In Sickness and In Health

Henry hugged her and his dad goodnight and headed to bed, and Lynn grabbed a shot glass and a bottle each of Absolut Vanilla and Captain Morgan.

‘A few rounds gentlemen, then I’m kicking you out to molest my fiancé ’ The guys all laughed cat-called at this; Dom drew out a deck of cards.

‘Okay men, and lady, the game is bullshit. Y’all know the rules. You get called Bullshit on, you drink, you call a false Bullshit, you drink. You win everyone ELSE drinks.’

‘And the incentive to not get caught is WHAT exactly?’ This of course from Billy.

Everyone laughed and Dom replied, ‘Do what ya want mate But them’s the rules of the game.’

It didn’t take the guys long to learn that Lynn was better at Bullshit than at GameCube.

‘I call Bullshit on ye, Lass,’ said Billy, for what had to be the thirtieth time that night.

‘Then drink up Boyo,’ was her retort.

Viggo, acting as official referee examined her cards and nodded. ‘Drink up Billy.’

The guys all laughed, especially when a rather drunk Billy totally missed his mouth and wore the Jack Daniels instead.

‘Okay gentlemen, I’m out–game over ’ Lynn crowed. The men groaned, each drinking their shots as required by the Sacred Rules of Bullshit. ‘Now I’ma kickin y’all out. Time to go take advantage of my man.’

Once again there were hollers and cat calls, as the men busied themselves with grabbing wallets, hats, and such, and saying goodbye.

Once alone, Lynn turned to Viggo. He smiled at her, and put his arms around her waist, stroking her back. Leaning forward, he kissed her lips, groaning when she nipped at his bottom lip with her teeth.

‘Are you sure about this?’ he asked. ‘We haven’t . . . You don’t . . . I can wait . . .’

She silenced him with a kiss. ‘I want to,’ she whispered. ‘I need you and me, naked, in OUR bedroom, now.’

He groaned, loving the take charge attitude. ‘Oh, god baby, you got it.’

He reached for her, and giggling she took off down the hall to their bedroom. Being faster than she, Viggo caught her with relative ease. She was giggling, until he pinned her back against the wall, a feral look in his grey eyes.

‘Shhhhh. . .’ He kissed her, a kiss unlike any other she had experienced. Hot and demanding, but tender and giving at the same time.

She tried to bring her hands up, tried to strip him of his shirt, but he caught her wrists and pinned them to the wall. ‘Uh, uh, uhhh,’ he tutted, whilst still kissing her. She groaned in frustration, making him laugh. ‘Deal with it angel. Tonite is gonna be special, just relax.’

She sighed, and submitted to his kisses, giving when she could, taking eagerly when he wouldn’t let her give. He removed her hands from the wall, but kept a firm grip on them, and guided her, backward, into the bedroom. Kicking the door shut behind him, he turned her about, and pinned her against it, with her back to him.

‘What’re you. . .’ she started.

‘Shhhhh,’ he intoned. ‘You’ll see. Keep your hands on the door baby. Please.’ And he let go. She did as he asked, but found it ever more difficult when he started kissing down her neck and back. Reaching her waist, he tugged the hem of her t-shirt up, and blazed a trail of kisses up her bare spine. His thumbs traced along the path he’d just kissed, making her shiver.

Reaching her neck again, he nipped lightly, drawing a whimper out of her. He traced her neck with his tongue til he reached her ear. Gently, he nipped at her ear, earning another whimper. Her breathing was ragged by this point, and he noticed she was squirming back against him.

‘C’mere.’ The command was barely spoken, simply breathed into her ear, but it was one she’d been waiting for. She turned, meeting his hot gaze. He gently pushed her back into the door, pressing his body to hers. Being the same height, pelvis met pelvis, drawing a moan from both.

He was braced on his forearms, against the door, he too breathing raggedly now. Meeting her lips with his, he drew her to him, led her over to the bed. Stopping at the side, he tugged her t-shirt off, kissing the newly bared skin. He splayed his fingers across her ribs, thumbs brushing her nipples, eliciting a moan.

Smiling, he kissed his way down her throat and chest, pausing long enough to take each nipple into his mouth, to suck on them until she cried out and threaded her fingers into his hair, tugging. He dropped even lower, kissing his way down her tummy now. When he reached the waistband of her shorts he stopped.

Thumbs hooked under the elastic he looked up, silently asking permission. When she smiled and nodded, he let out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding. Slowly he pulled the shorts down, revealing inch by glorious inch of pale, porcelain skin, kissing every inch of soft skin he uncovered.

He stopped, and stood, kissing his fiancée, hot, wet, and deep.

He guided her back onto the bed and gently laid her down. Standing, he quickly disrobed. Lynn watched, soaking in the image of her beloved standing before her, beautifully nude. He stood before her taking in her body as well.

Starting at her ankles, licking and nipping, kissing and sucking, he works his way up her long legs. Half an hour it takes him to get to her knees.

‘Viggo. . .’ Her voice is soft, pleading. He ignores it and continues torturing her with his mouth.

Up to her thighs now, stopping just below her swollen lips. He moves up to her pelvic bone and starts again, drawing a frustrated cry from Lynn. Finally, he reaches her lips and kisses her, staring into her pleading eyes.

He continues to assault her lips and tongue with his, but allows his hands to roam her body. She is clutching his shoulders, trying not to scream.

Slowly, his fingers find her wetness, and he slides one in. Her hips buck up as much as his will allow, and she throws her head back.

‘Viggo, god, please!!!’ she cries out.

‘Almost,’ he whispers against the sensitive skin of her neck.

He slides another finger in. Then a third. ‘You’re so wet baby. . . How come?’ he gently teases. She growls at him, and he figures he’ll end the torture for both of them. Drawing his hand back up, he sucks the fingers that had been inside her, while holding her gaze. Her breath hitched, Fuck that is hot! she thought to herself.

He lowered his head and kissed her deeply, nudging her legs apart with his knees. He moved one hand down, and guided himself to her opening, watching her eyes. She saw the unspoken question, and nodded. Slowly he pushed into her.

Sensations flooded her body, threatening a sensory overload. She buried her face into his neck and cried out, tasting his salty sweat as she did so.

‘Look at me,’ he whispered roughly.

She pulled her head back and looked into his eyes. He didn’t pull out of her, but rocked his hips, moving ever so slightly inside her and at the same time adding a little pressure to her clit. Lynn felt as though she were flying, so lightheaded and feeling so good.

She felt rather than heard his moan, and he pulled back, before thrusting back in.

‘Not. . .gonna. . . last. . .long’ he ground out, having found his rythm. ‘Me. . .either,’ she managed.

Soon their breathing became harsh and moans and cries replaced words. She felt herself start the fall into climax and cried out ‘Viggo!!’

At that moment Viggo cried out too. ‘God, Lynn, oh god!’ He thrust in one last time, and held her, shaking, as he spilled himself deep within his love.

He collapsed just to her side, half on top of her, arm draped across her chest, head on her shoulder, breathing hard.

She reached over and brushed his hair out of his eyes, and leant forward to kiss him.

‘That was worth the wait,’ said she, and Viggo smiled his answer.

‘I love you,’ they said at the same time, before falling asleep.

Viggo woke up to find Lynn shivering, huddled into his side as much as possible without actually climbing into his skin. He pulled the blanket up and around her, and turned onto his side, pulling her even closer.

‘Mmmmm, ‘anksh,’ she murmured.

He kissed her on the forehead and hugged her close. ‘Go back to sleep angel,’ he whispered. Resting his forehead against hers, he also drifted back to sleep.

A couple hours later, Lynn woke up to see him smiling at her. He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and kissed her gently. ‘Reminds me of our first date,’ he grinned. ‘Except for a much more comfortable sleeping surface,’ he chuckled, grimacing at the memory of how stiff he was that morning.

She sighed, and got up. ‘Feel like a drive babe?’ she asked oddly melancholy.

‘Sure, where to?’

‘You’ll see.’

About 90 minutes later, they pulled up to a massive cemetary. Lynn directed Viggo to a section of plots, and when he stopped she climbed out. Se waited for him to join her before heading to a plot she could’ve found blindfolded. Dropping down on the plot, she rested her forehead against the cool stone, but not before Viggo read the inscription.

‘Patricia Ann Anderson, b. 1959, d. 2003; Beloved Mum’ Engraved below it was a red rose, and a pink coloured ribbon. Breast cancer. He sighed.

‘Your mum?’ he asked quietly. She nodded.

‘44 goddamned years old, leaving me and my baby brother alone.’ At his confused look she explained. ‘Raymond’s over there,’ she indicated a nearby plot. Mum’s death was the start, then he and his girlfriend miscarried a baby. He got badly depressed, and went out one night drinking. He had never drunk a drop in his life til that night; it was the last night he had on earth. And Jimmy’s not my real brother. Just a super close friend and all I’ve got left in this world.’

‘No, baby. You’ve got me. And Henry. And Orlando, Dom, Billy, Seans A and B, Elijah, Hannah, Liv. Honey they all love you. I know it isn’t the same as your mum or your brother. But we are here for you.’ He put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her back to him. He could feel her trembling, probably trying to hold back tears. ‘Let it go honey. It’s okay to let it all out.’

Lynn lost it. She had never properly grieved, too busy and too much in denial. A primal wail tore loose and she sobbed. Viggo held her close, allowing her to mourn now, willing the pain to leave her body. His heart constricted with grief at the sight of his love on her knees, face buried in his neck, wracked with emotional pain.

Finally she stopped, and shifted. She sat sideways resting her head on his now-damp shoulder. She sighed.

‘She’d have loved you, although you are older than she was. Politically you’d have argued, but she’d have loved you. I wish she could meet you now.’ She choked up. ‘She was supposed to be here when I had my babies. She wanted to catch them. So many things we always wanted to do, never came to pass. God I miss her!’ Viggo tightened his arms around her, pulling her close, gently rocking her.

Finally Lynn looked up. ‘Hey Mum. I know I don’t have to come out here to talk to you, but I always feel closer when I do. This is Viggo, Mum. I wish you could’ve met him, he’s something special. He proposed last nite, and I accepted. So I guess this is my invitation to our wedding, yeah?’ She choked on the last words. Viggo was touched by how deep her feelings for her mum ran.

‘I’m gonna go see Ray now, Mummy. I love you. God I miss you!’ Lynn stood and moved to another section. This marker said ‘Raymond L Anderson, b 1987, d 2004; Beloved Brother and Boyfriend’ She laughed, tracing the last word.

‘My family had a cow over that. They didn’t think it was “appropriate.”’ She snorted. ‘As if appropriate has anything to do with emotions! His girlfriend was suffering enough. I told the family to sod off. The whole lot of them. Never felt close to most of ‘em anyhow.’ She sighed, and picked up a rose. ‘Jen was here recently.’ Looking up she explained, ‘Jen was his girlfriend. Only one he ever had that Mum and I liked. Oh she was so good for him. He loved her so much.

‘Hey, it’s sis. I see Jen was here. I hope she had a nice enough conversation with you. You really threw us for a loop baby brother. Remind me to kill you when I die.’ She laughed sadly. ‘I really miss you Ray. You were all that kept me alive sometimes. Funny it turned out to be you that took this route and not me. I want you to meet my fiancé, Viggo. You knew him as Aragorn. I just brought him to Mum. Lightening didn’t strike down so I suppose she approves. I hope you do too baby brother. I love you. God I miss you.’ With that she broke down again.

Sudddenly Viggo touched her shoulder. ‘Look!’ he whispered.

She looked up at the brightest and most vivid rainbow she’d ever seen. Without a single cloud in sight. She smiled through her tears. ‘I think Mum and Ray approve,’ she whispered.

The six weeks since Lynn had brought Viggo to ‘meet’ her family had passed in a whirlwind. Orlando, Beanie, and Elijah all had premières that they invited the couple to. Lynn thanked her lucky stars that they were all in LA.

In addition, she was busy trying to make plans for their wedding. Phone calls, emails, letters, brochures, magazines. . .it seemed there were far too few hours in a day.

She had given up her apartment, sublet to Hannah Wood actually, and was living with Viggo full time. She was on the phone when he came in, but looked up and smiled. Seconds later though she dropped the phone and bolted for the bathroom.

Concerned, Viggo followed her, and found her bent over the toilet, on her knees. He swept back her hair with one hand and rubbed her back with the other. When she finished, he handed her some toilet tissue. ‘Blow,’ was all he said.

She stood and brushed her teeth, then sagged against him, her strength depleted. He stood her up long enough to take her into his arms and carry her to their bedroom. A worried Henry met him on the stairwell.

‘Dad?’ He asked, the unspoken question obvious.

‘She’s all right son. Probably just a bug.’

‘Um. . .’

‘Hang on a minute son, I need to get her settled. Meet me in the sitting room?’

‘K.’

Lynn murmured weakly when Viggo set her down and covered her.

‘Shhhh,’ he said kissing her forehead. ‘ Hmmm,’ he thought. ‘No fever, that’s good.’

Going into the sitting room, he saw Henry fiddling with the wall calendar. ‘What’s up Henry?’ he asked.

Henry handed his dad the calendar. ‘She always red-circles the day she. . .ah . . . starts. She didn’t circle anything since March, and it’s the first week of May.’ Viggo started to say something but Henry bulldozed over him. ‘And yesterday she asked me to go to the store. She was out of dill pickles and chocolate frosting. Dad she ate them TOGETHER. Like put frosting ON the PICKLES ’

Viggo stilled. His fiancée didn’t eat dill pickles. And she usually gave him half the frosting on cakes, because she found it too rich.

He thought back to March, to the night of the Academy Awards. Had they EVER used protection? He shook his head. He didn’t think so.

‘Well, son. I can’t say for sure until she has a test, but I think you’re going to be a big brother.’

Lynn woke up just after Viggo got back from the store. He went to the bedroom.

‘How you feelin’ baby?’

‘Lousy. And I have the strangest desire for fried eggs with mayo and peanut butter.’

Viggo grimaced. ‘Uh, babe, it’s pee on a stick time.’

‘What? Oh my god, Viggo, you don’t think. . .?

‘You tell me love, you’re the one craving some odd combinations and pukin’ at the drop of a hat.’ She stared.

‘Well, I guess it’s a good thing I have to pee then.’ Lynn said wryly. Viggo smiled. Leave it to his fiancée to be able to see the lighter side of things.

Ten minutes later Viggo was reading the results as Lynn re-emptied her stomach. Oh, there was no doubt she was pregnant. He’d never seen a stick turn colour so fast before. Course, he reasoned, he’d only seen one, some 19 years ago.

‘Congratulations, Mama,’ he whispered, voice husky with emotion. She looked up, nose running and eyes bleary. She was the most beautiful he’d ever seen her, right at that moment. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.

Just then Henry poked his head in. ‘Everything all right? Orlando called, ten kinds of worried. Lynn was on the phone with Hannah when she disappeared. Hannah couldn’t get Lij so she called Lando.’

Viggo looked up at his son. ‘Everything’s perfect big brother,’ he grinned.

‘Oh, hey!! For real? Oh that ROCKS! I’m gonna go call Mom!’ He took off running down the hall.

Viggo rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t know if that news will make Exene’s day like it did his.’

Lynn smiled, spitting toothpaste into the sink. ‘If this is any indication, we’ll need a case of this stuff, a half dozen toothbrushes, and a lot more toilet paper,’ she groaned.

Viggo smiled. ‘I love that you can find some humour in anything, babe.’ Lynn laughed and laid her head on his shoulder.

‘Mom says congrats and when can she see an ultrasound picture?’ Henry called. The parents-to-be looked at each other and laughed.

‘C’mon babe, let’s go lie down. You look rung out, and it’s only 14.30.’

‘Mmmmm. Okay, but you need to make me an appointment with my ob-gyn.’

He smiled. ‘Will do. Want to wait til it’s confirmed to tell our friends?’

‘Yes. Just in case. . . I miscarried once. I didn’t get this far, so I’m probably okay, but, just to be safe. . .’

Viggo took her hand. ‘Let me go make the appointment. I’ll come back to you right after.’

When Viggo came back, Lynn was sound asleep. When he lay down next to her she curled into him. He placed his hand on her tummy protectively. God was giving him a second try at fatherhood. As much as Henry adored his dad, Viggo sometimes felt he should’ve done better, or been there more. A second chance. . . the words rang in his ears until he fell asleep, hand still on Lynn’s tummy.