Fantasy Man Pt. 08

* * *

After dinner ended and people started to drift away, Jessica came to Corbin, still seated beside Marilyn. They were listening to a young one talk animatedly about a toy he was holding.

"An' it's got lasers and it's like, like, like fighting big cats!" the boy exclaimed, waving his action figure in midair.

"Big cats?" Marilyn asked. "Don't those scare you?"

"No!" the boy shouted, twirling side to side. "Cause they'd bite me and break their tooth. I broke my tooth." Staring at Corbin, he pointed at a gap in his teeth.

"Oh wow, did it hurt?" Corbin asked.

"A little," the boy said, pondering that. "I fell off a chair."

"Oof," Corbin said. "If I did that, I think I'd go splat."

"You and me both," Marilyn said.

"Cole!" a woman called. "Time to go. Kiss Grandma goodbye."

The boy squirmed, and Marilyn leaned forward. He darted in for a bare brush of her cheek. She leaned back, watching the boy run to his mother before she glanced up at Jessica.

"Suppose you need to be leaving too?"

"I'll come see you before we go on Sunday," Jessica said.

"Of course," Marilyn said, struggling to get to her feet again. Corbin rose and she accepted his arm gratefully, sighing as she finally managed to steady herself on her cane. "They wanted to do the knee surgery before Christmas, but I'm not having all you down there in Mexico wondering if I'm chasing after the doctors."

Jessica laughed and sniffed. "I wish I could be here when you came out the operating room."

"Me too," Marilyn said. "But you got to think about college first. I'll be fine." She eyed Corbin shrewdly. "You propose yet?"

"No ma'am."

"Get on that. You're a smart, nice boy. She's got good hips for a man to grab. You'll figure the rest out."

Corbin laughed hard at that, and Jessica gasped, "Grandma!"

"The way you've been eyeing him all night, don't tell me you don't want him putting babies in you about as rapid fire as those machine guns."

Now Jessica choked up laughing, and embraced her grandmother one more time. "I love you, Grandma."

"Love you too, Jessie. You still got my number. When you two get married, I want to be sitting in the front row."

"You know you will be."

Corbin added, "And I'll want a dance at the reception."

"Well, on second thought, maybe I'll just run off with him," Marilyn said.

When everyone said goodbye, they headed back for Kimberley and Ollie's. They played board games late into the early evening, but with a day of shopping ahead of them, Kimberley soon called it a night. She kissed her husband, hugged her children, and headed up to her bedroom.

"I should probably try and do the same," Jessica said.

"Have fun tomorrow," Corbin said.

"Thanks. I'm looking forward to spending some time with Mom. It's... overdue."

"She loves you very much, Jessica," Oliver said.

"I know," Jessica said. "I love her very much too. I wish..." She trailed off, and her father nodded. She patted him on the back, kissed Corbin, and headed upstairs.

Andrew started to collect the board game detritus, eyeing Corbin. "Don't want to go tuck her in?"

"Andrew, that is enough," Oliver said quietly.

"Come on, Dad-"

"No. Enough," Oliver said, much firmer. "You have had an attitude problem all day and I won't tolerate it. Corbin is a guest in our house."

"You're looking out for her," Corbin said. "I get that."

Andrew folded his arms. "No you don't. All those other guys she said she loved, they were temporary. We could see that. Maybe she couldn't but we could. You, she really loves you. And if you're like all the others, that means you're going to rip her to shreds when you leave."

"Andrew!" Oliver said, the closest to angry Corbin had ever seen him that week. "That. Is. Enough!"

Corbin studied Andrew for a long moment, silent, contemplating something he'd been meaning to talk to Oliver about alone the next day. "I think I can clear this up. Can I ask you both for a favor? I want to take a ride somewhere tomorrow. Just to get your opinion on something I'm thinking about."

"What about?" Oliver asked, confused.

"I'm going to keep it a secret for now," Corbin said. "But I promise you, Andrew, I think... I think it might help you and me get along."

* * *

Sleep eluded Jessica that night. She was too pensive about the talk she needed to have with her mother, too worried about Andrew's snappishness with Corbin, too lost in her own world to slip down into sleep with Corbin.

Sometime late in the night, she felt him shift and ease away from her. He collected his shirt from the floor and dressed in silence before padding out to the hallway. For a big man he could move so quietly. But the silence was shattered when she heard him murmur, "Mrs. Nakamura? Are you okay?"

Jessica pushed out of bed. Her mother was awake?

Murmurs, too low to be heard. Jessica went to the bedroom door, hesitated, and pulled it open, unsure why she wasn't just flying out there.

Corbin's voice. He wasn't on the second floor anymore, but downstairs. "-something you need to talk about? I would be happy to listen, and it wouldn't go beyond me, if you didn't want it to."

"You're very sweet," Kimberley said, sniffing. Was her mother... crying? "It's nothing. Really."

A pause, then quieter, Corbin said, "Mrs. Nakamura... Kimberley... I've seen you down here two other nights like this, crying."

What? Jessica mouthed.

"Maybe it's not my place, and if you tell me again you're okay, I'll let it go, I promise. But maybe it would be good to let it out to someone. If that's what you need."

"I'm sorry," Kimberley said. "I didn't mean for anyone to hear me."

"No, hey, don't apologize."

There was a long silence, and at first, Jessica didn't think her mother would speak. Then, finally, Kimberley said, "It's her car."

"Sorry?"

"That's what I've been looking at and crying over. She'll have to go soon. You both will. And the next time I see her... my, my Jessica, it'll be like another jump in time. She's grown. She's grown so much. She was born and then so angry with me and now she's this wonderful woman. There were so many steps in there I missed. So much pain I caused her, so many damn... r-rules, I feel like she grew up overnight and it's all my fault."

Jessica's lips parted. "Mom," she whispered silently.

"Well," Corbin said. "I think you also helped shape her into the wonderful woman she is. Don't you?"

"No," Kimberley whispered. "I think she became this woman in spite of me. I think Jessica's always cut her own path and I'm so proud of her but I miss my little girl."

Muffled crying. Corbin, murmuring, "Hey, hey, it's all right, she loves you, she loves you so much."

Sniffing, then a soft laugh. "I'm being silly and selfish. Jessica's got her life to live. That's what every woman wants for her daughter, strength and independence and fire, and she's got all that. I just... I don't want to look up at the door someday when she comes home again and realize she's middle aged and I've wasted another twenty years shoving her away."

"I don't think you're being selfish at all. I don't know what happened but it's never too late."

"You can't turn back time."

"No," Corbin said. "But you can make up for it. Have fun tomorrow. Let loose. Then again at Christmas, on vacation. And every time there's a long weekend or something, think, oh, hey, maybe I should invite Corbin and Jessica up, or come down for a few days just because you miss her."

"You have your own lives."

"They wouldn't be worth it without family."

Tears slid down Jessica's face and she nodded to herself.

"You really are a good man," Kimberley said, chuckling and sounding like she was crying all at once. "Jessica did so well with you."

"Well, thank you." Corbin hesitated. "Hey, um, about tomorrow. There's something I'm going to ask Oliver and Andrew when I have a chance. But I think maybe I'd like to ask you first-"

Jessica's hand rose to her mouth, and before she eavesdropped on what she knew Corbin was going to ask, what she hoped for most, she hurried away, crying, grinning like a loon.

After a while, he headed back upstairs, used the bathroom, and came back to her in the guest bedroom. Jessica waited in the dark until Corbin slipped under the sheets and blankets. When he cuddled up behind her again like he had when they were sleeping, she reached behind her, patting at him like she was searching for something. He gave her his hand and she pulled it around her waist. He kissed her neck and fell asleep soon afterward, but for Jessica, there was no sleep whatsoever that night.

Her phone's alarm rang well before dawn from her bedroom. Jessica turned and gave Corbin a kiss on the nose. "Yes. That's your answer. Yes. I'll love you forever," she whispered to him, rubbing his chest.

When she made it downstairs in a pair of comfy sweats, a long-sleeved shirt, and a sweater vest, her mother was already up and going. "You really are up," Kimberley said, smiling. Then she winced. "I'm sorry. That sounded more sour than I meant. I-"

Jessica charged her. They hugged, the tears already flowing from Jessica as she rocked with her mother. "I'm sorry, Mom. I... I... I was going to give this whole speech, but I just... I'm so sorry for all of it, for being so mean and hateful and just... all of it."

"Oh honey, no," Kimberley whispered. "No, I'm sorry. I never want to push you away again."

"Can we be sorry together?"

Kimberley brushed away her daughter's tears, and nodded.

* * *

Ollie pushed a mug of coffee in Corbin's direction. Corbin took it with real thanks. His late-night heart-to-heart with Kimberley left him feeling drained, not to mention how frazzled he already was about the conversation he needed to have with Ollie and Andrew.

Almost through the storm, he told himself. The worst they can say is no, and it wouldn't change a thing. He'd still love Jessica. He just hoped for her sake they said yes.

"Kimberley left this for you," Ollie said, tapping an envelope on the counter. "She said if we agreed to whatever it is you want to talk to us about, you'd need it."

Corbin ripped open the envelope and looked inside. On a folded scrap of paper was written a single number. He smiled and stowed the envelope away.

"Want to tell me what this is about?" Ollie asked, somewhat testily given the man's usual cool nature.

"She didn't tell you?"

"Not for a lack of trying on my part, but no, she wouldn't say a word about it," Ollie said. "So what do you want to ask me?"

"I think you know," Corbin said, "but just for my own amusement and because I've been so nervous around you this whole week, I want to play it out a little longer."

Ollie surprised him with a snort of a laugh. "All right."

They drank their coffee and talked some about the upcoming trip home for Corbin and Jessica on Sunday. It was snowing again, but it looked like they'd have a clear window when they could squeeze back to Agramonte.

Andrew came out of his bedroom an hour later, looking as tired as Corbin felt. He yawned into his hand and asked, "All right, what is it you want from us?"

Corbin was feeling his oats by that point, because he was certain, absolutely certain, that even if they said no, Kimberley was going to convince them to come around. All he needed was time in that case. And besides, he was tired of being scared of these two. He was in love with Jessica. She was in love with him. If they didn't want to give him their blessing, so be it. He'd figure out a way to prove to them someday he was worth her.

"You guys want breakfast? My treat," Corbin said. "Funny how I hungry I am, considering it's the day after Thanksgiving and I probably still have ten pounds of turkey in me." Both men stared at him, unamused. "All right, talk first, then breakfast." He drew in a deep breath. "If you were to hit a jewelry store in town, which one would you go to?"

"What?" Andrew asked, nonplussed. "Would you just get on with it?"

Ollie reached out and squeezed his son's arm. "Andrew," he said, but his voice was distant as he stared at Corbin. "You're serious."

"Yes."

"Serious about what?" Andrew asked.

Corbin leaned forward. "You told me yesterday you wanted to know how long I was sticking around for. The question isn't really mine to answer. It's Jessica's. Because I'm going to be a part of her life as long as she'll let me."

"Man, I am so conf..." Realization walloped Andrew all at once. "You're talking about proposing."

"Yeah," Corbin said, leaning back. "I am." To Ollie, he said, "You asked what I was going to do to contribute to Jessica's life, and the truth is, this year, probably not a lot. I'm sorry about that. I really am. I know I'm just getting my feet under me as an adult but I promise you, sir, I'm not a slacker. I'm not going to be content to stay at home and do nothing. Jessica has an incredible future ahead of her in child psychology and whatever needs to be done to make sure she gets that doctorate, I'm going to help her do it. But I think she's already well on that road herself. This summer, next year, all of college, I'll find something to do for work that'll help contribute, but she's already burning so bright that's probably all it'll be in comparison, and I'm damn happy and proud of her for that."

Ollie nodded hesitantly. Andrew stared at them, his mouth open, eyes wide. Corbin turned his attention to him. "Andrew, I don't blame you for a second for defending Jessica. I don't ever want you to let me off the hook. You are absolutely right. She deserves the best man she can get in this world and maybe sometimes that won't be me. So I'm going to ask you to kick my ass into shape when I need it. But I'm hoping too, not just for her sake here but because I think you're a funny, cool guy, I'm hoping we can be friends. And I know that's not easy, given the guys she's dated before and the fact we've only known a week. That's a huge ask. So instead, what I'm asking for from you is to just give me a chance. Let me prove myself to you. I'm not here to shove my way into your life, but I'd like to be a part of it." He took in both of them. "I'm not looking for your permission. I am going to ask her over spring break. I've already begun planning how I want to do it. But Jessica's said she's an old-fashioned girl and I'm coming to you asking for your blessing. To give us both as clear a conscience walking into this as we can manage."

Andrew closed his mouth, still silent. His hands folded together, unfolded, fidgeted, and folded again. He looked at his dad, and Ollie stood up to come to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. The father said quietly, "What's your budget?"

"About six hundred dollars. I had a little windfall earlier this year. I can probably go as high as nine hundred but it would make next semester tight."

"Six hundred should be enough to buy her a... a beautiful ring," Ollie said, his throat working. "Corbin, I owe you an apology."

"No," Corbin said. "You don't. Not for defending her like that. God knows if we have a daughter I hope to be that polite when I have the talk with her future husband. Does this mean...?"

"My daughter loves you. You have been polite and kind. The only rule you've broken in my house is the one that kept you away from her."

Corbin blushed. "Ah, I thought... ah..."

"You were not as secretive as you might have liked," Ollie said. "But that was a silly, old-fashioned rule anyways. I hope you feel comfortable staying with her any time you're a part of our home. Yes, Corbin, you have my blessing."

"Andrew?" Corbin asked. "How about you, man?"

"I think..." Andrew nodded. He couldn't do much more than that. Corbin stood up, and came to the young man. He squeezed Andrew's shoulder, and the boy rose to his feet to hug him. Ollie was next, and Corbin finally stood back, grinning as wide as he'd ever grinned before.

"The letter my wife gave you...?" Ollie asked.

"Jessica's ring size. She said she bought her a ring a couple years back for a birthday present."

Ollie nodded. "There are three jewelry stores I can think of," he said. "And it being Black Friday, I think we should hurry."

* * *

Sunday, and Jessica held out a small degree of hope the snow might mean they stuck around a couple more days, but no. The temperatures rose to fifty degrees even before they set off, and there wasn't so much as a hint of snow or rain. It was perfect traveling weather.

Damn.

Her father helped Corbin load up the car as she stood on the driveway with Kimberley and Andrew. Her brother had been mostly silent the last couple days. Not moody, just quiet. Whatever beef there had been between him and Corbin seemed squashed, and she was grateful for it. Kimberley too had been mellow and relaxed around Jessica's boyfriend. This was a whole new side to her mother, playful, happy, content. This was the woman she could have been if Jessica wasn't so intent on making her life miserable for so long.

There was nothing for that now but to try and make up for the past.

Jessica hugged her tight, sniffling into her mom's sweater. "Well call you on the road and when we get home," she promised. "And we're going to have so much fun at Christmas."

"If you wanted to go with Corbin to his home for the holiday, we would be happy to pay the cancellation fees," Kimberley said.

Jessica shook her head firmly. "No. You and me, we're going to be attached at the hip for a week or two. Dancing, the beach, all the touristy things we can do, all of it."

Kimberley sniffed and smiled. "Then I'm looking forward to it."

Jessica let her go and hugged her brother. "Hey, you."

"Hey," Andrew started. He hesitated, then added, "Jessica, I like Corbin. He's a good guy."

"I'm very fond of him too."

"Good." He hugged her again. "But I still want boob pics of your last girlfriends."

She laughed and pulled away from him. Her dad and Corbin came back to join the group. Andrew stepped up close to Corbin, pausing for a long moment, then theatrically falling into him with a massive hug. Corbin laughed and patted Andrew's back. Then he was hugging Ollie, and when it came time to Kimberley, Jessica's mother gave him a shy, pained smile.

"Thank you for listening to me," she murmured as he hugged her.

"Hey. Any time. I mean that. You have my number. Really looking forward to seeing all of you again."

"Us too," she said. "Take care of our Jessie."

"Always," Corbin promised her.

* * *

An hour later, well on the road, Jessica leaned back in her new makeshift blanket nest in the passenger's seat, watching Corbin with a smile.

"What?" he asked, grinning too.

"I heard. When you talked to my mom. I heard."

"Ohhh," he said. "How much?"

"Enough. You're the best man in the world, Corbin Block."

"And you're... like... the three billionth best woman. Four billionth on the outside." He glanced over and squeezed her knee. "All of it? You heard all of it?"

"I heard enough," she repeated. "When are you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?"

"You know."

"Hmmm. I seem to remember someone telling me they didn't want to be exclusive until after I slept with Dr. Windsor."

A scene played out in Jessica's mind of the sex party with Dr. Madison.

Of the professor sucking Corbin's cock until he came.

Of Dr. Madison grinning over her shoulder at Jessica as Corbin's girlfriend opened the door, allegedly to run and grab Corbin a washcloth.

Of letting in Pamela Windsor, who dropped her robe and came in as silent as Jessica.

Of Dr. Madison leaving with a wink as Dr. Windsor slid up onto the bed, Corbin still blindfolded and tied up.

Jessica had been so surprised when Josh called and told her the news - Dr. Madison didn't want Corbin at the sex party. Dr. Windsor did. And through a flurry of phone calls and meetings with the two professors, Jessica's plan came to perfect fruition. Why? they wanted to know. Why not just tell him? Why go through the game?