SECRETS OF THE PAST
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rated NC-17 for Content
Franklin mailed his letters the next
day. He got a post office box so they wouldn't know where they were. He sent
them by express mail so they would get there quickly. Franklin stood out the
whole day looking for people who knew anything about the missing bank drafts or
anyone who would want to work for them. Robert worked all day at the warehouse,
preparing his equipment to make the checks that he had learned to make with his
father, Frank, Sr. Before he got the machines up and going, he did a pre-test
to make sure everything worked correctly. As everything turned out, Robert was
just like his father, an expert at making checks. No one was allowed at the
warehouse, only the Abagnales and whoever they got to work for them. Mina
called Franklin and asked him if he needed her. When she found out that he
didn't, she planned her day with Robert. She planned a night out dancing,
dinner, and a cozy place for them to get to know each other.
Robert thought about Mina the
whole time he was working. It was hard for him to continue. He called Mina.
"Hello," she answered.
"Mina, I have to talk to you
right away." Robert was eager to see her.
"Me, too. I’ve got something
planned." She smiled over the phone.
"Really? What?" Robert
was curious as to what she had planned for them.
"It's a surprise." She
didn't want to tell him.
"Mina, it's hard to get to
work here. I have been thinking about you all day. I can't concentrate on my
work." Robert had printed and reprinted several checks, and all through
his work he couldn't think of anything but Mina.
"Robert, why don't you take
a break and come over to my place?" Since it was early, she didn't want to
spoil her surprise, yet she couldn't wait for him to see her, either.
"Sure. Be there in five
minutes." He hung up and took off his overalls. He used them because he
didn't want to get dirty in the factory.
*****
Mina had put on a thin, sleek
dress. It molded over her body like silk. She looked at herself in the mirror.
It was perfect for what she was planning. Robert would drop to his knees.
Since it was daylight, she
covered everything to make it dark so it would look like nighttime, and the
candles that she had laid on the table would flutter in the darkness. Her red
dress was quite appealing to her. She loved it.
She set a few things aside for
later that evening, something she had wanted to give him since the moment she
had met him. She couldn't describe what it was about him that was so
attractive. It was just the way he looked at her.
When she looked at everything
that was on the table, she smiled to herself. Then her doorbell rang. She went
to the door and opened it.
His eyes gleamed. He took her
into his arms and closed the door. He had never been so in need of a woman in
all his life, but something about Mina was intriguing. Before he could proceed
any further, Mina got out of his embrace.
"Hold on there." She
held him back.
"Sorry. I am just happy to
see you." He smiled, wanting to hold her in his arms.
"I can tell." Mina was
surprised by his eagerness to be with her. She had never met a man like Robert
before.
"Mina, I have something to
confess. No one knows this except my brother and my nephew. I'm a virgin. That
is why I am the way I am." He sounded like he had a disease he needed to
get rid of.
"Oh. You are?" Mina was
surprised. She had not expected him to be a virgin. To her, she thought he was
an experienced lover.
"Yeah, I was so caught up in
my work, I never had time for a woman. But besides that, I wanna be the best
for you. I know I have no experience as a lover. But I wanna be yours in every
single way possible." He meant every word.
"Robert, I am truly
impressed by your honesty. I, however, have been with a man before. You see, I
was married once upon a time. I loved him very much. My marriage to my husband
wasn't really…how would you say? I never had to please a man. He just took, and
I gave, so I don't know if I can be good for you. If I sleep with you, I will
be honored to be your first. But I can't promise anything." She felt like
he expected her to be a love goddess or something, and she wasn't.
"It doesn't matter, Mina. We
will learn together." He took her hand and led her into the bedroom.
He held her to him, swaying her
like a porcelain doll as he kissed her neck. She moaned at his kisses. He
kissed her ruby red lips, trailing a light breeze down her shoulder. She looked
into his blue eyes and stepped back as he pulled the dress over her head.
He touched her breasts and took
off his shirt, wanting to feel her against him. She helped him remove it. He
released himself from his jeans, as well, and threw them to the floor. He
kissed her slowly, making her claw at his back as he did so.
She arched her back as he took
her nipple into his mouth. His hands felt rough against her skin.
He liked the way she moaned. It excited
him. He got her up and made her sit on top of him. Mina felt his erection
underneath her. It felt hard and rigid. She smiled.
She got up off him and pulled
down her panties. The only thing she had on now were the heels she wore. She
trailed her lips to his inner thigh and reached her destination.
Robert closed his eyes, never
knowing what he had missed all these years. As Mina trailed her lips up and
down his body, he opened his eyes, looking at her as she glowed in the darkly
lit room. He had never felt so happy in his life.
"Mina?" His lips were
now red from her lipstick.
"Hmm?" She touched his
chest, feeling his rough skin.
"Do you have
protection?" He felt like it was an unromantic question. Which it was.
"I don't usually carry any.
Anyway, I don't mind without it." Mina was too caught up in the moment.
She didn't really care. She figured, since her husband, that she couldn't bear
any children.
"You’re fixed?" He knew
that it was a very personal question to ask on a second date. But he couldn't
risk not knowing.
"No." Mina looked down,
feeling kind of weird about the question he had asked.
"You mean you would let me
be inside you without it?" He wondered why she would let him do that.
"Yes, I would." She
wasn't afraid of getting pregnant by him. She loved him more than even her
husband.
"Why would you want me to
get you pregnant?" he asked out of curiosity.
"I want a baby." She
wanted his baby. She failed to tell him that, though.
"Not to be mean, but I want
to be married to the one who bears my child. I don't do one night stands."
Robert knew he sounded old-fashioned, but he didn't care. He wanted to do right
by Mina.
"Robert, you don't know how
lonely it is here. If you left, I would be so lonely." She had been
lonely. Since her husband had died, she had never met or slept with anyone else
over the past ten years. She loved Robert.
"Mina, when my job is over,
you’re coming home with me. Will you marry me?" Robert asked. He knew he
didn't have a ring to propose with, but he loved her so much, even though he
hardly knew her. It was love at first sight.
"Yes!" Mina hadn't
expected him to ask her that question. She said yes before she could even
process it through her mind.
He hugged her tightly. He had
never dreamed she would say yes. He knew he was out of his mind, but he didn't
care. He loved her.
*****
A few days had passed. Rose had
heard no word from Jack or Franklin. She made calls to the Army, demanding that
they tell her where they were, and all she got was a letter saying that their
mission had been kept under protection and the location would not be disclosed
to her. She grew angry inside. Someway, somehow, she was going to go and find
them. She just needed a clue.
Leah was excited when she
received Franklin's letter. She read it slowly, savoring each word. She missed
him terribly. When she finished reading it, she decided to write him back.
Dear Franklin,
I miss you so much. School is
going by slowly without you. Wow. Turkey. It must be hot there. It's good that
your uncle and your father and yourself are doing great. I will tell your mom
that you all are all right. About me being pregnant, should I tell you or leave
you in suspense? Hmm. Well, all I can tell you is I'm late and I haven't told
anyone yet. I'm going to take a pregnancy test, and when I find out the
details, I will let you know. I hope your uncle has luck with that Mina chick,
and don't worry. I trust you to be faithful to me this time around, because if
you’re not, I will be joining Erica and kicking your ass, too. By the way, how did
you start this affair with Erica? Yes, I would like to know the details. I miss
you, too, and I love you.
Love,
Leah
As soon as Leah finished writing
her letter, she phoned Rose. Rose was excited to hear from Leah and know that
her boys were all right. Leah disclosed the contents of the letter to Rose word
for word, and even let her know about the address. Rose packed a suitcase soon
after the call was over. She called the airport and got a flight to Turkey as
soon as possible. The hotel stationery told her where they were staying. She
didn't care if they got mad at her. She wanted to be there for her son and
husband. If it got too dangerous for her, she knew to leave right away. She
used another name for the tickets, just in case she had to. She would even make
sure she had a different room from them. She didn't want to cause trouble at
all for their mission. She had missed Jack every day since he had left. There
were no more days that would be empty for them. She vowed to make him happy for
the rest of his life. This was what she intended to do.