by Shelly Jones
“Yeah I know. I hate getting my picture taken.” I reply.
“Well stop, I want more pictures of us.” She replies.
“We’ll see!” I stick my tongue out.
Emily turns up the radio and motions for Harlie to take off her headphones and they both start singing and dancing to the radio. “Shake It Off” By Taylor Swift starts playing. Emily and Harlie start dancing and singing as loud as they can, looking like total dorks and not caring about anything. My phone is on its holder on the dash and I quickly turn on the video to record them. The next song that comes on, “One Thing” by One Direction is playing. They both know all the lyrics. “Beautiful Soul” by Jesse McCartney follows the One Direction song, and they both keep singing.
Over the next hour, they sing constantly. They knew every song that has been played. I’ve never seen this side of Harlie, and I love it. I’ve never seen this side of Emily either. I know when she gets mad or depressed Mel says she dances it off, but I have yet to see it.
It’s 3pm when we finally pull into the hotel, and Harlie is going stir crazy. We got a hotel that’s connected to Disneyland. So of course, she sees everything and wants to go to Disney right now. “I knew we should have waited. It would have been better to get here later.” I tell Emily.
“Hey Harlie, remember what we talked about. We’re going to go into our hotel, get everything inside and put away. Then, we will get in our swim suits, walk around the hotel and see what there is to do and go swimming. Then tomorrow morning, you’ll get to have breakfast with the characters and we will spend the whole day at Disneyland.” Emily explains to Harlie.
“But I don’t want to. I want to go NOW!” She shouts.
“I can turn this truck around and you can forget about having your birthday here. If that’s what you want?” I snap at her.
“NO, but it’s not fair.” She whines.
“You have no idea what there’s even to do here. So knock it off otherwise we’ll go home. End of story.” I look at Em and roll my eyes.
“It’ll be ok,” She grabs my hand to calm me down.
“Thank you.” I tell her.
“For what?”
“For calming me down.” I say kissing her cheek, “I love you.”
She smiles at me, “I love you more. Now let’s get out of the truck!” She opens her door.
“Are you getting attitude too?” Reese asks.
“You mean because we’re not going today? Yep!” I answer Reese.
“Ok good, it’s not just us. I’m about ready to flip on him soon.” Blake says looking at Jameson.
“We can always go to the bar and let the girls deal with it.” I say jokingly
“I will cut you!” Emily says without even blinking.
“I was joking!” I say
“I was too. . . . I think . . .” She says grabbing a bag. We unload the truck and walk inside. Emily and Reese checks us in, while Blake and I hang out with the kids.
“You going to ask her to marry you?” Blake asks.
What the fuck? “What?” I ask.
“You heard me.”
“No, I’m not. Why would you ask that? Does she think that?” Shit, is she expecting it? Fuck!
“No, she’s not. I just figured that’s why you’re doing the whole ‘adult’ vacation part of the trip.”
“No, I’m not. Not this trip, but I will. Just not sure when.”
“Well, at least you’re thinking about it. Well if you need any help, just let me know.”
“I think I can manage, but thanks.”
We get settled in the room and it’s awesome. The walls are yellow, with blue and green striped curtains and brown carpeting. The bed has a yellow headboard, all white bedding, and a blue and green striped bed skirt. There’s also a couch that pulls out to be another bed, where Harlie will sleep, a flat screen TV, a night stand with a Mikey Mouse lamp and a huge window overlooking the park. My baby did good with this room. Blake and Reese’s room is connected to ours.
“Wow, this is beautiful!” She says looking around.
“You did good, Babe.” I tell her. Harlie is looking out the window.
“Daddy, did you see all of this?” She asks me.
“I know right? Now do you see why we have to wait ’til tomorrow? There’s no time to get it all done today.”
“I guess, but we are going to go look around and go swimming, right?”
“Yeah, we will.” I tell her.
Which we did, and we ran into a few Disney characters along the way. Harlie built a bear, got personalized Mickey ears, went swimming and we ate dinner. The food here is pretty damn good too. Emily, Reese, Blake and I are so relaxed, laughing and just enjoying our time. Once we’re done with dinner, Harlie started falling asleep and Jameson and Izzy were nodding off too.
“I think we should go back to the rooms and get these guys in bed. We all can get a fresh start in the morning.” Reese says.
“Sounds good to me.” Emily says.
We all walk back to our rooms and call it a night. Emily and I snuggle up in bed and watch some TV before falling asleep.
We spent three days at Disneyland. I don’t think there’s a character we didn’t get our picture taken with, or a ride we didn’t go on at least twice. When we finally get to San Diego, we are tired as hell. My parents are coming to get Harlie on Wednesday. That means we have two days with the kids here in San Diego. I figure one day at the zoo and another day at Sea World, I’m but not sure Harlie even wants to do that.
The San Diego Zoo was fun, Harlie seemed to really like it but she decided she didn’t want to go to Sea World, so we skipped it. Blake and Reese took their kids, while the three of us hung out at the beach.
Wednesday afternoon my parents met us at the hotel to pick up Harlie. They didn’t stay long, just long enough to give us hugs and get Harlie’s things. Blake’s parents came around the same time. Perfect!
“Holy shit, we’re kid-free! Now what?” Reese asks out loud.
“Get your shit packed. We’re going somewhere else.” I tell Emily.
“What? We’re not staying here?”
“Nope. We got reservations somewhere else. You two might want to say your goodbyes because what Blake and I have planned, I’m pretty sure you two won’t be seeing much of each other!” I say with a cocky grin.
“What the fuck?” Reese says.
“Oh chill, woman. Let’s get packed. We have to check in by 4pm.” He tells Reese, “ Meet you at the Pier for dinner?” Blake asks me.
“Sounds good. See you around 7pm?”
“Yeah, that sounds about right.” He looks at Reese and her face goes flush. They walk out and leave Emily and me alone.
I pull her by her waistband into me, “As much as I want to make love to you all night, we need to get to the other hotel. Then all bets are off.” I lean in and kiss her deep, pressing her against me, so she feels how bad I want her.
“Lead the way.” She says breathless.
We get to Crystal Pier Hotel where I have reserved us a studio cottage. When we walk in, I hear Emily take a deep breath. “Are you kidding me? This is where we’re staying?” She asks.
“You like it?”
“I love it.” She says looking around.
The walls in the cottage are white, there is hardwood floors throughout, we have a small kitchen off to the right, and a king size bed with all white linens. There’s also a small blue couch with a blue and white striped pillow and a matching chair, a glass coffee table, flat screen TV, and large French doors that leads us to our own deck overlooking the ocean. There’s a bistro set outside on the deck, so we can eat dinner and watch the sun go down.
Even I’m impressed that I was able to score a room like this.
Emily goes out to the deck and looks out at the ocean. I follow behind her. I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her. “God, this is perfect. I can’t even put into words how perfect this is.” She says softly.
“We’ve been thr
ough so much, I just wanted to show you how much I love you and get us away from everything.”
She turns to face me, “I love you so much, Xander.” She says.
I lean down and kiss her and that’s all it took. I lifted her up, she wrapped her legs around my waist and we went back inside where we made love for two hours. I loved every inch of her body and she returned it to me.
We haven’t seen much of Reese and Blake over the last few days. They were too busy ‘reconnecting,’ while Emily and I were just enjoying life. We walked on the beach every night and watched the sun go down. Wrote our names in the sand, she wrote “I love you” many times. I was almost tempted a couple of times to write “Will you marry me?” but I stopped. Not yet.
Our last day here, we spent the time with Reese and Blake. We rented bikes and rode along the beach, went shopping on the boardwalk and we ate a lot. We get back to our room and spent it wrapped in each other.
“Thank you for this.” She says.
“You’re welcome, but you don’t have to thank me.”
“I know, but I want to. This was so perfect.”
“Well good, I’m glad you had a good time.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,”
“Were you going to ask me to marry you?” She asks while she’s biting the inside of her mouth.
“Honestly Em, I thought about just taking your ass to Vegas, but I didn’t and I’m not. It has crossed my mind, a million times, but I’m not going to ask you until I have the ring and right now I don’t have it.”
“You still wanna marry me?”
“Like I said, I have thought about taking your ass to Vegas, that’ how badly I want to marry you.”
Her face goes flush, “Well good, cuz I really think I wanna marry you too, but I’m glad you didn’t ask me this weekend. It’s a little too soon.”
“I know, but it’s gonna happen sooner or later.” I tell her kissing her lips and then moving down her neck and trailing kisses all over. She lets out a giggle, “Baby?” She asks.
“Yeah?”
“Fuck me!” she says and when she asks for it that way, I know my baby wants it hard and rough.
“Your wish is my command.” I grab her, put her on my lap and slap her ass.
IT’S BEEN A couple of weeks since we’ve been back in Phoenix, and our little vacation is exactly what Xander and I needed. I just wish it didn’t have to end. Harlie and I are even closer than ever before. I’m sitting here at my laptop staring at all these pictures, there’s close to five hundred of them. I get to the pictures of our adult time and my eyes start to fill with tears. This was so perfect, kicking his ass playing games, walking on the boardwalk. It’s just a feeling that cannot be described. I keep scrolling through the pictures and find the ones I forgot I even took. Him laying in bed sleeping, my head on his chest while he’s sleeping, him on the phone sitting on the deck with the ocean behind him. With my fingers I start tracing his face on my computer.
How is it that I get to have this man? I think to myself. His dark hair and those brown eyes, when he stares at me, they make me weak. Those same chocolate eyes that I felt on me the first night we met. I love his scruffy beard that I can’t get enough of. I told him he’s never allowed to shave it off, cuz I love it so much.
I just keep staring at these pics, those arms that keep me safe and warm, those hands that make me weak. Every day that I’m with him, I feel like I’ve won the lottery or something. I let out a sigh and close my laptop. Xander’s at work and Harlie is with her grandma, but should be home soon. He’s working until seven or eight tonight.
It’s around 2pm when Harlie comes home. “Someone’s got attitude.” Xander’s mom says.
“Uh oh. What’s that about?” I ask.
“Not sure, I’m thinking maybe she’s just tired. But who knows.”
“Ok, well I guess if someone has their cranky pants on, she doesn’t want to go swimming later.” I say loud enough so she can hear me.
“Well, I’m going to go. Good luck! If she gets too bad, call me, I’ll come get her and she can stay with us.”
“We’ll be fine. Thanks though.” I smile.
Xander’s mom leaves and leaves Harlie and I alone. She’s in the living room sitting on the couch, her arms crossed over her chest. She got over whatever it was pretty quickly. I gave her time to calm down on her own, and that’s all that she needed. She never did tell me what was up, but she’s fine and that’s all I care about. We play the Xbox after dinner, and she’s kicking my ass in bowling.
“This isn’t fair!” I laugh.
“Sorry!” She giggles.
“Rematch!” I proclaim and she beats me again! “Alright I give up!” I tell her.
“Can we watch TV?” She asks.
“Yeah, we can do that.” I turn off the Xbox and give her the remote so she can pick a show to watch.
Xander comes home shortly after that and the three us plus the two dogs hang out on the couch for the rest of the night.
August 2nd 2013. 2 am
“Hello,” I answer my phone.
“Em, its Kathy. Is there any way you can get home?” Her voice is shaky.
“What’s wrong?” Panic hits me.
“Dad, he’s been rushed to the hospital. They think he’s had a heart attack.”
“Fuck! Umm, let me see what I can do. I will call you back in a little bit.” I say and hang up.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Xander sits up in bed rubbing my back.
“My dad, they think he’s had a heart attack. I need to get home.” I say getting out of my bed.
“I’ll come with.” He says.
“Xander, as much as I would love for you to come home with me. Not right now, not like this.” I shake my head wiping the tears from my eyes.
“Emily, please let me come with you.” He says.
“Not right now. If you want to fly out in a couple of days . . . Maybe. I’ll let you know. I just need to do this by myself.” I search for plane tickets online and find a flight that leaves at 9am, I won’t get into Wisconsin until after 5pm, but whatever, I need to get home!
“Did you find a flight?” He asks.
“Yeah it leaves at 9am. So, in seven hours.” I respond to him while I’m texting Kathy to let her know what airport I’m flying in to, and what time I arrive. I go into the closet and start packing. Xander comes up behind me and holds me. At that moment, the tears fall. Xander holds me tighter while I cry. “I love you.” He says holding me.
I arrive at the airport just in time to get on my plane, “Call me when you land.” He tells me.
“I will,” I let out a breath, “This feels like Thanksgiving all over again.” I say not looking him in the eyes.
“But it’s not, cuz when you come back, I’m going to be right here waiting for you. You are my life, my world. I love you so much Emily. Don’t ever doubt that!” He says grabbing my face.
“I love you more, Xander.” I let out a breath, “I gotta go. I will call you when I land, and call you a lot while I’m gone.”
“Ok, if you need me to come, I will. Just say the word.” He leans in and kisses me.
“Thank you.” I smile at him. We say our goodbyes and he finally lets me go.
When I finally get to Wisconsin my cousin who I haven’t seen in years is waiting to pick me up.
“Holy fuck! Eric? When the hell did you get into town?”
“I’ve been back since June.”
“Well fuck, I’m always the last to know! Are you in town for good?”
“Umm yeah! I better be, Katie and I are together and I’m living with her and Ava.”
“Shut up! Holy hell! It’s about time! Oh my god, I am so happy for you. Wow, well I better be invited to that damn wedding.”
He starts laughing, “Well I don’t know, you’re like the black sheep of the family now.”
“Fuck you! Your parents love me and if I don’t get invited, well, then you aren’t c
oming to mine either!”
Eric and I share small talk and I fill him in with my life and Xander. He’s happy for me. It’s kept my mind off of my dad and everything.
We finally pull up to the hospital “Thanks Eric, I’ll see you soon!” I thank him, and give him hug.
I get into the hospital to see my dad. He’s already had surgery. I get into his room and it’s dark, there are only a couple of lights on and they’re dimmed, grey walls, white title, your typical depressing hospital room. I see my dad and he’s all hooked up to machines and crap. I’m guessing this is what it looked like when they came and saw me in the hospital. My mom is sitting by my dad. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, she’s wearing grey yoga pants and a black t-shirt and flip flops. My mom looks up at me and starts to cry. “Emily.” She whispers.
I grab her hand and hold it tight. “How’s he doing?”
“Ok, I guess. Surgery went well. So now, we just wait.”
I grab a chair and sit on the opposite side of my dad holding his other hand.
“Did Xander come with you?” She asks.
“No, he wanted to, but I told him it was probably best not to.”
“Oh, well he could have come.”
“I told him I would let him know if I needed him.” I tell my mom, she responds by smiling at me. Not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but whatever. I’m here for my dad and nothing else.
My dad wakes up and sees me, “Hey kiddo,” He smiles.
“Hey Daddy,” I smile back.
Kathy, Danny, Hilary and my mom come flocking to his bedside. “Can you give me and Em a few minutes? I’d like to talk to my daughter.” He says to everyone. My mother looks pissed and I have to hold back my laughter. Before my mother leaves she leans into me, “Don’t piss him off and cause him another heart attack.” She whispers. I look at her and roll my eyes. She fucking hates that!
“Ok, they’re gone, now I get to say what I’ve needed to say for a while.” My dad starts to say.
“Dad, you need rest.”
“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. I’ll rest after I get this off my chest.” He takes a breath, “Is Xander here? Since I really should say this to the both of you.”