A Ballad For Beulah

Beulah was exhausted.

Not emotionally or anything dramatic like that. But Physically. And not physically because she'd been running ragged to throw Mike a big birthday party, because he'd opted not to have one. He simply wanted to stay at home with his family that was now made up of Beulah, Estelle and Bailey. Sure, he planned on going out with the guys to party hearty and get his drink on, but he wanted to keep some things separate.

Which brings us back to why Beulah was exhausted.

See, even the simple, stay-at-home celebration with his family was separated into two different parties. One with the children that consisted of cake, ice cream and presents.

And one with just Mike, Beulah, and hot monkey love.

As soon as the kids were asleep, or at least just in bed, Mike wasted no time in leading Beulah into their room and relieving them of their clothing. Every last article.

He had her in bed, on the floor, in the master bathroom, against the wall and after wrapping bed sheets around their bodies and quietly heading downstairs and outside, they dropped the sheets and slipped into the heated pool, where Mike had her again.

And now they just hovered in the water; their feet barely touching the pool floor. Mike's chin was in the water, while the rest of his head remained above as he looked at Beulah through his eyebrows and blowing bubbles with his mouth.

This made her giggle as she kept her back pressed against the side of the pool and waved her arms around, enamored with the feel of the water against her skin after their latest romp.

"How was your birthday?" Beulah asked with a half smile.

"Couldn't think of a better way to spend it," Mike replied, lifting his head a little to speak without the water muffling his words.

"I'm glad."

Mike just smiled as he swam a foot closer to her and sent his hands underwater to cup the sides of her belly. "I loved the homemade gifts Bailey and Estelle made me, but I think I love this little homemade gift a little more."

Beulah dipped her chin a little and bit her bottom lip. Their was some hesitation before she smirked at him; raising her arms to wrap around his shoulders.

Tilting his head a tad, he furrowed his brow. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Mmhmm."

"You don't really seem that okay," he noted.

"I'm just a little tired is all."

"Would you tell me if anything was wrong?"

"Of course I would," Beulah insisted, smiling and pressing her lips to his cheek.

When she pulled back, he continued to look at her with some apprehension. "I hope so."

* * *

Two weeks later, Beulah turned twenty-six. Four years closer to thirty, which was a concept too weird for anyone who knew her to grasp.

That little Beulah Mason was almost thirty years old.

They often wondered where the bright-eyed, blonde ten year old had gone.

Did she even exist to some extent anymore? Or had life killed her? Or...had her inner child simply fallen asleep? Because it was quite clear that she was a far cry from who she'd once been.

Beulah was more well worn with age and all that life dealt her time and again.

She knew that life was getting better for her.

She was loved by a man who gave her and her son a great home and who was willing to walk across water for them. She knew her son was developing a relationship with his father again, albeit on the downlow.

What else could she ask for that she didn't already have?

Perhaps certainty?

She wasn't sure about how she felt about anything anymore, except that she was sure of her son's happiness.

And, yes, she did love Mike. But...was she in love with him? Or was he just a friend with benefits? It pained her to even think about something like that, but she couldn't help it, because every time Billie Joe came over to spend time with Bailey, her knees got weak.

She couldn't explain why she still felt attracted to him like a magnet to steel. Like a fly to shit. Even after all he'd done, and all he hadn't done.

Part of her still wished for him.

Wished for those rare, stolen moments when he once made her tingle inside and out. Although he left her hollow afterward.

Billie Joe was her heroin. The drug she had become addicted to so long ago, and he was still in her system. And she was very unsure she'd ever be clean again.