Darejani Pt. 11

It's been six months since I added to this story, but I realized I had most of it written so I took a couple of days and finished it. I think it needs one or two more chapters to finish, and I'll get to it, maybe a little back-and-forth with the Summer of an Older Woman story. It depends where my mind is, you know? But Mickey and Darejani deserve a coda to their story. So enjoy, my friends. More to come, maybe slowly, but it will be coming.

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After a couple of consultations with a lactation counselor and a few other 'lessons' for first time parents, Dar and Lisa were discharged on Tuesday, September 26. Yasmin and my mother were waiting at home to help as much as we needed. It was pretty great at first, but they got to be a bit overwhelming. It was understandable, first grandchild and all, but Dar and I needed time alone to bond with our baby girl a bit. My direct supervisor at work, Leona Gerardo, told me to take a couple of weeks and come back to work for a couple of months in mid-October, assuming I got into law school. It was generous; at that time, there were very few companies that offered men any sort of paternity leave. I got a call from Dick Sadler the next day, a very kind call, congratulating us and telling me he wanted to see me in his office when i came back. It was clear from the tone in his voice this would be more good news.

Dar and I quickly adjusted to the 'new normal' life at home. Feedings, changings, bathing, doctor appointments...everything was a pleasure, a joy. Two weekends after Lisa was born, we had a big party at the house for our relatives and our friends, so everyone could meet the newest member of the family. Everyone made a huge deal over our sweet little girl and there were lots of tears and laughter and there were gifts piled on and around a table. Lisa wasn't going to need much in the way of clothing for about a year. And there was a mountain of stuffed animals as well. She'd have plenty of soft, cute companions in her room when that time came.

At one point Dar's uncle, Mahmood, took me aside and talked to me privately. "Mickey, you and Darejani have made the entire family so proud and happy. We know how much you love each other and now you have a lovely little girl to share your love with. I know a lot of people think Islam treats women poorly, and my brother did that with Darejani and Yasmin the last years of his life. But we do not all think that way. We honor women, and now, when I see how happy your wife is, and even my sister-in-law, it makes me a very happy man." He had a few tears falling down his cheek, which he wiped away with a handkerchief he pulled from the pocket of his immaculate grey suit. I really liked him a lot; he was a very warm and loving man.

"It's all thanks to Darejani, Amoo (Farsi for a paternal uncle, a term of endearment, as he was known throughout the family). She found me, and because we got married, Yasmin met my cousin Jack, and now she's happy too. And Darejani and I will make sure Lisa has a great life as well. You never have to worry about me taking care of either of them."

"I know, Mickey. We all love you and your parents as our own. But one thing I do have to tell you, now that you have a child: you and Darejani become full members in the financial trust that takes care of the family. Every month you'll get a check, a share of the profits, and then at the end of the fiscal year, in late August, you'll get a larger payout, a yearly bonus. I know, you are going to provide for your family, and I know you'll do an excellent job, especially now that you're on your way to being a lawyer. But this money is for you both to do as you please. I would hope you'll invest most of it, or buy a summer home, set money aside for your children's education. I know neither of you are careless. Maybe one day you'll go into practice for yourself." Then he hugged me and kissed me, Persian style. The government in Iran was run by a group of horrible, cruel men. And certainly the former Shah was a cruel tyrant. But Dar's family was filled with nothing but warm and wonderful people. Well, except her father her brother.

That evening, we put Lisa in her crib in our bedroom and kept the door open with a monitor by her head. We sat on the couch for a little quiet time together after a long, tiring day. Dar tilted her head on my shoulder while I had my arm around her back and we watched 60 Minutes and whatever else was on that night. While we watched Mike Wallace question some con artist or other, I told her about my conversation with her uncle.

"Mickey, I had no idea. My mother never told me about any of this. I knew she and my father got a part of the business, but I didn't know they kept paying out the younger generations. I guess it makes sense; I see how my older cousins live well, some without even working all that much. But this makes me feel kind of odd."

"You should see it from my point of view. I grew up very middle class and now there's all this money around me. I don't object to my firm paying me while I'm in law school; I'm entering into a contract with them, promising five years of my life to them in exchange. And I don't think I would do it without the salary, since I have a family to support now. But this... it's a lot of money coming to us. We're going to have to decide what to do with it, how to invest it, maybe make some charitable donations. But right now, I don't want to spend any of it on ourselves. I can support us just fine."

"I know you can, Bunny. I don't mind just putting this money aside, for an emergency, for our children, for whatever the future brings." We kind of sighed together, grateful for the security the money would provide, and a little overwhelmed by the whole idea.

After a couple of weeks at home helping Dar adjust and bonding with Lisa, I went back to work for a couple of months. That first day, I made an appointment with Dick Sadler and went to his office just before 3PM. After he congratulated me again, he told me he and Andrea wanted to come visit soon (they couldn't come to the party due to a family function) before he handed me an envelope with a bunch of savings bonds in Lisa's name from the partners. These people were treating me like gold, and besides the warmth I got from Mr. Sadler, it also made me wonder. I had to ask why my family was being treated so well.

"Mickey, each year we, the partners, mentor a few young employees we identify as

'up and comers', people we see as having a very bright future both here at work and in life in general. You caught my eye. My wife and I....we had a son, Neil, who'd have been 40 now. He died in Vietnam in 1970, when he was 21." He was telling me this slowly, trying to keep control of his emotions. "You remind me of him in some ways. You're a natural leader. Your wife told my wife how you met, how you stood up to some bullies to protect her. I know, I already had approached you about law school before that day. But when Andrea told me about that, I knew for certain I made the right choice. Maybe some day you'll go into politics and do good things for this country. That's your choice and you certainly don't have to even think about it now. But I see great things in you and Darejani. She's an amazing young woman."

I smiled and said "On that I agree with you 100%. The rest... I don't know, Mr. Sadler."

"Dick, Mickey. In here or when we're in a private situation, you can call me Dick."

"Yes sir, Mr. Sadler." He smiled and we had a light laugh, lightening the heavy mood. "I just don't know if I'm up to all this faith you have in me."

"That's all right, Mickey. I know."

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I was still kind of stunned when I got home and told Dar about that meeting. She hugged me and cried a little, happy tears. "I know it too, Bunny. I like that you're a little humble about this. A little doubt is a good thing; it keeps you from being arrogant. But I know you have something special inside you. You'll do great things some day."

I kissed her and held her as tight as I could. "You'd better be there with me. I can't do anything without you, my Darling Dar. And Lisa and however many other children we have."

"We'll all be there with you, my love. Always." More kisses before she went in the kitchen to get dinner going. In the meantime, I went to spend some time with my daughter. Kissing her and baby talk. You parents know how that goes. It makes us sound like idiots, but we love every second of it.

We hired a woman to work full time helping Dar keep the house clean and take care of Lisa. Her name was Greta, a strong, stout, 40-something woman, friendly and warm, and she and Dar got along very well. More important, she quickly became attached to Lisa. She worked Mondays through Fridays, we paid her well and paid all taxes and health insurance. It was expensive, but well worth it and we could afford to do it. She ended up staying with us for the next 22 years, part of the expanding family. We got to know her husband Ingemar (they were from Sweden originally) and their children John and Krista, who were 16 and 14 when she started with us. They all became part of the extended 'family'.

In mid-October, Dick and Andrea came over one Saturday and met Lisa and they made a huge deal over her. Dick was my mentor and he and Andrea became something close to a third set of grandparents to our children. Speaking of which, Lisa's actual grandparents were at the house almost daily, and it was driving Dar a little crazy. We loved our parents and all, but everyone needs a bit of a break, and one day in early November we had to tell them, gently, that it was a little too much. Dar didn't even have time to see her friends. Their feelings were hurt a little, but they came to understand. They still came over to see their granddaughter plenty.

At the beginning of November, Dar called me at work to let me know I got my letter from the LSAT. "Should I open it for you, or should we wait until you get home tonight?"

"Are you kidding? Open it! I'm dying to know!"

"Good! Me too, Bunny! Ok, hold on." I listened nervously while Dar tore open the envelope, then opened the letter. "Mickey! You scored a 174! That's incredible!" (The top score was `180, and to get into a top law school, you needed to score over 160.) "I told you that you could do it!"

I sighed with relief. "Thanks, honey. I couldn't have done it without your help. You're my everything. Now comes the hard part." I had done my interview at St. Johns a couple of weeks earlier and as long as my test scores were good, the counselor I met with told me I'd be accepted. This was more than good enough.

"I'm very proud of you, Bunny. But then again, I've always been proud of you. I just wish we could celebrate properly. If you know what I mean." She sounded a little frustrated. We both were feeling it by that point.

"We'll make up for it when the time is right. Let me call up to Mr. Sadler's office and let him know." I could call him Dick in private, but around the office, where others might hear, he was always Mr. Sadler. I called his office and he got on the phone, and after I told him the news, he congratulated me warmly. "Come out to the house the Sunday after Thanksgiving with your family. I mean your parents and Darejani's as well. We'd love to meet them all." I was very flattered, and we set a time to come for brunch.

Thanksgiving that year was November 23rd, but Dar and I had an early 'thanksgiving' of our own the week before, when Dr. Vargas told Darejani she could have sex when she was ready. When she was ready! As soon as she got home, she called me at work and told me she had a big surprise for me that night. Since I knew she went to the doctor, I had a pretty good idea what my surprise was.

I brought home dinner, Italian food, so Dar wouldn't have to cook and do a big clean-up afterwards. We fed Lisa while we ate, making eyes at each other all through dinner. For the first time since Lisa was born, we couldn't wait to put her down for the night.

We put her in her bassinette at 8:30; she'd be sharing our room for a few more months, and we'd have to get used to having sex while she slept a few feet away. Then we shut the lights early and walked hand in hand into our bedroom and then our bathroom. Dar quietly turned on the bath (we installed an oversized tub when we redid the bathroom) while I brought the monitor in with us. We embraced as we kissed and helped each other disrobe. It was sexy and flirty and, even as hot as we were for each other, we were determined to make this last. Dar added some expensive scented oils to the water and the room filled with the soft scent of lemongrass and lavender. She climbed in first, then held out her hand to guild me in with her.

We settled into the large tub, nestled in each others arms and shared some wonderful kisses before we said a word (since dinner, anyway). "This is so romantic, my Darling Dar. A wonderful way to restart our intimate life. Thank you, Baby."

"Mickey, Mickey, Mickey. How many times must I tell you that you never have to thank me for doing nice things for us, or for you. Besides, the last few weeks I've been going a little crazy without the loving from my handsome man. I think I would have attacked you anyway even if Dr. Vargas didn't tell me it was ok."

"What if I resisted you?" I teased.

"Bunny, you wouldn't do that to me, would you? Your poor deprived wife?"

"Not a chance. I need you as much as you need me. We'd better get started, before our little lady cries for her own attention." Dar turned in my arms, in the tub filled with scented water, and we kissed harder and lustfully. I touched her in all her favored places as well as everywhere else I could reach. She didn't neglect me; her hands found my special places as well and in just a couple of minutes we were both raring to go. "Should we do this here, or should we get in bed?"

"Here" Dar gasped, her voice gravelly with lust. "This time. The bed later." Quickly she sat on my cock, facing me, her legs around my waist as we moved together. "Kiss me everywhere, Mickey" she urged.

"Try to stop me" I grunted as my lips found her throat and shoulders, her chest and upper arms, and then I was kissing her breasts all over, still larger than she had been before she got pregnant, still very sensitive in the most wonderful way. I sucked her nipples, right and left, as her nails raked down my neck and all over my upper back. We were groaning and moving fast, splashing water all around, even getting some on the floor, where at least there were a couple of bath mats. It wasn't long at all before those old familiar feelings rose in both our bodies and we were grinding together with great need. "Oh, God, I'm cumming!"

"Me too!" Dar cried out as I filled her with my love and her muscles spasmed all around me. Both our eyes went wide as we kept riding the wave of our climax and she held me almost as tightly as I held her. Then we shared the most lovely and tender kisses, dozens and dozens of them.

Gradually we both relaxed our holds on each other. "Oh my goodness, Bunny. That was almost worth waiting for...almost." She giggled as her lips found mine again.

"I agree. Almost. Oh, hell, you're always worth waiting for, whether a day or a month or longer." We snuggled together, even though the water was cooling. We got up, closed the shower curtain and took a fast shower to cleanse off before we dried off and got into sleepwear before checking on our sweet little Lisa Nasrin. She was sleeping peacefully, though we knew that would change within an hour or so. But it was as if she gave her parents the gift of a short break for some 'us' time.

We stood there, staring down at our daughter, sleeping peacefully, and I very gently stroked her black hair. There was no question she was her mothers' daughter. She was beautiful, just like Dar, black hair, olive skin and big dark eyes. My other arm was around my wife, right where it belonged. Right then, Lisa's body tensed up and she passed a little gas, and Dar and I giggled as quietly as we could.

"Our little lady" Dar said with a huge smile. "A classy girl."

"Just like her mother" I teased as I kissed my wife's forehead. "All class, all the way."

Dar gave me a light slap on my shoulder. We kissed on the lips before getting into bed and making love, slower, caring, loving. After Lisa woke up, needing a change of her diaper, we reflected about how close to perfect our life was. But no life stays perfect. I guess we were due some grief, and we got it.

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First though, we went to Dick and Andrea Sadler's the Sunday after Thanksgiving, bringing my parents and Yasmin and Jack with us for what turned into a pretty nice afternoon. The Sadler's got on very well with our parents, another step in solidifying my position and future with the firm I worked for. And just before Thanksgiving, I had gotten my official acceptance to St. John's Law School, starting January 16th. So, the day turned into a celebration as well as just a getting-to-know-you type meeting. I would keep working until Christmas, then go on leave to start my assigned readings for classes. I was advised that it's best to get an early start on law school assignments. I even started before I left the job.

That was the plan. But a week before Christmas, Yasmin called the house in the evening, crying so hard she was almost unintelligible. Finally, Jack got on the phone with me and told me Mehdi called from Tehran, begging for money to pay a bribe to keep him out of Evin Prison, a notorious penitentiary in the city, where torture was well documented. Any parent hearing their child was to be sent there, especially for a political or social crime, would want to do anything in their power to prevent that awful fate. He needed $5000.

I asked Jack to ask Yasmin what he was in danger of being sent there for, in other words, what was his alleged 'crime'? Yasmin said he was vague, he wouldn't specify what he was accused of. She was terrified it could be homosexual activity, which could possibly result in a death sentence (though it was unlikely for a first offense, even in Iran). I suspected he might just want money, and more than the five grand. He often manipulated his mother when he lived here in NY.

The biggest obstacle was who would bring the money? Yasmin wanted to send him 15K, so he would have 'extra' funds, but that was an amount that couldn't be wired, even if you could get US government permission. Their limit at the time was about 7K, maybe twice a year. 15 was more than double what might be allowed in a single transaction, so it would have to be smuggled in illegally. Even the 7K could take months of red tape before it would be permitted. Yasmin couldn't bring it because she was on an arrest list from when her family lived there ten years previous. Darejani couldn't bring it either, for the same political reason as her mother, not that I would let her. She was a new mother to our daughter. Jack could have done it, but he needed a hip replacement from decades of standing on his feet for work. And besides, he wasn't exactly well disposed towards Mehdi, since he never said a single kind word to Jack. Guess who that left as the only possible candidate?

Dar and her mother got into the only argument I ever heard them have up to that point, in furious Farsi. I could just pick up enough to understand that it was dangerous for me to go there as a Jew and an American, and I also knew I would be violating US law by bringing a large sum of cash without permission. She was right; if caught by the US government, I could be 'out' from becoming a lawyer before I even took a class. It would be a betrayal of Dick Sadler, who really went to bat for me. And I wasn't exactly favorably disposed towards Mehdi either. We had helped him get his life on track and he threw it away again.