Kristiana Pt. 03: A Risk Taken

I think she knew instinctively what I had in mind. She lay back on the bed and waited for me. I began slowly, kissing her mouth and chin, her ears and neck, then her breasts. I worked the pink distended nipples around with my lips and tongue, making sure they got equal attention. All this was familiar to her. She knew what was coming and forced herself to be patient until I reached my goal.

I was sure now that she had lost some weight. He stomach and abdomen were flat and taut. Her breasts might have been slightly larger, no doubt a result of childbirth. The sparse, gossamer blonde hairs on her mound were just as I remembered them. She was still flawless.

I used my tongue on her labia, my thumbs holding them open to allow penetration. I ignored her little clit at first until I could resist no longer. She reacted just as she had in the past. He hips began to undulate and her groans and breathing told me that I was pushing her closer to her orgasm. Everything was so familiar, except it had been more than four years since we had made love.

I didn't have the patience for our first time in this reunion, but there was no complaint from Kristiana. She was aroused and very ready for my entry into her. She welcomed it. She insisted on it with her hands on my ass, pulling at me.

I tried to maintain a slow and steady pace, but it was not to be. I could feel the pressure building in both of us. Kristiana was becoming more vocal and more insistent. She wanted more and more of me and I was drawn into her with no ability to resist. It became more frantic than I wanted, but nature was taking its course and we were just along for the ride.

We were using up energy at a high rate when I finally exploded into her. There would be no comeback from this in the next while. I had no idea how much satisfaction Kristiana had gained, but I promised her silently that I would make amends soon.

"Oh, Richard ... I missed you so much. I missed your loving touches and kisses."

She was crying now. I let her carry on until the emotion was drained.

"I missed you too, Kristiana. You were always in my dreams, even when I didn't want you to be. I never realized I was in love with you until you were gone. Then it was too late. I couldn't tell you. Now, it's like we get a second chance at life. I won't let you down. I promise."

"I promise I will love you until I die," she said, still wiping the tears from her cheeks. "How could I be so stupid and think ...."

I had put two fingers over her mouth to silence her.

"It's all in the past, my love. We start again, older and wiser. We will be very good together, I know that now."

"Yes, but I have a question for you."

"Go ahead," I said.

"Would you like another child?"

"Yes," I said immediately. "I want to be a father at least once in my life. But I promise you, Jan-Richard will never know a day when he does not believe I am his father."

"I believe that. I have watched you with him. It is like already he is your son. I know he will love you and he will be your true son."

"I have a confession," I said, turning to her.

"What confession?"

"I have been talking with your mother and father about this change in my career and coming here to ask you to marry me. I hope you are not angry with me."

"You talked to my mother and father about this?" she said, surprised.

"Yes ... well ... first I had to get your father's permission to marry you. Then I had to find out from your mother if she thought you would say yes if I asked you and then I had to let her get started on finding a church and a wedding day."

"You did all this?"

"Well, with your parents' help. I had to know if I had a chance."

She didn't say anything for what seemed like an eternity.

"The coat?"

"A minor extravagance. Besides, it gets cold here in the winter."

"And the ring?"

"Your mother helped me get the right style and size."

"And where are all your possessions?"

"In the storage area. I couldn't leave them behind."

"And if I said no?"

"I'd probably kill myself."

"You lie!"

"How can you tell?"

"You love me too much. You would never give up," she grinned.

"You know me too well. Now, where were we?" I asked as I led her hand down to my recovering erection.

"I think you were about to remind me why I love you," she whispered.

I was only good for one more, but it was a long, tiring session that Kristiana said gave her so much pleasure she could hardly stand it. I think that's called a rave review.

We slept in each other's arms and it was the most wonderful night I had spent in a very long time.

I came awake slowly, both of us under the covers in the chill of the morning. Kristiana was tucked into my back, her arm around my waist, her breasts pressed into my ribcage and her lips on my neck. It felt perfect. As my eyes flicked open, I became aware of two little blue eyes staring back at me. They were topped by a mop of unruly blonde hair. It would seem that Jan-Richard was an early riser.

He said nothing, but when he saw I was awake, he produced another book of Dr. Seuss in his hand and waved it in front of me with a big, hopeful smile on his face.

I stretched, then realized I was naked and in no condition to get out of bed. I pulled the covers up and looked down inside, then popped my head back up with a surprised look.

"Oh, no, someone's stolen my pyjamas," I whispered.

His immediate reaction was to cover his mouth with his free hand and stifle a laugh. I put my finger to my lips and shooed him out of the room while I retrieved my underwear, pants and t-shirt. I slipped carefully out of my lover's embrace and tiptoed out of the room and toward where the little guy slept. I entered and closed the door behind me.

"Good morning, Jan-Richard."

"G'morning Papa."

"Papa? Why do you call me that?"

"Gramama says you will be my papa?"

He said it in a way that implied Gramama never lied.

"Yes, I was going to tell you this morning. Your mama and I are going to get married and you will be my son and I will be your papa."

"Hooray!" he yelled, oblivious to the sleeping neighbours.

"Shhhsh," I cautioned. "People are still sleeping."

He nodded silently and pushed the book at me once more. As I looked around the room, I saw several more books and knew my role was going to be the official story reader and sound effects technician. I not only didn't mind, I was delighted to be chosen.

Hedda was next to appear, tapping on the door lightly before entering. She was dressed and looked ready for the new day. She saw Jan-Richard and me sitting on the side of the bed with our book and smiled, came in and kissed her grandson, then me, announced we could have breakfast now and left.

"I think you have the best Gramama," I told him.

"And Grampapa," he said, making sure I wasn't forgetting him.

"Yes ... and Grampapa."

Kristiana appeared next, looking a bit tired and not quite ready for the new day.

"Time to get dressed, Jan-Richard," she said, kissing his cheek. "Papa will read to you later."

"So ... I'm officially Papa now," I said as we walked down the hall toward the dining room.

"Yes, Papa. Do you like your new title?"

"You know I do," I grinned, grabbing her and kissing her soundly.

We had witnesses as a couple of early-rising guests came along the hall toward the dining room, smiling at us. Kristiana couldn't resist and showed them the ring. There were congratulations and more smiles as we walked to the breakfast buffet together.

I chose three-thirty as the time to contact my father on Skype. I knew his habits fairly well as he rose at six and had his shower, shaved and breakfast, reading the paper in his little office before leaving for his work just before seven am. By calling at six thirty, he would be on his computer and able to take our call. I had done this several times before and once again, I was right.

"Hi, Dad. How are you?"

"Fine, Richard. How are you? Your I.D. says you are in Bellwald already."

"Yes. I have some news for you. I'm engaged to Kristiana Nordberg."

"Wonderful. I was hoping you'd get your head out of your ass and do the right thing."

"You were the one who gave me the kick-start last year. Thank you for that. Everyone is here to say hello. I want you to meet them. We haven't set a date yet for the wedding, but I'm hoping you will be here."

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"Here's Kristiana," I said, standing and giving my chair to my fiancée.

I stood back and watched my father as he talked first to Kristiana, then Jan, then Hedda, and finally Jan-Richard. The young guy had a hard time understanding how he could have two grampapas but only one gramama. I promised to explain in later.

We were on the system for almost a half-hour and I was pleased at how easily everyone got along. There was no hint of awkwardness unless you count the number of times Hedda told Dad how happy they were that I was joining their family. I had an unflagging supporter in my future mother-in-law.

The following week, I began my role at Glacier Aletsch Hotel. I filled in for Victoria at the front desk, hauled luggage, worked in the rental and storage building, did minor repairs and generally made myself useful. In the late afternoon, Jan, Karl and I would sit at a table in the dining room and discuss changes and improvements that were either necessary or desirable.

I had proposed to become an investor in the hotel. I had most of my inheritance left and had added to it with my earnings over the past four years. Instead of being dependent on the bank, we could make some of the changes using my investment cash. It took me some time to convince Jan and Hedda that it was the right way to go, but I eventually wore them down. Jan revealed that before I arrived they had installed a large hot-tub and sauna in the rear of the building and it was very popular. In fact, it was only catching up to the other hotels in the area that already had these facilities. We talked about an exercise room attached to that area and it was on our list as a worthwhile addition.

None of these improvements produced direct revenue, but with the slowing European and North American economies, the business was becoming more competitive and it was essential not to fall behind. The hotel was nicely placed in the middle ground. It was moderately priced and aimed at families rather than youth or wealth. It had succeeded nicely for many years and now, with it being more difficult to capture leisure dollars, it was well positioned to prosper.

~*~

I had Jan-Richard's hand and we walked with his mother into the little town. He was happily telling me what each shop or building was, even if he wasn't sure what people did. He knew the doctor's office and he certainly knew the dentist's, although not with quite as much enthusiasm. He knew where to buy candy and toys and where his mother bought groceries. It was fun having a four-year-old tour guide.

It was up to Kristiana to decide if he could have something he asked for, usually candy or some other type of snack. He was a typical child, upset if she said no and quite willing to pout and act up if he didn't get his way. I had never had this experience first-hand, but I knew I needed to take a stab at it.

"Your mama doesn't want you to get sick on candy, Jan-Richard. The other thing is that candy can rot your teeth and then you would have to go to the dentist and he might have to pull some of your teeth out. You wouldn't like that."

He looked at me in horror. He'd never thought of the consequences, only the pleasure of getting what he wanted. I had no idea if the old saw about sugar and teeth, or sugar and hyperactivity were true. I was just repeating what my parents told me. And since they were my parents, I believed them. "Do you eat candy?" he asked.

"No ... not very often. I save it for very special occasions, like birthdays or Christmas."

"That's all?"

"Yup, that's all."

He looked at me sceptically, wondering I suppose, if I was being truthful. I kept a straight face easily because it was the truth. I was never one to enjoy sweets like candy bars. I did enjoy genuine liquorice, but it was becoming hard to find.

"Do you go to the dentist?" he asked me.

"Oh, yes. Two times every year."

"Does he hurt you?"

I laughed. "No, he just cleans my teeth and inspects them to make sure they are all right. I have very hard teeth. I take good care of them and brush them two times every day."

"Do I have hard teeth, Mama?" he asked turning to her.

"I hope so, but you haven't got all your teeth yet. But Papa is right. You must brush your teeth every day, two times. In the morning and before you go to bed."

That seemed to be the end of that conversation, but I got a nice smile from Kristiana, displaying her perfect teeth. If Jan-Richard was lucky, he would inherit her teeth. My fiancée wrapped her arm in mine and whispered in my ear. "You are going to be a very good father. Jan-Richard will listen to you." She ended her praise with a nice kiss on the cheek. I felt good about my first attempt at acting like a parent. I still had a lot to learn.

Almost all of southern Switzerland was Catholic, but in Bellwald, a handful of the little village attended the Swiss Orthodox church. It was very small, but Kristiana chose it because she liked the relatively young pastor who seemed better able to relate to her than the doctrinaire older Catholic priest. The church barely held enough room for fifty people and typically only about thirty attended regularly.

It was here that Hedda and Kristiana sat with the pastor and arranged the wedding. Naturally, he wanted to meet both me and Kristiana beforehand and I expected that. Although I was not religious and hadn't been in a church in many years, I was a nominal Anglican. The principal religion in Norway was Evangelical Lutheran, but no such church was anywhere nearby.

The young pastor, Friedrich Kaltenegger, invited us to bring Jan-Richard to the meeting and we did so the following Tuesday. The little guy was quite interested in why we were going to the church and what we would talk about. He knew we were going to get married in the church, but that was about all.

I really liked this pastor. He was straightforward and with his background knowledge of Kristiana, was very welcoming to me. He knew I had the full approval of Jan and Hedda and also knew I would become a resident of Bellwald and, when possible, a Swiss citizen. The Nordbergs, now Swiss citizens, were liked and respected in the little town and I felt there was no question that the young pastor approved of our wedding.

He asked Jan-Richard a couple of questions about having a father now, and the young boy responded very positively. He simply accepted that I was his papa, and no wedding or adoption was necessary to prove it. That seemed to have a big effect on Pastor Kaltenegger. He looked at me with approval and, I think, admiration. The wedding would proceed on June 17, one month hence.

"Well, Dad, my fate is sealed. One month from today is the date. Are you going to be able to make it?"

"I'll be there," he said with a big smile easily visible on Skype. "I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"Are you going to be able to come earlier and spend some time?"

"Yes. I've got quite a bit of time off and I don't plan to go all the way to Switzerland for a weekend," he chuckled. "Can you stand to put up with me for a week ahead?"

"Of course. I'll set aside a room for you. Send me your itinerary when you have it confirmed."

"Any second thoughts about this, Richard?"

"No, Dad, not at all! I just needed some encouragement to follow my heart and I guess you got me started down that path. I owe you a lot for that."

"I didn't want you to think I'd soured on marriage after what happened with your mother. I'm pretty sure you're making a very good choice for a life partner and that's what counts."

"I think so too, Dad."

I asked Karl to be Best Man and he agreed after a little persuasion. Victoria would be Matron of Honour. The scramble to find an appropriate dress was well underway. For my part, my dark blue suit would be acceptable. Hedda attacked the project with enthusiasm and I stood back and watched as she systematically organized every facet of the big day.

Aside from my father, there were no other fly-in guests. I had informed my mother of my marriage, but she didn't respond to the invitation and I assumed that she still disapproved of Kristiana. I was deeply disappointed and felt even more alienated from her. I had Hedda and that would have to be enough for a mother figure.

My father arrived on June 10. He insisted on taking the train to Fiesch despite our warning about the stop-and-go nature of the trip. He didn't care. He wanted to see as much of the Alps and the surrounding area as he could on his short stay and what better way than on the train. He had never been in this part of Switzerland. He had done some business in Zurich a few years ago, but never in the south. My mother had no interest in vacationing in the Alps. She was much happier on the French or Italian Riviera.

My father looked as good as ever as he stepped off the train. More fit than I remembered him from Spain and continuing to show the good health I saw on my one visit to Nevada. I looked at him and realized he was a handsome man, still only fifty-years-old. A touch of grey in his hair was the only tell-tale of his age. Some woman was going to track him down and capture him. He would be a hell of a catch.

"Hi, Dad," I greeted him with our usual handshake and hug. "So good to see you again. You remember Kristiana?"

She got a hug and a nice kiss.

"Dad, this is Hedda and Jan Nordberg. Folks, this is my father, Darrel Barton." Although we had been familiar with everyone on Skype, I didn't want to forget the proper introductions.

I stepped back and watched the body language of the three adults. It was so good to see them relaxed and easy in each other's company.

"And this young man is Jan-Richard," I said.

My father squatted down and extended his hand. "Hi, Jan-Richard. I'm pleased to meet you."

"Are you my Papa's daddy?"

Dad looked confused for a moment, then caught on.

"Yes, I am. I am going to be your other Grampa."

Now that did confuse the little guy. He looked at Kristiana and me, wondering what to make of it.

"It's okay, Jan-Richard, I'll explain it to you later," I said.

That seemed to satisfy him and came back to stand between Kristiana and me.

Jan had brought the van and there was plenty of room for the six of us and Dad's luggage. The short trip up the mountain road found my father rubber-necking the scenery as we went. There was still snow on the upper slopes of the mountains and on a sunny, clear day like today, it really highlighted their majesty.

"Do you ever get used to this scenery?" my father asked.

"I think there are times when we don't see it the way newcomers do," Jan said.

"What about you, Richard," Dad asked.

"Hmmm ... well, I have to admit I get distracted by other beauties here."

That got me a nice hug and a kiss on the cheek from my intended.

"Very smooth," Dad said with a chuckle.

I wanted to spend a day with my father, alone, just the two of us. So much had happened in the past five years and our lives had changed dramatically. I had faced some big decisions, not the least of which was my long-term future. I told Kristiana what I needed and she smiled and told me to go ahead.

Dad wasn't hard to convince that we should spend some "guy time" together in place of the clichéd bachelor party. We had breakfast together and set off up the highway to heart of the Alps and Andermatt. With good luck, the weather held with a few clouds, but plenty of sunshine. The scenery was even more spectacular than I had been used to as this was the first time I had been east of Fiesch. We talked along the one hour drive.