No Regrets

by Joy Argento

He sat on the edge of the bed. It was so good to see him. I had been so wrapped up in all the surgeries and treatment that I didn’t realize how much I had missed him and Annie.

  Beth slipped her phone back in her pocket. “Want me to give you some alone time?”

  “No. It’s fine,” I told her.

  “Stay,” Andrew said. “How are you doing?” he asked me.

  Beth sat in the reclining chair in the corner.

  “I’m doing good. Cancer free.”

  “How long do you have to stay in the hospital?”

  “I don’t know. Not too much longer I hope. The doctor should be coming around soon. I plan on begging him to let me leave.” I couldn’t believe he was sitting here with me. He had been across the world a few days ago.

  “How was your trip?” Beth asked him.

  He turned so he could answer her. “It was okay. Part cargo plane, part airliner. It was just mostly long.”

  “I can imagine,” she said.

  The door flung open and Annie strutted in. “Andrew!” she said and flung herself at him. He caught her in his arms and stood to hug her. “When did you get here?”

  “Just a little bit ago. How ya doing, kiddo?”

  “Great.”

  Beth stood. “I’ll go. So you can have your kids.”

  “Please stay,” I said.

  “Yes. Don’t go.” Annie crossed over to her and gave her a hug.

  “They have rules,” she said to Annie.

  “The hell with the rules,” I said. “I want my whole family to be here with me. And you are all my family. Andrew, there are chairs in the hallway. Would you mind getting one, please?”

  “Sure.” He disappeared for a few seconds and returned with a chair. In his absence, Annie climbed up on the bed with me. I moved over so she could stretch her legs out. Andrew set the chair next to Beth and sat down.

  “Nice haircut,” Annie said to Andrew. He ran his hand over his buzz cut. “How long can you stay?”

  “The good news is I don’t have to go back to Japan. My stint was over at the end of this month anyway, so they said I didn’t have to go back. I’ll be stationed in Wilkes-Barre for a year.”

  “Where the heck is that?” Annie asked.

  I couldn’t contain my smile. “It’s in Pennsylvania, Annie. Less than four hours away.”

  “Yep. Close enough to come home for holidays.” Andrew said.

  “Knock, knock.” Dr. Daniels pushed the door open and stuck his head in. If he noticed that we had one extra person in the room, he didn’t say anything. “Ready to go home, Jodi?”

  “Are you kidding me?” I responded.

  “Would I joke about something like that? I’m guessing you’re getting sick of the room service around here. I went over your chart on the computer and everything is looking good. I’ve signed the paperwork, and someone will be around shortly to go over everything with you.”

  “Wow. Thank you so much.”

  “Thank you. Your recovery has been great for my professional reputation.”

  “Glad I could help.”

  “I expect to see you in my office within the next couple of weeks.”

  “I’ll make sure of it,” Beth said.

  It was another hour before the nurse came in with my discharge papers, prescription, and my instructions for home. Beth went to get the car and I changed into real clothes and was wheeled down to the main entrance followed by Annie and Andrew.

  Andrew opened the passenger side door and helped me in. He and Annie jumped in the back.

  Beth rubbed my knee. “Ready, honey?”

  I was. I was ready to begin my life anew. I had the love of my life next to me, my two children in the back seat, and I was heading home. Absolutely nothing could have been better.

  Epilogue

  Beth

  “Take this box,” I told Jodi. “It’s light.”

  “Stop treating me like an invalid. It’s been a whole year since I was in the hospital.” She was right of course, I needed to stop babying her. She had healed from the surgery and from the heart attack. There were no signs of cancer in her scans. She was totally capable of bringing in the last of the boxes from her car. The movers had already delivered the furniture, but she had insisted on packing personal items and bringing them over herself. I couldn’t argue with her, seeing as I had pretty much done the same thing.

  I set the box I was carrying on the couch and looked around. The house was bigger than the one I’d just left—Maddie would be staying on there. And much bigger than Jodi’s little apartment. It was our house. We’d picked it out together, and when we showed Annie, via Skype, where her room would be, she was all for it. She had one more week with her father for the summer, which meant Jodi and I had seven whole days alone.

  “Help me make the bed,” I said.

  “Right now?” she asked. “I was going to put dishes away.”

  “Yep. Right now. Come on. The box with the bedding is already in there.” I took her hand and led her upstairs to what would be our room. I ripped the tape off the top of the box marked SHEETS AND BLANKETS.

  I threw a fitted sheet to Jodi and dug out the top sheet and pillowcases. She started on one side while I opened another box and retrieved the pillows, blanket, and bedspread.

  “What do you think?” she asked me as she smoothed down the spread.

  “I like it. Now let’s mess it up.”

  “What?”

  “Take all your clothes off and climb in. Let’s mess it up.” She started to unbutton her shirt. “No. Wait.”

  “You’re making me a little crazy here, woman.”

  “If you’re crazy, don’t blame me. You were a little off when I first met you.”

  She laughed.

  I went around to her side of the bed—the brand-new bed—bought just for us. “Let me.” I unbuttoned each button, stopping in between to kiss each newly exposed section of skin on her chest. I slowly undressed her and felt the moisture in my center grow as each piece of clothing fell to the floor and I caressed her.

  Together we removed my clothing. I kissed her. Nothing stood in the way of our bodies becoming one as we stood in each other’s arms.

  I pushed her back onto the bed, and in an instant, I was on top of her, my thigh between her legs. I ran my hands through her hair, and her tongue hungrily entered my mouth.

  She let out a gasp as I pulled my thigh away and replaced it with my fingers. I could feel her juices, slick and warm. We completely and thoroughly christened the bed. I felt whole and one with Jodi. Our lovemaking had become more than a physical journey. It was as if my soul was making love to her soul.

  I had placed my heart in Jodi’s hands because somehow, I knew I could trust her with it. And she had trusted me with her heart and her body as well. I had no intention of ever letting her down. I whispered into her ear as we drifted off to sleep. “I love you. You are my happily ever after.”

  About the Author

  Creativity for Joy Argento started young. She was only five, growing up in Syracuse, New York, when she began drawing. Rochester is now home, and oil paints are her medium of choice. Her award-winning art has found its way around the globe. Her love of lesbian romance inspired her to try her hand at writing a little later.

  Joy has three grown children and four grandsons who are the light of her life.

  You can check out Joy’s art at www.artbyjoy.com

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