Always Yours

by Shelly Jones

  At this point I’m pacing back and forth. I cannot believe this. I cannot believe Steve. “God he was one fucked up mother fucker wasn’t he,” I say.

  “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “Jesus, he fucked up your life, they fucked up your life. I’m not saying I forgive you Dean, I never will, but what you did was still fucked up.”

  “I know. I’m not looking for forgiveness, not at all. I know I fucked up,” he says staring at his hands.

  “Dean I’m sorry that you got dragged into this mess. I knew Steve wanted me, but I never in a million years thought he’d go that far, and Reagan, well she’s just a fucking whore. I swear she’s going to get hers one of these days and I can’t wait. Fuck, you lost a lot that night,” I said.

  “Don’t you dare be sorry, it was all them, well more him then her, but I blame them both. You were just reacting to the abuse.”

  I didn’t say anything. My heart was breaking for him. I honestly believe him when he told me he loved me.

  “Why didn’t you call the cops?” he asks.

  “I don’t know. I guess in a way I knew the abuse was deeper than just us fighting, but I don’t know for sure.”

  “I’m sorry I fucked up your life.”

  “Dean you didn’t, Steve did. The last ten years of my life have been a total lie. I hope he’s rotting in hell!”

  “Me too, and thank you for letting me tell you my side of the story.”

  “Well there are three sides to every story, and the truth will always come out. And it’s about damn time it does. Do me a favor though Dean?”

  “Name it.”

  “Send your tramp step-sister back to Chicago!”

  He starts laughing, “Already on that one. If I have to, I’ll go with her and keep her there or anywhere but Wisconsin. I want you to have your happy ending.” He smiles at me.

  “Thank you,” I reply with a small smile.

  “But hey I need to go, if I don’t get back home, I’ll probably have the entire county out looking for me. Here...” he gives me a thick envelope.

  “What’s this?”

  “In case you have doubts. They are tape recordings and emails I saved from Steve, in case you actually didn’t believe me.”

  I nod my head, “Thanks. You staying at your parents?”

  “Yeah, for now.”

  “Well Dean, take care of yourself ok?”

  “You too,” he says.

  I give him a small smile and back out.

  I still don’t trust him, and I refuse to turn my back on him. Once I’m a good distance, I run to my truck, get in, and hit the automatic lock and lock my doors. I put the key in the ignition and get the fuck out of there. I take a longer way home, with all kinds of turns and shit incase he’s following me. When I know I’m safe, I pull off to the side and I let go. The adrenaline is leaving my body and I start to shake and I start to cry.

  “Holy fuck! Did that just happen? Oh my fucking god,” I shout. I grab my phone and look at it. I have five missed calls. Three from Rachel and two from Eric and a couple of texts from Eric,

  “Hey Baby, I know you needed time to think and it’s ok, I get it, but just remember that I love you and I am not leaving. All I’m asking is that you don’t shut me out. I love you babe”

  “Alright babe, now you’re scaring me. You’ve been gone for a little longer than I’m ok with. I need to know you’re ok. Please text me or call me or better yet, just come home. Please?”

  Fuck! I better send a quick text.

  “I’m fine Eric. I’ll be home in a little bit, just needed time to clear my head.”

  Now for the fun part, do I or don’t I tell them about Dean? My dad, Eric’s dad, Eric and Rachel will all probably kick my ass if they found out that I saw Dean.

  On my drive back home, I keep thinking about the money Steve offered Dean to cheat on me. I just can’t believe he was that obsessed with me. Part of me feels guilty because if it wasn’t for Steve’s obsession for me, Dean would have his career and his life, and here he is, now a convicted criminal, he’ll probably never have a decent job or a life again.

  “God Steve, you are SO fucked up,” I shout.

  I pull into the drive and the garage is already open. My dad is gone and so are Eric’s parents. Fuck, I need to go over there and apologize to them for leaving the way I did. It looks like Rachel and Brady are gone too. The side door opens and the two loves of my life are standing there, Eric and Ava waving at me and smiling. I get out of the truck and walk over to them.

  “Hi,” I say to him.

  “Hi,” he says letting out a breath. “Are you ok?” he asks.

  “Yeah I’m good, great actually.”

  “Ok?”

  “Eric, we’ll talk about it later. Right now all I want to do is take a shower and spend the rest of the day with the two loves if that’s ok,” I say.

  “Ok, while you’re in the shower, I’m going to call our parents to let them know you’re ok.”

  “Ok, thanks,” I say. I went to kiss him on the cheek but he turned and caught my lips with his. Ava starts to giggle which makes me start laughing.

  “Alright I won’t be long.” I walk into the house and down to my room. I open the lock box in my closet, unload my gun and place it inside with the envelope Dean gave me. As I’m locking up, I hear a knock on the door.

  “Hey Katie,” Eric says.

  I walk out of the closet, “Yeah?”

  He’s got Ava and she’s got her sleepy fussing going on.

  “I’m going to lay Ava down for her nap unless you want to?”

  “I’ll do it,” I say taking her out of Eric’s arms.

  I sit in the rocker in her room and start singing to her until she falls asleep. I stand up and put her in her crib.

  I head into my room and Eric’s sitting on the bed.

  “She’s out, I’m going to go shower now,” I say.

  “Want company?” he says wiggling his eyebrows at me.

  I let out a laugh, “Sure if you plan on washing my back”

  He stands up and stalks me. “I plan on washing a lot more the just your back,” he says taking off my shirt. He takes off my shorts and panties all at once and then my sports bra.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he growls, while I take off his cut off black shirt and I slip off his white nylon shorts. He picks me and I wrap my legs around his waist and he carries me into the bathroom and into the shower all the while we’re kissing. This is deep hungry kiss. Almost as if we are reclaiming each other.

  We break from kissing, “I love you Eric.”

  “I love you more.”

  “Make love to me,” I beg and that’s all it takes, he’s inside me before I know it.

  After our shower and we check on Ava, we head out to the kitchen and I grab a bowl of pasta salad and fruit salad we have left over from yesterday.

  “Are you sure you’re ok babe?”

  “Eric I’m fine. Trust me, I am totally fine. I went to see Steve today.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, I yelled at him and cussed at him. It felt good!”

  “I’m sure it did. Is that why you seem different?”

  “No, but if I tell you what happened you’re going to get pissed and we will probably end up having a huge fight and then you will be calling my dad on me too.”

  “Alright Katie, drop the shit. You want to tell me otherwise you wouldn’t have just said what you just said.”

  He’s right. “I’ll be right back!” I get up and go get the envelope and go back in the kitchen. He’s pacing back and forth.

  “After I yelled at Steve, I went to my place to feed the ducks. While I was there, I had a visitor.”

  “That mother fucker. Did he touch you? Are you ok?”

  “Eric, deep breaths, let me talk.” He takes a deep breath. “He didn’t know I was there, I guess that spot is popular. Anyways, I wanted to leave and then he went to leave but before he did, he wanted twent
y minutes to tell his side. As he was walking away I said he had fifteen.” I finish telling Eric Dean’s side of the story. Eric’s not sure if he believes him like I do.

  “What’s with the envelope,” Eric asks.

  “I guess there’s proof in here.”

  “Have you opened it?”

  “No, I was hoping you would do it with me?” Eric and I take a breath and he opens the envelope, he goes through everything.

  “Well this stuff looks legit. It doesn’t look fake or anything, but I think one of our dad’s should look at it. This still doesn’t forgive him for almost killing you.”

  “Baby I know and I told him it doesn’t. I still don’t trust him completely, but knowing how obsessed Steve was with me, it’s fucking scary and I had no fucking clue. I must have been one dumb ass dense girl back then. God I’m an idiot!”

  “Oh don’t you dare blame yourself! You stop this shit right now!”

  “I know, but damn it, I just want all of this shit to be done and over with so we can move on with our lives. I am so sick of the drama. I want it all gone and done with it.” I start to tear up.

  “This is our fresh start. We have the rest of our lives to live out. You and me forever Katie, I promise you this!”

  I smile at him, “Sounds good to me!”

  Eric put everything away and I went to get Ava. We decided to take her to the park and out to dinner. After dinner and we came home, I got Ava in the bath and ready for bed. My stomach started feeling sick and I had to have Eric finish getting Ava ready for bed. We finish off the night cuddling on the couch watching The Notebook and 21 Jump Street, the perfect way to end the day.

  Chapter 18

  Eric

  I’m up long before Katie and Ava, so decide to go into the other bathroom and take a shower. I don’t want to wake either one of them up. I get out of the shower and quietly get dressed, making my way to the kitchen. It’s 5 in the damn morning and I should be in there snuggling with Katie, but instead I can’t stop thinking about Dean. I think I need to rally up the boys for a beer and to run all this new information past them. I’m still not sure I believe Dean, but I know damn well I don’t trust him, and if we happen to run into the bastard, well that would just be a bonus.

  After I get the coffee going, I sit at the dining room table and fire up the laptop. Quickly jump on Facebook and look at all the messages and other shit I have pending then I decide to change my relationship status. I’m looking at the options and see the ‘engaged’ and ‘married’ options and say out loudly to myself, “Can’t wait to be able to change it to these. Soon, soon we’ll be able too.” I smile just thinking about asking her to marry me.

  I should have done it a long time ago, but this is our chance and I’m going to do it. Not sure when, but when the time is right I’m going to do it. She will be my wife and I will adopt Ava and she will be my daughter. I think back to yesterday morning...

  “Ava, who’s that,” I ask having answering the door.

  “Gam-pa,” she says to Katie’s dad.

  “Hey Eric, sorry to come over without calling but I couldn’t sit at home anymore. I need to be here.”

  “Hey no problem Mr. Brooks, I totally understand.”

  “Will you stop with the Mr. Brooks shit. It’s either Gary or Dad your choice. I don’t care either way.”

  Holy fuck! Dad? Nope not yet. “Ok Gary.”

  He starts laughing. “Still a chicken shit I see!”

  I shake my head. Ava goes into Gary’s arms, my phone rings and I answer it.

  “Dad, is mom ok?”

  “I’m fine Eric, now will you tell your father it’s ok for me to come for a visit. I miss you, Katie and Ava and need some love,” my mom says.

  “I don’t know mom. If dad says no, then he means no. We can always stop by today or tomorrow.”

  “Eric damn it, I need out of this house,” she says sternly.

  “Eric, its dad, is it ok if we stop over? This woman is driving me crazy.”

  “Yeah no problem. Katie is still sleeping but I’m sure she’ll be ok. Or at least I hope so.”

  “We will be over there in a few then. Thanks Eric!”

  I hang up from my dad. “Looks like a full house. I think she might kill me,” I say to Gary.

  “Nah, she’ll understand and if not, she’ll get over it, sooner or later,” he chuckles.

  Two hours later, it’s gone from Ava, Gary and I to my mom, dad, Rachel and Brady – shit, she’s going to kill me. My mom is sitting at the counter cracking eggs for scrambled eggs, Rachel is cooking bacon and my I’m making toast. The dads are playing with Ava. It’s kind of nice. The only thing I’d like to add Katie. Then the family would be complete.

  “Da-Da,” Ava says. I turn around to see who she said that too and she’s at my legs.

  “Da-Da UP,” she shouts at me.

  “Did she just...” Rachel asks.

  “I think she did,” I say.

  I pick her up, “Daddy,” she says with a smile.

  “Ava, who is this,” Rachel asks her as she points to Katie’s dad.

  “Gam-pa,” she smiles.

  “And who is this,” she points to me.

  “Daddy! Daddy,” she giggles and my eyes start to water. She’s calling me daddy. Damn. “I love you Ava.”

  “I love daddy,” she says and gives me a kiss. I died and went to heaven right there!

  My mom, dad, Rachel, Gary and even Brady all had tears in their eyes too. ‘Ha! I’m not the only pussy in this kitchen,’ I think to myself.

  I’m on the computer for I don’t know how long when I hear Ava awake. I go to get her and see Katie already beat me to it and is walking into the kitchen.

  “Good Morning,” she says.

  “Morning.”

  “How long have you been up?”

  “Since 5.”

  “You were tossing and turning a lot last night. You ok?” I shrug my shoulders. “Well Ava and I can go see dad so you can get a nap in if you want?”

  “Nah it’ll be ok. Nothing that coffee and a couple of red bulls won’t fix.”

  “Ok.”

  “I’ve got to go over to my parents today. I promised my dad I would get some things done around the outside. Are you going to be ok here? Or you guys can always come with me if you want.”

  She’s making Ava a bowl of cereal and I’m still sitting at the dining table. “I might stop over later, but I’ve got some stuff to do today, Rachel sent me a text telling me she needs to see me ASAP today. Not sure what it’s all about but I’m going to go see her,” she tells me.

  Good that bought me some time. Brady, Brody, Travis and Jeremy are all meeting me at my parents. The guys are going to help out a little and we’re going to talk about this Dean situation. I know she says everything is fine, but I don’t trust him, Heidi or Reagan, so Dean can tell her everything is fine all the other bull shit, but it isn’t fine. It won’t be fine until they’re out of the picture for good.

  “Hey Eric,” Katie says walking over and giving Ava her cereal. She walks over to me with a smile.

  “Yeah,” I reply as she sits in my lap.

  “How about you move all your stuff out of the guest room and into our bedroom finally?” Her eyes are sparkling.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I don’t want to spend one night without you and I know how much Ava loves her daddy, so why don’t you just finally move into our room and if you have any other things at your parents, bring them home. This is our home if you want it to be.”

  I have to hold back the tears, I take a deep breath. “I’d really like that.”

  “Good,” she says with a smile and then looks at Ava. “I heard her call you daddy. I knew I loved you and I wanted this, but Eric, when I heard those words come from her mouth, I started thinking, I’m done waiting. I love you and I want you home with us,” she says as I wipe the tears from her eyes.

  “Baby, I’m not going anywhere. I love you both so much. Thi
s is home. Katie, I’ve got to ask you something though.”

  “Anything.”

  “If we were to get married, would you let me adopt Ava?” Asking her that question, was like turning a water faucet on high. Tears poured out of her eyes. I don’t know if it was good tears or bad tears. What the fuck did I just do? “Katie, baby. Talk to me,” I say as I wipe the tears from her eyes.

  “I think I just fell in love you even more,” she whispers.

  “So that’s a yes?” She nods her head yes.

  We sit there in silence for a little bit, watching Ava. Yep this is life, the life I want. “Oh hey, starting Monday I go back to work fulltime. They have me mostly working twelve hour days from five AM to five PM, but I might have to do some over nights,” I tell Katie

  “That’s fine. We’ll be here waiting for you. I know I need to get back to work; just not sure I want to. Business has been slow. I’m almost thinking about seeing if Rachel needs help at the floral shop.”

  I kiss her on the forehead “Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you either way. You know that.”

  She gives me that sweet smile of hers, “I know.”

  After we all get dressed, we both get in our vehicles and head out. On my way to my parents, I swing by and get Jeremy and Josh, Brady and Brody are meeting us there. The five of us, are going to get things cleaned up around the yard and whatever else they need done.

  “Hey man,” Jeremy and Josh say getting into my truck.

  “Hey,” I nod.

  “So what’s this really about? I mean I got no problems helping your parents out, but we know damn well it’s more than that. So spill it,” Jeremy says.

  “Any word on Dean?” I ask.

  “Not yet, but my cousin Paul says he’s still at his parents and Heidi and Reagan both have shown up at the house multiple times,” Josh says. Josh’s cousin Paul lives across the street to Dean’s parents.

  “Huh, wonder if we should go hang out at your cousin’s house after we’re done here?” I smirk.