Family Love

by Jeanne Mccann

  “Reina did most of that.”

  “It’s just darling, I love the fish.”

  “Everything did turn out nice. Frank, Virginia, I want to thank you for staying with us. Reina and I both love that you’re here.”

  “Thanks, honey, we appreciate that. Now, go to bed.”

  “Goodnight.” Payton was exhausted.

  “Payton, did you call your brother back?”

  “I did, thanks. He and Eva said to say hello.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Reina and the baby were sound asleep when Payton entered the room, so she tiptoed into the bathroom and quickly took a shower. She dressed in her nightshirt and then checked on the baby. Melinda was sleeping on her stomach all scrunched up, and Payton covered her with her blanket. She stared for several minutes before she turned away to find Reina watching her. “She looks so little.”

  “She is little, honey. Come to bed, sweetie. You look very tired.” “You’re the one who should be asleep. You just had a baby.” “I’ll go to sleep as soon as you get in bed with me.” Payton took one last look at the baby and then slid under the cov¨ers and turned to Reina. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m sore, honey, but I feel pretty good. The stitches are a little irritating but that should go away.”

  “Reina, I have to tell you, I’ve never been so scared in all my life. I never want to see you in pain again. I couldn’t stand it.” Reina hugged Payton. “Payton, I love you.” “I love you, and I love Melinda, and Max, and Molly.” “Payton, go to sleep.” Reina requested, sliding her arms around Payton’s neck and resting her head on her shoulder.

  Within minutes, both Reina and Payton were sound asleep in each other’s arms. They both slept soundly for several hours, until the baby began to cry.

  “She’s hungry,” Reina whispered as Payton got out of bed. “Here you go, honey. Your mom is going to feed you,” Payton whispered to the unhappy little girl. She handed Melinda to Reina who was sitting up in the bed waiting.

  “You are hungry.” Reina talked to her little daughter as she breast¨fed her. Payton lay on the bed next to Reina watching. She placed her hand on Reina’s thigh as she watched mother and daughter. After she was finished nursing, Reina held the baby for a long time rocking her and speaking softly to her. She finally fell back to sleep while Payton and Reina gazed at her.

  “You want to check her diaper before we put her back to bed?”

  “Okay.” Payton took Melinda from Reina and laid her on the bed. She expertly had Melinda changed without disturbing the sleeping angel.

  “You’re pretty good at that.” Reina grinned.

  “I’m learning.” Payton smiled in return. “All right little Mel, let’s put you back to bed so you can get lots of sleep and grow up big and strong.”

  Payton returned the sleeping baby to her crib and cleaned up the mess. She was back in bed in a flash. Reina lay on her side away from Payton and Payton ran her hands down Reina’s hips and around her waist. Reina reached down and laced her fingers with Payton’s, pull¨ing her tightly against her back.

  “Goodnight, Payton.”

  “Goodnight, Reina.”

  The baby woke Reina and Payton up five times during the night. Only once was she not hungry, just unhappy, and Payton rocked her until she fell back asleep. Max woke them up at seven-thirty when he crawled into bed with them. By eight o’clock, Molly had joined them and the baby was awake so all five were in bed when Virginia knocked on the door.

  “Molly, Max, come eat breakfast with Grandpa and I.” She sug¨gested.

  “Okay, Grandma.” The two children happily padded out of the room.

  “Reina and Payton, go back to sleep,” She commanded with a smile from the doorway.

  “I see where you get your bossiness,” Payton teased, and Reina poked her.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Enjoy it while you can, honey. And Payton, she gets it from her dad.” Virginia’s laugh could be heard as she shut their door.

  Payton chuckled too, as Reina glared at her. Payton held Melinda against her shoulder. “She isn’t asleep, Reina. She’s just cuddling.”

  “She’ll nod off if you put her to bed. She’s been awake for over an hour.”

  “She’s been pretty good.”

  “She’s been very good.”

  “Come on, little girl. Let’s put you back in bed.” Payton put Melinda down and turned to Reina.

  “Payton, I wish we could make love.”

  “Reina, I love you honey, and as soon as you feel better and it’s okay with your doctor, we will make love. I promise you.” Payton crawled back into bed. “Until then I will hold you whenever you want.”

  “I want.” Reina met Payton in the middle of the bed with a kiss. They shared several kisses before closing their eyes and drifting off to sleep.

  “Reina?” Payton whispered.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s a good thing we aren’t having any more children.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “We would have to get a bigger bed.” Both Payton and Reina gig¨gled quietly as they held each other tightly. They couldn’t have been happier.

  CHAPTER 12

  Æ T he week that Payton stayed home with Reina and the baby was hectic, and wonderful. Not only did Payton get to spend time learning how to take care of the new baby, it also gave Reina some much needed recuperation time. On top of all that, Payton spent a lot of time with Max and Molly.

  One night Payton and the kids planned to sleep outside in a tent in the backyard. Payton had promised and it seemed as good a time as any to spend a night camping. After borrowing a tent from Lindy, it took over an hour for Frank and Payton to put the tent up, both of them grumbling as they did.

  “Look at those two. It’s a tent. All they have to do is read the direc¨tions.” Virginia laughed.

  “Then they would miss all this fun.” Reina chuckled as Payton and Frank became particularly disgusted. She was seated in the kitchen holding Melinda and watching out the window.

  “Mom, don’t say a word when they come inside.”

  “Really, Reina, I haven’t been married to your father for forty years because I don’t know when to keep quiet,” She responded indignantly.

  “Hi.” Payton smiled at Reina and her mother.

  “Hi, honey. How’s the camping party going?”

  “Good. I’ll go grab the sleeping bags and get everything ready before I call the kids. Thanks for helping with the tent, Frank.”

  “You’re welcome, Payton. I didn’t think we were going to figure it out.”

  “We did good.” Payton grinned. “As soon as I get the beds ready I promised Max and Molly we would have hot chocolate and s’mores. You want to join us?”

  “I think Virginia and I are going to call it a night and watch a video in our room. But thanks for the offer.”

  “Reina, you want to join us?”

  “No thanks honey. I’m going to feed Melinda and put her to bed, and I’m going to do the same.”

  “Okay, sweetie. Goodnight, Melinda.” Payton kissed the top of her head and headed out of the kitchen.

  “Honey, we will see you and Melinda in the morning. You get some sleep.” Virginia advised.

  “I will, Mom.” Reina smiled. “Goodnight.”

  Frank and Virginia hugged and kissed Reina and the baby, and then headed for their bedroom. Reina followed them as she and Melinda headed for their own room. Melinda wouldn’t be moving into the nursery for several months so her crib was going to remain right next to Payton and Reina’s bed.

  Payton finished preparing the beds for her and the kids and returned to the house to start the hot chocolate. She put graham crackers, each with a piece of chocolate and marshmallow on top, on a cookie sheet. Then she turned the broiler on to toast them. Once she had everything prepared she went to her bedroom to put her pajamas on before collecting Molly and Max. Reina was their sitting in the rocking chair feeding Melinda.
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br />   “Are you all ready?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Payton grinned. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’m going to miss you. Can I get a kiss goodnight?”

  “Of course.” Reina and Payton kissed thoroughly. “Who’s idea was this anyway?”

  Reina just laughed. “The kids are very excited.”

  “I know, I better go get them.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, honey. If you need me for anything you know where to find me.”

  “I’ll be fine, Payton. Have a good time.” Reina smiled, watching Payton head out of the bedroom. She loved Payton for making Max and Molly feel special.

  “Thanks honey, I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Payton stuck her head in Molly’s room, where she and Max were busily coloring. “Are you two ready for your treat before we go out¨side?”

  “Yes!” Max yelled.

  “Payton, we made a picture for Melinda.”

  “That’s very nice, honey. Why don’t the two of you take it to her and say goodnight to her and your mom. I’ll be in the kitchen, and Max, remember that Melinda might be sleeping so you should try to be quiet.”

  “Okay, Payton.” The two children raced down the hall. Both were already in their pajamas and were very excited and very loud. Payton just watched them and grinned. A couple of minutes later they joined Payton in the kitchen where they all sipped hot chocolate and snacked on their treats.

  “Okay, grab your flashlights, campers. Do either of you have to go to the bathroom?”

  “No. Can we go in the tent now?”

  “Okay, let’s go.” Max and Molly turned on their flashlights and trooped out the back door and across the yard. Payton had to grin at the very happy children. You would think they were in the middle of the wilderness. “You two climb into your sleeping bags.”

  Payton zipped the tent shut and crawled between Max and Molly. She covered the two of them to their chins and lay down in her own bag.

  “Max, turn your flashlight out.”

  “Okay, Payton.” As Max turned off his flashlight he turned with it in his hand toward Payton and smacked her right in the lip. She hissed with pain as her lips smashed against her teeth.

  “Sorry, Payton.”

  “No problem, buddy. Let’s put your flashlight right here in case you need it.” Payton tried very hard not to let Max see that he had hurt her, but she could feel her lip puffing up as she spoke.

  “Payton, are there wild animals outside?”

  “No, Molly. The only animals around here are cats and dogs and one monkey named Max,” Payton teased, tickling the two children. They giggled and squealed until Payton held them in her arms.

  “Let’s cover up now. It’s time to get some sleep.”

  “Payton, how come Mom and Melinda aren’t sleeping with us?”

  “Melinda is still too little to sleep outside, and your mom would love to be with us but someone needs to watch Melinda.”

  After several more minutes of conversation, Molly and Max began to yawn and, before Payton knew it, the two of them were fast asleep. For two hours all three slept soundly, until Max woke them all up.

  “Payton, I have to go to the bathroom.”

  “Okay, Max. How about you, Molly?”

  “I have to go, too.”

  “Okay, let’s all go.” The three of them entered the darkened quiet house and Max shut the sliding glass door with a slam. Intending to stop it before it woke everyone up Payton grabbed for the door, catching her three middle fingers between the door and the jam. The heavy door smashed her fingers, bringing tears to her eyes. Biting her already sore lip so she wouldn’t cry out loud, Payton shook her crushed fingers.

  “Sorry, Payton.” If Payton wasn’t in so much pain she would have laughed, but it was all she could do not to cry.

  “That’s okay, honey. Let’s go use the bathroom.” The three headed down the hall. As they reached the bathroom, the hall light turned on and Reina came out of the bedroom to meet them.

  “We needed to use the bathroom.” Payton informed her. “Max, you use this bathroom and Molly you go use the one in your mom’s room.”

  The two children disappeared as Reina stared intently at Payton. “Honey, what happened to your lip?” Reina rushed to her.

  “The same thing that happened to my fingers.” Payton held out her throbbing fingers.

  “Payton, you’re bleeding.”

  “It’s not that bad, and please don’t say anything in front of the kids.”

  “Let me clean your fingers and bandage them. What happened?”

  “Max happened. He accidentally hit me in the mouth with his flashlight earlier when we went to bed, and my fingers were caught in the back door when he slammed it. I was afraid he would wake everyone up so I tried to catch it. We were coming in to go to the bathroom. I missed.”

  “Honey, if I send you back outside you might break something,” Reina whispered, hugging her. “It’s dangerous business, camping.”

  “You are so funny.” Payton grinned.

  “If I kiss your lip will it make it feel better?”

  “I’m sure it will.”

  Reina kissed Payton gently several times. “Do you think you could be real careful when you get back outside? I like these lips.”

  “I’ll try.” Payton laughed. “Now what’s a person got to do to get a bund aid around here?”

  A couple of minutes later the three campers headed back out to bed, Payton with u bunch of Band-Aids around her crushed fingers. The rest of the camp out went much smoother and the three of them slept until after nine in the morning. The children helped Payton put the sleeping bags away, and dismantling the tent took far less time than putting it up.

  “Payton, another night of camping outside and we would have had to take you to the emergency ward,” Virginia teased.

  “They were accidents.” Payton tried to smile but her lip was so swollen and sore it made talking painful. Her fingers were even worse, black, and blue from the bruising, swollen, and unable to be used. “Besides, Max and Molly had a good time.”

  “They had a wonderful time, honey. Thank you.” Reina kissed her softly. “But I think we’ll wait awhile before you sleep out again. I’d hate to see what you would look like after two nights of sleeping out¨side.”

  “Ha ha.” Payton rolled her eyes as Virginia and Reina laughed loudly.

  CHAPTER 13

  Payton regretted having to go back to work on Monday. She was working at home two days a week for the next two weeks, but it wasn’t going to be the same. Frank and Virginia were an enormous help, but she would have liked to spend more time alone with her family. A week later, when Frank and Virginia headed home, things started to settle into a routine. Reina was feeling much better and the baby was proving to be a very easy baby to take care of. She was start¨ing to stay awake after being fed, and she especially liked bathing, which Max and Molly enjoyed helping with. They had even been able to get out of the house and go to Lindy and Tamara’s for dinner one evening, where Melinda was the hit of the party.

  Within six weeks, Payton was back to working full time, Molly and Max were back in preschool, and Reina was doing light work out of the house. Life was wonderful.

  “Payton, I’m going to put Melinda down and take a shower.”

  “Okay, honey. I’m going to finish folding these clothes and then I’m coming to bed.”

  It was after ten o’clock on Friday night, and Max and Molly were already in bed. They were excited about their trip to the zoo. The whole family, including Melinda, would be making the trip. Payton curried the basket of clean clothes into the bedroom to put away. It was amazing how much laundry one little newborn produced. She headed for the bathroom while Reina showered and washed her hair. Payton pulled a silk nightshirt out of her drawer and put it on. She took a look at Melinda asleep in her crib and she smiled. You couldn’t have asked for a sweeter baby. She was even sleeping through
most of the night.

  “She looks more and more like you every day,” Reina whispered, sliding her arms around Payton, her lips finding Payton’s neck.

  “She looks like Max and Molly, and she’s going to have wavy hair just like her mother.” Payton turned to face Reina.

  “Payton, I’m all healed and I feel fine.”

  “You are.” Payton grinned as Reina’s hands slid under her shirt.

  “I am. And I really need a favor.” As Reina spoke, her hands trav¨eled down Payton’s back and hips, pulling her snuggly against Reina’s body.

  “What favor?” Payton’s body reacted to Reina’s, flooding with heat while she gazed into Reina’s eyes.

  “I need a willing volunteer to make mad passionate love with.”

  “A volunteer, huh?” Payton slowly began to unbutton Reina’s nightgown. Her fingers drifted between Reina’s breasts and her lips made the same path. Payton’s tongue tasted the flavor of Reina’s skin as she slid the nightgown from her shoulders.

  “Honey, let’s turn the lights out.” Reina was still self-conscious about her body.

  “Reina, I want to see every inch of your gorgeous body. I love the way you look.” Payton looked into Reina’s eyes. “Honey, your having Melinda made you more appealing to me.”

  Reina’s eyes glowed as Payton’s fingers and mouth floated over her body. When Payton’s mouth surrounded Reina’s nipple, she groaned. Payton maneuvered them to the bed and gently pushed Reina onto her back. Within minutes Payton’s attentions had Reina gasping with pleasure. Payton’s tongue sliding inside her was her undoing, and she dissolved into a series of orgasms that threatened to melt her body to the bed. Just when she caught her breath, Payton renewed her efforts, and Reina again fell into pieces as another orgasm rippled through her body.

  “Reina, I’ve missed this,” Payton admitted, covering Reina’s body with her own.

  “Then we’ll have to make sure that I make it up to you.” Reina grinned as she rolled Payton onto her back, her thigh sliding between Payton’s legs. Reina’s mouth spread wet hot kisses all over Payton’s body, while her hands drifted over every spot until she was driving Payton crazy with desire.