Chapter 15 #2
Jennifer eased forward, eyes wide as she stared at her mother. "What does that mean?"
"It means, I have cancer." Jacquline wondered how she could remain so calm, when her life was going to pieces. But the reassuring hand on hers settled her, making her realize that she had the support. One she did not expect.
"That's not true." Henrietta looked frightened, her eyes huge. "You don't look ill." She groped for her sister's hand blindly. "You cannot be dying."
Jacquline gave a small nod, the tears threatening. "I understand how you feel. But the truth must be faced. I wanted to tell you all in person, so we could be together in this."
Jordan tightened his grip on his wife's hand, feeling the weight of the news.
He looked around the room, seeing the myriad of emotions playing across the faces of his family.
His father's eyes were steady, filled with a quiet strength, while his mother's held a brave determination, as if she was ready to fight every battle thrown her way.
Jennifer, always the emotional one, had tears streaming down her face, while Henrietta was shaking her head, disbelief etched into every line of her features. The husbands were a mixture of shock and sympathy, their eyes darting between their wives and Jacquline, unsure of how to react.
Silence settled over the room, thick and suffocating. It was broken by Jacquline's husband, whose voice was as calm and reassuring as his touch. "We have the best doctors, and we're going to fight this with everything we've got. We won't let this define us."
There were a lot of firsts in the family, Jordan reflected.
His parents looked human for the first time in their lives.
Turning his head when he felt the pressure on his thigh, he stared at his wife as she transmitted a silent message to him.
A smile touched his face as he realized she wanted him to go over to his sisters.
Their moronic husbands had not made a single move to offer them comfort.
Rubbing a hand over her shoulder, he rose and went to sit between them. Immediately, they turned to him, burying their faces on his shoulders.
The icy looks he sent his brothers-in-law had them shifting on their seats and avoiding his eyes.
*****
He had not wanted to leave her alone with his mother and sisters.
But she had assured him she would be all right and his father had requested a meeting away from the others.
After the emotional revelations which started with his mother – it had taken a surprising turn with his sisters – by God!
Both of them declaring that they were divorcing their husbands.
He had applauded them for their show of independence which had been sorely lacking before.
It had further shocked him to see that his parents had not voiced their displeasure.
The two men had slunk off, leaving the rest of them there.
Now he was in his father's den drinking his prized scotch and waiting for him to say what was on his mind. The old man looked shaken and had aged since he saw him last.
"We've made an appointment with one of the best oncologists in the world.
A Doctor Jans Schmidth from Switzerland.
Your mother and I will be taking off for several weeks to do tests and treatments.
" Harry drank down his scotch and leaned his head back on the chair.
Last night had been a revelation for him – a wonderful one.
He had made love to his wife for the first time.
And she had let him, not only that, but she had also participated, with sighs and moans as he drove into her – his body moving on top of hers with strength and purpose.
It had been the best sex he ever had. And afterwards, he had wrapped his arms around her and held her.
Just held her, the feel of her delicate flesh against his had sent him into a dizzy spin.
"You're going to have to take charge of everything. I know you want to spend time with your wife-"
"She'll understand." His expression hardened. "Her name is Julesa and if we're going to move forward, things will have to change."
To his surprise, instead of the usual argument, his father nodded.
"We all need to change." He was dying for a smoke, but that would have to wait.
"I'm in love with her – your mother-" he turned the glass towards the light and watched the gold flecks reflected there.
"She never showed me any signs, gave me any hope that the love was returned.
" He looked over at his son. "We were brought up in different worlds – with different ideals. It's all we ever knew."
"You could have chosen to be different. My sisters and I grew up in a house that gave us frostbite.
We were never given an ounce of encouragement, not to mention love.
" He shrugged that away, realizing that it was no longer of paramount importance.
"I see things are different between the two of you.
" He lifted his glass in a toast. "I'll be around to lend a hand and to be there for Jenny and Henrietta. They're going to need the support."
His father nodded, a look of extreme regret on his face. "You did not settle for less than love."
A smile touched his lips. "I never went looking for it. Sort of found me and when it did, I was a goner." He sipped the drink, his eyes glowing. "She's my life."
"I'm happy for you."
Jordan's brows lifted. "Are you, really?"
"I am. Believe it or not. You're happy and nothing beats that."
*****
"I'm happy," he murmured.
Turning her head to glance at him over her shoulder, Julesa gave him a quizzical stare. He finished zipping her out of the dress and helped her out of it.
"Where did that come from?" On the way back home, he had been quiet, and she had decided to leave him to his thoughts. A lot happened tonight, and he had things to stew over.
He joined her as she sat on the edge of the bed. Brushing her hands away, he proceeded to take off her shoes.
"Something my dad said."
"What- Oh!" She bit down on her lip as her breath hissed through her clamped lips.
"You wanted to know what he said?" He punctuated each word by slowly peeling off the skin tone stockings, movements deliberately slow – designed to torture.
"What?" She stared at him in a daze. Her mind had emptied, and her body filled up with heat that she wondered if she was going to burst into flames. His clever fingers, long and oh so gentle, was creating complete havoc.
"My dad." He was enjoying the look on her face and could feel the blood pumping heavily inside him.
"What?" She repeated, fingers clenching on the sheets. He had opened her thighs and was working his way up, rubbing the flesh, caressing the skin with soft gentle strokes.
"He said I looked happy." Emotions swelled and soared until he was almost buried.
The look on her exquisite face, the parted lips, her breath coming through in soft delicate pants, warned him that he did not have much time.
"I am. You did that." He was peeling the flimsy excuse of an underwear and tossing it aside.
"Jordan-" Her body arched and bowed, her eyes going blind. He was kneading the flesh of her inner thighs slowly, his eyes on her face. "I can't."
"You can, darling. Let me show you, my sweet."
She cut off a scream as he parted her thighs.
Her body simply melted – just went to pieces.
Just shattered. He was doing things to her with his teeth – And oh good God!
With his tongue. She was dying and knew that she would never be able to survive this.
It was too much! Too much heat, too much fire – She screamed!
Her fingers groping blindly for his hair.
The climax was so earth shattering that she slid back on the bed, her body quivering.
It seemed to go on forever. Her heart was racing and her body so lax, it felt as if she was going into a coma.
Prying her eyes open, she watched breathlessly as he tore off his clothing and joined her.
Positioning her up on the pillows, he turned her to face him, brushing away the tears leaking from her eyes.
Her face was sheened with moisture, sweat beading her upper lip.
Her eyes were slumberous, naked from passion.
"I adore you." His voice was unsteady, his heart quivering. "I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much."
"You're destroying me." She reached for him, burying her face in his throat.
His arms banded around her as she climbed on top of him.
Skimming her hair back, she sheathed him, eyes glittering, lips parted.
Splaying her hands on his chest, she stayed that way for a few pulsing seconds.
It was difficult for him to maintain that position when his body was so hot, he could feel the heat pouring out of him.
Clamping his hands on her hips, he initiated the motion, lifting her slightly and easing into her tight warmth.
His heart shattered – just broke into pieces.
Leaning forward, she offered her breast, cupping the flesh and easing it towards his lips.
He latched on greedily, devouring the rigid flesh until she felt as if she was going to die from the pleasure of it.
Her sensitive flesh reacted violently and within seconds, she came again.
His hands went to her waist, wandering down her hips as he plunged into her over and over again, until they were both mindless, both so caught up in the torrent of passion that nothing else mattered.
The room was filled with sighs, moans and cries – the sweat pouring off their bodies as the pace increased.
She came again, his name tumbling from her lips as she collapsed on top of him.
He poured into her – arms wrapped around her waist, face buried in the hollow of her throat.
His hands gentled around her waist, moving up and down her back in a soothing motion.
"I can't move," she whispered.
"No one's asking you to," he whispered back. "We'll just stay here until someone comes along."
She let out a shaky laugh and settled in, content to do just that.