by Dahlia Rose
“About what you said…” Fabian began.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she snapped.
“We have to,” he said.
“No, what we need to do is get your baby girl. After this, after she’s safe, things are going to change,” Taryn said. Emotions still flooded her as she worked the GPS to find the motel. “I love Cae and I still want to be a part of her life. I will take her to school, bring her home like I always have, and if you need help by all means I will take her like I always did. But I spent years waiting for you to see me for the woman I am. I’m done with that. I’m going to date and find love because obviously you are too brick headed to see what you had right in front of you…until it’s gone.”
He said nothing as the robotic tone of the GPS unit directed him where to go. The silence between then was deafening as he drove through the rain. The Sunrise Hotel was a dump of a place, one level of rooms with a parking lot that had grass growing through the cracks. The flashing neon sign half worked with some of the letters completely black while the rest flickered red. He parked in front of room eighteen, a dingy blue door the only thing that barred them from getting Cae.
“One knock and she better open the door or I’m breaking it down,” he growled.
“Let me call the cops.” Taryn pulled her damp phone from her pocket.
She knew it probably had water in the system and hoped it didn’t break. The warranty had lapsed three weeks ago. The call to the cops barely went through and they were on their way. The detective had asked they not go into the room, but she explained that there was no stopping Cae’s dad. She certainly knew she couldn’t. The rain had lessened to a soft drizzle as they approached the door. Fabian’s knock was vicious and she had no doubt he could probably rip the flimsy door from its hinges.
Jackie opened the door and her eyes widened in alarm. “I told you to come get the kid, not bring him.”
“This is his daughter, Jackie. How did you think that was going to happen?” Taryn snapped.
Cae’s wail came from inside the room and Fabian moved forward. She followed and the little girl was sitting in the middle of the bed. Fabian scooped her up and held her against him.
“Don’t cry, ssssshhhhh, Daddy’s here, it’s okay,” He murmured and she could hear the raw emotion and relief in his voice.
“She might be hungry,” Jackie mumbled. “She didn’t eat her chicken nuggets and she didn’t want no soda.”
“Jesus, Jackie, has she had any milk in the last two days?” Taryn asked in exasperation. “Matter of fact, why did you take her?”
“I wanted to see my kid, okay!” Jackie shouted. “Every time I have to play with her under supervision, and I haven’t seen her in so long. Then Mark said I should go get her and maybe we can make some money from T.”
“Whose fault is that, huh?” Fabian asked viciously. “No one has seen you in a year, then you waltz in and uproot my child… My child.”
“She’s mine too,” Jackie shot back.
“Not for long. I’m going to court and get any visitation rights rescinded,” Fabian replied. “Your ass is going to jail for taking her, you and whoever Mark is.”
“You can’t do that.” Jackie stared at both of them with a wild look of terror in her eyes. “Don’t let him get me arrested, T!”
“Jackie, you need help. You’re using again,” Taryn said gently. “Maybe the judge will let you go to another treatment center.”
She shook her head, her limp dirty hair moved like medusa’s snakes as she did so. “I’m not going back… I’m not. They do things there and stuck me with needles and they take things from my mind.”
It was then that Taryn truly saw that the years of drug use had taken a toll on Jackie’s mind. Cocaine, meth, heroine and countless pills had eaten away her mind until reality was nothing more than dreams she sometimes awakened to. Taryn could hear the sirens coming and a man rushed into the room.
“Jackie, we gotta go. Dump the kid, they found us…” His footsteps stopped and he looked around the room. “Who the fuck is this?”
“Take Cae and go outside,” Fabian said calmly.
Taryn shook her head even as she took the baby from his arms. Cae had begun to whimper again. “Hell no, I’m not leaving you in here to beat the crap out of him. Let the police take care of it. You have to think of your career, you need to get past the anger and think of Cae.”
“I’m thinking of her,” Fabian said, his voice deadly calm. “I will, each and every time I plant my fist in his face.”
The guy, Mark, grabbed Jackie’s hand and ran for the door. They were just a few steps outside when the police cars pulled in. Quickly surrounded, Taryn and Fabian watched as the cops took Jackie and her new man into custody. The detective wanted a statement from them but said that they could come down to the station the next day to file the formal paperwork.
“Daddy.” Cae held out her hands to him.
Fabian took Cae again and cradled her to him. “Oh I missed you, sugar bear.”
The police let them leave and Taryn strapped the baby into the car seat before getting into the passenger seat. They pulled away from the dingy hotel with their precious cargo strapped safely in the back seat. It was the first time she allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief, but the tension in her body was for another reason now.
All the things she said and confessed to Fabian in the heat of anger were like a wall between them. I should’ve kept my mouth shut, she thought miserably. She probably ruined their friendship with the fact that she loved him. Taryn also knew she couldn’t stand seeing him with another woman or seeing someone else care for Cae if he got married again. It was better that it happened now before things got more complicated. It was time to pull back, and reality was a slap in the face. She was living a dream where she actually did have Fabian’s affection. It was obviously not the case. More than once she saw him glance into the back of the car as if making sure Cae was there. She also felt his look at her a few times and she kept her gaze firmly out the window looking into the darkness as they drove. Finally, he stopped the car in front of the adjoined townhouses. Back home safe and sound, she thought.
“We need to talk,” Fabian said quietly.
“No we don’t,” Taryn responded.
“Taryn, you don’t understand…” Fabian continued.
“I think I do, and it’s fine.” Taryn cut him off. “Take her inside, give her a warm bath and some milk. Spend sometime with your daughter and don’t worry about me.”
“Damn it Taryn, listen to me.”
She reached over and grabbed the car keys out of the ignition. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’ve been staying at your place a few times a week so she could sleep in her bed and the transition wouldn’t be a problem. Boo-boo is in the crib and the sleepy time show is now her favorite thing to fall asleep with. Fifteen episodes are recorded on your TV.” She looked back at the bright eyed child sitting quietly in the seat, and when Cae smiled her heart ached. She pushed back the tears and sighed. “I’ll pick her up for school next week. A few days with her daddy is what she really needs.”
The house was silent, too silent in fact. His homecoming should have been different. She had it in her head how she would make him a great meal and they would play with Cae until she went to bed. Then they would sit on the back patio facing the beach and talk about everything from the past five months. There would be wine and maybe, just maybe, she would have been brave enough to kiss him and let him know how she really felt. None of that could happen now because he blamed her for Cae being taken and she could see why. But now she had to move on because Fabian would never look at her as more than a friend. She showered, taking the chill and the rain from her skin, and climbed into bed. Then she let the tears fall, hoping it would wash away the misery she felt. She fell asleep from tiredness that went bone deep, but the ache never left.
Chapter Three
Fabian did like Taryn said and gave his daughter a bath and fed h
er a banana. Then he sat down with her in his arms and found the shows on his DVR that Taryn had recorded. She drank her bottle and looked up at him. He chuckled when she held out one hand with chubby little fingers and tapped his face. Her eyes never left his face. And he bent his head to kiss her tiny cheek. Fabian closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of baby shampoo, powder and milk. It was better than any perfume he’d ever smelled and his heart felt full. He was home and his daughter was safe. The only thing missing was Taryn and as the shows lulled his daughter to sleep he thought about the woman just a few walls away from him.
He grinned knowing that she loved him, then frowned because she thought he never cared. She was so far from the truth, and in true stubborn Taryn style didn’t want to listen. Now it was up to him to prove to her how much he cared and how much he wanted her. He looked down at Cae. She slept soundly. He picked her up and turned off Tootsie the Flower Fairy telling soft bedtime stories. He had a little girl and should get accustomed to girlish kids’ shows. But after watching three episodes, he firmly decided to watch a baseball game and drink a beer. That didn’t happen, of course.
He put her in bed and stared at her sleeping with Boo-boo. She was covered in her pink flowered blanket and looked so peaceful. The events of Jackie taking her flooded back to him. The fear that he would not see her again crashing him in waves.
He pulled up the rocking chair close to Cae’s crib so he could watch her sleep. Fabian stayed there all night and slept in the chair next to his daughter’s bed. The next day he woke up with a crick in his neck and his daughter’s laughter from her crib. She was standing looking at him and threw one of her bears at him. She smiled and he noticed she’d gotten four more teeth since he left. Fabian didn’t mind the stiffness in his body from sleeping in the chair. Seeing her smile was the best wake up he ever had.
“Are you ready for some breakfast, Cae?” he asked and lifted her out of the crib.
“Nanas, Daddy,” she said and began to sing in her own baby way.
“More bananas, huh. You keep that up I’ll have me a little monkey,” he teased and tickled her.
She squealed in laughter and he deposited her in her high chair with a loud smacking kiss on her cheek. Taryn kept his kitchen spotless and in a few minutes he was doing the everyday routine of making his daughter breakfast. It was bliss. He set her princess bowl in front of her and got himself some cereal. He sat at the table and held out a Cheerio to her. She opened her tiny mouth and he popped it in side.
“Mmmm.” She clapped her hands and he laughed.
“So, how do we get Ms. Taryn to fall for me huh?” he asked. “We love her, don’t we?”
“Daddy, me… Taryn… watch Tootsie.” Cae smiled and picked up a piece of banana.
“Yup, if daddy plays this right we can watch Tootsie every night with Taryn,” he said. “But first we have to get her happy again.”
She was so completely wrong., How come he didn’t see it before? She thought he only cared for her as a friend and now she thought he blamed her. His emotions were all over the place when he got back and still no sign of Jackie with Cae. Not to mention the tiredness that he kept pushing away. From the time of Taryn’s first call it was a hectic rush to get transport, and he had been on three different planes to make it home in record time. Everything was a mad rush that was fueled by fear and anger. Now it was up to him to fix it and show her she meant everything to him. Cae and Taryn were the only ones who had his heart. He would prove it starting today.
After breakfast, he cleaned up both the dishes and Cae all the while she jabbered and he listened. He decided to take her to the beach and maybe he could talk Taryn into going. But when he looked outside her car was gone. He dressed the baby in her bathing suit and put on his own shorts and a T-shirt to hit the beach. He put on his sunglasses and her pink ones and grabbed her shovel and bucket so she could dig in the sand. He made sure he had snacks in her baby bag and the big umbrella to stick in the sand. There were ready to go and he handled carrying her and all the things he had in his arms easily. He stopped by the mirror in the hallway and looked at his reflection with his daughter.
“We look cool,” he said and she giggled. He opened the sliding door and walked the few yards to the sand. The sun was hot against his skin, and he looked forward to soaking up the rays to chase away the cold of Afghanistan from his bones.
They played on the beach until Cae yawned and he looked at his watch to see it was almost two in the afternoon. “Tine for a nap, sugar bear,” he said and began to pack up their stuff. By the time he got to the house she was almost asleep against his shoulder, so he gave her a quick wash to get the sand off and dressed her before putting her in her crib. One warm bottle that she drank half asleep and Cae was out like a light and so was he. Later when they woke up, he went and gave his statement down at the police station, and Cae came out with a sucker. At home there was still no sign of Taryn’s car. He called the preschool and they told him she was in a meeting. He watched TV, dozed a little and made dinner for himself and Cae all the while he thought how empty it felt without Taryn around. By the time dinner was over, and they played with her blocks and toys on the floor, it had started to get dark outside. He began to worry all the while he got the baby ready for bed, and she was down by seven.
“Hey, this is Fabian. Give me a call and let me know you’re okay,” he said and hung up the phone. It was the second time he’d called only to reach her voicemail. It was nine at night when he finally saw the lights to her car in the driveway. He got up and went to the front door opening it as she got out the car. She certainly wasn’t dressed for work. The little red cocktail dress and matching shoes fit her amazingly. He felt his mouth go dry looking at her and then he frowned. She wasn’t dressed that way for him.
“Hey, stranger, I left you a few messages,” he said, stepping out the door.
“Is something wrong with Cae?” Taryn asked.
“No, we had a good day. We did the beach and stuff, tomorrow we’ll go grocery and clothes shopping,” Fabian replied. “It’s Saturday, want to come with?”
“We’ll see,” she said with a small smile.
“About last night… Taryn don’t say anything, please, let me get this out.” He made sure to get that in before she could cut him off. Fabian gave her a pleading look. “I do not blame you in the least because of what happened. Taryn, I was just coming off back-to-back flights all the while thinking my child was in danger. I was going crazy, but it doesn’t mean I blame you. I wanted to say that. I left her with you and I should have been there. I was feeling guilty like I should’ve been there. To protect her and to be here for you.”
She sighed. “I understand, Fabian, and there’s nothing to apologize about. We were both scared.”
A tense silence stretched between them before he asked, “So, you look nice. Did you go to a party or something?”
“No, umm, I had a date,” she said hesitantly. “A dentist that comes in to talk to some of the older kids about teeth. He’s asked me out a few times and I said yes.”
“Oh… Did you have fun?” Fabian felt jealousy threaten to overwhelm him and pushed it back.
“It was nice.”
“What about the things you said, about caring for me…?”
“Fabian, you like me as a friend. I get that now and I’m ok with it,” she said firmly. “Anyway, I’ll let you know about tomorrow and shopping. I’d like to see sugar bear get some new dresses. Goodnight.”
She began to walk to her door and some kind of primal instinct took over. “Oh, fuck that,” he said under his breath. There was no way he was letting some dentist move in on his woman. He’d had a plan to come home and take their relationship to a whole new level. There was no way in hell he was letting her go now.
She wasn’t full to her door when he caught her by the arm and swung her around. He pulled her against his chest and wrapped her in his arms. Without hesitation Fabian took her lips in a searing kiss. It was the first time in
the entire time of their friendship that he’d kissed her like this. Fabian wondered why he didn’t do it sooner, because her taste was intoxicating. Taryn opened her mouth under his with a soft moan and he sank his tongue past her teeth. One kiss and he was rock hard for her, aching to feel her naked beneath him. Fabian molded her against him as he devoured her lips like a man possessed. He finally pulled away, groaned and went back for a second taste before lifting his head to stare at her. Her eyes were heavy with desire and he wanted to drown in the chocolate depth of her gaze.
“I’ve wanted you for a long time, Taryn, and if you think I’ll step aside graciously, you’re wrong,” Fabian said. “Tell the dentist you won’t be seeing him again because you belong to me. I’ll give you tonight to come to terms with that and tomorrow we’re going to pick our girl some new clothes. I will have you, hot, naked and moaning my name when I take you…that’s a promise. Okay?” He waited until she nodded slowly and Fabian kissed her hard. He left her standing there and a look of amazement was on her face “Goodnight sweetheart, see you tomorrow at eleven. Cae and I will pick you up.”
He walked back inside and watched through the blinds as she went to her door, unlocked it and went inside. Gotcha off center, that’s good, he thought with a grin. He had no intention of giving her a chance to see that dentist again. Taryn was his and he planned to show her in every pleasurable way possible that he was the only man for her.
* * * *
Taryn looked at herself in the mirror and pressed her fingers against her lips. The kiss that Fabian gave here was still on her mind. She went to sleep thinking about it and woke up after an amazing dream when he took her to the heights of passion. A smile broke free that she couldn’t restrain. The first kiss, and it was everything she dreamt of and wanted for years. He’d made it perfectly clear he wanted her and as if on automatic pilot she’d walked in the house, promptly called William the dentist and canceled the date they had for that Saturday. In actuality, while they ate dinner she wanted to run away. The man was as boring as dry toast. She knew she still had to play it cautious with Fabian. One kiss didn’t mean a thing. She’d wanted him for so long but didn’t just want to fall into his arms. If he wanted her, he’d have to bring his A game.