CHAPTER 27
Maddy and Matt stood in the middle of the bedroom that the boys shared together, looking at the two of them sleeping soundly. They had been given a quick dinner, a bath and had been tucked into their beds by seven-thirty and she would have never accomplished that on her own, even with Harper's assistance. With the level of exhaustion she now felt, she was thankful that she had accepted Matt's offer to help. Jace seemed annoyed at the prospect of Matt going home with Maddy and she wasn't sure why. It wasn't as if inviting him over to help meant that she was also going to invite him into her bed or to come back home to stay. She suspected that's what Matt wanted to talk to her about, but she would never share that with Jace.
Much to Matt's chagrin, she had to call Jace to ask him to come over to help settle Wyatt down. No matter what she tried, she couldn't get him to stay down in his crib. He'd bounce right back up and cry his little heart out until she picked him up. He got this way whenever he was overtired or had spent a significant amount of time with Jace. It was as if he was experiencing a kind of separation anxiety. When Jace showed up, Matt busied himself with taking care of Finn, getting him ready for bed. Jace ended up taking Wyatt into Maddy's bedroom and laying him on his bare chest. Maddy had sung to him softly until he finally fell asleep. Once Wyatt was tucked in, Jace stayed only long enough to make sure he stayed down, then he left. Even though everything remained cordial between the two men, she was tired of being stuck in between them and the tension in the air whenever they were together. She knew that the burden of making a decision about them was looming largely in the distance.
"I'd say that this was a good job, well done," said Matt, smiling at her.
"It definitely was a team effort," said Maddy.
"We make a great team, Maddy. We always have," he said. Maddy smiled softly at him, thinking the whole time how he conveniently left Jace out of that equation. She turned and headed for the door. Matt followed behind her. She left the door to the room ajar, then turned to look at Matt.
"Would you like a glass of wine before you go? I know I could use one," she said.
"That sounds great," Matt replied. They headed down the stairs and crossed through the living room. Harper was sitting on the couch next to Isa, who was sleeping soundly on the middle cushion. Harper had given her a bath in the kitchen sink and gotten her ready for bed, while Matt and Maddy tended to the boys. Matt sat down on the other side of the couch while Maddy walked into the kitchen and poured two glasses of white wine. She came back into the living room and handed Matt one of the glasses.
"Momma, I'm pretty tired. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed, okay?" asked Harper, yawning in the middle of the sentence.
"Of course, sweetie. Thank you for all your help today. You were amazing with the babies," said Maddy, as she hugged her daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Harper then walked over to Matt and gave him a hug.
"Goodnight, Matt," she said.
"Goodnight, Harper…and thank you," said Matt. She smiled at him and nodded her head, then she headed upstairs.
"Love you, Momma," she said, stopping on the second step.
"Love you, too, baby girl. Sweet dreams," Maddy replied.
"I can't get over how much she looks like you when you were that age. Looking at her brings me back to the day we first met," said Matt, as Harper disappeared up the staircase.
"I remember that day very well. You kept staring and smiling at me in our Global Studies class like you had just seen me for the first time. It was nerve wracking, but amazing."
"It was for me, too. There was something special about you that day. Something I hadn't seen before that drew me to you," he said. A soft smile graced his features. For a split second, he reminded Maddy of the boy she fell in love with all those years ago.
"It was a special day, except for when you knocked the books out of my hands in the library," said Maddy, as she thought back to the events of that day.
"I did that on purpose, you know," said Matt, with a devilish grin.
"Matthew Alan Casey! You never told me that!" she said, pretending to scold him.
"I thought it would be a good way to get to talk to you…and I was right," he replied.
"At least you had the courtesy of helping me pick them all up," she said. His smile caught her off guard. That damn dimple. Every time. Both of them sat down on either side of Isa, who was still sleeping on the couch.
"I'm nothing if not a gentleman," said Matt.
"That you are," said Maddy, smiling softly and raising her wine glass at him. She thought back to all the times he had lived up to being a gentleman since she had known him. He was a good man in spite of his tragic upbringing. A good man who made one mistake. Just one, in all the years she had known him.
"It was a nice party, Maddy. Your hard work showed," said Matt, taking a sip of wine.
"Thanks. Even though I'm completely exhausted, it felt good to have the time to do things like that. I'm already making plans for Finn's birthday. Makes me realize that I made the right decision not to go back to work at the hospital," said Maddy.
"It seems like you've flourished since you quit your job at Lakeshore. You look amazing. It suits you," said Matt, smiling. Maddy noticed the dimple in his left cheek again. She loved that dimple and it seemed like ages since she had seen it. She remembered that dimple being on full display that day in the library so many years ago. She fell head over heels for him that day. She had been head over heels for him for almost three years after he disappeared from her life and it had nearly been the end of her.
"Thanks, Matt. I'm really very happy. They're only little for so long and I didn't want to miss a minute more of their childhood than I had to. I've already missed so much of Harper's life," she replied.
"But that wasn't your fault. It was out of your control," he said.
"That's true," she replied. She took a sip of her wine and stretched her legs out on the coffee table. She pulled out the clip that had been holding up her hair and ran her fingers through it, letting it cascade down to her shoulders. Matt marveled at how relaxed she appeared and how damned beautiful she looked. They had all been so preoccupied with the situation they were in that it was almost as if he was seeing her for the first time all over again. He still loved her and he prayed to God that she still loved him. He saw this moment as his opportunity to talk to her about him coming back home and resuming their life together.
"Maddy, I've been wanting to talk to you about things for a while now. I've been very respectful and patient of your need for time to think and process through your feelings, but I would like to know where I stand. Last year, you told me that you didn't want a divorce, but we haven't moved in either direction since then. If that's still how you feel, then I would like to come back home. I love you and I want our life together to be the way it used to be." He took a big gulp of the wine from his glass, then set it down on the coffee table. He placed his forearms on his knees and looked over at Maddy to try to gauge her reaction. She sipped her wine, then moved her legs off the coffee table and sat up. She placed her glass on the table, then turned her head to look at him.
"You've been more than patient, Matt, and that's meant a lot to me. I know this last year has been difficult for you…for all of us…and for a lot of reasons," she said. She picked up her glass and emptied the last of the wine from it. She swallowed it down, then took a few cleansing breaths before she continued. "I've been thinking a lot about it lately myself and as much as I have been happy and fulfilled to be able to spend this time with the boys, my life is still missing something." She stopped as she felt a couple of tears escape from her eyes. "I miss companionship. I miss having someone to talk to at the end of the day. I miss having someone I love lying next to me in bed at night. I want so much for…"
"Do you still love me, Maddy?" he asked unexpectedly. He had to know. He held his breath, waiting for her to answer.
"Yes," she said, softly.
"Then tell me I can come back home, baby…please," he said, standing up from the couch and walking towards her. He took her hands in his and gently coaxed her to stand. A myriad of thoughts were running through her head. She loved the man standing in front of her and she knew in her heart that having him come back home was the solution that made the most sense. She wanted it to work again, but she also knew in her heart that their life together would never be the same as it once was. She wasn't confident that Matt understood that. She started to answer him when a few rumbles of thunder rattled overhead. Maddy felt a shiver run down her back.
"Oh, Christ," she muttered.
"You still hate thunderstorms, don't you? I can feel you starting to shake," he said, pulling her in closer.
"It's ridiculous. I'm a grown woman, for God's sake! Even my children aren't afraid of them! They'll all sleep like rocks and I'll be the one huddled under the covers, shaking and burying my face into a pillow" she said, starting to laugh.
"I could be the one next to you, holding you in bed tonight," he replied, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.
"I know, Matthew. I have thought about it. Believe me," she said.
"Then just say the words." Matt pulled her in close and tilted her head up towards his. He leaned down slowly until his lips were on hers. She welcomed his kiss and returned it with a passion she hadn't felt in a long time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on to him tightly. She loved him and she missed his presence in her life and at home. When their lips parted, she started to tell him that she wanted him to come back. As she began to speak, someone started pounding on the front door.
"Stay here," said Matt, letting go of her. As soon as he opened the front door, Gabby Dawson pushed her way into the entry hall. She immediately began shouting.
"I told you that you could bring Isa to that kid's birthday party today, but I did not tell you that you could come here to this bitch's house!" she screamed. Isa immediately woke up and began to cry. Maddy instinctively walked over to her to try to settle her down. She picked her up and rubbed her back to try to soothe her.
"Give me my daughter, you bitch!" Gabby shouted. As she started to walk towards her, Matt grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"Gabby, stop this right now! You have no right to bust in here and cause a scene like this! It's my weekend with Isa and I don't need your permission to take her anywhere! I am her father and I will not take orders from you! Now, get the hell out of here before you wake up the whole house," he said, in a low clipped tone. Gabby jerked out of his grip, but made no further attempt to move towards Maddy.
"You're probably gonna stay here and fuck her tonight, aren't you?" she said, sounding snotty and resentful.
"That's none of your business, Gabby. Now go," Matt said in a clipped tone.
"This isn't over, Matt. Not by a long shot." She spat the words out as if they were snake venom, then she turned her attention to Maddy. "And before you get on your high horse, bitch…just remember that I have a piece of your husband, too, so you aren't that special to him anymore."
"Get out of this house and don't come back here," he said, opening the front door wider. Gabby turned on her heels and stomped out. Matt closed the door and walked over to Maddy.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I've become accustomed to Gabby's outbursts and insults over the years. She's like a wrecking ball with legs. She's gotten worse since Isa was born. Whatever possessed her to come here and cause a ruckus like that?"
"It's Gabby. She wants complete control and everything her way, but I promise you that will never happen again," he said, rubbing Maddy's arms.
"She hates my ass, no question about that. She has from day one," said Maddy.
"She wants to be you, Maddy. She wants what we have," said Matt.
"I feel sorry for this little one, having to grow up with a mother who is so angry," said Maddy, as she patted the baby's back. Isa had stopped crying and was reaching out for Matt. He took her from Maddy's arms and kissed her on the side of her head.
"At least she has one parent who's stable. You're better with her than her own mother. I appreciate that, Maddy. More than you know," said Matt. He could see the tears welling up in Maddy's eyes and it silently killed him. He had never wanted to hurt her, but so many things had come to pass that could never be undone. Maddy nonchalantly wiped her eyes and nodded her head. She managed a soft smile, but Matt knew his wife well enough to understand the pain she was feeling.
"I'd better get her home, so I can put her to bed."
"You're welcome to stay here, Matt. I have a spare bedroom and a Pack 'n Play that Isa could sleep in," said Maddy.
"Thank you for the offer, Maddy, but I think in light of everything, it's probably best if I take her home. No need to poke the bear. Besides, Kelly and Em are staying at the house tonight. I could use the company. Thank you for inviting us today."
"You're welcome, Matt…and thank you for your help with the boys tonight."
"It was my pleasure, Maddy. It was a great day. I'm sorry it had to end this way," he said.
"So am I, Matthew. So am I," she said. The overwhelming feeling of sadness hung over her like one of the rain clouds currently passing overhead, waiting to pour down on her and her need to reconcile with her husband. Gabby would always be an unpleasant intrusion in their lives and her heart ached at the realization that that alone could eventually be their undoing. She watched from the porch as Matt put Isa in her car seat and buckle her up, then slide behind the wheel. He blew a kiss to her before backing out of the driveway and pulling away from the house. She placed her fingers on her lips and returned his kiss, feeling her heart break inside her. As much as she loved Matt and wanted to resume their life together, she didn't know if she could ever truly find the same happiness she once had with him. She knew she would never have the same peace she felt when they were first married and neither would Matt, no matter how many times he denied it. There was no Gabby Dawson standing between them back then and there was no Jackson Walker either.
The thunder was getting louder now and Maddy went back inside to check on the boys. She trudged up the stairs, her legs feeling like lead weights with each step she took. She quietly opened the boy's bedroom door and stepped inside. The wind had picked up, blowing a cool breeze into the room and making the curtains flap wildly. She shut their window, then pulled their covers back up around their shoulders. Neither of them stirred. The party must have tired them out to the point where nothing was going to disturb them, not even the sound of an approaching storm. She left the door to the bedroom ajar as she left, then went to check on Harper. She was sound asleep, too. She felt blessed to have her daughter in her life, especially now. She was like a calming force in all the chaos. She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head before tiptoeing out of the room and closing the door behind her.
With all of the kids safely tucked in their beds, she decided to take a quick shower. She walked into her bedroom, shedding her clothing as she went. She put her hair up in a twist and clipped it at the back of her head, then turned the water on in the shower and stepped inside. She soaped herself up with her favorite jasmine scented shower gel and rinsed herself slowly, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the warm stream of water and the brief relaxation it brought her. She turned off the water and dried herself off, then dressed in her favorite pink silk robe. She brushed her hair and turned off the light before leaving the master bath. She briefly thought about changing the sheets on her bed, but the fatigue she felt in her body convinced her otherwise. Instead, she pulled back the top sheet and duvet to shake the bottom sheet out. She caught a glimpse of something black in the middle of the bed. It was Jace's bandana. He always wore one in the back left pocket of his pants. She picked it up and held it to her face. It smelled of a mixture of leather and diesel fuel and dirt, with a faint scent of his favorite cologne. She carefully folded and laid it on her nightstand. She smiled softly as she ran her fingers lightly over the material. A loud clap of thunder startled her out of her revelry.
Shaken, she decided to have another glass of wine. That would involve very little energy on her part. She hoped that when the time came, it would help her to fall asleep in spite of the storm that was picking up in its intensity with each passing minute. Loud clashes of thunder rattled the windows and bright flashes of lightning lit up the interior of the house like it was daylight. She hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. She shakily poured more wine into her glass, took a long drink from it, then refilled it before retreating back into the living room. She sat on the couch, folding her legs underneath her.. She took another drink of wine, then set the glass down on the end table next to the couch. She leaned her head back against the cushion, took a deep breath in and blew it out slowly. Matt was right. She did still hate thunderstorms. No matter how she tried to push past her fear of them, she could never manage to do it. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, so she reached for her wine again. There on the end table next to her glass, she spotted Isa's pacifier. Matt must have inadvertently left it behind when the baby had fallen asleep. Next to the pacifier were the keys to her car. She remembered tossing them there when they unloaded the kids into the house. To her horror, she realized she had left windows down in the car.
"Oh, shit," she muttered.
She grabbed the set of keys, flicked on the porch light and opened the front door. The rain was coming down in sheets now and the lightning was relentless, streaking across the sky in multiple, jagged patterns. The thunder continued to pound out its cacophonous symphony, rattling her to her core. She looked down at her bare feet, then scanned the area between the porch and the car. Both windows on the driver's side were open. She cursed herself for not adding an attached garage when she renovated the house. She vowed that she would do that before the nasty Chicago winter hit.
"You can do this, Maddy. It can't be more than a thirty foot dash," she said, as she started down the front steps. A flash of lightning lit up the sky just as the porch light went out.
"Great," she said, realizing she'd have to fumble around in the dark for a flashlight and candles. She made the run from the house to the car in less than ten seconds, pulled the driver's side door open and pulled the buttons for the window controls up to close both of them. The rain was being driven sideways by the force of the winds, soaking her from head to toe. Her robe was so wet, it clung to her like plastic wrap that had been microwaved. Her hair was dripping and plastered to the sides of her face. She closed the car door and wiped the rain from her forehead with her arm, which was in vain since it was equally as wet.
"Screw it," she said, deciding that it would be useless to run back to the house. She was already soaked to the skin and she was too tired to muster the effort it would take. She slowly dragged herself up the front steps, feeling cold, tired and soaked to the skin. What had started out as a great day with the family and friends that she loved the most had turned into another evening alone, with a massive storm raging outside, and an unexpected and definitely unwelcome confrontation with one of her enemies. Her biggest enemy. In fact, her only enemy. As her hand touched the door knob, she heard a voice suddenly speak from behind her.
"Hello, baby," he said. She slowly turned around to see him standing there on the walkway that led up to the front steps. His clothes were dripping wet. She didn't immediately see his vehicle, so he must have parked down the street and walked in the rain. Her pulse quickened at the sight of him.
"What are you doing here? Did you come back for the thing you left behind?" she asked, sounding a little confused at his sudden reappearance.
"No, baby…I just know how you are with thunderstorms," he said. Without taking a moment to think, she ran back down the steps and directly into his arms. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips. His arms splayed across her back and held her tight. Their lips met in an explosive kiss that rivaled the power of the lightning overhead. In these few passionate moments, she came to the long awaited epiphany that she had been patiently waiting for… the revelation she loved this man and wanted her life with him to resume, regardless of the obstacles they'd have to face.
"It's you. It's always been you," she said, breathlessly as she briefly pulled her mouth away from his. She framed his face with her hands, looking deeply into his familiar eyes. Even in the darkness and the driving rain, she could feel the power of his love deep in her soul. His arms felt like a cocoon, protecting her and giving her a sense of belonging. She had spent the last year of her life dedicating herself to her children, but she still felt lost at times. There was no doubt in her mind that she belonged with her babies, but the doubts about which man she belonged with were never clear to her until now when she saw him standing in the rain.
"I know I fucked everything up, but I never meant to hurt you, baby. You're the last person I'd ever want to hurt. Please believe that," he said. He was thankful for the raindrops that were cascading down his face as they camouflaged his tears. He loved her more now than he ever had before and he was unable to stop the flood of emotions from overtaking him.
"I do believe it and you didn't fuck everything up. Seeing you just now finally made everything clear to me. It just took a while for my head to catch up with my heart, just like my father told me," she said, wiping the drops of rain from his face with her hands. She leaned her face down and kissed him softly. He slowly carried her into the house, his mouth never leaving hers as he took her up the stairs and into her bedroom. When they reached the end of the bed, he set her down on the floor. Both of them were dripping wet with puddles forming on the floor around their feet.
"Tell me that this is what you want, baby, because if it isn't, I'll go," he said. She said nothing as she tugged at the hem of his sopping wet shirt, coaxing him to take it off, which he did. She buried her face in the middle of his chest, placing soft kisses on his skin and teasing his nipples with her tongue. She ran her hands over his back, raking her nails down to the waist of his pants. He arched his back and let out a slow hiss between his teeth. She reached down and unbuckled his belt, then unbuttoned his pants and unzipped them slowly.
"This is what I want," she said, looking up at him and her voice cracking with emotion. He smiled softly at her as he reached to untie her robe. He pushed it slowly off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. His hands gently cupped her breasts for the first time in what felt like forever. Her nipples beaded at the feel of his hands on her after such a long absence.. She let out a few soft moans as his thumbs gently stroked the sensitive flesh. Her breath was hot against his neck as he guided his hands further down her body, stopping at the curve of her hips. Her skin was soft and supple, just as he remembered. From the swell of her breasts to the fullness of her hips, touching her body after such an extended time away from her was like feeling the world at his fingertips.
"You are so fucking beautiful," he said, leaning his forehead against hers as he ran his hands up and down her back. Tears silently slipped down her cheeks, her love for him bursting at all her edges. She slowly ran her hands over his chest, letting the damp hair curl between her fingers. She gently pushed her face between his pectoral muscles and drew in a deep breath, taking in his familiar scent. She placed soft kisses on his skin as she moved her mouth towards his left nipple. She pulled it between her lips, gently sucking on it. He let out a sharp breath at the sensation of her tongue swirling around the sensitive flesh.
He picked her up again and kissed her, sweeping her mouth with his tongue,then laid her down gently on the bed. He kicked off his shoes, removed his pants, then crawled over the top of her. He spread her legs and positioned himself between them. His body felt big and warm against her skin and she reveled in the exquisite sensation of his touch that she had been missing. He kissed her again, then looked deep into her eyes, seeking a silent permission to continue, which she happily gave him. He let out a deep groan as pushed himself inside her for the first time after such a long separation. Her warmth and wetness surrounded him, something he never thought he would feel ever again. She let out a gasp as he entered her, taking her breath away. Their lovemaking was intense and passionate and resounded with a sense of urgency that neither of them could restrain.
He fulfilled every desire she had ever had and satiated the hunger that had burned inside her for so long now. His touch felt dangerously hot, yet intimate and familiar. He was what she had been missing in her life and she would no longer deny it. She had spent the last year sorting out her feelings and in one instant, she was finally unable to unlock her heart and let the love she had bottled up there flow freely. Seeing him standing in the middle of the storm tonight solidified what she had known all along…that she belonged with him. Her body fit perfectly around his and each thrust of his hips brought them closer and closer to the release they had both been aching for.
Her orgasm exploded, rocking out from her core and capturing every inch of her body. She dug her nails into his back, holding on for purchase as she came in powerful wave after wave . He felt her come hard around him and within seconds, he had reached his own release. He emptied his essence deep inside her, grunting with each spurt until he had no more to give her. He collapsed on top of her, their breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. He lifted his head to look at her and saw her tears gently cascading down from her eyes and onto the bed. She reached up and wiped his own tears away, the elation and overwhelming sense of love he felt was no longer able to be contained. He rolled over onto his back, taking her with him. She lay languidly on top of him. He was still semi-hard and she wasn't ready to let go of the feeling of him inside of her. She reveled in their quiet intimacy and the hazy afterglow of their powerful lovemaking.
"Stay with me," she said, softly. Her head was nuzzled between his broad shoulder and strong neck and her legs were draped over either side of his torso. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled her over onto her back again. He looked down at her with his beautiful eyes…the eyes that she had loved since she was a young girl. She had found strength and a deep love in them years ago and looking at him now brought her back to that time when their love was new. And now, so many years later, it still felt the same…exciting, passionate and endless.
"Wild horses couldn't drag me away from you tonight," he said, looking down at her. He lovingly picked up a few strands of wet hair that were plastered on her cheek and tucked them behind her ear.
"I don't just mean tonight. I want you to stay with me forever."
"Looking at you and loving you as much as I do, the word 'forever' doesn't sound like nearly enough time," he replied.
"Just say it's what you want. I need to hear it," she said.
"It's all I've ever wanted, baby. You already know that," he said.
"I'm sorry I made you wait so long," she said, gazing into his beautiful, familiar eyes.
"You were worth the wait, baby. All I ask is that you let me love you now, the way you deserve to be loved," he said.
"I will, I promise. I know this last year has been difficult and I've made my share of mistakes, but through all of it, when the ache for the touch of a man came over me, it was your touch that I yearned to feel. It was always you, everytime," she said.
His smile suddenly widened as he lowered his head until their lips met. Their kiss was soft, yet deep and sealed the unmistakable bond that they had always shared since the day they met. They curled up together, naked, side by side, arms and legs entwined. She pushed her face into the center of his chest, drinking in his scent, the softness of his chest hair against her lips and the comforting warmth of his skin next to hers. He kissed the top of her head and held her close, quietly thanking God for bringing him back to her tonight.
Her jasmine scented skin filled his head, sending him back to the first time they met. They were the memories that he had wrapped himself in every day they had been apart to keep him from slowly going insane. Now she was finally here in his arms and nothing would take her away from him ever again. No more words were spoken as they both began to drift off to sleep. As Maddy lay falling asleep in the arms of the man she loved, she quietly prayed for the sign her father said would come. This amazing man is who she wanted, but without that sign, she would never be sure she was doing the right thing. Her father's plans and predictions for her future had brought her this far. She couldn't turn her back on them now.
Maddy woke to the sensation of an arm being snaked around the front of her and soft kisses being placed on her shoulder and the side of her neck. A smile instantly broke out on her face as he pulled her body in close to his.
"I just wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming," he whispered in her ear.
"You're not dreaming," she said, rolling over to face him. She stroked the side of his face with her fingers. He covered her mouth with his and pulled her into a deep, wet kiss.
"Goddamn, baby…do you have any idea how much I love you?" he said, when their lips parted..
"I do…and now I will finally let the world know that I love you," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I want you to know that Em came to talk to me. She was the one that encouraged me not to give up. She said she knew you wanted the same thing,' he said, lovingly stroking her cheek.
"She told me that too when we had dinner a few nights ago. She said that I should open my eyes and turn around and I would see what I wanted and she was right. When I turned around and saw you standing in the rain tonight, it all became clear to me. It was as if someone had turned a light on and I could suddenly see through all the things that had been clouding my thoughts for the last year," she said.
"And you still know for sure what it is you want now?" he asked.
"I said it when I jumped into your arms in the rain…it's you. It's always been you," she said.
He drew her close to his body and she pushed her face into the side of his neck, drinking him in and placing soft kisses on his skin. As she moved her head, she caught a brief glimpse of something twinkling in the sky outside through the window. For a moment, she thought it must be a plane, until she realized that it wasn't moving. She pulled out of his arms and climbed over him to get out of bed.
"Where are you going, baby?" he asked as he rolled over and took her hand.
"I need to see something," she said. He let go of her hand and she walked towards the window. She looked up into the night sky where she had seen the light. There, in the cloudless sky, she finally saw what she had been looking for. It was the constellation Orion. Her father had taught her about Orion when she was a little girl. He had given her a poster of him before she moved to New York for college, saying he would always show her the way whenever she was feeling down or confused. This was the sign she had been hoping to see…the sign her father had told her would come. Now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she knew she had made the right decision. She put her hand over her heart and drew in a sharp breath. A few tears escaped down her cheeks as she felt the stress of the last couple of years finally leave her body.
"Thank you, Daddy," she whispered.
"Everything okay, baby?" he asked, as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She could feel his second erection pressing against the small of her back.
"Everything is just as it should be," she said.
"Good, because you've been gone from my bed for far too long and I don't want to spend one more minute without you next to me," he said, lifting her up and carrying her back to bed. He laid her down and positioned himself between her legs once again. Soft moans escaped from her lips as his hands roamed over her body. Everywhere he touched her felt familiar, yet highly erotic, even more than the last time they had been intimate. She let her pent up feelings of love for him free and she was overcome once more, with a flood of emotions. Tears flowed quietly from her eyes as his hand found its way between her legs. His mouth covered hers in another passionate kiss. Without another word spoken, they made love one more time. When they were finished, he pulled her in close, wrapping her up in his arms. She buried her face at the base of his throat and closed her eyes, quietly thanking God for bringing him back to her.