“Of course. You know they were trying to vote me out? I swear there is no loyalty in this world anymore.”
“You and Charles are doing well, yeah? I went down to the hospital a couple of times when I found out and he was always there. I think he didn’t leave at all until you woke up.”
Dahlia smiled. He was the only good thing that had come out of it all, but even that may change. There was a distance between them. They had not made love since it all happened. Dahlia almost didn’t want to anymore; the idea that she could never get pregnant again seemed to take away some of the want of it. It was different when their love would result in another human being, half him, half her. The reality though, was less than what was to be desired.
“Yes, he has been amazing. I think Dad may have been right, but all of this is straining to a new marriage. There is also something specific I would like to talk to you about.”
Alfred sat back in his chair. He had a feeling he knew what it was going to be about. “The clause?”
“There was more than just losing our child, Alfred. I will not be able to ever have a child again. The doctors gave me the impression of little to no hope of it ever happening again. I won’t get into details, but me having a child is not in my cards anymore. What does that mean for the will and business?”
“Well, Dahlia. I will admit that Charles and me had a discussion about this already.” He put his hands up in defense at the flare that came in her eyes. “Don’t be mad. He was just trying to settle things for you so you didn’t have to. The fact is, it does not state you have to have the child per say. You could use a surrogate or even adopt. With your father it was never about an heir, but for you and Charles to have enough between you that you wouldn’t divorce him after a year. Johnston knows how fiercely independent you are and he worried about you never compromising enough to find love. You have found love and now, there are many ways that you can finish the clause.”
She sat back in her own chair and looked at the old man. He was almost as bad as her father when it came to trying to manipulate and run her life. She loved them both, but she hated the idea of them trying to control her. That Charles had spoken to him without talking to her bothered her as well. The last thing she needed was a bunch of men deciding her future, no matter how close to them she was.
“Well I'm here now to take care of things Alfred. So you're telling me that any way I get a child is good enough? What about foster care?”
“It has to be permanent, Dahlia.”
“Well, my son was going to be permanent. There is no way to get an extension or something?”
“No. We could go to court, but you still have ten months and I think that will be plenty of time. You two are perfect together and I know it will work out. You have been through so much. I wonder sometimes how you are still standing. Just like Johnston in that way, you're so strong.”
“Thank you, Alfred. You have always been loyal, but I don’t feel very strong today. I don’t know if I will ever be the same. I talked to James before I came over here.”
Alfred looked stunned. It was about the same look Charles had given her, like she was slightly off her rocker. “I wouldn’t think you would ever want to see him again.”
“I just wanted him to know that I was okay and I would be testifying in his trial to make sure he never got out. Oh and of course, I showed him the check I had you write.”
“I hated to do it. That boy didn’t deserve a dime of that money.”
“Well he won’t get it now, Alfred, though I should have given it to him sooner. Maybe my child would still be alive…” Dahlia fought back tears, unsure what to do or say. She thanked the older man and walked out of his office building before she embarrassed herself any further. Johnston had always told her to never show her weakness. As a woman, it was pushed even more.
“No one likes a cry baby,” her father would remind her.
There were still several hours until Charles would be home from work, so she sat in her car, debating what she should do. Dahlia didn’t want to go to work, especially with all those traitors. If it was her idea, she would have fired them all then and there, but she knew that would be rash and not at all what was best for the business. Her dreams of walking away were already being dashed. What would she do anyways? All she had done since she was able was work.
She found herself driving to Black Industries on the other side of town. It may have sounded silly, but she really needed to see Charles. She needed that morning kiss that she had missed and quite frankly, she just needed a hug from him. Dahlia parked in the lot out back and made her way to the entrance. She knew that Charles would make her feel better by default. He always did.
***
Charles was in the middle of his own business problems, but when he saw his wife come in, he left the meeting and gave her a big hug. He had not expected her there that day and she was the boost that he needed.
“My love. I didn’t know you were coming or I would have waited for you to go to lunch.”
“Food is not what I'm hungry for, Charles. I have had a really bad day and I need you now.”
His blue eyes narrowed and he looked at her. “Does that mean…?”
She nodded her head. It was not unknown to her that he had been waking up rock-hard and having to take care of it in the shower. She heard him a few times, but didn’t have the energy or wherewithal to actually go in there. It had been a couple of weeks since they had made love and it was clear that she was not the only one missing the physical part of their marriage. It was such a big part of the early relationship, that for the days that they went without, it was like a bigger divide coming between them.
“Unless you are too busy Charles…I guess I could wait till you get home.”
He kissed her right then and there, in front of most of the people on their floor. Everyone was surprised to see him show affection in front of them. Charles was not known for his lovable ways and there was one woman in particular that did not like to see the flagrant display in front of her. The blonde eyed her competition and though most women would have thought they had lost when their man got married to another, Charles was still that, hers, and she planned to fight for him.
Dahlia pushed him back, her body ready and her face smiling. “I see you have missed me too.”
He didn’t say a word, but moved her towards the end office that he occupied. Charles thought of how thankful he was that he had made sure to put in better blinds. It was for moments like this that he had. Shutting the door behind him, Dahlia backed up from his animalistic eyes. He looked at her as if he was going to devour her whole.
The desk stopped her from moving away from him anymore. When he came towards her, his hands were already on his tie as soon as he locked the door behind him. He had no intentions on anyone breaking up their love fest.
Pulling the shirt out of his pants, he stopped in front of her with his hands on the buttons. Dahlia’s slightly trembling hands took over. She needed it as much as he did. The connection that came when the two lovers touched again. When his shirt was pushed back onto his shoulders, she groaned. She had missed her husband.
Her hands touched his hard chest, fingers playing in the light hairs that covered his chest. “I have missed you, love.”
Dahlia couldn’t have agreed more and when he kissed her again, he took her breath away. It was what she had needed, his touch and love. It exuded out of him and she was helpless to not feel it. “Charles, I'm sorry I made you wait so long.”
He nodded his head. “Dahlia, I would wait forever for you.”
She knew that what he said was true and all she wanted to do was hold him. Charles had other ideas though and was quickly working on getting her clothes off instead of his own. Her curvy body called to him every night and he was dying to get back inside of her.
Charles unbuttoned her shirt much as he had done his own. His mouth immediately went to her begging breasts, holding them in his hands while he swirled his tongue around her dark nipples. She moaned and then gasped as he lifted her up onto the desk. She was sitting on papers, but neither one of them cared. She could think of nothing more important than his hands on her.
Her head fell back as her arms held onto his neck so that she didn’t fall. He kept her at the edge with his mouth, suckling on her until she was wet from the mere touch. Charles played her body like a fiddle and it was hard for her to go. Already she was close to coming and he hadn’t done more than kiss her lips and her breasts. Just being around him made her wet and she was soon squirming for more.
“Please, Charles. Now!”
He nodded his head, chuckling. Charles had no intention of rushing it. He needed more than just to be inside of her. His real pleasure was gleaned from her coming and once was never enough. He wanted to taste her essence and feel her body rack with pleasure as she called out his name. There was an issue of sound, but like her, he ran his business so while there may be dirty looks of his actions, no one would say a word to his face about it.
Moving down her stomach, he paused for a minute at the flatness. It was not supposed to be that way, but he pushed it from his mind. Her moans and hands pushed him further, begging him to give her more than a few touches. “Baby, I need you, please.”