This Time Forever

by Williams, Adrienne

  Afterward, as they lay on the crumpled sheets, Elliott still on top of Renee, kissing, sighing, and coming back to Earth, Renee said, “I love you, too.” He smiled into her neck as she said the words that he wanted to hear so many times from her. “I never stopped loving you, either. I just wish that . . . “ He said, “This is a new beginning for us. We don’t have to look back. And just for the record, I figured out how you felt when Matt told me that his middle name is Elliott.” They were lying side by side, Renee nestled into Elliott’s arms. “I needed a way to have some part of you with me. And he’s so much like you.” As she was talking, Elliott had a thought. “So, I was on the phone with Kayla right before you got here. And she was going on and on about how excited she was to finally be here.” Renee looked at him with mock confusion. “Girl, you’re good, you know that? That was very well played. Here I was expecting the kids, and instead, it’s their gorgeous mom who shows up.” She giggled as he pulled her on top of him. “Oh, wait, Elliott, I can’t right now . . . “ He laughed and said, “I’m going to need at least the rest of this night to recover, but when I do, you’d better be ready.” They talked, laughed, kissed, and teased until they wore themselves out and sleep overtook them.

  Chapter 21

  The next few weeks saw Renee and Elliott lives come together harmoniously. Kayla and Matt arrived a week after Renee and Christmas was spent at Ben and Lena’s, along with a few of their friends. Renee spoke with Dennis and Aunt Sophie. This was the first Christmas in a very long time that she hadn’t spent with them. “I promise to make a trip there very soon.” Dennis told her that Liza and Joe had come by to see them earlier in the day. “Oh, that’s nice. How are they?” Dennis said, “You really should give Liza a call. Says she didn’t get a chance to see you before you left.” Renee said that she would call Liza soon. Before hanging p, Dennis spoke with Elliott. “Yes, I know. I think she’s going to call her soon. I will. You, too. Bye.” When Elliott returned to the living room, Lena and her friends were asking Renee if she could have some of her skin and hair products sent in for them. One of them said “You know, you could open a spa here and people would go crazy for it. Everyone is into natural and organic beauty. You’d do really well here.” Renee did a brief assessment of their needs, made notes, and told them that she would have the products shipped. Matt and Kayla were spending the night with their grandparents, so Elliott and Renee were on their own. On the way home, Elliott noticed that Renee was very quiet. “You okay, honey?” he asked. “Hmmm? Oh, yeah. Just a little tired. I had a really good time today.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. “Yeah, me too. When we get home, we can go right to bed and we can sleep as late as we want.” When they got home, Renee and Elliott took a shower together and then went to sleep. The next morning when she woke up and went into the kitchen, Elliott had made a fruit platter consisting of pineapple, grapes, and an assortment of berries, and was cooking egg white omelets. She gave him a gentle squeeze from behind and he said, “I was going to bring this in to you.” She took a sip of orange juice and said, “I needed to get up so I can call the distributor about shipping the products for your mom and her friends, but thank you for this.” As he was putting the omelets and fruit on plates, he said, “So, what do you think of opening a spa here?” She took a bite of her omelet, closed her eyes and said, “Mmmm, baby this is sooo good.” He sat down beside her and said “Not as good as watching you do that.” She didn’t respond to that comment, but just looked at him and said, “Well, it is a good idea, but I need to make some decisions about New York.” Elliott said, “Well, I’m pretty sure you could handle business from here. You know, there is this thing called the Internet and technology . . . “ She laughed and said “Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I’ve been told.” They finished their brunch and went back to bed. After a leisurely and steamy afternoon, as they lay in their bed, Elliott said “I have something I want to give you.” She sat up as he retrieved a box from the nightstand on his side of the bed. She looked at him and said, “You weren’t supposed to get me anything, remember? He said, “No, I forgot.” He gave her the box and she opened it. Inside was the necklace that matched the earrings that she purchased the day she and Liza went shopping. “Elliott, it’s beautiful, it’s . . . “ He placed the necklace around her neck and said, “It’s not nearly as beautiful as the woman wearing it.” She pressed her hot, naked frame against him and softly kissed his lips. He could feel himself getting aroused by her again, but he had some other things that he wanted to tell her. “I think you should call Liza.” She positioned herself onto her side of the bed. “Look,” he said, “I know some things were said, and feelings got hurt, but she’s your best friend.” Renee sat silently as she listened to him. She knew that what he was saying was true, and she missed Liza so much. Missed seeing her. Missed hearing her voice. Missed her “big sisterly” advice. She just missed her. She sat silent for so long that Elliott said “Baby, you okay?” She swallowed and said, “Yeah. And I know I should call her. I miss her, you know?” He saw the glisten of tears in her eyes and held her close. “I’ll call her soon.” He said, I have one other thing I want to tell you, and hear me out before you say anything, okay? She agreed. “I know how important New York is to you, and you know I would never want to take anything away that means so much to you. I signed a one-year lease on the house there. I figured if we need or want to go there for any reason, it could be ours. I hope you don’t mind.” She sat silently for a few moments before saying, “I, I don’t know what to say. You didn’t have to do that, baby.” She climbed on top of him, looked into his gorgeous blue eyes, and kissed him deeply, eliciting a deep moan from the back of his throat. “So what are we going to do about your apartment, the furniture?” She replied, “Well, my lease is over at the end of the year, and it was already furnished?” He nodded and said, “So, we just need to get the rest of your personal belongings?” She agreed and said, “Yeah. I just need to call and let them know that I won’t be signing a new lease and I need to let Constance know, too.” He said, “I’ll contact them and take care of getting the rest of your things sent here. All you have to do is contact Constance to let her know that you won’t be returning, and Liza.” She said but if there are any glitches or balances . . . “ He said, “Please, baby, just let me handle it.” She sighed and said, “Alright. You deal with the apartment stuff and I’ll call Liza and Constance.” He chuckled and said, “Sounds better when you say it, huh?” She playfully nipped at his lower lip and said, “Sure does.” She got out of bed, found a sleep shirt, and took a very quick shower. Elliott was asleep and she nestled in beside him and did the same.

  When she woke up the next morning, Elliott had already left. She got up and went into the kitchen and made herself some hot cereal and hot tea. After she finished eating, she went into the office, found a writing pad and made herself some notes of some things she needed to take care of that day. At the top of the list was finding an internal medicine doctor. She was having very bad sinus headaches and needed something stronger than the over-the-counter medications that she had been taking. She called Lena and asked her if Ben could recommend anyone in his practice. “Oh, yes,” Lena said. “How long have your sinuses been acting up?” Renee told her that they started giving her trouble shortly before she left New York. “My goodness, you should’ve said something before now. No need to be feeling ill.” Lena told her that she would call Ben to get the name of someone from his practice that could see her that day. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll call you right back.” After she hung up the phone, Renee started making notes, outlining how she would transition from New York to LA. Just as she was about to call Genie to see how things were going, Lena was calling her back. “All you have to do is show up at 1:00. Dr. Moore is one of the best physicians in the city. He’ll have you feeling better in no time.” Renee got the address and thanked Lena. They made plans to get together later in the week, before Kayla and Matt leave for New York. She called Constance and told h
er that she was going to be spending an unknown amount of time in LA. “I hope that I haven’t inconvenienced you,” Renee said. Constance assured her that the only inconvenience was that she wouldn’t be seeing her anymore. Renee told her that she actually was going to have a residence in New York and maybe they could meet for lunch the next time she was there. She and Constance had become good friends over the years. She also called Mya to see how she was and how things were going at the women’s center. “Things are good, but it’s not the same without you here. We all miss you, but we’re glad you and Elliott finally got together.” As the conversation went on, Renee asked, “How are things with Cory?” Mya said, “I was just getting ready to tell you that we’re engaged.” Renee said, “Oh my goodness, Mya, that’s fantastic! I knew something was up when he had you house-hunting with him.” Mya laughed and said, “I guess I kinda knew it too. I’m so happy, Renee.” Renee said, “Please keep me posted about the wedding.” After their conversation, Renee got herself ready for her doctor’s appointment. Once she finished the paperwork, she took a seat in one of the plush, comfy chairs that decorated the beautifully appointed waiting area. She had come prepared for a long wait, since she didn’t have an appointment, per se, and had just pulled out her Kindle. Before she could turn it on, a pretty, young nurse was calling her. “Hi, Ms. St. Claire. I’m Tiffany, Dr. Moore’s nurse. How are you today?” As they were walking into the exam room, Renee was telling Tiffany about her horrible sinus headaches. “I’m so sorry you’ve not been feeling well since you got here, but Dr. Moore is the best and he’ll have you feeling better in no time at all. Tiffany asked Renee about her last physical exam. “Mmmm, it’s probably been about a year.” Tiffany told her that the doctor would want to do a complete physical on her since she is a new patient to his practice and it had been a year since her last one. After Tiffany had finished taking Renee’s vital signs and collecting labs, she left the room so that Renee could change into an exam gown and wait for Dr. Moore. Even the exam gowns were nice and soft and generously cut. After a short wait, Dr. Evan Moore entered the room. “Hi, Renee. Very nice to meet you.” They talked for a few minutes and he did a quick, yet thorough exam on her. He left the exam room to check on the labs and returned shortly. “Well, everything checks out fine, Renee. Here’s a prescription for sinus pills and a decongestant.” He gave her specific instructions on how and when to take the sinus pills and decongestant and told her to call him if she had any questions or concerns. She thanked him and after he left the room, she quickly got dressed, went to the checkout desk and left the office.

  After her appointment, she went to the market and got some fresh tilapia, kale and new potatoes to cook for dinner. By the time she made it home, it was after 4:00. As she was in the kitchen preparing dinner, she heard the garage door open. “Hi, baby,” he said as he pulled her close and kissed her full, sensuous lips, feeling her softness pressed close to him. He elicited a tiny moan from her and she said, “How was your day? How’s the case coming along.” He said “It’s actually going very well. I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to settle outside of court.” He took her by the hand, led her into the living room, sat on recliner with Renee straddling him. “So, I did have a few minutes of down time today and I tried to call you.” She had forgotten to turn her phone back on when she finished her doctor’s appointment. “Oh, I was just out and about today. Must’ve gone out of range or something.” He nibbled her neck and slid his hands under her shirt. “Really? So, tell me, where in the world did my pretty go today that took her out of range?” He was tracing his fingers up and down her spine, making her hot all over. He smiled suggestively at her because he knew exactly what he was doing to her. “Well,” she said, “I went to the market to get tonight’s dinner, and a few other things.” “Mmmm, I see,” he said as his hands found their way to the inside of her jeans. He was kissing her, licking her lips, sucking on her neck. “I went to the doctor today.” He stopped and looked at her with his brow furrowed and said, “You okay?” She told him that she just went in to see one of doctors in his dad’s practice about the sinus headaches she’s been having. “What did he say? Did he give you some medicine?” She kissed his lips and said, “He gave me some sinus medicine and a decongestant. He said the headaches should stop very soon.” He was pulling her close again, sliding his hands to the front of her sweater this time. Renee continued talking. “He also said I could expect a few more changes over the next few months.” He was just getting ready to unsnap her bra, but then stopped. He looked at her for a few minutes. “Elliott,” she said, “I’m pregnant.”

  Chapter 22

  Elliott sat silently for a few seconds, taking in what Renee had just said. She was shifting her body, getting ready to remove herself from his lap when he placed his hands on her hips, looked her in the eyes and said, “You’re pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.” He was speaking so softly. Renee was getting ready to speak but before she could say anything, Elliott was kissing her. He gently placed his hands on her stomach and said, “That’s why you went to the doctor today?” She said, “No, I really went there for sinus headaches, but since Dr. Moore has never seen me before, he did a physical exam and some lab work. Elliott, I’m sorry if . . . “ Before she could finished, he furrowed his brow and said, “Sorry? No, honey, there is nothing to be sorry about. I mean, this is great. I’m going to be a dad.” Renee laughed and said, “Well, you already are . . . “ He said, “Yeah, yeah, but now I get to, I mean we get to do it together this time. This means everything to me, Renee. I love you so much.” Renee took in a deep breath and exhaled. He laughed and said, “Why such a deep sigh?” She said, “Well, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I told you. I mean, it’s all such a surprise to me, so I knew it would be a surprise for you too, and I wanted for you to be as happy about it as I am.” He kissed her lips gently and said, “I’m way past happy, baby.” She gave him a deep kiss and started to stand up. He said “Where you going?” She said, well, we gotta eat, so I thought I’d finish dinner.” He said, “Uh-uh. We’re going out to eat this evening and you’re going to start taking it easy.” Renee laughed and said, “But I already started everything.” He countered, “We’ll just put it away for another time. We’re going out tonight and then we’re going to come back here and do all kinds of stuff to each other.” Renee stood up, laughed and said, “Okay. But you do realize that it’s the all kinds of stuff that got me pregnant?”

  After dinner, Renee and Elliott returned home, showered together, and spent the rest of the night kissing, touching, tasting, moaning, their bodies slippery with their sweat and juices. Afterwards, as they lay in their tangled sheets, Elliott said, as he stroked her stomach, “You know, I didn’t even ask how far along are we?” She said sleepily, “I don’t know, not very far, maybe 6 weeks or so. Dr. Moore has me set up already with an OB so I can get an ultrasound in a couple of weeks.” Before she fell completely to sleep, Elliott said, “Okay, honey. I wanna go with you.” As she closed her eyes she said, “Yes.”

  The next morning, after Elliott had left for the office, Renee called Liza. When Liza answered, she said “Well, I was thinking I was going to have to make a trip out there.” Renee said, “It’s the time difference. You’re three hours ahead of me.” Liza laughed and said, “Has it been so long that you think you could use time difference as your lame-ass excuse? Come on, St. Claire, it’s me you’re talking to. You were mad at me for laying out the truth for you.” Renee said, “I’ve missed you, too. They talked about everything. Except for Renee’s pregnancy. She and Elliott had decided not to tell anyone until after her sonogram. “So, are you officially in LA now?” Liza inquired. Renee told her that LA was home for now and that in time she would splitting time between New York and California. “Elliott is renting the house he was staying in while he was there.” Liza said, “Yes, I know, little one. I told you he’s in love with you.” They stayed on the phone talking, catching up for two hours before Liza said, “Well, not all of us are l
adies of leisure, I have to get back to work, but I’ll call you over the weekend.” When her conversation with Liza ended, she went into the kitchen to make herself a smoothie. As she was pouring it into a glass, the doorbell rang. The shipment of the hair and skin products for Lena and her friends had arrived. She got the list that she had made for each ladies’ specific needs and checked to make sure that she had received everything. Once she had verified the order, she called Lena to see when she and her friends wanted to have their hair and facial party. “Are you available tomorrow? That way Kayla can help out and you won’t have to do everything yourself.” Renee was somewhat nervous, though, because Lena is a very perceptive woman. If Lena had the slightest suspicion that Renee was pregnant, she would definitely say something. Even though she was not showing, she still was a little concerned, so she tried on a pair of her favorite jeans to make sure they still fit. After she put them on, she felt silly. Of course they would still fit. Did she really think she was going to blossom that much overnight?

  Later that night, while they were getting ready for bed, Renee told Elliott that she would be spending most of the next day at Lena’s. “You sure you feel up to all of that, babe? I already told you, I want you to take it easy.” He was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist as she put moisturizer on her lips. She turned around to face him and said, “Stop worrying. I’m fine. In fact, while I was out the other day, I spotted a nice yoga studio right up the street and signed up.” He said, “I don’t know, Renee, all that stretching and bending might not be such a good idea right now.” She walked out of the bedroom and down the hall, Elliott right behind her. She told him, “If it makes you feel any better, they even offer classes for pregnant students. And, they have a certification program. Remember I was telling you I want to do that at some point?” He wasn’t completely convinced. “I just don’t want you to hurt yourself. Besides, you can always start again after the baby is born.” She got a drink of water and said, “Doesn’t work that way. If I don’t do something to maintain some level of fitness now, it will be that much harder afterward.” He stood there, letting his eyes rake over her body and said, “Well, you obviously didn’t have any problems after Matt and Kayla, so . . . “ She laughed and said, “Being a teenager had a lot to do with that. I’m an old woman now,” she said as she walked back to the bedroom. “See that’s where you’re wrong. Everything about you says young, hot, and now, pregnant.” He pulled her close to him and kissed her softly. A tiny moan escaped her lips when they pulled apart. “Oh,” she said, “Is it okay if I take the SUV tomorrow? It’ll make transporting the products easier.” He said, “I’m calling Mom right now to see if she can bring her friends over here.” Before she could protest he said, “Renee, you already won the yoga round. Let me do this, okay?” She let out a big sigh and said, “Okay, okay. But at least let me call her.” He gave her his phone and she dialed Lena’s number. After the call ended, she gave Elliott his phone and he said, “See, that’ll work out better. You won’t have to take all those products over there, plus, it’ll give Mom’s friends an excuse to come over here and check out our house.” As she was joining Elliott under the covers, she said, “I like the sound of that. Our house.” He rolled her onto her back and said, “That’s exactly what it is. Beyond a reasonable doubt.” She said, “Mmmm, lawyer talk. Are you going to . . . “ Before she could finish her sentence, he was inside of her.