*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!*
By the time we get home after the verdict is read the kids are already in bed. I can't wait to see them in the morning. I have big plans for them. I want to make them breakfast and just spend the morning with them before they go off to school. I have missed my kids more than anything and I am ready to be their Mama again. Roman and I make our way upstairs to our bedroom. The anticipation and excitement to sleep in my own bed again is building. The last month or so I have been sleeping on a hard cot with one blanket nothing compared to my King size bed that I share with Roman with sheets and as many blankets as we need. "How does it feel to be free?" he asks as I walk around the room to my dresser to pull out something to wear to bed.
"It feels amazing," I say, "I need to take a shower and then we can talk if you want."
"Sounds like a plan to me," he says with a smile. "I missed you, Rachel."
"I missed you too," I say with a smile. "I'm glad to be home." I make my way into the bathroom and smile at the beautiful master bathroom where I have my own privacy, a working toilet and a magnificent sink. I smile as I make my way over to the large shower combined with bathtub to turn on the water; no more showers with other women and no more 5 minute showers. I am going to take my time savoring every minute of my shower. I turn the hot water on and add a little cold and smile as I strip out of my prison uniform. I step into the shower and allow the hot water to hit me. It's glorious. No more cold showers for me. I allow the water to hit me and soak in it for a few minutes before I wash myself using my favorite body wash and using my favorite shampoo and conditioner. I will never take another shower for granted again.
After a 45 minute shower I step out of the shower and wrap the towel around me and wrap my dark hair up into a towel before I make my way into the bedroom to get dressed. I smile as I see Roman already lying in bed wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs. I have missed this man just as much as I have missed my kids. I smile as I pull out one of his t-shirts to wear to bed along with a pair of my favorite underwear. I brush through my hair after I am dressed and see Roman admiring me. "You're so beautiful," he says as I make my way over to the bed.
"You're not too bad looking yourself," I say climbing into bed with him. "I love you, Roman."
"I love you too," he says as I cuddle up next to him; to be in his arms again is Heavenly. "Do you feel better now that you have showered?"
"I feel so much better. It was nice to take a hot shower and to wash my hair with my favorite shampoo. I am glad to be home."
"I'm glad you're home," he says as he squeezes me. "So what was it like? Is jail like they talk about?"
"Yes and no," I say, "in some ways it is like the cell I was in I shared with one other woman. She was a bitch to say the least but we didn't stay locked in our cells all day. We had to do a lot of work and we got some courtyard time. You have no idea how many gangs are in there either. I never thought women were in a gang but sure enough there were a few of them. You learned to stay clear. I was disliked just because they called me a Stepford Wife and I am rich. I got beat up a few times."
"Did the guards do anything?"
"Of course not, they have a habit of looking away when some shit starts. The food really does suck and you get 5 minutes for a shower and you have no privacy at all. Some of those male guards though they get pretty fresh with the women."
"No one got fresh with you did they?" he asks.
"Of course not," I say. "People know who my husband is they don't want to piss you off."
"Good," he says with a smile before he brushes my cheek with his thumb. He turns my head slightly so I am facing him. He presses his lips against mine and I open my mouth to allow his tongue access to my mouth. I bring my hand up to cup his face as we share a passionate kiss. I moan against his lips as his tongue makes love to my mouth. Kissing him makes my freedom a whole lot better. "I love you," he says as he pulls away.
"I love you too," I say. "I never want to go back there."
"And you won't," he says, "and look at it this way. We will never need to worry about Briana again. She is long gone so we can move on with our lives. Speaking of which."
"What happened?" I ask.
"Well, I lost my job and we are losing the house. WE have to be out by June."
"Hold on, why did you lose your job? What happened?"
"With everything that was going on with Sky and everything that happened with you the school was worried about the negative publicity affecting the school's reputation. They didn't like the negativity surrounding me so they let me go. They said it was the best thing."
"So they just fired you just like that?"
"Just like that like I didn't give them the best 8 years of my life, I just took that football team an undefeated season and won the championship but yet my personal life affected my career."
"I'm sorry, Baby," I say.
"Don't apologize for it. It's okay. I'll find something else."
"Like what?" I ask. "What are you going to do?"
"I have already applied to some schools that are looking for a football coach. I know it's not Georgia Tech and I feel like I am betraying my Alma Mater but I have to do something."
"Did you think about going back to the ring?"
"That's a last resort for two reasons; one being the fact I don't want to leave you and the kids alone. It takes a lot of travel time and I have to make a lot of sacrifices not mention the fact that I didn't leave on the best terms. I like being a daddy and I like being a husband. I don't want to travel for 300 plus days a year. And two my body is in no shape to be a wrestler again. I don't want to be one of those men that go back into the ring and get seriously hurt. A serious injury could ruin anything. I'm going to stick to coaching or maybe I'll open up a night club or something but I will NOT get back in the ring."
"I see," I say, "Roman I screwed everything up."
"You didn't screw anything up. All good things come to an end at some point. I know this isn't what we envisioned but ranking in 3 million a year for 8 years has made us set for life with 24 million dollars not to mention all the money I raked in from wrestling. We'll be all right. Don't you worry about a thing, we will be okay. I promise."
"And we're losing the house why?"
"Because Georgia Tech owns this house," he says. "They bought it for us and now they want us out by June."
"So where are we going to go and what about Sky and Charlie?"
"Sky and Charlie are going to get an apartment of their own to move into to have their family because in a couple years they are planning to go to Ohio or Pennsylvania for Sky."
"Ohio or Pennsylvania?"
"Yes, she decided she wants to go to Ohio State or Pittsburgh she doesn't want to go to Georgia Tech."
"I see," I say. "What about us where are we going? Are we staying in Georgia, going back to Florida or what?"
"I don't know. I think it would be best to stay in Georgia just until Sky graduates from high school but if you don't want to we don't have to. I have thought about buying this house from the college. I have the money for it and we have lived here for 8 years. I mean if we're buying it from them then there shouldn't be an issue. I don't want to move but after everything that happened in that kitchen I don't know how you feel about it."
I swallow and say, "I know what happened in that kitchen. I don't know if I want to stay here and be reminded every day of that. I think us moving out of here is the best thing for all of us. I can't live here the rest of my life knowing I killed Briana in that kitchen."
"I didn't think you would want to stay here which is why I already found a house it's still here in Georgia, it's still a private house and it's almost about as big as this one so if Sky and Charlie want to live with us till Sky goes to college then that's fine too."
"Really?" I ask.
"Really," he says with a smile. "We can start everything new. We can start our lives new. I can get a new job, we'll have a new house and everything that's happened so far will be put behind us. We can move on from this and we will. It's just the media is going to make it hard for a while but we will move on from this."
"The media is full of vultures just waiting to get as much information they can to twist it around," I say. "Do you think we should give someone an interview?"
"Is that something you would like to do?" he asks.
"Yes if it gets them off our backs yes I want to do an interview to set the record straight. I did NOT kill Briana Flores with malicious intent. I did it to protect myself."
"I know you did," he says, "and the jury believed you, I believe you and you believe you who else matters? People are always going to say and believe what they want. You can't change their minds. As much as you may want to you're never going to be able to truly make them believe you."
"I guess you're right. Are we ever going to have normal lives again?"
"Probably not," he says as he cuddles me closer, "but then again with our fame did we ever really have a normal life."
"Not really," I say with a smile. "You know what I was thinking about in jail?"
"Hmm?" he asks nuzzling at my neck.
"I was thinking about you and the kids. I was thinking about how much I missed all of you and I was thinking about what I wanted to do when I got out of jail."
"And what was that," he asks laying soft kisses on my neck as I smile at his touch.
"After River I told you that I didn't want to try again for another baby but being in prison really made me realize what I love the most. I love our kids and I love you. I still want one more child and I'm sure after everything with being in jail and what happened with Briana no adoption agency or foster care agency is going to look at us twice. They'll see our name and toss out our applications."
"What are you saying?" he asks as his hands start to wander over my body and I moan at his touch. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"That I want to try for another baby then yes that's what I am saying."
He pulls back with a smile and makes eye contact with me. "I would love that more than anything, Rachel," he says, "not that I wouldn't love to adopt a child but I would love to have more babies with you."
"Baby," I say, "just one."
"We can make it work," he says, "would you like to get started on the trying? It's been a long time since I got to make love to you and I want to do that all night."
"I have no objections, Mr. Reigns," I say with a smile as I wrap my arms around his neck. "Take me as you want me."
"Rachel," he breathes as our foreheads touch, "I love you."
"I love you too," I say with a smile before I press my lips against his. "Let's start trying."
We spend an amazing 3 hours making love to each other, enjoying each other and reconnecting after months of not having that connection. "RACHEL!" he cries out in pleasure as he fires his hot release deep inside of me pressing his lips against mine as he allows his seed to fill me. "We're going to be okay, Rachel, I promise," he says looking into my blue eyes with his beautiful grey eyes.
"As long as we're together," I say rubbing his back, "we'll always be okay."
"Always," he says before kissing my lips softly before he reluctantly removes himself from me. He lies down next to me and wraps me up in his arms, holding me as close as he can. "Goodnight, Baby."
"Goodnight, Ro," I say as we fall asleep in each other's arms.
The next morning I am in the kitchen making blueberry pancakes for the kids and Roman. I am not sure if they know I am home or not but I want to give them a happy surprise. As I finish the meal I can hear their footsteps making their way to the kitchen. I smile as I put their food onto a plate for them. Summer comes around the corner first and stops as she sees me. A big smile comes across her face before she runs over to me, "MAMA!"
"Hey, Summer," I say hugging her back tightly as she hugs me.
"You're home. When did you come home?"
"Last night," I say with a smile as Storm and Rain make their way over to me.
I give each of them a hug too. "Are you home forever, Mama?" asks Rainbow.
"Forever," I say with a smile. "The jury said I didn't do anything wrong do I got to come home."
"I'm so glad you're home," says Rain. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too," says Summer with a smile.
"Me too," says Storm.
"I missed all of you also," I say with a smile, "and I made you breakfast."
"Yay!" they scream together as they take a seat at the table behind their food.
"I love Dad," says Summer, "but he doesn't cook as well as you do."
"Hey," says Roman, "you didn't mind eating my cooking."
"To be nice," she says with a smile, "but Mama's cooking is a lot better."
"I don't disagree," he says with a smile. "My cooking doesn't even hold a candle to your Mama's."
"Exactly," says Summer as she digs into her food.
"Good morning, Beautiful," says Roman with a smile before he kisses my lips softly.
"Good morning," I say with a smile. "I have some food for you too," I say making his plate as the kids are sitting at the table eating.
"Wonderful," he says with a smile before he takes a seat as I get his plate ready. "I've missed your cooking."
"I bet," I say with a smile thinking about Roman's cooking. Our kids are good sports while his food is NOT horrible it isn't the best either. I fix my own plate and take a seat with them to eat breakfast with them. "So how has everything been while I was gone?"
"Different," says Summer, "very different."
"I'm sure," I say as I start to eat my own cooking. It melts in my mouth and I savor every bite.
"How does it feel to have your Mama home?"
"Fantastic," says Summer.
"Wonderful," says Storm.
"Super dee duper!" says Rainbow with a smile. "And she's back forever and ever!"
"She is back forever and ever!" he says with a smile. "And everything is going to be okay. Some things are going to change but everything is going to be okay. We are a family and we're here for each other. We are going to be okay. We're going to get a new house and I am going to get a new job but together we are going to be okay. I promise."
*A/N: What do you think Roman is going to choose to do now that he is coaching? And what do you think of them trying for another baby? Is this the first step of them moving on with their lives? Do you think it's a good idea for RAchel to do an interview with the media to set the record straight or should she let it go? Please review and thank-you for reading.