Honey slowly parked her
Cavalier in the driveway of the home she shared with her husband, Brian. She chewed
her lip in concentration. Up until an hour ago, she had thought she knew
exactly how their night would go.
It was their seventh
wedding anniversary today. They had planned to have a wonderful dinner out and
a movie afterwards. It didn’t sound like it was a lot, but it was enough. Brian
had been working a lot of weekends at the hospital. His patients were important
to him, and he never hesitated to make them his first priority. Honey was proud
of him; he had worked hard to become a doctor and was very dedicated.
Unfortunately, Honey
sometimes felt his patients got more attention from him than she did. Tonight,
unfortunately, was one of those nights.
He'd called her an hour ago, letting her know that another emergency
would force him to postpone their date, and it had taken every ounce of poise
and grace she possessed to not rant and rave about yet another instance of
canceled plans. Just this once, Honey
wanted to scream into the phone, "But what about me? When does your wife become the emergency?"
Honey always felt instant guilt when she had
those thoughts and she tried to see her way past those feelings, again
reminding herself that she knew that life as a doctor’s wife wouldn’t always be
easy. There had been numerous times in the past that emergencies had come up,
and they’d had to postpone their previously made plans. Somehow I expected it to get easier, but it hasn’t.
Tonight she was feeling
lower than low. Yes, they had the reservations at Tavern on the Green, but they
could go there another day if they wanted. They had planned to see a movie, but
they hadn’t even picked one out yet. They were going to spend the evening
together. That was the point and the main attraction for her.
Honey pushed the door shut
behind her after letting herself in. The silence of the house rang loudly in
her head. You’re being silly! she
admonished herself when she realized what she’d been thinking, Silence doesn’t ring, much less ring loudly!
She ran her fingers
through her hair and sighed, looking around the empty house. There was no one
there to greet her. No pets, no children. Honey felt tears gather in her eyes.
She and Brian hadn’t been blessed with any children as of yet. Friends and
family were beginning their families around them, but they weren’t. Brian told
her it could take time. He had assured her it didn’t mean there were any
problems. But, he also hadn’t encouraged her to see if perhaps there was.
Honey brushed at the tears
that trickled down her cheeks. She remembered the pains they had taken during
the first four years of marriage to not have a child. They wanted Brian to
finish medical school and get into his residency.
She yanked a tissue from
the box on the counter in the kitchen and blew her nose, wiping her face almost
angrily. Seven years. Seven years and I
thought I’d be a mother by now. I thought Brian and I would be parents.
She tossed the used tissue
into the trash can and pulled the refrigerator open to see what was available
for her to prepare for dinner. The thing she’d been looking forward to, almost
as much as spending time with her husband, was the ‘Linguine
all’ Amatriciana’ at the restaurant. It
made her mouth water just thinking of it now and she was tempted to go to the
city and enjoy it without Brian. Thinking of the lobster, scallops, and shrimp
in that spicy sauce made her groan out loud. She slammed the refrigerator door
in frustration. There wasn’t anything in there that was even remotely
appetizing.
Knowing that
she was going to drive herself crazy if she stayed home, she made an impetuous
decision. I’ll pick up dinner for Brian
and I and surprise Brian at the hospital. She stopped in the bathroom to
wash her face and reapply her makeup. Once she was satisfied with her
appearance again, she left the house.
Burgers from
Wimpy’s weren’t exactly what they’d expected to have, but they would be
enjoyed. She knew Brian would take a dinner break, and if she had to wait for
him, she would. It wasn’t the nice dinner they’d planned, but they would be
together on their anniversary, and that
was the important part.
Armed with
two bags of the tasty burgers and crisp French fries, along with a drink carrier
for the two chocolate shakes, she walked through the entrance of the hospital.
She smiled at Harriet, the receptionist.
“Are you
here to surprise your husband?” Harriet asked. “He works so hard. I’m sure
he’ll be happy to see you.”
“I hope so.
I have to see where he is, I know his patient was in recovery.”
“I can check
for you,” Harriet offered, “Hang on one moment.” The receptionist picked up the
phone and called downstairs to Surgical Recovery.
A few
questions were asked, mainly about the whereabouts of Dr. Belden, and then
Harriet responded with a few, “I sees” and a couple of “Mmm hmms.” Finally, she
hung up again and looked at Honey.
“Well, it
seems Dr. Belden’s patient was moved from recovery and is now upstairs. You’ll
also find him up there, I assume. Fourth floor just ask at their desk and they
should be able to tell you more.”
“Thank you
so much,” Honey replied warmly, “I really appreciate this. It’s our anniversary
today, you know.”
Harriet
grinned, “Really? That’s great! Congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
Honey motioned with her packages. “I’d better get this up there before it gets cold.”
Harriet went
back to work and Honey proceeded to the elevators. With everything she was
carrying, it was only with her elbow that she was able to push the button for
the fourth floor. As she ascended to the fourth floor, the music playing from
the tiny speaker was a familiar tune and she hummed along. A soft bell chimed
and she felt the elevator stop. The doors opened and she stepped onto the
fourth floor.
The scents
wafting from the burgers preceded her. Stopping at the desk, she asked after
Brian. Wordlessly, she was pointed down the hall to the left, toward what she
guessed was a break room. Honey hoped that Brian hadn’t already gotten
something to eat from the cafeteria. As she approached the room, she first
heard the murmur of voices, then the tinkling of laughter. The closer she got
to the room, the better she could discern Brian’s voice as well as an unknown
female voice. There didn’t seem to be another in the room, or at least in their
conversation.
Honey paused
in the doorway wishing she had a free hand to smooth her hair before she
entered. The door wasn’t closed completely, making it obvious why she had been
able to hear the voices. She now heard a few words: “love”, “help”, and “release”.
Honey thought
she felt the blood freeze in her veins. She wasn’t sure what she was hearing. What’s going on in there?
Using her
elbow, she nudged the door fully open. The picture that greeted her made her
heart race.
Brian was
seated and a woman, someone she didn’t know, was touching him. She was standing
behind him, massaging his shoulders. Honey remained motionless; her presence
still undetected. She wasn’t even sure she was breathing.
The woman
laughed again, and Brian, his eyes closed, seemed to melt under her attentions.
Honey felt like an outsider, but she decided this woman had had enough time
with her husband. Clearing her throat
loudly and obviously, Honey stood there waiting for the reaction of the
occupants.
Brian’s eyes
flew open and he looked directly into the eyes of his furious wife. He
literally jumped from his seat and began to move towards her. Honey wanted none
of it. She pushed her armful of food and drinks at him and he had no choice but
to take it or to let it fall onto the floor.
Free from
her packages, Honey turned to the woman. With a voice that was void of its
usual warmth and sweetness, she introduced herself. “I’m Honey Belden, Brian’s
wife.”
That was all
that she said, all that she needed to say. The woman, whose name tag read “Shelly”,
had the gall to extend her hand to shake Honey’s. Honey did something she’d
never done before; she ignored the hand, and turned to her husband.
Brian, by
this time, had set the bags on the table. The blood had rushed from his face as
he turned to his wife. He’d never seen her like this. He’d never seen the fire burning
in her eyes when she looked at him. She stood there before him now, her hands
on her hips as if she were waiting for him to say something.
His tongue
felt like it was ten times too big for his mouth, and he couldn’t form any
words. He shrugged helplessly, hoping she’d give him a break.
Honey had a
break in mind, but she wasn’t sure what
she was going to break first. When she
saw he wasn’t making a move to even try to come up with any defense, she felt
her anger burst to the surface. She stomped over to stand toe to toe with him.
If Brian was able to form a coherent thought, he would have smiled, as the move
was so Trixie.
“I thought
you’d like to have dinner with your wife on your anniversary. But, I see you
skipped right to the dessert!”
Brian found
his voice then, “No!” he rushed to defend himself, “This isn’t what you think!”
Honey
ignored his pitiful attempts to placate her. “Is this what goes on when you get
those ‘emergency’ calls?” she snapped, “Do you even see patients?”
The hurt and
disappointment was evident in Honey’s eyes and Brian rushed to reassure her.
“Honey, no!”
he insisted, “I come here to take care of the patients! Tonight, I was tired.
It’s been crazy; my patient had a fever spike after the surgery. I’ve been
examining him and monitoring his condition. I finally got a break. Sh- Shelly,
she just came in when I was trying to stretch the kink from my neck.”
He waited
for Honey’s reaction, but she just stared at him.
Seeing she was
unconvinced, he tried a different tactic. “Honey, I was going to call you and
ask if you wanted to come over to have dinner with me since I missed our dinner
out.”
Shelly spoke
up, “Yes, he really was. I thought I’d help him by giving his neck a massage to
release the tension. He was telling me that it had bothered him to have to
cancel your plans and how much he loves you.”
Honey didn’t
spare Shelly a glance; she held her husband’s eyes. She’d never had cause to
feel Brian was anything but faithful. She’d never felt she couldn’t trust him
before and this feeling when she found him like this tonight was foreign. Her
eyes filled with tears and she turned away from him, rushing from the room. He
was on her heels, calling after her to stop and wait.
Brian was
able to catch up to her at the elevators. He reached for her arm and kept her
from stepping onto the lift.
“Honey,
please! I’ve never even looked at another woman, and I sure wouldn’t start
now!”
He would
have pulled her into his embrace, but she was unyielding.
“Sweetheart,”
he pleaded, ”I love you so much! Please believe me!”
Honey felt
the tears cascade down her cheeks. Sniffing, she looked up at him. “Yes, Brian.
I believe you.”
And she did.
She knew her husband, and she knew he wasn’t the type to carry on with another
woman. There was never a more stable, trustworthy man in the world, unless she
also included her brother Jim and brother-in-law, Mart. She mentally added Dan
to the list, knowing that in spite of his seemingly endless list of dates, he
was loyal to the core.
Oblivious to
her thoughts, Brian reached to gently wipe her tears with his handkerchief.
This only brought a new onslaught. She let him hold her then and she cried into
his chest. Hiccupping, she lifted her head to look at him. “I’m s-sorry. I j-j-jumped to conclusions-s,
th-that I h-had n-no business d-doing.”
“Sshh!”
Brian whispered, “It was understandable! I would’ve wondered if I’d found you
in your office in such close proximity with another man.” He smoothed her hair
with his gentle hand, and she took the handkerchief from him to wipe her cheeks
and nose more thoroughly.
Suddenly
mindful of their location, she looked apologetically at him again. “I’m sorry I
made such a scene. She must think I’m a horrid shrew.”
Brian
laughed then “Honey Belden, I can guarantee you that the words ‘horrid shrew’
will never be used to describe you!”
Honey shook
her head in denial, and blew her nose in a decidedly unladylike manner. Brian
grinned, knowing that his lady wife was totally embarrassed by the situation.
He was thankful, for her sake, that the corridor was deserted.
“Sweetheart,
can we go enjoy the anniversary dinner you brought for us now?”
“Oh!” Honey
cried in dismay, “It’s probably cold by now!”
Brian shook
his head and shrugged. “It really doesn’t matter. There’s a microwave in the
break room, we can warm it again. Come on, I’ll have to get back to work soon,
and I really want to spend some time with my beautiful wife.”
Honey
allowed herself to be coaxed and prodded to return to the break room. She’d
hoped Shelly would still be there so that she could apologize, and yet, she
found herself relieved to find the woman gone. The apology could wait; Honey
really wanted to just spend some time with her husband.
Brian led
her to a sofa in the corner and went about warming their food himself. He
brought it over to her and sat down beside her. He tore into his food like a
starving man. Honey nibbled on a reheated fry as she watched him.
“What?” he
asked, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
She giggled,
“You eat it like it’s the best food in the world.”
“Food from
Wimpy’s is always good!” he proclaimed, “But, I think the main attraction is
the company I have. It’s the ultimate best!” He leaned over to plant a quick
kiss on her pink lips. “I left your gift at home, so I can give it to you when
I get there later on.”
Honey’s
cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink, realizing she’d forgotten his gift at
home also. “I’ll give you yours then too.”
“I know I’ll
love whatever you came up with this year, but I think I have all I need right here!” He leaned over to kiss
her again, this time with more passion.
Suddenly the
cartons of food were forgotten as her tapered fingers found their way into his
thick hair. Again and again, his mouth plundered hers. They touched, caressed,
and worshipped the other’s body. Somehow, Honey had gotten herself into a
reclining position on the sofa, with Brian leaning over the top of her.
Suddenly, a
beeping noise began and couldn’t be ignored as Brian realized it was coming from
his pager. He allowed their passionate haze to lift and he sat up, checking the
number on the pager.
“I’m sorry,”
he began, “I have to make a call.”
He stood, not
seeming to be surprised to have to be tucking his shirt into his pants. Dialing
the ICU number, he only waited a second before it was answered on the other
end. The information was given to him quickly and he replaced the phone in its
receiver.
“Well, it’s
good news,” he said as he turned to his wife again. She was now sitting up and
looked no different except she was slightly more flushed. “My patient’s fever
broke. I’m just going upstairs to check on him again, and I should be able to
go home after that.”
Honey’s face
showed her pleasure at that statement. “Should I wait for you, or should I go
home?”
“That’s up
to you. Either way, we’ll be home soon.”
“I’ll go
home and wait for you,” Honey stood up very slowly. Brian didn’t miss the
seductive glint in her eyes, or the way her body swayed toward him. She stood
very close and her arms wrapped around his neck before leaning forward with her
lips just touching his. With just a breath between them, she whispered, “Hurry
home.”
And with
that she turned and left the room, with Brian watching after her. He found
himself still standing there a long minute later, still shaking his head.
My wife is amazing! he thought to himself as he quickly set
the break room back to its normal order. He made sure he had gathered
everything that was his and he made his way upstairs to check on his patient.
Thankfully
his patient’s vitals were very close to normal now and the doctor could now go home.
The nurses
on duty didn’t question the goofy grin on his face when he said good night to
them, but they shared a secret smile as he left.
Brian let
himself into their house through the garage entrance. The kitchen and dining
room were silent and empty. He paused briefly to look into the living room, but
found it just as empty. A grin lifted one corner of his mouth as he proceeded
down the short hallway to their bedroom.
He could
hear the soft music now and see the flickering light from the candles. The door
was only partially closed; he only had to rest his palm on it to open it wide
and to allow his entry. His breath
immediately caught in his throat.
The vision
awaiting him was nothing short of awesome.
Honey
nervously smoothed the honey-colored negligee down her hip. She’d quickly
changed upon returning to their home. In a move so unlike her, she kicked her
clothing under the bed, scrambling to set the scene. The warm candlelight set
the tone for some much needed romance. She hoped it was enough.
A soft creak
in the hallway alerted her to his presence. Her eyes sought his and they stood
about six feet apart, staring at each other.
The
candlelight bathed Honey with a warm glow. Brian didn’t think it was possible
to want her anymore than he did at that moment. Swallowing past the lump that
suddenly formed in his throat, he tried to form the words to tell her what he
was feeling.
Honey knew
he was about to speak, and moved forward. She stood in her bare feet, toe to
toe with him, looking up into his dark eyes. One hand lifted and one finger
reached out to caress his lips.
“Honey,”
Brian whispered roughly, “I love you so much!”
She smiled
sweetly “I love you, too.”
“Happy
Anniversary, sweetheart,” Brian paused to kick his shoes off looking down at
her again. “I have something for you.”
Bending down
he reached under his side of the bed. Honey’s cheeks reddened when she saw one
of her socks roll out with the box. She kicked it back under the bed before
Brian noticed it.
She looked
at the box he presented to her. It was about 6x8 in size, and only an inch to
an inch and a half thick. Curiosity got the best of her as she took it from
him. She had forgotten to retrieve her own gift for him from her hiding spot.
Tearing the
white ribbon from the box, she eased the cover off. Inside, she found a green
cashmere sweater. Honey flashed a beatific grin at her husband.
“Ooh! It’s
beautiful! So soft and I love the color! Thank you!”
“I’m glad
you like it. I read somewhere that the seventh anniversary is symbolized with
wool. I felt you were the Cashmere wool type
of person.” Brian eyes glinted with his desire for his wife. “I thought this
color would be perfect for you.”
“It is perfect! Thank you, thank you, and
thank you!” Honey launched herself into his arms and planted kisses all over
his face until they were both panting from the exertion.
Brian
laughed softly when she finally settled back again. “Again, I’m really happy you like it.”
Honey smiled
for just a moment then jumped up. “Oh my goodness! I have to give you your
gift!” She went to her dresser and opened the third drawer revealing a wrapped
package.
She shyly
presented it to her husband. He grinned his thanks and tore the paper from the
box. Easing the cover off, he separated the tissue paper and revealed a shiny
copper nameplate.
Brian looked
up and met his wife’s eyes. Honey nodded, silently encouraging him to take it
from the box.
He carefully
lifted it from the box and turned it around to behold the sight. His name and
title were engraved into the copper, Brian Belden, M.D.
“I also
looked into the symbols for anniversaries. The seventh anniversary can also be
commemorated with copper. I thought to engrave your name in this copper plate,
as permanent as you’ve been engraved into my heart.” Honey smiled lovingly.
Brian had to
blink several times to stem the flow of the tears he felt threatening. Clearing
his throat, he reached a hand to his wife. “Honey Belden, I adore you! I love
you! You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Thank you for being
my wife and loving me.”
“Oh!” Honey cried out before throwing herself
into his arms. Their mouths met in a passionate frenzy. In the privacy of their
own home, their own bed, they made love that night. Every touch, every kiss,
was a celebration of their love.
Relaxing
into the warmth of her husband’s body afterward, she sighed in utter
contentment. Silently, Honey made a wish. The only thing that would have made
this night even better, would be if they had conceived a child. One hand slid
down to her flat stomach and she patted it gently.
Please,
let it happen.
Brian
tightened his arms around her and they slept.
AUTHOR’S
NOTES:
A
very big, huge,
monstrous
thank you goes
out to my fabulous editors: Steph H., Mary N. (Dianafan), and Patte (FairyGodMom)!!! I couldn’t have done it without you and your
very generous spirits!! Not to mention your fantastic editing skills!
Wow!
I can’t believe another Jixaversary is here already!! And, that it’s almost over at this
point. I wish I’d had more time to enjoy my favorite ‘season’ of Jix. Happy Jixaversary to all!!!
Thank
you, Cathy! You’ve given me such a gift!
*HUGS* I love everything and
everyone here at Jix!!
As
always, a special thank you to Vivian! My home with you is very special in my
heart!!
Now,
the story…
Oh
yeah, there was one of those! *ROFL*
I
was shocked beyond reason that Honey and Brian shared their anniversary story
with me. Those two had never spoken to me before.
Brian
decided he couldn’t stomach any more lovey-dovey stories with Trixie and Jim.
He claimed his best friend had gotten enough cyber-time. And since it was with
his sister of all people- he just couldn’t go there again without feeling the
need to step in and chaperone.
Honey
was more than happy to share their anniversary story, but she whispered she’d like
to have a wedding story, too. I told her: someday! I promised to write, if they speak to me again.
Some
points to just touch on- very quickly-
I decided to have Honey and Brian have to
cancel their planned feast at Tavern on the Green. But, the mouth-watering
dinner that had Honey salivating, Linguine all’ Amatriciana’, is straight from the menu I accessed online for the restaurant.
Definitely makes my stomach growl every time I think about it. *drool*
I
decided to have the couple use different symbols for the anniversary. I could
have had Honey give Brian a wool sweater too- but, the copper nameplate sounded
better.
Cashmere is wool for anyone who doesn’t know. It’s the wool of the
Kashmir goat. The cashmere sweater I used to have was actually very thin. Soft,
but thin. I could see her gift fitting into the small sized box. Well, and the
fact that Honey is thin- the size of the sweater itself would be small.
Thank
you readers!! Writing isn’t anything without you!!
Here’s
to many happy years together at Jixemitri!
