Vision Ch. 08

I realize this is another neurotic panicky spell of hers perhaps bought on by hormones but really.

"You are my wife."

"Yes, and you are my husband."

"Exactly, so don't sit there and act like this is some goddamned business transaction Lou. Are you planning on us failing?"

"No, but . . . be rational."

"No buts. Either we are or aren't. I am not having any halfway maybe bullshit. End of discussion."

Her eyes start to well up. It's just as well we're doing an intense marriage counseling session as well as her weekly therapy, we've more than a few kinks to work out.

"Ah Shit, don't you dare start crying. These people are going to think I've done something to you."

"I c-can't h-help it."

Hiccups? That's new. Pregnancy changes everything.

I get her some water and wipe her eyes and make her blow her nose. A few kisses later and she's fine, just the slightest tinge of red on her nose. And of course now I want her.

She's smiling as she rubs the back of my neck before kissing me. I can feel the heat of her through my pants. Damn.

"You are getting a spanking when we get home, Lulu."

"Why?"

"Because I want you right now and can't have you, so sit your little self in that chair and behave. When they come back in here we are a united front."

---

It's the night before Thanksgiving and the cooking is finished. The house smells of good food and wood smoke, the fireplaces are all dying down, it's so cozy and quiet in here. I'm crashing in the red and blue guest-room for one night only with my little brother Max.

The sound of the front door opening wakes me @ 7:30 am. It's Lili and Lenny and Arlene. I see others pulling up too. They all spring into action. Lili and Arlene go to tend Lulu.

Arlene's bought a large basket of breakfast biscuits, scones and muffins for everyone to eat on the go.

Uncle Junie has Lenny and Harry crack open the round table and add 2 leaves to stretch it out to seat 20 and then bring in more chairs and push the furniture back to the walls to make a dance floor.

June and Eddie raid Lou's linen closet and find the tablecloths and napkins and they set the table.

I think Uncle Jack's purchased every yellow and white rose in the city of Richmond, he pulls up with a van full of flowers.

My parents arrive. Mom has bought dozens of her handmade beeswax candles, most are for the table, some light the rooms and others serve as wedding favors with little jars of her honey; she's been cooking up a storm as well and there's porchetta de lait, gumbo, red beans and rice, stuffed hatch chiles some of my favorites.

They've decided to stay in town for the night. Lulu offered to let them have the spare bedroom, but mom insisted we need our first married night together alone. Lenny won the coin toss over Lili and is happily hosting them at his place.

Most guests won't be able to stay long as they have their own families to attend to this day, but we wanted to make sure there was plenty of room and space.

Under Pops and Uncle Jack's stern direction, everyone is boisterously efficient, by 11:30 am everything and everyone is in place, my brother has the ring, and I can't wait to see it on her finger.

The ceremony is to take place at 1:30, but around noon Lili comes to find me. She's shaking her head.

"I've seen her angry, sad and pissed; but emotional pregnant Lulu is a different animal. I'd rather have back the control freak. There's a problem with the dress. She's upset that she can't wear it for you. Very upset. I sent Lenny for your 'surprise' but you need to go talk to her. I love her dearly but have got problems of my own right now." Lili seems distracted as she walks away.

I go the bedroom door. "Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me."

"I know you wanted to see me in it but it's not fitting and there's no way to get it altered. 3 months and I'm already too fat."

She sounds so sad I can't stand it.

"Well then put something else. Anything is fine."

More howling.

"Come on bébé. Let me in?"

"No!" She wails.

"There's bad luck already because you saw it. I'll figure it out."

She sniffles. She is in a state - it's not like her to be so superstitious.

"It's ok Lulu, you could come out in jeans and a t-shirt."

The front door opens and here's my main wedding surprise coming down the hallway looking very stately in a lavender silk gown, with her hair braided in an elaborate crown-like bun, the pure white stripe woven elegantly throughout.

Lenny is trailing her with a box.

She gently moves me aside and speaks through the door.

"Lulu? Liebchen? Open the door."

"MM?" The door cracks and then is thrown wide as she reaches out to hug her grandmother, pulling her inside. "MM! what are you doing here?"

"Your Dax sent for me last week."

"You've been here all this time? Where've you been? Where are you staying? Why didn't you come to see me?"

"I had a life before you. I had people to see, things to put right." Same sharpish tone.

"Quit crying, you'll make circles."

Pulling out a handkerchief she makes Lulu blow her nose.

"Come, we're going to fix the dress."

Trailing a hand down Lulu's neck and looking directly at her bosom she says, "From the look of you, there's you have something to tell me. Yes? You have had a . . . growth spurt and now there is a second pulse in your neck."

MM leans back to smile at me and wink and nod approvingly.

--

The masses of roses and beeswax candles have the place smelling magical.

Before I know it Arlene and Lili are coming down the hall. Uncle Jack is guiding my bride forward, and in her haste she's all but pulling him down the aisle completely out of step with the music, which garners laughter. She's too focused on me to hear it though.

Was she always this beautiful? We've not told anyone besides immediate family but to me she looks tellingly radiant. She's left her hair natural, thousands of tiny curls and spirals held back with ivory ribbons. MM's worked some magic with the dress and there's now lace where there wasn't before.

Lulu trembles the entire ceremony but grins like a little girl on Christmas Day.

God bless Uncle Jack for finding a Unitarian minister on such short notice. I wanted a priest, but 48 hours ago my bride-to-be balked and put her foot down and I wasn't about to mess us up this close to the finish line.

We are promising to love honor protect cherish and listen to each other. Her eyes bug at the sight of the wedding band. Lili said Lulu didn't much go in for jewelry but that she loved a certain Italian jewelry designer. I managed to find one of those wide filigree cigar band rings sprinkled with yellow sapphires and have it shipped in time.

She looks to me, smiling and frowning at the same time.

"How'd you do this?"

"That would be telling."

"Well, it's just about the prettiest little handcuff I think I've ever seen."

She looks entranced and I'm glad because that means she'll wear it. I know that she loves her engagement ring but the size makes her a nervous. Though in French fashion she's already taken to wearing it on her right hand, so we'll see.

We're seated first for pictures with all the food and flowers and silverware and glasses that Louelle started collecting and Lulu and Lili finished, it all looks seamless.

A long grace/prayer is said by Uncle Jack before we all dig in. There are many oohs and ahs over the Turkey Cordon Bleu, porchetta de lait and crowned rack of lamb and the potatoes and Brussels sprouts, even the little ones are eating the sprouts and green beans and my Almond torte cake is a big hit at the end.

"He bakes too? Damn, you lead a charmed life." Says Lili.

Truthfully I didn't have much to do with the cakes. I whipped up the batter and June baked, frosted, dusted them with edible gold and set them on pedestals of varying heights with fresh flowers at the base of each.

I catch Lulu sneaking sips of champagne and both Eddie and I take her to task. I take it from her.

"Champagne will not hurt the babies. Women in France drink while pregnant."

"Yeah? Well this is not France Lulu." I polish off her drink for her.

"I am starting to think you married me for the sole purpose of bossing me around." She grouses good naturally.

"Yep! What of it?" I say, kissing her surprised lips.

Ours is a wedding party with a Thanksgiving twist. Lulu even puts on the game. She and the ladies have a particularly vicious game of cutthroat poker going in the dining room, and the kids are running around and playing on the computer.

It's louder in here than I've ever known it to be and I think we're both alarmed and charmed. Someone's playing the Chipmunk Christmas song on an iPad and the kids are going a little crazy. Little man, breaks a vase and starts to cry and Lulu pulls him on her lap.

"That's ok I still like you."

She's stolen my line.

As she cuddles and kisses him, I can see she's got the touch after all and there's no need for her to be as nervous as she is about motherhood.

She dances with everyone. Most touching was watching her with Uncle Jack, who held her like she might break during the father daughter dance.

I watch her dance with Harry and manage not to cringe. Besides he's bought a date, the same long legged beauty I met as we were leaving his place in DC, she seems quite spirited herself.

I notice Max and Lili are doing a lot of dancing and talking. I can only wish him luck.

An early snowfall starts around 4:30 pm and Eddie begins to insist that Lulu take a break and have a nap.

"No, not yet, just a little longer."

She's talking excitedly to Antreas' wife Ariadne who's holding a charm of some sort over her stomach and watching it swing. Some sort of Greek voodoo I'm sure.

I finally get her to come away.

"30 minutes and then I want to go back to my party Dax."

"Yes, whatever you want, now come along."

She needs at least two hours and I mean to make sure she gets it. I accompany her down the hall to the bedroom eager to see the look on her face when she opens the door. There are smooth silk cotton sateen sheets on the bed and a large silk down comforter, the fireplace is lit and the candles are burning and there are rose petals on the bed and floor. Turning to look at me I can see she's delighted. Her grin dies into a slow smile as she gives me that sleepy eyed blink of hers. I shake my head at her

"Lulu, " I whisper, "we have a house full of guests."

"Most of the people out there know what married people do." She nods in the affirmative. Arching that little brow she unfastens her dress and lets it fall revealing herself in a corset almost bursting at the seams. Well maybe just an appetizer. It's been days since. I lock the door.

She's climbing on the bed and lying back on the petals on the pillows and watching me intently. I loosen my tie and take off my jacket and throw it over a chair and go to my wife.

"You look mighty fine Mrs. Wilde."

"I feel mighty fine Mr. Wilde." She says.

"I'm going to take this off now so that you have a pleasant nap."

I undo the laces and the garters and stockings. I stop at the panties and just look at her. If I take those panties off its all over, I'm never going back to the party and that would scandalize us both.

Picking up the silky yellow slip, I carefully pull it over her head, smoothing the silk over her.

I stop to marvel. At three months and a few days there's already delicate but decided curve to her stomach, a tightly packed bud. Her breasts strain against the material, her nipples are changing already they're noticeably larger, darker, visible through the thin silk.

All of it; the rapidly expanding breasts, the little curved belly; the spreading hips are changes I've wrought. I sigh and try to remind myself that there will be plenty of time to properly relish my wife later, it's hard though when she's trying to take off my shirt.

I gently restrain her. She's making little whimpering sounds. It's been days. We decided to wait until our wedding night. But it seems she can't wait a moment longer. Baby needs to come.

I pull her panties aside and lick her and find her clit which in her excitement is a hard little nubbin. I alternately enter her with my tongue and gently flick at her until she comes, her face turned to the side, a scream muffled in a pillow.

"More, I want more. Stay with me? Please?" She kisses me and slides her hands over my back and under my shirt pressing me to her.

"Lulu there's to be no more of that until you take your nap. You have to rest now baby. Just for a little while. Ok?" She pouts but I massage her back a little and as she's tired she eventually lies back and sighs and turns onto her side and drifts off.

When I get back Eddie goes "Just what have you been doing Dax? You look guilty."

I blush. "I was putting Lulu down for a nap." They all laugh at me.

Snow is steadily falling thick and fast as the last of the guests leave. MM, Uncle Junius and Uncle Jack had the family and guests marching to a military drum step insisting everyone take some flowers and food home as this place was filled to the rafters with both, except for the flowers and candles it's like they were never there, that's some magic trick.

_______________________________

She's awake and waiting. Kneeling on the bed her impatient hands take my shirt off, two buttons go flying, someone's anxious. She undoes my fly and squeezes me, making anxious whimpering sounds.

"Goddamnit Dax, you let me sleep too long. I missed the rest of the party. You are going to make it up to me husband mine."

She sounds stern and I barely get my pants and shoes off before she's dragging me to the bed, pushing me back and trying to get on top of me.

"Slow down love, there's no hurry."

Trying to master herself she takes a deep breath. She's mine. And I'm hers. We have forever. She's touching me and trying to bring me inside her and I gently take her hands and hold them over her head and stroke her with my fingers. She's pure sensation. I stroke my shaft across her clit not entering her just rubbing the both of us.

"Stop teasing me Dax."

"You are now mine to have and to hold and to do with as I please."

She makes a noise between a growl and a whine and bites me. Soft, luscious and oh so wet just on the verge of coming and when I slip inside her she does, hotly and wetly. I kiss her and roll her on top of me.

"Take me."

She slides on me and bends back and supports herself on my shins and slowly slides back and forth on me swirling her hips around and around me. I can see her whole body, including my dick wetly sliding in and out of her. I can feel her coming again which she does with a shout. I gather her to me and roll her beneath me and as she still spasms around me I kiss her rocking inside her until I let go too.

EPILOGUE

Asleep on the vast golden bed in the mid-April sunlight pouring through the windows. Nude, hair barely contained by the silver leather ribbons. Her left arm and hand curved protectively around the bottom of her very pregnant stomach, the sunlight glinting off the ring now being worn high on her middle finger just below the first joint, casts rainbows on her thighs, anklet glittering on her little ankle. Dark green vein running up the back center of her right calf.

The Edward seam her sister called it. Her lips are lightly parted, she breathes much faster these days.

Her brow is slightly knit as if in deep concentration. Altogether rounded, so many curves now, so much more of Lulu to love. In full bloom, she's never looked more beautiful.

I can't stand it. I know it will land me in trouble when I'm caught and catch me she will, she always does, but I whip out my phone anyway and take several shots.

Her stomach moves. I can actually see the outline of a little foot. How does she sleep through that? They know I'm here. I gently sit on the bed and lightly splay my hands and am immediately rewarded with a flurry of soft strong kicks. Not much longer now. I kiss her stomach.

She opens her eyes smiles sleepily and touches my face. I quickly strip down and lie down beside her as she drifts off again. This is much better than Saturday when all the ladies were here.

--

"I am a hot, itchy, bloated mess." Says Lulu.

Eddie takes a melon and smells it, thumps and shakes it before bringing it down hard on a sharp stone, bursting it into uneven jagged pieces. The ladies dig in with their bare hands, juice and seeds running down their arms onto the table.

"I feel like one of these watermelons. Just fat round and overripe. Like if I sit down too hard I will just split wide open and there will be babies like seeds all over the place.

Nothing fits and I'm starting to doubt anything ever will again. I've given up yet another of my favorite things, pants. Hell, I've even given up underwear as nothing stays put on this itchy mountainous stomach. Even granny panties just slide down and end up looking crazy.

Of course Dax couldn't be happier about that development - his sick idea of a joke was to get me a t-shirt reading 'Adios pantalones!'

And where is he now? Somewhere playing. I rub and rub and still I just itch all the time now and I'm trying not to scratch, but if he brings me one more jar of any kind of belly butter I'm going to fucking murder him. I finally understand why pregnancy and marriage go hand in hand because it should be required by law that someone has to sleep with you in this condition. I feel and look like a monster and he's never looked better!

And I have never been so horny in my life, started the moment the nausea subsided!

We're going at it like we're living in the last days man. Fucking like there's no tomorrow & once these two get here there won't be. And even though it gets ever more awkward by the day, the sex is off the chain, its so good.

What kind of sick shit is this?! Pregnancy is a twisted business."

"Your blood volume's increased almost three-fold at this point, makes everything more sensitive and intense." says Eddie.

"Well that explains it I guess." She grunts.

"I know what you mean," says Lili. "I'd forgotten how truly uncomfortable pregnancy can be. That goddamned Max actually has the nerve to claim since he missed the first one he wants an extra baby after this one. I think NOT. This is it. Damned if I'll ever do this shit again." She looks perturbed.

"Hell Lulu, at least you're in the homestretch. Eddie and I will be 7 months pregnant in the heat of August! If Dax is anything like Max I don't know how you stand it. I mean it's fun but he's huge! Between me being so small we effectively squeezed the condom off. Which we didn't notice until it was all over. Damned thing got lodged inside me, took me hours to reach up there and grasp it and pull it out.

Having heard Eddies cackling tales of the things they pull out in the emergency room there was no way I was going for that and now look at me. I can't say I'm looking forward to pushing this sucker out. Jackson is super excited though, he's looking forward to having a brother to play with."

"Speaking of head size," says Eddie, "I am not looking forward to it either. I'm trying to look at it scientifically and it's definitely given me a deeper understanding, but it's hell being the one on the table. Lenny's head is large. Lenny himself is large. He dislodged the damned IUD twice."

"Eeew! Gross!" Go Lulu and Lili in unison.

"Please, as grossed out as we're all about to be I'd say this is the least of it. All these guys are pretty large though from what I'm hearing here at this table. I wonder if there's an academic call for papers on penis size of men born between 1973 and 1983? Was there something special women were doing or eating during that time?"