The luckiest

Chapter 5

My week is back to its routine and the sizzle of our weekend away is fading fast.  The way Charlie is working, is scaring me.  He is like a man possessed.  Early mornings and late nights.  By the time Friday rolls around, he is exhausted and tells me he has to work late again as he is understaffed.

“But we’re supposed to go to Cape Elizabeth this weekend.”  I sound whiney, but I miss my husband.

I have both girls in their feeding chairs at the breakfast bar, while I sip on mint tea.

“s**t!”  he curses, obviously having forgotten, “I was convinced today was only Thursday.”

I get up and throw my arms around his neck, “Baby, you think maybe you should look at hiring more staff?”

“I could hire a couple more waiters and promote Colin to full time manager.”  He muses.

“It could give you the break you need from time to time.  Dad worked so hard when he ran that place, barely resting.  You know, he and Mom have only ever been on one vacation?”

“You’re kidding!”

“Seriously.”

“Well, why haven’t they gone now?  Its not like they can’t afford it.”

“I know.  I think they’ve gotten so used to staying put.”

“Well, that won’t be us.  Let me call your brother and ask if he could pick you up with the girls and I’ll be in CE later tonight?”

“OK.  Sounds like a plan.”

“Great.  I’m off.  I’ll see you ladies later.” He kisses me and the girls and gets his messenger bag from the kitchen nook.

“Have a great day.  Let me know what David says.”

“I’ll call you.  Love you!”  He’s almost out the door.

“Love you too!”

Bath time is over quickly and I get the girls their mid-morning feed ready.  We settle in the nursery, with some nursery rhymes playing and Cara getting her feed first.  Luckily Caitlin isn’t too fussy and happily sucks away on her soother while she waits her turn.

Once I finish with Caitlin, I lay her down and let them self-soothe while I head downstairs for some down time.

I find myself looking for summer vacations for my parents and wonder if they would mind too much if we booked them a trip.  I know that they’ve always wanted to try the Napa Valley, but they’ve just never had time or were always invested in our futures.

Before I can dial Mom, the phone rings and its Charlie.

“Hey Gin, all set.  David is actually in town today and will collect you and the girls by four.  That OK?”

“Hey babe, sure.  Is your bag packed?”

“Uh, no.  Could you pack it for me please?  It would mean I don’t have to stop at home first.”

“Of course.  I’ll see you tonight.  I love you.”

“Love you too, Gin.”

David is on time and has the bags in the car before I can check if I have everything, “In a hurry much?”

“I have to collect Hope along the way.  Marie is being a total you-know-what.”

“Aren’t you tired of all of this?”

“I am.  I also think Holly has resigned to just not involving herself any longer and I can’t blame her.  I also want to ring Hope’s pretty little neck some days.  There is so much of her mother in her lately.”

“David, I know its hard, but genetically she is all Marie.  You have done your best with that kid and I love her, but I think she needs some Ginny-Justice.”

David laughs, “Please, do us the honours!  Now, where are my two princesses?”

“In the living room.   They’re already in their car seats.  I’ll help you.”

“Geeze, Ginny!  How do you manage with two on your own?”

I laugh, “Oh, brother-bear, its easy, when you’re a woman.”

“Why, if I could slap you upside your head right about now!”

David has such a sweet nature and I thank the heavens he was able to forgive me for my part in his troubles.  He still considers Hope his eldest even though she isn’t biologically his.  I struggle every day, wishing I had never hurt him that way.

He’s moved on with Holly and is happier than I have seen him in forever, but I can’t imagine what a battle it must be for them to live with someone like Marie in their lives.  I plan on sitting my niece down and having a word or two with her.

With traffic, our normally twenty-minute trip has turned into half an hour already and we still aren’t out of Portland.

The girls are luckily asleep and I find all sorts of things to talk to David about.

“So, how spooked are you about baby number two?”

He frowns, “Spooked?”

“Yeah, did you flip out?”

“What?  No!”

“We’re genuinely happy, Ginny.  We’ve wanted this since we lost our first baby.  I can’t imagine Liam not having someone close in age.  In fact, if Holly is up for it, I can see us having a couple more.”

“Whoah!”  I imagine a household overrun by diapers, vomit, food stains and crying.

“Maybe it isn’t for you, but we’re happy.”

“I am happy for you, David.  Really.  I just wonder when you’ll get your life back.”

He laughs, “My life back?”

“Yeah, don’t you ever feel like an adult night out?”

“Uh, it’s called date night.”

“Yeah, I know, but I mean, a real bender.  Holly in a short dress, sky high heels and legs for days!  Shots, dancing!”  Its like speaking with an old man.  He shoots me an utterly confused look.

“Gin, you’re not in college anymore, you know that, right?”

“Duh!”

“Everything OK?”

I sigh, “Yes, David.  Everything is OK.”

“You would tell me if you weren’t coping, right?”

“Well, I’d tell Charlie first, but yes, I would let you know.”  I can’t help the restlessness I have been feeling and stare out the window while David goes on about something work-related.

I wonder what people like Cane get up to on weekends.  I glance back at the girls and feel exhausted.  Its amazing to be someone’s Mom, but its also exhausting and I wonder whether I’m doing it right.

Clearly David thinks I’m nuts for missing a night out, maybe holly won’t think so.  I decide to speak with her at some point this weekend.

As a counsellor, I would know when I’m going crazy, right?  Right!

Before we reach the Harper home, David gets a call and its on loudspeaker in the car.  Its Hope.

“Daddy?”

“Hey Honey.  I am almost at your Mom’s place.”

“I’m not coming.  I’m going out with some friends tonight.”

“What?”

“Please don’t be mad.  Mom said it was OK and you could just see me tomorrow.  She’ll drop me after one.”

“Well, the entire family is meeting at Inn by the Sea for lunch.  You can meet us there.”

She sighs audibly and I feel the need to interject, “Hello missy.  No love for aunt Ginny?”

“Oh, hey.”  She doesn’t even feign interest.

My jaw drops and I widen my eyes at David, who shrugs.

“Have your Mom call me.”   David says.

“Sure.”

“Love you, baby.”

“Bye, Dad.”

My niece does not sound like a pleasant pre-teen any longer.

“She’s what?  Twelve this year?”  I ask David, who looks like he’s been punched in the gut.

“Yeah.  Seems its going to be an eventful year.”

“Nah-uh!  She is too young to be speaking to you that way and you need to be much more firm than that.  What’s it been like for Holly?”  I pretend Mom hasn’t mentioned a word.

“Uh, its been rough.  She barely speaks to Holly and Holly doesn’t want trouble with Marie because she isn’t Hope’s mom.  We had this huge incident one day that involved Hope calling Holly hormonal.”

“What?  Where did she get that from?”

“Do you even have to ask?”  he looks at me with raised eyebrows.

“Have you spoken to Marie?”

“Countless times.  She’s just such a miserable person.  I thought she would change, but I guess us sticking around in town is a problem for her.  The trouble with Hope began after Liam was born.”

“Well, she’s clearly pissed.”

“Ya think?”

We both laugh.  David clearly has his hands full with all the women in his life and I can imagine why would want some more testosterone in the home.

“So, how is Jamie?”  he asks me.

“You’re asking me?”  I look at him with raised eyebrows this time.

“Yeah.  You both live in Portland.  I thought you’re hanging out more often.”

“Wait, what do you mean we both live in Portland?”

“He and Emma are living in Holly’s old building.”

“No!”  I’m shocked I don’t know, but I have a feeling about who does.

“Charlie’s had them at the pub for dinner a few times while they settle in.”

My face must be beet red, because David quickly tries to recover what he’s said.

“David, don’t even try it.  When did they move there?”

“Last week I think.  Just before you left for Vermont.”

“I don’t believe it!”  I am going to ring Charlie’s neck!  Those two are taking advantage of him.

“Hey, Charlie’s just doing his sister and your brother a solid.  Don’t be so anal.”

“I am not anal!”  I snap at David, “I just don’t see why Jamie had to choose her.”

“Why did you choose Charlie?  Why did Holly choose me?  Its not your business, Gin!”

I know David hates it when I interfere and I decide not to push him any further.  I am however, looking forward to Charlie’s arrival that evening.

We finally arrive at David and Holly’s home.  I am relieved to stretch my legs and breathe in that fresh Cape Elizabeth air.

David pulls into the garage while I go around the front with all my bags.

Holly is at the door the very second I knock, “Hey!  Come on in – its freezing!”

“Its great to be back here.  CE just feels like home.”

She is sporting a tiny bulge under her tight t-shirt.

“You’re already showing!”

“I know, but I think its really just from eating too much.” She laughs.

“Uh, a little help here, please?”  David is calling from the door that joins the kitchen to the garage.

“Coming!”  I yell and head off to help him carry in the girls.

Holly catches me up with all the good CE gossip and how David’s business is mainly from the very wealthy divorcee in town, Marion Clarke.

“What could she still possibly want done to that seaside mansion?”  I ask, laughing.

“She called him just last night to ask if he could come over to change a light bulb in her entrance hall chandelier.”  Holly scoffs.

We look at each other and burst into raucous laughter, “Really?  Her entrance hall chandelier?”

“We both know which entrance she was talking about.”  Holly manages between giggles.

“Oh my God!”  its David with Liam in his arms, “You’re telling Ginny about Mrs Clark, aren’t you?”

“David!  I hope she hasn’t asked if you could clean her pipes.”  I tease.

“I don’t clean pipes, Ginny!”  he seems annoyed with us.

“Just relax and hand me my nephew.”  He hands me the little cherub and he’s so adorable.  He gives me what looks like a smile and I can’t help, but coo at him.

My girls are still passed out in their seats.  I silently thank the Lord for the long rest they’re having, even though it might be a different story come bed time.

Charlie gets to David and Holly’s place just before nine that night.  I’m sad that he has to work such long hours, but also grateful that he does it for us.

“Hey, Gin.”  He kisses me softly. He seems tired.  I immediately forget the Jamie-Emma issue.  He asks after the girls and heads upstairs first to see them, where they are sleeping.

Holly brings in some hot chocolate and sets it down on the coffee table.  Charlie comes back in and slumps down next to me.

“Hey baby.  You OK?”

“Yeah, just exhausted.  Its been a long week.”

David starts talking about some hockey game or the other and that leaves the two of them talking non-stop, with neither myself nor Holly being acknowledged.

We find ourselves upstairs when one of the girls wakes up.  Its Cara.  She’s slightly warm and her cheeks are very pink.   I suspect its teething.  Holly gets some Tylenol for babies and after that and her feed, she’s fast asleep again.

“I always imagined your girls had everything happening at the same time.”  Holly muses.

“I thought it would be that way, naively of course, but they’re so different.”

“Hey, if you’re up for it, I’ve invited the family over for some games tomorrow night.”

I immediately tense up, thinking I am going to have to endure Emma for longer than just the lunch.  Holly must pick up on it.

“Hey, if its too much, its OK.  What’s going on?”

“Its Emma and Jamie.  They’ve now moved to Portland and apparently David and Charlie knew.”

“David mentioned it at some point, but I thought you knew.”

I shake my head, “Not when it comes to Emma it seems.”

“Do you think maybe Charlie is scared of your reaction?  That’s why he never said anything?”

Holly’s right, he probably is.  I decide not to attack him later about it.

“Anyway, I just want to enjoy my time here with you guys and not have them ruin the weekend.”

“You’re right.  Come on, let’s put this little man,” she nods at a sleeping Liam in her arms, “in his crib.”

After we settle the little boy, we go back downstairs to join the guys, who are acting rather suspiciously and immediately stop speaking.

“And this?”  Holly scoffs, “I hope you aren’t up to no good!”

David pulls her into his lap and nuzzles her neck, “Always!”

I love seeing my brother happy and feel slightly nasty about not wanting to see Jamie and Emma that way.  Maybe, happy with other people, but not together.”

We find ourselves in bed not long after a night cap which is Irish coffees.  Charlie is quiet as I snuggle up next to him, but he kisses the top of my head.  I kiss his chest through his t-shirt.

“I missed you today.” I whisper, my voice small and wanting.

“I missed you too.”  He says, “Is there something you want, Mrs King?”

“Well, I was thinking you could do a few rude things to me.”  I tease him.

“I think I could do that.  On condition you do one special rude thing for me.”

I know what he wants and before he has to ask, I slide the covers off of him and get in between his legs, where I pull down his pants.  He’s almost at full attention and I can’t help, but giggle quietly as I lower my mouth onto him, stroking his length with my tongue while I gently sucked on what had to be the most amazing piece of male anatomy I had come across.  God, my husband had to be the hottest man I knew!

He groaned and clawed at the sheets as I pulled him in as deep as I could.  The man was easy to love in every way.

Before he got any closer, he gently pushed me away and raised me up and lowered me onto him.  The shock of him filling me so completely, sent delicious shivers through my body and part of me wants to claw at him while the other part wants to take it slow.

We find our rhythm and move together slowly.  His hands are rested on my hips and he strokes his thumbs across my lower abdomen.  I am instantaneously covered in goose flesh and my n*****s perk up.  He grins knowingly at me.  I feel the heat rise to my cheeks.

I get a sudden burst of courage and speed up the pace.  He resists at first, but then gives in, letting out a very loud groan.  I worry my brother’s heard him and hush him.

I feel myself getting closer the faster he moves and its my turn to moan.  I bite down hard on my lip as the delicious ripples of pleasure course through me.

Charlie pushes me down, deepening him.  I am still in the throes of ecstasy as he cums.  My heart still beating a rapid tattoo as he pulses inside of me.

Satiated and slightly dreamy, I flop over onto my side of the bed and close my eyes, hoping to relive all of what just happened in my dreams.