I Would Go With You To the Ends of the
Earth
Author's note: Clay owns himself and his own name. I only wrote the words
to the story.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Day Seven - Thursday, June 22
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That morning at the church
Pastor Macy nodded grimly as he and Sally listened to Jayme. Kate made a face as she watched. Sally is not happy, she thought. This doesn't look good. She reached over and squeezed Clay's hand as she waited for the discussion to end.
Clay glanced over, noting the serious expression in her eyes. "What is it, honey?" Kate indicated Pastor Macy and Sally with a quick nod of her head, and Clay made a face much like Kate's had appeared a moment earlier. "Why do I have the feeling we aren't going to like this?"
After another minute of conversation, Pastor Macy addressed the team. "The protests are getting worse, team. There was an altercation down in Les Cayes yesterday afternoon." Kate gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth, and Pastor Macy continued. "The chimeras have been terrorizing the town ever since, and there have been more casualties. President Beauvoir is going to Les Cayes with some of the militia as guards to see if he can't appeal to the chimeras." He shook his head. "It isn't looking good, everyone. We need to pray that it doesn't come to Jérémie or Port au Prince or any of the cities we have to pass through in order to get back home."
"Refresh my memory," Clay whispered to Kate. "Isn't Les Cayes in the southern peninsula, like we are right now?"
Kate nodded somberly. "Les Cayes is between us and Port au Prince. We're on the north coast of the peninsula and Les Cayes is on the south coast of the peninsula." She took a deep breath. "Unfortunately Les Cayes is closer to us than it is to Port au Prince."
Clay grimaced visibly. The trouble was almost on their back doorstep. "Who are the chimeras?" he asked. "I know what they were in Greek mythology, but..."
"Well, then that will help you understand how they got their name." Kate kept her voice low, hoping not to unduly frighten the other team members around them. "Chimera means 'monster' - they are basically a bunch of thugs who support Aristide namely by terrorizing anyone who opposes him. And although Aristide was a former Catholic priest, he's a very big supporter of voodoo." She slowly shook her head. "If the chimeras are involved, it's no wonder things are getting violent." Kate frowned. "And of course Aristide's people don't like Americans too well since we were instrumental in his hasty exit."
"You were in Les Cayes, weren't you?" Clay asked his wife gently, remembering her earlier reaction.
Kate nodded. "Yes. Yes, I was." Her frown deepened. "I don't even want to think about some of the things the faithful are going through down there. Clay - I met them. I knew them! I know the pastor there... some of the kids." Kate took in a tortured breath. "The supporters of voodoo don't like Christians at all. We are a threat to them and their way of life. Our one all-powerful, all-loving God against their collection of miscellaneous spirits... spirits who more often than not represent evil or harmful things, spirits who tend to deal out the very evil they represent." She stared off into space. "Although some voodoo worshipers would have you believe otherwise, there's nothing good about voodoo. It is a religion based on fear and power over other people. It is a religion invented by the evil one, and some of its supporters worship the evil one openly."
"How much danger do you think we're in?"
That's the question of the hour... Kate pondered that one. "I don't know - I don't have any feelings yet. Maybe something will come to me yet today." She sighed. "Of course I have to wait for God to speak to me. I can't will a hunch to happen."
Clay reached over and took her hand in his. "I trust Him to have our welfare in mind, honey. Remember our favorite verses... both yours and mine. They're appropriate even now."
A gradual smile crossed Kate's face as Clay's words gave fresh hope to her heart. Clay's favorite Bible verse was Exodus 14:14 ("The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.") and Kate's was Jeremiah 29:11 ("'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"). She knew them by heart, and as she recited them in her mind Kate couldn't help thinking that Clay was right. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a man of faith... a man after your own heart like King David was.
Once again the team members brought out the crayons for craft time, but today they also brought out hundreds of lunch-size paper bags. The children were going to use these supplies to make hand puppets. As they set up the room, Sally quickly ran over the skit for Will and company so that everyone would have an idea what to expect when the time came.
The first class of students came in, and the teachers lined up in front for the prayer and song leading. After one of their own teachers prayed for the group, the team began to lead the songs. Children, teachers, and missionaries alike, they sang and rejoiced through the songs they had learned that week, including I Will Call Upon the Lord, Do Lord, and several others that Clay was not familiar with before this week. Once they were finished with singing, it was time for the bible lesson.
Lisa read the story of Jesus and the little children as Prosper translated for them. Meanwhile, Will and the rest of the team enacted the story over the women's shoulders for the children to see. "The last three years that Jesus lived on earth he did not have a job, he traveled from city to city teaching the people about God and telling them that he is God's Son. Many people believed that Jesus was telling the truth and came to listen to what he taught them about the Bible, God's word. One day some moms and dads brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them. The disciples told the parents not to bother Jesus with the children and to take them away. Jesus heard the disciples say these things. He told the disciples that they were wrong, Jesus wanted to see the little children. Jesus held the children and blessed them. Children are very important to Jesus and very special. He told the disciples that everyone should have faith like the little children. Did you know that you are very special to Jesus even though you are a child? Sometimes adults forget to tell children that they are very special, so today I want you to know that you are very special to many people on earth... but especially to Jesus. He made you and is with you always and wants you to love Him as much as He loves you. It doesn't matter if you do not think you are pretty enough or big enough, or think that you are not good enough in any way. God made you just the way you are and loves you more than anyone. Today we are going to make puppets. We want each of you to make a puppet that looks like you to remember how special God made you and how much Jesus loves you!"
Touché, Sally mused. More people should hear that message - especially if they have the humility of the Aikens. While there were a lot of people in the world with ego to spare, Sally knew a lot of people who never seemed to believe in their own worth - some to the point of verbally tearing themselves down at every opportunity. At one point Sally herself had been like that.
The children spread themselves around on the floor of the sanctuary, and the team started passing around the supplies. Before long every child had a paper bag and one or two crayons, and began drawing their paper bag puppets.
Kate noted from the side of her eye as Matt shot several minutes' worth of video footage of her with several of the young girls, the girls showing her their puppets and putting on an impromptu show. Briefly she pondered just how many photographs and yards of video footage had been shot of Clay and herself in Haiti, and what kind of arrangements had been made between the church and Clay's managing company to secure copies. Good publicity, Kate thought, both for the church and for mission work.
Now that craft time was over and the children were finished making their puppets, the teachers had the children return to their seats in the pews, and they sang a few more songs before snacks were handed out and the students dismissed. Shortly after that group of students left, the second batch entered... and the team repeated the whole process all over again.
"Well," Sally said as she glanced at her watch. "It looks like it's going to be lunchtime shortly."
Kate took a deep breath as the others scattered for a little bit of free time before lunch. Seeking out Sarah, she walked toward her. All morning she had tried to catch Sarah for that apology, and in every case either Sarah had avoided her or something else had come up to interrupt them.
"Kate sweetie," Sally called, diverting Kate once again from her self-appointed task. "Would you be willing to help me set this place up for lunch?"
"Sure," Kate answered, stifling the sigh and the face she felt like showing. She wasn't angry at Sally, of course, she was frustrated that events seemed to be conspiring against her.
Somehow Sally knew that Kate was a reluctant volunteer. "Was there something else you wanted to do instead?" she asked.
"Just apologize to my best gal pal," Kate whispered.
Sally blinked. "Oh - well, then don't let me bother you," she whispered back.
Shooed away from the work, Kate once more attempted to approach Sarah. Sarah saw her coming from the side of her eye and moved out of her path over to where Sally was setting up. "I can help you set up for lunch, if she's not willing."
"She's willing all right," Sally stated evenly, "once she corners you for the apology she wants to give you." Sally gave Sarah a firm look, hinting that Sarah should quit trying to get away from Kate.
Sarah made an annoyed face. "Are you sure she wants to apologize?"
"That's what she just told me," Sally insisted, "and I believe my cousin."
"Fine," Sarah said, turning away and swaggering over to Kate. "Let's get this over with."
"I couldn't agree more," Kate replied softly. "I hate to see you hurt and angry."
Kate's answer took Sarah by surprise, and she gave a subtle start. Just as quickly Sarah got herself back under total control, and the two women walked away from the rest of the group. From the side of her eye Sarah saw Clay wink reassuringly at Kate.
The two women sat in one of the back pews several yards away from the rest of the team. Kate immediately noticed Sarah's posture, as she sat with her arms and legs crossed and didn't look at Kate. She sighed - Kate was going to have an uphill struggle. But she had earned it. Quickly she shot a prayer heavenward and began. "I want to apologize for the judgmental attitudes and behavior I've shown to you and Will. And not just for yesterday... for the last six months or so. I've already apologized to Will, and he's all right with it... but you're the one I need to apologize to most." Slowly Kate shook her head. "I may not have been wrong to care about you and want what's best for you, but I was very wrong to presume what is right for you and to tell you what I think that is. I keep forgetting that God uses every situation, good or bad, right or wrong, to help His children learn and grow. And these past six months I forgot to remember that you are my sensible, intelligent best friend who knows her mind and her heart... you haven't changed from that, and for me to judge your behavior was very wrong of me. I don't have that right." Kate took in a deep breath. "I am very sorry for hurting you, Sarah... and I am hoping that you can forgive me."
Sarah sat for a moment in silent disbelief at Kate's words. Kate had apologized to both of them for everything... everything over the course of time that Sarah and Will had known each other. And by the way Kate sat there expectantly, she was awaiting some sort of reply from her. "Um... thanks." She paused for a moment. "Clay put you up to this, didn't he?" she asked.
"Clay pointed out the fact that I had wronged you," Kate acknowledged quietly, "but apologizing to both of you was my decision and my choice... a choice which he agreed with and supported completely."
"Oh." Sarah chewed her lip thoughtfully for another moment. "Since you did make the effort of your own choice, I suppose I will forgive you." As a smile slowly started across Kate's face, Sarah continued. "But I need some time first. You hurt me deeply, Kate. I don't just bounce back like a rubber ball."
"All right." Kate's voice sounded hoarse, and she knew that she was inches away from tears. "I'll give you the time and space that you need, Sarah. Just know that you're still my best friend and that I still love you like the sister I never had." Sarah slowly nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, and it quickly became apparent to Kate that there wasn't going to be any more conversation between them for a while. Kate rose laboriously walked over to Clay in a daze.
Clay read the expression in her eyes and sighed in sympathy. "Oh honey..." Gently putting his arm around her shoulders, he led her just outside of the sanctuary so that they could converse in privacy. "Want to talk about it?" he asked.
"N-Not now, this close to lunch," Kate breathed, determined to hold back her emotions. "Later when I can let it all out and don't have to worry about... about..."
"Are you sure?" Clay asked, the concern evident in his voice. Kate nodded, and he bit his lip as he watched her fight to keep the tears in. "We are talking about this later, hon."
"Not trying to avoid it," Kate admitted. "Just trying to put it off so that I don't have to deal with it in front of everyone." Clay moved to embrace her, and she put a hand on his chest. "If you do that, I'll lose it here and now. Just... give me a moment, and I'll be ready for lunch."
Clay put an understanding hand on her shoulder to reassure her, heaving a
deep sigh as she reached her hand up and placed it on his. What a week...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Just after lunch
The young Haitian boy slid into the open spot between two other Haitian school children, Clay no more than two or three steps behind him. "Wow. It seems everybody can outrun me today," he told the boy, appreciating his smile as his teacher translated Clay's words for him. Among the team members picked as "goose" in their impromptu game of Duck-Duck-Goose, Clay had been one of the more popular choices. And Clay had always let the students beat him back to his spot...
Clay slowly walked around the ring of students and team members, placing his hand gently on each one in turn. "Duck... duck... duck..." he intoned quietly as the players awaited for him to declare who got to chase him around the circle. He finally approached his wife, and several of the children smiled expectantly. Word had gotten around quickly between the children that Clay and Kate were married and were going to become parents, and the children were waiting for Clay to choose Kate as the one to chase him. A wry smile of his own crossed his face as he finally reached Kate and placed his hand on her head. "Aflac," he pronounced, and moved on to the next person.
Kate giggled under her breath as the rest of the team members laughed warmly at Clay's joke. That would be my husband... always the comic.
Sally nudged her. "Bet you he picks one of the kids again," she whispered.
Once more going around the circle, Clay continued to pronounce teachers and students alike as ducks. Almost there... he thought to himself as he once again approached Kate. Placing his hand on Sally's head, he yelled, "Goose!" and took off on a run around the circle.
"What?" Sally squawked as Clay got a head start on her. She quickly scrambled to her feet to give chase, as the students giggled and cheered them on. After a few frantic minutes Clay slid into Sally's vacated spot next to Kate, and she stopped behind him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she smiled evilly. "I can't wait to post on the message boards," she told him, "that I got goosed by Clay Aiken."
Clay gave her a mockingly dirty look and stuck his tongue out at her. "Very funny."
Kate leaned over and whispered into his ear just loud enough that Sally could hear it. "Don't bring that out unless you're going to use it," she purred.
Taking great delight as Clay blushed at the tease, Sally patted his shoulder. "Keep that up and I'll get a bucket of cold water to cool you two off!"
"Please," Clay replied. "In this heat it would feel good."
Finally catching her breath, Sally panted a bit. I'm getting too old for this. "I think it's probably time we stopped the game anyway. The kids need to get back to class, and we're probably going to be having our last group of kids come in soon."
As the children in the circle got up to go back to their own studies, the team members also stood up to return to the sanctuary for bible school. Clay and Kate wrapped an arm around each other's back as they slowly walked towards the church. "'Aflac' indeed, hon," Kate snorted. "Some days your humor is positively fowl."
Oh really? Clay shot a mischievous glance at her. "And I thought it was just ducky."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "You were winging it," she told him.
"Well, darlin', your humor just isn't flying with me either," Clay teased.
"Yours left me down in the mouth."
Sally shook her head at the punishment the dueling couple were dealing each other. "Stop egging each other on."
Noting that they had both been had, Kate drawled, "That was a feather in her cap."
Sally and Clay both glared at her as Kate gave them her most innocent look. "You just had to get in the last word, didn't you?" Sally muttered. Kate smiled an impish smile, and Sally sighed. "Wipe that Cheshire Cat grin off your face. You look like you swallowed a canary."
"Now that's a bird of a different color," Clay added, giving Kate a satisfied look.
"You'd best watch it, Mister," Kate warned, "or else you'll get your Christmas goose early this year."
"That a promise?" Clay waggled his eyebrows at her, making her snicker under her breath.
"Just don't do it in front of me," Sally told them.
Once the teaching team finished with the last class of the day, they headed outside to the building site to help the construction crew with another round of bucket brigade. Matt was already out there for his canteen duties, and he gave them a nod as they walked by to line up between the concrete mixing station and the pillars that needed liquid concrete poured inside.
Jack and Sheila lined up with the Aikens in such a way that both husbands were ready to assist their wives with the heavier buckets. Sheila put her arms around Kate's shoulder as they waited for the brigade to start. "How are things going between you and Sarah?"
Kate smiled lightly at the other woman. Sheila had also been close by in the pool as the argument had began and ultimately blown apart the two friends. "I finally got my apology in," Kate told her, "and Sarah even accepted it. She needs some time to herself before we can hopefully go back to normal."
Sheila squeezed the younger woman gently. "That's a hard lesson to learn, Kate. I'm glad you're learning it while you're still young... and while you and Sarah can still mend the relationship." She sighed. "I wasn't so lucky..."
"Really?" Kate asked. She was somehow unable to see Sheila being judgmental with anyone. "What happened?"
"Let's save that story for later," Sheila said, "back at the hotel."
"All right."
The bucket brigade began, and once more the team passed the concrete down the line. Sarah was in good shape, but even she noticed how quickly one worked up a sweat at this.
It didn't take long for the team to develop a pace and a rhythm to the work. "Bucket!" Jerome hollered as he passed on the next one to Clay and Kate, who in turn gave it to the Hansons. At the end of the line was Chris, who poured each bucket full into a support beam and tossed the empty bucket down to Adam. Adam passed each empty on to Pastor Macy, who placed the bucket next to the men manning the shovels at the concrete mixing station to start the cycle all over again.
"Bucket!" Chris hollered, dropping the latest empty to Adam. "Bucket!" Adam responded, tossing it to Pastor Macy. The bucket wobbled mid-air, and landed a short distance away from Pastor Macy open end facing him. The impact the bucket made when it hit the ground propelled some of the remaining concrete soup in the bucket out the opening, splattering Pastor Macy's work jeans.
Immediately the team members broke into laughter as Pastor Macy studied his attire. "Sorry about that, Pastor," Adam told him.
"I know that God's word says that we are molded like clay and that we will be turned into dust again, but I'm in no hurry to get there, son."
Sally's laughter grew at the quote from Job. "Perfect, Pastor Tom, perfect!"
Clay giggled as he and Kate exchanged a warm look. Impishly Clay reached up and smeared the tiniest bit of wet concrete onto her nose with his glove. "Hey..." she protested as she quickly wiped it off. "You do that and my nose will set before these beams will!"
"I don't doubt that," Clay drawled. "I know how quickly my work gloves set yesterday." He found it greatly ironic that the concrete on his work gloves had set within an hour after the bucket brigade... and he knew it took much longer than that for the supports to set.
Before long the concrete had been used up and the teachers were sent back to the hotel. Knowing that Sarah loved swimming far more than she did, Kate informed Clay openly during the van ride that she didn't feel like swimming that afternoon - a quick shower to knock off the dust and sweat and she would be good to go. Clay saw Sarah eavesdrop on the exchange from the side of his eye and nodded. It would give the two of them a chance to talk a bit with the Hansons in private.
Once back at the hotel, Clay and Kate took a quick shower to clean up from
the day. Clay watched as his wife put on a lightweight tank dress for the
evening, and he smiled. Not only did she look a lot cooler, she looked
beautiful in the dress. Though nowhere as form-fitting as the dress she had
worn during their last night in
"Ready!" Kate agreed, holding her hand out to him. He took it, and the two of them went out to the patio furniture where Jack and Sheila Hanson were already relaxing in peace and quiet.
"Hello, Aikens!" Sheila called out cheerily.
"Hello, Hansons!" Clay responded, assisting his wife into a chair beside Sheila before claiming one of his own chairs at the table.
The two couples made a lot of small talk, enjoying the breeze blowing through the hotel and the rest of the team splashing and playing in the pool. Kate noted that Sarah was in the pool as she had hoped, enjoying a bit of minor roughhousing with Will and Jerome.
Sheila gauged the look in Kate's eyes and guessed that she was watching her friend. "She'll forgive you, Kate. Give her the time she asked for, and she'll get over it."
Kate smiled and sighed. "But how can I get over what I did to her?" she asked gently.
"Learn from it," Sheila told her, "so that you hopefully won't make the same mistake again." As Kate's smile grew, she began to tell a story. "There once was a man who didn't know how to show love. He didn't know how to show love, and he didn't know how to receive it. He was often very verbally abusive to his family, and when it came time for discipline he was often physically abusive as well." Taking note of Clay's sympathetic wince, she continued. "He couldn't say, 'I was wrong' or 'I'm sorry', and he couldn't say 'I'm proud of you' or the most important one... 'I love you'. His children were always hoping for that to come from him, but it never did. But plenty of critical and judgmental things came from his mouth just fine." Sheila looked off into the distance, almost as if she was watching the events unfold in front of her. "After the youngest son's divorce, the father fixed him up with a young lady he had met once. They hit it off, and before long the two of them moved in together. While he had been all right with the two of them dating, he was quite critical of the new living arrangements. His typical greeting to his son was, 'Still shacking up with her?'"
"Ouch," Kate grimaced.
"Ouch is right," Sheila acknowledged. "Eventually the youngest son decided he had enough of his father's judgmental attitude. He took a new job in another state and cut off all ties from his father and mother... and since he assumed that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, he cut off ties with the rest of his family too. This was back in 1986, and his family hasn't heard from him since. They can't even tell him that his father has been gone for the last ten years."
Kate clapped a hand over her mouth as she did the math. Twenty years... That was a long time to go without any contact with your family. "Is this a fictional story that has a moral, or is this a real-life story that may or may not have an ending?"
A slight smile turned the corner of Sheila's mouth. "The man was my father," she told Kate. "I haven't seen my baby brother in twenty years... because my father was incapable of giving and receiving love and keeping his judgments to himself."
"Oh, Sheila..." Kate breathed.
"I think of him all the time," Sheila told Kate. "Although it all still hurts deeply, he left me with a gift. A story to tell others, in hopes that they can learn from my father's mistake."
A mistake that cost her entire family their relationship with her brother. "Thank you, Sheila. I promise that I won't forget this story."
Clay studied his wife as she pondered the conversation the four of them had been having. Kate seemed to be dealing with the events of yesterday and today surprisingly well - unless she particularly wanted to talk about them, he didn't see the need to drag them up and hash them out with her later. He would much rather make plans for how he was going to return the favor for last night.
Once everyone was cleaned up, they loaded into a couple of the vans and
drove to the house of the local pastor for dinner. Being out of the hotel
during the evening was a little different for the team, since they were used to
being inside the hotel grounds when it was night. There seemed to be a very
different ambience in
The vans drove straight to the pastor's house, where he had managed to put out quite a spread for them. Foods included Haitian pizza, turkey, some kind of mystery meat, vegetables, plantain, a spicy coleslaw, other salads, the ever-present rice and beans, pumpkin soup, and drinks including a fruit juice punch, a rum and Coke punch, and wine, beer, or water. Will was pleased to discover that some of this food was very spicy - and while there were plenty of alternatives for Kate, he was loving every bite. The team conversed with the pastor and his family, as well as some of the teachers and their families.
Devotions were held just outside of the house, while there was still enough light to see by. Lisa and Matt had tonight's devotion, and continued the theme of trust and faith that had been touched on already by Sarah and Frank on Tuesday night. Matt reminded the team of a scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indy was going through the temple for the chalice. The last of Indy's trials had been taking the proverbial "leap of faith" across the canyon... and Matt reminded the team of how sometimes life was exactly like that. Where there seemed no hope, God was there - and all they needed to do was have faith in Him and trust that He would direct their paths... that He had what was best in mind for them, and would never let them down.
Sarah was especially quiet on the drive back to the hotel. Had her dreams been mistaken? Had Patricia's dreams been mistaken? The concept was not entirely unheard of... Tonight's devotion seemed almost as if it had been crafted just for her, and Sarah couldn't decide whether it was referring to her own future or the Aikens' future. In spite of her anger at Kate the last night or so, she had still prayed for the two of them... she couldn't sleep until she had prayed for the strengthening of their faith and their love, and that the couple could handle any situation thrown their way.
Equally quiet but for different reasons, Clay pondered a few more things on the way home. There had been talk of more card games when they returned to the hotel, but Clay was convinced that the two of them didn't dare indulge tonight. Playing cards before his time with Kate promised to keep them up to all odd hours of the night. He firmly felt that tonight was important to get a good night's sleep.
"Honey," Clay began once they climbed out of the vans, "I know we're going to seem like a couple of hermits for this, but I was hoping to have time tonight for just you and me."
Will smirked. "Aiken, you already killed that rabbit."
"Shut up," Clay chuckled, blushing profusely.
Couldn't guess what he has in mind tonight, Kate thought wryly. She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't get enough of it last night, hon?"
Clay shot her a look. "That's not it."
"Then what - "
Deciding to use the same tactic she had used on him, Clay placed a finger over her lips. "You'll see," he whispered before depositing a kiss on that same set of lips.
Well... Kate mused as Clay took her hand and led her through the gate of the hotel. She knew her husband was spontaneous and full of surprises - who knew what he had in store for them.
Clay opened the door to their room, and once he and Kate were inside he locked it behind them. He turned back to Kate, whose eyes were lit up with expectant curiosity. Slowly Clay walked over to gather her in his arms. "I want to thank you again for an incredible evening last night. Words just aren't enough to thank you, to describe how I felt and how I still feel about what you did." Smiling as Kate blushed lightly, he continued. "Because I love you so much, I want to give you the same kind of evening tonight."
"Clay..." Kate began gently. "You don't need to do anything like that for me."
"I want to." He kept Kate close as she blinked in wonder. "You are a very special woman," he told her as he kissed one of her eyebrows, going on to kiss the second eyebrow and underneath both eyes as he finished his sentence, "who deserves amazing and wonderful things, including the occasional night devoted just to her." This time he deposited a kiss on the space between her eyebrows. "Tonight I want to spoil you with love - with my love." He placed one more sweet, slightly longer kiss on her lips before pulling back to meet her gaze with his own.
"Spoil away," Kate whispered, her voice light and hoarse. "God has given me only one gift greater than you in my life."
Clay did not need to ask - he would have claimed the same greater gift himself, a saving faith relationship with God. "Normally at home I would put on music," he told her, "but I don't have that here. I hope you don't mind if I sing to you instead."
Kate grinned. "You won't hear me complain."
Pulling her close to lay her head on his chest, he began a gentle ballad.
Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I will be here
If in the dark we lose sight of love
Hold my hand and have no fear
I will be here
I will be here when you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind I will listen
And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying
Through the winning, losing, and trying
We'll be together
'Cause I will be here
Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I will be here
As sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
I will be here
I will be here and you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older I will hold you
I will be here to watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here
I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me
I will be here
And just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
So I will be here
We'll be together
'Cause I will be here
Clay continued to hold her close long after his song faded away on the air, and Kate made no attempt to leave his embrace. Neither one of them claimed to have any skill at dancing, but both loved to dance slow and close with each other whenever they had the chance. It had something to do about being in each other's arms...
"I love you, Clayton," Kate whispered, the words barely more than a breath.
Stroking her cheek, Clay made his reply. "I love you, Kathryn." She glanced up at him, and they shared a gentle smile before Clay leaned in to give her another kiss. He broke that one after only a minute in order to slowly drop tender kisses all over her face. Keeping her eyes closed, Kate released a quiet moan at his attentions. The moan was almost Clay's undoing, and he had to pause for a moment with his lips lingering on her forehead before he regained enough of his composure to go on. As Clay continued to sprinkle kisses all over her face, he heard Kate's breathing gradually shallow and accelerate in speed. I don't want her at this stage yet, Clay thought to himself. Reluctantly he stopped kissing her for now. "I want to give you a massage," Clay informed her. "You tend to enjoy the experience more when you're relaxed, and I want you to be fully prepared to enjoy our evening together."
Kate studied his eyes, and she saw that Clay was ready to take as much time at this as he needed in order for her to be completely satisfied. Slowly she nodded. "All right."
Remembering that Kate had packed a brand-new bottle of Aloe Vera lotion, Clay dug into the drawer of their supplies while Kate prepared for the massage. Soon she was laying down on the bed stomach to the mattress wearing only a towel, and he knelt beside her. Starting with her head and working all the way down to her feet, he kneaded and rubbed the tension out of his wife. Once he finished with her feet, he returned back to the top and gently helped her turn over.
"Come're."
Glancing up as she beckoned him closer, he gave her a knowing look. "If you're trying to take control, I'm not going to let you."
Kate made a face at him. "Well, fine. If you're going to be that way, I'll play by your rules." Her eyes turned pleading. "Will you give me a kiss, honey bunch?"
Clay snickered at her choice of nicknames. "A small one, for now." He placed a light and sweet kiss on her lips before returning to his massage. "I'm going to finish this before I give you any more."
"I suppose," Kate pretended to pout, "that I should be grateful that I got even that much."
"Aren't we impatient tonight?"
Kate shot him a mockingly dirty look. "I like your kisses."
"Oh, there's more where that came from," Clay acknowledged, making her smile, "and certainly I can do better than that. But first things first."
Spoiling me with his love, Kate thought to herself, remembering his words from earlier. I really am enjoying this... if the anticipation doesn't drive me crazy first.
At last Clay finished with the massage, and reclined gently beside his wife. Gazing warmly into her eyes, he caressed her face with slow and loving strokes. "Beautiful..." he sighed. "Absolutely beautiful." He smiled slightly as he felt Kate's hand gently running up and down his side. The first connection of the night had been made, and Kate was open and willing to see what else he had up his sleeve. Once more Clay leaned towards her and started sprinkling kisses on her face - kisses lasting anywhere between one and three seconds, depending on where he placed them - as he held her face in his gentle hand. The slow and sensual tempo seemed to increase the effect his kisses had on Kate, and soon she was softly whispering his name. When she began doing that, Clay knew it was time to move onward.
Before long he had carefully assisted them the rest of the way to the state in which they had been created, and he continued to place those gentle, lingering kisses all over his wife. Soon Kate's whispers were mixed with light moans as her skin felt the fire of his touch. He was sending her out of her mind with fever and he knew it, much as she had done to him the night before.
As if he knew what she wanted next, his touch began increasing in fervor and intensity as his lips met hers at last for a deep, prolonged kiss. She responded instantly, and within moments they felt the pure heat that their touches and their motions made. And they had not yet started to touch parts most intimate.
By the time his most intimate touches had sent her into a fevered flush, she was practically begging him to join himself with her. Gingerly Clay made a suggestion that had been given him by a married friend, a suggestion that was supposed to make the experience all the more intense for the wife (and hopefully him too). It didn't take him longer than a minute to discern that she was in no state to weigh options and how she would have felt about it later - she wanted him now and in the worst way possible. Taking a deep breath, Clay began...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Next door, in Sally and Sarah's room
Sally finished brushing her teeth and crawled into bed. "Ready to call it a night?" she asked Sarah.
"Am I ever."
Suddenly in the still of the night through the paper-thin walls they could hear telltale noises that left little to either woman's imagination. Sally made an embarrassed face. "That's more than I ever wanted to know about Kate's love life."
"I hear you there," Sarah agreed.
"At least they're enjoying it."
Sarah nodded. "And if they're enjoying it, then at least I know he's treating my best friend right."
Sally smiled. It sounded like Sarah was finally getting over the latest events. By the end of the week the two women would be back to normal. Another suggestive noise came from next door and Sally threw up her hands. "That's it - I can't take any more. I don't know about you, but there's no way I'm getting to sleep with those two carrying on next door unless I take some extreme measures." Getting up long enough to pull a personal CD player and headphones from her backpack, Sally quickly set herself with sounds more conducive to sleep.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Sarah agreed, and quickly got out her own player.
The pair at last set up for peace and quiet, they turned off the lights. "Well, goodnight."
"Goodnight." With the lights off, both of them tried to get a good night's sleep.
But that good night's sleep eluded Sarah. As she had done every night for
the past month, she tossed and turned fitfully, tortured by dreams of the chaos
in
Sitting bolt upright in a cold sweat, Sarah gasped loudly. Immediately Sally was awake in the bed nearby. "Sarah, what is it?" Seeing the frightened expression in Sarah's eye, Sally knew. "Again?"
Sarah gulped in deep breaths of the night air as she nodded. "It's the same story, again and again. Sally... something's going to happen. Something's really going to happen."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Back in the Aikens' room
Wow, Lord, I never knew it could be like that. Kate gently kissed Clay as he dozed in her arms, and continued studying his freckles and his long lashes. Most of the people that she and Sarah had known in school were of a different frame of mind about intimacy than Kate and Clay, and had often bragged about their various activities and exploits... often with great detail. The descriptions hadn't made Sarah so much as blink, but it had been all Kate could do to keep from squirming in her seat. She firmly believed that God had designed intimacy as a gift between man and wife, and that it had the potential of being so much better than these schoolmates were describing it. It had the potential of being something beautiful and miraculous between a God-fearing couple. Never in her fondest dreams did Kate think she would be living that very kind of marriage relationship. Kate was blessed, so very blessed, and she knew it. She wanted to remind both God and Clay every day how blessed she was. Thank you, Lord, thank you, thank you, thank you, for the second-greatest gift you could have ever given me, second only to your Son. Snuggling closer in Clay's arms, Kate shut her eyes with a contented sigh and let sleep finally claim her.
Go to the next day, Day 8 (June 23)
Go to yesterday, Day 6 (June 21)