"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the magazines, the tapes, none of that is doing anything for me. I don't think I can do this test".
She pushed him back on the bench and straddled his lap.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing his neck.
"Can I help you with it? Pretend you are doing it with me, baby".
She took the cup from him and set it down on the bench next to him.
She took her top off, exposing a new bra he hadn't seen yet. It was a blue lace strapless bra, with pushup.
She stood up and dropped her skirt, revealing a matching blue lace thong.
She leaned forward and kissed him, and did that thing with her tongue that he loved.
He reached up and squeezed her breasts, and then popped one out of her bra and flicked it with his thumb.
She could tell it was working, so she kept at it.
"Tell me when you're close", she whispered in his ear.
"I think I'm pretty close".
She stood up and grabbed the cup, while he stood up and dropped his pants.
She kissed his chest as he got ready, and then kissed him while he aimed for the cup.
After they were finished, they got dressed again, and she wrote his name on the cup and put it in the window.
They went back to the exam room to wait for the doctor.
He came back in about 20 minutes later.
"Ok, so I have the results of your sperm test. And based on what I'm seeing, plus what you demonstrated in the physical and the results of your blood test, I would have to say that you are perfectly healthy, Mr. Hart. You are not only fertile, you are extremely fertile. Your body not only recovered from the hockey hits and the lung infection, but it rebounded and expanded. You have a very high amount of sperm for someone your age, which is a good thing. Normally, I recommend that my patients deposit a few samples into the sperm bank just in case they need it later, but I can easily say that in your case, it's not necessary. You will be able to make babies on into your twilight years, provided nothing attacks your supply".
"Thank you, doctor".
Jennifer could tell he was embarrassed.
"Now, as is customary, I printed off the results of your basic physical just in case you two decide to get life insurance. This should keep you from having to go through another one".
"Thank you".
They checked out and headed out to the car.
"Are you going back to the office?"
"No, I took the afternoon off. I'll meet you at home".
"Perfect".
They headed home and were surprised to see that Max had gone to the track.
Jennifer sat down next to Jonathan and snuggled up to him.
"I appreciate you going through with that, darling".
He leaned over and kissed her.
"So, since you are super fertile, I guess we need to decide how soon we want to have kids".
"Yeah, I guess we do. How soon do you want to have kids?"
"I'm fine with it whenever it happens. I would love some time with you before a baby, but I would love some time with a baby just as much".
"I'm fine with whatever, but I think it would be great if we had some time as a married couple before we have a baby".
Max came in from the track then, and had brought dinner with him.
"Hey you two".
"Hey, how was the track?"
"Lousy. My horse barely moved".
"Tough luck, Max".
"I brought dinner. I picked up Fat Larry's for all of us".
"Oh, great call, Max".
Jennifer looked at Jonathan.
"what exactly is a Fat Larry?"
"It's amazing, you'll love it. They take rolls, and they stuff them with chicken, steak, whatever meat you want, cheese, veggies, the works. I swear you'll love it".
They went to the kitchen and started to set the table.
"Darling, I thought you had a business dinner tonight".
"No, it was canceled".
Jonathan got out the plates, while Jennifer got out the silverware.
"Ok Mr. H., I got you a Philly Cheese Steak Larry, and a Teriyaki Shrimp Larry. Miss Edwards, I got you a veggie Larry and a Santa Fe chicken one. And I got all of us an extra large order of fries."
"Thanks Max".
Jennifer brought the forks and knives to the table.
"Oh no, darling. We don't eat these with silverware. We double fist them and go all in".
"And no offense, Miss Edwards, but Fat Larry's don't call for napkins. They call for heavy duty paper towels".
Max brought the paper towels over.
Jennifer hesitantly sat next to Jonathan.
She unwrapped her Fat Larry, and looked at it. It looked like a very small loaf of bread.
Jonathan dug right into his, as did Max.
"Max, did you get any Fat sauce?"
"What is Fat sauce?"
"Sure did, Mr. H."
He got up and came back with a big bowl of fat sauce for each of them.
"Fat sauce is Larry's secret sauce. It's wonderful. It's mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, beef broth, and parsley, all mixed with gravy".
Jennifer ate her veggie Larry first, and then took a few bites of the Chicken one.
"Darling, you haven't touched your Fat sauce".
"That's because I am watching my waistline, darling. I have a dress to fit into at some point, remember?"
Jonathan looked at her and then dunked his fry into his Fat sauce.
She chuckled.
"I'm glad you had that physical before you ate this, you would have flunked so fast it would have made your head spin".
"Me too. Darling, the best way to lift my spirits after a doctor's visit is Fat Larry's".
"I'll try to remember that".
After dinner, they decided to go walk on the beach.
She laced her fingers through his as they walked along watching the sunset.
"Do you hear that?"
"What, the sound of your arteries hardening?"
"Ha ha. Very funny. No, I meant the waves".
"Yeah, I do. I love the sound of waves".
They sat in the sand for a little bit and just watched the shore.
She sat behind him and scratched his back and then his chest.
"So, did you like the Fat Larry?"
"They were interesting. I didn't hate it".
"You didn't try the fat sauce".
"Darling, that fat sauce is the grim reaper in liquid form".
"It's so good, baby. You have no idea".
She leaned forward and kissed his shoulder.
"Darling, we need to set a date."
"Yeah, we do".
"How about the last weekend in August?"
"Fine with me".
He stood up and helped her up, and she kissed him and hugged him for a minute.
They walked back to the house and went inside.
Jonathan heated up the left over French fries, and the fat sauce.
Jennifer was making herself a glass of water.
He dipped a fry in the fat sauce and ate it, and then kissed her.
"Jonathan! You got that sauce on my lips".
"You love it, don't you?"
She started to laugh, as she nodded.
"Kiss me again".
He grabbed another fry and dunked it in more sauce, and then kissed her.
"Ok, now no more till after the wedding".
They went and relaxed on the couch afterwards. After their movie was over, Jennifer got up and got a calendar.
"Ok, Darling, we can do August 26th or September 8th".
"I like the idea of August 26th".
"Ok, now we just need the country club to agree".
Jonathan got up and went and got the stack of mail.
He came back with a couple things.
"Here's something from them. Maybe this is them telling us we can get married there".
He opened it and read it and then tossed it on the coffee table.
She picked it up and read it.
"Unfortunately, our membership committee doesn't think you are a good fit for membership, and has denied your application".
"Well, I guess that's that".
"This doesn't make any sense. I'm a member, in good standing. I have been for almost 15 years. They've never turned down someone I recommended before. This is insane".
"Darling, it's ok".
"No, it isn't, Jennifer. And if they won't take you, I'll cancel my membership also".
"That's sweet, but it's not necessary".
She opened a piece of her mail then, and read it.
He could tell by the look on her face that it wasn't good.
"What is it?"
"One of the freelance agents I applied to isn't accepting me".
"Did they give you a reason?"
"Yes, it says that my journalistic style isn't congruent with what the readers are looking for".
He wrapped his arm around her.
"I'm sorry, darling."
"Oh, I'll be ok. Just surprising, that's all".
They headed to bed soon after.
Jennifer put on a pale pink spaghetti strap short nightgown with a lacy edge. Jonathan put on his white pajama shorts.
They climbed into bed, and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Where is our dinner party tomorrow night?"
"At the Kendall's. You'll love them, she's a doctor and he's a businessman".
"I can't wait".
He rolled over towards her.
"I haven't seen this nightgown yet, have I?"
"No, as a matter of fact, you have not. I bought it the same day I bought the underwear set you saw today".
"Got any more surprises for me?"
He leaned over and kissed her neck.
"No, no new tricks. Just all the old ones".
"It's a good thing I love all your tricks then".
He climbed on top of her and eased her nightgown up her body.
He kissed his way from her belly button up to her lips, as he took the nightgown off her.
"You are so beautiful".
"You are so handsome".
She kissed him and rubbed his cheek with her fingers.
He sucked on her nipples for a moment, and then moved his kisses up to her neck and nibbled on her earlobe.
She drew her knees up and he settled in between them.
After several passionate kisses, he stood up and dropped his pajama shorts and then reached in the nightstand for a condom.
"Jonathan! Seriously?!"
She grabbed her nightgown and hurried to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
He got dressed and went to talk to her, but she had the door locked.
He had no choice but to wait till she came out, to keep from waking up Max.
About 20 minutes she came out with different pajamas on.
She didn't say anything to him, she just got in bed and rolled away from him.
"Can we talk about this? Please?"
"Fine".
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you".
"Jonathan, we just had the conversation that we want to have a child together. I thought we were on the same page."
"I thought we agreed to have time together as a couple first".
"And I thought we agreed that whatever happened was fine".
"Meaning, that if you got pregnant, we would handle it".
"No, meaning that if I get pregnant, we both will be happy about it. At least that's what I thought we agreed on, and then you go and try to prevent it".
"I'm sorry, I thought we were on the same page."
"Yeah, I did too".
She reached up and turned out the light and went to sleep.
He waited till he knew she was asleep and put his arm around her and went to sleep himself.
***Friday***
Jennifer was up early, as was typical when she was upset.
She was up even before Max.
Jonathan found her outside on the patio, staring at the ocean.
"Morning. I brought you some fresh coffee".
"Thank you".
"Max made breakfast, want to come in and eat?"
"I guess".
She got up and walked past him and went into the kitchen.
"Morning, Miss Edwards. I made scrambled eggs and sliced fruit".
"Thanks Max".
She was quiet all through out breakfast.
"Well, I'm off to the market. I'll do the dishes when I get back".
"That's ok, Max, I'll do the dishes".
"Anything special you two want?"
"Nothing I can think of".
"We have a dinner party tonight and a gala tomorrow night, so you don't have to plan a big dinner till Sunday, Max".
"Got it, Mr. H."
Jonathan took his plate to the sink.
"Well, I'm off to the office."
Jennifer stood up and went and kissed him goodbye.
"See you tonight, I love you".
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"What time is your doctor's appointment?"
"It's at 2, with Dr. Manchester on Tournament Drive and 8th".
"Want me to go with you?"
"No, that's ok. It's just a checkup".
"I love you". He kissed her forehead.
"When you get over being mad at me, you will see this was just a misunderstanding. And when you are ready to talk about it, let me know".
He headed to the office then, while she went to shower.
Around 11:45, there was a knock at the door.
She went to answer it and found a delivery man with flowers for her.
"Delivery for a Jennifer Edwards".
"That's me".
"Sign here, please".
She signed for it, and he brought the bouquet in and set it on the coffee table.
"Thank you".
The bouquet was in a tall clear square vase, with succulents at the bottom.
There were pink heliconias, birds of paradise, white gladiolus, and bells of Ireland, along with some purple orchids. It was absolutely exquisite.
She took the card and opened it.
"I love you, all my heart. I'm sorry I disappointed you. Love, Jonathan".
She went and took a bubble bath, and then decided to make a few phone calls.
She was just about to leave for her doctor's appointment when Jonathan got home.
"Darling, are you here?"
"In here".
He came into the bedroom.
She could tell he was upset.
"What is it?"
"I had Stanley do that research about why the businesses didn't want to do business with me. Turns out Elliott was seen in Los Angeles this week, and he is offering them the same deals that I did. So, I came home to drive you to your appointment, I don't want you going alone".
She leaned up and kissed him.
"Thank you for my flowers".
"I love you, I hate that we had this misunderstanding".
"Me too. So, what are we going to do? Prevent a kid, or not?"
"I say we prevent it till the wedding."
"I can live with that".
She grabbed her stuff so they could leave, and he drove her to her doctor's appointment.
"Darling, there was one name that Stanley kept mentioning over and over. Does the name Wade Crossman mean anything to you?"
"Yes, it does. He works for Elliott".
Jonathan pulled them up to a stoplight. When the light turned green, they proceeded through the light. Jennifer looked to her right.
"Darling, we just passed Elliott. He's in the silver car back there at the light".