Love Never Fails Read online

  Love Never Fails

  L. D. Harmison

  1

  It’s five-thirty in the morning and instead of catching up on some much needed sleep, Monica tosses and turns in bed thinking of everything that has happened to her and her family. Smiling, she lightly brushes her thumb across Jake’s cheek. Their love was tested but no matter what, she loves this man so unconditionally. With his eyes still closed and a smile on his face, he embraces her touch by locking his fingers with hers.

  Six o’clock hits and Jake lays there acting as if he doesn’t hear the alarm. Reaching over him, she hits the snooze button. Jake smirks as he grabs her leg and wraps it over him. Latching her ass, he pulls her closer. She curls her arms against her breast and tucks herself under his chin. As he twirls her hair with his finger, it sends goose bumps on her arms causing her to shiver. It amazes her after years of being married; he still has that effect on her.

  Jake kisses the crown of her head. They close their eyes hoping the last couple of minutes will help. With Eric waking up numerous times in the middle of night, they’re lacking the sleep needed to function throughout the day. She’s tried searching online to find useful ideas to help Eric sleep. He’s turning one in a couple of days and kids his age usually are already sleeping without waking up three or four times. Monica’s starting to look like a zombie with pale, blotchy skin and droopy, dark circled eyes. If this continues, she can audition for a role as a zombie for a movie without any make-up props. She needs a solution. Fast. Their daughter Ella started sleeping the entire night when she was just nine months old, so what are they doing wrong with Eric? They’ve tried everything from giving him a warm bath using lavender baby wash; massaging his body to help him relax; and even tried singing and rocking him to sleep, but it’s all useless. Monica’s knows she should be taking advantage of this precious fifteen minutes of sleep before the alarm goes off again, but lately the past has been haunting her. Slightly opening her eyes, she stares at her handsome husband sleep. He looks so peaceful.

  The alarm chimes. This time Jake flips around and instead of hitting the snooze button, he turns the alarm off. He leans over, kisses her forehead, and heads towards the bathroom scratching his butt. Sitting up, she rubs her eyes like a little kid and looks at the time. She uses every power that’s hidden inside her and forces herself to get out of bed.

  Monica slowly creeps into Ella’s room to check if she’s already awake. She is sitting on her vanity chair putting make-up. She stops for a minute, smiles at her mom, then tries to finish. For a very long time Jake would not allow her to wear make-up. He says natural beauty is key. Till this day, he tells her she is too beautiful to be wearing it. As she gets older, she’s starting to get her mother’s organic bloom. They could be twins. Of course, if Monica was younger. With their natural beauty, Jake doesn’t understand why Monica and Ella cover their faces with nonsense. All of Ella’s friends were coloring their faces, so she felt the need to do it also. Jake likes to be hardheaded and always gives Ella a hard time. He asked if her friends jumped off a bridge would she do it also, and Ella being the teenager she is, just rolls her eyes. After constantly begging and begging, Jake finally caved. Just as her mother is fixing to walk away, Ella looks at her in the mirror waiting for an answer.

  Shaking her head, “No, not yet baby.”

  Ella pouts her lips in disappointment.

  “I’ll ask him today.” Monica promises.

  Ella was hoping her father would allow her boyfriend, Luke to come to Eric’s birthday party this Saturday. Jake plays the over protective father role very well. Ella’s first boyfriend Paul experienced that first hand during the summer. They met at a pool party, through Lisa, Ella’s best friend. Jake dislikes the idea of his little girl dating. Doing his own little investigating, he found out Paul is a player. Ella knew Paul was a flirt but wanted to believe that he really liked her, like a typical naive teenager girl. Maybe he really did, but no one will ever know.

  When Jake found out Paul was coming over, he intentionally left work early. That was the first and last time Paul came over to the house. Monica feared for Paul’s life and shouldn’t have told Jake that Paul was coming over. After Jake came home, he saunters upstairs bopping his head from side to side with a mischievous smile on his face. He acted as if he did not notice anyone sitting in the living room. Everyone downstairs tilts up at the ceiling after hearing ruckus. Jake comes back downstairs with his shot gun propped over his shoulder. He looked like he was fixing to go hunting.

  Jake snarled, “You come near my daughter again, and I will hunt you down, and I will mount your head in my office like my trophies.”

  Paul left and never looked back. Of course Ella was pissed and didn’t talk to her father for days. But her being a daddy’s girl, her ignoring him did not last long. Paul won’t answer any of Ella’s phone calls, and when she sees him at school or where they may accidentally bump into each other, he turns around and scrams to the nearest exit. Jake knows firsthand about guys like Paul, and he’ll be damned if he was going to allow his daughter to be involved with idiots. He will warn you at first. If you’re not intimidated with him being six feet five inches tall and weighing two hundred seventy-five pounds, his threats become promises, making people think twice before crossing him again.

  Across from Ella’s room, Monica tiptoes into Eric’s bedroom. He’s sleeping like an angel. Once she gets downstairs, she presses the silver button on the coffee pot and turns on the television to the morning news. Leaning over the granite and cream country-styled wood island to watch the news, hair on her arms stand upright as her elbows barely touches the crisp counter top. A couple of seconds standing on the frigid bamboo hardwood floors, makes the bottom of her feet cold, so she pulls the bar stool to sit. Still half asleep, she stares at the forty-two inch television that is mounted into the wall watching the news. There’s a police chase in progress. Something about a man with a warrant stealing a vehicle. Who knows what drives people to do crazy things, especially in the mornings. She peers out the arched floor to ceiling glass kitchen window. When building their home, she specifically wanted a huge glass window in the kitchen overlooking the bay. She has always thought sunsets and sunrises are some of the world’s greatest beauties. The orange glowing sun divides a line between the gold flaming skies and grey whispering waters. Even though it’s only six-thirty in the morning, steam rises from the bay. The weather man suggests everyone stay inside, so heat strokes or dehydration can be avoided. With it being so hot outside, they put the air conditioning on sixty-eight at night, making everything in the house with the faintest touch very cold in the mornings. Baytown’s weather is so weird. One minute it’s hot and sunny and the next second it’s cold and rainy.

  She heads back upstairs to recheck on Eric, and of course, he is still asleep. Kids have it so easy with no worries in the word. What Monica would do to have her childhood back. Her eyes start to burn with thoughts of her daddy. She was the typical “daddy’s girl”. They did everything together from fishing, to watching football games, and she even went to work with him when her school had “child work with parent day”. Whenever her father wasn’t working, he made sure he spent those limited quality time with her. Monica’s parents loved her in their own separate ways. Her mother Lauren was gentle like most of the mothers. She’s a very soft spoken southern woman. When she bumped her head or fell off something she wasn’t supposed to be standing on, her mother knew how to kiss it and make it feel better; she’ll start singing the sweetest words. On the other hand, her father John would tell her to toughen up and her getting hurt the first time, there sure wouldn’t be a second time. When she got hurt, she would get up and after she has stopped crying; he would put her on his lap, hold her tight with h
is protective arms showing he loves her in his own special way. She loved that about him. He was a firm believer in making mistakes and learning from them. He is the reason why she is so strong minded and very independent. Her parents always stood by her through thick and thin. John and Lauren were very well off but they did not allow the money to get them. They did not spoil her and they made sure Monica knew exactly how determination and hard work pays off.

  Walking towards her room, she pauses for a minute to make sure Eric hasn’t gotten up. After closing the heavily tinted glass double French doors behind her, she locks it. Undressing, she invites herself to join Jake in the shower. The ten by ten luxurious shower is fully glassed on three sides. The side with the two bronzed hot and cold shower handles is tiled with unpattern black and white marble Mosaic pebbles along with the floors, and the ceiling which holds the triple twenty-one by twenty-one inch vibrant brushed bronze ambient rain overhead shower panel. They had a water thermostat installed, so they can control the temperature. The one hundred five water temperature effervesces the sexual ambience that surrounds them.

  Jake excited, pins her against the glass wall. Crossing his fingers with hers, he lifts her hands in the air and starts kissing her lips. He lets go allowing her to touch him wherever she pleases. As her finger tips roam his muscular body, he starts sucking on my full perky breast. With a touch of a button, a square tiled seat rises from under the shower head. He gently guides her to sit. Slowly making sure he touches her by using only his luscious lips, he brushes every inch from her breast to her clit. He sits on the floor with his knees bend in front of him, and his butt relaxes on his feet. Softly and slowly he kisses her between her legs. He can taste Monica’s slipperiness mixed with the water and savors her deliciousness. Tasting it makes him wanting more, so he stiffens his tongue and inserts it inside her. Monica’s moaning turns him on even more; he jams his tongue deeper. Pulling onto his hair, she guides him to lick her at certain spots. He can sense she’s fixing to let herself go, so he covers her whole womanly part with his mouth occasionally sticking his tongue and rotates from sucking to sticking. She tries to hold back, but she can’t restrain herself so she explodes in his mouth. Her juices fill his mouth, making him want me more. He holds firmly on the small of her back making sure she doesn’t fall as she’s coming. He watches as she gloriously shivers freeing her nerves to do their own thing. Not taking his eyes off her, he lifts her up, then repositions on the seat. Pulling her, she spreads her legs; straddling him, he thrusts himself inside her tight opening. He grabs her by her head forcing his tongue to play with hers. She relaxes on top of him, allowing him to use his muscular arms to lift her up and down on his cock. Monica’s pussy slides back and forth letting her clit rub against his hard fullness. He claws her back digging deep into Monica’s flesh forcing him to hold back from coming. She can feel the throbbing sensation and knows he’s fixing to come, so she rides him harder and faster. Tilting my head back, she explodes again. Watching her enjoy herself excites him even more; he pulls her hair as he finishes. Sitting there, they kiss affectionately while he empties himself inside her.

  While they’re getting dressed, they look at each other shyly but flirtatious. Just like the first time in high school. There’s a light knock on their bedroom door. With the persistent tapping on the door, she advises Jake to dress a little faster. Once they looked decent enough, she opens the double glass doors as if someone important to them is fixing to make his grand entrance. And Eric is beyond important to them.

  Monica smiles sweetly at her beautiful son, “Good morning munchkin.” Leaning over, she kisses the crown of his head.

  “Moing mom-e.”

  “How did you sleep baby?”

  “I no more baby mom-e.” Eric answers. “Moing dad-e.” He runs towards the sidestep of the bed, and starts to jump on their California King sized extra soft but firm Montecito bed.

  “Good morning Champ.” Jake smiles at Eric as he bounces up and down on the bed.

  Eric wraps his little arms around father’s neck, and with one quick move, Jake hoists Eric in his arms.

  “So my big boy is going to be an even bigger boy in two days. What do you want for your birthday?”

  “I want go-go car dad-e.” Eric says excitedly while cupping his father’s face with his precious little hands.

  Last week, Jake took Eric to the toy store, and after they’ve played with all the toys, Jake asked him which toy did he like the best. Eric not knowing he was being tricked into giving them ideas for the perfect birthday present, he tells his daddy he really liked the go-go car which is the power wheels.

  Winking at Monica, Jake smiles because he asked her to buy it. Which she did. The toy store will be delivering it tomorrow. Jake stares at Eric in that thank you for coming into our lives look. Eric is the reason their family is back to normal. If it wasn’t for him, they wouldn’t be together right now. He helped mend the broken pieces back together. Who knew a little package can have such a huge impact? Jake hands Eric to Monica and he wiggles himself to get down.

  Eric follows his mom down the stairs. He just learned how to walk a couple of weeks ago, so it takes him thirty seconds to get down one step. The stairs are mahogany wood which curves in a half circle with twenty-five steps that are individually carpeted. Every other step has a family picture hung against the wall. Monica stands in front of him taking one step ahead, making sure he doesn’t fall. By the time they get to the last step, Eric wipes his forehead, acting like he’s exasperated. It tickles Monica.

  The kitchen is where their family mainly hangs out together, so Monica wanted it to be very comfortable and feel homey. She wanted to give their kitchen that western theme. Eric leaps onto the breakfast nook bench chair and sits on his booster waiting for his mom to give him a bowl of cereal. She pours Captain Crunch into a bowl, pours milk into a small cup, and hands him the bowl and cup. He likes to pour his own milk into his cereal, because it makes him feel like a big boy. Removing eggs, turkey meat, cheese, butter, onions, tomato, and spinach from the fridge, she decides to make omelets for breakfast. She grabs a skillet from the dishwasher and turns the gas stove on. While the skillet is getting hot, she dices the onions and tomato, puts butter in the skillet, cracks some eggs into a bowl, shakes some salt and pepper, scrambles it with a fork, and then pours it into the skillet. She adds all the ingredients on top of the eggs, flips the omelet in halve, and when it’s cooked, she cooks two more. Once the bread pops, she spreads butter and jelly over the toasts and yells for Ella and Jake. After setting Ella and Eric’s orange juice on the nook, Eric’s spills his cereal on the floor as she’s making Jake’s coffee.

  “Saw-we mom-e.” Eric cries.

  “It’s ok baby.” Monica kindly replies. “It’s an accident.”

  “I wuv you mom-e.”

  “I love you too munchkin.” She smiles at him so sweet.

  Eric’s mood changes from pouting to grinning when she tells him she loves him back, knowing she wasn’t mad at him for spilling his cereal. Jake walks in and sees Monica bent over cleaning the cereal and milk; he grabs a hand towel, and helps her. Jake winks at her bringing a smile on her face. They try to make it a ritual to eat breakfast and dinner every day. Families are too busy working and doing their own thing, making it impossible to spend some good ole family time. With their busy schedules, they feel through food, is the only way to communicate with each other.

  While Monica gives Eric another bowl of cereal, Ella gives her mom a stern look, reminding her to ask her dad. Mothers can read their kids’ face expressions without saying a word. Raising her eyebrows, she reassures her daughter. Monica will ask Jake about Luke later. Before leaving, Jake and Ella give Eric a kiss on top of his head. Jake squeezes Monica’s butt and drives off to work. Ella grabs her backpack and heads to school.

  Her breakfast doesn’t sit well. Feeling nauseated, she tries to hold it down but can’t. Knowing she can’t make it to the guest bathroom, she throws up in the kitchen sink.
She cannot be sick right now. There are a million and one things she needs to do before Eric’s birthday party.

  Lifting Eric from his highchair, she hurries upstairs to get him ready. She doesn’t have time for him to walk upstairs by himself. After he brushes his teeth, she gives him a quick wash. Being in a hurry, she doesn’t let Eric play in the tub. Scooping him with a towel she dashes into his bedroom and sits him on his couch. They just recently renovated his room and since he like dinosaurs so much, Monica decided to make his room look like Jurassic Park. His couch looks like a mountain with waterfalls. Grabbing a pair shorts, shirt, sock, and his shoes from the closet, she dresses him. With him being ready, she turns Barney on his television and canters to her room. Slipping into something a little bit more Jake will like, she applies light make-up, grabs her purse and keys, lifts Eric from his couch, and scurries outside. She buckles Eric in the car seat and kisses him on his head.

  Monica cranks the air conditioner full blast, and flaming hot air blows in her face. August is the hottest month of the year, so if you have errands to run, it can be a nuisance with the hot, suffocating temperatures. It hits record high of 104 degrees, causing people to have more heat strokes ever. It’s an oven out here, and if your air conditioner isn’t working, you better find a building that has one that works, or you will be cooked.

  They pull up to Sarah’s Cakes. She makes the best cakes in Baytown or any town for that matter. People from Houston come to Baytown to get their cakes from her store. Eric likes coming to here, because Sarah always gives him a slice of cake every time. Her place is not just a bakery, but it’s also a coffee shop. You can drink your coffee, surf the internet, and eat some of the finest cakes ever. There’s a new girl maybe a couple years older than Ella working behind the registers, and Monica asks politely if she could speak with Sarah. The girl thought she had done something wrong so she asks if there was something she could help her with. Monica gives her a smile insisting she speaks with Sarah. The girl rolls her eyes and walks to the back. Moments later Sarah greets Eric with a slice of cake. As Sarah and Monica hugs, Monica gives the new girl a kind smile. Monica knew she didn’t know any better, so why make a fuss about it. Feeling like an idiot, she swallows the lump in her throat and apologizes with a whisper. Sarah’s daughter Lisa is Ella’s best friends. And being a teenager once, Monica knows exactly the trouble Ella and Lisa are capable of getting into.