Broken (Endurance)

by Thomas, April

  "I guess your right," Max agreed, running his fingers through his son’s soft locks. He stood up straight when Uriel began to sit up then stand in the crib.

  "Momma... baby," Uriel said to his father.

  "Yes, I know you’re Momma's baby. Is that who you want? Momma?" Max inquired as Mei began to tiptoe out of the room.

  "No," Uriel answered, stretching out his arms for his dad to pick him up.

  Max picked up his son and walked into Uriel's closet to dress him.

  Mei was relieved that Max hadn’t understood what his son was trying to tell him. She went into the bathroom to shower and dress.

  It was minutes to nine in the morning when Maxwell opened his eyes. He turned his head to see his beautiful wife still asleep. Today they would be getting ready to leave for their honeymoon. Maxwell had planned a seven day and seven nights stay at a private mansion his family owned in Aruba. It was a surprise for Cressida; a little getaway from the drama with her father and Blake. Their bags were already packed. They had planned to leave after Christmas dinner.

  Maxwell loved having a full house and didn't want to miss a family gathering. He gently massaged Cressida's back as he coaxed her awake. She smiled at him as she opened her eyes. Maxwell got out of bed to take a shower and get ready to head down for Christmas breakfast. "Are you coming?" he yelled from the shower.

  Cressida smiled as she got out of bed and joined him in the shower. They stood in the large shower stall with four elegant shower heads spraying them with relaxing warm water. Maxwell washed his wife's entire body, sensually lathering her with a luxurious and creamy body wash, and a soft wash cloth.

  Cressida balanced herself by leaning on a wall as Maxwell washed her feet and legs, seductively moving up her thigh. He planted soft kisses along the inner thigh of her other leg then gently bit her stomach, causing her to giggle. He stood and smiled down at her, leaning his muscular lean body against hers. He pulled her close and moved her hair aside as he began to wash her back, giving her a soothing massage in the process.

  Cressida looked at him, her gaze begging him to make love to her, but Maxwell enjoyed the energy her body emitted. He could feel pulses of warm energy radiating off her as he pulled her head back by wrapping her wet tresses around his hand, exposing her slender neck to his kisses. Cressida groaned. Maxwell couldn't hold back any longer as he picked up his wife, wrapping her legs around him. They made love.

  After their romantic shower, Maxwell watched Cressida as she stood in front the mirror fixing her clothes. As she straightened her top, he stepped behind her. Her eyes caught sight of something glittering in the sunlight and a smiled rose across her face. Maxwell placed a thirty-two carat diamond necklace, set in fourteen karat yellow gold, around her neck. After locking it he softly kissed her neck. "Merry Christmas."

  "It's beautiful!" Cressida exclaimed, blushing. "I got you something."

  Maxwell stepped back as Cressida rushed past him. She returned quickly with a box in her hands. Maxwell began to laugh. Cressida's excitement was contagious. "Here," she said, holding it for him to open.

  Maxwell opened the box and his eyes lit up. "Cressida you didn't have to get me anything." Maxwell smiled.

  "Do you like it?"

  "You know my taste." Maxwell put on his fourteen-karat gold and fifteen-carat diamond watch. "And look at these cufflinks. Are those diamonds?"

  "I sure hope so, or we got a problem." Cressida laughed.

  "Come here. I love it. Thank You." Maxwell hugged his wife.

  "I'm hungry. Do you think breakfast is ready?" Cressida asked, looking up into his face.

  "Yeah. Let's get going," Maxwell replied, still smiling as he looked at his watch.

  The Martinez family table was filled with delectable foods that would appeal to any appetite. Maxwell joyfully looked around the family table, happy to see how large his family had grown.

  For once all the Martinez men were happy and content. Maxwell prayed a silent and sincere prayer from his heart praying his family would never fall apart; that the love everyone shared for each other would never be broken.

  Lin laughed softly as she watched her great-grandson struggle to eat with chop sticks.

  His mother laughed as he grabbed the chopsticks and shoved it into the French toast chunks she’d cut up for him. Max smiled at his family, enjoying the loving mother-son moment Mei was having.

  Cressida and Makayla oohed over each other’s Christmas presents. Tamarius smiled at his brother, feeling his contentment

  Winston entered the dining room, motioning to Tamarius that someone important was at the door. Tamarius looked over to his brother and then to Max and the three men quietly excused themselves. The women were too busy to notice them leave.

  Three flatbed trucks were parked just outside the mansion, each carrying a different colored Bentley. This was the surprise the Martinez men had for their wives.

  Max was eager to see Mei's reaction. He loved giving her surprises and this time he would be ready with his camera.

  The trucks pulled into the circular driveway one at a time, carefully unloading each vehicle. The first truck pulled in and unloaded Mei's four door sedan, a custom painted candy apple red Bentley with Louie Vuitton interior and rims. Max eagerly signed all the necessary paper work and happily grabbed the keys. He jumped in the car to feel it out. Max moved it forward as the second and third truck delivered the other two custom designed Bentleys.

  Cressida's Bentley was a dark royal purple with coach interior. Makayla's Bentley was a deep turquoise with Gucci interior. Each had custom designed rims that artfully displayed the Martinez family symbol. To the naked eye it looked like a beautifully artistic design, but upon closer inspection the triangle surrounded by a circle with a short prayer engraved around the border was visible.

  They all stood back in amazement. "We should be bankrupt after this," Maxwell joked.

  "We will need a second job if we keep spoiling them like this," Max added.

  Tamarius and Maxwell looked over at Max. "You don't even have a first one!"

  They all burst out laughing.

  "Okay, I’m going to get my wife," Tamarius announced.

  "Agreed." Maxwell followed.

  Max stood there for one more second to take it all in.

  "Makayla," Tamarius called, gently pulling his wife's chair away from the table.

  "What are you doing?" Makayla smiled as she put her fork down.

  Max walked over and secretly handed Tamarius a blindfold for Makayla.

  "I am going to put this over your eyes." Tamarius placed the blindfold on her.

  Makayla smiled as she heard Cressida and Mei complaining in the background. She wasn't alone.

  The three Mrs. Martinez were led out to the driveway. Winston stood with a camera ready. Beside him was Lin who had been wheeled out ahead of everyone by Anna.

  Max led Mei with one hand and held his son with the other.

  Maxwell cheerfully led Cressida to stand in front of her car as did Max and Tamarius.

  Max quickly handed his son to Lin then stood behind his wife. Winston and Anna eagerly snapped away dozens of pictures. "What is going on?" Cressida asked, smiling.

  Maxwell kissed the top of her head. "Okay," Maxwell yelled. "Is everyone ready?"

  "On the count of three," Tamarius yelled.

  "One, two, three!" Max shouted out.

  They all pulled the blindfolds off of their wives’ eyes. Mei instantly started screaming and jumping around. Cressida doubled over, her hand covering her mouth. Tamarius heard the unmistakable sound of his wife's body hitting the ground. He quickly scrambled to sit her up as Winston ran over with a piece of paper to fan her.

  Mei turned around, hugging and kissing Max, and screaming, "Thank you." She ran over to Cressida who was still trying to catch her breath while pacing back and forth.

  "Cressida, do you like your Bentley?" Maxwell asked, laughing.

  Mei leaned over to Cressida. "What the heck is
a Bentley?"

  Cressida just laughed and shook her head, hugging Mei. "God bless you. You are precious." She laughed.

  Max approached Mei, laughing at his wife. "Mei Martinez, you don't know what a Bentley is?"

  "Do now," Mei said, screaming and jumping into the car. The last audible words Max heard from is wife was, "Louie!"

  "But you know Louie." Max laughed to himself.

  "Makayla!" Tamarius called, trying to hold in his laughter.

  "What happened?" Makayla asked, puzzled as to how she’d fallen to the ground.

  "You had an unfortunate accident," Tamarius joked.

  "What?" Makayla asked, bewildered.

  "You were pimp-slapped by a giant monkey." He laughed.

  "Was his name Tamarius?" Makayla tried to get up.

  Tamarius smiled and helped her up. "Okay, let's try this again." He turned her to face her car.

  "Oh, my goodness. Babe, tell me I'm dreaming. This is crazy. I’m afraid to touch it," Makayla said, slowly walking over to her car.

  Tamarius playfully took her hand. "Touch it," he joked, taking her index finger and pushing it towards the car.

  "No, no I can't." Makayla played along, pulling her finger back.

  "Come on just touch it," Tamarius coaxed, placing her finger on the car.

  "Oh, my goodness, it's real." Makayla laughed.

  "Merry Christmas, baby," Tamarius said, hugging her.

  "I can't ... I didn't get you anything like this."

  "You don't have to."

  The rest of the day and evening was spent enjoying each other's company and taking a million pictures of Uriel as he opened up all his gifts.

  After Christmas dinner Maxwell and Cressida didn't want to leave home just yet so they decided to leave the next day. Cressida was happy they’d changed their plans, remembering she had important documents to drop off at a client’s house before she left town. She debated on whether or not to go that very night, but Maxwell seductively persuaded her to do it first thing in the morning.

  It was nine a.m. when Maxwell awoke to an empty bed. Cressida had taken off early eager to get back home. She was eager to leave for their honeymoon. It was only a twenty minute drive to her client’s home and back.

  Maxwell decided he would call around the limo and have their bags packed while he waited. After taking a shower and dressing, he was overcome with a foreboding feeling. He looked at his watch. It was now showing ten minutes after ten. Cressida should have returned by now. He worried something had happened to her and rushed downstairs to find out who’d driven her. All the limos were parked, but Cressida's brand new Bentley was missing. "No," Maxwell growled as he passed his hand over his hair. He ran back upstairs and grabbed his cell phone to call her. Maxwell fumbled as he dialed her number, hanging up three times before finally getting it right. The phone rang twice before the voice of Charleston Dash answered the phone.

  "What have you done with my wife?" Maxwell growled, trying to keep his temper under control.

  "I told you she was already set to marry someone else!" Charleston yelled.

  "She is a grown woman and she decides who she marries."

  "I wonder what she would think if she knew you’d married her out of some kind of pity." Charleston smirked as he turned to look at his daughter.

  Cressida lay unconscious on the floor of his office. It was the perfect place for Charleston to prepare his daughter for her real wedding. Not that fake one she’d had with Maxwell Martinez.

  "Pity? I love Cressida. I didn't marry her out of pity," Maxwell yelled back.

  "Tell that to someone who cares," Charleston growled before hanging up the phone.

  The first person Maxwell thought about was his brother. Running to his room he banged on the door wildly.

  Tamarius came running to the door. "Maxwell... what happened?" He instantly recognized something was very wrong.

  "Cressida," Maxwell breathed.

  "What?"

  "Cressida… somehow her father got a hold of her. She’s in danger."

  "Go put on the full armor of God. I’ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes," Tamarius instructed before closing the door.

  Armor of God

  Tamarius took a quick shower, dressed then knelt before his Bible to say an earnest and heartfelt prayer that placed the full armor of God on his entire body. He placed a necklace, on which hung a pendant engraved with his family’s symbol, over the hands of his sleeping wife. He kissed her lips and said a silent prayer over her as he gently pressed his forehead to hers. Tamarius took one last look at Makayla before leaving.

  He met his brother, who was pacing the front patio downstairs. Tamarius didn't like the messages he was receiving from his spirit guide. This was really bad. Tamarius needed to maintain his emotions. It was harder for him now that he had a child on the way and a wife who walked right out of his dreams. He now had so much more to lose if he failed.

  Tamarius walked up to his brother and gently moved aside his collar to see his family necklace.

  "I got it on," Maxwell answered.

  "Let's go. I know where she is," Tamarius informed Maxwell. He led the way to the limo. The door was already open as the driver stood by, anxious. He could tell by the Martinez's demeanor something bad had happened.

  The brothers ordered the limo to race over to the Charleston Dash law firm. The limo had barely come to a stop when they rushed out and walked towards the double glass doors. Maxwell lifted his hand and sent his energy bolting forward, shattering the glass. Both men walked through as glass fell all around them. They stopped in front of the elevator, debating whether they should use the stairs or the elevator.

  "Eighteenth floor?" Maxwell said.

  "Elevator." Tamarius reached out to press the button.

  They stepped on the elevator and Maxwell hit the button for the eighteenth floor. The elevator music played as they rode quietly, focused on the upcoming battle. The elevator stopped and opened on the seventeenth floor. A demon with red skin and a forked tongue growled at them, turning his head from side to side.

  Tamarius pressed the button again and the door closed. He looked at his brother and nodded towards the door. "Deal with that later?"

  "Yeah," Maxwell agreed.

  The elevator doors opened part way then jammed, leaving just a big enough gap for them to pry it open. Tamarius and Maxwell each gripped a door and pulled it back until they could slip through.

  Maxwell looked around the eighteenth floor. It was dark with only the emergency exit light displaying the path that led to Charleston's office.

  Tamarius summoned his sword and so did Maxwell. They walked cautiously towards Charleston's office, stopping short of busting in. Maxwell looked at his younger brother as he silently counted to three. They burst in with their swords out before them. Seeing no one, Maxwell looked over at his brother. "Are you sure this is the right floor?"

  Tamarius rolled his eyes. Mathius had never guided him wrong. Mathius had been his guide since he was three years old and had never misled him.

  Something stepped forward. "In the name of the almighty, reveal yourself!" Tamarius yelled, lifting his sword and stabbing it into the floor.

  Instantly the scene changed, revealing Charleston Dash holding a knife to his daughter's neck while Blake held a pen in her hand trying to force her to sign a paper. They both turned to see Maxwell and Tamarius running towards them. Charleston yanked Cressida out of her seat, still holding the knife to her throat and not realizing he was slowly cutting her soft skin.

  Cressida pressed herself against her father’s chest, trying to release the pressure of the blade against her neck.

  Maxwell stopped before Charleston, lowering his sword. "Please, this is your flesh and blood. Just let her go," Maxwell pleaded.

  "I was supposed to have three boys," Charleston yelled back. "But then I understood what a girl was good for," he growled, looking at his daughter. "To bring in more men."

  "She is a human being..
."

  "She is just a tool to bargain with... I can't lose everything I fought so hard for, everything I killed for."

  "Charleston, please you are hurting her. Just put the knife down and let’s talk like responsible adults."

  Maxwell watched blood trickle down Cressida's neck and shirt.

  Tamarius kept his eye on Blake. They stood for a few minutes in a fierce stand off. Tamarius grew impatient with Blake. "What are you doing here?"