Page 58 of Words Unspoken

Ann took it as an admonishment. “I am sorry. I will never do it again. I shouldn’t have invaded your privacy.”

Michael kneeled in front of her and flipped through the pages until he found the entry he was looking for. He held out the book to her. It was nearest to all the blank pages which made it easy enough to find.

Surprised, Ann took it and read, “’Ann has quit. I am drowning’.”

She looked up at him with devastation in her eyes. “Oh, Michael. I am so sorry. It was the worst timing, quitting the day you got your prognosis.”

Michael shook his head and pointed to the opposing page.

Ann turned her attention to the words. His last words that he wrote the morning before the board meeting, before the surgery. There was a hitch in her voice. “These may be the last words I ever write. I love you Ann.”

She pressed a hand to her mouth and stared at the page. It was right there in black and white if anyone had known where to find it.

Michael had never felt so scared in all his life. Not even of the possibility of dying or waking up from surgery knowing that a huge hole in his life had happened with the damage to his brain. This mattered more than all of that. This was Ann and he loved her. He stayed kneeling in front of her, waiting to see what she would do, what she would say.

Ann started crying.

Michael closed his eyes for a moment, letting the despair wash over him. He then removed the book from her hands and hugged her close. Whatever Ann wanted, it would be okay.

It would not be okay, but he would pretend it was.

He held her until her tears were spent. Ann pulled back and wiped her face on the cuff of her sweater. “Oh Michael. Why didn’t you tell me twenty years ago?”

He had not had the words then. He barely had the words now.

She gave a bubble of laughter and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly before whispering in his ear. “I love you.”

She loved him?

She loved him. Michael could feel joy spread throughout his chest. Then he kissed her. Tentative, then with desire. He picked her up, brought her upstairs and to his bed. He was not going to waste another moment. As he joined her, Ann is smile dimmed and she put a hand to his shoulder.

“I am not on any birth control, and I happen to know there are no condoms in this house,” she warned.

Michael put a finger to her mouth, silencing her. His hand crept along the hem of her shirt, and he raised it so that he could put a gentle kiss to her abdomen. He would give her as many babies as she wanted. When he looked at her, Ann was smiling with tears in her eyes. He leaned forward, hungrily kissing her and she didn’t protest.

Epilogue

Ann leaned back on the blanket to catch some afternoon sun on the beach. The interview went extremely well. GQ and Business Weekly had done tasteful covers. The company had recovered from the scandal and Noah had managed to get Gains to have the position that he deserved as head of the company. It had taken a few months but now their lives were back to normal. Michael had only one more seizure. They had his medicines adjusted and it was unlikely he would have another if everything went well. Otherwise, he was in perfect health, which made Ann very happy.

Elle waddled to the blanket on the beach and carefully plunked herself onto it. She rubbed her distended stomach and sighed. “If they kick any harder, they are going to come out the wrong way.”

“Did you find out the sex?” asked Piaget.

“Boys. Two boys again,” Elle shook her head. “I cannot believe I am silly enough to have four baby boys under four. I am going to lose my mind.”

“Should I lend you FenLei?” questioned Ann.

“Don’t offer what you aren’t willing to give,” warned Elle.

“We will all help,” said Piaget, slathering on sunscreen for her fair skin. Her own baby bump was tiny even though she was three weeks ahead of Elle in her pregnancy. “Group momming. I think it could really catch on.”

“Did you get the nursery painted?” Elle asked her.

“It is a beautiful sky blue for baby Morgan,” Piaget was also having a boy. Once she and Max had announced the news Michael had handed over the key to the downtown condo. It was a three bedroom which was far better than Piaget’s single. Max and Piaget had protested but Michael had insisted in his own quiet way. “Have you picked out names?”

“We are arguing still,” Elle took a sip of her iced tea. “Noah has bad taste in names.”

Ann watched as the guys slowly took the sailboat out. Michael was trying, this time more successfully, to teach Max how to sail. Noah had gone along since the water was calm today, but she doubted he would last long. He looked green the minute he stepped onto the boat. FenLei had two napping twins in the house. FedEx had a lifejacket and was on the boat, since she simply would not let Michael out of her sight.