Chapter 26 (Chapter includes mild M rated material)

May Alice shuddered with his words; they affected her more than any orgasm would have and she was overcome by emotion. She knew he would never say such a thing if he didn't absolutely believe it. What had she ever done to deserve that kind of reward? The love of this man; it was too much. She started to shed tears and worried he would misunderstand their meaning, but she could not speak just then. She let the tears flow, and to her relief, Rennie just let her cry. He hung his head a moment but she reached for his chin and held it back up while she searched for words that could even come close to telling him all she was feeling in that moment. Finally, she let the words flow like she did her tears. "I thought I loved a man once. I believed I meant it when I said it to him, I even made a vow. But I understand now how mistaken I was about that. What I felt for him doesn't belong in the same universe compared to what I feel for you. I know, now more than ever, how wrong I was. What I love, Rennie," her voice hitched in her throat, "is you." She emphasized the word love to him, hoping he could believe her; hoping he could understand that if she died tonight, her life would finally have meant something to her.

He looked at her and smiled. She was unable to say more. He didn't need her to say more, he believed now, they would have the rest of their lives to say more, and that suited him just fine. She whimpered a bit more and he rolled to his back and pulled her along with him to rest her head on his warm chest. As he stroked her hair, he hoped by holding her there, the sureness he felt about them would seep out of his heart and right into hers. His breathing was steady, assured in the love they shared and it soothed her and she soon fell asleep believing nothing bad would ever happen to her again.

When she next awoke, the sunrise had replaced the beautiful moonlight of their first night together. She lifted her head and kissed him softly on the chest. His hands reached into her hair and down her bare shoulders. She lifted to kiss him on the mouth and soon they were reveling again in a heated exchange of deep kisses and slow caresses. Her hands followed her kisses down his torso until she had moved low enough to engage his newest erection with her mouth. She took him in and imagined what he felt like between her legs, using her only means to simulate it. She drank him in and longed for him with every touch, taste and stroke. It was the most intense feeling both had ever experienced with that method of lovemaking. His eventual release into her brought with it an equally powerful orgasm, the likes of which he'd never have thought possible. It rendered him speechless and motionless, less the tremor, and fervent heat running throughout his body. May Alice was pleased with the obvious result. She'd wanted him to know how much she needed to feel him that way, and with his grateful reaction she believed she made him understand. They laid together in silence and slumber for another hour, when they were roused fully awake by the arrival of Chantelle. Neither had wanted those hours to end so neither thought about what would come next. With the opening of the front door, May Alice lifted her head, which had found its way back to Rennie's chest earlier, and looked at him with the expression of a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. They both laughed at their silliness, but they truly had no idea what to do next.

Chantelle had seen Rennie's truck in the drive and wondered why he'd arrived so early on a Sunday morning. As soon as she entered the house and realized there were no kids around, her curiosity was piqued. She made her way toward the den where May Alice had been sleeping in the weeks of the remodel and found it empty, save for her wheelchair. It began dawning on her what may have occurred and if it were true, she would be happy for her friends, but in no way was she actually prepared to find them in bed together. She proceeded up the stairs and into her room where she gathered her things and headed to her bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. She was sure to be a little louder than she needed to be, to alert them of her presence, in case anything was happening that no one else needed to see. Once she had finished her morning routine, she opened the bathroom door and heard voices downstairs. Relieved for that she proceeded downstairs and into the kitchen, where a fully clothed Rennie was placing bread in the toaster, and a robed May Alice was in her wheelchair and scrambling eggs.

"Good morning," Chantelle said. Both May Alice and Rennie both responded in kind. "Is everything all right?" she asked. She was silently very curious about where the kids were, and how the two came to be alone, overnight but didn't want to be too obvious.

May Alice answered, surprised by the question, "Of course, why?" Then she surmised what Chantelle was really asking. She immediately began to blush and had to turn back toward the stove.

Rennie, feeling nothing of the same answered, "Naomi is with the kids."

"Ah," was all Chantelle needed to respond. The trio ate breakfast together and talked about the different things everyone participated in at the fair the evening prior. They talked with excitement about that evening's fireworks display, also happening at the fairgrounds, and where all the families would congregate again for another night's entertainment.

Chantelle noticed a new intimacy between May Alice and Rennie which answered any question she may have had about the previous evening. Again, she was happy for the pair, but a little worried about the progression into the physical for them. She knew they loved each other, probably before either of them did, but she also knew that loving someone and being with them was not always the good thing it should be. For all she and May Alice knew, Rennie was still married to Arlene and she could always decide to return. What then? The more she thought, the more she worried.

May Alice picked up on her friend's apprehension. She began to dry the dishes Chantelle was washing and said quietly, "I know it won't be easy."

Chantelle stopped washing, looked at May Alice and said, "I hope it is though."

Aside from a little more public affection between Rennie and May Alice, the routine following their first night together remained mostly intact in the weeks that followed. The remodel continued and the kids inundated the Culhane home during the days, weekends, and sometimes overnight. Reading, writing and drawing continued, as did, swim lessons, and physical therapy.

The only big change was that on Saturday mornings, Chantelle began taking the kids, Denita included, to the library, allowing Rennie and May Alice time together. Often the couple made love at home, and other times, they'd spend the morning together fishing on the river. Their love for one another continued to deepen, right along with the love the children were growing for Chantelle, Denita, and May Alice. Elizabeth had become so attached to May Alice in those weeks she had, on several occasions been heard to call her "Mama." Sabine seemed bothered by that at times, but no one corrected Elizabeth.

One afternoon while the toddler was napping, May Alice explained to the older girls, "I don't intend to be Elizabeth's mother, she has a mother, but I will mother her because I think she needs that."

The girls couldn't deny the comfort Elizabeth felt because they had all felt it too, on some occasion. May Alice had a way of communicating with each of them that made them feel like they were being understood and appreciated. She would ask for their input on decisions that involved them, which made them feel less like children; and at the same time, she could pick up on their periodic sadness and could talk them each past it, like they imagined their mother might do. She was teaching Elizabeth to read, she had been the only one to finally get her successfully potty-trained, and she was the only one who could get the girl down for a nap. Acadia, Sabine and Missy all had birthdays one month apart, May, June and July, and for each, May Alice had made sure each had their own special day, where they were made the focus of attention. Each got to pick the kind of cake they wanted, and she, or Chantelle would bake it and let the birthday girl decorate it any way she wished. Perhaps the most meaningful thing she did, they would all agree, was write them a short story, with each being the protagonist. The story would be presented, complete with illustrations by Acadia, on their birthday where May Alice would read the story aloud to everyone, acting out ever role expertly. The kids would howl with laughter when she would imitate, to a tee, whichever of the girl's the story was about. All these things served to introduce the kids to a life that seemed like what all other families had, and they liked that. Eventually, Elizabeth, possibly with some encouragement from Sabine, had begun to refer to her surrogate as "Miss Ma", and not long after, each of the girls found themselves doing the same.

The perfect, pivotal, summer had gone well and only, twice, was interrupted by events that had been put in motion long before.

The first Saturday in August, May Alice and Rennie had spent their private morning together on the river. Rennie had found a new secluded cove far up one arm of the Mississippi they'd only been to once before. On the way up, Rennie noticed May Alice was quieter than usual, but he was more distracted by watching her, long hair blowing freely in the breeze. He liked that, for whatever reason, she had not kept the short, stylish hair cut she had when she first returned to Lafayette. His position above her, in the boat, allowed him a peek down her blouse whenever the wind hit just right. He was thoroughly enjoying the view. By the time they arrived, and he had moved May Alice from the boat to a blanket on the shady shore like usual, the last thing on his mind was her stillness or fishing. He laid her down on the blanket and immediately began kissing her. She reciprocated and they were well on their way to more exploration when she suddenly stopped. Her body grew rigid and Rennie immediately pulled his torso upward from her body to see her face.

"I'm sorry," she said, apologetically as she tried to nudge him off her.

"What is it? Did I do something?" he asked, fearing he must have hurt her.

She stopped the nudging but he was already panicked and lifting himself off her. He covered her bare chest with her blouse and she drew her arms up, forearms covering her face, and her hands resting lightly in her hair while she let out a deep breath. After a moment, she moved her arms, exposing her face to him. "I can't believe I'm saying this," she said with a small smile, "you know how much I love you," he nodded acknowledgement, as she did, too, then she finished, "you're still a married man, Rennie. I have everything to lose, here."

He felt like a complete idiot. Have I never told her? He laughed at the absurdity, but realized, that was the case. His laugh did not go over well with her. She was hurt by it, as, she had spent the better part of many days worrying about her growing affection for Rennie's children, and the ease in which they'd all become their own kind of family. She did know Rennie loved her, and she did know he preferred to be with her, but she had trusted her heart before and had been, very, wrong. Doubt, hand-in-hand with elation, had grown exponentially, with every day they spent together, with every kiss Rennie showered upon her, and with every touch between them. To see him laugh it off, confused her, and she began to get angry. "It's not funny," she whispered, and looked away, fighting back the emotion.

He quickly understood, and reached for her chin, to turn her face back toward his. "No; it isn't," he said, with sincerity. Then he took her hand in his, and continued, "I am not a married man; not in my heart, and not legally. Not since," he had to stop and remind himself when that had happened. "The spring. You were away and, I guess, it just felt so natural, I didn't think to bring it up. I am so sorry."

She apologized, too. "I didn't even realize how worried I'd been, until I just stopped us. I know it seems stupid, to bring it up now, like the damage wasn't already done." Then his words actually sunk in, he is not married; he had not been married, even the first time they'd made love. To be certain, she repeated it, "You're not married."

He smiled, "I'm not."

She immediately reached for him and kissed him with a fervor she'd not before, excited for, yet, another sexual adventure with him; that time, free of the buried worry she'd harbored over the possibility of his, one day, returning to his marriage. They enjoyed one another, throughout entire morning, and even arrived home an hour later than usual.

When they entered the house, the kids were just clearing the table from lunch, and Missy blurted out, "A man sent Miss Ma flowers! Was it you, Pa?! Miss Chantelle won't tell us."

"Is it your birthday?" Sabine asked, equally excited by the delivery. It was no wonder that when Rennie saw the size of the bouquet, and knew he'd not sent it, he became very, very intimidated. It was massive, like nothing he'd ever seen in the florist's shop.

May Alice was impressed, even though she knew, of course, who would send such a display. For all their intimacy, both emotional and physical, she had never told Rennie anything more about Bennett Marley. In her summer bliss she'd completely forgotten about Ben, New York, and the play. That seemed like light years in the past and she was having trouble bridging the gap right then. She looked at Rennie trying to gauge his reaction. He looked embarrassed. The girls continued their inquisition about the flowers; who were they from, what kind were they, why were they sent, where did one even find such a bunch of flowers, and how did they get there?

Unable to stand the foreign looks on Rennie's face May Alice answered, "Girls, they are not from your Pa, and it's not my birthday. These are from a friend of mine, in New York City, who likes one of my stories." She turned to address Rennie. "My play opens tonight," she said with a small smile.

Rennie was somewhat relieved, but quickly that relief turned to sadness as he realized he'd been so selfish that he had not thought about, or even asked about, her play, or about the fact that she was obviously missing its opening. He knew this had to be a very big deal for her, and he'd completely forgotten all about it. "I didn't realize," he started.

She touched his hand and said, "It's all right, you couldn't have known." She rolled away from him to the arrangement and pulled the card to read it while the girls reexamined the various colors and varieties of flowers in the arrangement. After seeing the words written on it, May Alice smiled and tucked the card away in her back pocket. Rennie watched from the kitchen as he made a plate for himself and May Alice. When he saw the smile on her face and the tucking away of the card, he knew in his heart that man was more than just the man who purchased the production rights to her play. His belief was confirmed when, Denita, remembering then, the incredible Mr. Marley from New York, told the girls of the finery of the man who had taken May Alice to dinner. She recapped how he'd shown up with large bouquets, even one for her mommy, and included how he gave her, her very own rose, and kissed her hand, and had the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. Everyone laughed when Denita finished with, "and he smelled soooo good."

May Alice looked at Rennie, trying to silently apologize for not telling him everything, and he looked back trying to say it didn't matter. Soon both were lost in memories of their morning together, and the other mornings, and that one, really great evening. When next their eyes met, May Alice reached over for his hand and he leaned in and kissed her. Following that brief, and awkward resurfacing of May Alice's past, the routine of the families had continued on with little change until the next interruption that summer presented itself.

The second event, that they should have known would come, but were too lost in their idyllic, fleeting circumstances to plan for, came as result of Rennie's past. The telephone rang early one Thursday morning in mid-August. Rennie answered, and was met with the voice of Deacon Leon. The deacon explained he was in town and wished to meet with Rennie, if possible. Rennie assumed the man would inquire about his status, and the well-being of his children, probably on Arlene's behalf, and he decided that was a good thing, if it were true. It turned out to be that, and much more. Rennie learned, that same day at lunch, that the deacon had returned Arlene to Lafayette the day prior. He explained that the Mother Superior serving the Cathedral of St. John's was in need of an assistant. Word went out to the other parishes in, and around, Louisiana and knowing that Arlene would need to return to Lafayette sooner than later, the deacon explained the obvious benefits of Arlene providing the service. She would receive a small salary to assist the Mother Superior with her schedule and would act as a dormitory administrator for the resident order of the sister's associated with the parish and the Cathedral Carmel School. The latter also included free room and board, which was necessary now that she and Rennie were divorced. She received alimony in the settlement but could not afford to live off just that money. Serving the parish would allow her to keep up the Catholic studies she'd delved into with the assistance of the deacon and his wife. It was, Deacon Leon would say, a sign from God that it was time for Arlene to return and start being a mother to her children once again. Rennie was still trying to process all that he'd just heard when the deacon finished with, "So, I am asking you when you might be prepared to allow Arlene to start seeing the children again?"

While Rennie had been awarded immediate custodial guardianship of the children for the duration of Arlene's probation, the divorce decree noted the two would have joint custody. At the time, Rennie had not wanted to keep Arlene from the children, and even when he got past the shock of the day's news, he would still feel the same about that. Still, he loved what he and the kids had become in her absence. The thought that Arlene might never understand the life they were living now was a threat. He understood that this perfect summer was transitory, soon the kids would be returning to school and the remodel was nearly complete, which meant his excuse for being with May Alice every day would be gone, but he was not ready for it to be over. Deacon Leon could see Rennie's silent struggle. He offered some thoughtful words, told Rennie he would be in town until Sunday, and asked him to just think about the allowance of Arlene, and he offered his counsel, "anytime, night or day." The deacon understood that Arlene's return would have as much impact on the family as her departure had. Rennie thanked him and assured him he would be in touch.

As Rennie drove away from the diner where the men had met, he began wondering how the children would feel. He truly had no idea. With May Alice and Chantelle's help, they all seemed happy. He had bonded with Jaxon in a way that he knew he never would have had Arlene not left. May Alice had fostered them creatively, and emotionally, in ways Arlene never would have; did she even know that Acadia could draw? That Missy and Sabine loved to read mystery books? That Jaxon was fearless in the swamp? And Elizabeth . . . he found it impossible to separate her now from memories of May Alice with her. He remembered the first time he watched her holding the girl, sheltering her from the storm, the first of several they experienced that summer. He remembered all the times since, whenever Elizabeth was not at her side, May Alice was always looking, always cognizant of where the girl was and making certain she was being cared for and was safe. He couldn't recall ever seeing Elizabeth laughing with Arlene, something she did nearly every day with May Alice. By the time he arrived at the entrance to his favorite driveway, he was as lost as ever on how to approach this subject with his family. He was greeted by Jaxon who had, that day, completed his swim class and was eagerly waving his certificate of completion to show his Pa. He picked up the boy, hugged and praised him, and they walked together into the house to greet May Alice as the others departed for the backyard. She knew immediately something was going on with Rennie and his lingering embrace with her confirmed it. He always hugged and kissed her when he arrived in the mornings, and this morning was no exception, but his embracing her tightly right then, following what was to have been a business meeting, was certainly cause for concern. She held him and asked, "Everything all right?" knowing it wasn't, but giving him the opportunity to discuss it, or not.

"I don't know," he said honestly, offering her a small smile as he'd finally released his hold on her. "Arlene is coming back."