Found by Love

by Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough

  My heart literally melted and tears sprung to my eyes. I leaned down and kissed his forehead again but gentler this time and breathed him in. Oh my son! My sweet, opinionated, funny, gorgeous son! I've prayed and prayed to be this close to him since his parents walked out of my hospital room with him. I pulled him in even closer to me and hugged him and he hugged me back and it was the most perfect moment of my life and I doubt life could get any better than right now. I leaned back and looked him in the eyes as his eyes were shining bright with tears, threatening to fall, but he was grinning at me so I pulled him in even closer.

  "I could so get used to this. I'm going to warn ya Gray... I am a hugger."

  "That's okay because I love hugs. Uncle Mattie and Maria give good hugs, but not like you do." There's a knock on the door that startles both of us and I turn around and there's the other man in my life.

  "Do you two mind if I join you? Mattie is heading to bed so I figured I would join the party. Is everything okay in here? I brought you both something." I didn't realize that Caleb had one hand behind his back like he was hiding something. He shows us what he was hiding and Grayson and I both attack him.

  "Oh thank you Caleb!! I'm starving! Did you bring a pop too?" Grayson was the first one to reach him and I couldn’t help but laugh. Caleb pulled a can of pop out of one pocket and a bottle of water out of his other pocket for me. I mouthed thank you to him and he just nodded.

  "I sure did my young Jedi, and water for the beautiful Princess." I grabbed my plate and water and gave him a peck on the cheek.

  "Thank you... You knew I wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight without having more of that pizza huh." Grayson and I head back to the couch and Caleb sat down next to me which has me sitting between them.

  "You're welcome and I know you well enough to know that you would have been tossing and turning all night just thinking about the pizza you didn't get to eat. Haha... So… did you guys get everything worked out in here?" He starts looking around the room and seems quite mesmerized. "Grayson... I've just got to tell ya buddy. This is a pretty cool room! I would have loved to have had a bedroom like this when I was your age."

  "Thanks! Uncle Mattie picked everything out and had it all ready for me when I came to stay with him on the weekends. I know I haven't decided where I want to live yet but I don't have to have a big room like this if I move in with you guys." Caleb looked over at me and I knew that we had to have a talk because I meant it when I told Grayson that I would do whatever he wanted and if that meant to move here then I would.

  "Caleb... We really haven't discussed everything. I was telling him about Cash and Olivia and the kids and yours and Olivia's parents."

  "I see... Grayson, I can't wait for you to meet my nephew Gideon. I think you two will get along great. He lives in a castle and his bedroom doesn't even come close to comparison to yours." This piqued his curiosity because he put his pizza down.

  "He lives in a castle; castle or his house is as big as a castle?"

  "He lives in an actual castle believe it or not. I can't wait for you to see it. It has two swimming pools. One inside and one outside and a bowling alley and even a movie theater with a popcorn machine and all of the candy you can think of." I know that Caleb is in a way trying to bribe my child into moving with us and I love him even more for it. I'm not sure that bribery is the right route to go in this situation because my son is definitely too smart to fall for it.

  "So I guess that means that your brother is rich? Are you as rich as he is?" Caleb belly laughed at his question.

  "Oh I have money. Don't you worry about that but I don't have as much as Cash. We come from old family money and where I left mine alone and live off of the interest, he invested with his money and started up his own company. He is a software computer programmer and I'm a lawyer like Claudia and your Uncle Mattie." Grayson looked over at me and grinned and then looked back at Caleb still grinning.

  "You guys don't need any of the money that my parents left me?"

  What? Is that what he is thinking? Oh of course he is... Because of his cousins using him as a meal ticket he doesn't trust anyone. Oh I can't wait to meet the stupid people that have made him feel like this.

  "No Grayson... You would have to talk to your mother... I mean Claudia... But as far as I'm concerned that is your money and yours alone to have when you turn 18. We would pay for anything else like your schooling and food and clothes or whatever else you need." He looks over at me and I nod at him to let him know that what Caleb said was exactly how it would go down and he grins back.

  "Can we go visit my mom and dad tomorrow? Mattie takes me when I want to go but I want to go tomorrow with you Claudia." He looks over at Caleb. "You can go too Caleb... if you want to." Caleb and I both look at each other knowing that this is a big deal for him to share this with us and we both grin and nod at him.

  "Good. I'm really tired so I'm going to bed."

  The poor little guy was having problems keeping his eyes open all of a sudden which makes me realize what a long afternoon we all have had. He crawls into his bed and I rush over to pull his covers over him and lean down and kiss him on the forehead. I couldn't help myself so I went in for a hug as well and whispered goodnight to him and he murmured it back to me with a grin and closed his eyes and rolled over.

  I looked over at Caleb and motioned for us to leave and I reach over to turn the light off as we walk out and shut the door. I do a little happy dance right there in the hallway and Caleb picked me up and carried me to our room. I put my arms around him and gave him a big hug and kiss as he put me down in front of the bed and grinned.

  "This day might have started out pretty crazy but I think this is my new favorite day. What do you think about my son? He's pretty awesome huh."

  "Claud... I'm already in love with the guy but I knew I would love him so I wasn't worried. You two seem to be hitting it off and I'm so glad because I knew everything would be okay." We will see if he agrees with me when I tell him that he's not ready to go to Oregon with us.

  "Mhhhmm." I walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face and jump when I turn towards the door because he's standing against the doorway with his arms crossed staring at me.

  "What kind of response was that? Mhhhmm? I know you well enough to know that you need to talk to me about something but don't know how so what is it?" I walk around him and get into bed and pull the covers back and crawl in. As soon as my body relaxed I realize just how tensed up I had been all day and how tired I am.

  "Can we please just talk about it tomorrow? Caleb... I'm so tired. I don't think I can talk about anything else today."

  I open my eyes and look up at him and I can tell that this conversation isn't going to wait no matter how tired I am. I close my eyes and realize that I'm so afraid to tell him that I might be staying here indefinitely if that's what Grayson decides that he wants me to do. I didn't realize it but he had crawled into bed and is leaning on his elbow and was looking down at me waiting for me to tell him what's going on. I let out a big sigh.

  "Oh man... That sigh lets me know that this is a big thing that you do not want to talk about. Come on baby... Just spit it out."

  I think the stress and all of the mixed emotions have finally gotten to me because I start bawling like a little baby and can't seem to stop.

  "I don't want to lose you but you have to understand that I don't have a choice." I don't know if he understood what all I said with all of the crying but I managed to spit it out.

  "Claud...I'm not going anywhere. I already told you this Baby. I'm not going to let you push me away either. Why do you think you're going to lose me?"

  "Because he told me that he wants to live with you and me.... And Mattie! I can't blame him really because he's his last link to his parents but that would mean that we would have to move here. Away from your family and way from Olivia and away from our jobs! It's one thing for me to move here because you know I will without hesitating but it's not fair for you
to move here and leave everyone behind. I can't do that to you because I know how much they mean to you and how much you mean to them."

  I turn around and pull the covers over my head because I can't dare to face him and see the heartbreak on his face. He reaches out and grabs my shoulder to make me face him but I fight against his grasp.

  "Honey... Please look at me. You always over think everything Baby. Turn around and listen to me okay."

  "I can't... I don't want to hear what you have to say. Can't you understand that? I can't bear it! I want my son back and I'll do anything to make that happen."

  "I know you will which is why I want you to look at me when I tell you what I have to say."

  I can't move. It's as if my body has cemented itself in place and no matter how hard I try to turn around my mind just won't let me. I feel him behind me and pull me into his arms and the next thing I know I'm facing him cocooned in his embrace. I look up at him and he's smiling but in a sad way.

  "Cruella... I know that our love affair only started this morning. In the few hours that we have been a couple it has felt like a lifetime. I feel like I have waited a lifetime to finally call you my girl. My Claudia… My Cruella…. You're not only my best friend but now my lover and I'm sorry but I unknowingly gave you my heart many years ago and I cannot breathe if I'm not with you. So... wherever you are my beautiful Queen, I will be there beside you. I don't care if it’s in Alaska that you have to live... I will be there beside you. So..." He brushed my hair away from my forehead and kissed me ever so gently. "Was there anything else that you needed to talk to me about?" Nope! That about summed it up and I wish I could slap myself a few times for never seeing what was in front of me for this past year.

  "Yes." Yes? That's all I say to him after he just poured his heart out like that?

  "Um... Okay my little she devil. What else do you want to talk about?"

  "It's not so much what I want to talk about but more of I want to ask you a question."

  I pull him closer to me and breathe him in and I've always loved his smell. He's never overdone it with cologne and he's always smelled manly with an outside woodsy smell about him. Ten minutes ago I was barely holding my eyes open and now I'm wide awake because of how he makes me feel when I’m around him.

  "You're not going to ask me to marry you again are you? Because I think I've already said yes." Oh that deep sexy voice of his gets me to purring like a little kitten.

  "No baby... I told you that you're going to have to ask me that question when you have a ring. The question I was going to ask you was..." I lean up and bite his bottom lip and pull it into my mouth as gentle as I can without hurting him. "Will you make love to me and repeat everything that you just said? Pllleeeassse? I want it gentle... And slow... Honest to God love making because I've never in my life had anyone actually MAKE LOVE to me before."

  I looked into his eyes nervously wondering if he believes me and all that I can see is how much he really does love me because he's never looked at me as gentle as he is now.

  "Oh Cruella, I love you... Thank you for finally letting me love you the way that you deserve to be loved."

  "I love you too Nerd Boy. Thank you for never giving up on me and being so patient with me and for helping me start breaking down all of my walls that I’ve built to protect my heart."

  “Your heart belongs to me now Cru. Never forget that baby and I’ll protect it with my life if I have to.”

  He kissed me gently on the lips as I pulled him closer knowing that by the time the night was over I would understand exactly how much he loved me and hopefully he would feel just how much I loved him.

  **************

  Caleb, Grayson and I hurried up and got ready after we ate breakfast so that we could spend the day with Grayson. Mattie seemed relieved that we were spending the day with him so that he could get some work done. We headed for the garage and got into the SUV that Mattie was letting us use while we were staying here. I turned around to make sure that Grayson has put his seat belt on and he had and I could tell how excited he was by the grin on his face.

  "Grayson? Do you want us to stop and buy some flowers to put on your parent's tombstones? What were your mother's favorite flowers?"

  "She loved tulips and Dad liked wild flowers. You don't have to if you don't want to, Mattie never does." I can tell that he wants to just by how quiet he answered me.

  "Well, nothing against Mattie, but men just don't seem to think about things like that. We will stop and get them some flowers to put on their graves." I leaned back and patted his knee and his face lit up and he nodded at me with a huge grin on his face.

  "Cool! Thanks Claudia. There's a flower shop that's open every day that is just around the corner from the cemetery."

  Caleb grabbed my hand and pulled it up to his lips and grinned at me and that simple gesture made me see our future of many Sunday trips and outings with the two men in my life. I knew that he had to have been thinking the same thing that I was.

  "Hey Grayson... I'm going to let you be my navigator for the day okay Buddy?" Caleb was looking at him through the rear view mirror.

  "For real? Sweet! Give me some knucks Caleb!"

  Caleb grinned and maneuvered one of his hands behind him and they had their little knuckle tap moment. I'm so glad that the two of them get along so well... Not that I was worried about it because Caleb has always been a kid at heart but to watch them bond has been such a great experience to witness first hand.

  I look at Grayson grinning in the back and sense that Caleb is grinning as well and sure enough he's grinning at me. I have definitely hit the jackpot with these two guys. I notice that the front seat is a full seat and get an idea in my head.

  "Hey Caleb, pull over really quick so that Grayson can sit up here between us. It would probably be easier for him to help you navigate don't you think? There is a seat belt up here."

  I could feel the excitement from the back seat at my suggestion and Caleb did as I said. As soon as the SUV was stopped I heard a click and Grayson jumped over the seat and latched his seat belt. I laughed out loud because of his excitement and the shit eating grin on his face.

  "Great idea Claud, Okay Grayson... Lead the way to the flower shop, my young Jedi!" Grayson crinkled his nose and looked at Caleb funny.

  "Why do you keep calling me Jedi?" I thought Caleb was going to wreck because he gasped and swerved the truck.

  "Are you messing with me? You don't know what a Jedi is? Come on Grayson... Please, please, please tell me you're just pulling my leg!!"

  Grayson looked at me and did the crazy sign with his finger beside his head and pointed at Caleb which had me rolling. I know to Caleb this is an absolute travesty for him to not know anything about the Star Wars movies.

  "He's talking about the Star Wars movies Gray... Ya know.... Luke Skywalker? Princess Leah? Han Solo? Chewbacca? Any of those names ring a bell?"

  "Nope! We didn't really watch much TV when my parents were alive. I was home schooled until they died and my Mom took me on a lot of field trips to the museums, zoos and libraries."

  Home schooled? Now that explains a lot and it especially explains his maturity as well. He's always been around adults until his parents died. I look over at Caleb and he still looks flabbergasted and like he just stepped into the twilight zone.

  "That explains a lot... You being home schooled and all and it also explains why you seem so mature for your age and smart but Grayson? I'm going to introduce you to six of the best movies on the planet! A boy cannot grow into a man without watching all of the Star Wars movies. Geez... We are going to fix this." Here we go! Like I said! Caleb is a child at heart!

  "Caleb? It's not the end of the world that he hasn't watched any of those nerdy movies... You're being a little bit melodramatic if you ask me. Don't make him feel like he can't grow into a MAN if he doesn't watch your favorite movies."

  "What? Are you crazy? Every guy I know has watched those movies and he has to know what ‘Lu
ke! I am your father’ means if he's around a group of guys when he grows up. Being a LADY like yourself... You just don't understand." He smirked at me and looked down at Grayson. "Please tell me you know who Superman is... Please..." That got him to giggling and he nodded his head yes.

  "I know who he is but I haven't seen any of his movies either. How old are you Caleb?" Haha... Right to the point my boy is.

  "He's 32 Gray but I swear he acts like he's 12. Don't let him bully you into doing something you don't want to do. He's made me watch every movie he mentioned."

  "And you loved every one of them Claud... Don't even start lying to the kid. You know you secretly wish you were Princess Leah and I was Han Solo." Well maybe I did but I'm not going to admit that to him or my son. Grayson kept looking between us and kept giggling and grinning.

  "I think I want to watch them Caleb. They sound pretty cool."

  Caleb put his fist out for ANOTHER knuckle bump and was grinning as big as Grayson was.

  "That's my boy! I knew I'd pull you over to the dark side...Oh!! That reminds me! I didn't even mention Anakin Skywalker! He's.... Well... I guess you will have to watch the movies to find out what I was going to say. I can't wait to introduce you to so many movies. We will be busy this week when you get home from school."

  He's acting like a kid in a candy store because I haven't ever seen him this excited. He pats Grayson's leg and I see Grayson staring at him in awe. Looks like he's getting his first guy crush which is fine with me. I can't think of a better example of a real man than Caleb. He makes life fun and interesting that's for sure. Caleb pulled up next to the flower shop and Grayson seems a little nervous and isn't budging.

  "I'm going to run in here really quick and get some flowers okay? You two stay here and... Well... Continue talking about all of the movies that every boy should watch before he becomes a man." Caleb patted Grayson's head and started rubbing his back.

  "What about Batman movies? Have you watched any of them?"