Cassidy
I turn my wrist to look at my watch again for the third time in an hour. How long are they going to be? I hope he’s okay...? Why am I even worrying? He’s with his dad - he’s fine.
“Oh my god Cassidy Summers... get a grip!” Instead of sitting here bouncing my knee I give myself a talking to and decide to fill the washer from my never-ending washing basket, that’ll keep me busy for at least ten minutes. I don’t know how that boy gets through so many clothes.
I don’t know why it seemed so weird him not being here today because he always goes off playing but I think it’s knowing he’s with Elliott. My anxiety has hit its highest level. I hope they get on alright, I know they did last weekend, but I was here too.
I haven’t had to work all week but I’m in tomorrow night, that’s going to please my Mum. That woman hates it when I ruin her plans and I know she goes to the bingo hall on a Thursday. Oh well, just something else for her to pick holes in.
It’s past eight now he should be home. Picking up my phone I pull up Elliott’s number and open my text messages. Typing out a message, my thumb hovers over the send button. No. he’ll think I don’t trust him. Sighing I delete the message and head back to the kitchen to take the washing from the dryer. Putting it all on the table, I make a cup of coffee and begin to fold all the washing.
The bang that comes from the door hitting the wall as it opens makes me jump but I know that’s him. Cameron comes running in happily.
“Hey Mum.” He hugs me tight and runs off again.
“Erm hello. Where are you going and where’s Elliott?”
“Put the telly on.”
Getting up from the chair I put the kettle back on and wait for Elliott to come in.
“Helloooo.”
Elliott stands at the open front door and shouts. I can feel the smile on the face, I’m sure it’s huge and I feel like that teenage again eager to see him.
“Hey.”
The urge to run up to him and kiss him is there but I can’t I know that. He smiles back and winks. I know he’s probably thinking the same thing or something a lot sexier knowing Elliott…
He walks down the hall greeting me with a kiss to my cheek.
“Hi.”
He looks around after holding my gaze for a minute.
“Where’s Cam gone?”
“To watch the telly…”
“Cameron. Come here a sec.”
He shows his face at the door within seconds.
“How did you do that? He never comes that quickly for me.”
“Have you told your Mum what we’ve done today?”
“No! Mum I played on Dad’s guitar.” My world spins. That word, that single word - I never thought I’d hear that. Tears prick my eyes making them fill with water I try to blink them back. I don’t want Cameron to see me he’ll think it’s wrong and has upset me and it’s totally the opposite.
“WOW! Again?” I swallow past the lump in my throat just enough to get words out.
“Yeah but not just that. He said I didn’t have to play a guitar I could try to play the drums, so we tapped out some tunes on the table and I copied, and I was really good Dad said I was. Oh, and Uncle Dale was there too. He said I was really good too….” After he finishes and takes a breath I manage to get a word in.
“Drums huh? Great.”
Elliott cringes as I raise an eyebrow at him before turning back to my son.
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yep it was brill and Uncle Dale said I can stay with him Friday night while you’re at work. Can I? Please?”
“Did he now? You have had a good afternoon.”
Cam”
His eyes switch from looking at me to giving Elliott his full attention.
“Go watch the telly while I have a word with your mum please?”
“Erm, no. Go have a shower. You have school tomorrow.”
“Ugh, do I have to? I’m not even dirty!” He whines.
Elliott angles his head and nods at the stairs…
“Go on bud. Do as you’re told, and I’ll talk to your Mum.”
“Okaaay then…” He sighs but does as Elliott asks him to.
I turn to face Elliott full on.
“Seems like you definitely have a fan. It usually takes a lot longer than that to get him in the shower.”
“What can I say, I have the touch.”
“I know you do...” I whisper but smirk at the same time. He eyes the stairs watching Cam disappear as he gets further up then turns back, frames my face in both of his hands and plants his lips to mine in a crushing kiss.
“Mm, stop it. Cameron…” I whisper.
“He’s gone. I had to, I couldn’t stop myself.”
Walking away from him I tell him to follow me into the kitchen, so I make us a coffee.
“So, what’s this about Friday.” Lifting the cup to my lips I take a sip of my hot coffee.
“Dale, told Cameron if it was okay with you he could stay one night at ours while you’re at work, but only if it’s okay with you and Cam asked for this week.”
“Really he asked that? I can’t believe how open he is. He’s never asked questions about you or anybody until recently and that was because I sat him down when I knew you were back.” Pausing for a second while I get my head around everything…
“I can’t believe he called you Dad? I mean I hoped he would, but I never expected it this soon…”
“Neither could I. I was gobsmacked Cass.”
“I’m so happy you two have hit off.”
My emotions are high as I try to sniff them back.
“Well in regard to Friday if that’s what he wants then he can stay at yours as long as you’re okay with it of course, it’s your house too.”
“Cass. Come on, he’s my son and I intend to make up for as much lost time as I possibly can. Today was just amazing. He’s amazing. You’ve done a brilliant job with him.”
“He’s amazing because he’s got you in him.”
“Cass don’t. I feel like shit for not hanging around, but I swear I’m going nowhere anymore, ever. I’m here to stay. For Cam and for you, I’ll never leave you ever again. That’s a promise.”
A tear fills my eye, not able to hold them back much longer, my jaw tensing as Elliott says the words I’ve waited to hear for so long, but I can’t let myself believe it just yet…
“Please don’t make promises you can’t keep to either of us.”
I try to swallow down the boulder that seems stuck in my throat, I don’t want to chase him off, but he has to know the boundaries.
He takes my clasped hands and covers them with his.
“Cass, I can make that promise because I’m not going to break it again. I’m older, wiser and no one will keep my family away from me. My whole life is now centred around the two of you.”
The tear has tumbled over the precipice it seemed to be balancing on and it’s trickling down my cheek. Elliott gently wipes it away using the pad of his thumb. Softly sighing at his soft touch. He smiles, he knows exactly what he does to me. My arms thread through his and wrap around his back as he cups my head in his strong, large hand, his lips leaving a soft lingering kiss making me feel protected, even loved.
“I only have one regret in my life, and that’s not hanging around to see you or talk to you, if I’d have known, I would have given up everything.
Pushing back from him reluctantly I release my tight hold on him.
“I better go check on Cameron.”
Running up the stairs I peer into his bedroom but he’s not there, he must still be in the shower. With my back against the wall I rest my head back and blow out a breath. I’m trying so hard not to rush into anything but it’s just so hard. So many feelings come flooding back every time I see him. A smile, a wink, something he says, it reminds me and takes me back ten or more years. How do I do this without throwing my heart at him and saying - it’s yours, do want you want with it? Does he really want more like he said he does…?
Arrrghhh it's all too much but it’s definitely a conversation we need to have.
“Mum? What’s wrong?”
I didn’t even hear the door open I was so entranced in my own thoughts. Pretending there’s nothing wrong I fix a smile to my face.
“Nothing sweetie. So, did you have a good time then?”
“Yeah it was brill. Dad says…”
My eyelids drop at that word again. I never thought this day would come.
“I’d be good at drums. Can I have some drums? Pleeease?” My eyebrows shoot up to the top of my forehead.
“Erm, we’ll see.”
“That means yes then.”
“Really?!”
“Yep. If not, I’ll ask Dad.”
“Go get your pyjamas on mister! We’ll talk about this another time.”
He smiles cheekily and goes off into his bedroom.
“Mum? Can you ask Dad to come up?”
“Yeah okay, go get into bed and I’ll send him up.”
Nearly knocking me over, he launches himself at me, hugging me and saying thank you. This boy is my world and nothing he does could ever make me mad. Kissing the top of his head I send him to bed and make my way back downstairs.
“Hey, is everything alright? You were a while.”
Getting to the bottom of the stairs Elliott is waiting for me as I turn into the hallway.
“Yeah I’m good.”
Taking a deep breath my teeth nibble on the corner of my lip as I take him in. His custom leather jacket, white t-shirt that is stretched across his chest, blue jeans that cling to every muscle in his thighs and black boots. A sexy smirk on his face and smouldering gaze because he knows exactly what I’m thinking as his eyes travel down the length of me, all five foot five of me sending sparks shooting through me.
“You can’t look at me like that and not expect me to do something about it, Cassidy.” His husky voice heightening all of my senses.
“Oh, really and what do you intend on doing, Elliott?” I breathe.
He steps closer...
“Throw you on the bed strip you naked then lick every single inch of your body, just for starters of course.”
Getting closer to him my lips almost touching his… “What about main course?”
“I’ll make love to you all night until you come so hard and so much your legs will ache, and you’ll feel me with every step you take the next day.”
Pushing my tongue through the seam of my dry lips adding some moisture. His arm caging me in against the wall.
“My dick is so hard. I want to do that now.”
His voice still low, almost a whisper. He’s transfixed on me, nothing else around us matters in this moment right here.
“Muuum, did you ask him?” Cameron’s voice shouting down breaks the spell he has me under.
“Shit!” I pant. “Erm, Cam wants you to go up to him.”
His face turns serious as he stares at me, through me, stripping me naked with his eyes. Swallowing hard I dip under his arm and go into the kitchen. Looking back over my shoulder I watch as his head drops, shaking from side to side, looking at the floor.