Fallen Angel, Part II

by Tracie Podger

  I turned my head to Robert, “Is that who I think it is?”

  We watched as Travis took her hand and walked her towards us.

  “Caroline, I would like you to meet Robert and Brooke,” he said, nervously.

  I took her hand and kissed her cheek. “It’s so nice to meet you Caroline,” I said. “Come and sit with us.”

  “Travis has told me so much about you, Brooke. It’s good to finally meet you too,” she replied.

  I liked her immediately, she was warm, funny and judging by the looks she gave to Travis, she clearly liked him too. The boys went to the bar, to fetch drinks and we chatted. She told me she was a nurse at a private practice in Arlington, she had met Travis at the home one day but it had taken a while for him to call her. The other girls came and joined us and I introduced her to everyone. It felt odd, I was not the new one anymore and I wondered, if she looked at us the way I had looked at the others at that first lunch, what did she see?

  We were all a little guarded on what we said and for the first time I was on the other side, the one with the knowledge, the one who had to worry about what was said, to censor my answers. I was part of the knowing looks, the little secret communication I had witnessed and part of me felt a little sorry for Caroline, part of me felt totally enclosed and at home in this family.

  Patricia and I made our way to the ladies and on the way she said, “You have a new role now, Brooke. If this is serious with Travis, you’ll have to ease her in gently.”

  “You’re far better at doing that than me, you’re like a mother to me, I’m not ready to fill your shoes and neither would I want to. I respect you and how you’ve helped me, please don’t think anything has changed.”

  She pushed a tendril of hair from my face, just like a mother would.

  “You are so different now to the person we met just a few months ago.”

  “That’s because of you, the girls and Robert of course.”

  “Families evolve, people view you differently now, you must have noticed and when you and Robert marry, things will change again.”

  I smiled. “I know. I must admit it was difficult organising this blessing, people spoke to me, not Sam and Scott and I felt awkward about it.”

  “You’ll need to get used to it. You asked me once about that time I had the club shut off for us, you have the same power, Brooke. I know you won’t abuse it but think about it, you might need to call on that should this relationship between Caroline and Travis develop, you’ll be the one she turns to.”

  “How do you know Robert will marry me?” I asked.

  “Because it’s obvious how much he loves you and as we’ve said before, he’s never going to let you go.”

  “He did kind of hint at it. Patricia, I just hope he hurries up. I don’t think I have ever wanted to be someone’s wife so desperately,” I laughed.

  We headed back out to our table, joined the others and I took Robert’s hand, kissed his knuckles.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I’m just great,” I said.

  The band started and we all stood to watch Sam and Scott dance, and could they dance. Queen, and it just had to be that, blared out and Sam strutted his stuff to laughter and applause. We stood at the edge of the dance floor and clapped along.

  As the band moved onto a different song, Taylor and Susie grabbed me and we showed the boys how it was done, Sam joined us and we did a bit of our dirty dancing. The girls moved back and we had centre stage. I watched Robert standing at the edge of the dance floor, smiling a knowing smile, he had seen me do this dance, in private, just for him and I winked at him. Every day I loved that man a little bit more. It was good to see him at a party, relaxed and enjoying himself. As my dance with Sam finished I walked over to him, he pulled me towards him and placed his hands either side of my face. I watched his eyes darken and a wicked smile develop.

  “You’re going to do that again, before I get you out of that dress.”

  “Come with me,” I said, taking his hand and leading him out of the room.

  We walked to the room the blessing had been held in, I locked the doors behind us and with my back to them I beckoned him to me. He laughed as he kissed me, deeply, his hands raising my dress to my waist. I wore no underwear and as his hand travelled over my hips his smile widened and I laughed.

  “I told you I missed you last night, so I thought we might grab a couple of minutes,” I whispered into his ear.

  I undid the zip on this trousers, freed his erection and he lifted me, my legs wrapping around his waist, my back to the door. He pushed inside me and my breath caught in my throat. His body held me against the door, one arm around my waist, the other hand on my throat, holding my face up to him.

  Although it was quick, it was great. The thought that there was a whole room of people next door, not knowing what we were doing, made it all the more erotic and I had to bite my lip from crying out. As he came, he laughed into my neck.

  “Fuck, Brooke,” he said.

  “You just did,” I replied as he untangled himself from my legs and handed me a tissue to clean myself with.

  Hand in hand we wandered back into the room, Sam was by the door and he looked at me, his eyes questioning where we had been. I winked at him and he screwed his eyes shut in mock disgust at me.

  We headed back to the table and I sat next to Caroline, she seemed to be getting on well with the girls and Taylor peppered her with questions. She was thirty five and had been in the medical profession since she left school. She lived in the city and we were surprised to hear she had a child, a nine year old boy, Harley. Her mother lived close and she relied on her to help bring up her child, the father having long gone. I looked at Robert when we heard this information. Travis saw the look and as he passed to fetch us another bottle of wine, he leant his head down between us.

  “Already done, file on your desk,” he said.

  The music slowed and Robert stood, he took my hand and led me to the dance floor pulling me close to him.

  “Have you had a good day?” I asked.

  “I have had a great day,” he said with a smile.

  “How about you?”

  “The best,” I replied as I snuggled into his chest.

  We watched Travis and Caroline dance.

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  “He really likes her,” he said, not answering my question.

  “Patricia told me that if their relationship gets serious, it’s going to be my job to help her understand,” I sighed.

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “I don’t know. It felt odd today, not being the newest member of the family anymore.”

  “Odd horrible or odd nice?”

  “Odd nice. It just kind of felt like Patricia was relinquishing her role to me. I don’t know if you understand me but when I first met the girls, she was the one in charge, the one that ordered the wine. She had the lounge at the club shut off that day after the shooting and now she thinks I should have that role and I just don’t know.”

  “Jonathan was the first to get married, she was the first to know about us so naturally she took it upon herself to help the other wives settle in. Maybe she believes you’re ready for that, go back a few years and that would be exactly what you would have been expected to do. I don’t look at myself in the same way as they do. I shed all that crap a long time ago but they haven’t and I doubt they will. They’re older, they’ve lived that life a lot longer than me. I spoke to Patricia about us a little while ago and the one thing she did say was that no matter how hard I tried, people would still view me as they did years ago,” he told me.

  “So, do I now get to be the under boss?” I joked.

  “No, you get to be the boss’s wife, equally as powerful though,” he laughed.

  “But I’m not powerful.”

  “Oh yes you are. Think about what you’ve done to me, what you’re still doing to me. That is power far beyond anything anyone here has got. You�
��re the only one, Brooke, who has the power to destroy me.”

  I looked at him and I understood what he meant. His depth of feeling for me was so intense that should I ever leave him, he would be broken, totally. I felt exactly the same.

  “Hey, welcome back Mr Intense. I have so missed you lately, and could you tell Mr Angry, Mr Powerful, Mr Dangerous that I am never leaving, any of you,” I laughed

  We danced a couple of songs before my feet finally gave out. The killer heels doing their job, killing my heels. I led Robert off the dance floor and back to our table. The evening was winding down and I noticed Robert send a text.

  “Gary?” I said.

  He nodded towards Travis. “Let him relax tonight.”

  “What will you do if he wants to bring her home one time?” I asked.

  He breathed in deeply. “Let me come back to you on that one,” he smiled.

  Sam and Scott were heading off early in the morning to Canada for Christmas. I had snuck my presents to them in their cases and we watched as they made their way around the room, saying their goodbyes. Gary would arrange for one of the other many security guys lurking around to drop them off home. Leaving me and Robert until last, Sam pulled me into a hug, he kissed me on the lips and we both had tears in our eyes.

  “Ring me when you get there,” I said.

  “Thank you, Brooke. You have been the bestest best girl and best friend anyone could want,” he replied.

  Robert shook his hand. “Sam, it’s been a great day. Have a lovely time, Brooke and I have arranged a little surprise for you when you arrive.”

  I hugged Scott and we watched them leave.

  “Surprise?” I said, turning to Robert.

  “Upgraded room, Champagne, the usual. I know the Hotel Manager,” he said.

  I shook my head in wonderment at him. “How could you have ever thought you can’t feel, you can’t love? You couldn’t have done that if you didn’t love.”

  “Before you, I couldn’t have. Mind you, before you I wouldn’t have been here either, a wedding for two blokes,” he said, laughing at me.

  Gary texted Robert that the car was ready outside. I watched Robert dip his head to Travis, to tell him that we were heading off. We said our goodbyes and with Robert taking the arm of a very tired Evelyn, we went home.

  I dozed off in the car, I was exhausted, it had been a hectic couple of days. I only woke when I felt Robert lift me from the seat and carry me into the bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at him. He leant down and undid the straps of my sandals, kissing my toes. He slid the straps of my dress from my shoulders and I stood and stepped out of it. Then he picked me up, carried me to my side of the bed, pulled back the covers and placed me so gently down, covered me up and kissed my forehead.

  “You’re exhausted, Brooke. Sleep,” he said.

  He undressed himself, climbed in beside me and while he ran his fingers through my hair I settled against his chest, his heartbeat lulling me into sleep.

  Chapter Seven

  I woke before Robert. I watched him sleep, I could do this forever, just watch him. I traced his tattoo, my fingers running over his back and he stirred, turning over. I let my hand moved over his stomach, my lips following closely behind until I found what I wanted. I took him in my mouth, my tongue dancing over and tasting him. His hands moved to my head, his fingers tangled in my hair and I listened to his breathing change the more aroused he became. I moved on top of him, lowered myself and lent down to his face.

  “Good morning,” I whispered.

  “It certainly is,” he replied gripping my hips. “You have no idea how hot you look right now,”

  My hair was still partially pinned up and the last nights makeup smudged, I doubted I looked hot at all. Leaving him in bed a little while later, I took a shower and as I headed upstairs I noticed it had snowed. I screamed in excitement and stood in the lounge looking out the window. My scream had Robert running up the stairs.

  “Brooke,” he shouted from half way up.

  “It’s snowing, quick get dressed I want to go out,” I replied.

  “Is that all? I thought something had happened to you,” he said striding naked and dripping water across the room.

  “Oh look, Robert, it’s wonderful.”

  “It’s just snow.”

  “I know but I don’t remember the last time we had snow back home for Christmas.”

  Taking him by the hand I rushed him downstairs. I pulled on my fluffy socks and boots and once he was dressed we headed outside. The air was so still, so quiet and peaceful. Big, fat snowflakes fell around us, catching in my hair and I threw myself on the lawn.

  “Brooke, what the fuck are you doing?”

  “Snow angels, come on, and get down here beside me.”

  Laughing he lay in the snow, we wiggled our arms and legs and tried to get up without making foot prints. I leant down over his and drew two little horns from where his head had been. Before I stood a snowball hit me, right on the back of the head, the icy snow falling down my neck. Turning, I saw Travis outside the garages. So that was what he wanted, was it? Rolling the biggest snowball I could, we had a fight, the three of us, laughing.

  “You guys ever had a snowball fight before?” I asked, trying to shake some of the snow from my frozen hair.

  “No,” they both said. That was something to tick off the list, the list of things that these guys would have missed growing up.

  “Come on,” I coaxed them as I walked off towards the woods.

  I don’t think I could ever explain how wonderful it felt, to be outdoors. To see the branches of the trees hung low, heavy with snow, not a sound to be heard but laughter as I jumped from spot to spot, wanting to be the first to put footprints down. Standing there, in the cold watching the man I loved doing something fun, pulling branches to shake the snow off onto Travis, I realised I was truly blessed. I was in a wonderful place with wonderful people. Reluctantly we headed back indoors, cold and wet but happy. Leaving our coats and boots in a puddle at the front door, I headed up to make coffee and tea for us.

  “Wow, Brooke, that looks great,” Travis said when he saw the tree for the first time.

  I looked as he walked across the room and stood in front of it, watching the lights twinkle. I wondered what his Christmas’s had been like, as a child.

  “I liked Caroline,” I said as he came for his coffee, Robert was sitting at the breakfast bar.

  “So do I,” he replied.

  “It was lovely to see the two of you together last night, when are you seeing her again?”

  “She’s on call for the next couple of nights, she got the Christmas shift, so maybe next week,” he said.

  “Trav, if you want to bring her home, you can you know. Mind you, you might want to clean your place up a little,” Robert said.

  Travis and I looked at him, a major breakthrough.

  “Well, if you’re sure,” Travis answered him.

  “It’s your home Trav, maybe we can all have dinner one night.”

  I watched the two of them look at each other, brothers, best friends. Each realising that they can let each other go now, just enough to have their own lives, their own relationships. Tears sprang to my eyes and I hugged them, this was a milestone in both their lives.

  Changed into dry clothes, Robert and I settled on the sofa. Normally we go to the home but we had decided that while Evelyn went to Church on Christmas Day, we would go and deliver presents to the kids for a couple of hours. Robert put his arm around my shoulders, he pulled me to him.

  “Look at our tree, Brooke, it’s beautiful,” he said.

  “It is, isn’t it,” I replied.

  That night was Taylor’s party. Gary would drive the four of us and I was looking forward to it, so the day was spent relaxing, catching up on the rest I had missed over the past hectic few days. I loved this time of year, I loved Christmas and the parties. The following day I would collect all the now wrapped presents and place them under
the tree and on Monday, Evelyn and I would go into town together and collect all the food that I had ordered. I couldn’t believe it was only three days until Christmas and as much as I shouldn’t have, I checked the post each day in the hope of a card from my parents. As the previous ten years, they wouldn’t celebrate, there would be no tree, no presents. They would sit as if it was a normal day. Christmas had ceased to exist the minute David had died.

  Leaving Robert in his office, I made my way downstairs, I could do with a nap and I wanted to check out my closet, decide what to wear that evening. I stripped off my clothes, pulled on a shirt of Robert’s and laid down. I was still exhausted from last night and quickly fell asleep. Even in sleep I felt him, Robert had come into the room, lie down beside me and pulled me into his arms without waking me, yet I knew he was there.

  A little later I felt his fingers trail over my stomach, my nipples hardened against his touch and that familiar heat followed. With eyes still closed I reached out to him, pulling his head to mine, feeling his tongue dance inside my mouth. My hand ran over his head, across his shoulders and down his back as we lay facing each other.

  As I rolled over onto my back, I opened my eyes and smiled at him, what a great way to be woken up. He leant over me and unbuttoned the shirt. His mouth was at my throat placing little kisses that moved down to my chest and over my stomach. I wrapped my legs around his waist, ready for him and he pushed into me. Moving slowly above me I watched him, seeing the love he had for me in his eyes and marvelled at how he had become mine.

  “I love you,” he said as we came together.

  Standing in the shower, I watched him at the basin, the muscles on his back rippled as he shaved, the wings of his angel moved as his arms did and I remembered back to that window. He was destined to buy this land, to build his house. To me it was the start of him discovering himself, who knows, maybe his angel called him here.