The Eye of a Hurricane

Pippa

Lin invited me to stay the night and I didn't refuse.  Luna had asked me if I'd be there in the morning and I told her yes.  After the girls had gone to bed, Lin and I made out on the couch, unable to get enough of each other.  The kissing turned passionate and sloppy as our bodies began to respond to each other.  Lin pulled back, catching his breath.

"Wanna go back to my room?" he asked softly.  I paused for a moment, then nodded.  Lin was my best friend and I couldn't deny I was having big feelings about him.  Seeing him with the girls and how gentle and patient he was made me like him even more.

Lin led me back to his bedroom and we made love for the first time.

In the morning, Luna came bounding in around 8 a.m.  Lin had warned me this would happen, so we made sure to be fully dressed.  She not so gently found a little spot between us and started giggling.

"Pippa's here!" she said happily.  I smiled and reached out to rub her belly.  Lin found the remote so she could watch a show while we woke up slowly.  At some point I became aware that Luna was sitting up and braiding my hair.  I just smirked and let her continue.  I looked down and saw Lin's painted toenails peeking out under the covers.

I finally decided I was awake enough so I went to the restroom to pee and take a shower.  When I came out, Lin and Luna had since made their way out to the kitchen.  He made some instant oatmeal and served me a dish.  I liked this new morning routine.  Waking up next to Lin, being coaxed out of sleep by a five year old braiding my hair.  I could get used to this.

When Isabel emerged around ten, she looked a little confused.  "What are you doing here?"

"I stayed the night," I told her, wondering how much she understood.  She was twelve, so she knew what sex was but I wasn't sure she'd put two and two together.

"Oh," she said simply.

"Her and Uncle Lin had a sleepover!" Luna announced.

"Cool," she said, grabbing a bowl of oatmeal.  Isabel didn't seem fazed as she found a spoon and plopped herself down on the couch.  As we all lounged around in our jammies that Sunday morning, it felt so wonderfully domestic.  A load of laundry was going in the background.  Luna was playing quietly with her dolls and Isabel was cuddled up next to Lin.  I wondered, for the first time, if this was what I wanted in life.  It was still early in our relationship.  Very early.  But we'd known each other for years now and our relationship had naturally evolved to this.  Would I spend the rest of my life with Lin?  Or just a couple months?  Would I watch, first hand, as Isabel and Luna grew up?  Or would this just become a phase, like all the other relationships in my life?  It seemed long-term relationships just didn't work out for me.

Reluctantly, I headed home mid-afternoon to take care of my own life.  My little apartment felt lonely without the girls' voices and Lin's laugh.  I put on some music to drown out the silence and started doing some cleaning.  A while later, my phone dinged.

Dinner tonight?

It was a text from the guy I'd gone out with a few times, John.  He seemed like a nice enough guy, but I was feeling pretty exclusive with Lin now.  We hadn't declared anything yet, but it wouldn't feel right continuing to see John.

I'm actually dating someone exclusively now so I'll have to pass.  It was great hanging out with you though.

I sighed and set my phone down.  Hopefully he wouldn't take it too hard.  He seemed pretty into me.  I continued cleaning and forgot about the text.  A while later, I happened to check my phone and saw that he hadn't replied.  Oh well.

Lin and I texted throughout the day.  He told me about Luna's constant shenanigans.  Her first gymnastics lesson was the next day, Monday.  Hopefully she'd be able to channel her energy into that.  Maybe it would be her sport.