Chapter 3

Cori sat at the dinner table picking absently at the food on her plate and staring at the empty seat at the other end. The stew was delicious but she was too preoccupied to enjoy it much. She heard "mama" being called through her fog and tore her gaze from the empty chair. "What?" she asked looking up to find James watching her, a small smile on his lips. "Your daughter asked you to pass the juice." "Oh, right. Sorry sweetheart." She said smiling at her five year old daughter Victoria. "Actually I was the one who asked mama." Said her twelve year old. "Oops, sorry." Cori muttered, passing the juice to Daveigh. "Are you ok mom?" Christopher, who was nine, asked with a worried expression on his young face. "I'm fine dear. Just not as hungry as I thought I guess." She glanced guiltily across the table at her husband. "It really was delicious though. Excuse me. I think I'll go get some fresh air. Maybe it will improve my appetite." With that she got up from the table, ruffling her son's hair as she passed and walked outside. Her Seventeen year old daughter Rachel looked after her worriedly as she passed. Papa?" She asked, looking at him questioningly. He smiled at her reassuringly. "All right you lot." James said, standing up and stretching. Clear your places and then it's upstairs to do your homework. "Yes papa." The children said. He patted Rachel's shoulder as he walked past her, towards the door and said, "Don't fret darling, I'll deal with it", and she relaxed instantly.

James found Cori standing on the front porch, her head tilted to the side, leaning against one the poles that supported their rooftop. Her sad expression didn't change as she felt her husband's arms steal around her waist and his cheek pressed again hers. She leaned back against him and sighed. "I miss him." She said softly. "Sweetheart, he's only been away for two weeks and he'll be back in a couple of days. James said, referring to their eldest son Timothy, who had recently turned 18 and gone to London to have a look around at Oxford University, which he was hoping to attend in the fall. "Surely you can wait that long?" "You think I'm being foolish, but you know perfectly well, that he's never been away from us for this long before. I mean, it's his first trip away from home, what if something's happened to him?" Cori," he said, gently turning her around to face him, his hands on her shoulders. "Didn't you speak to him two nights ago?" At her nod, he continued. "And didn't he tell you that he was having a marvelous time in London with his Uncle Douglas?" "Yes." She said bitterly, causing him to chuckle and draw her tightly against his chest. "Ahh, my love, you really are going to have to cut the cord soon you know." She gasped and reared back punching him in the arm. "James don't you dare make fun of me now!" She almost shouted, wagging a finger at him. "You know how hard this is for me and you know better than anyone what the dangers are for him out there!" "Ouch!" He said, growing serious now. He grabbed her by her shoulders once more, only this time he held her at arm's length. "Cori just stop alright! Enough is enough already! Timothy is no longer a child and as much as you or I….yes, I said "I". You're not the only one who wants him to stay…..but as much as either of us may want that, it's simply not the course he has chosen for himself. And we must allow him to follow his own path. It's that simple. "Ha!" she said angrily, that's easy for you to say, you're not his…." She stopped and her hands flew up to cover her mouth, gasping at what she had almost said. James had gone stone still, a ferocious look on his handsome face, and she knew that she had gone too far. She stood there looking at that hard expression, as shame and fear washed over her and then his features relaxed slightly and his eyebrow went up a notch as he said ironically, "Not his mother?" She cringed at the hurt tone of his voice and turned back around to look out at the sea. A tear slid down her face and she shook her head sadly. "You just don't understand." James sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "No. No, I guess I don't." He said bitterly and turned around walking back inside.

Later that night Cori slid into bed beside her husband and turned away from him to lay on her side. She was still too ashamed of herself to look him straight in the eye. He lay there, eyes closed but she could tell he wasn't asleep. Nineteen years of marriage had taught her his habits well and his breathing was not the deep even pattern of sleep. "I'm sorry." She whispered, and waited, not quite sure that he had heard her. But then he moved towards her and pressed himself up against her back, his arms encircling her to draw her closer to his warmth. "I know." He said "It's just that..." "Shhh." He whispered his breath hot against her ear. "We'll talk about it tomorrow alright. " He said and began to press slow kisses along her neck. She sighed and snuggled closer to him as he continued his exploration of her body with his hands, lightly drawing the nightgown she wore down to her waist, so that he could grasp the soft flesh of her breasts. She moaned as his tongue flicked her ear and she felt his manhood, hard and hot, pressing against her bottom. He was gyrating against her, his hands reaching down to touch her below her waist. And then he found her and his fingers flexed against the hard nub at the vortex below the soft, curly, triangle of red hair between her thighs. She reacted instantly, crying out softly as his fingers expertly brought her to her climax and then he turned her over, his mouth finding hers and taking possession of it hungrily. Their tongues inter-mingled fiercely as he tore the nightgown off of her and positioned himself between her legs. She gasped as he entered her and wrapped her legs tightly around him. He moved within her, glorying at the feel of her. It still amazed him that after five children, she was still in such good shape and nearly as tight as she'd been when he married her. Their rhythm increased to a frenetic pace until finally James groaned with the force of his release and spent himself inside of her. He collapsed on top of her, both of them panting harshly.

Finally he moved from her, gently rolling off her and onto his side. He leaned on his elbow and looked down at her beautiful face, still flushed with the exertions of their love-making. She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, an amused smirk on his face. "What?" she asked him. "You planned this didn't you?" "Planned what?" she asked warily. He dropped back down onto his pillow and linked his hands behind his head. "You just acted all apologetic and remorseful to get me feeling congenial enough to seduce you. It was all an act so that you could take advantage of my poor, tired, old body." He said to her the smirk in his voice. "You're right." Cori said bemusedly, "Looks like you caught me. I guess you're gonna have to punish me she purred as she trailed a finger lightly down his hard body. He moved suddenly, grabbing her wrists and holding them above her head as he sat, straddling her. He smiled down at her. "I guess so. Oh, the things I have to do to maintain a little peace and order around here!" He said once again lowering his mouth to hers.