The Everett family comes together to celebrate Hal and Phoebe's marriage and old patterns of sibling rivalry emerge between the three sons. Phoebe and her new mother-in-law discover common experiences in their lives that open the door for a closer relationship.
The Everett grandparents were introduced in a previous story, "A Christmas Match," by this same author.
I do now own these characters and make no profit from them.
Family Reunion
Prologue
Following their elopement, or private ceremony as they now liked to say, Phoebe and Hal Everett returned to a week filled with the ordinary distractions of every day life. She had the house to run, the children to care for, and all of the little details of their day-to-day existence to keep in order. He had midterms to deal with. He had planned ahead enough so that he had made up the tests before the weekend. The easy part was administering them. But by the end of the week, they would all be there to grade. He knew that it would mean hours spent in his study, rather than in the arms of his beautiful young wife.
Before he had married Phoebe, he had no idea that he was marrying such a passionate and exciting bedroom partner. He was her first lover. And she reveled in each new sensation that he brought to her. Her warmhearted and giving nature as nanny and now mother, had translated into a very giving and adventurous woman in bed. She wanted to reciprocate his every sensual pleasure to her in kind. While he was definitely pleased that he had finally gotten her to the altar to make all of these pleasures possible, he began to regret that he had not thought of a way to follow up the wedding with a honeymoon. Among other things, it seemed as if there was never enough time to spend with her.
On Monday night, after a long day, she had gone up to bed early. Not wanting to wake her, he quietly followed her to bed a couple of hours later and did his best not to disturb her. However she clearly wanted to be disturbed because no sooner did he turn off the light than he could feel her arms and mouth searching for him. She was ready and waiting and he thought that it was fortunate that none of the kids had come looking for her.
She was amused that he had to get back up to lock the door, not to mention discard his pajamas. He might be tired, but the comforting warmth of her body and passionate responses to his kisses, woke him up fully. He suddenly realized that he would never have to wonder what his reception would be when he came to bed. She had surrendered herself completely to him. She was his.
It had been several years since his wife had fallen ill and died and he had forgotten what it was like to sleep by the side of a lover each night. And Phoebe was a lover who not only welcomed his attentions. She sought them. She wanted him not only at night, but also in the morning if they awoke early enough. She seemed to make sure that they were always up early enough.
At one point he asked her if she had an ulterior motive for her insatiable passion. She looked at him with large innocent eyes that said, "Who? Me?" It crept into his mind that all of the attention was a desire for him to get her with child. As she lay presenting herself to him once more, she answered in a sultry voice, "This is about more that conceiving your child. Can't you tell how much pleasure you give me?"
He looked down at her beauty and smiled at her. "Is this all for me?"
"Every inch," she said as he fell on her. "Inside and out."
The more he had her, the more he wanted her. He was determined that the minute he found time in their busy schedules, he would sweep her away for as long as possible so that they could indulge in these attentions to their hearts' content. He would love her until she was satisfied. The thought of how difficult she might be to satisfy was a challenge that he would gladly take up.
Invitations
On Wednesday afternoon, feeling a bit drowsy after another late night and early morning, the phone rang in his office. It was his mother, inviting herself, his father, and his two brothers to stay for the weekend. He had spoken to his father and both brothers on Monday. His father had been delighted by the news. His brothers had rather mercilessly teased him about his beautiful young wife, whom they had both already met.
Both of his parents had fallen in love with Phoebe nearly a year ago, before he even had the chance to realize that he was in love with her himself. Since the family already knew her, he didn't quite understand the rush. He was annoyed, because he was looking for a quiet weekend at home so that he could get his papers graded and get back to the business of romancing his new wife. Naturally, his mother didn't see it that way.
"Hal, I know that you want time to yourselves, but dear, you have the four children in the house. All we are asking is the opportunity to spend a couple of days getting to know our new daughter-in-law better," she insisted.
"Okay, Mother," he said. "Then why don't we leave Ben and Bob out of it for now?"
He had no desire to face them and their potentially lascivious comments. He and Phoebe had had surprisingly little of that to deal with among their friends and neighbors. Phoebe had been greatly relieved and he wanted to keep things that way.
"Hal," she said. "Listen to me. This elopement, or private ceremony, or whatever you want to call it, has robbed me of the pleasure of seeing my son married. Weddings are always an opportunity to bring the entire family together. You may consider this, a way of making that up to me. If you don't agree then I will just have to call up Phoebe. I am sure that she will be very cooperative."
Hal didn't have to think twice. Phoebe would be lovely and gracious as always. With her sweet and caring nature, it was the only way she knew how to be. Then he would have to spend the whole weekend looking at his mother's reproachful glances. However, he thought that he was the one who should be reproachful. He hadn't married Phoebe just so that his mother could hold a family reunion.
When he returned home that afternoon, he discovered that all the kids were out at their various activities. He knew Phoebe was home, because her car was in the garage. Going upstairs, he noticed that their bedroom door was closed. He could feel himself stirring once more.
Upon opening the door, she called to him, "In here, in the bathroom."
There she was soaking blissfully in a warm bubble bath. Her curls were piled on her head and the soap barely covered her, however that was fine with him.
"There's room for two," she invited.
Quickly returning to the bedroom door to lock it, he wasted no time. This was an opportunity too good to pass up. After a little play in the water, they dried each other off and fell into bed. As he went to work showing his appreciation for her thoughtful gesture, she whispered in his ear, "Welcome home, darling."
Later, as they lay in the afterglow of their lovemaking, he realized that he would have to break the news to her. She accepted it well enough. It was not unexpected of course, which explained why she had been so eager to give him a special homecoming after his long day. It was one of those times when her prescience was definitely working in his favor.
"At least I'm completely moved in here. That will make it easier to get ready for your parents. Ben and Bob can stay in the boys' room and Hal and Butch can camp out in the living room. It will be very crowded," she said.
Hal held her tightly. However, as she lay in his arms still scented from the bubble bath, he found it hard to concentrate on the sleeping arrangements. He gave her a suggestive look. She laughed softly.
"Yes, wouldn't that be a wonderful idea? We could go out to a motel and they could all stay here. Something tells me that you'd pay for that trick somewhere down the line," she said.
"Actually, at this moment, the only sleeping arrangement that I'm worried about is the one going on here," he said with a devilish smile. "Do we have time for . . ."
She didn't let him finish. Instead she pulled his mouth down towards hers for another kiss. When she released it she murmured, "I told that I wanted to do more in this bed than sleep."
When Hal left for the university on Friday, he could see that Phoebe, as always, had everything completely under control. The kids were happy that their grandparents and uncles were coming for the weekend because that always meant presents.
But the night before, Prudence had been worried about Trelawney.
"Daddy," she said, as she came into his study last night. "Do they know about Trelawney? None of them has ever met her."
"Oh, I told them about her months ago," he answered absently, as he struggled to get his midterms graded. He couldn't believe the computation errors that some of his math geniuses were making. How they could understand the complexities of calculus and then make simple mistakes of arithmetic blew his mind sometimes.
"Are you sure they'll bring her presents too?" she asked anxiously. "They do know that she's my sister now."
"Well Prudence, technically she's your aunt," he replied. "But I don't think that they'll forget her. What makes you think that they're bringing presents?"
"They always bring presents," she said wisely, but not without a broad smile.
"More like bribes," he said under his breath. "Prudence baby, I have a lot of work to do before they get here . . ."
"Prudence, you need to get upstairs so that your father can get his work done," said Phoebe as she entered.
"Yes, Mommy," she said obediently, and after giving her a hug went upstairs.
"Interesting how Prudence never skips a beat calling you Mommy," he observed. "Butch forgets sometimes, but never Prudence."
Phoebe smiled softly, "It was our little secret, but last summer she would go up to her room and practice. She wanted to make sure that she was ready."
Hal returned her smile and said, "At some point in the not so distant future, I expect that there will be a few more running around here that won't need to practice."
She looked back at him fondly, "Don't stay up too late."
Getting up and walking around to take her in his arms he said, "I suspect that no matter how late I stay up you'll always be waiting for me."
For a minute, she rested comfortably in his arms. Then she looked and whispered in his ear, "Ready and waiting, always."
And once again she was. No matter how beat he was when he went to bed, he could always count on her warm embrace and more. In fact before he went to sleep that night, he said, "I can't believe that I waited so long to marry you. What was I thinking?"
"About everything but me," she said. "That's why I am so determined that you'll never forget me."
"Impossible," he said. "You never escape my thoughts."
"Hmm," she had snuggled into his arms and was drifting off. He found her even breathing and the feeling of her heart beating against his very soothing.
Such thoughts had animated his imagination and carried him through his days apart from her. His colleagues had enjoyed watching his abstraction all week. More than once he was caught looking at the simple gold band on his left hand in wonder. His closest friends were indulgent. They had seen him through the dark days of his first wife's illness and death, followed by the stress and upset of a long line of housekeepers.
Then Phoebe had come and first set the family on the right track and then himself. The pain of almost losing her last spring had nearly broken his heart. But now he seemed to have a new inner sense of peace with that sweet and lovely woman waiting for him at home each night. And anyone who had seen her recently could see how much she loved him.
As he left the math department area for his first class, he was whistling.
"Think he's a happy man?" asked his friend Fred Fisk, of the department head.
His department grinned. "Wouldn't you be?"
Introductions
Catherine Everett had decided that she and her husband would get to the house early so that they could spend a little time alone with their new daughter. More than being a beautiful young woman, she remembered how patient and kind she had been with her clumsy attempts at matchmaking last January. What a difference nine and a half months could make! Of course, young as she was, Catherine realized that in another nine and a half months they could be welcoming another grandchild. She had no concerns that such a blessing would arrive at any time earlier.
However, when she had spoken to her two older sons, she had been very angry with both of them. Their innuendos about the relationship between Hal and Phoebe, as she was now pleased to call her, were nothing short of insulting. Ben had wondered why Hal was bothering "to buy the cow when he clearly already had the milk for free." Worse was Bob who suggested that Hal's claim of a private ceremony was a cover for an elopement of necessity. He even went so far as to suggest that they could expect a "preemie" in seven months or so. Neither one seemed to think that was possible that his brother was able to resist the beautiful young woman living under his roof.
However, she and Rob had discussed the situation from front to back and in between. They knew that their youngest son was an honorable man and his new wife was a proper Englishwoman, not to mention an old-fashioned girl. Their respect for one another had been very clear. She had also spent many hours on the phone with her son throughout the past few months. She knew of his deep concern for her throughout all of her troubles. She had been proud of his efforts to support and protect both her and her sister. During the past six weeks, she had been frustrated by his inertia in terms of becoming engaged to her. That the engagement had only lasted a week did not bother her.
She only wished that they had chosen to have at least a small wedding that she could have attended, but her husband had helped her realize that the private ceremony was their only option. The Everetts could not have been invited without the Figalillys, and they were apparently legion. The idea that Phoebe could have borne a wedding with his parents present, while her parents could obviously not be there, was also too much. They had passed away less than a year ago and technically it was unseemly that she would marry within that time frame. And the children had not even been there.
Her disappointment was forgotten, the minute that Phoebe greeted her at the door. Her warmth and kindness were evident in the hugs and kisses she offered. She looked radiantly in love with the glow of the blushing bride still clinging to her aura. Hal had told his mother about the uncomfortable visit by Helen's parents a few weeks ago and she was determined that there be no repeat. She and Rob would welcome her to the family with the complete acceptance that she deserved. She could immediately see why her son had been so eager to settle things. Her devotion was unmistakable.
Rob Everett had his own private feelings as to why the marriage had followed so quickly on the heels of the engagement. To have such a woman committed to him, wearing his ring, and living under his roof, it was probably impossible for his son to continue his self-denial. Of his three sons, Hal was the only one who seemed to have absorbed the values that he tried to instill in them with regard to intimacy with women. This was not a woman to be played with, but rather to be cherished. There was no doubt in his mind that she had come to his son "intact." Hal was not the kind of man who would treat such a thing lightly. Quite frankly, he was proud of him.
They sat in the living room together talking about the usual family news. When they had come in January, she had studiously avoided such cozy conversation. Now Phoebe filled them in on how the children were doing, how Hal was doing, and of course her younger sister who seemed to be a little character. Her manner was very sweet and her devotion to the entire family, not just her new husband, was unmistakable. But the one that Catherine was most interested in, of course, was her. However this time, she was determined to be tactful.
"Hal told us a good deal about the challenges that you've faced this year. It makes me happy to see that you have recovered that spark of energy that I remember so well from our last visit," she said. "I hope that you really are feeling better. You don't have to put up a front for us."
"I'm not really putting up a front," Phoebe replied. "I am very happy. I admit that I do have times when I feel very low, but I always have Hal to rely on. He has become my strength. In fact, it is now impossible to imagine my life without him."
"I know that he feels the same way about you, dear," said Rob. "It gives us great joy to see how you have restored him and the children to happy family life. We always knew that you would be the perfect wife and mother."
She blushed charmingly at the reference to last January. However, Rob also knew that she disliked compliments. It was what Catherine said next that made her turn crimson.
"I am sure that you and Hal are busy working right now to add to the brood. Since my other two sons have decided to become confirmed bachelors, I'm afraid it will be up to you to add to our grandchildren."
"Catherine, don't embarrass the poor girl. She's only been married a week and you're already planning a baby shower," said her husband, trying to cover what could only be understood as a blatant reference to their sex life.
"I am only stating the obvious," replied his wife. "While I know that Phoebe is an excellent stepmother to Hal, Butch, and Prudence, she is certainly young enough to want her own children. I just want her to know that we will be ready to welcome them with open arms. "
Rob turned to Phoebe, "I apologize for my wife's . . . uh, openness. I'm afraid that she may be a little over enthusiastic."
Having recovered herself, Phoebe smiled, "No more enthusiastic than Prudence. First she couldn't wait for is to get married and now she is anxiously awaiting a baby sister. And you are right, Mrs. Everett, I am looking forward to having children of my own."
"Now, there will be none of this Mr. and Mrs. Everett nonsense. It's Rob and Catherine from now on," stated Catherine firmly.
Phoebe smiled softly, "Yes, Catherine. I think that I can manage that."
Their pleasant conversation however was interrupted by the sound of loud voices coming through the front door.
"Trelawney, as usual you are totally crazy," argued Hal.
"How come, whenever we disagree, I am the one who is crazy? Did it ever occur to you that I was the sane one and you were the crazy one?" she shot back.
"Oh. Hi, Grammy! Hi, Grampie!" said Hal as soon as he realized that two of their guests had already arrived. Trelawney, suddenly shy, hung back, but Phoebe gestured for her to come in. She stood by her older sister, who put her arm around her and said,
"Catherine and Rob, I want you to meet my sister, Trelawney Rose. Trelawney, these are Hal's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Everett," she said.
"How do you do, sir, ma'am," said Trelawney extending her hand politely. The girl might be a bit rambunctious, but she had excellent manners when she chose to use them.
"How do you do?" replied Rob, but Catherine reached over to kiss her cheek,
"How do you do, dear? Now I don't want to hear any more of this Mr. and Mrs. Everett nonsense. You just call us Catherine and Rob."
Trelawney looked uncomfortable. With a glance at her sister, she replied, "I have been taught to always address my elders with respect. I would prefer to say 'Mr. and Mrs.' if you please."
Hal jumped in, "Why don't you call them Grammy and Grampie like we do? After all, Prudence thinks that you're her sister."
"That's very sweet," said Catherine. "Do you think that you would like a couple of more grandparents, dear?"
"Say yes," urged Hal. "They always bring presents."
"You don't have to say yes to get presents," said Rob in amusement, "But we would be honored."
Trelawney looked confused for a minute. Phoebe could see what was in her mind and knew that they would need to have a talk about it.
"Why don't you decide later. Do you and Hal want to get yourselves some snacks in the kitchen?" she asked gently.
"Yes, please," she replied, and after giving her sister a hug that was a trifle longer than usual, she escaped into the kitchen with Hal. Trelawney was not a shy child, but had been overwhelmed by their generous welcome into the family.
"Did we say something wrong?" asked Catherine feeling anxious.
"No," said Phoebe slowly. "Since our parents passed away she has had trouble sorting out family relationships with other people. I will speak with her. For the moment, I would appreciate it if you allow her to address you as Mr. and Mrs. Everett."
"Of course," said Rob. "I am sure that this has been very hard on her."
Seeing that Phoebe no longer wanted to discuss it, Catherine changed the subject. "So when are Butch and Prudence coming home?"
"In about ten minutes," answered Phoebe gratefully. "That should give you enough time to prepare yourselves for the full onslaught."
"When can we expect to see Hal?" she then asked.
"He has an afternoon seminar that ends at four. He promised to come directly home," she replied.
"Is that a promise that he'll keep? I know that he frequently gets caught up in post-seminar conversations," said Rob.
"He knows you're here so I am sure that he will come home right away. Ben and Bob should be here around five," she added.
"Right in time for cocktails of course," smiled Rob.
Reunion
As predicted by his father, Hal was the last to show up at the house that evening. He had gotten caught in a discussion with a couple of grad students and had been unable to extricate himself until after five. Feeling guilty because he had left Phoebe alone with his family, he stopped for flowers, which he presented to her upon entering the house with his sincere apology for abandoning her. When he gave her a kiss however, he whispered in her ear that he would give her some extra attention when they were finally able to escape by themselves. Her smile assured him that she would hold him to that promise.
Catherine noted the exchange and although she didn't know exactly they had said, she knew that it was affectionate. Once Hal was home, Phoebe escaped to the kitchen, taking Trelawney with her, to finish up the dinner preparations. Trelawney had been embarrassed by the lavish gifts with which all of the children, including herself, had been presented. She had not been brought up to expect "loot" as Hal had called it from her relatives. Gift giving at Christmas had also not been extravagant. The sight of the living room full of wrapping paper and gift boxes was once again overwhelming. Being a child who was sensitive to mood and atmosphere, she found the turbulent sea of emotions almost too much to bear.
Mr. and Mrs. Everett's overtures as potential grandparents had made her uncomfortable, but it was nothing like what she felt when Ben and Bob walked in. She felt that they had greeted her sister a little too enthusiastically and she had not liked the way that Ben had touched her a little too familiarly on her back when kissing her cheek. She could see that Bob was jealous of his younger brother and was wondering what Phoebe was like in bed. Mr. and Mrs. Everett were clearly bothered by their behavior but didn't want to call attention to it in front of the children.
The gift giving was just as bad. When she had first arrived, she had been amazed by the large number of possessions, mostly toys that the Everett children had. The culture of her village in rural Cornwall, England was nowhere near so consumer driven. She did not understand the purpose of bringing the children more toys that in a few weeks would be sitting forgotten in a closet.
She somehow managed to thank them for the new dolls and doll clothing that they had pressed on her, along with several other gifts. Trelawney did not like kitchen work, but tonight she was grateful for the opportunity to escape the gift frenzy. Privately, she thought that displays would be unnecessary if these relatives just spent more time with the children. She was beginning to feel homesick and missed her parents. She would have gladly traded the largesse for just a few moments with them.
Before the others came into dinner, Phoebe held her in her arms and told her that it would all be over soon. Phoebe was sad also. They both knew that such a family dinner was impossible with their own parents. Trelawney asked if she might be excused from dinner, but Phoebe reluctantly made her stay. She was afraid that there would be too many questions if she disappeared and was starting to regret that she had not permitted her to accept an invitation from Francine for a sleepover that night.
As always, the table was lovely and dinner beautifully prepared and presented. However, the behavior of the children was bordering on madness and chaos. The three Everetts were cranked up by the fact that their grandparents and uncles had showered them with gifts. Trelawney, however, maintained her company manners.
Hal's parents were pleased by Phoebe and her loving presence in their son's home. But Hal, knowing her well, could see that the family reunion was beginning to wear on her. She spent most of the meal making sure that everyone was taken care of and watching Trelawney, who was rather subdued, with concern. Several times he picked up her hand and kissed it, trying to reassure her that everything was going well, but that added to his own concern because of the looks that passed between his brothers.
After dinner, she stayed behind in the kitchen with Prudence and Trelawney to clean up while the boys went into the yard to care for the animals. Hal took his family back to the living room for a more serious conversation.
"Well baby brother, you did well," opened up Bob, who had had a couple of drinks. "You certainly knew a good thing when you saw it. Last time I was here I thought that you were might be enjoying a few of the fringe benefits of having such a doll in the house on the sly."
"Bob, that comment was uncalled for," objected his father. "Phoebe is a wonderful girl."
"I'm not saying that she's not wonderful," grinned Bob. "In fact it's quite the opposite. I'm saying that it was smart of Hal to take note of all these wonderful qualities and marry them, rather letting them go to waste, or worse than that, go elsewhere."
"I would ask if she had a sister," added Ben, who had had a few himself. "But I can see that she's much too young."
Catherine was mortified by their remarks.
"That will be enough of that," she said sternly. "You two need to grow up and show your brother and his new wife the respect that they deserve. They've only been married a week and she has been very kind to allow us to disrupt their lives like this."
The brothers looked at each other. They knew that they had crossed the line with their rather prim and proper mother, but could not resist the temptation to get in a couple of more digs.
"Sorry, Hal," said Bob. "You are a lucky man to have found her. I guess I'm just a little jealous. I really am happy for you. And I really shouldn't have teased you on the phone by suggesting that you eloped because you got her knocked up. I'm sure that being the scientist that you are, you know all about birth control, and how to use it effectively."
There was dead silence. Catherine and Rob were stunned that any son of theirs could have made such a crass remark, especially about a sweet girl like Phoebe.
"I'm sorry that I asked why you were bothering to marry her since you were obviously doing her already. Sooner or later you were going to have to cough up a ring or risk letting all those other great assets walk out the door," added Ben. "And the remark about the sister. I guess that that was pretty tacky too."
"I am ashamed of the two of," fumed Rob. "You talk as if you were brought in a locker room, or worse."
Catherine had turned pink at the last two comments. No wonder Hal had been reluctant to invite them. Their complete lack of respect for their younger brother and his new wife was appalling.
Hal however knew that if they all didn't make peace before Phoebe came in that it would upset her even more. He was still smarting from remarks when he had heard them on Monday. He certainly didn't need to hear them again. He knew that Phoebe would be embarrassed, not mention deeply hurt if she knew of them.
"I accept your apologies, but I would really like to get passed this. Let's say we just forget about it. As long as we're all here together, we might as well get along and enjoy ourselves," he said to make peace.
Then he turned to Catherine, he changed the subject and said, "Mother, I know that you were disappointed by the fact that we didn't have a wedding, but on Sunday the pastor of our local church has asked if he might give us a special blessing. Several of Phoebe's friends have asked her to wear the wedding dress for them. We don't want any fuss, but I have hired a photographer because she looks gorgeous in her great-great-grandmother's dress. And she wanted a family picture with all the kids."
"It's not a wedding," she said graciously. "But I am sure it will be beautiful. I would love to see Phoebe in the dress."
"So would I," added Rob. "I'm sure that she is beautiful."
Ben and Bob smiled knowingly at each other but a sharp look from their mother prevented any more tasteless remarks.
"It doesn't matter what Phoebe wears, she is always beautiful," declared Trelawney loyally as she came in with the coffee. "My sister is the most beautiful person that I know."
"Yes, she is," said Prudence. "I have a real Mommy now and I love her more than anyone, except for maybe Daddy."
"Can't you make up your mind?" asked her brother Hal who was bringing in the chocolate cake.
"It's too hard," said Prudence. "I never had a Mommy before."
"Well I love Mom and Dad just the same," said Butch.
"And that's the way it should be," said Phoebe who had followed the children in with the teapot. "Trelawney, would you like to help me serve?"
"Yes, ma'am," she replied politely. "Mrs. Everett, would you prefer tea or coffee?"
"Coffee would be nice," answered Catherine. "And I must say that you have lovely manners."
"Only around company," muttered young Hal.
Catherine now looked at him sharply. "Young man, you need to be more respectful. I wouldn't want you to grow up like your uncles here."
"Catherine," said Rob urgently. "We said that we would let it rest."
Hal was watching Phoebe and could see her turn a shade of pink. Trelawney just stared at his two brothers. Both of them had clearly discerned the root of the previous tension that still lingered in the room. Phoebe was mortified that Bob and Ben could have thought such things about her. Trelawney was upset, and he could tell by the look on her face that she was already plotting her revenge.
When Phoebe was done serving, he asked her to sit beside him so that he could put his arm around her. The act was meant to give Phoebe the courage to face the rest of the evening. He also wanted to show Trelawney that once again the gallant knight was fighting for the honor of the lovely lady, as she had now named Phoebe. The children, accustomed to these simple shows of affection hardly noticed, but Ben and Bob exchanged glances. It was obvious that Hal was determined to show his support for his new bride. They did not recall him being so protective of Helen, even when she was sick.
Later that night as he lay in bed with his wife, he gently stroked her hair and said,
"I'm terribly sorry about my brothers. Tomorrow we're going to make a foursome with Dad and play a round of golf, two if I can swing a second tee time. Mother wants to spend more time with you. I think that she has been looking forward to having a daughter to spoil," he said.
Phoebe tried to smile, but she looked pained. She was wounded by the innuendos about her virtue and reluctant to play the dutiful daughter, even to a woman who was as caring as Catherine. Even though she knew that her support for her was unequivocal and that she was furious with her sons.
"I know that it will be hard, but it would mean a lot to her. Helen's mother was so possessive that she never developed any kind of relationship with her. That made it hard when the kids came along. Helen was never very sensitive to her needs and I am ashamed to say that I was so caught up in getting tenure at the time that I never really intervened," he explained.
Phoebe snuggled closer and said, "I really don't want to talk about this."
"What do you want?" he asked, for once not sure of the answer.
"Hold me, love me," she said.
Drawing her closer, he could feel her burying her face in his shoulder. After a moment, she lifted up her face to look at him. Seeing her lips waiting for him, he kissed her, tenderly at first, but as her response became more passionate, he followed her lead. She needed the comfort of his body to heal her wounded spirits and sooth her injured pride.
Now that she was Hal's wife, she was free to pursue intimate relations with him whenever she wanted. She perceived that across the hall in the boys' room, the other two brothers were speculating on the pleasures her husband was enjoying with her. However, Hal was so gentle and caring tonight that she knew that he was attempting to comfort her. Allowing herself to become lost in his love, she forgot the insults to her virtue.
After he made love to her, he whispered, "I wish that you weren't so demanding."
She smiled and said, "You don't seem to mind too much."
As they settled in for the night, he thought, I don't mind at all.
The Ties That Bind
Phoebe discovered that it was actually nice to spend the day with Catherine Everett. Not having to interact with Hal's brothers was the best part, but she discovered that Catherine was sensitive to her feelings about her mother. After lunch, they sat in the backyard relaxing.
Catherine asked Phoebe about the private ceremony.
"Are you sure that you want to hear? Hal told me that you were disappointed when we didn't have a wedding," replied Phoebe.
"I was disappointed, but I do want to hear. Hal told me that you don't even have any photos," she answered. "And if you don't tell me about it, you know that Hal will just stick to the facts and leave out the most important parts. So please go on."
Phoebe smiled, knowing that she was right.
"Hal made all the arrangements. He had taken me on a date out of town last summer and on the way we saw a lovely little white chapel up in the hills. He called the pastor who agreed to marry us on short notice. Not far away was a wonderful bed and breakfast where we stayed overnight.
"There was not much to the ceremony, just an exchange of vows and rings. I suppose that it was somewhat silly to wear the dress for such a simple occasion, but I knew that my mother had always wanted to see me wear it," she explained, beginning to feel a little sad.
Catherine reached over and patted her hand. "I'm sure that she did."
"I believe that she did," replied Phoebe, her face lighting up. "You see there was a shaft of light coming through an upper window. It landed on the first pew and I could swear that I felt their presence. Hal did too."
Catherine was moved. She realized that if they had gone through with any kind of a larger wedding that such a feeling would have been lost. At that moment she felt deeply sympathetic towards her new daughter and was very proud of her son. And she completely understood Phoebe's feelings.
"I was young when I lost my mother too," she said. "I was a new bride and had just found out that I was pregnant. I had so wanted to share that time with her, find out all the little things that I needed to know from her, but it wasn't to be. She had a heart attack and died very quickly. I wasn't prepared at all."
"That was how it was for me," said Phoebe. "In the space of ten minutes, I went from having parents to being an orphan. And I had Trelawney to think about. I don't know what I would have done without Hal."
"Of my three sons," said Catherine fondly, "Hal has always been the best. And I will admit that I was disappointed that Bob wasn't a girl. At the time, I had desperately wanted a daughter that I could name after my mother."
"Oh, what was her name?" asked Phoebe.
"Margaret," said Catherine. "But she was always known as Maggie."
"My mother was a Margaret as well," said Phoebe softly. "But she was Meg. My father always called her Meggie."
Both women were silent. Each lost in her own thoughts. Then Phoebe said,
"When Prudence gets her little sister, I'm going to name her Margaret, in honor of both our mothers."
Tears formed in Catherine's eyes. "I know why my son loves you so much. In addition to your beautiful face, you have a beautiful soul."
Phoebe looked down, embarrassed by what she viewed as an extravagant compliment. Noting her humility, Catherine thought, my son may be the luckiest man on earth.
But she also realized that Phoebe was feeling sad. To get back to the last weekend she asked, "What was the bed and breakfast like?"
"Oh it was lovely," replied Phoebe, happy to change the subject. "The house is furnished in a southwestern style and is also an art gallery. A married couple own and run it. He is a writer and she is a painter. She exhibits her work there. I was very sorry that we could not have stayed there longer."
"Yes," said Catherine. "You didn't get any time for a honeymoon."
"Hal has promised me one," said Phoebe, with a sigh. "When he finds time."
Changing the subject once again to get off another difficult topic, Catherine asked, "Phoebe, why is Trelawney bothered by the idea of addressing Rob and I as grandparents?"
"It's a bit of a sore point," admitted Phoebe, "Because Hal has intimated to her that he would like to adopt her, truly make her his daughter."
"And she doesn't want that?"
"No," said Phoebe. "And I don't really like the idea either. She is my sister. If Hal were her father, well, that would really create a muddle. She will also never do anything that she thinks would dishonor the memory of our parents. And she certainly would never give up her name."
"I can see that, but what does that have to do with Rob and I?" asked Catherine.
"Trelawney has a very deep love for Hal, not only as a surrogate parent but as a protector. She is very afraid that if Hal raises the issue that she will hurt his feelings by rejecting it. I believe that she is afraid that it would unrealistically raise his expectations if she addressed you as grandparents," she explained.
"Yes, I guess I can see how she would feel that way," acknowledged Catherine.
"We had a similar problem with Hal, your grandson that is. If you notice, he doesn't much address me by any name. If he does, it's Nanny. His father was originally very upset by this, but I understood from the beginning," Phoebe said.
"Both children are old enough to remember their parents, whom they lost quite tragically, and cannot bear the idea that they could be replaced," said Catherine, now thinking aloud.
"It has been very hard for Hal. Prudence has absolutely no memory of Helen. She isn't as bad as she was last week, but she has made a very big deal out of telling everyone that she now has a real Mommy. I suppose that Butch doesn't really remember her either. He was ready to call me Mom before we even returned," Phoebe further explained.
Catherine patted her hand. "And you, poor dear, still adjusting yourself to being wife and mother, are caught in the crosswinds of all this emotional turmoil."
"In a manner of speaking, yes," replied Phoebe.
"Well then, we will let the matter of how Trelawney addresses us drop. Consider it closed and let her know that we will be happy if she calls us, Mr. and Mrs. Everett. You have enough to worry about without adding one more thing," she said.
"I really appreciate that," answered Phoebe.
From inside, they could hear the sound of someone playing the piano. Catherine looked at Phoebe, who said,
"That would be Trelawney. She was due to return home from her theatre program about now."
"She has quite a talent. Hal told us about it. That's Mozart, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yes," said Phoebe. "It was our mother's favorite piece. She plays it when she is missing her."
"I hope that we aren't responsible for that?" asked Catherine, concerned that she might have really bothered the child.
"It is difficult to say. She was quite melancholy the first few weeks of school. They were reading the book "Little Women" in school and she found the passages about Marmee unbearable. She was terribly distraught when Beth died. Fortunately, a friend of hers at school gave us warning, so we were able to help her. I'm afraid that there were many tears.
"Short of "wrapping her up in cotton wool" as Hal once accused me of trying to do, all we can do is comfort her when she is sad. Hal has, on occasion, called her a sad little soul. The description is quite apt," replied Phoebe. "I will admit that it breaks my heart to see her that way. She was always such a cheerful little sprite."
"Shall we go in now?" suggested Catherine.
"Yes, I think that it would be a good idea. If she spends too much time 'inside her own head' so to speak, it only makes things worse," agreed Phoebe.
"And that in turn, makes it more difficult for you," replied Catherine.
Phoebe gave her a glimmer of a smile, but Catherine could see that she too had been affected by the melody. She was glad that her son was so attentive to her and her needs. She could see once again that his new wife was absolutely devoted to him. Before she left, she would have a talk with him about continuing to put her first in his life. As Rob had said to her last night, this was a woman to be cherished.
In order to gain some control over the children's behavior at dinner, Phoebe asked Hal, as oldest child, to say grace. It was a simple family tradition that had gotten shunted aside the night before in all the excitement. They all bowed their heads as Hal said, "Heavenly Father, accept our thanks for this food and all our blessings, for Christ's sake. And the people said . . ."
"Amen!" said the others enthusiastically.
"When did you all start saying grace?" asked Rob.
Hal looked at Phoebe and she said, "I believe that it was after Trelawney came."
"It was an attempt to subdue our high spirits, if I am not mistaken," said the young lady herself.
"High spirits, nothing," said Butch. "You and Hal always came to the table fighting!"
Ignoring him, Rob asked, "That was an interesting tag at the end of the prayer, Hal. Where did you learn it?"
"From Pastor Jason," answered Hal. "He's this really groovy pastor that we met when we were working on our building project at the end of the summer."
"Will he be saying the blessing tomorrow?" asked Catherine.
"No, Pastor Paul will," replied Phoebe. "Pastor Jason is the minister over at the Trinity Presbyterian Church. I believe that you have asked him to do a reading, Hal. We attend St. Andrew's Episcopal Church."
"Boy do we ever," said Butch. "Mom makes us go every week. In fact she's been making us go every week since before she even was our Mom."
"What about your Dad?" asked Uncle Bob.
"She makes him go too," he said, a little bit confused when both his uncles laughed.
"That's not exactly what I meant," explained Uncle Bob. "But I actually like the question that you answered better."
"Didn't you take the children to church regularly before Phoebe came?" asked Catherine with concern.
"Heck no!" said Butch.
"That will be enough," said Phoebe sternly. She could see that Butch was beginning to enjoy his father's discomfort a little too much. But Trelawney, who had been lost in thought since the name of Pastor Jason had come up, decided to fill in the silence.
"Pastor Jason is an angel," she announced. Phoebe looked at her husband who was hoping that no one would answer her. Whatever would follow would probably not be good. But before anyone could change the subject, Uncle Ben spoke up.
"Why is that?" he asked. "Is he a very good person?"
Trelawney looked at him oddly. Phoebe began to feel anxious. She knew that Trelawney was disturbed by Hal's brothers, because of their innuendos towards her. She was very protective of her older sister. Sitting next to her, her husband reached over and squeezed her hand.
The young girl stood up, and with her hands neatly folded in front of her asked, "May I please be excused?"
"Are you finished eating? You haven't eaten much," replied Phoebe.
"I am finished," she replied. Then she turned to Ben, "Pastor Jason is an angel. Angels are not people. Therefore Pastor Jason is not a person. You are a person, and therefore not an angel."
"So then what am I?" asked Ben, trying not to laugh. Bob was also struggling to contain himself. Once again Catherine was mortified by her sons' behavior. Phoebe tried to catch her sister's eye.
"You have our permission to leave the table, dear," she said.
She knew that this little bit of theatrics was staged. Although she was not able to directly address the uncles' insults, this stunt would allow her the freedom to say what she wanted without making Hal mad, since Hal was unable to tell when she was really speaking in her odd, oracular way. It was a clever prank, but she would have to address it with her privately.
"Thank you, Phoebe."
Turning back to Ben she said, "You, sir, are a Cretin."
Turning to Bob, she added, "So are you, sir."
As always, she turned and skipped out of the room. The others looked after her.
"What's a Cretin?" asked Prudence, after Trelawney left.
Her question hung in the air. No one knew what to say. Even Hal was not exactly sure of what it meant, although considering the context of the girl's pronouncement, it could only be an insult, albeit a very educated one. It was now Phoebe's turn to be mortified. She knew that no one, aside from herself, presently at the table actually knew what the word meant. She could see that her son Hal was dying to get upstairs to look it up in his dictionary.
Catherine finally bailed them all out.
"Hal," she said to her son. "You really must find Trelawney a good piano teacher. I heard her playing this afternoon and she was incredible. Surely there must be someone at the university."
"Well, we do have a pretty good music department," said her son. "She's not your average eleven-year-old musician."
"I'll say," agreed her grandson Hal. "Topher says that she's better than any of the kids at the high school, and even the band director."
"Topher is one of Hal's friends from his summer science program," explained Hal. "And how did Topher come to that conclusion?"
"He didn't," said Hal. "The band director at the high school, Mr. Jansen, said so."
"How did the high school band director get to hear her?" asked Rob curiously.
"She arranged and played all of the music for the "Love Out Loud" benefit concert this summer. She even put together her own band. Topher played the drums," said Prudence. "I sang 'Rise and Shine' with my Bible school."
"That's wonderful, dear," said Catherine. "You will have to sing it for us later."
"Maybe Trelawney will play," suggested Ben. "I would be very interested in hearing the young prodigy."
"I don't think so," said Prudence. "Trelawney is like Mommy, she doesn't like a fuss, especially about her piano playing."
"So, Hal," said Uncle Bob, having lost interest in the conversation about Trelawney. "I understand that that science program of yours was funded by the NSF. Do you want to tell me a little bit about how my tax dollars are being used?"
"And how!" said Hal enthusiastically, glad to be the center of attention. It always bothered him when other people would talk about how talented Trelawney was. He was used to being the most talented kid in the house and even though Trelawney's talents were totally different from his own, it still bothered him that the younger girl would get so much attention.
As the conversation was now dominated by Hal's program, Catherine was able to look over at Phoebe and Hal. She could see that under the table he was holding her hand. She was looking at him with love and longing. Catherine suspected that the moment that they were alone, she would be in his arms for comfort. At that moment, once again, she was very proud of her son.
Later, Catherine came upon Phoebe as she was sitting and sewing in the bedroom she now shared with her son. The four men were downstairs in the living room enjoying after dinner drinks and discussing sports.
"I guess that the boys were able to make up over their golf games this afternoon," Catherine commented.
Phoebe looked up at her, but chose not to comment.
"Ben and Bob certainly lack Hal's sensibilities. I don't know what it is, but whenever the three of them get together it seems is if they revert to their old behaviors from childhood. The insults have been thrown around for years in one way, shape, or form. And since boyhood it's always been two versus one," explained Catherine.
Phoebe gave her a half-hearted smile. "So I guess this is what I have to look forward to forty years from now at family reunions."
"I'm afraid so. Sibling rivalry doesn't end with childhood. I suspect that whenever parents and children get together, the old patterns emerge," she replied.
Phoebe was thoughtful. "There has never been any sibling rivalry between Trelawney and me. I suppose that the age gap is too large. However we are not above teasing each other. She, especially, keeps me humble. She's also more quick thinking and has a nimbler tongue than Hal, senior and junior. There are sometimes when her observations go over their heads completely."
"Tell me," asked Catherine. "I had heard from Hal about those little momentary lapses into . . ."
"Communicating with the cosmos?" finished Phoebe. "Don't tell Hal because he wouldn't like it, but tonight's performance was just that, a performance."
Catherine was amused. "How did you know?"
"Well, let's leave it at, I can tell whether her pronouncements are genuine, but I'm the only one," she replied. "Trelawney had caught on to the undercurrents of 'disrespect' that have been going on all weekend. She did not want to let them pass unanswered, but she would not disrespect her elders, in an overt way anyway."
"She did say when she met us that she had been taught to always be respectful of her elders," agreed Catherine.
"And she is truthful. She never lies," answered Phoebe. "However, she enjoys theatrics and playing around with syllogism. She also chose an insult that she knew probably no one else would understand."
"But you did," said Catherine.
"Of course I did," she replied. "I spoke with her about it earlier. She came to ask for a snack, she was . . . er . . . hungry. Of course she gave me only a half answer. She told me that it was the turn of the fair maiden to do battle for the gallant knight and his lovely lady."
"Hal told me about that metaphor," replied Catherine.
Then noting Phoebe's concern, she continued gently, "He needed to confide in someone. Her secret is safe with me, and if ever needed, I will be there to help her."
Phoebe sighed and returned her attention to her sewing. Her thoughts had become abstracted again. Catherine looked around and decided to change the subject.
"I'm guessing that you haven't had a chance to put your own personal stamp on the room yet," she said.
Phoebe smiled softly, "It's been a very long time since I've had a room to decorate for myself. Hal told me that I could do whatever I want, but I've been so busy that I just haven't had time."
"You've only been married a week," Catherine reminded her.
"I know, but it feels like forever now," she replied.
"Yes, that is the way it feels when you settle with the right man," Catherine agreed. "Although it did feel like forever waiting for him to finally propose."
"I never got the chance to thank you for the lovely cameo you gave me last year," said Phoebe, once again changing the subject. "It looks like an antique."
"It's more than an antique," replied Catherine warmly. "It's an heirloom. It was given to me by my mother, who received it from her mother, who received it from my grandfather."
"Oh, my goodness. And you gave it to me when I was almost a complete stranger to you," said Phoebe, now feeling overwhelmed.
"I had an ulterior motive," admitted Catherine. "I had hoped to see you wear it on your wedding day."
"When I married Hal," finished Phoebe softly.
"I believed in the impossible then," she said. "And now I can see that it was not entirely impossible."
"I married Hal, but you didn't get to see me wear the brooch," said Phoebe.
There was silence.
"I will wear it tomorrow," said Phoebe, still moved by her mother-in-law's generosity. "And someday Prudence will have it."
"No," said Catherine, her voice filled with emotion. "Someday, Margaret will have it."
Phoebe smiled softly and inadvertently her hand touched her stomach.
Catherine gave her a questioning look.
"No," said Phoebe gently. "Not yet. That's one miracle that hasn't happened yet. It . . . well . . . it couldn't have happened before the wedding."
Phoebe decided that this situation would be best handled with a little subterfuge of her own. She had actually seduced Hal eight days before they were married in order to finally induce him to propose. Before the wedding, she discovered that no child had been conceived. Therefore it was not a lie to say that she couldn't have been pregnant before the wedding.
So eager was she to bear his child that she had even been disappointed when it hadn't happened. Now, having experienced the innuendos of his brothers firsthand, she was glad that the child was waiting a bit longer to make her appearance.
Catherine smiled knowingly. "That's the way it should be. That's the way it was for me. Please don't think I'm prying, but was my son . . . careful?"
Phoebe looked at her and knew that her question came from motherly concern, not curiosity. This was not a conversation that she would ever have the chance to share with her own mother. She found comfort in the idea that the older woman wanted to fill in that gap in her life. Because she had lost her own mother young, she felt as if she understood her. She was able to understand Phoebe's needs without the expectation that she would take her Mum's place.
"He was most kind and gentle," she said quietly.
"I hope that it wasn't too shocking, that you were . . . prepared," she said gently.
"I was prepared," said Phoebe, thinking of her friend Joni's rather graphic description. "I will admit that I was a little scared."
"It can be frightening the first time," she replied. "But if Hal was kind and gentle, it must have helped."
"Yes, I am sure that it did," said Phoebe. "It was an awesome feeling after, to realize that we were now . . . one."
"I'm glad," Catherine responded, equally quietly. "When you first discover that little Margaret, or perhaps her brother, is to make an appearance, I want you to know that I will be there for you, if you have any questions or concerns."
"Thank you, Catherine," replied Phoebe. "I will remember that."
The two women looked fondly at one another, each regretful that the other didn't live closer. Catherine looked at the beautiful young woman seated before her and knew that she would give her more blonde-haired, blue-eyed grandchildren to love. And one of them would be named Margaret.
Epilogue
"So, baby brother, we know that you married the perfect girl, but do you have any regrets?" asked Ben.
Rob looked at him sharply, but then realized that he wasn't teasing.
"Well," said Hal. "There is one."
"Really?" said Bob, a little surprised. "Do tell."
"It's my timing," answered Hal a bit sheepishly. "Getting married in the middle of the semester and without a lot of planning, means that we won't be able to take a honeymoon, away from the kids that is, until, I don't know when."
"I guess that you couldn't think of everything," laughed his father. "Although you did forget the one thing that most men wouldn't have."
"Well there's our proof, Ben," said Bob.
"Uh-huh," said Ben.
"Proof of what?" asked their father.
"Proof that old Hal here, was thinking more about the legal aspects of marriage than, say we say, the other," replied Bob.
"Boys . . ." said Rob.
"No disrespect intended," said Ben. "But you have put yourself in a tough position with your new bride, and I'm not just thinking about the kids underfoot. You are very busy at work, I'm sure."
"Well," admitted Hal. "That's true."
"Again, no disrespect intended," said Bob. "But you do look a bit sleep deprived. I'm guessing that right now you're doing your best to mix work and play. Knowing you, the play is coming out of your sleep time."
"Bob . . ." began Rob.
"Dad, come on," said Ben. "We're not making any suggestive comments, other than to say that Hal looks like he isn't getting enough sleep. Any man who has just gotten married is going to want to spend extra time with his bride. You and Mother must have had a honeymoon."
"Yes, we did," he said thoughtfully.
Catherine entered the room and said, "Hal, I think that your wife is missing you."
Hal smiled at the thought. Standing up, he said, "If you will excuse me, Phoebe and I have a busy day tomorrow."
"Go ahead," said Bob. "Don't feel like you have to entertain us."
After Hal went up stairs, Bob turned to his father and said, "Do you really think that he's going to find time for a honeymoon?"
"It's not finding the time that will be the problem," admitted his father. "I would say that it's the planning that will get him stuck."
Bob and Ben exchanged glances.
"Dad, have you considered what you're going to give them for a wedding present?" asked Ben.
"Oh, I figured that I'd write a check," said Rob.
"Well," said Ben. "That's not a bad idea, but Bob and I had something else in mind. I think that you and Mother might want to go in on it."
"Tell me what you have in mind," responded Rob, hoping that his sons actually had something in mind that he would feel comfortable with.
However, he need not have worried. For once his sons were actually thinking with their hearts instead of, well, their mischievous minds.
Hal went upstairs to find Phoebe tucking the girls in for the night. He followed her around, saying his goodnights as well and chased the boys downstairs with their sleeping bags into the living room. There was little protest at the early hour. The kids were already tired from the busy weekend and they would have to be up early the next morning to get ready for church. When they returned to the bedroom, he locked the door and asked, "Do you want the bathroom first?
Phoebe looked tired and smiled gratefully, "I'll try not to take too long."
She didn't and Hal was in and out quickly as well. They were both exhausted, him especially because he had played two rounds of golf. Climbing into bed, he took her tenderly in his arms and softly kissing her, whispered, "I've missed you."
As his mouth trailed down her neck, she answered, "I've waited for this all day."
He didn't answer. He was too busy rediscovering her. When he found what he was looking for, she made a soft sound and arched her back. Knowing that she was aroused, he slowly trailed his kisses back up her neck and asked, "Are you ready?"
Her eyes closed, she whispered, "Yes."
He entered her gently, knowing now that any noises she made were of pleasure. Their lovemaking this night was not wildly passionate, but rather the soothing comfort of the joining once more of the "flesh of my flesh." Once done, he cradled her in his arms as she pressed in closer. He softly brushed back her hair and kissed her cheek.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" he asked.
"Only every minute of every day," she said softly, her voice tired from the long week.
"When I asked you to marry me, two weeks ago, I thought that I couldn't possibly love you more. When I married you a week ago, I thought that I couldn't possibly love you more. But lying here tonight, in your arms, I am only beginning to realize that my feelings for you are so deep, I may never find their bottom," he said.
"I stopped looking for a bottom months ago," she replied quietly. "I just wish . . ."
"What? Tell me," he asked.
"This may sound selfish, but now that we are married, it's suddenly harder to share you. It's only natural that I don't want to share you with your job, but sometimes I feel guilty because I wish that we could even get away from the children and just be . . . us," she said, feeling guilty.
But he smiled, "Well, to be honest, I'm having those same selfish feelings. I would just like to take you away on a good old-fashioned honeymoon for a couple of weeks and make that time about us, no job, no kids."
"I'll be glad when tomorrow is over," she said. "What was supposed to be a little blessing at a regular Sunday service seems to have gotten way out of control. I'm starting to feel sorry that I agreed to wear the dress."
"I know," said Hal. "And seeing how this has expanded beyond our control makes me glad that we had our private ceremony. You were certainly right. Things were taken out of our hands pretty quickly."
"Hal, I'm starting to get worried about you. You look tired all the time," she said.
"I am tired, but it's a happy tired. Once all of the excitement is over and my midterms are graded, things will settle down. There will be Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks as well. And my Christmas break is a lot longer than the kids'. We'll be able to get more time for ourselves," he added, but then yawned.
As they settled in for the night, Phoebe curled up in his arms. She had come to love the warmth of him surrounding her. His major concern at all times was to make her feel safe, and he did. He in turn drew comfort from the feeling of her soft warmth in his arms. She knew that tired though he might be, he would never let go of their physical intimacy. Not that she wanted him to. She herself had not known it would be like this. She suspected that he had not either. But if they slept less, she was certain that they slept better, safe in each other's arms.
The End
To be continued . . .