November 16, 1918
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Garden
In two days would be the memorial for Cal.
Everyone Cal had ever met had been invited to pay their respects to the millionaire son.
Rose found the pain she felt unbearable.
Finally healed from the wounds of Jack and accepting that loving another would never tarnish the love they shared, she received the devastating news that her new love was dead.
Starting from zero, Rose grieved for her husband as she had done for Jack.
But this grief was different.
She grieved for the chance they would never be able to have. The 'what if' which floated over their heads for so long would never be explored.
Sitting on a stone bench by the withering flowers with Cal's letters on her lap, Rose stared into the nothing in front of her thinking about all of her regrets.
She regretted letting him leave thinking she hated him. She regretted never making things right after their passionate night together. She regretted her pride and the guilt that weighed heavy on her shoulders.
Her heart ached.
The creaking sounds of the glass door that led in and out of the brownstone mansion were barely heard. She sensed someone standing at the stairs but she never turned her gaze from the 'nothing' in front of her.
Assuming it was only Andrews trying once again to have her eat something, Rose dismissively turned her chin to her left with the intentions to reject his plated offer.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust and her brain to connect with her sinking heart. She stared at the ghost standing at the steps.
Cal stood in his green-ish tan uniform and a hat on top of his head.
Rose stared at him hard wondering if this was just her imagination playing a cruel joke on her. It would not be the first time she imagined him coming home to her.
Standing from the bench, still holding the letters from her husband in one hand, Rose walked the short distance to him.
Cal walked down the few steps just as she met him.
Rose stopped, standing in front of him.
She looked at him sceptically. Her eyes bounced around his face. He looked older somehow and tired, but he was still devishly handsome.
With a free hand, Rose cautiously reached it out and pressed her palm against his solid chest.
An audible gasp released from her lips realising that he was very real. Her bright blue-grey eyes were wide with disbelief.
Slowly, she stepped closer and circled her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
Cal let out a tearful smile and buried his nose into her neck, breathing in her perfumed scent. He was overwhelmed by her welcome.
Pulling back her head to look at him tearfully and pressed her forehead against his.
Parlour Room
Beside one another on a victorian styled sofa, Rose and Cal stared at the roaring fire unsure what to say or where they stood.
Beginning the conversation, Rose placed the teacup down on the saucer and done on the coffee table in front of them. "Do your parents know?"
Cal toyed with the rim of his hat and shook his head, "No. I'll see them soon. How are they?"
"Shattered," Rose told him honestly and noticed the surprised look on his face. "What happened?"
Cal rubbed a hand over his face, "I had orders to cross a place we call, No Man's Land. It's a dreadful hell of open land between us and the enemy. We were winning and gaining more ground, which meant the German's were retreating. We had no way of knowing if the German's had left. So myself and a… Lance Corporal, Talbot were given orders to cross No Man's Land to see if the German's had retreated."
Rose listened intently, hearing the hurt in his deep voice.
"As we approached the German trench and there was gunfire." He stared at his hands, "Talbot was killed and I ran as fast as I could to cover. But unfortunately, I was still too close to the German trench, so I couldn't escape. They had soldiers on watch—day and night just waiting for me to emerge from the ditch I hid in. I sat in that pool of mud, blood, and decaying bodies for three days when the German's finally gave their surrender."
"Your regiment thought you were killed." Rose pieced together.
Cal nodded, "There was a lot of gunfire." He looked at her, "I'm sorry to have frightened you. News travels very slowly in the military—Unless it's bad news." He tried to give a smile, but he was exhausted from everything he had endured these past two years.
Reaching out her hand to touch his clean-shaven cheek, Cal turned his tired dark eyes to her.
"You look tired." She gently brushed the lad of her thumb under his dark circled eyes.
Inhaling a deep breath, Cal nodded. His eyes moved around her beautiful face, memorising every detail as if it would be the time.
"Loving you saved me," Cal suddenly admitted.
Rose let out a breath.
"No matter if I was cold, wet, bleeding or all of it combined… I was determined to come back to you. My love for you kept me alive."
They sat in silence for another long minute.
"I'm rather tired, goodnight." Cal rose from the sofa.
Rose stood up and watched him as he picked up the canvas sack and began to exit the sitting room.
"Cal," Cal paused mid-step at the sound of Rose's voice slicing through the silence and the crackling fireplace. "I do… I…"
He slowly faced her with his brows slightly pinched together.
"I…" Rose gathered her courage and continued, "... I… I love you."
Feeling his heart rapidly beat in his chest, Cal dropped the canvas sack at his boots. He wanted to rewind this moment and play it over and over and hear her say the words he longed to hear.
Moving around the sofa, closing the short distance between them, Cal cupped Rose's face in his hands and captured her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss. Rose fell into his kiss and laced her fingers through his hair, pressing her body against him.
Krüger raced into the kitchen from the hallway when she had caught Cal and Rose in a liplock.
Madeline was finishing making dinner though she doubted the Master and Lady of the mansion would be coming down for the meal any time soon.
"Ich (I) told you! Ich (I) told you the Herr (Mr) und (and) Frau (Mrs) Lieben (love) each other!" Krüger grinned happily and moved around Madeline in love with the romance in the air.
Andrews turned around to face her from the stool where he sat and smirked, "It was only a matter of time." He took a sip of the coffee in his hand.
Madeline shook her head as she continued preparing the meal. "Yes, yes, yes, you certainly saw it coming. I mean honestly…" the cook faced them with relief on her face, "… thank heavens. Finally a bit of happiness in this dreary house."
Rose's Bedroom
Sometime between their kisses, Cal took Rose's hand and led her up the stairs and into the bedroom.
They stood in this position before, staring into each other's eyes, longing to touch one another. Unlike the first time, their desire did not come from a place of anger.
Cal reached out and held his hand against her cheek. He ran his thumb over her cheekbone. His heart swelled with love for her.
Rose stepped forward and initiated the kiss in which Cal accepted.
Her kiss was gentle but inviting, letting him deepen it. Slipping the tip of his tongue into her mouth, Cal could taste the sweet orange tea she had been drinking on her tongue.
Moving her hands up from against his chest and around his neck, Rose pressed her front against his, wanting to be as close to him as possible.
Cal didn't even realise that the belt around his uniform was off until he heard a clink hit the floor. He continued to kiss her as she unfastened each button on the uniform.
Tugging her thin white blouse from the skit, Cal slipped his hands up her blouse to touch her back.
Rose pushed the top wool layer of his uniform off of his shoulders and ran her hands over his chest, slipping the suspenders off of his shoulders.
Breaking the kiss, Rose lifted her piercing blue-grey eyes as she untucked the henley from his trousers.
Dipping his head down, Cal caught her lips and felt his body come alive when the tip of her tongue slid across his lips before entering his mouth.
Unable to stand not being able to touch her skin, Cal rushed the process of removing each other's clothes. He lifted her blouse shirt over her head and unfastened the clips of her long skirt, pushing it down her womanly hips.
Rose burst out in a fit of laughter as Cal acted like an impatient schoolboy, taking off his boots, trousers, and undergarments.
Finally free of clothing, Cal wrapped his arms around his wife, running his hands all over her body.
His mouth went to her neck, kissing the sensitive area he knew she liked.
Rose took him by surprise when her hand went to his proudly standing cock. He broke their kiss and looked down at her with wide eyes. Finding his reaction amusing, Rose gave him long firm strokes until he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw forcing himself to stay in control.
Keeping her in his arms, Cal laid her down.
He continued to shower her porcelain skin with kisses from her neck to her shoulder, then her breasts. Rose's hands were in his dark hair, releasing a breathless moan when his mouth went around her nipple.
Laying on her back while Cal filled her body with need, Rose was unable to help the smile forming across her lips. She bit her bottom lips, loving the wild pleasurable sensations he stirred in her.
His lips created its path back up her body, over her collarbone, up the column of her neck, until finally reaching her lips.
Gripping himself with his hand, Cal guided his cock to her centre. He chuckled when she moaned as he teased her.
Once face to face with one another, Rose ran her hand down the side of his face and lifted her eyes to his face giving him silent permission to enter her.
Slowly sliding himself in, taking complete advantage in memorising the way she felt. He's dreamt of his moment over and over from the last time. He tried to remember what her tightness felt like. But despite his vivid memory, the reality was no comparison.
Cal opened his eyes to see her expression.
She opened her eyes and pulled him by the neck to bring him closer. His mouth was over hers in a searing kiss.
Taking it slow, wanting to savour every intense sensation, Cal pulled almost completely out then buried himself back into the warmth of her body.
Rose's fingernails gently scratched up his upper arms and went back into his hair.
Braced on his elbows, keeping a steady rhythm, Cal peppered her with kisses. First on her mouth, then her neck, followed by her breasts. His mouth never left her skin.
Desperately wanting to speed his mercilessly slow rhythm, Rose took him by surprise and rolled him onto his back. She moved over top of him, covering her hands over his that were on her breasts. Rose sped up the pace and let her head fall back.
Cal's hands went to her hips, but he did not try to take over as 'leader'. He watched her move on top of him, wanting her to take whatever pleasure from him.
One hand laid flat against the oak wooden backboard, supporting her weight and her other hand was near his head, supporting her upper body. Cal cupped her face, tangling his fingers into her fiery red hair, kissing her soundly.
Their thrusts were becoming more frantic and led by a desperate need for release.
Cal rolled Rose back onto her back and pounded himself into her body. Hooking an arm around his neck to keep him close, Rose moaned loudly in his ear.
His free hand snuck between their bodies. He stroked her nubbin which almost immediately brought her to an explosive climax. Painting for breath, Rose touched her forehead and covered his mouth with her own.
Spilling his seed inside her, Cal breathed heavily riding out his waves of pleasure.
They shared a few more sweet kisses before Cal removed himself from her and laid on his back. Rose rolled up the thin bedsheet up their sweaty bodies and laid against his chest.
Cal hugged her tightly and looked down at her as she tilted her chin upwards to him. With a tugging smile, Cal tucked a piece of her long red hair behind her ear and gave her one more kiss before letting sleep wash over him.
Not once did Cal think this would be his homecoming. He had to remind himself over and over that this was reality; that Rose was right here with him and that she loved him.
Closing his eyes, buried his nose into her hair unable to stop the dreamy boyish smile from cross his face.
