5.
The Point Man had spent the night and morning alone. He tried to keep busy with work. Cobb was planning a new extraction for a client in London and there was plenty to keep his thoughts occupied. He had to do lots of research, work out all the details. Travel arrangements. He could keep busy.
The delivery boy arrived with a custom made ring an hour ago. Arthur had once again engaged the same artist/jeweler who made her bracelet, to make her ring. It was a beautifully polished silver with a dark blue sapphire stone. It's cut, it's setting was highly unique and old fashioned. He hated the mass produced engagement rings. Nothing about them was special. Everyone of them was more alike then the other.
The artist had taken his time, done an excellent job. Arthur had planned on proposing the right way. Dinner and dancing. Maybe the theater. Ariadne had been right, proposing marriage during sex was not very romantic. It had been the heat of the moment. It felt right at the time.
There had been something else to. Something she was not telling him. Did she not want to marry him? Did she think she was too young? Did she want to see other men? Play the field more? Something told him that wasn't it.
Maybe it had been to much too fast. Maybe she was right for not wanting kids. A child would entail a lot of care and attention. It would take her away from any career she might want. These were all things he never gave thought to. As a mother, she would of course be a baby's primary care giver.
Arthur sighed and put the beautiful ring safely back in it's handmade wooden box. He stuffed it back in his breast pocket and continued to sit in his nearly empty apartment.
The Point Man was lost in thought when he heard keys in the lock. He looked up to see Ariadne come home. A white paper bag in her hand.
"Hi." She said sadly.
"Hi."
"I, uh, I you brought some muffins from the old bakery." She said holding the bag up.
"Thanks."
Ariadne sat the bag down on the pristine counter top in the nearby kitchen and walked over to him. He was sitting alone at the boxed window seating. Watching the crowds of people and the park.
"I'm sorry I left last night." She sighed. He shook his head.
"I understand."
"No you don't. I need to tell you something." She said sitting across from him. She took a deep breath and searched her mind for exactly what she wanted to say. Her memories suddenly feeling like a maze.
"When I was about three, my father left me and my mother. We never saw him again. He re-married and had a new family. I don't even remember him. My mother... was very angry. She was mad all the time. She blamed me a lot. That I do remember. That if it wasn't for me, she would be free and happy. That having a child had been a terrible mistake and it ruined her marriage."
Ariadne took a deep breath as Arthur patiently waited for her to continue.
"When I was eight, I got out of school and I was waiting for her to pick me up. She never did. I waited and waited till it was dark. Finally, I walked home. It was really late. I..." Her voice trailed off.
"I came home and the house was really quite. My mom was in her bedroom. I thought she was sick at first. I... I didn't understand what was wrong. There was so much blood."
Arthur sat up and took her hands. Not saying a word.
"I ran next door to a neighbor and she call an ambulance." Ariadne sighed as she wiped away a small tear. "My grandfather came and got me. My father never showed up. He never came to the funeral or wanted me live with him." She sighed and let her eyes fall on Arthur.
"I don't think you would do that, I don't see you being like that all." She sighed. "But, you know, she was right. Having a family would change us. It might not be for the better."
"Ariadne." Arthur sighed. His large hands were wrapping around her small ones.
"It doesn't mean I don't want to marry you. Or have kids with you." She rushed ahead. Tears falling freely out of her big eyes.
He kissed her hands sweetly.
"We are not our parents." He said taking her hands in his again. "I've spent my whole life trying not to be the kind of man my own father was." Arthur confessed. "I have faith you won't be the kind of woman your mother was. Your much too strong to give up so easily."
Ariadne was nodding. She knew he was right. She could feel that she was not her mother. Her memories of the woman had always been someone so different from her. A woman who was bitter and selfish.
"I want to marry you." She said softly. The sharp need in her womb came rushing back as she thought about the little boy in the three piece suit. "I want to have babies with you." She confessed as Arthur was kissing her.
The return of his lips on her was like a return to a sweet drug she had become addicted to. Had been forced to do without and had now found again.
He had quickly scooped her up in his arms, carrying her with his natural, graceful movements.
"Lets go to bed." He said huskily in her ear as she was giggling.
Don't worry kids. Erotica is coming up. Please Review. I have no idea if anyone is liking this story or not.