George Hartmann Box Set

by Kelly Utt

  “Yeah, I’d love to be there for that,” I say. Marjorie is a marvelous musician. I love listening to her play the viola almost as much as I love listening to Ali play the cello.

  “Then we’ll talk to them about sticking around?” she asks.

  “Let’s do it,” I reply.

  “Look at us, Georgie, crossing things off our mental to-do list and making arrangements. It feels good to control what we can,” Ali says.

  “Yes, it does. There’s plenty we can’t control, as evidenced by recent events.”

  “Indeed,” she adds, hugging me tight and pressing her cheek down hard onto my chest.

  “Hey, wait here a minute,” I say as I get out of bed.

  “Okay,” she responds, sounding intrigued. “Where are you going?”

  “Just wait here,” I say. “I have something for you.”

  I walk across the room to my chest of drawers and begin to search through the one on top. It takes me a minute to find what I’m looking for and to straighten it up within its velvety box. I can’t help but smile as I walk back to the bed with the surprise tucked neatly into the palm of my hand. I pause along the way to light a couple of candles on the mantle.

  “Georgie,” Ali says with a sly smile. “What do you have for me?”

  “I was going to give this to you after Will was born,” I say. “But I want you to have it now.”

  “A push present?” she asks. “I haven’t pushed yet.”

  “I don’t know if anyone outside of the Kardashians really calls it that. Do they?” I say with a chuckle. “But yes, a push present. You did plenty of pushing against me a little while ago, so I think you qualify.” She laughs. I love making her laugh.

  I place the little black box in my wife’s beautiful hands as she sits up in bed and her glorious body is on display once again. Her long, tousled hair falls around her perky breasts and frames them like art. She looks magnificent like this in the candlelight. “Open it up,” I say.

  “Oh, my,” she exclaims as she squeezes the box and pulls it to her naked chest. “This is something special, isn’t it?”

  “It is,” I reply.

  “Did you get it at Louell's?”

  “I did,” I answer. Louell’s is the manufacturing jeweler in D.C. where we had our wedding rings and a few other pieces I’ve given to Ali over the years made. I had this particular piece created and ready in time to be picked up before we left town. “Come on, open it. I’m excited for you to see what’s inside.”

  She smiles at me sweetly, then opens the box to find a delicate gold chain with five large diamonds all in a row. Tears begin to flow from her eyes again, only this time, they are definitely happy tears.

  “Georgie,” she says. “It’s stunning.”

  “Just like you,” I add. I’m proud of myself. Proud to be making my wife happy.

  “Are the five diamonds for the five of us?” she asks.

  “Yes,” I confirm. “One for you, one for me, one for Ethan, one for Leo, and one for little Will. There’s strength in five. Look how balanced and strong five are together.”

  “Like our family,” she says as she leaps into my arms and hugs me tight around the neck. A warm rush moves through me when I feel her body against mine again. “I love it so much, Georgie. Thank you.”

  “You’re so welcome, babe,” I say. “I’m really glad you like it.”

  “I do, Georgie. I absolutely love it. It’s flashy, but I don’t mind. Help me get it on,” she replies as she pulls her wavy hair up and to the side with one hand exposing her long, elegant neck.

  I remove the necklace from its velvety box slowly, taking time to appreciate my wife’s beauty and the love we share. I’m such a lucky man. She’s perfection. I gently place the diamonds just above her collarbone then fasten the clasp around back at the nape of her neck.

  “There,” I say. “When you wear this necklace, I want you to remember how the five of us belong together and how we can get through anything with each other’s love and support. Now turn around and let me look at you.”

  “Pretty?” she asks as she turns to face me once more.

  “Alessandra,” I reply. “There’s nothing more beautiful than you in this entire world. The necklace isn’t bad either.”

  She laughs as she reaches up to touch the row of diamonds with one hand. When she does, one of her breasts gets inadvertently jostled and suddenly I want her again. Badly. I lean down and take her voluptuous breast into my mouth, slowly moving her nipple from side to side with my tongue. I cradle her other breast with my hand and mimic the gentle side to side motion on the nipple with my fingers. She doesn’t pull away. Instead, she reaches over to her phone on the nightstand and cues up From Eden by Hozier, which is one of her favorite songs to make love to. I move upwards, placing hot kisses on the top of her breasts, then her collarbone, then on the diamonds, and finally in the crevices of her neck. She arches her back in response to my touch and I suck hard on her earlobe.

  The candlelight makes everything more sensual. It almost looks like a different setting than the darker one we made love in just a little while ago. I slide my hand between her legs. She exhales heavily as she presses herself against me and I know she’s ready, too. We make love for what feels like hours. We move slowly, taking turns with our mouths on each other and then both at the same time. We kiss deeply and cycle through a variety of erotic positions. I enter her from behind and stroke passionately. Then she straddles me and rides for a long while as she stimulates her own nipples and I admire how the necklace looks on her luscious body. Seeing her pleasure herself makes my appetite even more ravenous. I reach my fingers in between us and quicken our climb as I rub while she grinds. We climax like that, again, together, in sheer bliss.

  “Ali, babe, we’re back,” I say once I’ve caught my breath.

  “You can say that again,” she replies, sweaty and exhilarated as she slides off of me and plops down onto the bed. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than completely intertwined with you, George Hartmann.”

  I grab her hand and look her squarely in the eye. “Ali, I need you to know that I’m here for you.”

  “I know you are,” she replies. “I promise I do.”

  “No, but truly,” I clarify. “I may be a mess in other areas of my life. I may not know what to do or how to handle things coming up.”

  “You mean with John Wendell?” she asks.

  “Yeah, with John Wendell, with the aftermath of the break-in, with my new job, with Mom, with the changes Will’s arrival will bring to our family, with therapy, and even with Ethan saying he used to be someone else. But what I know for sure is how to love you,” I say. “I’m your rock. I’ll continue to be. Don’t ever think otherwise. Do you understand?”

  “I do, Georgie. You’re my rock,” she replies. “I understand.”

  “Some couples would be weakened by the kind of stresses we’re experiencing,” I say. “Some would lose faith in each other.”

  “Not us,” Ali says. “I didn’t wait at home alone while you were globetrotting with the Air Force only to buckle under pressure now that we finally have a chance to spend more time together. You and I are for forever. We’ll make it through.”

  We curl up and fall promptly to sleep just as we are: naked, exhausted, and bursting with love for each other and the life we’ve created. As long as I have Ali by my side, I can handle anything life throws my way.

  Part III

  Each Other Forever

  9

  Steady

  I wake up early, ready for the busy day ahead. It’s still dark outside, but I decide to go for a quick run. Running is something I used to do regularly but haven’t made time for since we arrived in Ithaca. It’ll be good to get out there again and feel the ground under my feet. I should probably be running for my mental health at this point.

  Uncle Liam is awake and sees me lacing up my shoes.

  “Good morning, buddy,” Liam says.

  “Hey,
Liam, good morning to you, too,” I reply. “Did you sleep well?”

  “I did. My room in the basement is nice and quiet and dark. Just the right kind of cold, too. It’s perfect for deep, rejuvenating sleep. I haven’t been this well rested in years,” he explains.

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it,” I say. “I’m on my way out the door for a run. Want to join me? The lake is gorgeous as the sun comes up.”

  “Hell, yeah, George. Now you’re talking. I’ll grab my shoes and be right back.”

  Liam and I have run alongside each other countless times, including in exotic parts of the world while deployed together. Our pacing is pretty much the same, so we make good running partners. Sometimes we talk. Other times we run in silence, but we always enjoy each other’s company. I shoot Roddy a quick text to let him know the two of us are heading out so he can watch over the house. He must have already been awake upstairs because he responds immediately with “roger that.”

  “You were fast,” I say as Liam returns to the kitchen in what feels like just a couple of minutes.

  “I was thinking of doing some type of PT this morning anyway. My shoes were already set out on the end of my bed.”

  “Great minds think alike, eh?” I joke.

  “Yeah, or more like military minds are trained alike,” Liam says with a chuckle. “They know what they’re doing to us. It’s all part of their master plan. Can’t have soldiers getting flabby and out of shape.”

  “I guess not,” I reply.

  We step outside into the front courtyard and lock the door behind us, making sure the alarm system is armed like it’s supposed to be. It’s freezing cold out, but Ithaca hasn’t seen any significant snowfall in the past few days other than flurries. The roads are clear, thanks to county salt trucks.

  It feels a little odd as Liam and I walk past the area where Lady intercepted the intruder and then where Roddy put an end to him. I haven’t been out to this part of the yard on foot since the night of the break-in. Liam can tell what I’m thinking.

  “So this is the spot?” he asks.

  “Yeah, Lady grabbed the guy right about there,” I say, pointing. “Then he ultimately landed pretty much where we’re standing now.”

  “Are you going to tell me how he came to land where he did?” Liam asks.

  “Should I?” I ask in return.

  “I get the gist,” he says as he motions with his head for us to get out onto the road and pick up the pace. “But you know you can trust me with the details if you ever want to share them.”

  “I know. I don’t want to put you in a tough position if there ends up being a more thorough investigation.”

  “George, I can handle myself. Have you forgotten our training?” Liam says with a laugh.

  “I wish I could have,” I reply with a laugh of my own. “I think we’re both scarred for life after everything the military put us through.”

  “But in a good way,” Liam adds.

  “Yeah, okay, we’ll go with that,” I say, laughing.

  “Did Ethan see anything?” he asks.

  “No, his head was turned and his ears were covered,” I reply.

  “Roddy was holding him?”

  I pause the conversation and consider whether or not to continue. Liam doesn’t push me. He simply waits. We jog for a few minutes in silence. My calf muscles are stiff from the cold and lack of use, but they’re beginning to loosen. Liam could unintentionally implicate Roddy if he were questioned. I can’t let that happen. Then again, this is Liam we’re talking about. He can certainly handle himself under pressure, and I would love to get this off my chest. I decide to go ahead.

  “At first, yes, Roddy was holding Ethan. I hesitated, so Roddy stepped in. He handed Ethan to me. I was holding my boy when the deed was done,” I explain.

  Liam looks a little surprised, but not all that much. “So Roddy took care of the intruder,” Liam muses. “By himself?”

  “Yes. Lady had the guy pretty well incapacitated. She was something. You would have thought she’d had MPC training,” I say.

  “Huh,” Liam returns.

  “But yeah, Roddy finished him,” I answer.

  “With a weapon?” Liam asks.

  “No weapon. The intruder had a gun, but I kicked it away once I saw that Lady had him pinned down,” I explain.

  “Wow. I get the impression Roddy isn’t shaken up by what happened,” Liam says. “Seems like a New York City playwright and drama professor would be shaken after killing a man with his bare hands.”

  “I thought the same thing,” I say. “He treated it like a job that needed to be done. He didn’t hesitate at all. And he hasn’t shown any regret or remorse that I’m aware of. Granted, he and I haven’t talked about it. I’m not sure we ever will.”

  “You think the police know?” Liam asks.

  “I figure they have to. Roddy’s hands were torn up. I stood in the way of the surveillance camera per his instruction during that part. I’m hoping the police have decided to let it slide given what the cameras did capture,” I continue.

  “So, Roddy told you to stand in front of the camera?”

  “Yeah, and he told me how to hold Ethan so it looked like I was consoling him. I was consoling him, but you know what I mean. The stance served double duty. I leaned one of Ethan’s little ears down on my chest and covered the other with the palm of my hand. All while turning his eyes away, of course.”

  “And Roddy gave you the opportunity to kill the guy yourself before stepping in?” Liam asks.

  “He did,” I reply. “I was standing over the intruder poised to do it, but my mind started racing with thoughts of spending the rest of my life in prison away from Ali and the boys. Roddy saw what I was going through and took over.”

  “That’s quite a kindness he did for you,” Liam says. “But it’s an odd move for someone like him. Unless there’s more to his story. Is it possible he could be ex-special forces of some sort? CIA maybe? Or British Intelligence?”

  “I had the exact same suspicion. I’m not aware of any history like that, but he sure didn’t look like a civilian as he was ending our intruder’s life,” I reply. “I’ve thought of asking him about it. You think I should? I definitely don’t want to tell anyone else until police put the matter completely to rest. Remember, the getaway driver is still out there.”

  “Yeah, don’t tell anyone else,” Liam responds. “I am curious about Roddy’s background. Maybe the three of us can go out together at some point and discuss it.”

  “I’d be up for that,” I say. “It would be interesting to hear what Roddy has to say. If he’ll tell us.”

  The sun is coming up and in full view over the lake just as we hit our stride. The scene is breathtaking. It feels good to run. Good to be with my uncle.

  “Hey,” I query. “Will you come with me to fetch Lady from the animal hospital after we get cleaned up? We can grab breakfast at the bagel place you like on the way.”

  “Sure thing,” Liam says. “When is Taye supposed to get here?”

  “I don’t know,” I say. “He was leaving from Connecticut early. Ali will stick around the house to welcome him when he arrives. I assume Roddy and Marjorie will hang with her.”

  “Good,” Liam replies.

  “I think Taye has his son this weekend and so will drive back East to pick him up tonight. Malcolm lives with his mom in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. I hear it’s nice out there. It’s in the Berkshires where the Norman Rockwell Museum is located. Probably looks like a Christmas card.”

  Neither of us says anything for the rest of the run. We could talk about how long he plans to stay. Or how Mom seemed when he took her the plate of food last night. Or why he has hardly mentioned Estella’s name since he’s been here. But we don’t. We’ll get to it all, in good time.

  When we return to the house, we shower and dress quickly in order to go pick up Lady. Everyone is excited to see her home where she belongs. Roddy has the boys in the kitchen and is making oatmeal
and scrambled eggs for breakfast. As good as it smells, Liam and I decide to hold out for the bagel place.

  The boys seem to have done fine upstairs. Ali is still asleep and they are clearly comfortable with Roddy. He’s great with them. He should be a teacher or coach to little kids at some point. I imagine he’s great with the college-age kids at NYU, too, but what I see of his rapport with the preschool set is damn impressive. I’m glad my sons are lucky enough to have him for their grandpa. I kiss Ethan and Leo’s little heads and thank Roddy, then head back out the door.

  As promised, Liam and I swing by Unitown Bagel on the way to the animal hospital. I get bacon, egg, sausage, and pepper jack cheese on an everything bagel with milk to drink. My uncle chooses scrambled eggs, ham, asiago cheese, and salsa on sourdough with black coffee. He always did like things a little spicy. It’s all delicious.

  We arrive at the animal hospital eager to get our Ladygirl. It’s fitting to have Liam here with me now because he was with me when I went down to Chesapeake, Virginia and picked her up as a puppy. I’m smiling. Big. I don’t think I could hide my emotion if I tried.

  The waiting room is nearly empty when we enter. The hospital itself is staffed around the clock, but the clinic doesn’t open for regular appointments except during weekday business hours. We are apparently one of their first appointments for the day. A young Asian guy in navy blue scrubs greets us as we approach the counter. His expression is somber. I imagine there is a lot of heartache involved with his job. He probably has to watch animals suffer and die all the time. Thankfully, our story has a happy ending.

  “Hello,” I say to the guy cheerfully, hoping some of my enthusiasm will rub off on him. “We’re here to pick up Lady.”