The main characters don't belong to me but to the creators of CSI NY tv series. But Maria Kostopoulos is totally mine! And Dr. Irene Samaras too.
Thanks to Lily Moonlight, as always, for her help with the English text.
I Can't Say Goodbye
Chapter 20
When he raised the long white cotton blouse over her shoulders and head, freeing her, Mac was able to appreciate more the changes in Stella's body. The thin waist that he had seen many times due to her short tops and his furtive glances in the locker room at the Lab, the waist he had encircled almost entirely with his big hands that blessed night they made love, had now rounded in the front side, showing a curve so lovely and perfect that his hands couldn't move away. Touching, caressing, kissing... the bulge that started already under her breast to grow slowly and sink with a higher curvature toward her panties attracted him greatly. The golden light of the last rays of the afternoon sun, filtering through the window, made all her skin glow. Everything seemed now soft and round in Stella. When he took off her bra, he could also see a substantial change in her breasts, which he had always admired, without daring to look cheekily. Larger, more rounded, different that he remembered from that night. She had now much larger areolas and darker nipples. Stella was a dark skinned woman, but the night they had had sex for the first time Mac had discovered with surprise that the colour of that area so attractive to a man was so clear that it barely differed from the rest of her skin, and now it had darkened. He bent to kiss her breasts with worship, provoking a deep sigh from her. Mac drew back.
"Will you tell me if I'm hurting you? I've heard the breasts become very sensitive and I wouldn't want to hurt you"
"I'm not complaining, silly, it's just that I'd missed this too much... Of course I'll tell you if something is uncomfortable, but I'm not going to break. The increased sensitivity has its positive side." She smiled at him, putting his hand on one of her breasts again.
Mac laughed softly, as he returned with his lips caressing, kissing now the soft blue line of a vein showing through her skin. Stella had unbuttoned his shirt and he let it slip over his shoulders and arms to fall on the floor. Stella hugged him and kissed softly his chest scar, producing a tingle through him. Within seconds the only thing that Stella was wearing was her engagement ring, while in his nakedness Mac showed that the physical change in his partner didn't decrease his desire for her, rather the contrary. He didn't need any more encouragement than to look at her and caress her gently and with reverence for his erection being displayed in all its splendor and considerable size. Gently lying down on the bed, they found soon that their bodies didn't need another thing to complement than proximity, the contact of the skin, the soft or passionate kisses, the deep breath and finally the name of each of them in the mouth of the other as a satisfied cry.
It was amazing, better even than six months ago. Better than either of them had ever experienced in their lives. Recovering his breath, Mac couldn't stop smiling.
"I'm thinking I'll try to get you to stay in this state as much as possible. I love making love to pregnant women."
Stella looked at him mischievously.
"Oh yeah? And exactly how many pregnant women have you made love to?"
Mac narrowed his eyes as if trying to make a calculation.
"Well... I don't remember very well if they were one or... none?"
They both laughed heartily.
"To one, yes, I can assure you that, you rascal. I never thought you could say things like that, the always serious and restrained Mac Taylor."
"I have many talents which are normally hidden, as you've seen," he said, pointing to his member, now at rest, "But some of them become evident by just looking at you, Agapi mou."
She looked at him to see if this last expression was part of the joke, but Mac had become serious.
Agapi mou, my love. Stella had always thought that it was a very corny expression to say it out loud, but now she looked at Mac and it didn't seem cheesy at all. Instead, in his hoarse voice, they seemed the most beautiful words she had ever heard.
"S'agapó" she said. "I love you."
"S'agapó, Agapi mou. I love you Stella, you and our baby. Nothing will ever change that, I promise you."
They rested, embraced until hunger reminded Stella that they hadn't had dinner. They got up to regain strength. Mac recalled that he hadn't called his mother to confirm he had arrived, and suddenly he had an idea. With the camera in his mobile phone, and both dressed again (he didn't want to provoke shocks), he took a frontal picture of Stella, showing the ring on her finger, and another one in profile, indicating the curve of her belly. Finally, hugging her from behind and showing his face behind her shoulder he took one of both of them, extending his arm as much as possible. They were horrific, in Stella's opinion, but the joy on their faces was so clear that it made up for everything. Immediately he sent the pictures to his mother and waited a few minutes to be sure they had arrived before calling and talking to her. It wasnine o'clockat night in Athens, so in Chicago it was two in the afternoon, the hour that Mac's watch still showed. He helped Stella to arrange the table and they served the rich moussaka that Maria had left as a dinner for Stella. Before starting to enjoy it, he made the call.
"Mother? It's me, Mac. I wanted you to know that I arrived inAthensand we're very well..." He couldn't say anymore. With a comic gesture, he handed the phone to Stella. "She wants to talk to you"
Stella smiled shyly, not knowing how to deal with her future mother-in-law, now that it was her new status...
"Mrs. Taylor? It's Stella"
... (The dots represent what Millie says, we have to use our imagination here)
Mac couldn't hear what your mother was saying Stella.
"Yeah, okay, no more Mrs. Taylor, Millie"
...
She sat with her other hand stroking her belly and smiled. Mac was amused to hear only half a conversation and imagine the rest.
"Yes, yes, Mac's been good" Stella looked at him, winking, listening to what Millie was saying, all excitement and joy.
...
"We took them just now. Have you seen what a belly I've got?"
...
"No, no, everything is going very well. I just was sick the first few weeks, but I didn't think I was pregnant, I thought it was the change of food. The doctor scolded me for not realizing what was happening until three months into the pregnancy."
...
Millie's response made her laugh, and she continued listening.
"Well, I still have a month to finish here. My contract is through the end of the year, but I still have my vacation days to take, so in mid-December I can definitely return."
...
"Yes, and I can't wait much longer, or the trip would be a risk. I think the airlines wouldn't be thrilled about carrying pregnant women in their third term for long trips"
...
"Yes, of course, for Christmas, because tomorrow it may not be. I'm sorry I left you without Mac on Thanksgiving Day."
...
"No, I didn't think about doing anything special. But the lady I have to look after the house told me she would cook a turkey for me. I didn't want it, eating alone as I thought I would do... but tomorrow she will come with the turkey, for sure. What Maria says, go to church, so we'll have a turkey, yes. She said she was going to cook it in American-style. She's so great!"
...
"Yes, I have been very lucky having Maria with me these past months. But I've become a lazy woman, she makes everything at home!"
...
"Yes, yes, I take care myself a lot. A kiss, Millie" Stella handed the phone to Mac again, with her face full of laughter. "Your turn."
"Tell me, Mom"
...
"Yes, I will care for her. She's what matters most to me in the world."
...
"Yes. I found her wonderful, beautiful" Stella looked at him when he said that. "And now, happy, her eyes tell me. You know how Stella's eyes are, what she feels is reflected in them."
...
"Yes, Mom. I have to go now, we're about to have dinner, it's nine."
...
"It's late for dinner, yes, I know. We have been a while... catching up"
...
Mac's face was now a poem. Stella wondered what his mother would be saying, because he had blushed. He cleared his throat.
"Yes, Mom, of course I do care. All very smoothly, and avoiding putting all of my weight on her..."
Stella understood now, and she laughed heartily. Now Mac was red to his ears.
...
"I'll call you soon, I love you, mom. Be good, you too."
With a sigh, he ended the call. He went to kiss Stella.
"She sends you many kisses"
"Mac, your mother is a real star. I'm happy she will be my baby's grandmother. She told me that she forgives me for taking you away from her this Thanksgiving Day because in return I'll give her a granddaughter, and she's going to be the super-grandmother. By the way... Did she have dreams about the baby's sex too? Is that why she's convinced she's having a granddaughter? "
"I told her..." Mac changed the subject. "And that dinner looks so good, we'd better eat it..."
They enjoyed the delicious moussaka and then, calmly lying on the couch, Mac drank coffee while Stella had a big glass of milk. She had got used to it, at Maria's insistence, and now she even liked it, though she had always hated drinking milk.
When Stella put the empty glass on the table, she turned to Mac, staring at him until he looked at her. They smiled at each other, and she took one of his hands in hers before asking:
"Mac... Are you going to explain how did you find me?"
To be continued...