Somewhere in His Arms (46 page)

             
“And then?” Lucy traced her finger along his lips. “Details!”

             
“I didn't enjoy it much if that makes you feel any better and I don't think she did either, but I was naïve about women.”

             
“And....?”

             
“And the next day, I overheard her and the mate arguing. He'd paid her to sleep with me!”

             
“What--?”

             
“I guess he felt sorry for me,” he sighed wearily. “He shouldn't have bothered. I left for university the next day and hadn't been with a woman since. You were the first woman I'd slept with when I deflowered you on our wedding night.”

             
“You're joking!” she cried in disbelief.

             
“Oh no,” he smiled up at her and drew a lock of hair over her lips. “That's probably why I hurt you so much. I don't think I knew what I was doing.”

             
Tears filled her eyes. “You
didn't
hurt me!” she wept. “Alec, you didn't have to be alone. The scars aren't that bad!”

             
He pressed his finger against her trembling mouth. “Years of surgeries, love. You should have seen what they looked like before.”

             
“It wouldn't have mattered!” she insisted and brushed her lips against his hand. “You're beautiful!”

             
“Don't weep for me, wife. Sleeping with you was the best thing I've ever done in my miserable life!”

             
She laughed a little. “But you
did
know what you were doing. How's that?”

             
Alec lay silent for a long while before answering: “Porn can be very educational in the right context. Oh, and stacks of Mills & Boon novels.”

             
He burst out laughing then, feeling the horrible weight he'd carried so long being lifted, and Alec rolled suddenly, pinning his wife beneath him. He couldn't stop laughing and Lucy mussed his hair, giggling along with her silly husband.

             
They lay together for a long time, feeling the salty ocean breeze teasing their hair and staring up at the sky. Later, he carried her to bed and they watched TV huddled under the comforter until they got sleepy, and he fell asleep...cradled in her arms.

             
Alec pulled up in front of Rudy's house and killed the engine. “Are you sure you want to do this, love?”

             
“Yes and no,” she said, her lips trembling a little. “But I want to see Tia.”

             
“Rudy sent her off to New York for a while.”

             
“But she's better now.”

             
“I hope so, love,” he made a face and helped her out of the car. “At least you don't have to worry about making dinner!”

             
“I don't mind,” she smiled, and toyed with the collar of his blue plaid shirt. “I want to show you off. You're very handsome, you know.
              “Is that right?”

             
Lucy nodded and peered down at the pale mint dress she had on. “Do I look all right?” she asked worriedly.

             
He surveyed his petite wife and decided she looked more than “all right.” Damned beautiful in fact. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a light green scarf, her new fringe framed the lovely visage, and made her look about five-years younger. She wore a lemon yellow cardigan and matching mint ballet flats. She was adorable.

             
“You look smashing, love,” he reassured her, kissing her hand. “You always do.”

             
Relieved, she took her husband's arm and they walked up the cobbled drive to the familiar scrolled door. She felt funny being here after everything that had happened, Lucy only hoped she wouldn't run shrieking from them all. They knocked and the door flew open. Tia was there.

             
Alec had been a little apprehensive about bringing Lucy back to the place where she almost lost her life, and the little woman's hysterical wails in the emergency room hadn't helped matters any. They'd had to sedate her and wheel her off to another room, while Alec had had to deal with seeing his wife lying on a gurney like a broken China doll.

             
But he needn't have worried. Tia held Lucy at arm's length for inspection while her mother's eye took in the results of Alec's loving care. Lucy had gained weight, filling out her face, and there was a happy gleam in her dark eyes that Tia hadn't seen before. She peered up at the young man standing nervously beside the girl she considered a daughter and decided he wasn't the villain she'd made him out to be. It was obvious he adored Lucy from the way he was looking at her and Lucy seemed just as wild about him. She nodded at Alec and gave Lucy a warm hug.
“Lucita!”

             
Lucy returned the embrace and patted the woman's back consolingly. “You haven't called me that since I was five-years old!”

             
Tia pulled away, swiping at her eyes. “I'm sorry I didn't visit in the hospital,” she began.

             
“Oh, stop!” Lucy admonished lightly and held out her hand. “Look!” she said, glancing shyly at her husband. “We're engaged!”

             
The woman squealed with delight, admiring the heart-shaped diamond. “It's about time!” she said, tossing an accusing glance at Alec.

             
Alec shifted awkwardly in his new shoes. They were pinching his feet something dreadful. “Well,” he said finally, “I had a lot of convincing to do!” He grinned down at his wife who was giggling at his discomfort. “She's
very
stubborn!”

             
“Si,”
Tia agreed, clicking her tongue and shaking her finger at Lucy. “Listen to him, he knows things!”

             
“He does,” Lucy sighed happily, staring up at Alec with something akin to hero worship.

             
Tia nodded her head in approval.
Yes, this one would do nicely.
She hadn't cared for the other one. He'd been too in love with himself to ever love Lucy the way she deserved. She was about to say something in that regard when she heard Rudy coming down the hall, swearing up a storm. “Are they here, yet? I'm starving!”

             
“Mister Rudy!” she called to him. “We have guests!”

             
Rudy rounded the corner to find them looking at him as if he'd lost his ever loving mind. “Oh, there you are!” he said, adjusting his tie with some embarrassment. “Tia, why didn't you say something?”

             
“I did,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes and gesturing towards Lucy. “Want to help me in the kitchen?”

             
Lucy hesitated at first and Alec's hand on her arm tightened, but she braved a smile and nodded. She had to do this. To prove once and for all, that Reese hadn't broken her completely. “It's all right,” she said to him and allowed Tia to steer her towards the kitchen. She stood in the doorway for a moment, staring numbly at the floor. The Spanish tiles were gone, as well as the table Reese had flung her across. Rudy had replaced everything. It looked like an entirely different room. “Everything's gone!” she muttered in dismay.

             
Tia nodded and placed a pot on the new electric stove. “He tore out everything,” she gestured towards the floor. “They were the first to go.” She paused and her voice broke a little. “They couldn't remove---” she turned away and began smashing the potatoes vigorously.

             
“Tia...”

             
“Si?”

             
“Let me do that.”

             
Lucy took the masher from the woman's trembling hand and took up where she left off. “It's okay,” she patted Tia's fragile shoulder. “I'm better now.”

             
“Si,”
Tia smiled gratefully and donned a pair of oven mitts to check on the turkey.

             
“I thought we were having your world famous tacos,” Lucy frowned as Tia basted the bird.

             
“Mister Rudy wanted to have Thanksgiving early.”

             
“Why?”

             
“He's afraid he won't see you anymore when you leave.”

             
Lucy rolled her eyes and added some cream and butter to the potato mixture. “Oh, for heaven's sakes!” she grumbled. “We don't know
when
we're leaving. Alec said he wants to hold off for another month at least. He thinks I'm going to fall apart if he handles me too much.”

             
“He loves you.”

             
“I know,” Lucy said, blushing a little. “But I'm not going anywhere. I made it this far!”

             
Tia chortled to herself and closed the oven door. “He's right, you
are
stubborn!”

             
“I
am
not!”

             
“Where in London do you think you'll live?”

             
“I have no idea.”

             
“He doesn't know?”

             
“Oh, he knows!” Lucy said, stirring the potatoes and taking a spoonful to taste. “He's just not talking!”

             
Tia took the spoon from her and urged Lucy to sit at the new table. “Here,” she said, handing her a bowl of salad to mix. “See if I put too much dressing.”

             
Lucy took a small radish. “It's perfect.” She added a small pinch of salt and covered the bowl with plastic wrap. “Tia, where's Moe?” she asked suddenly, wondering what had happened to Rudy's cat. She'd been afraid Reese had done something terrible to him.

             
“He ran off that day.”

             
“You haven't found him, yet?”

             
“Oh, we
found
him,” Tia said, wiping her hands on a towel and sitting down across from her. “Mister Rudy found him down the street at Mrs. Zavala's house.”

             
“Was he all right?”

             
“She spoils him rotten with raw fish,” Tia rolled her eyes in disgust. “Mister Rudy went to get him and he wouldn't leave.”

             
“What do you mean
he
wouldn't leave? He's a cat!”

             
“He's a backstabbing, mangy varmint, and I never want to see him again!” Rudy said from the doorway. “She can have him!” he swore and marched off muttering to himself. “I'm getting a dog! At least they don't leave you for sushi!”

             
The two women exchanged glances and burst into a fit of giggles.

              Tia served up a splendid feast. They sat in the formal dining room and gorged themselves on turkey and all the trimmings. Alec was certain he wouldn't be able to eat for a month. “How's the turkey?” Lucy whispered to him as she passed him the potatoes.

             
“Blimey good!” he grinned and took a heaping spoonful. “These potatoes are just as good as me mum's.”

             
“That's good,” she said. “Because I made them.”

             
“See?” he grinned and took another forkful. “I said you were a good cook!”

             
“Save some room for dessert, English,” she retorted. “I don't want to have to roll you back to the house!”

             
He chewed happily and tipped her a wink. His mum was going to adore his wife.

             
After dinner, they had slices of Tia's pumpkin and sweet potato pie. Later, she and Lucy retired to the living room to chat and Alec was left minding Rudy.

             
They sat at the table sipping coffee. “How is she?” Rudy asked first.

             
“As well as can be expected,” Alec sighed, sipping his coffee. “She hasn't been sleeping well.

             
“Oh?”

             
“She wakes up in the middle of the night and I find her in the living room sitting in the dark watching reruns. The doctor gave her something but she refuses to take them.”

             
“It takes time, especially since with the baby and everything.” Rudy set his cup down. “Have you seen Gavin, yet?”
              Alec nearly spewed his coffee onto Tia's white damask tablecloth. “He wouldn't see me and I've washed me hands of the little twat!”