A Fresh Start
Chapter Fifty
Sam drove for the first half of the trip to Springfield, but by the time they reached Columbus, Jeffrey could tell that she was getting tired so they stopped for the night. The next morning they were up early and this time Jeffrey got behind the wheel. Sam fell asleep a few minutes after they left Columbus and they had just crossed the Indiana state line when she woke up again. Sitting up, she looks around before she asks. "Where are we?"
"We just crossed the Indiana state line."
"Oh, okay."
They had put the top down before they left Columbus and the sun is shining down on them while a gently breeze caresses their faces. Turning her head, Sam watches him for a while, watching the sunlight caress his hair, making it seem lighter than its natural color as he rests an arm on the console between them.
After a few moments, she unfastens her seatbelt before she reaches for his hand. Taking it, she slips her fingers between his as he glances at her, smiling. She smiles back, content right now to simply hold his hand while he drives. After a while images of them together begin to fill her mind, images of different times when they were together on different assignments across the world and in Springfield and Washington.
Slipping her hand out of his after a couple of moments she lays her hand on his thigh. He feels sparks of electricity fill him where her hand lays. She feels her heart begin to pound, laying her head back as she watches him. Taking her hand off his thigh as she arches her hips and reaching under the skirt, as he glances over and watches as she pulls her panties down and off before she settles back again. Reaching for him again, she lays her hand on his thigh.
Catching the glimmer shining in her eyes he asks. "What are you thinking?" She doesn't answer him, but continues to watch him. "We can't…."
"Why not?" Sam asks, moving her hand up, cupping him.
"I'm driving." He gasps as she begins to rub her hand against him. He feels his jeans getting tighter as his body responds to her caress. "Beca." He groans, tightening his grip on the steering wheel as she reaches up and unsnaps his jeans after a few seconds. Reaching for the zipper, she gently pulls it down. "Please." He groans, when she lays her hand on top of him.
Slipping her hand under his boxers she tries to wrap her hand around him but there is no room. "Lift your hips." She says, pulling her hand away. When he lifts his hips, she starts to tug on his jeans and boxers, pulling them down until they are at his knees.
Settling back, he tries to concentrate on his driving, but he can feel her, feel her desire as she looks down at his erection and he glances over at her. He catches her slowly licking her lips and he feels hot desire course through him.
Reaching for him, she wraps her hand around him, holding him for a couple seconds before he begins to push against her hand. Slowly she begins to caress him, running her hand up and down, gently squeezing him while hot flames of passion burn inside him, deepening his breathing and making his heart pound against his chest as he clinches the wheel of the car.
"Beca." He gasps, closing his eyes for a few seconds, relishing the feel of her hand, holding and caressing him.
She feels him building up to release, so she releases him. Shocked he looks at her, but her smile tells him that she's not through yet. Lifting his arm, she starts to climb over the console, being careful not to block his view.
"Sam, what are you doing? We can't…." He says as she straddles him.
"Shhh." She whispers, kissing him lightly "You owe me a fantasy." She whispers, reminding him of the deal she made with him at the airport in DC.
"Here and now?" He asks, looking at her as she nods.
"But this is dangerous." He says, looking out the windshield. "How am I going to see if something happens?"
"I'll stay out of your way." She says, lying against him. "Now, get in the other lane and set the cruise for 65." She whispers, feeling him pressing against her and she feels hot waves of desire rush through her body, making her need him more.
He does what she tells him to do. He already readjusted the seat when he got in the car so there is plenty of room between her and the steering wheel. Reaching for the hem of her skirt, she pulls it up. Gasping when she feels him cradled between her legs, pressing against her stomach. Reaching down and under her skirt, she wraps her hand around him, caressing him as he begins to thrust against her hand.
Taking one hand off the wheel he tries to slip it under her skirt but she pulls it away, shaking her head no and increasing her caress. Taking his mind off everything but what she is doing to him while he tries to pay attention to the road ahead of them.
After a couple minutes, she begins to slow her caresses as she pulls away. "Sam." He gasps, arching his hips, reaching for her.
Moving till she is kneeling between his legs, she licks him softly. That first caress nearly is his undoing as he feels an enormous wave of desire rush through him. Closing her mouth around him, she takes him deep inside, her tongue caressing him as she begins to suck lightly.
"Beca!" He groans, arching his back and pressing against her mouth.
Pulling back, she runs the tip of her tongue around the top of him, nibbling on his ultra sensitive skin. She knows the moment he is about to loose control and pulls back as Jeffrey tries to stop her by burying his fingers in her hair. Glancing up as he looks down, he catches the look in her eyes and he releases her.
Moving up, she straddles him. Taking him, she wraps a hand around him and slowly guides him inside her. Closing her eyes, she welcomes the feel of him filling her. When he's completely inside her, she lays against him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Oh, you feel good Beca." Jeffrey whispers in her ear as he wraps on arm around her waist, holding her tightly.
Slowly she begins to rock her hips, while she uses the muscles inside her to hold him tightly. It's a combination that he's never felt before and he's not sure he can hold out long enough for her to be satisfied.
After a few minutes, she tightens her hold as she begins to rock in earnest; she feels the heat building inside her.
"Go, Beca." He gasps, struggling to hang on.
"J" She sighs, closing her eyes as she feels the heat inside her burst, filling her with waves of rolling desire.
Thrusting once, Jeffrey feels his body flooding hers with his release, wave upon wave of release rushes through him. Holding her still, he fills her body clinch around him, holding and caressing him at the same time as a second wave of release washes over both of them.
"I love you Beca." Jeffrey groans, tightening his arm around her.
"J." She breathes; her breath feels cool against his skin. For several minutes they hold each other, before she lightly kisses the side of his neck and whispers "I love you too."
It's another couple minutes before she moves away, crawling back across the console, she turns to help him pull his pants up and then when he's settled, she settles back in her seat, fastens her seatbelt and reaches for his hand as she lays her head back and looks over at him.
He smiles at her and then asks. "That was your fantasy?"
"Yes, one of many." She says, laying her head back against the seat. "How much longer do we have?" she asks after a few minutes.
"Another three or four hours, why?"
"Because I'm hungry." She says, looking at him with a satisfied smile.
"Umm, I thought we took care of that hunger."
"That one we did, right now, I want food." Sam says, still smiling.
"Alright, I'll get off at the next exit." He replies, picking her hand up and lightly kissing the back of it.
Cassie is walking back into the farmhouse when the phone starts to ring. She had just sent RJ and Will with Harley to play with Zach and Jude, while Richard piddles around in the barn.
"Hello." She says, answering the call on the third ring
"Hi, Sis." Reva says, sitting down in the study at Cross Creek.
"Hi."
"How is everything?"
"We're fine, the boys just left with Harley to spend the day with Zach and Jude, and Richard is in the barn, piddling around, I guess. I have no idea what he's doing out there."
"So, he settled in okay?"
"Yeah, he looked around the house a little more after you left while I was making the boys something to eat and then he called Jon while I was on the phone with Harley."
"So, he's okay about Tammy, well okay as he can be with the…."
"I know what you meant, and yeah I think he's okay. I'm not sure if we'll ever be completely over what happened to her, but it's certainly better with him here." Cassie says, walking into the living room.
"Okay, so what happened with Will?"
"As you know, he's been in the hospital in San Cristobel for the last few weeks."
"Yeah, I thought his doctor wanted him to take it easy."
"He does, and Harley promised to keep and eye on him. Anyway, after they cleared up the infection, Will started to reject the liver transplant."
"Cassie!"
"He's okay, they adjusted his meds and everything is fine now, but as a precaution, his doctor had us all tested to see if we could be a donor for Will, should the need arise."
"But William donated to him last time."
"I know, but if Will rejected William's liver this time then the probability would be that he'll reject it again."
"Okay, so his doctor had you all tested, that still doesn't explain why he's with you and not in San Cristobel."
"I'm getting to that. When the lab ran the tests they noticed some genetic similarities in mine and Will's blood."
"So what are you saying?"
"The lab brought these similarities to Dr. Simon's attention and he brought them to William's attention, which led to DNA tests being run on Will using Richard and I as the other subjects of comparison as well as comparing our DNA with the baby that was buried in the garden along with William's."
"The baby in the garden, how…?"
"We had him exhumed."
"But there are going to be similarities between Richard and Will."
"I know, but there shouldn't be between him and me and there are, enough to warrant the DNA tests."
"So what did the test say?"
"He's our… he's Richard and my son."
"But how can that be? Your son died. He was stillborn."
"We were told he was stillborn."
"But you and Richard went to see him at the hospital."
"We went to see a baby. We don't know for a fact that it was our son. It was a few days after I gave birth. It would have been easy for someone to switch the babies. Richard wasn't with me when I delivered. I was knocked out, so I didn't know what was happening. It was very easy to do."
"So who… Edmund!" Reva says, thinking back to what was going on at the time. "He hated you and Richard that much."
"We don't know for a fact that he did this."
"Cassie!"
"William is looking into it, but he hasn't found anything out as of yet."
"So, what does that mean for San Cristobel?"
"Well obviously, Will isn't the heir anymore."
"And William?"
"I think he's taking it one day at a time." Cassie says, as Richard comes in from the barn.
"Well, you've had an eventful summer."
"Yes, I have. Listen Reva, I've got to go, Richard just came in."
"Okay, I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah." Cassie replies and they hang up a couple of seconds later.
"You didn't have to get off the phone." Richard says, sitting down beside her.
"We were basically finished. I was telling Reva about Will. Did you get…?"
"No, I didn't." Richard replies, with a smile before he leans over to kiss her.
"The boys are at Harley's for the day so what do you want to do?"
"Umm, well we could go upstairs and…."
"As much as I would love to do that, we can't."
"Why? The boys are at Harley's so we're…."
"It's not that." Cassie says, looking at him as she leans over and whispers something in his ear.
Nodding his head, he says. "Okay. Can we go to the Beacon?"
"Sure." Cassie replies, getting up and taking his hand. They leave the farm house.
About five minutes later, they walk into the Beacon. Most of the staff look their way, but simply think that Cassie is at the Beacon with Jeffrey until Olivia walks out of her office and she stops and stares. "Richard." She whispers, as he walks up to her.
"Yes, it's me." He replies, stopping in front of her.
"I heard the reports but I didn't really believe them. How? They gave your heart to Rick."
"It's a long complicated story." Richard replies, as Cassie walks up to them. "But I am alive and I'm back in Springfield."
"So, what are you going to do?"
"Right now…."
"We're taking it one day at a time." Cassie says.
"Well, I'm sure that anyone of the companies here in Springfield would be happy to hire you."
"J… someone else said the same thing to me." Richard replies
"I thought I would show Richard around, since the last time he saw…."
"No, go ahead." Olivia says nodding as Cassie puts her arm around Richard's waist as they turn away.
"Who was that?" The front clerk asks, as they walk away.
"That is Richard Winslow." Olivia replies, watching them walk away.
"The ex-Prince, you know him." The clerk asks in amazement.
"Yes, now I need these contracts faxed back over to Mel Boudreaux's office." Olivia says, handing her copies of the contracts for the building on 5th street.
"Yes ma'am."
Richard and Cassie walk across the lobby, looking to his left he stops. "So she did build a place with her names on it?"
"Yes, we sort of compromised on it, and I admit it was a good idea."
"Compromised, how?" Richard asks
"It's not a jazz club." Cassie says, walking over to Olivia's. Richard follows her as they glance in on Olivia's "It's nice." Richard says, looking around the restaurant. After a few seconds, he looks at her and says. "I want to see the room you were in, the day that Reva turned off the life support."
"Okay." Cassie says, turning they walk back to the lobby and over to the front desk.
"Yes ma'am." The desk clerk says, staring at Richard.
"Yes, is the Winslow Suite occupied?"
"No ma'am, would you like to take that room."
"No, but I would like the key." Cassie says, holding out her hand.
"Yes ma'am." She says, taking the key from the drawer and handing it to Cassie.
"Thank you." Cassie says, turning to Richard "Are you ready?" She asks, taking his hand
"Yes." He replies taking her hand as they start up the stairs.
When they get to the third floor, Cassie stops outside a room. On the door is a plague that says "The Winslow Suite" in capital letters and underneath in lower case letters is the phrase "in loving memory of Richard George Anthony Winslow the Second." Richard reads the sign twice before he looks at Cassie.
"That was the compromise. She got Olivia's. I got to dedicate this suite to you." Cassie says, slipping the card into the lock and then pulling it out when the green light lights up.
The room hasn't changed in the five years since Cassie was here, with the double French doors that open up to the balcony to the walkway behind the bed. Cassie walks in followed by Richard.
"This is where you saw me?" He asks as she sits down on the bed.
"Yes, this was the only room that was close to being finished that day. So after Josh convinced me to take a break from sitting by your bed, I came here. I was sitting here thinking about you and the plans that we made for our lives here in Springfield and for after you got back from Chicago. I guess after a while I finally fell asleep."
"And that's when you saw me?"
"Yeah, I know it was a dream, but it was so real. I felt like I could reach out and touch you." Cassie says, sitting down on the bed.
"What did I say?"
"That you loved me. I don't remember everything you said to me, but we made love and then I remember you getting up and walking over to doors and you were standing there, with the sunlight behind you and I remember begging you not to go. And you told me that you would always be with me and to close my eyes and sleep. That's the last thing I remember." Cassie finishes as Richard sits down beside her.
Taking her hand, he lifts it to his lips. "I'm sorry. I know I keep saying that, but I hate that you were hurting." He says, laying her head on his shoulder.
"After the day it was dedicated, I never came in this room again. I didn't want to think about other couples sleeping here, making love here. This was our place in my mind and I didn't want to give it up. So staying away let me pretend that it was still ours."
Turning towards her, he takes her hands. "Listen to me." She looks up as he continues. "We are going to have everything we missed, I promise you that. I will not leave you again."
"I know you won't. But you don't have to…."
"I think the first thing we need to do is to have a wedding." Richard says, interrupting her.
"A wedding! Why? We're married."
"I know we are, but I want to show you that I love you, that I never stop loving you and that I would marry you all over again."
"You don't have to prove to me that you love me. If anyone needs to prove anything it's me."
"Cassie."
"No, I'm right. I was the one that married Edmund. I slept with Jeffrey and Josh."
"But you did that…."
"I did that because I wanted you that is true. But if I had stopped, and taken a step back and listened to my heart, I would have known that you weren't gone. I was so blown away." Cassie says, getting up and walking over to the balcony. "I never thought that I would be there again, mourning for the man I loved, missing him and wanting him there beside me and knowing that he could never be there again, that he was gone." She says, turning around. "I was lost again." She says, remembering the feelings of absolute despair.
Getting up, Richard walks over to her and putting his arms around he pulls her against him. "Shhh, darling, we have each other again. And we'll live every moment we have." Richard whispers, holding her tightly. "I'm not going to let you go, I promise you."
There are a few moments of silence, with Richard holding her and Cassie laying her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. He feels her begin to shake and he holds her tighter.
After another couple of minutes, she releases him. Looking up, she looks into his eyes, eyes she thought she would never see again, and then Jeffrey had shown up. And then three years later, she's here, he's here, they are together again. Looking down, she notices the black streaks on his shirt and she starts to smile.
"I'm sorry about the shirt." She says nodding towards the streaks of mascara she left there.
"I'm not worried about the shirt. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I didn't mean…."
"You never have to explain or apologize for showing me what you feel."
"Do you still want to get married?"
"I think we should, so yes."
"Tammy won't be there." Cassie says, looking up and remembering Tammy being their flower girl.
"I know." Richard says, wistfully. "But now RJ can be one of my best men."
"He'll love that and Will can be the ring bearer."
"And now Reva can be in the wedding."
"And Harley again, I'd like Blake to be there again, but I don't think that's going to happen."
"So, you'll marry me again?" Richard asks, reaching up to lightly caress her cheek.
"Yes, I'll marry you again and again and again." Cassie says, leaning up to kiss him.
When they part, they leave the room. Richard puts his arms across her shoulders, drawing her to him. After a few moments, she steps back, releasing him and asks "Would you like to see the gardens?"
"Sure." He says, taking her hand.
They leave the room, looking back over her shoulder, Cassie smiles before Richard pulls the door closed behind them. Walking down to the lobby, Cassie explains the idea behind the garden.
"It's divided into separate areas, one is formal and the other is more casual, like the formal and informal gardens at the Palace." Cassie says, as they walk out of the hotel and into the gardens.
Frank was walking into the police station when the desk Sergeant stops him. "Sir." He says.
"Yes." Frank replies, stopping.
"Ms. Wolf is demanding to see you."
"She is, why?"
"She won't say."
"Alright, I'll contact Mallet."
"Yes Sir." The Sergeant replies, as Frank continues on to his desk. Sitting down, he dials Mallets number and after a couple rings he picks up.
"Mallet here." He says.
"Mallet, it's Frank."
"What's up Frank?" He says, as Marina walks up
"The desk sergeant just told me that Doris is demanding to speak with me."
"Why?"
"She wouldn't say."
"Do you want me to come back to the station?"
"I think that would be wise, since you're the one that handled her case."
"I'll be there in five."
Frank hangs up picking up some paperwork on his desk. Five minutes later, Mallet walks into the station and over to Frank's desk. "So, where is she?"
"She's still in her cell." Frank replies, motioning to one of the officers. "Go down and bring Ms. Wolf up to the holding room."
"Yes sir." The officer leaves as Mallet sits down at Frank's desk. A few minutes later, they bring Doris through and Mallet gets up to follow them. When the officer leaves, Doris looks up and sees Mallet standing there.
"Where's Frank?" She asks.
"He's busy and I'm the one that handled your case, so he thought I should be the one you spoke with."
"I wanted to speak to the one in charge." Doris says.
"Well, you're going to have to speak to me." Mallet says, sitting down across from her.
"Alright fine, I want to make a deal." Doris says.
"I'm not in position…."
"This is why I wanted to speak to Frank."
"Tell me what you want to say and I'll decide if it should be brought to Frank's attention.
"Do you know what they will do to me if I'm sent to prison?" Doris says, slightly desperate.
"I have a very good idea what will happen to you if you're sent to prison, exactly what you deserve Doris. You broke the law."
"I deserve to be dead. I'll die within a month."
"Does your lawyer know you're speaking with us?"
"No, I'm making this decision. I know things about Alan, things that will interest not only the state attorney's office but possibly the Federal Government."
"We've got Alan."
"Yes, but there is more."
"You have proof of that."
"All you have to do is check his private computer. He keeps a log of everything."
"And where does he keep this log?"
"He keeps it at his house in San Cristobel."
"How do you know this?"
"I was married to him. I wanted to know everything about him, in case… In case I needed it. I know what Alan is."
"And how do we know this is the truth and not your way of trying to get out of your part in this scheme of yours?"
"It wasn't a scheme, he… just check out his computer in San Cristobel. He has a file on it. It details every transaction and the result. Contact the San Cristobel government, have them raid his house. They'll find the logs there."
"If these files are in San Cristobel, how did you see them?"
"I… used his computer at the house…."
"You hacked into his computer."
"How, I got the information doesn't matter. It's there, but you will have to move quickly, because I'm sure that Alan's already ordered the files be deleted, at least he has if he's smart."
"Alright, I'll talk to Frank about it, along with the state attorney and Jeffrey." Mallet says, standing up and walking over to the door. Opening it, he motions for the officer. "You can take her back to her cell." He says, as the officer walks into the room.
While they are eating, Jeffrey pulls out his cell phone.
"Who are you calling?" Sam asks, taking a drink.
"Ava, I want to see if she's okay." Jeffrey says as Ava answers the phone.
"Hello."
"Hi, it's your Dad."
"I know. You're the only man that seems to call me anymore."
"I don't want to know." Ava laughs as Jeffrey smiles. "So where are you at?" She asks.
"We're at a diner just outside of Indianapolis. Sam says hi." Jeffrey says, as Sam nods.
"Tell her hi, so when will you be in town."
"We should be in sometime this afternoon or evening."
"Okay."
There are a few moments of silence, before Jeffrey asks. "Have you seen your mother?"
"I ran into her the other day."
"What did she say? Did she…?"
"She didn't do anything." Ava says, quickly reassuring Jeffrey. "She wanted to know when I was coming back to the Beacon, and I told her that I was going to stay at Company for a while and that I might start looking for an apartment, maybe a loft, for me and the baby."
"And that's all that happened?"
"She asked if I was doing this because of the other night and her hitting me…."
"Of course…."
"And I told her that it was part of it, but that the baby needs a place of its own and that the Beacon was okay for just me but it didn't fit anymore, and then I asked her about the building she is buying on 5th street."
"5th street, why is she buying property down there?"
"Well, she's thinking about buying some of the property on 5th street before Alan buys it all." Ava says sounding skeptical.
"What else?" Jeffrey asks.
"Well, I saw her down on 5th street talking to a guy, the guy that's supposes to be selling the building to her."
"What else?"
"I don't know, it's just a feeling I got but I think it was an excuse. It was like I caught her doing some thing, or planning something she didn't want me to find out about."
"Like what?"
"I don't know."
"Why do you say it was an excuse?"
"Because when I asked her about it directly, she wasn't the one that answered my question the guy she was with did."
"Did you get the guy's name?"
"No, they never told me."
"What did he look like?"
"He was tall, dark hair with dark eyes. Kind of creepy looking, I wasn't really paying attention to him, I was watching Olivia."
"How was she acting?"
"Like she was hiding something, she didn't want me to be there or to know what was going on. She left shortly after she told me why she was there and then the guy left."
"Maybe she is just looking into making an investment. And the property is going to go up much quicker with Alan redeveloping it."
"I don't know. Anyway, Alan showed up and she left after that. Other than that, nothing else has happened."
"I'll talk to you later."
"Yes, be careful."
"I will."
50.12