by Darrien Lee
“I don’t want to hurt Keaton, and I’m sorry for getting involved with him in the first place. No man wants a woman who can’t give him a family.”
“Meridan, that’s not always true.”
“I see how he is with MaLeah and Fredrick. He adores them and they adore him,” she whispered as she blew her nose.
Cupping her face, Zenora said, “They’re his niece and nephew, Meridan. It’s not the same. Honey, you are Keaton’s match; no matter what you think. You two are good for each other. Don’t you see it? Feel it?”
Shaking her head, she solemnly said, “I don’t know anymore.”
“Ahh, Meridan.”
Meridan turned to her. “I need to get going and, Zenora, I would appreciate it if you would keep what I’ve told you between us right now.”
Patting her on the leg, she said, “I will, Meridan, and I’m here if you ever want to talk. Okay? Don’t be so hard on yourself and give my son a little credit. He’s a reasonable man, if you’d just explain everything to him.”
Opening her car door, she said, “I’ll think about it, Zenora.”
“Okay, my dear. Now, let’s get you to your plane. I pray that your friend will be okay.”
“So do I.”
They exited the car and walked into the airport together. After checking in, Zenora hugged and kissed Meridan and watched her walk down the tunnel to her plane.
Keaton couldn’t concentrate. He was concerned that Meridan had to hurry back to Philadelphia without him by her side to protect her. It had also gotten to the point where he couldn’t sleep peacefully without her. He knew sleep wouldn’t come easy to him because holding her body against his as they slept felt right. The warmth of her body and the rhythm of her breathing were more soothing than he could’ve ever imagined and he was going to miss her. Her sensual body fit like the piece of a puzzle to his tall frame, a one-of-a-kind piece at that. As he shuffled the employee applications on his desk, he knew he had to clear the rest of his paperwork and join her in Philly as soon as possible.
CHAPTER 50
Meridan’s taxi ride to the hospital wasn’t fast enough for her. She had no idea what to expect when she saw Nikki. She prayed that everything would be okay. Her heart was beating wildly when the car pulled in front of the hospital. The taxi driver set her bags down and asked, “Will there be anything else, Ma’am?”
Still looking around, she removed her jacket, and said, “No thank you.”
Reaching inside her purse, she tipped him and walked into the hospital.
When he got on the floor of Nikki’s room, she met Deacon in the hallway. He approached her with a worried look on his face.
“Deacon, what happened?”
He hugged her. “I’m still not sure. All I know is she was checking on your house and one of your neighbors called the police after hearing a gunshot. Nikki was found unconscious on your kitchen floor.”
Trembling, she asked, “How is she?”
Shaking his head, he said, “It’s touch and go right now. The next twenty-four hours are crucial.”
She hugged his neck. “Was it Sam?”
“I’m pretty sure it was. I have some detectives working on the case.”
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
“Meridan, you have to be careful. I’ll be here as much as possible and, when I’m not here, I’ll have an officer posted outside her room. Did Keaton come back with you?”
Wiping her eyes, she said, “He wanted to but I couldn’t wait on him. He said he’d be here as soon as he could.”
“Good, because you can’t be walking around here all alone.”
Meridan gnawed on her nail in despair. She knew in her gut that Sam was the one who shot Nikki.
“I’ll be fine, Deacon,” she responded.
“This is nothing to play with, Meridan. You’ve already seen what Sam can do.” She nodded.
“Are you ready to go see Nikki?”
“Yes,” she reluctantly answered.
They walked into Nikki’s room and Meridan’s heart immediately broke. She looked so helpless. Turning to Deacon, she hugged him and sobbed loudly.
“It’s okay, Meridan. She’ll be fine,” he assured her. “She’s just sleeping right now.”
“It’s all my fault,” Meridan said.
He kissed her on the forehead. “No, it’s not your fault.”
Releasing him, she said, “Excuse me for a second, Deacon. I need to go to the ladies room to get myself together.”
“Take your time. I know this is a shock, seeing her like this.”
“I’ll be back in a second, Deacon.”
Meridan walked down the hallway to the bathroom. She took a breath and leaned over the sink. She felt nauseated, lightheaded, and weak. Turning on the faucet, she closed her eyes and sprinkled her face with cool water. A few seconds later, she felt the presence of someone else in the room. When she looked up into the mirror, she found Sam standing behind her.
Meridan gasped and before she could react, Sam had her pinned against the wall. A muscular hand covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming.
“Hey, baby. Long time, no see. Have you missed me?”
Meridan shook with fear. Sam’s body gyrated into her sexually. Tears streamed down Meridan’s face as a wicked grin appeared on Sam’s face.
Seconds later, Sam stopped and said, “You still feel and smell just as sweet as you did back in college. I’m going to remove my hand and, if you scream, I’ll kill you where you stand.”
Meridan nodded and Sam’s hand lowered.
Meridan swallowed hard and asked, “Why are you doing this? Why did you have to hurt Nikki?”
Sam laughed. “I told you I was going to pay that bitch back. Enough about Nichole. Let’s talk about us.”
Sam pulled Meridan over in front of the mirror and hugged her from behind. Meridan flinched in fear when she noticed the gun.
Sam tightened the grip and said, “We really do make the perfect couple, don’t we?”
Angry, Meridan yelled, “How can we make a couple? We’re both women for God’s sake! For the last time, Samantha, I’m not gay, never have been gay, and will never be gay!”
Sam just looked in the mirror and smiled. She kissed Meridan on the back of the neck and said, “You know, from the time I was a little girl, the name Samantha never suited me. I’m so glad you guys started calling me Sam in college. It suits me much better, don’t you think?”
Trying to get out of Sam’s grip, Meridan said, “All I know is what you did to me was foul. You deserved everything you got and more.”
Sam turned Meridan around and put her finger in her face in anger.
“Let me tell you something. You’re not going to stand there and act like you didn’t like that loving I gave you. I love you, Meridan. Why can’t you understand that?”
“You tried to kill me, Samantha,” Meridan whispered.
“I figured if I couldn’t have you, no one would. That bitch, Nichole, ruined everything, and don’t call me Samantha again.”
Pushing away, Meridan said, “It was Nikki who saved my life!”
“Well, she’s paying for that now, isn’t she? Who’s going to save her?”
Silence surrounded them.
Meridan gritted her teeth. “If anything happens to Nikki, I will see to it that you don’t see the light of another day.”
Sam grabbed Meridan by the throat and pushed her hard against the wall.
“You can’t threaten me, sweetheart. Nichole put herself in this hospital and until I have my way with you, I will not stop at getting what I want…you.”
Meridan struggled to breathe as Samantha leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips. She released her grip and turned to walk away. She stopped halfway to the door. She was dressed in baggy jeans, a Chicago Bears throwback jersey, and a black scarf tied around her head. She was every bit of six-three, very tall for a woman, and could easily be mistaken for a man by her muscular build.
&nbs
p; She turned slowly and said, “By the way, whoever that tall dude is that I’ve seen you hanging around with…get rid of him before he has an accident worse than Nikki’s. See you soon.”
Meridan’s heart jumped up into her throat. She now realized that Sam had been stalking her. The last thing she wanted was for Keaton to get hurt. Before she could respond, Sam laughed and disappeared through the door.
Returning to Nikki’s room in a daze, reality had set in. When she walked in, Deacon looked up and said, “Damn, Meridan, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
It was at that moment she started to have trouble breathing. Deacon ran over to her and caught her before she slid to the floor.
He yelled, “Nurse! I need some help in here!”
A nurse ran in and saw Meridan struggling to breathe.
Deacon was frantic trying to find out what was wrong with her. “Meridan, what’s wrong? Talk to me! Nurse! Help her!”
The nurse attended to Meridan as quickly as she could. She tried to talk to Meridan in as calmly as possible.
Deacon looked at the nurse. “What’s going on?”
“She’s hyperventilating, Sir.”
The nurse called for assistance and after a few tense moments, Meridan’s breathing was back to normal.
Deacon held her hand and tried to soothe her as best he could. Minutes later the nurse removed the items covering her mouth and nose and asked, “Are you feeling better?”
Meridan nodded and whispered, “Yes. Thank you.”
The nurse took her vital signs. “She’ll be fine, Sir. Just give her a few more minutes. If anything changes, give me a call.”
“Thank you, Nurse.”
“You’re welcome,” she said before leaving the room.
Meridan lay back in the chair and Deacon gave her a cup of water. She gulped the water down and looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
He softly asked, “What happened, Meridan? You scared the shit out of me.”
She swallowed hard. “It was Sam. Sam did this to Nikki.”
“How do you know?”
“She cornered me in the bathroom and made all kinds of threats.”
“This is getting out of hand, Meridan,” he said as he checked his .9mm. “When I see her, I might have to take justice into my own hands. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m sure she’s long gone by now,” she said with sadness as she looked over at Nichole.
Putting the gun back into his holster, he yelled, “I’m still going to look for the bitch!”
Touching his hand softly, Meridan said, “Deacon, please don’t do anything to ruin your career. Samantha’s luck will run out in due time. She needs to be stopped before she hurts anyone else. Now she’s threatening to hurt Keaton if I don’t stay away from him.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she’s dealt with. Stay here with Nikki. I’m going out for a while. The policeman I ordered is on his way upstairs. I’m going out to find that heifer and bring her in.”
Meridan kissed him on the cheek. “Be careful and thanks, Deacon.”
“I will.”
CHAPTER 51
Hours later, Meridan realized she hadn’t called Keaton to give him a report on Nikki. Looking at her watch, she noticed it was late, but she really needed to hear his voice. She nervously waited for him to answer.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Keaton,” she answered softly.
“I’ve been calling you and all I got was your voicemail. What’s up? What happened to Nikki?”
“I’m sorry, Keaton. My cell phone doesn’t pick up in here.”
“Are you still at the hospital?”
Sighing, she said, “Unfortunately, I am. Keaton, Nikki’s still in a coma and it looks like Sam shot her.”
Keaton still had no clue of the situation Meridan was in the middle of. He ran his hand over his head. “Shot? I knew I shouldn’t have let you go back there by yourself.”
“I’m okay, Keaton. Deacon is coming in and out, and he posted a policeman outside Nikki’s room.”
“That’s not good enough.”
“Keaton—”
“No! If that idiot shot Nikki, what do think will happen to you?”
“Keaton—”
“No! You listen to me! I’m on the next plane!” he yelled.
“Please, Keaton! There’s nothing you can do here. I’m safe here with Nikki.”
He stood and paced the room. “You know, what I can’t understand is why you don’t want me there with you.”
“I miss you, Keaton; believe me. But it’s not a good idea for you to be in the middle of this right now. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she pleaded.
He sat down on the side of his bed. “I can take care of myself, Meridan.”
“I know you can, but please do this for me. I don’t know what Sam will do next and, the less people in the equation, the quicker it will be to put a stop to all this madness.”
Keaton held the phone in silence feeling defeated. “Do you need anything?”
“I need you to pray that Nikki wakes up soon.”
“I will, and Meridan?”
“Yes?”
“I won’t sit here long. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
In a whisper, she said, “I understand. Look, Keaton, I’ve been thinking and maybe we should chill for a while. I mean, at least until all of this is over.”
“What?”
She stuttered and said, “I’m under a lot of stress right now with Sam, Jacob, and Nikki, so I think it’s best if we try not to have a relationship right now. It’s not fair to you because I really don’t have time to deal with all of this right now. Maybe once this thing with Sam is over, we can look at it again.”
Silence engulfed the telephone and pain shot through Keaton’s head. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
He calmly asked, “Are you breaking up with me, Meridan?”
“Keaton, don’t say it like that. I just think—”
“Oh, you just think, huh? You’re crazy if you think you can call me up and dismiss me without sitting down and discussing it. Where is this coming from? I know you’re worried about Nikki and the situation, but that should pull us closer, not pull us apart.”
“Keaton, don’t make this any harder than it is. I’m trying to discuss it with you now,” she explained.
“It doesn’t sound like a discussion to me! It seems like you have all the answers!” he yelled in anger.
Silence engulfed the telephone once again. Meridan was about to lose control of the conversation.
“Keaton, can’t you respect my wishes? I still love you. I simply can’t be anything more than a friend to you right now.”
“What about what I want?”
“I’m sorry.”
Becoming angry he said, “I’m coming up there to find out what’s really going on.”
“No! Please don’t! I need some time to get some things in my life in perspective. If you come here, it’ll only make things worse.”
“What things? Are you seeing someone else?”
Meridan couldn’t believe Keaton thought there was another man in her life. No one could ever take his place. She was trying to protect him because she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if something happened to him.
After a long pause, she said, “There’s no one else, Keaton. I told you why. Can’t you respect my wishes?”
“Damn! I didn’t know I was that much of a problem. Look, if you’re that adamant about it…forget it. Forget everything. I’ll talk to you some other time. Take care of yourself. Goodbye.”
Before she could say another word, he hung up the telephone.
Keaton placed the telephone back on the cradle and climbed out of bed. He looked over at the airline ticket on his dresser. Today was the day he had planned to fly to Philadelphia to be by Meridan’s side. What he got instead was the air sucked out of his lungs. Picking up a small paperweight, he threw it across the room, breakin
g a framed picture hanging on the wall.
CHAPTER 52
Over the next week and a half, Nikki came out of her coma, recovered from her injuries, and was released from the hospital. Meridan stayed with her at her house so she could take care of her until she felt better. It was then they told each other everything Sam had said and done. The strange thing was that they hadn’t seen or heard from her since that night in the hospital.
“You know she told me that if I didn’t get rid of Keaton, she was going to hurt him.”
Nikki looked at her and said, “I hope you’re not seriously thinking about doing it.”
“It’s too late. I’ve already done it,” Meridan admitted.
“Tell me you’re teasing because I know you didn’t really break up with him.”
“I had to, Nikki. You and I both know firsthand what Sam is capable of, and I can’t risk Keaton getting hurt or worse.”
Holding Meridan’s hands, Nikki said, “Don’t let Sam dictate your life because you and Keaton belong together.”
“I can’t take that chance,” Meridan said as tears dropped from her eyes.
“What did you tell Keaton?”
“I told him I couldn’t juggle a relationship while dealing with all this drama right now. He was so pissed.”
Nikki said, “He has a right to be, Dee.”
She sighed. “I never did tell him that I couldn’t have children. I tried, but I just couldn’t do it. Besides, he deserves to be with a woman who can give him children.”
Nikki asked, “So you gonna go ahead and let him walk away?”
“I have to,” she whispered.
“Damn, Dee. How can you just let him go like that?”
Wiping away her tears, she said, “I have no choice.”
“Yes, you do. Let this thing play out, Dee. Keaton can take care of himself.”
Meridan hugged her. “Nikki, you almost died and I’m not going to give Sam a chance to hurt Keaton. Look, I’m tired of talking about it. I’m going to bed. Is there anything you need before I turn in?”
Looking out the window at the policeman stationed outside the house, she solemnly said, “Nah, Deacon’s coming over later. Go ahead and get some rest. Goodnight.”