The Journey Home

by Kelly Elliott

  Fingers snapping in my face pulled me back. “Maid of honor! You’re up.”

  Ugh. I hate this wedding planner. I shot the planner a look and said, “I have a name. It’s Maddie, not maid of honor.”

  I was feeling pretty good about myself for standing up to the Wicked Witch of the West—until she glared at me, making a strange noise.

  “Walking now,” I said as I made my way to where I would start heading down the aisle. While I was walking, I smiled and nodded, saying hello to complete strangers. I didn’t know most of these people, and I was pretty sure Jack and Monica didn’t either.

  That’s when I saw Cale. I sucked in a breath and attempted to keep my jaw from dropping to the ground and drool escaping. Holy shit. I need a new pair of panties.

  He was dressed in a black tux, white dress shirt and a light teal tie. His messy brown hair was tamed, but not too much. The smile on his face made me slow my pace, until I heard a whispered, “Speed it up maid of honor!” I looked behind me, but the evil wedding planner was nowhere to be seen. Maybe I’d imagined it. Or she had something planted in my flowers so she could boss me around remotely.

  As I came to the front, I saw Cale’s parents, Mary and Mitchel, sitting with Jack’s parents, Craig and Diane. My heart hurt for Monica, knowing that her parents weren’t here. Mary was holding Lily, who was also dressed in a light teal dress. She was five months old and just the sweetest little thing. I felt tears building in my eyes, and I looked away. I glanced back at Cale and his smile faded briefly before I gave him a slight grin. When I got to my position, he caught my eye and mouthed, “Happy tears?” I nodded and winked. I wasn’t sure why, but I was suddenly overcome with sadness.

  The wedding march began and everyone turned to watch Monica. My heart leapt with awe. She was stunning. I smiled when it looked like Jack’s knees were going weak. His smile was huge as he watched her walk toward him. When she finally arrived at his side, he held his hands out for her. He leaned in and I could hear him say, “You look beautiful, Monica. More beautiful than what I dreamed.”

  That’s when it happened. My best friend, a woman I’d known since middle school, publicly broke down in tears. Rachel, me and Monica’s college roommate, leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I’ll give you the fifty bucks after the reception.”

  I smiled and nodded.

  I TOOK IN a deep breath, inhaling Cale’s heavenly scent. I closed my eyes, moaning just slightly.

  “Maddie,” Cale said, “keep making noises like that and I’m going to sneak you out to my car and have my wicked way with you.”

  I looked into his eyes and giggled. “I’d totally be okay with that.”

  Cale looked around. “Shit, I wish we could.”

  I followed his gaze. My eyes caught Jack and Monica dancing.

  “They really are so good for each other. I’m so happy for them,” I whispered as Cale pulled me closer.

  “We’re going to be next,” he said with a grin.

  My heart slammed in my chest and I swallowed the lump in my throat. He turned and captured my eyes with his intense stare. His lips curled into that crooked smile that melted my heart.

  “That’s not a very romantic way to ask me to marry you, Mr. Blackwood.”

  Cale let out a chuckle. “No it wasn’t was it?”

  I slowly shook my head.

  He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against mine. “I love the way your lips taste.” His eyes searched my face. “I love the way your eyes reveal how much you love me.” His hands moved up and cupped my face. “And I love how you are mine.”

  I closed my eyes and barely spoke the words, “Yes. Yours.”

  His lips met mine again and soon we were lost in our kiss. Cale’s want pushed up against my abdomen and had my fingers digging deeper into is arms.

  “Cale, I love you so much,” I said. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted. All I’ll ever need.”

  He moved his hand down to my neck and pulled me back into a kiss. It was as if we were the only two people in the room. I was lost in his passion, engulfed in his love.

  “Excuse me, maid of honor and best man? It’s time for the toasts so break it up and follow me.”

  Cale glared at the wedding planner. “I hate that woman,” he hissed through his teeth.

  I giggled and turned to follow her. I didn’t even know what her name was. I was starting to think that Monica didn’t either. The lady only referred to herself as “the wedding planner.” So everyone called her that.

  “I don’t think she believes in names. I don’t even know if she has a name,” I said.

  Cale grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it as he laughed. “She has a name all right. It’s ‘bitch.’”

  I covered my mouth and laughed as the wedding planner turned and glared at us. I hit Cale in the side. “Great, now you’ve got her mad at us.”

  “After the toast, let’s make a run for it. Just for our own safety, no other reason.”

  I nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. Purely for our own safety, we should skip out on our best friends’ wedding before they even leave.”

  “No one will even notice we’re gone.” Cale said, pulling me closer to him and wrapping his arm around my waist.

  “Nope, no one. I don’t even know these people,” I said looking around. We stopped at the wedding party table and the planner handed us each a glass of champagne.

  “Since I never did get those speeches ahead of time like I asked, keep it short and sweet. No one wants to be bored by your toasts. Make it personal but not about you.” She gave me a once-over, and I made a face, slightly offended. Cale started laughing but quickly stopped when the evil witch turned to him. “Don’t say anything about his past girlfriends, sex life or any of that bullshit. Him. Monica. That’s it. Got it?”

  Cale chuckled. “Um…yep. I got it, Your Evilness.”

  She shot Cale a dirty look and said, “You’re on first, smart ass. Thirty seconds.”

  Cale winked at me before he stepped up to the microphone.

  It took everything out of me to stand there with a straight faced as Cale started from kindergarten and moved his way through college, with stories of him and Jack. The wedding planner finally took the mic from Cale, thanked him for his toast, and handed the mic to me. I smiled at Jack and then Monica.

  “I’ve never in my life met two people so in love with each other,” I said. “Your courtship was an amazing whirlwind, your wedding a breathtaking adventure, but your union…” I smiled as I watched Monica wipe away her tears. “Your union is a journey that will lead you to your happily ever after. I love you both so much, and I’m so happy for both of you. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Rembrandt.”

  Monica looked at me and mouthed, “I love you,” as Jack kissed her on the cheek.

  Cale walked up next to me and leaned down. His hot breath on my neck had me placing my hand on my stomach to calm the butterflies.

  “You’re so afraid of the wedding planner aren’t you?” he said.

  I smiled and nodded. “Yep.”

  I SLOWLY ROLLED over and pulled Maddie closer. The moment she let out a soft moan, my dick hardened. I smiled and turned her over.

  “Good morning, beautiful.” I said as I kissed the tip of her nose.

  She stretched and smiled back. “Good morning, handsome.”

  “It’s our first Christmas Eve together as a family.”

  The tears in her eyes made my heartbeat pick up. I loved Maddie so much, and I wanted to scream it from the tallest mountain.

  “I know,” she said. “I’m so excited. I feel like a little girl.”

  I teased her entrance as I cupped her face with my hands and gently kissed her cheeks. “Do you want your first present?”

  She thrusted her hips toward me and giggled. “If my first present is you making love to me, then, yes. I want it very much.”

  I slowly pushed into her as we both moaned. “God, Maddie. It’s like the first time every time wi
th you.” She wrapped her legs around me and pulled me closer.

  “Mmm…nothing is better than this. Best. Present. Ever.” She whispered against my lips.

  I slowly made love to her as we kissed. We couldn’t get enough of each other, but we needed it to be slow. Gentle.

  “Dada…”

  I stopped moving and looked at the monitor. I pulled out of Maddie, stood up, and pointed to the monitor. “Oh my God!”

  Maddie quickly sat up and looked. “What? What’s wrong with her? Oh, God!”

  She stood up next to me and looked at the monitor. Then gasped and started jumping up and down. “She’s sitting up. Cale! She’s sitting up!”

  “Dadadada.”

  My mouth dropped open. “She said, ‘Dada,’” I breathed. “She said, ‘Dada!’”

  Maddie tilted her head. “Yeah, I didn’t hear ‘Dada.’”

  “What? She clearly said, Dada.’”

  “Mamamama…”

  Maddie punched me in the arm. “Oh! My! God! She said, “Mama!’”

  My shoulders dropped and I stared at Maddie as she jumped up and down, grinning like a fool. “She is sitting up and saying, ‘Mama!’”

  I shook my head. “Uh, no. She’s sitting up, but she said, ‘Dada,’ then rambled off and said nothing but jumbled baby talk.”

  “Dada…Dada….” Maddie and I both looked at the monitor again.

  “Damn it. She said, ‘Dada.’” Maddie said as I ran toward the dresser. “Wait! Cale, where are you going?”

  I grabbed my phone off the dresser and headed upstairs. I opened the door and looked at my little princess sitting up all by herself. She looked up at me and smiled as she started to tip over. I quickly reached for her and sat her back up.

  “Good morning, Princess,” I said as I took a picture of her sitting up. “Were you calling for me? Dada? Say it again baby girl.”

  She smiled bigger and my heart about burst from my chest. “Mama,” she said.

  I shook my head. I put my finger up to my lips and whispered, “No, Dada.”

  She giggled. “Mama…Mama…Mamamama.” I picked her up and smiled.

  “Dada,” I whispered.

  She looked over my shoulder and I sucked a breath as I watched her smile. I swear, her eyes filled with something I’d never seen before.

  “Mama!” she said.

  I turned to see Maddie standing there. Tears were sliding down her beautiful cheeks. She placed her hand over her mouth and cried harder. I pulled her to me, and the three of us stood there together. Our little family.

  Maddie sniffled and pulled back as she wiped her nose with her robe. “Cale?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “Do you realize that you’re holding our daughter…and you’re naked?”

  I looked down and then looked back up. I handed Lily to Maddie and ran back down stairs to get dressed.

  Maddie walked into the kitchen with Lily and laughed. I poured both of us a cup of coffee and shook my head as I set Maddie’s cup of coffee down on the table. “Thank God she’s still too young to be affected by her father walking around butt-ass naked.

  Maddie laughed harder and set Lily down in her highchair, then kissed me. “Thank you,” she whispered against my lips.

  “For?”

  “Loving me,” she said. “I think the greatest gift I’ve ever received is you and Lily.”

  I swallowed hard and shook my head. “Do you know what I want more than anything, though?”

  I pulled her closer. She raised her eyebrow at my hard-on pressing into her.

  Chuckling, she asked, “What do you want more than anything?”

  I locked eyes with her. “I love Lily with my whole heart. You are both my whole world. But I want to see your stomach growing with our child, Maddie. I want to have a baby, you and me.”

  Maddie sucked in a breath and blinked rapidly, trying not to cry. She closed her eyes and whispered, “Cale…”

  I placed my finger under her chin and lifted her face so I could search her eyes. “The only thing our little family is missing,” I said, “is a piece of me and you.”

  Maddie placed her hand behind my neck and pulled me to her. We lost ourselves in the kiss. Before I knew it, I was taking Maddie right there on the kitchen floor.

  “Yes. Cale. Oh God, yes,” Maddie panted as I pounded her. What started out as a sweet and tender moment had quickly turned into heated passion. Maddie called out my name as I released myself into her.

  I buried my face in her neck and controlled my breathing. “Maddie,” I whispered as I felt my dick twitching inside of her. “I love you so much.”

  She was about to say something when I heard one of the kitchen chairs being pulled out. Maddie and I both stood and saw Monica sitting and pulling Lily’s high chair over to her. “Oh, peanut. Are these nasty adults teaching you about sex?”

  I quickly pulled up my pants as Maddie dropped to the floor and grabbed her panties.

  “Jesus, Monica. Did you just walk in here?” I asked. Maddie pulled her robe tighter and turned to Monica. Next thing I knew, Jack was walking into the kitchen.

  Jack kissed Maddie on the cheek and then turned to me. “Damn! When you gave us a key to your place, I didn’t think we would be getting porn with the deal.”

  Maddie swatted at Jack. “I’m gonna go get dressed,” she told me. “Please strip Jack and Monica of our house key.” Her cheeks were beautifully flushed, and I winked at her.

  Maddie made her way out of the kitchen, and I glared at Monica and Jack. “Really, you guys? You couldn’t have made yourself known when you let yourselves in?”

  Jack laughed. “Sorry dude, we rang the doorbell and figured y’all were outside.”

  “Dadadada…”

  Jack jumped and Monica gasped.

  “Holy shit! She talked!” Monica yelled. “She talked!”

  I chuckled. “She’s sitting up on her own, too.”

  Jack gave me a shocked look. “What? No way.”

  I nodded and took a sip of coffee. “You want coffee?” I asked.

  “Nah, we had Starbucks on our way over.” Jack said as he watched Monica.

  She was trying to get Lily to say, “Monica.” In this moment, I could see it in Jack's eyes—he was ready for a baby.

  “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” Maddie shouted as she came running into the kitchen clapping her hands. Lily jumped around in her high chair, excited.

  I had to adjust myself as I watched Maddie jumping up and down. I couldn’t believe my guy was at attention already.

  “What the hell are you freaking about over there? Late orgasm?” Monica asked.

  Maddie stopped and glared at Monica. “Don’t talk like that in front of Lily.”

  Monica laughed. “Excuse me! You were just having sex in front of her.”

  Maddie rolled her eyes and turned to me. “Cereal!”

  “Oh my gosh!” I said. “Cereal?”

  Maddie grabbed my hands and jumped again. She threw herself into my arms. “Cereal!”

  I spun her around and set her down. “I’ll get out the formula and you get the bowl.”

  She skipped a little and squeaked as she said, “I’m on it.”

  AS I RAN by Jack and Monica, I couldn’t help but notice how they were looking between Cale and me.

  “Is there some new cereal out that we should know about it?” Jack asked.

  I grabbed the bowl and a small baby spoon, then hurried back over to Cale.

  Monica laughed and then she jumped up. “Oh my God! Cereal? It’s time for cereal?”

  I looked at her and nodded as we both started jumping in our excitement.

  Jack’s mouth gaped. “Will someone please tell me about this amazing cereal?”

  “It’s for Lily, Jack. She’s old enough to have cereal now,” I said as I stood there and watched Cale mix the cereal with Lily’s formula.

  Monica grabbed my arm and said, “This. Is. So. Exciting!”

  “Why?”
r />   We all turned and looked at Jack. I shook my head and said, “Don’t you get it, Jack? Lily is having solid food…for the first time. Ever.”

  “And…this is why we are all acting like lunatics?” Jack asked. “No, wait—you’re the ones acting like lunatics.”

  Monica grunted and said, “Don’t pay attention to him. He doesn’t get it. I thought y’all were going to give her some cereal in her formula last month when she wasn’t sleeping very good.”

  Cale shook his head. “Nah, she ended up sleeping fine and Maddie and I decided to wait until she was five months. I can’t believe we totally forgot!”

  I sighed. “Epic failure moment as parents.”

  Cale held out the bowl of cereal and smiled. “Are we ready?”

  I skipped and squeaked a little, making Lily squeal and giggle. “Yes!” I said. “Let’s do this!”

  Cale and I sat on either side of Lily. I pulled her highchair back out so the others could watch. Jack went to leave when all three of us asked, “Where are you going?”

  He seemed to be able to read all of our faces before he slowly sat down and said, “Um…nowhere.”

  Cale took in a deep breath and said, “Okay, Princess. Here is your first bite of cereal.”

  Lily was doing her favorite thing—making spit bubbles. My hands shook as I recorded Lily eating cereal for the first time on my phone. I held my breath as the spoon went in. Lily made a funny face and tried pushing the cereal out with her tongue.

  “Smart kid. Tastes like shit and she knows it.” Jack mumbled.

  I glared at Jack as Monica smacked him. “Don’t say that in front of her.”

  “Jack’s mouth dropped open. “Holy crap…they were just fucking in front of her and I can’t say the word shit?”

  Cale shot Jack a dirty look before giving Lily another bite. This time she took it.

  “Look at her little tongue! She doesn’t know what to think.” I said, giggling.