Chapter 28

After he hung up, Richie found himself too restless to sleep. He looked around, his bags were by the door, all ready to go the next day; there wasn't anything on TV he cared to watch and he couldn't focus on the book he had brought. He stretched out on his bed and put the radio on. Maybe he could relax enough to get a little sleep.

He closed his eyes and Faith's face swam in front of him. He could see her as she was when they were last together. Hair slightly mussed, lips slightly swollen from their kisses and totally sexy. His jeans were becoming increasingly uncomfortable the more he thought about her. He was so wrapped up in this thoughts of her that he barely recognized Eric Clapton, one of his idols, coming out of the radio.

How can I explain
This feeling that's true?
Honey, I can't hardly stand it,

I wanna make love to you.

I ain't gonna try to tell you

How it's made me so blue,

Sitting alone here and wondering.

I wanna make love to you.

Richie groaned, you gotta be kidding here he was missing his woman and this song of all songs had to come on. The combination of the song and thinking of Faith and the last time they were together was too much for him. His hand crept down and massaged his hard on. Releasing the button and zipper provided momentary relief. He took matters into his own hand and, with Faith's name on his tongue, he found the release he had been seeking. It wasn't anywhere near as satisfying as if Faith had been there, but it would have to do for now and he was able to get a bit of sleep.

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As the days passed, Faith grew more and more irritable. She wasn't sleeping well, she was busy enough for three people and Hannah was taking the brunt of it. "Hannah!" Faith yelled, "how many times do I have to tell you..." it was the same old thing and Faith was at the end of her rope. She sat down on the couch and Hannah ran off to her room crying. Leaning her head back and closing her eyes she sighed and cursed herself. She felt bad about making Hannah cry. She walked down the hall and knocked on Hannah's door. "Can I come in?" She heard Hannah snuffle "yeah" and let herself in the room. Faith walked over to Hannah's bed and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean to make you cry." Hannah wiped her eyes, "what's wrong with you mom?" Faith looked down at her "wrong with me? Nothing why?" "You keep yelling at me, you aren't smiling much anymore and you are crabby a lot."

Faith pulled Hannah close, "I'm sorry baby. It's just that, well, Richie went away and I miss him." Hannah hugged her mother "well, I hope he gets back soon so you will be happy again. I don't like it when you yell at me." Faith smiled at her, "I'll try to keep the yelling to a minimum." Hannah smiled at her mother. "Can I ask you something?" Faith looked down "sure." "Do you love him?" Faith didn't answer right away. She was surprised by the question. If she hadn't admitted it to herself, how could she tell her daughter? She looked at Hannah, "You know honey I think I do." After she said it she knew it it was true. Without a doubt she loved him. She smiled at the thought. Hannah smiled "I thought so." Again she surprised Faith. "You did?" Hannah nodded her head, "yeah, you look like you did when daddy was still alive and you loved him, right?" Faith hugged her tight, "I did love him honey, a part of me always will." She helped Hannah get ready for bed and, as they said their goodnights, Hannah hugged Faith. "I love you mom and I am glad you are happy." Faith just about cried. "I love you too baby."

The next few days passed peacefully for Faith and Hannah and she thought a lot about what they had talked about. She loved him, knew it without a doubt, but telling him was another matter all together. She was weeding her garden one afternoon and contemplating different ways to tell Richie when a long shadow fell over her.

Richie had gone to Faith's almost as soon as he stepped off the plane. He stopped at his place long enough to drop his luggage off and get his car. He stood watching her, loving the way her shorts rode up a bit when she stretched and the way a stray lock of hair caressed her cheek in the breeze, the way she instinctively knew what was a weed and what was flower. His heart clenched and he could hardly stand to not touch her. He moved closer and his shadow fell across her.

Faith looked up and had to squint against the sun, but she knew who it was. "Richie" she whispered. "Hi darlin'." She started to stand just as he reached for her and she was in his arms before she could fully get her legs under her.