“Accepted. Now, is that a yes?”
“Yes, ten times yes! I won’t let you down.”
“Great, let’s get started,” I said and shared my plans with Van.
The days following my meeting with Van were spent regrouping and finalizing my team back in Raleigh. I made the right decision bringing in Oz and Drucker. Oz specialized in development while Drucker worked behind the scenes in support. Our staff was small and just under a hundred employees, which were all part of a particular team, contributing talent and ideas to a specific task. Innovate Now was up and running in Raleigh and doing very well, while I worked independently here in London. I chose not to obtain office space here, since it was unnecessary for a team of one. I was more than happy working behind the scenes at our flat while overseeing all the U.S. operations.
As agreed, my father no longer had involvement in the company, but I didn’t put it past him to have eyes on us. It’s just what he does. Everything I’ve worked for in the last months has been part of my bigger plan for my future with Hallie. I just have to make it until May, and then I can close another chapter to our story and begin our next one far away from here.
“Hey, you look really serious right now. Are you okay?” I asked Hallie as I watched her sit at her vanity, staring into the mirror.
She sighed heavily and then said, “I’ve never missed Thanksgiving with my sister. I guess it’s weird not being there. I guess it doesn’t matter now, since in a blink of an eye, we’re now preparing for Christmas.”
“I’m sorry we missed it, but I promise next year we won’t.” I knew without a doubt that we would be in North Carolina surrounded by her family and our friends. Every day that passed, I knew we didn’t belong here. I fell in love with Hallie in Chapel Hill, and I missed the simple things we used to do. “I mean it, Hallie, I love you, and we will be home soon.”
“Oh, Ben, I didn’t want to upset you by bringing up my homesickness. You know I love it here in London. The school has been nothing but amazing, and I love spending time with your mom. It’s great.”
“Yeah, and one of these days I will believe you. You are a terrible liar. How about we Skype with Leah?” I suggested looking at my watch. “It’s not too late back home, and I’m sure they are up.” In a flash, she pulled out her iPad and opened up the Skype app. The call connected, and it was Harry we saw first.
“Hello, mate! How are you? And where’s the pretty mama to be?” I asked, and then he put his finger up for me to hold a minute.
While Hallie was beside me, we both waited to see what Harry was doing. The screen came back to life, and we covered our mouths from laughing. He zoomed in on Leah surrounded by pillows. She was sleeping with her leg propped up on a stack of pillows with her growing belly against it.
“Oh, my goodness! She is so cute,” my girl said as the tears began to fall. “I miss you all so much.”
In a whispered tone, Harry said, “We miss you more, but we will see you both in January for the big day, and we will have some time before you return to school.” My girl’s face changed to sadness knowing she would probably miss the baby’s arrival.
“Harry, school schedules are different here in the U.K. I don’t have a big length of time off.”
“Oh, okay,” he said equally disappointed. “Don’t worry. We will work it out. We love you. I’ll have Leah call you this week, and you two can catch up.” We said goodbye, and then the screen turned off.
I took Hallie in my arms and held her until she had no tears left to shed. I continued to stroke her long hair and place gentle kisses on her neck as she wept and was finally so exhausted that I had to carry her to bed. I lifted the duvet and placed her underneath it. Once she was settled, I changed and joined her. I pulled her sleeping body to mine and made one promise after the other to make her smile again and to bring her home.
A few days later, I was back at my parents’ home, helping my mother hang ornaments on the Christmas tree. Hallie was at school taking her last final exam for the semester. I promised to pick her up once she was done and then bring her back here for dinner. We would be having an early celebration with my parents, and then we would be off to see Harry and Leah, one of the many gifts for my girl, and a surprise.
She was apologetic after the rough night of crying, but I told her the upside of that was for me to hold her and make her feel better. She told me over and over again that she was okay and it was just a moment of missing Leah. Leah wasn’t having the best pregnancy since having to go on bedrest in early December. She was having some blood pressure spikes more often than normal, and her doctor was being cautious. She wasn’t due until the end of January but could deliver early if her health took a sudden turn.
“What do you think?” my mother asked and then snapped a finger in front of my face to get my attention. “Benjamin, do you hear me?”
I looked at her and blinked. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Dreaming of Hallie?” she laughed.
“Always. How did you know?”
“You are glowing, and it’s not from the embers from the fireplace. I love seeing you so happy.”
“The feeling is mutual, because I have never seen you happier. Mom, I want you to know how much I have enjoyed this time with you. I’ll always cherish it and never forget it. You believe me, right?”
“Yes, and when the time comes that we say goodbye, I promise you that I will not break, not ever again.”
43
Christmas wishes do come true
Hallie…
“You are being very secretive, Benjamin Chapel,” I said, nudging him in the ribs as he drove us out of town. “Where are we going? And is it weird that you packed my bags for me? I mean, how do I know what I need if I didn’t see what went into my luggage?”
“You are beyond exasperating, and I love it as much as I love you, and no, I am not telling you where I am taking you, so stop asking.”
I huffed and did my best pout and still, he didn’t break. “Okay, boyfriend.”
“Fiance, love,” he corrected me.
“How could I forget?” I brought his hand up to my lips and kissed it.
Ben returned the gesture and said, “Never, because I will never let you.” He kissed me again and then drove on to the mystery destination he refused to tell me about.
As excited as I was to be going away, I was also dead tired. My exams were tough, and I was happy they were over.
“Hallie, wake up,” I heard Ben say close to my ear.
“You need to shave,” I giggled as his facial hair tickled my neck. When I opened my eyes and looked back at Ben, he just looked so happy. “Where are we?” I asked.
“Turn around and see.”
I rolled my eyes and then looked to my left and instantly recognized where we were. “Ben, we’re at the airport.”
“Very perceptive of you.”
“Shut up.” I punched him in the arm. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t you know? Merry Christmas, Hallie. We’re going home.” He pulled me closer and kissed me with love and tenderness.
“I love you, Ben. You are so good to me.”
“And you are perfect for me. Now, let’s go surprise Harry and Leah.”
By the time we arrived in Raleigh Durham Airport, it was really late and Ben suggested we check into a hotel for the night and surprise Harry and Leah in the morning. I didn’t argue because I was exhausted from the long plane ride and saw some weariness in Ben’s eyes. He would never say nor complain, but that’s my Ben, who always puts me first.
“This is a beautiful suite, Ben,” I said as I looked all around the room. It had a king size bed and a huge jacuzzi bathtub that I was eyeing to soak in. “Join me?” I asked and held out my hand to Ben to take. In one quick step, I was lifted in his arms, and he carried me into the bathroom, placing me down on the edge of the tub.
“Do. Not. Move,” he said and kissed me quickly, filling up the tub. He poured a strawberry vanilla bubble b
ath and turned on the jets to make a cloud of soft bubbles. Once the tub was filled, he turned off the water and returned to me. “You listen well. Let’s see if you can continue to do so,” he wickedly winked and then began undoing my shoes and removing my socks.
I stayed still until he began unbuttoning my slacks. He had to lift me a little to get them over my ass, but once he did, it was easy sliding them down my legs. Of course, Ben took his sweet time undressing me.
“Hmmm, I do love your perfume,” he whispered as he ran kisses from the top of my panties and slowly kissed his way down my leg. “Delicious,” he whispered as he continued to give the same attention to my other leg, but this time, he was moving up toward my sex, leaving more kisses as he pulled my panties down, leaving me exposed to him.
I was so turned on, I could smell my own arousal as Ben leaned in closer to taste me. I let out a groan and leaned back on my hands as he entered me with his tongue. “Oh my god! Ben, what are you doing to me?” I rasped.
He stopped and looked up at me and said, “If you have to ask, then I’m not doing it right. So what am I doing to you, Hallie?”
“Ben,” I groaned and tried to push him back down, but he didn’t move.
“What am I doing, Hallie? I need to hear you say it.”
“You are feasting on my pussy and about to give me a mind-blowing orgasm,” I said, about to lose my mind if he didn’t continue.
“Hold onto the tub for me,” he said, and once I did, Ben entered me again with his tongue and two fingers, causing me to buck off the tub. His free hand held me in place as he continued to work me over with his amazing tongue. “Are you ready to come, Hallie?” he asked, and before I could respond, he said, “Come for me, Hallie. Come all over me,” and I did.
Every time with Ben feels new and exciting, just like the first time we made love. As we learned more about each other and discovered what the other liked in regards to sex, it has been one adventurous ride after another.
I was completely spent as my legs dangled over the side of the tub. While I was in my dazed state, Ben removed his clothing and lifted me in his arms as he climbed inside to join me. Once I was seated, his legs crossed over mine, and I leaned my head back into his chest. I let out a relaxing sigh and just felt love for my man.
“Thank you, Ben, for making all of my wishes come true.”
As we pulled up in front of Harry and Leah’s home, he asked me, “Are you ready?”
The house was decorated in lights with wreaths on all of the windows, something our parents always did at Christmas. My heart was full looking at the house.
“Yeah, I’m ready and so happy to be here.”
Ben escorted me to the door, leaving our luggage inside the rental car. We had a late night, and after the bath and making love, we were both so exhausted. We took a late check-out and ordered room service for breakfast. Ben had thought of everything, calling Harry’s office ahead of time to see if he was in or had court today. It was neither, and since Leah was on bedrest, we knew they would be home.
Ben rang the doorbell, and I was practically bouncing on my toes waiting for Harry to open the door. We heard shuffling from inside and then Harry’s voice saying he was coming to the door. A second later, the door opened wide, and Harry immediately brought us both in for a group hug.
“What are you doing here?” he exclaimed as he continued to hug us.
“Surprising you for Christmas,” Ben said and then asked, “Can we come in?”
“Yes, of course, come in.” He shook his head and laughed. “Leah is going to flip out, probably more than the last time Hallie surprised her. Let me go see if she’s awake from her nap. Yeah, she does that a lot nowadays, but I’m not complaining because she needs it, and our baby needs it.”
I stepped up and gave him another hug. I loved my brother-in-law so much, and the way he loved and cared for my sister was beautiful. “Harry, would you mind if I went upstairs? I promise I won’t scare her if she’s asleep. I just want to sit by the bed and wait for my sis to wake up.”
“Well, you did travel a long way to get here,” he smiled. “Yes, go see your sister. Just remember, she has to keep her blood pressure steady.”
I gave Harry a reassuring hug and made my way upstairs to their bedroom. It was slightly ajar when I looked into the room. Sure enough, my sister was nestled on a mound of pillows keeping her comfortable. She moved a little, and as quiet as I could, I walked into the room and sat in the rocker by her bed.
I whispered, “Leah, open your eyes.”
She stirred again and then slowly opened her eyes to see me smiling back at her. “Hallie? Am I dreaming?”
“No, I’m really here, big sis. Merry Christmas,” I said and leaned in and hugged her. She leaned up against the headboard, holding her pregnant belly while she got comfortable.
“I can’t believe you’re here! When did you get in?”
“Late last night, we stayed at a hotel to get some rest and then came here today. You look so pregnant. Are you sure you only have one baby in there?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. It’s my blood pressure and water retention. I swear I can’t see my feet anymore. I am so happy you’re here. Christmas would not be the same without you.”
“I was thinking the same thing back in London. Ben surprised me with this trip; however, classes resume January 6th, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to come back for the birth. Do you hate me?”
“No, I would never, and you’ll see the baby when you can. Harry will record every moment, and once I’m home, we can video chat as much as we can. I don’t want you to feel sad because you’re not here. You are doing so well in school, and London seems to agree with you.”
“It does. It’s been a great experience, and I’m learning a lot. Classes are more compact, and the schedule is grueling, but once you get used to it, it does go quicker. I can see why Ben was so far ahead of the underclassman back at UNC. I’m taking double credits for all my classes, and by the time I finish in May, I’ll have a year left to do at UNC. But if I stay in London, I’ll be done by next December.”
“Is that what you’re thinking?”
“Thinking…?”
“To stay in London? We never really talked about it long term, and I was just wondering.”
“To be honest, I thought about it as far as education but not far beyond anything else. Ben is busy working at Innovate Now, and I know he has plans for the company but hasn’t really shared much with me. He wants me to concentrate on school, and that’s what I do Monday thru Friday while he works at our flat.”
My visit was short, and I didn’t want to spend all my time talking about me. I wanted to focus on Harry and Leah and my soon-to-be niece or nephew on the way.
“No more London talk, let’s talk about this baby,” I said as I put my hands on her stomach and willed the baby to kick. A minute later it happened, and I jumped back in excitement. “Holy Moses, Leah, this is amazing,” I said, and my sister laughed in her pillow.
“Yeah, try feeling it from the inside. Now, my soccer player is awake, so I have to pee.” She put her arms up for me to help her out from the bed. She was so cute as she waddled into the bathroom. She came out a couple of minutes later and asked me to help her make herself presentable. I picked out a new pair of yoga pants with a pretty maternity sweater she said was also new. After she changed, I fixed her hair, and she applied light makeup.
“You look fabulous,” I told her.
“Thank you, and thank you for the help. I don’t have a lot of reason to dress up lately with all the bedrest I’ve been doing, but you and Ben are the exception.”
“Are you okay to go downstairs?”
“I am. Once I’m downstairs, Harry will park me in the oversized chair. Not sure if you noticed, but Harry has upgraded some of the furniture,” she giggled and then looped her arm in mine, and we walked down the stairs nice and slow.
Once we reached the bottom, Harry was right there to take over, kissing my sister
with nothing but love in his eyes. Before she sat down, Ben took her in for a long and big hug.
“You look beautiful, Leah,” said Ben as he took a seat beside me. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m doing well. The bedrest is helping, and with all the time on my hands, I can literally quote every Netflix show they have on there.”
“I’m sure you can, but it won’t be forever. Your little one will be arriving soon enough, and all of this will be forgotten.”
“I don’t know. I kind of like being pregnant, and it was going pretty well, up until my blood pressure decided to be a jerk,” she said rubbing little circles on her round belly.
“We can do this as many times as you would like, but let’s get through this one first, okay?” said Harry, taking her hand and placing a kiss on it.
I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer and just let them fall, with Ben quickly wiping them away. I am so blessed to have them in my life. Ben gave me the best Christmas present I could ever receive: my family and his love.
44
New Year resolutions
Ben…
“Tell me one more time: are you sure you are not mad that I’m squeezing in some work while I’m here?” I asked Hallie as she sat in front of the vanity applying her makeup. My girl was absolutely flawless, and although she kept it light, I preferred her wearing nothing at all. I rested my elbows on my knees as I just stared at her.
She caught me looking and winked. She turned around and said, “Ben, I am not mad. I really want you to go to the office and spend the day driving Van crazy,” she giggled.
“Am I really that bad?”
“No, never, but work is important, and you need to check in with Van and your team. It would be crazy for you not to while you’re in North Carolina.”
Before We Knew Page 29