Spinning Around

Part 13



Part 13

Co
College finals came around speedily that
semester and Buffy was thoroughly comforted that the semester was ultimately
coming tdenodenouement and that she would now have time to focus on the changes
occurring in her life and her body. There would be no more classes, homework or
last minute study sessions with Willow; she could just take it easy. At least
she could do that as soon as she accomplished her last examination, psychology.


Sitting in the congested lecture theatre next
to Willow, she apprehensively awaited the appearance of the question paper. Her
stomach was filled with butterflies and she felt like she was going to throw up,
even though it possibly might be morning sickness rather than nerves. Before she
knew it the paper was in front of her and she was hard at work answering each
question printed. Three arduous hours later the assessment wa lon long last over
and she was free once more.


As she and Willow went to make their way out of
the lecture theatre, they were stopped by a withdrawn looking Riley Finn. Just
wanting to get away from him as soon as they possibly could without making a
scene, both Buffy and Willow agreed to listen to whatever he had to say to them.
Grudgingly the two girls followed him to his office and sat down to wait for any
impending information. They didn't have to wait long because once he was seated
Riley began to speak in earnest.


"First of all," he started apprehensively. "I
immediately want to make an apology for any difficulty or distress I may have
caused you, your friends or your family. The reality of it is I was living in
some fantasy world because my life hadn't quite worked out the way I had
planned. I idealized the time that we dated, Buffy and in actuality looking back
on it now, it wasn't so fantastiuot;uot;


"Agreed."


Ignoring Buffy's sardonic interruption, Riley
continued, "I thought I'd just let you know that you don't have to be concerned
about me hanging around anymore. I'm heading back to Iowa and I'm going to beg
my wife to give me another chance. Good luck with your life Buffy... and you too
Willow. Goodbye."


Buffy and Willow rapidly bid their goodbyes and
rushed from his office, flabbergasted at the abrupt turn of events and an ending
to an distasteful circumstances that was not in the slightest unpleasant. By the
time they reached Willow's motor vehicle in the student parking area, the relief
had well and truly set in and both girls felt the need to commemorate the
occasion. Since Angelus was out of town - much to his own rampant discontentment
- and Kathy was spending the night at a friend's house, they headed over to
Buffy's to do the girl bonding/celebration thing.



The next few weeks sped by so hurriedly for
Buffy that they were more or less a blur. Not that they didn't contain some
tremendously remarkable moments, like the week Angelus took off from work and
they spent the time fooling around and decorating the room across the hall that
was to become the nursery for their firstborn in a mere four months. It wasn't
the stunning room that they had created for their child that she'd remember but
the being together, Angelus relaxed and smiling which were indeed very rare
things.

Dawn still came over to the mansion to visit
with Kathy on a regular basis, but things were to some extent strained between
her and Buffy and in all probability this would continue to be so until the
situation with Joyce was at long last resolved. Kathy on the other hand was
exceptionally propitious, neither Buffy nor Angelus had asked her to choose a
side in this dispute or stipulate that she stop visiting the Summers' household.

Willow used the start of her vacation to do a
little soul searching, to come to a decision about what she wanted out of life
and love. After numerous days and an extensive heart-felt discussion with Tara,
the two reciprocally decided not to get back together. They were simply meant to
be friends and not lovers at this time in their respective lives. So Willow
started dating again - and much to her parents relief the bulk of the dates were
men - but still hadn't found anything even close to what she was looking for in
a partner.

A pleasurable incident also occurred and it was
the arrival of an old friend to Sunnydale. Rupert Giles had been the high school
librarian at Sunnydale high while Willow and Buffy had both attended there. He
had been not only a mentor to the girls, but also a surrogate father to Buffy
before he had returned to England after the girls had graduated. Now he had
returned and was taking a position as a History and English professor at UC
Sunnydale. Both Buffy and Willow helped him move his countless belongings into
his brand new office and Giles had been staggered - to say the least - that his
almost daughter was now not only married, but about to become a mother herself.

Nearing the end of July, Sunnydale was struck
by a heat wave - which was insufferable for a five and half month pregnant Buffy
- and an extraordinary instance was scheduled to transpire; her and Angelus'
first anniversary. It also brought about an additional bout of ambiguity for
Buffy; was she supposed to arrange something? Angelus had not even mentioned it
or hinted around the event. In the end she simply settled on getting him a small
gift and letting the rest sort itself out.


The morning of her first anniversary as a
married woman dawned much like every other day, with her husband already left
for work and histeister-in-law out with friends. Buffy nevertheless wished that
she did not feel the disenchantment over Angelus' absence, after all their
marriage was simply a business arrangement they had agreed to and was not real -
no matter how much she had come to wish it were so lately. Just because she had
developed feelings for her wayward husband did not mean that he would do the
same for her. Consequently Buffy spent the entire morning moping around the
bedroom in her pajamas.

At least she got away with doing so until noon
when Willow showed up out of the blue and insisted that they go shopping at the
town's most recent mall. Powerless to resist spending money, Buffy ultimately
got dressed and headed out with her best friend. It was only after they arrived
that Buffy began to grow skeptical over the redhead's out of character behavior,
Willow was hell-bent on convincing Buffy to clothes shop and had totally ignored
her favorite store's new home.

However it didn't take long for Buffy to get
caught up and push aside any reservations she had about her best friend's
motives. By the time she finally arrived home in the early hours of evening she
was weighed down by the many packages she had purchased, things not only for
herself but also for both Kathy and Angelus. Willow helped her to carry the many
purchases into the mansion's foyer, but declined to stay citing a family dinner
as the reason for her hasty departure.

Heaving a sigh at the contemplation of another
evening - especially this particular evening - alone, she picked up s few of the
lighter parcels - leaving the rest for her absent husband to carry - and slowly
climbed up the staircase. Upon entering the master bedroom she gasped in
astonishment, dropping her purchases onto the emerald green carpeting. Laying
across the black velvet duvet was the most striking blood red silk dress that
Buffy had ever laid eyes on. She walked over to the bed and sat down, all the
time staring at the dress, it was then that she spotted the note laying next to
it.

Dearest Buffy,

I am so sorry that I could not be there when
you awoke this morning, but an emergency arose at work. Please put on this dress
and meet me in the foyer at eight o'clock and I will endeavor to make it up to
you.

Angelus

Buffy smiled at the note and tenderly touched
her fingers to the delicate fabric of the silk dress. All of a sudden a proposal
sprung to mind that she hoped would knock Angelus senseless and allow her a
little payback for all the times that he had done it to her in their year of
marriage. Without stopping scrutinize her motives for such an action, Buffy
picked up one of her shopping bags and headed towards the ensuite bathroom to
prepare for the evening ahead.


At eight o'clock sharp Angelus walked through
the front door of the mansion and tossed his leather briefcase aside, uncaring
about what may happen to it. The only thing that he cared about was the same
thing that had consumed most of his thoughts since high school, Buffy - his
wife. He was in reality panicky about how she would respond to his surprise,
because even though he had Willow's reassurance that Buffy would adore the
evening he had planned, he needed to see it for himself.


Hearing a noise coming from the top of the
stairs, Angelus slowly looked up there and what he saw almost made him swallow
his very own tongue. In the store the dress he had chosen - with a tiny bit of
help from Kathy - had seemed merely beautiful, but now that his wife was
actually wearit hit he had to revise his opinion to spectacular. The blood red
silk hung to just above her knees, skimming he shapely thighs and emphasizing
all of her curves. As an added bonus - and to his absolute delight - it also
showed the gentle swell of her abdomen, where their unborn child rested.


"Wow," was all that he manage to mutter, his
tongue refusing to cooperate with speech as it was still drooling over her.


"I could definitely say the same about you,"
Buffy replied as her hazel eyes took in every inch of his tuxedo clad body. "Did
you feel like wearing something new to work?"


"I - uh - changed at the office," he offered
lamely.


Buffy didn't retort to his rejoinder, so as an
alternative he watched her as she unhurriedly and with poise descended the
stairs to the foyer and paused diametrically in front of him. Unable to be in
command of his impulse any longer, Angelus gave into it and dragged Buffy into
his arms and kissed her until they both needed to surface once again for air. As
this happened he let her go resolved that they were not going to spend their
entire first anniversary in their bedroom, he was going to take her out and show
Sunnydale what a lucky guy he was.


"We should go... or I'm just going to drag you
upstairs," Angelus whispered huskily, audibly showing her thwerfwerful effect
that she had on him.


To his surprise and relief Buffy's breathing
was also labored, "Okay. I'll just grab my coat."


A few moments later Buffy returned with her
jacket and Angelus helped her to put it on. Once she was ready Angelus held out
his arm to her and when she took it they headed off on Angelus' surprise
anniversary adventure.



TBC...