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Three more thrusts and he slammed into her once more, stilling as he filled her over and over.
By the time he pulled out, her legs would not hold her and he scooped her into his arms, taking steady strides to the bathroom. He lowered her onto the closed toilet seat and she stared vacantly ahead, uncaring what came next, she felt so deliciously sated.
After turning on the shower, he lifted her into the stall and took over. He soaped her legs and thighs, working his way upward as he gently cleaned her, helping her wash and condition her hair, before he turned his attention to himself.
A little while later, she lay in bed, her head on his chest, her hair still damp. Neither cared. Silence took over and she was grateful. Her body still felt like Jell-O, but her breaths had finally smoothed out. So had her mind. She wasn’t giving up this man unless and until she had to.
Don’t go looking for trouble, her mother used to tell her, and she heard her mom’s voice speaking to her now. The future loomed and it was scary, but it wasn’t in her face yet. So, for the moment, she wasn’t going anywhere.
Fallon spent the weekend with Noah. Somehow, he’d convinced his sister to give him twenty-four hours of free time and they made the most of it. Holed up in her apartment, ordering in food, and having sex. Lots and lots of amazing sex.
By the time he was ready to leave on Sunday morning, she was even more in love with the man. And she hoped the possible pain in the end was worth the beauty of now.
***
After Noah wenthome to the girls, Fallon dressed and headed to visit Clara. When she arrived, the doorman let her up and she stood knocking for a good five minutes before she grew worried and headed back downstairs, coming up to the concierge desk.
“Excuse me, but did you see Clara this morning?” she asked the doorman.
He shook his head. “No. Her son left a couple of hours ago but as far as I know, she’s home. Why?”
“She’s not answering and I’m worried. Do you have a spare key?”
“I’m not sure I should go in,” he said, hesitating.
Fallon curled a hand into a frustrated fist at her side. “Clara hasn’t been well and there’s silence from inside. Please? I’ll take full responsibility if she’s upset with you. Please,” she said again, more urgently this time.
He nodded. “Fine.” He walked into the room behind him, shutting the door, then returned with a set of keys in his hand. “Let’s go up.”
Once outside the apartment door again, the doorman knocked hard, ringing the bell while Fallon shifted anxiously from foot to foot.
“I told you, nobody’s answering. Open the door?”
He inserted the key in the lock, turned, and let them inside.
“Clara?” Fallon called out. She made her way through the apartment, checking the kitchen, the sitting room and then the family room, before walking into the bedroom where she found the older woman lying on the floor, unresponsive.
“Clara!” Fallon knelt down, picking up her weathered hand and feeling for a pulse. Finding one, she yelled, “Call 911!” to the doorman who’d waited at the entrance to the apartment.
“Clara?” Fallon asked in a soothing voice. She spoke to her in low tones for what felt like forever until the paramedics finally arrived.
She stepped back to let the professionals do their job and when they told her what hospital they’d be taking Clara to, Fallon rushed downstairs to hail a taxi.
Hours passed as Fallon paced the floor in the hospital waiting room. She’d told the paramedics about Clara’s heart condition but beyond that she felt useless. Not only that, she had visions of the night her mom died, nobody letting her into the room, the explanation given by her dad, that someone had hurt her mommy and she was in heaven now. And that overwhelming feeling and pit of pain, anguish, and fear.
She glanced around at the sterile, beige walls and down at the empty table in the center of the room. There were no magazines to read, not that she could concentrate, nobody to talk to, and by the time noon passed, she was scared and lonely. She wanted someone to keep her company but sheneededNoah. She knew he had the girls to care for but she couldn’t stop herself from picking up her phone and dialing his number.
He arrived not long after and she rushed to him, allowing him to wrap her in his comforting arms.
“Any news?” he asked.
She stepped back and shook her head. “Not a word.”
Together they sat back down to wait but she felt better with Noah by her side. She wasn’t up to explaining the feelings that this experience brought back, feeling if she talked about her mom, she’d cry and not stop.
“I can stay until early evening. Then I need to go home to the girls so Shannon can leave,” he said, regret in his tone as she threaded his fingers through hers.
“I’m just grateful you came.”