by C. J. Corbin
I nestled my head on his shoulder as we slowly danced. Only he could make me feel the way I did: safe, loved. Cherished. No man had ever made me feel like this. From the very beginning of our relationship, it had been difficult for me to accept that Michael actually wanted to be with me. The sexual attraction between us was thrilling, of course, but there was so much more. My stomach still did flip-flops every time he looked at me with that way he had, as if I was the most succulent dish he had ever seen and he was a starving man.
More importantly was the way I felt when we were together, whether it was working side-by-side on our book, jogging, or cooking in the kitchen. That thought made me smile. He cooked, I mostly watched.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked as he we moved slowly around the floor.
“You,” I told him honestly and his smile dazzled me.
He had that special smile on, the one that made me weak in the knees. His grin cut deep crevices into his cheeks and the area around his eyes crinkled. Oh, his blue eyes. Michael’s hand slipped down from my back to my bottom and he tucked me in closer to him, the movement sending sparks to my core. I was so going to ravish him when the evening was done.
“What about me?” he flashed his grin again.
“About how I feel when I’m with you.”
We had stopped moving and were now barely swaying back and forth.
“And how is that?”
“Respected,” I replied.
Michael threw his head back and laughed. “Respected? That’s an interesting term.”
I put on a pout. “What is wrong with that? I love that you respect me.”
“Yes babe, I do respect you. You’re a smart woman.”
“I think there is real give and take between us when we work together.”
He nodded his agreement. “True. We work together well. You have wonderful ideas and aren’t afraid of sharing them.” We started to dance again. “What else about me?”
“I also love that you’re such a great dad to the girls. You raised them to be intelligent and to stand on their own two feet. You’re going to make a wonderful father to our baby.”
A blush invaded Michael’s cheeks. “I don’t know what to say. I think Katie is doing just fine, but I worry about Tammy - her mom still influences her too much. Sometimes she doesn’t think with a level head and has a tendency to rush into things without thinking. I’m glad you’re around her, you are a calming influence.”
The song ended and another faster one started. “Do you mind if we sit this one out? My feet are getting tired.”
Michael nodded. “I’m sorry, I should have thought of that. You’re not used to wearing heels all the time.”
He took my hand and led me over to our table. We joined Marie and Nancy who were deep in conversation.
“Where are the boys?” I interrupted and Nancy looked up.
“They’re getting us something to eat and drink.”
I looked over at Michael, who hadn’t sat down yet. He held up his hands. “No need to ask. I’m on my way. What do you want?”
I smiled. “Everything.”
“Of course. I’ll be back,” he chuckled. After he kissed the top of my head, he left the table.
Nancy sighed. “I’m so glad that I’ve gotten to know Michael better these past few days. Honestly Elizabeth, I didn’t believe you when you told me how terrific he is.”
Marie grinned. “Yes, he does like to take good care of his ladies. I’ve never met a more devoted father, well, except Tommy. I tell you, when Michael was down here last year, right after he met you, the way he talked about you, we knew you were it. I had never seen him so taken with anyone, including you know who.”
I laughed at Marie’s reference to Margaret. She was beginning to take on the fictional proportions of the Harry Potter character of He Who Must Not Be Named.
Taking my hand in hers, Marie looked at me seriously. “How have you been feeling, Cher? How’s the morning sickness?”
“It’s okay. It really affects me in the morning when I first get up. I have to watch what I eat during the day. I have to admit this trip has been a little hard on me, which was unexpected. I’ve been more tired.”
“Great Me-maw is staying with us at our house,” Marie said referring to her great-grandmother. “We’ll get her to make you up a batch of tea - that’ll settle your stomach. I used it when I was pregnant.”
“Michael made it for me back home,” I said, smiling.
“Is that the same stuff you used on your mosquito bites?” Nancy asked.
Both Marie and I spoke at the same time, “The very same tea!”
Nancy shook her head in disbelief. “Someone should bottle it. They’d make a fortune.”
“Oh, that would never happen. Great Me-maw doesn’t share her recipe with anyone. I’ve tried for years to find out what she puts on the leaves when she dries them.”
“Food is coming,” I pointed to our guys walking toward us laden down with plates of food. A young man followed them with a tray of drinks.
We spent the rest of the evening eating, laughing, and dancing. Being surrounded by friends allowed me to forget the drama of the previous days. By the time we were back at the house, my feet were aching and I wondered how I would ever make it through another two nights. I was too tired even to ravish Michael as I had planned. That seemed to be okay with him; he looked tired, too, as if the nightly parties were getting to him.
After turning out the lights, we cuddled and he fell asleep immediately. I laid there for the longest time, just enjoying the feel of his skin, listening to his soft snores, and feeling the soft thump of the beat of his heart against my cheek. Finally, sleep took me too.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Tammy, calm down sweetheart. What’s wrong, baby?” Standing over by the window, Michael was quietly speaking to his youngest daughter on his cell phone as I opened one eye.
The clock on the bedside table said eight o’clock - it was early in California. I sat up in bed, watching him. He was naked, his back turned to me and holding a bath towel in his other hand, which he had not yet wrapped around himself. That was okay with me. My eyes feasted on his butt while I listened in.
“Honey, tell Dad what’s wrong.” There was a small pause. “What do you mean you can’t tell me on the phone. Are you okay?” He turned around and his shoulders shrugged as he saw me. “Yes, Elizabeth is here. Do you want to talk to her?”
He handed the phone to me. “She won’t tell me what’s wrong, but she’s hysterical.”
“Tammy,” I said, sitting up on the bed, “what’s wrong?”
“Elizabeth,” she sobbed over the phone. “I did something really stupid and I can’t tell Dad. He’s going to be so mad at me.”
“Now honey, you know your dad - everything will be okay. Tell me what it is. I’m sure it’s not that bad.” All sorts of thoughts ran through my head, from naked pole dancing to getting a tattoo. College students could get into just about anything. I looked up at Michael and he was wrapping the towel around his waist. There went my view. I shook my head in answer to his inquiring look.
“I’m so stupid,” Tammy snuffled.
“Are you at school?” I asked. “In the dorm?”
“Yes.” Her voice trembled and she inhaled deeply.
I could tell another barrage of tears was about to come. “Are you okay right now?”
“Yes.”
I nodded for Michael’s benefit. He sat next to me on the bed and scrubbed his face with his hands.
“Okay, just tell me what has gotten you so upset.” I reached out for his hand and our fingers intertwined the worry showing in his eyes.
“Well, I stopped taking the pill in January. You know, I figured since Jason and I weren’t together. I mean,” she paused to catch her breath, “we aren’t together, you know. I’m in school here and he’s all the way at Stanford but then he drove up for the weekend…”
Oh no. No, Tammy, no. My heart sank to t
he bottom of my toes. Michael caught the change of expression on my face right away. It was killing him not to hear the other side of the conversation.
“I went to the medical clinic this morning, because my period was late.”
Michael took the phone from me because I sat there not saying a word. “What is it? Just tell me.” He stopped dead as he listened to her, then a soft “Oh fuck,” came out of his mouth. It was the first time I’d ever heard him swear like that.
Her voice became so loud I could hear it even though he had the phone pressed close to his ear. Taking back the phone from him wasn’t difficult because his grip on it was light. The grip he had on my fingers was something else. I had to shake his hand so he’d loosen it.
“We don’t want you to do anything about this until we’ve had a chance to discuss it when we get home,” I said. “Okay?”
She sniffled on the phone. “Okay. Is Dad mad?”
“Honey, I think your dad is a bit surprised at the moment. This was… unexpected. Have you told Jason?” My mind was buzzing with all the details.
“No,” she replied. “Should I call him?”
I sighed. “Let’s wait for now until your dad and I have had a chance to discuss everything. We’ll be home on Saturday. Can you come down to the house for the weekend?”
We made plans for the weekend and ended the call. He looked at me and ran his hand through his still-wet hair.
“Are you okay?”
He lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “Fuck. Just fuck.”
I pressed my lips together and didn’t say a word as he scrubbed his face with his hands again.
“Do you realize what she’s done to herself? What she’s done to Jason?”
“Now is not the time to discuss this. You’re in shock,” I said.
“Shit. I was afraid Margaret would have too much influence on her… I was right.”
“You don’t think she did this on purpose, do you?”
“She damn well did. Just like her mother,” he ground out.
Michael got up from the bed and began to dress - I simply watched him. I didn’t want to get up yet, my stomach wasn’t feeling the best now. I wished the saltines and the small green bottle of ginger ale that was sitting on the table were closer. Tammy would be going through the same thing very soon. My heart ached for her and I wanted to be with her; her voice on the phone sounded utterly devastated. Perhaps it was better that we weren’t there right now, if Michael’s mood was any indication, the arguments would be heated.
The one worry he always had was that his girls would turn out like their mother. It was understandable since she was the spawn of Satan, but then that was my own opinion.
Michael gave me a quick look as he pulled on his jeans. “Do you want me to turn the shower on for you?”
I didn’t answer. I had my knees pulled up against my chest and I laid my cheek on them. My stomach was rolling and I didn’t have the energy it took to get out of bed to vomit.
“Babe?” The concern growing in his voice was evident. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head and stayed in the same position.
“Are you going to be sick?”
I nodded my head. “Would you give me the saltines and ginger ale sitting on the table?” I pointed to the table, still not lifting my head.
Before I knew it, Michael was sitting next to me on the bed. I heard the crinkle of the saltine wrapper and the fizz from the ginger ale as he opened the soda bottle. He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me over against him.
“Here, baby. Try eating one.” He handed me a cracker. I nibbled on it slowly while remaining nestled under his arm.
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry about?” he asked.
“For being sick, for being hormonal, for ruining your vacation.” I took a sip of the soda and another cracker. A laugh came from low in his chest.
“I’m the one who should apologize. I’m responsible for getting you into this position.”
“No,” I said, almost shaking my head but deciding against it. “It was me who told you to stop using condoms. I’m the one who said that I couldn’t get pregnant. And look, now you’re going to be a father again when you should be concentrating on being a grandfather.”
He laughed again. “Okay now you’re hitting below the belt. I’m not sure about the grandfather name, but I sure like the father one. I love that you’re going to have our baby. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I feel like everything is right in the world when I’m with you.”
He handed me another cracker and I munched away. “You don’t like the idea of being a grandfather?”
“I definitely didn’t think it was going to happen so soon. Damn it. I can’t believe it.” He sighed heavily.
“I know you’re disappointed.”
“Babe, I don’t want to talk about it now. How are you feeling? Any better?”
I took another sip of the ginger ale. “I’m feeling a little better, but I’m still so tired. I feel like I could sleep away the day.”
“Maybe that’s what we should do, just take it easy today. We don’t have to do anything or go anywhere.”
“I think that would drive you crazy. I wouldn’t want to torture you like that.”
“I would much rather spend the day with you than anyone else. The true torture for me is to see you go through this.”
“But look at what we’ll have when it’s all over.” I covered my belly with my hand and Michael reached down, wrapping his hand over mine. “Thank you for wanting our muffin as much as I do.”
“Oh babe,” he murmured close to my ear and enfolded me in his arms.
A sharp rap on the door startled us out of our cuddle. Tommy was on the other side of the door. “Hey! Miss Simone wants to know where you two are. She’s asking for volunteers to help with tomorrow’s party and you guys are it.”
“Go away! Elizabeth isn’t feeling well. Miss Simone will have to do without us today.”
“Oh. Sorry,” Tommy replied through the door. We heard him and Marie having a whispered conversation in the hallway.
“Why don’t you two come in instead of talking outside the door?” Michael asked while he arranged me with the comforter so it covered me.
The door opened slowly and Marie peeked in. “We’re sorry to hear you’re not feeling well. I called a friend and she’s bringing up some tea leaves for you from Great Me-maw.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I told her, peering around Michael.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Nancy poked her head around Marie.
“Elizabeth isn’t feeling well this morning,” Marie said over her shoulder.
“Oh.”
The whole episode began to strike me as funny. The saltines and ginger ale had stemmed my nausea, and I was feeling better.
Marcus’ voice could be heard from the hallway. “What are you all standing around for? You know Ma Mére wants you in the dining room. She isn’t kidding when she said everyone is helping.”
Nancy turned to Marcus. “Elizabeth isn’t feeling well this morning.”
Marcus poked his head above everyone to look at me. “Aww darlin,’ I’m sorry to hear about that. Can we get you something?”
I held up my crackers and ginger ale. “I’m actually feeling better.”
“Good. Then you can come down and help too,” he added with a smile. Michael picked up a pillow and threw it at it, which he caught and threw back.
“Hey guys,” I asked. “Do you think I can get a little privacy? Kind of naked here. I’ll come down. Maybe Miss Simone can give me something easy to do.”
Of course, Tommy wanted to comment, but Marie pulled him out of the room and shut the door before he could be heard. I laughed and fell back on the pillows.
“Did I ever tell you, you have crazy friends?” I said to Michael and he chuckled.
“I think you’re right. You don’t have to come downstairs.”
&n
bsp; “What, and miss the fun? Not on your life! Let me get out of bed and test my sea legs.”
He pulled me up and off the bed. I stood there for a moment, getting my bearings. “I think we’re good… oh! No, we’re not,” I exclaimed as I ran off to the bathroom to be sick.
Michael stood behind me, rubbing my back as I tossed up the crackers and ginger ale. After a couple minutes, I flushed the toilet and closed the lid so I could sit down. “I’ll be okay in a moment.”
He knelt in front of me and stroked my face. “Babe, this kills me.”
I laughed softly. “It doesn’t do much for me, either. Okay. Let me brush my teeth and jump in the shower. Go ahead and go downstairs. I’ll be down in a few.”
“I’ll wait right here.” His voice determined, hard, and I let him stay. Besides, I liked the company.
We joined the others about thirty minutes later in the dining room. The downstairs had literally exploded. I couldn’t figure out why Simone needed our help because there were at least twenty-five people running around. Frederick looked like he was going to have a coronary directing everyone and overseeing breakfast, too.
Simone was the first to spot us as we entered. Everyone was still eating and I was hungry. “Oh, my poor Cher, how are you feeling?”
“Much better. Thank you, Miss Simone.” I picked up a plate and started piling food.
“Of course you do not need to help today. But, I have a fun job that you will find most appealing,” Simone said while waving her coffee cup about.
“I’ll be happy to help.” I glanced over at Nancy and she rolled her eyes. I noticed that Brigitte was not among us. “Is Brigitte feeling okay?”
Marcus spoke up first. “Ma Mére has sent her out on early morning errands.”
I nodded and dug into the food on my plate.
Simone’s job for me was very special. She had borrowed vintage couture costumes from the twenties and thirties from a designer friend and wanted them displayed in the library. I was to work with the assistant the designer sent to dress and style the mannequins. The costumes were entrancing and Simone was correct - she couldn’t have found a better job for me.