Chapter 13
When Michael returned, he would not reveal what he had retrieved from the
mantle. Without words, he kissed her again. She pulled him down on top of
her and returned the kiss. "I think.we.should go.upstairs." Michael managed
to say between kisses."
Melissa could no longer control her emotions. She pushed him off her and stood up. Michael picked her up and she continued kissing him. Knowing he would not drop her, Melissa let her arms leave their place around Michael's neck. She began to take off his suit coat, followed by his necktie. Next, she began to undo each button on his shirt. All the while, their lips did not part.
Michael kicked open the door to the bedroom. Greg, Sarah, and Anne had snuck upstairs and started a roaring fire. Candles were placed all around the room. The flames flickered in the darkness of the room. But Michael and Melissa barely noticed the romantic atmosphere. They were too enthralled with one another. Sitting Melissa on the bed, Michael began to undo the back of her dress. By that time, Melissa had reached the last button on his shirt. She tried to release him of it, but his arms were still reaching around her, working on the dress.
Finally, he lifted the dress above her head and threw his shirt to the ground. Melissa went to work on his pants, but before either knew what had happened, they were both sitting in front of one another, completely nude.
Seeing Michael in such an aroused state made Melissa nervous. She had only been with one other man in her life and that experience was less then passionate. Michael was being so gentle, he loved her so much. But the situation could not prevent her feelings of helplessness and violation from returning.
Michael wanted to be with her, inside her. Her naked body alone was bringing about feelings in him that he had never experienced. He wanted her to feel safe and comfortable. When we went to guide her to the bed, Michael felt Melissa tense.
"What is it? Did I hurt you?"
Melissa wasn't sure how to explain what she was feeling. Longings mixed with fear. It was too much to bear. So she lied. "My leg.it's been out of the brace all day and I've been walking a lot."
"Oh...I see." Michael tried to calm himself enough to help her. He felt terrible for not realizing. Even though she was allowed to be without her brace and walk around, her leg was still very weak and often sore. The doctor had told her to take things slowly with it, and he had forced her to push herself. "Let's get you up in the bed better and we can put it up on some pillows."
When he pulled his suit pants back on, Melissa felt the guilt rising. She could tell that he was frustrated and still aroused. He helped her get more comfortable and threw a sheet over her naked body. "I'll get you a pain pill." He said, leaving the room.
"Michael," Melissa said when he returned. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." He said.
"No it's not.it's our wedding night and."
"And we have to think about your health first." Michael insisted.
"My leg is fine."
"It's swollen."
"A little."
"I should get some ice." As much as he tried, he couldn't shake his feelings of longing. Being in her presence was too much.
"Michael I lied about my leg hurting."
"Melissa you don't have to."
"Yes I do.I have to say this.I...that is when we.I couldn't.I was thinking."
Michael saw a few tears fall down her face. "Melissa what is it?" But she wouldn't say. "There's nothing you can't say to me."
"I just couldn't help thinking.about.Mr. Martin."
Michael was horrified with himself. "Oh god Melissa I should have realized."
"I'm sorry.I just couldn't."
"We don't have to do this.if you're uncomfortable."
"Michael I want to be with you.I want to feel you.not him.I want to forget him."
"Maybe it's too soon."
Melissa was doing all she could to quell all of her feelings. She couldn't sort out her emotions when they were flying in all directions. One part of her was saying that she could never be with another man. The other was saying how much she loved Michael, how much she needed him. "Michael I love you." She finally said. "I want to make love with you."
"You're sure?"
"I trust you."
"We'll take it ever so slowly."
When he climbed on top of her, Melissa felt him harden against her. Now flesh against flesh, they began to awaken each other's passion. They maneuvered themselves to receive their gifts of love and were soon swept away by the passions that had ignited.
Michael released himself and collapsed on the bed. Melissa snuggled close. "You ok?" Michael asked, still quite worried that he had hurt her."
Melissa was on cloud nine. She had finally been released of the torment her abuser had caused. Now she could openly receive the truest gift of love. "In your arms, I'm in heaven."
*** The next morning, Melissa found herself alone in the house. She wandered around looking for her husband, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, she found his note on the kitchen table. He apologized for leaving the day after their wedding, but they had found something in the city and wanted him there. Michael had finally gotten one of those jobs he had been searching for. Lately, he had been working with a family who lived in Colorado Springs their whole lives. Actually, they had lived there for generations.
Melissa was interested in every bit of work Michael did. But she never let on that she longed to explore history with him. She always figured hid coworkers wouldn't want her along. They always sneered when he talked about her and once, at a dinner party, they were forced to leave early because she was not old enough to drink. Melissa was sure they all resented her for some reason. So she pretended to believe it was a waste of her time. But seem inside, she longed to know more. It was all she could do to not ask a hundred questions.
Fighting the urge to go find her husband, Melissa took a seat at the kitchen table. He'd be back before lunch, he had said. Wait for him there and they'd continue their honeymoon. If only that was true. It was clear that work was always going to pull him away. He loved it too much to give it up. What did it matter? In a few years when they had saved, they would go on a real honeymoon. Besides, Anne was going to come by that evening. They would have time to visit and Melissa wouldn't have to worry about Michael being gone.
But he was gone now. What would she do during the hours before he came home? After wandering around the house a few times, an idea came to her. She'd clean out the attic. It had been on her agenda of things to do before she ended up in the hospital. Now seemed as good a time as any to start the project.
When Michael and Melissa had first moved into the house, they both noticed that the attic hadn't been cleaned in years. Most likely, since the last owner. And as far as they knew, that was in the 1960s.
After grabbing a few cleaning supplies from under the kitchen sink, Melissa ascended the stairs and found the entrance to the attic. After flipping on the light switch, she went up and began inspecting the mess that lay before her.
The attic was filled with boxes and trunks, most likely full of junk, as well as larger objects that would fit into a container. The first thing Melissa did was clear an area in the very back corner. She planned to go through each of the boxes and anything worth keeping she would store. This corner was where she planned on starting an organized stack of boxes.
Soon Melissa was caught up in going through the contents of each box. When she cam across one labeled "photos," she took great care. While she couldn't imagine why someone would leave such treasure moments when they moved, she did enjoy looking at all the strange faces. The more she thought about it, why did any of the previous owners leave any of this stuff. Most of it seemed to be an heirloom of some sort or something that should have been cherished.
After a few hours, Melissa had only thrown out one box and had organized about thirteen in the corner. For some reason, she couldn't just get rid of such precious things as photos and newspaper clippings.
Just as she was about to go downstairs and take a break, Melissa noticed a box marked "genealogy." Her curiosity was peaked instantly. Dragging the box to an open area of floor, Melissa opened the lid and started searching its contents. She was shocked when on the very first paper she picked up, she saw her own last name staring back at her. It was a birth certificate for a Katherine Sullivan. Born on February 9, 1960 to Paul and Julia Sullivan. Could they somehow be related?
Melissa could no longer control her emotions. She pushed him off her and stood up. Michael picked her up and she continued kissing him. Knowing he would not drop her, Melissa let her arms leave their place around Michael's neck. She began to take off his suit coat, followed by his necktie. Next, she began to undo each button on his shirt. All the while, their lips did not part.
Michael kicked open the door to the bedroom. Greg, Sarah, and Anne had snuck upstairs and started a roaring fire. Candles were placed all around the room. The flames flickered in the darkness of the room. But Michael and Melissa barely noticed the romantic atmosphere. They were too enthralled with one another. Sitting Melissa on the bed, Michael began to undo the back of her dress. By that time, Melissa had reached the last button on his shirt. She tried to release him of it, but his arms were still reaching around her, working on the dress.
Finally, he lifted the dress above her head and threw his shirt to the ground. Melissa went to work on his pants, but before either knew what had happened, they were both sitting in front of one another, completely nude.
Seeing Michael in such an aroused state made Melissa nervous. She had only been with one other man in her life and that experience was less then passionate. Michael was being so gentle, he loved her so much. But the situation could not prevent her feelings of helplessness and violation from returning.
Michael wanted to be with her, inside her. Her naked body alone was bringing about feelings in him that he had never experienced. He wanted her to feel safe and comfortable. When we went to guide her to the bed, Michael felt Melissa tense.
"What is it? Did I hurt you?"
Melissa wasn't sure how to explain what she was feeling. Longings mixed with fear. It was too much to bear. So she lied. "My leg.it's been out of the brace all day and I've been walking a lot."
"Oh...I see." Michael tried to calm himself enough to help her. He felt terrible for not realizing. Even though she was allowed to be without her brace and walk around, her leg was still very weak and often sore. The doctor had told her to take things slowly with it, and he had forced her to push herself. "Let's get you up in the bed better and we can put it up on some pillows."
When he pulled his suit pants back on, Melissa felt the guilt rising. She could tell that he was frustrated and still aroused. He helped her get more comfortable and threw a sheet over her naked body. "I'll get you a pain pill." He said, leaving the room.
"Michael," Melissa said when he returned. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." He said.
"No it's not.it's our wedding night and."
"And we have to think about your health first." Michael insisted.
"My leg is fine."
"It's swollen."
"A little."
"I should get some ice." As much as he tried, he couldn't shake his feelings of longing. Being in her presence was too much.
"Michael I lied about my leg hurting."
"Melissa you don't have to."
"Yes I do.I have to say this.I...that is when we.I couldn't.I was thinking."
Michael saw a few tears fall down her face. "Melissa what is it?" But she wouldn't say. "There's nothing you can't say to me."
"I just couldn't help thinking.about.Mr. Martin."
Michael was horrified with himself. "Oh god Melissa I should have realized."
"I'm sorry.I just couldn't."
"We don't have to do this.if you're uncomfortable."
"Michael I want to be with you.I want to feel you.not him.I want to forget him."
"Maybe it's too soon."
Melissa was doing all she could to quell all of her feelings. She couldn't sort out her emotions when they were flying in all directions. One part of her was saying that she could never be with another man. The other was saying how much she loved Michael, how much she needed him. "Michael I love you." She finally said. "I want to make love with you."
"You're sure?"
"I trust you."
"We'll take it ever so slowly."
When he climbed on top of her, Melissa felt him harden against her. Now flesh against flesh, they began to awaken each other's passion. They maneuvered themselves to receive their gifts of love and were soon swept away by the passions that had ignited.
Michael released himself and collapsed on the bed. Melissa snuggled close. "You ok?" Michael asked, still quite worried that he had hurt her."
Melissa was on cloud nine. She had finally been released of the torment her abuser had caused. Now she could openly receive the truest gift of love. "In your arms, I'm in heaven."
*** The next morning, Melissa found herself alone in the house. She wandered around looking for her husband, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, she found his note on the kitchen table. He apologized for leaving the day after their wedding, but they had found something in the city and wanted him there. Michael had finally gotten one of those jobs he had been searching for. Lately, he had been working with a family who lived in Colorado Springs their whole lives. Actually, they had lived there for generations.
Melissa was interested in every bit of work Michael did. But she never let on that she longed to explore history with him. She always figured hid coworkers wouldn't want her along. They always sneered when he talked about her and once, at a dinner party, they were forced to leave early because she was not old enough to drink. Melissa was sure they all resented her for some reason. So she pretended to believe it was a waste of her time. But seem inside, she longed to know more. It was all she could do to not ask a hundred questions.
Fighting the urge to go find her husband, Melissa took a seat at the kitchen table. He'd be back before lunch, he had said. Wait for him there and they'd continue their honeymoon. If only that was true. It was clear that work was always going to pull him away. He loved it too much to give it up. What did it matter? In a few years when they had saved, they would go on a real honeymoon. Besides, Anne was going to come by that evening. They would have time to visit and Melissa wouldn't have to worry about Michael being gone.
But he was gone now. What would she do during the hours before he came home? After wandering around the house a few times, an idea came to her. She'd clean out the attic. It had been on her agenda of things to do before she ended up in the hospital. Now seemed as good a time as any to start the project.
When Michael and Melissa had first moved into the house, they both noticed that the attic hadn't been cleaned in years. Most likely, since the last owner. And as far as they knew, that was in the 1960s.
After grabbing a few cleaning supplies from under the kitchen sink, Melissa ascended the stairs and found the entrance to the attic. After flipping on the light switch, she went up and began inspecting the mess that lay before her.
The attic was filled with boxes and trunks, most likely full of junk, as well as larger objects that would fit into a container. The first thing Melissa did was clear an area in the very back corner. She planned to go through each of the boxes and anything worth keeping she would store. This corner was where she planned on starting an organized stack of boxes.
Soon Melissa was caught up in going through the contents of each box. When she cam across one labeled "photos," she took great care. While she couldn't imagine why someone would leave such treasure moments when they moved, she did enjoy looking at all the strange faces. The more she thought about it, why did any of the previous owners leave any of this stuff. Most of it seemed to be an heirloom of some sort or something that should have been cherished.
After a few hours, Melissa had only thrown out one box and had organized about thirteen in the corner. For some reason, she couldn't just get rid of such precious things as photos and newspaper clippings.
Just as she was about to go downstairs and take a break, Melissa noticed a box marked "genealogy." Her curiosity was peaked instantly. Dragging the box to an open area of floor, Melissa opened the lid and started searching its contents. She was shocked when on the very first paper she picked up, she saw her own last name staring back at her. It was a birth certificate for a Katherine Sullivan. Born on February 9, 1960 to Paul and Julia Sullivan. Could they somehow be related?
