“Hmmmmmmmmmm, Ken!” Eliza moaned under her breath, desperately gasping for some air. She grabbed at the white sheets tight, groping Ken’s waist with her long, lean legs. She loved taking short amorous looks at the man who roamed on top of her. A low jerky sigh escaped her while Ken ran his hands down her neck, his fingers tracing her delicate collarbone in fulsomeness.
The way the couple made love this early morning had diffused whatever memory was left of their fierce argument. She had almost been shocked that she slapped Ken, because of his inability to understand her needs. She had never laid a hand on her husband before, but this time she had been overtired and angry from continually shouting.
The ferocity of their arguments almost always led to sex.
Eliza felt her husband pull back with a groan and collapsed onto the pillow beside her. He was grinning away with total satisfaction, a sight that she loved to see. It felt like old times.
The curtain was drawn, darkening the room with a cross between navy blue and murky gray. The bed was the hotel room’s main feature. All the other furniture was carelessly placed around the enormous divan where the two remained in peaceful glory.
Ken let go of his pillow and kissed Eliza’s hair, holding her tight in his arms. He had never understood why his wife had lost her personality. The worry and verbal tussle brought her state of mind to depression, and her adventurous fighting spirit vanished. Eliza always used to support his endeavors, but now something in her had changed. He hoped that this short trip to Ohio would help to rekindle their happiness, even if he planned to fight at a tournament later today.
He only hoped that his house cleaners were taking care of Ryu back home. It was almost likely that his best friend was babysitting Sakura, Sean and Mel single-handedly, but Ken did promise him that.
“This feels so good, honey,” Eliza hummed, readjusting her head on his chest. “We can spend the whole day like this. Naked and alone.”
Ken buried his hand into her hair, separating the golden strands and gently kissing her. He pulled back to cast her an amorous look, then guiltily dropped his gaze.
“Yeah,” he suddenly blurted, pulling himself up to stretch and yawn. “Wish we could, babes, but we’ve got a full day ahead of us, right?”
Peering at his body, Eliza grabbed the bed sheet against her in dismay. She let out a frustrated gasp. She should have known that making love with him would do nothing to change his mind about the event. She had a bad feeling about it, and she was pained that he didn’t take her seriously.
“You’re still going ahead with it then, huh?” she said bluntly.
Ken’s spine tingled hearing the bitterness in her voice. “It’s just for the afternoon. We have now and the entire evening together, hon. No distractions.”
He watched her, disheartened, as she heaved another sigh.
“Okay, Liz, what’s up?” he said, clearly aggravated. “I’m trying my best here. Actually, I’m trying my damned hardest.”
Eliza stared straight at an oil painting of a potted sunflower. She didn’t want to talk for fear that she would be repetitious, with Ken only hearing what he wanted to hear. She didn’t like the person she was becoming. Bossy, clingy, unsupportive, but how could she support him with all the changes that were overcoming her? Ken was so blinded by the passion to train again that he hadn’t even noticed the changes in her body.
She wanted an ordinary life, a normal husband who would come home straight to his wife instead of being squeezed in between meetings and trainings across the world.
Noting her silence, Ken skulked to the suite bathroom, roughly combing his knotted hair with his fingers. In all honesty, he had lost what little patience he had with her. He didn’t want to waste his energy arguing again. It simply wasn’t worth it.
“Asshole,” Eliza muttered under her breath, pulling on a sleeveless turquoise sweater. Gingerly, she traced her hand over her stomach, then slammed a fist against the hard mattress.
“Good to see you’ve changed at least,” Ken said, re-emerging into the room fully dressed. “The taxi will be arriving in half an hour.”
Eliza ignored him, but felt his hand on her face, forcing her to look at him.
“Liz,” he said softly. “I need my leading girl to cheer me on. It’s up to you if you want to be a part of this, but just know that I can’t do it without you.”
She dropped her gaze to a burnt spot on the carpet. Her heart stung with the realization that she had stopped being his partner a very long time ago. In the past, she had made an effort to help him train by dressing in her gym gear and practicing with him. She used to love putting on a pair of focus pads, and watching Ken’s exhilaration with each strike. Training with him made Eliza understand why he and Ryu were so close, but one day, she had stopped walking into the dojo.
“I didn’t realize we were leaving so soon,” Eliza said, trying her best to provoke some excitement in herself for him, but it was a struggle and a chore.
“I’m guessing you’re coming, right? Can I trust my wife to watch me fight again?” Ken smiled at her just a little. “Liz, you’re still my strength at the ringside. You always have been.”
“It doesn’t feel like it,” she said in a small voice, her heart fluttering at his words. It seemed to her that he always acted as if he was better off without her.
He lifted her chin up and she watched his smile grow.
“You’re the only reason I win, babes,” he said, leaning forward so that their heads were touching. “The prize of hot sex is always a keeper.”
“You big jerk,” Eliza laughed, slapping at his chest playfully.
“So you see,” he continued in the same soft tone, “I need you at the tournament because you’re my strength, my inspirational life line.”
“Ken,” Eliza said, stepping away from him.
She hid her face behind her hair, anxious to reveal to him her big news. She nervously picked at her chin before turning to face him again.
“I worry about your safety when you’re out fighting.”
His smile dropped. He anticipated something familiar and ugly to rouse any minute now. So much for romance, he bitterly thought.
“When it was just you and me, we had only ourselves to think of, so it was easy to get caught up in the tournament lifestyle. But Mel is a teenager now, and he’s picking up your habits and passions without understanding the dangers involved. It’s kinda scary.”
She paused for a moment, then continued. “He doesn’t see the blood you bring home, the broken arm you love to sport, and the nightmares you sometimes see. I know we promised for Mel to never see the horrors martial arts brings, but...if anything was to ever happen to you in a fight, I know Mel would want to avenge--”
“Liz, seriously!” He gave a short mirthless laugh. “We’ve been through this a billion times already. It’s getting boring, you know.”
Eliza looked angry again.
“Listen,” he said, placing a finger over Eliza’s lips. “Since Akuma’s return, it’s made me realize just how much I need to get back into training, you know, to help Ryu and all. Didn’t I promise you that I’d only fight when I knew I had to? Why do you think I took over Dad’s business and gave all this up? Eliza, fighting is in my blood. I’ve trained in diapers. It’s a piece of cake and I’m not going to let some third grader put a scratch on me.”
“Oh for Christ sakes, Ken,” she bawled, placing his hand on her stomach.
He flinched, widening his eyes at her sudden gesture.
“I’m pregnant,” she said sharply.
*****
Chapter 27:
TAXI