Chapter 11

We slept for several hours and woke famished. Constance insisted on cooking and tore through the kitchen finding things to fix. Knowing when I was outmatched, I rested in front of the fire and let her work off her excess energy. As she puttered around, she kept commenting on how good she felt. I didn't think anything of it until the next afternoon.

When I turned on the TV, I found satellite radio and tuned in some easy listening music. It was soothing - just perfect for the mood I was in. I could hear Constance singing along from time to time, so I guessed that she didn't disagree.

Dinner was wonderful. Constance knew her way around the kitchen and seemed to enjoy cooking for two instead of one. I enjoyed her cooking and loved staring into her eyes while we ate.

I knew I could get used to being with her, but I also knew doing so would be very bad for her career. I waited until we finished eating and the dishes and kitchen were cleaned up, then asked, "How much trouble would you get into if anyone found out that we were playing house?"

We were looking out at the golf course lake, cuddling on the sofa under a blanket in front of the gas fire. She got a look and went inside herself for a little while before answering. "My government career would come to a pretty sudden end."

"That's what I'm afraid of. Living out here will keep anyone from even knowing you visit from time to time. There's so much privacy that we can be whatever we wish to be with each other without fear. If we go out, take in a movie, got to a concert, see a play, or do any of the ordinary things that ordinary people do, there will always be a risk for you, won't there?"

Constance didn't want to have this discussion. Her body language told me she wanted to ignore the pregnant elephant in the room for as long as possible. Her eyes implored me to let things just be, and I wanted the same thing, but only as long as we both understood what was at stake.

"I love what we have, but I'm concerned that Washington is not the place to try and carry on our relationship. We can move away and be left alone, or you can take your chances and hope, or we can choose not to go down this road. Mr. Johnson over here," I said, pointing at my lap, "already knows what he wants. I suspect you have figured out how he feels. But, I would hate myself for the rest of my life if I hurt you because of this."

Constance came over and cuddled into my arms, driving out all the air between us, and squeezing in to take advantage of my body heat. She took my face in her hands and studied me to see if I was telling the truth, and then kissed me so gently, I had to concentrate to be sure it really happened.

"You're right," she breathed, softly. "You are so damned right, and I knew it when I agreed to take you out to get supper last night. When I gave in and decided to stay the night, I knew we were playing with fire and could get burned, but I never expected to get hurt because I fell for you and forgot about everything else.

"Kevin, you are like a drug for me. I crave ... this," she waved her arm to take in the two of us, the glow from the fire, and the wonderful carriage house we were occupying. "You got into my panties by not trying to get in my panties. Your gentle personality and thoughtfulness destroyed all my defenses.

"I fend off men every single day of my life, and I fell into your blue eyes like I was fourteen and lying down for my brother that first time.

"How do I give you up???

"How do we not love each other? I can see that you already love me. I knew we had something that first time I walked into the hospital room and found you sitting up in bed, swathed with ten pounds of bandages, looking like a lost little boy, but behaving like a grown man. You swept me away when you chose to call me Miss Ames, instead of using my name to try to pretend we were more than acquaintances.

"When you made me come by playing with my nipple, I knew we were created for just that purpose, and I KNEW we were playing a dangerous game.

"How is it that a sixteen-year-old boy knows all about these things? How did you get so grown up in sixteen years? Why would a thirty-one year old woman that works inside the White House, fall head over heels, for a teenager?

"None of this makes any sense, but it hurts..."

I gave her one hundred percent of my attention, and said, "The heart wants what the heart wants, without consideration for borders, birth dates, or bank accounts."

Constance thought that over and made up her mind. "I'm heading home. I need to be alone to think." She kissed me and left quickly, before I could try and talk her out of it.

The rest of the night dragged until ten-thirty, when I turned in, sad and lonely. I needed a family, but I didn't need to hurt Constance to get one.

It was time to call Colleen.

Like E.T. I needed to phone home and promised myself to do so first thing in the morning.

Having made up my mind, I slept soundly without dreams.

The phone woke me at eight-thirty five.

It was Joseph Cotton.

"Kevin, Mr. and Mrs. Kirby wish to have you join them at the house, this afternoon at four. They wish to meet you and introduce you to their children and grandchildren. Are you free to come over for drinks and dinner?" He was being especially nice, after blowing up yesterday.

"Please tell Mr. and Mrs. Kirby that I am honored to be invited and will be looking forward to this afternoon." Hey, if he wants to play English butler, I can play along, too. After all, he got the most exclusive men's store in Chevy Chase to bill my entire wardrobe to his boss.

Carole arrived a little before eleven and she checked out my recently opened stitches, proclaiming me 'just fine.' Carole also wanted to discuss our tryst at the hospital the other night.

"I loved being with you and what we did together, Kevin. It was ... special. When I woke up the next morning I was aware of how wonderful I felt, and it was way after lunch before I remembered that I was feeling very flu-ish all day before we got together. But ... then we ... did what we did ... together, and you came in my mouth, which I enjoyed very much, by the way, and the next morning, presto! I'm not feeling sick anymore.

"I think Doctor Phaisal was right. Your semen does have something special that helps heal people. When we have more time, I want to spend the day in bed with you and find out how much better I fell when you put your special essence inside me the regular way." Her smile was cute, and I knew she was at least half kidding, but her revelation was a thing to consider.

We enjoyed a quick lunch in town, and she went with me to buy a new laptop, an iPad, and an iPhone six. I got the premium model of each and added all the frills. Before I was done, I bought an iPad for Carole and one for Constance, upgrading them with the premium airtime and memory packages.

A couple thousand dollars poorer, we headed for home. I noticed several expensive cars in the Kirby's front circle and figured their kids had arrived. Carole pleaded urgent business and refused to go with me, choosing to rush off instead. Since I had plenty of time before I promised to meet the landlords, I strolled around the backyard for few minutes, enjoying seeing the lake and golf course from their property.

At exactly three-twenty-four, a scream got my attention. When I looked in the direction of the voice, I saw a woman running hysterically towards the waters' edge, where a very small child was about to run off the dock into freezing cold water.

Before thinking about it, I took off running. I was much closer than any of them - only a couple of hundred feet from me to the baby. My heart and head ached from the sudden exertion, but by an act of God, I caught her tiny body just as she stepped off the end of the dock, which was about six feet above the lake. I scooped her into my arms, wrapped her tightly, and tried to brake.

My momentum carried me off into the water, and the shock of the cold nearly knocked me out. I held the tiny one above my head, clear of the frigid water, and hoped someone would come soon, because I was fading fast. The mud and muck sucked at my feet as I struggled towards the shore, much too weak to try and climb onto the high deck.

I heard voices closing in and willed myself to remain conscious, holding the baby above my head by sheer will power. She weighed next to nothing, and I could feel her squirming above me.

I knew I was losing the battle to remain conscious, which mean the little one would go under with me. That knowledge, and only that knowledge gave me the strength to stay standing a little longer. Everything was going black when I felt the child lifted clear of my arms, just as I slid beneath the dark, cold water.

Numbness replaced consciousness, and I found myself floating just under the surface, trying to lift my head enough to catch a breath. I felt a pole hit me hard on the side of my head. On instinct I grabbed and pulled, as the unseen hands above did the same.

The tug of war began to turn in my favor, and after what seemed like eons, my face broke the surface and I filled my lungs with air. My strength was gone, and holding on was all I could do.

It was impossible to stand, walk, swim, or help myself, and blackness had begun to return, when I felt strong arms drag me towards the shore.

There were many voices, but I couldn't make out what anyone was saying, and the pain in my chest and head was abominable. It was easier to fade off than try to speak or stand, and the weariness was so all consuming, I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried.

I experienced flashes of awareness. Rough hands pulled me all the way out of the water. A blanket was thrown over me, and several people grabbed and lifted me up and placed me in a wheeled chair, and I felt it being rolled away from the dock. Pretty soon I was all but unconscious, and the shakes, shivers, and terrors of near drowning overwhelmed me.

I tried...

I really tried to let them know I was fine...

It was...

... all black.

Sirens.

Blood???

Apparently, lots of blood.

Whose blood?

I didn't know.

All at once I opened my eyes and everything swam into focus.

People peered down at me. I was on the floor of strange room, filled with strangers.

"You finally decided to show up, but just HAD to make an entrance, huh??"

"Hello, Joseph. I'm pleased to see you, too." At least my sense of humor was still intact.

When I turned my head I saw what had to be my hosts. I started to stand up, but made it only a little ways, before I felt the floor rushing up to meet me.

The gentlest hand touched my face, and then my chest. When I looked up, I looked straight into the eyes of an angel.

She had to be an angel. No earthly woman could look so beautiful. She spoke but I couldn't make out her words and didn't answer, so she tried again. "Can you hear me? Can you hear me?"

"Cold," was all I could muster. "So cold."

My brain was numb, just like the rest of my battered, bruised, and frozen body.

"Try to stay with us; the ambulance will be here any minute." That came from my left, and I tried to turn towards the speaker. A wave of weakness, coupled with nausea laid me low. I did notice that the speaker was a police officer, standing nearby. The angel spoke again. "Don't try to move. Help will be here any second."

I like angels, I decided...

As she spoke I felt things snapping into place. My body must have started to warm back up, because my vision cleared and I could think straight.

"Thank you for helping me. Is the baby Ok?" Everybody in the room, and there seemed to be a lot of them, murmured in the affirmative. My angel was holding a blood-covered towel against my head. That didn't look promising.

"I really was going down for the last time. I had a recent injury, and the weakness can get pretty extreme. That freezing water almost stopped my heart. When someone grabbed the baby, I was out of strength, and knew I was passing out. When I felt that pole hit me in the head, it was just enough of a shock to get my attention.