“Dom, please! Let him go!” Karen cried. She would love for Dom to pound the old goat into the ground, but he wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth Dom getting into any legal troubles.
Hearing Karen’s pleas, Dom dropped the man to the floor. Pacing back and forth, his nostrils flared like a caged animal. Oh, how he wanted to just punch the hell out of him…just once.
Some of his anger evaporated when he glanced over at Karen. She looked so broken, so wounded. When he went to her, wrapping his protective arms around her, she slumped against his chest.
Could Gregory have said all those things? She knew he had been miserable and expressed that he had wanted to wait before they started having kids. But to tell his parents that he never wanted them. That he was planning on leaving her for another woman. Wow, that really hurt. Had he ever loved her? Loved the kids?
Dom held her close, feeling her body trembling next to his. He had heard and seen enough. These idiots weren’t going to stand here another second and hurt her. He kissed Karen’s temple affectionately.
` “It’s time for you to leave. Now.”
They didn’t budge, but it could have been because the man was still collecting himself. Dom released Karen and took a step toward them. Even Karen jumped when he roared like the almighty king of the jungle. “Did you hear me? I said get out!”
Scampering to the door, Mr. Johnston turned back to look at Dom and Karen. “This isn’t the last you’ll hear from us,” he threatened before storming out and slamming the door. Mrs. Johnston had the sense to get moving and keep her mouth shut.
Turning Karen to face him, he tenderly stroked her cheek. “Baby, are you all right?”
Karen nodded her head. “I’ll be okay.” She walked over to the sofa, sat down, leaned over, and put her head in her hands. “I just need to get myself together before the kids come back down here.”
How had the day gone from being beautiful to ugly in the matter of fifteen minutes? That’s literally how long it had taken from the moment the in-laws from hell showed up and left. And this new revelation of how her deceased husband had felt about her and the children almost had the ability to crush her. Almost. True she had been a little shook up by the revelation. But Karen knew in her heart she had done everything to be a good wife. And as far as her tricking Gregory, he was the one who didn’t want to use condoms whenever he was in the mood. He may not have wanted their babies, but she did. And now she had a man that loved and wanted them too.
Dom sat next to Karen, his large hands rubbing smooth, soothing circles over her back.
Karen offered him a sad smile. “Thanks.”
Pulling her onto his lap, he kissed her forehead. “Baby, you don’t have to thank me. I’m going to always protect you and the children. Y’all belong to me now.”
And just like that, all was right with the world again. Karen may not have gotten the love thing right the first time around. But this time…this time…she struck magic. She wasn’t even going to cry over her past with Gregory. It was what it was. She had too much of a good thing with Dom to give what’s his name a second thought.
Tenderly kissing his lip she whispered, “I love you so much.”
Kissing her back, Dom swept his tongue around, hitting every corner of her mouth, claiming her again as his woman. Threading his fingers through her hair, he brought her closer, if that was at all possible. “And I love you, too.”
They held each other for the longest time, saying nothing. They just enjoyed the comfort of each other. Dom was the first to break the trance. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Karen nodded her head. “Yeah.” He could feel her shoulders rise and fall when she let out a deep breath. “I’m not so sure about my babies though.”
“Our babies,” Dom corrected.
Karen smiled. “Our babies.” Turning serious again she said, “They were really upset. They’re not used to a bunch of mess.”
Squeezing her tight, Dom assured her, “They’ll be okay. Come on, why don’t we call them down? I think we deserve to go out for lunch after this hellish nightmare.”
Karen laughed. “Honey, you ain’t neva lied.”
After the dust had fully settled Dom and Karen agreed the children needed something fun to cheer them up. Having lunch at Nifty Fifties and then going roller skating was a real treat. The adults had just as much fun as the kids whizzing around the skating rink. Ashley and Kyle couldn’t believe their mom was such a good skater. “Go Mommy! Go Mommy!” Brother and sister cheered. Karen laughed and showed off more of her dance-skating moves from back in the day. Of course Dom wouldn’t be out done; he had to show off his skills from his skating days at the Carmen Skating Rink. Ashley and Kyle cheered just as loud for him.