Coveted

by Mychea

  Once the attendant cleared us at the door, the vision that beheld me when we walked into the room was incredible. The seventies had been recreated in this modern space and it was marvelous, there was a disco ball in the center of the floor that was twirling and sparkling. The strobe lights were bouncing off the walls and the DJ was laying it down with all the hot tracks from the seventies. They had even gone back as far as having records. It was great.

  Everyone seemed excited to be in attendance, there was a happy energy surrounding the room. People were decked out in their short, short minis and big afros. Bell-bottoms and platform shoes littered the room. Fabulous. It was just fabulous.

  Kaden and I were moving toward the refreshment table, when the crowd shifted and I could see Damir with his arm around a very pregnant Amber. Proper protocol was that the host greets all of their guests but I didn’t want him to wait to bring himself over to us. I grabbed Kaden by the hand and marched us over there to greet them. Damir and I had not spoken since I phoned to check on Amber after Emeri’s assault on them.

  Tapping him lightly on his shoulder once we reached their side of the room, I waited patiently as he and Amber turned to greet us. My eyes bulged wide, when they landed on Amber’s face. She still looked like the same person, but you could see where she had been assaulted. Her once perfect nose was slightly crooked and there was still a little swelling around it and despite all of that, she had the nerve to be smirking at me. If she only knew how much worse that made her look. Unlike her, my nose was still intact and I wasn’t swollen and pregnant. Shoot, I know I looked good.

  Trying my best to avoid staring at her, I focused all of my attention on Damir who I hadn’t seen since the last time I was at his house. His face registered one of shock when he saw whose hand I was holding. Proceeding to shake hands with Kaden before acknowledging me, I stood by and waited patiently.

  “Hey Kaden, I’m glad you could make it.” Turning to me, “Nice to see you again Naima, I like the hair. It suits you.” Returning his gaze to Kaden he said, “So, how do you two know each other?”

  “Naima is my wife.” I smiled immediately. I love the way “my wife” had rolled of his tongue with ease.

  Damir’s face tensed up, “Your wife?” Turning to me, “This is th--” I averted my eyes and pulled Kaden by the hand. My work here was done. “It was nice seeing you again Damir, you too Amber, though these are better circumstances I believe.” Her smirk faded, when I gave her the sweetest smile I could while Kaden and I headed for the other side of the room.

  Everything at the party was going smoothly until Haven walked up to Kaden and me on the dance floor with a man that was vaguely familiar to me but I could not readily identify. I felt Kaden’s body react immediately. Glancing at his face, I could see the anger mounting in his eyes and knew there was only a matter of time before he lost his temper.

  “Hey Naima, hey Kaden.” Was she serious? How was she just going to roll up on us in the middle of a party and try to be sociable like we were all cool? Kaden and I proceeded to walk around her and her guest, until that witch grabbed me by my arm. “Naima, don’t be rude. I’m trying to make an effort. Can’t you meet me half way?”

  If I were not a main player in this game, this situation would have been comical. Unfortunately, for her, I found nothing funny about someone playing with my life, someone that I had once considered a best friend that I could trust.

  “Haven,” I said calmly, doing my best not to cause a scene, “please take your hand off me.” That only caused her to tighten her grip.

  “Naima, please give me a chance to explain, you haven’t returned any of my calls and this is the only time I have been able to see you outside of the office incident. Which I forgive you for.”

  “Forgave me for? Bitch are you crazy? I wasn’t the one doing anything to you.” Pulling my arm out of her grasp, I turned to face her so we could square off inch for inch. So much for trying not to cause a scene, she had drove me too it.

  “I’m not the one that was fucking your husband, oops I forgot, you don’t have a husband.” I stopped to act as if I was pondering, by putting my finger to my chin, “I wonder why?” Clenching my hands into fists, I was officially pissed off “Then you tell my husband that he fathered your child, when in all actuality he did not. And you have the audacity to stand here and say you forgive me, bitch fuck you. Why don’t you try forgiving that.” I said as I turned and walked out of the main hall. Chest rising and falling rapidly, I had to calm down. I cannot believe I let her engage me in a public display of foolishness. That was not my style at all.

  A couple minutes later, after getting some water and my breathing had returned to normal, I realized that Kaden had not followed me out. Walking over to the door at the main hall, I glance around the room and see him in the corner mesmerized by the slides that have been playing on the screen in the back of the room since we had arrived.

  Making my way over to him as fast as I could, since people occupied almost every inch of free space in the room, Damir sure knew a lot of people that wanted to celebrate with him. Finally descending upon the area where Kaden was, he was so engrossed with the screen he didn’t notice that I had approached him. Tipping my head up to get a better view of his face, he seemed a little on the pale side and was gripping his champagne flute so tightly I was afraid it would shatter in his hand.

  Turning to look at the screen, I looked at the slide show to see what would make him have such a violent reaction. But the only pictures being displayed were those of Damir and his family.

  “Hey baby,” he jerked his head to look down at me in shock, “you ok?”

  Shaking his head a little, he mumbled, “unbelievable.”

  “What’s unbelievable?” Glancing back at the screen he tightened and flexed his hand about five more times before he responded.

  Never taking his eyes off the screen he said, “I saw that girl the night she died, it was about two years ago.”

  Turning to look back at the screen, I felt like I was in a trance. “What girl?”

  “The one with the golden locks and the dimples.”

  Watching as a pretty girl came across the screen fitting that description with the words in loving memory…Alanna you are missed, running across the bottom of the screen.

  Ok, so that was Damir’s sister Alanna, but how did Kaden know her? I was confused. It must have showed on my face because his next words to me were, “I met her when I was in Dallas,” swallowing audibly, “The night I had my accident.” Then putting his champagne flute on the table he walked out of the room.

  I was beginning to put two and two together, I think. I knew the team was partying in Dallas at a strip club the night Kaden was in the accident that took him away from the second love of his life…football. I also remember Damir telling me that Alanna had been killed almost two years ago in an accident. Therefore, the only conclusion I can piece together is that they were in the same accident and that means if it was at a strip club Kaden was probably cheating on me then too. I could feel a migraine coming on, goodness. Would Kaden’s past ever stop coming back to haunt us?

  Emeri

  I could see them all in their having a good time celebrating Damir’s birthday. Scoping the security all around the building, I almost laughed out loud, which would have given me away as I hid in the back alley behind the Newseum. Did Damir honestly think that having all this security would stop me from getting in to celebrate his birthday with him? I was here to make sure that he had a birthday he would never forget, and with thirty being a milestone and all, it would definitely be a momentous occasion. I was counting on it.

  Waiting for the security guard that was casing the back area to walk around to the side of the building, I made my move. More swiftly and with a purpose, I caught the door as a worker was throwing out the garbage and then snuck in while his back was turned. The internet was the best tool on earth. Because of it, I had been able to pull the floor plans for the building and over the past f
ew days, I had been studying them just for this moment.

  Hearing the sounds of the partygoers in the main hall, I was waiting for the golden opportunity to make my presence known. Glancing down to gaze at my watch, I knew that they would be bringing Damir’s cake out soon because I had the timeline for the party, which was the only good thing I had gotten out of working one day at Naima’s job.

  Making my way to the kitchen, I managed to get under the cake cart before it was wheeled out for the big Happy Birthday.

  Haven

  Standing next to Amber and Damir, I am consumed with my own thoughts. I am done trying to make amends with Naima. It was what it was. Everything was now out in the open and I guess there was no coming back from what happened. I know it is my fault how everything went down, but I was hoping that somehow, our love for one another would be able to withstand this; there was so much I needed to tell her.

  I felt like my life was in danger. I know Chris said that he forgave me and wanted to start anew. But eyes never lie. They are the most expressive parts of our bodies and occasionally when Chris thought I was focused on something else I could see him out the corner of my eye looking at me with pure hatred. He was great with Kaven but I felt like I was walking on eggshells and he was a time bomb waiting to go off. I know sending him to jail for rape had been the wrong thing to do, but he said he had forgiven me, was that even possible. Looking over at him, I offered up a smile, he winked at me and turned as they began to wheel in Damir’s birthday cake.

  Kaden

  Who would have thought that Damir’s sister Alanna would turn out to be the stripper Apple from Dallas. What were the odds? The past has a way of sneaking up to bite you in your ass. Sifting my gaze to Naima, I knew she was fitting all the pieces together like a puzzle. I had no idea what to tell her this go around. She had stuck with me through so much and all I could do was pray that we could see through this too. I was going to tell her the truth and put it into God’s hands. I was trying to be the best husband that I could be, so lying was out of the question. I didn’t want to insult her or her intelligence any longer. Lord knows I loved her more than my next breath. If anything ever happened to her, I wouldn’t know what to do with my life.

  Breaking my gaze away from Naima, my eyes swept the room and I saw Haven standing next to Damir and her date, who I swear I knew from somewhere. Seeing her, I was immediately disgusted. I don’t care what kind of leaf she thought she was turning. The fact remains that she had me paying child support for a child that wasn’t mine for seven years. Seven fucking years. Every time I thought about it, I wanted to grab her by her throat and squeeze until there was no longer any air left for her to breathe. Absorbed in my thoughts of the different ways I would strangle her, I didn’t notice Naima had come over to stand by me until she reached for my hand and pointed towards the cake being wheeled into the room.

  Damir

  How the hell was I going to be able to work with Naima’s husband? He was the man that was married to the woman I was in love with but due to circumstance couldn’t have. I had no idea that Kaden was the man from her past that had been causing her all the problems that she was going through. They obviously must have worked them out though, because otherwise they wouldn’t be here tonight with one another. Damn them. Now I would be envious of the man I employ. I would know that every night he was retreating home to be with the woman that should have been mine.

  Reaching into my pocket, I felt the weight of the ring I had bought for Amber. It was then that I realized the weight in my heart was greater. Gazing down at Amber, heart heavy or not, it was the right thing to do. She was pregnant with my twins and had suffered a broken nose by a crazed maniac on my account. I owed it to her to marry her. Placing a kiss on her cheek, I turned as the kitchen staff rolled into the room with my birthday cake.

  Naima

  Standing next to Kaden as Damir’s birthday cake was being wheeled into the room, I made it a point to forgive him for whatever took place in Dallas. We had moved on and were finally in a good place; and I actually like the place we are in. I couldn’t hold his past deeds against him forever.

  Watching as the kitchen staff wheeled the cake to the middle of the floor, Damir interrupted just as the DJ was about to cue everyone to sing Happy Birthday. Requesting a mic, the DJ walked over and handed him one, Damir dropped to one knee and reached for Amber’s hand. You could hear the gasps around the room.

  Amber looked as if she were about to pass out right there on the floor. I think she was in disbelief. Damir was looking at her with a tender expression displayed in his eyes and part of me felt nostalgic. I remember not too long ago he had looked at me that way.

  “Amber, I know that it has been a very rocky road for us. Yet here we are.” He gave a small chuckle as he pulled out a ring that was fit for a princess, he continued, “I would be honored if you will spend the rest of your life being my wife and the mother of the children we will have soon and any future children we make.”

  Laughing a little bringing attention to her slightly distorted face, Amber said, “Well I don’t know about the future children thing,” rubbing her engorged belly, “this might be enough, but I would be honored to be your wife.” Anxiously jumping around as he put the ring on her finger, “I thought you would never ask.” He stood up, she threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him with so much passion I would testify in court in front of a jury that it had been dubbed rated R.

  Once the kiss ended, Damir handed the mic back to the DJ and he cued up the Happy Birthday song. Everyone formed a circle around Damir and the cake. But before the Happy Birthday’s could commence, out from under the table comes an absolutely stunning looking Emeri, unfortunately, she messed up the euphoric image by wielding a gun and having an insane look in her eyes.

  The crowd immediately went into a frenzy, people started screaming and running for cover. I didn’t know what to do. I was grounded to the spot I was standing in; Kaden grabbed me and tried to pull me down for cover. But I knew no one would be able to reason with Emeri but me, maybe as her sister I stood a slight chance.

  Staying exactly where I was so she wouldn’t feel threatened in any way, “Emeri, whatever is going on, you don’t want to do this.” Not even turning to gaze at me, just staring straight at Damir she said, “Naima, don’t try to be a fucking good Samaritan. Damir knows why I’m here.” Looking at him in a rage, she started speaking again. “You used me, you allowed me to suck you off in my father’s home and then you just left me,” tears began to pore from her eyes, “you wouldn’t return my phone calls, you got me barred from your job, you had me arrested.” barred from his job, I never knew she had been to his job. Emeri definitely was losing it. Her voice escalated with the next statements out her mouth.

  “You think you are the best thing in the world don’t you Damir.” I looked over at him and he was rooted to the floor with a protective arm around Amber, that probably wasn’t the best stance for him to take at the moment, but who am I to give an opinion. “You had Naima, and your little impregnated whore that you’re trying to protect and me sucking you off. How many women do you need to make you feel like a man?”

  “You know you men are all the same. My dad left my mother to be with his family, did you know that?” she pointedly looked at me when she said that, “He should have never got involved with my Mama but he did and he left to raise his other family. I grew up with no one.” Her tears were flowing all over the place. I could see her pain so vividly. She was hurting so much. “I imagined myself to be in love with you,” she said turning back to Damir, “but now I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re just as selfish as the rest of the men in the world. And you have to pay.” Cocking the gun back, everything happened at once, she shot the gun, I made a dive for her, the gun went off again and then the world went black.

  Epilogue

  Damir

  My life will never be the same. I had been sitting in the emergency room for the last forty-eight hours and every
thing was a mess. Amber was gone. Unlike with Alanna, I had been there this time and still I hadn’t been able to protect her. The first bullet Emeri had shot went directly into Amber’s temple and killed her on contact and she fell. Just like that, no doctor on earth could save her. She was already gone before there had been an opportunity. They had rushed her to the hospital in an effort to deliver the twins but only one made it out alive it was my daughter, who I chose to name Alanna. My son didn’t make it to see the light of day. He passed today. His lungs weren’t developed enough and he couldn’t breathe. They pronounced him dead about an hour ago. Making my way down to ICU to check on Alanna, I began to cry. My own selfish actions had caused this situation. Looking in on my baby girl with all the different tubes hooked up to her, I placed my hand on the incubator, praying that she would be ok. The doctor said she was a good size at five pounds, four ounces and seemed to be strong and have a will to fight for her life. She was my little trooper; I know deep down that, she will beat the odds, she will be ok, she just had to be. My sanity depended on it. A nurse brought a chair over for me to sit in and I put my hand through the hole of the incubator so I could hold her hand. It felt like she clenched my finger a little. I smiled. She needed worry. I would never let her go.

  Kaden

  My heart was lying in ICU. There is no other way to describe it. Naima was just lying there with a bullet wound to the abdomen that the doctor’s were hoping would heal and not get infected. All I could hear were the steady sounds of the monitors. Laying my head on the bed, I grabbed her hand. Someone opened the door behind me, I didn’t glance up. Who cared who it was? The only life that mattered to me was the one of the body lying in this bed.