The attorney contacted me a week following our return, needing some papers signed. It seemed Father had left the estate to me. Some sort of ironic dare, I suppose. I signed it over to Mother and told her to sell it and spend every penny of it enjoying herself.
It was at that point that Auggie and I came to a decision. The baby was due soon and our life was not yet settled. We decided to move into our new home right away.
I hired movers to pack our personal items, especially those for the nursery. Otherwise, we left the condo intact and Mother moved in. She would be closer to us and further from the memories of the farm. She had it cleaned and the furniture removed, thereafter putting it into the hands of a realtor. While the house certainly held a stigma, the land and barns were the majority of the value and new owners could choose to raze the house and build anew. Personally, I hoped that’s exactly what they would do. I’d never particularly liked the house and there was plenty of room to build a much larger building. If the real estate agent advised it, I would have the house demolished myself and offer the land and barns alone. Either way, Mother had a haven at the condo near us and we had a feeling that she would not be lonely for long.
I heard no more threats about the clinic and began to make plans to open a second one in Lexington, and then had my sights set on Cincinnati.
Now that things were more settled, Auggie came in one day for a back massage to relieve the sore muscles from the weight of the baby. Everyone crowded around her, making a fuss over her, and she loved every minute of it. As much as I knew she looked forward to being a mother, there was a side of her that was very sociable and practical. I began to give some thought to asking her to be a part of the business, particularly when we opened the new sites.
I broached this to her that evening and was surprised at her reaction.
***
“I don’t think so,” she said immediately.
“Oh? Really? I thought you would love to try your hand at the business, Auggie. After all, that’s what you went to school to learn, right?”
“Just because I know a good deal about business doesn’t mean I agree with how you run yours,” she pointed out in a salty tone.
“Which means?”
“Worth, I love you, but you’ve been reckless in the way you treat your clients. You know as well as I that you’ve found occasions to influence them unfairly when they came to you for your professionalism and guidance.”
“Hardly, dear. They come to be forgiven of their sins. I explained that to you.”
“Perhaps some do,” she agreed. “But that isn’t for you to decide. I didn’t care for whatever you did to get Mrs. Jessup’s son to donate that money. I don’t want to know how you did it, but all the evidence leads back to you. Can you deny that just perhaps you abused the privileges of your profession a bit to get what you wanted?”
I must have looked guilty because she called me on it instantly. “See what I mean?”
“Auggie, I want you to work with me. You’ve got a good head and I’m going to need help. Expansion takes time and expertise. I can’t do it all alone. Not unless I give up my practice entirely.”
“Worth, I don’t think you need to go to that length. Just be more professional.”
“If I promise to do as you say, will you reconsider?” I really wanted her help and was ashamed of her condemnation. I wanted to run everything above board, the way I’d promised myself I would do. I wanted the name LaViere to stand for something noble and not dark and evil.
She could see the earnest look on my face. She came over to me, leaning upward to kiss me. Her breasts were bursting and their softness against my chest was nearly my undoing. Jesus, I wanted her, baby or not.
“I will promise you this. When this baby is born and our household stable enough to support my being away for a few hours each day, as long as you’ve kept your promise to stay above board, I will come and work with you,” she allowed.
“Thank you, sweetheart. You don’t know what that means to me.”
“Not so fast, Worth,” she cautioned. “You’ve got some bad habits and they’re hard to break. To compete legally, you’ll have to stop manipulating all the way around. Do you think you can do that?”
“I do.” I was serious.
“Very well. Keep it above board and I’m there. Revert and I’m out.”
I would keep my word to her. I would make her proud. For some reason, I felt a need to be accountable to someone, and Auggie was a far better choice than the man who had sired me.
In the meantime, our household was preparing for Christmas and the birth of our baby. In a resolution to be more sociable, we had decided to host a pre-Christmas gala. Auggie had hired caterers and Jeremy came by to add his unique touch to the decorations throughout the house.
Although we’d had a bit of snow, it had already melted by the next morning so it appeared as though we would have a green Christmas. Auggie had decided to improvise and she’d hired the white carriages drawn by horses that commonly carried tourists in the downtown area. They pulled up in the parking area outside our house and we invited our guests to take a carriage ride, complete with hot cider and other holiday refreshments. Auggie was becoming loved and known; well on her way to being a replacement for the aging Mrs. Jessup as society’s matron. While I didn’t think the role suited her since she was still far too young, I could not discount the advantage it would present while growing the business and later with having our children established properly.
Auggie was heavy with our child and supervising the installation of our personal Christmas decorations on a twenty-foot fir that had been set up in the main foyer. I was in my office, going over the paperwork left from settling Father’s estate. I wanted it done before the new year set in.
“Worth!” she called out and I could tell she was alarmed. I found her standing in a puddle of fluid, her eyes huge in terror. “Worth, my water broke! It’s too early!”
I grabbed her, put my arm around her and called to Betsy, the lady we had hired to help Auggie and to see to the cooking and care of the house.
“Get Auggie’s bag, Betsy,” I told her and scooped my wife into my arms, threw a coat over her and deposited her in the back seat of the Escalade. Betsy followed with the suitcase that had long been packed beneath the bed and as I pulled out of the drive and headed toward the hospital, I called Mother and then Auggie’s dad.
Worthington LaViere, IV was born just after midnight and despite his early arrival, he weighed six pounds and screamed as only my son could.
My mother was on hand, as was Auggie’s dad, although Mrs. Langford chose to stay home. I was rather relieved at this.
Auggie, although depleted from the ten-hour labor, was jubilant and already planning the decorating of the nursery. She held baby Worth close to her breast and although he was as yet too young to begin nursing, I could not imagine a more beautiful tableau.
Mother and child came home three days later. The hospital wanted Worth, whom we had nicknamed Ford from his middle name, to stay an extra two days for observation and Auggie insisted on staying with him.
By Christmas Eve, the baby was settled into his own bed in a pale green nursery that perfectly offset the emerald eyes he’d inherited from his mother. I could tell he would grow up to likely be a very handsome young man.
My wife had returned to her rightful place in my bed. Although I knew it would be some time before I could fill her beautiful body with my love, I was content to simply have the people I loved the most nearby. I could not have asked for a more beautiful Christmas.
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Worth
Auggie was lying next to me, it was late February and I wanted her. Her body was ripe and her breasts full with motherhood. Her skin seemed to glow as though lit from within.
I found her thigh with my hand and began to stroke it, moving closer to the inside with each rotation. I heard her expel her breath as she moved closer to me. She wanted me, as well.
&nbs
p; I rose to my knees and positioned myself above her head, bending to kiss her nose and then her mouth. Even upside down, her lips were perfectly formed and moist. I breathed in her scent and grew hard.
Auggie forced my knees apart and moved between my thighs. Tilting her head backward, she used her hands to stroke my cock, and I groaned as she took me into her mouth. With her head tilted back, she was able to take more of me into her throat than ever before. I felt her tongue sliding up one side and down the other, then switching to suck hard upon my tip. Desire flamed and my balls tightened.
“Stop, baby. I want to be inside you.”
When she didn’t stop, I pulled her away, those beautiful lips releasing me as I turned her onto her back.
“I’m going to go slow, my darling. You tell me if you’re the least bit sore, promise?” I asked.
She nodded but the only word I heard was, “More.”
I entered her gently at first but her swollen pussy clutched at me, not wanting me to withdraw. As I pushed inside her again, I shuddered as she closed around me, hot and snug. The honey-wet silk spasmed, and I nearly lost it right there. I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to let go. I didn’t want to leave her warmth just yet.
I withdrew and thrust harder, tearing a cry from her lips. “Don’t stop,” she moaned against my mouth.
Mindless, I gripped her hips with both hands and thrust deep, pounding into her as something primal coursed through me. The sound of our flesh coming together filled the room as she lifted her hips, meeting every thrust. Knowing she needed me as much as I needed her was driving me crazy.
She came, her body tightening and twisting, low, raw moans filling my ears. I chased her release, needing my own now and replaced pace for force. Seconds later, she exploded again. I came only a breath after her.
Being careful now, I pulled out, gazing down at the still writhing body of the woman I loved. Full breasts heaved, leaking, but so beautiful. Motherhood agreed with her.
I skimmed my fingers down the stomach that had housed our baby, then further down. As my fingers grazed her center, my finger disappearing between her folds, she arched into the touch and I transferred our combined juices to her swollen and tender clit.
I looked at her closely, fascinated with the body that had so willing given life. I wanted to keep the image of that precious part of her anatomy in my mind forever. Using my palms, I massaged her and then parted her, rendering a contrast of warmth and cool air that further excited her. She writhed beneath my attentions and I watched her juices flowing out as the rosy flesh inside pulsed in her excitement.
I loved this woman and knew I could never leave her. She would be by my side forever. Just to prove the point to myself, I entered her once more, tenderly. We were lying, completely immersed like this when we fell asleep. At some time in the night, I awoke to discover my hard cock nestled between her legs. I moved just enough to insert myself again and I heard her moan in contentment.
All the money in the world could not find me another Auggie. All we needed was one another, naked and in full harmony. How long was the road we had traveled in order to discover this simple realization?
I arose to the sound of her in the shower. I punched myself up a coffee and heard the baby crying and her soothing voice in response. She came into the kitchen and sat with me, young Ford nursing at her breast while we talked.
“I have a client coming in and need to get going,” I said finally, stroking Ford’s cheek and Auggie’s nursing breast in one uniting sweep. I’d never seen something so beautiful as watching the woman I adored nursing our little one.
“Ford and I are going to ride out to the farm and visit Dad,” she said. “He doesn’t get to see the baby enough.”
I hadn’t seen Mrs. Langford since the baby was born. I wasn’t entirely sure that she’d even seen him but it was of no concern to me. I left it to Auggie and her own conscience.
“Be careful, the roads are still a bit slick after that frost last night,” I mentioned as I headed out.
Auggie
After all that happened with Worth’s father, I was not very keen about bringing Mother into Ford’s life. She had already ruined two generations and I knew she hadn’t yet slowed down. Dad had come to the hospital, but Mother didn’t accompany him. It seemed she and I had reached an impasse and had a mutual understanding.
All that aside, I knew that it couldn’t go on that way indefinitely, if only because it wasn’t fair to Ford. He deserved access to both his grandmothers in an equal way. Someday, when he was old enough, he could learn of the problems she and I had and make up his own mind how to think of them. In the meantime, it would be too confusing to have such strife between us.
So, I had decided that morning to finally take Ford to see her. I knew she seldom left home so there was no valid reason to call ahead. If anything, it would only prepare her to have acerbic remarks waiting and I really did not need to hear these.
We arrived at the farm and Dad must have seen us pulling in. Before I tackled Mother, I took Ford in his carrier to visit Carlos. I wanted Carlos to get used to him so he would know Ford was a part of me and be calm. Carlos nuzzled me happily and then carefully sniffed Ford. He seemed convinced that Ford was acceptable and I was very relieved. It was also important that Ford begin to think of the smell of a stable as being part of home. I hoped to give him a pony and riding lessons before he turned five.
As we left the paddock, Mother was standing inside the doorway. She simply looked at us through the glass, her face emotionless. Dad went ahead of me and opened the door, causing her to step backward.
“This is Ford, Mother,” I said as I walked inside.
She looked at her grandchild and said, “All babies look alike,” before she turned and walked off. I could not say that I was extremely surprised at her reaction. Other than his eyes, Ford was definitely a LaViere.
I walked into the living room and sat down to pull Ford’s heavy clothing off and to feed him some milk I had pumped before we left. I changed his diaper and Mother sat across the room, her face registering nothing although I know I saw her eyes dart across the room from time to time. I knew eventually she would give in and warm up to him, but it would be a process, not an event. It had to be accomplished on her terms.
Once Ford was over my shoulder being burped, she began her assault.
“We were sorry to hear of Worth’s loss,” she started.
“Thank you.”
“Why did he kill himself?” She was blunt, if tactless.
“Mother, do you really want to get into this now?”
“You can think of a better time?” she snapped, her mouth twisting into something that was anything but attractive.
“I wasn’t talking about the baby, Mother,” I said meaningfully.
“It’s okay, Auggie,” Dad said. “I know your mother’s secrets.”
My head snapped around at this. I had no idea.
“That’s right,” he added. “When your mother found herself with child, we were married and I drove her down to your aunt’s. It has never changed how I felt about her. I loved her for many years before then. If anything, it gave me an opportunity I might not have ordinarily had.”
“Dad, you are unbelievable, do you know that?” I gave him the praise and admiration he deserved but that didn’t sit well with Mother.
“Worth was an ass,” she put in coldly.
“Mother, are you really sure you want to talk about this right now?”
“Auggie, I know you have little, if any, respect left for me and I suppose I can’t blame you. But let’s put this on the table and get it over with. Worth LaViere ran with the fastest crowd. He was like a gang leader, if I had to describe it.” Her voice was almost reminiscent and her eyes glazed as she pictured Worth’s father as he was when they were young. I knew this was not lost on Dad and wondered how he could even stand to stay in the room. “All the girls wanted to be with him and I suppose I wasn’t any different than they were. You h
ave to know what that’s like,” she said in an almost pleading voice.
I nodded, although not avidly. “I was also raised by parents who taught me to stay away from boys like that.” I couldn’t help but say it. All these years I had taken her nasty comments and heavy-handed supervision. I was a mother now and even though I was taught to respect my elders, she was forcing this topic to the surface. I wasn’t going to let her out of it so easily. It was time she grew up.
“Okay, I deserved that,” she allowed and shifted in her chair.
I realized at that moment how much she looked exactly like the furniture in the room where we sat. It was hard, unrelenting and monotone. She surrounded herself with pious misery and expected everyone to accept that as the best way to live. I wasn’t going to accept it.
“Tell me about the baby.” I forced it out into the open.
Her eyes grew momentarily as if the memory had just now come back to her. Even Dad exhaled a bit uncertain whether she was up to talking about it.
“Dad needs to hear about this, too, you know,” I said. “He has stood by you all these years and it’s time he gets a bit of recognition for that.”
She nodded, drew a deep breath and began in a voice that blamed everyone but herself. I should have expected nothing more.
“Worth used me and dumped me on the side of the road, literally, one night. I can still hear his laugh. He’d pestered me over and over until I finally gave in. I thought he would marry me. I was so wrong. He wouldn’t even acknowledge that he’d been with me. Told people that I was loose and suggested I was beneath his level. That’s when I discovered I was pregnant.” She stopped there, swallowing hard and fixating her eyes on some spot in the distance that didn’t require her brain to think.
“I went to him at that farm and found him back in the paddocks with another girl. She was undressed from the waist down and he was upon her. I screamed and that startled her. She pulled herself together and ran. I guess she must have lived nearby. I was sobbing and ran up to him, telling him I was going to have his baby. He laughed and told me it was my problem. I remember slapping him and he hit me in the face in return, hard. I threatened to go to his parents and he said if I did, he’d kill me. He was wild. I believed him, so I left.”
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