Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
The weekend after our wedding, we’d flown down to Palm Beach to pick up our wedding cake one year to the day from when we’d ordered it at the cake testing. The bakery delivered it to our private spot on the beach. We took pictures, fed each other a couple of slices, then transported the rest to a senior center down the road.
Taking Bianca’s hand, I led her down the hall to the music room.
She jumped the second she saw it. “Are you serious?”
“Perfect, right?”
The Liza Minnelli statue finally had a permanent home, as did the Elvis painting from Jay’s apartment. I’d picked up other similar pop culture memorabilia to finish off the space. A baby grand piano sat in the corner along with other musical instruments.
“Finally, a place that makes sense for her.” Bianca laughed.
“Right? It’s like all this time she’s been wandering around, looking for a more meaningful place to sneak up on you for the very last time.” I pointed to the giant painting on the wall. “Elvis is here, too. Did you notice him?”
“This is amazing, what you’ve done with this entire place.”
Pulling her close, I spoke over her lips, “I’m glad I can still impress you, Mrs. Truitt.” I stepped back to take her in. Her nipples were protruding through the black material of her dress. “God, your tits look amazing right now. I feel like I need to suck on them.”
“You compliment my tits every day. What’s any different today?”
“They’re saluting me especially nicely. Not to mention, we’re in that in-between time when you’re not breastfeeding. I get them all to myself for a while.” I bent down to gently kiss over her nipple and spoke into her chest. “Have I mentioned I love your body pregnant?”
“A few times an hour, yes.”
“Can we just keep having babies forever?”
“Who exactly is going to birth these children?”
“Well, I was hoping you would, my Greek goddess.”
She rubbed her four-months pregnant belly. “I think I’m done after this one. Two is good.”
I wrapped my hands around her ass and squeezed. “You said you were done after one.”
“I know…then after I wasn’t pregnant anymore and the heartburn was gone, I changed my mind.”
“Well, then, I’ll just keep hoping that you change your mind ten times over.”
Her eyes widened. “Ten?”
“The truth? If you’d let me…yes. Ten.”
“You’re crazy, but honestly I don’t trust myself not to let that happen, either. There are two main things working against me. One, as soon as I go off the pill, you just look at me and I get pregnant. Two, I can’t resist you. You bat those blue eyes at me, and all I want to do is make you happy.”
“And the problem with this is?” I joked, nuzzling her neck. I had to stop myself before I ended up with a raging hard-on in front of the New York media.
Speaking of the media, Bianca still freelanced part-time for Finance Times but only took local assignments now. Between Georgina and my needy ass, she didn’t have time for much else. She knew I fully supported her going back to work full-time if that was what she really wanted. But what seemed to be making her the happiest as of late was being a wife and mother. I certainly couldn’t complain about having her there when I got home from work. I rarely worked late anymore, too eager to get home to my girls.
I reluctantly gave her one last kiss. “We should get back outside. People will be arriving soon.”
We emerged to find Alex following closely behind our daughter, who was racing around.
“What’s Georgina playing with?” Bianca asked.
“I thought we’d put all of the wooden figures in the display cases,” Alex said. “But it looks like she found one.”
Bianca rushed toward her. “Those aren’t toys. She’s putting it in her mouth.”
“It’s okay. Uncle Jelani wouldn’t mind,” I said. When I took the drool-covered figurine from my daughter, I smiled upon realizing it was the giraffe. The more I thought about it, the more perplexing it was that she even had it. We’d definitely put all of Jelani’s pieces into the glass cases. I’d overseen that process myself. I looked up at the recessed lights on the ceiling for a moment. Hmm. I’d chalk it up to an insoluble mystery even though, deep down, I really wanted to believe that he was here, sending me his blessing.
The local news reporters were beginning to arrive. I eventually took my spot outside, smiling for the cameras alongside my family as we cut the ribbon, marking the grand opening.
Back inside, my father and Myra had just arrived, and I noticed them talking with Alexandra, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere else in the world but there. I made it a point to go over and break the ice until I was dragged away for some interviews.