The sunlight streaming through the clerestory window landed on Tracy where she lay reading on the bed. William sat drinking tea, pretending to read as well, but in reality he was studying her naked form. He delighted in the fact that she was comfortable enough with her own body to remain nude, although she complained about a thickening waistline. He could not yet perceive a change in her body.
Tracy lay on her belly, knees bent, feet in the air crossed at the ankle, while William allowed his eyes to move slowly over her pale skin, feeling like a voyeur as he took so much pleasure in through his eyes without her knowledge. She was up on her elbows, and her feet gently rocked back and forth, and he adored her rounded bottom and the two dimples above her butt cheeks. 'Dimples of Venus' had always been a favorite part of the female body and Tracy's were pronounced. He thought about how he loved to dig his two thumbs into those indentations when it occurred to him that she would not be able to lie on her belly much longer. His mind shifted to the baby growing inside of this beautiful woman on his bed and he smile at remembering his sister's reaction to the news; after the initial shock, she was thrilled. William felt the same way.
"What are you thinking about?" Tracy asked, looking up from her book.
"Being a father."
Tracy rolled on to her side, giving William a frontal view. She wanted to ask how he was feeling about being a dad, but was afraid to hear the answer. She was still getting used to the idea herself and had contradictory emotions, so instead she asked, "Are you going to tell your parents?"
"Of course, but maybe not during this trip. I'll wait and see how things go. Besides, this visit is about Kate and the new baby."
Tracy nodded in agreement. They were booked on a flight to Chicago that afternoon and Kate was in surgery this morning, having a scheduled C-section. Tracy didn't like the idea of meeting William's parents and immediately hitting them with the news of her pregnancy. Besides, they would have the new baby Connor on their minds.
"Do you get nervous about flying?" Tracy asked.
"Not at all. Do you?"
"No. I prefer trains, but that has more to do with comfort."
"Yes, but it's only a two hour flight and our seats are in first class."
"Really?" Tracy asked, "Do you always fly first class?"
"No, not usually. I just want to make sure you are comfortable. Especially in your condition." William answered.
Tracy replied, "Come here, sweetheart."
He rose from his chair and went over to lie next to her, both on their sides looking at each other. "You are really good to me, but coach would be just fine. I'm not a princess," she said as she lightly tickled the hair on his chest.
"Not a princess, but precious cargo. In fact, precious cargo carrying precious cargo," William's hand stroked her still-flat belly. "Everything that matters to me is right here in this bed right now," he said, and rolled on to his back and pulled Tracy on top of him as his hands found their way to the 'dimples of Venus.'
"How much time do we have?" Tracy asked.
"At least an hour before we even need to get ready."
"Good," Tracy laughed, "Enough time to adhere to the two-to-one ratio." And she kissed and licked his lips, inviting his tongue to play with hers.
* * * * *
"Were you able to get my stuff into a storage unit?" Andy asked.
Vera hesitated before answering, "No, not exactly."
Andy didn't know what to say. It was a favor; she didn't owe him anything, but then again she said she would do it. Well, he wouldn't complain. It was mostly clothing since his wife took almost everything when they split up. Besides, he didn't want to trouble Vera. He already felt indebted to her and couldn't believe she made the long drive to come visit him again.
"Andy, it really wasn't much stuff. It seemed a waste to pay a storage facility when I have plenty of room at my place."
Andy thought for a second, "Oh, so do you want me to pay you to store my stuff?"
"Ugh!" Vera groaned, and then looked at Andy, exasperated that she had to spell it out for him, "No, Andy! Don't you get it? You don't need to pay me to store your stuff for you! You don't ever have to pay me for anything ever again!"
"Oh," Andy answered, trying to process what she was saying. Does that mean she wouldn't accept him as a client anymore?
Vera's face and voice both softened, "Look Andy, I feel pretty guilty about you being in here. I mean I know it's not my fault, but if I'd known about your financial situation, I wouldn't have accepted your money."
"Yeah, but that's why I couldn't tell you. I didn't want to..." Andy looked around to make sure no one was listening, "I didn't want to stop being your client."
Vera looked down at the table, giving Andy a chance to admire her cleavage, and then she looked up at him and asked, "Are you really dense enough to believe you're just a client to me?"
Andy hesitated, hoping not to reveal too much or blow it by making assumptions, "Well...no...I mean, we are obviously friends, but even that surprises me. I still can't believe that you'd come all this way to visit. You've been a really good friend to me."
"I'm your 'good friend' then, Andy?" then she whispered in a hissing tone, "And do you want to fuck all your good friends?"
Andy flushed and turned red, "Well no, Vera. I didn't mean...uh...well...I just don't want to make you uncomfortable?"
"Too late, Andy. You made me horribly un-fucking-comfortable by going to jail. You made me horribly uncomfortable by making me have to deal with how much I miss you and how much you mean to me. I am uncomfortable Andy. I don't think I'll be completely comfortable until you are out of here."
A warm feeling spread throughout Andy's body, starting in his chest and reaching all the way to the tips of his toes and his skull. Vera really did have feelings for him. He smiled at her, basking in the warmth of her statement, wishing he could feel the warmth of her arms and her mouth. But he could not, so he offered her the best condolence he could. "Two more months, Vera. Two months and I'm outta' here and then I am gonna fuck you so hard I'm gonna rattle your fillings loose."
Vera threw her head back and laughed a big open-mouthed laugh, "You better make good on that promise, Andy. You owe me. Big time." She winked at him, before she rose to go.
* * * * *
William looked up from his reading, as he heard the announcement to fasten seat belts. They were about to land and Tracy was asleep with her head on his shoulder. "Buckle up, Kitten. We are close to landing."
Tracy smiled with her eyes still closed and said, "I dreamt we had a little boy, and he kept saying 'look mommy, look at me!' as he was running around on a grassy field."
William rubbed her cheek with his thumb. The thought of having a son with a healthy mom momentarily eclipsed the anxiety he was feeling about seeing his own mother.
After a pleasantly uneventful landing and car rental, they were on the road, making their way to St. Charles, William's hometown. "It feels wonderful to drive a car again," William said as soon as they were on the road. "I don't miss driving, but when I do get behind the wheel it feels fantastic to be in control of the speed."
"We should take a road trip, sometime." Tracy said.
"I would love that. Maybe next summer we can drive across the country?"
Tracy hesitated. She hated to be a killjoy, but she felt frustrated that he seemed to forget at times that she was pregnant. "Um, well...there will be three of us next summer."
William nodded in agreement, silently considering that this would be his last summer not being a parent. Tracy went on, "Maybe we could do something before the baby comes? Something shorter? It seems like too much with a newborn."
William remained silent for several minutes, and then asked Tracy the date the baby was expected.
"June 3
rd
."
"Wow." William was quiet again, which Tracy interpreted as disappointment. After a few minutes he broke the silence with, "What do you think of taking a vacation in April? Perhaps you will not be comfortable enough for a long road trip, but we could fly somewhere and rent a car. I really wanted to visit that ghost town you are writing about. Isn't Bodie in Nevada?"
Tracy looked at William and felt overcome with love for him at that moment, for she had erroneously assumed he was feeling negatively about how his life was changing without his control. "Seriously, William? If you are trying to make me fall in love with you, it is too late. Being completely in love with you feels like the most certain thing in my rapidly changing life."
William glanced at her with surprise, not knowing what he had said to make her happy, but glad she was pleased.
"California," Tracy said, "near Nevada, though."
"Ah, we should look at a map, but I would love to fly to San Francisco. I have always wanted to see that city and perhaps we could see Yosemite too."
"Oooo, that is perfect! I've studied the area and Reno and Sacramento are the closest airports, but I love your idea of seeing San Francisco."
William took his hand off the wheel to place it on Tracy's bare knee. They were getting close to the hospital and William had received a text stating that Kate and baby "Connor" were both doing well and the entire family was at the hospital. William told Tracy more about Kate, her husband and son, and about their parents. He tried to prepare Tracy, but admittedly he didn't know what his mom would say or how she would act. When they reached the hospital, William asked, "Are you nervous?"
"No. Should I be?"
"No, no, of course not. Kate will love you, my dad loves everybody, and I hope my mother does not make you uncomfortable in any way."
"She's allowed, William. She has an illness."
William was quiet for a moment before saying, "I am glad you understand that, Tracy. You will not have the normal satisfaction of meeting someone's mother and making a good impression based on merit. But I don't want you to feel ..."
