Page 47 of Stripped Love
“Um, Dad?” Hallie’s timid voice called out. It was the first time either of them had called me the big 'D' word. I hadn’t expected that, I'd thought it would take time but to hear it made me so happy.
“Yeah, Hallie?”
“Will you be here when I wake up?”
I wasn’t sure. I looked at Melody to see if that would be alright with her. She gave a small nod, “yes, I will be.”
“Okay.” She laid back down in her bed and pulled the covers up to her neck.
“Goodnight,” I whispered before Mel pulled the door closed.
We walked arm in arm through the house until we got to the living room. She sat down and I looked at the time, just after seven. I took a seat next to her figuring that I could stay a while longer.
“They liked you.”
“That’s a good thing I guess, since I’ll be around a lot more.”
We settled in to watch a movie, a new shark thriller. I pulled her in close and pressed a single kiss to her neck. I was comfortable. Right now on the couch but also here, in Melody’s home. She’d really made a life for herself and I was glad that in some way or another I would be a part of it.
“In case I fall asleep during the movie, will you stay the night?”
“Do you really think that’s a good idea? What would the girls think?”
“They’re five, they’ll get used to it.”
“And you want them to get used to me being around, staying here, do you?”
“Yeah.” She smiled as if it really was just that simple. “I have ways to convince you…”
I groaned at the images her words had put into my head. I knew she had her ways, she could’ve made me do anything she asked but unfortunately for me, I didn’t need convincing this time.
“I’ll stay, but you better keep all those ideas for later.”
She rose from the couch slowly, seductively. She reached out to intertwine her fingers through mine. “Well, how about we have an early night?” She asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
I didn’t reply, I just let her pull me up from the couch and lead me down the hall to her bedroom. A strong sense of happiness filled me, I liked the way things had turned out. I was finally content.
After all this time, all the hurdles we had to jump, we were finally here. We’d made it to our happily ever after.
The End.
