by Ford, Mia
“That’s great, Mom. I…” I prepare myself to say something that I haven’t done for a very long time. “I love you. And Dad too. I love both of you and I’m looking forward to making things right.”
“And we love you. Adam too, of course…”
“He is here with me, so I will pass on the message.” I nod at him and he nods back, letting me know that he’s heard it. “We will all meet up soon and see where we go from here. Does that sound okay?”
“That sounds perfect. I will speak to you soon.”
“Wow,” I gasp at Adam as I hang up the phone. “That was really something, wasn’t it?”
“I don’t know what the hell has happened over the last couple of days, it has been insane, but your man has done something incredible. He’s actually managed to fix the unfixable.”
I get a swell of warm pride in my chest. He really has done something amazing. “It’s a start anyway.”
“It sounds to me like he’s left Mom’s house now, so I’m sure he will be coming here. Maybe me and Sian should get out of your way, so you can enjoy your time together.”
“Oh no, you don’t have to go. I’m sure you want to speak to him too…”
“Don’t you still need to tell Freddie the truth?” I nod, knowing that he’s right. “Exactly. You guys have a long evening in front of you. The last thing you need is us hanging around. Josiah and I have all the time in the world to catch up again anyway. There isn’t any rush. You will only get this night once.”
“Yeah.” I smile brightly. “You’re right. We will. Thank you, Adam.”
Adam and Sian get themselves ready to leave. I’m really emotional as I say goodbye to them at the door. This feels like the first time we are all really being ourselves and it’s nice. There isn’t a fence between us anymore, we are being ourselves and I like it. I want to show everyone the real me and to see them too. This is what families are supposed to be after all. We shouldn’t hide away; we should be able to just be.
“Oh look!” Just as Adam and Sian pull away in the car, Josiah’s comes around the corner. They pass each other, pausing with their windows down to talk to one another. I wonder what’s being said, but mostly I’m just excited and impatient for him to get here at last. I can’t wait to fill him in on what’s happened. I bounce on my heels as I wait for him to finally pull up in the driveway and park his car. My heart races, my breaths are sharp with need, I just want him here, so I can finally wrap my arms around him. I want to hold him for so many reasons. Because I love him and because he’s done the impossible. He’s managed to fix things. The man who threatened to tear everything apart has pulled us all together. It’s incredible… he is incredible.
“Football!” Freddie screams, running out of the house to get him. “Can we play?”
I laugh, more than willing to let them at it for a while. Much as I’m impatient, I can take a back seat while they play. I smile and nod, silently communicating that everything is good now and leave them to it. Like Adam said, we have all the time in the world for everything else. For now, we can just be.
* * *
We sit in front of Freddie, side by side, looking down at him and waiting for a reaction. I don’t know if we have picked the right time to tell him, but it seems crazy that everyone else knows but him. The best way to end this day is to finally have everyone know the truth, including this gorgeous little boy.
“Daddy?” He cocks his head and looks at Josiah curiously. I suck in a breath and wait to see what will come next. There are so many ways this could go. “Okay,” he finally declares acceptingly. “Bedtime?”
He grabs Josiah’s hand, indicating that he wants him to take him up to tuck him in. He looks at me questioningly and while it’s hard for me to let go I have had two years of bedtimes. I can let him have this one.
I listen to them going up the stairs and I hear Freddie pick out a book for Josiah to read to him. Thank goodness this happened now when Freddie is young enough to just take things in stride. If this had happened at a later age, we could be in real trouble here. It’s all turned out really well.
I smile to myself and spend some time tidying up the chaos of the living room. A sense of calm has overcome me, and I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere ever again. I’m no longer alone in all of this.
By the time Josiah comes back to me, with the happiest look I have ever seen on his face, the whole place is tidy, and I have drinks ready. I didn’t realize how much other stuff I could get done with some help!
“Is he asleep?” Josiah nods. “Wow, you managed that really quickly.”
“I think it has been a long day. I’m sure he’s more exhausted than anything else.” He grins brightly. “He did tell me that he loves me and called me Daddy before he went to sleep though, which was nice.”
I circle my arms around Josiah’s hips and squeeze him tight. “You should get used to that.”
“I don’t know if I will ever get used to it! It’s such an incredible feeling.”
“I know. It’s the best feeling in the world. It doesn’t dull either, it gets better every day.”
“Good job I’m going to be around every day then.” He kisses the end of my nose gently.
“You are… and by some miracle, you have made things all good with my family as well. I was going to demand to know all your secrets but now I think I don’t want to know. I’m just happy that it happened. Mom called me and apologized for everything. She wants to start making everything right again.”
“Well that has got to be a good thing, am I right?” I nod enthusiastically. “Perfect.”
I push up on to my tiptoes and press my lips against his, my heart racing as I do. His kiss sends a flurry of butterflies racing all the way through me, the excitement deep inside of me builds.
“I know it’s early, but do you want to go up to bed?” I ask coyly. “It has been a long day…”
Josiah pinches my hip playfully, causing flames to lick all over my skin. “I like the sound of that.”
He takes my hand and we walk towards my bedroom, pausing to kiss every so often. His fingers knot passionately up in my hair, our hands run over each other’s bodies as if we are exploring one another for the very first time, his lips are all over me and it is phenomenal.
We don’t manage to make it to the bed before we begin tearing one another’s clothes off. We shed them like a second skin and toss them everywhere, all about the place. It’ll be a mess in here but who the hell cares? That is an issue for another time. Right now, the only thing I care about is touching him all over.
“Oh fuck,” he groans as my fingers finally wrap around his cock. “Shit, Paisley.”
I pump my fist and press him back up against the wall. His face contorts in sheer bliss, it’s a look that causes a deep flurry between my thighs. I want more of it so without hesitation I slide down his body, pressing my lips against his hard, hot flesh. He moans as I kiss his abs, his stomach, the tops of his thighs. I can’t stop myself from wanting to taste all the perspiration dripping off of him, teasing him until the very last second. There is a deep shudder running through his body that suggests I’m already getting to him.
“Fuck, Paisley, that feels… it’s too…” His gasping words have my head spinning. “You’re just…”
I press my lips lightly against his length, kissing him chastely. The heat burns off his cock, it’s luring me in. One inhale fills my nostrils with a masculine, salty scent. I need more. I’m so desperate to taste that I pop him between my lips, but I don’t drag my mouth all the way down just yet. I remain at his tip, sucking and licking him like a damn lollipop. The slick wetness covering the top of him gives me a deep taste of him, one that sends me flying high. I cave and push him all the way to the back of my throat, moaning with bliss as I do.
Josiah grabs on to my head and controls my movements ever so slightly. I let him because I want to know what speed and pace he likes. It’s different every time, I know him well enough to know that. T
oday he wants me to move at a slow and steady pace while flickering my tongue all over him. The taste of him makes me moan and the groan vibrates up and down his length, seemingly sending him over the edge.
“Fuck, Paisley, I want to be inside you. I need you so bad.”
He grabs me off of him and pulls me away. He tucks his hands under my armpits and pulls me to my feet before spinning me around and pressing me back against the wall. He lifts me from the ground and I immediately wrap my legs tightly around him, so I can feel him pressing against my entrance. I press into him, pushing him inside, losing myself in the heat of the moment yet again.
“No wait, we need to use protection,” Josiah gasps. “We need to be careful.”
I toss my head back and bite down on my bottom lip to resist letting out a yell. I’m frustrated, I’m annoyed, but he’s right. The next time we have a child I want it to be planned. I don’t resist as Josiah tosses me on to the bed. Instead, I watch in awe as he wraps the condom over himself, making it safe.
He leans across me and rests his forehead against mine and slips into me.
“I love you,” he mutters softly. “So very much. I’m so glad we get to be together at last.”
“I love you too.” I grip my hands into his butt and pull him deeper into me. “And me too.”
Happiness swims around me and overcomes me as we both thrust hard against one another. Everything that we have locked away in fear comes flying free as the pleasure hits us both. It crashes over me so hard as if it’s coming from every angle, shattering through me like a wave. The power of it takes me off the planet for a moment and makes me feel free. Free and happy at last.
I love this man and he loves me. This is it, the start of our love story at last. I must be the luckiest woman alive to get to be with a man like this, to have my childhood crush in my arms, belonging to me.
This time we are going to make it last forever. I just know it.
33
Josiah
Eighteen Months Later…
“I can’t believe it’s Christmas again! The years just seem to pass by so quickly, don’t they?”
I laugh and nod. “Yeah and that will only get worse when your baby is born! Time flies then. I mean, I might not know too much about the early stages of having a kid, but it’s crazy with Freddie.”
Adam and I both look to where Sian is talking to Paisley, admiring her swollen belly. She is due any day now and knowing what this family is like the child will probably come today. The Jones’ always seem to come with a lot of drama attached. I don’t know what it is about them, but nothing is ever straight forward.
“Do you ever think about having any more?” Adam asks me curiously. “I’m surprised that you and Paisley don’t actually. I told Sian that I thought you’d have another before we have even one.”
“A bit late now. You two are really close to your due date now. Are you ready for it?”
“I don’t think I am, but Sian is. She’s a born mother. She’ll be great at it.”
I nod having to agree with him. I have seen how good Sian is with Freddie, she will definitely be a great mother. “I’m sure you will be amazing too. As for me and Paisley, I want to make things right before we have another child. I want to go down the traditional route before we get pregnant again.”
“You’re thinking about getting hitched, huh? That would be pretty cool.”
With a cheeky smile playing on my lips, I pull the small ring box out of my pocket and show it to Adam. “I’m not just thinking about it. I’m planning it and I have been for a while now.”
Adam claps his hand to his mouth loudly, the shock getting to him. “Are you serious?”
“I’m deadly serious. I have wanted to marry Paisley for a long time now, but we have been taking things slowly. We didn’t want to rush in to things head first and to have things blow up.”
“It has taken you two a long time to move in together.”
“Paisley didn’t want to cause Freddie any upheaval that he wasn’t ready for.”
“I bet he loves it now, doesn’t he?” Adam grins. “All that extra space. I bet it’s fantastic for him.”
“Oh, he loves it. He even has his own room for kicking balls around in which is perfect. I really think that boy is going to go into sports. He seems way more cut out for it than I ever was.”
“You sure he is yours?” Adam prods me hard. “I don’t remember you ever being good at sports. But now you’re going to be my brother-in-law so maybe I need to stop ribbing on you all the time.”
“We don’t know definitely that she’s going to say yes yet…” I try, but he just laughs.
“She’s going to say yes,” Adam reassures me. “Paisley loves you more than anything. Have you asked Dad?”
“Not yet,” I admit. “But I’m going to. I’m just waiting for the right moment that’s all.”
“Well, you aren’t going to be able to ask Paisley without asking him first. The girls are talking, Mom is cooking, Dad is in his study. This would be the best time to go and get his permission.”
“He might not want to be disturbed though…” Adam gives me a look. “Okay, okay, I’m going.”
My heart thunders as I walk through the house towards Paisley’s dad. Things might be a little better between me and the family these days, but there is no guarantee that he will let this happen. Every so often I get a glimmer of distrust from him like he still isn’t fully sure about me. I have never fully been sure if this is just my paranoia or not, which I suppose will come to light today. If he really isn’t sure about me and Paisley, this will be the time to let me know. Oh God, I really don’t want him to let me know. I hope I’m just paranoid.
See, the thing is I want to do everything in the right way, I want to get his blessing and be traditional, but if he says no then I will still be inclined to marry his daughter. I will still need Paisley to finally be my wife.
I knock on the door lightly, almost praying that he doesn’t hear me, but he very quickly tells me to come inside. I peer my head around the door and smile thinly at him before I take a tentative step inside.
“Hello, Mr. Jones, do you mind if I have a moment of your time? If you aren’t too busy that is…”
He indicates to a seat in front of him which I take a seat in. I watch as he taps his fingers together in a thoughtful way while examining me curiously. “Yes, Josiah, what can I help you with?”
“I… wanted to speak to you about Paisley.” Oh God, I should have planned what I was going to say. I can’t seem to find the words at all. They are jammed somewhere in the back of my throat.
“You do, huh? And what is that?” His eyes zone in on me, I can feel them piercing my skin.
I pull out the ring box and hand it to him, letting it do the talking for me. His eyes widen in surprise and he takes a look inside. I wait with bated breath for his expression to change one way or another. This is one of the most anxiety inducing moments of my whole entire life. I barely know how to stand, how to act, how to be.
“So, you want to ask Paisley to marry you? That’s what I’m to guess from this?”
“Yes. That’s right. I think we are in the right place now for us to take things to another level…”
“Why did it take you so long?” he asks with a giant smile spreading across his face. “I would have thought that you two would have been married ages ago. We were actually starting to worry that you were never going to get married. That you were just going to remain living together for ages.”
I wondered if I was going to get a negative comment about that. Once upon a time, I definitely would have. Paisley’s parents and their delightful opinions ruled us, but not anymore. We have all moved passed that place now and we’re doing really well. As he keeps his opinion to himself right now, I know that this is the way that it’s always going to be. He is finally just going to let us live our lives in the best way possible.
“Well, I have been trying to take it slow, so Paisley doesn’t f
eel pushed in to anything, but now I feel like the time is right. We are ready to be married and to maybe even expand our family.”
“Ah, I see! So, you are very serious? That is good to know.”
“I am. I really want to marry Paisley and I would love to have your blessing first.”
“Well, you definitely have that. I am more than happy to give it to you.”
I beam happily, glad that it was so easy. “Thank you so much. That means a lot.”
“When are you going to pop the question?”
I smile to myself. I have picked out the time specifically for a reason. The last Christmas that me and Paisley had dinner here – because last year we just had something small for the three of us – I didn’t get to the dinner part. I left beforehand because things had gotten strained between me and Paisley, so it only seems fitting to not only stay this time but to ask her to marry me as well.
“At dinner,” I admit. “Or maybe just before depending on how long I can hold it in.”
“I would recommend before or you won’t be able to eat with nerves. I remember proposing myself and I found it a very scary experience. Obviously worth it, but hard at the time.”
I nod rapidly, agreeing with him. “Yeah, you are probably right. Before is good.”
He checks his watch and nods towards the door. “Well, that isn’t long now, you probably should get started.”
There is almost a skip in my step as I walk back to the other room. Yes, I know that the proposal is going to be challenging, but I honestly don’t think that it will be as difficult as that. That was one of the scariest conversations that I have ever had in my life. Thank goodness I’m not the little orphan boy not good enough for Paisley anymore. I’m a well-established business man who has earned the right to ask her to marry me.
My time as a father has helped as well. I am grateful that I’ve been allowed to prove myself. It hasn’t always been the easiest. I have come across some difficulties along the way, but I have survived them all. I am pretty sure that all parents have that anyway, whether they have been around from the start or not. From what I have heard it’s the same whether it’s the first child or the tenth. Every kid is different, every parent is unique, and it is all just a journey. One that everyone struggles through in their own personal way.