Color of Forgiveness

by Madeleine Beckett

  “We were such a close family,” Natalie says to Myra. “Back then we were so tight. We saw each other or talked to each other almost every day. But what happened eventually tore us apart. Dylan and Sabrina stopped coming over, and I knew it was because of Joseph. The way Dylan would stare at Joseph ripped my heart out of my chest. He wears his emotions on his face; he always has. He’s very easy to read, and it hurt so much to watch him. I felt so guilty that my son was alive and theirs wasn’t.

  “We tried hard to keep them close, but nothing worked. Then after the divorce, Dylan left and completely cut us out of his life. We knew it was because he was in so much pain. So seeing him here with you and feeling that closeness to him again, I can’t tell you how much it means to us. I love Dylan like a brother; I always have,” Natalie says.

  “I think she loves him more than me and he’s my brother,” Trish adds, smiling.

  “We’ve wanted Dylan back for a long time now,” Sherri tells Myra. “We’ve missed him so much, and you’ve helped bring him back to us.”

  Myra can’t speak around the huge lump in her throat so she merely nods as Sherri hands her another Kleenex. Her phone dings with a text.

  “Sorry,” she mutters as she pulls it out of her pocket. She has to wipe her eyes in order to read it. She quickly sends a response and tucks it back in her jeans.

  “That was Jackie,” she mumbles as she dabs at her eyes again.

  “Jackie?” Sherri asks, surprised.

  “Yeah… she’s still in Boise, and we’re supposed to meet up later,” Myra says.

  “Oh, I’d love to see her again. Why don’t you ask her to come by the hospital that way I could introduce her to everyone,” Sherri says.

  “Are you sure?” Myra asks.

  “Absolutely...” Sherri turns to Natalie and Trish. “Oh, I’m so excited. You two are just going to love Jackie. Remember I told you about her? Her mom is Jackson’s teacher.”

  Trish nods and Natalie says, “Oh yeah, I can’t wait to meet her,” before blowing her nose.

  “Okay. I’ll call her,” Myra says as she pulls out her phone again. After a quick call, she finds out that Jackie was on her way to do some shopping and isn’t too far away, and she giddily squealed at the invite.

  “She’s actually close by so she’ll be here in a few minutes,” Myra announces after she hangs up. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go stop by the restroom and freshen up a bit before I go down to get her.”

  Once in the restroom, Myra wipes her red eyes and blows her nose, trying to get herself presentable. The conversation she just had with Sherri, Natalie and Trish moved her deeply. She feels so close to them already like she just somehow fits. Like she belongs and is a part of the family, not some outsider looking in. Her eyes begin to tear up again when she thinks about Sherri and how she truly makes her feel like a daughter.

  After a few more minutes drying her eyes, she takes the elevator downstairs to wait on Jackie. It doesn’t take long for her to spot her. “Myra!” Jackie shouts as she runs across the hallway towards her and plows into her with a powerful hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I love you so much.”

  Myra smiles through the painful hug. “I love you too.”

  Jackie lets her go and frowns at her. “What’s wrong? You’ve been crying. Did Dylan do something again? You know I don’t—”

  “Jackie… Everything is great. And no, Dylan didn’t do anything. I was just talking to Sherri, Natalie and Trish, and it got a little emotional. That’s all.”

  “Oh.”

  “You ready to go meet everybody?”

  “Yes. I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see Sherri again. She’s just so sweet. But who’s Trish?”

  “Dylan’s sister.”

  “Oh. Cool.”

  Myra walks to the elevators and starts to hit the ‘up’ button when she freezes and her eyes widen. She totally forgot about the fact that Jackie knows nothing about the pregnancy, and Dylan’s family doesn’t know that. It’s bound to probably come up in conversation at some point so she has to tell her before they go up there. But this totally isn’t the time or the place to do it, but sees no other choice.

  She turns to Jackie. “Uh… follow me. We need to do something first.”

  Jackie frowns. “What? What are we doing?”

  “Just come with me,” Myra says as she starts walking and looking around for a quiet spot where they can talk. But people are everywhere and every single waiting area that they pass is crammed full with people as well.

  She gets to the end of the hallway and sees a gift shop and decides it’ll have to do. “Come on,” she mumbles.

  Once inside the tiny gift shop, Myra breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that it’s deserted. The only person in there is the cashier who’s busy typing away on her phone. Myra walks to the back corner and turns to Jackie. “Okay. I, well, I have something I need to tell you.”

  “Myra? What the hell is going on? Why did you drag me all the way into this store to tell me something? Couldn’t you have told me back by the elevators? This is crazy.”

  “No, I couldn’t because this is really important.” Myra takes in a deep breath. “I didn’t want to tell you this way, but…”

  Jackie puts her hands on her hips. “Tell me what?” she demands.

  Myra’s hands are clammy and her mouth feels dry. She can’t figure out why she’s so nervous because it isn’t like this is the first time she’s told someone.

  But then it dawns on her… this is the first time she’s actually told someone that about the pregnancy that didn’t have any clue in advance. Both Susie and Natalie guessed that she was pregnant, and Dylan caught her throwing up. So this is a huge deal.

  Myra draws in a deep breath. “I…” she starts to say as Jackie stares at her like she has lost her mind. With her brows furrowed, her eyes dart off to the side as she tries to get some courage. She spots a teddy bear wearing blue pajamas and a sock cap, holding a small balloon that says, ‘Congratulations’. And emblazoned across his little chest is ‘It’s a Boy’. She grabs the bear and holds it up to her face and grins.

  “What?” Jackie demands still looking frowning and looking at her like she’s off her rocker.

  Myra points at the bear and raises her eyebrows as if to say ‘get it?’

  “The bear’s cute, Myra, but what in the world does that have to do with you dragging me all the way back here to tell me something?”

  “I’m pregnant,” Myra gushes. “I’m going to have a baby.” The words feel strange on Myra’s lips... foreign yet exciting.

  “What?” Jackie screams her eyes darting back and forth from the bear to Myra’s face. “You’re pregnant?” she screams louder. “You’re pregnant?” she screams again, her voice going an octave higher.

  Myra nods enthusiastically. “Yes, I’m pregnant,” she says the words again with more confidence, loving how they feel.

  “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…! That was your secret! That’s why you and Dylan were acting so weird. My best friend is pregnant. My best friend is going have a baby. I can’t believe it!” she shouts before launching herself at Myra with more force than usual. Myra’s face splits into a huge grin as Jackie continues jabbering her excitement. For the first time since Myra found out she was pregnant, she feels true joy, true excitement over the fact that she’s going to be a mom.

  * * *

  “Where in the fuck do you put all of that food, Chad? Jesus Christ, you eat like you did when you were a teenager,” Dylan says while they wait on the elevator.

  “It’s a miracle he’s not half a ton,” Nick adds under his breath.

  “Dudes, I burn that shit off pumpin’ iron. Everything I eat turns to solid chunks of massive muscle,” Chad says as he flexes his arm. “Feel that, bro.” He holds his flexed arm up towards Dylan. “It’s like a rock.”

  “Your brain is like a rock…” Dylan’s voice trails off when he spots Myra and Jackie round the corner. He frowns when he n
otices Myra’s swollen eyes.

  Dylan immediately spans the gap between them. “What’s wrong?” he asks, grabbing her hand in his.

  She smiles happily up at him. “Nothing… everything’s great.” She reaches her hand up behind his neck and brings his ear down to her lips. “I told Jackie about the baby,” she whispers quickly, “and I talked with your mom, Natalie and your sister, and it was beautiful. I’m just wonderful, and I love you.”

  She lets him go and before he can respond, she starts the introductions. “Jackie, you remember Chad.”

  “Hey, Jackie,” Chad says, holding out his hand. “How goes it?”

  “Fantastic,” Jackie says, grinning. “Congratulations on your new baby. That had to be so scary for the both of you with her being born so early and all. I was a preemie. My mom’s always telling me that’s why I’m so tiny. But I’m a perfect example of how preemies can turn out just fine.”

  Chad lifts on eyebrow, his eyes getting bigger as he stares at Myra. Dylan has to bite back a grin.

  “And Jackie…” Myra says, “this is Dylan’s other brother, Nick. Nick, this is Jackie.”

  Jackie makes eye contact with Nick, and her mouth drops open. Nick grins and holds his hand out and when Jackie reaches for his, they don’t let go. They just hold each other’s hands, staring into each other’s eyes and Jackie is… quiet. Dylan can’t believe that for the first time since he met the woman, her mouth has actually stopped moving for a moment.

  But as his eyes dart back and forth between them, he gets a sick feeling in his stomach because the look on Nick’s face…

  Oh fuck no.

  * * *

  Myra smiles when Dylan opens the door of his truck for her and helps her in. She’ll never get used to that. She quickly scoots to the middle so she can be right next to him. He gets in and wraps his arm around her before starting the truck.

  “So what did the women say to make you cry?”

  She leans into him, her hand slipping inside his jacket to feel his chest. “They were just happy that you and I were back together and wanted to know how you were doing with the baby and everything. And I just felt so close to them. It was really special and emotional. I just love them all.”

  Dylan pulls her closer. “I just love you,” he whispers.

  “I just love you too,” Myra whispers back and leans up, brushing her lips against his neck. Her lips keep moving down his neck sucking lightly on his skin.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Dylan asks in a low voice.

  “Nothing,” Myra says as she giggles and kisses up his neck to his ear. She weaves her fingers through the back of his hair before she sucks his earlobe into her mouth.

  “You better stop that shit while I’m driving, or I’m gonna wreck the goddamn truck.”

  Myra ignores him and her tongue sneaks out and runs along the outside of his ear.

  She smiles when he shivers and starts breathing heavy. “Fuck. Keep it up and see what happens to you, woman. I’ll pull this truck over and rip your panties off, and you know I’ll do that shit.”

  “What if I want you to do that?” she whispers in his ear.

  A primal growling sound rumbles in Dylan’s chest. Pulling up to a stoplight, he turns towards Myra and crashes his lips against hers, pushing his tongue into her mouth. He kisses her until she has no breath left. “Fuck. I want you,” he groans against her lips.

  She startles when someone lays on the horn behind them.

  Dylan angrily lifts his middle finger. Laughing, she grabs his hand and says, “Stop.”

  He pulls his hand away and adjusts himself. “Jesus Christ, woman, my cock is about to bust out of my damn jeans because of you.”

  She smiles, leaning towards him, still amazed that she can have this kind of effect on him. With a wave of confidence, she reaches her hand down and runs her fingers over the outline of his hardness in his jeans. He breathes heavier.

  After rubbing along his length a couple of more times, she finds his zipper.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  She just grins and tugs his zipper down. He gasps when her hand slips inside his boxers. “Fuck. I’m pulling over.” She giggles at the desperation in his voice.

  While he tries to find a secluded place to park, she busies herself with undoing the button on his jeans and pulling him out. “Holy fuck,” he mumbles as she strokes him.

  He pulls into a deserted parking lot and shoves the truck into park, leaving it running. They both quickly unbuckle their seatbelts, and he immediately reaches for her. But she stops him, pushin on his chest. “Lay the seat back.”

  His brows pull together, but he does what she says.

  Sitting on her knees, she grasps his length in her hand, and he jerks in response. Smiling, she leans down and touches her tongue lightly on the tip. “Oh shit,” he rasps as his hands reach out to grasp the seat.

  She takes his satiny hardness into her mouth, sucking lightly, and running her tongue along his smooth skin. His grunts and muttered curses, his out of control breathing, his occasional soft thrust into her mouth confirms that he likes what she’s doing.

  His hand tangles in her hair as she takes him in a little deeper this time, a little too deep, and the head of his cock hits the back of her throat, almost making her gag. “Oh, Jesus…” Dylan groans. “Fuck, get up here,” he says in a breathy voice as he tugs her up to him. His lips are on hers, kissing her hard.

  “I was about to cum,” he says against her lips, “and the only place I wanna cum is in your hot pussy.”

  Myra moans softly at his filthy words.

  “I want in your pussy right now. Fuck, you drive me crazy. I love you, Myra, I love you so goddamn much, but this is gonna be hard and fast. I’ll make love to you later and give you orgasms and shit. But right now, you’ve got me worked up too damn much. I need you naked right this damn instant.”

  Myra can’t control the happy laughter that bubbles out of her seeing Dylan so desperate for her. It makes her feel alive, makes her skin tingle in anticipation of his touch. As she slips her coat off, her eyes dart around the parking lot to make sure no one can see them. It seems to be empty and Dylan’s windows are tinted so… she boldly removes her shirt and slips off her bra. She busts out laughing when Dylan takes his boots off and just flings them in the back seat, his hard cock still sticking straight up out of his open jeans. They bump elbows and other body parts, trying to get their clothes off fast as possible.

  Once naked, Dylan lays the seat down on the passenger side and covers her body with his own. He kisses her neck, sucking on her collarbones, and tugging her nipples into his mouth. She smiles when she looks down and sees they both have their socks still on... matching white socks.

  She spreads her legs more, giving him better access. His hand reaches between them, his fingers spreading her open. “I hope you’re ready for me because fuck I need you so damn much,” he murmurs as he runs his fingers against her and through her wetness. “Oh fuck. It turned you on to suck my cock, didn’t it?”

  “Oh shit. Yes,” she pants, his dirty words exciting her even more.

  She feels him at her entrance, right where her body begs for him to be. In one swift motion, he thrusts into her roughly, filling her completely. Her eyes roll back in her head as a loud, breathy moan escapes from her at the satisfying sensation of feeling him so deep inside of her.

  “Fuck. You feel so damn good,” he mumbles against her neck as he starts thrusting. “Myra, I love everything about you,” he says. His hands press against her legs, tilting her upwards so he can thrust deeper. “I love the way you smell – that fruity shit. I love your fucking hair… how soft it is.” His thrusts come harder, his breathing ragged. “I love that you love my…” He makes a loud groaning sound, “… family. I love the taste of your pussy… Oh fuck. I’m about to cum. Shit. I just love you.” He thrusts faster, harder and deeper.

  “I love you, too, oh god,” Myra shouts.

  “Oh fuck,
here it comes,” he pants, staring down into her eyes. “Can you feel it?” he groans as he starts pulsing hot and hard inside of her.

  “Oh. Oh. I feel it. Oh shit…” she shouts as an orgasm like she’s never had before ricochets through her body.

  “Holy fuck,” Dylan grunts before he collapses onto her while keeping the majority of his weight on his arms. She runs her hands through his hair as they both lay there trying to catch their breath. “I can’t feel my damn legs,” he mumbles, causing Myra to giggle.

  “I can’t believe we couldn’t wait until we got back to the hotel,” Myra says as Dylan lifts his head up enough to look at her.

  “Well, you shouldn’t have pulled my cock out and started sucking on it. I told you that shit would get you into trouble. You know I have a hard time with control around you. Remember our first kiss? When I fucking attacked you in your pantry?”

  “And when the paper towels hit you on the head?” Myra says before giggling hysterically. “You should have seen your face.”

  “Fucking paper towels,” Dylan growls.

  “That’s exactly what you said!”

  “Well, I couldn’t control myself then either. You looked so beautiful and sexy and soft, and I wanted to know what your lips felt like.”

  “Well, my lips are yours… forever.”

  “Forever?”

  “Yeah, as long as you want them…”

  “I want them forever.”

  Her mouth drops open. “You do?”

  “Yeah, I do.” Dylan pulls out and grabs his shirt, handing it to her. She quickly uses it to clean up, and they start putting their clothes back on.

  Once they’re dressed, Dylan sits in the middle seat and pulls her into his lap. He smiles as he smooth’s her hair back and tucks it behind her ear. “Look. This is the worst time and place to talk about this shit – in my damn truck after we just went at it like animals – but you know that I have problems with talking. So I’m not going to put shit off anymore.”