Just this Once ***part four*** December 15th, 2001 Christine woke the next morning to a cozy fire burning in the fireplace and the smell of fresh coffee. She looked around, but Adam was no longer next to her. A week had passed since their meeting and they'd spent each night together, usually from the time she came home from work until she fell asleep. Christine was never sure what time of the night Adam left, but he was never there with her in the mornings. But the nights, she had the nights. Each night they'd hold each other and talk in front of the fire and she'd fall asleep in his arms feeling as if she belonged there. Perhaps he is in the kitchen, she thought as she sniffed the coffee in the air. Once in the kitchen she found a coffee cup setting in front of the coffee pot and a note leaning against it, she read the note aloud to herself. "Dearest Christine, I do
so want to continue seeing you, but I'm unsure of the events to come
and am not able to explain my dilemna. Just know that
when I must leave it will not be because of you it will be
because my job here is done and this could be soon.
Thought I can not explain myself now I know that one day
understanding will be yours. If, with knowing this, you
still want to see me again tonight just think about me and I
will be there. Christine stared at the note, puzzled. What was his job? What dilemna? What can't he explain? Will I ever understand? Christine shook her head and sighed, for now I shall take what I can, I'll enjoy each moment that we're together and deal with all these questions later! Shrugging off the never-ending questions, she poured herself a cup of hot coffee and headed towards the front door. She liked to keep her doors locked, especially when she wanted quiet time, and knew that if Adam had left through the front the door wouldn't be locked as it only locked from the inside or the outside with a key. Upon reaching the front door she found that it was indeed locked, as it had been each morning. Christine never thought to question this when she seen Adam next, it was far from her mind when she looked into his eyes each afternoon. Her first thought was a shower or a long bath with her coffee, but then she decided she would take her coffee to the attic and shower after. She stretched her neck one way then the other as she climbed the steps into the attic, trying to work the kinks out. One crate, she told herself, then it's on to the housework! This would be the first chance Christine had gotten to venture into the attic since the day she found the baby clothes. Christine stood in front of the remaining four crates with her eyes closed. Pointing in the general direction of the crates she began eliminating them by process of "Eeeny Meeny Miney Mo". When she opened her eyes she found herself pointing at the cleanest of the four crates, the newest looking one. Opening it she found it to be filled with many smaller boxes some of which were labeled with marker. The first one she took out was very small and top read A's first Christmas. She pulled out a beautifully hand painted ornament with the words Baby's First Christmas painted clearly on the small rocking horse ornament. She turned this ornament over in her hands and looked on the back where the year was painted, 1946. Digging through the crate she found a small box of broken toys which she tossed aside so that it could be discarded and another box of old hardcover books which seemed to be in excellent condition. These, she thought, will go wonderfully in the library downstairs. The idea brought a smile to her face. There were boxes ranging in size packed neatly in the large crate and Christine enjoyed most of her finds. There were antique Christmas ornaments and toys, a few more books and some old newspapers from the fourties and fifties. At the very bottom of the crate she found a small lock box, which was locked. Christine rummaged through every box again and completely cleaned out the crate feeling discouraged as she could not find a key. She had a strange feeling about the lock box, it was as if she needed to get it open, she just had to. She carried as many of the books as she could downstairs to the library and made a second trip up the stairs for the lock box and the rest of the books. Once she returned to the library she threw herself into the chair behind her desk and sat staring at the lock box. What could be inside? she wondered. Before Christine realized nearly an hour had passed, she blinked back her day dreams of finding a treasure map or old stocks or other treasures inside the box and glanced at the clock. It was nearing one in the afternoon already and she was famished. After a trip to the kitchen she returned with a poptart and a coke. Looking around the small library she remembered why this had been her favorite room in the house. The wall facing the backyard had two small windows both covered with lace curtains and other than these windows and the door all four walls were lined with floor to ceiling shelves. She'd only managed to fill about a quarter of them with books and antiques, but now after her find in the attic she would be able to fill a shelf with the books and some of the antiques she'd found. Maybe, she thought, once I've finished going through the rest of the crates I'll be able to fill an entire wall unit! Her thoughts quickly returned to the small lock box and what it might hold. Christine would cross her fingers and hope that she would find the key inside one of the other crates, she'd hate to have to break the box, it would make a wonderful addition to the shelves in her library. However, she wouldn't be digging for the key today. Instead she wandered through the house picking up anything that might need washing. Dirty towels in each of the three bathrooms and the kitchen, dirty clothes in her bedroom and, she decided, her bedding should be changed. Perhaps tonight Adam will stay again, but this time we will not sleep on the floor, Christine heard herself giggle and shook her head in disbelief; she sounded like a school girl. Shortly after five Christine had her laundry nearly finished and had put away what was clean, she'd made her bed with fresh linens and cleaned the house from top to bottom. Not bad for four hours work, Christine congratulated herself, though it wasn't hard considering there were no dishes and no real mess to speak of. Christine undressed in her room and headed for the bathroom intending to take a shower but instead began filling her large corner tub. Though most of the house had been left untouched, aside from carpeting being changed, Christine had made sure her bathrooms were modernized. Christine opened her eyes. Blinking back sleep she realized she was still in the tub, she'd fallen asleep and now sat in a tub of cold water. She stood quickly and stepped out of the water and pulling the plug in one swift move then jumped in the shower to let the hot water warm her body and wake her mind. As she stepped out of the shower she heard a faint knock at the front door and she knew it was Adam as her heart tried to leap through her throat. Taking no time to dry herself she wrapped up in a short silk robe and ran down the stairs nearly falling in the dark when she risked a glance at the clock near the bottom of the stairs. It was already eight o'clock. Without even looking to see who was on her front poarch she simply threw the front door open and smiled into the face of the man she'd come to adore in such a short time. "You didn't even ask who it was," he said as he came in the house closing the door behind him; shutting out the cold wind. "I knew without asking or looking, I knew because I can feel when it's you." She felt herself blush as she thought, Gee, Christine, read enough romance novels? "I can feel you as well," Adam replied as he looked her up and down, taking in the way the soft silk robe stuck to her wet body. "I can see you and feel you and touch you and kiss you," he said softly and drew her into his arms. The clean linen on Christines bed served no purpose that night. Adam made love to Christine near the base of the Christmas tree with the fire place casting playful shadows across their bodies. Part FIVE **COMING SOON*** |