August 27th, 1927 ~

William came to work with me today. I think he needed a break from his sisters. Perhaps their newness is wearing off a bit. But that's fine, it's nice to have him back on 'the job'. Although he did run into my office earlier, climbed on the chair next to the coat rack, grabbed my hat and ran out saying, I need this, daddy! I should find out what that's about.

We're nearly full today. It's very warm and humid. The clouds look as if they're ready to burst at any moment and Anna has clothes on the line. I hope they'll dry or we'll have socks and underwear hanging all through the kitchen this evening.

The guests, other than the traveling salesmen, seem to be hesitant to go out and risk getting caught in a downpour, so they're mostly holed up in the lobby with the chess boards, or taking advantage of our tiny, but well stocked library nook. Some of the men are in the pub playing cards. I had Archie make up extra roast beef sandwiches for lunch since most people will be eating in. Sam's been fairly busy. Says we're having a run on pickled onions. Imagine that? I'll just pop over to the pub right now and see if he's needing any help. I'll be back.

I'm back, and I know why Will needed my hat. He was in the lobby entertaining the guests. The Amazing Remo, our resident magician and mystery man has been teaching him how to pull a rabbit out of a hat. In this case, my hat. I missed the act but I caught the little beggar just as he was getting ready to pass the hat around for gratuities. Another trick he learned from Remo, I assume. I apologized and pulled him from the room but not before his admirers gave him a round of applause.

So now Will is sitting on a chair in the corner, annoyingly kicking his feet against the wall. He has ten minutes to go. I wonder who will cave first?

Well, this is interesting. I just reached into my inner suitcoat pocket and pulled out a neatly folded, sweetly scented note from Anna. On pink paper, no less.

My darling John,

If you hurry home tonight and if we can get dinner over promptly, the children bathed, Will's bedtime story read and have everyone tucked into bed early, I just might have a surprise for you. xx

I'm not sure what she's getting at but if it's what I hope it is - - no, I won't get my hopes up.

And from my open window I see the love of my life now, hollering out from the kitchen at Jack whom she's caught eating the cat's food. She doesn't know this but I've seen him do it from my office window, multiple times. I wouldn't trust that dog any further than I could throw him.

And here she comes rushing out the door with her laundry basket. It's started to rain. I'll go help her get the clothes off the line. Maybe I can find out what my surprise is.

Will, stay there and don't you move!

John Bates~

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~ I'll Be Watching You ~

From Anna's greeting and the sparkle in her eye when he walked in the door, John knew for certain what surprise Anna had waiting for him. They worked quickly settling the house for the night. Dinner, dishes, bathing the children, reading to and putting William to bed and feeding and changing the girls.

So, now John sat on edge their bed, taking his shoes and socks off, waiting patiently for Anna to come out from the bathroom. He glanced over to the babies cots, only to check for the fifth time if they were sound asleep, and hopefully they would remain so for at least the next couple of hours. As it was he felt a bit awkward having them in the room for what was about to happen.

The door opened then, and in she walked, wearing only his favourite nightdress. It was quite daring without showing too much. The fabric was long and sheer, giving away her curves, the darker colouring of her nipples and the apex of her thighs.

John sighed happily, eyeing her from head to toe as she walked toward him, a racy smile playing on her lips and her eyes, dark and promising.

'Surprise, stranger,' she whispered in his ear when she reached him, sitting down on his lap and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. 'It's been a long time.'

'Too long,' he growled, only to have her kissing his lips fiercely after he did so. As they kissed, her hands worked on his shirt, unbuttoning it with a practiced ease, as his hand roamed over her legs, finding the hem of her gown only to lift it up to her thighs. 'Are you sure?' he asked when they broke apart.

'Mmm,John...' she moaned when she felt his hand grazing dangerously close to where she ached for him the most. 'I can't wait any longer, it's been a month since they were born.'

'Exactly one month. I just want to make sure you are comfortable,' he reasoned, but his left hand never stopped teasing her, closer and closer, as his other held her firmly around the her waist.

'I am more than comfortable. Now you kiss me,' she demanded and his lips were on hers immediately.

Soon, his shirt thrown to the floor and before he knew it, she was straddling him, her hands gliding over the expanse of his back and with a delicious smile on her lips, telling him to forget everything else but this moment. Now her hands were travelling lower to the waistband of his trousers. One last time he looked over to the twins cots and after seeing them so peaceful in their dreams, he lost himself in Anna.

'John maybe...' he stilled his movements. His hands at the hem of her gown again, ready to have it off her as soon as possible. 'Maybe you don't have to see me naked, just yet,' she said looking him in the eyes.

'Why ever not? I want to see you, love,' he pleaded, his desire beginning to burn.

'It's just...' she shook her head with an embarrassed smile. 'I still have...a bit baby fat. I mean, I just had twins...I'm bigger now than I was with William. It's hard to go back to my normal self, and maybe I never will. '

John smiled tenderly. 'Do you really think that matters to me? I mean...maybe you are...curvier and maybe you will never go back to your normal self, as you call it, but how could I complain about that? Your body changed because you bore my children...I never thought it was possible, but I love you more now,' and to emphasise his point he ran his hands up over her hips, over her waist, to rest at her sides of her breasts, cupping and lifting them gently. He lowered his lips to them and kissed them through her sheer gown, then looking up at her with loving eyes he whispered, 'I've never desired you more in my life. I'd be a fool to not desire you.'

'Well, I've always said John Bates is no fool...' Anna smiled.

'Indeed...' he sighed, chuckling into her cleavage. 'And right now,' he looked down towards his crotch, 'I want you terribly.'

'Undress me then,' she told him, her voice low against his lips and he did exactly as she asked, flinging her gown on a nearby chair.

Immediately his hands went to her swollen breasts, cupping them firmly as he looked directly into her eyes, before beginning to kiss his way down her neck, until he reached for one of her nipples. She dropped her head back, taking in the wonderful sensation of his mouth leaving wet kisses all over her skin, and she couldn't help but gasp when he carefully took one of her breasts in his mouth, licking it slowly.

She had missed this way too much. Being a mother was a wonderful experience but the waiting for moments like this had been almost unbearable. Anna knew some women had problems adjusting to this part of their lives after giving birth, and enjoying it as much as they did before. She had read about it several times and she felt sorry for those women but she would never understand. All the waiting, all the love and emotion of seeing John as a father made her crave him even more and for that she felt lucky. There was nothing better than making love to John Bates.

His lips continued their caresses and his hands travelled down her body, until he reached her bottom, squeezing and bringing her close to him. It was his turn to let out a low moan, as his length began to pulse between their bodies and the fabric of his trousers, begging to be set free. And so, Anna rose from his lap and helped him take off his remaining clothes, smiling back at him as she watched his hardness twitch when it came in contact with the air.

It didn't take too long for her to be on his lap again, feeling their heat mixing where their bodies met. He throbbed against her, the feeling making her heart race and her insides tighten at the prospect of having him inside her once more. But John wouldn't have it this way, not tonight.

He held her tight and stood, bringing her with him, only to lay them down fully on the bed.

Tonight he would be gentle and caring and slow. He knew too well what happened after a child was born, how careful he should be, and he would be all she needed. Tonight was hers and no one else's and luckily he had a part in it.

He kissed her again, as his fingers played with her hair. Then his hands travelled down her body, spreading her legs further apart and positioning himself between them.

Anna smiled at him and he couldn't help but kiss her again, his fingers now touching her and trying her out, being sure she was as ready for this as he was, and not to his surprise, she was. He massaged her there for a moment longer, teasing her to the edge of her control, knowing well how much she loved to be touched in this way. It didn't take her long to join him, taking his length in her hand and stroking him urgently, making him almost cry out loud in pleasure.

And that's when he decided that it was time to move on, he wouldn't last long if she kept doing those wonderful things she did, and he couldn't let that happen...not before being one with her again, not before moving in and with her until they were both undone. So, he aligned their bodies, his eyes never leaving hers and he took a deep breath, a final deep breath before everything else...and that's when he saw him and he froze. Those eyes...oh no...watching everything they did and everything they would do…

'John? What's the matter?' she asked worriedly. John was frozen in place above her.

'He's watching us,' he whispered looking back at her.

'Who's watching?' Anna's blood turned cold in her veins and the first thing that came to her mind was William and she felt almost sick. She shifted from under him then sat up and he did just the same, ever so slowly as if his movements would make everything so much worse. Anna's eyes roamed the room expecting to see a very scared and confused child waiting for answers or ready to run away.

'Jack's watching us,' John whispered again.

'What? Honestly, John, you gave me a fright!' she said, swatting his chest.

'He gave me a fright as well, all right?' he told her. 'I looked to the side and there's his nose right in my face...'

Anna shook her head. 'Come on, John, he's a dog, he doesn't understand...' she tried to persuade him back to where they had stopped, pulling his head down and kissing his cheek and neck. 'We can't leave you like that again, can we?' she teased him as her one of her hands travelled down his body to ready him once again.

'No!' he stopped her hand with a serious look on his face. 'Let me take him out first, I can't ...just can't do it with him in here.'

She nodded and he stood up, walking toward the dog, before spying his own image in the mirror. Naked as naked can be, with a...well, in a high state of arousal...he looked down, raising his brows at the sight before grabbing Anna's nightgown and covering himself there..

'Shoo, you nosy dog, out! There's a meeting going on and you are not invited,' he heard Anna giggle behind him. 'I didn't even know he was here!' he said, closing and locking the bedroom door.

'He likes to sleep under the bed, maybe he was there...come on now you big silly, I am still waiting...' she bit her lower lip and John practically jumped into bed, resuming their previous position.

But alas...

'What's this? Oh my God!' Anna sighed exasperatedly.

'Jack, be quiet!' John whispered loudly over his shoulder as the dog howled and scratched madly at their door. 'Be quiet!'

That would be it for them that night. Soon they found themselves dressed in their night clothes. Anna in her cotton gown and John in his pajama bottoms, each holding a whimpering baby, with William snuggled down between them. Jack had awoken the entire house, and quite possibly everyone else in the village.

'Well...I guess there are more nights to come?' John tried to cheer his wife as he rocked one of the girls against his chest.

'Only if you get used to Jack,' she rolled her eyes. 'He'll probably bark every time we put him out of the room, what then?'

John sighed in defeat. 'If that's the case then...I'll make the sacrifice...keep my eyes shut all the way through and pretend it's just the two of us.'

'Silly beggar,' she smiled then and ran a hand through his hair. 'We will find a way...'

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August 28th, 1927.

I woke up not too long ago to find John already gone. I guess I overslept. I didn't even make him any breakfast. I'll tell him off later for not waking me up but of course he wouldn't, he never does. I blame all of this on Jack because last night he behaved very badly. He barked and howled so loud he woke up the children, and it took us a long time to settle them back to sleep. And then Mr. William Bates was there too, wanting to see what the commotion was and ended up spending the rest of the night in between us. As one can imagine, not a comfortable night for both John and me, but it's another day today and tonight will be better. I really hope this isn't going to become a habit. Jack is such a strange dog sometimes.

Anyway, I am going to make some breakfast for myself and William now. Finn and Fee will be up again soon to eat, bless them. They were so upset. They were sleeping so peacefully only to have silly Jack to scare them out of their dreams.

I don't think we are going to lunch at the hotel today. It's still raining this morning and I have a bit of cleaning to do and I feel just like being around the house today. If the weather clears I also have the garden to take care off. It's been awhile since I've done that. I'm sure John will be watching him from his office window...oh! Maybe we can eat in the garden instead. That's a good idea. I can tell him to bring some food from the pub and set a table and some chairs in the gazebo. Now that's lovely. We will be doing just that!

~ Anna Bates

The journal entries are written by handy for the bus & terriejane.

We'd like to thank the lovely annamays (aka fuzzydream) for being our beta.

Thank you for reading :) please review