An 8:00 call caught her drying off from a hot shower.
"Are you about ready to go," chimed the voice on the phone.
"I should be in about twenty minutes."
"Give me your address and I will call you a cab."
"Eager." She teased.
"Yes, ma'am, I am. I had some very vivid dreams last night. You claimed the starring role in every aspect."
"Lucky me. Call the cab I'll be ready," she said and gave him her address.
Slipping on the clothes, she picked out last night. She quickly arranged her hair, so her scar didn't show. Finished her powder job and a quick flick of mascara she was ready, and a horn honked signaling her day had started.
Grabbing her purse, she dashed out the front door.
Peggy looked out the front window and watched the cab pull away. It won't be long, and she will be alone again. She turned towards the kitchen to finish up her cup of coffee. "Would Frank be willing to take up where they left off before Tomorrow was injured? He said he understood, but he had been distant when she called him. Oh well, finding men in their 50s is pretty easy." She has the day free, maybe she will call and see what he is doing.
He was fairly aggressive in bed, not nearly as driven as Jim had been. He loved her aggressive bossy personality so maybe he can learn not to hold back. Could be why her husband died at fifty-seven. But she didn't like thinking that way. He enjoyed his life, his kids and her body and proved it every time she wanted him. So, they had been at it until three the night before he died. The man was happy when he left the house that morning. She has always heard if a man has to die at least that was the best way to go.
She would give it another hour before she calls. He isn't an early riser. He had retired from a thriving business. His son took over, now he is a man of leisure. Same thing Jim had planned for with Chance. He just didn't live long enough to enjoy that life.
Frank asked her to go traveling, but she had to put him off until after Chance went off to college, then Tomorrow's accident put a stop to everything. She didn't know how she would cope if one of her children died.
Maybe she will contact that older people-dating site. She doesn't think of herself as old, but dating sites do. She found Frank on Craig's list. She has been checking there, but there wasn't anyone interesting within an hour of home. She knows Frank is not posting anymore, so maybe he is waiting for her. She could only hope he still wanted her.
Tomorrow passed the ten dollars to the driver. Not a big tip, but better than nothing. Dante waited at his door sporting a gleeful smile. She wore shorts and those long sexy legs had all his attention she noted as she walked towards him. "I could have worn a burlap bag, and you wouldn't have noticed."
"If it was that short, no," Dante agreed, a little embarrassed at being so distracted. "You look good," he told her, backing out of the doorway.
Mandy charged her, wrapping her arms around her legs, face planted in the middle. She looked up and smiled. Tomorrow cupped her head. "Hi precious," she cooed.
"Can I do that?" Dante asked, turning red.
"Later," Tomorrow said and scooped Mandy up hugging her then settling her on her hip as she took a seat on the couch.
"Have you called the Handi ride guy?"
"Randy yeah, he said give him twenty minutes. He was dropping someone at the doctors. He should be here soon."
"Good, so what do we need to take with us? Diapers, a cup, what does she need for the day."
"Oh, shoot I never thought. Ok, she has a bag hanging on my closet door. We can put whatever you think she needs in there."
Tomorrow searched around the kitchen for what she would want to take. Apparently, Dante has never packed a child for an outing.
He came out with the bag as Tomorrow collected up a tee shirt for
Mandy in case she dirties the one she has on. A horn honked and a car door slammed. "He is here," Dante announced, scooping up the dancing Mandy and headed for the door.
He passed the bag to her, and they left as she filled it with the items in her hands.
The driver was lowering the lift as Dante flipped the deadbolt on his door.
"Wow, Dante nice," the driver said as they approached.
"Yes, she is. Randy, this is Tomorrow my girlfriend."
She looked at him and smiled. That was a new one, his girlfriend.
"Nice to meet you, Randy," she shook his hand and tossed the diaper bag into the back-scooping Mandy up as she moved. She tucked her against her chest and got into the van.
"Impressive Dante, where did you find her," Randy asked, watching her climb in the van.
"We met in the rehab. She was the only bright spot there."
Dante said as he maneuvered his wheelchair onto the ramp.
"Yes, we are both brain damaged," Tomorrow cheerfully quipped.
"So why haven't you used the Handi-Ride before?"
"Oh, she's from money, her mother takes her everywhere or she takes a cab."
"True. But I didn't know about you before, Dante told me. So, don't make me out as an elitist."
"Not a problem. I expect to see you more often than," Randy suggested and flipped the lever to raise the lift.
"Sure, give me your card. But for now, we want to get out for a while. I think we are all a little stir crazy."
"Most of my riders are. The lady I took to the doctor talked my ear off. She is a sweet old lady. Her kids never come to see her, it's sad."
"Could be but you're not her kid. Some people seem sweet, but they aren't," Dante qualified as he locked down his wheels.
Tomorrow smiled at him knowing quite well she knew those types of mothers. She wondered how often her mother would be visited once they were all out on their own. She knew she only visited if she was mad at Billy or bored out of her mind. She also noted Today hasn't been over since the baby was born.
Then again, her mother has gone over to see them during her courthouse visits. She realized she hadn't asked what all they went over during her deposition. Then again, she didn't seem too talkative after she came home from hers either. That could have been what triggered her downward spiral. How had she trusted that jerk?
Suddenly Tomorrow felt guilty for being out and happy when her mother was home feeling down. But damn she has done that all her life. Moms' not happy so act the fool and try and bring her mood up. Never worked, but they all tried. Her dad would come home and hustled her off to their room that seemed to do it.
Tomorrow turned her attention back to the shopping trip. Her mother didn't want company today she made that clear.
"Do we want to go to Wal-Mart first?" Dante asked.
"I'm sorry. I was in another world," she said, excusing her inattentiveness.
"Yeah, that will be great," she said and started looking around at what all was in this area. She didn't come over to this side of town often. She may live in Angleton, but she shopped in Houston or Pearland usually. They have great strip malls and shopping centers about thirty minutes up the highway. She and Billy would make a day trip just for shopping. She knew Randy wouldn't take them that far.
To her amazement, there were a lot of great places within walking distance of Wal-Mart. She wasn't an elitist; but she had gone along with Billy's elitist ways. Podunk Angleton had nothing to offer so they drove on. That had been Tomorrows' plan, to find a job online and get as far away from here as possible. But Dante put a stop to that thought. She wanted to see where this would go.
Mandy's excited scream brought her back to the now.
Was she doing this a lot? Zoning out. She didn't notice when she was by herself. Ok, she shook her head get back in the game she chastised herself as Randy pulled into the grocery entrance of Wal-Mart. Was that the reason for Mandy's scream, she knew this place. Was it the candy or the toys she guessed she would find out soon?
"I have three stops after this if you call after 1:00 I'll be free," Randy informed them as he lowered Dante. Tomorrow placed Mandy on his lap and took off calling back, "got you after 1:00."
The cold whoosh of air greeted them fighting back the stifling heat and humidity of a late September morning. She was going to have to give great thought to how far they were going to walk outside. Most of the other shops weren't far, thank goodness.
"The answer of what Mandy was so excited about was answered quickly. She got off her father's lap and took off running before he could stop her. Tomorrow left Dante at the entrance to run after Mandy. She saw her little blonde curls bobbing as she rounded the corner. She was shocked at how fast she was. When Dante caught up with her, she was even more shocked. "Toys, she's going to the toys," Tomorrow told him and continued to run. Dante had to slow down; he was taking up too much of the aisle. People couldn't dodge him fast enough, pointing he said. "Daughter," as his excuse and barreled on.
Standing in front of the isle of Barbie's Mandy was slack jawed. Tomorrow smiled at Mandy; she was being such a girly girl. "Mandy don't run off like that," Tomorrow scolded.
Mandy smiled and pointed, "look," she said, unfazed by the scolding.
"I see they are beautiful," she picked her up and held her so she could see the different types higher up.
Dante sat at the end of the row watching. "They aren't age appropriate."
"No but she is very interested," Tomorrow pointed out.
"Take her to the other aisle for babies," Dante suggested.
Immediately Mandy began to struggle pushing to be let down.
As Tomorrow strained to hold on, she began to walk down the aisle.
Mandy began to push harder and cry out, "NO, NO." Quickly going into freak out mode wiggling with high pitched screams.
"Ok, we will look here," Tomorrow told her and backed up.
She quieted quickly and went back to looking at the dolls.
"Pick one and I'll buy it for you," Tomorrow whispered in her ear and watched the excitement spread across her face. She quickly scanned the shelves as Tomorrow slowly walked back towards Dante.
"I think they are getting ready for Christmas already here," she said smiling at Dante.
"Sounds about right," Dante agreed and rolled down to meet them.
"Give us a few minutes, she is shopping."
"Oh, that is all she needs a doll she is too young for."
"But they are pretty, and every girl needs something pretty."
Mandy reached out for one, she had a beautiful ball gown on, long blonde hair, silver accents, and a fancy fur wrap around her shoulders.
"This one? This is so pretty," Tomorrow turned to Dante to show him the one she picked.
"Doesn't she have good taste?"
"She has expensive taste. Like her mother," he shot back.
"Well, maybe she does, good for her," Tomorrow snapped back.
She hates when people complain about her having expensive taste. So, she likes the nice stuff. If you can afford it, why not.
"I'm buying it so don't worry about the cost. It's not nice comparing her to her mother. She is a different person,"
Tomorrow told him with a pissed off tone.
Dante shut his mouth. He was no fool. She was right, she is a different person, and good taste was a good thing. Plus, if he expects to have sex with her in a few hours so he had better watch his complaining.
Tomorrow placed Mandy into his lap, and she held the box staring at it like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
Tomorrow pushed on looking at all the different things. She realized she would have to start over and buy all new. Even with Billy in jail, she didn't want anything in that house. Her mother and sister already picked up her personal items. That gave her a new appreciation for what she was looking at. Maybe Today could take her and help her shop. Finding she had passed her mood; she started to talk again. "I just realized I will have to buy all new when I move," she said, picking up a teal-colored towel to feel the thickness.
"It will be a big adjustment living on your own," Dante offered.
"Yes, and I can't wait. I want out of that house so badly."
He smiled. "My offer still stands," he said, slipping his hand around her thigh and running it down to the calf. The silky smoothness of her skin was driving him to distraction. His hand went up skimming the bottom of her shorts. No matter how much she wanted him to continue she moved away.
"Yellow, Dante we're at Wal-Mart," Tomorrow reminded him and bumped her hip out of his grasp.
"Sorry it was within reach." She didn't need to show up on 'only at Walmart' on YouTube.
With a very light chuckle, she smiled and continued looking.
When lunchtime came, they went to the closest place, a Chinese restaurant.
Mandy loved the rice and little fried chicken wings drumsticks. They all ate like there was no dinner. The food was good, but the company was better. At ten to one Dante called Randy to pick them up at the restaurant. Mandy was fading fast, but Dante kept her awake. No way was she going to sleep now and mess up his time with Tomorrow. She had to sit in the car seat, but Tomorrow kept her looking at her Barbie talking about the different things in the box.
Two minutes into Teletubbies, she was out. When Tomorrow noticed her heart started to pound. Oh lord, the time was now.
Shifting in his bed, fully clothed, he patted the bed. "Come and lay with me, we don't have to do anything more unless you want. I don't want you to feel that is all I want from you," Dante said as Tomorrow crawled over him. Stopping to sit on top of his hips.
"Oh, is that so," she asked and started to unbutton his shirt.
"Now if you want more that is fine. I did a little practicing last night, I can crawl pretty well," he told her as his hands went up lifting her shirt. Her shirt came off and the bra followed. With her sitting on him, his mouth couldn't reach anything. He bent his right knee and flipped Tomorrow on the bed. Rolling over he found her breasts and was in heaven. His hands went to the button on her shorts as she moaned under his attention. Shifting to have the ability to pull her shorts off.
He flipped to his back, knowing he needed help to take her shorts off and his jeans. A split-second later, Tomorrow was at his mouth. Her shorts were off and his half down before he could even take a deep breath. Once Dante was unleashed, Tomorrow was ready to get on with this. He wanted to get back to her body and she wanted his mouth. Kissing his mouth did more for her than anything else at this point. Sensing that Dante continued to kiss her and let his hands roam. Kicking off his jeans he shifted between her legs. She spread easily and arched her hips to greet him. Finding her slick and ready for him he tried to slip in, but she was tight, 'her Billy boy must be small,' and she moaned then pushed in further.
His aching hip and the inability to make his legs work were forgotten. Dante gave it his all and Tomorrow responded.
Lying exhausted and happy, Mandy yelled for Daddy and Tomorrow pulled the sheet over her bare breasts. "Here baby," he called out.
She came in all smiles, climbed up on the bed, and looked at Tomorrow, like what's she doing here.
"We took a nap. We were so tired from all that shopping."
Dante hugged her to his chest and got her giggling. "I needed a nap," he told her in a teasing tone and Mandy continued to giggle.
Swatting her bottom, he sat her on the floor, "go watch your Teletubbies." She ran off still giggling.
"I'm taking a shower," Tomorrow said, scrambling from the bed.
"Can I watch," he asked, watching her walk from the room. She turned and smiled, and he knew he was in. Pulling up on his pull bar, he shifted from the bed. Plopping naked in his chair, he rolled to the end of the bed, he pulled on his jeans and grabbed up his shirt. He was wasting time, and she was naked in his shower. First checking on Mandy, the TV mesmerized her, he opened the door to the bathroom. "Took you long enough," she teased with a soapy washcloth in her hand. "I must say you're really good at this sex thing," she teased, soaping her breasts.
"You're really good too," he rolled in closer.
"Join me," Tomorrow asked, pulling his shower seat under the spray.
"Sweetheart if it was ten at night I would but it is too dangerous to leave the munchkin alone."
"Ok, give me a towel. I would have gladly sat in your lap," she teased, taking the towel.
"Stay and I will make sure you need another shower by ten,"
Dante threatened.
She smiled. "I'll watch Mandy while you shower. Then let's go see about an apartment."
"I'll be right with you," he said and started to pull off his shirt. Tomorrow walked past him, wrapping the towel around her. She was going to give him privacy. She knew it embarrassed him to get out of that chair in front of her.
Dressed and ready to go she heard him call out, "I need that towel."
Dante scooped up Mandy and put her on his lap and headed out to the rental office.
The only one bedroom was on the other side of the complex on the second floor. And they had a problem with her because she didn't have a job. She explained she was a trust fund baby, but they didn't seem too impressed with that.
"Well, that sucked," Tomorrow complained, "They acted like I was going to steal the apartment. I'll find a job. You don't have a job," she said, sounding completely dejected.
"No, but I did have my statement for my workman's comp of payments. They accepted that."
"If I brought my bank statement, would that work? Or maybe pay a year in advance."
"You don't want to live here that long," Dante said, dismissing that idea.
"If I sign a lease I have to."
"I didn't, Angie told them I wouldn't need it that long."
"Lucky you."
"Yeah, I hope she is right," they were back at his door waiting to get inside.
Stepping in Tomorrow desperately wanted to feel at home. She got busy putting the room in order Mandy turned the TV on and the Teletubbies theme song echoed in the room. Dante came up behind her as she bent to pick up a sock. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her back. Nuzzling her neck, she settled into his lap enjoying his attention. Reliving those few minutes, he was as good as she knew he would be. She wanted to do that again now.
"We need a babysitter so we can get this out of our system,"
Tomorrow suggested holding Dante's head as he kissed her neck.
"I don't think I'm going to get you out of my system," he groaned into her ear.
A sharp slap landed on her thigh. Tomorrow looked down and an unhappy little girl glared at her. Reaching down she scooped her up and both of them sat in his lap. Turning to them, both smiled at him.
"What a lucky guy I am. I have two beautiful girls in my lap."
While pulling Mandy around so he could kiss on her. Tomorrow slipped out of his lap and watched. She knew Mandy was just being jealous. Once she realizes Tomorrow was not a threat, she will be fine. Then again, they didn't know what all she had seen with her mother nor how she was treated.
A little tickling and a few loud kisses she ran off to watch her program. Tomorrow took her seat back and they resumed their light petting. Three hours of this foreplay and she is going to go insane. Forcing himself to keep his hands out of her pants, they needed to wear Mandy out again. They played dolls, ate pizza, and hide and seek and had a nice warm bath in her plastic tub Angie brought him. She played until she was a prune and then passed out on the couch. She was out for the night and theirs was on.
"Do all mothers and fathers feel like this? Just wait until the kid goes to sleep before their lives start," Tomorrow asked as she slipped off her shorts.
Dante was doing the same stripping before bed. He had already sprung to life with anticipation. "As I understand they are usually too tired to think about sex. But with you around that is all I do."
Reaching out she slid onto his naked lap and made herself comfortable. Locking his wheels, he didn't want to be moving all around the room. Her toes were digging into the wheels, her body and breasts rubbing against his chest as she rode up and down. He loved the feel and could touch everything, but he wanted to crawl all over her. He abruptly broke her kisses. "I need you Morrow on my bed," Dante begged, releasing the brake he rolled them both to the edge. As quickly as Tomorrow climbed on the bed Dante was behind her.
Working on the eighth time in one day Tomorrow was exhausted and Dante seemed inspired. He came again, not before he made sure she shuttered numerous times. He was quite proficient at finding her spot. But then again, she was good for him. He was finding his and he was ready to go again quickly. A gentle pat on his back let him know she is done. Five seconds later she was out.
The clatter of dishes woke her from the best sleep she has had in years. The dull roar between her legs could be why. Finding a tee hanging in Dante's closet, she slipped it on and tiptoed to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and heard "Do I get to watch."
Tomorrow smiled, calling sure, "sure if I get a kiss." He popped open the door and had a hungry look. She couldn't believe how happy and lively he was after, so little sleep. Lord, she is in for it once he is able to walk. She will never be able to complain that she doesn't get any attention. He sat in the doorway and watched her show. Teasing and tantalizing him and with the slight turn of his head, he could see Mandy. "Angie called, she is coming over to take me grocery shopping," Dante told her. "Want to come."
"I did all night," she teased, rinsing the soap out of her hair.
"Yeah sure, how much time do I have?"
"She said she would try by noon."
"Oh, we have plenty of time," Tomorrow said, wrapping the towel around her. "Where did you want to go shopping?"
"Same old, same old," he quipped and quickly backed out in the hall calling for Mandy to get down. He knows she times her attack of the cookie cabinet when he is out of the room.
She slipped into his room clutching the small towel. He and Angie can go grocery shopping. She was going household shopping with Mandy. He has three little towels and no good shampoo. Putting on her dirty clothes from yesterday she was amazed her mother hadn't called. She hoped this was a new beginning for them. She hopes she got across the fact she needed to back off.
Pulling her shirt over her head, Dante came back from the show and her phone rang. "Oh lord, I hoped she wouldn't call." Digging around in her purse she found it was not her mother. Debating to answer or not she took the time of day into consideration and tentatively said.
"Hello."
"Oh, I spent the night with a friend," Tomorrow said as Mandy giggled and ran into the room.
"What," Tomorrow said in a tone that alerted Dante.
"How could they do that?" She asked and listened.
"Now what do I do?"
"A thousand yards and then what, call the police. I can't believe this."
"I know, but you're not working all the time."
"Maybe I will and wait until court to come back."
"No thanks, I needed to know."
"Yes, I will see you soon." Hanging up the phone she looked at Dante as if she was in shock.
"They let him out," she complained in disbelief. "The DA dropped the murder for hire charges. He said it was entrapment, and no actual contract was made, just a conversation is all."
"So now what are you supposed to do," Dante asked.
Tomorrow plopped down on the bed. "Keep an eye out for him. He has a thousand-yard restraining order on him."