Starting Anew: Sequel to "When the Fog Clears"

[dianahawthorne]

Prologue

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own the movie "The VIPS". Everything recognisable from this fanfic is not mine. I am not associated with John Deere Tractors, either.

A/N: This is the sequel to my fanfic "When the Fog Clears". You'd need to read that fic first to fully understand this one.
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“And, you see, Mr. Mangrum, this merger would benefit both of our companies immensely,” Frederick Deere, the President of John Deere Tractors told Les Mangrum over a trans-Atlantic telephone call. Les looked over the papers sent to him by John Fordman, the Head of the Board of Mangrum Tractors, showing that the merger would be beneficial to Mangrum Tractors. In his left hand was a telegram from the Board advising him to go along with the merge.

“All right,” Les Mangrum said into the phone. “I’ll be in Brisbane tomorrow to sign the deal.”

“Diana, darling,” Les Mangrum said to his wife. She turned over on her side in the bed, putting the book she was reading down. Propping herself up on her elbow, she looked up at him.

“Yes, Les?” she asked. He moved over so that he was sitting on the bed and draped his arm over her hips. Taking her hand in his, he brought her up to a sitting position and leaned back against the headboard, taking her in his arms.

“My darling, I have some wonderful news for you,” he began, rubbing her back. She looked up into his eyes.

“What is it?” she asked him.

“After thoroughly consulting the Board, we have decided to merge with John Deere Tractors. I’m the Head of the International Branch. But what this really means is that we’ve expanded our market by millions, and our company has just increased its value by twenty million pounds. And the Board wants us to remain here, in Brisbane.”

Turning in his arms, she kissed him passionately. “That is fantastic, Les!” she cried. He smiled against her lips as he returned her kisses.

“I’m glad you are happy, darling,” he said. “And, as we will be living here, we need to buy a house. I have a place in mind – if you don’t object, we can go see it tomorrow.” She nodded and kissed him again.

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Diana sat in the waiting room of the Brisbane clinic.

“Diana Mangrum?” the nurse called out, and Diana rose to follow her down the hallway to the doctor’s office. Shortly afterward, the doctor entered.

“Good day, Mrs. Mangrum,” the doctor said. “I have some good news – you are not ill, but pregnant. You are due in mid-November. Congratulations!”

The doctor gave her detailed instructions on taking care of herself now that she was pregnant, and gave her a prescription for pre-natal vitamins. She left the clinic humming a lullaby to herself.


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Rose Mangrum stopped by the guesthouse to bring by a plate for Diana, who had not been feeling well. Knocking lightly on the bedroom door, Rose opened it when her daughter-in-law did not answer. Diana was sprawled across the bed, asleep; there was a bottle of pills on the nightstand. Rose walked over and placed the plate down, picking up the bottle of pills. Rose’s shriek of joy caused her husband, younger son, and Diana’s father to come running, as well as causing her daughter-in-law to wake. Rose gave Diana an enormous hug.

“You’re pregnant!” Rose exclaimed, and Diana nodded.

The Mangrum family celebrated that night.

[KristaMarie]

yay the long awaited (in my mind anyway) sequel!!! Love it so far!!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter One: Building a Home


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“So, what do you think, my love?” I asked my wife as we rode up to the old Cook ranch. The sprawling buildings were reminiscent of my own childhood home, though the buildings on this ranch had two storeys. There were also many trees scattered throughout the property, shading the buildings from the hot Australian sun.

“It’s marvellous,” she breathed, her eyes wide so that she could take everything in. She turned and smiled at me. “This is perfect, darling,” she told me, urging her horse forward a bit so that she could lay a soft palm against my cheek. I leaned in for a kiss, wrapping my arms around her waist.

“We’ll buy it, then, my dear,” I told her, giddy with happiness. She kissed me again before turning her horse around and began galloping back to my family’s ranch.

“I’ll race you back to our bed!” she shouted over her shoulder. Laughing, I urged my horse forward, only catching up with her when we reached the stables.


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Les and I decided to purchase the old Cook ranch, as we would be settling in Australia. When I looked at the ranch, I could see our children climbing the trees in the yard, riding all over the ranch, reading on the verandah… It was perfect.

Imagining our children playing on the ranch increased my desire for my husband intolerably, and I challenged him in a race back to our bed. He didn’t catch up with me until we made it back to the stables. I had given my horse to one of the stable hands, but Les caught me just as I exited the stables.

“You thought that you could beat me?” his deep voice whispered in my ear. I shivered pleasurably as he took me in his arms.

“Yes, I did,” I told him, smiling as he chuckled.

“You forget that I know all of the shortcuts around here, love,” he said, nibbling on my earlobe. I gasped at his touch.

“Do you know any shortcuts to our bedroom?” I asked him coyly, my voice dripping with seduction. He smiled down at me, his eyes dark, as he slid his hand down my riding breeches.

“I certainly do,” he told me, grasping my hand and leading me to the back of the stables. He then opened a door I hadn’t noticed before, and led me outside. We ended up right near the back of our guesthouse, and I laughed as he picked me up and all but ran the last few steps to the door.

As he carried me into the house, I had begun unbuttoning his shirt, baring his chest to my kisses and caresses. I don’t know how he managed to restrain himself as my hands trailed along his chest, heading for his rock-hard erection, but he did – at least until we entered the guesthouse, away from prying eyes.

As soon as we made it into our bedroom, he lay me on the bed and pulled off my riding boots, breeches, and knickers, gasping as I trailed my fingers tantalizingly along his length before freeing his erection.

He didn’t bother to unbutton my shirt, but just yanked it apart, causing buttons to fly everywhere. He shrugged off his own before climbing on top of me. As he stroked my breasts, he kicked off his boots, and attempted to kick off his boxers and breeches, which had pooled around his ankles. I giggled as he turned around, struggling to fully remove his clothing, as his thick riding socks prevented the rest of his clothes from being discarded. I slid out of his grasp and stood next to him, pushing him so that he lay on his back on the bed. I pulled his socks off before removing the rest of his clothes. He made as though he would sit up, but I shook my head and placed a firm hand on his upper thigh. He groaned as my fingers trailed up his thigh to lightly cup his sac.

“Diana…” his voice increased my arousal almost unbearably, and I moved back onto the bed, sitting next to him as my hand continued its task. I felt his cock twitch, and I looked into his eyes, seeing their depths turn black as his arousal neared its peak.

Suddenly, his hands were at my buttocks and he pulled me on top of him, rubbing his length against me. I moaned as he slid himself against me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, opening myself to him, even as he rolled me onto my back.

“Les, darling!” I heard myself cry as he entered me, driving into me with vigour as I matched him, my hips matching every thrust of his. He pounded into me even harder, his cries of my name growing louder as his thrusts became more erratic. He finally collapsed on top of me with a final cry of my name.

As our breathing returned to normal, I thought about our future. “Les?” I asked him.

“Yes, darling?” he replied, shifting his weight so that he did not rest completely on top of me.

“I want to fill our house up with children,” I told him. He smiled at me.

“Then that’s what we’ll do, love,” he said, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “That’s what we’ll do.”

[KristaMarie]

Loved it! woohoo! Post more soon please

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Three: Unexpected Meetings


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Diana and I flew back to London the day after we announced the news of our relocation. Though I was a bit leery of having her accompany me, the doctor reassured me that the flight would not harm our child or Diana. So I gave in, pleased to be able to have my wife by my side, but anxious for her health and the health of our child.

When we arrived in London, we went to my house first, where I introduced Diana to my housekeeper, Mrs. McGillicuddy. I instructed Mrs. McGillicuddy on what to pack for our flight and what to arrange to be shipped to our new home in Australia. After finishing at my house, we travelled across town to Diana’s flat.

Packing up Diana’s things was an eminently easier task. She had leased a furnished flat, so most of the furniture would remain. Also, she is much more organised and efficient than I am, so packing up her things took us only a few hours. By the time we finished Diana’s flat, we still had plenty of time to begin packing up my office, which took much longer. We finished very late that night, so we took a taxi back to my house and fell asleep as soon as we reached the bedroom.

The next day we spent in relaxation, just spending time together. We first went to the British Museum, then to Hyde Park, where we ate a picnic lunch and took a stroll. We also visited the London National Gallery before we returned to my house.

Mrs. McGillicuddy had arranged all but a few things to be picked up and shipped to our new home in Australia. We entered the nearly-empty bedroom and Diana closed and locked the door firmly behind us. She stepped closer to me and ran her hands down my chest, burying her nose in the fabric of my shirt, breathing in my scent. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, not wanting to let her go. She sighed in contentment as we settled on the bed, somehow managing to shed our clothes along the way. She fitted against my body perfectly, and I rubbed her back lightly as she drifted off to sleep, exhausted after our active day.


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I woke up the next morning when the sun shone through the window, as we had forgotten to draw the curtains the night before. We had slept on top of the sheets, too tired to even crawl between them last night. Luckily, I did not feel nauseous this morning, and for once could relish the chance to study my husband as he slept.

He was very handsome – quite a ‘dish’ – with his finely chiselled features and thick golden hair. His generous, soft mouth was set in a faint smile as he slept, and it offset the strong line of his jaw. His eyes were closed, but I knew them to be of the brightest blue. As I looked back up to his eyes, I saw that they were open, and he was watching me watch him. He smiled at me, quite amused. I returned his smile, albeit somewhat sheepishly.

“Good morning, love,” he said, bringing his hand up to my face and drawing me down for a kiss. “Mmm, so lovely,” he murmured, his hand straying to my breasts. I reluctantly disengaged myself from him, though I bent down and kissed his hurt expression away.

“We don’t want to miss our flight, darling,” I told him as I began to get dressed. Les came round behind me and zipped up my dress before kissing the base of my neck and pulling me back against him. I could feel his erection pressed against my back, and I turned in his arms.

“Will you promise to take care of this when we get back to Brisbane?” he asked me, taking my hand and guiding it down to his hard cock. I kissed him, hard, before turning away again to put on my earrings.

“We’ll see,” I teased, smiling at his reflection in the mirror. He slapped my bottom playfully before getting dressed himself.

We arrived at Heathrow and were escorted to the V.I.P. lounge, settling ourselves on a comfortable sofa and waited for our boarding call.

“Quite a different day for a trip this time, isn’t it, Mr. Mangrum?” Paul Andros asked my husband as he and his wife entered the lounge and seated themselves near us. Les stood and shook Mrs. Andros’s hand as Mr. Andros shook mine, before they greeted each other.

“I cannot possibly express my gratitude at your generous loan, Mr. Andros,” my husband told him.

“Please, call me Paul. As for the loan, it is your wife you have to thank for that. When she asked me for the loan, I asked her if you realised how much she loved you. I’m glad to see that you did.”

My husband looked at me and squeezed my hand.

“I didn’t realise it for quite a while, though,” he told Mr. Andros. “It took my wife bringing in the cheque to make me realise how much I love her.” His hand slipped around my waist and he kissed the side of my head. I smiled up at him.

“Where are you headed?” I asked.

“We’re going to Brisbane for a week,” Mrs. Andros replied.

“You should stay with us!” Les exclaimed, and I nodded. Mr. and Mrs. Andros readily agreed, and we chatted before our boarding call was announced. We boarded the plane, and when we 

were seated, Paul and I switched seats so that Les and Paul could sit together, and Frances and I sat together as well.

“You look positively radiant, Diana,” Frances told me. “Marriage must agree with you.”

“It does,” I replied, looking at my husband, before reflexively laying a hand on my stomach. I caught Frances’s enquiring gaze. “We’re also expecting our first child in November.”

“Congratulations!” she beamed. “That’s wonderful!” We made desultory small talk until lunch was served, when Paul and I switched seats to rejoin our spouses.


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“So, when did you first realise that she loved you? And when did you realise that you loved her?” Paul Andros asked me bluntly. I was startled by the abruptness of his question, and it must have showed in my expression, for he laughed.

“As I said earlier, before I gave your wife the cheque, I asked her if you realised how much she loved you, and while she tried to deny it, I knew that I was correct. She loves you more than life itself, you know,” he finished, carefully studying me. I looked over at my darling wife and felt such a rush of love for her as I thought over Paul’s words. I had known that I was in love with her, but Paul’s words made me realise that she loved me just as much as I love her. His remarks made me realise that she did love me more than life itself – after all, she had willingly filled out a false cheque for me, knowing, at the time, that she would most likely be sent to gaol for me, but she did not care about the consequences. And I finally realised that I, too, loved her more than life itself. I had realised this when she was kidnapped, but I hadn’t reflected on it until now.

I shook myself out of my reverie and answered Paul’s questions.

“I had suspected her feelings for quite some time, but when she came in with the cheque, I was sure.”

I sat on the couch in the hotel room Miss Mead had booked for me, holding Miriam, my fiancée, in my arms. We were kissing – I was trying to drown myself in her, trying to avoid thinking about my lost company. However, the usual spark of attraction that characterised our relations was not present. When my eyes closed, all I could see was my secretary, Miss Mead, blushing becomingly as I poured her more champagne. When Miriam spoke, I heard Miss Mead’s voice saying, “I’d work for you for nothing, you know.”

Miriam broke the kiss, startling me out of my reverie. “Oh, my poor darling,” she said, stroking my hair.

“Oh, don’t worry, my love,” I said half-heartedly. “I’ll be all right, just so long as I’ve got you.”

“Of course,” she replied. “Baby?” she asked me, “Do you remember those shares in the company you gave me?”

My heart was suffused with a warm glow at the generosity of her question. Miriam was a wonderful woman. “Of course I do. You keep them, darling. They cannot help me now. That was sweet of you to think of that,” I told her, bringing a hand to her soft cheek and caressing it.

“You mean they’re not worth anything anymore?” she asked me, frowning.

“On the contrary,” I replied, “They’re gonna go way, way up.”

She clapped her hands in delight. “How marvellous! I thought after all you told me, that I was going to be just as broke as you were.” She smiled happily at her stroke of good fortune. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she added, realising what she had just said. “I’m sorry.”

I was appalled. Did she really only think about herself when I told her about my troubles? Obviously, she did. Luckily, I was saved from having to say anything to her by a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” I called out.

“Miss Mead.”

I sighed in relief. “Just a minute,” I called out, walking to the door. She was smiling, and I felt myself grow angry with her. How could she be smiling? She knew just as well as I did, probably better than I did, what we lost today. All because of that damned fog that kept me from getting to New York in time.

“What do you want, dear?” I snapped. Her mood was not dampened even by one iota.

“I’d like you to endorse a cheque, please, Mr. Mangrum,” she told me.

“Couldn’t it wait till tomorrow morning?” I groused.

She smiled again, causing my temper to rise even further. “No, I don’t think it could.” I snatched the cheque from her hands and signed the back without even looking at the amount, before handing it back to her.

“Good,” she said. “I think you should read it, Mr. Mangrum. You should never sign things blind.” She handed the cheque back to me. I looked at it, staring at the amount.

£153,750.

Were my eyes playing tricks on me?

“I’d better take it,” Miss Mead said, trying to take the cheque from my hands. “It has to be in your bank by 10 o’clock in the morning.” I grabbed it back.

“Wait a minute,” I told her. “What’s this?”

“I’ll tell you in the morning,” she said, still trying to get the cheque back. “We don’t want to bother Miss Marshall with business, do we?” she added.

“You’re not trying to tell me that’s real?” I asked her, still looking at the amount.

£153,750.

“Oh yes, it’s quite real. He signed it for me downstairs in the lounge. I filled in the amount myself,” she said, indicating the amount of £153,750. “It is quite correct.”

“You?” I asked, pointing at her. She nodded.

“Wow. Just – just – wow,” I stammered, before regaining my speech ability. I punched the air and yelled “Wahoo! You little beauty!” I wrapped my arms around Miss Mead’s slender waist and spun her around, feeling startled by the spark of attraction that ran through me when her bare skin met mine as I pressed my cheek to hers. Her laughter sounded like music.

“Oh, Mr. Mangrum, please!” she protested, giggling.

“You little – you bloody humdinger!” I shouted, jumping on the ottoman.

“Mr. Mangrum!” Miss Mead exclaimed again, still laughing.

“Have you gone mad?” Miriam asked me. I ignored her.

Miss Mead walked towards me and held out her hand for the cheque. “I’d better go before the police get here,” she said.

“No, no, no, stay a little. I got work to do. Listen. Get Fordman senior in New York right away,” I told her. She immediately morphed into the competent, familiar secretary.

“Fordman,” she repeated.

“After that,” I continued, “Kingsford. Dave Kingsford. You got his private number?”

She rummaged through her portfolio. “I think so. Somewhere,” she said.

Miriam interrupted us. “Are you going to do business?” I ignored her again.

“Listen, you’ll probably have to extend the options by 24 hours,” I continued.

Miriam interrupted us again. “Do you want me to go?”

“No, wait a minute,” I said, addressing Miss Mead. “You’ll have to up the price.” I paused for a minute. “I – we got them. Amalgamated Motors is beaten,” I said, awed.

“Yes, Mr. Mangrum,” Miss Mead said, smiling.

“They’ve had it. We’ve beaten them,” I repeated. “Listen –” a door slamming interrupted my chain of thought. “What’s that?” I asked her.

“Miss Marshall, going,” Miss Mead replied.

“Yeah, well.” I was relieved, and allowed myself a moment to bask in that feeling before continuing to give Miss Mead orders. It was over an hour before we finished up for the night.

“I’m glad that you two are happy,” Paul said.

“Thank you,” I replied, smiling at the thought of my wife and unborn child.

“Is there another reason why you are so happy?” he asked, and I nodded, my grin widened.

“Diana’s pregnant,” I told him, beaming.

“Congratulations!” he exclaimed. “I’m very happy for both of you.” I barely had time to say ‘thank you’ before lunch was served, and Paul and my wife switched seats.

As soon as Diana sat down, I pulled her towards me and kissed her deeply, passionately, trying to show her the depth of my love. She responded just as eagerly, her lips moving against mine. When we broke for air, I smiled at her, bringing my hand up to caress her cheek.

At that moment, dinner was served, and we ate quietly, stealing glances at each other as we ate. Finally our trays were cleared away, and the lights in the cabin were dimmed. Once again I brought my hand up to her cheek, and she leaned into my touch.

“I just realised something,” I told her softly. She raised an eyebrow, wordlessly prompting me to continue, and I did.

“I realised how much I love and need you,” I finished, adding, “You are the only important thing in my life.” She kissed me gently on the lips, and pushed up the armrest between our seats so that she could lay in my arms.

“I love you, too,” she whispered. We drifted first into a comfortable silence, then sleep, and were woken up later that evening by the stewardesses serving dinner.

[KristaMarie]

Oh I almost thought you had forgotten about this little gem of a story-- I am very glad to see I was wrong! Continue soon please!!

[Junora]

This is sooo good, wonderful sequel. XD

I can't believe, I didn't saw this before.
Love it.

Hugs Lottie

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Three: New Adventures and New Friends


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After we collected our luggage upon arriving in Brisbane, we were met by Lester in the Daimler. Frances and Paul sat in the front with Lester, and the men kept up a running conversation all the way out to the ranch. Les and I sprawled across the spacious back seat, and took in the scenery passing us by.

My father and Rose met us at the door, and Les and I showed the Andros’s their guest house, leaving them to freshen up before taking them around the ranch on a tour.

“We can ride over to our new ranch tomorrow,” Les answered Paul’s inquiry into our new home. They began conversing about the type of work needed on our new home, and Frances and I fell into step, leaving them to discuss renovations and the like.

“Would you like any help with decorating your new home?” she asked me.

“Oh, yes!” I responded with alacrity. “I’ve never decorated a house before – I can use all the help that I can get!”

“Well, I’ll be happy to be of any assistance you might need,” Frances volunteered. I accepted her kind offer immediately, and we began discussing decorating ideas as we finished our walk around the ranch.


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“I’m glad that your merger with John Deere was successful,” Paul told me.

“Not more glad than I am,” I countered. “I am so grateful that it all worked out – I will be able to provide for my family, we can raise our children near their grandparents, and I will be able to see my children grow up.”

“You are very lucky,” Paul told me, a hint of envy in his voice.

“It’s all thanks to you,” I said. “Your cheque is the reason for my success. Thank you.”

At my words, his face cleared, and he smiled. “You are welcome.”


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The next day, Frances, Paul, Les, and I went around our ranch and took photographs of every room from every possible angle, as well as the outside of the buildings. We used up twelve and a half rolls of film, and after Les finished up the thirteenth roll, he drove into town to get them developed.

As we waited for his return, we sat on the porch and drank some lemonade Rose had made earlier that morning.

“Have you thought of a name for the ranch yet?” Paul asked me. I nodded.

“I rather fancy the name ‘Drogheda’,” I confessed. “It’s the name of the town in Ireland that my mother was born in.”

“Drogheda,” Frances mused. “It fits, I think.”

“I agree,” Paul concurred. “What does Les think?”

“I haven’t asked him yet,” I admitted. At that moment, he drove up, a bag full of photographs in his hands. We hurried over to him and began assembling the photographs of the different rooms.

We finished assembling the thirteen rolls of film, though Les withheld a few of the photographs. Looking up from our work, we realised that the sun was about to set, and we hurriedly rode back to the ranch for dinner.


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Paul and Frances retired early, overcome by jetlag. Les and I also retired early to our rooms, slightly less jet-lagged. We changed for bed – Les stripping down to his boxers, as usual, and I wiggled into a thin, sleeveless cotton nightgown, which fell just above my knees. Before we curled up together in bed, Les produced the envelope from the photographer’s. He extracted twelve photographs and settled me in his arms before showing them to me. Leaning against the headboard of the bed, we looked through them.

They were all photographs of me from this morning, all pictures that I did not realise he had taken. Twelve pictures of me – laughing at a joke, smiling at Paul and Frances, drinking a glass of lemonade, a moment of confusion, surprised at something Frances said – all twelve photographs of me, mirrored in my husband’s eyes.

“I love you so much, darling,” he whispered, nuzzling the back of my neck. I turned fully towards him, meeting his lips with my own repeatedly. As I felt him grow hard against my thigh, I dropped my hand from his chest to his erection, squeezing him lightly as he grew even firmer in my hand. He moaned against my mouth, and I smiled before breaking the kiss.

“I promised I’d take care of this in Brisbane, didn’t I?” I whispered, once more squeezing him gently. His eyes closed as I stroked him, but when I slipped my hand fully inside of his boxers, he opened them again.

“You’re quite the naughty one, aren’t you, my darling?” he asked me, removing my hand from his boxers before pulling down my underwear. I threw my nightdress over my head.

“Mmm, yes I am,” I purred as his hands came up to cup my breasts, tongue circling each nipple in turn, sucking them into hard points.

As he kissed his way down to my slightly protruding stomach, I pulled myself out of my hazy state of ecstasy and wiggled out of his embrace. I rolled him onto his back and straddled his 

thighs, pulling his boxers down. I lowered my head and took him into my mouth, drawing my tongue along his length as I swallowed around him. He let out a deep groan as I sucked lightly on the head of his cock, and all too soon he pulled me up from my task, turned me so that I laid on my side, and positioned himself behind me, guiding his erection into me.

I couldn’t breathe as he entered me, and I let out breathless moans as he shifted and thrust within me. My hips pushed back against him, my head dropped back against his shoulder, and his thrusts grew quicker and less controlled as he grasped my waist harder, pulling me back even harder against him. As I came, my head dropped back in ecstasy, and he met my mouth with his, fiercely seizing my lips in a kiss. He pulled me back against him one final time, and then I could feel nothing but utter bliss.


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Sometime later, I opened my eyes to see my husband’s face hovering over me.

“Are you all right, darling?” he asked me, his face a bit concerned. I stretched languidly in his arms.

“Mmm...” I sighed contentedly as I snuggled once more into his warm embrace, relishing the feel of his body against mine. “Of course I am,” I replied, burying my face against his neck. One of his hands slipped along my lower back, holding me close, while the other tangled itself in my hair.

“I love you, Les,” I murmured. “So much. I never thought that you could love me too,” I finished, blushing as I realised what I had revealed. He shifted his position so that he could look into my eyes.

“I love you too, my darling. I just cannot believe that it took me as long as it did to realise it,” he said, his tone full of self-reproach.

“It’s all right, Les,” I said, kissing his chest lightly. “We are married now – the past does not matter.” His hand in my hair tightened its grip involuntarily, and I looked up into his sorrowful eyes.

“But I caused you so much pain,” he whispered sadly. I placed a gentle kiss on his lips before taking his hands in mine and sitting up with him.

“That’s all in the past, Les,” I told him before placing our joined hands on my abdomen. “And our life together, and our child, are our future.”

[Junora]

That is soooooo wonderful, "so schnulzig " ;p
God I love it

Hug Lottie

[KristaMarie]

Aww, I love that last little bit! Fantastic as always, love! Please, please, please update soon!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Four: Regrets and Reconciliation


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Two mornings later, my wife and Frances drove into town to post the photographs, sending them to Frances’s New York-based designer, Tom Lee, and his wife, Sarah Tomerlin Lee. They were going to send us sketches; fabric swatches from Mark Foys, paint chips from Nock & Kirby’s, and wallpaper samples in order for us to choose the style to decorate our home.

Paul had gone with them, as he had some business to attend to in town, and even my parents and George were elsewhere this morning. I stretched out in the hammock on our porch, and thought about the revelation Diana had made two nights ago.

“I never thought that you could love me too,” she had said. My heart broke again as I thought of her words. Why didn’t I realise my feelings for her sooner? Why did I ever allow myself to be taken in by Miriam? Why had I been so blind? How could I have allowed myself to hurt her for so long?

“Les, darling?”

I blinked and raised a hand to shade my eyes from the sunlight. My wife’s gorgeous countenance came into view. She laid her hand on my face and her thumb caressed my cheek, wiping away tears I did not realise I had shed. She knelt next to me.

“Darling, what’s wrong?” she asked me. I took her hands in mine, holding them to my lips.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. Her face puckered into a frown of confusion.

“For what, Les?” she asked me.

“For being so blind for so long,” I told her. Comprehension bloomed across her face.

“Oh, Les,” she said, stroking my cheek. “It’s all right.”

I sat up and helped her into the hammock, holding her in my arms as we rocked slowly back and forth.

“Paul and Frances flew back to New York this morning,” my wife told me, breaking the silence that had fallen over us after my apology.

“Why?” I asked, turning towards her carefully, so that I would not tip the hammock.

“Well...” my wife began, blushing. “Paul had a business deal to attend to,” she said, her cheeks flushing the colour of her hair.

“What’s so embarrassing about that?” I asked her, tucking a hand under her chin so that she would not look away.

Diana flushed an even darker shade of red and tried to avert her eyes as she finished her explanation. “They also said that they could tell that entertaining them was ‘not conducive to giving you the thorough shagging you needed to break you out of your melancholy.’” As she finished, she buried her face against my neck, and I could feel the heat that had risen to her face. I chuckled as I imagined what my wife’s expression must have been when Paul and Frances told her that. Her grip on my shirt tightened as laughter shook my body.

“It’s not funny, Les Mangrum!” she said, her voice muffled as her face was still pressed against my neck.

“It is, rather,” I chuckled, my hand slipping down to the waistband of her skirt. She sat up suddenly and pulled my hand away from its explorations.

“I don’t think so, Les,” she told me, getting out of the hammock and walking into the guest house. I rushed in after her.

“Why? You don’t want Paul and Frances to have left for no reason, do you?” She paused in the doorway and turned towards me.

“You deserve to suffer a little for laughing at me,” she said coyly, swinging her hips as she continued her walk to the sitting room. I groaned, achingly hard as I watched her hips sway to a silent beat. Me and my big mouth.


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I had never been more mortified in my life than I had been when I drove Frances and Paul to the airport this morning. When they told me that Les needed a ‘thorough shagging’ to get him out of his melancholy, I could feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment. After they had left, I sat in the Daimler for a half-hour before I felt confident that I would not crash the car when I tried to drive.

While I had recovered enough from the incident to realise how amusing it actually was, when Les laughed at it, I decided to tease him a little bit. So I planned my seduction of him very carefully. After dinner, I retired to our rooms early. I took a long bath, using the honeysuckle-scented bath salts Les had given me earlier in the month. I had used them once before and learned that the scent drove him wild.

When I finished my bath, I towelled off and slipped into bed naked, picking up a book to read until I hear Les coming. I quickly marked my place and set the book on the nightstand, closing my eyes and pretending to be asleep.

I could hear him rustling about, and cracked my eyes to see what he was doing. He was stripping down to his boxers, as usual, and I hurriedly closed my eyes again as he sat down on the bed and pulled down the covers. I heard him groan when the covers revealed my nude form, and he ran his hands down my body.

“Diana, are you awake?” he whispered, nuzzling my neck. I took care to school my features, and I heard him groan again when he failed to rouse me. Resigned, he wrapped an arm around me and quickly dropped off to sleep.

When I was sure that he was asleep, I carefully wiggled out of his embrace and slipped under the covers. Taking him in my mouth, I almost immediately felt him begin to harden and expand. He awoke very quickly and flung the covers off me.

“Diana!” he groaned. I released him from my mouth and smiled up at him, bringing myself up his body until his erection pressed against my entrance.

“I hope that you’re UP to that thorough shagging, darling,” I told him, pointedly stroking his erection.

“God, yes!” he moaned, thrusting his hips against mine as I lowered myself on him.

I had already aroused him before he had wakened, so I went slowly, drawing both of us closer and closer to release at an agonisingly drawn-out pace.

I took him into me completely, slowly, squeezing him with my inner walls and rotating my hips against his, gradually increasing the speed before decreasing it again as he neared his release. Finally, he could not take it anymore, and he flipped me onto my back, kneeling as he urged my legs to rest on his shoulders. As I obliged, he began to pump quickly into me, though his thrusts soon grew erratic. I barely managed to hold off my orgasm before he attained his release, after which I finally let myself go.


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I knew that I should be exhausted after that ‘thorough shagging’, but I was completely energised. I looked at my wife, lying in my arms, her beautiful face smiling and relaxed, her titian hair still shining though it was damp from sweat, her chest rising and falling at her deep and even breaths. She was perfect.

I resolved to no longer regret the time I had wasted being blind, but begin to cherish the time that we had. And we had so much time – we were both still young, and had our whole lives ahead of us. And I resolved to be grateful for every minute of our lives together.

[KristaMarie]

Good he got all of that out of him lol. Great job- can't wait for more, love!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Five: Difficulties at Drogheda
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A/N: Still don't own anything. I chose the name "Drogheda" for the estate because it is the name of the estate in the book The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough. I highly recommend this book - it is bloody marvellous!
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Frances’s interior decorator sent us the sketches, fabric swatches, paint chips, and furniture catalogues two weeks later. Rose and I went through the samples and catalogues, painstakingly planning out each room, marking our choices for furniture, colours, and fabric, before we gave the men permission to look at our decisions. In July, three months after we had purchased the old Cook ranch, we had made it our home.

Our bedroom was painted a soothing blue, like the sea, and our bed had blue covers as well. The wardrobe, canopy bed, dresser, vanity, and nightstands were made of teak, which matched the floors throughout the house. We had, of course, a bathroom attached to our bedroom suite, and a verandah. A door led from our room into what would be the nursery.

As we didn’t know whether we would have a boy or a girl, we painted the walls a cheerful yellow. We had decided that all of the furniture in the house would be made of teak, as it stood up best to the Australian climate, so the changing table, playpen, and crib in the nursery were no exception. Shelves full of books and toys dominated the space underneath the windows, and there was a comfortable rocking chair placed close to the bed. The bassinet, however, was in our room for the time being, waiting for our child to be born.

Paul and Frances had been back to visit several times as we got the ranch together. Frances especially was an enormous help, assisting me in making the house a home.


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Unfortunately, not all was tranquil at Drogheda. As my pregnancy became more obvious, Les had become almost... shy around me, not touching me except in assistance. We hadn’t made love in over a month. At first, I accepted his excuses about being tired, but as the days, then weeks passed, it became clear that our lack of intimacy was not due to exhaustion.

Did he find me unattractive, now that it was obvious that I was pregnant? I did feel rather unattractive – large, bloated, and ugly. And I had never thought myself pretty at the best of times. Did he not love me anymore? I was no longer sure of anything, so I steeled myself for a confrontation.


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I was so worried about touching Diana – I didn’t want to harm her or the baby. She was so small, so delicate – I didn’t want to inadvertently hurt her or our child while making love... We haven’t made love in over a month – I’ve been telling her that I am too tired. It is so hard to resist her – she looks gorgeous – positively glowing. Pregnancy becomes her incredibly well, and it makes it all the more difficult to deny her.


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“Les... we need to talk,” I said to my husband later that night.

He looked at me nervously. “All right. What do we need to talk about?”

I sat down on our bed. “Us. We need to talk about us.”

He sat down next to me and looked down at his hands. “All right, Diana.”

“Why haven’t you touched me in over a month?” I asked him.

“What do you mean?” he asked, looking down guiltily. “I’ve touched you.” He touched my hand. “I’m touching you right now.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it,” I snapped. “We haven’t made love in over a month, Les! Why? Do you think I’m ugly – is that it? Do you not love me anymore?” I broke down in sobs, and I felt him wrap his arm around me. I leaned into his embrace, sobbing against his bare chest.

“Oh, Diana...” he sighed. “I love you – I just don’t want to harm you or the baby because of my own desires. And you aren’t ugly – you are the most beautiful woman – most beautiful person I’ve ever known. And I love you more than ever – that’s why I don’t want to accidentally harm you.”

“But you won’t hurt me or the baby, Les! The doctor said that it is safe for us to make love up until my water breaks. Les, I need you – please, darling – please!”

His hands began to tug at my nightdress, and I trembled with excitement. The feel of his hands on my breasts, his erection pressed against my thigh, even his presence was arousing to me – and I came even before he even neared the centre of my desire. When he entered me, I came once again, and he came too – it had been so long since we had been together this intimately.

We lay in each other’s arms that night, and I was finally happy once again.


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I hadn’t realised that Diana had suffered as much as I had from our lack of intimacy over the past month. When she said that we needed to talk, I thought that it might be about that, but I felt awful just the same when she voiced her insecurities about herself. She asked me if I thought that she was ugly, if I didn’t love her anymore... my heart broke at her questions – especially as it had only been three months since I had resolved to make Diana know how much I loved her.

Time and time again, I had proven my failings as a husband – Diana deserved so much better than me. I would need to try harder to become the husband she deserved. I needed to put her first – I hadn’t even been with her when she went to her appointments with her doctor, because I was busy.

Internally, I berated myself. How could I be a good father if I wasn’t even a good husband? I resolved to telephone Paul in the morning and talk to him about this situation – perhaps he would have some good advice for me. I could only hope that he would be able to help me.

[Junora]

Wonderful, just love it. XD

More, *squeal*

Hugs Lottie

[KristaMarie]

Aww-- the title of this chapter had me a bit nervous, but I am glad all is well!

Fab as always, darling-- update again soon!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Six: Renewal


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“Hello, Paul? Les Mangrum.”

“Hello, Les. How are you? How’s Diana?”

“She’s fine. But I have something to ask you. How do you think that I can be a better husband to Diana?”

“...why do you need my advice?” Paul asked.

“Because I know that I’m not being the best husband. I’ve hurt her again, Paul – and I don’t know what to do.”

“I only have one piece of advice for you – don’t put your business first – put your wife first. I put my business first for so many years – thirteen years, in fact – and I almost lost Frances to Marc Champselle. I don’t want you to suffer the same misfortunes I did – put your wife first, make an effort to show her that you love her – or else you’ll lose her.”

“Thank you, Paul.”

“You’re welcome, Les. Frances and I will see you and Diana soon.”


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When I woke up the next morning Les was not there, and his side of the bed was cold. I began to cry – we had finally regained our intimacy last night, but he didn’t even stay with me. I came to the conclusion that he was at work, again, when he walked in, carrying a tray full of all my favourite breakfast foods. When he saw my tears, he put the tray down on the night stand immediately and rushed over to my side.

“Darling, what’s wrong?” he asked me, wrapping an arm around me. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” I sobbed in relief. “I thought that you had left for work – that you didn’t care enough to stay through the night. I’m so glad that I was wrong.”

He tightened his embrace and soon my tears were gone.

“I’m so sorry that I haven’t been a better husband, Diana,” he said regretfully. “But I promise that from now on I will be.”

My stomach rumbled and broke the sombre mood that had fallen upon us.

“Ready for breakfast, my love?” he asked me.

I nodded, and he brought the tray over to the bed, gently and lovingly feeding me breakfast.


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After my conversation with Paul, I went to the kitchen to make breakfast for me and my wife, trying to make an effort to show my love to my wife. I made her favourite breakfast foods – Belgian waffles, fresh strawberries with whipped cream, milk, blueberry sconces, and tea. I carefully loaded the breakfast onto a silver tray that had been a wedding present from the Fordmans and carried the tray into our bedroom. When I entered the bedroom, I saw my wife sitting up in bed, crying. I set the tray down and rushed to her side, concerned.

“Darling, what’s wrong?” I asked her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” she sobbed. “I thought that you had left for work – that you didn’t care enough to stay through the night. I’m so glad that I was wrong.”

I tightened my embrace and she buried her head in my chest, her tears disappearing. I laid my chin on top of her head and inhaled the scent of her hair.

Soon, her stomach rumbled, and the solemn mood that had fallen upon us was broken.

“Ready for breakfast, my love?” I asked her, and she nodded. I brought the tray over to the bed and fed her, beginning with the strawberries, then the sconces, and Belgian waffles. After breakfast, we snuggled up on our bed, and I caressed my wife’s belly, feeling our child kick within her womb.

“When’s your next doctor’s appointment, darling?” I asked. She turned in my arms.

“Tomorrow at eleven o’clock,” she replied.

“Can I come with you?” I tentatively inquired. Her face lit up.

“You really want to? You’re not busy?” she asked.

“I want to come, Diana – I should have come before... I’m sorry that I didn’t. But I do want to come.”

She smiled at me, and I kissed her on her mouth, before swinging myself out of bed and bringing the empty tray to our kitchen, cleaning up the dishes. I returned to our bedroom and saw Diana on the verandah, lying on the chaise lounge, dressed in a flowing silk dressing gown that was belted loosely around her burgeoning stomach. I joined her on the chaise lounge and sat behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. She leaned back in my arms and relaxed, sighing as I nuzzled her neck. We sat there until it was time for lunch.


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The next day was my appointment with my obstetrician, and Les accompanied me for the first time. We didn’t have to wait long after our arrival to be called in, and soon we were in the examining room.

“Good morning, Mrs. Mangrum,” Doctor Jameson said as he entered the room. “And you must be Mr. Mangrum. I’m Doctor Jameson.”

“Pleased to meet you,” my husband said. Doctor Jameson turned his attention back to me.

“Now, Mrs. Mangrum, are you ready for your sonogram?” the doctor asked me. I nodded and settled myself on the examining table.

The doctor rubbed the petroleum jelly on my stomach and placed the electrodes on my skin. Our baby appeared on the screen, and Les watched in awe as our child moved on the screen.

“This is amazing,” Les breathed as we watched our child. Doctor Jameson placed a stethoscope on my belly and listened to our child’s heartbeat. He passed Les the stethoscope and I watched his face as wonder bloomed across his features.


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We ate lunch in Brisbane before returning to Drogheda. Diana went back to our room to take a nap and I rode over to my parents’ house. My mother was at my brother’s house, but Gregory, my father, and I had tea. We talked about simple things – the house, the business – until I realised the time and bade them farewell. I rode back over to Drogheda and went upstairs to check on my wife. She wasn’t there, and I called out her name, hearing her respond from the kitchen.

“Hello, sweetheart,” I said, wrapping my arms around her waist for behind. She was standing at the oven, flipping the omelette she was cooking.

“Does breakfast for supper sound good?” she asked me.

“Mmm, yes,” I said, nibbling her earlobe. She swatted my hand lightly as it crept around to her breast.

“Les, do you want me to burn dinner?” she asked, laughing. I sighed exaggeratedly and moved away, walking over to the cabinets to get out plates, glasses, silverware, and napkins. I set the table and Diana cut the omelette in two, putting half on each of our plates. We ate quietly and then retired to our bedroom afterwards.

[Junora]

Wonderful, but you have the bad habit to leave us at inconvenient places.

keep going! XD

Hugs Lottie

[KristaMarie]

I agree with Junora, dear! lol

Wonderful chapter-- please, please update again soon!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Seven: Waiting


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July passed, then August, and though Les was busy with the business, he made sure that he came to every one of my appointments with Doctor Jameson. In the middle of September, however, Les had to go to New York to meet with the Board, so I temporarily moved back to his parents’ house. Both he and I decided that it wasn’t the best idea for me to be alone, especially at this stage of my pregnancy. He was gone for three weeks – unavoidable, unfortunately.

Rose and I spent a lot of time drawing up lists of baby names – both boys and girls names. We decided that if I gave birth to a boy, then his first name would be Lester, after his father and grandfather, and Gregory as a middle name, after my father. For a girl, we decided on Maeve, after my mother, and Rose, after Les’s mother.

Les finally returned home the first week of October, and we returned to Drogheda. There wasn’t much to do – the room was ready for the baby, the names were picked out, and Les didn’t have much business to attend to. All that we really had planned were my doctor’s appointments, but that couldn’t take up all of the spare time we had.

My husband picked up photography – according to Rose, he had studied it at university – and began snapping pictures of everything – our house, his parents’ house, me, his parents, my father, the horses... While Les amused himself with his camera, I finally got around to putting together an album of our wedding. The Fordmans had hired an excellent photographer and they had sent us dozens of pictures from our wedding. I hadn’t had time before now to put it together, as we were busy first with our honeymoon, then the move. I had also been keeping a baby book, which took up a lot of time.

But it wasn’t enough to fill the long hours of the day. It seemed as though time itself was hanging in suspension, simply waiting.


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I felt awful that I had to go away on a three week business trip to New York, but it was utterly unavoidable. I longed to get back home – I called Diana every day, wishing I could be back at Drogheda. When the endless meetings were finally over, I flew back to Brisbane, and my wife and father met me at the airport.

Diana had grown a lot during the three weeks I was gone – it was amazing how much I had missed. She had been staying with my parents, as she was due soon, and I didn’t want her to be alone in case of an emergency.

The days after my return passed by slowly – it felt as though everything was waiting for our child to be born. We didn’t have to wait long. On October 15th, Diana’s water broke, and I drove her to the hospital in Brisbane – luckily, it was only a short ride away. I called my parents, Gregory, my brother, Paul and Francis, and the Fordmans from the hospital. The Fordmans, Paul, and Frances all sent their best wishes to Diana and the baby, while the family rushed over.

I wasn’t allowed in the delivery room, so I paced nervously outside in the waiting room, smoking cigarette after cigarette. If I had thought that the waiting we experienced before Diana went into labour was long, it was nothing compared to the hours I spent in the Brisbane hospital’s waiting room.

Eleven hours after Diana arrived at the hospital, she gave birth to our child, a boy, whom we named Lester Gregory Mangrum. Both she and the baby were doing well – Les Junior was a normal length and weight, for all that he was born two weeks early. Diana looked tired but radiant, beaming up at me as she presented me with our child.

Holding our child in our arms was the most awe-inspiring moment of my life – holding the small baby that my wife and I had made caused me to cry. Diana, too, was a bit teary-eyed. I felt incredibly blessed, and told her so.


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On the fifteenth of October, early in the morning, my water broke and I went into labour. It was a long, excruciating process, but finally I gave birth to a boy, Lester Gregory Mangrum. When the doctor laid him in my arms, I was overcome by emotion. I couldn’t believe all that I had been blessed with – a loving husband, a wonderful life, and a healthy son.

When Les entered the room and held our child for the first time, he cried, as did I. Seeing our child in his strong arms was the most moving sight that I had ever seen, and I was so grateful for all that we were given.

Les spent the night with us in the hospital room, sleeping in an armchair by the bed. The next morning, the nurse made sure that we were properly instructed on how to care for our son, and two days after I had given birth, I was released from the hospital.


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Two days after giving birth, the hospital released Diana and our son. I drove them carefully home, going incredibly slowly, making sure not to make any sudden stops or turns. When we arrived at Drogheda, we were welcomed by my parents, Gregory, and my brother’s family. The women helped Diana settle our son in his room, while my brother, father, Gregory, and I made sure that we had everything that we needed.

Diana and I had decided to call our son Greg, short for Gregory, his middle name, because both my father and I were also named Lester. It made sense and was eminently less confusing, not to mention the fact that it pleased Diana’s father immensely.


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When all the family had left, Diana and I went to our bedroom and looked at our son, sleeping quietly in his bassinet.

“He’s perfect,” I breathed lightly, and Diana nodded in return, gazing upon the tiny, perfect life we had created.

“I love you, Les,” my wife told me, placing a kiss lightly on my lips.

“I love you, too, my dearest,” I replied, returning her kiss.

We looked down at our son once again, and welcomed him to the world.

[KristaMarie]

Awww! *sniff* so cute! Lovely as always my dear!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Eight: Happy Days


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Greg received so many presents upon his birth – the Fordmans sent him an illustrated set of Beatrix Potter books, Dave Kingston sent him an adorable teddy bear, and the Andros’s sent him a handmade rocking chair. Rose knitted a blanket for him, and my father, Lester, and Les’s brother made him a rocking horse. It was wonderful to see how many people were excited about his birth.


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Diana was an absolute natural as a mother – she was so good with Greg, and she seemed to be more... complete... somehow – more content and settled with herself. She was marvellous with Greg – she absolutely doted on our son. Greg was never happier than when he was with his mother – whenever she entered the room, picked him up, or talked to him his face lit up and he smiled.

At three months old he looked like me, except he had Diana’s bright red hair and her smile. He was large for his age and very advanced – he was already babbling nonsense words and could roll over by himself. Diana’s chief joy in life was taking care of our son, and she refused to hire a nursemaid, though I wanted her to.

I was forced to go away on business much more often than I had after the merger, and so it was somewhat of a relief to me that while Diana refused to hire a nursemaid, she was so adept at caring for our son. But it was awful that I was forced to go away so often – I missed so much of our child growing up, and I missed him and Diana dearly.


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After Greg’s birth, everything seemed to fall into place, though Les had to go away on business much more often. Although I never had siblings or spent much time with children, taking care of Greg was completely natural. I loved my son so much – he was my pride and joy. Les wanted to hire a nursemaid to help me look after Greg, but I refused. I wanted to raise our son by myself – I didn’t want Greg to be raised by someone else.

Les had to travel so much, but I wasn’t as lonely as I had been earlier in our marriage when he had to work. I had our son, our child – our beautiful baby boy who looked like Les, but had my hair and smile.

Greg was such a happy baby – he was quite big for his age, though he was born a few weeks early – and quite advanced. He could roll over by himself and had started babbling nonsense words. He smiled almost all of the time and was very good-natured and not fussy at all. He was a marvel, and I loved him so much.

Unfortunately, I was not too fond of the weather in Brisbane – from November to March was known as “the Wet”, and it was wet. It was as though the sky literally vomited water in buckets – absolute buckets. Though I was used to rain in London, the heat and humidity of Brisbane were quite difficult to stand, though, in time, I got used to it.

When Greg was three and a half months old, he was baptised in the Anglican Church. He had two sets of godparents – Les’s brother and sister-in-law were one set, and Paul and Frances Andros were the second set. Frances was going to stay with me for a few weeks after Greg’s baptism while Les was away on another business trip.

She and I had a wonderful time together – we took Greg around the ranch, took him to Brisbane, and showed him his grandparents’ home. We took him to parks and museums – everything, really. He was so well-behaved and so full of love and laughter.


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My business trips finally slowed to a trickle when Greg was a year old. Luckily, I had not missed his first steps or his first word – which was ‘busy’ – and though I missed a lot, I hadn’t missed those eminently important milestones. By the age of one, Les was a very gregarious talker, and spoke very well, in almost complete sentences, which was a result of Diana reading him so many books and not indulging in speaking to him in baby talk. He was also quite good at walking, too, and it was difficult to keep him from exploring every nook and cranny of Drogheda.

For his first birthday, his grandparents threw him a party at their home – my mother baked a delicious cake, and my father, brother, and father-in-law took Greg on a “hayride” – an American idea – around the ranch, showing him all of the animals and birds unique to Queensland. The Andros’s were there too – Paul and Frances had brought a wonderful toy train for Greg, which he spent hours playing with as he grew.

For our part, Diana and I bought him a dog – a Sheltie, or Shetland sheepdog – that we named Devon. Greg loved the dog, and Devon spent every night curled up at the base of Greg’s crib. Devon and Greg loved to run around Drogheda together.

One of Greg’s favourite things to do was to help his mother in the garden. He had a green thumb, just like his mother, and it was one of his chief pleasures to be outside digging with her. She was always careful to make him wear a hat, as she did – they both had that translucent skin that causes redheads to get sunburned so easily. But despite the precautions she had to take to prevent sunburn, Diana loved gardening, and she spent many hours in the gardens at Drogheda.

“Queensland has one thing over England,” she told me. “Everything grows here – absolutely everything.” She was right – the bright scarlet soil was rich in nutrients, and she was able to coax the most marvellous flowers out of the earth – not to mention the vegetables and fruits. I doubt that I will ever taste a more delicious strawberry than the ones she grows here at Drogheda.

Our son had a wonderful start to his childhood – he had a stable home with parents that loved him more than the earth, a huge ranch to explore, and his ever-present dog Devon. The only thing he lacked was a playmate of his own, and I brought that up to Diana.

“Would you like to try for another child?” she asked me when I told her of my concerns.

“As long as you do, my dearest,” I replied.

“Well then, let’s start trying again,” she told me, rolling me onto my back.

Yes, life was perfect.

[KristaMarie]

Aww-- love the domesticity of everything! Again, fabulous! I hope this isn't the end!

[dianahawthorne]

Epilogue


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Author's Note: So, unfortunately, this is the end. I had a LOT of fun writing both this story and "When the Fog Clears", but I feel that it's time to end this story. It's almost time for me to start college, and that, unfortunately, will mean that I won't have a lot of time for writing, and I still have several other stories in progress that need to be finished.

Deep and profound thanks go out to KristaMarie and Junora who faithfully reviewed both this story and "When the Fog Clears". Thank you so much, dears! Your reviews and interest in the story really kept me going! So this chapter is dedicated to both of you - thank you so much for all of your support!


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When Greg was fifteen months old, Diana found out that she was pregnant again, due in April, to our great joy and pleasure. Our son was growing up so rapidly, and he would soon be in need of a companion. A brother or sister would be wonderful for him – he was such a social child, and it would do him a world of good to have another child to grow up with.

Once again, Diana had an easy pregnancy, and she gave birth to another son, a healthy boy, who had Diana’s features, but my build and hair colour. We named him Brennan Connor Mangrum. He had a quite different personality than Greg – where Greg was, well, gregarious, Brennan was quieter. While Greg was fond of the outdoors, Brennan preferred to be inside with a book. Despite their different personalities, however, they complimented each other perfectly and were best friends.

Over the next four years, we were blessed with two girls, Siobhan Rose and Maeve Kathleen, born two years apart. They were both beautiful children – mirror images of their mother. Both girls were very well-behaved, though different, like their brothers. Siobhan was quiet, like Brennan, and they got on very well. Maeve was somewhat of a tomboy, and she and Greg were very close.

After Maeve’s birth, we decided not to have any more children – we were content with the four children that we had. When the children were old enough to start school, Diana tutored them at home, until they were old enough to go to boarding school in Brisbane. Though we didn’t want them to go away to school, they all wanted their own independence, and luckily were close enough to the school to be able to see them very often.

And so they grew up and went to University, each ending up in a different line of work. Greg eventually took over my position in the company, and developed a programme to help bring farmers in third-world countries the same machines we took for granted. Brennan became a professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics. Siobhan went into art, and became a successful photographer. Maeve was content to stay and help manage Drogheda.

As each new day dawned, Diana and I fell even more deeply in love, and I thank God every day for showing me what a wonderful woman she is.

THE END

[KristaMarie]

Aww it's over *sniff* But this as well as "When the Fog Clears" were wonderful-- bright spots in my day! Thanks for sharing with us, love! And best of luck with college!

[Junora]

I totally agree with KristaMarie both stories were wonderful.

I loved them both, and it is a little bit sad that that's the end but every good storie has to end.

Hugs Lottie