Home Ch. 02

Thank You for the feedback. I'm sorry if I'm a bit slow between chapters. I'm still getting a hang of this.

To my kind editor, Thank you for helping me. "We turned feces to fertilizer. So when you diss it's just food for the flowers to grow."

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Nate found it hard to focus on the road as he drove home. He was still reeling from being with Peyton and he'd only just met her. He traced his tongue over his lips, refreshing the memory of her warm skin. He mentally made a plan to revisit the church the next day. His good mood quickly dispersed once he spotted the red MINI Cooper parked outside his two-story villa. He immediately knew who it was and felt a headache coming on just thinking about her.

Addison Broughton.

He opened his garage and parked inside. He closed the garage door and shut off his car. Then he sat for a moment, considering his options:

A. Turn the car back on, sit there, and die from carbon monoxide poisoning.

B. Open his garage door and drive off into the sunset, never to return.

C. Go inside and face the effeminate equivalent of the Devil.

Though the last option was the least favorable to him, he went with it.

Nate walked into his kitchen and placed his keys on the granite island countertop. He scanned the room. All clear.

He walked into his spacious living room covered with blue-grey Saxony carpet and still got nothing. Bedroom, he thought, of course she'd be in the bedroom.

He went up the stairs and opened his door to find the buxom, fiery redhead splayed out seductively on his king-sized bed, playing with her cell phone. She was dressed in a tight, red halter dress that ended mid-thigh and pressed her D-cup breasts up beneath her chin. Nate barely even noticed.

"Why are you here, Addison?" he spoke coldly.

"Well, 'Hello' to you too, darling," Addison purred. She sat up and crossed her long smooth legs, hoping that Nate would look up the skirt of her dress. "I just came by to see how you're doing, baby."

"How did you get in?" he asked. Addison leaned forward and pulled a bronze key from between her breasts.

"Damn, forgot to change the lock." Nate muttered to himself. He held out his hand to her. "Give me the key."

Addison smiled and stuck it back into her top. "Come and get it."

Nate rolled his eyes. He was getting sick of her wannabe Jessica Rabbit act. "Addison, I'm not in the mood for your games. Please, get out of my house."

"Don't you mean our house?" She retorted.

"No, My house." Nate walked over to the bed, grabbed her arm and forcibly made Addison stand. He started dragging her towards the bedroom door then she yanked her arm free.

"Oh, Nate," she moaned. "You know I like it rough, but I would like to talk to you first."

"What, Addison? What could you possibly have to say to me now?" Nate said, losing his patience.

"Nate, please be reasonable. I had to do what I did to save our relationship."

Nate arched his brow. "How could having an abortion, without telling me, possibly save our relationship?"

"That baby would have ruined the way things were going for us!" she objected. "You would have loved that kid more than you loved me, and things would have gone downhill from there."

Nate stared at her in disbelief. "You were jealous of my son, so you killed him? You're more whacked out than I thought you were!"

"Don't you think it hurt me to do it, Nate? He was my son too!"

"Then why did you do it?" Nate yelled.

"Because, back then, I had no other way out!" Addison's voice cracked and, for a second, she actually sounded remorseful. However, Nate wasn't so easily fooled by her; at least, not anymore.

"Out of what, huh? Being a mother? Being with me?"

"No, Nate! I loved you! I ha-"

Nate held up his hand to cut her off. "I'm tired

of your excuses. Get out."

"Nate, please!" Addison begged. "You loved me once, I know you did. You have to understand how trapped I felt."

"And fucking the doctor beforehand helped you feel freer, right? Or trying to access my bank account and clean me out? That must have been liberating. Until I got my money back, of course." Nate's tone dripped with sarcasm.

Addison stood, stunned. "How did you know?"

"It doesn't matter now," he sighed. "I won't let you manipulate me anymore, Addison. Now, I won't say it again. Get the fuck out of my house."

She saw the dark fury in Nate's eyes and decided it was time to go. He followed her downstairs through the living room to the front door.

"Addison, wait," Nate said suddenly.

Addison turned to him, hopeful. He stepped close to her and she closed her eyes, waiting for him to kiss or hug her. Instead she felt him roughly pull down the front of her dress, yank out the key from her bra, and push her outside. He slammed the door in her face without another word.

"This isn't over Nate! Not by a fucking long shot!" she yelled.

Nate waited in his living room until he saw Addison's car pull away. Just one encounter with her left him emotionally drained. He made another mental note to get his locks changed the next day. He slowly made his way back upstairs to his bedroom. Without bothering to do anything else, Nate stripped down into his boxers and crawled into bed. The thick warm comforter felt good after the rainy night. Nate laid in the dark for a bit, mulling over the day.

After a while, he sat up and turned on the lamp on the night stand. He reached over and opened the drawer and pulled out a picture: it was the twelve-week ultrasound photo Addison had gotten before the abortion. Nate traced his finger over the shape of the child's head. He felt as if his throat was closing and his heart would crumble in his chest. The sting of incoming tears made him close his eyes tight. He wished that he could open them and have the painful ache in his chest disappear, but, unfortunately, it was never that simple. Nate placed the picture beneath his pillow and laid his head down, sadly drifting to sleep.

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Peyton stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her short fuzzy black afro stuck out around her head, uneven and slightly wet from her shower. She always wanted to keep her hair short, so she got used to cutting it herself, but she had no idea what to do with it now. She heard a knock outside her door.

"Peyton, honey? It's me, Jane. Are you alright, sweetie?"

Jane was one of the volunteers at St. Michael's and one of the nicest people Peyton had ever met. She was a portly Caucasian woman of 50 who seemed to take to Peyton like a mother to a child. Peyton loved being around Jane; with her bright red cheeks, loud laugh, caring touch and exemplary baking skills. Jane let out an aura of happiness that seemed contagious. When she wasn't at home or at the church, Jane worked at a hair salon by the laundry mat. Peyton remembered this fact about Jane and decided to ask her a favor. She opened the bathroom door greeted the kindly woman.

"Jane, may I ask you for a favor?"

"Why, yes, dear. Are you alright?" Jane asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Yes. I'm fine. It's just that my hair has puffed out again and I'm not sure what to do with it."

Jane smiled wide. "Well, you've come to the right woman! Go wait in your room. I'll be there in just a moment."

Peyton was relieved that her request hadn't inconvenienced Jane. Quite the opposite, actually. It seemed to thrill her. Peyton sat on her bed and waited. Jane returned 5 minutes later with a leather bag. "My hair-care kit," Jane explained. "Is there any particular style you would like honey?"

Peyton thought for a moment. "Jane, have you seen the movie Sucker Punch?"

"Ah, yes!" Jane chuckled. "My daughter took me to see it. It wasn't to my liking, but then again, I'm more into chick flicks."

"Do you remember the girl with the short hair? Rocket?" Jane nodded. "Well, I'd like my hair to look like hers."

Jane thought for a minute and, when she got the image in her head, set about her work. She snipped, spritzed, combed and flicked for what seemed like forever. Jane chatted with Peyton about her life as a single mother with her now twenty-five year old daughter, Patricia. She talked about working in a hair salon and meeting different kinds of people in different walks of life. Peyton found that Jane's goosey ramblings made the time go by pleasantly.

"All done!" Jane chirped finally. Peyton rose and went into the bathroom to look at herself. Her new haircut brought out her full cheeks and made her eyes look darker, more mysterious. She turned back and wrapped her arms around Jane.

"Oh, thank you, Jane! It's perfect!" Jane giggled and hugged Peyton back. Peyton pulled back suddenly and gave Jane a sad look.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any money. But I'd be willing to-"

"It's no problem at all!" Jane said happily. Peyton hugged her again. Peyton and Jane walked together arm in arm into the kitchen, both smiling. Pastor Donavon walked in after them.

"Why, Peyton, you look lovely," said the pastor.

"Thank you," Peyton said shyly.She was happy her deep complexion hindered him from seeing her blush. She hadn't felt pretty in a long while, with the exception of her encounter with Nate the night before. It was a nice feeling. It felt even better being surrounded by such kind hearted and gentle people. Peyton knew the world to be cruel and merciless, but these people; Jane, Pastor Donavon, and all the other volunteers at the church made her have hope in humanity.

Jane and Peyton spent the morning baking treats for a bake sale at the local elementary school. They finished around one in the afternoon. Jane took a moment to sit and rest while Peyton packed up the various cookies and cupcakes in boxes. Jane noticed that Peyton kept hiking up her loose jeans and re-adjusting the extra larger t-shirt she was wearing and she frowned.

"Peyton, why don't any of your clothes fit? They all seem to be too big," Jane inquired.

Peyton was surprised by the sudden question. "Well... honestly, it's because they aren't really my clothes. When I left home these were all the clothes I could get. Most of them belong to my father. He was a big fella'."

"Where is your father now?" Jane asked.

"Dead."

Jane felt a rush of guilt wash over her.

"I'm so sorry, Peyton," she said earnestly. Peyton just gave her a sad smile and finished boxing the last set of treats.

"Peyton, I think I know a way for you to pay me back for the hair cut," Jane said once they were all done.

Peyton was eager to help. "Sure thing! Name it."

"I'm a bit of a pack rat and I need help getting rid of some old stuff in my basement. Do mind walking with me to my home and helping me clean house for a while? Just until the bake sale starts after school lets out."

"Walking to your house?"

"Yes. My home is only a couple blocks from here. That's why I love the city; you can walk everywhere!"

Peyton laughed and agreed. They set off, and in almost no time were at Jane's brownstone duplex. Jane's home was small and cozy. All the furniture was plush with doilies on the couches and little flower pots everywhere. The house smelled quite floral.

"Where's your daughter?"

"It's almost two, so she's still at school. She works at the university. This way, sweetie."

Jane led her downstairs and turned on the light. The basement wasn't as crowded as Peyton excepted. It had a few old boxes and trunks, Christmas decorations, and an old mattress. Peyton got suspicious.

"Jane, everything down here looks pretty neat." Jane shifted from one foot to the other nervously. She went to one of the trunks and opened it. Peyton peeked over her shoulder and saw the trunk was filled with clothes. She knew where this was going.

"No, Jane. I will not take those from you," she said sternly.

"Oh, come on, Peyton! You're such a pretty young thing! You should be able to show it off."

Peyton felt a pang of annoyance. "Jane, I can't be your charity case. Ok?"

"It's not even like that, honey. I really do need to get rid of this stuff. I'd be able to sleep well knowing it went to someone I'm so very fond of."

Peyton wanted to argue, but decided against it. Her father had told her to never look a gift horse in the mouth, so she accepted Jane's generosity.

"Jane, I can't keep all this in my cot."

"Then take a few things today and leave the rest here. You can come by anytime you need something."

Peyton knelt down next to Jane and sifted through the clothes. They weren't really that old. "Are these yours or-"

"No. They're my daughter's. She's a bit bigger than you but I figured most of these would fit."

Peyton looked through and pulled out a peach summer dress. It had a thin tan belt around the waist and a flowing skirt. She looked deeper and saw a pair of white flats with little bows on them.

She smiled. "I guess I'll take this for today."

Jane went upstairs and let Peyton change. Peyton joined her soon after. Jane gasped when she saw her. Peyton looked like a different person. Her body wasn't hidden in layers of baggy clothing, but instead her curves were shown off by the body hugging dress. Her long legs were finally on display and Jane hadn't even noticed that Peyton had breasts until just that moment. Yet, Peyton still kept her head down.

"Let's go back to the church," Jane sighed.

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Peyton fiddled with the pen in her hand, resisting the urge to chew on the end of it. Pastor Donavon and Jane had headed off to the elementary school at three o'clock to set up the sale. Peyton decided to stay behind. She sat on the church steps, looking through the Want Ads and enjoying the sun. She took a second to close her eyes and inhale the scent of wet pavement. She sighed deeply. God, I love the rain.

She was so entrapped in the moment that she didn't hear Nate park his car and walk up. He stood and watched her. For a second, he hadn't recognized Peyton. She looked completely at peace and absolutely beautiful. Her brown skin seemed to glow in the soft sunlight. Her hour glass body fit well in the new dress she wore.

"Hey, Peyton," he said, breaking her from her trance.

Peyton opened her eyes and smiled softly. "Hello, Nate."

The way she said his name made his heart quicken. She noticed he was dressed more casually: a button-down, jeans and sneakers. She thought he looked cute. Nate took a seat next to her.

"So, what brings you by?" she asked.

"Honestly?" he asked. She nodded. "I came by to see you."

Peyton raised her eyebrows at his confession. "Why?"

"More honestly?" She chuckled and nodded again. "I don't know. I tried thinking of a good reason on the way over here; something hopelessly romantic and awesome. But now, all I know is that I wanted to see your face."

"That's romantic enough for me." Nate looked down into Peyton's eyes and for a moment, he actually stopped thinking about the painful crap in his life. He hadn't had a moment like that in months. But somehow, he did with Peyton. What is this girl doing to me?

Peyton broke the gaze and looked down at the paper. Nate's eyes followed hers.

"Want Ads?" He gave her a quizzical look.

"Yes, sir. Can't live in the church forever."

The crease in Nate's brow deepened. "You live here?"

Peyton suddenly felt self-conscious. "Um...yeah. It's a long story."

Nate saw the nervous look on her face and decided not to press the subject. "Well, I know the church food is good, but I know a great diner that can beat them out. Would you like to join me for lunch?" Peyton cheerfully accepted.

Lunch turned into dinner, and dinner turned into late night ice cream at nine o'clock. Nate spent the whole day showing Peyton the city. They started at the diner then explored the park, the theater, and a high class restaurant. Later on in the day, they returned to the park for a music show by the orchestra from the local university. Peyton hadn't had so much fun since her father was alive.

Nate found Peyton refreshing. She was sweet and simply lovely. But he could tell she was holding back. Peyton loved Nate's humor and vigor about life. She loved learning about him. She learned that he ran his own construction company, which was previously owned by his father. She also learned that he helped renovate St. Michael's, which was why it had the shelter, a great kitchen, the showers, the rooms for Sunday school, and the daycare. She admired how he took "life by the balls", as he like to put it, and still maintained an air of goodness. She wished she had his confidence.

As the pair walked up to the church, Nate quietly contemplated his last move.

"I want to say thank you for the amazing day, Nate."

Peyton looked so sweet-tempered and innocent; Nate stopped thinking, lowered his head and closed in on her. Peyton gasped as she felt his lips capture hers. Caught off guard, she just stood as Nate's warm lips pressed against hers. She sighed as she felt his tongue flick against her lips. Nate tried to coax her lips open with his tongue and Peyton succumbed, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth. Her head was swimming and she let herself give into her feelings. She lightly flicked her tongue against his. Nate moaned and pulled her closer, running his hands through her short hair. He continued kissing her deeply as he ran his hand down curve of her back, pressing against her. He felt her excited nipples poke through the thin fabric of the dress. Growing bolder, Peyton nipped at his bottom lip and pushed her tongue into his mouth. Nate felt like he could stand there kissing her forever. Feeling light headed, Peyton finally pulled away. She looked up into Nate's hooded eyes and smiled slightly.

"Goodnight, Nate," she said quietly. She quickly pulled away and ran up the church steps. Nate stood watched her enter the church. Unable to control his happiness, he jumped up in the air.

"Yesssss!"

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Peyton all but skipped to Jane's house the next morning. She rang the doorbell and whistled while she waited. When Jane answered the door, Peyton practically attacked her with a hug.

"Good morning, my friend!" Peyton said very, very happily.

"Good morning, Peyton. What brings you by?" Jane asked, eyeing her. Jane moved aside and allowed Peyton to enter.

"Well, I've been thinking and I really feel like a brat for not being more appreciative of the clothes you gave me yesterday."

"Oh, that's alright, sweetie. I understand."

"Thank you, Jane. But it is a new day and I'm going to take you up on all the clothes. I've packed away all my father's old clothes and I'm here now to collect that trunk!" Jane watched as Peyton marched through the house, down stairs to the basement, grabbed the trunk and began lugging it back up again.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Jane wondered aloud.

"I don't know. I guess I feel more alive than I did yesterday; more like a woman than I've felt in the longest time." Peyton answered cheerfully.

Jane helped Peyton carry the trunk out to her front steps.

"Jane, is there a suit or two in here?"

Jane took a second to think about it. "I believe so. Why?"

"I have a job interview today and I would like to look nice."

"Ok. Well, good luck, my dear."

Peyton huffed delightedly as she picked up the heavy trunk. "Thank you." She let out a sigh and set off for St. Michael's.

Once she got back to the church, Peyton got one of the volunteers to help her get her trunk into her room. Once they left, she took her time looking at the different articles of clothing.

Damn, she thought, Jane's daughter has style. While looking through, Peyton found a dark grey pinstripe pantsuit and a pair of black Mary Jane pumps. Perfect! Peyton took a quick shower and headed off to the local internet café and printed off her resume. She walked about another mile to a big building across from the park Nate had showed her. Peyton entered and went straight for the receptionist.