Chapter 33

Sunday is spent at home in contemplation, and taking comfort from one another. Having the fact that we are so fragile thrown in your face like last night, it really makes you start to think about the important things in life.

Anna is wearing only her favorite Padres tee shirt and Derek is wearing the bottom half to his pajamas that are in the color and pattern of his Scottish half of his ancestry. Anna is fit, trim and absolutely beautiful with her hair still being a little bedraggled. Derek is still very fit from his high school jock days, his Army Special Forces days, and his usually regular workouts. With all of that in mind, it is our hearts and souls that make us beautiful.

Anna fit right into Derek’s world. She quickly understood that this is now her home, too. This home was always a sanctuary of solace for Derek, but with Anna there it has become so much more. Whether they are eating breakfast still half asleep or sitting on the couch watching a baseball game, they know they are no longer alone in a world that can oftentimes be cold and cruel.

For Derek, Anna is all that and so much more. So much more than he ever could of wished for in a mate. The love flowing through his heart is powerful and wonderful and he promises to himself that there will not be a day that goes by, that Anna does not know that she is loved and appreciated.

For Anna, Derek, now this home, and the promised life, is all she’s ever wanted. She has had tragedy in her life, and she has had love in her life. Her foster parents, brother, who gave his all for his country, and her sister couldn’t have loved her anymore even if she were blood. But nothing compares to the feelings that are overwhelming her now. When she looks at Derek, she sees forever. For a foster child, forever holds an allure that few others can comprehend.

With all these thoughts and feelings flowing through their minds and hearts, respectively, they are in a bubble of omnipresent love and comfort. With compassion, kindness and care do they greet each other every morning, and with laughter, love and support do they make it through another day blessed to have each other.

After their meager, but healthy breakfast, Anna and Derek find their way to the couch, a place that is quickly becoming one of their favorite spots. They can cuddle, they can sit side-by-side letting their shared warmth grow their love, or they can move to one side or the other and work at a task that must be worked at.

It is true that Derek has an office where the computer, now computers, are, that they both use when needed, but Derek never thought he would find a woman who could sit there in silence and not interrupt him. In every way possible Anna is perfect for him.

As they sit side-by-side watching the morning news all of these thoughts and feelings are flowing through them. Anna smiles and cuddles into Derek. She brings her legs up and rests them on his thigh. Derek puts his arm around Anna and the moment is perfect.

Derek looks down as Anna has her head nestled into his neck and he notices her looking up at him with a divine smile on her pretty face. Derek smiles. “What are you smiling at?”

“Nothing.”

Derek kisses her hair and rubs her arm. “Anna?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you, very much! Every moment of everyday you make me feel like a wanted man, in the good way.”

Anna laughs and repositions herself so she can kiss him. “I cannot even begin to put into words what you do for me, but I know this above all things and that is I love you more than I have ever loved anyone before in my life.”

“Thank you.” smiles Derek.

“And thank you.”

Derek is getting ready to continue when there is a knock at the door. Derek’s eyes go big as he says, “Hmm, I wonder who that could be?”

Anna’s eyes narrow to slits as she expects a ploy. But it is no ploy; it’s simply a dozen long-stemmed red roses by special delivery. “What’s that?”

“I just felt that I needed to give you some more flowers.”

“Oh, they are beautiful, thank you!”

As Anna takes them into the kitchen to get a vase, Derek says, “I also sent a dozen to Lisa from the both of us.”

“Oh, that is nice. Can we go by later and see them?”

“I don’t see why not! If you are feeling up to it maybe we’ll ride over.”

“Let’s take the Dyna Wide Glide so she doesn’t think we are forgetting her since we put her out in the backyard under a tarp.”

Again Derek marvels at Anna’s beautiful heart. Derek smiles, a thing he has not been able to stop doing since he met Anna. “I think that is a wonderful idea!”

Derek walks into the kitchen and sees Anna leaning up against the counter as she is filling the vase with water. The more her baseball shirt rises up the back of her thighs, the more something of his rises. He comes up behind her and while kissing her neck he runs his right hand around her and down her lower tummy.