CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX – "Dreams"
A Moonlight NC-17 Fanfic
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
--
Mick was pretty upset when he saw what had been recorded on the security videos monitoring the hallway in their apartment! Coraline had actually been at their door! And the security men had just let her go, which meant he needed to call Josef. Josef hadn't been returning his calls, and Mick wondered what he was up to—this was more important than business! Maybe he'd just have to go over there!
--
Logan waited until the shadows were long and dark across the vacant lot in Century City. He got out of his car and began walking, poking the ground with a long stick, looking for anything that would tell him where the prison might be. He wasn't sure why he was looking, but it was simply something he was curious about, and therefore, something he had to do. He followed his nose until he began to smell activity, then followed the scent until he could smell Mick and Josef. At that point, he got down on his hands and knees and felt the ground until he found a button that was so well hidden in the undergrowth that it would never be noticed unless someone was looking for it specifically. He pressed it once, and an entire patch of ground moved away, exposing a stairway down into the ground. It was long, and Logan took his flashlight out of his back pocket to take a better look at the secret entry. All he could see at the bottom was what appeared to be a metal door.
He began descending the stairs and got to the door, which opened when he pushed on it, banging against the wall of the room inside. The room was large, with a very high ceiling, and he felt a slight discomfort at being so far beneath the ground with no way out except the way he had come in. He saw the silver restraints that had been used on his friends during their imprisonment, and thought how uncomfortable the place looked. Well, now his curiosity was appeased. He began his ascent back up to the opening when he saw the panel sliding up above his head. In seconds he was trapped, entombed in the same dungeon Mick and Josef had been stuck in with Coraline and Hank.
--
Mick walked through the doors of the morgue, Beth a step behind him, wondering what Guillermo had thought was so terribly important that it merited an immediate run over here.
"Hey, man, long time, no see! Hello, Beth—good to see you two working together again!"
Beth looked at Mick, who looked back at her. They smiled big, happy smiles at each other. Beth said, "Yeah, Guillermo—we decided we were too great a team not to be working cases together!"
"Glad to see it's going good! Me and my lady? No way we could work together!"
Mick nodded and shrugged, and said, "Hey, I get it, man. I couldn't work with anyone but Beth. So—what do you have for us today? It sounded serious when you called." Mick was curious, and so was Beth. This was kind of fun, she thought, being in the morgue together! Like the old days!
Guillermo pulled out one of the large drawers and unzipped the body bag enough to expose the face. "I wanted to know if you had any thoughts about this one."
Mick looked at the body without emotion. "It's Hank Mottola. Any idea how he ended up here?" A vampire in a morgue was pretty serious, he was thinking.
"I know he was found in a garbage dump—they're trying to track down where he came from. It's pretty unusual for a vamp to show up in the morgue, though—somebody didn't have enough sense to call the cleaner, and they let him end up here! If I hadn't been here, well, let's just say, it would not be good if they did an autopsy on this guy!"
"No kidding! We've got to get him out of here!"
"Not on my shift! I wanna keep this job!"
"That can be arranged. How did he end up like this—can you tell?" Mick was looking at him with scrutiny, thinking he looked pretty dehydrated.
Guillermo unzipped the bag down past the sternum, exposing a deep wound. "Staked and not fed, from what I can see. I'd guess he just turned into vampire jerky out in the landfill."
"This isn't good. I'll call for cleaners to get him after you go home."
"Hey—as long as it's not going to come back on me that I lost a body before it even got to be examined!"
"No. You'll be fine, Guillermo. I'm not sure what this means, but I'll figure it out."
Mick turned to leave, and put an arm behind Beth. As they reached the double door, Guillermo called out to them.
"Hey—don't be strangers now, y'hear?"
They both smiled, and Guillermo smiled back, observing how happy they seemed. "Everything going good with the baby?" he asked.
Beth patted her tummy and gave a thumbs-up sign. Mick gave Guillermo a satisfied, happy, rather shy Daddy-to-be grin.
"Everything's great. Thanks for asking."
"Well, keep them safe!" He said directly to Mick. "I hear Coraline's on the loose, and if I were you, I'd stay far away from that one!"
"I know," Mick said, turning serious again. "Let me know if you see anything else that's strange, okay, buddy?"
"Sure thing, Mick."
--
Mick reluctantly agreed to let Beth go shopping for some new clothes while he went to Josef's. She promised to be very careful, and they made a meeting time at a safe place, a restaurant inside the mall, at one o'clock. When Mick got to Josef's place, he took the elevator up and walked into the office. It was buzzing with activity, but Josef was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey! Ryder! Welcome back!" Mick smiled at Josef's tech guy.
"Thanks, Mick! It's good to be back!" Ryder answered with his unique smile.
"Where's Josef?" he asked, looking around the space and seeing no sign of his friend.
"He's keeping busy these days! He hasn't said anything, but he's been pretty much skipping work and staying in the private quarters. We haven't seen much of Sarah either! We don't know what's going on—if you find out, we're all curious." Ryder gave Mick a sly smile, but Mick wasn't at all amused. This was not like Josef!
"He shouldn't just disappear. I'm going to see if I can get him out of the freezer long enough to talk!"
"Good luck—I'm not so sure you're going to find him in the freezer, though!"
Mick walked around to Josef's private quarters and checked his freezer room first, finding that Ryder was right—the thing was empty!
He walked down the hallway to Josef's bedroom and knocked on the door, but nobody answered. "Josef!" He knocked again. "Josef? Can you answer me please?"
Mick waited only a second, then pushed the door open. He quickly shut it again. Josef and Sarah were at it hot & heavy in there! He wondered why at this time of day, when his staff was all on duty! This was not at all like the Josef he knew so well! He sat in a chair in the hallway to wait until it was quiet inside the room. "Josef!" he said in a normal voice.
In a few minutes, the door opened and shut behind his friend. Josef was in a pair of sweatpants and nothing else.
"C'mon,Mick—I'll tell you what's new." Mick followed him to the kitchen, where they sat at the table. Mick sipped Josef's favorite blend—O positive with a few drops of AB negative thrown in for extra flavor, but he noticed Josef had nothing, and come to think of it, Josef didn't smell like Josef either! Mick's keen senses picked up on something different. He didn't want to sniff the air outright—that seemed impolite—but he could smell what had been happening in the bedroom, he just couldn't smell Josef—but he could smell his blood!
"What's going on here, Josef? Your staff is all hard at work, and you're in bed!"
"I know, Mick. Coraline came by a couple of nights ago and gave me the cure. I know it's too early, most likely, but we're working on getting pregnant."
Mick raised an eyebrow. "Ah! I guess that explains it! So you've seen Coraline."
"Yes—just briefly. I'd about given up on finding her, and then she just shows up here and says she's ready if I am. So—I'm human."
Mick looked closely at Josef. "Yeah, you look kind of emaciated. Not coming up for air much, are you?"
"Not really. I keep thinking of giving her a baby, and I don't want to do much else."
"Uh-huh!" Mick nodded, took a gulp of his beverage, and noticed that his buddy looked uncomfortable. "Any evidence yet that working so hard at this little project is paying off?"
Josef knew exactly what he meant. "No. Nothing yet. I keep hoping it will happen—I remember what you said about—when it happened to you—with Beth. I want to feel that too. I suppose it takes some time."
Mick shrugged. "I suppose it does. Well, I'm sure it'll happen—it happened for me! But I'm really over here to tell you what's been happening in our hallways."
Josef gave him a guarded look. "You mean you've been watching your security cameras?"
"Yes, and I found out that Coralline has tried to visit us, and your security people simply escorted her out. So much for losing her head, I guess?"
Josef shook his head. "Hey, I'm sorry, man. They knew what they were supposed to do! I'll fire them and get some new guys over there today!"
"That's okay. I'll let them go and get some other people. I know you have more important things on your mind!"
"Well. . .I'm really sorry, Mick. I hate thinking that you and Beth were in any danger! Hey, man, maybe you should call Ben. The Legion might like to know your ex is up to no good again."
"You know, I hadn't even thought about that, but maybe I'll give him a call. We probably are in danger, and I can't take any chances with Beth."
"Yeah—you keep a watch over her! She's getting closer to having that kid, huh? And it's all good, isn't it? You even look different, Mick."
"I feel different. Josef, I hope you get to see what this feels like! Being a father! It's just so amazing!"
Josef looked at his friend with a smile and a tiny bit of envy. "I hope I get to see what it feels like, Mick. I'm really hoping the Universe will be on my side too!"
Mick stood up, thinking and then remembering the other item of business.
Josef saw him processing something. "What is it, Mick?"
"Well, the other news is that Guillermo called this morning, so Beth and I went to the morgue, and guess whose body is there? Hank Mottola!"
"How does a vampire end up there?" Now Josef wore an outright worried expression.
"I'll find out, but he's dead. Staked. Good thing Guillermo was on duty and not some human."
Josef was looking almost sick. "This could have been so bad for us, Mick!"
"I know. The cleaner is going to get him out of there, but I have to find out what happened. It could be Coraline, you know. If you see her again, I'd sure appreciate a call."
"You got it. Sorry I've been so out of touch."
"I understand, but now you're up to date."
Sarah strolled into the kitchen just then, hair still wet from the shower, also in sweats. She came over and hugged Mick.
"It's so nice to see you—I hope we can get together with you and Beth soon!"
"That would be good! Tell your man here to get back to work once in a while!" Mick turned toward the door. I've got to get going—I have to meet Beth--I don't like to leave her for very long at a time these days. Getting Coraline out of the picture would help my sanity!"
They all said their good-byes and Mick left. 'HUMAN!' Mick was thinking as he left Josef's, walking to his car. Of all the vampires in the world, Josef would be the last one he'd ever imagine would choose to be human! He shook his head, thinking it was hard to believe Josef would give up being a vampire for anything! Then another thought struck him—Josef wasn't a vampire, and Coraline was a threat. 'Bad timing.' Mick thought—what if he needed help getting Coraline out of the way? Josef would be no help at all now that he was human!
He got Ben on his cell on his way to his car and told him Coraline had been around—first to visit Josef, who was on the cure now, and then to skulk around in his own private corridors!
"Okay," Ben said, "This 'cure' thing—how does that affect the whole scenario with Josef and Coraline?"
"If she should decide to do something to Josef or Sarah, Josef can't fight back. He's a human now, and Coraline is a vampire—she'd kill him with one swipe. I don't see why she'd go after Josef, but she would definitely come after me—or more likely, she'd want to kill Beth. She knows Beth is pregnant now, and get this—she's even visited our doctor!"
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Ben was shocked and suddenly panicked for Beth. "Why would she go to YOUR doctor?"
"She told him she wants to have my baby. She's completely irrational, Ben. If there's anything you can do, we'd appreciate it. Beth is in danger."
Ben processed what he'd been told. He was very upset at the thought of anything happening to Beth! His or not, she had to be kept safe!
"I'll get in touch with the Legion elders, Mick. I'll let them know what you've told me, and I'm sure they won't approve of her behavior. I'll get back to you on this, but rest assured—nothing is going to happen to Beth as long as I have any say in these matters!"
"Hey, Ben, thank you." Mick breathed a sigh of relief as he cut the call off. He sure hoped someone would keep that woman away from them!
--
Logan allowed his eyes to adjust to the lack of light from above, and when his vampire night vision kicked in, he decided to hunt for a button somewhere near the trap door. It made some sense to him that there would be a way out, and if there was, he'd find it! As he was hunting around, the door began to slide open, and he crouched, ready to spring, which he did when the opening was large enough. He sprinted vampire fashion past several people who had what looked like more prisoners to bring downstairs. Before they even knew he was there, he was at his car, and all they had seen was a shadow moving quickly. Of course, they'd be able to slow down the video and see who he was later, but for now, Logan jammed the accelerator down and took off down the bumpy dirt road. He'd been able to identify the people who were being thrown into the dungeon as the three who were responsible for taking Mick and Josef—the two idiots and the guy in the suit. Interesting, but there was another prisoner who'd be doing a repeat stint in that hold—Coraline! He couldn't wait to tell Mick!
--
September passed into October and finally Mick kept his promise made in Mexico—he and Beth were going to the beach at full moon. They were feeling safer now that Logan had reported seeing Coraline being jailed again! Ben confirmed it with the Legion elders, so for the time being, the Coraline threat was less fearsome! Beth packed their little backpack cooler with blood for Mick and a protein shake for herself. It would be fun to sit on a bench and watch the waves at high tide with the moonlight shining. The sun was just setting as they parked the car, and holding hands, they walked down the sidewalk to the sand. Mick put the cooler on one of the benches and they kicked off their shoes, letting their toes wiggle in the sand. Beth giggled.
"Why has it taken us so long to get here?" she wondered out loud.
"I'm sorry, honey. We've kind of been working and hiding all of the time, it seems. Tonight I hope we can just channel Mexico for a little while!"
"I loved that so much! It was the perfect honeymoon!" Mick watched as she closed her eyes, stretched her arms up to the sky and breathed in the salty sea air. She was absolutely stunning in the light of the moon which hung languidly and low over the water, and managed to reflect off of her hair in a way that made her glow. He looked at her round belly, and his deep love for her once again surprised him, like a flash of lightning going straight through him, causing a warm rush of tenderness that flooded his very soul. This was the most exciting time of his life, and he was trying to cherish every moment.
"You look so beautiful, Beth." His eyes were shining as hers met his.
"Don't be a liar, now. I know I'm getting bigger every day!" She wrinkled her nose at him and he was charmed.
He moved to put his arms around her and held her as close as her baby bump allowed.
"You are so beautiful you take my breath away, and your little round tummy only makes you more gorgeous than ever!" He nuzzled her neck and she squealed a little, breaking into goosebumps as the cool ocean breeze lifted her hair and Mick's cool lips caressed her under her jaw. Leaning in to hold her close, he felt their child against him, a constant reminder of their love for each other. He closed his eyes, loving the feel of her in his arms with the baby tucked safe between them.
"Is the baby active tonight? Can you feel him right now?" He was always wanting to know what it felt like to carry their child, which Beth found amazingly sensitive!
"He's lazy right now, but I know he's happy that Daddy finally said it was okay to go to the beach!" She looked up into his eyes. "You're calling it a 'him' tonight. I wonder what that means?"
He raised an eyebrow, which she could see, even in the relative darkness that enveloped them.
"You're the one who doesn't want to know! I try to switch back and forth from 'him' to 'her' for you! Any time you want me to tell you. . ."
"Yeah, I know. I'm just thinking that if my labor gets long and intense, the surprise element of not knowing might help me keep working at reaching the goal. It's like not wanting to open your presents early, I suppose."
He laughed against her cheek. "I guess that makes some sense. I'm going to be there, though. We're going to get through this together."
Now it was her turn to laugh. "Ha! Nobody's asking you to push a bowling ball through your penis!"
He flinched. "Ouch! You have a point there! But I'm going to be with you every second, you know, and if I could take the pain for you, I would."
"I know, Mick. It's not even worrying me, really. This pregnancy has been pretty easy, I'll have to say. It must be 'cause it's your baby in me, and my body just accepts anything you want to give me."
"Ah, that's a very nice thing to say, Mrs. St. John! You know I want to give you everything."
"You do."
Mick was quiet, holding her, then brought his arm up to clasp her hand in his as he began to move his feet in the sand. Beth went along with him as he hummed a sweet tune in her ear—another oldie from the Big Band era, but it was pretty, and they danced to their own music, hand-in-hand, cheek-to-cheek.
"I wish I could give you more", he said after a long silence, not breaking the rhythm of their dancing. Her head was now leaning against his chest, and her eyes were closed as she enjoyed the feel of him beneath her, so solid, so safe.
"Mmmm," she said lazily, "I don't see how you could ever give me more. I absolutely love the nursery! It turned out just like I saw it in my dreams!"
"I'm glad you like it." They danced a while longer as he sang "The Way You Look Tonight," then he stopped and looked at her eyes, shining and as luminous as the harvest moon still rising in the sky.
"I'd love to be able to give you more children, Beth. I have a feeling we'll be so taken with this one that we'll want another."
"Oh! Already adding to your quiver before this little arrow has even shown up?"
He laughed softly. "I guess. I want it all--now that I'm with you, Beth, I just want everything most men get to have."
"What do you mean, Mick? Is there something more you want?" She waited, curious.
He was silent for a few moments, looking off, watching the waves hit the shore. This world was so beautiful, and he was so happy! Why did he have to want more? He looked back at her and saw her eyes searching his, looking for an answer.
"Beth--how many kids would you have—if we were just a normal couple?"
"Who wants to be normal, Mick!"
"I do."
This gave her pause. He seemed so serious. "You'd want to be human again? Are you thinking of getting more of the cure from Coraline?"
"No. I don't ever want to see her again! I don't even want to think of her! But sometimes lately I dream, and Beth, I haven't dreamed for going on sixty years."
She laid her head back on his chest and put her arms tightly around him. "What do you dream, Mick? And why do you dream now?"
"I can't explain it—I never want to go alone to the freezer anymore, so I put it off as long as I can, and I end up falling asleep in your arms, and then I dream! It's so strange! And I dream of us—we're just a normal family with a few kids and a house and a yard. I even dream of. . ."
He stopped and she listened with rapt attention. "What?" she whispered.
"I dream we're making love. I dream it almost every night now!"
He felt her laugh softly against him. "You don't have to dream that, Mick! We DO make love every night! And every morning, and every opportunity we have in between!"
"I know, honey, but in my dreams it's different. I'm loving you and we're making a baby together, and it's so--sweet!" He stopped and she leaned back to watch his face. His eyes were looking up to the sky, and he had caught his lower lip in his teeth. She felt a deep longing inside of him that momentarily threatened to break her heart.
"Mick, tell me—you dream we're making love, and what's so different?"
"I don't know, Beth—I'm having a hard time with this right now! Like I said, I don't want to wake up and go to the freezer! I want to be with you, stay with you all night, and I want to put my seed inside of you, like in my dream, while you sigh and move under me, and it's so. . .erotic and beautiful and. . .human!"
"Mick. I want that too. I wish I could have that dream too." She rose up and kissed his cheek and he hugged her tightly.
They held each other until the moon was high in the sky, and then they sat on the bench and drank their drinks, Beth with her feet up on the bench, leaning against Mick, both of them watching the waves catch the bright moonlight beams, bringing them to shore, and placing them at their feet. They didn't say much, as they silently wished that somehow God and the Universe could grant them their dreams, but knowing some things simply weren't possible.
--
For Mick's eighty-fifth birthday, I planned a surprise. While he was out working, Marissa and Sarah came over and helped me get ready. It was a Saturday, and we had a fun time all afternoon making party food and laughing about how my belly kept getting into the flour and the sauces as we concocted our delicacies! By the time we were done, I was a mess!
Mick came home and pulled me into the shower, and afterwards I put on one of my new outfits--big enough to be comfortable, but slinky enough to be pretty for a party. It was kind of a soft metallic knit in a blue that matched my eyes. I wore the bracelet Josef had given me for my 'something blue' at our wedding, and a diamond circle necklace Mick had given me for our three-month anniversary. He noticed right away that I wasn't in my usual jeans and hoodie.
"Wow, Beth! You look great! What's the occasion?"
"You forgot your own birthday?" I asked. He looked a little bit taken aback.
"I guess I did! What—are we going out?"
"Oh, I have a few surprises for you! In fact, I think I hear Josef and Sarah downstairs already! They wanted to toast you on your big day!"
"Is that right? Why do I feel you aren't telling me everything?"
"Because I'm not! Now come on down and pour Josef one of those awful drinks you two like to sip on." I took him by the hand and led him to the stairs.
"Awful? Are you talking blood or Scotch?"
"Either." I came down the stairs and hugged our friends. Mick was right behind me. The doorbell rang and Guillermo and his girlfriend where there, along with Logan, and Sam from BuzzWire had also arrived. I motioned the guests in, made introductions, and made it a point to get Logan and Sam started in a conversation about techie stuff. I was happy to see that they seemed to be hitting it off every time I found them together over the evening.
Marissa and Tom came later, and Julia arrived on the arm of a very handsome guy named Jason. I had invited Ben, and was surprised that he showed up with Simone, of all people! I hugged her tightly—I was really happy to see her—and she assured me she had called Josef to ask if it was okay, and he was fine with it.
Mick turned on the sound system and we had an eclectic mix of my music and his, the old and the new, and everyone human was eating the hors d'oeuvres like they were starving. Mick was manning the blood bar, which was disguised as the non-alcoholic bar, and Josef took care of the alcoholic beverages, mixing and shaking exotic martinis with panache.
Everyone got a tour of the house, and loved the new bedroom and bath, but the baby's room was a special hit. It was done in a gender-neutral butter color with tan and blue accents. The crib was done up in coordinating sheets and bumper pad, and there was a comfy rocking chair, in one corner, a giant furry bear in the other one, compliments of Uncle Josef, and I smiled as people asked me how I felt and told them the truth—I had never felt better! With the morning sickness gone, I felt marvelous!
I came back to the living room on my way to the kitchen and noticed Ben sitting alone on the couch while the rest of the gang was taking the tour, so I went and sat next to him. "I didn't know you were seeing Simone, Ben! It's so nice to see her again—I'm glad she came with you tonight. Oh—and thanks for coming to the party!"
He looked at me with wistful eyes. "Thanks, Beth. We haven't been seeing each other for very long, but it's been fun. She's great." The longing in his eyes was hard to miss. I patted his hand.
"I hope it works out for you."
He looked down at my hand, and put his other hand over mine to cover it. "I don't know how it will go, but we're taking it one date at a time. I do miss seeing you, though—the office seems empty without you. How is it being back to working with Mick?" His eyes were trying to size me up, I thought.
I pulled my hand out from under his and tried to be upbeat. "I love working with my husband, Ben. It's like old times. We're doing really well!"
He cleared his throat. "I'm glad about that. Really, I am. Things have gone well for you both."
"So far. We still have the Legion meeting in January, and that's a worry, and of course, we still wonder what will happen with Coraline who will no doubt come back sometime! Otherwise, everything is really pretty great!"
Ben nodded and took a large swallow of whatever he was drinking. "Good. Beth, I'm happy for you."
Just then the mob all came from different directions and ended up in the kitchen as Sarah lit thirty candles on Mick's cake. We all sang "Happy Birthday," and he blew out the candles, after he gave me a look that I could only interpret as his wish, and I hoped to heaven that somehow his wish could be granted. Cake and ice cream were served up, and Marissa poured coffee.
After everyone had left, Josef and Mick went out on the balcony for a cigar while Sarah and I cleaned up.
"How is the quest for Baby going, Sarah?" I asked her, washing a tray and handing it to her to dry.
"Well, nothing's happened so far! It's only been two months, though, and I guess we really can't count on anything until it's been about four months. We're keeping our fingers crossed!"
"Well, me too. It would be so fun if our kids could play together growing up!"
"That's the truth! It's hard to keep hoping and waiting! I'm not all that patient!" She looked at my belly with envy.
I took her hand and placed it where the baby was kicking and she laughed, feeling the little wrestler inside of me. "Wow! That is one active kid in there! Does that hurt?"
"No, not most of the time. Once in a while you get a kick in the ribs or the bladder! Mostly it's just really strange! It blows my mind that I have an entire human being inside of me!"
"Wow. That is sobering!"
"It'll happen for you, Sarah. If Mick and I could get pregnant, believe me, anything is possible!"
She smiled and simply said she hoped I was right.
After they left, when Mick and I were alone again, we undressed each other slowly and slid under the covers of our bed. I reached under my pillow and handed Mick a small box wrapped in silver paper with a silver ribbon.
"What's this?" he asked softly, looking at me with a sweet, kind of awed expression.
"It's your birthday present, silly!" I touched his cheek lightly, but saw tears brimming. I stopped making light of it and asked him, "What is it, Mick? It's nothing really—don't be thinking it's something really great—honey?" I wiped a tear from his cheek.
He cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse when he spoke at last. "Do you know how long it's been since anyone gave me a birthday present? Not to mention a party! Beth—it's probably been since I was a little kid! It just—brings back memories. Thank you."
He reached up and pulled me to his lips. He kissed me softly, but with all of the passion of a man denied the little things in life that make moments special.
I watched as he opened the box up, carefully, as if it were something priceless. Inside he found a small, marble, hand-carved figure of a man holding an infant. "It's beautiful!" he said, swiping at a tear.
"I bought it in Mexico—I met the man who carved it, and he had such lovely things. He looked so poor, and I thought he had a special talent, so I told him so, and bought this for you."
"I love it—it's perfect. I'll keep it on my desk where I can see it every day. It's me—holding our baby."
"Yes, Mick, and soon you'll have our child in your arms, and I can't wait to see the look on your face when you hold him for the first time."
He set the little carving on the night stand and then pulled me into his arms. I sat there, cradled and safe as a baby while he kissed my hair and tasted my lips.
We made love very slowly, almost reverently, whispering our love and clinging to each other as our passion overtook us. As we drifted off to sleep, I put my head right next to Mick's, hoping that somehow, being this close, his dreams would find their way into my own.
--
We had fun at our birthing classes, and met another nice couple there who were expecting their first baby a couple of weeks before ours was due. Mick enjoyed the exercises where we practiced our breathing, and when we watched the film of an actual birth, he was mesmerized.
After class, we usually went to the coffee shop across the street from the hospital where I had my cup of tea, and Mick got to watch me enjoy it. I wished they had Scotch, but we always had a good time just talking and gazing into each other's eyes. I KNOW! How dweebie are we! But we can't help it! We're still so taken with this LOVE that we can hardly keep our eyes and our hands off of each other!
"So, what picture are you going to use as your focal point for labor?" he asked, being practical.
"Hmmmmm. I suppose it would be redundant to have a picture of YOU, huh? Since you'll be there!" Looking at him, though, I couldn't imagine wanting a picture of anything else to get me through labor! My handsome vampire lover!
He smiled. "Yeah, there's supposed to be a point where you won't even want to see me—'transition,' isn't it? Where you'll scream and curse at me? And you'll be glad you won't ever have to do this again?" His smile faded, and I reached over and put my hand on his.
"We don't know for sure we'll never have another one, Mick! Let's not think about it right now—right now, we have to get through the first one!"
He nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Let's get the first one out of the way, huh?"
"Now you're talkin'! And for a focal point, you know, I'd really like to have one of our wedding pictures. Maybe that seems stupid, but remembering that day always takes me to a good place—in case I need an escape!"
"That's pretty awesome! Wow, that day doesn't seem very long ago, but look at all that's happened. And look how big the baby's getting! You were barely pregnant back then!"
"Pregnant enough, apparently!" I said patting my belly. Mick smiled.
"Apparently!" I could tell how proud and happy he was, since being a daddy was something he never thought could happen to him, and now, very soon, he'd have his miracle.
--
The next week after our birthing class, I sat at a table and watched Mick as he stood in line to get my tea. Of course he looked amazing! He was wearing one of his perpetually cool Versace coats that I loved so much, and his jeans hugged him in all the right places without letting the general public in on the secrets hidden inside! As I sat, I noticed a woman breeze in and get in line behind him, looking over the menu of options, and when she was done, I watched her give my husband the once-over. She was really sizing him up, from what I could tell! I was only a little jealous—she was stick thin, wearing impossibly high heeled knee-high boots over skin-tight leggings and had a thousand-dollar ecru-colored sweater hanging just below her butt. She had dark blonde hair with perfectly placed highlights, sunglasses pushed up onto her head, even though it was now approaching full dark, and she had a black scarf thrown carelessly on purpose around her neck.
I was about ready to bop her one when Mick got to the front of the line and ordered. Then trouble. She tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, looking startled, and she said something to him which caused him to smile that heart-melting smile of his, and then, to top it off, he shook her hand! They talked right up until she put her order in, then talked some more as they waited for their orders to be put up! I sat with my head on my hand while my husband flashed his cutie-pie smile at a fashionista on the hunt. When he finally shook her hand good-bye, she handed him something, and he came over to our table, still smiling his lady-killer smile.
"So you got hit on, huh?"
"I guess! And I got her number to prove it!" He was looking at her card, then looked at me. I must have looked as perturbed as I felt. "Aw, honey, she wasn't really hitting on me!"
I narrowed my eyes at him. Yeah, right!
"So, why am I feeling jealous when she's gorgeous and I'm a human HumVee?"
He looked at me and shook his head. "No, Beth! Nothing like that! Her name is Kim Asher and she's from the Ford modeling agency. She's a talent scout. Funny, but she asked if I'd be interested in testing for a shoot she has coming up."
"Oh! I guess L.A. is the city of dreams! A talent scout! And at the bottom of the card, does it say anything about being in a porno?"
I took too big of a sip of my tea and burned my tongue. Darn! "AHHH!" I said, but he paid no attention.
He laughed and looked up at the ceiling. "No, honey. I think she's on the up and up. I can't do modeling, of course, since I can't be out in sunlight!"
"Oh! Of course! But if only you didn't have the sunlight issue, you'd be happy to be in her porno!"
He just laughed again and looked at me, shaking his head, smiling. "I've heard pregnant women get a little edgy toward the end, but honey, it's nothing! I can't do it anyway!"
I was now sticking my tongue into my glass of ice water. I'm sure I looked amazingly attractive.
"Tho, you don' wan' ta call hew bag?"
"Beth, honey, take your tongue out of your water when you're talking. I can't understand you."
"I burned it on my tea! I just wondered if you were going to call Miss Slinky back?"
"No. I told her no, but she insisted on giving me her card. Said to call if I had a change of heart. Apparently she thinks I'd look good on film! Crazy, huh?"
I didn't say anything, but noticed he put the card in his pocket. Okay, pregnancy gives a woman a right to be paranoid! He saw me watching him from over the rim of my ice water.
"It really hurts, huh?"
"Yeth, ip we-we doth!"
I watched him with fascination as he stuck his tongue out and proceeded to bite down hard on the tip, causing it to bleed. He swiftly got up and came over to my side of the table, then squatted down by my chair. He reached up with one arm, and pulled my face to his, and proceeded to tongue-kiss me right there in front of God and everybody!
I tasted his blood, sweet on my sore tongue, and in a second the burn was gone--it didn't hurt any more. I looked him in the eyes, surprised and rather aroused. He raised an eyebrow at me.
"Thank you," I said guiltily.
"You're most welcome, Beth St. John, the only woman in my life, the only woman I would tongue-kiss in a public place, the woman who saved me, healed me and is making me a father. Hmmmm. Now why would I happen to love a person like that more than I love my own life? And why would I never, ever cheat on her? You'll have to tell me—it's not coming to me right now."
I grabbed him around the neck and tongue-kissed him back, then looked into his fathomless eyes, dark and seductive, and so penetrating they made my stomach flip right over. I took a breath, then said, "I guess you love her, even though she's got a butt the size of two of yours right now, and even though she's jealous of a stranger because you are so damn hot that every woman in the world wants you! and I guess maybe you love her because she loves you back more than her own life or anything she will ever have in this world."
"Ah, now you're making sense." He kissed me again, softly on the lips, then rose and went back to his chair opposite mine, where he reached out and took both of my hands in his across the table. "Stop worrying that people are watching us, Beth."
I blinked and smiled shyly, somehow not surprised he had read my thoughts.
"I love you for always, Beth, and don't ever forget that." His eyes were absolutely hypnotizing.
I ran my tongue around my lips. "Mmmm. It doesn't hurt anymore, and it tastes like you. I love that!" He was still staring at me, one eyebrow raised. "And I won't forget it, Mick. I promise—I won't."
He nodded and smiled back at me, melting my heart for the millionth time. Yeah, I thought for what must be the ten billionth time--forever just wouldn't be long enough for us.