Fredo's Dream: SEAL Brotherhood: Fredo

by Sharon Hamilton

  It melted Fredo’s heart to see that Ricardo wanted to come to him first, and not his mother. With one arm around his wife, he took the toddler in his arms, lost his balance, and fell to his knees, taking Mia with him. That set off another flurry of activity.

  “I’m fine. I just had to sit down!” he shouted to the crowd, still on his knees. He soothed Ricardo, whispering in his ear until the boy stopped screaming and began to whimper. He hugged the two most precious people in the whole world. Felicia Guzman walked over, hugged Fredo by the neck, and kissed the top of his head.

  “Now she’ll be fine. She worried the most about you, Fredo. But now my daughter will be fine.” She kissed him again.

  “Thank you, Mama,” he said to his mother-in-law while peering over at his wife. “And you? Are you feeling better now?”

  “Yes, Fredo. Everything is as it should be now.”

  “The baby?”

  “The baby is strong. I think she gave me strength. We are so happy to see you, my love. I am so happy you got back home safe.”

  Gus Mayfield burst into the room, took his wife in his arms and then addressed Fredo. “Geez, man, I saw you come streaking by. I couldn’t believe you got through all those people. I tried to follow behind, but they snagged me.”

  “I think Kyle and Coop got delayed out at the perimeter.”

  AMID KHAN WAS pronounced dead at the scene. Sayid Qabbanni was taken into custody. Mia and Felicia answered questions, and their statements were taken. Ricardo fell asleep in Fredo’s arms.

  Riverton told them they would have to do some evidence collection at the house. He suggested the three of them find another place to stay for the night and assured them someone would come over to board up the front door and be on guard to preserve the scene until they could return the next day.

  Fredo’s mind was sifting through ideas about where they could spend the night in privacy. Though Felicia and Gus offered their second bedroom, Fredo needed to be alone with his family. When they offered to take Ricardo for the night, Mia agreed.

  “Let him get spoiled on pancakes and hot chocolate by his grandparents. We can sleep in, Fredo.” Her warm brown eyes smiled back at him, and his heart began to unthaw.

  “I know a place by the beach. Not too expensive. Not the Hotel Del, but it’s vacant, and I just cleaned it before we left for the Canaries.” Coop stood behind them and held up keys to the Babemobile. Coop leaned into Fredo’s ear, “And no flowers or room spray to make you sneeze. Honest. But, sorry, I got the scented dryer packets for the sheets. Just couldn’t help myself.”

  Chapter 29

  ‡

  MOONLIGHT SHONE ON the bay as it always did. Sounds of sea birds playing in the salty night air were calming. Being close to the water was his kind of therapy, listening to the little waves kicking up sand and moving shells, tiny rocks and the creatures that lived in the surf.

  “In all the months I’ve known you guys, I’ve never been inside,” whispered Mia as she spooned into his back while he unlocked the door.

  “I’ll warn you. They don’t call it a Babemobile for nothing.” He chuckled. “I used to give—still do give—Coop such a hard time. Libby agreed at first to let it be parked down the street but she told Coop one day she didn’t like to drive past it anymore, knowing what Coop used to do here.”

  “He was a player, like my man, Fredo?” She giggled and slid her palms under his shirt, then around to his front, and hugged him from behind.

  “Well, not sure about that.” He didn’t want to talk about the past. “Coop was the one they always wanted.” He turned and took her face in his rough hands, thumbing over her soft lips. He was still amazed at her beauty at midnight under the stars. “I was just waiting for that one special girl. I never looked for anyone but you, Mia.” He kissed her, felt her form her curvaceous body around his. “Once I met you, it was all over for me. I was done. Cooked and done.”

  She sifted through the hair at his temples. “Ah, mi amore. I put you through so much. I regret all the days we didn’t have while I was being a stupid, selfish girl. And so grateful you waited for me to come around.”

  They kissed again, the passion flaring. He picked her up with one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees, flipped the metal plate down with his foot, and stepped inside with her. He dropped her to her feet slowly, feeling her body melt against him on the way.

  After picking up their bags, he closed the door before flipping the small retro light switch next to the rounded space-age opening. The yellow glow of aging plastic lamp covers was romantic, he thought. The wood paneling, which had been freshly polished, shone with a dull patina. The Babemobile had undergone a redecoration with palm trees and hula girls wearing flowered leis covering buxom tops the dominant theme on the pillows, the coverlet over the couch, and the curtains. Coop had added some retro appliances to match the decor, including a thirties-style teapot and an old blender with a turquoise base.

  He turned on the stereo, located in a panel above the step-down to the driver and passenger seats of the vehicle. Mia was walking down the hallway, opening up closets and drawers and peering into the bathroom on her way to the rear bedroom.

  “This place is wonderful! What a love wagon. You can just feel it, can’t you?”

  Yes, he had to admit, the aura of the place used to hit him between the eyes every time he was inside, and it used to piss him off. Coop, he always felt, had been the lucky one. Fredo always felt like the comic relief.

  But tonight he would be the main event. He left the channel on a light jazz program broadcast from UC San Diego and turned to find his beautiful wife sitting on the edge of the bed. Her legs were crossed, but she’d removed her shoes.

  “I think we need a shower. Don’t you agree, mi amore?”

  He definitely agreed with that. “Let me see if I can figure it out.” He was hoping he didn’t have to light a pilot to warm the shower water, but was rewarded with the sounds of an instant hot water heater gurgling in the cabinet below the sink. When he exited the tiny stainless steel cell of a bathroom stall, Mia was already naked. He noticed immediately her breasts had enlarged. It was probably his imagination, but she did appear to have a very tiny belly.

  “Look at you, Mia!” he said as she approached him.

  “I like how you look at me, Fredo. It makes me feel so hot and sexy.”

  “You are sexy.” He could barely get the words out before she covered his mouth with hers, twisting her body against his, rubbing her mound against his thigh. Her hands roamed under his shirt and then down the front of his pants.

  “Off. These come off now,” she whispered as he bent to kiss her long neck and shoulder. She undid his cargo pants and slid them off his hips, kneeled, and took him into her mouth.

  Fredo sucked in air as her lips and tongue worked over his member, elongating him, one hand fondling his balls and pulling down on his sac. He quickly removed his shirt and tossed it toward the kitchen.

  He didn’t want her to stop, but he wanted to clean himself for her. The long plane ride and the ordeal she’d been under all had to be washed off. He didn’t want any of the fear and sweat from the unknown to remain. He guided her to stand, lifting her gently under the elbows. “Come, Mia. Let’s wash each other.”

  The warm water felt heavenly against his back as he pressed her into the metal side of the stall, savoring a long, languid kiss. Her nipples stiffened against him, her mound urgently sought his limbs. The space was so small that every movement she made touched him somewhere. She brought the shower gel bottle between them and drizzled the lemon soap all over both their fronts. Her hands explored his chest, and his did the same, as if lovingly sculpting his statuesque beauty, squeezing her breasts and enjoying the feel of her muscles beneath his fingers.

  She turned him around and massaged his back, washing up around his shoulders and his neck, squeezing the tension out of him, working down his spine to end at his thighs. Her warm body cupped him, her knees matching beh
ind his knees, thighs against the backs of his, her hands moving around to rub gel all over his manhood, giving him a firm squeeze. She pressed her forehead against his shoulders and sighed. “Mi amore. I missed you so much. I would die without you.”

  His heart leapt. He quickly wiggled his way to face her, their naked bodies resting against each other as the warm water sluiced between them. In the steam of the hot shower, he found her red lips, plunged inside her, and devoured her mouth. He felt her breath go ragged as he kissed her neck, biting the creamy smooth flesh, running his teeth down to her breast, and taking her nipple roughly. At this, she seemed to explode. Her nipple was sensitive as he tasted her, biting and rubbing his tongue over the stiff areola.

  Looking into her eyes, he could now touch her place of need. His fingers slid down her belly until he found her opening, and he waited. Her hungry expression spurred him on, and then she placed her palm over his and helped guide him deep inside her. She rolled her head back and moaned at his touch, exposing her long graceful neck begging to be kissed.

  She was his completely. There was no hesitation. There never was. Their bodies found and explored each other until the water grew cold. Even then they played, kissed and relished the foreplay. There wasn’t room to fuck properly, since tonight he wanted her splayed all over the bed, begging for more. He was mad with desire.

  Fredo turned off the water and let the droplets pour off them as the steam dissipated in a hush, and then silence. He thought for sure she could hear his heart beating, and perhaps she did, because her palm pressed against it, and then she followed it with a kiss to his breast. He held her hand there, holding it against his chest so she could feel how he loved her. He knew she could. He saw it in her eyes.

  Her coy smile turned up the sides of her mouth playfully. “Come. Fredo, my love. I need to show you how much I’ve missed you.”

  His libido spiked at the thought. Joy sparked and ignited every cell in his body. Every nerve ending was open and waiting for her.

  She took his hand, and dabbed him off quickly with a white fluffy towel she’d gotten from the closet. She then presented it to him to do the same. He couldn’t. He let the towel slip to the floor, took her in his arms and walked her back to the bed where he placed her. She scrambled to the pillows, begging him to follow her.

  At last, he was on top of her, kissing her neck and shoulders, loving to suck and taste her body, massaging her opening with his fingers and then following up with his mouth. Her juices were sweet on his tongue as she writhed beneath him.

  But she needed him inside because she pulled his arms, begging him to crawl up her body and angle himself. As he pressed the tip of his cock into her, she squeezed his butt checks into her fists, forcing him inside her. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her pelvis angled and desperately giving him full access to her, giving him a longer penetration. Beads of water on her chest rolled to the sides, and her perfumed hair was full of silver droplets, making her look like an angel beneath him. Her fingers threaded his hair, drawing him down to kiss her hard.

  He palmed her butt checks, raising her pelvis slightly as his hands grabbed her hips. In long strokes, he pumped, then became furious with desire to own every piece of her body. He pulled her up against him, beginning to feel her shattering, the pulsation from her sex sending little ripples throughout his body.

  And then, this finely tuned, delicate body of hers exploded. She bit his shoulder, clawed at his back, and held him tight against her cervix. She released him and then drew him in again deep. She began a long moan as her orgasm coiled and struck them both.

  He’d planned to make love to her all night long, but he needed to thoroughly satisfy her first. He desired to push her over the edge, have her lose control and pull him down with her. He’d match very step she took, every movement with a counter of his own. He’d give her back what she was giving him and more. Anything she wanted, he would be there for her, ride her down into the fall.

  Spilling inside her brought a smile to her face, her eyes full of dreamy lust, feeding off his orgasm, and holding him tight against her womb, where he belonged.

  They fell asleep while still connected. He slipped the coverlet up over them both and gave her a good night kiss.

  Now he could sleep. The world was right where it should be. He was headed into complete oblivion to rest, to recharge, to soak up as much love generated between the two of them as was humanly possible.

  THEY WENT OUT for breakfast to the Golden Bear grill down by the wharf. Griz was glad to see them and had two lattes ready for them quickly. He served up an oyster scramble, the specialty of the day.

  “And why not?” Fredo said as he shared the plate with her.

  “I love them this way,” she said.

  They went for a walk along the beach before returning to the Babemobile. He was thinking about the upcoming rotation plans for the team and needed to mention they might be on deployment during her due date.

  “Fredo, if you can, you must do a mobile chat so you can see your new son.”

  “A son? You think it’s a boy?”

  “I do. Something is very strong with this child. I don’t know what it is, but this is all different, not at all how it felt before.”

  “You were under a lot of stress before, Mia. Perhaps that is it?”

  “No, Fredo something about this baby. I feel it. I don’t know what it is, but I feel different.”

  “Should we make sure everything is okay? The paramedics last night said you should get checked out, just to be sure.”

  “Already scheduled. I must be nearly a month along. Not yet time for a heartbeat, but they can do an ultrasound and measure the size of the baby. That will confirm our due dates.”

  Back at Coop’s motorhome, they changed the sheets and brought everything they’d used back with them in the truck to wash and return later.

  Ricardo was pleased to see them when they got to Gus and Felicia’s. He ran up to Fredo, who carried him on his shoulders. Mayfield told Fredo privately that Felicia hadn’t slept well, and although they’d offered to take Ricardo for another day, he thought it was too much for her to handle.

  “I completely understand.”

  “We’re thinking of taking a road trip up north, go see what you guys started in Sonoma County.”

  Fredo gave him Nick and Devon’s number as well as Zak and Amy’s. “And make them introduce you to their neighbor. Gus, you’ll love Zapparelli.”

  With Ricardo in tow, they said their goodbyes. Fredo thanked Felicia for the gift of her daughter. “I’m eternally grateful to you for bringing me my Mia.” He followed up the words with a firm kiss on both her cheeks.

  Felicia burst into tears and could barely respond. “You saved her life, Fredo. It is I who is grateful. You did what I could not do.”

  Ricardo’s things were packed in several cloth bags. “God, Ricardo, you travel heavier than your mother,” said Fredo.

  RICARDO WAS IN a very active mood as they waited at Mia’s obstetrician’s office. She had tried to get him interested in the puzzles and other small toys left in the center of the room for children, but he was quickly bored, fussy, and needed constant holding, which seemed new.

  Fredo noticed in him the fear he’d seen with children overseas in the war-torn areas. He would have to monitor this since he knew the stress of the last two days events could leave a lasting mark. He vowed to spend some private time with Ricardo, doing some focused activity and free play. He also wondered if he was somehow jealous of the new baby. Deployments, even short ones, would now start taking their toll since he was old enough to experience it.

  They were called and ushered into a room. Fredo held the squirming Ricardo, who wanted to lie down next to Mia on the table, but had to be talked out of it. He watched as the ultrasound wand was placed over Mia’s belly and moved back and forth in the gel placed there for conduction. Dr. Feldman smiled.

  “Ah, there he is.”

  “He? You can tell it’s a boy?
” asked Fredo.

  “No, we just say whatever comes to mind. But it appears—” he moved the scope back and forth again, “we have some additional news.” He tapped on the screen, and Fredo saw a small outline in white of a dark gray round object. “That’s your baby there, and everything looks nice and normal.”

  Fredo was relieved.

  “And that?” The probe moved over another section of Mia’s belly. “That’s another one. Let me see if we have a third, aaand no.”

  Fredo blinked at Mia, in shock.

  “Twins? You are sure?” gasped Mia.

  “No denying it. I think we’re a bit early to detect heartbeats, but next visit we can confirm. You see it there? One, two?”

  Fredo thought about his dream, all the toddlers and babies being born that evening. Part of it was coming true. He needed to talk to the doctor in private. He was ready to face the paternity of these children. While Mia was taking Ricardo to the restroom, he cornered the doctor.

  “Sorry, Doc, but there’s something bothering me.”

  “Okay. You wouldn’t be the first father to walk out of this office in shock. Twins can be a life-altering event.”

  “That’s not what I’m wondering. I was tested a few months ago.” He inhaled and then decided to just come out with it. “Doc, I’m sterile. I saw it with my own eyes.”

  “You want me to do a followup?”

  “Well, I had one, and they told me my sperm—” Fredo leaned in to whisper in the doctor’s ear—“had dented heads and did not move.”

  Dr. Feldman smiled. “It’s rare, but in some cases this can be reversed. Were you on any medication you’ve now stopped or changed your lifestyle any?”

  “No. Not really.”

  “Well,” he opened a drawer under the counter, brought out a small plastic cup with a cardboard lid on it for urine samples. “Get me a specimen, and I’ll take a look. I got a microscope back in the lab. It’s an easy one to check.”