The Convertible – Breakdown

I hoped he was done, I wanted to leave, but no, Ron wasn't shutting up, "I have a second chance now, Shaun. This time, I'm going to get it right, I swear to you. I'm going to get everything right." He let me out of his hug.

I stepped back, "What do you mean by a second chance?" Ron just looked at me and shrugged, like his apology left him so emotionally strung out that he had no more words.

Daniel spoke up, "Uncle Shaun, Mom needs to see you." I hadn't heard her call my name, but today was such a weird fucking day it didn't surprise me. At this point, I didn't know what to feel towards Ron; angry, bitter, sad, remorseful...or forgiving, if that was even possible. I left the two of them and went back downstairs.

When I walked back in the kitchen, Cherry jumped up out of her chair and ran up to anxiously hug me. Damn, that felt good. "Are you OK? We heard yelling." I hugged her back, the feel of that wonderful soft body a soothing balm to my conflicted emotions.

I patted her butt, which also felt good, "Yeah, baby, everything is fine. Ron and I had to clear the air about a few things, but everything is fine."

MaryAnne grabbed my arm, "Shaun, I told your bride not to worry, that you boys fight like that sometimes, it's a brother thing." She turned towards Cherry, "If you don't mind, my dear, I'm going to speak to your handsome husband alone for just a few minutes, then you can have him back and cover him with kisses to your hearts content, OK?" Cherry blushed and nodded.

MaryAnne ushered me into their home office and closed the door. I sat down in the big comfy upholstered chair; the big shock was MaryAnne plopping herself into my lap and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Shaun, that bride of yours is a pure delight," she began, "you definitely got yourself a good one. She's crazy about you." Then she kissed me, a long slow one like when I left.

After that stunning kiss, I asked, "OK, MaryAnne, what's that about?"

"Shaun, I don't know how you did it, but you changed Ron. After you left he started paying more attention to me. It was like we were newlyweds again; he was constantly affectionate. Our love life picked way, way up. It felt like he was reclaiming me as his wife!"

Hearing her say that gave me a huge sense of satisfaction. I loved my sister-in-law; she was a good woman and damn well deserved it. "That's great to hear, MaryAnne. Like I told you, you're the most valuable thing in Ron's life. He's a fool if he doesn't treat you that way."

She laughed, "Remember how you said if I wasn't married, you'd put a baby in me? I was perimenopausal, my periods had become erratic; I never for a minute thought it could happen again. But then it did. With all the sex Ron and I were having, I got pregnant again; I'm due in about 6 months!"

I was blown away. "Wow. So this is what Ron meant about a second chance. He's got another child to raise. No wonder he's trying to make amends."

MaryAnne kissed my cheek. "I don't know how you did it, but you fixed my husband. Thank you, Shaun. I love you so much; please try to forgive Ron. I know Amanda would be enormously proud of you."

++++++++++

I called a car service to take Cherry and I to the airport hotel; we'd stay the night and catch a morning flight to Paris. After I finished the call, I handed Daniel a big manila envelope. "Here kid, it's yours. Seattle has rain 145 days a year, so a convertible won't do me much good."

"Wait, what?" Daniel was a little slow on the pickup today.

"That's the title, registration, and keys for the TR2. She's all yours. You're a good son, a good nephew, and a good man; you deserve it."

"I don't know what to say Uncle Shaun, this is incredible!"

"Not so fast, Daniel, it may be free, but it comes with a cost. In exchange for the TR2, I want your promise that you'll watch over your father. More specifically, watch how he treats your mother. If you see him slipping into his old ways, either you set him straight, or call me and I'll be happy to fly down and personally kick his ass; you know I'll do it, too. Your dad's being a good husband now, he'd better keep it up. Your mother is too good a woman to ever tolerate being ignored again."

I held out my hand. He shook it. "Deal, Uncle Shaun."

++++++++++

On the way to the hotel Cherry leaned over, kissed my cheek and sweetly whispered, "Honey, remember how you warned me you'd be a jealous and possessive husband?"

I gave her a light kiss on the lips, "Indeed I do because it's the truth. I want you all to myself."

She smiled and snuggled into my chest, trailing a finger seductively along the line of my jaw. "MaryAnne told me about the trashy women you dated before marrying Amanda, and how her thirsty women friends came sniffing around looking for you after you left."

I was delighted to feel a hand rubbing over my crotch; my pleasure quickly ended when I felt a light but firm squeeze on my testicles. "Apparently, my handsome husband, you were quite the lady's man back in the day and are still considered a hot ticket."

I tried to defend myself but before I could get a word out, I'd been silenced by an even firmer squeeze, more than enough to make sure my new wife had my undivided attention.

She kissed my cheek again, and continued, "You're not the only one who's going to be jealous and possessive. Let me make this crystal clear, you are MY man, and if I ever, and I mean EVER see a woman making a move on you I promise I will cut that bitch's eyes out, and then," she gave my nuts an extra firm squeeze, "I'll be coming for these. How do you like that?" She relaxed her grip, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I put my arms around Cherry and pulled her in close, kissing her long and hard, then chuckled, "You just proved I've married the perfect woman."

Our honeymoon in Paris was a ton of fun. Cherry and I visited the Louvre, explored the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, dined regularly in sidewalk cafes lining the Champs-Élysées, and strolled the twisting streets of Montmartre. My wife loved berets and bought at least a half-dozen. (She looked cute in them, too!) Intent on spoiling her rotten, whatever she wanted, I bought.

At night, it was Cherry's turn to spoil me. By the time we flew back home there was no part of her body my lips had not covered with kisses multiple times; those kisses led to our son being conceived in our romantic hotel room overlooking the Seine.

When we got back to Seattle we stayed for a few weeks with Longwei and Dandan, until we found a nice house to rent. It took a while, but Longwei eventually warmed up to me. Dandan, on the other hand, immediately began spoiling me with her Szechuan cooking. I, in turn, would help her with the grocery shopping; she seemed to enjoy introducing her handsome son-in-law to all her friends.

There were tears in Dandan's eyes when we finally moved out, but I reminded her how we were only a few blocks away and it wouldn't be long until she'd be needed for nǎinai duty. (Being a Chinese grandmother is a very serious responsibility!)

As for Cherry, I put in a few calls to some contacts in the Seattle business community I'd made during my days at Slizzle. One of these contacts put Cherry in touch with an aerospace subcontractor in Tukwila, where she was hired as a Systems Engineer. Being in a predominantly male work environment, I didn't trust her being pregnant and wearing a wedding ring to be adequate deterrents; I made sure she also had a picture of me prominently displayed in her cubicle to help ward off any potential interlopers. I was taking no chances on some horny engineering bro making a move on my wife!

And me? I became an independent web commerce consultant focused on small businesses. It doesn't take a lot of my time and the money I get from it is pocket change, but it keeps me busy and allowed me to spend a lot of time spoiling my pregnant wife before she gave birth. I rubbed her growing body down every night with coconut oil, both of us enjoying it immensely. (To this day, I still get an erection whenever I drink a pina colada.)

Ezra Longwei Parrish, named after my grandfather and Cherry's father, was born seven months later. At 5 pounds, 11 ounces and a full head of black hair he's a little guy, although Cherry says he sure didn't feel little coming out.

My love for Amanda will always be a part of my past, but my love for Cherry and my son is my future. The first day we brought Ezra home I thought about Amanda. My perfect son, my beautiful boy, how I wished Amanda was alive to see him. I experienced a momentary sadness remembering her; Dandan seemed to sense my melancholy and gave me a hug, saying "Yī zhǒng xǐyuè qūsànle yībǎi gè bēishāng."

Cherry translated for me; Dandan had quoted an old Chinese proverb, 'One joy scatters a hundred griefs.'

Looking down at my tiny son, I realized she was right.