Page 13 of The Twins

Of course, the morning would have gone better if my entire southern hemisphere didn’t feel like a giant bruise. Don’t get me wrong, the pounding Tevye gave me was totally worth it, but I probably should have iced my nethers last night. Maybe I can get an ice pack before my next appointment.

Esther is keeping me busy; I have another consultation this afternoon. And with each one, I am loving this job more and more. I’m grateful Seril came into my support group. And if I’m honest with myself, I might be more appreciative of the hulking man that completely ruined me for all other men. Tevye was an animal, a beast, wild with just the right amount of roughness. I’ve never cum so hard in my life or so many times in one night.

I don’t know what happened last night, I don’t know why he sought me out, but I hope I helped him. I smirk to myself, thinking of the way he let loose, the growls and roar of completion that seemed to echo in my bedroom long after he’d gone home.

Bailey peeks around the entrance to my office, a wicked grin on her usually angelic face. “Don’t worry, I used to walk funny too. Before my body got used to the…girthof the Kosher Nostra.”

“Bailey!” I am a little shocked, but I shouldn’t be by this point. Bailey has a mischievous side that she keeps under lock and key most of the time. I like to think that she’s growing comfortable around me now that she’s letting it out. My chest tightens a little at the idea that we’re becoming good friends, not just co-workers.

The bell above our main door jingles. She winks at me, while welcoming whoever it is with her customer service voice, “Welcome to Suzie’s Support Network, how can I—” She cuts herself off once she’s down the hall and I immediately stand to see what’s going on. “Well, well, well. Mr. Frenkel. What a pleasant surprise.”

Stomach flipping, heart racing, I step into the hallway. My eyes catch Tevye’s as he stands in the main office, Arlo sitting on his hip.

“Bailey.” Tevye nods in greeting, his eyes moving quickly back to mine. “Vandy, I know you have an appointment this afternoon, but Arlo and I were hoping to take you to lunch first.” My lips stretch into what is no doubt an obnoxious smile. We had sex. Phenomenal, explosive, vagina-swelling sex. And I know what he said, and I believed him…but I am still pleasantly surprised to find him here in the light of day in front of witnesses. I shake my head to clear those ridiculous thoughts and step further down the hall. I know his reputation, but I shouldn’t judge him or doubt his sincerity until he’s given me a reason to.

“I would love that.” Taking a chance, I stop inches from him, rub my hand down Arlo’s back, and lean up on my tip toes. Tevye’s lips twitch, then he’s leaning down to meet me, our lips softly caressing until he pulls back with a grunt.

“Get out of my way, Tev,” Ernie states from behind the behemoth. “I’ve got my own smooching to do.” Bailey squeals like a teenage girl at a boy band concert, running the short distance to him and leaping into his arms. They kiss and I stare, unable to look away, waiting to see who successfully swallows the other’s face whole. Good God, that’s a lot of tongue. Ernie walks out of our offices and disappears with her still in his arms.

“They’re gonna go fuck somewhere.”

I glance at Arlo, who isn’t paying us any attention, and back at Tev. My eyebrow rising at his language. “Oh, really? Gee, I never would have guessed.”

Tev smirks, using his hand not holding Arlo, to pull me until our bodies are flush. I feel every hard inch of him and my breath hitches. He’s warm and smells divine. “Watch it, woman. I’ll fuck that sarcasm right out of you.”

“Well doesn’t that sound…” I begin in a sarcastic tone, but my body responds to his threat, and I don’t have it in me to lie, “delightful. That sounds really nice. I’m sarcastic a lot, you know.”

Tevye stands up straight and his laughter booms around the enclosed space. Arlo stares at his dad for a few seconds then joins him with high-pitched laughter of his own.

“Let me grab my purse and lock up.” He nods, and I can feel his eyes on me as I move through the office, gathering what I need and making sure to secure everything before I leave. I know Bailey will be back, but she can use the fingerprint scanner to open the main door since Ernie whisked her away without taking her purse.

Tevye and I move down the corridor, trading glances as we walk. Outside the elevator, Arlo reaches for me, and I take him happily. I chuckle when Arlo gives me a slobbery kiss on my cheek and have to lean against the side of the elevator to hold myself up when Tevye starts gagging because of the slobber all over my face from his son.

“Wuss.” Tev retrieves a handkerchief from his suit pants and hastily wipes me clean. Then he starts digging through my purse while it’s still on my shoulder for hand-sanitizer.

Outside, I shift Arlo to my other hip. A few steps away from the Mishpocheh Consortium building, I nearly trip on my own feet when Tevye takes my free hand in his, curling his fingers to hold tight.

“Wh-where are we going?” I feel myself blush, but this is all so…wonderful. And unexpected.

“Lox, and Teiglach, and Blintzes…Oy Vey!”

“Uh…”

Tev chuckles at my confusion, “It’s a Jewish deli down the street.”

“Ah. I see.” I think it over and grin, “Is it a Mishpocheh Consortium business?”

“Now, Vandy, it’s not nice to assume.” I stare at him for a few seconds as we walk hand in hand down the busy sidewalk. “It is,” he finally admits, and it tickles me more than words can describe.

Since I’ve never been to a Jewish deli before, Tevye has a sampling of just about everything on the menu brought over to our table. I do most of the talking, but we both take turns helping Arlo eat the foods Tev selected for him based on his dietary restrictions.

“I wanted…I wanted to thank you.” He begins hesitantly. His entire demeanor changes in an instant, tense, uncomfortable. I bite the inside of my cheek, so I don’t laugh at him. He’s so cute, not a word I would have ever thought to describe him until this moment. “The food lists, the at-home testing kits, the air filter, vitamins…my family and I have read about MSUD, obviously, and we’ve listened to the specialists and adjusted where we could. But it was all so…stressful. It’s a lot to take in, the constant oversight. What you did—”

“I didn’t do much, Tev.”

He reaches across the table, grabbing my hand and forcing me to look at him. His eyes, a turbulent sea of grey-blue, are captivating. My heart races again and I’m seriously going to have to see a heart specialist. My ticker might not survive Tevye Frenkel. “You simplified it. Concise. Clear. You made sense of the mess that’s been living in my head since he was dropped off. I’ve been…so angry. At his mom. God. Myself. I felt like I had this noose around my neck, tightening ever so slightly with every episode, every tantrum, every medical test. I was failing him, and I couldn’t see it because all I could focus on was that damn rope. But you…” He shifts in his chair, his considerable size causing it to creak. “It’s looser. A little bit at a time, I feel like I can breathe again.”

Tears swell in my eyes, and when I blink, they fall down my cheeks. He’s so distressed by my display of emotion that he stands abruptly, taking a step toward me, then back, and to me again. “No.” That’s all he says, and I laugh as I cry.

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