Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
LYLA
I pull up to the facility before me, or in this case, it’s called a haven. It sits right on the water and is a mixture of holistic and modern medicine where people come to find themselves again.
Jake approached me after my accident with brochures of a place he visited after work one day. After learning about the care my mom was receiving and how far away she was, he insisted we try this place out.
We set up a few Zoom calls with them while I was recovering in bed, and after talking with the doctors and therapists they have on site, I knew it was the right place for her to begin to heal.
It’s only thirty minutes away from us, so I visit her a couple of days a week to see how she’s progressing. Little by little, I see a tiny light in her grow that hasn’t been there since my dad died.
They took her off most of the medication she had been receiving and found the right prescription, along with herbs that work for her body and her depression.
I helped them choose her daily therapy by remembering what she liked before the accident. Everyone has a daily session with a therapist and does yoga, but they can decide what other interests they like.
She loved the garden and would get so excited about a new herb or vegetable that would sprout. She also loved to cook and constantly had her nose in a book or a paintbrush in her hand. She would sit for hours under a tree in our backyard, either painting or reading, while I ran around and played in the yard.
When I visit now, she’s always working in their garden, her hands covered in soil. She hasn’t picked up a book or painted anything, but her bookcase is full, and art supplies are in her room when she’s ready.
I smile at the front desk and get my visitor pass. “Hi, Miss Dorothy.”
“It’s good to see you, Lyla,” she smiles back. She’s old enough to be my grandma, and I love her to pieces. She looks great for her age. She keeps herself busy here and gets her yoga in every day.
Jack enters my mind, and the thought of playing matchmaker has me grinning. They would be perfect together. I might have to bring him with me next time so he can meet my mom and let fate take it from there.
“Somebody is in a good mood,” she laughs at my grinning face.
“I’m just happy to see you.” I’m not about to tell her my plans so she can shut them down. “How is she today?”
“Go see for yourself. She’s down by the water under the tree.” Her eyes twinkle with excitement, and I feel a tiny sliver of hope weave in.
It’s been a week since I’ve seen her. I’ve been working nonstop on orders coming in, so I haven’t had the chance to get here during visiting hours. I will have to hire an assistant soon, or I’ll never be able to keep up. I’ve been having to drive to Clara’s kitchen because it’s taking me twice as long to fill the orders without her big ovens, so that takes up a lot of my time just driving back and forth.
I walk outside, and the salty air hits my skin as I walk by the round umbrella tables they have set up for eating. I smile at a few guests as I walk past the garden and down the hill toward the water.
I spot a couple of volunteers keeping an eye on everyone, but for the most part, everyone is free to do their own thing. Most patients here are temporary and just need the resources to get back on their feet.
Since my business is picking up, I plan on letting her stay for as long as she needs to, and then after that, I’ll find her a place to rent close to us so I can keep an eye on her.
I stop when I see her under the tree. Her hair is softly blowing in the breeze as the brush in her hand strokes against the canvas.
She’s painting again.
As I get closer, I see the different shades of blue blend seamlessly, creating depth and beauty in the ocean scene she is capturing. The sunlight reflects on it, casting tiny diamonds across the surface.
“It’s beautiful, Mom,” I say softly, noticing the details she’s adding to the beach as the waves kiss the sand.
“We always loved taking you to the beach.” She quietly studies the painting, lost in her memories. Sighing, she sets the brush down and pats the chair next to her. A sad look reaches her eyes as she studies me when I sit down.
“I don’t know what happened to me when your dad died. The therapist I see now can explain it better, but the emotional side of me shut down. I was aware of my surroundings, but I wasn’t attached to it. I felt nothing. It was like a light switch went off, and a big part of me never wanted it back because I knew the pain would be waiting for me. ”
Now that I have Jake in my life, I understand more of the pain she must have felt. Just thinking about losing him sends a deep chill throughout my body.
“Once I started taking medication, it became easier to numb myself. I knew I was depressed and checked out, but I didn’t care.”
“They had you on way more meds than you needed, Mom,” I say, shaking my head. “That’s my fault. I trusted Tim to take care of you when I shouldn’t have.”
“It’s not your fault, and I don’t ever want you to blame yourself. I’m the one that’s sorry. I left you to deal with everything because I didn’t have the strength to face reality. I should have fought harder to get better.”
I take her hand in mine and squeeze it tightly. “Everyone deals with trauma differently. It’s not your fault it triggered something inside you. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy again, and from the looks of it,” I smile at her painting, “you are finding your way.”
“It’s taken me a month of being here and a lot of therapy talks, but I’m trying. I’m really trying.” I search her eyes and see a speck of the mom she once was, and that’s all I need to hang onto.
“That’s all I can ask for,” I smile.
I start to speak but hesitate. The therapist who sees my mom said it would help her with the healing process, but I don’t want it to be too much for her.
When Jake stayed with me during my hospital visit, I told him what happened during the accident. He’s the only person I’ve told and shared this special moment with.
“I can tell you have something to say, Lyla. I’m not going to break again. I feel stronger and have the tools I have learned to help process things. My therapist said it’s good to get everything out that we are feeling so it doesn’t snowball inside. ”
I take a deep breath and tell her about the wreck and Tim’s death. I leave out the abuse part for now. She knows he treated me badly, but I don’t want to unload too much on her at once or have her feel guilty that I married him for her.
I may never tell her. It’s in my past now, and I’m right where I’m meant to be. If it had happened any other way, I might not have met Jake, so I’m thankful for what I went through because it led me to him.
“When my heart stopped beating…” I stop to gauge her reaction, looking for any sign that it’s too much for her.
“Go on. It’s okay,” she says, rubbing my hand on her lap.
“When my heart stopped beating, I saw Dad,” I say quietly.
“You saw Sean?” Her eyes blink, and I can’t tell what she’s thinking. “How…,” she stops her sentence and stares off at the water. I give her a moment, hoping I haven’t upset her. “Did he seem happy?” She says, breaking the silence.
“I saw myself lying on the street and felt no pain. I just felt…love. Then I blink, and Dad is with me in a beautiful garden full of flowers of every shape and color. He looked just as handsome as ever, and I could feel how much love was in that place.” I close my eyes briefly as a wave of it rushes over me, causing me to smile.
“He was happy, Mom. Wherever he is…he is happy.”
She swipes at the tears that have fallen and nods her head.
“He had a message for you.” Her eyes shoot to mine as I blink back the tears. There are real emotions staring at me now, emotions that I’ve longed to see again in her eyes. “He told me to tell you that he wants to see you dance again.”
Her hand shoots up to her mouth as her tears flow freely now. She stands up and walks to the tree overlooking the water. Placing her hand on the trunk, she bows her head and cries. Afraid I went too far, I quickly get up and put my arm around her .
“I’m okay, I promise. It’s just…I just miss him so much,” she whispers.
“I know you do,” I say softly. “I don’t think it ever goes away, but you learn to find comfort in new ways of living.”
“I loved cooking for your father,” she sniffs and wipes her eyes. “He probably married me for my cooking,” she softly laughs. “He would always find me in the kitchen with the music turned up, dancing around as I happily made meals for him and then for our family when you arrived.”
“I remember,” I smile, picturing the three of us dancing and laughing together as she mixed ingredients.
“He always would tell me that no matter what life brings our way, he wanted me to promise him that I would never stop dancing.” She wipes her tears again and smiles. “I had forgotten about that promise until now.”
“It’s never too late to keep that promise.” I hug her close to me as she cries softly in my arms.
“I’m going to dance again, my sweet Lyla Rose. For you…and for him.”
“I would love that more than anything,” I whisper, silently thanking my dad for bringing her back to me.
I get out the ingredients for dinner and set them on the counter. My visit with my mom is still playing in my head.
I ended up staying for another hour with her as she finished her painting. We talked about Jake and how I started my own business in his kitchen. When she asked to meet him again, I promised her I would bring him with me next time.
I see my phone sitting on the counter, and a smile starts to play on my lips as I reach for it. I search through Jake’s playlists that he put on my phone and select the one I want. Music flows through the connected speakers as I do what I haven’t done in years.
I dance .
Laughing, I twirl around the kitchen and shake my booty to the beat, feeling freer than I’ve ever felt. I put the chicken and vegetables in the oven to roast, stopping mid-twirl to see Jake leaning against the door frame, watching me with a big smile on his face.
“Don’t stop because of me. I was thoroughly enjoying the dance moves,” he grins, pushing off the frame and walking toward me. He pulls me to him and twirls me before bringing me back to his chest.
I laugh as he joins my dance party, moving about the kitchen. The song turns to a slow one, and our bodies instantly mold together as we start to sway to the music.
“I take it your visit with your mom went well?”
I smile against his chest as I breathe in his familiar scent.
“It went very well. She’s coming back to me, Jake. She was painting today,” I whisper excitedly. “I even told her about seeing my dad, and even though I could tell she was still sad, it didn’t take her under. She’s learning how to live with the pain…she’s learning how to live again.”
“I’m so happy for you, Lyla.” He kisses my hair and runs his hand soothingly down my back. “All I’ve ever wanted since the moment I stared into those lost, beautiful eyes…is for you to be happy.”
“I am.” I put my arms around his neck and lift my gaze to meet his. “You make me happier than I ever thought was possible.” I lower his head to mine for a kiss. My lips part, and he’s diving in on my next breath. Our tongues collide as we deepen the kiss to the next level. His fingers dig into my hair as he grasps my face in his hands.
“How long until dinner is done,” he pulls back, panting .
“Forty minutes.”
“That’s enough time to make you scream twice,” he grins, throwing me over his shoulder and walking me to the bedroom.
Now that summer is over and we have the house to ourselves again, we’ve fully taken advantage of our alone time while Miles is on the road. Even though I had the best time getting to know his family more and meeting all their friends at our Fourth of July party we held, it’s been nice to get back into our normal routine and have him all to myself.
Giggling, I enjoy the view of his gorgeous ass before he throws me on the bed.
“What does my little hummingbird want tonight?” He grins wickedly before removing his shirt. The little bird on his chest comes into view, and I can’t help the wave of possessiveness that flows through me, knowing he’s mine.
Suddenly, I get an idea. I sit up on my knees and remove the black sundress I’m wearing, leaving me in my lace bra and matching panties. His eyes darken as I unfasten the clasp and remove the last of my clothing.
“If you want to know what I want…” I slide my hands over my breasts and squeeze them. His eyes are locked on me as I touch myself. “You’re going to have to catch me first,” I say, scrambling off the bed and running out the cottage doors.
“Oh, sweet Lyla,” he chuckles, following me out the door. “Don’t you know by now that catching you is my favorite game?”
I eye him from the other side of the pool. It’s dark outside except for the stars and the crescent moon. The sound of the ocean can be heard in the distance as the waves lap onto the shore. Adrenaline shoots through my body as I watch him remove his shoes and the rest of his clothes.
“There’s no place you can run that I won’t find you, little hummingbird.” His smooth voice filters into the air and wraps around me. His body is rock hard as I wander down his chest and lower abs before taking in the part of him that’s begging for me. I meet his greys again, and he’s eying me carefully, anticipating my next move.
I dive into the pool, and the cool water instantly soothes my heated skin. When I finally break the surface on the shallow end, I’m pulled back into a brick wall as his arms come around me, plastering me to his body.
“Got to be faster than that,” he whispers in my ear. His lips find my neck before sucking deep.
He’s pressing into my behind, and I moan as he holds me in place with one hand on my throat and the other between my legs. His firm grip keeps me at his mercy as his mouth tortures my neck and shoulders while his fingers skillfully rub my swollen clit.
I feel his lips on my tattoo as his tongue swipes across the ink.
“Do you want my fingers,” he slides two in, and my head falls back, “or my mouth before I bury my cock inside you?” He sucks on my sensitive skin behind my ears, and I’m flooded with warmth.
I can’t think beyond the pleasure that’s coursing through me.
“Both,” I rasp.
I feel him smile against my neck. “Such a greedy little girl you’ve become.”
Keeping a firm grip on me, he walks us to the double pool float and sets me up on it.“Lucky for you, I’m just as greedy when it comes to making you cum.” He places my legs on his shoulders as I lean against the vinyl cushion. It holds my weight easily off the water as he leans over for his first taste.
He wastes no time before diving in. His fingers easily slide in and coat him with my arousal as his mouth tortures my swollen bud. My head rears back as I arch off the float and dig my heels into his shoulder blades.
“Oh God,” I moan when he sucks hard and lightly bites with his teeth. He adds another finger, stretching me tight around him as he goes deeper.
“I’m going to cum,” I whimper, feeling my body get ready.
“Damn. Fucking. Right you are,” he growls into my skin. “Give me what’s mine.” His tongue flicks my clit before he sucks deep, pushing his fingers further into me.
My body explodes around him as I cry out his name into the night. Stars blind my vision as I shatter repeatedly as my orgasm hits me from all directions. His tongue laps up every bit as I pulse against his skin.
“Nothing like having your dessert before dinner,” he licks his lips as I lay panting there. “Now for the main course.” He picks up my limp body and walks us out of the pool toward the outdoor sectional. He sits down, so I’m straddling him. I feel him hard against my stomach, and my hand finds him as I stroke down his length.
He grabs my wrists and holds them behind my back with one hand.
“Not tonight, love. My cock is more than ready to fill this sweet pussy, but I need you back on my level again.” His other hand winds in my hair until he’s made a ponytail with his fist. My head is pulled back as he tugs hard, pushing my breasts in his face.
He tightens his hold on both my hands, and I have no choice but to arch back and be at his complete mercy again. My nipple disappears into his mouth as he feasts on me, taking turns to worship each one. His teeth scrape and bite just to the point of pain before he pulls back with a deep suck turning it into pleasure.
His fist pulls harder on my hair, and just when I think it’s too much, he backs off, and intense heat shoots through me, making my body feel alive. He knows exactly what to do to send me spiraling into a ball of need.
My hips start to move against him as I slide against his hardness. I can feel my arousal pool between my legs and coat him.
“Now my good girl is ready,” he murmurs, letting go of my wrists but keeping a firm grip still in my hair. “Slide that sweet pussy down on me now and fuck me until you’re screaming my name.” His voice is low and full of control…control, I will gladly hand over to him as my body responds eagerly to his demands.
I lift up on my knees and inch my way down on him. He groans as his eyes shut briefly before searing me with the depths of what he’s feeling.
Using my legs, I set a pace that has my body begging for more. He pulls me down harder onto him, using my hair still bunched in his hand and causing my breasts to bounce with each movement. His eyes never leave my body as he hungrily stares at them.
Lifting my hands, I play with them, knowing it turns him on when I do so. My nipples ache as I pinch and rub them with my fingers before squeezing my breasts hard and pushing them together as they fill my palms.
“I’m going to paint those tits tonight,” he growls, watching me touch myself. “They will be dripping with my cum before I’m done.”
His free hand leaves my hip to pinch my clit hard. Tiny jolts shoot through me as I whimper. He continues to rub me harder until my body lets go for him. I clamp around him and cry out as another orgasm slams into me. I feel him tense under me as he fights to remain in control of his body.
“Fuck,” he grounds out, making sure every last sensation is felt before he releases my hair and lifts me off him. “On your knees,” he orders as I sink between his legs. He strokes himself hard before he’s coating my breasts with his release. My chest heaves as I watch him come undone before my eyes.
I feel the warm wetness drip down my skin as he hits my throat before ending on my lips. He’s breathing fast as he takes in the sight of me. I swipe my tongue across my lips, tasting the saltiness and enjoying the feeling of being claimed like this.
“You are fucking beautiful covered in my cum,” he says hoarsely. His eyes follow a stream of it as it slides down my chest before dripping to the floor. “So fucking beautiful,” he whispers.
Standing up, he lifts me in his arms, and I wrap my legs around him. He takes us to the outdoor door shower, washing us both before drying me off. Returning to the bedroom, he slides his t-shirt over my body before we return to the kitchen to set the table for dinner. We eat our shared meal together while sipping on wine as I tell him more about my visit with my mom.
Later in bed, he pulls me to him as I snuggle my backside against him.
“I love you,” I whisper sleepily before my eyes drift shut.
“I love you too, hummingbird.” He kisses my tattoo, and I do what I’ve done since the first night I slept in his bed and every night after…I go to sleep with a smile on my face.