The Bridal Candidate 2 (Heart Connections)

by Linda Verji

  “You couldn’t even go for a good black man. I never took you for one of those self-hating women. Tch. Tch. Tch.” The older woman clicked her tongue. “After all the trouble his people put our people through? Malcolm’s probably crying up in heaven.”

  What was that supposed to mean? Was Damián now responsible for slavery? Aiko thought of responding that Damián was half Latino but decided that the best play in this situation was to keep quiet and keep washing. Oh, how she wished she could trade places with Femi right now. If she was wiping counters, she wouldn’t have had to listen to Brenda’s griping. She handed another soapy plate to the woman.

  There was silence in the room for a couple moments more before Brenda asked, “You know Franklin’s girlfriend, Melinda, right?”

  Was it too much to hope that this was her way of changing the subject? Aiko answered, “Yes. He told me a little bit about her.”

  “Well, did he tell you that before the girl found Jesus she was a stripper?”

  No, he hadn’t, and Aiko had a feeling that Franklin wouldn’t have wanted that piece of information shared with every random person.

  “Mm hmm.” Brenda nodded gave her a knowing look. “A stripper. That’s what happens when a girl doesn’t have her father in her life. Girls need their fathers.”

  Well, there went the hope that there’d be a change in subject. Aiko groaned internally. She had to give it to Brenda; the woman was relentless - annoyingly so. The older woman kept on taking small digs at Damián, pimping out Lincoln and hinting that Aiko was sinning by being with Damián. Washing the dishes took less than an hour, but it felt like a century. By the time Aiko handed Brenda the last dish, she was ready to scream.

  “The clothes should be dry by now. Let me go bring them in for you,” Aiko offered Femi, jumping on the first excuse to get away from Lincoln’s mother. She was half afraid the woman would follow her as she tucked a laundry basket under her arm and left the kitchen through the back door. Fortunately, she didn’t.

  Aiko dragged in a huge, calming gulp of air as she cut through the grass path towards the clothes-lines. If she’d known that today was going to be such a mess she would’ve objected more strongly. Setting the basket on the ground beneath a fluttering sheet, she strode towards the bench and sat down.

  Ah, it felt good to be alone and away from all that haranguing. Aiko closed and turned her face up to sun, enjoying the way its rays warmed her skin. She could stay out here forever. Unfortunately, her forever didn’t last that long. Moments later she heard the sound of footsteps on the grass. A quick turn of her head revealed that her intruder was Lincoln.

  “Hey.” He strolled towards her, hands deep in his pockets.

  “Hey,” she returned, watching his approach.

  “Taking a break from my mum?” he asked.

  Aiko laughed. Even after so many years, he still knew her so well. “She’s in rare form today.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” Lincoln winced as he rounded the bench and lowered himself next to Aiko. “I wish I could stop her but… you know how she is.”

  “I know.” Aiko folded her hands over her lap. “Don’t worry. Damián and I can take it.”

  “Mm.” Lincoln nodded. Leaning forward to set his elbows on his thighs, he said, “He’s a good guy.”

  A little surprised at the compliment, Aiko agreed, “Yes, he is.”

  “It’s obvious that he loves Phia and that she loves him,” Lincoln said slowly. He turned his head to study her keenly. “Does he treat you right?”

  “He does.” She nodded.

  He paused for a long moment before saying, “Good, because I need to know that someone’s taking care of you and Phia of you when I leave.”

  “Leave.” Shock rocketed through Aiko and her eyes widened. “Where are you going?”

  “My mom is leaving for Baton Rouge tomorrow, and I’ve decided to go with her.”

  “Seriously?” Aiko stared at him. “For how long?”

  “I’m not sure.” He shrugged. “I’ll just wing and see what happens.”

  She didn’t know how to react because she’d just assumed that he was staying in Montgomery with them. She had this dream that he’d soon be back on his feet then get a job somewhere in the city. Somewhere where he could be close to Seraphina and Aiko could see him every day to make sure that he was okay. His leaving was never in the cards.

  “But what about me… what about Seraphina?” she asked as she felt tears sting the back of her eyes. “You’ve just come back to us and she’s just getting to know you.”

  “I’m not leaving for good. Just for a little while.” He angled his body towards her, his knees touching hers. “And I’ll call every day. Plus you’ve got Damián.”

  His words should’ve soothed her yet they didn’t. The strange ache in her heart just wouldn’t ease up and it felt like something was squeezing her lungs. She couldn’t even say a word because of the thick lump blocking her throat.

  “Why are you crying?” Lincoln asked softly as he scooted closer to her.

  Aiko, who hadn’t even realized that she was crying, brushed her hand over her cheek. “I don’t know. I don’t even….” Why was it so hard to put her feelings into words. Looking at Lincoln through teary eyes, she said, “The last time you told me you were leaving, you didn’t come back.”

  “This isn’t like last time.” He brushed his thumb over her wet cheek before going on to push a strand of loose hair to the back of ear. “I’ll be back this time. I promise.”

  “Are you-” She swallowed a fresh bout of tears. “Are you leaving because of Damián?”

  “No.” He shook his head as he swiped his hand over her face again to wipe away a new tear drop. “I just need a time to sort some stuff back home.”

  But she didn’t believe him. It was no coincidence that he’d decided to leave on the very same day that she’d introduced him to her fiancée. She’d done this. She’d made him leave.

  “I’ll be back soon,” he promised again, but this time he leaned forward to kiss her cheek. His lips lingered on her skin for a long moment before he pulled back slightly. His breath brush against her forehead as he whispered, “I promise.” He kissed her forehead then repeated, “I’ll be back.” But didn’t move his face away.

  She lifted her teary gaze to his and found him watching her with indisputable tenderness. For a long moment they just stared at each other. Then he touched the tip of his tongue to his top lip before leaning forward as if to kiss her. Some part of her must’ve been very alert because she lowered her face before his lips could meet hers and his mouth grazed her forehead harmlessly.

  Her swift action was enough to break the intense moment. It took a long stare, but finally Lincoln pulled away from her.

  “Are you sure you and Phia will be okay while I’m gone?” Lincoln said as he moved a bit further away on the bench.

  Aiko nodded wordlessly, still reeling from the effect of their almost kiss.

  She wasn’t the only one shocked by the almost kiss. Damián, who’d been on his way to find her, stood rooted to the spot just a few feet away staring at them.

  CHAPTER 15

  The trip back home later that evening was quiet. Seraphina was asleep, Zoe was wearing headphones, Damián seemed lost in his thoughts and Aiko was too depressed to drag them all out of their respective holes.

  Lincoln’s leaving again. Though she knew that he wasn’t off to war this time, she couldn’t help the bad feeling that had started deep in her belly the moment he’d broken the news to her.

  Then there’s was the almost kiss.

  She was very, very glad that she’d turned away just in time to avoid it, but the fact that it had almost happened bothered her. It would’ve been a lie to say that she hadn’t felt something for Lincoln in that moment.

  She’d quashed any thoughts of there being any romantic feelings between them when she’d chosen Damián, but that kiss had made her realize that there might be some lingering feelings.
Suddenly, Damián’s accusations and worries seemed justified. Suddenly, her reasons for spending so much time at the house didn’t seem as altruistic as she’d insisted they were.

  As soon as the family got home everyone plodded upstairs. Fortunately, Gertie, their housekeeper, had already set out the kids clothes for the next day so all Aiko had to do was make sure that hers and Damián’s clothes were out and ironed.

  “What do you want to wear tomorrow?” she asked him as she started towards their walk-in closet.

  Unbuttoning his shirt, he shrugged. “I’ll figure it out tomorrow.”

  “No, I want to iron tonight so that I don’t have to rush in the morning.”

  He didn’t even bother looking up at her. Letting the shirt fall off his shoulders, he muttered, “Then I’ll iron my clothes myself, and you won’t have to rush.”

  The way he was avoiding her eyes as he spoke and his nonchalant tone pricked her instincts. She asked, “You okay?”

  He didn’t answer choosing instead to work on his belt. It was only once he’d kicked off his pants that he said, “I saw you and Lincoln talking earlier today out by the clothes-lines.”

  “Oh.” Aiko stiffened immediately. Had Damián seen them almost kiss? When he didn’t say anything more, she said, “He was just telling me that he’s leaving with his mother tomorrow.”

  “I see.” Damián stared at her for a long uncomfortable moment before he strolled towards the en-suite. “I need a shower.”

  Because he was dirty or because he was disgusted with her? Aiko couldn’t tell. Half afraid that it was the latter reason, she chose not to go into the shower with him and waited until he was done before going in herself. She stayed in the bathroom for longer than she normally would because she was afraid that Damián was a storm waiting to happen and the moment she emerged into the bathroom he’d erupt.

  Had he seen the almost kiss? How was she going to explain it if he had? Was she even supposed to explain it? After all it hadn’t even happened. But considering how close she and Lincoln had come to it, could she really blame Damián for getting the wrong idea? Or was did he have the right idea? This was all so confusing.

  Unfortunately, she couldn’t stay in the shower forever. With butterflies fluttering in the pit of her belly and her heart pounding rapidly, she wrapped a towel around her body and stepped out. She found the bedroom in complete darkness. When she switched on the light by the vanity, it was to see Damián seemingly asleep on one far end the bed. Quietly, she prepared for bed and moments later turned off the light then felt her way to the bed.

  She’d settled in between the sheets when Damián shifted slightly then murmured, “If you’re going to leave me for him could you just give me a heads up so I’m not caught pants down like last time?”

  Aiko stiffened and her pulse froze. What was she supposed to say to that? Don’t worry, I’ll give you a heads-up? And what did he mean like last time?

  No! She wasn’t even going to get into all that nonsense right now. It was too late to argue and she had work in the morning. She was just going to pretend that he hadn’t said anything and go to slee- oh, hell no. She was not sleeping on this. She reached forward to put on her light then turned to face him. He was lying on his back with his arm beneath his head and his eyes closed.

  “What do you mean like last time?” she asked tightly. He didn’t answer just kept on ‘sleeping’. She jabbed his arm with her finger. “Damián.”

  Releasing a heavy breath, Damián opened his eyes. “You know exactly what I mean.”

  No, she really didn’t. She’d never left him. The only time they’d ever separated was three months ago when Zoe had run away from school because she didn’t want Aiko in her life. And it was Damián who’d kicked her out. She’d never left him… unless he was talking about some other woman. And then it hit her. He was talking about another woman… other women. His exes. It sent an immediate spark of anger through Aiko.

  “I’m not Jeanine or Holly,” she snapped. “So don’t group me with those women.”

  In fact, calling them women was a generous term. They were unfaithful leaches who’d only used Damián for his money. The things they’d done to Damián – and Zoe – were horrible and Aiko wanted to think that she was a better person.

  But was she?

  After all, she and Damián had started their relationship on the foundation of her wanting his money. And now she’d almost kissed Lincoln. The thought was enough to dampen her anger.

  Her tone softened as she said, “Damián, I would never do something like that to you. I love you.”

  He held her gaze for a long moment before turning to face the other side, his back to her. “Put off the lights when you’re ready to sleep.”

  And that was that.

  “DID YOU SEE her actually kissing him?” Josiah asked Damián on Thursday when they met up for lunch.

  “No, she didn’t kiss him,” Damián said, “but you should’ve seen how close they were.”

  “Close doesn’t count,” his friend countered.

  “So, you’re telling me that if you found Caroline and some guy sitting so close to each other they were practically in each other’s laps you wouldn’t care?”

  “You’re forgetting this is me and Caroline.” Josiah guffawed as he cut into his steak. “I wouldn’t care. I’d probably congratulate her for getting some.”

  Damián shot him an annoyed look. “There is something seriously wrong with you.”

  “That I cannot deny.” Sobering up, Josiah said, “Seriously, do you really think Aiko is the kind of woman who would play you like that?”

  “I didn’t think so,” Damián paused before adding, “But ever since Lincoln’s return, she’s just been so preoccupied with him. And considering their history…”

  He let the sentence hang because he didn’t know how to explain to Josiah how much this situation bothered him without sounding like a jealous wimp with an overactive imagination. How was he supposed to explain to Josiah how inadequate yesterday’s lunch at the Vaughn’s home had left him feeling?

  Brenda had made it quite clear that she thought Aiko and Lincoln were the perfect couple. Seraphina had shown that even if Damián walked out of their life right now and Lincoln replaced him, it wouldn’t affect her much. Then there was the fact that Lincoln fit in so well into Aiko’s family. Even the younger boys who’d been mesmerized by Damián seemed to have switched allegiances. Now, it was all about Lincoln. Lincoln was in Iraq this… Lincoln knows karate that… Lincoln rose from the dead this… He had a rapport with them that Damián could never hope to match.

  Damián felt like the odd one out. The outsider. He’d always felt like he matched up well against other men. He had money, decent looks and wasn’t an asshole - most of the time. But against Lincoln, he felt like a loser. Like he was fighting a losing battle. The way Aiko had described hers and Lincoln’s love one would’ve thought that they’d starred in an epic love story rivaling Juliet and Romeo. To add salt to that wound he was also the father of her beloved child – a child who obviously also worshiped him.

  How the hell was Damian supposed to compete with that? And how was he supposed to survive if he lost Aiko? He’d already been left twice before for other men – and each time it’d hurt like hell even though he wasn’t half as in love with those women as he was with Aiko. He couldn’t bear to imagine life without Aiko in his life. She was as much a part of him as his heart was.

  “Listen, I think that you’re overreacting to this,” Josiah cut into his thoughts. “But if you’re so worried about her going back to him, maybe you should show her what she’d be losing if she did.”

  Damián frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Show her some romance, get her diamonds, be extra nice,” his friend suggested flippantly. “You know the stuff you did to get her to fall in love with you.”

  “I don’t think Aiko fell in love with me because of diamonds.” Damián laughed. “Hell, I’m still trying to figur
e out why she fell in love with me, cause I wouldn’t have.”

  “Hey, don’t be down on yourself.” Josiah teased, “I’d marry you.”

  Damián kissed his teeth. “You’re an asshole.”

  “And you’re a catch,” Josiah shot back. A pause later, he said, “But I’m serious. You said that he’s not around, right?”

  Damián nodded.

  “Then take advantage. Woo your woman. Remind her who’s her man.”

  “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.” Damián snorted. But even as he said the words, he was tossing around his friend’s suggestion in his mind and it didn’t sound that stupid. In fact it was looking better by the second.

  CHAPTER 16

  On the other side of town, Aiko was lunching with Josiah’s wife. Apparently Caroline Neal was a woman who kept her promises – and threats. She’d somehow managed to finagle an official date out of Aiko, and the two women found themselves chatting over huge Caesar's salads and fresh juice.

  “I can’t believe we both grew up here yet have never crossed each other’s paths.” Caroline, who was a surprisingly good conversationalist, stabbed at her salad.

  “I’m not,” Aiko returned before sipping on her juice. “Montgomery isn’t a small city and we hang out in different circles.”

  “Not so different,” Caroline said. “We really should organize a dinner for the families.”

  “We should,” Aiko agreed, though she wasn’t sure how Damián and Josiah would take the ladies new found friendship. As she’d heard Josiah and Caroline lived separate lives.

  “So, Aiko, Josiah tells me that you were a soldier. I’ve never met a lady soldier.” Caroline lifted her wine glass to her lips and sipped some of her mango juice. “Weren’t you scared when you were going to war?”

  “I was,” Aiko responded honestly. “But at that time I believed in what I was fighting for so it felt like it was worth it.”

  “I can’t imagine having that much conviction about something or being that brave.” Caroline shook her head and sighed. “I volunteer at the VA Clinic once a week and every time I see all the scarred vets there I feel like I’ve done nothing with my life.”