CHAPTER 14

When she met with Dr. Ames Baldwin, the owner of the sperm bank, he agreed with her that at age thirty she was at a good age to become a mother.

A fatherly figure, Alisha felt at ease with him as she explained her situation. “There’s been no Mr. Right, and I do want to have a child. When Mr. Right does come along, he’ll have to accept me and my child.”

Dr. Baldwin was a board-certified fertility specialist. Alisha had found him in a medical directory. After her first appointment, she filled out the necessary papers and described the type of sperm donor she was seeking.

“He must be well-educated, a physician, scientist, lawyer, financier, engineer, and his age must be around thirty-five. I prefer he be of medium-brown complexion with smooth, regular features, tall and muscular like a tennis player, swimmer or baseball player. Not as muscular as a football or basketball player. And he should be healthy in mind and body,” she added.

“Our donors are well screened, and we insist on a documented family history. I am sure, with our screening services, we will be able to meet your need. And I can recommend a physician who can perform the in vitro procedure for you. You’ll need to have your ovaries checked for your egg supply and an optimum time during ovulation when you will receive your implantation.”

* * *

“Oh, Curtis! Yes, I’m fine,” Leanne said brightly, happy to hear her son’s deep voice. She smiled as she held the telephone receiver to her ear.

“It’s so like you, son, to think about me! I’m moving on. Had a meeting last week with the divorce mediation group and things are being taken care of. Both your father and I are satisfied.”

“I should hope so, Ma. He owes you.”

“I don’t know about that. I just want what’s fair to you kids.”

“I don’t want anything from the bastard…”

“Curtis,” Leanne gently chided, “don’t talk like that. You know your father loves you children. Always will. Wants to do right by you. He has said so more than once.”

“Mom,” Curtis’ voice came over the phone in a quiet, somber tone, “Mom…I don’t understand. I will never understand how my father…”

She insisted, “You don’t have to understand. You have to accept it. We will probably never know what changed your father. I doubt even he knows. But you and I both know if your dad had an incurable illness we would still love him, want the best for him, right? Changes come into our lives and we must live with them or give up, and I don’t want that for you. Or for any of us. For me, I’ve thought a lot about the change in your father…”

“Like what?” Curtis wanted to know.

“A midlife crisis. The sexual appeal of a younger woman to an older man.”

“But, Ma, how can you still love him…and I know you do…”

“My dear,” she said, “no matter what, I will always love your father until the day I die.”

* * *

“New York? What a great idea, Don! Sure you can get away?”

Delighted to see the look of pure joy on his wife’s face, Don hugged her. “Got it all planned,” he said. “Marty is going to cover for any hospital patients, and I’ve cleared patient appointments for four days, giving the staff a long weekend. So all systems are go.”

“Oh, Don, this is just wonderful. When do we leave?”

“I figure a Friday to Monday would be good. We’ll take the shuttle from Green Airport on Friday, come back on Monday. I’ve been on line, have tickets for two Broadway productions. Not telling you which ones. Be a surprise!”

She kissed him. “You’re the best husband a girl could have.”

A frisson of guilt came over him as he saw the unmitigated love in her eyes.

“I try to be, Leanne, I try to be.”

“Well, you are,” she insisted.

Please, God, don’t ever let her know.

The weekend in New York City was all that Don hoped it would be. As he had promised, Leanne was surprised and delighted when she found out that he had gotten tickets for The Phantom of the Opera for Friday evening, and on Saturday evening they had an early dinner in the hotel’s dining room before taking a taxi to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

“What a grand time we’re having,” Leanne said to Don as he helped her into the taxi to return to the New York hotel. “Don’t know when I’ve had so much fun.”

“That’s what I want you to have, lots of fun, a real good time, you know,” he said in a serious tone. “It’s important that as a couple we spend quality time together…not to lose sight of the fact that we are together for life.”

She glanced at him in the darkness of the cab’s interior, saw the firm set of his jaw as he stared at the back of the cab driver’s head. She knew he was serious, meant what he said, but she said nothing, merely reached over to squeeze his hand. He responded with a firm clasp of his own. God, please, I can’t lose this woman.

When they reached the hotel he asked, “Would you like to stop in the lounge for a nightcap?”

“Don’t think so. My feet are killing me in these heels. Maybe we can find something in the hotel fridge. I think I spied some bottles of wine…”

“That’s what we’ll do, then.”

They moved, arm in arm, to the bank of elevators. As they rode to their room on the fourth floor, they talked about their children.

“I’d like to buy something new to wear for Curtis’s graduation next month,” she said as they left the elevator and walked to their room.

“That’s a great idea,” Don said, opening the door to their room. “I’m so proud of him. Jane, too. They haven’t given us one bit of trouble. Curt did say he was taking the graduate exams for law school, didn’t he?”

“Believe so. Think that’s what he plans to do. He’s hoping to get into Harvard Law School.”

“Hope he makes it…have no doubts that he will. He’s a smart kid.”

Leanne heard the pride in her husband’s voice about his only son, but she was quick to remind him, “Jane’s a real treasure, too.”

“Don’t I know it,” Don responded. “Our combined DNA did just fine. Agree?”

The next morning they went to one of New York’s most famous shops as soon as the store opened. Leanne found what she liked, a white jacquard jacket with blue silk threads woven into it, fully lined with satin. She was able to find a pencil-slim navy crepe skirt that matched the jacket perfectly.

Don thought she should also buy new shoes. “Why don’t we see if we can find a pair of navy pumps, or navy and white spectators…or are they out of style?”

Leanne disagreed, telling him, “Already have a pair of navy pumps that will do just fine. But,” she added, “wouldn’t mind having some new jewelry to go with this new outfit, if you’re in the mood to spend money on me.”

He gave her a wide grin. “My pleasure, my dear wife, my pleasure. I believe that ‘Blue store,’ Tiffany’s, is not too far from here. Let’s go have a look.”

The well-groomed salesman who waited on them at the famous jewelry store could tell in a few moments that this man, this husband, was extremely anxious to please his wife. Having been in the business for more than thirty years, he recognized the spouse nervously intent on making amends.

After looking at many fine pieces of jewelry, Leanne finally selected a sapphire and pearl necklace with matching drop earrings and a single bracelet of the same stones.

As the salesman wrapped the jewelry into the famous blue Tiffany box, Leanne kissed her husband.

“Thanks, Don. I love you very much, thanks.”

“I love you, Lea, and I want you to be happy, always.”

“I know you do,” she said softly.

As soon as they got back into their room Leanne kicked off her punishing shoes, threw her handbag on the bed, turned her back to her husband so that he could pull down the back zipper of the little black dress she had worn that evening.

She thanked him, saying, “I think a good soaking in the tub is what I need, Don. Do you want to use the bathroom before I do?”

“Go right ahead, hon, I’ll see what’s available for us here,” he pointed to the room’s small refrigerator. “You take your time, enjoy.”

“It’s been quite a day, what with shopping and everything.”

“I know, Lea. I just wanted to please you…been a long time since we’ve been able to focus on ourselves.”

“I know.”

She stepped out of her dress, placed it on a hanger and put it in the closet. She retrieved her bathrobe and went into the bathroom.

The bathroom featured a Jacuzzi-like spa tub, and Leanne was determined to get the best therapy possible. When she settled into the tub, warm streams of jet-propelled water trained on her body made her relax and she felt the tensions of her work days at the real estate agency easing.

She thought about her husband, how eager he had been this weekend to please her, and for this weekend seemed to be the young eager Don she had fallen in love with so many years ago. Time marches on, but our love only gets stronger. Thank you, God.

When she finished bathing, she toweled herself dry, dusted some powder over her body, then put on the special nightgown that Don had not yet seen.

She went into the bedroom to find her husband dressed in his pajamas. He had turned the bed down and was placing a tray with wine, glasses, crackers and wedges of cheese down on the desk.

He gasped at the sight of her. “Oh, my God, Lea. Oh, my God! You’re so beautiful!”

She raised her eyebrows.

“Think so?” she teased.

“Think so? I know so! God, you are as beautiful as you were on our wedding night…even more so! And you are mine, all mine.”

He reached for her, pulled her close, the warm heat from her tantalizing clean body, the delicate fragrance from the powder she had dusted over her skin all made Don’s fingers tingle as he ran his hands down from her face, neck and shoulders as he kissed her. She accepted his kiss with soft mewling sounds that only added to the extreme tension Don was feeling.

This was the woman he loved, the woman who gave him hope, and who loved him without reservations. This woman made no selfish demands on him, gave him only her best, took care of his needs before her own.

A fleeting image of Alisha floated in the back of his mind, but he quickly blocked it out, his focus on the wonderful woman he knew he would always love.

“Oh, Lea,” he moaned against her throat as he picked her up, carried her to the bed. “Lea, I need you so much! Want you, need you. Please let me love you. Let’s go back to our first night of magic.”

Lying in the bed, she made no sound. He saw tears welling beneath her closed eyes.

Frantic, almost desperate, he practically tore off his pajamas and laid down beside her. “Don’t cry, Lea, please don’t cry.”

She turned to face him. His mouth found hers and his hand smoothed over her warm, sleek, silk nightgown to caress the mounded breast beneath. Leanne responded by grasping her husband’s head with both hands as their kisses deepened.

After twenty-five years of marriage, each knew the mating ritual that would bring them to fulfillment.

Words were no longer needed, only the sounds and moans of desire and deep pleasure.

Anxiety threatened Don. Would he fail his wife? The rising tension he felt was almost unbearable. He must not fail to meet the needs of his beloved Leanne.

With an agonizing groan, he pulled the interfering nightgown over her head. Immediately, his mouth sought to taste her breast, his tongue swirling over taut nipples. Lea responded to him as if it were the first time she had experienced this exquisite sensation. He felt her hips beneath him begin to move from side to side as she clutched his head to her breast.

Don’s rock-hard body would not be denied as his mouth sought the favored areas of his wife’s soft, pliant body. He was where he wanted to be, where he knew he was welcomed and wanted. He could not deny his heart’s demands, and his body’s reactions let him know it was useless to try.