First Class to New York (16 page)

Matt moved swiftly and was on top of her, his knees pushing
apart her legs and he entered her swiftly. “So wet and ready for me,” he
whispered and kissed her cheek. He pulled out and then pushed back in again.
“Open and willing,” and he kissed her other cheek.

He pulled out again and looked into Janie’s eyes. And then
slammed into her and she gasped and bucked her hips up to him. He pulled out
again and paused, and then slammed back in. Over and over again he repeated and
Janie was writhing underneath him as the excitement built again, higher and
higher.

Matt thrusted again and stayed inside her and pressed his
body against hers moving his hips in a circular motion, feeling her getting
closer and closer. Janie matched his rhythm and her fingers pressed into his
back and she threw her head back and came, gloriously feeling the release
through her entire body. And then Matt thrusted once more and went completely stiff
and she could feel the muscles in his back turn to stone as he came right along
with her.

“Fuck!” he gasped. “Your body is amazing; so responsive and
your muscles so strong. You just milked me.”

He rolled off her and tried to catch his breath. “Fuck!” he
whispered again.

*****

Matt and Janie cuddled a little while longer, enjoying a
leisurely morning.

“Last Sunday I tried to be a true New Yorker,” she said.

“What does that mean? A true New Yorker?”

“I sat in bed and read The Times,” she giggled.

“And that makes you a true New Yorker?”

“Well in all the movies it does.”

“What about sitting in a coffee shop with the paper?” Matt
asked.

“Do you do that?”

“No!” Matt laughed. “I don’t have time to sit a coffee shop,
and I have people who read the paper for me.”

“You do?” Janie was shocked.

“Of course I don’t!” teased Matt.

“Well, what do
you
usually do on Sunday mornings?”

“If I’m at home, which is maybe two weekends a month, I
sometimes go to church with my parents. Or I spend it in the gym, or at work,
which is the more frequent reality.”

“You go to church?”

“Sometimes. Do you?”

“Not since I got married. Do you like going to church?”

“I like hanging out with my family, and if that means going
to church, I go.”

“Is your mom expecting you this morning, seeing as though
you’re in town?”

“Probably, but she won’t be surprised if I don’t show up.”

“Well, I don’t want to keep you from going,” said Janie,
although she really didn’t want him to leave. But the revelation that he would
go to church because he loved his family was so completely endearing to her
that she didn’t want him to miss out. She knew how important it was to her to
have time with her boys and she was sure that Maureen felt exactly the same
way.

Matt was stroking her back, up and down her spine, and then
he stopped. “We could go together,” he said, a slight hesitation in his voice.

“To church?”

“Yeah, and then we all go back to my parent’s house for
Sunday dinner.”

“With your whole family?” Janie couldn’t believe what she
was hearing.

“Yep.”

She didn’t know what to say. On one hand, she loved the idea
of Matt wanting to be with his family, but on the other hand it meant she had
to choose to let him go without her or she went with him, and that was a scary
proposition. Janie knew nothing about the Catholic Church and Matt had six
brothers, and that thought was very intimidating.

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Really? We don’t have to go.”

“I know. But I’d like to go,” Janie said, even though she
wasn’t one hundred percent sure it was the truth.

“Well okay then.”

Dressed in her pale yellow sundress and Matt back in his
suit from the previous evening, they travelled by cab to St. Luke’s, the Lathem
family parish. Arriving just seconds before the service started, Matt located
his family and luck was on their side as they snuck into the pew right behind
them. The service was mostly full, with families seated together, multi-generational
families. The building was magnificent with stained glass windows and beautiful
woodwork throughout.

Maureen turned to see them sliding in and a huge smile
appeared on her face. Matt warmly squeezed her shoulder and Janie mouthed
‘hello’. Maureen whispered something into Peter’s ear and his head shot back to
look at them. He raised his eyebrows at his son and nodded at Janie. More
whispering took place between the two and then they settled in for mass.

Janie had never been to a Catholic mass before. She really
wasn’t raised in a religious household, but Robert had been raised a Lutheran,
so they had been married in his church, but they never attended services after
that. She believed in a God and had comforted her boys after Robert died with
the idea that he had gone somewhere wonderful and was at peace. And she really
did believe that, or at least she strongly hoped she was right.

The service was kind of what she had expected; some praying,
some singing, a couple of ‘ups and downs’ and there was Communion. Some of
Matt’s family partook, but he stayed on the bench holding her hand. There was a
sermon.
A lovely sermon
, Janie had thought. It had been on being grateful
for God’s blessings, and appreciating those things right in front of us that we
took for granted every day. It was good to be reminded.

As the service ended, people stood to leave. Maureen turned
back to Janie and grabbed her free hand, noticing that Matt still held her
other.

“How lovely to see you again, Janie,” she beamed. “And you
got my boy to church instead of being holed up in his office all day.”

“Actually, it was Matt’s idea to come,” Janie admitted. “And
I’m glad we did. The sermon was wonderful.”

“Oh yes,” agreed Maureen. “We just love Father Todd. He has
been with us since Matt was baptized, so, forty years ago.”

I’m older than Matt,
she grimaced.
Great way to
start back into the dating pool as a cougar!

Maureen was talking to Matt about the church fundraiser and
something about a donation from Matt’s company. Peter looked at Janie with kind
eyes and smiled, and then stood up and pulled at his wife.

“You can talk about this at home, Maureen,” he said. “You
two are coming back to dinner, aren’t you?”

Janie smiled and nodded and Matt told his father they would
meet them there; that they were going to walk to the house.

Peter took Maureen and they headed down the aisle and out of
the church.

“Your parents are adorable,” Janie smiled.

“They are,” he agreed. “I guess they would be what Father
Todd was talking about. God’s blessings and taking them for granted.”

“I think all parents expect to be taken for granted,” she
chuckled.

“I wouldn’t know,” replied Matt, and he stood, pulling Janie
up with him.

They walked in silence down the aisle to the door and Father
Todd greeted them warmly, shaking Matt’s hand.

“Oh Matthew! It’s so good to see you. And please introduce
me to your friend.”

“This is Janie Anderson, Father.”

“Lovely to meet you, my dear,” he said clasping her hand in
both of his.

“And you,” Janie smiled brightly. “Your sermon was
wonderful,” she added. “Just what we all need to be reminded of.”

“Well, thank you. Will I see you again?”

Janie froze and didn’t know what to say. Father Todd was
obviously fishing for information and she didn’t have an answer for him.

Oh no! We are using each other for awesome sex while I’m
here in town. No commitment, no emotional ties, just good old fashioned
screwing around
, she thought.
Yeah, that’s the answer every priest wants
to hear.

Matt saved her and explained that Janie was just in New York
on vacation and that she would be returning to Portland in a few days. Father
Todd nodded in understanding. Janie thought she heard something in Matt’s
voice, but what it was she didn’t know.

*****

They walked arm in arm through the relatively quiet
neighborhood, Matt regaling Janie with stories of his childhood. She was listening
and laughing and Matt delighted in showing her a glimpse of his life.

They were walking up a tree-lined street with immaculately
kept brownstones on either side of the road. Janie said that it seemed like a
picture perfect place to grow up and Matt agreed. It was as perfect as he
imagined a childhood could be.

He pointed out a window he had broken with a football and the
tree he had fallen from when he was twelve and broken his arm. They laughed
about his secret crush on Mrs. Woodley, who lived around the corner, and how he
had convinced his youngest brother, Tim, that giant frogs lived in the storm
drains and grabbed little boys with their tongues and ate them for dinner.

“That’s just mean,” but she laughed.

The conversation flowed easily and by the time they were in
front of the Lathem home, Matt couldn’t believe all he had divulged to her. His
ex-wives didn’t even know most of what he had shared.

But it was different with Janie. He knew that as well as he
knew anything else. She was interested in what he had to say. She seemed
interested and asked questions. She didn’t want anything from him. Yes, she was
definitely different from his ex-wives.

And she was leaving in four days. And he didn’t like it. He
didn’t like that at all.

*****

Sunday dinner was quite an affair. Maureen cooked like it
was Thanksgiving. There was a massive turkey with all the trimmings and the
table was set with beautiful china. The dining room was elegant and the table
huge. It looked like it could seat an army.

Janie offered to help, but she and Matt were ushered up to
the living room. It was also elegant and inviting and comfortable. There sat
Mark and Peter, whom she already knew, but there was also four other men that
she didn’t know.

“This is Janie,” he said, talking loudly over the other
voices. The room hushed and all eyes moved to her.

“You brought a girlfriend to dinner, huh? This is a first.”

“Janie, this is my youngest brother Tim.”

Janie smiled, remembering the giant frog story.

“And this is David,” continued Matt. “And this is Andrew and
his partner Rory. And it looks like Ben is outside on the phone, probably with
his girlfriend.”

“It’s very nice to meet you all,” smiled Janie, feeling slightly
overwhelmed.

Andrew jumped up and walked over to Janie and shook her
hand. “Nice to meet you to,” he said, and guided her to a chair. “Please make
yourself at home.”

Janie sat and looked around at all the testosterone in the
room and she tilted her head, a question forming.

“You have six brothers?” she asked Matt.

Peter answered, “Yes, we have seven boys, and yes, there is
one missing.” He looked serious.

Oh shit!
Janie had put her foot in it now.

“Paul. He’s in Afghanistan,” said Mark. “Well, at least we
think he’s in Afghanistan.”

Janie was puzzled but didn’t say anything.

Mark added, “He might not be there too. We really don’t know
where he is. Paul joined the Navy Seals right after college. 9/11 had a huge
impact on him and he wanted to serve his country and do his part, so, he could
be anywhere.”

Fortunately, Maureen appeared at that moment to say that
dinner was ready. She banged on the window and summoned Ben inside.

Matt led Janie to a chair and they all sat. Janie noticed an
empty place at the table and wondered who else was coming. Peter led the family
in saying grace and then the serving dishes started being passed around.

“You do this every Sunday?” Janie asked Maureen.

She smiled and nodded and Janie was astounded. Everything
was perfect and the family laughed and talked about their week and she had a
wonderful time.

“So, we think we’ve set a date,” said Andrew, as everyone
was enjoying dessert; cheesecake with chocolate drizzle.

“It’s about time!” Matt clapped. “Congratulations! When is
it?”

“Two weeks from Tuesday,” said Rory.

“Oh my! That’s fast!” said Maureen. “How are we going to get
something together that quickly?”

“There isn’t anything to put together, Mom. We are just
going to City Hall and making it all legal. We feel like we have been married
for years, so this is just getting the piece of paper out of the way.” Andrew
looked at Rory and smiled.

The dinner conversation continued about all the things they
weren’t going to have to do for the upcoming wedding.

*****

Janie helped Maureen with the dishes, despite her best
efforts to refuse the offer. They talked about recipes and china patterns and
Matt kissed them both on the cheek after carrying the last of the glasses to
the kitchen and headed back upstairs to the men.

As he slumped into the couch, David looked over to him, a
grin on his face and said, “So, Janie. Is she gonna be number 3?”

Matt gritted his teeth and began to stand.

“Whoa! Just kidding bro! Don’t get all riled up!”

Tim added, “Besides, Matt has said repeatedly he’s not
getting married again, so she must be just this months’ flavor.”

Matt turned to Tim and glared at him.

Peter stepped in and told his sons to knock it off. He
clicked on the television and tried to find some sports to watch.

Matt could hear Janie and his mom coming up the stairs, so
he headed to greet them. They said their goodbyes and left, Maureen telling
Matt to bring her back anytime.

Out on the street, they headed back the way they came and
walked in silence until Janie said, “Matt? There was an empty place at the
table. Who else was supposed to be there?”

Matt was quiet for a moment and then sighed, “That place was
for Paul. Mom always sets a place for him when he is away. I guess it’s her way
of willing him home safely.”