a well lit flame

It was an adjustment to Noah and Jonah's Mom to have them all back. It had been a long time. Of course, she'd worried most of it, even before now that something bad had happened to Jonah. She tried her best to keep him out of her mind. But then when Noah ran away, it was just different. She never expected anything like that.

He was her good one. And here he was home now with a pregnant girlfriend. She almost fainted when she found out, but somehow, she had Rick there to help her all through this. To at least one person she knew, she was not Mom nor nurse to him. He called her by her name long forgotten, Mona.

It had been so startling to her. That evening he'd helped her with her car in the grocery parking lot. It wasn't until then that she felt so alone. No son to call to help her out of this predicament. And here was this fine young man able to help her.

Well, he was a very good substitute. She had to repay him somehow. It wasn't that she thought of him as someone she had to have. It was an innocent enough engagement, afterwards. She invited him to a homemade meal. After all, he'd started her car.

Now if she'd told anyone this that she worked with, they would have immediately told her not too. But it had already happened. Just minute steaks, mashed potatoes, green beans on the side. Funny, how she remembered their first meal together. How happy she was to watch him eat.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Rick had downed everything in a split second until he noticed her plate hadn't been touched.

"Oh, I guess I'm not that hungry." Mona had sighed, thinking he must have seen this middle aged woman who was a sad sort. He'd asked about her boys. What had happened. She didn't know. They might have been dead for all she knew. The police didn't seem to care, anymore. It made her a bit weepy to think of such a vast emptiness. "I'm just glad you're here." Mona finally breathed.

Naturally, Rick had cleaned up, afterwards. He said it was the least he could do. It was there in the kitchen while she was drying the last of the dishes that she saw how he was looking at her. His lean arms, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"I guess we need to stop thanking each other, don't we?" She smiled as if this was the end. She didn't really know him. He didn't really know her. But it had been nice. A little dinner. Some talk. It was time for her to be alone, again. "I don't want to keep you from anything."

"But you're not." He promised as his dark eyes stared at her.

"Come on, you must have somewhere to go." Her smile was open. Perhaps he took advantage of it. Because the next thing she knew...he was kissing her, like a rocket on fire.

Maybe it was the fact she hadn't been kissed in a very long time. Or was it just him? He was so intoxicating. Words couldn't be spoken. It was as if he needed her as much as she suddenly needed him.

Honestly, she never did foolish things like this, until she met Rick.