Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Nine
Mrs. Hernandez sipped on her coffee, smiling fondly as Carl told her of all he'd done since they'd lost contact. She remembered the pain of birthing their child, her heart aching with the thought that neither of them would ever see them again. She placed her hand on his, able to feel the dry skin from years of cleaning chemicals and washing the Shermer High School. "I've missed you." She smiled, tears coming to her eyes with the memory of what could have been.
He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing each finger with the same tender love he'd used so many years ago. "I've missed you too." He whispered, rubbing a hand over her arm as he thought of their adventures.
John held Flynn on his arm, placing a plate of coconut cream pie on his back and digging into the sweet desert. He looked up as Claire and Jade walked into the kitchen, swallowing the pie with some difficulty as his throat was still swollen. "What?" He asked, taking in the looks on their faces.
"Are you seriously using my son as a table?" Jade asked, cocking a brow at her cousin-in-law.
"I was hungry, and he's been fussy all night." John lifted a glass of milk to his lips, placing the plate on the counter and bouncing Flynn. "See? He doesn't mind."
"John-" Jade began to warn him, stopping when Flynn spit up all over John's arm, shirt, and pants. "He has a stomach bug…"
John sighed, picking up a dish rag and moving to wipe his shirt off. "Here, can you hold him for a sec?" He handed the child to Claire, stripping his shirt off and following closely with his jeans. "I'm gonna spray and wash these."
Claire smiled as she looked John's body over, enjoying the view and how comfortable he'd become with her. "Have fun."
John walked with Claire down the beach, holding her hand and letting their shoulders rub against each other. "What would you say… if I told you that I want to learn to surf?" He asked, turning to look at her with soft eyes.
She smirked, giving him a little push. "I'd say, that you're nuts."
"Well, I'd have to be to marry you." He laughed as she pushed him into the sand, pulling her down with him. "Oh, come on Sweets, you know I'm joking." He smiled, kissing her neck.
"I know." She grinned, quickly standing and sprinting down the beach. "Bet you can't catch me!" She called, kicking the sand up as she ran.
"I get a kiss when I do!" He shouted, rushing after her. He laughed as she tossed some seaweed at him, following her into the ocean until the waves lifted his feet off of the sand on the bottom. He paused then, a small smile gracing his lips as he watched her.
Her hair was tangled and wet, the red tresses shining like copper in the sunset, her t-shirt clung to her curves and she was sunburnt and red from the heat of mid spring. She was perfect.
What had he done to deserve her? What angel was watching over him?
Who cared though? She was his, and he was hers. Johnathan and Claire Bender… He thought, noticing a small outcropping in the beach. Two more months.