Pick You Up

"That's one word to describe him. I left with the kids in the middle of the day while he was at work. He likely though I was so terrified of any reprisal, I'd never have the courage to leave. A few friends that I kept in touch and had an idea of what I was putting up with helped put us up in an empty rental while I could get things sorted. He went everywhere and called everyone. Called my parents and entire family, asking if I'd contact them. I was smart enough to leave them in the dark. I knew he was at his parents the day after I left, apparently off his rocker about the fact I'd walked out on him. All our friends, though calling them 'our' friends is a stretch. They were scumbags he'd known for years. He was relentless. He's found me twice so far. He told me that, next time, he'd kill me."

I sighed as it was even worse than I expected. "If he ever shows up at your door, you call me, then you call the police." When she met my eyes, she must have heard something in my tone. "My last job, Caroline. I promised myself never again. It's why I quit, because if I walked into that living room again and saw the same thing, the guy involved wouldn't make it to the police station alive."

"You'd kill him?"

"No. But I'd leave him so scared, he would never dare approach you again." Finishing my coffee, I set it down and smiled. "I'm hosting the next barbecue. You should come along."

To my surprise, she barely gave it five seconds thought. "Okay," she whispered, "Are you sure the kids will be okay here?"

"Trust me, the oldest look after the youngest. They'll be in the living room. Movies. Lollies. Ice cream. Chips. Soft drink. Most will eventually fall asleep. The older children will stay awake, and since we'll all be here, there'll be constant supervision. No-one gets too drunk, at least not on purpose."

"I guess it would help getting out of the house for a change. I mean, I even have the groceries delivered as I don't want to go to the shopping centre."

Finishing her coffee, I placed both mugs in the sink before I escorted her across the road to her house. She opened the screen then front door. Stopping and turning around, she smiled at me again. "I'd like to have coffee again, Mark."

"I can do coffee most days. Do the occasional consultancy job. Haven't had to do security job for a couple of weeks. All you need to do is send me a message, or we can walk the kids to school together..."

"I'd like that last one. I'll have company on the walk back, at least."

We walked the kids to school together for the rest of the week, walking home together and enjoying a coffee at my place the next couple of days, before she invited me to her place on the Friday. Noticing the lawn out the front and back, I immediately offered my services, suggesting I found lawn care therapeutic, and I would happily do it for free.

When her lower lip started to tremble, I worried she was going to start crying on me. Then I found myself hugged by a woman a good six to eight inches shorter than myself, her head resting against my chest as I carefully wrapped my arms around her in return. She stiffened for a moment before I felt her relax completely. I have no idea how long we hugged for. The kettle started to boil but we ignored it. Starting to stroke her back with my fingers, she shuffled so she was snuggled even more against me.

She eventually let me go, noticing the colour in her cheeks as she made us both a coffee. Adjourning to the living room, we sat on the couch side by side, Caroline curling her legs as she positioned herself to face me. We talked about nothing of consequence as usual. There were the usual elephants in the room, her past and mine, but apart from the occasional short conversation about certain topics, we usually kept it light and breezy.

"Do you date, Mark?" she asked so bluntly, I almost spat my coffee everywhere.

"Um, no, to be honest."

"Why not?"

"Well, looking after three daughters doesn't exactly leave a lot of time to even consider it. Then I'm not exactly interested in the whole 'hook-up' culture that seems to exist nowadays. I was married to my wife for around ten years. Before that, I had a couple of steady, exclusive relationships. I'm not interested in one night stands. Friends with benefits? Maybe, but only if we were exclusive in that regard. I have no interest in dating a woman who is giving herself away to numerous men at the same time."

Glancing her way, that smile I'd seen on her face occasionally was back in force. "How about a date on the weekend?"

"Huh?" I asked, not realising what she was saying.

"I haven't had a date in a long time, Mark. Sounds like you need to dip your feet back in the water too. So... How about I be your date on Saturday?"

I smiled. In fact, it hurt my cheeks the smile was so wide. She returned the gesture as we placed our mugs down. Sliding closer to me, she gazed up into my eyes for a moment. "You do have gorgeous eyes," I whispered.

"I haven't felt this safe in a long time, Mark. That alone is a big thing." We sat there gazing at each other for a good minute or two before she finally whispered, "Are you going to kiss me or what?"

I went with kissing her. Her lips were soft, and though I could taste coffee, I had a feeling the gloss on her lips was flavoured. Definitely strawberry. It didn't take long for her to end up straddling my lap, running my fingers down her back before I lifted up her shirt and felt her soft skin for the first time. That brought things to an immediate halt as she stiffened once again. Breaking the kiss, she rested her forehead against mine, feeling her almost shudder.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Please don't apologise. I have a feeling just being here like this is a big thing."

"I've spent so long terrified, Mark. For the first time in a long time, I'm feeling moments where I can imagine a future where I don't have to think that I'll need to move again in six months, taking my kids out of school, away from their friends, a new house, a new suburb..."

She slid off my lap, sitting next to me as we resumed drinking from our mugs. She did lean into me but we took the time to calm down. It was obvious we were attracted to each other. I'd learned she was intelligent, a hard worker, had a big heart, and physically, she was the complete opposite to my ex-wife, which was a bonus in my eyes. All she'd told me is that she thought I was handsome. Good enough for me.

"How about I look after your lawns while you get on with work?"

"Are you sure?"

"I've got no other plans, and I assume you do need a little privacy for a few hours."

"I'll make you some lunch later."

Heading home, I picked up all the gear I would need over the next few hours. The front lawn was easy enough. No fence or trees that got in the way, and only the mailbox to mow around. Finishing up, I considered buying a few plants that would make the front of the house a little livelier, figuring I'd mention it to Caroline later. Or I'd just do it for her as a surprise.

The backyard was a complete mess. After clearing up all the kids toys, I got to work. It took a couple of hours, still hard at work when Caroline wandered out with a large glass of cold water for me. What surprised me was the soft kiss she left on my lips before she turned back to the house, watching her arse sway in those figure hugging jeans she was wearing. Needed to adjust myself before I got back to mowing.

Announcing I was done an hour or so later, I showed her the front then the back yard. I took delight in seeing how happy she was, and the hug we shared was as close as any. Pulling her tight, there was no stiffening of her body this time. I think we both lost track of time before I finally cleared my throat. "Um..."

"Oh my god, lunch! Is a sandwich okay?"

"It's absolutely fine. Kids will be home in a couple of hours anyway."

I didn't just get a sandwich. I got a bag of chips, a piece of fruit, and a glass of diet soft drink. As soon as I finished up, she cleared up everything and kissed my cheek, walking outside with me as I needed to collect all my things. She helped carry the whipper-snipper as I took everything else, placing them all back in my garage, before we gathered together on the footpath. We only had to wait a few minutes for our kids to arrive, her kids looking a little surprised to see her outside, though they knew me enough by sight nowadays.

"Kids, how would you like to come over to Mark's place tomorrow night? He's having a barbecue tomorrow night and all your friends will be there."

I knew Cindy and Melissa, being the same age and in the same class, were already good friends. James had started playing football for one of the local teams and another of the father's on the street was the coach. He was still in his shell but slowing coming out. From the little I'd learned, Caroline hadn't been the only bullying victim in the household. He'd spent years belittling his own son...

"What time does it start tomorrow night?" Caroline asked.

"Usually around 6pm. Gives the kids time to eat some proper food before they start eating junk."

"I'll see you then."

I wanted to kiss her before she walked off but I wasn't sure the kiss we'd shared earlier was a sign of any feelings, or we'd just got carried away in the moment. I was just glad to see her smiling and that she didn't seem as afraid as before. Taking her kids in either hand, she smiled at me, softly wishing me goodbye, before she led her kids home.

Katie wasn't blind, heading off to her bedroom to get changed, returning within five minutes to sit next to me on the couch. She snuggled into me as always, kissing the top of her head. "Do you like her, Daddy?" she asked.

"She's certainly attractive, but I don't want to come across as some sort of white knight. She doesn't need that. What she needs is someone she can trust. Because of certain things that happened, she's been left feeling very isolated, few friends, trying to raise two kids by herself."

"So what are you going to do, Dad?"

"Well, she's coming to the barbecue tomorrow night. It's nice Cindy is getting along with her daughter. Does Alice speak to James?"

"Sometimes. What I do know is that a couple of boys were picking on him and a few others stood up and made sure that stopped quickly."

"Kids on our street?"

"Of course, Daddy. They know better. Anyway, you're distracting me. Do you like Caroline?"

"I do like her but we're just friends. I helped with her lawns today."

"Are you doing any jobs soon?"

"Haven't heard anything yet. Have a couple of consultancy gigs coming up soon. Might have a day or two in the office, but thankfully a lot of it can be done online nowadays."

Kissing my cheek, she got up and wandered over to the hallway, though she stopped and looked back at me. "You should ask her out on a proper date after this weekend," she suggested.

"Still trying to organise my love life, Katie?" I retorted in good humour.

"We just want you to be happy, Daddy. And from the way Caroline was looking at you earlier, I think you could make her happy too."

The girls had chores to do on Saturday after netball. They would usually complain but they were good girls, and they knew if they completed their chores, they'd get their pocket money. It was all about work ethic. If they cleaned their rooms, kept it tidy, and completed at least two other chores during the week, they'd earn pocket money. I gave them a generous amount as I liked to know they could buy themselves nice things.

We started preparing the house for our guests later in the afternoon. They were always excited to host our friends, as all the kids from the neighbourhood would join in, and they were as thick as thieves. I knew there'd come a time when I'd have to worry about Katie's first boyfriend and first date. Any boys of a similar age around the neighbourhood were good kids, so I wouldn't have to worry too much. At least for now...

Guests started arriving around 6pm as agreed. Most were dressed casually, and as the weather was getting warmer, a few wanted to take advantage of our pool. I kept the water chlorinated through the winter, but although it was a warm water pool, it was rarely used during the cooler months. It didn't take long for the gathering to be in full swing. I had the barbecue going, guests had brought along plates of food, and the beer fridge was now full of booze. We'd be sensible and only half of it would be consumed, the rest remaining for the next gathering.

I was busy chatting away with Mike when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

'I'm at the front door.'

Smiling, Mike seemed to know immediately who it was. Wandering through the house, I opened the screen door to see Caroline in a sundress. I'd never seen her in anything but jeans. Immediately noticed she had a fantastic set of legs. The top showed just a hint of cleavage. Faint make-up on her face. She smiled as, despite the sunglasses I was wearing, it would have been obvious I was checking her out.

All the kids came running through, her two kids immediately joining the gaggle. "They have their swimming costumes?"

"They do. I also have some towels in my bag. I just wasn't sure what to bring otherwise."

Offering my hand, she took it and held on as I led her through my house to the backyard. As soon as she appeared, all the women were gathered around her, noticing her two kids were already in the pool with the others. I did ask if she had something underneath, in case she wanted a pool. I swear there was a twinkle in her eye when she said I might get a surprise later.

It was the usual gathering otherwise. Guys enjoyed a couple of beers, discussing work, sport, family, and the occasional joke that would make a sailor blush. No idea what they women were sometimes talking about, but we heard them laugh and giggle. No doubt a slightly cutting remark in our direction, but I knew the married couples were strong and still in love. If anyone even thought of doing something, namely cheating, there'd be an intervention before too long. My wife had gotten away with it by doing it away from the family home.

After a couple of hours, the cooking finished and we'd all eaten, Caroline made her way towards me. When she took my hand in hers, ensuring our fingers were interlaced, I glanced her way and smiled, feeling her shuffle closer until our bodies were touching. Noticing the glances from my friends, I noticed the approval in their eyes. But I still thought we were just friends. Though maybe that could change later...

My guests didn't stay too late as most of the kids were still too young to be up past midnight. As my house and backyard started to empty, my daughters and Caroline's two kids were still in the living room, the four youngsters fast asleep, Katie still awake though barely able to keep her head up. Wanting them comfortable, I easily picked up Cindy then Melissa, placing them in Cindy's room. I left James on the couch, finding him a blanket, before Alice and Katie also headed to bed.

Realising we were alone, Caroline poured herself another glass of wine, grabbing a beer for myself, heading outside to the pool. Unzipping the back of her dress, she let that fall to the ground, showing me two perfect little arse cheeks, before she turned around to show off her bikini. Fairly sure my cock hit my chin as she was utterly gorgeous. Wouldn't have thought she'd given birth to two children, nor endured the life I'm fairly sure she'd led up until the day she'd moved onto our street.

Taking off my shirt and shorts, her face broke out into a grin. I'd kept up my fitness regime after I'd quite the force. Sculling her wine, she turned and lowered herself into the pool. Following her into the warm water, her head disappeared for a second before she re-surfaced, swimming towards me with a cute little grin.

She didn't hesitate in kissing me, feeling her arms and legs wrap around me. Pressing her mound against me, she moaned softly into my mouth before breaking the kiss and hugging me, her chin on my shoulder. "There's a small part of me that wants to stay tonight, but I can't move that quickly," she whispered, "But I'd like to go on a real date, Mark."

"How about I take you out for dinner next Friday? I'm sure one of my friends' older kids can babysit our kids."

She leaned back enough to meet my eyes, her face completely lighting up in a smile. In that moment, I knew I wanted to be with her. And when I felt my own smile form, I could see the blush appear on her cheeks in the low lights around us. I kissed her again, earning another soft moan, wrapping my arms tighter around her body. Even through her bikini top, I felt her nipples press into my chest.

I have no idea how long we kissed but she eventually broke apart again. "I've got to go," she whispered.

"Okay." I knew saying anything else would be the wrong thing to say.

Helping her out of the pool, we dried off before heading inside, showing her the bathroom where she could get dressed. After getting dressed myself, we woke up James while I was easily able to carry her daughter across the road and into her room. She was a cute little thing, a real reminder of my Cindy. James had staggered across the street half-asleep, and was fast asleep within a couple of minutes of his head hitting his pillow.

Caroline saw me off at the front door. "Thank you for this evening," she said softly.

"My pleasure. How are you feeling?"

She smiled at me, understanding the hidden meaning of the question. "I still get scared from time to time. I still can't shake that feeling. I know his friends, you know, look for me. It's another reason why I just don't go out."

"And if you were with me?"

The shudder told me everything. "He'd keep his promise," she whispered.

Taking her hands in mine, I made sure she was looking into my eyes before I spoke. "Remember what I said. If he shows up, if any of his friends show up, you call or text me. I'll sort it out. Permanently." Before she could ask, I added, "I won't kill him, but I'll make sure he won't bother you again."

"You mean that, don't you?"

"No-one deserves to live in fear, Caroline."

She hugged me tightly before I left, exchanging one last soft kiss. When our eyes met the final time before I turned, she whispered, "I would like to stay at yours one night soon. But I don't want to rush this."

"It's been a while for me too. Taking it slow is the best for both of us." I kissed her cheek. "I'll speak to you during the week, but we're going out for dinner on Friday."

Katie wouldn't stop smiling at me the next day. I was sure Cindy and Alice knew what was going on as well, but Katie wasn't shy in insinuating that I was looking happier than I had in quite a while. She knew Caroline and I had been close the previous night, admitting she knew we'd gone to the pool alone once everyone else had left.

Caroline and I spoke on the phone every night and texted throughout the day. We walked the kids to school, though the five would walk home together with other kids from the neighbourhood. Wednesday night, I couldn't be bothered cooking so invited her over as I ordered in some pizzas. The kids watched a show on Netflix, that was age appropriate, while Caroline eventually moved close enough that I could wrap an arm around her as she snuggled into me, feeling her hand resting on my chest. The five kids all noticed, recognising the smiles on their faces as they whispered amongst themselves.

Walking her home later that evening, we shared one hell of a kiss on her doorstep. When I finally pulled back, she couldn't stop smiling. Promising to see each other Friday night, I suggested I pick her up around 7pm. Her kids could stay at mine as I'd already organised a babysitter. I trusted Katie to look after the other two, but as she wasn't even a teenager yet, I preferred having an older child in the house.