Ready For Love Pt. 03

With Farah only a block away and wanting to watch the kids Eleyna went back three months after having Miriam. I was beginning to get more orders for furniture which meant I was in the shop most evenings and weekends missing out on time with my wife and kids. Lying in bed after a healthy romp we talked about what to do.

Eleyna spoke first, "With all the work you have coming in I think you should leave the hardware store and concentrate on the furniture, then we could at least have the evenings and Sundays together. The store doesn't necessarily need you, you're there because you grew up with them and have been there since Moses floated down the river in a basket. I think if you talked to them they would be willing to let you train someone else."

She was right, "That's a great idea babe. I'm gonna talk with them tomorrow. I have someone in mind for my replacement, he's been there over ten years and knows the place in and out. He'd be perfect for the position. With her brother fighting cancer Elsa's basically running things now, I'll talk with her in the morning."

It wasn't a surprise to us when one Sunday after dinner Farah announced that Delbert would be moving in with her. When Eleyna asked about being married we both smirked at her answer.

"We're in no hurry. There's plenty of time for that, right now we're still getting to know each other." Then a long pause as she looked into his eyes. "Very well I might add, right Del?"

He smiled, "Right you are Farah."

The transition from a weekly paycheck to commissioned work was an adjustment I hadn't completely thought out and was a challenge at first. Between what Eleyna and I made we were in good shape, we just needed to be careful until the shop produced a steady income. One of the major changes I made was no more work without a down payment, I'd been stung more than once expecting people to pay when the project was finished. That change alone made the difference we needed to stay consistently in the black.

With grandma insisting she watch the kids we decided to have another baby. Miriam was fifteen months old when Eleyna pushed me on my back in bed, yanked my underwear off and climbed on top. She'd stopped nursing at a year so those sweet nipples were all mine once more, and I let her know how much I loved it. As she rode me feverishly she took my hands off her breasts and put them on her tummy.

In not much more than a whisper she gave me the news, "There's a baby in me Joel. Maybe it's another boy."

After she'd climaxed in that position I had her wrap arms and legs around me so we could flip, she was on her back with her legs spread wide. We rode another ten minutes or more until I felt her hips push into me and her body stiffen, that was all it took to unleash the storm within. I slammed forward and came hard. When we told the family over Sunday dinner the most excited was Ravi, he liked the idea of another baby but wanted it to be a boy. Girls are nice, but all they want to do is place dolls in his humble and vocal opinion. As usual Farah was seated next to Eleyna, about halfway through the meal I saw Eleyna reach and touch her mom's left hand with a grin on her face. On Farah's hand was an engagement ring. As I looked toward Delbert he was all smiles, put his arm around Farah's shoulders and gave her a squeeze.

Eleyna asked her mom, "When's the date? We were wondering if you two were ever going to tie the knot."

"It will be in two months. We are going to Hungary after the wedding, we'll be gone three weeks. Del hasn't seen his brother and two sisters for almost twenty years. And before you ask, no, we are not going to Lebanon, my home is America and that's where I plan to stay. Abeer has disowned you and I, there is nothing to return to."

Six months later Albert Xavier was born, followed two years later by another sister, Rosemary. Eleyna opted to have her tubes tied at the same time, I offered to have a vasectomy, she told me no. Her not being able to get pregnant opened up a new door in our sex lives, she became more uninhibited behind closed doors than I could have ever imagined. I found it humorous when on a Saturday afternoon Del and I were sharing a beer on the patio as she and her mom talked in the kitchen. They obviously thought we couldn't hear through the open window as they talked about which lingerie their respective husband liked the most.

Years later all but one of the kids are living elsewhere, the one living locally is our first daughter who runs the family business. The youngest is a freshman at Penn State, the others are married and pumping out grandkids. Del and Farah still live just down the street, Eleyna has decided that after nearly twenty years of being at home she liked it enough to not return to the working scene full time, instead she goes into the business two days a week to help Miriam. The furniture business increased enough that I hired three more guys over the years, we also bought an old Sears catalog store building and turned it into a selling workshop.

We build and sell the furniture on site, a glass wall separates us from the showroom so people can watch the process. Miriam runs the showroom and takes online orders, it was her idea to begin with, she may as well run it. She married one of my carpenters and they have two kids. She and her hubby came up with the name of the store, we call it "The Wood Shed" and people come from miles around. Del sold the business to his sons but still goes in a few mornings a week for two or three hours, Farah says it keeps him out of trouble and gives her time to herself as well.

Retirement is a way's off for us, but we still reflect back to that Christmas when I gave a little boy a toy truck. Which he has on a shelf in a glass case I made for him, I still love to hear him call me dad along with our other kids. Karen would have approved of that I'm certain, to love and raise a child that is not yours biologically takes a different mindset and a heart full of love.

I know there will be those who say the story ended too soon, but one can only describe daily events and sex scenes so long before they become mundane. For the few who will take umbrage to my comment about raising a child they didn't father as their own I will say this. I raised my first son as my own even though he never knew the biological father who abandoned he and his mother. Why should he not be as worthy of my unconditional love as our other children are.

With spring soon upon us I will likely be taking a short hiatus from submitting stories. I have two virtual high school graduations to attend and a grandson getting married. I won't have time to write and am therefore leaving my laptop at home. I have two stories ready to submit and will probably do that during April, but don't look for anything during May.

Once again thanks to all the faithful followers along with the positive comments and e-mails. See you on the flip side.

Respectfully, R410a