by D Gourlay
“But how do you know that for sure?” She puts her hand gently on my arm and I shake it off.
“No, don’t do that Mother. You don’t know her. I do. I have spent almost every single day of the last eighteen months with her, I know her inside and out.” I snap, I can feel the back of my throat start to burn with all the things I want to say to her, but know I shouldn’t.
“And you think that I didn’t do a bit of digging when I found out you were getting married? You don’t think I found out that only a few months back, her husband was arrested and sent to prison for murder, leaving her with nothing? And then no sooner is one husband out of the picture, she ups and moves her and her daughter in to your house and you are married almost immediately after her divorce.”
I stand up so hard she jumps. “I am not letting you do this. Not today of all days. That woman is my wife, and that little girl is my step daughter. I love them both with everything I have, and I will NOT have you turn up, for the first time in two years and have you spout utter shit.” People are looking as my voice gets louder. But I don’t care.
“Thaddeus-”
“No, I think it’s time you left.”
Without another word she stands and walks out of the hotel. I exhale loudly and sit back down, running my hands through my hair.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been sat there, when I feel someone sit next to me.
“Weddings and families are a bad mix.” Rachel sighs and leans in close to me. I wrap my arm around her and pull her on to my lap. “You okay?” She asks.
“Of course I am. I’m the luckiest man in the world right now. I can worry about my mother another day.”
“Are you sure? We can go back to the room and-”
I kiss her to stop her talking, she wraps her arms around me and we stand and make our way back to the rest of our guests.
Rachel
Everyone has finished eating, and I’m feeling pleasantly full and a little tipsy. I find myself listening in on other conversations, smiling to myself, absentmindedly fiddling with the wedding band on my finger.
In the past when I imagined marrying Tad, this is nothing like what I thought. I pictured lots of people, a fancy meal and embarrassing toasts. But as I look around at the small number of people, who mean so much to us both, I realise this is so much better.
Even with so few of us here, his mother still managed to create drama. Although, after all Tad has told me about her, her little outburst doesn’t surprise me at all.
I’d tried to have an open mind about the woman, even with everything Tad has told me about his childhood. I tried to make excuses for her in my head about leaving her own son’s funeral early. But in reality, maybe she just isn’t a very nice person.
I shake my head and all thoughts of her, this is my wedding day, and I’m not going to waste it worrying about her.
I hear the distinct ding ding of a knife being tapped against a glass, and I turn to see Dad standing, clearing his throat.
“I just have a few words that I’d like to say.” He starts and I half roll my eyes.
Almost got away with no embarrassing speeches, but trust Dad!
“I’m not really one for speeches, so I’ll try to keep this short. Today, we officially welcome Tad into our family, although in reality he has been a part of it for a long time.
“Before Rachel met Tad, I thought I knew my daughter. I thought I knew when she was happy, or when she was sad. However, the day she came home, smiling from ear to ear, with this daft look on her face; I knew something was different. She was happier than I had ever seen her, and that’s really saying something, considering everything else that was going on in her life at that moment in time.
“Mary and I then noticed that she would sneak out of the house every night once she thought everyone was asleep, and she would tip toe back in to her room in the mornings. Something we thought we’d been lucky to miss in her teenage years.” Everyone laughs and I feel my cheeks blushing.
“And then of course she would wander downstairs, same dreamy look on her face, and it didn’t take a genius to work out she had met someone. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t worried. I was terrified. And I was more than ready to grab this new bloke by the scruff of his neck and warn him what happens if he ever hurts my daughter.” He looks slightly threateningly at Tad, and then smiles. “But, as it happened, when we met Tad, and I saw that same goofy grin plastered all over his face, my nerves subsided. It was pretty clear from the onset that these two loved each other more than almost anything, and seeing how Tad was with Ami was just the icing on the cake.
“So, Tad, I’d like to thank you, for everything you have done for two of the most special girls in my life. You have done everything in your power to keep them safe and make them feel loved, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I wish the both of you a lifetime of happiness together.” He raises his glass, and everyone follows.
After everyone has taken a sip, Tad turns to me. “Still sure about this?” He asks nervously.
“Yes.” I smile.
He stands beside me and everyone turns to look at him. “Well, I guess it’s my turn to make a speech. I’ve been told that the first and most important part of my speech should be me telling my wife how absolutely incredible she looks. Which she always does.” I blush slightly. “I also would like to say how beautiful Ami looks today.” Ami’s cheeks pink and she leans into my arm to hide her face.
“I don’t want to bore you all with the gooey details of how I fell in love with Rachel, and what it is I love about her, because we would probably be here all day! What I do want to say, is that when I found out Rachel had a daughter, I was absolutely terrified. I’d never been around kids before, and frankly, they scared me a little.
“The first day I met Ami, I changed my outfit four times and was more nervous than I think I’d ever been. But then, Rachel appeared, with this little mini-Rach next to her. She shook my hand, and then it’s like she had known me forever.” He turns to look at Ami. “Ami, babe, I love you like a daughter, and I want to thank you for being such an incredible child. Today, I made your Mum my wife, and I was wondering if you would like to become my daughter? Officially?” He is fidgeting with the bottom of his jacket, and I can see beads of sweat on his forehead. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look this nervous.
Ami simply stands, pushes her chair back and runs to hug him. He lifts her up and they both hug as everyone starts clapping. There is not a dry eye around the table.
Once everyone has finished congratulating all of us, Tad stands and makes his way over to a sound system in the corner of the room. He fiddles around with his phone and a song starts to play around the room. As he turns it up I recognise the opening music to John Legend’s All of Me. I look at Tad and he is holding his hand out to me, face lit up with a charming smile that absolutely melts me.
I get to my feet and walk over to him where I take his hand and he pulls me in close. He wraps his arms around my middle, resting just above my hips, and I drape my arms over his shoulders. We start swaying gently to the music and I lean my head against his chest, cheeks hurting from smiling so much. I start to sing along with the song and realise just how perfect the lyrics are for us. I can’t help but hold him a little tighter and I close my eyes, hoping there will never come a day I will forget this feeling.
Tad and I are walking up the stairs to our room. Everyone has left, and Ami is staying with Mum and Dad for the night. When we reach the top of the stairs, Tad swoops down and lifts me into his arms. I burst into a fit of giggles as he carries me across the hallway to our room, stopping outside and almost dropping me as he tries to retrieve the key card from his pocket.
“I did not think this through.” He grunts while struggling with the door.
By the time he eventually gets us inside, I’m almost crying where I am laughing so much. He walks us straight over to the bed and throws me into the middle.
“Champagne, Mrs Turner?” He asks as he
walks over to the table, where there is a bottle on ice, with a plate of strawberries and chocolate next to it.
“Ooh yes please, Mr Turner.”
He hands me a glass and I only manage a sip before he is pulling me to the edge of the bed.
“I’ve been waiting to do this all day.” He takes the glass from my hand and sets both mine and his down on the bedside cabinet. Suddenly his lips are on mine, tongue pushing its way through my lips as he hungrily explores my mouth.
His hands trail around to my back and start fumbling with the buttons. His kiss slows and I open my eyes to see him scrunching his face in confusion. The kiss breaks when I laugh into it and Tad pulls back. “How many bloody buttons does this thing have?!” I stand, turn around and laugh when he curses the thirty or so tiny buttons.
“Can’t I just rip it off?” He whispers in my ear as he begins nibbling my neck.
“No you bloody can’t!” He huffs as he starts undoing the buttons carefully.
A few minutes, and a lot of swearing later, I step back and let my dress fall to the ground. I turn and watch his eyes moving up and down my body. I splurged on underwear. Beautiful satin lace bra and French knickers, with a suspender belt for good measure. He stares at me for a few seconds before he starts undressing himself.
I just stand and watch him remove his clothes, unable to move. When he is just standing in his boxers he walks towards me and softly kisses me on the lips.
“On the bed.” Oh God. That voice. I shiver visibly before sitting on the bed. He walks towards the ice bucket and pulls a couple of cubes out before walking back over. He keeps one in his hand and then drops the rest into his glass.
“Lie down.” My body lays flat on the bed before I have even realised what I am doing.
He crawls on to the bed and I can practically feel my body humming with excitement. He lifts the ice cube and puts it on top of my bellybutton. The cold makes me take a breath and then he begins running it along my stomach, in between my breasts and on to my neck. It leaves an icy trail behind it and I’m desperate for him to touch me with his warm hands. His lips fleetingly tease mine before he begins running the ice back down my body, down my stomach, and I find myself gripping at the sheets under me.
He avoids my underwear entirely and runs the ice all the way down my leg, taking extra time behind my knees and my ankles. There is almost nothing left by the time he has finished and he reaches to his glass to grab another.
As he drops back down on to the bed he hovers over my mouth and instinctively I lunge upwards to kiss him. It’s brief, and desperate. He moves back down the bed and I try to swallow only to find that my mouth is dry where I’ve been almost panting with need.
His lips start to trail soft kisses up my stomach. When he gets to my bra, he uses his teeth to pull each of the cups down, freeing my breasts. I feel the intense cold of the ice on my nipple and throw my head back, he slowly trails the ice to my other nipple at the same time as taking the other into his mouth. The change in temperature sends tingles over my entire body.
The ice is gliding down my stomach again, and this time he pulls my underwear down and off, before lifting one of my legs over his shoulder. He teases my inner thighs and I have to resist the urge to clamp my legs shut. Suddenly he is teasing me with the ice, gently moving the cube over and around my most sensitive spot.
I bite my lip and grab fistfuls of the blanket to try to steady myself.
“I don’t want you to come yet.” Tad breaths softly. Suddenly icy cold is replaced by the warmth of Tad’s tongue.
“Oh God!” I can feel warmth spreading to, and from every part of me and I know I’m close. I try to steady my breathing, to hold on for as long as I can, but I find myself edging closer and closer with every delicate flick and suck.
“Not yet.” He growls into me, and if anything, it has the opposite effect of what he is hoping for, and my hips buck forward. I stop breathing all together and scrunch my face up, desperately trying to keep my orgasm at bay.
He suddenly stops, and I exhale deeply. I open my eyes to find him taking another ice cube from his glass. Immediately he is back between my legs, tongue exploring, and despite my best efforts, I’m right back on the edge.
“Are you close baby?” He mumbles, tongue still working it’s magic.
“Mhm.” I manage. Suddenly I feel him pushing the ice inside of me. The combination of the cold invading me, melting, tingling and his tongue pushes me over the edge just as he growls “come for me.”
“Fuuck!!” I cry out as my orgasm rips through me. I can feel the ice melt with every wave which only seems to keep it going for longer. In one swift motion, Tad’s boxers are thrown to the floor, and he is inside of me, pushing the fast melting ice deeper and deeper, fucking me as hard as he can.
I’ve barely come down from my last orgasm, so when another starts brewing I grab his arse and wrap my legs around him, begging him “harder, please, Sir.”
He answers by sliding his hands underneath me, lifting me up and turning me on to all fours. His fingers grip almost painfully tightly on my hips as he slams into me. Over and over again. With each thrust I hear myself crying out, and stars begin to invade my vision. One hand loosens its grip and fingers search out my clit. He barely touches me before I am exploding around him, and with one final guttural cry, he comes inside of me.
The next few hours are lost in showers, massages and way too much sex. We order room service at some ridiculous hour and finally start to drift off to sleep, just as the sun is coming up.
“Tad?” I say as he is lazily stroking his fingers up and down my stomach.
“Hmm?” He answers sleepily.
“I know we haven’t really discussed it, but-” I swallow and doubt myself, not sure if I should be bringing this up.
“What?” He asks sounding slightly more alert.
“Well, I mean, we haven’t really spoken about it since… Well, I mean, do you still want a baby?” I anxiously chew on my bottom lip and hope I haven’t just opened a can of worms. He sits up and looks at me.
“I want whatever makes you happy. If you want to try again, then of course that’s what I want too. But I understand if it’s too much for you.” He strokes my face and I lean into his chest.
“That’s just you making me happy, what is it you want?” I ask hopefully. He shuffles nervously under me and I lift my head to see a slightly distant look on his face.
“I didn’t tell you this before, because, well frankly it’s a little mad.” He scratches his head and laughs nervously. “I know how this is going to sound, but after I was shot I had this dream, where I saw Seb. Only, it really didn’t feel like a dream, not at all. Anyway, in this dream, or whatever it was, Seb was talking about you, how great you are. He was apologising for leaving me, that sort of thing. He told me I had to go back. He told me I had to live. And he also told me to be a Dad, to Ami and to the nephew he wouldn’t get to meet.” I swallow hard and feel a chill creep up my spine. “I mean, I know it wasn’t him. It was just my subconscious or whatever, but it was kind of comforting, in a weird way. And I think about it often.”
I wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly as we lay back down together.
“I don’t think it’s mad at all.” I say. He kisses me on the head and a few seconds later I hear his breathing get heavier as he starts to fall asleep.
“Tad?” I whisper.
“Hm?”
“Maybe it wasn’t a dream?” He squeezes me tighter to him and not long after we both fall asleep.
Chapter Fifteen
Tad
My phone vibrates on my desk for the third time in as many minutes, and I risk a glance at the clock.
Fuck. I should have left already.
We need to be at Heathrow by seven latest, and here I am, stuck in this bloody meeting. If I don’t leave within the next five minutes, we are going to miss our flight, and that’s probably not the best way to start your honeymoon.
“I’m s
o sorry gentlemen, but I am going to have to leave you in Scott’s capable hands.” I look at Scott and hope he will be able to forgive me for leaving him with three of the most boring men I have ever met. I stand and shake their hands. “It was lovely to meet you all. I will catch up with Scott next week and I’ll be in touch.”
“Rushing off anywhere nice?” One of them asks, I think that one is Rodger?
“I’m actually off on my honeymoon, so I hope you will forgive me for leaving.”
“Oh, well of course. Enjoy young man!”
I smile apologetically at Scott who gives me the finger while nobody is looking.
“I know, I know, I’m late, I’m sorry.” I say before Rach even has a chance to open her mouth. “Come on then, let’s go!” I say as I grab the suitcases and hurry back out of the door and into the cab. I hear her sigh from behind me but don’t dare to look back at her face.
“You’d better hope there is no traffic Thaddeus.” She crosses her arms in the back of the cab and frowns.
“Ouch, three days in to our marriage and using my full name.” I slide my hand onto her lap and stroke her thigh softly. “I’ll make it up to you later. Promise.” She turns to look at me and I wink at her, making her smile.
Luckily, the traffic isn’t too bad and we get to Heathrow with a little time to spare. Rachel hasn’t stopped smiling since we walked into the first class lounge and were served champagne. Her smile only gets bigger as we head on to the airplane and we are taken to our seats.
She sits down on her chair and immediately turns to look at me, eyes wide.
“This is huge!” She whispers excitedly. Her excitement only grows as she discovers the television screen in front of her, the box of luxury toiletries next to her chair, and I think she is almost fit to burst by the time they bring around her starter of scallops and asparagus.
“This is actually, fucking amazing.” She laughs as she finishes her steak. “How do they even cook food like this on a plane?”
