Something to Talk About

by Melanie Woods Schuster

  John’s emotions clouded his face for a few minutes and he was finally able to speak. “I don’t know what to say, Adam. How can I possibly thank you for this?”

  “First we find out if it’s possible, then we worry about the thanking. I’m thinking one of those antique sticks might be a start, though,” Adam said while giving the stick in question a covetous stare.

  John’s answering laughter sounded a little strained, even to his own ears. He quickly picked up his phone and dialed Abe Gold’s private number. “Abe? I’ve got news, good news, I think.”

  * * *

  Alicia was dreading the night that stretched before her. It was the last night before Adam and John were to check into University of Michigan Medical Center for the procedure and she didn’t want to think about it any more than she had to. In a lot of ways she was resigned to what was going to happen, but on a base, primitive level the thought of her man undergoing this drastic surgery still made her ill. Thanks to a long talk with her parents and a lot of prayer she was ready to put it all in the Lord’s hands. She felt like a terrible hypocrite at times because she knew in her heart that if Adam had been suffering from the same ailment she’d have moved heaven and earth to help him. She was also very moved by his generous spirit and proud that he was so caring. But the part of her that loved him beyond reason couldn’t stand the thought of him being cut open and part of him being taken away, regardless of the fact it was saving his half brother’s life.

  She had no logical reason to be in the office anymore. Everyone else had left and she needed to leave, too. It wasn’t like she was working anymore. For the past hour all she’d done was stare into space. She wasn’t even trying to pretend she had work to do, she was just brooding. She finally stood up and took a deep, shuddering breath. Gathering her things together, she quickly left the office suite and took the elevator down to the parking garage. She balanced her briefcase on top of the Mini Cooper and made a soft sound of surprise when she found a gardenia on her front seat. The sweet, heavy fragrance filled the car and made her smile. Adam. He knew how torn up she was about all this and he wanted to make her feel better. There was a note with the flower in Adam’s precise penmanship. It read Meet me at the loft.

  It took only minutes for her to get to the big converted apartment building in Harbortown and she made the drive with a smile on her face. To her utter delight there was a note on the outside door with her name on it. She opened it and smiled again as she read I’ve been waiting for you. Hurry. She entered the elevator and when she exited, she was touched to her heart to see a trail of petals leading to the loft door. Another note awaited her. Don’t bother to knock, come in and follow the signs.

  Totally intrigued now, she eagerly opened the door to find the living room full of flowers, beautiful exotic blooms full of sensual scents and colors. The air was laden with the fragrance of the flowers and the candles that were around the big loft. The candles gave a mellow amber light and the trail of petals continued. A hand-lettered sign on a small table bade her to leave her briefcase, purse, and shoes there. Near the study was another sign that simply read Drink me. It was on a carved stand leaning against a single glass that contained a chilled peach Bellini. She took a sip and ventured farther on the trail of petals, captivated by this lovely game. Another sign pointed to the bedroom and the notation simply read Take off your clothes.

  By now Alicia had completely entered into the spirit of the game, she was completely ready for whatever Adam had in store for her. Whatever it was, it would surely be pleasurable in the extreme. She’d never known his brand of sensuality existed and now she couldn’t do without it. Adam had awakened her to love in more ways than one. He’d tapped into the deepest and most profoundly sexual part of her and in so doing had unleashed a sensuality she had no idea she possessed.

  Alicia removed every item of clothing and as she was putting her delicate underwear in the hamper, she noticed another note, this one on the giant mirror of the long dresser. Just a quick shower, baby, I can’t wait much longer. Her anticipation was making her body react with growing need. She could feel her nether regions begin to pulse and moisten and her nipples were already hard as her breasts reacted to her arousal. She showered quickly and thoroughly, anxious for whatever exquisite pleasure Adam had planned for her. Wrapped in a fluffy towel, she reentered the bedroom and smiled in delight as she found a beautiful short kimono, heavily embroidered ivory lined in pale green, across the bed. A pair of matching slippers was next to it with a final note. Come to my garden.

  Alicia looked in the mirror and was almost embarrassed by what she saw. She looked flushed with eager passion; she looked, even to her own critical eye, sensual and ready for love. Her tousled hair and makeup-free face only enhanced the look. She smiled at her reflection and went out to meet her love.

  Adam was waiting for her in a fantasy come true, a rooftop garden of love. On the wall nearest the French doors he’d arranged a day bed covered with a deep rose silk cover and draped with a filmy canopy that looked like something out of The Arabian Nights. There were big silk pillows in soft colors with sensual fringes and tassels; incense was burning, and tall stands held big candles in copper and glass lanterns that enhanced the mood with their flickering light. The bedroom stereo had been placed near the bed, as well as a low table that held an array of fruit, cheese, pastry, and other delights, all covered with the kind of net thing used to protect food at picnics. Adam was on the bed waiting for Alicia. He looked incredibly handsome, lying on his side wearing a short robe similar to Alicia’s with nothing on under it but bare skin. He held out his hand to her and she came to him at once, joining him on the bed. She looked around at the flowers that also surrounded the bed and took a deep breath of the heavy warm summer air. The evening shadows were gathering and it was almost dark now.

  “Adam, this is so wonderful. I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me,” she said sweetly.

  Adam kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips before answering. “I did this for both of us, baby. I want us to have something to remember and something to look forward to when this is all over.”

  He sat up and turned so he was sitting up straight with his legs spread wide so they hung down on either side of the bed. “Come here, baby, let’s try something different tonight.”

  He had her sit facing him with her legs open and her thighs resting on his. “Closer, Allie, come closer to me,” he whispered. She did so at once, moving so close to him that their bodies were within an inch of touching. “Have you ever heard of tantric sex?

  Alicia nodded, bemused. “I’ve read about it a bit. Is that what we’re going to do?”

  Adam pressed his lips to her forehead as he adjusted their positions. “Yes, we are, my love.”

  “Now what?” she asked with wonder in her voice. “Now we breathe, Allie. We inhale and exhale together and we try to feel each other,” he said instructed her in a low voice full of passion..

  As unusual as it sounded, that’s what they did. Looking deeply into each other’s eyes they breathed in and out, with the smell of the flowers and the candles and incenses combining in a swirl of heady fragrance that seemed to help transport them to a place where there was nothing but Adam, nothing but Alicia, nothing but their love and their desire. Alicia could feel every beat of Adam’s heart in every part of her body and it pulsed through her with a steady rhythm that transcended sex but was more sexual than anything she’d ever known.

  Adam felt Alicia’s every reaction; he knew when her need for him and her desire combined to transport her out of herself and into him and that’s when he opened his robe to reveal his massively hardened body already outfitted with a latex condom. He opened her robe to reveal her perfect body and lifted her forward onto his erection, sliding into her with exquisite slowness as she clutched his shoulders for balance. Instead of the normal movements, the thrusting and plunging that made their lovemaking so fulfilling, he held her, so close that they could fell their hearts
beating as one, until their pulses were as one and the love they felt for each other shimmered through their bodies like they were walking through a curtain of stars together. The climax went on and on and it was impossible for Alicia to tell where Adam’s body stopped and hers started; they were the same person, a creature of passion and fire and light, consumed by love.

  Alicia finally fell forward onto Adam’s shoulder, totally sated and completely spent. Suddenly her euphoria turned to tears and she sobbed against the man she loved more than her own life.

  “It’s okay, Allie. It’s okay. I’ve got you baby, I’ve got you.” Adam rocked her and comforted her and she knew at that moment that he was right. Everything would be just fine.

  ***

  Miles away in Ann Arbor, John was also making his final preparations to check into the University of Michigan Medical Center. Nina was helping him get packed with her usual acerbic brand of cheer, but he had her number. He watched her closely as she added a shirt to the garment bag that lay across the bed. He was reclining next to it with a smile on his face. He still couldn’t get over the fact that she’d interceded on his behalf. After Adam confronted him about his condition, John had gone to her hotel and knocked on her door. He didn’t have to say anything to her; she knew from the look on his face why he was there. Her reaction was typical Miss Parker.

  “You can’t fire me,” she said at once. “I am not on your payroll; I work for your publisher. You can’t terminate my employment and there is no basis for a lawsuit because my actions were absent malice. So if you’ve come seeking revenge, think again.” She crossed her arms and dared him to say something, a dare he took with no hesitation.

  He crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him, coming to stand in front of her and putting his bag hands on her slender shoulders. He was pleased to find out she was trembling just a bit. Miss Parker truly did have a heart buried beneath her constant flippancy.

  “I’m not here to fire you or sue you or anything else. I’m here to thank you. That took guts, Nina. A lot of people wouldn’t have bothered; they wouldn’t have gotten involved at all. You went way out on a limb for me and I’ll never be able to thank you for it.”

  Nine tried to mask her pleased expression at his warm words and succeeded by saying “So now I own you, is that what you’re saying? I want that in writing and notarized.”

  His chest muffled her words as he had embraced her tightly. He was about to speak when his cell phone went off and with an apologetic smile, he answered it, giving her time to extricate herself from his arms and wander around the room looking insouciant

  John smiled again at the memory. He liked to amuse himself by wondering what would have happened if Abe Gold hadn’t called him at that exact moment. Now didn’t seem to be the time to find out however, as Nina was displaying her frightening efficiency in getting his things organized for the trip to the hospital.

  “I’m not touching your underwear in any way, shape, or form so if you don’t plan on going commando I suggest you see to that. We’re actually ahead of schedule on the book so there’s nothing to worry about on that account. I put a couple of magazines in the bag and I’m loaning you my I-pod. If you want more reading material, I can bring it to you, I suppose,” she added with a long-suffering sigh.

  “Miss Parker, I’ve never known anyone who goes to the lengths you do to disguise their essential sweetness and generosity of spirit. You are without a doubt one of the kindest people I’ve ever met and yet you try to pretend you’re a harpy. Why is that?”

  “Because I’m unique,” she drawled. “Now why don’t you get up and do some packing because I don’t do other people’s underwear.”

  “When this is all over and I’m healthy and hearty again, I’m going to do something wonderful to thank you.”

  “Put your drawers in the tote bag, that’ll be thanks enough,” she said without looking at him.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Nina decided she was going to have to take back some of the things she’d said about the Cochrans. They might be downright goofy with love, but they were definitely the ones to have on your side. From the moment Adam had found out John needed his help, he was there for him just like a brother should be. And that other brother of his, that Andrew was a big help, too. He was the one who made sure everyone understood what the procedure consisted of and what would be happening in the operating room. He’d had a meeting to explain to the whole family at once, easily the best way with so many family members. She rubbed her brow and thought about what Andrew had told them all. “It’s a fairly simple procedure, actually. Every healthy adult liver has two globes. One is slighdy bigger than the other and that’s the one that will be taken from Adam and put into John. After that, both John and Adam will start to grow new livers because the liver regenerates itself. In fact, John will have a full-sized organ before Adam will. For some reason the donor’s grows back more slowly. After a period of recuperation they’ll both be fine.”

  Nina thanked God that Andrew had made it seem so straightforward and that Adam was so caring and generous. And that Alicia hadn’t stopped him from going through with the surgery. No one had to tell Nina. One look at the couple let her know if Alicia told Adam she wanted the moon he’d be trying to figure out a way to bring it to her. They were so in love it should be sickening, but for some reason it was just sweet.

  She still cringed when she remembered the things she’d said to Alicia, although as Adam said, Alicia was quite forgiving. And very calm, too, she thought, looking at Alicia fingering a rosary as they waited for the surgery to be over. Praying that she was looking at least as composed as Alicia, Nina went back to surreptitiously stroking the thick gold bracelet John had given her the day after she’d sent him breakfast. Her stupid hands just wouldn’t stop trembling, no matter what she did. It wasn’t like she was going through this alone; all of John’s brothers were there in the waiting room, as well as his father. His father’s wife, a couple of wives of one brother or another, Alicia’s mother and sister, there were so many people in the waiting room Nina couldn’t even begin to remember who was who, nor did she care. It was enough that they were all there for John and Adam.

  Alicia looked a lot more serene than she felt. Inside she was a mass of raw nerve endings, each one firing off its share of anxiety and tension. She was trying to concentrate on the rosary beads in her hands, but it was futile. She finally abandoned herself to the love she felt in the room and let herself relax in its aura. Her mother had gone off with Martha to get her a cup of tea and she found herself sitting next to Big Benny, who was surprisingly subdued.

  Alicia took his hand and held it, giving him all the reassurance she had to offer. “It’s going to be fine, Mr. Cochran. Adam is strong and healthy and he and John are a perfect match genetically. It’s going to be just fine,” she said bracingly.

  Benny squeezed her hand in acknowledgment of her words. “God’s going to take care of my boys,” he said. He didn’t speak again for a few minutes.

  “I don’t deserve to have a son like Adam. Or John for that matter. I’m not a bad man, Alicia, but I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I tried to be a good father, but who knows how I did? If it weren’t for Benita and Andrew and Ruth this whole family might have fallen apart after Lillian died. I made so many mistakes,” he repeated sadly.

  “Mr. Cochran, I think you were a better father than you know. Look at your children; they’re all wonderful people. You were a good father,” she insisted. “You raised them to be strong, confident adults with beautiful families and they all love you dearly.”

  “Not Adam. Adam doesn’t want to have anything to do with me, Alicia, and I can’t blame him. The fact that he was able to do this thing for John, that means a lot to me because he didn’t have to do it.”

  “No, he didn’t. But he couldn’t turn his back on his brother and part of that came from you, Mr. Cochran. You and Adam will work through this, I know you will.” Martha and Leah returned with cups
of hot tea for Alicia and Benny and one for Nina, which Alicia took over to her. Nina accepted it with her usual clipped thank-you, but Alicia wasn’t put off by her tone. “Do you need more sugar? I think Mami brought some extra back with her.”

  “No, this is fine. You don’t have to be nice to me; I was pretty nasty to you-1 had no right to judge you and say the things I did.”

  “Nina, please stop apologizing! In the first place, I’d have clowned worse than you if Adam had been ill. And in the second place ...” Alicia took a sip of tea and looked sheepish. “I wasn’t exactly genteel myself. I curse quite fluently in Spanish,” she mumbled into her cup.

  The two women looked at each other and laughed quietly. It was enough that they’d turned a corner in their path to friendship, but the moment was made even more special by the presence of Adam’s and John’s surgeon.

  “The procedure went brilliantly. There’s every reason to believe that they will have a spectacular recovery,” Dr. Cortopassi assured the families.

  Alicia’s eyes closed in a prayer of thanksgiving and she didn’t hear too much more of what else was said. She did hear the doctor say they could see John and Adam in post-op for just a minute before they went to the recovery room. Alicia wiped her eyes as she and Nina were taken to the post-operative suite where John and Adam lay on gurneys waiting to be transported to the recovery room. Alicia stroked the side of Adam’s face and said his name softly. His eyelids fluttered once, and then he opened them just enough to see her and smile before they closed again.

  “Allie. I love you, chica.”

  Nina stood next to John’s gurney and searched his face with her eyes, not daring to touch him or speak, until his head suddenly turned. Her eyes widened in surprise as he mumbled something that sounded like “Miss Parker.” She touched his hand and was stunned when he returned the touch with a slight squeeze of his fingers. They had to leave the area and were told the patients would be in recovery for a couple of hours and would then be going to their rooms. Alicia wanted to weep with joy, she wanted to dance and sing with happiness, and instead she did the next best thing and hugged Nina. After a moment of motionless shock, Nina hugged her back.