Chapter 7
TEASING
"OK, Ma, when did it happen?"
"What?"
"You know what I mean. When did Johner finally get what he’s been dying for since the day he walked in here. It’s obvious he has, he looks incredibly smug. And so do you, for that matter. I’m a big boy now, you can tell me."
Sarah was embarrassed. "For God’s sake, John, what do you want me to tell you? When? A while ago. There, are you satisfied?"
"Yeah. So is he, I bet."
"God! Leave me some privacy! John,---you knew how Johner felt? How did you know?"
"It was pretty easy; I saw how he looked at you, once. Just once was plenty. He was so crazy about you that I felt damn sorry for him. You could see that it was killing him."
"And was I as easy to read?"
"I thought you just hadn’t tumbled to how you felt about him yet."
She laughed shortly. "I knew. I just didn’t dare admit it. He was so goddammed friendly. I thought he thought I was just a great landlady."
A door closed behind them. "That’s exactly what I did think. And you are a great landlady. Among other things." Johner put the grocery bags down on the counter. "John, there’s a couple more in the car. Will you---? Thanks."
When John was out the door, Sarah was swept into a vigorous embrace. "M-m-m-m!" He nuzzled into her neck. "I want to make love to you for two and a half hours, Connor. Send your son to the movies."
She giggled. "He’s too old for that. He’ll catch on."
"Good. He’ll learn about life. The best part."
As John entered the kitchen with the groceries, Sarah moved out of Johner’s arms, turning away from him. But Johner put his arms around her again from behind, pulling her against him, grinning over her shoulder at her amused son.
"Don’t mind me!" said John, grinning back. "Mom, can I have a buck for the movies?"
"No one likes a smartass, John."
"Talk
about a smartass, you should see the look smirking over your shoulder.
He’s disgustingly self-satisfied."
Sarah tried to free herself, without success. "Johner, will you behave!"
"How do you want me to behave? Will this do?" and he buried his face in her neck, making exaggerated biting motions, and growling fiercely.
John collapsed with laughter, pointing at his mother wordlessly. "Oh Mom---your face!" he said, when he had recovered somewhat, "You’ll have to choose between Johner and your dignity! Is he going to do this to you at work too?" Then he bent over with laughter again at her horrified reaction to this thought.
Sarah, laughing unwillingly, finally disentangled herself from Johner, who was now contentedly kissing her neck in between chuckles. "All right, if you two are through amusing each other, can we get these groceries put away? My God, Johner, are we feeding the entire block? I never bought four bags of groceries at once in my life."
"That’s because you can get a lot of TV dinners in one sack."
John collapsed again.
******
"You can go as soon as we finish the dishes. I know you’re dying to get out of here. Have you got a date or is it just general adolescent restlessness?"
"It’s general restlessness, but I take violent exception to ’adolescent’!"
Johner interposed before hostilities could begin. "Well, whatever the right word is, I won’t be too sorry to see you go. I wouldn’t mind being alone with your mother."
"No kidding! I never saw two people more besotted. And I’m accused of adolescent behavior! Johner, I can’t even give you eighteen years old, sixteen is the absolute top." John laughed and shook his head. "And Mom, you’re right up there with him. I’m expecting to see you blush any minute now."
At which his mother obliged him by blushing; an event which amused John and Johner far more than she could see any possible reason for.
As his laughter finally subsided, John kissed his mother and started for the door, then stopped. "If it makes any difference to you two, I just want to say this whole thing is OK with me. I like to see people happy." He stepped through the door, then stuck his head back inside. "---even relatives."
"He’s a good kid," said Johner, still laughing a little. "And he’s got a great sense of humor."
"Oh sure, you two can spend the rest of our lives egging each other on to laugh at me! What have I got myself into?" As she looked up at him, further words were arrested; she stared in alarm at his expression. "Johner? What?"
He pulled her to him fiercely and buried his face in her neck, straining her to him with all the force of his powerful arms. He said nothing, just held her, rocking her back and forth.
"Sweetheart," she said softly, "I love being held like this, you can keep it up as long as you like. But I’d like to know about it if something is wrong, Johner."
His words were muffled in her neck. "Nothing is wrong." Slowly his frantic grasp of her loosened, and his head came up. He continued, speaking hesitantly, "You said something. You said, ‘the rest of our lives’." His voice took on urgency. "Connor, is this for the rest of our lives? Is it?"
"Yes, of course it is."
His whole frame slumped as he relaxed back onto her shoulder. His voice was thick with his emotion. "God, I’ve been afraid to ask."
She held him to her, one hand stroking the back of his head, kissing his cheek, his ear, whatever she could reach. "I love you, Johner. I never thought for a minute that this was anything less than the rest of our lives. How could I ever let you go?"
He raised his head to look at her, and searched her face for a moment; then his mouth came down on hers in a passionate kiss. Without breaking the kiss he swept her off the floor into his arms, and started for the bedroom.
********
"I almost hope you have some other secrets you’re not telling me about, if it inspires you to action like that." Sarah smiled at him and reached up to wipe a trickle of sweat off his face. "You’re wonderful in bed, Johner. Absolutely the best. I’d keep you around with no other reason. But there are others---" She grinned, "although I can’t think of any right now."
"You’re not fooling me for a minute. All this malarkey about how great I am in bed is just a cover to keep me happy so I’ll cook."
"No, it’s to keep you happy so you’ll take me back to bed."
"Try to stop me. I’m not the only one who’s great in the sack." He paused for a moment, and his face sobered. "Do you know that you drive me crazy? I can’t get enough. I don’t think I ever will."
"I hope not." And she pulled
his head down for her kiss.