Family Love

by Jeanne Mccann

  “Payton, look at me,” she whispered, and Payton’s eyes slowly opened, still glazed with passion. “I’m not going anywhere but here. 1 love you honey, and you’re just going to have to get used to having me around.”

  “I couldn’t stand it if I didn’t see you anymore.”

  “You can’t get rid of me. You’re stuck with me for a lifetime.”

  “Well I then I’d better get started.” Payton smiled.

  “Started with what?”

  “Making love with you again, because a lifetime just isn’t long enough.” Payton did just that, loving Reina from head to toe and sev¨eral places in between. It was several hours later before they got up, put everything away, and fixed themselves a bite to eat.

  Reina stood in the kitchen with Payton’s shirt on and nothing else. Payton was similarly dressed in her silk nightshirt. As Reina opened the refrigerator door to put something away, Payton couldn’t help but admire her lover’s body. One thing led to another and the two of them were suddenly in a heap in the middle of the kitchen, trying to locate their clothes after making frantic love on the kitchen floor. They giggled, helping each other dress, and then headed back to the bedroom for several more hours of lovemaking, before drifting off to sleep a little before dawn.

  “Mom. Wake up please. It’s time for breakfast.” Molly shook her mother lightly.

  “Good morning, sunshine.” Reina sat up and looked at the clock. It was after nine.

  “You’re awake.” Payton came into the room with a cup of coffee.

  “How long have you been up?”

  “Not long, Max and Molly woke up around eight and we decided to make you breakfast in bed.”

  “That sounds perfect. Can I get a kiss good morning from my Molly and my Payton?”

  Molly kissed and hugged her mother and then stared while Payton bent over to kiss Reina. “We are being watched,” Payton whispered.

  “I know.” Reina smiled and kissed Payton softly on the lips. “Good morning.”

  “Here’s your coffee.” Payton handed her the cup with a sweet smile of her own. “Come on Molly, let’s go get breakfast.” Molly took Payton’s hand and skipped down the hall with her.

  “Okay, Max, how’s the toast?” The tiny little boy was standing on a chair to reach the counter, doing his very best to butter the toast. He actually had more butter on his fingers than on the toast, but it was the effort that counted.

  “Good.” Max was very serious about finishing his job.

  “Good, this toast looks perfect to me. Why don’t we take your toast and Molly’s eggs down to your mom?”

  “Okay.”

  “Let’s clean you up, little buddy.” Payton wiped his hands clean of butter. “Okay Molly, you carry the plate, and Max, you carry the toast. I’ll bring the flower and the juice.”

  “Okay, Payton.” It was two very serious children who carried breakfast in to their mother.

  “What have we got here?” Reina asked as the children came toward the bed.

  “Mom, I made the eggs and Max did the toast.”

  “You did? Well let’s see this breakfast. Molly, these eggs look deli¨cious and Max, this is the best toast I have ever seen. Can I eat it?”

  The two children dissolved into giggles, as their mother ate the breakfast and raved about the eggs and toast. Payton placed the two kids on the foot of the bed while Reina ate. She sat next to Reina and enjoyed the morning. It was a pleasant start to their day as the four of them played games and sat around the house. Lindy called at eleven and spoke to Payton.

  “Payton, can you meet with my boss on Thursday? He wants to formally interview you for a job.”

  “You are kidding?”

  “No, I’m not. He really wants to hire you.”

  “I’ll be there. What time?”

  “Nine o’clock. Also, Tamara wanted me to remind you that we have to pick out costumes for the dance on Saturday night.”

  After a little more conversation, Lindy and Payton hung up. “Reina, Lindy and Tamara would like to pick out costumes tomor¨row afternoon while the kids are still in school. What do you think?”

  “That will work. I can get Mrs. Lenahan to watch Max and Molly for a couple of hours.”

  “Okay. Lindy will pick us up around one.”

  “Payton, how about we bring Lindy and Tamara’s kids over here for the night? We have an early doctor’s appointment to go to so we could drop the kids off at school.”

  “Fine with me, but what about Max and Molly?”

  “I’ll call Mrs. Lenahan right now. She is almost like a grand¨mother to the kids. Speaking of grandmothers, what’s your family going to think when you tell them you’re going to move?”

  “I only have a brother. My mother and father have both passed away. He lives in Eugene, Oregon with his wife, and two kids. I think he’ll be very happy for me. I know he will like you. What about your family?”

  “My parents live in Boston. They retired there. I have a brother who lives in Atlanta with his wife. I thought I’d call my parents next week and tell them. They can tell my brother. He doesn’t exactly like the way I live.”

  “I’m sorry, Reina.”

  “It’s no big deal. My parents are going to love you.”

  “I hope so.” Payton didn’t look forward to meeting Reina’s par¨ents. What if they didn’t approve of her?

  “Don’t worry, honey,” Reina reassured her. She sat in thoughtful silence while Reina made her call.

  “Mrs. Lenahan is available. She will watch them at her house today and tomorrow. Saturday night she’ll come over here to watch them.” Reina leaned over Payton’s shoulders and hugged her around the neck. “Honey, you don’t need to worry about my parents. If I choose to love someone and share my life with them, my parents will be very happy for me.”

  “I hope so. My brother will be very happy for me. He keeps teas¨ing me about being too picky. I’ll have to tell him that I found the woman of my dreams.”

  “Tell him you were waiting for me,” Reina teased.

  “I was waiting for you.” Payton hugged her. “Come on, let’s go play with the kids.”

  “Costume time,” Lindy announced, as the four of them entered the costume supply house a little before two. It was a huge ware¨house jam packed with every type of costume imaginable. “Remem¨ber, swing clothes around the nineteen forties, the gangster era.”

  “Lindy, you are not going to go to this dance dressed as a gang¨ster,” Tamara grumbled.

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a zoot suit. Why can’t all four of us wear one?”

  “I like that idea,” Reina chimed in.

  “What’s a zoot suit?’ Payton asked.

  “Just follow me, buddy.” Lindy pulled Payton by the arm. “I’ll find something cool.”

  Tamara and Reina followed the twosome. An hour later the four of them had chosen their costumes. Following Lindy’s direction, Payton found a canary yellow suit with wide yellow and black sus¨penders, a black body suit, and a matching yellow hat. Reina’s suit was bright red with a red and white striped vest, and a white hat. Lindy and Tamara chose similar outfits, Lindy’s bright blue and Tamara’s a deep dark purple. Payton didn’t feel too bad about wear¨ing a costume, since all four were dressed similarly. Besides, she would wear anything just to go to the dance with Reina. Payton had plans for that night. She needed Lindy’s help to get everything accomplished. She had already explained it to her, and Lindy was more than happy to help.

  “Are you sure you want all five kids tonight?” Tamara asked as they pulled into the driveway. “You two don’t have too many days before Payton heads back to Seattle.”

  “Of course we want the kids. Payton is coming back as soon as possible.” Reina couldn’t help but see the stricken look on Payton’s face. She hugged her tightly, unable to prevent the knot of worry in her own chest. Payton couldn’t stop the ache she felt at the thought of leaving Reina and the kids. Lindy saw how troubled she had be
come, and asked her to come to the kitchen with her.

  “Payton, stop thinking about leaving, it will ruin the rest of your week.”

  “I know. I just can’t help but worry that once I leave it’ll be over.”

  “Honey, you’re moving here with Reina and her kids. Now, let’s talk about Saturday night. We’re coming over at six, and the limou¨sine is arriving at six-thirty.”

  “That’s the plan. The flowers and champagne will be in the limou¨sine when it arrives.”

  “Good, now don’t worry, honey.”

  “Okay, Lindy. Thanks.” Payton hugged her quickly.

  “I hear the sweet little voices of three children.” Lindy grinned. “And they’re going home with you.”

  It took almost an hour for the kids to get their things together for the evening, and to kiss Lindy and Tamara goodbye. A quick stop to pick up Max and Molly, and they were home. Reina and Lindy had switched the car for the van in order to hold all of the children.

  “Okay everyone, put your pajamas on. We’re having a pajama party!” Reina announced. “I’m fixing home-made pizza and ice cream sundaes for dessert. Amena, you, and Maria will sleep in Molly’s room. Banta, you will sleep in Max’s room. Now, why don’t you all go change your clothes? Max, you stay with me, please.”

  The four children took off quickly to change. Max was too little to keep up with them. “Come on, little man, why don’t we both get our pajamas on together,” Payton suggested, picking him up and tossing him on her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, drawing giggles from him.

  “Before you leave, how about a kiss?” Reina requested with a smile. First Max, then Payton kissed her, and then they headed down the hall while Reina began preparations for dinner.

  Dinner went seamlessly, all five children visited and enjoyed their pizza. Dessert was even more popular, as the children were allowed to make their own sundae. After putting the dishes in the dish¨washer, they all went into the living room. Payton had promised to tell a story, and Maria, Amena, and Banta were very excited. They had heard her stories before.

  “All right, Maria, can you explain to Max and Molly how this works?”

  “You think of something you want in the story and Payton tells it.”

  “Right. Now how about if Banta starts?” Banta was snuggled up to Reina, who had Max on her lap. Molly and the girls were seated on the floor.

  “I’ll start!” Banta shrieked.

  “Okay, Banta, what do you want in the story?”

  “A monkey!” Payton grinned. Between Banta and Max everything was about monkeys.

  “Okay. There once was a monkey who lived in the forest all by himself and he was very lonely. What’s next? How about Molly, what do you want in the story?”

  “A mermaid.”

  The story continued as each child chose something to put in it. As Payton listened to each request she wove a story of magic and friend¨ship, with mermaids, butterflies, a princess, a monkey, and Max’s fish. She had the children giggling and then sitting quiet with antici¨pation until the very end.

  “The end,” Payton stated with a smile.

  “Another one!” Banta requested.

  “Not tonight, Banta. It’s time for you to crawl into bed.”

  The five children went to bed with very little fuss, and Reina and Payton sat together on the couch enjoying the silence while the chil¨dren drifted off to sleep.

  “You are quite a story-teller.” Reina leaned into Payton.

  “It’s something my mother used to do with me.”

  “The kids and I loved it.” Reina snuggled up to Payton. “Now, I want to talk to you about your worries about leaving.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about. I know I have to leave on Sunday and it makes me sad.” Payton clasped Reina’s hands in her own.

  “It makes me sad too, love, but I know you’re coming back as soon as you possibly can. I trust you, Payton. Now you need to trust me. I’m going to miss you terribly but we will be together forever.”

  “Reina, for the first time in my life I am totally and magically in love. The miracle of it is, that you are in love with me and you come with two beautiful kids and another one on the way. I don’t want to miss any time with you.” Payton’s look of love melted Reina’s already brimming heart.

  “Payton, that is the most perfect thing you could say to me.” Reina kissed her thoroughly and then held her tightly. They sat quietly in each other’s arms, content to hold each other for the rest of the evening. It was quite awhile before Banta’s crying from Max’s bed¨room disturbed them.

  “That’s Banta. He has nightmares once in awhile.”

  “I had better go to him.” Reina rushed into the bedroom and picked up the frightened little boy. With soft words and rocking, she slowly soothed the little boy’s fears as he clung to her. Payton watched from the doorway while Reina worked her own form of magic. Banta slowly relaxed and slipped back into sleep, cradled in Reina’s arms, love and gentleness pushing his horrible nightmare away. She lay the sleeping child back down under the covers and qui¨etly left the room.

  Payton took her hand as they walked down the hall together. “He doesn’t have nightmares too often anymore, but once in awhile he will have a bad one. He still thinks he is in danger here. I think it’s going to take a long time for him to forget all the bad things he has seen.”

  “That sweet little boy. It’s so sad, what he had to go through.”

  “Lindy and Tamara are helping him heal.”

  “He couldn’t have two better people to take care of him.”

  “Speaking of good people, I think you’re a very good person.”

  “I think you’re a little prejudiced.” Reina nuzzled her as they entered the bedroom.

  “Of course I am.” Payton grinned, slowly removing Reina’s clothes. The two of them were one minute playful and the next over¨whelmed with passion. They made love joyously, but also with a sense of impending deadline. Then they both fell into exhausted sleep, their bodies still tightly entwined.

  The alarm woke them both early, and they immediately dressed and fed all five children before dropping some off at school and Max and Molly off at the babysitter’s.

  It wasn’t long before Reina and a very nervous Payton sat in the front room of the doctor’s office waiting for Reina’s appointment.

  “Are you sure you want me to be in there with you?”

  “I’m sure. Now, relax, honey.” Reina smiled patiently.

  “Reina Landers, please follow me.” Payton wiped her moist hands on her slacks as she trailed behind them. She wasn’t sure what to expect and she was so nervous. While she followed Reina and the nurse down the hall, her stomach churned. They entered the exam room and the nurse directed Reina to disrobe and put on the exam gown. After a blood pressure test, pulse, and temperature, they were left to wait for the doctor. Reina sat on the examination table, Payton on the chair next to her holding her hand. Reina bent and kissed Payton softly and then looked at her with a smile. A knock at the door startled them both.

  “Hello, Reina, how are you feeling?” A woman in a white lab coat entered the room, stethoscope in hand.

  “Fine, Doctor Levine. This is my partner, Payton Bender. I’d like her to be here for the examination.”

  “That’s great. It’s nice to meet you, Payton. Reina, why don’t you lay down on the table while I explain what I’m going to do.”

  After a brief explanation, the doctor began her examination. Pay-ton held Reina’s hand the whole time, watching Reina’s face for any sign of discomfort. “Well, Reina, everything looks according to plan. You should be putting on some weight, and I want you to take the vitamins I gave you the last time you were here.”

  “I am taking them and I feel terrific.”

  “I think that might be due to more than just the vitamins.” Doctor Levine winked at Payton. “Do either of you have any questions?”

  Neither one did, so the doctor reminded Reina to make another a
ppointment in a month and then left.

  “See, that wasn’t so bad,” Reina teased as she hugged a relieved Payton.

  “I’ll get the hang of this,” Payton promised with a kiss.

  “As long as you are here with me that’s all that matters.”

  “I’ll always be with you,” Payton pledged as they stared lovingly at each other.

  The two of them did some grocery shopping and went out to lunch, before picking up the children. The four of them spent the afternoon swimming and then had an early dinner. It was a nice quiet evening and, after the children were tucked into bed, Reina and Payton cuddled in their own bed, reading books. It was a night of hugging, soft kisses, and holding hands. Touching each other, and gazing lovingly in each other’s eyes felt perfect. They went to sleep early tucked against one another, Payton’s hands stretched over Reina’s stomach protectively, while Reina’s hands lay on top of Pay-ton’s holding them tightly against her.

  It was still dark out when Payton woke up. She had turned over on to her side and Reina was snug up against her back, her arm around Payton’s waist. She rolled over and watched Reina sleep, her blond hair loosely tied back and tossed over her bare shoulder. She was so beautiful that Payton held her breath for a moment just in case it wasn’t real.

  “Hey beautiful.” Reina opened her eyes and returned Payton’s gaze.

  “You’re the beautiful one.” Payton’s finger traced Reina’s lips. Reina sucked on Payton’s finger before finding her lips. What was soft and quiet the night before was urgent and frantic, as the two made love wildly and completely before going back to sleep, once again content in each other’s arms.

  Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday slid by as Payton and Reina shared their hopes and dreams, made plans, and grew closer together. On Thursday, Payton’s interview at Lindy’s company went better than expected. Not only did they offer a position to Payton that sounded extremely interesting, they had also offered her a sub¨stantial raise, a vested pension plan, three weeks of vacation, and offered to pay relocation expenses. Reina and Payton discussed it at great length before Payton called on Friday afternoon to accept the offer. She agreed to start in four weeks. It was frightening and won¨derful, and one more step closer to moving.