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  “Collin,” she asked, staring intently into my eyes, “Are you sure this is something you want to do?”

  I shook my head positively, “Yes, Flora. Even though I’m just bringing it up now, this is something that I have been toying with for years. You know that I hate my job.”

  “Well, you don’t hate everything about your job…” She corrected.

  “No, you’re right. I hate the stupid parts, but with consulting, I would still be able to enjoy my craft, but on my own terms.”

  She nodded in understanding.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not my father, Flora…”

  “What are you apologizing to me for? Thank God you’re not your father,” she exclaimed.

  “What I mean is, I’m not the businessman that my father and everyone else though I was capable of being. I might know what I need to do, and I could definitely explain that to someone who was willing to listen, but I’m not a businessman.”

  “You’re right,” Flora insisted as her eyebrows raised, surprising me with her bluntness. “You’re not a businessman. I knew that from the first moment I met you and honestly, I’m sure you knew it then too. You’re different, then all of them,” she gingerly slid her hand down the side of my face and grinned at me. “You’re better than they are.”

  “But you have it. You are awesome at it…”

  “Yeah, and I ironically, I’m the one no one thought should, or would make it in the business world.”

  “I disagree,” I answered swiftly and when her eyes connected with mine, I continued telling her what I had never imparted to her before. “I knew that from the moment I met you too. While I might not be the businessman everyone thought I’d be, I grew up with my father and observed a lot of different transactions. Some businessmen were nauseatingly bad at their jobs, while others weren’t terrible. Some were on the same level as my father, while some of them probably shouldn’t have been in the same room as him and likely never were again.” I paused there to allow her to understand the depth of what I was trying to tell her. “So, I know business people. For instance, I knew that the guys I hung around with in college were only going to make it so far in life. I only wanted to be friends with them to make a good impression with their fathers. I knew if they were ever running anything, it was because their fathers just wanted to keep pulling the strings.” I stopped, waiting for her to comment, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she simply tilted her head, to show she was listening intently.

  “But, when I met you, and I saw how you presented yourself, how strong-willed you were, how beautiful you were, both inside and out, I was certain that the moment you were able to truly take ahold of your worth, you would be able to show the world just what a business bad ass you really were. And then, I watched as loving you started to help mold you into the confident woman you are today. Not that I’m taking credit, or anything, but my point is that I knew from the start that you were going to do well in the corporate world.”

  “Well, you should,” she answered, her eyes gleaming with appreciation.

  “I should, what?”

  “You should take credit, because if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would’ve gotten through college. I was messed up enough by what happened to me the night we met. If you hadn’t helped me, I can’t tell you how it would’ve eventually affected me.”

  “Thanks, but you would’ve been fine. You just needed to find a guy that wasn’t a complete asshole and you would’ve been great. I was lucky that person was me,” I grinned, “Because I don’t know how I would’ve gotten you to love me any other way. I had to do something grandiose, even if it seemed like the natural reaction at the time. If I didn’t, I would’ve never been anything to you. You’re a star, Flora…and I’m happy to be one of your backstage staff.”

  “You’re way more than that,” Flora giggled, blushing from the compliments, “You are my whole world.” With that, she kissed me passionately.

  I reveled in the taste of her and the essence of beauty that surrounded me when I was with her. I felt rejuvenated, excited, simply to be around her. I wanted her so badly, even after just having her. Every move she made, the reactions she had, everything was a Godsend to me.

  “You are perfect,” I replied, when we broke apart, staring her right in the eyes, so that she was able to see exactly how serious I was.

  “And you are perfect for me. You are the only one for me,” Flora answered, continuing to keep my gaze. “I appreciate you wanting to do this for me, for us, Collin, but is there anything else you want to do?”

  “Flora, I’m doing this for me too. You don’t seem to understand, I am doing this because I love you; because I want to have a life with you that has meaning. We both want kids and a home. I know that being Susie Homemaker isn’t your thing, but to me, I can’t imagine a life that could be better. What father gets to spend his life dedicated to his children and his wife, in such a manner?”

  “Well, if you’re sure? You can say no.”

  “I’m the one who brought it up,” I reminded her, “And besides, it’s not all, completely without selfishness. If I do this, I can make sure that I don’t inadvertently become my father.”

  “Collin, you will never be your father. He is a rotten man and he was a rotten man long before he became a father, or a husband. You love me, and I know you are not only going to love our children, but you are going to support them in their endeavors, even if you don’t understand them. I know that, because of the way you treat me daily.”

  I beamed, excited to start my new and exciting life. I didn’t know where it was going to take me, but I was certain I would make it work. I was nervous, but I was excited. For the first time in my entire life, I felt, not only that I had a purpose, but that I was able to chase that purpose, without fear or ridicule from the person who was most important to me.

  It was at that moment, that I realized I had finally left the shadow of my father and was finally able to step into my own light. Suddenly, the burden I had carried my entire life and was never able to fulfil was finally lifted.

  “Flora, are you sure this is something you’re okay with me doing?”

  “Are you kidding?” She insisted, her pleased expression becoming completely overjoyed, “You are making it possible for all my dreams to come true. You are giving me everything that, in the back of my mind, I was always afraid I would never be able to have you’re giving me a family and allowing me to pursue my career without feeling like I am abandoning my children. Only having to contend with my schedule will give us both a quality of life that I didn’t imagine was possible. It’s going to be amazing!” She exclaimed, “Collin, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”

  Epilogue

  Six months later, Flora wakes up, wrapped tightly in Collin’s embrace.

  Today is the day! She thought, feeling a surge of excitement ripple through her. Her heart pounded with nervousness and excitement. She wasn’t sure how she should go about it, but she figured that eventually, the right moment would happen, and she would know it when the time was right.

  Collin playfully squeezed his wife tighter, and Flora laughed, snuggling close to his warm embrace.

  “I can’t believe we’re here,” Flora exclaimed, opening her eyes wide as she took in the beautiful master bedroom in their newly purchased home.

  “I can’t believe it all worked out so quickly…It was so easy.”

  “It was meant to be,” Flora insisted, turning her neck so that she could kiss her husband.

  The kiss deepened, and Flora turned around, so that she could get the full feel of his lips on hers, while his tongue salaciously melded through her teeth and teased her with its promise of passion.

  Her womanliness was eased into a state of excitement and an intense amount of pleasure as her arms wound up, and around Collin’s neck, inching him closer to her, so that they could both feel the rushing of their heartbeats.

  The warmth of his nakedness against
her heated her loins into a moist, erotic sense of pleasure, while her own skin warmed at the feel of his touch.

  Flora moaned, closing her eyes and inhaling the soft, sensual brush of Collin’s breath, his scent, and the uniqueness of the aura that surrounded them.

  Collin was a completely different man now. True to what he had told Flora, the day after their conversation, Collin had put his two weeks in at work.

  Only Collin and Flora understood, but that didn’t bother him. Collin had managed to stay his full two weeks, dodging everything they threw at him, trying to persuade him to stay. While Collin felt wanted by the company’s offers, both of more time off and a raise, money and even time wasn’t what this was about.

  He had never allowed himself to think this way until recently, but he realized rather quickly that he enjoyed the idea of staying home. While Flora might be a far better breadwinner than he would ever be, his ability to stay home and take care of the house, especially in the past month, with taking care of the closing for the house, he was extremely busy.

  Now that they were in the house, he planned to organize everything and if he got bored, he would take up a hobby that would also make him money.

  After all, consultants make a fair amount of money and with his resume, it wouldn’t take long for him to convince someone that they needed his services. That way, he didn’t have to feel like he was abandoning his schooling, but he also didn’t have to work at it every day, for the rest of his life; especially if his wife was the one always bringing home the bacon.

  Throughout the course of a lot of soul searching, Collin realized that he was far better suited working from home, then he ever would be working in the corporate world.

  As hard as it was for him to initially accept, he had settled nicely into a life without stress, and a thankful partner, who was as proud and supportive of his choice as he was of hers. He hadn’t ever had the opportunity to have a choice like this, and thus, he was only now learning what it meant to have support for that choice.

  To be able to do what made him happy, and to have a spouse who was so completely supportive was truly a wonderful feeling; unlike anything he had ever felt before.

  Plus, with Collin taking care of everything at the house, it helped Flora focus on her career, without feeling as though she was abandoning her duties.

  With this weight lifted, and the need to make up for Collin’s lost income, Flora had finally gotten the chance to flourish.

  She was doing better than she ever had before, acquiring the confidence to fight harder and longer, while also demanding what she was worth.

  Coming to the realization that she had to be the amazing careerwoman she had always dreamt of being had helped her to realize her worth and instead of allowing her co-workers to even have the chance to show her up, she beat them to it.

  It was about this time that she concluded that she was better than even where she worked, so she had put her feelers out and found a job within forty-eight hours, at a similar company, but one that was far better known, and was willing to pay her a lot more.

  Already, Flora had seen opportunity for growth and development, having worked harder than any of her coworkers. She had easily become an irreplaceable asset to her new company, which thankfully meant that they wanted her sharp when she was really needed. That meant, no more grunt work. She was an A-Lister, doing what she went to school for, instead of the one who pitched projects to the people above her.

  Collin couldn’t be more proud of her and honestly, Flora was proud of herself as well.

  This was the first time she had ever felt that way. Even with all her success at the other company, she had never felt that she was able to demand the respect she deserved, until she needed to demand it, so that she was able to make the living that her and Collin could actually thrive on.

  “Are you hungry?” Collin asked as they pulled back from one another.

  “Yes, I am,” Flora replied, grinning at the thought of the day the two were going to have together.

  Before her new job, she hadn’t remembered the last time they both had a whole day off, but since Collin could contort his week around her wacky schedule, every day she had off, he could make sure he could spend the day with her.

  With everything that had happened to the two of them lately, Flora hoped it wasn’t a dream, because it all just seemed to be too perfect to be real.

  Yet, every morning, she opened her eyes to the same wonderful reality; that was only about to get better.

  For the moment, though, Flora was content to go downstairs, into their new kitchen and search through boxes with Collin until they were able to discover enough pots, pans and utensils to have breakfast. together in their new house.

  The couple was tired of eating out, since they were in limbo for a little while, as they were packing up their old apartment and moving into the new house.

  So, the night before, they decided that it wouldn’t be a proper first morning in the new house, without eating the first meal of the day there.

  After searching boxes, upon boxes, though, the couple settled for a bowl and spoon, realizing that neither of them remembered where anything else was.

  “Thank God we bought cereal,” Collin insisted, bringing the box, along with the milk over to the counter, where Flora was unpacking the box they had found they had last searched through.

  “Yes, I’m sorry that’s all it is, though,” Flora responded.

  “Are you kidding? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do in a new house? Eat pizza and cereal until you find all your kitchenware?” Collin laughed, “At least, that’s what we did when my mom moved.”

  “Yeah, we did that too,” Flora responded with a knowing smile, “When we were kids, though, it was fun. We got all our favorite junk-food type meals, and it was almost like camping with running water and a toilet.”

  “Plus, when you’re a kid, you have to explore everything, so the new house is like a whole new world and it’s all yours,” he beamed as Collin’s eyes shined, consumed within the thought of the memory.

  “You never talk about your mom,” Flora answered, pouring some of the cereal into the bowl.

  “It’s because there’s not too much to tell. She passed away right before I met you, and my dad took it really hard…They were divorced, but he, well, you know, he’s an ass,” Collin grinned, though this time, the lightheartedness he had was no longer present.

  “I’m sorry,” Flora answered, her eyes downcast.

  “Oh, don’t be…It was a long time ago now, and my father will always be the asshole he’s always been. There’s no reason to dwell on something you can’t change, right?”

  Flora shook her head in agreement.

  “So, did you tell your parents anything about what’s been going on with us?” Collin asked, unsure if he even wanted her to answer.

  As part of their new open, honest selves, they had tried to talk more about their parents, even if it was awkward, simply so there could be no secrets that could get blown out of proportion between them.

  Neither one of the couple were particularly fond of this agreement, or comfortable with talking about the people who still tried to make their lives miserable; even more-so now that they had made such large life changes. However, the couple had stayed strong in their resolve, and with positivity from the outside world affecting them, between the house, the new job, and other variables, they were reaffirmed that their decisions were right.

  Regardless of what anyone said or thought, the couple was living their life the way they wanted to and that was all they decided to care about.

  The whole situation they had gone through had made them both realize that they weren’t living their life to the fullest, with one another, or with their own personal goals.

  Collin, especially, was living for his father’s goals, while Flora was still in the mindset that even though she was going to work, her husband had to have a job too.

  Sure, they got strange looks, even from friends
, when they found out that Collin was a house-husband, but they were both happy with this arrangement and that was all that mattered to them.

  “Well, you know. My momma and daddy are always thinking that I’m not doing the right thing. They don’t understand my goals, and my momma can’t wrap her head around the idea that I don’t want to be a homemaker. She can’t accept that some women aren’t like that, or for that matter, that some men are.”

  Collin laughed, still getting used to the concept himself; though he was the one who initiated it.

  “Unfortunately, my dad and your parents will probably never be happy with our choices,” Collin agreed, putting his arm around Flora in a comforting gesture, “But, if we’re happy, we should keep doing whatever it is that makes us feel that way.”

  “Absolutely,” Flora beamed happily up at him, “We can’t dwell on the lack of other’s happiness. We aren’t responsible for it and we aren’t doing anything wrong.”

  “Exactly,” Collin insisted, now pulling Flora close to him.

  Between the excitement that Flora already feels and the way that Collin was holding her ignited a fire inside her that she was happy to revel in. Twisting eagerly in his arms, she stared up at him and beamed.

  Collin looked back at her, gazing deep into her eyes, trying to figure out exactly what was on his wife’s mind. He was certain that there was something. She was acting strange for the past few days.

  However, before he could ask what was going on, she reached up and kissed him, which propelled Collin’s hand to reach up, so that he could trace the outline of her face with a tender intimacy, while her tongue danced with his, as she intensified the kiss.

  Feeling the warmth of her cheeks, radiating into his hand, he curved his palm around the back of her neck, directing in down, so that he too could develop the intense movements of their mouths.

  Flora drew in short breath, as she started to unbutton her nightshirt.

  When she was finished, Collin drew back and watched the silk slink off her shoulders and gingerly fall back onto the bed behind her, exposing herself completely to him.