The Desire

"Come on Joe! You can do it!" yelled Anne Marie, encouraging Joe who was practicing walking with a therapist helping him. Joe smiled as he grimaced from the pain in his spine, every time he stepped his spine was like being stabbed by a sharp object. Seeing Joe in pain made Anne Marie feel bad for him, she got up from the chair and walked over to him.

"Are you in pain?" she asked with a worried face, she was sincere with his question. Joe looked up in surprise, "Yeah, but I'm fine, I need to be able to walk so we can do the things we used to do, right?" he said, smiling at her with a warm gaze.

Anne Marie nodded, "Yeah, but don't push yourself too hard, take your time," she said sincerely. Joe stared at her a little bit confused because the real Julia would never say those words. There was no 'Don't push yourself too hard, take it easy, or take your time. She always encouraged Joe to push himself to the limit especially when it comes to Joe's carrier.

"You've changed a lot, in a better way..." said Joe almost in a whisper.

Anne Marie gulped nervously and put on a little smile on her beautiful face, "Yeah, people will change in a better way if they experience something terrible like what I went through," she said wisely, hoping that words would erase Joe's suspicion.

Joe fell silent, talking about the accident always made him feel guilty. "May I help him?" asked Anne Marie to the therapist who was holding Joe's hand. Joe looked up in surprise, "Are you sure?" asked him. "Yeah, why not? I'm strong enough to help you walk, don't worry I wouldn't let you fall," said Anne Marie casually.

She threw away her high heels and stood barefoot beside Joe, she put her arm around Joe's hand, "Okay, I'm ready!" she exclaimed confidently. Joe looked at Anne Marie, speechless, Julia would never walk barefoot like that. 'It's the new version of her, Joe, you should embrace it!' he muttered to himself inside his head.

"Joe? You ready?" asked Anne Marie, waving her hand in front of Joe's face. Joe looked up in surprise, "Yeah!"

"Okay, here we go!" yelled Anne Marie as she saw Joe lift his right foot, moving forward. He grimaced in pain, his body was sweating and his feet were trembling. "Joe, shall we stop now? You don't look okay, I know you're in pain..." said Anne Marie warily.

"No, I'm fine!" said Joe with his jaw hardened. He needed to recover soon, he was afraid that his wife would leave him if he kept being like that. He lifted his left foot, trying to make a move but suddenly he fell to the ground with Anne Marie above him. "Oh, my God! Are you okay?!" asked Anne Marie, she got up to her feet and together with the therapist she helped Joe to stand. His face looked so pale, holding back pain.

Joe moaned in pain while holding his back, "Let's take him to his bedroom," said Anne Marie when they managed to put Joe back in a wheelchair. "What happened?" suddenly Elena showed up, and she looked at Joe in shock.

"Back pain, I'll give him a painkiller," answered the therapist professionally. Elena took a sharp glance at Anne Marie who looked as worried as her, wondering if that expression was real or not.

"I gave him pain killer, and he will be fine, don't worry what happen to Mr. Brandon is very normal, it normally happens when patients are doing therapy," said the therapist calmly, he knew everyone was very tense because of the incident. Anne Marie breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes met with Elena she hurriedly changed her expression. She knew Elena was afraid she'd fall in love with Joe.

Just when everyone was about to leave the room suddenly she heard Joe calling out Julia's name. She stopped and turned around, beside her, Elena did the same thing. They looked at each other, Anne Marie shrugged, didn't know what to do. After seconds of thought finally Elena moved her chin, signaling Anne Marie to get into Joe's bedroom.

"Joe? You okay?" asked Anne Marie while walked in carefully into his room, she could see Joe laying weakly on the bed. Joe put on a faint smile on his face, "I'm fine, come here..." He held out his hand, expecting Anne Marie to hold him back.

"Hey," without a doubt Anne Marie welcomed his hand and held it gently. "I'll be with you, don't worry, just get some sleep," she said while her other hand touched his cheek.

"Jules, do you remember the first time we met?" asked Joe suddenly, his eyes still fixed on her. Anne Marie smiled and nodded twice, trying to hide her nervousness. Elena said no one ever knows for sure how Joe and Julia met so, of course, she didn't know about the story too. But she had no choice but to pretend that she remembered that moment. She wished she could distract Joe from that topic.

She knew the universe was on her side, suddenly Joe's eyes closed, and just like that, he fell asleep because of the painkiller he had consumed before. She knew at that moment she should have walked away but her instincts told her otherwise. She had heard the therapist tell Elena that the painkiller would make Joe sleep soundly for a few hours. Curiously she waved her hand in front of his face and called his name, surprisingly he didn't move at all.

She bit her lips hard, contemplating what she was going to do. Finally, she climbed onto the bed, lying her body beside him. He stared at him, watching him breathing steadily. She didn't know why she suddenly leaned closer to him. She put her head on his chest and at that time she felt her heart beating faster and faster. She knew for sure it sounded very silly, but she was very aroused and for the first time in her life, she have the desire to have sex with someone...

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