by Lee Wardlow
I glanced at him quickly. “Of course.” He went to one doctor’s appointment so far. Heard Luke’s heartbeat and nearly cried.
“Good,” he replied. “I want to be there.”
“I scheduled my Lamaze classes. Be prepared those are coming up in October.”
He chuckled at me. “What the hell are Lamaze classes?”
“Birthing classes. You learn how to be my support. My birth coach. I learn pain management so I can give birth to our son without wanting to gouge your eyes out.”
“Ah, I see.” He was rubbing his thumbs across my midriff making me wiggle against him. “Are you doing drugs during the birth?”
“Aine doesn’t. Ryan did. We’ll see.”
“I’ll be right beside you Skylar, holding your hand the whole time.” He kissed my shoulder. I moved his hand down lower. He looked at my face. I moved his hand lower. He chuckled at me. “You want something Sky?”
“I do. Ronan, you are making me fucking crazy.”
It was rare for me to curse so the fact that I did made him stare at me at first. “Listen to your potty mouth,” he whispered against my neck. Then he flicked his tongue near my ear and the erotic combination of his warm breath and wet tongue made me gasp.
Ronan reached between my legs and inserted his finger between my lips. He rubbed gently finding that sweet spot that was making me squirm with desire. I was rolling against his fingers encouraging that release. His other hand went to my breast trying to help me along as his fingers on that hand tweaked my nipple. I groaned. “See the same sounds as when you take a bath.”
I laughed. Then I leaned my head into his shoulder and relaxed enjoying what his hands were doing to my body. I could feel my heart slamming against my chest. My muscles coiling with tension as my orgasm got closer. I covered his hand to stop him or keep him going I don’t know which when my body throbbed with relief.
“What do you want me to do?” He asked.
“Stop,” I finally said moving my hand so he could move his. He turned my face to his so he could kiss me.
Our lips touched tentatively at first. Soft, whisper kisses. Then he hovered over mine. “I love you too Skylar.”
I held my breath trying to determine if he meant love me like Skybug loved me or loved me like his wife loved me. So I just asked him for clarification. “Am I your Skybug or your wife?” I asked.
He leaned out so he could see my face and stared at me for a moment. Then he laughed. “Is that why you didn’t want me to call you that anymore?” He asked. I nodded feeling tears threaten. I pushed them back willing myself not to do it. The tears were getting old.
“Don’t you dare cry.” He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. I could see the heat in his eyes still. I could feel the hardness of his cock against my side. “My little Skybug, you will always be that to me. I never want to forget that part of our relationship. Never. It was too precious to me Sky but I meant I love you as my wife.” I nodded. “Can I call you Skybug again? I miss that nickname.” I rolled my eyes at him.
“If you must.”
“Thank you,” he told me. “Now get your ass out of the tub. I want to make love to you.”
He pushed me to my feet then held my hand as I stepped over the rim. He let the water out then he followed me out himself. We dried off in the bathroom. Then Ronan slapped my ass and said, “Get moving woman to the bedroom.”
He was totally different in our bed. Reverent. Tender. He put me on top. He was afraid of crushing me or the baby. “Besides, you look beautiful sitting on top of me. With your hair all wild.” He held me at the waist while I rolled my body on his.
He was different after speaking with Sam. He was freer. I could see a difference. The pain in his eyes was gone. There was more than just Ronan discovering his priorities all right but he let him know it was okay to let go of the hurt. Sam gave him perspective. I just wanted him to make up with his parents because I knew it was important to him.
As he could read my body and knew when I was close to reaching orgasm I could also tell when he was close. A lot of the time he sat up and held me close. Tonight was no different. He suddenly bolted upright and wrapped his arms around my back. I rocked my body hard on his. The baby was squashed between us and didn’t seem to like it. He kicked hard letting us know he wasn’t comfortable.
Our chests rubbed together as I moved up and down on Ronan’s body seeking pleasure but to give him that release he needed as well. My own body responded again before his did. I clamped down on him as my lower region began to build with pressure. My held tilted back. Lucky he was hanging onto me. I shook hard as the orgasm felt like it traveled up my spine and exploded inside my head. I gasped. My release caused Ronan to find his happy place too. He squeezed my hips hard.
“Stop moving,” he gasped. “I’m done. Christ, stop moving.” I did as he asked and he moved me gingerly off his body. “Damn, I’m sensitive. You make me that way.”
I curled into his body and felt my bones go liquid and weary. I just wanted to go to sleep. “I’m tired,” I told him.
“Go to sleep baby. I just want to hold you.”
Chapter 15
October seemed to come pretty quickly to Pointe Royal. The leaves changed to brilliant colors of red and gold on the trees. The football team was undefeated which made Coach Gatlin wildly happy. We were having our first of four classes. This one was preparation for childbirth. A one-day, all-day, express class. I was sitting on the sofa waiting on Skylar to finish getting ready.
We had eight weeks to go until Luke’s arrival. Coach and Aunt Codi told us to setup one of the rooms in the cabin as a nursery for him. I began online education classes at the start of fall semester. Mom and Dad paid for mine and Liam’s bachelor’s degrees. We paid for law school and medical school ourselves. I worked two years and saved enough money to pay for most of law school. Student loans paid for the minimal amount I couldn’t pay for. I was now paying those loans back. As long as Skylar and I lived simply in Coach’s cabin we could afford to provide for our small family until I completed my teaching degree. It wouldn’t take long. I had all the prerequisites out of the way with my bachelor’s degree in Economics.
Skylar was worried about Maddie LaBenito. She drove Nickolas and Maddie to the games both home and away every Friday night. Now, Dom could ride the bus to the away games. Gramps or her dad often went with her so she wasn’t alone, especially as her due date got closer. My Gramps was doing great for a guy in his eighties. We were proud of how he was handling Grams’ death. I think even the LaBenito children were helping him with his grief.
She waddled out to the living room. I would never tell her she was waddling because I thought she was adorable. “You ready?” I asked rising.
“I just have to pee.”
“I sat back down.”
A few minutes later she returned. “Now I’m ready.”
Her face was a little fuller. Her cheeks still rosy and her look just as beautiful. She only gained twenty pounds but on a woman who was only five feet nothing twenty pounds was a lot and most of it was in her belly. She didn’t have any more stretch marks but the ones she had, the six purple ones at the lower part of her belly were angry and more purple than before. I didn’t know how much more her skin could stretch. She looked really big to me but I only had her, Aine, Ryan and Sophia to gauge pregnancy by.
I guided her outside to the car. I held her hand until she slipped into the passenger seat. Then I leaned in and kissed her for good measure. She smiled at me. When we arrived at the hospital where we were going to the birthing class but she had to pee again. That was a common theme these days. I waited patiently outside the ladies’ bathroom for her then we went to the area in maternity where the classes were being held.
The instructor taught us about the delivery. What to expect. How Skylar could manage her pain. We practiced different breathing techniques. She showed us a live birth. I was in the room during the birth of Grace. I had not seen this much
of the birth though. Skylar glanced up at me.
“You know it will be different when it’s Luke coming out of me. Your excitement level will be so high you won’t notice all the gross stuff.”
I must have looked horrified. I managed a weak smile. “You think?”
“I do,” she reassured me patting my hand that was draped across her belly.
“How do women do this?” I asked her.
“We’re tough stuff.”
“Yeah, a lot tougher than me.” She laughed at me then.
After class, I was waiting once again for my little bride to go to the restroom when my pocket buzzed indicating that I had a text message.
Would you and Skylar meet me at the diner? Rhett said you were at birthing class this afternoon?
I stood there, with my back against the wall staring at my phone. Skylar laid her hand on my arm and stood on tiptoe to see who the text was from. I had nothing to hide from her. She could tell it upset me. “What do you want to do?” She asked.
“I want to meet Mom,” I answered Skylar softly. I still hadn’t looked at her unable to look away from my phone’s screen.
“Then answer your Mom and tell her yes.”
Sure Mom. We’ll meet you there. We’re leaving the hospital now. When?
Twenty minutes.
Just you? I asked her.
Just me.
We’ll see you there.
Thank you Ronan.
I wasn’t sure what to think. What Mom might want. She hadn’t really spoken to me since we found that Skylar was pregnant. When your family is as tightknit as ours is being an outcast is not an easy thing to live with. It was weighing on me as much as how Skylar had gotten pregnant even though I accepted that and was looking forward to Luke. I was seeing my brothers on a regular basis but it wasn’t the same as not seeing Mom and Dad.
Rhett and Skylar’s sisters plus my cousin Sophia were planning a baby shower for Skylar. It was a surprise so they asked me to first of all get her there. Second of all, they asked me to not let her pick anything out for our nursery. She was getting irritated with me stalling her. “Maybe after we meet your Mom, we could go look at the baby store?”
“How about paint first,” I suggested.
“Ronan, I can’t pick a paint color until I pick out the baby’s crib set.”
‘What’s a crib set?” I asked scratching my head. I really needed to learn more about the baby things. The terminology was like a foreign language to me.
She sighed. “The blankets, sheets. The thing that will set the theme of the entire room.”
“Oh.” That made sense. The girls couldn’t fault me for that. “Okay, we’ll do that.” I better text them to be sure that was going to be all right.
I climbed out of the car and headed to her door to open it for her. I was texting her mother as I walked. “Are you all right?” She snapped at me.
“Yeah Sky, I’m fine. Why?”
“Who are you texting?”
“No one in particular. Just Fionn for one to be sure that he wasn’t expecting me after our birthing class.” I lied.
“Oh,” she replied.
I took her hand as we walked across the lot to the front door. I opened it and Sky walked beneath my arm. Delilah seated us and I couldn’t help checking her out. I forgot to tell Skylar about her so I could see her irritation at me checking out another woman. Dominick looked a lot like her.
She laid the menus in front of us leaning over as she did so I got a good close look at her face. She was tall and slender. I could see where Dominick got his height. Her hair was as black as his. Her eyes a pale blue, like his and Madeline’s. Nickolas’s eyes were different, more hazel-green. Maybe like his father’s eyes?
“I’m Delilah, I’ll take your order when you’re ready.”
“My mother is joining us. We’ll wait on her.”
“Oh, no problem. I’ll be back.” There were dark circles beneath her eyes otherwise she was very pretty. Her hair was slicked back in a ponytail. She wasn’t much older than me at thirty-two, just five years but she easily looked ten years older. Worn down from drug use and a hard life. She walked away but I stopped her.
“You’re Dominick LaBenito’s Mom?”
“I am.” She turned and looked at me. I knew she was wondering if he was in trouble.
“I’m Ronan Moore,” I said.
She slipped into the booth then. “He’s told me about you.”
Now that surprised me. “He has. What has he told you?”
“You’re his coach on the football team. He talks of nothing but you.”
“Delilah, we’re cousins. I haven’t told him that yet. I wanted to see you first. My grandfather met Nickolas and Maddie at the football games.” I didn’t know if she knew they had been to the farm and I wasn’t going to rat them out. “He was talking to Nickolas and discovered it.”
Her hand slapped against the table. “Wow, that’s insane. How?” She asked.
“My grandmother Betsy was your dad, Tebo’s first cousin.”
She teared up a bit. “You know my granddad Frank hated how his sister let her husband kick Betsy to the curb but she wasn’t strong enough to stand up to him. Mom always said that Granddad missed Betsy so much.
“My family is weird like that though, they won’t interfere. He never tried to see her even though he wanted to. He didn’t just to keep peace in the family.” She shook her head at me.
“That’s a shame. She probably would have loved that. How did they live in the same town and not run into each other?” I asked.
“My aunt and her husband moved after Betsy moved out. Jack Ayers was harassing them. My Granddad hated that bastard. So he moved them to Kentucky. It was closer for his work. That is why she never ran into her parents. They’ve been dead a long time,” she informed me.
“Granddad moved to the next town over to avoid Jack too. When my dad, Tebo split from my mom she moved me back to Pointe Royal. That’s how I ended up back here. How is Betsy?” She asked.
“My grandmother died before I was born from a brain tumor,” I replied.
“I’m sorry.” She reached across the table and patted my hand that was lying flat against the table. The one with the ring on it reminding me I needed to introduce her to Skylar, my wife. She was different than I expected. I expected someone harsh and angry. Not sweet and gentle. Almost childlike in her actions.
“This is my wife, Skylar.”
She extended her hand to her. “Hi,” Sky said.
“Ah, I’ve heard of you too. My Maddie adores you. She helped you pick out your wedding dress.”
“I hope you don’t mind?”
“Not at all,” she replied smiling for the first time. “It’s hard on the kids that I work here ten hours a day, six days a week.” She sighed. “I always take Sunday off with them though.”
Skylar looked up at me and I could see her surprise as well. When I looked back I was surprised to see my mother standing there watching our interaction. “Mom, this is Delilah LaBenito.”
“I know Delilah. Your dad and I have breakfast here every Saturday morning. Hi honey. How are you?” She patted Delilah’s shoulder.
“Good Mrs. Moore,” she said rising out of the booth so Mom could sit.
“Did you know that she’s Grammy’s niece?”
“Betsy?” Mom stared up into pale blue eyes now she knew why they were oddly familiar.
“Yes,” I answered.
“I did not. Talk about a small world.”
“Ronan was just telling me about our connection. My children talk about Ronan and his wife non-stop. Nick can’t stop talking about Adam who he calls Gramps?”
“That would be my grandfather. He’s Betsy’s husband,” I explained.
“I’d love to meet him sometime. Are ya’ll ready to order or should I come back?”
“I’ll just have some coffee Delilah,” Mom said.
“I’m starving. I’ll take a double cheeseburger with the works,
French fries and a large soda.”
Mom shook her head at me. “One day Ronan, you won’t be able to eat like that. Enjoy it while you can.” I smiled at her.
“I’m fine,” Skylar said. “Maybe an iced tea with a little real sugar.”
“You got it,” Delilah told us before she turned and headed for the kitchen.
My mom was wearing jeans and a hot pink tank and matching hoodie over it. Her long, silver hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She wasn’t wearing make-up but she never needed any. My mom looked younger than she was and she definitely didn’t look like a grandmother of three soon to be four.
“I saw pictures of your wedding,” she said. I realized then that she was uncomfortable. Uncertain of what she wanted to say.
I didn’t know what to say myself. She called this meeting together. I waited on her to speak her mind. Skylar hooked her hand through my arm and I put my hand over hers. Mom tilted her head to the side and watched us. “What Mom?”
“You’re really happy together, aren’t you?”
Sky looked up at me with a big smile on her face. “We are,” Skylar answered before I could.
There were tears rolling down my mother’s cheeks now. “I’m sorry Ronan…Skylar. I wanted to be at the wedding. I felt I had to choose between my husband and my child but this has gotten way out of hand.”
Skylar rested her head on my shoulder and I turned my head slightly so I could kiss her forehead. Then I just looked out the window. “We were shocked. Ashamed. Blaming ourselves that this happened to you. Looking for answers. Feeling like we didn’t know who you were anymore Ronan.”
I turned my head back to her. “Mom, I’ve spent the last three months trying to figure that one out myself. Everyone around me but my parents have told me I’m a good man who messed up. I have to stop beating myself up and move forward. You and Dad are the only ones who can’t seem to do that.”
She gasped. I felt Sky’s hand cover my leg. Her warmth and her comfort slowed me down. I was gearing up to tell her all the things I felt. The hurt and the abandonment when I needed them the most. I owned up to my mistakes. They could stop beating me up now. I was good at doing that to myself. I inhaled and calmed myself. “I’m sorry,” I told Mom.
