Over the Hedge: Part 2- The Finale (Lucky in Love)

by Minerva Vesta

  “Sean, how long have we been married?”

  “Ten years.”

  “And, how long has it been since I got my degree?”

  “Nine years…no wait eight. I remember because graduation was right after Ella was born.”

  “And, after all that time, this just occurred to you?” she asked.

  Lashawnda watched as her husband’s expression went from thoughtful to embarrassment. She rolled off his chest and put her head under the pillow laughing at the look on his face.

  “It was really cute the first time you made that observation when we first met, but now it’s just silly. No one is ever going to walk into a room and yell out, ‘Dr. Sean Colcord’ and get confused if the two of us turn around. Besides no one calls me Shawn. You’re the only one who calls me, ‘Shawnie.’”

  Sean watched as his wife’s body shook with laughter and it made him smile.

  It brought back memories of their first date when she laughed in the bathroom after ripping her dress. Afterward, she got soaking wet by the sprinklers on the golf course. He wasn’t sure back then, but as the years went by, he knew he had fallen in love with her that night.

  She was more than he had ever hoped for. She’d given him three strong boys and a beautiful, little girl. He cherished every moment they spent together.

  Reaching out, Sean placed his hands on the small of her back and caressed her warm, silky skin. The lustrous feel of her body beneath his fingertips always mesmerized him. He loved her like this, uninhibited and full of life.

  Since the day they’d met, she became his sole reason for living. Her happiness motivated his actions, and now, they had four more people to live for.

  Married life wasn’t always smooth sailing, but they stuck to their promise of always being open and honest with each other. They fought just like any other couple. Lashawnda had ups and downs as a mother that allowed Sean to step up and be a better father. Lashawnda felt the same as well.

  They’d come close to splitting up, when Lashawnda accused him of infidelity. While Sean would never betray their vows, he did admit he was cheating on her with his work. The long hours and missed dinners caused a rift within the foundation they had built. He made sure never to let her feel second best again.

  Remembering their wedding, he had been nervous the entire morning that he became physically ill. Brent had gotten worried about him and called his mother. Sandra was supposed to be with Lashawnda’s mother and the wedding planner ensuring everything was on schedule. But, when she got the call from Brent, she dropped everything and went to her son’s rescue. Sean was surprised Mr. Price had accompanied her as well.

  His mother gave him a pep talk and kissed him on the cheek before leaving.

  It was Mr. Price who stayed with him at the church. Sean had already begun looking to the man as a father figure and gained even more respect for him that day.

  They took a walk by the lake behind the church, and Mr. Price told Sean all kinds of stories about Lashawnda when she was a little girl. Sean’s favorite story was how she got dubbed with the nickname, ‘Lucky.’ The soothing sounds of Mr. Price’s voice and the stories of the woman who held his heart were enough to put him at ease.

  He was so anxious to become her husband that he ended up meeting Mr. Price with Lashawnda halfway down the aisle. Everyone in the church had laughed at his blunder. Sean didn’t care, but Mr. Price did. He told Sean he needed to go back to the altar, because it was the only time he would get to walk his Lucky down the aisle, and he wanted it done right. The meaning behind his words was not lost on Sean; this marriage would be sacred, and it would endure the test of time.

  Sean had already made himself a promise to do everything in his power to be a good husband and make her happy. Lashawnda and Mr. Price walked back down the aisle and Sean back to the altar. Brent was responsible for keeping a hold of him, so he wouldn’t do it again. It was hard for Sean; but wanting this to be special for his wife-to-be was enough of a reason for him to stay still. The fact that Brent had a hold of the back of his tuxedo helped as well.

  One thing that made Sean the happiest was his wife’s unwavering heart.

  She loved hard and was kind to those around her, even when he didn’t always agree with it. She did everything to make them happy, and often, he would have to put his foot down when she was overextending herself. She was often guilty of playing supermom, not to only to their children but to their children’s friends. She thought it was her duty to pick up the slack where some of the other parents didn’t hold up to their responsibilities. It wasn’t uncommon to have a house full of children, that wasn’t theirs running around.

  But he wouldn’t have her any other way. So, he learned to be the best support for her that he could.

  When she got too wrapped up in her clients and needed to vent with a warm bath and tears; he made sure to have the tub filled when she came home.

  She had gained a little weight after having their third child, Greyson. But he hadn’t thought anything of it, until he found her in tears in the bathroom two months after giving birth. After a bit of cajoling, she finally told him she was upset she was getting fatter. It reminded him of when they first started dating, and she let everyone’s perception of what she should look like cloud the beauty he saw every time he gazed at her. Sean carried his tearful wife from the bathroom and put her in bed.

  It was early morning, but he convinced Crystal to get the kids.

  When he went back to their bedroom, he found Lashawnda still curled up on the bed with a forlorn expression. He removed all his clothes, hopped in the bed, and proceeded to remove hers. Sean recalled the confused look on her face. But on that bright sunny morning, with no covers, no clothes, or any hint of night to hide her body from him, Mr. Colcord showed Mrs. Colcord how much he still found her attractive. Not a stretch mark was left un-kissed, or a dimple left un-caressed.

  Nate was born nine months later.

  And, still today, he found himself wanting…no, needing her—just as much as he did the first time he saw her.

  That need had gotten him in a bit of trouble over the years.

  At Nate’s second birthday party, he found her bent over the picnic table trying to arrange the cake in the center. His eyes zoned in on her luscious backside. Images from the night before replayed in his head—her bent over the side of the bed, and him kneeling behind her—feasting on the warm nectar flowing from her body.

  Sean was lost in his thoughts, until Brent came up behind him and said, ‘put that thing away.’ It didn’t register right away until Lashawnda turned around and gasped, ‘Oh my goodness, Sean’. He followed the direction of her widened eyes. Looking down, he saw the massive erection he was sporting. The entire evening, he avoided making eye contact with some of the other parents. He swore up and down some of them noticed him pitching a tent.

  Neither Brent nor Crystal has ever let him forget that day.

  They had their ups and downs over the last ten years, but nothing could break the bond they had built.

  Lashawnda still had to deal with pushy women who thought they could catch her husband’s eye. But she no longer looked at Sean for any signs he would stray. Because they lived in the south, they still got funny looks from some people when they were out in public. Their children had come home crying on more than one occasion because of some bully picking on them. Sometimes, it was because their dad was white and others it was because their mom was black. But, Sean and Lashawnda had drilled it in their little heads that the world was filled with ignorant people, and you just had to pray for them.

  True to his word, when they were dating, Sean was very protective of what he considered his. His greatest possessions were his wife and kids.

  ☙☙MV❧❧

  Five years ago

  Lashawnda sat at home with her swollen feet elevated. She was eight months pregnant with Greyson. Their older two were getting restless, so Sean took them out to get a pizza, so she could rest. About two hours after the
y left, she got a call from Sean telling her she needed come and bail him out of jail.

  Lashawnda thought he was pulling another prank on her and ignored his request. An hour later she got a call from the police station telling her that her husband was in holding and her children needed picked up, or else, they would call Social Services. Lashawnda had almost gone into labor. She called Brent and they high-tailed it to the county jail. The police informed them that her husband had gotten into a fistfight at the pizzeria.

  It took a few hours for them to process him, so Lashawnda took the kids home while Brent took care of getting Sean released.

  Later that night, after the kids had fallen to sleep, Lashawnda went looking for Sean and found him sitting out back on the swing set.

  His back was to her, and she could tell from his posture, he was thinking very heavily about something. Walking up behind him, she nudged his back with her enormous stomach. Greyson reached out to his daddy as well and started kicking. Sean looked up at his wife and pulled her around, so she was facing him. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes looked haunted and Lashawnda instantly became concerned; she had never seen him like this before.

  He laid his head on her stomach with his shoulders shaking, his grip tightened around her. She stood stunned, not knowing what to make of his behavior. When a whimper escaped his mouth, she knew he was crying. Lashawnda had never seen her husband so upset in all the years they were together.

  “Babe? Oh, Sean what’s the matter?” Lashawnda asked running her fingers through his close-cropped hair.

  Sean didn’t think he would be able to answer her.

  The intense love and severe rage he felt had taken hold of him at the same time, and he couldn’t do anything but clutch the woman that held his heart in safe keeping. The myriad of emotions running through his mind was too much to process. He felt like he was going through a typhoon. He held onto her until he got his bearings.

  After he was able to get back some of his composure, Sean looked up into his wife’s face, twisted with concern. Reaching up to smooth her knotted brows, he pulled her down on to his lap and snuggled his face into her neck.

  “I love you so much. I know I’m not worthy of you, but I thank you so much for being with me,” he professed.

  Lashawnda rubbed Sean’s cheeks and caressed the smooth, silky hair on his nape.

  “Oh, babe, I love you too. Please don’t ever let me hear you say, ‘you’re not worthy of me,’” she replied in a chastising tone.

  “If that statement had any truth to it, then I feel the same way. I thank God every day you had a little voyeur in you,” she said hoping to lighten the mood.

  Sean was quiet for a few minutes, but Lashawnda knew it worked when she felt his breath heavy on her neck as he chuckled.

  “Well, could you blame me? You kept flashing me every chance you got.” He reached up and rubbed his thumb across her nipple. The memory of their first few encounters playing heavy in his mind. The cool evening air, and the weight of his wife in his lap, soothed Sean’s nerves. They sat silently holding each other.

  Lashawnda broke the silence first.

  “You ready to tell me what happened tonight?” she asked.

  Sean sighed and eased her off his lap. There was no way he would get out of explaining in detail the events that transpired this evening. Making up some half-assed story wasn’t going to cut it either. His wife knew him better than anyone; it would be a total waste of time. He took hold of her hand and they walked back toward the house. When he reached the stairs, he motioned for Lashawnda to sit down. When she was comfortable, he sat on the stairs between her open legs and placed his head in her lap. Her large protruding stomach prevented him from getting as close as he would have liked, but there were no complaints about the purpose of her figure.

  He would be a daddy all over again.

  Closing his eyes, Sean turned his head to the side and kissed his unborn son. Lashawnda stroked his forehead to the nape. He loved the feel of her hands running over his scalp. She knew exactly where to apply the most pressure and when to scrape her fingernails lightly across his tender skin.

  “I haven’t been this angry in a long-time, sweetheart. I took the kids to Marciano’s for a slice before going to the arcade. While we were in line, this lady told Ella how beautiful she was. I replied, ‘she looks just like her mother.’”

  Lashawnda bent down and kissed him on the forehead, causing Sean to smile.

  “Aww, babe, you’re so sweet,” she said in a sugary sweet voice. “Go on; what happened next?”

  “Well, the lady asked Ella about her favorite things to do and how she liked school. When I hear this fucker… I’m sorry. I’m getting upset again,” Sean said, stopping to let out a few angry breaths. “This guy with a few of his friends snickered and made a rude comment.”

  “Sean what did he say?”

  He didn’t want to repeat it. Yet, he knew his wife would press until he told her the truth. Sean rubbed his hands over his face, then clenched his fist in his lap.

  “He said, ‘he didn’t know porch monkeys could be pretty.’”

  Lashawnda drew in a sharp breath.

  “I was about to react, when I realized the kids were with me. It wasn’t till they walked past our table and one of them called me, ‘a n-word lover’ that I reacted. Baby, you should have seen the look on Ella’s face. My beautiful, baby girl looked so hurt and ashamed that she hung her head and hid behind her hair. You know that’s not like her to act like that. I knew she understood the connotation of his words; that somehow, she wasn’t good enough to be loved.”

  Sean stood up abruptly and started pacing. His large frame wound so tight, you could see tension rolling off his body.

  “I snapped. I couldn’t just sit there and let him insult my baby…my fucking baby, Lashawnda. I want Phillip to grow to be a man who fights his own battles. But my baby girl will always be my responsibility. I fight her battles for her.” Sean pounded his fists against his chest when he spoke of his daughter.

  It might have been her imagination, but Lashawnda felt the earth tremble beneath her feet.

  Lashawnda wrapped her hand protectively around her stomach. She had never seen Sean so upset. He took being a father very seriously. No one came before his children. Having lost his father at an age where he couldn’t remember him was a deep wound for him. The intensity of his emotions had her thanking God for the patrons at the restaurant that were brave enough to break up the fight. Sean’s anger was deadly.

  “I got up and asked him what he said, and the shit-faced, cock-sucker repeated it. This time loud enough that half the restaurant heard. I told the kids to cover their ears and close their eyes. Then, I went about showing him how much in love I was.” Sean’s mouth tightened with anger as his mind brought him back to that place.

  His shoulders bunched tight and his face flushed. His green eyes flashed black with anger.

  “No one, you hear me, no one fucks with my family and gets away with it. I’ll fight to my last breath to make certain of that. I’m glad I broke his jaw. His buddy didn’t have to join in, but since he did, he got a broken nose and some bruised ribs to take home with him.”

  He turned to face her and leaned his hands on either side of her body, caging her in with his large frame. His intense eyes bore into hers.

  Lashawnda bit her lower lip, holding back the whimper threatening to escape. Her love, her husband, the father of her children, her every joy and happiness looked like he had been ripped apart and lay bare while someone trampled his spirit.

  “I told you before I don’t deserve you, but that sure as hell doesn’t mean I won’t take care of you or our family.” Sean bowed his head and looked at the new life that they had made together. He placed his hands on her protruding abdomen and felt the powerful kicks of his next son.

  “My love for you has no bounds. Every time I wake up next to you, I know why I was put on this earth.” After a few moments, Sean finally raised his head
and looked at his wife.

  Lashawnda couldn’t hold it in any longer. Her nose burned and her vision blurred with unshed tears when she saw wet streaks make their journey down her husband’s sun-tanned skin. A few settled into the crevice of the tiny wrinkles forming under his eyes. She wished she could absorb his pain into her soul—so he wouldn’t have to feel this hurt. He was always the strong one; the solid foundation that kept everything together. Now, it was her turn to be there for him.

  “Baby…” Lashawnda cupped his face in her hands and brought him to her lips, so she could kiss away his tears. She kissed his eyes, his nose, and both sides of his lips, before placing an opened mouth kiss on his full lips.

  “You and the life we have created are my reasons for waking up too. God made me just for you Sean Tyler Colcord. Every millimeter of my dark chocolate skin was perfectly crafted to blend flawlessly with your alabaster complexion, to create these three children.” She smiled as he nodded his head in agreement.

  “God never makes mistakes, Sean. You and I both know that. That asshole is ignorant. They don’t own my happiness, sweetheart. Their words of hate don’t define what I feel for you. I know I’m loved, and so does our children.”

  Lashawnda placed a light kiss on his lips and smiled up into his face. She made a promise to herself to remind her love more often how much he meant to her and how good of a father he was.

  The tension in Sean’s body relaxed at his wife’s soft-spoken words. He grasped her chin and kissed her hard, luxuriating in the softness of her mouth and the taste of her tongue.

  “I love you,” his voice was still rough with emotion.

  “I know. Your love is the sustenance on which I live.” Lashawnda brought her fingertips to her lips. They still tingled from the onslaught of his kiss.

  “Well, let’s get inside and make some monkey love,” she replied with a cheeky grin.

  “That’s not funny,” Sean said, giving her the same look he gave the children when they misbehaved.