The Tears Of A Clown

Chapter Twenty

Later that evening, Melanie was kneeling on top of her bed, massaging liniment for helping aching and stressed muscles into Ricardo’s back, whilst he sat on the edge of the bed.

He had been suffering with a lot of aches and pain recently, but the doctors had told him it was the result of his old injury from the car accident.

So this had become a daily night time ritual after his performance. The liniment seem to work to ease the aches.

Melanie found she quite enjoyed the process, it give her the perfect excuse to feel and admire the muscled strength of his shoulders and that rippled beneath his smooth swarthy skin of his back, which were still just as good as they were twenty years ago.

 Ruefully she realised she hadn’t appreciated so much  back then.

But any amorous notions were always quenched by the strong fumes of the liniment, which made her hold her breath just so she avoided the intake of it, so it also kept her at arms length from him.

She was concerned about the recent aches and pains in his back, especially thinking about his old injury, she was worried that it could be damaged again.

But she knew she didn’t dare suggest that he should be taking it easier on the trapeze, knowing he would just get affronted at such a suggestion. So she found herself talking about anything but what was really on her mind

“My father was asking after you,” she informed him, “And Simon of course, he says he might bring his family down to see the circus while we are here”

“Good, we will reserve them some special ringside seats, just let me know when they are coming” Ricardo replied, graciously. Out of them all, Simon was the one he connected with, because he had always shown great interest in the circus.

“Well as it’s Carlos birthday in three days time, I was going to suggest to them, that they can come early and celebrate with us”

“Great idea,” Ricardo agreed happily enough

“There done,” Melanie said feeling sure she had pretty well covered his back enough with the liniment, “Now I am going to wash my hands, this stuff stinks!” she moved to get of the bed

Ricardo chuckled, “I don’t care as long as it works,” he said, now stretching out on the bed to relax.

When Melanie returned after washing her hands, she joined him on the bed, doing her best to ignore the smell if the liniment wafting up her nose, as she rested her head on his chest. She returned to the subject of their youngest child’s up and coming birthday

“Aunt Lizzie is doing the cake for us, but I just want to keep it a close family celebration here in the caravan, it make it more special for him”

“Fine by me,” Ricardo replied easily, “Hopefully there will be more punch ups at this one,” he then grinned.

“Oh no there better not be, I have had enough drama these past few weeks thank you very much,” Melanie replied, “ You know, I thought the kids would be less trouble as they got older, but this year of all years, has been my most traumatic with the lot of them.. When does it get easier?”

“Maybe it never does,” Ricardo said with a thoughtful frown, he turned to stare at Melanie questioningly, “remind me why we wanted to be parents again?”

She just chuckled, then adjusting to the smell of the liniment, she decided to snuggle closer to him, finding herself still marvelling at the easy rapport between herself and Ricardo now.

She knew part of it was because of their children; so for that reason alone, she was happy and grateful for being a parent.

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