I Made You My First (28 page)

“Has anyone heard from John today?” London asked, never looking away from the sports channel
. 

Everyone’s eyes turned to me.  I was in the middle of a bite of spaghetti so I looked up holding my fork and shook my head no. 

Then everyone turned to Memphis.  “He called me today and said he was relaxing and taking in the sites with his
lady-friend
,” and he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

I turned and looked at him, knowing full well that his
lady-friend
was Judy.  Paul was staring at me again and I avoided him.

Paris stood up and tossed her napkin on the plate and left the room without any explanation.  I watched as she left, still feeling Paul’s eyes on me.  Irish must have noticed too because he was eyeing Paul.

“This is delicious,” I said turning to Irish’s mom.

“Thank you, dear, I hope that you enjoyed eating it as much as I enjoyed making it for you all,” she said smiling back.

Paris came prancing back and plopped down in her chair.  Paul was still staring at me and it was obvious that Paris was oblivious to any of it.  I looked down at my plate and stabbed the remaining two tomatoes from my salad. 

Without any warning Irish muttered in a less friendly tone, “Paris, would you please ask your boyfriend to stop staring at my wife; it’s very rude.”

Paris sat up in her chair and spouted back, “Irish, you really need to chill out.  No one’s staring at your precious Jurnee.”

I coughed and felt the heat rise to my face. 

Irish’s mother looked at Memphis and said, “Dad, will you take Jurnee out to the patio to look at those new orange roses you planted yesterday?  I’d like to speak to Irish if you don’t mind.”

I looked at Mary and then at Memphis.  He folded his napkin and pushed himself away from
 the table.  Without saying a word, I stood up and looked at Irish.  He was still staring at Paris and so I turned and followed his father.  I could tell that Irish’s dad was feeling as uncomfortable as I was but I stepped through the door as he held it open for me.  We walked around the house on a stone path until we came to a little covered patio.  Little white lights glittered and a swing was facing the ocean.

Memphis sat down and tapped his hand on the seat inviting me to sit beside him.  Moments passed and neither of us said a word.  We merely stared at the ocean.  Finally I heard Memphis clear his voice and adjust himself in the swing. 

“I met Mary when I was fifteen at a camp organized for twins.”   He didn’t look at me but continued his story.  “It was a ten-day program and I saw Irish’s mom my second day there.  She didn’t think much of me.  She was actually smitten with a guy named Barry Marsh and so I was determined to do something to gain her attention.  For days I sat and watched until I saw an opportunity, weaseling my way in, trying to sweep her off her feet.”

I didn’t look at his
 face but his tone of voice made me feel as if he were smiling. “She only saw me as a friend, so I pretended to help her with Barry.  Luckily for me he was already smitten with another gal, so Mary and I became friends.  After camp we wrote to each other for about a year and then we didn’t speak again for many months.  I always had a thing for her and couldn’t get her off my mind.  My prom dance was coming up and I wrote Mary a letter asking her if she’d go with me.  I figured that by then she already had herself a fellow but I didn’t let myself give up hope.  Days went by and I watched that mailbox like a hawk until finally Mary’s letter arrived.  She accepted my invitation and even sent a school picture.  I was walking on cloud nine.  A couple of days before the dance, though, she’d fallen and twisted her ankle really bad and she called me to say she wouldn’t be able to go to the dance after all.

“Of course I didn’t believe her and thought maybe she’d just changed her mind about going with me.  I drove over to her house and secretly waited for a glimpse of her to see if what she had told me was true.
  My second day of waiting I saw her come out of the house on a pair of crutches and I was the happiest lad on the planet to know that she wasn’t fibbing about refusing to go to the dance.  I took all of my money and sent her the biggest bunch of roses I could afford.  Her mom cooked us dinner on prom night and that was probably the best day of my life.”  He now turned and looked at me.  I turned my body to face him and continued to listen.

“Then she agreed to marry me and
 it was the greatest day of my life.  I was so happy I didn’t leave her side unless it was necessary.  I didn’t want any Barry Marsh swooping in to mess with what I had.  It was about a year later and Mary finally put her foot down, telling me that she wasn’t going anywhere and that I needed to give her a little room to breathe.  I listened, and she was right.  I did step back and she didn’t disappear from my life.  I still pinch myself sometimes when I look at her and see that she’s still with me after all these years,” and he looked away now and gave a little chuckle, “especially when I’m having a bad day and strike out at everyone like a damn rattlesnake.  I know that Irish feels like he’s finally found his happiness and is scared to death of losing it.  Give him time, Jurnee, and then put your foot down too,” and he looked at me with a sincere smile.  I nodded and we both returned to gazing at the ocean.  Sitting there in silence, I replayed his father’s words in my mind.  Only moments passed and we heard footsteps coming our way. 

Memphis turned and I saw his face light up.  “Well there’s Momma now,” he said.  She reached over the back of the bench and took the hand he held out for her.

“The kids are cleaning up the kitchen, and Paul went home,” she smiled, looking at Memphis. “Jurnee, are you ready for dessert, dear,” and I turned to look at her face.

“I’d love some,” and I smiled as I stood up.

As I turned to her, she stood there holding Memphis’s hand. 

“When the kids were young, they all looked forward to Christmas.  When
 The Day finally arrived, all of them ripped into their presents like there was no tomorrow, except Irish.  He opened one present at a time, closely examining each gift, before moving on to the next one.  The other three kids all finished opening presents and there sat Irish with a stack of unopened ones.  I always thought that he wanted the day to last, so he’d tried to stretch it out as long as he could.  I believe Irish is so happy with you that he’s afraid to let his Christmas end but he’ll get over that, Jurnee.  Just be patient with him.” 

 
I watched Memphis nod his head and then stand up.  We all walked back to the house in silence.  London was still watching television and Irish was sitting in a chair beside his brother.  He smiled at me when our eyes met and walked toward me.  I was almost to the table when he reached for me and gave me a guarded little hug as if he was unsure whether or not I was angry with him. 

He looked into my eyes, whispering, “I’m sorry.” 

I reached for him and hugged him tightly.  “I love you, Irish,” was all I said. 

* * *

When we got home, Irish began gathering all of our things that were going with the moving truck.  It was going to be here at six am and Irish’s dad was going to take us to the airport at nine o’clock.  We decided that the Mustang would be towed by the moving truck, rather than be driven to San Francisco.  Furniture deliveries were going to start at our new house after twelve noon and everything was precisely worked out almost to the minute.  Irish was good at planning, me, not so much.  I was more spontaneous and always seemed to work best under a little pressure as long as it didn’t happen before my morning coffee. 
Maybe that’s what makes us a good
team,
I thought.  I gave Irish a kiss and went upstairs to change my clothes, throwing on a long button-down night shirt and brushing my teeth.  When I reached the top step of the staircase, I heard Irish’s voice.  He was singing the words to a familiar song I hadn’t heard him sing, only play on his guitar.  I quietly sat down and listened to his voice.

Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.
It’s not warm when she’s away.
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
And she’s always gone too long
Anytime she goes away.

I stood up and took a few extra slow steps down the stairs so I could see him.  He didn’t look up, and I could tell he was lost in
 the lyrics of the song.  I was catching him in a rare moment and he looked so vulnerable.  He was sitting there shirtless, wearing only his jeans.
 He also looked very sexy
, I thought.  I gazed at him and from where I was standing he still hadn’t noticed I was watching him.  I tried slowly to make my way down the stairs as I watched him continue to sing.

Wonder this time where she’s gone
Wonder if she’s gone to stay.
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
And this house just ain’t no home
Anytime she goes away.
And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know…

I finally made my way over to the sofa and
 knelt down on the floor next to his leg and continued to listen.  He gave me a little smile but continued singing.  Now he was looking down at me, staring at me with those beautiful blue eyes, and I felt myself blush. Watching him sing to me triggered a feeling that I’d never before experienced.  I felt hot tingles run up and down my body.  When he closed his eyes, lost in the words, the tingling worsened.  I slid from where I was sitting and onto my knees directly in front of him.  He didn’t stop....

Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
Only darkness every day.
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,
And this house just ain’t no home
Anytime she goes away,

Anytime she goes away,
Anytime she goes away.

I watched his face and when I was
 sure he’d finished, I lifted myself up, moving in between his legs and tilted my head up to kiss him.  I could hear his breath catch as he returned my kiss.  He set the guitar down next to him and I rested my hands on his thighs.  He stared at me with nothing but passion in his eyes.  I slowly moved my hands up his legs 
rubbing him
on the outside of his pants.  He leaned forward kissing me lightly on the lips while also making a low moan into my mouth.  My mouth left his and wandered down his neck and shoulder.  His taste and smell together were making my head spin and a throbbing ache was building in my center.  I moved one hand up his bare chest and then back down to the top of his jeans.  I pushed two fingers in, lightly rubbing back and forth between the top of his pants and his stomach. 

I looked at his face to see his expression. “Please help me take them off,” I whispered.  I felt his hand move over mine and he tilted his head back
, looking at me seriously.

“Jurnee, if you’re asking to do what I think you are, you don’t have to do that,” giving me a little smile. 

“You don’t want me to?” and I watched his face, waiting for his answer.

“Oh I want you to, believe me,
but I just want you to know that you don’t have to; I can wait as long as it takes until you’re ready,” and he wasn’t smiling.  Looking him directly in the eyes, I slowly began unbuttoning his pants with both hands, pulling at the front of them.  Never breaking our stare, he lifted up allowing me to pull them down further.  He wasn’t wearing boxers.  When his pants lay on the floor, I lifted myself up and began kissing his bare stomach, leaving a trail of wet marks as I finally reached his hard nipple.  I felt him recline as he reached for both sides of my head, weaving his fingers in my hair.  I began slowly kissing my way back down his stomach and wrapped my hand around his length.  I felt him wiggle a little when my mouth took him in at the tip and slowly slide down his length.  I had to stop halfway, scared that taking anymore would cause me to gag, so I wrapped both of my hands around the bottom of his shaft, gently moving them in an up-and-down motion.  I felt myself slowly able to take more of him and go a little deeper with each try. 

I heard Irish moan and then felt him
 grab my shoulders trying to pull me toward him.  “Jurnee, love, it is okay for you to stop now.  Jurnee you might want to stop, but I ignored him.  I knew what was about to happen, so I continued my rhythm and braced myself determined to finish what I’d started.  “God, Jurnee, girl...” and I felt him explode in my mouth.  I tried to relax and let my pace slow, allowing me to take him in.  Taking the tip of my tongue now I ran it up his shaft before releasing him from my mouth. 

I felt Irish roll forward,
 pulling me into his chest wrapping his arms around my body.  “Jurnee, that was amazing.  I love you so much, you’ll never know,” and he kissed the top of my head.  With my face buried in his chest, I smiled to myself. 

Irish set the alarm for five
am and turning off the lamp, he climbed into bed.  I scooted up next to him and lay my head on his chest.  He wrapped his arms around me.  I was silently thinking of everything I needed to do in the morning, and I wasn’t sure what Irish was thinking about so I tapped his chest lightly. 

“What
cha thinking about?” and he gently squeezed me.