by Tiana Laveen
“Nope, I think we’re good, American psycho,” she teased as she grabbed a trash bag and tossed the pieces inside.
“Suit yourself! Spiderman! Spiderman! Does whatever a spider can!”
And on he went. He was her husband… her lover… her confidant… her protector.
He was her muse, living inside of her museum.
It felt good to be loved so deeply.
It felt good to be so cherished.
He gave no broken bones; he simply healed hearts.
The doctor was definitely in…
…Two years later
“Right, and basically what happens is it releases them into the bloodstream, which stimulates the adrenal glands. All the pituitary gland is there to do is to secrete hormones into your bloodstream, so after you take the iodine and Vitamin A I’m giving you for a while, we can see if there is any improvement,” Vangelis said to his mother-in-law, who nodded while holding on to the bottles he’d just handed her.
“Okay, we’ll give that a try.” She finally smiled, patted his shoulder, and stood from her seat in the kitchen. “Saaaahara! Dinner time!” the woman called out.
“All right, mom! I was helping Dad finally set up his eBay account.”
“Good! Did he thank you two for the computer? Sometimes he seems to forget his home training.”
“Yes, he thanked us,” Vangelis piped in. “I’m glad he’s enjoying it.”
Vangelis smiled as his wife entered the room, her stomach sticking out so far it was a miracle she didn’t get wedged in the doorway. He loved how she looked, glowing and full of life, carrying his first child…
“Oh, Lord.” She sighed as she plopped down in the chair beside him.
He rested his hand on hers and she smiled at him. Sahara’s hair was pulled up in a sloppy bun, and her freckles stood out more with her face devoid of makeup, which made her even more gorgeous in his eyes. Grabbing her legs, he placed them across his lap. Then, he began to knead on her ankles, applying pressure and administering a gentle massage.
“Swollen again today?”
She nodded, looking quite pitiful. All that could be heard was the low hum of gospel music and his mother-in-law stirring a big pot of chicken chili. Boy, did he love his mother-in-law’s cooking. He was blessed to now have three women in his life who could cook their asses off. How lucky could he get?
“Sahara, you need to stay off your feet, baby.” Her mother walked across the room and opened the refrigerator.
“I have been, Mom, but I can’t stay in bed all day. I’m not a high risk pregnancy or anything like that but the baby is measuring kind of big according to my doctor and he’s pushing down on my kidneys. I’m in the bathroom every time I turn around it seems.”
“It’ll be over soon.” He patted her knee, comforting her. “Your due date is in three weeks. It’ll be here before you know it. I can’t wait to meet my son.”
Just then, Leonard and his wife entered the kitchen, hand in hand. The man’s gregarious laughter preceded him. His brother-in-law leaned in and kissed his sister on the cheek then slapped hands with him.
“What’s up, Van! Why ain’t you call me back the other day?” The big man walked over to his mother and gave her a hug and a kiss, too.
“I did. I just didn’t leave a voicemail. The better question is, when are you going to meet me on the basketball court again? You owe me a rematch. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were ducking and dodging me.”
“I said White boys can’t jump and you decided to try and prove me wrong. I already owe you $25.00 for that. I can’t afford you, man,” he said, laughing. “But let it be known that you only won ’cause my knee is bad!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Vangelis chuckled and rolled his eyes. Sahara began to chat with her sister-in-law while Vangelis took it all in…
Every other Sunday, he had dinner with his wife’s family. He attended their church and heard them sing with such soul and beauty, it dug deep into his heart and wouldn’t let go. Every other Tuesday, he had dinner with his parents and brothers, all of them gathered around the table discussing their week, just like old times.
Nico was dating a nice woman, and though she wasn’t on mom’s preferred list, the woman stayed quiet about it and let the man live his life. Chi was older now and had grown more into himself, becoming a young man. He’d shot up in height and now had his first girlfriend, a cute little redhead by the name of Heather who he couldn’t wait to introduce him to. Unfortunately, his grandfather had passed away a few months prior forcing his parents to come home and be the caregivers to their son that they should have been all along.
Vangelis’ career was thriving; he’d had a television commercial even but that had to be pulled after he’d received an influx of new patients that he could barely keep up with. Life was good… beautiful… a lovely museum with a spinning, red crystal globe as its main attraction.
And now here he was, surrounded by love…
He had come to terms with some things in the last few years of his life. Intelligence brought riches, but compassion was spiritual wealth that could be passed down from generation to generation…
Sometimes things happened that were out of his control—it was called life. Life was like wind that couldn’t be harnessed and instead of trying to control its direction, sometimes he needed to just let go and move with the flow. He had so many rules, so many policies and commandments, but they meant nothing if he couldn’t look at his reflection in that red globe and see all the passion and love that resided inside himself. He wasn’t a robot; he was a human being who cared so much, it hurt at times. Life could be complicated and difficult, but when he left work and came home to a clean house, wonderful music playing, and the delicious aromas of his wife’s homecooked meals, he knew he was blessed. He had something now he’d never experienced in his life—unbridled passion and a marriage to his best friend. Sahara knew things about him he wouldn’t dare tell another soul…
She fed his kinks and smoothed them out with a kiss; the first anniversary wedding gifts had been long white silk scarves, added to their collection of debauchery. When he was wrong, she had no fear in telling him, and though at times he pretended to not know what she was talking about, he appreciated her candor all the same. He had plenty of degrees; he was savvy and good with money. He knew how to do odd jobs around the house and he always made sure he looked and smelled his best. He worked out religiously, played sports. He took his wife out on the town, walking proudly by her side and purchased her quality gifts. But, more importantly, he just wanted to make her happy, to show her a good time. Her smile lit up a room, and he had no doubt he would lose his mind if something were to ever happen to her. So, he guarded her, kept her protected… She was his queen, now and forever.
He’d never known a love like this. His patient had become his teacher.
Her class was tough and she required full disclosure; there was no learning curve. But, he’d passed, he hoped with flying colors.
He’d now mastered emotional intelligence, too…
But best of all, there was still so much more to learn…
~ THE END ~
Virgo – Mr. Intelligence
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About the Author
Tiana Laveen is a USA Today Bestselling author. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, though her soul resides in New York.
Tiana Laveen is a uniquely creative and innovative author whose fiction novels are geared towards those who not only want to temporarily escape from the daily routines of life, but also become pleasantly caught up in the well-developed journeys of
her unique characters. As the author of over 40 novels, Tiana creates a painting with words as she guides her reader into the lives of each and every main character. Her dedication to detail and staying true to her characters is evident in each novel that she writes.
Tiana Laveen lives inside her mind, but her heart is occupied with her family and twisted imagination. She enjoys a fulfilling and enriching life that includes writing books, public speaking, drawing, painting, listening to music, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.
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