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  • Ghosts of the Past Ch. 05

Ghosts of the Past Ch. 05

By two o'clock in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, Diana Richards was explaining where they were going to her husband Charles as he and his partner, Tom Seldon, loaded their overnight bags into the trunk of the car. "Your mother is expecting us to arrive around three o'clock. She's hoping we'll stay for dinner and visit with your family before we leave to go to my parents' home in Virginia. The drive should take about four hours. So if we can leave by seven, it should put us at my parents' around eleven o'clock. I already told Mama and Daddy not to expect us until late."

Charles said to the others, "I just want to warn you guys now... I'm not that close with my family. Most of them are not very considerate people. They talk and make jokes and everyone puts on a good front that we all get along famously. But I've hardly spoken to my father in the last ten years. If I'm lucky, he won't even be there. I love my mother... but she nags me terribly and she's the nosiest busybody you'd ever want to meet!

"I rarely ever see my oldest brother and his wife and their two sons, and my middle brother and younger sister are leeches when it comes to money. They weren't very happy with me just before I moved to L.A. I finally convinced Mom to stop letting them suck money out of her every time they were in financial trouble. I like my in-laws better than I do my own siblings! Gee... don't I sound excited to see my family?" Charles said sarcastically as they were climbing into the car.

Diana sat next to him on the front seat and leaned her head on his shoulder. She said sadly, "It just seems so unfair that you're the only truly decent member of your family... and the only one who can't have children to carry on what's good!" She sighed heavily.

Charles glanced in the rearview mirror. Tom and Lynda were looking at him sympathetically. He took a deep breath, started the car and pulled away. He headed toward La Plata, Maryland for what he knew would be a few hours of pleasant, but stilted, conversation with people he felt less kinship with than the two sitting in the backseat of the car.

**********

At seven o'clock that evening, Lynda was chuckling as they headed down the highway from southern Maryland into Virginia. "You were right about your mother, Charles. She is one of the nosiest women I've ever met! But she's so kind about it that you can't help but like her!"

Then Tom said, "I can also see why you said I looked more like your brother! Mike and Paul look nothing like you. As a matter of fact, none of you look very much alike! Are you sure you're mother wasn't... messing around while your father was gone on all those business trips?" he finished with a chuckle.

Charles glanced at him in the mirror with a grin on his face. "You don't know how many times I've wondered that myself over the years! It would sure as hell explain a lot!" They both laughed.

Diana chuckled, too. Then she said thoughtfully, "I could probably like your sister, Liz. She's a lot like me personality-wise... except for her inability to handle money! She's a lot of fun to be around and she's very talented in many ways... but she's a bit conceited about it, too. She likes to brag on herself a lot. That would probably drive me crazy after a while."

She paused for a moment. "But your father... it's like he has no heart. He doesn't seem to care about anyone... not even himself. He's going to chain-smoke to death. He drinks coffee like it's going out of style, but he won't touch alcohol? I've never trusted a man who doesn't drink! He's just a strange man. And I see absolutely no resemblance in you to him at all... physically or mentally."

Charles lifted her hand from where it was resting on his thigh and kissed her fingers.

She looked at him. "Some of your family drove me nuts with the pleasantries that came out of their mouths and the backstabbing looks I caught every once in a while. I understand now why you wanted to get away from them."

She laid her head on his shoulder. Everyone was mostly quiet for the rest of the trip. Diana's father had waited up for their arrival and he could see they were all exhausted. So he showed them to their rooms and bid them all good night.

**********

Christmas morning dawned brightly at John and Josephine Maitland's home in Colonial Heights, Virginia. They were overjoyed to have their youngest daughter and their new son-in-law for a surprise last-minute holiday visit, brief though it would be. They also were glad to see Tom and Lynda Seldon again, having met them at Charles and Diana's birthday party in L.A.

Diana's whole family arrived by mid-morning for Christmas brunch. Afterward, everyone sat around and watched as the younger children opened their gifts. The grown ups had decided long ago that Christmas was for the children. Everyone didn't need to spend hard earned money trying to buy presents for more than twenty people... some of them simply could not afford it.

The children went outside to play with their new toys and the grown ups stayed inside. The women congregated in the kitchen, making preparations for the afternoon meal and the men sat around talking. Diana's mother, sister, sisters-in-law and nieces all treated Lynda like she was one of the family. And Tom fit right in with Charles and all three of Diana's older brothers, brother-in-law, one nephew and her father. Everyone was laughing and the pleasantries exchanged were genuine.

When the afternoon meal was over, the men were all sitting around talking again. Diana's oldest brother, Dan, asked about something that Charles tried to side step.

"I caught a story on a national news station one night just after Thanksgiving about a shooting that occurred at a residence in Brentwood. They said it had started out as a hostage situation... that a man who had assaulted a woman months earlier came back to attack her again and ended up being killed by police and FBI hostage negotiators. I figured since you live in Brentwood and are with the FBI that you would know about it."

Charles and Tom glanced at each other uncomfortably. Charles looked back at his brother-in-law and said quietly. "I'm sorry, Dan, but we can't talk about that."

Dan cornered Charles and Tom a few minutes later when they got up to refresh their drinks. "OK... what's up? I saw that look the two of you exchanged and I don't buy that you can't talk about it. It can't be that confidential if it was on the news. The story said that the identities of the victims involved were being withheld to protect their privacy. They only identified the attacker who was killed... a guy named Edward Hood."

Diana rushed over when she heard the mention of that bastard's name. "Charles!" she hissed. You weren't supposed to tell anyone about that!"

Dan Maitland turned around to stare at his little sister's ashen face. He forgot that she had switched to using her middle name and reverted to what everyone had always called her when she was growing up. "Suzie... your husband hasn't told me a thing. I was telling him about a news story I heard back around Thanksgiving. From what you just said, I can only surmise that you were involved somehow!"

Diana put her hand over her mouth as she stared back at her eldest brother. "Oh, God..." she mumbled. She removed her hand and took a deep, ragged breath. "OK, Dan... I'll tell you what happened, but you have to swear to me that you will not tell Mama and Daddy. I think you'll understand why once you've heard the whole story."

**********

Dan Maitland stared at his sister in shock. Oh, my God, Suzie...you've been through so much and you never let on to any of us! Why? You know how much we care about you...

"Damn, little sister... I was shocked enough to learn that you were friends with John Wayne and Ward Bond when Mom and Dad came back from L.A. in November. But now I find out that your husband, his partner and a couple other policeman friends shot and killed a man that assaulted and raped you five months ago after he had secretly stalked you for years! Then he came back to kill you and he held you and your girlfriends hostage?!"

Dan closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're right, Suzie. I see why you don't want Mom and Dad to know about this. It wouldn't be good for Mom's health and Dad doesn't need to hear a story like this about his baby girl. It would probably kill him. I'll try to keep this quiet."

Diana's eyes welled with tears. She hugged her brother briefly. "Thanks, Dan. We're going to have to leave soon to return to Washington. I want to tell everyone goodbye before we leave. And try to remember to call me Diana!" she chided at her brother.

She reached up and kissed her husband tenderly before she walked away.

Charles watched his wife hugging some of her family members as she told them goodbye. She's so vulnerable... and she doesn't even realize how fragile she is. And I can't give her the one thing that would probably give her strength... to want to live her life to the fullest... He turned back around toward his older brother-in-law and Tom. His eyes were misted with pain.

You really do love my little sister, don't you? Hell...you killed a man for her... "It's a great comfort to know that my little sister finally found a man worthy of her love."

Charles' eyes filled with tears. "Unfortunately, I'm not worthy enough. I don't think I can give her what she most wants from me." Diana's brother frowned at him. "A child. It's highly unlikely that I'll ever have children. I just found out last week. I know Diana's heartbroken about it... but she loves me and she'll never leave me. I suppose we could always adopt..." But she wanted to experience pregnancy... to feel our child grow inside her. And now she won't...

He took a deep breath and blinked the tears out of his eyes. "I'm sorry to have dumped that on you, too, Dan. That's something else you shouldn't tell Mama Jo. She had already asked Diana at our birthday party to not put off having children so she would get to enjoy them before she got too old. I don't want to be a disappointment to her!"

Dan put his hand on his young brother-in-law's shoulder. "Charles, you are by no means a disappointment to anyone in this family. No one could love my little sister better than you."

I bet you'd be surprised to hear that John Wayne had thought he could... Charles frowned and chuckled ironically. "Thanks, Dan. It's been wonderful meeting everyone. Tom and I need to get our bags out to the car, so would you tell everyone that I said goodbye and thank them for such a warm welcome to me and our friends. I don't feel up to any tearful farewells right now."

"Sure thing, Charles. But you should at least say goodbye to Mom and Dad. I know they'd feel terrible if they didn't get to see you again before you leave."

Charles found Mama Jo and Dad John hugging their baby girl and telling her goodbye. He hugged Mama Jo and kissed her cheek as she thanked him again for coming to see them. Dad John shook his hand and clasped his shoulder as he walked with them to the door to say goodbye.

"You two be good to each other. As long as you continue to love each other as much or more than you do now... nothing else matters. You both know what true love is... life doesn't get any better than that! Except maybe when you have children and grandchildren!" Dad John winked at Charles.

Diana squeezed his hand. Charles sucked in a breath and managed a smile before they turned away to head to the car, tears once again welling in his eyes. He handed the keys to Tom. "Could you please drive for a while? I can't see very well at the moment..."

Tom and Lynda climbed in the front seat and Charles and Diana sat in the back. She leaned on his chest and he put his arms around her. Silent tears ran down both their cheeks.

Diana closed her eyes. I love you, Charles...I'll always love you. As long as I have you... nothing else matters...

I love you, too, pretty lady. I just wish... It shouldn't matter... but it does. I just have to pray for a miracle now. The doctors didn't say there was zero chance... just that it would take a miracle! 'Tis the season for miracles... As soon as we get back to the hotel tonight, let's see if we can make a miracle happen...

Oh, sexy man... do we have to wait until we get back to the hotel? We have this whole back seat to ourselves...

Diana...are you crazy?!! We can't fuck right in front of Tom and Lynda...

We won't be fucking in front of them... we're behind them! Besides, it'll pay them back for the day they met when we found them in bed together at our house... and they weren't embarrassed! And if we keep our clothes on, they won't be able to see as much of us as we did of them!

You know damn well what I meant! But... I don't know if I can... you know... get it up... knowing that they'll know what we're doing...

Diana lifted her head and looked at him. She smirked. You just leave that to me... She leaned toward him and kissed him gently, running the tip of her tongue over his lips. He parted his slightly and touched the tip of her tongue softly with his.

Charles felt a jolt of desire when her hand slid down to rub over the crotch of his pants. His cock was already stirring. I guess I will be able to get it up...

Uh huh... told ya... She stroked his cock through the front of his pants as they kissed deeply and erotically. It didn't take long at all for him to become fully erect. Diana backed away from him for a moment to reach up under her dress and remove her panties. Then she straddled his lap on her knees and unfastened his belt and his pants.

When Charles moved to lower his pants, Tom exclaimed, "Oh, come on, you guys! You're not seriously going to do it right there in the back seat in front of us... are you?!!"

Diana looked down at Charles. There was hesitation on his face. Don't you dare try to back out on me now, sexy man... or I'll seriously hurt you...

Charles grinned and continued to lower his pants. "Sorry, partner, but sometimes a man's gotta do what his wife wants... when she wants it!"

He grasped Diana's hips up under her dress and helped her lower herself onto his long, aching shaft. They both uttered low, guttural groans as he filled her completely. Then he moaned, "And don't worry... this won't take very long!"

Diana rocked herself on his long cock, stimulating that spot deep inside her that makes her climax forcefully. She came in less than a minute, wailing loudly with her back arched, clinging to his shoulders. Charles leveraged his ass to the edge of the seat and began to buck into her hard as she slammed against him. He also came in less than a minute, growling through his gritted teeth.

"Damn, guys! You weren't kidding! That didn't take long at all! Do you always come that fast?!!" Tom asked incredulously.

Diana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Then she replied, "Oh, no... Now that we've gotten that out of our systems, we could go at it for hours now." Tom started to protest. "But don't worry... I just wanted a quickie so we could start praying for a miracle until we get back to the hotel."

Lynda handed Diana some tissues from her purse and asked, "What do you mean by that... praying for a miracle?"

Charles explained as they cleaned themselves up. "The doctor said most of my sperm are dead... but not all of them. He didn't say there was zero chance she would get pregnant, just that it would take a miracle. So... we're praying for a miracle! 'Tis the season for miracles... right?" He looked at Diana and smiled sadly as she moved off his lap after he fastened his pants.

Lynda smiled sadly at them and then looked at Tom. Maybe sometimes miracles need a helping hand... maybe Diana's joke might be just the miracle they need... But how? There's only one way... No... I don't think I could handle that! Besides, Charles would never go along with it, either...

Charles leaned his head on the door window as Diana settled herself against his chest again. He caught Lynda looking at Tom with a strange expression. She appeared sad at first. Then she looked thoughtful... her brows furrowing as if thinking of how to do something. Then she winced slightly and shook her head as she glanced back at him... catching him staring at her. She looked startled and she faced forward again.

What on earth were you thinking, Lynda? Then he remembered that joking statement Diana told him she'd made to Lynda about asking Tom to lend him some of his potent sperm... My God, Lynda... you weren't actually contemplating THAT, were you?!!

Contemplating what, my love?

Charles looked down to see Diana staring up at him in question. Oh... nothing, pretty lady... I could tell Lynda was thinking... something... but I really don't know what it was...

Diana closed her eyes. Well... whatever you THOUGHT it was sure seemed to startle you! I could hear you as clear as a bell...

Charles started working on putting his barriers back up again... meaning he had to calm down and clear his mind. I'm sure it was nothing... I was just... jumping to conclusions. My FBI training doesn't measure up to this ability of ours to communicate this way or your ability to hear my thoughts! I have no way of knowing whatever it was she was thinking...

Charles had breathed deeply and evenly while he was sending those comments to his wife and convincing himself of their validity. He was calm and his mind was clear. And, thankfully, Diana seemed to have bought it as well.

He shut his brain off. He stared blindly out the window of the car as it traveled the main highway north from Richmond back to Washington, D.C.

**********

Charles looked across to where his partner lay sleeping peacefully next to his beautiful wife. Then he stared down at his own beautiful, sleeping wife.

I've had so many miracles occur in my life... finding you again... saving your life... knowing how much you love me... just you... you are my miracle...

Tears filled his eyes again. I want to give you a child so much... but I think our well of miracles has been bled dry... What can I do?

He lay down on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow as more tears escaped his eyes. His shoulders shook slightly with each silent, gut-wrenching sob that tore from his soul.

Lynda opened her eyes and watched him. Tears welled and trickled from the corners to drip onto her pillow. Oh, Charles... I still love you and I can't stand to see you in so much pain again! I would do anything in the world for you and Diana... Even if it takes...

Oh, dear Lord... am I wrong to want to help my friends? Why would you give them the miracle of loving each other so completely and take away his ability to have a child?! He's such a good man... Men like him and Tom are the ones you should be making sure to aid in procreation... we need more humans like them on this planet...

And after everything Diana had been through in her life... She deserved a child... someone else who would love her completely... just for who she was...

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