The Last Chance

by Darrien Lee

  Malachi drove his Mercedes Benz down the expressway feeling bad that he hadn’t smoothed things over with Keilah before she left the cookout. He now realized that if she ended up married to Michael, he was going to have to tolerate him whether he liked him or not. With all these thoughts running through his head, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep unless he made amends with her.

  Luke told him which hotel they were staying in, so he picked up his cell and dialed her number. When her voice-mail came on, he spoke into the phone. “Yo, Keilah, this is Malachi. I need to holler at you, so I’m getting ready to swing by your hotel. See you shortly.”

  What Malachi didn’t know was that Keilah’s cell phone was in the bottom of her purse, and she didn’t hear it ring. Their tranquility would soon be interrupted, but in the meantime, Michael massaged Keilah’s body with expertise. Keilah sighed as Michael’s large hands explored every inch of her body. She straddled his lap, causing Michael to lose touch of his senses. She heard him groan as she pressed her body against his. “You like that, don’t you?” she teased.

  He pulled her hips closer to him. “You know I do.”

  Michael loved the way Keilah’s soft lips tasted, and he never wanted to lose that feeling. Things were heating up even more as she leaned back so Michael could have total access to her voluptuous breasts. He ran his tongue over her nipples and feasted on her. Seconds later, he pulled back.

  “What was that?”

  “What was what?” she asked.

  Michael sat there quietly for a moment then said, “Shhh ... listen.”

  Keilah playfully nibbled on his ear and kissed his neck. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “Is that someone knocking on the door?” he asked.

  Keilah was all over him. She breathlessly said, “I didn’t hear anything, Michael.”

  “Wait. There it is again,” Michael said as he eased Keilah off his lap so he could climb out of the tub.

  “Michael, whoever it is will go away if we ignore them,” she pleaded.

  He wrapped a towel around his waist. “It could be the front desk. You wouldn’t want them to find us like this, would you? Stay here. I’ll see who it is.”

  Keilah leaned back in the bubbles and closed her eyes as she drained the last of the wine out of her glass.

  Michael walked over to the door, looked through the peephole, and let out a breath as he opened the door. “Hey, Malachi. What’s up?”

  Malachi’s eyes widened and turned blood-red, seeing Michael standing before him nearly naked. He could only imagine what he had just interrupted between Michael and Keilah. With an obvious scowl on his face Malachi asked, “Where’s Keilah? I called before I came over.”

  Before Michael could answer him, Keilah walked into the room with a large white towel wrapped around her body looking very agitated. “Malachi? What are you doing here?”

  Malachi walked into the room, allowing Michael to close the door behind him. “I left a message on your cell phone.”

  She sat down in a nearby chair and crossed her legs. “Well, I didn’t get it, and what is so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”

  Malachi got even more disturbed as he noticed suds sliding down both of their legs. He had to shake the images from his mind and remind himself his sister was a grown woman.

  Michael tugged on his towel to keep it from falling off. “I’ll give you guys some privacy so you can talk.”

  Malachi put his hand up and said, “No, this concerns you too.” Keilah and Michael looked at each other in confusion. Malachi shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. “Look, Keilah. I know I haven’t been the brother I should’ve been since you’ve been out on your own. I’m going to be honest with you and say I don’t think any man will be good enough you, but I’m going to try and let you live your life and not interfere. Bottom line, I want to see you happy. You’re my sister, and I love you regardless.”

  Michael walked over and shook Malachi’s hand. “I appreciate that, Malachi. Keilah means a lot to me, and whether you guys want to believe it or not ... I do love her very much.”

  Keilah smiled and then walked over to Malachi and hugged him.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “Now if you don’t mind, could you please get the hell out of here so we can get back to what we were doing?”

  Embarrassed, Michael yelled, “Keilah!”

  She clutched her towel, turned to him and winked seductively. “It’s okay, baby. I’m a full blooded woman with needs and desires just like theirs.”

  Malachi grunted and turned toward the door. Keilah saw the agony in her brother’s face and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Malachi, I’m sorry. You know I enjoy messing with you guys.”

  Before going out the door, he smiled. “I am glad you’re home, little sister. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  “Later,” Michael replied as he closed the door behind him.

  He turned to Keilah and leaned against the door. “Now that was interesting.”

  Without responding, she walked toward him seductively and removed his towel. She then let her own towel fall to the floor. Michael slowly scanned her curvaceous body and smiled. He sprinkled her shoulders and neck with light kisses.

  “You’re driving me crazy, Keilah Chance.”

  She held onto him tightly and nibbled on his ear. “Then what are you waiting on?”

  Michael kissed Keilah all the way back into the bedroom until they fell upon the bed. “You’re perfect, Keilah.”

  She giggled. “No, I’m not.”

  Michael stopped kissing her for a moment and looked at her seriously. “Yes, you are. You’re the answer to my prayers in more ways than one.”

  “That’s deep, Michael.”

  He started kissing her again. “It’s the truth.”

  Keilah closed her eyes and let out a soft moan when Michael kissed lower. He felt her body tremble when he ran his tongue across her navel. “Do you like that, sweetheart?”

  She withered and whispered, “You know I do.”

  He kissed her lips as he moved between her thighs. “Michael, wait a second.”

  Michael pushed her legs further apart. “But I want you now.”

  Keilah pushed him off of her body. “What is wrong with you, Michael? You know we don’t have sex without a condom.”

  He caressed her thigh and smiled. “What’s the problem? You’re on birth control.”

  Keilah scooted off the bed and angrily picked her towel off the floor. “Stop acting ignorant, Michael. Getting pregnant is not my biggest worry.”

  Michael scooted off the bed and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and said, “I’m sorry I took our relationship and you for granted, Keilah, but I will say this. I know I love you and I hope at some point you feel the same way about me. You’re the one and I trust you.”

  Keilah couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Michael, we haven’t known each other long enough for you to try something like that without discussing it with me. You can’t just assume it’s OK to have unprotected sex with me.”

  His kissed her on the cheek and said, “You’re right. It’s just that you make me lose control of my senses when I’m with you. Keilah, you’re so sexy and beautiful that a man would have to be a fool not to want to feel every part of you.”

  She stepped out of his embrace, walked over to the dresser and pulled her lingerie out of the drawer. As she got dressed she said, “That’s flattering, but my life means more to me, and it should to you.”

  “OK, I see you’re angry with me and I don’t want it to ruin our night. I apologize.”

  Keilah climbed into bed and said, “Let it go, Michael. I’m tired. Good-night.”

  Michael stood there scratching his head before he slid into his pajamas. He’d messed things up with Keilah tonight but hoped to make it up to her tomorrow. “Good-night, Keilah.”

  Hours later Keilah tossed and turned as she lay next to Michael who had begun to snore. She fo
und herself wide awake and unable to sleep, so she eased out of bed, slid into her robe, poured herself a glass of wine, and walked out onto the balcony. The late night breeze caressed her skin and tousled her hair. She took a sip of wine and looked out at the sleepless city. As she stood there, she thought about her childhood once again and so many memories came back to her like a flood. One such thought was the curiosity she always had about the father. Her brothers would tell her just about everything she wanted to know about Joe Chance except the events surrounding his death.

  Keilah poured herself another glass of wine, sat down in the lounge chair, and closed her eyes. There was so much she wanted to know about her father.

  She sighed as she remembered one particular day when she was around eight years old. She’d cornered Genesis in the kitchen and quizzed him about their father.

  “Genesis, tell me about my daddy.” He sighed with frustration as he open the refrigerator and sat the carton of orange juice on the bar.

  “What do you want to know, Keilah?”

  She pulled on his arm playfully. “I want to know everything about Daddy. When I ask Roman and Luke, they always say there’s nothing much to tell.”

  Genesis tugged at her ponytail before reaching into the cabinet to pull out two small glasses. “They’re right. There’s not much to tell you. Daddy was in and out of our lives a lot, but he was a good daddy when he was here.”

  “Do you think he would’ve loved me if he hadn’t died?”

  Genesis poured the orange juice into their glasses. “Even though Daddy never laid eyes on you, he loved you, Keilah. He was in love with the promise of having a daughter one day, especially after having all of us. He just didn’t live long enough to see just how beautiful and wonderful you are.”

  “Why did he have to die, Genesis?”

  She was questioning him like an adult, and he didn’t know how much information to reveal to her. “He died because there are people in the world who don’t have respect for life, and they don’t care who they hurt,” he explained.

  “Malachi said Daddy was gone a lot. Didn’t Daddy want to be here with Momma? Didn’t he love her? Why did he leave?”

  Genesis sighed. Keilah was throwing a list of questions at him. “Yes, he loved Momma very much. He just had a hard time holding down a job, so he would leave us to go find work.”

  Genesis could see the sadness creeping into his sister’s eyes. He picked her up and sat her on the barstool. “Keilah, Daddy was a good man, and I’m sorry you never got the opportunity to know him. You’re a Chance, and we’re survivors. We have to take care of each other. That’s what’s important.”

  Keilah hugged his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Genesis.”

  “You’re welcome. Do you still have that picture we gave you of Momma and Daddy?”

  She took a sip of her juice and nodded.

  “Good. Then whenever you look at it, I want you to believe in your heart that Joe Chance was the kind of daddy you always wanted, OK?”

  “I believe he was a good daddy like you, Luke, Roman, and Malachi.”

  Keilah’s comment touched his heart and nearly brought him to tears. Genesis and his brothers tried to be the best fathers they could be for Keilah. They just prayed they made all the right choices for her so she would grow up to be a strong, educated, independent woman.

  Keilah wiped away tears as she stood out on the balcony of their hotel reminiscing about her childhood. She didn’t expect her memories to upset her, but they had. She never doubted that her brothers had done a good job raising her. However, she still couldn’t help being saddened by the fact that she never got the opportunity to know her father and that she didn’t have the chance to grow up with a mother. She stood up and finished off the last of the wine.

  Feeling tense, she tried to massage her stiff neck. Seconds later, Keilah was startled when Michael’s large, warm hands came in contact with her petite shoulders. He kissed the back of her neck and whispered lovingly to her.

  “What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

  She leaned back against his chest, allowing him to wrap her securely in his arms.

  “I couldn’t sleep, so I came out here so I wouldn’t disturb you.”

  He gently massaged her shoulders and neck. “What disturbed me was waking up to find you missing from our bed. Keilah, I want to apologize again for being so presumptuous earlier tonight.”

  “Let it go, Michael.”

  He tilted her chin upward so he could see her eyes. It was obvious that she had been crying. Instead of questioning her, he kissed each eyelid and then her forehead. “I hope those tears are not because of me.”

  Keilah wiped a tear off her cheek. “No, I just have a lot on my mind.”

  “Well, I’m here for you if you ever want to talk about what’s bothering you.”

  She closed her eyes and hugged his waist tightly. “Thank you, Ramsey.”

  He pushed her back and frowned. “Ramsey? Why did you call me Ramsey?”

  Keilah was embarrassed, but she didn’t panic. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Michael. I was thinking about Ramsey because I didn’t get a chance to call him back from earlier today. It’s just a slip of the tongue.”

  Michael was still frowning. Keilah wasn’t sure if he was buying what she was selling, but she remained calm.

  “Just a slip of the tongue, huh?”

  She smiled. “Of course. Ramsey was on my mind, and I just said his name instead of yours. It was an honest mistake.”

  Michael looked her directly in the eyes in silence. Keilah wished she could read his mind so she would know what he was thinking. He finally said, “Don’t let it happen again.”

  As he walked back into their hotel room Keilah followed close behind. She couldn’t believe what he’d just said. “Excuse me?”

  Michael pulled back the comforter and climbed into bed. “I don’t take well to my woman calling me by another man’s name.”

  Keilah put her hands on her hips and said, “I told you it was a mistake, but if you want to make a big deal out of it, go ahead.”

  Keilah climbed into bed next to Michael and turned her back to him. Ramsey was definitely on her mind, but not for the reasons she explained to Michael.

  “Keilah?”

  She turned to face Michael and whispered. “Yes?”

  “I know you would never let another man touch you while we’re together, because if you did I don’t know what I would do.”

  “It’s been a crazy day, Michael. Let’s just forget it and start fresh tomorrow. Deal?”

  He kissed her tenderly on the lips and said, “Deal. Good-night, sweetheart.”

  “Good-night.”

  Keilah turned back over and let out a sigh of relief. She was glad Michael had interrupted her thoughts earlier about her father. It bothered her that their father’s murder had gone unsolved for so many years. Somebody knew something, and she hoped to eventually find out who was involved because she wouldn’t rest until she found out who was responsible for his death.

  Chapter Eleven

  The next day, Keilah and Michael met up with her brothers at their casino. While Keilah met in the conference room with her brothers, Luke gave Michael some complimentary poker chips to try his hand at the poker tables. Inside the conference room, the brothers had champagne chilling in a nearby bucket. There was a notebook positioned by each one of their seats, as well as a notepad.

  Keilah walked in and jokingly said, “Dang. It looks like we’re about to have a meeting with the president of the United States.”

  Luke closed the door and smiled at her. “We just might have to do that, sis.”

  Genesis, Malachi, and Roman chuckled as they took their seats. Luke sat at the head of the table since he was the oldest. He jotted down a few things before he began speaking. “OK, guys. Let’s get this meeting started. First, I want say again how good it is to have our baby sister back home. Keilah, you’re missed around here by not onl
y me, but also the entire Chance family. You don’t come home often enough, sis, so work on improving that next year.”

  Unified laughter from the brothers filled the room. Keilah tapped her pencil on the table and smiled without replying. Luke stood up and retrieved the champagne bottle, along with a handful of champagne glasses. He passed the glasses out to each of his siblings and began filling them with the bubbling liquid. After every glass was filled, Luke asked his brothers and sister to stand. He held his glass up and spoke softly.

  “Today is a milestone for the Chance family. We’ve overcome some major obstacles in our lives and in this business. The Lucky Chance has prospered beyond any of our wildest dreams, and because of that we have been able to open our second casino. Keilah, you are our only sister, and we love you very much. It’s because of our love for you that the grand opening wouldn’t have been complete without you here. Welcome home, sis.”

  Tears filled Keilah’s eyes as she took a sip of her champagne before setting it down on the table. Her brothers hugged and kissed her lovingly.

  “I’m glad to be here with you guys, and I love you, too,” she whispered as she wiped away her tears. Genesis handed her a handkerchief and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, Genesis. So, when can I see the new casino?”

  Roman finished off his glass of champagne then wiped his mouth. “Not so fast, Keilah Chance. You can see the casino tonight when you step out on the red carpet. By the way, a limo will be picking you guys up at the hotel. This is going to be huge.”

  Keilah smiled and went into a slight panic. “I didn’t know you guys were going all out like this. I need a dress, and Michael didn’t bring a suit. We have to go shopping.”

  Malachi mumbled, “Just like a woman.”

  About that time, their attorney P.K. Sloan walked in. “Sorry I’m late. Traffic was hell on I-110.”

  “We were just getting started anyway, P.K.,” Luke said. “You remember our sister, Keilah, don’t you?”