by Ancelli
“I love you too. I’m so proud of my big brother.” Javier lifted his glass. “To you.”
Jazmine smiled, winking at him. They looked at each other, and he understood everything she tried to convey in that simple gesture. His sister-in-law was one hell of a strong woman. Everything she endured, and she was still standing tall.
“Jazmine.” He placed his arm around Jewel, pulling her forward. “Thank you for marrying my baby bro. If not, I wouldn’t have found the love of my life.” He kissed her cheek.
“Really!” Jazmine chuckled. “She’s a piece of work.”
“She’s my piece of work.” José laughed.
It was the night before the grand opening of Exquisite Delight. Tyron wanted him to have a private celebration with his family and friends. Tyron had turned out to be more than he’d ever had in a friend. His old friends back home were always looking out for themselves, but not his mentor, who’d given a simple thug a chance. Not always. That was the lesson he’d learned. Not always…sometimes it wasn’t how it seemed.
José gazed at Jewel right by his side, the way it was supposed to be. Not behind him or in front of him, but right beside him. José remembered that talk he’d had with Javier months ago, about the type of man she deserved. And he was finally that man to give her all she needed and wanted, and to make sure all her dreams came true.
“Muñeca…” His voiced cracked as he watched her gorgeous smile, and the tears running down her cheeks.
“Where would I be without you?” He wiped at her falling tears. “I went from having nothing at all to having everything.” He touched her belly, their inside secret between them. They hadn’t told anyone about the baby. Jewel wanted to make sure everything was good with the pregnancy before they shared the news. Even so, her baby bump was staring to show. In five months, he would be holding a new life they created. “Baby…all this,” he waved his hand with the glass in the air, “is happening today, because of you. You loved and believed in me, when even I didn’t.” José bent down and kissed his bride-to-be. “You are everything to me.”
“What about me, Daddy!” Carlitos made everyone in the restaurant laugh.
José chuckled, staring at his son. “I saved the best for last.” He winked at Jewel. “I was getting to you.” His son resembled him more and more each day. He’d invited Olga and her boyfriend, but they’d declined his invitation. “Mi hijo,” José bent down on his knees to his son’s level. “From the day I looked into your eyes, I knew I needed to do better. I needed a change, I just didn’t know how to.” He glanced around the room. “Each one of you in this room made a difference in my life. Carlitos, I hope I made you proud to be my son, because I’m proud to be your dad.”
Carlitos jumped into his arms, spilling a bit of his champagne on the marble floor. “Dad, I have always been proud of you…because you are my daddy.” His embrace got tighter.
By now, everyone in the room had tears in their eyes. Jazmine wiped her face with a gold cloth napkin. Maria was bawling, and his dad raised his glass again. “That’s my son!”
“To my brother!” Javier stood, making everyone stand. “Cheers.” They all lifted their glasses in the air, and then took sips.
José kissed his son on his forehead, and stood.
Jewel tapped her glass with a gold knife, getting the attention of their families. “This man standing right here has made me see my life in a different light. José, you made me live again. You made me believe in myself.” She rubbed her tummy. “We have some news we would like to share with you.” She looked over at Emma, holding her little girl, Ralph had his arm around her seat. Emma’s smile reached from ear to ear, and then he looked over at Janice and Jazmine, and he could tell they already knew the secret. “We wanted to make sure everything was good before we shared.”
“Spill!” Michael yelled, sitting next to his wife.
“We’re having a baby!” José blurted out.
Carlitos’ little mouth dropped open. “I’m going to be a big brother?”
“Yes!” José ruffled his son’s hair.
“Finally!” Her mother jumped out of her seat and rushed straight into Jewel’s arms. “Why are you drinking?”
“That’s sparkling cider.” Jewel let her mom smell her glass.
“Otro morenito.” Maria chuckled. “Another grandbaby to spoil, and send back home.”
José had already shared the news with his dad and Javier. They both smiled. Jewel’s dad hadn’t attended the dinner, but the people who mattered the most were present. All of his family were there, including his grandmother Elba and his grandfather.
His grandmother walked up to him and hugged him tight. “I always said, you could do better, and you have.” She cupped his face in between her soft hands. “I heard you’re doing great things with those kids at the boys and girls’ club.” She gave him a peck on his lips. “We all make mistakes. It’s what we learn from them that makes us better.” He smiled as his grandma ambled away over to Jewel’s mom. It was exactly the same thing Jewel had told him months ago. He had some amazing women in his life.
“Congratulations!” Jazmine yelled, hugging him next. “A baby?”
“Yes…me and my wifey are having a baby.” José touched her midsection, and then stared at Jazmine, Jewel, and Emma. “She told you, didn’t she?”
The ladies laughed in unison. “Of course! She couldn’t keep something like that to herself.” Janice chuckled.
The two families started to talk and mingle. “You look so familiar,” his grandmother Elba said to Jewel’s mother. José glanced over at his parents, and saw the look that his dad gave Mrs. O’Neal. Papo’s eyes widened as he looked over the rim of his glass.
José shook his head. Naw.
José took Jewel’s hand in his, guiding her outside on the terrace overlooking a man-made lake. He had to admit, the restaurant was top-notch. It had a wraparound balcony, overlooking the lake and waterfall fountain, for the VIP guests.
“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” He combed through her curls with his fingers.
“Yes. However, I never get tired of hearing you say it.” Jewel gazed at him.
“I always thought I wasn’t good enough.” He choked on his words. He’d never experienced all the emotions he’d been through in the last couple of months. Growing up, the most he’d ever felt was pain and anger, and now all he felt was acceptance and love.
She caressed his neck. “You were always enough for me.”
José bent his head, giving her a feathery kiss on her lips. “Not always, but now I am.”
Epilogue
Nine months later
Connie opened the newspaper as soon as she saw his picture on the front page.
From rags to riches…Born to unwed teenage parents in New York, up-and-coming new chef José Martinez has taken the city by storm. Rising from an extremely poor neighborhood, growing up in poverty, his mother and father sacrificed themselves, working two jobs, moving to give their children a better life. At the age of, seventeen José dropped out of high school, took up with the wrong crowd, and was convicted on drug possession and carjacking. Later released for good behavior, at the age of thirty, Martinez received his GED, and went from being a janitor/busboy to being one of the best chefs in the state, proving that dreams do come true if you believe in yourself. He volunteers his time helping inner-city teenagers, guiding them to make the right choices in life.
Martinez has been an open book about his past. He was an average Joe who beat the odds and rose up on his own terms, and is now married to our very own Teacher of the Year, Jewel O’Neal. Like I always say, don’t judge a book by its cover… second chances, who would’ve thought this would be the outcome of a high school drop out --- —Brandon Stokes.
Connie couldn’t believe José had made it big. There it was in black and white, a picture of him and Jewel. She read the article over. That could’ve been her, if she’d given him a chance, if she’d looked past his mistakes, a
nd into the future. Why hadn’t she seen him for who he really was: a good man who’d made a few mistakes—but who hadn’t? She’d felt a pang of jealousy when Jazmine had mentioned José and Jewel were engaged and expecting a baby. That should’ve been her. Why was she so stupid? The author of the article was right. Don’t ever judge a book by its cover.
Connie remembered the last time she’d spoken to José. She had to admit she did let Jewel assume they were sleeping together. She’d been jealous, and wanted Jewel to hurt. Thank God Jazmine hadn’t turned her back on her, but she did tell her Jewel and José were off limits, because if she had to choose, she would always side with her sister. Connie had purposely run into him at Rio when he was on his way in to work. She’d overheard that he and Jewel were no longer together. She needed to try one more time; however, it didn’t work. José was so far gone with Jewel, she could see the love he felt for her each time he’d mentioned her name. He’d been kind to her and wished her the best with Aaron. She’d regretted her decision picking Aaron over José; Aaron had been fired, been living off her for months. She’d kicked him out several times, but he wouldn’t leave.
If Connie was being honest with herself, she didn’t want him to leave. She didn’t want to be alone, so she settled, even though the one thing she hadn’t wanted was exactly what she’d ended up with. Her eyes filled with tears as she rubbed her baby bump.
Someone knocked on her office door, bringing her out of her thoughts. “Come in.”
The door pushed open and Jazmine strolled in with a couple of folders in her hand.
“Hey, mama.” She didn’t wait for Connie to tell her to sit. “I have the statistics for last month.”
“You can leave them. I’ll read them over later.”
“What were you reading?” Jazmine leaned forward and picked up the daily tabloid. She smiled. “José made the newspaper!” she said with joy. “I have to call Javier.” Then she glanced at Connie. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just my hormones.” Connie wiped at a falling tear.
Jazmine watched her with pity.
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m okay.” Connie glanced out her office window.
“Are you?”
“No.” She sighed. “That could’ve been me, okay?”
“Yes, it could’ve, but you chose your status before him.” Jazmine studied her. “Connie, what’s done is done. José’s happily married, and you are expecting a baby with someone else. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. José became what you’ve always told me you wanted in a man. You were too arrogant to give a man like him a real chance. You said, and I quote, he was beneath you.”
“Thanks so much for making me feel better.”
“Sorry, but the truth hurts sometimes.” Jazmine looked at the picture. “Even if he had married someone else, I would be telling you the same thing. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself, and move on. You have a beautiful baby to look forward to.”
Connie finally smiled. “I do.” She patted her belly. “I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Lessons learned.” Jazmine placed the papers on her desk, handing her one of the reports. “Now back to work.
***
“Joe!” Jewel entered the nursery with a big smile on her face and the newspaper in her hands.
“Shhh!” He placed his index finger over his lips. “I finally got her to sleep.” Baby Maryann and Carlitos were the lights of his life. His little girl was a tiny replica of Jewel, even her skin color. Maryann was daddy’s little girl in every sense of the word. She would wait up for him to come home from work; only then could she finally fall asleep. José couldn’t wait to come home to his family.
“Dad!” Carlitos ran into the room, waking the baby up. Her almond-shaped eyes fluttered open. Every time she smiled his heart melted. She had him wrapped around her little fingers.
Jewel started laughing. “Oops.”
“Yes, son?” José had taken Olga to court and was awarded joint custody. He was given every summer and every other Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break. At first it had been hard for his son to accept his father was having another child. Carlitos felt like José would love the baby more because she would live with him. José sat his son down, and explained to him that he loved them the same and things between them would never change. Carlitos would always be his first-born. The boy jumped for joy when he’d heard of the ruling from the courts. Like always, Jewel treated him like he was hers.
“I passed the last level in my video game!” He danced, pumping his fist in the air. Jewel placed the paper on the baby’s dresser, and joined in his little ritual.
“Really, dude?” José patted the baby’s back, trying to get her back to sleep.
“Yes!” he beamed. “I’ve been trying to beat my own record.” He strolled over to José and showed him the device.
José looked at the gadget. “Congratulations.”
“I bet I can beat your record.” Jewel arched her eyebrow, twisting her lips.
“I don’t think so.” Carlitos ambled towards the door. “You’re a girl.”
Jewel opened her mouth, and then covered it with her hand. “I can’t believe you just said that! Just for that I’ll have to prove you wrong.”
His son smiled from ear to ear. “It’s a date, Ma. I’m going to take Coco for a walk.”
“Okay,” said José. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
“Miss Anna doesn’t seem like she’s going to sleep anytime soon.” He looked down at his smiling daughter. “What did the newspaper say?”
“It’s a small article about you.” Jewel watched him.
“About me?” Who would write an article about him? He wasn’t interesting. José rocked back and forth in the chair, Maryann touching his chin with her tiny hands.
“Yes, in the dining section.” She grabbed the paper, and started proudly reading out loud.
José chuckled; he couldn’t help it. They’d actually made him sound like he was somebody.
“It’s not that bad, they even included me.” Jewel beamed. “But did they have to include the rags-to-riches.”
“It’s the truth.” He stood and settled his baby girl over his shoulder. “I don’t care that people know about my past. I’m not ashamed anymore. Because of what I went through, I’m here today.” Maryann was finally falling asleep.
“And I’m so proud of you.”
José walked over to the crib and placed the baby on her back.
“The restaurant is the number one in the city, according to the Daily News.” Jewel fingered down the list.
José strolled behind his amazing wife and circled his arms around her waist. He took the paper out of her hands, and dropped it on the floor. “I don’t need anyone to accept me but you.” He sucked on the sensitive skin beneath her ear, making her moan. “Muñeca, thank you.”
“You’ve always been number one on my list.” She twisted in his arms, gazing up at his eyes. Jewel wrapped her hands around his neck. “Joe, I always knew you would do great things. You just needed to see it for yourself.”
He smiled. “I see it…”
“Finally! You were enough then and you’re enough now.”
José’s hands roamed down her ass. “Carlitos is outside. Maryann is sleeping.” He glanced around. “Let’s go practice making a baby.”
Jewel’s eyes widened. “Baby!”
He gave a deep chuckle. “I said practice.”
Now it was her with the naughty, dirty look in her eyes. Jewel cupped his face, her lips touching his, and in a matter of seconds, their tongues were playing a game of tug of war. His dick throbbed painfully behind the zipper of his jeans. Jewel slowly pulled back, catching her breath.
She started unbuttoning her shirt, then darted out of the nursery. “Catch me if you can.”
José ambled out of the room, closing the door behind him. He smiled, observing his little boy playing in the back yard with their dog. He looked around, catching the white fe
nce in the yard, and laughed. He had the wife, the kids, the dog, and even the freaking picket fence.
“Are you coming?” Jewel shouted.
Life couldn’t get any better. Thank you God, for never forsaking me. José hauled off to their bedroom.
The End
Thank you for reading. I appreciate you!
Ancelli’s Books:
My Best Friend
Stronger Than Ever
If Only We Knew
Forgiveness & Second Chances
Love In Strange Places
Barely Breathing
Love Through Pain
Love’s Sacrifice
About the Author
On my spare time, I love scribbling and making my words come to life. I love writing romance stories about couples that go through trials and come out stronger. Love is never easy, but it's worth all the hard work. I would like to hear your opinion whether good or bad, you can leave your comments at:
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