Exposed (Free Falling) (43 page)

Backing away to look into AJ’s eyes, I touched my hand to his cheek.  “I love you too.”

Truer words had never been spoken. 

AJ bit down on his lip and fought a smile.  Nodding toward my window, he drew my attention to the falling snow – the first of the season.  Not enough had fallen yet to blanket the ground, but I was entranced, watching the large flakes float down from the sky.

When I turned to AJ, thinkin
g he was watching winter put on an early show for us, I found him watching
me
instead.  There was a look of contentment behind his eyes that was contagious.

“Do you have any
idea how beautiful you are?”

I smiled and forced myself not to look away from his gaze.  When I didn’t answer, AJ turned to open his car door and stepped out into the cool
air awaiting him.

“What’re you –
“ was as far as I got into my question.  I watched as he rounded the front of the car, passing in front of the headlights, to come around to my side.  When he opened my door and held his hand out for me to take it, I couldn’t stop smiling.

“Are you crazy?  It’s freezing out here!”
I protested as he gently coaxed me out of my seat.  Ignoring my logic, AJ pulled my hat down over my ears so that they weren’t exposed.

As if completely unaware of the weather conditions, which had quickly worsened and taken visibility down to about a mile, AJ stood before me and waited for me to focus less on how cold I was, and more on
him.  “What’re you up to?”

That one side of his mouth hitched up again and I knew that I was right; he
was
up to something.

“We spent a long time trying to make our way back to each other, Sam.”

I pursed my lips and nodded, agreeing.

“And I don’t know about you, but…
this is all I’ve ever wanted. 
You’re
all I’ve ever wanted.”

A smile flickered across my face
and then faded when shock overcame me.  Right there, beneath the curtain of snow that fell, AJ got down on one knee.  Instantly, my hands went to my mouth as I stared, trying to fight to see him through the blur of tears that filled my eyes. 

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a beautiful ring – the details of which I paid very little attention to.  The size and value of the stone meant nothing.  All I cared about was what it symbolized.  That thin circle of precious metal was, to me, a gateway into the future that I almost missed out on – a future filled with love, laughter, and f
amily – all with the only person on this planet that I would ever want to experience any of that with.

AJ was sporting a smile so big that it made
me
smile despite the fact that I was now sobbing.  Here, in a place we’d claimed as our own years before, he removed my gloves and tucked them beneath his arm, holding my left hand in his. 

“Samantha
Lynnise Kelley…” he began, his smile growing even wider, “…Say that I can have you forever.”

Tears spilled from my eyes and I decided to let them.  If ever there was a reason to cry, it’s the momen
t the love of your life makes it clear that he’s just as determined to spend his life with
you
as you are to spend yours with
him
.

Before a syllable left my mouth, I was nodding my head and pulling him up from his knee to embrace him.  With my arms locked around his neck,
I gave my answer.

“Yes, AJ….
Yes!”

And there it was
; after all the heartache, all the loss, and all of the difficult lessons that we learned along the way, the finish line had finally come into view. 

AJ released me only long enough to slide th
e ring on my finger, and then scooped me up into his arms again. 

How did I ever manage to find someone so perfect for me? 

And how did I manage to think for even a second that I’d make it without him?
 

AJ stared back a
t me with the same love and adoration in his eyes that fills my heart every time his name even comes to mind, and then his lips gravitated toward mine.  It wasn’t lost on me how lucky I was that our story concluded happily, considering the road we’d traveled.  I reveled in the warmth of his embrace and let it finally sink in. 

This
man was going to be my husband……

Two
Years Later…

Sam

Maisha leaned across the table to set down a
five
of diamonds
on top of AJ’s
four
.  She and I had been whooping his and Terrell’s butts in spades for the past two hours and they just kept coming back for more.  Deanna handed out a round of bottled waters from the fridge before sitting beside Karl on the couch again, smiling at Terrell’s frustrated sigh as he watched me trump his
King
with an
Ace
.

AJ leaned back and glared at his partner across the table while
Maisha and I pursed our lips to contain our smiles.  He and Terrell had been struggling the whole time.  Between Terrell reneging twice, to AJ bidding blind-nil in an effort to catch up, only to be set in the third round the last game, Maisha and I may as well have been playing against children.

“Dude…you’
re killing me,” AJ said to Terrell under his breath, amused by how badly they were losing.

Terrell shrugged and I covered my mouth wit
h my cards to keep from laughing.

After I laid
down yet another
Ace,
AJ tossed his cards in and decided to put himself and Terrell out of their misery early.

“Alright, I think I’ve had enou
gh of you two ladies’ brutality for one night,” he announced, rubbing his hand down his face.  “And I’m sure
you’re
pretty tired by now, too,” he said to me, making this assumption because, lately, I was
always
tired.  On cue, our son kicked me hard enough that I had to place a hand on my stomach, attempting to rub the tender spot that he’d been pummeling all day.

“Same side?”
AJ asked.

I nodded and he gently moved my hand out of the way, replacing it with his own.  I rested my head against the back of the chair and took a deep breath while AJ stroked in slow circles.

“Only two more days, hun,” Deanna said consolingly – or at least that’s how she meant for it to be taken.  Truthfully, I was scared to death about what was to come.  Due to the baby being breech for the past several weeks, my doctor took the initiative to schedule me for a C-section to avoid complications during the delivery.  Just
thinking
about having to cope with major surgery
and
getting used to being a mother made me terribly nervous. 

AJ saw me zone out and gave a sympathetic smile.  He really did feel bad that I was about to go
through this procedure, but we had an understanding – whatever it took to bring this baby into the world safely, we were willing to cooperate.

I looked around at the faces of our closest friends who’d all traveled quite a long distance to be here for
AJ and me during the delivery.  Being in control of the timing was about the only bright side to going this route.  Maisha, Terrell, Dee, and Karl had been here two days already – helping AJ and I get things together around our new house before I went into the hospital.  Moving to a two-story home on Staten Island six weeks before the baby came wasn’t the smartest thing in the world, but we needed much more space than what we had in our loft with our new addition coming soon.  I’d done what little unpacking I could while AJ was at work and he always helped when he got home, but getting settled had been a slow process even with Angel coming by to assist me a few times.  However, with our friends here these past few days, everything was now put away and organized right down to the storage room in the basement.  Karl and Terrell helped AJ paint the baby’s room and put his crib and changing table together.  Dee and Maisha helped me put away every stitch of his clothes and put up the decorations when the guys finished.  These four had truly been a blessing.   My mother and father checked into their hotel that evening, too, so I had everyone and everything I needed…except the courage to get me through the delivery, that is. 

AJ’s phone began to vibrate on the table and he answered it right away, still holding my stomach.

“Hello?”

Whoever was on the other end of the line had him grinning from ear to ear.  “You guys checked in already?” he asked.  “Ok, cool.  Get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning; I’m making breakfast here at the house for everyone.”  He paused again to listen to the caller’s response.  “Ok.”  His eyes lifted to meet mine and he smiled.  “Sure, I’ll tell her.”

When he ended the call he set his phone aside again.  “My mother said to give you a kiss from her,” he announced before leaning in to plant one on my cheek.  “And my father said to tell you not to be shy about bossing me around – he doesn’t want you moving a muscle.”

I smiled at his father’
s words, thinking of how I hadn’t even been able to put my own socks on for the past month.  It was strange at first being in Mr. Hahn’s good graces, though.  After AJ informed his parents that we were back together, I didn’t know what to think of his father’s newfound humility.  At first, when AJ mentioned that his father had changed, it crossed my mind that it could be an act, a ploy to get back on his son’s good side; however, he was still just as kind and warm
today
as he’d been two years ago, squashing my suspicions.

I remember holding my breath one Saturday morning when AJ opened the door to our loft.  His parents had driven up for a
visit and I was so nervous about how it would play out.  His mother entered first, smiling and passing out hugs, while his father hung back and observed.  Eventually, my eyes locked with his and we couldn’t avoid greeting one another at that point.  I gave a short, simple, “Hello,” as he crossed the threshold and continued to walk in my direction.  It shocked me half to death when he extended his hand.  At first I stared at it, then at
him,
wondering what this gesture was supposed to mean.  It wasn’t until he spoke that I understood his angle completely.

“
Samantha…I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but...I sincerely and humbly apologize.  If you - ”

Before he could finish, I clasped his hand.
  A smile crossed his face and he nodded graciously.

“I forgive you,” I said readily.   Mrs. Hahn discreetly reached for AJ’s hand, silently celebrating the end of the years-long feud that had been brewing between her husband and me
for far too long. 

The memory evaporated from my mind when my stomach rumbled again.

“He’s really moving today, isn’t he?” AJ asked, continuing to rub.

I nodded and released a breath.  It felt like each second became more uncomfortable than the last.

“So how’s this supposed to go?” Terrell asked.  “Because you’re having the C-section, does AJ still get to be in there with you or they don’t allow that?”

“They let the dads come back too, but the doctor said not until
they get me prepped and laid out on the table.”

Terrell smile
d at AJ and directed his next question at him.  “You gon’ cry, man?  Like at the wedding?”

Dee, Karl, and Maisha all shared a laugh at AJ’s expense, but I managed to dial mine down to a smile.

“For the last time,” AJ said, laughing right along with the rest of them, “I wasn’t crying.  My allergies were just acting up that day.” 

Terrell and Karl hadn’t let him live that down yet, probably never would. 
He’d only shed a tear or two as I came down the aisle, but these two made it seem like he was at the altar blubbering.  Karl let out an exaggerated sob and doubled over in Deanna’s lap, pretending to reenact the scene.

AJ shook his head at the guys and then focused his attention on me again.  On
cue, our son practically rolled from one side of my stomach to the other.

“What the hell?” Terrell asked in horror.  Maisha smacked his arm, but he continued to point and stare.  “I know I’m not the only one who just saw Deuce do a somersault.  Is that supposed to happen?”

I rolled my eyes.  “First of all…do
not
call my child
‘Deuce’. 
Second, he’s just getting big and running out of room,” I explained.

“What’s wrong with –“

Before that stupid nickname could leave Terrell’s mouth again, I shot him a warning glare.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. 
“Fine…what’re
y’all
planning to call him then?  We can’t call him AJ ‘cause we’ve already got one of those, and Anthony junior sounds too formal.”