Love Finds A Way

24

"I CAN'T believe he cheated on your sister!" Angie argues, as they wait for the commercials to finish. Blue already fell asleep within the first ten minutes of the movie.

"Not my sister. It's just a show," Bethany responds. I slip onto the couch next to Bethany, and kiss her cheek.

"And on the first episode? No wonder Kali needs her little sister," Angie shakes her head.

Bethany intertwines our fingers, "her name's actually Saskia, and she doesn't seem to need anyone," Bethany narrows her eyes at me, "but my girlfriend over here."

My eyes widen. Damn, I wish I never told her about that.

"Wait, what?" Angie's jaw drops.

Bethany smiles deviously, while I give her the look, "she has a crush on Xiomara," I suck in a breath and shrug. It hasn't been a problem, thankfully. And Saskia seems to have moved on. At least she hasn't broached the topic again.

"Don't they all know that you two are dating?" We haven't introduced ourselves as a couple to everyone. But, of course, they know. We arrive to work at the same time, and most days, Bethany waits for me, so that we can leave together.

"Yeah, but this hot piece of ass has the panties dropping wherever she turns," Bethany says. I find that unlikely, and a gigantic exaggeration. If she noticed the way people look at her when we enter a room, she'd realize how much attention she receives.

I scoff, "you're the young, hot one. Why would anyone look at me when they can look at you instead?"

She shakes her head, and pinches my side, "you're beautiful. Don't sell yourself short."

"Shut up you two. The show's back on," Angie grumbles. I sink into Bethany's arms, as she plays with my hair, and looks intently at the screen. I'm feeling extremely content, if only my kids could understand how happy she makes me.

IT'S ONE of those nights when it's difficult to open my eyes. Even when there's loud banging coming from outside of the house. Maybe it's just some dogs fighting, or... I'm too tired to even think.

My eyes shoot open, and I'm startled awake. I jump up, and grab my baseball bat, "who the fuck is that?" I look through the window, only to see darkness. I squint my eyes, and notice a vehicle parked in my driveway, but can't make out whose it is.

"Xiomara?" I hear Bethany's voice, and immediately turn, baseball bat in hand, and my eyes wider than the Amazon River, "uh—"

I place it back beside my nightstand, and crawl into bed, "you scared me," she closes the door, and turns on the light. That's when I nearly have a heart attack, "what happened to your hair?" She cut it all off! I grab the sheet, and pull it against my chest. It's shorter than Christopher's now!

"I got a haircut," she slips into bed, and begins to take off her clothes. She usually pops up when her aunt decides to take Blue for a sleepover at her place, and I can't say that I mind at all. But my hair! I loved her long hair.

"But, but—" I nibble on my bottom lip.

"Don't tell me that you only like girls with long hair?" She moves closer to me, in only her bra and panties, "don't I still make you feel things that no one else has?" She whispers against my ear, and I shudder. Yeah, the haircut hasn't affected my attraction for her, in the slightest.

"It's just," I run my fingers through the short curls, "you're still my gorgeous girlfriend," I place a kiss on her forehead, and she pulls me in for a kiss on my lips.

"Good. Now why were you going to beat me up with that baseball bat?"

The answer is pretty simple—in case someone breaks in, "there's something that I haven't told you. Gosh, the kids don't even know," I lean back, and she rests her head against my chest. Having her close always comforts me, "when I was in college, I went to this party—" I pause for a moment. She looks at me patiently, and also grips my side, showing her support, "spiked drink, a dark room, you know where I'm going with this."

She sits up, and I can see that look in her eyes. The look that says it all—I'm a victim of sexual abuse.

"Baby," I flinch when she touches my cheek, but I lean into the warmth of her palm, and she pulls me in for a hug, "that must have been awful," I wipe a tear away, and inhale deeply.

"Remember the whole, my kids would have gotten another sibling thing?"

"That's why you had an abortion?" I nod and she cups my cheeks, brushing a few tears away with the pads of her thumbs. I don't know why I'm crying, but it still hurts like a bitch.

"Can you just hold me?" I breathe in, and grasp her with my arms, needing her more than ever in this moment.

"Yes," it's nice that I've opened up to her like this, but it makes me feel more vulnerable than I can handle, "I won't let go, I promise."

"READ ME bedtimes, pwease?" I stretch my arms, as I sit up on the couch. Bethany's fallen asleep beside me, and Blue's showing off those big, green eyes of his.

"I don't want to wake your mommy," I look at her peacefully sleeping face and smile. I still can't believe that I get to call her mine.

"Okay," he climbs onto the couch, and crawls onto my stomach, before stretching out, and sticking his thumb into his mouth.

"Comfortable?" He nods and closes his eyes. I look between the two of them for a few minutes, enjoying the bond that we've created.

"Your my mommy too?" My eyes flutter towards him, and I'm lost for words. I'm probably more startled than surprised.

"Why do you ask?" I caress his cheek with the pad of my thumb. What am I suppose to tell him?

"I wink Mommy wuvs you. I wuv you," I place a kiss upon his head, and he giggles.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he stays silent for a few minutes, and I assume that he's fallen asleep, because even his breathing has slowed down.

"Mommy?" I check to see if Bethany's awake. Is he referring to me?

"Yes, sweetie?" He hums and snuggles closer.

"I wuv you, Mommy."