Chapter 77

"I do not

understand, Mother. What do you mean , you are leaving?" Edward asked, not comprehending what

was being said to him. He and Alessandra had been home for several

weeks. During that time, it had seemed as though everything had

returned to normal, and everyone was happy.

Edward's

mother studied her son. In

him, she still saw a man she would never consider handsome, but who

had made her incredibly proud because of the man, the husband and

the father that he was.

"Alessandra's father

wishes to go and live at Missinger Estate with his son for a while,

to spend time with him, and he has invited me to join

him."

"But you have a home here,"

Edward said.

The two of them were talking in

the 'glass jungle room', away from the rest of the family.

Edward heard his mother take a

deep breath, and let out a sigh.

"Edward, you

are settled with your own family now. While you and Alessandra were

away in Italy, I found myself missing your father deeply.

Alessandra's father was there. We are good

companions , and we have both

lost our loved ones so we each understand that loss. Why should it

surprise you that we wish to spend more time together?"

His mind wandering,

Edward found it difficult to feel happy about what was happening.

Even so, he did not want to express displeasure to her - not when

she had given him so much in his lifetime.

"Do you … love him?" he asked

as one final question, trying to understand.

"I think I am beginning to,

yes. I have been lonely, and he understands that loneliness very

well. It makes things easy between us. When I look at you and

Alessandra, I do, in the depths of my soul, want to find that again

before I leave this world, Edward. I want to feel loved."

Edward did not say anything

more, and they sat together peacefully, each thinking about their

own views and their own needs.

~~~~~

At the same time, walking out

in the garden, Alessandra found herself drawn into a similar

discussion with her father.

"I love her, Alessandra.

I did not think I would love anyone again, but when it was just the

two of us here, I found her to be a good person to lean on in my

loneliness," he said, sensing that the news did not surprise his

daughter at all. "I do also want to spend time with Nicholas while

I can. Moving to Missinger Estate is the easiest way for me to do

that."

He stopped walking and took

both of his daughter's hands in his.

"Say something, Daughter. I do

not wish to upset you."

Alessandra looked at her father

and smiled at him.

"Oh, Father, no! You have not

upset me. After all you have been through, it is only natural that

you should want companionship. If Edward's mother is the lucky

woman to secure your attention, I am very happy for you both," she

said and they started to walk once again. "And it is only fair that

you go and spend time with Nicholas. I have had you all to myself

all this time. It is certainly time he had his turn."

~~~~~

That night in

bed , Edward was assertive in

his attentions to her, as if driven by an even greater need than

normal. As he lay down next to her, she looked closely at him,

wondering what he was thinking.

"How do you feel about the news

of our parents?" she asked him tentatively, not wishing to upset

him.

Edward

looked at her and pulled her

closer.

"I must admit, it does

make me feel a little … strange … but I cannot be upset at them.

Whenever I think of losing you, I can imagine the deep feeling of

loneliness they each must feel at times, so I know that I must be

happy for them. For now, it is just … odd."

They lay quiet, until

Alessandra determined that he would not go to sleep with that

conversation the last thing in his head, so moved herself to kiss

him everywhere - his lips, his neck, down to his nipples and over

his belly, before taking him in her mouth and giving him the kind

of pleasure he had not taken for some time.

"Oh, my love…"