Marriage of Convenience

Part Six

“This isn’t good,” Tygra remarked. He looked dryly at Lion-O and sighed. “It appears you have experienced some nerve damage in your spinal cord. Right now, you are paralyzed from the waist down.”

“At least you have awaken from your coma,” Pumyra added, wanting to add some hope to the news.

“Coma?” Lion-O asked. “What happened to me?”

Cheetara stroked the side of his face and inquired, “What is the last thing you remember?”

Lion-O shook his head. “The last thing I remember is the trip back to Thundera from Third Earth.”

“The accident only blocked his memory of the past few days, including being in the Thundertank and what followed.” Tygra explained, stating the obvious.

“Accident? I was in an accident?” Lion-O asked, confused even more.

Cheetara squeezed his hand and replied, “Yes. My sixth sense showed me you losing control of the Thundertank and falling off a mountain. The tank fell too and pinned you. You’ve been in a coma for a week. The good news I guess is that you weren’t that high on the mountain.”

She was amazed that Lion-O couldn’t remember the argument. The cheetah wondered if she should take her chances and not tell him about it, hoping that he would never remember or find out. Then she quickly decided that she couldn’t do that. She would tell him, even if he did blame her for his accident.

“I don’t remember any of it.” Lion-O said.

“Pieces of it your lost memories might come back to you in a few days, except for the accident itself.” Pumyra said. “The paralysis in your legs could be caused by the swelling around your spine Tygra and I discovered while we were working on you.”

“Is it permanent?” Cheetara asked.

“We’re not sure yet. Now that Lion-O has awakened, we should do another check to see if the swelling has gone down,” the puma answered. “If not, we can trying giving him more corticosteriods or...”

“Or we’ll have to do it surgically,” Tygra finished. He looked at Lion-O. “This is one of those things where time is crucial. The sooner you began to get control of your legs again, the better your chances are at walking. You could be walking in six months.”

“Could you leave us alone for a few minutes?” Cheetara asked her friends.

“Of course, Cheetara,” Pumyra said and she and Tygra left. When the door closed, Lion-O spoke. “I can’t be like this forever, Cheetara. I’m Lord of the Thundercats. I have so much to do. I have a planet to rule. I have people to protect.”

“I know, Lion-O. I know. We’ll think of something.” Cheetara said placing both of her hands on his and squeezing it a little tighter.

“What if I am like this forever? Who will lead the Thundercats if we are attacked?”

“Tygra is the second-in-command. He will have to do it. If you’re stuck in this position, we may have to do what your father and Jaga did, but we’re not sure if it is permanent. Let’s just wait and see what happens.”

Lion-O stayed in the infirmary another two days for observation. He was growing tired of being in the infirmary. He wanted out of the room and into his bed. The good news was that the swelling around his spinal cord was beginning to decrease. It was a comfort to him that Cheetara was with him. When he fell asleep, her face was the last thing he saw, and when he woke up, her smile welcomed him to another day. After a third day, he was able to leave sickbay and return to his own bed. However, with his paralysis, he would have to use a wheelchair. The Lord of the Thundercats didn’t like it at all. He felt like an invalid: weak and worthless. When Lion-O saw Tygra enter with the wheelchair, he felt even worse.

“Ready, Lion-O?” Tygra asked, bringing the chair to his bed.

“I guess so,” Lion-O grumbled.

Tygra and Pumyra turned off the medical instruments that Lion-O was hooked up to and took them off him. Tygra and Cheetara helped Lion-O sit up and turned him around so his legs would be off the bed. The limbs hung lifelessly. Tygra and Cheetara took Lion-O’s arms and put one over their shoulder. They lift him up and helped him in the chair. Cheetara knelt in front of Lion-O and placed the bottom of his feet to the attachments on the chair, so his feet would be secure. She wanted to do this herself because she knew she would be doing this from now on.

“You feel comfortable?” Cheetara asked.

“As much as I can be I guess,” Lion-O grumbled.

Cheetara stood up, got behind Lion-O, and put her hands on the handles. “I’ll take it from here,” Cheetara told Tygra and Pumyra.

“You won’t need any help getting him in bed in your room?” Pumyra asked.

“No, I’ll be able to handle it. Thanks anyway. Have Snarf bring our dinner to our room,” Cheetara ordered. “I’ll see you two later.”

With that, she pushed Lion-O out of the room. Pumyra and Tygra looked at her sadly.

“I feel sorry for Cheetara,” Tygra said once she left.

“I do, too. For her and Lion-O. They just got married and now something like this happens to them. It’s terrible, tragic. Their love will really be put to the test now.”

“Yes, but we all must keep a level head. From the way Lion-O was acting, we’re going have to keep our cool around him no matter how hostile he acts. Cheetara is going to get most of it. I just hope she can get through it,” Tygra said worriedly.

Cheetara and Lion-O were quiet on the way to their room. When she entered, she pushed Lion-O towards the bed. She pushed the feet rest away to the sides of the chair at the bottom. Then she pulled back the covers of the bed. The cheetah turned back to her husband and helped him stand and threw an arm over her shoulder, most of his weight on her. She helped Lion-O get in bed. Once he was in, she pulled the covers up to him.

“Are you comfortable?” Cheetara asked.

“I guess.”

A knock at the door turned Cheetara from him. “That must be Snarf with dinner.” She said, walking to the door. Cheetara opened the door and let Snarf in.

“Snarf, I got your dinner for you,” Snarf said rolling the cart to Lion-O’s bed. “How are you feeling, snarf, snarf?”

“How do I look?” Lion-O asked smartly.

Snarf frowned, hurt at Lion-O’s response. He was only concern for him. Cheetara laid a hand on the snarf’s shoulder. “I’ll take it from here. You go on with the others.”

“All right, Cheetara. Now that Lion-O is out of the infirmary, do you think he’ll want to catch up on some work he missed?”

Cheetara looked at Lion-O. “Well, Lion-O, do you want to?”

“It’ll make me feel useful.”

Cheetara looked at the Snarf. “Okay, Snarf, bring it tomorrow morning.”

“All right. I’ll see you two tomorrow,” Snarf said and bumbled out of the room.

Cheetara walked back to the bed and noticed Lion-O had already gotten his tray and was eating. “Lion-O, I could’ve gotten that for you.”

“I’m not a baby, Cheetara. I can get my own food.”

Cheetara sighed. She knew she would have to be patient with him. Lion-O never liked people doing things for him, and until he realized that he couldn’t do everything on his own, he and Cheetara were in for some troubled time.

*****

An hour or so later, Cheetara and Lion-O went to sleep. When she awoke early the next morning, she figured she could get a quick run before Lion-O woke up. She turned over in her bed to look at him sleeping. He was on his back with three pillows so he could be as comfortable as possible. The cheetah pulled back her covers and began to slip out of bed, but Lion-O grabbed her arm.

Cheetara turned back to look at him. “You’re awake?”

“Where are you going?” Lion-O asked sleepily.

“I’m going to run. Don’t worry. I’ll be real quick, and I’ll stay close to the lair.”

“Stay with me, please. Don’t go.” Lion-O pleaded.

Cheetara could never resist Lion-O when he sounded like that. He was almost begging her to stay. Cheetara pulled the covers back over her. “Okay. I’ll stay, Lion-O.” She turned on her side to look at him. His face and arms still showed signs of the injuries sustained in the accident.

“What was I doing driving in the Thundertank over the mountain?”

The cheetah sucked in her breath at the sound of his words. She knew he would ask her sooner or later, but she wasn’t sure if she was prepared to tell him. It looked like she didn’t have any choice. “That morning, we got into an argument. You were angry with me and left the room. That’s when you left in the Thundertank and had the accident.”

Lion-O looked at her face searching for more answers. “Why were we arguing?”

Cheetara turned on her back to escape his stare. She gazed at the ceiling as she answered, “This is difficult for me to tell you, but I wanted to go run instead of...sleeping with you.”

The cheetah laid back on her side to face him, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Lion-O. It’s all my fault. If I could...”

Lion-O put a finger to her mouth. “Ssh. I’m sure I am to blame too. It’s not all your fault.” He pulled her close to him and held her as she cried silently. Within minutes, she fell back asleep.

Nearly two hours later, Cheetara awoke again. Fear went in her body as she found Lion-O missing.

“Lion-O?” Cheetara called.

The cheetah’s hearing picked up water running in the bathroom. She then heard a loud noise. She hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. She gasped when she saw Lion-O on the floor. She ran to him and tried to help him back in his chair.

“Don’t help me!” He shouted and waved her away.

“You need my help, Lion-O,” Cheetara told him although she was hurt at him shouting at her like that.

“No, I can do this,” He growled and using his arms got himself back in the chair. “See?”

“What were you doing?” Cheetara asked.

“I was trying to get to my razor and shaving cream in the cabinet, but I fell out of my chair.”

“I’ll get that for you.” Cheetara said and opened the cabinet. She set the razor and shaving cream on the counter. She looked toward the bathtub and saw water running in there.

“Why didn’t call me, Lion-O? You know you can’t do things on your own.”

“I will when I can. I may not be able to do everything, but I’m able to do some things.”

Cheetara folded her arms and asked, “Just how would you be able to shave with the mirror up there on the wall?”

“I’ll use one of your hand mirrors in the drawer,” Lion-O said and opened the drawer and pulled out her hand mirror.

“You can’t do everything by yourself Lion-O. I’m going to help you whether you like it or not.” Cheetara said and turned off the water in the tub. She opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out bubble bath bottle and poured some in the tub. She ran her hands in the water so it would foam. It was too hot. It would have to cool for a few minutes before Lion-O could get in.

“You want to do things for yourself, then fine. I’ll let you do what I know you can do. Otherwise, I’m helping you.” She told him sternly and then relaxed. “I’ll be right back.”

In a yellow blur, Cheetara ran out of the room. A few seconds later, she came back with a tray. She put the shaving cream, razor, mirror, after-shave and a towel on it. She hooked the tray to a clamp on the wheelchair.

“There. You can shave.”

Cheetara left the room and opened the chest drawer and pulled out some clothes for Lion-O. Tygra told her he would have to stay in bed for a week before they begin the physical therapy treatments to make sure he was strong enough for the treatment. It would also give the lion’s body time to recover from his surgery. And maybe by then, the swelling would have gone down sufficiently enough for him to use his legs again, if that was the cause of the paralysis.

When Cheetara entered the bathroom, Lion-O was through shaving and he actually had the tray on the counter. He may be stubborn, but he didn’t like anyone doing anything for him when he felt he could do. So proud. So strong. The cheetah knew she would forever love this lion. She couldn’t help but smile.

“What are you smiling at?” Lion-O asked curiously.

“You,” she said simply and set his clothes on top of the counter.

“I don’t see what there is to smile about.” Lion-O groused. “The water is ready so I can get in now,” Lion-O said pulling off his shirt.

Cheetara stared at him curiously.

“You said you will be here to help me, so help me.” Lion-O said with an attitude.

Cheetara took a deep breath to keep her cool. She knew that Lion-O’s current position was the reason why he was snapping at her, and the cheetah felt he had good reason. If she had slept with him, they wouldn’t have gotten into an argument, and he wouldn’t have left which led him to get into the accident and in the wheelchair.

Cheetara was getting nervous now because she had to help Lion-O undress. She pushed it down. Lion-O needed her now. “Just don’t think about it or look,” she told herself. She kept her eyes closed and turned away from time to time or tried to come up with a conversation as she helped him undressed. Lion-O could have sworn he saw Cheetara blushing a little, but he wasn’t sure because she didn’t look at him. Her head was turned away to the tub or the sink. She then stood up, helped Lion-O out of the chair, and into the tub.

Lion-O’s wife sat on the edge of the tub. “I’m going to have Panthro put some rails in here, so it’ll be easy for you. I also want him to lower the medicine cabinet.”

Lion-O didn’t say anything as he washed himself. Cheetara continued to talk.

“I also decided to bring my wardrobe in here. Our ThunderCat uniforms will stay in our closet. The rest of the clothes will go in the wardrobe. I also want to bring my vanity in here, so I can have personal things in it. That will keep the counter from being so cluttered. How about that?”

“Do what you have to do,” he told her.

Cheetara put her arm around Lion-O. “Lion-O, I know you don’t like this. It’s going to be a hard adjustment, but we’ll get through it.”

Lion-O stopped and looked at Cheetara. She smiled and leaned over and kissed him. She pulled back and eyed him. “We’ll get through it, together.”

Through that week of resting, Cheetara had Panthro made the corrections to the room such as putting rails on the tub and lowering the medicine cabinet and everything else to suit Lion-O’s physical need. Bengali brought in Cheetara’s wardrobe and vanity. Cheetara arranged the clothes as she had plan before the accident while Lion-O sat in bed reading documents and handling business over the videophone, which viewed him from the waist up. Whenever the elders asked for a meeting in person, Lion-O would turn it down. If they needed him in person, he would send Tygra to represent him.

*****

The elevator doors opened. Cheetara pushed Lion-O in the wheelchair, to a room that would be designed for Lion-O in his physical therapy. The room was one of the many lounges in the lair. It was his first day. Lion-O was dreading this day, but there was a light to it. The sooner and more physical therapy he has, the quicker he will walk again. Cheetara pressed the button to open the doors. They entered. Pumyra was in the room waiting for them.

All the furniture was gone, save for a few chairs. There was a walkway with two rails on each side, a massage table, a Jacuzzi, and exercise tools for walking such as the canes, crutches, braces and a walker.

“Morning, Pumyra. Where should we start?” Cheetara asked.

“First, I should explain all that we will do.” Pumyra said. “First, we will start at the massage table. There I will massage Lion-O’s legs. You know, to get the blood floor and get the muscles warmed up. I will do exercise treatments on the legs. Second, if he’s up to it, I will try walking on the rails, and then I would conclude the session with relaxing his legs in the Jacuzzi. Any questions?”

“Yes, can I have my legs massage twice a day? Would that help the muscles and make it possible for me to walk faster?”

“It’s a possibility, but it really depends on when the swelling goes down on your spine.” Pumyra said.

“It’s a possibility then. I want to do it.” Lion-O said.

Pumyra was reluctant to say yes, but she felt she had no choice. “Very well. It will be best if we do massage treatments in the morning and at night.”

“I could do it at night while you do it in the morning,” Cheetara said.

“Sure. That’s no problem. Let’s begin.”

Cheetara and Pumyra got Lion-O out of the wheelchair and onto the table. Pumyra instructed Lion-O to lie down. He did so and Pumyra begin to massage Lion-O’s toes. She then worked the rest of his feet and legs. It was to help bring feeling to it and kept up the blood flow. Pumyra then slowly raised Lion-O’s right leg and gently push his knee up to his face. She repeated the action ten more times and did the same thing to the other leg. Cheetara watched carefully, so she knew how to do it right when she worked on Lion-O. After the massage therapy, Pumyra put braces on Lion-O’s legs. She helped him back in his chair. Pumyra pushed him to the walkway.

“Okay. I’m going to help you up, but I want you to put your hand on these rails. You got it?”

Lion-O nodded. Pumyra helped Lion-O out of his chair. Carefully, he removed one hand, and it placed it on the rail. He used his other hand that was holding onto Pumyra’s and put it on the other rail. Pumyra stood back and Cheetara gasped. Lion-O was standing. Her eyes got a little watery watching it. Lion-O glanced in her direction and saw her smiling proudly at him.

“Lion-O?”

Lion-O looked back at Pumyra.

“I want you to try to make a step towards me.”

Lion-O nodded. Using the rails, he moved forward. First with one step and then another. Lion-O found the walking a struggle. This was once a trivial task and now it was the hardest thing he was doing in his life. When he tried his third step, he collapsed.

“Lion-O,” Cheetara called concern. She reached out to help him, as did Pumyra.

“Stand back!” Lion-O shouted at both women.

Pumyra stepped back and Cheetara just stood there. Lion-O grunted. He put both hands on the rails and picked himself up.

“Maybe we should stop for the day.” Pumyra suggested.

“No! We’re not stopping until I reach the end of the walkway.”

“Lion-O, we just don’t want you to overdue it,” Cheetara said.

“If I don’t overdue it, then I won’t get anywhere!” Lion-O shouted at her.

Cheetara stepped back and sat in her chair. She watched in silence as Lion-O continued his therapy. With much strength, he walked to the end of the walkway. When he made it, he was about to collapse. Pumyra got Lion-O in his wheelchair. She rolled Lion-O to the Jacuzzi. It was already hot and waiting.

“Okay. This is the last thing we will do for the day. The warm temperature in the Jacuzzi will stimulate the muscles in your legs and your body tissues. You can get out when you feel like it and then you should return to your bed to rest. We’ll start again tomorrow if you feel like it.”

Pumyra helped him in the Jacuzzi. The puma could tell that Cheetara was hurt with Lion-O shouting at her. Pumyra walked to Cheetara and whispered something to her. The two women got up and left.

“I’m sorry for Lion-O shouting at you,” Pumyra said outside the room.

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not, but this shouldn’t be a surprise. He’s upset with being in this position and sadly he’s taking it out on you as if you had some blame to it.”

Cheetara looked stunned. Could it be that Lion-O was blaming her for the accident, despite his assurances several days ago?

“Cheetara?”

Cheetara lowered her head. “I guess I do deserve his harsh treatment. It is my fault.”

“Cheetara, how can you say that? His getting in that accident is not your fault.”

“Yes, it is!” Cheetara cried out. “It’s my fault we argued, and if we hadn’t had that stupid argument, he wouldn’t be in that wheelchair. If only….”

“If only what, Cheetara?” Pumyra asked cautiously.

Cheetara looked up at the puma. She wiped the tears from her face. “Nothing. Forget it. It’s not important now.”

“Cheetara, if you feel the need to talk…like about the argument…you can always come to me.”

“I know that, but I’m fine now. I can handle Lion-O the rest of the day. All I have to do is take him out of the Jacuzzi and back to our room.”

Pumyra reluctantly nodded her head in understanding and left. Cheetara re-entered the room. Cheetara took a seat a few feet from Lion-O. She waited patiently until he was ready to go.

“Cheetara?”

Cheetara looked at Lion-O. “Yes.”

“Come here for a moment.”

Cheetara got out of her seat and sat on the edge of the Jacuzzi. “Are you ready to get out?”

“Not yet. I wanted to apologize for what I did. I was wrong for shouting at you. You didn’t deserve any of this. This whole thing is my fault.”

“But, Lion-O….”

“No, Cheetara. I’m the one who left our room in a fit of anger because of my hormones. That isn’t your fault. If you didn’t want to, then I should respect that. Don’t blame yourself for this.” Lion-O told her. “I’ll try to control my temper in the future. You have done nothing but help me. I’m sorry. Forgive me.”

Cheetara stroked the side of his face. “Of course I forgive you. No matter what, I’ll always be here for you.”