Something New
Creed
I didn’t want to upset her, but I was freaking the hell out. I couldn’t believe I did that to her, but damn it was hot. She felt so damn good I couldn’t stop myself. I had never been so lost in sex my whole life. Her skin was like silk, she tasted like honey and vanilla, she was so damn tight and wet it was unbelievable.
Addie was holding my hand and showing me each fruit tree she helped Morgan plant, and my mind was back in that laundry room. What if I left and she faced pregnancy by herself? What if she miscarried? What if she had it and she regretted it? I made that one leave my thoughts. She sure as hell wouldn’t walk out on her own kid if she was adopting Addie and restarting her entire life.
What would I do if she was offered a script she couldn’t turn down? The thought of another man touching her angered me to no end.
“Dat one makes apples.” Addie pointed at the small tree.
“Maybe Auntie Morgan can make us some pies.” I tried to make it seem like I was listening, but my mind was out of control.
Did I regret it? Not one little bit. If she was pregnant then so be it, but my God that was so damn dumb. I’d do it again though, damn there was no way to avoid it. I didn’t just want her again I needed her. I would have stayed in that tight and warm place for hours if it were possible. That certainly wasn’t how I imagined it happening, but I wouldn’t trade that memory for anything. She had my blood running so hot, and holy shit when I came I could have sworn I saw stars.
I looked down at Addie who shocked me when she let go of my hand and bent over to pick a dandelion. Ever since she came home she had to either be in my arms or holding my hand.
“Mommy day make a wish.” She blew on it and all the white little seeds went flying in the air to pollute our yard with more weeds.
I chuckled. “I hope it was a good wish.”
She nodded real big. “It was a big one.” She took my hand, and we walked to the lake.
“Addie, I need you to listen to me. You can never come down here without a grown up. Okay?”
“Otay.”
Morgan went to take a shower and then to finish up dinner, so we had a little time yet. I sat on the end of the dock and let my legs dangle and pulled Addie down to my lap so I could hold her. I breathed in the fresh air and looked around the lake. It was calming, but nothing like coming home to the best two girls in the world. I shut my eyes and kissed the top of Addie’s little head and thanked God for their respite. I never felt that way before, it was a mixture of appreciation and contentment. I didn’t fuck Morgan, it was something else. Something that was precious and held more meaning than anything else in my life. I had one hell of a shit day, then came home and experienced the best moments of my life so far. Damn, I spent my whole life trying to find some sort of meaning to it. Trying to change the world when the world I needed to change was much smaller, it was my own personal world that was always missing something.
When I built our house, it was meant for all of the Originals. It was a temporary place, and I offered it to Granger once the other homes were ready. We all lived there for about a year, then of course I was called back up. I had plans for a much smaller place for myself. My place and the commissary were the first buildings on Creed’s Lake. We all lived at my place and the commissary was our headquarters. Then I paid for each one of the Originals houses and they pay rent, but Granger wanted a place of his own. I allowed him to build and pay for the house of their dreams. Other than myself, he was the only other one that owned his place. I owned the land just so I was the only one that could buy his house if they ever left Creed’s Lake. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to make an investment for his family. He was proud of what he built for them. None of the Originals wanted my place, they said it was too big. I never dreamed for a moment it would become a home someday. If things went the way I hoped, I would need all the space it offered. For the first time in my life, I wanted a family of my own.
My place was just my place until Morgan came along. Then it somehow felt like home. She made it feel warm and inviting. The smell of her cooking and baking when I had a long day at work made it feel perfect. Then I would lay my eyes on her and I knew it was home.
Maybe I was still euphoric from being inside her earlier. I didn’t know if that was what caused it, but my mind took me to places it always avoided in the past. Daydreams of coming home to a pregnant wife and a happy and playful kid felt like all I ever wanted.
Addie gasped. “Look!” She pointed out to a speedboat that was pulling a water skier.
“Those are a few of my friends and you’ll meet them later.” It was Snyder and Combs.
That sight warmed my heart. Those two men were prisoners of war just a few short years prior. They went from malnourished and beaten men to strong, healthy, and living full lives because of what was offered on the lake. We changed their lives, and they saw this place as heaven, just like me, but I forgot to enjoy it somewhere along the way.
“Can I do dat?” Addie asked.
“Yes, but I think it’ll be a tube for now. You’ll have to ride with Auntie Morgan.”
“Today?” She looked back at me with huge excited eyes.
“Its probably too late today, but maybe tomorrow. I have one more day off and maybe we can do something fun.” Yeah, like I really had a day off. I had a half a mind to turn my phone off the next day.
She squealed and clapped her hands. “Yay!”
“We can ask Auntie Morgan here in a little bit. Speaking of Auntie Morgan, we better get cleaned up for dinner.”
I was right, when we made our way up to the house Morgan was setting the table. “It smells amazing.” I kissed her cheek. “What are we having?”
I wrapped my arms around her from behind and as unbelievable as it was, Addie went to the bathroom by herself.
“Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy with mixed vegetables and homemade yeast rolls.”
I rested my chin on her shoulder. “You amaze me.”
She giggled. “Why, because I enjoy cooking?”
“Because it seems to me there isn’t anything you can’t do. You can sing, dance and I do expect one of your private dances later, you’re an amazing actress, you can stand your own against an arrogant prick biker, bake a mean pie, make a little girl feel at home and safe.” I whispered the next one in her ear. “Give one hell of a blow job.” I chuckled when I noticed her cheek turn red. “Make any warm blooded male fall to your feet, and you are as tough as nails. Oh, and you’re making me fat.”
She laughed.
“Auntie Morgan! We’re going on a boat!” Addie came running in as she was still pulling her shorts up.
“A boat?” Morgan whispered.
I nodded as I tried not to laugh at Addie. She had her little rainbow underwear all bunched up over the bottom of her shirt and her shorts were rolled on the top. She pushed her glasses up and I swear I never saw such a cute kid in my life. The curly pigtails just topped it all off.
“The big guy day so.” She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose again.
“Addie, did you wash your hands?” Morgan asked.
Addie tapped her chin as if she was contemplating telling the truth or lying. “Nope.”
Good girl.
“Come on, let me help you.” Morgan took her hand, and they walked away. I watched as Addie pulled a wedgie out of her little butt and laughed to myself as I shook my head. There was no way a cuter kid ever existed.
I finished setting the table and then my damn phone rang. “Yeah?” I answered.
“Its all over.” Axton said.
“What do you mean? What’s over?”
He sighed. “It was a pulmonary embolism. He died about a half hour ago.”
“Shit!”
“The parents of the girl want to wait. They think time and prayer may save her.” He sighed. “The doctors don’t think she has any chance of ever waking up. They’re running tests, but they think she could have little to no brain function.”
“What about McLaughlin’s next of kin?” I asked.
“He has a great aunt listed. She lives in…let me see.” He paused. “The mountains of West Virginia.”
“Well, find out what she wants to do, and we will make the arrangements. Call Steph and have her start the calls to let everyone know. We will cover the arrangements, whatever the aunt wishes. Make it happen. Thanks for the call, but I think I’m turning my phone off until Friday. You were right and I need this time with them. If there’s a dire emergency, send over a prospect. I’m taking the girls out on the boat tomorrow.”
“Good for you. I will send out a mass text to let everyone know you’re off the grid and not taking calls.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it, Axton. Please give his aunt my condolences and I think that’s all we can do for now.” Unfortunately, it would sound horrible, but it was probably what McLaughlin would have wanted. The mind can only take so much. He already had trauma from a shitty childhood, the war, and the death of a girlfriend. Then to add paralysis, a prison term, and the guilt of what he did, it would have been too much. His girlfriend died from cancer years ago and he was deployed at the time. He was already a tormented man.
“What’s wrong?” I heard Morgan behind me, and I turned to look at her. Then it hit me, she probably knew the girl. Wait, her sister didn’t call?
“Have you heard from Savannah?” I asked.
She tilted her head then her eyes grew. She patted her back pockets. “Where’s my phone?” She looked around. “Oh my gosh, I haven’t had it all day.”
I looked around and spotted that cream phone case in the corner of the cabinets by the paper towels. I pointed at it. “That was there last night when Addie and I had cookies. It’s probably dead by now.”
“I must have left it down here last night?” She went toward it as Addie once again hugged on to my leg.
“Wait, let’s have dinner first. Here, I’ll even turn mine off.” I powered mine off.
“Okay, but why did you ask if I heard from Savannah?”
“Your sister is perfectly fine, in fact so is your entire family. Maybe after dinner call your sister, okay?” I didn’t want Addie to worry.
Dinner was fantastic. Addie even giggled a few times when I reached over and tickled her. After dinner, I told Morgan to go call Savannah and Addie and I would clean up.