Missy's Gentle Giant (30 page)

On the morning of the next day, Ben
awakened to see her standing in front of the window staring out at sea. 
He lay back and watched her for several moments without moving.  Could it
be she didn’t understand how he felt?  She turned and smiled.  He
held out his arms and she came back to bed.  He pulled her close in the
circle of his arms and enjoyed the sweetness of her smell.  Every morning
for the next hundred years he wanted to wake up and find her there.

Missy snuggled up close to
him.  Oh, how she loved this man.  It just didn’t seem right he
wouldn’t want his own child—no their child—a part of each of them.  Tears
lurked behind her eyes.  Well, she’d do what he wanted to keep him
happy.  After all, he meant everything to her.  His happiness was the
only thing she wanted.  So what if he didn’t want children?  So what
if they lived in a huge house all alone?  She’d just love him and make him
happy.

“Honey, is something wrong?” 
He rubbed the back of her neck.

“No, I guess I’m just missing Mama
and Papa.”  She half sat, kissed his nipple and showed her dimples. 
“Not used to being away from everyone.”

“We can go back if you want.” 
He smiled.

She shook her head.  “Nope,
you promised you’d take me to see the USS Arizona today.  And tomorrow we
planned on seeing the new shopping mall.”  She pulled away and rose. 
“Come on lazy, you just want to stay in bed.”

“I like staying in bed with
you.”  He grinned.  “Besides, you don’t want to see a shopping
mall.  You know I want to look at the design.”  He lifted himself
from the bed.

“So you think you know
everything?  I want to look for something special for you.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know yet, but will you buy
it when I find it?”  She teasingly reached down and threw a pillow at him
when he lunged for her.

“Damn!”  The pillow caught him
in the stomach.  “Of course I’ll buy it if you’ll quit beating on me.”

The next day they spent most of
their time at Pearl Harbor.  When they were standing on the monument over
the USS Arizona, Ben felt a surge of communion with the men who had died there.
 Flashes of a friend who had died in Iraq passed before him.  Captain
Hennington, the father of six kids.  He’d been a happy go lucky kind of
guy who never took any chances—not like Ben.  He’d been shot while saving
a couple of kids.  He died in Ben’s arms a couple of hours later with a
smile on his face saying, “I saved them.  Their mother and father,
wherever they are will be thankful some day because something of them grew
up.”  Why did his words stick in Ben’s throat and bring tears to his
eyes?  Hennington saved the kids all right, and the next day they went to
an orphanage.

Missy was solemn too.  She
watched Ben’s eyes dance and tear and could imagine what he was thinking. 
Once she thought he might want to be alone, but when she tried to casually walk
away and look at something else, he followed her and pulled her into his arms.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was just thinking about a couple
of guys who died while I was in Iraq.”

“Ben, if you’d died like they did,
I wouldn’t have you today.”

“I know; I was lucky.  So many
guys weren’t.  Some had a hell of a lot to lose too.”

The next day they went to the new
mall.  It was the only “business” Ben attempted.  His designer’s mind
had whirled when he first saw it, but he’d put off seeing it.  Missy knew
he wanted to wander around and look, maybe even talk to the owners and ask them
some questions, but Ben stayed close to her.

She stopped in front of an
exclusive store.  “Why don’t you give me one of your credit cards and let
me go wild in here?”

“Go wild?”  He grinned.

“Mm, you know, buy something for
everyone in the family and maybe some pretty things for myself.”

“Sure, but I don’t mind staying
with you.”

“But I do.  I was hoping you’d
let me do some shopping alone for a couple of hours.”

“Oh, you were?”  His eyes
brightened.  Quickly he pulled out his billfold and handed it to
her.  “Then your wish is my command.”  He bowed graciously. 
Because of his size, several heads whirled around to stare at him.  Missy
laughed, and he grinned with embarrassment.  “Tell you what, I’ll meet you
at the pizza place in the center in three hours.”

“Deal.”  She grinned and
watched him take off.  Yes, he’d wanted to go and talk to some people
about the mall’s design.  She was glad she’d sent him.

Three hours later Missy dropped in
a chair at the pizza place and gratefully sipped a coke.  Ben wasn’t there
yet.  She leaned back and closed her eyes with a smile.

“Hey lady, are you looking for a
pickup?”  Ben kissed her nose.  He grinned wider.

“Sure; and you?”  Her dimples
flashed as she motioned for him to get the other coke.

“I’m looking for a pick up.” 
He gave her a lecherous gleam and sipped on the straw.

“You’ve come to the right
place.”  She moaned dramatically.  “My feet are killing me.”

“I don’t see why; doesn’t look like
you bought anything.”  He glanced around.

“Wait until we go pick up what
they’re holding at the store and you get the bill.”  She smiled. 
“Think we could get a big rig on the plane?”

“Don’t tell me you bought the damn
mall.”  He slapped his hand to his forehead dramatically. 

“Nope, just two or three stores.”

Later Ben’s mouth dropped open as
he stared at the small mountain of things Missy had bought.  “We’ll have
to rent a separate plane, you know.”

“Really?  You’re not angry;
are you?”  She glanced up seriously.  “If you don’t want these—”

“Honey, I’m just kidding.”  He
pulled her close in a hug and left instructions for everything to be delivered
to their plane.  She held onto one large, flat package.

Missy dropped tiredly on the bed
when they finally got to their suite. 

“Did you enjoy talking to them about
the mall today?”

“Mm, you knew I wanted to; didn’t
you?”  He bent down and kissed her nose.

“Yep.”  She kissed his chin.

“Did you enjoy shopping?”  He
brushed back her hair.

“Yep, I bought Mama—oh gosh—oh—” 
She jumped up from the bed and went to the other room.

“Oh oh?”  He sat up startled.

“I forgot something.” 
Frantically she searched for her purse, sighed when she spotted it, pulled out
a small jeweler’s box and picked up the large package.  “I got something
for you.”  Slowly she handed him the large package, watched him open it
and pull out the picture frame upside down.  When he turned it over, she
saw him swallow hard and tears come to his eyes.

“There was this photo place near
where you left me—”  She shook and looked down at the jeweler’s box in her
hand.  “I just wanted you to know I understand how losing Connie was like
part of you dying.  They didn’t ruin the little picture; in fact, they
made several copies and laminated a couple so you’ll always—”  She glanced
up and saw tears spilling down Ben’s cheeks.

“Honey, it’s the most thoughtful,
nicest gift—”  He set the picture of Connie aside, reached out and pulled
her into his arms.  “I guess since you’ve got twin brothers you can
understand how close we were.  She was like half of me.  I even felt
responsible for her because she was always sick and I was—”  He kissed
Missy’s hair.  “You’re the only one who’s been able to take away the
emptiness she left and given me happiness.”  He pulled her down on top of
him as he lay back.  All of a sudden the other gift seemed worth
nothing.  Missy dropped the jeweler’s box and threw her arms around Ben.

Lovemaking was peaceful and
wonderful for them that night.  Ben forgot all about protection, and when
they returned from their secret place, they held onto each other and slept
until the phone awakened them.

“Yes?”  Ben was still half
asleep.  He sat bolt upright when he heard Gonzalo.  “Just a second.” 
He turned to Missy.  “Honey—”

Missy turned pale as she took the
receiver.  “Yes?”

“Mom didn’t want me to call, but
Pop’s in the hospital.  He fractured his hip.”

“How?”  Missy watched Ben
start dressing.  As he pulled his pants closed, he threw a dress on the
bed for her.

“Tell them we’ll be there as soon
as we can.”  He frowned.

“You know Pop.  He didn’t like
the way the roofer was doing the repairs Ben ordered on the house, so he
climbed up to give them directions of his own.”

“And he fell.”  It wasn’t a
question.  Missy saw Ben taking their things from the closet, dropping
them on the bed.  She swallowed hard.  “Ben said we’ll be there as
soon as we can.”

“Missy, he’s doing okay.  I
just thought you should know.  You don’t have to—”

“Yes I know, but we’re coming
anyway.”  Missy dropped the receiver.  There was no question about
it.  Ben didn’t need to be asked if they could cut their planned two week
honeymoon short.  “Gonzalo said Papa just fractured his hip.  If you
don’t want to go, I can—”

“Your mother and father will want
you there.”  His face showed no expression as he picked up the
phone.  “Get dressed while I make arrangements.” 

Just before they left the suite,
Ben took one last look around, noticed the jeweler’s box, scooped it up and
dropped it into his pocket.

Two hours later, right after the
jet was safely in the air and they had unfastened their seat belts, Missy
remembered the little box she’d dropped on the floor.  As a gift it no
longer seemed significant, might have made him angry even, but she chewed her
nails wondering what Ben would think when the bill for it came.  Ben saw
her worried eyes, thought it was for her father and pulled her close.

“Everything’s going to be all
right.”

“Yes, I know.”  Her worried
expression remained.

Sometime after they refueled in California,
Missy dropped off to sleep and Ben went to see Pete.  He made arrangements
for all their luggage to be sent to the house, arranged for a car to meet the
plane, called to see which hospital her father was in, double checked to be
sure everything was taken care of and then went back to lie down with
Missy.  Damn, he hated to see her hurting.

Late that evening when they landed,
a car zipped up to the plane and Ben helped Missy down the steps.  Less
than twenty minutes later an elevator door opened to show a waiting room filled
with nine guys taking up all the chairs.  Gonzalo jumped up.

“Man, Pop will really feel better
now with you here.”  He hugged Missy.

“Take her to see him.”  Ben
turned toward her other brothers and smiled.  After warm greetings all
around, Ben stationed himself in front of a window.  How would he feel if
they called him saying his mother or father needed help?  It had been
running through his mind all the way back.  As much as he disliked it, he
could see how he’d closed his family out of his life.  Oh, they’d done
their own things to cause it too.  But maybe it was the only way they knew
how to react to what happened to them.  And had he looked at them, judged
them and rejected them because of his reaction?  Never once had he ever
doubted his parents loved him.  No, they just seemed caught up in living
through what had been handed to them and doing their own things.  Even
though he’d rebelled and done everything his father hadn’t wanted, his father
had still been there when he needed him recently.  Never had either parent
said there wasn’t love for him.  And he was a part of them.  Connie
had been a part of them too.

“Thanks for bringing Missy
home.”  Gonzalo smiled.  “Pop wanted me to tell you.”

Startled at being drawn from his
thoughts, Ben whirled around and smiled.  “Yeah, well this honeymoon of
ours has been a learning experience.  We’ve both done a lot of growing.”

When Missy came back half an hour
later saying her mother needed to go home and rest and she’d volunteered to
stay with her father, Ben hesitated only a second.  He was worried about
Missy being too tired after the flight but understood how she felt. 
Secretly he was thankful when Gonzalo said he’d stay and Ben and she could take
Mrs. Sanchez home.  At the house, Ben dropped on the sofa feeling useless
as Missy got her mother up to bed.  With his eyes closed, his soul
searching continued while he heard the brothers come in and slowly go up to
bed.  He remembered the jewel box and dug his hand into his pocket. 
Pulling it out, he opened it slowly.  His eyes glistened when he saw the
bracelet.  Missy had “Ben ~ Connie” engraved on it—had wanted to give it
to him as a special gift.

Missy thought Ben was asleep when
she finally dropped on the sofa beside him.

“Everyone’s fine.  Do you want
to go home?”  She brushed his hair.

“You’re not needed?”

“It would probably help if I came
back early and cooked breakfast so Mama can sleep, but no, not now.”

“Do you want to stay here?” 
He pulled her close.

“My bed’s too short for you and
besides, we can’t—”

“It’s okay.”  He
shifted.  “Find me a pillow and I’ll sleep down here on the sofa.”

“No, I want to sleep with
you.”  She whispered.

“Then lead the way to your
room.”  He grinned.  All he wanted was to see her get some
rest.  She looked peaked and worn out.

While Ben pulled back the covers
and set the alarm, Missy undressed.  Her cheeks colored when she put on a
nightgown.  Ben understood and smiled.  He undressed but stayed in
his boxers and climbed under the sheet beside her.  Nudity was a special
thing they could only share in their own home alone.  He pulled her around
until she was on her tummy, and he rubbed her back and neck until he was sure
she was asleep.  Then carefully he curled his body around hers, moved her
and molded her against him as he bent up to fit onto her bed.  She didn’t
know how much she’d given him this past twenty-four hours, and all of it was
something money could never buy.  He closed his eyes as he drew her closer
and made a mental list of things he needed to do the next day.