The Christmas Promise

by Sean D. Young

  Simeon got to his feet and walked over to her, handing Mariah to her. “Did you and your sisters get things done for the event?”

  “Yes, we talked business, ate and laughed a whole lot.” She chuckled, heading toward the kids’ bedroom.

  Walking past the bathroom she took three steps back and saw that it was in such disarray. “Simeon, what in the world?” she asked quickening her steps so she could put Mariah in her crib and investigate the rest of the house.

  The changing table in their room had the soiled towel that he used from Micah lying on top of it. Some of the diapers had fallen off the stack and were scattered on the floor. She turned around to see Simeon simply hunch his shoulders. Putting Mariah down and pulling the blanket over her, she put her fist up to her left eye, then her right one, before pointing at Simeon. He tucked Micah in bed and helped Jennifer tidy up the room.

  In the hallway, she slugged him in the arm. “I knew they were going to be too much for you. Why didn’t you call me?”

  “I handled it,” Simeon said, following her into the main bathroom.

  Jennifer wanted to turn around and walk out when she saw the disaster in the bathroom. “Simeon, why didn’t you put this dirty diaper in a plastic bag and throw it in the trash? I keep the bags in the kitchen drawer.”

  Simeon rushed to the kitchen and pulled out a white trash bag and brought it to the bathroom. Stepping in front of her he picked up all the trash and dropped it in the bag and pulled the plastic strings. “I was going to come back and clean up after they went to sleep, but I guess we all fell asleep.”

  Jennifer couldn’t help but smile. “It was the cutest sight ever.” She watched him tidy up the bathroom. “Let me ask you a question?”

  “Shoot.”

  “Is my kitchen a complete disaster?”

  Simeon shrugged. “Uh, no. I don’t think so.”

  Jennifer squinted her eyes. “What did you cook for them?”

  “I didn’t cook.”

  “Are you saying that my babies haven’t eaten since I left the house?”

  “I gave them some applesauce and Cheerios.”

  “Lawd, have mercy. Man,” Jennifer said walking out the bathroom and down the hall.

  She wanted to see for herself the mess in the kitchen. She was sure she’d find one.

  Upon entering the kitchen, Jennifer stopped in her tracks with her hands on her hips. Her frown deepened as she looked at the cereal strewn all over the floor, applesauce smeared all on the trays of the high chairs. It was a mess.

  She could feel Simeon standing behind her, so she whipped around. She saw Simeon hunch his shoulders and hold out his hand. At first she started to scold him again, but then decided against it. At least he tried. She knew a lot of men who had babies that age and couldn’t be left alone with them if they were paid to. In her book, Simeon was brave for taking on twin toddlers.

  He stepped inside and got a wet cloth. “Let me clean up this mess. You just got home, so I’ll do it.”

  Jennifer reached out to stop him. “No, don’t worry about it. I’ll clean it up.” She walked over to the kitchen closet and pulled out the broom so that she could sweep up the mess on the floor.

  Afterward, she asked, “Would you like a glass of wine?”

  “I think I should be leaving now.”

  Jennifer didn’t want Simeon to leave. “Do you have somewhere else to go?”

  “No, I was just going to stop over at my brother’s house.”

  “Have you told him about the kids?” Jennifer wanted to know.

  “No, I haven’t said anything to him or my sister.”

  There was a marked silence between them. Jennifer pondered why he hadn’t disclosed that information. She wondered if he were secretly ashamed of them.

  Simeon rinsed out the dishcloth and walked over to her. “And before that little brain of yours starts thinking, I didn’t tell them because I’m not ready yet. It had nothing to do with me being embarrassed of you or our children. I want to get to know them first before others enter the picture. That is all.” He touched the tip of her nose before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

  Jennifer was happy that he explained himself. She didn’t want to misinterpret his intentions. He had his reasons, so she would respect them.

  “Let’s finish cleaning up and I’ll stay around for a while. And don’t look so sad because everything will be all right.”

  Twenty minutes later, the house was sparkling clean and they sat down to enjoy a glass of red wine.

  “I have to confess something to you,” Simeon said.

  “What?”

  “Those kids wore me out tonight.”

  “What? No,” Jennifer said, trying to mock him.

  “Yes, wore me out, I tell you.”

  Jennifer laughed. She knew that it had been a new experience for him. She was glad they all survived.

  “I don’t know how you do it,” he said, placing his glass on the table nearby. “I couldn’t handle them both at the same time and they both wanted my attention.”

  “It took me a while to get the hang of things with them. So the trick for me is that I talk to Mariah if I need to pick up Micah. I’ll say what a big girl she is and thanks for helping Mommy. I do the same thing with Micah.”

  Simeon twisted in his seat. “Hey, have you ever seen the movie Mr. Mom?”

  Jennifer giggled. “Yes, I remember it. The guy put the baby’s butt up to the air drier in the bathroom in an office building.”

  Simeon nodded and they both laughed. “Well, I felt like him times two.”

  Watching Simeon be so animated was a refreshing change for Jennifer. He was becoming so much a part of her life that when she woke up in the morning, she knew that he was going to be calling or coming over. That revelation always made her day.

  Simeon looked into her eyes. “I want you,” he said, truthfully.

  “Me?” she said, pointing to herself as if she didn’t know who he was referencing. She put her glass down on the table. His admission shocked her because it came out of nowhere and they’d been talking about something totally different.

  “Yes, you,” he murmured, pointing back at her.

  He slid closer to her. “Do you want me, Jenn?” he asked, his mouth inches from her lips.

  He kissed her cheek when she didn’t answer. His lips felt hot against her skin, causing her to feel warm, but she didn’t know how to let herself go.

  “You didn’t answer me, love. I need to know,” he said, placing a kiss on her forehead.

  Jennifer’s eyes fluttered closed, her breathing deep. She wanted Simeon badly but every time she opened her mouth to speak, he’d put his lips on her.

  He stood to his feet. “Come here, love,” he said, his voice husky and low.

  Nervous and temporarily speechless, she glanced up at him, staring into his eyes. “I haven’t done this in a long time,” she said, finally standing to her feet.

  Simeon moved closer to her. “Me either,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her.

  Jennifer could feel the hardness of his body as she stifled a moan. She needed to give in to her desires. She couldn’t deny it any longer.

  Pressing forward, she finally kissed him softly on the lips. “Yes, I want you,” she said before kissing him again.

  Jennifer stepped back, unbuttoning his shirt from the top down. She assisted him with removing it, letting it fall to the floor. She wanted him to know that she didn’t care about the scars on his back. Walking around him to view his exposed skin, Jennifer pressed soft kisses along the scarred and uneven areas of his back and shoulder. She wanted him to know that she didn’t think he was any less of a man.

  Simeon turned around and pulled her flush against his body. Dipping his head, he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. He wrapped his arms around her wais
t tighter, leading her toward the leather recliner. Jennifer moved along with him in a cloud of desire, anxious to find out what came next. It really had been too long and the music that filled the room seemed to be at a distance as she watched him unzip her jeans.

  Jennifer observed as he eased them down over her thighs and down her legs. Lifting one foot at a time, he pulled the jeans off, leaving her standing in front of him in her lacy underwear. Resting her in the chair, he spread her legs and positioned himself between them on his knees. She noticed his eyes roam her body and then focus on her burgundy blouse. The soft fabric seemed to fly away from her as he immediately started unbuttoning it from the bottom up.

  Devouring her with his eyes, he gazed at her middle and the perkiness of her breasts. He could see the faint lines that were lighter than her skin color running across the bottom of her stomach. Jennifer placed her hands there, but he immediately moved them out of the way.

  “Don’t do that. Move your hands,” he said.

  He had to know that she was embarrassed, but he rained kisses on the skin in that area. She appreciated that he was trying to show her she had nothing to be ashamed of. Simeon gave his attention to every inch of her body, including the stretch marks on her stomach.

  Slightly rubbing his fingers across the area, he said, “You got these marks by carrying my babies and for that you deserve a badge of honor.”

  He lent his mouth to her exposed flesh. She shivered as his fingers trailed from the collarbone to the peaks of her chocolate tips. His touch was light, teasing her with his fingers across her nipples.

  “This won’t do, love. We’ve got to make this special,” Simeon said. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Spreading her across her bed, he took his time peeling off her lacy panties, then crawled in bed beside her.

  He cupped her curly mound, squeezing gently at first before removing his hand and flicking his finger against her clit, sending Jennifer writhing beneath him. She was so slick and wet, which drove his desire to make love to her even greater.

  “Make love to me, Simeon,” she said, her breathing labored.

  He kissed her lips. “Let’s take our time, love,” he said before capturing the other nipple.

  They made passionate love for the rest of the night.

  Chapter Twenty

  Jennifer’s eyes fluttered open the next morning and she looked directly into the dark brown depths of Simeon’s.

  “How long have you been awake?”

  “I’ve been up for a while. Micah was crying, so I picked him up, changed him and gave him some milk in that little sippy cup.”

  Jennifer sat up straight. “Is he okay now?”

  “Yes, love, he’s fine. I put him back in his crib.” He sat down on the side of the bed. “Would you like some coffee? I made some while Micah was sitting in his chair drinking his milk.”

  “You know I don’t drink coffee much, but I’d love some tea,” Jennifer said.

  Simeon stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

  Jennifer watched his bare chest as he left the room and five minutes later, he brought a cup of piping hot tea. She loved sipping tea in the quiet of the morning while the kids were still asleep. It felt good sharing the needs of their children with Simeon. It gave her a chance to sleep a little longer. But now they needed to discuss their future, if there was one.

  Pulling the covers over her breasts, she patted his arm. “Simeon, we need to talk about something.”

  Simeon came around on the other side of the bed and sat down next to her. “We can talk about anything you want, love.”

  Jennifer met his glance. “Where are we now?”

  Simeon squinted and frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Jennifer reached over and touched his hand. “Is it just the children you want to bond with? It seems like we are moving pretty fast and I don’t want to have the wrong understanding about you and me.”

  Simeon exhaled, his eyes squinting. “You know what? A few years ago I wasn’t sure about a lot of things. My focus was always on work and I put it first no matter what. I don’t want my life to be that way anymore.”

  “I’m trying to wrap my head around this,” Jennifer said. “At first I was raising my kids on my own and had just started getting over feeling abandoned and left by you. Now, here we are.”

  “When I saw you with the baby, I was sure I’d lost you then.”

  The one thing that Jennifer had noticed about Simeon from day one was that he always listened to what she had to say. He was never the type of man that didn’t care how she felt about things. So she watched him sit next to her and sip his coffee, gazing at her intently as she tried to express herself.

  Simeon stood on his feet, putting his half-empty coffee cup on the nightstand. He turned and took Jennifer’s cup and set it down next to his. He re-took his place on the bed. He beckoned for her to come closer.

  Jennifer scooted forward.

  “No, love, I want you to come and sit on my lap.”

  Jennifer threw the covers back and then realized she was naked. She got up to get a nightgown from the top drawer and slipped it on. Taking deliberate steps, she walked back over to Simeon and went into his awaiting arms. Sitting on his lap, she lay back against him.

  Snuggling her neck, he said, “Jenn, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I didn’t know where we were either when we started seeing each other again.”

  Jennifer covered his arms as they were wrapped around her middle. “I know you want to take care of your children. You’re a good man and they are lucky to have you as their father, but I’m not really clear about what all this means for me.”

  “How could you know, we’ve been dancing around the subject of me and you since we reconnected. The focus had been on the children, which it should be because their lives have changed now that I’m here.”

  “But—”

  “Wait, I want some things to be clear to you, so you won’t ever doubt how I feel about you.” He squeezed her tight. “I know you’re the one for me. I want a family. A man and his wife are still a family. Do you think if I came back and you didn’t have any children that I wouldn’t want you?”

  She turned to face him, searching his eyes as he spoke to her.

  “Of course I would because it’s about you,” he said, pointing at her heart. “The children are the icing on the cake. I had always planned to get married and have children.”

  She dropped her head momentarily before Simeon lifted her chin with his hand. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

  Jennifer nodded.

  “Now, do we have an understanding? I want you to be my wife. I knew it when I saw you in the store. I thought I’d lost you, but here we are. I think the thing you need to think seriously about is are you ready to be my wife?”

  Jennifer rested her head against his shoulder as he held her in his arms. They sat in that position until they heard Mariah crying. Jennifer attempted to stand up so she could attend to her daughter, but Simeon caught her hand.

  “Let me go,” he said, standing to his feet. “Don’t you have to get ready for work?”

  “Yes, and I need to call my mother. I’m going to take the twins over to her until I get off this afternoon.”

  “Why don’t we give your mother a break? Doesn’t she keep them all the time for you on Saturday?”

  “Yes, most of the time, but she doesn’t mind. Her and my dad love having them over.”

  “Well, I would like to keep them today.”

  Jennifer gave him a wide smile. “You still haven’t had enough, huh,” she said, walking over to the mirror.

  Mariah’s cries got louder.

  “Let me go and see about my little sweet pea,” Simeon said, disappearing from the room.

  His absence gave Jennifer time to reflect on his declaration. She did need to
think about whether or not she wanted to make their relationship permanent. She didn’t want to marry him because they had children, but because they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with one another.

  Five minutes later, Simeon strolled back into her bedroom with both children, giggling as he carried them like footballs, one under each arm. Jennifer shook her head and smiled at them because of the way that Micah and Mariah were clinging to their father.

  Waving her finger at Simeon, she said, “I promise you are going to get enough of carrying them around so much, Simeon.”

  He lifted them and kissed Micah and then Mariah on their foreheads. “I’m having a great time and wouldn’t do it any other way.”

  “You will when they won’t stay with anyone else when we have to go somewhere.”

  Placing the children on the bed, he sat down on the side of it. “Speaking of going somewhere, I just had an idea. Why don’t you see if your mother or one of your sisters can keep them tonight and we have dinner at my place?”

  “Your place?”

  “Yes, I want to make dinner for you, but I just want it to be the two of us.”

  Jennifer smiled. “Okay, I can get one of them to watch them.”

  She noticed how happy and playful the children were with him. But when Micah playfully hit Simeon in the head with his little fist, he winced. She didn’t think a two-and-a-half-year-old would be able to hurt a grown man, but she saw it with her own eyes.

  Rushing around to the side of the bed, she put her hand on Simeon’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded. “Yes, I guess my head is a little tender there. Nothing to worry about though. You go on, get ready for work, so you can get back here. I’m looking forward to having you all to myself.”

  Jennifer tried to smile, but she didn’t like the fact that he flinched again, the next time Micah hit him. She went over and lifted the little boy from the bed. “Micah, don’t hit Daddy.”

  “Daddy,” Micah said then Mariah repeated it.

  When Jennifer glanced at Simeon, she saw the proud expression on his face just hearing his kids call him Daddy.

  Jennifer was so excited about her dinner with Simeon. She had no idea what he actually had planned, but from her experience spending time with him in Anguilla, he always had something good up his sleeve. She’d suggested that she drive over to his place to make it convenient, but he didn’t agree. He wanted to pick her up and bring her back home.