Part Six

Sean turned and gently wrapped his hands around Marita's wrists and placed them in her lap. "Marita, go bring Alice her packages and come right back, alright?"

Marita sat back and looked back at Sean quizzingly. "Uh ..yes Sean, of course". She adjusted her clothing and Sean assisted her in pinning her hair up.  Marita, confused and feeling a little awkward, picked up Alice's packages and left the
room, never looking back.

I've done something wrong, she thought, he thinks I'm a cheap and horrible and...I was just curious...I wanted to touch him...like he touches me...maybe I'm not supposed to do that.  I don't know.   I've never touched any man but Sean, Oh I've made a horrible fool of myself. No sign of affection between her and Sean ever made her feel ashamed or wrong and what happened moments ago was no different. She loved him and everything about him, his mind and spirit, which she knew very well, and his body, which was beginning to learn of now.

Marita spoke to Alice for  a long while and when she felt she couldn't hide her sadness anymore she claimed she had work to do and left Alice to tend to her own chores.  Marita  paused before knocking on Sean's door again. Her eyes were glassy with tears of shame and embaressment. She couldn't help she knew nothing of lovemaking, she was just sorry she had somehow disappointed Sean.  After a quick wipe away of tears and a few deep breaths, she rapped on the door and
Sean let her in.  She paused in mid-stride.... vases of roses had been placed throughout the room and even the linens they had been playing on an hour earlier had been changed. Wine had been taken up from the cellar below the house and stored in the silver wine basin that had been Libby's so many years ago.

Sean glanced at the glassy eyes of his love and turned her face to his. "What happened, what's wrong?"  he said.  Marita stared openmouthed at Sean, confused. "Don't look at me like that too long you might get kissed." he smirked. He took her hand in his and led her to the rocking chair next to his large four poster bed. He sat in it,  pulled her on his lap, and gently wiped away the tear tracks from her face. "Now, tell Sean what's the matter."

Marita placed a loving hand on his cheek and looked him in the eyes.."Why did you turn me away, I thought I had done something wrong..and you didn't want me,,,", as Marita thought about the words she was saying she blushed.

Sean smiled into her eyes and placed a soft kiss on her mouth, " I want you too much, in every way, Marita, that's the
problem. I wanted to give you roses and wine and this....." Sean reached behind Marita and pulled out a velvet box from his bed side table.

Marita placed her hand over her mouth in surprise and touched the velvet. "Oh Sean..." she breathed.  She flipped open the box and gasped. The box held a platinum filagree
work choker, baby fresh-water pearls entwined the throat and the largest tear-drop ruby lay hung from the center. Beside the choker lay two pearl and platinum cuffs and a set of tear-drop ruby earrings.  "My mother gave the set to me to give to my wife as a wedding present.  She said the choker and braclets
were to bind true love forever and be given to the woman who I never wanted to leave my side, for better or worse, through the best and the brightest of times and to let me know her union with my father was blessed above all things because
her first born son was a gift from God."
 

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