I reach for her as tears fall from both of our eyes. She crawls over me and wraps her arms around my neck, holding me tightly. Our bodies close together, our hearts beating as one. It never fails to amaze me just how wonderful and perfect she is for me, and the fact that she understands just how hard this is leaves me overfilled with love and adoration.
Chapter 29
I wake with my arms wrapped around Estelle. I slept surprisingly well last night. I didn’t realize just how exhausted I was. The last four days have been insanely overwhelming. I run my hand over her stomach and pull her closer. If there's one thing I have learned by this whole mess, it is that I need to make sure to let the people I care about know just how much they mean to me. Estelle has never been an issue. She has always known how I felt about her. But Elkins, not so much, and as much as I think my feelings for Michael and Beatrice have been well displayed, I am not so sure they truly know how much I care about them. I will change that. And Rachel. I sigh into Estelle’s hair. She has been through so much and I didn’t make it easy for her. I am sure she thinks I do not approve of her which isn’t true. They will be coming over this afternoon and I plan on making sure she knows she is welcome in my family.
“You okay?” Estelle asks, running her fingers over my hand.
“Would you mind if I tell Rachel we are naming the shelter after her.”
“Not at all. I think that is a brilliant idea.”
I kiss her hair and then nuzzle her until I reach her neck. “The last few days has made me realize that had you not entered my life I would have become a vile and evil man. I saw a glimpse of him recently and I didn’t like it.” I kiss her lightly on her neck. “You saw past all that hard exterior and pulled out the best in me, a part I honestly didn’t know was there.” I kiss her neck again. “You have always been my conscience, my heart and my soul. I am yours completely. I always have been, even before you said a single word to me,” I say laying another gentle kiss on her neck. “There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the life we have together.”
She turns her head and I see that she is crying.
“I love you, Estelle. Always!”
“Always,” she whispers through her tears.
I kiss her softly, pulling her body close to mine. My life is complete with her. I know that without her I would be nothing, a shell of a man. Broken and angry, doing things to hurt others, lost! But she changed all that, she gave me a normal life, a family and a home. She is my center; she is my home.
~*~
“Charles, stop!” Estelle says, laughing as I grab her.
“Un uh.” I pull her giggling figure to me.
She is standing between my legs, looking down at me. I pull her closer and lay a kiss on her stomach as she runs her hands up and down my shoulders. We hear a car pull up and I grin at her. She is smiling excitedly. She can’t wait to tell Rachel what’s going on and neither can I. I hear the door open and she grins at me.
“Are you ready?” She asks and I smile.
“I am ALWAYS ready.”
She smacks my shoulder when I pinch her rear. “You’re incorrigible, that’s what you are,” she says with a laugh as she steps away from me.
“What? Me?” I laugh.
I look up just as Michael and Rachel walk in. Well, let me rephrase that, it appears that Michael is pulling Rachel into the sitting room. There is a look of relief on his face when he sees me and I realize that I didn’t call him back yesterday. I look over at him and grin, nodding slightly and I swear he looks like he might just cry. He drops Rachel’s hand and makes his way over to me and I stand as he embraces me tightly.
“Everything is alright,” I whisper in his ear, holding him as close as I possibly can. “It’s done.”
He nods and pulls away from me. “I called you and you didn’t answer.”
“It was a bit more complicated than I initially anticipated, but everything is fine now.”
Rachel comes up to us and gives me a hug. “Glad you’re home.”
“Thank you, Rachel. I’m happy to be home.”
“Lunch won’t be ready for a little bit but I wanted to ask you something, Rachel,” Estelle interjects as we all sit down on the couches.
“Sure, is everything okay?” She asks nervously.
“Of course.”
Estelle looks over at me smiling. She had said Rachel would probably be a little worried at first. That she wasn’t used to good things happening to her or people thinking about her needs and feelings. She then looks back at the two of them.
“As you know, Charles and I have founded many non-profit organizations across Sacramento.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that,” Rachel answers, confused.
“Well, once a year we honor our major contributors with a small reception of sorts at Canlis restaurant. Have you heard of it?”
Rachel smiles. “I’ve heard of it but have never been.”
“This year, Charles and I will be announcing a new program in the Sacramento area and we would like for you and your friends, and your mom and step dad if you would like, to attend,” Estelle says happily, looking up to me with that sparkle in her eyes.
Rachel stares at her incredulously. “Why would you want all of us there?”
I walk over and stand behind Estelle, placing my hand on her shoulder as she continues. “We are opening a safe house for women and children who have been the victims of violence. We will offer safe beds until a shelter or other arrangements can be made, counseling services, support groups for both women and children, financial assistance if needed, help with filing charges. You name it and it will be offered there. We would like you to speak if you would be comfortable doing that,” Estelle says, watching Rachel intently.
Rachel has tears in her eyes. “Estelle that is so wonderful and is a much needed service. Thank you both for doing this. I don’t know what I would say though. I am sure there is someone of importance that could say something meaningful. Why would you want me to do it?”
Estelle frowns when Rachel demeans herself but then looks up at me and smiles. I step away from Estelle and walk over to Rachel, touching her shoulder. She looks up at me and she has this little lost girl look on her face. She doesn’t value herself at all and I am immediately saddened that I was a part of making her doubt herself and her worth to my son. I smile at her, hoping to alleviate some of her distress.
“We are naming it after you. It will be called Dunham House. And we want you to speak because you ARE someone of importance,” I say to her earnestly.
Rachel starts crying and leans into Michael. I watch as he comforts her and my heart fills with such love. My son really is such a good man. He is caring and kind, and watching the way they interact with one another makes me realize just how awful I was to her. I know that I need to make things right with her. Michael loves her so much and she deserves that. I truly see that now. Estelle has always been my rock and guide, and who am I to deny her all those things in Michael. They are perfect together; they balance each other as much as Estelle and I do.
“Is that a yes, Rachel?” Estelle asks softly.
Rachel looks over to her, nodding. Michael mouths the words ‘thank you’ to us and I smile. I walk back to Estelle and she is smiling at the two of them. A few moments later, Sally comes in and says that lunch is ready. As Michael and Rachel stand up, I clear my throat.
“Son, can we talk for a minute?”
He looks at Rachel, who nods, whispering she is okay. She turns and smiles at me before turning to head into the dining room with Estelle and Sally.
“Rachel,” I call to her. She stops, turning to face me. “Thank you.”
She looks at me confused. “For what?”
“For making my son happy. I know it hasn’t always been easy for you and I, but I want you to know how wrong I was about you. And how happy I am that you entered our lives.”
She nods and smiles before wiping fresh tears away from her eyes. Estelle puts her a
rm around her and whispers something to her and I see her nod again. Michael watches her and then walks over to me and I immediately place my hand on his shoulder, leading him to my study.
“Thank you for that,” he says as we enter my study.
I smile. “I meant it, Son.” I motion for him to sit down.
“Is everything alright?” He asks, suddenly looking worried.
“Sit down, of course everything is fine. Well, it is now anyway.”
He sits down and I take a seat near him. I can tell by the look on his face that he is surprised by this, considering I never actually sit with anyone that comes to my office. I am usually leaning against my desk or sitting behind it.
“In the process of taking care of this situation with Sonya, I needed to go back to Chicago. I hadn’t been there since before you were born.” I run my hand through my hair and glance at him. “I have never talked to you about the life that I led there and I don’t really want to do that right at this moment but...” I hesitate and he looks at me strangely. “But one day, soon, I would really like to share with you my life in Chicago and tell you about... my brother.”
His eyes widen. “Your WHAT?”
“My brother, not by birth, of course,” I say with a chuckle and then become serious again. “Our bond was much stronger than anything I had ever known before and will ever know again. We met when we were very young.” I look down, a smile creeping across my face as I remember our first encounter with each other.
“What happened? Why haven’t I heard about him before?”
“Situations came about where your mother and I had to leave, rather suddenly.” I cringe and then stand up, walking over to my desk.
I dig inside my top drawer and pull out a manila envelope and walk back to Michael, handing him the envelope. He looks at me questioningly and then pulls out the picture of Dimitri and myself standing in front of the bar.
“That is Dimitri. I promise that I will tell you all about him, but now isn’t the time. But what I can say is that I was required to call in a favor and being in Chicago made me realize just how much I missed him. I also realized that I have not always told you how much you mean to me.”
“Dad, I know you love me,” he says with sincerity, setting the picture down.
“My father didn’t show me very much affection and therefore I struggled a bit with you sometimes.”
“Dad…” He starts to say but I shake my head.
“No, Son, let me finish. Your grandfather has mellowed over the years but he is still an ugly man. The way he treated you and Rachel at your graduation solidified that for me. I never wanted to be that way with you, but I know that there were times I wasn’t as supportive of you or your decisions as I should have been. I regret that considerably. Especially how I treated Rachel. The several months that we were not talking was the worst time of my life, something a father should never have to endure. Nothing is more important to me than you and our family. Rachel is a part of that now and I need you to know that I will never forget that again, okay?”
He nods his head and smiles excitedly.
“Now, I am not saying I am going to become overly affectionate or anything.” I grin at his expression. “But I do want you to know that I love you and that next to marrying your mother, being a father has been my greatest achievement in life. I am so proud of the man you have become.”
He looks down smiling and then up at me, his eyes are brighter than before and he reminds me so much of that little baby I swore to always protect and love.
“Thank you, Dad. That, ummm, that means a lot to me. I…” He looks down and scrunches his brows together.
“It’s alright, Son, say what you need to say.”
“I always knew you loved me, but up until our talk at graduation I felt like you would have been happier had I pursued something more business centered. But after graduation, I understood.” He smiles at me before continuing. “You have always been a great father. Don’t think you weren’t. I know that everything you ever did was because you loved me.”
I smile and then he opens his mouth like he is going to say something else but stops. “Hey, don’t hold out on me now. What was that look about?”
He laughs and then bites his bottom lip before taking a deep breath. “Dad, I want to marry Rachel.”
I nod. “Are you sure you want to do that so soon. You two have been through so much. Sometimes when things are…” I stop and stare at him as he looks down again. “You know what?” I ask and he looks up at me. “I think you have wanted to marry her from the get go. And truth be told, I had been with your mother for a week and knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I love her more every single day and I think that you and Rachel have that same kind of love so, not that you need it, but I give you my blessing.”
He is looking at me with a smile that is infectious. “I love her so much, and after everything that happened, I don’t want to waste a single minute being away from her. She is it for me,” he says with determination.
“I understand completely. Have you picked out a ring or decided how you are going to ask her?”
He shakes his head. “Will you help me?”
I laugh and nod. “I would love to help you. It would be an honor.” I tap his leg. “Now, we better head out there or Sally is going to spend the entire meal giving us dirty looks for allowing lunch to get cold.”
He laughs, knowing that is exactly what she will do. We both stand and start walking to the dining room, but before we reach it he stops, and when I look at him he pulls me into a tight hug.
“I love you, Dad,” he whispers and I have to fight back my tears.
“I love you too, Son.”
Epilogue
One year later
“Charles, are you ready?” I hear Estelle ask as she steps out of our bathroom in a beautiful floor length blue dress with flat sandals on.
I nod as I walk up to her. “You look stunning!”
“You look pretty good there too, Grandpa!” She says, running her hand down my tie.
I laugh. “Yes, I still can’t get used to that.”
“If it’s any consolation, you are the sexiest grandpa I have ever seen,” she says with a wink as she passes me, slapping me on the rear.
I grab her as she tries to walk away and pull her back against my chest as I start kissing along her neck. She immediately starts shaking her head as I start pulling her dress up.
“No way, Grandpa,” she says, swallowing hard. “We are not going to be late for Johnny’s baptism. Michael would kill us.” She turns around in my arms and leans up, kissing me softly. “Later, I promise.”
I lay a gentle kiss on her lips. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I know you will,” she says with a smirk.
I take a breath and as she takes my hand in hers. She leads me out of our room and we head downstairs. The reception for the baptism is being held at our house so it has been transformed with blue ribbons and balloons all over the place, along with various vases holding blue flowers scattered throughout the entire house. There is also a large table set up for all of Johnny’s gifts with a banner that has his name written on it above the table. Yep, as is typically the case, Estelle went overboard. When we get to the bottom of the stairs, Sally comes out of the kitchen and smiles at the two of us but then turns her attention to Estelle.
“Everything will be ready, ma’am.”
Estelle smiles and embraces her. “Thank you, Sally. Are you sure I can’t convince you to come with us. Michael would love to have you there.”
“Oh, I would like to go but I must oversee this. If I left and it wasn’t perfect for everyone’s arrival, I would be devastated.”
Estelle nods. “I understand.” She smiles, knowing that Sally will indeed fret if things are not spectacular when people get here later.
We head out of the house and down to the church where we find Rachel and Michael huddled in the front pew with Beatrice and Mark
on each side of them, while Joseph stands behind Marina as she holds my grandson. They are all talking and laughing as we head to the front of the church to join them. Estelle wastes no time making her way over to give both Michael and Rachel a kiss on the cheek as well as Mark and Beatrice and then makes a bee line straight to Marina, reaching her hands out for Johnny.
“Marina, may I have my grandson?”
“Of course, Estelle,” Marina says with a smile, handing Johnny to her.
I smile and walk over to Mark, tapping him on the shoulder and then giving Michael a hug and doing the same for Rachel, but also offering her a kiss on the cheek. She smiles and takes Michael’s hand. She looks much better. She had a rough delivery with Johnny, actually died for a few moments. She was a little down for several weeks after he was born but was able to snap out of it. She had refused her anti-depressants for the first few months after Johnny was born because she was nursing exclusively, but from what Estelle says, she has recently gotten back on them which seems to be helping. I touch her face softly.
“You look beautiful, Rachel,” I say with a smile.
She grins and pulls her bottom lip into her mouth as Michael draws her close to him. I walk up to Beatrice and give her a kiss and a hug before walking over to Estelle. Estelle is busy cooing and whispering to Johnny. She smiles at me as she moves him so that I can look at him as well. He is wide awake. I smile and run the tip of my fingers along his face. God! He looks exactly like Michael when he was a baby. I lean down and kiss him lightly on the forehead.
“You look just like your father, little man,” I coo to him and he starts giggling.
We sit with the family and visit until the minister comes over to talk to us about what will happen, where Rachel and Michael will stand and where the Godparents will be. Soon people start arriving, friends, coworkers, my parents, Estelle’s parents, even Benny. I am visiting with Elkins, who looks completely uncomfortable, but he’s here. I then glance up, looking towards the entrance of the church and lose my breath. They see me immediately and he smiles as they take a seat in the back pew. I am standing there unable to move. Estelle walks up to me and takes my hand. I look at her confused but she just smiles as she squeezes my hand, leading me to the back of the church. The minute we get close, the three of them stand.
Brothers Forever Page 20
