by Aj Harmon
“Oh, Janie!! I am SO happy for you!! SO, SO HAPPY!” She hugged her friend, genuinely thrilled at her good fortune.
“I am afraid it’s all a dream,” she smiled.
“No, it’s real,” said Katy. “You deserve it.”
They drove back to Katy’s house consumed with the wedding. Katy was shocked it would be so soon, but thrilled her best friend was going to seize her happiness.
“You’ll be my maid of honor, right?” Janie asked.
Katy grinned, “Of course!”
“So tomorrow I have to sign all the papers for the house. Mom and the boys emptied it and had it professionally cleaned, so my signature is the last thing. And I have to tell the boys,” she said, anxiety in her tone. “I’m really nervous about that.”
“Once they see how happy you are, they will be happy too,” Katy hoped. She wasn’t really sure how they would take it either.
“And then its dress shopping!” Janie said, this time excitement in her voice.
“What are you going to wear?”
“Well I’m not doing white,” Janie said. “That would be a little weird.”
“I’m sure we will find something perfect,” Katy smiled.
*****
Signing the legal documents to sell the house that had been her home for the last twenty years was bittersweet for Janie, and it was all done in about fifteen minutes.
“That’s it?” she asked.
“That’s it!” replied Amanda. “Money will be transferred into your account today.”
“Wow,” she whispered.
Janie left the office building and slid into her car. She pulled her phone from her purse and waited impatiently as she heard the ringing in her ear.
“Hi,” he drawled. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” Janie smiled. “It’s all done. The house is officially sold.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah I am. I’m just impatiently waiting to get back to you.”
She heard him chuckle. “Can I call you back in a bit?” he asked.
“Oh, did I call at a bad time?”
“It’s never a bad time for you. You can call anytime and I will answer every time. I just need to wrap up a few things with the men sitting at my desk wondering who the hell I’m talking to.” She could actually hear him smiling through the phone.
“How did I get so lucky?” she asked. “Call me anytime. I will answer every time,” she smiled.
“Love you,” he said.
“Love you too.”
Janie dropped the phone back in her purse and felt ridiculous sitting in the parking lot grinning like an idiot.
*****
That night she was taking her sons and mother to dinner. She figured they met Matt together, they could hear the news together. They thought it was a ‘selling the house’ celebration. Hopefully it would still be considered a celebration by the time they left.
They sat in the Red Star Tavern. Somehow the restaurant choice gave her courage. The waitress brought drinks; Cokes for the boys, a margarita for her mother and Janie a glass of cabernet, her new favorite wine.
Patty raised her glass in a toast.
“Your mom is an amazing woman,” she said to the boys. “You should be extremely proud of her. This has been a really hard few years for you all, but she has remained the rock of this family and I for one, wish her the best new start she could possibly have.”
“Here, here,” smiled Tyler.
Adam smiled and they all clinked their glasses together.
A sad smile on Janie’s face, she thanked her mom for the kind words and hoped they would approve of her new start.
“There is something I would like to tell you,” she began. May as well just say it, she thought. “Matt has asked me to marry him and I have said yes.” There! Done!
The silence that met her was deafening. All three of them just looked at her. Finally, Patty smiled and patted her hand.
“Congratulations,” she smiled. “I hope you will be very happy.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Tyler sighed. “I guess I figured this day would come,” he said. “I am happy for you, mom, it’s just gonna be weird.”
Janie smiled at her son. How proud she was of her boys. “Thank you. Adam?”
“Aw, mom. Give me some time, k?”
“Okay,” she patted his hand.
“That’s the ring?” Tyler blurted, looking at her hand. “Holy shit! Is he loaded?”
Janie chuckled. “Yes he is. Very loaded.”
“Well then double congratulations,” laughed Patty.
Janie relaxed after knowing all would be well in her little family.
*****
With two of the items now off her ‘to-do-in-Portland’ list, Janie could concentrate on the wedding dress. Matt had insisted she take the checkbook with her, even though her new credit card reading ‘Janie Lathem’ was in her wallet. Janie decided that she was going to use money from the sale of her house to buy her dress. It would probably be the last thing she bought with ‘their’ money; hers and Robert’s. She didn’t think Robert would mind. In fact, she was confident he was happy for her, wherever he was.
Katy and Janie set out for the day, a wedding dress the goal. After trying on over a dozen dresses in a small bridal shop in downtown Portland, Janie stood looking in the mirror at what she believed was the perfect dress.
It was ivory, not white. It was satin and chiffon. Short sleeved and high-waisted with a jeweled band underneath her breasts. It had a deep V neckline, sexy but still appropriate. It had a court train and Janie felt positively beautiful in it. She stepped out of the changing room and Katy gasped, obviously pleased.
“My God, Janie! You are gorgeous!”
“Yeah I think this is it,” she grinned, unable to contain her excitement. “Now we need to find something for you.”
“It won’t matter what I wear,” Katy laughed. “I’ll look completely frumpy next to you!”
Providence smiled on them because they found the perfect dress for Katy in the same shop. It was a champagne colored halter dress that looked stunning on Katy. With her blonde hair, big brown eyes and perfect figure, Janie was sure there would be plenty of eyes on her best friend. But she didn’t care. All she cared about was Matt and she was pretty sure he would be looking at only her.
“Now shoes!” Janie laughed.
11.
The next few weeks were a blur. Janie was flying back and forth to New York, meeting with caterers and florists and the hotel, giving final approval and writing checks, signing them ‘Janie Lathem’. She had told Maureen she didn’t need to be there but Maureen insisted. And Janie discovered that she was already falling in love with her soon-to-be mother-in-law.
As they left the bakery that was entrusted with the four-tier chocolate wedding cake, Maureen patted Janie’s arm and smiled.
“Thank you Janie,” she smiled.
“For what?” asked Janie.
“For a lot of things,” she began. “For loving my son. For bringing back his spark, the light in his eyes. I haven’t seen that in a very long time.”
Janie covered Maureen’s hand with her own. “I adore him and I will love for the rest of my life.”
“I know you do. May I ask a very personal question?”
“Sure,” Janie replied.
“Have you talked about children?”
Janie sighed. “Maureen, I, Matt doesn’t, he isn’t very, not really.”
“Oh,” Maureen sighed.
“I do know all about Suzanne and I am very open to the possibility of having children with Matt. But he isn’t ready to entertain the idea. Not yet, anyway.”
Maureen smiled and nodded.
Peter met them on the sidewalk and opened the cab door for them to slide in.
“Don’t give up hope,” Janie smiled at Maureen. “I haven’t.”
*****
Two weeks before the wedding, Janie arrived back in New York for a w
eek. Matt met her at the airport with a dozen red roses.
“They are beautiful,” she grinned.
“I know you like lilies, but nothing says ‘I love you’ more than red roses,” he explained.
Janie took the bouquet from him and buried her face in them, the scent filling her senses.
“I have some exciting news,” he said, excitement obvious.
“What is it?” she asked, intrigued.
“Can’t tell you!” he laughed.
“Then why tell me you have exciting news?” Janie swatted his arm.
“I have to show you.”
Ray helped them in to the car and they headed for their apartment. During the drive, Matt filled Janie in on the new developments at the office and the work on the remodeling of the executive suite.
“I still haven’t seen your office,” Janie frowned.
“Seriously?”
“Your mother occupies my time when you are at work,” she laughed.
“We will have to remedy that,” he grinned.
They pulled up to their building and Matt all but drug Janie to the elevator. It must be in the apartment, she thought.
As they got out of the elevator, Janie turned to the left and headed to their door.
“Wrong way,” Matt grinned and headed for the other apartment occupying the floor of the building.
“What are you doing?”
Matt placed a key in the lock and turned it, pushing open the door. Janie followed cautiously.
They stepped into the apartment and it had been gutted down to the wall studs and concrete floor.
“We bought it,” he grinned.
Janie was shocked. “But what about the view? Our view? Our spot in front of the Statue of Liberty?” She was visibly upset. She had come to love that desk in front of the window in their bedroom.
“We still have our view, sweet Janie. We have bought this apartment too so we now have the whole floor!”
Matt was giddy! Janie watched him as he bounced around the massive open space, it finally dawning on her what he had done.
“When did you do all this?”
“The day after you said yes!” he grinned. “I made the former owner an offer he couldn’t, and didn’t, refuse.”
“You’re expanding the apartment? Because it wasn’t big enough before?” she laughed.
“Well, there are the boys and your mom. They’re going to need space when they’re here and I have my office and the gym, but I thought you’d need some space for, for, for stuff,” he explained. “And, I don’t know. Maybe we’ll need more bedrooms.”
Janie wasn’t sure what he meant by that last statement and decided better than to ask him about it now.
“Okay,” she said. “Now what?”
“The architect will be here tomorrow with three potential floor plans and you can choose which one we want. Obviously, the contractor has already started. It can be done by the time we get back from our honeymoon so we won’t be here for most of the noise. I am paying them a lot of money to be finished on time,” he grinned. “What do you think?”
“I think I love you!”
*****
Two days later, Matt left for work early but confirmed with Janie that Ray would bring her to the office just before lunch. She wanted to see where he spent so much of his time and Matt wanted her to see the view.
Ray pulled curbside in front of the massive glass structure and Janie thanked him for the ride. She stood on the sidewalk, remembering the last time she was there. A lifetime ago, she thought. She walked in and headed to the elevators. MEL Holdings had three floors but Matt’s office was on the sixty-seventh. She pushed the button and the elevator shot upwards. The doors opened a couple of times as people exited and she continued on. The doors finally opened on Matt’s floor and she stepped out into the hallway that held so much pain for her the last time she tried to visit Matt. Pushing the dark memories from her mind, she ventured through the construction zone to where Matt’s office was.
The lady she had seen the last time she was here stopped her as she stepped over a pile of lumber.
“Oh, I am sorry for the mess,” she apologized. “How can I help you?”
“Hello,” smiled Janie. “I’m here to see Matt.”
“Do you have an appointment?” she asked.
“I believe I do,” Janie giggled. “I’m Janie.”
“Oh my goodness! Yes you are! It is so lovely to finally meet you!” Angela held her hand for Janie to shake which she did. “I am Angela, Mr. Lathem’s secretary. I’m sure we will get to know each other very well.”
Janie immediately liked this woman. “Thank you, Angela. I’m sure we will.”
“Let me show you in,” Angela said and guided Janie through the maze of building materials that infested her office.
She tapped lightly on the big wooden door and pushed it open, ushering Janie inside and closing the door behind her.
Matt looked up from his desk and a huge smile appeared on his face. He was on the phone and abruptly got rid of the person on the other end.
“That was rude,” she laughed.
“I don’t care,” he grinned as he stood and walked to her, pulling her into his arms and dipped her backwards, planting a kiss on her.
Janie giggled as he let her up.
“So this is your office.”
“Yep! The contractor is making all kinds of renovations to the suite but my office remains as is.”
“I can see why,” she gasped as she walked to the window and looked at the view. “This is spectacular!”
Matt walked to the door and locked it and turned and gazed at his beautiful fiancée. Matt sauntered across his office and sat in his chair. Janie stood next to him. She wore a multi-colored maxi dress that fell almost to her ankles, with a short-sleeve shrug, her feet in bone wedges. She turned and looked at Matt who was studying her.
“I like that you wore a dress today,” he grinned that grin she had come to know well.
“Oh yes? And why is that Mr. Lathem?”
“Come here and I’ll show you,” he growled.
Janie closed the gap between them in two short steps and Matt pulled her onto his lap.
“Do you have something in your pocket or are you just happy to see me,” she winked.
“Very happy to see you,” he said as he pulled her dress up her legs.
“Matt!” she gasped. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly,” he grinned.
“I’m game,” she giggled and leaned over and took off one shoe and then the other. The she stood and shimmied her panties down her legs, stepping out of them. “I’ve never done this before,” she whispered.
“Nobody can hear you,” he whispered back. “And I haven’t done this either.”
Janie undid his belt and his trouser button and zipper and tugged them down his legs to his ankles.
“I should take a picture of this,” she laughed, and pulled down his briefs. “It looks like you are ready for me, sir. Where’s a condom?”
“Oh, I don’t have one here,” he frowned. “Very bad planning.”
Janie stood up and looked at Matt, sad that the opportunity was blown.
“Janie?”
“Hmm?”
“Did you go on the pill like you said you were going to?”
“I did,” she replied.
“Then I guess we aren’t as out of luck as I thought,” he grinned. “Come here beautiful.”
Janie hesitated, not sure she heard him right, but he reached for her hand and pulled her down to him. Janie complied and sat on his lap, searching his eyes for answers. He pulled her lips to his, his hands on either side of her face, his fingers laced through her hair and kissed her. Janie drowned in his kiss and sighed into his mouth.
With her knees on either side of his hips, Janie rose up and slid down on to him, burying him deep inside her.
“Sweet Jesus!” Matt groaned. “You. Feel. Fucking. Unbelievable!”
She
rode him hard and fast and was thrilled with the pleasure of it all, and the fact that Matt trusted her. He truly trusted her. Tension built and built and soon she was cascading into the most amazing orgasm she had ever experienced. It racked her entire body, heart and soul and a single tear escaped and fell down her cheek.
Matt thrust into her one more time. “FUCK!” He gasped for air, his body trembling. He opened his eyes to see the tear fall from her chin.
“Janie! What is it?”
“These are happy tears,” she whispered.
12.
Sunday morning Matt walked Janie to the ticket agent at La Guardia for her last trip back to Portland before their wedding in six days. Once again, she choked up when they got to the security checkpoint.
“This is the last time,” he whispered in her ear as he held her tightly.
“I know,” she said. “All my stuff should arrive on Tuesday and then I arrive back on Thursday, Katy and mom in tow.”
“It’s only four days.”
“I know, but I will still miss you every minute of those four long days. I love you,” she smiled, and she turned and walked to the TSA agent sitting on the stool.
“Janie!” Matt yelled.
Janie swung around to see him smiling. “I love you!” he screamed through the airport.
*****
Janie arrived at PDX on time. And this trip she only had carry-on luggage, so she raced through the airport to Katy who would be waiting for her. The excitement she felt was palpable and she was so excited to share it with her friend. Standing on the curb, she pulled her phone and texted Katy to let her know she was ready, in case she was sitting in the waiting area half a mile down the road.
After several more minutes, Janie decided to call Katy but it went straight to voicemail. Odd, thought Janie.
By the time thirty minutes had ticked by, Janie was worried.
She called her mom to come and get her and in the meantime she called Matt to let him know she had arrived safely.
"I don't understand why she's not even answering her phone," she worried.
"I'm sure everything is fine. Maybe she just got held up at work," Matt tried to allay her fears.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe I'll try the hospital."
