Upgrades

"No, the shop is closed tomorrow," she told him.

"Then I thought maybe we could all go play putt-putt and maybe have a kind of picnic lunch somewhere before the weather turns cold."

"Oh, gosh. I haven't played putt-putt in forever, but I know Rain will love it. Can I at least make up the picnic basket?"

"That's okay. There's a little store that actually makes them. The whole thing—basket and all. I'll pick one of those up complete with the checkered tablecloth. You can bring something for us to sit on if that's okay."

"I feel like a freeloader," Rachel said, but he could tell she was smiling.

"I like taking care of...my girls," he said hoping that would be well-received.

He could 'hear' her smiling again before she said, "Well, your girls...will let you take care of them...this time. But next time, we take care of you. Deal?"

Rodgers smiled, too, then said, "Deal. Can I come pick you up around 11am?"

"Yes, you can," she told him. "Oh, and I want to ask you something tomorrow, too, okay?"

"Do I get a hint?" he asked.

"No, you have to wait," she told him.

"Hmmm. Okay, I guess that's fair because I have something to ask you, too."

"Copycat!" she said playfully.

"No, seriously. I do want to ask you something."

"Okay, well, so do I so I guess we'll ask each other tomorrow."

There was a quiet moment before Rodgers said, "Rachel?"

"Yes?" she replied softly.

"I wish I could kiss you right now," he told her.

He heard her sigh then say, "I wish you could kiss me right now. Maybe tomorrow? You know, after we ask each other something?"

"Promise?" he said not wanting to hang up.

"Promise," she told him before ending the call.

"Damn!" Rodgers said when the call ended. He smiled then said out loud, "Mom, you better like this one or you're gonna have a long rest of your life ahead of you."

For the first time in years, he started whistling as he got ready to take care of a bunch of little things that had to be done around the house. Dusting and loading the dishwasher were almost as enjoyable as doing the laundry.

There were around 25 different areas specifically designated for picnics in the Seattle area. Rodgers checked a few out on line and found one that had a playground for Rain so she could swing and play on a slide her last day before starting school.

"This is really nice," Rachel said as they spread out the checkered tablecloth. "I brought some beach towels to sit on although I've never been to a beach before."

"Never?" he asked not sure he heard her correctly.

"Well, we went clam digging once at Copalis Beach when I was a little girl, but it was cold and nasty and that's my only experience with a beach."

"Yeah, that makes sense. If you haven't been to California, Hawaii, or the East Coast, beach has a very different meaning."

As they ate, they watched Rain playing on the playground equipment. "So what did you want to ask me?" Rachel said.

"Well, I know we just met and all, but I was hoping maybe you might join me for Sunday dinner with mom this weekend."

Rachel laughed and said, "Oh, my! That's exactly what I was going to ask you. I told my mom I'd met someone I...kind of liked...and she, well, she can be kind of pushy about, you know, 'marrying me off'."

"Oh, I know about that all too well! My mother is relentless! It's THE topic of conversation at every dinner unless I get very firm with her and tell her to give it a rest. I mean, you'd think I was 50 and still single or something."

"Oh, I get it! My mom wants Rain to have a father. Okay, a step-father, but as far as my mom is concerned, any decent man will do."

"Well, whoever...steps in...with Rain will be a very lucky man. She's just about the sweetest little girl I've ever met." Rodgers saw Rachel smiling and obviously enjoying his comment so he added, "I think her mom is pretty great, too."

"For the record, her mom thinks you're pretty great, too."

"Do you think your mom would be open to having dinner somewhere with my mom? And us, of course."

"I'm glad you added that. I'm not sure how well my mom would do alone with yours," Rachel told him.

"Same here. My mom has it in her mind I need to marry a doctor or some other professional."

Rachel's smile disappeared and she became very quiet.

Rodgers put his arm around her and said, "Hey, we've had this discussion. And I'm definitely not my mother. I love her, but she doesn't think or decide for me. She doesn't even get a vote. Okay?"

Rachel still wasn't speaking. "Can I tell you something?" he asked.

"Okay," she said in a hollow voice. "Given a choice between my mother or my wife...okay, girlfriend...I'll support my wife or girlfriend every time unless it's something totally outrageous." She still didn't respond. "What I'm trying to say is...I love my mom but I'm falling in love with you."

A tear fell from her eye and her pain was killing him. Finally, she spoke. "I don't want that kind of tension. I don't want to feel like that every time your mother looks at me. Like I'm not good enough for her son. I don't think I could deal with that, Phillip."

He slid around in front of her and said, "Hey, there. Can you please look at me?" Slowly, she raised her head until their eyes met. "Now, may I tell you something?" Rachel nodded but didn't speak. "I can assure you...no, I can promise you...my mother will love you. But she'll have to meet you and get to know you for that to happen." He took her hand and said, "Once she sees how amazing you and what a good mother you are, and..." He paused then reached for her other hand, "How much I love you...she will, too."

Rachel reached up and wiped her eyes with her hand then said, "I've had so much pain and hurt, Phillip. I don't think I can handle any more. And if your mom did see me as some kind of...gold digger or whatever...that would kill me." She'd been looking down as she spoke then looked up at him before saying, "Because I'm falling in love with you, too. Not with your job or your education but with the kind, sweet, caring man who's so good to me and my daughter."

"Rachel? I'm going to say this one more time so please listen very carefully, okay?"

"K," she replied barely audibly.

"I will never hurt you. Ever. Period. End of story." He slid back around to her side and said, his mouth right next to ear. "I love you, Rachel."

She was crying again. Not hard, just big old crocodile tears. "I've waited for so long to meet someone like you, Phillip. Someone who could not only accept my daughter but love her, as well."

"I do love her," he told her. "I would love nothing more than to be that guy who steps into her life." He kissed her cheek then said, "And into yours."

She turned toward him and forced a smile. "Please, please don't hurt me."

"Never," he whispered as he put his arms around her and held her tight.

"Mommy! Watch me!" Rain called out. She was at the top of the slide holding the rails on either side.

"Okay! I'm watching!"

She sat down and zipped down the slick metal until she hit the sand below. "Did you see me?" she hollered.

"I did! Good job, sweetie!" her mom called back.

"You wanna play with me?" she called to both of them.

"I do!" Rodgers said standing up and offering Rachel his hand.

"How about I push you on the swings?" he said as he walked toward her.

"Okay, just one more time on the slide and then we can swing." In a flash she was up the ladder and down the slide. Rodgers was waiting at the bottom and scooped her up and lifted her high above his head in one smooth motion. Rain laughed hard and said, "Put me down! We have to go on the swings now!"

As he lowered her down, Rachel was right beside him smiling at her daughter. "Were you crying, Mommy?" she asked.

"Just a tiny bit," she admitted.

"Are you sad?"

"Not anymore, honey. I was afraid for a few minutes, but Phillip made feel better and I'm okay now."

"Yeah, he's very nice. He makes me feel good, too. Come on! Let's go swing!"

They spent a couple more hours enjoying the last of the warm summer sunshine, blue skies, and low humidity. The day was perfect not only in terms of the weather but with regard to who it was they were with.

Just before they got ready to pack up Rodgers told Rachel, "I could get used to this."

"Me, too," she said smiling happily this time. "Or should I say, us too?"

"I believe it's 'we' too, but..."

She pushed him hard to enough to knock him over then started laughing as she fell on top of him. "Grammar Nazi," she teased as she looked into his eyes.

Something happened to both of them at that very moment as their eyes locked in a kind of intimate dance. Rachel pulled her pretty hair behind her ear and leaned down to kiss him. Rodgers kissed her back then rolled her over and was on top of her. "I want to make love with you," Rachel said as she pulled his head down and kissed him again.

"We could go to my place and put Rain down for a nap and take one of our own," Rodgers told her.

"I have no intention of sleeping," she said without smiling. "I...I want you so much, Phillip."

Rain did not want to take a nap, especially at Rodgers' house, but she was exhausted and fell asleep after crying for several minutes of protest.

"Still interested in that nap?" he asked her.

"Uh-huh. The no-sleeping nap," she said as he took her hand and led her into the bedroom.

Rachel had never wanted any man so much in her life. Rodgers wanted to be tender and romantic. She needed sex. She tore his shirt off and flung it then did the same with her own top. "Get my bra off and fuck me," she said huskily as she worked on his pants.

Clothes were all over the room as she pulled him on top of herself then rolled him over and got on top. "I need to see your face," she said as she reached for his thick cock, lining up with her intake valve. She was utterly drenched in her own wetness and as she lowered herself onto him, he slid in effortlessly all the way to the hilt.

"Yesss!" she said as he filled her. She stared into his eyes as she raised back up before lowering herself back onto him. "You feel so good inside me, Phillip," she gasped as she ground hard on his metal shaft.

Once she'd had him for a while, she lifted herself off, got next to him, then put one arm under his back as she took him in her mouth. "That's so hot watching you taste your pussy," he told her as he stroked her hair. "You are so incredibly gorgeous!" he moaned as she sucked and slurped.

"You taste so good," she said as she briefly came up for air. She was massaging his balls as she bobbed up and down, bringing him right to the edge.

He lifted her head, rolled her over and slid between her legs and repaid the favor. She was as wet as any women he'd even been with. Rachel was more turned on than she'd ever been and in just seconds she was coming so hard she felt like she might shake apart. She gasped and bucked and tensed and released as his tongue pressed against her clit without relief.

"Oh, my God. That was...amazing!" she cried as her spasms subsided. "Can you please get back inside me?" she begged. As good as his tongue and fingers felt, she desperately needed his cock inside her. She'd had bigger a time or two, but not my much and none were any better. Best of all, Rodgers' face was so handsome, it alone was almost enough to make her cum. She'd recently masturbated several times dreaming about him just kissing her and...saying those three little words she'd heard today for the first time.

As he re-entered her, she recalled him saying, "I love you, Rachel" and she came a second time.

As her body shuddered, she pulled him close and held him as hard as she could. "I love you so much, Phillip," she said those words needing to be spoken.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he said tenderly as he felt her body calming once again.

"You can cum inside me if you want," she said sweetly. "I'm on the pill and I trust you." She was holding his face in her hands as he slowly drove his cock in and out of her wet pussy. "Or...or I could swallow you," she said smiling wickedly. "I can be a very nasty girl," she teased. "I love to swallow. Your choice."

"Mmmm. So many choices," he said smiling at her. "You choose."

"I could use some extra protein," she said trying not to laugh as she pushed him off of her. Seconds later, she had him in her mouth again, stroking his cock with her hand as she used her lips and tongue around the head.

"Oh...sssshit!" he groaned as his balls released a very large stream of cum into her mouth. Rachel kept her lips wrapped tightly around him as he bucked and jerked sending several more warm streams of goo her way.

She held it all in her mouth, and after he was done, she briefly showed it to him, then swallowed every drop in the sexiest way he'd ever seen.

He pulled her on top of him and said, "You are so amazing," he told her. "In and out of bed."

"You're pretty amazing yourself, Doctor," she said before she kissed him again.

Rachel slid off him and put her arm over his chest. "I've never been so happy before, Phillip," she told him.

He kissed and told her, "Same here. You're everything I've ever wanted, Rachel. I still can't believe how lucky I am. Had I not chosen to upgrade my cable boxes..."

"I'm so glad you did," she told him while staring into his eyes while laying on side looking at him.

Rodgers smiled then said, "And as fate would have it, I've also gotten an unbelievably wonderful upgrade where women are concerned."

"Mmmm. No kidding," she said thinking back to Mark for a brief moment. "Upgrade indeed." She reached for him and smiled. "Speaking of up...grades..."

Moments later, he was rock hard and making love to his gorgeous new girlfriend again.

After, they quickly showered together and were sitting on the couch kissing when Rain walked in after waking up from her nap.

"Why are you guys kissing so much?" she asked, her little cheeks still red from sleep.

"Because we love each other," Rodgers said. Rain came over and stood between them so they made room and let her slide in between them.

"I love both of you, too," she said laying her head on her mother's arm. She sat there quietly for a few seconds then said, "Mommy? Can we come live here in Doctor Rodgers' house?"

Rachel looked over her daughter's head at Phillip who smiled at her. "We'll see, okay?" she told her. "Hey, do you want a snack or something to drink?"

"Can I have some apple juice?" she asked.

"Sorry, I'm fresh out," Rodgers said. "How about some nice, cold milk?"

"Okay," she said as she sat up. Rodgers offered her his finger which she grabbed then followed him to the kitchen.

"How about some graham crackers with your milk?" he asked.

"Oooh! I love graham crackers!" she said with a happy smile.

Rachel was standing next to her daughter as Rodgers said to Rain, "I love your mommy and I love you, too. Is that okay?"

He sat her milk down and as she clutched the glass with both hands said, "Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be okay?" She took a big gulp and both of the adults laughed quietly.

The happy new couple settled on neutral territory for the 'big meet' where two worlds would either collide or meld. Rachel suggested getting a sitter but Rodgers had a different idea.

"My mom's going to fall in love you just like me. But if Rain is there, it'll happen a lot faster."

"She is pretty irresistible," Rachel agreed.

"Just like her mother," Rodgers told her as he kissed her. "You look so amazing, by the way."

Rachel refused to let him buy her a new dress for their dinner and instead wore the best one she had. It was still pretty, but it was definitely dated. What mattered to her is that she be herself, not something his money made her into. She had no interest in his money and had never asked how much he had. For all she knew, he could be horribly in debt between the clinic, his house, and car, and she wouldn't care. Conversely, he could be rich from some kind of inheritance and that wouldn't matter, either. What she loved was the way she made her feel; like she was all that mattered in the world. Well, her and her beautiful daughter. Love mattered. Money did not.

After the perfunctory introductions and pleasantries, each adult had a glass of champagne in front of them while Rain had a sippy cup with ginger ale. As Rodgers stood to propose a toast, Rain took a drink and coughed. "It's all bubbly and choky!" she said.

Rodgers watched his mom and the way she smiled told him that little girl was a big hit. What he didn't know was how she felt about the new adult love of his life.

"Rachel and I have found each other at a time when we needed someone more than we can put into words. However, before that, we each had someone in our lives we could turn to..." He looked right at his own mother before continuing, "And lean on at any time. Someone who is always there for us; someone who's on our side no matter what. I'd like to propose a toast to the most important persons in our lives—our mothers."

Both women lowered their heads briefly in embarrassment but clearly loving the sentiment. Rachel and Phillip drank to them and the two moms to the other. Rain took another sip then belched loudly. Everyone laughed as she blurted out, "This makes me burp!"

"Phillip?" his mother said as he sat down.

"Yes?"

"I only have one question."

"Ask away, Mom," he said.

She looked at Rachel and said, "Do you love this woman with all your heart?"

He looked at Rachel and took her hand then said, "Yes, I do."

"Well, that's good enough for me." She smiled at Rachel and said, "If Phillip loves you, so do I."

Rachel went to thank her but Rain piped up saying, "What about me? Don't you love me, too?"

Everyone laughed again as his mother said, "Yes, we do, honey. We all love you very much."

"I love all of you, too!" she proudly declared with a big smile.

Rachel's mom told Phillip she loved him as well, and that she was so happy her daughter—and granddaughter—had found someone so decent and caring. "And handsome!" she adding causing more polite laughter.

"Um...speaking of love," Rodgers said. He looked at Rachel then said, "I've got it bad. In fact, this may be a fatal case."

She smiled at him and said, "I'm beyond hope, too, Doctor."

"The only cure I know for this kind of love is...more love." He stood up and moved his chair out of the way then reached in his pocket and produced a small, black, velvety box and knelt on one knee in front of Rachel who was already shaking.

He opened it and said, "Rachel? I could make a very long speech about how much I love you..." He looked around at Rain and said, "You too, sweetie...but I've said enough words. I only have four left. Will you marry me?"

Everyone in the restaurant was watching in silence as Rachel's hands shook and tears streamed down her face. Every woman was holding her breath waiting for her answer. When she managed to choke out a 'yes!' a collective sigh of relief rang out followed by loud applause and calls of 'congratulations!'

Rodgers slipped the large diamond ring onto her fingers and told her, "I love you with all my heart, Rachel, and I always will."

"I love you, too, Phillip," she said trying her best to stop crying. "And I always will."

Rain had gotten up and was looking up at her mother. When she finished she grabbed Rodgers leg and said, "I love you too, Doctor Rodgers, and I always will," she said repeating what everyone else seemed to be saying.

He picked her up and set her on his lap and said, "Would you do me a favor?"

"Yes, I will," she said very seriously.

"Would you please call me Phillip..." He looked at Rachel who understood and she nodded back to him. "Or...Daddy?"

She looked at her mom to make sure and Rachel said, "It's up to you, honey."