| |
POLLY STOOD BACK AND wiped her brow. It had been another warm day, and she’d hardly left the kitchen all afternoon. She was exhausted, hot, and feeling as big as a barn. Still, if things worked like she hoped, then it would have all been worth it. She glanced out the window and saw that Theo was already on his way back.
Just in time, she thought. She opened the oven door and peered inside. A wave of sweetly-scented steam hit her in the face, and she wrapped a towel around her hand before pulling the pan out of the oven. It looked done, but she quickly snapped off a broom straw and poked the clean end into the cornbread. It came out clean. And that’s just in time, too.
She took a minute to splash some cool water on her face before she stepped outside, and she met Theo just as he stepped out of the field.
He pushed his hat back on his head and chuckled as he looked down at the table. “What’s all this, Polly?”
“It’s a special night,” she said, placing the blueberry cornbread on a towel. She had already set out the fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and ham steaks she had grilled. A dark green watermelon sat at the end of the table. “Special night, special dinner.”
“Whatever the reason, sounds good to me,” Theo said as he sat down. “I’m famished.”
She fixed a plate for him, then for herself. Although Theo dug in with pleasure, she found it a bit difficult to muster up an appetite. She was trying not to put too much importance on one dinner. We have some good food, good weather, and each other to keep company, she thought. That alone should make for a nice evening. The truth was, however, that if tonight’s plan didn’t work, she didn’t know what she would do.
“How are you feeling?”
He nodded as he cut up his ham. “Better,” he said. “A lot better. This,” he said, pointing to his head, “barely hurts anymore.”
“That’s good,” she said. “I don’t suppose you remember anything else?”
He shook his head.
Doc Sullivan said it could take some time, she reminded herself. You can’t rush things like this. “Well, I’m sure things will come to you later on,” she said. She was largely quiet for the rest of the meal. Polly pushed the food around on her plate more than anything; she really only ate because she knew how she would feel later on if she let herself get too hungry. Her appetite, however, just wasn’t there.
When Theo finished his food, he pushed the plate away with a broad grin on his face. “That was terrific, Polly,” he said. “Best meal...well, best meal I can remember.”
She gave him a thin smile. “Based on your memory right now, I’m not sure whether that’s a compliment or not,” she said. “But I hope you saved a little room,” she added, pointing to the melon. “I’m going to let you take care of that.”
Theo took up the long knife and split the watermelon in half, then cut off a slice for each of them. The flesh was cool and sweet; it was a perfect way to end the meal.
Theo had just taken a big bite of melon when he swallowed, then turned his head to the side and spit a seed toward the fire pit. It bounced to a stop in the dirt, well short of the fire. “Sorry,” he said, turning to Polly. “I used to do that when I was a kid. You probably had me stop that once we got married.”
She had a mouthful of melon, but she frowned at him as she chewed, and she slowly got to her feet.
“Polly, wait,” Theo said. “I didn’t mean to ruin anything—”
Ptoo.
Theo could only stare as the seed that Polly spit went flying past him, and he turned his head just in time to see it bury itself in the fire, sending up a cloud of sparks. He put his head back and laughed, long and loud, for the first time since the accident. “I can’t believe you did that,” he said. “Did I know you could do that before I married you?”
“How do you think I sealed the deal?” she asked, grinning as she sat down again. She leaned over and reached for the box under her seat, then placed it on the table between them. “All right, I think it’s time for dessert.”
Theo patted his stomach. “Polly, thanks, but the watermelon was enough,” he said. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”
“It’s not that kind of dessert.” She slid the box across to him. “Do you know what’s in here?”
He eyed it closely. “I’m guessing that I did,” he said, “but I don’t anymore.”
“Open it.”
He flipped the lid and his brow furrowed as he gazed inside. “What are these?” He reached in and pulled out two stacks of envelopes, each tied with a ribbon.
“It’s the story of how we fell in love,” she said. “Come sit over here and we’ll read them.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked at the letters. “This is my handwriting,” he murmured.
“Of course it is,” she said. “Those are the letters you sent to me, and the others are the ones I wrote back. Come here.”
He went around the table and sat next to her as Polly reached for one of the bundles. “This,” she said, “is the first letter I ever got directly from you.” She took the top letter from the stack and opened the envelope, pulling out the paper within. “Read it. I want to hear your words, in your voice.”
Theo unfolded the letter and spread it flat, smiling at the sight of his handwriting. “So strange,” he murmured, then cleared his throat and began to read:
Dear Polly,
I was very pleased to get your reply to my advertisement, and I look forward to corresponding with you. I have to say, I have rarely met a woman who combines such a thoughtful, spirited manner of expressing herself along with such a rare beauty. From the moment I laid eyes on the tintype you sent, I find myself unable to concentrate on my work; instead, my mind always returns to your smile. It would be quite a thing to see it in person, I assume.
“So you thought I was beautiful even back then,” she said.
His cheeks turned pink as Theo laughed. “I guess so,” he said. “And see, I was right. You do have a beautiful smile in person.”
“Here, read one of mine,” she said, pulling an envelope from the opposite stack and holding it out.
He waved it away. “No, you read it,” he said. “I’d like to hear you.”
Polly smiled as she withdrew the letter and unfolded it. “Dear Theo,” she began.
I was so glad to receive your latest letter. As with the others, I keep it beneath my pillow, as I like to read them before I go to sleep. Perhaps it’s only a coincidence, but I had always slept poorly until we began corresponding; now, with your letters close, I find that I’ve been sleeping like a baby, peaceful and calm. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but I doubt it.
I was thrilled that you used the word helpmate to describe what you were looking for. I couldn’t have come up with a better word to use. I should confess, my family life here has always been unsatisfactory, and the dearest goal I have is to change that with my own family. I want a man upon whom I can rely, a man who will respect me as an equal person, a man who will be my partner in love as well as life. I dream of doing the happy work together of creating a family and building a foundation to support them. When I find that partner, I will give him my whole heart, and I expect him to give me his. But then, perhaps I already have found him.
She stopped reading. Theo had a faraway look in his eyes, and a hint of a smile grew as he thought about what she had said.
“That’s really something,” he murmured, then nodded toward the envelopes. “Let’s look at another one.”
They kept reading for nearly an hour, huddled together and hunched over the table, reading by the light of a lantern as the evening sky filled with stars and fireflies. Polly had tucked the letters away shortly after her arrival in Nebraska, and she hadn’t gone back to read them since; if they were completely new to Theo, enough time had passed that Polly had forgotten some bits too. It was wonderfully sweet to hear him say aloud all the things that he had written to her a year earlier.
“Here’s the good part,” he said. They were on the second-to-last letter, and he smiled to himself as his eyes flickered over the paper before he began to read.
I feel like there is so much that I want to say to you, so much that I want to learn about you, but when it comes time to put pen to paper, I realize how inadequate all this is. I am tired of writing and reading, tired of the interminable delay while our letters cross the land. I find myself jealous of this scrap, this paper which will one day find itself in your hand, while I remain here, alone and distant from you. This is no way for a man to live; just as two halves are needed to make a whole, so I too am only half of what I could be. Polly, will you make me whole? Will you be my wife?
“That was a good part,” she agreed, then reached for the final envelope. This was the last letter she had written, just before her journey out to Nebraska. She opened the letter and read the single line inside.
Dear Theo,
Yes.
He burst out with a laugh and his grin lit up the night. “Is that all you wrote?”
“I didn’t see any reason to waste time going on and on about it,” she said. “That’s the answer you were looking for, wasn’t it?”
“I guess so,” he said, laughing again as he reached for her hand. “I can see now why I married you.” His eyes reflected the fire and his flesh was warm against hers.
Polly allowed herself to feel a bit of hope just then. Sitting there with Theo, with the fire going and the stars above, things just seemed...right. She leaned closer and rested her cheek against his, her mouth close to his ear.
“We’ve had a good marriage, Theo,” she said. “I know you don’t remember it right now, but we’ve been happy together. Really happy.” She turned her head slightly and found his mouth with hers.
Theo slipped his arm around her and held her close as he kissed her. Polly felt a delicious tremor go through her, as joy and relief and passion all swirled around within. She didn’t know when—or if—she would be this close to him again, and she was determined to enjoy it.
When he broke their kiss, Theo whispered to her. “You’re a beautiful woman, Polly,” he said. “But it’s getting late,” he said. “I suppose we should turn in.”
She pressed her lips to his cheek. “Stay with me tonight,” she said. “Like a husband and wife.”
He backed away slightly to get a better look at her. His eyes were full of tenderness mixed with lust; it was a look that she hadn’t seen in days. After a moment he nodded. “I’d like that,” he said.
Polly felt her heart swell near to bursting. They stood up and she wrapped herself in his arms again, loving the feel of him against her. She took her husband’s hand and pressed it against her swollen belly. “The night you did this to me,” she said, “you fucked me like never before. You remember how to do that?”
“I think so,” he murmured. “It’s just like riding a horse.”
She smiled at him. “You’re going to be riding me tonight, cowboy.” Polly took him by the hand and led him into the house, where she closed and bolted the door.
Theo was on her in a flash, taking her into his arms and kissing her so deeply that it took her breath away. It seemed for a moment that things were back to normal, in fact; her husband’s lust had always been overpowering, and when she reached for his groin he was already growing hard, just as she’d expected.
They hurried out of their clothes right there in the hall, and his cock pressed against her as they embraced. He cupped her breast in one hand and ran his thumb over her nipple, teasing the flesh until it began to stiffen. It didn’t take much. The last several weeks her breasts had become even more swollen and sensitive, such that even a light breeze was making them perk up now.
Polly reached for him and clenched his cock hard in her fist. “Come on now,” she said, leading him down the hall like she was holding a leash. “It’s time you got to work.” Once inside the bedroom, she bolted the door and then lay on the bed, spreading her legs wide and offering herself to him.
If he had remembered who he was, her husband would have taken time to pamper her aching breasts, to massage them and suckle gently. Her husband would have encircled her giant belly with kisses. Her husband would have left her pussy soaking with his saliva. This Theo got right to business, however.
He knelt between her legs and nuzzled her with his cock, working his way inside gently but insistently, like a guest determined to join the party. When he finally sank himself entirely within her, Theo gave out a contented groan, like he was home at last.
“Kiss me,” she said, craning her neck to reach him. Polly took his tongue into her mouth and sucked hard, then slipped one hand down his side, holding him as if to guide him while he started rocking his hips. She let her other hand roam over him, enjoying the feel of his wiry muscle and his heat against her.
“Lord, that feels good,” he muttered. He slipped a hand underneath her bottom and gripped her ass tightly, as if to press all of her together around his hard rod. She felt her insides grip him as he drove himself in and out. The friction was sending shivers through her body and stiffening her nipples again.
Polly felt her pulse begin to race. She brought her hands up to Theo’s cheeks. “Look at me,” she whispered. “I want to see your eyes while you’re inside me like this.”
He smiled softly, but his eyes were filled only with lust. Theo was feeding her his entire length, grinding against her when their bodies met, then slipping away and starting all over again on the next stroke. His mouth roamed all over her chest, gently kissing here and roughly sucking there, finally taking her aching nipples into his mouth and sucking them like hard candy.
Theo may not have remembered much, but he sure knew what he was doing now. With every stroke, Polly felt a wave rising up inside of her, and he must have been feeling the same.
“Damn, honey,” he said, his teeth clenched. “You feel too good. I can’t hold back forever.”
“Wait,” she said, placing her hand on his chest. “Don’t let loose just yet. I want you to pull out.”
He shook his head, and the lust was like an inferno in his eyes. “I’m not finished with you,” he said.
“No,” she corrected him. “I’m not finished with you. Now pull out and you bring that cock up here. I’m going to give you a little treat.”
It didn’t take him long to figure out what she meant. In an instant, he straddled her and had his rod brushing against her mouth. His cock was still slick with her juices, and it slid easily inside. She loved the sensation of his stiffness sliding in and out of her mouth, gliding between her soft lips, and she savored her taste on his flesh. It meant that he had been in her most intimate place, that special place that was reserved just for him.
"Lord, you have a gorgeous mouth," Theo said. "Now suck me hard."
She felt his hips jerking, pushing her to take more of his cock inside, and she tried to oblige. She grabbed him at the base of his rod and held it steady while she began to slowly guide him deeper and deeper. Theo began to move his hips in rhythm with Polly, and soon she was taking his entire cock between her lips, so that she could nearly feel him against the back of her throat. Polly slipped one hand under his balls, gently rubbing them, and she could feel his abdomen tremble.
Theo started to make a low groan. “Honey, you’re going to make me lose control if you keep doing that,” he muttered.
Polly let him slide out with a long slurping noise. “Come for me, Theo,” she said, swirling her tongue over the head of his cock. “You can come in my mouth.”
She rushed him back in and made a ring of her fingers, tightly encircling him and jacking him off as he thrust himself into her mouth. His eyes were closed and his teeth were gritted; she could see the cords of muscle standing out in his arms as he clenched the headboard like a man barely holding on.
His cry echoed when he finally let himself go, pouring himself into her mouth. As she swallowed it, she could feel its heat slipping down her throat to her belly, and Theo quivered as she milked out the last sticky drop.
Wordlessly, he collapsed next to her and kissed her deeply, as if wanting to share the salty taste of his essence on her lips, and though his lust had been sated, his hand still roamed over her body like he hadn’t gotten enough of her.
When they finally fell asleep, it was with Theo’s arm around her, cradling her belly like he was protecting her. Like he was where he belonged.
~ ~ ~
THE FEELING EVIDENTLY didn’t last until morning, as Polly woke to an empty bed. She was starting to get used to waking up alone, but she still didn’t like it. Nevertheless, after having made a little progress the previous night, Polly supposed that she couldn’t complain too much. Just having Theo with her in the night had been an improvement; it almost felt like things were going to go back to normal.
“Ooh,” she muttered as her hand flew to her belly. The baby’s kick had been the strongest one yet. “You want daddy back too, huh?”
Polly turned on her side and pushed herself up to a sitting position, then put on her slippers and went out to the hall. Who knows, maybe he remembered to make me some breakfast today, she thought as she stepped into the kitchen.
The table wasn’t entirely bare. Instead of eggs and toast, however, there was a folded paper. Polly went to the table, picked it up and unfolded it. As she read, she felt her stomach churn, though it had nothing to do with her morning sickness.
Polly, I’m sorry. I’m going East. You’re not what I need.
Theo