Why in the hell is there another Chapter 16, you ask? Well, no one really liked the precious Chapter 16. If you did like it, you didn't e-mail me. :P Anyway, so someone brought up the idea of re-writing it and about 10 people asked/told me to re-write it, so I did. I hope you guys like this one better. Let me know if this one is any better. It may seem kind of weird at first, but believe me, it's going somewhere grins
e-mail: quillfairy4@hotmail.com (e-mail change) Aol IM :
No promises, but I'm going to try to get up to Chapter 20 before July. Why? I'm going to Seattle in July dances around But don't worry, I'm going to see my sister (the one who previously lived in England, but they moved), and her hubby works for Microsoft so you can bet they'll have a computer. :) I don't know if I'll be able to do any work but I may at least be able to put some jibberish up. But, like I said, I'm not leaving for another month.
So, enough of my crap. Heeeeere's Chapter 16 : redone!
Chapter 16 "Peaches for Me" By : Secret Dreamer quillfairy4@hotmail.com (e-mail change)
If I had my little way
Dawn slid next to me at the dining room table and smiled brightly. "We need a pet. Maybe a kitten."
I chuckled and sipped my tea idly. "Why do we need a kitten?"
She shrugged. "I thought it would be nice."
I eyed her suspiciously. "Really. And what brought on this need for a kitten?"
She was about to answer when James came skipping in. "Mommy, can we get a kitten?"
I cleared my throat and glanced at Dawn who had suddenly found the hem of her shirt very interesting. "A kitten is a big responsibility, Sprout."
He nodded. "I know. I've been reading." He produced a magazine he'd had behind his back and climbed into my lap. "I'm doing a report on my favorite animal and that's cats."
We glanced through the magazine together and he pointed out everything he had learned.
"See, Mama. I can take care of her."
Indeed he could. "I'll think about it."
He grinned and threw his arms around my neck. "Thank you, Mama," and bounded up the stairs.
Again, I sipped my tea. "Now, what a coincidence you and James would both want a pet on the same day."
She sighed. "He only thinks of me as the woman whose carrying his baby sister. I'm not even a friend to him. I'm not around enough to spend time with him because of the movie. I want to be a part of James' life, Iya."
"And you thought that getting him a pet would get you some brownie points?"
She nodded sheepishly.
"Dawn," I took her hands in mine. "You can't expect him to accept you right away. Give him time. He's going through a huge change."
She sighed. "But I want him to accept me," she got up and took a peach from the fridge. "It's not like I'm asking him to call me Mom. I just want him to see me as your lover, I guess or as his friend. The kisses he gives me before bed are so strained sometimes. He does it just to be polite," she nervously bit into the skin of the fruit.
I got up and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Honey, listen to me. Give him time. He's a little boy whose just lost his father. He's still grieving."
She sighed and placed her head on my shoulder. "I know that. I worry though. I'm worried that I'm not spending enough time with him or that one day he'll start looking at me as an inconvenience. As someone whose monopolizing his mom's time."
I hugged her tightly and ran my hand over her back. "Oh baby, I didn't know you felt so badly about it."
She nodded and threw the peach pit into the sink.
"I suppose every kid needs a pet. Well Dawn, you've twisted my arm. We'll get James and Tali a kitten."
She smiled appreciatively at me. "I knew you'd come around."
I laughed and called for James.
He came shooting down the stairs and was at my side. "Yes Mommy?" he grinned sweetly up at me.
'He's good at that. Donny must've taught him,' I thought. "I've been doing some thinking with Dawn and she convinced me to let you have a kitten."
He whooped and gave me a big hug. He hesitated near Dawn and hugged her lightly, bashfully looking at the floor, and ran from the room.
She sighed. "It didn't seem to make much of a difference." She took another peach from the refrigerator.
Where the roots all twist
We stood before a row of kittens at the SPCA. James had passionately refused to go to a pet store, proclaiming that it wasn't a trustworthy place to buy any kind of pet. It would seem that I was raising an animals rights activist.
He smiled sadly and whispered to a very talkative kitten. "I wish I could take all of you home with me."
And a compassionate human being. Donny had done such a good job. I sighed and sat in front of the cage of a 6 week old calico kitten. She rubbed against my palm affectionately. Her eyes were a clear blue, bright with curiosity and mischief. This one was quickly winning over my heart but I tore myself away when James called to me. He had passed me and moved farther down the row.
I squatted down next to him. "What did you find, Sprout?"
He smiled at me and pointed. A pitch black 9 month old kitten was licking her haunches with her strikingly pink tongue. When she had finished, she noticed James for the first time and trotted gracefully over to him. He opened his hand and she rubbed against it, arching her back. James gleefully lavished attention on the mammal.
I left him to his happiness and walked back over to the calico who was still sitting by the kennel door, where I had left her. She yowled loudly at my presence and licked my palm. 'I suppose we could get two.'
James let out a soft yelp and pattered over to me, tears streaming down his face. "It tried to scratch me," he whimpered.
I pulled him into my lap and wiped away his tears. "She may have just been frightened."
He shrugged. His attention was quickly caught by my calico companion. He tentatively reached out a hand. She backed away slowly and looked up at me. 'Go ahead,' I nodded and she cocked her head, sniffing his hand before licking his finger tip and rubbing against it. Soon, a loud purr could be heard from her as her eye lids closed to slits and she blissfully let James pamper her. He giggled and sniffled. "I like her."
I snuggled against him. "So do I."
He leaned back against me. "Can we take her home?"
"Let's see what Dawn thinks."
"Dawn thinks about what?" she asked coming up behind us.
I patted the spot next to us. "James and I both like this one."
She smiled and rubbed her hand over the cats length. The calico continued to purr with delight and nearly fell over with pleasure. "I like her," she turned to James. "What are we going to name her?"
He bit his lip and stared at the ceiling. "Tigger. So she and Pooh can play together."
"I see you folks have found a keeper," one of the volunteers chuckled.
We looked up and nodded simultaneously, eliciting another chuckle. "Come with me and we'll start the paper work."
He set us down in a few chairs to fill out the security precautions and basic information. It took less than 15 minutes and James gleefully handed the volunteer the forms.
"We'll call you after we've done a background check. That shouldn't take more than a few days."
James' brilliant smile faltered. "Okay." He sighed deeply once we'd left the building. "I wanted her today."
And dreamed about you
Dawn groaned as I helped her out of the car. "My back is killing me."
I grinned and shut the door behind her. "I know, honey. Believe me, I know. Just wait until Tali gets bigger."
James giggled as Dawn sighed and skipped ahead of us. We'd managed to convince him that just because Tigger wasn't coming home today, didn't mean we weren't getting her at all.
"I need a peach," Dawn remarked, as she fell onto the couch with a huff.
James came skipping in. "Here," and handed her one with a slight blush in his cheeks.
'Maybe he's finally warming up to her,' I silently hoped.
Dawn smiled widely and gracious took the fruit. "Thank you, James."
He giggled and ran up the stairs.
I sat next to Dawn and wrapped myself around her arm and placed my head on her shoulder. "I think he likes you," I laughed in a sing-song school girl kind of tone.
She rolled her eyes but kept smiling as she bit into the flesh of the fruit. "Oooh," she moaned. "These things are so good." A bit of juice ran down her chin. "They're the best thing ever, well," she paused and took a sidelong glance at me and blushed. "Almost the best thing."
I kissed her cheek and ran a hand over her stomach. "What do you think Tali will be like?"
"I hope she's like you," Dawn whispered with a sigh. "Do you think it's too late to call her 'Peaches'?"
I snickered loudly. "I didn't think peaches could make you drunk but I think you've proved me wrong."
She laughed but stopped abruptly. "Hey!"
I laughed and pulled her from the couch, kissing her tenderly and wrapping my arms around her waist. "I love you so much," I grinned. "Now, come on, let's get James and go for a walk on the beach."
Makin' a little room
Dawn swung her discarded sandals in her hand, the wind blew her skirt around her legs and her hair away from her face. My pinkie was linked with hers as we sauntered slowly across the sandy beach. James had run up ahead, laughing and giggling. Throwing rocks into the shallower part of the water.
The sun was setting as Dawn hummed softly and gazed out over the ocean. "What was it like?"
"What was what like?"
"Giving birth."
I smiled and wrapped my arm around hers. "Are you nervous?"
She nodded.
"You're going to be fine, Pookie. If I can do it, so can you."
She smiled and put her head on my shoulder. "I suppose. I'm just worried. Did you worry?"
"All the time. I nearly drove Sylvia and Mama crazy," I sniggered. "But seriously. If you know what to do, you'll be fine."
"But I don't know what to do. I don't know how to breath right. I don't have a doctor. I don't know if I even want a doctor. I'm lost," she wailed.
I rubbed her back firmly. "I'm sorry. I totally forgot about that. On Monday, we'll enroll in a Lamaze class and start looking for mid-wives."
She wrinkled her nose. "Mid-wives?"
I nodded. "It's an alternative to a doctor. That's what I did, you don't have to, but I thought it was much more intimate cause there aren't all those nurses staring at you and plus, you can give birth in a pool of warm water if you want. Like, the bath tub or if we had a pool in the backyard. It's much more comfortable."
"That sounds much better than having my feet in stirrups," she giggled. "Sounds like less of a draft too."
We snickered and caught up with James who was sitting on the sand, lazily dragging his finger through it, making curly-cues and little James' designs. A sandy blonde haired man sat next to him, whispering something and making him giggle. A malamute puppy was licking his face and bouncing all over the place.
The man looked up and smiled. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Andrew Dumont. I live down the beach, I've been meaning to come up and introduce myself."
Dawn smiled graciously and shook his hand. "I'm Dawn Reed and this is Iya Moon."
"I'm James," he grinned, scratching the puppies stomach. "What's your dog's name?" he asked, looking up at Andrew.
"Tiny Tim."
I grinned. "A literature fan?"
"Guilty as charged. I never can get enough of books. Most of the rooms in my house are filled with them."
"Really? That sounds like quite a collection."
He nodded.
Dawn suddenly snapped her fingers. "You own the house with the garden in front, right?"
He chuckled. "Got me again."
"Oh my gosh! I love your garden. It's so beautiful. I've always wanted a garden of my own but I don't have time," she gushed.
"I could help you if you want. I've got lots of free time on my hands to do garden work."
"Could you really?" Her eyes lit up as she sat down on the sand next to him.
The puppy ran over and jumped in her lap, propping himself up on her stomach and graciously licking her face.
She laughed loudly and stroked his black and white fur.
He nodded. "Sure. Why don't I bring some gardening tools over tomorrow. We can start working up some soil and talk about what kind of things you want."
"That would be great!"
James yawned loudly catching all of our attention.
I knelt down next to him. "Tired, honey?"
He nodded, a sleepy look very visible in his gaze.
I grinned. "Climb up onto my back."
He stood up, stumbling a bit and falling onto Andrew.
The green eyed stranger laughed and placed James' arms around my neck. "I'll see you girls tomorrow, then. Around 12?"
Dawn nodded. "Perfect."
"Great," he waved and whistled to Tiny Tim who ran and stumbled to catch up with Andrew.
"Nice guy," I remarked as James' head fell against my neck.
Dawn nodded. "And I'm going to have a garden," she said dreamily, swinging her sandals again in a livelier, more teenager kind of way.
I stopped suddenly. "Since when do you garden?"
Sun soakin bulges
The next day, Andrew was on our doorstep at 12 o'clock sharp. Dawn was in a pair of rolled up old jeans and a tank top, her long hair pulled back, a bandana around her forehead to keep the sweat from dripping into her eyes.
Andrew said a quick hello before they disappeared into the front yard and began working the soil. I watched them from the porch for awhile, rocking back and forth in the porch swing before I got tired and went inside, just in time to hear the phone ringing. "Hello?"
"Hi this is John with the SPCA."
"Oh, Hi!" I crossed my fingers, hoping he was bringing good news.
"We reviewed your request and congratulations, you're the new owner of a 6 week old calico kitten."
I silently whooped. "Thank you! My son will be thrilled."
He chuckled. "You can come pick her up any time."
"Thanks so much. We'll be there in a little while."
"We'll have her all ready for you, than."
"Bye." I hung up the phone and waiting for James' bus to come down the street. I hopped from one foot to the other one until the long yellow vehicle came around the corner.
The doors opened and James came sprinting out.
"Guess what, honey!" I laughed as he hugged me. "We get to go pick up Tigger."
He squealed with delight. "Right now?"
"Just as soon as you put your backpack inside."
"Okay," he ran in and came back out, cheeks flushed with excitement. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the car. "Come on! Come on! Let's go."
"We'll be back in about an hour," I called to Dawn and Andrew before climbing into the car. James was already bouncing in the backseat.
Nature's candy in my hand
When we arrived at the SPCA, James dragged me through the parking lot and to the front desk. The man, who I presumed was John, snickered. "Are you the family looking for the calico?"
James nodded wildly.
He came around the desk and placed her in James' arms. "Congratulations on the new addition to your family."
I thanked him and leaned against the desk, watching James' face change from over-excitement to softly stroking her fur with a gleam in his eye close to euphoria. He looked up at me and smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mama," he whispered and nuzzled the kitten who gladly knocked him with her own head, hard. Causing her to fall against his shoulder, stomach turned upward. He giggled and let her nibble on his thumb, her tail flicking back and forth.
"Here's everything you need, no charge," John smiled, placing the cat-carrier and a medium-sized bag of kitten food on the counter along with a food and water dish. "Enjoy your cat."
"We will," I said, picking up the bag of supplies that were inside of the cat carrier. "Come on, let's go home and show Dawn."
He nodded again and followed me outside, his eyes never leaving the gray-blue fur ball in his arms. He looked up at me, forlorn when he came to the back door of the car.
I chuckled, opened it for him and lifted him into the seat.
"Thanks, Mama."
"No problem. Now, hold her tight. After this, she needs to be in the cat carrier when we're in the car, alright?"
He nodded, still oblivious, just stroking Tigger.
We remained in silence for most of the drive home. I would look at him in the mirror just to see him smile and lovingly stroke the pet in his arms who was purring so loudly, I could hear her over the engine. We were about 10 minutes from home when he finally spoke.
"Can we name her Peaches?"
"I thought you wanted to name her Tigger? Why Peaches?"
He squirmed a little in the seat. "Dawn likes to eat peaches."
I smiled at him through the mirror. "If you want to name her Peaches, you do that."
He smiled and again, shifted his gaze back to his cuddly companion. "Hi Peaches," he whispered to the now sleeping kitten.
When we arrived home, he went blindly up the stairs and into the house, careful not to wake the living bundle nestled against his chest.
I poked my finger down inside
Andrew stayed for dinner that night. It was just Chinese take-out but food, nonetheless. James insisted on eating with Peaches in his lap, swearing that it would be the only time. I figured it wouldn't hurt.
Dawn had oohed and awed over the kitten much to James' delight. She nearly cried when he told her the name and the reason.
Andrew smiled from behind, watching us interact, I suppose. He didn't seem to have a family. Although, he seemed to be fitting into ours quite well.
After, Andrew helped clean up the few dishes we had used and bid us all farewell, saying he would be back tomorrow to help Dawn with the garden some more.
James walked with him down the beach for a bit before running back and taking Peaches upstairs to show her wear to sleep.
Dawn had migrated upstairs as well and now sat in the chair in our bedroom, staring out the window into the backyard, watching the ocean; eating another peach. There had been a pile of peach pits on the front porch when she and Andrew had finished the garden for the day. It wasn't even peach season.
I knocked on James' door and poked my head in. He was fast asleep on the floor, Peaches curled up around his face. I tip-toed back to the bedroom and grabbed my camera. I got in a few shots before he began to stir.
"Mama?" he croaked.
I picked him up and laid him in bed. "Go to sleep honey."
"Where's Peaches?" he mumbled.
Before I could lift her up, she jumped onto a pile of cat magazines next to the bed and jumped onto his pillow. She kneaded the down for a bit before curling back up and purring loudly.
James yawned and laid his hand on her back. "Night Mama."
"G'nite, James," I whispered and turned off the light, closing the door behind me.
I turned to go to the bedroom but an obstruction in the doorway stopped me dead in my tracks and caused my mouth to fall open. Dawn. Naked. Leaning against the door. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and stumbled forward, not able to keep my eyes from her supple body.
She smiled slyly and took my hand, leading me into the bedroom. "I want you." she whispered, biting on my earlobe.
I swallowed. "Well, who can deny you what you want."
She closed and locked the door, pulling my shirt over my head along with the bra I had been wearing. So much for the clasp. Her lips attacked my neck in a vicious bout of tongue and teeth. My fingers cupping and fondling her tender breasts and nipples, eliciting a moan from deep in her throat. Perhaps it had been too long since we were intimate.
My fingers trailed down to her navel and farther still until her hand blocked my wandering fingers. I retreated with an awful sigh. I wanted her more than I could imagine. Our lips connected in a wrestling match that no one wanted to win.
My arms wrapped tightly around her waist, continuing the battle with her tongue. The flesh falling over each tooth and across each cheek. She always did like to fondle my left side more than my right. A habit I had yet to figure out.
I felt her smile as she moved my hands down her smooth back and closed them around her bottom. I pulled back slightly but she held me tight. "I like you like this," I grinned and kneaded the flesh between my palms.
She giggled and unbuttoned my pants. She bit my lip lightly as they fell to the floor and she pushed me onto the bed. "Mmm baby."
I burst out laughing and pulled her on top of me, hugging her close. "I think I just ruined the mood."
She chuckled. "I'm sure I can bring it back," she got up and dimmed the lights. I pulled her back on top, feeling her body pressed against mine. She kissed my neck and shoulders. Down my collarbone and to my breasts.
I purred as her tongue wrapped around my left nipple, her skilled fingers kneaded the flesh of the other. I swallowed gruffly as she kissed my stomach and blew lightly into my belly button. It had been way to long since we had been together. She tugged at the hem of my underwear until they too, landed on the floor.
She whimpered as I pulled her back up to my lips. "Let me," I whispered, kissing her neck and breathing in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. She sighed, her arms wrapping around my back, letting me take control. I kissed her again, letting my hand travel down to her exposed sex.
She yelped when I entered. "You're hand is cold."
"Don't worry," I whispered sweetly in her ear, drawing my tongue around the back. "They'll warm up with a little work."
She swallowed and gasped when my words were put into action. Her fingers raked along my back but neither of us noticed. My fingers moved slowly, firmly against her, playing her as long as I could. She was my instrument of pleasure. Her lips captured mine in a torrent of love and passion.
She clasped my breast in her hand and played with it, enjoying the sound of both our moans mixed together. The euphoria was taking us both over as my movements got faster and her breathing became shallow. She let out a near silent whimper before collapsing on the bed, shaking from her orgasm.
She gasped for breath before settling down in my arms. She snuggled against me. "I love you."
I kissed the top of her head, the smell of sex strong in the room. "I love you too."
Suddenly her head shot up. "Oh shit," she whispered and ran to the bathroom.
"Are you alright?" I called, just to make sure.
"Yeah," she squeaked back, the sound of the fan drowned out all other noise from inside.
The peaches had declared war.
I waited for her by the door, by the window, on the bed. The toilet flushed about 7 times and it was almost an hour and a half later before she emerged, clutching her stomach and looking very pale.
I helped her to bed and tucked her in.
"I hate peaches," she muttered before drifting off to sleep.
Millions of peaches, peaches for me. Millions of peaches, peaches for free. Millions of peaches, peaches for me. Millions of peaches, peaches for free --
I hope that was better than the previous Chapter 16 :) Lemme know what'cha thought. Chapter 17'll probably be done by Tuesday. Woo! hehe.
Love and Lollies.
Don't forget to Smile, Secret Dreamer quillfairy4@hotmail.com