Broken (Endurance)

by Thomas, April

  Maxwell stood and yanked the shower curtain back. "What did you say?"

  Cressida wiped the water from her eyes and turned to him. "Maxwell, you’re scaring me."

  "Cressida, are you sure about what you saw?"

  "Yes, it was clear. I know what it means, but this ain't the slave trade. My father can't sell me."

  "Your father?" Maxwell yelled. "Cressida you just watched your father sell you to Satan!"

  "What do you mean?” she said as she reached for the shower curtain. “Babe, I’m freezing."

  "Sorry." He closed the curtain and walked out of the bathroom, frustrated as he sat back down on the edge of her bed. Cressida came out of the shower a few minutes later. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked out to where Maxwell sat leaning forward with his forearms resting on his knees. He seemed to be deep in thought. Cressida stood in front of him and ran her fingers over his curly hair. Maxwell slipped his hands through the opening of her towel, pulling her close to rest his head on her stomach.

  "What does it all mean?" Cressida asked.

  "We have a serious problem."

  "What should I do?"

  "Can't really think right now... is that vanilla?"

  "Maxwell." Cressida giggled.

  Our Future

  A cool breeze blew as the moon lit the shoreline, creating a breathtaking scene. Max laughed as he watched his wife playing with their son. He sat on a beach towel, finally relaxed. With his family under one roof, he could now focus on his classes. He stretched out on the towel, folding his arms behind his head.

  Mei chased her son as he ran, squealing with glee, to his father. He threw himself onto Max's chest. Max groaned, but then laughed along with Uriel. Mei joined them and knelt in the sand next to Max.

  She was out of breath and exhausted.

  "I think he will sleep now," Mei said, trying to catch her breath.

  "Thank God." Max tickled Uriel.

  "Stop, you’re gonna get him going again," Mei complained.

  "Mommy is not fun," Max joked as he played with his son.

  "Daddy, won't be saying that tonight."

  "Let's go." Max suddenly jumped to his feet, causing Mei to fall back laughing. "Serious, let’s go woman." Max picked up Uriel.

  "Whatever, Max I was just joking. We don't have a bed, remember? However, I do need to feed Uriel."

  "Oh, he gets to eat."

  "Max, let's just relax for five more minutes."

  Max sat back down next to Mei and sat Uriel between them. He looked at his wife, admiring how relaxed she looked. "Do you like it here?" he asked.

  "I do. It's so peaceful. Living the next four years on a beautiful hidden tropical island is like a fantasy."

  "Yeah, you’re right." Max looked ahead, watching the waves crash against the shore.

  "What classes are you taking this semester?" Mei asked.

  "I don't even know what I want to be."

  "Is it hard because you grew up not having to worry about money?"

  Max felt a little insulted, but couldn't deny the truth. "It's not only that. Things have changed and I don't want to be the kind of husband and father who rushes off to work every day. I don't want to miss out on my kids and my wife."

  "I can understand that. Maybe you’re looking at it wrong. What about a different approach? Think of it this way. What would you like to do just because? Something that would make you feel good when you’re sitting in your rocking chair waiting for Uriel to come and change your diaper," Mei said, trying not to laugh.

  "What, my diaper? And where will you be, grandma?"

  "Oh, I don't age." Mei laughed.

  "Wow, so you’re taking physics this semester," Max joked.

  Mei laughed, as she leaned towards him. Uriel had fallen asleep and Mei cradled him as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Max, seriously, if you could do anything in the world, what would it be?"

  Max looked up at the stars and thought about Mei's question. He began to see images of himself feeding hungry children. It would then turn into opening up children's homes and schools around the world. He could see his wife, surrounded by four sons and she was holding a baby girl. "Mei, I think I would want to help children."

  "Really, I was thinking about maybe opening a children's home."

  "Yeah, maybe even a school. Mei, how many kids do you want?"

  "I didn't think it was my choice, remember?"

  "Well, I see the four, but I also see a fifth... a girl."

  "I must look like a whale,' Mei replied.

  Max tried not to laugh. He didn't want to lose his focus. "Don't make me laugh. Mei you are still beautiful and sexy and young looking," Max said, his eyes now closed.

  "I told you," Mei whispered.

  Max heard her and busted out laughing.

  "Okay, you were right," he said looking over at her.

  "Well, how do you feel now?" Mei asked.

  "I didn't realize I was missing a purpose, besides loving you and our son, our life together. I didn't think about anything else. Thank you for opening my mind."

  "I just asked the question. I learned it in class the other day. The professor wanted us to soul search. When I did, I asked why God would put me in this situation. Most people worry about how they’re going to feed their family, how are they going to pay for their college tuition. We are blessed. We don’t have to worry about that. If God has blessed you, he did it for a reason. I want to help families and children, anyone in need."

  "So, that’s what we should do."

  "Max, I love you. Sometimes you drive me crazy, but I know you are only doing it out of love."

  "You mean the world to me. That's why you make me crazy." Max kissed her. "So you’re serious? You want to start some sort of organization, whose business it is to only help others?" Max questioned.

  "Yeah."

  "Now we just need to figure out what classes we will need to take," Max said.

  "How are we going to do this? Balance Uriel, school, and starting a business?"

  "I don't know, but it will happen." Max looked down at Uriel. "We should get him inside before he catches a cold."

  "Shake off the blanket and I'll cover him." Mei shifted Uriel to her shoulder and stood up. She could feel sand falling out of her hair. "Max, do I have a crap load of sand in my hair?"

  Max chuckled as he tried to brush the sand out of her long wavy hair. "The shower isn't installed yet."

  "I know. Here take him to the hut. I need to go rinse my hair out." She handed Uriel to Max.

  "You want me to leave you alone on the beach wearing that bikini?" Max said jokingly.

  "Are you serious? Nobody is even out here."

  "And the baby is sleeping. I’m just saying let’s get more sand in your hair." He smiled.

  "Get out of here, freak." Mei laughed as she walked towards the ocean.

  Max smiled as he watched her bathe in the moonlight for a moment. He slowly turned and walked away, heading to the village.

  Samuel watched them from behind a large palm tree. The cozy little scene had bored him, but now things were becoming interesting. Samuel watched Max walk down the path that led to the village. In a few paces, he was out of sight. Samuel stepped from behind the palm tree and walked stealthily in the direction of Mei. His pulse quickened, as he got closer to her. He enjoyed watching the salty water slide over her lean, slender stomach and shapely hips. Samuel was intoxicated by the way the water rolled down Mei's skin, gliding seamlessly over her full, plump breasts.

  Her eyes were closed as she washed the sand out of her hair. After dunking a few times she finally felt satisfied. She opened her eyes and screamed.

  "Oh, it's just me. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Samuel said.

  Mei walked out of the ocean enraged. "What are you looking at pervert?"

  "I was just enjoying the view. It's a beautiful night," Samuel replied.

  Mei passed by him, not saying another word. She headed for the village, grumbling to
herself the whole way. Adding to her frustration was an unwelcome visitor to her family’s hut.

  Renee was laughing and talking to Max. She touched Max’s forearm with a flirtatious hand while he stood facing her with his arms folded.

  Mei watched the scene a few seconds before heading up the path to make a scene. She walked up, intentionally bumping into Max as she passed behind him. Max flew forward and looked back in shock. He didn't hesitate to follow her inside. Mei grabbed a towel and began drying her hair as she paced the hut. Max closed the door behind him and waited for Mei to speak. When she didn't he approached her.

  "Baby, you know you’re the only woman for me," Max said, sliding his arms around her and stopping her pacing. "God designed us for each other. No one will come between us."

  Mei thought about what he said and knew he was right. She wasn't angry at Max as much as she was freaked out by Samuel and tired of Renee. She didn't want to tell Max about Samuel knowing he would want to know where he was so that he could kill him. They didn't stay long in the dorm rooms and when they did talk it was all about Uriel.

  "Baby, I’m not mad at you," Mei said leaning into his embrace.

  "Renee is riding my nerves, too."

  "Yeah?"

  "Is it something else?"

  "Is that a bed?" Mei pulled away from him and turned to the queen sized bed in a corner of the room.

  "Yeah, that’s what Renee was talking to me about. While we were at the beach, maintenance delivered beds for everyone. All the couples and families got queen sized beds and cribs for infants, and the other students got the regular twin beds."

  "Nice," Mei said lying on the bed.

  Max crawled over her. "So does this mean I can get a reward?" He leaned down to kiss her.

  Mei smiled. "I guess so."

  "Mommy!" Uriel cried and stood up in the crib.

  "No, no, no," Max said, rolling over onto his back.

  Mei laughed as she got up to get Uriel. She picked him up out of the crib talking to him gently.

  "Max, his food?"

  "I think you like him more than me."

  "Your daddy is silly," Mei said to Uriel who laughed as if he understood.

  Max walked over to them with a small bowl of food for his son. "I think he's going to just want a bottle. He still looks tired." He looked at Uriel who was rubbing his eyes and yawning.

  "I think you’re right."

  "I'll go heat up some water and make him a bottle and be right back." Max walked outside to the outdoor kitchen and lit the barbeque before setting a pot of fresh water on the flame. When Uriel’s bottle was ready he walked back in the hut to see Mei and Uriel passed out on the bed.

  He groaned and walked up to the bed.

  Mei woke up and looked at him with tired eyes. "Hey, got it?"

  "Yeah." Max sat on the other side of Uriel.

  Mei picked Uriel up, coaxing him to wakefulness. She didn't want him to get sick. She took the bottle from Max and placed it in Uriel’s mouth. He latched on and began sucking down formula. "He is so tired." Mei smiled.

  "So are you," Max said, gently pushing her hair away from her face.

  Uriel drank most of his bottle before falling into a deep sleep. Mei handed the bottle to Max and carefully stood to walk over to the crib. She placed Uriel in the crib, careful not to wake him. She tiptoed away from the crib while Max began to put sheets on the bed.

  His back was to Mei and she sneaked up on him, gliding her arms around his stomach, smiling at the feel of his abs under her fingertips. "You are one sexy guy. No wonder every girl here is going psycho over you."

  Max turned around and smiled at her. "Too bad for them, I can only see you." He held her, his hands roaming over her back. "You were really upset when you came back. Are you sure nothing else bothered you?"

  "I'm fine. It's nothing." Mei stepped back to finish making the bed.

  "Mrs. Martinez."

  Mei blushed. She loved being called Mrs. Martinez. "What, Mr. Martinez?"

  Max chuckled as he walked up to her, pulling the string of her bikini top. Mei gasped as she grabbed her breasts. Max smiled seductively as he pulled the strings on either side of her bikini bottom. He picked her up and threw her on the bed.

  Mei moved further back on the bed as she watched Max undress. He crawled on top of her kissing her from her knees to her lips. He slowly spread her legs apart and Mei groaned as Max kissed her neck.

  "What did I tell you about groaning?" he whispered. His voice seemed deeper than usual.

  Mei trembled with desire as Max made love to her.

  In the morning they awoke entangled in each other’s arms. Max smiled as he held onto his naked wife.

  "Good morning," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

  "Morning."

  "I’ve missed waking up next to you."

  "I should get breakfast going while the baby is sleeping." Mei tried to get up, but Max held her down.

  "Just five more minutes." He kissed her.

  "Max, stop before you get something started again."

  "Like what?"

  "You know what."

  Uriel woke up and sluggishly stood in his crib, making use of the side bars to help him to his feet. With his pacifier in his mouth, he yelled for his mother. Mei got out of bed, taking the sheets with her. She wrapped the sheets around her as she walked towards Uriel's crib.

  Still naked, Max sat up and he searched for his boxers. The front door flew open and Renee burst through holding a tray of food. Max scrambled to grab a pillow to cover himself while Mei stared at Renee as if she were a lunatic. Renee had her eyes on Max as she stood frozen by the entrance.

  "Are you crazy?" Mei yelled.

  "I’m… I’m sorry." Renee set the breakfast tray on the table by the door and left.

  "Max!" Mei yelled turning to him.

  "I know. We need a lock."

  "Oh, she did that on purpose. Well I hope she got a good view ‘cause it will be her last."

  "I feel so.... violated."

  Mei was too angry to even hear Max. "What is it with her? She is freaking obsessed with you."

  "Mei, she didn't know."

  "That’s why you knock. We could have been doing something else."

  "I wish we were," Max mumbled.

  "Max, this is not a joke."

  Max stood up, found his boxers, and put on his jeans and T-shirt. "I'll go talk to her."

  "No, I don't want you around her. Last night she was creating a scene. I don't like that girl. Something is wrong with her. She wants what isn't hers."

  Max walked up to Mei and hugged her. "I will make breakfast then put a lock on that door."

  "You better."

  "Spicy, just how I like it," he said, kissing her neck.

  Max grabbed the tray and went outside to cook breakfast.

  Renee was waiting for him. When she saw Max she approached him to apologize.

  "Look, Renee, don't ever come to my hut and think you can just walk in. Actually, I would appreciate it if you would just keep your distance from me." Max spoke before she could say anything.

  Tears flooded her eyes and she ran off crying. Max felt bad. He didn't mean to make her cry, but he was angry about what had happened. He started cooking breakfast when his friend Samuel walked by. Max was surprised to see him there and waved him over.

  "Hey, what's up, man?" Max greeted.

  "Nothing, just hanging out. How's the family life?"

  "Good, I would introduce you to Mei, but she is really busy right now. You should come by later. We can hang out."

  "Yeah, I'll see. I got some studying to do... so I don't know," Samuel said. Truth was he didn't want Mei to know he was friends with her husband. "I better go. I'll talk to you later."

  "All right."

  Max was happy it was Saturday. He could relax a little, though he still had things to build around the hut. However, he was happy he didn't have any classes. After cooking breakfast, which consisted of eggs, ba
con and pancakes, he served it to his family. Mei was still sporting the white sheet and holding Uriel.