Snow Bound

33

"Whitney, is everything okay?" John asks seeing Whitney standing in the garden as the sunsets. "Congratulations on getting your license." John says as he wraps his arms around Whitney.

"Thanks, I'm fine, just, I'm sorry." Whitney whispers.

John has no clue about why she would be saying that she's sorry. "You have nothing to apologize for, love."

"The reason I wasn't upset with Michael about losing the baby, it's because it was my fault. It's my fault that our baby died."

John pulls her back to him and holds her firmly but gently. "Listen, Whitney. It wasn't your fault. My father made sure that your body wouldn't be fit to carry a baby. The damage done by him, not just physical, it all needs to be addressed before you try again. You aren't at fault. My father intentionally kept you under weight. He intentionally beat you, whipped you, hurt you. He got off on that shit.

"He couldn't stand seeing anything beautiful and not do his damnedest to destroy it or corrupt it. He managed to get you obedient, but he couldn't destroy you, he couldn't corrupt you.

"If anything you losing our baby is my fault." John says heavily.

His words cause Whitney to turn in his arms. "How the hell in any way, shape, or form are you responsible for me losing our baby?"

"If I had taken out my father two years ago then you wouldn't have been tortured for the last two years." John says guilt heavy in his voice.

Whitney allows more than a little sarcasm to enter her voice. "Yeah, okay, but then we'd never have met.

"You, Michael and I have been going to the same school since middle school. I've seen you and Michael for years and known just who you were then. You never paid attention to people. At least not usually. If you did there was generally an accident that happened to them shortly afterwards. 

"I had no problem staying away from you and Michael. I had no desire to be on the radar of either of you.

"When we were given warnings about you, I believed them whole heartedly. Of course when you brought back the runaway and your eyes showed nothing, I was more than able to believe the stories of you.

"I was more than happy that you never saw me. I knew that Michael would have no use for a nonentity like me. When he came to me and paid for me to service you, well I couldn't say no. When I saw what they did to you," Whitney can't go on.

"Shh, that's not going to happen again." John holds her to him and caresses her hair to calm her.

Once she gets herself under control once more she continues. "It was that meeting that brought me to your attention, otherwise I would still be a whore, all the whores would still be working for your father, because he would still be alive.

"If that meeting had never happened we'd never meet. You weren't interested in the whores and we were far too terrified of you to try to catch your attention. Because most people can't tell the difference between you two all the whores did their best to not catch the attention of Michael either.

"When they said that I was requested up to the mansion they made sure that I knew that it was one of the young masters, but didn't specify which one. Likely because they knew that no one would have believed that you would request one of us."

"Are you upset that I did?" John asks looking into her eyes and moving the hair off her face.

"How can I be upset about the best thing that's ever happened to me?" Whitney says smiling at him. Whitney shivers from the cool evening air now that the sun has set it lowered the temperature considerably.

"Let's get you back inside before you take sick. You are still healing and you are far more easily compromised." John says caringly. 

He just waits for her to nod before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her to their room. "I can walk, John, just fine now." Whitney tries to protest but John just shrugs his shoulders. 

"I am aware, but I like carrying you around, especially when you are conscious." John gives her a bit of a wicked look. "You should get some sleep, the prom is tomorrow and you and Carmen have early appointments at the hotel spa. You will be pampered all day with your final appointment being hair and makeup. I know you don't usually wear the stuff, which is fine with me, but since tomorrow is a special occasion I thought you might like a professional put it on you. She has instructions to keep it light and natural."

"Oh, then what, John? What else do you have planned for us?" Whitney teases him lightly.

"You'll go up to the penthouse and get changed there. You'll use the same bedrooms we had last time. There you'll find your prom dress and accessories. One of which will be gift from me. So you'll need to take some clothes to change into and for sleeping. We'll stay the weekend once more."

"Mmm sounds nice. Then we'll be going to the dance?" Whitney says as John nuzzles her neck before setting her down on the ground.

"Nope, then Michael and I will be there to take you and Carmen down to dinner at the same restaurant as before. Unless you'd like to try somewhere different?" John waits for Whitney to answer. At her head shake he continues. "After dinner we'll take you to the dance, which just so happens to be held there at the hotel. So when you get tired of the punch and whatever they have for  refreshments we can leave and get something better. Then when you are ready we'll come back to the penthouse and spend the night however you want to spend it." John finishes speaking even as he starts kissing her deeply. The doctor had only recently okayed her having sex again.

"You don't have to be with me tonight if you don't want to, Whitney. But if you don't, I want to make you feel good at least. Will you at least let me do that for you?" Whitney is unable to give voice to her answer and just nods once more. 

"Whitney, we need to stop or I need to put on a condom." John manages to say as things heat up. Whitney was more than willing to go all the way with him.

"Why?" Whitney says as she continues to kiss him.

"Remember what the doctor said? That you would be even more fertile at this point. Your body isn't ready to carry a baby yet. I'll be more than happy to give you one, but not until your body is ready to carry it." That acted like a bucket of ice water to Whitney.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking." Whitney says mortified at her actions.

"Baby, stop, it's alright. I know we are both young, but I'm willing to give you as many children as you want. But I'm not going to put your life at risk to do so. You've already started putting on weight. You are doing better, but you aren't where you need to be in order to carry a baby to term."

Whitney just gives him a sad smile and holds him. Soon they fall into a deep sleep.