Now and Forever 5, Love's Journey (18 page)

The silence grew until Callie didn’t think
she could contain her tears any longer. She threw on her robe and
softly padded out of the room, closing the door quietly.

Callie went downstairs. Tears welled in her
eyes. Tilting her head up to gaze at the moon, she kept her tears
from spilling over. Sam, dressed in his bathrobe, walked out of the
kitchen and put a glass of milk down on the coffee table. He looked
at her.

“Can’t sleep? I’ll get you a glass of milk
too, Callie.”

But when he turned to go, Callie grabbed his
arm and turned him around. She threw herself into his arms,
sobbing.

“What’s this? What’s this?” he asked,
holding her close, but she was crying too hard to stop.

Finally she slowed down a little.

“Dad, Mac hates me. Our marriage is over,”
she sobbed, crying harder.

Sam brought her over to the sofa, sat down
next to her and reached into the pocket of his robe to pull out a
handkerchief. She buried her face in the white cloth.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” he
asked her, gently.

“Oh, Dad, it’s all my fault. I told Peter
about Jason and he must have told someone and Mac said never to
tell anyone and now we’re in trouble with a blackmailer and Jason
is threatened and our family is falling apart…and it’s all my
fault!” The words fairly flew out of her mouth.

“Oh my, oh my, Callie, don’t say that. It
isn’t your fault some criminal is blackmailing you. It can’t be as
serious as you say. There must be a way to fix this.”

“But Mac said it’s all my fault and he’s
right. And now he hates me. He said I’m responsible for us losing
Jason,” Callie said, then paused for breath.

“Mac said that? Shame on him! He should be
supportive, figuring out how to nail this creep, not attacking you.
I’ll speak to him,” Sam said, getting up.

But Callie tugged him back down on the
sofa.

“No, no! Please don’t say anything. He’ll be
even madder at me for telling you. Please don’t, Dad,” Callie
begged, on the verge of hysterics.

“Okay, I won’t. It’s all right, Callie,” he
said, kissing her forehead.

Sam knitted his brows as a frown swept
across his face. He put his arm around her and tenderly pulled her
into his shoulder.

“Can’t you use your feminine wiles on him,
if you get my drift?”

“I tried. I put my hand on his chest…our
signal. And he said he didn’t want to make love. Mac always wants
to make love…oh, please don’t tell him I told you! I’m not supposed
to tell, but he does. This is the first time since we’ve been
married he has turned me down. And I tried again, and again he said
no. Then he got mad at me for asking and mad at me for crying. Oh,
Dad, he doesn’t love me anymore,” Callie wailed.

“Of course he still loves you, Callie.
You’re the light of his life.”

“Not anymore,” she said, shaking her
head.

“You are. I see him with you. He’s crazy
about you, has been for years,” he said after taking a sip of his
milk.

“Not now.”

“You know how I know he still loves you and
your marriage isn’t over?” he asked her, raising his eyebrows.

“How?” She sniffed, curiosity overcoming her
pain. She opened her swollen eyelids as wide as they would go.

“Because he’s still up there, in your
bedroom. If he was through with you, he wouldn’t be sleeping in the
same bed. He would’ve left the house, or at least gotten up and
gone to another room or the sofa. He’s waiting for you.”

“He isn’t. He’s in bed, turned to face the
wall.”

“Oh, so what. He’s in your bed, isn’t
he?”

“True.”

“Well, there’s half the battle, isn’t it?
Getting him in your bed.”

“I suppose. He could’ve left, you’re right,”
Callie said, twisting Sam’s handkerchief in her hands while she
considered what he said.

“I have a feeling you know what to do when
Mac is in your bed, Callie,” Sam said, a slight blush appearing in
his cheeks.

She felt the color rise to her cheeks
too.

“I always have in the past. But tonight is
different,” she said, looking at her hands.

“Is it? Maybe you have to try a little
harder, or be more inventive,” Sam said with a twinkle in his
eye.

“What do you mean, exactly?” Callie looked
up at him.

“Do I have to spell it out for a smart girl
like you? Didn’t you seduce him from the beginning?”

“Well, maybe, sort of. At least I got him
interested.”

“He says he couldn’t resist you.”

“He told you?”

“He said you turned on the heat and he
melted like a candle in the sun,” Sam said, hiding a smile behind
his hand.

Callie smiled.

“You did it before; do it again.”

“I don’t know, Dad. Tonight is different,”
Callie said, drying her eyes.

“Mac loves you, Callie. He’s given you
power. Use his love to soften him up a little. Turn on the heat and
melt him, like…”

“…a candle in the sun,” she said, finishing
his sentence.

“I know you can do it. You’re a strong,
resourceful lady, Callie. Go get him,” Sam said, finishing his
glass of milk.

Callie kissed Sam on the cheek and gave him
a big hug.

“Thanks, Dad. I feel better. I’m going back
to give it another try.”

“My money is on you,” Sam said with a
chuckle.

Callie smiled and went back upstairs.

She opened the door softly, but could see
Mac was still awake, because he stiffened when she came in the
room. She knew then he was worried she wasn’t coming back or
sleeping in their bed. Sam was right, she could break his angry
spell.

She got into bed.

“Mac, I know you’re awake.”

He didn’t answer her.

“Okay, you don’t want to make love. Fine. We
don’t have to make love. But my mother always told me not to go to
bed mad, without a goodnight kiss. So you have to let me kiss you
goodnight. Okay?”

“She wasn’t my mother.” Mac sniffed.

“Too bad. Those are our family rules.”

“Since when?” he countered.

“Since now. You have to let me kiss you
goodnight,” she said, sidling up to him.

“Okay. But only one kiss. That’s all.”

Then she knew she had him.

“Okay. One kiss.” She said as she got closer
to him.

“Wait, you’re naked. That means you want to
make love.”

“What do you mean?” Callie rolled over on
her side, facing him.

“You always come to bed naked when you want
to make love.” He half-turned his head to speak to her.

“So? So maybe I do want to make love, but
you don’t. I don’t have to put my nightgown on because you don’t
want to make love, do I? I can sleep naked if I want to,” she said,
inching closer.

“You’re getting pretty close to me with your
naked body,” Mac said, his tone softening.

“I can’t kiss you from across the room, can
I?” Callie replied.

She inched closer, bending over him,
lowering herself over him very slowly. The first points of contact
were her breasts on his chest. Callie felt her nipples harden.

“No fair. Are you trying to seduce me?”
Sweat beaded on his forehead.

“What?” she said, feigning innocence.

“Your breasts are touching me,” he said, his
hands moving toward her, almost automatically.

“I can’t lean over you without my breasts
touching you, can I? You’ve never complained before.”

“Before was different. I thought this was
going to be a quick peck on the cheek,” he said.

“I didn’t say a quick peck, I said a kiss. A
kiss is a kiss, I’ll decide what kind of kiss and a peck on the
cheek doesn’t do it for me,” she said, lowering her body, her lips
closer to his. She gently brushed her lips over his.

“That’s it. That’s the kiss. Now you can
back off,” he said, conviction fading from his voice.

“Why? Am I disturbing you?”

“You certainly are,” he admitted.

“Good. I was just warming up.”

“What? You can’t be serious!”

“I can and I am,” she said, sensing his
self-control was cracking.

“Let’s get this over with, Callie. You’re
taking too long, tantalizing me like this,” Mac said, attempting to
turn away from her. She put her hand on his arm.

“But you don’t want to make love. You said
so. Several times. So why should you worry? Is your resolve
dissolving?”

“I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.”

“Oh, so I’m keeping you awake now?” she
asked, suddenly hurt, her eyes filling with tears, her
determination weakening.

Then before she gave up, she heard Sam’s
words, “melt him like a candle in the sun,” in her head and she
lowered herself quickly, placing her mouth over Mac’s, parting his
lips and exploring his mouth with her tongue, crushing her breasts
against his chest, moving her body over his and losing her fingers
in his hair. She gave him the longest most passionate kiss of his
life. Callie pressed her hips gently into his as she felt his body
respond. He wound his arms around her and his hands stroked her
back and hips.

When she finally came up for air, Mac rolled
her over until he was on top of her, kissing her then burying his
face in her neck.

“I’m sorry, Callie, so sorry. I shouldn’t be
blaming you. You didn’t cause that man to blackmail us. I was mean
to you and you didn’t deserve it.”

Callie burst into tears, turning her head
away from him and burying her face in the pillow to muffle the
sound. Mac pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair.

“I don’t know what came over me,” he said in
a soft tone.

“You’re worried about Jason.” She wiped the
tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“I am. But it’s not a reason to make you
cry.” He wiped the last tears off with his thumb.

“Do you honestly think I manipulate you with
tears?” she asked him.

“I know you can’t help it. It’s not your
fault, you’re a crier. I said it to hurt you and I take it all
back. I’m so sorry. Can you forgive me?”

“Do you forgive me for telling Peter?” she
asked in a shaky voice.

“I do,” he said, kissing her and holding her
close.

“I thought our marriage was over. I thought
you didn’t love me anymore,” she said, drying her tears and feeling
safe again in his embrace.

“Never. I’ll always love you, Callie, no
matter what.”

“That’s what your father said.”

“You spoke to my father?” Mac asked, holding
her at arm’s length.

“He was getting a glass of milk. He was kind
and gave me good advice.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Don’t start, Mac. He’s your father, I
should be able to confide in him and get advice when I need it,
especially about his beloved son.”

“I suppose it’s okay. Don’t reveal anything
about our sex life, okay?”

“Too late.” Callie chewed her lip.

“What did you say?” he asked, wide-eyed.

“Not much. Nothing important…only you’ve
never turned me down before…and a few other things,” Callie
admitted.

“Wonderful.”

“I needed his help and he couldn’t help me
without some information. I didn’t tell him anything specific about
you in bed or anything. I think he was kind of proud of you, when I
told him you always want to make love.”

“You told him that?”

“So what? It’s true. Aren’t most guys like
that?”

“Not most, maybe only the superior guys,
with a strong sex drive, like me,” he joked, kissing her neck.

“Mac Caldwell—sometimes you drive me crazy.”
Callie moved her hair to the side.

“Is your offer to make love still open?” he
whispered, moving his hands down to her breasts.

“Now and forever,” she said kissing him,
winding her leg around his waist.

With a house full of people, Mac and Callie
tried to be quiet, but making some noise when they made love was
inevitable.

* * * *

Sam was sitting on the sofa in the darkened,
silent living room, a little worried about Callie when some giggles
and cries drifted softly down the stairs. He smiled and sat
back.

“Like a candle in the sun…Mac’s a lucky
man,” he said aloud before he returned to his bed.

Chapter
Eleven

It was cool for September, a stiff breeze
blew over the lawn of the hospital across town from the University.
Marcia buttoned up her trench coat as she walked down the hospital
steps and got into her car.

On the drive home from the hospital, Marcia
wondered what type of food she’d find waiting for her. Sometimes
Johnny’s American wife, Rebecca, cooked, sometimes Jakub, and there
was always food left over.

Once home, she went directly into the
kitchen where she spied the small care package of food on the
counter. Jakub had been there. Marcia opened the package and put
the aromatic, Eastern European food on a plate and into the
microwave. His food helped her regain some of her strength. She
needed to be strong for Jay, who was obviously failing now.
Although Marcia couldn’t see it from day to day, his mother, Ruth,
noticed at her weekly visits. She clung to Marcia even though she
hadn’t approved of Jay’s marriage to her. Mrs. Wilton and Marcia
had been barely cordial, but Marcia had compassion for the older
woman who was facing the loss of her only son.