Chapter 13
The past six weeks had literally flown by. Sam was doing well in school—still making new friends and becoming more precocious by the day. Jude's album continued to progress, with a release set for three months down the road. Songs had been pouring out of her, her new life with Sam and Tommy had inspired her a great deal. She had filled almost a whole new notebook since Sam had moved in nearly three months ago. While she knew that most of what she was writing now wouldn't be put on an album, the songs were still close to her heart. They were a part of her, part of how she processed all of the new experiences.
While her days had been filled with her music and Sam's were full of school and new friends, Tommy's time was largely taken over by his role running the studio. Though they were all busy, the family made sure to spend time together as often as possible. Once a week they made sure to have a family night with dinner and a movie, and every Sunday morning they had a huge pancake breakfast with Sam catching up on cartoons and Tommy and Jude catching up on some sleep.
While family nights and Sunday morning breakfast were times truly cherished by Jude, she missed time with her love. She missed waking up to his kisses on her neck without the possibility of being interrupted by a perky little girl. She missed the afternoons when Tommy would spontaneously bring her home on their lunch break so they could enjoy each other in every sense of the phrase. She wouldn't trade having Sam with them for the world, but that didn't make her miss time alone with him any less. They seriously needed to do something about their work schedules to make sure that they made spending time together a priority.
As she continued the drive to Sam's school, her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Thanks to the unique rendition of "Pick Up the Pieces," she knew it would be Tommy on the other end. "Hey Babe! What's up?" The silence coming from Tommy immediately turned the happiness that came from hearing his voice to concern, and Jude asked, "Babe?"
The clearing of a throat came over the line before he answered, "Uh..."
She knew this couldn't be a good sign and prompted him for an answer. "Tommy, what's going on?"
"Let me just say that I am so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen."
"What to happen?" Jude asked, a hint of anger evident in her voice.
"Well, I just got off the phone with D and he said that there are some big investors in town. They are heading back to New York in the morning, but want to meet with me tonight to see how the studio is doing."
At his words, her heart sank in her chest. "But its Valentine's Day, Tommy. Why do they want to meet tonight?" she whined. She couldn't believe that he would be missing their first date since New Year's Eve. To be honest, she didn't really care about the holiday, but it was the perfect excuse to have some alone time with Tommy. Her dad had even made a special trip into town so that he could watch Sam for the night. They had been planning this for a couple of weeks already.
"I know, Babe. I know. But there isn't anything I can do about it. They conferenced with Darius earlier today and he suggested they take a look at the studio and get a better idea of what we have going on. They thought that was a perfect plan, and decided that we should do dinner tonight at the studio. I just called in the take-out order from that steak place down the street. I am sorry."
Jude could tell that he was sincere in his apology, but that didn't change her complete frustration with the situation. On some level, she knew it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help being irritated with how things turned out. "Couldn't the investors come in the morning and have a breakfast meeting?" she asked.
A brief pause was followed with "I didn't think of that. But it doesn't matter now, the food is ordered and the investors will be here in a half hour."
Not knowing how to respond, she stayed silent for a bit longer before telling him that they could talk later. "I just got to the school to pick up Sam, so I guess I'll see you tonight." Without waiting for a response, she hung up the phone. Before putting the device away, she dialed her father, letting him in on the change in plans. While the phone rang, she pulled in to a spot at Sam's school and got out of the car to wait for her girl. When her dad finally answered and after they said their hellos, she told him, "So, things are going to be a bit different tonight. Tommy has a meeting, so why don't you just come to the house and the three of us will hang out. How does that sound?"
Stuart agreed, asking if he could bring anything. She told him no and, after working out a few more details, they hung up. The timing couldn't have been better—just as Jude was putting her phone in her pocket, Sam came running up shouting, "Mommy!"
Her words brought a smile to Jude's face as she bent down to hug the little girl. "Hey, Sweetheart. How was your day?"
She buckled Sam in the car and started the drive home as the girl told her all about the day at school. Upon reaching their house, Sam was in mid-story about a little boy who asked her to be his Valentine. As cute as the girl was, Jude couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Tommy. She was still incredibly peeved about him missing their date, and she knew that the whole night would be somewhat of a battle to have a good attitude with her dad and Sam.
Helping her girl gather her things, the two walked into the house. Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and Jude let her father into the house. "Hey, dad. I'm glad you still came over. Sorry about the change of plans."
"No problem, Jude." He gave her a hug, and while holding her close, he whispered in her ear, "Hon, I know that this isn't quite the night you planned for, but we'll have a good time."
She smiled at her father's words—he always knew exactly what she needed. "Thanks," she whispered back. Straightening up, she told him, "Put your stuff wherever. If you want to stay the night, you can take the blue room upstairs."
"Thanks, Sweetie. I canceled my room at the hotel, so I think I will take the that room. I'll be back down in a few."
As he walked up the stairs, she followed him, calling that he should get changed into some more comfortable clothes. A few minutes later, all three convened in the kitchen. Jude looked over to her little girl and asked, "Sam, what do you want for dinner? I thought that we could eat and then make cookies later."
"Yes! Mommy, that is a good plan. Let's make pizza for dinner!"
Not surprised by the girl's request. Home-made pizza was her favorite thing recently, though usually they would be making it with Tommy. Stop! Jude commanded herself. She needed to stop thinking about him so that she could enjoy her evening with her daughter and father. She was determined to have a good time tonight, even if it wasn't turning out how she planned.
Dinner was successful, despite how disastrous the kitchen might look. As Jude cleaned things up, she smiled at the laughter coming from the living room where Sam and her father were playing. In that moment, she was happy. Of course, she missed Tommy, but she couldn't help but love the laughter and joy that was filling the house. This was how a home should sound.
Kitchen finally cleaned, Jude called for Sam and her dad to join her once again. "Should we get started on those cookies?"
"Yes! Let's make shape cookies!"
The laughter bubbled out of Jude before she could help it. She knew that "shape cookies" meant sugar cookies, and she was happy with the choice. Simple sugar cookies were her favorite, and clearly Sam's favorite too. "Alright, Sweetie. Grab the cookie cutters and I'll get the ingredients. They were briefly interrupted by the ringing of a phone, which was quickly picked up by Stuart. The softness of his voice when he said "hello" caused Jude to think it was the gal that she suspected he was seeing. She motioned for him to go upstairs, understanding the desire to have a more private conversation.
She and Sam continued making their cookies, laughing and joking around the whole time. After putting the first batch in the oven, the kitchen was suspiciously quiet. Jude began to worry as absolute quiet was never a good sign. As she tried to peak around the butcher block island in the middle of the room, she was surprised with a smack on her ass. Turning, she saw Sam covered in flour. "Sam, what did you do?"
She giggled before saying, "Nothing..."
Jude turned to see what the mischievous girl had done and saw a nice flour handprint on her butt. She couldn't help but laugh at the girl's actions. "But Sam..." she turned and grabbed some flour in her own hand, "you need to have one too!" Placing her flour-filled hand on Sam's cheek, she made sure to rub the ingredient in well.
"Mama! You need some on your face too!" A small flour handprint was put on Jude's cheek as they erupted into a fit of laughter and giggles.
…
The melody that filled his ears upon entering the house brought an immediate smile to his face. Regardless of the completely frustrating day he had, the laughter, giggles, and music that rang out instantly made everything better. He was furious with Darius for suggesting the investors take a look at the studio, and more aggravated that he didn't think to have them come by the following morning. This was the date night he and Jude had been planning for weeks, and who knew when their next chance would be to be alone.
As much as he loved having Sam in his life, he missed the alone time he used to have with Jude. He knew things would have to change, and had originally planned on having that conversation tonight. But now, all he wanted was to tuck Sam into bed and spend time with Jude. Following the laughter and tune of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" from the Beatles, he made his way into the kitchen and couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. Both girls were dancing and covered in flour, Jude with a small handprint on her ass, Sam with some in her hair.
Quietly setting his things down, Tommy creeped up behind them and laced his arm around Jude, kissing her on the neck just below her ear. With one hand, he pulled Sam close to them and simply held on. The feeling of his girls being so close was absolute perfection, and again he wondered why he agreed to meet with the investors when he could have spent his time like this.
A shrill "Daddy!" interrupted his thoughts and he smiled. "Hi Baby, how are you?" Looking at his little girl, he held her closer as she began to tell him all about her day. She wiggled from his grasp and began to gesture wildly, then began dancing to the music that was still playing. He let her twirl about and held onto Jude even more tightly. "I missed you, Babe. I am so sorry about tonight. I will make it up to you."
He was pleased when she turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Having her so close was somewhat intoxicating, and Tommy had to pull away before he took her then and there. The simple act of her body pressed flush against his caused an erection to spring forth. She felt his hardness, and looked at him in surprise before stifling a giggle in his shoulder.
"Eager, are we Babe?"
He pulled back from her and glared before allowing his features to soften into a small smile. "What can I say? I seriously missed your sexy body." His features transformed into a smirk as he looked her up and down, eyes lingering on the bit of skin showing between her shirt and sweatpants. He allowed his hands to caress the small line, but again pulled away before doing something he would regret in front of their daughter. Knowing that he desperately needed some alone time with Jude, he also knew that he had to get Sam off to bed.
Using Jude to block his slightly protruding erection, Tommy turned to Sam and asked, "Sweetie, why don't you run up and get changed for bed. Mommy can tuck you in, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy. I love you."
Her sweet words brought yet another smile to his face. Kneeling down, he grabbed her in a hug, "I love you too, Sweetheart." Standing back up, he watched her run up the stairs, then pulling Jude close to him. He began to sway to the music that was still playing, holding his girl in his arms.
After a few moments, she tried to break free from his grasp, but he stopped her. "Babe, we'll take care of the dishes tomorrow. Go tuck in Sam, and I will get changed. Then, you and I can have some much-needed alone time." His last words were spoken as his eyebrows raised up and down mischievously.
Smiling, Jude responded, "I like the sound of that." She placed a small kiss on his cheek. As she was walking up the stairs, she looked over her shoulder, "I'll see you soon, sexy." With that, she blew him a kiss and continued up to to Sam's room.
Knowing his time was somewhat limited, he grabbed a few cookies that had come out of the oven a few moments before and a bottle of champagne from their alcohol cabinet. Before turning off the lights, he made sure to get a couple of flutes as well. Literally racing up the stairs, his first stop was the bathroom to turn on the tub. He then searched the room for a few candles he knew Jude hid here. Victorious, he lit them and set them around the room. Wanting to complete the set-up, he turned on some soft music, thrilled that it was the Grover Washington, Jr. CD they had been listening to earlier that week.
Music and candles set, champagne poured, and bubble bath ready, Tommy stripped himself of all clothing and donned a cushy bathrobe while he waited for Jude to join him. He couldn't wait to spend time with her alone—away from the distractions of everyday life. Hearing her steps get closer, he couldn't help but smile. The second she walked in their room, he went to her and kissed her. Immediately getting lost in the feel of her lips on his, he began to remove the t-shirt she was still wearing, sliding his hands up her bare back. The feel of her soft skin was like heaven, and when he pulled the shirt off, he was surprised to see that she hadn't been wearing a bra. His breath caught in his throat, but before she could move even an inch away from him, he drew her against him again.
Their lips reconnected and tongues were instantly engaged in a fierce duel. His hands roamed her body, tangling in her hair and clutching onto her ass. Realizing that she still had far too many clothes on, Tommy began to push the sweatpants she was in down her legs, thrilled to realize that she wasn't wearing any underwear. If possible, he grew even more hard and, as soon as she was rid of the separating layers, he shoved off his robe. Pulling back, he perused her, taking in every inch of her body, loving every inch of her body. Knowing that they had a bath to get to, he grabbed her hand and led her to the bathroom. As the reached the door, he moved her so that she was in front of him and put his hands over her eyes. "Babe, I have a surprise for you." Step by step he led her into the bathroom, letting the soft sounds of jazz saxophone fill her ears, and the sweet subtle scent of vanilla invade her senses.
Pulling his hands away from her eyes, he let her take in their surroundings. The slight intake of her breath gave evidence of her appreciation. After a moment, she turned in his arms and held him close. "When did you do this?" she whispered.
"I figured this would be a good way to start making up for missing out date tonight. I am sorry." He peppered kisses along her cheek and up to her ear. He could help taking the lobe of her ear in between his teeth and sucking on it gently—she just tasted so good!
Her voice interrupted his actions, "I know you are. Let's put this bath to good use."
Leaning back, he could see the sweet smile on her lips and the sparkle in her eyes. Not waiting another second, he prodded her in the direction of the tub and allowed her to get in first. Finally settled, Jude's back was to his front, and his arms were wrapped around her middle. They took time to simply enjoy being in each other's presence, eyes closed, completely relaxed and comfortable. She was running her fingers along his arms, back and forth, and he reveled in her touch.
After a few moments, her fingers snaked farther up his arm, making their way to his shoulder, then to his neck, finally resting on his cheek, lightly cupping it in her palm. Instinctively, he leaned into her touch; but at the hint of a moan that escaped her lips, his slightly relaxed member hardened. He was brought back to the state of desire from before, and had to force himself to relax a bit. Not thirty seconds after getting a bit of control over his "situation," Jude's other hand slid from his arm to her side. She began to kneed his thigh, going higher and higher until her digits rested just to the right of his hardness.
He was literally aching for her touch—more than he ever had before. He longed for her touch...needed her touch. The demand for her reached a point of no return, so Tommy abruptly removed her hand and began to turn her so that she faced him. As soon as he moved, she helped him out, moving herself so that she was straddling him. She leaned in and began an assault on his neck, sucking, biting, licking...
His hands began to massage her ass, thoroughly loving how perfectly it fit into his hands. Again, he was surprised by how much he needed her to be closer, to feel every inch of her on him. Never before had any woman affected him like Jude did. Never before had he wanted to be affected by anyone.
The desire reaching a peak, he picked her up and set her down on his raging erection, groaning in complete and utter pleasure. Her hips began to move, her need for more taking over. Soon, water was sloshing out of the bath tub as their lovemaking became more frantic, more erratic. He moved her up and down, causing friction as she enveloped him to his hilt. The gasps and moans she let out spurred him on, making sure to reach her spot every time. He had never heard anything more erotic as the noises coming out of her mouth. As her inner muscles began to clench around him, he slammed her down even harder, attempting to bring both of them over the edge simultaneously.
His goal was reached, evidenced by the loud "Tommy!" that echoed through the bathroom. Minutes later, both were still breathing hard as they recovered from their passion. He was just beginning to be a bit more conscious of their surroundings. He realized the water they were partially submerged in was nearly cold, and the candles were nearly out. Releasing one last sigh, Tommy moved his hands from their place on her back and began to caress her shoulders and arms. Another couple of minutes passed, and Jude reluctantly began to stand up. Grabbing a towel from the counter, she handed it to him before grabbing one for herself.
Mostly dry, she wrapped the towel around herself and grabbed some lotion from her side of the counter. As she massaged it into her legs, Tommy was reminded of her incredible beauty. Whether she was naked and dripping in front of him, putting on lotion, or anything else, she was stunning.
They quickly returned to the bedroom after soaking up the water that had splashed out of the tub during their activities. With Jude wrapped in his arms under the covers, he knew that this was it. He would never let her go, and a plan began to form as to how he could make her his forever. He had the ring, now he just had to get creative.
…
Her head nodded along to the beat of the music playing in her car, though she didn't have a clue what was actually playing. She was somewhat confused as to what the night would hold, and had absolutely no idea as to what the night would entail. Tommy called her around ten that morning saying that he had some things to do outside of the studio and he would see her that evening. He told her not to worry about Sam, Sadie was taking her shopping after school, and to be home by six. He didn't give her any details and he had seemed abrupt and short with her on the phone, leading her to worry a bit about what to expect.
Pulling into their driveway, Jude turned off the car and got out with her things. She walked up the steps to the front door somewhat cautiously, unsure and apprehensive. But, any hint of fear or anxiety left her as she opened the door, heavenly scents infiltrating her nostrils.
"Baby?" was called from what she assumed was the kitchen.
"Hey Tommy," she answered. Setting her purse on the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen, only to smile at the sight. Tommy was standing over the stove wearing a pair of flannel pants and plain t-shirt. The best part of the look had to be the "Kiss the Cook" apron that covered his front. Following the advice of the apron, she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. "What are you doing?" she asked.
He smiled at her before going back to whatever he was cooking on the stove. "Well, Sam is with Sadie and Kwest for the night and it is the end of the week and I thought we could have a night to ourselves."
"We had that wonderful bath on Monday night together...and its only Friday?" She quickly added, "not that I'm complaining!" Its true, she wasn't complaining, but she was surprised.
"I know. But Monday only kind of counted. Besides, we talked about making sure to set aside time for just us, and that's what I'm doing. Tonight is about us." He placed his lips against her forehead, letting them linger for a moment. Separating, he told her, "Now, go put on something comfortable. Dinner should be ready in about five minutes."
She could only nod in agreement, so excited for the prospect of a night with him and no little girls in the house. Turning, she began to walk out of the room as a hand connected with her ass in a bit of a slap. She glared back at him before scampering up the steps. Reaching their room, she looked around for something comfortable to change into. Eyes landing on a button-up shirt of Tommy's, Jude knew that it would be perfect. She felt more relaxed just looking at the shirt and quickly shed the clothes she had been wearing all day, putting on the item that still smelled the unique scent that was truly Tommy. Knowing that she didn't want to go downstairs in only the shirt, Jude walked over to their dresser and grabbed a pair of boxers from one of Tommy's drawers. She pulled them over the lace boy shorts she was wearing, smiling at the thought of her underwear choice. Not long after getting together, Tommy had confessed that they were his favorite. When she had asked why, he told her that he loved being able to see part of her ass and the hint of everything underneath. He said that it was sexy as hell how a single pair of panties could be such a tease.
With that thought bringing a smile to her face, she left their room and headed back downstairs and into the kitchen. Coming up behind Tommy and wrapping her arms around his middle, she asked, "So, what smells so good?"
Turning to face her, he placed yet another sweet kiss on her forehead. I thought we could do something simple—a little lobster fettuccine?"
"No wonder the house smells so good, Babe." She turned, looking around the kitchen. "What can I do to help?"
"Nothing. We're ready to eat."
They grabbed their dishes and headed into the dining room, discussing their days, work, Jude's album, the studio...anything and everything. Nearly an hour later, both fully satiated and kitchen cleaned, the pair made their way into the living room. Tommy lit a fire as Jude put on some music, meeting back at the couch to sit back and truly relax.
So far, the night had been perfect for Jude. She was "wined and dined" by the most handsome man she had ever seen, not to mention the love of her life. But now, something was off. As soon as he sat down next to her, she could tell that something was wrong. He wouldn't look at her, he barely said anything for the first ten minutes they were sitting on the couch, and he was fidgeting with his hands.
Fed up with his lack of communication, Jude lay a hand on his to stop the nervous movement. "Okay, Babe. What's going on?"
He wouldn't look at her, frustrating her even more. "No." Grabbing his chin, she turned his head to make their eyes meet. "What is going on?"
Jude could see him take a deep breath and started to get nervous. What the hell was going on? Abruptly he stood up, his actions completely startling her. He paced back and forth for a moment before falling to his knees in front of her. "Babe?" she asked.
He opened his mouth and closed it again. The action repeated, frustration obvious on his face, brow furrowed. Jude's concern increased as she waited for what he would say. She didn't have the courage to ask what was going on, too scared of what the answer might be.
A minute later, Tommy's mouth opened again, apparently finally ready to speak. He put his hands on her knees and took one last deep breath. "Jude..."
He called her Jude, not Babe, not Sweetheart, not Honey...none of the endearing terms she was used to hearing. His voice broke through her thoughts, and she focused on the words he was saying.
"I love you. It took me far too long to realize it, and far too long to long to get you. Being with you is perfect, and I know that this is it. I want you with me forever. I want to build our own family and grow old with you. I love you." He closed his eyes for a brief second before continuing. A small smile graced his face as he told her, "I shouldn't be so nervous, but I'm just going to say it: I love you. Jude, will you marry me?"
Her eyes were wide and shock took over. Before she gave him an answer, she couldn't help but smack his shoulder. "How dare you!" she exclaimed. "You worried me!" She couldn't believe he would make her worry like that. But, his words came back to her and she couldn't help but smile. He was perfect, and there was not a doubt in her mind that she loved him and wanted to be his wife. Grabbing his face between her hands and kissed him fiercely. She put all of her love and passion into that single kiss...the locking of their lips.
When her lungs began to burn with need for oxygen, she pulled back, resting her forehead against his.
"I guess I'll take that as a yes." The smirk that covered his face was so essentially Tommy that Jude couldn't help but laugh.
"Yes. For now and always...yes." She leaned forward and kissed him again, quickly moving things forward and encouraging the kiss to become more passionate and insistent. She was so completely taken over with desire and love for him that Jude fell forward, landing on top of him.
Her desire for him began to completely take over, and she couldn't seem to get close enough. The friction of their bodies rubbing against each other caused the small heat in her to light her whole body on fire. Everywhere his fingers traced brought tingles, every movement brought her closer to release.
Quickly, clothes were shed and sweat covered them. He entered her swiftly, striking at her core time and time again. They each found release nearly immediately, and collapsed in a pile of sweat-soaked limbs. Only moving slightly, Tommy grabbed a blanket from the side of the couch and threw it on top of them, rubbing her back as she drifted of. Being wrapped in his arms was perfection, there was no doubt about it.
Morning came far too quickly, ushered in by the ringing of Jude's cell phone somewhere deep in the house. Groggily she opened her eyes and looked around the room. Realizing that they were in the living room, Jude smiled at the memory of the previous night...she was officially an engaged woman! She looked down at her ring and couldn't help the smile from spreading across her face. Her thoughts drifted to a world of weddings and babies. She thought of the sweet church on the way to her parent's farmhouse and how perfect it would be for a ceremony. It wasn't too big—the right size for their close friends and family. The location would be great too: outside of town, but not too far away. And the pictures would be amazing, like something out of a magazine.
The irritating ring of a phone entered her consciousness, and she was begrudgingly brought back to the present. Grabbing Tommy's shirt from the side of their little make-shift bed, Jude got up, walking towards the obnoxious sounding phone. Finding it in her purse still on the stairs, she answered with a short, "What do you want, Sadie?" She didn't care if it was her sister or that she had done something nice by taking care of Sam for the night, Sadie took her away from precious and coveted time with Tommy.
Her sister's voice came across the line, "Fine, see if I do you any favors in the future."
"I'm sorry, Sades. I just don't like leaving my..." She paused for a second before finishing, "...my fiance." She couldn't help the grin that lit her face as she waited for her sister's response.
Not one to disappoint, Sadie squealed in joy. "Yay! He finally asked! What does the ring look like? What did he say? When are you getting married?"
Before Sadie could ask any more questions, Jude interrupted. "Sadie...Sadie! Calm down. One question at a time! The ring is...perfect. The diamond is an asscher cut and surrounded by onyx and the band is done completely in pave diamonds. It looks like Platinum, maybe?"
"How many carats?" Sadie asked.
Examining her finger, Jude guessed, "I don't know...maybe two?" She had never been one obsessed with expensive jewelry, so she wasn't sure how many carats the ring might be.
A low voice broke into her thoughts and a pair of arms snaked their way around her waist. "Try two-and-a-half."
Jude couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips as she turned to peck Tommy on the cheek. His hair was pointing in all directions and his face still had that "half-asleep" look to it, but Jude thought he never looked better. It might have something to do with the fact that he was now her fiance, he had asked her to be with him forever. "Hey, Baby," she whispered.
His only response was a kiss on her cheek before taking the phone from her hand. "Sadie, my fiancee can tell you all the details tomorrow. But how long do we have before you bring our girl home?"
His words caused her heart to flutter, and tears pricked her eyes. She was overwhelmed by the knowledge that he chose her, and they had a family. They got to take care of their little girl and, at some point in the future, they would begin to build their own family. In some ways, this was the first step to forever, and Jude truly couldn't wait to get started. With a man like Tommy by her side, she was confident that she could do anything, achieve anything.
Lost in her sappy thoughts, Jude missed the rest of the conversation between Tommy and her sister. He tossed the phone in her purse without her knowledge and grabbed her waist, bringing her flush against him. "Well, we have about an hour." Wiggling his eyebrows, he asked, "What do you suggest we do with all that time?"
From there, he led her up the stairs and to their room. Upon entering, he picked her up and literally tossed her on the bed before crawling on top of her. Soon they were stripped of their clothing and rolling around on their large bed. Their love came to a pinnacle in strained screams, and they collapsed, limbs tangled, breath heavy, and content smiles adorning their faces. After a couple of minutes spent recovering, Tommy turned to face her. "You know, we still have almost thirty minutes and we both need to get clean. What do you say we save some water and hop in the shower?"
Sitting up, Jude nodded. "I think that's brilliant!" She hopped off the bed and grabbed his hand, dragging him after her. Exactly twenty-eight minutes and one more fiery round of morning-sex later, Tommy and Jude stepped out of the shower to dry themselves off and put some clothes on. They couldn't very well welcome their daughter home naked and fresh from some "sexy-time."
Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the front door, and they met Sam in the front entrance. A sweet, "Mommy! Daddy!" was shouted from the girl's mouth. She ran up to them and embraced them in a strong hold, both of them bent down to meet her.
Sadie let them enjoy their moment before pulling Jude to her feet. She threw her arms around her younger sister and demanded, "Tell me everything!"
Hearing her words, Tommy stood and grabbed his daughter's hand before standing next to Jude. Once Sadie let her go, he grabbed her waist and pulled her close. She couldn't help the flutter of her heart at his actions. She loved being close to him and wrapped in his embrace.
Jude re-focused her attention to what her husband-to-be was telling Sadie. "You have to wait until tomorrow for details Sadie. We are having a family day, starting right now. No work, nothing else, just us...and maybe some music." At his last statement, he glanced at Jude and smiled. She responded in kind, loving that he knew just what made her happy. If they had a day off, it would have to include some music, even if it was just fooling around.
Sadie was about to protest, but before she could say anything, Jude interrupted, saying, "Sades, how 'bout you and I grab some lunch tomorrow. I can tell you all the details, and you can tell me all about how my little niece or nephew is doing. Sound good?"
Sadie huffed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll see you tomorrow."
After they shut the door behind her, Jude and Tommy turned to Sam. "What would you like to do today, Sweetie?" A great deal of discussion finally had the group decide on breakfast as their first course of action, followed by a movie or two. At some point they would get to dinner, and somewhere in their day, music would be played. Ultimately, they just wanted to relax together. Life had been pretty crazy, and they wanted to make sure that they enjoyed the freedom they had for the day.
At half past seven that night, the three were sitting in Tommy and Jude's bed watching the final installment of the Toy Story trilogy. Somewhere towards the middle of the movie, Sam turned to Jude and grabbed her hand. Fingering the new piece of jewelry that adorned her, the little girl asked, "Mommy, what is married?"
Knowing that something would have caused Sam to ask such a question, Jude inquired, "Hon, what made you ask that?"
"Auntie Sadie told uncle Kwest that she would get to help plan a wedding 'cause someone was getting married."
"Oh..." She was unsure how much detail to go into with the little girl, but decided to stay pretty basic. "Sam, when two people love each other very much they decide to get married. It means that they promise to stay together forever and have a family together."
"Okay."
Jude was surprised when Sam left things at that. However, nearly thirty minutes later, the girl asked, "Mommy, are you and Daddy getting married?"
Deciding to be as honest and simple as possible, Jude told the girl, "Yes." She paused the movie and turned to Sam. "Is that okay with you, Sweetie?"
She didn't know what she would do if the little girl didn't like the plan, so she waited for a response. It took a minute before she said, "Uh huh. But..."
Jude encouraged her by laying a hand on her knee. "Baby, you can ask me anything...tell me anything. What is it?"
Finally, Sam asked, "Does that mean you will have another baby and replace me?"
Jude couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's question. "No! Sam, we love you so much, and you will always be our first-born little girl." And it was true. Even if Sam wasn't technically Jude's, she was as close as one could be without actually birthing the girl. "If your dad and I have a baby, it just means you'll get to be a big sister. We can love both of you the same, not one more than the other."
It took a minute, but a sweet smile lit the girl's face. "Okay then. As long as you still love me, I think I would like to be a bit sister. But not yet, okay?"
Jude couldn't help but smile. "Okay, Sweetheart. I promise it won't happen quite yet. Now, let's finish this movie. She un-paused the TV and settled in to finish the movie. Once the movie had finished, she glanced over at her fiance. During their whole conversation, Tommy was asleep, curled against her. He looked so precious, and she once again asked herself how she ended up so lucky. With that thought, another idea came to mind, and she quietly crawled out of the bed and grabbed a pencil and paper from the nightstand. Putting into words all of the racing emotions and thoughts, Jude was surprised to realize she had the beginnings of an amazing song. She couldn't wait to show Tommy and get his input.
Climbing back onto the bed, Jude made her way under the covers and drifted off to sleep, completely content to be surrounded by the two most important people in her life.
…
Life was pretty good as far as he could tell. He had a job that he loved—at least most of the time. He had a beautiful daughter. He had an incredible fiancee. It had been a month since he proposed...a month since she agreed to become his wife. The mere mention of the word "wife" made him smile in anticipation and excitement.
A knock on the door interrupted his happy thoughts, and Tommy was brought back to the reality of every day life. It was true that he honestly loved his job, but some of the more mundane tasks never settled well. Getting up from his desk, he followed one of the interns into the conference room.
Nearly an hour later, the meeting was done, and Tommy couldn't seem to get out of the room fast enough. On the way to his office, he was surprised by a vibration in his back pocket. Opening his phone, he answered, "Tom Quincy..."
Jude's frantic and high pitched voice came from the other end of the phone, but she was speaking so fast that he could barely understand her. "Babe, slow down. Did you just say something about labor?"
"Yes!" was yelled across the line. "Sadie is going into labor! Grab Kwest and get your asses down to the hospital. We are waiting to get checked into a room now."
"Okay, Babe. Take a deep breath and calm down. I'm getting my keys right now and Kwest and I can be there in twenty minutes at most." He couldn't believe that the time had come—Sadie and Kwest were going to have a kid!
"Fine, just hurry!"
Jude was clearly frazzled and Tommy couldn't help but chuckle at her panic. "I will. I love you, Jude."
He heard her take a moment and pause, smiling when she replied, "I love you too, Tommy. I'll see you soon."
Hanging up the phone, he grabbed the keys from their place on his desk and walked to the studios to find his best friend. Thankfully, he was in the first studio. "Hey, man! You're about to be a dad. Let's go!"
The pair made their way to the car and quickly drove to the hospital. Rushing in to the hospital, they ran to the Sadie's room, ignoring the protests of the nurses and doctors along the way. Kwest rushed to his wife's side, grasping her hands in his and kissing her sweetly on the forehead. Tommy was struck by the sweetness of their interaction, and couldn't help but imagine how things would be once Jude got pregnant with their child. There was no question in his mind that he wanted lots of babies with her—he couldn't wait to experience all parts of the pregnancy: cravings, hormones, swelling, birth.
Feeling her presence at his side, Tommy leaned down and kissed the top of Jude's head. She leaned into his side, causing him to wrap an arm around her shoulders and hold her close.
Her voice softly came across, "It's like we're watching a movie...I feel like we're intruding on their moment."
Grabbing her hand, he leaned close to her ear, whispering, "I know what you mean. Let's grab some coffee downstairs."
"Perfect."
As they walked down to the cafeteria, Jude told him about how Sadie was doing so far. The doctor told them that it would be a while, at least five or six hours at this point. He told her about his day—the boring meetings, the dramatic diva Darius had wanted him to sign, and how her album was progressing.
"We're only looking at doing one more song, right?"
"Yeah. And, to be honest, I think that a ballad would round out the album perfectly. Do you have anything?" He always took a look at her journal every couple of days to see what new material she came up with. There hadn't been a ballad in a while, instead filling the pages with more upbeat songs of love and duty.
"Actually..."
Jude let her words hang, and Tommy was surprised. "But I've seen your journal. There isn't a new ballad in there. When did you write it?"
"I've been putting something together over the last couple of weeks. After you proposed and Sam was with us that next night, the idea kind of hit. I only got a little bit done that night, and I planned on going over it with you the following day. But, life got a bit crazy and I totally forgot about it."
His girl constantly amazed him. "What's it like?" He couldn't help but ask, wanting to know how this final piece of her album would sound. Jude looked off, brow furrowed in concentration. She was obviously trying to articulate what the song was like.
Eventually, she looked back at him and responded. "Its a love song."
He raised his eyebrows at her words. Was she really going to just leave it at that?
Smiling, she continued, "Fine. It's emotional and kind of intense...about taking a chance and putting yourself out there."
He couldn't help but smile at her description of the song, and couldn't wait to hear it. "What about the sound?"
"It's pretty stripped down. I think I want to do it on the piano, nothing else. I guess it almost has a vintage vibe to it."
Despite the fact that they were currently in the hospital waiting for Sadie to give birth, Tommy wanted to race to the studio to hear this song. By the way Jude was smiling, he could tell that this song was going to be a masterpiece. A soft, yet callused hand covered his, bringing him back to the hospital cafeteria.
"Babe, let's get back upstairs. I was going to see if Sadie wanted anything from home since we're going to be here for a while."
"Sure, Hon." He grabbed her hand and they headed to her sister's room. When they were only steps from the door, his phone began to ring. Seeing that it was Darius, Tommy motioned for Jude to go inside the room and answered his boss' call.
Twenty minutes later, Jude came out of the room and he was just hanging up the phone. It had been an interesting conversation with Darius, one he was sure his wife-to-be would not be happy about. The man had wanted them to coincide her album release with their wedding, making it into one big extravaganza. He wanted to make a media-circus of their love and their family. On the way to Sadie and Kwest's house to pick up the things Sadie had requested, he relayed what Darius had said. Jude, not surprisingly, was outraged at the offer.
"That is pretty much the farthest thing from what I ever pictured our wedding looking like!" she yelled.
This had Tommy curious as to what she had pictured. Of course, he had his own ideas, but this was the perfect opportunity to find out what she wanted. "So, what did you picture?"
"Honestly?" When he nodded, she continued. "I would love to get married in a smaller ceremony in a quaint little chapel—like the one on the way to the farm house. Only family and friends...Sam as our flower girl...Dad walking me down the aisle. For the reception, I would want it to be small and simple...like a dinner at our house or at Kwest and Sadie's. What do you think?" She looked out the window of the car as if nervous to what his response would be.
In reality, what she had just said was perfect. Since meeting Jude, he hadn't really wanted the flashy and showy things of his past. He wanted real and honest. Being surrounded by close friends and family on the day that they officially committed to each other would be perfect. "I think that sounds pretty amazing, Babe."
The smile she gave him was beautiful, relaying her joy at his words. He heart felt light knowing that they were talking about their wedding, and he had the strongest urge to get married then and there. "Jude, how would you feel about getting married sooner rather than later?" They had talked about setting the date for about six months in the future, but had yet to finalize anything.
"I would seriously love that. Are you sure?"
"Absolutely! If it weren't for the kid Sadie is trying to push out, I would say we should do it now." And he seriously would. The more time that went by, the more he wanted her to be his forever. He didn't need a big wedding, he just needed Jude...and Sam...and the family they would build in the future.
"Really?"
Grabbing her hand with his free one, he smiled, "Really, Babe."
Silence accompanied them on the rest of the way to her sister's house, both content with where they stood. Once they arrived and grabbed everything they needed, Jude thought it would be good to check in with Sam. Thankfully, Stuart had been in town on business and had been able to get out of some afternoon meetings in order to pick Sam up from school. With the knowledge that their girl was doing alright and having fun with her grandpa, the pair headed out for the hospital once again.
Fifteen hours after arriving back at the hospital, Arianna Georgina Taylor was born. She was a healthy eight pounds, twenty-two inches long, with a full head of dark hair. The beautiful caramel-skinned little girl was passed between the adults, happy to be showered with love. Tommy had been a bit timid, not wanting to hurt the small child. But, sitting with Jude next to him and the girl in his arms, he couldn't wait to have this with Jude. Once again, in that moment, he saw a glimpse of what his future would look like with Jude, and he saw how perfect it was.
After Arianna was taken to the nursery, Jude and Tommy shared the news that they would be getting married in a few weeks, giving Sadie enough time to recover. She was thrilled, and literally begged to help plan things, Jude gladly accepting her help.
Just after six o'clock, Tommy and Jude drove back to their place, picking up Sam on the way. They settled in for the night, making a simple dinner and watching a movie. Once their daughter was down for the night, Jude led him back to their room where her guitar was waiting on the bed.
"Sit," she told him simply.
Not sure what to expect, he followed her instructions, sitting down on the bed.
She sat across from him and brought her guitar to her lap. She began a small strum, but before she began singing, she qualified the song with, "Now, imagine this with the piano, not the acoustic, okay?"
He nodded, not wanting to disrupt what was bound to be a magical moment.
She began to strum again, and soon, her rich and beautiful voice carried over the chords.
You've been on my mind
I grow fonder every day lose myself in time
Just thinking of your face God only knows
Why it's taking me so long to let my doubts go
You're the only one that I want
I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before
Every feeling every word, I've imagined it all,
You never know if you never try to forgive your past
And simply be mine
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me the chance
To prove up I'm the one who can
Walk them miles
Until the end starts
Warping on your mind
You hang on every word I say, lose yourself in time
At the mention of my name, will I ever know
How it feels to hold you close
And have you tell me which ever road I chose you'll go
I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before
Every feeling every word, I've imagined it all,
You never know if you never try to forgive your past
And simply be mine
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me the chance
To prove up I'm the one who can
Walk them miles
Until the end starts
I know it ain't easy
Giving up your heart
I know it ain't easy
Giving up your heart
Nobody's perfect, it ain't easy, trust me I've given up your heart
Nobody's perfect, it ain't easy, trust me I've given up your heart
I know it ain't easy
Giving up your heart
Nobody's perfect, it ain't easy, trust me I've given up your heart
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me the chance
To prove up I'm the one who can
Walk them miles until the end starts
Come and give me the chance
To prove that I'm the one who can
Walk them miles until the end starts.
Tommy was speechless. He was expecting something great from this song, but the reality far surpassed expectations. Jude had been right. The song was raw and real and had an amazing vintage feel to it. "Babe..." It was the only thing he could say, words not worthy of judging this masterpiece.
She looked up at him from under her long eyelashes and asked, "You like it?"
How could she even ask that? "Jude, the song is the very definition of perfection. This will make your album. I love it." Taking the guitar from her and walking it across the room, he set it on the stand in the corner. Coming back to her, he grabbed her hands. "I love you, and I can't wait to be your husband."
She smiled, the action literally making his heart sing. Her words brought him higher, "I will be so honored to be your wife. I love you too, Babe."
With that, he captured her lips. Passion quickly escalated, tongues colliding, heat building, clothes flying. Again, Tommy was surprised by how much he needed her...craved her. His body hummed with want and his length was throbbing with the desire to be inside her. His last conscious thought was that this was going to be a very long and exhausting night, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
…
The song Jude sings for Tommy at then end of the night is One and Only by Adele. Check out her new album because it is AMAZING!