Note: For those of you who read my Tolly & Glorina exerpts earlier (more than a year ago, before the house fire), this takes place about sixty years later. Hope that doesn’t ruin any suspense for you in future stories.
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Tolly woke from his doze as Glorina stirred in her hospital style bed. He stood, stretching to work the kinks out of his neck and back. He was afraid that if he didn’t get some more rest he’d have to forgo the next night’s vigil, and let someone else take the night shift with Glorina.
“Tolliver,” she said, smiling up at him. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It is always my joy,” he said, leaning in to kiss her.
She returned the kiss with enthusiasm, but had to drop back after a moment.
“Bad enough I can’t walk,” she muttered under her breath. “Beloved, could you get me some water, please? And then rub my feet?”
“Are they sore?” He asked contritely, as he picked up her tumbler.
“Everything is sore,” she said. “That’s just one of the few things we can—you can—do something about.
He filled the tumbler in the next room, no ice. Glorina had enough trouble keeping warm as it was.
“Thank you,” she said, as he handed it to her. He then threw off the blankets covering her feet, and began expertly massaging them. She groaned appreciatively as he found the tight sore spots and rubbed them into relaxation, like he had done for the past sixty years.
“That feels so good,” she murmured, then yipped as his fingers found another sore spot. “You are too good for me.”
“Nonsense,” Tolly said, brusquely. “I wish I could do far more for you.”
She smiled up at him and soon fell back into a doze as he continued to rub her feet. A few minutes later, heh finished the massage, and looked at her fondly. Then he bent over and kissed her feet.
“Ha! I caught you this time,” she said, drowsily.
“I thought you were asleep,” he said, putting her blankets back over her feet. “Should I get a fresh blanket out of the warmer?”
“I was almost asleep,” she said. “And no, no blanket yet. How many are left?”
Tolly checked the warming closet. “Looks like about ten.”
“That should be about enough,” she said cryptically.
He looked at her askance. “Are you plotting something, Rina?”
“I’m just thinking that I’d like to go see the sunrise.”
Tolly glanced at the clock. “That will be in about an hour. We could go to the library. It has several large windows facing east.”
“I’d rather go up to the roof. Have the sky over my head again.”
“Um . . .” Tolly said, “You know it’s cold out there. It was still summer when you first entered the hospital.”
“And I’ve scarcely been outside since,” she agreed. “I keep hearing it’s been a mild winter.”
“Not that mild,” he growled.
“And you could wrap me up well, with all those warmed blankets, and climb under the covers with me and be my furnace.”
He smiled wanly at her old joke.
“I’m still worried you won’t be warm enough.”
“I haven’t seen a sunrise in over a year. Sunsets I occasionally get glimpses of through these windows here, but not nearly as well as I’d like.”
“Next you’ll be asking me to take you out to see the sunset,” Tolly said.
“Maybe,” she said.
“They aren’t expecting snow,” Tolly muttered. “I suppose I can take you out. Everyone will give me an awful scolding, you know.”
“You’ve faced worse.”
“I’ve faced dragons,” Tolly said. “I’m not sure which is worse.” He bent over and gave her a quick kiss. “Be back soon. I’ve got to make things ready.”
He was back before she had time to miss him. “All is ready for you,” he reported. “It’s not too late yet to change your mind and go to the library. It’s far more comfortable.”
“Sky,” she said firmly.
“As you wish, milady.” He dashed a quick note, then grabbed one of the heated blankets and spread it on the wheelchair, and lifted her down onto it. “Comfortable?”
“As I ever am,” she said, with a slight grimace.
He grabbed the stack of blankets from the warming closet, and placed them folded on her lap.
“Is that all of them?” Glorina asked.
“Yes?”
“Put one back,” Glorina said, handing him the top one. “It’ll be needed later.”
He nodded. “You’ll probably be cool by that time.”
She gave a choked little laugh. “Yes, probably.”
He walked her to the elevator, and up to the roof. He had arranged their favorite lounge, the one they had spent hours snuggling together on over the years, facing east, with the overhead heater set up behind it, not quite making it warm, but not as cool as the surrounding area.
“It looks cozy,” Glorina said. “Thank you. I had forgotten about the heater.” She looked up and around at the sky. “There are the Twins, just above the sunrise. And the moon is scarcely a sliver.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t arrange for a full moon for you.”
She gave a low chuckle. “Even you can’t do everything, Tolly. It’s enough to be under the sky again.” She looked up at the stars, as they were starting to fade. “I used to know all the constellations,” she said.
“I know multiple names for each,” Tolly said. “Or I did, anyway. We could study up on them this summer if you wish.”
Glorina turned her face away. “I would like that,” she said softly.
Tolly watched her for a moment, but said nothing as he took the top two blankets from the stack and spread them out on the lounge cushions. Then he placed the rest of the blankets on a nearby table.
“We’ll be cozy now,” he said, lifting her and the blanket under her from the wheelchair and placing them both on the lounge.
Glorina quickly settled herself. “That’s better,” she said. “Sitting up like that is hard, anymore.” Then she shivered. “You’re right, it’s cold out here.”
“Just give me a moment.” He took the blankets one by one and spread them over her. “Better?”
“Much.” She smiled appreciatively at him. “Be better still once I get my furnace in here.”
He grinned back at her. “I suppose you want me to take my shirt off?”
“Of course. That helps me think.”
“Funny, it works the opposite way for me.” He stood and stripped off his shirt.
Glorina gave an appreciative whistle.
Tolly grinned at her, and stretched long and elaborately. Glorina grinned as she watched.
“Almost as nice as the sunrise,” she commented.
He grinned and slipped between the blankets, appreciating their warmth.
“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” He asked with a kiss. “An old married woman such as yourself?”
“I may be old, but I’m not dead.” She snuggled close to him. “Ah, there’s my furnace. I’ll keep warm now.”
He looked down at her. “You are as beautiful as the day we met, Rina. Even more so.”
“Liar,” she said comfortably.
“To you? Never.”
“Then you need new glasses.” She lay nestled in his arm. “I’ve missed this.”
“So have I. I should have made it happen more often these past six months.”
They continued to talk lightly as they lay back and watched the sun rise, and the sky growing brighter.
At last Glorina relaxed with a sigh. “That was a splendid one. Clouds, but not too many, turning red and gold.”
“Do you wish to go back in?” Tolly asked, starting to stir.
“Not a bit of it. I’m still cozy warm. And so comfortable.”
“They’ll come looking for us soon.”
“Let them look. We can go in then.”
She snuggled up to him again, and lightly ran her fingers over his chest. He sighed and wrapped both arms around her. Neither spoke for a long time.
Tolly found himself on a warm beach, the white sand giving beneath his bare feet, with the waves beating along on the left, while thick green vegetation grew on his right. But he scarcely noticed this, because Glorina was ahead, laughing at him over her shoulder. “Bet you can’t catch me!”
He laughed as well, and gave chase. The two of them were both young, far younger than they had been when they met, and the sun was shining warm and bright down on them on a hot summer day.
She repeatedly let herself be caught, then gave him a quick kiss and slipped away again. They laughed together as they continued to run, and the sun rose higher in the sky.
Later, they were walking in the late afternoon in Daved’s woods, when it starts getting cooler, the trees just starting to turn red and gold as the autumn approaches. He had his arm around her waist, and she stayed close to him, two middle-aged people walking together, still laughing and talking about nothing in particular, just enjoying each other’s company.
Suddenly they came across an empty doorframe, standing by itself in the middle of a clearing.
Glorina stopped and stared at it. “Oh, no,” she said. “So soon? I’d hoped for just a little longer.”
“What is it?” He asked.
“I have to leave you now, Tolliver,” she said. “Remember, you are not to follow me.”
“Where are you going?”
“You know as well as I do. Maybe better.” She reached up and pulled his head into a kiss. In spite of their difference in heights, right now they were on a level with each other. It didn’t seem like a thing to wonder about. It was a kiss to remember, one like they hadn’t shared in years, that warmed him clear through.
Then she pulled back, and said, “I love you, Tolly.” She walked through the doorway, glancing back over her shoulder as she crossed the threshold.
“Rina!” He cried, and ran after her. But the door closed before he reached it. He put his hands on the smooth wooden grain. There was no handle on his side of the door, and pressing on it didn’t do anything. He didn’t try using his strength to force it. “Rina!” He called again.
From the other side of the doorway, he heard Glorina’s delighted laughter, then the doorway faded, leaving him alone.
Now he found himself struggling down mountain path, in the dark, fighting the cold wind throwing ice crystals in his face. He felt old and tired, too tired to be out like this. “Rina!” He kept calling, but the wind tore his voice out of his mouth, and the word went nowhere. He collapsed to his knees in the damp ice, unable to call again.
“Uncle Tolly! Uncle Tolly!” A familiar voice broke through the wind, and he opened his eyes to find Belinda standing over him, as he still lay on the lounge. He felt the weight, oh so heavy, of Glorina’s head on his shoulder.
“Uncle Tolly!” She said again. “Are you all right?”
“I think so,” he said, shivering, though he was starting to realize it wasn’t nearly as cold out as he had thought.
“We have to get you inside and warm,” Belinda said.
“But Glorina?”
“Don’t worry, we’ll see that she’s taken care of.”
“She’s gone, isn’t she?”
“I’m afraid so, Uncle Tolly,” Belinda said gently. “Jelana will be here soon. She let us know what to expect.”
Tolly brushed the hair away from Glorina’s face, and kissed her cold forehead. “I love you, too, Rina,” he said.
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I really like this story, Betsy. It follows on well with their epic love story, and it makes a great amount of sense. I hope someday you're able to put out a bunch of these stories, maybe in a single volume (as an addition to the novels). They are very good, and I am convinced if you can find your market (I see it very clearly, but don't know how to get you there beyond what I've suggested before), you will do extremely well.
Remember that you have other folks who also stand willing to let folks know about your work, whenever you're ready to put out the first novel about Tolly and Glorina. I'm just one of those folks, but I will do whatever I can to get the word out whenever you are ready.