by S. E. Lund
“I can’t wait,” my father said, settling back in his seat for the drive to the airport. “It’s going to be perfect.”
“It will,” I said and sat back. Drake took my hand and we sat together, the five of us, and watched as the streets of Manhattan passed us by on the way to JFK.
We helped Elaine and my father through the baggage check and then sat in the comfy chairs before they entered the First-Class lounge. My father sat in a wheelchair, and would be one of the first to be boarded once the flight was ready.
“I was dreading this day for the past two weeks,” I said to my father.
“I know you were, dear,” he said. “Believe me, I was dreading it, too. But Drake called me up the next morning, after I called you with our departure date, laid out his plans and asked for my help and blessing. Of course, I said yes. We pulled a few strings here and there and voila. Teamwork paid off.”
“I’m so glad,” I said, bouncing Sophie on my knee. “If I didn’t know we were following in two weeks, I’d be really depressed about all this.”
“You had a spell of bad luck, but now that things have cleared up with the case, you three can move forward with your lives. You deserve it, given the past six months.”
“We do,” I said and reached out to take Drake’s hand.
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles.
Finally, they called my father’s flight and a customer service attendant came to help Elaine and my father board the plane.
We said our goodbyes, and I kissed Elaine and then leaned down and kissed my father goodbye. There were no tears in our eyes. Only happiness.
My father kissed Sophie when Drake held her down to him, and then Drake and my father shook hands.
“See you in a couple of weeks, Dad,” Drake said.
My father winked at him. “I expect it. Take care of my baby girl and my little granddaughter, will you?”
“I will,” Drake replied.
Then they were gone.
I waved at them as they went to the check in for the flight. Elaine smiled and waved and then my father did as well.
Finally, they disappeared down the ramp and Drake turned to me.
“That’ll be us soon,” he said and leaned down to kiss me.
“I can’t wait,” I said and smiled.
We sat by the window and watched the plane board, and then finally, taxi away from the terminal.
“Let’s go home,” Drake said.
And so we did.
Chapter 25 : Drake
Our last two weeks in Manhattan were extremely busy as we wrapped up the details of our trip to Monterey and packed our bags.
I had one last gig with Mersey to play, and we had plans for dinner at the O’Riley’s on Sunday before our flight left.
We were lucky that Karen agreed to babysit for us late on Saturday, so Kate could attend the final performance. Karen planned to arrive in time so that Kate could make it to the ten o’clock final show.
I took my car and drove to O’Riley’s for the last gig – maybe forever, and so I felt quite melancholic about the night. I parked and with my guitar in hand, I walked down the street to the restaurant, remembering so many other nights during the past decade that I walked down that same sidewalk, past the same alleys and street corners, all of it so familiar I felt as if I knew every crack in the sidewalk and hole in the pavement.
Dinner service was in the second seating by the time I entered the back door, and the cooks were busy plating food and the dishwasher had built up a good steam as I walked by. I said hello to those staff I knew and made my way to the office to say hello to Mrs. O. She was in her usual spot, going over receipts and smiled when she saw me, removing her reading glasses and standing up so she could give me a big hug.
“We’re going to miss you,” she said, her voice wavering. “You’re like a son to me.”
“You’re like my mother,” I replied, a bit choked up. “The mother I never knew but wished I had.”
She tilted her head to the side, a sad expression on her face when she thought about my being a motherless boy after my parents split. “I’m glad we could be a family for you since you lost your own. Now, you have Kate and Sophie. Plus Ethan.”
“I do,” I said. “Where’s Ken? Is he in the basement?”
“Yes,” she said and pointed to the stairs leading down to the basement. “He’s getting stuff ready.”
I kissed Mrs. O on the cheek and left, making my way down to the basement room where we kept our equipment. I found Ken standing at a bookshelf filled with sheet music. He was thumbing through a book of music and turned when he saw me.
“Drake,” he said and smiled. “You made it. Come here and look at this.”
I went over to stand beside him, affectionately squeezing his shoulder. “What is it?”
“From one of our first gigs,” he said and handed me the book of music. It was the Beatles, music from Revolver.
I flipped through the songs and smiled as I saw Ken’s notation for the guitar on “And I Love Her."
“We have to play this tonight, when Kate’s here,” I said and showed Ken. “It’s her favorite.”
“Sure,” he said and patted me on the back. “Anything to get you laid.” He winked at me.
I laughed out loud at that. “We haven’t practiced it for a while.”
“I think we all know it well enough by now. We’ve been playing songs off that album for a decade.”
We hauled the equipment up and into the bar, set it up and then when the other members of Mersey arrived, we warmed up for our first set. I was glad Kate was coming for the second set, because I was rusty, even if the other members of Mersey had been playing without me and weren’t nearly as out of practice.
The first crowd was sparse and busy talking and drinking, but after a break, the bar was filled. I checked my cell to see if Kate had messaged me and sure enough, there was a text from her.
KATE: I’m on my way. See you soon. Love, me.
DRAKE: I do love you. :)
Finally, I saw Kate arrive, peeking her head in the doorway to the bar. She caught my eye and waved and I waved back, but we were almost ready to start so I watched as she slipped over to the bar.
The room was packed, and so she sat at the bar with Kevin and watched us play.
I felt a pang of sadness that Mersey would be getting a new bass player, but the guys loved the band and it was the only thing that some of them enjoyed. I doubted I’d ever play with anyone else, but decided to keep an open mind. Maybe I’d meet some other guys like those in the band and play again, but I was too focused on my term at UCSF to think too far ahead.
My last gig with the band went off without a hitch. We played all the old favorites – primarily the Beatles and Rolling Stones. When we came to play “And I Love Her,” I took the mic and spoke directly to Kate across the crowd.
“This next song is dedicated to my beautiful wife and the mother of my wonderful daughter, Sophia. Kate, you are my life and my love. I do love you. Now and forever after.”
She covered her mouth and I could see her eyes sparkling from across the room. She finally blew me a kiss and wiped her eyes. Kevin leaned over and squeezed her shoulder, smiling at her, and several in the crowed clapped as they heard the famous opening to “And I Love Her.”
I sang that song with all my heart, for I felt every word. It was all true for me when it came to Kate.
She was everything to me – the true love of my life.
I’d spend the rest of my life making sure she knew that – that she felt it every single day. I almost lost Kate less than ten months earlier on a warm day in late June when the heat of summer had yet to set in and a woman crazed with jealousy and envy tried to kill her.
That event made me realize for the first time – truly realize – how happy I was with Kate. How she was perfect for me, and I believed, I was for her.
We finished the set to a round of applause and cheers, and even did an en
core before leaving our instruments on the small stage and joining Kate at the bar for a drink.
“I’m going to miss you guys,” I said after we found a table and sat together with a pitcher of draft.
Across from us, Johnny Mears and Cliff Walters sat side by side. Johnny held up his glass of beer.
“We’ll miss you, brother,” he said. “I don’t know what we’ll do without your voice. Have to get Ken to sing, I guess.”
Ken sat up straighter. “I’ll have you know that I sing almost as well as Drake. Besides, I already have a line on a new guy from Brooklyn. Was in a band that fronted for Bowie once.”
The other guys raised their eyebrows at that. I turned to Ken. “You do? I thought you said--.”
From the look on Ken’s face, I knew he was joking. “Got you!” he said with a huge grin. “We don’t have a replacement – yet. Gotta give us some time to mourn the loss first.”
“Drake will miss you all,” Kate said and held up her glass. “Here’s to old friends and never losing touch.”
“Here, here,” Ken said and we all drank a toast.
Finally, I saw Kate yawn, trying desperately to hide it behind her hand, but failing.
“Time for us to go,” I said and stood up, grabbing my jacket from the back of my chair. “My lady is tired and has a very busy day of packing tomorrow.”
“And dinner with us tomorrow night,” Ken said, his eyebrows raised. “Don’t forget Sunday dinner.” He turned to Johnny and Cliff. “You both are invited, too. One last meal together. How does that sound?”
“Sounds perfect,” Cliff said and they both stood and we embraced.
Before Kate and I left, we stopped at the office to say goodbye to Mrs. O, who gave Kate a big hug and kiss.
“I can’t wait to see that baby of yours,” she said. “Drake said she looks just like you.”
Kate turned to me and smiled. “She has her father’s eyes, and coloring, but she has my face.”
“Thankfully,” I said with a laugh.
We said goodbye and promised to return for Sunday dinner, then made our way down the street to where my car was parked.
“That was nice,” Kate said as we drove off. “You will miss them.”
“I will,” I said. “But I’m excited about Monterey.”
We held hands while we drove through the streets back home. When we got inside the apartment, Karen was sitting on the couch watching television. The kitchen was clean and from the sounds of it, Sophie was sleeping in her crib.
“How was everything?” Kate asked, her voice soft.
“She was as good as gold,” Karen said, smiling as she got her coat. “Didn’t wake up once.”
We said our final goodbyes to her, and I was surprised how attached I had become to her. She’d helped us out on many a night when Ethan was sick and when Kate and I needed some time to ourselves.
After I closed the door, I turned to see Kate standing in the entry watching me.
She had this faraway look in her eyes that I couldn’t quite place.
I went over to her and pulled her into my arms. “What’s that look, Mrs. Morgan? Penny for your thoughts?”
She said nothing. Instead, she slipped her arms around my waist and laid her head on my shoulder. She squeezed me and I held her even more tightly. I could tell she was very emotional and her soft heart made me melt.
Finally, she spoke, her voice soft.
“Sometimes, I have to stop and pinch myself to know I’m awake and not just dreaming.”
I smiled and lifted her chin, kissing her warmly.
“I know the feeling,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “Let’s go to bed,” I said and rocked her in my arms. “We still have a lot to do tomorrow to get ready.”
“Okay,” Kate said and smiled. “Are you too tired?” she added. “I’m wide awake and a little keyed up…”
That sent a jolt of lust through my body for I knew what it meant.
“Keyed up are you, Ms. Bennet?" I said, my mind going to the lamb's-wool cuffs I bought her for Christmas. "Need an outlet?"
She nodded but said nothing else. She was leaving things to me, the way she used to before all this happened – before she became pregnant, before the attack that almost took her life and before new parenthood took away most of her energy, as was necessary.
I kissed the top of her head, signaling to her that I wanted to take control. Even though I knew it was what she wanted, she left it up to me to make the move.
"I want you to take off your clothes and lie naked on the bed for me, arms and legs spread."
I watched her vain attempt to hide her smile as she slipped out of my arms, obedient. I went to the closet in our bedroom and removed the wrist and ankle restraints and crossed over to the bed, climbing up and over top of her with them in my hand.
She blinked when she saw them and I knew what she was wondering – where is the blindfold?
"I don't want to cover your eyes," I said, my voice thick with growing desire. "I want to watch you respond to me."
She licked her lips and I knew she was beginning to respond to the idea I was planting in her mind and the response I was hoping to elicit in her body. I didn't need the restraints. She was going nowhere and she would do anything I asked of her. I knew that completely.
She still needed them to feel controlled, which she still enjoyed. She enjoyed feeling my power, even if she knew I'd never use it to harm her.
I carefully attached the cuffs to her wrists and ankles, then to the bed frame. She tested them to assure herself that they were in fact secure. When she finally turned back to look me in the eyes, I saw desire in them. She shivered, for the room was cool, her breasts all goosebumps, her nipples hardening. I smiled and after kissing her deeply, my mouth claiming hers, I began licking my way down her body. I started at her chin and didn't stop until I had her breasts in my hands, squeezing them together so I could move from one hard nipple to the other. She groaned and thrust her body up against me.
"Lie still," I commanded, and she relaxed, although her breathing had quickened.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"Sorry, what?" I asked, my voice firm.
She glanced at my face. "Sorry… Sir," she said, and I was just about to continue licking her nipples when I caught her lips quirk in the slightest smile.
I should have taken her at that moment and administered a spanking for her insolence, but I knew that her smile wasn't meant to be insolent. It was a sign of her pleasure that I was enforcing our old D/s rules. I realized at that moment that I would have to revive that part of our love life if I wanted her to be truly fulfilled.
"I can see I'm going to have to take you to a dungeon party, maybe display some rope technique so I can refresh your ability to obey."
"Sorry, Sir," she said quickly. "I'm out of practice."
"We're both out of practice," I murmured against her breast, my face pressed into its fullness for a moment.
It was at that moment, with Kate restrained and fully under my control, that I realized that I didn't need D/s anymore to be fulfilled sexually or emotionally. Whatever it was that made me need absolute control over my sexual partner before was small, almost so small that I barely felt it any longer. Almost losing Kate, almost losing Sophia, almost losing Ethan, finding out I had a son only to learn he could die – they brought it all into focus for the first time in my life.
I needed Kate.
I needed her – by my side, in my bed, in my heart. That was all. Everything else stemmed from her – Sophie, a real family, a home rather than an empty sterile house.
If I had her, I had everything.
I squeezed her breast and kissed it, then ran my hand down her back to her nice round buttock, which I squeezed lasciviously. I pulled her more tightly against me so she could feel my growing erection.
She groaned when I pressed it against her pussy, her eyes pressed tightly closed.
"Open your eyes," I said firmly. She did immediate
ly and it was at that moment that I also realized that Kate still needed D/s. My control over her excited her, released her, freed her to feel everything. So, while I no longer needed D/s, she did and I would never deny her anything.
So, I didn't.
Dinner at O’Riley’s was what it always was – loud, filled with good-natured ribbing of each other, great food, and lots of everything, especially love.
Mrs. O held Sophie most of the evening, insisting on giving her a bottle when Sophie was due to be fed. The younger O’Riley cousins hung around Sophie, holding out toys for her to play with and talking to her. The rest of us went over our year, and past years together, reminiscing and generally appreciating what we had.
Kate enjoyed herself, Sophie was a model baby, and I got to say goodbye to the family that had been the only real one I knew until I met Kate and spent time with her family.
We returned home after a tearful goodbye on Mrs. O’s part, with promises to come back again once we returned – if we returned to Manhattan.
Once we were finally home and inside our apartment on 8th Avenue, we stood in the midst of the boxes that were packed, labeled and ready to be picked up the next morning, before our late afternoon drive to the airport.
“I can’t believe we’re actually leaving,” Kate said with a sigh.
“Was that a sigh of contentment or one of regret?” I asked, reaching for the car seat to take a sleeping Sophie upstairs to her room.
“Neither,” Kate replied and handed the car seat over to me. “Fatigue. I’ve been so busy trying to wrap up our lives here, packing, planning, shipping, that I’m looking forward to two weeks at my dad’s so we can unwind before we have to start unpacking our new place.”
“Me, too. We haven’t had a real holiday for a while. I’ll put Sophie to bed.”
Kate went to the living room and turned on the television while I took Sophie upstairs. I laid her down in the crib and covered her with her blankets. She sucked away on her pacifier and didn’t even open her eyes once, worn out from all the attention she got at the O’Riley’s.