by Wayne Jordan
“I know I’m going to love going to the gym if it means I’m going to be as pretty as you when I grow up.”
“But you’re already pretty,” Eboni stated. “Isn’t she, Darren?”
“She is. She’s the prettiest little girl in the world!” Darren said with pride.
On receiving their order, Darren ushered them to the Channel Gardens, where they stood watching the activities around them.
After they’d finished eating, he lifted Kenya into his arms. She was already drained from their activities and ready for bed.
“It thinks it’s time we head on home. She’s had more than enough excitement for the day.”
“I’m ready to go when you are.”
Instead of calling his driver to pick them, they walked to the street and hailed a taxi.
Half an hour later, as the taxi pulled away from the building, Darren handed the keys to Eboni as he held the sleeping Kenya.
“You’re going to have to open the door when we get upstairs.”
On their way up, Kenya opened her eyes and looked around until her eyes landed on Eboni. “I want you to come and tuck me in.”
“I’m sure your dad will want to do it,” Eboni replied.
“He gets to tuck me in all the time,” Kenya said. “You can tuck me in tonight.”
She glared at Darren, who had the decency to look ashamed, an expression that didn’t last for too long when he realized the humor of the situation.
“I have no problem with my girlfriend tucking you in, Kenya.” He smiled at Eboni.
“Eboni, Daddy can tuck me in tonight after you tuck me in,” she said, before her head fell against her father’s shoulders.
Eboni avoided Darren’s gaze, which she knew was filled with amusement. Maybe now would be a good time to escape, and then remembered she had to help with the door.
She followed Darren into the building and up the stairs. Darren was sure that if angry eyes could burn holes in someone’s body, his would be filled with holes.
“Kenya, go take your bath and get ready for bed. Eboni will be in as soon as you are done.”
Kenya then ran off screaming in delight.
“I hope you don’t mind tucking her in?” he said.
“Of course I don’t mind, but if you think that what you’re doing is going to change how I feel, you’re wrong.”
“Eboni, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He feigned innocence. “I hope you had good time this evening. I’m glad that Kenya likes you. At least she didn’t have to pretend to be nice to my girlfriend.”
“I’m not your girlfriend!” she insisted.
“Then what are you?” he asked, coming to stand in front of her.
As she glared at him, she could still smell a lingering hint of Acqua Di Gio. She wondered if he wore it deliberately since she had told him she loved the cologne because it was a perfect mixture of sensuality and masculinity. She loved its aquatic and woodsy aroma.
Now the scent of him stirred an ache inside her. If Kenya wasn’t there she would have begged him to make love to her.
He smiled down at her, his eyes ablaze with desire.
He lowered his head and his lips touched hers lightly.
“Daddy, Eboni, I’m ready for my story.”
She pulled away from him, turning in the direction of Kenya’s voice.
“She’s in the room opposite mine. You shouldn’t have any difficult finding it.”
Her hands itched to slap him across his smug face.
“I’m sure I’ll find it,” she said calmly. She had no intention of letting him get anything past her. She would go read for Kenya and then go home to sleep alone with no thought of Darren or his toe-curling lovemaking.
* * *
When Eboni walked out of Kenya’s room half an hour later, his thoughts were still as impure as they had been when she walked in.
He missed her, missed making love to her.
“Kenya says you can come say good-night to her. And, on that note, I’m going home. Thanks for inviting me. I enjoyed myself. You have a lovely daughter. You should be proud of her.”
“I am. She’d the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I got a second chance to show her how much I love her.”
“You’re a pretty good dad. But run along and tuck her in. She’s waiting. I’ll let myself out.”
“Sure you don’t want to stay for a nightcap?”
“I’m sure. Maybe another time,” she said. “Well, have a good night. And thanks again for inviting me. I had a great time.”
“Thanks. You were great with Kenya.”
She smiled, turned and headed for the door. From Kenya’s room, she heard her shout, “Dad, aren’t you coming to tuck me in?”
“Coming, sweetheart,” he shouted back.
When he entered her room, she was sitting on the bed, Rena and Amanda tucked under the covers.
He sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her.
“Did you enjoy your story?”
“I did. I love how Eboni reads. She changes her voice for all the characters. She’s funny.” She yawned.
“Come, time to sleep, pumpkin. You need to sleep. Remember, tomorrow we have to put flowers on Granddad’s grave.”
“I miss Granddad. He was so funny.”
“Yes, he was.”
“But we shouldn’t be too sad ’cause he’s in a better place and has no more pain,” she recited.
“Good girl. So whose turn is it to say the prayer?”
“It’s your turn, but I want to do it. I have a special prayer.”
She placed her hands together, ready to pray, and made sure he did the same.
“God, if you are listening to me and not asleep yet, I want you to bless Mommy and Daddy and Daddy’s girlfriend, Eboni. I’m glad it’s her because she’s nice and I don’t have to pretend to be nice to her. Tell Grandpa Grayson ‘hello’ for me. I know he’s not in pain, but I hope he isn’t singing with the angels since he has a real bad voice, but I’m sure you’ll find something else for him to do up there. Good night and I will talk to you tomorrow night again. Amen.”
The laugh Darren had been holding in erupted.
“What are you laughing at, Dad?” Innocence radiated from Kenya’s face.
“You know exactly what I’m laughing at.” He kissed her on her forehead. “Good night, sweetheart. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Daddy.”
He tucked her under the covers and walked to the door, then turned the light off.
He was about to close the door when she whispered, “Daddy?”
“Yes, Kenya?”
“I like Eboni.”
“Kenya, go to sleep.”
He closed the door, but not before he heard her giggle.
Chapter 12
Eboni’s cell phone rang. She woke, glancing quickly at the clock by her bedside before she picked it up. Just after midnight. Who the hell was calling her at this time?
The Unknown Name, Unknown Number did not help, so she inhaled deeply and picked the phone up. It was Eric Rodrigues, her investigator.
He’d never called her so early in the morning. God, could it be possible?
“Hello, Eric,” she greeted, her heart pounding.
“I found her,” he said.
“Who?” she asked instinctively.
“Aaliyah.”
“Please, say that again.”
“I found her. She lives right there in New York. In Brooklyn. She’s a nurse.”
“Oh, my God. How soon can I see her, meet her?” she said, unable to contain her excitement.
“I have all the contact information for you and will bring it over tomorrow.”
/> “As early as possible. Please?”
“I’ll be there around eight.”
“I’ll be here.”
“Bye.”
She hung up the phone. She sat up in her bed, staring into the darkness.
When the tears came, they were tears of happiness. She wanted to get up and go into the night to find her sister, but she knew she would have to wait for morning.
“Thank you, God,” she whispered into the darkness.
She rose from the bed, wrapped a robe around her and headed to the door. She knew she was making a mistake, but she had to go to Darren. She wanted to share her good news with him.
She opened the door and stepped outside, hoping no one would see her, but knew that the surveillance camera would capture her image. But it didn’t matter. Darren owned the tapes.
She walked briskly down the corridor, stopped at the entrance to his condo and raised a hand to ring the doorbell. She paused. She was going to wake Kenya with the doorbell. Instead, she knocked twice and waited.
* * *
She’d come to him in a swirling mist that didn’t seem quite real. The shadow was vaguely familiar, but as the mist faded, he realized it was Eboni.
She turned and smiled at him, her perky breasts straining against the sheer material of her silk teddy.
In the distance, a harsh sound penetrated the silence, getting louder and louder until he could not bear it.
Darren placed his hand over his ears, but the sound grew harsher and louder.
He closed his eyes, willing everything to reappear, but when he opened them again the mist was gone.
He’d been dreaming, the noise was someone knocking on the door.
He jumped out of bed and headed toward the front door when he realized he was naked and his penis stuck out hard and thick.
He stopped and looked around, finding his clothes on the chair, and quickly put the pants on.
The knocking had stopped but he still walked to the door.
He opened it and peeped outside, seeing only the retreating back of his late night visitor.
“Eboni,” he shouted.
She turned around, and ran the twenty meters or more to him, and flung herself into his arms.
Her body trembled and shook, heavy tears falling and soaking his chest, but he did not mind. He welcomed her in his arms.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked.
“Eric, the...investigator...found...one...of...my...sisters.”
“Come. Come inside. You need to talk slowly.”
He led her inside, closing the door behind them.
“I hope I didn’t wake Kenya.”
“No, she’s still fast asleep. She won’t wake until around seven. Come, let’s sit in the living room.”
She followed him, sitting where he indicated.
“The investigator just called. He found Aaliyah.”
“He did? That’s great news. Where is she?”
“She lives in Brooklyn.”
“Shouldn’t be difficult to get to her.”
“I know. He’s going to bring all the information tomorrow. I don’t know how I’m going to sleep.”
“I know you want to see her and soon as possible, but you may need to be careful.”
She thought about what he’d said for a moment, before she answered.
“I didn’t think of that. Suppose she doesn’t want to connect with me?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to burst your bubble. I am sure she will want to see you. Why not let the investigator approach her first and see what she says?”
She nodded this time.
“Okay, I’ll talk to him in the morning and see what he says. But you’re right, it may be better if he talks to her first and see how she responds.”
“That makes a lot of sense to me. Remember, she’s not the same girl she was all those years ago.”
“That’s true,” she said. “She may be some gold-digging drug dealer.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“You know what? I don’t believe that in here,” she said, pointing at her heart. “I know that my sisters have all turned out to be good women. One of the things that kept me going all these years was that one day I was going to see them again. It may have taken me a while to start looking for them, but I know that we’re all going to find each other.”
“Then, you have to let me help as much as I can. Let me see what I can find out about her tomorrow and then we can talk to your investigator. Let me meet her for you.”
“You’ll do that for me?”
“I’ll do anything for you, Eboni. You know that.”
“I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve your friendship.”
“It gives me a chance to make things right. I know I messed up.”
“You did,” she agreed.
“And I apologize from the bottom of my heart.”
She stared at him, looking deep into his eyes.
“Can I stay here tonight?”
“Of course. You don’t need to ask!”
“I just don’t want to be alone.”
“It’s all right. You can stay,” he reassured.
“But no touching. Promise me that.”
“No touching...unless you let me.”
He watched her indecision before she nodded.
“Good, now that’s settled. I need to get to sleep. I’ve had a hard day with my two girls and I’m tired.”
He rose from the chair, took her hand and led her to the bedroom.
Eboni got into Darren’s bed, and they both slipped between the covers.
“Does ‘no touching’ mean I can’t put my arms around you?” he asked.
“No, it’s okay.”
Darren put his arms around her and she moved closer to him. He curled himself around her and she snuggled even closer, her softness comforting.
He closed his eyes, and slowly drifted to sleep, but not before he realized how much he missed having her in his arms.
Chapter 13
Darren looked out at the Manhattan skyline. He loved the city as much as he loved his home in Scarsdale.
He glanced at the clock, its green neon hands moving slowly around its face. It was three o’clock in the morning and he couldn’t sleep. Tomorrow, he was driving to Reading, Pennsylvania, to visit his father’s grave.
Each year, for the past three years, he’d driven there and each time, the pain lessened.
But, this would be the first time he took Kenya. He was surprised that she’d wanted to go. Then again, she was constantly surprising him these days.
He laughed out loud. His daughter was a trip.
Eboni stirred and her eyes flickered open. She saw him and continued to look. He saw the look in her eyes and he knew she wanted him.
Sadness like none he’d ever experienced washed over him, and unexpected tears pooled in his eyes. He turned away from her, not wanting her to see his tears.
He’d said before that he loved her, but tonight, he realized that he really did love her.
Loving her had reduced him to tears. The last time he’d cried was at the time of his father’s death. Not at the funeral home or the funeral. He’d cried at the hospital when he’d walked into his father’s hospital room and found him no longer breathing.
He remembered his cry of anguish had brought the wife of his father’s doctor to his side. She’d sat next to him in that room and comforted him until he could see past the pain to make the arrangements for his father’s funeral.
She’d helped him to see that his tears were a necessary part of his healing.
He felt Eboni stir behind him, a second before she wrapped her soft arms around him. God,
how he loved this woman.
“Are you all right, Darren?”
He turned around, wanting to face her when he answered.
“No,” he said, “not by a long shot.” He laughed. “My first instinct was to tell you I’m all right. But, how can I be all right, when I have no idea if the woman I love loves me? How can I be okay when telling her I love her scares the crap out of me?”
He almost laughed again when he saw the look on her face.
“Eboni Wynter, I love you. There, I said it and I’m glad I finally said it. You want honesty from me? You want me not to hide things from you? Then that’s it. No frills, no fireworks, just the truth. I love you.”
Darren looked down at her. She was still, her lips trembling.
She looked up at him, her eyes damp with her own tears. “I love you, too. I’m so sorry that I took all my anger out on you. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him, wanting to feel her against him. He loved how she felt, loved how the scent of flowers he associated with her reminded him of the freshness of spring.
She raised herself on her tiptoes, running her tongue across his lips, until she paused and nipped him, groaning when his lips opened in response. He thrust his tongue inside, tugging, pressing, sucking, against her.
Darren raised his hands to cup her face, brushing his lips across hers. Her lips were soft and hot. He deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth moving seductively against hers.
“God, you taste heavenly,” he groaned against her lips.
He nudged her blouse off her shoulder and kissed her neck, her satiny skin intoxicating him with the alluring scent of her. He rained kisses downward until he tasted the sweetness of her breasts. He was rigid with arousal.
He felt her hand at his zipper and soon his pants and boxers fell to the floor. She gripped his penis, gently, boldly exploring his shaft and giggled when it jerked involuntarily in her hand.
But he wanted to taste the firm breasts that peaked against his chest, all the while conscious that his penis was hard in her teasing grip. She was driving him crazy as she slowly stroked his shaft.
He cupped one of her breasts, loving its silken smoothness. He rolled her nipple between his fingers, enjoying the way she sighed and melted into him.