Star_Lee Johnson_To Be Great Series

by Blue Saffire

  He was without a doubt up to something. I could see it in his eyes. I watched him with a cautious glare.

  Lee sat across from me, before blessing the table. We both lifted our forks and started to dig in. I was so grateful to Manny. Not only was he saving me time, he was one of the best chefs I knew. Exhaustion hit and I began to chew with my eyes closed. I just needed a few minutes to relax and enjoy the food. When I opened my eyes, I found Lee’s gaze locked on me. A seductive smile adorned those sexy, juicy lips.

  “How was your day?” I asked.

  “Nah, not tonight. I want to ask you the questions.” His demeanor shifted. I could see determination lacing his russet colored orbs. “How was your day?”

  “It was good. Long,” I sighed.

  “Did you miss me?” he asked, his eyes flicking over my face, before landing on my lips.

  “Of course, baby.”

  “Good, I missed you too. I thought about you a lot today. Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure,” I replied, placing my elbow on the table and my head in my hand.

  “Is this working? Am I making it better?” He zoned in on my face for my reaction.

  “Yes. This is working. I am happy.” I shrugged. “I can’t say it doesn’t still hurt a little every now and then, but having LJ here isn’t as difficult as I thought it might be. I like having him here.”

  “Really? It doesn’t bother you to have him here?” Lee asked still studying my face.

  “Really. I love that little baby. How could I not want him here?”

  He just nodded. “Okay.” I watched him purse his lips, then return to his plate.

  A few more minutes went by, before Lee looked up at me to stare again. I would love to know what was going on in his head. Too tired to eat another bite, I pulled my plate away to focus on him. I placed both elbows on the table so I could rest my head in my hands. My eyes remained on him, studying, wondering, trying to figure him out.

  “I want to get full custody of my son. I went to see my lawyer today.” He said slowly, again his eyes searched my face.

  My smile consumed my face. I didn’t want to get into that part of Lee’s business, but I had been wondering when he was going to see that that’s the best thing for LJ. Rachael could care less about that baby. He needs his father and Lee is a great dad. LJ loves him.

  “That’s great,” I squealed.

  “My lawyer thinks I have a good chance. Personally, I don’t think she will fight too hard.” He stopped to think for a minute as a frown set into his face. “I put the condo up for sale this morning. Rachael isn’t going to live off me or my son anymore.”

  “I think everything will work out.”

  “What I’m about to say is not about LJ or Rachael. I wanted to say this for a long time. I just wanted to know that me having little man was cool with you.”

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  He looked so perplexed. I wasn’t sure what he was about to say. Whatever it was it made him look nervous and determined all at the same time.

  “Crystal, I’m in love with you. I love the way you take care of me and the way you are with my son. In a matter of two weeks, you’ve helped get my life back in order. You always know how to make my dreams come true. With you I feel like anything is possible,” he sighed, taking a long pause.

  “I want to take care of you and love you the way you do me. I don’t ever want to lose you again. The best way I know how to do that is to ask you. Crystal, will you marry me?”

  I was so focused on his words, I hadn’t noticed the ring box he had opened and set on the table next to me. My mouth dropped open the moment the words spilled out of his mouth. I just stared at him in shock.

  I mean, I know we talked about this before. Before LJ, before I knew about Rachael, before all of this. It was where we were heading back then.

  I didn’t know what to say at first. I sat back in my chair, finally acknowledging the huge ring that screamed for my attention. My eyes flickered from it back to Lee’s face.

  He looked so nervous now. I wanted to answer, but I didn’t know how. I clamped my hands on the back of my neck, taking a deep breath. I wanted this before, more than anything. At one time, I was ready to answer right away. Now, as the moment was before me, it was surreal.

  Lee’s face took on a look of pain. He looked down at the plate in front of him, as his eyebrows drew to the center of his handsome face. I tried to find my voice to speak.

  When he looked back up at me, fire blazed in his eyes. He quickly snatched the ring from the table, getting down on one knee in front of me.

  “Crystal, will you please marry me?” he asked again as his voice cracked with his words.

  I had a sudden epiphany. I had to be crazy to let this man go. He loved me so much and LJ wasn’t something he planned. We weren’t together, he hadn’t cheated on me. I think I had been more hurt that Rachael showed up at our home making the situation look worse than it truly was.

  Lee provided for me when I need him to and he was willing to do whatever it took to do more. Lee is a great father to his son and he is a great boyfriend to me. I know he will be a great husband. I would be a fool to let Rachael and her scheming take this man from me.

  “Yes,” I finally blurted out.

  Lee reached for my face, pulling me into a deep kiss. So much passion flowed from his lips to mine I thought I was going to faint. I wrapped my arms around his neck, laughter bubbling up on my lips.

  What just happened?

  My mind reeled as I tried to catch up. I think I was still in shock, but it began to set in slowly that I was engaged to Lee. I loved him so much. I couldn’t believe he proposed.

  “I love you. I promise to make you happy,” he said against my lips.

  He pulled away to place the ring on my finger. My heart started to pound in my chest as reality came with the weight of the ring on my finger. My eyes started to sting with unshed tears.

  “I love you, too,” I squealed as I looked at the ring on my finger. “Let’s call my parents.”

  I jumped up from my seat, rushing to find my phone. I was so excited. I could barely find the number to dial it. I hadn’t told my parents too much about what was happening between us in the past two weeks.

  However, I know Gregory, Jr. and his wife had because my mom had been calling me non-stop. I’d just been dodging her calls.

  “Hey Mommy,” I squealed into the phone.

  “Hey you. I’ve been trying to talk to you for weeks now,” my mom grumbled into the phone.

  “Is daddy around?”

  “Yes, he’s right here. He wants to talk to you too.”

  “That can wait,” I sighed. “I’m getting married.”

  “What?”

  “Lee asked me to marry him,” I squealed.

  My shoulders sagged slightly as I realized I wasn’t getting the reaction I was looking for. I heard my mother on the other end of the line, rushing through telling my father what I’d said. I couldn’t hear what exactly my father said back, but he didn’t sound too happy.

  “Coco, your father wants to talk to Lee. Is he with you?” my mother asked.

  “Yes mommy but…”

  “Coco put Lee on the phone,” my father demanded.

  “Baby, my father wants to talk to you,” I said handing the phone to Lee.

  Lee looked at me and sighed. He took the phone, pulling me into his arms. I reached up on my toes to kiss his lips.

  “Hello, Mr. Livingston,” Lee said into the phone.

  It took only a few seconds for Lee’s face to change and his arm to drop from around me. I looked up at him, searching for a clue as to what my father was saying. His features became more and more tense as he listened. After a few minutes, he walked out of the house still listening. He paced the driveway talking to my father for almost three hours.

  When he came back into the house he handed me the phone without looking me in the face. I stood stunned as he went into the bedroom. I wanted
to follow, but my mother was still on the line. She wanted to give me her own lecture. I had to plug the phone into the charger to listen to her.

  We argued as much as I was willing to over the phone. It was a conversation I wanted to have in person with both of my parents. I needed to know what my father had said to Lee.

  I was determined to find out. After another two hours, I was truly done talking. I needed to go see about my man.

  When I entered the bedroom I found Lee lying in bed, shrouded in darkness. I changed for bed before I climbed in next to him. As I got closer, I could see the stress in his face. I was so upset with my parents.

  “Baby, are you okay?” I whispered.

  “Nah Crystal.”

  His voice came out strained. I could hear the hurt. It cut me to my soul. This was a good man that deserved happiness.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I don’t understand. I’m trying to do the right thing. I made one mistake,” he choked. My heart shattered when I saw the tears stream from his eyes. I had never seen him cry before. “Yeah, it was a big mistake that I will have to live with for the rest of my life, but I love my son. I take care of him and I make sure he’s always okay. I stepped up to that.

  “It’s dudes out there that would’ve left LJ and Rachael on the street and said ‘so what’. I did what was right as a man. I tried to see if I could make things work out with Rachael and make little man a family, but she ain’t the one for me. Rachael doesn’t want nothing…nothing I want. Why should LJ have to live with that? All we did was argue.

  “You are what I want, what I need, what I want for my son. You’re more of a mother to him than Rachael ever has been. Am I wrong for wanting better for my son, for myself? I’m not trying to put my son off on you.

  “That’s my responsibility. I just want to be a man and make you happy. You don’t deserve to have me in your heart, in your head, and in your bed, while I’m not willing to marry you. I thought I was doing the right thing. I really thought I could have you and make you happy.

  “But it looks like I messed that up and everyone is going to make sure I know I did. It’s like I’m going to have to pay for something that I’m trying to make right over and over again.”

  “Lee, baby, you didn’t mess anything up. I’m going to marry you. You’re not putting LJ off on me.

  “How LJ got here has nothing to do with me. It was hard, but I understand that now. You made a mistake before us. I won’t punish you or me for that. Neither should anyone else. It’s none of their business.

  “My father is only trying to keep me from being hurt the way he hurt my mother. He has a lot of damn nerve because I wasn’t married to you when LJ came into the picture. Let him deal with his own skeletons, that’s not your plate to eat from.

  “As long as I want you and I want to be with you that is all that matters. I love you, Lee, and I love LJ. I’ll be here for whatever you need and if that means helping you raise him, then I’m ready for whatever that means because I know you love me and you will take care of me.”

  I reached to wipe the tears from his face and kissed his cheek. He pulled me to his chest, hugging me tightly. I was truly exhausted by now. I wrapped my arms around him, holding on as firmly as I could. We fell asleep in each other’s embrace.

  Chapter 22

  Mirror, Mirror

  When I woke the next morning, I was determined to set my parents straight. I called my assistant and cleared my whole day. I had LJ dressed before Esther was up and in his room.

  They were coming with me for the day. Westchester was going to understand that this was my family. I wanted Lee and his son as well, if we got so lucky as to get custody of him.

  I drove up to my parent’s place and carried LJ right into the breakfast nook I knew I would find my parents in. They were both reading their papers and hadn’t noticed me enter the room to take a seat before them. That’s what happens when you have a house full of kids you learn to ignore.

  “Good morning,” I chimed after clearing my throat for their attention.

  They lowered their papers, peeking at LJ and me. Both of their eyes traveled over my shoulder to see Esther. I painted on a huge smile as I stared back at them.

  “I need to talk to the two of you,” I said.

  “We want to talk to you too,” my father replied. “You’ve moved this man and his child into your home. You’re taking care of them both…”

  “Stop it right there,” I cut him off. “This man and his child both have names, Lee and LJ. I take care of them both because they’re my family. Lee takes care of me just the same.”

  “Coco, you don’t need to be taking care of Lee or his son, LJ,” my father started again pronouncing their names harshly.

  “Okay, I’m going to stop you again. Daddy, I can’t believe what you did last night. I don’t know what all you said to Lee but I know you were wrong. Lee doesn’t need you to beat him down. He looks up to you and right now he needs a mentor and support more than ever.

  “He’s trying very hard to do the right thing. He loves this little boy and does everything he can to make sure he’s happy and healthy, even putting his career on hold. I don’t understand why instead of helping him through this you want to make this worse for him and make him feel more lost than he already is.

  “Daddy, you’re no saint,” I scoffed. “My other brothers and sisters are no secret. You of all people should be willing to cut Lee some slack. I’m marrying Lee and I will not let you break him down and make him pay for something he’s more than paying for already.”

  I was just getting warmed up. I had a mouth full for my mother too. I truly couldn’t believe them.

  My father sat there with a frown on his face absorbing what I’d said to him. I was sure he knew I was right. My father had enough children to start his own freaking team, all younger than Gregory Jr. and in between the rest of us.

  “Okay, Coco,” my mother started this time. “But what about this baby’s mother? Are you ready to deal with that?”

  “If you were strong enough to deal with all of daddy’s babies’ mothers, then I can deal with one. You raised me to be as strong as you,” I challenged.

  “Yes, but I raised you that strong not to have to deal with this at all,” my mother said, raising an eyebrow at me.

  “Yes, but I can’t help who I’ve fallen in love with and he can’t help the mistake he made. Not now. That hasn’t made me love him less.” I was going to make them understand. “Mommy, you’ve allowed Daddy to bring his children here whenever they needed a place to stay and did what was necessary for them. This situation isn’t nearly as challenging. Lee needs my support.”

  My father folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his chair. At this point I was sure he was done talking. I was going to get my way with him as usual. My mother looked at LJ, then me, releasing a deep sigh. She stared at LJ, letting a slow smile take over her face.

  “May I hold my new grandson?” she beamed.

  “I don’t know. You two were mean to his daddy. He may not want to be your friend,” I teased.

  “Let’s see,” my mother said as she reached to take him off my lap. “You’re quite handsome.”

  She cooed at him while bouncing him in her arms.

  LJ reached to pull her glasses from her face, giggling at his new interest. My father even had a smile on his face as he watched the tiny monster steal my mother’s heart.

  That little face was full of magic. None of this was his fault. No one could hold a grudge in his direction after holding him in their arms.

  We spent all morning and afternoon with my parents. My mom shifted gears, excited to have a wedding to plan. It was clear that I had made up my mind, there was going to be a wedding. LJ was down for his nap when Lee called.

  “Hey, baby,” I sang in the phone.

  “Hey, Crystal. Are Esther and LJ with you? I called home and she isn’t answering,” he rushed into the phone.

  “Relax. L
J is right here on my lap sleeping. We’re all at my parent’s.”

  “Oh,” he grumbled.

  “Why don’t you drive up,” I chimed.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Trust me, it’s fine.”

  He paused for a minute. “You really want me to?” he sighed.

  “Yes.”

  “Alright, I’m doing this for you.”

  “Thank you, and it will be okay.”

  “I’ll see you in a minute.”

  It didn’t take long for Lee to show up. When he did, you could see the tension all over him. I kissed him on the cheek as he wrapped his arm around my waist. He looked over to my mother’s lap, where LJ sat drooling all over her hands.

  My father stood up to cross the room, reaching out his hand for Lee’s. Lee looked at me first. I winked at him in encouragement. He looked back at my father, taking his hand.

  “Lee, I want to apologize. I was wrong last night. If Coco’s happy, I’m happy. You’re a fine young man. I shouldn’t have tried to make it seem otherwise. Congratulations and welcome to the family,” my father said as he shook Lee’s hand.

  “Thank you, Sir,” Lee said a bit reluctantly.

  “Congratulations, Lee,” my mother chimed. “I can’t wait until my little grandson here has brothers and sisters. I know they will be as gorgeous as he is.”

  Her words brought a big smile to Lee’s face. He squeezed my waist and kissed the top of my head. I could feel some of the tension leave his body.

  My parents brought out a bottle of champagne to celebrate our engagement and insisted we stay for dinner. Esther plans ahead just like I do. She had food for LJ and enough of everything else for our long day. When dinner was over we decided we needed to start the long trip home so LJ could get into his bed. We were getting ready to leave just when Lee’s phone rang.

  “Hello,” Lee murmured in to the phone.

  A deep frown took over his lips. So Rachael is finally surfacing, I thought to myself. I wondered when that was going to happen.