Chapter Nine

Axel

Pop stopped by early that morning on his way to work. He wanted to see if Bobby wanted to help him out with a few things. With Candice and Dominic about to have a baby, it was clear that he was trying to get as much practice in as possible. He had taken quite a liking to Bobby and the two of them got along almost like Pop really was his grandfather. It was sweet. I wanted to talk to Savannah, but she was sleeping. I had a feeling she hadn’t slept in much over the past few years. She seemed to be making up for it now. Bobby was the complete opposite. I’d always been an early riser, but Bobby was even more so. I would wake up to his happy and shining face waiting for me in the kitchen. I liked spending time with him before the rest of the world woke up. I still couldn’t believe sometimes that he was my son, or that I had a son in the first place. Some days I felt happy by the prospect and other days it scared me to no end. But Bobby was a very easy kid to love.

“Can I go?” he said to me when Pop came by.

“Sure. I’m sure it will be fine with your mother. I’ll tell her when she wakes up. I know you’re in good hand with Pop here.”

“Do you love Rice Krispies?”

“Uh, what?” Pop asked.

“Do you like eating that in the morning?” Bobby asked again as it if were the most normal question in the world.

“Well, yes. I do, actually. Why?”

“Because of your name. Snap, crackle, pop. Is that why they call you Pop?”

Pop burst out laughing and so did I. Bobby came up with the most interesting things. “Yes, that’s the reason.”

Bobby grinned. “That’s so cool. Hey, can I be Snap then?”

“Only if I can be Crackle,” I said.

“Bye, Crackle,” Bobby said as he walked off with Pop.

I shook my head and closed the door, chuckling to myself as I walked back to the kitchen. Savannah liked Pop, so I was sure that she would be fine with it all. I had to get to work myself too and decided it would be a good idea to take Savannah with me. I had a few ideas up my sleeve, and I didn’t want her to have to stay at home alone again. I went to the kitchen and made us both a cup of coffee. I now knew exactly how she liked it. A touch of milk, strong and no sugar. Exactly how I liked it myself. Once the coffee was made, I made my way to the basement. I figured she’d be up by now.

When I got to the basement, I tried to see if I could see her walking around. There was a makeshift curtain that acted as a door of sorts to give her the privacy against anyone walking in from the house. I couldn’t see her, so I called out her name, but I got no response. I walked in anyway, deciding to rouse her with a cup of coffee. Everyone liked waking up to the smell of caffeine. But when I opened the curtain, I saw that she was fast asleep on the bed and completely naked. The basement had always been unusually hot, and I saw her discarded clothes next to the bed that she’d probably taken off when she had gotten too hot in the night. I knew I should walk away. I knew it was wrong for me to stand there while she had no idea she was being watched. But I couldn’t seem to pull my gaze away from her.

Savannah was still a beautiful woman. Six years had changed her body, and so had having a kid, but it only seemed to amplify her beauty to me. Her breasts were a little plumper, her skin soft, and little white stretchmarks showed on her hips. I couldn’t help but feel aroused at the sight of her. And there was something so peaceful about her at that moment. I thought back to the way she was six years ago, when we’d seen each other naked for the first time. She’d been a confident woman, someone that wasn’t afraid to show who she was to the world. But I had noticed a shift in her since she’d come back to me. Something had changed her. Something had closed her up. But now, completely naked on the bed, she was back to that same woman I had first met. This was her true self. This beautiful goddess of a woman.

Of course, I should’ve known that the peace wouldn’t last, just as I should’ve known that standing staring at her wasn’t the best idea. She opened her eyes and shrieked as she saw me standing there. I jumped back in surprise and almost spilled the coffee.

“Sorry,” I said. “I just thought you might want some coffee.”

She frowned. “You were watching me.”

“No, I was bringing you coffee. Do you want it or not?” I wasn’t sure why I was acting defensive like this. I was clearly in the wrong. I just didn’t want to admit it.

“Yes, I want coffee,” she said and took it from my hand. I was surprised to see that she hadn’t yet covered herself up. Even though I’d spent the last few minutes staring at her, I now didn’t know where to look.

“Where’s Bobby?”

“Pop came by early to get him. He wanted to spend some time with him at his new shop. Pop has taken a liking to him, and I think the feeling is mutual. Anyway, drink your coffee and get ready. I’m taking you to work with me.”

“Oh yeah? Is that so?” she said. I could see she was still annoyed with me, but that only served to fuel my annoyance back at her even more. She was one of the fieriest women I’d ever met. I was secretly glad to see this part of her back again. I preferred it to the timid woman that had knocked on my shop door.

“Yes, that’s so. Now don’t take too long. I want to go soon. Enjoy your coffee,” I said. I thought she’d shout back and tell me that she wasn’t coming, but she surprised me by doing the exact opposite. She took a big sip of her coffee, then put it down and walked to the bathroom to get ready. As she walked, I was surprised that she once again wasn’t trying to hide herself from me. I gulped as I saw her from behind and then quickly scurried away before she could accuse me of watching her again.

I went back up upstairs and tried to calm myself down. I had no idea what was going on, but I felt myself starting to spiral out of control. Get yourself together man, I said while I waited for her to get ready. But the more I sat in the kitchen trying to control myself the more I started thinking about her. I couldn’t get the memory of her naked flesh out of my mind. I wanted to run my hands over her beautiful body. Stop it!

Maybe I should go back down? Maybe I should tell her that I was sorry for standing there watching her? Maybe I should at least give her the opportunity to tell me if she wants to come with me to work? I found myself moving back towards the basement without thought. With each step I took, I knew that it was not the real reason I was going back down there again. I knew that I just had to see her one more time. I got down and heard the water running in the shower. I took a deep breath and walked towards it.