Chapter 12
Sunday 10am
He woke up, his head resting on her belly, his left arm across her thighs. Anne noticed the change in his breathing and ran her hand through his hair.
"Mmm."
"Sweetheart, I need to get up and use the toilet."
Jack rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. She leaned over and kissed him before leaving him in the bed. He reached up to straighten out his chain and his hand touched his mother's crucifix. Suddenly, he sat up, opened the bedside table drawer, removed his rosary and limped to the guest room. He knelt with effort and looked up to the cross that used to hang in his parent's bedroom. Jack made the sign of the cross and then started his prayers keeping track of his chants of the Lord's Prayer with his rosary beads.
Anne came out of the bathroom and noticed the empty bed. Frowning, she walked to the kitchen and living room, but he wasn't there. She ground coffee and started the coffeemaker before heading to the guestroom to see if he was there. Quietly, she opened the door and saw him on his knees chanting his prayers. Closing the door just as silently, she went into the bedroom and made the bed. Anne got dressed in a pair of sweats and Jack's sweatshirt. Walking back to the living room, she looked out the window and saw the snow falling steadily. They definitely weren't going out today, she mused. Picking up his cookie plate from the night before, Anne headed to the kitchen and waited for the coffee.
Jack emerged from the guest room. He felt better, but he was also somewhat anxious. He pulled on a clean t-shirt and sweats before limping to the kitchen. Anne was sitting, reading The Sunday New York Times that he had delivered to his door. He walked to her and kissed her forehead as she leaned back to see him.
"Morning."
"Morning. Coffee might have to be nuked."
He nodded absently to himself as he walked to the kitchen to pour himself a cup. Taking a sip, he felt it was fine and then went back into the living room to sit on the sofa. The paper lay between them and he picked up the magazine section, heading to the crossword puzzle.
"Do you want any breakfast?"
"Perhaps brunch at this point; thanks, but not right now. Maybe we can have some soup later."
"That sounds good. They're predicting eight inches today."
"Wow, that'll make the commute a drag, tomorrow."
"Yes, it probably will."
They went back to their individual interests of The New York Times. Occasionally one of them would go to the kitchen for a refill on coffee until it ran out. Anne switched to a nice California Cabernet and made a cheese tray with crackers.
"Nice," he commented as he looked at the softened brie on the plate.
"Have some; I heated it in the microwave."
He made a canapé and ate it in one bite. Jack looked around the living room slowly, finally resting his eyes on her.
"I miss this," he mused.
"What?"
"Just hanging out with my girl."
"It's nice, having a quiet afternoon."
Jack stood slowly and took his coffee cup to the kitchen.
"Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm good, thanks."
He made himself a tall scotch with water and headed back to the sofa. He set his drink on the coffee table, and then moved the rest of the paper onto the coffee table as well. Sitting next to her, he leaned over and gave her a kiss. Afterwards, he took a sip of his drink, set his left ankle on the table, and leaned back onto the cushions. Moments later, he was asleep.
Anne finished the paper and reassembled it in order for Jack, if he chose to read it later. She had eaten the rest of the brie and crackers, as well as consuming another glass of wine. Taking her dishes to the kitchen, she came back and joined Jack on the sofa. She sat next to him, sliding her hand into his and followed his lead by falling asleep.
2:00pm
Jack woke up, disoriented for a moment. He disengaged his hand from hers and went to use the bathroom. When he came back, he turned on the standing light next to the leather chair, picked up his drink, and then went to the kitchen to refresh it. On his way back to the living room, he grabbed the magazine and then sat in the leather chair to continue with the crossword puzzle.
4:12pm
Anne woke up slowly and stretched, warm in their sweats. The apartment was dark, aside from the light that shone on Jack as he sat, sleeping in the leather chair. She looked at her watch and was surprised at the time. Her stomach grumbled and she went to the kitchen to figure out what they were going to have for dinner. He had mentioned soup and a sandwich, but that was for lunch. She wanted to make something substantial, since he had had one cracker, coffee, and scotch all day. Looking through the refrigerator and then the cabinets, she didn't see a hearty meal.
"Damn!"
Jack woke up in his chair and, after cracking his neck, he limped into the kitchen.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to wake you," she said, moving into his embrace.
"It's okay. What's wrong?"
"You haven't really eaten anything, today. So, I wanted to cook you a filling meal. But, we don't have anything filling."
"All right, so maybe we should order in. To be truthful, honey, I'm not very hungry, right now. Let's look at the menus or, if you're in the mood for an adventure, we could see if the Cub Room will be open for dinner."
"Jack, I'd rather not go out, if you don't mind."
"No problem, look at the menus and see who should come to us."
He released her after giving her several feather-light kisses on her neck.
"I'm going to check my email. Do you need to log on?"
"No, but thanks."
He nodded and then walked over to pick up his scotch. Limping slowly to his desk, he turned on the light and then his laptop. Sipping his drink, he became absorbed with his work.
"Jack?"
"What? Oh, I'm sorry, Anne. What's up?"
"I can't do this."
Something about the tone of her voice caused him to get to his feet and quickly limp to her. He gathered her in his strong arms.
"What can I do to help you?"
"I…I need some private time, I guess. I'm going to take a hot bath, would you handle dinner?"
"Of course, honey. Let me make sure that I remember, uh, no cauliflower; meat cooked well, all sauces and dressings on the side. Is that right?"
"Yes, that's perfect. Thank you, Jack."
"Wait, Anne." He called to her as she walked into the bedroom. "Look under the sink, there's small decorated box that might help you, tonight."
"Oh, uhm, okay."
Anne walked into the bathroom and shut the door. She crouched down to look for the box Jack mentioned and smelled it before she saw it. The label LUSH, said everything. She started the hot water after putting the plug into the drain. When there was three inches of water in the tub, she dropped in the bath bomb. The rose petals immediately came to the surface and the smell was wonderful. Lighting the four candles on the corners of the tub, she then turned on the radio and listened as the classical music played. Taking off her clothes, she stepped into the hot water and lay down in the tub. Five minutes later, she turned off the water and just rested in the rose scented water.
Jack looked in the freezer and found tucked in the back, two filet mignons. It would put him to sleep, but maybe she needed the red meat. In the hanging basket, he saw the red-skinned potatoes. The only thing he lacked was a vegetable. Looking again in the crisper of the refrigerator, he saw asparagus, and smiled. He looked at his watch and figured he could pull off dinner at seven. Taking the steaks out, he tried to plan the evening.
6:20pm
Anne walked out of the bedroom in her terrycloth bathrobe, feeling warm and safe. There was a new smell in the living room and she realized that Jack was burning a cedar candle that she had given to him, giving the room the smell of a real fireplace. The table was set for dinner and a merlot sat open and breathing. The broiler was on and there was a pan with the potatoes that was just beginning to boil on the stove. Jack was standing looking out the window at the snow falling, his scotch glass in his hand.
"Hey."
"Hey," he said, walking over to her. "Nice bath?"
"Wonderful, thank you."
"You're welcome. Dinner's at seven, if that's okay with you."
"Whatever you want is fine with me. Do you need any help?"
"No, I don't think so. Why don't you settle on the sofa and watch the tube while I finish."
"Okay," she grinned, giving him a quick kiss on her way to the sofa.
Jack walked into the kitchen and started the broiler. The potatoes were a while from being cooked. He put a small amount of water into a Corning Ware dish and carefully lay the asparagus that he had trimmed earlier. He turned and leaned against the counter, listening to the mumbles of the television announcer.
When the broiler had heated, he placed the seasoned steaks in and set the timer. Jack put the asparagus into the microwave and set it for twelve minutes. He poked the potatoes and then pulled out plates. As the time passed, different courses were cooked until finally, he was ready to present dinner. He poured two glasses of wine, turned off the stove and oven and brought the full plates to the table.
"Anne, dinner's ready."
She turned off the TV and walked to the dining room table. Smiling, she sat down as Jack held her chair for her. Anne put her napkin in her lap and then picked up her knife and fork to cut a piece of steak. It melted in her mouth.
"Jack, this is wonderful."
"I'm glad you like it."
They ate in silence, but as Jack forecast, by the time they had finished the meal, he could barely keep his eyes open.
"Jack, Jack…why don't you stretch out on the sofa? I'll do the dishes."
"Yeah, maybe, thanks, Anne," he said, getting to his feet and barely making his headlong dive onto the sofa.
She chuckled and then took the dishes to the kitchen to run the dishwasher. Ten minutes later, she was cleaning the countertop and putting a stopper in the bottle of wine. After pressing the normal wash button, she picked up her glass of wine and walked back into the living room and settled in the leather chair to watch Jack sleep. He had rolled onto his back and started to shiver. Frowning, she watched it progress as his whole body had tremors. She went to him quickly, putting her hands on his face to wake him. His face was cool and clammy.
"Jack, wake up, Jack!"
He struggled briefly and then opened his eyes, seeing the fear on her face. He shivered and sat up with her help.
"Please, just hold me."
Anne knelt between his legs and embraced his broad shoulders. She felt him shiver as though he were cold. Anne rubbed his back in circles and he grabbed handfuls of her bathrobe. Jack breathed in short bursts, trying to fight the tremors that continued to rack his body.
"Easy, sweetheart. You're all right."
"So…c…cold."
"Let's get you into a nice hot bath. That should warm you up."
"No, no baths," he said vehemently, pulling out of her embrace, struggling to stand.
"Okay, Jack, I'm sorry, I forgot. Let me help you to the shower," she said, standing next to him.
"Yeah, okay, okay."
Ann slid her arm around his waist as he reached across her shoulders. They headed, side by side, down the hallway to the bathroom. She turned on the water, waiting for it to get hot as he carefully stripped off his clothes.
"Is this hot enough to start?"
Reaching his hand around the shower curtain, he nodded and carefully stepped in. He barely heard the sound of the bathroom door closing, but he did feel the temperature of the bathroom rise quickly. He faced the spigot, leaning forward spreading his hands against the wall, groaning as the hot water hit his shoulders and back. Ten minutes later, when he felt that his temperature was sort of back to normal, he lathered up his beard and started to shave. He took his time and was rewarded with a smooth face. He washed his face and body and heard the door open again. Anne put a fresh pair of shorts and a pair of flannel pajamas that she found in his drawers on the edge of the sink. She left him alone. He turned off the water and toweled off before dressing in the clothes that she had laid out. He ran his hand through his hair and then walked back into the bedroom.
Anne was sitting up in bed reading a book. She looked over at him and smiled as he limped towards her.
"Are you ready for bed?"
"What time is it?" he asked, noticing that Anne had removed his watch from the bathroom and put in on the bedside table.
"It's eight-thirty or so."
"I planned on getting to work at seven. If I go to bed now, I'll be up in four hours and I won't be able to go back to sleep. If you don't mind, I'm going to watch some TV."
"Okay."
He leaned over and kissed her. Straightening, he limped out of the bedroom toward the living room. Anne had cleaned up the kitchen and put away the leftovers. He poured himself a scotch and added some water. Changing his mind, he turned on the stereo, and assigned the IPOD to Yo-Yo Ma. He thought about reading the Times, but he wasn't sure he could concentrate. Sitting on the black leather chair, he leaned back and listened to the rich music.
Tuesday 3:00am
Jack woke up and stretched carefully. He stood and limped to the breakfast bar, peering at the clock on the microwave. Smiling, he headed to the bedroom. Quietly, he opened the door and limped into the room. He could barely make out her form, curled on the right side of the bed. Closing the door behind him, he unbuttoned his pajama top and set it on the chair before carefully getting into bed. He moved to spoon against her back, sliding his hand around her to rest on her belly. She put her hand over his and squeezed.
"I didn't mean to wake you, Honey," he whispered.
"You didn't."
"Are you okay?"
She rolled towards him in his embrace. He brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and waited. Tracing his jaw with the back of her fingers, she stared back, her eyes searching his face.
"I missed you. I don't like waking up without you."
He stretched his hand to the back of her neck and with little pressure pulled her into a kiss. She answered him and gently pushed him onto his back as they continued to kiss and caress each other. She laid half on top of him, continuing to kiss his face and neck. Even her light weight on his chest was enough to remind him of the debris that buried him in the basement.
She could feel the tensing of his muscles and the swell of his arousal. In a decisive but tender move, Jack slid his arms around Anne and rolled them so he was on top. He took his weight on his elbows and brushed her hair from her face.
"I don't want to wake up without you either," he said, huskily.
He kissed her with all of the passion he felt for her, their tongues touching. She ran her fingers through his hair, reveling in its thickness. When he pulled back from the kiss, she grinned.
"Wow."
"Wow?"
"Yeah, Jack."
He kissed her neck, moving down her body. Pausing at her breasts, he kissed her with such tenderness that she began to cry.
"Honey, what's wrong? What did I do? Please don't cry."
She put her hands on the sides of his head and guided him up to her. Kissing him gently on his forehead, she looked at him.
"I love you so much, John Michael Malone. I love your tenacity, your honesty, your loyalty, and your compassion. But, most of all, I love the way you make me feel; like I'm the only other person on earth."
Jack's eyes began to fill with tears and he felt the lump in his throat, rendering him incapable of response. Blinking his eyes hard, the tears fell onto her cheeks. He leaned in and kissed the tears away. Her hands shifted to his broad back, stroking wide circles. Jack kissed her neck, paying attention to the hollow at the base of her throat. She arched her back slightly, lengthening the amount of contact between them. He kissed her chest, trailing to her left breast. She shifted her hands to his ears, tracing the way his hair fell across them, enjoying their velvety feel. He moaned softly, shifting up to kiss her mouth. Pulling away for a moment, he looked at her, smiling at her smile back at him.
"I love you so much, Anne Cassidy. I love your dedication, your feistiness, your integrity and your empathy. But, most of all, honey, I love the way you make me feel. When I'm with you all of my insecurities disappear. I feel stronger with you in my life. I love that you're my best friend and my lover as well."
"Wow!"
"I mean it."
"I know you do, sweetheart."
"Now, where was I?" he smirked.
Jack shifted his body so he was kneeling between her legs. With a careful hand, he marked a trail from her neck to her hip. He locked his eyes with hers. He caressed her breasts, one at a time, feeling her heartbeat under his touch. Anne tried to sit up, but he reached up with a firm hand and gently pushed her back onto the bed .
"This is all about you, honey."
She nodded and smiled, watching him enjoy her body. He continued to caress her gently, changing his speed, listening and observing her responses. She grabbed fistfuls of sheets as she started to move below him. His hands moved from her hips to her thighs, glancing over her center. A sound escaped her that he couldn't define, exactly, but judging by the look on her face, it was of pure pleasure. Pulling her lace-edged underwear down her legs, he let them disappear in the folds of the sheets. He touched her, so softly that she wasn't sure at first, but then he touched her again. He concentrated solely on pleasuring her. As his speed increased and her breathing became ragged, he exchanged his hand for his tongue, amazed at her sweetness. She came quickly after that, calling his name in an almost frantic voice. He moved back up to her mouth and kissed her adoringly, smelling the musk of them in the air. She reached for the waistband of his pajamas but he stopped her.
"I meant it, Anne. This morning is for you. But now, I need to get a little more sleep before I hit the shower and head to work."
She kissed him deeply, moving her hand up to caress his neck
He rolled onto his back. Anne reached for the sheet and blanket, pulling them up to cover him to his waist and her up to her shoulders. She nestled her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm hold her close.
