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2117 Words
Vi fixed breakfast and made sure the children were dressed and presentable in their school uniforms. She rushed them out the door and watched them get into the town car that was to take them to school. They looked so happy as they left her for the day. It was so good to see them smiling. There had been too much heartache in their lives. Things had changed so much over the past few months, and she owed it all to Ronny. He had changed their lives so drastically and for the better. There was absolutely no way she could thank him for all he had done.
She had her children, and Darcy was out of her life. She had a new start. Only she wondered how long it would last. Ronny Creek was a notorious bachelor known for his womanizing. He was content with her now but how long could this go on? At some point, he would bore of playing house with her, and she and her children would be back out on the street.
She didn’t know which scared her more the thought of being homeless with four kids or the thought of losing Ronny. The idea that one day another woman could take her place worried her greatly. Vi went back inside. The house was quiet. She looked around at everything he had. Was she just another thing for him? She wanted more. She wanted to mean more to him than just a passing fling. At times she could believe he cared deeply for her, and then other times she wasn’t sure. Ronny was a hard man to read at times.
She had tried her best not to let it happen, but Ronny had wriggled his way past her defences and into her heart, but her heart had a habit of loving men that did not love her back. One day this wonderful dream would end, and Vi would be forced to face the reality of her situation. In the meantime, she needed to keep him happy. The happier she kept Ronny, the longer she had with him.
Vi prepared a hot breakfast and placing it on a tray she carried it up to the bedroom where Ronny slept. She pushed the door open and carried the food to the bed. He had not been asleep too long and though she wished she could let him sleep she knew he had a busy day ahead of him. Honestly, she didn’t know how he did it. He was often out all night and then busy during the day. He didn’t sleep much, and for a man his age, she was surprised the lifestyle didn’t run him ragged.
He had removed his jacket and tie when he came to bed they were draped over an armchair in the corner by the window. He had crawled on top of the blanket still in his suit when he fell asleep. Vi placed the tray on the nightstand and sat beside Ronny. She caressed his cheek gently rousing him from his sleep. His eyes opened, and he smiled up at her.
“Woken by an angel.” He said reaching up and caressing her cheek.
“I brought you breakfast.” She said smiling.
“You’re the only thing I want.” He purred wrapping his arms around her and rolling Vi beneath him. She couldn’t help but laugh. The man had a healthy libido for a man forty years younger.
“Do you think of anything but s*x?” She teased as his hand slid up her thigh.
“s*x and money.” He grinned. “And I’m good at getting both.” He kissed her, and she melted. His kiss always left her breathless. Her fingers moved over his chest unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it wide to expose his magnificently hard body. He worked so hard to look the way he did, and she was happy to give it the appreciation it deserved.
His mouth moved from her lips to her neck. His hand pulled loose the silk sash of her dressing robe, beneath she wore nothing more than a satin negligee. He made a husky sound of approval, and his hand moved to push up the skirt of her negligee. His hand slipped between her legs stroking her making her crave him. Vi pushed his shirt back off his shoulders and down his muscled arms. He could make her want him with such ease.
Ronny shed his shirt and unzipped his pants. Her pulse quickened when he shifted his weight and settled between her thighs. She took a breath and placing her hand on his chest she held him off. “Can we talk?”
“Now?” He seemed a little annoyed.
“It’s important.”
“Now? Can’t it wait half an hour?”
“No.”
“Twenty minutes?”
“No.” She said firmly.
“Ok give me five.” Vi pushed Ronny off her, and she climbed out of bed. He grumbled and zipped his pants up then got out of bed. “Fine, we are talking what is on your mind.”
“Us.” She said outright.
“What about us?”
“This thing between us. I have to know where it’s going.”
“To bed, I was hoping.” She shot him an unimpressed look.
“That’s not what I meant.” And he knew it.
“What do you want? I’ve given you everything. I moved you and your kids into my house. I paid for your custody battle. I took you all to Paris. I’ve bought you everything you could want or ever need. You don’t have to work; you get a generous allowance. For Christ sakes Vi I left you everything in my will. What more do you want from me? Should I drop dead right now so you can own everything outright?” He barked.
“Don’t yell at me.” She snapped.
“Why not? I could be having s*x right now, and all you want to do is b***h about where things are going. I’ve got nothing left to give you. What more do you want?” He growled throwing his arms up in the air.
“Your name!” She said without thinking.
He looked surprised. “My name?”
Vi thought about it for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, your name.”
Ronny laughed. “You want to get married?” He was laughing like she had just told him some hilarious joke. “Oh, baby that’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Why not? Are you for real? I’m sixty-two. I’m too old for getting hitched.”
“Did they suddenly pass a law that said old men couldn’t get married because I must have missed it?”
“Don’t get snarky with me.” He warned, pointing a finger at her. “You know what I mean. Why do you want to get married? You were married, and it didn’t exactly work out in your favour did it.”
“Just because things didn’t work out with Darcy doesn’t mean things between us wouldn’t work. Look at how happy we are.” She argued.
“Exactly my point. If it’s working why change it? You want a ring is that’s what this is about I can buy you a ring. Any kind you want.” He said coming across the room to hold her.
Vi pushed him away. “I want a wedding ring. I want to be your wife, not your mistress.”
“What’s wrong with being my mistress so far I think it’s been working out well for you.”
“You think that’s what I want? Your money? That’s the whole reason I’m in this house with you?” She threw open her closet and started to change for the day. “If that’s what you think then you don’t know me at all.” She said pulling her t-shirt on.
“What are you doing?” He asked watching her get dressed.
“I’m leaving.”
“You’re going to leave me if I don’t marry you?” He didn’t look like he believed her.
“You don’t think I will?” She asked pulling on her jeans.
“Where are you going to go?” He asked folding his arms across his chest with a raised eyebrow and a cocky smile.
He had her where she had nowhere to go, but she wasn’t going to stay here. “I’ll go to a shelter.”
“You and four kinds? You’re going to share a six by eight room with bunk beds with another family when you could stay here?”
She shook her head. He didn’t understand she couldn’t stay here if he didn’t love her. She couldn’t keep going to bed with him. She couldn’t continue to get attached to him, to let her children get attached to him if there could be nothing more. “Do you love me?”
She caught him by surprise his face looked like a deer in the headlights. That’s when she knew he could never love her. It wasn’t in his nature to love anyone. Vi had to look away before she was reduced to tears.
“I’ll send for our things.” She barely managed as she left the room and the house that had been her home for the last few months. She told herself she wouldn’t cry, but as soon as she was out of the house, she broke down. How was she going to tell her kids they couldn’t come back? How was she going to tell them they were never going to see Ronny again?
***
Ronny stood alone in his room speechless. How had things gone so wrong so fast? He sat down on the foot of his bed. His chest hurt, his breath became unsteady. He wanted to cry. He couldn’t believe it. No woman had ever left him. It was horrible it was a pain like nothing he’d ever known. Just like that, he was alone once more. The world seemed a little dimmer now.
He hung his head trying not to fall apart. Why did she have to want marriage? Things were just perfect between them and then this crazy demand for something he couldn’t give her. He wasn’t the marrying kind. Ronny stood up and left his room. He walked the hall pausing at the door to Davis’ bedroom. The boy had made it his own; there were little touches of his personality all over. It was strange how much the boy had come to mean to him… like a son.
He then looked across the hall at Briar’s room. She had posters of models up everywhere. He would miss her easy smile. He would miss their sweet sixteen. Across the hall Parker’s room filled with stuffed animals and girly things. Brea’s room was a mess; the child never did pick up after herself.
Ronny leaned against the wall, the pain in his chest was terrible. A tear rolled down his cheek. He was crying over some woman and her kids. For a short time, he had a taste of what it felt like to be a husband and a father. It was a cruel joke fate was playing on him. To show him something that could never be. He would never make a good husband, and he was too old to be a father. He had wasted his life. He had let it slip by. Sure, he had material wealth, but he was poor in every aspect that mattered.
Why did it have to be married? Why couldn’t she want something easy like a car? He could buy her whatever her heart desired but this he couldn’t give her.
- Writer
