Chapter 31

The trip home was basically uneventful for John and Mary except for the fact they were more relaxed with each other than they had been in a while. Although there had been one surprise for them as they left the Convent.

When they entered their car John found a fob attached to his key chain. It was simple miniature barren cross. He had smiled when he felt for his keys to start the car. Mary smiled too when he fingered it, showing it to her. It was then she saw her reminder of the Order, an identical small wooden cross attached to her pocketbook's zipper pull.

"I guess they will be a large part of our lives," Mary commented to John as they pulled down the lengthy tree lined driveway toward the formidable wrought iron entrance gate.

"I'm looking forward to it," John admitted. "Everything here is so unpretentious."

"I know what you mean," Mary replied. "I haven't felt so comfortable a long time. I'm glad we made the decision to join the Order."

John thought for a moment and affirmed his feelings with, "So am I.

"Something has been missing in our lives and now it seems as if it is going to happen."

"I don't want to break the spell they have cast over us," Mary said to his remark. "I think a child will give us the direction we need.

"Through the Order, I finally feel our desire for a complete family will really happen."

With a smile on his face he replied, "I hope the sample I gave will be sufficient."

"You only gave ONE?" Mary asked. "Mother Superior said there would several."

John answered, "Yes, I know that.

"From the quantity of my first sample Judith said they had more than enough. She told me they had tested it and it was very viable. Multiple samples were unnecessary.

"She also said they would definitely use it very soon too."

"Oh, I hope so," said Mary as she reached over to put her hand on John's thigh.

"That will make us both very happy," he told his wife. "Although it's too bad that Judith is lactating. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have as the surrogate mother to our child."

Mary laughed. "I sort of agree with you about Judith, but a mother's milk is Mother Nature's natural birth control method."

"So Judith told me," was John's response. "Although, I got the impression they had already chosen a surrogate who was compatible with you."

"I'd gathered from their literature that was how they did things and that's why they did all of that testing. But, I'm sure we will never know just who the egg donor will be or who the surrogate will be," Mary mused.

After a few minutes of silence, John finally spoke. "I don't think it matters who donates the egg nor who the surrogate is. What matters is the child will be ours.

"Children are the gift of God and through the Order it is His gift to us."

"I definitely agree with you," commented Mary. "All that matters is it will be our child."

Their conversation continued as they drove home. Mary never took her hand from John's thigh. Occasionally he was rewarded with a gentle squeeze confirming her agreement with something he said. He enjoyed the attention and that was evident in his growing hardness. The cumulative result was by the time he wound his way into their complex and up their driveway, John knew just how a rutting stag felt.

When they met behind the car to extract their overnight luggage, Mary leaned into John for a kiss. His lips were hot and he grabbed her hips pressing his groin to hers. She sighed into his mouth and melted against his body.

When their kiss waned Mary said simply, "Why don't we forget the luggage till morning." Then, with a chuckle she slyly added, "I can think of something else we can do."