Lost Loves
Chapter 5
Christine smiled at the board game that Mike and both girls were playing. She was enjoying the way Mike was fully present for their girls and even her. Anything she asked for, he made sure she got.
"Do you all need refills?" Christine asked.
"I'm still good, thanks." Mike answered. Both girls handed her their glasses and she walked to the kitchen. She could hear the laughter in the adjoining room but concentrated on the glasses until she looked up in the kitchen window and saw someone standing in the backyard. The glass in her hand slipped out and hit the floor. She bent to pick it up and managed to cut herself.
"Damn it!" Christine said. Mike was by her side in just a moment and wrapped a kitchen towel around her hand.
"What scared you?" Mike asked quietly.
"I thought I saw someone in the backyard." Christine said. Mike looked out the window and nodded.
"My neighbor. His kid threw a ball over the fence. He wouldn't hurt a fly." Mike said.
"Oh." Christine answered, feeling stupid. She was a bit shocked when Mike touched her face gently.
"I'll have him come over and meet you. He and his wife are good people. He's a firefighter. She's a nurse. They will watch over you and the girls if I'm gone." Mike explained.
"Where are you going?" Christine asked, immediately worried. Mike was still examining her hand.
"I'm still in the Navy. I'm evaluating it but I am in for now." Mike answered.
"Oh. For whatever its worth; I hope you can stay home. I like having you here." Christine admitted.
"Yeah, likewise. So, I don't think you need stitches but I do need to properly bandage this and I need to clean this up. Here, sit here?" Mike said as he moved her gently to the bar stool. He quickly cleaned up the glass and sweet tea up and then went to work on her hand.
"Sorry about the glass. That was stupid of me." Christine admitted.
"You're bound to be jumpy. Don't worry about it. This glass probably won't be the last one that is broken between you and the girls." Mike said as finished the bandage.
"They're expensive though." Christine remarked.
"Nah. Just glasses I picked up at the store. Nothing special, I promise." Mike said with a smile.
"Mike; thank you for being so patient. I know this is hard for you too and I appreciate it." Christine said. She reached up and fixed his collar before putting her hand on his chest. She wasn't even sure what she was doing but it felt good to be a somewhat normal couple.
"Daddy!" Hannah yelled.
"The girls…" Mike started and Christine pulled away but before she had completely took her hand away, he grabbed her good hand and kissed her knuckles. Before she had a chance to react; he had walked into the family room and Christine looked at her hand.
It was a simple act of intimacy that would not have been unusual for a normal couple, but they hadn't been normal for nearly fifteen years after repeated affairs. Still, it gave her a glimmer of hope.
There was only one man alive she was interested in being involved with and she wasn't even sure it could be sexual. Just an emotional intimacy would be sufficient for her.
