I wheeled through reception to the door and out, down the ramp to the car.
“Uh…Hon. Shall I help you in?” asked Leigh who was already strapped in and ready to go.
“I’ll do it.” smiled Pauli. “If that's okay with you?” he said looking down at me.
I nodded. “…Uh. Sure. If you can pick me up.”
Pauli smiled. He knelt securely before slipping one arm under my knees and the other behind my back.
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Just glad I wore jeans today!”
He giggled and picked me up.
For a split second, we were mere centimetres from each other’s faces. I wanted so badly to reach and kiss him. He breathed gently against my lips as his eyes surveyed my face.
“You’re as light as a feather...” he smiled.
“I…don't eat much…” I breathed.
“Oh…” he nodded and smiled and nodded as he was Slotting me into an available seat. I smiled.
“Want a hand folding up my chair?”
“Sure!” he nodded.
“Run your hand up the centre between the chairs. The seat should collapse and you can fold it in two.
He grinned and did so. It collapsed into his arms and he fumbled it in the boot. “There we go!” he smiled and got into the car. “Right, Dirk. Can we go to Macdonalds…then to Loose.” He smiled.
His hand then closed around mine affectionately.
I looked to it and smiled.
He smiled and leaned over whispering:
“Tonight, I’ll dedicate a song to you…and to show you, I’ll do a special sign…Okay?” he asked.
“Okay.” I smiled and nodded.

*

When we got outside Loose we had all eaten enough Macdonalds to give us all irritable bowl syndrome. We all got out of the car.
Tania, Gem and Leigh were avoiding me and Pauli quite a lot. Leigh kept grinning and smiling at us making winks and lewd gestures which I turned a blind eye to.
Pauli put me back in my chair and this time, I’ll admit I slid my arms around his neck and kept them there a second longer than I should have after getting lost in his eyes.
He smiled and nodded as he looked at the steps. “Hmm…I think I should carry you down into the club…” he nodded as the guards looked at us confused.
“You don't have to…I can get the girls to carry my chair.”
“Its my pleasure.” He nodded. “Uh…Ilka? Jari? Tama on Minun ystava…” he began scanning the clipboard.
I looked over and Dirk was staring at my chair.
I couldn't resist.
“Don't worry. Its house trained…” I smiled.
He blushed and looked quickly away.
The guards nodded and Pauli smiled. “Dirk? Could you do me a huge favour? Could you take the chair down if I carry her?”
He nodded as Pauli picked me up again. This time he held me around my backside instead.
“You don't mind that do you?” he asked.
“I can’t feel it so I'm not bothered.” I replied.
“…I hope you like our music. I can see you have good taste…Your friend ‘Gem’ however…” he said looking in disdain at her McFly T-shirt.
“I know. I tried converting her…” I sighed. I looked down into his arms.
“You have a tattoo?”
“Yeah!” he smiled. “It says Dynasty.”
“Ooh…” I smiled and reached down to touch it.
“Ah! I'm ticklish!” he squealed holding me tighter.
“Awh…Bless you…” I smiled and stroked his face.
He looked up at me with eyes that made me want to kiss him.
“…You wear contact lenses…” I replied softly.
“So I do…” he smiled.
Dirk ran back up and nodded.
“Sorted.”
“Come on…” Pauli smiled and walked down the stairs carrying me carefully, as he landed me in my chair he turned to a group of people standing, backs to us at the bar and went to them.
I looked around, exactly as I imagined. A bar that was stacked with drinks of all kinds, a jukebox, a TV, and a mini stage where Finnish roadies were now setting up vital equipment.
“Guys. I want to introduce you to…my guests…Tania, Gem, Leigh, and my special lady…”
The three all turned around to look and were already looking at eye level.
I think it was when they realized that there were only three people and four names they looked down to see me. They went quite pale before Pauli added.
“Told you she was into rock…”
“This is your girlfriend?!” Lauri began with disdain in his voice.
“Well…I’d like to think so…” Pauli smiled at me.
“…Dude. She’s in a wheelchair…”