Found by Love

by Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough

  "Marry me Cruella! This is not a discussion I want to table. I never imagined I'd ask you in this way, with me inside of you but if you don't answer me right now I think I'll die." He grazed his teeth down my neck and whispered into my ear. "Marry me Cru... I promise I'll make you happy and you'll only cry happy tears for the rest of your life."

  "Of course Nerd Boy! What took you so long?!” I flipped him over and started rocking on top of him with him still inside of me and pulled his hands up over my heart. He rose up and kissed me hard as I moaned against his lips and rolled me back over and continued making love to me. He started increasing his speed until we both finished at the same time and we held each other close and cried tears of joy and spent our night continually loving on one another and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing from a distance. I reached for my phone on the night stand with my eyes still closed and it wasn't where I usually leave it at night. I raise up and open my eyes and the sunlight streaming through the blinds has me putting my hands over my eyes at how bright it is outside.

  "Who do you have listed as "douche bag" in your phone Baby? Whoever it is has been calling you on and off for the last hour and they woke me up. I almost answered if to chew them out but for all I know it could have been someone that really didn't do anything wrong but the way you hold grudges I couldn't be for sure."

  "Oh that's so NOT funny!! Hmmm.. Douche bag... Douche bag... It's. Oh my GOD! That bastard is actually calling me back after the voicemail I left him?!" I jumped up out of bed to grab my phone from him. "Give me my phone so that I can call him back and tell him off WORSE than I did in the voicemail!" He raised my phone up over his head to where I couldn't reach it.

  "I will as long as you tell me who the douche bag is. This is someone you talked to recently?" I could tell that his mind was hard at work by the cute little scrunch of his brow.

  "Yep! It was none other than DOCTOR Jason Anderson himself!" The venom in his eyes made me back up away from him when I uttered his name.

  "Why would you call him Claud? I talked to him a few days ago and thought that I made it clear to him that we would not be taking him as a client."

  "Hey... Don't get mad at me. Your mother called me last night when I came back to my room and told me that he went into the office yesterday as she was leaving and he was looking for me. So.. I decided to call him myself. He didn't answer so I told him on his voicemail that not only would I NOT represent him but to tell his ex congratulations and that I would GLADLY represent HER."

  "Haha... You didn't? Oh! So THAT was why you were so proud of yourself last night and was applauding yourself with the Meredith Brooks song?"

  He started laughing so hard he had to sit down which got me to laughing along with him until my cell phone started ringing again. We both looked at the caller ID and sure enough. DOUCHE BAG was scrolling across the screen. He motioned for me to let him answer it instead and I nodded my head.

  "Make sure to put it on speaker please." I winked at him and leaned back on to my pillows to enjoy the show. Caleb took a deep breath and answered the phone.

  "Caleb speaking." Silence. "Hello? This is Caleb on Claudia's phone, may I help you?"

  "Yes... Um... May I speak to Claudia please?" Maybe this wasn't such a good idea because the sound of his voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard and I see venom in Caleb's eyes again.

  "I'm sorry but Claudia's a little tied up right now. Is there something I could help you with? Who may I tell her she needs to call back?"

  "Is this Caleb Kingston? Hey man... It's Doctor Anderson. We spoke a few days ago and I was trying to return Claudia's call because I missed it last night."

  "Oh... So YOU'RE the DOUCHE BAG that keeps calling her this morning. It all makes perfect sense now."

  "I BEG YOUR PARDON?"

  "No... Please don't beg because we know that you're too smart for that. The reason I said DOUCHE BAG is because her phone has been ringing off the hook for over an hour and all I keep seeing come across her screen is DOUCHE BAG and I was curious as to who that could be and now it makes perfect sense. YOU'RE the DOUCHE BAG! Ha! Gotta love her sense of humor huh?" I pulled the pillow over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud because I can imagine that Jason is about to flip out on the other end of the phone.

  "Just let me talk to Claudia so that I can clear up this misunderstanding. Evidently she wanted to speak with me or she wouldn't have called me correct?"

  "Well did she leave you a voicemail for you to return her call?" Caleb looked over at me and I nodded my head and grinned.

  "Yes she did so if you could please go find her I would very much appreciate it. Thank you." Caleb arched his brow and I loved watching his mind work and I sat up wondering what he's about to say to him.

  "Hmmm... I'm sorry but that's not possible and I'll tell you why. You're lucky that you didn't wake her up this morning by the constant ringing of her phone because my princess needs her beauty sleep because after the night I gave her last night she probably won't be waking up until around noon. I'm not too happy about the fact that you woke ME up and made me crawl out of OUR warm bed to answer the damn phone." I gasped from shock at how detailed he got in his explanation and threw my pillow at him that he dodged which had him silently cracking up.

  "Excuse me? You're lying. There's no way she would ever get involved with you. Ha ha. A woman like Claudia needs a real man and you my boy ARE NOT what anyone would consider A MAN! If you knew half of the conversations she and I had about you when we were... Well. You probably don't know about Claudia and I being involved a decade ago but it's time you did and I'm trying to win her back and you WILL NOT get in my way." I jumped up out of bed and went for my phone because I was going to let that bastard have it but Caleb gently pushed me back on to the bed and walked into the middle of the room with fire in his eyes.

  "Listen here ASSHOLE!!! Claudia did indeed tell me about your yearlong affair and if you think you're A REAL MAN then you better think again! Real men don't cheat on their wives with 20 year old students! REAL MEN don't tell 20 year old students that they are in love with them when in FACT all they want to do is USE THEM to their own satisfaction and throw them away like garbage when they wind up pregnant with YOUR child!! REAL MEN don't throw money at their feet to pay for an abortion! REAL MEN don't tuck their tail between their legs and SKIP TOWN to keep the truth HIDDEN FROM THEIR WIVES! REAL MEN DON'T HAVE MORE CHILDREN WITH THAT SAME WIFE AND NOT WANT ANY KIND OF CUSTODY! Do you want to know what REAL MEN DO YOU SON OF A BITCH? They MARRY THAT BEAUTIFUL GIRL AND WORSHIP THE GROUND THAT SHE WALKS ON FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE!" I thought that Jason hung up until I heard him clear his throat and Caleb finished him off. "You will never and I repeat NEVER call my FIANCÉ again! Do I make myself clear??"

  Caleb turned around and looked at me and I slowly got out of the bed and walked over to him. He put his arm out and pulled me close to him and I pressed my lips against his naked chest and wrapped my arms around his waist.

  "Yes and.... Um…. congratulations. Tell her she'll never hear from me again and um... I guess she meant every word that she said in her voicemail. Have a nice life! Goodbye."

  Good riddance! Jason started the conversation very boastful in thinking that he could get his way and he got scolded like a little school boy. Caleb, 1; Jason, 0! Caleb threw my phone on the bed and wrapped his other arm around me and I could feel his body still vibrating from anger.

  "That would have felt so much better if I would have been standing over him while I said all of that with his lip bleeding from a punch to the mouth. I'm sorry but I meant every word that I said." I looked up at him and grinned.

  "Oh don't apologize because you said the exact same thing I was ready to say to him.... Before you pushed me back onto the bed. Don't ever do that to me again." I pushed him away from me but giggled to let him know that I was just messing with him and he grabbed my hand and pulled me back.r />
  "Or what? Are you going to punish me if I do? Hmmm... What kind of punishment warrants that kind of mistreatment?" He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me back to bed and plopped me down on my ass again.

  "Caleb! I said stop it or I'm going to...." He starts hovering over me with a big goofy grin on his face daring me to finish what I was about to say. "I'm going to kiss you silly!"

  "Haha... What? Kiss me silly? This isn't grade school my dear. Say something stronger like screw me senseless or ravish me until I can't think straight or... What are you looking at?"

  I had put my hands on his chest to push him away and noticed that there was something on my left hand ring finger. I pulled my hand closer to inspect it and there were three letters in what looks like permanent ink. The letters CLK which happen to be his initials. I lick my right index finger to wipe it off and nothing is coming off. I look at him and he shows me his left ring finger with my initials.

  "Good luck trying to get that off. I used a permanent marker. I was watching you sleep when I woke up and the way you were laying there made my heart stop because you are absolute perfection Cru. The way you were sleeping and that sweet sound that you make when you're in a deep sleep. Oh man I wanted to wake you up and claim you as mine again." He reached down and kissed me ever so softly and laid down beside me and pulled me close to him. "So... I noticed your left hand over your breast and it was then that I realized that we're engaged now and I'm such an idiot for not having a ring to put on your gorgeous finger so I came up with the next best thing. Well... That is until I can go buy you the right engagement ring."

  "So... The next best thing was a permanent marker? You couldn't find any bread ties in the kitchen?"

  "Bread ties? Oh man! Bread ties! Hmm.. I guess I could have used those. Haha.. Oh well. It should wear off in a few days. Especially as hot as you like your bath water. Do you realize that when we do get married we will have the same initials? Pretty cool huh?" He leaned down and kissed me on the tip of my nose and I ran my fingers through his hair and started inspecting his roots to prove a point.

  "I love ya Nerd Boy but sometimes you can be such a blonde ya know that? Haha... I can't BELIEVE that as smart as you are you didn't once think of bread ties. Oh boy! I'm in for a very fun ride with you! Oh and by the way? I'm NOT taking your name because I've worked really hard to build up my career with my name and I'm keeping it."

  "What? Absolutely not! Our kids are going to have MY last name and we aren't going to be giving them two last names with a hyphen either. Nope! That's not going to happen."

  "Hey! I agreed to marry you AND have kids so you're not winning 3 times in a row. You're giving me something or maybe we should just..." He silenced me with a kiss and not just a peck on the lips but a holy shit make my toes curl kind of kiss. We broke away and he looked down at me with nothing but love in his eyes.

  "Just shut up okay? I motion to table this topic until the time comes. How about you let me make love to you so soft and slow that you won't have a coherent thought before our son wakes up? Does that sound good to you?" I nodded my head and moaned and arched my back and got ready for what all he had in store.

  **************

  A couple of hours later the three of us, along with Mattie, are at the table eating breakfast and discussing our plans for the day. I've been trying to find the time to talk to Mattie without Caleb or Grayson around and I had asked Caleb to help me come up with a way to get him to take Grayson somewhere for a few hours without me to get him out of the house.

  "Hey Grayson. How about we go see that new Thor movie that's out. You loved the first one and then maybe we can go get some ice cream afterwards." I looked over at Grayson and I already knew that he was up for it by the look on his face. He grinned at me.

  "Claudia? Do you want to go too? I bet you'll like it." I look around the table and Mattie seems engrossed in his morning newspaper and Caleb already knows what I'm going to say but is trying to seem excited.

  "Oh baby I would love to but I've got a ton of calls that I need to make back home. How about you just make it a guy’s trip today? We can all go do something tomorrow if you feel like it. How's your pain today?" I lean over and brush his hair back with my fingers and rub up and down his back.

  "Oh I'm not hurting at all today. I guess the doctor was right about me feeling better after a few days. The only pain I'm having is not being able to play Xbox. Man this cast bites!" He threw his fork down on his plate in frustration.

  "Hey buddy... I bet by next week you'll be able to hold a controller in your hand without it hurting. Just give it some time okay?" Caleb always seems to be able to calm him down better than anyone.

  "Oh alright. When are we leaving for the movie? Hey Uncle Mattie? You're a guy too! You wanna go with me and Caleb to go see Thor? It looks like it's gonna be EPIC!"

  Mattie finally decided to join the discussion and looked around the table. I looked at Grayson and he was showing him his biggest grin he could muster and was giving that puppy dog look with his huge brown eyes. Caleb and I started laughing at him.

  "Buddy I wish I could but I've got a lot of work that I need to get done. I'll be in my office on the telephone for most of the day. You and Caleb go ahead and have some fun okay?"

  Yes! Finally an opportunity to talk to him. I glanced over at Caleb to keep from not looking too overjoyed at this chance at finally discussing Grayson with Mattie and he was grinning back at me.

  "I guess it looks like it's just the two of you then. Boys? Please try to stay out of trouble." I look over at Grayson and gave him the best mom look I could come up with. "Gray... Don't let Caleb talk you into anything stupid okay? No roller blading or skate boarding or-"

  "Claudia... Don't worry. I'm grown and no matter how hard Caleb tries to coerce me into doing anything crazy I'm not going to." And there's my first eye roll. If he didn't look so cute doing it I probably would have gotten mad but instead I start rolling in my seat. I look at Caleb and his mouth is wide open and is shaking his head.

  "Okay you two! No ganging up on me. And Grayson? Using coerce in a sentence correctly? Bravo buddy! For a ten year old I'm VERY impressed!"

  Grayson and I looked at each other and started rolling! It amazes Caleb when he uses such grown up words and we tend to make him feel a little inferior when he's around the both of us so we try to give him a hard time. We know he's smart but he's definitely a true blonde sometimes so we take full advantage of it.

  "Stop it you two! I'm a smart guy! I did graduate from college AND almost aced the bar exam I'll have you know. Just because I didn't think of using bread ties instead of a permanent marker doesn't mean I have to ride the short bus to work every day." I heard Mattie's paper crinkle down over his plate and he looked at Caleb and then me and back to Caleb again.

  "Bread ties? Permanent marker? Did I miss something in your little exchange here?" Caleb looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. I didn't want to inform them of our engagement for a few days because I wanted to keep it to ourselves. It gave me quite a thrill to have a secret that only Caleb and I knew.

  "Oh you've got me Uncle Mattie. That went over my head too." Grayson went back to eating his breakfast. When I looked back toward Mattie he was staring at my left hand and then he looked over at Caleb's and he let out a big sigh and nodded his head in understanding.

  "Well... I am going to go get started on my work for the day. Claudia? When you get some free time why don't you come keep me company in a little while so that I can take a break. Sometimes I get so engrossed in my work that I forget to even eat lunch." He folded his paper up and got up out of his seat and picked his plate up to head to the kitchen. "Caleb, Grayson? You two have fun today." He didn't even wait for them to answer him because he walked out.

  I looked over at Caleb and by the expression on his face I could tell that he was thinking the same thing that I was. Mattie was not too crazy about our engagement. Why? Why would he be so against us getting
married? Caleb broke the silence at the table.

  "Well... That was quite awkward. I'll let you get to the bottom of that one Cru. At least you have a reason to disturb him now while he's working." I forgot that Grayson was at the table until he said something.

  "What was awkward? Are we not going to the movies after all?"

  "Yes Grayson. We are still going. How about you go get out of your pajamas and start getting ready. I wanna walk around the beach for a little bit before we go to the movies. It looks like it's going to be a great day today and I'd like to enjoy some sun as well."

  "Yes!! I love the beach! Can we look for sea shells? I need to add some to my collection." There's that 10 year old age of his coming out.

  "Sure we can buddy. Anything you want and we will do it." I looked at him because the last thing I wanted was for Grayson to fall and get hurt. "Well. Anything within reason, haha."

  "Sweet! Okay. I'll go get ready.” When Grayson walked out I went over and sat in Caleb's lap.

  "So what do you think that was all about? With Mattie I mean?"

  "I don't know but he looked like we really threw him in a lurch. You know he figured out that we are engaged. He looked at your hand and then mine." He smacked himself in the head with his palm. "I'm such an idiot! Who knew that bread ties are the universal engagement ring when you don't have an actual ring to propose with! Am I the ONLY one that didn't know that?" He really looked pitiful but I couldn't help but laugh at him and give him a pity hug.

  "Oh Honey... It'll be okay. I'll get you through all of your blonde moments that life will present you with for the rest of our lives and yes... I'm sorry but I really do think you're the only one in the world that had no clue about the bread ties. You can't help that you're so intelligent that some things like common sense got overlooked in your DNA."