Vengeance

by Mychea

  Damir could tell he was treading on sensitive territory. “Yes, I can vouch for him. He was at work all day today.”

  Naima sighed with relief at that. Well where is he now then? “Thanks for that. Lately he just seems so distant, I don’t know anything that is going on with him.”

  At a loss for words and not really wanting to talk about her husband and his employee, Damir searched for a new topic to discuss.

  “Well, I’m fine by the way.”

  “Oh my gosh, please forgive my rudeness. I’ve been very self absorbed recently. I’m glad to hear that you are well. How is the little one?”

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  “Alanna is good. She’s always running around and jumping all over the place, tearing up my house.”

  Naima had to laugh at that. She remembered when Namiyah and Kalani were that little. She missed that.

  “Ah yes, these are the good days, enjoy them. She will be all grown up before you know it and you’ll be wondering what happened to the little girl that used to run around jumping on your stuff.”

  “Yeah, I’m not looking forward to her getting older. I want her to stay my little girl forever.

  But on a more adult note, how about dinner with me?”

  Almost dropping the phone, Naima was shocked; her hearing had to be going right along with her mind. Had she heard him right? Was Damir asking her on a date?

  “You still there?”

  Finally finding her voice, “Yes, I’m still here.”

  “Well, will you join me?”

  “Uh,” she was at a loss for words. Damir knew that she was married. Kaden still had no idea about her and Damir’s past history. Would it really be wrong if two friends went out to dinner?”

  Giving it some thought, Namiyah could watch Kalani since Kaden was never home anyway.

  Dinner was harmless enough.

  “I’d love too, when did you have in mind?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? That soon?”

  “Yes, that soon. I want to see you.”

  “Ok, that should be fine. Where did you have in mind?”

  “My place.” Naima felt her stomach drop. There was no way she could go to Damir’s place for dinner. That was a little too intimate for her.

  “Damir, I can’t come to your place for dinner. I think that would border on inappropriate.”

  “Naima, I’m not the big bad wolf trying to eat you as soon as you come through the door,” he paused for emphasis, “Unless you want me too.”

  She could already feel her body reacting to his words.

  “Please don’t go there. I already feel a certain kind of way about this dinner.”

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  “Relax; I just want to make you dinner, nothing else. I can have a car pick you up. Pick up at six thirty, dinner at seven? What do you think?”

  He obviously was not going to take no for an answer. “Well ok,” Naima said hesitantly, “I guess that will be ok.”

  “Great. Look at is as old friends getting reacquainted with one another.”

  “I guess we could call it that.”

  “Wonderful. I’ll see you tomorrow about seven. I’m going to try and get a workout in before I hit the bed.”

  “Ok. See you tomorrow.”

  Hanging up the phone, Naima was unsure of what had just happened. She had called to chat with Damir and ended up having a dinner date with him tomorrow. How was she going to explain that if Kaden asked?

  She must have thought him up, cause guess who came whistling his way into her study right at that moment.

  “Hey baby,” Kaden said as he walked over and placed a kiss on top of her head.

  “Hi. Late night at the office?”

  “Yeah. I’m working on this project right now that keeps me there late.”

  Naima could not believe it. She had just caught Kaden in a lie. He had no idea that she had talked to Damir and knew that he worked his regular work hours and that was it. So, where had he been for the last few hours?

  “Really? What kind of project? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “Oh, just sports stuff.” He changed the subject, “How was your day today?” He was deliberately trying to avoid the conversation.

  Fine, he could have it his way, she could now guarantee that she would have dinner with Damir tomorrow evening and not feel guilty about it.

  “Today was good. My therapist said I can get a cane and get rid of that walker. I’m really excited about that. They measured me for my cane today, so as soon as it arrives, I am walker free!”

  “That’s good Mocha.” He said kissing Naima on the cheek this time, “I’m beat. I’m going to take a shower and call it a night.”

  “Want me to join you?”

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  “I’m too tired tonight. Maybe tomorrow ok?”

  “Ok.” Naima was fuming. Tomorrow she would be at Damir’s so Kaden could take another solo shower then too.

  Damir was pulling out all the stops for tonight’s dinner with Naima. He wanted everything to run smoothly. Already having dropped Alanna at his parent’s house for the evening, he had a Caesar salad chilling in the refrigerator, parmesan crusted tilapia baking in the oven, rice and honey croissants already on the table and wine sitting on ice. He was ready for the night to begin. He had sent the car to pick Naima up at six thirty. Glancing at his watch it was quarter to seven now, so she should be arriving momentarily.

  Picking up an oven mitt as the timer went off indicating that the fish was done, Damir took the fish out of the oven just as the door bell rang. Perfect timing he thought as he placed the fish on the table, leaving the oven mitt on the counter as he headed toward the door.

  The vision that stood before him was mythical. Reminiscent of the first moment they met, Naima still commanded his attention.

  “Hi.” She said looking up at him with a whimsical smile.

  Opening the door further making room for her and her walker to enter, Damir couldn’t help staring at her. She was still and would probably always be as gorgeous as the day they met, walker and all.

  “Hey, glad you could make it.”

  “Of course I could make it. I told you that I would come. I always do what I say I will.

  “Likewise.” He said as he closed the front door, “If you will follow me, dinner is ready and waiting.”

  Walking in front of her at a slower pace than normal so she would be able to keep up, Damir couldn’t help but marvel at the crazy circumstances that kept tying them to one another. It was almost as if this was God’s way of pushing them together so they would remain in each other’s lives.

  Holding Naima’s walker in place as she slowly lowered herself into the dining chair, Damir made sure that she was comfortable before he sat down.

  “Wow, you really out did yourself, everything looks so tasty.”

  “Thank you. Anything to please you.”

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  “You don’t need to please me. We’re just two old friends catching up over dinner.”

  For now, he thought as he filled both of their wine glasses. He would make her see things his way before long.

  Relaxing in his state of the art basement after dinner, Damir knew Naima was feeling nice. They had gone through a bottle of wine at dinner and were now working on their second bottle.

  Naima was seated on his sofa; he had taken to the loveseat to give her some space as they continued to enjoy one another’s company.

  “Last night you made it seem like you had something on your mind while we were on the phone. Care to talk about it?”

  Placing her wine glass on a coaster on his glass table, she seeme
d hesitant to begin.

  “I don’t know, things just haven’t been the same at home, that’s all.”

  “Do you want to elaborate?”

  “Not really.”

  “Aight cool. Want to watch a movie or something?” Her face lit up at that suggestion.

  “Sure, what you got?”

  “Depends, what are you in the mood for?”

  “A comedy, I am in the mood to laugh. Throw in a Katt Williams stand up. I think he is hilarious.”

  “You’re in luck. I have his whole collection.”

  “Awesome!”

  Looking at his watch, it was a little after three in the morning. Damir couldn’t believe so much time had passed by. They had watched his entire Katt Williams collection, and now Naima was lying on him fast asleep. He debated long and hard about whether to carry her into one of his guest bedrooms, before finally deciding on putting her in his own bed. He couldn’t help himself; he wanted her to be close to him at all times.

  Taking off her clothes, changing her into one of his button down pajama tops, he pushed the covers back and placed her in bed, pulling the covers back up to her chin. Gazing down at her, she looked like a little doll while she slept he thought as he brushed her hair off of her face with his fingers. Satisfied that she was content, he grabbed his towel and headed for the shower.

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  Stepping into the steaming hot water, Damir was in heaven, there was nothing more relaxing and refreshing than the drops of water running over the entire length of your body. He could feel the tensions of the day melting away and in the other room was the woman that would some day be his queen; she was just unaware of that at the moment.

  Turning the water off, grabbing his towel, wrapping it around his waist, he returned to his room to search for the matching pajama bottoms to the top he had put on Naima.

  “Hey, what time is it.” Damir jumped at the sound of Naima’s sleep laced voice.

  Turning to peer at her in the darkness, “It’s going on four in the morning.”

  “Oh my goodness. I have lost my mind, I have children. They are probably worried out of their mind.

  Damir found it amusing that she automatically was worried about her children, but didn’t seem concerned about her husband.

  “You can always call and check on them.”

  She looked at him like he was crazy, “At this hour, no. I’ll be there when they get up in the morning for school. I do need to be getting home though. Will you have a car take me?”

  “Of course I will, if that is what you want. Or,” he said coming over to stand directly in front of her, “you could stay a little longer and enjoy my company.” Slowly letting the towel around his waist fall to the floor, he wanted to make sure she had something to think about.

  “Wow.”

  Damir smiled at her response. “Do I take that as confirmation that you will be staying?”

  “I uh,” Naima’s face grew red. She could not believe that the sight of him nude was causing her to stutter. “I’m not sure that is such a good idea. I’m a married woman.”

  “Yeah you are, but by your own admission, you say your husband is never there any more, so what do you have to lose?”

  “Um, it’s just not right.”

  “Really? Do you always do what’s right?” he asked as he gently mounted her on the bed.

  Looking up at him as he straddled her, Naima knew that she was a goner. When he began kissing her collarbone that all but solidified it.

  Returning home just in time to see her munchkins off to school, Naima just knew the guilt was transparent across her face. Luckily for her, Kaden was once again invisible. She could not believe it, she had been gone all night and apparently so had he. Good thing she did allow the Copyright © 2010 Mychea

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  good loving that Damir had given her not too long ago. Just the thought of it made her blush and washed away any misplaced guilt.

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  Chapter 8

  Haven knew that she had no business driving in her advanced stage of pregnancy, but she was fed up with Chris not bringing his ass home at night. There is something to be said about hiring a private investigator. She knew he had been cheating on her, now she had concrete proof to back up her claims.

  Running several lights as she drove to Naima’s house, she didn’t give a damn. She would just pay the tickets when they came in the mail. Naima had reluctantly agreed to come with her; she was pretty sure the reason being that she thought she had lost her mind. But she didn’t care.

  Screeching to a stop in front of Naima’s house she beeped the horn three times before she rode down the street a little ways to buck a u-turn. Haven hated driving in DC, but once Kaden and Naima officially decided to give their marriage another go, Naima had moved herself and the kids into the house that Kaden had bought here.

  Waving as she came out the door and locked it, Naima had a huge smile on her face. Haven had to give it to her, she was definitely a trooper she thought as she watched her slowly walk to the car with her cane. Haven didn’t know anyone who could endure all that Naima had endured and still be so forgiving and happy all the time.

  “Hey Nai.”

  “Hey girl.” She said as she got into the car. “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”

  Giving Haven the “look”. “You know you don’t have to right? We can always go eat or shop or something instead.”

  “Girl please, we going.” Pulling off slowly waiting for her to fasten her seat belt, Haven handed her the photos from the private investigator.

  Taking the photos from her, Naima was not prepared for what she saw. “Whoa, I cannot believe this. Chris always seems like the perfect gentleman.”

  “Oh, he’s the perfect gentleman aight, for someone else that is.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything. It’s not your fault that he’s a dog.”

  “I think you’re jumping the gun a little. You and Chris’ past history isn’t all that great. Maybe he has a little get back in him. Shoot, you put that man through hell.”

  “He said that he forgave me. We went to church and couples’ counseling and everything.”

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  “Haven, seriously stop and think about things from his point of view. You are the one responsible for putting an innocent Chris behind bars for several years. Who can forgive something of that magnitude?

  “I mean, I don’t know. You forgave me….right?”

  “Yes, I did, but it took us a lot of counseling to get to where we are now and I still look at you sideways from time to time.” She laughed giving me a pinch on my arm. “You suspect.”

  Playfully slapping Naima on the arm, Haven laughed, “Well damn, give me a little credit. I promised we would never go down that road again.”

  Naima cut her eyes at her, “I hear what your mouth says, but we have many more years on earth, God willing, so we’ll see.”

  Haven didn’t know whether to be offended or not. So, Naima really didn’t fully trust her yet.

  Well, she could show her better than she could tell her anyway.

  Naima continued speaking, “I really think instead of doing a pop up, you should talk to Chris first, you are ready to burst with this baby at any minute, you look like you are about to pop. You shouldn’t even be driving, let alone popping up at some chick house for a confrontation.”

  Tears slowly escaped the corners of Haven’s eyes. “All I ever wanted was for someone to love me the same way that Kaden loves you. Why does that seem so impossible?”

  See, there’s your problem right there. Don’t try and compare your relationship to anyone e
lse.

  Focus on being happy inside your own relationship on your terms. And did you ever stop to think, that as much as Kaden loves me, it didn’t stop him from cheating on me,” raising her eyebrow in Haven’s direction, “Think about that the next time you go comparing your situation to someone else’s.

  Wiping her face as she concentrated on driving, Haven had to agree that Naima had a point and what did she look like popping up on someone nine months pregnant anyway?

  “Ok, you are making some sense over there. So what do you suggest we do, since you shot down my pop up idea?”

  “I don’t know, I haven’t been to a mall in a while. You think you up to something like that?

  “Compared to what I was about to do, a walk through the mall should be a breeze.”

  “Cool, let’s go to Pentagon City since we’re already on this side of town or would you prefer Tysons Corner?”

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  “Let’s do Tysons. I want to stop by Louis Vuitton and get a new purse and maybe a baby bag.”

  “Why do you need a Louis Vuitton baby bag? You’re only going to be able to use it for a short amount of time anyway before you know longer need it.”

  “I know, but it’s what I want.”

  “Alright, I need to get a gift for the baby anyway. So the bag is on me.”

  “Oh, then we definitely going now.” Haven said hopping onto the highway.

  “You so crazy.” Naima laughed.

  Leaving the Louis Vuitton store with her new baby bag and purse, Haven was in a much better mood than when she left the house. Naima was a God send.

  “Ok, you got your little bag. Where to now?”

  “How about the Cheesecake Factory? I am starving.”

  “I remember those good ole preggers days. Namiyah wasn’t so bad, but Kalani was another story. If I wasn’t eating every five minutes, I turned into a demon child. So, to the Cheesecake Factory it is.”

  Not even seated at the restaurant for a good ten minutes, Haven couldn’t believe her eyes.

  Kicking Naima under the table to get her attention, she nodded in the direction of the bar.

  Raising her head sharply when she felt the kick, “What in the world?”