I’ve never been so happy to see that familiar chipped paint and crooked shutter. I can’t wait to get inside and see what surprise John has waiting for me.
It was a fuss all the way to the door—who would carry Cephina, who would open the door for Augusta. It was like dealing with five-year-olds arguing over what to play at recess.
Jan burst through the door and almost tackled Gus, leaving it open behind her. “Umph. Well, at least that solves one problem, fellas. I’m going inside, y’all can join me or continue to fuss over who gets to do what.”
Gus was thrilled to have her sister, but a twinge of disappointment stained her homecoming. Where was John? When she broke the plane of the threshold, she was welcomed by the scent of sausage and spice. “Mmmm, jambalaya?”
“Yep, but it’s spicy as fuck.”
“Jan,” Gus scolded. Jan didn’t look the least bit sorry and ignored Gus’ interruption.
“Might be too spicy for you. Not sure how, you know, how things are moving along. So, I have a pussy version in the small pot and some plain buttered rice if that’s what is called for. Plus…”
Before Jan could finish, Gus noticed the biggest arrangement of flowers she’d ever laid her eyes on. So many, in fact, that as she entered the kitchen, they overpowered the scent of the jambalaya.
Appreciation and disappointment bloomed in her heart. While she appreciated the gesture, and the obvious investment, this was not like John at all. It was sad that he felt the need to try to be someone he wasn’t. A touch of that disappointment sat in the realization that he didn’t know her as well as she thought either. It’s not that she hated cut flowers, they were beautiful, it’s just, she’d rather them be left to grow and flower again.
Gus felt that cut flowers were a waste of money and beauty. Why someone would want to possess such beauty for a short time, when they can appreciate it every year when it blooms, was beyond her. Give her a bush of roses over a bouquet any day.
Still, John had made the investment, she could at least read the card. She reached for the card, removed it from its envelope, and began to read. This is so unlike John. She let her sadness overtake her as he thanked her for a wonderful evening, making her feel a little slimy about the whole thing.
She continued to read.
Finally, the signature line sunk in. “Oh, thank God, they’re from Jesse.” She was so happy they weren’t from John, she must’ve spoken aloud.
“Wow, so you really like him. I think he’s the good sort, that’s why I set you up, but I didn’t think much would come from it because I thought you were truly in love with John.” Augusta spun to see Andy deposit Cephina in the bassinette, which they had wheeled into the living room. It was mobile, so it could go anywhere around the house, for when the baby needed to be here during the transition.
Seeing Cephina here, in her home, helped the reality sink in. This was not as cut and dry emotionally as she expected. Lucky for her, Andy planned, expecting as much. While she didn’t think of Cephina as hers, she had given birth to her, so there was a special connection.
Augusta was so lost in thoughts of transitioning Cephina to their house full-time, her silence spoke lies. Andy took her in his arms and apologized, “I am so sorry, Pixie, I was way off the mark. I thought, well, it doesn’t matter, I can fix this. John’s a mature adult and will handle it with dignity when I send him packing. I don’t know how I could have misread the situation so poorly.”
Shoving Andy away, Gus took a few minutes to try to understand why he wanted to send John…
“Oh, that?” Gus tossed her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the monstrosity of dying blooms. “That wasn’t because I’m gaga over Jesse, that was because I thought they were from John.” Andy seemed puzzled, but Marco stepped in.
“She was disappointed in silver fox because she thought he was basic as fuck and didn’t know a thing about her.” Marco slapped Andy’s bicep with the back of his hand as he passed. “Why do you think we always send her a potted plant for special occasions instead of an arrangement?”
Jan and Gus simultaneously dropped their jaws at Andy, who still looked clueless. Marco took the lid from the pot and waved his hand into the steam. “Girl, this smells amazing, you better cough up the recipe,” he ordered Jan.
January came up to Andy and patted his chest. The sight was rather comical, considering she had to reach up to do so. “Don’t worry, handsome, it’ll come to you. Should we show her the surprise so we can eat? I’m starving?”
Everyone had a good laugh at Andy’s expense. Their amusement deepened when it appeared he realized that by not knowing that detail, Marco had basically dimed him out for not picking out gifts.
Andy asked, “Where’s John?”
Jan was leading them toward Gus’ room, motioning for them to hurry up the whole way. “He’s next door, tweaking shit, but everything is functional.”
When they got to her room, they all stood staring at her television like it was something new. “I don’t get it? Where’s my surprise?”
“Let’s see.” Andy grabbed two remotes from her dresser—one she recognized, one she did not—and started punching buttons. The TV powered on to the last channel she watched.
“Why am I not surprised?” January joked at the site of Animal Planet. Gus just shrugged.
The screen went fuzzy, then black as Andy punched more buttons. “Ah-ha,” he proclaimed as John’s face filled the screen. It only took a minute for Gus to identify what, or rather where, she was seeing. She turned her questioning gaze toward the two men staring back at her.
“It’s closed circuit, direct to the little angel’s crib.” Gus glanced back at the screen. Sure enough. If you looked past John staring straight up at them from a ladder, you could see the crib slid out of the way to accommodate what he was doing.
Augusta’s gaze lingered on John. She appreciated the lines of his body from this angle and the flex of his biceps as he worked on something unseen. He was humming a tune and seemed content in his activity. He always was when working with his hands.
This view of him showed the fine lines that were settling into his face. Too many of them are from time instead of laughter. She vowed to change that. There was more gray in his beard than brown, but there was contentment in his beautiful blue eyes—a contentment and hope she hadn’t noticed before.
Andy’s voice broke into her thought of John, “It can only be turned on if we turn it on over there, so no stressing about accidental viewings. Not that you’d see anything other than the most beautiful baby in the world, but I know how you would feel about invading our privacy. We just want you to be able to make this transition on your own timeline.”
It was unbelievable how amazing these two people were. They really did care about her. She had no biological claim to Cephina, but they treated her as equal as Erika and themselves when it came to the baby. She had never been happier in her decision than she was right now.
“Thank you. You’ve already given me more than I could imagine, for just letting you borrow my womb. But seriously, not that I don’t appreciate it, because I do, more than you can imagine, but no more gifts, okay? Except Christmas and my birthday, I still want stuff then. Good stuff, too.”
Staring at the TV, Gus tried to identify the tune he was humming. “He really is a handsome man, isn’t he?” On the screen, John continued to hum while he folded up the ladder and slid the crib right dead center under the camera. He gave another glance straight at the lens and nodded in satisfaction. She heard, “Augusta’s going to love it,” as he reached out of frame and the screen went black.
Turning from the screen, Gus asked, “What is that song, I can’t figure it out.” She started humming it to herself, but Jan burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?”
Jan was practically doubled over. “He got it from me, I was humming it earlier.”
Gus was at a complete loss about how a song could be funny, and she started to feel a little uneasy. “Jan, why is that funny?” By the time she asked the question, she had a sneaking suspicion she knew. While she wasn’t familiar with KISS, she was familiar with her sister’s twisted sense of humor. “Oh, Jan, it isn’t, is it?”
“Yeppers, it’s ‘Domino.’” Jan barely got the words out before she devolved back into laughter and threw herself on the bed. Gus didn’t think it was funny at all. And once everyone found out about Jan’s job and the connection to the song, they wouldn’t think it’s funny either. But Gus wasn’t about to rat her out.
“Laugh it up all you want, but he’s going to be sticking around for what I hope is forever, and sooner or later, he’ll figure it out. And if you think I have a stick up my ass because I have a problem with it, then watch out, because I guarantee you he has the Redwood National Forest.”
Now, Andy and Marco joined her in their amusement. “I don’t have a clue why Domino is funny, but you just said John has a forest in his ass.” Marco laughed.
“Not just any forest either, Redwood National. You seem to be very specific on the contents—
“Oh, you are all children, I didn’t mean it like that.” But she couldn’t even defend herself, she was laughing too. It was the most ridiculous thing she could have said.
“What’s so funny?” John’s voice resonated in her soul.
As the laughter died down, they made their way to the door.
Andy was the first to exit. “I don’t have a clue, I was just laughing because they were.”
“I was laughing because Redwood is one of the most popular natural attractions.” Marco slid his eyes toward John’s butt as he passed. Gus could barely stifle a giggle while she tried to shoo Marco with a look.
When Jan passed, she tried to appear all innocent. “Smells like the jambalaya’s done. I’m starved.” Once she was in the hall she announced, “Time to get our grub on.”
Thanks to Jan, the baby was now awake. Marco announced, “My turn,” which allowed Gus to relax her there’s-a-baby-crying stance. John looked yummy with his feet crossed at the ankle and leaning casually against the door frame, causing her mouth to go dry.
Down girl, you have to wait until after your check-up before you get horizontal.
Between her desire for him and the bed looming behind them, Gus felt uncomfortable. “I’m starving, so I’m going to, just, um, go. Out there.” John caught her wrist softly when she attempted to pass.
“Give me a minute? I have something I want to show you.” His hand felt molten against her arm, as did his piercing gaze.
For some reason, Gus was flustered around John. It wasn’t just that she couldn’t wait for a repeat of the other night either. Maybe it was their whispered words of love in the heat of labor—words that she longed to hear, and repeat with a clear head. Plus, the fact that she almost lost him before she ever really had him still had her shaken.
“Oh, sorry, they already showed me your surprise. Thank you, by the way, it was extremely thoughtful.” Of course, it didn’t surprise her. John was more thoughtful than he gave himself credit for being. Guess it comes with some of that control, being observant and all. She blushed at the thought.
John’s warm breath kissed her ear, and he leaned in and spoke. “Not this, they didn’t.” The shiver that moved through her was blissful.
He released her wrist and spun her around. Using his body, he guided her back to the TV, wrapped his arms around her from behind, and nodded his head to the large rectangle that hung just above the flat screen. She’d noticed it earlier and assumed it was part of the closed circuit set up. “Watch this.”
John went around her and reached up and started fiddling at the top of the box. It illuminated red and beeped as he continued monkeying with it. Suddenly, the red lights morphed into numbers. John stepped back and the numbers continued to change. He moved in front of her, enveloped her again, and shifted their bodies sideways so she could still see the red.
Intense blue eyes studied her, waiting for her to appreciate the gift. She would, just as soon as she knew what it was. She turned back to the face she loved and raised an eyebrow. With one gentle finger, John directed her face back toward the...clock? No, not exactly. The numbers were counting down, seconds ticking by. Doing some quick estimation, something worth installing a countdown clock, in her bedroom no less, was happening in about a month and a half, give or take.
Searching for clues in the red LED light yielded nothing more, so she returned her attention to John. The sexy man just waggled his eyebrows and looked from the clock to the other side of the room and back again. Gus followed suit, still nothing. The only thing on the other side of the room was the bed and the bathroom.
Finally, John put her out of one misery…and into another. “When that reads all zeros, I plan to take you to heights of bliss you’ve never even dreamed of reaching.” His hand tangled in her short hair, using it to direct her attention. He demanded it solely on him, daring her to look away, to blink. His eyes sparkled with something she had never witnessed, couldn’t identify.
“And you, my dear, you’ll beg me to do so again and again and again.” The husk in his voice took her knees, but he held her upright with one hand at the back of her head and the other at the small of her back. “Then, you’ll thank me for every orgasm I gave you. Once I show you the real me, you’ll no longer command a single second of your pleasure or inch of your body…I will.”
Oh boy.