Jeremy (Members From Money Book 4)

by Katie Dowe

  “Rosalind we have not decided–”Deidre began but the woman came over and took her hands and led her to one of the sofas.

  “I know you are not the traditional woman who wants to get married and be a wife and raise a child, and I admire you for being so independent. I married Jeremy’s father because he was the right match as far as my parents were concerned, they never asked me how I felt. I fell in love with him along the way, but he never returned the feeling,” she smiled sadly. “I watched him ignoring me and pretending when we were in public that we were the perfect couple. I have seen you with my Jeremy and know that you have something that his father and I never had and I am so happy for that; I wanted something better for him. Ever since he met you, he has changed and I want to thank you for that.” She took a deep breath. “I want to have my grandchild over here with us and be able to coddle him or her. I know I have no right to interfere, I am just suggesting that you design this room with the baby in mind.”

  Deidre felt her heart softened as she looked at the woman of the man she was pregnant for. From the other day, she had been thinking about the arrangement and wondering what to do about it, but she knew now that she did not want to be away from Jeremy. “I would love to.” She said softly giving her hands a squeeze.

  “My dear,” she threw her arms around the startled girl and hugged her tightly. “Thank you. I will leave you to come up with ideas. Do you want me to send something up for you to eat?”

  “Yes, thanks.”

  Jeremy came home two hours later to find her sitting cross-legged on the carpet with her eyes closed. His mother had told him the good news and he had felt hope flaring inside his heart. He took off his jacket and put it on one of the sofas and took a seat next to her.

  “Meditating?” he asked as she opened her eyes to look at him.

  She smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips, resting her hand on his dark blue shirt. “I am visualizing what the nursery is going to look like.”

  “So there are going to be two nurseries?” he asked her casually.

  She shook her head and looked at him. “One, and it will be here.”

  “What are you saying?” his voice was hoarse as he tilted her chin to look at her.

  “I was thinking we should go ahead and get married,” she responded, a smile curling her lips.

  “Deidre,” he breathed resting his forehead on hers. “When?”

  “I was thinking spring and a very small and intimate wedding, Jeremy. I am not much for flair and drama.”

  “That’s next month,” he could hardly contain himself.

  “Between your mother and mine, that will be a snap,” she kissed his lips and bit down on the bottom one gently.

  He got up and closed the door and then came back.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Christening our child’s room,” he murmured as he pushed her back onto the carpet. “And celebrating you wanting to marry me.”

  “I am all for that.” She put her hands around his neck. “Shouldn’t we tell your mother and mine first?”

  “Not yet,” he nibbled at her lips and felt the tremor go through her. “Now we need time for ourselves.”

  ************************************

  She spent the night because he refused to have her drive all the way back to her apartment. His grandfather stared at them with a broad smile on his face, and his mother could not contain her excitement.

  “Let me be the one to tell your mother my dear,” Robert told her right after dinner.

  “Are you sure?” Deidre asked him uncertainly.

  “I am positive.” He took her into his arms and kissed her on both cheeks. “Welcome to the family.

  *************************************

  “I have some really terrific news for you,” he said as soon as she answered the phone.

  “You are getting married again?” she teased him.

  “You know I am waiting for you.” He teased right back. “They are getting married Deb,” his voice was high pitched with excitement. “It worked!”

  “And I have to hear this from you?” she demanded.

  “I told your daughter that I wanted to be the one to tell you.”

  “Robert, it really worked!” she cried out.

  “I told you it would,” he said smugly. “He is a different person Deb. The kind of person I always envisioned him being.”

  “I think she has fallen in love with him as well, but knowing Deidre he will probably have to wring it out of her. She is as stubborn as they come.”

  “He is head over heels in love with her.” He said softly. “He told me himself, but he did not have to. You should see him around her Deb, it is like no one else is in the room.”

  “And they have been spending a lot of time together. Our family merging Robert, I could not be happier.”

  “It would have merged a long time ago if you had agreed to marry me,” he reminded her.

  “Then those two would not have come together like this.” She said softly. “Remember the child we lost?”

  He was silent for a moment as he reflected on it. He had been prepared to marry her even before she discovered she was pregnant for him. “Now it has worked out for the best.” He said quietly.

  “It has.” She agreed. “We have come full circle. It’s funny how things worked out.”

  “I always want what’s best for him.”

  “You got it.”

  Chapter 8

  They were having a son! Jeremy felt as if he was floating on thin air. They had gotten the results from the ultrasound a month ago and the print out which was folded inside his wallet without her knowing it. He was going to father a son, and suddenly he knew that no matter what happened he was going to be a better father than his had been! He remembered nights wishing that his father would read him bedtime stories instead of his mother who was always doing it. His dad’s contribution to his growing up was to tell him constantly to man up, and that men don’t show weaknesses at all no matter the circumstances. Men were always in control of a situation and women were there as just cosmetics. They did not deserve to be in on a conversation. He had ignored his wife at the dinner table when he was having a conversation, only including her when he asked her to pass the salad bowl or something else.

  He was not going to be like that. He smiled wryly as he realized that Deidre would never let him get away with it.

  Their wedding was a week away and he was planning to take the week off and had insisted she did the same. “I have work to do Jeremy,” she had told him impatiently.

  “And it is going to look strange to see my wife going back to work as soon as the ink was dry on the wedding certificate.” He had told her mildly.

  She had looked at him for a moment and then sighed. “Okay fine.”

  She was stubborn, forceful and extremely independent and he would have it no other way. They were getting married at the small chapel a few miles away and the reception was being held at the manor. His mother was over the moon and Jeremy had never seen her so animated before. The nursery had been decorated and he had to admit that he had been caught up in the excitement as well. He would go there sometimes in the nights and sit in one of the soft couches thinking of his son lying in the cot sleeping. Deidre spent half the time at the manor and the other half at her apartment, which she told him firmly that she had no intention of giving up just now. Her sister had come back from Europe and was staying there as well until she sorts herself out.

  He got up from his desk and went to look out the window. The moon was high in the sky and threw an eerie glow onto the rose bushes planted along the high wall surrounding the property. Very soon it would be time to uncover the pool and have it cleaned. The gardeners had started to trim and nurture the plants already, and the rain had come during the week to wash away the last sign of winter. It was only nine and he found himself wondering what she was doing. He had asked her to come over and she had told him that she had spent three
nights at his place already and was neglecting hers. She had told him that her sister was at their mother’s and would be spending a few days with her. With a sudden decision, he moved from the window and got dressed. There was no sense staying away from her! He missed her too much to be able to sleep.

  ****************************

  Deidre could not sleep. She was disturbed that whenever she was sleeping beside Jeremy she slept like a baby, and when she was by herself she missed him so much she could not sleep. Brian had told her bluntly to stop trying to rationalize everything. “Honey, you clearly have the hots for the guy, so stop trying to fight it! He is such a delicious looking man, who wouldn’t have the hots for him?”

  Deidre had given him a dark look and he had laughed at her.

  But he was right. She found herself thinking about him a lot and looking forward to being married to him. He treated her with such intimacy that she found herself melting each time she was with him. They talked but she had not told him anything of herself, but neither had he! She was wondering how come they were getting married and did not know each other very well! They were going to be parents together, and yet they were not really familiar with each other!

  She got up to turn out the lights in the living room when she heard the knock on the door. She looked through the peephole and saw that it was him! Surely thinking about him had not conjured him up? She took a deep breath and pulled the door open. “I was just thinking–” she did not get any further as without a word he hauled her into his arms and took her lips with his, pulling her up against him and plundering her mouth with his!

  He kicked the door shut behind themn and lifting her into his arms he carried her to the bedroom. She clung to him when he would have eased away. “I am just taking off my clothes,” his voice was husky and his hands trembled as he ran them over her T-shirt clad body. He undressed hurriedly and took off her shirt and panties. “I can’t sleep without you,” he said simply and with a groan he took her lips with his in a deep kiss that had her clinging to him!

  *************************************

  “I am getting a divorce,” Deena paced the length of the small living room, her brow etched in a frown. She had spent two weeks in Europe and had come back recharged and ready to get her life back together. She had spoken to Marcus and had wanted to see if they could work things out, but he had told her that she was the one who walked out on the marriage and she should not think about coming back. “See if you can fix yourself up darling. I put up with you for all these years with you looking the way you do. I am sure another man will not do the same.”

  She had stood there looking at the man she had married and hoped that she would be spending the rest of their lives together. “You never loved me, did you?” she had asked him with tears in her eyes.

  “I fancied you,” he had told her with a shrug as he got ready to leave for work. She had come back from Europe with such high hopes even though he had not called her. She had told him when she was coming back and he had told her to take a cab home and not to expect him to drop everything just because she decided that she wanted to come home. “You made a good hostess but let’s face it babe, I am going places and you are not.”

  She had turned and walked out of the house she had built for both of them without looking back.

  “I want to tell you I am sorry but I am not,” Malcolm told her gently as he pulled her into his arms. “I have waited for you to realize that you are not happy Deena and I want you to know that I am here for you.”

  “I feel a sense of relief, but I still hurt,” she admitted as she buried her head into his chest.

  “Want to come and crash with me?” he asked her gently.

  “I am staying with my sister and my mother for the time being. Deidre is getting married next Saturday so I might just stay there until I decide what to do.” She put her hands around his neck. “I am going to put my degree to work.”

  “Good for you.” He bent his head and kissed her on the mouth. “Now let’s go and celebrate your impending freedom.”

  **********************************

  “Do you love him?” Deena asked her sister as they sat outside on the patio drinking fruit punch and pretzels the night before the wedding. She had not seen Jeremy for the entire day and was feeling the withdrawal, which was ridiculous because she had just seen him the night before at the manor. He had called her earlier and asked her how she was and said he could not wait to see her tomorrow and she had not responded in kind. What was she scared about?

  “What is love anyways?” she asked with a wave of her hand. She bit into the soft flavored pastry in contemplation as she enjoyed the breeze coming from the gardens. She was going to miss the place but Deena would be staying there for the time being. “I enjoy being with him and I love the way he makes me feel when we are together. Were you in love with Marcus?”

  “I thought I was,” Deena looked down into her drink and for a moment Deidre regretted asking her the question. “I guess I got married for the wrong reason. I wanted to prove that I was better than–” she avoided her sister’s eyes.

  “You wanted to prove that you were better than I am,” Deidre fill in the gap. “I was never in a competition with you Dee; all I wanted was to be in a relationship with my sister.” She reached out and touched the girl’s arm briefly. “Marriage and children were the farthest thing from my mind,” she continued with a small smile. “I wanted to establish myself as the best interior decorator there was and that was what I was concentrating on. Now I am not so sure,” she looked off into the night and was silent for a little bit. “He is so important to me now,” she placed a hand on her belly and rubbed it absently. “Both of them, but I am scared.” She ended with a laugh.

  “You have never been scared of anything in your life,” Deena said with grudging admiration.

  “So you see my point?” she looked at her sister for a moment. “You are a beautiful and educated black woman and for that you should be proud. Don’t let any man or woman make you think you are not. You can do anything you set your mind to and honey it is his loss.”

  “Thanks,” Deena told her gratefully reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Now, how about us getting some sleep for tomorrow?”

  ***************************************

  The sky was a little overcast, but not enough to put a damper on things. Deidre had been specific: “A small wedding with only family and friends,” and because of that the small chapel was only half-filled with people. Robert had volunteered to walk her up the aisle and Jeremy had Jeffry Rowland standing for him as his best man. He tensed as he saw her coming forward, his blue-grey eyes hooded as he took in the soft blue dress she was wearing which highlighted her pregnancy. Her curls were tamed and brushed back from her face into intricate twists and coils on top of her head. She was wearing diamonds around her neck and on her wrists, and Jeffry had the matching diamond sets he was going to be putting on her finger.

  He met his grandfather’s eyes and nodded as he took her hand holding it inside his for a moment before they turned to the minister.

  Deidre felt buoyant and strange as she pledged to love, honor and obey the man standing next to her. She saw the look he gave her at the part about her loving him and obeying and she smiled. They exchanged rings and then he was told to kiss his bride. Her breath quickened as his mouth met hers. Her hands drifted to his light grey jacket and clung to him as she felt the fire in her veins. He broke away from her and stood there looking down at her, his hands tight on her waist.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I now present Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Langley!”

  *****************************

  The manor was alive with laughter and music as the reception got under way. Deidre felt a little wilted and sick to her stomach but she forced herself to eat because she had not eaten anything much for the entire day. She had done the duty dances with Robert and Jeffry, and Brian had insisted on dancing with her.

  “For a pregnant woman
you look hot,” he teased her as they went around the dance floor.

  “Thank you, I think,” she said looking up at him. He was classically handsome with cocoa brown skin and curly black hair. He was tall and skinny but had muscles where it counted. “Where is the latest love of your life?”

  “I am single now honey. The last one had this idea that he wanted me to cut down on my travelling. As if!” he rolled his eyes dramatically and caused Deidre to laugh. “Don’t look now baby girl but hubby has eyes on us. He does know that I am gay right?”

  “I told him.” She looked over to where Jeremy was talking to Jeffry and several others and their eyes met and held. “My husband. It feels so strange.”

  “Do you think I can come and hang out in this big ass place whenever I am in town?” Brian asked her.

  “As long as you behave.”

  “I am always on my best behavior.” He grinned and kissed her on the cheek. “Be happy, darling.”

  ************************************

  He carried her over the threshold much later that night. “I could see you were tired. Why didn’t you make us call it a night?” he chided as he bent before her to take off her shoes and stockings.

  “And miss my own party?” she teased him as she wriggled her toes.

  He looked up at her and then took her feet in his hands and started rubbing them. She sighed and leaned back against the pillows. “That feels good.” She murmured.

  He continued rubbing them without saying anything.

  “You are quiet?” she said after a few minutes.

  “Just concentrating on the job” he told her lightly.

  “I feel strange,” she admitted to him. He gave her feet one last rub and climbed on top of the bed. “How is a wife supposed to feel?”

  “I have no clue.” He started to unbutton the many buttons around the back of her dress. “Have you tried asking a married woman?”

  “I cannot ask my sister because as you know she is going through a divorce and your mother–” she stopped and he turned her to face him.