Whose Fault Was It (Second Half)

Janet stood and watched her mother leave. She knew she should have just said "Mark was back:' but in truth she still didn't believe it herself. A little tingle of fear ran thru her. What if Mark planned on dumping her after a little sexual revenge? Janet pushed that from her mind. Mark had said he loved her and always had. But if he loved her so, why was he gone for 9 years without even a letter? Then she thought, why had she not been with another man in the last 9 years? She knew the answer to that. She loved Mark Parker and would take no substitute.

Before Janet went back to bed she called Dinora. With the promise of $200.00 the woman was convinced to send her husband and children to mass and she came work. Janet went back to bed and snuggled to Mark. He had not stirred in her absence. She was cradling his head against her breast when he awoke.

For Mark too, it seemed a dream. He feared he would wake in some hotel room in the middle of the Southwest and find he was clutching a pillow. With his face against Janet's breast he inhaled deeply thru his nose. Janet was afraid she had some offence odor. He rose to look her in the eye. "You smell too beautify to be a dream. Tell me this isn't a dream or don't ever let me wake up."

Janet smiled and bent down to kiss his forehead but Mark would have nothing to do with that. He wanted a kiss on the lips, if it was a dream he wanted as much of it as he could get. The kiss led to another then another. Soon Mark fondling the breasts he had missed for so many years. He knew they should shower but he didn't want to wait. He maneuvered into a position on top of Janet. She kissed Mark as more tears of joy flowed from her eyes. The passion built in both till they could resist no more. Mark entered Janet quickly and smoothly. Again he froze in position just to enjoy the sensation of being inside her again. She was warm and molded to his manhood as if she had been made just for him.

At that moment Mark had forgotten the trauma he had felt in the room those years ago. All he wanted was to be one to the woman he loved.

Luckily the two had exhausted themselves and were resting, well covered, when Dinora knocked on the door. Janet raised up holding the sheet to her breast. "Dinora will you please make coffee. While you are there see what is in the house for breakfast."

"Coffee and breakfast, yes Miss Janet."

Janet lay back down beside Mark. He looked at her with a grin and asked, "Do all..." then reconsidered the phrasing of what he wished to say, "Every visitor get this kind of service."

Janet smiled and leaned for another kiss, "No you're the only one. And.... you are the only one."

Janet wrapped in the sheet and headed to her bath while Mark took the master bath. He looked and saw the towels hanging were decorative. Wanting something functional he opened the linen closet. There he found three bath towels, two hand towels and half a dozen wash clothes. On another shelf he found some shampoo and conditioner, in dust covered bottles. There was also some liquid bath soap.

Putting what he needed in the shower Mark began to check the vanity. It was different than when he left but still had the same features. In the top drawer he found a small travel tube of toothpaste and a new toothbrush in the package. He looked at the box that contained the toothpaste and saw the expiration date was three years prior. Smiling he joked to himself Janet was trying to poison him. The second drawer had a pair of new throw away razors and a can of shaving cream that had rusted and left a ring on the bottom of the drawer. Mark checked the can and found it felt full but had little pressure. I was evident it had been in the drawer for quite some time.

The bottom drawer was empty. The medicine cabinet in the wall had one bottle of cologne that he had left. There were a couple bottles of aspirin, antacids and band aids but not much more. Mark began to brush his teeth and explore Janet's vanity. All the drawers were empty. In the master closet he saw just a few clothing that were Janet's. The chest of drawers she used as empty. He checked his chest and was shocked to see his ring still in the center of the now dusty drawer where he had left it. He closed the drawer gently and checked the other three drawers and found them empty.

From the thin layer of dust Mark found he knew this bath and closet had not been used in a while. In the shower he shaved with what little shaving cream he could get from the can. Soon he was stepping out to dry with the fluffy towel. Mark had found no deodorant so he used some cologne on his face and under his arms.

Clean and ready, he was about to get dressed when Janet came in. "Don't get dressed, we'll have breakfast in bed. I want to enjoy you as long as I can today."

They had Belgian waffles, strawberries, coffee and bacon. It was great and they took turns feeding the other. When they had eaten Janet went to dress. She was in shorts and a light mid sleeved blouse. She wore heeled sandals and had her sunglasses in hand. Mark had only his suit to wear so he suggested he head to his apartment to change.

"Let me go with you because mother will come back after church and I am not ready to see her," Janet requested. Her reasoning was true and accurate. Hilda was planning on coming back by the house after service, skipping the lunch offer with a friend. But by that time Janet and Mark were across town.

Mark parked in a reserved spot under an awning. The adjoining spot held a yellow BMW roadster. Janet smiled at the sight of the small car. Mark's apartment was on the first floor and just a few steps away. Inside Janet took it all in. It was small but adequate for one or two people, if they slept together, for there was but one bedroom. The rest of the apartment, save the full bath serving the master and the half bath was an open area. The only other enclosure was the closet that held the washer and drier.

Janet was looking at the almost bare walls. There were just three pictures on one wall and a mirror opposite the door. The pictures would be what Janet would call, 'dime store prints'. Cheap nondescript floral in even cheaper frames that came in a set she guessed.

"I know my decorator was not too good, but he was cheap," Mark laughed.

Janet caught the joke; Mark had picked out the décor. Moving on thru the apartment Janet checked the kitchen. The upper cabinets contained service for 4 in a dark blue color. There were four glasses and 4 white coffee mugs. The rest of the upper cabinets were empty. The lower cabinet had two skillets, one small and one larger. Beside that were two sauce pans with covers, one medium and the other small. Only one drawer had any utensils in it, flatware serving four and a few assorted cooking tools. The fridge had three beers still hooked with the plastic 6 pack retainer. The freezer compartment of the fridge had only two full ice trays. The pantry had salt, pepper, a box of macaroni, a can of green beans, and some paper towels.

Satisfied, Janet walked into the bedroom. I was filled with the king size bed but there was still not a true cramped feeling. Mark had laid his suit on the bed and was in the bathroom changing underwear before redressing. Janet stood in the door and watched. It felt good to see Mark comfortable with her in the room. He came out to get to his closet that was on the far end of the bedroom. Janet stepped in the bathroom.

Beginning her search she casually checked the medicine chest, then the drawers. The small linen closet was next then the shower. Last she checked the commode closet and the cabinet above the toilet. When she came out Mark was in the bathroom door dressed in tan slacks and a white knit pull over shirt. He had a smile and a twinkle in his eye. Janet wondered what he was thinking and turned her head a little looking at him out of the corners if her eyes.

"You won't find anything," he grinned in that big 'shit eating' grin he had.

"What do you mean? I wasn't looking for anything." Really she was and she knew it. But what seemed worse was Mark knew it too. Every woman that claims a man will leave something to stake her claim. It will be trivial to a man but it will be obvious to another woman. It shouts 'this man is taken'.

"You won't find any evidence that a woman has been here," then Mark's brow wrinkled. "Well that's not completely true."

Janet braced herself.

"There is a woman in here regular, twice a week..."

Janet cut him off, "You don't have to explain, you're single."

"As I was saying before I was interrupted, she comes twice a week, washes, cleans, and makes the bed," Mark looked at the made bed. "You don't think I'm that domestic do you? And she's old, fat, homely, and married to a cop!"

"Mark...I didn't mean to be nosy," Janet said with that news.

"And you were right I was unattached." Mark added. "But I wanted you to know that no woman has been here for social reasons."

Janet felt a tear. Mark went on, "I never had an apartment all the time I was gone. I lived out of my suitcases in motels. I didn't always have the best accommodations but they were ok. I learned to live...I just lived day to day as I worked. I got a routine, I made my calls Monday thru Friday, did all my paperwork on Saturday and slept on Sundays. So for me this is luxury."

Janet went to Mark and kissed him. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She was just glad he was back.

When they broke the kiss Mark continued, "I guess I was on the run. I didn't want...I had nothing to go back to. An apartment in Seattle would have been a waste. I only visited the main office twice a year. No one..nothing to... there was no need. But hey I saved a lot of money. Now I own my own business. Not completely true, Jeremy is my partner."

That thought frightened Janet. What would Jeremy say when he found out Mark had been with her? Jeremy had blamed her for Mark's leaving. Janet loved Mark and didn't want to come between him and his family.

Looking at Mark, Janet said, "Pack a bag Mark, you are coming to spend the night with me." Mark didn't argue. On their way out Mark stopped at the phone. He put in on speaker. "Guess I had best see who's looking for me."

The caller ID recorded four incoming calls, one unknown number, three from the same number. Mark recognized it as Jeremy's. The first called caller left no message. The next was a message with a female voice. Mark started to delete it but with Janet there thought it was best to let it play.

"Mark, I wanted to call and say I'm sorry." Janet tensed. The message continued, "I think I know why you didn't show last night." Janet felt her breath quicken. "I know I promised not to be a medaling sister-in-law but I had to try once more. Ok so I did have you a date lined up. She was more than pissed at me when you were a no show. So I'll make the promise again. Please forgive me but it's just that I know you're unhappy. I'll promise to stay out of your social life after this...this one more suggestion. Look Mark I love you like a brother. But..." the line went dead. Emma had used the full allotment of time for the message.

The machine went thru the options then went to the next message. It was Emma Parker again. "Ok Mark I know I've been rambling. Jeremy's playing golf, Oops is at a friend's after spending the night, and both boys are out getting into who know what, so I got time to talk. Now where was I, yes I was about to promise to stay out of your social life after this one last try. I want you to call her. She cares about you and I think you care about her even more than you'll admit to yourself. Call her! Damn you Parker men are all hard headed. Call her. She'll take your call. I know she will. If you don't remember the number..." The line went dead again.

Mark was looking at the phone. Who was Emma trying to get him to call? The first to come to mind was Riley, a tall blond that was truly high maintenance.

Janet wanted to rip the phone cord out of the wall. She stood looking at the phone as it stepped thru the options and went to the next message. Sure enough Emma was back. "Sorry about that but this damn machine is just a pain. Now where was I? Yes you probably know the number and I know you know her address. I've seen it in your eyes. I know I'm a medaling sister-in-law but. But if I need to give you the number I will. And you call her. If it works, and I'm betting it will, you'll owe me flowers. If not, blame it on me. I know Jeremy will. Write this down now if you have to."

Janet's heart was pounding. She wanted to scream, "Bitch" at Emma's voice. Janet's mind began to dredge up everything that Emma had ever done to anger her. For an instant she considered going over and confronting her ex-sister-in-law then that changed instantly. The number Emma recited was Janet's.

"Yes it's Janet's number. She still lives in the same house. She still goes by your name. Isn't that odd to you? After all these years? Hey this thing just beeped. Got to go, but please, make the call. For me, Please." And the line went dead again.

The machine indicated that was the last message and went dead. Janet and Mark stood stunned. When they recovered they looked at one another and laughed.

To be continued with part 7 if anyone wants to know what happens.