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“Come here, Mama.” He draws me, letting me dry tears with his clothes. “You’ve done well. You know that?” He rubs my side. “You know that, Baby Belle?”
I nod, but inside, I’m dying to say he doesn’t know half of my story. Caili would’ve been three years old now. And Raffi would’ve been a big brother to her. That’s a dream that won’t ever come true.
Clayton nudges my chin up, and then he thumbs my remaining stubborn tears. “You’re a great mother.”
Raffi suffered under my watch, and that would never make me a great mother. But in Clayton’s embrace, with his eyes telling me that what he said is no lie, somehow there’s peace rising within me.
He continues, “He’s so sweet. I don’t think any other kid would do that.”
I shoot up an eyebrow. “Would Rob have done it with you?”
Clayton considers it. “Well, I guess. Yeah, I guess he would’ve.”
“There we go. We come from good families, then.”
He lets me know that he agrees with a kiss.
“My dear?” He leads me into a corner and helps me gear up. “Sorry, they haven’t got your size here,” he says. The overalls fit my hips, but when the zipper reaches my chest, he stutters. I’m wearing a tight tank top, and the overalls are squeezing my breasts. These must be a boy’s size!
“Admit it. You were looking at my tits that night in Kenya!” I taunt him.
“I was looking at your eyes,” he insists.
I shoot him a smile, giving him permission to drop his denial.
His eyes flash me a lascivious look. “But it doesn’t mean I didn’t see your boobs.” He places his hand on my chest so he can fasten the zipper all the way up.
We cross the tarmac toward the steel albatross. Clayton is in his domain, but ever the gentleman, he helps me climb onboard as gracefully as he lets me into his Porsche, strapping me up like a leader as much as a lover.
“How good are you with motion?” he queries.
“I’ve never tested myself.”
“Well, today’s the day, then.”
And we’re off. I can’t help feeling like a princess on her first magic carpet ride, but braver—and rougher. Clearly, there’s a reason why it’s called a ‘jet’ and not a coaster. Clayton soon maneuvers the aircraft, reminding me that it’s a thrill ride and he’s in charge. I can’t imagine what it was like when he was in the Air Force. He must’ve been a chick magnet.
“Whoa!” I cheer when we land.
“My dear,” once again Clayton offers his hand.
“I enjoyed that.”
“Good.”
My hand in his, we make our way back into the hangar.
“Clayton, why did you take Matty today? You knew he couldn’t fly.”
“Well, I didn’t want to leave him behind, and he’s been asking about catching up with Raffi again. He understood that he couldn’t fly yet. It’s not a problem. I wanted us to be together.”
“Testing the dynamics between the boys?”
“Well, kind of… but I did it because I wanted Matty to be with someone his age and not get jealous. He’s been like an only child, you know what I mean? Rob and I are always protective of him. It’s time for him to grow up.”
This man knows a thing or two about parenting.
Clayton adds, “And I think he learned exactly what he needed to learn today from Raffi.”
