Just To Be Loved

by Lee, Vivian Rose

  “Hello Momma Trent and Ghandi,” Heather greeted as she moved towards them.

  “Mama, I think it is time to feed the babies,” Sylvie whispered before she reached them.

  “Yes I think it is. Elisi come. We’re going to feed the babies. I swear, if she calls me Ghandi one more time I going to slap the taste out her mouth.”

  Ghani moved away leaving Sylvie to deal with Heather. Sylvie looked at Hunter and he just shrugged his shoulders.

  “Momma Trent I would have come over and helped with the party,” Heather said after air kissing her. “After all I will be the stepmother to those babies. Where is their mother by the way?” She hissed, looking around the room. “Has she abandoned them already?”

  Sylvie grabbed Heather’s wrist, snatched her closer, and hissed in her ear. “Heather don’t get thrown out. You will not disrespect my daughter with your hateful remarks, understand? Oh, and please be sure to have something to eat at the buffet,” Sylvie said louder, before walking away.

  “Heather go home!” Hunter said, leaving her side and joining his mother.

  “I’m not leaving!” She said, watching as Hunter walked away.

  When Hunter joined her on the other side of the room, Sylvie gave him an ear-full.

  “I can’t believe you are going to marry that witch Hunter,” she muttered, watching as Heather had her nose turned up about something else not to her liking.

  “Mom please. I can handle Heather.”

  “Well you better, because if she says anything more about Mya, she will not be welcome in this house ever again, you understand?”

  Mya didn’t know how long she stood there in her father’s arms, but he held her tight the whole time. She lifted her head and looked up at him and his eyes were just as red and puffy as her own. She stepped out of his arms and Henry took her hands.

  “Come on baby, it’s time to face our family together,” he said, lifted her chin and looking deep into her eyes. “I will find who has done this to us, I promise. When I do they are going to wish they never messed with my daughter.”

  Henry pulled his handkerchief from his jacket pocket, dabbed, and wiped her face.

  “Blow,” he ordered, before stuffing the handkerchief back in his pocket. “Now, let’s go eat and see my grandbabies.”

  Mya had a ghost of a smile on her lips as they left the library hand in hand.

  Ghani and Elisi fed the babies and laid them in the bassinet setup in the parlor for them. We still don’t know the names given to our great grandsons,” Charles Mason’s deep voice spoke out in the room. Heather stood off to the side not appreciating the fact that Hunter was not beside her, and watched as he laughed and put his arm around his grandfather. She was not going to let Mya and her brats take her glory. It was getting close to her wedding day; it should be all about her not those babies. Something had to be done and fast.

  When Mya and Henry stood in the doorway, the room exploded in applause. Hunter went to Mya and took her hand. She looked up at him with a frown.

  “I didn’t thank you for my sons,” he said, bending down to kiss her cheek. Heather’s mouth dropped open.

  “Hunter!” She snapped, but her whining got drowned out when the clapping started up again.

  Hunter took Mya’s hand and led her to his grandparents.

  “Elisi and Enisi, this is Mya, mother of the twins,” he introduced.

  Mya smiled at the lovely couple, and Elisi immediately gathered Mya into her arms.

  “Beautiful babies… thank you for bringing them home,” she said.

  Heather joined Hunter and stared hard at Mya.

  “As soon as we are able, we will have them to the reservation and have proper Cherokee welcome,” his grandfather said with a grin.

  “I would like that very much,” Mya replied graciously.

  “I hope it will be after my wedding,” Heather cut in with a fake chuckle. “We can’t have them upstaging the bride.”

  All eyes were on her, but no one laughed.

  Elisi took Mya’s hand. “Aren’t you a pretty girl?” She said, smiling warmly. “Come tsunadadatiugi and sit with Elisi,” she invited, pulling Mya away.

  “Hunter, this thing better not interfere with my wedding,” Heather hissed in his ear.

  Hunter cast an angry glance at Heather before grabbing her arm and pulling her from the room.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing Heather?” He snapped.

  “You’re ignoring me Hunter and I don’t like it. You should have told me that you were giving a gathering for those babies of yours. For god’s sake, we are going to be married in three weeks, and I do not appreciate not being included in family events. I should be at your side, not that tramp, and I want you to get rid of her!”

  “First of all Heather this isn’t about you and you don’t have to be in my sons lives, your words not mine. And you don’t come barging into my parents’ home making demands and insulting my family. If you cannot accept my sons, feel free to back out of this wedding; trust me I will understand!”

  “No, I don’t want to back out. I love you Hunter and I want to be your wife,” she whined, turning away to keep Hunter from seeing the evil maliciousness in her eyes. “I’m sorry, it’s just that everything is happening so fast, and with the wedding being so close, I just don’t want anything to go wrong.”

  Hunter sighed to himself.

  “Okay fine. Now please Heather, go home and I’ll call you later.”

  “You promise?”

  Hunter nodded and walked her to the door.

  Before Heather got to her car she was on the phone speaking to the voicemail of the number she had called. “Clay this is Heather. Call me back. I need your services again.”

  Chapter 13

  When Hunter returned to the room, his eyes automatically sought out Mya. She was still sitting with his Elisi and Enisi, and was smiling at something her grandfather was saying. He smiled, and when he looked over at his mother and father, they were smiling at him. He returned their smile, happy that his father looked happy. Ghani took his arm and led him to a corner in the room.

  “It’s time for you and Mya to talk sweetie. Don’t let this thing fester any longer; it’s time to heal old wounds between the two of you. You have two babies together so make it right son.”

  “Ghani, I don’t think…”

  “No Hunter, think about those boys and their mother, the one who gave them to you.”

  Ghani kissed his cheek leaving Hunter standing there alone, and when he looked up, his eyes met Mya’s. He winked at her and she smiled before turning to listen to something his grandmother was saying.

  Sylvie and Ghani held the babies in their arms as both boys looked around and cooed loudly.

  “Come on up here Mom and Dad. It’s time to tell everyone these babies’ names.”

  Mya and Hunter met in front of them.

  “We should tell them our sons’ names,” Hunter said close to her ear.

  She knew that everyone was curious about the boys and also noticed that they didn’t have on their beaded bracelets. She looked up at Hunter.

  “How are we going to tell them apart without their bracelets?” She whispered.

  “I know them apart,” Hunter boasted.

  Mya looked at him. “Yeah right. You must have looked at their bottoms,” she smiled.

  Hunter smiled back. “I swear I didn’t,” he chuckled.

  As Hunter and Mya stood holding their children, Ghani, Sylvie, and Henry smiled at the couple.

  “They look good together don’t they?” Ghani whispered to Sylvie.

  “Beautiful,” Henry whispered.

  “Come on Bruh,” Bryan grinned. “I want to know what to call my nephews.”

  “Ghani, Elisi, Enisi, Mom, Dad, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, and my knucklehead brothers.”

  “Come on Hunt,” Chance shouted.

  “Okay, okay.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Are you sure you know th
em apart?” Mya whispered.

  “Trust me Sweetheart,” he grinned.

  Mya’s heart skipped a beat. That was the first time she had ever seen a genuine smile on his face, and it was beautiful.

  Hunter extended the baby in his hands and presented him to the family. “Family, I’d like you to meet Henry Trent Mason II,” he introduced. He took baby Henry and placed him in his father’s arms. When Hunter returned to Mya’s side, she handed the other baby to him and he presented this baby to the family as well.

  “And now family, I'd like you meet Benjamin Trent Mason,” he introduced. He then placed baby Benjamin in his grandfather’s arms. The two grandfathers were beaming as the family applauded, and both men were unashamed of the tears that spilled down their faces.

  Hunter and Mya stood before his grandparents. “Elisi and Enisi, we want to have the naming ceremony giving them their Cherokee names soon,” Hunter announced.

  Enisi looked at Mya. “Is this what you want honey?” He asked.

  “Yes, I want my boys to know their culture and heritage… if it’s okay… I mean I’m not married to Hunter…”

  Mya stopped speaking before she put her foot in her mouth, and Hunter unconsciously took hold of her hand before releasing it. He was so proud of the way she accepted both his grandparents and his culture.

  “Everything works out for the best, you will see,” Elisi said, taking hold of her hand.

  Mya didn’t know what she meant, but she smiled anyway. Elisi smiled at the young woman who should be marrying her grandson, and she took Mya’s hand in her older, strong hands.

  “You are a beautiful girl,” her warm voice spoke as she cupped Mya’s face and gently kissed her on each cheek. “Thank you for my great grandsons.”

  Heather dialed Clayton’s number again, but still was only able to get his voicemail.

  “Where the hell are you Clay? I need you!” She yelled, throwing the phone on the sofa. “Mya has to go!”

  She didn’t have time for this. She was getting married in three weeks, and there was no way in hell that Mya and her brats were going to ruin her wedding. If she couldn’t get Clay, she would have to take care of Mya herself, but how? When the answer came to her, she smiled and sank down into the plush chair. There was no rush. After her wedding, her new pet project was going to be all about getting rid of Mya for the very last time.

  David Harris looked inside the box that his mother sent to him that was left to him by his Uncle Clay. Six months ago his uncle was killed in a shootout, and it devastated him to know that he went rogue while serving as an agent for the country, and then retired getting more deeply involved in illegal activities. After telling his Uncle Clay about the meeting he had with Rodger Collins, his uncle convinced him to attend school in California and agreed to pay his tuition in full along with all his expenses. Seeing it as an excellent opportunity to go to one of the best schools in the country, David left.

  He cut the tape on the box and looked inside seeing a stack of ledgers and a stack of CD’s with names on them. He dug deeper and there were large manila envelopes labeled “photos”, with the names of the people on the fronts. He looked through them and saw the one labeled David and Mya Trent, and hesitated. Was this the reason why Uncle Clay wanted him out of town?

  He opened the envelope, dumped the contents on the table, and there were photo of him and Mya talking. Or rather, he was talking. She actually didn’t have much to say. He remembered that day like it happened just yesterday. Uncle Clay said he was watching her because she was a suspect in a drug sting, and at the time, he didn’t believe it. Mya was a quiet woman who stayed to herself. There was also a photo of her giving him a white envelope, but that never happened.

  After studying the photo for a moment, David frowned. What did his uncle do? He searched for a CD with Mya’s name on it, and after placing it into a CD player, listened to the recording imply that Mya was looking to put a hit out on someone and was asking him for help.

  David was stunned. “Oh my God!” He said in disbelief. “That was not what happened!”

  There was a second CD, and when he popped it in, this one recorded a phone call to the crime hot line. It was his uncle’s voice accusing Mya of hiring him to kill her father Henry Trent.

  “Oh God! What did you do uncle?”

  He found a note in an envelope: $10,000 paid by Heather Burton, daughter of Senator Burton. Job: Get rid of Mya Trent. Setup: Fake tape and pictures requested.

  David was sick with worry, hoping that his uncle’s scheme did not work. He wondered whether Mya had been arrested or not and turned on his laptop. There had to be some news of Mya’s situation on the internet. He googled women arrested in Little Rock, but found nothing. This happened about a year ago. Did she go to prison? He kept surfing for information on Mya Trent, but it appeared as if the story didn’t even make the papers. In his last attempt, he brought up the Little Rock court records, typed in her name, and came up with this:

  Mya Trent found innocent of conspiracy to murder all charges dropped and was released after spending four months in Department of Corrections. Attorney: Public Defender Rodger Collins.

  David was angry. His uncle died before he could be held accountable for his actions, but this Heather person… this senator’s daughter will get what she deserves for her part in this scheme. He gathered all the information together on Mya’s case, and decided to return to Little Rock and give it all the Rodger Collins.

  Returning to Little Rock, David wasted little time in his search for Rodger Collins and discovered that he was no longer a public defender, but now had his own law firm. When he entered the small office, a very attractive woman named Vera looked up at him from behind a desk.

  “May I help you?” She asked politely.

  “Yes you can. I need to see Rodger Collins.”

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No, but my name is David Harris,” he announced.

  “David Harris?” Vera exclaimed, recognizing the name immediately.

  “Mr. Collins will see you right away. Please, follow me,” she directed, coming from behind the desk.

  David followed her down a short hall and she rapped once on the door before opening it.

  “Mr. Collins, a Mr. David Harris is here to see you,” she smiled.

  Rodger came to his feet swiftly, and after David entered the office, Vera closed the door behind herself.

  “Mr. Harris, please have a seat,” Rodger said calmly, trying his level best to contain his excitement as he returned to his desk and sat down as well. “So, what can I do for you Mr. Harris?”

  David slid a large envelope across his desk. “These are the people responsible for setting up Mya Trent, Mr. Collins, and I swear that I had no idea that this was going on. I was told that Mya was being investigated because she was part of a drug ring that was on campus.”

  Rodger’s eyes scanned over the evidence right before he lifted his head with an astonished expression on his face. “How did you get this?” He again asked calmly, still trying to tamp down his enthusiasm.

  “It belonged to my uncle. When he was killed a few months ago, it came into my possession. You see, after I told my uncle that I had met with you, he convinced me to move to California. I didn’t know why at the time, and when he offered to pay my full tuition and other expenses, and get me into the best school in the state, I thought it was a blessing from heaven. I had no idea why he wanted me to go so far away, but with all that I stood to gain, how could I refuse? Yesterday I received a box filled with ledgers, photos, and CD’s, and when I looked through the box, I came across an envelope with Mya’s and my names on it. I looked inside and half of those pictures of me talking to her didn’t happen, and when I listened to the CD’s, none of the things the CD’s say was said, were said. This person paid my Uncle Clay ten grand to set Mya up, and he left me a note saying to do as I please.” Riddled with guilt, David sighed and dropped his head.

  On the desk sat a white
slip of paper, and when Rodger unfolded it, he read aloud the names of the people that David’s uncle had wronged and those who put him up to it. He continued reading off the list and recognized none of the names, but when he got to the end of the list he suddenly stopped, stunned by what he saw. In his masculine penmanship were the names of Mya Trent and Heather Burton. In fact, other than David Harris’ name, those two names were the only other names that he recognized.

  David shrugged. “I don’t know what’s going on Mr. Collins. I know Mya, but I’ve never met Heather Burton before. So what happens now? Is Mya okay?”

  “Mya is fine David. She has moved on, but she wanted to know who would do this to her and why. I have been investigating and her family has as well, and we both found ourselves at dead ends. With this new information at our disposal, Mya can stop wondering who and why.

  David looked at him curiously. “You mean to tell me that Mya’s family believed that she would do something like that?”

  Rodger nodded. “Yes sadly, I’m sorry to say that they did. They turned their back on her when she was arrested believing that she was capable of the deed, and she spent four month in prison until I was able to prove her innocence. She is now living with her family.”

  “Do you think she will see me?” David asked hopefully. He wanted to make her understand that he was just a pawn in his uncle’s crime.

  “Let me speak to her first. Give me your number and I will call you and let you know,” Rodger said, rising from his chair to show David out.

  “I’ll only be in Little Rock visiting my mom until the end of the week,” David said, writing his number on the back of Rodger’s card and handing it to him.

  “Okay David, I will speak to her and get back to you. Thank you for coming in, and I’m sure Mya will be grateful that you helped to close that ugly chapter in her life.”

  David shook his hand. “I just wish she never had to see the inside of a prison,” he remarked before leaving.

  Rodger sat down, looked over the proof of Heather Burton scheme, and shook his head. What was her reason for paying someone to ruin Mya’s life?