Chapter Thirty-Two

Several months later, Teresa was sitting at a desk making excited phone calls. She smiled as she glanced down at the glittering stone on her left hand. Only two other times came to mind when she had been this happy; the day Adrian had proposed and the day James had been born.
True to her word, she had contacted them quite frequently, and Orlando had even sent money and the entire family had come to visit in London. Orlando had been in between movie projects so he had time to spend with them, and thoroughly enjoyed playing tour guide.

"Naomi?" Teresa asked in the receiver trying hard to contain her excitement.

"Hey!" Naomi said happily. "What's up? How are you guys doing?"

"You are not going to believe it!" Theresa cried. "He proposed!"

"No way!" Naomi yelled excitedly. "Oh my gosh! I am so happy for you! Have you guys decided on a date?"

"Not specifically, no, but he says London is beautiful in the spring, and he wants to have it sometime then," Teresa said happily as she glanced out the window to watch the snowfall. She and Naomi talked for an hour, then she called and talked with Michael who seemed equally as thrilled. She laughed as she remembered his comment when she told him; 'So, my brother finally came through?'

Early in the spring, with their family present, Orlando and Teresa were married in a park filled with cherry trees in bloom. The ceremony looked like a fairytale set near a large lake and the trees positively bursting with soft pink cherry blossoms. Everyone loved it.

A few days after the wedding, their families went home, and Teresa was finally alone with her new husband. They had a soft blanket spread out on the floor in front of the fireplace. Orlando had another one draped about his shoulders for though it was spring; the nights were still fairly chilly in London. He was leaning against the sofa staring into the flames. Teresa was in front of him and leaned back against his bare chest with a sigh as he wrapped his arms around her folding them both in the blanket.

His gaze shifted to her as he hugged her tightly and kissed her temple. "I love you," he whispered and she turned her head to face him.

"I love you too," she answered, and with that he lowered his head to claim her lips. She twisted her body so that she stretched out on top of him as he straightened his legs and allowed his hands to roam freely over her body.

He grabbed her legs suddenly, and gently pulled them so that she now lay across his lap. She looked into his eyes, startled by his movement as he broke the kiss. She started to say something, but stopped and smiled when she saw desire burning in the chocolate depths of his eyes.

He shifted so that she now lay flat on her back and he sat above her, between her knees. He gazed down at her, silently devouring her with his eyes. She was wearing a pink lace teddy and had painted her finger and toenails red. Her legs were smooth and shapely; her breasts rose and fell as she breathed. Her hair was a cloud of liquid honey as it spilled onto the blanket and about her creamy white shoulders. It was magical the way that it captured the firelight and appeared to be flowing, itself. Her skin was pale next to the amber that was her hair and her eyes were as blue as the sea.

"Teresa?" he asked hoarsely, his throat suddenly felt parched. "I want to make love to you. Will you let me?"

Teresa swallowed hard. Though they had lived together for sometime, and even slept in the same bed, he had never done more than hold her or kiss her while they slept. True, when he hungered for her mouth, his hands roamed her body but never had they done so under her clothes…not all of them anyway. Slowly she nodded as she held her breath. Her body tensed as she watched his eyes anticipating his touch, knowing that this time it would be different.

Noticing her tense state, he hesitated with uncertainty. Reaching down, he took her hands and pulled her to a sitting position. "I'll be gentle," he whispered in an attempt to reassure her. An hour later, they lay together, naked under the blanket. Teresa lay on her side with her head resting on his shoulder, and her small hand on his chest. Orlando sighed in contentment as he wrapped his arms around her. She was like magic to him and sometimes he felt as though he dare not close his eyes, or when he opened them she would be gone.

That night as she slept, Adrian and James came to her in a dream. 'Hello sweetheart,' Adrian said.

'Hi mommy,' James greeted her.

'You don't have to say anything, my love,' Adrian said when Teresa was speechless. 'Just listen.' Teresa nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks. 'We're both very happy for you. We want you to be happy, and we know that you have found someone you can love,' Adrian said. 'You have done well for yourself, and we're very proud of you. We'll always be in your memory, but it is time for you to do as you told Michael, and move on. It is time for you to let us go.'

She shook her head furiously, but James spoke next. 'It's ok, mommy,' he said quietly. 'Daddy and I know you love us. We don't want you to be sad anymore. Good-bye, mommy.'

Teresa's tears flowed freely now. 'Good-bye, my love,' Adrian said and then he and James faded.

"No!" Teresa yelled and tried to reach for them but it was to late.

'Good-bye' their voices resounded in the darkness that surrounded her and she was alone.

"Teresa?" Orlando asked; his voice filled with concern. He had been woken by her yell, and found her shaking uncontrollably in his arms. His chest was wet from the tears she cried. He wrapped his arms about her tightly and tried to sooth her with his kisses. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and he saw pain and immense sadness in their depths, and his heart wrenched for he knew he couldn't help her. "You dreamed about them didn't you?" he asked quietly and she nodded. "Was it like before? With the accident?" he asked uncertainly.

She shook her head slowly, and after a few minutes she found her voice. 'They said good-bye. They said it was time for me to let them go," she said with a sob. "But I don't know if I'm ready too. I love them so much and I miss them terribly."

Orlando held her close, and kissed her temple. "You always will," he whispered. "I don't want to replace them, my love. I never did. Maybe you should let them go though; it's been nearly a year. It sounds like they understand that you have found love, and want you to meet it with an open heart." As he spoke, a weight seemed to lift from her heart, and she knew that she could let them go.

Orlando continued his acting career as long as he could hide the blessing of his extended life from the public eye. When it became harder to do so, he left it behind without a backward glance. Legolas came to talk to them before they left their world for Middle Earth, and bore with him startling news.

'When you reach Middle Earth, you will be merged with the real Legolas. He knows Haehithien by face only, for he has seen her in visions from Ilúvatar,'Legolas said. 'Don't be surprised if he does not know you, Teresa. Remember, I know you only because I am a link between the real Legolas, you and Orlando. He knows nothing of what has happened in your lives. When he is merged with Orlando, everything from your life will be like a dream to him.' Teresa and Orlando nodded their understanding. 'Good,' Legolas said. 'Are you ready then?'

"Yes," they answered together, and took a deep breath. The room began to spin around them and as it spun, the speed increased until they lost their balance and both blacked out.