Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 38 (adult)

The woods were bare, gray and cold.  Bea made her through the branches, some of them scratching at her as she ran, and finally, she slowed down.  Was that my baby?  My Angel?  I looked in his eyes.  His eyes were so like my baby's eyes.  But, Bea, it was so long ago.  Maybe you forgot how your baby looked.  It was long before The Evil One.  The One Who Hurt Us wasn't mean then.  He was a little, but he wasn't hurting us with his big hands and his body.  That hurts to think about.  I can't really remember . . . what My Angel looked like when he was a baby.  Was that my baby?  The woman, she was beautiful.  Her eyes were crying without tears.  


My Angel, was that you?  If I call you with my heart, you can come and tell me.


She had been wearing the blanket, on top of her coat, as a shawl, and since they were the same color, it appeared to be one piece she was wearing, but in her haste and panic to find her way back to The Place Where the Nice Nun Was, she threw it off her, as if it were slowing her down.  As she walked, rapidly crossing yards and yards of woods, she constantly conversed with herself:  There's the grove of pine trees, up ahead.  I am almost there.  It's where I came before.  I left a piece of paper, crumpled, stuck in a tree . . . yes, there it is.  The paper is there.  I am going to find my way.  I will find my way and I must tell The Nice Nun about My Angel.  I saw him.  I saw him two times, one he was a young man, and one he was a baby.  The baby had My Angel's eyes, but maybe I am wrong.  Maybe I forgot or I imagined.  Can it be him?  


No, Bea, it can't be him.  If he's a young man, how can he be a baby?  Or if he died, how can he be a baby?  No.  They lied.  The Evil One lied.  He lied, with his evil messages.  My Angel is not dead.  I will tell her and she will help me.  I will write to her.  I will write to The Nice Nun and I will see if she can help me.  Yes, Bea, that is what you will do.  You will tell her about The Time of Black and The One Who Hurt Us, and The Evil One.  You will tell her ALL of it.  Yes, Bea.  She did not know how long she had been walking, or would be walking.  She just continued, throwing aside the branches, and removing brush from her way.  She pushed through another series of bushes, and on the other side, in the distance, was the garden at St. Anne's.  


Yes, Bea, you will write her and draw her your life.


***


On the copter ride, Little Ray slept, and Todd and Blair sat in the front seats, the heat blasting from the vents on the dash.  She said, "Think he's all right?"


"He's fine.  It's not much longer anyway."  He said.  Then, "Blair?"


"Yeah?"


"John came to see me."


"Really?  What's that about?"


"Jenna's case.  The mother thing.  I told him what Dorian said."


She didn't respond.  In fact, she looked out the window at the side opposite him and remained quiet.  


He said, "Babe?"


"I heard you, Todd."


"What are you thinking?"


"I'm thinking that I want you to leave this alone.  Let it stay dead.  Please."


He kept his eyes on the airspace in front of him, but he gulped and said, "How can I?  I promised Jack I'd help."


She said, "What, if I ask you not to do this to us, you're just going to do it anyway?"


He waited.  "Do what to us?"


She covered her mouth and rubbed her hand across it.  "Haven't we had enough?  The pain and the constant struggles?  The revenge stuff, the hate?  When the name 'Mitch' comes up, that's all I can think of."


Unforgettable loomed in front of them, and he landed The Manning Copter on the heliport without a hitch.  Going to her side, he opened her side door, and she ignored him, not taking his extended hand for help.  She unstrapped the baby, and pulled him out, leaving the carrier and the stroller base in the copter, and said, "I'm putting Ray down."


He looked to the sky, for a moment, letting the sun beat on his face.  The cold air reminded him to get inside, and he brought the stroller and carrier into their room, and closed the glass pane doors.  He saw her pass by the bedroom door, and he sprung out and took her arm.  She said, "Let go of me."


Her eyes were fire.  He hadn't seen her that way in a long time, but he recognized it.  Fear and anger, and a perfect blend of both.  He let her arm go, and she went to turn and walk away.  He said, "Don't."


She turned, putting her hand on her hip.  "Don't what?"


"Leave."


"I'm not leaving, I'm getting away from you right now.  I can't believe you'd even consider getting back involved with this man.  Look what he did to you!  I'm getting away from you right now, because that's what I have to do."


"Don't."


"Why?  Why should I stand here and listen to your plans for thwarting Mitch or tripping him up in some scheme he has?  What, are you going to break him out of Statesville so you can strangle him with your bare hands, or stab him with a skinner?"


Her words hit him like a sack of rocks.  She saw that he had physically reacted to it.  "I didn't say that.  I'm just saying . . . "


"I thought you were done hurting me." She said, "If you do this, you'll hurt me.  Again.  This revenge thing has never worked.  This crazy bastard buried you alive.  I'll tell you something, I can't go through anything like that again.  Ever.  You don't know what it was like having to tell the children you were dead, Todd?  You only know what you dealt with and even that horror is not enough for you.  Your son can't cope with it, and you're seeking it out again.  Mitch is dangerous, crazy, sick.  And you want to go after him or get involved?"


"Yeah, I do.  Is there anything that wrong with that?"


She shook her head, "Nice to know that I don't mean enough to you to be more important than your fucking revenge," and she spun around to take the stairs, when he grabbed her arm again, and she fought him, pushing at his chest to get him away from her.  "Get away.  Let go!"



"You do.  You do mean more," he fought her resistance to him, and held her wrists, as gently as he could without letting her go.  "You do," he said, and he let her hands go in exchange for pulling her to him at the waist.  "God, you do," he said, and kissed her, hard.  


At first, she pushed her hands against his chest, and then, feeling his lips against hers and his body, tight and powerful against her, she softened.  When he pulled back from the kiss, she looked into his eyes and whispered, "Let go of me, Todd."


He said, "Is that what you really want?"  Her hands were perched on his pectorals, wide-fingered and tense.


She looked into his eyes, and searched his face.  Then she punched lightly on his chest, and said, "No, it's not."


He hiked her against him, pulling her closer, pressing her to his body with one arm around her waist and the other undoing her blouse.  She licked at him, kissed him, and ran her hands over his taut shoulders and chest, and said, in a whisper, "My love, take me."


He lifted her from the ground, and hoisting her and tipping back, she was above his face, looking down into his eyes, and kissed him, her tongue fondling his.  He carried her back into the bedroom, and the room was still cold.  They had just arrived home, and the heat had not kicked in.  He lay her on the area rug, in front of the fireplace, kneeling inside her legs.  She undid his belt, impatient but adept, and reached in to take him in her hand.  Sitting up, she put her mouth around him, and he jumped, overtaken with feeling.  He put his hand on the back of her head, tangled in her hair, and moaned from the work she was doing with her lips and tongue.


He pulled out of her mouth, and ran himself over her body: between her breasts, as she squeezed them together against him; down her belly, that contracted with the touch of him; and against her center, where he pushed until he felt the give and grasp of her body around him.  He moaned again, and she said, "Yes, my God, Todd, yes."


He slowed himself, easing fluidly in and out of her, and her whispers, groans and cries were building to an ending that he expected with anticipation and desire.  He ran his thumb over her nipples, hardening each one as he went, and felt the trail of his own fluid that had just dragged across her middle as he pressed his torso against hers.  "I can't lose you," he said, between strokes, "I can't."


"You won't, you won't, ever," she said, digging her fingers desperately into his back and bottom.  Listening to her voice, he had to stop.  Still, he looked into her face.  Unable to hold back, he said, "Oh, Babe," and began to powerfully thrust himself inside her, losing the self-control he had a just moment before, when he was slowly working toward making her come.  This was not a handicap for her; the moment he began moving in and out of her harder and faster, was the moment she felt the pleasure spreading from her center outward, her muscles contracting around him, and her insides fluttering with release.


He turned on his back, taking her with him.  She was laying on top of him, her legs now alternating with his, and he breathed in short bursts.  He said, "I love you, and I'm sorry.  Whatever you want, I'll do."


She traced his mouth with her fingers.  "I want you to let it go, please.  Don't, Todd.  He'll ruin us."


He kissed her, and smoothing her hair, he said, "All right.  I'll let it go.  We'll let John do his job."


She turned her head, and rested it on his chest.  "I just want us, Todd, just us.  The way that we can be, with nothing in our way.  The way we almost were, years ago, before you got shot in Ireland.  I so adore you, and our children, Todd Manning."


***           


"When can I come out of my room?"  Tina asked.  The nun that had brought her breakfast did not respond.  


"Eat your food, Dear."


"Dear?  I want to get out of here!  I want to go into the common areas, or outside.  I'm stir crazy in here.  Oops, excuse the word crazy."


The nun left the tray and locked the door, again with the automatic lock from the outside.  Tina yelled, "What would happen if there were a fire or something in here?"


Then she slumped on her bed, "Oh, never mind.  Shit!  What am I going to do!  I can't stand it in here anymore!"  She took her knitting, new to her since she had come to St. Anne's, and tried to get back into it, to distract herself.  "This is so stupid, Tina.  How did you ever get yourself into this mess?  Knit one, purl three.  I mean, was it worth all this, really?  You'll either end up in jail or in the padded cell, at this rate.  Knit two, purl one.  I mean, knit three, purl one.  No, knit one, purl three.  Anyway, I have to have a plan, don't I?  And right now, I don't have one.  Every time I try and talk to someone here, it just gets worse and worse, and they either don't believe me or think I'm nuttier than I was before!"


She put her knitting down, and went to the window.  Looking outside, she could see the woodline, the garden, and even though it was cold weather, she longed to be out of her room and experiencing some kind of freedom, even if it meant the solarium.  She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, and said, "I need some kind of sign," and when she directed her eyes back to the window, she saw Bea, coming through the woodline.  Wishing she could call to her or get her attention, she attempted to knock on the window.  "It's not doing any good, Tina!" she said, running to her door.  She began pounding.  "Someone!  Someone come please!?  It's important, please?  Help, help!"


Within a few moments, she heard her door unlock, and in walked Sister Elizabeth Mary.  "What is it, my goodness?  You're disturbing several of the patients!"


"Look, outside!  It's that woman who can't talk!  It's Bea!  She's out there!"


The nun rushed to the window, and looked out, "My goodness!  It is!  Oh, I must get Sister Rebecca Katherine, excuse me!"


She ran out the door, mistakenly leaving it open.  Tina walked coyly to the open door.  "See, Tina, I told you something would break today!"


The staff was in an uproar, after Sister Elizabeth Mary ran into the solarium and started yelling about Bea.  Sister Rebecca Katherine, who was praying at the window, came to her side.  "She's back?  Are you certain, Dear?"


"I am, you must come quickly."


Sister Rebecca Katherine needed no convincing, and headed to the solarium doors, and looking out, spotted Bea wandering through the garden.  She burst through the doorway without a jacket, and then realized, she would have to go slow as not to alert the woman or scare her off.  She walked, hugging her own arms in the cold, and slowed down when she saw Bea notice her.  Bea, standing still when she caught sight of the nun, smiled warmly.  The nun walked to her, and putting out her arms, said, "Oh, welcome back, Dear," and went to hug her.  Bea did not resist and even put her arms around the nun's back weakly.  "You scared us, very badly, Dearest.  You ran off and we were so worried about ya."


She didn't say anything, but showed the nun her warmers.  


"Someone gave you these, eh?  Someone wanted to help ya."


She nodded.


Sister Rebecca Katherine said, "Can you come inside now, I'm very cold out here without a coat."


Bea agreed by walking along side Sister Rebecca Katherine without resistance.  The nun had taken her hand, and they entered the building through the solarium doors.  The crowd was thick, but luckily, Sister Elizabeth Mary was smart enough to clear a great deal of it, and only a few choice staff remained.  Sister Elizabeth Mary said, "Welcome home, Bea."
  
Sister Rebecca Katherine noticed Bea's eyes glistening with tears.  Father MacNamara stepped forward and said, "We're glad you're all right, Bea."


Dr. Levin said, "Bea, we need to check you over, and make sure you're all right.  Come on with me?"


She willingly went with the doctor but did not let go of Sister Rebecca Katherine's hand.  The doctor said, "You can come with her, Sister.  You've been nothing but a help with this case."


The nun followed along, still holding the hand of her special friend, as they proceeded to the examination room.  Bea sat on the exam table, and she was calm and wore a pleasant expression.  The nun took a pad and pen, and handed it to her, and though she wanted to sketch, she chose instead to write.  


I am okay.  I went on an adventure.  My feet are very cold.


The nun read it, and asked, "Did anyone hurt you?"


Yes.  But not today.


"Where did you sleep?"


I slept in the beautiful park.  Someone gave me a blanket.  Another woman gave me the warmers, but that was today.  She had a baby with her.  I think it was mine.


Sister Rebecca Katherine read the last note with caution, and her heart broke.  She said, "No, dear, I don't think it was your baby.  But that's all right."  She waited, "So, you had a child?"


She nodded.


"Do you remember when that was?"


She shook her head "no."


"Well," she said, taking a hand mirror, it's not now.  It's not your baby, look here, Bea."  she showed the woman herself in the mirror.  Although she was naturally pretty, she was not of child-bearing age any longer.  


Bea furiously scribbled on the pad.  She handed it to the nun.


He was My Angel.  Come back to me.  I saw him.  I saw him older, too.  He was a young man.  He was very beautiful.


Sister Rebecca Katherine could barely contain her pity and sadness, but she did, saying, "You had a son?"


She nodded.


"Do you want to tell me more about him?"


Dr. Levin interjected.  "We need to check her physically first, Sister.  I'll need you to ask some other questions and be certain she is physically well."


"I understand, Doctor."  She said, turning back to Bea.  "Dear, will you help me?"


She nodded.


"All right, then.  The doctor has to ask you some questions.  Will you answer?"


She wrote, I don't want to talk to him about The Evil One or The One Who Hurt Us.


The nun felt a surge in her chest and her heart began to beat rapidly.  The words were so cryptic, but said so much.  She said, "You will not have to talk about that.  You will be able to talk to me, if you want.  You don't have to talk to the doctor about that.  Just, please, Bea, did someone hurt you while you were gone from here?"


She shook her head "no."


The nun breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "All right, Bea.  Answer the doctor's questions and I will be back."  She turned to leave the room, and Bea would not let go of her hand.


"Bea, Dear. . ."  


The woman wrote on the pad again and handed it to the doctor this time.  


She stays or I go.


He couldn't help but smile and lightly laugh.  He said, "All right, Bea."

***


Blair opened her eyes to Todd putting logs in the fireplace.  Still undressed, he was unaware that she watched him.  She remained quiet, so he would not be alerted and cover himself.  He'd always been shy about his body and his needs.  Recently, he had overcome the latter, but still was prone to covering his body most of the time, though he was doing less of it as time went on.  


She couldn't help but objectify him when he was like this; every muscle on his frame was able to be traced with her eyes and was defined, not harshly, but more aesthetically, like a piece of artwork.  His back was to her, his sculpted legs and rear end, his thin waist, and his broad shoulders, with tight musculature and, of course, numerous scars and marks.  She thought she could almost see the traces of the oldest scars, even though she must have been imagining; the ones that came from Peter's belt and buckle, years back.  With more thought, she realized she was looking at the scars he had made himself, not long before, with a belt, in the throes of a nightmare that crept into waking.  He turned and saw her staring at him, and he didn't flinch.  Instead, she saw him turn toward her, and in his splendor, he said, "Go ahead.  Take a good look.  I'm yours, so you can look all you want," and his voice was soft and laden with embarrassment.  His face reminded her of a little boy; he was not able to be fully proud and sure of his sexiness, even with her.


She said, "I will, and I am," she said, "but I was thinking.  The woman in the park."


"What about her?"


"She seemed to know the baby, like she was . . . I can't explain it, I can only imagine that she thought she recognized him."


"Not to be funny, but babies kind of look pretty similar to each other."


"Not to mothers."


"All right, but maybe she just made a mistake.  She's probably not all there if she's living in the park during winter."


"I was scared, but I wasn't scared like I have been of . . .other things."


Putting his hands on his hips, he said, "Are you done looking?" 


Sighing, she turned on her side, toward him, and moved her hand between her own legs.  "This," she said, her voice thick with desire, as she lightly touched herself, "is what I want to do when I see you like that."


He wasn't sure how to react, so instead, he said, "You don't have to do that when I'm right here," he said, but she continued, and he wanted her to.  As he watched her, running her hands up and down her thighs, and over her most sensitive places, he hardened with want.


"Come here then," she said.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Your comments are 'payment' for the work of the authors. Our writers like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment when you read.