by C. J. Corbin
“So you arrived safely?”
“Yeah, I got right to work.” A noise on the other end of the line sounded like he was situating himself in bed. “I wanted to call you just before you went to bed so you’ll dream of me tonight.”
The comment made me laugh. “Hey the next time you leave in the morning, make sure you wake me up, I wanted to say goodbye to you.”
“So you’re promising there will be a next time?” His voice sounded dreamy and smooth and it made lower parts of my body react to him.
I giggled and turned over on my side. “There is a very good possibility of that happening.” I paused for a moment and then continued. “I peeked in your office this morning.”
“Did you see anything you liked?” he asked.
“Yeah, I surprised to see my books on your bookshelves. Have you read them?”
“Of course I read them.”
“And?” I asked.
“They told me a lot about you.”
“You think so?”
Michael paused thoughtfully, “Yes. Jessica has a lot of you in her. Not everything, but I could see the similarities. The erotic parts were great too.”
I laughed, “Oh you liked the sex? You didn’t think it was too over the top or too much fantasy?”
He laughed with me, “No, I thought it was all doable. That is why I can see us together. You created the stuff in your books.”
I was quiet, “Well, that doesn’t mean I’ve done all the stuff that’s in my book. My editor prompts me on some of it.”
Michael chuckled, “Then with the next book you can tell the editor you’re writing from experience.”
I could feel the blush immediately on my face. I had no comeback for that comment.
“You’re blushing aren’t you?” He asked.
“You can tell over the phone?”
“Not too difficult to tell.”
I filled him in about the day’s events with the girls including the conversation I had with Tammy early in the morning.
“She told me about it too.” He added, “I told her that my relationship with you was none of her business and that she needed to stay out of it.”
“That’s kind of harsh don’t you think?’
He sighed, “Sometimes with Tammy you have to be direct. She’ll be okay now. I know she really likes you so I can’t understand what it is all about.”
“Michael, she’s probably a little jealous of me. Here I am taking her dad away from her. She doesn’t get to be with you as much.”
As we spoke, he told me his trip was extended another day until Friday, but I tried not to let the disappointment appear in my voice. I would have stayed on the phone with him all night, which is one of my faults. I never know when to say goodnight. Michael finally said goodnight.
He was right. He filled my dreams that night.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tammy and I arrived at the doctor’s office on Wednesday just before her appointment time. Her nervousness spilled over to me. I could remember my first visit and understood her feelings. When the nurse called her name, she grabbed my hand, “Please come with me.” Her eyes were pleading.
“Are you sure you want me there?” I asked her.
Tammy nodded, “Please? I don’t want to go alone.”
I smiled and stood with her. We both followed the nurse into the examination room. Doctor Helga came into the room shortly after. The doctor was surprised to see me.
“Elizabeth? Hello?” She checked her chart.
“I’m here with Tammy for support.” I filled in the blanks for the doctor.
Doctor Helga had been my doctor for years. In her middle sixties now, she always wore her grey hair tightly rolled back in a bun and was known for her no nonsense putting everything straight style. Insisting that everyone call her by her first name, she said it was a better alternative than the names she was called by women in the throes of childbirth. When Kevin and I had first married, she had worked with me on my pregnancy problem. After the problem eluded her, I saw a doctor down in Southern California who very adroitly pointed out the problem was not Kevin’s, but mine.
Doctor Helga performed the examination on Tammy quickly. She squeezed my hand so tightly I thought I would have lost all feeling in my hand. She stared at me and her face was beet red.
I leaned over and whispered in her ear. “It’s almost over. Everything will be okay.” I kissed her on the forehead.
After the examination, we met the doctor in her office. While she was writing the prescription for the birth control pills, she went into a long commentary about the responsibilities of taking the pill and the responsibilities of having safe sex. Tammy blushed through the entire discussion. I was glad it was the doctor and not me doing the talking.
Doctor Helga handed the prescription to Tammy, which she quickly stuffed in her purse. As we walked to her office door, the doctor called back to me. “Elizabeth, stay for a moment, I’d like to talk to you. Tammy you can wait in the waiting room, Elizabeth won’t be long.”
Tammy nodded and closed the door behind her. Doctor Helga pointed to the chair opposite her desk.
I sat down and asked worriedly, “Is there a problem with Tammy?”
“No, this has nothing to do with Tammy, but it is you I wanted to talk about.” She stood up, walked around the big mahogany desk, and sat on the corner close to me. Doctor Helga looked down at me over her glasses. “I’ve heard that you have a new boyfriend.”
I sighed, “News certainly travels fast.”
She laughed, “You know this is a small town. He created quite the stir in town when he moved here. First he redid the house and then when we found out he was a famous photographer, well you know how this town gossips. So, are you having protected sex?”
Surprised filled my face. “What makes you think we are having sex?” I sputtered out.
“You’re not? The stories made it sound like you very cozy, especially last weekend at the bonfire.”
I looked at her in amazement, and here I was the fodder for gossip. “Well we’re not.”
“Okay.” She nodded her head. “When it does happen, what are you planning on doing? Are you going to go on the pill, use condoms, what?”
“Doctor Helga, you know I can’t get pregnant. I already went through this with Kevin.”
She nodded and sat down in the chair next to me. She put her arm around my shoulder. “I know, I remember going through it with you. However, if you recall, I was very clear when I said that I couldn’t find anything wrong with you. I believe that you can get pregnant.”
“The other doctor I saw in Southern California told me it was my fault.” Tears began to well in my eyes, “He very clearly told me I was to blame.”
She leaned back in the chair, “Do you remember what the diagnosis was? Maybe we can contact him?”
“I don’t remember who it was. Kevin kept all those records.” I shook my head.
“Well to be safe, why don’t we just put you on the pill?”
I stood up. “No, I appreciate your concern, but, I know I’m not going to get pregnant. If something happens between us, we’ll use condoms.” I walked over and opened the door. “Thanks Doctor Helga.”
chapter fourteen
Friday could not arrive soon enough for me. I must have checked the window on back porch ten times before I saw Michael’s jeep parked behind his house. Tammy called to invite me to their Friday pizza night.
I knocked on the front door promptly at six o’clock. The dogs started to bark and rushed to the door. Katy opened the door wide trying to hold Max back. Molly greeted me with tail wagging. As soon as the door was closed Max was there sniffing at my pants and giving me kisses all over.
Michael looked up from his laptop, “Max, get down! Sorry, Elizabeth. Tammy can you control Max?”
Both Michael and Tammy, who had been reading the newspaper tried to pull Max off me.
Tammy gave me a big hug, “Sorry.”
“He’s
okay. I don’t mind, I know he can smell my dogs.” I said, pushing Max down again.
Michael put his arms around me and kissed me softly on the lips. He whispered in my ear, “I missed you Babe.”
I smiled at him. He made me melt.
He released me, “Do you want to see the new pictures?” Michael asked me excitedly.
I nodded. “Yes I do. I want to see what you were up to!” I gave Katy a hug, “How are you doing?”
“Hi, Elizabeth, I’m just putting the finishing touches on my new piece.” She replied walking back over to the piano.
He picked up the phone and waved to us. “Okay what do you want?”
Both Tammy and Katy shouted, “The works!”
Michael nodded to me, “You two I know, Elizabeth?”
“I’m okay with anything.”
He frowned, “Elizabeth?”
“Okay, Okay,” I gave in, “anything without meat. I don’t like meat on my pizza.”
He ordered two pizzas, one vegetarian with extra cheese, and one works. The pizza parlor was on the edge of town and although it was relatively close to us, it would be about forty-five minutes before the food arrived. I helped Tammy make a salad while we waited for the pizza. Tammy poured colas for herself and Katy. After Michael poured us some wine, he sat back down at his laptop to edit photographs on his laptop. Friday pizza night was a very casual affair.
He motioned for me to sit next to him on the leather couch. We sat huddled together as he started the slide show on his computer. The shots of the alligators were magnificent showing them sunning themselves on the shore or in the water with only their eyes showing. He even had action shots as they scrambled after food.
“I can’t believe you took these.”
He beamed at me. “I have to go back next week. I ran out of time.”
I tried to keep the unhappiness out of my voice. “Next week? Will you be gone all week?”
“Probably. There are only so many night time hours and the alligators are the most active at night. We also ran into some eagles and I want to photograph them too.”
I frowned. “Oh.”
Michael looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh nothing. It’s okay. I’ll just miss you.” I said.
He appeared to accept my explanation. I didn’t want to remind him that I would be starting my book tour the following Friday, and would be gone for two weeks.
Tammy picked up the newest National Geographic sitting next to Michael, and flipped it open to the middle, as she handed me the magazine “Have you seen Dad’s new spread? He shot these photos last spring in Hawaii.”
“Wow, these are incredible,” the underwater photos contained a family of dolphins. I started turning the pages.
He looked up from his laptop, “This shoot was really interesting. The article is all about how dolphins have learned how to go through elaborate measures to prepare their food. The researchers observed the dolphin group teaching their young and using tools. It was amazing.”
As he leaned forward to look at the magazine on my lap, he moved his arm around my waist. His hand traveled up my back, rubbing and caressing me. I wanted to melt into him. All I could do was swallow hard and look over at him. He stared directly into my eyes and it was as if I was soaring through the sky.
I cleared my throat, “These are so cool. Is that you?” I said pointing to a picture taken of a swimmer with an underwater camera.
As his hand moved down my back, I quivered and he quietly chuckled. “Yeah, they thought it would be funny to take a picture of the photographer, I never thought they’d publish it.”
Michael’s hand moved underneath the bottom of my tank top, and he started making small circles with his fingers on the small of my back.
The picture of him was almost as breathtaking as the dolphins. His broad, well-developed shoulders and chest were evident as well as his long and muscular legs. It was all very yummy. My stomach started to flutter and lower parts of me tightened. I realized that he was watching me look at the picture. My cheeks turned hot as I closed the magazine quickly and sipped my wine. “I’d love to go on a photo shoot sometime.”
“Actually, I am going work with the eagles tomorrow, I know the girls don’t want to go,” he glanced at Katy and Tammy.
Katy did not interrupt her playing on the piano, “No, doesn’t want to go is right!”
Tammy barely looked up from the paper she was reading, although I thought I could see her glance at her Dad from underneath her bangs.
“I’ve wanted to get back up to look at the nesting pair of eagles we have north of the lake. It is an overnight trip. You could come along.” He said casually still with his hand caressing my back.
All I heard were the words overnight and alone. Something constricted my throat as the words continued to roll over in my mind, overnight and alone. It was true that Michael and I had spent the night together just a few nights ago, but that was different. The girls were around and I knew nothing would happen.
I immediately started thinking of all the excuses not to be alone with him. Before I was able to get out at least one excuse, Tammy beat me, “Oh Dad, that’s a great idea. Elizabeth you can use my sleeping bag, and I’ll be glad to take care of Topper and Samantha. They can stay here with us!”
I was surprised at Tammy’s response. Where was her anger from early this week? She seemed to have given up on the argument.
“I haven’t really been backpacking in ages.” My last camping trip to Yosemite a few years back with my friends had been a disaster. “I’m afraid I’d slow you down.”
Katy finally looked up, “Don’t worry about that, I hate camping and Dad drags me along anyway.”
Tammy laughed, “She really doesn’t help at all!”
Katy threw a dirty look in Tammy’s direction.
“Well you don’t!” Tammy said. “Besides it’s just a short hike to the eagle stand, and Dad will usually camp there.”
While this was going on, inside my thoughts were in a jumble, I kept replaying the words alone and overnight. In the meantime, Michael had kept up his ministrations on my back, moving his hand further and further up my back. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a puddle underneath me because I definitely was melting with his touches.
I looked back at him and decided to be brave, “Okay, it sounds like fun. Will we back in time for baseball on Sunday?”
“Absolutely, we can’t miss the last game of the season. We’ll leave around eleven tomorrow morning. Do you have hiking boots?” He quickly wrote down a short list of clothing items I would need and handed it to me. “I’ll bring everything else. We’ll be dry camping so everything we bring in we’ll take back out again.”
I scanned the list, “Okay boots, jeans, sweatshirt, and jacket. I don’t need to bring anything else?”
“Not unless you want to carry it,” he said, “really Elizabeth, were not crossing the plains in covered wagons.”
The dogs started barking again. The pizza deliveryman was at the back door. The pizza smelled delicious and I was more than hungry by this point. We sat at the dining room table and filled our plates with pizza and salad. Michael took a slice of the vegetarian pizza.
“No meat on your pizza either?” I asked.
The three laughed, and Tammy answered because he had already stuffed a bite into his mouth. “You know Dad’s a vegetarian. He’s tried that stuff on Katy and I, but we’re not biting.”
I looked at Michael incredulously, “You’re a vegetarian? You can’t be a vegetarian. I’ve been out to eat with you several times.” I pictured all the times we had eaten together and could only think of the one time I saw him eat meat. “Wait a minute. You ate a burger at the bonfire. I saw you.”
Michael laughed again and shook his head, “That was a veggie burger. Remember I was helping with the barbeque. I’m surprised you didn’t see them in the freezer.”
“I can see I’m not going to win this one. So, no meat?” I question
ed.
He shook his head, “I do like eggs, cheese, and once in awhile I’ll eat fish. However, I just don’t care for the taste of meat. I do like pizza!” He grabbed another slice and took a large bite.
The man sitting next to me was amazing. Every time I spoke with him, he became more complicated. Where I thought I had peeled a layer away, another layer appeared.
He looked at me and his eyes softened. “You are not getting away with eating just one slice! You need to fill at least one of those long legs.”
I felt my face turning red again at the reference to my legs, “Okay, one more piece,” I rubbed my stomach, “I guess I’ll have to pack it in somehow.”
Tammy rose from the table and picked up the Monopoly game, “Elizabeth, you owe me a rematch.”
I grinned, “So losing two times wasn’t enough?”
“That was just against Katy and me, you’ll have Dad to contend with,” she said opening the box and setting up the game, “because he’s the world’s best Monopoly player!”
“Oh, it looks like the challenge is on,” I nudged Michael, “the world’s best huh?”
“You haven’t seen all my moves yet,” he laughed and nudged me back.
That is what I was afraid of, his moves. I had already seen some of his moves, and I was not thinking only about Monopoly.
The girls cleared away the leftovers and the dishes. Michael and I finished setting up the game. Both of us argued over who was going to use the little dog piece and he finally conceded it to me because I was the guest. He was sitting too close to me and I had too much wine to concentrate on the game at least that was the excuse I was giving to myself. After he thoroughly beat the three of us at the game, he made us all hot chocolate and we munched away on Tammy’s freshly baked sugar cookies.
I yawned, “I better get myself home.”
Michael insisted on walking me back over to the cabin. He put his arm around my shoulders as we strolled together.
“So give it up. Why did Tammy all of the sudden get all friendly with me again? She sure changed her tune after you talked with her.”
“What do you mean?” He looked at me with a shocked expression. “I merely explained why she should be more gracious.”