Feel Like Makin' Love (Rock and Roll Trilogy #3) (18 page)

“Matthew,” Carlee said as she finished a bite of the cake. “Tell them.” She pushed the paper in her hand toward him.

He pushed it back and said, “It was your New Year’s surprise – you tell them.”

She
had a sip of coffee, wiped her mouth, and unfolded the paper. Andy and Geni watched and waited, anxiously. She thought a moment and decided just to push the paper toward Geni. 

She wiped her hands,
picked up the paper, and first saw the letterhead.
Carlo Romano, Esquire
. She looked at Matthew before she continued reading the letter. As she read, she saw Diego Aceveda’s name. Reading further she saw the dollar amount and gasped.

“I know!” Carlee shouted.

“Oh, for shit sake! Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Andy barked and Carlee laughed.

Instead of handing him the paper to read, Matthew told him. “The letter is from the attorney for Diego
Aceveda’s product line. It’s a contract for the use of the photo. They want to buy the rights to the picture I gave Carlee for Christmas – to the tune of $200,000.00 U.S. and royalties going forward – along with the option for first crack at any future ads with the company!”

“Awesome!” Andy shouted and rose from his seat to hug Matthew. He was proud. He was excited. But mostly, he hoped that this would mean that they would return to the U
.S. once Carlee had clearance to travel. This was big.

Geni watched him and knew his thoughts.

“So proud of you! What’s next?” he asked Matthew.

“An appointment with the
Esquire I guess. I don’t know yet, I just got the letter yesterday and surprised Carlee with it this morning.”

“I can help you, remember that. I know people!” Andy said.

“We can talk about all that later!” Carlee said. “I want to know about your date!”

“It was wonderful!
” Geni said. “That place is a great venue for an evening such as last night! I wish we had something like that in Jacksonville. It was classy, the music was good, good food….”

“And the ch
ampagne?” Andy teased.

“Was a little too good,” Geni laughed. “Oh, and I’ve already been labeled ‘Andy Stevens’ Mystery Woman’ on People.com,” she laughed.

“What?” Carlee shrieked.

Matthew went and got his tablet from the kitchen counter and pulled up the website. “Wow, Mom!” he laughed and took the tablet for Carlee to see.

“Mama Davis, you look beautiful!”

Geni thought a moment; this was the first time Carlee had ever used that endearment, she’d always been
‘Geni’ and for some reason – maybe it was the champagne from the night before – she started to cry.

“Mom,” what is it?” Matthew asked.
Andy watched, concerned over her reaction.

“Just this, just all of this,” she blubbered. “This awesome opportunity, this wonderful woman you call
your ‘wife,’ this wonderful man who has come to mean the world to me…
and the last month of fear, worry and dread
, she thought but didn’t say so. I’m just joy-filled and it’s coming out in tears…”

“Happy New Year to my favorite people in the whole world,” Carlee said.

C
hapter Twelve

In January, with her treatment schedule in place, the
journey of Carlee’s radiotherapy began. On Wednesday January 2, they left the house at six, and Matthew took her to the first treatment. His classes began for the new term on the 7
th
, so he would be able to take her to the first three treatments.

Tamara met them
in the radiotherapy department. “Good morning,” she said cheerfully, noting their unease. “It’s gonna be fine. Matthew, have a seat; we’ll be an hour or so. We did an initial CT scan at the hospital, before you left. We’ll do one this morning and see if there’s any change in the last two weeks, so if you’re ready, Carlee, let’s go.”

~ ~ ~

While she was gone, Matthew tried to work on lesson plans, but his mind wandered. He was worried. He was scared. But more than anything, he just felt sad –
hasn’t she already had enough? Bethy... her dad…
He just felt like she was over her limit for the trials.

An hour and a half later, Tamara was with Carlee when they returned to meet Matthew. “She
should feel OK today; the real fatigue will hit in the next few days. She’ll probably want to get home to rest. Carlee, go ahead and start using that lotion I gave you on your face now. I won’t be here tomorrow. Seth, my tech, will be with you; I’ll see you Friday,” Tamara told Carlee.

~ ~ ~

She felt pretty good. Tired from not sleeping the night before because she was scared, she rested on the sofa most of the day. Geni and Andy were out running errands, continuing to set up their place, so Carlee and Matthew were alone.

“I don’t want to say this, but I’m gonna,” she smiled at Matthew. “Today, I’m glad to be here alone with you.”

He sat beside her, and they cuddled, and she added. “I love them being here, but alone with you is where I want to be.”

“You feeling OK
?” he asked.

“Mmm hmm,” she murmured and turned to lay her head on his lap. His hands lightly caressed her back
, and she fell asleep. 

An hour later, Matthew’s phone indicated a text. Carlee stirred as he pulled it from his pocket. It was from Geni, and there was a picture
:

Sofa shopping - had an idea. What do you think of these?

There were two pictures of styles. One was a sofa and loveseat that reclined on both ends; the other was a sectional with reclining ends and the middle and the corner section, as well. 

“They look nice and comfy,” she said
, and Matthew replied.

The next text had a picture of color samples
:

Which do you like best?

Carlee examined and told Matthew to reply the medium tone leather. Then the phone rang. “Hello,” Matthew laughed.

“Need for privacy,” Andy said. “I want to talk to you.”

Matthew rose and went to the kitchen for a drink. He motioned to Carlee to see if she wanted anything, and she nodded.

“What’s up?”

Andy replied, “We have an idea, but don’t want to offend or overstep our boundaries.”

Geni to
ok the phone; “We were thinking - since our place will be part-time, if you thought it would be more comfortable for Carlee, we would get these for you and take your sofa and recliner. If you’re agreeable, we’d like to surprise her. They’ve agreed to deliver Friday morning while you’re at treatment, and they will move your stuff down to our place.”

Matthew walked back to the sofa, where Carlee was lying, to take her drink
, and she sat up. He thought about how to go forward, decided how he would play it, and spoke, “Mom is asking me all these decorating questions, way too much for my brain,” he said so that Geni could hear him. “Do you feel up to listening to me relay what she’s asking?”

“I can talk to her,” Carlee said.

“I won’t keep you long,” Geni said.

“It’s OK,” Carlee said. “Just lying here anyway
. That stuff zapped me – literally,” she said with a little laugh. “But mostly tired from dreading it, I guess – didn’t sleep good last night, anxious nerves. What’s up?”

Geni thought she sounded exhausted.

“So, if it was you, which of the two sets do you like best? I’m torn between them. I really like the medium leather that you said, but I’m having a hard time making up my mind between the two styles. Our living rooms are the same, of course.”

“Well
, if I was choosing, I like the first one you sent; the sectional one, not the two sofas. I like it a lot. How fun for you, setting up housekeeping!” Carlee smiled as she said it, thinking about
them
.

~ ~ ~

Friday morning, day three of her treatment, they left the flat at seven. She wasn’t having any tests, only the radiotherapy. As they waited in the waiting area, Carlee saw Kyliejo and Johanna Smithson enter.

“
Good morning, beautiful!” Carlee said.

“I’m glad I’m finally here when you are,” the little girl said throwing
her arms around Carlee’s neck. “Mum had to work it out with school to come for the early appointments because the later ones make it way too hard to wake up the morning after treatment.”

Johanna
smiled as Kyliejo explained.

“You’re going to school while you’re in treatment?” Carlee asked.

“As long as she feels good, then tutors,” Johanna said. “As normal as possible, and school is important to her,” she added.

“Matthew goes back to school Monday,” Carlee told her.

“School?”

“I’m a teacher,” he replied.

“Who’s gonna bring you for treatment?” the child asked sidling up to sit beside Carlee.

“Either my p
apa or Matthew’s mom, Geni.”

“Another day getting my head zapped,” Kyliejo said with a big sigh.

Matthew watched Carlee as she spoke to the girl. “I was scared the first time I went back, but it hasn’t been so bad.”

Kyliejo
reached out to touch Carlee’s hair. It’s so pretty, and curly!”

“I
’m still getting used to it. When it was long it wasn’t so curly, but it’s easier now. I just kinda scrunch it up and leave it a curly mess.” Carlee smiled at the little girl as Seth came, indicating that it was her time to come back.

“I hope I’ll see you
Monday,” Carlee said.

“Me too,” the girl said.

Carlee turned to kiss Matthew. “See you after my zapping,” she said and smiled back at Kyliejo.

~ ~ ~

After they came and got Kyliejo, the mother remained. Matthew looked at her and smiled. He put the notebook he was working in aside. “How’s she doing?” he asked.

“She’s
good,” Johanna smiled, “I’m the one who’s about to fall apart. She went through so much the first time.”

“I
think I know how scared you are. Carlee and I have only been married nine months, only about seven months when all of this started.”

“She’s so young,” the woman said and started to c
ry. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to say so. I know how I feel
. Carlee was supposed to start at Westminster on Monday, but then this happened. We’ll see how it goes,” Matthew said. At that moment Seth walked Carlee out to meet Matthew.

“See you Monday morning,”
she said as she slipped on her coat.

“
Johanna, it was nice talking to you,” Matthew said.

~ ~ ~

When they were on their way back, Matthew asked Carlee if she felt OK enough for him to stop and grab some milk.

“I’m pretty good right now. Can I go in with you? I wouldn’t mind stretching my leg
s a minute. I can push the cart; there are a couple things I’d like to grab anyway,” she told him.

“Well I’m not
leaving you in the car,” he laughed. “If you’re sure.”

She nodded, and h
e looked her way and smiled. She was wearing one of the scarves Geni had gotten her. Today she wore a bright yellow one with dark pink polka dots. The shorter hair was cute – he liked it.

  “You look so pretty,” Matthew said, taking her hand to kiss it as he helped her from the car. “I’m having visions of polka dots,” he said. They both laughed thinking of the first time he’d seen her in a bathing suit in Barcelona, and
then their honeymoon.

“Thank you,” she said and leaned into him.

“You OK?” he asked as they made their way into the store.

“Yes, I promise I’ll tell you if I’m not,” she said. He put his arm around her shoulder
, and they entered the market. They walked around the small market and grabbed a few things before they headed home. When they pulled in, they saw the delivery truck at the next building.

“Must be their furniture,” Carlee smiled. “Maybe later we’ll go down there. I’d like to see it,” she said. “Right now, I’m just ready to lie down.”
It seemed as though the fatigue was hitting her hard, sooner than they really expected.

Matthew opened the door and had no idea what they would see. Carlee stepped in and stopped. “What the heck?”

“They wanted to surprise you,” he told her. “They both thought this would be more comfortable for you. They took the old stuff to their place.”

“It’s beautiful
!” Carlee said. She ran her hands over the buttery-soft leather and sat down. She pulled the lever on one of the reclining seats to put her feet up. “Take my picture,” she smiled. She then took his phone and typed out a message:

There are two more recliners, come sit with me!

That evening Geni and Andy came with groceries to make dinner and cooked it together. Carlee loved watching them, but doing so made her want to cry. She was happy for them - happy that Andy had found someone to share himself with - and she could tell Geni was a good companion. She could see that she felt the same about him. She was glad it was Geni, but it made her very emotional, missing her mama.

Later, as they sat visiting, Carlee was in the middle section with her feet up. She’d had Matthew get a sheet to go over the section she was sitting on and she had a lap blanket.

“This was awfully nice of you, and I love you for it,” Carlee said, and started to cry. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me this evening,” she said, and Matthew scooted closer, pulling her close.

“It’s the whole ordeal, finally sinking in,” Geni said.

“It’s your butt sinking into that comfy recliner,” Andy laughed, so that his own emotions wouldn’t visibly surface.

Carlee knew he was trying to keep it light, but the tears started
, and she could feel that stopping them wasn’t going to be an easy task. Tamara told her that fatigue along with emotional highs and lows were two of the most common side effects of the radiotherapy. She just didn’t expect any of that so soon.
Maybe Geni is right, it’s just everything combined.

“I just keep thinking about what the two of you are giving up to be here with me
, us through this,” Carlee said through her tears. “You should be home, enjoying the start of your life together,” she said and cried harder.

“Matthew, trade me seats for a minute?” Andy asked.

After he was in the seat beside her, Andy took her hand. “We’re here because we want to be, because we love you.” He told her as he hugged her. “We are enjoying our time together, but I think I speak for Geni too when I say that we want to help make this easy for the two of you. We’re able, so let us help, and you don’t worry about it.”

“He’s right,” Geni added. “You couldn’t keep me away even if Andy wasn’t here.”

Andy pulled her closer and held her. “Papa,” was all she could say.

~ ~ ~

Carlee and Matthew had the weekend to themselves. Andy and Geni were out and about picking up things they wanted for their flat. No one back home seemed to have any thoughts about them being together. Kimmy called and talked to Carlee, because she was worried about her feelings.

“He just seems happy,” Carlee said. “He deserves that. He’s waited a long time
, and Geni is a wonderful woman. I love her and she seems happy, too. That’s what matters, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Kimmy said. But she knew it had to be hard. She knew that Carlee had talked to
Jenna about it some. She’d wait to see if Carlee
needed
to talk.

~ ~ ~

Sunday evening Carlee was stretched out on the sofa, and Matthew watched. She seemed out of sorts, and he tried not to worry, but she’d become somewhat fragile the last day or so. He knew it was because she wasn’t feeling well. Before he had dinner ready to serve, he joined her on the sofa. After he sat down, she curled closer with her head in his lap.