Katherine's Prophecy

by Scott Wittenburg

  “Well, let’s see now,” Lenny said, scratching his head as if in deep thought. “This is Saturday . . . Gee, I don’t have a single commitment this entire weekend,” he announced with a wry grin. Then he added, “But I really should go back Monday to tie up some loose ends. Why do you ask?”

  “Two reasons, really. One is, I wanted to fix us a nice dinner tonight if you’re going to be here. The other is that I realize you haven’t had any time at all to yourself since you’ve been released from the hospital and I don’t want to keep you from anything you have to do. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t want you to feel suffocated.”

  Lenny laughed heartily. “Trust me, Emily. I don’t feel the least bit suffocated! As I told you last night, my life as I’ve known it for the last eight years had all but skidded to a halt before the accident happened. I was totally directionless. But now that I’ve met you, I feel like I finally have some direction to head in. In a nutshell, this is where I want to be.”

  Emily smiled and kissed him again. “I was hoping you’d say something like that . . . I guess I just needed some reassurance.”

  Lenny found it hard to let go as Emily resumed serving breakfast. They ate ravenously, and afterwards Lenny helped clean up the kitchen before they put on their coats and set out to meet Frank Turner.

  It was fairly warm outside and the snow was beginning to melt under the radiant afternoon sun as they strolled leisurely down the road, taking in the mountain’s beauty along the way. When they reached Emily’s marooned bus, Frank Turner and his tow truck were already there. After the introductions, Frank informed Emily that he’d already installed the new battery but that he’d have to free her bus by pushing it away from the tree since the road wasn’t wide enough to get his tow truck around to pull it out from behind. So Lenny stood by and directed Frank as he inched the tow truck up against the bus’s bumper and finally managed to ease it away from the tree and back onto the road. After getting the bus started, Emily thanked Frank and paid him in cash then he left.

  Emily and Lenny then drove into town and went to the grocery store. Emily picked out a couple of thick New York strip steaks along with several other items she had on her list then the two backtracked to Hudson Street. Their first stop was Emily’s antique shop. Lenny was so impressed that he insisted Emily give him the grand tour of her impressive inventory.

  Afterwards, they checked out nearly all the other shops on Hudson Street. Emily introduced Lenny to practically everyone they met, and with each encounter, Lenny couldn’t help but notice the surprise and curiosity on their faces. He finally asked Emily what the big problem with the locals was, and she reminded him that she hadn’t been seen in town with a male stranger in over ten years—when she’d gone out with Ted Chalmers—and that the townspeople were a very curious lot by nature, anyway. She added with a chuckle that the two of them were probably going to be the main topic of conversation in town for at least quite some time.

  The afternoon slipped by quickly and at around five o’clock Emily suggested that they head back to the house. When they arrived, they took Cassie outside and played with her in the front yard for a while before finally calling it quits.

  Lenny offered to help Emily with the cooking but she insisted on doing everything herself; so he decided to take a shower in the meantime. By the time he’d showered and dressed, dinner was almost ready. Emily had set the dining room table elaborately, complete with a pair of candles and a chilled bottle of white wine. They ate slowly and talked a lot; relaxed and happy in each other’s company.

  After dinner, Lenny cleaned up the kitchen while Emily took a shower. He hauled some logs to the den and started a fire in the fireplace then sat down in the chair and sipped on a beer.

  As he sat there, Lenny stared into the fire and collected his thoughts. So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours that his mind felt absolutely numb from all that was racing through it. He’d had little time to put things into any kind of perspective before now, and he found it difficult to concentrate on any one thing in particular; with the exception of the most obvious and troubling issue at hand: Emily’s nightmares.

  Lenny hadn’t been able to get them out of his mind ever since he’d found Emily in the bus, screaming and wrestling with him in her sleep as though her life depended on it; and the more he’d dwelled upon this frightening scenario, the more apprehensive he’d become.

  But now, having heard the whole incredible story from Emily, the sheer reality of what was happening became all the more horrifying. He didn’t want to let on to Emily just how weird and scary all of this in fact was to him, so he’d been playing it down as best as he could. After all, he figured, there wasn’t any sense in upsetting her any more than she already was, and Emily was already pessimistic enough.

  But Lenny knew that he had to face the facts sometime; and now was the time . . .

  If everything Emily had told him was indeed true, and if her psychiatrist’s hunch was correct then was there any doubt that she would continue having these horrible dreams for the rest of her life?

  Almost twenty years—nearly two-thirds of her life, he figured. That’s how long Emily had been having these nightmares. What were the odds of them going away after all this time? And what in the hell made him think that he could do anything about it?

  Who in the hell was he trying to fool?

  He felt bad about this. Really bad. Emily was the most incredible woman he’d ever known, and he loved her beyond words.

  But he couldn’t help her. In fact, he couldn’t do jack shit; and Emily no doubt knew that as well—

  Just then, Lenny felt someone’s hands cover his eyes from behind.

  “Guess who?” Emily said, her voice low and playful.

  Lenny leaned his head back and replied, “My beautiful hostess?”

  Emily took her hands away and leaned down to kiss his forehead. She was wearing a white terrycloth bathrobe partially opened to the waist, and her scent was as inviting as her barely visible breasts were.

  Lenny felt a pang in his groin when she suddenly kissed him fully on the lips, her damp hair falling down into his face. He raised his arms and embraced her, feeling more than a little bewildered at this sudden and unexpected display of forwardness. Several intoxicating moments later, Emily slowly withdrew and took his hand in hers. Lenny’s head was swimming as she walked around the chair and faced him, her blue eyes timid and desirous at the same time.

  “I want to try, Lenny,” she declared determinedly. “I don’t want to wait any longer.”

  Lenny looked at her imploringly, not believing his ears. “Are you sure, Emily? We don’t have to rush into this, you know.”

  “I know. But I’ve been thinking about it and decided that now is just as good a time as any; it may even be the best time. I don’t know—we don’t know—what the future holds in store for us. All I know is that I want to make love to you . . . I mean, I want to at least try and see what happens. We’ll never know until we try, will we?”

  Her eyes were as innocent as a lamb’s as she spoke.

  Lenny paused a moment before he spoke. “Well, you’re right about that. I guess I’m just afraid that you’re doing this only for me; and not thinking of how it might affect you. If that’s the case, well, I think we should wait. I want you to want this, Emily.”

  She squeezed his hand emphatically. “I do want this, for both of us. It means a lot to me to know if we’ll be able to make love. It’s driving me mad just thinking about it. I need to know that I can at least offer you something that’s positive. Plus, well, I’ve never actually made love to anyone before. I’ve only been manhandled and pawed at. I need to know what it’s like to enjoy it, if I can, with the man I love.”

  Lenny needed no more convincing. He stood up and kissed her passionately, her body warm and responsive in his arms. He started to remove her robe when Emily suddenly placed her hand on his arm and whispered, “Not here. Let’s go to upstairs.”

&nbs
p; Lenny nodded in acknowledgment and kissed her again. Then Emily took him by the hand and led the way out of the den.

  Her bedroom was dark except for the yellow-white glow of a single candle sitting in a brass holder on top of the vanity. Lenny followed Emily over to the bed then watched her as she strode over to the door and quietly closed it. She turned and moved slowly toward him, untying the sash of her robe and letting it fall off her shoulders to the floor along the way. Lenny stared in awe at her flawless body in the flickering glow of the candlelight. Her eyes were soft as she gazed into his, conveying guarded anxiety but little modesty. She stepped over and began unbuttoning his shirt, her eyes never leaving his.

  She removed his shirt and started undoing his jeans, slowly and determinedly. Lenny felt the impulsive urge to help but continued letting Emily take the initiative, sensing that she had already rehearsed this scene beforehand in her mind. She pulled down his jeans in one smooth motion and knelt down long enough to pull them the rest of the way off. When she got back on her feet, Lenny took her in his arms and held her tight, feeling her soft, warm skin pressed firmly against him. He felt her arms encircling his back then felt her hands as they caressed and explored his backside.

  Lenny kissed her gently on the neck, smothering his face in her damp, luscious-smelling hair. He could feel her heart beating hard against his chest from somewhere between her small, firm breasts. She took his head in her hands then kissed him wistfully, her tongue soft and wet as it darted and mingled with his.

  She broke off gently, faced him, and whispered, “I love you so much, Lenny. But I . . . I need to be in control. For now, anyway. Okay?”

  Lenny understood. He nodded his head in assent.

  Emily lowered herself onto the bed and Lenny followed suit. She placed a hand on his chest as a gesture for him to lie on his back then mounted him. She leaned down, kissed him, and sat up again. Lenny gazed up at her. Her body was now lit from the right side by candlelight—her left side in shadow as in a Rembrandt portrait. The curves of her breasts were accentuated in the glimmering yellow glow; her slim waist, hips, and legs like those of a porcelain fashion model.

  Unable to remain passive any longer, Lenny reached up and cupped her breasts in his hands, causing her to flinch. He started to take his hands away but Emily reached down and held them there, the determination evident in her eyes. She held his hands in hers for several moments then suddenly smiled triumphantly as if to let him know that she was finally over the hurdle. Lenny smiled back then pulled her gently down toward him. He turned over on his side and faced her, kissing her all over. He could hear her breathing become harder as his hands traveled deftly all over her beautiful, responsive body.

  For the next several moments they kissed, caressed, and explored each other until finally, panting breathlessly and driven by unbridled desire, neither could hold out any longer. Emily rolled over and lay on her back, pulled Lenny on top of her then eagerly but ever so gingerly guided him home.

  She let out a moan then gazed up into his eyes and never looked away; as if to reassure herself that it really was him, this man she loved so much, now inside of her and making her feel like she’d never felt before. In Lenny’s eyes she found what she sought—a gentle, sensitive man who cared for and loved her. A man whom she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, would never hurt her and always could be trusted.

  Lenny wondered if he was dreaming as he gazed into Emily’s eyes, feeling her body responding to his every movement. In his dreams, he had never made love to his Dream Lady. He’d only had the pleasure of admiring her from afar. Their relationship had been a spiritual and platonic one—she being his soul mate, his companion for life who was always there for him to share the joys and complexities of life with. They were a unit, a melding of each other’s souls . . .

  Yet, for some reason, they had never made love.

  How odd, he thought, when this occurred to him.

  Lenny knew now what had always been missing in his dreams: The consummation of their special relationship. The ultimate union between two in love.

  And now, in real life, it was finally happening.

  When it was over, they lay in silence for a long time in each other’s arms with only the sound of their breathing filling the still room. Finally, Lenny broke the silence.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, too,” Emily replied.

  “Are you . . . okay?” he asked.

  She smiled broadly. “Oh, yes! It was wonderful, Lenny.”

  “Are we over the hump, you reckon?”

  “Definitely,” she purred.

  Lenny breathed a long sigh. “I’ve got to be the happiest guy on earth.”

  Emily said, “And I, the happiest gal.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Emily lay on her side staring at the dancing shadows on the wall and smiled to herself. Never in her life had she felt so happily exhausted and at peace with herself.

  They had made love twice; and the second time had been even more gratifying than the first. At last, after being virtually celibate her entire life, she now understood why everyone made such a fuss about lovemaking. It was a beautiful, completely natural experience that went beyond description; and it had made her feel all that much closer to Lenny.

  She could hear his slow, rhythmic breathing as he slept beside her, and Emily wondered if Lenny had enjoyed himself as much as she had. She’d surprised herself with her aggressiveness; and she knew it had really thrown Lenny for a loop. But she’d been fearful of letting him start the process—she hadn’t been quite sure how she would respond to a man touching and fondling her. So she had assumed the dominant role to avoid something happening that possibly could have put an end to everything before it even began. And although things had been a little shaky at first, she’d eventually found herself enjoying the role of aggressor and felt that Lenny had, too.

  But above all was the mere fact that she and Lenny had actually succeeded in making love. It was a personal victory for herself; and Emily knew that in spite of the way Lenny had tried to play it down, it was vital to their relationship. Depriving him of sexual gratification would not only have been unfair; it would have been totally unrealistic.

  God, she felt wonderful! For the first time in her life she could see a break in the clouds. And she owed it all to Lenny Williams. Would he ever know how much she loved him?

  She heard Lenny stir and turned her head around just as he was getting out of bed.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  His eyes were half-open. “I’m sorry I woke you . . . I have to relieve my bladder before it bursts,” he replied sleepily.

  “I wasn’t asleep. I’ve been thinking about how much I love you,” Emily said, gazing at him in the waning candlelight.

  Lenny knelt down on the bed and leaned over to kiss her. “I love you, too. This has definitely been the most incredible night of my life.”

  “Mine, too,” Emily said. “So why don’t you hurry and go relieve yourself so I can show you just how much I really love you?”

  Lenny grinned. “Is that an invitation of some kind?”

  Emily winked. “Could be.”

  “I’ll be back in a flash!” Lenny said, and was out the door in seconds.

  Emily lay back down and smiled triumphantly. Is this really happening? she thought. Had she ever in her wildest dreams imagined that she could be this happy? To be in this house, right this moment, sharing her bed with a man who made her feel loved and cared for?

  Thank you, Lord!

  Emily’s mind raced forward to the future, shrouded in doubt. She thought: Is Lenny really as ready for commitment as he lets on to be? And if so, would he be willing to move to Ashland Falls to live with her in this house? Would he be able to simply drop everything and leave New York City to spend the rest of his life in this tiny town? What would he do here? Would he be content to let her support them both until he found something to pursue career-wise?

  She fe
lt a fleeting wave of anxiety. Lenny didn’t remind her of the type who could sit around on his hands while someone else was paying the bills. What if he couldn’t find anything to do around here to satisfy his creative aspirations?

  Suddenly, everything looked muddy. What if he had a totally different conception of their future together? What if he wanted to go somewhere else; to a bigger town or another state? Would she be willing to do that? Could she do that?

  Then, like magic, a thought came to Emily and her doubts vanished into thin air.

  What difference does it make? she thought. They were in love with each other and that was all that really mattered. And they would be together. So what difference did it make where they lived or what Lenny did for a living? They would be together, man and woman, in love with each other. A team. And as a team, they would work everything else out between themselves. The way it was supposed to be . . .

  Just then, she heard Lenny enter the room and watched his shadow loom larger on the wall as he came over and slipped into bed beside her.

  “Feel better?” she asked playfully.

  “Much better,” a voice answered.

  But it wasn’t Lenny’s voice . . .

  Emily froze and then nearly jumped out of her skin when she spun around and saw her great-grandfather lying beside her.

  “Out with the new, and in with the old!” John Hoffman cackled, gaping at her with a twisted grin on his leathery face, only inches away from her own.

  Emily shuddered at what else she saw. John Hoffman was wearing a long nightshirt—like those worn near the turn of the century, and it was hiked up to his waist, exposing an enormous erection.

  She screamed and started to bolt out of bed; but he snatched her arm then forced her back down.

  “You can’t get away from me!” John Hoffman roared. “I told you that the last time we met!”

  Emily lay flat on her back, riveted with fear.

  “Where’s Lenny?” she cried.