Once she got off the phone, she immediately closed her eyes and drifted off to soundless sleep. Half an hour later, Gerald heard his stomach rumble and stopped at a convenience store.

He got back in and before shutting his door, he looked over at Kim. Her lips were slightly parted and her side-swept bangs were covering one eye. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, captivating, tempting. How did he get so lucky to have her by his side now? It only made it harder for him to drop her off. But it was he needed to do to show her that she wanted him, needed him.

He slammed the door shut, and she stirred, opening her eyes slowly. He started the engine and looked at her, sighing. “Good morning, you.”

Kim smiled with her lips and . “Good morning,” she yawned, stretching out her limbs. “How long was I out for?”

“Not long, just half an hour. I knew how exhausted you were,” he looked her and smirked.

She laughed, taking the bag away from him, “What did you get to get my strength back?”

“You mean OUR strength back?” He corrected her. “I got some bagels, chips, candy, and granola bars, since women don’t normally eat.”

She felt completely insulted, “Hey, I eat. I’m not one of those skinny-super-model-wanna-be’s who count each and every calorie they eat. I eat whatever I want, when I want.” She said, snatching a bagel that looked like it had extra cream cheese and took a bite out of it.

He chuckled, “My kind of woman.” The words just came out, rather than planned and filtered.

Kim turned to him and one side of curved into a smile. “You want a bite?” She asked, holding it to his mouth while he kept his eyes on the road.

She angled her body so she was facing him. She stared at his profile. His eyebrows were furrowed like he was concentrating on something. “What are you thinking about?” She asked him.

He smiled, relaxing his face, “I’m trying to figure out what you’re thinking.”

“I’m trying to figure you out. What were you like when you were a kid?” She asked.

He sighed, “What do you think I was like?”

It was Kim’s turn to sigh, he was getting them nowhere. “Well, your nose is straight which means it hasn’t been broken. So I’m assuming you weren’t exactly a fighter. And you have a big forehead,” she chuckled, “probably full of brains.” He smiled. “Or air.” The smile faded, and he reached over to tickle her sides. “Keep your eyes on the road!” She warned. “And big ears also…you’re a good listener.” She laughed.

“Wow, such nice things with one look?”

“It was a good look,” she said.

Kim shortly fell back asleep, and Gerald continued driving. Instead of driving back to her condo, he drove towards his house, or at least what he thought it was. He pulled into a full drive way with balloons sticking to the outside of his house. “What the hell?” He muttered, getting out of the door.

She woke up at the slam of door. She opened her eyes and stretched out her limbs, making the coat he put on her fall down. This obviously wasn’t her house so she climbed out of the car and followed Gerald inside. She stayed by side, and heard him cursing at all the little kids running around with toy swords and pirate hats. “Wow,” Kim muttered. “Anything I should know?” She .

Gerald searched the living room and when he found who he was looking for, he walked up to him. Kim didn’t follow this time, thinking he needed to address whoever was responsible. Instead, she walked outside to the balcony where even more kids were playing.

“What the hell is this?!” Gerald asked his older brother.

“Little bro! What’s going on, man. I thought you’d be later today,” his brother said.

Gerald looked around at his house which was dressed up as a pirate ship. “I don’t remember giving you permission to raid my house. What’s going on?”

“Well instead of yelling at me, trying to make me feel ashamed, you should turn to a mirror. Don’t you remember your nephew’s birthday?”

He rubbed his face, “I guess I forgot with being snowed in and all, trapped in some cottage.”

“Alone?” Kenneth asked. He didn’t answer, he didn’t have to. “Well, that explains the beautiful woman playing with the kids outside that I didn’t invite.” Gerald saw a glimpse of Kim sword-fighting a little boy half her size.

“That’s beside the point. Look, all you had to was call, instead of surprising me with this huge kids party in my house. I thought you were having it in your house.” Gerald pushed back.

Kenneth sighed, “We were, but then your nephew begged us to have it at your house because you have the tree house he loves so much. And when we refused, he started a tantrum, screaming and kicking, saying the birthday boy should get what the birthday boy wants. So we called…multiple times, no answer, and assumed we could finish up the party before you get home.” He explained. “Listen, Sarah and I will clean it up afterwards, and you won’t even know what happened in here. And since you were snowed in, this could be your gift to the little man.”

“His gift is upstairs.” Gerald said. “Fine, everyone can stay, but I want the cake leftovers.” He said walking away.

“Deal!” Kenneth yelled after him.

Gerald walked to the patio where Kim was still playing with the kids. She was still sword fighting with the kids, now with more than one. She looked…happy. She had a smile on her face, and looked actually engaged in her actions, making all the appropriate sounds.

“OH NO! OCTOPUS!!!! EVERYONE BACK ON THEIR OWN SHIP!” Gerald screamed, running towards them, flapping his arms in a wave-like fashion. All the kids were now running away inside the house.

Kim pushed back a wisp of hair away from her face and looked at Gerald who was smiling. “I’m assuming you’re close with this family member,” she asked him.

“Kenneth, yeah. Ever since he became a daddy, I’ve been seeing a lot of them, especially with the Tree House I had built. He thinks it’s his.” He pointed to the tree house which was built much higher than a normal tree house would’ve been built.

“I’m assuming it’s his birthday. The one with the biggest pirate hat?” She said smiling.

Gerald chuckled, “Yup. He lives with the motto: The bigger the better.” He pulled her to a table with a couple of snacks. “My knucklehead of a nephew decided to raid my house without my permission for his birthday.”

“So this wasn’t a plan to charm me?”

“Would it have worked?” He asked handing her a cup of orange juice.

Kim nodded, “I love kids.”

“Then, I might’ve had something to do with it,” they laughed. “How’d you get into that fight in the first place?”

“Oh, um…the little boy in the red wouldn’t stop poking me with his sword, so the girl in the yellow handed me hers.” Kim explained.

“Huh, I would’ve done the same thing to a pretty woman who entered the room.”

Kim laughed blushing. “I hate to ask since it’s your nephew’s party and all, but is there some place where only adults are allowed. Maximum 2 people?” She said looking at him with a y gaze.

He cleared his throat, “The insides are full of adults, so that won’t do. But I do have a place in mine.” He took her hand and led her across the lawn to the ladder leading to the Tree House. Gerald followed her up the ladder, and once they were both up, he pulled the ladder up so no one could get up.

“Amazing thinking Mr. Anderson.” She said, pushing him to the wall, and pressing her lips against his hard.

“Well that’s because of my big brain in my big forehead.” He chuckled, lifting his arms so she could pull off his shirt.

“Ewwwww!!!!!” There were little kids at the bottom staring at them.

“Good thing for curtains,” he said, pulling them across the window. “At least no one can come up here.”

Kim pulled away and looked at him with a warning gaze. “I don’t want to talk.” She said pulling her sweater off, and started kissing him with her tantalizing lips.

Ten minutes later, as they were pulling their clothes back on, they heard a voice yell outside. “Ge and girlfriend!!!! Birthday Cake!!!!!”

Kim turned her head to look at Gerald, “Girlfriend?”

Gerald raised his hands up in defeat, “Those were not my words, and they were his!” He argued.

She pulled on her sweater and ran down the stairs, shivering at the biting cold. “Isn’t a little too cold to be having a outdoor party?”

“Hey, the birthday boy gets what the birthday boy wants.” He said, letting down the ladder, and making his way down.

He then led her to the kitchen where everyone was awaiting and all the lights were dimmed except for the candles. Kim smiled at all the children, but then it passed when she remembered her birthday parties without her parents.

Gerald put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. She looked at him and smiled. He kissed her on the cheek and then joined the kids in singing the song.

They all applauded the young boy when he blew the candles. “Yay!!!!”

In the middle of the gift giving, Gerald excused himself to get something upstairs, and came back with a big box. It was bigger than the boy.

When he opened it, the boy’s face lit up. “Tito Ge!!!! It’s what I wanted!!!” Everyone looked into the box and it was a tree house builder’s kit. “Now I can make it like a pirate ship like yours was!” Gerald pulled his nephew into a big hug and the euphoria in Gerald’s face explained a lot.

Family meant everything to him. It was everything she craved for. A family. And maybe she’d find it with him.

I'M BACKKK BABY!!!! ENJOY THE NEXT COUPLE OF CHAPTERS!!!!