A Simple Life: Chapter 126 (Patreon)

Sitting up tall I look down on Winona as she hugged me close.  She felt like she was letting me down somehow.  As if, because she was the Domme, she wasn’t allowed to have doubts or moments of weakness.  Was she worried that I might see her as somehow less of a dominant because she changed her mind?  The truth was the total opposite.  Seeing her vulnerability only made me hers all the more.

I stroke her long smooth hair and plant a soft kiss on her head.  “You’re r-right.”

“Mmm?”  She hums without looking up, her cheek pressed hard to my chest.

“You are so right.  I never thought about it.  I think it’s a g-good thing to…put those words away.  Even for a little while.”  I say.  “At least until I w-work through some of this…stuff.  Thank you f-for being the strong one.”  I kiss her again.  “Thank you for looking after me.  I always know that I’m safe with you and that…means a lot.  Baby girl wouldn’t even be here without you.”

“Aw, baby.”  Sitting back again Winona looks up at me.  Reaching up she stroke my jaw with just her index finger.  “I know you liked Daddy.”

I smile and lightly rest my hands on her chest.  “I l-like you, Winona.  I liked it b-because it was you.  Whatever you w-want me to…”

Just then there comes a ring echoing from out of the washroom.  Glancing over my shoulder I can see my phone sitting beside the sink where she put it when she hung my clothes to dry.  What lousy timing!

“It m-might be Grandpa.”  I whisper.

“Go.”

Not wanting to but knowing that I must I get up from Winona’s lap.  I pull the blanket from my shoulders and lay it over her legs then hurry to the bathroom to see who was calling.  The name displayed makes me sad.

“It’s M-M-Mom.”  In my hand the phone rings again.  I wanted to let it keep ringing.  I wanted to refuse the call.  But…I knew that I couldn’t do that.

Before I can answer another hand grips around mine.  Without me hearing her Winona had come to stand at my side.  Her long thumb reaches around mine to hang up on the incoming call.  “Not tonight.”  She nuzzles behind my ear.  “Whatever it is, it can wait until morning.”

The relief I feel at not having to speak to Mom was like a two ton weight lifted from my shoulders.  Winona had done for me what I would never have the courage to do.  That felt so good!

“Wh-What if it’s about…?”

“Call him.”  She says, reading my mind.

“Okay.”

I call my grandpa and, to my great joy, he answers right away.  “Avery!  How you doin, Buttercup?”

“Good!”  I say brightly as Winona hugs me from behind.  In the bathroom mirror I could see her face, happy at seeing my peace of mind that Grandpa was okay.

“What’s up, my lad?”

“Um…”  Hurriedly I scramble to think of a reason to be calling besides just checking up on him.  I knew that Grandpa didn’t want to feel like a burden to me, which is something he would never be but I understood his concern, so I make up a reason on the spot.  “I…um…I’d like to take Winona out for a b-boat ride.”  In the mirror I see her smile, which makes me smile in turn.

He chuckles.  “And you don’t want this old fossil getting in the way?”

“No!”  I laugh.  “No.  We w-want you there too.”

“Three’s a crowd.”

“W-Well it’ll be four with Anna.”

“Touche.”

“B-Besides.  I don’t have my c-captain’s license yet.  Even if I did though, I w-want you to come.”

“Is he trying to ditch us or something?”  Winona quips over my shoulder.  “Come on, Mike.  I’ll buy the fuel AND the beer.”

He laughs and says loudly.  “Hey Winnie!”

“He says hello.”  I tell her, then say back on her behalf.  “She says hi.”

“Didn’t realize we had an audience.”  He says.

I giggle.  “I’m at her p-place now.”

“Ha ha!”  His laugh turns to a cough, which thankfully doesn’t last long.  “Well you two just let me know the day.  Mi bote, su bote.  I’m sure I can rearrange my busy schedule to fit you two in for a couple’s cruise.  My rates are hourly but I’ll give you the Buttercup discount.  Sound fair?”

“Pff!  He he he!  It’s a deal.”  I say.  “Saturday?”  It was a question for both Winona and Grandpa.  “Trip around the island?”  They both enthusiastically agree.

“I can get my hands on a canoe if you want to show her those ruins we found.”  He offers.  “If she doesn’t mind picking it up with her truck that morning.”

“Yes!”  I blurt out.  “That’s a g-g-great idea, Grandpa.  We’ll get it all figured out.”

“Well, my week just got better.”

My heart was so joyful and so alive, yet I knew I had one last unfortunate bit of business.  “I should g-get going.”  I say.  “Hey, Grandpa?”

“Yes, my lad?”

“Um…If M-Mom calls…”  I sigh.  “…just tell her I’m b-busy tonight.  I’m t-turning off my phone and…I don’t want her to w-worry.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing, Buttercup.”  He says.  “You go and have a good night.”

“I love you, Grandpa.”

“I love you, Avery.”  He says back.  “Give that girl a hug for me, huh?”

“Yes Sir.”  I smile.  “Talk to you t-tomorrow.”

“Until then.”

I end the call and let out another sigh.  Turning off the phone I set it back down where it was.  I look at Winona through the mirror.  “It’s all set.”

“Awesome!  I can’t wait.”

After a moment I say softly.  “I’m…glad we’re doing it now.  Wh-When B-Briar and I saw him today…he…um…he looked really tired.”

Winona’s arms tighten around me.  “It’s gonna happen.  He’s sick, baby.”

“M-Maybe s-sicker than he’s letting on.”  I close my eyes and let out a long breath.  “Winona.  Can we not talk about family anymore t-tonight?”

She roots her nose into my cheek and kisses me.  “As you wish.”

I relax back into her before her words strike me.  “Oh!  Princess Bride!  We should b-bring it.  Grandpa hasn’t seen it.  A-And we can show you Th-Three Amigos.  It’s old b-but it’s so silly.”

She chuckles.  “So much for not talking about family.”

“Sorry.”  My head shrinks down guiltily.

“Come on, baby girl.”  She says as a hand glides down the tummy of my thin nightie.  “Before you get a chill again.”

Her arm around me she leads me back out to the loveseat, though not before turning off her phone as well.  We were truly alone, at last.  With the world of worries kept safely at bay for the night we curl up in a big ball on the loveseat snuggled beneath the blanket to watch the end of the hummingbird documentary.  Beneath that cozy blanket our warm bodies press.  Once more hands begin to roam, not just mine this time, and by the time the end comes we were far too busy with smooching to see the credits roll.

Chapter 127