Come Share My Love (28 page)

     “You mean cranberry?”

     “Yes.  That’s what I said daddy, cranbrary.  Like the juice.”

     “Isn’t Shyla’s dress pretty daddy?  It’s cranberry too.”

     He looked over at the other table where Shyla sat and smiled.  “Yes sweetheart.  It’s very pretty.”  All the while he was thinking that he wanted to take her home and rip that dress off of her, make love to her with reckless abandonment as they had two nights ago.  Zackary didn’t want to be at the ball.  He wanted to be home making love to his woman.  Oh how he wished he could turn back the hands of time and start yesterday morning all over again. He would ignore the jealous feelings he had towards his brother when it came to Shyla.  He would not compare her to Gloria, his ex-wife.  He would treat her like the goddess she was, the woman who set his soul aflame.  Now it was probably too late.  How could he have been so stupid?  He’d have to find a way to make it right, though.  He had to find a way.

     “Daddy, are you sitting with us?”  His daughter Zaria asked.

     “No sweetheart.  You are going to sit with grandma and grandpa tonight.  Okay?”

     She nodded.  “What about Shyla, daddy?”

     “She’s going to sit with you too.”

     “Oh goodie,” the twins chimed.

     “You better go take you seats.”

     They both kissed his cheek.  “Okay.  Bye daddy.”

     “Bye, daddy.”

     “Bye, babies.”

     “Bye Auntie Essie.  Bye Uncle Felty.

     “Bye.”  They both hummed and chuckled.  The girls never called them Essence and Felton.

     “They are so precious.”  Essence said.

     “I know.”  Zackary looked at her with wonder in his eyes.  “Have you talked to Shyla since earlier today?”

     “No.”  Essence sighed.  “Your mom said to just let it go for now.  Give her some time to collect herself.”  She shook her head.  “The thing is I know my cousin better than anyone and it isn’t that easy for her to collect herself.  So I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.”

     Zackary shook his head but was in agreement.  “Neither, do I.”

     “Even though Shy isn’t a person who treat others bad, she hold grudges.  When she hurt, she really hurt.   If you hurt her she reminds you of that hurt.  She wears her feelings on her sleeve.  It’s so easy for her to get hurt.”

     “Felton said the same thing and I can see that.”  Zackary said.

     “She said she was leaving right after the fireworks tonight.”

     “I figured she would.  I know she promised mom that she would help her out.”

     “Yeah, she doesn’t like breaking her promises.  Which leads me to believe that she will stay pass then.”

     “Why do you say that?  What do you know that I don’t?”

     Essence pointed.  Zackary looked in the direction of his parents table.

     “Do you honestly think she wants to disappoint Zaria and Zhaniya?  No she wouldn’t.  And after the things they were saying today, after knowing her for a few hours, heck a few minutes, they’re not going to let her out of their sights.”  Essence looked on.  “Just look at the chemistry between them.  They act as though she’s been in their lives for a long time.”

     “Yes.  My girls seem to be able to recognize the good people from the bad people.”  He watched on as his daughters and Shyla played with one another.  They sat on her lap one at a time and gave her kisses as she’d given them.

     The night went on smoothly.  There was no problem until the girls wanted Shyla to dance with their father.  She had already danced with them.

     Zackary watched as Shyla showed his girls how to do the cha-cha and then as they both took turns slow dancing with her and then the three of them together.  She smiled the entire time.  He wished he had been up there with them.  That was supposed to be his family, his daughters and his woman.

     “Shyla you can dance with daddy now.”

     “Oh sweetie, maybe later.  My feet are really hurting me right now, maybe later.”

     Zhaniya looked sad, but she had an idea.  “You can take your shoes off.  He won’t step on your feet.”

Shyla chuckled.

     “He won’t.  I promise.”  The look in her eyes was priceless, so innocent.  Daddy wouldn’t step on your feet.”

     No but he’ll step all over my heart, Shyla thought silently.

     “Sweetie, daddy hasn’t asked me to dance.  Maybe he’s too tired.”

     “You could ask him to dance.  I’ll go get him.”

     “Zhaniya?  No!” Shyla tried to grab her but the child was too fast.  Shyla turned around in her seat seeing at least ten pairs of eyes on her, most smiling.  She had to smile back or she would seem rude.

     “She’s fast,” Big Zack said.

     “Very fast,” Shyla nodded and smiled back.

Mama V patted her hand.  “Everything will work out dear.  You just wait and see.”

     Shyla continued to smile.  That’s all she could do.

     Zhaniya was pulling Zackary toward their table when Shyla looked up.

     “Come on daddy.  Walk faster.”

     “Yes Madame Zhaniya.”

     She nudged her father.  “Ask her daddy.  Ask Shyla to dance.”

     “But you have to take her shoes off first daddy because her feet hurt.” said Zaria.

     “I can take off my own shoes, Zaria.  I don’t need any help, sweetie.”

     “But daddy wants to help you right daddy?”

     “Right, Zaria.”  Zackary sat down and helped Shyla undo her shoes while he continued to look into her face.  She stopped altogether and looked in the opposite direction.

     After disposing of her shoes Zackary stood.  “Shyla will you dance with me?” he reached for her hand but she didn’t take it right away.  She reached out and then pulled back and began to wring her hands together like she was nervous.

     Zaria took her hand and placed it in her dad’s then kissed her cheek.  “He won’t step on your feet.  Tell her daddy.”

     Zackary smiled and whispered.  “I won’t step on your feet.”

     Shyla shook her head.  These two little girls were too much.  They’d have them off and married if they had the time to plan it.  She wasn’t so sure they hadn’t already.

     Shyla stood and allowed Zackary to escort her to the middle of the dance floor.  No words were said but Zackary knew that that’s where they were meant to be.  It didn’t matter to Shyla though.  She would not let this man get within twenty feet of her heart again.

     “Shyla, I would like to apologize for the things I said yesterday.”

     “I don’t want to hear any of this Zackary.  I’m only dancing with you because that’s what the girls want.  Not for any other reason than that.”

     “Shyla we just can’t leave-”

     She dropped her hands and stopped dancing.  She had looked around at the tiny little faces that were like their dads, both smiling in their direction.  She returned to the dancing position.

    
“Zackary I really don’t want to spoil this moment for the girls, so I would rather not discuss or hear anything about yesterday or today or anything that would ruin this for them.  They wanted us to dance and that’s the only reason we are out here, for them.”

   There was such finality to her statement.  He nodded and when the song ended so did their dance.  It’s a good thing too because Connie came up behind Shyla and tapped her on her shoulder.  She was cutting in.

     “He’s all yours.”  She turned and walked away.

     “Thanks.”  Connie said, while wrapping her arms around Zackary’s neck.

     Why had he gotten the feeling that Shyla meant that like she didn’t want him?

     Zhaniya ran over to where the couple was dancing.  She patted Connie on the leg and waited for her to acknowledge her.  When she did she let her have it.

    
“Hey.  You can’t dance with my daddy.”  She pushed between the two of them.

     “Niya!  It’s okay sweetie.”

     “But daddy-”

     “I said it was okay.  We can dance with everyone.”  Zhaniya had tears in her eye.

     “But Daddy.”  His little girl was upset.  This wasn’t good.

     “Connie will you excuse me.  I need to dance with my girls.”

     “Sure.  We’ll pick up on this later.  Bye Zhaniya.”

She hid her face in her father’s pant leg.

     Connie kissed Zackary on the lips wiped off the lipstick smudges and walked away.

     Zackary picked up Zhaniya and danced with her in his arms.  “What’s wrong cupcake?  Why are you crying?”

     She grabbed him by the face.  “Daddy you’re only s’posed to dance with Shyla and me and Zaria and Gran V no one else.”

     He tried to hide his smile.  “Zhaniya it doesn’t work like that baby.  When you have a party you can and should dance with everyone.  It’s the polite thing to do.”

     “But that’s not right daddy.  You should only dance with the people you love.  And you love me and Zaria and grandma and Miss Shyla.  Is that right daddy?  You love Miss Shyla too?”

     Out of the mouths of babes, he thought.  “Yes Cupcake.  I do.  But honey, Connie is my friend and I can dance with her too.”

     “She made Miss Shyla sad, daddy.  She made her stop dancing with you.  I don’t like Miss Connie, daddy.”

     “Zhaniya, Connie didn’t make anyone do anything and as far as you not liking her, you don’t have to but you do have to respect her.  Do you understand me?”

     “Yes daddy,” she pouted.  “Can I go back and sit with Miss Shyla and Zaria, please?”

     “You don’t want to dance with daddy anymore?”

     “I’m tired and I need to go to the bathroom daddy.”

     “Do you want me to take you?”

     “No daddy.  Miss Shyla can take me.  She’s a girl.”

     “Okay.  I love you, Niya.”

     “I love you too, daddy,” they kissed and hugged really big then he put her to her feet.  She ran to Shyla with tears in her eyes.  Shyla picked her up and kissed her forehead.

     That use to be what he would do to her to smooth her fears.  Now she wanted Shyla.

     “Zaria, want to dance with daddy?” he asked.

     “Yes.”  She jumped into his arms and yelled, “Woohoo,” pumping her fist.  Everyone laughed.  This was the quiet twin.  They danced through three songs. 

     “Daddy, are you sad?” 

     “No baby.  What makes you think that?”

     “You look sad.  Why did Miss Connie make Miss Shyla stop dancing with you?”

     He sighed.  How could he make them understand?  “That’s not what happened, baby.  The song was over, that’s all.”

     She shrugged her tiny shoulders then responded, “Oh.”

     Until then Zackary hadn’t realized just how much small children observed and how much they make you
look at your mistakes.  He realized that things aren’t always as they seem.  Instead of trusting Shyla, all he saw was Gloria’s infidelity, her jumping out of his bed into another mans.  Without realizing it, he had put a label on Shyla that she didn’t deserve.  He had to find a way to make things right.  She had made it clear that she didn’t want anything to do with him but he still had a day to make things right.  He only prayed that he could.

     He placed Zaria back at the table with her sister and Shyla.  He knelt down and kissed both his girls.  He reached for Shyla’s hand but she jerked it away and looked at him as if to say, “That’s not what I want.”  He nodded as if to say, “I understand.”  He slid his hands down her dress along her thighs, then he looked into her eyes and mouthed the words, I love you, all of you. 

    This time when he reached for her she didn’t pull away.  He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips where he placed a heated lingering kiss in her palm.  He held it there for seconds and then released it and placed it back upon her lap.  Again he said I love you.  Tears were in her eyes.  He wanted to kiss them away.  But tonight was not like last night.  He knew she would slap him senseless.  He wiped the one tear that escaped, got up and walked out.  He needed fresh air.  Fresh air would do him good.

    Shyla turned and followed his retreating back onto the covered patio.  She had given it her best and that wasn’t good enough.  She was too exhausted to try again. 

     The celebration had come to an end.  The girls had fallen asleep in Shyla’s arm and on her lap.  She was ready for a bed herself.  Today had been stressful and exhausting.  She was sure glad that it was over.

     Shyla continued to stay with Big Zack and Mama V.  She was also able to keep her promise.  Zaria and Zhaniya clu
ng to her like little baby tabbies to its mother.  When she took a nap, they napped, when she wanted a bowl of ice cream, so did they.  It was like they were her children.  She read to them stories and after church on Sunday, she and the girls had their picnic under the apple tree that stood between Zackary’s home and his parents.