Babes Stripping For Love

“I’m really not sure about this,” Mara said the moment they left Cody at school, and they were going to head on to meet her grandparents.

“I know, baby and that’s okay. I will be there with you.”

The drive to the hotel where her grandparents were staying didn’t take long. Mara was still nervous about the whole thing though Charlotte’s words of assurance kept coming back to her mind and Keegan was going to be with her.

When they arrive in front of the presidential suite Keegan kisses Mara on her cheek, telling her that it’s okay if she wants to change her mind.

“No… no, we’re here. I can do this.”

Her smile was strained, but before he could say anything else the door opened and an older man greeted them. Her grandfather. Behind him was an older woman whom he introduced as her grandmother, Alma. She was teary, and his eyes were glassy when he was at his wife’s side wrapping his hand around her shoulder.

“My dear Reuben, she looked just like our Marcella.” The tears fell and Mara didn’t know how to react, so she inched closer to Keegan.

“Mr. and Mrs. Newton, this is Mara Kingsley, and I am Keegan Byrne, her boyfriend.” He offered when he saw Mara was lost for words and they were still standing in the hallway.

“Oh my… where are our manners, please come in.” Alma, her grandmother stepped back and let them into their suite.

They have chosen to meet in the hotel room rather than a restaurant, not wanting their privacy to be interrupted by the waiter or other people.

“I didn’t bring Cody with me. I hope you understand.” Mara commented with a tight smile on her face. She knew that he could see that she was not feeling comfortable. Mara knew that he was trying to understand the situation and just be there for her. Mara realized that she was not ready though she was feeling conflicted when she saw how her grandparents reacted to seeing her.

“Oh sweetheart, we’re just glad that you agreed to meet with us. Please…” She ushered both Mara and Keegan to the living area where there were tea and snacks already waiting for them. Her grandfather took a seat on the two-seaters and patted his side before her grandmother sat next to him. Mara and Keegan sat on the other two-seaters across theirs.

“So, how are you, Mara?” Her grandmother asked as if it weren’t their first meet.

“Keegan told me that you knew everything about me and Cody.” Mara couldn’t get the feeling out of her chest soon enough. They were in front of her, her grandparents. They were pretending everything was all good between them while Mara still hated the fact that they hadn’t come to her aide when she needed them the most. Years ago. Maybe if they did, her mom would still be alive.

“We did,” Her grandfather replied, he seemed to know where the conversation was going to go when he took his wife’s hands and entwined them with his. It might look sweet if Mara had met them at another time, but not when she was there to confront them about her life.

“So, you know that I have to work as a stripper to put a roof over me and my brother’s head and put food on the table?”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Mara, we’re very sorry…” Alma replied though it was quickly interrupted by her granddaughter.

“Why would you want to take me and my little brother back now, when you had all the time in the world before this? You could’ve saved Mom.” She almost choked on her words and her hand reached out to Keegan instinctively.

“We didn’t know about Marcella. We had to stop hoping when she called us to stop looking for her.” Her grandmother replied. “You have to believe us, Mara,” Tears were staining her cheeks and her husband was handing her a box of tissues, before resting his arm around her shoulder.

“Mara, you have every right to be upset…” her grandfather tried to explain though Mara already knew that she wouldn’t give a shit. She didn’t even want to come there in the first place.

“UPSET? Me… getting upset because my grandparents decided to want us many years later? After everything I did to survive, after watching my mom struggle for her life? after finding your so-called precious daughter beaten to death by her husband and seeing my little brother sitting, crying, hugging her dead body?!”

Alma was sobbing in her husband’s arms and Keegan had to put his hand on Mara, telling her to take things slowly with her grandparents. “Why don’t we take a breather?”Keegan helped her to her feet ushered her to the windows and hugged her.

Mara was too emotional, and she was letting it all out to the older couple who were practically strangers to her. She knew that it was wrong, her mom may have been flawed but she didn’t raise her to be that kind of woman. But then it was her mom that put her in such a situation in the first place. Mara could feel Keegan’s hand on her back, caressing her, trying to calm everything down. But she was not having it. She spent years worrying about her safety, even when her mom was still alive, the second she married her stepdad Mara knew she was in for a shitty ride.

“Mara, baby, we talked about this. Do you want to take a break? We can go back and come back another day.” Keegan asked softly, without looking at her grandparents. She knew he didn’t give a damn about what they’d say. Keegan was there for Mara. He knew that it was up to her whether she wanted them in their lives. Not the other way around.

Keegan didn’t stop her when she walked back to her grandparents and sat down. Keegan followed, taking his previous place, and sitting next to her. “Look, I’m here to tell you that Cody and I are doing great and I don’t see why we would want to connect with you. I love Keegan and so does Cody. We’re a happy little family. Keegan will support us while I look for another job. In the meantime, I have spare time to spend with my brother.”

“We can get you a job, please… let us do our part. Let us show you that we want to make this work. Give us a chance to mend what we did wrong with Marcella, and also with both you and Cody.” It was her grandfather, Reuben that offered a better solution.

It caught her attention, but still, she smirked as if she was challenging them to make things right between them. “What job are you offering? I’m sure you know I have no college degree since I run away from home with Cody.”

“We are aware. We can also offer to pay for your college education. You can work while studying for a degree. We have no idea what your interests are but we can pay for that too. You can go to a college counselor and seek your options, polish your high school grades, and get into the university of your choosing. Anything, even if it means that you will have independence and won’t need us in the future. Please, Mara… let us help you.”

“What kind of work?” Mara asked again, still not sure if she wanted to go to college and divide her time between taking care of Cody.

“We have several offices and small businesses. You can work as an entry-level assistant, or at a managerial level at one of our restaurants. You will receive training and if you don’t like it, you can quit and we can find something more to your liking.”

“Alright. You can give Keegan the details via his email and I’ll look it up.” Mara got up and Keegan followed her to the door of the suite. “This doesn’t mean anything. I don’t want you getting your hopes up.” Mara said, though her tone was already softening.

They parted without any loving gesture, but Mara knew she could use their help. She might have been hurt by her grandparents, but she was not stupid. If they can help her go further in life and make things better for her and Cody then she was going to use the opportunity that she was given.

“It’s still too early to pick up Cody. Where do you want to go?” Keegan asked once they were in his car

“Can we go home? I can use a cuddle. It was very draining back there.”

“Of course, you want to pick up some ice cream? We can watch a movie.”

“Yeah… sure, we’ll watch a movie. No ice cream. I’m feeling more like a glass of white wine to soothe my nerves.” She leaned in closer to kiss her boyfriend and deepened it, silently promising something more once they arrived back at his.

“Fuck, baby, we should visit your grandparents more.” He groaned when she cupped his cock, sensually kneading it to his liking.

“Well, get the car moving then.” She winked and calmly rested back in her seat like she didn’t just tease her boyfriend and make him hard as a rock.