by Unknown
I heard light footsteps coming up the stairs as I turned the oven off.
“Adalyn Anderson,” Bailey sang as she stepped through the door.
“Hey sweetheart, I thought you were with your dad.”
“He’s on the phone, probably important work stuff.” She climbed onto the stool I had on the other side of the island and admired all the cookies. I had sugar cookies, chocolate chip, and snickerdoodles this time. I know they loved my other cookies, but I figured a little variety couldn’t hurt.
“Can I have one?” she asked eye balling the largest sugar cookie on the table. I was at the end of the dough and decided to make one large one, instead of two small ones.
“It’s late, so just one.”
She slowly picked one up, admiring it before she took a huge bite out of it. “Can you teach me how to make these?”
A huge smile broke out on my face as I started to pile the cookies into the plastic containers. I went out and bought two more large ones because I had to make more each time. It was almost as if they could smell them a mile away.
“Sure, I’d really like that.” I could show her my secret ingredient. I didn’t think my mom would mind. It felt good knowing that I could pass it down to someone.
She sat down half her cookie and looked up at me. Her face was serious and her eyebrows pinched together. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Remember we talked about secrets?”
“I remember,” I said closing the lid on the first container and putting it on the counter behind me. I started piling the rest into the other one waiting for her to continue.
“My friend Danny is spending the night tomorrow.”
“That should be fun.”
“We’re going fishing on the dock with my dad. I’ve done it a few times, but Dad always puts the worms on for me. They’re slimy.”
Her words brought back memories of fishing with my dad, just the two of us. We didn’t go often, but when we did, I never touched the worms, always asking my dad to put them on the hook.
“I bet Danny would like that.”
“His dad never took him before.”
“Oh.” I piled the rest of the sugar cookies in the second container and put it with the other one. I grabbed a paper towel for her cookie and asked her to hold it while I wiped the island clean.
“Danny only talks to me, but he doesn’t talk much.”
“Sounds like he’s really shy.”
“He’s sad.”
“Sad?”
“I think so,” she said putting her cookie back down, sulking. She rested her chin on her hand and peered up at me.
“Maybe fishing might help make him happy,” I suggested.
“I don’t know. He doesn’t like to play in the pool with us at daycare. He doesn’t like to be touched either.” She sighed. “I try to give him hugs but he doesn’t want me touching him.”
I felt a little out of my league and had no idea what to say. Giving advice to an eight year old wasn’t something that I’ve planned for. I thought of my parents and what they might have told me in this kind of situation, but I never had friends growing up. I finished cleaning up the kitchen and restacked the boxes while I tried to put the right words together to ease her mind.
“If he’s never had any friends before it might be hard for him to be comfortable around new people. Maybe he just needs a little time to get to know you and the other kids at daycare.”
She thought about it for a few minutes and poked at her cookie. I knew she wouldn’t be able to eat anymore and would have to save it for later.
“I’ll bring some cookies with me tomorrow, for after dinner.”
“He can eat more than me, you should bring a lot. Sometimes at Miss Sanders’ house he’ll eat the rest of my food for me.”
“That’s nice of him.”
“Yeah…” She stared off into space and I turned around to the sink to wash out my rag and hang it over the sink spout. Tonight was Rudd’s night with Bailey, and then tomorrow I was having dinner with them after work. It felt like the days were passing by, faster than normal. Each time I saw Rudd, or Bailey, my love for them grew. Rudd hasn’t said anything since the hospital so I’m sure he doesn’t remember saying it. But I feel it radiating off him. I see it in the way he treats me, the way he talks to me, the way he looks at me, especially when we’re in his bathroom and he’s behind me, so we can both look at each other in the mirror.
“Hey.”
I spun around at Bailey’s words and she was standing at the top of the steps. “I’m tired,” she said with a yawn.
“Okay sweetheart, get some rest, and thanks for coming up to visit.”
She waived the cookie around. “Thanks,” she mumbled and slumped over when she left. She was either extremely tired or still thinking about her friend.
I expressed my concerns to Rudd later that night as we crawled into bed. He said that Danny’s father, Nick, was recently single. Danny’s mom left about six months ago. That could explain why Danny was so sad; he missed his mom. Rudd didn’t know Nick that well, but was glad that Bailey was making friends. He was slightly worried he was a boy, but they were only eight. He told Bailey that Danny could sleep in the spare room. It was much smaller, but there was a twin bed in there that he had made up for him to use.
***
It was Saturday night and after an eventful day at work, including Jacobs’ visit, I was tired. I agreed to cook meals for him, and he agreed to buy all the food and supplies needed. On top of that, he agreed to pay me five dollars per meal. We agreed to start slow; one dish a week with four servings. He gave me a list of foods he liked and didn’t like, and we would adjust things as we went. I decided all the money I received from him would go straight into my savings account until I had at least five-hundred dollars saved up. Then, as a treat for my saving and hard work, I would buy myself a new dress.
As soon as the kids changed into their pajamas, I threw Danny’s clothes into the washer. The poor kid reeked of smoke, which only broke my heart more for him. I took his freshly dried clothes out of the dryer as I walked back to Rudd’s room when I heard whispering coming from Bailey’s door. Her night light was on and the two of them were sitting on the bed next to each other. We sent them to bed about thirty minutes ago, but clearly they weren’t tired.
“So,” Danny said without looking at her, “that’s my secret. Now you have to tell me yours.”
Oh my. I immediately felt bad for eavesdropping, but I really wanted to hear what she was going to say. I was curious about Danny’s secret, and I knew I had little chance of hearing it again.
“Sometimes, I see my dad kissing Adalyn.”
Oh shit!
“Grown-ups are allowed to kiss,” he advised her. “That’s your secret?” He sounded annoyed and my curiosity piqued once more, making me wonder what his secret could have been.
“Yes, but there’s more!” she said louder.
“Shhh. Don’t wake them up,” he said as I continued to stand by the door. I moved so my back was against the wall, and leaned my ear towards the door. I didn’t want to get caught.
“They’re on the other side of the house.”
“Fine. Just tell me.”
“I think that…maybe…she might be my mom one day.”
My mouth popped open as all my breath whooshed out of me. Tears pricked my eyes and I had the warmest feeling spread throughout my body. My heart hurt, but I knew it was a good thing.
“Oh.”
“She already acts like my mom. She does stuff Shawna never did.”
“Why do you call her Shawna?”
Bailey must have already told Danny a little bit about her mom, and now it was her turn to sound annoyed. “I told you about her already. Shawna was just… Shawna.” Bailey sighed heavily. “She wasn’t a mom, so I never called her that.”
“You like Adalyn?”
“Yeah. She took me to Six Flags.”
“I
remember.” I heard him chuckle. “You wouldn’t shut up about that.”
“It was the second best day of my life.”
“What was your first?”
“The day I met my daddy.”
Tears were pouring down my cheeks and I was trying my best to cry quietly. I hurt for the both of them. I hated Shawna. I hated whatever it was that made Danny closed off. I was happy he opened up to Bailey, and now I wanted to know what it was more than anything. My parents were right; the world was full of mean people. However, the world was also full of innocent children. Children who didn’t deserve to be starved and ignored so their parents could drink and get high. I wanted to rush into the room, scoop her up in a big hug, and tell her how much I loved her. I couldn’t though. I was afraid I would lose her trust if she knew I was standing out in the hallway, listening to their secrets.
I felt bad and got upset with myself, and ran to Rudd’s room. I shut the door and my legs gave out as I slid my back down the door and sat on the floor crying.
Rudd slid out of bed. “What the fuck, babe?”
“Why are people so mean?” I whined through my tears.
“Who?” he asked sitting in front of me on the floor. “What’s going on?”
“I love her.”
He put his hand on my cheek, the other one was at his side, but his sling was off. “Where’s your sling?”
He gave me a half smile. “I’m doing those exercises.”
“Oh. Good.” I sniffed trying to clear my nose. “Do I have boogers?”
He laughed this time. “No babe, you don’t. Mind telling me what’s going on?”
“I just love her.”
He tipped his head to the side. “Bailey?”
I nodded.
“I love her too, but why are you crying?”
I sat up and started to panic. “I did something bad.”
He dropped his hand. “You’re confusing the shit out of me right now.”
“I heard them, Rudd. In her room, talking.”
Concern flooded his face.
“They were just talking, sharing secrets. I think something’s going on with Danny. Something bad. He told Bailey something important but I missed that part. I only heard what she said about me.”
He pulled me into his chest and I hesitated. “Your shoulder, Rudd.”
“Fuck the shoulder.”
I slid both arms around his waist, and rested the side on my head on his chest. I tried not to put all my weight on him; he didn’t need any more pain or discomfort.
“What’d she say about you, Adalyn?” His voice sounded much deeper.
I told him because I had no right listening to their private conversation. It wasn’t right to keep that information to myself, so I told him what I heard and waited for him to say something. His breathing started to pick up, his heart thumping faster in his chest.
“You love my daughter?” he asked and I pulled away from him. Looking into his green eyes I barely said, “Yes,”
“She’s had nothing but bad shit her whole life. She only has a handful of memories that are good. You’ve been kind, sweet, and generous to her. You help her, respect her, and I knew she would fall in love with you.”
“Rudd,” I whispered, and the tears were back, filling my eyes.
“You gave her more in the last few weeks than her mother ever did. It’s all she wants, all she talks about when you’re not around. You showed her what a real mom is supposed to be, Adalyn.” He gripped the back of my head.
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” I blurted out before I could change my mind.
He grinned, those beautiful green eyes turning intense. “Good…because Bailey isn’t the only one that loves you.”
I cried a bit harder as he ran a thumb over my cheek. “I love you, Adalyn.”
Words couldn’t explain what my heart and body were feeling. I knew falling in love was special, something to be treasured, but I didn’t think it would be so hard to describe or explain.
“Will you make love to me, Rudd,” I asked trying to stand up. “Right now.”
“Lock the door,” he ordered and I did, then walked to the bed. “Take your clothes off.” I took them off as fast as I could and he pulled his boxers off. He came to stand in front of me, already hard and ready for me.
He gripped my hair and dragged his nose against mine, slowly. “Are you happy?”
“I am.” I gave him a small smile, my eyes free of tears.
“That’s good, because I think you’re stuck with us.”
“I like being stuck,” I whispered, pushing myself on my toes to kiss him. I kissed him, never wanting to let go. He smell like fresh cut wood, but tasted like mint. He gently laid a trail of kisses from my lips to my neck, and just under my ear. He slacked on shaving lately and his beard scratched my skin as he moved across my neck. I moaned, and he moved his lips down my neck, sending shivers down my spine all the way to my toes. He continued to kiss my skin while I ran my hands along his back, his abs, all while his cock rubbed against my belly. He cupped my breast and lowered his head, sucking my nipple into his mouth. I was growing impatient, so turned on that I rubbed my legs together to help with the ache. The pressure on my clit felt amazing.
“You ready?” he whispered, after his lips left my nipple.
I eagerly nodded my head. “Yes.”
I lay down on the bed as he crawled on top of me, putting his weight on his good arm.
“Are you sure Rudd, I don’t want-”
He slammed his lips to mine, shutting me up. Now this was a kiss. As we devoured each other, he slowly positioned himself between my legs. He barely nudged my opening, then stopped and stared at me will a serious look on his face.
“No condom.”
I pushed up on my arms. “Huh?’
“There are a lot of things I need to tell you Adalyn, one of them being that Shawna was the last person I had sex with. I’ve been tested and I’m clean. I know everything about your past, and not only do I know you’re clean, but I know you’re on the pill.”
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
“I saw them in your purse Adalyn, at the doctor’s office when you were passed out.”
He sat up on his knees and gently pushed on one of my legs, spreading them… I let him. The thought of him being inside of me had clouded my thoughts. It was distracting me from what he just told me.
“Christ, you’re beautiful,” he said. I followed his eyes and he was looking at me. My cheeks were already flushed, but I felt my whole body turn red.
He rubbed the head of his cock in and around my clit, through my sex. I was wet, very wet, and I pushed my hips towards him when his cock was at my entrance again, letting him know I was ready.
I was more than ready.
He grinned and pushed in a little bit further. His thickness stretched me a little, but it didn’t hurt. He pulled out slowly, pushed back in, and then his good hand went to my belly. I was still up on my arms watching him make love to me. It was powerful and moving and he wasn’t even all the way in. My body started to relax more, my arms becoming weak as I took more of him inside of me. Swiftly and gracefully, he laid me on the bed and hovered above me. He stared into my eyes as he pushed all the way inside.
I gasped as the air caught in my throat.
“Babe?” he whispered, his eyebrows knit together and creases started to show in his forehead.
“Wow,” I said catching my breath. I was surprised about how wonderful he felt inside of me.
“I won’t hurt you.” His eyes held that promise as he pulled out and pushed back in, filling me. I could feel everything. Sensation overload. Our bodies connected. We were in-tune and in-sync with each other. He kissed my lips, but soon he found I was hungry for more and his tongue found its way into my mouth, tracing a path along my own. He slid in and out of me, varying his speed.
“Oh, God…Rudd,” I moaned. I could feel myself reaching my climax. There was an energy rising through me
, filling me up. As he thrust deeper and deeper into me, I knew I was close to the edge. I reached my hand down to feel his cock while it was moving it and out of me and he grunted, “Adalyn.”
I moved my hand and started rubbing my clit. I wasn’t sure why. He pushed it aside, and started rubbing it himself as he picked up the pace. My hands went behind his head, and this time I grabbed ahold of his hair, our noses touching every time he pounded into me.
“Rudd!” Every inch of my body exploded, and with every hard thrust of his cock, I came. And I kept coming. My clit throbbed; my orgasm rocked my entire body. “Rudd.” His name lingered on my lips, and I felt his hips jerk. “Fuck.” He slammed into me, held it there for a second, before pulling out and slamming into me again. “Fuck.” His muscles were tight; he stilled on top of me, both of us breathing harder than we ever had before. Making love to Rudd was the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.
He slid to the side of me, laying his head on my chest.
“That was…” I tried to find the right words.
“I know babe.”
It was perfect. Beyond words. I just laid there, with Rudd’s head on my chest, and my fingers running through his hair.
Chapter 18
Archer was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the two letters he got in the mail. His face grew redder and redder, his eyes hard and focused. His hands trembled, gripped the letters harder between his fingers, as his leg bounced up and down furiously.