Chapter Thirty-Four
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Old men & Old bones
N adia sat beside Lennox in the park, sipping an ice-cold strawberry wine cooler and laughing. Lennox loved the sound of her giggle—music to his ears. After such a hard few months, this was the relaxation and love that he needed. A slight breeze blew as they lounged on a large sky-blue blanket, their bare feet exposed and touching. The blades of grass that surrounded them were soft and fragrant, and he found himself pulling some of them up as they drank their beverages, talked about everything under the sun and moon, kissed and vibed out to music. They were in a remote section of the park, on a hill with a slight incline beneath a large tree that shaded them from the sun. It felt like a private oasis.
It was only the two of them enjoying sightseeing and each other’s company. People walked around in the distance, some rollerblading or on skateboards. Several tossed frisbees and played with their dogs while a few folks jogged, their headphones or buds in their ears. Not terribly far away was an older Mexican woman selling sweet and delicious frozen lemonade cups. Lennox had bought some in the past when he’d work out in the park on prior solo visits. Sometimes, he’d come to this place just to clear his mind. He turned the music up on his phone. Heartless Bastards’ ‘Only for You’ banged as they discussed Nadia’s college progress.
“…So, you know, that’s how that goes. I’m definitely glad I am able to move into the accelerated program. That means I’ll have less free time though.”
“Hey,” Lennox shrugged, “it is what it is. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to get what we want, right?”
She nodded in agreement. “I have to make sure I am there though, for your first day of business. This is a big deal. The grand opening date is still the same for the fitness center, right?”
“Yup, it’ll be ready to go. R.S.S. GYM– Rain, Sleet, or Snow fitness center, grand opening! Electrician coming this week to check everything. I wanted the parking lot to have more curb appeal, so they are putting in some green areas, shrubs, and a few more trees. I needed an extra bike rack, too. Silva got me some more benches from her distributor, so that saved me like eight hundred dollars.”
“Yeah, that’s really good. How’s she doing by the way?”
“She’s good.” He looked around, noticing a few ducks in the lake. “She wants you to call her when you have time. Talk about what type of furniture you want for our new house.” Lennox had started packing up his home as soon as he bought Nadia an engagement ring. It was the funniest thing to Nadia when he told her that, but he couldn’t help it. He was so excited, he just wanted to be ready to go house shopping with her, get what they needed to start fresh, and be done with it. Best of all, he had the money saved up for a decent down payment. He’d already received several offers on his house, and her lease on her apartment was almost up, as well. Perfect timing. “She sent me an email, too. Had some pictures of different furniture trends. I’m not really into trends, what’s in style, as far as that sort of thing.”
“I know. Your house furniture and decor are pretty bare bones,” she teased. “A true bachelor pad. It’s nice though.”
“Not to sound sexist or anything, and I’m sure there are some guys who like to do that type of shit, but that’s a woman’s thing. I leave that up to y’all.” He looked off into the distance and saw what appeared to be an argument between an older woman and man. “I want you to be comfortable, so I want you in charge of it. Get whatever you want, arrange it how you want. Have fun.” She nodded in understanding. “I told ’er just to give you whatever you asked for.” He shrugged. “I don’t give a shit. Just give me somewhere decent to lay my head, some place comfortable to sit down to watch TV, play my games and work, and I’m good…” Their eyes met. “…And somewhere nice for our baby to sleep.”
“You are relentless.” She chuckled, then rubbed her knee. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were sabotaging my birth control.”
“Nah, I wouldn’t do anything underhanded like that. That’s not cool.”
“I know. I was just kidding.” She took a sip of her cooler.
“It’s just that I’m not getting any younger, and neither are you. You know I want kids—you said you did too, so I figure, why not plan for it now?”
“I do want a child… There’s just so much going on with school right now, my grandmother’s health isn’t the best, the wedding planning, and the fitness center that I—”
“We’ll be fine, baby. The finances are good. You heard that from our financial advisor who we met with last week. As long as we stay within our budget, no worries. I paid off your new car. So, no car note. You have a couple more years left to finish law school and if we work together, we can still have a baby while you try to find a practice to work for. Besides, there never is a perfect time to do this. We can always find excuses, but we’re a team, it’ll be all good. I plan to be a hands-on father, so really, you have nothin’ to worry about.”
She smirked, then laughed. He smiled at her as he rubbed her back.
“What’s so funny?”
“Just picturing you as a father. I know that you’ll be really silly… make our child laugh. You’ll be a good dad. Protective. I know you will.” Her smile faded, and she withdrew a bit into herself. He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“I promise you, Nadia, I’m going to be there every step of the way,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m not going to beg you to have my baby, then leave, or not be there for you and my kids. That’s crazy. I want a family, with you, in every sense of the word. Look, I know why you are a little worried about all of this. It’s understandable. After we leave the park today, I want you to do what you said you needed to do. If you want me by your side, I’ll be there, or I can just stay in the car like we discussed.”
“I want you by my side, Lennox. I’m… I’m scared.” She swiped at a piece of grass on her leg. “I don’t want to get all silly and emotional though. I know, I know.” She waved her hand. “Therapy is kickin’ my ass, and I have to do this, but I still hate feeling so damn vulnerable, Len. I’m getting better though. Just bear with me.”
“You are. We both are.” He sighed. “It takes time. Do you need Silva’s email address?”
“Yeah, send it to me. I told her I don’t like that farmhouse, country chic shit. I mean, I said it nicer than that, but not much nicer.” Lennox burst out laughing. “I know that’s in style, but it’s not my style. I didn’t want to hurt your sister’s feelings, but I had to say it. That’s all she was showing me.”
“She’s cool with that. She’s a good designer and helps a lot of different clients all over Texas. Grandpa helped her get her business started.” He sucked his teeth. “She still doesn’t return his calls or talk to him. She’s really upset about everything. I know it sounds crazy, but I kinda feel bad for him in that regard. I couldn’t believe it, but he looked actually crushed that she knew the shit he’d been pulling all of these years. That man don’t love nobody but himself, but he holds something special for Silva apparently. I hated how it went down, but—”
“She needed to be told the truth.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s crazy that he didn’t know she seasoned his tea, so to speak. You said he was oblivious?”
“Yeah. He knew he wasn’t feeling well, but he chalked it up to some medicine he was taking for his sinuses. His allergies had been acting up for a while, so he took some prescription earlier that day before Silva came over. That’s what she told me he said, anyway. He did imagine her setting him up with the dancers though, but I cleared that up really quick.”
“Yeah, he only probably thought that because she was talking to him about his birthday party entertainment. Have you spoken to Roman and Kage lately?”
“Oh, yeah, many times a week, actually. Kage went to North Carolina for a couple of weeks. I have no idea what for. I think Roman just helped Silva update her website, too. He’s a beast. That’s not even his thing, really, but he just enjoys doing it as a hobby.”
“Oh, that was nice of him.”
“Yeah, it was, considering how busy he is. Silva and I are planning to go to Lebanon in the next year or two to visit Mama’s family and her grave.” He reached forward and stroked her cheek, barely able to keep his hands off her.
“That sounds good. It’s been a long while. I love that for y’all.” She placed her cooler down, and reached for his hand. Squeezing it. They rested in the soft silence.
“I want you to come, too.”
Nadia’s eyebrows rose in amazement. “But this is for you and Silva. I would just be in the way.”
“No, you’re family now, too.” He took her hand and kissed it. “I want you there. Please come.”
She hesitated, then nodded in agreement. Glue Trip’s, ‘Elbow Pain’ was playing then.
“I need to update my passport though. I think it’s expired.”
“We’ll take care of it right away then, Nadia. You should do that anyway since we’re still not sure where we’re going on our honeymoon.” He leaned into her, cupping the back of her head, and brought her in for a kiss. His heart lurched and pulse pounded as their tongues danced. Tash Sultana’s ‘Jungle’ now vibrated through his body. “Mmmm… baby…I’m so turned on right now. Let me take you.”
She slowly pulled away and looked into his eyes. “You better not mean what I think you mean.” He felt an overwhelming urge of excitement. “Dr. Saint Aknaten said you didn’t have a sex addiction. I think we need a second opinion.”
“I don’t have a sex addiction, but I am addicted to you . Come here… Nobody’s going to know. Trust me.”
He slid off his shirt and tossed it aside, not missing her laser focus on his abs. He folded the large blanket over their legs, covering half of their bodies. She rested flat on her back while he turned onto his side, placing his leg over her body under the blanket and snuggling against the crook of her neck. He slowly closed his eyes, drifted one arm beneath the blanket, and slipped his hand into her loose white shorts, then into her panties. Soft, wavy pubic hair rubbed against his fingertips as he drifted lower until he rested at her moist valley.
He could see her chest rising and falling as he slipped two fingers between her silken lips, gliding them against the soft and tender folds.
“Damn, baby… pussy so wet already…”
He became breathless when she turned slightly towards him, sliding her hand down his chest, then inside his pants. He opened his legs a bit wider to give her better access. She gently stroked his dick, working him quickly into a full erection. Their lips pressed against one another’s while ‘Both Sides of the Moon,’ by Celeste, made the soundtrack to their love. Her fingers dragged beneath his underwear… a warm, soft, bare touch on his lifeforce. His dick twitched in anticipation. She sighed as her valley’s sultry wetness resulted from his ministrations.
“Feels good, baby?” he asked, knowing the answer yet still wanting to hear it.
“Yes… so, so good…” she cooed softly.
They moved slowly, their hips bucking ever so slightly in reciprocated affection. She trailed her lips alongside his shoulder as he delved his fingers within her damp chasm. Warm breath bathed his skin as her breathing became labored. A series of slow, needy, deep thrusts of his digits sent her voice to a higher octave. The blanket barely moved and yet, so much action, friction and motion continued beneath the soft, thick fabric. The sweet breeze stirred her dark brown waves and picked up the scent of her perfume, pitching it gently in his face with a burst of floral essence.
“Turn me loose for a second, and just concentrate on your own pleasure,” he whispered.
He kissed the tip of her nose, and she smiled. Eyes closed, she breathed harder, resting her forehead against his.
“Let go… let it come. I want my fingers to be soaking wet… I want you to orgasm so hard, Brown Sugar, that it feels like a waterfall gushing in my hand.” Light, airy whimpers of ecstasy escaped her mouth as he went faster and faster, thrusting his fingers within her and circling her clit with the pad of his thumb. She shuddered and he kissed her forehead while still plunging his fingers within her wetlands. As she exploded, she buried her face in his chest, hiding her expression of hot, carnal delight. When she settled, she grabbed his dick again, jerking it as they gazed deeply into each other’s eyes.
“I love the feel of your big, long, warm dick in my hand… and your big balls, too…”
He swallowed harshly, not daring to blink. She turned him on so much, and he wanted her to see how good she was making him feel.
“I like that,” he groaned. “Feels good. Keep rubbing my dick like that.”
“You gonna cum for me, baby?”
“Mmm hmmm,” he whispered in her ear. “…Keep strokin’ me… harder… harder… yeah… yes, like that!”
“Imagine it in my mouth, baby… You love how I suck it…”
“Mmm hmmm! I love how you touch me, baby… and how you suck my dick… you take it deep down your throat… ugh… yesss… I wanna submerge my dick deep inside of you!”
She suddenly released him and disappeared beneath the blanket. His eyes strained when he felt her soft hands around the base of his dick, and her hot, wet mouth engulfing him, soon sucking on his shaft.
“Ahhh… FUCK…you’re going to make me cum… I’m ’bout to cum… Uh…” He tried to watch his volume, praying his voice didn’t carry and bring attention to their situation.
Releasing him, she burst back up out of the blanket, then cupped the head of his jerking cock as he squirted his buttery expulsion into her palms, like a catcher’s mitt.
“Ahhh… Ahhhhh…”
As he involuntarily jerked, his hips pivoting and rotating, she kissed his chin, then his cheek while he spent his last dime of cum against her working fingers.
“Ahhh… Shit, girl… That was a surprise…” He could barely catch his breath as he looked up at the pretty clouds floating by in the sky as she cleaned her hands with some wet wipes and hand sanitizer.
They lay there. Spent. Panting. Then laughing. He looked around, placed his finger against his mouth as if to say, “Shhhh…” and disappeared beneath the blanket.
“No! No!” she squealed. “Get back up here, Lennox!” she said in a loud whisper. “I’ll make too much noise!” She giggled, trying to tug at his arms. Swatting her hands away, he reached his destination.
It was dark underneath, but there was just enough light streaming through the fabric for him to get an eyeful. He pulled her shorts down to her ankles, shoved her panties aside, and eyed her pussy—glistening with honey, and her pink hole there for the taking. Wrapping his arms beneath her legs, he held onto her hips and pulled her to him. He stuck his tongue out and eagerly flicked it against her clit, pausing to kiss and suck all over her pussy. He tented the blanket, opening it just a bit. Just enough to see her face.
“Mmmmm!” He moaned as he ate her. “You’re so damn delicious… tasty pussy…”
She sighed, and he could see her gripping the blanket with her right fist. He licked and sucked faster and faster, knowing just what to do to get her off. Knowing just how to touch his baby to make her gush. It wasn’t long before she was purring and moaning in response to his oral touch. Her eyes sheened and her body began to shake. He released her, quickly slipping from beneath the blanket. He climbed up her body and pressed himself against her, wrapping his hand over her mouth to squelch her screams of pleasure as her climax edged towards completion. He rose up ever so slightly, looking around once again, then faced her, gazing deeply into her eyes…
“Ahhhh!” came her muffled cry.
He entered her swiftly, and with full force, fucking her in short, hard thrusts until she orgasmed once again. The blanket rose and fell quickly as he continued to fuck her with all of his might. In a matter of minutes he was cumming again, ejaculating inside of her warm, pulsing walls. She pressed on his ass, forcing him impossibly deeper within her. He buried his face against her breasts, suppressing his loud groans until he was completely emptied. When they were finished, they regarded one another with nothing but pure love, then kissed. A few moments later, he looked away in the distance and saw what appeared to be an old man wearing a dark red jacket, with a cocker spaniel at his side. He paused walking, standing still. He seemed rather small, although it was too far to tell, but he had his hand on his hip and was pointing right in their direction.
“Look.” He got Nadia’s attention as she pulled her shorts up and buttoned them. “Look at that guy over there.”
She turned around and followed his gaze.
“Listen. He’s sayin’ something, Len, but he’s too far away for me to hear him clearly.”
Then the man raised his arm in the air and angrily shook it. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing. Lennox was laughing so hard, he could hardly catch his breath.
“I guess he doesn’t approve. Maybe he needs to get laid, too. Grumpy ass. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STANDIN’ THERE WATCHING? FUCK OFF, PERVERT!”
“STOP IT!” Nadia giggled. “Don’t yell at him, and don’t laugh!”
“I’m not!” He continued to crack up, so hard his stomach was starting to hurt.
“That vein of yours is poppin’ out of your forehead! You’re making it worse,” she choked out, unable to stop her mirth. “Lennox, I told you! I warned you! We are gonna get in trouble for public indecency! I’ll lose my law license before I even get it, all because of you !”
“You warned ME ?! Let me show you exhibit A, Ms. Attorney-to-be. Who was the one who went down on who first?! I had to return the favor. I was just tryna give you a hand job, and you turned it into an entire sexual escapade!”
“And you sho’ ’nuff accepted more of what I offered, too! I don’t remember you fighting me off!”
They were laughing even harder now, tumbling on top of each other like little children…
“This right here is everything.” He gently stroked her cheek, a big smile on his face. “I’m never going to forget this… we just have so much fun together. My lady. My everything. I wanna always be your top dog.”
“And I wanna always be your bottom bitch.”
“Nadia, come on! That’s not funny!” He said the words, but his lips curved in a grin.
She started laughing all over again, and soon enough they found each other in a tight embrace, kissing their cares away…
…Later that day
Nadia cleared her throat while Lennox sat down in the half-dead grass. He leaned forward and placed a white flower against the stained gravestone, then stroked her leg, giving her comfort. Standing, she cleared her throat, tears welling in her eyes before she could even get fully started. She dropped the letter as if the muscles in her hands had gone limp. It hit the dirt and pitiful grass that barely grew around Daddy’s tomb. Without missing a beat, Lennox picked the letter up and handed it back to her.
She took it, feeling sorrow, resentment, and so many other things she still couldn’t quite put into words.
“Go on, you can do this, baby,” he encouraged. Lennox brought his knees up and stared at the grave, offering her quiet support.
She unfolded the letter, took a deep breath, and began to read aloud…
“Father… I titled this father because you are not deserving of the term of endearment of ‘Daddy.’ I wanted a daddy all of my life. I never received one. For the longest, I hated you with all of my heart and soul. Yes, I am angry. I have the right to be. Yes, I am hopeful and healing, because I need to be. When you met my mother, JoAnn, you promised her the sun, moon and stars. All you actually gave her were moon craters, asteroids, and black holes. I know that everyone sees love in their own way, but I felt no love from you, ever in my life. You were not there physically, financially, or emotionally. It seemed that you wanted to forget us. You wanted to pretend we never existed.
“Then, you became a minister, so full of yourself. You’d think that after you found God, you’d be more loving. Unfortunately, you didn’t practice what you preached. The rare times we spoke, you never said words of encouragement. Any exchange we had, you were always fixed on degrading or judging me. You never apologized for how you treated me, either. I’m glad you didn’t because it wouldn’t have been sincere. You wanted to leave your sins behind, and pretend to be a saint. We all are sinners, Father. Our sins are lessons to learn from, and they make us stronger so that when we are faced with more problems, we know what not to do in the future.”
She paused, took a deep breath. Lennox slowly stood to his feet and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“…I loved you. I truly did. In spite of yourself. You didn’t just betray me and Mama. You betrayed yourself. You missed out on my entire childhood. You missed out when I lost my first tooth. Took my first steps. But Mama was there. Regardless of her and my differences, she was there!” She paused, sobbing. Lennox pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. She gathered herself, shook it off, and continued.
“The little bit of money you had when you died went to your new wife and her kids. I’ve heard I have two sisters and two brothers. Some of those children from your first marriage that you didn’t tell Mama about when you got her pregnant with me, and the other one from your third marriage, after you deserted us. I have no idea where these brothers and sisters are. Me and Mama were just told to stay away. As if we were the ones who were wrong. When I was twenty-two, I tried to find one of my alleged sisters on social media. I believe I did, and I was left on read. I tried with an alleged brother, and was told to just move on before being blocked. I never had the desire to try again after that.
“Someone got to them. Lied to them about us. I know who that someone is. Mama and I were made out to be villains, on account of you I’m sure. Father, it is clear to me that you were dealing with things I knew nothing about. Stuff you probably never even admitted to yourself. Pride, mental illness, pain, family trauma and disappointment seem to be abundant in our family. I am begging and praying to God that my future children will never feel the way I did, but I am still glad that you gave me life. I am glad that regardless of the ups and downs I have faced, God used you to bring me into the world. I am here. I am alive. I am… happy.
She swiped at a tear, then went on.
“I have a wonderful man in my life. I am finishing my law degree and was accepted into a special program to complete it even sooner. I’m going to be a wife soon, too. I’m eventually going to be a mother one day, God willing. I am scared to be a parent.” Lennox squeezed her. “Children are a beautiful blessing and I want my own, but I am so afraid of failing them. Of making their life hard. Mama had to remind me that being a parent is not all roses. It’s tough, and I’m going to make mistakes. I don’t mind mistakes, Father. I mind not having accountability. Not having remorse. Not receiving genuine apologies. I mind bringing life into this world, and stomping on it. All flowers need watering. We need the showers. We need… the rain. Sometimes the rain brings pain. Like my tears whenever I think of you. Anything I wanted out of life though, I went after. I have to treat my healing the same way. Sometimes, I was in my own way. Sometimes, I was the problem. I was angry that I couldn’t lash out at you anymore when you died. And I was angry that you died, never telling me that you loved me…
“Oh, God…this is so hard! It hurts so bad! He hurt me so badly!”
Her hand shook and she almost dropped the letter again. She buckled at the knees and Lennox caught her, holding her to him.
“It’s okay, sweetheart… It’s okay.” He cradled her head like she was a baby. Let her fall apart against his strong body. She felt so safe in his arms. She cried against his shoulder, soaking his shirt. Her heart leapt in her chest and a wave of dull pain consumed her. She stayed that way for a long time, then slowly pulled away from him.
“I’m going to finish. I have to. I am strong enough to do this. I can get through this. I will get through this.” He nodded and wrapped his arm around her once again. Placing the letter in her pocket, she resumed talking.
“The letter is gone. I am not going to read from it anymore. I’m talking to you one-on-one. Straight from the heart. No script. Daddy… Yes, I changed to Daddy now, because I’m stopping this curse. Letting go of the anger. You were supposed to not just be my father, but my daddy, and I pray in some way, shape or form, even in death, you may have a chance to do that. I don’t know how this heaven and hell thing works, and I don’t know which one you reside in, but I do know that God is for real. God is merciful. I’m not God, it’s above me now, and even though you pretended you were God from time to time, we both know that deep down it was just a cover-up for your low self-esteem and insecurities. I don’t know what happened to you, Daddy, but I’m not passing that shit along to the next generation. This curse was born in the darkness, and now, I am shedding light on it. No more physical, sexual, emotional, verbal and mental abuse. No more unnecessary quarrels due to manipulation. No more violence of any kind. No more neglect. No more cruel sarcasm. No more lies and only telling half of the truth, or none at all, because you’re ashamed! It stops with me! I deserve better! My fiancé deserves better, Daddy! My mama and my brother deserve better!
“They’re going to get a better version of me, because I was not created and put here to grovel in my pain. I am stronger than that! I have business to take care of, and a life to live. JoAnn was a lot of things, Daddy, but weak isn’t one of them. I am so thankful for her intelligence and strength. I am so thankful that she and I are getting along better, and she is now open to having the hard talks with me that are long overdue! No, everything is not fixed, it’ll take time, but she is willing to listen and share with me parts of her life that she had closed off. Nelson, my wonderful brother, is a damn good man.
“Despite not having the father figure that he too so desperately needed, he is tryna help raise a little girl that isn’t even his! Even after his divorce– he knows he is still that child’s father. That’s what real men, do! I wish him healing and grace. We all have to do better! We can only do better, when we know better. And now we know. Your grandbabies that I bring forth need a mother who is not too proud to beg for forgiveness!
“They need a healthy mother—in mind, body and spirit—and if I have to go to a local shrink weekly, I will. If I have to pay on a monthly basis to get cussed out and put back on track by that slick talkin’, Asian-Egyptian, thug ass, disrespectful nympho with unnerving mind-reading abilities who goes by the name, Dr. Saint Aknaten, so be it! If I have to read five-hundred-page self-help books, join support groups, volunteer at a women’s shelter, attend church, take a million yoga and meditation classes for the rest of my days, then sign me up! There is nothing I won’t do for myself anymore. It is self-care! It is the psychological soft life! There is nothing I won’t do for my mama, except not be true to myself. She sacrificed a lot, and yes, I needed more from her, but damn it, I can’t say she didn’t try and that is far more than I can say for you!
“There is nothin’ I won’t do for this man,” she pointed to Lennox, “because he earned it! When I start to fall, he lies down in front of me and takes the brunt! When I need a crutch, he becomes my fortress to lean on! When I hurt, he becomes my emotional aspirin. When I am disappointed, he helps restore my hope and faith. Real men exist in this world, not just little boys, pretending to be fathers who are afraid to stay put and water their gardens! Broken people make broken homes! Broken homes break children in half! We end up not knowin’ if we’re coming or going.
“Broken children have to heal, or the broken cycle will continue. I’m not going to let anyone from my past or present stop me from achieving my objectives, stop my healing, and doing what is best for me and my family, Daddy. Regardless of everything, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I want you to rest in peace. I hold no ill will towards you. I am releasing it today. The resentment. Gone! The hatred. Gone! The blame. Gone! The forgiveness? I’m workin’ on it…
“I want you to know that I am okay, regardless of you abandoning me. God was there. I’ve been carried a mighty long way. My brother, though younger than me, was a protector, too. I can’t stop the rain, but I can trust myself to survive the storm. You were the storm, and now, the sun is out, daddy. Ain’t nothing that has happened to me, not happened to someone else already that walked this Earth before me. Someone out there survived the same hardships I’ve endured, ’cause ain’t nothing new under the sun. This is my first time coming to your grave, and it will be my last. I am done with this. The sun will not go down on my wrath for another day. I have said what I have to say and now, I am saying, “Goodbye.”
She bowed her head while the tears kept flowing, stinging her eyes. Lennox took her in his arms and rocked her. She held onto him right back, wrapping her arms around him. Squeezing for dear life…