“Emory, you’re looking well, dear,” he says, as he takes a seat on his stool.
“Thank you, other than being sleepy all the time, I’m feeling much better.”
“Well, your labs are excellent. Your levels are where they should be, and the bloodwork indicates the meds have done their job. Your cells are regenerating, so I’d like to wean you off the medication. I’ll give you a smaller dose, we’ll let that be in your system for a few weeks, draw more labs and repeat the process. Won’t be long and you’ll be taking none at all. You’re well on your way to recovery.”
I jump up from my seat and grab Emory. I pull her up to me and swing her around the small exam room. Excitement is in the air, as I say, “I told you, baby. It’s you and me forever!”
“Yes!” she squeals out, my excitement contagious.
“We need to go home, tell the family, and celebrate!”
“You two get out of here, I’ll call in your new script, Emory. Congratulations,” Dr. Tremaine says with a smile on his face.
“You and me against the world, Marcus.”
“And what a world it is with you by my side, Emory,” I say, leaning down and kissing her. Already planning our evening celebrations…alone.
Chapter 11
Emory
Love is honesty, loyalty and respect for each other…
My family is all sitting in my living room after a long night of celebration. Ariel has just rejoined us after feeding Devon and as usual, she and Rainey are a force to be reckoned with. “So, Mom, now that Emory is wrapping up with Dr. McHottie, how do you plan to flirt with him?”
“We exchanged numbers, I’m learning to text as well as speaking with him on the phone.”
“Are you sexting, Mom?” Rainey asks.
“Eww…I do not need to hear this,” I state, holding my hands over my ears. The guys are all laughing. Fuckers! I do not need the image of my mom sexting with my doctor for crying out loud. “What is wrong with all of you?”
“Oh, Emory, even your mom deserves to find happiness,” Marcus says, pulling me back into his chest. I lay my head back on his shoulder and tune out the conversation around me. Shyann crashed about an hour ago, but for some reason, I’m longing to have her in my arms. Marcus has been digging into his old unit, trying to find out what happened to her dad and why he can’t get a hold of anyone. No one is giving him information, and his frustration level has skyrocketed in the last week. I don’t know what to do for him, or how to help him through this. He and Jensen will be traveling next week to try and track down their old team mates. They have addresses and phone numbers but have been unsuccessful in getting any returned letters or phone calls. Some of the numbers have even been disconnected.
I close my eyes and just enjoy having my family surrounding me. I can’t believe that I was going to do this all alone, the feeling of guilt overwhelms me at times. I also feel horrible about laying all of the clients on my sisters’ and Carson’s feet. This is my business too, and I like to do my share and not push it on others. Our father instilled in us values and one of his things was that you always pitch in and pull your own weight, and I feel like I’ve let him and them down. A feeling that has thrown me into an anxiety attack or two since I was put on leave of absence at the shop.
“What’cha thinking about so hard there, baby?”
“Everything.”
“Why do you look so upset?” Rainey asks me.
“I can’t help but feel like I’ve let y’all down and possibly disappointed Dad.”
“How is that?” Ariel asks.
“I haven’t been pulling my own weight. I’ve let everyone else carry my burdens for me and I haven’t taken responsibility.”
“Hush up with that bull crap, baby girl,” Mom sternly says to me. “If either of your sisters had been in your shoes would you have done the same for them?” I open my eyes and look at my mom. How could she ask such a question?
“Without a doubt!” I respond, probably harsher than I should have.
“Then why is it so different if we do the same for you?” Ariel asks me.
“I just hate feeling like I’m a burden,” I tell them.
“Baby.” Marcus takes my shoulders and moves me around to face him. “A burden? Are you for real right now? This is love, this is commitment, and this is loyalty. These are the things we’re proving to you each and every day by stepping up and helping you out. Did you catch that word helping? Do you consider Shyann a burden?”
“Are you for real right now? How could you ask me such a thing?”
“Because most women in your situation, taking on another couple’s child, some would consider that a burden.”
“That’s ridiculous!” I holler out.
“And that right there, that is the reason we cherish you. It’s why we all need you to be strong and healthy. It’s also why I can’t imagine life without you. You’re no burden baby, you’re needed and loved.” I can’t help it, I lean in and capture his lips with mine. I don’t think about my family being in the same room, I don’t consider that this isn’t an appropriate display of affection in front of others. All I can think about is how this man, he was made just for me.
I hear Rainey say, “I think this is our cue to go.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Ariel says. I detach my lips from Marcus’ and look at my sisters.
“Yeah, think you’re right,” I say with a bright smile.
“Oh my,” I hear Mom say. I look over and she’s fanning herself and her face is bright red. “Don’t y’all worry about Shyann, I’ve got her tonight,” she says, getting up from the couch and walking down the hallway. I notice her shoulders hitch and call out to her, “Mom? Stop, are you alright?”
She turns from her retreat and looks at me, her face flushed, and tears are running down her face. “Mom?” I get up and walk over to her, pulling her into a hug. We hold each other for a few minutes and then she pushes me back, hands on my shoulders and says to me, to us, “I’m so very happy. My girls—all three of my girls, have found what your father and I had. A man who loves you wholeheartedly, with no reservations, and has no fear of showing that love to you all, each and every day. They all cherish it, and it’s something I’ve always hoped, and prayed, that each one of you would have the chance to discover and have what your father and I had. It’s precious, it’s forsaken and it’s unbreakable. Hold on to it,” she says, addressing the whole room. “Never let it go, and never let anything stand in your way. There are no promises of tomorrow, trust me, I know that better than anyone.” I pull her back in my arms and feel my sisters coming up and wrapping their arms around both of us.
“We’re all very lucky, Mom. We had you and Dad to teach us what we should look for and desire in a relationship,” Rainey tells her, causing our mom to break down into sobs.
Dillon comes up and moves us all out of the way and pulls Mom into his arms. “Glory, you’re the first person to show me kindness and what love looks like. You proved it to me each and every day I stepped foot into your classroom. You and your husband, what y’all did for me, there are no words to show my gratitude. I’ve never said this to you before, but I love you. And I’m so honored that the first woman I ever loved, as a mother figure, is my mother-in-law. I couldn’t have asked for a more honorable and loving woman than you.” I think I just swooned a little, at my sister’s husband’s feet. Then Marcus shoves Dillon out of the way before he pulls her into his arms and whispers something in her ear. She looks up to him and gives him a bright smile and says one word, “Yes.” I have no clue what he said to her, but he brought that happiness back into her eyes. And right now, that’s all that matters.
“Don’t tease me, Marcus,” I say, grabbing his hair as he’s between my legs. He lifts his head up, and I can see my pleasure coating his mouth and chin.
“Lay back, baby, and enjoy this. I plan on being down here for quite a while.”
“Ugh,” I call out in frustration. It’s not that I don’t like
him being down there, it’s that I crave more, I crave him. Me being sick has put a crimp in our love life and now that I’m feeling better, I want to make up for lost time. He chuckles at me and the vibrations from that cause tingles to go up and down my spine. I feel goose bumps prickle up my legs and down my arms. “Marcus, please I need you.”
“What is it you need, Em?”
“You,” I pant out.
“You have me, be more specific,” he says, going back and swirling his tongue around my clit, then pulling it into his mouth. I buck my hips, trying to show him instead of telling him what I need.
“I need you inside of me,” I give up and say to him.
“You want my cock, baby?”
“Yesss,” I seethe out. How much clearer can I be? “Please, Marcus. I need that big fat cock of yours stretching me, I need the burn and pleasure, baby.” He growls, crawling up my body. He uses his tongue, mapping out a path up to my mouth. He stops at my belly button, kissing, nipping and licking the area. Then slowly, oh so slowly, he makes his way up to my breasts. He repeats the process, only he adds pulling my nipples into his mouth. They are swollen, and standing erect, begging for attention. He laves them, sucks on them and pays attention to every square inch of them. My hips buck up of their own accord, searching for him.
“I can’t wait to feel your wet heat wrapped around me, baby,” he says, sitting up on his knees. He pumps his cock once, twice then coats himself in my juices. He glides up and down, through my folds, getting himself nice and sheathed in my lubrication. When he’s satisfied, he places himself where I need him the most. Once he’s aligned himself at my entrance he says one word, “Prepare,” and I do just that. I reach up above my head and grab the slats on my headboard. I know he’s worked himself up, and I’m prepared for him to ride me hard. He slams inside of me, and the burn is instantaneously. He stretches me so wide, that sometimes I question how he fits, but the pleasure from the pain is always intense. “This what you wanted, baby?”
“Oh hell yes,” I cry out as he dives back inside of me. He’s intense and ferocious in the way he’s taking me. It’s as if he can’t breathe without me, he is making me feel alive and cherished. “More, Marcus. I need you deeper,” I pant out. He leans down and takes my mouth like a man possessed. Our tongues are dueling each other, each seeking ownership of the other’s.
He pulls back, causing me to whimper out at his loss. He pulls out of me and lays on his back, “C’mere and ride me, beautiful.” I roll over and climb on top of him. I situate myself and align up with him and slam down hard, causing him to curl up from the shock. He grabs the back of my neck and brings me down to his awaiting mouth, instead of taking mine with his, he says, “You dirty girl, I love how much you want and desire my cock. Now fuck me, Emory, fuck me like our lives depend on it.” I do, I slam down and rise back up repeating the process over and over again. I add a swivel to my hips as I slide down, causing him to moan out my name.
“Yes, pretty girl, ride me…just like that!” My legs are starting to burn from the repeated process, but I can’t stop. I feel my orgasm sitting right there, ready to explode. I come, I come hard and I bellow out his name.
“Marcus!” He lets me ride out my orgasm then grabs my hips and rolls us over, I’m once again on my back. He takes my legs, holding one in each hand as he raises them to where my ankles are placed by my ears.
“I’m going to fuck you now, I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk for the next week.” Those words turn me on more than the desire I see pooling in his eyes. He slams in and out of me, he adds a twist to his hips here and there causing my eyes to roll in the back of my head. Another orgasm takes over, one I didn’t feel coming and I scream out in pleasure. A few more thrusts, and Marcus follows me over the edge calling my name out, as his release takes over.
“Fuck, Em. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” He gets up and walks to the bathroom, we talked on the way home from the doctors. Knowing I’m on the road to recovery, we decided to ditch the condoms, and it’s the best decision we’ve ever made. To experience him, skin on skin, is the best feeling I’ve ever experienced. I hear the water turn on in the bathroom and know what it is that he’s doing. He always insists on cleaning me once we’re done, we usually have a condom so there isn’t much of a mess, I think he’ll find that the case is different this time. He comes back into the bedroom, washrag in hand and sits down on the bed next to me. He spreads my legs apart and just sits there staring.
“What are you staring at?”
“The image I’m looking at is breathtaking. To see our combined release makes me want you all over again. This is us, Emory, this is our commitment to each other. We trust each other and love each other. This here,” he says, swiping his finger through our release, “this is the definition of true love at its finest. This states forever to me, more than words could express. This is a devotion that we are showing each other, this is us, Emory. The good, the bad and the ugly all wrapped up in our trust. You have no idea, no clue, what that means to me.”
“You realize that I haven’t taken my birth control since I started the therapy for my leukemia, don’t you?”
“We discussed it,” he reminds me.
“I know, I just want to reiterate to you the repercussions it could bring to our door.”
“If it happens, it’s meant to be. I love you, Emory, and soon you’ll have my ring on your finger and carry my last name. We decided to live, we agreed that we need to move forward and enjoy life. Like your mom said earlier, we don’t know what could happen at the end of the day. And I choose to love hard, live hard and die hard, all while you’re at my side. I want to enjoy what we have, I want a future with you, I need you on the same page as I am.”
“And I am, wait a minute. Was that a proposal, Marcus?”
“And if it was, what would you say?”
“Guess you’ll have to ask to find out.”
“Thought I just did.”
“No, Marcus. That was a declaration, not a question,” I say to him, teasingly.
“This isn’t the way I wanted to do this, baby. But if you say yes, we’ll go to the courthouse first thing in the morning and get our marriage license application.”
“I’ll never say no to you, Marcus.”
“No, absolutely not, Marcus.” I say, looking at the huge diamond ring he’s attempting to get me.
“What happened to, ‘I’ll never say no to you, Marcus,’?” he asks me.
“I won’t say no on the important things!” I say, abrasively.
“You don’t think your engagement ring is important?”
“I’m not saying that, Marcus. I’m saying it’s too big. How am I supposed to work with something so heavy and bulky?”
“This is a symbol of my love for you! It needs to be big, huge even, because that’s how much you fill my heart.”
“Marcus, you’re all I’ll ever need. Not a symbol, you,” I say, wrapping my arms around his waist and laying my head on his chest. “There isn’t a ring in the world that could take the place of that. I don’t want huge, I want simple and elegant. I don’t need flashy and expensive, I just need you.”
“You have me, baby. All of me,” he leans down and kisses the top of my head.
“We have some classic designs over here,” the saleslady says to us.
“Show me,” I say to her. She walks us over to the display case and I gasp in surprise when I find a ring that calls to me. It’s in an antique setting, the diamond is square, and it shines beautifully when the light hits it. “Can I see this one?” I ask, pointing to it. She brings it out of the display case and hands it over to me. This is the one, it’s meant to be mine. It’s absolutely stunning and screams out my name. It’s classic, it’s time withstanding, and I want it.
“Is that the one, baby?” he asks me.
“This was made just for me,” I whisper.
“We’ll take this one,” he tells her. She tak
es the ring back from me and we walk over to the wedding bands. With Marcus’ chosen career he needs something strong and sturdy. We find him a titanium band, and for me, we find a simple wedding band in white gold, to match my engagement ring. Once we are rung up and leave the store, Marcus drives us to a park, and I’m confused. I thought we were going to the courthouse, but with him, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. As we walk further into the park, I see my mother standing under a shade tree with Shyann on her hip. On further exploration, I see a blanket laid out under her feet and a picnic set out. A picnic for two, what in the world are they up to?
Chapter 12
Marcus
No one will ever love you the way I do…
The surprise on her face makes this moment worthwhile. “Marcus! You did all of this…for me?”
“Everything I do is for you, with you in mind,” I tell her, sounding much like a romantic pussy. But for her, I’ll gladly hand over my heart and soul and take the lashing of my friend’s tongues.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Mom says, winking at Marcus and kissing my cheek. We each give Shyann a hug and kiss and watch as they walk away. I take Em’s hand and pull her down with me on the blanket. I situate us to where she’s between my legs, back to my front. I grab a couple of grapes and pop one into her mouth and then one into mine. I just sit there, gathering my thoughts while holding my woman in my arms. We watch as the ducks swim in the lake, the sky is a beautiful shade of blue and the weather is perfect for our outing. Next, I grab a cracker, chunk of cheese and a circular piece of lunch meat. I put them together and feed first her then me. We share our food and relax in companionable silence, just enjoying the moment.
“I didn’t do this right last night, but I want to make it a moment you’ll cherish and remember.” I pull her ring out of the bag and place it on her left ring finger. “Emory Masters, you are the light to my darkened world. You are my inspiration, my best friend and the love of my life. Please do me the honor of wearing my ring and becoming my wife. Please?”
Clean Slate: Diva's Ink Page 9
