Thesis ficlet for maniacalmuse
maniacalmuse. Enjoy! (forgive errors . . .)
Jada curled herself onto the couch, opening her Essence magazine and glancing at her husband with an amused smirk. Not five minutes earlier his youngest and only daughter had just left the house for her first date, and Aaron had yet to unglue his face from the front window even though the car was long gone. There was really no reason for him to be so . . . antsy. Julius Barrows was a perfectly fine gentleman, and promised to have her home by 10.
“It’s just a movie,” Jada said nonchalantly. “It’s even PG. You should be pleased.”
“I won’t be ‘pleased’ until she is back in this house where I can keep an eye on her,” Aaron said flatly, still hovering around the window. “Is it ten yet?”
Jada snorted and flipped the page, shaking her head. “It’s barely a quarter to eight! Besides, you weren’t nearly so anxious when the boys started dating . . . wonder why that is?”
Aaron pinned a glare on her. “She looks just like you.”
Jada looked up, confused. “So? What does that mean?”
Aaron huffed, leaning against the window and crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you have any idea on the effect you have on men? That boy’s only gonna be thinking of one thing-”
“The movie?” Jada asked innocently, going back to her magazine.
She heard him approaching the couch, felt it sink under his weight, and stifled a giggle when his lips kissed underneath her earlobe. “I guarantee whenever we watch a movie that’s not what I’m thinking about . . .” His hand settled on her stomach, then slid up to cup a breast. Jada’s eyes dragged closed and she leaned her head to expose more of her neck to his lips.
“I do believe you’re projecting and overreacting, love. Ava knows what’s expected of her, and isn’t remotely interested in that type of thing,” Jada reassured him, taking his hand from her breast and linking her fingers through his.
Aaron pulled back, clearly unconvinced. “You have absolutely no idea what kind of power you wield over us! Ask Joshua-even he notices the looks men give you and Ava whenever we’re out.”
“Ava’s 16 years old! And-I’m 46! There should be no looks!” Jada said incredulously. Now she knew her husband was overreacting.
“And both of you are the most beautiful women on the planet, so of course people are going to stare,” Aaron said with a little grin. “You know, late at night after you’ve long been asleep, I just stare at you . . . wondering how I got to be so lucky . . . why you chose me . . .”
Jada blushed, settling back into the couch and looking at her husband full of love. Even after all this time-19 years of marriage-he still talked to her as if he were courting her. “You’re so good to me,” she whispered, caressing his cheek with the backs of her fingers.
He took her hand and brought it to his mouth, all the while looking at her. “Not nearly good enough, which is why Ava shouldn’t date-she’ll never find anyone worthy of her . . .”
Jada chuckled and kissed him softly, rubbing her nose against his. “If he treats her right and makes her happy, I know I’ll be pleased.”
“He’ll have to be Jesus himself before I’ll be pleased!” Aaron muttered against her mouth before kissing it again. “And even then I’d have some questions . . .”
Jada giggled as she kissed him, allowing Aaron to take the magazine from her hands and lay her flat on the couch. His hands were awfully busy, and Jada grasped them, chuckling all the while.
“Just because you don’t know how to behave doesn’t mean Julius, doesn’t,” Jada whispered into his ear before biting it.
Aaron arched his eyebrow, burying his face and mouth into her neck. “It’s your fault,” he muttered.
“Is not.”
Aaron’s hands slid up her arms to her shoulders, tugging her shirt down to expose her collarbone. “You make me want you all the time, love,” he breathed against her skin.
Jada kissed his forehead, amused, yet touched that even at 46 and considerable pounds heavier, her husband could look at her and treat her as when they first got married. And for his being 51, his stamina was very much the same.
“I’m a lucky girl,” she chuckled.
Aaron pulled back, putting a hand to her cheek and looking at her with a soft smile. “No, love, I’m the lucky one . . .”
He kissed her again before standing, offering his hand so she could stand up as well. Jada wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. Aaron chuckled, smoothing her hair down and swaying a bit.
“Everything will work out, Aaron,” she said after a few minutes. “If I’ve taught Ava anything it’s to be discerning.”
“Discerning, huh?”
“Yes,” Jada said, pulling back to look into her husband’s green eyes, the very eyes her daughter had inherited. “He has to at least be as good as her Daddy for me to like him; anything less well . . .”
“No ‘well,’” Aaron said, brushing her lips with his thumb. “Only the best for my baby girl.” He started to go to the window again but Jada tightened her arms around him, biting her lip.
“Show me how lucky I am?”
Those green eyes darkened and a slow grin formed on his face. To Jada’s surprise he lifted her in his arms, kissing her soundly. “With pleasure.”