The McCain Marriage Contract

It took a full month for me to finally muster the courage to face Valerie again. After hearing the full story from my dad I went into shamefaced hiding. I had gotten everything wrong, no thanks to Tony McCain. I had exhausted my anger toward him, but I still had no interest to have him in my life. All attempts to reach me proved abortive, even when he tried to go through my mom. In all honesty, I pitied him. He had gone through his fair share of suffering, although he was largely to blame for that.

Poor Valerie. All I had ever done was cause her pain and hurt for years on end. I felt very stupid to have trusted my dad without giving her a benefit of the doubt. In that brief marriage, I hurt her all over again by assuming the worst of her and trying to use her to get my revenge on my dad, while getting my fill of her body. I was responsible for all of her scars, both superficial and deep. How could I face her after all of this? How could I get her to listen to me ever again? "You need to go get your girl, Raymond," my mom told me. "You're gradually becoming a shadow of yourself."

"I'm sure she never wants to see me again, mom, and who can blame her? Even I never want to see me again."

"You'd much rather stay here feeling sorry for yourself than actually going out find out?" Mom asked. "You can't just give up on love like that. Have you learned nothing from your father's experience?"

Later that week I moved back to San Francisco and went in search of Mavis. I previously tried going back to the stroke center but J. J. had been discharged, so Mavis was my next bet. Initially, she was reluctant to disclose the Jensens' new place of residence to me but after repeatedly begging she gave in.

I had to press the doorbell repeatedly before Valerie showed up. My palms were sweaty and I had palpitations just thinking of the many ways this conversation would go. Best case scenario, she would walk me out; worst case, she would murder me.

She came out of the house and closed the door behind her. Then she crossed her hand over her chest and looked at me without smiling. I lost whatever was left of my self-confidence immediately. "I'm sorry, Valerie," I started.

"I'm honestly sick of hearing apologies from your family. I'm sick of hearing from you lot at all. What can we do to get some space around here... get a restraining order?" she asked.

I ran a hand across my head. "Damn it, Valerie. My life is nothing without you. I will spend the rest of my life making up my folly if you let me. Please just give me one more chance."

She observed me in silence for a long time and I was afraid she would just walk in and slam the door in my face. "I plan to hold you to that, Raymond, because you have a bigger responsibility now." Then she gently placed her palm on her lower abdomen and gave me a knowing look.

I didn't know whether to jump or dance, or simply pass out. "Is that... are you... are we...?" I stammered and it evoked a short laugh from her. When I heard that perfect laughter of hers, I knew everything would be alright. "Yes," she said. "I'm pregnant."

Without thinking I picked her up and spun her in the air, with the sound of her giggles ringing in my ears. Then I put her down gently and took my lips to her. I kissed her with reckless abandon. She was mine again. She broke the kiss. "Not so fast. I don't trust you completely yet. There's still one last step to seal this deal."

The last time we needed to seal a deal, we had delicious sex. "Is it what I'm thinking?" I asked.

"No, perv. You have to sign a new contract," she said with a mischievous smile on her face as she took my hand and slowly led me into the house.