Tommy fell to his hands and knees, making a fist in the wet grass before he heard a strangled "Tommy!" He looked up and saw Charlie held above the water. Nora's head bobbed in the water as she used all of her strength to move closer to the shore and hold Charlie above the waves. He hurried to his feet and ran down the river to where Nora was attempting to get his son to the shore. He stood in the creek where he had the stability to stand and reached for Charlie. Nora's head emerged for air as they drew closer to Tommy. He grabbed Charlie's limp arm and pulled him in tight, then he reached for Nora's hand and pulled them both to shore.
Nora collapsed to her stomach, coughing and gagging as she attempted to catch her breath. Meanwhile, Tommy looked at his unconscious son.
"Charlie? Charlie breathe!" He said as he began to hit his back. "Breathe Charlie, c'mon!"
Tommy laid Charlie flat on his back and patted his cheeks, begging his son to breathe.
"His side." Nora coughed and Tommy put Charlie on his side, hitting his back one last time and Charlie gasped for air, coughing up the water in his lungs.
Charlie continued to cough and then began to cry saying, "I'm sorry Dad!"
"It's alright son, it's alright. You're alright." Tommy coaxed as he held his son close, relief washing over him.
He looked at Nora who was now on her hands and knees, breathing heavy and watching the two of them.
"Come in. Frances can get you some tea." Tommy said as they all calmed and he began to stand, his son still in his arms and Nora started to laugh.
"Fucking tea?" She said, her laugh growing louder causing Tommy to smile and begin to chuckle.
"Yeah, fucking tea." He said as he shook his head then extended his hand to help her get up.
She looked at it for a moment before meeting his eyes and accepting his help.
Nora sat in Tommy's large sitting room with a blanket draped over her shoulders in front of the fire. She glanced over her shoulder as she heard footsteps approach.
"How is he?" She asked.
"He'll be alright." Tommy said with a relieved sigh and a nod. "How are you?"
"Well, I have tea so…" She said as she lifted her cup for him to see, a smirk on her face.
Tommy breathed a chuckle as he sat beside her. "You could have moved a sofa closer to the fire instead of sitting on the floor."
"I like sitting on the floor. Reminds me where I came from."
"Fair enough." He said as he stretched out, leaning back on his hands.
"Do you know what would go great with this tea?" She said looking at him and he creased his eyebrows at her. "A cigarette. Mine got washed out."
Tommy stood and walked to his drinking cart. Opening a box, he pulled out two cigarettes and a lighter. Sitting back on the floor beside her he handed her a cigarette, lit it for her, and watched her take a deep soothing inhale before he lit his own. They sat there on the floor, each content with the long day's ending.
"Thank you." Tommy finally said, breaking the silence. "I would have lost him if you hadn't been there."
"I didn't mean to make your wife leave…" Nora said softly in response.
Tommy stared at her.
"I saw the papers on the floor in the entryway. If I had known the drawing would have done that…." She paused before shrugging. "Well, I still would have done it. But I would have warned you better."
"It's not your fault. It's not the first time she's talked about it." He sighed honestly as he threw his finished cigarette in the fire, Nora following suit. "And even if you had told me about the drawing. I wouldn't have told her."
"Will you go looking for her?"
"Yes." Tommy said with a nod before looking at Nora. "But not tonight."
He moved a piece of hair from in front of her face.
"You just can't help yourself, can you?" She asked with a small smile.
"No." He responded as he leaned in and kissed her.
Tommy pulled back slightly and looked at her. Hesitantly, Nora leaned close to him and put her lips gently on his. She parted her lips and lightly brushed his bottom lip with her tongue, to which he responded by putting his hand through her hair and moving it down to unbutton the neck of her dress. She stiffened for a moment before finally relaxing and put her teacup aside, never parting lips with Tommy, and began to use her other hand to unbutton the top of his shirt.
She threw the blanket away and put a leg over him. They kissed deeper before she began to move her lips from his to his jaw. Tommy closed his eyes and tilted his head back to give her access to what she wanted as she ran her tongue along his jawline. She leaned over him, pushing him back and began to kiss his neck, traveling down his chest to his stomach; following her hands as they continued to unbutton his shirt.
When his shirt was unbuttoned, he shrugged it off and put his hands under the bottom of her skirt, pulling her dress over her head. They kissed once more as Nora unbuttoned his trousers and freed him. She leaned back and looked at him. Her full lips were red from their passionate kissing and her dark eyes seemed black as she lustfully looked at him. They stared at each other, neither one blinking as she positioned him with her hand and lowered herself onto him.
Tommy's jaw clenched and he closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of her tight warmth around him. She began to move on top of him and he opened his eyes, lowering them to her chest. He cupped her breasts before he buried his face between them, enjoying her movements. He kissed and nibbled lightly on her chest before he moved his face back to look at her.
She looked down at him, never slowing her movements and they held each other's eyes. He ran his hand down her back and she closed her eyes, moaning quietly as a crease forming between her brows. Tommy turned her onto her back, and she wrapped her legs around him as he began to thrust into her aggressively. She began to moan louder, as the crease between her brows became more defined. He pushed into her, burying his face in her neck and kissing below her ear. She wrapped an arm around his neck, the other on his shoulder.
"Nora." He moaned in her ear and she whined at the sound of her name as she threw her hand from his shoulder and dug her nails into the rug beneath them.
He could feel her legs begin to shake around him. He wanted to make her come, to feel her convulse around him.
"Nora…" He breathed in her ear again and she released another whine. "Come for me, Nora." He breathed and he felt her begin to tighten around him.
"I want to feel you come." He said seductively and her jaw quivered.
He looked at her face, their noses touching. Her eyes were closed and her brows creased, and her lips were parted and tight as she fought her orgasm. She licked her bottom lip before biting it.
"Fuck." he breathed, and she opened her eyes and locked with his.
He clenched his jaw as he pushed harder into her. She nodded her head a quick, slight nod and he knew what she wanted. He leaned his head into her neck once more before repeating in a seductive and authoritative tone, "Come for me, Nora." And she obliged.
He leaned his head back slightly as she cried out and watched her eyes roll back. Her back arched and her head tilted back as she tightened around him. If her tightening around him wasn't enough to make him release inside her, the sight of her was. He thrust into her one last time and couldn't help but let go himself.
He collapsed onto her as they both attempted to catch their breath. He laid beside her and looked at her for a moment, watching her breasts rise and fall. She brushed away the tendrils of hair stuck to her sweaty forehead before she looked at him and gave him a weak, exhausted smile. Tommy put his arm around her, and she laid her head on his chest. He drew small circles on her arm with his hand until the repetitive motion, mixed with the events of the day, lulled him to sleep.
Tommy woke up to a chill as the fire he lay beside had turned to embers. He rubbed his eyes with his hand and looked over, seeing only the blanket and the teacup. He sat up and looked around the dark room. Though he was disappointed, Tommy wasn't surprised to find Nora was gone. He walked, naked, up the stairs and to his room where he laid in his bed and fell asleep instantly, waking up in the morning feeling well rested, his mind quiet.