Sketch Artist

"These are you you," he told Alicia as he handed her some daisies arranged in a bouquet, then handed a dozen roses to Hannah.

Alicia hugged him and thanked him then said, "I've never gotten flowers before."

"You're very welcome. Pretty girls should always get flowers, so I'm happy to be the first."

Hannah nearly teared up watching them interact and momentarily forgot about the fragrant bouquet in her own hands.

"These are beautiful, Jude. Thank you," Hannah said.

He moved closer, smiled, then said, "Yes, you are."

It was corny, but Hannah didn't care. The way he looked at her was enough to make her heart skip a beat, and then, when he softly kissed her cheek, it did.

She didn't see Alicia smiling approvingly at them, but she did offer to help her daughter put her flowers in a vase.

"I'm putting them in my room!" she announced. "Jude? You wanna see it?"

He looked at Hannah who smiled, and Jude told her he'd love to.

It was a typical girl's room painted in pink with posters of Alicia's favorite teen idols on the wall. Jude had no idea who either of them were, but that wasn't important. Taking an interest in Alicia was, and Jude told her how much he liked her room and asked some questions to let her know her cared. Alicia answered each one of them then took his hand and led him back out to the kitchen.

"Something smells wonderful," he said as he walked up beside Hannah.

"That would be the bread," she told him.

"Homemade bread?" he asked as he put his hand in the small of her back.

"Kind of," she replied. "I have a bread machine, and it did all the work. But yes, it is homemade."

"She's beautiful and she cooks."

Jude paused then added, "And bakes!"

"You haven't tasted it yet," Hannah warned.

"My mom is a really good cook!" Alicia informed him.

"I have no doubt," Jude told her.

"We're making chicken. Is that okay?"

"I love chicken," he told her.

"It's baked so it's healthy," Alicia assured him.

"Ah. Good to know. Yeah, I'm not big on fried foods."

"My mom is a health nut. Except for the days when we ate ice cream."

Alicia smiled at her mom who couldn't help smiling back.

"Guilty as charged," she admitted.

"So that's why your mom has such an amazing figure," Jude said to Alicia while looking at her mom.

"Thank you!" Hannah told him, flattered by the sincere compliment. "You look quite...healthy...yourself."

Before she realized how silly that sounded, the words were out.

"I...that's not what I meant. Well, you do look healthy, I was only trying to say that..."

Jude put his hands on her shoulders, smiled, then said, "I know what you meant, Hannah. And thank you. I'm probably not quite as health conscious as you are, but I do try."

Still concerned that she was not making much of an impression, Hannah was grateful to hear the oven's alarm.

"I believe the chicken is ready," she said. "The bread came out just before you arrived, and I'll get the vegetables here in a minute. You can sit down if you like or..."

Jude sensed what was going on and said, "Hannah? Relax. I really like you, okay?"

Alicia also heard that, and her mom saw her daughter beaming with happiness.

"Sorry. I...I just don't do this very often," she told him.

"Um...you never do this, Mom," Alicia said, only making matters worse.

"Again, guilty as charged," Hannah said.

"You're doing just fine, Hannah. Wonderfully, in fact," Jude told her.

The way he looked at her caused her heart or tummy or something to react, and she couldn't even look back at him.

"Okay. So let me get things ready, and we can eat."

Once the table was set, Jude asked Alicia what kind of chicken she liked.

"What kind do you like?" she asked.

"Oh, I like the breast. White meat is my favorite," he replied.

Hannah watched with amusement as her daughter, who'd only ever liked drumsticks said, "Me, too!"

She didn't say anything, but she did smile as she watched her little girl growing up right in front of her as Jude cut the breast in half to share with Alicia.

The conversation lagged for a bit, but at some point, Hannah relaxed and gave herself permission to enjoy the company of this attractive, younger man. And the more they talked, the easier it became, and by the end of dinner, Hannah had the sense that she was sitting with her family which consisted of three people again rather than two.

"So...ice cream for dessert?" Jude asked, clearly teasing.

Alicia's eyes got big, but when her mom said, "No. Sorry. I uh, I don't have any in the house," the disappointment was obvious.

"Well, I'd be happy to take us back to our favorite ice cream shop," Jude said as he looked to Hannah for approval.

This time, Alicia didn't beg. She sat there all grown up and waited for an answer.

"You know what? I've had a box of brownie mix in the cupboard for age...a while now. How does that sound?"

Alicia's eyes got big as Jude said, "On one condition."

"Yes?" Hannah replied, waiting for this condition.

"You let me help."

"Me, too!" Alicia chimed in saying.

Feeling even more connected, Hannah smiled and said, "I think that sounds pretty great."

"Yes!" Alicia said.

"I'll clear the table while you get the ingredients together," Jude suggested. He was already up and reaching for Alicia's plate when Hannah responded.

"You don't have to do that, Jude. You're company. We can get it."

He picked up the plate, smiled at Hannah, then told her, "I'm trying to work my way up to someplace higher than...company."

Alicia surprised her mom when she kept up with the adult conversation then shocked her when said, "You mean like...family?"

"Since this is a first—or maybe second—date, I don't want to be presumptuous," Jude told her with a smile before glancing at Hannah.

She had no idea just how beautiful Jude found her, but she was very aware of how good looking Jude was to her.

"I...I should try and find that box, huh?" Hannah said as she again broke eye contact with him, aware that another part of her body had responded to her brain's reaction to his very high level of attractiveness.

Alicia grabbed an apron and put it on the asked Jude if he wanted one.

"Oh. Well, I...I guess I could..."

"Honey? I don't think Jude wants to wear one of our frilly aprons."

"Oh. Sorry," the young girl replied, embarrassed she hadn't thought of that.

Instead, he picked the apron up, walked up behind Hannah then moved right up close until their bodies were touching.

"Here. This is for you," Jude said, his lips almost touching her ear.

He slipped the lacy apron over her head then tied it behind her. Hannah's body wasn't just reacting, it was in full-alert mode. Then, when Jude ran his hands down along the front of her body, starting just below her breasts, to smooth the apron, Hannah felt like she might...swoon. The word was goofy, but the feeling was real.

"Thank you," she managed to say, her mouth dry and her voice on the verge of cracking.

"My pleasure," he quietly replied as his lips gently brushed her ear causing what felt like a bolt of electricity in Hannah's body.

Unlike on television, there was no flour thrown and no mess made. But just like in the movies, the happy new couple had a lot of fun doing something together. The brownies were delicious, but more importantly, the three people eating them began bonding in a way none of them had ever imagined. That was especially true for Hannah who'd all but given up on ever finding someone to love let alone love her back.

But as they mixed, baked, and ate together, her heart began opening up ever so slightly and warmed to the possibility of 'what if'.

Over the next several weeks, Jude made it clear he was very happy spending time at home—meaning his place or hers—doing simple things together. In fact, he surprised both Hannah and Alicia the first time they went to his apartment, a very nice, two-bedroom place, in a decent part of town. Jude had a stack of old-fashioned board games setting on the coffee table in the living room.

Alicia loved playing Monopoly and Clue as well as Chinese Checkers, a game Hannah hadn't seen since she was a little girl. But the most fun they had was playing a card game called Uno, in which a player had to say that word (UNO!) when they got down to just one card left in their hand.

The three of them played and laughed each time someone used a 'Draw Four' card which forced the player receiving it to take for cards from the deck. It got to where each time someone was getting ready to play a Draw Four, that person would say, "I'm so sorry, but I have a little present for you!" before laying it down. The other person would complain loudly then make a big show of taking their penalty cards.

On the surface, it was just a silly game, but it had a much deeper meaning for Hannah as she watched this younger man with whom she was falling in love, connect with her daughter in a way that told her over and over again that this was no show. With each passing day it became more obvious that Jude not only cared for Alicia, but it was equally clear he genuinely loved her.

And as if that wasn't enough of a bonus, Hannah also knew that Jude was falling in love with her. They still hadn't slept together, and as much as Hannah ached to be loved, she was amazed at how understanding Jude was of having a ten-year old girl in the house. There were times when their late-night 'make-out sessions' got so hot and heated that Hannah nearly begged him to stay, but it had been Jude reminding her there would be more than enough time for that later on.

Disappointed, Hannah had only sighed and said, "As long as there will be more times, then...okay."

Jude assured her he wanted nothing more, and that, plus everything else he said and did told Hannah that he was in this for the long run. That didn't mean he wasn't just as interested in being alone with her as she was with him. In fact, he mentioned several times he wasn't sure how much longer he could be with her without being...with her.

Spring Break for Alicia came at the end of March, and that coincided with the end of another big design project for Jude. Hannah had no idea how much he'd been paid, but it was a very tidy sum of money. And Jude had every intention of spending a good chunk of it on the woman he loved and the girl he adored.

The week prior, he pitched an idea to Hannah to give her time to put in for vacation.

"How about the three of us go down to Florida and spend a few days at Disney World and the Epcot Center?" he suggested.

"Florida? In March? Where it's warm?" Hannah replied excitedly.

"Well, if you're not interested," Jude teased.

"Interested? I'm positively excited!" she told him as she put her arms around him and kissed him.

"Yeah?" Jude replied.

"Uh-huh. And Alicia will be bonkers about it."

"So I was wondering," Jude said.

Her arms still around his neck, Hannah asked, "About?"

"I was wondering if you might possibly be interested in, you know, um...being with me. As in...soon."

"Oh. I see," she said, pretending to be very serious. "Are you saying you might like to stay a little longer one night after a certain girl is fast asleep?"

"Well, only if her mother thinks that's okay."

"Hmmm. Well, let's see. Her mother thinks you're gorgeous, talented, funny, smart, and an amazing all-around guy, so...yes. I think that could be arranged."

Jude smiled at her but it was a serious kind of smile as he reached up and brushed her hair away before saying, "I love you, Hannah."

Her heart on the verge of bursting, Hannah told him, "I love you, too, Jude."

"Would tonight be too early to...stay late?" he asked as his eyes bored into her soul.

"No. Tonight would be perfect," she replied, as her eyes darted with his.

"You are so beautiful," Jude told her.

"You make me feel beautiful."

"You are...honey. You know that, right?"

In spite of her 'advanced years', Hannah believed that Jude believed she was, and that was good enough.

"I trust your judgement—sweetheart," she told him, a happy smile on her pretty face.

Alicia had been up in her room doing homework, and neither of them heard her come downstairs. Had they, they wouldn't have been locked in a very long, very deep kiss.

"Ahem!" both of them heard at the same time.

"Oh, my gosh! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" her mother said.

"Sorry," Alicia replied, a funny smile on her face before she said, "I told you you guys could kiss."

Hannah turned and looked at Jude who shrugged and said, "Hey, don't look at me."

Alicia was afraid she'd said something wrong until her mom started laughing. Jude joined in, and when her mom bent down and hugged her and told her how much she loved her, the young girl knew all was well.

"We have something to tell you," her mother said as she let go.

"You do?" Alicia asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes. Come sit down," her mom said.

"What is it?" Alicia asked.

"Well, Jude just asked me if I'd..."

"Really! You're getting married???" Alicia nearly screamed with excitement.

When her mom's facial expression completely changed, Alicia seemed crestfallen.

"Well, no, honey. We're not...getting married."

"Oh. Okay," her daughter replied quietly.

"But...we are going to...Disney World," her mom said.

The look of surprise and excitement was back as Alicia said, "We are?"

"Yes, we are. Just the three of us. Next week when you're out of school."

Jude had joined Hannah and was standing next to her as she talked. When Alicia heard the wonderful news, she sprang off the couch and hugged them both.

"I love you guys so much!" she said, causing Jude to look at Hannah who smiled and said, "Me, too."

"And I love both of you," Jude said, hoping it wasn't too much too soon.

"Wait. You...love my mom?" Alicia asked, her eyes filled with hope as she stepped back.

Jude took Hannah's hand then said, "Yes. I love your mom very much."

She looked at her mom who smiled and told her she also loved Jude.

"Oh, this is like the best day EVER!" Alicia said rather loudly. "Can I call Sarah and tell her? Not the love part, but about Disney World?"

"Yes. You can call her," her mom said.

A few minutes later, Alicia came back in and said, "Her mom asked if I could come sleep over tonight, Mom? Can I?"

Hannah looked at Jude who only smiled.

"Well, it is a Friday night, so...I think that would be okay."

"Really! I love you so much!" Alicia told her mom.

She then looked at Jude and said, "I love you, too, Jude!"

"Well, it just so happens that I love you, too, Alicia."

The young girl walked over and hugged both of them again, and she held on said, "It's just like we're a family now!" She didn't see her mom smiling at the man she loved who quietly said, "It does, huh?" or her mom say, "Yes, it does," back to him.

"I'm gonna go get ready, okay?" Alicia said without waiting to hear an answer.

"Do you think someone's watching out for us?" Hannah asked after seeing the way things worked out once Alicia was out of earshot.

"Hmmm. I don't know. Since we aren't married, that 'someone' would have to be okay with us, you know...being alone."

Hannah laughed then said, "Oh, right. I don't suppose 'living in sin' would be on that kind of 'someone's' list, huh?"

"However it worked out," Jude said as he took her in his arms, "I'm glad it did work out, because I love you so much."

"And I love you, too," Hannah told him.

And less than an hour later, Jude showed her how much he loved her as the two of them spent several hours exploring one another's bodies.

There was an initial crush of excitement as clothes came flying off and things were done before they 'consummated' their relationship. But after that there was a slow, steady, still-hungry exploration that lasted well into the early morning hours. Knowing Alicia wouldn't be home before noon at the earliest, Hannah asked Jude to stay, and for the first time, she fell asleep in his arms.

When she woke up around 7am, he was laying there next to her, and, since her husband was alive, she couldn't ever remember being so happy. Or so sore. She reveled in the dull ache each step brought as she got up and made coffee for them before starting breakfast. Just before it was ready she went back to the bedroom and crawled in next to him.

"Hey there. Breakfast is ready," she said as she kissed him awake.

"Oh. Hi. Wow. What a wonderful way to begin a day," he told her as he opened his eyes that were stuck shut with sleep.

"Right. Because I look so glamorous at 7:45 in the morning."

"You look...perfect," he told her before pulling her on top of himself.

Hannah yelped happily then said, "Breakfast is ready."

"Breakfast can wait. I can't," Jude told her as he rolled her over and made love to her yet again.

"Wow. That was so worth eating cold eggs," she told him later as they ate together.

*****

Hannah had never seen her daughter so happy as when they arrived at their hotel room in Orlando, Florida. Alicia was still young enough to be thoroughly excited at staying in the Little Mermaid Room at a Disney themed hotel. It was as though she'd been transported into a fantasy world in which all of her dreams came true.

And as they spent their first two days seeing everything there was to see at Disney Word followed by a third day at the Epcot Center, Alicia told her mom and Jude she'd never been so happy before.

But that night, after another amazing dinner at a very nice restaurant, Jude asked Alicia if there was anything that would make her even more happy.

She smiled a shy smile then looked at her mom before saying, "Well, there is one thing, but..."

"But?" her mom asked.

"I can't really say," her daughter replied.

"Would it maybe have anything to do with us, you know, being a real family?" Jude asked.

His comment caused Hannah to nearly spew out the sip of water she'd just taken as Alicia said almost as shyly, "Yes."

"So...if I was to say..." Jude began.

He stood up, moved over in front of Hannah then produced a small box and got down on one knee.

"To ask your mom a certain question..."

Hannah began trembling and tears filled her eyes as her shaking hands covered her mouth.

Jude reached out his left hand and waited for Alicia to get up and take it.

"Would that make you even happier?"

"Yes!" she told him.

"Then maybe I should ask, huh?" Jude said as he smiled at Alicia.

"You better hurry. My mom's about to start crying!"

"Oh, right."

Jude looked at the beautiful, older woman he loved then said, "Hannah Young, I am so in love with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life you."

He glanced at Alicia and said, "And with you, too."

"So...will you marry me?"

"Mom? You have to answer!" Alicia said when her mother couldn't speak.

Hannah was nodding, but no sound came out as Jude took her left hand and placed the beautiful diamond he'd bought with money from the governor's mansion project on her ring finger. He handed the tiny box to Alicia, hugged her, then stood up and helped his fiancé stand, too.

"Still love me?" he asked her.

"With all of my heart," Hannah finally said as her tears continued to flow.

The two adults bent down and hugged the little girl they both loved as the three of them actually did become a family. As wonderful as that was, Hannah wasn't at all prepared for what her daughter said next.

"Well, tonight Mom won't have to sleep with me, huh?" the pre-teen said without any hint of guile.

Hannah again covered her mouth as she looked at Jude.

"Did I just hear my daughter say..."

"What? What did I do this time?" Alicia asked innocently.

"Nothing, honey," Jude told her. "Nothing at all."

She looks at her mom who also smiled at her.

"Jude's right. You didn't say anything wrong at all, sweetie."