Thankfully, his daughters didn’t call until late Sunday afternoon, so Mark fucked me four times between waking up and leaving to collect them. They chatted away excitedly during the drive home and as we sat on the couch together. For dinner, I had the three of them sit at the table while I prepared a little something I could only hope they enjoyed. Living alone meant I had to only cook for one, but it was one of the few pleasures I’d found in life.
To be honest, I actually hoped the girls would enjoy the meal more than him, because I hoped that maybe I’d be invited around more often and, if things worked out, I might even move in with him. Thankfully, all three of them loved the meal I prepared, finding my cheeks hurting from smiling so much.
I think we’d worn each other out, and I was feeling rather tender. Approaching his bed in a t-shirt and shorts later that night, he pulled back the sheets to show he was also wearing underwear. “Thank god!” I stated, getting into bed and cuddling into his side.
“I love cuddling too,” he whispered.
“So do I, particularly with the man I’m hopelessly in love with.”
The next morning was surprisingly calm. The girls got up and ready for school without Mark needing to chase them around. He showered first before I followed him, dressing at the same time before we had a quick breakfast. He drove the girls to school before heading to work. I needed that last kiss, knowing his daughters were watching as all the love we felt was expressed as he held me tight, neither of us wanting to break the kiss first.
“When can I come around again?”
“I’m hoping you’re already thinking of becoming a permanent guest.”
“I am,” I replied softly, feeling my cheeks grow warm.
“I’ll call you tonight, Melissa. And we’ll figure out things going forward. We’ve waited six months to get here. I don’t want to keep waiting for this to go much further.”
Driving to work that morning, it was the first time in years that I was smiling. Emily hugged me as soon as she saw me. I thanked her profusely before walking into my office, taking a seat at my desk and opening my laptop to start checking my mail. Emily walked in a couple of minutes later with a cup of coffee for me.
“Emily, when is my first therapy session?”
“Wednesday afternoon, Mel.”
“Good. Can you organise it to be weekly, and ask if Mark attending is a problem?”
“It won’t be. Considering what he went through, she’ll likely want to see him too. Nothing wrong with couples receiving counselling, particularly with both of your backgrounds.” She paused a breath before asking, “How was your weekend?”
I met her eyes and smiled. “We’re in love.”
*****
Mark
I’d attended the last couple of sessions with Melissa simply as an observer but also as her means of support. I learned she carried what happened so deep in her soul, it was a surprise she was still functioning at all. We also discussed our relationship and the fears she had, realising that I wasn’t her ex-husband, and that I’d suffered through infidelity myself, but her trust in people had almost been irrevocably broken.
“How did learning of your wife’s affair make you feel?” Alison asked me. She preferred using first names, which I didn’t mind.
“Take your pick of buzz words, Alison. Humiliated. Embarrassed. Emasculated. Devastated. The whole life I’d built up with her was nothing but a lie.”
“We’ve listened to Melissa,” she squeezed my hand whenever her name was mentioned, “And how she felt isolated and alone. Did you feel the same?”
“Not as badly as the two people who got me through my issue were my daughters. But I also had Bill and a small cadre of friends who had my back. I’m aware that her circumstances were different to mine.” I squeezed her hand before adding, “I’m hoping she now realises she’s no longer alone.”
“I’m learning that, Mark.”
“Do you speak to her any longer?”
“Only if she calls the kids, but they want little to do with her. Other than that, we no longer have any sort of relationship. I simply cannot forgive nor forget what she did to me and our marriage.”
She looked thoughtful before asking, “What do you want from your relationship with Melissa?”
“Marriage, kids, and a long life together. We’ve been together for three months now. I’m hoping she’ll move in soon. I understand her hesitancy, the apartment is her security blanket, a place of safety in case things go wrong. I know what I have to do. Just show her each and every day how much I love her, how much I want to be with her, and how much I want her in my future. Hannah and Katie feel the same.”
“How do they feel about a new woman by your side?”
“Honestly? I think they love Melissa already and certainly won’t have a problem with her moving in. The day she does move in, she’ll quickly realise it will be not just a house but a home full of love. I know she loves me, but I hope she’ll love my daughters like her own.”
I heard her sniffle, watching her dab her nose with a tissue as she looked at me and smile. “Melissa, you’ve heard Mark speak a few times over the past couple of months. Do you believe what he says?”
“I do.”
“And that big word of yours. Trust. Do you trust him?”
“I do.”
“Sometimes, Melissa, you simply have to go out on a limb when it comes to the matter of love. No-one can predict the future, what will happen in the next minute or hour, let alone the next day, week, month or year. Protecting yourself is one thing, but when it’s to the detriment of any sort of relationship, or preventing yourself feeling the love someone clearly wants to give you. The thing is, I think you’re ready. You’ve slowly released the poison of your previous marriage since your first visit. Now you just have to open yourself completely to the man beside you. Be vulnerable. It’s not a weakness. It’s obvious to me how Mark feels about you. He’s been honest about his own life.”
Turning to Melissa, taking both her hands in mine. “I’d love you to move in with me, Melissa. And I know my daughters would love it too. Then we can talk about marriage and starting a family of our own. My daughters would love another sister, or perhaps even a brother. You’ve often mentioned wanting children, aware of why it means so much. You know I’m willing to start, but I’ll only do so when we’re at least living together.”
I didn’t expect her to lean across and kiss me as quickly as she did. Fairly sure if Alison hadn’t cleared her throat, it would have got hot and heavy very fast. Breaking apart, we both cleared our throats as Melissa squeezed my hand again. “Melissa, I’ll be honest, I think you’re ready for that sort of move. I think you should still come in for the time being. You too, if you wish, Mark. Your relationship won’t always be easy because of your past history. The most important thing you need to remember is to communicate with each other. So many relationships end because the couple stop talking to each other. If you don’t talk to each other, how will you know what you’re thinking or feeling?”
We left her office a few minutes later, Melissa still holding my hand. Driving us to her apartment, we got out of my car and walked upstairs. Walking inside, I didn’t expect her to burst into tears one me, turning her around so I could cuddle her.
“I don’t want to live here anymore,” she sobbed into my chest.
“Then move in with me, honey. You know how much I want you at home with me, and the girls would love you to live with us too.”
Holding her until she calmed down, we shared a soft kiss before she raised a hand to stroke my cheek. “Let me pack a suitcase with everything I’ll need. We can sort things out this weekend.”
“Mum’s invited over for dinner on Friday night.”
Melissa loved my parents already, and they adored her in return. Mum had already whispered that she liked her far more than she’d ever liked Claire. I think the affair and divorce perhaps clouded memories, but I wasn’t going to defend my ex-wife in front of anyone.
“Then we can announce I’m moving in with you,” she stated.
I met her eyes and saw the determination. I wasn’t going to ask if she was sure because I knew, at heart, it was what we both truly wanted. Helping her pack her suitcase, I wasn’t actually surprised that we emptied nearly her entire closest, chest of drawers, finding another bag to put all her toiletries and make up in. I grabbed a backpack from my car for her jewellery and other things.
Driving us home, she held my hand the entire time. My daughters were home and, as soon as they noticed me wheeling in a suitcase, they squealed and hugged Melissa as soon as she walked through the door behind me. Placing everything in our room, we were all starving so I ordered in a couple of pizzas before we started unpacking her things. All the space the ex-wife left hadn’t been filled so Melissa started hanging up some items of clothes, folding and placing in drawers’ other things. She teased me by showing off all the lingerie she had, aware most of it had been bought in the previous three months since our first weekend together.
After we feasted on pizza for dinner, I asked my daughters how they felt about Melissa moving in permanently. To say they accepted and were excited by the idea had me grinning. Melissa stated she wouldn’t try and be their mother, when Hannah surprised us both.
“You’ve been so friendly and nice to us that, when you do marry daddy, we don’t want to just call you Melissa, and we think you’ll be more than a stepmother to us.”
“What do you want to call me?”
“We’re going to research words for ‘mother’ and, if you agree, we’d like to call you by that title,” Katie replied.
“I’d love it,” Melissa whispered.
“And when you have a baby with daddy, we’re going to call you Mum as well,” Hannah stated.