A/N: UPDATE 3/10/2022: There were a few chapters that were early on in this story that were built into Magic at Her Fingertips so I didn't feel the need to keep them here. If you wish to read that story check it out on Meowser_Clancy's page!
I thought the best way to fill the space of one of the deleted chapters would be to have one that deals with Melinda and Jim's hardships on getting pregnant since I haven't addressed them much since the first chapter. There was a small mention in chapter twelve also between Melinda and Katie, but this is a bit more honed into the time after Jimel lost their son in chapter one. Hope you all enjoy it! :) xx Mariah
Ages:
Faith - 60
Jim - 28
Melinda - 24
Since the minute she woke up, Melinda had been on edge and in a bit of a mood. Jim was too, but for other reasons, his mother had dropped into town unexpectedly and was staying with them. Not that she didn't love his mother to death, but if Faith could remember to call first that would be wonderful.
It was likely because the woman knew their appointment with the fertility doctor was the following day. Something they had both been excited, yet terrified for because it could go either way at this point.
The morning had started alright, she had woken up in his arms. Their heat didn't work very well despite her husband's constant tinkering with it, so they turned to each other for warmth most mornings. Especially after she crept out of bed to use the bathroom, the chill of the morning air made her rush back into bed to resume being the little spoon.
No sooner had she closed her eyes than she felt his stubble against her neck, then his lips. "Did you sleep well?" he whispered.
"Mmm. Off and on," she sighed. "My brain won't let me stop stressing about the appointment today. You?"
"I know. Just try and relax." The hand that had been resting on her waist moved slowly up her side, took a brief detour to caress her breast, then traveled back down to her hip. It stayed there, for the moment, but she was too distracted by the way Jim was kissing her neck to notice.
"Mmm," she moaned softly, wary that his mother might be awake and could overhear them in the back of her mind. His mouth moved up her neck, paused at the sensitive spot behind her ear, then made its way back down, pausing to nip lightly at her shoulder. "Scoundrel."
"It's why you like me," he said, moving his mouth to her collarbone and nudging her shoulder strap to the side. Now she noticed his hand, which had left her hip and traveled under her nightgown and up her leg to where her panties would be—if she were still wearing them. Upon this discovery, Jim made a sound that was a part chuckle, part moan, and his fingers made their way between her thighs to touch her. "Who's the scoundrel now?"
Melinda opened her legs slightly as he wound deliciously slow circles against her, and then figure eights. Firm yet light, just the right amount of pressure to build her arousal up slowly. It was a practiced trick that could unravel her in minutes, and then would start over again.
His lips had returned to her neck, his tongue occasionally emerging to tease at her pulse point as his fingers continued to work against her.
Oh, it was so good. But she needed to touch him now. Badly.
Without turning around, she drew her hand back until it found his hip, then slid it beneath the waistband of his pants. His skin was warm and soft, and as she took his dick in her hand his fingers paused briefly on her, and he breathed a husky moan into her neck.
His hand returned to its rhythm between her legs, now changing things up to include two fingers sliding along either side of her folds and the occasional brush against her clit. She was getting wetter by the moment, and he was gathering it up, swirling it gently, making every nerve ending stand at attention.
"Jim," she moaned, and he grew firmer in her hand at the sound.
It took her a moment to get her bearings—normally she was facing towards him for this—but soon she had a nice slow stroke going, down to the base, then a gentle turn of her wrist as she slid back up, and down again, and back up. She pressed her thumb gently to the head and gave it a light swirl before returning to her movement.
His fingers didn't stop this time but his kisses did for a moment as he swore into her ear, "Fuck, baby."
"That's the idea," she said, baring her neck to him again.
Taking her cue, he nipped at the spot she'd uncovered while his fingers sped up and began dipping inside her, and she was going to come. There, it was just over the horizon, but his voice was in her ear, a steady stream of encouragements and reassurances as she half-chased, half-waited for that feeling to engulf her was enough.
His fingers hit a new spot, and the soft whine she was making changed octaves, and his other hand shot to cover her mouth. Just in case. But the feeling that had been just over there was suddenly here, and her body lit up all at once.
Melinda had the fleeting thought that she'd been a little loud, just now, and Faith likely heard her if she was awake. She didn't much care. She was still panting, heart pounding, chest flushed, sweat at her brow, and her body still quivering. His hand had stilled but rested on her. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Damn," she said, finally, and he laughed, moving closer to her to kiss her temple. "I love you."
On a normal morning, this might be where things would wrap up for the time being, aside from a bit of cuddling. There wasn't always time for everything else.
But he was still hard behind her, and even though she'd just had a hell of an orgasm, she was still aching for more. They had enough time today. She took him in hand again, relishing the feel of the smooth skin, the slight bit of moisture at the tip as she stroked him. Just as he knew how to make her want to scream from his touch, she knew exactly how to make him fall apart.
"Mel," he groaned, unable to stop the slight jerk forward from his hips.
She slowed her stroke, then stopped, her hand still on him. She turned her head back far enough to look up at him. "I want you," she said, swirling a thumb around his tip as if he needed to be reminded of how.
His mouth crushed down on hers for a few heated moments, then a lot of things happened, very quickly: the appearance of the bottle of lube from his bedside table, his fingers stroking her again, a quick adjustment to align their bodies, and finally, finally, his dick sliding inside her.
He breathed into her ear, and oh fuck, nothing got her going faster than when Jim spoke to her in bed. He thrust again, his hand now on her hip to stabilize her, then got a steady rhythm going, hitting that spot over and over.
He was a little breathless now. "Mel," he crooned, a plaintive song, and her name was the only lyric. "Melinda—"
They were both holding on by a thread, their hips moving together, his body wrapped around hers, their consciousness fully wrapped up in one another. She could no longer tell where his body started and hers began, though every sense was trained on where they met, chasing that ache deep inside them until they were both pleading for it.
Her second orgasm ambushed her as if she hadn't just begged for it, as if her husband's voice in her ear hadn't just coaxed it from her, and his followed straight afterward. Then they were a sweaty, exhausted tangle of limbs, silent for a moment as both worked to catch their breath.
Jim kissed her temple lightly. "Holy shit," he said, and they both laughed for a few moments until he unwound from her and rolled onto his back.
She followed him, turning around and climbing over him to press her lips to his again. Practical considerations would make her get up again in a few minutes, but she wanted to savor this.
He returned the kiss, then sighed happily as she found her familiar spot, nestled against his chest. He took the hand splayed across his stomach in his own.
"Gonna pay for that later," he said. True. His mom likely heard them. "Mom will make a joke if heard us."
She lifted her head. "Worth it?"
His chuckle rumbled in his chest; his fingers slipped gently over hers. "Every bit."
"Melinda, stop pacing…" He was watching her contemplate between two outfits later on. A floral sweater with jeans or a jean skirt with warm tights were her options. "You are making me nervous."
"I am antsy. Can you blame me?" She sighed, her hands waving around with each word. He reached out and wrapped his around hers, holding them, and then tugged her over toward him when he saw that she was crying. "I never thought I wanted kids this badly, especially considering my gift but I don't know what I'd do if the appointment confirms that we can't have a baby."
Jim didn't know what to say. His heart broke for her. They had hoped it would've been easier for them. But it hadn't been and he loved this woman through it all. All the heartbreak and loss. He would never stop. Even if they couldn't have biological kids.
"We just need to stay positive," he told her, smiling and trying to follow his own words. "Having a baby this way isn't the only option. We could always foster or adopt. We might be given the tools we need today, but we don't know."
"Yeah, I know," she whispered, wiping another tear away from her eye. "I'm just so scared."
He nodded and moved his hands to her shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. "Me too, baby," he sighed. He rubbed his hand against her arm, trying to calm her down, "It is just the first meeting to get information and options, along with a few tests being done. Don't worry. It could end up being our only visit there."
"Okay. I trust you..." She sighed and tried her best to put on a smile as she stood up and picked up the skirt. "Do you like it?"
"Yes," he pulled her close as he heard the bedroom door open and whispered in her ear as she laughed, kissing her cheek first. "I want you to wear nothing under these tights... hmm? For me?"
Melinda turned her head and met his eyes, grinning. "Mmm... maybe. You should be aware your mom is up and the bedroom door is open," she reminded him. "We were loud enough this morning."
"Don't remind me," he groaned and she nodded, agreeing and kissing him just as his mother came and sat on the edge of the bed beside him.
"Oh don't worry about me. I remember what it's like to be in love and little loud sex has never killed anybody," Faith said and then kissed his cheek. "Good morning, honey, and to you too, Melinda."
"Good morning, Faith," Melinda laughed as she moved off him and toward her closet, closing the door behind her as she changed.
"Morning, mom. How did you sleep?" Jim asked, stretching before he stood up. "Should we go out for breakfast?" He looked at his watch. "We still have a bit of time before our appointment. It's not until two."
"I slept well. Thank you for asking son. Where should we go?" Faith asked, looking at his wife as she came out. She'd gone into her closet in a nightgown and come out in a robe instead of being dressed. "Are there any good breakfast places?"
"Mario's is alright, but they can be really expensive." Melinda hummed as she grabbed her brush from her vanity. She brushed through her hair before walking toward the bathroom. She stopped turning to face them again. "What about Rosie's? Call and see if they are busy."
"I'll call," Jim nodded, sitting up. "You showering?" Jim had swung around the bed and stood up, walking toward her.
She flipped the bathroom light on and nodded. "I was just gonna freshen up a bit. Care to join me?"
"Oh, to be married to the woman of my dreams," he laughed and kissed her again, coaxing a low chuckle from her as their lips met. He had almost forgotten about his mom until Faith began to laugh as well, and then he pulled back to smile at her. "We'll be downstairs soon mom. Would you like to come out for breakfast with us?"
"Yes. That would be wonderful," Faith laughed and nodded to them. "You two have fun. I'll just go brew myself some coffee and call that Rosie's place to see about a table. Take your time."
"Alright. Good morning mom," Melinda smiled at her and rubbed Jim's back, his lips meeting hers again as soon as Faith walked out, closing their bedroom door behind her.
"Stop worrying," he whispered as they pulled apart. Jim's hands cupped her cheeks and he peppered kisses over her. "We'll be fine. Just fine, babe." He pressed his nose against her face lightly and she held his cheek, smiling at him.
"Yes," she whispered and pulled him into the bathroom. "I suppose we will be."
It had turned out to be a chillier day than Melinda had intended. She should've worn better boots. She fussed with the heat dial in her jeep as Jim drove. His mother was in the back, humming to an old song that was playing on the radio.
It had begun to snow, she noticed, looking out the window. Jim's hand squeezed her thigh and she looked to him as the heat kicked in.
She loved him so much.
He smiled at her, looking back to the road as he drove carefully. "We are supposed to get hit with a storm tonight," he said, carefully stopping at a stop sign where he proceeded to go straight.
"First storm of the winter?" She asked, smiling at him. "How much snow?"
"Expected is only at about half a foot or so, so nothing huge, but it'll probably be rough on the roads for a bit." He shrugged and looked over at her as he flipped his turn signal on and stopped at the next stop sign, before turning onto Main Street. "I'll have to pull the snowblower out for the morning."
"Okay. I'll pull in the garage then too." She said, squeezing his hand on her thigh. "You work early tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah. Five to five." He pulled into the diner's parking lot a moment later and parked. He turned to look at his mom. "We're here."
"Umm… mom, are you planning to stay long?" Melinda asked, turning to his mom. "I just want to know so I can make sure to have enough food in the fridge for this week."
"Oh, I thought I'd stay another few days or so if that's alright? I just miss you both so much and I wish I could visit more," Faith explained softly, smiling. "It gets lonely in the city."
Jim smiled at his mom. She knew that he wished they could come to see her more too but it was so hard with his work schedule to travel. More often than not if he was off, he was still on-call because Grandview didn't have a large firehouse so if anything too big happened, he would have to go in at a moment's notice.
When they did travel it was usually for estate sales or a ghost, but it was hard for him to take time off and go with her last minute. Hopefully, they'd be able to do more things like that with their children.
"Of course. You're welcome whenever but Jim and I were thinking about coming to visit you for Christmas this year," Melinda beamed and spilled their bedtime small talk. She peeked at him and he winked to show he wasn't upset. They had agreed to keep it a secret so far. "We need to get out of Grandview for the holidays before we have a baby."
"That would be fun!" Faith gushed and squeezed Melinda's hands. "I could decorate the house just like I used to when Jim was little. We could even cook dinner or something together. I've heard my son has been teaching you some things in the kitchen."
"Only a little," she blushed and then sighed. "My friend Delia has been trying to teach me more, but her son is going through a biting phase. She's trying to get that under control first."
"Danny bit a little boy once in preschool. We just had to keep reminding him that it wasn't good to bite. It took a few months, but he finally got the hang of it." Faith explained rather simply, smiling at the memory of her older son who was now gone. "Never had a problem with Jim. He just talked a lot. The teachers were always complaining. Funny how that changed."
Melinda laughed and smiled at her husband, shaking her head at him. That was so unlike Jim. To get in trouble for talking too much. He could be so quiet sometimes.
She wondered what their child would be like. What all of their kids would be like.
Would they be as quiet as their father? As smart and patient as him? As empathetic and loving as her? And what if they inherit her gift? Would they have the same values? Would she be able to instill that in their child? She only hoped she would be able to.
Melinda knew they'd be beautiful, how could they not? They would be coming from her undying love for her husband. They would be loved endlessly by them. How could they not be beautiful?
Faith had waited in the car while they went in for their appointment. Jim and Melinda hadn't known how long they would be, but they hoped it wouldn't be too long. She hadn't minded though because she'd brought along a book and been able to listen to the radio for a bit. It was quite relaxing.
After almost an hour, she started to get antsy. She only had ten chapters left and had turned the radio off in order not to kill the battery in the car. She was wondering how the appointment was going. Maybe they'd just had some tests run, but those took a while sometimes, didn't they?
The door to the hospital opened and she saw her son again, Melinda right behind him as he held the door for her. Oh good. She hoped she could read their results from afar. It looked to have been something good, which was relieving.
Melinda beamed as she talked to Jim, leaning into the cement building. She looked as radiant as if she'd been given the best news. Something Faith knew that her daughter-in-law desperately needed.
Her son's hand was above her head as he leaned against her. His lips pressed to her forehead and he held a slip, most likely a prescription as he whispered something to her. Melinda laughed, touching his chest as she pushed off the wall and toward him. She wrapped her arm around him and said something, causing Jim to laugh as they began to walk away from the building.
They came to her side of the car and to the passenger door, which he opened. "Yes, foot rubs every night. Just like before." He sighed and kissed her. "Only because I love you that much."
"Good news then I assume?" She prodded lightly and then her daughter-in-law smiled at her.
"Great news," Melinda said happily. "I hope we weren't too long. It felt like we were there for two years. We had moved around to so many different rooms that by the time they poked and prodded us both we just wanted it to be over. But apparently, I have this condition where it can be hard for an embryo to attach to my uterine wall. There are a few different approaches we can take, but the best one is to try this medication. It's supposed to help."
"Really? It could be that simple?" She asked, smiling happily. "That would be so amazing."
"We are hoping that it is that simple and what ends up working for us," Melinda sighed and looked to Jim as he opened the car door. "But there are still some risks that come along with it. It's not one hundred percent proven effective in every patient and the side effects list is... long."
Jim squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek. Her son was so good to her, and they were good for each other. "She just doesn't want to get her hopes up," he said then as he turned the car on and let it sit. "I don't either, but it's a good, plausible option for us."
Faith smiled at them, shaking her head and squeezing Melinda's arm. "This is good news," she whispered to her. "All you needed was a little bit of help and hope."
Melinda smiled and nodded, closing her eyes. A few tears escaped. They were going to finally be able to have their family one day soon, and Faith could tell it was probably all her daughter-in-law had wanted to hear these past few months.