Mystique

by Ann Cristy

She nodded slowly. "I suppose I'll always have some doubts."

  "No, you won't, darling. After a time you'll begin to know what I know already—that you'll be a fine mother."

  Together they finished packing, teasing and laughing, pausing frequently to share quick kisses and brief caresses. Finally they left for Long Island, wrapped in their own special aura of love.

  The next day was a hectic one for the Harrison family. Luc's sister Velma and her husband Ken arrived, and Misty was able to renew her acquaintance with their daughter Janie, who chatted excitedly at Misty's side.

  "My mother said Mark and Mary are coming with their parents and some of your other friends will be coming."

  "Yes. Morey and Zena will be here, too, and—"

  "I can't wait," Janie cried, clapping her hands. Then she covered her mouth. "I didn't mean to interrupt, Aunt Mystique."

  "You didn't." Misty put her arm around the girl, delighted at being called Aunt Mystique. "Shall we go get Jennifer and take her for a walk?"

  "Yes!" Then Janie looked around her and whispered, "But we'll have to take James and Gregory, too." Misty nodded.

  "Well, Aunt Mystique, we better watch out. The last time I took the boys for a walk, they jumped into the fish pond, and I ruined my best jeans getting them out."

  Misty laughed. "Well, we'll have to keep a sharp eye on them, then. It's way too early to go swimming in Long Island."

  Misty and Janie were both kept busy entertaining the boys as they pushed Jennifer in the English buggy provided by the housekeeper.

  "I wish Uncle Luc didn't have to go with Grandpa and Daddy to help at the club," Janie said wistfully. "Then they could have walked with us. James and Greg would have behaved better." She ran off to retrieve the two boys from a thicket of bushes at the end of the curving driveway.

  As they retraced their steps, Misty heard a car behind them and quickly ushered the boys, Janie, and the buggy to the side of the road. "Janie!" Mary shouted from the car window as she sped past with the rest of her family and Morey and Zena.

  Misty and her troupe hurried back to the house, where they were greeted by a flurry of activity. Everyone was talking and laughing, making the old structure seem to echo with happy sounds and good feelings.

  Since the very young children would not be accompanying the adults to the dinner dance that evening, they were indulged with an early dinner party of their own. Misty played the piano and sang "The Rainbow Connection," which the Muppets had made famous. The children crowded around her and sang boisterously.

  "I think my wife is enjoying herself," Luc said, coming up behind her.

  Misty laughed, a little out of breath. "I'm having a great time. Come and sing along with us."

  Without further urging, Luc joined in, his lusty baritone standing out among the children's high voices and Misty's clear mezzo-soprano.

  When it was time to go, Misty regretted having to leave the youngsters with the housekeeper. "Any fool can see that you love children, darling," Luc said as they left the room and climbed the stairs to their suite. "Soon you'll be able to see that for yourself."

  "I think so," Misty said, squeezing his hand. "I think so."

  Half an hour later they were on their way to the country club, where Luc's family had been members for generations. As soon as she stepped into the foyer, Misty could tell that the evening would be an unqualified success. The rooms were already crowded with beautifully dressed guests, and she was immediately caught up in the glamour and excitement. Alice was beaming, and Althea's cheeks glowed pink with the warmth of good feeling.

  After chatting over cocktails, everyone sat down to a sumptuous dinner. Misty could only taste a bit of each of the many dishes. Afterward, she was standing with Morey, Zena, David, and Aileen when her mother-in-law sailed up to the group, her eyes sparkling. "Morey, I must take you with me." She turned to Misty. "Wanda Gump is green with envy over the girls' dresses. She insisted on meeting Morey, but I told her he's so exclusive that he'd have to interview her before taking her on as a customer." Althea grinned impishly, Misty laughed, and Morey went limp with nervousness. "Don't worry, dear, Alice and I will carry the ball," Althea assured him. She left with Morey in tow.

  Zena and Aileen laughed out loud. "Morey will be as limp as a rag when we see him next," Zena predicted.

  "A rich rag if Mrs. Harrison has her say," David mused, smiling at Misty. "She's quite a woman."

  "She's absolutely wonderful," Misty agreed.

  "And I've never seen you looking better, Misty," David added.

  "You do look wonderful, Mist," Aileen concurred.

  "Thank you. If I do, it's because I'm happy," she answered, knowing that she could never begin to describe what she and Luc shared. How could she convey the delirious feeling of freedom that love had given her? What words could she use to draw a picture of the sweet ecstasy that was theirs alone?

  Luc had led off the dancing by escorting Celia onto the floor while John danced with Marcy and Ted danced with Betsy. Now, as the three young women continued to dance with fresh-faced college men, Luc came up to Misty and asked, "May I borrow my wife for this dance?"

  Misty slipped eagerly into his arms, and they whirled onto the crowded floor. "I thought I was never going to be able to dance with you," Luc complained, holding her close.

  "You looked very good out there with my sisters," Misty said.

  "And you look gorgeous in that sea-green silk dress. But I can see your legs through that slit every time you move, Mrs. Harrison." He shook his head in mock reproof, making her laugh. "It's not funny," he chided.

  She lifted both hands and locked them behind his neck. "I love it when you act possessive, Mr. Harrison."

  "Watch it, lady. See what I mean?" He pressed intimately against her.

  "Darling, you're aroused! Shall we excuse ourselves?" Misty teased.

  "Damn. If we only could," Luc muttered, glancing around.

  "I was only teasing, Luc," Misty protested, laughing. "We can't leave, so take that mulish look off your face."

  When the dance ended, they found themselves standing next to Betsy, who turned to introduce them to her escort.

  "Luc, Misty, this is Kevin Short. Kevin, this is my sister, Misty Harrison, and my brother-in-law, Luc Harrison." Betsy's eyes shone with delight. "Kevin is in my Irish literature class."

  Kevin smiled. "Hello."

  "Misty is going to have a baby," Betsy announced proudly. Although Misty's cheeks flamed with embarrassment at the announcement, and Luc gave a muffled chuckle, Kevin remained coolly poised.

  "I know, your Aunt Alice already told me, as did your grandmother. Your family seems to be pretty excited about the news."

  "Yes," Misty said shyly. She glared at Luc, who laughed out loud.

  "Sorry, darling. I guess I'm excited about the baby, too," he explained.

  Kevin's puzzled look cleared. "Yeah." Then he glanced at Betsy and the couples gyrating on the floor to a fast rock beat. "Want to try it again?" he asked.

  Betsy grinned. "Excuse us, please."

  Misty took Luc's hand and pulled him into the surging crowd, too. "Are you sure it's okay for you to do this?" He frowned down at her as they moved to the wild rhythms.

  "Absolutely. And stop treating me as if I were going to give birth to the first two-headed donkey."

  Luc laughed. "I know I'm being difficult, but you'll just have to bear with me, darling."

  Misty was about to answer when Ted and Deirdre swept up to them. "Misty, if it's a boy, you could name him after me—Edward. That's a great name."

  "Don't be silly," Deirdre admonished. "She won't know the sex of the child for months yet. But you know, Edward isn't a bad name. If it's a girl, you can call her Edwina."

  "Good Lord!" Luc exclaimed.

  "I had an Aunt Edwina," Ted said defensively. A reluctant grin spread across his face. "Of course she weighed one hundred and eighty pounds and was five feet three inches."

  "True." Deirdre sighed. "Do
you think you'll choose one of the family names, Mystique?"

  "We haven't even had a chance to think about it yet," she said.

  "Family names," Luc mused, his arm still around Misty. "Didn't Mother have a cousin Eufemia?" Deirdre closed her eyes. "Don't start." "And she had a brother Eustace," Ted added with relish.

  Misty began shaking her head, looking from one to the other.

  "And wasn't there one named Tadpole?" Ted asked. Misty gasped.

  "That was Claypool," Deirdre corrected tartly as her husband burst into laughter. "That's the southern branch of mother's family—the Carters," she explained to Misty.

  "Oh."

  "I forgot to mention Cousin Lipscomb," Luc continued. "We called him Lippy."

  "That can't be true!" Misty exclaimed.

  "Of course it's true," Ted said, looking hurt. "Cousin Lipscomb was one of the most renowned ichthyologists in all of Nevada."

  "An ichthyologist? In Nevada?" Misty said faintly.

  Deirdre shrugged, sidestepping an energetic dancer who had come too close. "Strange, isn't it? He was eccentric."

  "And subject to seasickness," Luc finished.

  Misty looked blank as Ted chuckled and Deirdre smiled.

  "Hadn't we better dance or something?" Misty suggested.

  "I'd rather eat," Ted said, distastefully eyeing the jouncing couples on the floor.

  "Would you like something to eat, darling?" Luc glanced down at her, his eyes alight.

  "I'm not hungry, but I would like something to drink." As Misty took his arm, she noted that several women were assessing her husband from the dance floor. They passed into a smaller room with a round table set with assortments of canapés. "I can't believe anyone could want more food after the dinner we just ate."

  "I heard that," Ted said, spearing a shrimp. "I'll have you know, sister-in-law, that I need continual sustenance when dealing with the Harrison clan."

  "Amen to that," Luc murmured.

  "Do you really have a cousin named Lipscomb?" Misty asked Luc when Ted and Deirdre had turned away to speak to someone else. "Or were you just trying to make me laugh?"

  Luc paused, a glass of Irish whisky and water poised at his lips, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You know me too well, dear wife."

  "And I like what I know." Her eyes widened, and she watched fascinated as Luc's face flushed with embarrassment.

  He leaned closer and whispered, "Tell me that tonight, will you, when I'm holding you in my arms and your bare skin is rubbing against mine."

  "Luc!" Misty gasped and looked around to see if anyone had heard. "Stop that."

  "Too late. The image of you naked on our bed is implanted in my brain." He tipped the rest of his drink into his mouth and set down the glass. "Enough of that."

  "But, Luc, you haven't had much of anything to drink. Just a few champagne toasts and this glass of whisky."

  He grinned at her. "Checking up on me? But you're right, I haven't had much to drink. I find I don't want much when I'm with you. I want nothing that will cloud my thinking or blunt my awareness. You're all the stimulation I need. In fact, sometimes you're too much stimulation."

  "Oh, dear, I do hate to interrupt you, but I was wondering, Mystique dear, would you play for us?"

  Startled out of their tête-à-tête, Misty and Luc turned to see Althea. "Mother," Luc warned, obviously not approving of her suggestion.

  "I know, I know. You don't want any of us to bother Mystique in any way. You made that very clear. But, Luc, surely it isn't a bother to ask her to play for us."

  "Of course I'll play for you, Mother," Misty agreed.

  Luc's mother beamed. "Did you hear that, Luc? She called me Mother." She stretched up and kissed Misty on the cheek. "We all love you, dear, and you needn't play if you don't want to. You're such a beautiful woman. I just know your babies will be beautiful, too."

  "See?" Luc led Misty across the massive solarium and into a front room, where a piano stood on a small platform. "I'm not the only one who knows what a wonderful mother you'll make."

  "Oh, Luc," Misty said, her eyes filling with tears.

  "Don't cry," he whispered, "or I'll have to carry you out of here and up the stairs to make love to you."

  She gave him a watery smile. "Oh, Luc, Luc, I love you so..."

  Misty's mother-in-law had just finished quieting the guests, and Misty began to play, her eyes rarely leaving Luc's face. Afterward, her enraptured audience burst into enthusiastic applause.

  As Misty rose from the piano bench and accepted Luc's kiss, she felt that her world was complete. She had Luc, a loving family, and, coming soon, a baby she would love with all her heart. She'd come so far in such a short time— and all because of Luc's fierce and unwavering love. "I adore you," she whispered, the words coming easily to her now.

  With a brilliant smile, amid the compliments and congratulations of the guests, Luc led Misty out of the room and home to their bedroom, where they made love far into the night.

  Two years later, Misty and Luc went on a skiing trip to Sweetgum Lodge. As they removed their heavy clothing after spending a morning on the slopes, Misty turned to find her husband's eyes on her. "What is it, darling?"

  "I can't believe we've had two children only ten months apart. Ten months!" Luc shook his head. "You leave me reeling. My mother and father are still bragging to all their friends, and your husband is at your feet."

  "Never," Misty exclaimed in mock disbelief, happiness welling up inside her. "You don't regret having Mary Deirdre so soon after Stuy, do you?" she asked.

  "I regret nothing, my lovely wife, except that I wish we had more time alone." He grimaced when she chuckled. "Even though I work at home two days a week, I still don't have as much time with you as I'd like."

  "You'll get tired of me," Misty predicted, teasing him. She had perfect confidence in Luc's loyalty to her. He had made her whole. She knew that she was a good mother and, although Lucas Stuyvesant Harrison II was a little devil who kept his mother and his nurse chasing after him every waking moment, Misty was confident in her dealings with both children.

  "How is it that your waist is still so tiny after having had two babies? Your legs are so slender, so long." Luc tossed his ski vest toward a corner of the room. The thermal shirt he was wearing emphasized his muscled chest. "You're still the sexiest woman in the world."

  "I always want to look attractive to you. That's a thrill for me," she said softly.

  Luc stopped cold and stared at her. "I'm five feet away from you, yet I feel as if we're making love. I'm most alive when I'm in your arms, my sweet. Your very special loving aura surrounds me," he whispered. "I'm constantly captivated by the mystique of your personality. That's the main reason I continued to call you Mystique even after you told me your name was Misty." His voice dropped lower. "From the first moment I saw you that night in the Edwardian Room of the Terrace Hotel, I was drawn to you, and I've never wanted to leave you since then. At first, I thought it would be great to have you as a lover. Then I imagined the moment when I would have to leave you, and I realized I could never leave you." He took a step closer. "That realization had the impact of a bomb dropped on my life." He smiled. "You're my Mystique, and I belong to you, No matter how many wonderful children we have, no matter what challenges we face, that will never change."

  "I know, Luc. And I love you."

  Misty smiled serenely as she glided into his arms.