Finally he spoke, his words and voice cracking. “He doesn’t know how much he meant to me. I shut him out, told him I wanted nothing to do with him.”
“He understood why.”
“I shut out my own family.” He stared at her, his eyes glazed over. Water formed a thin layer over his eyes, but the tears wouldn’t fall. “I cut him loose, like nothing. And then when he was lying there in the hospital bed, he was just staring at me. I don’t know if even realized it was me or what I was saying. Maybe he shut me out in his heart too, and didn’t want me there.”
“Of course he wanted you there. And you went, you showed up. He knows that.”
“I’m a bad son.”
“No you’re not. You were hurt. You’re human.” Natalie ran her hand over the curve of his shoulder. There were no words she’d be able to say to take away the pain. More than anything, seeing Michael wallow in his remorse, she desperately wanted to make it all better.
“Do you think I’m a bad person?”
“Of course not. You’re a loving husband and father – and son. This other stuff that happened, that was just near the end, and it wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have been more understanding.”
“Michael, you did the right thing, and you got to see him before he passed. He knows you were there.”
“I hope so.” The tears silently fell, finally being freed. They stained his cheek as he silently got lost in his thoughts again.
As the time passed, it was nearing the six week mark which meant sexual intimacy could be integrated back into their love life. They could still snuggle up and pleasure one another, but intercourse was out of the picture until Natalie got the doctor’s okay.
The last few months had been a rollercoaster of emotions. Things were slowly getting back to normal. Between Natalie falling, the baby being born, Michael’s panic attack, his father passing, and starting a new job, Michael was thrilled when things seemed to be quieting down. He needed a break from the stress of life. It seemed like one thing after the other.
On a night where Jack fell asleep early, Michael was off from work, and Natalie had gotten an afternoon nap in, the look in Michael’s eyes spoke to Natalie. She’d gotten the go ahead, but was honestly nervous it might be uncomfortable. She shared her fear, and he promised to be tender with her. They’d take their time, and see how she felt.
She sighed as he put his hands on her body. It had been so long since they took this path. His hands kneaded her soft, plump breasts. Her nipples hardened at his touch. Michael adored the extra curves that padded her body both during and after her pregnancy.
Natalie arched into Michael as he caressed and stroked her, his fingers barely grazing across her skin. Moving across her breasts, down over her sides, his hands settled on her hips. Pulling her closer, they kissed, his mouth needing a taste of his wife. He couldn’t control his hands; they wanted to rove, to touch, and to feel her again. His fingers found the space between her thighs. She was damp, aroused, and with a tender motion he moved a finger through her crease, causing her to sigh with pleasure.
Natalie was ready to connect with her husband again, her fear subsiding. She knew he’d be gentle. His mouth covered her skin, milking her neck, sliding down to her chest, his tongue flicking at her breasts, teasing a nipple. Natalie pressed into him, lost in the pleasure he offered.
Michael entered his wife. She wrapped her thighs around him, her emotions overwhelming her. “I love you so much.” She whispered the words as they spilled from her with such urgency that she had to get them out.
Together once again, intercourse tying them together, Michael and Natalie shared in their lust. As they neared their peak, the couple’s moans filled the bedroom. Natalie wrapped her legs tighter around her husband, and with one final thrust, the couple collapsed. Natalie’s body wanted to buck and bend as the orgasm rushed through her, but the weight of Michael against her left her pinned to the mattress, her body molded to his.
Chapter 10
Time passed quickly. MD Insulators was still alive, but just barely. Word got out they were pushing liability to the companies and opted to knowingly use a toxic chemical. Michael realized he’d be in the line of fire over it all. He was grateful it was in his past. His sales experience helped him climb, and with so many contacts, Michael was in line for a raise and promotion. It was hard to believe an entire year had passed.
Jack had taken his first steps the other day, and he’d been lucky enough to see it. Natalie was nearby, trying to catch it on camera, but before she could snap the picture Jack had settled onto his bottom, then went into a crawl.
The amount of pictures she took was staggering. There was video, too, which she sent to Jack’s grandparents. Natalie’s parents tried to come into town every few months, and grew to love Michael as much as she did. He was an engaged father and loving husband to their daughter.
Natalie’s brother came by once, and they hoped to all get together for the holidays if everyone had the time off.
Looking back at her life, Natalie never would have imagined she’d be satisfied to settle down with a family so soon. When she first got to New York, she had visions of high fashion modeling jobs, her face splashed across magazines, and her name well known. Now she was “Mama” and it was the sweetest sound in the world when her son Jack cooed it.
Never in a million years would she have thought she’d sign some kind of ludicrous contract offering her money to marry a man. And then when she did sign, she never dreamed she’d lose the money and marry the same man for love. It all worked out how it was supposed to. Michael and Natalie found love.
Michael’s life was never what he planned. He didn’t want a wife, kids, or any of that sappy stuff. Not when he was on top of the world, his family business thriving, and out partying every night. He thought he had it all. Now he realized that what he had wasn’t everything he thought it was. It was empty, cold, and lonely.
Now he had purpose, passion, and a family. He saw possibilities in Jack’s eyes. He saw life. He saw love in Natalie’s eyes, and compassion in her face. Michael used to think he had it all – boy, was he wrong. It took falling down, starting over, and finding love to understand that Natalie and Jack were what he needed all along.
Michael was complete. This was what life was about. The love of a good woman, seeing the world through your child’s eyes, and being part of something more special than anything he could imagine. Life had only just begun for Michael Davidson, because now he was fully living.
When the letter came through, he wasn’t sure he wanted to open it. He sat looking at it, his fingers tracing the edges of the padded envelope. He hadn’t seen James since – well, in a long time. His father’s lawyer and lover hadn’t tried to contact him before this point. Staring at his name, Michael was filled with regrets. He wished he’d known his father had found love. He’d gone through woman after woman, and Michael always saw him as a cold man. Knowing he had love made him feel better.
He put it on the shelf and walked away. Maybe just leaving it there would be best. Michael got half way down the hallway, and went back to it. Sitting with the envelope on the sofa, he couldn’t bring himself to open it – not yet.
When he finally slid his finger down the top flap, unsticking the glue that held the flap on, he slipped his hand inside and found a letter with some pictures.
Dear Michael,
I thought you might want some of these. I’m sorry for your loss. It broke my heart to lose your father, but as you know, we were separated with jail time. He meant the world to me, and I thought you might like to have some of these. I’ve included some pictures.
Best, James
He inhaled deeply, his eyes tearing up. Slowly going through the pictures, he found snapshots of his mother and father together, along with pictures of his father with James, smiling and happy. Something deep inside softened. His father looked happy and in love in all of the pictures. He’d found his peace.
Sharing
the pictures with Natalie, he was able to open up and talk about his feelings. He never cared who his father loved, just that he found love, just as Michael had with her.
With his past behind him, Michael Davidson was ready to move forward. With his family at his side, he could take on the world.
THE END
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Book 1 - Contractual Obligation: The Contract
Book 2 – Contractual Obligation: Closing the Deal
Book 3 – Contractual Obligation: High Risk
Coming in 2014, you won’t want to miss the hot series “Knox Regional Task Force” where bad boys play on the good side of the law. If you like hot cops, you’ll want to check it out.
Contractual Obligation: The Trilogy Page 17
