*Mon Seulement Amour (My Only Love)*- [Chapter 8]

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Brian questioned as he put his Lincoln Navigator into park and turned to look at Camille who had turned to lean over Braden’s car seat.

“He’s not home,” she answered noticing that Eric’s car was not in the driveway of the home she shared with him. “He’s probably out looking already.”

“If he’s not home why does it matter if I go in with you or not?” Brian asked.

“Just go around the corner like we planned and wait there until I come out,” Camille responded. “Braden will keep you company,” she joked. Brian nodded in agreement before leaning over and cupping Camille’s right cheek in his left hand.

“Be quick and be careful,” he insisted before setting a soft kiss on Camille’s lips. “Just grab things with your hands, we’ll pack when we get back to Mom and Dads place.”

“I’ll be okay,” Camille promised wanting to reassure herself as well as Brian. “I won’t take too long.”

“Okay,” Brian whispered as Camille opened the passenger side door and slid out of the SUV and onto the pavement. Camille blew out a deep breath before running into the house by way of the garage door. She grabbed a few black garbage bags before running into the house and up the stairs. She ran into her closet and began pulling clothes from their hangers and forcing them into the bags. Once all of her hangers were empty she began throwing her shoes, as well as clothes from her dresser drawers, into the bags. Dragging the bags into the hall she left them there before running into the nursery and grabbing what was left of Braden’s clothes, blankets and diapers and forcing them into the remaining garbage bag.

Brian bit at his nails as he glanced at his watch anxiously.

“Come on Cami,” he whispered before glancing over his shoulder and down into Braden’s car seat where Braden was sleeping soundly. “Where is your Momma?” he questioned.

Camille ran her hands through her hair as she glanced around the living room one last time, wondering if there was anything left she wanted or needed to grab. Reaching up around her neck she realized that the necklace that held her father’s wedding band was missing.

“Where did it go?” she asked as she set the palms of her hands against her temple’s before dropping to her knees and reaching underneath the living room couch, hoping that the cold chain had somehow fallen off her neck when Eric had thrown her into the glass coffee table. When she felt nothing Camille pushed herself to her feet and pulled the three garbage bags to the door that led out into the garage before turning back and running back up the stairs. She practically flew into the master bedroom and began digging through her jewelry box at a frenzied pace. “Come on,” she muttered lowly as she began sorting through the contents she’d dumped out onto the vanity.

“Oh shit,” Brian muttered when he saw a man, who he presumed to be Eric, pull into the driveway and quickly bound through the front door of his home. “Come on baby.”

Camille froze when she heard the sound of the front door slamming. She opened the drawer to the vanity and pulled a velvet necklace box, after opening it she removed the necklace she’d been searching for shoved the chain into the pocket of light blue jeans before tip toeing out of the master bedroom and quietly making her way down the stairs. She peered into the kitchen from the middle of the staircase and drew in a breath when she saw Eric standing at the sink, his back to her. Deciding that she was going to have to make a break for it if she hoped to depart the house without being hit Camille blew out the breath she’d sucked in and quietly descended down the remainder of the stairs. She grabbed the three bags that were waiting for her before turning and making a run for the front door. She threw the door open and fled the house, letting the door slam behind her.

Brian jumped out of the car and ran up to Camille, grabbing two of the bags before turning and running back to the car. He tossed the bags into the seat beside Braden before turning in his seat and turning the key in the ignition.

“The door slammed,” a breathless Camille stated as she hastily buckled her seat belt then shoved the remaining garbage bag down onto the floor before her. “Go!” she insisted. Brian peeled away from the curb and sped out of the court just as Eric was running out onto the front lawn.

“What took you so long?” he questioned as Camille arched away from the leather passenger seat and retrieved the necklace from her pocket.

“I had to get this,” she replied holding up the necklace for a moment before putting it on.

“You scared me to death,” Brian admitted.

“I heard that door slam and I thought it was all over,” Camille agreed before unbuckling her seat belt turning in her seat and leaning over Braden’s car seat. “I thought I was never going to see him or you again.” Brian eased to a halt at a red light before turning to look at Camille who was still bent over Braden.

“Your nightmare is all over,” he vowed before wrapping his right arm around Camille’s right thigh and allowing his right hand to come to rest on the back of it. Camille nodded as she pulled at her wedding rings, not exactly surprised when they slipped off with great ease.

“Take these,” she insisted as she allowed the gold rings to fall into Brian’s awaiting left hand. “I don’t need them anymore.”

“What should I do with them?” Brian asked releasing Camille’s thigh from the hold he had on it and allowed her to slip back down into her seat as he eased his foot onto the gas and proceeded through the now green light.

“I don’t care,” she responded before leaning in and pressing her lips to Brian’s right cheek. “I love you,” she whispered into his ear.

“I know you do,” Brian agreed as he puckered his lips playfully. “Kiss,” he requested as he turned to look into Camille’s eyes.

“Of course,” Camille agreed a soft smile spreading across her face as she leaned in and pressed her mouth to Brian’s

“So how does it feel to be free?” Brian inquired as he reached out and rested his right hand on the inner part of Camille’s left thigh.

“Amazing,” Camille responded resting her right hand on top of Brian’s and squeezing it softly. “Thank you, I never would have been able to do this without you.”

“All three of us can be free together now,” Brian stated. “That is, if you want to be free with me.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Camille whispered feeling for the first time in a long time that she, and her son, were going to be okay. She was finally going to have the family she’d always dreamt of having…with Brian.