Family Love

by Jeanne Mccann

  “One day after.” Reina smiled as she kissed Payton thoroughly.

  Twenty minutes later found them still in each other’s arms kiss¨ing. “We have to get dressed. The kids will be in here any minute.” Payton reminded her reluctantly.

  “I know.” Reina sat up slowly and reached for her nightgown while Payton slipped into her pajamas. Not a moment too soon, as Max burst into the room ten minutes later. Molly was not far behind, and the four lounged in bed for over an hour before Max demanded to be fed.

  “Come on, little man, we’re going to make pancakes for Molly and your mother.”

  Payton and Max headed for the kitchen, while Molly and Reina made the bed and cleaned up before joining them. They enjoyed their breakfast of animal-shaped pancakes, and then Payton and Max took a shower and got dressed. Payton also took the time to fin¨ish her packing before finding the three of them in the backyard. They had several more hours before Payton had to head to the air¨port, and she wanted to spend it quietly with Reina and the children.

  As the time drew closer for Payton to leave, she became silent. Molly sat on her lap as they read a book. Payton hugged her tightly, her heart in her throat. Reina recognized the difficulty Payton was struggling with and took her hand, squeezing gently.

  “It’ll be okay, honey.” Payton couldn’t respond without crying so she just squeezed Reina’s hand in return. It was exactly how Tamara, Lindy, and their kids found them when they arrived.

  “Come on, Payton, let’s go get your things,” Reina suggested, tak¨ing her by the hand again. “Lindy and Tamara, will you watch the kids for us?”

  “Sure, honey.” Lindy and Tamara watched Reina and Payton enter the house.

  “Poor Payton,” Tamara whispered. “At least Reina has us and the kids.”

  “It’s going to be very difficult for her. I know how it feels,” Lindy reminded her.

  “I know you do, honey, and I’m so sorry you had to go through this.” Tamara hugged Lindy tightly. She would never forgive herself for the pain she put Lindy through.

  Reina and Payton reached the bedroom and, before Payton touched her packed bags, Reina caught Payton by her arm and pulled her into a tight embrace. They hugged silently for several minutes and then Payton began to quietly weep as she held Reina. Reina also began to cry, tears streaming down her face.

  “I can’t leave,” Payton whispered.

  “I don’t want you to leave.”

  Reina and Payton kissed slowly, softly, sweetly. It was an exchange of love, a commitment. Payton looked into Reina’s face, loving her with her eyes, before stepping out of the embrace. She picked up her bags and took one last look around the room, before she and Reina walked back down the hall to rejoin the others.

  “I’ll go put my bags in the car,” Payton suggested.

  “Let me help.” Tamara took one of Payton’s bags and led the way to the van.

  “Here, doll.” Tamara took the bag from Payton. “Honey, a month is not a long time to wait for a lifetime.”

  “You’re right, it’s just so damn hard. What if she changes her mind after I leave?”

  “Oh Payton, Reina isn’t going to change her mind. She is crazy in love with you.”

  The rest of the group came out to get in the van, and they headed for the airport. Payton and Reina sat Max between the two of them, their arms stretched across the back of the seat, fingers clasped together. It was a short, quiet trip, and they parked and herded the large crowd inside. Payton checked her bags and then put Max on her shoulders to walk to the gate. They hadn’t allowed much time for their group to make it through the airport and, by the time they arrived at the gate, the plane was loading.

  Payton hugged and kissed Tamara and Lindy and all of their chil¨dren. The five of them then left Payton with Reina, Max, and Molly.

  “Molly, you keep painting your pictures. You can send me one.” Payton already had three in her bag and one of Max’s.

  “I will, Payton.”

  Payton kneeled down in front of her. “You take good care of your mom until I get back.”

  “Okay. I love you, Payton.”

  “I love you, doll.” Payton kissed and hugged her tightly. She then turned to Max.

  “Hey little man, come here.” Max threw his arms around Payton’s neck. “Be good, little buddy.” She kissed him goodbye.

  Lindy came over and took Max and Molly with her so Reina and Payton could say goodbye alone.

  “Call me when you get home,” Reina requested, taking Payton’s hands in her own.

  “1 promise, as soon as I get there.”

  “I’ll call you every night.”

  “I’ll miss you so much.”

  “I love you, Payton.”

  “I love you.” They hugged tightly, unwilling to let go.

  Last call was made for her flight and Payton had to go. They kissed quickly and then pulled apart. Payton held onto Reina’s hand for a moment longer, gazing at her face.

  “One month,” Reina whispered.

  “One month,” Payton promised. She dropped Reina’s hand and headed toward the gate entrance. She then turned one last time and smiled at Reina and waved to everyone else. She turned away and walked down the long hallway to enter the plane. She was close to tears, her heart already aching, and just wanted to get to her seat.

  Reina stared at the empty gate entrance a little longer, wiping the tears from her face. “Come, on Reina. Let’s go, doll.” Tamara put her arm around her. Reina took her children’s hands and went to watch the airplane taxi away from the gate.

  After the plane left, all eight headed out of the airport for the drive home. “Reina, do you want Lindy and I to come in for awhile?”

  “No Tamara, I think I need some alone time. But I appreciate the offer.”

  “Honey, if you need anything, please call.”

  “I will, and thanks so much for taking us all to the airport.”

  “Oh honey, it was no problem.”

  Reina spent the afternoon cleaning her already clean house and washing clothes. She did anything to keep herself occupied, to keep from thinking about Payton and the month ahead of her. She just couldn’t shake the feeling of loneliness. She had just sat the children down for their dinner when the telephone rang.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi.” It was Payton.

  “Hi, how was your flight?”

  “Long. God, Reina, I miss you so much.” Payton’s voice cracked.

  “I miss you, too.”

  “One month. Maybe I can get things taken care of faster than that.”

  “Honey, you have a lot to do.”

  “I know, but I can’t even think without you and the kids.”

  “Payton, we will be here, love. You just get everything taken care of as quickly as possible and come back to us.”

  “I will, honey. Kiss Max and Molly goodnight for me.”

  “I will, love.” Love you. 1 love you.

  “Goodbye. I’ll call you tomorrow at work.”

  “Okay, and Payton? I’ll miss sleeping with you, waking up with you, but most of all I’ll miss your smile.”

  “Reina.” Payton’s heart pounded loudly upon hearing her words.

  “Goodbye.”

  Payton hung up the telephone and looked around her condomin¨ium. It just didn’t feel like home anymore. She immediately unpacked and went through her mail. She then made a list of things she had to do. First, she had to give two weeks’ notice at work and put her condominium on the market. Thankfully, she had very little furniture and things to move. She had never gotten around to replacing everything she had left with her old relationship. It had been easier to just walk away. She added finding a mover to her list. She figured it would take a small truck.

  By the time she had finished, Payton had a long list of tasks to take care of. Glancing at her watch, she was surprised to see how late it had gotten.

  She laid out her clothes for work and changed into her pajamas. She wasn’t loo
king forward to going to bed. In less than two weeks she’d gotten used to sleeping with Reina. Now, the prospect of sleep¨ing without her made Payton extremely sad. She grabbed a book and crawled into bed. It was almost an hour later when the telephone at her elbow rang and she picked it up, puzzled as to who knew she was home.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, sweetie.”

  “Hi, honey.” Payton sighed. It was Reina.

  “I needed to hear your voice before I went to sleep. Payton, I can’t sleep without you beside me. I miss you so much.” Reina’s voice cracked with emotion.

  “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear your voice. I can’t sleep either.”

  “I don’t care what it takes. I want to go to sleep with you by my side every night.”

  “I feel the same way. I’m giving notice tomorrow at work and I will contact a real estate agent to sell my place. I’ll also start packing my things tomorrow night. I should be able to get movers here by next week. Do you have enough room for my things?”

  “Honey, I will make room. We will sort everything out later.”

  “Reina, I love you.”

  “I love you.”

  “Call me tomorrow morning at work.”

  “I will sweetie, now go to sleep.”

  “I kissed Max and Molly for you.”

  “Thank you. I wish I could kiss you right now.”

  “Soon, very soon.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Payton placed the telephone down. She turned her light off and closed her eyes. She might not fall asleep quickly but she could cer¨tainly dream about Reina and the children.

  CHAPTER 6 By mid-morning Payton was swamped with work. Not only did her resignation cause a lot of excitement and discussion, but also Payton had promised her boss and good friend, Tim Noble, that she would spend her two weeks training and transferring all of her projects before she left. It was a very tall order. He had tried to con¨vince her to stay but once she told him about her new family, he gave up and congratulated her. Now she was up to her ears in work.

  She took a little break and called Reina at work. She answered almost immediately, and they visited for a few moments before hanging up. Payton had promised to call her later that evening. Pay-ton was meeting the real estate agent at her place at five-thirty. She also had an appointment on Saturday morning with the moving company. She had accomplished quite a lot in one morning.

  The day was extremely long and still not over. She was meeting a real estate agent at her condominium and it looked like she just arrived. “Hello, my name is Payton Bender. You must be the real estate agent.”

  “Yes, Mary Neal. Your place is beautiful.”

  “Thank you. I told you on the telephone that I’m moving in four weeks, so what do you think?”

  “In this market the condominium should sell rapidly. It’ll take thirty days for the sale to go through but I already have four people interested in it.”

  “Wow, that is fast.”

  “Do you have any problem to my showing your place tomorrow night?”

  “No, not at all. What time?”

  “How about the same time, five-thirty?”

  “Okay.”

  “Now, can you show me around? And then we can talk price.”

  Payton was actually amazed at the price the agent suggested. If everything worked out she would make a substantial profit over what she had paid. After the agent left, Payton headed for the local grocery store to stock up on food and boxes. She returned and fixed herself a simple dinner, and began packing the things she was going to move. She labored for over an hour before a knock on the door interrupted her work.

  “Mitch, come on in.” A slim, dark haired man, with a full mous¨tache, and grin to match his twinkling eyes stood in her doorway.

  “Hey girl, welcome home.” He hugged Payton.

  “Thanks Mitch. Where is Ben?”

  “He’s working out. He has to keep his girlish figure.” Mitch grinned. There was nothing girlish about Ben’s body. He was a fanatic about keeping himself slim and trim. He and Mitch were Pay-ton’s neighbors and close friends. Ben was a dark blond six foot three inch well-toned man, who took pride in his physical shape. He and Mitch had been together for over six years and were a solid and lov¨ing couple.

  “Are you packing?” The look on Mitch’s face was one *of surprise and puzzlement.

  “Yes. Mitch, I met someone on vacation and I’m moving to Long Beach, California.”

  “You’re kidding?” He looked at her with disbelief.

  “I’m not kidding. Her name is Reina and she has two children, Max and Molly, and another one on the way.”

  “You are kidding?”

  “Quit saying that.” Payton grinned at him. She understood his shock. “I am extremely happy.”

  “I’m glad for you, Payton. But it’s just so sudden.”

  “I know, but it’s what I want. I have a picture of them.” Payton quickly retrieved her framed snapshots and proudly showed them to Mitch.

  “She’s beautiful, and so are her kids.”

  “She is gorgeous, and she loves me, Mitch.”

  “What’s not to love?” Mitch hugged the obviously ecstatic Payton. “So, when are you moving?”

  “As soon as possible. I start a new job in four weeks and I gave notice today at work.”

  “Wow, you work fast. What can Ben and I do to help?”

  “Keep me from going crazy.”

  “I am serious, girl. What can we do?”

  “You can help me pack. I want to be able to move everything in two to three weeks.”

  “Okay, doll. Let me go leave a note for Ben and I’ll be right back.”

  Payton and Mitch were joined an hour later by Ben, who pitched in and helped pack until they ran out of boxes. The three were taking a break when the telephone rang. Mitch was closest so he answered.

  “Payton’s house, Mitch speaking.” He grinned at Payton and Ben as he spoke. “Is this Reina? Yes, she’s here. My partner Ben and I are helping her pack. We live down the hall.”

  Payton looked on, amused, while Mitch carried on a conversation with Reina. “She showed us a picture of you and your children. Now we know why she’s in such a hurry to move. How about I give you our number in case you can’t get a hold of Payton?”

  After Mitch spoke to Reina a few more minutes, he handed the telephone to Payton. “For some reason she wants to talk to you.”

  Mitch grinned. “Come on, let’s go home, Ben. Payton, pick up some more boxes and we’ll finish packing tomorrow.”

  “Thanks guys, I will.” Payton waited until they left before getting on the telephone. “Hi.”

  “Hi, yourself. How are you doing?”

  “Not bad, actually. The real estate agent is showing the condo tomorrow night, and she seems to think I might sell it right way, for considerably more than what I paid for it.”

  “Good. I’m glad, Payton. I feel bad that I can’t help you with any of this stuff.”

  “Honey, you do help, just by talking to me.”

  “Speaking of which, I have two very excited people who want to talk to you.”

  “Payton.” It was Molly.

  “Hi, Molly. How are you, honey?”

  The question brought a wave of sentences from a very excited lit¨tle girl. Payton could barely respond as Molly told her about every¨thing. “I painted a picture of a frog in school and Mom says to say goodbye so Max can talk.”

  “Bye Molly, I love you.”

  “Bye, Payton. I love you gobs.”

  There was silence on the other end until Payton heard Reina in the background. “Say hello, Max.”

  “Hi.”

  “Hi, little man. How are you, buddy.”

  “Payton, I love you.”

  “I love you, sweetie.”

  There was a period of silence again and then Reina came back on the line. “He doesn’t have much to say, Payton, but you should see the smile on his face. He and Molly miss yo
u, and so do I.”

  “I miss you guys, too. I’m getting things done pretty quickly. I might be able to get there in about three weeks.”

  “That’s great honey! I can’t wait. Max, quit teasing Molly. Payton, I need to put these two monkeys to bed. Tomorrow night I’m meet¨ing with the contractor to discuss the remodel. We’re going to need a lot more room.”

  “Kiss the kids for me. And Reina, I love you.”

  “I love you, too. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  The rest of the week flew by for Payton, as her life took on a mind of its own. Amazingly, she had already sold her place, and work was crazy as she helped get everything handed off to someone else. By Friday, she was exhausted, but she spent the evening packing. Satur¨day evening she was going out with her small circle of friends to say goodbye. It was after ten before she’d gotten ready for bed and called Reina.

  “Hi.”

  “Hello, honey, how are you doing?”

  “I’m exhausted. I have everything I own in a box except what I need for another week or two. I should have a date picked out for the movers tomorrow. I’m going to set it up so they arrive after I get there.’

  “Honey, I can take the day off to meet the movers. I’ve cleared out the garage and we can put everything in there and take our time to put things away. Did you get a copy of the remodel plans?”

  “Yes, and everything looks terrific. Do you need me to send a check for them to get started?”

  “No, honey. We’ll worry about that when you get here.”

  “Reina, I have the money.”

  “Payton, I’m not worried. You just concentrate on moving and I’ll worry about the remodel.”

  “Okay, but Reina, please don’t work too hard. I don’t want any¨thing to happen to you or the baby.”

  “Our baby, and I’m fine. I promise I’ll take it easy.” I love you.

  “Only three more weeks. And I love you.”

  “Sleep tight, honey.”

  “Bye.”

  Payton stood in the front entrance to her condominium, having just put her name to an agreement committing a large sum money and a date to be moved. It made her stomach churn as she thought about what she was doing. “Ma’am, here is the contract, and we will pick everything up a week from Wednesday. We can deliver it Friday afternoon.”