Signed, Sealed, Delivered ... I'm Yours

by Naleighna Kai

  Chapter 2

  A sharp sound snatched Melanie out of a nightmare that left her breathless and with sweat plastering her night shirt to her body. She lifted herself from a reclining position on the red suede sofa and scanned the brightly lit living room. Placing a hand over her eyes, she attempted to shield them from the sun that was now beaming in through the glass doors leading to the deck. The sofa had held her captive all night long, as did her recurring dream of Aaron’s last days on earth.

  “I can’t do this,” she had cried into Gavin’s chest while they stood in the waiting room of Memorial Hospital. “How am I going to live without him?” she asked not once, but several times over during the week during which Aaron’s health had drastically declined.

  “I’m here for you, Mel,” Gavin had said, holding her in an embrace that filled a void left by a man who had cherished, loved, and adored her. “You don’t have to go through this alone,” he assured her.

  And Gavin Williams was true to his word. He was there for her every step of the way and helped her with everything related to saying goodbye to her college sweetheart and husband of only one month. Gavin had been her voice when she couldn’t find her own. He had stayed with her and held her on the sofa night after night. He cooked for her and made sure she got out of the bed before she became too weak to do much else. Gavin willed her to live when all she really wanted to do was die.

  Things changed after they started dating. After a time, she was no longer his top priority. When he joined the Police Academy, he had one goal in mind—to one day become Chief of Police. Pursuing his goal and working on a high profile case had taken all of his time and attention. Melanie had recognized this trait early on, but she never imagined that he would consistently choose work over her, but time and time again he did just that.

  And now, he was … gone. The emptiness that shadowed the house mirrored what she felt in her heart.

  A pounding on the front door caused her to scramble to her feet. She hurried to the door, hoping that Gavin had returned; that he would give her one last chance to make things right.

  She swung it open, and her disappointment was profound. Casey, her best friend, stood on the porch with a cell phone to her ear. Her amber eyes widened when she laid eyes on Melanie.

  “Casey, what the hell’s wrong with you?” Melanie snapped, her irritation coming from the fact that the tall, ivory woman graced her doorstep rather than the six-foot-five muscular male who had been her rock for so long.

  “Oh, thank God. Never mind. She’s here,” Casey said before ending her call and glaring at Melanie as if she had stolen her man. “No, it’s more like what the hell’s wrong with you?” Casey spat, her pale skin flush with concern and annoyance. “Mama Lena’s blowing my phone up looking for you!” She quickly crossed the distance between the doorway and the living room, laying eyes on the cell phone resting on the end table. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

  “I’m not in the mood,” Melanie shot back, sliding her feet back under the comforter on her makeshift bed. “I can’t deal with my mama right now.”

  Casey’s penciled eyebrow shot up, and she folded her arms across a barely-there bosom.

  Melanie peered up at her friend, who hadn’t made a move to take a seat or to raid the fridge, which was her normal routine whenever she came over. “Was that my mom you were on the phone with?”

  “No, that, my dear, was the Baton Rouge Police Department,” Casey said through her teeth. “I thought something bad had happened to you!”

  Well, to be honest, something bad had happened. She had lost one good man to cancer and another good man to her inability to release herself from the past.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Casey probed.

  “Nothing.”

  “Oh, something’s wrong,” she countered, raking a scathing gaze over Melanie. “Your clothes are all wrinkled and your hair’s all … I don’t even know what to say about your hair.” Casey attempted to reach over and smooth down Melanie’s curls.

  Melanie’s hair always did have a mind of its own, and she knew it was making a run for the border now. But she moved out of her friend’s reach. “I said I’m fine.”

  “You certainly don’t look fine.”

  “Gavin and I are through,” Melanie blurted out.

  “What do you mean, through?” she asked, perching on the arm of the sofa. “Like you all aren’t friends anymore?”

  “I don’t know.” Melanie leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. The slow passes of the palm-shaped fan blades provided a moderate amount of relief from the heat. “I knew it wasn’t a good idea,” Melanie huffed, trying to tamp down the pain in her heart. “Turning a friendship into a romantic relationship is always a recipe for disaster.”

  “Oh, Melanie,” Casey said in a whisper. “What happened?”

  “Don’t act like you’re surprised,” Melanie said, trying to keep the resentment from her voice. “You didn’t think it was a good idea either.”

  Casey had always expressed her misgivings about Melanie and Gavin becoming a couple. But Melanie wondered if it was because Casey feared becoming an “outsider” once their original three-man crew turned into a couple and their friend.

  “I know, and as I’ve told you before, I was wrong,” she admitted, sliding her well-manicured hands into the pockets of her baby blue slacks. “That’s why I came to my senses and encouraged you to do it.” She inched closer. “So what happened? It must’ve been pretty bad for him to leave.”

  “He’s still upset about the picture,” Melanie explained.

  “Of Aaron?” Casey’s perfectly arched brows drew in.

  “I put it back,” Melanie said, answering her friend’s unspoken question. She stared at the swirly patterns in the comforter, unable to withstand the disappointment in her friend’s eyes.

  “So let me get this straight,” Casey said after a few moments. “Gavin, your best-friend-turned-boyfriend, told you that having Aaron’s picture on your nightstand made him feel uncomfortable.” She tilted her head, looking more like a prosecutor addressing a plaintiff than the normally compassionate and understanding woman she was when it came to all things love. “So you put the picture away, but then you … put it back?”

  When Casey put it that way, it didn’t sound good at all. “Yes … yes … that’s exactly what happened,” Melanie admitted, suddenly angry that everyone was calling her out about something that was important—at least to her. First Gavin, then her mother, now Casey. “I don’t understand what the big deal is about a picture! Besides, Gavin didn’t have time for me anyway. He spent most of his time at the station. I was always alone.”

  “I hear what you’re saying, and I understand your point. I also know that, for him, this isn’t about the picture,” Casey shouted as she swiped a glass, made her way to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of iced tea. She looked over her shoulder into the living room and added, “Well it is … but it isn’t.”

  Melanie shot Casey a sideways look and said, “What?!”

  “It’s more about what the picture represents,” Casey answered over the rim of her glass. “He wouldn’t just leave you because of a picture. Gavin called it quits because he knows you’re still holding on to Aaron.”

  Melanie didn’t have a comeback for that one. Instead, she buried her face in her hands, suddenly wishing that she could rewind last night—no, the last month—and take Gavin’s needs into consideration.

  “You can’t keep doing that, Mel. You’ll die a lonely old maid if you don’t let Aaron go,” Casey said softly.

  “I’ll probably die a lonely old maid anyway.” Melanie spoke in a tone that was barely audible. “Do you realize every man I’ve ever loved has left me? First my father, then my brother, then Aaron, and now Gavin.”

  Casey’s glass slipped from her slender fingers; a quick move kept it from hitting the floor. “Is that what this is about?” she asked, hurrying from around the counter to stand in front of Melanie. �
��You pushed him away on purpose, didn’t you?”

  Melanie blinked a few times, mulling over the answer. “I guess I gave him an easy way out. It was going to happen anyway. At least this time it was on my terms.”

  “Melanie, your dad was a jerk. Your brother was in an accident. And Aaron didn’t leave you on purpose.”

  “But—”

  Casey held up her hand, as though knowing that Melanie’s standard protest was coming. “No, it wasn’t fair that your time with him was cut short, but you have to move on, Melanie.”

  “We only had a month,” Melanie whispered and just the effort from those five words caused a slash of pain across her heart .

  “But you loved each other much longer than that,” Casey said, pulling Melanie into her arms. “You had four good years with him in your life. And, unfortunately, things happen that we simply can’t control.”

  Melanie relished the comfort of her best friend’s closeness.

  “I can’t risk losing Gavin, too. It’s just best this way,” Melanie said, leaving the sofa to stand in front of the glass doors.

  “Best for whom?” Casey asked, moving to stand next to Melanie. “He’s sacrificed a lot for you. He sat back and watched you date other men and even marry someone else, but through it all, he never stopped being your friend, and he never left your side.” Casey smoothed Melanie’s unruly curls and her intense gaze sent a shiver up Melanie’s spine. “I know you’re afraid of being hurt, but you have to find a way to let go and to love again.”

  Melanie wasn’t so sure she was ready to step up to the plate and take another swing. What if she struck out? The thought of putting her all into another relationship and losing him forever was too much to bear.

  Chapter 3

  Six days later, Gavin stood on the front stoop of a freshly painted frame home wearing a black Hugo Boss suit which hung just right on his six-foot-five frame. He knocked on the screen door and waited with a bouquet of sunflowers hidden behind his back. He scanned the area, taking in the children next door playing on a freshly cut lawn. Reminded him of the times with Melanie where they played everything from Hide and Go Seek to kick baseball.

  Moments later, footsteps creaked along the old hardwood floors inside, the door slowly opened, and his date stood smiling and looking as beautiful as ever.

  “Hello, baby,” she crooned, beaming up at him before moving aside, allowing him to enter.

  “Hello, beautiful.” He pulled the flowers from behind his back and presented them to his mother. “These are for you.”

  “Aw, thank you, baby,” she crooned, then took a moment to inhale the sweet fragrance before handing them back to him so he could perform his normal ritual of exchanging the new flowers for the old ones. Every Sunday he was off, Gavin picked his mom up for brunch and brought her flowers. She always pretended to be surprised and he believed that stemmed from the fact that even to this day she never took anyone’s kindness for granted.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, scooping up her purse from the cream sofa.

  “Indeed.” She entwined her arm with his before allowing him to lead her out to his new truck. For a short time, he had actually owned a sporty black Camaro that he loved, but his mom had so much trouble getting in and out of it that he’d traded it in and bought a Ford Expedition. With everything she had done for him growing up, he would give up the world to make sure she was happy and comfortable w.

  Gavin drove slowly down Madison Avenue while memories from his childhood flooded his mind. The little wooden house where his mom currently lived had felt like a mansion when he was a kid. When they were able to move from the one-room apartment to that house, it had to have been one of the happiest days of his life. Finally, they had a home of their own and everything was right. That was, until his dad left to live across town with his new family.

  As a child, Gavin had always been confident that Peter Williams would come back. He didn’t think his dad, his hero, could actually leave him—but he had. When Gavin saw him with the children from his new family, a dagger had been put in his heart. It made Gavin gravitate to his mother. Only later, when he realized she hadn’t dated or even entertained another man, did he wonder if the scars left by his father had made her swear off men for the rest of her life.

  “How’ve you been, baby?” The sweet nurturing tone in his mom’s voice always warmed his heart. Just being in her presence made him feel safe and loved.

  “Things are going well, Ma,” he replied as he merged onto the Interstate. “Did I tell you they approved the appraisal and I should be closing on the house by next week?”

  “Oh, baby, that’s great news!” she gushed.

  Gavin glanced over and saw the sparkle in her eyes. If nothing else, he knew this woman cherished him unconditionally. He was proud of her for so many reasons. She had become a housewife straight out of high school, but when his father left, she had struggled first between two, then three jobs just to provide a life for her son. Recently, she had enrolled in college. She was like Melanie in so many ways, but especially when it came to matters of the heart. Both of them seemed to be so guarded that it was hard for them to allow someone new to come in and love them the way they both deserved to be loved.

  “How’s Melanie?” she asked, her smile widening as if she knew that he was thinking of the woman who was still holding his heart hostage. “I know she was happy to hear your news.”

  “She’s doing fine,” he replied, realizing he would have to tread lightly. His mother always had a special love for Melanie. “I didn’t have a chance to tell her about the promotion yet.” He glanced at his phone and just as he’d thought, there were no missed calls or text messages.

  His mother’s eyebrows drew in, and she remained silent for the rest of the drive, probably trying to find an angle to delve into what was going on between him and the woman she considered a daughter..

  “Okay. Here we are.” He eased his vehicle into the closest spot he could find. The Palace had come highly recommended from his coworkers at the station. He hoped his mother, who was a soul food fanatic, would find it to her liking.

  “Table for two,” Gavin said to the young blonde standing behind the front podium.

  After a few moments, they were seated by a window overlooking a man-made lake which was home to five beautiful swans.

  His mother scanned the area, taking in her surroundings—white marble floors, gold tables, and high-backed chairs draped in a soft suede material. “This is elegant.”

  “Only the best for you.” He reached out and touched her soft, yet fragile, hands. Her smile was as warm as her heart. Mama Rosa was known for her quiet wisdom just as much as for her sense of fashion.

  “Thank you for dining with us today,” a warm female voice said. “I hope you have a wonderful experience.”

  Gavin turned, and his eyes slowly traveled up a pair of chocolate legs which seemed to go on forever. Since he towered over most people, Gavin always loved to encounter a tall woman, especially a confident one. And judging by the six-inch stilettos, the black wrap dress accenting her shapely, full frame, and the self-assured lift of her chin, this one was as confident as they came. When he finally made it to her stunning, oval-shaped face, he saw that she wore a smile that made it all the way to her almond-shaped eyes.

  His mom nudged him in the side as she broke the silence. “Thank you. Everything is lovely.”

  “Oh … um …. yeah, everything is just lovely,” he repeated.

  “Gavin?” the woman queried. Her eyes narrowed as though she was trying to get a better look at him, even though there was only two feet between them. “Gavin Williams?”

  “Do I know you?”

  “It’s me … Natasha,” she said, placing a hand over her perky bosom. “Natasha Jones from Benjamin High.”

  “Na … ta … sha.” He only knew one Natasha Jones, but this certainly couldn’t be the gangly cheerleader he remembered. “Cheerleader Natasha?”

  “The one and only.” Her
arms spread wide to give him a full view of her statuesque build.

  “Wow. You look great,” he said, standing to pull her into an embrace. He took a deep breath, allowing her vanilla scent to tickle his senses. “Thank you. You don’t look so shabby yourself.”

  He stepped back to take in her beauty once again. “You work here?”

  Her eyes slowly traveled from his face down to his well-polished Kenneth Coles. “I guess you could say I work here,” she smiled. “I actually own the place.”

  His mother cleared her throat.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Ma, this is Natasha. We went to Benjamin High together.”

  “Nice to meet you, Natasha,” Mama Rosa said in a warm tone, but her gaze had narrowed on the woman with a complexion that was pure milk chocolate. Gavin recognized that look all too well, the I-got-my-eye-on-you look.

  “Nice to meet you too, ma’am,” Natasha said before returning her focus to Gavin. “So, how’ve you been?”

  “I’ve been well. Can’t complain,” he said, smiling as he scanned the nearly full restaurant. “Looks like life’s been pretty good for you, too.”

  “It really has,” she said, giving him the type of smile that could brighten anyone’s day. “Like you said, I can’t complain.”

  “And your family? You know, your husband? Kids? How are they?” he asked, then flinched at the swift kick his mother gave him under the table.

  “No to both,” Natasha answered. “Never really had much time for dating. And you?”

  “Same here,” slipped out.

  His mother nearly choked on the water. She set her glass on the table and glared at him.

  Well, this brunch was going to be interesting. He now had plenty of explaining to do.

  Mama Rosa cleared her throat once again.

  “Well, anyway,” Natasha said after a brief glance first at his mother, then at him. “I won’t take up any more of your time. It was really nice seeing you, Gavin,” she said, gently squeezing his hand. “Nice to see you again, Ms. Rosa,” she said to his mother before sashaying to the next table.