“I’m scared, Sophia… What if they did it before my probation was over? It’s the only interview I’ve had, and I want it so badly.”

I pulled on the envelope, “I’ll open it then,” I said.

“No,” he said tearing open the envelope. He read the pages without speaking and I couldn’t tell by his face what they contained.

“Well?” I asked.

“Wow,” he said with a look of disbelief, still staring at the papers.

“What?” I asked. He was making me crazy.

“It shows no criminal record of any kind… It doesn’t even show an arrest,” he said as he stared at the pages.

“Does that mean you have the job? Did they search Florida?” I said still shocked by the news.

“Yes, I’ll be hired. The FBI did the search, and they looked everywhere in the United States—driving record and criminal,” he said, a smile creeping across his face.

Kayden dropped the papers lifting me into his arm. I laughed as he turned in a circle kissing my face. The excitement radiated off him and became infectious. “I can’t believe it, Sophia. I have a job—finally a job. I can feel like a man again,” Kayden said. Tears of joy formed in his beautiful green eyes.

“You’ve always been a man, Kayden, my man… You’ve never changed in my eyes. When I need you, I’m sure you’ll be there to help me and protect me. That’s what people do when they love each other. We’re a team, and you’ll never be alone again,” I told holding his chin so he could look into my eyes.

“I love you, Sophia. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a wonderful woman in my life,” he said as a tear slid down his cheek.

My heart melted with his words. I kissed his lips, wrapping my arms tighter around his neck. Kayden had been lost for months—always there for me physically, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed a purpose in life.

“Kayden, I’m blessed to have you in my life. You’ve definitely brought excitement and new experiences,” I said into his shirt. I thought about all the possibilities that he had now; it meant that he could go back to New Orleans. The thought of losing him caused my stomach to twist in knots. Would he go back to that glorious city and the work he loved so much, or would he stay with me and start a new beginning?

“Kayden, you know that means you can go back to NOLA and your old job. Do you want to go back?” I said to him as I backed away so I could see his face when he answered.

“Sophia, I’m not going anywhere. I can’t be without you for a couple hours, let alone weeks. How could you even think I could just pack up and leave you behind?” he asked as he stroked my cheek with his hand, looking like I just stabbed him in the heart.

“I know you loved that job and you miss New Orleans. I just thought maybe.” His finger touched my lips stopping me from finishing the rest of the sentence.

“Yes, I love New Orleans and maybe we can move there someday, but you’re my home, Sophia. I need to be with you. I want to be with you. I need you to sleep in my arms each night and make love to you each day,” Kayden said as he stepped closer, embracing me in his arms. I exhaled not realizing I held my breath waiting for his answer.

“I just want you happy, Kayden. I want you to be at peace. I know you’ve struggled with happiness over the last few months,” Concern and worry filled my voice and the feeling nearly suffocated me. He had become my world… We did everything together. I don’t know if I could even function without him anymore. Could I go back to evening web chats and text messages as the main form of communication? I didn’t want to find out the answer to that question.

“I’m staying, Sophia. End of discussion. I’d never leave you. You’re the most important thing in my life,” he whispered against my lips before he kissed me. My knees grew weak from the passion and emotion he conveyed with his kiss.

Moving On

I’d almost given up hope, and but I am officially employed—a UPS man. My friends were never going to believe this shit, and it would take time for it to truly sink in for me too. “Can we start looking for an apartment?” I asked. “I want you all to myself, and we can afford it now.”

“I’d love that. We don’t have any furniture or anything, but we’ll figure it out,” she said, a smile creeping across her face.

I hung my head low, “I’m sorry, Sophia. You deserve nice things,” I said. I wanted to give her a beautiful home, but I lost everything and didn’t have a dime to my name. She stood by me and believed in me every second. I know I’d disappointed her in the past, but my life, our life, had turned around. Her hand grazed my cheek before grabbing my chin pulling my eyes to her deep brown eyes.

“Baby, they’re just things. I’ve had plenty of things in my life… they aren’t important. All I care about is having you in my life,” she said.

I slouched in my chair, looking around the apartment. We finally had a place of our own. I watched her move around the space, putting away our few items we owned, I felt like I was on cloud nine. “Why do you love me, Sophia?” I asked. I couldn’t understand why she loved me as hard as she did.

“Cause you’re hot,” she snorted; throwing a kitchen towel that hit me square in the face.

“Seriously, Sophia.” I tapped my foot against the tile floor looking around the empty space. “Why do you love me? I’m a fuck up. I’ve seen more than my fair share of trouble. I wasn’t entirely honest with you in the beginning and yet you stayed. Why?” I asked.

“I love you for so many reasons. I love you for all of your imperfections. I love the man you were, are, and will be. I love you for wanting to be a better man, the way you love me, the way you look at me even after all this time. I could go on forever Kayden,” she said blushing.

“Okay, go ahead. I have some time,” Kayden laughed.

“Smartass. I seem put together to some, but I’m a mess—a train wreck at times. We’ve all been there, Kayden. You brought more happiness in my life than I can even explain. I feel like my life is beginning again,” she said crawling into my lap.

The Shadows

A noise startled me waking me from my dream. My heart pounded in my chest… I felt someone staring at me. I had drifted off to sleep hours ago. I could see a fuzzy black figure standing at the end of our bed. My breath came faster know the person had been watching me sleep. My heart pounded so hard that I could almost hear it.

“Hello?” I said in a whisper, my hands shaking. I didn’t know what else to do. I had nowhere to run; the doorway was behind them, and I was naked.

“He’s mine, Sophia,” she said in a calm even tone.

I covered my mouth with my hands as alarms went off in my head—Lisa. She’s bat shit crazy, and I’m alone with her. I squinted trying to get a better look. I could see something in her hand, but I couldn’t make it out. A lump formed in my throat as I laid in the dark waiting for her to act.

“He doesn’t want you, Lisa,” I said through trembling lips.

“You bitch! What makes you think you can take Kayden from me?” she said in an acidic tone. I could see her figure start to sway a bit.

“Lisa, you threw Kayden away a long time ago. I didn’t take him from you.” Butterflies formed in my stomach. Should I have told her that she could have him?

“I didn’t throw Kayden away, Sophia. I was seeing him until you came into his life. I went to New Orleans and spent time with him.” Lisa started to move from the foot of the bed.