Lace
Christine had worked unbelievably hard to get her family moved back to Norfolk, where she had found that Mike had settled. She had them in a month-to-month apartment, in hopes that once they were reunited with Mike; they would be moved to a larger house. For years, she had hid herself and the girls out, and now; she had hopes that her family would be reunited. Katie appeared at her elbow as Christine looked for the perfect outfit to wear when she saw Mike for the first time in over five years.
"Mom; Hannah and I pooled our money and bought you something. We wanted you to have the perfect dress, and since its Valentine's Day; we wanted it to be pretty, so here." Katie said as she pointed at Christine's bed, where a beautiful red lace dress laid.
"Oh, honey. You didn't have to do that." Christine told her. She picked the dress up and smiled. It was more like something Hannah would wear, but it was pretty.
"Mom; Hannah and I will be fine. You put that dress on and go see Dad. If you want to stay with him; we will be just fine." Katie said, always mature beyond her years.
"Your dad will want to see you girls. Besides; he and I were in pretty rough shape so this all maybe for nothing where I'm concerned." Christine remarked.
"I doubt that. Get dressed. There's somethings in that bag that you'll need too." Katie said, pointing at a shopping bag before leaving the room. Sure enough, there was a new bra, panties, pantyhose, and shoes. Christine could only smile in response. She would wear the clothes, but she didn't have high hopes. Mike would want to be reunited with his daughters. Given the shape of their marriage before, she would be barely a passing thought. The dress was almost a waste.
She kissed the girls goodbye and caught the city bus to Mike's office. Shockingly, she was let on the base with barely a thought. She sat in the lobby and waited for Mike; and finally an hour later; he walked through, carrying a briefcase and talking on a cellphone. Christine jumped up and stood in his path. He finally made eye contact with her and told whoever was on the other end of the phone call that he had to go.
"Christine? How?" Mike asked.
"It's a long story but if you were headed somewhere; I suppose I could…wait." Christine said.
"No. Just was headed back to my place. I let my staff go home early due to Valentine's. The girls?" Mike asked. Christine could tell he was preparing himself for bad news.
"They are fine. They had this huge fairy tale going where we had this passionate reunion. I just now found where you were, and was able to get IDs, so I could even be on the base. I'm surprised the gate didn't call you." Christine explained.
"They didn't. Where's your vehicle?" Mike asked.
"Uh…well, I don't have one. I rode the bus." Christine answered, almost ashamed of herself.
"Oh. Well, c'mon." Mike said. He took her hand in his much larger one and led her out of the office to a really nice truck. She was wearing Hannah's black coat, but as she got in the truck; he could see the red lace from the dress.
"The girls bought all this. Like I said; fairy tale." Christine said. She was the one who had threatened divorce before Mike left, so she understood how distant he was being.
"I really want to see my girls, but I would prefer talking privately. I'll order dinner. It won't be very fancy, but I just need to talk…privately. Then we'll see the girls." Mike answered as he got in the truck. It filled Christine with dread and fear that they would disappoint the girls. A part of her had been hoping for a fairy tale ending too. Fifteen minutes later, after a mostly silent drive; Mike let her into a beautiful Victorian home. The decorating was definitely masculine, which led Christine to believe Mike lived there alone.
"The house in beautiful." Christine said as Mike helped her out of Hannah's coat.
"Thanks. I haven't lived here too long. Its been a bit of a project, and my decorating is a bit off. I hired an interior decorator but was in a hurry to move in. Can I get you something to drink? I have bottled water, beer and some sweet a bottle of wine, but I doubt its chilled." Mike offered.
"Sweet tea is fine." Christine said.
"Make yourself at home." Mike answered. He pointed towards the living room before heading towards the back of the house. Christine walked into the living room and sat down on the leather couch. She smoothed the skirt of the dress and looked around. Scattered around the room; there were pictures of her and the kids. It gave her a little bit of hope. There were also no feminine touches, which also made her feel better. And she had noticed that he was wearing the wedding band that she had placed on his finger so many years before. Finally, he reappeared with a glass of sweet tea, a bottle of water and a stack of to-go menus.
"I order a lot of take-out and delivery food, so pick your poison. I will order anything you want." Mike said as he sat down next to her and settled the glass and bottle on coasters. Christine picked the menu from a Chinese restaurant and handed it back to Mike.
"The sweet and sour chicken sounds good to me." Christine said. Mike nodded and pulled out his cellphone.
"They have an app, so that's handy. It'll be here in about a half hour." Mike told her. He punched in some stuff to his phone and finally sit it down on the coffee table.
"I really figured you would want to see the girls immediately." Christine remarked.
"I do, but I knew you and I left things on a sour note. Really sour." Mike said.
"And you wanted to hash it all out so the girls didn't get their hopes up. Mike; it was me. I was the one who said the d-word. I was the one who gave up, but I missed you. Its been one of those; you don't know what you had until its not there anymore. Probably, a thousand times a day; I've wished you were there to talk to, to sleep next to, even to argue with. I didn't appreciate that when you did get to be home; you were wonderful to me and the kids. I didn't ever have to worry about you cheating or beating on me. I had a nice home. I was able to stay home with the kids until Lucas went to school, and then it was just a part time job. I've spent the last five years fighting to keep myself and the girls alive and it has been hard. Yes, the girls had this fairy tale going, but I suppose I also was hoping for a similar outcome. But, if you are done; I understand. God knows, I gave you reason enough." Christine said, effectively putting all her cards on the table. She wasn't sure what Mike's response would be.
"Do you want our marriage to survive this? All the years apart and all the issues before? I can tell you that I never moved on. Never even slept with anyone else. I will still have to deploy at different times, and I will have to travel. My job is mostly a desk position, but there are times. If this is to continue; that is something you would have to be prepared for. The Navy…this country, needs me and what I have to offer. Not more so than anyone else but enough that its important I don't quit. That was the ultimatum before and you had Katie doing the same thing. I can't do that again. I can't have a wife and daughter resenting me because I have to be away. That is partly why I wanted to talk to you before seeing the girls." Mike asked.
"Mike; I've missed you and I want our marriage back, but the real question is; do you? I said the word 'divorce.' Not you. You never wanted a divorce." Christine asked. She was beginning to feel a bit confused. She had never done well with back and forth fighting. Usually, she yelled at Mike and he just absorbed it.
"I certainly never wanted a divorce. And I missed you too." Mike said. The doorbell rang and Mike got up to answer it. He carried in the food a moment later. "Kitchen?" Mike said. Christine picked up their drinks and followed him. The kitchen was a dream and Christine could imagine fixing meals in it…if she and Mike could get past their roadblock.
"Mike…after so many years apart; we need to be together. The girls need a home and their father back. I need my husband back. All the issues and problems were so long ago. Yes, I resented you being gone so much. I hated raising the kids alone; six months out of the year. I resented…hated your job. I wanted you to quit. Now; I just want us back. I want to fall asleep next to you at night. I understand better now what you have been doing and while I will miss you if you have to be gone; I promise to be more mature about it. You really had no fault before so it all laid with me." Christine admitted. They were passing the food back and forth and filling the plates.
"You would have responsibilities you didn't before. I am Admiral of the Fleet. There would be charities you would have to head and things you'd have to organize. It was never something you loved doing before." Mike warned.
"I figured there would be. I can learn. But, Mike; I don't want a partnership where you work for the Navy and I organize afternoon teas for the wives and clothing giveaways, but we don't have a good marriage when you get home. I want a marriage. Not…an organized partnership. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Christine asked.
"I think so. I have seen it in a lot of higher-up marriages. The only time they talk is at those charity balls and such. They have separate rooms and lives. I don't want that either. Given our circumstances, it would be easy to fall into that but I agree. I want a happy and healthy marriage." Mike answered as he bit into a piece of chicken.
"So, what now?" Christine asked.
"Well, we can go get the girls and get them settled." Mike answered.
"They actually mentioned having a movie night at my apartment. They are not looking for me back until the morning." Christine told him.
"Hence the red lace. You know I have trouble resisting you in red." Mike teased.
"Actually, funny story. This is all Katie and Hannah. I didn't pick this out. They pooled their money for this entire outfit. They didn't know about your thing for red lace." Christine said with a laugh.
"Good. I prefer they never know about that. They have good taste; although; I get the feeling its something they would wear. Not necessarily you." Mike said.
"True. Its more Hannah's style. I didn't have much to wear so it fit." Christine admitted.
"Well, we will just have to update your wardrobe." Mike said.
"The embarrassing part was they also picked out the underthings too." Christine remarked with a smile.
"Oh, yeah. Will I like what they picked out?" Mike asked.
"Probably. But at forty-three; I maybe a bit old for a push-up bra, lacy panties and thigh-high stockings." Christine said with a laugh.
"Can I be the judge of that?" Mike asked.
"Sure, but let's eat first." Christine said. Mike laughed in response but nodded. Throughout the meal, Christine noticed that Mike's hand skimmed her thigh and he certainly looked but they both ate.
"Will the girls be okay if you stay here tonight?" Mike asked as they washed up the dishes.
"Yeah. The apartment is a month-to-month lease, but its completely safe. It took everything I had to get us in there and after this month; I am not sure what I am going to do." Christine admitted.
"I will have you girls moved in here, so next month won't be a concern." Mike told her. Christine reached over and gave Mike a long kiss. The first they had shared since being reunited but still just as passionate as if they had been together for so many years.
"The girls will be fine. The food is put away and the dishes are washed. If you'll show me to your bedroom; I'll get ready for bed while you lock up…that is if you still want to?" Christine asked.
"I do." Mike said. He led her to a hallway on the first floor and then to a beautiful master bedroom.
"This is nice." Christine said.
"I did let the interior decorator finish this, the closet and bathroom. The girls will be upstairs so we will have privacy." Mike said.
"Good." Christine answered.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." Mike said. Christine nodded. She pulled the blankets back on the bed, kicked her heels off and went to the bathroom before Mike reappeared. She was struggling with the zipper on the dress when he walked back into the closet. "Here, let me?" Mike suggested. He gently tugged the zipper down and then kissed the back of Christine's neck. He helped her out of the dress and hung it up before Christine turned around, a little self-conscious.
"Like I said…forty-three is a bit old for this." Christine remarked. Mike let out a low whistle.
"You don't look like you're that age. You look amazing." Mike said. While he kissed her, she unbuttoned his uniform shirt, pulled it out of the uniform pants and unbuckled the belt. At some point; he had kicked his shoes off. He surprised her by picking her up and carrying her to the bed.
"Mike; I weigh a ton!" Christine said in the midst of laughs.
"No, you don't." Mike said in a husky tone. He helped her get comfortable and then disappeared. A moment later, he laid down next to her, wearing just a pair of boxers. There were several new scars dotting his torso and arms. Christine traced one with her finger out of concern. It had been healed for a long time, but she still hated knowing he'd been hurt.
"That wasn't there before." Christine remarked. She kissed the scar and then gave Mike a long kiss.
"No, but it was a few years ago. I'll tell you about it sometime. Now; how do I get these stockings off?" Mike asked. Christine reached down and unbuckled the garters and Mike worked them off. It left the panties and bra. He stared at her for a moment and Christine tried to cover herself with the sheet. "No, don't. I was just appreciating the girl's choices. They did good." Mike said.
"They did, but let's not talk about the girls right now, okay?" Christine suggested. Mike nodded. The bra was a front-closure, so he reached down and unfastened it. Christine knew she was not very perky anymore but Mike didn't seem to mind, despite being in really good shape. He leaned down and kissed down her neck.
"You know how much I like it when you wear lace, right? When we update your wardrobe; make sure there is plenty of lace, okay?" Mike asked. He had continued kissing and Christine smiled up at him.
"Aye, aye." Christine answered with a groan as Mike kissed her nipples. The bra had been tossed away and for a fleeting moment, she wondered if the reaction would have been the same if she had been wearing a cotton bra and panties. "Mike, before we do anything else; I love you. I should have said that right off." Christine said.
"I love you too." Mike answered. He gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead and smiled down at her. If lace was his undoing; her's was the smile.
"Now, please stop pausing. Let's do this." Christine said as she pulled Mike down on the bed with her.
"You're in a hurry. We have all night; you know." Mike teased.
"I know and I have all kinds of plans. Now, c'mon." Christine said. What was left of their clothing was thrown off and they spent the next several hours reacquainting themselves with each other. As Christine drifted off to sleep in Mike's arms, she smiled. She would be buying a lot of lace in the near future. Thank God for her girls picking the red lace dress; even if they didn't know that their father had a bit of a fetish. And all they would ever know was that their mom suddenly preferred all things lace.