Epilogue

Teri

Five years later — Placentia Harbor - off the coast of Belize, Central America

I stood in the doorway of the starboard cabin of the Gabriel, leaning against the frame as I watched Michael read a bedtime story to our two beautiful girls. Sarah, three and a half and blond like her sister, was perched on his lap as he sat on the bed. Cassie, thirteen, sat beside him her head against his shoulder and one arm through his arm, pressed close against him. The story, about Ralph the Dog was much too young for Cassie, but she loved her sister and Michael and she wouldn't have cared if he was reading from the "Investors Business Daily", she just loved being with them, especially since Michael had been her "real" daddy for the last four years.

These last few months aboard Gabriel had been a dream as we set a leisurely pace along the coast of California and Mexico and though the Panama Canal. The weather had been miraculous and we spent each day sailing as if we were the only family on the planet. The warm blue-green waters of the Pacific lived up to their name as we made our way south. We had no schedule or other constraints, we were on vacation. Michael, still Chief of Security for McGregor Global, checked in with them every few days, but his team in San Francisco had things well in hand.

Michael was as relaxed and happy as I had ever seen him, not that the girls and I didn't keep him happy and he us, but away from the pressures of work and the constant travel he was able to unwind. The girls had him all to themselves for a change, although Michael and I did find plenty of time for ourselves. He was a wonderful, loving father and husband.

Why on earth had Helene been unfaithful? Michael was an ideal husband and father.

I pushed thoughts of those terrible times away. Michael was now so happy. Those were truly terrible times when he was in shock, hurting and betrayed by the only woman he had ever loved.

I forced myself to think of the aftermath instead - the wonderful five years we had shared, the birth of our daughter, and the love we shared every day. I looked at the 2 carat engagement ring on my left hand and remembered the day he gave it to me.

We had just left his meeting with Helene. He returned to the comfortable waiting area where I was sitting in a large overstuffed leather chair. I had been trying, without success, to read the paper for the past half hour, my cold, untouched coffee on the table beside me. Michael extended his hand, a slight smile on his face, and pulled me to my feet and kissed me. At that moment all my worries about Michael and our future together evaporated. We drove back to the city with little conversation, his hand, warm and reassuring, resting on my thigh.

As we passed Huntington Park on Nob Hill he asked me to pull over. Michael wanted to walk for a bit. The sun was just burning through the gloom as we strolled the small park, hand in hand. After a few minutes he stopped and turned to me, still holding my hand.

"Teri, you know I love you..."

I only nodded, too full of emotion to speak.

"And I know you love me... and have for a long time. These past few weeks have given me time to think about my future... I've told you how much I missed you while I was gone... your smile... your warmth... and most of all your love. And I know it may be premature... considering I'm just now divorcing Helene... but I want us to be together every day and every night... I want to make our relationship permanent... I want you to be my wife"

"What?"

I was so taken aback that was all I could say. Coming on the heels of the roller coaster ride of emotions I had experienced the last few weeks, and especially today I was stunned. I had hoped that someday he would want to make our relationship something more but his announcement left me speechless.

"Teri... will you marry me? I'm sorry to spring this on you so suddenly... I just wanted to ask you before... well before I let you get away."

I paused and looked at him. I dearly loved this sweet man. He was all I wanted.

"Michael... of course you... you... wonderful man... I'll marry you. I love you and that part about letting me get away... well there's no chance of that!"

I put my arms around his neck and hugged him and kissed him hard as he fumbled in his jacket pockets.

"Stand still and let me kiss you properly... what on earth are you searching for anyway?"

Finally, he handed me the black velvet covered box. It looked like a ring box from a jeweler. My heart gave a jump and my hands trembled as I opened it.

"Oh my God... Michael!"

He took the ring with the brilliant large diamond from the box and reached for my left hand.

Suddenly I hesitated.

"Michael... before I can accept this ring... I need to know about the woman on your airplane."

And so he told me about Gina. A range of emotions swept over me as he described their meeting and her duties as his nurse and finally as lovers. I was hurt and dismayed, because I had wanted to be the one he came to help him get over his pain and feelings of betrayal. After all, I had waited for him for fifteen years. Why did gorgeous, young Gina have to be his first after Helene? I knew they were lovers from the time I saw them together, but what bothered me the most was the depth of feeling Michael had for Gina. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Michael did not treat relationships lightly.

My eyes filled with tears as we sat on one of the ornate benches in the park. I hadn't wanted to hear about his feelings for Gina, but I needed to know.

"Teri... I've made my choice... you're the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with... not Gina."

"But... Michael... she works for Global... you'll run into her again and from what I saw, and you've told me, she cares deeply for you."

I caught a momentary flash of anger in his eyes, before they softened again. He smiled.

"Teri... don't you trust me to be able to resist the wiles of a beautiful young woman?"

I watched his eyes and smiled back. I knew where this was going.

"I managed to resist you for the last nine years didn't I? He said, with a laugh.

He continued, but now a little more seriously,

"I'm not quite as dense about women as you might think. Early on, after you arrived in San Francisco, I knew you had feelings for me. I enjoyed your attention and it did wonders for my ego, and maybe for my reputation around town, to be seen with a beautiful young blond... but I was married to Helene. And as long as I had a viable marriage it was better for both of us that we never took our friendship and our feelings to the physical level, especially the last couple of years when my marriage was in trouble, and we were working so closely together. Teri, how would you have reacted if I had suggested such a thing? Would you have wanted to be my mistress? I don't think so. The love and respect you had for me would have been lost."

I hugged him tightly.

"Teri, I love you and no one else. You're the woman I want, and I'll always be faithful."

He took my unresisting left hand and placed the ring on my finger. Tears streaked my face.

Now, five years later, on board the Gabriel, I was watching him with our daughters. He was the love of my life and I never doubted he always would be.

The only thing that could have made me happier at the moment was if little Mikhail had been with us, sitting on Michael's lap. At four, he was too young to be away from Gina for our six-month cruise, even though he loved me and his "sisters" and his daddy Michael. Actually Mikhail might have been fine but I knew Gina couldn't bear to be separated from him for that amount of time.

Yes, Mikhail was Michael's son with Gina... a product of their brief affair. He was named after Gina's father "Big Mikhail", or at least that was what Gina said. A couple of months after we were engaged, Gina visited us in San Francisco and told us that she was pregnant with Michael's child. She made it clear that she wasn't asking for anything but thought Michael had a right to know. She was overjoyed and planned to move back to the Bay Area so she would be close to her parents and Michael... if he wanted to be involved in the child's life.

Of course Michael, the wonderful man that he is, did everything for Gina. He made arrangements for her to still work for Global, but to scale back her flying and to be more of a consultant for Global's medical care. He helped her find an apartment near by and got her connected with the best doctors in town. Her office, like his was in the big house on Nob Hill. Gina adored Michael and they made an easy transition form lovers to friends once she understood our relationship. Sometimes in unguarded moments, I would see her looking at him. I could almost read her thoughts. She loved Michael and she loved him more since they were having a child together.

Gina and I became fast friends, more like sisters, and she helped me with my wedding plans, while I helped her with her pregnancy and with getting ready for Mikhail's birth. Cassie and Gina also became friends.

We were in the delivery room holding Gina's hands when Mikhail was born. Michael's name is on the birth certificate as the father and we made sure that Mikhail would have every advantage as our children. After Mikhail was born Gina stayed at the big house, but now in a separate apartment Michael had constructed. He then hired her as deputy chief of security.

Michael and I were married a few weeks after Mikhail was born at the house on Nob Hill. Mr. McGregor gave me away and Michael's good friend Jake Farber was his best man. The guests included Sergeant Major Sloan, and Michael's helicopter pilot, Janice Elders. She was sporting a large diamond engagement ring and they were clearly in love. It was comforting to see another woman about my age, in love with a man about a dozen years older.

Cassie and I officially moved into the house on Nob Hill the following day.

Gina was a great help with my pregnancy with Sarah and when we were both back at work we shared a nanny who became part of the house staff. Gina and Mikhail were a welcome part of our family. Sometimes I wondered what people thought when we were out in public together - two younger women with their arms through Michael's while he pushed a stroller with a small child in it. Michael said he was pleased by the envious glances he got from other men! Gina was now engaged to a wonderful man who was a pilot for Horizon Air. They had set a wedding date for October and they would move to Portland. I knew we would miss them greatly, especially the girls, but with her free flight benefits we would see them often.

Tomorrow the four of us are flying to Belize City to meet their flight from Dallas. Gina and Mikhail were going to spend the next two weeks with us. Cassie and Sarah wouldn't take no for an answer when we tried to leave them while Michael and I took the short flight up and back.

"Mom... Dad... we have to be there too. Mikhail's our brother... so why can't we go?" Whined Cassie. She gave us her best, budding teenager pout.

"Sure, we'll all go."

The girls ran off to get ready for bed. Their excited voices carried up from the companionway as they planned their day and meeting with Mikhail and Gina.

"Michael, you are so easy!" I said as I smiled and hugged him. "You'll spoil the girls rotten."

"Like I spoil you?"

"That's different... you're my husband... you have to spoil me!"

He grinned and pulled me close.

"Teri... do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"Hummmmmmmm." I murmured into his neck. "From the feel of things... I think I'm going to find out soon."

Standing there watching him with the girls gave me such happiness. He looked up and caught my eye. He was so happy looking. He eyed my boating uniform, a white string bikini covered with one of his old white dress shirts to keep away the cool of the evening. The shirt was unbuttoned to give him more than a peek at my breasts, trying to force their way out of the top. I smiled my most wanton smile and then mouthed the words, "shower." He smiled and nodded.