HOLDING ON

by KIKI MALONE

  I don’t know when Felicia also started calling Elizabeth mommy, but this breaks my heart even more.

  The doorbell rings again and I realize that neither one of us wants to answer it.

  Sighing to myself, I walk over and open it.

  It’s Andrew that’s at the door and not Maggie. This, I am really not okay with. They’ve met Maggie before but never him. I can’t send my girls off with a stranger, that will make them flip out more than they already have.

  “Where’s Maggie?” I ask as calmly as I can without letting the girls in on my irritation.

  “She’s home with Oliver,” he states, matter of fact. “These are my children; I wanted to pick them up.”

  “No,” I state. He’s not taking my girls alone. I’ve decided to change his plans. “I will follow you to your house with them. You’re early and they don’t know you. I’m not sending them off with you on a whim. At least they’ve met Maggie once, and I’m not traumatizing them more than they already are. And before you think of arguing with me in front of them and making this worse, I advise you to go back to your car and wait while we get them ready.”

  Andrew doesn’t say anything else and turns around and walks back to his car. I guess he may have a single decent bone in his body after all.

  I walk back in the house and together Elizabeth and I get the girls ready to leave.

  “Please come with us,” I say and look over at my wife. “We need you.”

  Sure, I’m playing low ball here, but I do need my wife and I’m sure the girls really do need her to.

  “I’ll come for the girls,” she answers and grabs two small hands and walks out the door.

  I’m left alone in the house with Felicia and she tugs on my pant leg.

  “Daddy,” she whispers, “Mommy Elizabeth is going to need you to take care of her while we’re gone. She’s sick. Promise me you’ll take care of her.”

  How did I not know my wife was sick? Man, I’ve been an asshole. More than I already thought I was. I really do need to fix things with her.

  “I’ll take care of her, I promise,” I tell my daughter. “You need to promise me you’ll take care of your sisters.”

  “I will Daddy,” she promises. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Licia girl.”

  We get into the car and I follow Andrew over to their house. It’s actually not very far from where Elizabeth and I live, and I’m surprised I’ve never run into them before.

  When we arrive, Elizabeth and I get out of the car to help the girls out. When we get out of the car, the girls look over at me with sad faces. I can’t believe I’m leaving my children here with virtual strangers. It’s going to break me more than I thought it would, but I know deep down in my heart this is what I need to do to keep the judge happy and to work on winning this case.

  Maggie walks out the front of her house with her son in tow and it still shocks me how much he looks like the girls, Sofia especially. It’s quite uncanny to tell you the truth. It makes me question the validity of the paternity test I had done years ago. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear these children do share the same paternity, but Maggie never let me touch her after she got pregnant with the girls so there’s no way they can be full siblings.

  Elizabeth and I both kneel down and hug the girls.

  “You be good girls,” Elizabeth whispers to them. I see she’s trying to hold back tears and all I really want to do is just snatch up my family and run away from here.

  “We love you so much,” I say, as I hold all four of my ladies in my arms. “We will see you tomorrow, I promise.”

  We all walk up the stairs, because God forbid Maggie come down to get the girls.

  Maggie greets the girls, coldly, and turns to walk inside the house with them. It takes everything in me not to run inside after them, but instead I get in the car and just stare at the house for a moment.

  Elizabeth reaches over and squeezes my hand. She’s feeling this as much as I am, and I know now is the time I stop neglecting my wife’s feelings and make things right.

  “Do you want to go home?” I ask. “Or would you like to go out somewhere?”

  Personally, I’d like to go home and get lost in my wife, but I know that there’s more I need to do before that happens, like apologize for my behavior these last few days.

  “I’d like to go home,” Elizabeth replies as she pulls her hand from mine. “I need to be where our girls are supposed to be. I need the house to be perfect for when they come home tomorrow.”

  I understand where she is coming from. I feel the same. Instead of continuing the conversation, I turn the car around and head home. Neither of us speak, both lost in our own thoughts the entire drive.

  Elizabeth immediately exits the vehicle when I pull up to our house. Although that’s not what I had planned, I let her go inside. It’ll give both her and me a few moments to gather our thoughts. I know what I want from her and for our lives, but I’ve done a shit job conveying that in the last few days. Everything has happened so quickly, I completely neglected her and haven’t shown her how much she means to me.

  I pull my car into the garage and head into the house.

  “I’ve fallen for you,” I say to her as soon as I see her. She’s sitting in the kitchen with a bottle of wine in her hand just staring at it. “I’ve fallen in love with you and didn’t realize how much that was true until I saw how much I’ve hurt you. I’m sorry, Elizabeth, I really am. I didn’t mean to shut you out the last few days and I should’ve made you a part of everything. This is hard for me, and I know it’s hard for you too.”

  I don’t know how to stop talking right now, and I see the tears falling down her face. I have to find a way to comfort her but I am lost. After everything I did for Maggie and how she threw it all back at me in the end, I’m not sure how to act right now.

  “Carter,” Elizabeth speaks, “I know this has been hard on you. Those girls are not mine by blood, yet I feel like my soul is being ripped from me. I don’t blame you, but you need to realize that I’m in this for the long haul too. When you told me it was forever, I felt a part of myself come alive once again. I thought you had meant it. But, then, the last two days, you closed the door on us being a family and it completely tore me apart.”

  “I didn’t mean to. I’m so sorry, Elizabeth. I never wanted to hurt you. I don’t know how to do this. I thought I knew how to keep a relationship and you saw how that turned out. Please, understand and help me.” I know I shouldn’t compare my relationships, but it’s all I’ve known.

  “Haven’t you realized by now, I’m nothing like her?” Elizabeth pleads, and I can see clearly the pain I’ve caused her by my words and actions.

  “I know you’re not, and that’s why I didn’t realize that what I was doing was hurting you so much.” I walk over to my wife and put my arms around her. “Please tell me you can forgive me. Please. I can’t live with you being mad at me.”

  I lift her face gently with my hand and place a kiss on her lips. The fact that she just let me kiss her makes me believe that she’ll forgive me, and we’ll be okay.

  “Carter, of course I forgive you, but, please, let me in. Talk to me. I’ve fallen for you too and want this to work. Not only for us, but for those girls.”

  I hear her words and know with all my heart that I’ll never intentionally hurt her again. I scoop her up in my arms without thinking twice about it and take her to our bedroom.

  “Let me show you how much I love you,” I tell her as I place her on our bed. I pull my shirt over my head and make my intentions clear.

  “Oh, Carter,” she starts. “I love you too.” She sits up on the bed and slowly begins removing her clothing.

  It’s been two long days without my wife and that ends now. As soon as we both strip out of our clothes, our mouths are devouring each other. I’m going to take my time with my wife today and show her just how much I love her and how much I want her.

  I lay her back down o
n the bed and climb in beside her. I’m going to savor my woman’s body today like she’s never been savored before. I begin kissing and licking her neck, the spot I know that gets her worked up the best. She’s already starting to writhe on the bed, but she’s got a long way to go before I get to where she wants to be.

  I begin moving south down her body. Her body is luscious and full and perfect. She has curves in all the right places and I can’t wait to taste each and every one. As I make my way lower, I grasp her breasts in my hands and begin kneading them. Her moans of pleasure are fighting with my resolve to take this slow.

  “Carter, please,” she moans.

  “No, not yet,” I reply. I have to keep with the pace I am aiming for. She needs to know and feel how much I cherish her.

  I take one of her nipples in my mouth and sweet heaven, this is just what I needed. My wife’s taste is like no other I’ve ever tasted. I feast on her breast for a moment and to me they feel a bit fuller than the last time we were together. It’s probably just how much I missed her body. I lick my fingers and begin tweaking her other nipple. I don’t want to leave any part of her untouched.

  She grabs my head in her hands and I know she’s close to coming. Elizabeth’s nipples are so sensitive, I know she can come just by me playing with them. Today, though, I’ll give her a little extra.

  I move over to begin suckling on her other nipple and move my hand down. I find her pussy wet underneath my hand and groan in anticipation. My cock is rock hard, and I know he’s feeling neglected but this isn’t about him right now. This is about giving my wife all she deserves and more.

  I pump first one, then two fingers into her pussy while sucking on her nipple. She begins moaning loudly and this time I know I don’t need to quiet her down. It’s just us in the house, so she can scream all she wants, and I plan on making her scream all day and night.

  As I pump into her pussy and suck on her nipple, I feel her start to tighten around my fingers. Oh, not yet sweet beautiful woman of mine. I remove my fingers from her pussy for just a moment and bring them to my lips. Tasting her on my hand makes me moan in pleasure right along with her.

  “Taste,” I tell her and bring my hand up to her mouth. She opens willingly and moans around my fingers.

  I remove my fingers from her mouth and push them back into her sweetness, only this time, I take my pinky and move it to her ass. I gently rub around her hole as I pump in and out of her pussy and suck on her breasts. I wonder briefly, if she’s ever enjoyed this before, but then stop myself from those thoughts. I don’t care what she’s done in her past, this is about us. Here and now.

  As I breach her tight ass with my pinky, she screams out in pleasure. I almost come on the spot just from the noises she’s making. Slowly, I begin pumping into both her pussy and her ass, still feasting on her tits and she comes unglued. She’s clenching so hard with her hands on my head and her pussy around my fingers, I think she may break them.

  Slowly, I pull my fingers out of her as she drifts down from her first orgasm of the day. She’s well sated right now, but we’ve only just begun.

  “Carter,” she moans, “I need you inside me, right now.”

  Who am I to deny this beautiful woman below me?

  I position myself over her body and in one swift motion, my cock is seated deep inside her. This feeling, I don’t think I’ll ever get over. Feeling her pussy still coming down from the aftershocks of her orgasm is making me want to blow my load immediately.

  I just lay there for a moment, trying to calm myself down. I need this to last. I’m not a one-pump chump, but right now I’m feeling like that’s all it’s going to take.

  I wrap my arms around Elizabeth’s head and begin kissing her. She kisses me back with a ferocity that tells me she wants more.

  I slowly begin to pump into her and her moans grow louder.

  Man, if I knew my wife was a screamer, I would’ve soundproofed our room. I’d love to hear her scream like this all the time, but it would wake the girls and how would we explain that?

  We build a steady rhythm, both of us working together to reach the same goal. This feeling, it’s the most amazing feeling in the world. I know now, I never felt like this with Maggie; what I had with her was never love. Knowing now what loving someone really feels like, I was such a fool.

  I pull out of my wife and flip her over. I have to feel what it’s like to fuck her from behind. I immediately fill her back up with my cock and the sensation is amazing. I start bucking into her harder and a bit wilder. She’s not complaining. By the sounds she’s making, I can tell she’s enjoying this as much as I am.

  “More,” she yells back at me.

  “Anything for you,” I tell her and start fucking her harder. I take my hand and start rubbing her asshole as I fuck her and she’s pushing back into me. I take my finger, stick it in my mouth, to use my saliva as a lubricant, and breech her tight ass once again. I can feel myself within her and it’s hard to hold back and not come.

  She’s pushing back into me even harder now, so I know she’s enjoying what I’m doing. As I fuck her harder, I insert another finger into her ass and she comes immediately. The feeling of my fingers in her ass and her pussy gripping me like a vice make me come right along with her. I come so hard, I let out a roar. I feel like a beast and this woman is definitely my beauty.

  Elizabeth collapses on the bed and I collapse on top of her.

  “That was the best fucking sex of my life,” I tell her. “I love you so much, Elizabeth. Just being with you makes everything so much better.” She has to know she’s everything to me.

  “Mhmm,” is all she manages. I want to laugh but I know the feeling.

  “I need a nap,” she states, and I can’t help but agree.

  I roll her over, and pull her on top of me, and that’s the last thing I remember before we both fall into a fitful slumber.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  ELIZABETH

  HELPING MY FAMILY

  IT’S Sunday morning and the girls will be home soon. Carter and I spent so much time loving each other yesterday and it feels so good to know he loves me as much as I love him. I now feel that we can make this all work and we will be much stronger together. We’re going to do everything we can to keep our family together. We’re not going to fight dirty, we’re going to fight legally.

  Carter’s arms begin to tighten around me, so I know he’s awake. I’ve been awake for a little while but have been enjoying how tight he’s holding me to him. It’s like he’s afraid to let go. With all we’re going through at the moment, I understand.

  “Good morning, wife,” he whispers in my ear. He rubs up against me and I can tell he’s ready to go again. This man amazes me with his stamina, but I’m not going to complain.

  “Good morning, husband,” I whisper-moan back. Yeah, I could get used to this.

  An hour later, we’re in the kitchen preparing breakfast waiting for the girls to arrive home. Maggie called and said she was bringing them herself. I guess she knew Carter was upset with how things went yesterday.

  The doorbell rings and both of us jump. We both walk over to answer the door because neither of us wants to be without the girls for another moment.

  My heart breaks immediately when we open the door. Our girls look so sad and defeated. I’ve never seen them look like this. They don’t even say hello to us. They just walk right in.

  “Bye, girls, I’ll see you next weekend,” Maggie yells into the house. “They will learn not to be so damn spoiled.”

  Spoiled? The girls are anything but spoiled. What the fuck is she talking about? Before I can say anything to defend the girls, Carter shuts the door in her face and walks to the back of the house.

  I follow him back through the house looking for the girls. Isabella is in the playroom, so I head in there.

  “Good morning Isabella,” I start as I sit on the couch next to her. She doesn’t respond, just keeps her hands in her lap looking down at them. My heart
hurts so much right now, I want to cry, but this isn’t about me. This is about fixing my girls. “Do you want some breakfast? Daddy and I cooked your favorites for you this morning.”

  “No, thank you, ma’am,” she answers in a quiet voice.

  Ma’am? What the fuck?

  “Isabella,” I state a little firmer than I realized, “look at me and tell me what’s wrong, please.”

  “Mother said you’re not our mom and that we needed to call you ma’am and nothing else. She said that’s she’s our mother and we’re to call her that. She yells a lot and Sofia cried all the time. I didn’t like it. Felicia tried to protect Sofia and got in a lot of trouble and was told she couldn’t have breakfast. So, I’m not going to eat if my sister can’t eat.”

  “Carter,” I yell. I’m fuming right now. How dare they deny my children food? Who the fuck do they think they are?

  Carter walks into the room carrying Sofia in his arms. His face has rage written all over it. I’m going to assume he heard the same story I did, or something similar or maybe even worse. He looks around the room seeming a bit confused.

  “Where’s Felicia?” he asks, still looking around as if she’ll appear out of nowhere.

  “I thought she was with you,” I reply and quickly pick Isabella up and walk out of the room.

  Together, each of us holding the girls safely in our arms, we start to look around the house for Felicia. We find her in her bed, just lying there staring out into nowhere. My poor girls.

  We both sit down on the bed and Sofia and Isabella climb out of our arms and lay next to their sister. These girls share a bond stronger than their DNA and you can see the love they have for one another.

  “Felicia,” both Carter and I say at the same time. I’ll let him go first, since he’s their father, but he looks to me and gives me a hand motion to continue. This is a huge step for him, I know, but it touches my heart how he trusts me to take care of his girls.

  “Felicia, baby, look at me.” When she doesn’t do as I ask, I lie next to her and look right into her face. “Baby girl, I’m sorry your mother wasn’t very nice to you. Daddy and I would never deny you anything you needed. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure you’re not yelled at or punished like that again. Come here and let us hold you. Daddy and I made your favorite breakfast, let’s go eat as a family, please.”