The Way Back Ch. 10

"OK, Dad," she said rising, "I get it. I'll tell her."

We hugged again, told each other we loved each other and then she went home, carrying my love to her mother and brothers. She was one very mature girl.

What I hadn't expected, and even now I wonder why I hadn't expected it, was for Ann to turn up on the doorstep later in the evening. She stood at the door exactly a mirror image of our daughter. I stood back in an invitation to enter, which she did, going to the living area and sitting down on the sofa exactly as Greta had. I thought there must be something genetic in it.

"Can I get you a drink?" I asked.

"No thanks."

I was right, she meant business.

I sat in my chair. There was a silence, but she was not uncomfortable. I waited. Then she smiled.

"Allan," she said. "When you asked to come home, it came as a surprise. I wasn't at my best either. I know you don't want to talk about it, but we will have to eventually. For now, please, my darling, will you come home? Tonight? Please? For good?"

Now it was my turn to be surprised. I sat for a moment, wondering what to say. It can't have been a few seconds when I realised I didn't want to play any more games.

"Thanks, Ann. Yes, I would like to come home tonight."

She dived for me and fell onto my knee, somewhat painfully in my case, hugging me tight, her head buried in my neck, and before very long I felt the wetness. Of course she was crying with happiness, and I choked up as well and the two of us bawled our heads off.

"I'm so happy," she whispered as she caught her breath.

"It's been a long time coming." I gasped.

Further comment was stifled by her mouth on mine as she kissed me ravenously and I lost no time in responding with like abandon. It was our first kiss in real earnest, or in urgent passion, and it melted away all the tension in my mind.

However, it raised a certain tension elsewhere and she shifted her position to accommodate the bulge now appearing in my trousers. She looked deeply into my eyes, and there was intense love there. She made no mention of my erection, this first greeting was more important than sex.

Did I really say that? Yes, and it was true.

She pecked my lips again and then she stood up. I looked at her raising a non-existent eyebrow in a question.

"I'll go home now," she said. "Will you follow in a bit, say an hour? Then I have some things to discuss with you, practicalities, nothing about the past."

"OK, see you there, when I've packed a few things."

She left and I packed two suitcases and my suits. The rest could wait until the weekend. My excitement grew as I drove closer to what was now 'our' house.

Before I turned into our Lane, I had to thread my way through a number of parked cars on Woodhouse Lane. 'Someone's having a party,' I thought smiling. 'Well, perhaps there'll be a little party at our house as well.'

I turned into our drive. There was Ann's car. I pulled up and made my way to the front door, and, using my key, went in. The house was silent. I smiled. Ann had seen to it that the children were elsewhere. Very thoughtful. I called out.

"I'm in the living room," came Ann's shout. I opened the door to the living room and walked in.

I stopped. I was faced with a crowd of laughing and smiling people, shouting 'Welcome Home' and 'Congratulations' and Ann looking worried. There was David and Vivienne, Peter and Jenny, Colin, Geoff and Susan, Claire and Kevin her husband, Greta, Jan and Stefan of course, who to my surprise did not come to me for their customary hugs and there in the background, trying to look inconspicuous was Derek. I stopped dead, mystified.

The noise died away and Ann came to me, and took my hands in hers.

"Allan, my darling," she said, and I could feel her trembling. "I asked everyone to come tonight. I hoped you'd come home, but they were going to cheer me up if you didn't. I have apologised to all these our friends for my lack of faith in you when they would not believe you had left me. Now I have to apologise formally to you and ask your forgiveness for my failure to look for you when you disappeared. Will you forgive me?"

"You know I already have," I replied. "We need to put this behind us now. We can start again, can't we?"

She smiled that wonderful smile of hers and we hugged and kissed, to the applause of all our friends. Then everyone got on with the party, for that was what it was.

The drinks flowed and the food was eaten and the music played softly in the background, this was a talking party, not a dancing and miming one. Ann disappeared to act the hostess, and I made my way round our friends. When I got to Derek, he looked at little shamefaced and uncertain.

"I want to thank you for what you've done for me," he said.

I was about to dismiss his thanks when he continued.

"I think I'm responsible for Ann's abduction," he said sadly. "I just didn't think, and I certainly didn't think Steph was capable of something like that."

"I don't understand."

"I was so pleased that everything was going so well after you left, and the two girls came over to get me started again, that I did what I've not done for over a year, I phoned Stephanie.

"I told her exactly what I thought of her and I'm afraid I was crowing about you and Ann getting back together and my business getting back on its feet. I told her she was wrong about Ann. Then she pulled that stupid trick. God knows what would have happened if Greta hadn't been at home. I'm sorry Allan."

I had wondered briefly why Stephanie had done what she did when she did it, but there had been so much else happening that I'd not pursued it. What Derek said made sense, but none of us was to know what she'd do, or the extent to which she'd carry her insane revenge. I told Derek so, and he looked relieved.

Then Vivienne came up. She had 'that look' on her face, the 'I've got another plan' look that made me feel queasy.

"It's all right Allan," she said. "This time it's not my plan, but I've come to warn you. Ann doesn't know I'm doing this but I don't want any more trouble between you."

I was mystified. "So--" was all I got out.

"Ann's going to propose to you in front of everyone," she said. "I thought if you weren't prepared it might be embarrassing for you and for her. Have I done the right thing for once?"

I was stunned. Then I stammered, "Y-yes, Viv, You have. Thanks."

"So?" she asked.

"So what?" I asked in return.

"What are you going to answer?"

"You don't seriously expect me to tell you, do you?"

"Oh, good! You're going to accept!"

"You might say that, I couldn't possibly comment," I said stony faced, and we both laughed.

I continued on my rounds, until Ann asked for attention and the talking stopped. Someone changed the music to 'You are the wind beneath my wings'.

"Allan," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Please sit down. I have something to ask you."

I sat and began to speak, but she stopped me and moved in front of me. There were broad smiles all round; the atmosphere was rife with expectation.

"Let me finish please, my love. I have thanked Derek for being so kind to me while you were away, but now I have to put right a wrong. I divorced you, so we are no longer married. Since I destroyed our marriage it's up to me to try to mend it."

Here the woman went down on both knees!

"Allan," she said solemnly, looking up into my eyes. "Please will you marry me again?"

I stood and lifted her up and looked round at the crowd. They were all on edge, willing me to make a response. I was overwhelmed by Ann's brave action. It seemed a long silence, but was probably a few seconds.

"Ann," I said with a lump in my throat. "Yes. It'll be an honour and privilege to marry you -- again."

To my surprise, there was no reaction from the crowd beyond broad smiles. I suspected something else was in the wind.

"Allan," she said, "I know that to be married legally we'll have to go through a register office ceremony, but that's all it is, just legal stuff. I want to make my vows to you here now with these witnesses. Would you let me do that?"

It's strange that after all my misgivings about her over the months, I had no problem with that at all.

She took both my hands in hers and looked into my eyes as she said the words: "I Ann give myself to you Allan to be my husband again, for better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness or health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part."

This was happening rather too quickly for me to cope with but I knew what I had to do. She'd made herself totally vulnerable by vowing her life to me in front of all our friends. Somehow that put everything right.

I knew this woman well enough. I knew we'd had twenty years before, even if my memory of those years was still patchy. I knew she loved me and I knew at that moment that I was in love with her. Regardless of what I remembered, I loved this woman now, and if we'd had twenty good years (the photo's and videos proved it), we could have another twenty.

So I repeated the vows. When I finished I noticed she had her rings, not on her finger but in her hand. She held them out to me and I put them on her again, the engagement ring first, then the wedding ring. Then I pulled her to me and kissed her long and hard. In the distance were cheers and applause, but we were in our own world for those few minutes. Then we were assaulted by three children who forced their way between us and we had a family hug.

When we surfaced and looked round, there was already much activity. Champagne was being passed round and when everyone had a glass, Peter toasted the 'Happy Couple'.

I thought Yes, we are.

Cries of 'speech' followed. I thanked them all for their support for me and for Ann during the past two and a half years while I was away, and I thanked Trish in her absence for my recovery. Then it was all over and we mingled. Viv looked smug.

"Don't say a word!" I snarled.

"I won't," she said with a wicked grin. "But you can't stop me thinking!"

------

FIFTY-TWO

The night of the party we made soft though passionate love. Ann said it was as if we'd never been apart, I took her word for it since I couldn't remember. I just knew it was perfect: we fitted completely. If it was just as before I must have had some real fun before our unwanted parting.

It was after all a Thursday, and there was a school and work day tomorrow. Geoff had told me I must not be seen at work until Monday, and Ann was not to be back at work till Monday either, but Greta was on work experience and the children were in school. What would we do all day on Friday?

Anyway, that Thursday night we saw the children safely off to bed, and waited until the boys were asleep. Greta made herself scarce with her trademark salacious grin missing. Instead there was a moist eyed dewy smile as she revelled in her parents' romantic second honeymoon night. We both got prolonged hugs and no comments beyond a 'goodnight.'

We ascended the stairs together and Ann sat and did what women do at her dressing table, while I used the bathroom. I sat in bed while she disappeared into the bathroom with a bag. When she emerged she took my breath away. Thanks to our wedding photo's and the video, I remembered. She was wearing the same outfit that she had had for our 'first night.'

I said as much. "You look wonderful. It's your wedding night lingerie isn't it?"

She posed, hands on hips, one leg forward, bent at the knee. It was all in shimmering white, translucent, hinting at her body beneath. A baby doll tunic, elaborately lacy and thin enough to show her lacy thong below. White sheer thigh high stockings, and white three inch heels.

"You remembered?" she said with surprise.

"From the video," I said. "It's infinitely better in the flesh."

She swayed to the bed, and pulled off the duvet. I smelled that perfume that had triggered such memories at the restaurant, an event which now seemed so long ago. I took a deep, deep breath and she smiled when she saw my obvious appreciation and reaction as it reared upward and twitched. She kicked off her heels and climbed onto the bed. I made to get up onto my knees but she gently pushed me back.

"Not on your knees," she said. "Please let me..."

She knelt over me and began to do what my other three women had done. She traced my scars lightly and her brow furrowed, then she began to kiss each one, beginning with my chest and arms then went to my feet and legs. Then she sat up.

"I needed to do that," she said. "I want to show you I love you as you are, my darling. All of you."

With that she began to kiss my erection, all along its length, then onto my balls, sucking them one by one into her mouth. Instinctively I opened my legs wider, and immediately she drew her tongue along my perineum, returning with tiny kisses.

"I missed you: this you," she whispered. "I longed for you, night after night. I ached for you week after long week. Now at last I've got you back. I'm so happy."

She took me into her mouth and did some magic with her tongue and cheeks. Then let go and blew gently over the tip. It was exquisite. I opened my eyes and found I was staring down her top, her breasts hanging and the nipples hard. I pulled her forward and we kissed. Then she knelt up and lifted her top off.

Everything about what we did was gentle. She kissed me again and drifted her nipples across my chest. I traced over her back and round the sides of her breasts. She rested on me and sighed. I slipped my fingers under her gossamer thong and pushed down as far as I could. She must have done the rest, because the garment had gone.

Then she moved a stockinged leg over both my legs -- I couldn't remember pulling them together. Now her mons was pressing on my erect penis. In one fluid movement she pulled herself up over me and I was inside her smooth, silky, warm embrace.

"Home!" she gasped as she felt me sinking deeper and deeper into her centre, "You're home!"

"I love you." I said. It felt like the first time I ever told her. She kissed me as if it were.

"I love you," she said, and her vagina clamped on me. It was true. She did love me as I was.

The moment was eternal. Nothing mattered at that moment but the penetration and the acceptance. No passion but an intensity of feeling. Until she began to move. It was slow and took my penis to her entrance and then to its deepest burying, rubbing its length against her clitoris. She raised herself on her arms and looked down lovingly into my eyes.

"Yes!" she whispered, and again, "Yes!" on each stroke. Very gradually her strokes increased in tempo, and eventually she sat up and began to shorten the strokes but grinding our roots together, and rotating her hips every few strokes. I responded by thrusting upwards. She smiled at me and our tempo increased until her eyes closed, she froze in position, and then with a muffled cry, began to shake uncontrollably. Finally she fell forward on to me and measured her whole body against mine. She was panting from her exertions.

When she had quietened somewhat, she pulled off me.

"Your turn," she said. "Time to take your wife back."

She rolled off me, pulling at me to climb on top. As I did so, she said, "Make me yours. Love me Allan. Do it hard, please."

She aligned me and I pushed into her hard.

"Yes!" she gasped.

I raised her legs over my shoulders, and ignoring the twinges in my knees, as I usually did, I loved her hard. It was more than fucking. It was not 'taking' her, but re-establishing our relationship, which had been fractured for so long. She had brought me into her life and her body, and now it was my turn to fill her with my life force as well. It did not take me long to come inside her, and my own grimaces and grunts and groans filled the room as I gave her my essence.

As I slipped from her, I let her legs down and lay on her, her arms round my back as if to pull me inside her soul.

"Oh Allan, my darling," she enthused, "I've longed and longed for this. Now we're truly together again, my lover!"

I raised myself on my arms.

"I think I always wanted you," I reflected. "Once I smelled your perfume--"

"The one you bought me," she interrupted. "I used to wear it to remember you, even after Derek..."

"I think from then on I wanted you but I was committed and couldn't--"

"You were faithful to your women," she laughed, then she was thoughtful. "You were always faithful to this woman. I'm sorry--"

"No more," I cut her off. "No more sorry. We're back together. No more sorry."

She smiled beatifically, and as I rolled off her, she wrapped herself round me and laid her head on my shoulder.

"Good," she said. "So good."

And it was.

------

FIFTY-THREE

August 2007

I wanted to stop my tale there, but it wasn't the end of the story, indeed the end has not been reached yet and I hope won't be for many years to come, but there are loose ends to tie.

Ann and I married legally in a short ceremony at a register office in October that year. Geoff and Viv, yes, Viv, were our witnesses and apart from their other halves, the only other people present were our children. We had done the 'real thing' when I finally returned home for good and we had the party.

The criminals were tried, found guilty and sentenced later in the same month. They went away for a long, long time, though O'Malley got a shorter sentence. Stephanie was found to be insane and was sent to a secure mental hospital indefinitely. She looked angry and aggrieved as she was taken down. There was no satisfaction in watching it, though Ann and I, along with Derek, went to the whole trial. Thankfully I was not needed to give evidence. Since I still had no memory of the original event, there was nothing I could add.

Jenny and Peter married in the December, a big wedding with all the trimmings, and now have a youngster whom we dote on, and one on the way. Trish found a nice doctor and married him in July 2005, and Ann and I took Greta and went to New Zealand for the wedding. Peter and Jenny moved in to look after the boys.

Derek, poor man, fell under the spell of Lucy, who took him in hand and elsewhere on his anatomy, and the two now live together. Derek has apparently learned new skills in the bedroom, the kitchen and all over the house, and looks a happier man for it. Lucy looks smug, and seems to be sporting a little bump, though there's been no announcement yet.

Sadly, Vivienne suffered a heart attack early this year which damaged her heart badly and after a short illness she died. David is bearing everything stoically. He enjoys his grandchild and his adopted nieces and nephews in our family.

Greta is now at university and is dating a very pleasant lad who has just started working for our firm. I think I mentioned he has the gift of the gab. We're putting it to good use. As a company we're doing well.

The lads are doing nicely, Jan is very popular with the girls and thus enjoying life. Stefan is at that 'difficult age', but is still usually of a sunny disposition.

Ann and I? Well, it wasn't easy settling down with each other. Ann keeps forgetting my memory is defective and gets short tempered, and I am still absent minded. We have managed to accept that what happened was beyond our control for both of us. No more resentment on my part. Sex has not been a problem, and I have often felt that my body remembers our sex life where my conscious mind does not. When Ann is wrapped around me with me deep inside her, it feels like home. We have won.

So I'm still not quite right. Never will be. I don't mean right or wrong, I mean healthy. But at least I remember now, apart from the actual day it happened. That day is still blank. Who cares? Who would want to remember? Not me. I remember most things and people from before the injury, and my short-term memory is as good as it's going to get, I think. Occasionally it lapses and I panic, but I carry about my electronic pad, and it tells me the most important things. Keeps me on track. Have I said that before? I'm joking, of course I have!