The Pieces We Keep(139)

“Gene, someday I’d love for us to travel together. But all of that can wait. Besides, you know I want to work again when Judith gets older, so I could just save up again. Until then, the house would be so big, it would be like living on our own island.” The thought of the home’s spaciousness guided her to the last missing component.

She ran her hand over the fabric of his shirt, the slightly softened muscles. “I should tell you, though, there is one problem with the house.” Arching a brow, she said, “We’d have an entire third bedroom to fill.”

He didn’t respond, even to her playful tack.

Few decent men would accept a dime from others, including their wives. At least not without minimal protest. This she had anticipated. But his resistance seemed to stem from something else. Something he wasn’t saying.

She flattened her palm over his heart, wishing she could read his pulse. “If there’s another issue,” she said, “you know you can tell me.”

He layered his fingers over hers, snug to his chest, as if to prevent her from floating away.

“Gene?” she said, leaning closer.

For several seconds he gazed at their hands, then into her eyes. Softly he replied, “We’ll buy it.”

She stared at him, disbelieving. “We’ll buy . . .”

“The house.”

“But–I thought-you haven’t-” She dropped her chin. “You’re not teasing me, are you?”

His lips curved into a smile, and he shook his head.

Vivian covered her mouth to keep a squeal from waking Judith. Like their toddler at supper, giddiness poured through her. She planted kisses on Gene’s cheeks, then lips, and it didn’t take long for those kisses to intensify. When at last she drew her head back, their breaths were equally ragged.

“So, what’s that you were saying?” he asked. “About a new bedroom to fill?”

She gave a shrug. “I thought a sewing room might be nice.”

“Sewing, huh?”

“Or a storage room. You know, for Judith’s old clothes and toys.” She worked to keep a straight face. “Unless you had another suggestion.”

She had barely finished her sentence when he rolled her onto her back. Her giggle became a soft moan from the feel of his mouth-on her neck, her shoulder, her chest-and the pressure of his body covering hers. His kisses then slowed, so sensual they made each of her toes curl. “I’ve got a few ideas,” he whispered, and he slid her nightgown upward.





In a daze from their night together, Vivian waded less than efficiently through the morning routine. She dribbled apple juice on Judith’s dress, added cream to her own coffee-she always drank it black-and fried Gene’s egg to a crisp. Not that he minded much. At the front door, his good-bye kiss made clear he had other things on his mind, like ways to demonstrate more of his ideas.

Returning from the entry, she asked Judith, “Are you ready for some toast, lovey bug?”

“Yep, yep, yep.” In the high chair, the girl had covered her tray with applesauce designs.

Vivian knew she should reprimand her for playing with her food, but Judith’s toothy grin won out. “Whatever am I going to do with you?” Vivian said with a smile. She grabbed a dishrag from the counter and discovered Gene had forgotten his lunch pail.

Apparently Vivian was not the only one distracted.

“I have to go catch Daddy,” she said, snagging the container. “You stay here in your seat.”

“I go too!” Judith stretched her arms and leaned over the chair, willing to dive headfirst. Tenacity was clearly a trait Vivian had handed down.

“Okay, okay. We need to hurry, though.” No time to fetch a sweater. With Judith on her hip, she sped out the door, through the building, and into the sunlight. Gene was already two blocks down. “Gene, wait!” she yelled.

“Gene, wait!”Judith parroted, loud enough to turn him.

Vivian raised the black lunch pail, summoning him back. Against the morning chill she held Judith close as Gene returned. He bypassed the metal pail to tickle Judith’s side. “Who you callin’ Gene, missy?”

Judith gleefully wiggled, making Vivian laugh. “Go on, now, Captain. You don’t want to be late.”

He smiled and kissed them both but stopped short of leaving. “Say, Vivi, why don’t we take a trip? Just the two of us. Get away for a while.”

“Well, I’d love to ... but Judith, she’s so young.”

“Oh, she’d be fine with my sister. They adore each other. Don’t you, Jujube?”

Judith was too busy licking applesauce from her fingers to reply.

Suddenly Vivian recalled last night’s discussion. “So, yesterday we were watching every dime, and now we’re the Rockefellers?”