Forgiveness and Second Chances (10 page)

Jeremy was right behind him. “I told you to keep away from her.”

Carmen grabbed Luis’s arm and pulled him away. “Come on. You’re already on thin ice.”

“You’ll regret this,” he yelled.

“Sorry, Malanie,” Carmen said, leaving the restaurant.

When Jeremy made sure Luis was gone, he rushed over to Malanie, and grabbed her in his large arms. Caressing her head, he kissed the top of her hair. “Are you okay?”

“I’m finally okay,” she whispered.

He pulled away to look into her in her eyes. “I’m proud of you.”

“Therapy does work.” She laughed, like nothing had happened. “Derrick, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. If something would’ve happened to you, Stefanie would kill me.”

“I’ll walk you to your car. We need to get back to work,” Jeremy said, walking her out.

They made sure Luis wasn’t around and waited until she left the parking lot. They even took the precaution of following her to her building.

Jeremy couldn’t stop thinking of Malanie and the satisfaction in her eyes when she’d stood up to Luis.

His phone rang, and he picked it up.

“Daddy!” Alanie sang happily.

“Yes, princess?” he sang back, laughing.

“I got an A in my math class. Yeah….”

He was a little suspicious, because Alanie usually made straight As. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks to mom. She said if I did better, she would get me a new iPad.”

“She did?”

“I wanted to give you the good news. I’m going to call her now. Oh, Daddy, remember I’m going to the movies with Briana! I love you! Bye.” She didn’t even wait for him to answer or say goodbye.

After a while, his phone rang again.

“She got an A. I’m so freaking proud of her,” Malanie said, all excited with a high-pitched voice. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because she got you.” He continued to laugh.

“Uh?”

“Alanie is a straight-A student.”

“But she told me she got a C on her last test and needed help.”

“Yes, she did, but once you explained it, she got it. She played you!”

She laughed. “I guess she did, but I’m still proud of her.”

“She’s a clever little girl.”

“Just like her daddy.”

“Where’s her iPad?”

“In my car. I already bought it, because I had faith in her.”

He got serious. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For making her smile, and for being you.”

Alanie came through the front door and was headed straight to her room, with her head down. Jeremy stepped in front of her. “Hey, how was the movie?”

She’d attended the movies with Briana, who’d formed a bond together before he’d crossed the line and slept with her. He didn’t want to interfere with their relationship, even though Malanie had come back, because Briana had always been kind and loving toward his daughter. She’d used to take her shopping, movies, and the salon, helping him out with women stuff. Things he didn’t understand. But that was before Malanie had come back into their life.

“I guess okay. Can I please go to my room?”

He could hear the sadness in her voice. “Sugar, what’s wrong?”

She looked up at him, her eyes glistering with tears. “Nothing,” she said as she passed by him, entering her room.

He heard her lock the door. He knocked. “Princess, talk to me.” There was no answer. “Alanie, you know we don’t lock doors in this house.” He heard her get up and unlock the door. He turned the knob. She sat on her bed with her iPad in her hand, looking at a picture of herself with her mother.

He went over and took the device out of her hands. “Talk to me. You know you can talk to me about anything.”

Her tears rolled down her beautiful, cinnamon face. “Why did mom really leave me?”

He wiped her tears. “I told you.” Jeremy sat next to her. “Where is this coming from? Your mom has been back for months now.”

“Did you tell me the truth?”

“Alanie, I will never lie to you. What happened?”

“Ms. Briana said mom didn’t love me and that’s why she abandoned me. I was a mistake. She only came back because of you.” Her lips quivered.

Jeremy could feel the anger boiling up inside of him. His ears started to burn. What kind of person would say such hurtful things to a child? “Alanie, I have never lied to you about your mother. She loves you, and that’s why she did what she did. We’ve made lots of mistakes, and we are really trying to make them right, but one thing’s for sure: we love you.” He pulled her into his arms, hugging her. “I love you.”

“But Ms. Briana—”

“Ms. Briana nothing. Do you think I would let anyone hurt you, even your mother?”

She shook her head.

He stared into her eyes. “What do you think of your mom?”

Her mouth curled into a big smile, and her eyes sparkled. “I think she’s awesome. Funny! She makes me laugh all the time.” She giggled. “She helps me with my homework. Mom goes to all my games and fights for me.” The giggle turned in to a chuckle. “Like the time she got in my coach’s face for not letting me play.” Alanie stared at him. “She calls me every day to check up on me.”

“So does that sound like a mom that doesn’t loves you?”

“No.”

“Don’t ever let anyone make you feel what you don’t want to. Your mother went through a lot. Most people don’t know, and that’s because its none of their business, only ours.”

“Can you tell me?” She looked up with those big brown eyes he loved so much.

He held her small hands and told her as much as he thought she should know. He mentioned what her mom had gone through, from her being homeless, to bad people trying to take her away, and to Malanie being sick. At the end of the story, Alanie was crying, but this time for her mother.

“She does love me….”

The next morning Jeremy stormed into Briana’s office.

“Lt. Combs,” he said as she looked up at him. “From this day forward, keep away from my daughter.”

Briana, looked up turning red as a tomato. “Why?”

“You have no right telling Alanie, her mother doesn’t love her.” He tried really hard to control his anger, but Alanie was his world and when she hurt, watch out to the person who’d caused it.

“It just slipped out. I didn’t mean to tell her.”

“You didn’t mean to break a little girl’s heart!” he yelled.

“She was praising her, and I snapped. I tried to take it back but it was too late. The words had left my mouth.”

“Why shouldn’t she praise her mom? She’s an amazing woman who overcame so much.”

“She abandoned her!”

“You don’t know half the story.”

“I’m the one that was there for you and her.”

“Briana, we have always been just friends, and I’m very thankful for your help with Alanie, but you still didn’t have the right to tell her all those lies. You are not her mother. Malanie is.”

“Now you’re pushing me away because she’s back.”

“I’m not pushing you away. We are still friends. Just please stay away from Alanie.”

“But I love her and you. I’m in love with you,” she said amid unshed tears.

There it is. She finally admitted it to me
. “If I knew that’s how you felt, I would’ve told you a long time ago that it would never be. Even if Malanie weren’t back, we could’ve never been. We are not compatible.” He could see the hurt in her eyes. Her lips got thinner.

“But you’re compatible with her? He didn’t answer. “So what now?”

“We’re just friends. Nothing more.” He turned and left.

When Malanie opened her door, she took Jeremy’s breath away. “Wow, you look gorgeous,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Malanie wore an elegant, long black halter top silky gown with high black sandals. He was amazed at how beautiful she looked. He’d never seen her hair straightened. The diamond studs and her tennis bracelet sparkled on her mocha skin. “Lanie, you’re beautiful.”

She smiled. “You’re just being nice. I know I need to lose some weight.” She rubbed her thighs and ass.

“I love your curves just the way they are.” He stepped into her home, making sure he rubbed against her ass, and whispered in her ear. “You look amazing.”

She blushed. “You look great. You get more handsome with time. And this uniform? Mmmm.”

He smiled, kissing her on her cheek. “You ready?”

“Yes.”

They arrived at the Hilton Hotel. He helped her out of the car and they walked hand in hand to the ballroom.

Everybody seemed to stop and look at them.

Derrick and Stefanie strolled over toward them. “Malanie, you look beautiful!” Stefanie said, giving her a hug.

“You look gorgeous, yourself.” Stefanie wore a red strapless dress, making her caramel skin look flawless.

“Jeremy told me you had a baby boy.”

Stefanie dug into her clutch and took out a picture. “Here he is. His name is Eric.”

Malanie looked at the picture. He was beautiful, a mixture of both his parents. “Gorgeous.” She handed back the picture.

“I can’t believe you brought a picture with you,” Derrick said, laughing.

“She’s proud of her baby.” Jeremy chuckled.

“Let’s dance.” Derrick placed his hands on his wife’s back, guiding her to the dance floor.

“See you guys later.” Stefanie waved.

“They’re crazy, but I love them,” Jeremy said. He grabbed Malanie’s hand and walked over to his designated table. He pulled out her chair for her, then introduced her to his colleagues and friends.

They sat through the ceremony and ate dinner. Malanie didn’t say much. She felt out of place, but Jeremy was smiling, having fun, and that was all that mattered.

The music started playing again. Jeremy got up, took Malanie’s hand, and she stood. They started walking toward the dance floor.

They were nearly to the parquet when Briana and a gentleman approached them. She was looking stunning, even in her dress white uniform. Her black hair was up, in a military style, but her makeup was flawless.

“Good evening,” she said, gazing at Jeremy, ignoring Malanie.

“Good evening, Lieutenant Combs.” He squeezed Malanie’s hand.

“So it’s like that now.” She gave her a dirty look.

“I’m just being professional.”

She looked down at Malanie and rolled her eyes. “Mark this is my colleague Lieutenant Wood, and his baby mama.”

Malanie could tell Jeremy was getting angry by the way his jaw clenched. Mark extended his arm and shook Jeremy’s hand.

“Nice to meet you.” And he turned to Malanie.

“Hi, Mark, I’m Malanie. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled wide, showing her pearly whites.

“The pleasure is all mine.” He kissed her hand.

Jeremy wrapped his arms around her waist in a possessive way. “I hope you guys have a good evening.” They walked out to the dance floor.

He put his hands around her waist, feeling her bare skin, making sure to caress her with his fingers.

She placed her hands around his neck and gazed at him. “She’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear, giving her goose bumps. “Are you cold?”

She whispered back. “No….”

She was surprised by the way he danced. When he was a teenager, he’d had two left feet. Now, he moved flawlessly.

“When did you learn how to dance?”

He gave her a deep chuckle. “Alanie had a father-daughter dance at her school, and I didn’t want to embarrass her, so I took lessons.”

“They paid off.”

He lowered his head and inhaled her fragrance. “You smell so good.” He nibbled on her ear, making sure he did it discreetly, making her blush.

Her body started to tingle with arousal at just that little gesture.

“Are you having a good time?”

She smiled, feeling silly. “I’m trying. I’m just not military-savvy.”

“What do you want to know?”

She felt the medals on his chest. “What do they mean?”

He grabbed her hand, and pointed. “This one is the National Defense medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal…this one is Navy and Marine Corps Achievement, Navy Expeditionary, Navy Expert Rifleman….” He had nineteen medals on his chest and he explained each one. “I got some while I was an enlisted.”

“But you’re an officer now….”