December 31st 2002
"Twenty minutes to go June," Jim sighed into his glass of orange juice. "New Year telly's the same as ever eh?"
June was sat beside him on the sofa, her legs curled up beneath her, her head resting on his chest, his arm wrapped around her.
"June?"
Jim turned slightly and looked down at June, smiling to himself as he saw her eyes were closed, her breathing slow and steady. He stared at her for a moment; enraptured by the beauty of the woman he loved.
"June?" he said again gently, "It's almost time."
He put down his glass and moved his free hand to her shoulder.
"June, wake up," he said softly. "Twenty minutes to go."
June opened her eyes groggily. "Huh?" she grunted.
"You fell asleep. It's nearly New Year. You didn't want to miss it."
She rubbed her eyes before leaning up to kiss his cheek. "I wonder what 2003 will bring?" she asked softly, snuggling back up to Jim on the sofa.
"It'll be a good one for us," Jim grinned stroking her hair. "I can feel it. 2002's had its downs but I wouldn't change it, well not much of it. This time last year I was sat in on my own, now I'm here with you. I certainly didn't expect this, eh June? � June?"
He turned to her again and chuckled softly as he noticed her eyes had closed once more. "Not going to be a memorable New Year's Eve for you is it?" he smiled ruffling her hair once more.
He grabbed her dressing gown from the arm of the sofa and pulled it up over her legs before returning his attention to the television.
***
TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! *BONG*
Big Ben signalled the start of the New Year in England as Jim picked up his glass from the coffee table. Turning his head to the sleeping woman in his arms he planted a kiss on her forehead before raising his glass.
"Happy New Year Jim," he whispered taking a sip of orange juice. "And to you June, and you Toto," he nodded to the cat curled up in front of the warmth of the fire as the fireworks began to explode overhead.
Sliding himself from under June, he gently lowered her onto the sofa, waiting as she settled herself without opening her eyes, and pulling her gown over her upper body.
He wandered through to the hallway and opened the front door, shivering as the cold air of the New Year hit him. He stepped outside, pulling the door to behind him and looked up to the sky alone in his thoughts as he looked up to the fireworks illuminating the sky all colours imaginable. The strains of Auld Lang Syne could be heard in the air.
"Happy New Year Jim," a voice said cheerfully. Jim turned to see his neighbour standing there, glass of champagne in hand.
"Happy New Year," he smiled back.
"June working?"
"Nah, she's exhausted poor thing, fell asleep on the sofa a while ago. Tried to wake her once but didn't have the heart to do it again."
"Here's to the two of you," the neighbour raised his glass.
"And to you too," Jim raised his orange juice. "Better go see if she's woken up � she'll wonder where I've got too."
"Wish her all the best from me."
"I will do."
***
"June?" Jim whispered as he entered the lounge room. "You awake?"
He looked at June asleep on the sofa, without a care in the world. Her eyelids flickered as Jim sat down on the floor beside her.
"What are you dreaming about eh?" he whispered stroking her hair and leaning over to kiss her forehead. "I know what my dreams for 2003 are, and you're in all of them, I want to be with you for the rest of my life, these last few months have been amazing June � and I don't want them to come to an end� ever." He stopped talking and turned to face her once more. "I love you June."
Standing up, he bent down and scooped June up in his arms. Her head lolled against his chest as he walked towards the stairs slowly. He took the stairs slowly, grunting with the effort as he reached the top.
"Owww," he grunted suddenly, leaning forward and placing June heavily on the floor.
"Eh, huh what?" June opened her eyes and blinked rapidly in the light.
"So that's what it takes to wake you up?" He grimaced, rubbing his back.
"What� what's going on?"
"Put my back out!" he groaned.
"Oh you poor thing." She rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"
"12:30am you slept through � I didn't have the heart to wake you up again. Happy New Year by the way."
"Aww Jim come here," she patted the step beside her and Jim sat down gingerly.
"I'm sorry, I know you wanted out first New Year together to be special." She leant forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Happy New Year."
Jim pulled away and gasped.
"Are you ok?" June asked, a concerned tone in her voice.
"I will be."
"Guess we can't celebrate the New Year then?" she asked with wide eyes.
"Do you ever think of anything else?" Jim laughed, his eyes filled with pain.
"Erm, sometimes," she blushed. "You're one to talk anyway."
"I don't think there'll be any celebrating in that manner. Not unless you can work miracles� and there was me trying to be romantic." He sighed.
"Aww, you poor thing. I appreciate it, I really do. Do you want some painkillers?"
Jim nodded. "Please."
June stood up and turned to look at him. She leant forward and kissed him on the forehead.
"What would I do without you?" she grinned.
"Spend New Year Eve alone�"
"Well you almost did that yourself, I wasn't much company was I?"
"It was enough just having you there."
"And you too� You say all the right things you know?" She grinned.
"That's all I can do at the moment," he said. "Words will have to speak louder than actions in my case."
June laughed as she descended the stairs. "Well like I said, you do always say the right things. I'll get you some ibuprofen."
"Hey," Jim shouted after her. "Are you saying you'd rather have words than action?"
"I didn't say that did I?" June laughed loudly in the kitchen.
***
"Right now time to get you to bed I think." June appeared at the bottom of the stairs with a glass of water and a strip of painkillers in her hands. "Can't have you languishing there all night now can we?"
She climbed the stairs slowly, waiting and watching as he took the tablets. "I'll just stick these in the bedroom, then I can give you a hand," she smiled, ruffling his hair as she walked past him.
"Ok then," he nodded, biting his bottom lip.
A few moments later she returned to him and made her way to the step below him. "Now how do we do this?"
"Erm�"
"I take it you don't want me to pull you up by the arms."
"Definitely not," he grimaced.
"Right then. I'll try to be gentle with you." She sat down beside him. "Try putting your arm around me�That's it, one on my waist the other on my shoulder. So I can support you. Right... now I'll stand up and try to gently lift you."
She moved slowly.
"You'll have to try too Jim."
Jim grunted in response as he tried to push himself up off the step.
"Ok, that feel ok?"
"Not really..." He grimaced.
"Ahhh June, you're moving too fast." He slipped back down pulling June with him. They landed back on the step with a heavy thud and a groan.
"Well that's the end of that then� you'll just have to stay there, I'm off to bed." She stood up quickly and turned to mount the stairs, turning her head away from Jim before he saw her laugh.
"Oi," he grabbed at her leg. June stumbled forward onto the next step. "Ow, shouldn't move so fast." He groaned.
"Ouch." She rubbed her knee. "What you trying to do? Put us both in hospital."
"Well I was thinking of both of us off sick for a month in bed."
"Those painkillers must be kicking in," June laughed. "Lucky I fell forwards though really. Or we'd both be stuck and have to resort to the paramedics. Besides with your back and me with a broken leg we wouldn't be able to get up to much would we?"
Jim smiled. "True."
"Ready to try again?"
He nodded in response.
She moved to the front of him and slid her hands under his armpits. "You push up from the step and I'll help you. We'll take it slowly ok?"
Moving his hands to the step beside him, Jim slowly pushed himself up as June steadied him with her hands and assisted him to a standing position, a slightly crooked one, but a standing position nonetheless.
"At last," she grinned at him.
Jim smiled. "Just gotta make it to the bedroom now." He turned around gingerly.
"Take it slowly, I'm right behind you."
Jim took the remaining few steps slowly, sighing as he reached the landing. "Success." He stopped and grabbed the banister rail at the top of the stairs, stooping over it.
"Want me to call a doctor for you?"
"No I'll be fine, it's happened a few times. Bed rest usually sorts it out."
"Well in that case you should be in the spare room then, need to get you fit and well."
"But not tonight surely." He stood up and looked up at her with puppy dog eyes. "I want to spend the first night of the New Year with you."
Reaching the top step she took hold of his hands and looked him in the eye. "Like I want to be apart from you. But your health is more important to me."
"But I might pine away if I'm not with you."
"I won't banish you tonight then." June laughed. "You bed� now."
"Yes Sarge!" Jim mustered a smile and walked slowly into the bedroom as June followed him.
***
Drawing the curtains, June turned to face him as he stood stooped by the bed. "Are you alright getting undressed?"
"I dunno� give me a minute to try."
"Ok."
Jim unbuttoned his shirt slowly as June watched him wince with pain.
"Want me to do it for you?" she asked gently.
"Please."
She padded over to him and finished unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it down off his shoulders and throwing it into the wash basket. Dropping to the floor she undid she shoes and removed them gently followed by his socks.
"Trousers next." She smiled. "Soon have you in bed." Unbuttoning his trousers she eased them down slowly down over his legs and looked up at him. "Now, no getting any ideas."
"As if I could do anything about them right now."
"Just step out of them for me. Use me as support." Jim grabbed onto her shoulder as he lifted one leg. "Not quite so hard Jim." She gasped.
"Sorry."
"Come on, other leg."
She pulled his trousers clear from him and tossed them into wash basket as Jim sat down and gingerly tried to lift his legs onto the bed. June walked over to him. "Need another hand?" she questioned.
He nodded slowly and smiled. "Last favour for tonight, I promise you."
"It's ok," she chuckled. "I'll just remember this for next time I'm ill."
"I spoil you all the time."
"Ok, that's true."
"But next time you're ill I'll treat you like a princess."
"Deal." She grinned. "Can I have that in writing?"
"When I'm well enough to hold a pen."
"Ok then, I'll hold you to that," she laughed. "Anyway� one last blast of pain and you can try to get some sleep."
"These painkillers are starting to kick in more," he sighed. "I do feel pretty drowsy."
"Good." June smiled at him. "Come on then." She gently lifted his legs onto the bed as he winced with pain. "Sorry love."
"It's ok."
Jim lay down slowly, his eyes filled with pain as June covered him with the duvet. Walking round to her side of the bed, she climbed in and snuggled down beside him turning to him and propping her head up on one arm. Her other hand slid across his chest and grasped his hand.
"You know, this is not exactly how I'd planned our first New Year together." He sighed.
"Me neither, surprisingly enough� Least we got to spend it together though � that's the important thing. Neither or us were working."
"Yeah true." He yawned.
June fell silent as she watched Jim's eyes shut. His breathing slowed down as he succumbed to sleep. Sliding her hand from his she leant over and kissed him on the forehead. "Night night sleepyhead," she muttered. "Happy New Year."