The Happiest Day by Sandy Huth Page B

mother.  From the first night he had made
love to her, gently taking her virginity, he never said her name and rarely
kept his eyes open.  Afterwards, he always looked surprised when he saw who lay
beside him in bed.
    He entered her
from behind and she lifted her thigh to allow him deeper penetration.  She
reached behind and hooked her arm around his neck and arched her head against
his chest.  She enjoyed the intimacy of his lovemaking but wished she felt more
of a connection with him.  He brought his hand around her body and settled it
between her legs.
    “You feel good,”
he murmured in her ear.  He set a gentle rhythm and their bodies moved
together.  “Darling, darling…”
    “Norris,” she said
in a husky voice, “say my name.”  She pressed her body against his gently
massaging hand.  “Harder….yes….say my name…”
    He easily followed
her commands to please her body, but never did say her name.  She heard his
breathing grow faster and harsher and the tempo of his thrusts increased.  She
felt herself falling over the precipice into all-consuming pleasure and a
scream escaped her lips.  He gave two or three final thrusts and a groan was
torn from his lips.
    “Julia,” he
moaned, emptying himself into her.  He laid heavily against her back, waiting
for his thumping heart to return to normal.  The room was semi-dark and he
could only make out the shadowy shape of the woman in his arms.  Rachel.  
Disappointment and regret washed over him as he realized what he had just
done.  Damn it.   He couldn’t apologize to her because then he would be
admitting to his mistake.  Instead he kissed the crown of her head.  “I love
you.”  That, at least, was the truth.

Chapter
8
    Winter turned into
spring and Bert was working in his office one late morning when he heard the
door open.  Looking up, he drew back in surprise.  “Rachel!”
    She stood in the
doorway, unsure of herself.  “Hi.  May I come in?”
    “Of course.”
Belatedly, he stood and ushered her into the office, pulling out a chair for
her.  “I’m sorry, I’m just so surprised to see you.”  His eyes fell on her
bulging midriff.  She was wearing a peach, long-sleeved dress with a dropped
waist, but her advanced condition was apparent.  “I heard about the baby. 
You’re doing well?”
    She shrugged.  “As
well as can be expected, I suppose.  Feeling tired.”  She fiddled with her
gloves and looked nervously around the room.  “I waited across the street until
I saw Peter leave.  He’ll be gone for a while?”
    “Yes.”
    “How is he?”
    “A bear,” Bert
admitted with a laugh.  “He’s always been a moody sort but over the past four
months, he’s been next to impossible.”
    “And Maryanne?”
    “She’s expecting,
too.  Looks to be about the same as you I’d say.”
    “That’s
wonderful.”
    “She misses you. 
She cries all the time.  I feel helpless.”
    “I miss her
terribly.  I guess that’s why I’m here.  I feel so lonely, so disengaged.  When
Norris and I were in Europe, everything was wonderful.  No one knew us and he
and I stayed busy.  Then when we first came home, Laurie and Geoff came home
for the holidays and I stayed busy with them.  They’ve been gone for months,
now, and Norris works all the time.  If he’s not at work, he’s sitting in the
chapel, for hours on end.  I am so very alone.”  Surprisingly, Norris seemed
uncomfortable with her changing body and suggested that they sleep separately
until the baby came.  She was alone both day and night.  Looking at Bert, she
tried to smile, but tears trembled on her lashes.  “I suppose it will be
different when the baby comes.”
    “Sure, sure it
will.”  He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.  “Sweetheart,
if there was anything I could do to make things right between you and Maryanne
or even you and Peter, I would.”
    “I know and that’s
not why I came.  I just needed to see