As I close the door inside, Brie is leaning up against the wall in the entryway with her arms crossed, "Hey Colie, it looked like you guys were having a heated conversation. I didn't know what was going on, but I figured it was over your Momma drama. I flipped the porch light on; I hope you aren't mad."
Overcome with emotion, I respond, "No, I'm not mad. I'm the opposite of mad," I reach out my hand and show her the diamond on my finger.
She takes a step back in shock, "Ummmm... What? I mean......what? No shit??!!!!"
I cover my face, tears well in my eyes as I watch her reaction. Her eyes wide, mouth slightly opened as she excitedly jumps up and down, lunging at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. I match her embrace, and we hug in the entryway for a moment, uninterrupted. She looks up at me, "So, does this mean I get to help you plan a wedding before I go to school?"
"Absolutely, I think we should start planning before you leave. I want you to be my maid of honor."
She squeals loudly as I cover my face. We hear footsteps upstairs as Aunt Las runs in her room and down the stairs, "What's wrong, girls? What is it!?" she yells.
I put out my hand to her face to show her. She takes my hand, gazing down at the ring, a look of shock spread upon her face, "Jesus, your Mom is gonna go fucking crazy, Nicole!"
We three begin to roar with laughter as Aunt Las grabs my shoulders, "You did it! You managed to tame Dylan Hudson! I'm going to have to deal with your Mom coming down here raising cane. I can't wait!"
"Oh, Las, listen... I already talked to her about Dylan tonight. I told her I was in love with him. He just proposed to me a few minutes ago when we pulled up outside, so she doesn't know about this," I confess.
"Well, it's sure gonna be interesting, I'll tell you that. Congratulations, baby girl!" She responds, lovingly, as she pulls me in for a hug, "Don't let her fool you; she's been in this situation before. I will remind her," She says reassuringly.
I don't know what she's talking about, but I'm too excited to question it. What an exhausting and exciting day! The three of us trudge upstairs; I walk into the spare bedroom and shut the door behind me. The minute I put on my pajamas, plop onto the bed, lay down, and close my eyes, I'm out like a light.
The next morning, I am awakened by my alarm sounding, Oh, Monday... lovely Monday! I excitedly jump out of bed and stand in front of the mirror. God, I'm a hot mess! I desperately need a shower, so I get myself cleaned up and groomed for the day. According to the weather channel, it's humid outside, so I select a pair of cut off denim shorts and a white tank with a see-through floral top. I spend extra time on my hair and makeup, ensuring it's perfect before I slip my boots on and run downstairs.
Las is sipping her morning cup of joe at the kitchen table, "Good morning Mrs. Hudson," She greets me playfully.
My cheeks begin to flush, "Good morning Las."
I open the refrigerator door, pulling out a yogurt, water, and a piece of fruit from the counter, "I'm going to try to be healthy from now on, so I don't blow up like a balloon while trying to fit into a wedding dress."
She grins while sipping on her coffee, "I completely understand."
"I'm going to head out a bit early. I'll meet you there."
"Sounds good, honey," She says.
I grab my tote full of activities, carry it out to my car and speed off down the road. The drive to work allows some time to think about everything. Between Dylan, my Mom, school, planning a wedding, and Brie leaving for college, my plate is full right now. Maybe I can just postpone school for one semester. That shouldn't hurt anything.
Once I pull up into the parking lot at work, I grab my tote and haul it inside through the front entry. The moment I walk through the doors, all eyes are on me. Ethan's death stare is extremely unnerving today. Miss Norma and Nova approach me as I walk over to the long table in the activities room; Miss Norma reaches out her hand to grab mine, pulling it close to her face to get a good look at the ring. Nova stands next to her, scoping it out, "I've been wondering when he was gonna give her a ring," Nova admits.
"Wait, you girls knew already?" I asked.
"Oh honey, yes, I knew, not only because he told me but because I'm his mother. I know these things, mother's intuition. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know my son is madly in love with you."
Miss Norma embraces me, "Welcome to the family, baby girl!"
Nova wraps her arms around both of us. We stand and embrace each other for a moment; the ladies congratulate me before wandering off. Once they get preoccupied with something else, I set up the activities for the day. Aunt Las stalks through the front entrance moments later, "Good morning, ladies!" she greets them as she passes by, making a beeline for her office. She lifts her glasses, winking at me before shutting the door.
That afternoon, the ladies and I played Bingo; I painted a few more ladies' nails, braided another's hair, and finished off the day with a card game. This job is so perfect; I wish it were permanent. By 3:00 pm, I bid farewell to them as I pack my things and load them into the car before driving off. My phone rings as I drive down the road, I look at the caller ID, and it's from Dylan. I pick up the phone to answer," Hey, baby."
"Hey, beautiful. I'm getting off work at a decent time today. Do you wanna grab some dinner with me tonight?" he asks.
"Okay, but I'm buying, and I won't take no for an answer!"
"Ahh! I'm wounded."
"Deal with it, babe. I'm treating you tonight," I tell him.
"I'm already pulling in. See ya in a second."
"Okay, I'll be there behind you. I just turned down her street."
I disconnect the call and pull in the drive moments later to find his truck parked in front of the house. As I grab my purse and climb out of my car, he gets out and struts towards me before swooping me up off the ground. I reach up to cup his face, pulling him in for a kiss. He sets me down and opens the door to his truck as I climb in. Once he gets in the driver's side, he eyes me up and down, "What? No skirt?"
"Sorry, captain, not today! Where are we headed?"
"What do you feel like?" He asks.
"Dylan, baby, pick something; it's my treat, please?"
He wraps his arm around me, "Okay, how about I eat... you!"
I playfully smack him on the shoulder, leaning in close to whisper in his ear, "My treat. Don't you say a word! We eat, and then when we finish, we go back to your house so I can suck the sheets through your ass."
His cheeks flush as he swallows hard, "Such language coming from such a pretty mouth!"
"Just you wait and see what this mouth does to you tonight," I say seductively as I nibble his ear and leave a trail of kisses down his neck. He wraps his arm around my back and pulls me in close before putting the truck in drive and taking off.
A few minutes later, he pulls into a parking lot to a deli of some sort, "Is this okay?" he asks.
"Sure, babe, whatever you want," I respond as we climb out of the truck and walk through the front doors.
The restaurant is small and quaint. There are a few people seated at the tables as we walk in. We approach the counter and order sandwiches, soup, and drinks. I pay as Dylan carries the tray to find a table.
"So, what do you think about setting a date?" I ask him between bites of my club.
He swallows his food and takes a swig of his soda, "We could get married tomorrow, and I'd be totally fine with that. It's up to you, baby, you just tell me what date you plan and where I should be, and I'll be there."
"Well, I was thinking we could shoot for August this year since Brie is leaving for college, she could help plan and set things up. Plus, she's my maid of honor. That way, I can get all this done before I start school. Speaking of... I need to start looking at colleges nearby. Oh lord. I have to get on this fast."
"Do what you can and let me know what you need help with. I'm sure Momma and Maggie would be more than happy to help out," He says.
Overcome with excitement; I sit on the edge of the chair, elbows on the table with a huge grin, "Perfect, I may just do that."
He reaches up to brush my cheek with his thumb, "So how did Lori and Brie take the news?" he asks before scarfing down a huge bite of his Reuben.
"They were fine with it; very excited! When I got to work today, your Mom and Grandma made a beeline for me this morning, though."
He grins before taking a swig of soda to chase down the food, "Yeah, they love you, and they are very excited."
I reach out to pat his arm, "Your Mom said she knew already."
"I told her how I felt about you. She's a hopeless romantic, so she was on board."
We finish our dinner and leave the deli en route to his house. Once we pull up in the driveway, Dylan leads me inside directly to his bedroom. I gently push him onto the bed, and I stand there, gazing at him while he sits in anticipation. I remove my shirt and unfasten my bra, throwing them to the floor before I lower myself onto the bed to straddle him. I wrap my arms around his neck as he reaches up to squeeze my tits, "So, let's play a game, shall we?"
He leans back onto his hands, his breathing quickens, "Hmm, this sounds interesting."
I run my fingers through his silky mane, "So, I'm going to do whatever I want to you, and the only exception is you can't touch me with your hands. If you do, then I stop what I'm doing until you let go. Are you down?" I ask curiously while raising my brow.
He exhales audibly, "Fuck me! Alright, let's do this!"
I pull myself off him to bend down between his legs. I playfully run my hands up his legs, unbuckling his belt before unzipping his jeans. He lays back, lifting his hips slightly, allowing me to pull them off. I can see how turned on he is by his erection poking through his boxers.
I carefully remove his boxers, and his cock springs free. I gaze up at him as I slowly put my mouth on the tip. He clenches his jaw as he quickly leans up to touch me, "Hey, remember no touch, or I'll stop!" I warn him as I put my finger up to stop him.
He rubs his face with his hands," Fuck! Okay... okay... keep going!"
I stick out my tongue and slowly lick the tip as if it's a melted ice cream cone as my hand strokes the shaft simultaneously. My eyes never leave his as I slowly take him into my mouth just before activating the gag reflex. His body tenses as I move my mouth up and down his shaft, "Jesus, baby, you are driving me wild! Fuck me!" He chokes out while grasping the comforter.
After a few moments of pleasuring him, his abdomen tenses; he laces his fingers behind his neck as he cries out, "Oh Fuck! I'm cumming!"
I hold my mouth over the tip as a warm shot of salty cum shoots down my throat. I roll my tongue around the tip, licking the excess off before swallowing.; he lays back on the bed, panting with his hands above his head. I stand up and slowly unbutton my shorts, pulling them down before stepping out of them. He sits up and watches me as I slowly remove my panties, sashaying my hips as I pull them down before stepping out of them. He eyes the length of my body as I lean down and run my hands up his thighs before I reach over and grab a condom out of the nightstand, throwing it onto the bed next to him. I climb on top of him, straddling him as I rub my wet pussy over his cock, getting him slick with my arousal. He bites down on his lower lip as he sits up, unwraps the condom, and slides it over his erection. I position myself, guiding his cock as I slowly lower myself onto him. I throw my head back and moan as I tilt my hips slightly while riding him. He reaches out to grab my hips, but I push his hands away, "Not so fast, stud. I'm in the driver's seat now."
He lays back and covers his face with his hands in frustration, "Baby, this is fucking torture! Please let me touch you!"
Shaking my head from side to side, chuckling, "You touch, I stop; that's the rules."
He makes a fist with both hands and grimaces as I begin to pick up the pace. I reach up to massage my breasts as I throw my head back, moaning, taking in every inch of his cock into my pussy while purposely making him wild with desire. I attempt to steady myself while placing my hands on his abdomen as I'm nearing my climax. Suddenly, he reaches up to grab my waist, flips me over onto my back, throws my legs up over his shoulders, and begins pounding my pussy, mercilessly, "Fuck that! I can't not touch you!" He growls.
I push off from the headboard to keep from hitting my head as he pounds my pussy so hard that my entire body is jolted up in the bed, "Shit, I'm cumming, baby. Don't stop!" I cry out.
Sweat beads roll down his forehead and drip from his brow as he leans down, thrusting himself into me before his abdomen tenses, and we explode in pleasure, hitting our release instantly. He collapses on top of my chest as I lay there, panting; I run my fingers through his damp hair. He lifts his head to look up at me, grinning, "You evil woman! You are getting kinky as fuck! I love it!"
I wipe the sweat from my brow, "I'm surprised you made it as long as you did. You had incredible self-control, baby," I respond jokingly.
He sits up at the edge of the bed, breathless, pulling off the condom and discarding it. I lean up, wrapping my arms around his neck while resting my head on his shoulder, "You aren't mad at me, are you?" I ask curiously.
He reaches up to grab my arm before turning to look at me, "No, why would I be mad?"
"I don't know; I'm just making sure."
"No, baby, far from it. I thought it was fucking hot as hell. I'm happy you feel comfortable enough to do that kind of stuff in the sack with me. It was torture but fuck me, I loved every second of it," He says as he leans in, kissing me on the cheek.
He releases his grip on me, pushing himself off the bed and grabbing his clothes from the floor to get himself dressed. I quickly climb off the bed to do the same and walk over to the mirror to fix my hair and makeup before we cuddle up on the sofa, watching television for the rest of the evening. As night falls, he drives me back to Aunt Las's house.
These nightly rendezvous are pretty much the norm between us over the next couple of months. We developed a routine where he would pick me up after work during the week, we either grabbed dinner, or I would fix dinner, and we would fuck like rabbits before he dropped me off at Las house. On the weekends, we are inseparable, barely coming up for air.
As the days turned to weeks, June turned into July, Brie and I decide to plan the wedding in Las's back yard. I wanted something sweet and simple, with just our closest friends and family. I picked August 8th as our wedding date. School took a backseat as I became too busy with work and planning my wedding. I decided to hold off just one semester to have time to get the wedding thing all situated. Plus, I knew my job at the Center would be coming to an end soon as Gina returns from maternity leave at the end of August. That would allow me time to plan to return to school for the spring semester and start fresh with no distractions.
I contacted my Mother to discuss the plan with her, and of course, she was furious. I wasn't too bothered by it; in fact, I expected her to be upset because she didn't have control over the situation. I knew that it would take her some time to come around, but she would, eventually. She did threaten not to attend the wedding and demanded I break off my engagement with Dylan to come home and go to school as initially planned. Unfortunately, it became this big ordeal with her, but I stood my ground. I was grateful that I had my Aunt and Brie for support, and I was also thankful for Dylan's family for welcoming me with open arms. I was at peace with everything because I had people who cared about me and didn't want to control or manipulate me into doing things that I didn't want to do.
After the Fourth of July, I drove to work one morning and was shocked to find police cars parked in front of the center. Aunt Las rushed out of the house early that day before I came downstairs, so I was clueless about what was going on.
As I tote my activities bag through the front entrance, Ethan was escorted out in handcuffs by two policemen. He glares at me as he passes, so I put my head down to avoid eye contact with him and rush inside. The atmosphere is thick today; I notice Aunt Las standing at the med cart with Nova, so I approach them to get the scoop, "Hey Las, why was Ethan escorted in handcuffs by two policemen?"
Nova scurries away from us, pushing her med cart down her hallway as Aunt Las pulls me into her office privately, "Ethan was escorted off the premises today because we have been noting some suspicious activity on several of the narcotics prescribed to our residents," She says.
"Oh? What kind of suspicious activity?"
"He's signing out narcotics on the residents who never requested them. He's the only one listed as signing them out."
"Ahh! So that's something that can raise concerns? Being the only one signing out a narcotic?" I ask curiously.
"Well, yes, the nursing board will need to decide what they want to do with his license. He's no longer an employee here at Dolewood, effective immediately."
"Was he pulling pain medication or what?"
"He was pulling pain medication and benzodiazepines."
Shock crosses my face, "Wow! I can't believe it!"
Leaning back on her desk with her arms crossed, she continues, "Well, he was acting rather suspicious lately. Nova brought this to my attention as she was concerned since the residents approached her privately, complaining about his erratic behavior. This kind of stuff happens in this line of work."
"Well, I'm glad it's taken care of," I tell her.
"Yes, dear. Well, I'd better get back to work; let me know if you need anything," She says as she shuffles through the paperwork on her desk.
"I will Las, see you later."
I exit her office to get set up in the activities area. I suspected the whole time there was something off with him, but I had no idea that he was stealing narcotics, but it makes perfect sense. I never discussed what happened with Ethan to Aunt Las, but now I don't need to. I feel bad, but I am relieved he's gone. He made me feel so uneasy.
THREE WEEKS LATER...
One morning at the end of July, I was awakened by my alarm sounding but instantly felt nauseated as I sat up. I dashed to the bathroom, feeling bile rise in my throat; I barely make it to the toilet as everything I ate the night prior comes up. I begin to feel intense cramping in my lower abdomen as I lean over to the toilet, dry heaving. I must be nearing my menstrual cycle? The funny thing is, I thought it was coming next week. I pull myself up off the cold ceramic tile, grab a towel from the linen closet, and turn the lever to the shower. A nice hot shower should do the trick. I stand in the shower for several minutes, allowing the hot water to cascade down my body, hoping that the feeling subsides, but it doesn't. Once I exit the shower, I rush to my room and curl up in bed with a towel wrapped around my body. I lay there for a bit before deciding to put some clothes on, hoping it would help make a difference. I attempt to get myself ready for the day, so I reach into the dresser to pull out a pair of khaki shorts to wear. As I pull them on and attempt to button them, I realize I'm putting on too much weight because I can't get them buttoned. Fuck! I yank them off and fish through the drawer once more, pulling out a skirt to wear, but I'm unable to get it buttoned either! I plop down on the bed, frustrated and angry with myself. I knew all the eating out with the lack of exercise would catch up to me eventually. Maybe sex doesn't burn as many calories as I thought. Plus, I'm sure I'm bloated from my approaching menstrual cycle.
Surrendering to the inevitable that I'm becoming a chunky butt, I slip on a comfy tank top and my yoga pants before dragging myself downstairs to let Aunt Las know that I'm not feeling well. She pulls out the over the counter pain medication from the cabinet for me and fixes me a cup of hot tea, advising me to take the day off to rest. After I take medicine and drink the tea, I force myself back upstairs to lie down. Once I get cozy underneath the comforter, I drift off to sleep.
Later, I'm jolted awake from the sound of my phone ringing on the nightstand. I reach over to answer it without looking at the caller ID first, "Hello." I choke out.
"Babe, what's wrong? Are you okay? Mom told me you didn't show up for work today."
Realizing it's Dylan speaking on the other end, I sit up in bed, "Yeah, honey, sorry I didn't tell you I fell asleep. I'm not feeling well, so I stayed home."
"What do you think is wrong?" he asks with a worried tone.
"Probably something I ate mixed with that time of the month. I feel like piranhas are eating at my insides if that tells you anything."
"Damn, that sounds terrible! Do you want me to bring you some food after I get off work?" he asks.
"God, no, please, I can't fit into anything right now. I'm not eating again until next week!" I answer, realizing I'm being overdramatic.
"No way, you are beautiful and perfect!"
I roll my eyes and lie back down on the bed, "If you say so!"
"I do say so! Take it easy today, and call me when you feel better."
"Okay, baby, I love you!" I reply.
"I love you too, babe."
As I disconnect the call, I roll over and attempt to go back to sleep, hoping that the pain will subside. Brie stops in to check on me in the afternoon. She lays down beside me, wrapping her arm around me, "Do you need anything, Colie?"
I shake my head, "No, I'm okay. I'm just spent right now, and I'm cramping hardcore. Aunt Las gave me something this morning, but it hasn't helped. Plus, I'm bloated, and nothing fits me. I feel like a beached whale."
She chuckles, "I know what you need... chocolate. Do you want me to get you some?" She asks as she brushes the hair from my eyes.
I lay there, contemplating for a moment, and pull the blanket up to my mouth, "Yes," I whisper.
Both of us roaring with laughter as she hops up to run downstairs, attempting to scavenge for chocolate, and I decided to force myself up out of bed to assist her. As I stumble down the steps, I'm startled as the doorbell rings. There's a tiny mirror in the front entry, and I walk over to check myself out before opening the door. Looking a hot mess, I run my fingers through my hair before reaching out to turn the knob, opening the door. I nearly fall to my knees once I recognize who the person is staring back at me. It's fucking Aaron!
"Damn, baby, you look gorgeous. Look at your curves! Your skin is glowing!" he gasps as he reaches out to touch my cheek.
I stand, frozen in place for a moment, eyes wide, my mouth slightly open, "What the fuck are you doing here, Aaron?!"
"I came to talk to you. You won't call me back, and it's driving me crazy. I miss you so much! I need you back, baby! Please come home with me," He pleads.
I back away and begin to pull the door closed to shut him out before he quickly reaches up to hold it open, pushing his way inside. As I begin to back away, the next thing I realize is some movement coming from behind him. I stand on my tiptoes to look over his shoulder and notice Dylan's truck is in the drive. I watch as he gets out of the driver's side, slams the door, and storms towards us. Oh, Jesus, he looks pissed!
Aaron turns around to face him, "Really, Mariah is this what you have been up to today? Hanging out with this ass hat?" Dylan yells as he approaches us.
I put my hands up over my mouth, "What? No, that is not what happened!"
Aaron puffs out his chest, blocking Dylan from entering, "Who are you?" he asks, his face inches away from Dylan's.
Dylan grabs his collar and forcefully pulls him out of the entry onto the porch, "Mind your own fucking business, prick! I'll fuckin knock your teeth down your throat, punk!"
Aaron lunges at Dylan, "Fuck you, man! Try it! I came to get my girl!"
Dylan's jaw clenches as he makes a fist. As all this is happening, I'm paralyzed. Unable to move or speak. I feel a hand on my arm, so I spin around, Brie is standing behind me, but her attention is drawn outside, "Hey Colie, I can't find the chocolate. I'm going to get some from the gas stat....oh, hey, Dylan. Aaron? What the fuck are you doing here?"
Dylan rubs his nose with his index finger and thumb before putting his hands on his hips, "Oh, is that so? Your girl? Fuck this, I'm out!" he yells as he storms off the porch.
He turns back towards me, walking backwards towards the truck; he throws his hands in the air, "Now I see what you have been up to today. I mean, I came over here to take care of you, and this is what I get?! Goodbye, I'm leaving!"
I barge past Aaron, pushing him out of the way as I run after Dylan, "No, Dylan, listen to me, please, it's not what you think!"
He jumps in his truck, glaring at me as he squeals his tires while backing out of the driveway before speeding off down the road like a bat out of hell. I run after him sobbing while brushing the hair out of my face. My heart is completely fucking broken right now. I spin around and dart back up the porch, approaching Aaron as he stands there with an evil smirk, his arms crossed in front of him, "Aaron, how the fuck did you find me?"
His face drops after he sees my reaction, "Your Mom gave me the address. She instructed me to bring you home and not take no for an answer. Plus, I needed to see you. I miss you," He confessed.
Brie throws her hands in the air, "Of course she fucking did. She's always gotta have control!"
I get up in Aaron's face with my hands on my hips, doing my best to keep my temper at bay, "Listen, I'm not your girl! That man who sped out of here like a bat out of hell thinks I have been with you all day. He is my fiancé, and we are getting married next month. Your presence here has fucked with that, so like usual, you wreak havoc on my life any chance you get. Get the fuck out of here, and don't ever come back! Go chase Lacy's skirt tails, mother fucker!" I scream at the top of my lungs.
He stands frozen in place, his eyes wide and his face white as a ghost.
"Did I stutter, Aaron?! I don't ever want to see or hear from you again! Please leave!" I yell.
His eyes narrow as he curls his lip in disgust, "You are going to regret this! By the way, put a fucking bra on; you look like a dirty slut! Oh, wait, I forgot... You are a dirty fucking slut!" He yells in my face before pushing past me and stomping down the steps.
Brie runs off the porch after him, "Fuck you jack ass! Leave my property now, or I will call the cops!"
He jumps in his Camaro, squealing his tires as he speeds off down the road.
I immediately collapse to my knees and begin to sob, "Oh no, Brie! Dylan thinks I lied to him and was with fucking Aaron all day. What should I do?"
She begins pacing the porch, "I don't know; he seemed pissed. Maybe you should give him a day and call him tomorrow to explain. I've never seen him like that," She answers with a worried tone.
Shaking my head, I stand and run inside to grab my keys, "I have to set things straight now. I'll call you later," I tell her before I hop in the Avenger and speed off down the road.
As I push on the gas, I notice it's beginning to rain, but I don't let that slow me down. I continue to accelerate, picking up speed down the road to get to his house quickly. Suddenly, a dog darts across the street, and as I swerve to miss it, my car hydroplanes, spinning out of control. When I see a tree before me, my heart races; I reach up to cover my eyes, and I hear a loud bang, and I am hit with impact. My body is jolted forward and then back as the airbag is released, glass shatters everywhere. Then darkness...