by L. U. Ann
Chapter Nine and a Half
“What did I tell you? You are not allowed over there anymore. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you something before you will listen. I told you not to run next door ever again, and what do I find? You are playing with your so-called friend. I’ve got news for you. He’s not your friend. We are not friends with his parents and I forbid you to ever step foot in their house!” He hits me over the head with my sweater, which happens to be part of my uniform. I’m already late for school, but he keeps yelling and hitting me with my sweater.
I cry out in the pain and watch the blood begin to deepen my red curls. I’m scared because I can’t get my uniform dirty or stained, because then Daddy’s going to be angrier.
“Patrick! What are you doing?!” Mommy asks, rescuing me from my mean daddy. “You’ve gone and made your own daughter bleed!”
“What the hell are rocks doing in your sweater, Lacey? Something else you refuse to listen to me about. I’ve told you time and time again not to pick up the rocks from our neighbor’s driveway. You don’t listen!”
“Patrick, get the hell out of here. I’m taking her to the hospital. She needs stitches,” Mommy yells to Daddy.
“Sweetie, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. Mommy’s trying to make it better. I am.” Mommy cries, walking me to the car.
It's been three hundred and sixty five days of paradise, give or take, and it’s amazing what a year can do. Finally sitting down for the first time in, I glance down at my watch, six and a half hours, and I have to answer him?
“Devon, really?” I shout in irritation from his bedroom. Oh wait, I mean our bedroom. I cannot believe Evan and I have moved in today. We are in love, spoiling Evan to pieces, and cannot wait to spend every night together. But all that joy goes down the drain when I see the name and number on my cell phone.
“What’s wrong?” Devon asks, turning the corner carrying Evan in his arms.
The poor child will never get his balance right with Devon around. He dotes on him like crazy, but it’s fantastic. I love it and the reality. I hold up my phone for him to see the three missed calls. Rolling his eyes, he carries my little man out with him, leaving me to deal with Rogers. With any and all respect for him gone, I refuse to call him anything but his last name. And he’ll never get a Mr. in the front of it. No, the asshole's more like the Grinch who stole Christmas.
Sinking into a chair, I push the bastard’s picture.
“Lacey!” Answered on the first ring. When I mumble my reply, he continues, “I can’t make it down for Christmas, you need to bring Evan up here.” Say what? I want ‘Peace on Earth’ not ‘Caine Pain in Hell’.
“Um, that's not possible. Devon and I have plans." I say, shocked by his delusional thoughts that I’m going to change what I have planned with my amazing boyfriend to be around him. It will be like walking ten miles barefoot in the snow to school, uphill both ways, but twenty times worse. This is a repeated argument. Is he that deranged to think I should bring Evan to him? As if!
"I give you money every month.”
“That’s child support!”
“You owe me, bring Evan to me, it's my holiday! Just wait until I call my lawyer and then we'll see who's doing what." Click, the phone falls silent. Seriously? I need to drop whatever I'm doing to take Evan to see his father because it's his holiday? Yeah, not happening.
Throwing my head into my hands, I cry from the frustration. I'm exhausted from unpacking and don’t need this today. It’s supposed to be a happy time. I cannot stand the calls every few days, the arguments over money, the irritation he has with his son moving into a stranger’s house, the amount of affection my mom gives Evan. Just shut up already, Caine.
Little bells pitter-patter closer to me and I smile.
"Evan, my Sweet Pea. What are you doing, huh? Is De-De chasing you?"
His semi-toothed smile grows big, and his arms are stretched wide to balance himself as he runs from Devon.
"Cookie Monster is gonna get you!" Devon rumbles, crawling into our bedroom in an effort to catch up to my little man. He has him wrapped around his finger. He really loves Evan as his own. I couldn't ask for a better male role model, either.
"Everything okay?" Devon asks, kneeling in front of me and rubbing my legs for comfort. He knows it takes everything I have to get through conversations with that man.
I look into the beautiful blue eyes I love so much. "Why can't he just leave us alone? I cannot wait to get the court date to finalize our divorce. I'm tired of the emotional drain he puts us through."
"Sweetheart, it will be okay. I promise." He rises to kiss me as Evan attempts to get between us to tackle Devon. Dramatically, Devon falls back as if a sumo wrestler has knocked him off his feet. Evan giggles, falls over, and crawls on top of him.
"Yay, Evan, you got De-De!" I say, loving Evan's name for Devon.
He can't say Devon so he says De-De. It's the cutest thing and so close to the word dad. I mean seriously, it seems he's the only father figure this child has known, besides my brother-in-law Blake, since I was released from the hospital last year.
With a grunt, Devon gives up the fight. "Victory!" he says, raising one of Evan's arms.
Devon and I laugh, causing Evan to giggle more. Where there’s a giggle, there's drool. Devon doesn't care about any of the stuff that Caine constantly complains about when he visits, and that's not very often, thank Heavens! Devon could care less what he has to clean up after Evan, what Evan wants to do, or how many times he gets up in the middle of the night. Devon doesn't care because he truly loves Evan. I knew he did. He’s said it a number of times, but holy cow, he's being honest. It hits me hard by surprise.
"Lacey?"
My tear filled eyes raise to Devon's.
"What's wrong?" he asks, panic whispered in his breath.
"Nothing," I say, shaking my head. "Nothing at all."
"Why are you crying?" he asks, returning to his prior position to wipe the tears falling freely.
"You know everything about me, my past, my issues with Caine. And you still love us," I utter through a laugh mixed with tears, causing multiple hiccups.
"What do you mean?" Devon asks confused. "Of course, I love you and Evan." He places my head in his hands. "What's going on? I try to show you at every chance how much I love you. Are you really just now realizing this?" His eyebrows are drawn together and pain hides behind his eyes.
"No, I know you love me. I know you love Evan. But it never occurred to me that you love us. We're a family, Devon. A real family, under the same roof, planning our future together."
"Hell yeah! I love you two so much," he mumbles on my lips before they accept mine. "Do not ever refute my love for you, or for Evan. You two are my future. I cannot wait until your divorce is finalized, because I have every intention of making you mine, Sweetheart. In fact, I would love nothing more than to make Evan mine, too."
"I don’t understand, what do you mean? He absolutely adores you." Thoughts tangled, I'm confused.
"No, Lacey. I want to adopt him and give him my last name. I want him to be my child."
"Devon...," I sob. "He is yours, just not on paper."
"I want it on paper, in his heart, in yours. I want to shout it from the rooftops that he's my son, Lacey. That man doesn't deserve his name attached to Evan's. I want to be his daddy, now and always. I love him, Lacey. Please say yes. Please say you'll ask that douche bag to relinquish rights," he says, searching my eyes to see if I feel the same way.
I nod over and over in absolute wonder, because this man has yet again made me the happiest person alive.
"What did I ever do?" I ask my charming boyfriend.
Devon raises his eyebrows, wanting clarity.
"To deserve you. What did I do to deserve you and your love? I love you so much." I elaborate.
He kisses me, but pulls away quickly to scoop up Evan, and with bo
th of us in his arms, he says, "This is my family and I love you both so much."
With a quickened heartbeat, I answer, "Yes, yes, I'll ask."
Offering a quick loving kiss to Devon, I turn my attention to Evan who is smiling widely as if he knows what this means for his future, beaming from the adoration we have for my little man. Devon and I each kiss a cheek of Evan's, with Devon lingering a little longer to offer raspberries which causes a fit of giggling and more drool to be added to Devon's shirt.
It feels as though I'm living a fairy tale. I wasn't supposed to have the happily ever after, but it's so close I can taste it. I'm going to have everything I could ever want.
"Come on, Sugar Pants, let's get some supper. We both have early mornings." He scoops up Evan, playing airplane in the open kitchen. "What's for supper, Little Man?"
"I'll get it. You two are a little preoccupied." I smile.
Devon is almost jumping at the chance to play with Evan more.
"If you're sure..." Devon trails further away from the kitchen, crashing onto the family room rug where Evan's whole world exists in the form of Thomas the Tank Engine. My little man, or shall I say, my men, love trains. I watch them play as 'boom', 'clip clop', 'beep' and my favorite 'chugga chugga' ring throughout the apartment. It's absolutely beautiful.
Putting Evan to sleep in our new home, well Evan’s and mine, for the first time is euphoric. I'm so happy to be here, finally. With Devon's hands gently massaging my shoulders, knowing how sore they are from moving boxes, we watch Evan's tiny breaths as he moves into a deeper slumber. We gaze in wonderment a little while longer, and then Devon pulls me into the master bedroom.
"This is our first night together under this roof. I want to spend all night making love to you, Lacey." He nuzzles my neck to kiss, nip, and lick his way up to that 'oh' spot that makes me weak every time. With a shiver of chills, he turns me around immediately, taking my mouth. I love his kisses, tasting him, and that tongue. Oh my, that tongue is perfection. His movements are urgent, and we break our kiss very briefly to remove our shirts, both working to push our pants down. "Lacey, I can't be gentle right now. I just need you."
I couldn't agree more.
His hands find my breasts, squeezing them he says, "I need to fuck these again, Baby." He pushes them together, clutching, and finally covering them with his mouth. Garments gone, he lifts me onto the bed while I scoot closer to the headboard. He bends, tasting my leg, moving up my stomach, and down my other leg.
"Devon...," I beg.
"What is it, Baby? You want that?"
"Yes, please. It feels so good," I whimper breathlessly.
Teasingly, his mouth finally settles between my legs and bursts of lights and sirens go off. I quickly explode under his able tongue as his fingers plunge my depths. He continues to swirl circles over my most sensitive spot, causing my body to shake and jolt from the onslaught of hyperawareness, but soon it changes to another wave of warmth and urgency. Another hard orgasm ensues. Holy shit is he gifted.
With a hand on my belly to keep me from scooting away, and the other plunging into my heat, he drives me to the point of another explosion. Sucking and long licks bring me down from my high, exhausted and into a puddle of sated lust. He climbs my body, again kissing my scar, my breasts, my neck, my ear, and then finally reaching my mouth as his excitement plunges into me. I immediately tighten around him, continuing to ride out my last orgasm. Or is this a new one? I have no idea. I don't need specifics. It feels so good, so fucking good.
Devon and I move our sweat stricken bodies together beautifully. I am in awe over where this man takes me.
"Shit, you feel so tight, Baby. I'm not going to last, Baby, I can't fucking hold on," he says as he fills my body with warmth, love, and the potential for new life. Potential we'll maybe have one day. Thank Heavens for the IUD I had implanted. Our sex life is spontaneous and abso-fucking-lutely great!
Waking up in my new home with the man I love is comforting. Feeling an emptiness next to me, I throw my arm over, patting the space where Devon is supposed to be. I listen carefully to find out if he’s running the shower. Nothing is coming from the bathroom. Tossing the covers aside, I throw on a t-shirt and shorts, and go in search of Devon.
Tiptoeing next to Evan’s room careful not to wake him, I hear mumbling. I move closer to hear Devon talking and I decide to peek in. I feel a tug to my heartstrings when I see Devon is reading a story to Evan, and they're snuggled together. Evan’s eyes are big with the anticipation of the next popup Devon’s going to show as he turns the page. Opening the door wider, just like the growth of my smile, my men notice me.
“I heard him gabbing and wanted to let you sleep a little longer," Devon says, sitting up and grabbing Evan in a big bear hug. He smothers him in growls, and Evan’s belly vibrates with an eruption of giggles so hard that he has a tough time getting air. The pleasant sounds make me laugh too.
Kissing Devon goodbye, Evan and I walk out to what will hopefully be many more days, weeks, months, years, and hopefully a lifetime. It feels wonderful to finally have a glimpse of what Lane and Blake share. Lane accepted Blake’s proposal on their trip to Williamsburg, Virginia and were married a month ago.
That's kind of the reason my father came back. It caused a huge family blow up because Lane did not allow him to walk her down the aisle. I'm so proud of Lane and her ability to see through things where I would only have clouded judgment. Blake treats her as if she walks on water. I couldn't ask for anything more other than a lifetime of happiness.
Lane is in her last year of college, so I've tried to take care of things for Mom. For instance, helping her with grocery shopping, running her general errands, and getting her out of the house to her doctor's appointments.
That is where Evan and I are headed now, to pick Mom up for a doctor’s appointment. She had a procedure performed last month. I think it’s a nerve block or something like that. Today’s her first follow-up appointment. Becca is meeting me at the house to join the fun of driving to Annapolis, and her helping me with Evan is an added bonus for both of us. Mom’s neurosurgeon is based at Hopkins, but her appointment is at one of the satellite offices. It’s kind of nice because we are going across the Bay Bridge afterwards to eat lunch at Harris Crab House. They have the best hushpuppies in the area, and Mom loves them.
The doctor is very pleased with her body's response to the procedure. She’s most likely headed for more back surgeries. She is a trooper, and any time spent with Evan helps take her mind off of her suffering. I wish I could take away her pain. Her migraines are worsening, as well, and she’s seeing a pain management doctor for those. Lane and I are worried she is on too many medications and that they’ll soon begin interfering with one another. Now that we are both out of the house, we unfortunately have to rely on my father to look after her. He came back about a month ago trying to reconcile. I was a basket case the entire time Evan and I were home. We began sleeping over at Devon's more and more, until he finally asked me to consider moving in. It was an offer I was happy to hear.
My father and I may have been close at one time, but that all changed when I learned the type of person he really is. I cannot justify that sort of behavior or abuse, but I will tolerate him for my mother. I will never allow him to be anywhere near Evan alone, however. That much I know.
I couldn’t stay in the same house for long. I would pull Evan’s crib against my bed and lock my door every night. I even had him sleep with me a few nights. I just couldn't take the chance.
The coolest thing that has happened this year is that Evan has two loving and dependable Grandmothers. Devon’s mom fell head over heels in love with Evan, and the gifts, the outings, and the love for Evan never ends between Mrs. Holmes and my mom. Mr. Holmes came around and finally warmed up to me last Christmas. I pulled him aside and had a heart to heart talk with him. I couldn’t go on without explaining my intentions to him, and I found out that he was worried Devon wouldn’t finish school since he was ge
tting more and more wrapped up with Evan and me. I promised Mr. Holmes that if our relationship progressed, we would wait until his degree was complete before we decided to take the next step.
"Mom, Mrs. Holmes would love it if you could go out for a cup of coffee or something. She even said we could come over, with Evan of course, and have coffee or tea at her house. Are you up for that tomorrow, maybe?"
"We'll see, Sweetie. I'm still not feeling a hundred percent."
"Okay. Lane and I are worried about you being stuck at home all day. We want you to get out. I know Dad is trying to sell the store. Why would he do something like that? It's your only income other than Social Security."
"The books are getting to be too much for me. I need to let it go."
Let it go? Why doesn't the man I used to call my father start taking care of the books? I look over at her with irritation.
"Drop it Lacey. We aren't going into this again," Mom says, giving me a pointed stare. Her mood is strange. I don't get why she is still around my father.
"I wish you never allowed him back into the house. You were so much happier when he was staying at the motel. Now that he's returned, you keep to yourself and are withdrawn. Maybe I need to call Grandma Pain."
"Please, stop! It's my life, Lacey. I don't need Grandma Pain, and I certainly don't need you and Lane to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. I'm a grown woman. If I want my husband to return, that's my business. It's not your decision."