by Vera Roberts
“There’s never an excuse to be a racist, Dad,” Scott felt his breathing becoming constricted. “Never a reason.”
“I know. You’re preaching to the choir, Skipper.” Andrew shrugged. “I just hope soon, Firecracker will just learn to let go and be welcoming to new changes.”
“A butterfly blooming from the cocoon,” Jasmine cooed. Her voice was like melted butter.
“A perfect analogy, my Queen,” Andrew kissed her forehead.
Scott looked at Jasmine, then at his dad, and then back at Jasmine. “So how far along are you?”
Mariana almost spit out her tea. “Say what?”
“Just a few weeks,” Jasmine purred, “I will hit the second trimester soon.”
“Congratulations,” Scott smiled. He was genuinely happy for his father and girlfriend. “That’s wonderful.”
“You know, our heavenly miracle could use a playmate,” Andrew winked.
It was Scott’s turn to choke on his food.
TWELVE
Caprina watched the happy foursome leave the restaurant. Andrew and Jasmine were walking hand-in-hand. Scott had his arm around Mariana’s shoulders. Caprina was disgusted. That should’ve been her.
She saw Andrew pull Scott aside and gave him a talk. Scott listened with his head down, soaking up all the information like a child would to his father. Meanwhile, Jasmine was talking to Mariana about something that made both women excited. Caprina watched Jasmine slightly lift up her top and Mariana pressed her hand against it. She’s pregnant. Jasmine was gesticulating wildly about something and Mariana was laughing at her. Two peas in a pod.
The foursome gave each other good-bye hugs, with Andrew holding onto Mariana for quite some time. He had already taken a liking to the young woman and was whispering in her ear. Mariana just kept nodding as if she were making a promise. That bitch!
Andrew and Jasmine went about their merry way as did Scott and Mariana. Caprina started her car soon after they pulled out the parking lot and headed back to the hotel. She was planning to follow them more into the town but she had enough excitement for one day.
Seeing Scott and Mariana together and being so in love made her physically ill. She needed to go back to the hotel to rest. She would pick up again in a few days.
THIRTEEN
“So are you going to tell me how you got the name Skipper?” Mariana asked.
“It’s a childhood name,” Scott felt his cheeks becoming flushed with embarrassment. “Chrissy’s nickname is Firecracker for reasons other than her hair color. One day, my dad called me Skipper and that’s pretty much all I answer to when I’m around him. It’s a father-son thing.”
Mariana’s heart warmed. It seemed being in Decatur was bringing out a side of Scott Mariana hadn’t seen before: his sensitivity. “How does it feel?” Mariana began. “Knowing you’re about to become a big brother?”
“When I was a kid, I always asked my parents when I was going to get a little brother because I thought sisters were just mean, you know? And they always replied with, ‘Whenever God wants you to have one.’ So every night, I prayed and I prayed and I prayed. Finally after about three years of hardcore praying, I was like, ‘Well, I guess I’m not going to get a little brother,” Scott chuckled. “God has weird timing.”
“Be careful for what you pray for…” Mariana trailed off.
“Yeah, no kidding,” Scott steered down the city streets.
“So back at the restaurant, did you mean what you said?”
Scott truly didn’t know what she was referring to. “I said a lot of things, Mari.”
“About us getting married?” She had to know.
Scott glanced at her and then back at the road. “Yes.”
Mariana looked outside her window to hide her smile. “Cool,” was all she could mutter.
“I didn’t ask you to move in with me just because, Mari,” Scott continued, “I did it because I want to see you every day. You’re the first thought in my day and the last at night. I want that all the time.”
Mariana was so happy she could cry. “You’re so wonderful to me.”
Scott picked up Mariana’s hand and kissed it. “It’s because you deserve it.”
“So what kind of wedding do you want? Big or small?”
“Extra-large medium.”
“Well, we need a budget! I don’t want to go over-budget!” Mariana nodded.
Scott smiled. Her financial training was finally paying off. “How much money do you think we’ll need?”
“Hmm...” Mariana did the simple calculations in her head. “I say fifty thousand is a good start.”
“Probably up a little more,” he added.
“A hundred thousand?” She asked.
Mariana’s ring alone was going to cost that much. He had been eyeballing a couple of rings for a few weeks. “Let’s shoot for three hundred thousand,” he nodded.
“Great!” Mariana’s head was spinning a mile a minute. “When did you want to have the wedding? Fall? Summer? Spring? Winter?”
“Whatever you want, baby,” Scott nodded. He thought about his previous wedding plans. He should’ve known the Great Disaster didn’t care. It was a stunning change with Mariana. Night and day. “I just want a say in the menu.”
“Perfect! I promise I won’t choose anything too fat or greasy.”
“Uh, I hope not,” Scott smiled.
“This is going to be great, honey!” Mariana beamed. “We’re getting married, you’re getting a little brother or sister…”
“Brother,” Scott determined.
“Speaking of children,” Mariana treaded carefully, “when did you want to start having a family?”
“I think we should wait a few years and enjoy being married,” Scott reasoned. “How does that sound?”
Mariana’s biological clock ticked louder in her ear. She closed her eyes to silence the noise. “Sounds great, honey.”
“Besides, a child changes everything, and we have a lot more to explore,” Scott placed his hand firmly on Mariana’s thigh and softly grabbed it. “Don’t you think?”
Mariana knew what he meant. “I think so, Master.” Mariana was excited at the possibilities. “This is going to be a great year! What could possibly go wrong?”
FOURTEEN
It was New Year’s Eve and the air was already thick with excitement.
Eric had been invited to many parties and after-parties and wondered how he was going to fit a guest appearance at all of them before the night was over. He had a lot to celebrate: he had just gotten engaged, his girlfriend was going to have his baby, and he was regularly being scouted by several NBA teams. He was going to enter the draft after graduation.
He couldn’t have pursued his dream without Sarah by his side. She was his everything. She supported him when he doubted himself and was his biggest cheerleader. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and there wasn’t a second thought about it.
But he knew something was lacking. How Sarah got pregnant was something short of a miracle. She had lost interest in sex recently, and they had only made love a handful of times. He didn’t know how a woman’s body worked, but he knew enough about biology to know that it only took one time for a girl to get pregnant.
Sarah was feeling tired, and Eric offered to stay home with her but she insisted that he go out and make an appearance. “It’ll be good for your image later on,” she pressed, “to show everyone you’re not a homebody. You’re out there with the people.”
Damn I’m lucky, Eric wondered. “Okay, I got the water out for you and plenty of healthy snacks, all right?” Eric mentioned. “None of that junk food for my Jordan in there.” He pointed to Sarah’s stomach.
“I’m sure Anja will be just fine,” Sarah smarted.
Eric leaned over and kissed Sarah’s forehead. He leaned down and kissed her stomach. “I’ll be back soon. Just a little after midnight, I promise.”
“Take your time, baby,” Sarah yawned, “we’ll be fine
. Now go and enjoy your night!”
Eric smiled back at his girlfriend and left her apartment. Sarah waited to hear the engine of Eric’s car starting and she raced to the window. She watched him pull out of the parking lot and speed off.
Sarah hustled to their bedroom and lit candles. She put on some soft music and took off her clothing. She reached into her naughty bedside drawer and pulled out her large dildo. She kissed the mushroom tip and then eased the soft head into her mouth and cupped the silicone balls at the base of it.
She thought of Scott and imagined it was Him.
“That’s it, my slut,” He stroked her head as His thick cock slid in and out of her inviting mouth. “Suck My cock.” He nodded.
Sarah had a blindfold around her eyes and her hands were tied behind her back. She was kneeling on the cold, hardwood floor. Her knees hurt and her back was starting to ache from being in a kneeling position for so long. But it didn’t matter. She would be comfortable once she knew He was pleased. Pleasing Him was all that mattered.
“Do you want My cock inside you?” He asked.
“Yes, Master,” Sarah nodded.
Scott untied Sarah’s hands. “Say it.”
“I want Your cock inside me, Master.”
“Good slut. Stand up,” Scott ordered, and Sarah did as she was told. Scott led her against a wall and lifted one of her legs up. He rammed His cock inside her. “Don’t you dare scream!” Scott barked. “Don’t you dare!”
Sarah wrapped her arms around her Master’s neck and braced herself for the fucking of a lifetime. She burrowed her face into his neck and inhaled His woodsy scent. “Yes, Master…”
“You like how My cock feels inside you, don’t you? You like how your Master is fucking you, don’t you, slut?” Scott grunted.
“Yes, Master,” Sarah moaned.
Scott’s mouth traced the hollow of Sarah’s neck and a low, guttural moan escaped her lips. “Say it.”
“I like how Your cock feels inside me, Master,” Sarah panted. “I like how You’re fucking me, Master.”
“Good slut,” Scott kept moving inside Sarah. He removed her blindfold with a free hand. “Open your eyes and look at Me.”
Sarah opened her eyes and was startled by a naked Eric climbing on the bed. “I didn’t mean to scare you, baby,” he crawled towards her. “I forgot my VIP pass, so I came back and I heard you in here. I decided to join you tonight. I hope you don’t mind.”
Sarah was pissed off. Her boyfriend was ruining her fantasies. “No, baby. Not at all.”
FIFTEEN
“What’s on today’s agenda?” Mariana asked as she lazily stretched in bed.
It was already past eleven, and Mariana could’ve slept a bit more. She and Scott had partied at a nightclub in Atlanta for New Year’s Eve and had come back to their hotel shortly after one AM. They had rung in the New Year by talking and watching the sunrise. After seeing the sunrise, they made love before finally sleeping.
“I want to take you out and explore Atlanta for a bit. Maybe do a little shopping while we’re there and grab a bite to eat or take in a movie.” Scott suggested.
“Sounds perfect!” she yawned.
Scott glanced over at Mariana. She was naked and her nipples peeked through the bed sheets. “Or we can stay here and make love all day?”
“I need to see something more than the ceiling and walls, honey,” Mariana laughed.
“No, you don’t,” Scott shrugged, “not really.”
“Whatever!” Mariana got up and headed to the bathroom. “I’ll be ready in about thirty, honey.”
“That’s fine,” Scott replied, “take your time.” It was a picture from Alan. Over the past several weeks, Alan had sent Scott pictures of new engagement rings that came in. Scott smiled as he studied the last picture. He definitely liked what he saw. He texted Alan back. I like the last one. I want to see that one in person when I get back to Cali. I’ll bring her with me.
Scott thought about Mariana’s possible reaction. He remembered her “practicing” her proposal acceptance on Christmas morning. He texted Alan again.
Please have a lot of water and paper bags available. Maybe a pillow if you have one.
****
Caprina had been in Georgia for almost a week and had not been in contact with Scott once, despite being next to his hotel room. She needed to see him again. She needed to know what he was doing and what he was up to. She knew he and his little girlfriend were going to venture out in the city that day and she was ready. She listened closely to the door to hear when they were leaving. No such luck.
She was so close to him, she could taste it.
The years of planning, watching, and studying his every move were going to come to fruition very soon. She had spent a small fortune on Scott, but it was worth every penny, and she would do it again in a heartbeat. He was going to be hers again, no matter the cost.
Caprina suddenly heard the next door open and she rushed over to hers to listen in. “Thanks for taking me to the mall, honey,” Mariana said.
“Yeah, I hate malls, but I know you like them,” Scott dreaded the trip already, “and I think you might like this one. Maybe you can pick up a few things for yourself before we head back to L.A.”
“Sounds good!” Mariana beamed.
Caprina waited a few moments and put her sunglasses on. She was dressed in a long coat and had a scarf covering her head. She thought she was inconspicuous. She hurried out of her hotel room and followed the pair a safe distance. They were holding hands and Mariana was going on about some little girl nonsense; Caprina couldn’t give a damn what that child was talking about.
“Shit!” Scott exclaimed. “I forgot my sunglasses. I’ll be right back,” He gave Mariana the keys to the rental Mercedes, “I’ll meet you at the car.”
“Okay, honey,” Mariana headed out to the parking lot.
Scott went back into the hotel room and grabbed his sunglasses. When he stepped out of his room, he thought he felt someone behind him. He turned around and looked. There was nothing. He decided it was just hearing things. Maybe he thought he saw someone. He kept walking to the car.
Caprina kept a safe distance behind Scott. She had almost been caught when he went back into his hotel room, and her plan would’ve been blown. She had to be more careful. She needed to present herself at the perfect time for Scott. If he saw her now, it wouldn’t be a surprise and he would blow her off. She had to trap him.
It was time for drastic measures.
Caprina snuck into a small corner and placed a call to Dominic. “Dominic? It’s Caprina. Do you know when Scott Reed is departing Georgia? I need to have that information pronto!”
“I can get the information but it will cost you,” Dominic mentioned over the phone.
“I don’t care. Money is not an object now. I need to know what day and time he will be leaving Georgia.”
“Wire ten thousand dollars to me and I’ll get that information to you by the end of the day,” Dominic commented.
Caprina paused. Her private investigator was charging her an arm and a leg to give her what she wanted. But he never disappointed her before. He was worth the price. “Fine. I’ll find a bank within the hour. You better have the information.” She hung up. She put on her sunglasses and tightened her scarf. It was time for her to get serious.
****
Dominic placed the phone back on the receiver. “She’s getting desperate,” he said.
“It’s only temporary until she gets what she wants,” Sanora sat on Dominic’s desk. Her legs were crossed and she flipped through a magazine.
“What else do you want me to do, Mistress?”
“Wait for the money to transfer and then give her the information.” Sanora had made a fortune off Caprina through the years. When someone was desperate for information, there was no limit to what they would do to get it. Sanora had discovered that was one of Caprina’s weaknesses and zoned in on it.
Sanora looked up, and a small
curl formed on her lips. “I’m sure she’ll time her arrival at the airport perfectly.”
SIXTEEN
“Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Debbie,” Andrew greeted his ex-wife as she approached him.
Deborah and Andrew had kept a cordial and friendly relationship with each other since their split many years ago. Despite her personal feelings about Andrew, she never mouthed a bad word about him in front of Christine and Scott. She wanted her children to form their own opinions about their father, without her help.
Deborah and Andrew kissed each other’s cheeks and sat down at the restaurant. “Not a problem. You said it was urgent and I needed to be here so here I am.”
A waiter came by with glasses of water and dropped off menus. “We need to talk about Chrissy.” Andrew pressed.
“Oh?” Deborah was surprised. “What about?”
“Deborah, I know that was a rhetorical question,” Andrew replied.
“Drew, you know how your daughter is. She’s very strong-willed and she won’t listen to anyone but herself.” Deborah reasoned. “She’s always been like that.”
“Strong-willed is one thing, Debbie,” Andrew countered, “a racist is a completely different ballgame.”
“You know good and well that I have tried to convince her to change her mind many times over,” Deborah defended, “but she won’t listen to me.”
“Probably because you share the same views,” Andrew shot back.
Deborah forced herself to remain calm. She felt her blood boiling and Andrew’s face itching to be slapped like if there was a mosquito on it. “I did not come here to be insulted,” she quietly replied.
“I’m not insulting you if it’s the truth, Deborah,” Andrew met her tone.
“I’m leaving,” Deborah stood up and grabbed her purse and sweater, “I did not come here to be…”
“Sit your ass down,” Andrew warned. His eyes became cold and his nostrils flared.
Deborah slowly sat back down on the chair before her ex-husband and placed her sweater and purse on the seat next to her. Andrew leaned forward. “Thank you for listening. As I was saying, I’m going to need you talk to Firecracker and have a come-to-Jesus meeting with her. It’s crucial you do it because she won’t listen to me for obvious reasons.”