Sean was able to convince Marita of his love for her and his deep desire for her, pregnant and all. He even read to the baby at the end of their first love session. After making passionate love to her several times, Sean had Marita begging him to stop and let her get some rest. But Sean insisted on making sure that Marita never ever again thought he did not love her or did not want her. Besides, he told her when he started on her for the ump teenth time, he needed to give her plenty of proof so that she could convince Aunt Eleanor not to hunt him down and kill him.
When Sean made love to Marita for the last time it was well past midnight and he asked her if she had any more notions about his not loving or wanting her. Marita sighed 'no' as her eyelids closed and she fell instantly into a satisfied, exhausted blissful sleep. Sean pulled Marita into his chest and wrapped his arm around her. He had a smile on his face as he thought about his 'energized' little wife running out of energy. His grinned grew bigger as he thought about his newfound stamina. He would have to buy Aunt Eleanor a very special gift because he would forever be in her debt. His libido was in full force again and he had the remedy to restore it whenever Marita became so energized that she drained him. When he finally drifted off to sleep, he still had that smile on his face.
Later that morning, Marita woke up with Sean snuggled against her back. She slowly opened her eyes to the bright light in the room. She stretched her naked body under the covers and felt refreshed. After reading her bible and praying, Marita smiled as she thought about Sean's lovemaking just a few hours earlier. He was so passionate with her. His touch, his words, were so loving and tender. She actually laughed aloud as she thought about how ridiculous she must have sounded to Auntie when she said Sean did not love her anymore. Marita then thought about Sean and his steady hardness. She wondered what had gotten into him. It seemed as if he would never go soft or get tired. He had given her enough to last her for a day or two, so she ease out of bed and when to bathe.
Sean was still asleep when Marita came out of the washroom. She dressed and left her sleeping husband to go downstairs and cook breakfast. After Marita ate, she washed the dishes and put a plate in the oven for Sean. She then penned him a note, placed it on the kitchen table and left for work.
When Sean woke, he was ready for Marita and he was more than anxious for a lovemaking marathon to start the day. He reached for Marita and was disappointed when all he felt was cold sheets. He opened his eyes, sighed and turned on his back. As he lay there looking up at the ceiling, he wondered if she was downstairs because he did not hear her in the washroom. If she was downstairs, he planned on bringing her back to bed. After praying and reading his bible, Sean hopped out of bed and went to wash his face. He then went downstairs hoping to find Marita. He went to the kitchen and was disappointed that a note, not Marita, was waiting for him. He picked up the not and smiled as he read it.
Honey
I missed having breakfast with you but you were sound asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I'm sure you're tired from your active night. I hope you don't sleep the morning away because I have a big breakfast waiting for you in the oven. All your favorites.
Thank you for a beautiful night. I love you.
M
"I love you too baby" he said before putting the note down and going over to the stove to get his breakfast. After he ate and dressed, Sean went into town to take care of some assembly business and to go by the warehouse. The materials for expanding the warehouse were due in and Sean wanted to be sure they had gotten everything they had ordered. He also wanted to meet with the builder who would be doing the work.
At lunchtime, he went up to his Pa's looking for an afternoon romp with his wife. He ran into Lexy and was informed that Marita had gone into town with Alice. She also told him that she did not know when they would be back. Sean grabbed some food and waited as long as he could for Marita but eventually he had to head out to the tobacco barn. When it neared 5 o'clock, Sean called it a day and went back to the house to see if Marita was ready to go home. When get got there she was not in the study. On his way upstairs, he ran into Alice, who was coming down.
"Hey Alice."
"Hi Sean" she smiled at him.
"Did Marita go home already?"
"No, she said she was going to the garden."
"OK. Thanks." he said and turned around and went back downstairs.
Sean left the house and headed to the garden. He saw Marita sitting among the flowers with a full basket at her side. She had clipped enough to replace the wilting ones in her house.
"Hey Mrs. Logan" Sean shouted as he approached her and Marita turned toward him. "You're in big trouble" he said as he smiled at her.
"For what?" Marita smiled back at him as she looked up at his handsome face.
"You" he said as he dropped to his knees and sat next to her. "Left this morning without giving me my wake up call" he grinned then kissed her lips. "Then you are no where to be found when I came looking for lunch" he grinned again and kissed her lips. "I been missing you woman!" he said then gave her a very sweet kiss. "I think I'm gonna have to lock you in the bedroom and teach you a lesson about leaving your husband without giving him the love he needs to make it through the day."
When her hormones were not taking her on an emotional ride, Marita had clear thoughts. She recognized that her sexual appetite had increased dramatically. She also realized that Sean was working very hard in the fields and at the warehouse and with their sex life intensifying the way it had, she knew that his body had no choice but to get exhausted. She also figured that their sexless weekend had rejuvenated him, but she wondered how soon he would run out of energy if they went back to the pace they started three weeks ago.
"Are you sure you have what it takes to be in a locked room with me?" Marita said in a teasing but aggressive tone.
Sean was turned on right there in the garden. Marita would usually blush when he teased her about their sex life. If she teased him back, she usually did in a bashful manner. But this time she came back at him with in a very assertive tone and he loved it. He had seen her mature physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Now he was watching her mature sexually. He could hardly contain the wide grin that spread across his face.
"You care to find out if I have what it takes? But before you answer, remember last night. There's plenty more where that came from" he warned her.
"I don't believe you" she challenged him.
"So you're calling me a liar?"
"No. I just don't believe there's 'plenty more'" she smiled at him. She was hoping there was plenty more and then some.
"I think you want me to show you that there's plenty more" he grinned back at her.
"You do know me SO well" she laughed.
And Marita knew he SO well. If she doubted Sean's ability to do something he knew he could be exceedingly well, he would put forth 200% to show her that she was wrong. And Marita wanted to be wrong this time.
And wrong she was. When they got home, they did not even eat dinner. They headed straight for the bedroom. Marita's hormones and Auntie's honey and onion mix in Sean's system proved to be a lethal combination. Sean and Marita made silent vows to themselves to not give in and call it quits until the other surrendered. Sean gave out first simply because while he was working hard in the sun that afternoon, Marita was napping in his old room.
"So, are you raising the white flag?" Marita teased him as she lay on top of him, looking down at him with her chin propped on her folded hands.
"Enjoy your victory. Tomorrow is a new day" he smiled as he closed his eyes.
The next two months went by fast for Sean and Marita. With Clay and Vivian getting married in two weeks, the entire family was busy helping to make sure everything was ready for the big day. Sean spend a lot of time with Clay giving him advice on being married and reassuring him that he would be a great husband to Vivian. Marita helped Vivian decorate the cabin to her taste and started teaching Vivian to actually cook some of the recipes she had given her. Vivian was not a quick learner when it came to cooking and she became frustrated and would cry and say she would be a terrible wife. Marita tried to reassure Vivian that she would make Clay a good wife, even if she could not cook. Marita offered to invite them to dinner until Vivian could at least cook a dish or two.
When they were not busy working or helping the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Clay Logan, Sean and Marita enjoyed each other to the fullest. Sean would take a teaspoon of his wonder love potion every other day so he was able to keep up with Marita's hormones. Each day was a contest to see who could last the longest. On some days, Marita came away the victor. On some days Sean came away the victor. But everyday, they both came away good and satisfied. And not only did they enjoy each other in the bedroom, they also enjoyed their simple time together, which they both considered very special moments between them. As the baby grew, they began to take more walks down by the river. Sometimes they would spend their entire Sunday afternoon by the river talking about the baby or just holding each other while they listened to the river flow.
Although Sean did not care for poetry, he would sit and listen as Marita read him her favorite poems. Although Marita did not care for horse racing or horse breeding, she would sit and listen when Sean would tell her about the latest horse race or about some horse Ned, Clay and Isaac was breeding. They spent time dreaming about the business empire they wanted to build for their children. They talked about how they would teach their children to work hard so that they would appreciate how hard their parents worked to leave them an inheritance.
Of all the special moments they would share during this first pregnancy, the most special moment for each of them was the first time they felt the baby move.
Marita was in the study going over mortgages when she felt a funny feeling. It was in her stomach. She had never felt it before and wondered what it could be. As she wondered, she rested her hand on her stomach. There it goes again and Marita's eyes became wide with amazement. She felt movement under her hand. Tears formed in Marita's eyes as it hit her fully - a baby was growing inside her. Her baby, Sean's baby was growing and moving inside her.
A feeling of love overwhelmed her. The love she felt for Sean astonished her at times, but this feeling of love was different. It was a mother's love. A love that could not be described with words. A love that continues to love in spite of what a child does. A love that bears all things. A love that endures all things. A love that never gives up. A love that never fails. Marita's tears ran down her cheeks.
An innocent baby needed her protection, her nurturing, her guidance, her kind words, her loving, tender hand. At that moment, Marita felt motherhood and her tears turned into cries of joy. She was going to be a mother. That realization had not fully sunk in until now.
Lexy had come to talk with Marita and saw her crying. She rushed into the study and over to the desk.
"Marita" she said. "What's wrong?" she patted her shoulder.
Marita could not speak, she could only cry as her hand remained on her baby.
"Marita, please tell me what's wrong!" Lexy became worried. "Please don't cry. Just tell me what's the matter."
When Marita continued to cry, Lexy started crying. "DON'T cry Marita. Tell me what's wrong."
When Marita still could not answer her, Lexy ran from the study.
"PA! ALICE! PA! PA! PA!" she cried as she hurried up the stairs.
"What's the matter Lexy!" Ned yelled as met her in the hallway.
"PA! Marita's crying" she cried as tears ran down her face. "And she won't tell me what's the matter with her. She won't stop crying Pa" she said to Ned's back as she followed him back downstairs.
Ned hurried into the study and saw his daughter-in-law sitting behind the desk crying.
"Marita, sweetheart, what's the matter?" he asked in an anxious voice as he walked over to her.
Marita looked up at him through her tears and just shook her head as she continued to cry.
"Is the baby ok?" Ned noticed she had her hand on her stomach.
Marita shook her head 'yes' and Ned breathed a sigh of relief.
"What's the matter sweetheart" he said in a very tender voice as he squatted down next to her. "Tell me what's the matter."
"I... want... Sean" she said in between her soft sobs.
"Is there anything I can do?" Ned asked because he had no idea where Sean was.
"No... " she said. "I... want... Sean."
Ned turned toward Lexy who was standing next to him.
"Do you know where Sean is?" he looked up at Lexy.
Lexy shook her head 'no' and she continued to look at Marita.
"Go find Alice. She may know where he is" he said to Lexy then turned back to Marita. "Marita, sweetheart, we'll try to find him but please tell me what's wrong."
Lexy ran from the study and to the front door. Before she could open it, it opened and Sean walked in.
"SEAN! Marita's crying and she won't tell us what's the matter" Sean flew past Lexy. "She said she wanted you" Lexy said as she following him into the study.
"Marita! What wrong? Is it the baby?" Sean said as he hurried over to her side.
When Ned heard Sean's voice, he stood and moved out of the way. Sean squatted down in the same position that Ned had been in. He looked up into Marita's tear filled eyes as she looked down into his. "What the matter baby?"
Marita did not say anything as she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. Sean looked down at his hand on Marita's stomach and her hand on his. He frowned then looked back at her. "Why are you crying?" he said. At that moment, Sean felt something beneath his hand and he did not know what it was. His immediate reaction was to pull his hand away, but Marita held it in place.
"It's the baby" she whispered. "He's moving" she said and her tears continued to flow.
Sean was speechless as he felt his child move. It became more real to him now that he would be a father. He was feeling the life he helped create. Tears began to form in his eyes.
Ned, who had been looking on, eased out the room and pulled a reluctant Lexy along with him. He closed the door, breathed a breath of relief and smiled. That was his first grandchild in there causing his parents to cry like babies.
Back in the study, Sean was still speechless. The baby must have known he was the center of attention because he continued to move around, giving his parents unspeakable joy.
"You think he's gonna move again" Sean asked when the little one finally settled down.
"I don't know" Marita said.
The parents stayed glued in the same position with their hands over the baby, waiting to see if he would move again. After several minutes, they gave up.
"I guess he tired himself out" Sean laughed as he stood up and leaned on the desk.
"I guess he did" Marita laughed.
They stared at each other and smiled for the next few minutes before Marita spoke.
"It's so amazing to me that our baby is growing inside me" Marita said with awe in her voice. "And feeling him move..." she started to cry again and could not put her feelings into words.
Sean pulled her out of the chair, sat down and pulled her down on his lap. Marita put her arms around his neck and laid her forehead on the side of his and cried. Sean held her lovingly in her arms while they let they reality of becoming parents hit them full force. They stayed in the study for the next hour, not saying anything just holding each other and basking in the love that filled the room.
**********************
One morning two months before the baby was due, Sean had come out of the washroom to find Marita sitting on the side of the bed with her back to him. She had told him before he went into the washroom that she was going downstairs to cook breakfast.
"I thought you were going to cook breakfast" he said innocently.
"Is that all you care about?! FOOD!" Marita snapped at him.
Sean did not know what to say. All he had done was ask a simply question and he was getting his head bitten off. As he timidly walked over to the bed, he noticed Marita was crying.
"What's the matter?" he asked as he sat down next to her.
"I CAN'T PUT ON MY SHOES!" she cried. "My stomach is getting so big" she sobbed. "That I can't bend over."
Sean almost laughed, but he did not dare. He tried to reason with her.
"Well, baby, you ARE pregnant."
"DON'T you think I know that!" she cried as she glared at him through her tears.
It took everything Sean had not to laugh in his lovely wife's face. She was so beautiful sitting there crying her eyes out because she could not bend over and touch her feet. Sean knew it was in his best interest to be as helpful as he could and not let the laughter that was building spill over. He stood up and bent down in front of her.
"Here, let me put them on for you" he said in a soothing voice. He took her left foot in his hands and caressed it before he put her boot on and laced it up. Then he dressed her right foot. "There" he said as he stood up.
Marita was still crying silently as she looked down at her feet. Feet she could no longer reach. "Thank you" she said with a sad voice.
Sean sat back down next to her. "Now, are you gonna stop crying and give me smile?"
"I'm getting fat!!" she said as her tears continued.
"You're not fat, baby. You're just... just, um a little round" Sean chuckled as he tried teasing her tears away.
"It's not funny!" Marita turned to him and frowned. "It's all your fault anyway!"
"What did I do?" Sean asked as he continued to chuckle.
"YOU got me pregnant. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be getting fat and I'd be able to bend over and put on my own shoes!" she cried.
Marita's statement was too funny for Sean to take offense. Her statement was also the straw that broke the camel's back. He burst out in merry laugher.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!!" Marita screamed.
"I'm sorry ba..." he said as he was it hard in the face.
Marita had grabbed a pillow and swung at her laughing husband and hit him dead in his face. Sean fell back on the bed as he continued to laugh.
"IT'S" hit in the face.
"NOT" hit in the face.
"FUNNY!!" hit, hit, hit, hit...
Sean continued to laugh and Marita continued to hit. He put up his arms to try and fend off her attack as he continued to laugh at her. When Marita got tired of hitting Sean, she threw the pillow to the side and got up off the bed and walked toward the door.
"Marita" Sean called to her with laughter in his voice and laughing tears in his eyes.
Marita ignored him and opened the door and walked out the room. Sean hopped up off the bed and followed after her.
"Marita, baby, come on" he said as he followed her down the stairs. "Don't be mad at me."
Marita still ignored him as she headed to the kitchen. Sean followed and knew he was in trouble. He needed to find a way to get back in her good graces.
"Why don't I fix us some thing to eat or I could run up to the house and get us something" Sean offered when Marita pulled out her skillet and put it on the stove.
"Go up to the house" Marita said as she turned from the stove and went to set the table. Her feelings were hurt because he laughed at her and did not understand what she was going through but she would allow him to make up to her by getting breakfast for them.
"What! You don't trust my cooking?" Sean said.
"No not really" she answered.
"Alright, I'll go up to the house" Sean said as he walked over to the table next to her. "You'd better not be mad at me when I get back."
"I can be if I want too" she told him.
He laughed at her before kissing her cheek and leaving to get their breakfast.
Marita's emotional outbursts got progressively worse as the days passed. In the beginning Sean was able to laugh but as they got worse he wanted to take Marita and gag her and lock her up in a room until the baby was born. She was running him ragged. If she was not crying over the silliest thing, she was fussing at him. And sometimes she got mad at him just because he was breathing the same air she was.
Sean had been called to Frankfort for an emergency Assembly meeting and he was glad. He needed to get away from Marita for awhile. He had asked Alice to come and stay with Marita and she said she would. Sean was not away from Marita for a day when he felt guilty about leaving her and wanted to go back home. He told Clancy that he needed to return home and Clancy understood. He told Sean he would come to Lexington and brief Sean on the meeting. Sean rushed back home to his crying, temperamental wife. A wife he loved more than anything. A wife he would not trade for all the tea in China, even though she was acting like a jar of vinegar.
Marita's outburst would sometimes happened in front of other members of the family. Alice had started avoiding her because she could never tell when Marita would have one of her moments, a name the family had come up with for Marita's outbursts. She even snapped at Lexy one day and that was too much for Lexy. Lexy could hold her own with any member of the family and though she was the baby, she never backed down. But when Marita snap at her, Lexy was in tears. Marita was always the one she could talk to and Marita NEVER raised her voice at Lexy, even when she was correcting her.
The minute Marita snapped at Lexy, she knew she was wrong. When she went up to Lexy's room to apologize, they both ended up crying and hugging each other. Marita promised not to snap at her again and Lexy promised not to do anything to make Marita mad. At least until she had the baby.
*******************
A month before the baby was due, Sean walked into the barn and saw Isaac and Ned sitting on crates, sharing a drink.
"Hi son" Ned said as he looked toward Sean.
"Pa, Isaac" he said with a forlorn look on his face.
"Sean" Isaac said.
"Something bothering you son?" Ned asked as he noticed Sean's distressed look.
"Marita's wearing me out. I'll be glad when this baby is born so she can get back to normal. She WILL start acting normal again, won't she?" he said in a desperate voice as he look from Ned to Isaac.
Ned and Isaac looked at each other and laughed. They both had gotten a glimpse of Marita misbehaving and they sympathized with Sean.
"Your mother behaved that same way when she was carrying you. And she DID 'get to normal' after you were born" Ned smiled at Sean.
"Well, son" Isaac said. "You don't have that much longer to go."
"That's easy for you to say. You don't have to live with her."
Isaac could not take offense. Marita was his baby girl and he did spoil her, but he knew what Sean was going through and he could not help but side with him. And he also knew that Sean loved his baby girl more than anything, even when she was acting so moody.
"You're right about that" Isaac laughed.
"Son, just try being extra nice to her. Do special things for her. That always made your mother feel better. Even when she was yelling at me or crying for no apparent reason. Agree with EVERYTHING she says no matter how crazy it is. And apologize when you THINK she might accuse you of something. " Ned laughed. "And remember how much you love her. Believe me, when that baby is born you'll forget all about these last few months."
Sean stayed in the barn with Ned and Isaac talking about pregnant wives. They eventually started talking about the horses and how well Clay was doing in his training.
That night, Sean lay in bed holding Marita and thinking about the advice he got from his father and Isaac. Do special things for her, agree with whatever she says and say 'I'm sorry'. Sean thought he could handle that. He would do everything he could to make this last month of pregnancy as pleasant for Marita as he could. And if she were happy, he would be happy. Then he thought back to this morning and now he was able to laugh...
Marita had prepared breakfast and called Sean to the table. When Sean got to the kitchen, Marita was standing at the table.
"Baby, I gotta go. We got behind yesterday in the fields and I need to help so we can catch up" he said when he saw two plates of food on the table.
"Don't you want to eat my cooking" she said before her eyes watered up.
"I love your cooking, honey, but I just don't have time to eat right now" he tried to explain.
"But I got up early and made this breakfast JUST for you!" she cried.
"Keep it warm for me. I'll eat it when I get back. I promise" he tried to pacify her.
"It won't be any good when you get back" she cried.
"OK. OK, Marita, I'll eat it now" he said as he pulled out the chair and sat down.
"No, that's OK. You go ahead and leave" Marita said as she grabbed the plate from in front of him before he could put his fork in it.
"Marita, please!" Sean said exasperated as he watched her walk over to the counter.
"Have a good day in the fields" she said in a teary voice.
Sean did not have time to fight with her about eating breakfast, so he decided to go. He walked up to her and kissed her cheek.
"I love you" he said in a sweet voice, hoping to soothe her.
"Um hum" she said and started crying.
"Marita, please don't cry. I told you I would eat if you really want me too."
"I don't want you to eat because I want you too!!" she cried. "I want you to eat because you like my cooking!!"
"Here" Sean said and grabbed the plate off the counter. "I'm gonna eat because I LOVE your cooking" he said as he walked to the table and sat down.
Sean began to eat as quickly as he could.
"Aren't you gonna join me?" he asked her between bites.
Marita turned from the sink and walked over to the table and sat down. They ate in silence because Sean did not want to say anything to set Marita off. When he had cleaned his plate, he took it and placed it in the sink. He walked back over to Marita and leaned down and kissed her again and rubbed her growing stomach.
"It was delicious" he said. "I'll probably be out in the fields all day. I love you" he said before he rushed out of the house.
***************
Sean chuckled as he remembered coming home this evening to find that Marita had cook all his favorites for dinner. She would do that when she had acted especially horrible. Sean smiled as he gave her a bouquet of all her favorite flowers. Sean told her he had missed her that day and wanted to see her smile. She started crying again because she knew she did not deserve his sweet gesture. Sean kissed her and wiped her tears away and she gave him that smile he was looking for.
In the days that followed, Sean was wonderful, especially when Marita was not. Sean would pamper Marita by washing and brushing her hair, and giving her feet and back massages. He brought her flowers everyday and would read her favorite love poems to her. He had started serving her breakfast in bed. A week had pasted before Sean admitted that he had being going up to the cookhouse and asking Cook to prepare the breakfasts.
********************
A week before the baby was due, Sean woke to sobs. He was not sure at first what the sound was but once he opened his eyes he realized Marita was crying.
Sean pushed himself up on his elbow and placed his hand on her overgrown stomach. "What's wrong Marita?" he asked in a worried tone. "Are you alright? Is the baby hurting you?" Marita continued to cry uncontrollable. Sean became worried and got out of bed and went to her side and sat next to her.
"Baby, please tell me what's wrong" Sean said as he again put his hand on her stomach and began to rub it, hoping that would soothe her. Marita cried even more and shook her head in the negative.
"Marita" Sean said a little forcible, "you need to tell me what's wrong. Is the baby hurting you? Are you in any kind of pain?" He needed to know if he should send for the doctor.
Marita again shook her head in the negative and Sean was relieved. "OK" he said. "Tell me baby. What's wrong" he said in a sweet, loving and very patience voice.
"Nu.......thing" Marita cried and I mean CRIED. She got louder and more hysterical. Sean didn't know what to do so he tried to be logical.
"So why are you crying?" Sean said.
"I, I can't get UP!" she cried. "My stomach is too BIG! I feel like a fat pig! I'm ugly!" she cried as her tears continued to fall. "I couldn't get comfortable last night and I didn't get any sleep!"
If Sean didn't love her so much he would have laughed in her face. Instead he got up and went over to the basin and wet a hand cloth. He went back over to the bed and sat down and wiped the tears from her face. He helped her to sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed. Sean sat next to her, put his arm around her waist and let her finish her cry.
When Marita's hysterical cries were demoted to whimpers, Sean said "First of all" kiss on the cheek. "You are beautiful" he whispered. "Second," kiss on the cheek. "you are not fat. You are carrying my baby. And thirdly," kiss on the cheek. "You may feel like a 'fat pig' but you look like a beautiful swan" he said sweetly and tenderly.
Marita's tears started again but this time they were tears of joy. She was so grateful to have such a wonderful husband. "My feet are swollen" she said, half laughing half crying, as she tried to lift her legs so she could see them.
Sean laughed and bent his head to her stomach. Marita naturally ran her fingers through his curls. Sean kissed her swollen abdomen and said to his unborn child "See what you are doing to your mother." Marita could only smile as Sean's teasing lifted her spirits. Sean lifted his head and smiled at Marita. He kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll be right back" he said as he left the room.
Sean returned ten minutes later. He walked over to Marita, took her by the hand and pulled her to her feet. He grabbed her nightgown on the sides and began to pull it up.
"SEAN! What are you doing?" Marita said a little hysterically as she stopped his hands upward motion. Her spirits were lifted but she still felt very unattractive. She didn't want Sean to see her naked.
"I'm about to take your nightgown off" he answered in a very reasonable voice.
"NO you are NOT!" Marita snapped as she tried to push his hands away.
"Marita" Sean said in a soothing voice that Marita was beginning to loathe. "I love you and you are still the most beautiful woman in the world. Now, I'm about to undress you so I can give you a nice hot sponge bath".
The love Marita saw in his eyes and heard in his voice brought back those tears. "I have stretch marks!" she cried as her tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sean saw that her defenses were down and he just smiled at her and pulled her nightgown over her head. Marita felt self conscious about standing naked and bloated before Sean. He smiled at her and took her by the hand and led her to the bath area. Sean picked Marita up and placed her in the warm, jasmine scented water. The warm water felt so good that Marita let out a sigh.
Sean lovingly washed every inch of Marita's body. He spent extra time washing her swollen stomach, letting her know through his caresses that he still thought she was beautiful and attractive. When he was done, he helped her stand up and dried her off. He then bent his head and rained kisses over her protruding middle and again Marita was brought to tears by his tender love. Sean lifted his head and bent down and picked Marita up and carried her back to their room. He dressed her in her undergarments and one of her lightweight dresses.
"Hey why don't I go get breakfast and we can go down to the river and have a breakfast outing" Sean said when he had buttoned the last button on her dress.
"I'd love that" Marita smiled. She was so grateful for him. Especially since he had been so loving to her in spite of the fits she had been having.
"Alright" he said. He went to the closet and got a blanket then grabbed Marita by the hand and walked out the bedroom and down the stairs.
After he got a basket out the kitchen, they went outside and Sean loaded Marita up into the carriage and they went the cookhouse. Sean packed ham, biscuits, strawberries, grapes and bananas. They went down to the river, sat under the oak tree and ate their breakfast. They stayed down by the river for the rest of the morning and only went back home when they got hungry again. Sean stayed home all day with Marita. She had gotten into a cleaning mood but Sean would not let her do much. She had to settle for telling him what to do and supervising his work. If he did not do it to her liking, Sean told her 'too bad' because she would not be doing anything strenuous.
And that is how it would be until the baby was born. Sean attached himself to Marita to keep an eye on her. He did not want her to overwork herself since she was so close to delivering their baby. If she went up to the house, he followed her. Whenever he had to leave her, he put his sisters in charge of being her personal bodyguard. She told him one evening that she felt like a prisoner and he simply laughed at her.
********************
Marita woke up at midnight. She had an awful cramp. It lasted for only a few seconds. Marita lay there and waited to see if it would happen again.
To Be Continued...................
When Sean made love to Marita for the last time it was well past midnight and he asked her if she had any more notions about his not loving or wanting her. Marita sighed 'no' as her eyelids closed and she fell instantly into a satisfied, exhausted blissful sleep. Sean pulled Marita into his chest and wrapped his arm around her. He had a smile on his face as he thought about his 'energized' little wife running out of energy. His grinned grew bigger as he thought about his newfound stamina. He would have to buy Aunt Eleanor a very special gift because he would forever be in her debt. His libido was in full force again and he had the remedy to restore it whenever Marita became so energized that she drained him. When he finally drifted off to sleep, he still had that smile on his face.
Later that morning, Marita woke up with Sean snuggled against her back. She slowly opened her eyes to the bright light in the room. She stretched her naked body under the covers and felt refreshed. After reading her bible and praying, Marita smiled as she thought about Sean's lovemaking just a few hours earlier. He was so passionate with her. His touch, his words, were so loving and tender. She actually laughed aloud as she thought about how ridiculous she must have sounded to Auntie when she said Sean did not love her anymore. Marita then thought about Sean and his steady hardness. She wondered what had gotten into him. It seemed as if he would never go soft or get tired. He had given her enough to last her for a day or two, so she ease out of bed and when to bathe.
Sean was still asleep when Marita came out of the washroom. She dressed and left her sleeping husband to go downstairs and cook breakfast. After Marita ate, she washed the dishes and put a plate in the oven for Sean. She then penned him a note, placed it on the kitchen table and left for work.
When Sean woke, he was ready for Marita and he was more than anxious for a lovemaking marathon to start the day. He reached for Marita and was disappointed when all he felt was cold sheets. He opened his eyes, sighed and turned on his back. As he lay there looking up at the ceiling, he wondered if she was downstairs because he did not hear her in the washroom. If she was downstairs, he planned on bringing her back to bed. After praying and reading his bible, Sean hopped out of bed and went to wash his face. He then went downstairs hoping to find Marita. He went to the kitchen and was disappointed that a note, not Marita, was waiting for him. He picked up the not and smiled as he read it.
Honey
I missed having breakfast with you but you were sound asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I'm sure you're tired from your active night. I hope you don't sleep the morning away because I have a big breakfast waiting for you in the oven. All your favorites.
Thank you for a beautiful night. I love you.
M
"I love you too baby" he said before putting the note down and going over to the stove to get his breakfast. After he ate and dressed, Sean went into town to take care of some assembly business and to go by the warehouse. The materials for expanding the warehouse were due in and Sean wanted to be sure they had gotten everything they had ordered. He also wanted to meet with the builder who would be doing the work.
At lunchtime, he went up to his Pa's looking for an afternoon romp with his wife. He ran into Lexy and was informed that Marita had gone into town with Alice. She also told him that she did not know when they would be back. Sean grabbed some food and waited as long as he could for Marita but eventually he had to head out to the tobacco barn. When it neared 5 o'clock, Sean called it a day and went back to the house to see if Marita was ready to go home. When get got there she was not in the study. On his way upstairs, he ran into Alice, who was coming down.
"Hey Alice."
"Hi Sean" she smiled at him.
"Did Marita go home already?"
"No, she said she was going to the garden."
"OK. Thanks." he said and turned around and went back downstairs.
Sean left the house and headed to the garden. He saw Marita sitting among the flowers with a full basket at her side. She had clipped enough to replace the wilting ones in her house.
"Hey Mrs. Logan" Sean shouted as he approached her and Marita turned toward him. "You're in big trouble" he said as he smiled at her.
"For what?" Marita smiled back at him as she looked up at his handsome face.
"You" he said as he dropped to his knees and sat next to her. "Left this morning without giving me my wake up call" he grinned then kissed her lips. "Then you are no where to be found when I came looking for lunch" he grinned again and kissed her lips. "I been missing you woman!" he said then gave her a very sweet kiss. "I think I'm gonna have to lock you in the bedroom and teach you a lesson about leaving your husband without giving him the love he needs to make it through the day."
When her hormones were not taking her on an emotional ride, Marita had clear thoughts. She recognized that her sexual appetite had increased dramatically. She also realized that Sean was working very hard in the fields and at the warehouse and with their sex life intensifying the way it had, she knew that his body had no choice but to get exhausted. She also figured that their sexless weekend had rejuvenated him, but she wondered how soon he would run out of energy if they went back to the pace they started three weeks ago.
"Are you sure you have what it takes to be in a locked room with me?" Marita said in a teasing but aggressive tone.
Sean was turned on right there in the garden. Marita would usually blush when he teased her about their sex life. If she teased him back, she usually did in a bashful manner. But this time she came back at him with in a very assertive tone and he loved it. He had seen her mature physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Now he was watching her mature sexually. He could hardly contain the wide grin that spread across his face.
"You care to find out if I have what it takes? But before you answer, remember last night. There's plenty more where that came from" he warned her.
"I don't believe you" she challenged him.
"So you're calling me a liar?"
"No. I just don't believe there's 'plenty more'" she smiled at him. She was hoping there was plenty more and then some.
"I think you want me to show you that there's plenty more" he grinned back at her.
"You do know me SO well" she laughed.
And Marita knew he SO well. If she doubted Sean's ability to do something he knew he could be exceedingly well, he would put forth 200% to show her that she was wrong. And Marita wanted to be wrong this time.
And wrong she was. When they got home, they did not even eat dinner. They headed straight for the bedroom. Marita's hormones and Auntie's honey and onion mix in Sean's system proved to be a lethal combination. Sean and Marita made silent vows to themselves to not give in and call it quits until the other surrendered. Sean gave out first simply because while he was working hard in the sun that afternoon, Marita was napping in his old room.
"So, are you raising the white flag?" Marita teased him as she lay on top of him, looking down at him with her chin propped on her folded hands.
"Enjoy your victory. Tomorrow is a new day" he smiled as he closed his eyes.
The next two months went by fast for Sean and Marita. With Clay and Vivian getting married in two weeks, the entire family was busy helping to make sure everything was ready for the big day. Sean spend a lot of time with Clay giving him advice on being married and reassuring him that he would be a great husband to Vivian. Marita helped Vivian decorate the cabin to her taste and started teaching Vivian to actually cook some of the recipes she had given her. Vivian was not a quick learner when it came to cooking and she became frustrated and would cry and say she would be a terrible wife. Marita tried to reassure Vivian that she would make Clay a good wife, even if she could not cook. Marita offered to invite them to dinner until Vivian could at least cook a dish or two.
When they were not busy working or helping the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Clay Logan, Sean and Marita enjoyed each other to the fullest. Sean would take a teaspoon of his wonder love potion every other day so he was able to keep up with Marita's hormones. Each day was a contest to see who could last the longest. On some days, Marita came away the victor. On some days Sean came away the victor. But everyday, they both came away good and satisfied. And not only did they enjoy each other in the bedroom, they also enjoyed their simple time together, which they both considered very special moments between them. As the baby grew, they began to take more walks down by the river. Sometimes they would spend their entire Sunday afternoon by the river talking about the baby or just holding each other while they listened to the river flow.
Although Sean did not care for poetry, he would sit and listen as Marita read him her favorite poems. Although Marita did not care for horse racing or horse breeding, she would sit and listen when Sean would tell her about the latest horse race or about some horse Ned, Clay and Isaac was breeding. They spent time dreaming about the business empire they wanted to build for their children. They talked about how they would teach their children to work hard so that they would appreciate how hard their parents worked to leave them an inheritance.
Of all the special moments they would share during this first pregnancy, the most special moment for each of them was the first time they felt the baby move.
Marita was in the study going over mortgages when she felt a funny feeling. It was in her stomach. She had never felt it before and wondered what it could be. As she wondered, she rested her hand on her stomach. There it goes again and Marita's eyes became wide with amazement. She felt movement under her hand. Tears formed in Marita's eyes as it hit her fully - a baby was growing inside her. Her baby, Sean's baby was growing and moving inside her.
A feeling of love overwhelmed her. The love she felt for Sean astonished her at times, but this feeling of love was different. It was a mother's love. A love that could not be described with words. A love that continues to love in spite of what a child does. A love that bears all things. A love that endures all things. A love that never gives up. A love that never fails. Marita's tears ran down her cheeks.
An innocent baby needed her protection, her nurturing, her guidance, her kind words, her loving, tender hand. At that moment, Marita felt motherhood and her tears turned into cries of joy. She was going to be a mother. That realization had not fully sunk in until now.
Lexy had come to talk with Marita and saw her crying. She rushed into the study and over to the desk.
"Marita" she said. "What's wrong?" she patted her shoulder.
Marita could not speak, she could only cry as her hand remained on her baby.
"Marita, please tell me what's wrong!" Lexy became worried. "Please don't cry. Just tell me what's the matter."
When Marita continued to cry, Lexy started crying. "DON'T cry Marita. Tell me what's wrong."
When Marita still could not answer her, Lexy ran from the study.
"PA! ALICE! PA! PA! PA!" she cried as she hurried up the stairs.
"What's the matter Lexy!" Ned yelled as met her in the hallway.
"PA! Marita's crying" she cried as tears ran down her face. "And she won't tell me what's the matter with her. She won't stop crying Pa" she said to Ned's back as she followed him back downstairs.
Ned hurried into the study and saw his daughter-in-law sitting behind the desk crying.
"Marita, sweetheart, what's the matter?" he asked in an anxious voice as he walked over to her.
Marita looked up at him through her tears and just shook her head as she continued to cry.
"Is the baby ok?" Ned noticed she had her hand on her stomach.
Marita shook her head 'yes' and Ned breathed a sigh of relief.
"What's the matter sweetheart" he said in a very tender voice as he squatted down next to her. "Tell me what's the matter."
"I... want... Sean" she said in between her soft sobs.
"Is there anything I can do?" Ned asked because he had no idea where Sean was.
"No... " she said. "I... want... Sean."
Ned turned toward Lexy who was standing next to him.
"Do you know where Sean is?" he looked up at Lexy.
Lexy shook her head 'no' and she continued to look at Marita.
"Go find Alice. She may know where he is" he said to Lexy then turned back to Marita. "Marita, sweetheart, we'll try to find him but please tell me what's wrong."
Lexy ran from the study and to the front door. Before she could open it, it opened and Sean walked in.
"SEAN! Marita's crying and she won't tell us what's the matter" Sean flew past Lexy. "She said she wanted you" Lexy said as she following him into the study.
"Marita! What wrong? Is it the baby?" Sean said as he hurried over to her side.
When Ned heard Sean's voice, he stood and moved out of the way. Sean squatted down in the same position that Ned had been in. He looked up into Marita's tear filled eyes as she looked down into his. "What the matter baby?"
Marita did not say anything as she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. Sean looked down at his hand on Marita's stomach and her hand on his. He frowned then looked back at her. "Why are you crying?" he said. At that moment, Sean felt something beneath his hand and he did not know what it was. His immediate reaction was to pull his hand away, but Marita held it in place.
"It's the baby" she whispered. "He's moving" she said and her tears continued to flow.
Sean was speechless as he felt his child move. It became more real to him now that he would be a father. He was feeling the life he helped create. Tears began to form in his eyes.
Ned, who had been looking on, eased out the room and pulled a reluctant Lexy along with him. He closed the door, breathed a breath of relief and smiled. That was his first grandchild in there causing his parents to cry like babies.
Back in the study, Sean was still speechless. The baby must have known he was the center of attention because he continued to move around, giving his parents unspeakable joy.
"You think he's gonna move again" Sean asked when the little one finally settled down.
"I don't know" Marita said.
The parents stayed glued in the same position with their hands over the baby, waiting to see if he would move again. After several minutes, they gave up.
"I guess he tired himself out" Sean laughed as he stood up and leaned on the desk.
"I guess he did" Marita laughed.
They stared at each other and smiled for the next few minutes before Marita spoke.
"It's so amazing to me that our baby is growing inside me" Marita said with awe in her voice. "And feeling him move..." she started to cry again and could not put her feelings into words.
Sean pulled her out of the chair, sat down and pulled her down on his lap. Marita put her arms around his neck and laid her forehead on the side of his and cried. Sean held her lovingly in her arms while they let they reality of becoming parents hit them full force. They stayed in the study for the next hour, not saying anything just holding each other and basking in the love that filled the room.
**********************
One morning two months before the baby was due, Sean had come out of the washroom to find Marita sitting on the side of the bed with her back to him. She had told him before he went into the washroom that she was going downstairs to cook breakfast.
"I thought you were going to cook breakfast" he said innocently.
"Is that all you care about?! FOOD!" Marita snapped at him.
Sean did not know what to say. All he had done was ask a simply question and he was getting his head bitten off. As he timidly walked over to the bed, he noticed Marita was crying.
"What's the matter?" he asked as he sat down next to her.
"I CAN'T PUT ON MY SHOES!" she cried. "My stomach is getting so big" she sobbed. "That I can't bend over."
Sean almost laughed, but he did not dare. He tried to reason with her.
"Well, baby, you ARE pregnant."
"DON'T you think I know that!" she cried as she glared at him through her tears.
It took everything Sean had not to laugh in his lovely wife's face. She was so beautiful sitting there crying her eyes out because she could not bend over and touch her feet. Sean knew it was in his best interest to be as helpful as he could and not let the laughter that was building spill over. He stood up and bent down in front of her.
"Here, let me put them on for you" he said in a soothing voice. He took her left foot in his hands and caressed it before he put her boot on and laced it up. Then he dressed her right foot. "There" he said as he stood up.
Marita was still crying silently as she looked down at her feet. Feet she could no longer reach. "Thank you" she said with a sad voice.
Sean sat back down next to her. "Now, are you gonna stop crying and give me smile?"
"I'm getting fat!!" she said as her tears continued.
"You're not fat, baby. You're just... just, um a little round" Sean chuckled as he tried teasing her tears away.
"It's not funny!" Marita turned to him and frowned. "It's all your fault anyway!"
"What did I do?" Sean asked as he continued to chuckle.
"YOU got me pregnant. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be getting fat and I'd be able to bend over and put on my own shoes!" she cried.
Marita's statement was too funny for Sean to take offense. Her statement was also the straw that broke the camel's back. He burst out in merry laugher.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!!" Marita screamed.
"I'm sorry ba..." he said as he was it hard in the face.
Marita had grabbed a pillow and swung at her laughing husband and hit him dead in his face. Sean fell back on the bed as he continued to laugh.
"IT'S" hit in the face.
"NOT" hit in the face.
"FUNNY!!" hit, hit, hit, hit...
Sean continued to laugh and Marita continued to hit. He put up his arms to try and fend off her attack as he continued to laugh at her. When Marita got tired of hitting Sean, she threw the pillow to the side and got up off the bed and walked toward the door.
"Marita" Sean called to her with laughter in his voice and laughing tears in his eyes.
Marita ignored him and opened the door and walked out the room. Sean hopped up off the bed and followed after her.
"Marita, baby, come on" he said as he followed her down the stairs. "Don't be mad at me."
Marita still ignored him as she headed to the kitchen. Sean followed and knew he was in trouble. He needed to find a way to get back in her good graces.
"Why don't I fix us some thing to eat or I could run up to the house and get us something" Sean offered when Marita pulled out her skillet and put it on the stove.
"Go up to the house" Marita said as she turned from the stove and went to set the table. Her feelings were hurt because he laughed at her and did not understand what she was going through but she would allow him to make up to her by getting breakfast for them.
"What! You don't trust my cooking?" Sean said.
"No not really" she answered.
"Alright, I'll go up to the house" Sean said as he walked over to the table next to her. "You'd better not be mad at me when I get back."
"I can be if I want too" she told him.
He laughed at her before kissing her cheek and leaving to get their breakfast.
Marita's emotional outbursts got progressively worse as the days passed. In the beginning Sean was able to laugh but as they got worse he wanted to take Marita and gag her and lock her up in a room until the baby was born. She was running him ragged. If she was not crying over the silliest thing, she was fussing at him. And sometimes she got mad at him just because he was breathing the same air she was.
Sean had been called to Frankfort for an emergency Assembly meeting and he was glad. He needed to get away from Marita for awhile. He had asked Alice to come and stay with Marita and she said she would. Sean was not away from Marita for a day when he felt guilty about leaving her and wanted to go back home. He told Clancy that he needed to return home and Clancy understood. He told Sean he would come to Lexington and brief Sean on the meeting. Sean rushed back home to his crying, temperamental wife. A wife he loved more than anything. A wife he would not trade for all the tea in China, even though she was acting like a jar of vinegar.
Marita's outburst would sometimes happened in front of other members of the family. Alice had started avoiding her because she could never tell when Marita would have one of her moments, a name the family had come up with for Marita's outbursts. She even snapped at Lexy one day and that was too much for Lexy. Lexy could hold her own with any member of the family and though she was the baby, she never backed down. But when Marita snap at her, Lexy was in tears. Marita was always the one she could talk to and Marita NEVER raised her voice at Lexy, even when she was correcting her.
The minute Marita snapped at Lexy, she knew she was wrong. When she went up to Lexy's room to apologize, they both ended up crying and hugging each other. Marita promised not to snap at her again and Lexy promised not to do anything to make Marita mad. At least until she had the baby.
*******************
A month before the baby was due, Sean walked into the barn and saw Isaac and Ned sitting on crates, sharing a drink.
"Hi son" Ned said as he looked toward Sean.
"Pa, Isaac" he said with a forlorn look on his face.
"Sean" Isaac said.
"Something bothering you son?" Ned asked as he noticed Sean's distressed look.
"Marita's wearing me out. I'll be glad when this baby is born so she can get back to normal. She WILL start acting normal again, won't she?" he said in a desperate voice as he look from Ned to Isaac.
Ned and Isaac looked at each other and laughed. They both had gotten a glimpse of Marita misbehaving and they sympathized with Sean.
"Your mother behaved that same way when she was carrying you. And she DID 'get to normal' after you were born" Ned smiled at Sean.
"Well, son" Isaac said. "You don't have that much longer to go."
"That's easy for you to say. You don't have to live with her."
Isaac could not take offense. Marita was his baby girl and he did spoil her, but he knew what Sean was going through and he could not help but side with him. And he also knew that Sean loved his baby girl more than anything, even when she was acting so moody.
"You're right about that" Isaac laughed.
"Son, just try being extra nice to her. Do special things for her. That always made your mother feel better. Even when she was yelling at me or crying for no apparent reason. Agree with EVERYTHING she says no matter how crazy it is. And apologize when you THINK she might accuse you of something. " Ned laughed. "And remember how much you love her. Believe me, when that baby is born you'll forget all about these last few months."
Sean stayed in the barn with Ned and Isaac talking about pregnant wives. They eventually started talking about the horses and how well Clay was doing in his training.
That night, Sean lay in bed holding Marita and thinking about the advice he got from his father and Isaac. Do special things for her, agree with whatever she says and say 'I'm sorry'. Sean thought he could handle that. He would do everything he could to make this last month of pregnancy as pleasant for Marita as he could. And if she were happy, he would be happy. Then he thought back to this morning and now he was able to laugh...
Marita had prepared breakfast and called Sean to the table. When Sean got to the kitchen, Marita was standing at the table.
"Baby, I gotta go. We got behind yesterday in the fields and I need to help so we can catch up" he said when he saw two plates of food on the table.
"Don't you want to eat my cooking" she said before her eyes watered up.
"I love your cooking, honey, but I just don't have time to eat right now" he tried to explain.
"But I got up early and made this breakfast JUST for you!" she cried.
"Keep it warm for me. I'll eat it when I get back. I promise" he tried to pacify her.
"It won't be any good when you get back" she cried.
"OK. OK, Marita, I'll eat it now" he said as he pulled out the chair and sat down.
"No, that's OK. You go ahead and leave" Marita said as she grabbed the plate from in front of him before he could put his fork in it.
"Marita, please!" Sean said exasperated as he watched her walk over to the counter.
"Have a good day in the fields" she said in a teary voice.
Sean did not have time to fight with her about eating breakfast, so he decided to go. He walked up to her and kissed her cheek.
"I love you" he said in a sweet voice, hoping to soothe her.
"Um hum" she said and started crying.
"Marita, please don't cry. I told you I would eat if you really want me too."
"I don't want you to eat because I want you too!!" she cried. "I want you to eat because you like my cooking!!"
"Here" Sean said and grabbed the plate off the counter. "I'm gonna eat because I LOVE your cooking" he said as he walked to the table and sat down.
Sean began to eat as quickly as he could.
"Aren't you gonna join me?" he asked her between bites.
Marita turned from the sink and walked over to the table and sat down. They ate in silence because Sean did not want to say anything to set Marita off. When he had cleaned his plate, he took it and placed it in the sink. He walked back over to Marita and leaned down and kissed her again and rubbed her growing stomach.
"It was delicious" he said. "I'll probably be out in the fields all day. I love you" he said before he rushed out of the house.
***************
Sean chuckled as he remembered coming home this evening to find that Marita had cook all his favorites for dinner. She would do that when she had acted especially horrible. Sean smiled as he gave her a bouquet of all her favorite flowers. Sean told her he had missed her that day and wanted to see her smile. She started crying again because she knew she did not deserve his sweet gesture. Sean kissed her and wiped her tears away and she gave him that smile he was looking for.
In the days that followed, Sean was wonderful, especially when Marita was not. Sean would pamper Marita by washing and brushing her hair, and giving her feet and back massages. He brought her flowers everyday and would read her favorite love poems to her. He had started serving her breakfast in bed. A week had pasted before Sean admitted that he had being going up to the cookhouse and asking Cook to prepare the breakfasts.
********************
A week before the baby was due, Sean woke to sobs. He was not sure at first what the sound was but once he opened his eyes he realized Marita was crying.
Sean pushed himself up on his elbow and placed his hand on her overgrown stomach. "What's wrong Marita?" he asked in a worried tone. "Are you alright? Is the baby hurting you?" Marita continued to cry uncontrollable. Sean became worried and got out of bed and went to her side and sat next to her.
"Baby, please tell me what's wrong" Sean said as he again put his hand on her stomach and began to rub it, hoping that would soothe her. Marita cried even more and shook her head in the negative.
"Marita" Sean said a little forcible, "you need to tell me what's wrong. Is the baby hurting you? Are you in any kind of pain?" He needed to know if he should send for the doctor.
Marita again shook her head in the negative and Sean was relieved. "OK" he said. "Tell me baby. What's wrong" he said in a sweet, loving and very patience voice.
"Nu.......thing" Marita cried and I mean CRIED. She got louder and more hysterical. Sean didn't know what to do so he tried to be logical.
"So why are you crying?" Sean said.
"I, I can't get UP!" she cried. "My stomach is too BIG! I feel like a fat pig! I'm ugly!" she cried as her tears continued to fall. "I couldn't get comfortable last night and I didn't get any sleep!"
If Sean didn't love her so much he would have laughed in her face. Instead he got up and went over to the basin and wet a hand cloth. He went back over to the bed and sat down and wiped the tears from her face. He helped her to sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed. Sean sat next to her, put his arm around her waist and let her finish her cry.
When Marita's hysterical cries were demoted to whimpers, Sean said "First of all" kiss on the cheek. "You are beautiful" he whispered. "Second," kiss on the cheek. "you are not fat. You are carrying my baby. And thirdly," kiss on the cheek. "You may feel like a 'fat pig' but you look like a beautiful swan" he said sweetly and tenderly.
Marita's tears started again but this time they were tears of joy. She was so grateful to have such a wonderful husband. "My feet are swollen" she said, half laughing half crying, as she tried to lift her legs so she could see them.
Sean laughed and bent his head to her stomach. Marita naturally ran her fingers through his curls. Sean kissed her swollen abdomen and said to his unborn child "See what you are doing to your mother." Marita could only smile as Sean's teasing lifted her spirits. Sean lifted his head and smiled at Marita. He kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll be right back" he said as he left the room.
Sean returned ten minutes later. He walked over to Marita, took her by the hand and pulled her to her feet. He grabbed her nightgown on the sides and began to pull it up.
"SEAN! What are you doing?" Marita said a little hysterically as she stopped his hands upward motion. Her spirits were lifted but she still felt very unattractive. She didn't want Sean to see her naked.
"I'm about to take your nightgown off" he answered in a very reasonable voice.
"NO you are NOT!" Marita snapped as she tried to push his hands away.
"Marita" Sean said in a soothing voice that Marita was beginning to loathe. "I love you and you are still the most beautiful woman in the world. Now, I'm about to undress you so I can give you a nice hot sponge bath".
The love Marita saw in his eyes and heard in his voice brought back those tears. "I have stretch marks!" she cried as her tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sean saw that her defenses were down and he just smiled at her and pulled her nightgown over her head. Marita felt self conscious about standing naked and bloated before Sean. He smiled at her and took her by the hand and led her to the bath area. Sean picked Marita up and placed her in the warm, jasmine scented water. The warm water felt so good that Marita let out a sigh.
Sean lovingly washed every inch of Marita's body. He spent extra time washing her swollen stomach, letting her know through his caresses that he still thought she was beautiful and attractive. When he was done, he helped her stand up and dried her off. He then bent his head and rained kisses over her protruding middle and again Marita was brought to tears by his tender love. Sean lifted his head and bent down and picked Marita up and carried her back to their room. He dressed her in her undergarments and one of her lightweight dresses.
"Hey why don't I go get breakfast and we can go down to the river and have a breakfast outing" Sean said when he had buttoned the last button on her dress.
"I'd love that" Marita smiled. She was so grateful for him. Especially since he had been so loving to her in spite of the fits she had been having.
"Alright" he said. He went to the closet and got a blanket then grabbed Marita by the hand and walked out the bedroom and down the stairs.
After he got a basket out the kitchen, they went outside and Sean loaded Marita up into the carriage and they went the cookhouse. Sean packed ham, biscuits, strawberries, grapes and bananas. They went down to the river, sat under the oak tree and ate their breakfast. They stayed down by the river for the rest of the morning and only went back home when they got hungry again. Sean stayed home all day with Marita. She had gotten into a cleaning mood but Sean would not let her do much. She had to settle for telling him what to do and supervising his work. If he did not do it to her liking, Sean told her 'too bad' because she would not be doing anything strenuous.
And that is how it would be until the baby was born. Sean attached himself to Marita to keep an eye on her. He did not want her to overwork herself since she was so close to delivering their baby. If she went up to the house, he followed her. Whenever he had to leave her, he put his sisters in charge of being her personal bodyguard. She told him one evening that she felt like a prisoner and he simply laughed at her.
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Marita woke up at midnight. She had an awful cramp. It lasted for only a few seconds. Marita lay there and waited to see if it would happen again.
To Be Continued...................
