Taking the Fall

by W. Ferraro

  “My mom is busy. She’s been spending more time with me lately, but when I was little, I didn’t see much of her. Her and my stepdad went out a lot. My nanny, Lucy, liked to give snuggles a lot but then my stepdad sent her away and I got a new nanny and I didn’t like to snuggle with her. She smelled funny.”

  Sammy laughed and Molly felt the need to pull Leah right down on the ground and bring her into her arms and just hug her until she didn’t want to any longer. Molly’s fury toward Allison grew more at that moment than the realization she was the reason for Hunter’s twenty-year neglect.

  “What about your dad, Dr. Dennison? Does he like to hold your hand and give hugs?” Sammy asked and Molly again found herself waiting with bated breath for the answer.

  Leah’s face lit up with talk of her dad, just like Molly remembered looking up to her dad, like every little girl should be able to. “No, my dad insists on daily hugs, even before you brush your teeth.”

  That had Molly laughing aloud because she too was quite familiar with Hunter’s insistence on any form of intimacy before such self-care habits.

  Soon, the trio found themselves exploring the amazing stone path garden at a leisurely stroll looking at the beautiful planted and potted flowers.

  “Three beautiful girls. This must mean trouble,” Hunter said as he approached them. Molly who now stood in the middle holding each of the girl’s hands looked at the exceedingly handsome man. She watched as his smiling eyes looked down to where she and Leah’s hand connected, before bringing them back up to meet her green eyes with so much longing.

  “Hi, Dad! Sammy wanted to see Nana’s petunias and pansies.”

  “Sorry, Leah is just such a wonderful tour guide. I couldn’t help but tag along, too,” Molly offered, unable and not wanting to keep the smile from her face and voice.

  Hunter stood there in a soft gray shirt and soft, well-worn jeans, his dark hair tucked under his gray tweed cap, and his scuffed sneakers. Molly knew at that moment that no one had ever looked so sexy to her in her life.

  “Well, Moonbeam, if you want any of your favorites left, you better hurry along before your uncles eat it all.”

  Sammy and Leah answered in unison, “No! Not the Pop-Tarts!” Without another word, they both raced off toward the house still holding hands.

  Reveling in his intense gaze, her body began to buzz with awareness, and even as he slowly approached her, she found herself offering up honesty. “She is such an amazing kid, Hunter. Truly beautiful.”

  She continued to walk backward as he slowly and methodically stalked toward her, guiding her to where he wanted; the shelter of a tall weeping willow tree.

  “Thank you. I couldn’t agree more,” he said pinning her between the tree trunk at her back and him at her front.

  Molly immediately felt the hardness of his lower half press into her, and she couldn’t help but close her eyes to the sensation. He immediately buried his head in her neck, inhaling her scent and licking her skin, making her want to moan.

  His hands ran over her hips to her thighs and then back around to her ass, in such an erotic tempo she found herself moving her hips to the rhythm.

  “This day seems like the longest,” he mumbled, as if in pain, against her neck.

  She brought her hands up wrapping them around his neck, massaging the spot where the skin met hairline, and it was now his turn to moan.

  “It hasn’t even been an hour.” She giggled.

  “Don’t laugh at me. I told you that I wanted to scream it from the rooftops. I want to be able to touch you and kiss you, regardless of who is around.”

  “I know, love.”

  Now with their foreheads against one another, Hunter begged, “Say it again.”

  “What?” she breathed, knowing exactly what she had accidentally let slip out.

  “Say it,” he demanded quietly.

  “Love,” she spoke barely above a whisper, and his hands cupped both sides of her face.

  “I know this is crazy. I know it is absolutely insane, but it doesn’t change the truth of it. I am one hundred percent positive that I am head over heels in love with you, Molly. I think I’ve always been, but I learned what I felt decades ago and even a few weeks ago is nothing compared to the depth and devotion that I feel right now.”

  Blue to green, intense and solid, nothing wavered, nothing else existed, just the two of them and his words.

  “You are the most amazing, beautiful, sexy, and wonderful woman I have ever known. You carry light, love, and such a refreshing take on everything with you the way others carry a chip on their shoulder. Your heart knows no bounds, and your mind is equally infinite. You captured my heart years ago, but you sealed the permanency of it just recently. When I’m not with you, all I can think of is hearing you laugh and seeing you smile, smelling your amazing made for me scent, and hearing about your day. I want to know everything and anything that has the privilege to cross through that beautiful head of yours. But then when I’m near you, all I can think about is touching you, hearing those incredible sexy sounds you make that you aren’t even aware you do. Your taste should come with a warning label, completely addicting and completely worth whatever fee I would have to pay to have just one more taste. I want you in my bed. I want to be in you, I want to make you scream out in passion, and I want my name on your luscious lips each time.”

  His voice never hesitated, nor did his gaze, each word striking her with more and more weight. All Molly could do was hold onto his wrists as his thumb caressed her cheeks and the tears began to roll down her cheeks.

  “But my love for you just cemented itself into history when I saw you hold my daughter’s hand. She is the most precious thing in my life. My greatest treasure and my greatest achievement, she will never be negotiable and she will never be second choice. You gave her the one thing she has so desperately wanted for so long, attention—no expectations, no judgment, just your time and thoughtfulness.”

  “Hunter . . .”

  “The only way I know to put into words all that I’m feeling right now is to tell you that I love you. I love you, Molly. I’ve never known anything close to what I feel for you, and I never want to. You are it for me. This is forever.”

  Hunter leaned in and kissed her. The pure sweetness of such a kiss catapulted with the mixture of tears from both of them that they tasted. Molly wrapped her arms around Hunter, holding him to her so she could show him how much the feeling was mutual.

  She was in love with Hunter Dennison; completely and never changing absolutely in love with him.

  “I love you, too.”

  Her confirmation caused the widest of smiles thus far.

  “I want you so badly right now.” He spoke against her lips and the effect of such words was evident in her panties.

  Somehow, they found the strength to break apart and just leaned into the other unable to let go, needing the physical closeness to saturate the moment in what words couldn’t touch.

  They walked back to find an aggressive game of volleyball ensuing. Molly watched as Jess’ face showed her true happiness, just as her mother’s did.

  They ate, they drank, they laughed, and they made what was sure to be the first of a lifetime of memories.

  “Come on, Jess, we have to get going,” Molly said watching her daughter’s concentrating and laughing face.

  “In a sec, Mom,” Jess laughed as she executed an incredible dance move making her the winner of a dance off her and Bree were doing in front of the flat screen.

  The entire family was crowded around the dueling pair as each of their legs moved with amazing grace and speed mimicking the moves done on the image on the screen.

  When the screen flashed, confirming Jess’ victory, Bree dramatically collapsed on the floor, breathing hard.

  Jess extended a hand bringing her new friend up to her feet when Bree hugged her and said, “Finally, I meet an appropriate opponent, and she threatens to kill me. God, I’m outta shape.”

  Jess
brought her hand back, pushing the hair that fell across her face as she continued to radiate pure happiness.

  “She’s good,” Hunter whispered as he and Molly stood just outside the crowd in somewhat privacy.

  “She’s happy. God, how I’ve missed seeing that particular expression on her face.”

  Hunter reached for the back of Molly’s neck, offering comfort before Molly issued a reminder, “Okay, Jess, let’s get going before we are never invited back.”

  Just about everyone named Dennison reminded all the Jenson girls that they were welcome back at any time. In fact, Molly found great happiness in witnessing Bree make plans with Jess for a dance rematch.

  With several rounds of goodbyes, hugs and invitations to come back anytime, Hunter quietly promised that he and Leah would come to their place later to have the sit down with the girls. Molly and her daughters headed to her car with everyone, speaking of the great time they had.

  By the time they reached home, Molly and the girls were in quite the good mood as Molly straightened the house for their impending guests. Each of the girls entertained themselves in the living room as Molly floated around the house.

  When she crossed the hutch, she looked into the mirrored back and examined her reflection. So much had occurred in such a short time, yet all of it was evident on her face. She looked happy and thriving, and Molly realized just how in despair she had truly been before the center of her life became so entwined with Hunter Dennison.

  Here’s to looking forward to Hunter being by your side, Molly. It is about damn time you got your happily ever after.

  It was just shy of 8PM when there was a knock on Molly’s door.

  “Who’s that?” Sammy asked from the couch where she laid in her Tinkerbell pajamas with a Twizzlers hanging out of her mouth.

  Molly got up and answered the door; the smile that greeted her had her blood stream warming.

  “Hi!” they said simultaneously as Leah welcomed herself right into Molly’s home. Leah found Sammy easily enough, and the squeals of delight had both Molly and Hunter smiling.

  They both entered Molly’s living room, taking a seat on the couch opposite the loveseat where the girls sat together.

  “Hey Jess, can you come out here,” Molly yelled.

  Jess appeared a moment or two later with a sudden look of confusion on her face. She came in and took a seat on the arm of the loveseat where Sammy and Leah were currently hugging each other.

  “What’s up?”

  Molly had looked at Hunter eagerly before he took the lead. “Girls, we have something we’d like to tell you . . .”

  “We are having a sleepover?” Sammy interrupted, eliciting screams of elation from the two youngest girls.

  Molly laughed, suddenly thinking that a sleepover sounded like a great idea.

  With his arms wrapped around Molly’s waist, he looked at her and said, “Do you want to tell them or should I?”

  “Are you just going to tell us how you are now boyfriend and girlfriend, like kissing each other all the time?” Sammy asked in the most honest of ways.

  Molly couldn’t help the blush that crossed her face. She looked at Hunter and he too had more color in his cheeks than just moments ago.

  “What we are trying to tell you is that you girls are all very important to us. We want to make sure you are all right with us being together as a couple,” Molly said trying to stress the importance of her words.

  Hunter gave her a squeeze before adding, “It means we all will be doing more things together, spending more time together, and we want to make sure you are all right with that.”

  “Like a family?” Sammy asked inquisitively.

  “Yea! Lucky-freakin’-dah, you guys are a couple, we are all now one big happy family. Can I go now?” The sarcasm and dryness in Jess’ voice had tears welling up in Molly’s eyes.

  They both watched as Jess stormed out of the room and as both Sammy and Leah celebrated and made themselves comfortable sharing the open bag of Twizzlers that sat on the sofa cushion.

  Molly leaned back taking great comfort in Hunter’s willing embrace. He turned his head so he spoke quietly against her ear, “Do you want me to go talk to her? See if I can smooth it over?”

  Molly thought his offer was sweet, but she also knew he probably didn’t come armed for a round with Jess. Instead, Molly found herself just tapping his knee with her hand and saying, “It’s okay, let her go have some space. She didn’t scream like a banshee or cry like a waterfall so I’ll take it as accepting.”

  They shared some privacy in the kitchen, each with their own hot beverage basking in the knowledge that they didn’t need to hide anything anymore.

  “See! Told you it wouldn’t be painful,” Hunter said, reaching across the table and taking hold of her hand.

  They kept the conversation light as well as the degree of touching. From the other room, Leah and Sammy kept asking about that sleepover and Hunter and Molly couldn’t help but laugh. The two girls were relentless in their demand.

  “Well, then, can we at least go to the festival together?” Sammy asked feigning desperation.

  “I think that is a fantastic idea!” Hunter said, bumping the table with his fist before looking at a smiling Molly. “What do you think, beautiful?”

  So much was falling into place in such a short time, but nothing felt more right.

  “I think it is a must.”

  Before too long, Hunter was telling Leah that it was time to head home. Much to the dismay of his daughter and to himself, he had to bid Molly and the girls goodnight.

  “See you tomorrow?” he whispered as he happily placed his arms around her waist and kissed her in front of the audience of tiny estrogen.

  She too wrapped her arms around him enjoying the kiss they shared unabashedly.

  “Definitely,” she answered against his lips even through the kissing sounds the peanut gallery was making from the loveseat.

  After several attempts, they made it out the door with more promises of seeing and speaking with each other the next day.

  Molly closed the door and standing in front of her with a look that matched her own, Sammy said, “I’m happy, Mommy. I really want you to be happy, too.”

  She walked the few steps and picked up her daughter like the times she did when she was small. Molly carried her back to the couch and sat down cuddling with Sammy. She kissed her daughter’s forehead and said, “I am happy, sweetie. Between you and Jess and now Hunter and Leah, I am very happy.”

  “Then be prepared to be happy all the time, because Leah and I will be spending a lot of time together,” Sammy said with such expression, not realizing the power her words carried to her mom. Sammy reached over, grabbing the last of the Twizzlers. She ripped off one and gave it to Molly before she said, “And don’t think we forgot about having a sleepover, either.”

  With a smile that could not be reproduced, Molly acted like she was heeding her daughter’s words and answered seriously, “I know better than to expect any such thing from you, my dear Samantha.”

  With a mouth full of licorice, Sammy leaned back and said maturely, “As long as we are all on the same page then.”

  The last week had gone by in a blur. Molly rearranged her schedule as much as she could to spend as much time with Hunter and Leah as she could. But when they couldn’t be together, the dad and daughter duo came to Molly’s for mealtimes.

  Finally, the day of the festival had arrived and Molly was standing in the kitchen of the restaurant feeling completely horrible about what Greg was suggesting.

  “You are not using your head, girl. Everyone is going to be enjoying the festivities outside. Do yourself a favor and just turn the closed sign around and lock the door. No need to miss out on the festivities outdoors because you are in an empty restaurant waiting for someone to come walking in the door.”

  But she had never closed the restaurant before just on a whim.

  “Besides, isn’t there a certain man and a p
air of young girls who will be expected your full and undivided attention?”

  Unable to control the blush that formed on her cheeks, she smiled at the mention of such a delightful picture.

  “You know I wouldn’t tell you to close down if I didn’t think it would be in your best interest. Go out and enjoy the day and the festival. The restaurant will be here tomorrow.” He walked over to her, giving her a fatherly hug before placing a kiss on her forehead. “If it will put your mind at ease, I will stick around in case someone knocks on the door and insists on one of my burgers.”

  She smiled broader at that remark before gently slapping his shoulder. “No, I couldn’t ask you to do such a thing.”

  “But if it will make you feel better, I will.” He flicked her nose with his finger. “Besides, there is plenty for me to do here, including cleaning that fryer that I’ve been putting off.”

  Molly knew that arguing with him would be a moot point, but it didn’t mean her guilt would lessen.

  “If you are so eager for me to listen to your advice, how come you aren’t?”

  “Because, I know my girl is going to worry and if having me here is going to give her peace of mind, then that is what I’ll do.”

  Even when he is prickly, he is wonderful.

  Molly knew how lucky she was to have such an amazing man in her life, but at moments like this, she wished she could really tell him just how much his old worn face meant to her. But she knew he would rather dice his finger off than get all sappy with her.

  “You are just too good to me.”

  “It is one of the many privileges of my life.” Greg kissed her forehead once more.

  And as if right on cue, Hunter, Leah, and Sammy came strolling through the kitchen door.

  “Quiet day around here,” Hunter said walking to Molly’s side before kissing her lips enthusiastically.

  Molly pulled away from Hunter and looked at Greg once more before saying, “Well, I decided,” Greg winked at her, “that the restaurant is going to close all day so we can enjoy everything the festival has to offer.”