Talon & Claree

by Liberty Parker

  “Don’t think we’ve ever had that problem before,” I tell him.

  “Until lately,” he sighs in exasperation.

  “We have to work through all of that, don’t we?” I ask. I kind of dread it, but I guess in order not to repeat the past mistakes, we have to march through the junk.

  “Yup,” he replies. “Most of it’s on me, Claree.”

  “Thinking we’ve both played a part, Talon. I mean, I could have and should have spoken my mind long ago. But instead, I acted like a spoiled princess or something and expected you to understand why I was turning away from you and why I would give you the cold shoulder. So, it’s on me too.”

  “Can we agree to disagree?” he asks.

  I start laughing because that’s something we both used to say a lot in high school whenever we’d hit a place where we couldn’t decide one way or another. “Yeah, we can do that, but, we’ve beat this who did it and who didn’t to death. We need to get past that and deal with the real issues. First, we need to figure out where we went wrong and talk that through and make a plan to not allow it to happen again,” I respond.

  “We drifted because we stopped communicating,” he states.

  “I agree, so what do we do about that?” I ask, knowing the answer but I need to hear it from him. “

  “We talk, every day, several times a day. About everything, even the small things that we don’t think the other’d be interested in,” he answers.

  “I’ve missed talking to you,” I whisper.

  He reaches over and takes my hand in his before kissing my knuckles. “Me too, baby, me too.”

  “So, how long before we can, y’know, enjoy these pregnancy hormones?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

  The look he gives me has me laughing so hard that tears form. “Baby, you need to be more careful,” he says, when he sees me grab my side. I forget because I was out of it for a bit that I’m still healing. “And as for how long, it’s as long as it needs to be, because you’re still not all better. Your arm and your ankle are both in casts, for fuck’s sake! No way am I doing anything that can hurt you.”

  I groan in frustration. Surely, he remembers how hot and bothered I was when I was pregnant with Steel, right? “Fine.”

  “Claree, don’t be like that. If my girl needs me, we’ll figure something out, okay?”

  I nod because now he looks worried. “Talon, if we have to wait until the casts come off, we’ll survive. It’s just…dammit, I want to reconnect with you like that!”

  “So, since we can’t right now, we’ll focus on the other stuff.”

  “Like what?” I ask.

  “Rebuilding us from the ground up.”

  “So, we what? Date again?”

  “If that’s what it takes, then yeah,” he responds. I get excited at the prospect of dating him and falling in love with him all over again.

  “Okay, let’s do it,” I beam a smile his way. He squeezes my hand and before I know it, we’re pulling up to our driveway.

  “Wait there, baby, let me come around and help you out,” he commands while giving me a stern look. Guess my independent streak won’t be acceptable in this particular situation.

  “Yes, sir.” I’d salute him, but I would probably hit myself in the face with my cast so I let it go.

  He smirks but says nothing. Instead, he comes around to my side, unbuckles me and then carefully gets me out of the truck, cradling me bridal style. I hide my smile with my face buried in his neck, remembering how scrawny we both used to be when we were younger. All the hard work he’s done with and for the club has formed solid muscles and my insides melt thinking of how powerful and buff he’s become. “What has you grinning?” he asks as he walks to our townhouse.

  “What? How did you know?” I sputter.

  “Felt your lips move against my skin, baby,” he replies. I’m wondering how in the hell he’s going to open the door when it opens, and I see my mom standing there with DJ right next to her while holding Steel in her arms.

  “We won’t stay long,” Mom says, as he carries me inside. “Just wanted to be here to help get you settled.”

  “We’ll return to my question in a bit,” Talon whispers in my ear. Dammit, guess he’s not gonna forget. However, we did promise not to hold anything back from each other, so I’ll have to learn to speak up when asked a question, whether it embarrasses me or not.

  “M’kay,” I reply. He places me on the couch and before I know it, my ankle is propped up on pillows and there’s a glass of iced tea on the table beside me. I can see Steel looking at me and I pat the cushion next to me. “C’mere, sweet boy, let Mama see you.”

  He’s careful climbing up until he is right next to me. “Mama hurt,” he says, pointing at my arm and my leg.

  “I am, sweetie, but I’m getting better every day.”

  “Do you want us to…” Mom starts to say.

  “No, I’ll be here and can take care of them both,” Talon says, interrupting her. “Y’all have done so much already, but I promise, if we need help, we’ll ask. I need this time with my family, we need to all be together.”

  “Y’better,” Hatch states, walking into the house, pizza boxes in his arms. “That’s what family does.”

  “I get that, Dad,” Talon replies. “And I’m not saying that y’all won’t be called on, especially when she starts her therapy. But right now, I need to be hands on.” I can hear the pleading tone in his voice as he speaks to his dad, and watch as Hatch nods.

  “We get it, Talon. Just saying, though, that your mom and Trinity will likely bring dinner over a few days a week.”

  “That might not be a bad idea,” I say, “because he can barely boil water and I’m not able to stand up for long periods of time right now.”

  “Okay, enough making fun of my water boiling skills, let’s eat so the parents can get the hell out of here and I can get you and Steel both down for a nap.”

  “A nap?” I ask. “Really?”

  “No tired, Daddy!” Steel gives his dad a ‘it’s not happening’ look and I have to bite the side of my cheek to not encourage him to backtalk his father.

  “Well, Daddy is freaking exhausted and could use a nap, so guess what?”

  “What?” Steel asks, unimpressed with his dad’s epiphany.

  “That means we all get to snuggle and take a nap…together,” he dramatically says.

  “Togethers. Yes!” he hollers out and throws up a toddler’s version of a fist pump. “Can we watch Cars?” I nearly moan, because I love my son, and Mater is the shit, but I’m so sick of watching that kid’s show. It’s all he wants to watch, twenty-four hours of every damn day.

  “How about we watch Monsters instead?” I hopefully ask our son.

  “No! I wanna watch Lightning Queen!” he screams out, and I see a meltdown happening in the near future.

  “Okay, how about we compromise and watch that Transylvania cartoon movie that he likes so much?” Steel pouts and crosses his chubby arms across his chest, if he has ever looked like his dad, now is a prime example.

  “Let’s just watch damn Cars, I’m suddenly too tired to care,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

  “Fine, but first I need to fill both of your tummy’s up,” Talon says, eyes wide at Steel as he reaches over and begins tickling his belly.

  I’m glad that during our little discussion with Steel our parents didn’t butt in. I’m sure they’d have pushed the issue or something, but one thing I’ve noticed over these past few years, they let us figure this parenting shit out. We don’t usually let him get away with the attitude he’s got right now, but considering he’s been back and forth to their houses and outside of his normal routine, today isn’t the day to play hardass. And I’m not lying, I am quite tired. It could be the medicine I took or the extra activity. Regardless, a nap actually sounds pretty damned good.

  *

  Talon

  *

  After we consume the pizza and our folks head on home, I ge
t them carried up to our bedroom and we all settle into the bed. I turn off the lights, and before I know it I’m hearing two different snores going on in the room. I close my eyes thinking that it’s music to my ears, I’ve missed these things so much. I make a promise to myself here and now, that there’s no way I’m going to miss out on any more of my family. Work be damned. I roll onto my side and curl my arm around the three most precious things in my world…my woman, son, and unborn child.

  I wake to small hands smacking my face, “Daddy, yous awake?” I crack open my eyes and send a small smile my son’s way.

  “Yeah, buddy, Daddy’s up,” I tell him.

  “I have to go potty,” he says, rubbing his belly. That means only one thing, it’s not number one he’s gotta take care of, and suddenly I wish I had sent him home with the parents. Wiping his ass is my least favorite thing to do, especially once he began eating solid foods. Unfortunately, Claree’s out of commission, so looks like I’m up to take one for the team.

  “C’mon, then. Let’s get you sorted out, little man,” I tell him before rolling over and getting up. Holding my arms out, he jumps into them and I carry him into the bathroom.

  “Daddy, Mama reads to me,” he tells me once I get him situated.

  “What? Since when?” I ask. I’m suspicious at his comment because I just can’t see that happening.

  “Her does since always!” he exclaims. “See?” he asks, pointing to a stack of books on the back of the toilet. Fuck me! Sighing internally, I pick one up and begin to read.

  This particular book I pick up is about green eggs and ham. I scrunch my face up in disgust. I mean really, if someone tried to serve me food that’s green and it’s not green beans, that shit is going in the trash. Why the fuck would someone encourage our kids to consume something so nasty? He interrupts my thoughts, saying, “All done, Daddy!” Yay. Now for the fun part of the job. Looking around, I see wipes and silently thank my woman for her forethought.

  Minutes later, everything done, I’m helping him wash his hands when I hear, “Talon?”

  “Give me a minute, baby,” I reply, drying our hands. Looking at his wet t-shirt, I realize I’m not as good as I thought I was. I quickly strip off the shirt, figuring it’s warm enough he can go without, then take mine off as well so she doesn’t suspect that both got drenched while we washed our hands. I walk into the bedroom and see she’s managed to get herself into a sitting position, her back against the headboard and a sly smile on her face. “What?” I ask as innocently as I can.

  “What happened to y’alls shirts?” she questions me, with her eyebrows raised. Before I have a chance to respond, Steel, the little traitor speaks up.

  “Daddy got us wet!” Then he crawls up the bed to her and whispers, quite loudly, “Daddy doesn’t do it like you do. He doesn’t make the voices when he reads to me during potty time.” I roll my eyes in exasperation.

  She glances at me and grins before replying, “It’s okay, Steel. He’s not used to making voices while he reads. We’ll teach him, right?” Fuck that. I’m not doing ‘voices’ while I read!

  “What happened to boys sticking together?” I mock glare at my son.

  Who innocently shrugs his small shoulders before saying, “A guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do,” as he smiles at me.

  “You’ve been around your grandpas too much,” I mutter.

  “Nuh-uh,” he pouts. I wanna respond with uh-huh, but then I know that I’d be showing my immaturity, and I’m trying to impress my woman with my newly acquired communication skills.

  “Um, Talon?” Claree questions. “I don’t need the help that Steel does, but could you get me into the bathroom?”

  I grin before picking her up and carrying her in. “If you need help, baby, just holler. Wait…do you need me to read to you too?”

  “Very funny, Mr. Smartypants! No, I don’t need you to read to me.”

  I leave her alone, laughing as I rejoin my son. “Steel? You gonna help me take care of Mama?”

  “Yes! Her is hurt!”

  “I can take care of myself!” I hear her say through the cracked bathroom door.

  “Uh, no, no you can’t,” I reply, walking toward the bathroom door. “You done, baby?”

  “Yes, I am.” I walk in and want to smack her ass. She’s gotten herself off the toilet and somehow hobbled over to the vanity to wash her hands. I shake my head because she’s not supposed to be getting that cast wet and there’s still water sitting on the counter which she’s currently leaning on.

  “Baby,” I moan, “you need to let me help you,” I complain.

  “Not letting you help me off the toilet, Talon,” she replies. “Give me a little dignity, will ya?”

  “Like I haven’t seen what you’ve got before?” I ask. I honestly don’t know what her issue is, I mean for fuck’s sake, we’ve been together since we were kids. Not much we don’t know about the other person by now.

  I see her roll her eyes at my words but she says nothing. Deciding not to continue the conversation, I pick her up and carry her back into the room and put her back on the bed. “So, I think we need a lazy day or two, don’t you?” I question once I rejoin my family. “Maybe he can go to daycare later this week, but for the first few days, I think we should keep him with us.”

  “Hungry,” Steel announces, causing me to look over at him.

  “Well, we can’t have that now, can we? Is Mama hungry too?”

  “Famished,” she responds, only there’s fire behind her eyes causing me to have to do a double take to make sure I actually saw it there. But when I look again it’s gone, maybe it’s my hopeful thinking and not reality. Damn, I can’t wait until she’s better and I can bury myself deep inside of her again. It’s been a few months since I’ve had her, and now I’m fucking imagining things. I shake my head and pick up my boy and trail out of the door with him hanging over my shoulder. I look around him and see her with a smirk on her face. That fucking devil! I knew I saw heat there!

  She’s fucking with me, well, two can play that game. I vow to make her pay, I can tease her just as well as she can tease me.

  12

  Claree

  It’s been six weeks since I’ve been home from the hospital and Talon has been driving me insane. He won’t touch me intimately until the doctor gives me the okay, but he’s been teasing me like crazy. Walking out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, slowly drying the drops of water from his skin, making me wet between my legs. His little shows are driving me to insanity, I don’t know how much more I can take before I take matters into my own hands. I’m grinning at my thoughts when he asks, “What has that grin on your face, baby?”

  “Oh, nothing. Just thinking that if you don’t do something soon to put out the fire that you keep adding to, I’m gonna take care of things myself.”

  “Really? It’s like that, huh?” he questions, coming over and sitting next to me on the bed. My residence, apparently. Well, the bed and the living room couch, that is. I’m so tired of being immobile and having to wait for others to help me. It’s maddening that in order to shower, I have to have Talon carry me into the bathroom, wrap my arm and ankle, then set me on the shower chair so I can wash myself. I need this shit to be over and done with and thank goodness my doctor’s appointment is this afternoon to have these offending casts removed.

  “Mom will be here soon to pick me up to take me to my appointment, do you want to grab lunch with us when we’re finished there?” I ask him hopefully, he’s been working hard lately, but he has been home every night for dinner and to help put Steel to bed. It’s been wonderful seeing him and realizing he’s taking our regrowth seriously. I was skeptical in the beginning, but he’s proven to me that he wants us to move forward and make our family strong again. I especially like how we cuddle when he’s home and discuss our days. No more are we talking over the table or even from across the room. He pulls me onto his lap so we’re face to face, his hands on my hips so we can look at one another.
Of course, being on his lap drives me crazy because I can feel him hard against my center, but it’s a good kind of crazy. The anticipation is driving me nuts. Our sex life has always been good because we didn’t know any different and learned what we liked together. Somehow, I think our new beginning is going to make it even more epic than it was previously.

  “I should be able to make that happen, just call me when you’re leaving.”

  “I will, can’t wait to be mobile again,” I sigh.

  “What’s that sigh all about?” he questions me.

  “I was just thinking that I have a lot of makeup work to do to catch up with my school work,” I respond.

  “You’ve been doing your online work haven’t you?”

  “I have, but I need to do the practical stuff.”

  “But you took your final exam, didn’t you?”

  “I did, but I still have to put hours in to graduate,” I inform him.

  “Like what?” he questions. “I guess I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

  “Okay, we have several parts that we have to do. The coursework, of course. Then the exam itself. But for the practical piece, we have to create various recipes that are judged by the state in a variety of areas. They watch us work and we get graded on keeping our work area sanitary, how the actual recipe comes out, that kind of thing.”

  “Where do you do that at?”

  “My one instructor’s bakery is an approved site. She’s said as soon as I’m up and mobile, she’ll schedule it for me. The fees have been paid already.”

  “Yeah. Still can’t believe your folks paid the rest off and then reimbursed us for what we forked out.”

  “I know! I want to pinch myself sometimes when I see what we’ve got in savings now.”

  “Well, a lot of that will go once we start outfitting the new house.”

  I start laughing. “Um, not really. Seems that Nan and Gino have decided they’re throwing a housewarming party for us and they’ve told the ‘guests’ that gift certificates to the furniture and appliance stores are ‘cheerfully accepted’ by us, the new homeowners.”