In a Perfect World

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Hey hot stuff," I heard a familiar voice greet me from behind.  I turned to see Damien leaning against the doorway of the private room in the clubhouse.  It had been so long since the last time I’d seen him, I almost thought he was an illusion created by my perpetual state of exhaustion.  “You’re looking as gorgeous as ever.”

"Damien!" I ran to meet him, flinging myself into his open arms.  I closed my eyes, resting my chin on his shoulder and took a deep breath; he was definitely real. 

We shared a brief kiss before Damien spoke again. "I missed you," he murmured into my ear before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.  He set me back on the ground and kissed my forehead lightly. 

"I missed you too,” I breathed, grasping his shirt in my hands.  I pressed my face against his chest as he hands wrapped around my waist.  He slowly snaked his hands up and cupped my face, bringing my lips to his and pulling me in for a deep and passionate kiss.  A month away from each other was too much.  Damien had been busy studying away the past month, only able to see Hayley for a few moments at a time when his parents went to go visit him with Hayley.  I had been overwhelmed at school as well, already taking four big tests within the first month of school.  It was the first time Damien and I had seen each other since we dropped him off at UCLA.  

            I pulled away from Damien, both of us breathing heavily, remembering that guests would be arriving to the room in just a few minutes.  Damien and I would have time to be together later in the night when Damien whisked me away for the weekend to his family’s house penthouse in Santa Monica.  “Did you bring the balloons?” I asked him, rubbing the small of his back. 

"Yup, I'll go get them out of my car. Be right back." He gave me a quick kiss before going to his car, leaving me alone again in the empty room.

It was Hayley's first birthday and Damien’s family, my whole family, and a few of our friends were going to be crowding into the private room and everything had to be perfect. I rearranged the decorations on the table and "messed up" the confetti I had thrown onto the table before taking a step back to admire my work.

            It had been a whirlwind of a year.  Since the day Hayley was born, nothing had been easy.  It was a challenge being a mother, but I didn’t regret a single thing I’d done since Hayley was born.  I was so grateful for all the help I got from my parents and Damien’s parents and I was so grateful that Damien wanted to be a father as much as I hope he would. 

"It looks beautiful," Damien said from behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist.  “You look gorgeous.”

"Are you sure?" I asked, taking the balloons from him.  “And thank you.”

"Positive,” he chuckled, tickling my side.  “I’ve definitely missed your absolute need for perfection.”

"Thanks," I muttered, rolling my eyes.  He squeezed me tight before I moved away from him and began scattering the plain light pink and lavender balloons around the room and then tied them huge nylon "Happy 1st Birthday" balloon around the back of the high chair. "Perfect," I said to myself.

"So when is everyone coming?" Damien asked me. "I want to see Hayley."

"My parents should be bringing her soon," I informed him after checking the time on my phone.  I’d spent all day getting ready for Hayley’s birthday, overlooking all the deliveries of food and the set up of tables and chairs by the club employees, before decorating the room.  We were expecting so many family members, I wasn’t only stressing about everything being perfect, I was stressing about seeing so many people and being able to spend enough time with people I hadn’t seen in a few years and meeting members of Damien’s family for the first time.