Kissing Another Grimaldi

by K. Z. Riman

  “Oh, Sean!” She held him in her arms and sobbed, looking at me with grateful eyes.

  I wanted to be the one to tell her. “We found the cure.” She released Sean and held me, sobbing harder as she said she missed me.

  “I missed you more. Please come home with me.” Home. That wasn’t exactly the word I had in mind as I practiced this in the car.

  She nodded, without putting up a fight. Three months had felt like an eternity, not being with her.

  “Daddy, are those little boys sick?” Sean took an interest in staring at the boys waiting in line with their parents to see the doctor.

  “Yes.” I sat down beside him. “You see, they are here to speak with that man in the white uniform. He is going to tell the little boys what medicines to ask from your mommy, so they will be well.”

  “I thought you will be a hero like Mommy? You go there.”

  My conversations with Sean became easy once I admitted I liked him. He was my nephew…and was going to become my son.

  I chuckled. “I can’t yet. I have to give you your medicine first.”

  “You want me to be the first boy you take care of, as a hero?”

  “Yes, Sean.” I nodded. Yes…my son. I want you to be the first one.

  “Is Mommy going away again after we bring her home?”

  Was she? Was she going away again after this? Could I take her away from all this? “I…I don’t know, Sean. You will have to ask Mommy.”

  “I guess.” Sean shrugged his shoulders. “Mommy won’t leave me.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because Daddy left me. My real daddy,” he replied.

  I felt my chest tighten and my heart soften. This boy was making a mockery out of my plans for my life, and I could not do anything about it. “It wasn’t your daddy’s fault.”

  “I know. Mommy told me. Daddy, I’m hungry. Could we go get something to eat?”

  “Sure.” I stood and led him to the nearest store. Kelsey was watching us as she finished her work and spoke with Alicia. She was smiling as she saw her son happily pointing at the birds flying around, and I smiled back.

  When we returned, she had her bags ready and gave them to Leo. She held my hand and Sean insisted that he rode my shoulders. It was the perfect picture of a family I never thought I would want and yet I had it now. It was a weird feeling. I felt happy around them, too.

  In the car, Sean was telling his mommy how good he was doing in school and how I had helped him with his homework. Though I knew Kelsey was not feeling well, she kept nodding and smiling at Sean, holding my hand and squeezing it.

  Halfway home, Sean fell asleep, as did Kelsey. I sat, revelling in the quiet as I thought about how my interest in Sean could change my plans. I knew what had happened. I had denied it to myself for far too long. I had finally found a reason to stay. I looked at Kelsey, and the boy beside her, as they slept. They were holding each other close. How was I supposed to take that away from them just so I could drink and gamble?

  By the time we reached home, Kelsey was burning with fever. She slept the rest of the day and woke the following morning to learn that her son had not gone to school. He was at the hospital with me and his grandparents for a routine check-up.

  “Kelsey.” I answered her call on the second ring. It was late in the afternoon and she kept insisting that she came to the hospital to wait with us. I refused. She needed her rest and I didn’t want her pushing her body to its limits. “Just stay there. We’ll be home before you know it.”

  “I’m fine. Really.”

  “Why don’t you go and make something for dinner?” I asked her softly. “I miss your cooking.”

  She chuckled. “Fine! How do you do this to me?”

  “What, baby?”

  “Control me. Tell me what to do. You take care of me well.”

  “I love you and you love me. That is all there is to it.”

  The cure worked and Sean was getting better each day. I spent time with him and Kelsey, playing chess and laughing at Father’s jokes, no matter how silly they were. I made love to Kelsey, and she shared stories with me as we lay in bed.

  “How’s work?” Kelsey asked one night. She came to my room and helped me out of my suit.

  “Work is great, but I’m tired.”

  “Let me help you with that.” She smiled and planted a kiss on the base of my throat. She smelled lovely…of strawberries and champagne. “Dinner?”

  I chuckled. “I would rather skip to dessert.”

  “As you please.” She smiled and held my gaze. “I love you, Scott,” she whispered, before I pulled her up and kissed her.

  “I love you…and your son,” I said.

  She pulled away, wide-eyed, trying to comprehend what she had heard. “My son?”

  “Yes. I love you, and I love Sean.”

  “You mean it?” She was doubtful. I could not help but smile.

  “Yes. I do.” I pulled her skirt up and caressed her thigh, before peeling her dress off her. She was most responsive when she was happy and I felt powerful having her in my arms. I pushed her to the bed and she climbed on further, holding on to the pillar of the bed, exactly how I wanted her to.

  Her kisses were feverish and her moans were the softest of the sirens’ calls. I felt so alive just being with her. I eased myself in and out of her, cherishing each moment I had, rubbing my flesh on hers to mark my territory, to mark what was mine, and mine as long as we lived.

  I pushed her knees up and she curled them around my hips, pushing me to her as I thrust deeper and deeper. It was still never enough.

  As I watched her bite her lip and shut her eyes under me, I felt a sense of belonging…a sense of freedom. I was hers and she was free from pain as long as she had me. Why would I deny her that peace?

  I loved her. I loved her son, too. Shouldn’t that be more than enough? She was my family and Sean made it complete. Why should I go away from all this?

  “Kelsey,” I whispered, panting, as my release drew near. We were getting married in a week and I wanted her to be the most beautiful bride the world had ever seen. “Let’s stay here.”

  Unable to control herself as my movements grew rapid, she could not respond, though I knew what she would say.

  “Oh, Scott.” She dug her fingers to my back. “Oh, please…”

  “Take it, Kelsey,” I said. “Take the bliss. It’s yours.”

  The bliss…the love…everything. Everything I had was hers and there was nothing from her that I would want in return, but her love. That should be enough.

  She shattered under me and I followed right after. I should not have worn a rubber this time. I wanted to spill my seed in her and make a son or a daughter of my own, but a week should not be too hard to wait. She would be my wife and I would be her husband.

  “I love you,” I whispered, as I nibbled on her ear.

  “Scott. Do you mean it?”

  “What?”

  “Oh, come on!” She slapped my arm and pushed me off her. She laid her body beside me, her head on my chest and her arm around me. “I mean, we will stay here?”

  “Yes.” I chuckled and found so much pleasure in her laughter.

  “Thank you.” She tightened her arms as her look became more relaxed.

  “I want a son of my own,” I said.

  “Just a son?” She managed to tease me.

  “Oho!” I laughed. “How many children do you propose we have?”

  “I don’t know. I would like to have a daughter. It would be nice to have a young girl in the family.”

  “Should we start trying for a family on our wedding night?”

  “No.” She shook her head and pulled me on top of her. “Let’s start tonight.”

  “I love you,
the future Mrs. Grimaldi.”

  “I love you too, Scott Grimaldi,” she whispered before planting, on my lips, the sweetest kiss I had tasted in my life.

  The best thing about it was that it was mine to keep.

  Epilogue

  I was able to have the wedding I had dreamed about—small, intimate, with just Mother and Father, the rest of the family, Grace, and the Povenmiers, watching me walk down the aisle in my ecru gown. I never imagined a wedding better than this one and if I was to do it all over again, there was nothing I would change about it.

  Scott was waiting for me at the altar. As I walked down the aisle, with Father at my side, I wished for nothing more than to say my vows and to hear his.

  The days after were even better. He took me to Europe as he promised himself, but for our honeymoon. He took me to countries he had been to and introduced me to a world where we could meet the responsibilities of having a family and our adventures, all rolled into one.

  As we returned to Bovaghn, to our own mansion, we felt free.

  “You smile in your sleep.” Scott brushed his nose on my cheek as I dozed off while studying one Saturday afternoon.

  I opened my eyes to see his amethyst-colored ones, looking down on me with so much love, glistening with the reflection from the water of the pool beside me. I would never get tired of staring at this man. He was Scott, and would always be the adventure I had been waiting for.

  “Hello, Mister Grimaldi.” I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to join me on the pool chair. He stretched and parted his legs to let me sit between them, his arms around me and his lips on my shoulder. “How was your meeting?”

  “Great.” He smiled. “I think we’re going to land the deal.”

  He managed to have his dream, after all, but through a different course. He had built a hotel to rival Hotel La Luxuria Bovaghn and named it after me. Kelsey’s Mansion had the best rooms and, of course, the best bar in town, where Alicia and I usually hung out. It was good because Scott would never have to worry about me going out, and I would never have to worry where to find him if he had to go out. Unless Keiffer wanted to find women again.

  All the same, he was still working with a research team at Grimaldi Pharmaceuticals, loving the fact that it was he who had discovered the cures for Sean’s illness, and for two others. He remained the Vice President of the company, and was going to take over his father’s position as soon as I graduated from my studies in Business Management. I would take over the Vice President position until Sean was ready.

  “Hmmm.” I nodded. “I always believed you were great.” I reached for his cheek and cupped it with my palm. “You are a great man, and you are mine.”

  “That I am, Mrs. Grimaldi.” He gave me butterfly kisses on my cheek. “You look tired. Why don’t you take a few days off school and come with me to the Philippines for a doctors’ conference? It’s a tropical country…lots of beaches…”

  “That sounds nice.” I closed my eyes and imagined what heaven it would be to spend a week out of the country with no worries about school. I was graduating in two months and my paper was the only thing that had been keeping me busy.

  “I will have to check with my thesis adviser first.” I sat up and faced him. “With Doctor Noreen, too.” I smiled sheepishly.

  “What would you want with…?” He stopped. His eyes were wide in surprise as he realized what I was driving at. “Oh!”

  I nodded and held his hand.

  “You’re pregnant!” he exclaimed, as his face split in a wide smile. He had wanted a second set of twins since his first set’s third birthday.

  “Mmm-hmm.” I chuckled. “Two months.”

  “Oh, Kelsey!” He pulled me into his arms again, my face resting on his broad chest. I felt his heart thudding. “I don’t know how you do it. You keep making me happy.”

  “It’s my gift,” I said. My most treasured gift. I kissed the base of his throat and felt him harden under me. I slapped his arm as he deviously bit his lip. “No!”

  “What? Why not?”

  “Because I have a paper to finish and the boys will soon be home…”

  “Mommy!” I heard Sean running from the dining room, shouting happily as he threw his things everywhere.

  “See?” I rolled my eyes at him as he helped me sit up. He would turn this pregnancy into episodes of love again, being a gentleman and not letting me do anything. “Oh, honey, don’t throw your things like that.” I turned to Scott. “I swear that boy takes after you.”

  Scott grinned. “Why wouldn’t he? I raised him well.”

  “Mommy!” Sean was sweaty when he reached us. “We won! We won the game today, and we will be competing again, tomorrow!”

  “That’s my boy!” Scott pumped fists with Sean and they did their not-so-secret handshake. “Your mother and I will watch tomorrow so you better win, too.”

  “Come with us tomorrow.” Mother was panting as she and Father reached us, the twin boys in their arms. “I cannot take care of these three with just Father and the maids.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Mother. My paper was on deadline.” I took Stephan from her. Father chuckled, finding humor in the fact that Mother kept complaining, even though she always begged to take them to their activities.

  “Trust me, Kelsey. Your mother is happier having all the boys to herself!” He handed Sebastian to Scott.

  “What?” Mother acted innocently. “They won’t live with us. How was I supposed to not miss my grandsons?”

  “Your mansion is right across the road from theirs!” They were starting to argue again.

  Scott and I glanced at each other and Scott winked, leaving me all flustered. I hoped he and I would be like Mother and Father when we were old. There would still be taunting and arguments and hot…well, not lovemaking, for sure…kisses.

  “Oh, it doesn’t matter! I’m going to visit these three boys every single day of my remaining life!” Mother folded her arms across her chest. “I will never tire of them.”

  “Good.” Scott nodded. “Because more are on the way.” He touched my belly and grinned, looking up at his parents to see how they would react.

  “You’re pregnant?” Father almost had the same tone as Scott.

  “Yes, Father, I am.” I chuckled.

  “Oh, Lord, please let me live a hundred years more for them.” Mother sat on the chair beside ours. “I hope they’re twin girls. It would be nice to fix girls’ hair and dress them up and…”

  “I hate girls!” Sean rolled his eyes and sulkily folded his arms across his chest.

  “Why?” Scott was taken aback.

  “They are so disgusting! They….”

  Scott snorted and pulled him to lean against his knee. “You will find, my son, that your feelings will change as you grow older. Girls are heaven’s gift to mankind. They are a mystery, waiting to be explored. As you peel them layer by layer…”

  “Ahem.” I pretended to clear my throat, raising my eyebrows at Scott. Peel? Nice word to say to an innocent ten-year old.

  “Oh.” Scott grinned. “What I mean is that once you get to know girls, you will find them very beautiful.”

  “No.” Sean shook his head, convinced that Scott was lying. That gave me a certain amount of relief. “Leila is not beautiful.”

  “Oh, boy.” I breathed in deep.

  “Looks like your son has a crush!” Scott chortled.

  “Yuck, Dad!” Sean pushed him away and sat beside the pool with his book.

  “I swear that boy takes after you!” No one would think otherwise, unless they saw Sean’s birth certificate. He was looking more like Scott every day.

  “Good.” Scott stood up and gave Sebastian to Leo, removing his suit jacket as he sat beside Sean.

  “I never really thanked you.” Mother’s e
yes were on mine. She smiled at me. “You brought me back my son. You gave me a whole bunch of wonderful kids to make me happy.”

  “You made me happy, too, Mother.” My life was a mess before meeting Seth. From the moment he stood up for me against my bullies to this very moment, my life had slowly become wonderful.

  “Thank you,” Father said, and the two words were enough from him.

  They had always wanted a big family and it was what they were seeing now. I felt happy knowing I was a big part of bringing that dream to life, and that they were a part of mine. God had intended perhaps, for Seth to die early because there was something far greater to accomplish. Though it took so many hardships and tears, it was worth the wait.

  After cooking my boys’ favorite meal that night, I headed towards the deck and watched as Sean and Scott played ball in the pool. I hadn’t seen them both so happy and it brought joy to my heart. I leaned against the railing and smiled, wishing I had twin girls in my belly. My life would be complete.

  “Mommy!” Sean waved at me and used that to distract his daddy for another shot.

  “Whoa! That’s cheating!” Scott complained as he pushed Sean under the water for a second. I held my breath until I saw that he surfaced.

  “No! You were distracted by Mommy’s charms. Yuck!” Sean always made us laugh. “Dad! You made me drink some pool water.”

  “Dinner’s ready.” I announced and they hurried out of the pool. It was spaghetti night. As they walked towards the house, Sean pushed Scott into the water again, laughing wildly as he ran inside to his grandparents. “Grandma! Grandpa! Daddy won’t get out of the pool!”

  I laughed as I sat on the edge, looking down at him. He watched me with careful eyes and folded his arms on the edge, resting his chin. “That boy of yours…”

  “Took so much from you.” I chuckled, as he did. “I love it.”

  “Do you now?”

  “Yes,” I said, as he lifted himself out of the pool to sit beside me.

  “How do you do it, Kelsey?” He cupped my cheek and pulled me close, leaning in for a kiss I would never get tired of. No matter how old we got, we would always be together. We stared at each other for a moment and he smiled, brushing my cheek with his thumb. “I will never leave you alone,” he said tenderly.