In Sickness and In Health

Chapter 8

Molly's POV:

"Mom," I say into the phone.

"Molly, honey, is everything all right?" her voice comes back. I can hear the worry.

"I'm fine, Mom. Maybe just a bit homesick. I miss you and … everyone."

"Are you sure? Nothing's wrong, is it?"

I chuckle. "No, nothing's wrong," I assure her.

"Where's Owen?"

"He's in the shower. I just felt like talking to you."

"I'm always here, honey. You know that. How's Cancun?"

"Very beautiful. The beach at the hotel is lovely and the weather's quite warm."

"That's nice, sweetheart, although I'm surprised you've seen anything other than the ceiling of your room, two days into your honeymoon."

I hear her give a little laugh. "Mother!" I say in mock protest. "You just sounded so much like Brian."

"Good lord! I'll never live that down," she laughs.

"You could do worse than sound like Brian. I would never have got through that monstrosity of a wedding without him."

"I know. He was a godsend."

"You can say that again."

"He was a godsend."

"Mother," I say with a frown. "You sound almost giddy. What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing, dear."

"Mother!"

"It's Seth. We spent all day together after the brunch," Mom giggles.

"And did he sleep over?" I ask rather cheekily.

"Molly Taylor … Brenner! You don't ask your mother questions like that." She tries to sound indignant, but it doesn't quite work.

"I just did, Mom, so 'fess up."

"No, he didn't sleep over. Seth's kind of old fashioned. He wants us to get to know each other first."

"Aw, that's sweet," I tell her. It really is sweet … in this day and age. And at their age maybe it's a little foolish. They need to get it on while they still can. "Didn't you ask him to stay?" I boldly ask her.

"I practically dragged him home with me, but he made it clear that he wanted to go slow. So, I let him. He's quite the gentleman, and I have to admit that I rather like being courted."

"Courted?"

"That's what he calls it," she tells me.

"Tell me what century he's from again."

"Don't be nasty, Molly."

"I'm sorry, but that's so two centuries ago."

"I know," Mom giggles. "I love it."

I can't help but smile. "As long as you're happy, Mom."

"I love you, sweetheart. How are you doing on the happiness scale?"

"Ten," I say.

"Ten?"

"I love Owen, but you already know that."

"I certainly do."

"And it's great to be able to spend some time alone without his mother and grandmother interfering in everything."

"Have you heard from them?"

I let out a long sigh. "Owen just got off the phone with his mother before he went into the shower."

Mom chuckles, but there's little humor in it. "So, is this call to me payback for the call from Owen's mother?"

"You know me too well," I say with a laugh. She really does.

"As long as everything's going fine, I'm glad to hear from you."

"It couldn't be better, Mom."

"Well, don't get a sunburn and come home safe," Mom instructs me.

"I will, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, honey. And tell Owen I love him as well."

I smile. "I will."

I hang up the phone and lay back on the bed. That's how Owen finds me when he comes out of the shower.

Owen's POV:

I wrap the towel around my hips. The thought does occur to me to walk out naked and aroused, but that just isn't me. I guess I'm too shy or too conservative or something. I think that Molly would appreciate it, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

We've had a great few days since we arrived in Cancun. The weather's beautiful and the hotel's great, really luxurious, just like it should be on a honeymoon. Molly and I have enjoyed marital bliss … many, many times. If anything, married sex is even better than premarital sex. I never thought I would be saying that. But it's true. Sex with Molly is simply … wonderful.

Speaking of which, I feel myself grow hard. I debate taking the towel off, but decide against it. Instead I walk out of the bathroom dying to see Molly. We've been separated for at least ten minutes.

"Hi, honey," I say as I come out of the bathroom. She's lying back on the bed in that beautiful negligee she wore the night we spent at the Plaza after we were married. It's worth its weight in gold. I grow immediately harder just looking at her.

"Hey, sweet stuff. Someone's glad to see me," she says looking at the bulge in the towel.

"Yeah," I agree, blushing. "I debated coming out of the bathroom with nothing on. I was thinking about you and look what happened."

"Why don't you show me?" she says coyly.

"Um … did you make your call?"

"Yes, I did."

"How's Jennifer?"

"She's just fine, all giddy about her new beau."

"You mean Seth?" I ask.

"Yeah, they've apparently hit it off quite well."

"That's wonderful. Your mother is a beautiful woman."

"My mother?" Molly asks raising an eyebrow and reminding me of Brian Kinney.

"Almost as beautiful as her daughter," I say, having already learned the meaning of that look.

"Good answer," she says with a smile.

That's my reward for being observant. It's easy because I love her so much and I want her to be happy, delirious even.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you too. Are you going to do something with that?" she asks staring pointedly at my hard on which has started to droop a little during the discussion of her mother's love life.

I blush, but then decide that it's time to be bold and aggressive and … male. I whip off the towel. I'm hard again just thinking about what I'm going to do with my new wife, my one and only wife.

"Oh my … Owen," she says breathily. "You're just full of surprises today."

I smile. I like to hear that. "Only for you, my dear," I say in my most gallant voice. It's hard being gallant when I'm standing naked in front of her, my lust for her patently obvious.

She giggles. "You sound just like Seth when you say that."

"I hope that's like Seth in a good way?" I say suddenly unsure.

"In only the best way. He's charming my mother, and you already have me."

"Do I?" I ask, relief flooding through me.

"Absolutely."

I grin like a fool. "I'm glad to hear you say that."

"Why don't you come over here and show your wife how much you love her?"

I don't have to be asked twice.

Molly's POV:

I lay with Owen cradled in my arms. He's snoring slightly, exhausted from what we have just done. I feel so alive and happy. I can't sleep, but it's good that he is.

I love him so much. I know I was being a big baby about the wedding. Thank God, I had Brian to point that out to me. I also had Justin. He was great, even though he couldn't talk to me as harshly as Brian did. It was Brian's form of tough love that did the trick. That was what I needed. Any kind of sympathy simply encouraged me to wallow in self pity even more.

Justin was there whenever I needed him. I know he didn't want to walk me down the aisle. He wanted Dad to do it and so did I. But Justin was prepared to do it. I think he would do just about anything for me, and I'd do the same for him.

And Emmett. He was great. He was a rock when I thought everything was crumbling around me. He put up with so much shit from Owen's mother and grandmother. I don't know how he survived all the interminable changes that were foisted upon him. But he did it with grace and good humor … for the most part.

And Dad finally showing up and taking my arm at the last moment. That was so special. I know it took every ounce of resolve he had to do that. I respect him for that, and I haven't been able to say that for a long time. I was growing to hate him. I'm glad his coming to the wedding put a stop to that hate. I don't want to think of myself being like him, unforgiving and judgmental, like he is about Brian and Justin's relationship. But he was forcing me in that direction. I couldn't help myself. I resented his actions and his condemnations so much. I don't know what it will be like when I get back home. I don't think Dad's attitude really changed. I think he'll still resent Justin's choices in life, and he'll always hate Brian. That seems to be a given.

Owen shifts slightly and I rub his back. He settles and continues to sleep. I look at his handsome face. Some women might not call him handsome. He isn't handsome in a Brian Kinney sort of way. He isn't handsome in a cute Justin Taylor sort of way either. But his face gives me such pleasure when I look at him. I see the love radiating from his face and I know that he's the handsomest man alive.

I smile to myself and close my eyes. Maybe it's time for a nap for me too.

Owen's POV:

I shift a bit and open my eyes. I'm lying in Molly's lap. She's propped halfway up against the pillows, and she's asleep. I gently raise my head so I don't disturb her. She's so beautiful. All the Taylors are beautiful, except maybe Craig. He wouldn't appreciate me calling him beautiful. He'd probably have a stroke if anybody said that to him. It would be too gay. And we all know how he feels about gay. He's made that very clear over the time I've known Molly.

A long time ago, before I met Molly, I didn't think much of gays either. At school I was kind of in the jock squad. I wasn't that great an athlete, but some of my friends were. If you were a jock you had to hate gays. I think that attitude stems from the fact that we smack each other on the ass and hug each other and bump chests when we score or win. Those actions might be considered gay if we didn't make it clear to everyone that we were jocks and were most adamantly not gay.

I smile to myself. That all changed when I met Molly Taylor. She gave me veiled warnings about her brother and his family. Mostly she warned me about Brian Kinney. I think the warning should have been about Emmett. He's the one who's most … flamboyant. Brian is a really good guy. And so is Emmett, once you get to know him.

I'll never forget the first time we were invited to the cottage for one of those big get togethers they're always having. I was scared shitless, and didn't know what to say or how to act. Brian Kinney certainly doesn't put you at ease when you first meet him. You'd think he was a colossal asshole the way he acts. It was Justin who made me feel welcome. I've come to really love Justin. He's like the brother I never had. Gradually I got to know Brian too. He's a pretty good guy. They all are, even Michael.

My face screws up a little at the thought of Michael Novotny. He's not one of my favorite people. I try to avoid him when there's something on at the cottage. He's always there, and I have to wonder why.

"What are you thinking about?" Molly's voice whispers into my ear. "Me, I hope."

"Nope," I chuckle. "Michael Novotny."

"What the fuck!" she demands and gives me an almighty shove that almost tumbles me off the bed.

"Hey!" I say, immediately regretting my answer. I grab the covers and hold on till I can right myself.

"Care to explain why you were thinking about Michael Novotny on our honeymoon?" Her arms are crossed on her chest and there's fire in her eyes.

"I … I didn't know certain thoughts were off limit," I say. I'm not sure I like this attitude.

"Sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to shove you so hard, and your thoughts are your own." She looks away.

"In that case, I'd be happy to explain. Can I have my little nest back?"

She smiles at me. I lie down on her tummy and I feel her arms come around me. I quickly tell her the chain of thought that led me to be thinking of Michael Novotny. She laughs as I conclude my story.

"Michael's not so bad," I say.

"Bad enough."

"Yeah," I laugh again.

"Do you still hate going to the gatherings at the cottage?" she asks me.

"No, I've rather grown to like them."

"Even with all the weird homos?" she asks.

I look up into her face. "I don't think they're so weird … anymore."

"I used to have some misgivings too, Owen. I've had longer to get used to them."

"They do take a little getting used to."

"I'll give you that," she chuckles. "Do … do you think my Dad…?" She doesn't finish that statement, but I know what she's asking me.

"Don't get your hopes up," I gently tell her.

She draws in a deep breath and lets it out slowly, not quite a sigh, but almost. "Yeah, I shouldn't get my hopes up."

"He came to the wedding," I say, trying to make her feel better.

"I suppose that's something," she says absently. Her fingers comb through my hair, and it feels fucking fabulous to quote Brian Kinney.

"We can work on him gradually when we get back."

"You'd do that?" she asks.

"I'd do anything for you, Molly."

"I love you so much, Owen."

"I want to make love to you again," I whisper as my lips find hers.

"Of course, darling. And then we are going to get dressed and go dining and dancing," she tells me when I end the kiss.

"We are, are we?"

"Most assuredly."

And I know that I'll do anything she wants. I love her enough that there is nothing she can ask for that I would not grant. I find her lips again. This is going to be the best two weeks of my life.

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