Family Reunion (58 page)

Slowly, finally, Lena began to draw away from him. Manny at first seemed unable to let her go but felt her pull from him and loosened his hold. She stood from his arms completely, and walked over to the window, staring out at the dark night. Manny's body lay straightened, tensed like a bow string on the sofa with his hands in his hair; he shook for a moment trying to contain himself. Blowing out through his mouth he relaxed and then got to his feet to join Lena by the window.

She couldn't bring herself to look at him; she wouldn't be able to take the look that might be on his face. With her face averted, she took deep choppy breaths to ready herself to speak again.

"I...I grow confused at this part. Not sure what happened how or when. One minute he was... there... above me, raping me and the next - I don't know, I think I passed out maybe. Because when I came to, Sandra was huddled beside me crying. I...I was kneeling, beside him... a ... a bloody letter opener in my ... my hand. He was there laying in front of me ... stretched out on his stomach. Blood everywhere ... all over me ... the floor, all over him... his back. His shirt had... holes, so so many holes. I've never seen so much blood before, sticky and warm and all over my hands ... all over Sandra's hands." She shuddered after a brief pause.

"The magistrate came. I remember a trial. I was sentenced and sent to the woman's work house…Dustinhurst. The whole time I said nothing. Sandra's uncle, he was the magistrate then. Somehow, he was able to manipulate the system. So, for almost four years, my place was in Dustinhurst. While there, I did what I had to do, but fell into a bit of trouble, I don't want to go into that. Sandra took care of Rory. She brought him to the prison often to see me. He hated coming there...to see me. He was so ashamed. I remember him screaming at me on one of his visits, he wanted to know why he had to keep coming there to see me. Why did I, have to be his mother. She paused hearing it again,
Why can't Sandra be?! Why won't you just leave me alone?
He cried and turned to Sandra for comfort. Sooo, after that visit, I turned to other things and the other things I turned to, were what got me in so much trouble." She stood stroking between her brows and looked up pulling her hair aside.

"Toward the fourth year, Sandra went to her uncle. Her conscience made her demand that he get me out, or she would go to the authorities and tell them the truth. Fearing for the family name and reputation, he lied saying that an error had been made...I don't know all the details. They released me and Sandra was right there waiting for me. Years passed and while I was going through a period of adjustment, Sandra went through one of her own. She never seemed to be able to forget that night.”

“
Five years ago, during one of her moments of struggle, she came to me ... crying her eyes out, begging my forgiveness." Lena swallowed. "You see, that night, when George Sinclair died, when I thought I had surely been the one to kill him; Sandra confessed through her tears, I had not. She’d killed him. I had no idea, I'd passed out. Something had snapped within her, an insane burst of rage and fear. She was the one who had taken hold of the letter opener. She was the one who had repeatedly stabbed George Sinclair. She said to me,
I couldn't stop…I was afraid he would get up, and kill me for sure for stabbing him. I had to make sure he wouldn't get up…I had to make sure…he wouldn't get up.
Scaring her even more was that he was able to crawl off of me, and she thought he was going to stand up. So she kept stabbing. She said that it was I who came to and stopped her, taking the blade from her. I guess it's true because that is what I remembered, holding it in my hand." Lena turned and sat in the window seat, Manny propped his foot up beside her, leaning and listening.

"Her uncle had known the truth but persuaded her to let me take the blame. The name Drake, had suffered enough damage due to Sandra's father. He hadn't wanted further scandal directly linked to his name. What could I say? It was over. All had been done with no way to go back. I couldn't blame her, I couldn't be angry with her. She and I, we're the same. We are the same, victims of circumstance in a world, controlled by men. I learned then, that being white doesn't offer anything extra when you're a woman. Like I was property to you, she was the property of her husband who had the right to do with his property as he pleased, slavery, in its other form. We've grown to love each other dearly and now she's in trouble again." Lena looked up into his eyes.

"There you have it. I am no longer untouched by another, while I swore no other man would ever do to me, what I've only lived for you to. I hate knowing that it happened, but … I couldn't agree to marry you without you knowing." She finished softly, spent of anything else to say.

In disbelief Manny stared down at her, certain she had lost her mind. "Surely you can't sit there thinking it would be any other way? You're sitting there with this look on your face as if you're uncertain of what I may or may not feel about you because of that bastard!
You
know
me!
Yes…years have gone by...but not so many that you should wonder how I will feel…how dare you make me out to be the monster that he was!"

"Manny I never thought that you were…I just-…"

"It’s not the same!!" He began. Trying to calm himself he walked to the center of the room. "What happened to you…is not the same as a woman lying down for one and all to jump on!"

Manny turned
away from her running his hand through his hair.

Lena sat quietly…she could see him fighting to control himself. Several times he started to say something else, balling his fist and flexing his arms as if he needed something or someone to punch. In the center of the room he turned to look at her, standing in one spot thinking, slowly he approached with his hand out in supplication. "What he did to you…cannot cheapen you in my eyes. That fucking -…" He turned away fighting tears.

Lena stood and slowly approached him, carefully laying her hand against his back. He turned looking down at her. "If he were alive…I would tear him apart…I would rip the flesh from his bones with my fucking teeth, I'd rip into his hide like an animal…because that's what I feel right now." He clamped his teeth with his hands on top of his head, fingers interlaced as tears of anger ran down his face.

"It's over. You know what happened now; there is nothing left to come between us. If you love me-…"

"If!? Lady… when will it sink in…you are the source, the inspiration, the motivation of everything I've set out to do…" Manny stopped afraid he'd start crying but he did.

"Oh don't cry…please, I cannot bear to see you cry." Lena reached up and wiped his tears as they ran down his cheeks. He pulled his hands from his head and grabbed her to him. "…I have built all that I have so that we… would not be dictated to by anyone. No George Sinclair is going to come… between us… and destroy what not even time could… do you understand… no man had better dare…stand in my path to you…no man."

Lena held him, listening to the beating of his heart in her ear. Squeezing him and wondering how she could have ever thought not to tell him, to plan and go on without him. With his arms around her, he assured her, "I want you as my wife. I've waited for this, long enough; let us not delay a moment more…Sunday-…" He took her chin and tilted her head back, "…-you will become my wife, now say it… say the words I long to hear."

"Yes…Sunday… I will become your wife."

"Good…no more of this other nonsense…do you hear. You and I above all else have proven what we are to each other. You must trust me, have no fear of Clarence Winston or Derek Greyson or anyone else. I will fight to the death for you – no one – is going to take you from me – not now."

"Promise me …just one thing?" She asked softly.

"Anything … anything at all."

"Promise me, that you'll never leave me again. Promise me that wherever you go, I too can go – or you won't go at all."

"God as my witness, I'll never leave you again. Wherever I go, you will be there with me. This I promise you…if you cannot go…I will not go." He declared passionately. "Anything else?"

"Sandra…Georgia Mason is going to try and destroy her…please don't let it happen…I could not bear it."

"I will do all within my power to protect her. You have my word. I will make time to talk to her tomorrow. I like her. She couldn't be stopped when I told her of my plans for the ball tonight. So, she will have to trust me if I am going to help her."

"Because I trust you, she too will trust you."

"Anything else?" He asked, holding her against him, gazing into her eyes.

"Just one more…kiss me…kiss me the way you used to."

"I thought you'd never ask." Manny lowered his head and opened his mouth over hers as she tightened her arms around him, needing this closeness between them as she needed the air to breathe. Pulling away for a brief second he whispered, "Come over here." and led her to the sofa to fulfil her request. Sitting, he pulled her onto his lap, gathering her body as close to his as he could manage his warm mouth once again making contact with hers. She clung to him, opening her mouth to receive his moist tongue, meeting and entwining. Firm and sure of what they were once again, their tongues played, reminding them of the hot sparks of passion that now burned even hotter. A moan escaped Lena, her heart was pounding as she pressed herself closer to him, rotating her hips toward him as his hand searched for and found the edges of her gown, going underneath to touch her. Feeling his large rough hands on her skin made her senses race with need. He went up her thighs, touching her through her underwear, to her hip and then he cupped her buttocks, squeezing and pulling her against him.

"Manny." She gasped, throbbing, wet and crazy from wanting him.

He groaned, shifting his body, his erection nudging at her hip.

"Touch me…touch me." He pleaded as his mouth hungrily sucked at her lips, drawing her tongue into his mouth. Lena reached down between them, she didn't have to go far to find him, the shear size of him, she knew his throbbing length needed to be freed. Manny was shaking; he wanted to bury himself deep within her. He forced his mouth from hers across her cheek, kissing all the way as he went to her ear where his tongue darted inside, fueling the flames of her passion ever higher.

"Please…oh please." She begged trying to work her hands within his breeches to free him.

She wanted to wrap her hand around him, wanted to shift her body and guide him home to feel him filling her and loving her as she had dreamed and longed for. After so many years apart, he had her panting and desperate to be loved and touched as her jerky motions signaled; her other hand was rubbing and touching him all over.

Lena cried out as she felt his hand cover her breast, squeezing, rubbing and working at the opening of her clothes to get his hand inside. He wanted to feel her skin, soft and smooth. Finally, he made contact with her hard nipple, briefly brushing it with his fingertips; soon afterwards he took it into his mouth. Manny was so consumed with need, he couldn't make up his mind what he wanted more, to continue suckling at her breast or stop so he could shift her to straddle him. Her hips were grinding against him, "Manny…Manny…" She panted, squirming and burning to be filled, flooded with moisture, she wanted him and could not be still. With his turgid penis in hand mounting him was an urgency making her whimper.

"Oh God I want you ...shift – this bloody gown – the bastards had to make them so long!!!" He raged, his passion growing to frustration at her clothing.

"Ooh oh oh ...Manny!" She cried with his fingers rubbing her moist heat. "Open your legs, sss ohhh, I'm gonna rip this fucking gown apart!"

"Oh Manny, I don't care ... Manny – rip it!" She cried out, pleading.

"Emm...Manny." She moaned aloud as he finally helped her untangle her legs to straddle him, his hands were underneath her skirts, buttocks gripped and squeezing as Lena tried clearing her skirts to allow him to gain entry when they both heard the kids boarding the ship.

"Bloody hell no! Nooo! Nooo, nooo, nooo!" Manny cursed. "Lena the kids!"

"Oh Manny..."

"Lena!" And the door to the room opened…they both froze, Lena falling to Manny's shoulder.

"Mother!!"
Mike called out shocked to see her straddling his father's lap. "I knew I shouldn't have left you two alone!"

Lena whimpered trying to keep Manny covered with her skirts, thankful her back was to her son, as she growled. "Michael! Out of here! Now!"

To hear her so, was Manny's undoing, he couldn't help it; the situation hit his funny bone despite his need. It was too much, he roared with laughter, it rolled out of his from deep within, his head thrown back. For her to be caught wrestling with him and on top was priceless.

Lena looked down at him with narrowed
eyes as she tried to ease her hand from him without Mike seeing as she moved it back up Manny's chest.

"Mama, what are you doing?" Mike choked, blocking the doorway to keep the others out and from seeing in. "Go to bed!" He ordered Esteban, who stopped at the door to peer over his shoulder. Esteban looked up at his father with a scowl but with Rory behind him, he went on.

Rory also stopped. Mike gave him a look that clearly stated for him to keep moving as well. Too tired to start an argument, he carried on behind his nephew.

"Um dear, would you like to get off me now, I told you we shouldn't ... nooo, you wouldn't listen, always pestering me – see – now your son can see, it wasn't always me." Manny raised his hands out in the open for Mike to see, having taken them from her skirts once he’d heard the kids. She carefully pulled his breeches up to cover him and his shirt down as her eyes promised revenge. He laughed even harder; Lena slid off of him, keeping her back to her son, while fixing her clothes, her eyes shooting daggers at Manny, although she was trying to clamp down on her own grinning.