“Yeah, he’s handsome, but there’s so much more to him.”
“Handsome? Honey, your man is fine as hell! Don’t even try to act like he ain’t! You know I don’t go for them pretty light skin types. They usually full of themselves. But humph, yeah that’s special out there.”
“He’s very special, Sheila.” Janine quipped.
“I’ll bet he is,” she said raising her brow and oozing inappropriateness. “Big, strong hands and feet too.”
“Stop it!” Janine laughed.
“I know its good, ‘cause you goofy as hell around him. Café latte must be laying some serious pipe. I’ll bet he like to grab your ass with them big hands too, huh?”
“You know what? You need to stop!” she couldn’t stop blushing at her cousin’s antics.
“Girl, I’m just glad to see you so happy.”
“I am happy. I really am.”
“If anyone deserves it, it’s you.”
Janine embraced her saying, “Thank you!”
“So you really gettin’ married by a judge? I mean, I’m cool with it, but I know your mama really isn’t. She was upset you had your first wedding in Chicago.”
“I know. Michael and I need to talk through it, but we really haven’t made any arrangements. We’ve only been living together for a couple months. There’s a lot we’ve got to figure out.”
“Well, you know how Granddaddy feels about it.”
“It never occurred to me they wouldn’t be comfortable flying.”
“They almost ninety! What did you think?”
“I guess I didn’t.”
“Why don’t y’all come down here and get married at Congregational Baptist? Then have your party on the island.”
“Maybe. Like I said, we need to put some more pieces together. We have time.” Handing her a plate to dry she asked, “So how’s everything with you?”
“Girl, I’m good. Real good.”
“And Jerome?”
“You mean is he still clean?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, he is. Working on five years. I’m so proud of him. He’s really holding it down. He’s going to his meetings and staying away from them mothafuckas he was running with.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Best thing that ever happened was you getting him into that rehab center. I just knew he was gonna be in jail or dead from that shit.”
“I just found him a place.”
“And paid for it!”
“That was the easy part. You were the one who stood by him and believed he could do it.”
“Like they say, you never know how strong you can be until you don’t have any other choice, right?”
“Right.”
“Strong runs in this family. We may not have much, but we got that.”
“We’ve got more than that.” She hugged Sheila tightly.
Putting the last of the dishes away, she asked, “So what’s Michael’s family like?”
“I haven’t seen them in over fifteen years. But, they were…interesting.”
“Interesting, how?”
“Let’s just say the first time I met them, they were clear we weren’t ‘equally yoked.’”
“What the fuck you mean?”
“Oh, they were polite about it, but they didn’t think I was what he needed or what was best for him.”
“Fuck ‘em! You ain’t marrying them anyway!”
“Like I said, it’s been a long time ago. I’m supposed to have lunch with his mother and then a family dinner when we get back.”
“They Bougie, right?”
“Very.”
“His daddy was a surgeon, so they got lots of money, huh?”
“His grandfather was also a doctor and owned several businesses in Detroit. So yes, he comes from money.”
“How much? We talking a few hundred thou’ or seven figures?”
“I’m sure his parents are at least eight figures, but I don’t know how much he has.”
“Damn! So his parents are rich, but he’s what…”
“A trust fund baby…from his grandfather.”
“Trust fund? Get outta here! Girl! That’s white people shit.”
“Believe it or not there are black people with them too,” she chuckled.
“So…I mean, how much is he worth?”
“I don’t know.”
“What you mean, you don’t know? You ‘bout to be his wife, you better know.”
“Sheila, I’ve never asked him how much. He’s very low key about it. Whatever it is.”
“You better ask! I’d be all up in that bank account asking all kinds of questions.”
She couldn’t help but laugh, “I’m sure he’ll tell me one day. It used to be an issue. But it’s not anymore. I have my own money.”
“What? ‘Cause you ballin’ like that?”
“No, but I’m definitely okay.”
“Humph. Okay or not, you need to know so you can plan accordingly.”
“That’s not why I love him.”
“I know that, but I’m just saying…”
Janine’s mother interrupted them. “Sheila, your momma and daddy bout to go. They’re taking Mama and Daddy with them. Y’all come say ‘goodbye.’”
Sheila and Janine followed her mother out to the living room where Uncle Raymond and Aunt Carol were helping their parents prepare to leave. BJ, Caleb, Donald and Michael came in from the patio to say their goodbyes as well. They all hugged the elders as they made their way out the door. The younger generation started gathering empty serving dishes, card tables and chairs. Within an hour everyone else departed leaving Janine and Michael alone with her mother.
“I guess we ought to get going too, Mom.”
“What? I thought y’all were staying here.”
“We booked a hotel.”
“Why in the world did you do that? There’s plenty of room in here! I even got your room ready for you.”
“My room?”
They reserved a hotel room because of her mother’s strict rule about unmarried people sleeping separately under her roof.
“There’s no ring on your finger yet, but Michael made clear in front of the family he’s making you his wife. So yes, you can use the room.”
Janine looked at Michael. “Sweetie?”
“I’m fine with it. I’ll just cancel our reservation.”
She appreciated his accommodation. “Okay, we’ll stay. We’ll get our bags out of the car.”
“I’ll get them, you relax with your mom.”
“Thanks, Sweetie.”
He went out to the car to get their few things while Janine went down the short hallway to the bedroom her mother had set up for them.
“I really like him, Honey. He seems like a real good man.”
“He is.”
“He’s going to do everything he can to make you happy. That’s all you really need in a man.”
“I know he will. He’s put up with me for a long time. I love him with all my heart.”
“The way he looks at you, I’d say he feels the same way about you.” They hugged and she continued, “I’m tired. I been cooking all day. I need to get off my feet and get some rest.”
“Okay.”
Michael returned with the bags and came into the small bedroom with the sweetest smile on his face.
“I’m heading to bed now. Michael, it’s been so nice having you here. I know we didn’t get to spend much time this evening with all the family here, but we can talk and spend some time tomorrow. All right?”
“I’d like that. Thank you again for the warm welcome.”
“Aw Baby, that’s how we do in this family. Y’all have a good night and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night,” they said.
After undressing, they settled into the full sized bed, lying naked close together. With his arm wrapped around her, she felt at peace, safe and deeply loved.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
>
“For what?”
“For putting up with my family. I know they can be…”
“They’re good people. I see where you get it from. I should be thanking you for sharing them with me.”
She snuggled in closer kissing him lightly on the lips. “Did you really have a good time?”
“Absolutely. I’ll never eat pig feet again…but yeah, I did.”
“You didn’t have to eat it, you know,” she giggled.
“It’s rude not to.”
“Well, I promise never to cook them for you.”
“Thank you,” he chuckled.
“My cousins didn’t drill you too badly did they?”
“No, but they did share a few things about you.”
“Oh really? Like what?”
“Like how you helped out Caleb when he got out of prison. They love you very much.”
“They’re like brothers to me.”
“They’re also very protective of you.”
“Oh Lord! They didn’t threaten you, did they? They used to terrify my boyfriends in high school.”
“Not exactly, but the message was pretty clear. They’re just looking out for you.”
“Spill it! What else did they say?”
“Nothing worth talking about now.”
She rolled on top of him kissing him deeply. Rubbing against his shaft she opened her eyes looking at him with building desire and determination. Kissing, licking and touching him, she never took her eyes off his. He knew in that moment, together they were a force to be reckoned with and nothing could ever come between them. They’d be each other’s strength when one faltered.
He placed his hands on her soft behind moving with her as she grinded against him. Responding to her delicate but deliberate touches, he flipped her to her back, licking and stroking her body. Positioning between her thighs, his tongue flicked lightly as he began lapping slowly and softly from her vagina and up again.
Her juices flowed freely to his tongue while her hips writhed beneath him. Making his way back to her lips, he kissed her again easing his penis inside her. Their build was steady and sweet. The lovemaking was serene. Once again, ecstasy overcame them taking them to their sacred place.
CHAPTER 8
“Ma’am, where do you want these boxes?”
“You can put them in the bedroom. The others go in the office.”
Having overseen the packing during a three-day trip to Indianapolis, she was still surprised by the number of boxes delivered. Most of her things were donated to charity. The majority of what remained had been placed in storage. But there was still so much to go through. She thought How in the world did I end up with so much shit? There’s no way I can make all this fit in here! Michael was right. We need more room.
After signing the delivery receipts, she stood in the middle of the kitchen feeling overwhelmed. One room, one box at time, she told herself. She started in the bedroom hanging her clothes on the new racks Michael had installed in the closet. Unpacking one wardrobe box after another, she was pleased at least the design worked. But given the height of the ceilings, they both had to use the newly installed ladders to reach some of their clothes. This is ridiculous! Over-the-door cubbies were soon filled with shoes and she placed the rest on the floor next to her boots.
Finishing in the closet, she moved to the office. Looking at more than twenty boxes of books, she opened the ones marked “photo albums” carefully placing them in neat rows on the shelves. Unboxing her favorite works of fiction, she stacked them on the few empty shelves remaining. With less than half of the boxes unpacked, she realized there was no way the rest would fit. Damn it! She sat at the desk staring at them before turning around and opening her laptop.
With no windows in the office, she lost track of time and was a little startled when she heard Michael coming home from work.
“Hey!”
“Hi,” she yelled, “I’m in the office!”
“Wow!” He stood in the doorway for a moment before coming in to kiss her on the cheek. “There’re a lot of boxes.”
“Too many! I’m sorry it’s such a mess.” She was clearly exasperated.
“Then I won’t ask how it’s been going.”
“I don’t know what the hell I was thinking.”
Peeking into a few open boxes he asked, “So what do you want to do?”
“Move!”
Chuckling he said, “I told you.”
“There’s no way to make all of this fit. I’ve got to take most of this to the storage unit tomorrow.”
Leaning over her, “So what you’re working on? Real estate listings?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I was trying to stay in the city but I like the options in Montgomery County. The commute though…”
“The Metro line runs out there so it might not be so bad depending on where you’re considering. But honestly, I’d rather find something in the city too. I don’t want to deal with the commute.”
“I was thinking the same thing. There are some great, renovated houses in Northwest. All things considered, the prices are reasonable. I can certainly turn my attention to this since I’m not working right now.”
“As well as other things.” The sweet grin on his face gave little indication of what he was alluding to.
“Such as?”
“A lot has happened between us in the past six months. Do you still want to try for a baby this year?”
“You don’t think we’d be rushing it?”
“What do you want, Janine?”
“I’d like us to have at least a year together.. Once we get started, you know our lives won’t be the same.”
“Whatever you want is fine.”
“Are you anxious to have a baby?”
“You’re the only woman I ever imagined being the mother of my children. The only one. I’ll be happy whenever it happens—even if that’s nine months from tonight.” Leaning over her and kissing the back of her neck, he said, “Let me get out of this suit. Then you can show me the rest of the houses.”
Unplugging her laptop, she followed him to the bedroom perching on the bed until he was ready. As he undressed, she couldn’t help thinking about his comment regarding when they’d start trying for a baby. With her forty-first birthday fast approaching, if nothing else, she needed to prepare for it. Kelly shared how difficult it was conceiving her last child two years earlier. With one more trip to Indianapolis planned, she’d make an appointment with her gynecologist out there.
When he was finished undressing, he sat next to her on the bed. One by one, she showed him the housing options most appealing to her.
“These are nice, but why did you limit the search to two thousand square feet?”
“I figured we need at least twice the size of this place.”
“Two thousand’s not going to be enough. Besides this place is shy of fifteen hundred.”
“Really? Okay. So what price range should we stick to?”
“What are you thinking?”
“If I was still working, I’d say up to a mil makes sense.”
“That’s a good range to start with.”
“Are you sure you’re comfortable with that much? How much was this place?”
“A little over five—all in.”
“For a condo? That seems high.”
“Corner units are higher than the others and I had some renovations and decorating done before I moved in.”
“Hopefully my townhouse will sell soon. If my realtor is correct, I’ll have a nice amount to use for the down payment. How much equity do you have in this place?”
“I paid cash for it.”
“Oh.”
She didn’t know why she was surprised. She presumed he had the capacity, but it didn’t make a lot of sense from a tax point of view. Drawing a salary at his law firm likely gave him a higher taxable income requiring offsetting deductions. She could only surmise he paid cash for it because he could. It
would certainly lessen his monthly expense, but in the long run she wasn’t sure it was good decision.
Everything running through her head was pure speculation. They simply hadn’t discussed money or long-term financial planning. Living together for almost four months, she’d purchase groceries and occasionally pick up the tab for lunch or dinner. But when it came to core living expenses, he paid all the bills.
“Michael we really need to talk about finances. I’m not comfortable making presumptions or trying to plan for anything without having a sense of what we’re dealing with. Honestly, the only frame of reference I have for decisions are my own assets.”
“Do we need to do this tonight? I told you I was comfortable with the range you’re looking at. If you want to go bigger or spend more, just let me know.”
“We don’t need to, but I do want to know. Unless you think it’s none of my business.”
He didn’t like the tone of her last statement. He hoped it wasn’t an indication of something more complex. He remembered very well how the subject of money was a major issue years before. She used to get very uncomfortable when he bought her things she deemed too expensive. So he got more creative with his gift giving. Choosing unique over what she called extravagant. But then again, she really had no idea his capacity.
“I know it’s important, I’m just hungry and tired, Baby. I want to eat and curl up in bed with you.” Leaning into her, he nuzzled at her breasts lightly nibbling and moving back and forth over them saying, “I don’t want to think about clients, or houses or money.”
“It won’t take long. At least mine won’t.”
Letting out a deep sigh he acquiesced. “At least let me order a pizza.”
She handed him the phone. After placing the order he laid on the bed, stretching out and placing his hands behind his head.
“So tell me. How much money do you have to put towards a new house?”
“I have a little over a hundred thousand in a low interest bearing savings account. That’s what I’ve been living off of for now. So if there are bills around here you want to me to help with, I’m fine with it.”
“I got the bills. Anything else?”
“The rest is in mixed cap investments and retirement accounts. If we need to withdraw any for a bigger house, I could do that.”
Their Now and Forever (Book III) (The Allen Trilogy 3) Page 6
