“Seeing Beauty”, Ch. 29 (PG-13): Lily’s Surgery Monday, May 18th, 10/22/12 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #293)

“Seeing Beauty”, Ch. 29 (PG-13):  Lily’s Surgery Monday, May 18^th, 10/22/12 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #293)

An Original Story Copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace (All rights reserved)

[(1) “Seeing Beauty” story logo, left]

[From time to time, I will illustrate my stories with my dream cast:  Richard Armitage as Keith Erickson, Mandy Moore as Lily Sherman, Matthew Perry as Brock, David Schwimmer as Jack, and Matt LeBlanc as Sam; the late Jessica Tandy as Hazel, and Leelee Sobieski as Mercedes. etc.]

Author’s Mature Content Note:  “Seeing Beauty” is a nontraditional romantic love story set amidst contemporary times.  As such there will be some passages in this story involving heartfelt love scenes or other sauciness (R rated) and some passages involving highly dramatic moments.  I will label the maturity rating of those chapters accordingly.  Otherwise, the general rating for this story is PG or PG-13 due to mature situations and topics.  If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read those chapters.  This is my disclaimer.

 

Author’s Recap from the previous installment:   Keith and Lily had a wonderful engagement party with friends and family last weekend–especially reuniting Keith with his buddies, Brock, Jack, and Sam.  Now Keith and Lily look ahead to her skin reduction surgery and their wedding beyond.  Though they will receive some sad news that they were not expecting to hear.

Ch. 29 (PG-13): Lily’s Surgery Monday

The week after their engagement party flies by–perhaps too quickly for Lily and Keith.  Though it is entirely understandable for the person undergoing a surgical procedure to be a bit nervous, it is also quite true that their loved ones are just as nervous and anxious.  Keith and Lily have long known about and planned for Lily’s skin reduction surgery this Monday, May 18^th.  But now that it is here, each of them tries to be strong and stoic for the other—trying not to collapse in tears.  Comfortingly, Lily’s surgery will take place in the same hospital that she volunteers at.  So there is a reassurance in that–since they know many of the staff and doctors already.  And Lily thoughtfully arranged for nurses Sally and Theresa to take turns sitting with Keith while he waits for Lily to get out of surgery–so that he isn’t alone and worrying about her.  Now, Lily just has to have the gumption to have the surgery herself.  To be, as she told Keith months ago—like a dress pattern that the doctors will cut up and stitch back together—is daunting to Lily.  That morning they arrive early at the hospital and Lily is prepped for surgery that will give her a tummy tuck, upper inside arm tucks and neck and breast lifts.  These surgeries will still not make Lily skinny or even thin—the surgeries, six in all actually, will simply remove the excess skin on her body now that she has lost so much weight.  So, Lily will still be womanly curvy bordering on zaftig–just like Keith loves her.  As Lily and Keith wait in a surgical prep room for her to be wheeled into surgery, they chat about their upcoming wedding.

Keith:  Asking solicitously.  “Lily Darling, may I ask them to bring you another blanket to warm you up.”  Keith remembers the warmed blankets from his time in rehab at the hospital.  “This place is so chilly.  Can’t they turn up the heat?”

Lily:  Laughing, she says.  “Ha!  I know.  We’ll have to ask Sally or Theresa if there’s a reason for the cold rooms.  Has one of them turned up yet?”

Keith:  “Yes Lily Darling, Sally is in the waiting room.  I’ll sit with her after they take you back for surgery.”   Keith purss his lips, trying not to cry and trying not to show his fear for Lily’s welfare.  Then, Keith tries to distract Lily with humor.   “So, since I know that brides are all about their gowns, when do you have your wedding dress fitting?”

Lily:  “In four weeks!  On Friday, June 12^th, two weeks before our wedding.”  She smiles beatifically–relaxation medicine will do that for you.   “I can’t wait!  I’ve loved the Jessica McClintock [(2) and right]  dress I selected ever since I first saw it in a magazine.  And I found a design that will complement my fuller figure and keep my arms covered.”  She smiles broadly thinking of the wedding gown’s sweetheart neckline and pearl detailed bodice and lacy overlay over the shoulders and arms with a full ball gown skirt to complement her fuller womanly hips.   “It’s a beautiful satin and lace …”

Keith:  “Now remember, your gown has to be a surprise to me on our wedding day.  So, don’t give away any details.  We wouldn’t want to jinx anything.”  Keith smiles at Lily warmly and she smiles back at him.  He  caresses her cheek next to her mouth with his index finger and she smiles again.  “Now what about our clothing optional  honeymoon?”  Keith mischievously raises his eyebrow.  “Did you decide which destination you liked best?”

Lily:  “Oh, I’d rather have a relaxing and low key honeymoon where we can just be lazy and don’t do much sightseeing and such.  I want to just lay on the beach and watch the waves come in.”  Then she adds saucily.  “Well!   Among other activities.”

Keith:  “Definitely!  So, have you given any thought to your swim wear?  I vote for a two piece.”   He smiles broadly while raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Lily:  “I know.”   She says shyly.  “But, I’ve always worn a one piece.  Though I have found a lovely swimsuit in black with a sheer dress skirting over a bikini bottom for modesty [(3) right].  Will that suffice?”   She asks cheerfully.

Keith:  “Excellent!”    Keith says huskily as he widens his eyes in loving amusement conjuring up the picture Lily is painting.

Op Nurse:  Sticking her head around the curtain, the operating room nurse asks.   “Are we ready?”   The operating room nurse and an orderly walk in the room to get ready to wheel Lily down the hall and into the operating room.

Lily:  Startled by being jolted back to why she’s lying in a hospital bed in the first place.    “As much as I’ll ever be.”   Lily turns to Keith and says hesitantly.  “I guess this is it.  A whole new me awaits.”

Keith:  “Lily Dear, are you sure?”   Not that he wants to stop the operation—well, actually, he’s been thinking about it.

Lily:  “Keith my love … I’ve got to fit into my wedding gown.”   She smiles impishly.

Keith:  “You women and your dresses.”  He shakes his head chuckling.  “Darling, I’ll be waiting for you when you wake up.”   Keith leans over and kisses Lily tenderly on her lips.

Lily:   “Oh, I almost forgot.  Keith, you need to take my engagement ring.”   She hands it to him.    “Just in case I would have any swelling and they would have to cut it off me.  I meant to leave it at home.”

Keith:  “Okay.”   He says putting the ring snugly on his left pinky.  “But, I’m giving this back to you as soon as you come home. “

Keith kisses Lily again and he watches as the nurse and orderly wheel her down the hall and into surgery.  Then, Keith hobbles on his cane to the surgical waiting room to sit with nurse Sally.  He also finds his best friend Brock there as well—to lend Keith moral support.  And Keith will need it.  Because Lily’s surgery is really six surgeries—tummy tuck, upper inside arms tucks on both arms, breast lifts, and neck lift—which will be a strain on Lily’s body’s ability to heal.

***

After Lily is in surgery for two hours, an operating room nurse comes out to the operating waiting room to give Keith an update.  Now nurse Theresa is sitting there with Keith and Brock.  And, the operating room nurse doesn’t have altogether good news.

OpNurse:  “Family of Lily Sherman?”  The nurse calls out looking around the surgical waiting room.

Keith:  “Over here!”  He says standing up and leans on his cane.  “I’m her fiancé, Keith Erickson.    How’s my Lily doing?”

OpNurse:  “Sir, let’s sit.”   She says seeing his cane.  The Operating Room Nurse looks soberly at him, not knowing that Keith is blind.

Theresa:  “Ehhh!”    Theresa gasps–which Brock notices.  Of course Theresa knows that when medical staff don’t immediately give you good news, then there is some bad news to report—and Theresa tenses up.

OpNurse:  “Ms. Sherman’s upper inside arms tuck and neck and breast lifts went fine.”   She says benignly.

Keith:  “Now, you didn’t give her implants did you?  We like Lily’s natural bosoms.”   He smiles and raises his eyebrows.

OpNurse:  Smiling, she says.   “No, sir.  She’s all natural.  Currently, we’re in the middle of her abdominoplasty …”   She see’s Keith’s quizzical expression and says.    “That’s her tummy tuck.  And, we always like to look around to make sure that as she lost weight, organs and systems didn’t shift positions and cause problems like hernias—which she didn’t have. “  She is quick to say.  However, there is a but coming.   “But, we noticed some inflammation on one of her fallopian tubes and …”

Theresa:  “Oh no!”   Theresa says worriedly before she can stop herself.

Keith:  “What?  What is it?”  He says looking back and forth between the two nurses—wishing he could see their facial expressions, but recognizing the concern in their voices.  Brock lays his hand on Keith’s back comfortingly.

OpNurse:  “Sir, happily we caught it in time, before her fallopian tube had burst.”

Keith:  “Burst from what?”   He asks worried that it might be cancer, since that is what Lily’s mother had died from.

OpNurse:  “Mr. Erickson, it was an ectopic pregnancy.  She couldn’t have been very far along.”

Keith:  “Lily is pregnant?”  He asks animatedly—not picking up on the nurse using the past tense.

NurseTheresa:  The operating room nurse looks over at her colleague Theresa, who explains it to Keith as she comfortingly lays her hand on his arm.  “No Keith, ectopic pregnancies have to be terminated, otherwise the mother will die from complications from the rupture of the fallopian tube.  It’s not like they can replant the embryo into the womb.”  Keith’s face saddens as this news sinks in.  “But, with any luck, Lily’s fallopian tube should heal and she should be able to have children in the future.”

OpNurse:  “That’s right sir.  Women go on to have children after ectopic pregnancies—I did, myself, in fact. “  She adds helpfully and truthfully.

NurseTheresa:  “Keith, had you and Lily been trying to get pregnant?”   She knows how devastating this news will be to Lily—but especially so if they were trying to get pregnant.

Keith:  “No.”  He says quietly.   “We had one time that we forgot to use a condom—two weeks ago today, in fact.”

OpNurse:  “Well, she is lucky that we found it.  If it had burst and she hadn’t been near a hospital, the outcome could have been altogether different. “

Keith:  “But, Lily is going to be alright, isn’t she?”   He asks in great concern as he tears up.

OpNurse:  “Yes, she’s tolerating the surgeries well.  But with the ectopic pregnancy and possible infections from the residual inflammation, we’ll be keeping her in the surgical ICU tonight.  And, she will spend her two days of nursing convalescence in the hospital where we can monitor her—rather than in the private nursing facility that she had arranged.”

Keith:  “When may I see Lily?”    He asks worriedly.

OpNurse:  “They were just starting the skin reduction part of the tummy tuck surgery when I came here to see you—giving her a nice bikini line scar.  So, I’d guess that they’ll come for you in about an hour to take you back to recovery to be with her.  Then, we’ll take you to her private room in the surgical ICU wing.  Do you have family that can be with you in the meantime?”

Brock:  Silent up til now.   “Yes, maam.  I’m here.  Keith and I are like brothers.”   And they are.  Brock puts his arm around Keith’s shoulders.

Keith:  “Thanks for being here, Brock.  You too, Theresa.”  Keith is trying to be stoic, but the tears brimming in his eyes are beginning to fall down his cheeks.

NurseTheresa:  “Of course.”

OpNurse:  “Any questions before I head back?”

Keith:  “No, just please tell Lily that I love her if she wakes up before I see her.”  He says tenderly.   “Oh, but, don’t tell her about the ectopic pregnancy.  Let me do that.”    Keith says quietly, not knowing how he will break it to Lily.  Of course they want children, perhaps not so soon–but they would have welcomed a child gladly if it was meant to be.

OpNurse:  “Certainly.  We’ll come back for you in about an hour to take you to her.”   She leaves to return to the operating room.

Keith:  Sitting back on the operating waiting room couch, staring numbly into space with his still legally blind eyes, Keith says haltingly.   “I … wasn’t expecting this.  We weren’t expecting this.”    Meaning the ectopic pregnancy complication.   “We had worried about every other possible complications—healing, clotting, internal scarring, you name it.”   Then, his tears fall down his cheeks and Keith says softly, almost in a whisper.  “But, finding out Lily was pregnant with our first child—only for us to lose that child—I can’t even begin to tell you how I feel.”   He shakes his head slowly as the tears stream down his face.

Brock:  Trying to help Keith look on the bright side, he says.  “Well, at least they caught it in time Buddy.  You have to focus on the positive.”

NurseTheresa:  “With respect Brock, no he doesn’t.”  She says soothingly, solemnly, and knowingly as a medical professional.  “Keith, having this pregnancy terminated is a loss—as much as if you and Lily had tried to get pregnant and known about it.   And even though the pregnancy wouldn’t have developed naturally and only threatened Lily’s life, you can’t ignore the ectopic pregnancy as if it didn’t happen.”  Then she gets very quiet and clasps Keith’s hand in hers.  “This would have been your first child.  You have to grieve for it as you would with any loss.  That’s the only way to get through it.”

Keith:  “But how do I tell Lily?”   Keith says weeping uncontrollably now.

NurseTheresa:  “With tenderness and love, and making sure she knows that losing this baby is not her fault.”

Keith:  “I would never think that!”   He exclaims forcefully.

NurseTheresa:  “No, but the embryo was in her body.  And Lily will worry that it was her fault, just the same–especially with a few medical professionals tending to blame all adverse health issues in chubby people on their weight and not other factors.    Then, in time, Lily understanding as Brock mentioned…” Theresa and Brock nod to each other. “… that this pregnancy would never have developed naturally and only harmed her life, may help her come to grips with this loss rationally.  But, this loss will always be with her—in her heart.”

Keith:  “You sound like …”   He does not finish his thought–that Theresa has also had this loss.

Theresa:  “Yes Keith, … I have.  In time, if Lily needs a sounding board at some point, someone else who has gone through it, I’ll be happy to talk with her about it.  But, it has to be on her terms and in her own time frame.”

Keith:  “Thank you Theresa.  You’re a good friend to Lily.”   Keith tries to dry his tears and regroup.  “I should make some calls to my parents and the church to let them know that she’ll be alright.  I’m not going to tell them about the ectopic pregnancy–at least initially.  I don’t want Lily to feel that all eyes are watching her as she recovers.  Theresa, if you’ll let Sally and Myron know that Lily is alright.  And Brock, will you let Sam and Jack know for me?”

Brock:  “Of course, buddy.”   He says giving him a bear hug that he holds onto a bit longer than he usually does.

Theresa:  “Certainly, Keith.  We’re pulling for Lily—and for you.  We know that you’ll both come out of this stronger as a couple.

Keith:  Thanks.”

Keith makes his calls and then he waits to be taken to his love, to his Lily.

***

As Keith waits by Lily’s bedside in recovery for her to wake up Monday afternoon, his mind races as he wonders how he will break the news of the terminated ectopic pregnancy to her.  He resolves to focus on the positive today and to let her get through an evening of rest tonight.  Then, tomorrow, he will break it to her.  It is early afternoon now, about 1:00pm.  Keith has been back with Lily [(4) right]  in recovery for thirty minutes and she still hasn’t woken up, which concerns him.  Lily’s arms and torso and neck are all wrapped up from the surgeries and Lily has some redness, bruising, and swelling.  So, she looks like she’s been through the ringer.  But, of course, Keith can’t see the true details of Lily’s surgery, he just sees blobs of white bandaging and redness in Lily’s skin.

Keith:  “Nurse?”   He whispers as the nurse checks Lily’s vital signs.  “Is it usual for Lily not to have woken up by now?”

RecNurse:  “Sir, she had a very long surgery, and she was under anesthesia for three hours.  So, it’s not unusual that it would take her body some time to dispel the effects of that.  However, you should know that although she looks asleep, she might be only dozing—still in twilight sleep.  So, she might be able to hear conversations that she will only half recall later.  It is okay for you to talk to her and hold her hand.”   She says encouragingly and Keith nods.   “May I get you anything?  Something to drink?”

Keith:  “An ice water would be nice, thank you.  Oh, and could you please bring Lily some of those warmed blankets to put on her.”   He asks considerately.   “It’s chilly in here.”

RecNurse:  “Of course.”  She smiles caringly.

It takes another hour until Lily wakes up.  In fact, Keith dozes off a little bit—not unlike when Lily dozed off Keith’s first day in rehab.

Lily:  Lily moves her left arm–without the IV in it—through the bedrail and touches the top of Keith’s head leaning against the bed.  “Keith?

Keith:  Waking up quickly, he says attentively.  “Yes, Lily my love.  I’m here.”    He stands and then leans over the bed and kisses Lily’s lips.  “You’ve been asleep for a long time, sleeping beauty.”  He smiles as he strokes her head.

Lily:  “Really?  What time is it?”

Keith:  “About 2:00pm.”

Lily:  “Oops!”   She says sleepily.   “So much for lunch.  Oh Keith.  Did you at least get something to eat?”

Keith:  “I haven’t even thought about it, Lily.”   He leans close to her and tenderly kisses her on her lips.

Lily:  “Oh!   But you must eat something.”  She says in concern.

Keith:  “I will.  Now how are you feeling?”

Lily:  “Sore.  Did they give me the double D’s I asked for?”    She smiles impishly.

Keith:  “What?”   He says worriedly, because he knows they just lifted her breasts and kept her all natural full “C” cup size.

Lily:  Laughing softly, she says.    “Ha ha ha!  Just kidding.  A little anesthesia humor there.”

Keith:  “Oh Lily.  You had me worried there.  Not only that you wouldn’t have what you wanted, but that you would topple over with double D breasts.:

Lily:  “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.”  Lily sleepily sings the old toy ad jingle [(5)].

Keith:  To the nurse who is checking on Lily again now that Lily is awake, Keith [(6) right] asks quizzically.  “Nurse, is she okay?”

RecNurse:  “She’s fine.  We call it anesthesia intoxication.  She’s just got a little buzz on.   That’s all.”   She smiles.  Then to Lily, she says.   “Lily, this is your nurse.  Is there anything I can get you?”

Lily:  “A bathroom trip, maybe?  I have to pee.”   She says sleepily.

RecNurse:  “Dear, you’ve got a urinary catheter in you.  So, you’re all hooked up.”

Lily:  “Okay.  Thanks.”   She says sleepily without nodding her head since her neck is in a bandage from her neck lift.  Happily, Lily is also on good pain meds at the moment.

Keith:  “I didn’t realize that.”  He says wincing, knowing from his own experience that it will hurt when they take the catheter out of Lily.

RecNurse:  “The catheter bag is on the other side of the bed with her IV.”

Keith:  “When will they remove it?”

RecNurse:  “Probably tomorrow morning when she is more alert and can walk to the bathroom with assistance.”

Keith:  “Sounds familiar.”  Keith thinks, how the tables turned.

RecNurse:  “Lily, are you hungry?  Would you like some soup?  And maybe something soothing to coat your throat?”

Lily:  “Sure, thank you.”  She says sleepily without really opening her eyes as she dozes some more.

After Lily goes to her private room now that she is awake–but still not quite alert–she does eat some pudding while Keith also has a meal.  But, she ends up dozing most of the night.

***

The Tuesday morning after her surgery, Lily’s urinary catheter is removed—to her bloodcurdling scream as Keith waits in the hallway.   He winces, remembering how painful that is.  Then, Lily is helped to the bathroom by a nurse–and Lily pees, eventually.  When Lily is more alert after breakfast, Keith has the most difficult discussion of his life with her so far—telling her about their terminated ectopic pregnancy.

Keith:  “How are you feeling this morning Lily my love?”   He asks her tenderly as he strokes her forehead—the only thing besides her left hand or her legs that doesn’t hurt at the moment.

Lily:   “Well, to quote you Keith Dear, ‘I feel like I’ve been roto rootered’, obviously.  Ha!”  They both laugh softly.

Keith:  “Ha!  Yes.”

Lily:  “And, the anesthesia pain meds wore off.  So, I’m hurting.  I don’t know if it was smart of me to have the surgeries all done at once–or maybe, I should have spread my surgeries out a bit.”    She says fatigued from her ordeal and the pain.  “Between my abdomen and my breasts alone, I could easily buy out the pharmacy’s supply of pain meds.”

Keith:  “Lily, if I could take away your pain, I would.”  He says squeezing her hand tenderly.

Lily:   “Thanks, Keith dear.”  Then Lily [(7) right] refocuses her eyes.  You know Keith, you don’t look half bad this morning with a little bit of sexy 24 hour stubble going.  It makes you look edgier–kind of like those film stars who can’t seem to get close enough to a razor for award shows.”  She smiles sweetly and lovingly gazing at Keith.

Keith:  Keith rocks his head back in laughter.  “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!  My sweet Lily, was that you being almost  judgmental about someone you haven’t met?”

Lily:  “Sorry.”  She grins sheepishly as she raises her eyebrows–since it would hurt too much to shrug her shoulders right now.  “Blame it on the pain.  That’s just going to be my excuse for the next week or so.”

Keith:  “Well, you’ve earned the right to be a little out of sorts.  I’m forewarned.”   He smiles at Lily warmly.   Then, his face clouds over because he knows that he still has to tell her about the terminated ectopic pregnancy.

Lily:  Seeing Keith’s mood change, she asks him.  “Whoops, where’d you go there Keith?”

Keith:  “Lily Darling, you have an unfair advantage over me.  You can see my facial expressions, but I’m still in fuzzy impressionist painting territory unless I’m looking up close at you.”

Lily:  “Okay, so get up close.”

Knowing he can’t slide in bed with Lily–to embrace her as he tells her–because she’s too tender from her surgeries, Keith does the next best thing.    He slides the bed rails down, then he pulls his chair up right next to the bed on Lily’s left side.  Then, he gently leans over the bed so that his face is just inches from Lily’s face.

Keith:  “Lily darling, I have something difficult to tell you.”   He says with some trepidation

Lily:  Bending her left arm at the elbow gingerly—since she had upper arm tucks that are sore—Lily caresses Keith’s face.  “You can tell me anything Keith.  Well, except that they’ve lost my wedding gown.”  She pouts humorously.

Keith:  Chuckling softly he says.  “Ha.  You ladies, it’s all about the dress.”    Then he kisses the palm of Lily’s hand caressing his face and then clasps her hand in his.  “Lily, when they were doing your tummy tuck, …  the doctors found something that they had to take care of.”  Keith [(8) right] looks at Lily with loving and tender concern.

Lily:  Seeing the sadness in Keith’s eyes, she asks worriedly.  “They didn’t find cancer!”  Lily’s mother died of cancer.  “Keith tell me that they didn’t find cancer.”     She pleads.

Keith:   Keith can see the fear in Lily’s face and hear the fear in her voice as she tries to quickly allay her fears.   “No!  No!  You’re going to be just fine.”

Lily:  “Hhh!  You had me worried.”  Lily sighs in relief.

Keith:  “… But Lily Darling, … when they were checking around to make sure that you didn’t have any hernias, they discovered an inflammation in one of your fallopian tubes.”

Lily:  “An inflammation?  From what?”   She asks quizzically.

Keith:  Now putting his hand over Lily’s forehead and stroking her gently, Keith says slowly.  “Lily Darling, they caught it early, before it had burst your fallopian tube.   But you had an ectopic pregnancy that they had to remove.”   He didn’t want to say terminate because that sounds so clinical.

Lily:  Knowing what an ectopic pregnancy is and understanding what Keith is telling her, she asks as she tears up—and Keith is also tearing up.   “Oh!”  She doesn’t say anything for a few moments as she fully comprehends what he is saying.  Keith and Lily just gaze at each other lovingly.  “Oh Keith.  Will I be able to have babies in the future?”

Keith:  “Yes, my darling.  They said that everything looked fine for future pregnancies since they caught it so early.  But, you’ll want to see your OBGYN in a couple of weeks just to see how that healing is going.”

Lily:  “Keith, how far along was I?  Was it … ?”    She stops, not being able to continue as her tears start to fall.

Keith:  “Yes, Lily my love.  You were only about two weeks along.  It must have been that time we were together two weeks ago when we forgot to use a condom.   They didn’t know why the embryo didn’t implant in the uterus.  But, they said that if it hadn’t been caught now and you weren’t near medical facilities when the fallopian tube burst a few weeks down the road, you would have died.  I’m so grateful that they caught this now and that you are well and safe.”  Keith kisses Lily’s forehead.

Lily:  “I know that rationally.  But, Keith, this was our … would have been our first …”   Lily can’t say the word child, because now, that child no longer exists.  Lily begins weeping uncontrollably now—despite her surgery pain.  “Oh, Keith my love.”

Keith:  “I know Lily Darling, I’m sad, too.  But there was nothing we could have done to prevent this.  It just happens sometimes.  I’m grateful that you’re going to be alright, Lily.  I can’t face the thought of losing you.  You’re my whole world.  I love you more than l ever knew I could love someone.”  Keith’s tears are streaming down his face.  Keith stands and balances on his good leg as he leans over Lily, getting as close to her as he can without touching her healing surgical areas—her neck, her upper arms, her breasts, and her abdomen.  So, Keith leans down and kisses Lily on her lips and her cheeks and her forehead while holding her hand.

Keith and Lily spend the rest of the morning and afternoon and evening, just comfortingly touching each other and consoling each other about their loss—as only true lovers in love can do, with tenderness and understanding, and love, and hope.  And they try to remind each other of the hope of future children as they begin the healing process.  Their lives will go forward as Lily recovers.    They will be married.  And they will have children some day.

To be continued with Chapter 30

References

(1)  The “Seeing Beauty” story logo is a composite of:
a)    Image representing Keith Erickson is that of British actor Richard Armitage as Lucas North in the BBC’s Spooks (2008 – 2010), series 8 promo, pix 15 was found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Spooks/spookspromo/album/slides/series8-15.html

b)  Image representing Lily Sherman is that of American actress Mandy Moore and was found at http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Mandy-Moore-mandy-moore-661788_1024_768.jpg ;  NB:  I chose Ms. Moore to represent this character not because she is fat or chubby–far from it–but because she has a fresh faced innocence and sincerity that reflects the goodness of this character.  Any pre weight loss Lily images could be handled with makeup and costuming.

 

(2)  Lovely Jessica McClintock wedding dresses are found at https://www.jessicamcclintock.com/search/keyword/wedding ; the image shown here of a beautifully demure gown (brightened and color corrected) is found at http://zibbet-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/169/846439-original.jpg

 

(3)  Lane Bryant swim suit, “Black Sheer Swim Dress” is found at                   http://www.bing.com/shopping/black-sheer-swim-dress/p/D2EECF66708EDE665002?q=one+piece+swimsuits+&lpf=0&lpq=one%2bpiece%2bswimsuits&FORM=CMSMEE

(4)  Image 1 (cropped, sharpened) representing Lily recovering from surgery is that of actress Mandy Moore in the 2002 film  “A Walk To Remember” http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2002_A_Walk_to_Remember/WR_Mandy_Moore_098.jpg ; for more about this charming film, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Walk_to_Remember

(5)  Weebles toys are found at http://www.weebles-wobble.com/

(6)  Keith image (cropped) is of Richard Armitage portraying Lucas North in the BBC’s Spooks, Series 8, episode 1 (pix 14) and is found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Spooks/spooks8/album/Episode1/slides/ep1_014.html

(7)  Image 2 (cropped) representing Lily recovering from surgery is that of actress Mandy Moore in the 2002 film  “A Walk To Remember” http://i2.listal.com/image/1901418/600full-a-walk-to-remember-screenshot.jpg ; for more about this charming film, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Walk_to_Remember

(8)  Keith image (cropped, sharpened, brightened, color corrected) is that of Richard Armitage portraying Lucas North in the BBC’s Spooks, series 8, episode 6 (pix 198) and was found at  http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Spooks/spooks8/album/Episode6/slides/ep6_198.JPG

N.B.  For more information on ectopic pregnancies, please visit  http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-ectopic-pregnancy

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Ch. 28:  https://gratianads90.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/seeing-beauty-ch-28-the-engagement-party-part-2-more-party-guests-arrive-101512-gratiana-lovelace-post-289/