Coveted (25 page)

“Hey,” I said looking down at her, “Who was that girl that just turned and walked out of here.”

Without even turning to glance Naima responded, “Oh that was Emeri, my half sister. Though I think she’s more the spawn of Satan.” Hearing her venom laced voice made me want to know what was going on. But at this point is really was no concern of mine. I was working on getting my wife back. I could care less about whatever family feud was going on. I was however amazed that Naima had a half sister who appeared to younger than her.

“Dare I ask how I’ve managed to know you all these years and never know you had a sister, one that appears to be younger than you?”

“Join the club. None of us knew about her. She practically popped up on the doorstep one day asking for Daddy. Not knowing any better, I let her in and the rest is nothing but drama. I’ll give you a quick recap, Daddy had an affair a long time ago and the woman recently passed away, next thing you know, boom here is Emeri.”

“I’m getting the slight inkling that you aren’t very fond of her.”

“I’m not fond of her at all. She came in with a big chip on her shoulder towards me. I tried to be cordial to the girl but enough is enough. She has a nasty attitude and I cannot be bothered with her foolishness. Then mommy had the nerve to practically force me to give her a job. So now, she will be working with me as well. There’s no getting away from her. It’s like she’s digging her heals in and planting roots.”

“Well, sounds like you guys have been over here having a ball.” I smiled inwardly when I saw the look Naima gave me. I didn’t care. Nothing could spoil my mood. The fact that I was even here, and she was allowing herself to open up, and talk with me was enough to make me want to do back flips in the front yard.

“Kaden, don’t play with me. And while we’re on the subject what are you doing popping up on a Sunday unannounced?”

Looking around sheepishly, I fished a pair of keys of my pants pocket and handed them to her. She looked at me with a question in her eyes as she took the keys.

“I’m confused, what does a set of keys have to do with anything.”

“Well, when we went to dinner that night, I know you had mentioned you were about ready to move out of your parents house and that you had been looking at some condos a little closer to your job but the ones you wanted to move into nothing was available.” Her eyes widened as she began to comprehend what I was saying to her. “Since then I have been talking to a realtor about the property and a new complex was just built and I didn’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to live where you wanted so I bought it for you and the kids, as a gift.”

Tears began to run down her face. Naima was always a little on the emotional side, one of the many things that I loved about her.

“Kaden, you didn’t.” I looked her dead in her eyes, “I did. Don’t you know I will do anything for you?”

She flew into my arms wrapping her arms around my neck. “Thank you so much for doing this.” She said as she placed a kiss on my cheek. “There are no words, no words.”

My voice was choked with emotion, all I could manage to do is whisper, “Your hug is enough.”

“Well what is going on out here in my foyer?” Destroying the moment and the cause of Naima breaking out of the hug she was giving me was Mrs. Cynthia.

“Mommy, Kaden bought me and the kids a condo as a gift. Can you believe it?”

“Did he? I wonder what he wants in return.” Mrs. Cynthia was eyeing me with unmasked suspicion.

“All I want is for Naima to be happy.” Deepening my voice slightly and looking her directly in her eyes, “That’s all I’ve ever wanted for her.” a deep blush was making her turn red as she turned back to face her mother.

“I am happy. Ma can you believe it? It seems so unreal. I’m a go tell Namiyah.” Naima took off down the hall. That left Mrs. Cynthia and me there to stare at one another.

“Kaden, I don’t know what you have up your sleeve but Naima cannot go through another heartbreak. My baby has been through enough. Most of it suffered at your hands. She has been through enough,” she reiterated for emphasis.

“Mrs. Cynthia, I really do have Naima’s best interest at heart. I do not intend to hurt her; I am ready to be the man I need to be. It took me losing her to realize how much I really needed her. There is no life for me without her in it.”

I could feel Mrs. Cynthia giving me the look, trying to size me up to see if I was really about something. I could feel the verbal sting coming.

“You know Kaden; I have never been that fond of you. It seems my baby girl takes leave of her senses whenever you’re around. It’s been going on since the first time she laid eyes on you. Me, I can’t begin to see the attraction.” Mrs. Cynthia was really laying it on me thick, “But what I will tell you is that through the years watching you and what you have done to my little girl, is that you are selfish. You have never had to work very hard at anything and it shows. You lack morals and ethics and yet somehow you always seem to land on top. Let me tell you right now, my baby’s heart is not something you are to amuse yourself with to pass the time. You have done enough damage to her. I will not allow you to come back and do this to her again. Enough is enough.” Mrs. Cynthia was putting her foot down and not budging.

“Mrs. Cynthia, I understand where you are coming from. But I am working on change. I’ve been seeking counseling and doing whatever it takes to help me with my issues. Which run a lot deeper than I ever thought imaginable. But despite everything in the past, I do love your daughter and I don’t want the divorce to take place. So if I have to buy her fifty condo’s I will. Whatever it takes, I will not let her go without a fight.”

Mrs. Cynthia looked at me long and hard, “Ok I believe you. Go on in the powder room and wash your hands, I take it you’ll be staying for dinner?”

I smiled down at her, “Yes ma’am I will be.”

The mystery woman didn’t make an appearance at dinner; I just know I knew her from somewhere. Naima’s luminous hazel eyes had been shining all night that made it easy not to dwell on the girl she said was her half sister. I was excited because Naima was excited. I know her mannerisms well. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling and talking. This is a good sign with her. Every time she caught me eyeing her across the dinner table, she would twirl a piece of her hair in between her fingers. I was making her nervous. Seeing her like this had me reminiscing about our high school days. The times when I would see her in the hall or at cheerleading practice, she would be doing the same thing. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love the effect I had on her.

“Kaden,” Naima calling my name interrupted my thoughts, “Yes?”

“Did you want to tuck the kids in with me? I’m sure they would like that.”

She had no idea; I would do anything with her. Who cared what it was. “Of course I will help you put them to bed.” Walking up the stairs behind her, I began to wonder what I was thinking when I was stepping out on her so much. She was everything I always wanted and needed. Mrs. Cynthia had hit the nail right on the head. The only reason I stepped out on Naima is that I was selfish. I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. Only problem, I was stepping out with cupcakes, when I had cheesecake at home. Why do we men always take the hard road?

Entering Namiyah’s room, she was already knocked out. It was as if I were seeing her for the first time. She looked like a smaller version of me with a whole lot of hair. I smiled as I leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. I couldn’t remember the last time I had helped tuck our kids in. Retreating out of Namiyah’s you and entering Kalani’s room, was like going into another world. Kalani was wide-awake and standing up in the crib waiting for someone to come in and get him.

“Do you mind getting him? I’m going to go change into my pajamas and come back, ok?”

“Sure,” I told Naima, “take all the time you need.”

Walking over to the crib, I picked up Kalani and sat into the rocking chair. There was a miniature bookshelf next to the chair and I picked a book with fairytales. Laying Kalani across my chest, I began to read to him. I must have dozed off because I awoke to a flash going off in my face. Looking up I saw Naima standing at the doorway with a camera smiling.

“He wore you out huh?” I heard her say as I rose to put a sleeping Kalani in his crib.

I laughed. “I think I wore him out by reading stories of frogs turning into princes. He went to sleep to avoid the torture.”

Laughing Naima cut off the lamp next to his crib and I followed her into the hallway.

“It’s a little late. D.C. is pretty far from here. Did you want to stay in one of the guest rooms so you don’t have to drive so far tonight?”

Did I want to stay? Was this woman serious? Of course, I wanted to stay. “Yeah, I’ll head out in the morning stay in the guest room tonight, unless I can stay with you?”

“Kaden, don’t even go there aight. The guest room will be fine for you.”

“Hey, you can’t blame a brother for trying.” I said as I turned to follow her to the other end of the hall where the guest room was located. As soon as she cut the light on for me in the room, she was already trying to get around me to leave. Catching her up into my arms, I caught her off guard.

“Kaden put me down.” She was beginning to blush again, I watched as the redness crept up her face.

“I’ll put you down if you give me a good night kiss.”

“Kaden, I told you, I’m not going there with you tonight.”

“Come on Mocha,” I said deepening my voice for added effect, “can’t you see this frog wants to be turned into a prince?”

Tilting her head up and looking at me with those dreamy hazel eyes of hers were my undoing. Bending my head down, I captured her lips in a sultry kiss that I had been yearning to give her for the longest time. I could feel her resistance; she was going to fight me tooth and nail. Breaking the kiss slightly, “Don’t fight me Mocha. I know you still love me. Give me a chance to prove to you I can love you better than before.” I felt her hesitate and I seized the moment. I covered her lips with mine again and when she opened her mouth slightly and moaned softly, I unleashed all the passion I had been suppressing over the last few months. I kissed her for all the years she had stood by my side, for all the memories that we had created, for the two babies she had graciously given me and for all the bull, I had put her through. I rolled my whole heartfelt apology into that one kiss that I wanted seared into her soul.

Pulling away slowly almost as if she didn’t want to. Naima turned her head towards the floor. “Kaden please put me down.”

Knowing that I had probably pushed her too far, I lowered her feet to the floor. Without looking back my way, she turned and headed towards her room leaving a muffled “good night” in her wake. I was tempted to follow her but my cell phone vibrating in my pocket stopped me. Reaching in my pocket to retrieve the phone, I saw the name flashing across the screen, and went into the guest room instead and shut the door.

Answering on the third ring, “Haven, it is late. Is something wrong with Kaven?”

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Looking down at the phone to make sure the call was still connected I said “Hello?” into the receiver.

Finally, I heard Haven’s voice on the line. “Sorry for calling so late Kaden,” I could barely hear her. Her tone was so soft. This was something that I wasn’t used to from Haven.

I sat on the edge of the bed and began to get concerned. Haven didn’t sound like herself, something must be wrong.

“Haven, are you ok? You sound a little funny.”

“What’s funny is that everything is out of sorts. But I feel really good right now.”

“Ok, then what is the reason for this late night phone call? I told you I was not coming over for any more overnight visits. Naima is my main concern and I’m trying my best to make things up to her.”

“Kaden, you have nothing to worry about. I didn’t call to invite you over. Matter of fact you never have to worry about that again.” I was in a state of shock. Haven said her last statement with so much conviction behind it.

“Really, and what brought about this change of heart?”

“It really doesn’t matter, what matters is the reason why I called you this late. I feel that it is time to clear the air.” I heard he take a deep breath before continuing,” “Kaven isn’t your son. I know this is a messed up way to tell you, over the phone and all but, I needed to get that out in the open. I didn’t want to spend another day living a lie. I’m trying to work on me.”

I had all but tuned her out after she said Kaven wasn’t my son. Did this crazy bitch mean to tell me that I had been paying her out the ass all these years for a child that wasn’t even mine? Something in me snapped.

“You scheming, conniving, malicious little bitch. How could you do this to me? I took care of you and Kaven gave you a much better life then you would ever have been able to afford on your own, and the whole time your plotting ass has known he wasn’t my child but still been taking my money.” I had to stop talking; I was ready to kill her ass. It was taking everything within me not to drive over her house and strangle the shit out of her ass. I had put my marriage in jeopardy. Everything because I thought I had a tie to this woman, only to realize that she had been living a lie and none of it was real.