Family Reunion (60 page)

He did not elaborate since he felt it a private matter. He made him aware that he was laying claim to his son and would be seeing to the financial matters concerning his tuition. Furthermore, their trip was brought up and so he was forced to take his son along which meant taking him out of school early.

Mr. Huebershaw considered this negligent of Manny and told him
so, adding, that he saw Manny as an irresponsible parent for having left his son in the first place, which of course, in his eyes, explained Rory's poor behavior. To conclude, he informed Manny that he was breeding the same callousness in his son.

Quite a few retorts came to Manny's mind and so he instructed Rory to wait outside before he had his say, with the door closed behind Rory, Manny stated simply. "Mr. Huebershaw, you and all those like you, can very well bugger off to hell. Sitting in judgment of me and my son while ignorant of my life and its circumstances tells me that your type of influence over him can only add to whatever negligence you feel me guilty of. My son is no longer a pupil here. Good day!" Standing, he gave one last heated glare and left the office, closing the door gently behind him.

"Come along son, today is your last day here. We have to pick up your mother and get to the mansion so that she can see it in daylight and we can clean up after the party."

"Manny it is absolutely breathtaking."

"The timing was perfect that I should find you just as it was completed."

"Oh daddy it's grand! It has to be the most impressive home ever! Wait until you see all of the rooms inside mother." Hope exclaimed.

The nine-thousand square foot home was designed in the style of French provincial but on a grandeur scale. Flaunting an eight point rectangular roof, where four chimneys blended in as the roof sloped steeply into slight flared edges. The front view of the house boasted huge picture windows, two on either side of the high and wide double front door, where high overhead hung an old style European torch lamp.

Thirteen steps led to the doorway, where they stopped at the stone balustrade that ran the length of the house, surrounding the narrow porch. The outer surface of the mansion was dark cut stone of varying shades. To meet them were two of Manny's crewmen, explaining away a few damages from the night before that would be repaired straight away. Manny and Lena looked at each other; she chuckled, shaking her head as she followed her daughter through the house to see it. Manny went with his men to assess the damages. Maria and the children were there as well, viewing the grounds; the kids whooping and hollering, having a good time away from the ship, with more than enough space to run and explore.

Joe and Mike were taking
care of work that Manny had assigned to them so he could be with Lena; and so found himself surrounded by three women and five grandchildren after he’d sent his men off to gather what was needed to fix a couple of broken windows. Food was left for them as well by Carmine and his family who had stayed after the party to clean up the kitchen following the massive spread.

The only rooms that needed attention were the rooms that had been closed off. They needed dusting and polishing. Lena noticed sawdust still lay upon the floors in many of the rooms as they went from one to the other. By the time Manny caught up with them in the house, they'd discovered more rooms than Lena could imagine them doing anything with.

"Oh daddy it's like a grand palace, I cannot believe it! So many rooms…Maria! Where is she?" Hope took off leaving her parents alone to find her. They heard her calling outside, "Maria! Come look up here, wait until you see it, it's beautiful!"

"Well - I've heard plenty of what our daughter thinks, what about you?" Manny asked, walking behind Lena as she gazed around her. They were on the second floor exploring the six bedrooms, 3 bathing rooms, the second study/library and the sun deck… the rooms seemed to go on endlessly with still another floor to tour.

"My oh my." Lena exhaled softly.

"That's all?"

"It's – it's… it's a bit much isn't it Manny? I mean…who? Ummm – its…big…wide…spacious…a lot of rooms."

"Yes, servants will be needed." He added.

"Yes… for certain."

"But do you like it?"

"What's not to like?"

"You were more excited last night with the ball." He observed.

"Ummm, yes…I was. So… is … this where we'll be living?" Lena asked hesitantly, apprehension in her tone. Manny looked down at her a moment able to read her like a book. "You don't like it, do you?"

"I didn't say I didn't like it. My goodness, marble fire places, high sculptured ceilings, and hardwood varnished floors and railings-…"

"Mama come and see the rooms up here, there's a fantastic green house up here!" Hope yelled over the kids running and yelling, having fun with the sound of their voices echoing throughout the house. Lena smiled up towards the stairs. "And our daughter absolutely loves this house." Lena said, still not half as enthusiastic as Hope.

"But?" Manny mused, watching her.

She looked at Manny as they slowly went down the stairs heading for the kitchen. Once there, she saw a giant stone hearth with six baking compartments, three on each side of the open hearth. The pantry was large enough to be a small kitchen itself. There were many cupboards along the walls and a huge center chopping island with its large top chopping slab of wood. Beneath it all, a red brick floor which had been laid to perfection, sanded smooth and coated over with wax.

"Whose idea was it for the floor?" She asked.

"Mine. Kayleen used to say it didn't make sense to work somebody to death keeping a white floor white in a kitchen where one cooked all the time with soot from the hearth and other things constantly staining it. I agreed, hence the red brick."

"Well I must say it is very impressive." What she didn't say was that she liked white floors in the kitchen, like the one at Webster Fields, that had always been white and gleaming, she and Kayleen kept it that way. She could remember her also fussing about it as they scrubbed it, but felt it was worth the work to see it shining and clean at the end of the day.

"But?" Manny asked for the second time as they left the kitchen going to the ball room, sensing her hidden thoughts.

"But what?!" She finally returned.

"You know but what. Where is your enthusiasm my sweet to be seeing what will soon be your home, or second home, one of many I imagine as we travel." Lena gave no comment as she strolled on, Manny walking behind her, watching her clasped hands right above her natural swaying derriere. With his eyes on her rear, he felt his loins stir, that old familiar tightening took hold.

"I suppose once we get started cleaning away the dust, draperies are hung and furniture fills its emptiness…"
'Empty of memories.'
was her true thought, "… and the outer landscaping is done, it will appear a lot more like home. It has a great deal of promise, that's for sure. Hope certainly is taken with it-...whoa!? Manny!?!! What are you doing? Put me down! Manny!?" Lena laughed at being scooped up from behind in Manny's arms as he ran with her into the study, where he closed the door securely and planted her up against it. "Manny! What's wrong with-…"

"Shh! The children might hear you!" Was all he said before he covered her mouth with his in a heated kiss. To Lena it was as if they were two sneaky children, not allowed to be alone, who had to sneak for intimacies, which they did and the feeling of it sent a thrill of excitement through her.

It was an excitement that was almost as riveting as his hungry sucking mouth and probing tongue. His hands were everywhere on her and Lena was trying to keep a level head. This was not the place, especially with the kids running all over the house. "Manny ... now, Manny stop it ... will you let me down! Manny we can't…oh Manny…do-o-on't…emmm." She giggled then moaned as his tongue persisted to enter her mouth and silence her protest, searing her with his need. Holding her against the door with his massive frame supporting her there and his hands working her skirt up past her thighs, he urged her to wrap her legs around his hips. She knew she shouldn't, but did. Lena clung to him with one hand running through his hair. They both groaned when Manny's one hand held a cheek of her buttocks squeezing as his finger tips found the slit in her underwear, making contact with her heat. His persistent grinding left her with little doubt he was running out of patience with their arrangement. "Sunday Manny, Man – oh… Manny." Lena broke away from his mouth, gasping heavily for air as he carried on down her throat, the side of her neck, his tongue tracing as he went.

"Manny...you have to – to stop ...oooh Manny...if Mike ... if Mike finds out ... he'll ... he'll have ... a fit." She whimpered.

"He won't! He won't find out ...please… I'll be quick…I promise ... Oh Lena... you're all wet …come on please… let me...sssss, I'm on fire…just this one time and no more until Sunday."

"Manny – no…I don't care if I – oooh, no…don't – do – tha-a-at ... you just have to wait-…"

"I can't wait! I need you."

"Ohhh Manny...not until ... we're marrie-...ohhh oh Manny, don't oooh – ssss!" Lena groaned and whimpered as two of Manny's fingers entered her heat, rubbing. Touching her tiny nubbin' that promised an explosion soon if someone didn't get control and quickly. Lena's head went back against the door as Manny's fingers continued their manipulation of her, his mouth down into her cleavage, then over the fabric of her top where his warm breath penetrated through to her nipple beneath. It beaded up so hard it throbbed to aching, Manny felt it with his tongue and went to pull her top open with his teeth as his other hand came from behind her and cupped her breast roughly, squeezing.

"Mannieee-…"

"One second…one second and I'll-…"

"Hey!? What's going on in there!?" Hope knocked and called from the other side of the door; she tried the knob, then tried to push the door open, but could not.

"Oh God, nooo…Manny! I told you to stop! See!" Lena whimpered
in frustration, Manny gnashed his teeth. "Bloody hell!!" He growled as he lowered Lena quickly to the floor moving beside her to keep the door closed as he worked to force his swollen member down into his pants, where it didn't want to go.

"What's wrong with this door!? Why won't it open?" Hope asked again as Lena pulled her skirts into some order, patting and fixing her hair, her thighs rubbing together as she tried to adjust her comfort to her heat without it being obvious, she pulled at her bodice trying to get her heart back to normal from hammering.

Manny leaned up from the door just a little to adjust his pants, re-tucking his shirt and self in when Hope managed to push the door open enough to peak her head in and around. Manny immediately turned his back, his face burning as red as it could get as he walked across the room with his back to her.

"Oh! I didn't know you two were in here! What were you do-…" Her mouth fell open as her mother cleared her throat and also turned from her. Hope moved the rest of the way in the room, gaping in shock and trying not to laugh. "Why didn't you two answer me? What was wrong with the door?" She asked, working her mouth and jaw not to let go the laughter that was trying to get out.

Lena heard the mirth in her questions and turned narrowed eyes to her daughter, despite her still blushing face of guilt. "What!? What did I say?! Mother, why are you looking at me like that? Daddy what's wrong with mama? Why are you way over there!?" She asked mischievously, pretending not to know his predicament as she made to walk over where he was.

"Um Hope, echm, stay over there and talk to your mother, while I umm, umm, check this window frame ...echm…looks good looks good, the craftsmanship…echm." He cleared his throat nervously again. Hope felt tears coming to her eyes as she forced her mouth to stay closed not to hoot wildly.

"Looks good hmmm, let me see it." She dared, taunting him.

Lena gave her daughter a
'Don't you dare!'
look and Hope covered her mouth with her hand to keep from erupting at the look on her mother's face. She then noticed the wet stain on her mother's bodice and couldn't resist it.

"Mama what have you been drinking, you've spilled something there on the front of your dress." Lena bared her teeth as she closed her eyes to slits at her daughter. Hope giggled and wiped at a lone tear and asked. "Daddy you sure that window frames okay?"

"Hope!" They both called her name simultaneously. "What?! It's not me…wait till Mike gets here and I tell him what you two have been up to."

"You do and we'll make you pay little girl…somehow some
way…you'll get it!" Manny threatened, safe to turn back now. "Little brat, go…start unloading the wagon so the cleaning can get done." Manny ordered. Hope giggled and ran off leaving them again.

"See…all that for nothing… I tried to tell you!" Lena fussed.

Manny only growled as she continued, "Come on now, our purpose today is to get this mansion clear of its dust, hang these temporary drapes and all we've done is walk about. I want some of it done before my sons come for lunch. Where's Rory?" She asked, leading the way out of the room, Manny only growled again.

Laughing, Lena went to gather everyone up to get the work done. Manny moped about listening as she assigned each child a chore. "Hijo, I want you to get Jordan, and the two of you start bringing in the chairs from the wagon, when that's done, you and your grandfather can get the kitchen table and start setting it up. Hope. You and Lolita can start on the second floor ...Manny perhaps you should just bring the wagon around back and set the table up in the breakfast room instead."