She gasped and stepped back. She looked quickly at Jonathan who still seemed dazed and disoriented.
"Don’t worry Mrs. Hart. I don’t have it in me to kill people. No I just need enough time to cash in on my investment and get away. Preferably to a country that doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the US."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Do? Nothing. Except close this door. If you are lucky, someone will find you before you run out of food."
"You’re just going to leave us here?"
"I would think you’d enjoy it. You two have a reputation for romance. What could be more romantic than being locked in a room together alone, for eternity?"
Jennifer shook her head, stunned at Pete’s total unbalance.
"You’re not locking me or my wife in this dump." Jonathan’s entrance in to the conversation surprised Jennifer and Pete.
"Come on Jonathan. Now you won’t be lonely. But, time is up for me. I need to get going. Enjoy."
"NOOO!" It was a cross between a growl and roar. Jonathan was up in an instant like a caged lion fighting for it’s last hope of freedom. He movements were quick, deliberate as he pushed Jennifer down and knocked Pete into the wall. Jonathan was running on instinct. Something primitive, almost savage burst through him. And his prey, Pete, had no hope of survival.
Jonathan grabbed Pete’s hand knocking the gun from his grip. He seized Pete’s coat lapels and proceeded to slam him into the wall, back and forth. Pete, his small, pudgy body seemed to bounce back for more until it finally began to sink to the ground. But reality was gone for Jonathan. Weeks of isolation had stripped him of everything but the will to survive. He continued to pummel Pete even as consciousness slipped away.
"Jonathan."
Jonathan continued his attack oblivious to everything else but saving himself and his wife…. Wife…. Jennifer.
"Jonathan." He heard her this time, her voice as soft and sweet as a song. He turned towards her, hoping beyond all hope that she was real.
"It’s over Jonathan. We’re safe now." Jennifer sought his eyes for a glimpse of the rational Jonathan. Slowly she could see the savage darkness of his eyes switch over. He grabbed her, pulling her to him. He held her tight, taking in the sweet scent of her, the soft feel of her. He held on with all his might, fighting to pull himself out of the darkness.
Jennifer wrapped her arms around him, savoring the feel of him. She could feel her need to be strong slip away as Jonathan’s strength returned. Melting into his arms, she began to cry.
Jonathan stood in his backyard gazing out over the view. He’d been home for several hours and except for a shower and shave, he spent all that time outside. He breathed in fresh air letting the cool, fresh country scent fill his lungs. The sun, starting its descent into night, warmed his face. The only thing missing was Jennifer.
"Hey stranger." Jennifer had watched Jonathan from a distance. He seemed to be handling his ordeal very well although she wondered if he’d ever venture inside again.
"Hi." He watched her approach. She was like a Goddess, with sparks flying from her auburn hair. He noticed her carrying something behind her back. "Whatcha got there?"
"This?" Jennifer pulled the sleeping bag out. "I doesn’t seem like you have any interest in being inside so I thought we’d camp out."
"I’m sorry darling. I know it’s rude I just can’t be cooped up. God, it was..."
"I know darling. It’s okay. It will be fun." She threw the bag down and stepped closer to Jonathan.
He wound his arms around her and pulled her close. Burying his face in her hair, he held her taking the feel of her body against his, the sweet scent of her skin and hair, the soft rhythm of her heart.
Jennifer rested her head on his shoulder letting herself swim in the feel of his strength. "I was so scared."
"I know. Me too." He slid his arms up her back and took her face in the palms of his hands. "I love you." His eyes were dark with seriousness, as if it would be the last moment he would be able to tell her.
Tears fell lightly from Jennifer’s eyes. "I love you too."
He smiled as he pulled her lips to his and drank, consumed their honeyed taste, letting her love fill him, envelop him, build him up again. And when he pulled away, he still held her as if by osmosis he could draw her into him.
"While you were finishing up with Ruthie, I called the office."
"Everything okay?" Jennifer asked turning her head so she could look up at him.
"Because of you, yes." He pushed her back so he could look at her better. "You saved the company and me. I’m so proud and grateful...."
"Oh it was nothing." Jennifer said trying to keep it light because the alternative might lead to a complete breakdown in tears.
"It was everything."
Jennifer cleared her throat. "Nick and Stanley deserve much credit Jonathan. They stood by you and me when it counted."
"Is it true you corrupted poor Stanley?"
Jennifer smiled. "Not anymore than you already had."
Jonathan reached out to brush a tendril of her hair out of her face. "Nick wanted to know if you were feeling alright."
Jennifer stiffened a bit.
"Apparently you fainted the other day."
"Yes." Jennifer nodded. "But I’m fine."
"Were you going to tell me about it?" Jennifer could hear the edge to his voice. Despite her heroics, Jonathan would always want to be in the protector position.
"Yes. When the time was right."
"The time is right now." He said, "It’s not like you to faint. What’s going on?"
"Well, Jonathan, its a lot of work to run a multi-million dollar company, thwart a take-over, head a missing person investigation and grow a baby at the same time."
Jonathan listened to her words and ached to know the pressure she’d been under. And yet she prevailed and triumphed. What was that last thing?
"Wait. Go back."
Jennifer smiled a smile that lit her face and echoed in her eyes. She was beaming, glowing. "I said it’s a lot of work to run a company...."
"No, that last part." His eyes were searching, wondering, hoping.
"And grow a baby. Our baby."
"Our baby?" The words hit Jonathan with the force of a freight train. He was thrust from the depths of despair to the ultimate pinnacle of joy. As the realization sunk in, he grinned. "We’re having a baby?"
"Yes."
"A baby!" Jonathan wrapped his arms around her and swung her around. And then, realizing what he was doing quickly set her down. "I’m sorry. Are you okay? Is the baby okay."
Jennifer laughed with delight. "We’re fine Jonathan. Just fine now that daddy is home."
"A baby." Jonathan pulled her to him, kissed her lightly and then held her close. "God, I feel so good."
Jennifer pulled back. "You look good too." Her smile turned feral as she pressed her body to his.
Jonathan looked at her knowingly but cautiously. "Is it okay? I mean with the baby?"
"Jonathan! That’s so old fashioned. Of course it alright. In fact, I’ve read that some women have an increased sexual drive during pregnancy. Do you think you can keep up?"
He smiled back with his own devilish grin. "Keep up? Oh, yeah, I can keep up."
"Let’s go then."
In the dusk filled sky, they undressed and laid on the sleeping bag. While there was a primitive desire to take quickly, they suppressed the urge in favor of the slow rhapsody of giving and savoring. Jonathan slid his hands down her damp skin followed by the warm wet caress of his lips. His hands molded to her, rediscovering in person that which he fantasized about in his captivity.
Jennifer relished in the languid, drugging hands of her husband letting him take her slowly to their ultimate destination. She returned the favor, immersing herself in the feel of his hard body, the taste of his damp skin, and the musky scent of him.
As she moved up and prepared to take him into her, he took her arms. "Please, let me. I want to feel you under me."
"Yes." Jennifer responded as Jonathan slowly rolled over so he covered her. Her eyes fell shut as he reached between her thighs and prepared to enter her.
"Look at me," he whispered. "I want to see you."
Jennifer lifted her heavy lids to gaze into Jonathan’s eyes. The connection of their eyes sent a wave of joy and love straight to both their hearts. Jonathan slowly filled Jennifer. Their eyes continued to unite as he slid deeper and deeper until their bodies and souls became one and they savored the moment of ultimate joining.
When Jonathan bent to kiss her, the slow sensuous lovemaking erupted in a quick flaming passion. Jennifer wrapped her arms and legs around him, pulling him closer, deeper, faster as her gasps sent heat straight to Jonathan’s loins. Jonathan was frantic, wanting to continue to taste and touch as he sped towards delirium. As Jennifer bucked under him and then tightened around him, Jonathan poured his heart and soul into her.
"You’re doing great," Catherine said. Jennifer could hear her but didn’t respond. She knew everything that was going on around her but somehow felt detached from it. As if by instinct, Jennifer had turned inward, acutely focused on her body and the task at hand: deliver this baby.
Jennifer knew when she woke up that morning that she was in labor. She felt wonderful that the time was near. She and Jonathan spent the day walking and sharing their last days together before welcoming another member of their family. By one in the afternoon the contractions were strong enough that Jennifer needed to stop whatever she was doing and use her breathing techniques. And by four, Jennifer was sure she was close, the frequency and pain were intense.
At the hospital, she was told she was only 4 centimeters dilated and Jennifer wondered if she would be able to make it to 10 centimeter. It wasn’t so much that any particular contraction was more than anyone could bear, it was that they came every minute and lasted more than a minute. It was wearing her down.
Looking at the clock, Jennifer noticed it was 7 in the evening.
"Got an appointment?" Catherine asked amused.
Jennifer could feel Jonathan massaging her lower back as she stood with her hands on the bed. He seemed to have tuned in to her, not talking too much and yet trying to let her know that he was there and loved her.
Jonathan watched in awe and helplessness as Jennifer dealt with one contraction after another. God he wished he could help her. Hart Pharmaceutical would definitely have to come up with something to help women in labor without effecting the baby.
He wanted to hold her and talk to her but it was clear that she needed some space. Instinct seemed to have taken over and she was dealing with the labor how her body and mind told her to. He was glad she at least let him stand near, even massage her lower back. And he prayed for it to be over soon.
Jennifer lost her self again as another wave of cramping tightened in her belly. "I want to push." Jennifer said as the peak of the contraction came.
"Okay. Go ahead. When this contraction is done we’ll check you."
Jennifer cried out softly as Catherine checked her dilation. Jonathan instinctively reached for her, hating to see her in pain.
"I know that hurts. But you are close enough. Let’s get you up on the bed and push this baby out." Catherine moved to set the bed up.
Jonathan helped Jennifer up onto the bed, kissing her forehead. During moment’s reprieve he looked deeply into her eyes. "I love you, Jennifer," he said softly. Jennifer managed a smile and squeezed his hand.
"Okay Jennifer, see this bar here, I want you to pull yourself up so you are upright. It will help open your pelvis up and put gravity on our side. When you have the contraction, push. When it’s done the baby will start to slide back up a bit. Keep a little constant pressure if you can to keep it from doing that."
Jennifer placed her hands on the bar and pulled herself forward.
"That’s right. Now, whenever you’re ready."
As the next contraction came Jennifer began to push.
"Push really hard Jennifer," Catherine coached.
Next to her Jonathan began to count softly to ten as he had been taught in their labor classes.
"You need to count faster," Jennifer gasped as the contraction ended. Jonathan looked to Catherine.
"You’re doing great Jonathan, just like you were taught but, child birth is individual to each woman. I think it would okay if you counted a little faster. Besides, she’ll just ignore you or yell at you if you don’t." Catherine winked at Jennifer.
Jennifer pushed two more times before she could feel the head approaching.
"Okay, Jennifer, next time I want you to push until I say stop. Then I want you to maintain pressure there while we stretch the perineum a bit so you don’t rip okay?"
Jennifer nodded and began to push as the next contraction hit.
"Stop." Jennifer did as she was told even though the pain was the most excruciating yet. She felt like she was on fire. "Use your breathing Jennifer."
Jonathan watched on, helpless as Jennifer attempted to handle the pain. "Can’t you give her anything?"
"By the time it took affect, the baby would be here," Catherine explained. "She’s doing great Jonathan."
Jennifer held fast until she couldn’t bear it anymore. "Please," she begged.
Catherine looked up and smiled. "Next contraction Jennifer, I want you to push until the head is out." She looked at Jonathan, "Why don’t you come here and watch this?" Jonathan looked to Jennifer. He didn’t want to leave her side while she was in so much pain. Jennifer didn’t return his gaze, too lost her self to notice. He moved from her side to stand next to Catherine.
"Let’s have a baby!" Catherine said as she saw Jennifer begin to push. Jonathan watched in amazement as the area between Jennifer’s legs began to press aside from the force of a head. He could see a hairline.
"That’s amazing," he said under his breath. He looked up at Jennifer and was torn at the complete awe and joy he felt at watching the birth and the total helplessness he felt for Jennifer’s pain.
Catherine looked up at Jennifer. "It has the hair line a boy." Noticing Jennifer was petering out she said, "Come on Jennifer, you’ve almost got it. One last surge."
Jonathan moved back towards Jennifer hoping he could somehow, maybe by osmosis, give her more strength.
Jennifer mustered all her strength and pushed. She could feel it as her body opened up and a head slid out.
Jonathan watched as the baby, their baby emerged from Jennifer’s body. He had never in his life experienced the overwhelming sense of awe.
"Oh Jennifer, it’s beautiful." Catherine said as she suctioned the baby’s mouth and nose. "Now, one last push once I turn the baby a bit. Are you ready? This is it Jennifer. The hard part is done."
Jennifer felt the wave of a contraction hit again and pushed. This time the baby slid easily the rest of the way.
"It’s a boy!" Catherine exclaimed setting the baby in towel held by a waiting nurse. She then gave the baby to Jennifer.
"Oh, my he’s so small," Jennifer said quietly resting back in the bed. All of a sudden she could feel herself rejoining the world. Her fatigue seemed to be diminishing, replaced by a giddy joy. "He didn’t feel that small coming out."
Jonathan’s heart welled. "You were incredible. I … I …" Jonathan couldn’t find the words to express the joy and love that filled his heart.
Jennifer reached out to take his hand. He took her hand and pressed his lips to it. "I love you," he whispered as tears ran down his cheeks. He looked down at the baby, their son.
"He’s beautiful," he said.
"He’s Max," Jennifer said looking up at Jonathan.
He smiled, "Maxwell Edwards Hart."
