CHAPTER 51
Marlene awoke to the streaks of sun shining through the window. She raised her head slightly looking around the room she quickly set up when a wave of nausea hit her she quickly uncovered herself springing from the bed and into the bathroom she wretched holding her stomach her knees hitting the floor, "Oh," She heaved again and then sitting down on the bathroom floor. Marlene felt the overwhelming sensation of being pregnant. She groaned raising herself up from the floor and to the sink where she washed her face with cold water. She felt better slowly falling back to the bed and into a deep sleep. "Marlene," She heard Rebecca's voice as if it were in a vacuum tube the rubbing of her shoulder caused her to flinch, "What's wrong," Rebecca seemed sincerely concerned. "I'm fine," She rose up and continued to talk, "Just some nausea earlier, what time is it?" She asked in confusion. "Eleven thirty, have you eaten?" She asked pulling her hair back and kissing her cheek. "I haven't, I was nauseated and threw up, I, don't feel so good." Her answer was not what Rebecca wanted to hear. "I'll get Mrs. Lentz to prepare you some peppermint tea and some soup lay back and rest." Rebecca hurried to the kitchen, Mrs. Lentz prepared the tea and soup, Rebecca, brought it back to her.
She sat the tray on the bed next to her bringing the teacup to her lips, "Drink, you need your strength," She slowly sipped it, "Hmmm, it's warm," Rebecca pushed the cup back to her lips, "It will help settle the nausea." She spoon, fed her the soup it warmed her insides. "I love you," Marlene whispered finishing the tea and the last of the soup. "I'm afraid its only temporary, morning sickness if you'll remember, I had it before and it will take a few weeks to go away," Rebecca cradled her, "Do you want to sleep? I could unpack and I need a shower." Marlene closed her eyes rolling over. Rebecca stepped out of the shower dressing and checking the messages on her cell phone. She sat to the table opening her planner and rereading the notes she had taken. "Hey," Marlene walked to the table with a yawn, "How do you feel? You look much better," Rebecca remarked closing her planner and giving her a grin. "I do, I think I'll dress, would you like to walk the grounds? It's beautiful outside." Rebecca stood up kissing her gently on the lips, "Only if you really feel up to it." She shook her head with a smile, "We could walk down to the house, I think dad's working today," She relayed slipping on her jeans and a sweater. They put on their coats walking out to the terrace. The sunshine topped the bows of the trees making strange shadows on the grounds. A slight breeze filled the air Marlene took in a deep breath exhaling slowly. "So, Berlin, what happened?" She asked somberly, Rebecca sighed. "She was very distant yesterday the realization of you and I was too much, I guess," She hesitated briefly, "I think after I told her about the baby there wasn't any real reason to discuss what might have been so things were just all business and not much else." Rebecca reflected.
Marlene turned to face her, "What happened at dinner? When we talked you seemed distracted as if something were bothering you." She eyed her, her hands now on Rebecca's shoulders. "Nothing, she, she just wanted to talk about us, what she and I had and how she still believed there was a strong bond between us, she felt I still loved her deep inside and she wanted me to know that." Marlene gritted her teeth, "I know it must have been difficult to see you, I can only imagine how she must have felt all these months with no contact, stewing in bitterness." Rebecca pulled away from her, "She secretly hates me, I, ruined her life because I gave her no chance to prove her love or worth." Marlene lowered her head, "I came home and my only intentions were to be with you, we belong together and I guess that as long as people are in our lives there will be hardships, interests and infatuations but we both must remember how we got to where we are and that we have to stay strong no matter what, I never want you to get tired of hearing me say I love you," They began to walk arm and arm. Rebecca reminisced, "I miss this walks, I miss our silly talks about trivial stuff," She laughed, "And I'm glad your feeling better," Marlene walked in front of her, "Kiss me," She grabbed the lapel of Marlene's coat pulling her closer their foreheads meeting as their lips touched. "I love you with all my heart," Rebecca groaned deeply she could feel the heat of sexual desire beginning to rise up through her. "Let's walk," She remarked pulling Marlene by the hand. They made their way to the house it was empty they opened the front door wondering in, "They must have taken a late lunch," Marlene guessed, "Or they took off early," Rebecca recollected. They walked into the great room there were, shrouds of plastic lying on the floor the smell of freshly painted walls filled the room.
"I like the color the light gray really highlights the fireplace mantle," Rebecca spoke she ran her hand across the mantle looking upwards, "And you in your wedding dress right here will be lovely, don't you think?" She pointed at the space above it. "Rebecca," Marlene shyly laughed. They toured the rest of the bottom floor before moving up stairs, "So what do you think of the master bedroom?" Rebecca twirled around in the big open space. "The colors really turned out well, I guess the bed will go here?" She gestured with her hand, "Yes and the dresser here," Marlene showed her. Rebecca thought momentarily, "We need to hire a staff, a nanny for the baby," She remarked, "I'm thinking with the cooking classes I'm taking we won't need a cook but someone to help with the basic housework, I don't know Rebecca I would like for it to just be us, I want my kitchen to be just that, my kitchen a nanny will be helpful when I return to work but I want us to be responsible for our child and his or her needs." Rebecca grinned, "I've always said children should be with their parents and not needy or left to the attentions of others but we have to be realistic Marlene with our careers we are going to have to have a live in I just don't see any other way around it," She calmly argued. "I agree but I think the more we're involved with our children the better off we will be," She replied. "Aren't you the least bit nervous? We don't know anything about babies, Marlene." She laughed at her, "Rebecca I want this and we'll have Biggi to help us and Dana want's to spend some time here when the baby arrives," She advised. Rebecca had a look of worry. "I understand and yes Biggi and Dana will be a great help but what if I'm gone and you're here alone to manage everything?" Marlene drew her closer to her, "Don't worry," She chuckled, "I love it when you worry," She added.
Rebecca sighed deeply, "Check with Justus or Mrs. Lentz they may know someone or where we can get in touch with an agency." She ordered grasping Marlene tightly around the waist. Rebecca gazed into to her eyes, "It's cold in here," She shuttered. "I could warm you up," Marlene didn't hesitate to answer her, "I'm sure you could," Her voice trembled as the coldness of the room made her begin to shake. Marlene's lips met hers, tongues meshed together exploring each other with loving passion. "Hmmm, you taste so good." Marlene barked, she began to giggle, "You have the most beautiful lips Rebecca," She took her index finger placing it on her bottom lip. Rebecca remained silent a small smile formed. "The first time we kissed I knew I wanted to kiss you more and as time past and even through all my denial when you walked into the room my eyes became fixated on them, I would fantasize about kissing you, I dreamed about you constantly," She smiled removing her finger and kissing her again. "All I ever wanted to do was kiss you Marlene you secretly drove me insane, falling in love with you was difficult because in my heart I felt there was no chance for us to be together, I pursued you because I knew deep down you could fall in love with me too." She rehearsed a tear fell to her cheek. Marlene turned and walked away from her she went over to the window peering out over the grounds. "I treated you badly and broke your heart a million times Rebecca, I couldn't bear what was happening because I was happy with Tristan and our lives were going so good, I lied to you, Tristan and myself but after our encounter my curiosity was spiked the need to be fulfilled had just been handed to me through a silly game of spin the bottle." Rebecca laughed walking over to her, "That's not the first time we kissed." She hung her head.
Marlene looked at her with a lost expression, "I don't remember us kissing a time before that, I was devoted to Tristan and uncertain about any hidden feelings for you or your feelings for me," She answered studying the look on Rebecca's face. "I have a confession to make," She started, "Remember the fashion book you gave me as a gift?" She looked at her remembering the book. "Yes what about it?" Rebecca calmly began, "I went looking for you and you were in the great room asleep, you were reading some book and I covered you with a throw and sat by you, I wanted you and I never dreamed I'd have the opportunity to kiss you, really, not in reality so I did it, I kissed you, you groaned and winced and suddenly called Tristan's name out, I was afraid you would open your eyes and see me so I escaped before you did." She shook her head rolling her eyes, Marlene grinned, "I do remember that day, I think I opened my eyes to see Tristan sitting by me and I asked him about the kiss he had given me, he kissed me again and I told him it wasn't as intense as before." Marlene surmised, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, it was a little weird, even for me." She remarked. Marlene began to rub the sides of Rebecca's arm, "It's flattering, in a way but none the less, strange." They walked down the hall to the next bedroom, "I'd like for this to be the nursery," She explained. Rebecca backed out of the door and looked down the hall, "It is the closest to our bedroom, sure," She smiled. "Did you decide on a color? It could be neutral or we can wait until we find out," She answered taking her hand and placing it on Marlene's belly.
"I'm thinking a light yellow but I want a theme," She replied. "Zoo animals?" Rebecca giggled. "And what is wrong with zoo animals?" Her tone became serious. "Uh, I uh," Rebecca stumbled over her words, Marlene crossed her arms not being able to keep a straight face she laughed loudly grabbing Rebecca by the waist and twirling her around she moved her face close to hers, "Where have you been all of my life?" She brushed her face with her fingertips. Rebecca gently took her hand kissing it she answered her, "I've been right here this whole time waiting for you, you and I, we," She shrugged her shoulders with a smile and continued. "Marlene you are the love of my life, I never you knew how much I could love someone until you," Her lips met hers with sweet pleasure they held hands walking out of the house and onto the grounds. "This place, its beautiful Rebecca, I would've never imagined you would want to leave the castle but I glad you did that you put us first for once," They walked along the creek the cold air bustled through the trees, "I knew sacrifices had to made in order for you to see that I was serious about a commitment with you that the only way you would marry me is if you knew I was dedicated and serious about us and our life together." Marlene clutched her arm tightly, "A life not dedicated to LCL, just me," She answered. "You and our children, when you told me you wanted children, I was uncertain at first but it was part of what I had to agree to in order for you to stay, I couldn't handle having you back and then losing you over something I was too selfish to realize." She remarked, "I couldn't force you to have children if you didn't want them, it's not something we discussed in our past." They headed back to the castle.
"I'm hungry and its getting late, I wonder what Mrs. Lentz cooked for lunch they walked to the kitchen pulling out the leftovers from lunch, "I'll fix us a salad," Rebecca offered, Marlene warmed up the chicken. The table was filled with salad fixings and toppings and plates of chicken and garden vegetables. "This is excellent, it's a shame we can't hire Mrs. Lentz to cook," Rebecca stated toying with her salad. Marlene poked her arm with her fist, "You don't want to eat my cooking?" She joked, "I haven't even had a chance to taste it, this class you take are you learning anything?" Marlene sighed before answering, "I've prepared a grilled salmon for the class and I have to say it came out very good." Rebecca giggled, "And when was this?" She thought briefly, "While you were in Amsterdam, I've learned a lot actually, it's been a challenge and Biggi has had to help me and she promises to come over when we move into the new house and show me things." Rebecca moaned, "I hope so, I don't want to starve to death!" She exclaimed. Marlene grabbed her and began to tickle her, she dropped her fork, "Stop it," She playfully demanded. They finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen returning to the orangery.
"It's late," Rebecca stated looking at her watch, "I need to do some work, I'm interviewing a young man Monday for my assistant's position and I'll need to work on a list of questions." Marlene put on her coat grabbing her purse, "On my way to dad's, I'm going to go over the color schemes for the nursery with him, do you have a problem with the light yellow?" Rebecca smiled, "No that's perfectly fine, yellow is a good color." She bent over kissing her. "Hopefully I'll have an idea as to when we can move in," She quickly closed the door, Rebecca opened her planner and began to write on her list the things she would need to ask Aaron. She thought back to her first meeting with him a time in Riga when she and Katherine were happy and fashion was in the forefront. She jotted down questions, closed her planner and readied for bed.
