Miles

by H. J. Bellus

  “I promise.” Miles kisses my lips tenderly. “To never.” Kiss. “Break your heart.” Kiss. “Or fold my clothes.” Kiss. “Or stop loving you.” Kiss. “I also promise to thank God every day for finally giving me my greatest fortune of all.” Kiss. “My crazy little girl.” Kiss. “I also promise to hold your hand everyday forever.”

  “You’re such a charmer,” I say.

  “I’m all about the fairy tale, baby.” Kiss. “And the hot sex, your cookies, and the blow jobs, which we need to schedule more often.”

  Laughter finally escapes from both of us and we find each other again in that moment. Fearless, stupidly in love, and courageous.

  Miles props himself up on his elbows and whispers, “Be right back.”

  “You better hurry, baby. By the size of that bulge in your jeans, your chances of blindness are at an all-time high,” I say as I point to his crotch.

  Miles grabs his crotch and shoots me the crooked eyebrow, and if even possible, I fall deeper and more madly in love with him. That crotch, hand, and look started everything.

  ***

  20 Minutes Later

  I make my way to the bathroom to start my water, because knowing Miles, I’m sure he got distracted by some new brand of cereal and is now contemplating whether it’s worth the risk of trying it over his beloved Cap’n Crunch. At this rate, he’ll be back by midnight. I turn on the water and let it run. My reflection catches my attention in the mirror and haunts me. This time I don’t see a beloved daughter, an average sister, or a broken lover, but I see a clean slate. A clean slate ready to be painted in her own beautiful colors. Her own beautiful colors entwined with her own dreams and hopes. Yes, I’m finally ready to be my own masterpiece of beauty.

  The hotel’s hot water is something fierce. I love the hottest water you can stand. Remembering , Miles screaming for his life last time he tried taking a bath with me in California makes me giggle. As I dip into the hot water, I let it pierce at the pain of my loss, and I decide to let it slowly heal me at the same time. I also allow my eyelids to take a rest.

  “Crazy. Where are you,” swirls around in my sleep-dazed brain. Then a more panicked “Willow” followed by a “Where in the fuck are you?” With the last plea, my brain registers and I shoot up out of the tub, causing water to slosh over the sides.

  “Miles,” I scream in a panicked voice, “I’m in the tub.”

  “Jesus Christ, babe, you scared the shit out of me.”

  Sinking back into the steaming water, I reply with, “Did you think someone kidnapped me?”

  “Real funny. I thought… I thought…never mind what I thought.”

  Then it hit me. He thought I’d left him. He thought I ran back home and abandoned him. How am I ever going to convince him that he’s the best mistake I ever made?

  “I’m never leaving you. It might have been a mistake, you know, us falling in love, but you are screwed, buddy, because you’re mine now and you’re my mistake. The best one I have ever made.”

  Silence.

  “Now get naked and come entertain me, boy.”

  “On it, baby cakes. Let me get us our snacks first.”

  Moments later a very naked Miles walks into the bathroom carrying a plastic tray containing two red Solo cups, a box of Cap’n Crunch, Skittles, and beef jerky. Dear lord, this man is a keeper.

  “You outdid yourself, baby. I thought I was only getting Cap’n Crunch.”

  Miles sits the tray on the edge of the tub and slides down behind me. He grunts softly as he positions himself. His hand finds my waist and pulls me back to him and then buries his face in the crook of my neck and continues to rustle around in the water, finding his perfect comfy spot.

  “You know, you remind me of a cat when you do this.”

  “I just need to hold you right now, Willow.”

  “You got me,” I say as I reach for the plastic cup and begin to suck it dry.

  With the first taste of the red liquid, immediate high school memories come flooding back. Midnight snow tubing, snowmobiling, and Boone’s overtake me. I start to giggle at the memories, and the fact that the love of my life bought me Boone’s.

  “Don’t even start with me, Willow. There were too many choices. I just went with the ringer. You can never go wrong with Boone’s.”

  His lips start to nibble at my neck and then he starts his licking.

  “Oh baby, I was just gonna say all we need is “The Power of Love” playing for background music, and this would be every teenage girl’s dream.” I giggle as I slam the rest of the drink.

  Miles slips his hand between my legs. “You’re gonna think you’re dreaming by the time I’m done with you.”

  Living out this dream, I throw my red plastic cup over my shoulder and reach for the other one.

  “Slow down, turbo. I know you’re excited that your man splurged on ya, but gear it down, I’ll need you conscious for what I want to do to you later,” he says, and hands me some jerky.

  “Not tonight. Don’t make me eat,” I whisper.

  With no words, Miles picks me up and spins me around to face him. When he sits me down, he instantly fills me.

  “Ahhhhh,” escapes my lips without thinking.

  The sensation of his cock filling me so completely sends a thrill straight through me. He will always have this ability of filling me completely and effortlessly.

  Miles palms both of my ass cheeks with his large hands pushing me further down onto him. This sensation causes me to throw my head back and moan.

  “Miles, I’m going to fuck you.”

  “You have to eat first.”

  “No,” I say as I try to move my hips.

  “Yes,” he growls as he grips my ass tighter and closer to him.

  A frustrated moan escapes me and I throw back some more Boone’s. The liquor makes me feel bolder than usual and definitely fuels my need for Miles. He reaches for the red cup in my hands, and like a spoiled child, I protest. My eyes watch him take the cup and lick the rim of it. Since he’s only holding me down with one hand, I manage to grind up and down on him. The quick little movement pushes me so close to the edge that I instantly finish myself off with my hand.

  “Holy shit,” Miles murmurs.

  And that’s when I feel the cool liquid running over my breasts and in the next instant I feel Miles on me, lapping up the liquid. This time his hands grab both of my ass cheeks, guiding me up and down him. He catches one nipple in his teeth and I find my full release, screaming with pleasure.

  I slump down on Miles, still fully seated on him, and murmur into his chest, “Thank you for not making me eat.”

  Miles starts to chuckle.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I guarantee five other hotel customers are calling the front desk reporting a crime scene in room 112 from all your screaming.”

  “It felt good, baby, and you’re still hard.”

  Miles throws back his head to rest on the back of the tub and closes his eyes. With his hands still on my hips, he starts to thrust up into me, groaning with each push. Watching his face covered in sheer pleasure is the hottest thing ever as I feel him move in and out of me. His eyes clench shut and his teeth bite down on his lower lip, making me start to climb that steep hill again. Motherfucker, he’s going to make me go again.

  Miles opens one eye and catches me staring at him, holding back my pending orgasm.

  “Let go, Wils, and let’s start our new life together tonight.”

  Chapter 16

  The End

  Willow

  About a year later…on the plane to Denver, Colorado

  Miles received a call earlier today from Tripp. It was a sunny warm spring morning, so I had the windows open. I loved being able to listen to Miles and Ridley talk as they worked together on their newest project. This morning it was Ridley’s new swing set. The moment I heard Miles’ voice, I knew something was seriously wrong.

  It was Annie. The time had finally come to go back to Colora
do. Miles booked us the next flight to Denver, and before I knew it I was ushered onto the plane with each of my boys holding my hands.

  I haven’t seen or spoken to anyone in my immediate family in a little over a year with the exception of Tripp and Rose. He never gave up on me or our relationship. We have weekly scheduled Skype calls where he keeps me updated on every single one of Rose’s milestones.

  Seated on the airplane with Ridley sandwiched between us, I have nothing but time to reflect on the past year. We returned to southern California and took care of Sarah for the remainder of her days. We spent several nights with Wynnie when Sarah was too unbearable. It took her approximately forty-two days to die. Miles fought four more fights to get enough money to give his mom a proper burial. He refused to accept any of my money. And just like the true gentlemen Wynnie helped shape, Miles arranged a beautiful service. The memory of him bearing the burden of his mother’s casket on his shoulder was very symbolic of his whole life. Lance, Tommy, and Luke were his fellow pall bearers, and had to pick up Miles from the ground once he laid his mother to rest. He was unable to walk away from her casket on his own two feet. The men circled around him and brought him to Wynnie and me, and from that day on we have proudly carried him on our shoulders.

  It took the efforts of all three of us and the better part of six months to officially adopt Ridley. He never spent another night with Carly since our first cupcake adventure. Carly was more than happy to sign her rights away. He still packs my old yellow iPhone everywhere with him and gorges himself on my buttercream frosting. It took several months for him to settle into a new routine with us. His old habits haunted him on a daily basis, from having several accidents, to hiding food and having consistent meltdowns at his new preschool.

  Ridley called me his “Mi-Mi” for months, but instantly called Miles his dad. I loved his name for me. He could have called me Willow, and I would have been just as proud. And of course, Wynnie was no longer Wynnie, she was officially the nana of the family.

  I’ll never forget the day I heard the word that changed my life forever. I was out on our newly finished porch that Miles built, painting a picture on my new art easel when Ridley started screaming bloody murder from his sandbox. I bolted from the porch and found him running towards me, yelling, “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” Ridley had found his first frog, and was not impressed at all by the slimy creature.

  The only remnant from the first day I met Ridley are his piercing blue eyes. Everything else about him is different. His confidence. His habits. His speech. Ridley talks non-stop about everything and everyone. The boy is infatuated with Legos and building structures. At times, we can’t keep enough objects in front of him to keep him entertained.

  We’re starting to face the hard questions from him. The other night at dinner, he raised his shirt and asked what his scars were. Wynnie joins us every night for dinner, and she explained them to him while Miles and I remained speechless. I couldn’t help but cry as she told him the whole truth.

  Ridley climbed up into my lap at the dinner table and announced, “Don’t cry, Momma. You saved me from them bad men. You’re my hero forever.” Then he kisses me. And that’s the magic of Ridley, always stealing my heart and brightening my life.

  Miles grabs my hand, kisses my wedding ring, pulling me from my thoughts. Looking over, I see Ridley has passed out, holding his Fox that’s flashing one of his games on it.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asks.

  “Nothing. Just remembering how perfect our year has been together.”

  “You probably need to sleep, baby. You’re going to need your rest to handle what’s coming,” he whispers, and hands me his hoodie that I still sleep with.

  Miles hasn’t stopped taking care of me. Not one day passes that I don’t feel his love tingle my toes. He’s in the process of opening his own mechanic shop, but makes time for me and our family daily. Closing my eyes, I remember the day he proposed. And I’m sure you guessed it right, it wasn’t the typical proposal. It was the phone call of a lifetime.

  One night while cooking dinner, Miles took Ridley outside. I was a little suspicious, but overwhelmed at that point with completing Ridley’s adoption. My phone went off several times before I finally answered it, after pulling the roast out of the oven. When I went to tap the answer bar, I noticed the background picture was a huge chocolate cupcake with a diamond ring placed in the center. The contact info read, “Be My Wife, Willow.” I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth, and then heard Ridley’s little voice. He was standing in the cutest dress shirt with a TMNT tie holding the most perfect chocolate cupcake he made with a diamond ring in the center. Miles was on his knee next to him in a dress shirt with a matching tie, as well. He repeated the words, “Be my wife, Willow.”

  We married on the beach with Ridley, Wynnie, Lance, Tommy, and Luke present. It was simple, sweet, and all mine. I wore my momma’s wedding dress and Wynnie’s favorite set of pearls. Instead of exchanging vows, we shared from our notebook some of our favorite memories and promises to each other. On the way home from the beach, we stopped at the local pet shelter and adopted two puppies—one bulldog mix and a Chihuahua. We finally got our Dan and Annie.

  A sudden jolt snaps me from my daydream.

  “It’s okay, baby. We’re getting ready to land,” Miles assures me.

  “Do they have McDonalds in Colorado?” Ridley asks him.

  We both look at each other and beg with the other to lie. The Golden Arches can piss off in my book, I’m so sick of that place. But about the time we lie, our Ridley will spot one and then the twenty questions will begin.

  “I think so,” Miles brushes him off, “but there’s a train at this airport and we might get to ride it.”

  “Yes!” he exclaims and fist pumps the air.

  Lance, Luke and Tommy really aren’t the best role models for a five year old.

  ***

  I step into the waiting room at the hospital with Miles in front of me and little Ridley holding my hand. I want to die when I see my family. My body instantly seizes with panic and pain at the reminder of my loss.

  “Momma, you okay?”

  I look down to see a very confused Ridley. He can sense all my tension and discomfort. We explained as much as we could to him about the situation. I refused to leave him for even a matter of hours, let alone days. I scoop up my boy and kiss him on the forehead.

  All at once the shit storm starts up. Cree leaps from his chair on the defense and Tripp stops him at once, positioning himself right in front of Cree.

  “I called her. She’s my sister and I need her here. So does Annie, and you know it. You’ve told me how much you need Willow back. Cut the tough boy act,” Tripp hisses.

  The room falls silent with Tripp’s words. They were whispered in Cree’s face, but the whole room heard them loud and clear. My eyes fall from Cree’s and track around the room. Not much has changed. Milly and Lacey are huddled together on a couch while Mac and Rose play in the corner with a bunch of toys. Lacey’s belly is swollen. I knew they were expecting a set of twin boys in three months’ time. Milly’s swollen belly, however, takes me by complete surprise.

  We find a seat on an empty leather couch and allow the awkward silence take over. Neither Milly nor Cree say another word to us. Ridley settles down in Miles’ lap and waves at Tripp.

  “Hi, Tripp,” he squeaks.

  “Get over here, Ridley,” Tripp booms as he holds out his arms.

  Tripp and Ridley know each other very well from our Skype sessions. I wasn’t sure how Ridley would react to him in real life. Tripp looks tiny on Skype. Ridley doesn’t let Tripp’s overbearing size scare him off as he leaps into his arms.

  “Nice to finally meet ya in person, kiddo,” Tripp says as he kisses Ridley’s forehead. “Let’s see what Rose and Mac have going on down here.”

  Tripp kneels down by the two playing kids. It takes everything in me to not leap off the couch and grab both those babies. I want to hold a
nd kiss them so bad it hurts. Miles senses my tension and grabs my hand.

  “Just hold my hand,” I whisper.

  Milly leaps from the couch and grabs Mac from the floor, along with all of his toys, leaving Rose and Ridley scattered in baby dolls. I watch as she makes a complete ass out of my son, degrading him.

  I stand, and start to speak. “Is there something wrong, Milly?”

  “I don’t want my son around him,” she says, pointing to Ridley.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me, Willow. I don’t know him. I don’t where he came from. You chose Miles over us and left. I don’t want my son or my family around anything that resembles my past.”

  I turn to Miles. “Will you please take our son back to the hotel? Ridley doesn’t deserve to be treated like this by Milly.”

  “Are you sure?” Miles ask.

  “Absolutely.”

  I walk over to Ridley and grab his hand.

  “Tell Tripp it was nice to meet him. You and Daddy get to go back to the hotel and swim until dinner, okay?”

  Ridley shakes Tripp’s hand and waves to the rest of the assholes as if he was running for president. I walk them right outside the glass viewing doors, and shower Ridley with all kinds of our special kisses.

  “I don’t like this, Willow,” Miles says as he hugs me.

  “I’m fine. Tripp is here.”

  “You can bet that’s the only reason I’m leaving. Just remember stress isn’t good for you right now, okay?”

  “Got it, Daddy.” I smirk and pepper Miles with all kinds of special kisses.

  Another two hours pass before we hear anything from the doctors. Tripp entertains me with pictures from his cell phone and random stories. Lacey eventually warms up, too, moving in closer, and then she finally loses her will to be quiet.

  “This is fucking ridiculous,” she finally exclaims.

  “Not now, Lacey,” Cree says.