Page 38 of Rounds
“I don’t think anything changed since yesterday, son.”
“Anything can happen in the blink of an eye, Dad. I need to make sure I don’t miss a thing. I take your healthcare seriously.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just make sure you do the same for my pregnant daughter-in-law.”
I closed my eyes and slowly shook my head as a smile played on my lips. I loved Mr. Israel already. “What’s your first name, Mister Israel? Seems like you told me, but I don’t remember.”
“Gideon, but you can call me Dad like Glover.”
I had to be blushing. My face was hot as Glover turned to stare at me. He smiled and said, “You got Delaney over there blushing.”
“I see. That means I still got it.”
Glover lightly pushed him on the head and chuckled, then sat next to me. He pulled me close, and I released a soft moan. I loved being wrapped in his arms. It felt safe here. I puckered my lips as I looked up at him. He gave me another quick smile and obliged me. He held it longer than I thought he would, being that we were in his dad’s presence.
When he pulled away, he looked at his dad, and said, “She’s definitely the one. Mama would be so happy.”
I closed my eyes, because I could feel my emotions rising just that quickly. It caused me to think about my own mother. She was making an effort to show me affection and the care I desperately needed from her. I didn’t even realize I needed it until our phone conversation before the visit.
“Your mama would have had Delaney tearing your pockets up by now. They would have been going to one outlet mall after the next.”
They chuckled, sounding damn near identical. I smiled and said, “If she was anything like her son, it would have been hard for me to tell her no.”
Glover leaned toward me and caught me off guard, tickling me. I almost screamed. I was extremely ticklish. Once I calmed down, his dad said, “Y’all look really happy. I’m glad you found one another. Miss Delaney, I’m glad you saw beyond his rough exterior to see just how beautiful his heart is.”
“If I’m being honest with myself, I saw it before my talk with you. I saw it through the way he cared for his patients. Some of these doctors make me wonder if they only do what they do because it’s a good paying job or if it’s because they care. There’s no doubt in my mind when I observe Glover with his patients. I know he makes a decent living doing what he does, but I feel like that isn’t what drives him. He wants to see people be their best possible self, health wise. Whatever he can do to assist in that, he does. I love that about him.”
“Damn. I love that about you, too, Delaney.”
I looked up at him and stared into his eyes. The desire in them nearly singed my brows and lashes. He lowered his head some, without kissing me, and said, “I’m just gonna say what I feel in my soul, baby.” He slid his hand through my soft curls, igniting a fire inside of me. “I love you. I love everything about you. I thought I was just falling, but damn, if I’m not already there. The part that lets me know it’s real is because I wasn’t able to stop it, not that I was trying to stop it anyway. I’ve been open with you since day one.”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. The last man I said those words to took them and used them to his advantage. I couldn’t let that happen again. Opening my eyes, I asked, “What makes you think you love me though?”
He closed his eyes. “It’s hard to explain. My soul feels light around you, unless you’re upset. When you’re happy, I’m happy. It feels like my sole purpose in life is to take care of your heart. Besides my dad, you are the only person I feel that deeply for. You’re a beautiful woman, but the only explanation I have for why this moved so quickly is that we are destined to be here for one another. We are both here to make life easier and worth living for each other. I’m not a soft man, but with you . . . I don’t even recognize the man I’ve become.”
I released a huff. His words hit me right in the chest. Everything he said he felt was everything I was feeling too. I closed my eyes and slowly shook my head. “God, that was beautiful. After everything I heard about you, I wanted to run the opposite direction. Despite my physical attraction to you, I didn’t want to be just another notch on your belt. However, my interest was piqued that day I left Miss Miller’s room. That was when I saw your heart. Then when your dad was admitted, I saw even more of it, and I couldn’t look away. I put what I thought you deserved ahead of my own needs by ignoring you.”
He put his hands to my cheeks and stroked them both with his thumbs. I glanced at his dad to see him smiling while he looked on at our beautiful exchange of emotions. I continued. “I didn’t think you deserved to go through this bullshit with my ex. You didn’t deserve the drama. I didn’t want you to perceive me as someone who was taking advantage of your kindness. I was vulnerable, angry, and just emotional in general. I didn’t think I was ready for what you were offering.”
I closed my eyes again and took a deep breath, then opened them and stared into his eyes. “Now that I’m here with you, my heart can breathe again. My soul can be light because it knows it’s safe . . . protected at all costs. If what you feel for me equates to love, I suppose I’m saying I love you too, Glover.”
He pulled my face to his and kissed me deeply, sliding his tongue to mine until his dad started cheering and clapping. He smiled, then chuckled against my lips and rested his forehead against mine.
“Y’all get out of here and go enjoy time making my grandbaby, if it ain’t already in there. Glover, twins will be even better. A boy and a girl. Make that happen. Oh! And I can promise you, you will be buying those chocolate chip cookies from McDonald’s. Make sure you go ahead and get an entire tote.”
Glover huffed then stood, pulling me with him. He went and shook his dad’s hand but when Mr. Israel lifted his other arm, Glover nearly fell into him. The moment had me crying like a baby, seeing how much love there was between the two of them. When he released his dad, I clearly saw the tears on Mr. Israel’s face. I went to him once Glover moved to the foot of his bed and hugged him. “See you later, Dad.”
He smiled big and hugged me again. Before I knew it, I was crying audibly. They were tears of joy and love. It happened so damn fast. It had to be real because I surely wasn’t trying to fall in love with anyone. Hell, I didn’t even want to be committed to anyone after dealing with Jaunté’s punk ass. I didn’t have much control. God allowed me to trip and fall to keep me from walking away from my future.Jesus.This had to be real.
He gently stroked my back, and said, “Welcome to the family, baby. I mean it’s an extremely small family, but welcome nonetheless.”
I giggled through my cries and released him. Glover was waiting to embrace me. I knew my tears moved him, but since these were tears of joy, I could see that he was relaxed in knowing that. I went to his arms and hugged him tightly, grateful that God chose to bless me in the middle of my chaos through an unsuspecting source. The whore of St. Ambrose Memorial Hospital was my one. I giggled at the thought of it.
I pulled away from him and blew a kiss at my new dad. He pretended to catch it and pin it to his chest right over his heart. I swore I wanted to cry all over again. Today had a rough spot, but that blemish was in the sea of forgetfulness after what I’d just experienced. Glover loved me, and I felt free and safe enough to reciprocate his sentiments. I loved him too.
The minute we got into the house, and I’d closed the back door, I scooped Delaney in my arms and went to the room I hadn’t slept in since I was kid. My mom’s touch lived in that room, but she was now sharing that space with Delaney. I lowered her to the bed and immediately took off my shirt and went to the bathroom to start the shower. While in there, I completely disrobed.
When I rejoined Delaney in the bedroom, I saw she had the same idea I had. She was in her bra and panties with her legs open, waiting for me.Shit.My dick leaked at the sight. Her pussy was calling me to it the way it was eating the seat of her panties. They were completely wet, submerged in her goodness. I licked my lips and made my way to her. I placed my hand at the back of her head and gripped her hair, pulling her head backward.
