I Take This Woman

by Chamein Canton

  “Yes. I can’t tell my mom that. She worries enough.”

  “I hate to tell you this, but I think she’s going to worry no matter what. It’s her job.”

  “I know.”

  Sam looked at his watch. “It’s getting late and I’m cold. What do you say we head back?”

  “Yes.” Justin shivered. “I bet soups on by now.”

  They started to walk back up the path.

  “Race you,” Justin shouted and took off.

  “Oh, that’s not fair. I’m coming!” Sam took off after him.

  Abby had just placed the last table setting when Justin and Sam burst into the cottage then into the kitchen.

  “What good timing. I hope you’re hungry.”

  “I’m famished.” Justin rubbed his stomach.

  “Okay. Go wash up and then dinner is served.”

  “Okay, Mom.”

  “I’m going to wash up, too. By the way, it smells great in here.”

  Abby smiled and went back to the stove. Once Sam and Justin came back they sat down to a nice dinner filled with talk of sports, movies, music and college. Abby excused herself to put the chocolate chip cookies into the oven. When she walked back in she stopped to look at how Justin seemed to hang on Sam’s every word as he discussed sports and academics. This is such a nice picture. I wish I could frame it. She smiled.

  ***

  After they’d devoured one full pan of cookies and watched a little junk television, it was time to get Justin back to campus.

  The three of them stood outside by the cars.

  “Thanks for coming over, Sam. It’s been great.”

  “Believe me it was my pleasure.”

  “Why don’t you drive with Mom and me back to the school?”

  “I’d love to, but I’ve got to keep a low profile, even in the dark.”

  “I understand.”

  “I’m glad one of us does.” Sam joked. “God knows I still can’t figure it out.”

  All three laughed.

  “Why don’t you stick around for coffee? We can do a little work on your book.”

  “Are you sure you want to do that?”

  “Sure.” She looked at her watch. “I’d better get him back.”

  Sam went to shake Justin’s hand when he hugged him. “I hope I can see you again soon.”

  “Me, too,” Sam was touched.

  Abby and Justin got in the car and drove off while Sam watched.

  Justin stared at Abby with a goofy grin.

  “Now what?”

  “You and Sam like each other don’t you?”

  “Yes. We like each other.”

  “You really like each other. I mean like boyfriend and girlfriend.”

  “I guess the answer to that would be yes. Do you think that’s terrible?”

  “No. Why would I think that? My mom and Sam Best,” he said excitedly. “That’s totally cool.”

  “He was just engaged.”

  “People break up all the time.”

  “Aren’t you a little young to be so cavalier?”

  “I didn’t mean it that way, Mom.”

  “There are other people involved and they have feelings, too. I want to take it slow and easy otherwise who knows what will happen.”

  “Okay. Well it must be something because he came all the way up here to spend the day with you.”

  Abby’s smile belied her nervousness at lying to her child about the extent of her relationship with Sam. All in due time, she thought. At least he knows about us and is okay with the idea.

  Just as Abby drove through the heart of town, she noticed a number of news vans parked on both sides of the road.

  “What’s going on here?” Abby asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many cars on this street at one time before.” Justin said as he looked out of the window.

  “Whatever it is you can bet that we’ll find out soon enough,” Abby made the turn to head to Choate.

  A few minutes later they were parked in front of Justin’s dorm.

  “Here we are.” Abby got out of the car.

  “You don’t have to walk me to my dorm, Mom. I can go alone.” Justin shut the car door.

  “I know. You don’t want your old mom tagging along and getting all mushy in front of your classmates.”

  “You’re not old, Mom.”

  “Thanks.” She started to choke up. “I’ve been doing this with you for the last three years and it still isn’t any easier to leave you.”

  “Come on, Mom please don’t start crying.” He put his arms around her.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” She hugged him tightly.

  “Mom, I can’t breathe.”

  Abby playfully hit him. “I don’t exactly have a death grip on you.”

  “I know, Mom.” He laughed. “I had to lighten it up.”

  “Okay.” She stood on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek. “If you get any taller, I’m going to have to travel with my stepping stool.”

  “Now who’s the comedienne?”

  Abby and Justin hugged again. “You know you can call me in the morning if you need anything. I’m not leaving until one.”

  “Okay.” He paused. “You know I’m going to be home in a couple of weeks anyway.”

  “Yes. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “I am, too.” He took a step toward the building. “I’d better get in before they call curfew.”

  “Okay. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Mom.”

  Abby watched as Justin dashed into the dorm. Although he was a teenager, she could still picture him as a five-year-old on his first day of school. He’s so grown up now, she thought.

  ***

  With a couple of chocolate chip cookies in one hand and a cold glass of milk in the other, Sam sat down on the sofa in the living room.

  “It doesn’t get any better than this.” He said as he dipped a cookie into the milk and took an enthusiastic bite. “So good,” he said aloud.

  The sound of his cell phone broke up his little cookie party. Sam looked at the caller ID and picked up. “Hey, Reggie,” he said jovially.

  “Hi. Don’t you sound good?”

  “I feel pretty good. What’s up?”

  “I have a question for you.”

  “Shoot,” he finished his cookie.

  “You said you were in the country, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you in Wallingford, Connecticut by chance?”

  “Yes. How did you know?” He asked dumbfounded.

  “Do you have a television there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Turn on EEN and see for yourself.”

  EEN, Everything Entertainment News, started as a celebrity news web site in the new millennium that eventually expanded to include a daily television which reports on all celebrities from reality show personalities to athletes. EEN went far beyond the Hollywood sign.

  Although the show claimed not to pay for stories or interviews, they were known to occasionally pay sources for leads on stories.

  Sam turned on the television and searched the channels until he found the station.

  A reporter was standing in front of the floral shop. “We received a report that Sam Best who is in the midst of a messy breakup with longtime fiancée, Maria Carrangelo, was here at this floral shop behind me in Wallingford, Connecticut buying two dozen roses on Valentine’s Day.

  “Sources in the store say he came and personally picked up the arrangement. Apparently he didn’t write out a card, but when we checked with Ms. Carrangelo’s representatives, they stated that she hadn’t received flowers. Sam Best’s representatives had no comment. Leaving us to wonder what mystery lady received the posies?”

  Sam shut the television. “What the hell?”

  “My sentiments exactly,” Reggie agreed. “What’s going on, Sam? You told me that you needed time to think and now I find out that you were seen buying roses on Valentine�
�s Day. Is there something you want to tell me?”

  “Listen, Reggie I can’t talk to you about it now. But trust me I will talk to you about it when I get back.”

  “Please don’t tell me that you’ve had a girlfriend this whole time.”

  “I never cheated on Maria when we were together.”

  “I know that should make me feel better, but somehow it doesn’t.”

  “Do you trust me, Reggie?”

  “Yes.” He sighed. “You have always been a straight shooter.”

  “Good. We’ll talk about this when I get back. I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Okay. In the meantime we’ll continue to fend off the vultures. Wherever you are up there must be secluded because I’m sure there’s an army of media up there by now.”

  “I’m going to keep it that way.”

  He heard the car door. “Okay, Reggie. I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you sometime tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Good night.”

  “Good night.”

  Abby walked into the living room. “Hey.” She said as she took her coat off.

  “Hey. You got Justin back to the dorm okay?”

  “Yes. I was hanging tough until I saw the dorm and I realized that he was leaving me.”

  “Aww, that’s sweet. You miss your baby.”

  “I know it’s crazy. He’s sixteen and he’s going to be home in a couple of weeks. I don’t know why I get so weepy.” She sat on the sofa next to him. “You two got along like a house afire though.”

  “He’s a great kid.”

  “If I may ask, what did you two talk about?”

  “We talked about a lot of different things.”

  “Did his father come up?”

  “Yes. He knows that his father loves him but he’s also acutely aware of the fact that he doesn’t know how to express it.”

  “That’s the truth.”

  “I told him to talk to J.J. man-to-man to let him know how he feels. I know he would really like a real relationship with him.”

  “It sounds easy when you say it.”

  “I told Justin to tell his father that what he wants from him doesn’t come in a box. It’s his time and his love, that’s something you can’t put a price tag on.”

  “You are awfully good at this father relationship thing.”

  “I got lucky. I have a good relationship with my father and I really think it’s made all the difference in my life. I’d like to see the same for Justin. He’s already got a great mom, he just needs the other part of the equation and he’ll be unstoppable. He’s a great kid.”

  “I know.”

  “It makes me wonder why you and J.J. only had Justin. Was it a tough pregnancy?”

  “No. It was a breeze. I didn’t have morning sickness. I was only in labor for two hours, and, to top it off, Justin was an early baby.”

  “So what stopped you from having another? You didn’t want to tempt the fates?”

  Abby laughed. “No. I wasn’t afraid of the fates. With J.J. on the road so much, I was basically a married single parent.”

  “Even in the off season?”

  “Yes.” She thought for a moment. “That’s not exactly true. J.J. would take Justin to the park or out for ice cream, but those times were few and far between.”

  “I’m sorry. That must have been hard on you as a mother.”

  “When Justin was about two years old, I asked him what his father’s name was. He said New York Knicks forward J.J. Stokes, just like the announcer at Madison Square Garden.”

  “You’re kidding,” Sam said, astonished.

  “I wish I were kidding. That’s when I knew one was enough.”

  “You shouldn’t beat yourself up about Justin’s relationship with J.J. He’s a great kid.”

  “Thanks. What about you? You want children?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Is that a deal-breaker for you?”

  “I don’t think so, but it has been sixteen years. I’m not a spring chicken.”

  “But it’s something that’s up for discussion, right?”

  “Let’s just say I’m willing to keep an open mind.”

  “That’s all I need to know.” Sam smiled.

  She looked over at the cookies. “I see you’re all set for an evening in front of the television.” She paused. “Speaking of television, there were a bunch of news vans when I drove through town. It looks like they’re here for some big story.”

  “I know. I’m the big story.”

  “What?”

  “Reggie just called me. EEN just ran a story about me buying roses in the flower shop here on Valentine’s Day.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know how they found out. I had on dark sunglasses, a baseball cap and I paid cash.”

  “Someone in the shop must have recognized you. It was probably someone who worked there.”

  “But l left a pretty big tip.”

  “I’m sure you were generous, but EEN pays for story leads and, the last time I checked, they probably pay more than a floral shop clerk would earn in a month or more.”

  “There’s no florist customer privilege?”

  “I’m afraid not.” She sighed. “I was hoping we’d have a few more hours in the bubble, but that’s out of the window.”

  “Why? We still have tonight.” Sam pulled Abby into a long kiss.

  Abby and Sam undressed each other slowly to make every second count. Once they were nude, Sam carried Abby to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. He stopped to take in the beauty of her silky mocha skin before he joined her.

  Sam kissed the length of Abby’s body from the nape of her neck to the tip of her toes. Abby’s senses buzzed and by the time they kissed, she was ready to return the favor and then some.

  With deliberateness, she kissed and lightly ran her tongue over his chest. As she headed further down, she turned up the intensity with light strokes on his inner thigh. With every kiss she slowly inched her hand upward ever so slightly until his body quaked with expectation. Sam’s breathe increased and his heart raced as the suspense built to the point of no return.

  “I have to have you now.” He whispered as he rolled on top of Abby.

  In an instant, they were moving as one. Abby’s hands frantically searched for the post to hold on to, but Sam took both of her hands into his. He wanted to be her only stay. As their bodies seized with pleasure, Abby and Sam’s eyes locked.

  “I love you,” Sam said.

  “I love you,” Abby responded breathless.

  “Marry me,” Sam called out as pleasure pulsated through them.

  Chapter 22

  Very early the next morning, Abby got dressed and made breakfast while Sam showered and got ready to leave. He didn’t mean what he said last night. She flipped a pancake on the griddle. It was the heat of the moment. Every woman knows declarations of love and marriage proposals uttered en flagrante don’t count. She ladled more batter on the griddle. Is that my excuse, too? What made me say I love you? Everything that I know is telling me that it’s too soon for the L- word.

  Dressed with his bag in hand, Sam walked into the kitchen. He put his bag down and went over and kissed Abby. “Good morning again, my love,” he smiled.

  “Good morning.”

  He slid his arms around her. “You’re making blueberry pancakes. I love blueberry pancakes.”

  “Good.” See how easily he uses the word love? He’ll probably propose to the pancakes in a few minutes. “Sit down and I’ll get the rest of the pancakes from the oven.”

  “No. I can do it.” He looked around. “Where’s the oven mitt?”

  She pointed to the baker’s rack.

  He got the mitt, took the pancakes out of the oven and placed it on the table. “They look so good.” He smiled.

  “Thanks. Go ahead and dig in. There’s maple syrup on the table.”

  “No. I can wait until you’re ready to eat.”

  “Okay.” Abby turned the las
t two pancakes onto the plate, grabbed the carafe and joined Sam at the table.

  “The coffee will be ready in a minute.”

  “Okay.”

  The timer on the coffee maker went off. Abby was about to get up when Sam stopped her.

  “Sit. I’ll get it.” He got up and brought the carafe back to the table.

  “Thanks.”

  She reached into her apron pocket. “Here are the directions you’ll need to avoid the media crush in the center of town.” She put the directions on the table.

  He picked it up. “You know the back way out of here?”

  “Yes. Brad and Nanette told me about it a couple of years back. Take it from me, you haven’t seen anything until you see the mass exodus of parents headed for I-91 on their way to I-95.”

  “Thanks.” He took a few more bites. “This is so good.”

  “Thanks.”

  “What’s on your agenda for work this week?”

  “We have several clients showing at Fashion Week, so I’ll be at Lincoln Center helping Shana keep the madness somewhat in check.”

  “I get invites for Fashion Week every year. Maybe I’ll go this time. Who’s your first show?”

  “It’s Mr. Cedi out of Detroit.”

  “Cedi? I don’t think I’ve heard of him before.”

  “He designs for full-figured women. In fact, he’s the first designer to show an entire full-figured line at Fashion Week.”

  “You’ll be a part of history.” Maybe I’ll call Mindy and see if I can get into the show to witness history in the making and see Shana.

  “Yes, and we’re really excited about it.”

  Sam finished his pancakes. “Speaking of excitement, I have to get back so I can talk to Reggie and bring him up to speed, but I’m going to need an answer from you.” He put his napkin down.

  “An answer from me?” She asked.

  “Yes. I know I didn’t ask in the traditional way but I did ask you to marry me.”

  Abby dropped her fork. “What?”

  “I know we were in the middle of something at the time, but I did ask you to marry me right after I said that I loved you.”

  Abby felt her head spin. “I didn’t think you were serious. I thought it was the heat of the moment.”

  “It wasn’t.” His facial expression turned serious. “I love you, Abby. I know it doesn’t make sense because we haven’t known each other long, but I know how I feel and can’t spend another day without you in my life. I won’t.” He reached over and took her hand. “You said you loved me too. Do you?”