Chapter Twenty-Seven
Belle
I slept like a baby in his arms. I was in my room getting ready for another new day. Michael was downstairs making breakfast while I got ready. He mostly took the day off, but he said we needed to go to his work to take care of some paperwork. He wanted to add me to his insurance policy, he needed a family account now so when I needed things we would share the account, and he would be getting me a better security clearance and I wouldn’t need the badge anymore. He added that there were additional non-disclosures I had to sign because when we returned home, he had things to tell me that I might not have liked. It didn’t take a genius to figure out Creed’s Lake wasn’t just a domestic violence safe haven. It was hard not to be suspicious. I figured that was what he needed to tell me.
I looked into the full length mirror, feeling satisfied the outfit I chose made me look like a married woman. Now that I knew how to walk in heels I was a bit suspicious I was becoming obsessed. I loved my outfit. It was a purple sweater dress with a silver belt, a black leather jacket, black tights and black high heeled ankle boots. My hair had waves, and I put only the top up in a silver hair clip, and I did my makeup the way Morgan showed me. I was becoming expressive in my appearance for the first time in my life. Morgan gave me so many clothes that I could mix and match however I liked.
I felt like a new woman today. I may have still been a virgin, but I had orgasms. Oh boy, was my mother wrong about sex. I hadn’t even had it yet, but he gave me a good idea of what to expect.
When I walked downstairs, I heard music. As soon as I stepped into the kitchen, Michael pulled me into him, and we danced a little faster than normal as he sang along to the song.
“I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl, my girl, my girl
Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl”
I laughed as he swung me around. “What has gotten in to you?”
“You have to listen to the lyrics, Belle. I just told you in a song.” He was so happy, and his smile lit up the room. He started tickling me, but I couldn’t run in my heels. I never knew it was possible to experience so many small but momentous moments they suddenly made my world brighter than I ever imagined.
He pulled me back in and pecked the tip of my nose.
I scrunched my nose. “Hey, you missed.”
“Guess what else my girl is doing today?” He had me dancing with him again.
“I’m afraid to ask.” I laughed.
“She’s sending in her application to take the teaching exam Indiana requires.”
My heart raced. “Really?”
He nodded. “And she’s applying for an Indiana substitute teaching permit. Creed and Morgan have decided to hire you. Then the Originals voted on it this morning. It was a unanimous yes!”
“No way!” I was so excited I could barely contain myself.
“They received your transcripts and a copy of your Arizona teaching license. You, my dear wife, will be officially hired as soon as you sign some paperwork and fill out a few state applications. Since they are trying to get our school approved as a private learning institute, they have some requirements they have to meet.” I could tell he was as excited as me. “Know what’s going to be hot?”
“What’s that?”
He continued to swing me around the room as he answered. “When all those kids call you Mrs. Axton. You are the sexiest teacher alive, and all those teen boys are going to be so jealous that you have a husband waiting for you at home.”
I got up on my tiptoes and pecked his lips. “You are my husband, Michael. I don’t need a spiritual marriage to know this, and I love being your wife.”
He pecked my lips. “You’re just trying to get in my pants, you naughty girl.”
I threw my head back and laughed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement, so I let go of Michael.
“Stop!” I ordered Koty as he tried sneaking in the door. “Alexa, be quiet.” The music stopped and I glared at my brother. “Where have you been for the last two days?”
Koty looked at my husband for help. “Nope, don’t you look at him for help. Where have you been?”
He was a mess. His hair was unkept and his clothes were all wrinkled and probably dirty. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was out with Josh Magnus.”
I put my hand on my hip. “Josh flew out early this morning with Kayla. I saw him yesterday when he bothered to show up here after our ceremony.”
He shifted on his feet then he looked at Michael again then smiled. “I um, was doing some research. Yeah, and I lost track of time. I was in the library.”
“Creed’s Lake doesn’t have a library, Koty. Fess up.” I waited for an answer.
Suddenly, he pointed at my husband. “It was his idea!”
I looked at Michael and his jaw dropped.
I looked back at Koty. “You’re a grown man.”
He was looking at Michael, so I turned to look at him and I caught him mouthing no and running a line across his throat like his finger was a knife. I crossed my arms as I glared at my husband. “Where was my brother for the last two days?”
Michael swallowed hard. “He umm…Magnus took him to Club X, and he didn’t want to leave when Magnus did.”
I gasped and I looked at Koty. “For two days?”
Koty shrugged his shoulders. “I was making friends.”
“For two days?” I repeated my question.
“I needed clean clothes, so I came home.”
I was so confused.
Michael let out a laugh. “He was having sex, Belle.”
Koty’s eyes grew.
I gasped. “Koty!”
Koty’s face fell in defeat.
I squealed then clapped. “Really? Did you like it? Aww, my brother had his first sex.” I cooed over him.
He scrunched his nose. “Ewe, I’m not talking to my sister about this.” He stormed off to his room.
I turned and looked at my husband and we both burst into laughter.
After breakfast, we headed over to Creed’s Lake. Michael left me with Creed while he went to do something related to motorcycles and claiming me as his old lady. It didn’t seem to be in the plans, but I noticed he wasn’t real happy when several men whistled at me as we walked through the community center. Before he left, I looked at Michael, then Creed, then Michael. “Are you sure the two of you aren’t related?”
Michael laughed. “If that were the case then I’m pissed, because that guy was raised with money, and I didn’t have shit growing up.” There was a resemblance, but they had different colored eyes. Both were blue, but Creed’s was almost turquoise.
Creed seemed as excited as me about the opportunity he was offering. I really wished Michael was with me. I wasn’t sure about the financial aspects. My papa gave me money to buy a bottled water when I went to classes. That was three dollars a day, so I had absolutely no understanding of money. I wasn’t paid for student teaching, and I never visited a store by myself. Either papa or one of my brothers were always with me. I only carried a purse because I had identification and chap stick in it. When I had my period I carried extra panties and a menstruation pad.
“This will be your pay for each day you substitute teach.” He pointed at some numbers.
“Is that good?” I asked.
He tilted his head. “I would hope you’re happy with it.”
I gave him a half smile. “Okay.”
“These are tax forms for your W2’s.” He slid papers in front of me.
I blinked down at the paper, feeling embarrassed. I knew taxes existed, but papa and my brother paid those.
“Belle, do you have any idea what any of this means?” Creed asked.
“This is a bill?”
He shook his head. “It’s about your income tax.”
I blinked at him.
“Belle, do you know how much groceries cost?” Creed asked.
“The cashier tells you, so I don’t know. We went to the commissary the other day, Michael spent a lot. When I went with Heidi they scanned my badge.”
Creed sat back in his chair. “We have a life skills class that Heidi teaches. I think you may benefit from it. They will teach you about budgeting and a few other things that may help.”
I gave him a nod. “Do you know when Michael will be back?”
Creed sighed. “Belle, I know you feel safe with him, but he wants you to have your own freedom and make choices you want, not what he tells you to do. I know that was one of his concerns. He doesn’t want you to stay with him because you’re scared to face the world without him. Let’s not put any doubts in his head. You and I both know how you feel about him, so I’ll help you with this paperwork then send Heidi a referral so. I think Michael will be proud of you for taking the initiative to learn how to live without him. How does that sound?”
I nodded, pushing me embarrassment down and keeping my emotions in check. “Thank you.”
“Please don’t feel embarrassed. I know what kind of life you’ve been given. I saw your college transcripts and you have a brilliant mind. You’ll learn fast and probably won’t need many classes. If you have any questions or if you need anything, please let me know.” He patted my shoulder. “We’re a family here, and you happen to be my best friend’s wife and that makes you my family. Everything is going to work out for you and Koty. I promise. In fact, Koty will soon start some job shadowing to explore different career options. I can promise you one thing, if you get part of that inheritance or not, Axton will take care of you. That’s what he does, he takes care of all of us. He solves problems because that’s what he’s best at doing.”
I tilted my head. “But, who takes care of him and helps solve his problems?”
He stared at me as his eyes began to water. “That’s a question I’ve been asking myself a lot since yesterday. That man has saved more lives than any of us here. It wasn’t long ago he…” He paused and took a deep breath. “Let’s just say I made it home to my girls in one piece because of Axton. It took me twelve years to ask myself that, and it only took you a few days. I think maybe that’s why you’re here, he needs you as much as you need him.” He looked away and sniffled. “I now realize the man so many people thought was grouchy and too focused, is really just a result of a child that always just needed someone to love and care for him, instead of him taking care of everyone else.” He wiped a tear from his eye and took a deep breath. “I think Morgan’s pregnancy hormones are contagious. Let’s get this done so I can get you back to your husband sooner than later.”
He explained the form as he helped me fill it out. Then he explained that once I’m teaching full time, he would put me on a salary. Since I didn’t have a bank account, and many DV victims didn’t either, they had a system created that allows their pay to be direct deposited in their Creed’s Lake account, but since mine was joint with Michael, he created a separate one that would save my pay until after lockdown so I could start a bank account on my own. He also explained that I didn’t need to worry about health insurance because Michael was going to fill out the forms to add me to his. After that, he took me to another room and had me lay my hand on a scanner. He was setting up my new security clearance and adding my palm print to the system to add it to Michael’s account. I appreciated Creed’s help and understanding. It was obvious that he was a very good man that cared deeply for others.
We met Michael at the mess hall and as soon as he saw me he smiled. “There’s my girl.” He wrapped me into a hug then kissed my temple. “Did Creed get you squared away?”
I nodded against his chest then looked up at him. “I get to job shadow Morgan starting tomorrow, but then it’s Christmas break, but Creed is getting my permit pushed through so I can take over her school aged classes when classes start up again. I have to take an assessment just like Morgan did, and also a CPR class, but then I can apply for my license. I already met the rest of the requirements, and it should only take a few months at most. I should have my substitute teaching permit before the end of break.”
“That’s great news, Belle.” I could see he was genuinely happy for me.
“I can’t wait to teach their hungry little minds.”
He pecked my lips. “They’re some lucky kids to have you and Morgan as their teachers.”
“Guess what else?” I was excited to tell him.
“What else?”
I pecked his lips again. “Creed said as soon as the lockdown is lifted, I can go to the social security office with our marriage certificate and change my name. He also said I can drive inside Creed’s Lake to learn and eventually get my learners permit.”
“How about we start by learning how to drive the side by side, then we’ll graduate to my car?”
I tilted my head. “You have a car?”
He chuckled. “It’s an old junker but I couldn’t make myself get rid of it. It was my first car, and I appreciated finally having it. Then, when you get your license we can go car shopping. Maybe it’s time I let go of it and trade it in for something new.” He pecked my lips again. “The guys are holding two spots for us at their table for lunch.”
Axton
After we got home, I grabbed what I needed and met Belle downstairs in the movie room. She curled up in my lap and I held on to her.
“I have a lot to tell you, Belle. I just hope what I have to say doesn’t give you second thoughts about our relationship. It’s a lot to absorb, but I think you need to know a few things.”
“I highly doubt there’s anything that could change the way I feel about you. These feelings are as natural as breathing. Speaking of that, I want to say thank you for that.”
I tilted my head. “Thank you for what?”
She pecked my lips. “Affection and emotional expression were frowned upon during my upbringing. My mama would peck my cheek or my hand when nobody was looking, though. With you, I feel free to express myself and it’s natural to do so. I can be happy, sad, scared, and probably even angry and it doesn’t feel wrong. But I need to ask you a favor.”
“Anything for you, Belle.”
She tapped her chin. “How do I word this?” She thought about it. “Okay, here I go.” Her eyes met mine. “I know Creed is your best friend. I also know from what I’ve overheard, that you like your privacy, so I want to be more than just the girl you’re dating while we are just legally married. I want to be friends too. I’ve never really had a friend to confide in, and with Koty I couldn’t tell him everything that burdened me. The threat of a punishment for my thoughts alone kept me from telling him that I wanted to leave papas church. Men could have desires, and they had sponsors to help them through it, but our religion believed that it was unnatural and possibly evil for a woman to have them. There have been women who successfully managed to slip out of the gates and have affairs with men they claimed to have loved but they wouldn’t leave their children behind. When they got caught, they were placed with an elder and held in a bedroom where papa and the elders tried to exorcise the lustful demon from them. If they saw the exorcism wasn’t working they were deemed mentally unfit and were sent up north so they couldn’t poison their children’s minds. Michael, I had desires that were far from innocent and even Koty would have been disgusted.”
“That’s terrible, Belle.” I hated that she had to live that way.
“There is another part of friendship I never got to experience and that’s being the one person above all that someone very special could confide in and know their thoughts and feelings are safe. I don’t want to just be the girl that’s absolutely insane for you. I want to be the girl that is here to listen, and if necessary catch you if you fall. If your pieces fall apart, I want to help you put them back together again.”
My heart raced. “You would like to take care of me?”
She nodded. “And I want you to take care of me. I want to you to feel as safe with me as I do you.”
I studied her eyes as I brushed my thumb back and forth on her cheek. She must have talked to Creed, and he mentioned that it was time someone took care of me. He said it more than I cared to hear over the last day, but I saw the sincerity in her eyes, and I was convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that she meant it. Had God decided I paid enough dues, and he rewarded me with this amazing person I was absolutely insane over? My lips moved closer to hers. “I am absolutely head over heels crazy about you, Mrs. Axton.” My lips met hers and she opened hers for me just before my tongue swept against hers.