#out drinking

The Surrogate Chapter 21 Out Drinking

She sits quietly beside him as they drive farther and farther away. Her hands rest comfortably against her increasingly large baby bump. Finally, after close to an hour, she is compelled to ask, “Jamie, where are we going?”

“Sorry, I should have said. I can’t take you anywhere close. People talk, ye ken. So we are going someplace a few towns over.”

“I see.” He senses the change in her.

“Claire?”

“Sorry, I know we are going out as friends, right?”

“A bit more as you carry my child.” His hand comes off the steering wheel and hovers over her bump.

“You can touch it.” He does, letting his hand rest there a moment.

“Aye, more than friends, but I ken your meaning. As much as I want you, I am not taken you out to lay with you.”

“That’s disappointing.” His eyes jerk from the road for a moment. “Sorry, it is just the pregnancy makes me quite needy.”

“I see. You understand that I must see this through with Geneva before…”

“Of course. You aren’t her.”

“Exactly.” Soon after they are pulling into the parking lot of a small pub. He comes around to open her door. She smiles as he helps her out, keeping her hand. “You know how to get back home, eh?”

“I do. You plan on getting quite slogged, eh?”

“I do. Not, you understand, because of her adultery. But because of her stealing from the company and who she chose as her blasted partner.” They walk in.

“This Bonnet?”

“Aye.” He walks up to the bar and orders whisky for himself and soda for her. When they are sat down, he continues. “Steven Bonnet. He started out with Fraser’s Spirits. Then he started his own company, Gloriana  Whisky. The problem is it is no where up to the quality of ours. He has been trying to get our recipes for years. Now, from what you overhead, he has. Through my bloody wife!”

“If you can prove it, can you get them?

“Aye, it is protected intelligent property. I am formulating a plan on how to proceed. How to prove it.”

“Just let me know how I can help?”

He reaches out and lays his hand over hers. “Thank you. You already have, quite a lot.” They sip their drinks in silence for a moment. “I have a question for you?”

“Yes.”

“I know you aren’t ready to be a mam. But Geneva will have no part of being in the life of this baby. I am not asking you to be a full time mam, if that is not what you want…”

“But offering it if I wish?” she asked in a whisper as her hand cradles the bump.

“Aye. But if you don’t want that, will you be there enough that the child knows you?”

“That I can promise. I will think on your offer.”

“Fair.”

“Jamie, I don’t want her anywhere near this pregnancy. At all. Not at a doctor’s appointment. I wish to change the permission to access to my medical records to just you.”

“We will see to it.” She breathes out a sigh of relief. “Claire, I really didn’t know she would act this. I would have ne’ involved you had I known.”

“I know Jamie.  I do. This child was supposed to be here. I firmly believe that.”

“Me too.” He calls the barmaid over and orders another drink for them both. “I will never regret the child or meeting it’s mam.”

“Or I it’s dad.” That constant heat rises between them again. “Jesus, what is this between us?”

He moves over to sit beside here, placing his arm around her shoulders. “More then lust. Would you dance with me?”

“What a topic change.” She laughs, a bit shaky.

“In all honesty, I haven’t enough alcohol in me yet to fully describe what I feel for you.”

“Bloody hell.” She whispers.

He takes her hand and leads her into the small dance floor.

“Relax, I’ve ye.”

“Jamie, I just feel a bit awkward. My center of gravity is a bit off.”

“Aye, I ken. Just move with me.” She rests against him and they sway together. The heat and longing is everywhere. It flows like the music between them, around them, through them.

“Jamie.” Her voice is full of pure want but something else to, something she dare not name.

“Aye. I know.” He lifts her head up and gently kisses her. He keeps a tight lid on what he really wants to do.  Even so, he puts all he feels into it. They stand still in the middle of the other dancers. He tastes the sweetness of the soda she has been drinking. She holds tight to his shoulders as the whisky on his tongue floods her system. His hands are wrapped tight around her waist.

Trailing off her lips, he kisses across her face before breathing against her lips, “Let’s return to the table before…”

“Yes,” she replies breathlessly, “before.” She feels how much he wants her against the child they started. She is just as turned on.

They talk of other things as Jamie drinks a few more glasses of whiskey. She switches to water, not wanting to much caffeine in the baby, as they discuss their childhoods.

“It was wonderful. I learned so much as we traveled everywhere.” She is telling him of her unusual childhood, traveling around the world with her uncle.

“So wonderful. I’ve been to America, and around Europe, but that is it. What is your favorite, of all the places you have been?”

“Greece. Seeing the ancient Temple ruins.”

“We will have to take our son or daughter there, some day.” He sees the look that goes across her face. “Sorry, I mean if you want that.”

“I just..”

“Yeah, no pressure, sorry.” They leave soon after. He rests against, eyes heavy lidden with drink. She makes sure his seat belt is tight before she pulls out.

About half way home, she asks him, “Jamie, what do you feel for me?”

“Maid Steals Employers’s $500, Was Out Drinking With Soldier,” Toronto Star. November 22, 1941. Page 8. --- Oakville, Nov. 22 - Pleading guilty of stealing $500 from her employer, Lilian Hunter, a domestic in the home of Daniel Carter, Trafalgar township, was remanded for sentence until Wednesday by Magistrate W. .F. Woodliffe in police court yesterday. She was taken to Milton jail.

A statement signed by accused, admitting the theft, was produced in court. She stated she had found the money in a cedar chest. She explained that when out with a soldier in Toronto, she became drunk and when she sobered up the soldier and the money in her purse were gone.

Crown Attorney W. I. Dick told the court that $200 of the money had been recovered.

James Ort, R.C.A.F., was fined $5 and costs for driving 55 miles pr hour without lights on the Queen Elizabeth highway.