JENNIE
"Oh hey, Nayeon, what's going on?" I was standing in the door, holding it partially shut, and wedging my body between the gap.
"I ran into your mom yesterday." Her eyes lit up, a half grin lifting over her jaw.
"You ran into her?" I asked, disbelief resting in my tone.
That was a far stretch, my mother and Nayeon lived twenty minutes apart. My mother only went out when she needed to, and Nayeon always tried to do any errands in one single shot, mostly on Friday nights.
Oh really? Ran into each other. . . I'm sure that's what happened.
"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes and fanning her hand. "She called me."
Throwing out a finger, I barked, "I knew it! I knew you guys talked."
Spiraling her hand, she waved away my accusation. "Anyway, she told me that Mattress woman was here last weekend, and you haven't called me all week. How'd things go?"
She was right, I had spent the last seven days with Lisa. We cooked and ate dinner together, we found every excuse to talk on the phone or text when we weren't together.
At night, Lisa would sit by Ella's bed with me and listen to the stories of her father, she'd listen and she'd ask questions. She would laugh, she would seem just as curious about my life before as the baby girl I was raising.
And Ella had been blessed by getting two stories a night. One from me and one from Lisa. She shed her protective layer, telling us stories of things she went through as a kid. For Ella they were funny and exciting, and for us when we were alone, they were heartfelt and sad.
Lisa was an amazing woman for what she had been through.
Honestly, I had become infatuated with her. For everything she had been through, to see the woman she had become, it gave me more strength. A new outlook on how grateful our child would be to have her, even if our lives ended up moving separate ways.
But I will never let that happen. She's too great to ever let go.
A shrill giggle exploded over my shoulder, Ella's loud voice cut through the air. "Lili, you can't use red, don't you know what color dinosaurs are?"
Nayeon veered her stare, her head bobbing and weaving over my shoulder to look inside. "Lili? Who the hell is—"
"Everything alright?" Lisa asked, appearing behind me. "Oh, hi, Nayeon. How's things going?"
"Lisa, hi, things are good." Smiling, her eyes lowered to meet mine. I smiled through thin lips, shrugging a shoulder.
"Did you get my message?" Opening the door, Lisa stepped up beside me.
"I did and thank you. You didn't have to do that, but thanks."
"Do what?" I questioned, glancing between them both.
Cupping her hands, Nayeon swayed on her heels. "Well, Lisa here is reimbursing Rosé and myself."
Lisa then followed her statement. "Yeah, I figured since we had a 'thing,' that it was wrong for me to take their money. So, I gave it back."
Nodding, I said, "So you already knew anyway?" Setting my eyes on Nayeon, she smirked, lifting her brows. "How long have you known?"
"About a couple days after your second date."
"Seriously?"
"Aunt Nana!" Ella ran up to my side, squeezing past me. "Come look." Gripping her hand, Ella yanked her into the house.
"Looks like I'm coming in. Hope I wasn't interrupting anything." Winking, she flashed her teeth.
Tossing a look at Lisa, I whispered. "So you told her before I had the chance."
Her lips spread in an amused smile, eyes slitting tight. "I couldn't accept her money, I had to tell her why."
Closing the door behind me, I stepped back into the living room. Ella had dragged Nayeon over to the spot where her and Lisa were just laying and coloring. Bending to grab a picture off the floor, she held it up to Nayeon. "Look at this, Lili thinks dinosaurs are red. Isn't she comical?"
Shooting me an entertained look, Nayeon leaned over and ogled the picture. "That is comical, she's a funny guy, huh?"
"You don't even know, Aunt Nana." Using her thumb to point over her shoulder, Ella whispered in her not so quiet voice. "And she thinks two plus two is thirty. She's so silly."
Nayeon flicked her eyes to Lisa. Lifting her shoulders to her ears, she held her palms out and smirked. "The kid's really smart, she knows a lot more than I do."
The three of us sat down, Nayeon drawing her attention away to pull out her phone and fire off a text, then resting the phone on her lap. "So why does Ella call you Lili?"
Drawing her hand over her chin, Lisa chuckled. "She didn't like my real name once she learned it wasn't mattress woman."
A soft ping echoed in the kitchen. Standing, I went to see who had messaged me.
It was Nayeon.
'Did you tell her yet?'
Tapping the screen quickly, I texted her back. 'No.'
Shaking my head, I popped it back into the living room, eyes bugging out. She was texting me while she was sitting in my chair, in my living room. We were three feet away from each other and she was so damn curious she couldn't wait until I had the time to talk to her in private.
The phone chimed again. 'Why the hell not?!?!'
Huffing under my breath, I shot one back. 'It wasn't the right time, I'll tell her soon enough.'
Ding... Another. 'Fine. But you better make sure you call me later.' Angry face, shocked face, baby emoji.
And I hit delete.
"Anyone want a drink?" I asked, standing in between the two rooms.
Nayeon hopped up from her seat, stuffing her phone into her purse. "No, I can't stay, I have to go pick up Collin from baseball practice. But call me later, Jen."
As she closed the door behind her, Lisa glanced up to look at me. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, why?" Wiping clammy hands on my thighs, and brushing the hair off my flushed face, I leaned against the wood frame.
"You just look a little pale is all. Are you coming down with something?"
No, it's just a baby growing inside me. That's all. Nothing to worry about.
Pulling my lips taut, I shook my head. "I don't think so, I have a slight belly ache, but it's nothing."
I lied. The morning sickness had kicked in the day before, making me take several unwanted visits to hug the toilet. At school I made every effort in the world to not throw up. I drank flat ginger ale and hot tea, I ate peppermint candies, and even started freezing Gatorade in case I got to the point where I couldn't eat.
From what I understood, I was five weeks along. My first appointment with the doctor wasn't for another two weeks. I was basing everything I knew off my pregnancy with Ella. If I followed the same path with this baby as I did with her, cringing to the smell of chicken might be next.
I had learned from the nurse with my first pregnancy that ice cube Gatorade helped to at least replenish electrolytes if I couldn't stomach the smell of food enough to actually eat.
"Are you sure? You really don't look good, maybe we should get you to a doctor?"
"No, I'm fine, really." Letting out a huge breath of air, I held my belly and wished away my spinning insides. "I probably just caught something from school."
Swooping me into her arms, she sat me on her lap. "Are you sure?" Her fingers tickled over my neck, smoothing over the tensed muscle. "I'll go with you."
"No, it's alright, I'll be fine. It's probably just a bug." Pausing, I swallowed hard. But not from nerves or uncertainty. I swallowed hard to keep myself from letting the nausea land breakfast all over Liss.
Just tell her!
I wanted to spit it out so badly, but fear was holding me back. We were still so new, I was afraid that adding a baby into the mix might be too much for her.
Squeezing my knee, she pulled my face onto her forehead. "Then I guess I'll just have to take care of you." Pressing her lips onto mine, my skin warmed.
"Eeeewww!" Ella yelled, sticking out her tongue and making gagging noises.
"What?"Lisa asked, rolling me off her lap. "Do you want a kiss too?" Lifting off the couch, she walked slowly towards Ella with her arms out and lips puckered.
"No! No!" She giggled, running in circles around the coffee table, making every effort to avoid her. "You'll never catch me!"
Her mouth made loud and over-emphasized kissing noises, her fingers wiggling frantically to try and grab her. Ella ducked and dodged, crawling under the table, and making a mad dash down the hall.
"Well, looks like she got away." Sticking her head around the corner of the wall, Lisa spoke in a loud voice down the hall. "For now, but you can't escape forever."
"Yes I can!" Ella fired back, her voice muffled, but firm from beneath some hiding place she snuggled into.
Watching Lisa with Ella filled me with a sense of life, of living again. This was what she needed, this was what I needed.
And I couldn't help but think this was also what Lisa needed.
We fit together perfectly, one big happy family. Together we were more than just two people, together we were what life was all about.
Finding your ultimate happiness and enjoying every single moment.
Because tomorrow isn't secured, tomorrow is an unknown. Living in the moment made every breath worthwhile.
Laying in bed that night, I was so tempted to just blurt out the words. 'I'm pregnant.'
But I couldn't. I wanted that moment to be perfect, to be one where she would be happy and excited. I just couldn't stop myself from worrying that news of a baby on the way would send her running.
A baby was a big deal. She had just allowed herself to let me in, she had just broken her own rules to be happy. And a baby should be a gift, not a shock.
Rolling onto her side, she started massaging my back. "You feel tense," she said, digging her fingers into the muscles of her shoulders. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Maybe you just need a little release?" Winking, her tongue dragged over her bright white teeth.
My body surged almost instantly, the heat crackling down my spine and pooling between my thighs. "Oh, yeah? A little release, huh?" Letting my fingers work their way down her arms, I traced the ink-painted designs in slow sultry movements.
Rolling me over to face her, her face lit up, staring at me under half-lidded eyes. The strength of her hands wrapped my thighs, thumbs digging in and pressing towards my swelling button.
My belly began to spin, turning in spastic jolts, and flooding with butterflies. It didn't matter how many times Liss touched me, it always felt amazing.
Her hands shattered my thoughts and flooded my brain. My skin would prickle, my chest would tighten, my lungs would tremble in anticipation for her next move. I loved every second of it.
Growling softly, she blew hot air over my lobe and whispered. "Let me make you feel good, let me take you to another place that belongs to us and us alone." Flicking her tongue over my ear, she nibbled it gently. "Let me show you why I'm the one who will always make you lose yourself."
"That sounds really good right now."
An animalistic growl slipped through her teeth, rumbling up from a deep forbidden place. Feverishly, her hands grasped at my nightgown, pushing the fabric aside.
I was bare and naked beneath, ready and willing. My sex was pulsing with need, warming and soaking with just the look in her eyes.
Lisa's fingers tickled over my legs, sending a quiver through my body. Snapping her eyes up to my face, she flashed a greedy smile. She had felt it too and it only fed her devourous nature.
Her growl deepened, rolling into a voice that was so low, so savage, it made my heart skip over itself. "You're a needy little woman, aren't you?" Lisa's lips hit my inner thigh, her teeth dragging over the hot skin. "You can't get enough of my cock, can you?"
Crawling up my trembling frame, her mouth suckled small quick bits of my body. They landed on my belly as she forced the fabric higher, making me shake. They landed on my ribs, making me inhale a short gasp of air. They landed on my chest, hovering over and around my breast, but not fully touching it.
I couldn't stop my reaction, I couldn't slow down my heart, or rapidly throbbing clit. My nipples stiffened, eagerly trying to reach the warmth of her tongue.
She was teasing the fuck out of me, and loving every second.
"Stop being such a tease," I said through air filled coos. "I'm going to make you pay for every second you keep me waiting."
"Sassy, that's hot. But I think right now I'm the one in control." Her finger gently circled my nipple, twisting it softly with a tender pluck. Arching my back, I let my head fall deeper into the pillow. "Yeah, right now, I'm the one holding all the power."
Trailing her finger away from my breast, she rode my ribs down, slipping her hand into the small of my back. Her fingers dug in to hold me in place, lips crashing down in wanton need onto my mouth.
She wants control, she can have it this time.
But two can play that game.
Stripping my clothes off, Lisa's eyes glowed, flickering in small bursts of light. She wasn't just enjoying my body, her stare went deeper, wrapping around my heart, and holding it tight.
Should I tell her now about the baby? The thought lingered for a mere second, only to be swept away as she coiled her fingers into my roots and tugged.
A moan swept over my tongue, my lids crashing down as my head snapped back. Prickles broke across my skin, framing my spine and working their way down my legs. My pussy was painfully swollen, pulsing so fiercely I wasn't sure how much longer I would last.
"Fuck me, Lisa. Please, fuck me, I can't take it anymore." A sultry mask glazed my pupils, tearing away the last thread of control I had.
Her grin was sexy and wicked. Leaning into my ear, she spoke with such certainty and willfulness. "You're mine now, Jen, all of you." Lifting her finger to my face, she said, "Here, and. . ." Pausing, her finger drifted to my sex. "Here. . ." Raising to my chest, she glided up between my breasts. "And here." Landing on my heart, she kissed the pounding muscle.
I couldn't speak, there were no words. She was right in so many ways, and yet. . .
Lisa still knew nothing.
She didn't know that as much as she had claimed me right then, that she had me from the beginning. She didn't know that my heart had made room for her, and was more than open to having her forever.
And she didn't know the secret I was carrying.
Our baby, our life we shared, the family we were going to have.
Lifting her body, she tore her pants down in one quick snap. Her cock was standing proudly, thick and firm. The tip was damp and glistening, shaft hard and pulsing as she laid his body over mine.
Reaching down, she grabbed her wallet and pulled out a condom. Stealing it from her fingers, I threw it to the floor.
You don't need that, you haven't needed that for awhile now.
Lisa watched the rubber drop from my hand, and as her mouth opened to protest, I hushed her with one finger.
Her eyes studied my face for a second, brows furrowing up. She didn't object, she didn't try and reach back down to grab the protection.
Then as if she had read my mind, her muscles relaxed, letting her chest sweep across my breasts. Lisa settled into the thought of me taking the control.
Wrapping my fingers around her member, I guided it to my pussy, slipping it just into the opening. Our eyes were still locked on each other, bodies doing the talking for us.
Holding herself up on her elbows, Lisa slowly slid herself in. Pressing me open, her balls tickling my ass as she held steady in place.
Running my fingers though her hair, I stared into her soft expression. Our emotions had turned from feral and needy, to something more. We weren't just having sex, or fucking, or screwing, or any other simple name you could give it.
We were no loner just two people longing for comfort and finding more in the life we had grown to know.
We had become one.
One body, one soul, one heart.
This was love.
I saw it spark in her eye, I watched it change her body from rigid to realization. And as it settled between us, she began to move, thrusting with such passion I felt her in every single pore, vein, nerve; she made love to me.
My hips met her rhythm, pumping and gyrating up. Her tongue flicked my nipple, teasing the hardened bead, and I lost all sense of myself. The heat of her body swept over mine, her heart thumping against my chest as her engorged cock stretched my walls.
Harder and harder Lisa pushed herself inside me, my pussy milking and wrapping tightly around her to keep her inside.
The tingles began to spread through my muscles, breaking over my skin and emerging in small droplets of sweat. "Lisa! Oh, Lisa! Don't stop, don't stop," I screamed as she hit my clit with such force I couldn't hold back the electricity scorching my core.
Raking my nails down her back, my toes curled as the orgasm liquefied my insides. A long moan escaped my lips, my chest rising and falling in rapid bursts.
Slowing her pace, Lisa reached under my shoulders and gripped hard, her head falling into my chest as her body gave way.
Pulse after pulse her pearly come filled my sex, sealing us together, cementing the feelings that flowed through my body like water.
Lifting her face, her cheeks were flushed, breathing hard and shallow.
And together we breathed, we stared.
We lived.