div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy lazily tossed the covers aside and slipped out of bed. She made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the dish rack. As she dispensed a glass of water and took her morning glug, her mind returned to the thoughts she couldn't seem to escape as of late./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emIt wasn't right,/em she thought to herself. Yes, Ben had loved her, supported her and treated her with respect, but she knew in her heart that he could not give her what she needed, and vice versa. She had tried so hard to make it work, to be the wife she knew Ben deserved, to be the kind of step-mother Lindsay needed. But her mind always circled back to before, to the moment on the train, right after she and Ben eloped, when emhe/em had flashed through her mind./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Her divorce with Ben was finalized a mere 6 months after they had gotten married. From the beginning, Ben could sense something was off with Mindy, but he had tried to ignore it. Ultimately, she couldn't try anymore, and she had told Ben they needed to call it off./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy's thoughts were disrupted by the hum of her cell phone. She hurried to the bedstand. It was Danny, calling for her daily chat with Leo. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Hi Danny," she answered, trying to sound as cheerful as she could. "How's Colonial Williamsburg treating you this time? Did you meet any southern belles?"/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Hi Mindy", he responded, his voice marked with the type of amused annoyance that was reserved solely for Mindy."Listen, I know we were supposed to be here for a few more days, but we are cutting the trip early. We'll be back tomorrow."/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Is something wrong? Is everything ok with Leo?" she asked, concern in her voice./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Leo is great. Everything is fine." Danny said hurriedly. "Are you going to be home tomorrow afternoon for drop-off?", he asked./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Yes, I'll be here", Mindy excitedly responded, barely able to contain herself. She hadn't seen her son in weeks, and the loneliness was really weighing on her. Peter had even come for a weekend visit, which had brightened her mood, but it was fleeting, and as soon as he left she was back to being lonely./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok, we'll be back around 5 o'clock. See you then." Mindy could barely get a word in edgewise before Danny hung up./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She stood for a moment in thought. emWhat possibly could have happened to make Danny want to come home early?/em, she wondered. Things had been civil between them since Danny's wedding to Sarah, a nurse at his new practice, six months before. Mindy had been distracted by her burgeoning relationship with Ben and with taking care of had never spoken of the phone call he had made to Mindy before he was supposed to marry Sarah, but she thought of it from time to time, right now being one of them. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy could barely contain her excitement. She had prepared Leo's favorite dish, hot dogs with mac and cheese covered in ketchup, and anxiously awaited her son's arrival. As she set his high-chair at the table, she heard a knock at the door and hurried to answer./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""My baby!" Mindy exclaimed as she opened the door. Danny had taken Leo out of his stroller and held him at Mindy's eye level. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Leo's face instantly lit up. "Mama!" he cooed, reaching for her. He had just started saying "mama" and "dada" in the last few weeks, and it elicited the deepest feelings of happiness in both Mindy and Danny./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Oh, my sweetheart. Mommy missed you so much!" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""He missed you too" Danny responded, smiling. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Mommy made your favorite dinner, Leo. Are you hungry, sweetie?"/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""He should be." Danny said. "Hey, I'm gonna get going Min. I have some things I need to take care of."/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok, see you next Friday?" she asked. Once a week, she and Danny met for their weekly "Leo Trade," as they called it. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""See you next week" he responded, his gaze lingering for just a second longer than normal, enough to make Mindy wonder what was going on in the head of his./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I'm sorry, Sarah." He looked her straight in the eyes, ashamed for causing her pain but knowing that he owed it to the both of them to be was nothing he could say to change things. the only thing he could do now was apologize, because he knew that everything she said was true./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""It is what it is, right Danny?" Sarah responded sarcastically. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She knew she couldn't completely blame him, though. They both knew they had gone too fast. They had only dated for six months before Danny proposed. and even before they were married, the writing had been written on the wall./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"All of the signs were there, she just didn't want to see them. But bit by bit, these signs started to chisel away at their relationship. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She had noticed it from the first time she was with them in the same room. She remembered it vividly. She had accompanied Danny to his mother's house for dinner on a Friday night. Midway through dinner, the doorbell rang./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I'll get it, Ma," said Danny. He opened the door to a face she had seen just once before, when she had adopted an alias to scope out the competition./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""You forgot Bob, Danny", she said as soon as he opened the door. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He thanked her for the stuffed bear, and was about to say goodbye when he did a doubletake outside./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Who drove you here?" he asked. There was a tone to the way he asked, and Sarah took a mental note./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Oh, Ben did." she answered./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Who is this Ben guy, Mindy, and what is he doing hanging around our son?" Danny demanded./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Uh uh, no way, not now, Danny, we're late for party." she responded./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Well, I'm sorry if I don't want you parading an endless line of Ken's or Len's or whatever the hell his name is around our son."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindys eyes widened. "How dare y-"/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Enough, already! You two are getting better at this!" Annette interrupted from the dining room./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The two of them exchanged sarcastic goodbyes and the scene was over. Danny returned to the table in a huff./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ben Miller. What kind of name is that anyway?" Danny said. emSexy, boring, anonymous guy/em, he thought to himself./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"From that moment on, Sarah decided to pay close attention to their interactions, which only led to frustration. It was the way they argued, the charged looks between them, the veiled jealousy, that rattled her. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The straw that broke the camel's back at come just two days ago, while they slept at Alan's home. The night had been calm, albeit boring. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Sarah was jostled awake by Danny's voice. She couldn't make out the first few things he said, but there was no mistaking what he said next. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Mindy." Danny said, clear as day. "Mindy, please, I love you." /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"That was it. Sarah's stomach has sunken when she heard Danny say those words. She laid in bed for the rest of the night, unable to sleep. The next morning, she couldn't bring herself to look at Danny. But she knew she needed to confront him once and for all. After breakfast, Sarah asked Danny to take a walk with her. "We need to talk.", she said, a sullen look on her face. "Of course. Is everything ok?" Danny responded./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"They walked to the edge of the property and sat on a large boulder that had been painted by little Danni. Blue butterflies, a purple sun and pink cactuses adorned the rock./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""You look worried. What is it, Sarah?" Danny asked./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I need to know, Danny. I know I've asked you this question before, but I have to ask again. I've seen the way you look at her, Danny. When she walks into a room, you can't look away from her. Even just the way you two argue. You get so passionate, so tongue-tied. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Are you still in love with her?" She had asked him this question before, and he had denied any lingering feelings for her then. But he has also said that things were "complicated"./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Yes," he responded, and even though she already knew the answer, her heart sank. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"It was Richie and Ramone's wedding day, and Leo had been tasked with the duty of ring bearer. Danny chuckled to himself as he watched his son walk confusedly down the aisle, looking from left to right at the sea of faces as Dot guided him to the altar. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The ceremony was short but sweet, Richie and Ramone reciting handwritten vows that were both sweetly sentimental and hilarious./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I now pronounce you, husband and husband" the pastor finally announced, and applause instantly erupted throughout the church as they embraced./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The cocktail hour and reception were held at the church hall, which had been decorated beautifully. White roses and twinkle lights lit up the dim room./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"It was getting late, and Danny could tell that Leo was getting tired.. he had been a good a sport throughout the night, being passed to and from the many family members of the Castellano and Ramone families, but he was starting to get a little fussy./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Danny looked back to the entrance of the hall as Mindy entered. She was going to pick Leo up so Danny could stay and make sure the rest of the night went smoothly. She stood at the back of the hall now, patiently waiting for Annette to finish showing Leo off to her Son's of Italy buddies./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Just then, a familiar song began to play./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He had heard the song many times before when Mindy had gone through what she called her "Dirty Dancing" phase, which was really just a Patrick Swayze phase. She had demanded that he watch the movie Ghost with her several times over a period of two weeks, and that Halloween had coaxed Danny into going as Sam while she went as Molly. Morgan, not wanting to be left out, had gone as Oda Mae Brown./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Danny instinctively walked back to her as the first words of the song began./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emOh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch, alone lonely time"/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Would you like to dance?" he asked, reaching his hand out./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emAnd time goes by, so slowly and time can do so much are you still mine?/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy looked at him hesitantly, but stepped forward and took his hand. "Sure" she said, and Danny guided her to the dance floor./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"As they joined the other couples on the dance floor, Danny turned her to face him and placed his left hand on her side, pulling her toward him. His other hand took hers, and they slowly began to sway./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emI need your love, I need your love, God speed your love to me/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emLonely rivers flow, to the sea, to the sea to the open arms of the sea/em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"em /em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emLonely rivers sign, wait for me wait for me/em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"em /em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emI'll be coming home, wait for me/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"His hands moved slowly over the small of her back, making gentle circles. He pulled her closer to him and their cheeks brushed each other's. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He could smell the flowery shampoo she always used. Her face felt warm and soft against his. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He pulled their hands in to rest between their chests, and they both turned their gazes to each other. Danny looked at her like she was a masterpiece. His eyes began to well, and his face moved slowly towards hers./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"They were jostled out of the moment when Leo began to cry, and Mindy and Danny, and they quickly separated, both confused at the moment and how lost they had been in it./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy looked frazzled./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I, uh mmm, guess I'll see you next week, Danny" she said barely looking him in the face./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok. get home safely" he responded./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"As he watched her walk away with their son, he decided something then and there. He didn't care anymore if she worked, he just wanted to be with her and Leo. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He loved Mindy with every fiber of his being. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy carelessly flipped through the channels. Nothing in particular grabbed her attention, so she settled on an episode of Planet Earth to pass the time./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The narrator was discussing the migration habits of monarch butterflies when a knock at the door startled her./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Who could that be? she thought, rising from the couch and dusting the oreo crumbs off her. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"It was Danny./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Danny, oh, hi..." Mindy said cautiously. "What are you doing here?"/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I, uh, just wanted to talk to you about a few things" he answered nervously. "Can I come in?"/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ummm, yeah, sure" Mindy shrugged. She stepped aside, motioning Danny in./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I want you to work." Danny said and stared at her. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""O...k?" Mindy responded confusedly./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I mean, I was wrong, Min. I shouldn't have put so many demands on you. You are a great doctor, and I should have never told you it was selfish to do what makes you happy. I pressured you because I thought Leo needed one of us to be at home. I didn't have that when I was younger, and I was afraid that if Leo didn't either that he might end up like me."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""End up like you?" she asked, in confusion. "Danny, you are a wonderful, quirky old man. If Leo ends up like you, he will be too."/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Mindy, I hate how things have turned out, and I know I am to blame for it. And if you can just give me one more chance I can prove to you that I can be the man you and Leo deserve."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy turned away from him and faced the sink, her hands resting on the metal edge of its basin. "I don't know, Danny, I'm scared."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I'm sorry, baby" he whispered to her. "I should have never let any of this happen. And I never will ever again. I love you more than anything. You are the love of my life, and I will prove that to you every day for the rest of our lives if you let me."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I love you, too, Danny", she whispered. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him as he pressed his body into hers. She could feel his breath on her neck. He took her hair to the side to gain access to her neck and below her ear, sending chills down her body. He continued to her jawline, tracing gentle kisses as he turned her around to face him. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He took her hand guided her to French doors separating her bedroom from the rest of her apartment./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I love you, baby", Danny whispered as he stroked her face with his hand. He wanted her, all of her, forever./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"They stood inside the door as Danny turned her to face him. He gazed into her eyes like he had never seen anything more beautiful. He lowered his eyes to her blouse, carefully unbuttoning and lowering it, tracing kisses from her neck to her shoulder. She shuddered as he tasted her./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He gently lowered her onto the bed and rested his body above hers, careful not to put too much weight on her. He reached down and unbuttoned his pants, sliding them off without breaking the kiss./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She whimpered as he deepened the embrace. Taking her face into his hands and caressing her cheeks. "I love you" he said, over and over, kissing her temple, her eyes, and her jawline./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He entered her slowly, gently pushing in and out as he whispered her name. He made love to her, her shortened breaths culminating in a gasped release. When they finished, Danny stayed inside her for what seemed like an eternity as they gazed into each other's eyes, stealing gentle kisses, until Danny rolled to his side of the bed and they both fell into a deep, peaceful sleep wrapped in each other's arms./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Chapter 6/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy and Danny awoke in the same embrace they had fallen asleep to./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Let's get married", Danny immediately whispered into her ear, nibbling on her lobe./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok," Mindy replied. But first, give me a kiss and let's go back to sleep, she whispered with a yawn. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Danny happily obliged./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy lazily tossed the covers aside and slipped out of bed. She made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the dish rack. As she dispensed a glass of water and took her morning glug, her mind returned to the thoughts she couldn't seem to escape as of late./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emIt wasn't right,/em she thought to herself. Yes, Ben had loved her, supported her and treated her with respect, but she knew in her heart that he could not give her what she needed, and vice versa. She had tried so hard to make it work, to be the wife she knew Ben deserved, to be the kind of step-mother Lindsay needed. But her mind always circled back to before, to the moment on the train, right after she and Ben eloped, when emhe/em had flashed through her mind./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Her divorce with Ben was finalized a mere 6 months after they had gotten married. From the beginning, Ben could sense something was off with Mindy, but he had tried to ignore it. Ultimately, she couldn't try anymore, and she had told Ben they needed to call it off./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy's thoughts were disrupted by the hum of her cell phone. She hurried to the bedstand. It was Danny, calling for her daily chat with Leo. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Hi Danny," she answered, trying to sound as cheerful as she could. "How's Colonial Williamsburg treating you this time? Did you meet any southern belles?"/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Hi Mindy", he responded, his voice marked with the type of amused annoyance that was reserved solely for Mindy."Listen, I know we were supposed to be here for a few more days, but we are cutting the trip early. We'll be back tomorrow."/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Is something wrong? Is everything ok with Leo?" she asked, concern in her voice./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Leo is great. Everything is fine." Danny said hurriedly. "Are you going to be home tomorrow afternoon for drop-off?", he asked./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Yes, I'll be here", Mindy excitedly responded, barely able to contain herself. She hadn't seen her son in weeks, and the loneliness was really weighing on her. Peter had even come for a weekend visit, which had brightened her mood, but it was fleeting, and as soon as he left she was back to being lonely./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok, we'll be back around 5 o'clock. See you then." Mindy could barely get a word in edgewise before Danny hung up./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She stood for a moment in thought. emWhat possibly could have happened to make Danny want to come home early?/em, she wondered. Things had been civil between them since Danny's wedding to Sarah, a nurse at his new practice, six months before. Mindy had been distracted by her burgeoning relationship with Ben and with taking care of had never spoken of the phone call he had made to Mindy before he was supposed to marry Sarah, but she thought of it from time to time, right now being one of them. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy could barely contain her excitement. She had prepared Leo's favorite dish, hot dogs with mac and cheese covered in ketchup, and anxiously awaited her son's arrival. As she set his high-chair at the table, she heard a knock at the door and hurried to answer./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""My baby!" Mindy exclaimed as she opened the door. Danny had taken Leo out of his stroller and held him at Mindy's eye level. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Leo's face instantly lit up. "Mama!" he cooed, reaching for her. He had just started saying "mama" and "dada" in the last few weeks, and it elicited the deepest feelings of happiness in both Mindy and Danny./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Oh, my sweetheart. Mommy missed you so much!" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""He missed you too" Danny responded, smiling. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Mommy made your favorite dinner, Leo. Are you hungry, sweetie?"/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""He should be." Danny said. "Hey, I'm gonna get going Min. I have some things I need to take care of."/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok, see you next Friday?" she asked. Once a week, she and Danny met for their weekly "Leo Trade," as they called it. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""See you next week" he responded, his gaze lingering for just a second longer than normal, enough to make Mindy wonder what was going on in the head of his./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I'm sorry, Sarah." He looked her straight in the eyes, ashamed for causing her pain but knowing that he owed it to the both of them to be was nothing he could say to change things. the only thing he could do now was apologize, because he knew that everything she said was true./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""It is what it is, right Danny?" Sarah responded sarcastically. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She knew she couldn't completely blame him, though. They both knew they had gone too fast. They had only dated for six months before Danny proposed. and even before they were married, the writing had been written on the wall./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"All of the signs were there, she just didn't want to see them. But bit by bit, these signs started to chisel away at their relationship. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She had noticed it from the first time she was with them in the same room. She remembered it vividly. She had accompanied Danny to his mother's house for dinner on a Friday night. Midway through dinner, the doorbell rang./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I'll get it, Ma," said Danny. He opened the door to a face she had seen just once before, when she had adopted an alias to scope out the competition./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""You forgot Bob, Danny", she said as soon as he opened the door. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He thanked her for the stuffed bear, and was about to say goodbye when he did a doubletake outside./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Who drove you here?" he asked. There was a tone to the way he asked, and Sarah took a mental note./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Oh, Ben did." she answered./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Who is this Ben guy, Mindy, and what is he doing hanging around our son?" Danny demanded./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Uh uh, no way, not now, Danny, we're late for party." she responded./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Well, I'm sorry if I don't want you parading an endless line of Ken's or Len's or whatever the hell his name is around our son."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindys eyes widened. "How dare y-"/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Enough, already! You two are getting better at this!" Annette interrupted from the dining room./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The two of them exchanged sarcastic goodbyes and the scene was over. Danny returned to the table in a huff./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ben Miller. What kind of name is that anyway?" Danny said. emSexy, boring, anonymous guy/em, he thought to himself./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"From that moment on, Sarah decided to pay close attention to their interactions, which only led to frustration. It was the way they argued, the charged looks between them, the veiled jealousy, that rattled her. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The straw that broke the camel's back at come just two days ago, while they slept at Alan's home. The night had been calm, albeit boring. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Sarah was jostled awake by Danny's voice. She couldn't make out the first few things he said, but there was no mistaking what he said next. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Mindy." Danny said, clear as day. "Mindy, please, I love you." /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"That was it. Sarah's stomach has sunken when she heard Danny say those words. She laid in bed for the rest of the night, unable to sleep. The next morning, she couldn't bring herself to look at Danny. But she knew she needed to confront him once and for all. After breakfast, Sarah asked Danny to take a walk with her. "We need to talk.", she said, a sullen look on her face. "Of course. Is everything ok?" Danny responded./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"They walked to the edge of the property and sat on a large boulder that had been painted by little Danni. Blue butterflies, a purple sun and pink cactuses adorned the rock./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""You look worried. What is it, Sarah?" Danny asked./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I need to know, Danny. I know I've asked you this question before, but I have to ask again. I've seen the way you look at her, Danny. When she walks into a room, you can't look away from her. Even just the way you two argue. You get so passionate, so tongue-tied. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Are you still in love with her?" She had asked him this question before, and he had denied any lingering feelings for her then. But he has also said that things were "complicated"./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Yes," he responded, and even though she already knew the answer, her heart sank. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"It was Richie and Ramone's wedding day, and Leo had been tasked with the duty of ring bearer. Danny chuckled to himself as he watched his son walk confusedly down the aisle, looking from left to right at the sea of faces as Dot guided him to the altar. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The ceremony was short but sweet, Richie and Ramone reciting handwritten vows that were both sweetly sentimental and hilarious./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I now pronounce you, husband and husband" the pastor finally announced, and applause instantly erupted throughout the church as they embraced./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The cocktail hour and reception were held at the church hall, which had been decorated beautifully. White roses and twinkle lights lit up the dim room./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"It was getting late, and Danny could tell that Leo was getting tired.. he had been a good a sport throughout the night, being passed to and from the many family members of the Castellano and Ramone families, but he was starting to get a little fussy./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Danny looked back to the entrance of the hall as Mindy entered. She was going to pick Leo up so Danny could stay and make sure the rest of the night went smoothly. She stood at the back of the hall now, patiently waiting for Annette to finish showing Leo off to her Son's of Italy buddies./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Just then, a familiar song began to play./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He had heard the song many times before when Mindy had gone through what she called her "Dirty Dancing" phase, which was really just a Patrick Swayze phase. She had demanded that he watch the movie Ghost with her several times over a period of two weeks, and that Halloween had coaxed Danny into going as Sam while she went as Molly. Morgan, not wanting to be left out, had gone as Oda Mae Brown./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Danny instinctively walked back to her as the first words of the song began./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emOh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch, alone lonely time"/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Would you like to dance?" he asked, reaching his hand out./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emAnd time goes by, so slowly and time can do so much are you still mine?/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy looked at him hesitantly, but stepped forward and took his hand. "Sure" she said, and Danny guided her to the dance floor./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"As they joined the other couples on the dance floor, Danny turned her to face him and placed his left hand on her side, pulling her toward him. His other hand took hers, and they slowly began to sway./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emI need your love, I need your love, God speed your love to me/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emLonely rivers flow, to the sea, to the sea to the open arms of the sea/em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"em /em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emLonely rivers sign, wait for me wait for me/em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"em /em/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"emI'll be coming home, wait for me/em/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"His hands moved slowly over the small of her back, making gentle circles. He pulled her closer to him and their cheeks brushed each other's. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He could smell the flowery shampoo she always used. Her face felt warm and soft against his. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He pulled their hands in to rest between their chests, and they both turned their gazes to each other. Danny looked at her like she was a masterpiece. His eyes began to well, and his face moved slowly towards hers./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"They were jostled out of the moment when Leo began to cry, and Mindy and Danny, and they quickly separated, both confused at the moment and how lost they had been in it./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy looked frazzled./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I, uh mmm, guess I'll see you next week, Danny" she said barely looking him in the face./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok. get home safely" he responded./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"As he watched her walk away with their son, he decided something then and there. He didn't care anymore if she worked, he just wanted to be with her and Leo. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He loved Mindy with every fiber of his being. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"-/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy carelessly flipped through the channels. Nothing in particular grabbed her attention, so she settled on an episode of Planet Earth to pass the time./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"The narrator was discussing the migration habits of monarch butterflies when a knock at the door startled her./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Who could that be? she thought, rising from the couch and dusting the oreo crumbs off her. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"It was Danny./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Danny, oh, hi..." Mindy said cautiously. "What are you doing here?"/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I, uh, just wanted to talk to you about a few things" he answered nervously. "Can I come in?"/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ummm, yeah, sure" Mindy shrugged. She stepped aside, motioning Danny in./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I want you to work." Danny said and stared at her. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""O...k?" Mindy responded confusedly./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I mean, I was wrong, Min. I shouldn't have put so many demands on you. You are a great doctor, and I should have never told you it was selfish to do what makes you happy. I pressured you because I thought Leo needed one of us to be at home. I didn't have that when I was younger, and I was afraid that if Leo didn't either that he might end up like me."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""End up like you?" she asked, in confusion. "Danny, you are a wonderful, quirky old man. If Leo ends up like you, he will be too."/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Mindy, I hate how things have turned out, and I know I am to blame for it. And if you can just give me one more chance I can prove to you that I can be the man you and Leo deserve."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy turned away from him and faced the sink, her hands resting on the metal edge of its basin. "I don't know, Danny, I'm scared."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I'm sorry, baby" he whispered to her. "I should have never let any of this happen. And I never will ever again. I love you more than anything. You are the love of my life, and I will prove that to you every day for the rest of our lives if you let me."/div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I love you, too, Danny", she whispered. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him as he pressed his body into hers. She could feel his breath on her neck. He took her hair to the side to gain access to her neck and below her ear, sending chills down her body. He continued to her jawline, tracing gentle kisses as he turned her around to face him. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He took her hand guided her to French doors separating her bedroom from the rest of her apartment./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""I love you, baby", Danny whispered as he stroked her face with his hand. He wanted her, all of her, forever./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"They stood inside the door as Danny turned her to face him. He gazed into her eyes like he had never seen anything more beautiful. He lowered his eyes to her blouse, carefully unbuttoning and lowering it, tracing kisses from her neck to her shoulder. She shuddered as he tasted her./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He gently lowered her onto the bed and rested his body above hers, careful not to put too much weight on her. He reached down and unbuttoned his pants, sliding them off without breaking the kiss./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"She whimpered as he deepened the embrace. Taking her face into his hands and caressing her cheeks. "I love you" he said, over and over, kissing her temple, her eyes, and her jawline./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"He entered her slowly, gently pushing in and out as he whispered her name. He made love to her, her shortened breaths culminating in a gasped release. When they finished, Danny stayed inside her for what seemed like an eternity as they gazed into each other's eyes, stealing gentle kisses, until Danny rolled to his side of the bed and they both fell into a deep, peaceful sleep wrapped in each other's arms./div
div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Chapter 6/div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Mindy and Danny awoke in the same embrace they had fallen asleep to./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Let's get married", Danny immediately whispered into her ear, nibbling on her lobe./div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;""Ok," Mindy replied. But first, give me a kiss and let's go back to sleep, she whispered with a yawn. /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /div
div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"Danny happily obliged./div