by Xyla Turner
I would be okay.
My daughter was with her father and she was doing well. I could retire and live just fine or continue to work and be fine too. Either way, the world was still my oyster, no matter what changes my body incurred.
“Thanks, Dr. Parris,” I said with a nod. “I needed to hear that.”
She laughed. “Yeah, somebody just told me those same words this past week. Everything will work out.”
“Are you sure you should be a medical doctor?” I laughed. “You could moonlight as a life coach.”
She chuckled at the joke but nodded.
“Doctors often become everything when needed. It’s a part of the job and I love it.” She gave me a genuine smile. “Well, you are free to go. A nurse will come in to help you with the discharge papers and then you can go conquer this next phase.”
“Thank you again and I plan to do just that.” I nodded.
Apparently, it was hospital procedure to wheel the patient out, but I shared with them I would need to catch an Uber because my car was still at my favorite coffee spot. We didn’t make it to the exit yet and Cole emerged from the waiting area.
“They’re letting you go?” he asked me with bright eyes.
“Yes, uh. I’m free to go,” I answered him but my heart filled with shame as I clutched the flowers in my lap. “Thank you for the gift.”
“Of course, sweetheart.” He nodded, then looked to the nurse. “I’m taking her home. Don’t bring her out until I get my car.”
I went to object, but Cole’s sharp eyes hit mine. As my mouth opened, I snapped it shut it. The steely determination set in his eyes, would not be challenged.
“Sure thing.” The nurse nodded and put on the brakes. “I’ll wait for your signal.”
Another five minutes passed before I was in his car and we didn’t go to my home or car. He took me straight to his place and there would be no argument from me. Once we entered his gated community and parked in front of his home, Cole turned to me and said, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” I asked as I turned to face him after a silent and anxious, twenty-five minute drive.
“Upsetting you earlier. I was caught off guard and the last thing I want to do is have you upset or rethinking us,” Cole said before slowly exhaling.
“Well, what if I told you it wasn’t totally your fault?” I said with a half-smile. “Can we go inside and have this conversation over some chamomile tea? It’s calming.”
“Of course. Yes, of course.” He bolted out of the car and jogged around to the passenger side but I already had the door open.
***
Cole made quick work of boiling the water, making tea for us and securing us on the sofa in the living room.
“What happened today?” he asked with his body turned, knee bent on the couch and those mesmerizing eyes on mine.
I sighed, took a slow drink of the calming tea and rested it on my lap.
“I was coming to the coffee shop because I was feeling stressed at work. However, when I was about to enter, I saw you there.” I paused to remove the image from my mind and hurt from my voice. “I saw you there with a woman’s hands over yours. You both looked familiar as if you were together. The look in her eyes reminded me of how I look at you.”
I took another sip of tea before I continued.
“That upset me apparently more than I thought. By the time I got to my car, I was hot, sweaty, and had shortness of breath. I simply couldn’t catch it. A lady came by and called the ambulance which landed me in the hospital.” I rushed out, “That’s the sum of it.”
I nodded as if that were the end of the story, but Cole wasn’t having any of that.
“And…” He let it linger.
“And, then you came by and I started feeling the same way again. The doctor says I am stressed.” I added.
“Bethany,” Cole warned. “Stressed people don’t end up in the hospital.”
Putting my mug on the end table, I rose and said, “I’m embarrassed. Okay. I’m embarrassed to tell you.”
He rose with me but closed the distance and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Embarrassed for what?” His deep-set eyes squinted as they refused to leave mine. “You never have to be embarrassed with me.”
“I…” I physically could not say it. “I had a panic attack?” I said it as a question.
“Are you asking?” Those eyes almost closed with how much he was squinting at me.
“No, I mean.” I huffed. “It’s that time for me. You know. A woman in her late forties. Please don’t make me say it.”
I felt my body moving up and down, only to focus in on Cole laughing and making me move with what he thought was hilarious. My hands smacked his chest a few times when I snapped, “It’s not funny!”
“Sweetheart, it is.” He continued to laugh. “This is what you’re embarrassed about?”
“It’s not funny, Cole.” I felt the heat rising through me again.
He planted a kiss on the side of my mouth and said, “You’re embarrassed about going through menopause. Hell, it explains some of the shit that’s been happening. You’re more emotional than I’ve seen you and you’re always hot.”
“I know.” My head dropped in shame.
“However, someone once told me, a woman over forty is at the top of her sexual prime,” Cole teased. “Shit, I heard they can get like wild cats in the bed during that season.”
He nipped my earlobe before soothing it with his slick tongue.
“I need a woman who can take a bite,” he growled in my ear.
My body was so close to going under I almost forgot why I lost my shit in the parking lot.
“Cole,” I called as I pushed him away. “Explain the girl. I need to know. I need you to be honest with me. I know you’ve given me no reason to doubt you, and I’m not a jealous woman. I’m a real one. I’m too old, hence the damn menopause, to play games. So, you say she’s an ex… What does that mean? Do you still have feelings for her? Is she going to pop up and be a problem?”
Cole remained close to me, his eyes on mine
“Nadia is my ex-fiancé. She’s back in town and wanted to catch up. Let me be clear when I say, she wanted to catch up. She had called in the middle of the night and I did not answer or return her call. She must have remembered the place and when I came there, like I always do, she was there and called it a coincidence. I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her. She’s a calculating witch and you never have to worry about her or anyone else. My heart belongs to one fucking woman and I’m looking at her. Wanting to hold her, kiss her and take this menopause thing for a ride. See how hot she gets. I love her. I want her to marry me. And, whatever she decides to do with her job, or next step in her life, I plan to be right there. So, Nadia will not be a problem for you or me. I made that crystal clear today. Now, can I find out, how hot I can get my lady who’s over forty?”
“Stop reminding me,” I begged. “Don’t I know it.”
“Well, let’s put it this way, you’ll be helping me to celebrate my fiftieth before I’m helping you celebrate yours.” He noted, then Cole’s eyes leveled on mine. “Come here.”
I obeyed him but first pulled on that long beard of his to bring his mouth down, so I could kiss it. There he stood in that flannel shirt with worn jeans, looking like any everyday man, but he was mine.
“I love you too,” I replied back to him.
Picking up on our conversation in the hospital. He had to know how I felt, that I believed him, that I wanted him.
“I know,” he kissed me full on, then carried me upstairs.
There he showed me, told me and made me believe it. Cole kept me close, reminding me he’d planned to be there and when whatever I was feeling, I could count on him to comfort me.
Who knew I would fall in love in my late forties.
I sure didn’t.
Epilogue
Cole Magon
The next morning:
Over break
fast I told Bethany about what her partner said when we spoke. When she got over the fact I hadn’t told her right away, she then wrote a long email, which she made me read twice, confirming her retirement date.
In essence, she told them, thanks for all the wonderful years and continuing to push her to be great. What she did not say was after going on a three-month trip, she would spend the next six months, starting her own practice, where she didn’t have to worry about anyone considering her to be partner. She was the one considering who could be her partner.
That was my lady. Taking charge and taking names. I liked her with her own, anyway. She didn’t know it but I would be the first donor and make it my business to ensure her firm succeeded.
The firm threw a big party for her and that was when she told her clients what she planned to do, which was the big fuck you to the partners. They were red-faced for the rest of the night but they had that shit coming.
Four months later:
I left my yoga session but not with Sue Mae, with Master Yul Vega who resides in London. Bethany and I had been living here the past twenty-five days. Friday mornings, around eleven, are the designated days she speaks with Brittany, right before she goes to her new job. Their relationship has grown beyond leaps and bounds, which Bethany takes very seriously. The woman has not missed a phone call with her daughter since they started the tradition after she officially retired.
The two of us decided to do a three-month Europe tour that included London, Paris and Rome. We’re here for one more day and then we’re off to Paris. Unbeknownst to Bethany, while we’re on our tour, I have a team searching for a list of places for her, preparing all paperwork for her firm, locating furniture, bylaws, possible people to vet, potential lawyers, professors from exceptional law schools that can identify the greatest brains in law along with everything else she may need to have what she wants. This way, it allows her to be a part of the process but doesn’t take a year to get everything up and running.
As I walked back to our hotel, a calm passed over me even though this was the hardest thing I had done in a long time. Anxiety and nerves should have gripped me up making me sweat more than the intense yoga session. But, I knew, deep down, I knew this woman was all I needed. Hell, all I ever wanted. This was one time in my life, as far as a mate was concerned, she was everything and more.
“Beth,” I called through the spacious suite. “Sweetheart, where are you?”
“In here.” I heard the muffled sound coming from the kitchen.
Bursting through the door, I quickly went to her and pressed my sweaty body against her on the counter.
She slapped at me. “You’re going to make me all sweaty.”
“That’s the goal,” I growled as I made sure every part of my dripping shirt was on her top.
“Ahhh, Cole,” She yelled but wrapped those arms around my neck as I took her lips.
Then those cries were muffled as I lifted her and walked toward the bathroom. Stripping us down was a plus but pinning her against the shower wall and making love to her was the better part of the morning.
“Wow, what was that?” she breathed as I toweled her off and took my time in her nether regions.
“Today is the day,” I announced like she knew what I was talking about. “It’s a good fucking day.”
“It is?” she asked with a coy tone.
Once she slipped on her panties and sat on the bed that’s when I made my move.
“Sweetheart,” I called after retrieving the surprise from my gym bag and standing right in front of her.
“Yeah?” She looked at me with one eyebrow raised. “Looks like you’re ready for round two. What has gotten into you? Did you get the blue pills?”
I laughed out loud, dropped to one knee as I leaned in and whispered, “No blue pills, Beth. I’m just excited. Happy as hell that I met you at that damn Le One. Happy I’ve finally met my one. Ecstatic I love her more than myself. Relieved she’s as sweet as pie but can be fierce as a lioness. Hopeful she’ll love me forever and accept my hand in marriage.” I pull out the ring that has been burning my pockets for the past month. “Marry me, Bethany.”
Her face transitioned from shock and then crumbled as she grew emotional.
“Damn, this menopause,” she cursed while shaking her head. “Cooole.”
“Yes,” I answered as I look down at my naked form outside of my briefs, so she could see I was in fact waiting for an answer.
“I never thought I would get married again.” The tears continued to flow. “Never. I didn’t want to and saw no reason for it. Till you.”
My heart rate had definitely spiked, and it was not from the authentic food we ate yesterday. She was killing me softly.
“Sweetheart,” I coaxed her.
“Yes, Cole.” Her head bobbed up and down as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Yes. My answer is yes.”
Fuck me.
Leaping to my feet, I almost grew dizzy from the rush of blood to my head but tackled her in my haze on the bed. My wildcat, turned me over and straddled me, effectively putting me on my back. I slid the ring on her finger and she kissed me softly, hungrily and we made love again but this time, it was because her round ass was working hard on my cock and those nails pinned me to the bed so I enjoyed the ride.
Once we arrived in Paris, I arranged to have Brittany come out as a surprise for a week. Bethany had no idea but when the doorbell rang to our suite, my woman nearly lost her mind.
“Oh my God,” she screamed. “My baby. What are you doing here? Cooolllle!”
When I rounded the corner to see the two of them embraced in the entrance, I leaned on the wall and smiled. That lasted a while as the two whispered to each other like long lost friends. I had heard about the mother and daughter dynamic changing as they grew older, which seemed to be the case. Brittany had certainly grown up and I think as tough as it was for Bethany to do it, pushing her out the nest was the catalyst that started the transition. Oddly enough, her father who enabled her from afar, was very much a part of this transformation. Well, according to Brittany it was his new girlfriend who really didn’t take much of her shit. Beth, nor I cared, who it was, but glad that the young lady was finally growing up.
The week went by super-fast, but I ensured that mother and daughter had plenty of time together to shop, eat and do girly things. They both came home laughing, hands full of bags and exhausted. Beth fell asleep with her head in my chest, every night that week but I was able to make shower love to her in the morning. To set us both right for the day.
One Year later
Beth married me on the shores of California with her family present and our close friends, which mostly consisted of people in my community, her friends and some co-workers. It was a small ceremony that did not last long but meant eternity. She cried, I cried and hell, even Roger had a tear rolling down his face. I guess because he knew his business was about to thrive significantly.
Everything went up another level when we came back from our Europe tour. Once I presented her engagement gift in the form of a meeting of her start-up team with all the work they had done, Beth asked everyone if they could give us a moment and the woman nearly tackled me in the board room of her potential building. The team, politely left then we made out against the shiny new table. It was sexy, fast and fucking hot. Her eyes filled with tears but she just whispered, “What did I do to deserve you?”
“Ha.” I laughed. “That’s what I keep asking myself about you.”
We called the team back in and they caught her up while I sat back and watched her work. She was brilliant, compassionate and driven. Her mind sharp like a tack and resourceful as hell. Funny but that alone turned me on. She was beautiful, she was smart but my lady was just that. A lady and she had lived her life, married and divorced, raised a child, rose through the ranks, left when it was time, and started over. Not just with her job but also with me. She was brave and bold and I loved her for that.
She’d moved into my home whe
n we returned from Europe. When we arrived there, that evening, her mouth was running a hundred miles per hour.
We crossed the thresh hold and I picked her up, took her upstairs to our bed, and proceeded to undress her but she flipped the script on me. Bethany dropped to her knees, dropped my pants and gave me the best blowjob a man could ask for. Choking, sloppy and the head going down her throat.
Goddamn.
She was good, and she knew it. I returned the gratitude but ended with those legs thrown over my shoulder, her bunched up against the headboard as I rocked her against it, making her come twice on my cock.
Fuck, she was beautiful and sex with a wildcat over forty was what I had been waiting for all my damn life.
Roger had finally pinned me down to a day and time to do this commercial and even Bethany joined us because she loved Le One. Oddly enough, Roger shared we had actually connected at a high level but he never told us because he figured neither of us would have believed him. I would have, but probably not Beth, since I was the one willing to break the rules. She wanted to see the process through but she captured my heart with the gracefulness of everything that is her on day one.
***
One of my charities was featured in a documentary that blew up overnight. We were invited to the premiere, which required the whole red-carpet experience, something that I avoided since I retired. The rising of a famous person from out of the woods always seemed desperate for me. However, Bethany convinced me it was great for the charity and every kid impacted by the organization. This meant, she and I were walking down the celebrity red carpet, which meant everything about us had been researched and folks were asking all sorts of questions.
Did we really meet on a dating site? What had I been doing since retirement? Was I trying to be a spokesperson for interracial marriages? There was a SWIRL magazine there, who wanted to interview us, but somehow grabbed Bethany’s attention. They were interested in a feature. Le One was now in the spot light.