Southern Secrets

by Shelley Stringer

  “Dr. Renault said one of them was thick and it would hurt. Maybe the thigh might be better, so we will try that next time, and we’ll get you to lie down,” he said, leaning over to kiss me before tucking me in. “I’m sorry, I don’t like doing something that hurts you.”

  “If it’s for the babies, I don’t care how much it hurts. I’ll get used to it, I’m tough,” I assured him.

  I tossed and turned while he took his shower. I couldn’t seem to get comfortable, my skin itched, and I couldn’t relax. All of a sudden, I couldn’t stand the sheets touching me. I flung the covers back as I began to sweat profusely. What was wrong with me? I finally got up, and then started for the door so I could go downstairs and get some water. As I walked, my whole body began to tingle and my nerve endings were making my limbs jump…my heart raced, and it was if I needed to crawl out of my own skin. My immediate reaction was to ball up in the floor and rock. I’d seen Banton do this several times when he’d been bitten, but I’d never had this intense reaction to the venom the first time I was bitten.

  “Oh, Andie…come here, Baby. I’m so sorry,” Banton swore under his breath, kneeling down beside me and sliding his arms around me. “What can I do to help you?” he asked.

  I had my eyes tightly shut, trying to fight through the emotions and to calm my heart rate. “I…dddonttt kknnnow, whattt hhhelps…you?” I asked, rocking back and forth in his arms.

  “Sometimes just being close to you…working out helps too. The valium helps, but I can’t give it to you,” he said apologetically. I opened my eyes and nodded at him.

  “Come on, we’ll figure this out.” He scooped me up, carrying me down the staircase, and then into the living room and over to the sofa. After he’d knelt to light a fire in the fireplace, he walked over to the stereo and put some soft classical music on.

  “Stay put, I’ll only be a minute,” he said, bounding down the hallway.

  I continued to rock and shake.

  He returned moments later, holding two glasses of warm milk. He sat them down on the coffee table, and then pulled one of the massive rocking chairs John had put together for the nursery into the living room. After he’d placed it strategically in front of the fireplace, he returned to the sofa and picked me up.

  “I’m all right…I just need to fight through this. You need to rest, go on to bed,” I insisted as he brushed the hair back away from my face.

  “No way am I leaving you to fight through this on your own. You helped me plenty of times. Now, try to relax,” he said. He sat down in the rocker with me, covering both of us up with Aunt Chloe’s quilt. He rocked slowly as he kissed my forehead, humming to the music playing on the stereo. The firelight flickered and danced around the room in mesmerizing patterns, and the milk he’d insisted I drink was warming me up from the inside. After a few minutes, I began to relax a little, burying my head in his muscular bare chest.

  “That’s better, your heart rate is coming down,” he whispered, stroking my hair.

  “Mmmm. This is nice,” I commented. He continued to rock to the music.

  “This is a first. I don’t remember ever being rocked by anyone before, except my mother.”

  “Well, we’ll just have to do this a lot. I can’t say I mind having my beautiful wife wrapped up in my lap in front of the firelight,” He continued to whisper into my hair as he placed his hand on my abdomen. “Oh, Andie, I don’t see how you could possibly relax, with the babies flipping so much. Do they do it a lot?” he asked. I turned my head to look up at him.

  “No, this is a first…do you think they are experiencing the same sensations I am?” I asked.

  “I wouldn’t doubt it, the venom is circulating through their little blood streams too,” he said, studying my face. I teared up at the thought my babies would be feeling this too, and I placed my own hands around my tummy protectively.

  “Shhh, they’ll be okay,” he assured me, continuing to hum to the music and slowly caressing my tummy. I finally relaxed enough to drift off, and woke a couple of hours later as he placed me in the bed, tucking the covers in around me. He bent to place a kiss on my forehead as I looked up at him.

  “I’m sorry I woke you, go back to sleep, Baby,” he whispered, sliding in next to me.

  “’Kay,” I answered, drifting back to sleep.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  The next two weeks found me and Constance knee-deep in last minute projects and studying for finals. I had the most trouble studying I’d ever had before…venom and adrenalin mixed with worry and test anxiety was not a good combination for me. Although I’d promised Banton I wouldn’t let Aunt Chloe’s superstitious warning bother me, it was hanging there in the back of my mind. My thoughts were definitely not on finals and grades as they needed to be, and I began to worry this might be the first time in my life I might fail a test.

  “Baby, you’re stressed out. What can I do to help you?” Banton asked one afternoon as my finals loomed.

  “Nothing. I just need to get in the zone and concentrate.” I sighed in frustration. I continued to study the open textbook in front of me, then finally slammed it shut after about thirty more minutes of staring at the pages…I hadn’t retained a thing I’d just read.

  “Chandler Ann, you’re trying too hard. You’ve been at it all afternoon, haven’t you?” he chuckled, striding across the foyer to join me in the living room. He’d been gone to the base for most of the day with the other SEALs, and had just come back downstairs after changing into some shorts and a t-shirt. “Yeah, and I think I’m just wasting my time.” I answered. He sat down beside me, gathering me up in his arms, his hands firmly planted around the baby-bundle.

  “Wow, they’re rollin’ today…I don’t see how you could possibly concentrate with that wrestling match going on!” he exclaimed, looking down at me. The babies were so active, you could see my t-shirt bouncing with their movements.

  “Hey, I know what will calm them down. We haven’t been in the hot tub since the attack here at the house…let’s go and check the water out. I’ll fix us something to drink, and we’ll relax out there for a while. Then you can come back to this refreshed,” he whispered. I nodded enthusiastically up at him.

  “I’ll just go find something to put on, and I’ll meet you out there,” I offered, leaning over to kiss him. I happened to have a surprise for him, I’d been to the doctor this morning, and Dr. Renault had told me everything looked all right with the babies and I could resume normal activities. I rifled through my drawers upstairs, trying to find something suitable to wear. I finally settled on a tankini bathing suit with a skirt covering the bundle with a little room to spare. As I rounded the bottom of the stairs I met John in the hallway.

  “Wow, Andie…no woman in your condition should be allowed to look so hot,” he teased, leaning over to hug me.

  “Aw, you’re just saying that because you want me to cook for you again,” I joked, the warmth rising in my face as my cheeks grew red.

  “Nope, you are seriously hot to be this far along, Banton might want to put a higher fence around the hot-tub area.”

  Banton cleared his throat behind us.

  “Um, hum…Back off, John-boy. No ogling the pregnant woman,” Banton retorted. He handed me a bottle of Perrier. “Hey, brother, we were just about to check out the hot tub. Constance and Ty are coming out in a little while. Why don’t you join us? I’ve got some cold beer in the fridge,” he offered as John shook his head.

  “No thanks, you all go on ahead. I’ve got some work to take care of down at my house. I’ll see you all later,” he answered. He shoved his hands in his pockets and retreated down the hallway to the front door.

  I watched him leave, shoulders hunched…I saw the pain in his eyes as he looked at us before he turned. It seemed to be hard for him to watch me and Banton or Ty and Constance. There were just too many reminders of Brie, and his loneliness was heavy in the air these days.

  Banton put his arm around me and guided me out the back door
and into the yard. He’d already placed a couple of towels in the chairs by the hot tub, and he had a CD of some of my favorite Country music playing softly in the background.

  “Wow, you think of everything,” I smiled at him as he helped me into the swirling water. After he’d settled in beside me, he pulled me over into his lap and wrapped his arms around me.

  “Now, this is more like it. This is how I intend to spend our lazy afternoons. No more tension for you, Lady,” he whispered, placing his hands on my shoulders and kneading the rock-hard muscles in my neck.

  “Mmm…you’re wonderful, do you know that? I have no excuse for failing any of these tests. You do everything you can to help me study, wait on me hand and foot… I don’t work, so I can’t claim it as distraction. If I fail any of these tests coming up, I have no excuses to give Uncle Lon.”

  “Baby, you are pregnant, have been through more attacks and scares and trauma than anyone in a Stephen King novel…you have a few reasons to be distracted. And I don’t know anyone more committed to their grades and degree plan than you are. Quit being so hard on yourself. You will do fine. Let’s see, what class has you the most worried?” he asked as he pulled back to look at me.

  “Well, my literature class is pretty cut and dry, and everything we’ve read this semester I’ve already read at least once, but she’s tough. I don’t know what to expect on the exam. And my writing class--he won’t give us any clues as to what our final will be. He’ll probably throw some random, far-left idea out there, and expect us to be brilliant writers in fifteen-hundred words or less in ninety minutes or less. I’ll probably just go blank and throw-up,” I answered as I sighed.

  “Here is what I want you to do. After dinner, study for an hour or so more tonight. Then a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon, and to bed early. You just need to relax, and not over-think this. It sounds like these tests aren’t the kind you can study for, you either know it or you don’t,” he said. He kissed the top of my head.

  “You’re right. How’d you get to be so smart?” I asked, turning and straddling his lap to face him.

  “I’m just older and wiser, I guess,” he sighed. I began kissing his neck.

  “Yeah, you’re an old man. It’s kind of creeping me out, actually…” I teased, placing kisses on his chest.

  “Oh, yeah? I’ll show you old man,” he growled, pulling my hips in closer. He reached up, grabbing the back of my neck as he pulled me in to cover my mouth with his. My insides flushed, all the way to my core. He flicked his tongue across mine slowly, sliding his hands down inside the bottoms of my swimsuit. I pulled away and gasped as his hand found its way home. As he looked down into my eyes, his gaze softened, and he slid his hands back up to a more modest position around my hips.

  “I’m sorry. I just get carried away. I didn’t mean to stir up something we can’t finish, I just miss being intimate,” he admitted as he caressed my cheek with his thumb.

  “It’s all right. Stir me up all you want to. I went to the doctor this morning, and we have an all-clear,” I whispered, tugging at his earlobe with my teeth.

  His eyes sparkled and his dimple flashed at me. One swift motion and my bottoms were floating on the surface.

  “Banton Matthew Gastaneau, what are you doing? Ty and Constance could be here any minute,” I protested. He pulled me up to straddle him once more.

  “I’ll hear his truck if they pull up. We’re all alone right now, Mrs. Gastaneau,” he said as he pulled me lower into the water.

  * * *

  Banton’s plan worked like a charm. After I’d studied a couple of hours after dinner, I relaxed immediately and fell sound asleep while we were talking in bed. I took his advice, and spent more time resting and meditating the day before my tests than I did studying.

  The morning of my finals found me up before dawn. After I’d dressed and gathered my books, I met Banton at the foot of the stairs.

  “I made some breakfast, but I’m betting I can’t get you to eat anything,” he guessed. I shook my head. “So I made you this.” He handed me my travel mug full of steaming coffee. “I want to drive you and wait…if you want,” he murmured, leaning over to kiss me.

  “I’d love it, thanks,” I answered. He shot me the dimple.

  I looked over my notes for my first test as he drove, and before I knew it, we were on campus.

  “Meet me under our tree, after my last test? It should be around two o’clock.” I turned to pick up my bags out of the seat.

  “Sure. I’ve got a couple of errands. I’ll meet you there. Good luck, sweetheart,” he called as I waved to him.

  I had a hard time concentrating on my first test, some of the questions about material we’d read during the semester just didn’t make sense to me. I finally settled down and focused.

  As I made my way over to the library for my second test, I spotted Banton hanging out in a courtyard, waiting for me. He leaned against a planter reading on his cell. A small group of girls had gathered twenty feet or so away in the doorway to the next building, consumed with giggles as they checked my man out. I smiled to myself, yeah, just look, ladies…he’s all mine. Six months ago, other women ogling my man would have made me feel insecure, but there was a subtle change in me, and it was the security I felt in Banton’s love.

  Knowing the pressure was about to be off and I could concentrate on him and the babies for a change…gave me the boost I needed. When the test began, I worked through the essay with a fury and a determination that could move mountains. One hour and forty-five minutes later, I put the most passionate essay on modern women’s issues anyone could have written on my professor’s desk. The last test I had I breezed through, and I walked to our tree exactly thirty minutes earlier than I’d told Banton. He was already there, waiting on me with a picnic lunch.

  I dropped my backpack to the ground and sank down beside him.

  “Well? How did you do, professor?” He poured me a glass of sparkling water.

  “I think I did pretty well. I had a little trouble concentrating on the first test, my mind kept wandering to bubbles, and floating swimsuit bottoms…” I grinned at him as he leaned over to kiss me. “All done!” I exclaimed, toasting him.

  The picnic basket was unpacked, and the blanket overflowed with my favorites – Muffuletta sandwiches, fruit, and some tiny quiches I’d fallen in love with from a bakery close to campus. I beamed at the sight…he could make even a picnic an event all about me, and it was so romantic. As we settled in to eat, Banton’s cell beeped, signaling a text. He fished it out of his pocket hurriedly and checked the screen. Motionless, he sat reading the message, the content drawing his brows together in an uncharacteristic frown.

  “What is it? I asked, taking a drink of my water.

  “John. There is some breaking news, and he says I need to turn on the television.” He looked up at me as he rolled his eyes, motioning around our little haven under the oak tree. “Can I get Wi-Fi here?”

  I pulled my laptop out of the case. “Here, use this. It’s already set up for the school’s internet access.”

  He took my laptop, and pulled up a news website.

  “Did John say anything else? Any indication what this is about?”

  He moved his fingers on the mouse pad, surfing for news as he looked up at me.

  “Yes. He said there was breaking news this morning; another American yacht was taken hostage in the Indian Ocean. John said we are all on standby.”

  Finally locating an update on the breaking news, Banton turned the computer so that we could both watch the feed.

  “A large private American Yacht, The Aria, was boarded by Somali pirates sometime late yesterday and taken hostage. No ransom demands have been made at this point; a distress call was received by the Coast Guard as the pirates boarded the vessel. An American freighter is the closest ship at the moment, and is standing watch, relaying information to the American Coast Guard. There are no reports of casualties yet, but ten Americans are believed to be on board
…” and the news went on to report no comment from the pentagon, or any action to be taken.

  I watched him silently. He watched the news reports, and a report following by the CNN newscaster. After the segment, he glanced at me as he played with a napkin, folding it and re-creasing it.

  “So what now? What will the SEALs do?” I asked, dreading the answer.

  “More than likely they will call us in for a meeting. We’ll be briefed on all the information, and then maybe…I don’t know,” he paused as he watched the news ticker again.

  “You’ll be deployed again, won’t you?”

  “It’s a good possibility. It was a good possibility, even before this happened. This will just speed things up,” he finished, his gaze meeting mine.

  * * *

  After another text from John, we packed up our picnic quickly and returned to the house. Everett and Constance pulled me aside as John spoke quietly with Banton in the foyer.

  “So, has Banton said anything about the Somalia incident?”

  “Just what we’ve seen on the news. I suppose this means deployment,” I commented apprehensively.

  “We’ll see, and we’ll deal with it, whatever comes, my sweet girl. You know I’m here for you, and we’ll get through this if it comes to that. In a way I hope it does. I hope they can deal with Dante and his followers, and stop this madness. I’m afraid it is the only way you will ever have any peace.”

  I nodded. I didn’t want to talk about the possibility of Banton’s leaving again.

  “I hate to put a damper on everyone’s day, but I just got a call from Singleton. We’re to report to the base for a meeting first light tomorrow morning.” Ty strode into the room. Constance put her arm around me knowingly. Silence followed as everyone contemplated what their meeting would mean.

  Everett was the first to break the ice. “Well, it just so happens Mr. Philippe and I have a friend who brought us forty pounds of the reddest, most delectable looking fresh crawfish. I think a good ‘ole fashioned crawfish boil tonight might just be in order, to celebrate our girls finishing their semester exams.”