Accidentally Perfect (5 page)

I was finishing up my eighth year in the forces when I found out my mother was sick.  She had a brain
tumor,
and she was terminal.  I left the military and went  home to take care of her.  My father was never around.  It was like he never cared that she was dying.  My sister and
I had taken
care of her for four months before she passed.  We fed her, bathed her; I cleaned up after her when she soiled herself.  All the while, my father never helped.  Before she
passed,
I made sure that her affairs were in order.  Nothing was left to my father.  I inherited everything.  I became the executor
of
my mother’s estate.  I set up a trust for my sister.  I assigned a CEO of the company making sure that my father knew it would never be him.  I kept him on as vice president of the company in which he spent years trying to prove his self-worth to my grandfather.  The company is mine in name only.  I make sure all the employees are happy and compensated well for their work.

After my mother had passed
on, I started a security company.  My company ranges from simple security systems, bodyguard, more complex systems, to in-depth security.  It has become very lucrative and respected over these past seven years.”  That was my story, something I hoped that she could live
with
because I knew that I couldn’t live without her. 

“Wow, Nate.  That is so much more complex than my life.  I can’t believe how similar our upbringing was.  I can’t believe how comparable our relationships are with our parents.”

“I know baby, I know.  I think my mother finally saw someone who was worthy of the love that I have to give.  I think that’s why we found each other.”  I leaned down and kissed her head again.  

“You have a sister. What’s her name?”

“It’s Natalie;
she’s great.  I couldn’t imagine my life without her.  She looks so much like my mother.  She has long dark brown hair and bright blue eyes.  She is my mother’s twin through and through and has a heart of gold.  She is always giving back either financially or giving her time volunteering with the youths of the city.  When my mother
passed,
I gave our family estate to my sister.  She has opened our family home on so many different holidays just so kids who don’t have families of their own can have an amazing holiday memory.  The first year she did it for Christmas, I thought she was crazy. Oh my God, there were so many kids running around screaming and yelling.  When Santa showed
up,
I think I went deaf for a minute.  A rock concert has nothing
on a house full of kids when they first lay eyes on Santa.”

“She sounds amazing.  I would have loved to have seen that moment for all those kids.”

“You will sweet girl; it’s a tradition now.  It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.”  When I tell her that she‘ll be able to see it for herself, I could see the apprehension on her face.

“Nate, don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself.  We haven’t made any plans or decisions where we’re concerned.  Right
now,
I am just trying to pass the time so that I’m not going completely crazy while I have to wait to get to my babies.  They are my first concern.  They should have always been my first concern.  I should have never let Stella talk me into going away.  There was really no reason to run, it’s not like Michael and I had this forever type thing.  I didn’t even love him.  I guess I was more shocked than anything.  It’s pretty sad that in both relationships I have been in I have been cheated on.  Doesn’t that say something about
me, Nate? Maybe you should just walk away now because I’m not sure I can handle another man cheating on me, let alone a husband.”

“Laney, I know what I feel in my heart and there is no way that I am going to live my life without you in it; you and the girls. I want to thank those men for being complete morons
because without them I wouldn’t have found you.  I have found you sweet
girl,
and I am never going to lose or leave you.  I will never do anything to make you second guess how important
you are,
and I am going to make sure you know how much you and those girls mean to me.  I love them already because they are an extension of you.  Now, tell me about them a little.”

“I think they are your typical four almost five-year-olds
.  Their birthday is in September. It’s almost here and then they start kindergarten.”

“That’s why you picked the ring with sapphires; you were thinking of the girls that night.  You included
them, and I didn’t even know it.”

“I did?”

“Yes. Out of all the rings, and believe me they kept pulling them out of the safe one after the other, you saw this ring.”  I pick up her finger, rolling it between my
fingers, so the stones capture the light. On either side of the Asscher, cut four karat diamond, set
sapphires cut into triangles.  The band is covered
with tiny diamonds, giving it an antique look. The ring looks vintage, timeless, just like the lady whose finger is adorned.

“I can’t believe I thought about them.”

“Why not?
You are an amazing mother.  You love them.”  There were tears gathering in her eyes.  “Let me hear about those wonderful girls.”     

“They love anything that’s pink and sparkles.  I think they have the monopoly on tutus in the city.  I have to fight with them just about every day about those things.  If it were up to
them,
they would wear them non-stop.  Amanda was born first, but she was always smaller than Addie.  She has the tiniest lisp, which bothers my mother to no end.  She thinks of it as an imperfection, but I think it makes my Panda perfect.  I call her my Panda Bear.  Addie is headstrong, my Addie Bug, she only wants to do for herself, she is the leader of the two, although she is a few minutes younger.  She has always been protective of her sister. I’m not sure if it’s Amanda’s size, or the fact that she sounds a bit different when she talks.  I love them.  Everyone says they are my mini-
mes
. They both have my flame red hair and my brown eyes.  They have just a dusting of freckles that over their cheeks and nose.”

“Are they identical?”

“Oh yes, but Addie, being who she is, has recently decided that a cute bob cut would be best.  So while Amanda has long flowing hair, Addie’s hair is cut right below her chin.  I think it fits her perfectly.  My
mother,
on the other hand, thinks that I allow the girls to make too many decisions when they are so young.  I am not going to make my girls be anything they don’t want to be.  It’s only a
haircut
.”  

I can’t help but kiss her.  I give her a long slow kiss, just to let her know how much I feel for her.  She is the most incredible person I have ever met.  She responds to me instantly.  She runs her fingers through my hair while she takes the lead and deepens the kiss.  I want so much to be inside her right now.  To feel how she fits me like a glove, to hear her moan
with
pleasure.  I want to make love to her. I will always want to make love to her.  It will never be anything less between us.  I pull
away,
and she moans, this time because of the space between us.  “I love how much you love the girls.  I love how much conviction you have, how you know who you are and what you want for your girls.  I am the luckiest man to have found you.”   I continue to kiss her.  “I want you so bad.” 
Another kiss.
“I want to make love to you Laney, right here right now, but I know there are more important things.” 
Another warm kiss to leave her breathless.
  “That knowledge doesn’t mean I want you any less. I will always want you.  I want you in my arms, by my side, in my bed, and always in my life.”

“What did I do to find you, Nathan?”  She kisses me, and it’s filled with so much meaning.

“You did nothing;
you were just you.  You deserve everything that I have planned for you.  You and those girls are my
family, and we are going to have the best life.”

“Nathan -”

“No, no, Nathan, no Nate, no Nathaniel.  Don’t fight us Laney.  Just let me love you.  Let yourself fall, sweet girl because I will always be here to catch you.”  There wasn’t anything else left to be said.  We were both worn out. With my wife snuggling up to my chest, my life seemed perfect, accidently perfect, but perfect all the same.

We slept the rest of the flight.  I am still so exhausted once we land it feels like I’m floating through the airport. My eyes are burning, I’m sure my breath
reeks,
and I can’t even imagine what I look like.  “Let’s get to the
car,
Troy and Stella are a few hours behind.  I think she is going to want to come to the hospital once they land.  I’ll make sure she gets to the hospital to be there for you as soon as they touch down.”  Once again, Nathan is doing everything that he can to help me.  He even made sure we landed at LaGuardia since that was the closest airport to the hospital.   I don’t know how to thank him. I’m not sure if I will ever be able to thank him.  I look up at him once we get seated in the town car that was waiting for us at the entrance of the
airport
.  “You don’t have to thank me for something that comes natural to me, Laney.  Don’t even think about feeling guilty.  You can thank me later, in private.”  He twitches his eyebrows.  I know exactly what he is
thinking, and if I were honest with myself, which I tend to be, I am on board with everything that’s going through his mind.

“I think I can do that, later. 
When the time is right.”
  

“When the time is right.”
  He kisses my cheek and pulls me to
him, so I’m laying
on his chest.  I’m starting to think this is one of his favorite things to do.

“Do you like to cuddle?”

“You’re thinking about cuddling on the way to see the girls.  What else is going on in  that
beautiful brain of yours?”

“Other than the fact that I’m scared shitless at what I may find at the hospital, I just wanted to know.  It hasn’t slipped by my notice that you like to hold me, keep your arm around me.”

“I do. You make me feel grounded; whole.  I like the way my world feels right when I’m touching you.  Is that a problem?”

“No.”

“Okay, sweet girl.”

Twenty-five
minutes later, we are pulling up to the hospital entrance.  “Park the
car Tony.,
I am sure we will be a while.  I’ll get in touch with you.”  He shuts the door and places his hand on the small of my back ushering me to find my girls. 

“Why is the driver waiting? Wouldn’t that cost a lot?”

“He’s our driver, baby. He gets paid no matter where he waits.”

“Oh.”  Why did I find that
strange?
  I grew up with money.  This wasn’t a shocker for me.  I guess that I’m not used to indulging in the perks of having money.  I’ve always wanted to take care of things on my own.  That means I even drive myself around when needed.  “Oh wait.”  We stop before he
gets
on the elevator.  “I need to take this off.”  I go to take my wedding ring off my finger so I can avoid that
conversation when Nate places his hand on my hand stopping
me.  It’s the first time I’ve noticed he is also wearing a nice looking black and platinum band.  Why didn’t I notice that before?

“Don’t do that Laney.”

“Why not?, Why do I need to answer questions
when my girls are laying in a hospital bed; one of which has just undergone surgery on her leg?  I don’t need any more stress right now, Nathan.”

“I don’t want to give you any more stress either, Laney, but I was hoping that me, and what that ring means, gives you strength.  And I think you are going to need all the strength you can get.  Please do not deny what we both feel.  Does this feel right between us?  Does my ring on your finger feel right? I don’t care how long it’s been there or how long it took to be placed on that finger.  I’m simply asking you if it feels right.”

I look down at our joined hands.  “Yes.”

“Then that’s all I need to hear.  Leave it, please.  Just don’t bring it up.  Maybe no one will notice.”