Until The Sun Goes Down (Boundless Love Book 3)

Until The Sun Goes Down

Published by Iris Deorre

Copyright October 2014 Iris Deorre

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One

‘…Happy birthday to you…happy birthday dear Joooy…happy birthday to you!’ The group sang as Eugene tried to play the song on the piano.

‘Tell everyone just how old you are?’ Sahara beamed at the little girl.

‘I’m five years old now, I’m five years old now…’ she tried to sing, but suddenly went shy.

‘You’re not shy are you?’ asked Sahara.

She covered her eyes and giggled. Joy had turned into a beautiful little girl. Her black hair had grown tremendously; to which Sahara was having difficulty maintaining.

‘Go on, blow out your candles,’ said Sahara.

Joy pulled her hands away from her eyes, made a visual sweep around the large living-room and then with all her might, blew out the candles. Everyone clapped, and she quickly went shy again.

Sahara took Joy into a big hug and gave her a great big kiss. Her life had been amazing the past few years. Her hair had grown down to her shoulders, and she’d put on a bit of weight. She’d expanded her flower business, and had brought on two more assistants.

She looked at Eugene who stood up from the piano, and winked. She was more in love with him than she’d ever been. They’d certainly grown together, and their bond had become stronger than ever.

‘I want to open my present’s mummy.’

‘You go on ahead. Daddy will help you while your aunt Emily and I go and sort out the food.’

Eugene took his cue and walked towards the little girl. All the other children in attendance – most of them from Joy’s private school and Ben – studied Joy with anticipation.

Emily handed the baby girl to Myles and followed Sahara into the kitchen.

‘Right,’ said Sahara as she walked into the kitchen. ‘How’s it going in here Lawrence?’

‘Almost done.’ He hurried about.

Sahara looked at all the junk food spread across the large centre island. Everything from crisps to cakes, sweets, pizza slices, fish fingers, chips…Every child’s favourite food was available for their taking.

‘Are you planning to have these children bouncing off the walls?’

‘Precisely. It’s Joy’s day and I want all her friends to enjoy it. She only gets to be five once.’

‘That’s what you said last year.’

‘She only got to be four once, so it’s true.’ she giggled.

‘You look stunning,’ Emily said. ‘I just can’t help, but be amazed at how great you look.’

‘Oh thank you Emily.’ She took her friend into a hug. ‘You look amazing too.’

‘Oh please, not with all the baby fat I don’t.’

‘Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself. You look great!’

Emily and Myles’s little girl had come as a surprise. Something about Emily taking antibiotics and taking no further precaution while on the pill. That was how the story went, but it wasn’t a horrible surprise, in fact they were over the moon about it.

‘I’ll get back to a –’

‘Don’t say it. Just be happy with what you are.’

‘Don’t say what?’ Felicity joined them.

‘Hey, when did you get here? I didn’t even hear the doorbell.’ Sahara rushed over and hugged her.

‘That’s because Joy saw me before I had a chance to ring that fancy doorbell of yours. And I know the security number to the gates.’

‘Of course you do.’ Sahara chuckled.

‘Hey you.’ Felicity hugged Emily.

‘Hey, what time do you call this?’

Felicity laughed, but didn’t respond to the question. Instead she picked up one of the pizza slices and ate it. She hadn’t moved on in her relationship life, it was the one thing she just couldn’t crack. It had been relationship after relationship to the point she had begun to think there was something wrong with her.

‘You always take yourself with you, in every relationship.’ Sahara had said after Felicity had broken up with her fourth boyfriend. ‘So you’ve got to ask yourself some serious questions.’

‘I think I’m doomed to be single,’ she’d said.

‘That’s not true, and don’t shut your heart out to love,’ Emily had chimed in.

But after the last break up two years ago, Felicity had chosen to stay single, and she had to admit, she was happier than she’d ever been, in a relationship.

‘Mummy, Joy pushed me,’ Ben whined.

‘What did you do?’ she asked.

‘Nothing,’ he said.

‘It’s probably not his fault, I’ll have a word with Joy,’ said Sahara. ‘These two are like siblings.’

‘Tell me about it. I know she didn’t just push him for no reason.’

‘That may be, but I don’t like the idea of her doing that.’

‘She’s such a strong character,’ said Felicity. ‘I wonder where she got that from.’

Sahara pursed her lips unimpressed.

‘Ben sweetie, could you ask Joy to come here a moment,’ said Sahara.

He nodded and went to fetch her.

‘I worry about my son, he’s such a tattletale.’

‘Oh nonsense, Joy can be hard sometimes.’

‘He should learn to stand up to her.’

‘Leave him be honey, you can’t try to force him into someone he’s not.’

‘I know, I just feel as though he will have a hard time at school.’

‘Is he having a hard time?’ asked Felicity.

‘Not so far, but if he keeps this up, he will soon.’

Ben returned with the accused. Joy looked up at her mother innocently.

‘Honey, why did you push Ben?’ She crouched, so she was at her daughter’s level. She always wanted to talk to her and not at her.

‘Because he touched one of my presents without asking.’

‘Is that a reason to push him?’

‘It’s not his, he must ask first,’ said Emily. ‘Ben, always ask for things before you take them honey.’

He looked away a little upset.

‘That’s fair and fine, but pushing someone is not the way to go about it. Haven’t I spoken to you about this before?’ She knew it was a long shot, Joy had turned five, and she had selective hearing.

She lowered her head and said, ‘You did.’

‘All you had to do was tell him, there was no need to push him. I don’t want you doing that ever again, understood.’

She nodded.

‘Now apologise to Ben.’

She turned to Ben. ‘Sorry.’

‘Ben, give her a hug,’ said Emily.

Ben opened his arms and took Joy into a hug. They talked at once, and all was forgotten.

‘Okay, you go on back into the living-room and food will be out soon.’

‘After that can we go outside onto the jumping castle?’ asked Joy.

‘You sure can!’

The two little people left the room. Sahara laughed lightly, she loved being a mum. Joy was a gift she valued every day of her life.

‘It’s her birthday, you shouldn’t be telling her off,’ said Emily.

‘Birthday or not, I want to raise a girl who respects people. All she had to do was ask Ben not to touch her present; there was no need for her to push him.’

Emily left it at that. Felicity smiled at the two mums, she had no clue what it felt like to be one. Even though she’d done some babysitting for both of them, it wasn’t the same. She wasn’t even sure if she craved it.

Food was served, and the children went wild on all the delicious food. A forbidden garden had been opened! Sahara knew all the mums of the children that had attended, and for the majority of them, food low in fibre and nutrients were off limits. But Sahara threw that to the wind and let them go crazy, except for Johnny who was celiac. Lawrence had made food catered for him and the little boy seemed satisfied with the fun treats.

‘Wow, how do we do this every year?’ Eugene pulled Sahara close to him as they watched the children go wild on the jumping castle after the meal.

‘Love, we do it out of love.’

‘That’s true.’ He kissed her forehead.

‘I’d love to have another one.’ She teased.

‘Yeah, that would be nice.’

She was out of the woods, that had been the verdict three years ago, but ever since then she hadn’t been able to conceive.

‘I’m so tired right now and I haven’t done anything. Just watching them makes me tired,’ said Elizabeth as she approached them.

‘I know the feeling. At least tonight she’ll be out like a log.’ She watched as the little princess bounced up and down the castle with her friends.

‘That’s a good thing.’ Elizabeth smiled.

‘You still okay to have her next weekend?’

‘Of course, I’d never turn down an opportunity to spend with my granddaughter.’

Elizabeth had finally felt peace within herself. Sahara was healthy, they had a healthy daughter and Eugene was a great husband and father. Sahara had achieved things she never had, and she seemed to be the happiest woman she knew.

‘Great, because Eugene and I are going to spend the weekend in sunny Spain.’

‘We sure are.’ He squeezed her.

She felt a pain shoot through her stomach. It was short and sharp, and she almost bent over, but didn’t, instead she gritted her teeth through it.

‘Are you okay?’ He’d felt her body tense in his arm.

‘I couldn’t be happier.’ She smiled. It was true she couldn’t have been happier.

****

‘Did you have a good time today?’ Sahara asked Joy as she tucked her in.

‘The best day ever!’ She flapped her hands about just to show how much.

‘I’m so glad you did.’ She gritted her teeth a moment and placed her hand over her belly.

‘What’s wrong mummy?’

‘Oh nothing, nothing’s wrong. You get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.’ She leaned forward and gave joy a kiss. ‘I love you beautiful.’

‘I love you too mummy.’ She rolled away.

Sahara reached for the lamp and switched off the light. A few moments later, she stood up and made her way to the main bedroom of the mansion. Eugene was already in bed, his laptop on his lap, working.

‘What did I say about working in bed?’ she asked.

‘I’m only looking at an email and you weren’t here. The moment you slide into bed, I’m done.’

She gave him a playful warning look.

‘I’ll be with you in a moment. I must take a shower.’

‘Can I join you?’

She wanted to say yes, but there was the nagging pain she couldn’t quite get rid of, and she didn’t want him worrying about nothing.

‘Nope! You stay right there and I’ll be back in a moment to give you the time of your life.’

‘Hmmm, I like the sound of that. After all these years, you’re still able to turn me on.’

‘Good.’ She smiled, and then headed for the ensuite.

The minute she shut the door behind her she bent over. The pain was excruciating. She’d taken something for it, but it hadn’t done a thing. Fear crept through and she wondered if illness had invaded her body again. The thought made her sick to the stomach. Sahara wasn’t sure she’d be able to travel down that road again.

She leaned into the door and just waited for it to subside. It did after a few minutes.

‘Honey, are you okay in there?’ He wondered, since he hadn’t heard the shower.

‘I’m fine. You get ready for the time of your life.’ She undressed and started the shower.

‘Oh I’m ready. Just don’t take too long.’

‘I won’t, I promise.’ She stepped into the shower and lathered her body.

A few minutes later she felt better and refreshed. She wondered if the pain was all in her head. She took time to brush her teeth and study her face in the mirror. Her cheeks had filled out over the years, and her hair had been healthier than it had ever been. She didn’t want to loose all that, she was happy. Sickness had no right invading her life at that time.

‘It’s all in your head. You’re alright. Look at you, you’ve been in remission for years.’ She smiled. She’d been blessed with life. ‘You are okay.’ She told herself again.

She stepped out of the bathroom in her birthday suit. Eugene grinned. He put the laptop to the side and patted the left side of the bed. She walked over to him slowly. The breast that had been lost to cancer had been reconstructed and it had built her confidence even more.

She climbed onto the bed over him. Her legs over him like a bridge. He smiled as he placed his index and middle finger between her opened legs. Gently he ran his fingers over the flaps of her middle. She let out a gentle moan, and enjoyed the soft touch.

‘Still after five years, you still make me feeble at the knees.’ He joked.

‘You…feeble?’ She laughed lightly. ‘Unlikely. But I have a way with you.’

‘Yes you do, and I love you for it. You’re my dream girl.’

She leaned into him and met his lips, his fingers still teased her middle. She rotated her hips so she could get the best of him. She pulled back a moment, searched his eyes and grinned.

‘What?’

‘Are we going to try for another one?’

He giggled lightly. ‘We could, but don’t get all upset if it doesn’t work out.’