Just One Year

by Ward, Penelope

  “Okay, Dad. I promise I won’t hesitate to come back.”

  Shelley was full-on bawling when we embraced. “I love you, Teagan.”

  “I love you, too, Shell Belle.”

  During our hug, I reached into my pocket and took out something I’d bought her. It was the same bracelet she’d given me, except in her favorite metal, gold.

  “Now we have the same bracelets to always look down and think of each other.”

  She placed it around her wrist. “Thank you, Teagan. I wanted to buy myself one when I got yours, but I couldn’t afford it.”

  I jingled the charm on my matching bracelet. “Thank you for mine. I’ll wear it all the time.”

  “Me, too,” she said as we hugged again.

  I blew my family one last kiss before walking through the sliding glass doors. As I made my way up the escalator to the gate, butterflies swarmed in my belly. It was just me now. Wow. I’m really doing this.

  ***

  After I made it through customs at Heathrow, I looked around frantically for signs of Caleb.

  When I finally found him, he was holding a bouquet of...I wasn’t sure. What is that?

  We rushed forward as if in a race to get to each other.

  Caleb wrapped his arms around me before I could figure out what he was holding. Not that it mattered. I wanted to be wrapped up in him like this forever. His familiar smell engulfed me, and he squeezed me so hard, I thought I might break. It felt so good to be in his arms again.

  “I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for a year,” he said against my ear.

  When he finally let me go, I got a look at what he was holding.

  I covered my mouth. “Oh my goodness. What did you do?”

  “It’s a charred marshmallow bouquet.” He flashed a crooked smile.

  He’d wrapped a purple ribbon around a bunch of toasted marshmallows on sticks.

  “That has to be the most creative thing I’ve seen in a long time.”

  “Only the best for you, my love.”

  He handed me the bouquet before pulling me in for a deep kiss. We stood for an indeterminate amount of time in the middle of the crowded airport, sucking face, completely oblivious to the crowd of people around us.

  “Can I tell you something?” he whispered.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m so fucking nervous.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want things to be absolutely perfect for you here, and I know they won’t be.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I want you to be comfortable. Our flat is small, Teagan. It’s nothing like your house back home.”

  “Please don’t worry about that. You know it doesn’t matter to me.”

  “I know. I’m just not sure you realize how different things are going to be.”

  Unsure how I could convince him, I spoke louder. “I don’t care about that, Caleb. I came here for you, not for the roof over my head or anything else. I don’t want anything but you.”

  He let out a long breath before reaching over to place one more kiss on my lips. I’d thought I’d never be with him like this again. That seemed unfathomable now.

  ***

  Caleb’s neighborhood in Stratford was really cute. It was a market town with over eight-hundred years of history and happened to be where William Shakespeare was born. It was apparently easy to get to and from London from where he lived. The downside was that it wasn’t the safest area at night. Caleb made it clear he wouldn’t trust me walking alone after dark. I wanted to tell him his concerns were probably unwarranted, but then again, I hadn’t listened to Maura when she’d warned me about Syd’s Theater and look what happened.

  Caleb and Poppy’s second-floor apartment was inside a narrow brick house. My heart pounded as Caleb helped me carry my bags up the stairs to their place.

  As soon as the door opened, Caleb’s mother came rushing toward us.

  “My goodness, you’re back faster than I thought. I wanted to put some makeup on.” She reached out to me. “Teagan, welcome.”

  As we hugged, I said, “It’s so amazing to finally meet you, Mrs. Yates.”

  “Please call me Poppy,” she said.

  Caleb looked a little nervous as he stood with his hands in his pockets, observing my interaction with his mother.

  A few moments of awkward silence ensued as his mother took me in. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

  Stupid American girl?

  Boy, I would think my son could do better?

  So, this is the girl who wanted to steal my son and keep him in the US?

  Then she finally said, “I can see why my son is so smitten with you. You’re absolutely lovely.”

  Caleb smiled over at me. I didn’t know what to say, but relief flooded through me.

  “The feeling is mutual,” I said. “And you’re lovely as well.”

  “I made some lunch, if you’re hungry,” she said.

  The only thing I was really hungry for at this point was Caleb. But given that we were now home with his mother, I had no clue when we would be able to properly “reunite.” But I knew I should eat, and there was no way I could refuse her offer.

  “Lunch sounds wonderful.”

  I followed Caleb and his mother into the small kitchen. A large pot of something was boiling on the stove. Through a window leading out to a fire escape I could see a clothing line with various shorts and shirts blowing in the wind. Then next to the sink was the washer.

  “There’s the famous kitchen washing machine I’ve heard so much about.”

  His mother seemed confused. “What’s that?”

  “Mum, would you believe in the States they have a designated room for laundry? It’s brilliant.”

  She laughed. “I hope being here isn’t a rude awakening for you, Teagan.”

  “Your place is cozy and intimate. I spend most of my time down in my basement bedroom back home anyway, so this is just my speed.”

  Caleb seemed unable to stop staring at me. I, of course, noticed this because I couldn’t stop staring at him.

  When his mother turned to tend to the soup, he mouthed, “I want you.”

  He looked ready to devour me, which caused a stir in my body.

  “I want you, too,” I whispered, certain my face must have turned fifty shades of red with his mother right there.

  She interrupted our flirting when she approached the table holding two steaming bowls.

  “Smells delicious.”

  “It’s my mum’s famous potato and leek soup.”

  “I can’t wait to try it.”

  After we finished the wonderful soup, Caleb’s mother boiled some tea and put out cookies. She was doing everything in her power to make me feel comfortable, which I appreciated.

  The topic of conversation turned serious during our tea, though.

  “You’ve come an awfully long way, Teagan—uprooted your life. That’s a testament to how much you truly care for my son.”

  “There’s no place I would rather be,” I told her. “Caleb made a huge impression on my life in a short amount of time—not only in what he taught me about appreciating what I have, but the way he’s persevered through many tough things, always wearing a smile when I know it’s not always easy for him.”

  His mom nodded. “It’s been a tough year in this house. My husband and I are estranged for the first time in years, and Caleb going to rehab was not something we saw coming. It’s been very hard. But seeing the look on his face when he found out you were coming to England—that’s something I’ll never forget.”

  I reached for Caleb’s hand under the table. “Thank you for sharing that. It only solidifies for me that being here is right. All he had to do was ask, honestly.”

  I hadn’t expected to feel so at home here, and I must have been more relaxed than I realized as a huge yawn overtook me.

  “You must be tired from the trip,” Poppy noted.

  “Yeah, I definitely am.”

&nb
sp; I had no idea where I was going to be sleeping. Caleb and I hadn’t discussed it. The apartment was small, so there weren’t a lot of choices.

  I decided to bite the bullet. “Where will I be sleeping?”

  Caleb looked at his mother and back at me. “With me.”

  “We don’t have a lot of space,” Poppy added. “And I’m not born yesterday and thinking having Caleb sleep on the couch will change anything that happens when I’m not here.” She smiled. “Just be careful and hold my boy at night if he has a nightmare.”

  Wow. “I promise I will.”

  When I started to clean up, Poppy shooed me away.

  “You go rest. I’ve got this. You’ll have plenty of time to help over the next six months.” She winked.

  Caleb took me by the hand and led me to his room, which was thankfully on the opposite side of the house from his mother’s bedroom. That would make things a little less awkward.

  The décor in Caleb’s room was simple, and it was clean. Like in his room back in Boston, he had workout equipment lying around. The window that overlooked the street was cracked open. The bed was full-sized with a gray blanket on top, and a burgundy throw rug lay on the floor.

  Caleb sat down on his bed and gestured for me to come toward him. He buried his face in my abdomen, kissing softly over my shirt before lifting it off of me and returning his mouth to the bare skin of my stomach.

  “I’ve missed this body so much.” The feel of his words vibrating against my skin sent shockwaves through me.

  Looking down at the massive bulge straining in his jeans, I felt the muscles between my legs twitch in anticipation. I couldn’t wait to feel him inside of me again.

  Caleb continued to slowly undress me, taking his time as much as I wanted him to hurry.

  “We need to be very quiet,” he whispered.

  The last thing I wanted was his mother to hear us having sex. It was bad enough she knew damn well what was going on in here. But nothing could have stopped me from needing to have him right now.

  When Caleb lowered my pants, he noticed my lacy underwear. He’d never seen me in something like that, but I’d bought them in case I ended up in this very situation upon arrival.

  “Fuck, Teagan. Are you trying to kill me right here and now with these knickers?”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and unbuckled his pants before pulling them off, along with his underwear. His beautiful, hard cock sprung free. It glistened at the tip, so ready. I had the urge to lick it, so I knelt and took him into my mouth.

  Caleb let out the sound of starvation being satisfied, a low, sexy groan. “Fuuuuck,” he added after a moment. “You need to stop that.”

  I knew if I continued, he would come, so I let him go, because I really needed him inside of me.

  I marveled at his perfect body, which was even more carved than before. I still couldn’t believe he was mine. When I’d first met Caleb, he’d seemed so out of my league, the idea of being with him like a dream.

  He flipped me around and rested his weight over me. We’d had sex several different ways in the past, but Caleb seemed to like being dominant, which made that my favorite position, too.

  He spread my legs and pushed inside of me slowly until he was balls deep.

  The sound I made must have been a little too loud, because he placed his mouth over mine. “Shh, baby. Shhh.”

  “Sorry,” I whispered.

  Caleb began to move slowly. It was intense, and I could tell he wanted to move faster and harder, but the bed would most definitely have made too much noise. Having to hold back was excruciating. With every thrust into me, I wanted him more and more, harder and harder. After I started to grind my hips a certain way, Caleb lost control.

  “Shit,” he groaned, and I felt his warm cum spill inside of me. “Christ. I love you, Teagan. I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too,” I said as an orgasm ripped through me.

  It was the first time he’d told me he loved me in person, and with that, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  * * *

  CALEB

  Waking up to the sight of Teagan in my bed was definitely weird—but in a good way. She’d been absolutely knackered last night, so I quietly got up without waking her to let her sleep in.

  My mother was in the kitchen, sipping tea as I entered.

  “Morning, Mum.” I scratched the scruff on my chin.

  She set her cup down. “How are things?” Her expression held a bit of a smirk.

  It was definitely awkward as fuck that she knew Teagan and I had been shagging in there last night. But I suppose the sooner we got used to this arrangement, the better.

  Still, I couldn’t quite make eye contact. “Things are good.”

  “She’s very sweet. I look forward to getting to know her better—without smothering her. Don’t worry. I remember what you said about her needing her space. Lord knows we don’t have a lot of it. I’ll let her come to me.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate that.”

  Sitting down, I grabbed one of the breakfast biscuits my mother had baked and poured some tea from the pot on the table.

  As happy as I was that Teagan was here, we had a lot to work out. I was set to re-enroll in classes this autumn, and she needed to find work, or at least something to keep her busy while she was here.

  One of my uncles owned a flower shop and had promised a job for her. That was far from exciting, but at least it would be something. I prayed she didn’t resent the fact that I was returning to school while she couldn’t right now. She’d essentially hung her life up for a while to be with me, and I hoped she didn’t regret that.

  There was also something else bothering me, something I’d been keeping from her. I didn’t know when the right time to divulge it would be. Now was too soon. She hadn’t even acclimated to being here yet. At the same time, it couldn’t wait too long.

  “Are you stressed?” my mother asked. “Just take it one day at a time. She came for you, not for any other reason.”

  “I still struggle sometimes, Mum—feeling like I don’t deserve to be happy.”

  She nodded. “It’s hard to break out of the habit of destructive thinking. Maybe you need to stop worrying about whether you deserve something and just accept it as a gift.”

  “What if I slip up again?”

  “You mean start drinking?”

  “Anything—push her away, start drinking again, just mess up somehow. She came all this way. I don’t want to fuck it all up.”

  “You realize that questions starting with what if are futile, don’t you?”

  I blew out a breath. “Yeah.”

  My mother had been so supportive. I knew it wasn’t easy for her to be living away from my father after all these years, and wondered if it was only a matter of time before he ended up back home again. That was definitely not something I wanted while Teagan was living with us.

  “Do you think you and dad will work things out?”

  My mother looked away. “Over the past few months, I’ve learned it’s possible to love someone and not be able to have them in your lives. Things were toxic for so long, and I’d just accepted it. Deep down, your father has a good heart, but he doesn’t know how to deal with his own child. And to be frank, you’re more important to me than he is.” She sighed. “There are lots of other things that made it impossible to live with him, too—like the way he treated me. So right now, I think it’s best if things stay the way they are.”

  My mother’s happiness mattered to me more than my own, more than anything. If she was happier with my father not living here, I needed to accept that—and perhaps be grateful for it.

  “It’s a new era for us, Caleb.” My mother reached across the table for my hand. “You know it’s okay if you’re not perfect, right? Even if you handle things wrong from time to time, as long as you treat the people you love with respect, most of the time they won’t leave if they love you back.
Your father stopped respecting me. And that’s why I had to leave him.”

  I nodded. “Understood.”

  It made me proud that my mother had the courage to stand up to him.

  After I drank my tea, I went back to my room to see if Teagan was still asleep. To my surprise, she was standing in the middle of the hallway, wrapped in a towel after having apparently come from the shower. Water droplets streamed down her arms, and her hair was damp. I wanted to rip the towel off of her, but that wouldn’t have been wise.

  She’d been standing in front of a photo of Emma and me taken when we were toddlers. My mother had taken down most of the photos of Emma over the years so as not to upset me. But as part of my most recent therapy, we’d been advised to put some back up.

  Teagan held her towel closed over her breasts as she continued looking at the photo. “I’d never seen her before.”

  I placed my hands on her shoulders as I stood behind her.

  Expelling a long breath, I said, “That’s my beautiful sister, Emma Louise.”

  She reached up to touch my hand.

  My mother came down the hall to get to her room and saw us standing there.

  “You’ve found my Emma,” Mum said. “She’s our little angel, always guiding us.”

  Teagan turned to my mother. “She was so beautiful.”

  I swallowed, feeling the pain creep up my throat to choke me. I tried my best to stay strong.

  “Caleb normally refuses to look at any photos of her. I think you being here is giving him strength, Teagan.”

  My mother patted me on the back before continuing toward her room.

  Taking Teagan’s hand, I led her into our room. Our room. That still sounded strange.

  Closing the door, I prompted her to lie down next to me. Still wrapped in her towel, she curled into my arms.

  “For years, we couldn’t have Emma’s photos out. It was too much for me. But recently we put them back up, and I’ve been dealing with it, but I haven’t actually looked at her face until just now.” I kissed the top of her head. “My mother is right. Having you here is so good for me. It’s the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”