Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
That ship may have sailed, though. My strong reluctance to make it legal as soon as we were able to, really upset him. During one argument, I had accused him of only wanting to marry me because of the baby. I knew that was a low blow and never really believed that. This was around the same time I stopped letting him touch me, at the height of the depression. One night, he came home late from work. I had just put the baby down to sleep, when he walked in and backed me up against the wall into a passionate kiss. Then, he held up his hand. He had tattooed my name around his ring finger and said with tears in his eyes, “You won’t make it permanent…well, I just did.” That had killed me inside, but my head still wasn’t in a good enough place then to make it right.
Thank God, I was coming out of it now and could see so clearly how lucky I was.
I needed to make it right.
***
Jake made it home right on time and A.J. and I were waiting at the window.
When he walked in the door, I forced my usual question. “How was she?”
“She was okay today…in a good mood,” he said. “She didn’t kick me out.” He always searched my eyes to make sure he wasn’t upsetting me.
“Good.”
He hugged me tightly, and I felt his muscles relax in my arms. “Still feeling okay, baby?”
“Yeah…I am.” I smiled. “Really.”
“That makes me so happy.” He kissed me, moaning under his breath. “Let’s hit the road. I can’t get you in that hotel room tonight fast enough.”
“You better pray he sleeps then.”
“I’ll be spending the entire four hour drive praying for that, believe me.”
Since it was a Saturday, there was no rush hour traffic, and we made it to New York in under four hours. Jake held my hand the entire car ride, sneaking side glances more than usual, apparently waiting for the ball to drop, for my mood to change. It amazed me how his mood often depended on mine. If I was happy, so was he. It was just another testament to how strongly he loved me. At one point, he smiled and said, “Please tell me my baby is back.”
Looking down at his hand squeezing mine reminded me of our plane ride home from Chicago over a year ago. It was hard to believe how much had changed between then and now. One thing that was exactly the same though, was how it felt when he touched me. It gave me the same goosebumps right now, as it did then. I was really looking forward to our long-awaited “reunion” later tonight.
Before we could get to that hotel room in the city, we had a very important stop to make just over the George Washington Bridge in Jersey; it was the main reason for our New York trip.
***
I couldn’t believe how beautiful the strapless white dress was, as I pulled it up…absolutely breathtaking.
It wasn’t so much the dress but the person inside of it.
“Skylar…you look so beautiful.”
“Thanks, Sissy.”
I loved her nickname for me. She deemed me her honorary sister, since neither of us had one. We promised to fill that role for each other during all of the big moments in our lives. She was too sick to come to Boston when A.J. was born but was feeling a lot better now that her treatments were over for the time being. It once dawned on me that cancer had taken away my brother, but in a strange way, it had given me a sister. If she hadn’t been in the hospital that day, I would have never met the person who’s inspired me more than anyone ever had.
So, as her big sister, I was here to perform my sisterly duties.
“Grab the duct tape. You’re gonna bind my boobies together,” she said.
“What? Why would you want to do that?”
“Instant cleavage. Come on…it’s over there.”
I pulled a long piece of tape out as she held her medium sized breasts together. “I can’t believe I am doing this,” I said as she twirled around.
“Well, not all of us are lucky enough to be as boobiferous as you. Although, I have to say, that situation is getting a little out of control.”
“It’s because I’m breastfeeding A.J.”
“A.J. and a small third world country, apparently.”
“Shut up.” I laughed. “Jake likes them.”
“Well, if he ever goes missing, I’ll make sure to send the authorities straight to your boobie trap.”
We were both cracking up now. She always put me in the best mood with her sense of humor. I lifted the white dress back up over her new cleavage as she looked in the full-length mirror.
“Much better,” she said. “Can you grab my wig? It’s on the top shelf of the closet.”