Doll house

She did not know when she fell asleep but she woke up to Kayla staring at her.

"Good morning dear." Beth said.

"You awake now Miss Beth. Dad said you had a surprise for me if I was good and kept quite while you were sleeping. I was quite." she said.

"Yes I do, but did he say for you to wait in my room?" She asked running her fingers through her hair.

Kayla hung her head, "No he thinks I am out back but I could not wait I love surprises."

Beth laughed, "Okay, but let me get dressed and I will meet you out back for the surprise." Beth said as she got out of bed.

Kayla ran out the door to the back yard.

Beth got dressed and went out back.

Jake was hovering over the child. "I told you not to bother Beth and to wait for her to get up. Not go wake her up." Jake said with a firm voice. Kayla head was down.

Beth's body tensed up and she ran over and put the little girl between her and Jake.

"Don't you touch that child!" She was shacking; all she could see was Lance standing there yelling at her and she could almost feel the pain of his fist hitting her telling her that it was her fault she was getting the beating.

Jake was puzzled he was just disciplining Kayla and telling her why she should not go into others rooms without permission. But he would never lay a hand on his child. "What are you talking about?"

"She caused no harm and if you want to hit something it won't be her."

"Ms Beth, Daddy has never hit me, have you Daddy." Kayla said puzzled and breaking away from Beth and walking back to her Dad.

"No, I don't believe in that kind of discipline. I was just telling Kayla she should not go into your room without permission. What kind of person do you take me for?" Jake was irritated that anyone would ever think he would harm his daughter.

He wondered where this came from because from what he knew of the Jones they did not believe in hitting children. He had this discussion long ago with Henry.

"Sorry, it's just..." She had made a mistake. Hearing the tone of his voice it reminded her of Lance right before she would get hit. "I am just sorry."

She started crying and dropped to the ground. She was still shacking when Kayla came over and put her arms around her neck. "Its OK don't cry"

Who had hurt her? He could see the pain in her eyes. He wanted to hold her. To find out who had hurt her so bad that she would think that he would hurt his own daughter.

"Do I still get my surprise?" Kayla said with her head looking at the ground.

"Yes, come with me." Beth composed herself and picked Kayla up and took her into her dad's workshop and showed her the doll house.

"For me, really? Daddy look, it a little house. Can I put it in my room to play with?" she said jumping up and down.

Beth was glad she liked it, "Sure you go make a place for it and I'll bring it in."

Kayla ran out of the shop and into the house.

Jake turned to Beth. "Are you going to tell me why you thought I was a bastard back there?" He said taking her arm.

"It's just your voice; it reminded me of someone I once knew. When he got mad the bruises would follow." She had tears in her eyes.

Jake put his arm around her and pulled her close to his chest. "I would never hurt my daughter or anyone else. I am sorry I scared you. Who was this person?"

"Doesn't matter anymore now, he is gone." She looked up into his eyes.

He took one look at her face and before he knew it his lips were on hers. She tasted like life. She responded and kissed him back. Her hand went to his neck as the kissed deepened. Time seemed to stand still. When he finally let go she just stood there. They did not know that Kayla had come back and seen the kiss and now her little mind was working in over time.

Nothing more was said between Jake and Beth. He took the doll house into the house and she got ready to meet Mrs. Wallas at school.

Her Class room was already set up. She would not have much to do. She was given keys to the building and the supply closet. She would have 12 students.

On the way home she kept touching her lips. Was that kiss real. She had never been kissed like that before. Her body was still feeling the fire of his touch.

His lips had been soft, but his kiss was demanding. She had thought that she could be one of those women who could live without the power of a man's embrace.

She had never enjoyed that aspect of her marriage. Lance would only be passionate after he had beat her senseless and she would pray it would be over.

The feeling when Jake touches her she wanted more. It made her feel erotic and beautiful at the same time. These were feeling she never knew before. She wondered what he was thinking about now himself she was almost afraid to go home.

* * *

What had he done kissing her. She was his borders daughter. He considered Henry and Mary like parents to him. That would mean Beth would be like a sister to him.

He knew Jenny felt like a sister and Jason felt like a brother to him. What was wrong with him? He only meant to comfort her and he ended up kissing her.

'She kissed me back' and he did not expect that. He felt her body react to his and it made him want her more. She felt right in his arms.

He missed that part of being married. Maggie had been passionate the first few years they were married but after Kayla was born she did not want to be touch.

She even started sleeping in a separate room two years before she asked him to move out and give her a divorce. He protested but Maggie always got things her way.

However he never remembered having that kind of fire and need when he was with Maggie. He could still feel Beth in his arms and ached for her return.

* * *

Kayla told Mrs. Mary about the kiss she seen between her Dad and Ms Beth. She asked if it was possible that her Dad would marry Ms Beth now and become her Mommy.

Mary listens to the child and agreed this was a good start but they were not there yet. Mary like Jake a lot and the thought that Beth and him might get together, made her happy. She long to see her daughter happy and after knowing what she went through the past 5 years she knew Jake would be good to her. She was not sure what she could do to get these two together but if it was possible she would find a way.

* * *

Beth got home around 2. Kayla was in her room. She had just gotten up from a nap and was playing with her new house. Beth stepped into the room. "So you like your new house." She asked.

"Yes, this is the Daddy. This is the Mommy and this is the Big sister. But I still need a little brother." Think I could get one. She looked at Beth.

"Sure we could go shopping later if it is alright with your Dad. Where is your Dad?" Beth asked.

"Ms. Mary said he went for a walk. I have not seen him since he tucked me in." she went back to playing.

"Okay, I'll find out if we can go shopping you can play until then." Beth left the room. She found her mom in the kitchen.

"Hello dear, did you eat some lunch?" Her mom asked.

"No, but I am not hungry. I would like to take Kayla shopping do you know were Jake is?" She asked.

"He said he needs to think so he was going for a walk. He usually goes down to the park and sits there when he has thinking to do." She said handing her daughter a sandwich.

Her mom could never take no for an answer when it came to eating.

"Thanks, guess I will eat this on the way." Beth took a bite of the sandwich and walked out of the house. She walked slowly down the street to the park.

She was a little nervous about seeing Jake again after this morning but she promised Kayla she would ask him about a shopping trip.

As she got close to the park she could see him sitting on the swing with his back to her. Her body was shacking at the thought of talking to him again.

She wanted to be in his arms again. Feel those soft lips on hers. She took a deep breath and walked over and sat down on the swing next to him.

He had not decided what to do about Beth. She was in his sole and that confused him. He could not sit here forever he had to go home and face her but not sure what he would say but he knew what he wanted to do.

Then he looked over and she was sitting in the swing next to him.

"Hello," she said as she sat down.

"Hi." He turned to face her.

"My Mom said you were down here. Hope I am not intruding. I use to come down here to think when I was younger. Dad would also find me here in that swing. It was my thinking swing." She said smiling at him. Those eyes staring at him made him want her more.

"Yeah it is one of my favorite spots... About this Morning, I am sorry about that I had no right to kiss you like that. I don't know what came over me. It was all a mistake. I did not mean for that to happen and I have been tiring to come up with some way to face you." He said.

His heart died. What he wanted to say was he wasn't sorry, that he wanted to kiss her again, but if they are to remain in the same house then he would need to strong and stay away from her. After all he had too much respect for the Jones.

Beth did not expect this. She was crushed. She must have imaged the passion, reading more into the scene then was really there. She had hoped that what she felt was special and maybe she was special.

Lance had made her always feel special when they were dating, From the first time she seen him in the production of Man of March that her English class field trip. Her eyes met his and after the production they stayed to talk to the actors. He told here that she was beautiful and asked if he could see her again. She gave him her number which he called a few days later.

She was eighteen and for the first time someone made her feel special. Everything was wonderful in the beginning, They talked for hours about his dreams and ambition and she fell deeper in love with him.

Things did not go bad till there wedding night then his true colors shown through. The past years she was made to feel like nothing and now this man is telling her the same thing. She was stunned. She forgot why she had even walked down here. She could not even speak after that, she just got up and walked away.

What was wrong with her that turned people against her? In High school most of the guys wanted nothing to do with Jason's sister. They steered clear of her. Then when Lance came long she fell hard for him. He was kind in the beginning but then changed. At least this time she got hurt before she made the same mistake. But she had made the mistake of falling in love with this man she had only known a few days. 'Elizabeth Rebecca you are a loser' she said to herself. She walked for a while and ended up at Clayson's pond. She started skipping stones.

Jake got up and headed back to the house. He did not see were Beth went but figured it was home. Kayla met him at the door. "So can I go?" she asked.

"Go were?" he asked picking her up in his arms.

"Ms Beth was taking me shopping if it was alright with you. She went looking for you to ask. Did she not find you?"

Jake did not even ask why Beth had looked for him and she said nothing when she left him. "Yeah she found me but I think you had better make it another day sweetheart Okay? What were you going shopping for?" He asked sitting her down on the couch.

"She was going to get me a baby brother." She said

"What?" he was confused.

"Dad, I said baby brother. All families need a baby to live with. And my new family Beth got me also needs one. I have a mommy, Daddy, and a girl. They now need a little brother." She said with her hand on her hips real serious like everyone thought the same way.

Then she got a little smile on her face, "Daddy, I also need a little brother too. If you marry someone you could give me a baby brother, Please."

"And who should I marry just so you could have a brother?"

Kayla looked up at her Dad with a serious look on her face, "Well, I was thinking of Ms Beth. I like her, she is nice and Mrs. Mary likes the ideal too. She said she would love to have a granddaughter just like me. And she said that you two would be a blessing. What's that mean?"

"Kayla, how do I make you understand? Ms Beth is like family and you don't marry family. She just got out of a bad marriage and I think it would be best if you don't play match maker for her or me. If I ever decided to remarry I will let you know. But know I love you very much and would not want to share my love with anyone but you." He lied, he wanted Beth too, but knew that it was not the right thing to do.

"Okay" she sighed, "can I go play?" Kayla got up and went into her room.

Jake went into his room to think some more by himself.

Marry could not help but over hear his talk with Kayla and she could hear the need for her daughter in his voice. He needed Beth as much as Beth needed him. But how could she make them both see.

* * *

I was getting dark when Beth started walking home. She did not realize that it had gotten so late. She was just numb from the knowledge that she was really nothing.

She came in and no one was home. She went straight towards her room. All she had eaten that day was the half sandwich her mom had given her before her encounter with Jake.

But she was not coming out of her room until she knew they were all in bed. As she walked by Kayla room she look in on her no Kayla She looked at the clock 10pm. Where was everyone? A child of 6 should be in bed.

She went to her parents room and no one was there too And her parents had always been in bed by 9.

Panic came over her the only thought was that someone was sick and they went to the ER that was the only reason they would all be gone. She ran out to the living room and called the Hospital. The operator said no one by the name of Jones or Freeland had been admitted in the hospital ER.

As she hung up her mom came through the door and ran over to her daughter and hugged her. "Where have you been we were so worried?" Her mom asked

"Me I thought something had happened to one of you. I just got off the phone with the Hospital." Beth said.

"Us we were all out looking for you. Your Dad and Jake are still out. I came back to put Kayla to bed." Kayla came in and ran into Beth's arms.

"Daddy is worried he told Mr. Henry that you two had a fight. So they went out looking for you."

"I'm okay, I just lost track of time. We had better get you to bed. Mom find dad and tell them I am fine. I am sorry to have upset you all like that. You know me when I need time to think nothing else matters and it was wrong of me."

"Night Kayla, I'll find them. Then I think we may need to talk." her mom said walking out to the car. Beth took Kayla to her room.

"Tell me a story of Princess Becky. I want a story about her life in Far Away." Kayla said as Beth help her put her night gown on.

"I don't know it is late."

"Please." Beth could not say no to such a sweet child.

"Okay. Crawl into bed." Beth took the desk chair and placed it by the bed. She did not see Jake come in and was standing by the door.

He almost said something but stop himself. He just backed up and stood outside to listen.

"Once up a time there was a Princess named Becky. She lived in an ordinary kingdom but dreamed of living with prince Lance in the land of Far Away were he would be a famous Actor someday. She did not know that he was not the Prince she thought he was that he was an Evil wizard who was only out to hurt Princess Becky. He made her work night and day so he could become famous.

Princess Becky dreamed of home and wanted to return to her ordinary kingdom but she had been cast out by the Good king because he forbid her to marry the phony Prince. Princess Becky found a fairy God mother that Helped princess Becky go back to school so she could make more money for the wizard so the wizard would not punish Princess Becky. Her Fairy God mother also tried to get Princess Becky to call the king and go home but Princess Becky could not face him. One day the Evil Wizard met an Evil Witch and they ran off to live in Evil Land.

Princess Becky was free and her fairy god mother talked her into calling the King. Princess Becky went home to find out everything had changed. She was no longer a Princess but just an ordinary person now." Beth looked down and Kayla was asleep. She pulled the cover " and Becky would never be happy again" then she placed the chair back at the desk.

Jake slipped back to the living room to say good night to Henry and Mary. He passed Beth in the hall but said nothing to her. He did not know what to say, her story had said so much.

He was so scared when she did not show back up by dinner time. It was his idea to go look for her. He told Henry that they had a fight about Kayla. This was not a lie but not the truth either. How could he tell Henry that he kissed her and then pushed her away?

In the car Henry told him how her husband left her for another woman and was afraid his daughter was only trying to compensate by doing things for Kayla.

That It would also be good for the Girls to be friends. But could he give Kayla false hope on Beth being her new mother.

Kayla would need a woman in her life. He was confused and needed to clear his mind. There was more to Beth then any one was telling.

Beth walked out into the living room to face her parents. She wondered what Jake had told them. She did not want them to know how stupid she had been to fall in love with the man they let into their home.

Her Dad was not at the table. Her mom sat there with two cups of Herbal tea.

"Sit" she said.

"I am really sorry mom I did not realize I would cause all this trouble. I just needed to think about a few thing and lost track of time. Guess I will always be a trouble maker to you and Dad. I should have stayed in California. You would have been better off." Beth hung her head in her hands.

"Elizabeth Rebecca, how could you say that? We went looking for you because we love you. Your farther needs you here. I need you here. And like it or not you need to be here. Now I know what Jake told your Dad. It was a lie you know. I can see it in both your eyes. The truth is there. I have always been able to know what is in someone mind by their eyes. You are in Love and Jake is too. But for whatever the reason you both choose to run the opposite way. That is what the fight was really about if it really was a fight."

"No fight, He just told me how he felt and it was not love mom. He made me feel like a fool. I always find the wrong guys to fall for." Beth took a sip of her tea. "Guess you got half of it right."

Beth took a deep breath and then told her mom everything. Her Mom sat there and listened. She had not been able to talk about anything since she left Lonnie. She told her mom about LA and Lance. She talked about how she missed Lonnie and felt like no matter where she was she just did not feel like she fit in.

She told her mom about her feeling for Jake and the kiss she they shared. She felt better being able to talk about things with someone else. When it was all over and the tea was done. Her Mom got up and kissed her daughter on the top of the head. "I know right now it all seems wrong but things always have a way of working out. It took me five years to get you back so I know all things happen in time. Just be patient and things will work out. Now it is 3am and we both need sleep. I will see you in the morning dear."

Beth got up and walked down the Hall to her room she paused at Jake's door. Then turned and went into her bedroom. 'Time' she hated that word now. But her heart still hoped her mom was right.