When they arrived at the studio, Marco was waiting. He knew what they’d want, and there were coffee and bagels waiting.
It was a busy time, and Andy found that he’d missed it – a little - and suddenly, he was anxious about it. What if we suck? he wondered, and followed the thought with, It’s for Kyliejo and Carlee. We can’t suck.
“A bunch of old rock-and-rollers having fun,” Dane laughed. All of the Traveler guys were there; Dane Allen, Nigel Rose, Mark Jones, Scott Force, John Smith – ‘Stretch,’ Nathan Perry, and Andy played and sang and played some more until late into the night. And they all loved it.
“I think we’ve still got it!” Nigel shouted with a big laugh.
Marco loved witnessing it. Addy showed up at six that evening and joined in the fun.
When Andy called Geni later that evening he was telling her about the day, and the mention of Addy’s name made her experience a feeling she wasn’t sure how to handle. Later, lying in bed – the bed she shared with Andy, not Tom, she tried to talk herself out of the jealousy she felt, but it stayed in the back of her mind.
~ ~ ~
The next day, the Traveler guys headed out; they’d be seeing each other in a couple of weeks in London and then again a few days prior to the concert and through the event.
Mark stuck around another day, and Kimmy had Andy and Nanny and Pops over for dinner. Carlee’s family loaded him up with goodies to take back to Carlee, and he headed for Jacksonville.
When he got back to the house that evening, he poured a glass of wine and went to sit on the patio. His mind wandered through many memories as he enjoyed the quiet. He thought about all the years with the guys, and then Beth. Those memories, entwined with what he was sharing with Geni, left him feeling emotional, and then he thought about all he’d shared with Carlee. He savored the last the last sip of wine in his glass and was getting ready to go inside when his phone rang. “Hey, love,” he said when he saw it was Geni.
“When are you coming back? I miss you.”
“I’m leaving here in the morning; gonna have to grab another suitcase to haul the loot the family is sending to Carlee,” he laughed.
She was ready for him to be back in her company. Sleeping with his arms around her was a feeling that she loved. She watched him with her sons and grandchildren, and she knew, with no question, that he was part of her life for a greater reason than just Carlee and Matthew.
~ ~ ~
Geni was on the porch waiting when she saw his car turn into the driveway.
He stepped out of the car, and she made her way into his arms. He kissed her passionately. “Damn, I haven’t missed anyone this much in a really long time.”
“I’m glad it’s me that you missed,” she said.
“I did miss you. What a crazy couple of days. Being back together with those knuckleheads was a blast!”
He headed back to London two days later.
~ ~ ~
He flew through the night to get there, and when he arrived, a driver was waiting to take him straight to the center where Carlee had her treatments; he met Matthew in the lobby. “I can’t wait to get my arms around her!”
“Oh, and I can already see the smile on her face and her flight into your arms,” Matthew laughed.
They caught up while they waited, and finally the door from the treatment area opened. He was up before she saw him and finally went to her and lifted her off the floor in a hug.
“You’re light as a feather, too thin,” he said.
But Matthew was quick to add; “She’s finally getting her appetite back and eating, not just moving it around on her plate to confuse us!”
“Speaking of that… I could eat a lil’ bit of something now!” she laughed.
~ ~ ~
With Andy back, on Monday, Matthew’s work schedule returned to normal, and Andy took over as chauffer for the last week of her treatment. He enjoyed the conversation as they traveled back and forth. He told her about the studio time with the Traveler guys and the time with family.
Each morning after treatment they made a quick stop by the hospital to check in on Kyliejo. They were keeping her comfortable, and that was all anyone could pray for. Johanna was struggling, trying to manage work and being there for her daughter. She worked as a copy editor, and they were able to allow her to work from her laptop from the hospital for the most part.
Carlee had printed butterfly templates that she’d used at camp in previous years, and they had Kyliejo’s colored pencils for them to color the butterflies. Everyday they added two more to the walls. Hatchet was still caring for her as much and as often as she could.
Andy watched Carlee, loved seeing her with the child, and he prayed.
~ ~ ~
“Papa, Thursday is Matthew’s birthday; can you help me with something?” she asked Andy as they made their way home.
“Whatever you need,” he said. “Hey, Saturday is Valentine’s Day as well.”
“I think I’m gonna act like I forgot his birthday and plan something for Friday evening to surprise him.”
“So your help from me is to get lost?” he chuckled.
“Well, there is that,” she said and followed it with a hearty laugh, a sound that Andy was happy to hear again. “If I call Cook and get it all planned, can we go by there Friday after treatment and pick it up? Friday will be late because it’s the last one and they’ll do another set of scans and stuff.”
“So it’ll be a celebration of you as well,” he said with a smile. “Carlee, I can’t tell you how relieved I feel. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared.”
“Me too, Papa. I don’t know what I was more fearful of,” she said and paused. “I was afraid of everything to do with the treatment and outcome, but I think I was more afraid that Matthew would get tired of all of it. I know the treatment will be over soon, but it’s not the end of the road for this journey. Another however many months of not driving… I just feel so much better. I think I look at things differently now, because I feel so blessed that it wasn’t something horrible. But then I feel guilty because someone so young, like Kyliejo, has to go through it.”
That she worried about Matthew made Andy feel very sad. He saw how much Matthew loved her and knew there was no possibility of anything but love from him. “You shouldn’t feel guilty about Kyliejo. Sometimes God has other plans. You show her so much love when we go to see her that it makes me have to hold back tears – pride, that’s what I feel so strongly. And then there’s the way you’ve handled your whole ordeal,” he paused, feeling a lump in his throat. “I don’t know what I’d have done if had been something worse than it was.”
“But it wasn’t, Papa. Thank God, it wasn’t, and we can move forward.”
Geni called that evening; she’d be returning late on Friday, and Carlee smiled to herself. Now Papa will have a celebration of his own…
~ ~ ~
The week went by quickly, and thinking of Friday evening excited Carlee for many reasons. She was ready for an evening alone, a romantic evening alone with Matthew. Thursday night they were on the sofa watching TV. “Can we just go to bed? I’m exhausted tonight,” she told him.
“What about your shower?” he asked.
“Can we do it in the morning?” she replied. “Tomorrow is my last treatment, and I want to be fresh and ready for a great day!”
“Sure, whatever you’d like.”
She crawled into bed and snuggled into his arms; her back to him, she scooted closer, and he wrapped his arms around her. He placed warm kisses on her head and felt the tickle of the soft hair that was beginning to grow back. His hands slipped under the pajama top and tenderly caressed wherever they touched. “Carlee, I love you.”
She turned in his arms to face him, his hands sliding around to rub the skin on her back. She tenderly traced his face with a feather-like touch, and then drew him closer for a kiss, and then whispered, “Go to sleep.”
She hadn’t mentioned his birthday, but he knew there wa
s no way she’d forgotten. She also hadn’t said a word about Valentine’s Day, so the shower set his thoughts in motion, and then the ‘go to sleep’ comment; she was up to something. He’d play along, but he had his own goodies up his sleeve too.
Curling back into his arms, she closed her eyes, thinking about him, thinking of him lying against her, thinking of the passion she knew they would share tomorrow evening when they didn’t have to get up early. She wanted him, slowly… but she wanted it to be special, like the first time all over again, and another first date.
~ ~ ~
Friday morning, Andy was there early to get her. The day ahead excited him too. Geni would be back, and he was in on a surprise for Matthew from Carlee, and one from him to her. Deb was coming over to help her dress for the evening, and he noticed that Carlee was on a ‘high’ like he hadn’t seen in a while.
“Have a good day!” she said in a cheery voice as she kissed Matthew’s cheek and went out the door.
“Papa, today is going to be a good day; I can feel it!”
“I’m happy about it too,” he told her with a smile. “I’ll be glad to have Geni back with me.”
She kept her smile to herself. As much as she missed her mama, she was happy that he’d finally found someone to share his heart with.
When they entered the building, Carlee was overwhelmed and started to cry - there were daisies everywhere! Tamara and Seth came around the corner as she saw them all.
“Someone must love you very much!” Seth laughed. She looked at Andy.
“I love you, but I didn’t do this,” he smiled.
Tamara handed her a card, and she noticed Matthew’s handwriting. She pulled the card out, but didn’t share it with the others. Happy Retirement the outside of the card read and she opened it. The words imprinted on the inside read: Wishing you many happy journeys in the next part of your life. And then she saw his words, I’ll be right there with you, holding your hand, taking you all kinds of places you’ve never been. I love you like crazy, Matthew.
She knew the innuendo, knew what ‘all kinds of places you’ve never been’ meant, and she couldn’t wait for the evening ahead even more. She tucked the card in her bag and turned to Seth. “Let’s go; I have a hot date tonight!”
While she was in the back, Andy started to put the daisies in the car. He was waiting when she came out. Seth hugged her, “You’ve made this easy for me,” he said. “I’ll see you when you come back for your check-up. Be well, Carlee.”
“I hope to!”
She turned to Tamara. “I’m not done with you,” she said with a big smile as Carlee hugged her. “Everything looks good,” she added when Andy had a questioned expression on his face. “She’ll be back in three months, but I meant I’d see her with Kyliejo.”
“Come on, Papa! Let’s go!”
~ ~ ~
They stopped at Six, and Carlee went in with him. Cook was waiting for her in the kitchen. “Just as you requested,” he whispered in her ear as she hugged him. She grabbed the cake, while Andy took the bag with the other items.
“I’ll see you soon! Thank you Peter Cook! I love you!”
Andy loved the excitement in her voice, but he loved more that it was genuine, not her ‘happy face.’ He went upstairs with her, his hands full of daisies. “I’ll be right back.”
He was gone about ten minutes and returned with another handful of the daisies and a bottle of her favorite chilled Machus and put it in the fridge.
While she napped a while, Andy was working on the new song he had in his head. The concert was just a short time away, and he was still tweaking. The Traveler guys would be there on Monday, and they’d be at the rehearsal space Andy had rented for two full days.
When she woke, Andy thought she looked like a new person. She placed the daisies around the living room, their bedroom, some on the dining room table, and some on the kitchen counter. Andy helped her get a glass baking dish to put the chicken and zucchini in to keep it warm. She set the table, and a few minutes later Deb knocked on the door.
“Shoo Papa, go get ready for Geni’s return! Plan something special - now go! I love you!”
~ ~ ~
Friday afternoon Matthew had a faculty meeting after his last class and would be late getting home. Carlee told him to call her when he was on his way. Deb helped her dress, and she sat at the vanity and put make-up on. “Gosh, I haven’t had anything more than lipstick and eye liner on in so long that I forgot what I’m doing! She wet her hands and had Deb spray on a tiny amount of the Scarlett Poppies. She brought her hands to her nose and decided that she could handle it; some smells still made her nauseous. With a wet finger, she barely touched the place behind her ear, at her breast, her wrists, below her belly button and washed her hands. It smelled good but she was afraid too much might make her feel sick. She stepped into her panties and Deb helped her pull the dress she’d chosen over her head. She tied a scarf around her head and turned to Deb and said, “This is as good as it gets.”
“Good looks perfect on you!” Deb said and Carlee’s phone rang.
“Hello!”
“I’m on my way,” he told her.
“I can’t wait for you get here!”
Deb waited a few minutes and got ready to leave. “Welcome back, Carlee. I’m glad you are finally done with all that, ready to live your life with Matthew.”
Carlee hugged her, “Thank you…” she felt a lump in her throat and shooed Deb away. She didn’t want to cry. She lit candles, she started soft music playing, and she waited…
She heard the key in the door, and her heart raced. She stood anxiously as he pushed the door open.
“Wow, Carlee,” he said as he dropped his briefcase beside the door.
“Wow, like good wow?” she asked, her voice full of excitement.
He wrapped her in his arms and whispered in her ear, “Wow like the best kinda wow.” He nuzzled her neck, “I smell some kinda yummy dinner, but I can’t think past this. You smell like that sex in a bottle.” His fingers traced the neckline of the dress she wore, and he felt her breath hitch as he leaned to kiss her chest at the V of the neckline.
“You look beautiful.” She was wearing the copper-colored sundress that she’d worn on their first real date. “Carlee, I love you so much; you didn’t have to do all of this to make me want you,” he said, “but I’m glad you did.”
“I wanted this to be special, Matthew.”
“It’s special every time,” he said. “Every time we’ve shared these moments since you’ve been going through treatment has been amazing. It was special because you felt good enough to want to be with me, or you wanted to be with me enough to act like you felt good enough,” he looked in her eyes and felt her tremble.
“I made sure Papa is busy this evening, planning for your mom’s return,” she laughed. “Should we eat?”
“We can do that if you want, but I’m sure whatever it is will be just as good later,” he said, “and maybe you’ll be hungrier later.” He flashed her a smile that melted her heart, still letting his fingers caress and explore the bare skin of her back.
She stood on tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her into his arms. “The scarves always look beautiful, but I like this better.” He pulled the long end of the scarf she’d wrapped around her head, and let it fall to the floor.
When they reached the bedroom, he put her on the bed so that she was standing in front of him. Reaching for the zipper on the dress, he lowered it. It slid down her body, and Matthew held his breath, noticing only tiny black lace panties and the face of an angel.
“I know,” he said kissing her belly button.
“You know what?” she asked with a light laugh.
“That you can look like an angel, but I know the tiger in there.”
She leaned to him and made a purring sound. “Are you ready for me?”
“I’ve been longing for that wild Carlee to return. I love the beautiful woman that you are, and I am read
y for whatever you are.”
“I’m ready for you, Matthew.” She stepped out of the dress that lay at her feet on the bed and eased down and scooted to the middle of the bed and waited breathlessly as he undressed. Finally he lay beside her, his fingers skimmed soft flesh and she quivered. They’d had intimate moments in the time since treatment started, but she never really felt up to par, so sex was different. Tonight she was like a cat, stretching her body to meet his. When he rolled on top of her, her fingers, like claws, dug into his back as she arched to allow him to enter.
~ ~ ~
An hour later they went to the kitchen to get a bite of dinner. “You OK?” Matthew asked.
“You tell me,” she laughed. She took her plate and went to where he sat and dropped onto his lap, wearing only one of her favorite Traveler t-shirts.
“What’s better than OK?” he asked, “No wait, I know this! Incredible, amazing, crazy-wild, sensuous…”
“Stop,” she laughed.
“Carlee, it was all that and more. I knew you were feeling better, but I don’t think I knew you felt that good. But damn, did you feel good…”
“Happy Birthday!” she laughed.
“And Happy Valentine’s day to you. I love you, Carlee.”
~ ~ ~
Andy was waiting in the terminal as Geni came through. She dropped her bag as he pulled her into his arms. “I missed you,” he whispered in her ear as he held her.
“How’s Carlee?”
“Frisky,” he laughed. “She had me help with dinner plans for tonight and after we picked their dinner up at Six, she shooed me away.”
“I love it,” Geni laughed. “So that means you’re available?”
“And frisky,” he laughed and nuzzled her neck. “Let’s go.”
“Do we have dinner? I’m starving!”
“Got it covered,” he said.
Feel Like Makin' Love (Rock and Roll Trilogy #3) Page 24