Home Is Where The Heart Is Title: Home Is Where The Heart Is Rating: FRC Pairings: Dermail/Mistress, Dermail/Wife Time: AC 150 Disclaimers: Words and music of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" are by Kim Gannon, Buck Ram, and Walter Kent.
Home Is Where The Heart Is by Arabian Princess
Joseph tried to concentrate on his letter, but it was hard. His new wife was being very loud and demanding. Of course, that was expected of a very pregnant woman. She got to be as demanding as she wanted, for she was bringing life into this world. Romefeller women were the worst at this. Spoiled daughters, indulged wives, they required more care and affection in this burdened state. They loved to remind their husbands whose seed now resided in their wombs, and pregnancies were greatly used not only as a way to continue the line of heirs but in vain attempts to reign in unfaithful husbands. Mine has good reason to, he reminded himself. The letter he was writing was to Mirela, his gypsy lover. Their daughter Talaitha was with her mother, grandmother, and aunt safely in his French château. She was around four now, and it would be his first Christmas away from her. There was no excuse for abandoning one's pregnant wife during Christmastime, so the woman who took his name had won that round. "Joseph! Stop fiddling with work and help me with these cards," his wife called him. He made a noncommittal grunt and returned to his "work." How he longed to be with Mirela and Talaitha once more. He would even be nice to Mirela's old hag of a mother and her sniping toad of a sister if he could just see them soon. He had picked out the perfect gifts for his little girl, but he could not be there to see her face when she opened them. He glanced down at his letter. He was not far along. If his wife was not commanding his attention, he let his thoughts wander to what Mirela and Talaitha were doing. He shook his head and made himself write the letter. He told Mirela of the gifts he was sending with the letter for Talaitha, and he warned her not to peek at her own. He was even sending a little something to the mother and sister (not much). He wrote of his love for Mirela, and he wrote of his adoration of Talaitha. He jotted down a little musical tale that his mother had once told him as a lad, and he wanted Mirela to retell it to Talaitha since he could not. This way, some small part of him could be with the two during the holidays. Do not worry over me or how I will spend the holidays, he wrote. It will be cold without you two, but the thoughts of you two opening your presents will sustain me until I am able to see you again. I'll be home soon. Say hello to Christkind for me. Hug Talaitha extra hard for me, Mirela. With all my love, Joseph He smiled as he finished the letter and set it aside where his huge wife would not find it. "I'll be glad to help you with those cards, my dear," he said with fake sincerity, thinking of his real family back in France with warmth.
Two days later, his letter and gifts were returned to him. Mirela had packed her things and left without a word, taking Talaitha...and his heart...with her.