by Combs, Sasha
As William positioned his body to center his pushes on her nub, she felt her body reaching outside of herself for a steady anchor. For the first time since they started making love, William closed his eyes, to focus his attention on them both. Beads of sweat formed along his hairline, tracing a line down the sides of his face. Pamela lifted up to kiss the salty flavor brought on by their shared exertion. This singular action was like an explosion, pushing William pass the point of his self-control. His heartbeat pitched forward, lurching his body into action. From this point on, everything he did, occurred with deep concentration. He aimed to please, and his body moved with deliberate purpose. He knew every angle that would give her the best sensation and pleasure.
As his hips glided with powerful thrust, he filled her completely from all sides. William’s fullness overtook her, she arched her body back, attempting to control his reach and depth. This push and pull, wasn’t a game and they each wanted to reach their final points. When their bodies uniformly hummed with a familiar vibration, it was then that William released his seed.
He was amazed at his restraint, while forcing his body to arch up and off of her. His sex was solidly wedged between her folds. At the moment, he needed her to remain completely still because he still tingled from his orgasm but he had no way of knowing that she too buzzed with a wavelike stirring.
“Pleasssse...” the word eased from his lips in a low whisper. William didn’t dare move because his body still screamed with excitement. Any jarring amplified the feeling and he was already having a difficult time not yelling to the rafters.
“Sorry...so sorry.” She said while giggling. Pamela tried to stifle her laughter because she could only imagine what William was feeling. Her body had been rocked off tilter and she throbbed due to him still being inside of her.
Nothing could be better. Nothing was more wonderful and she wanted the world to know how much in love she was with him.
It took a little while, but the crescendo gradually eased away like a decrescendo. Even though the feeling faded, the memory of the sensation left a tingling echo in its wake. William eased his body up and off of her. He knew there would be no controlling her laughter. In truth, he wanted to laugh too but he held back noise that he knew would be far to loud and overheard in the small cabin.
After a few seconds of gathering himself, he rolled back on his side to look at her. He always loved the way she looked after they made love. Her cheeks would turn flush from the exertion. She always looked as if she were ready to windup for another exhausting round of love making.
William cupped his hand at the base of her head, lacing his fingers in the strands of her hair. He leaned forward, closing the few inches that separated them. When his mouth covered hers, he wanted nothing more than her love and the joy that it brought him.
When he withdrew from their shared kiss, his words held within each syllable a sound of passion.
“I love you.” He said. Pamela knew this, which is the reason she felt free to shift their conversation into another direction.
“If you love me...leave me alone for a little while to talk to Morgan tomorrow. I think if we had one day to fight it out...girl to girl. I think I might be able to get her to come around.”
William leaned back, widening the distance between them.
“Pamela...what makes you think Morgan will talk to you? Currently, I can barely get her to maintain a civil tongue with me.”
“Which is the reason I know that she will talk to me. You heard what she said at the dinner table.”
“I don’t think you really want to hear my daughters true thoughts regarding you. Her vocabulary has changed dramatically over this past year. I’m quite certain she may land a blow with her words that just might knock you off your feet.”
Pam smiled, then said...
“William, I know she isn’t the Sweet Princess you’ve portrayed her to be. Lately her behavior has been pixieish but I’v dealt with far worse, and I’m sure I can deal with Morgan. You forget, I’m older and I can take care of myself. Besides, a face-off with me may be just the medicine she needs.”
“A face-off...have you lost your mind? Giving Morgan a platform to say something horrible, that one day she might regret...you’re telling me that’s your idea? That’s you brilliant plan?”
Pamela held her ground, firm in her convictions. Even though she saw no signs hinting his surrender.
“William...we need to let Morgan think that she is getting exactly what she wants. A chance to tell me how she really feels. But in truth, once she starts talking, she’ll learn that I’m not her enemy. Plus...I think much of her behavior is for show. She wants an audience to flaunt her discontent. If it’s just the two of us, and no one else for her to showboat her defiance; I think some of her anger will deflate.”
“She’ll have you and right now...that’s more than enough for Morgan.”
“Yeah...maybe but once she sees that I’m not moved nor impressed by her childish behavior; her peacock strut will lose much of its luster. William, her performance isn’t for me. She couldn't care less if I’m startled by her pushing a chair back until it slams into a wall. On the other hand, if her grandparents are unsettled or my parents...you or anyone else. If she can suck the other people around her into her sinkhole; then Morgan has accomplished what she wants. She can portray herself as the injured party. The one person whose feelings have been neglected and trampled on.”
William listened but there were too many holes in her plan. The first problem was leaving them alone to talk. If they were to make it back to Barn Wood Hudson tomorrow before sunset, they would have to leave shortly after daybreak. That would leave very little time to give Pamela and Morgan the opportunity to have their little chitchat. The only other choice would be to remain one additional night and Frederick nor Michael had signed on for that.
“Pamela, baby... We can talk about this once we get back to Barn Wood Hudson. Besides...I really think if Morgan and I have a few minutes alone, we can work through this. She isn’t wholly unreasonable.”
“If that were true, she wouldn’t have ran away and she wouldn’t have come here. I don’t think she wants me at a home that reminds her of Bianca. She hates that I’m taking her mothers place. If we’re going to bridge a gap, then we need to do it away from that house. I think we need to talk here. It’s the one place she won’t feel I’m trying to take over. This cabin isn’t Barn Wood Hudson.”
William recalled telling Pamela about Bianca and how she preferred staying close to the house. When Morgan took her long strolls out to one of the hunters cabin, her guide would always be William, Wallace or one of William’s family members or a good friend. Bianca never traveled deep into the forest to hunt. She didn’t mind the duck hunting, although that too was done close to the main house.
“Pamela...” he said, in a voice he hoped didn’t sound dismissive.
“I really don’t think it matters where we talk to Morgan. At this point the location isn’t the real problem. The key to this situation is waiting her out. Once she sees that nothing much in her life is changing...then she’ll begin to come around.”
“How long will that take William? In about eight months, we’re going to have a baby. I would love it if the wall that she has built were torn down by that time. I don’t think it will be good if our family isn’t healed by then.”
William positioned Pamela to lie with her back pressed against his chest. He eased his arm underneath her breast, pressing until their bodies formed a tight seal. It was late, and they really needed their rest. He admired the way she climbed the mountain, rarely requiring the steadying hand from one of the others. In their conversation, Pamela exhibited a determination much like her tireless strength. He didn’t want to be blamed for zapping her persistent nature. In spite of that, this talk they were having was like a merry-go-round. It stood the chance of going on and on, well into the early hours and he couldn’t allow that. The trail down the mountain would require the same a
mount of robust energy.
“Sweetie...you need to get some sleep. We can talk about this in the morning. Besides...we might wake and find that Morgan has had a change of heart. Anything can happen overnight.”
This wasn’t wishful thinking on his part. This was William’s poor attempt to end their conversation and she’d not been fooled. Even so, as much as Pamela wanted to argue until the sun rose, she chose to let the topic rest. If he was wrong, and Morgan’s feelings had not changed, the subject would be revisited in the morning. They couldn’t hide from the truth anymore. The time had come to set the record straight or to keep trying until they did. There was to much at stake and far more at risk if their efforts failed.
__________________________
Complicated decisions
When William and Pamela both emerged from their bedroom after a night of restful sleeping, their refreshed bodies had made good use of the time and the benefits could be outwardly seen. After they had made love, then talked for a while as they lay in bed; sleep overtook them. During the night, William had slipped from a dream in the middle of one of his night visions. He repositioned, to snuggled closer to Pamela. His eyes lay heavily on her while she slumbered but he didn’t wake her to make love to him again. Instead he rejoined her by picking up where he’d left off in one of his more favorable dreams. Actually, when they heard the sound of movement in the kitchen, they had been surprised because the sun had barely begun to rise. When they eased from underneath the covers, they each used the water in their personal washbowls that William had filled from the well before settling in their room for the night. They dressed in a fresh pair of clothing. In the kitchen, Michael had started up the stove and was brewing a pot of coffee. He had placed five tin mugs on a table. The smell of beans wafted from a simmering pot.
“Good morning.” He said in greeting. Michael lifted the lid and began stirring the mixture that he’d concocted from the cans.
“It isn’t bacon and eggs but I think it will hold us for the days journey.”
William walked over to the stove, he peered over Michael’s shoulder pretending to be interested. When he was satisfied with what he’d seen, Pamela watched his eyes when they fell on the ladder perched up to the lofts opening.
Michael followed William’s gaze and he said...
“She needed to go to the outhouse so Frederick said that he would see that she got their safely.”
William nodded and walked to the door.
“Pamela...stay here and help Michael. I’m going to talk to Morgan. I’ll send Frederick back in. You all can eat your breakfast. Just save a dish for me and Morgan.”
As William approached the door to the cabin, he didn’t turn back to see Pamela’s expression. His heart wouldn’t allow him to see her disappointment. When they fell asleep last night, he’d left her with the impression that they would talk in the morning about how best to deal with Morgan.
In general, it wasn’t his practice to knowingly deceive people and that included Pamela. Which is the reason he didn’t feel any guilt because the idea of talking to Morgan had just hit him. It was the ladder that gave him the notion, not to put off talking to his willful daughter. When he walked from the house in the direction of the outhouse, William spotted the door when it swung wide open and Morgan stepped out. With his resolve strong, William’s expression was all that Frederick needed to see. Frederick left the tree stump that he’d been sitting on, while lifting his phone to the sky checking for reception. The signal was weak but he had enough bars that would allow him to check his phone messages.
As the two men crossed paths, neither said a word and William went directly towards his daughter. When he was within a few feet of her, they stood like two dueling men preparing for their showdown.
William eyed her outfit, looking at the jeans and the thick sweatshirt she wore. He recalled the day when Bianca had bought the shirt from a gift shop while traveling in St Croix. Morgan had not wanted to join them on the trip because she preferred being away with her friends. Michael and LaShawn had joined them on their excursion. It was amusing to him how the slightest things could cause the memory to jog in all sorts of directions. He wondered if he should tell his daughter that, that trip had been her last opportunity to join her parents on a family trip. Not long after that, Bianca had made that fateful trip to see her doctor. No, he thought to himself. His daughter could never know that she’d chosen a week with her friends over spending time on the island with her mother.
“Morgan, I hope you slept well.”
Morgan looked to the trees behind him, then her eyes fell on the cabin in the distance. The place where Pamela and the others were. She gave no indication that she slept without any problems. No matter, he thought. William looked directly at her, choosing his words with careful consideration.
“We will be heading back to Barn Wood Hudson after breakfast. Before we leave, I really want to have a talk.”
“About what?” she spat. Her tone took the air out of his ballon because he’d been hoping that by morning Morgan would have simmered down.
“I would like to talk about us. You and me.”
“And Pamela?”
William heard the enmity in her voice. He didn’t understand how one person could hold so much loathing for another, then he questioned if he had it within him to squash such anguish. Even though she was his daughter, he didn’t know if he possessed the strength alone to reach inside of her to cut out the cancerous tendrils that fed her staggering hatred. As his eyes studied her, William recalled that Morgan had always impressed him with her attention to detail, but he never knew the same desire that lay inside of her could be used to fuel hate or to nurture meanness. He wondered if perhaps somehow he’d failed his daughter. He wondered if his hand held the healing balm to sooth her woes. For the first time in these few days, he doubted himself. He knew that his love wasn’t enough to fill the void that had ruptured. This was no longer about him. He could see that now. But to place such a heavy burden on Pamela; he wasn’t ready to do that either. Yet, as he looked at the deep black hole in the depths of his daughter’s eyes, he considered; perhaps her world does need to be shaken. Maybe, she needs the daggers that only Pamela possessed.
Stepping closer to her, he recalled the last time he’d smiled in front of her. His easy breezy feeling had been on the day he arrived at Barn Wood Hudson. Minutes before his news about his marriage to Pamela had been shared. William tested the muscles on his face, lifting one side of his mouth to curl in a half smile. He noticed her curious expression as she wondered what reason he had to smile. In fact, Morgan looked stunned. In that instant, William knew exactly what needed to be done.
“Come on Morgan. Lets go back to the cabin. Breakfast is just about ready...and you’ll want to eat your food while it’s hot.”
“I’m not hungry. I can wait until tonight. The only thing good so far on this vacation has been the food at Barn Wood Hudson. If I’m going to eat...I’d much prefer to eat Greta’s cooking. My stomach may not survive the slop being prepared by Uncle Michael in the cabin. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against Uncle Michael...but the last time I ate his food, I think I was eleven. Even then it wasn’t something worth remembering.”
Morgan’s sense of humor could be mildly comical, which is partly the reason William’s smile grew wider; and this confused Morgan all the more. She was being a first class spoiled brat. Something she typically witnessed her friends being. Morgan had seen the best of the best in rotten children and she’d just played to perfection a scene that she’d actually witnessed for herself. After that last remark about Michael, surely that should have dampened her father’s mood but all she’d managed to achieve was a bigger smile. She listened amazed when he finally chose to speak again.
“All right... Have it your way but, if it’s Greta’s cooking that you’re waiting for...then you’ll be waiting much longer than you expected.”
Testing his luck, William turned his back to Morgan and
began walking towards the cabin. At first Morgan didn’t take the bait but as the seconds ticked away and she stood still, it was then that she realized, her curiosity had peaked. She would need to match her father’s pace if she intended to catch him. So instead of standing like a frozen statue, Morgan skipped with a steady jogging glide. As William walked up the steps to the cabin, then swung open the door, Morgan was only a few steps behind him.
Everyone in the cabin had either eaten or was just finishing up. Pamela took her last bite of powdered eggs, while Frederick ate his last bite of spam. They all looked in amazement when William and Morgan rejoined them in the cabin.
“Is there a plate left for me?” William said, and Pamela pointed to the oven.
“I’ll pour you a cup of coffee, while you get your food from the oven. Don’t forget to use the padded cloth next to the stove to hold the plate. It’s really hot.”
Pamela looked at Morgan who was standing a few feet from the door. She had not raced for the ladder leading to the loft, which was a good sign and she noticed William’s improved mood.
“Morgan...” Pam said with a hesitant voice.
“I made a plate for you...if you’re hungry.”
“Don’t bother Pamela. Morgan want’s to wait until she gets back to eat Greta’s cooking but I told her waiting wouldn’t be wise.”
Pamela’s eyes traveled back to the door. Morgan still stood near the open archway with her arms folded against her chest, her expression clearly showing her anger. Pamela moved close, whispering in William’s ear so as not to be overheard. She noticed Frederick and her father in the background. They were packing their backpacks; preparing for the days hike back to the main house. As they did this, they appeared to be not listening, but she knew that they were hanging on every word.
