Castaways Ch. 10

"No, it's true. Without you, I would have been a goner," Em professed.

The appetizers were going fast, especially with John and Em. They finished the first bottle of wine and Nick produced a second from the refrigerator. He popped that one open too and filled the empty glasses.

"This is so good, Nick and Mandy. Thanks," Em stated.

"Yes, this is nice of you guys," John agreed.

"The least we can do for the returning heroes," Mandy stated jokingly.

"Yeah, you guys are famous now," Nick added.

"Hardly," John mused.

"No, really," Nick continued. "You guys were all over the news a few days ago. You and that other woman."

"Emily Cure'," Em informed.

"Yeah, her," Nick agreed.

"That was quite an experience," John professed and told them the full story.

Em put her two cents in occasionally but otherwise let John tell the story. When he was done both Nick and Mandy were in awe.

"Damn, Dad. You're a regular MacGyver, only tougher," Nick pronounced.

"Believe me, I was plenty scared when it was happening," John informed them.

"Don't let him kid you," Em responded. "He was magnificent."

"I'll say," Mandy input too. "I mean, that must have been terrifying."

"What kind of houses did you have?" Nick questioned.

Em and John exchanged glances before John answered.

"We built a hut," John explained.

"John built it," Em added. "I only helped."

John explained how he did it and the materials they had used. He included how they had stripped everything they could from the plane. He had just finished laying out the whole story of their living arrangements when Nick got a questioning look.

"You both lived together then?" Nick asked.

"Yes," John allowed.

"The whole time?" Nick pressed.

"Yes," John added.

Nick glanced at Em and then at Mandy before saying, "I see."

"Nick, you have to understand this was a live or die situation especially when those three drug guys were around," John informed. "It wouldn't have been safe for Em and I to be apart at that point."

"Yes, I see," Nick stated but still looked to Mandy. A hush followed in the conversation.

"Nick, your dad and I were intimate if that is what you're wondering," Em said.

John looked at her, not believing she just blurted it out like that but realizing they needed to be forthright as there was even more that Nick and Mandy would need to know. At least Nick. John wasn't so sure they should be spilling all this while Mandy was present. However, with her living there now it seemed pointless to leave her out. Nick would only tell her immediately anyway.

"What?" Nick gasped, as if he hadn't heard her.

"I said your dad and I had sex. In fact, I'm pregnant," Em stated.

"What?" Mandy and Nick yelled aloud in unison.

"Em, that could have waited," John said wishfully.

"Dad, what the fuck!" Nick shouted.

"Nick, watch your language, please. It's true. Em is pregnant and I'm the father," John stated.

"Oh, geez," Nick extolled.

"Wow," Mandy said, then covered her mouth like a kid.

"Nick, you have to understand your father and I were all alone and totally dependent on each other. However, it became more than that. We fell in love," Em explained.

"Jesus Christ!" Nick exclaimed.

"Nick! Please don't use bad language. We wanted to tell you earlier but figured it would be better face to face. Em and I are in love and she will be living with me, us, I mean," John stated.

"Holy shit!" Nick exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Congratulations on your pregnancy," Mandy said hoping to make things easier.

"Nick, it will be ... ," John started to say.

"Dad, I was elated to learn you were still alive. I was extremely relieved you were coming home, but this is unbelievable. You're going to be a father again and with Meredith," Nick exclaimed.

"Is it so hard to believe?" John asked but to Nick's retreating back as he walked hurriedly from the room. "Where're you going?"

They heard the front door open and close without any response. John looked at Mandy and Em. They looked at him and each other with shock on their faces.

"He just needs time to sort it all out," Em said.

"Yeah ... that's it. He just needs time to be able to adjust to the idea," Mandy agreed.

"He should be happy for me," John said. "He's my son."

"He'll come around, John," Em declared.

"Sure. He'll come around. I'll go find him," Mandy said rushing from the room too.

They heard the front door open and close again. John turned to look out the back, staring off at nothing in particular. Em looked at him caringly.

"He called me Meredith that last time," Em stated. "It's me he resents, not you. He can't see you with me because of the age difference. He especially doesn't see me pregnant and giving him a brother or sister. If anything, he's not mad at you but he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you. He just met you," John claimed.

"John, he's going to have a hard time accepting me as your wife and especially as your pregnant wife," Em declared.

"I thought you young people were more tolerant of race, sex, and age differences in married people," John replied.

"For the most part I think that's true but this is a lot for Nick to absorb at once. He's just having a hard time dealing with the fact his future stepmom is his age."

"I guess that is a lot to absorb. I was naïve to think he would accept it so easily," John concluded.

"I was more worried than you but I do think he'll get accustomed to the idea given some time to consider your happiness," Em decided.

"I hope your right. Should we check this dinner?" John questioned.

"Good idea. It wouldn't be nice to mess up Mandy's welcome home dinner. She seems very sweet," Em offered.

"Yeah, she does," John allowed.

They walked to the stove to figure out what needed to be done. Mandy had pork chops in the broiler along with pan browned potatoes. She also had broccoli on the stovetop waiting to steam. The pork chops and the potatoes looked nearly done so Em turned on the broccoli. The table was already set so they poured another glass of wine and waited.

John and Em were about to think that Nick and Mandy might not come back in time for dinner when the front door opened again. Em had just pulled the pork chops from the oven along with the potatoes. The broccoli was just about done too. Upon seeing that her dinner was not destroyed, Mandy thanked Em for taking care of things. Nick poured himself another glass of wine. John was staying silent and watching a Mets game in the family room off the kitchen.

Em looked at Nick standing in the doorway to the family room watching the game too. John was on the couch with his back to him. Mandy was finishing the preparations as Em poured water into the water glasses on the table for her. As she did, she glanced up to observe Nick again. 'God, he looks just like a younger version of John,' Em thought.

Nick was the same height at close to six-three, slimmer than John, but not geeky. He looked like an athlete or at least someone that worked out. He was handsome, she thought, with somewhat darker hair than his father. He had the same waves that John had when his hair had lengthened before she cut it. His eyes, which she couldn't see now, but had noticed before, were a piercing blue, even deeper than John's. By any account, he was a handsome guy and one she might have been attracted to if they had met first.

Em nearly overfilled a water glass as she stared at Nick in the doorway. When she finished that last glass of water and looked back towards Mandy, she was tossing a salad but looking at Em. Their eyes met for a second and Em thought she saw concern or jealousy there. She smiled at Mandy to try to break any tension.

"Hey, can I do anything else?" Em asked.

"No, you've been a big enough help already," Mandy replied. "Nick, we're ready."

"I'll get John," Em offered.

"Good, you guys can sit there," Mandy said pointing out two of the four seats at the table.

"Alright," Em responded.

She walked into the family room and stopped beside the couch. John was staring straight forward at the TV as if he didn't notice her approach.

"Dinner is ready," Em proclaimed.

"Okay," John answered but didn't move at first.

Em was already back by the table and standing behind a seat when John got up and came over. Nick was helping Mandy dish out the portions on the plates. When they were done they gave everyone a plate and took their seats as John and Em had. The first few seconds were just filled with moving forks and people passing salt and pepper shakers. Finally Mandy broke the silent tension.

"I hope you guys like pork chops," Mandy stated.

"Oh, gosh, anything that isn't fish or crustacean is a major plus," Em said merrily.

"That must have been awful to only have seafood all the time," Mandy agreed.

"Like we said before, John figured a way to catch seagulls, so occasionally we had fowl but that was the extent of our variance," Em explained.

"How'd you manage to catch birds, Mr. Morrison?" Mandy asked.

"You can call me John, Mandy," John said and explained the whole procedure.

It took a while for him to detail the means by which they caught birds and that seemed to alleviate some of the tension in the room as even Nick listened to his father's tale. Mandy and Em kept the conversation going with more talk of their life on the island.

The conversation at one point turned to how they had attempted rescue and then tried to escape the island by building a raft. John explained the details of the construction while Em complained about all the time she had spent on the sail only to never use it. By the time they were done, everyone had finished eating. Mandy had dessert but offered to serve it a little later in the family room. Em helped her with the dishes as John and Nick adjourned with wine glasses into the family room to watch the end of the game. The Mets were up six to four.

When the guys were seated and out of earshot, Em started talking to Mandy as they rinsed dishes and put them in the dishwasher.

"Nick said you're from Philadelphia," Em queried.

"Yeah, you ever been there?" Mandy asked.

"No, never have."

"It's a great town, especially if you like sports, or history, or like to eat," Mandy explained.

"I like all those things," Em professed. "I've watched the Bears play the Eagles before."

"You a football fan then?"

"Definitely ... my last boyfriend liked to watch and taught me the rules."

"Are you originally from Chicago?" Mandy asked.

"Yes."

"Your father still there?"

"No, my father left my mom and me when I was young."

"Nick told me your mom died in the crash, plus we saw it on the news. So sorry," Mandy added.

"It was very hard at first. She and I did everything together. We were best friends besides her being my mother," Em stated. "If John hadn't been there for me I probably would have lost it."

"You two only had each other the whole time on the island, I mean after those bad drug runner guys were gone," Mandy observed.

"Yeah ... John and I only had each other to talk with and be with," Em stated.

"Wow, that must have been tough," Mandy professed.

"Actually, it wasn't all that bad. I mean there were drawbacks, like the food we mentioned, but life was simple on our island. Not the crazy hustle and bustle of civilization."

"You sure have a great tan," Mandy said jokingly.

"Yeah ... it's a complete body tan too," Em replied giggling.

"Awesome. No need for clothes with just the two of you, huh," Mandy agreed merrily.

"I rarely wore anything on top past the first few weeks after John and I became intimate. Many times I was completely naked," Em informed smiling.

"Gosh, that's free and easy," Mandy expressed. "John have an overall tan too?"

"Everywhere," Em stated laughing.

"Far out," Mandy cried.

The guys' conversation had started a lot slower. It was mostly catch up on New York sports in the beginning. After dancing around several less critical issues, John asked Nick flat out.

"You okay with Em and me?"

"Surprised, I guess," Nick claimed.

"Understandable, she is so much younger. But Nick, she doesn't have any other close family and we fell in love on the island. We only had each other for all those months. I love her," John proclaimed.

"That was pretty quick," Nick sort of complained.

"Are you feeling that way because of Mom or because Em is younger?" John questioned.

"I don't know. I'm confused I guess. It seems pretty soon after Mom died."

"Nick, I didn't plan this as you well know. It just happened. Maybe your mom orchestrated this from on high. I'd like to think so. Anyway, I love Em and she loves me, that I know for sure," John pronounced.

"She seems nice ... and pretty," Nick confessed.

"She is wonderful and makes me very happy," John offered.

"Well, I suppose I should be happy for you but it's going to take some getting used to," Nick explained.

"I can understand that. I guess we all are going to have to make adjustments."

"I guess so. Are you okay with Mandy staying here?"

"Sure ... you have your life too and I don't want to upset that by coming back."

"Well, I may not have said it enough yet, but I'm sure glad you're back Dad. I missed you terribly."

"I missed you terribly too. All I could think about on that island was you and how you were getting along. I wanted so much to be able to tell you I was okay. I love you, Nick, more than anything. Don't forget that."

"I won't, Dad."

John stood and Nick did too and they hugged for a good long time. Mandy and Em observed the tight, long embrace from the kitchen.

"I think they've made up," Mandy said and looked at Em.

With tears in her eyes Em said, "I'm so glad."

After a dessert of apple pie and ice cream, they watched TV and talked more, all four together. They learned more about each other. John got caught up on Nick's schooling while Mandy and Em talked about converting a room into a nursery for the baby.

The phone rang in the middle of their conversation and it was John's boss. John took the call in his study as the others talked. He was gone for twenty minutes. When he returned he told them of the conversation.

"He offered me a hundred thousand dollars for the exclusive story and another hundred thousand after it ran. I told him that I was planning to write a book. He had surmised I would want to and was still making the same offer for a scaled down version in the New Yorker first before I publish the book. I agreed," John said.

The others applauded loudly and cheered.

That night, Em and John slept in the master bedroom. Mandy and Nick had moved into the master bedroom but vacated when Nick learned his father was alive and coming home. John and Em made passionate love in their new home and bed together. John made Em cum three times before he did. He claimed it was the effects of the wine but Em knew he was just overjoyed that everything had worked out. Her belly was beginning to show a little as they lay side by side holding onto each other.

"John, I'm very happy right now," Em expressed.

"Me too, babe. I love you," John effused.

"I love you too," Em agreed.