by Amy Muscat
Keller stayed over every night. He took me on our second first date Wednesday night. We went to a nice little Italian restaurant. I’d had a thoroughly great night out. When I was getting ready Lottie and Ivy were sitting on my bed watching me run around like a headless chicken.
Ivy found this greatly amusing. She was giggling for a couple of minutes before she had to stop to get her breath back. Lottie thought I was being stupid. She said and I quote “Peyton, why are you all nervous? You’ve done all this before and for the past couple of days, the pair of you have been going at it like rabbits.” After shooting her a deadly look and telling her to shut up, I finally found my red heels I’d been looking for. I grabbed my small clutch bag, gave them each a big kiss on the cheek and left to meet Keller, who had been waiting in the living room for 15 minutes.
We’d left and had gotten in his car and he’d driven us the twenty minutes to this little hole in the wall restaurant.
When we had come back from dinner, he’d gave me a soft kiss on the lips before asking if he could stay. I’d laughed and told him sure. We’d showered separately before getting in bed and with a couple of passionate kisses, we snuggled together, fell asleep like that, our bodies entwined.
SEVENTEEN
Today was Ivy’s birthday.
And we were having a little birthday party for her. My parents were coming over and a couple of Ivy’s friends from pre-k were coming as well. Keller had asked me if he could invite some of his friends. I’d told him sure, I’d love to meet them. He told me that two of them had children and that they were gonna bring them over.
Keller’s friends were the men he served with in Afghanistan and he’d told me lots of stories about them.
There was Jason, Ethan, Blake and Jayden. Jason and his wife Sarah had a daughter, Jessie, who was the same age as Ivy.
Ethan was a single dad to six-year-old Henry. Apparently Henry’s mom, who had been a one-night stand, turned up out of the blue one day with a five-week old baby and told Ethan that the baby was his and that she couldn’t do this anymore. She’d signed over any rights she had for Henry and left, never to be seen or heard of again.
Blake was the ‘player’ of the group and slept with a different woman at least five times a week. Five!
Jayden was more of the mediator of the group, calming everyone when things got heated. If they were out and Blake had just chatted up some man’s girlfriend and then the boyfriend comes over wanting to smash, Blake’s face in- Jayden was the man to calm him down.
Keller had told me that they were the best friends any man could ask for and the best men he knew.
So I was really looking forward to meeting them.
****
It was almost three o’clock and Ivy’s party starts in half an hour. Lottie was out grabbing the cake, she should be back soon, and Keller- the last time I saw him- was chilling on the couch. Ivy and I were in her bedroom and I was finishing up the touches of her outfit. After I had helped her slip into her dress, Ivy stepped back and asked if she was done.
“Yeah baby, all done. Give me a twirl and let me see you.” I told her.
Grinning, she spun around making the bottom of her dress flare out. She was wearing her Belle dress and the golden color of it made her naturally tanned skin glow. She had little gold dress up shoes on, they had a tiny heel on them and had Belle’s face on the front with small roses stitched in the sides of the strap. She also had a small Belle purse with jewels as the handle, and she had a tiara atop of her head.
She looked so beautiful that my eyes started tearing up.
“What do you think momma? Do I look otay?” She asked looking somewhat nervous.
“You look absolutely gorgeous baby, so beautiful. You’re the prettiest princess I know,” I told her, gathering her up in my arms and giving her a kiss and cuddle, probably squeezing the life outta her.
“Momma!” She said laughing, but wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a squeeze back and a kiss on the cheek.
“I love you Ivy, lots and lots.”
“I love you too momma, lots and lots,” she said giving me another kiss.
I put her down and straightened her dress out, grabbing her hand we walk out to the living room where Keller was.
“What do you think, Keller?”
Keller turned around and I could see on his face how much he loved her. He looked a little teary and I could see him swallow slowly as he walked over, stopping when he reached Ivy and dropping down to his knees. He ran his eyes over her, taking in her shoes, dress, bag and tiara.
Gingerly, he cupped her cheek and said, “You look beautiful princess, so stunning. You’re like my own princess.” He let go of her face and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. He peppered her face and head with kisses, before looking up at me.
I gave him a wobbly smile, feeling my lips tremble from me trying to hold the tears back. It was such a moment, to watch the two of them together.
Keller, still holding Ivy in his arms, stood up and stepped closer to me. Giving me an adoring smile, I felt him wrap an arm around my back, and pull me closer to him before I felt his lips fall on mine. It was one of the best kisses he’d ever gave me - you know child present and all, but it was soft and sweet, but so passionate at the same time. It left me breathless.
Pulling away, he rested his forehead on mine, slightly out of breath. Before he moved his head back and looking at Ivy and then to me, his face changed into a look of happiness and complete contentment.
“My girls,” he whispered.
And this time I didn’t correct him.
****
The party was in full swing. The kids were running around playing, most of the adults were congregated in the kitchen and talking amongst themselves. I was going back and forth, checking up on the kids and making sure no-one was thirsty- just being a typical host in other words.
There was three tables against the wall with enough food to feed a small army, and enough juice boxes to keep the kids hydrated for a month.
When I’d made sure that the kids were fine I walked back to the kitchen and stood next to Keller, leaning against the counter.
My parents were sitting at the table talking amongst themselves. That had been an awkward moment when they’d arrived and saw Keller for the first time in five years. I’d phoned them the other day and explained about Keller being back in our lives.
It hadn’t gone down well, especially with my dad- he went a little nuts- my mom was more concerned about me and my feelings. After I’d had to shout over the top of my dad’s ranting and raving and his threats to castrate Keller, I’d explained to them that it had all been a misunderstanding and Keller had no clue about my being pregnant.
My dad had scoffed calling bullshit- until I explained that I had seen the letters that he had received claiming to be from me and vice versa.
I could sense the frustration that my parents were feeling coming through the phone.
After they’d gotten over the initial shock, they asked how I felt and how I’d come about meeting him again. I’d told them that he had come into the bar I worked in and we had argued with each other before I ran out on him and went home. I had not gone back to work for a week and when I did he was there. After having it out with him again, we had said some nasty things to one another, we found out that the letters were fake. All the heartache that we’d gone through was pointless. Some sick fucker had gone to great lengths to mess with us and we’d fell right into their trap. How someone could find pleasure in hurting us was beyond me.
I’d gotten upset talking about this and I could hear my mom sniffling over the line and my dad’s gruff curses, vowing that he’d find out who the ‘sick fucker’ was. I’d laughed through my tears and so did my mom, after that we’d talked about Ivy’s birthday party. When there was a knock at the door, I ended the call, saying my goodbyes to my parents telling them I’d see them on Saturday. Getting up to answer the door, Keller was standing the
re.
Keller had seen that I’d been crying and asked what was wrong, so I told him about the conversation with my parents and that speaking about it to them had just brought up old feelings. He’d comforted me and once again promised that he was gonna find out who had done this to us and that he was already looking into it.
Lottie’s loud giggle brought me back to the present. I looked over and saw her standing next to Blake, laughing at whatever he’d just said to her.
She was wearing a pair of light blue skinny jeans and a red Ralph Lauren polo with her red converse on her feet. Her hair was down, straight with a slight curl at the bottom and she had no make-up on. She was a natural beauty.
Blake- who I’d discovered was the jokester of the group- was wearing a pair of jeans too only they were a dark blue, a black polo shirt and a pair of black and white Jordan’s.
Blake was hot, like H-O-T, hot. With his jet black hair, piercing ocean colored eyes and a body that made you salivate, he was a catch. But he was a player and I was slightly weary about him hitting on my best friend.
That feeling went away very quickly when I heard Lottie say, “That! That was your best chat up line? Bloody hell mate that was terrible. A three-year-old could come up with a better line than that,” and she carried on laughing.
I turned my eyes on Blake and saw he looked slightly confused.
“Really? That didn’t do anything for you?” He asked with his brows furrowed.
Giving him a condescending pat on his cheek she said, “No babe, it really didn’t,” before moving away from him and sitting at the table with my parents.
Blake’s eyes followed her and he got a smirk on his face and a predatory light in his eyes.
“I think Lottie has an admirer,” I quietly told Keller.
He looked over in the direction I was staring and saw Blake’s eyes still on my best friend.
He starting chuckling before he said, “I wish him luck, because she will eat him up, and spit him out, the poor man.”
I lightly slapped his stomach for the insult.
“What’s that meant to mean?”
“What? Oh, come on Pie, she’s a spitfire. You have to admit it,” he said wrapping his arm around the small of my back.
“Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean.”
Keller nuzzled his nose in my neck, breathing me in before he said in a husky voice, “did I tell you how beautiful you look today?”
“No, you didn’t actually,” I said back to him, loving the feel of his body pressed up to mine.
“I didn’t think I’d had, and I’m sorry about that baby, but you look abso-fucking-lutely stunning today.” He said pulling back and looking me in the eyes when he said that.
“Thank you,” I whispered back to him. “You look abso-fucking-lutely handsome too, baby.”
“No, you really do Peyton. When I see you, you always manage to take my breath away. You’re so beautiful baby,” he leaned forward and stole the gasp that escaped from my lips.
Whistling and the shouting of ‘get a room’ made me pull my head back and look over and everyone was smiling and clapping, even my parents were smiling over at us.
I blushed under their stares and turned my head and buried my face in Keller’s chest, hearing it rumble under me as he chuckled and told them all to shut up.
****
It was time to open the presents now, we were all spaced out in the living room and Ivy was sitting on the floor with piles of gifts surrounding her waiting to be opened. Keller and I were sitting next to her, passing cards and gifts to her from everyone.
“Okay, so this one is from Becca, Ivy,” I said passing her the princess wrapped box.
Ivy ripped it open and inside was two Barbie dolls.
“Thank you, Becca,” Ivy said grinning.
Becca smiled back.
Next was a gift card for $25 to Toys ‘R’ Us, from another school friend, Ava and her parents.
All of Keller’s friends had gotten her gift cards as well.
My parents had got her the new Leap Frog learning pen with five books.
Lottie had gotten her two-princess outfits along with all the accessories, some new books, $100 gift card and an iPad mini case with all diamonds on the back spelling out her name. She always overdid it and spoiled Ivy.
Ivy had looked confused as she held the case until I handed her the presents from Keller and me.
“Okay, so this one is from daddy and me,” I said passing her the box containing her ‘big’ present from us.
When Keller had asked what I’d got her for her birthday, he asked what he could get her and I told him there wasn’t really anything more she needed apart from some more clothes.
But he didn’t like the fact that there was nothing he could really get her, so he asked me if he could give me the money for her presents. I’d told him no and that I would just put his name down on all her things, but he didn’t like that either, so we compromised and split it down the middle. The money that he’d given me, I’d put away in a jar for her.
Ivy’s loud gasp echoed throughout the room before she starting shouting for joy.
“YAY! I got an iPad!” She said bouncing up and down still sitting on her bottom, holding the tablet close to her chest. “Thank you momma, thank you daddy,” she said putting her iPad down- very gently- and gave us a big hug each.
“You’re welcome baby,” I said while Keller said,” you’re more than welcome, princess.”
After that, she opened the rest of her gifts- she loved her converse shoes, that I’d finally picked up from Jenna this week and all her other things.
****
Around seven o’clock, everyone started leaving, my parents had already left, albeit reluctantly. They had to drive back to Poughkeepsie and didn’t want to leave too late otherwise they wouldn’t get home ‘til after eleven tonight.
Ivy’s school friends all left about half an hour ago and that just left Keller’s friends. Ivy was in her new pajamas and slippers sitting on the couch watching a movie, with Jessie and Henry, snacking on pizza.
Keller was in the kitchen talking to the boys and me. Lottie and Sarah were cleaning the mess from the party up.
“So Lottie what do you think of Blake? I saw the two of you talking earlier, sparks flying?” I asked.
“Pfft, sparks flying my arse. That man wouldn’t know anything about how to make sparks even if he shoved his finger in the plug socket.” She said huffing.
I burst out laughing and so did Sarah, and after scowling at us for five seconds so did Lottie.
After calming down Sarah went on to tell us that he was actually a really nice guy, he had his own demons that he had to deal with, just like everyone else.
After sharing a confused look with me, Lottie tied up a black garbage bag and took it out to the hallway.
“He really is a great man, once you get past his barriers and look past him being a ‘player.’ He has just had to deal with a lot of shit in his life.” Sarah told me quietly.
“If you don’t mind me asking, but how do you know him so well? I mean yeah I get that he’s Jason’s friend, but, I don’t know, you seem to know-know him.” I was being nosy- and I’d only met her today- but I’d noticed at the party that they seemed really close.
“I grew up with Blake. We’ve been best friends since we were in second grade. He was the one who introduced me to Jason, actually. So I know him better than others do.” She said giving me a shrug of her shoulders and a smile before doing the same as Lottie and took the bag to the hallway before walking back into the kitchen.
****
It had just past nine when everyone had finally left.
Keller had put Ivy in bed. Jason had carried a sleeping Jessie out and Ethan a sleeping Henry while Sarah and Jayden trailed behind saying their goodbyes.
Blake had hesitated near Lottie, and she looked lost. Like she didn’t know what to do, so she stepped up to him and lifted her hand out for him to shake saying, “unti
l next time, Blake.”
Blake had looked down at her hand before he moved closer to her and gripped her hand pulling her close to him, whispering something in her ear-which I swear she blushed at- and gently kissed her cheek and said bye to Keller and me.
Lottie turned to face us and I saw that her cheeks were the faintest pink. She had been blushing! Oh wow. Nothing ever embarrasses Lottie. Nothing. So I was shocked to see the flush in her cheeks and a dopey smile on her face.
When she saw my eyebrow raised in question she simply shrugged it off, saying she was tired and she was going to bed.
I narrowed my eyes at her retreating form. Sneaky bitch. I’ll just ask her tomorrow.
Keller’s amused chuckle brought my eyes from her to him and I have to say what a sight.
“Just leave it, Peyton.”
“What? I wasn’t going to do anything,” I said putting my hand over my chest acting all innocent, and probably failing. Especially by the look on Keller’s face.
“Don’t even try it, baby. I know you too well for you even try and play the innocent act.” He said.
“Humph. Whatever, I’m gonna go grab a shower and then jump in bed, you staying, or you going home tonight?”
He walked over to me and I felt his hands grab on to my hips and pull me against him. I felt his erection press into me. I was instantly turned on.
Keller could do that to me, make me instantly horny. It should be classed as illegal really. Considering it happened at the most-inconvenient times- like at the store or when we were at the park and we were standing there while Ivy had her ‘one more swing’ which always turned out to be five or six or ten. Keller wrapped his arms around me and whispered dirty nothings in my ear about what he was going to do to me later that night and how my ass looked absolutely delicious in my jeans. Times like these would make me flustered, but I was willing to deal with it ‘cause we both got our happy ending by the end of the night.
“I’m staying tonight baby. And then tomorrow I wanna take you and Ivy to my dad’s house. Sandra’s gonna be there and I know you’ve never really liked her, but my dad deserves to know his granddaughter. Is that okay?” He asked, looking apprehensive.
