by G E Griffin
“Hi, honey. How are my two gorgeous girls today?” Caleb grinned as he came over and somehow managed to kiss us, despite having both the boys climbing all over him, and ignoring the fact that we were both plastered in the sticky fruit puree - at least he managed to swiftly move his tie out of Rebecca’s reach before she wiped her hands on it.
Sometimes, at moments like this, in the middle of all the chaos, I tried to stand back and appreciate everything I had in my life now, all the things I thought I’d lost forever when I’d lost my darling Drew.
A wonderful loving husband. Babies. A family of my own.
Caleb Joshua Mackenzie. The man who had brought me back to life, the father of my three children.
And I thanked my lucky stars that back then, I’d plucked up the nerve to ask him to become my American Lover.
Epilogue - Caleb
I don't think Faith’s family, particularly her mom and sisters, ever really forgave us for sneaking off and getting married without telling them.
But Faith was adamant it’d be far simpler all round if we didn't say anything to anyone until we’d actually gone ahead and done the deed, and I was more than happy to go along with her wishes.
So when we went to Bryony and Alec’s wedding in England that August, we just waited for her folks to notice her new wedding ring, before confirming that we were indeed husband and wife. To say they were all very shocked and surprised would be an understatement, but in time they did eventually calm down, once they saw how happy Faith had become.
Truth was, as we’d both been married before, neither of us could face all the fuss and complicated preparations a big family wedding would have involved. So we just made the necessary arrangements, before quietly heading off by ourselves one weekend to get married on the beach in Monterey, where all we had to concentrate on was saying our vows to each other, instead of worrying about what anyone else was thinking or doing. And as far as we were concerned, our laid back wedding was perfect and exactly what we wanted.
My family were disappointed too, when they’d found out we’d gone ahead and done things in our own way, but at least they put on a brave face. That may have had a lot to do with them recalling my first wedding, when Cassie had turned into the Bridezilla from hell, demanding a huge, extravagant affair, with over two hundred and fifty guests, as she spent months meticulously planning out her perfect wedding. I say her wedding rather than our wedding, because merely being the groom had meant I had little or no say in any of the arrangements.
A while back, I heard through that grapevine that Cassie had remarried, but then not long after that, I heard she’d gotten divorced again - this time because her husband had cheated on her. Well, you know what they say - what goes around comes around...
In any case, as far as my folks were concerned, the bottom line was that however Faith and I had gone about getting married, all that really mattered was that we were happy, which they could see for themselves that we were - blissfully so.
Mom and Dad helped smooth things over with Faith’s family by inviting all of them over for a big celebratory party later that fall, which turned out to be a huge success, and now both families make regular trips between London and San Francisco. My parents even took the opportunity on one of their visits to the UK to head up to Scotland, to make contact with some of Dad’s distant Mackenzie relatives, which was something they’d always meant to do, but had never gotten around to.
Faith’s cousin Jeanette has become one of our most frequent visitors, and she’s amassed quite a collection of admirers among the local single farmers of, shall we say, the more mature kind.
Anyhow, once the dust had settled and things had settled down, Faith and I found a decent size home for ourselves, and then got on with producing a family to fill it.
And so, here we are, three kids later.
Being a father has been even better than I could have imagined, it’s the best thing in the world as far as I'm concerned. We had Thomas and James pretty close together, and they are just the way Seth and I were growing up together, typical young boys with boundless energy. Although Faith never complains, I know she finds them very demanding, especially with a third baby to look after as well. So even though I work long hours at American Western, I try my hardest to spend as much time as I can with my boys, so we can play lots of games and sport together for them to let off steam, rather than them finding other ways to make mischief. The boys may constantly fight and bicker together, but they are also the best of friends and just like me and my brothers, I know they’ll always be there for each other.
And as for having a daughter, that’s a whole other experience, let me tell you!
My little girl Rebecca is just the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your life, and when she turns those big blue eyes of hers on me, eyes that are so like her mother’s, well, I just melt. Faith says I spoil Rebecca, treat her differently to the boys, but she’s still just a baby, so naturally I'm going to be more protective of her, aren’t I? And trust me, I’m gonna be a very strict father - no boyfriends for my daughter until she’s at least twenty five, and even then I’ll be vetting and checking out any guy who wants to date her. Faith just smiles when she hears me talking this way, convinced that Rebecca will always get her own way and be able to wind me round her little finger.
She may well be right for the most part, but not when it comes to boyfriends.
Apart from being a beautiful, sexy and clever woman, Faith is also an amazing mother, just as I knew she would be. Patient, loving and yet strict in setting boundaries, teaching our kids right from wrong, and also to be respectful to others. It’s hard sometimes to believe that I could love my wife any more than I do, and yet each day my love grows even deeper and stronger as I watch the wonderful way she’s raising our children.
Faith has settled so well in the States, although she’s never lost her English accent or quirky British sense of humor. We go back to the UK a couple of times a year, so she doesn't get too homesick in between times, and to try and make sure our kids are as aware of their British heritage as they are of their American.
Faith did really well in her role at American Western, but in the end, fed up with all the office politics she felt our relationship was creating, she left a while after we got married. It was a shame, but felt I had little option other than to support her decision, seeing as a large part of the problem had been caused by Cassie’s sister Vanessa trying to sabotage things between Faith and me, in the mistaken belief there was still a chance of a relationship between us. I soon set Vanessa straight about that, informing her in no uncertain terms that that was never going to happen, but the damage had been done, and after that there always seemed to be gossip and rumours going around about us at the office, which although we did our best to ignore, created an uncomfortable atmosphere for Faith. It could have put a terrible strain on things between us, but thankfully Faith and I actually came out of it stronger than before. The fact that Faith never wavered, even for a single second, in her belief that I was telling the truth and that I had nothing to hide, proved that she that really got me, that she understood that I was not the kind of man who would ever cheat or be unfaithful to her. Her implacable trust made me feel really good about myself, about us, about the kind of relationship that had developed between us, and we never really looked back after that.
After she left American Western, Faith set about qualifying as a tax consultant, having spotted a niche in the market for advising expatriates who were struggling to cope with the vagaries of the IRS. I think she’d always had it in the back of her mind that she wanted to work from home once we had a family, because that way she could fit her job around the children’s needs.
The day that our first son was born was day of highly charged emotions, as it is for every new parent. But I swear we both sensed Drew’s presence that day, and we were in complete agreement that our son should be named for him, and so he was called Thomas Andrew Philip Mackenzie. And when our second s
on arrived seventeen months later, we named him James Callum Nathanial Mackenzie - Callum having been Drew’s middle name. And then when we were blessed with our daughter, we called her Rebecca Hannah Margaret Mackenzie, naming her for both our mothers. Our little blonde girl is the image of her beautiful mother, unlike the boys, who are most definitely favour the Mackenzie side with their dark hair.
Although we’ve both agreed that we’re happy to call it a day now, having been blessed with three healthy children, secretly I wouldn’t mind if a fourth baby just happened to come along, even though babies are unquestionably very demanding and very hard work. We’re extremely fortunate that my parents throw us a lifeline by having the kids to stay over a couple of times a month, to give us a much needed breather and allow us some quality adult time together. These precious hours to ourselves are one of the ways we’ve managed to keep the passion alive between us. That’s how I know Faith can still be as naughty as fuck behind closed doors, and why I consider myself to be a very lucky man indeed to be married to such a wonderful woman.
Not long after we were married, I gave Roz D’Souza a big bunch of flowers.
“What the hell are these for?” she asked, obviously very puzzled.
“For getting appendicitis,” I winked as I grinned at her. “Because if you hadn't, I wouldn’t have been sent over to London to stand in for you. And then I wouldn’t have met Faith, would I?”
“Well, I’m happy to have unwittingly played cupid for you,” she laughed back.
I thanked my lucky stars each and every day that being assigned to London, I’d met Faith, my soul mate, the love of my life.
Drew was unquestionably the first love of Faith’s life, but I was the privileged to be her last.
Coming Soon
The American Standby
Harriet
“Come on, sweetie. Up you get, time for you to go,” I called over my shoulder as I scooted out of bed and headed for the shower.
“Are you throwing me out, Harriet?” Seth arched an eyebrow in apparent disbelief, as he lay there stretched out in a state of post coital bliss on the bed in my hotel room. Three times. Once against the wall, once on the floor, and the final time in bed. And he’d made me come every time. Caleb’s brother was good, I’d give him that. But he needn’t think that gave him the right to stay the night.
“Yep. Got it in one,” I smiled sweetly. “Please be so kind as to move that pretty ass of yours out of here pronto.”
“Isn’t that more usually the guy’s line?” Seth seemed rather bemused by my request to get going.
“Look, I’ve had a great time, it’s really been fun, but I’m rostered on the early morning flight back to London, for which I have to be fit for purpose. So I’m just going to take a quick shower, then I need some decent shut eye - with no distractions,” I spelled out to him from the doorway of the bathroom.
Contrary to popular belief, being a flight attendant wasn’t all about being a vacuous ‘trolley dolly’ dressed in a sexy uniform, it was about ensuring the safety and well being of our passengers. And I took my responsibilities very seriously, so although I liked to party in my down time, I knew where to draw the line. I didn't turn up for flights hung over and bleary eyed, especially not when I was working long haul, and had a very long, very tiring flight ahead of me, filled with demanding passengers who expected me to be immaculately turned out and utterly charming the whole time, while still carrying out all the necessary security protocols with aplomb.
So although there was no denying that Seth Mackenzie was very charming, great fun, had a great body, and was awesome in bed, I needed him to go now. In any case, I didn’t do sleeping together, that was too involved, too personal, too coupley. It wasn’t my style - I liked my own personal space far too much. No man was ever going to mess with my head the way my father had with my mother’s.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t appreciate some assistance in the shower? I could make sure every inch of that pretty ass of yours is definitely fit for purpose,” Seth persisted, as he let his gaze wander hungrily over my nakedness. “And I could certainly use some help in washing a very dirty piece of my anatomy,” he smirked, as that particular part of his body began to show a marked interest in proceedings. Again? Really?
“Uh uh, not gonna happen, pretty boy,” I laughed, as I shook my head. “Just pick up your things and close the door on your way out, please.”
“Fine, Harry. Make me feel as if I’ve just been used for my body,” Seth muttered as he finally took the hint, swung his legs out of bed and grabbed his boxer briefs from where they’d been discarded on the floor earlier.
“Aw Seth, don’t go getting all sulky on me now. You wouldn’t want me to turn into one of those clingy women Faith tells me you’re always trying to get away from, would you? But I did have fun this evening, so next time I have a stopover in San Francisco, maybe we could get together again?” I suggested.
“Don’t know about that. Can’t promise I’ll be free,” Seth huffed, as he pulled on his jeans, then slipped his T shirt over his head.
“Fair enough,” I smiled, ignoring his obvious snit. “Wouldn’t want you disappointing all those ladies you have lined up, would we?”
Seth just scowled at me as he put his shoes on, gathered up the rest of his things, and then slammed the door on his way out.
Ah well, I’d just have to see how things stood if our paths crossed again, but after the awesome sex we’d just shared, I was pretty sure I could persuade him into a repeat performance.
That sounded worse than it was, because the truth is, I don’t sleep around. When I first started out as junior cabin crew, I’d been determined to throw myself into enjoying the whole experience, so I’d got sucked into the sleazy business of sleeping with the first officer, or even the captain if I got the chance when we were on stopovers.
But it hadn’t taken long for the whole rather incestuous scene to pall, on discovering how the flight crew boasted and compared notes with each other, and how many of them conveniently chose to forget that they had a wife back home. Such as that bastard Ben Stapleford - how could I have been so gullible, just because he had four stripes on his sleeve?
So now I chose not to mix business with pleasure, and because it had been a while since I’d let my hair down, I’d decided to accept Seth’s invitation to go for a drink with him. We’d got chatting when he’d happened to call in while I was visiting Faith and Caleb - we were catching up over an early Saturday evening dinner, before I was due to fly out again on the Sunday morning red-eye. I tried to get myself scheduled on the San Francisco route whenever possible, to keep an eye on Faith and report back to her sisters that she really was as fine as she told everyone back home she was.
And with the chemistry that had immediately kicked off between Seth and me, I knew it was pretty inevitable that we were going to end up in bed together. That was okay, it wasn’t as if he was some random unknown guy I’d picked up in a club. He was Caleb’s brother, and as I’d already heard quite a bit about him from Faith, I had a pretty good idea what kind of guy Seth was.
Charming, but not in the least bit interested in ‘settling down’. And why should he be, when he no doubt had countless pretty girls chasing after a good looking guy like him? Of course he preferred playing the field, which made him pretty much perfect as far as I was concerned. It meant he’d know how to give a girl a good time, and a hunky American guy like Seth Mackenzie certainly ticked a lot of my boxes, even if he was a bit of a rogue with the ladies.
Naturally I'd ensured we’d been responsible. Even though I have a contraceptive implant - the birth control of choice when you’re forever crossing time zones and could get caught out using one of the mini pills - I’d still insisted we used condoms, which as he kept a convenient supply in his wallet, was obviously a request he was used to and was perfectly fine about.
So I didn’t get why he’d turned all huffy about me asking him to leave. He’d got exactly want he wanted out of this,
hadn’t he? What more could a guy want than great, uncomplicated sex?
Men - I guess they always liked to be the ones calling the shots.
THE AMERICAN STANDBY
Seth
“Well, what in the hell was that all about?” I puzzled, after I left Faith’s friend Harriet and drove home. The evening had started off so well; Harry, as she told me all her friends called her, was drop dead gorgeous, great company, really good fun and a fantastic dancer, so we’d been having a blast at the club I’d taken her to. Then, still quite early on in the evening, she’d turned up the heat by inviting me back to her hotel room, whispering seductively in my ear all the things she wanted us to get up to. Needless to say, I hadn't hesitated in accepting her invitation, and when she hadn't failed to deliver what she’d promised - three rounds of great sex - it’d turned out to be one of the best evenings I’d had in a long time. So at that point, I’d thought Harry was one very hot, very foxy lady.
Then she suddenly goes and turns practically glacial on me!
WTF?
Apparently, it was game over as far as she was concerned, as she gave me my marching orders before I'd even properly had a chance to recover and get my breath back.
Sure, I hadn’t been looking for any kind of commitment or relationship from her, but to get booted out of bed like that, after we’d just had all that really great sex – and I’m talking pretty damn spectacular here – seemed pretty harsh, even by my standards.
Talk about blowing hot and cold! Although I never give ladies unrealistic expectations about what’s on offer from me - a good time, nothing more - at least I always treat them with courtesy and good manners. Unlike Harry, I do at least allow the bed sheets to cool down before winding things up.
