Chapter 18
EJ
Savannah took a shower while EJ ran to get some food.
She had placed an order at a pita sandwich place that was only a few blocks from her salon and apartment.
EJ had eaten something earlier on the road, so they split one of them.
He picked up a few different bags of potato chips, along with a couple of drinks and cookies while he was there.
He called his mom when he was on the way back to Savannah's place. She was curious about Savannah, and she encouraged EJ to bring her to lunch on Sunday. He assured her that he'd try.
There was no sign of Nico on his way up to her apartment, and EJ made it up there carrying two bags, one from the restaurant and one that he bought with him from Chicago.
It was a birthday gift, and he told her they could open it after dinner.
It was a gold chain, and EJ was certain that it was too much, but he couldn’t stop himself from buying it.
She liked gold jewelry, and he had seen her wear necklaces.
He knew it would look amazing on her, and he bought it on a whim.
They had been talking a lot, but neither of them had tried to define their relationship or even talk about it. The same was true now that they were face to face. He was going to wait to give her the necklace because of that.
The two of them talked about their work life while they ate. EJ was doing some construction on the locker rooms and one of the pools, and he had some stories about one of the carpenters that he had been getting to know.
Savannah was interested in his story, and she asked him questions.
She was kind and responsive, and so very beautiful that EJ could hardly hold his train of thought as he spoke to her.
There was no way he could move on and just be friends with this woman.
He knew he had to find a way to tell her how he felt.
He knew he had to assure her that he wouldn't hurt her.
At this moment, as he looked at her, he knew he would never hurt her.
He would never leave her. She could have him by her side as long as she'd let him stay there.
He couldn't stop noticing Savannah's face, her mouth.
The last time he was with her, he hadn't kissed her, and now he found himself looking at her gorgeous, precious face and counting the milliseconds until it could happen.
She had just given him a sip of her soda, and he could still taste it.
He wanted to taste her. "Let me work on your neck," he said, shaking himself out of the daydream.
He had the urge to move too fast, and he knew he had to rein it in.
"No, I don't want you to. You worked, and then you drove all this way. If anything, I should be offering to rub your neck."
"No, really, I can see how stiff it is," he said.
"Oh, that's just, it's just on this one side, and it's so much better than it was."
"Do you not want me to touch you?" he asked sincerely.
"No, it's not that," she said.
She glanced at him, and their gazes held… and held. They had been looking at each other for the last hour, but this was the first time they really stared.
Her eyes.
She cleared her throat. "It's not that at all. I would love it if you… " she hesitated. "I don't mind if you touch me. It's not that I don't want to be touched, it's just that I feel bad getting a neck rub."
"You shouldn't. I want to do it."
She gave him a shrug and a shy smile, and he felt like he wanted to ravish her at the sight of it.
"Maybe for a minute," she said.
"Look, lie flat on your back right here, and I'm going to come behind you… yep, with your feet out that way. Okay. Listen, stay flat and don't tense at all. It's important that you're relaxed. Are you comfortable?"
"Yes, but I'm scared. Are you going to pop it or something?"
"What? No. I’m just saying, it works better if you don't lift your head up at all. Just relax the weight of your head into my hands, even if it feels heavy." EJ had his hands under her head by then. He adjusted her hair and was able to grip gently around her neck.
He put aside his attraction and the fact that his hands were on fire just from touching her. He wanted to help her. He could see the stiffness in her neck when she turned, and he wished he could take it away.
Ask and it shall be given unto you.
He thought of the Bible verse. He was almost sure the verse was not in direct reference to helping a would-be girlfriend to get rid of a crick in her neck.
But he prayed anyway. Her eyes were closed, and he could feel that she was fully relaxed.
He moved his hands gently and slowly on her skin, and he prayed.
Help me help her, if you please. She's had it for days, and I would love it if something I could do would help her.
I know You can help me do that. I know You're capable of that.
If You do it, I'll tell her I prayed and it was You.
Is that bad of me? I don't mean to test You or anything.
It's fine if You don't… I'm just asking, if You will, to please help me help her.
Help my hands move in the right way to get her muscles and nerves back in the right alignment, please.
EJ took a deep breath and…
Amen, he thought when he forgot to say it at the end of his prayer.
He had prayed that type of prayer a few times before—the kind where he said, 'Please let this happen, and I will give You the credit and glory for it'.
Honestly, there had never been any kind of big moment or miracle when he knew a prayer worked.
Looking back on his life, he could see God's hand and the fact that big sweeping miracles had happened.
But he had never directly prayed for something and seen a miracle.
That made him wonder if it was okay to even ask. Only if it's Your will… he added, inwardly.
His hands worked. He felt the full weight of her head as she relaxed into his grasp. He tried to remember different moves and manipulations that had happened to him by various physical therapists.
The truth was he had no idea what he was doing, other than he cared about her and wanted to help. He did his best for what must've been six or seven minutes before she cracked her eyes open and spoke.
"Thank you." Her voice was quiet, and EJ stopped moving and pulled his hands out from under her. She sat up and swiveled, turning to face him. She took a deep breath, smiling absentmindedly as she slowly stretched her neck to one side and then the other.
"Oh, my goodness, EJ. This feels…" She trailed off as she continued to slowly stretch her neck, tilting her head one way and then the other.
"Hang on…this is… EJ… wait. Maybe it's just because you got some blood flowing, but…
" She paused, closing her eyes and concentrating on the feeling as she moved.
She did it slowly, and then she opened her eyes and tilted her head more quickly from one way to the other, making an intense expression.
"EJ, it's normal." She stared at him. "What'd you do?
" she said, looking so serious that he had to hold in a smile.
"I’m… I… honestly, I prayed. I wasn't sure if it would work… I hate to say that, but… I did pray. Is it seriously better?"
"I think so." She stood up to test it out. They had been sitting on the floor, and she sprang up, taking a deep breath and adjusting her shoulders.
EJ stood with her so that he could take in the results. Savannah tried several different positions, moving her shoulders and neck, looking all around, and stretching various parts of her upper body.
"It's gone, just like that."
"You're kidding," he said.
"No. I don't feel a thing. I don't even remember what side it was on.
What side was it on?" She stared straight at him, her expression serious.
"I can't feel it," she said. "I was on day six, and I just…
that's crazy. I think it was on this side because I just want to brace myself every time I go that way, but…
I can't feel it," she said. She reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Thank you," she said sincerely. Her hand on his felt like it would be a quick gesture of thanks, but he held onto it anyway.
"You're welcome," he said, turning her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers.
She went with it, easily adjusting and holding his hand. She didn't break eye contact. They were holding hands, and he could hardly breathe. The television was playing in the background, and EJ couldn't even hear it for the sound of his own heartbeat.
"I don't know how you did it." She slowly tilted her head again, both ways, and her expression was stunned.
"It's fixed. I can't even believe it. What is it that can I do for you?
" she asked in a joking but businesslike tone.
"I am seriously at your service for this amazing feat that you have accomplished, Mr. Decker. "
"I promise, I didn't… I promised God that if He did it I would tell you it was Him, and that's all. I've had a lot of physical therapy over the years, but, no… as far as my expertise goes… that was just a regular old neck rub."
"Well, it worked, and I really am at your service. Can I return the favor?"
"How about you come back to Chicago with me? I know you work on Monday, but you said it wasn't a full day, and I figure maybe there are worse things in life than calling in sick."
"I was asking you about a neck rub," she said, half smiling at him.
"I know." He shrugged. "It was worth a shot."
"I could see if I could rearrange Monday, but tomorrow's a long day. We're not going to be able to drive to Chicago after I get off."
"It was a long shot," he said. He didn't want to put pressure on her. He knew she was talking about a neck rub. It was just that he never wanted to be apart from her. He was not looking forward to turning around and heading back to Chicago this weekend.
She squeezed his hand. "No, I… I want to," They were standing in her living room, a chair on one side and stacks of ceramic tiles on the other.
"I’m trying to think of a way we can make it happen.
If we could get tickets, I could fly. If I could get a flight Sunday morning to Chicago, I could make it there in time for lunch with you guys. "
"Yes!" he said. It was obvious that he was excited, and she smiled.
"Wait, there's still a lot that has to happen. I have to check on the flights to see if that option even exists."
"I know. I am happy that it might work out, but mostly I'm excited that you want to come at all. That's big for you."
"I know it's big," she said.
Her voice was soft and timid, and EJ had to control his desire to scoop her off her feet and… his heart was pounding at the thoughts he was having. He took a deep breath, staring at Savannah.
"Do you know why it's big?" he asked.
"Because I'm going to call in on Monday, and I never do stuff like that?"
"Yeah, that too, but mainly because you're meeting my family."
She gave him a shrug. "I want to."