CH 10—Interruptions & interrogations & one really cold shower

I wake to a ringing cell phone. Laura's still asleep. Some things never change, she always could sleep through anything. I grab her phone to see whose calling, it says Catlin. I didn't feel like I should answer it.

"Laura, sweetheart, Catlin is calling on your phone." She sleepily reaches for her phone and answers it. I lay back down next to her.

"Good morning honey, yes I'm with your dad, things went well."

I hear her answering our daughter's million questions. They appear to be very close. I hope I fit into the mix somehow. I have no doubt that Sydney will, she blends with everyone.

"Mom, are you coming home later? Lilly's game was cancelled today, since it's raining. So when can we meet him?"

"Well, he and I need to discuss a few things, your sister is arriving later this morning and we are going to talk to her together."

"Ok, well keep me posted, we'll be here waiting. I think Jonathan has gotten over his issues and is looking forward to meeting him. Oh and you win the bet."

"They're back together?."

"Yeah, he didn't go into the details, but I believe it involved him calling Carrie while totally intoxicated. You know the entire feel sorry for me thing that's he's so good at."

"What am I going to do with him. Well I'll talk to him later. I sure there were other factors in him drinking. I hate when he does that."

"Oh I'm sure it involves dad being alive and him not dealing well with it. But I talked to Carrie and she said that he's fine now, just feels like dad's not going to like him or something. You know how insecure he gets."

"I have no doubt that things will be fine. I'll call you later sweetheart. Love you…give the kids a kiss for me."

"Diddo mom, oh tell him we are all excited to meet him and not to be nervous."

"I will." I answer back and hang up the phone.

I look over Jack is laying back down in front of the fire he rebuilt early this morning. He looks like he sleeping again. I know better…I snuggle up next to him and see a smile appear on his face as he opens one eye.

"You weren't kidding they check up on you. That's good, I'm impressed."

"Yes, a bit over protective, your son wanted to follow me last night. It was difficult to convince him that you weren't going to hurt me."

"So is he having issues with this? I mean I would if I were him."

"Well according to Catlin, he's now anxious to meet you. I think he's worried about meeting his father's expectations. I did name him after you, he has pretty big shoes to fill and I personally think he's done an excellent job. And, he and Carrie got back together. "

"I'm sure he's going to be fine. I'm just as anxious to meet him. All five of them actually. So this Carrie girl, how long has he known her?"

"They met in Junior High, she was a cheerleader. Tall, skinny blond. They were friends for several years before they actually started dating. He was afraid to ask her out. She was the one to actually do that."

"Well, women can be a bit intimidating."

"Yes well we don't mean to be." I gently run my fingers over his ear. I see him smile. Those brown eyes of his are mesmerizing.

We lay there looking at each other. I want to do so much more than just kiss her. I pull her closer a kiss her neck. I hear a little giggle out of her. Morning stubble always tickled her. I feel her start to run her hands under my shirt. Then she stops and pushes me back some and removes the shirt I had on.

"Jack, what happened to your chest? Those wounds are very new and I know they still hurt you. I could tell how you jumped last night at the park."

I sigh and start my story. "Well, about 5 weeks ago I was shot. I was stupid and didn't wear my vest…Arvin did it."

"I never did like that little gnome. Why you? You both were always good friends."

"To distract Sydney."

"What? Why?… She wasn't hurt was she?"

"No she wasn't hurt. She certainly stuck up for dear old dad. One of the best agents ever to serve by the way. Not exactly the profession I'd pick for her. She was a bit freaked when I went down. They had to leave me until the medics arrived. Long story short I somehow managed to go back and was ready to sacrifice myself to make sure that little SOB Arvin was really dead. He's obsessed with the ancient profit Rambaldi, and his eternal life prophecy crap. I never believed in it, but a part of me was a bit worried since I've seen many of them come true."

"What do you me sacrifice yourself?" I knew what he meant, I just couldn't believe it. Didn't want to believe it.

"I took C4 with me into the tomb, I was going to blow it sky-high to stop him. And if that meant me being in there to get it done, well I'd do it, but that's when he told me that you were alive. I had lost so much blood, I wasn't thinking straight. I really don't remember everything that happened except waking up in the helicopter with tubes down my throat."

"Jack, you're one amazing man. Not that I want to be the nagging, overbearing…wife, but are you ever going to retire from there?" I think he caught the hesitation in my voice when I said wife. I certainly hope that we are still married.

"Soon, very, very soon my dear. I've actually been thinking about it a lot. Especially now. Laura, I really want us to be a family and I'm willing to do whatever it takes for us to make that happen. I guess what I need to know is do you want me to be a part of that family?"

"Of course Jack, I've wanted that for years now! When I found that you and Sydney knew I was alive, I started to feel a sense of hope again. Hope that I wouldn't be alone. I know that I've had the kids to keep me busy, but it's not the same not having my husband here versus having you thousands of miles away thinking that your wife never loved you and that I only married you to spy on you. I've felt lost for years and jealous knowing that at night you were in bed with her and not me! And that there was not a damn thing I could do about it!" I was crying now. Hysterically. Not what I wanted. But the emotions overtook me.

"Honey, it's ok. Breathe for me."

She was laying on her back staring up at the ceiling. I wrap my arms around her, practically on top of her looking into her teary eyes.

"Laura, the day that I thought you died was the absolute worst day of my life, it was so surreal, the next was when the CIA arrested me for suspicions of conspiracy with a KGB agent. I couldn't believe that my wife was a spy. They tried to convince me of it, but looking back I was a fool to believe them. They did stuff to me that I don't even want to think about when I was incarcerated. I changed, I destroyed my relationship with my daughter, but nothing that anyone said or did to me made me stop loving you. And for years I hated myself for loving you. You need to know that when I was with her, that I had no clue. I was making love to my wife, my Laura, not her. I thought I was with you."

"I know Jack, I'm just, I don't know, hurting more than I thought I would."

"I have to tell you, that for the last 20 odd years, I haven't been a monk either. No real relationships…I just want to be honest. I haven't been very honest with people in the last few decades. I've had some trust issues."

"How many?"

"How many what?"

"Women."

"Oh, uh, well, I'd have to think about it?" I say almost completely embarrassed.

"Oh my God Jack!"

"Four!…I think?" I answer quickly.

"Four!…you think?"

I start to panic, and bury my head in her neck.

"I'm sorry, if I'd have known! Believe me, none of this would have happened. They never really meant anything. Just friends with privileges I guess."

I hear her start to laugh some.

"What? I'm confused?"

"Let's just say we're even and drop it."

"Even? I look at her to see a guilty look on her face.

"Married man. Once or twice..." I sit there quietly. "Ok…a few times a week for about a year, then things just got weird. I couldn't deal with it. So I decided that I wouldn't even bother with relationships. Especially knowing that I was still married. And it didn't help that he was too."

"Well I was seeing a married woman 2 years."

"What!" I was now laughing. This was kinda fun.

"Yes, not my most…well let's say best use of judgment. Also half my age."

"Oh that's refreshing Jack. Did she teach you anything new and exciting that you'd like to share?"

"Yes actually." I feel my face getting red with embarrassment, frustration, and confusion. I was beginning to think she enjoys teasing me.

"Jack, it's ok 25 years is a long time to go without some. I know how you always got after about 3 days. Strangely I feel better talking about this."

"Me too, I think? I'm really not a bad person or a man-whore either. I just, well…nothing was ever serious."

"I never said you weren't a good person Jack."

"So when do we get Sydney? Not to change the subject."

"11:30"

"So what would you like to do for the next 4 hours or so?" I push Jack onto his back and begin kissing his chest. He starts to remove my tank top.

"I can think of a few thinks we can do." Flipping her back onto her back. And working my way down removing all remaining clothing along the way. "I do have some new tricks I've been taught…would you like me to share?"

"Yes please." I say out of breath.

Things start to heat up until my damn phone starts to ring. I wanted to ignore it, but Laura stops me.

"It may be important."

"It's Sydney." I say trying to catch my breath "Hello."

"Dad? You ok? You sound a bit winded."

"I'm fine. Just a bit busy."

"At 7:30 in the morning?"

"Yes, I'm a morning person you know."

"So how did things go with mom?"

"They are going good."

"She's there…now?"

"Yes." I can barely concentrate with Laura sitting in front of me kissing my neck and ears and tugging at my belt.

"Oh…Ohhhh"

There's some silence on the line. I think she's finally putting 2 and 2 together.

"Oh, well I, just wanted to let you know that we left earlier and well, we're landing in 20 minutes. We'll just wait at the airport and maybe…" I cut her off.

"You land in 20 minutes? Uh, ok." Laura sits back and looks at me and smiles, then proceeds to get dressed. "No…" I motion to Laura to stop getting dressed.

"No what dad? I'll just see you when you get here, take your time doing what ever it is you're doing."

"Ok." I'm not sure how I can be happy and disappointed all at the same time, but some how I am.

"Jack, we need to swing by my house so I can get cleaned up. Do you want me to go with you to talk to her?"

"Yeah." Still sitting half-naked on the floor I grab my shirt.

"Let me take a quick shower and we'll go." I need to cool off some before I do anything.

"We'll continue this later." I lean over and kiss my beautiful wife on the cheek.

"Yes…we will. Don't forget your belt dear."

Review…thoughts have few more chapters in process. Hope to post soon.

Our little gnome (Arvin) will be visiting soon!