“I’m fine. Go back to bed,” I tell her as I lay down.
“Did you have a nightmare again? Is that why you went out?” She asks.
“No, sometimes I just feel restless and a night walk helps. That is all. Now go back to bed.”
She sighs as she walks toward the bedroom. I love her for being concerned; at least she keeps me on my toes.
Night falls upon me once again and I’m fast asleep.
*****
The morning comes too quickly. I rise before Maura, dragging my legs to the kitchen to flip the switch on the coffee pot switch. Remembering there are still baked goods left, I set them on the table. I decide on a bagel with cream cheese. By the time I spread the cream cheese on my bagel, the coffee is ready.
Thirty minutes later Maura joins me in the kitchen. I grab another mug and pour her some coffee. Her hair is in disarray and she looks like she hasn’t slept a wink. Of course she was up late with me last night, but she still looks damn fine.
“I just want you to know that I’m here for you day or night. Whenever, wherever you need me. All you have to do is let me in,” she states.
“Okay, I’m sorry I had you worried last night. I wasn’t thinking.” I have to remember I'm not alone anymore. I actually have someone that besides my mom who cares.
“It’s okay, but like I said, just let me in. I’m not going anywhere.” She stands up, grabs a hold of my chin and bends down to plant a forcefully, lusty kiss on my lips.
Chapter Thirty One
Seriously, I have it bad for that woman. Insisting that she let me drop her off at work, I try to keep my anticipation in check. She looks at me funny, like she thinks I’m up to something. I just give her a smile and continue to drive down the road to her office. Her eyes light up as soon as she notices.
“Did you do this last night?” She asks. With her mouth hanging open and a shocked expression written across her face, she hops out of the truck and walks toward her work van.
“Yes, I thought you could use some advertising so I added decals. Now you can advertise without even lifting a finger. Do you like it?” I ask.
“Yes! I love the green detailing is a perfect fit for the Green Room Catering. I love it,” she says hugging me. “You didn’t have to do this.” She is absolutely glowing as she examines the van more closely.
“I know I didn’t have to but I wanted to and I wanted to see your face when you saw it. I have got to run now, so I will see you later. I have an appointment after work, so I won’t be there when you get home,” I say to her with a kiss.
“Okay, thanks again and have a good day,” she waves as I enter the truck.
The look on her face was priceless and worth every bit of being slightly late for work. I was happy to do that to her van. Now she can generate more business, though.
I pull up into the employee parking space at the garage. Don’s wife shakes her finger at me for being late I know she is messing around because she is smiling, besides, I’m hardly ever late.
“Trust me, it was for a good reason,” I tell her.
“Good morning, dear,” she says, handing me a coffee.
Inside the garage, Don is already underneath a car, changing the brakes on it. I offer to take over but he insists that I start on the other car that came in for repairs. It's a busy day, but and can’t stop smiling after seeing Maura’s excitement this morning.
As the long, busy work day comes to an end, I notice that Don is acting strange. He suddenly grabs his chest, releasing a weird yelp at the same time. I watch in slow motion as he tumbles to the ground. I spring forward to catch him but I only manage to ease the fall as we both hit the hard concrete of the garage floor.
“Call 911!” I yell toward the office where Don’s wife would be. The ambulance and EMTs reach the shop in no time. I hope their timely arrival is enough to save him.
Hysterical with worry, Doris refuses to leave her husband's side and rides along with him in the ambulance. I close up shop and follow soon after. I call Maura on the way to the hospital. The hospital is about five minutes away and I try to make it there as quick as I can without killing myself in the process.
“Maura, hey I’m headed to the hospital. Don had a heart attack and Doris is with him.” My message goes straight to voice mail.
Inside I pace back and forth for what seem like hours but it is only minutes that pass. “Pierson, I’m here. Is he going to be okay?” Maura asks, rushing toward me with outstretched arms. She wraps me into a much needed embrace.
“I don’t know. I’m waiting for Doris to tell me something. They wouldn’t let me back since I’m not family,” I say in a panic stricken tone.
“I’m sure we will hear something soon,” she says, hoping to comfort me.
We sit, but I just can’t stay still. I bounce my leg up and down to release my pent up anxiety. Even though time has passed, the adrenaline is still coursing through my body. Finally, after about an hour Doris comes out of the emergency room and rushes over to us.
“How is he?” I ask before she can get a word out.
“The doctor said Don should be fine. They are going to run some tests, just as a precaution to make sure nothing else is going on. I appreciate you coming. Go home and get some rest,” she insists. "You'll need it. Don and I are relying on you to handle the workload at the garage until he's back on his feet."
Maura puts her hand on the older woman's shoulder to comfort her. Doris' eyes pool with tears as she leans in to hug both of us at the same time.
“Doris, please call me if anything changes or if you need anything and I will down here in a flash,” I tell her.
“I should be fine. Now you two kids go ahead and go. I will call if I need you, I promise,” she states.
Relief rushes over my body as Maura and I walk outside and I feel my breath slow its pace. The setting sun is casting a vibrant color display of blues, purples and pink hues. “Thanks for coming,” I tell Maura as we approach my truck. “How’d you get here?”
“Ruby dropped me off. Oh, I need to text her and let her know how Don is doing,” she says. Sliding into the seat of the truck, she grabs her phone out of her purse. I watch as she texts her friend.
“I was really worried he wouldn’t make it.” My voice chokes on the thought of everything that had happened.
“He will pull through. Doris said they are running tests to make sure everything is okay,” she says with sorrow filled eyes. She tries to comfort me, but I still worry because Don is getting up there in age. He has helped me with so much since I have been home. Heck we even share war stories with each other. I don’t mind sharing war stories with him because he understands, since he was in war in his younger years. I really hope he pulls through this. I'm not sure my psyche could handle it if he didn't.
Chapter Thirty Two
At seven thirty in the morning, the phone rings. I practically fall off the couch reaching for it.
“Hello,” I say, balancing myself upward.
“Pierson, it’s me, Doris. Do you think you can run the shop until I get Don home and things get straightened out?”
“Well first, how is he?” I ask.
“He is fine. The doctor said he needs to take it easy and get plenty of rest. You can come over later on if you like,” she offers.
“Don’t worry about the shop. I can handle it. You just stay with Don. If you need anything just call me,” I tell her before hanging up.
“How is he?” Maura asks from behind.
“He is getting ready to go home. Doris said he is okay and the doctor ordered him to rest and take it easy. She asked me to run the shop while he is out. I will probably go see him after work today.”
“I’m glad he is okay. That is a huge relief. Make sure you let him know I’m thinking about him,” she tells me.
While getting my things together for work, I glance at the calendar on the fridge. “Shit. With the chaos of yesterday, I totally missed my appointment. I forgot to call. Fuck,” I sa
y aloud.
I call the therapist's office to explain the situation and let them know I will be in on the next scheduled appointment. The secretary said she would relay the message to the therapist. Fortunately, I manage to keep my meds with me at all times so I don’t miss any doses. Maura appears in the kitchen as I pour the coffee. Without saying anything, she pulls me in an embrace. I hold her for a while and savor the moment because I know moments like these can be taken away as fast as they come, and I would not survive losing her. I break the embrace and plant a kiss on her lips.
“I have to run. Need to open the shop up. Hopefully it won’t be too crazy being by myself. Wish me luck,” I say, grabbing my coffee on the way out.
“Good luck. Have a good day,” I hear her say as I pull the door shut behind me.
I use the key that Doris had given me just a few weeks before, but have to jimmy the knob to actually get the door open. The building is old and has its charms. As soon as I make my way in, the phone rings.
“Hello, Don’s Auto shop,” I say into the receiver. I take a deep breath and remind myself that I can do this. I can be Don's rock. He has enough to worry about and I don't want to fail him.
“Oh hi, this is Elizabeth Wells, I was wondering if I could bring my car in for an oil change today?” She asks with a chipper voice.
“Well, we are shorthanded at the moment. Can you bring it in tomorrow at nine? I can probably squeeze you in then.”
“Great. Thanks,” she says before hanging up.
*****
The day dragged but was finally over. With Don on my mind, I grab my things and head for the truck. Ten minutes later I pull into Doris and Don’s driveway. They live in a small house just off the main road. I knock on the door.
“Hi Pierson. How’d it go today?” Doris asks, motioning me to come inside.
“It went okay. You don’t have anything to worry about,” I tell her with more confidence than I actually feel.
She leads me to a den area where Don is lying. He is spread on the couch resting.
“You have a visitor,” she says as she exits the room.
“Hey there, son,” Don says. Shaking my hand firmly, he sits up.
“Trying to die on me old man?” I ask with a smile.
“This old buzzer ain’t going nowhere,” he says in a matter of fact way. His comment makes me smile and I’m thankful he still has his sense of humor. Got to love that. I stay about an hour and a half and we share a few laughs during the conversation. “I might just retire,” he says to me out of the blue.
“Really?” I ask with concern.
“Don't worry. If I do, I will still be there to boss you around,” he says, pointing and laughing at me.
He must think he is funny or something but I just shake my head at his comment. Doris pops in the room to give Don his meds. I take it that's as my cue to go.
“Make sure you get some rest old man,” I tell him. I think he secretly loves that I call him that. He and Doris have been married many years but they do not have any children. Not sure if there is a reason or if it’s by choice, but Don is like a father figure to me and we torment the heck out of each other. I smile at the thought and bid them both goodbye.
By the time I get home, Maura is already there and it is getting late. She pounds me with questions as soon as I walk in the door.
“How is he? Is he okay? How was your day?” She asks all at once.
“He is fine. He is his same stubborn old self. My day started off hectic but got better as it went along. I was super busy,” I admit.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to you all day. I missed you,” she says with a pouty lip.
Her pouty face is not only adorable, it has hidden meaning and I know exactly what that that hidden meaning is. I could use a stress reliever.
Chapter Thirty Three
Maura leads me into the bedroom, undressing me as we enter. I let her take charge. She motions for me to lie down on the bed and I plant myself face down as she instructs. Closing my eyes, I hear her hands rubbing together and then feel the heated warmth of them as she places them on my skin and begins spreading oil across my back. The circular motion of her hands as she massages my muscles feels incredible.
“Oh my god, that feels so good,” I breathe.
“Just relax and let the stress disappear,” she says, continuing the circular motions on my back. The rub is hard enough to penetrate the soreness of my tense muscles. It's relaxing to be treated to such luxury. Sitting on my lower back, she continues kneading her hands into my flesh. She reaches up to my shoulders and squeezes the skin as she moves her hands over the folds. Finally she moves to my neck, where most of the stress is located. The soothing massage could easily send me into the arms of sleep, but I have something else on my mind.
I flip over, moving her with me. She plants a finger against my lips to keep me quiet. I like this game, I think to myself grinning. She places her hands on my chest and continues rubbing in a circular motion. I watch, never taking my eyes off her. She does the same and we fall into a silent trance of shared emotions.
She continues to rub my shoulders as she leans forward. Her breasts barely brush against my chest. I’m practically salivating at the sight of her scantily clad body, but I try my damnedest to keep my composure. The weight of her straddling my waist, combined with the sensual smoothness of the body oil, is rapturous.
Slowly moving her body toward my legs, she teases me by dragging her hair along my chest. Her seductive foreplay leaves me breathless. She takes my length in one hand while resting the other hand on my chest. Her luscious lips wrap around my erection and her pouty mouth begins to stroke the hardened core of my manliness. Damn, this feels good. My breaths are becoming harder and faster, warning her that I'm on the verge of a pleasure explosion. Sensing that I'm nearing release, she removes her mouth and climbs on top of me, lowering her feminine goodness onto my shaft. She is slick with desire, making it easy for her to accept my throbbing length. As she silently capitulates my needs to match her own, my volcano of desire erupts, filling her with a wave of seedy lava.
“That was fucking amazing,” I say, finally breaking the silence.
“Yes it was,” she pants, while stifling a giggle.
Between Don’s heart attack and me running the shop, the last few days have been exhausting. The massage was just what the doctor ordered. Now it’s really late and time for sleep. With a reluctant sigh, I crawl out of bed and grab my boxers.
“Sleep in here with me tonight,” she pleads, kneeling on the bed.
“I don’t know. Sleeping in here is probably not a good idea,” I say reluctantly.
“Please. Let’s just try it.”
I’m in no mood to argue and doing so would only result in tensing up the muscles she worked so damned hard to relax.
“Well, scoot the hell over then.”
She quickly moves over to make room for me. Pulling the covers back, I get in. She traces the tattoos on my left arm with her finger as her head rests against my chest. The sensation adds to my already relaxed state and I soon fall asleep.
*****
In the morning, I awake with a smile at the sight of Maura in my arms. The sun is shining through the curtains, casting beautiful rays of light upon her and illuminating her sleeping form. I quietly slide out of bed and make my way into the kitchen. After last night's late rendezvous, we are definitely going to need coffee. Once the coffee pot is on, I slip back under the sheet, undetected. Twenty minutes later she wakes, stretching with a yawn.
“Good morning sleeping beauty.”
“Mmm, good morning handsome. What time is it?” She asks, squinting her eyes against the sunlight.
“Its seven thirty and I already put the coffee on,” I tell her as we continue to lie in the comfort of one another's arms.
“Can we just lay here for the rest of the day?” She asks, wrapping her arm around my chest. She nudges her head on my shoulder for added effect.
“As much as I would love to do that, I highly doubt Don’s Auto Body Shop and Green Room Catering will run their selves," I tell her.
“Fine.” She gives me the same pouty face that is my eternal downfall and then laughs. Knowing that we can't hide from the outside world forever, we crawl out of bed and I pull her into an embrace, kissing her lips. “Thanks for last night.”
“The pleasure was mine,” she grins, turning to walk toward the bathroom to shower. I give her ass a slap and she squeals while covering her butt with her hands.
I slip on a pair of boxers and head straight to the coffee pot. There is a small box in the drawer that I have been hiding for quite some time now. Pulling it out, I look at it and wonder if this is the right time or if I should wait to reveal it. Maura comes into the kitchen. I slam the box down and swiftly shut the drawer.
“What are you doing?” She asks with a concerned look.
“Nothing, I’m just getting coffee, here,” I say sliding the mug over to her. She takes it in both hands and sips, making eye contact with me the entire time.
“What?” I ask as she glares at me suspiciously.
“Nothing, I've got to run,” she says with a quick kiss to my cheek.
After she leaves, I move the little box to another hiding spot. I have been hiding it in different places because I’m afraid she will stumble upon it and I want this to be a surprise.
I quickly take a shower and get ready for work. I have a therapy appointment today and I can't miss it, especially since I missed the last one.
On my way to the shop I call Doris to see how Don is.
“Don is doing well. He is being his usual stubborn self. I will tell him you called,” she says.
I laugh at the thought and tell her that I’m on my way to the shop to open it for the day and not to worry.
*****
The day quickly passes as I work on the previous day’s repairs and I manage to get the scheduled ones done as well. With one man running the show, manning the office and the garage can get hectic, but handled it rather well. I might be finding my rhythm.
Coming Back to You Page 10