by Midnite Love
Damn! Why did he have to go there? Cheron thought. She had no idea that his words would have this much impact on her. She was all set with her come back as to why she didn’t want to hear his sob story. She was going to read him for one last time before putting him out, but he had to bring feelings into the mix. This was a game changer. Not only because she still loved him; but because of how she felt when he said the words to her. Her mind told her to beware of his smooth talking and playing on her emotions. However, where matters of the heart were involved, all sense of logic went out the window. What the hell was she going to do now? She decided to save face and tell him that there was nothing left between them, and that he may as well give up the fight, however that was the exact opposite of what came out of her mouth.
“I still love you Kenterris,” she replied in a breathy voice, as she felt herself starting to cry.
Kenterris let out a sigh of relief.
Shit! Why did I say that? She was beyond pissed at herself for not being able to maintain her composure. Her attempt at trying to play it cool failed miserably.
Before she could speak another word Kenterris moved in closer and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. As far as he was concerned Cheron still loved him and that was all that mattered. Anything else in the relationship could be worked on as long as the love was still there for one another. His lips gently grazed hers as he continued to look in her eyes to gauge her reaction. If she wanted him to stop he would have, but something told him that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Cheron was secretly in turmoil. Everything inside of her wanted to pull away from him but for the life of her she just couldn’t. The next thing she knew, she was kissing him back.
What started off as soft, tender pecks soon turned into a deep passionate exchange of lust. This was actually the moment both of them had been wanting again since he had started taking care of her. By now both of them were craving the other’s touch. Kenterris stood up and slowly undressed Cheron, taking in the full beauty of her naked body, cuts, bruises, leg cast and all. He then got undressed and slid in the bed next to her. Her body trembled as he covered it with soft kisses. He took extra care to not put his full weight on her when he climbed on top of her.
What would have normally been a hot, sweaty, bang session between the pair was now an exchange of emotion so deep they both felt like they had died and gone to heaven. This is what making love felt like.
“I missed you so much,” Kenterris whispered as he slid in and out of Cheron. His lips and hands trying to devour every inch of her.
“I missed you too,” she whimpered. She tilted her hips upward to take him in deeper.
Cheron was awaked the next morning from Kenterris looking down at her as her stroked hair.
“Good morning,” he said. He was beaming from ear to ear.
“Good morning,” she replied, still half asleep.
Kenterris kissed her on the forehead before getting up and starting breakfast. Once they were done eating He informed Cheron that he had to run a few errands and stop by the office, but assured her that he would be back later to make sure she was set for dinner.
“I keep telling you I’m fine. Take your butt back to work. I know that place is falling apart without you,” she joked.
“I’ll go back once I’m sure that you don’t need me for anything. They can manage just fine. So how do you want to do this?”
“How do I want to do what?” she asked.
“How you want to do us? Now that we are back together.....”
“Hold on, who said anything about us being back together?”
“Well I just assumed...”
“Well you assumed wrong. Nothing has changed between us.”
“So what was last night about?” he asked.
His feelings were clearly hurt. He just knew that since Cheron had told him she still loved him things were back on track. And the fact that they made love sealed the deal as far as he was concerned.
“Last night was about us both expressing how we still felt about each other. True enough, I still love you but I still have some healing to do. I want to take things slow and see where they progress. I’m gonna be honest with you. We may never get back together but at least we are in a better place than we were, and I’m good with that.”
Kenterris felt like his heart had been stepped on. But as bad as he felt he realized that Cheron was right. One night of sex wasn’t going to make up for all the heartache he had caused her. He realized that he was going to have to work to regain her trust if there was a chance that they may ever get back together. At the end of the day she thanked him for everything he’d done for her since the accident, but they both decided that it was best that he stopped coming by every day because there were too many emotions involved. He made her promise to call him if she needed anything, but for now it was best they go their separate ways.
Chapter 16 - Second Chance
Sonnet’s mouth watered as she inhaled the scent of McDonalds fries. When they pulled into the drive thru. Derrick informed her that this was just something quick for her to put on her stomach and that he would cook a real meal for her later. If he would have thought about it, he would have saved one of the dinners he was passing out for her. However none of that mattered at the moment. His main concern was getting her off the streets.
“Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order?”
“Yeah, hang on a second...” Derrick replied. “Go ahead, order whatever you want,” he told Sonnet.
Normally she would have shown some restraint when ordering food around a man, but seeing as she was starving this was no time to be shy. She promptly leaned over him and called out her order.
“Yes, I’ll take a double quarter pounder meal, supersize it. And can I can a chocolate shake instead of soda?”
“Yes, will that be all?”
“No, I want a filet o fish with extra cheese, a McRib, and an order of 20 piece nuggets.”
“Anything else?”
“And two apple pies please.”
Sonnet was like a kid in a candy store. Derrick never said a word, instead he just smiled. He was happy that she and Gucci were finally getting something to eat. Once the food came Sonnet snatched the bags from Derrick’s hand and tore into them. She stuffed her mouth with as much food as she could fit into it. By now Gucci had jumped into the front seat with them for his portion. After she’d finally gotten her fill she belched loudly and licked her fingers clean. She then sat silently, starting out the window as the tears began to fall.
“I bet that quite a show huh?” she said out of embarrassment at how much and how fast she’d eaten.
Derrick placed his hand over hers. It killed him to see her this broken down.
“I wouldn’t know, I wasn’t paying attention,” he responded to lighten the mood.
“The next thing on the list is to get you out of those clothes. I’m gonna stop by the mall real quick so we can grab you a few outfits.”
“No!” Sonnet protested.
“What? You mean to tell me a woman is turning down a trip to the mall?” he joked.
“Yeah I know, sounds crazy right? Especially coming from someone like me. But look at me Derrick. I can let anyone see me like this,” she replied, looking down at her dirty, ragged clothing.
“Damn! What the hell was I thinking? You are absolutely right. I tell you what, give me your sizes and I’ll run in and grab something for you to change into. Then when you are comfortable we can take you on a real shopping spree. How does that sound?”
“That sounds amazing,” she replied. “Although I’ve lost so much weight I have no idea what size I wear these days.”
“No worries, I’ll improvise.”
Once they were at the mall Derrick parked and ran into Old Navy while Sonnet and Gucci waited in the car. Since he didn’t know her size and figured that he was just grabbing something for her to wear once she got out of the shower he opted for leggings and tshirts. He had never done anything
like this, but he figured that this was a good place to start. He grabbed a few of each in various colors and a pair of thong sandals. He then stopped by the lingerie section and grabbed a pack of cotton undies. Once they left the mall he popped into Walmart to grab Sonnet some toiletries. Once he was done shopping they headed for his place. Normally Sonnet would have cussed a man out if he would have even offered her anything out of Old Navy or Walmart. This time she was actually grateful.
When Sonnet walked into Derrick’s modest two bedroom apartment she thought she’d stepped into a castle. There was a time when she would have damn near spit on a blue collar man if he even attempted to step to her. As a matter of fact it was the very reason she always blew Derrick off in the past. Now, as luck would have it, the very person she looked down on for not meeting her outlandish standards was the one to rescue her from the streets and take her in. She had no choice but to humble herself and thank God for giving her another chance.
Someone of a lesser character would have expected something in return. Some would have even held the fact that she was indebted to them over her head, or would have obligated them to sexual favors, but not Derrick. He never judged her or made her feel insecure about the position he found her in. In contrast he would actually make it his mission to build her back up, and let her know that no matter how bad her situation was, she had someone in her corner, with nothing asked in return
“Make yourself comfortable. Mi Casa Su Casa.”
“Thanks again Derrick. You just don’t know how much I appreciate this.”
“Yes I do, no need to keep thanking me. I’m just happy that you are safe. You can take the guest bedroom. There is an adjoining bathroom. The towels are in here,” he announced, pointing to the linen closet. I’m gonna give you time to settle in and get cleaned up, let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do!”
Sonnet closed the door to the bedroom and sat down on the floor. Her first instinct was to flop down on the bed but she didn’t want to come anywhere near it with her filth. It was going to take more than just a shower to remove the built up grime she had accumulated. She decided to run some bathwater instead. She pulled out all the things that Derrick had bought her and laid them out on the bed. No one could have ever told her that something as simple as a pack of underwear and a stick of deodorant could have made her this happy.
As the tub filled Sonnet undressed and threw her dirty clothes into the trash can. She then took off her panties and bra and slid down into the steaming water. It felt so good to have her body submerged that she let out a sigh. After soaking for a few moments Sonnet noticed that a stench was starting to build up in the bathroom.
‘Damn, is that me?” She said to herself. She frowned up as she took a whiff under her arm. Pretty soon the Mcdonalds she’d eaten had started working its way through her system. Her stomach began to gurgle and she let out some of the most excruciating gas she’d ever smelt in her entire life. Between the gas and her body odor she had no choice but to open a window.
Once Sonnet was done soaking and scrubbing, she then prepared to get her body hair situation under control. Her legs looked like a wooly mammoth. Her underarms looked like dreads were growing under them. And hair on her crotch resembled an unpicked afro. When she was finally done with her grooming session and was dressed she felt like a new person. Now it was time to clean up her mess. She eased out of the bathroom and headed to the kitchen to look for something to scrub the tub with.
“Hey, what do you need?” Derrick asked as her saw her looking under the sink.
“Oh I was just looking for some Comet.”
“There’s some in that bathroom, it may have gotten pushed to the back, but it’s under the sink. Let me grab it for you.”
“Noooo! I’ll find it,” Sonnet yelled. She was mortified at the thought of Derrick seeing the mess she’d left in the bathroom. Before she could stop him he had already beaten her to the punch.
“Damn!” Derrick flinched and grabbed his nose.
He didn’t mean to have this reaction but the funk hit him in the face as soon as he entered the room. He pretended not to see the four inch ring of husk around the bathtub, or Sonnet’s crusty, blackish/grey underwear in the middle of the floor. They had so many holes in them they looked like Swiss cheese, and smell like it as well. Sonnet’s face was beat red as she raced into the room behind him.
“Uhhm yeah, here it is.” Derrick handed her the cleanser and rushed out.
He had to step outside and catch his breath to keep from dry heaving.
Several weeks later
Sonnet was as happy and as humble as she could be in her new home. She was finally settling in and slowly but surely getting her confidence back. Derrick did everything in his power to speed up the process.
Since he had taken her in he had gotten a flipper to replace the spot where her tooth had been knocked out. He also treated her to a full day of pampering from head to toe. After that, it was off to the mall. This time they would spend the day making sure she had everything needed to start off her new wardrobe.
Because she had been living on the streets he even made sure she was in good health by footing the cost for her to have a complete physical.
Sonnet wasn’t the only one reaping the benefits of her new lifestyle. Gucci was also taken to the vet and treated a grooming session as well.
Derrick realized that he was investing quite a bit into Sonnet, but truth be told he still hadn’t gotten over his crush on her. The more he was around her the more he realized that he was developing feelings for her. Aside from his generous nature it also explained why he went over and above the call of duty to make sure her needs were met.
Sonnet had to admit that she was starting to fall for him also. This was the first time she actually had a man treat her this well that she wasn’t having sex with. And the best part was, there was no pressure to do so. She actually surprised herself and Derrick when she took it upon herself to start learning how to cook. He had given her so much, she felt like the least could do was have a hot meal ready when he got home from work. The fact that she was even offering to cook for a man let her know that she was on a path to tremendous growth. She was finally thinking of someone else instead of herself. She was humble and grateful, two traits that she hadn’t experienced in the past, and she loved it. She enjoyed the positive, upbeat person she was becoming. For the first time in her life she actually felt like she didn’t need material objects to make her happy.
Chapter 17 – Unwanted Surprise
“Shit....,” Sonnet moaned as she gripped the side of the toilet.
This was her third time throwing up. She wasn’t sure if it was the enchiladas she’d eaten for dinner last night. Or the period she missed last month. True enough she and Derrick had been having unprotected sex but her periods had been abnormal since she’d been homeless. She wasn’t sure if it was due to stress, lack of nutrition or both. Whatever the case she was getting to the bottom of it today.
As luck would have it, Derrick was at the shop each time she’d gotten ill so she was able to hide it from him.
After she’d finally got herself together she splashed her face with cool water and ate a few soda crackers to settle her stomach. She then pulled out the pregnancy test she had hidden in the four foot vase holding dried foliage that decorated the family room. This is the last place Derrick would think to look. She hated being deictful to him since he’d treated her so well. But the fact of the matter was, things were starting to get serious between the pair. They were now no longer just roommates, they were a couple. Not only had Derrick expressed on numerous occasions that he was developing feelings for Sonnet; he actually mentioned having kids. One of his biggest dreams was to have a huge family. This frightened Sonnet to death. As far as she was concerned she didn’t have a maternal instinct in her body. The only thing she had ever taken care of was Gucci.
Part of her felt like a child didn’t have a chance with her and all her emotion iss
ues. Another part feared bringing a child into the world and not being able to provide for it. Still, she had to admit that the thought of having a little mini me running around was quite intriguing. If someone would have even mentioned the word child to her a year ago she would have cussed them out. However losing everything and living on the streets humbled her. It showed her that there were more important things in life than having money and a perfect body. Who knows maybe her and Derrick could live the dream, only time would tell. It would definitely take some sacrificing on her part.
Chapter 18 - Forgive And Forget
“Here goes nothing.” Lexi let out a sigh before dialing Cheron’s number. They hadn’t spoken in over a year since they fell out. Despite all the drama that went down with Sonnet, Lexi still considered Cheron a friend and wanted her in her wedding. Hopefully she would find it in her heart to forgive her for not telling her about Kenterris cheating with Sonnet. If not, it least she’d given it a shot.
“Hello?” Cheron announced as she answered the phone. Lexi had gotten a new number so she didn’t recognize that it was her calling.
“Hello, Cheron?”
“Yes, this is she. Is this Lexi?”
“Yes it’s me. How have you been?” Lexi asked nervously.
“Oh my goodness Lexi, you don’t know how good it is to hear your voice!”
Cheron’s response caught Lexi off guard. She was totally expecting her to still be salty.
“It’s good to hear yours also. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. I know you said not to call you again, but I just wanted to apologize again. I know that was some foul shit that went down with Sonnet, and I should have told you. Can you forgive me?”
“Apology accepted. I will admit that I was in my feelings at the time. I felt like I didn’t have anyone in my corner, like everyone had betrayed me. I realize now that your loyalty at the time was with Sonnet. In the end she crossed both of us. Let’s just put all of this behind us.”