Chapter 9

Thursday was pretty much a repeat of Tuesday except Kat started the steak marinating for Evan’s party. The after-dinner entertainment for Mark and Emi was more mind-blowing love-making that was even better than before. They were starting to figure out what each other liked and wanted. By 9 pm they were both exhausted and had passed out. Kat was stretched out on her bed smiling. She loved listening to her dad and Emily making love. It was just another reminder for her of just how lucky she was. She now had a complete family that loved each other and wasn’t afraid to show it.

Friday started with Mark waking everyone up with the William Tell Overture. This time Emi went straight for the milk and sugar which caused Kat to tease her relentlessly about how someone attached to a marine unit still couldn’t drink her coffee black. Mark just smiled at Kat’s ribbing of Emily and Emily flipping Kat off. They got along well together.

“So, what day do you go back to work again Emi?” Mark asked.

“Not this Monday but the following Monday, and I work Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.”

“OK, so you have one more week of freedom?”

“Yep, and I’m hoping that you’ll let me spend it here.”

“Well in that case you might need these.” Mark tossed Emi some keys that were attached to an index card.

“What’s this?”

Kat gasped at what her dad had tossed Emily but clamped her mouth shut when Mark looked at her.

“That’s keys to the house and barns. The key fob is for my truck and the index card is the code for the house alarm. Yes, I’m asking you to move in with us, that is if you want to. And I’ve moved stuff around in our closet so you can get your things into it.”

Emily was speechless. She knew that Mark loved her but she didn’t realize just how much.

“Well mom ... What’s you say?”

Emily stood up, walked over to Mark, yanked him to his feet, jumped into his arms, and started smothering him in kisses.

Kat laughed “I take that as a yes mom?”

Looking back from Mark all Emily said was “you think?”

“Well, that answers what all of us will be doing this weekend.” Mark laughed

“Ah shit. What are we going to do with my stuff?”

“Don’t worry mom. We’ll figure it out. Today though we have a party to get ready for and Dad has to get to work.”

Mark left after giving Emi a kiss and Kat a bear hug. Emily could see Mark whisper something into Kat’s ear which caused her to smile. After Mark left Emi and Kat started on the chores. This time around Emily knew what to expect and was more prepared for it. While she was tired afterward, she wasn’t exhausted. They returned inside, showered, and started baking. Kat was making Evan a banana nut cake with multiple layers and lots of buttercream frosting. They had it done and decorated by the time Mark got home at 1:30.

“Sorry about being late,” he said as he ran to the shower, “but by staying the little bit extra I have all weekend off”.

Kat could tell by the subtle shift in her dad’s attitude that he had something big cooking and that he wasn’t about to tell her. This was driving her nuts because she couldn’t for the life of her figure out what her dad was up to. Mark came back out from the shower in kakis shorts, sandals, and a collared shirt. Kat and Emily were already ready to go wearing shorts and nice t-shirts. Both girls had their hair put up and in their ways were both stunning. The girls already had everything in the truck and were ready to go. Mark made sure that he had everything and they were off.

Upon arriving at Evan’s, he and his sister Tekla ran out screaming “Uncle Mark!” Mark reached down and scooped the kids up, giving them both kisses.

“Look how big you two are getting! I almost can’t pick you two up anymore.” The kids smiled. Their mom walked out:

“Hi, Mark. Long time, no see.”

“Hey Cindy, how you doin’?”

“Doing pretty good all things considered.”

At this moment Emily walked around the corner of the truck having helped Kat with the party stuff.

“Cindy!”

“Emily! What are you doing here?”

“Ummm?”

Mark came to her rescue “She’s, my girlfriend. You two know each other?”

“Yes honey, Cindy and I work together at the hospital and she’s my best friend. Now how do you know her?”

“Her husband and I worked together at the refinery. He helped me get into the position that I work in today, kept me in line, and covered for me until I figured everything out.”

“Well come on in.” Cindy said, “Emily we need to talk.”

“That’s never good “mumbled Mark.

Mark turned to help Kat get the stuff out of the truck while Emily and Cindy went into the house talking.

“Dad you’re in sooo much trouble,” said Kat barely able to suppress her giggle.

“No shit Sherlock.” Kat couldn’t hold it in anymore and broke down laughing at her dad’s obvious discomfort.

“Well come on Kat let’s get on with this.”

Meanwhile inside Cindy was pounding Emily with one question right after another.

“How long you two been dating?”

“Not long but we’re already head over heels for each other. He did invite me to move in with him and Kat yesterday.”

“Emily are you insane!? I mean ya he’s hot as hell but do you know his history. I mean the guy’s one accident away from going medieval on everyone around him.”

“Yes, I know his entire history. Mark shared everything about him with Kat and me, Sunday afternoon. Including things that I bet that even you don’t know about him.”

“Like what?” Cindy said crossly

“I think it’s better if Mark tells you that himself” Emily responded calmly.

“Well at least tell me that you haven’t slept with him yet.”

Emily just looked at her and gave Cindy a serene smile.

“Seriously Emily!?! Well tell me it was at least ok”

“Cindy, it’s mind-blowing. He makes me cum so hard that I pass out almost every time.”

“Really? Oh my God, Emily are you serious?”

“Of course, I’m serious.”

“Hey ladies,” Mark said walking in with Kat

“Dad I think your ears should be on fire.”

“Yaa. Now not to change subjects ... Hey Evan, it’s your party, you want to eat first or open your presents that we brought you?”

Evan looked back at his mother then back at Mark. “How long will it take to make dinner?”

“Maybe an hour.”

“Can I open my presents then, please?”

“Well, it’s your party man. Just let me get the baked potatoes going first. OK?”

Since Mark and Kat had coordinated with Cindy, Evan got most of the things that he wanted. While Evan was busy with his unwrapping Mark pulled Cindy to the side and gave her a folder.

“What’s this Mark?”

“This is the documents for Evan’s trust fund that Kat and I set up for him. We just ask that you don’t tell Evan until after he graduates high school. We want to make sure that he does a good job in school and doesn’t slack off thinking that he won’t have to work. By the time he graduates he should be able to get about five grand a month.”

Cindy just broke down and started crying harder than she had ever cried before. Emily was at her side in an instant berating Mark for making Cindy cry. Cindy pulled Emily’s head toward her so that she could whisper in Emily’s ear without anyone else hearing:

“Emily, I was wrong before. I’m sorry. Mark is perfect and I wish you all the happiness in the world. Hold on to him sweetie for he is truly worthy of you.”

Emily was now thoroughly confused, What on Earth did Mark give her? Cindy wouldn’t tell her.

“Mark, honey. What did you give her?”

“It’s what Kat and I gave her and I promise to tell you after we leave. Now let’s get back to the party.”

Mark and Emily walked back to where Evan had been opening up his gifts to find him, Kat, and Tekla playing hard as only children can. Evan and Tekla had always been close and since their father had been killed, they held onto each ferociously. Mark excused himself so that he could start cooking dinner and went out to set up the grill and get the steaks and veggies on. Cindy came out after him and stood beside him.

“You know I have no way to ever repay you for everything that you’ve done for me, right?”

“Raise those kids to be even half as good as their father and you and that will be thanks enough.”

Cindy teared up again, “Damn it, Mark, you keep this up and I’ll get dehydrated from all this crying.”

Mark just gave her a sad smile, “I’m sorry for everything Cindy.”

“What the hell are you sorry for?”

“That I couldn’t get to Ben faster. If I had gotten to him faster then he wouldn’t have died and you wouldn’t be struggling.”

Cindy hauled back and smacked him hard across the face:

“Don’t you ever fucking think that again! You gave me and the kids a chance to say goodbye to him. If you hadn’t pulled him out when you did that would have never happened plus, I was able to talk to the surgeon that worked on Ben. He told me that the only thing that could have saved Ben was not being there in the first place. He was going to die as soon as that beam landed on him. Nothing was going to save him. But because of you, he didn’t die alone.” She then hugged Mark and went to go back inside. At the door, she stopped and turned toward Mark, “One more thing, if you hurt Emily, I will kill you. She’s one of my best friends and she’s one hell of a doctor that’s responsible for many people living when they would have ordinary died.”

After Mark brought the food in, he found Cindy with an exhausted look on her face.

“What’s wrong Cindy?”

“What’s wrong is that I’m getting too old for this shit. How on Earth do those kids still have so much energy?”

Mark just smiled and put the food on the table.

As everyone was digging in, Kat came up next to her dad:

“What’s up dad, you’re grinning like the Cheshire Cat and it’s making me a bit nervous?”

“I just made the final decision in a long line of them.”

“And what does that mean?”

“You’ll see.”

Kat knew better than to pry anymore. It was still driving her nuts though. What was her dad planning? She watched as he pulled Evan to the side whisper something to him and Evan nodded with a huge smile on his face. Evan ran off, whispered something to Tekla and whatever it was, she agreed too. Her dad now wore a very nervous look. What the hell was he up to? Turns out Kat didn’t have long to wait.

After everyone was done eating and had retired to the living room, Kat could see both Evan and Tekla urging her dad to do something. He got up off the chair that he was on and walked over to Emily who had her back turned and was talking with Cindy. He had something small in his hand.

Mark was more nervous now than he had ever been in his life. He knew that if Emily rejected him then his happiness would come crashing down. Kat would probably be pissed at him for life and he would never be happy again. Despite the risk, Mark knew that he had to do this. He loved Emily with all his heart and he desperately wanted her to be with him for life. Sure, she had said the same thing but this was going to make it real. He kneeled behind her and put his finger to his lips to silence Cindy, after all, she was looking right at him.