Chapter 54

Chrys stood looking at the two men she loved. Both of them had identical expressions, expectant, worried, and loving. Taking a deep breath, she tried to smile and when she failed, said, "I'd like to speak to Franco alone, please."

Trying to keep the triumphant look from his face, he stepped forward and took her into is arms. His father sighed and said, "I'll leave the two of you alone then," and went into his office, closing the door.

"Chrys, I'm so happy that you chose me! I know we were meant for each other!" Frank said, when his father left them alone.

"Franco, please…" she stepped out of his arms and went over to the couch. "I need to talk to you."

He interrupted her by taking her back into his arms and saying, "We can talk later, darling. It's been so long since I've held you, kissed you, loved you!"

Placing her hand on his lips as he tried to kiss her, he saw that she still wore his father's ring, "We'll have to replace this with the one I have for you," he said. Then taking her hand, tried to remove the ring.

Alone in his office AJ tried to come to terms with the fact that the woman he loved would soon be his daughter-in-law. He could see her floating down the aisle in a gown of white and marrying his son. Then the scene in his mind changed and he saw her heavy with a child and Frank's hand on her tummy. And again the scene changed to Chrys offering to let him hold his…..grandchild.

AJ shuddered at that last image and hated himself for wishing that he had made her pregnant in the three weeks they had lived together. Would she have chosen him if she was carrying his child? Or would she still have picked Frank and either aborted the baby or asked Frank to raise it with her? He was suddenly glad that they had used precautions. He knew that it would have killed him to watch her carry his child while married to his son.

Wishing he had gone outside instead of into his office, AJ paced, wondering how long it would be before they came to tell him the news. 'Surely they wouldn't make love first!' he thought as he looked at his watch. He tried to brace himself for the joyful looks on their faces when they came to him with Chrys wearing Frank's ring.

Chrys curled the fingers of her hand to prevent him from taking off AJ's engagement ring, and said as gently as she could, "Franco, please stop. The reason I wanted to talk to you first was to explain my decision…"

"I know, darling. I'm more your age and we will have child…"

"No, Franco!" she interrupted him as he had done to her. "I love you, dearly and that will probably never change, but it's AJ that I'm in love with. It's AJ that I want to marry. Franco, I'm sorry."

"I don't understand, Chrys! You say you love me and yet you want to marry my FATHER!?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "When word came to us that you died, I thought I would die too. But then time began to heal my heart and I met your father and fell in love with him. My heart belongs to him, if he will still have me."

"Oh, he will! And he has HAD YOU before hasn't he?" Frank demanded to know as he jumped to his feet and began to pace the room.

"Franco…" she started to reply and was again interrupted.

"Is that it? Is he a better lover than I am? You need to remember how old he is….he might be better now, but how long will he be able to keep it up? Huh? Have you thought of that? He might not be able to keep you happy…"

"Stop it, Franco! I will NOT compare the two of you in that way! And as far as your father keeping me happy, I don't hold him responsible for my happiness. I will be happy as long as I am by his side."

"You told me you wanted children! Do you know how old he will be when they are graduating?!"

"Yes, Franco, I can do the math and it doesn't matter to me. If we have children they will be loved and wanted and that is all that really matters to a child.

"How do you think it will make me feel if you give birth to my half brother or sister?" he cried.

To be continued…..