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The Rehab

The harvest festival occurred that weekend. I had never been to one, and since Diana had guilted me into going, I dragged Lucia with me. She was apprehensive, her history with the town was skewed by her high school pregnancy and previous employment. She had been avoiding events like the festival since high school. Watching Lucia deal with contractors, you would never think she had a self-conscious bone in her body. Here, at the festival, she was constantly adjusting her skirt and fixing her hair.

"Lucia!" a red-haired woman with way too many freckles called out. She was waving from inside a funnel cake booth. Lucia's face turned red and she waved back with a weak smile.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Cathy. We were friends in high school," Lucia said quickly, trying to steer me away. I stopped in my tracks.

"So, introduce me." I smiled. Here was a woman willing to watch me die, and she was afraid of the past. Lucia was uneasy with the request. She looked up to me with pleading eyes.

"Things got kind of embarrassing after Sophia was born," Lucia whispered, "I lost most of my friends, dropped out. I don't really want to relive it." I caressed her hand in mine and just nodded my head. I didn't have the heart to force her to attack those demons. This demon thought otherwise.

"Lu, aren't you going to say hi?" Cathy had sneaked up behind us, her question sounded sad. Lucia turned and tried to stutter an apology. They stood there looking at each other for a moment and then Cathy teared up and hugged Lucia. Lucia followed suit and I was suddenly the third wheel. A series of half sentences followed that seemed nonsensical, but obviously quite clear to the both of them.

"Come on Lu. We're short-handed," Cathy said, pulling Lucia along, "we can talk while we work." I followed behind a very happy Lucia who had forgotten I existed. By the time we were at the booth, talk of children came up and mouths were moving at a mile a minute. Cathy gave Lucia a children's charity apron, and, without thinking, Lucia was working the booth. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see a well-groomed man, also dressed in an apron, with metal glasses smiling at me. He held out his hand.

"Bob," he said quickly, "looks like you've been drafted too."

"Todd," I answered and shook his hand. He handed me an apron and taught me the finer points of frying funnel cakes. Bob was Cathy's husband. They had two kids, one just starting high school, a house in town and ran a small accounting practice. I received half the information from Bob and gleaned the other half from the non-stop conversation between Cathy and Lucia. People they both knew came by the booth and talked about old times, the teachers they had once tortured and the fun they had. Lucia was glowing.

Mama drifted by the booth, unnoticed by the chattering Lucia. She came up the side, near the fryer and smiled at me.

"See, that what ju do for her," Mama said proudly. I smiled back, glancing at Lucia who was in her own personal heaven. I flipped over the current cake I was making and looked back; Mama was gone. I guess she knew better than to stick around. There was always work to do at a charity booth.

The whole town seemed to eventually pass by the booth. Lucia's unwarranted embarrassment disappeared that afternoon. It was a small town and everyone knew everyone else's dirty laundry. Getting pregnant in high school twenty years ago was no longer at the top of anyone's bad list. In fact, most of the people were generally interested in what Sophia was up to. Luckily, it happened to be Lucia's favorite subject. It was the most I had seen Lucia laugh since I had known her.

It was near dinner time when we were relieved by other volunteers. Lucia finally introduced me to Cathy, who was a good hugger. We all promised to get together in the future and separated cordially with Bob's undying thanks for our help. Lucia was no longer concerned about her skirt or if her hair was askew. I loved to see her with a perpetual smile, nodding at passersby and trading hellos. Now others could see her as I did.

"Where would like to eat?" Lucia queried, turning to me. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. Lucia lost her smile. "How long?" she asked compassionately. I didn't think my headache was that obvious.

"Not long," I lied. It started about two hours ago and had increased in intensity. Nothing I couldn't handle. Certainly not worth interrupting Lucia's joy.

"Keys," Lucia ordered, holding out her hand.

"Come on, we're having fun." I smiled, trying to downplay the headache. Lucia just flexed her fingers, still demanding the keys. I sighed and gave them to her and we headed to the car.

Lucia had me lay my head in her lap as she drove. She had one warm hand over my eyes to help block out the light. It was wonderfully relaxing and lessened the pain. She talked quietly, telling me about all the people she had run into and how they connected to her past. Her voice was always just one hair above a whisper. It never irritated the headache, and was soothing to listen too. Nothing she said required a response. I just had to lie there and try to calm my brain.

The ugly curtains Lucia had hung in the bedroom now made sense. She closed them and the late day sun was completely blocked out. The room became a soothing darkness. She had been preparing for this. She pulled back the blankets and had me lie on the cool sheets. She removed my shoes, then hers and lay next to me. You really don't realize how powerful love is until someone gives you all of hers. We simply held each other for hours as my head complained. Lucia didn't fuss and didn't cry, she was simply there with me to make sure I wasn't alone and all was quiet. Sometimes love means doing nothing.

We spent the next day tiling the kitchen floor. We had watched YouTube instructions and read a few pamphlets from the store. We solved the debate about whether to lay the cabinets directly on the plywood or on top of the tile. It seems cabinet companies prefer the first option and tile layers normally choose the latter. We chose the latter since it meant less tile cutting. It also meant the floor had to be very level since shimming the cabinets on top of tile would be sloppy.

All the videos and reading in the world would not have prepared us for what we had undertaken. There is a reason professionals get paid well to lay tile. No one ever told us to prepare for crooked walls. It looked like the corner was ninety degrees. You had a right to assume it was ninety degrees, but it wasn't. The corner was a little less than perfect. We made the mistake of laying tile along the short wall first. We realized this would cause the error to run along the whole long wall, giving the tiles a crooked look. We ended up tearing out the initial run of tiles.

Lucia took it well and rallied into the afternoon. I was more frustrated with the mistake and the time we had wasted. A few kisses and some good-natured teasing got me back on track. That, and she looked really good bent over in those jeans.

We were finishing the part that would be covered by the new cabinets when I asked Lucia to marry me. For some reason, it didn't make sense to get all romantic about it. If it wasn't for my time constraints, I would have waited several months and spent days planning before asking.

"I want us to get married," I said conversationally. It sounded kind of ridiculous coming out of my mouth. More of a business relationship than a proposal. It wasn't even a question.

"What for?" Lucia asked as she leaned on a newly placed tile to seat the glue, "You don't need a piece of paper. I'm not going anywhere, Todd." She, of course, misunderstood my feeble intent. She wasn't angry; it just seemed a waste of time to her. I was already on my knees so I attempted to rephrase.

"Lucia, will you marry me?" I asked in all seriousness. She looked over and laughed. It wasn't an insulting laugh. She had assumed I was joking. Her humor petered out when she saw my expression didn't change.

"Todd, are you afraid I am going to leave you?" Lucia asked with concern on her voice. After last night, that was the furthest thought from my mind. I had obviously bungled the delivery.

"I'm worried about when I leave you," I informed her, "I want to leave you all this." I gestured to the house, "I can give you choices. I can sort of be there after..." I let it trail off, unable to say the obvious. I can admit it to myself, but I still have trouble saying it out loud. Lucia's eyes got all glassy.

"I am here for you, not for this," Lucia responded, holding up a tile. She was taking it all wrong. I almost sensed she felt insulted.

"I know," I stated clearly, "I'm saying it all wrong. I am certainly not trying to buy what you have freely given. I wouldn't want it that way." I shook my head trying to find the words. I closed my eyes and began again, "If there was time...if I had met you sooner...I imagine us as a family, you, me, Sophia and her brothers and sisters. I would have had plans in place. I would never have left you destitute." I opened my eyes and looked at hers, "I want to be part of your future, any way I can." Lucia choked up a bit.

"How many kids?" Lucia asked with a little sniffle. She had her own dreams.

"Three or four plus Sophia," I answered. My impossible dreams were greedy. I saw a tear start down Lucia's cheek. She tackled me, smothering me in kisses and dripping a few tears. She felt so good in my arms as I tried desperately not to move the newly-set tiles beneath me.

"It would have been such a wonderful family," Lucia said.

"Marry me. Let me take care of my family," I whispered in her ear. Lucia nodded and hugged me tighter. I felt some to the tiles shift and I realized I didn't care if I had to redo the entire kitchen. Lucia had said yes.

It took us a few more hours to finish the tiles. Impending death has a way of changing priorities. I took Lucia out to dinner to celebrate the kitchen floor, not our impending nuptials. The marriage seemed more like a legal formality, which I guess it was since a future life together was just not going to happen. I offered for Lucia's sake. Lucia accepted for my sake, and possibly for Sophia's. Love has a way of crisscrossing our reasoning.

"How am I going to tell Mama?" Lucia asked after we ordered. Rusty's was pretty busy so I had ordered my pie early. They had run out one night and I wasn't going to let that happen again. Someone else would have to be disappointed tonight.

"She already gave me her blessing," I replied. I was sitting high in my seat, trying to see if anyone was securing my pie from the glass display cabinet. Diana was hovering near the display, but not actively slicing.

"You asked her permission?" Lucia inquired with a huge smile.

"Mm-hmm," I responded. I wondered if it would be rude to ask Diana to get the slice now. I ordered it, but maybe she thought to wait until after we finished eating. I knew it was a risk to wait, having lost that gamble once before.

"Is there heroin in those things?" Lucia asked.

"Mm-hmm," I answered, not really listening any more. One of the other waitresses pulled out what might be the last pie and cut a slice. I had to rate the risk of embarrassment against the lack of pie. It's not like I had a normal lifetime to eat pie. Every missed opportunity was lost forever. I was just about to speak to Diana when Lucia suddenly got up and went over to the display. She returned a moment later with a whole pie and wearing a smile. I was sure my relief was visible on my face.

"You asked her permission?" Lucia inquired again. Realizing she had asked about Mama earlier finally registered in my brain. I smiled with apologetic eyes.

"I talked to her about it after dinner, when you were with the doctors," I answered properly, "she said I would make a wonderful son." Lucia was beaming. "How did you know I wanted the pie?" I asked. She leaned over and kissed me.

"Because I will make a wonderful wife," Lucia replied. "You talked to Mama," she repeated with an incredulous, glowing smile. I guessed it was the right thing to do. I had a happy fiancée and my own pie. Life was good.

We were married a week later. It was a very small ceremony at the courthouse, presided over by a very fat judge. He was jovial and seemed to get a kick out of marrying us. I guess listening to people arguing all day makes you thankful to deal with two parties who are in total agreement. He used pleasantly casual words, but made us say our 'I do's.' It was witnessed by Mama, Doctor Collins, Doctor Pierce and Bob and Cathy Thompson. Bob and Cathy were made aware of the whole situation, which I really disliked sharing. My lawyer recommended we have multiple disinterested witnesses to avoid any legal challenges from long-lost relatives. It took a few minutes for Bob and Cathy to get past the pity. They promised to keep the secret so the whole town didn't become a pity party. During the ceremony, Cathy cried a little which made Lucia cry, followed quickly by Mama. I was just thankful they were happy tears.

We brought everyone to our house. During the week we were able to complete the kitchen and the downstairs bath. Mama, Cathy and Lucia took over the kitchen and the guys set up folding tables in the unfinished future dining room. I broke out the beer, turned on some music and we celebrated.

Doctor Pierce admitted he was freeloading. He understood Mama would be involved in cooking dinner and decided to tag along with Doctor Collins. I smiled, completely understanding life as a bachelor, having spent all but half a day as one. Bob stated loudly that I needed a belated bachelor party.

"Too late!" Lucia yelled from the kitchen. I laughed at her bullet-like response.

"Bob just wants a reason to see strippers," Cathy chided loudly. I went silent, realizing they probably didn't know how I met Lucia. I was hoping Lucia wasn't feeling uncomfortable with the comment. I wondered how Mama was taking it.

"That how Todd meet Lucia," Mama said. I was shocked to hear it coming so clearly from the kitchen. The two doctors just sipped their beer. I sensed they already knew. Bob's eyes went wide and he looked at me. I gave him a half-smile and shrugged my shoulders.

"She dance to put Sophia in college," Mama clarified proudly. I heard nothing from Lucia, so I went to check on her. Lucia and Cathy were hugging when I entered, I guess it was a mix of sympathy, forgiveness and love on both sides. I raised my beer to the dining room.

"Here's to mothers," I toasted, "and the children they love." A chorus of 'here, here' was returned. Lucia looked up and smiled. Mama looked at me and nodded.

"There, all dirty laundry out," Mama stated, "life go on." I had to admire her boldness. Lucia didn't have to hide her past any more. Cathy certainly wasn't holding it against her. Bob seemed impressed I had married a stripper and the two doctors got a free meal. Mama's timing was perfect.

The dinner, of course, was amazing. Mama and the ladies made thick chicken chimichangas topped with a piquant avocado mix. This time I had thirds since they had made plenty. Mama had definitely missed her calling. I had no idea how Lucia had stayed trim growing up with her mama's cooking. I would have weighed five hundred pounds and been very happy. The doctors spent a good fifteen minutes singing Mama's accolades. Mama just smiled, soaking up the praise.

"I don't feel any different," Lucia called from the bathroom later, after everyone had left. Feeling no pain, having had my share of beer, I wondered if I had made the marriage too functional.

"Are you sorry we didn't do the whole white dress thing?" I asked. With the time constraints and the desire to keep it private, it hadn't seemed prudent. I just didn't want her to regret it.

"No," Lucia responded. She rounded the corner in nothing but her smile. "You would just rip it off me anyway." My wife, standing in the doorway, was the most beautiful naked angel this side of heaven. I stood, walked over and kissed her. She laughed.

"Brush your teeth, beer breath," Lucia said kindly, "then come back and make love to me like a good husband." She ran her hand up my thigh to emphasize her point.

"At your command, my wife," I joked as I spun into the bathroom and quickly brushed the barley and hops from my mouth. I left my clothes in a neat pile on the floor next to Lucia's and entered the bedroom like a Greek god. I loved the smile my strutting caused. I could see she was trying desperately not to laugh.

"Come here, stud," Lucia called. She held out her hand to try to speed my ridiculous walk. I lay next to her and looked into her eyes.

"I'm glad I married you," I said sincerely. I ran my hand through her hair, combing it back from her face.

"And I, you," Lucia replied. We kissed then, slowly and deeply. Something was different. It was just a stupid piece of paper, but something was different. I rolled on top of my wife, kissing her neck and absently playing with her breasts - now my breasts, too. She was mine and I was hers. I smiled and my lips dropped to her nipple. I teased it lightly with my tongue.

"I love my breasts," I said sweetly as I kissed Lucia's nipple. Her hand reached down and grabbed my erection.

"I love my dick," Lucia laughed, massaging it softly. I pulled my hips up, giving her better access and went back to her lips. Our tongues danced lovingly and our hands groped softly, teasing each other's bodies, raising our desire. When her need was evident, I slid into her slowly. I loved how my wife moaned as I entered her. Her hips shifted as she accepted me. She raised her knees and wrapped her legs around me as we tried to touch as much of each other as we could. My movements were slight, almost a rocking motion. I wanted the first married time to last and she did nothing to hurry it along. We stayed, conjoined, staring into each other's eyes with no doubts about how we felt.

We stayed that way until we couldn't. Lucia's eyes closed and her mouth opened as her hips began to grind into me. My need grew quickly and I ground into her, slightly counter and very pleasurable. I felt her arms tighten around my neck as she pulled me closer, her hips bucking of their own accord. I tried to wait, tried to hold off for her, but it was too intense. She went rigid as I emptied myself into her. She moaned her own release. I held her, staying with her as she slowly came down from the clouds. It was all very sensual and indescribably private. Intense on a different level. Something had changed.

"I feel different," Lucia sighed. "A better different," she clarified as she kissed me.

"You do make a wonderful wife," I said, trying to catch my breath, "and that was a hell of a lot better than pie." Lucia laughed lightly and we kissed some more. Then we kissed again, and again.

The weeks traveled by in a fog of euphoria. We spent our days completing the bathroom and its two new siblings. The tub was especially large and we tested its breadth a couple of times. My wife was amorous and I fed off her desire. When no deliveries or guests were expected, Lucia made it a point to be bra-less. She teased me mercilessly, always bending over at just the right angle.

Our honeymoon was spent installing hardwood flooring on the first floor. I was working hard on pounding in a stubborn slat when Lucia entered wearing a short skirt and knee pads. The skirt was cute, but completely inappropriate for the work at hand. I gave her a questioning look. She just giggled and got down to work. It took me fifteen minutes to realize she wasn't wearing panties. It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen; my wife bent over on knee pads with her skirt riding up. It was two hours before we returned to the flooring.

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