Into the Crowd. ✔

CHAPTER 13

“Just a few more steps before you can open your eyes.” Josh whispers from my right as he walked me through the doors of the house blindfolded.
“Josh are you sure you want to do this without Taylor?”
“I wanted you to be here first, so we can make it even a bigger surprise for her.”
“Okay, were inside now. I’m going to take of the blindfold now.” I nodded as he loosens the tie around my head. I opened my eyes and I stopped. Before me was a staircase so fair it belonged in one of Taylor’s favorite Disney movie’s.
“Oh Josh!” I stood there with an open mouth, starring at my surrounding.
“Follow me.” He took my hand in his and gave me the tour of the house. Starting at the ground floor. The kitchen was big and modern. Every women’s dream. Most of the house was already furnished and would only need some appliances and furniture to make it a home. The backdoor opened up to a big and spacious veranda looking over the large yard and pool. This place was made for a king. The living and dining area was spotless with marbles and dark hardwood floors. This is two of the areas that needs to be filled.
“Down there is the basement, I was thinking to renovate into a small home studio.” I could only manage to nod, excitement starting to bubble inside of me. Josh really did go all out and somehow all this was too much to take in and I felt a small tickle of guilt. Guilty that I somehow stuck him into this life. I know I am wrong but I can’t help the doubt entering my mind. I looked up at him and saw the brilliant smile and I knew this is what he wanted. He makes sure to prove it to me every step of the way. The rest of the tour was quick, but we did get a delayed in the master bedroom or more specific the huge king size bed in what was going to be our room soon, if you catch my drift…
“So this is why you wanted to come alone with me?” I say as I draw circles on his chest while we laid on the naked mattress. The big French doors leading to the balcony opened wide to let in the summer Australian breeze.
“Among other things...”
“If you say so.” I gasped out as his fingers starts to rake up and down my torso in slow torturous motions. I moaned as his eager lips took control of my body’s reactions. The breeze not the only thing bringing goosebumps to my flesh. Thirty minutes later we got up to dress. It was only another hour before school lets out and another week and a half before I can go back to teaching myself. For now I am fully enjoying my three week medical and personal leave. Taylor came rushing out of the building jumping into the backseat of the car. Josh pulls away and made a bee- line towards the shopping center.
“First things first. We do a late lunch first then we go and check out Bed, Bath and beyond.” Josh says loudly behind the wheel of the car turning down the volume on the radio playing some soft country music.
“How was school Tay’?” I ask my daughter turning halfway around in my seat to look at her.
“Fun, and I finished all my homework in school time” she mumbles shrugging the backpack of her shoulders.
“Good because it’s going to be a long afternoon. Maybe we can catch a movie…but I can see your mom giving me the stink eye to remind me it’s a week night.” I laughed as I rest my hand on his thigh, giving the tight muscle a light squeeze.
“Over the weekend when we move into the house, we can take an early evening to go and catch a movie.” I myself couldn’t keep the excitement in anymore. I am going to have a home. I real one with loved ones and not stuck in a loveless home like the one I grew up in.
“When can I go and see? How does my room look? Is it big? I love purple!” Taylor bubbled from the backseat. Josh looked at her through the rearview mirror. Shaking his head with a smile.
“Over the weekend honey, when everything is furnished and painted.” He says. Three hours later I could see Taylor getting tired as we load most of the small buys in the trunk. All the other furniture and electronics would be delivered to the house on Saturday morning. Even Ezra and Drew would be dropping by to help unpack. Josh was going over to the house tomorrow to start painting Taylor’s room in a deep purple as a surprise and to start construction in the basement for the home music studio. The house was perfectly placed. Close to the school, hospital and shopping centers. Back when I was living in London with Taylor it got lonely. Yes I made some friends and I was close to my Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Timothy who took me in
when I made the move. Aunt Charlotte was my grandmother’s sister. I am grateful for them every day, because they took me in for three years when I had nobody else in my life. No memory and all. Financially they helped but over the years I started to pay them back little by little. They didn’t have children of their own so I became their ‘adoptive’ baby as they used to call me. Taylor never actually knew her grandparents when we lived in London. They came by exactly three times in the last ten years. Only since we moved back a couple of months ago did they try to make an effort to get to know their granddaughter. Not much, but just little things. Looking back now I got to know why. Was it simply because they knew who the father was? That they lied? Or are they just plain mean people who doesn’t give a damn about any other living person except their self? It seems to be the latter and a little bit of the other reasons. Being a single mother with a sick child took all the strength I had to give her a comfortable life. And I can honestly say that up until a week and a half ago, I couldn’t breathe. So now that I am sitting here. Watching Josh and Taylor amusingly argue about which Harry Potter movie was the best. They sat in front of the TV until almost nine pm when Taylor fell asleep on his lap. He picked her up and carried her into the room to tuck her in with a kiss on the head. I could faintly hear the words ‘I love you’ before he closed the door and joined me where I was pulling a full bottle of red wine from the fridge. He stretched his back, yawning before he took his full class from me, giving me a quick kiss on my cheek. I joined him on the couch, sipping on the sweet flavor.
“I was thinking... The backyard is big and beautiful enough where we can fit in some chairs. A small canopy lined with roses. Maybe a couple of friends and family, a table full of delicious foods, some good wine, you and me and a ceremony of ‘I do’?” He took a sip of his wine before he stretched out to put the glass on the coffee table, reaching out to take mine to do the same. Pulling me closer until my head was resting against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. A steady beat beneath my ears.
“Are you sure that’s what you want? No big church or at sunset on the beach?” I ask him, looking up at his face.
“No. I want you, Taylor and a small group of friends and family. An intimate affair. I don’t need or want the big church wedding or a windy beach disaster.”
“Then that’s what we will get.” I honestly didn’t want a big affair, not when we can keep it small and intimate.
“Thank you. I am just really ready to start the rest of my life with you.”
“I love you. More than ever.”
“I love you more.” I turned so I can slide across his lap. Straddling his hips. He sat back into the cushions, relaxing his neck as I lay my head on his shoulder. Hugging him close.
“We can wait a while. To settle into the new house. Get our footing,” I whispered against his neck. Breathing in his sweet cologne and his natural manly scent. I gave him a slow kiss before I got of his lap and reach out to grab my glass of wine.
“Anything for you.”
“Have you heard from Charlie?”
“No. I-I need a little more time.” He sighs and closes his eyes when he thinks back to their argument a couple of days ago.
“Okay.” They are brothers, not only by blood, but his only relative and I knew that they would work it out. Yes he lied and what he did was wrong, but they’ll need to move past it and focus on the future. I really want Taylor to get to know her uncle. They will be good for each other.
“Okay?” He asks as if he doesn’t believe that I was agreeing with him.
“I know you two will come around. You’re all he has Josh, remember that.”
“I know. I know. Shit-“ He rakes his fingers through his already messy hair in frustration.
“I have been caught up in what I was feeling, I didn’t even think about that. Gosh I am a shitty brother.”
“Don’t say that. You two have been leaning against each other, supporting each other since you were fourteen. That counts for something. Just try to reach out, you I’ll see.”
“I’ll give him a call tomorrow.”
“Good.” I swallow down the rest of the glass. Then I got up unzipping the hoody. Letting it fall at his feet. I could see him swallow as his Adam’s apple bobble up and down when he sees I was wearing nothing underneath. Then I started to unbutton the first button on my high waist jeans. When I got to the second one I heard him growl and get up from the sofa, but before he could reach me I took off towards the bedroom, laughing as he almost ran into the door frame again, shutting the door behind him...