Accidentally Perfect

by Torrie Robles

  My mom was young, probably too young to see what type of man my father was. I think being admired by an older man was something that intrigued my mom. She was eighteen when she turned my father’s head; ten years his junior. I know that he knew from the beginning who she really was. There weren’t that many people who didn’t know my mother’s family. But she was in love.

  About a year into their relationship, she got pregnant with me. My grandfather never cared for my father. He felt that his daughter could do better, and I agree with him. From what I heard my father never gave her the love that she deserved. She was head over heels in love with my father. He saw her as his meal ticket. She was barely three weeks pregnant with me when he asked her to marry him; only a couple of days after she had discovered she was pregnant. He didn’t want to wait. He didn’t allow her to have the wedding that she should have had. He didn’t even give her an opportunity to miscarry. Within a month of his proposal they married. My grandfather had them live at the family’s estate while she was pregnant. My father didn’t look after her how he should have. He was too busy schmoozing his new found friends.

  After I was born, my father didn’t get any better. My mom was lonely and tired. I guess I wasn’t the easiest baby. I cried all the time. My grandparents hired a nanny to help her when they weren’t able to support her. My father never offered any help to my mother. After a while, my father started to make waves for my grandparents. Telling them they had no right to involve themselves with his family; that he was the head of it, and he made the rules where my mother and I were concerned. From what I hear, my grandfather made it a point to let my father know that he was no man at all, nor did he have a household to be ahead of. The next day my father took me and my mother from her family home. She wasn’t happy because she wanted to stay, but he wouldn’t allow it. Eventually, my mother talked my father into allowing her father to purchase a home for them. My father couldn’t afford much of anything since he only worked at the base level of one of my mother’s family’s companies. Mailroom I believe. They lived in a rundown apartment for a year until the waters were smoothed enough to allow my father to swallow his pride and agreed to have my grandfather buy the home.

  The years past and when I was five my mother had my little sister. Both my sister and I were the apples of my mother’s eyes. She loved us...we were her everything. She was happy being a mother to us. My father worked day and night trying to prove himself to my grandfather. Eventually, he worked his way up the ladder. The next twenty years my father proved over and over again that his career was more important than we were. My grandfather seemed to have a lose-lose situation on his hands. By him keeping my father busy in the company he made it, so my father was never around, but my grandfather thought by keeping him working and busy, my mother would be happier since my father was never there anyway.

  My grandparents were killed one winter night. They were mugged and stabbed right there in front of their home in the city. I believe that my father had something to do with it. I think he believed that if they were gone if my grandfather was gone, then he would be the head of the company. That he would rule everything that my mother’s company built. That wasn’t the case. It was handed down to my mother, and she was a natural at it. She was a fair boss and took right to everything my grandfather had built. I was in my teens by then; my sister was growing up, and she was becoming a wonderful young lady. My mother was so worried that she lacked in her role as a mother since she was now heading into the office when she was needed. My grandfather built his company so that it ran itself. She just saw to the small things. Nothing in too much detail.

  My father was furious. He could not stand that he had been overlooked. He started to take it out on my mother. He started to flaunt relationships in front of her. He even had me tag along one night when he wined and dined some young thing at one of our families restaurants. That was the last nail in the coffin for me. That was the night I knew I never wanted to be like my father. I never wanted the corporate world. I wanted to protect and serve my country, so that’s what I did. I told my mother I was joining the Army. She was scared for me, to be in the danger zone and not knowing if I would survive if I would come home to her. My father was mad that I wasn’t taking up for my mother so she could be in the company less. I wasn’t sure if he thought I would side with him and get my mother to hand over everything to him or not. After I had graduated, I left for basic training.

  It wasn’t long after I joined that I figured out where I belonged. . I was assigned to special forces, and I lived my life all over the world. I enjoyed what I did. I made sure that I always kept in touch with my mother and sister. I never reached out to my father; I never felt the need to. From what my sister would tell me, my father seemed to be living less and less in the family home and more and more in different apartments we owned throughout the city.

  I was finishing up my eighth year in the forces when I found out my mother was sick. She had a brain tumor, and she was terminal. I left the military and went home to take care of her. My father was never around. It was like he never cared that she was dying. My sister and I had taken care of her for four months before she passed. We fed her, bathed her; I cleaned up after her when she soiled herself. All the while, my father never helped. Before she passed, I made sure that her affairs were in order. Nothing was left to my father. I inherited everything. I became the executor of my mother’s estate. I set up a trust for my sister. I assigned a CEO of the company making sure that my father knew it would never be him. I kept him on as vice president of the company in which he spent years trying to prove his self-worth to my grandfather. The company is mine in name only. I make sure all the employees are happy and compensated well for their work.

  After my mother had passed on, I started a security company. My company ranges from simple security systems, bodyguard, more complex systems, to in-depth security. It has become very lucrative and respected over these past seven years.” That was my story, something I hoped that she could live with because I knew that I couldn’t live without her.

  “Wow, Nate. That is so much more complex than my life. I can’t believe how similar our upbringing was. I can’t believe how comparable our relationships are with our parents.”

  “I know baby, I know. I think my mother finally saw someone who was worthy of the love that I have to give. I think that’s why we found each other.” I leaned down and kissed her head again.

  “You have a sister. What’s her name?”

  “It’s Natalie; she’s great. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She looks so much like my mother. She has long dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She is my mother’s twin through and through and has a heart of gold. She is always giving back either financially or giving her time volunteering with the youths of the city. When my mother passed, I gave our family estate to my sister. She has opened our family home on so many different holidays just so kids who don’t have families of their own can have an amazing holiday memory. The first year she did it for Christmas, I thought she was crazy. Oh my God, there were so many kids running around screaming and yelling. When Santa showed up, I think I went deaf for a minute. A rock concert has nothing on a house full of kids when they first lay eyes on Santa.”

  “She sounds amazing. I would have loved to have seen that moment for all those kids.”

  “You will sweet girl; it’s a tradition now. It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.” When I tell her that she‘ll be able to see it for herself, I could see the apprehension on her face.

  “Nate, don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself. We haven’t made any plans or decisions where we’re concerned. Right now, I am just trying to pass the time so that I’m not going completely crazy while I have to wait to get to my babies. They are my first concern. They should have always been my first concern. I should have never let Stella talk me into going away. There was really no reason to run, it’s not like Michael and I had this forever type thing. I didn’t even love him. I
guess I was more shocked than anything. It’s pretty sad that in both relationships I have been in I have been cheated on. Doesn’t that say something about me, Nate? Maybe you should just walk away now because I’m not sure I can handle another man cheating on me, let alone a husband.”

  “Laney, I know what I feel in my heart and there is no way that I am going to live my life without you in it; you and the girls. I want to thank those men for being complete morons because without them I wouldn’t have found you. I have found you sweet girl, and I am never going to lose or leave you. I will never do anything to make you second guess how important you are, and I am going to make sure you know how much you and those girls mean to me. I love them already because they are an extension of you. Now, tell me about them a little.”

  “I think they are your typical four almost five-year-olds. Their birthday is in September. It’s almost here and then they start kindergarten.”

  “That’s why you picked the ring with sapphires; you were thinking of the girls that night. You included them, and I didn’t even know it.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes. Out of all the rings, and believe me they kept pulling them out of the safe one after the other, you saw this ring.” I pick up her finger, rolling it between my fingers, so the stones capture the light. On either side of the Asscher, cut four karat diamond, set sapphires cut into triangles. The band is covered with tiny diamonds, giving it an antique look. The ring looks vintage, timeless, just like the lady whose finger is adorned.

  “I can’t believe I thought about them.”

  “Why not? You are an amazing mother. You love them.” There were tears gathering in her eyes. “Let me hear about those wonderful girls.”

  “They love anything that’s pink and sparkles. I think they have the monopoly on tutus in the city. I have to fight with them just about every day about those things. If it were up to them, they would wear them non-stop. Amanda was born first, but she was always smaller than Addie. She has the tiniest lisp, which bothers my mother to no end. She thinks of it as an imperfection, but I think it makes my Panda perfect. I call her my Panda Bear. Addie is headstrong, my Addie Bug, she only wants to do for herself, she is the leader of the two, although she is a few minutes younger. She has always been protective of her sister. I’m not sure if it’s Amanda’s size, or the fact that she sounds a bit different when she talks. I love them. Everyone says they are my mini-mes. They both have my flame red hair and my brown eyes. They have just a dusting of freckles that over their cheeks and nose.”

  “Are they identical?”

  “Oh yes, but Addie, being who she is, has recently decided that a cute bob cut would be best. So while Amanda has long flowing hair, Addie’s hair is cut right below her chin. I think it fits her perfectly. My mother, on the other hand, thinks that I allow the girls to make too many decisions when they are so young. I am not going to make my girls be anything they don’t want to be. It’s only a haircut.”

  I can’t help but kiss her. I give her a long slow kiss, just to let her know how much I feel for her. She is the most incredible person I have ever met. She responds to me instantly. She runs her fingers through my hair while she takes the lead and deepens the kiss. I want so much to be inside her right now. To feel how she fits me like a glove, to hear her moan with pleasure. I want to make love to her. I will always want to make love to her. It will never be anything less between us. I pull away, and she moans, this time because of the space between us. “I love how much you love the girls. I love how much conviction you have, how you know who you are and what you want for your girls. I am the luckiest man to have found you.” I continue to kiss her. “I want you so bad.” Another kiss. “I want to make love to you Laney, right here right now, but I know there are more important things.” Another warm kiss to leave her breathless. “That knowledge doesn’t mean I want you any less. I will always want you. I want you in my arms, by my side, in my bed, and always in my life.”

  “What did I do to find you, Nathan?” She kisses me, and it’s filled with so much meaning.

  “You did nothing; you were just you. You deserve everything that I have planned for you. You and those girls are my family, and we are going to have the best life.”

  “Nathan -”

  “No, no, Nathan, no Nate, no Nathaniel. Don’t fight us Laney. Just let me love you. Let yourself fall, sweet girl because I will always be here to catch you.” There wasn’t anything else left to be said. We were both worn out. With my wife snuggling up to my chest, my life seemed perfect, accidently perfect, but perfect all the same.

  We slept the rest of the flight. I am still so exhausted once we land it feels like I’m floating through the airport. My eyes are burning, I’m sure my breath reeks, and I can’t even imagine what I look like. “Let’s get to the car, Troy and Stella are a few hours behind. I think she is going to want to come to the hospital once they land. I’ll make sure she gets to the hospital to be there for you as soon as they touch down.” Once again, Nathan is doing everything that he can to help me. He even made sure we landed at LaGuardia since that was the closest airport to the hospital. I don’t know how to thank him. I’m not sure if I will ever be able to thank him. I look up at him once we get seated in the town car that was waiting for us at the entrance of the airport. “You don’t have to thank me for something that comes natural to me, Laney. Don’t even think about feeling guilty. You can thank me later, in private.” He twitches his eyebrows. I know exactly what he is thinking, and if I were honest with myself, which I tend to be, I am on board with everything that’s going through his mind.

  “I think I can do that, later. When the time is right.”

  “When the time is right.” He kisses my cheek and pulls me to him, so I’m laying on his chest. I’m starting to think this is one of his favorite things to do.

  “Do you like to cuddle?”

  “You’re thinking about cuddling on the way to see the girls. What else is going on in that beautiful brain of yours?”

  “Other than the fact that I’m scared shitless at what I may find at the hospital, I just wanted to know. It hasn’t slipped by my notice that you like to hold me, keep your arm around me.”

  “I do. You make me feel grounded; whole. I like the way my world feels right when I’m touching you. Is that a problem?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, sweet girl.”

  Twenty-five minutes later, we are pulling up to the hospital entrance. “Park the car Tony., I am sure we will be a while. I’ll get in touch with you.” He shuts the door and places his hand on the small of my back ushering me to find my girls.

  “Why is the driver waiting? Wouldn’t that cost a lot?”

  “He’s our driver, baby. He gets paid no matter where he waits.”

  “Oh.” Why did I find that strange? I grew up with money. This wasn’t a shocker for me. I guess that I’m not used to indulging in the perks of having money. I’ve always wanted to take care of things on my own. That means I even drive myself around when needed. “Oh wait.” We stop before he gets on the elevator. “I need to take this off.” I go to take my wedding ring off my finger so I can avoid that conversation when Nate places his hand on my hand stopping me. It’s the first time I’ve noticed he is also wearing a nice looking black and platinum band. Why didn’t I notice that before?

  “Don’t do that Laney.”

  “Why not?, Why do I need to answer questions when my girls are laying in a hospital bed; one of which has just undergone surgery on her leg? I don’t need any more stress right now, Nathan.”

  “I don’t want to give you any more stress either, Laney, but I was hoping that me, and what that ring means, gives you strength. And I think you are going to need all the strength you can get. Please do not deny what we both feel. Does this feel right between us? Does my ring on your finger feel right? I don’t care how long it’s been there or how long it took to be placed on that finger. I’m simply asking you if it feels right.”

&n
bsp; I look down at our joined hands. “Yes.”

  “Then that’s all I need to hear. Leave it, please. Just don’t bring it up. Maybe no one will notice.”

  “Ha! Once you meet my mother you will notice that she doesn’t miss a thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if she picked out my split ends. Come on lover boy, let’s go see my girls.” He places his hand on my arm stopping me. He looks into my eyes with so much intensity.

  “I’m here for you. You are not alone. You will never be alone again, do you understand?”

  “Yes.” That was all that was said between us.

  It didn’t take long to see that I just walked into a bigger nightmare than what I first imagined. Not only was my mother there with her husband, but my ex-husband, who looks like he’s been through the ringer, was sitting next to none other than Michael. Christ, what was he doing there. “Brad how are they?” They all look up not noticing that we were approaching.

  “Amanda is fine, just banged up. They are keeping her for a day or two just to make sure there isn’t anything internal that comes up. Addie is out of surgery and doing well. The doctors have given them both something to sleep for now.”

  “Where have you been, young lady?” Ugh, my mother. I feel Nathan’s hand come up to my shoulder and squeeze letting me know that he is here.

  “I went away, mother. Stella and I had a weekend planned, um, recently, and we went to Vegas. Brad knew about it.”

  “To Vegas, while your daughters are laying in a hospital bed fighting for their lives.”

  “They are not fighting for their lives, Vivian.” Brad stands to come to my defense. “The girls are fine and if I knew that you would pull your witch hat out, I wouldn’t have told you in the first place.”