The Secret That Intervened

by Lisa Marie Stum

  She placed her head on my chest and dozed back to sleep. I lay there for the next hour just watching her peacefulness, listening to the softness of her breath, and thinking about how beautiful she would look in a wedding dress.

  Chapter 20 - Hailey

  I turned around and my eyes popped and jaw dropped when I saw a mixture of green and orange uniforms standing at the entrance, waiting to be seated. The soccer teams from Milbourny Junior High and Luville Middle School were looking for some grub and I would have to serve them by myself. There were at least twenty of them, maybe more.

  I seated them at a cluster of five tables that were close together. They were screaming over the tables, making it difficult to focus on their orders.

  With a tray of drinks balancing in my hand, I made my way to the tables. The boys were kicking a soccer ball back and forth and I nearly tripped when it rolled in front of me.

  “Boys! Knock it off!” Frankie yelled from the cash register, shaking his finger at them.

  An hour and a half later, they left. They’d settled down a bit after Frankie scolded them, but they were still a rambunctious group of twelve-and thirteen-year-old boys. I was exhausted.

  After they had left and I was cleaning up the tables, I noticed they hadn’t left me a tip. I sat down in a booth, let out a heavy sigh, and shook my head. They were the third group to stiff me on a tip that day, and I wanted to cry. Such a stupid thing to want to cry about.

  I got up and finished clearing the tables.

  With the bus bin in my hands, I used my hip to open the kitchen door. I placed the bin in the sink, and headed back toward the dining room. I passed Frankie, who was kneading dough.

  “Hailey, my dear. The coach of the winning team called in to pay by credit card. He left you a twenty dollar tip. You can take the cash from the register.”

  “Thanks, Frankie,” I said.

  I felt stupid for letting myself get upset about it, but relieved that I hadn’t been stiffed again.

  I wiped down the last booth that the soccer team had occupied, reflecting on the past month and a half I had spent with Cody. Every kiss was something I savored. I wasn’t worried about what the future held, but was excited about the possibilities instead.

  Being with Cody had been different in every way. There was no negative tension, it was easy and comfortable. Instead of feeling anxious about what kind of mood he would be in, I couldn’t wait to see him again whenever we were apart. I never had to search the depths of my mind to initiate a conversation. Words just fell from my lips when we spoke, and I didn’t have to internally moderate any of my thoughts. I didn’t hesitate to tell him how I was feeling or what I was thinking.

  We had seen each other every day, except for the shows he’d had in Philadelphia two weekends ago. The Sunday when he returned had been the first night he stayed over – sort of. I had missed him terribly when he was away, and all I wanted to do was be in his arms when he called to tell me what had happened with Jason. He told me he couldn’t hold it back, he’d just exploded, but I felt bad that I was the reason for it.

  The overnight stays had been innocent – nothing more than cuddling, kissing, and holding each other throughout the night. I loved waking up with his arms still wrapped around me, and felt completely at ease and safe.

  The connection I felt with him, and the chemistry between us, was what was amazing, and I couldn’t imagine that I could ever feel that way with anyone else.

  I straightened out the menu and the shakers that were on the table and thought about how his body felt against mine. Goosebumps covered my arms and I felt a tingle in my chest. A soft smile slid across my face as I thought about him.

  The customers waiting by the door interrupted my thoughts. Their eyes were upon me, almost piercing my back with their glares. My attention turned to them. The couple had only been standing there for no more than two minutes, but had a look of impatience and irritation on their faces. I realized they had watched me while I was in my own world thinking about Cody. “I’m so sorry for your wait,” I said as I walked with a quick pace toward them. “Follow me, please.”

  This would be my last table before my shift was over. I couldn’t wait to get off my feet.

  While the soccer teams were at the restaurant, Cody had texted me. There wasn’t a chance to respond until an hour later. He told me he would pick up dinner for us so we didn’t have to cook. I had been looking forward to this evening all day. With Cody performing four nights a week, and practicing two days on top of his regular job, we rarely got an entire evening together. He would slip into my bed after the shows, and I loved that I got to wake up next to him. But I preferred evenings that we could fall asleep together, and they were a rarity.

  As much as I loved Chloe, I wanted to spend the evening alone with Cody. I’d called Mama Mary earlier and asked her to keep her overnight. Of course, she agreed; she never turned me down and always looked forward to time with Chloe. I had off work tomorrow and would have the whole day with her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked. Cody and I hadn’t had much alone time together, and I was anticipating having a special evening with him.

  After I finished my last table and collected my tip I hurried home to change out of my uniform.

  ***

  “Hey, beautiful,” Cody said as I walked toward him.

  My heart raced when I saw the way he was looking at me.

  A bag of Chinese food hung from his fingers. On my tiptoes, I reached up to give him a kiss. My feet relaxed and I stood almost half a foot shorter than him.

  “Mmm, you smell good,” he said, looking down at me.

  With a smile still spread across my face, I took the bag from his hands. I turned around and made my way into the kitchen with the food.

  “You drove out to Luville?” I asked while pulling the boxes from the bag.

  “Sure did. Pretty sure you didn’t want pizza or sandwiches.”

  “Good call,” I said, and then realized it wasn’t the first time I’d mimicked his speech.

  “You mocking me?” he teased.

  “Never,” I said, while giving him an exaggerated wink.

  He pulled out two plates from the cupboard and sat them on the counter next to the food. I shook my head at him when he opened the silverware drawer.

  “No way.” I waved the chopsticks at him.

  He grabbed the chopsticks from my hand and lifted my chin with them. He leaned in to me and gently tugged on my lips with his. After he released my lips I snatched the chopsticks back.

  My attention turned back to the food on the counter, and I prepared us each a plate. The sweet and spicy smell of General Tso’s hit my nose, and my stomach grumbled in response.

  He wrapped his arms around my waist, watching as I finished fixing our plates.

  He nibbled on my ear, encouraging me to turn around again. I did what he wanted, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I looked him in the eyes as his lips made their way to mine. My eyes shut the second I felt his breath against my lips; it was intoxicating and made my heart feel like it was fluttering. He kissed me lightly at first and then pulled my bottom lip between his delicately. Our tongues slowly caressed each other. He drew his head back and gazed into my eyes, taking in a deep breath. I wanted him in a way that I could no longer tolerate, and I knew for certain that tonight would be the night.

  I handed Cody a plate and took the other plate for myself. He pulled out my chair while balancing his plate in his other hand.

  Cody fumbled with the chopsticks and I watched him in amusement. The pieces of food kept slipping out every time he got them close to his mouth. I laughed at him as I skillfully picked up a mouthful of food. As I moved it toward him, he opened his mouth and allowed me to feed him.

  He made another attempt with the chopsticks, and successfully placed a piece of chicken between them. As he tried to return the favor and feed me, the chicken gave way to the pressure between the chopsticks and went sailing into the air. My body shook in laughter an
d he laughed along with me.

  “Where did it go?” Cody asked.

  I pulled my eyes closed tightly while shaking my head. “It’s on my thigh.”

  He continued to laugh at himself while he dampened a paper towel at the kitchen sink. I put the piece of chicken on the side of my plate. I reached my hand out as he returned to the table to take the paper towel.

  “I made the mess, I’ll clean it up.”

  I turned my body toward him and held his gaze before he wiped the sauce off of my thigh.

  “It looks like it hit your shirt first,” he said.

  He wiped my shirt off. His hand accidentally brushed lightly against my breast. It sent a current through my body.

  We finished eating and decided to turn a movie on. Cody popped in the DVD, while I cleaned off the dishes.

  I grabbed the comforter and pillow from my bed and made my way into the living room. We spooned on the couch, with our bodies pressed tightly together and his arms around me. Cody stroked my thigh softly with his hand while we lay there.

  After the movie ended I looked up at him and said, “Let’s go to bed.”

  ***

  He stripped down to his boxers while I was in the bathroom straightening myself up. His eyes widened when I walked into the room. He stood on the opposite side of the bed, looking me up and down.

  Usually I would come to bed in my pajamas, but this time I wore pink panties and a white baby T-shirt that exposed my lower abdomen and hardened nipples.

  “You’re just so damn beautiful.”

  The sight of him shirtless was something I had seen many times before, and each time it drove me crazy. His abs. His arms. His chest. Every part of him was well defined and supremely sexy.

  I held his stare, and said, “So are you.”

  I turned off the lights, knowing that I wanted him, and knowing that it was finally going to happen.

  He pulled me closer to him, and our lips collided. I wanted every part of him, every inch of him. My hands glided down to the band of his boxers, finally resting on the very thing I wanted. He looked at me. “You sure?”

  “Yes,” I whispered before my lips met his again. He leaned me onto my back, and pulled up my shirt just enough to reveal my stomach. The heat of his mouth hit my skin, before his tongue caressed my midsection. Sparks shot down my body, and I desperately wanted him, needed him. He worked his way up my body, pushing my shirt up further as he went. His tongue circled my nipples, and then my mouth, before he pulled my shirt completely free from me.

  His breath picked up as he caressed my neck with his lips, and the hardness of him pressed against me. His breathing had become erratic, uncontrolled. The side of him I’d never experienced before was something I was desperate for.

  “Baby, you’re beautiful,” he whispered under heavy breaths in my ear as he massaged my breast. I wanted him and I no longer had to deny it. He had a piece of me, and I wanted everything when it came to him. I wanted his body, I wanted his heart.

  He tore the sheets and the bedding from me and threw them to the floor. His lips were on my inner thighs, circling closer and closer. I needed a release that only he could provide, and my legs quivered in response.

  My body thrashed in response to his love, wave after wave.

  I wanted and needed to know him in this way. I needed the experience of the once forbidden thoughts. My body hungered for him.

  He slid back up to me. Watching me closely as he teased my thighs. It made me want him in a way that was unfathomable, screeching and crawling its way into my titillating thoughts.

  And when his breath breezed against my skin again, I knew everything about him was everything I needed – his touch, the feeling of him taking hold of all my senses, that way he had about him that always made me feel comfortable with myself, and my frustration with his unrelenting confidence. I wanted him badly.

  All of my doubt about my choices and with my life faded when he pushed himself into me. Nothing, and I mean nothing could have described the way I felt. The way we were connected to each other challenged every thought I’d ever had. Our love was something that could never be dismissed again. I never imagined life could feel that way. So serene, so beautiful, so perfect.

  With one movement, he broke open a part of me that I didn’t know existed, a part of me that I had buried and left concealed. And it was only in that second that everything felt right, because it was with him. My love. My heart. My everything. And that’s what he’d always be to me. Perfect. Complete.

  Chapter 21 - Hailey

  “Come here, I missed you!” I said as Taylor walked into my bedroom. “You are so tan. How was Bermuda?” I put the hamper down on the bed.

  Taylor tossed her purse and duffle bag onto the bed and gave me a hug.

  “It was great! I wish my parents had let me take my phone with me. But, it was worth the sacrifice for a fully paid trip. I could easily have stayed another two weeks. We have to do a girls’ trip sometime.”

  A trip would definitely be outside of my budget, and there was no way I could leave Chloe for that long. I nodded in agreement anyway. Otherwise, the conversation would have turned into Taylor pointing out all of the alternatives.

  “How did the shows in Philadelphia go?” Taylor asked as she got her makeup bag from her purse.

  “Besides what you probably already know, Cody said it went well. It was the largest crowd he’s ever performed in front of. The bar manager said he was interested in having them come back,” I said.

  Taylor unzipped the bag after taking a seat on the floor in front of the mirror. “I’m surprised that the bar would let him back.” She pulled out her compact.

  “I’m surprised too. It happened Friday but they let him perform Saturday.” I tugged a towel loose from the hamper and folded it.

  “Why did he attack Jason like that?” Taylor turned from the mirror, her brows knitted in curiosity.

  I wanted to divert Taylor’s attention away from the reasons why. “Jason sent me a text message calling me a whore after it happened. Well, there was a choice curse word in front of it.”

  “What a jerk. Have you heard from him since?” She dusted off some powder that had fallen on her shirt.

  “He called me yesterday, but I ignored it.” I finished folding the last towel and put them away in the closet.

  “Did he leave a message?” Taylor asked before turning back to the mirror to line her eyes.

  “No.” I took a seat at the edge of the bed.

  “A few days ago he increased Chloe’s child support and I didn’t ask him to. He hasn’t asked to see her.”

  “That’s pretty awesome that he did it on his own, and pretty shitty that he hasn’t even tried,” Taylor said as she yanked her blonde hair loose from a ponytail holder.

  “Let’s talk about something else, like me and Cody.” I flashed her a look that implied I had something to tell her.

  “Is tonight the night?” Taylor asked, cocking an eye at me in the mirror.

  I retrieved a bag from the closet and took a seat next to Taylor on the floor.

  I pulled a pink bra edged with black lace out of the bag and held it up by the straps. Taylor’s eyes widened. “That is some super sexy shit.”

  I let a sly smile creep over my face. “Last night was the night.” I bit my lip, and drew a matching thong out of the bag. “Tonight I’m going to spice things up.”

  “That’s why you wanted to borrow my clothes!” Taylor said.

  “I could only afford new shoes and the bra and panty set.” I slid the bra and panties back into the bag.

  “Wow, you are going to look slamming tonight. You’re going to take him off guard. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he sees you. Can I do your makeup?” Her brows yanked up in excitement.

  “I know. He’s never seen me dressed up like this. I haven’t even seen me dressed up like this. And yes, you can do my makeup, but don’t overdo it.” I put the bag back in the closet.

  “I brought
you three options for outfits to pick from. Oh, and I want to do your hair too.”

  “It’s already done, but okay.”

  “Take a look at the clothes in my duffle bag and show me what you decide on,” Taylor said, pointing to her bag.

  I pulled out three skirts and three tops. I decided against the teal skirt, which was way too bright and looked as if it might be way too short as well. The red skirt only went with a white top that was way too revealing in my opinion. Settling on a black top and pink skirt that looked like it would hit mid-thigh, I decided to try them on. The top fit my body tightly and the skirt was the length I thought it would be. I put on the shoes and modeled the outfit for Taylor.

  “My feet are going to be killing me by the end of the night,” I said, lifting my foot up, examining the three-inch heels.

  “All in the name of beauty,” Taylor said.

  I slid the shoes back off as Taylor got a dining room chair.

  “Sit,” Taylor instructed as she pointed to the seat of the chair.

  Taylor dumped the contents of her makeup bag on my dresser and then applied powder, a bit of blush, and then picked up a dark eye shadow. I held my hand up to stop her.

  “Don’t make me look like Erin,” I said, pulling my face away from her.

  “I would never use that much. She must go through a case of that shit a month,” Taylor said. “I’ll only use a little, promise. It will make your eyes pop.”

  Taylor sectioned my hair, clipping it as she went. She released a clip in the back and started creating loose curls with a curling iron, and then she started teasing sections.

  “I feel like I’m going to look like someone out of the 80’s,” I joked.

  “You won’t. It will give your hair a little more volume.” Taylor squirted a few sprays of hairspray. She picked up a brush from the dresser and smoothed the teased part down. She stood back a few feet to admire her creation, smiling proudly at me.