Read Online Fairytales by Cynthia Freeman - Free Book Online Page B

then slipped into the bubbles that covered her slightly plump body and there she found comfort as she reached for the glass of wine that had been placed on the edge of the tub and continued to drink slowly. Relaxed, she dried herself, applied some night cream, then slipped into bed. It was one o’clock before she turned off the bedside lamp and fell asleep almost immediately. At four, she awoke from a dream which she couldn’t remember, but it had been dreadful, and now she lay wide awake in the dark. It was impossible to turn off the avalanche of thoughts that invaded her mind … and they took her back to that mansion perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. She would never forget seeing it for the first time. It was magnificent with all its nine bedrooms, plus maids’ quarters. The marble foyer with its imposing, regal, winding staircase … that enormous living room with the solarium adjacent … then across to the dining room, a perfect size for a family as large as they had acquired … and the kitchen was almost as large as the dining room, but the garden was the thing that Catherine loved almost more than anything. Although there was nothing about it that resembled that garden back home, somehow being in front and enclosed by a high brick wall, the beautiful trees and shrubs which sheltered it from the winds that came off the bay, made her pause reflectively. This was the house of her dreams and she was going to have it. She was expecting her seventh child and the house on Scott had become obsolete long ago. Not only had she loathed it from the beginning, but it had only five bedrooms.
    Dominic’s practice had grown tremendously in the ten years since their marriage, so that he was on his way to becoming not only a man of wealth, much of which he invested in property, but an outstanding attorney who had acquired a reputation as probably one of the best corporation lawyers in the country. Now, Catherine wouldn’t wait any longer … she bought the house without Dominic knowing it or seeing it; in fact, negotiated a very good deal on the price. She knew there was going to be a confrontation, but was ready for it. This time, Dominic wasn’t going to force her into a compromise as he had done in the past with the old house and she knew if she had shown it to him in advance, he would have tried, since it really was a little more than he could afford at this time, in spite of the fact he was doing so well. But so what, they were going to live in it for the rest of their lives.
    Catherine waited for what she felt would be the best psychological time (which Mama had always said was at the height of a man’s passion and Mama’s advice seemed extremely sensible in this case) … so that night, she made sure her femininity was alluring. She bathed and drenched herself with perfume, put on her most exquisite sheer gown, looked at herself sideways in the long mirror … her tummy was still fairly flat, although she was close to four months pregnant. Her hair hung below her shoulders (which was the way Dominic loved it … in fact, he said when she wore it loose, it made him sexy as all hell). She got into bed alongside of Dominic and snuggled close to him, ran her fingers through his hair, then gently down his back. Soon the desired results of all her attentions were felt as they shared that rapturous moment. Just at the culmination of their sharing, Catherine held Dominic even closer and whispered, “I love you, I really do.”
    And Dominic answered in staccato whispers, “I love you, too, darling.”
    Catherine whispered breathlessly, “Do you really?”
    “Oh, yes, mia cara.”
    “Would you give me anything I wanted?”
    “I’d buy you the world.”
    “Would you really, my Dominic?”
    “Oh, yes … yes … yes … yes … yessss.”
    After they lay quietly for a while, Catherine said, “You’ve made me so happy darlin’, you really have.”
    “That makes me