Chapter 16

Day 10 (continued)

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Miss me?"

"Always."

"I could come there."

"You can cum anywhere."

"Babe, I think staying at the loft has permanently corrupted you," Bobby laughed.

"I think you may be right," John chuckled as he lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling. "I do miss you and our son. Doing homework over the phone and a phone conversation before bed does not do it for me."

"Yeah, but it makes sense for you to stay and get the job done rather than driving back and forth. Patrick understands and he thinks it's very responsible of you. The roads are still bad."

"You be careful going into Harrisburg."

"Yes, mom, and I promise to wash behind my ears."

"I love your ears."

"You just love me."

"Yes, I do, more and more each day. And I don't like sleeping without you."

"Neither do I so hurry up and fix that house so you can bring your ass home."

"You love my ass."

"Yes I do and your eyes and your nose and di..."

"Stop right there. Aaron and his crew worked miracles. We should be all finished by tomorrow afternoon and then I'm coming home."

"See that you do."

"Slave driver."

"Only when it comes to spending time alone with you."

"Speaking about spending time alone, why don't we?"

"Why don't we what?"

"Spend time alone. Go away for a weekend, just the two of us."

"Really?"

"Why not? We can afford it. Patrick's not a baby. Brian and Justin won't mind looking after him."

"You mean Briana won't mind looking after him."

"That too. Bobby, a long weekend alone, just the two of us. We can fly away somewhere or find a hotel or..."

"Stay at the loft?"

"We can do that; Brian wouldn't mind. Maybe give this bed a run for its money. We certainly wouldn't have to worry about disturbing the neighbors."

"True, they're already disturbed."

"Ted maybe, but Allen's cool. Him and his 'boys'. So, what do you think?"

"I think I'll make some calls, rearrange a couple of appointments and have a chat with your brother and Justin."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Yup. Babe, you need help falling asleep?"

"Your kind of help? Always, but I'm all right. I'm going to take a nice long, hot shower, make some warm milk then hit the hay. I want to get to the Munchers' early so we can complete the job."

"I love you John Anderson-Morrison."

"I love you Bobby Morrison-Anderson."

"Good night, John."

"Good night, Love."

 

*****
 

"Hey, you guys decent in there?" Bobby asked as he padded through Edna's Treasures to get to the Kinney-Taylor side. He found the boys cuddling on their sofa in front of their fireplace.

"If you mean, do we have clothes on, then yes, unfortunately, we are decent," Brian snarked. "Why?"

"I didn't want to disturb you."

Shifting around on the sofa so that they were sitting up, the boys gave their brother-in-law their full attention.

"What's up?" Brian asked, followed by a poke to his ribs from Justin. Bobby giggled then took a seat on the arm of the sofa.

"Do you guys have any plans for the weekend?"

"I don't think so," Justin answered. "Oh, wait, I think this is the weekend Bree wants to have her playdate with Sally. Why?"

"John and I would like to have a weekend alone. Just the two of us...I wondered if..."

"If we'd keep an eye on your red-headed spitfire? Of course we will," Brian answered with confidence for both himself and Justin. "You two deserve a whole month on your own."

"Bobby, we love you guys, and Patrick is the best. Where are you going?" Justin was in agreement with Brian.

"We were thinking of the loft, if it's okay with you." Bobby turned his grey-blue eyes on his brunet brother-in-law.

"I don't know, Bobby," Brian began as he pushed Justin aside and stood up. "The loft has seen some mighty hard action in the past."

"Yeah, the distant past," Justin snarked as he rolled his eyes. Brian glared at him, getting a sweet innocent look in return.

"Do you two think you're UP for it?" Brian circled his brother-in-law then stood in his personal space to glare down at Bobby. Not intimidated by the obvious ploy, Bobby stood his ground.

"I think John and I are up for it. Meet you stroke for stroke," Bobby said emphatically.

"Then do me proud, Red. The loft is yours for as long as you want it."

"Thanks, guys," Bobby said as he turned to leave their side of the cottage.

"Bobby, wait, I meant it when I said you deserve a whole month's vacation. You two are always there for us. You never let us down. I wish I could do something for you both to show my appreciation." Brian had his hands on Bobby's shoulders. Bobby could see the sincerity in the hazel eyes that looked so much like John's. Justin stood up to take his place by Brian's side, adding his love for his brothers-in-law.

"You and John have always been there for me," Justin said softly. Bobby knew Justin was referring to just before Christmas when Justin needed Bobby to help keep himself together while they were waiting for the results of Brian's tests.

Bobby hugged the two men who helped to make his life so rich then returned to his side of the cottage to make his plans.

 

*****

 

"Ms. Marcus," Seamus said as Melanie came through the door of the B & B.

Melanie frowned. She didn't much like his tone. Lately he had been calling her Melanie. She wondered why he had reverted to this more formal appellation. Had Lindsay told him what a shit she had been?

"Good evening," she said and tried to head quickly up the stairs.

"A word, if you please, Ms. Marcus," Seamus said authoritatively.

"I really don't have time."

"Make time," Seamus ordered.

"I…"

"This is extremely important," Seamus interrupted.

Melanie looked up the stairs wanting to run up to Lindsay.

"She's in your room, but you should know something before you go up there."

"I should?" Melanie asked. She hesitated to go further up the stairs.

"Come into the sitting room, please," Seamus asked, his voice suddenly soft and full of compassion.

"What's this all about?" Melanie demanded, but she followed him into the sitting room.

"Lindsay came in just before dinnertime. She was crying. I tried to get her to tell me what was wrong, but all she'd say was that she wanted to catch a flight home as soon as possible. She asked me to phone the airline and see if I could change her ticket."

"And did you?" Melanie asked, a little germ of fear starting to spread throughout her body. "Is she leaving?" Melanie turned towards the door ready to rush upstairs and try to stop her wife from going.

"I did as she requested, but she could not change the ticket."

Melanie breathed a sigh of relief. "She's still here."

"Yes, I told you she is up in her room. However, I don't think she's going to be very receptive to you. I wanted to warn you of the severity of the situation before you barged in."

"I do tend to barge in, don't I?" Melanie replied. She shook her head. "I always fuck things up. I never seem to learn."

"Then it's about time you did. That is, if you want to have any chance of staying together with Lindsay."

"That's exactly what I want," Melanie said defiantly.

"Then handle the situation very carefully," Seamus warned. "That's all I wanted to tell you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, and I hope it helps."

Melanie left the room and walked slowly up the stairs. She was trying to compose something intelligent or witty or sincere or captivating to say to Lindsay, something that would make her listen and not cause Lindsay to tell her to fuck off. By the time she had reached the door of their room, she had composed a very good closing argument about how Lindsay should think and react to what Melanie had done.

She opened the door prepared to deliver her summation. One look at Lindsay's tear stained face and all her plans went to hell.

"I'm so sorry, Lindz," Melanie cried rushing towards the bed. "I'm such a fucking idiot."

"You got that right," Lindsay replied her face turning to stone. Melanie stopped in her tracks. "I don't want to talk to you. It's over."

"Please, Lindsay, don't say that. I'm begging you. I think I finally get it."

"Get what?" Lindsay asked looking into Melanie's eyes. She had given up the hope hours ago that Melanie would ever realize what their real problems were about.

"What you've been trying to tell me ever since we got here, and long before," she added, knowing that was the truth.

"And just what do you interpret that to be?"

Melanie sighed. Lindsay was going to make her say it all … out loud. "I realized how much I love you, Lindz. I don't want us to be angry or separated." Melanie ventured closer to the side of the bed and sat down when Lindsay didn't tell her that she couldn't.

"I love you too," Lindsay said, "but that's not what's causing our problems."

"I know," Melanie said reluctantly. "I realize that I have a mouth on me, and that I don't hesitate to speak my mind."

"Believe it or not, that's one of the things I love about you," Lindsay said.

Melanie reached out to take Lindsay's hand, but Lindsay quickly drew it back where Melanie could not take hold of it.

"You don't love it when I say things about Brian though."

"That's right, and I thought you promised me that you were going to stop running him down."

"I'm trying, but … I told you that I wouldn't be able to stop altogether."

"And neither can he," Lindsay said ruefully.

"What do you mean?" Melanie asked with a frown.

"I talked to Brian after I left the restaurant. I wanted to go home. I wanted to get away from you."

"Seamus told me, but you're still here."

"And you can thank Brian for that, if you have a grain of common decency in you."

"Brian? Why should I thank him?"

"I asked him to arrange for a flight home for me. Seamus couldn't transfer the ticket I have."

"And Brian rode in to the rescue on his white stallion, I suppose," Melanie griped.

"He said he would get me home if that's what I really wanted. However, he thought I should stay here and talk to you. And here I am."

"He told you to stay?" Melanie could hardly believe her ears.

"Yes, he did."

"That's not what I would have expected. I thought he'd be glad to get you away from me, and then he wouldn't have to deal with me anymore."

"Believe it or not, Mel, you're not high on his list of priorities. He has other things to worry about."

"Yeah, I guess he does. So, you decided to stay."

Lindsay nodded. "And I'm still waiting to hear what you've learned that might make a difference in whether I stay or go."

Melanie drew in a deep breath. "You remember when we went to look at the Love Tree?"

"Yes, I remember." Lindsay held her breath. Could Melanie have figured it out?

"When I left the restaurant today, I wandered the streets of St. Augustine. For some reason I ended up at the Love Tree."

"You did?"

"Yes, and I saw something that I think makes a big difference in my attitude."

Lindsay smiled slightly. It was Melanie's attitude that was the source of so many of their problems.

"There was a couple standing in front of the tree. They stared at it for a long time, and then the man pulled the woman against him and their arms wrapped around each other. They kissed for a long time, a sweet and gentle kiss. They seemed so right for each other. That's what I wanted for us."

"That's what I want too," Lindsay said, tears in her eyes.

"When they broke apart, they walked away arm in arm. I looked at the tree, and then I saw what you had seen that first day we were here. At least I think it was what you saw."

"Tell me."

"I saw the palm tree being held by the oak tree. It wasn't simply growing inside the oak. It was part of the oak. The oak sheltered and provided a home for the palm. That's what you want, isn't it, Lindz? For me to shelter and provide a home for you and the kids while you nurture and support me?"

"Yes, it is. I don't want to be a parasite living off you. I want to be an equal, someone who adds to what you are. I want to be your shelter and support, just like you're mine."

"And that's what I want too. I finally see what I've been doing all this time. I've been working so hard to make a home for us that I forgot the purpose of that home, and I forgot that I don't have to do it all alone. I have you to help me. I hope that I still have you there to help me, Lindz."

"I'm here." Lindsay let a tear run down her cheek. She felt like they had just reached some kind of important understanding, something that they had never been able to achieve before.

"I love you." Melanie thumbed the tear away. Her hands stayed cradling Lindsay's beautiful face.

"I love you too."

"Are we good?"

"There's one more thing." Lindsay knew she needed to get this out before the chance was lost.

"Yeah?" Melanie said warily.

"Brian Kinney is not the enemy. You have nothing to worry about where Brian is concerned. You don't need to be jealous of him, and you don't have to compete with him. He and Justin have their own lives and we have ours."

"Okay, I get that."

"Do you really?"

"Yes, I think I finally do. It doesn't mean that I'm going to stop criticizing the big asshole, however. He needs to be brought up short every now and then."

Lindsay made a face. "I just hope it won't be all the time, and that when he does something good you give him credit for it."

"I will definitely try on both counts."

"That's good."

"So, are you staying for the last couple of days of our vacation, or are you letting Kinney take you away from me?"

Lindsay sighed. "Mel…"

"I'm sorry. I really want an answer to that question. Are you staying?"

Lindsay thought for a moment. She knew she was going to stay, but she didn't want to let Melanie off the hook too easily. "I'm really glad you made that connection about the tree. I hope this means that you'll spend more time with JR, Gus and me. Work is important, but it's not most important."

"I meant everything I said about taking more time for family. I still want to have that spa day with you and JR."

"It's hardly a spa day," Lindsay laughed. "We're just getting our nails done."

"Maybe we should make it a full spa day," Melanie suggested.

Lindsay smiled. "I would really like that, and so would JR."

"I think I'd really like it too. I mean it when I say I love you, Lindz. I can't imagine my life without you."

"I can't either," Lindsay replied.

Melanie leaned in and pressed her lips to Lindsay's. "I love you so much," Melanie whispered. "I want to make love to you."

"I think we're finally on the same page," Lindsay sighed contentedly as she wrapped her arms around Melanie's neck, just like the oak wrapped around the palm.



 

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