Broken: The sequel to THE PREACHER'S SON

by B. D. Anderson

  The blonde man that had been with her, walked over and talked to another blonde man who Rogers figured must be his brother. Their resemblance to each other was uncanny.

  Rogers hurried through the line and walked over to the coolers that were lined up on the floor to get a drink. A pretty girl who could be no older than twenty was manning the tea and lemonade that were in big orange jugs. He watched as she pushed the button on the jugs and filled the cups that were on the table.

  “Would you like some tea or lemonade?” she asked with a smile. “Or if you prefer water or canned drinks they’re in the coolers.”

  Rogers looked up and their eyes locked. He quickly looked away. He found something about her familiar but he was sure that he’d never seen her before. Then he remembered. She had been singing with Maxine. He wondered who she was.

  “Uh, a can drink will be fine,” he mumbled.

  “Sure, help yourself,” she said. She stared at him a moment. “Do I know you? You look familiar. What’s your name?”

  Rogers tried not to panic. “Oh, I’m not from around here. I guess I just have one of those familiar faces.”

  He quickly grabbed the soda and walked off. He was glad that someone was behind him who had quickly begun talking to the girl asking her about her twins. Twins? He glanced back. She looked like she was still in high school and she had twins! He quickly returned to his seat in the back and tried to remain unnoticed.

  He looked around and noticed that the girl with twins was now laughing as she was talking to another man. The man was older and he could see a resemblance between them. Maybe it was her father.

  Rogers quickly began eating; keeping his eye on everything that was going on around him. Carl came back over to his table as he was finishing up his plate.

  “You find everything all right, Rogers? Sorry I deserted you.” Carl said, sitting across from him.

  “Oh, I’m fine. By the way, who was that girl that was singing with your cousin? I heard someone ask about twins. She looks like a kid herself!”

  Carl laughed. “That’s Max’s little sister Nadine. Yeah, she’s married to one of them Fergusons and she had twins. In fact it happened on the day she graduated from high school. It was the talk of the family.”

  “I’m sure.” Rogers said. So, that was Max’s sister. He had to avoid her too. He saw the two blonde men talking to each other and Max walked over to them.

  “Them two with your cousins must be brothers. They look just alike.” Rogers commented.

  “I’m not sure. Maybe,” Carl replied obviously distracted. Rogers noticed his vague response and decided not to ask any more questions about his family for the moment.

  “You going to eat?” Rogers asked him noticing that he didn’t have any food.

  “Not right now. I don’t have much appetite.” Carl replied sourly.

  Reverend Ferguson came back to the microphone. “I’m glad to have my son and his wife here all the way from New York City. He’s a top model for Chaz. Come on up and say hello, Jeremy!”

  The taller of the two blonde men came up to the microphone. “Hello, everyone. It’s good to be back home and I hope to be able to get around to talk to all of you before Aura and I return to New York. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!” He handed the mic back to his father.

  “It’s good to have my son back home.” Reverend Ferguson laughed. “A lot of people get him and my nephew Matthew mixed up and I’m used to that. Just the other day someone told me that they saw Jeremy in Wal-Mart, and I knew that it must have been Matthew.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “That’s all right, Uncle David. I’ll be your son while Jeremy’s away,” Matthew yelled up to him and everyone laughed at his comment.

  Rogers watched the scene with interest. So Max’s little boyfriend was named Matthew.

  He quickly ate his piece of pumpkin pie then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and walked over to Carl.

  “I’m going out for some air. Let me know when you can take me back,” he said.

  “If you’re ready, I’ll take you back now,” Carl said. “I could use a break.”

  Rogers could tell that he was upset about something. They quickly returned to his truck and he pulled out.

  Carl Jessup was quiet all the way back to the halfway house. Rogers was glad. He needed time to come up with a plan. He would take his time. No mistakes this time. He wanted everything to be right when he revealed himself to Ms. Maxine James!

  Matthew took a deep breath as he looked at Jeremy and Aura. It was obvious to him that the two of the loved each other. He had to give it to his cousin; he’d never hesitated in declaring his love for her even when Matthew had confronted him.

  It had dampened their relationship, Matthew knew that much. Jeremy had been polite, but cool toward him. Matthew couldn’t blame him. He’d acted like an ass and now here he was ready to be in a relationship to Max. He knew that he owed Jeremy an apology.

  He walked over to his cousin and touched his arm. Jeremy turned around surprised.

  “Can we talk?”

  Jeremy paused for a moment. “Sure Matthew.”

  Matthew led Jeremy outside to his car and leaned against it. Jeremy crossed his arms and looked at him and waited.

  “Look, I’m sorry about the way I acted about your interracial relationship.” Matthew began. “I was dead wrong for the things I said to you in my Mama’s kitchen that day. I should have supported your choice. We’ve been close all our lives, like brothers and now we barely talk. I know it’s my fault.”

  “Yeah, it is,” Jeremy replied looking at him. “I was really hurt by your attitude, but Aura is the woman that I wanted so I had to move past that.”

  “I just want you to know that I apologize and that I think it’s great that you stood up for what you wanted. You stood up to your father and the whole family and I commend you.” Matthew said, extending his hand.

  Jeremy stared at him a moment and then took his hand and shook it.

  “Where is this coming from Matthew? What changed?” he asked curiously.

  “I changed,” Matthew replied firmly.

  “Oh really?” Jeremy said, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. “You just had an epiphany, huh?”

  “Something like that,” Matt hedged not looking Jeremy in the eye.

  “And your brother? You accept his marriage also?” Jeremy pressed.

  “Yeah, he’s happy and I’m happy for him.”

  Matthew looked up and found Jeremy still staring at him.

  “What?”

  “So, you just all of a sudden decided to accept interracial relationships after all you’ve said to me and to your brother and who knows who else?”

  Matthew exhaled. “That’s right. A man has a right to change his mind, you know.”

  “Or be enlightened?” Jeremy asked.

  “Yeah, or be enlightened, or have an epiphany as you say, OK,” Matthew said. “Why is it so hard to believe that I could have a change of heart?”

  “Could Maxine James have anything to do with your change of mind and heart?” Jeremy asked with a crooked smile.

  Matthew’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

  “Maxine James, you know Eric’s sister-in-law?”

  “You knew!” Matthew snapped. “You knew and you stand there making me grovel!”

  Jeremy snickered. “You know Myrtle Beach is not that big. Yeah, I heard about you and Maxine hanging out from my mother by way of your mother.”

  “You are so wrong from that,” Matthew replied giving him a playful punch in his arm.

  “So what’s up with you and Maxine?” Jeremy asked smirking.

  “We’re trying to see where it goes.” Matthew replied quietly. “I don’t know. I just know that, well, what I said and thought and what I feel for her are two different things.”

  Jeremy laughed and slapped him on the back. “I’ve never seen you so humble in all my life. I should have recorded that apology on my phone. Miss James must reall
y have your nose wide open.”

  Matthew opened the door, and they walked back in the building.

  “You don’t know the half of it,” Matthew replied dryly.

  CHAPTER 19

  Whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure without fear of evil. Proverbs 1:33

  The Thanksgiving dinner was a huge success as far as Rachel and Max could tell. Everyone appeared to have had a good time and several people told them that the Thanksgiving get together should be an annual event.

  Nadine looked around and saw that the twins were fast asleep on Charlotte and Janet’s lap with Rachel sitting between them.

  “I appreciate you two watching the girls.” Nadine said, walking over to them.

  “Well, I need to get in practice.” Janice said, beaming. “I think I’m pregnant!”

  “Well, congratulations!” Nadine exclaimed. She looked around for Nathan and she saw him talking to his father. “I have to give Nathan my congratulations also.”

  “It’s not official yet.” Janice said. “I have a doctor’s appointment next week, though I’m pretty sure that I am.”

  “Well, good for you!” Nadine said, giving her a hug.

  Max put some of the leftover food in her sister’s car as Nadine and Eric came out carrying the girls who were now wide awake. Max watched as she and Eric strapped them in their car seats.

  “I’m exhausted.” Nadine groaned. “I’m going home and just stretch out!”

  “Sounds good to me.” Max replied as they shut the car door. “I’ll be home a little later.”

  “You and Eric go on,” she said to Nadine. “I’ll hang around until Rachel is ready to leave.”

  “Are you sure it’s not because of Matthew?” Nadine teased. “I know he’s still in there talking to his family.”

  “You think?” Max said, laughing.

  “Uh-huh. Well, you two better be home at a decent hour or I’m grounding both of you.” Nadine teased. She followed Max back into the building and stopped her once they were inside.

  “Max did you see a gentleman in a Mets baseball cap wearing jeans and a checked button down shirt, an older man maybe fifty or so?”

  Max looked at her in surprise. “Not that I can remember. Who is he?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Nadine said. “He looked familiar, but I don’t think he’s in Eric’s family. I remember him from somewhere else, but I can’t remember where.”

  “I don’t know. I wish you had pointed him out; maybe I would know,” Max said, walking back out to the car with the tablecloths she’d rented. Nadine was on her heels.

  “Yeah, but anyway, I got distracted, and then I forgot all about him.”

  Max looked up and saw Eric and Matthew coming toward them.

  “Max, I think that’s it. They are about to lock this place up. I’m heading back to the house,” Eric said and walked around to the drivers’ side to get in.

  “We’ll talk later,” Nadine said, getting into the car.

  “All right,” she replied as she got in and shut the door. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  She waved as they pulled off and left the parking lot. She knew that Matthew was still standing in the doorway watching her, and she turned to him.

  “I guess this is goodbye. I’m heading home,” she said, quickly walking to her own vehicle.

  “Come by my place,” he said, following her. “It’s still early.”

  “I don’t know, Matthew.” She’d never been to his house alone before, and she hoped that he wasn’t expecting something from her that she wasn’t ready for.

  “We still haven’t discussed the boots. Just for a little while, Max,” he said as he put his arm around her. “Now that you’re my girl, we’ll have to discuss boundaries, appropriate presents and such.”

  “All right,” she said. “Lead the way.”

  She got in her car and followed him to his condo. She pulled up in the driveway and parked behind him.

  He led her inside and she was impressed. His place was large and spacious, much too big for just one person. Max knew that Matthew had money as it was obvious he’d paid good money for the expensive furniture and paintings on the walls. The place hardly looked lived in and she wasn’t sure that she would feel comfortable even sitting on any of his furniture.

  “Wow, Matt. This is nice,” she said, looking around. She ran her hand over the overstuffed leather sofa.

  “Thanks,” he said, tossing his keys on the table. He showed her around. There was a large living room and den and a nice-sized kitchen. He place had three bedrooms that included a huge master suite.

  “Well, you have plenty of room that’s for sure,” she said, looking around.

  “Now that we’re together maybe you can come over and fill up some of this space,” he ventured.

  “I don’t know about that,” Max said, walking out of his bedroom. She felt a little nervous being there and headed back to the den and sat down. Matthew was watching her but didn’t say anything. She kicked her sneakers off and rubbed her foot through her socks. Her feet hurt a little from all the standing she’d done earlier.

  “I hope you don’t mind. My feet are killing me from all that standing,” she said, looking up at him.

  “Let me,” he said, taking her foot and putting it on his lap after sitting beside her. He took her sock off and began rubbing the ball of her foot.

  “I hope my feet don’t stink,” she said, snickering, trying to hide her nervousness at his touch.

  “A little sweaty, but I can handle it,” he replied grinning and then turning his attention back to her foot.

  Max could not believe that she was here in his home with her feet in his lap and him rubbing them. His touch was very soothing and she could feel herself relaxing. He took the other foot and removed the shoe and sock and began rubbing it also.

  “I could get used to this,” she said, closing her eyes and lay back against the overstuffed pillows.

  “I want you to,” he replied. Max could hear his breathing and noted that it had changed somewhat. She opened her eyes and looked at him, their eyes locking.

  He let her foot go and stood up. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “No thanks,” she said, sitting up. She watched him as he went to the bar and poured himself a drink. He came back and sat beside her.

  She was very aware of him and watched as he downed the liquor. His large brown eyes were warm as he was looking at her with a look of hunger. It was the same look that he had that night in the gym and she could feel her heart beating hard in her chest. She wondered if he wanted to kiss her, because she certainly wanted to kiss him!

  “Matt…”

  Before she could say another word he pulled her to him, his lips seeking hers. She groaned at the contact and the heat the radiated from him.

  He was gentle, but she could feel the tension. She felt his hands on her breasts as he kissed her, his finger pinching and circling her nipple through her clothes.

  Max broke the kiss and his lips then traveled to her ear and to her neck. What he was doing was causing more wetness between her thighs and she was somewhat embarrassed. She felt him unbuttoning her shirt and a part of her wanted to tell him to stop, to pull away but her body had a mind of its own. Her bra was suddenly loosened and she realized that he’d unhooked it. He then freed them from the confines of the cups, squeezing them.

  “Matt…”

  “Just let me kiss you, Max” he murmured. “I missed you so much; I realize that I’ve been an idiot for not calling you. Forgive me?”

  He bent down and then took a nipple into his mouth and began to suck. She could only moan in response. His fingers were pulling on one nipple while his lips sucked the other and she loved the feelings he was creating inside her. Her panties felt as if they were stuck to her skin and she knew that she had to stop him. Her center was throbbing with need at an intensity that she’d never before experienced.

  “So sweet
, so beautiful,” Matthew groaned as he switched breasts, pulling on her large nipples gently with his teeth.

  Max liked what he was doing and the way it made her feel, but she realized that this foreplay was taking her down a road that she was not yet ready to travel. She pushed him from her with all the strength she could muster.

  “Stop,” she said, breathing hard.

  He stepped back, and she quickly pulled her shirt together to cover her breasts.

  “I didn’t come here for this,” she stammered. She wanted him to continue, but a part of her needed to know if he would stop if she asked him to.

  He looked at her sympathetically. “Max, I won’t hurt you.”

  Max looked away. “I mean, no one’s ever done that to me before.”

  “You have beautiful breasts, Max,” Matt said, moving closer to her. “You liked what I did, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, I liked it,” she admitted. “But I’m not ready for, you know.”

  “I know,” he nodded. “I just wanted to please you, make you feel good. This isn’t about me, not yet. I want to show you something different than what you’ve experienced. Don’t you want that, Max?”

  Max looked at him and then looked away. Thoughts of Nadine and Eric invaded her mind and the memories of their coupling in the hallway. Her breasts ached from Matthew’s touch again and a part of her did want to know more, more about intimacy between a man and woman. She had to admit that she liked the way he made her feel, but needed to trust him that he wouldn’t take it too far. Could she trust him?

  “What are you thinking?” he asked quietly.

  Max looked at him. “Is this all you want to do, just kiss my breasts?”

  “No. I want to kiss you all over, Max. Does that scare you?”

  His confession sent a wave of heat throughout her body. Max licked her lips and looked at him.

  “I’ve wondered what that was like,” she admitted. “But maybe we’re moving too fast. I mean we just got together, Matthew.”

  “If you’re wondering then at least you’ve contemplated doing it in your mind. You’re curious and I want to satisfy your curiosity. I need you to trust me to know that I won’t do anything that will make you uncomfortable.”