A DEAL FOR A LIFE TIME - CHAPTER 59&60 [FINALE]
BETHEL
15 years later.
“Babe,” I called, looking around the bathroom. “Have you seen my hairbrush?”
Rico glanced up from his book, a knowing smile on his face. “It’s probably with Selena. She threw all her hairbrushes away because they weren’t purple.”
“That girl got your attitude,” I said, referring to our 13-year-old daughter. We have three kids now—two girls and one boy. Selena and Sawyer have Rico’s personality, but our little angel Annabel, who is just 3, has mine and even inherited my hair color.
“I’ll get you another one,” Rico offered, always quick to spoil our kids.
“You always spoil her,” I said, shaking my head, though I couldn’t help but smile.
“She’s my girl,” he said, chuckling before heading into the room to find my brush. Today, we were going to a wedding, Katherine’s wedding. She finally found her Mr. Right, and at 23, I was overjoyed for her. Jasmine married Cole after college, and now they have two kids, 15 and 11. Life had moved on in such beautiful ways.
“Mama,” Annabel called, walking into the bathroom with her big eyes wide with concern.
“Sweetie,” I said, scooping her up into my arms.
“Dada is shouting at Sawyer,” she said, her lower lip trembling.
“Sorry, baby. I’ll go talk to him,” I assured her, carrying her out of the bathroom. In the living room, Rico was scolding Sawyer, who looked irritated and defensive.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my gaze shifting between them.
“Ask him,” Rico said, frustration evident in his voice.
Sawyer, giving me an angry stare, snapped, “You ask him! He’s always shouting at me for no reason!” With that, he stormed out of the house.
“Anna, go find Selena and get some candy. Dada and Mama need to talk,” I said, setting her down. She nodded and toddled off. Turning to Rico, I sighed, trying to calm the tension.
“We’re supposed to be happy today. It’s Katherine’s wedding,” I reminded him gently.
“Sometimes I feel like Sawyer doesn’t like me,” Rico said, his voice filled with a rare vulnerability.
“Don’t say that. He’s just going through that teenage phase,” I reassured him.
“I found a f*king condom in his room,” Rico said, his eyes wide with disbelief. “He’s just 15!”
My eyes widened in shock. “Well, that’s a reason to scold him. I’m guessing that’s what your dad did when you were 15 too?”
“Yeah, but he also warned me to use it,” Rico admitted.
“I just want him to be careful. He’s growing up so fast. I can’t believe he’s old enough to have a girlfriend,” Rico said, tears welling up in his eyes. I walked over and wrapped my arms around him.
“We’ll teach him to be responsible. We don’t want to be grandparents at 41,” I whispered, trying to comfort him.
“Ewwwwwwwwwww!” Selena’s voice broke the moment. Rico quickly pulled his hands away from my waist.
“What’s a room for?” she asked, grinning mischievously. Rico rolled his eyes and walked over to her.
“You better not have a boyfriend until you’re 25,” he said, starting to walk upstairs.
“I already have a boyfriend!” Selena shouted, running out of the house before Rico could react.
“I have a boyfriend,” Annabel chimed in, making both of us look at her in surprise.
“He’s my friend, so he’s my boyfriend,” she continued, oblivious to our relief.
“He’s a prince and I’m a princess, so we’re going to get married,” she declared happily.
“I swear, I’m never letting Anna watch any Disney princess cartoons anymore,” Rico muttered as we headed upstairs.
“It’s just child’s play,” I said, laughing. I slipped into my black heels, adjusting them carefully.
“You look beautiful and segzy,” Rico said, standing up and kissing my neck as I applied my nude lipstick.
“Rico,” I warned, trying to stay focused.
“You know, it’s been a while since we did this,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear.
“We’ll be late for Katherine’s wedding if we continue this,” I said, trying to sound stern but feeling my resolve weaken.
“I want to, anyway,” he said, his hands still wandering.
“The kids, especially Anna, come knocking at our door any time, any day,” I reminded him.
“Promise after the party?” he asked, his eyes hopeful.
“Maybe, after putting Anna to bed and making sure Selena and Sawyer are asleep, then no problem,” I said, giving him a thumbs up.
“I love you,” he said, kissing me softly.
“Love you too,” I replied, feeling a warmth spread through me. Despite the chaos, we had built a beautiful life together.
—
At the Wedding.
After exchanging vows and celebrating the union, we took pictures with Katherine and her new husband. The party was extravagant, reflecting their joy and shared prosperity.
“I’m so happy for you,” I said, hugging Katherine tightly.
“Me too,” she replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“I can’t wait to hear the news,” I teased, making her laugh.
“Unfortunately, I’ll be dealing with those little monsters soon,” she joked, and we both laughed, knowing she’d make a wonderful mother.
After the Party (at Home)
I walked into Sawyer’s room. He lay on his bed, earphones in, staring at his phone. He removed the earphones when he saw me.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi,” I replied, sitting beside him, my expression serious. “Your dad told me what happened. I’m not angry, but you should have told us. It’s your personal life, but you could have at least told me.”
“I’m sorry about that. The condom isn’t mine. A friend left it with me. I tried to explain to Dad, but he wouldn’t listen. He h@??s me so much.”
“He doesn’t h@?? you, honey. We both love you very much. But if anything like this happens again, please always use protection.” He dropped his phone and hugged me tightly.
“I think Andrey is hot,” he whispered, making me choke on my words.
“W-What the f-__-k?” I exclaimed, taken aback. “Sorry about my language, but she’s off-limits. She’s your cousin,” I reminded him, referring to Jasmine and Cole’s daughter.
“That’s the problem,” he said, laughing awkwardly.
Back to the Room.
“They’re all asleep,” I said, stepping into our bedroom. Rico stood up quickly, kissing me passionately. I could feel his desire, his hands wandering over my body.
“Wait, did you get a condom?” I asked, pulling back slightly.
“$h|t,” he murmured, realizing he hadn’t. We both knew we needed to be careful, especially since when ever Rico takes a shot, we make a baby… funny right..
“I’ll just pull out when I feel it coming,” he said, resuming his kisses.
“Okay,” I agreed. He pushed me onto the bed, his lips trailing down my stomach.
“Mama,” we heard Anna’s voice. Rico quickly jumped off me, looking exasperated. I opened the door to find our Three-year-old daughter looking scared.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” I asked, picking her up.
“I had a nightmare. Can I stay with you and Dada tonight?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“Of course, darling. That nightmare will go away,” I assured her, carrying her to our bed. Rico groaned, heading to the bathroom for a cold shower. I couldn’t help but laugh at his frustration.
**Third Person POV**
They lived happily ever after. Mark never returned to the family even after his release, passing away two years later. Katherine was blissfully happy with her husband, and they had two beautiful children. Rico and Bethel’s love for each other never waned, only growing stronger with each passing day.
THE END