"Yes, Cora has called six times already," Winston replied.
"Oh, my gosh. I gotta call her." Mei ran into the house.
"Winston, long time no see," Tamarius greeted Winston as he held his hand out to help Makayla as she stepped out of the limo.
"Yes, and I see a congratulations is in order. Welcome to the family, Mrs. Martinez."
"Thank you, Winston." Makayla blushed.
Cressida stood by the entryway, waiting for Maxwell to come inside. She greeted everyone as they passed, all congratulating her on her engagement. She was flattered by all the warmth that was shown to her. Her eyes lit up when she saw Maxwell walk in carrying Uriel's car seat and talking to Winston who carried Uriel.
"Oh, my goodness. Look at how big he's gotten." Cressida walked over to Uriel.
"Here you go." Winston handed Uriel to Cressida.
"You want me to hold him?" Cressida said, taking him.
Maxwell placed Uriel's car seat by the door before walking over to kiss Cressida. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Good."
Maxwell and Cressida slowly walked toward the family room, laughing as they saw Mei and Max running around with their cell phones, both talking to Cora and Nelson.
"See what happens to Mom and Dad when they get cell phones," Maxwell said to his grandson. Uriel began to get fussy as he watched his parents pass back and forth without even looking in his direction. They relaxed in the family room while everyone else got settled in.
"I spoke to the detectives," Cressida said as she readjusted Uriel on her lap.
"Did they get the results back yet?" Maxwell asked.
"No, but they looked into the whole chimera thing and were able to add it as new evidence into the case."
"That's excellent," Maxwell replied.
"I won't be representing him, of course; not after what he did."
"Cressida... there is something I didn't tell you before," Maxwell began.
"There you are!" Max said as he entered the room smiling at his son.
Uriel excitedly kicked his legs and reached for his dad. "Aw, is that your daddy?" Cressida said to Uriel while pointing to Max.
"Mommy just took off." Max picked his son. "Aunt Cora and Mommy are in gossip mode," Max joked while kissing his son's chubby cheeks. "Cressida, I think that it's great that you and my dad are getting married. I hope we don't scare you away."
"Thank you, Max," Cressida said.
"I'm going to give him a bath and put him to bed," Max said to them as he walked out.
"You know, I didn't expect everyone to be so accepting of our engagement, especially Max," Cressida said to Maxwell.
"Yeah, well you should have heard him in the car calling me and his uncle old," Maxwell said. "Don't let his kindness fool you. He's a little comedian."
"Hey, it's good to laugh," Cressida replied. "And you don't look old."
"I don't look like a grandpa?" Maxwell smiled.
"No...not at all."
"Maxwell, where is Mei?" Lin asked as she was wheeled into the room.
"Grandma!" Mei yelled in Chinese, as she ran in.
They instantly began talking and laughing as Mei told her about college life.
Maxwell took Cressida's hand as he stood up from the couch. "Goodnight, princess. Goodnight, Lin," Maxwell said as they left.
"Oh, goodnight Dad and Cressida," Mei replied, smiling at them as they left.
Lust vs Love
Renee watched Samuel as he unloaded their luggage from the taxi. She turned to look at his large three story mansion in Alphabet, Georgia. It was a beautiful Victorian style mansion. She could see his father walking towards them. A handsome brown-skinned man in his mid forties, he had a charismatic smile and a proud strut. He was a character.
"Who is this lovely lady?" Kwamé Peters asked his son as he approached a blushing Renee.
"Hey, Dad, This is Renee Loren. She’ll be staying with us for the Thanksgiving Break," Samuel said.
"Very nice to meet you, young lady." Kwamé took her hand and kissed the back of it.
"Nice to meet you, too," Renee replied.
"Son, how was your flight?" Kwamé asked while giving his son a hug.
"Good, Dad." He looked over at Renee, gesturing for her to follow him as he began to walk towards the house.
"So, how long have you two been seeing each other?" Kwamé asked.
"Oh no, sir, we're just friends," Renee replied politely.
"Friends, that’s how it always starts out," Kwamé replied.
They entered the mansion greeted by a full staff of female servants; all wearing tacky French maid costumes. Each woman looked to be about eighteen, just the legal age to be wearing such skimpy outfits. Renee stepped aside as his so-called servants swarmed Samuel. She didn’t want to get lost in the crowd that took him away.
"I’ll show you to your room." Kwamé took her bag from her.
"Thank you for having me here," Renee said as they walked to her guest suite.
"Well, it's nice to see my son bring a friend home. If you need anything, I mean anything, just let me know, or any of the girls. Anyone here would be happy to assist you," Kwamé informed Renee.
"Sure, thank you."
"I will have the rest of your luggage brought to you soon. Enjoy your room and please feel free to wander wherever you like. Dinner will be served in an hour," he said, walking her into the guest room.
"Okay, thanks," Renee replied as he left the room.
She flopped herself down on the large comfy bed. "What was I thinking?" she asked herself out loud as she felt the pains of homesickness creeping in.
Renee drifted off to sleep and was awakened by Samuel kissing her softly. She jumped up and he quickly moved back. "What are you doing?" Renee yelled.
"Waking you up." Samuel grin slyly as he sipped from a glass of wine.
"Don't ever do that. I'm not your girlfriend. You have your entourage of sluts. Keep that mess over there. God knows what you may have." Renee stood up from the bed and walked towards her suitcases.
"Do I sense jealousy?" Samuel smirked as he followed her.
"I’m serious. This was a mistake," Renee snapped.
"You’re beautiful when you’re angry," Samuel said, slowly biting his bottom lip.
"Don't," Renee said, pulling out her toothbrush and walking towards the bathroom.
"Don't what?"
"Sam, why do you go after Mei when you’re surrounded by all these women? You’re not ugly. You’re okay."
"Okay?" Samuel felt insulted.
"Let's be honest. I’m your friend right?" Renee said, squeezing toothpaste out onto her brush.
"I would like to be more, but yes."
"Whatever. Look, you’re never going to get Mei Martinez. The girl has got it all. Do you realize whom they were going home with? Who her family is? The Martinez started this college."
"You think I don't know that," Samuel snapped as he turned his back to her.
"Why are you chasing the impossible?" Renee asked before turning to brush her teeth.
"I am a collector of beautiful things," Samuel said, stretching out his arms and spilling his glass of wine in the process.
Renee finished brushing her teeth before walking out of the bathroom to get a good look at Samuel. "A collector?"
"Yes."
"For once I am glad you’re not into me," Renee said.
"Who said you weren't already a part of my collection." Samuel grinned.
Renee stared at him intensely, growing annoyed by his presence. "You’re a fool Sam and one of these days you’re going to know what it feels like to only be a footnote in someone else's life."
"Well, you’re just a footnote in mine." Samuel walked passed her.
"Go to hell," Renee said, biting back tears.
"Dinner is ready," Samuel called out before he left the room.
Renee took a minute before finding her way to the dining room. Kwamé stood as she entered then hit his son with hi
s cap for not being a gentleman and standing when she entered the room. He walked over and pulled a chair out for her, gently pushing it in as she sat.
"Did you get some rest?" he asked.
"Yes, I did," Renee replied feeling like the only piece of meat on the menu.
"So, son, how is school?"
"Dad, I met a girl at school."
Kwamé glanced over at Renee and back at his son who didn't seem to care one way or the other about Renee's feelings. Renee just shook her head as she looked down at her plate. "Yeah?" he replied, feeling a little embarrassed by his son's rude behavior.
"There is this girl named Mei," Samuel began.
"Mei? Is she named after the month?" He took a sip of his wine.
"No, she is like Chinese or something mixed; green eyes, hot body, beautiful complexion. She is exotic," Samuel boasted.
"Seems like you got it bad for this one," Kwamé said as he dove into his food. Occasionally he would glance over at Renee who quietly and quickly ate her food, tuning out Samuel's constant boasting of Mei.
"Dad, she is the one for me. I just know it."
"Have you spoken to her?"
"Yeah."
"And why isn't she here?"
"Because she is married to Max Martinez and they have a child together," Renee said as she stood and excused herself. "Sir, dinner was delicious. Thank you. I will be turning in for the night," Renee said.
Kwamé stood as she left the dining room then turned to his son and slammed his hand down on the table. "What did I tell you about chasing married women? Did you learn anything from my mistake? Did you learn anything? A man will kill for a woman he loves, especially if she is worth having."
"Dad, she is not like any other girl I’ve ever met before. I have to have her."
Kwamé shook his head "Your mother was killed because I had to have her. I couldn't just accept that she was with another man." He walked up to his son and pulled out a chair next to him. "Her husband loved her and he sacrificed for her. I am the reason that woman is not here today. I raped her and when she told her husband what had happened to her he came after me. He saw all these women around me, catering to me. He couldn't understand why I would rape a woman when so many were throwing themselves at me. I didn't have to say a word. I never knew he had come to kill me."
Kwamé looked at his son and he rubbed his head. "I got her pregnant and her husband didn't know if it was his or not. For nine months he held in his pain and his anger. When you were born he knew immediately. He had a paternity test done. When he got the results proving what he already knew, he lost it. Your mother hid you in the back of a locked closet with a note. Her murdered body lay unrecognizable in front of that closet." Kwamé stood and paced, trying to regain his composure.
"Dad, Mei's nineteen and married. They can't be in love."
"Look at me, son, I’m cursed because of what I caused."
"Dad, you got women at your disposal, fighting each other for your attention."
"I have no loving woman to spend the rest of my days with and no mother for my son."
"I don't need a mother," Samuel said.
"I sent you to that college to learn what I didn't teach you."
"Dad, look, I'm not a kid anymore. I know what I’m doing, but thanks for the advice." Samuel stood and left the dining room.
Kwamé slammed his fist onto the dinner table." This is my fault," he mumbled to himself. He’d struggled with his sexual addiction and didn't want his son to end up making the same mistakes he’d made. Worried that his son was also chasing a girl that would put his future in jeopardy, Kwamé was angry. He needed to calm down.
"Sir, is everything all right? Is there anything you need?" asked one of his servants. She was a tall brunette wearing high heels, a black bikini with a bowtie around her neck.
Kwamé walked up to her and, without a word, he pulled the strings of her bikini as she willing sprawled herself out on the dinner table. Kwamé made no hesitation taking her.
Thanksgiving
It was Wednesday and everyone was busy getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner the following day. Cora hung out with Mei as she bathed Uriel to get him relaxed for his nap.
"Cora, I'm upset about you and Nelson. Why did you guys break up?"
"I know how guys like him are. They don't want a girlfriend when they’re going away to college. I don't want to be that faithful fool he cheats on."
"So you broke up with him?" Mei asked.
"No, he broke up with me... the day before he left for college. He met me and said it was going to be too hard maintaining a long-distance relationship. ’Why don't we just be friends for right now?’ he said." Cora tried not to cry.
"Cora, I'm sorry."
"Now it's good. I'm glad it happened this way."
"Yeah, but have you guys spoken since?" Mei asked.
"Well, the next day I was supposed to see him off. I decided to have my cell phone number changed. I told my parents not to give him my new number and to have him leave a message, should he call."
"Did he call?"
"When I didn’t show on the day he left, he called. I made sure to stay away for the whole day. I went to Cocoa Beach and sat in my car and cried. I was a mess, but I refuse to let him know how much he hurt me."
"Cora, I admire your strength," Mei said as she pulled her son out of the bathtub. Cora helped her by wrapping a towel around Uriel.
"He called everyday for a month, begging my parents for my cell phone number. I gotta give my parents credit. They really liked him. Holding back my cell number was difficult for them and it broke their hearts; well, mainly my mom, but she understood and respected my decision. He knows where my college is which is why I’ve been thinking about changing to another college."
"Cora, that's extreme. Don't let him come between you and your education," Mei said as she walked to her bed and playfully laid Uriel on the mattress.
"I know, but I have other problems there, too," Cora added as she followed Mei.
"You know he is going to be here tomorrow."
"I know"
"Are you ready to see him?"
"No, I don't want to. I still cry everyday over him. I really loved him, Mei."
"Come here." Mei hugged her friend. "Listen to me. If he is worth it, he will walk across lava for you because he knows that you are worth the risk, understand?"
"Yeah," Cora cried.
"Be strong and don't let Max see you crying or upset over Nelson." Mei turned quickly to chase after her naked son as he crawled off the bed.
"He called the house yesterday. I didn't recognize the number and I answered. He was quiet, and just as I was about to hang up. He said my name. I couldn't hang up. I fought back my emotions and said, ‘What?’ He was, like, speechless. He asked if I was coming. I told him I wasn't sure, He started to ask me why I was avoiding him then I told him I had to go; that my date was waiting on me. I told him it was nice to hear from him and hung up."
"Wow," Mei said as Max entered the room. "So you see, Cora, that’s how you make egg drop soup."
"I have got to try that. So the egg isn't raw?" Cora said holding in the laughter as she helped Mei dress Uriel.
"Mei makes the best egg drop soup," Max said, walking across the room and grabbing something from the dresser before heading back out.
"Cora, you’re doing the right thing. ‘We should just be friends,’ that Jack… ah, donkey," Mei said quickly correcting herself as Uriel looked at her.
"Jack donkey," Uriel repeated.
"It amazes me how they pick up all the bad words," Mei grumbled. "Now I have to explain this to his father. Why his son is calling people Jack donkey," Mei complained as Cora laughed.
Max walked back into the room. His timing was perfect for Mei. "Babe,” Mei called out, “Can you get him a bottle?"
"Sure." He left and returned a few minutes later holding a bottle out for Uriel to grab. "When do you want to go shopping?" he asked.
"I don't know,
maybe after Thanksgiving. It’s crazy right now," Mei replied.
"Hey, Mei," Makayla said, walking into their suite.
"Hey, Cuz." Mei smiled.
"Hey, Cora, how are you?" Makayla greeted.
Broken (Endurance) Page 21
