His Substitute Wife... My Sister Book Two

by Sylvia Hubbard

  “I’m sorry,” Charisse said.

  Blu waved this away. “Where’s the wifey at? I was hoping you didn’t bring her, but can’t fault you if you did, Parker.”

  “Chyna’s busy,” he answered.

  A general who looked as if he had been sitting in the sun way too long came out of the building they had parked in front of and walked up to Parker. Charisse knew he was important by the way that Parker and Blu instantly turned to face him with a serious look, plus the amount of medals and pins on his chest.

  “Mr. Mills, I’m General Hugh Johnson. I spoke with you on the phone.”

  Parker outstretched his hand to shake it with the general. “This is Charisse Sheridan.”

  She shook the general’s hand and then walked with Parker into the building wondering why each time he had never introduced her to either of these men as his sister-in-law. That was pretty odd, but she didn’t say anything or correct anyone, as it seemed he just wanted everyone to think of her as a friend.

  “Now about the boy,” the general said as everyone had a seat in front of his desk.

  “First off, General Johnson,” Parker said with his business serious tone. “I want to thank you for helping me connect to Louis.”

  “Your payments have cleared faithfully as long as Louis has been here and the shipments and donations have been wonderful not only to him, but the school itself. Why wouldn’t I allow you to see him? But I do have my reservations about this whole thing. I think the impact of knowing the truth has made a difference in him and I’m wary about arranging this meeting so soon,” the general stated.

  “I want to see my son,” Parker said in a cold steel voice that brooked no refusal.

  Even Charisse was a little scared of Parker at this point.

  The general kept hard eye contact with Parker for a moment before sitting in his desk and making a phone call. When he got off the phone, he opened a file in front of him.

  “Louis has been an exceptional student despite his handicap. He’s attended over nine youth Special Olympics and won six gold medals, two silver and eight bronze. He’s the captain of the baseball team and starting quarterback for the football team. I could go down the list of all the accommodations and awards he is the recipient of but that would most likely take all day. He’s a good boy, Mr. Mills. Someone I would be proud to call my son.”

  The man was purposely wrapping guilt around Parker, but when Charisse looked at Parker, he was a ton of steel and showed nothing, but she could almost feel his pain as he held her hand in his.

  “General Johnson,” Charisse spoke up. “I’m sure you could, but Parker wishes to hear more about the boy from him, otherwise he would have been satisfied with just a conversation over the phone.”

  Parker looked at her briefly in thanks and she felt him caress his thumb over her hand. She pursed her lips together before reluctantly breaking eye contact with him to look back at the general. “Plus Parker would like to spend as much time as he can with him.”

  In short, she was saying this man was wasting Parker’s time rubbing salt over old open wounds. The general probably didn’t know how much Parker had beat himself up about this and then he had to also confess this to her as well right before he had to meet his son.

  The door opened and someone in a lower position walked in and whispered something in the general’s ear.

  She felt Parker stiffen, but then Blu whispered something in his ear to make him relax. This whole experience gave her insight on the frustration she probably caused her sisters at her attempts to kill. The expectation and waiting of dread was driving her crazy and she just wanted to get up and scream, ‘Get the boy out here!’

  Yet Parker kept a cool head and his strength became hers.

  Assuming he was going to most likely leave her there in the office or send her back to the car, Charisse resolved that this was fine with her. He didn’t need her to help with the reunion with his son and there was Blu who could assist him as well. She wasn’t that important and this didn’t bother her that he probably wouldn’t ask her.

  “Louis is waiting in the other room for you,” General Johnson said grudgingly nodding to the door near his desk.

  Parker stood up and then looked back at Blu for encouragement. Blu nodded proudly and then Parker looked at Charisse, holding out his hand for her to join him.

  Startled that he’d silently invited her.

  “I can stay here and wait,” she said.

  “I want to share this moment with you,” he implored gently.

  He almost thought he’d have a Chyna moment with Charisse throwing a tantrum, embarrassing him and storming out.

  Without another word, Charisse grasped his hand and allowed him to lead her into the all white room with only four steel chairs and table in the middle. No one was in there as they were left alone.

  Parker took the moment to tell Charisse what he felt about her actions and her presence. “Thank you for saying something in there with the general.”

  “I only did it because I was just as impatient as you are now to see your son.” She winked teasingly.

  He squeezed her hand extra tight and smiled warmly.

  “You could have been fine in here alone, Parker.”

  “I’m only okay because you’re here with me and I wanted to share this moment with someone.” He kissed her cheek. “I wanted to share this moment with you, Charisse.”

  She quickly looked away from him. Her sexual libido went off the charts. The door opening on the other side of the room served as a good distraction for her.

  A young man almost Parker’s height walked in with his head confidently high, but he wasn’t limping. He walked proudly around the table and saluted with his eyes forward indiscriminately looking at no one.

  “Sir!” he said in Parker’s familiar stern voice.

  Charisse couldn’t believe she was looking at a younger version of Parker Mills. Strong broad shoulders, the arrogant facial features and the brawny body. Louis had been blessed with all his father’s good features and graced with perfect teeth, good eyes and flawless skin.

  Parker’s face remained stoic as his eyes beheld the sight of his son for the first time since the boy was a babe.

  She could have kicked him for his hardened countenance. He was acting like the man Chyna had described him to be and Charisse was truly angry that Parker could be so indifferent on this momentous occasion.

  Louis’s eyes stayed straight, but even Charisse could feel his uncertainty and nervousness as he waited for his father to look him over.

  “At ease,” Parker said austerely.

  Charisse almost screamed from the tension as Louis relaxed, but didn’t dare make eye contact with anyone.

  Stepping up beside Louis, Parker leaned over and whispered in the boys ear so low Charisse couldn’t hear, so she watched his son’s face.

  A look of horror crossed Louis’s face before he closed his eyes with a gut-wrenching look of pain and then he opened them with a slow nod of his head.

  Parker stood back and still held the forbidding expression, but his arms opened up wide in front of the young man. Louis’s eyes hesitated and then slowly looked at Parker, before he rushed into Parker’s opened arms.

  If Parker had been a less than strong man, he would have fallen on his butt from the force of the hug Louis honored him with.

  Charisse hadn’t felt this much in a very long time as she watched father and son hold each other for a long moment.

  When they finally realized they weren’t alone, Parker said, “I’d like you to meet a special woman, Louis.”

  He walked his son over to her. “I’d like you to meet Charisse Sheridan.”

  Again she noted that he didn’t introduce her as his sister-in-law, but she didn’t correct him.

  Louis outstretched his hand to be shaken. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Sheridan.”

  She shook his warm strong palm. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Louis.”

  Though she had ne
ver met the young man, from only what she had heard, she was very impressed with him and glad Parker involved her in this experience although she still wondered what Parker had said to Louis.

  ** *

  After Louis did a short reunion with Blu, he was given permission to change and leave the base with his family for a short dinner.

  They went to the restaurant located in the hotel that Blu had been staying in while waiting for Parker and Charisse to come up there. Charisse felt funny being around three handsome men and she seemed the center of attention as they walked in. Parker’s strong arm firmly held her close and offered security as he stayed beside her.

  Blu made them all feel comfortable with his loud raucous voice relegated stories of how Louis and Parker were very much alike since he’d been around as both of them grew up. By the end of the night, Charisse couldn’t help laugh out loud even though she tried very hard to cover up her smile.

  Parker had gently pulled her hand away from her mouth kissing her knuckles to distract her and then Louis complimented her.

  “Ms. Sheridan, you have a very beautiful smile.”

  “Thank you, Louis,” she said feeling short of breath from the overwhelming attention.

  They talked well into the night. So long that Parker called the school to make sure that Louis didn’t get in any trouble.

  “I had only found out last week that Parker was my real father,” Louis admitted. “When Blu warned me someone was going to call me and ordered me to have an open mind and heart about the subject.”

  Charisse looked at Parker for explanation, which he provided bashfully.

  “Like I told you, Onyx made me get on the ball of putting all affairs in order before starting new mess and it was a good time anyway with my divorce becoming final and so on. I found Blu who’s a very busy lawyer to international clients and then let him know my intentions,” Parker said. “He yelled at me for taking so damn long, but then gave me the number to call Louis.”

  “Along with permission,” Blu loudly interjected.

  “All my life I knew there was someone helping Blu out with my expenses because before he spent any damn thing he’d always say let me check on that,” Louis stated. “But I’d always thought that Winston and Jeanie were my parents, which is why I kept pictures of them. I never knew I had anyone else of blood relation.”

  “Had you ever thought about that there might be?” Charisse asked.

  Louis shook his head. “No, ma’am. Blu kept me so damn busy in things that I didn’t have really a lot of time to think about that until I came up to the school and then I did have some time on my hands, but I always thought that maybe it was a close friend to my family that was helping me out. Not my father.” He looked over at Parker with admiration.

  Charisse reached over and covered Parker’s hand. Their eyes met in a silent moment that spoke so much to her. He was happy. Not just because he was having a great time with his son, but because she was there.

  A yawn escaped her lips and she apologized for it.

  “It’s late,” Parker said. “You’ve had a long day, Charisse. Would you mind if Blu takes you up to his room to lay down until I come up there? I would like to spend a little bit more time with my son before I have to return him to the school.”

  He looked very worried, as if she would refuse.

  She nodded and then was further shocked when he leaned over and kissed her cheek clearly telling letting everyone know Charisse meant more to him than some sister-in-law.

  Blu escorted her to the second floor of the hotel and opened the door for her.

  “I don’t see any family resemblance between you and Parker, Blu,” she noted.

  He flushed. “That’s because we aren’t real blood relation, Ms. Sheridan,” he told her. “I’m just a good friend of the family and I was more or less a god-brother to Parker’s parents but became disgusted by their need to stay up with the Joneses. Thought his brother was an idiot, but Parker had the potential to not repeat that cycle. At least that’s what I thought before his mother called me up and asked me to take the boy. Convinced Parker to do it. I refused repeatedly. That is until after his mother died and then Winston was dead too. I knew I couldn’t change that boy’s mind about giving up the child especially after I met that selfish ass heifer he called a wife. Reminded me so much of his damn mother, but that mother was ten times worse.”

  Charisse wondered if she should tell Blu that was her sister since he was speaking as if she was no relation to Chyna. Biting her tongue she focused on something else he said, “His mother?”

  “She was the one all about appearances. Drove me crazy. His dad just succumbed to whatever she wanted because that’s how he was raised, but she didn’t want Parker having that stigma of a baby daddy.”

  “I knew that wife of Parker’s would never see the good in Louis, but that boy’s been a blessing in disguise in more ways than one. Plus, I haven’t had any of my own and I have all this love to give.”

  “Thanks Blu. You did a good job.”

  He patted his own self on the back by saying, “I did a damn good job, Missy. Now you keep Parker happy the way he is and I’ll be very proud of you.”

  She blushed as she received an almost backbreaking hug, but noticed how he held off a little knowing her condition. After releasing her, when he started to go back to the library, she asked, “Are you also staying here? Or were you joining them again?”

  “Naw,” he said amused. “Parker asked if he could book my room for an extra night to give you guys some rest. I’ve got to get to Africa by tomorrow night.”

  “Thank you, Blu.”

  “No problem.” He tipped an invisible hat and walked away.

  She washed up and lay in the bed trying to stay up for Parker to come to the room, but her eyelids were so heavy she couldn’t see straight.

  Soon she was in a deep sleep.

  Chapter 40

  His strong arms moved around her waist in the middle of the night and he kissed her nape tenderly waking her up.

  “What time is it?” she asked loving the smell of him on her nose and enjoying the tingles his proximity sent to her senses.

  “Almost five,” he answered tiredly. “We’ll stay here until the afternoon before leaving.”

  She liked how he said it as if he needed her approval. Nodding in agreement, she asked, “What did you say to him?” she questioned.

  He was quiet and still, but she knew he wasn’t sleeping because his breathing was normal.

  Feeling nervous that he wasn’t going to answer, she decided to explain herself. “When Louis first came in the room and you whispered something in your son’s ear.”

  “I know what you’re speaking about, Charisse.” Parker sighed thoughtfully and shared, “I told him the truth. He was a mistake and no one would thought he would make it this far.”

  Angrily, she turned to him ready to blast him for his insensitivity. He covered her mouth quickly to prevent that and held her down securely with his heavy body.

  “I then said to him the fact that he had came this far with so much success goes to show just how wrong people can be.” He paused and removed his hand, but she did not speak because she saw the pain and agony on his face, which she had not seen before when her back was to him. “I told him these exact words. ‘It is an honor to call you my son and you should not be proud to have me as a dad because I have failed in that regards to be there for you as a man, but I hope that you can find some where in your heart to recognize me as your father. I realized too late it is a privilege to have fathered a great man such as you. I know I will never come close to being worthy because of the neglect I have done to you, but I am hoping you will forgive me.’”

  Tears ran down her face as she listened to his words and she touched his check tenderly to feel the warmth of his face on her palm. He turned his face into her hand and kissed her fingers.

  “We aren’t perfect,” she said. “But you’re almost perfect, Parker Mills.”
<
br />   “Only because you’re in my life, Charisse. You make it easier to be a better man.”

  His mouth captured hers and she was swept up in the ardor. It wasn’t physical satisfaction he craved and she knew that from the way he touched and kissed her. It was a soulful yearning to join her to him and Charisse cried as Parker took her to a zenith that only they could reach together.

  The early lights of the morning shone before he curved his body behind hers and allowed her to sleep, promising more once he restored his strength.

  ** *

  By the afternoon, they checked out of the hotel and went back to the school to see Louis again.

  To her surprise it was only to say good-bye. His semester wasn’t going to be complete for another two months and then he would be off to Europe for a football camp that allowed him to play in a summer league. Plus, he would be training for International competitions over there as well and couldn’t take the time off to come to come to Detroit.

  “But on my next winter break I want to come home to see my sister or brother,” he said. “If that’s all right with you Ms. Sheridan.”

  She gasped and looked back at Parker who flushed. “Of course it’s alright with me, Louis. I can’t wait for you to see the baby.” It was weird speaking of the future and being excited about it as well.

  Getting in the van after hugging Louis, she let father and son have a moment alone liking how Parker first spoke sternly and then Louis said something to make Parker chuckle.

  They hugged and then as Parker was driving away, Louis saluted and stood at attention in respect.

  Charisse didn’t speak, but took his hand and firmly held it. Parker smiled gratefully over at her before focusing on the road.

  ***

  Somehow she had fallen asleep while Parker was driving, but she was confused. The van was parked in front of a different hotel and Parker was nowhere to be seen. Getting out, she called for him and then even went into the lobby.