“Maybe I won't be broke forever.” Lakea thought. “Maybe I do deserve happiness.”
Lakea did deserve happiness and she would find that happiness she always longed for, but not before tragedy would shatter her life, one last time.
Chapter 11
That July, when Lakea was 22 years-old shedid get a glimpse at the happiness she always wanted. She found someone who would help her to put the pieces of her broken heart back together again. It was the clam before the storm. It was on a Friday afternoon and Lakea was shopping at the Southland Mall with Mesha and the boys now ages 6, 4, and 2. As they walked past the insurance company located on the west wing of the mall, Rahiem bolted towards the toy store, and fell right into the door of the insurance company. Before Lakea could get to him a tall, dark, well-dressed guy in black slacks, dress shoes, and a button down white shirt picked him up and brushed the dirt off of him. Lakea ran to them as fast as she could and grabbed Rahiem out of his arms. She wasn't trying to be rude, but after all that she had been through she had to be more cautious and protect her boys at all cost.
“Thank you.” Lakea said holding Rahiem and staring into the guy's deep brown eyes.
He was absolutely gorgeous with his smooth, chocolate skin and pearly white teeth. His eyes drew Lakea in, they were so deep and piercing. His eyes revealed his soul and Lakea could instantly tell that he was her type. Lakea could tell that he was a real man, the type of man who was compassionate, caring and sincere. The exact type of man that she needed in her life. It was easy to see that Lakea was in love at first sight, but the trouble in her past relationship had taught her not to fall so fast. She had to keep her emotions under wraps and be careful with her heart so that she would not be hurt again.
“No problem.” The guy said and flashed Lakea his perfect smile.
“I just wanted to be sure that he was okay. He fell pretty hard!” The guy said shaking Rahiem's hand as he sniffled, but smiled at him.
“He seems to be okay.” Lakea said smiling and kissing Rahiem's head.
“Thank you again.” Lakea said and prepared to walk away.
Just then Mesha, Ray-Jay, and J-J walked up.
“You okay lil brother?” Ray-Jay asked Rahiem as Lakea put him down and he grabbed his little brother's hand.
“He really cares about his brother, that's good. Are these all your boys?” The guy asked Lakea.
“No. This is my son.” Lakea said pointing to J-J who stood there smiling.
“These are my nephews, but they're just like my sons, and this is my cousin and best friend Mesha. I'm Lakea by the way.” She said giggling.
She didn't know why but she felt so nervous around the guy. He made her feel just like Jeremy used to when he stared at her with his deep brown eyes. Lakea knew what she was feeling was love and not the lust she felt when she had met Keyshun.
“Hey!” Mesha said as she shook the guy's hand.
“Nice to meet you all, especially you Beautiful. Oh yea, I'm Daniel.” The guy said staring at Lakea and extending his hand for her to shake it.
When their fingers touched Lakea felt a surge of electricity, he felt it too. They just stood there, staring at each other. He drunk drunk Lakea in with his eyes, and not like Keyshun had done, looking at her breasts and ass. This guys stared into her eyes like he was trying to look into her soul. He watched her mouth when she spoke, paying attention to everything that she said.
“Well thank you again, Daniel.” Lakea said as she turned to walk away.
Daniel wouldn't let her go that easily though. He longed for love just as much as she did, having lost his fiancee two years earlier in a car crash. He felt the love in Lakea's eyes too, and he knew that she was the woman God had told him to wait for. Therefore, he couldn't let her get away.
“Uhh, I don't mean to be forward.” Daniel said with his head down like a shy little boy.
Lakea stopped, smiled at Mesha, and then turned back to him.
“But I was wondering can I call you sometimes Ms Lakea. Maybe even take you and the boys out one day?”
Lakea and Mesha both smiled when he said that Lakea loved the fact that Daniel automatically included the boys without her having to say anything. Mesha loved the fact that he was a polite and well-dressed MAN. The type of man that she knew that her cousin deserve.
“She would love that!” Mesha said laughing before Lakea could respond.
She was still standing there in a daze, staring at Daniel as he smiled at her.
“Lakea!” Mesha yelled, snapping Lakea out of her daydream of her and Daniel, happily married with more children.
That's when Lakea recognized him. He was that mysterious, handsome figure in her dreams.
“Huh? Yea. Yes, I would like that.” Lakea said smiling as she elbowed Mesha and rolled her eyes.
“Okay, great!” Daniel said with a huge smile on his face as he took his cellphone out of his pocket.
“What's your number?” Daniel asked Lakea as he stared intensely into her eyes.
After Lakea gave him her number, Daniel called her cellphone before she walked away so that she would instantly have his number in her cell.
“So, can I call you later?” He asked stepping closer to her , so close that she could smell the alluring scent of his Michael Jordan cologne and feel his cool, fresh breath on her face.
“Yes!” Lakea said holding her breath.
“You're beautiful by the way.” Daniel said smiling as he touched her cheek, then he turned and walked away.
Lakea stood there for a few minutes, staring in the spot Daniel was standing in. She stood there wondering was it all a dream. Had she really just met the man of her dreams, besides Jeremy of course.
Lakea floated through the rest of her day she was so happy. She couldn't believe how Daniel made her feel. She wanted to feel that way forever, but she was so scared. She was scared that he would change just like Keyshun. She was scared that she would be hurt again, but she knew that she couldn't run from love just because of the hurt of her past.
Later that night Daniel called Lakea just like he said. She was laying in bed watching the Wendy Williams show when the phone rang.
“Hello.” Lakea said in her cutest, most seductive voice.
“Hello may I speak to Lakea?” Daniel asked.
“This is she.” Lakea said as she wiggled and kicked in her bed from excitement.
Daniel's voice on the phone was very deep and assertive. Lakea liked that. She liked Daniel, period. Lakea and Daniel talked on the phone for hours, just getting to know each other. Lakea didn't reveal all of the secrets of her past to Daniel right then because she didn't want to open up to him too much too fast. She didn't want to make any of the same mistakes that she made with Keyshun. However, Daniel was completely different from Keyshun. He was different from any guy she had ever met, even Jeremy. He had a quiet strength, real intellect, and a great sense of humor that made Lakea feel comfortable around him and connected to him emotionally.
By the end of their conversation Lakea found out that Daniel was 25 with no kids, he was the oldest of three boys, both of his parents were alive and lived in Atlanta where he was originally from, and he owned and operated several businesses in Atlanta and Memphis. He even owned the insurance company in the Southland Mall, where Lakea met him. Lakea was impressed. She had never met, let alone been involved with such a successful and powerful young, handsome black man. She wanted to get to know him more.
“Well, I really enjoyed talking to you and getting to know you Ms Lakea.” Daniel said after they had spent three hours on the phone.
Lakea blushed even though he wasn't there, Daniel had that affect on her. Everything he said caused her to blush and those damn butterflies in her stomach took on a life of their own, fluttering around her stomach wildly and then into her heart.
“I was wondering can I take you and the boys out for pizza and a movie next month?Or maybe the carnival in Jackson?” “Its only an hour away, and I can bring my nep
hew to get to know the boys. We can just make a day of it!” Daniel said, you could hear the excitement in his voice. Lakea paused for a second, thinking. Was it too early to go out with him with the boys, even though he had already met them, and was bringing his own nephew. Lakea sat there pondering when suddenly Mesha popped around the corner into her room whispering, “YESSSS bitch. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!”
Chapter 12
Lakea laughed and squealed with her hand over the phone so that Daniel could not hear her and Mesha acting a fool. She didn't want him to know that she was digging him so much already, but what she didn't know is that he was digging her even more. He felt the same connection and chemistry that she felt the first time that he looked into her slanted, hazel eyes.
Lakea was the beautiful, smart, and loving woman that he wanted and needed. The loss of his high school sweetheart had left him broken and damaged too, until he decided one day that he deserved love and he would wait until God led the one he designed for him his way. He did just that. God had sent him Lakea, his kindred soul. The woman who could mend his broken heart and he hers. They were perfect for each other. Each of them had their struggles, but they also had a deeper strength that made them unstoppable when they put their mind to it. He was the glue Lakea needed to put her broken heart back together again.
“I think they'd like that very much.” Lakea asked as her heart beat a mile a minute.
“Can I call you tomorrow?” Daniel asked.
Lakea giggled and replied yes.
“What time will you call? Lakea asked him smiling to herself.
“Well, considering the fact that it's already 1:37 am. I would say around noon. You don't need much beauty rest anyway, you're already gorgeous.” Daniel said and Lakea smiled so hard that her jaws ached.
It felt really good to be genuinely admired.
“Why thank you.” Lakea said. “You're a very handsome man yourself!”
“Compared to you my dear, the entire world is hideous!” Daniel said as he and Lakea both laughed.
“Well good night beautiful.” Daniel said in a low, sexy tone.
“Goodnight handsome.” Lakea said hanging up her cell phone and squealing as Mesha bounced on her bed and squealed too.
“He the one cousin.” Mesha said seriously when they both had calmed down.
“You think so?” Lakea said laying down as her cousin lie on the bed beside her.
“Hell yeah, I do. He so sweet.”
“Only time will tell.” Lakea said.
“I'm willing to give him a chance though.” Lakea said thoughtfully.
“I just hope he don't let me down.” Lakea said out loud and then drifted off into a dream about her new potential prince.
The next few weeks Lakea and Daniel talked everyday. They went out to lunch and shopping occasionally too. They had so much in common, Lakea often felt she was talking to one of her brothers when she was with Daniel. She was just that comfortable with him. He was so easy to talk to and such a charmer. Lakea found fresh flowers and fruit baskets delivered to her house every other day with a note from Daniel telling her it was all just because she was beautiful. By the time carnival day rolled around Lakea and Daniel were already deeply in love. Lakea and the boys had a ball at the carnival with Daniel and his nephew Ethan. They rode every ride in kiddie land and ate so many nachos, corn dogs, candy apples, and cotton candy that their stomach were hurting by the time they were leaving.
The ride back to Memphis was surreal. All of the boys slept in the back seat of Daniel's new Expedition as he and Lakea talked about their hopes and dreams. Lakea told Daniel about her song writing and he asked her to sing something for him.
“I can't really sing, I'm more of a writer.” Lakea said embarrassed.
“Well read me something then.” Daniel said smiling at her and cutting the radio down.
Lakea recited the lyrics to Love Hard , the song she sang to Ray-Ray when he was in the hospital and Daniel listened attentively. When she finished, Daniel was quiet for a long moment, then he suddenly pulled the truck to the side of the highway and stared into Lakea's eyes.
“That was beautiful baby. I had to pull over because I want to look at you when I say this. I know we just met and I'm going to have to prove myself to you with time, but I think I'm falling in love with you!” “No, I know I love you. I have from the second I laid eyes on you.” Daniel said holding Lakea's hand.
She felt her heart melt. Although she felt the same way she couldn't believe Daniel was actually saying it out loud. Lakea felt herself get misty, as the tears welled up in her eyes.
“Don't cry, stop being a punk.” Lakea said to herself as she pulled herself together.
“I just want you to give me a chance. Can I please be your man?” Daniel asked Lakea.
“Yes baby!” Lakea said reaching over and hugging Daniel.
As they let go of each other their lips touched and Lakea felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her entire body. Both of them stopped, staring into each others eyes. They were face-to-face, breathing at the same pace their hearts beating in tune. Then Daniel kissed her long, hard, and passionately.
Lakea felt his love as he held her closely and kissed her while looking deep into her eyes. Their kiss was passionate and intense. Neither of them spoke a word when their kiss was over. They just sat there holding each other as the sun went down and cars sped past them, up and down the expressway. Lakea was floating again when Daniel dropped them off. She was feeling the type of love from Daniel that only Jeremy had been able to show her up to that point. Daniel was definitely the good man Jeremy wanted her to be with. Over the next five moths Lakea and Daniel were inseparable. He made her happy and was the continuous support she needed. He helped her with the boys, bills, and even passed some of her songs along to his producer friend Maleek Meight, in hopes he would buy them. Lakea was on cloud nine she was so happy. Her health was improving too, and Dr Roth told her she was making tremendous progress dealing with her grief. It seemed that Lakea was finally putting the pieces of that broken girl back together again, until tragedy rocked her happy home once again.
It was December 25th, Christmas day, and Lakea's 23rd birthday. She had spent the entire day with her whole family at her house. Felicia was there with her fiancee Decon William Brown, Jacob was there, and Mesha, Ray-Ray and his new girlfriend, the boys, Nia was in town from Miami, and even Quan was home from college. After a delicious dinner, Daniel decided to take Lakea off on an overnight adventure, while Felicia watched J-J.
“Okay now birthday girl, enjoy yoself.” Ray-Ray said as Lakea left the room to prepare to leave.
“I am big bruh.” Lakea said smirking, while looking at Mesha.
“Yeah, I bet she is gone enjoy herself!” Mesha said laughing as she followed Lakea into her bedroom.
“Daniel gone finally get that cookie tonight. Ain't he?” Mesha asked asked Lakea as she sat on the bed and watched Lakea put the sexy lingerie she bought her for Christmas into her overnight bag.
“I don't know lil cuzz. We ain't on that. He hasn't even asked. After I told him everything about my past he said that sex would never be an issue until I was ready,”
“That's why I love him so much cousin. He's so caring and and understanding.” Lakea said sitting down on the bed next to Mesha.
“I'm so happy for you cousin and I'm glad you found him.” “I hope that I find that type of love some day because I'm so tired of dealing with Cortez and his crazy as wife.” Mesha said with a sigh.
“You still fucking with his lying ass?” Lakea asked getting up off the bed and continuing to pack her bag.
“Yeah, I love that nigga, but I can't keep dealing with his bullshit. They been separated for the whole year we been fucking off, but this crazy bitch still won't give him a divorce.” “Then this hoe stalk use everywhere we go and play on my damn phone.” “UUUGGHHHH. I'm juts so tired of it!” Mesha yelled covering her head with her hands as she laid back on the bed.
&n
bsp;
A BROKEN GIRL’S JOURNEY 3 (A BROKEN GIRL'S JOURNEY) Page 8