Mom and I had lunch together at Chili’s.  I sipped my iced tea and closed my menu.  I knew exactly what I wanted.  The Tomato Basil Pasta was my favorite.  Mom, on the other hand, kept turning the pages and going back and forth.  I finally sighed out loud. 

     “Decide what you want for dinner too mom because by the time you decide what you want for lunch it’s going to be dinner time.”  She frowned at me.  I glanced down at my watch.  It was my first time out away from Josh and without Claire.  I was a little nervous and more then slightly scared.  I left Claire alone with Josh and though I know he was more then capable and I did have my cell phone where he could call if he needed me I had an anxious feeling about being away from them.  I stared out the window at people passing by.  I imagined Josh asleep on the couch after watching TV while Claire stared up at her mobile.

     “I think I’ll have the grilled salmon.”  Mom said suddenly.  I snapped my head towards her and smiled. 

     “Good then.  And it only took …”  I glanced at my watch.  She smacked my arm.

     “Knock it off Theodora.  So how are things?”  She asked sipping Coke through a straw.  I shrugged and looked out the window again.  She cleared her throat.  “How’s motherhood?  I was a little sad that you wouldn’t let me stay there and help you very long.”  I looked down into my glass of tea and upon seeing a mound of sugar at the bottom, stirred vigorously to dissolve it.

     “Well Mom, you can’t possibly know what it’s like to have people up your ass every single moment.  After I had Claire I just wanted to go home and be alone with Josh and the baby.  And just so you’re not jealous I didn’t let Lindy stay either.”  She smiled.

     “I’m not jealous dear.  I know you didn’t.  She and I talk all the time.”   ‘Oh great.’  I thought.  Now those two are best buddies.  I could only imagine what they sat and chatted about.  The waiter brought us chips and salsa.  I took a warm chip, dipped it in the salsa and crunched on it.

     “Mom.  Things are okay.  Claire’s sleeping from about 11 to 6 so the dust has settled a bit there.  Other then that, losing these last few pounds has been a bear.”  I said and crunched down on another salsa filled chip.  She eyed me as I ate another.

     “I think I can see why.”  I sneered at her.

     “You want to eat lunch by yourself, mom?  I can arrange that.”  I made to grab for my purse and she clicked her tongue.

     “You’re a bit testy today, Theo.  Is there something you want to talk about?”  I felt a momentary flash of anger and then a twinge of sadness.  I had been going through these awful mood swings since about a week after I’d gotten home from the hospital.  There were times I wanted nothing but to lay in Josh’s arms, satisfied without food or water and then there were times I wanted to thrash him for doing stupid stuff.  Is it too much to ask to change the toilet paper when you use the very last sheet?  One day I threw all the unwrapped rolls of TP at him for not changing the roll.  He ran away laughing.  I was glad he thought it was funny but I had a long cry session after that.

     “I just feel tired mom.  And I’ve got a bad case of PMS.” 

     “How long have you had the PMS symptoms?”  I shrugged.

     “The whole time.”  Mom reached out for my hand and just then our lunch came.  I busied myself with my pasta. 

     “Honey, that’s not normal.  I think you should see a doctor and soon.”  I rolled my eyes.  “I’m not kidding sweetie.”

     “I have to see one soon anyway for my checkup.”  Mom took a few bites of her salmon.

     “This is so good, Theo.  You should have ordered this.”  I shook my head. 

     “No thanks.”  No fish for me.  I despised it. 

     “Honey, I think you should get in to see someone like …”  She chewed and then swallowed.  “Like tomorrow.  Sounds like you might have a touch of depression.”  I nodded knowingly.  ‘Ya think?’ I thought to myself.  I saw it, I knew it.  I was the one going through it.  But I didn’t need some nosey doctor pumping me full of drugs and telling me I needed counseling.  I just needed Josh and my baby and I was fine.

     “Mom, I have an appointment with my gyne in two weeks for my postpartum checkup.  I’ll mention it then.”  She pushed her nearly empty plate aside.

     “You are as stubborn as your father was.  You need to go sooner than that.  You will suffer if you don’t.”  I stifled a laugh but the smile on my face spoke volumes.  “Theodora.  This is no laughing matter.”  I ignored her and called the waiter over.

     “Dessert today Mesdames?”  He asked with a bow, his arm curtly held out in front of him, a towel folded neatly over it. 

     “No, thank you.  I would like a box for this please.”  I indicated towards my plate.

     “I shall return shortly.”  He said, turned, and left.  I sighed.  Everyone was so dramatic in L.A.  He was a waiter in Chili’s for Christ’s sake!  I turned to my mother who was fidgeting with her lipstick.

     “Mom, I’m fine.  I swear, if I need something or if things get worse I promise to call you.”  She rubbed her lips together spreading the color then closed the tube and popped it back into her purse, then she turned to me and sighed.

     “You promise?”  I took her hand into mine and kissed it.

     “I do!”  We left the restaurant and I drove mom home in my Pacifica.  Before Claire was born Josh and I decided on a more ‘family’ style car.  I wanted the Pacifica, Josh wanted the Town & Country minivan.  I won.  Before I dropped mom off at her house she made me promise to call a doctor.  I said I would but I didn’t really intend to.   I parked the car in the drive and entered into my house quietly.  Hearing nothing I walked around, Josh and Claire had to be here, his car was also in the driveway.  I made my way up the stairs timidly hearing something coming from a room at the end of the hallway.  The closer I got the clearer it became.  Josh was rocking Claire in her room and singing to her.

     “Ninnaò, ninnaò, questo bimbo a chi lo do, se lo do alla Befana,
se lo tiene una settimana, se lo do all'Uomo Nero, se lo tiene un anno interoma, se il bimbo fa la nanna, se lo tiene la sua mamma.”

I sighed and his head snapped up.  He saw me standing in the doorway then and smiled at me, his angelic, handsome face appropriately framed by a glowing halo of curls.  I walked quietly into the room.

     “Here, take her.”  He whispered holding the baby up slightly.  I took her and lay her in her bed.  She slept peacefully.  Josh slid up to my side and slipped his hand inside mine before pulling me out of the room.  He led me down the hallway towards our bedroom and then pushed me back against the wall.  His eyes met mine and held me there.  “How was your lunch?”  He asked but then didn’t give me a chance to answer before his mouth pressed down on mine for a kiss.  My lips met his warmly and we kissed a few times briefly before my mouth opened to his exploring tongue.  He slid it along my lips tickling me before plunging it deep inside.  I felt a tingling sensation that started in my legs and worked it’s way up to my breasts where my nipples hardened to concrete.  Josh put his hands on either side of my head on the wall and pinned me to it, kissing and sucking.  I slid my hands up his shirt and ran my fingers along his hot, tight skin.  His hips pressed against me in response, his hardness forming a knot in his jeans.  He kissed down my neck and then licked me as he reached down with one hand, unzipped his zipper and adjusted himself so that he was more comfortable.  Sliding my hand down his chest and into his underwear I took hold of him.  He pulled me close with one arm and ran his fingers through my hair with his other hand pulling my head closer so he could bite into my neck.  I stroked him slowly and rubbed my thumb across the tip of his cock spreading the wetness he oozed.  He let out a low moan that came from somewhere buried deep inside him.   I slid my hands down his hips and into his pants where I pulled and they came down easily.  My back still against the wall I shimmied down it until I was on my knees in front of his massive hard-on.  It stood straight out at me and I wrapped both hands around it.  It was so hot it nearly burned my palms.  Josh sucked in air as I first licked the tip of it then slid it slowly into my mouth as far as it would go, my tongue sliding along the length of it tasting him.  I started out slowly, sucking and licking until he held my head and eased himself further into my mouth.  “Oh baby,”  He moaned as I worked him in and out.  “Oh God, baby.”  He began to pump himself a little faster.  “Oh Teddy, can I?  Teddy?”  He pleaded.  I slipped my hand up his thigh and cupped his balls in my hand, they were tight against his body.  He was ready to go.  I nodded and then squeezed gently as I felt him empty into my mouth.  I drank him down and then ran my lips along his length as I pulled him out of my mouth.  I wiped my mouth then Josh pulled me up and dragged me into the bedroom where he ripped off my jeans and leaned me over the bed.  He reached down between my legs and stuck a finger inside me.   It was so wet I nearly swallowed his whole hand.  “Oh baby, you are so ready.”

     “Then what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation?”  I hissed, anxious to feel him inside me.  He lay one hand on my lower back while with the other he guided himself into me from behind.  I let out a moan as he filled me with his bulk.  “Oh Josh, oh baby …”  I panted as he held my hips with his hands and moved inside and out quickly, his thighs banging against the backs of mine.  “Fuck me, Josh, harder!”  I wanted him, I needed him, it felt so good this way.  He leaned over and rested his chest on my back wrapping his arms around me.

     “God, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”  He said and drove himself deep inside.

     “I want to lay on the bed, I want to see you.”  I panted.  He backed away and I crawled on top of the covers spreading myself open for him.  “Come.”  I said holding my hands out to him.  He positioned himself on top of me and slid inside easily.  I touched his face as he made love to me, his eyes filled with lust and desire.  “I love you.”  I said, he smiled briefly then gritted his teeth.  “I love when you fuck me like this, your cock so hot and hard.  It feels so good.”  He leered at me and pounded harder, taking longer strokes.  “Come for me baby, give it to me again.”  He let out a small laugh at my rhetoric and then his face was awash in euphoria as he erupted inside.  Josh lay himself down on top of me and groaned.

     “Oh Teddy …”  He sighed.  I ran my fingers through his damp hair, scratching his scalp.  “You know how to get me going.”  I knew how to get him going?  He was getting heavy on my belly and I gently pushed at him.  “That naughty talk will get you action every time you use it!”  Everytime?  I thought …  Good!

     “Oh no, sexy man, it’s the other way around.”  I said as he moved off of me and lay on his back.   I rolled over onto my side and lightly touched his face.  He had a slight damp film of sweat all over him.  He was working hard moments ago!  He took my hand and kissed my fingertips.

     “So how was your lunch?”   He asked again raising his eyebrows at me.  I scooted off the bed and headed for the bathroom.

     “Not as good as the dessert!”  I called and closed the door behind me.

When I emerged from the bathroom I heard Josh downstairs in the living room playing the piano softly.  I made my way down and came up behind him sliding my arms around his neck.  He rubbed my forearm with his cheek and continued to play.

     “So what was that you were singing to Claire?”  I whispered into his ear. 

     “It’s an Italian lullaby.”  I kissed his neck right below his ear and then went over to the chaise lounge and lay down on it.

     “It’s beautiful.  What does it mean?”   He sighed before he spoke.

     “Well the story isn’t as pretty as the song but it’s about this ummm …”  He stopped playing a moment as he thought.  “well it’s a witch-like character called The Befana who rides a broom and visits good little girls and boys homes and puts candy and small gifts in their stockings hanging up by the fire.”  I frowned. 

     “Sounds like a cross between Halloween and Christmas.”  He uttered a small laugh and his fingers began to play a little faster.

     “Yeah, that it would be.”

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