Love Is Blind Read Online Free PDF Page A

you doing community service?”
    I set down my fork and made a big production of stirring sugar into my coffee.  I’d known the question was coming, of course, but I wasn’t ready to go there.  “I screwed up,” I mumbled, feeling my face burn as the memories came flooding back as though a dam had burst.
    Chris remained quiet, sitting there waiting patiently for me to elaborate.   I kept my mouth shut and my eyes focused on my coffee.  “I think your coffee is stirred,” he finally said as my spoon clinked repeatedly against the side of my cup.
    I sighed wearily, wishing for the millionth time that I could go back in time and do everything completely differently.   “I don’t want to talk about it,” I muttered, desperate to change the subject.  There was no telling how Chris’s opinion of me might change if he knew what I’d done.
    “I’m not having cheesecake with a serial killer, am I?” he joked , trying to lighten the mood.
    “No.”
    “Too bad,” he said wryly through a mouthful of cheesecake.  “If you were I bet you’d have some killer stories.  Get it?  Get it?  Ha!  I’m hilarious.  The only problem is I can’t tell if you’re snickering or banging your head against the wall right now.”
    “Uh, maybe a little bit of both?”
    “Good enough for me.”
    I leaned forward, elbows on the table, resting my chin on my hand.  I watched Chris intently as he shoveled cheesecake into his mouth as though he was just a regular guy.  If it wasn’t for the bandages covering his eyes, I’d think he was a regular guy.  I’d witnessed the occasional display of frustration, like the incident with the pitcher of water, but those were few and far between.  He didn’t let his vision problems stand in his way.
    It made me feel even guiltier about letting my stupid, far less serious problems stand in my way.  In fact, I’d let them run – and almost ruin – my life.   Sometimes a little perspective can go a long way…
    “How do you do it?” I asked, unable to hide the awe in my voice.
    “Seriously, you don’t know?” he deadpanned.  “Well you see, when two people love each other very, very much – or get very, very drunk – clothes come off and then the man puts his penis inside the woman’s…”
    I burst out laughing.  “I don’t mean that you pervert,” I admonished him playfully, feeling my face instantly redden.  “I mean how do you manage to have a good sense of humor when you’ve been dealt such a shitty hand?”
    He was quiet for a minute.  “Either I play the shitty hand or I forfeit the game,” he replied simply.  “And thanks, by the way, for saying my sense of humor is good.  Most people would use a different adjective:  pitiful; irritating; moronic…you get the idea.”
    He reached out in search of his coffee cup.  His sense of direction was slightly off so I nudged the cup toward him.  I knew he didn’t like people helping him with things he was capable of doing himself, but I didn’t want him to bump the cup and spill hot coffee on himself. 
    Besides, I figured what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Chapter 03
    The next morning I found myself looking forward to seeing Chris. 
    We’d gotten back to the hospital late the night before, the staff working the night shift scowling at me as I ushered Chris in long after visiting hours were over.  I hadn’t cared about their dirty looks.  I was just happy that I’d spent a nearly-normal night doing nearly-normal things.  It was the sort of night I’d dreamed about having all through high school.
    Today I was tired but focused.
    Each morning when I arrived for my court mandated community service, I was given a to-do list.  Sometimes I was helping in the laundry room or in the cafeteria.  Other days I mopped floors, filed paperwork or helped out in the gift shop.
    This morning was no different.
    I was once again assigned to a different ward on another floor, but I rushed through my