Precious Stones

by Darrien Lee

  “Why have you been holding this in, babe? You should talk to me when things are bothering you.”

  “I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” she revealed.

  “It’s time for us to cut back on our responsibilities at the office now more than ever, since we’re going to have another baby.”

  He kissed her forehead and said, “I know it’s something we both want to do, but we’re at a critical point right now. I don’t think now is a good time.”

  She walked over to the sink and picked up a wet dish towel and began to clean the tray on Neariah’s high chair.

  “Critical time or not, I’m not interested in opening the Atlanta office anymore,” she announced as she picked Neariah up and placed her on the floor. “But if you want to go ahead with it, go right ahead. I’ll visit a couple of times a year, but I’m not going to be involved.”

  He smiled and said, “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

  She picked up her coffee cup and took a sip and said, “Do I look like I’m joking?”

  Neariah walked over to her father and grabbed on to his pant leg. As she stood there, looking up at him with a huge smile on her face, she held her sippy cup upside down, dripping apple juice all over his pant leg and shoe.

  Feeling the coolness soaking through his sock, Ramsey finally looked down at her and said, “Neariah, you’re spilling your juice.”

  “Daddy!” she squealed. “Juice!”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I see your juice,” he replied as he pulled a towel out of the drawer and cleaned up the mess.

  “You’re going to have to mop that up, or it’s going to be sticky,” Keilah said as she sat down and started eating her breakfast. She felt much better after unburdening her heart with her thoughts. Talking to her brother had helped her with her decision, but it had been weighing a lot heavier on her heart lately, especially with the news of her pregnancy. She was ready to settle down and enjoy her husband and children, but Ramsey seemed clueless about her sudden change of heart about the office in Atlanta.

  Ramsey let out a breath and took Neariah by the hand and led her back over to her mother. Before Ramsey could clean up the mess, Target walked over and started licking it up.

  “Get away, Target!” Ramsey yelled, startling the dog and causing him to tuck in his tail and slowly disappear into the hallway.

  Neariah held on to her mother’s chair and sipped on what was left in her cup as they watched Ramsey mop up the floor. Keilah thought it was humorous to see her husband mopping the floor in a business suit.

  “Ramsey, what are you doing?” Camille asked as she walked into the kitchen and sat some grocery bags on the counter.

  “Cleaning up the rug rat’s mess,” he answered.

  Camille tried to take the mop out his hands, but he refused to give it up.

  “I got it, Camille.”

  She backed up and then greeted Keilah and her special little angel. Neariah ran into Camille’s arms and gave her a big hug.

  Camille kissed Neariah’s cheek and said, “Hello, Neariah. I missed you.”

  Keilah stood and put her empty plate in the dishwasher and said, “She missed you too.”

  Camille grabbed Keilah’s chin and turned her head so she could look into her eyes. “You don’t look well. What’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing’s going on,” Keilah replied as she finished off her coffee.

  Camille rolled her eyes and said, “You’re lying. I know when something’s going on. You’re not getting enough rest, and I hope you’re still taking your vitamins.”

  Keilah gave Camille a kiss on the cheek and said, “Yes, ma’am. In fact, I’m getting ready to take them now.”

  “Okay,” Camille answered as she started unpacking the grocery bags. “Has Neariah had breakfast?”

  “Yes, so she shouldn’t be hungry.”

  Ramsey returned to the kitchen after putting away the wet mop and asked, “Can you see the juice stain on my pants?”

  “Yes,” they answered in unison.

  “Damn,” he mumbled, then headed upstairs to change his clothes.

  Keilah excused herself from Camille’s company and then followed her husband out into the hallway. “Ramsey, I’m going to go ahead and head out.”

  He gave her a kiss and said, “Okay, drive safely. We can finish talking about the business at the office if you want to.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, laid her head against his chest, and whispered, “I know you think I’m psycho.”

  He embraced her lovingly and said, “No, I don’t think you’re psycho. I think you’re a fabulous mother with nothing but love for her family. Life is short, and you want to spend time with family. I get it.”

  She smiled and said, “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, get out of here before we’re both late.”

  Keilah felt a feeling of relief as she watched her man make his way up the stairs. He was undeniably the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she loved him deeply. It was taking all her strength not to sprint up the stairs and rip his clothes off. Then again, why fight it? she thought.

  Keilah quickly went into the hall closet and got Neariah’s hat and coat. She entered the kitchen and found Camille and Neariah playing peekaboo.

  “Camille, I really need to talk to Ramsey before I leave. Do you mind taking Neariah for a walk in her stroller?”

  Camille stood and said, “Sure. As a matter of fact, I was just getting ready to take her to that romper room place she likes so much.”

  Keilah helped Neariah into her coat and hat while Camille slid into hers.

  “We’ll get out of your way. Call me if you need me to pick anything up while we’re out.”

  Keilah hugged Camille and gave Neariah a loving kiss before putting Neariah’s diaper bag on Camille’s shoulder. “Thank you so much.”

  Camille opened the door and said, “You don’t have to thank me, child. I know what it’s like to be young and in love. Have fun.”

  Keilah blushed and waved to Camille as she backed out of the garage before hurrying upstairs to her husband. In the bedroom she found him sitting on the side of the bed in his shirt, tie, and briefs, watching ESPN.

  He stood and started to put on his pants. “Neariah pretty much emptied her cup on my pants. I thought you were gone.”

  She walked over to him and grabbed the pants out of his hands and threw them in the chair. “I forgot something,” she replied as she started unbuttoning her blouse.

  “What are you doing?” he asked with a sly grin on his face.

  In a split second she was out of her skirt and was standing in front of him in a black lace thong and bra. She fluffed her hair with a gesture she knew always turned him on.

  “Are you serious?” He chuckled. “What about Camille? You know you’re loud.”

  She pushed him back on the bed and climbed on top of him. With her lips within inches of his, she said, “Camille and Neariah have gone for a ride, so I can be as loud as I want to be. Now kiss me.”

  He kissed and nibbled on her lips as he ran his hands through her hair. He was seeing a softer, more sensual woman than he had earlier. Her demeanor had gone from one extreme to another, but this was the side of her that he loved most.

  “You know we have a meeting with department heads in an hour, don’t you?” he reminded her as he caressed her thighs.

  She sighed and climbed off him momentarily. He watched her as she picked up the telephone and punched in a series of numbers.

  “Cameron, it’s Keilah. Ramsey and I need you to push our departmental meeting ahead to lunch. Let Sherrie know as well so she can adjust Ramsey’s schedule. We’re going to make the meeting a working lunch, so order lunch from one of the restaurants we normally use. We’ll be in the office shortly. Call us if anything comes up.”

  Keilah’s assistant, Cameron, noted her request and assured her he would take care of everything. She hung up the telephone and turned her att
ention back to her half-dressed husband, who was now sitting up on the side of bed.

  “Now, back to you. We’re getting ready to have our own meeting,” she said as she started removing his tie. “I want you out of these clothes so I can feel your skin against mine.”

  He palmed her backside before lowering her thong and removing her bra. “You really know how to drive me crazy,” he revealed before running his tongue across her navel, causing her to shiver.

  She bit down on her lower lip as she watched him remove his shirt, T-shirt, and briefs. He pulled her into the bed and kissed her lips, neck, and breasts.

  “Ramsey ...” she panted and moaned.

  He silenced her with a long, hard, wet kiss as he began to feverishly make love to her. Keilah’s heart pounded in her chest as her husband’s massive body plunged deeper and deeper into hers. Her body absorbed each thrust, and within minutes she began to tremble out of control. A few more thrusts sent Ramsey’s body spiraling into an enormous release.

  Tears rolled out of her eyes as he kissed her ear and whispered, “I love you, Keilah.”

  “I love you too,” she answered as she held on to his muscular frame.

  He caressed her face and said, “Listen, I’m okay with whatever you want to do about the business. All I want is for you to be happy. If you want to go to home Super Bowl weekend, count me in.”

  “Thank you, Ramsey. I’m so sorry I snapped at you this morning. If it really is a bad time for us to go home, we don’t have to go.”

  He laughed and said, “No, we’re going. This has obviously been weighing heavily on your heart.”

  “It has, but I don’t want to burden you with all the responsibilities.”

  He cupped her breasts and said, “You and the children are the only responsibilities I care about. The businesses are secondary. I would never put them or anything else before you guys. Don’t ever forget that.”

  Keilah could see the seriousness in his eyes and could hear it in his tone of voice. Even now she was amazed that she was lucky enough to have him as her husband. Then again, her brother Luke had always told her that life was not about luck. It was about being blessed.

  “I feel the same way about you too.”

  He continued to caress her breasts in silence, and she noticed how he seemed to be in deep thought.

  “Babe,” she said, “what are you thinking about?”

  He made eye contact with her and said, “I was thinking about the fact that I didn’t make you scream.”

  “I wanted to, but I was being reserved,” she explained.

  “Not good enough,” he replied as he parted her thighs and helped himself to her delicious feminine flesh.

  She immediately responded with breathless moans and pleas of mercy, and within minutes she let out a high-pitched scream of satisfaction.

  Ramsey laughed and said, “On that note ... meeting adjourned.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Michael couldn’t believe that he’d received a phone call from Lieutenant Colonel Biggs’s attorney requesting a meeting. He hadn’t had a chance to find his own attorney, but he decided to go ahead and meet with Biggs’s attorney just to see what their response was to his complaint. Before the meeting, he picked up Madeline, who was going along with him for support. They stopped by the base so he could have a brief meeting with his therapist to discuss possible outcomes to the meeting and what he wanted the end result to be. Feeling empowered, Michael thanked his therapist for the unscheduled appointment, and with Madeline by his side, he headed toward Virginia for the meeting that he hoped would give him a permanent resolution to all the anguish he’d been holding in.

  On the drive there, Madeline felt a little detached from the whole thing, but she wanted Michael to know she supported him. She reached over and put her hand on his and gave it a squeeze. Michael glanced over at her and smiled.

  “Thanks. I needed that. I am a little anxious about all of this. I’m curious about why they’ve called a meeting.”

  “I guess we’ll find out sooner than later. I just want you to know I’m here for you. You’re not alone in this, and it will be okay. We’ll get through this.”

  “I really appreciate your support. I was a little reluctant to let you come, but I’m glad I did, and for the record, you are wearing that navy suit. Your legs are spectacular, and you’re making it hard for me to concentrate on driving.”

  Madeline giggled and said, “Well, once we finish up here, maybe we should hop on a plane to Miami for a few days and take in some sun.”

  “Don’t you have to work?” he asked.

  “I’m my own boss, remember? Besides, I can work and play at the same time.”

  “That really sounds inviting, Madeline, but it all depends on how things go today. Nothing would make me happier than kicking that man’s ass straight to hell.”

  “I hope the bastard falls down dead,” she stated as she stuck a stick of gum in her mouth. “Do you want some gum, babe?”

  Michael chuckled and said, “No thank you. You know, you’re a hard sista.”

  “I’m serious, Michael. He needs to burn in hell.”

  “I agree with you on that one. I’m only doing this so I can get on with my life and so he can’t hurt anyone else.”

  “You’re my hero, Michael Monroe,” she replied with a smile.

  He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as he exited the expressway. “I don’t feel like a hero. I just want to serve out my time and retire so I can live my life.”

  “It’ll happen, Michael, but I don’t want you to walk into this meeting unprepared. Let me act as your counsel. They’ll never know.”

  “Babe, these men are not stupid. What makes you think you can pull something like that off?”

  “That’s where you’re in luck. My father is an attorney, and I spent a lot of time with him at his practice.”

  “Yeah, but you’ll be impersonating an officer of the court. It’s fraud, baby.”

  “Sweetheart, I promise I won’t say a word unless it appears that they’re trying to pull one over on you, and I won’t say I’m an attorney. I’ll just say I’m there to represent you. That could mean a lot of things.”

  He pulled into the academy lot and said, “You really think you can pull this off?”

  “I’m positive. I’ve done it before. Just trust me, babe,” she answered as she winked at him. “Just introduce me, and if I have to show them a business card, I’ll show them this one from my dad’s law firm.”

  Michael shut off the engine and looked at the business card. It had SAVOI LEGAL SERVICES written on it, along with a telephone number and a fax number. He handed the card back to her and said, “Well, you sure do look the part. Okay, I’m going to go along with this, but I pray it won’t come to you having to say something.”

  She gave him a high five and said, “I got you, babe. I’m going to send Daddy a text to let him know I’m representing a friend, and I’ll ask him to let me know if they get a call to confirm my association with the firm.”

  In the conference room of the administration building, Michael and Madeline found Lieutenant Colonel Biggs, his attorney, and what appeared to be a legal secretary seated at the large oak table.

  “Major Monroe, I’m glad you could make it on such short notice,” the attorney said, greeting him. “I’m a representative from the judge advocate general’s office. We thought it was best that we handle the matter as delicately and discreetly as possible.”

  Michael shook his hand and said, “Thank you. I just want to get this settled.”

  The attorney turned to Madeline and held out his hand. “And you are?”

  She gave him a firm handshake, something she’d learned from her father. “Madeline Savoi. I’m here to represent Major Monroe.”

  The attorney’s smile left his face as he glanced down at her firm grip. He hadn’t expected Michael to show up with an attorney, but Michael was an academy graduate and it was a smart move. “I see. Shall
we get started?”

  Michael held his breath as they sat down across from Biggs and his attorney.

  “The reason we called you here is to let you know that Lieutenant Colonel Biggs and I have read over your complaint and the terms that have to be met to make this matter go away. He has no plans to retire, because he still has a lot of work to do. However, he will consider seeing a therapist.”

  Madeline could see Michael tense up, and he was making a fist under the table. She reached over and covered his hand with hers to comfort him. Michael was stunned by Biggs’s refusal to retire, and so was Madeline. Biggs’s retirement was critical to Michael, and he sat there like a deer caught in the headlights, leaving Madeline no choice but to jump in to protect her lover’s interests.

  “That’s not good enough,” Madeline announced, startling Michael. “I’m sure you’re aware that the state of Virginia doesn’t have a statute of limitations on sexual assault.”

  “We are,” Biggs’s attorney replied.

  “Refusing to retire is not an option, unless you want to take this matter to the courts.”

  “Of course we don’t want that,” the attorney replied.

  “Then it would be in your best interests to get your client to agree to all the terms,” Madeline asserted. “Look, if you knew you were going to waste our time, you could’ve told us this bullshit information over the telephone and saved us some gas.”

  The attorney put his hands up in defense and said, “Ms. Savoi, can we all just take a breath for a moment? The last thing we want is to drag this matter into court. However, don’t forget that Major Monroe’s accusations can’t be verified, and all we have is his word against Lieutenant Colonel Biggs’s.”

  Madeline sat up on the edge of her seat and stared right at the lieutenant colonel, who had sat silent, along with Michael, the entire time. She pointed her finger at Biggs’s attorney and said, “And don’t you forget that all we need is one more victim—”

  “Alleged victim,” the attorney interrupted.

  Madeline hesitated and then corrected herself and said, “Alleged victim to come forward to put this case on another level. The lieutenant colonel has had a long career here at your illustrious academy. I’m sure it won’t take much to locate some of his former cadets who had encounters similar to Major Monroe’s.”