AN: Random Fact of the Day: I have been playing piano since I was five, but lately I haven't been playing as often. It's definitely odd not practicing as much as I used to, but definitely a nice break. Hope you all enjoy! xx Mariah
April first was her last full day with him, and it was perfect. Her mother gave her the day off, a nice surprise to be given when they came to the store. They walked home, hand-in-hand and she felt like someone was following them. She'd noticed a black Buick one to many times outside their house at odd hours of the night and started to see it following her home from the shop, but she brushed it off because Grandview was such a small town. Maybe someone got a new car and lived on her street.
Besides, who could be following her?
Ned squeezed her hand as they crossed the street and she leaned into him, her arms wrapping around his waist. She breathed in his cologne, feeling the softness of his shirt.
She loved Ned. She knew that without a doubt.
They made love when they got home, they explored each other's bodies and then made meatloaf together. His favorite. And that night when they went to bed her heart started to knock frantically against her chest, wondering what happened between them now. As the lights went off she didn't have to worry much longer.
He pulled her against him under the bedding and drowned her in kisses. He kissed her hot, long and needy. He kissed her everywhere. He undressed her slowly and she felt overwhelmed at the way her body burned for his, for the things he could make her feel.
Tonight was different.
There wasn't anything they needed to get done afterward. No rush. It was just Katie and Ned. Together, as one. They took their time, savoring every moment. Two and a half months was a long time, especially for them. This time, they came together as his thrusts got faster and more hectic.
She cried out, her orgasm the most intense one she'd ever had. And this time she was the first to speak afterward.
"I love you," she said in a hushed whisper, smiling at him. "I never want this night to end."
He grinned and pressed his mouth to hers, starting the process all over again.
The morning after, Ned was the first to wake.
Eight o'clock.
He could sleep a little longer, his train departed at one and it wasn't a long drive there. He was mesmerized by the sight of her, she looked completely natural, all relaxed and sleeping. He shifted from where he was lying on the bed to look at her better. He wanted to remember this, her in just a natural moment. When she flipped over and pressed her face into his chest, he took in a deep breath.
He wanted her. Badly.
He gulped at the feeling of her hardened nipples pressed against him, running his hand over her back.
"Morning," she whispered.
"Morning," he whispered and kissed her forehead.
She rolled onto her back and smiled at him sleepily as he took the moment to really appreciate her body.
She was at the healthiest weight he'd ever seen her. After three months of eating healthier and working herself basically to the bone, she looked so good. Better than good. Even her skin was healing nicely, the stretch marks and scar. Not that he minded, he knew every imperfection on her skin was a reminder that she survived, another reason why he loved her.
He focused on her breasts. They're plump and round. Perfect. Bigger than before. Before he can stop himself he was moving closer to her, laying on his side, propping his head up with his hand as he gazed down at her.
He rested a hand on her hip just as she looked up at him.
"What?" She laughed.
His breath caught in his throat and he licked his lips, studying her.
"Ned," she whispered and he had to close his eyes and slow his breathing at the way her saying his name made his heart beat faster.
His hand tightened around her waist as he looked down at her again, suddenly he had the urge to move his fingers between her legs, to touch her in the most intimate place and make her squirm in pleasure under him. The look in her eyes told him she might be thinking the same thing.
But their moment was interrupted by the sounds of Stitches pawing at the sheets.
"He's hungry," she whispered, patting his side. "I'll be right back."
"Ok. I'm gonna shower," he replied and sat up in bed, lying against the headboard. "In a minute," he rubbed his eyes then, yawning.
"Hey bud... you hungry?" She kneeled down and he jumped into her hands.
She set him on the bed as she grabbed her panties off the floor and pulled them over her hips. She grabbed the larger shirt she'd been wearing when she got into bed and pulled that on before turning to smile at him. She crawled back on the bed, straddling him as she kissed him.
"Wait for me?" She whispered, kisses his throat softly, with just the right hint of passion. "One last time..."
"Of course," he smiled and she hopped off, running quickly with Stitches following her.
They pulled up to the train station and walked to the platform. They'd stopped at his parents, and hers and they took too many pictures, but this was for them. The train station was their time.
Their goodbye.
"I'm gonna miss you," she whispered into his shoulder, holding onto him tightly.
He took the time to smell her hair and kiss her forehead, pulling back a little. She held out her hand and he took it, squeezing her hand tightly.
"I–" he tried as they pull away, he sighed, cupping her cheek. "I'll miss you so much, Katie. You'll write to me, right? Because I don't know how long I'll be without my phone or internet."
"Whenever I get the chance, so you better write back." She answered, smiling at him. "I might even send some dirty pictures… if you are good enough."
"Maybe. If you don't bore me too much." He grinned.
"How is writing a love letter to your wife boring?" she asked, jokingly.
"I was kidding," he groaned but laughed. The train whistled as it pulled into the station. "That's me," he said, dropping his bag and pulling her in one last time. "I'll call you before I board at JFK. I promise. Because three days is too long without hearing your voice."
"I know," she whispered. "And you'll call me as soon as you can, right?'
"Yes," he nodded.
"Okay. I guess this is goodbye then. I love you," she stepped back, squeezing his hand.
"I love you too," he replied, turning away quickly and starting to walk towards the train. She reluctantly turned as well and walked toward the exit, until she heard his voice again. "Katie!" He yelled.
She turned and saw him sprinting toward her, his bag long forgotten on the floor. He rushed to her and grabbed her face as his lips crashed again hers passionately. His hands moved to her hair as he deepened the kiss and she melted again him, her hands grasping his shoulders, pulling him as close as possible until all to suddenly, he pulled away.
"I just had to kiss you one last time," he whispered and kissed her once more briefly as his train whistled again.
"You've gotta go." She said, a tear rolling down her cheek as she looked at him.
"I know. I love you," he wiped it away, kissing her again before he took off running toward the train.
"I love you," she whispered to herself.
She stood waited and was still there until the train was long out of sight. She walked toward the exit then and noticed the Buick again.
How weird.
She got into her car, thinking maybe her parents would enjoy her company for dinner because she didn't want to go home just yet and that car was following her again.
She watched as it parked a bit away from her parents house as she got out. Maybe she'd ask her dad to look into it, he still had cop buddies and so did Ned, so she quickly scribbled down the licence plate.
YDF-060
And then walked into her parents house.
"Katie, hi baby." Her mom said, hugging her as she kicked off her flats. "What's up, bug? Did you see Ned off?"
"You up for another person at the dinner table?" She asked, smiling sadly at her mother. "I just got back from the train station."
"Don't want to go home yet?" Her mom asked, rubbing her side.
"No, not really," she sighed.
"Well you're welcome here anytime, you know that." Her mom reassured her, smiling.
"I was thinking maybe I could take Kenz for a sleepover? I know it's Sunday and she has school tomorrow, but I'll get her to sleep early and to school on time. I promise." She explained. "I thought it would be nice to have some quiet time with dad since Lana and Emma don't really get out of bed on their own and Aaron is Aaron." She paused then, a bit of sadness creeping in. "Plus I just don't want to be alone tonight, that's all."
"She's up in her room doing some homework. You can go ask her." Her mom said as Emma's cries poured out from the living room and startled Melinda. "I bet she'd love to have a sleepover with you." She quickly went to pick up Emma, kissing her little cheek. "Hi, little one… I know you're hungry. Mama's here."
"Ok. I'll be down to help with dinner in a bit." She replied. "I hope I'm not being a burden."
"Katie, you'll never be a burden." Melinda smiled at her from across the room as she slipped up the stairs and knocked on her sister's door.
It was still so weird for her to see Mackenzie in what was her old room. She'd changed everything, the paint color being a bright blue and the room itself is more disorganized, but that's just eleven-year-olds in general.
"Come in," Mackenzie said and she came through the open door.
"Hey Mack," she chirped, coming to sit by her on the bed.
"Hey, sis. Do you think you could help me with this?" Mackenzie asked, holding her homework sheet to her. "I have this English assignment, and you're better at this stuff than me." Mackenzie sighed. "My teacher said I was dumb if I didn't understand this."
"Let me see," she said and looked at the assignment sheet. "And you are so smart, Mack. Any teacher that says that shouldn't be a teacher. Did you tell mom and dad?"
"No. I don't want to get him in trouble," Mackenzie answered softly. "You know how mom can get…"
"Well, what he said to you was wrong." She explained. "How about when I drop you off at school I have a talk with her?"
"But mom drops me off in the morning," Mackenzie laughed, looking up at her.
"Well, mom said you can have a sleepover over at my house, if you want. I came up to ask you," she said, nudging her side. "Unless you don't want too."
"Okay! I love sleepovers with you," Mackenzie cheered. "But let's get this done first."
"So you're having trouble with haiku's?" She asked. "These are my favorites."
"How do they even work?" Mackenzie sighed, itching her side. "I don't understand them at all."
"Well, a haiku is a type of Japanese poetry. A haiku has three lines which do not rhyme. Each line of the poem has a specific number of syllables. The first line has five syllables, the second has seven, and the last line has five." She explained, showing her through the example. "Looks like according to this paper you've got to write one about your favorite month. Make sense?"
"I guess... could you maybe give me a better example?" Mackenzie asked.
"Sure! What month should I do?" She asks with a smile.
"I want to do October because of Halloween!" Mackenzie giggles. "How about you do June?"
"Alright." She hummed, thinking for a moment before she wrote off to the side of the sheet.
July steals away spring
for the summer's longest and hottest days
summer has officially begun
"I'll never be as good as you," Mackenzie sighed, reading it. "That's so good."
"Well, I write all the time Mack. Give it a try." She said and rubbed her back. "You might come up with a good one. You just have to try."
"Alright," Mackenzie said and took the pencil.
It took her a minute before she started to write.
witches, goblins, ghosts,
terrifying creatures,
out for Halloween
"How's that?" Mackenzie asked. "Not too boring?"
"That's really good, Mackenzie!" She exclaimed. "Even better than mine."
"You're just saying that," Mackenzie muttered.
"No. It's very good Mack, I wouldn't ever lie to you." She smiled at her. "Trust me."
"I do," Mackenzie said and smiled at her sister. "Let's go help mom with dinner."
"Let's," she hugged her, kissing her cheek. "Just get your clothes and school stuff situated first."
"I will. Thanks, Katie," Mackenzie said and hugged her sister tightly. "I love you."
"Of course," she said and squeezed her sister. "I love you too, little sis. I'll see you downstairs."
After running to the grocery store with her mom and Mackenzie, a wonderful dinner and being talked into a board game with her family, Katie and Mackenzie pulled into her driveway.
"Do you need to shower?" Katie asked, pressing the garage door opener. "Can you grab that bag?"
"Yeah." Mackenzie says grabbing the bag of groceries they'd gotten while out with her mom.
"Alright. You go hop in the shower and I'll make popcorn so we can watch a movie before we go to bed, alright?" She explained quickly. "You can use the shower in my room."
"Are those flowers?" Mackenzie pointed to the side door.
"Where?" She asked, pulling into the garage. Tonight was supposed to drop into the negatives with a large snowfall. "I didn't see anything."
"They were leaning on the side door, off to the side of the garage." Mackenzie said as she hopped out of the car with the grocery bag and her backpack over her shoulder. She ran up to the door and grabbed them, bringing them to Katie, who was just getting out of the car. "They're beautiful Katie. I bet Ned sent them to you."
"He didn't say anything about flowers to me," she smiled. "But this is so him."
She unlocked the door and they walked inside, Stitches ran up and pawed at Kenz's feet, smelling her mother's cat that she'd finally convinced her father to get.
"He's so much cuter than I remember," Mackenzie gushed. "Aren't you a cutie? Hey, Stitches."
Katie walked past her, who's still playing with the kitten, and grabbed the grocery bag from her, placing it on the island looking over the flowers.
The bouquet of flowers had all Katie's favorites, mini-sunflowers, white daisies, purple asters and pink roses. She searched for a label, a card, anything, but came up empty handed. Ned always left cards with a corny little dumb poem and they never failed to make her laugh, but they always came from his heart.
Weird.
He always made sure there was a card. Every time.
"I'm gonna go shower!" Mackenzie called as she ran up the stairs.
Stitches winded between her legs and she reached down and picked him up, kissing his soft cat face.
"Look what Ned got for me, Stitches." She cooed and pressed her face against his fur. "I know. I'm gonna miss him too bud. So much, you don't even know."
Then her phone vibrated and her whole life changed.
April 2nd, 7:40 pm - [No Caller ID] - I love you. I hope you loved the flowers xxoo