by Tia Siren
Will
We ended up spending the night in Cambridge since the weather was icy, Avery was tired, and it was pretty late when we finished dinner. The surprise couldn’t have gone any better, and we spent the plane ride back holding hands, with Ella’s head resting on my shoulder. When we landed, Ella told me she had plans to spend the day with her parents, and by the time she got off the phone with them to let them know she was almost there, they had invited me to come along with them for the day.
The visit with her parents was much better than the last. Her father wasn’t the same man who constantly picked fights with Ella and drove her to the point where she was considering cutting him off completely. The heart attack had really affected him, and he spent his day playing with Avery, laughing with his daughters, and smiling the whole time. Not once did he bring up business, or law school for that matter. Later in the afternoon, Ella’s parents both approached me and handed me a wrapped box.
“We wanted to give you something special to welcome you to our family,” Ella’s mom said.
Ella sat to the side, smiling and watching as I unwrapped the gift. Inside was an old carved wooden box with a latch and key. I opened the box to find a carved ivory pipe inside. It was obvious this thing was really old.
“That was my great-grandfather’s pipe,” Ella’s father said. “He acquired it when he was overseas with the military. It has changed hands through the generations, and since I have no boys, you are the lucky recipient. They say the pipe is lucky and whoever has hold of it will have a life filled with love and laughter.”
“Thank you so much, sir,” I said, standing and shaking his hand. “I will take very good care of this pipe.”
The gift was a complete surprise, but it only cemented the feeling that things between me and Ella and her family were really starting to be amazing. I felt like Ella’s significant other for the first time in public, and it was even more exciting than I had thought it would be. We actually acted like a family, and when Avery needed something, he went straight to Ella. When we were done with dinner with Ella’s family, we said good-bye to everyone and Ella came back with me to my place.
When we got inside, I took care of Avery’s bath while Ella sat down on the couch and rested. The last few days had really tired her out, and I didn’t blame her. Between the flights back and forth, purchasing the new house, and spending time with Ella’s family, I was exhausted as well. I smiled, thinking about how it was going to be with another child in the mix. Exhaustion had never sounded so exciting.
When Avery was done with his bath, he went out into the living room and curled up next to Ella, resting his head in her lap. She smiled up at me, rubbing her hand through his hair. Before he could fall asleep, she walked him into his room and put him to bed, reading him a story until he fell asleep. She smiled at me as she closed his door and stretched with a yawn, walking down into the living room and curling up next to me.
“Our life is going to be really different in Cambridge,” she said. “We’re going to have a big house, a big yard, and we’ll finally start having a normal existence.”
“We’re going to have to furnish that place.”
“I look forward to it,” she said. “I really like that kind of stuff. Just show me where to go and I’m all over it.”
“I didn’t know you like to decorate like that,” I said, surprised. “I’m always finding out new and amazing things about you. I like it.”
“We have many years ahead of us to learn about each other,” she said, smiling up at me.
I reached over and rubbed my hand across her belly, which was now poking out a little more than before. You still wouldn’t know she was pregnant if she didn’t tell you, but I noticed, and I loved feeling that life growing inside her. She took a deep breath and smiled as we sat there.
“I can’t wait until the baby comes,” she said.
“Me too,” I replied. “What do you think? A boy or a girl?”
“A girl, definitely,” she said.
“Really? Why?”
“I don’t know. I just know,” she said. “Why? You think a boy?”
“I honestly have no idea,” I said, laughing. “I was just curious because they say you women know these things.”
“Did Megan know what Avery was going to be?”
“She did.” I chuckled. “She bought a blue onesie the second month and said, ‘I already know.’”
“That’s awesome,” she said, smiling. “I think I do, too. I want to tell you that you, Avery, and this baby are the best things that have ever happened to me.”
“I’m so excited for our future together,” I said, turning to her. “I never thought I would have a second chance at love, but here I am, completely enamored by you, and I cannot wait for our lives to get started.”
She kissed me on the lips and then leaned back and smiled. I brushed the hair from her face and thought about how much I loved this woman. Ella leaned back in and kissed me again.
“Take me to bed,” she whispered.
“It would be my pleasure.”
We walked back to my room and closed the door, but things this time were not the same as they had been before. Ella excused herself to the bathroom and told me to get comfortable; she would be right back. I smiled and watched her disappear into the bathroom before turning and starting to get undressed. I took off my clothes down to my boxers and adjusted myself, not wanting my dick to be a mile high when she walked out. I was so attracted to her, but tonight I wanted to show her just how much I loved her.
I climbed on the bed and sat up, my back pressed against the headboard and the covers pulled up to my waist. I turned toward the bathroom as the door opened and Ella walked out looking absolutely radiant. Her hair was down in soft curls around her shoulders, her cheeks were rosy, and her skin glowed. She wasn’t wearing her jeans and sweater anymore. She was wearing a pink negligee, her curves sexy and soft.
She flipped off the light and walked toward the bed before crawling across it and straddling me. She leaned forward and kissed my lips. My hands ran down her back and held onto her tightly at the waist. She let her weight come down on me, and I felt the warmth between her legs with my cock even through my boxers.
Our lips moved against each other, taking our time to feel each other, to taste each other, to meld our bodies into one. Ella was in no hurry, and neither was I. I enjoyed having her as close as I could possibly get her. As our kiss heated up, Ella begin to move on top of me. Her hips rotated, feeling the girth of my cock between her legs, rubbing her wet, hot pussy up and down my shaft. She whimpered into my mouth as her body writhed faster over top of me. I could feel the passion igniting between us, yet the tender and gentle touch was still there. I gripped her hips harder and met her with my own thrusts as we ground against each other on top of the sheets.
Ella became more and more strained, her whimpers turning to moans and her breath picking up to a fevered pitch. She sat up and ground deeply into me, grabbing my hands and running them up her tits. I grabbed onto them and massaged as she pushed her hips down and along my now rock-solid shaft. I watched her beautiful body twist and turn, pulling itself toward oan rgasm. She put her hands down on her thighs and rocked back and forth, fast and hard, until she arched her back and threw her head backward. She twitched on top of me, and I could feel the warmth expand in her pink satin panties.
I grabbed her by the waist and laid her down on the bed before turning her onto her side and sliding my hand up under her nightgown. I pulled her panties off and then reached down, doing the same with my boxers. I grabbed my cock, running my hand up and down while my other hand grasped her breast. I lifted her top leg into the air and slid my cock through the gap, sliding through her juices and thrusting upward inside her. She moaned loudly as I reached forward and thrust my cock deep inside her. I groaned, feeling her tight, wet pussy wrapped around my dick. I pushed my feet against the headboard, giving me the leverage I needed to dive deep inside her over and over again. My hand slowly
moved down her stomach and rubbed over her clit, feeling how aroused she was.
Slowly, she rolled forward, pulling me over her back and pushing her ass up into the air. I put my knees down, gripped her waist, and fucked her deep and hard. My hands moved down to her ass and gripped her cheeks, my fingers digging into her skin. I pulled my hand up to her shoulder and pulled her toward me every time my hips came forward. She screamed out, her face down in the bed as our skin slapped together. She was getting closer and closer to orgasm, but I wanted to see her face when she came. I pulled out and turned her over onto her back, pulling her legs up to my sides. I ran my hand down her thigh, up her body, and pushed into her, leaning forward and intertwining my fingers with hers.
I rolled my hips into her body and listened to her as she screamed and moaned in ecstasy. The heat in my belly could no longer be controlled. As Ella thrust her hips up and into me, that heat bubbled over, and I groaned, leaning down and pressing my mouth against hers. I thrust into her deep and hard, and I held myself there, listening as she screamed out and shook with pleasure. Her pussy tightened around my pulsating cock as it spewed my hot seed deep inside her. Our mouths stayed locked together, the vibrations of our moans twisting together.
As our muscles relaxed, she opened her eyes and looked up at me. My heart fluttered and my knees went weak. I reached down and rubbed my hands down her head and to her cheeks. I leaned forward and kissed her softly before rolling to the side and pulling her up onto my chest. She lay there, collecting her breath and slowing her heartbeat, our legs interlocked.
“I love you, Will,” she whispered.
“I love you, too, Ella,” I said back. “Forever.”
Epilogue
Seven Months Later
Ella
My sweet baby Abigail was born on June seventh in the heat of the Massachusetts summer with everyone I loved close by. She was now just one month old, and she was the most beautiful little girl I had ever seen in my life. Her eyes were bright, her hair was curly and dark, and her chubby little fingers loved to grab onto my face anytime I was close. She had a personality the first moment I laid eyes on her, and I could see her daddy in her every time she yawned or made a funny face. I was so completely in love with her, and there hadn’t been one bad day since Will had surprised me with this house.
Will and I had decorated Abigail’s nursery, leaving the rest of the house to a designer since I was too exhausted to do it myself. I loved her nursery. It was like walking into a mystical, magical world. The walls were painted a light pink, and tapestries hung on the windows and the ceiling, creating a look like the sky above our heads. Little blown-glass fairies hung from the clothed ceiling above Abigail’s crib. At night, the tapestries lit up with small twinkling lights, giving you the feeling that you were lying under the stars. There were books on shelves all over the place, and there were rugs with soft, plush threading and fleece blankets everywhere. I was sitting in the rocking chair with Abi in my arms, looking out the window. My feet moved the chair back and forth, and I felt at ease nursing my daughter in my new home.
My mind moved over the past, thinking about how crazy the last month had been. I loved my daughter so much, but becoming a mother was extremely taxing and a complete change in life. I felt so lucky that Will had been through this before. He never had an issue getting up and letting me sleep whenever I had bottles ready for him to use. Giving birth had been a lot different than I’d expected, and I had definitely had become a proponent of using an epidural if it were needed. Little Abigail had not come out without a fight. I had been in labor for twenty-three hours before she finally made her appearance. After that, we just rolled into life, taking care of her, playing with Avery, and Will working when he could. It was hectic, but I loved every moment of it.
Avery was growing by leaps and bounds and was getting ready to go into second grade. He was an amazing older brother, constantly cooing over Abi, wanting to hold her, and being very protective of her all the time. Abi loved her older brother, and as soon as she heard his voice, she got excited, turning to find him and pumping her legs. When she cried, he would comfort her. It truly was the sweetest thing I had ever experienced.
Will really blossomed when Abi was born. He not only was an absolutely amazing father to her, but he became an even better father to Avery. He had become the epitome of the perfect father, and I couldn’t have been more satisfied.
Will continued to work like he had before we’d moved, but as we settled into our new life, he started to pass on some of his responsibilities to others in order to free up time for us. He mostly worked out of the house, always keeping his office door open for us if we needed him. On the rare occasion that he had to fly to New York, there wasn’t even a discussion about who would watch Avery. Avery was the same to me as Abi. He was my child, and we had become very close. I didn’t treat either child differently because I didn’t feel any differently about either one. Before Abi had been born, Avery had followed me everywhere around the house, making sure I was safe. Anywhere I went, you would find Avery trailing not too far behind, and Will had chuckled to himself every time it had happened.
Then, just one day after I made my Valedictorian speech for my Harvard graduation, I went into labor. We walked out of our beautiful home, Will searching for the keys and Avery lugging my suitcase along. I wished we had a picture of that moment because I could only imagine how adorable it was. It was funny, too, because just the day before, during my speech, I’d had this gut feeling that Abi was coming soon. I had even gone to Will afterward and told him just that. He had looked at me and nodded in belief, trusting wholeheartedly in my woman’s intuition about these things. He had even gone home and put my suitcase by the door, knowing I would be in labor soon.
What made going into labor that day even better was the fact that my parents, my sister, and Will’s mother were already there. In fact, they were all staying at the house for my graduation. When we told Avery I was in labor, he went running through the halls of the house, knocking on doors and announcing what was going on. There was a line of cars following us to the hospital, and the labor and delivery waiting room went from vacant to full and loud within seconds. It really helped me get through having Abi, knowing my family was close by. After Abi was born, Will took her out for everyone to see, and I had heard them clapping and cheering as he approached. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
Even before Abi was born, when we first officially moved to Cambridge, my parents and my sister came to visit a lot. My sister, attending Harvard, was there almost every day, escaping the stress of campus life. Will’s mom also came down a lot, and it was so amazing to have such a strong and vibrant support system. The first two weeks after Abi was born, there was enough food cooked in the house to feed an army. Before the family left, they stocked the freezer full of easy-to-heat-up foods so that Will and I wouldn’t have to cook full meals. Avery had been in heaven with them there because he had been the center of attention almost the whole time. It really was an amazing experience, and I felt like I slept more after Abi was born than before she came.
Of course, I had to count my lucky stars. Abigail was an extremely easy baby, especially after some of the horror stories I had heard. She only woke up twice a night, fed, peed, and then would fall right back to sleep in her crib. More times than not, she wouldn’t even cry in the morning. Instead she’d just lay there, staring up at the lights reflecting through the glass figures over her crib. I swore she was actually watching fairies flying around. She never got colic, she never had bad nights, and just a few days before, she had slept through the entire night. Will and I woke up with the sun and ran into the nursery, fearful something had happened to her, but there she was, laying in the bed, quietly looking around.
Speaking of Abi, I looked down to see her staring back up at me, her big eyes blinking and glittering in the light of the room. I pulled my shirt down and burped her before pulling on my carrier and placing her inside. I walk
ed down to the kitchen and pulled out the portable bassinet and placed her inside, tucking her in tightly and kissing her cheeks. Will had gone to New York the day before for a meeting, and he was supposed to come home in just an hour or so. I was so excited to see him. I missed him even when he was gone for one night. I started pulling out the ingredients to make his favorite meal: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn. It was so simple, not fancy at all, but it was satisfying and made me comfortable. It was just how I would describe Will.
“Hello?”
I turned around when I heard Will’s voice.
I walked excitedly around the counter, pulling my apron from me and leaping into his arms to kiss him deeply. He held onto me with one hand and kissed me back before setting me gently on the ground. I smiled, so glad he was home.
“I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes,” I said.
“You did?” he asked, kissing my forehead. “That’s the best surprise all day. And I brought you these.”
He pulled out a large bouquet of blue lilies and white baby’s breath, making me think of the day he ran all the way from his office to the apartment to be there when I told my mother I was pregnant. I smiled and took a deep whiff of their scent, surprised that he had thought about getting me flowers after a long two days of work. Avery came bounding down the stairs and jumped at his father, laughing and giggling, happy he was finally home.
We all sat down at the table and ate dinner, talking about our last few days, laughing at the cooing coming from Abi’s bassinet, and just being a family again. Avery and I always had fun together, but we both felt something was missing when Will was in the city. Even Abi acted differently.
“I’d like to say something,” Will said when he was done eating. “Ella, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met. You have given me so much over the last couple years. You gave my son a mother he desperately needed, you gave me a beautiful daughter, and you gave me unconditional love even when I didn’t deserve it and never thought I would find it again. I’ve already told you a million times that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but now I want to ask you something else. Will you do me the incredible honor of being my wife?”