Sweet Days (Four Days Book 2)

by A. S. Kelly

  the baby.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “You’ve made her very very proud, Patrick. And

  I am too. You know that for me you’re like a son,

  don’t you? I know you already have a father and

  that I got here when you were already a grown

  boy, but I’ve always loved you like you were mine.

  You and all your siblings.”

  Now I can understand Carl, his words and his

  feelings towards us. Now, finally, I understand

  what it means to love someone, to take care of

  them because you want to, and not because you

  have to because of a contract or some bond of

  nature.

  “Carl,” I say. “Thank you.”

  “Hum?”

  “You’re a great father, for me and for all of us.”

  “Oh, get away with you now…” He looks at me

  sentimentally.

  I smile at him and go back to Erin, who hasn’t

  stopped crying for a second, and together with

  Rain it’s like a never-ending fountain of tears.

  I look at her, sitting between her mother and

  mine, while they exchange personal tidbits, tips

  and secrets. I look at her and I feel grateful and full

  of love.

  She looks at me and smiles, tilting her head and

  I have to hold my heart down because I’m afraid it

  might pop out of my chest.

  Then my mother raises a glass and asks for

  silence.

  “I understood that this girl was special from the

  first moment she set foot through our door. I didn’t

  know anything about her, apart from how she

  looks at my Patrick and how he glows when he’s

  next to her; I’ve understood that she is one of a

  kind. Erin, thank you for having given hope to my

  son, thank you for having opened his eyes. I know

  he can be a hard head at times, but he has always

  been a good boy and he just needed to see his own

  worth, and that’s what you’ve done, dear. You gave

  him a chance and you are giving him everything he

  ever needed. Erin, thank you for having brought

  Patrick back home and for this splendid gift, of

  this baby girl that I already love to death. Thank

  you, Erin and welcome to our family,” my mother

  concludes, exploding into tears while Erin stands

  there and throws herself into her arms.

  I watch the scene, holding in my tears and

  thanking whomever it is I need to thank for this

  day, for this woman and for this life.

  23

  Erin

  “I don’t even know where to put this stuff!”

  Two nights after the party Patrick organized at

  his family’s house, I find myself in my apartment

  with Rain, trying to organize all the gifts I got. I

  was not expecting such warmth and affection,

  especially because his family barely knows me,

  but it was wonderful to find myself surrounded by

  them and my loved ones and that they’re finally

  here with me.

  “That’s not all you’re going to receive,” Rain

  says, smiling. “We’re just at the beginning of

  everything and I’m planning on spoiling this girl

  for her whole life, you know,” she adds.

  “Yeah, about that,” I start, a bit uncertain. “I

  was thinking this baby is going to need someone,

  you know, a godmother who will always help her,

  support her…”

  Rain looks at me with wide open eyes.

  “I don’t believe there’s anyone better than you

  for this assignment. You’re the best friend I have

  and the best person I know. If you feel like you’re

  up to it.”

  Rain jumps off the couch and hugs me.

  “Are you joking? I already love her like crazy!

  Thank you, thank you,” she says through her tears.

  I hold her to me with sweetness. Rain can’t have

  children and I know how much she suffers because

  of that. She was a teacher before the accident and

  always dreamed of having a family of her own

  some day. I’m so sorry for her and feel

  embarrassed at times talking about the baby in

  front of her. I worry about hurting her. But she is

  so special and sincere I know she’s happy for me

  and this new life of mine.

  “Have I interrupted something?” Liam pops his

  head in the door.

  “Honey!” Rain runs to him. “Erin just asked me

  to be the godmother! Me!” And she hugs him

  tightly.

  Liam rests his chin on her shoulder and

  whispers ‘thank you’ to me and it just breaks my

  heart.

  Those two love each other so completely. What

  they feel for each other is infinite and I couldn’t

  think of a better family to trust my daughter to if

  something should happen to me.

  “That’s fabulous, love,” Liam whispers in her

  hair, also very moved.

  “Come on, let’s go tell everybody,” she says,

  breaking away from her man’s grip and heading

  downstairs.

  I get up too and slip on my shoes. It’s almost

  opening time and thank God I work, because I

  couldn’t stand to be closed up here all by myself.

  As I go to the door Liam blocks me. He looks

  me in the eyes a moment then hugs me. It takes me

  so off-guard that I stay with my arms limp at my

  side as he hugs me tighter.

  “Thanks, Erin. You have no idea how much that

  means to her.”

  I hug him back and smile because sometimes it

  really is useless to talk.

  We come apart and he dries his eyes with his

  sleeve and takes a breath before we head

  downstairs.

  We get down to the dining room and Rain is

  there going hoarse, yelling the news to everyone as

  Aaron watches her with great affection and

  everyone is moved to see how much it means to

  her knowing what we do.

  As soon as he sees me, Patrick smiles, on

  emotional overdrive too. He comes to me and

  whispers to my ear: “You’re amazing, Erin” and I

  shiver, feeling myself blush with embarrassment.

  I chose Rain because she’s just the best person I

  know, because she’s a trusted friend and because I

  know that she will love the baby like her own. I

  could not have chosen someone more appropriate.

  The evening is just starting. It’s Thursday and

  the guys’ night to perform their music, just like

  every week. I clean the glasses behind the counter

  while sitting on a stool. They make me sit

  practically all night and do very little. I ask myself

  what they keep me for, I feel so useless. They’re

  all so attentive it can be overwhelming at times.

  Jay adjusts the cables and sets up the guitars and

  the others join him on stage, greeting the

  customers who are lining up waiting for the music

  to begin. By now everybody waits for Thursday

  nights. The guys are famous in this village and the

  people around here love them.

  Patrick goes to Jay and puts his hands on his

  shoulder
s and looks him in the eyes. Jay responds

  in the same manner, before taking the mic and

  announcing the beginning of the performance.

  Patrick takes his place and gives me a wink

  from a distance. I smile at him like an idiot with

  dreamy eyes and my heart in my hand while Rain

  sits on the other side of the counter from me.

  The place goes silent as the guys start. I take out

  my cell phone from my pocket to turn down the

  volume and I realize I’ve got a message flashing

  on the display that I haven’t read.

  We have to talk. Call me.

  Nate.

  I’ve been ignoring him for days, since he found

  out. I haven’t been able to talk about it with

  Patrick with all that’s been going on and a

  thousand emotions I’ve gone through in the last

  twenty-four hours.

  I sigh heavily, knowing that I’ll have to tell him

  everything, but then the words hit me, those words

  that open my eyes, pull back the curtains and let in

  the daylight.

  I don’t believe that anybody … Feels the way I

  do about you now.

  I take in my deep breaths to try to avoid the

  tears. Even if it’s Liam singing my heart knows

  that it’s someone else pronouncing the words.

  And all the roads we have to walk are winding

  … And all the lights that lead us there are

  blinding.

  And he’s there smiling at me backing up Liam. I

  know that he doesn’t sing and says he doesn’t have

  a nice voice but those few scratchy out-of-tune

  words go straight to my heart, filling it with love.

  There are many things that I would … Like to

  say to you … But I don’t know how.

  And I know that he’s not able to express himself

  as well as he would like, that at times he’s not able

  to open up and let me in, but now he’s talking to

  me with his heart in his hand.

  Because maybe … You’re gonna be the one that

  saves me … And after all … You’re my

  wonderwall. 9

  “That boy is crazy about you,” Rain says

  scooting in closer to me.

  I smile shamelessly and he goes on, to tell me

  I’m his anchor.

  “I’m crazy about him,” I say more to myself

  than Rain.

  Because that’s how it is, I’m crazy and

  hopelessly in love with Patrick Doyle and no, I’m

  not his safety anchor or his hope.

  It’s him.

  He is my future. Our future.

  Nobody else.

  9 Wonderwall, Oasis, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory

  Patrick

  “Everything’s alright, Patrick. I’ll take it from

  here,” Aaron says, giving me a slap on the back.

  “You sure? There’s the bar to take care of yet.”

  “Go on up to her.” He smiles. “I’ll take care of

  this. I don’t have a life outside this place.”

  I shake my head. “That’s because you haven’t

  decided to come out of the closet yet.”

  “What’s that you’re saying?”

  “You know. Tell everyone you’re gay.”

  “That story again?”

  “You know that we all love you—”

  “Knock it off, Patrick. I’m not gay.”

  “Then why don’t you ever want to bring home a

  woman?”

  “Listen to who’s talking. I’ll remind you that

  until a few months ago you were just like me.”

  “At least I had fun though.”

  “And what makes you think I don’t?”

  “The fact that I’ve never seen you with anyone

  and, like you said, you live for this place.”

  Aaron sighs, mussing his hair. “I don’t even

  have time to think about it. Before there was the

  accident, then Rain’s rehabilitation. The pub, the

  music that comes and goes, you guys causing

  chaos.”

  “Now it’s our fault?” I raise an eyebrow.

  “If I don’t think of everything, who will?”

  “You need to relax,” I say, putting my hand on

  his shoulder. “Think about yourself a bit. We’re all

  grown by now, Aaron.”

  He nods at me, a sign that the discussion is over.

  I wave at him and skip up the stairs to my woman.

  Shit, my woman.

  I knock on the door and open it at the same time

  and the view in front of me makes me weak at the

  knees.

  Erin is standing near the balcony. All she’s

  wearing is one of my T-shirts, one that she

  mooched without asking because everything, she

  says, is too tight for her and mine are more

  comfortable.

  It’s long enough to cover her bottom, but I can

  see the curve of it in polka-dot panties. Her hair

  has grown a bit and is now to her shoulders but she

  always wears it back, leaving it ridiculously messy.

  I love this thing about her, that she can set aside

  being orderly and precise and just be herself, in all

  her beauty.

  “Hey,” she says, turning towards me. “I didn’t

  hear you come in.” She smiles at me before

  turning back again. “I was just making a sandwich,

  I’m starving.”

  I close the door behind me and rest my back

  against it.

  Breathe, Patrick. Breathe.

  How is it possible that this woman drives me

  nuts like this? How is it possible that my heart is

  pounding just looking at her in my T-shirt and I’m

  getting hard just thinking about what’s under it.

  I go up to her slowly and wrap her shoulders in

  my arms. I place a kiss on her neck and I can feel

  her shiver under my lips.

  “Patrick…” she whispers in thread of a voice.

  I let my hands slide down and go under the T-

  shirt. I run my shaking fingers over her body,

  almost afraid to touch her, to squeeze her, because

  this woman is all I want in my life.

  I brush her breast and she lets out a soft cry and

  she lifts her head up on my shoulder. I bite her

  earlobe and she says my name again, like a prayer,

  in that way that causes a rush of blood to my head.

  I squeeze her breasts and she rests her hands on

  the kitchen worktop.

  I take a few little nibbles on her neck before just

  exposing her shoulder and I bite her silky soft skin.

  Then I go downwards, stopping on her belly and

  then I slide my hand into her panties.

  She trembles loudly and it’s lucky I don’t come

  like a young boy during his first sexual experience.

  I brush her ever so gently and she collapses against

  the worktop.

  It’s so sensual and exciting, it’s driving me

  insane.

  I want her against this worktop. I want to take

  her now, to enter her and let her know just what

  the sight of her does to me. But I’m not an animal

  and I’m not that kind of bastard anymore. I can’t

  throw myself on her, hungry for her skin.

  And so I ask her with a voice full of anxiety

  that’s eating me up:

  “May I?” Stopping my hand before going


  further.

  She nods against my shoulder and I slide her

  panties down her long perfect legs. I get behind

  her, letting her feel how much I want her, and I

  take my erection in my hand from inside my jeans.

  I let out a grunt full of repressed desire and

  unbutton my jeans and kick them off.

  She is panting and my breathing seems to just

  stop in my chest. It’s such an inviting image and so

  strong, I can’t resist, but she’s Erin and in this

  moment I want to treat her better than some guy

  who takes her without respect and dignity,

  standing up in the kitchen.

  So I try to get control and to take some deep

  breaths. Then I make her turn around and look me

  in the eyes before losing myself in them.

  “I … can’t. Not like this,” I tell her, swallowing

  every trace of my ravenous passion. “I want to

  give you more than this,” I conclude, despite the

  adrenalin of the moment. “I want to give you every

  part of me.”

  So, I take her in my arms and bring her to the

  bedroom, where I take care of her. Every inch of

  her body.

  Some places I caress, others I kiss, letting her

  feel all of the love and desire I have for her, to

  have her with me in my life and in my future.

  Lying on the bed, I embrace her from behind

  and penetrate her slowly, and letting out a sigh that

  holds everything I have for her within it. Chest

  against back, skin against skin.

  I squeeze her soft breast and push her hips

  backwards so I can move inside of her with greater

  ease.

  I leave her breasts to caress her between her

  legs, playing with my fingers in her folds, while

  my name vibrates on her lips, sensual and exciting.

  And with every thrust I feel her body quivering,

  hot and inviting.

  I make love with her almost all night. We

  explore each other, we take one another, we take

  all of our time. We talk, we laugh, we kiss and then

  we take each other once again, enjoying every

  moment. I have never felt a person so inside of me

  before now.

  We merge and remain that way.

  Because we are one thing now.

  All three of us.

  24

  Erin

  “Where are we going?”

  “Just a second, I want to show you something,”

  Patrick says.

  “Can’t it wait? I have to study, you know. It’s a

  crucial moment for my thesis.”

  “I promise you it’ll only take a minute.”

  “Alright,” I say, getting up against my will.