Bye Bye, Love
I’ll catch you later…
I ain’t ever looking back, and that’s a fact

I’ve tried, oh, I can’t imagine
I’ve begged and pleaded in true lover’s fashion
I’ve got pride, I’m taking it for a ride
Bye Bye, Bye Bye, My Baby, Bye Bye
Don’t think all those tears are going to hold me
Here like they’ve done before…
Baby, what did you expect me to do?
Sit around and wait on you?
Well, I’m through watching you just skate around the truth
And I know it sounds trite, but I’ve seen the light
I’ve lost the game I guess
I tried my best to win the part
And now I’m leaving here with what’s left of my heart…

The gravel crunched beneath my feet announcing my arrival into the small clearing where Maria was eating lunch. She’d chosen a large, flat rock in the woody cove facing the ocean, and had spread out her blanket and picnic basket. She was watching the ocean calmly and was either meditating or praying.

“I was wondering if you ever going to come to me,” she said softly.

“Well, I actually just came out here for a quickie,” I teased.

“Here on this rock? Wouldn’t that be kind of uncomfortable?”

“Hey, I’ve had worse—or maybe I should say better.” Maria blushed at my innuendo. “Actually, I had to take care of some stuff, but I’m ready to take you home now,” I replied, a smile crossing my face.

“Did you have any trouble?”

“Some—but none that was worth losing you over,” I came to the rock and sat down beside her. I could see her soft smile. Oh, yeah, we were ready.

“Did you see Liz?”

“Yes, she wants you to know, that she loves you very much, and she’s sorry,” I reported softly.

“What did Michael say? Or did you tell him?”

“No, I told him,” I began warily.

“Oh really,” her smirk was cheeky, and I wanted to grin back. I started slowly.

“I know we don’t have all the kinks worked out, but I want you to be mine so badly I can hardly see straight. I also thought that I would actually propose now. And I want to do it right, since it’s the last time I’m ever going to do it,” it was more of a promise than a smart-ass remark.

Maria’s grin nearly split her face as she turned to face me.

“Maria,” I began.

“Yes! Yes!” She threw her arms around my neck.

“But I haven’t even asked yet…”

Maria looked sufficiently rebuked, and ducked her head.

“Maria, will you marry…”

“Yes!”

“Now, there again, you didn’t let me finish.”

Maria couldn’t contain her smile.

“Marry me, baby,” I finally whispered into her hair. There was a long, profound silence. Finally I looked up at her and coaxed her for an answer with my eyes.

“Yes!” she replied again, giggling as she wrapped her arms around me again.

“I love you,” I murmured.

“Well, I don’t know about love. But you look like you have a good 401K,” Maria said with a silly toss of her head. I grabbed her and tickled her until she bounced into my lap. “I love you, too,” she whispered, closing her eyes to my kiss.

“Are you ready to go?”

“Dying to,” her unshed tears made her eyes bright and glassy.

I held her as tightly to me as I possibly could. She collapsed against me, relieved. And I knew, from that moment on, that no one else would ever hold her but me.

* * *

My small four-year old hung on to her mother’s neck for dear life. Okay, so maybe I didn’t anticipate having monkeys for children when I said no one would ever hold her again.

“C’mon, Bethie, climb off of Mommy, you little orangutan,” I pulled Beth out of the death grip she had on Maria’s neck.

“Okay, Daddy,” she agreed, latching her little arms around my neck instead. Barrett, eager to follow in his older sister’s footsteps, moved from Maria’s leg to mine. I walked into their bedroom, somewhat encumbered, and wrestled Barrett into bed. I reached up and tickled Beth until she was forced to let go. She bounced onto the bed, and rolled under the covers.

“One more story, Mommy,” Barrett begged.

“No more stories, Barry,” I said firmly. “Now, has everyone had a bath?”

“Dad-dy,” Barrett said with a well-timed eye roll. “*You* gave us a bath.”

“I did?” I feigned surprise. “I don’t remember that.” Across the bed, Bethie giggled. “So, has everyone brushed their teeth?”

“Daddy, you did that, too,” Barrett said, exasperated. Beth’s eyelids were slowly drooping shut. I kissed her goodnight softly, and then kissed Barry’s forehead.

“Hmmm…it must be time for bed, then,” I exclaimed, looking at my watch.

“Daddy, did you know Mommy was a good tickler?”

“Oh, yes,” I threw a licentious grin to Maria, who was standing in the doorway as our son closed his eyes. “She’s a very good tickler.”

I turned the nightlight on and closed the door softly. I chased Maria down to our bedroom and cornered her next to the nightstand. I lowered her to the bed and tickled her softly. Together, we lay down, my body covering hers, and we chuckled together.

“I hope those kids never know what a pervert their father is,” she giggled.

“What’d I say?”

Maria did her best impression of my husky, seduction voice, “Oh, yes, Mom’s a *very* good tickler.” She punched my arm lightly, laughing as she tried in vain to roll out from underneath me.

“I have to admit, I’m a little uneasy,” I remarked as I softly rubbed her bared tummy. “They’ve never gone to bed that fast before.”

“Well, they had a big day,” Maria smiled, brushing dark hair back from my forehead. “A new baby is a big deal.”

“That look on Bethie’s face was priceless. ‘Daddy, another one?’” I mimicked.

“Barry sure has his eye rolls down to perfection,” Maria giggled.

“If it’s a girl, I think we should name her Bella,” I asserted.

“Oooh, Bella means beautiful--I like that,” Maria cooed. “I like Brian for a boy.”

“What does it mean?”

“Um, ‘strong’ I think. Either strong, or brave, I don’t remember,” she frowned in concentration. She clucked as I leaned down and placed an ear to her belly.

“Well, I can hear a heartbeat,” I finally said, squinching one eye tightly shut in concentration.

“Max,” she admonished softly, “you won’t be able to hear the heart beat for another three or four weeks.”

“You underestimate alien power,” I said in a deep, unearthly voice.

“Alright, Mr. Alien Power, make this one come a whole lot faster than the last two,” she commanded.

“Don’t make me abduct you, woman,” I smiled into the soft flesh of her tummy as she stroked my hair softly. I could almost feel her roll her eyes and she wiggled out from under me. She escaped into the bathroom and ten minutes later, she returned, rubbing lotion into her arms.

“I’d like to see you try,” she challenged absently.

“Try what?” I asked, looking up from my book. I’d managed to strip down to my boxers and slide under the sheets.

“To abduct me,” she taunted.

I seized my opportunity and slowly crossed the bed towards her, like a cat stalking it’s prey.

“Don’t tempt me…I’ll have to take you right up,” I promised.

“Up is right,” she retorted, rubbing against me. She clutched my erection, sliding her hand down it slowly. She moved to my ear, “Deliver me.”

I shuddered with passion as her fondling started to take its effect, and so I brought her down to the bed, kissing her mouth. I moved my open lips down her neck and latched onto her collarbone.

“I love you, baby,” I whispered.

“I love you, too,” she grinned, biting her lower lip. All my other words slid off into the soft curtain of her hair as she climbed on top of me. Motherhood had made her body so much more voluptuous. Her breasts, heavy and full, rested against my chest, and I gave each nipple a loving tweak. She moaned, and rubbed her crotch into the hardness formed at the junction of my thighs. She nestled the tip of my cock between her lips and slowly rocked up and down, knowing it drives me wild. I placed my hands on the soft flesh of her hips, squeezing gently.

“You are the most beautiful woman on Earth,” I whispered, seducing her.

“You’re just saying that because you haven’t seen the women on Krypton yet.”

“Are you implying that I might be Superman?” I teased.

“You better be,” she grinned and slid all the way down onto my hot cock, bringing groans from both of us. She eased up, and sat down hard, again, her inner muscles milking me for all I was worth.

Rocking back and forth, she was rubbing her clit right against the hard steel of my erection, causing her to speed up, and finally, come in a long sigh. I flipped her over onto the softness of the bed, and she squirmed and wriggled underneath me. When she finally stopped writhing, I slammed into her, burying all nine inches of stiff cock into her flushed and soft body. She arched up into my arms and I caught her, holding her to my chest and kissing her deeply. She was growing heavy in my arms, too full and aroused to stay off of the bed.

Finally, she eased back onto the bed, and then grabbed onto my hips, pushing me deeper, aching for me to pump her as hard as I could. Reaching between us, I started stimulating her clit so we could come together. *That* she immediately responded to. From beneath me, she started to moan and jerk in time with me, and pretty soon she’d climaxed again, milking me and sending me over the edge, spilling my hot seed across her inner core. Maria has delivered me into heaven, I thought blissfully. And together, we are saved.

Let’s go then, let’s make our escape
C’mon, let’s go then, let’s ask can we stay?
Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see?
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets?