by Rachel Burns
Elise was glad he hadn’t sent her away. She felt like she was on the verge of tears as it was because she’d missed college because of her own stupidity. Maybe she would have flunked out anyway. She certainly didn’t see herself as being smart anymore.
Derrick wanted to talk to her and tell her about his life away from her. That had been normal at his house. Everyone shared what was going on in his or her lives. It had been comfortable.
“Everyone is still talking about Patrick at work. They thought he was very cute.” He left out that everyone was trying to guess who the father was. Most figured it had been a boyfriend from school who hadn’t stood by her during her pregnancy, and that she was raising the baby all by herself.
No one knew that he was the father.
Derrick wondered why Ashton and her father never told anyone that he was married to Elise and the father of her baby. Was it because they figured the marriage wouldn’t last?
Elise saw the look on his face. He looked very mad. She quickly finished and stood up. He wasn’t happy with her, and chances were he never would be. This must feel like babysitting to him.
What had she been thinking when she confessed to her father who Patrick’s father was? She shouldn’t have done it. She needed to learn when to lie and when to tell the truth.
Derrick did several things to pass away the time until he could go to sleep.
Elise sat on the sofa by the tree and stared at it while she fed Patrick. It was the perfect symbol of her life now. It wasn’t as fine as what she was used to, but it was okay: even beautiful in its own way.
Maybe if she changed her attitude towards things, she could be happy. Maybe she could even make Derrick happy to have her. He’d been clear that he wanted to have cooked meals and a clean apartment. Today he told her he wanted sex.
Things got a lot better when she got the knack of cooking and cleaning. He hadn’t spanked her since. Perhaps if she slept with him, he would start to like her. He seemed to like it the last time they made love.
But he hadn’t loved her. He thought she was Ashton. Elise wished she were more like Ashton, who knew how to handle every situation to her advantage.
Derrick thought she’d told the truth, so she could trap him into marrying her. That hadn’t been the reason why she told the truth after keeping silent for so long. She felt he deserved to know he had a child. She didn’t want to lie about something important like that.
Patrick released her breast and snuggled into it. He was falling asleep in her arms.
Elise stroked over his fat cheek. She was glad that the doctor had said he was perfect. She wanted to give him everything he would ever want.
Some people would say that was spoiling him, but she had never wanted for anything, and she felt that she was a good person deep down. She had only been careless one night, and she was paying the price for her misdeeds.
She closed her eyes and prayed that Derrick would one day love her.
Determined but with huge doubts she laid Patrick into his crib and went into the bathroom to make herself beautiful for her husband.
Elise stood in front of the mirror. She didn’t look like herself. The negligee Ashton had given Elise as a wedding present made her look like a woman. She didn’t feel like a grown up. She was just a silly little girl.
Elise had a bad feeling that she was about to prove how silly and childish she was. At least, she would be able to tell herself that she tried.
Derrick heard that Elise was still in the bathroom. He had to wonder what she was doing in there so long.
Derrick went back to his book. He’d read several books lately. He was almost at the end of his supply. They were the books he’d bought over the years, so he could read them one day. That time had come.
There was a knock on his door. That never happened. Was something wrong with Patrick?
He got up and went to the door. His jaw dropped when he saw Elise. Did she always sleep like that? He was sure she didn’t.
Elise looked up, but once again, she couldn’t think of anything to say. Hi, I’m here to have sex with you, so you’ll love me one day, sounded too provocative.
“Do you need something?” Derrick asked, hoping she wouldn’t look down and see his penis swelling.
Elise had assumed he would understand immediately what she was doing here. “Umm – never mind. I’m sorry I bothered you.” She turned away and headed to the couch.
“Elise, you knocked for a reason. What was it?” Derrick leaned against his doorframe and watched her walking away. Her nightgown was cut short, so it showed off her long thin legs.
“I’m sorry, Derrick. I’m sorry about everything. Honestly, I didn’t mean to ruin your life.”
Derrick felt that was his cue to say that she hadn’t ruined his life.
He said nothing. He wasn’t ready to forgive and forget.
“I just wanted to apologize for what I said in the car today. I thought you wouldn’t want to – after what I did to you. I didn’t want to push you away. I thought you would be relieved.”
Derrick wasn’t sure what he should say. Had he screwed up? Was she knocking because she wanted to sleep with him?
Elise turned away from him and walked over to the sofa. She made her bed there and got under the blanket.
“Is that good for your back?” Derrick asked.
“I beg your pardon?” Elise sat up and saw that he was still standing half in the hallway.
“Sleeping on the sofa every night probably isn’t good for your back.” Derrick walked over to her and pulled the blanket back. “You can sleep with me in my bed.”
“I honestly don’t want to do anything that will make you feel uncomfortable in your own home.”
She didn’t see the apartment as her home, he thought. “It just dawned on me what you were really doing at my door. I want you to come to bed with me.”
Elise gulped and stood up, telling herself that her husband needed this to be happy. She longed to make him happy with her. That would be worth everything she’d given up because of their mutual mistake when he yelled at her in her father’s office.
Derrick let his hands run over his nervous wife’s body. He had yet to touch her gently since they had been married, so he figured that Elise would need lots of foreplay to relax and trust him to give her pleasure.
He kissed her behind her ear and listened to her gasp.
Derrick pushed her back against the pillow and reached under her soft nightgown. The soft fabric was like an extra caress as he slipped it up and out of the way.
Elise loved him so much, even if this was only sex for him. She enjoyed each touch and each thrust, despite knowing that he would rather be sleeping with someone else.
After he fell asleep, she went back to her sofa, convinced that it was the place she belonged.
Derrick woke up disappointed. She wasn’t beside him. That was a terrible habit she had. He got up and looked for his wife.
She was sleeping on the couch again.
Derrick knelt down next to her. “Elise, I want to wake up next to you. I assumed that wouldn’t be a problem now that we were married.”
Elise bit back the fact that they had been married for a couple of months now.
Derrick stood up and held his hand out to her.
Elise took it, and he pulled her to her feet.
Derrick took her back to their bedroom and made love to her again. He was feeling so much better about their marriage.
He playfully kissed and petted his wife. It was impossible for him to keep his hands to himself. He touched her all day and all night, getting her to giggle.
That night, he made her promise that she would be in bed with him when he woke up. When Elise agreed, he kissed her passionately.
Chapter 29 – Merry Christmas
Derrick woke up and looked behind him. Elise was already awake and feeding the baby.
“Did I wake you?” she asked.
“No.” He rolled over, so he could look at her.
He liked what he saw. “Merry Christmas, Elise.”
“Merry Christmas, Derrick.”
“I’ll go shower, so we can get the ball rolling.” Derrick got out of bed and went into the bathroom. He took his time getting ready. He wanted to look good today. It was clear that he needed to impress his in-laws. Mr. Montfort had been eyeing him since Elise and Patrick had visited the company.
Mr. Montfort didn’t look him in the eye anymore, and he seemed to be avoiding him. He hadn’t been called into his office since then either. Before that, he was usually in there every day.
He feared he might get fired yet.
That had been the reason he’d married Elise to begin with. He thought he would lose his job if he didn’t. He’d felt forced into getting married, and his job was the shotgun.
Now he liked being married. Elise was trying so hard to be a good wife.
Derrick was trying too. He’d gotten her a gift for Christmas. It was an expensive necklace. It was probably something like she would have gotten from her family. When she walked in wearing it, they would know he was taking care of her.
Elise handed him Patrick, so she could go into the bathroom. She went in quickly, washing and dressing.
When she came out, she saw that Derrick was talking to Patrick about Santa Claus. She smiled, glad they looked happy. That was all she wanted. She made him a cup of coffee and fried some eggs and bacon for him.
“That smells good. I guess I should enjoy the few years I have left eating good food like that. Soon you’ll be saying I can’t have it because of my cholesterol level.”
Elise beamed at him. Would she truly have the power to forbid him to eat anything one day? Could they ever be that comfortable with one another? It sounded perfect. “Would you sneak bacon behind my back?”
“I don’t know yet. Maybe every now and then.” He smiled at her. Life with her wasn’t so bad. She was an attractive woman, and she was charming.
They sat down to eat, and Derrick held onto Patrick, so Elise could eat her meal while it was hot. He hadn’t insisted that they had to eat together, but it was a lot nicer. Elise looked a lot happier with him too.
Today was a good day to visit her family and show them how wonderful things had worked out for them, in spite of the beginning they had both suffered through.
The phone rang, and Derrick stood up to get it. He handed Patrick to Elise. “Don’t open the presents yet. Wait for me,” he told her. His cell was on his nightstand. He grabbed it and answered it with a ‘Merry Christmas.’
“Hello, Derrick.” It was his father.
Derrick closed the door and moved as far away from it as he could get. “Hello, Dad.”
“I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas before you have to go to your boss’s house.”
“Thank you, Dad. Same to you.”
“It feels wrong not having you here.”
“I’m really sorry about that. Like I said before, this is a big privilege. He only invites his best employees over.”
“Doesn’t he have a family of his own? You’d think he'd want to spend time alone with his family.”
“His wife passed away a few years back. That’s when he started this.” Derrick hated lying to his father.
Before, his reason to lie had been because he was ashamed of what had happened, and he feared his father wouldn’t understand. Now, he lied because he didn’t want anyone to think badly of his sweet Elise.
He wanted to talk to his parents alone and explain everything before they met Elise and Patrick. He wanted to have a chance to paint them in the best possible light.
“Still, it sounds to me like he’s trying to force people to spend Christmas with him.”
“He has two daughters. I’m interested in one of them, so I have to admit I don’t mind spending Christmas with my boss, as long as his beautiful daughter is there. I’m eager to drive over there, so I can see her.”
Elise laid Patrick down in his crib. She could hear Derrick talking. The walls were very thin, too thin. It was only too easy to hear her husband talk about how eager he was to go see Ashton.
Elise shook her head at herself. She’d been naïve enough to think things had changed for the better. She thought Derrick liked her, and their days of him just tolerating her presence were over.
Elise had only fooled herself.
She went to the kitchen and cleaned everything up. Her life was so lonely, despite Patrick always being at her side.
“Elise, that was my father. He sends his love, of course. Maybe we should celebrate with them next year,” he suggested.
Elise forced a smile and nodded. She couldn’t help but think that if she’d lied to him he would spank her.
Why did he get to lie whenever he wanted?
Worse yet, he hadn’t told his parents about her. They didn’t even know that she or Patrick, their first grandchild, existed.
Did he think it didn’t pay to mention us because he wasn’t going to be with us much longer?
Elise pictured Derrick looking for other jobs. He probably needed a recommendation from her father. That was the only thing that made sense to her.
“Let’s open presents.” Derrick took hold of her hand and walked her over to the tree. He got Patrick out of his bed and handed him to Elise.
Derrick looked at his family with so much pride that his heart swelled. “I got each of you something. Who wants to go first, you or Patty-cake?”
Elise hated that this was all a show. She felt like such a dope. It had all been a game, and she’d fallen for it.
“Patrick,” she answered him.
“Okay,” Derrick got the biggest box out from under the tree. He unwrapped it and showed it to Patrick. “It’s your first car. Look, Patty.” He set it down on the carpet and drove it back and forth while making car noises.
Elise was pleased to see that Derrick was smiling at Patrick. Maybe he would want to see Patrick after the divorce?
“Elise, lay him down on the floor, so he can see.” Derrick was smiling from ear to ear. Being married and having a child was great. He set the car in front of Patrick and pushed it back and forth.
Patrick’s eyes fixed on the car. He made a little noise and spit gathered at the corners of his mouth.
“Elise, he’s trying to say it. His first word.”
Elise faked a smile.
“I think he’s going to be a very bright little boy,” Derrick bragged.
“I hope so.” Elise didn’t want him to be dumb like she was. He shouldn’t make the same mistakes that she'd made. She wanted him to grow up to be someone important.
“I have a gift for you too. I hope you like it.” Derrick tenderly lifted the package into his hands and looked at it for a moment before he held it out to Elise.
Elise took it and laid it on her lap. She felt like she was about to burst out into tears. Their marriage was such a joke. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, but why don’t you open it up and see if you like it before you thank me?” Derrick asked himself if he had ever been happier. He didn’t think so.
Elise looked down at the shiny red wrapping paper and the soft golden ribbon. It was beautifully wrapped.
She assumed the store where he bought it wrapped it for him. She opened it and saw a white leather box. The emblem of a jewelry store was stamped into the leather with gold-colored writing.
This was like a gift a woman got from her husband. It was a gift for a grown-up woman, and not for someone like her. She was just a kid who should be in college and home for the holidays with her dirty laundry.
She had no business sitting on a sofa next to a Christmas tree with a husband and child.
Elise opened the box and saw a necklace. It was a very pretty turquoise heart-shaped pendant with beautiful gold swirls decorating the stone. The pendant hung on a tightly linked circle chain.
“It isn’t much, but it’s real gold. If you don’t like the heart, I could get you something else. I realize turquoise isn’t
a Christmas color, but I thought it would look good with your eyes.” Her silence was making him unsure. “Like I said we could exchange it for something you like.”
“It’s beautiful,” Elise managed to say.
“Really? I was worried. You know I’m just a guy. Everything in the store looked so nice, but I got a good feeling about this one. Should I put it on you?” He got up off the floor and took the box from her.
He removed the necklace from the box and tried to open the clasp. “I can’t believe how tiny this is.”
“Should I do it myself?” Elise offered.
“No, honey, I got this.” Derrick wanted to do it right. Elise was a good wife. She deserved a little special treatment. He managed to open the necklace.
Elise turned around, so he couldn’t see her face. She didn’t understand why he’d gotten her such a nice gift. It was clear that he was still in love with her sister.
Had he bought it, so her family would think he was a nice guy?
He must realize that Ashton would never want him if hadn’t treated her little sister well, so he was trying to make points with her now. Later everyone would say Elise had been too young for marriage. No one would be mad at him. Was her husband already making plans for his life after her?
Derrick found out it was harder to put the necklace on than it had been to open it up. He was thrilled when it closed, locking in place. “Turn around and let me see how it looks on you.”
Elise turned around and looked at him. She was fighting back tears.
The corners of Derrick’s mouth curled up because he’d gotten her to cry happy tears.
Elise felt the tear rolling down her cheek, and she hated herself for it. She regretted everything, exactly like he wanted her to. She loved her son, but she worried that she was ruining Patrick’s life – right along with hers.
“I got you something. It isn’t much, especially not compared to what you got me.” She lifted her hand to the pendant and wrapped her hand around it, wishing it had been an honest gift that came from his heart.
