Family Reunion (73 page)

"I'm okay, just came to check on you. We're facing
a bit of a storm and I want you to stay in bed where you’ll be safe." He whispered, kissing her with cool lips, squeezing her close. Nodding her head, she snuggled down next to him. "Stay in here with me, it's not safe out there."

"I'll be okay…don't worry over me."

"The kids?"

They're safe, Leon knows what he's doing. I think he's disappointed if we encounter no storm." He chuckled. "He loves you so much, I can't get over how close you two are…truly – you are his father."

"Yes…I would have given him my name. However, his name is all there is left of his real father. No matter, he is my son just the same. No one has stuck by me the way he has."

Lena lay smiling, thinking about them, thinking about the slaves at Webster Fields, about Kayleen and the heartbreak Manny had suffered at her death. She glanced up at him in the dark room as he drifted off, leaning back against the headboard holding her. "Who would not love you, if they knew you as I do?" She questioned softly, staring at him, realizing and understanding the wonders of God in a whole new way. Certainly, only God could formulate an emotion so overpowering, matching his own ability to love and then transferring that awesome attribute to a mere woman so she could love a mere man as she loved her Manny. She knew she could never again survive her life were events to conspire to separate them as in the past.

Without a doubt, she knew she would rather die than live on without him. Holding onto him, hugging him, she finally drifted off to sleep. She stirred again later by his rising to leave her and go above deck, softly placing a kiss to her brow before he slipped away.

The next morning, she was alone in bed with the covers pulled up over her. She lay there with her head deep into the pillow looking around until her mind cleared of its waking fogginess. Realization set in that she was in Manny's large cabin room, a stateroom well designed with a large man's comfort in mind. At the end of the bed was a library of books lining the wall all the way to the far corner, where a dark leather, high back, winged chair sat with a small table and lamp beside it. Off center of the room was a small breakfast table with three chairs to it. Beside the bed was another small bedside table; down from it, against the wall, was his writing desk and chair. Next to it was a tallboy with a wardrobe closet right up against it. Sitting in the middle of the room, on his beautiful carpet, was a giant, circular stave tub filled with steamy inviting bath water. With an appreciative gasp, Lena sat up at the sight of it, a smile playing across her face. Suddenly she heard the sound of scraping activities outside the door.

It finally opened
and Manny entered balancing a tray of food in one hand, kicking the door closed behind him. He looked up to see Lena sitting up in bed staring at him, smiling with gleaming white teeth. He lit a big bold smile for her.

"Good morning, wife." He greeted her, carrying the tray to the table. Lena felt like a giddy schoolgirl, "Good morning, husband." Then suddenly her expression changed to a pout with her bottom lip rolled out. "Uh oh, what's the matter?" He asked, with dread, standing from the table.

Lena turned her head away from him giving her best pout. "You ruined my morning! That is, the matter." That set him back a step, then forward to the bed where he sat down next to her on its edge.

"How madam, have I done such a thing, may I ask?"

Lena thrust her chin up. "I wanted to wake up in your arms but instead, I woke up with a blanket over me. I feel pushed aside, discarded-..." Lena threw the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically, tilted back against the pillow as if devastatingly weak, and complained in her best British accent. "...-my use has been served and I fear, this man I have pledged my remaining existence to has already begun to show a waning of interest." A dramatic sigh escaped her as she glanced at him, keeping the back of her hand at her brow. "O-o-oh well, such is my lot I suppose, what more could I expect." She ended with a well done trembling sigh.

Manny bit into his bottom lip not to laugh out at the picture she presented, "Why, I should be whipped, the flesh peeled to the bone for my callousness. I beg madam for your forgiveness. Why… I admit that it is true, I am nothing more than an eager peasant floundering in the midst of such royalty and I fear, I haven't a clue as to how one such as yourself is to be treated. Forgive me, I beg you."

"It is true, that you are." She replied.

"Yooou! How dare you!" He barked as she laughed out from his attack, the two of them rolling about the bed like children, Manny demanding that she recant, tickling her until she pleaded for him to stop.

"Please, I give, I give … no more sir." She begged.

"Take it back!" He insisted, straddling her.

"I take it back, I take it back." She cried, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. "You are not a peasant floundering, but the queen's jester fumbling."

"Jester is it? Queen is it? Here to amuse and entertain you I suppose…beware dear queen, this jester has wondrous games which to play with you." He announced, sliding down her body, wedging between her thighs as he released himself and entered her, taking her by surprise.

He made love to her again for the next hour. Falling away after they met a spiraling climax together, he looked over and asked, "What think you now dear queen, of this fumbling court jester?"

"Me thinks the entertainment well met, now…my bath awaits."

"Very well madam queen." Manny responded standing. Scooping up his naked wife and carrying her to the bath, he lowered her in. Lena gasped as the cold water shocked her.

"It’s cold!!"

"Oh, so it is madam queen…so it is." He taunted, flicking a bit in her face. "Serves you right as well, spoiled little witch that you are." He stood splendidly naked before her, comfortable in his skin.

"If I promise to behave, will you please get me warm water?" Lena batted doleful eyes up at him, Manny laughed shaking his head. "My father was right about you." He muttered, walking to get his robe on to go out of their room with a bucket to bring her back warm water. Lena grinned, laying back in the tub to wait.

As Manny sat picking from one trencher then another one, his wife luxuriated as she soaked, "Madam I would have you know, that I too would like to get in, hurry up there." He ordered, munching on a sweet meat and breaking off bread to shove in his mouth.

"Milord should have seen to a bigger bath and he would have been able to join me here."

"Well Milord didn't, so hurry before the water is too cold."

"I fear it's too late for that, pass me a towel there please?"

He stopped munching and looked at her with a mouth full of food, one brow cocked high as she stared at him waiting. "Well, don't just sit there staring, the towel, over there, pick it up, that's good, pass it here, see that wasn't so hard now was it?"

"Listen here you-…" He started, waving a drumstick at her now that he was back to the table, standing with his robe closed, "…-I can already see an ass slapping in your future…keep pushing me and you'll be getting it sooner than you think."

"Yes, yes, yes and I love you too." She stood, wrapping the towel around her and stepping from the tub. "You haven't told me yet that you love me this morning." She mentioned. Manny grunted eating, "Never you mind that, it is apparent to me I've said it enough in far too many ways, I fear I've ruined you and good." Lena walked over and sat down on his lap, interrupting his meal.

"Madam I am eating, do you mind?" He asked
, reaching around her for more food, one hand holding her by the waist as he leaned forward searching for something else to pop into his mouth.

"Manny – let us have another child."

Suddenly the contents in his mouth went sailing out as he sat choking and spitting food; coughing and turning red trying to clear his throat.

"Manny! My God, breathe ... breathe!" She coaxed as she slapped his back, while he tried to bring his breathing back under control. He sat back in the chair with his heart hammering and then slowly looked up at her.

"Are you alright now?" She asked, concerned.

Speechless, he could only stare at her, Lena stared back at him. With his continued silence she stood looking for her scented oils, trying not to feel hurt, but she couldn't help it. Apparently, he was aghast by the whole idea and she suddenly wished she hadn't asked. She started gathering clothing to dress.

Manny was struck completely dumb. His mind was unable to grab at any thought and hold it as several images of her from the past with child, flitted through his mind. At that moment he could place no emotion on the idea other than shock.

Before all had taken place and they were forced apart, she had loved the feeling of being full with his babes but she felt maybe
he
thought she was too old to be thinking that way now. "What did you bring to eat?" She asked, stepping into her underwear and reaching for her chemise in an attempt to cover his contemplative silence.

Manny stared at her body, with its faint stretch marks from his other children, at her skin, her face, her eyes and her figure. One would have a hard time figuring her age. She looked not a day over the age of thirty-four, when in fact; she was ten years older than that.
'A baby!'
Was the first thing his mind began focusing on, that statement.

"Manny! Will you please stop looking at me that way! I'm sorry I ever brought it up, it was just a thought, nothing more! Please stop looking so frighteningly mortified! Now, what did you bring to eat?" She asked, stepping into a comfortable day gown. He remained speechless as he thought.
'A baby! What if I have planted a seed within her now, again? Oh God ...I have to make love to her, I have to! As long as I am able, I have to. But a child? My God! Is it still possible?'

"Maynard Webster, I am about to get very angry with you! If you do not stop this and say something! Anything!"

"A woman's flux, are you still…you know, getting that?"

"Oooh!" Lena screeched and slung her towel across the room at him.

Manny caught
it on reflex not bothering to dodge it as he stared at her. "Lena! Do you still get your flow?" He asked again, this time insistent that he get an answer.

"Yes I do! Regularly, on time, quite heavily!" She answered, growing angry with him as she fastened up her dress.

"And it is due again … when?" He wasn't thinking, the questions were just pouring from his mouth.

"I will thank you very kindly, Mr. Webster to leave the functions of my body to me!" She scolded him indignantly.

"Ceś alena Webster, everything about that body is my business as well! I will have my answer and now! When?!"

"I'm not telling you and you can't make me!" She admonished.

Manny stood from his chair glaring down at his wife who stood glaring right back.

"Ceś alena you're being difficult. Why must you always have this need to argue with me tooth and nail!? Challenging my authority over you?!
Ceś alena
! My word is law!
Law!
Do you hear me? I am the man! You are the woman…more to the point, my wife! Now when?!"

"I'm - not - telling you! If you're that afraid of getting me with child ... get yourself a mistress!"

"I had one, I married her!" He countered.

Lena's eyes narrowed. "Aaah, well that is just too bad… maybe you shouldn't have been so quick to dismiss, Terra Biquay! However…there is still my father, he has many to spare, maybe you should consider getting a few from him!"

"I swear by God Ceś alena, that tongue of yours is going to land you across my lap!"

"You wouldn't dare! I'll have you know, Maynard Webster that I am a grown woman! Too
damn
old to sit still while my backside is being slapped!"

"Yes! And too
damn
old
to be with child! I will not be endangering your life with the risk of labor; while I fully intend to exercise my husbandly rights! For that, I am not
too
damn
old! Now - when!"

Lena stood glaring up at him, feeling his words like a blow to her stomach.
'Too old!'
The horrid word rang long and loud in her head. Tears gathered in her eyes as she snapped, "I am not old! I am not!" She turned from him and rushed from their room, slamming their door behind her. That diffused the whole fight. Manny felt his air of anger receding to regret and bafflement. He walked silently to the tub, climbing into the cold water for a quick bath and then he would have to find his wife to explain himself.

He found her in the family room curled up on the window seat
pretending to read a book. "Leave me alone! Go find yourself someone young to dally with. Why a man such as you would even consider marrying someone o-o-old like me is beyond my understanding." She started right away not bothering to look up from the book in hand.

Manny released a sigh as he went to kneel before her.

"Don't do this. I'm in love with you, have been from the moment I understood what that feeling was that
you
gave me." He coaxed softly.