* * *
When they arrived in Florida a few days later, after a lazy drive down, it started raining and didn’t stop for three weeks.
Epilogue
When he brought her to Florida to live with him, Dylan didn’t make love to Elizabeth for three months. Instead, he explained that he was “dating” her the way he should have in the beginning.
He set her up in a lovely guest room that had its own bathroom.
“This time, everything is going to be about you, Lizzy. What you need and want takes priority. You’ve made it about everyone else – including me – long enough.”
He left her little notes under her door in the morning that said he loved her and hoped she had a wonderful day. Flowers or little gifts to let her know he was thinking about her came regularly.
Every week, he took her on a real date. They would drop Davis off with one of the guys from work who had children and he’d make her guess what he had planned.
Museums, plays, the opera, art galleries, concerts, comedy shows, river tours, and even amusement parks were just a few of the experiences they shared.
The way he talked to her was moving. He told her that he’d read many of the books she’d had in her house growing up because he knew how smart she was and never wanted her to feel stagnant around him. Elizabeth was amazed that he doubted his ability to keep up with her intellectually.
Dylan had always been incredibly bright in school. With the stresses of his life, he hadn’t participated but he’d never struggled with the content and always aced any test placed in front of him. His mind had helped him advance rapidly in the military and made him an asset with Gunner’s security company that specialized in personal and virtual protection.
Elizabeth started reading the books on his shelves and they’d have long discussions stretched out on the couch together after dinner.
The pleasure on his face never failed to move her deeply.
Not surprisingly, the three of them weren’t very interested in television but they loved movies. Friday family movie night became Davis’s favorite day of the week. Each of them would pick a movie and a treat for all of them to share.
They stayed up too late and slept in on Saturday before running errands and volunteering at one of the charities Elizabeth quickly found.
Sunday was their lazy day. She always made a big, fat-filled brunch and they would go to the beach if the weather was agreeable. Nothing compared to sitting by the ocean and watching the men in her family run and play in the water.
Sometimes, she would see a little dark-haired boy and her heart would ache painfully. It was Davis who always seemed to sense when she needed hugs and laughter to pull her out of her sadness.
As healthy as he’d been the day Elizabeth met him again, Dylan swore the addition of her in the young man’s daily life improved his mental and emotional condition by leaps and bounds.
“You see him, Lizzy. You talk to him. I love how you make him laugh. It’s bringing out a whole new side of him and I’m so fucking grateful to you.”
For the rest of that first summer in a brand new environment, Elizabeth studied and applied for her Florida teaching certifications.
She knew she wouldn’t be ready to take on a class so soon after RJ’s death but she knew there would come a day when she’d no longer be able to deny her love of teaching. She wanted to be ready when the time came.
Just before Halloween, Lizzy found the box Riley and Donovan packed for her from Nana’s house the day she left it. Dylan had placed it in the guest room closet with the quilt and box of photos.
With trembling hands, she cut it open and lifted the flaps. On top was a note from Riley.
By the time you’re able to actually open this box, it will mean you’re feeling strong enough to go through what’s inside.
I love you so much, Elizabeth.
Yours, Riley
On top were her grandmother’s journals. From the dates, she could tell her friends had included the ones Nana had written when Elizabeth came to live with her.
She lovingly brushed her hands over each leather cover and placed them on the shelf above her little desk.
Beneath them, wrapped in tissue, were the four scrapbooks she’d made for her little boy. One for each year of his life. Though she wasn’t able to open them that day, the fact that she didn’t break down completely was a sign that she was getting stronger.
She set them on the closet shelf and told herself there would come a day when she could not only look at them but also share them with RJ’s father and brother.
At the bottom of the box was Nana’s laminated letter to her, photos, clippings, her NYC Marathon medals, and a slim box. Lifting the lid, she smiled.
“Riley…how I love you.”
Carol’s locket, the one Dylan gave his sister with their photo inside, rested on cotton. It looked as if the necklace had been polished.
She put everything away and left the necklace in the box on her bedside table.
A few hours later, Dylan tapped lightly on her door while she was in the shower. She called that she’d be ready to go in ten minutes.
Standing outside the bathroom door, he told her that he’d already dropped Davis off because his soccer practice ran late.
“How’s that going? Is he enjoying it?” It was the first year Davis was enrolled in an extracurricular activity and Elizabeth worried about his happiness constantly.
There was no answer. She turned off the water and moved the shower curtain aside.
“Dylan?”
Suddenly, he came through the bathroom door, took her in his arms, and kissed her until her legs were in danger of buckling beneath her.
In three months, he’d kissed her…but he hadn’t kissed her like this. He picked her up and set her on the bathroom rug, wrapped a towel around her, and proceeded to dry her skin. Wringing out her long hair with a fresh towel, he seemed to feel she was dry enough and swept her back into his arms.
In the bedroom, as he followed her down to the bed, she noticed the open box on her bedside table. The silver locket sparkled on top.
“I love you so damn much, Lizzy. For a million reasons. I need you. Please let me touch you.”
“Yes, Dylan. I’m desperate for you, too.”
They worked together to strip his clothes away and she whimpered impatiently when he had to run to his bathroom for a condom.
He worried she wasn’t ready and she assured him she was, pulling him to her. As he slid home, they sighed in tandem. “Just like this. I could stay just like this forever, Lizzy.”
As if simply being inside her had soothed him, he took his time kissing her and stroking his hands over her skin.
It felt so good to touch him, to feel free to love him that she didn’t notice at first that once again they were in a brightly lit room.
Before she had a chance to tense, he supported his weight on his forearms and stared down into her face. Calloused fingers brushed her damp hair off her cheek.
“I adore you, Lizzy. Everything about you. To me, you’re perfect…absolutely fucking perfect. There is nothing I would change. Not your mind, your heart, or your body. I love you, all of you, and that will never change.”
He kissed her entire face and her eyes drifted closed. “Look at me.” She opened them. “Watch me love you, Lizzy. See how much I love you.”
There was no rush as Dylan made love to her. He held back his own release in order to bring her pleasure and she would come to realize that he preferred it that way.
“Holding you, being inside you, allowed to love you and make love to you is the greatest gift. It’s a gift I’ve wanted most of my life, Lizzy and I will never take it for granted again.”
It was nearing midnight when he allowed himself to come the second time and they drifted off to sleep. The next morning, he asked her – almost shyly – if she would like to move into his bedroom.
Smiling, she hugged him tight. “Can we do that after breakfast and one mor
e roll in the sack?”
He laughed and then got the order wrong…she preferred brunch anyway.
They were married that Christmas and it was the gift Elizabeth always wanted but never thought she would receive. A simple ceremony on the beach with her friends and little family was all she needed.
It took longer for her to adopt Davis legally but the first time he called her “mom” she hugged him until his stomach started growling.
* * *
Since Elizabeth was eighteen years old, she’d only missed running the New York City Marathon twice. The year she discovered she was pregnant with RJ and the year she lost him.
A little over a year after his death, the three of them traveled to New York and ran it together. She’d never been prouder in her life than she was of Dylan and Davis that day. A photo of them hugging and crying at the finish line made the front page of the Times.
She received a congratulatory call from Hollow and suspected he was somewhere in the crowd.
Every so often, she received cryptic messages from her mysterious friend that ended up leading her to someone locally who needed help.
One of those people asked for her by name on a quiet afternoon while she helped serve lunch at a homeless shelter a few blocks outside their neighborhood.
It was nearing the second anniversary of RJ’s death.
For a couple of weeks every year, Elizabeth had to fight the sadness much harder than the average day. Forced smiles and pretend lightness of heart sometimes helped her but on that particular day, she was steeped in despair that she was barely hiding from the people around her.
The coordinator at the soup kitchen took her aside. Keeping her voice low, she explained, “There’s a girl here. Elizabeth, she can’t be more than thirteen. She looks to be about six months pregnant and she asked for you by name.”
Inviting the very young and very pregnant girl into the coordinator’s office, Elizabeth introduced herself. “Tell me your name and how I can help you.”
Sallow skin, sunken eyes, and discolored nails told her that this child hadn’t had proper nutrition in a very long time. Dehydration and exhaustion were out of place on someone so young and her heart ached for whatever this girl had experienced.
“I…you can call me May. Someone…a man told me to come here and ask for you. I’m not on drugs. I’m not a slut. I just need help for a little while.”
“First, you’re a young woman and a human being…I would never attach such a horrible label to you under any circumstances. Second, I’m so glad you aren’t using. That means you and your baby are safer.”
Folding her hands, she asked softly, “Are you living on the streets right now?”
The girl nodded, lank reddish hair falling over her eyes.
“That’s our first concern. I live with my husband and son not far from here. We have an apartment over our garage where you can stay and be safe. It has a small bathroom and kitchen. No one will bother you but I ask that you eat main meals in the house with us so I know you’re getting what you need nutritionally.”
“Why would you do that?”
Smiling gently, Elizabeth asked, “Why would I do what?”
“Why would you help me?”
“Because you need it and because I can, May. There are no conditions. I’ll help you through your pregnancy – you’ll have to make some choices – but your mental and physical well-being is the priority. Do you have family you want me to contact? I won’t tell them where you are if you don’t want me to.”
“No one. I…I just want to be clean and sleep without being afraid.”
“Then that’s our first order of business. Let me bring you a plate and then we’ll walk to my house. It isn’t far and the day is so pretty.”
Someone to help was exactly what Elizabeth needed to conquer her own heartache and she focused on the task with all her energy.
She moved the young woman into the little efficiency that had housed two other strangers since she’d been in Florida.
Dylan and Davis encouraged her and helped if she asked but knew it was Elizabeth’s gentle demeanor that put damaged people at ease. After all, they’d experienced it firsthand.
May never confessed her name and she tried not to push because the young woman was dealing with enough. More stress was not what she needed.
It was when Riley and Donovan came down for one of their regular visits that they glimpsed the happy personality behind May’s outward sadness.
They sat on the patio with her and held long conversations, answering her sometimes odd questions truthfully. The two men worked to make her laugh, nicknamed her Squirt, and brought her random gifts that she loved and appreciated.
The day she went into labor, all of them went with her to the hospital.
“I ran away and I can’t go back. I’m too young for a baby.” Breathing through her contractions, she looked at Riley and Donovan. “The man who told me to come here, he said you’ve been looking into adopting a baby. Is that true?”
Eyes wide, Riley nodded.
“Will you adopt my baby?”
Donovan took her hand and his expression was kind. “Squirt, you’re frightened right now. That’s a bad place to make decisions. Let’s make sure you’re okay, keep you safe, and then you can decide what you want to do.”
Squeezing his hand with white knuckles, she hissed, “The man who put this baby in my belly…he’s not above hurting me if he ever found out I was pregnant.”
“May...”
“Listen, please listen. I can’t go back. I’ll let Elizabeth help me but this baby has to be raised with good people who will keep her safe. Please, we have to make it legal now.”
Uncertain what to do, Elizabeth called Hollow.
“I wondered when she was going to get around to telling you. I’m sending you a reputable adoption attorney. He’ll make everything legal.”
Speaking quietly, she asked, “Who is she, Hollow?”
“I know who hurt her, Elizabeth but I can’t figure out who she is. She hasn’t been reported missing and I can’t find her in any school database.” He didn’t need to spell it out for her to understand that May was likely a human trafficking victim.
“I’m working on getting him, Elizabeth. Go give her some of your magic.”
The line disconnected and she placed her palm over her forehead. Dylan gathered her close and she whispered the details of her conversation with Hollow in his ear.
He brushed away the one tear she couldn’t blink back and kissed her gently.
His palm on her upper chest, he told her, “Your heart is like Wolverine, Lizzy. Fearless and almost indestructible. I love you so much.”
She leaned up to kiss him and went to sit beside May. “The attorney is coming. You’re doing so well, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you. I’m sorry it hurts.”
For several hours, the young girl was alternately silent or sobbing. Finally, she was able to push. She delivered a healthy baby girl and signed every paper placed in front of her. She legally named Riley as the birth father.
Before the small lawyer wearing a three-piece suit left the room, he handed May an envelope. With nothing more than a nod at the other people in the room, he left.
The next morning, the new mother disappeared from the hospital.
All of them were frantic with worry. They’d gone down to pick up food and presents for May in the gift shop – gone for less than an hour – and there was no sign of her.
Back at the house, her things were gone from the apartment. She left a note she must have written ahead of time.
Thank you so much for everything.
I’ve never met so many genuinely kind and loving people in my life. It gives me the strength and courage to continue on my own journey, knowing the little girl conceived from such a bad experience will grow up safe and well loved.
Please don’t look for me or worry about me.
Hollow made certain I would be able to start fresh with a new identity and en
ough cash to get me on my feet. Perhaps one day, I’ll be able to repay the kindness each of you has shown me when I was at my lowest.
In love and gratitude,
May (aka Squirt)
They hadn’t seen or heard from her since.
Riley and Donovan named their little girl Nanette Elizabeth. She was absorbed into their lives in every way. The time with her birth mother and Nanette’s joyful presence had effectively gotten Elizabeth past the most traumatic date on the calendar.
For that, she owed the young woman.
The day Elizabeth and Dylan were named as godparents, Dylan start rubbing her belly while they snuggled down to sleep at night.
After the third time he did it, she rolled over and stared into his eyes. He never hid his emotions from her and she knew that he valued her life and happiness above his own.
“Can we, Lizzy?”
“You want another child?” He nodded. “Have you been thinking about this for a while?”
“I was afraid to say anything. I didn’t want you to be sad.” Planting small kisses over her face, he inhaled the scent of her skin. “I’d love to experience it with you. Be there to help and be a dad from the beginning.”
“You’re a good man, Dylan.”
“I love you so much, Lizzy. I would only want to if you were ready. If it was what you wanted. I can wait. We have Davis and Nanette.”
Elizabeth thought about Riley and the joy she’d experienced while she was pregnant with him, how she felt the first time she held him, the first time he smiled at her. Then she imagined sharing those experiences with Dylan and Davis.
There was no question.
“Give me another baby, Dylan.”
Without hesitation, he crawled over her body and kissed her everywhere. He built her anticipation and held off his own pleasure to worship her in ways that sometimes still made her blush…but she loved feeling.
She was happy simply being able to touch him. Each time, it was like having him in her arms for the first time.
The love that filled her up for this man and his son made the pain in her past bearable. With them in her life, she looked forward to each day again. The thought of another child to add to their little family brought tears to her eyes.
Completely Wrecked: A Dramatic Romance Page 16
