by Sandra Cole
“Can we go to the park? The one by the fruit man?” he asked curiously.
“The fruit stand honey, and sure we can go. But I was thinking about spending some time out exploring the city with Aunt Aida too, how does that sound?” Gio sighed and I had to hold in my laugh.
“Aunt Aida is not that fun,” he pouted.
“You just have to give her a chance, how about we go to the park first, get some pizza for dinner, then tomorrow we can see her?” Gio perked up at the mention of pizza and he nodded vigorously. His hair flopping in and out of his face. He’d need a haircut soon; his long waves were almost touching his shoulders now. Gio looked a lot like me with his green eyes and blond hair, though he had his father’s masculine features. I could see it in his jaw and cheekbones, no doubt Gio would grow up to be a ladies’ man, God help me.
Once we were done with our lunch we set out to walk the few blocks to the neighborhood park. It had a short jogging trail and playground as well as an open field and a couple of basketball courts. What I really liked was that it was right outside the neighborhood’s fire and police complex so was completely safe.
“Mommy can you teach me how to swing?” Gio asked as we reached the playground, there was an open swing and my heart actually squeezed a bit at the fact that he no longer found the baby swing enticing.
“Alright, first thing’s first, it’s all in the legs,” I told him as he hopped onto an open swing. Gio picked up the technique pretty quickly and soon he was making friends with a couple of the boys his age and jumping off of the swings and into the piles of fallen leaves with them. I turned around to go find a seat at one of the nearby park benches, but was nearly plowed over by some idiot with his head down and a cell phone glued to his ear.
“Hey, watch it!” I yelled, my temper flaring as I tried to catch my footing.
“Shit, I’m so sorry,” he said, catching me before I could tip over. I huffed, ready to let him have it for not looking where he was going. But as I looked directly at him I took pause, he was staring at me in shock.
“What’s the matter?” I asked and glanced back at Gio who was running with leaves in his hands and chasing the kids he found to play with. I looked at the man again and couldn’t help but notice how…well gorgeous he was. He had a face cut right out of a GQ magazine, with his angular jaw, slightly cleft chin, and intense brow. His eyes were a striking blue and framed by enviably long lashes. His brown hair was even styled perfectly, cut short and gelled into a neat coif.
“Maddy?” he said in a strained voice and I froze a bit, searching his face even more to see if I recognized him. His eyes were familiar…
“Yeah…do I know you?” I asked him curiously.
“It’s me! Oh my god, it’s Josh! From like the fifth grade!” he said, his eyes alight with excitement all of a sudden. His phone call completely forgotten about. After a second I finally placed him, how could I forget his striking blue eyes!
“Joshua Aberdeen is that you?” I said, a bright smile stretching across my lips. My earlier upset forgotten.
“Yes! My goodness, how long has it been? You’re still as gorgeous as I remember you,” he said, suddenly taking me into a warm hug. He smelled like cologne and a hint of aftershave, I tried not to get wrapped up in his scent and pulled back.
“I can’t believe this, it’s such a small world!” I chuckled. “And in the biggest city at that,” I added.
“So you moved to the Bronx now? Are your parents still in Long Island?” he asked, firing questions at me, and his arm was still securely around my waist. I couldn’t help but laugh, Josh hadn’t changed much. He was still the fast paced kid I knew and was best friends with from elementary school. A true New Yorker.
“Uh…actually I moved to Chicago for school years ago and stayed, but just came back to New York,” I said slowly, not exactly wanting to give him all the details of my life as it was currently.
“Wow…I’m just in shock I can’t believe this, we have to catch up. Are you free right now? Have you had lunch?” he asked.
“Mommy, mommy look what I found!” Gio came running up to me then and practically leapt into my arms, he hated to be carried. Then again he was pretty protective of me even at his little age and was definitely aware of a strange man with his arm around my waist. Josh let go of me, his eyes widened with a bit of shock. Gio held up a little gold charm that was in the shape of a Sagittarius symbol.
“Hey, you’re a Sagittarius, I’d say that’s fate,” I told him and he gave me a shy smile.
“Can I keep it?” he asked in a small voice.
“Do you think you should?” I asked him, he knew enough of right from wrong to know the answer.
“I’ll ask if anyone losed it,” he murmured.
“Lost it, and be careful,” I said while putting him down. He eyed Joshua carefully before he went to the nearest person sitting on a bench.
“You have a son…” Josh said, his eyes tracking Gio’s movement for a moment.
“Yep…he’s almost six and going on thirty,” I said lightly and Josh chuckled.
“So…where is his dad?” he asked carefully. I took a deep breath and simply shrugged.
“Not here,” was all I said and Josh almost smiled.
“Well I would really love it if we could catch up soon, maybe over dinner or something?” he offered. I nodded and pulled out my phone to exchange numbers with him.
“I’d love that, it’ll be good to have friends in the city again,” I said with a smile.
***
After watching Gio ask nearly everyone in the park if they’d lost that little charm, I deemed it okay for him to keep it. Josh couldn’t stay long after we exchanged numbers as he was working so it was just Gio and I again walking back home.
“Mommy who was that man?” he asked me, I knew he would sooner or later.
“He’s an old friend. I used to be best buddies with him in elementary school,” I told Gio and he looked at me with wide eyes.
“You went to elementary school?” he asked in surprise and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes honey, everyone goes to school, it’s how they grow up,” I explained.
“So you were little like me?” he asked curiously. I laughed again and explained that yes, moms were little kids once also. When we got back to the apartment Gio ran to get the pizza delivery menu from the kitchen.
“Is your friend going to have pizza with us?” he asked curiously.
As if on cue, before I could even answer Gio, my phone buzzed in my pocket with a text from Josh: So any dinner plans? I smirked, he added a bunch of food emojis after the short sentence. I texted him back, extending an invitation for him to have pizza with Gio and I. He replied right away that he’d love to and I gave him our address.
“You know what, he is going to have pizza with us,” I told Gio who was patiently waiting for my answer.
“Okay, I’ll set the table,” he announced and skipped back to the kitchen. He was always ready for pizza even if he’d just eaten only an hour ago. A little while later the pizza was here and Josh was on his way up. Gio was torn between watching his favorite cartoon on TV and sitting down at the table for his favorite dinner.
The knock on the front door distracted him from both and he ran right to it.
“Gio,” I admonished, but he was already unlocking it to see who was there. Josh was wearing a casual fall sweater and jeans, yet he still looked amazing and I could tell how muscular he was from the form fitting material of the sweater. He definitely grew up well.
“Hi, I’m Gio,” he greeted Josh and held his hand out for him to shake. I could tell that Josh was impressed.
“Nice to meet you Gio, I’m Josh,” he smirked and glanced at me over Gio’s head.
“The pizza is already here,” Gio filled him in as Josh stepped inside and shut the door.
“Hey um, I remembered you found that charm at the park, did you get to keep it?” Josh asked him and Gio nodded with a small, shy smil
e. “Well I figured you’d need a chain or something to put it on and brought this for you,” Josh pulled a small ring box from his pocket.
“Oh Josh, you didn’t have to do that,” I said and he shrugged it off.
“Don’t worry, this was mine from a long time ago. I’ve outgrown it,” he explained as Gio opened the box to find the thin gold chain inside.
“Thank you Josh,” Gio said and gave him a hug before running to his room to go get the charm no doubt.
“You really didn’t have to bring him anything,” I said again.
“It wasn’t a problem, it was just lying around my place anyhow,” he said with a smile. Gio came running back and handed the charm to Josh who slid it onto the chain for him and secured it around his neck. “Perfect, every kid has to have their own bling,” Josh said.
I bit my lip, it was rare to see Gio getting along so well with strangers. But I could tell Josh was already on his good side.
“So how about that pizza? We should eat before it gets cold,” I said and Gio led Josh to the kitchen table.
“So when did you guys move here from Chicago?” Josh asked once we were all around the table.
“We came here one week ago, Aunt Aida helped us move, do you know Aunt Aida?” Gio said, oversharing of course. Josh glanced over at me with a quirked brow and a small smile.
“Yes actually I do know your Aunt Aida, I met her once when I was younger and friends with your mom, is she still…?”
“Boring,” Gio said and I had to laugh.
“Gio, that’s not nice, Aunt Aida loves you and she’s family,” I scolded lightly.
“I love her too, but she’s not that fun…” he mumbled to himself before biting into his pizza. I glanced over at Josh who was trying not to laugh.
“So how about your parents, are they still in New York?” he asked me and I shook my head sadly.
“They actually passed away a few years ago, in a car crash,” I told him and his eyes widened in shock.
“I’m so sorry…that’s terrible,” he said, genuine sorrow in his voice as he let the news fully settle. We ate in silence for a few moments before I thought of something to lighten the mood.
“So what do you do now? When did you move back to the city?”
“I moved back for college actually, I went to Columbia and then started my business here. It’s a pharmaceutical company and we just absorbed two other small pharmaceuticals as well so we’re doing well,” he said blithely and I was impressed.
“Look at you, just as successful as you always dreamed you’d be,” I smiled, happy for him.
“Yeah, but don’t get me wrong it’s a lot of work, but I really enjoy it,” he said.
“What’s a farm…suitable?” Gio asked, making Josh chuckle.
“Well we basically make medicines for people and hospitals who need them,” Josh explained, then took on the task of teaching Gio how to pronounce the word correctly.
“Mommy works in a hospital, she’s a nurse,” he told Josh who looked at me with a wide smile.
“Seems like you got to do what you wanted with your career as well, which hospital do you work in?” Josh asked more harmless questions like those while we finished the box of pizza. When Gio got up to excuse himself and watch his cartoons Josh helped me in cleaning up.
“So are your parents still in Georgia then?” I asked Josh and he nodded.
“Yeah they love it there, but visit every once in a while…” he said and trailed off. I saw in his expression that he wanted to say something. “Can I ask about his dad?” he asked me softly, we both glanced at Gio who was sitting on the floor in front of the TV.
“Uh…that’s a rather complicated topic,” I chuckled. “It just didn’t work out with his dad and I,” I said evasively. Josh understood I didn’t want to talk about Giovanni and dropped the subject, but I could tell he was still really curious.
“So…are you dating now or…?” I quirked an eyebrow at him and he grinned. “Hey, do you remember when we were younger what I always used to say?” he asked and it took me a moment to recall.
“That we were going to get married one day,” I laughed.
“I was very serious back then and I think it’s fate that we ran into each other, call me a romantic if you’d like. But…I don’t want to simply be friends with you Maddy,” he said, completely serious. I was at a brief loss for words. When we were neighbors, way back when, Josh and I were inseparable. Then he moved away and we ultimately grew apart. But I don’t know…somehow I feel really safe with him. Sort of like being with him was the most natural thing in the world, heck even Gio liked him.
“So…how about we go on a date sometime soon?” he asked tentatively and I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment while I thought about it.
“Alright…” I said slowly and he beamed at me happily.
***
Joshua
Seeing Maddy again was incredible. Just being around her I felt like a little kid again. I always knew she’d grow up to be gorgeous and she was. With her long blonde hair and big green eyes, her high cheekbones and full lips, she couldn’t get any more perfect. It had been a long time and she had a son now, but Gio was a pretty cool kid. I just wondered why his father wasn’t in their lives, what happened there? We’d only been reconnecting for a week now and still she hasn’t told me the story behind their move to the city.
“Mr. Aberdeen? Your conference call is set up. Jeffers and Rhodes are waiting for you on line two,” my assistant Tammy spoke over intercom and I thanked her before connecting to the conference call. I had to settle this contract with the two companies mine was absorbing so we could finally move forward. After hammering out a few last details with my soon to be partners I ended the call and sent the final drafted contract to be polished up and readied to be signed.
Afterwards I left the office and called Maddy, I knew she’d be on lunch by now and Gio was at school, I wanted to have that date already.
“Josh, hey what’s up?” her breathy voice came through the other line after one ring and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Hey, I was hoping you’re on lunch right about now…” I told her.
“Yeah actually I am, I have to run home though to pick up some papers I left for work. We can grab something quick in the Bronx if you have time,” she said and I said that I’d meet her at the apartment. Before going there, I did stop to grab a couple of roast beef sandwiches that I knew she’d love.
Maddy buzzed me up when I got to her building and she seemed pleasantly surprised when she saw I came bearing sandwiches.
“I think you’re a mind reader, those smell amazing,” she said.
“I knew it. I figured you’d like the best roast beef sandwiches in the city,” I grinned charmingly and stepped into the kitchen with the takeout bag. “How long do you have?”
“Like twenty minutes, thank goodness I work so close to home,” she chuckled.
“You’re not staying here…forever right?” I asked.
“No, this is just a transition place, I’m saving up for something a little nicer and hopefully a little bit bigger,” she said. I took in her work uniform and wondered how it was someone could look sexy in scrubs. “Why…are you looking at me like that?” she asked with a cute little smirk on her full lips.
“No reason…well actually there is, you’re fucking sexy in that uniform,” I said, making her laugh.
“I had no idea scrubs were sexy,” she giggled and I stepped over to her by the table and pulled her close.
“Maybe it’s just you then,” I murmured and tilted my head to kiss her on the cheek. I heard her breath catch and licked my lips just before she stood on her tip toes to press her lips against mine. I almost felt like a little ten-year old kid, I was giddy at the fact that I was kissing Maddy of all people. But mostly I was a grown man and wanted to do a hell of a lot more than kiss. I finally had Maddy and she was all mine, I wasn’t letting her go for anything.
I slid my hands down to g
rip her full round bottom and pressed her tighter against me. Our kiss deepened, my tongue sliding into her mouth as a small moan escaped her throat. Before I knew it I had her sitting up on the counter, her legs wrapped around my waist and her fingers slipping underneath my collar.
“I don’t want to make you late for work,” I breathed against her lips and she giggled.
“So don’t make me late,” she challenged, a peek of her younger self coming out. Maddy was always daring. I smirked and gave her a peck on the lips before easily sliding her pants off of her and rubbing her clit through her lace panties.
“Lace? For work?” I asked and glanced up at her, she had her lip in between her teeth.
“They’re actually…pretty comfortable,” she said breathlessly.
“Sure you aren’t dressing up underneath just in case? For some hot nurse or doctor at the hospital?” I asked and her jaw dropped, though there was humor in her eyes.
“Of course not…” she said and moaned when I moved her panties to the side and slid my fingers against her naked folds. I leaned forward and kissed her on the neck before capturing her mouth with mine. I slid my fingers into her tight heat and let her ride my hand until she was gripping my shoulders tight and gasping my name with an orgasm. I was hard as a rock afterwards, but I wanted it to be all about her.
“Good thing we’re here, you can change panties,” I told her and she gave me a rueful smirk.
“I think you planned this,” she said as I helped her down from the counter.
“You enjoyed it,” I grinned smugly, making her laugh. She gave me a soft kiss before grabbing her pants and walking off towards her bedroom. It took everything I had not to follow her back.
***
Maddy
Josh has practically been a constant presence ever since the park. He’s definitely made it known to both me and Gio that he’s sticking around for a very long time.
“Mommy are you gonna marry Josh?” Gio asked me as I got him ready for bed. Josh was out in the kitchen cleaning up dinner. He’d come over to cook and made a really good lasagna.
