I Want To Live

Chapter Thirteen

    Leaving the hospital the Williamses were overcome with joy when they returned home. Pat danced around their living room. “We have a baby! We have a baby!” 

    David walked to the phone to place a call to their lawyer. The green you-have-a-message light was blinking. He pressed a button to listen to the voicemail. “I’ve received no payment towards the debt owed me.” Pause. “You know what that means.” Pause. Watch your back!” Click. Silence. Beads of sweat lined the forehead of his ashen face. Hands trembled noticeably. 

    “What is it, David?” Pat stopped tripping. Walked over to inspect him closely. “You’re shaking, darling.”

    “I---It must be nerves. This is all happening too fast.” He gulped. Went to the sideboard to make himself a gin and tonic. “Want one?” He asked Pat. 

    “Please. I think we’re both nervous first-time parents.” She accepted her glass gratefully. “Did 

you call our lawyer?”

    “I’ll do that now. I was listening to a message---nothing important. Those darn, pestering network marketing folks.”

     Too jittery to fix a meal, they ordered Chinese food to be delivered. She---nervous over impending motherhood. He---terrified of the threatening message.

    “I’m tired,” said Pat after dinner, excitement catching up with her. “We have a big day tomorrow. Why don’t we head for bed?”

    David forgot to lock the exterior doors in his agitated state. He turned off the lights and trudged upstairs. Weary. Impending doom weighing heavily. Passing the nursery he spied his wife, exuberant as a child on Christmas Day.

    “I can’t believe we’re bringing home a newborn baby.” Pat crooned, twirling like a ballerina, running her hand over the crib, the changing table, the chest of drawers, spinning the mobile. She pirouetted to David. Stood on tiptoe. Wrapped her arms around his neck. Kissed him passionately. “I love you.”

    David had swallowed a couple of Xanax pills, feeling mellow at long last.

    Pat misinterpreted his teary eyes as a desire for s*x. Pulling him into the bedroom, she pressed her body against his. Planted wet kisses all over his face, his ears, his neck. Unbuttoned his shirt when he started to respond. Ran her tongue over his exposed n*****s. Their clothes dropped to the floor. Heat and urgency building in their bodies, David threw back the covers and they hustled into bed. Their bodies twined and moved together rhythmically, caught in the fever of lascivious desire that demanded to be fulfilled.

    Lying sweaty and wet between her legs, panting, Patricia exclaimed, “That was the most passionate you’ve been in a long while!” 

    David’s chest heaving, attempting to slow his racing heart, he turned to face her. Stroked her damp hair to imprint her image on his mind forever. Aware that it was probably the last s****l act of his life.

    Exhausted, they fell into a deep, contented sleep.