Love In A Nick Of Time (18 page)

“It’s a shame to cover up perfection.” Allen had just come out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. If he had time he would take Samantha back to bed; “I’ve got your bath water ready, why don’t you go soak that beautiful body, and I’ll try not to be a distraction.”

She would never tire of gazing upon the beauty of him; his honey brown skin, muscular physic, and black eyes were forever burned in her memory. She licked her lips before responding, “Two can play that game.”

Samantha peeled the robe from her body and let it drop on the floor, she stood in front of him and untied the towel and let it drop. She knew he would be erect; she got on her knees and took his hard length into her mouth. Samantha twirled her tongue around the tip tasting his pre-come. When she heard him groan she got up and ran into the bathroom giggling all the way.

Allen caught her before she reached the tub; she beckoned him to join her in the tub, which was big enough for four people. “You little tease if we keep this up will never make it to the party on time.”

Samantha glance at the wall clock, “Oh I don’t know, it ten minutes to eight, and the car will pick us up at 9:30 pm. The way I see it we only need thirty minutes to dress, that is if we do it in separate bedrooms. That gives us plenty of time to play and you know how much I love water sports.”

***

Of course, Samantha’s calculations were off and they arrived at the party well after it started. “I told you we’d be late.”

“Uhmm, but it was well worth it, now maybe I can make it through the night without pulling you into a closet.” She ran her hands down Allen’s chest, she was unable to keep her hands off his body it was his fault for looking so good in his tuxedo.

Allen gave Samantha a wicked look. “I think I prefer the stairwell.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into the central ballroom. Samantha was a beautiful woman, but the red figure hugging dress she was barely wearing made her a knock out. He was determined that he wouldn’t leave her side. He wanted all the men in the room to know that she belonged to him.

They made their rounds around the ballroom as Samantha introduced Allen to present clients, future hopefuls, staff, well-wishers, and friends. They closed in on Jenna and Mike, but Connie was nowhere in sight. Samantha’s nervous stomach was working over time. As they got closer Samantha glanced at Jenna whose baby bump was hard to miss in her elegant green crushed velvet gown. Mike looked like he was being punished and kept tugging at his tie.

“It’s about time you two made an appearance, good Lord we thought we were going to have to send out a search party.”

Allen kissed Jenna on the cheek and shook Michael’s hand. “Happy New Year to you too little momma! I’ll have you know that we were on schedule until my wife turned into the biggest tease in Nebraska.” Allen knew that Samantha was up to something she kept rubbing her stomach and looking around the room. “Sam are you okay?” When she turned around to face him she looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Samantha saw Connie who gave her the nod that everything was in place. “What gave you the idea that something’s wrong?” She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door in the back of the room.

“Hold up! What is it baby? What’s wrong you’ve been acting kind of funny all week? At first I thought you were nervous about the wedding ceremony. Now you’ve got me scared.”

They reached the door when Samantha responded she touched his face that was so full of love and concern. She knew that she did the right thing by finding his family. “I love you so much. When you told me about your natural mother and how she left you at the orphanage. I saw the pain in your face at the thought of being abandoned. I’ve lived through that pain so I understood where you were coming from.” She opened the door and pulled him inside a smaller party room.

Allen didn’t know what to think as he followed Samantha into one of the smaller party rooms unsure what awaited him there. He saw an older lady and man standing in the center of the room. They were surrounded by a younger woman who had two little girls standing in front of her and a man standing at her side. A taller man who could have been his twin stood on the other side of the older man.

He eyes went back to the older woman, it had been thirty years, but he would recognize his mother’s face anywhere. “Mẹ thân yêu!” He whispered. “Mẹ thân yêu is that you?” She moved slowly towards him uncertain how she would be received.

“Con trai.” Hong Hahn whispered to her beloved son.

Allen felt so many emotions, she was here. He waited most of his life to see her and now she was finally here. He picked her up and hugged her as she called to him. “Where have you been Mẹ thân yêu? I waited and waited, but you never came?”

Tears streamed down Hong Hahn’s face as she hugged her oldest child. She never thought the day would come when she would see him again. “I know Con trai; we’ve been looking for you all this time, your father and I.”

Samantha was so overwhelmed with emotion, she watched her husband hug his mother for the first time in thirty years and it gave her hope that one day her mother and father would embrace her with the same love. Jenna, Mike, Kevin and Debra entered the room to watch the Allen’s family reunion. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Samantha moved forward as Allen still clutched his mother.

She rubbed his back, trying to help him deal with the shock of his family reunion. “Your mother didn’t abandon you she took you to your aunt where you’d be safe. Your father Charles Allen Coleman was a marine who had lost a leg and been sent stateside without your mother’s knowledge. While she was out looking for him, Vietnamese soldiers came through the village and your aunt was killed and you were moved to another location before your mother made it back.”

Allen let his mother go, but held on to her hand as he moved towards his father. He was at a loss for words he had vague memories for sitting on his father’s lap while eating. “I remember you.”

Charles was a proud man and a tough marine, but none of that mattered when he saw his oldest son face to face. “Son I almost gave up hope that I would ever see you again.” He gave Allen a tight hug before introducing him to the rest of his family. This young man behind me is your brother Darren.”

Allen shook his brother’s hand and waited patiently for his father to finish the introduction. Never once did he relinquish his mother’s hand. “Nice to meet you Darren.”

“This is your sister Janice, the baby of the family, her husband Jeff, and their twin daughters Karen and Sharon.”

Allen shook hands with his sister’s husband he had gentle blue eyes and a strong hand shake. Janice was the spitting image of his mother, but of course she was several inches taller. She hugged him and kissed his cheek before presenting him with her children. He got on his knees and both little girls hugged him. He felt as if he finally found where he belonged.

“Can we call you Uncle Allen?” Karen said as her sister nodded in agreement.

He didn’t know how to respond, he became was a son, brother, and uncle in less than thirty minutes “Yes you can call me Uncle Allen.” He got up, turned around, and pulled Samantha into his arms, “I love you so much, more than you’ll ever know. What you’ve done for me and my family, words can’t express how I feel.” They heard cheers and music from the ballroom denoting the coming of the New Year.

“Happy New Year Allen! I know you always felt like a huge part of your life was missing, but now that you found your family you’re whole.”

“Your love has made me whole, I found you in a nick of time. I was so jaded and lonely before you came into my life. Happy New Year baby! May this year be half as good as the last.”

***

The party ended hours ago. Samantha suggested that Allen and his family move their reunion to their suite. Everyone was on the same floor, so if they got tired they could just go to their own suite. When they got back to their suite, Samantha picked up the phone ordering coffee, dessert, a fruit tray, and sandwiches from room service.

Allen and his family talked way into the wee hours of the morning. Janice and her husband left first because they need to get the twins to bed. Allen’s parents left next with the promise to meet for breakfast. Allen walked his parents to their suite, he didn’t want the night to end before his parents went into their room his mother hugged and kissed him once again.

“Your Samantha is a special woman, but I sense that she has family trouble too.”

“She longs for a loving relationship with her parents, but they’re too wrapped up in themselves to care.”

“Not to worry son, we have enough love for the both of you. Sleep well my son.”

“Sleep well mother.” Allen kissed her cheek before heading back to his suite.

***

Samantha got ready for bed as she waited for Allen’s return. She thought back on the evening and smiled to herself. She enjoyed the interaction between Allen and his family. Sometimes the conversation became disjointed, but they always had plenty to discuss. She found out that Darren was a kick boxing champ, being a martial arts fan this really peaked her interest.

Allen gave her a knowing look as if he knew about her fixation with Bruce Lee. As luck would have it, she turned on the television in time to see the fighting scene in ‘Enter the Dragon’ where Bruce Lee avenges his sister. She was so engrossed in the movie she didn’t hear Allen come in until he joined her on the bed. “Hey baby, did your parents get settled in?”

Allen was so tired it was all he could do to climb in the bed. “What are you watching?”

“Enter the Dragon.” She was exasperated at his blank stare. “You know, Bruce Lee! Are you kidding me, he’s about to break O’Hara’s neck?”

Allen took the remote from her, turned off the television, and dropped it on the floor before crowding Samantha into the pillow. “If you think I’m sharing you with Bruce Lee on my wedding night you’ve lost your mind.”

“Baby you don’t have anything to worry about as long as you flex that fit body and show me a couple of moves you’ll never have to worry about Bruce. No fooling around or we’ll never get the sleep and you’ll want to make an appearance for breakfast.

Allen became very serious, “Thank you Sam! You’ve have given me and my family so much, that we could never repay, a chance to know one another.”

“You’re one of the lucky ones Allen, you’ve always been loved and wanted. In my search for your family, I came across so many Americanese children looking for their fathers. I feel for them because most of their fathers see them as casualties of war and not their own flesh and blood. It took months to track down your parents, but what about the thousands of people who’ve been searching for years.”

“I know I’m blessed! I’m lucky in spirit, family, and most certainly lucky in love.”

The End.