“That’s stupid,” she interrupted me to hiss. “He has one life. I have one life. Why would you not explore something that might mean happiness? There is no reason. I won’t accept there is. And I do not believe, not for one second, that the man I fell in love with and married who died way too young would not encourage both his friend and me to find happiness even if it meant with each other.”
Well, I had to admit, she had a point there.
Her voice changed, got soft, pleading, “Please, Kia, go and bring him to me.”
I bit my lip.
It was Luci who then caught my hand and when she did she squeezed.
Then she whispered, “This is not a tryst. This is not for fun. He’s my friend too and I love him. I would not do this to him, myself or the memory of my husband if this didn’t mean something to me.”
I believed her. Looking at her, it was impossible not to believe.
But it was more.
She was in love with George “Hap” Cunningham.
“Oh honey,” I whispered back.
I saw bright fill her eyes and she continued, “It isn’t the same. It wasn’t what I had with Travis. It didn’t hit me like a bullet. It snuck up on me. But I go to bed thinking about him and I wake up thinking about him. Now, for months, I’ve been waiting breathlessly for the weekend to come, for Hap to come. And these last three weeks, not having even a little of him, it hurt, cara mia. It was a new kind of pain but I knew, feeling that pain, being separated from him, not knowing what he’s thinking, worried about him, I know he means something to me. I know it’s worth trying. And I know, as a woman knows, the way he kissed me, touched me, that he goes to sleep and wakes up thinking of me. So I must try. Life doesn’t give you two chances to feel that strongly about two men and I cannot waste life, Kia, I cannot.” Her hand squeezed mine and she finished, “You know this just the same as me.”
Boy, did I.
Shit.
Shit!
“I’ll go get him.”
Yep. That was me.
Shit!
She smiled a trembling smile. She was relieved I agreed. But that tremble was something else. The beautiful, ex-supermodel Luciana was worried a man would deny her.
I was worried about the same thing.
Shit.
“Be right back,” I whispered.
“Okay,” she whispered back.
I gave her hand a squeeze.
Then I let her go, turned and walked up the walkway.
I didn’t want to do this and when you didn’t want to do something you had to do, you did it fast and got it out of the way. So that was what I did.
And anyway, Luci was waiting.
I walked right to the deck, right to the grill and therefore right to Hap.
But also right to my husband.
Eek!
“Can you come with me a sec?” I asked Hap, looking in his eyes and ignoring my husband’s eyes on me.
“No,” Hap answered instantly.
He saw me leave with Luci.
“Hap –”
“Don’t go there, babe,” Hap said quietly. It wasn’t mean. It was just quiet.
And, unfortunately, firm.
“What’s goin’ on?” Sam asked and I looked at him.
“Nothin’,” Hap muttered. “I’m gonna go to the beach and pass the ball with the boys.”
“No you’re not, Hap, you’re gonna come with me,” I told him and his eyes came back to me.
“Kia, babe, I said no.”
“And I say you owe her this,” I returned then got close. “I get you, honey, I get the war you’re waging within but there’s a woman waiting for you, she cares about you, you care about her and even just as friends, after what happened, you owe her this.”
Hap glared at me.
Sam semi-repeated, “What the fuck is goin’ on?”
I ignored my husband and endured Hap’s glare.
Then Hap muttered, “Fuck,” and stomped around me toward the walkway.
I started to follow him.
“Kia, baby,” Sam called, I looked over my shoulder and called back, “Explain in a minute, honey.”
Sam looked displeased.
I ignored that (kind of) and hurried after Hap.
I caught up halfway down the walkway and I knew I was right to agree to Luci’s demand when I saw her standing in the drive wearing her heart right on her sleeve.
Oh God. I hoped this worked out right however that right would be.
“Luc, babe, this is not –” Hap started immediately when he stopped three feet from her but I put my hand up and interrupted.
“Nope, no,” I stated then looked between a stony-faced Hap and an unhappy, visibly scared Luci. “Ground rules,” I declared and looked at Luci. “I love you. He loves you.” I jerked a thumb at Hap. “Sam loves you. And Sam told me once no matter how beautiful you are, Luci, and how Luci you are, he would never go there. Never. Because of Gordo. And he meant it, sweetie. It wasn’t an option and if that’s what Hap tells you now, you need to deal with it, process it and accept it. For Hap. And then you have to find it inside you to move on with him in your life the way he used to be.”
The tears started shimmering in her eyes again and when she opened her mouth to speak, I turned to Hap.
“And you,” I began. “You only have this life and the woman who’s standing here right now goes to bed thinking of you, she wakes up thinking of you, she thinks you’re handsome, a good kisser, gentle and you make her laugh. Travis Gordon was a good man and I know you loved him. But do not do something right now that you’re going to regret for the rest of your life because you’re intent on honoring the memory of a dead man. Or because you might be worried about what your buddies might think. Regret is the worst feeling you can feel and that would be compounded knowing the decision you’re about to make will make someone you love feel the same for the rest of hers.”
Hap stared at me, face still stony, jaw still hard but his eyes were heated and I knew I got in there.
Just a little bit.
My work was done.
“All right,” I finished. “This conversation is between the two of you. Have it. Make your decisions based on that and that alone. Whatever happens next, nothing changes for anyone else except you two.” I sucked in breath then ordered, “Commence.”
Then, without looking at either of them, I walked away.
I saw Sam standing at the top of the walkway, arms crossed on his chest, feet planted, eyes on me, face a little bit scary.
I got close to him and instantly tried to push him to the deck.
“What the fuck?” he asked, staying planted, solid, not budging an inch.
I gave up and told him, “Luci and Hap need some privacy.”
Sam’s more than a little bit scary eyes tipped down to me.
“Again, baby, what… the… fuck?”
“Sam –” I started.
“Talk,” he bit off.
“They’re in love,” I whispered and Sam blinked.
Then he declared, “They are fuckin’ not.”
Oh man.
“Yes, honey, they are.”
“They are not.”
“Sam!” I snapped.
“Hap would not do that to Gordo,” Sam announced.
“Sometimes, shit happens,” I said gently.
“Hap… would not… do that… to Gordo,” Sam stated definitively.
I sucked in breath.
Then I whispered, “Gordo’s not here, honey.”
Sam scowled at me then his eyes cut down the walk. I turned to stand by his side and started biting my lip.
Hap had his arms crossed on his chest, legs planted just like Sam making it appear like Sam was right.
Luci was looking beautiful and gorgeously beseeching, leaning into Hap, her fingers curled on his forearm making me hope Luci could pull this off.
Hap shook his head.
Okay, shit, maybe Luci couldn’t pull this off.
&nbs
p; Luci leaned closer and said something.
Hap’s body went visibly still and he shook his head again.
Crap.
Even from a distance, I saw a tear fall from Luci’s eye as she said something else.
Oh God.
Hap shook his head again.
Oh God!
Luci stared at him. Then she nodded and stepped away. Then my heart squeezed as she studied him a half a second, turned on her foot and ran away.
“Fuck,” Sam whispered.
I stopped breathing.
Hap didn’t move.
I forced myself to breathe.
Hap still didn’t move.
I stopped myself from finding something to pick up and throw at him.
Hap dropped his head and looked at his feet.
“Fuck,” Sam repeated, still whispering.
“Go after her,” I whispered to a Hap who couldn’t hear me but I didn’t care. “Go, go, go, go, go after her,” I kept whispering, ending by doing it fiercely.
Hap didn’t move.
Not for awhile.
Then he lifted his head and stared at where Luci last was seen.
That was when my breath started coming fast.
Then he started walking that way.
I pressed my lips together and locked my body to stop myself from jumping up and down and shouting with glee.
“Fuck,” Sam whispered again.
Hap disappeared around the house.
I turned to my husband and lifted my finger to his face.
“Whatever comes of this, you’ll accept it,” I ordered.
His hand shot up, his fingers wrapping around my entire hand including the finger I was wagging in his face and he pulled it down and pressed it to his chest.
He studied me. I glared at him.
Then his lips twitched and he muttered, “Bossy.”
There it was. He was giving in. For me and for his friends.
Thank you, God.
I grinned and leaned into him.
Then I made a decision so I leaned further into him and wrapped my arm around his waist. He let my hand go so he could wrap both his arms around me. My freed hand went up to curl around his neck.
Then I said, “Right, so, drama which could mean good or bad things to the Cooper Household. We won’t know until that plays out.” I jerked my head back to indicate the walkway. “So, now, you want something that could only mean good things to the Cooper Household?”
Sam’s brows drew together.
“Baby, seriously? You’re askin’ that shit?”
I grinned and decided, “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“After bad drama, good drama or uncertain drama, I’m all for learnin’ anything that means good things for the Cooper Household,” he pointed out the obvious making it clear he was irritated yet amused he was pointing out the obvious.
“Right then, I’m pregnant.”
Yes, that’s what I said and that’s how I said it. I just blurted it out.
Sam’s body froze solid and he simply stared at me.
I kept blurting.
“I know we haven’t been trying long,” and this was true, we’d been trying for six weeks but “trying” in Sam World meant he expended a lot of effort, not that I was complaining, “but either you have strong swimmers or my womb is exceptionally welcoming or both because the deed is done. I took three pregnancy tests then the doctor confirmed it. And, I will tell you now, if it’s not a boy, I’m gonna be pissed. I’m sure I’ll be happy with a girl if that’s what she is when she gets here. But right now, I want a boy you can teach how to play football and Memphis and I can sit on the deck and watch you two toss the ball around on the beach.”
Sam remained unmoving and staring at me.
I kept babbling.
“The one after this can be a girl,” I allowed.
Sam continued to stand there, immobile and staring at me.
“Hello, Sampson Cooper?” I called. “Your wife, Kia Cooper is talking to you.”
Sam moved then. He let me go, grabbed my hand and dragged me to the deck.
Then Sam stopped us both and shouted, “Yo! Attention!” Everyone, family, coaches, Skip and the boys who were not on the beach looked at Sam. And Sam, just like Sam, didn’t hesitate to share private news very publicly and he did this by announcing, “Kia’s havin’ my baby.”
“Ohmigod!” I heard Maris screech.
She could say that again.
Jeez, my husband.
“Oh, my sweet baby!” I heard Mom screech.
“Well, all right!” I heard Skip shout.
Dad just stared at me, head tipped to the side, mouth smiling, eyes dancing. Happy.
The boys and coaches hooted and clapped.
Sam let my hand go, curled an arm around my shoulders then he curled me into him and his other arm locked around me. I tipped my head back, smiling at him but when I saw his face, my smile died.
My husband was beautiful. My husband was gentle, protective and loving. My husband was funny but he thought I was funnier. My husband gave me everything.
And I returned the gesture.
But until that moment I didn’t realize I had more to give.
Nor did I know when I gave it, how he would feel.
But I knew looking in his eyes.
I knew it because I felt it in me.
We thought we already had heaven.
We didn’t.
Now we did.
Then he bent his head and kissed me, hard, wet, deep, thorough and long. He did it through more cheering, more hoots, some of his boys shouting lurid encouragement and a loud, ongoing ovation.
I didn’t really hear it.
Neither did he.
Yes, it was that good of a kiss.
Then again, with Sam, it always was.
No matter how many he gave me.
And I knew they always would be.
* * * * *
“Hey, did I wake you?” I whispered into the phone.
It was night, our guests were gone, the house was clean, our family members were in their beds, we had not heard word from Hap or Luci (which I decided meant good things but Sam refused to discuss it through the thirteen times I tried) and I was lying on Sam’s chest, Sam’s arms around me, my cell to my ear, Sam’s eyes on me.
“Yes, ma belle, but that’s okay. Is everything all right?” Celeste asked, sounding sleepy.
“Yes, I just… well, we told everyone today and you weren’t here and you’re part of the everyone who needs to know and I couldn’t wait until you were awake so, well…” I pulled in a breath. “Celeste, honey, I’m pregnant.”
Silence.
“Celeste?” I called.
More silence.
Then I heard a soft, delicate sob.
Yeesh. Only Celeste could make crying sound pretty.
Then I heard, “Kia?”
That was Thomas.
“Hey, Thomas, I’m sorry to wake you both. Is Celeste okay?”
“Not really, she’s crying in my arms. Are you okay?”
“Uh… yeah. I just told her Sam and I are going to have a baby.”
Again silence.
Oh man.
“Thomas?” I called.
“Give me a moment, my love,” he whispered, voice thick.
Oh man!
I looked to Sam as tears filled my eyes. His face got soft and arms gave me a squeeze.
I smiled at him then turned my head, rested my cheek on his chest and waited.
Finally, Thomas said quietly, “We’re happy for you Kia. You and Sam. Very happy.”
“Thank you, Thomas, we are too.”
Then Thomas asked, “What did I say?”
“Sorry?” I asked back.
“I would assume, at this very moment, you, my beautiful Kia, are content in the knowledge you’ve done very well and I would further assume your husband is not too far away and he’s feeling much the same thing, except, perhaps, more.”
&n
bsp; I closed my eyes but the tears still escaped, wetting Sam’s skin. His hand slid up and cupped the back of my head as his other arm got tight and stayed that way.
That would be yes. Thomas assumed right.
I didn’t answer but I knew Thomas heard my probably not nearly as pretty sob.
And I knew this when he whispered, “Told you so.”
I sobbed louder.
Sam slid the phone from my hand; I wrapped my arm around him tight and listened to him murmur into my phone. Then I listened to him flip it shut. Then I heard it clatter on the nightstand.
Then both Sam’s arms were back around me, pulling me up his chest, he rolled me to my back, him on top and one hand went to my face to wipe away my tears.
“We have good friends,” I told him.
“Yeah we do,” Sam agreed, his eyes coming to mine then he whispered, “Wish Ben was here today.”
Tears filled my eyes again, my hand lifted to cup his cheek and I whispered back, “I do too.”
He kept going. “Gordo too.”
I nodded and swallowed.
Sam’s eyes held mine.
Then, still whispering, eyes intense, he said, “Love you, baby.”
He loved me. Me. All that was him loved all that was me.
“Love you, too, honey.”
I watched my husband smile.
Then I closed my eyes because he kissed me.
Then he made love to me.
And after, I fell asleep in the arms of a powerful man, content in the knowledge that I did very well…
And he did too.
* * * * *
Two and a half years later…
Coming home from his work managing the dining room in an exclusive hotel on Lago di Como, Paolo Garibaldi opened his postbox and saw the padded envelope inside.
He smiled. Then he grabbed it, hurried into his apartment building, up the stairs and through his door. He didn’t take his shoes off his aching feet. He didn’t pour himself a much needed glass of full-bodied, red Italian wine. He didn’t do anything he normally did.
He tore into the envelope.
He pulled out the piece of paper, unfolded it and saw, like always, she’d had her message translated.