Falling Forward

by Dawn Robertson

  “Get her on the phone,” I say to Violet. She cocks her head to the side just looking at me.

  “Now?” she asks.

  “Yes, now.” I nod.

  “You’re sure?” Violet asks again. It’s like she thinks I’m going to start some kind of world war with my sister. I’m not a damn monster.

  “Yes, Violet. I want to help her, but I can’t call her. You know that would set off a chain reaction of Kent knowing something weird is going on. And if he is that much of a monster… we can’t let him know we are coming.” I feel like I am in a fucking crime drama about now.

  “You are going to help her?”

  “Yes! Of course, I am going to. If that is what is making her life miserable, I’ll move heaven and Earth to get her and those girls away from that shit bag.” Violet’s eyes widen as she pulls her phone out of her pocket and starts to dial.

  “You’re a good person,” she says while the phone rings. She puts the cell phone on speaker phone so I can hear the rings. Eventually, Lucy picks up.

  “Hello?” Lucy says quietly into the phone. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that she has been crying.

  “It’s me, and Luna,” Violet says, and Lucy’s tone changes. Clearing her throat before she says anything.

  “What’s up? Everything okay?” Lucy says.

  “Are you alone?” I ask, pausing while my fists ball up in my lap. “Is Kent around you right now?” I ask again.

  “No, it’s just me and the girls home right now,” she answers.

  “When is he due home?” I ask, calculating every minute we have.

  “Who knows,” she snuffles.

  “Get bags packed for the girls. Get in the car and drive to Savannah right now,” I say.

  “I can’t do that. I’m sorry,” she says.

  “Listen to her, Lucy. It’s over. Come to us and you are never going to have to go back there again. Listen to Luna. We are going to help you. She is going to help you, but you have to get here first,” Violet calmly explains to her.

  “He’s going to take the girls from me! You know this, Violet! I can’t do that,” her tone is frantic now.

  “He’s not going to take anyone. I’ll buy the best lawyer there is. Now pack some stuff for the girls, get in the car, and start driving here. The sooner the better.”

  “How?” she yells, with audible crying echoing through the phone line.

  “I won the goddamn Powerball! Now listen to me for once in your stubborn ass life, Lucy!”

  “You WHAT?!” I hear on the other end of the phone.

  “Lucy, we have plenty of time to talk once you get you and your girls here. Just do what I am telling you! This is the out you need, please take it. I am begging you right now,” I say to her, pleading for her to come to us. Change the life she has and put our family back together like our parents would have wanted years ago, before we let this creep ruin my sister’s life.

  “Okay. But, I don’t know where to go,” She says. I completely forgot the last time she was here we never got to the house tour portion of things.

  “I’ll text you the address,” Violet says, and Lucy finally agrees.

  “Don’t worry about bringing a lot. Just make sure the girls have what they need, and any sentimental items. Everything else can be replaced,” I tell her before she disconnects the line. Violet and I sit across from each other, still in the bean bag chairs stunned at everything the last hour has brought.

  She finally breaks the silence after several minutes.

  “You know you are doing the right thing.” Confirming what I already knew. Had I known this before, the last few years of our lives would have played out a lot differently. But why would they go so out of their way to keep this all such a big secret from me?

  “You have to tell me why?” I ask. Not giving any details, because I am so stuck inside my own damn head. My thoughts are confused with the words I am actually speaking.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why did you and Lucy keep this a secret from me? Why did no one tell me that she was a fucking prisoner in her own life?” I raise my tone, but not out of anger. More so out of frustration, because I could have helped her so long ago.

  “She thought you had your plate full taking care of mom and dad, and she didn’t want to burden you.” She pauses for a second before continuing. “You are the one in the family who takes care of everyone, and you already had enough to worry about when this all started. It is what it is now, Luna.” She shrugs her shoulders, but it’s true. I’ve always been the fixer. I can’t help it. I have this desire to fix the problems of the world.

  “Well damn it! I am going to fix this,” I say, getting up to make my way upstairs and make up the guest bedroom for Lucy and her three little girls.

  Chapter 12

  Full House

  “So, before you freak out, I just want to let you know I have some extra company that is going to be staying with me for a little bit,” I say into the phone with Hunter on the other end. Liam is still at work so I sent him a text he can read later on tonight. I can see him already, glasses on with his wild hair a complete mess, ignoring his phone that’s facing down on his desk, while crunching numbers and drafting the newest project he’s working on.

  “No biggie, who is it?” Hunter asks.

  “My sister and her three little girls from Atlanta.”

  “Oh, awesome. Do you want me to grab some takeout on the way home?” he asks. Home is like music to my ears. Even though I know Liam probably won’t be here tonight, I am reassured I won’t be alone, because I have a feeling I am really going to need a shoulder to cry on.

  “I could really go for the strawberry breakfast tacos from The Treylor Park.” I laugh, because they are delicious and I’m also starving. “Let me see if Violet wants anything too,” I yell down the stairs and she yells back her order.

  “Okay, I should be there in a half hour or so,” Hunter says and we hang up.

  “Do you need any help up here?” Violet is standing in the doorway.

  “Do you think they can all fit in this bed?” I ask, looking at the queen size bed I just made. I haven’t really been prepared for too many overnight visitors because the only two I seem to have, take up shop in my own bed. I smile to myself and think about how I’m going to explain it all to Lucy. The last question I thought I would have to answer anytime soon.

  “They should. The girls are small enough. Maybe we should bring one of the Love Sac’s up here?” She says. “Just to be safe?”

  “I’ll have Hunter drag one of them up when he gets here. I love it when he brings food, too,” I add with a laugh, because the two of us were searching for snacks not long ago.

  “We’re gonna have to get some groceries that kids eat. Like, what do they eat?” I ask Violet. I don’t know how kids work. Although, I did love the shit out of some grilled cheese when I was a kid.

  “Dude, I don’t know. Do I look like I have any kids?” Violet laughs.

  “Well, I think kids are just miniature pot heads, right? Like fruit snacks, candy, chips?” I’m pretty sure that’s how kids work? Maybe not. Maybe, I’ll just let their mom tell me what to buy and we’ll go from there. All I need is a bunch of little girls hopped up on sugar in my house to be the best form of birth control, ever.

  I paced frantically around the house, waiting for Lucy to show up. Even though I knew it would be another three hours until she hit the city. It took her a good hour to pack up what she needed, and from what she told Violet on the phone, her minivan is packed tight.

  I ate dinner, took a nice hot bath that Hunter ran for me, and he coaxed me into with a glass of wine. I don’t know how I got so lucky. He’s definitely been able to keep me a lot more calm than I thought I would be post-bath. I pull the drain and step out of the tub, wrapping myself in a dark blue towel and start to dry myself. I open the bathroom door and peak out into the bedroom. The TV is on but muted, John Mayer is playing on the Bluetooth speaker, and
the entire bedroom is illuminated with candles. I look in both directions, but I don’t see Hunter anywhere.

  I finish drying off, walk into my closet, throw on a big t-shirt and lay down on the made bed. I let out a deep breath and stare at the ceiling fan while trying to relax, knowing the shit storm that is coming when Lucy arrives. I get up and look for my phone, realizing I left it on the window sill next to the bath tub. That is the problem with the old clawfoot tubs, on sides to rest my bath accessories. I almost miss my garden tub back in my old condo.

  Grabbing my phone, I head back to my resting spot and start Googling Savannah divorce attorneys. I want to be prepared, because I know that come the morning when Kent realizes what is going on, there is going to be a giant shit-show. The bedroom door slowly opens, and Hunter peeks in.

  “You okay?” he asks, as he comes in and closes the door behind himself.

  “Yeah, I guess.” I shrug, while putting my phone down. “Why don’t you come over here and snuggle me?” I say, knowing I just really need to lay here and have Hunter hold me right now. I need someone to talk me down, and bring me back down to reality where I am calm again.

  “How about I do you one better,” Hunter says, pulling a single joint out of his pocket and passing it to me. “Smoke a bit, and I’ll cuddle you as much as you want,” he says with a smile. Taking off his belt and unbuttoning his pants, while I spark up.

  “I never thought something like this would happen. I thought I was done with Lucy after everything that has taken place. I can’t believe this has been going on as long as it has.” I beat myself up over it all. Just like I do when anything happens. I always want to have more control than I do.

  “There is no need to get all worked up over it, Luna. You are doing what you can to help. Don’t beat yourself up. It’ll all be fine,” Hunter reassures me, while unbuttoning his shirt. “Put the phone down, let me take your mind off of everything,” he adds, while getting undressed to climb into bed. It’s getting late and I know that I should rest a little bit, because when Lucy does get here I’m going to have to help her get the girls into the house, and unpack her car.

  I take another puff from the joint before putting it out in the small ashtray on the side of my bed. I really don’t like smoking in the house, but sometimes all I want to do is lay in my bed and relax with a little bit of weed. The song changes and on comes “Edge of Desire”. God, I love this song.

  “Roll over baby,” Hunter says, and I roll onto my belly. He pulls my t-shirt over my head, leaving my naked body exposed. In only his boxers he straddles my ass, and begins to massage my back. I close my eyes and think about the night this all began with Liam, and how he massaged me in my hotel room. How lucky am I to have Hunter, too? So loving and doting on me in one of my hardest times. I just keep my eyes closed and enjoy his hands all over my body.

  It’s nights like this that have brought Hunter and I closer together. When Liam can’t be here with us, it’s given us the chance to connect on a deeper level, just the two of us. We haven’t had a lot of it, but I really do love these little moments. He rubs my neck, helping to release the tension I have wound so tightly. My body finally starts to react to his touch. I can’t help it when his hands graze the top of my ass. I let out an audible moan and buck my ass up just a little off the bed. Begging him to roll me over and take care of the want between my legs.

  “What do you want baby?” he whispers in my ear.

  “Make love to me,” I answer him. It’s all that I want in the world right now, to take my mind off of everything going on in my life. It’s been a downright emotionally draining day, and the only thing I want to do right now is let go with Hunter and have him take me.

  “I think I can do that,” he says while rolling my body over and beginning to kiss me. His muscular body pins me against the bed, naked and waiting while he kisses me with everything he has. A man desperate for whatever is about to happen. I can feel the bulge in his boxers pressing tightly against the fabric, just about the time I am over the boxers being in our way. Without breaking our kiss, I sneak my fingers into the waistband and pull them down. Not making it very far with my little t-rex arms, but he kicks them the rest of the way off.

  “I need you,” I breathlessly say into his mouth, begging him to take me right now before I explode. I can feel the head of his hard cock press against the entrance of my pussy.

  “How bad?” he teases, palming his cock and running it along my wet center. I buck my hips in the direction of his dick, begging him without saying a word.

  “Fuck me!” I beg.

  As the words come out of my mouth, I can feel his cock plunge into my waiting pussy. I let out a loud moan of pleasure, as the waves ripple through my entire body. My back arches and my head falls back against the soft comforter of the bed.

  “I love you, Luna,” he says, my eyes fly open, staring him in the eyes. My heart feels like it is going to beat out of my chest with his words. We stare at each other for a moment, our bodies completely still as I look for the words to say back to him. I know I love him, I’ve loved him from the day he joined Liam and me. I’ve loved him since he first kissed me. Since we shared so many important moments together.

  “I love you, too,” I say to him as his lips crash against mine, pace picking up, and motions becoming frantic. We are desperate to connect on a deeper level, when there is no deeper either of us can go. His cock pumps in and out of me, as his free hand runs through my hair. Our lips never coming apart. My body begins to shake under his touch, and I know it isn’t going to be long before I tip over the edge of pleasure.

  “Shit, Luna,” he grunts and I know he is just as close. “I can feel your pussy tightening around me, I can’t take it much longer,” he says, as I fall over the edge. I let out a yell mixed with a moan, as I close my eyes and just feel. Hunters cock pulsates inside of me, and I know he’s coming along with me at the same time. Hunter collapses on top of me, us both panting in a mixture of sweat and exhaustion. I could probably fall asleep like a baby right now.

  “I could do this every day of my life and never get bored,” he whispers into my ear as his arms wrap around my body, and I drift off to sleep.

  A faint knock on the door wakes me up. I’m still wrapped in Hunters arms, completely naked in bed. The comforter pulled back and the two of us tucked under the covers. Looking at my cell phone, I see it is only a little before midnight.

  “Luna, you up?” Violet whisper yells from my door. I sit up, wrapping my body in the blanket careful not to flash my sister.

  “Yeah, whats up?” I ask.

  “Lucy is here,” She says, and everything comes flooding back to me. The entire night was forgotten when Hunter took me to bed.

  “Let me throw some clothes on, I’ll be right out,” I say, sliding out of bed trying not to wake Hunter up. I fail because as soon as I get out of bed, he rolls over and stretches.

  “Want help?” he asks, and I debate on hiding him in my room or using his muscles to help Lucy empty the car right now.

  “Please,” I say.

  I run into the bathroom and pee quickly, before grabbing my big t-shirt from earlier, and digging through my closet for a pair of shorts or yoga pants. Finally, I find my old gym shorts and pull them on. Hunter is standing next to the bed, waiting for me in a long pair of sweatpants and no shirt. Hot damn, is all I can think. I’m ready for round two, maybe I’ll cash in on that once we get Lucy settled in.

  We go downstairs to meet Violet in the kitchen, before heading down the back stairs to my driveway. Lucy doesn’t look good at all. Her long blonde hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and her face is red from crying most of the four-hour drive. She looks like she’s hit rock bottom, and I know exactly what that looks like. The girls are all fast asleep in the back of the car. First, Lucy instructs Hunter to grab Ava and carry her into the house.

  “They have the spare bedroom next to the library. Just put her in bed up there,” I tell him, he grabs the old
est, her angelic face rests on his shoulder but she doesn’t wake up. I can’t believe Ava is eight already. It seems like she was just born. I’m a little pissed off that I’ve missed so much of her life, but what can I do now?

  Lucy picks up Ellie, and asks where to bring her. Violet grabs a couple bags from the back seat and guides her into the house, leaving me alone with the baby, Libby. She may not be much of a baby, but two years old is basically a baby to me. I unhook her from her car seat and just look at how peaceful she is. It must be nice to be so blissfully ignorant that her entire world is about to be turned upside down. I admire the resilience of children, because as an adult I wish I could be so carefree. Her face is downright angelic as I carry her up to the second story of the house before I make my way up another set of stairs to the room both of her sisters lay asleep in.

  “She is heavy as hell,” I say to Lucy, as I lay her down in the bed with both of her sisters.

  “She is a feather compared to the other two. Thank god, that hunky guy carried Ava. I would have never been able to make it up all these stairs with her,” she laughs, but it’s a forced laugh. I know she is still torn up on the inside.

  I wrap my arms around her and try to hold back the tears. Years of hostility and bullshit just melt away, as I hold my older sister who is watching her life crumble before her eyes. It was needed, but it doesn’t make it any easier. It seems like in these situations you still long for the normalcy of your life, even if a huge chunk of it is pain. She sobs into my shoulder, as Violet and Hunter slowly start to back out of the room, leaving us alone with the three sleeping little girls peacefully tucked into the bed.

  “I never thought it would be me,” she says in between sobs.

  “It’s okay. Shhhh,” I say, trying to calm her down. I’ve dealt with being the crying shoulder for all my life, but it’s just different with Lucy. For her to let her wall come down and expose her vulnerability to me is a big deal. But unlike everyone before, I have no idea what to say to her to make this all better. It’s a mess and I’m probably the last person she ever thought would slide on through as her knight in shining armor, and I know that has to be hard for her.