Reunited 1y3o26

REUNITED

Cheree Murray

Copyright © 2012 by Cheree Murray.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012916534

ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-4797-1259-5

Softcover 978-1-4797-1258-8

Ebook 978-1-4797-1260-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 1

SHE WAKES UP to the birds singing sweet nothings in her ears. She looks over to see the bold red numbers flashing in her face. 6:30am—she closed her eyes just thinking of how to avoid the whole interaction of this family reunion. Deanna Wright—some would call her independent, and other would call her confuse little girl. She loves to be love and who can deny that? She turn over to see her four year old ball off energy running from head to foot, as he looks over to see her awaken. “Oops sorry mommy” He said, while running out of the room and up the hallway. A single mother—she has always been proud that she didn’t need anyone to help but deep down she longed for it and more. She sits up to see the flier that’s hanging off the end of the table. Come us on this Saturday. The Wright’s and the Smith’s Family Reunion— she puts the paper back while rolling her eyes. “Giovanni” she calls out, while he runs from room to room. “Huh” he said. “Go into your room and put on your clothes.” Athens’s GA is about an hour and a half from Atlanta GA but that’s not counting staying undetected from the bounties on that side of the road and trucks on the two lane streets. When they arrive at the Classic Center she looks back to see Giovanni asleep. I don’t want to do this—saying to herself, she though it would have been better if she just stay at home. She knows her mother wouldn’t let her live that down. As she walks in, there are tables set all over and a buffet table off to the back and family everywhere you look. Her mother Linda is standing right next to her sister Olivia—Deanna walks over and put Giovanni in a chair. “Took you long enough” Linda said. “Sorry mama just trying to get Giovanni ready”

Deanna sits down looking at her sister with a Yeah right look on her face. She turns and everywhere she looked people are yelling, but they call it talking, country people conversation is loud. Loud like standing next to a train that’s ing and you raise your voice so the next person can hear you. Too loud for her, to her the country had nothing on the city and she wanted to keep it that way. Uncle Mal stands with his shirt unbutton just to show you that he still works out, just because he’s almost 58 don’t mean the ex-body builder still don’t work out. He stands in the middle of the room. “Okay excuse me” He said While rubbing his bald chocolate head, and making sure the glass that draped his nose are on his face correctly. “The first thing we’re going to ask the family or friends to introduce themselves.” He stands off to the side and one of my third or fourth cousins gets up with her new born. “This is Roxanna Angel Tiffany Smith” “Oh no the hell she didn’t name that baby that, ghetto ass little girl” Linda said Deanna looks over to her mother and smile, Linda would rarely cuss or say anything harming unless you get her mad and only then you would see another side of that holy sanctified woman. The cousin continued “I had my baby almost two weeks ago and it was a horrifying experience, the shot didn’t work and I felt everything. My baby daddy wasn’t there until the last min . . . .” Before she could finish Uncle Mal walks up to her and pull the microphone way, he motion for her to sit down. “This isn’t the confession of my ghetto birth, sit down somewhere.” People laugh while she took her sit. There is the tall man with this dark blue polo shirt on with black plants and Air Forces on his feet. He slowly turns for Deanna to see his face, is this true can it be him after all this time.

Her old love from another life time, well a younger life time. She felt every old feeling she stuffed in the back of mind, the feelings start to flood her brain. Johnny Sander was her love and he loved her so. He founder her one day after she left from school. He saw her walking on Glenwood, stop working under a Ford Explore and cough up with her. He had oil on his hands and a little on his face. He runs up to her while putting his nasty hand rag in his back pocket. “Excuse me” he said She turned with a look of “What you want” on her face, he stopped in front of her and smiled with a school boy grin on his face. He leaned over to touch her hand and she pulled back and looked him up and down. “Yes” she said “You don’t have to be mean, I just wanted to stop you and say hi” “You did, now are you done”, she goes and turned to walk away, he stepped back in front of her. “Can I call you sometimes?” Deanna slams her hand down on her leg just to let him know that she’s frustrated. She never wanted to talk to another boy again, because the last on promise to be there and didn’t. All she could hear in her ears is her mother voice saying “Leave them boys alone” “You don’t know me; you don’t even know how old I am.” “What you about twenty something right”

Well she had look a little older at the time because her dress was little above her knees and her hair was straighten all down her back so how could he know that she was almost 18 but still not quite yet. She turn and smile, just the thought of her looking a little older made him a little cute to her. He walked away with a smile and just can’t believe that he already felt something for her, he turned just to watch her walk away. That small frame with

a booty that shouldn’t be on a girl under 21! The rich caramel skin that wrap all the way down to her pretty pink toe nails. That day he thought the girl he was watching walking away from him, will be in his life forever. They started meeting up in the park and laying on the grass. Johnny wouldn’t let her go and just the thought of her brought him to his knees. The things they did together weren’t sexual but mental, so mental he forgot that she was 17 years old. He brought her to his house as he watched her look around and he stood there with a smile. She stopped and looked over to him smiling ones again and she walked up to him and kissed him. Every morning he would meet her and drive her to school, but he stayed away from her house. Knowing just two weeks before she told him that her daddy is a cop or so shall I say a sheriff in Dekalb County. He knew if her daddy found out about them he would get locked up and they would be over, Johnny looked over his shoulder every chance he got. Not this day, he was too wrapped up in Deanna’s laugh and he didn’t even notice that there is a cop car on the corner when they got out his car. Johnny goes to kiss her and not just a peck, one of them kisses, at just the site of it makes you wonder where her parents are. She felt that heat before from him one night, the night that she lost her Virginity. The one thing she would hear is her mother in her ear, “You give it away you can’t get it back” but at that moment giving it away wasn’t the hard part. She gave it to him because in her mind he was the one, the one that she didn’t want to leave. The one that gave her the confidence to be her and do everything that moves her as a person, but little did they know that something was cooking up on the other side of town. Her daddy just found out from one of his close friend that his little girl was in Glenwood sobbing this older guy down. Her daddy couldn’t take the news, he couldn’t help but to think he’s taking advantage of his little naive daughter. So that night he was going to let her out and she was going to lead him right to Johnny. Like clockwork she left and walked to meet him and she never thought to even check to see if there where anyone behind her, nothing was going to get in the way with her seeing the man she started to fall in love with. Deanna saw Johnny standing out beside his gray Impala with a black strip down the middle and she lights up and she kissed him when he walked up on her. He lifted her off the ground and spins her around and they go get into the car. Not even two blocks up the street they see lights in the review mirror. Johnny looked at Deanna while she looked like she’s just took a shit on herself. There were three cop cars behind them all lit up and they knew something wasn’t right. “Lets run” she said, he knew running wasn’t a good

ideal, not with cops who has guns and him with the sheriff underage daughter in tow. It wouldn’t have ended well for him. He looked over to her and shakes his head, while her daddy and his friends get out the car with guns in hand. Like he was a serial killer and his daughter was next on the list. “Get the fuck out the car” the cop said, they slowly get out the car and Deanna’s daddy walked up on her and grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. Johnny looked over as he gets ready to move one cop walked up on him and pushed him on the car. He started to struggle with the cop and then another came and then two more. You could hear Deanna in the back ground crying and telling Johnny that’s she okay just stop its okay. Johnny knew if they take him, he’s going to jail and he will not be here for Deanna. Just the thought of losing her, he felt getting shot didn’t sound so bad. He relaxes and they put him and hand cuffs and as they was walking to the car Deanna pulled away from her father and hugged Johnny. She kissed him before her father grabbed her again; he got in the back of the car with the smell of her on his lips and her perfume on his body. All he could do now is smell her and he felt like crying but he didn’t want her daddy to see him like that, so like the man he was, he pulled all that emotion back and locked it up. They walked him in and put him in a room. He looked around and back at himself, there was nothing but a two way mirror and every small walls. Deanna’s daddy walked in the room, he sits down at the other end of the table. He first looked at him like he just brought in a big score, he sat back and sized up Johnny and maybe even wondered what was on Johnny’s mine. “I’m Teddy Wright, but you should know that by now” he said, Johnny didn’t say anything but looked into his eyes. Teddy continued on his rampage. “What are you doing with a 17 year old girl Mr. Sander?” “I love her.” “Wrong answer. You are 25 and all you have to say is you love her. You know I can put you in jail for talking to a minor?” “Yes, but I would have done anything to be with her. You can do anything you

want with me if I can’t see her again, I don’t care.” Teddy slammed his hand on the table and after Johnny turns his head away from him. Teddy wanted to kill him for even thinking about his daughter, but he need to know one thing. “Did you sleep with my daughter?” Johnny looked away again just thinking about the first time that they has sex, when he brought her to his house and he stood and looked at her like she was just too good for him. He couldn’t believe his eyes when she kissed him and when he picked her up and rested her back against the wall. Just the thought of it brought a smile to his face. Teddy saw him smiling and hit Johnny across the face. One of the officers busted threw the doors and pulled Teddy off Johnny, while Johnny spits the blood out of his mouth. “I want a lawyer” Johnny said. The officer sits him back up and they book him and put him in Jail. Deanna couldn’t understand why her father hated a man he never met before, like if he would stopped and just talked to him. Her father would feel much better about her being with a man like him, only if he knew how much they meant to each other. None of this would be going on. She was in love and her father ripped them apart, she vowed to never forgive him for that. Johnny got 10 months in Jail and she got shipped off to Athens.

Chapter 2

AFTER INTRODUCING HIMSELF to the room as Ebony’s boyfriend, Deanna knows that she and Ebony don’t get along. Still she stands to greet him, before she moved her feet felt like cement like her legs resided a permanent place in the ground. She stops behind the chair where he sits, as she stopped to breath. He turns and smiles that same smile she re from just five years back. He emerged from his sit as he stands up, everybody else disappears. All the time she imagined this day, he didn’t disappoint her. “Deanna” he said while taking his hand and meeting it with hers, he put his head against hers and out of nowhere they share a kiss. “What the fuck” Ebony said, while walking up behind them. With one hand on her hip and the other in the air and fire coming out of her mouth and ears. The moment was shattered. Ebony always thought she was a bad ass but no more than 5’2, and she starts to slam her hand down one more time to make sure the attention was on her and only her. “I said what the fuck” she continues, while Johnny puts up his hand.

“You need to lower your voice. I’m sorry” he looks at Deanna ones again and held her hand even tighter while Ebony is busting at the seams. “This is my love I’ve been telling you about.” he continues, “I’ve been waiting for a long time for her to show up and now that she has, I’m not going to let you take this moment from me Ebony.” “Fuck that bitch” Ebony said Ebony jumps up at Deanna, Deanna pushes her finger in Ebony’s face, while walking up on her. “Don’t play yourself girlie” Deanna said

Johnny pulls Deanna back to him while Ebony stands on the other side with her month open. Shocked at the fact that she may have just lost her man to her cousin, and not just any cousin but the one she been disliking for most of her life. “How could you kiss her? Wait, so you saying I’m not your girl anymore?” Johnny looks at Deanna and then back at Ebony, Johnny was too caught up to say anything. All he could do is look while Ebony starts to cry for his attention. “Ebony don’t do this to yourself. I’m in love with her and have always been, if I have a chance with her. I’m going to take it and there’s nothing you can say to stop me.” She gets in his face and wipes the tears from her eyes and pushes him. “Fuck you and her if you’re going to do me like that. Why John? You told me you loved me.” “No I told you I could love you. You hear what you want to hear. Now I see the real you.” As Johnny finish and Ebony rushed Johnny and pushes him into Deanna. Deanna grunts and pushes Ebony into the chairs that are directly behind her. Deanna mother walks up and grabs Ebony.

“Yall need to stop this and chill out. She didn’t know you were going to leave her.” Linda said Linda stood there for a minutes chewing Johnny’s ass up before handing it to him. Linda helps Ebony up and goes to sit down and Ebony walks away while Johnny looks at Deanna. “Your mother still doesn’t like me.” She laughs while shaking her head at him, she looks over to see Giovanni walking her way. Nadia turn back to Johnny and smile.

“What?” he said “There is something you need to know .” “Us” Giovanni stopped at her leg and smiles and run back, Johnny watches him all the way back to her mama. He sat back and looks at Deanna and she looks away thinking of how he would take this information. Not knowing he had a child all these year. He couldn’t pull it back, a tear came down his face and Deanna smiles. “So you saying I’m a father” while another tear falls from his face. She shakes her head and calls Giovanni back over; he runs up and smiles at them. “Yes mama, I want to go with nana” “I want you to say hi to someone” Deanna points at Johnny and he smile and give him a hug. “Hi little man, I know you don’t know me but I’m your daddy” Giovanni smiles “My daddy” he looks at Deanna and shakes Johnny hand and then runs back to his nana. Johnny looks at Deanna and rubs his hand over his face. “I can’t believe you got me crying like a little bitch, when did you find out?” “A couple months after I was shipped off, his name is Giovanni Johnny Wright.” Johnny sits back and kisses her ones more. “You gave him my name, wow mama that was sweet of you.” Out of nowhere there is Ebony running up to Deanna chanting “That should have been me, damn you bitch that should have been me” She pushes her from the side and she falls like a sack of potatoes, as she went down she hits her head on the sharpest end of the table. As she sat on the floor and holds her head, all she sees is her sister is running her and start hitting Ebony like she was a boxer. Four quick blows are made two to the body and then two to the face. Linda pulls Olivia off Ebony and starts to shake her.

“What is your problem? Don’t do that” “Mama really, I know you don’t like Johnny but that has nothing to do with her hitting my sister.” Olivia walks up to me while Johnny helps me into a chair, she looks at her head. “You will be alright just sit down for awhile” She kisses her on her head and while Olivia walks off she looks at Ebony and said. “You on the other hand will not be okay if you touch my sister like that again” Deanna sat back and look off thinking about the way she felt when her father shipped her off to live with her Aunt Beth in Athens GA, the very place that she didn’t want to go but now she’s there to stay. Her Aunt Beth has a ranch style 3 bedroom and two bathroom home with no kids of her own, Aunt Beth wasn’t the one to play with she meant everything she said and nothing more. She had her moments when she wanted Deanna to brush her hair and talk to her about her day and the thing to come. As soon as Deanna came to stay at Aunt Beth’s house, she demanded that she find herself a job. “Everybody that lives with me has a job, no job no food.” Beth said While she walked out of the corner room, Deanna sat back and rolled her eyes, “happy graduation to me” she thought to herself while looking around the room. She pulled out her laptop and went to work on finding a job, which she found two days later at SunTrust Bank as a teller. She worked every day that was giving to her and she saved and saved. Almost four months on the job she did feel like herself, she found herself in the bathroom every 20 minutes and her stomach was hurting. Every morning she is throwing up and her Aunt walked into her room when Deanna walked back into the room. Deanna looked up to see her Aunt sitting on her bed, she smiled and lay down. “Today you need to call out sick, I’m going out to take care something’s and on my back I’m going to the drug store and get you a test.” She gets up and walked away and Deanna did everything she told her to do. She came back and knocked on her headboard and sat the bag next to her, she close

the door and walked away. Deanna took the test and put it on the window seal and goes back to her bed, 5 minutes later her Auntie handed her the phone and told her to call her mother and tell her you’re pregnant. Thought of taking care of a child by herself wasn’t the first thing she thought about, but how Johnny would feel not being there when she have their baby. To her amazement Linda was very cool with the whole thing and told Deanna if she wanted to come home she could. She waited a couple weeks and transferred to Decatur GA, she got on Greyhound and didn’t look back. When she arrived her sister was standing there waiting on her, Olivia stood there for a minute hugging her. Linda and Gary were divorcing at the time but they have been separated right before he became Sheriff, and it didn’t mean that much to Deanna because her father was still always around. He was standing outside when they pulled up to the house, she saw his face and rolled her eyes and looked at her sister. He walked up to her and shook his head and looked at Olivia and waved. “Look at you! What you going to do with a baby at the age of 18” he said while keeping his distance. “Daddy don’t worry about it, I’m going to take care of myself and the child, I never asked you for anything when I left and I don’t need anything now” she said while folding her hand over her chest. “You sure you want to keep it” Deanna felt her heart fall to her stomach at that thought, so she walked off and he stood there with his cop look on his face wanting to say more then he just did. Two months before she had her little bundle of joy she goes and buys herself an apartment. Right on Snapfinger Woods, Crestview Apartment, she was so proud of herself. She had her car she bought from an auction so to her everything was good and nothing could get her down.

Chapter 3

JOHNNY SAT DOWN next to her and rubs her hair back and she looks over to see Ebony while his face changes, Deanna smiles and look at her arm. Deanna starts out her chair and Johnny grabs her hand. “Don’t baby, just let it go” “I’m not going to do anything”

He kisses her hand and she walks over to Ebony, as she walks closer to her Deanna is telling herself not to go overboard. “What the fuck are you thinking about?” “Bitch I don’t have to explain myself to you.” She steps back trying to let all the bullshit fall off her but just looking at Ebony pisses her off. “You know what bitch; you have been working on my last nerves since you open your mouth the first time. That had better be the last Bitch you call me” Deanna stood there with her finger in her face and Ebony is pent in the corner. Deanna felt the drama coming towards her way, the twins get up and walk over to them. Ebony’s two sisters have always been there for their younger sister, because most of the time Ebony couldn’t keep her foot out her mouth. So they had to be around so she wouldn’t get her ass whooped. Yolanda and Towanda, two hot messes of the family but they can’t help that their grandmother raise them the old fashion way. Yolanda have a strand of hair and she puts that into a ponytail with the biggest hair bow she could find, Towanda have this black eye or it looks like a black eye because when she was younger she busted a vessel under her eye. She just never looked the same, they are walking over her like they are gangsters about to settle a score. She looks back to see her sister sitting

with Shaunda, her ghetto ass cousin who has a cheerleader mentality but looks like linebacker and rough around the edges. They get up and the fun, Shaunda walks up to Yolanda and put her finger in her face. Deanna standing there with a leash trying to hold back her untrained dog, she looks at Ebony sisters. “What’s up?” “Yeah bitches, what it do?” Shaunda said while rubbing her hands together. Deanna looks at her like she needs to chill and then looks back at Ebony. “Bitch that’s my man” Ebony said while stepping up to Deanna. They start to laugh just to put salt on the wound, “bitch” came out Ebony’s mouth and Deanna rushes her right into the wall. They noses met and the other girls never move. They stood there for a minute while Deanna tries to contain herself but feeling like she wants to explode. “Get off me” Ebony said while trying to move. “I though you wanted me to fuck you” She smiles while pushing up on her again. “Get off me” “Oh. I guess I heard you wrong. What I did hear is you calling me a bitch, call me out my name again. It will be my fist that hits you next time.” Before she respond Uncle Mal walks up behind us. They turn and smile while he approaches, trying to look like cute little girls just standing around talking. Even though they are all in their 20’s, with Deanna being the next to the youngest at 23 and Shaunda being a year younger than her. They were the closest Deanna just loved her, when Deanna had arrived to Athens she was the first one there, and the last on to see her off. They hung out on the weekends and Shaunda would even come pick her up when she got off work. She was what she was and Deanna loved her for that, Uncle Mal is standing behind them like he is the warden and they are his prisoners. Even though Deanna felt like a prisoner when

she sees the sign for Clarke County, all because her father couldn’t handle her having a boyfriend that was older then her. “Why every time something is going on you 2 or the 5 of you are somewhere around” Uncle Mal said while putting his hands in his pocket and no one saying a word they were just looking at him with his hands deep into his pockets. “What’s going on” He said firmly “It’s always something with you uncle Mal, why can’t we just be talking, what’s up with you.” Uncle Mal looks at Shaunda and shakes his head and walks off, we turn back to our places. “I’m going to sit down and if you want to talk like family we will be over at the table” “Or we could just beat that ass” Deanna looks over to Shaunda and shakes her head while pulling her off with them. As we sat down Ebony and the ugly twins never came to her table, they just sat at there’s and starts to eat. Deanna felt her head thumping so she rests her head in her hands. “Are you okay babe?” Johnny said “Yes” She walks Giovanni over to her mother who’s sitting in a circle with her sisters. Looking at her like it’s her judgment day, like she just walked in front of her maker. “You still starting shit over there” Deanna thought it would be easier if she just keep her mouth close, so she smile and look at all 6 of them while they make noises while she walks off back to the table. She feels like she just got away with murder, the way they had their noises all in the air judging her every step. Johnny and her walk outside to sit on the sidewalk, so the on looker’s wouldn’t fuck up there moment to reconnect.

“I never thought I would see you again and not like this anyways.” Deanna said He smiles and takes her hand while looking over his shoulder. “It doesn’t matter how we met up again as long as we did” They stood with hands locked with one another as they kiss, there was that heat again. Taking its normal place all over her body. Whispering “damn” threw her bones, but two steps back she had to be. She knew that she couldn’t succumb to her feelings, she had something else to tell Johnny at that moment but before she got a chance to, Ebony and her sister are at the window Deanna turns while Ebony flips her off. Deanna starts at Ebony’s way and Johnny grabs her and he walks over instead. Johnny follows them back into the building and Deanna walks over to her sister and Shaunda, they watch from a distance. “What is your problem” he said while looking at her like she was some dude in the yard. “You, you are my problem” Ebony semi pushes Johnny deep in his six pack area just to feel him up one last time. “Look here you need to chill” Johnny says while pushing her hands off of him. “This is a nice family reunion and you’re trying to get me to act ugly, I’m not trying to go there Ebony. Just chill” “I know I should have never met you, I regret the day I brought you home with me” Johnny steps up to her a little bit more trying to keep his voice down. “You’re making it hard for me and Deanna and our son to reconnect” “You, her and your bustard son or yours can reconnect by kissing my ass” As soon as that shit left her mouth her head hit the wall and her feet left the ground, Johnny is in fighter mode with his forearm imbedded in her neck. The

twins looking like he had a gun in his hands, like there was nothing they could do. Deanna eyes open a little more it was shocking to see this side of him, just like he’s back in lock up and fighting for his commissary. Deanna puts her hand on his arm while he turns with this awful look on his face. She smiles as his face starts to change as she looks back at the girls as Johnny falls back behind them. Ebony is on the ground catching her breath as she stand up and put her back against the wall. “Can’t breathe” Deanna said As Deanna’s smile gets bigger just looking at Ebony in pain made Deanna a little satisfied about the bump on her head. “I’m so tired of looking at you” Ebony said while letting go of her neck. “Let’s get this over with. They love one another, so why don’t you fuck off somewhere with the ugly twins over here.” Shaunda running her mouth and pointing her finger in they faces daring one of them to leap frog. “Why you always have something to say. Your mouth match your body, big and nasty” Shaunda walks up on Yolanda while touching her hair to make sure it’s still in a ponytail, that she put it in moments before walking up. “Look here you no hair having ass bitch, you haven’t seen me yet. I will shut this whole shit down, you and Ebony will be gasping for air when I’m done” Shaunda said Shaunda is making faces as she talks and more hand movements the ever and Deanna couldn’t help but to laugh. Yolanda steps back and look at Shaunda because as sweet as she may be at times Shaunda is a beast when she fights. “This confrontation is over, I’m not stepping to you anymore, this shit is done. If you want me I will be with my family” Deanna walks off with a smile on her face.

Chapter 4

AS DEANNA SET at the table Olivia got ready to go. Olivia lives in Boston Mass and has been there for about 5 years now and now she starts her rotation in a local hospital up there. Doctor Olivia Wright. Olivia couldn’t stop saying that for a week straight when she walked across that stage to get her overly sized diploma, and in her ugly velvet green and red and don’t forget black robe. She has to catch her plane so Deanna and Linda walk her out to the car she rented to get here from Atlanta. As Olivia drives off Shaunda walks up to Deanna. “I heard Ebony on the phone telling this guy how to get here.” Shaunda is looking back and forth while Deanna puts her hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about that girl, if something happens we will be there. But for now just enjoy your family” She smile and they walk back in and she sat next to Johnny and Giovanni, Deanna lays her head down on Johnny shoulder. He rubs her hair back and sings her his favorite song in her ear. Luther Vandross “So Amazing” She smiles even harder as he finishes the first verse. He rubs her arm and rubs his hand all down her back, all Deanna could think about is how he smells like he just got out the shower. A very ionate moment for them both and they couldn’t wait to have more. Johnny see the two guys walking over to Ebony’s table and how one of the guys turns his way and nods at him, before Deanna could even say anything Johnny looks at her and then back at them. Shaunda gets out her sit and walks over to them. “He’s pointing at you Johnny.” Deanna said while Johnny’s dimenre change. “Damn” Johnny said while getting up.

Deanna couldn’t let him go over there, not like this. “No baby if you go over there you will get into a fight. Let me handle it” Shaunda is next to Deanna shaking her head like lets go. “Y’all standing here talking like y’all don’t want to handle this shit. Hell! I will” Shaunda walks off talking shit along the way, Deanna caught up with her calling her a shit starter and they stop in front of the guys. There is a high yellow one and the other one has nasty balled up hair all over his face and head. Light bright starts to smile at them so Shaunda smiles back. “What you smiling at” Light bright said while looking at Shaunda. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out, is what yall laughing at” He looks over to his friend and then back at them. “I called for Ebony’s so called man” Deanna looks at Shaunda and start smiling. “That’s where you’re wrong sweetheart, that’s my man now” “Man nobody gives a fuck about that shit, tell him to get his punk ass over here. You two bitches are wasting my time” Deanna stood back and looks him up and down like she’s bigger than him like she could beat his ass or something. “The only bitch I see is the two running their fucking mouths” Deanna looks at them with a “What you going to do” Look on her face, Light bright face starts to change and he raises his hand in the air. Right when he brings his hand down Johnny caught it. Light bright pulls his hand back. As soon as he pulls his hand back Johnny pops him dead in the mouth, you could hear the echo all over the building. Every eye in the room is now on them, the people stood there in awe. Like it was a car accident on the side of the road and they just were trying to figure out who hit who. Nappy grabs Johnny from behind, he

put his arm around his neck. Before he could get a good grip on Johnny, Shaunda hit him dead in his temple to where it left him on the floor in the fetal position. Light bright starts to stumbles on his feet and grabs Johnny and they hit the wall, as light bright hits Johnny in his face Shaunda tapes him on his shoulder. She goes up under his arm and she punches him in his chin, his mouth overflows with blood. He stops and holds his mouth while Shaunda helps Johnny up and Johnny starts to hit light bright all over his body, anywhere there is an open spot. Nadia stood off to the side, fight women was one thing but being a size 5. She knew she might have wanted to stay out of this one, just until someone confronts her. Uncle Mal walks up and pulls Johnny off light bright who’s now in the floor holding his face, and Nappy is still in a baby mode on the floor he just mostly gave up. “What is the matter with you people? This is a family reunion and yall acting like wild animals, this isn’t a zoo. No sorry, animals in the zoo act better than this.” Uncle Mal gets even madder when Deanna walks up front. “We are so sorry to mess up everything that’s going, there was just a little misunderstanding. This is going to end right now, we are so sorry.” Deanna stood there pleading with her Uncle just so he wouldn’t be mad at them. “It better be over. If you’re not family, you better take this fighting somewhere else. Can yall understand that?” They politely nod and Uncle Mal walks off huffing and puffing like a steam train starting up, light bright walks up to Nadia. “This is some bullshit, so I’m out” He looks back at Johnny and said “You will see me again”. He said that while pointing in Johnny’s face. “OK, I’ll be waiting.” Ebony left about ten minutes after the ugly twins left with the boys, Johnny is sitting down holding Giovanni while he sleeps. Deanna goes and walks Shaunda out as she stands there her mother walks up behind her. As she turns and jump,

when she saw it’s her mother, she rolls her eyes.

“Really. After all that fighting yall was doing today, now you want to act scared.” “That’s what happens when you walk up on people. They tend to jump because it’s unexpected. How can I help you?” “I need a ride and it’s you.” Linda smile while walking away and Deanna stood there with her mouth open thinking about the intrusion that her mouth just did. She walks off and goes back to Johnny and Giovanni, and Linda grabs Giovanni and they walk off to the car while Deanna looks at Johnny shaking her head. “I’m ready to go, so come on I’m tried.” Linda said while walking out Johnny grabs Deanna’s hand and stands up and they walk out to her car. “I drove down here two so I will just follow you. Can I come by so I can be there when he goes to sleep?” Yes, fell off her lips all she ever wanted is for Giovanni to have his real father in his life. And Johnny showing up now may not have the perfect time but she knows it’s the best for Giovanni, they get about 5 miles away from the center and Linda looks over to Deanna with a confused look on her face. “So what are you going to do?” “I really don’t know but we are a family, so what else could I do” Linda starts to get mad and Deanna starts to make a sound knowing her mother would just let it go and enjoy the drive. “So you just going let Aaron go just like that.” Deanna loved the sound of his name. “I don’t know mama, only time will tell”

“It’s not like you can be with both, I didn’t raise you like that.” “I’m not saying that” Deanna stop talking and turns on the radio and tune her mother out. Aaron is Deanna boyfriend her big untold secret to Johnny, they have been together for about two years. Deanna couldn’t shut her mother up, she kept on until she got in front of her house, and right when she got out the car Deanna shakes her head and pulls off and headed to her house as fast as she could get there. Johnny walks over to Deanna’s car to help carry Giovanni in, as they get into her apartment Johnny lays Giovanni down and changes his clothes. He shuts the door and walks up behind Deanna and kisses her shoulder, while Aaron runs through her mind. She turns and looks at Johnny feeling bad about everything that happen today, she walks him to the sofa and sits down next to him. Johnny could tell that something wasn’t right, so he touches her face and she smiles at him. “I have a boyfriend.” Deanna said it and looks into his eyes for his reaction, but he didn’t have to much of one. Johnny knew there had to be someone, because she’s too beautiful to be left alone and no one tries her. He looks over to see her legs all shining and soft looking, he caught himself and he smile and said okay but Deanna knew there had to be more to it. “I can’t get mad baby, but I need you back in my life” Johnny is taking another look over to her chest that’s sitting a little out her shirt. “I know I have to talk to Aaron and tell him how I feel.” He stood up and starts to pace the floor and looks back at Deanna, he’s trying to keep himself calm. “He’s not going to have it.” Johnny said while looking down at Deanna sweet face. That same face he used to kiss every day and the same face he saw hurt the day he left.

“I don’t like the fact of you talking to this man about leaving him. I don’t trust shit like that Deanna.” “He wouldn’t do anything to me, he is harmless to women” He starts to shake his head and walks to the door and they stood there looking at one another. “Can I come see him in morning?” Deanna smiles and said yes as Johnny smiles at his old love and lover. He couldn’t help but to wonder if her feelings are still the same for him, he kisses her on her cheek and walks away off into the night.

Chapter 5

HOW COULD SHE feel the same for someone she hasn’t seen in almost 5 years, she talks to herself trying to figure out what’s going on and how could she fix the shit storm that’s heading her way. As she sits on the end of her bed looking at the floor, the phone ring and his name once again made her smile within. But not answering it is what she did, she couldn’t handle talking about this again. Just not at this moment, so she turned off the ringer, but couldn’t get Aaron off her mind, no matter how many times she turns in her bed she couldn’t shake the thought of the man she fell in love with. Aaron Blackman is one of the sexiest men she ever met, she thought he looked just like Slim Thug the rapper, from his tattoo’s to his light ass body that wouldn’t normally turn her on but he was unforgettable, and he knew that he had her. From the waves that swirled in his head, to his 6’6 statue. She found him or more likely he found her. She just had moved into her apartment and her sister took her out to a movies to see Saw 5, a movie that she wouldn’t go see on her own or at all. There were rolls of people from side to side and up and down, waiting to look at the movies she thought was so uncalled for. While the movie was going Deanna had her hands in front of her face most of the time. While her sister tries to pull her hand down back to her side where they belong, they quietly go back and forward about her not wanting to see the movie in the first place. Before the end of the movie she walked out and stood off to the side by the bathroom, as she stood there in her bodysuit and her 5 inch pink heels, talking to herself about how silly she felt holding her hands in front of her face and trying to forget everything she saw in the crazy movie. There he comes out the movie looked dead in her face and he smiles while she looked around to see was there someone else around her that he was smiling at. All she smells is Curve all in her noise, just the smell alone took her off her feet right off into the clouds as she floated back down to reality she couldn’t help but to smile, her smile was short lived. Ever since Johnny and having had a child she knew she wasn’t trying to hear anything a man had to say. She had written off men and all the drama that most of them had, so she thought but never really knowing one

long enough to even know. Her guard went up and so did her arms, folded right over her chest and two steps back she went with a frown drawn across her face. “Hey” he said while straighten his hat on his head. “Yes” She looked off then back at him, just to show him that she does not want to hear what he has to say. “I saw you ma with your hands over your face” You could hear the New York slipped out his mouth and into her ears. His eyes never left her face. “I don’t like movies like that” She felt herself drawing into his charming ways, from his talk to his clean domineer. He grabbed her and pulled her closer as she smiled. “What’s up with that frown on your face? You too pretty for that” She couldn’t help but to trail his tall nicely build body all the way to the New York fitted on in his head. While he talked and the movie let out and Olivia walked ed her and into the bathroom. Deanna looked at her and smiled as Olivia made a face. “That’s my sister” He turned and looked at his boys and they nodded at each other. He kisses her on the hand and told her something sweet in French; he wasn’t shy to the language being that he was in for a year. “Wow really” She smiled while feeling something she thought she locked up a long time ago, he smiled while he put his hand on her face. “I hope you know I’m feeling you girl.” Of course she knew it, she felt it with every word that came out his mouth. So of

course she had to give him her number before they parted ways, he walked off and she s her sister. After that day they never left each other side, no matter how small it was, she was by his side, even just to go shopping at the nearest Wal-Mart. He wanted her help, picking out nick knacks for his house, he was there for her when she was running late to pick up Giovanni. He knew she is a proud woman but she was also struggling with money and all the things she had to buy and all the work she had to do with her broken down Honda Accord.

Aaron was always there to help but of course she didn’t ask him for anything, he came over one night and gave her a money order receipt. He had paid her rent for four months as she looked at him with a look of confusion he walks away in the night, not before saying something to Giovanni. Aaron had done well for himself with the body shop he has, that does painting, tents, car alarms, etc. He had one in Decatur and the other in Lithonia where he lives, he went to school for business in New York and he stayed there for four years. He moved to Lithonia shortly after, to be a little closer to his home town Charlotte NC. His sister Lyli called Aaron one night and you could hear in the back ground trucks and cars flying by, Aaron sits up in his bed and look at the time. 10:30pm that made him worry about where she was at this time of night, Lyli was two blocks away from her friend house. ‘Lyli where are you” he called out worrying about the wellbeing of his little sister. Lyli told him to sit down because what she had to say is going to hurt him, and because it hurt her best friend when she told her why she just had to leave so quietly and quickly. Lyli start telling him that their daddy started raping her soon after Aaron left to go to college. As Lyli told her beloved brother ever dark secret that came to her mine, Aaron couldn’t hold onto his sit. He stood and started to get dress and pace the room, as she tell him that their mother didn’t even care about what was happening to her or acting like her father wasn’t leaving out the room late at night and coming back even later. As she went on about how scared she is and how she’s outside next to the police station, Aaron was already in the car and an hour into his five hours drive. He told her to stay right there and if someone say anything to her go inside and sit there, but do not move. After day break her mother didn’t want to look for her but her father couldn’t let her go, so he already knew she talked to her brother so they drove to Lithonia, as they arrive to Aaron’s house. You could smell the anger coming off

Aaron when he opened his door. He pushed Aaron and Aaron temper hit the roof and they ended up in the middle of the lawn fighting, as Aaron and his father fought, his mother is screaming off to the side for them for them to stop. Lyli is at the doorstep and looking at her mother like why are you even here. Her mother didn’t even look her way, his mother called the police as the fight got worse. She’s screaming on the phone as Aaron has her husband in a head lock telling him to give it up. The dispatcher was trying to calm her down but she was deep into the fight and trying to help, she didn’t even hear what the dispatcher has to say. As the cops pull up and see them on the ground, they called out for them to stop. Aaron lets go of his father and they walked him off the property. Aaron’s father told the cop that he wasn’t leaving his daughter and the cop told him that she was 18 and she can stay with her brother, after they left Aaron and Lyli never cared to hear from them again. Lyli stayed with her brother until she found her an apartment, that day he vowed that he will never leave behind someone he loves. Deanna wakes to banging at her front door, she turns over and as she looks at the clock that says 8:00 a clock and flashing. She thinks about Johnny and her telling him that he could come over to be with Giovanni, she slowly walks to the door and open it and Aaron is standing there with a Thank god look on his face. You could smell the Sean John when the door open and she looks at him with a smile but she could tell that he’s mad. “Hi” She said Breaking the block of ice that stands between them, Deanna smiles. “Why in the hell you haven’t been answering my phone calls” He stood there wanting to be mad at the girl he loves but something fighting with himself because he just wants to kiss her. “You know I went to a family reunion” “But not a ten thirty at night, where were you then”

She stood there trying to think of ways to tell her man, that she told another man

that she will be with him. But she couldn’t get it out and Aaron pulls her up to him and he opens her door wider. “What’s going on ma? You can tell me anything” He could clearly see that something was on her brain and he just wanted her to open up. She knew Johnny could walk up those stairs any minute, but the words weren’t forming in her mouth. She couldn’t spit it out. “There is something I have to tell you?” He kisses her and the feeling of love fell down to her feet, knowing she’s in love with Aaron but feel like she’s doing her son a favor by letting his father back into both of their lives. She starts to feel sick just because she knows Aaron needed to know.

“Okay” He said while waiting on her to part her lips and go for it. “I . . .” “Deanna just tell me” “I found my baby father” He pulls away from her and you could see his face change and then he changes. “What?” “I know it’s a shock and I felt the sam.” “No! You couldn’t have felt the way I’m feeling, do you feel hurt? Do you feel let down by the girl you’re in love with?” “It’s not like that Aaron” “Then tell me, because what I hear is you thinking about leaving me. Right?”

She stood there not say anything but knowing she had to, she didn’t want to hurt him and didn’t like to see him hurt.

She starts to rub her face and look into his light brown eyes, she looks at the ground and shakes her head as he pulls her back to him, he locks her hands with his and pulls them around him. “You see this, this is my love for you and you tell me that you found your baby father, so what does that mean for me Deanna” “I thought it would be best for us to be together for Giovanni” “You thought!” He laugh while turning around, he looks at the door behind him and turns back to her. “What about me Deanna? Where do I fall in this, I hope you didn’t think I was going to be okay with this shit. You thought, you didn’t think about nothing, he though for you” He starts rubbing his hands together trying to control himself. “Baby I’m doing this for my child, this has nothing to do with you or me. You know I’ve always loved you.” His eyes get wider and he steps back. “Loved me” He said while turning ones more, as she starts to cry. “You know I love you and I will never stop loving you.” “Deanna please don’t do this to us, don’t break us apart. I’m all the man Giovanni needs and will ever need” Aaron kisses her as tears fall from her face, seeing her cry he knew this wasn’t the lady he loves speaking. As he held onto her something inside her not wanting to let him go, she couldn’t stop his kisses or she didn’t want to. All she ever wanted is for her son to have a normal family. But how could she cut off her feeling for Aaron, Deanna know she was attracted to him. How could she not,

from his muscly body, to the way he took care of her. His every touch made her weak and just thinking about it made her even weaker.

Chapter 6

“DEANNA” Out of nowhere Johnny is walking up the stairs and she turns and Johnny is looking right at them, but she looks at Aaron, still thinking about the kiss that made her body open up on her front porch. “Please tell me that’s not that dude” Aaron said while rubbing his hands together even harder than the first time. Aaron knew he had to control himself and Deanna knew she had to separate them before Aaron snaps. Johnny walks up as Aaron pushes her away from him, Johnny stand there looking at Aaron with 3 feet between them. “What’s up” Johnny said while looking at Deanna. Aaron looks at Deanna then back at Johnny. “What do you mean, what’s up?” Aaron standing there wanting for Johnny to say something fucked up, so he could have a reason to punch him. “Why you kissing my girl?” Johnny said while trying to size Aaron up. “If I’m not mistaken she’s still mines, and will always be mines even though you tried to convince her otherwise.” “Deanna why is he here? Just tell me why is he here?” Aaron said while turning to her. “I told him he could see his son wake up.” “What?” Aaron said

Johnny walks them and into the house. Aaron looks at Johnny walking into Giovanni’s room. “You have to calm down Aaron, just look at me, talk to me.” Deanna is trying her best to control the beast inside Aaron. She turns to her door and try’s to close it but Johnny pulled it back open and shakes his head no. “That’s fucked up Deanna, you got this nobody fucking up your mind and you forgetting shit we been through. Do you have a clue how much of me I’ve given you.” “You have to let me explain” “There is nothing to tell me, but what I have to tell you and him, is I’m that dude. I’m the man who is going to be there until one of us dies. To be real I’m not done with you and that nobody will have to wait his turn.” As soon as that left his mouth, she felt herself get mad and she looks at him like he lost his mind. “Excuse me” Deanna said “You heard me” “Look here, I’m a grown ass woman and I can go where I like.” “Well right now you’re acting like a hoe” Aaron knew he didn’t mean it, but it came out anyways. Maybe just to hurt her feelings, but never demean who she is. Aaron gets quiet and steps back but knowing he said it and can’t take it back, Deanna stood there looking at his face change. Johnny walks out of Giovanni’s room and walks to the door, she moves in between them. “Boy did I hear you correctly?” Johnny said while walking up. “Boy! Who do you think you talking too” Deanna puts her hand up to Johnny’s chest and shakes her head no.

“He didn’t mean it, he’s just mad. It’s okay I got this” She couldn’t stop it, she couldn’t make them calm down. She could see the trains about to collide but have no way of stopping it. “You don’t have to explain anything to him, like he’s going to do something. Take your pussy ass back in the house” Johnny steps up closer to Aaron and moves around to the front of the door. “Please don’t do this, not here, not like this, please” Deanna pleaded with them to calm down and let it go but it’s like they didn’t even hear her, like she wasn’t even there, like they were out in the street somewhere about to rumble. When Johnny started to move Aaron took of his 45 dollar hat and tosses it in the house. “Aaron please baby don’t” Deanna knew right then when he tossed that hat, Aaron was down for whatever. Aaron pulls the door up so Giovanni couldn’t come out, nothing is being said as they look at each other. “Baby! Deanna really, why you calling him baby?” Johnny said “Why? Because she’s been with me, why you think” Deanna just looks off to the side while Johnny is in her face, Aaron pulls Johnny back to him and punches him. Deanna stood there like she couldn’t move, her mind is yelling at her to just go in the house, but no her body stood right there in that spot. Johnny moves again and Aaron hits him in the face and Johnny came back with that same punch. Deanna knew Johnny could take care of himself but she also know that Aaron don’t play around, Aaron always told her, “don’t wait around for someone to hit you, you get them first and always don’t get pushed into a corner, keep your options open.” Deanna looks at them punch each other like she’s watching boxing, all the tit for tat, as Aaron pushed Johnny into the railing by the stairs.

Johnny hits his back on the way down, he took just a little too long to get back up and Aaron kicks him in the chest, ones again Johnny’s back felt that cold hard railing. Johnny gets up and rushes Aaron into the wall by the storage door, Aaron hit’s him in the mouth and Johnny stumbles back, as his mouth bleeds Aaron puts his hands around his neck. Deanna is still in the same spot looking like she was confused that they would be going through this, like she never seen a fight before. “Baby I’m fighting for you, to let you know that I love you and will do anything to keep you.” Aaron said While pushing Johnny’s back repeatedly into the railing, Johnny hits Aaron but he didn’t let go, Johnny hits him again and he steps back. “Go in the house, you don’t need to be out here. Deanna go” Aaron said, but no movement from her. She started to cry as Johnny pops Aaron in the face and Aaron kicks Johnny into her door. Johnny ass bound on the ground like he was a ball as Johnny sat there collecting himself, knowing he has to get back on his feet, not knowing when Aaron will charge his way. Aaron moved away from Deanna as Johnny stands right in front her, as she stands there crying her eyes out, shaking her head for them to cut it out. “You big motherfucker, Deanna what do you see him” “She’s going to keep seeing it, she’s mine, all mines.” Johnny hits Aaron, Aaron threw his hand to block one of the punches that’s headed his way, he returned one good one but as Johnny moves to the side, it knocks Deanna right to the ground. She hit the floor like a ton bricks, Aaron stood over her with his mouth open, as Johnny walks up behind him. “I can’t believe you did that” Aaron turns and looks at Johnny like his crazy. “What I did, if you knew she was behind you. You could at least move her too.” “Please, I wasn’t thinking about all of that.”

Aaron bends down and picks her up and starts walking to his car. “Go get my son and meet me at the hospital” Aaron said while almost down the stairs. “Don’t you mean my son?” “No, I said what I meant bitch, now move it.”

Chapter 7

AARON COULDN’T BELIEVE that he just hit her, that he just watched her hit the ground like her life just left her body. He knew she had to go to the hospital, he felt so many feelings while driving to Dekalb Medical. As he brought her in the nurse got a wheelchair and met them at the door, Aaron could feel the looks he was getting when he was trying to explain what happen. Johnny and Giovanni walks through the doors as Aaron turns Giovanni let go of Johnny’s hand and ran up to Aaron. Johnny stood there looking like he has a problem, Aaron smiles while looking back at Johnny standing by the motion secure doors. “Not right now” Aaron said Aaron looking at the cop that standing off to the side and then back at Johnny. Johnny takes a sit and so did Aaron and Giovanni. The lady tells Aaron when they know something, she will tell him. Deanna wakes up with this tall white slender man standing over her, with a flash light pulling on her eye lead. As she open and closes her eyes, she looks around as he introduces himself. “Ms. Wright can you hear me?” “Yes” “Where does it hurt?” “My face and my stomach” He writes something down and walks out, Deanna never been hit like that before. Her face feels like fire, like someone took a match and set her whole head on fire. She could open and close eye because he just hit two inches under it, he hit her so hard the skin split but not enough to have stiches. She stood up and looks at herself in the mirror and she starts to cry and get mad all at the same time, as she walks into the waiting room they stand and wonder why she’s walking around. She sees Giovanni talking to Johnny.

“Johnny give me my damn son, I can’t stand either one of you right now” “Why you getting mad with me?” “If you would have calmed down, I wouldn’t be here” “He hit you not me.” Johnny stands there with an unexpected look on his face, he just knew she would run to him after she woke up. She turns and looks at Aaron while he stands and pulls her to him, as he pulls her she starts to hit at him like he was a bug on the wall, he grabs her arms and pull them behind him for her to calm down. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean for that shit to happen baby, you know I didn’t” Aaron said while looking likes he’s about to cry. “You’re sorry, that’s all you have to say for yourself, is that you’re sorry. I could have had stiches on my face Aaron, now I will have a mark on me showing me that my boyfriend has punched me before. Oh but it’s okay because you’re sorry.” “So I’m still your man.” Deanna looks at him like that’s all he got from what she just said, she shakes her head and walks off back to her room and while feeling a little wheezy, she sat back and calls her mother. “Hi mama” “Why you at the hospital?” “Aaron and Johnny got in to a fight, at my doorstep mama, I can’t believe that” “I could have told you that, you mess with hearts baby. But why you at the hospital?” “Aaron hit me by mistake.” After she said that her mother hung up, Deanna knew she was on her way. As Linda walk through the doors Aaron and Johnny stood up to greet her, Linda

stops in front of Aaron and smacks him in the face, Aaron puts his head down while telling her he’s sorry that this happen. Johnny starts to laugh and Linda slaps him too, Johnny gets mad and walks up on Linda like she wasn’t his son’s grandmother. “What you do that for? I’m not the one who hit her.” “So, little boy you need to get out my face” Linda said while standing there with her hand on her hips, daring him to cross that line. Aaron looks up and pushes Johnny out the way. “If you think about that shit, I would kill you.” Aaron said Linda puts her hand out and grabs Aaron and puts her hand on his face. “I know you didn’t mean to do it, you know she loves you, she’s just confused. Just give her some time to come around. Trust me sweetie she will and I’m sorry I hit you.” Linda looks over to Johnny and rolls her eyes but before she walks off she had something for him to.

“Johnny leave my daughter alone, go find something else to do instead of mes my little girl’s life.” Linda walks off and heads to Deanna’s room as soon and she walks in you could see her face change, she stood there for a minute just looking at Deanna laying there with her eyes closes. “Oh my God baby, have you seen your face?” “Yeah, it’s bad huh?” Linda is standing there shaking her head no so Deanna wouldn’t feel too bad. “Deanna how did this happen, how did he hit you?” “Johnny was in front of me and when Aaron goes to hit him, Johnny moves and

Aaron hits me. I don’t think I felt anything thing at that time, because I ed out right after I got punched. When I woke up my face was burning.” Linda sat down on the bed and talk for a while until the doctor walks back in the room, Linda leaves before she walks out the Hospital she grabs Giovanni and takes him home with her. The doctor looks at all the test that they did on Deanna and he sits the pad down. “Ms. Wright you know that you are pregnant?” Deanna looks and him and then at the door, hoping that she’s being punk. “No, wait are you sure? Because I know what it feels like to be pregnant and I don’t feel like I am.” “Yes I’m sure, to be exact you are going on four months. We going to give you what we can for your pain, but you need to follow up with an OB. I don’t want you to do anything for a couple days. But that’s it, I’m going to get everything written out and your nurse will get you discharge.” He smiles and walks out the room, Deanna couldn’t believe her ears and he had to be mistaken. She just knows that this couldn’t be happening to her, not right now. She leans over and calls for her nurse, and she walks into the room. Deanna wipes her tears that had already fallen off her face. “Could you tell the two guys that I came in with to come to my room?” The nurse said yes, not knowing what to say to either one of them, as she goes back and forward in her brain thinking of ways to tell them the unplanned mishap that she’s face with. Deanna puts her hand on her stomach and smile just a little bit, just the thought of having another child at this moment made her happy. Just the thought of Aaron being the father made her even happier. Deanna knows that Aaron will be there no matter what, but she don’t know how Johnny will take the news. As she looks up, they walk in the room, Aaron is on one side and Johnny is on the other, looking at her like she’s dying. “I have something to tell you, the both of you” Deanna said

Deanna is looking at her hands, and then she touches the patch on her face. Her face starts to tingle when she moves her mouth. Aaron grabs her hand and she looks up to him with this sad look on her face that pierced his heart. “I’m going to make this up to you.” Aaron said “I know you will, first by both of you paying for this little trip I had to take.” “Okay but what’s going on? What you had to tell us?” Johnny said Trying to take the attention off Aaron and onto him. “I’m pregnant” As soon as Deanna uttered those words Johnny jumps up and starts pacing back and forward, Aaron standing in the back ground with a smile growing on his face. While Deanna looks at him for his reaction. “You can’t have it” Johnny said while raising his voice at Deanna.

“Excuse me?” “I said you can’t have it, Deanna we can’t grow if you have his baby. That will give him his reason to be around now” Deanna turns away from him as she rolls her eyes, Aaron moves away from the wall and walks back up to the bed. “Please baby, I want my child. Please” “I said she can’t have it” “My dude you have no right to even be in this conversation, this is my child” Deanna could see Aaron is getting mad and she didn’t want any more fighting. “Aaron please don’t worry about that shit Johnny saying, I would never abort a child just because he said so. I’m having this baby, unplanned or not, this baby didn’t ask for this. So Johnny you either deal with it or you could leave”

Deanna is holding onto Aarons hand, Johnny is standing there with his mouth falling to the floor like the tables are changing. Johnny walks out cussing and hitting the wall, like some child having a fit. “Deanna I know you don’t want me, but you’re having my baby, you know I will be there for the both of you. I just hope you don’t do anything that you will regret.” “I never said I didn’t want you, I said I think it will be a good ideal. You know I love you, I just felt like it was the right thing to do for Giovanni, but maybe I was wrong about that. I’m sorry for all this trouble I caused.” “Deanna how could you think he would be a good man for you and a father for Giovanni, you don’t even know him anymore, he could have changed, he may not be who you think he is.” Aaron pushes her hair back and look into her eyes and smile as he has his hand on her stomach.

“You have to think about this, I know you want me and I want you. Just don’t do this” Johnny said while walking into the room Johnny stood there looking at them while Aaron is sitting there with his hand on her face. “You acting like I’m not in the room, that’s my girl and her son is my son and the one she’s carrying is mines too, aw damn you hear that. I’m not going no fucking where.” “We’re in the right place for you to get fucked up” Aaron starts walking around the bed, Deanna sits up as Johnny stands. “Stop this shit right now, no more fighting. I’m getting so tired of the both of you acting like kids. Just get out my room. Get out!”

Chapter 8

DEANNA KNEW THAT this wouldn’t end, that they will be doing this as long Johnny is around Giovanni and Aaron is around her. As she got ready to leave they are sitting in the waiting room, she stops as they stand in front of her like two sad puppies. Deanna looks up at them and shakes her head, as she walks out the door. They walk over and pay her bill, she felt like she couldn’t breathe, so she walks outside. As they walk out to see her standing there holding herself, while they walk up beside her. “I will take you home” Johnny said while grabbing at her hand. “No baby, look at me, let me take you home, please” Deanna sticks her hand into Aaron pocket and pulls out his keys and goes to his car and get in. Johnny is standing there looking like he doesn’t know what’s going on. Aaron ran up and shuts her door and gets in, Deanna looks at Johnny and waves goodbye. Aaron looks at Deanna and grabs her hand, Deanna pulls away. “Talk to me please ma, just say something to me” “I’m so mad at you right now, I have no words for you right now” Deanna starts to cry and looks back out the window, Aaron heart brakes, he couldn’t fix it and that’s what he’s good at, fixing her problems but this one he caused. He couldn’t take it back and it’s killing him to see the patch on her face. “The only reason I got in your car, is because I trust you. I just want to go home, no talking, just take me home please.” Deanna talks while miles and miles of tears fall from her face. Aaron couldn’t say anything as he turn and drives off, Deanna held onto herself the whold ride home. As Aaron pulls up to her apartment, he grabs her hand.

“I know the last thing you want is to hear is my voice, but I love you babe, I can’t believe I did that shit. I don’t want to believe I did that. You have every right to be mad at me, but I just want to let you know I’m going to be here for you and Giovanni and all through your pregnancy” Deanna looks at him and as she gets out the car Aaron put his hand and on her face. As the night fall and she couldn’t get away from her feeling about how she felt when she was having Giovanni and all the women in her family was in the room. Waiting on the little boy to show up, Aunt Karen was there with her camera, taking a video of everything that came out of her. Linda who didn’t want to see anything but the baby, Shaunda who couldn’t stay because she had to go to work the next day. Deanna felt alone because the one person she wanted to be there doesn’t even know that she’s having a baby. After two minutes of pushing, there he was 6 pounds and 9 ounces. Light as he could be and so sweet and she couldn’t help but to cry when she saw his face, to have all the memories of the pain she felt go away and just blissful thoughts of her birth remaining. Deanna wakes up to the phone ringing and her mother telling her that Giovanni is going to stay with her, as they talked there is a knock at the door. As Deanna looks out the peephole she sees Johnny as she steps back and move to the side. “I can hear you walking around” Deanna rolls her eyes and cracks the door. “Yes” “I want you Deanna, that’s all I’ve ever wanted is you, you” “I’m really tired and I don’t feel good right now, I’ll call you later.” “Deanna don’t run away from me. I thought you wanted to be with me?” “To be honest I thought I did, but I need to think about everything. Meaning myself too, I can’t think with all the fighting and fussing.”

Deanna starts to close the door while Johnny stands there, waiting for her to jump into his arms. But how could she run to him and the other guy is so close to her heart. How could he think that she would throw the last two years of her life away just like that? “Deanna please don’t” “I’m going back to lay down now” As Deanna shuts the door Johnny touches it and starts to frown, he stands there for a minute and walks away. Deanna lays back down on the sofa and start looking at the TV, before she even get settle under her cover. There is another knock at the door, she sits up and look at the door. Wondering if she should even bother getting up, but there was only one knock. Deanna walks to the door and opens it, as she looks down she see a red box. With a sign that says open me, as she look into velvet box of joy. There is a key pad in it with GMC written on it, on the back of it, it says pick up the phone as she looks over to the phone and it rings. There’s that smile again as his name pops up. “Hello” Aaron said slowly while hearing her hold the phone. “Hi” “Are you feeling a little better?” “I’m doing just fine.” “Come down and see me.” “Come down?” “I’m outside.” She looks out the window and he waves as she hangs up the phone, she threw some shorts up under her hot pink robe and walks outside. Aaron is standing in front of a big truck, while holding his hands open. “What is this for?”

“Your new car, baby I got you a car.” “I can’t afford a new car Aaron” “It’s paid for ma, don’t worry about that.” He steps out the way and there is a pink pearl Yukon XL. With black rims and black leather sets, as she stands there with a grin on her face. “I can’t take this Aaron” “Yes you can and you will Deanna, come on” “You know I love you but I already have a car.” “Deanna that car is junk and you know it, I wouldn’t even have somebody to pay me to fix that car. It’s not safe for anybody, if I knew you were driving to Athens. I would have taken you myself. This car is for the kids we have together, just take it please.”

Deanna walks up on him and hugs him and he kisses her forehead. Aaron didn’t think he would be next to her like this, not any time soon but he looks into her eyes and see why he fell in love with her two years ago. As they stand and embrace, Johnny was nowhere on Deanna’s mind, all she wanted was her knight that stands in front of her. Deanna knowing she didn’t want to take that car but also knowing that her car is a bucket and she didn’t want to put any more money into it. She smiles while trying to whole in all the feelings that is taking over her mind, Aaron feels her battling with herself. “What’s wrong?” Deanna looks away not knowing what to feel, happy or sad about everything that she has gone through the past couple of days. “I can’t help but to think, what if that punch would have made me lose my baby. Or if that hit would have killed me, or put me in a coma. What would you do?” “I don’t know ma, I really would have shot myself if you and the baby would

have died. I can’t bear the thought of you leaving anytime soon, that’s why I was so crazy on your door step. I just can’t get my head around you walking away from what we have. Then taking Giovanni away from me as well, I wouldn’t understand that. I didn’t understand that”

Chapter 9

AARON TURNS AWAY from her as a tear falls from his face. He never thought about losing his child, or even him causing it. The feeling hits him and he couldn’t take it, he bites on his lip and put his hand on his head. Deanna looks at him and starts to feel bad, she never seen him cry before. “I’m sorry, I’ve just been thinking about that all night.” Deanna said “Just you thinking like that, makes feel bad about everything that happened” “It’s mostly my fought and I know you wouldn’t have hit me intentionally, so I’m not mad at you, I’ve just been thinking a lot. I can’t help but to feel sad most of the time.” Aaron opens the door and picks her up and sits her down on the enger side, she wraps her arms and legs around him. Aaron kisses her, while pushing her up against the middle compartment. Deanna knew he wanted her right there in that 70 thousand dollar custom car, it’s taking everything in Aaron to control himself. He doesn’t want to hurt her, but she smell like a hot orgasm waiting to happen, he couldn’t shake the braingasm he was having, he could feel her nipples get hard and the light sounds from her mouth as he pushed against her, he stops and they look at one another as she licks his bottom lip. He pulls away and walks to the back of the car, she felt him and wanted him too. She doesn’t know if it’s the baby making her acted out so badly, but she couldn’t help herself. Aaron walks back and looks at her, knowing his mind is nutting up with the same urges she have. He lends down and kisses her again, Aaron puts his hand in her hair and pulls. Aaron knew what to do to get her heated or ready, Deanna pulls back and smile while he adjusted himself. “I’ve made an OB appointment to check on the baby. Do you want to come?” “Of course I would, what time?” “Tomorrow at 10:30”

“Where my little man at?” “Still with his grandmother, I might go get him, might wait until the morning” He kisses Deanna again and disappears into his car. “I will be back later to check up on you. I’m nothing without you girl. Know that” Deanna just had to take that car out for a spin, as she goes and lock her door and throw on a sundress. She hops in the car and on the dash board is a gas card, Deanna pulls up to QT and start pumping her gas, as she looks up Johnny is parking next to her. Deanna turns and looks in her truck, trying to avoid Johnny looking at her, but she doesn’t know he saw her as soon as he turned in. Johnny gets out the car and walks up to her, she took a breath and turn to him. “What you doing?” Johnny looking at her and the truck at the same time. “Getting gas, you” “Everything you doing but the hiding part, who car is this?” “Mines” Johnny smile and look at her like she’s bullshitting him. “How could this be your car and I saw you in a beat up white Honda” “Yeah I did have a Honda, but Aaron gave me this car this morning.” She looks off waiting for her car to fuel up as he stands there telling her how good they will be together, Deanna hangs the pump up and opens her car door. “Okay, I’m going to go now. Talk to you later” Johnny made a sound and walks away. She made her way over to Walmart, to RedBox and picks her up some movies and goes home, as she turns to look back

at her truck, she smiles. All you could hear is banging at the door, like someone was trying to break it down. Knowing she was knocked out on the sofa, she looks out the window to see night had fallen. She jumps up and puts on her rob and go get Old Lady from behind her bed, Old Lady is a gun that her daddy gave her when she moved out. “This is for the man who don’t take no for an answer” He said, he always told her to point and hold it with two hands and shoot to kill, he gave her a 9mm all sliver.

“Who is it?” “Ebony, oh Johnny and my sisters are here too.” She couldn’t believe her eye’s when she sees Ebony standing there with a smile on her face, like she just won and there’s nothing that Deanna could do or say to bring her down. Deanna still didn’t want to let them in. “What do you want?” “To come in, girl open this door.” Deanna cracks the door. “What?” Deanna said. “You need to be nice to me” “You need not to be on my door step, but we all can’t get what we want.” Deanna pulls the door open and steps back while showing them that she has a gun cocked and loaded, they look at her while taking a sit. She looks out the door before closing it and stands by the TV. “What so important you had to come over here?” “I’m just so happy that you are having a baby” Ebony said Ebony is smiling like she had the upper hand. Johnny’s head drops to the floor,

Deanna wanted to put her foot in his face. “Damn Johnny can’t keep shit to yourself, you told her where I stay and now this, and I wonder what else you told her.” Deanna starts to get mad and looking at him like he is on crack and she is a crack head that couldn’t get a fix, while Aaron turns the key and walks in, Johnny jumps up. “What’s going on here?” Aaron said while closing the door behind him.

Ebony looks at Aaron and gets up to greet him. Johnny pushes her back down and Aaron laughs, Johnny turns and looks back at Deanna. “Baby Johnny just had to bring his so called girlfriend and her busted ass sisters over here.” “Deanna really, that’s his girl, hold up, hold up babe that’s your fam. Right” Deanna nods as Aaron laughs again and turns to Johnny. “Damn, you kicking it like that. You stupid” Johnny steps up and Ebony grabs his arm, Johnny looks at Deanna. “Why does he have keys to your house?” “I don’t have to explain nothing to you.” “Deanna I’m not playing with you.” “What the fuck she just say, sit your ass down. Stop worrying about me so much” Aaron said while Deanna looks at Ebony. “Why you’re man worrying so much about it, that is you’re man right?” Ebony pulls Johnny back down and shakes her head, Aaron sits in the chair next to the sofa.

“I want you to know that Johnny is my man now and I don’t want you to mess with him anymore.” Ebony said. “You came just to tell me that, you could have called. I would have heard you loud and clear over the phone.” “I wanted to see the look on your face.” Deanna looks at Johnny and then at Ebony. “The only reason he ran back to you, is because he knew he didn’t have a chance with me.”

“What” “Think about it. You know I’m right” Guessing Ebony forgot that Deanna has a gun in her hand but she jumps up and starts at Deanna. Deanna raises the gun up to her head, and smiles as Johnny gets up and grabs her arm. “Bitch just give me a reason to lay you out” Ebony looks back at Johnny and he shakes his head. “Oh now you want to save her, what happen when you chocked her out” “Aaron hit you in the eye.” Ebony said “Damn Johnny again, the difference is that Johnny wanted to fuck you up, but Aaron didn’t mean to hit me. See the difference?” Aaron stands and put his hand on Deanna’s stomach, Aaron kisses the back of her neck while looking at Johnny the whole time. Johnny moves and get in front of Ebony. “Ebony just look into his eye, you can tell he don’t want you. If you look hard enough the eyes will tell you everything you need to know.” Aaron said. Ebony looks over to Johnny as Johnny get back in front of her.

“Let’s go” Johnny said The twin jumps up and walks out the door, they didn’t even hesitate. Johnny starts for the door and Ebony is still standing there looking at Deanna. “I said lets go Ebony” “Why I always have to bag down?” “Just do what I say” “Yeah trick, just do what you told.” Deanna snaps her fingers at her while Aaron laughs and as they walk to the door. “Thanks John. Now your girl and your son are mines.” Aaron said Johnny stops at the door, turn and walk back up to Aaron, Deanna points the gun in his face. Johnny’s face changes as she cocks it again. “Deanna you would do me like this?” “I’m done taking up for you, I did that once and look where it got me. Do you know what I should have done, when I saw you? I should have left, and you wouldn’t even be in my living room with my cousin who didn’t even know where I stayed. She did not know where I stayed, but you brought her here. So yeah I would do you like this. I don’t owe you nothing, I’m done with you” Aaron walks around in front of Deanna and points his finger in his face. “I’m done letting you talk to my girl. Why don’t you just give up and walk away, you’ve already lost Deanna don’t lose Ebony too. Just let it go” “I haven’t lost shit yet, don’t forget this moment, either of you. I’m going to have fun taking her away from you. Just wait and see.” Aaron grabs the gun out of Deanna’s hand, and points it in Johnny’s face. “I’ve tried to be nice but you have two seconds to remove your ass from this apartment. Or I will shoot you in the face, then I will let my baby pop that bitch in the head. What you want to do?”

Johnny’s standing there like he knows Aaron is just playing with him, like he’s talking out the side of his neck, just to hear himself talk. Aaron looks at Deanna and Deanna nods, as soon as Deanna nods Ebony ran out the door while telling Johnny to come on. Johnny walks out and Deanna go’s to the window to watch them get into the car. Deanna smiles while walking up to Aaron awaiting arms. “You want me to say?”

Deanna knows she doesn’t like being by herself so she told him yes and spent the night in each other arms, as they arrive on the North side at Deanna’s Doctor’s office. Her OB is hood and every one that works in the office is too. Deanna sign’s in and the girl at the front desk, ask her about her earing’s and her hair and still forgot to tell the doctor that she had arrived. So after she finishes talking, Deanna reminds her to tell her doctor that she’d here. “Ms. Wright” “Yes, how have you been” “Everything is great, I hope you found the new location ok.” “Yes” “So tell me what’s going on.” “Well I didn’t know I was pregnant until yesterday, about four months pregnant he told me.” “How could you not know this?” “I really don’t know. I’m just glad I do now” She made a face and she does some test and comes back to tell me that I’m about 13 weeks pregnant, and the baby looks good and the heart beat was great. Deanna just needs to check in monthly, as they walk out she hands Deanna a goody bag and appointment. They get into the car and look at the first picture they have of their child. Aaron kisses her and tells her how happy he is, when they get to Deanna’s mother’s house.

“I hope she won’t be mad at me, for not telling her sooner.” Deanna said to Aaron, and he tells her that everything will be okay. They get out the car and Linda opens the door. “Nice to see you Aaron.” “You to Ms. Wright”

Chapter 10

DEANNA LOOKS AT Aaron and he smiles, while Deanna pulls out the picture and hands it to her mother. Linda made a face and puts on her glasses and smile. “What. Are you two pregnant?” “Yes.” “Oh my God really? I’m so happy for you.” She smiles and walks up to Deanna and gives her a hug, and hugs Aaron while telling him I told you so. Giovanni is happy that he could have someone to play with. They left to go back to Deanna apartment. Deanna looks over to Aaron. “You been talking to my mother behind my back?” “What?” “I heard my mother say I told you so. What did she mean?” “She told me you were going to come around, after smacking me in the face.” Aaron smiles while Deanna put her hand over her mouth. “She hit you, OMG I am so sorry” “It’s cool baby she was mad, at first anyways. She hit Johnny too” Deanna laugh as they were driving up, Johnny is sitting on the stairs, as they get out the car Johnny came running down the stairs. Deanna looks up at Johnny and Johnny looks at Aaron holding Giovanni’s hand. “Deanna I don’t want him around my fucking son” Johnny said. “Hey watch your mouth! This is my son too, Aaron has been there for the past two years of your son’s life. So that’s a no.”

Johnny stand there fussing about how wrong Deanna is, with pissed off written on his forehead. Deanna calls Ebony to ask her do she know where her man is. Deanna hands Johnny the phone, while Johnny looks at the number. He gets mad. “Okay baby I know I told you where I was going to be, baby don’t do that, I’m not playing I will be there in a minute.” Johnny said When Johnny gets off the phone, and pitches it to Deanna and her hits her right on top of her baby bump. Aaron lets go of Giovanni’s hand and nails him right in the middle of his face. The hit laid him out and Aaron gets on top of him and kept hitting him, Deanna tell Giovanni to go upstairs while pulling Aaron away and they went into the apartment. Deanna looks back out the window to see Johnny laying there with his hand on his noise. As she looks the old lady from downstairs came out. “Are you okay? You need me to call the cops.” Johnny told her no and he will be fine, but also feeling Aaron’s punches at the same time. Deanna looks back at Aaron as he changes his clothes, Deanna walks out and Aaron sits on the stairs. Not letting Deanna out of his site, Deanna stops on the last step while Johnny gets up. “Why did you do that? You know he was going to flip out. You deserve everything you got.” “I deserve you Deanna, you know that. I’ve wanted to be with you my whole life and look what you’re doing to me” “The only thing I have done is move on, something you need to do right now.” Johnny gets up and turns to see Aaron at the top of the stairs with a different outfit on, he smiles and shoot a bird at Aaron and walks to his car. “This isn’t over Deanna, I want what’s mines, believe what I say.” Deanna waves good bye not thing about nothing he has said, and walks back in her apartment. Aaron starts pacing the floor and Deanna grabs his arm and he sits down and she sits on top of him.

“What’s wrong?” “Do you want to be with him?” “No! I want to be with you. Why would you say that Aaron?” “I just got a bad feeling about this whole thing.” “Do you love me?” He pulls her a little closer and kisses her. “Girl stop that. You know I love you.” “Well believe me when I tell you, I love you too.” She goes and checks on Giovanni and she goes and lay down and fell asleep in that same spot. About 9:30 she hears Aaron at the door fussing, Deanna gets out the bed and grabs Old Lady as she walks out she sees Aaron struggling at the door. “Aaron what are you doing?” “This girl won’t go away” “What girl?” “That Ebony girl” “Open the door” Deanna points the gun in Ebony’s face, Ebony fell to her knees and looks at Deanna. “I’m sorry Deanna, I’m sorry!” So many things are running through Deanna’s mind, her body is filled with so many emotions. She’s about to explode, she looks back at Aaron then back at her.

“What you’re sorry for trying to fight me two weeks ago or now at my door trying to hit on my man.” “No Deanna it’s not like that. I just.” “You just what bitch! Just that?”

Deanna cocks the gun back and walks up on her and starts cry, Aaron walks up behind her and put his hand on her back. “Baby I don’t want her, I could never feel for her that way I feel for you. Come one baby, come in the house.” “That. I just want someone to care for me the way they care for you. That’s all I want.” “Well I’m sorry for you Ebony, but you’re not going to find that here. How could you think that he want you?” “I never thought he did, but I wanted to try” Deanna couldn’t control her thoughts, her mind is telling her to end this. Aaron is in her ear telling her to let it go. She starts crying harder. “No, I can’t do this anymore. I have to end this.” Ebony’s falls to the ground crying for Deanna to forgive her, while Deanna shaking her head no. “Deanna no, you will not end anything by killing this girl for no reason, that will cause a whole lot of other problems. Don’t’ think like that. Ebony get up and go! Right now” “Aaron stop, get out of my head, and let me do this.” “Ebony move your ass, now!!” Ebony didn’t know what to feel, if she move Deanna may shoot her if she don’t she may still shoot her for just sitting right there. So that’s what she did, sat right

there in shock. Aaron pushes Ebony out of the door way and she runs off into the night. Deanna runs off into the bathroom and locks the door. Aaron bang on the door and Deanna jumps, Giovanni is right by him crying. “Deanna! I’m not fucking playing, do not do this to us. What about Giovanni, our unborn child, what about me Deanna? Uh! What about everyone else who loves you, I will not let you do this. This door will come down, if you don’t open it.” Deanna is on the bathroom floor with the gun in her hand looking at it. How could she even think about that, she knows she couldn’t shoot herself. She opens the door and stands back. Aaron walks in and pulls the gun out her hand uncocks it and put it in his pants. Giovanni hugs her and she kisses him and smile and tells him everything is okay, and go to your room. Aaron picks her up and walks her to the room, he wipes her tears. “Baby get your things you’re going home with me tonight.” Aaron walks in Giovanni’s room and pack him something to wear, and checks on Deanna. Deanna is confused about everything, she needed to end the fight but she didn’t know how to stop the drama. Shooting herself did cross her mind but she couldn’t do it and wouldn’t do it. She has too much too live for, plus she would be taking two lives with her and she couldn’t let Aaron live with that.

Chapter 11

AARON DIDN’T KNOW what to do when he saw her in that bathroom, he knew she couldn’t be left by herself. He looks at her as he drives while she looks out the window. Deanna sat there thinking about the first time her and Ebony got into it, years ago Ebony saw Deanna and Ebony boyfriend sitting looking at the TV. Ebony walked in the room with a smile on her face, they talked and laugh like everything was cool. As soon as he left Ebony flipped and she jump on Deanna after she came out the bathroom. Ebony pushes her into the wall, Deanna looks at her like she has lost her mind. “What’s your problem?” “You fucked my man?” “What, I haven’t slept with no one. What are you talking about?” Deanna pushed her back and gets in her face. “Why would you think I would have sex with someone you had sex with?” She laughed and walked into the other room. They are trying to avoid anyone in the house catching on to them, as Deanna walks into the room. Ebony hits her arm and Deanna pulled her arm back as far as she could get it and slapped Ebony across her face. Deanna didn’t know why she felt so badly about her, how she could think that her own family could do that to her. Uncle Mal walks into the room and saw Ebony holding her face. “What just happened?” “She started it, she hit me twice before I hit her back.” Deanna stood there showing her Uncle her arm that was blood shot red from Ebony punching her. Telling her Uncle that she needed to be smacked back

down to realty. Deanna knew better to come over to see Ebony, she went over because Shaunda was out of town with her mother. Deanna called her mother and she came to picked her up, Deanna never spoke to Ebony since that day.

Two blocks away from Aaron’s house, and Aaron looks back and Giovanni is knocked out. Aaron lives right by Bouie Elementary, in a 4 bedroom room two story house and with a media room downstairs. Deanna never been in his house before, she never wanted to. She let Aaron come to her house all the time, no matter how many times he asked her, she still didn’t want to go. Aaron gets out and carries Giovanni up stairs to one of the guest rooms, and comes back for the bags while Deanna walks in the master room that’s located on the first floor. As she walks into the room, it’s like two rooms in one and the bathroom was made for a married couple. The his/hers closet made Deanna wonder did he buy this with another woman before meeting her, the room was so peaceful. Deanna climbs into the plush king bed, and Aaron walks in after getting Giovanni settle. He goes into the bathroom and Deanna walks up behind him. “Did you buy this with someone?” “This what? This house? No baby, why” “It’s made for a couple.” “I know but most home I looked at, looked just like this. Did you see the kitchen?” “No” Deanna said While walking out the bedroom into the kitchen, all she could do is smile at him while he stands in the doorway. “Could you ever image living here?” “Can I think about it?”

“That’s what I want you to do. Go on and go to bed, I’m going to get some work done.” Deanna kisses Aaron as he walks off too his office, when Deanna gets up she checks her message’s. Johnny left her ten message’s all saying the same thing. “Where are you? You need to answer your phone?” Deanna calls him back. “Where are you?” “Why?” “I want to see you.” “Not today, I’m nowhere near home?” “Where are you?” Aaron walks in the room looking at Deanna. “Who is that?” Aaron said

“Johnny” “Tell him don’t worry about” Johnny said Johnny is on the phone huffing and puffing while Aaron walks up and takes the phone. “Don’t be talking shit over the phone and then get your ass beat in person. What do you want?” “To talk to Deanna, tell my girl I love her” Johnny said Aaron starts laughing and Deanna gets up and starts cooking. “Really she’s your girl, but that’s’ why she stayed in my bed last night.” Johnny hangs up the phone and Aaron stands there looks at the phone, Aaron says to Deanna “I guess it’s something I said.” He walks in the kitchen and

kisses Deanna while Giovanni eats his egg’s, grits, and toast. Deanna makes Aaron a plate. Aaron drops them off before he goes to work, she starts up the stirs while Giovanni plays in the walkway. Before she gets half way up the stairs, she sees her door off the hinges. Just like someone took their foot and kicked it right in, she turns and unlock her car door and they get in the car and calls the police. “Are you in the home?” “No ma’am, my son and I are in the car out front.” “There are units on the way. I will stay on the phone until they arrive.” Giovanni is in the back with his toys, while she sees the two cop cars turn in and pull in behind her. Deanna tells the dispatcher that they just pulled up, as she hung up the lady cop walks up to her window and Deanna tells her which apartment it is, while the man tells her to stay put until they clear the apartment. After they walked through the lady came back out and took my statement, the little information that she did have, she gave. They drove off as Deanna and Giovanni walks through their green socked apartment, paint, nothing but paint everywhere and slashes on her sofa and chair. Writing on the walls, she took what she could, the pictures and pots and pans in the cabinets. All the TV’s are busted on the floor, and in the rooms Giovanni’s clothes are on his bed, and her clothes are on the floor. Deanna get trash bags and go get Giovanni clothes first and put them in the car while checking to see if her gun is still in her purse. On the way down the stairs she calls Aaron. “What’s goodie doll?” “Someone broke in.” “What? When?” “I guess last night, I don’t know baby.” Deanna starts to cry as she put Giovanni’s clothes in the back sit. “Do you want to fix this or come stay with me?”

“I can’t be here baby, I can’t stay here anymore, if this will happen anything will.” “Be out front of my job in 25 minutes, no later Deanna.” Deanna says okay and goes back upstairs for her things, the guy next door is walking out of his apartment and brought the rest of her things downstairs. Deanna walks to the truck and Giovanni is jumping around with his toys in hand, she turns and sees Johnny pulling up behind her in his old school Chevy Impala. Johnny jumps out the car. “Where are you going?” “Away from here. What do you want?” “To see you, are you moving?” “You always say you’re here to see me, what about Giovanni.” Deanna stood there getting mad by the minute. “Are you moving?” “Yes” “You’re not going to tell me where?” “I don’t have time for this shit, I have to go” “Don’t leave me Deanna, leave with me and let’s start the family thing.”

“What you haven’t realized is your family has already started, and also moved on, I don’t want to be with you Johnny. I just don’t, okay.” “Deanna come stay with me?” “Hold up! Don’t you stay with Ebony?” Johnny stood there looking at Deanna with nothing coming out his mouth.

“Now you have nothing to say? Exactly” Johnny gets closer and grabs her hand, Deanna steps back and looks up to see Ebony pulling in the apartments. Deanna laughs while pulling her hand away. “I knew you were here, damn Johnny” “It’s not like that” “Why are you here?” “I needed to talk to Deanna” “By all means you can take him, I don’t want him here, but he keeps showing up. He knows I’ve moved on but he wont leave me alone.” Deanna said while handing Giovanni his snack. “You haven’t went anywhere yet” Ebony is exploding with anger as she storms off to her car, she comes back holding something behind her back. “I’m going to tell Deanna what you did.” “What the fuck are you talking about?” Johnny starts at Ebony and she pulls back while Deanna is standing there looking at the both of them like their crazy. “Johnny don’t play dumb, you know what I found in my car port.” “Bitch get away from me, I don’t like you anymore and now you making up shit.” “Hold up. What you talking about Ebony.” Deanna said “Ebony leave it alone, she don’t need to go through that, her apartment just got broken into.” Deanna turns and look at Johnny and pulls out her gun, while he freezes.

“I never told you why I was leaving” Johnny closes his mouth while Ebony smile. “Tell me what you have and hurry it up.” Deanna said “I found this, I didn’t know what it was until I thought about something he said last night.” Ebony held up a floor mat with green painted footsteps on it. Deanna cocked the gun back and tells Ebony to move over beside Johnny. “Johnny damn, really. Ebony you wasn’t going to even tell me, if he wasn’t here to see me huh.” “I was going to tell you, but I didn’t know. He didn’t tell me, I had to figure this shit out.”

Chapter 12

SHE COULDN’T BELIEVE her ears, how could he, why did he, all the things that ran through her head. Deanna walks up on Johnny and point the gun at his head, she starts hearing a car horn behind her. Aaron jumps out the car and walks up to them. “Johnny move your shit so my baby can get out.” “No! Johnny you stay your ass right there. This low life broke into my house last night, then this chick knew about it.” “What? Did you even think about that? What if they were home? What would you have done then?” “I knew where she was when she didn’t answer the phone, I knew she was going to run to you. Mister Perfect! So yeah I did it Deanna, so what.” Deanna moves Aaron out the way and points the gun back in his face, right between his eyes. “I’m wondering who I should shoot first. Ebony I’ve been wanting to shot your ass for a long ass time.” “We are family?” “Now we’re family, you hear that Aaron. We’re family now so I can just put the gun down, stupid bitch. We aren’t fucking family!” All you could here is sirens, police cars are all over the place. They surround them while yelling at Deanna to drop her weapon and step away, Deanna starts to cry without moving a muscle. The more she stood there, more policemen pops up, Aaron starts to worry when the policeman yelled out again. Aaron steps in front of her with his hands up in the air. “She’s not going to shoot, she’s pregnant and emotional. She just found out that

the man behind me just broke into her house today. Please don’t shoot, I will get the gun from her and you can take it. Just don’t shoot me.” One officer told them to stand down. Aaron looks at her, fighting with herself. “Why are you doing this? They could have shot you.” Deanna said “I don’t pose a threat to them or anyone else, on the other hand you do baby. You’re holding a cop gun at this man’s head, let go of it, so we can go home.” They yell out one more time for her to drop her weapon, she let out some air and puts it on the ground and Aaron kicks it to them. They rushed Deanna. “Be careful, I said she’s pregnant.” Aaron said while they pull him off to the side. Aaron calls Linda to come get Giovanni, while they put Deanna in the back of the police car. One policeman told Aaron they need him for questioning, he agreed while they take Johnny and Ebony down to the prescient. Deanna walks up the stairs and they sit her in the room right by Aaron. “Okay Miss Wright, what happen tonight?” “The man I had my illegal gun pointed at, had just told me he broke into my house last night. Which there is a police report for it, if you want to look it up, you will see that I reported that at 10 this morning and shortly after reporting that, I started to pack to go live with my boyfriend Aaron. Johnny parked behind me so I couldn’t leave at my own will. He was holding me there, I asked him to move and so did my boyfriend. But if you ask one of the officers, they can tell you that a pink pearl truck was blocked in.” “Why did you have a gun pointed at Ebony?” “She knew about it, she has a floor mat that proves that he doused my house with green paint.” “How do you know Johnny?” “That’s my son’s father. Can you let me call my father Detective Wright down here please?”

Before he could say something else someone knocks on the door and he walks out. Deanna is sitting there feeling like the walls are going closing in on her, she sits up when he walks back in. “Well we have three other people telling the same story you are, so I’m going to let you go. Do you want to press charges against him?” “Yes I do and I want a restraining order for him to stay away from my son and me.” He walks Deanna over to the table and Aaron is sitting at the table over, and so is Ebony. Deanna turns and looks at Ebony, Ebony nods at her and turns back and walks out. They handcuff Johnny and walked him out to get booked, he stops when he sees Deanna. Aaron rises and the policeman pushes him so he will move. “Restraining order.”

Deanna sits there waving the paper in the air. Deanna didn’t think she would be in the middle of anything like this. The most she ever thought this will go, is the two men in her life will have a problem with one another. Not getting handcuff and put into a policeman car. As she finishes talking to the cop, Detective Teddy Wright walks through the doors. Deanna stands and so did Aaron, even though this isn’t the first time Aaron met her father. “Hi daddy” “Hey Deanna. Hey Aaron.” “I didn’t really want you to come, I didn’t want to bother you.” “Well you didn’t but your mother on the other hand did. I hear you keeping that gun I gave you into good use.” “Yeah just trying to protect myself.” “I know baby don’t worry about this, I will see to it that he gets some more jail

time.” Teddy stops and calls one of the other detectives over that’s on her case. “Deanna and Aaron this is Detective Jones and find policeman. If you have any problem what so ever call this man right here.” Deanna looks at the little bitty man that stands in front of them and smiles and shakes his hand. “Aaron take care of my little girl.” Teddy said They shake hands as they walk out Deanna stops downstairs to retrieve her gun, as she stands there g for her gun to be released. The man tells her that it doesn’t have any bullets in it, because they’re not allowed to give any loaded firearm to anyone. As she signs the bottom line, Ebony was outside waiting on her.

“Hi” Ebony said “Hey” “I’m sorry for everything now and back then. It was envy than anything and I know now I shouldn’t have hated you when I loved you. I want everything between us to be cool, I knew I had to do the right thing and tell them the truth.” “Why envy me? Why Ebony, I’m no one. But I love the people who love me, I can’t say everything will be cool because it hasn’t been for years and now, I suppose to let everything go just like that.” “Look at you Deanna, even at your worst, you still look like you stepped out of a magazine. I love you and I hope you could one day love me too.” Ebony sticks out her hand and Deanna shook it and Ebony walks off. Deanna looked almost, well a little bit like Ebony, but she just had her own style and Ebony hated her for that. Ebony hated her hair, size, the way she carried herself. Just anything she could think of. Deanna never looked at herself like

she’s better looking than anyone else, just because Linda told her everyone is gorgeous in their own way. Deanna is gorgeous, I mean down right lovely and she doesn’t think she is, made her even more pretty. Ebony never meant any harm to Deanna but she wanted to be her so badly, she didn’t think of how her actions were hurting Deanna. Deanna and Aaron pops in his Black Chrysler 300, with red leather sits. Deanna sits back and tells Aaron how hungry she is. Aaron stops off to get her something to eat while they pick up Giovanni, and pick up her car too. Deanna fell in love with Aaron all over again just thinking about what he’s done for her. As she goes to the bedroom and lay across the bed while Giovanni is playing up stairs, Aaron is taking most of her things out the car. Deanna goes and helps him and takes Giovanni things up to his new room. When Deanna comes back to her room and takes a bath, Aaron walks in and looks at her. As she looks over to him he’s taking off his cloths and gets in behind her. She leans back while he kisses her on her shoulder. “Where’s Giovanni?” “He’s in his bed looking at “Bubble Guppies” I don’t understand that show at all. But it puts him to sleep. Do you know what they asked Johnny or what he said?” “He confessed to everything, knowing that Ebony can prove he was there. So what else could he do.” “You know what? Ebony is right about how you carry yourself, I didn’t think you would go for a guy like me. I couldn’t help myself” Aaron felt because she is so pretty she wouldn’t want to fall for a rugget man like himself, but that’s what Deanna loves about him, to know that she could be taken care of by this strong well-built man, he made her feel like a woman every time he’d come around.

Chapter 13

DEANNA SMILES THINKING about her father walking up on Aaron for the first time. While Aaron was in the gas station and Deanna was sitting in the car, she looked over to see her father walking up. “Where are you going?” “Out daddy, don’t start that crazy mess today. I just met him and we’re going out on a date. I don’t want you to scare him away. He’s coming, leave please daddy.” Teddy really didn’t care what Deanna was saying he had it in his mind that he was going to wait for him to walk back out and meet him. He felt something had to be wrong with this boy if she’s running him away. Teddy stood by the car while Aaron walked out the door, Aaron sped up to see who the man is but when he looked harder. He could see that he looks just like Deanna, Aaron put a smile on his face while Deanna rolls her eyes.

“Hi there” Teddy said “Hey” “I know you wondering who am I, I’m Deanna’s father. I saw her sitting here, so I came to say hi.” “Okay no problem.” “What you want from my daughter?” “Daddy don’t do that” Aaron looked at Deanna getting embarrassed by her father’s outburst, Aaron looked back ay Teddy and Teddy eyes never left Aaron’s face. “Sir I just want to get to know her.”

“Well do you know she has a son?” Aaron looked at Deanna one more time while her mouth hit the floor. “Daddy that’s something I needed to tell him, not you. Thanks for that. Yes Aaron I have a two year old son, I was going to tell you that when we had time to talk. But no thanks to detective know it all, had to tell you first.” Aaron didn’t break a sweat, he smiled. “That’s fine, Deanna it’s okay. I love kids, you having one don’t change my mind about you.” Teddy looked at Aaron and smiled and shook his hand, while telling them to be safe. Deanna couldn’t believe her father just did that, she looked at Aaron and he smiled. Aaron couldn’t tell that she had any children, just by the way she kept herself up. “Are you really okay with that?” “Sure I am. I just have one question. Where is his father?” “I don’t know, he didn’t even know I was pregnant, but neither did I. It’s a long and crazy story that I will tell you when I know you a little better.”

Two nights later was the first time he kissed her, the way he smelled filled up her nose. She smiled at him as he stood over her, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to his body, she looked up at him as he smiled with a glazed over his eyes. He came down as she parts her lips and their mouth touched, her eyes closed as the kiss gets hotter, heat felled up her body. “Really ma, I been waiting to do this since I met you.” He lifted her up and hold her in the air while she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her mouth down on his face. Her moan echoes in his ears, he slowly let her down as she slightly opened her eyes. She stood there in a mental daze, she touched his chest and looked into his eye while a smile grew on her face. He bends down to kiss her once more, before he walked away.

Aaron put his hands on Deanna stomach as she rests her head on his chest, he bends down to kiss her as she hum “Imagination” by Floetry. The very song that she conceived to, as Aaron sits there thinking about the night the condom broke and he didn’t stop. Aaron never told Deanna what really happen that night, even though he thinks she had a clue. The way she said his name, he knew he couldn’t stop. She pulled him down on her as he kissed her, the condom was barely on and he wanted her as much as she wanted him. That night they knew what they were doing but couldn’t help themselves.

As Deanna gets out the tub she walks up to Giovanni room, and turns off his TV while he sleeps. When Deanna turns and walks in the room, Aaron is standing by the door with a towel draped over his body. He pulls her in and pushes her up against the door, Deanna’s mouth opens as she bites down on her lip. “Don’t ever think about leaving me again?” Deanna moves to the side, he grabs her arms and pull them above her head. He bends down to her face and she turns her head. “I know how you feel about me, look at you Deanna. Don’t fight me. Let me make love to you.” He was right, all she’s feeling is love, lust and pleasure, tingling all over her body, while he has her pent to the door. He walks her over to the bed, her arms are behind him as he guides the way. Deanna couldn’t pretend that she didn’t like his demanding ways when it comes to the bed room, she loves the way he take charge, and the way he puts her first. He pushes her back as her robe flies open when she hits the bed. He starts to kiss her thighs and all the way up to her neck, his grip gets tighter as he wraps his tongue around her nipples. He turns her over, as her face rest on the bed she grips the sheets. He moans out from feeling that familiar feeling, her warmth surrounds him. He grabs her hips as she pushes back unto him, deeper and deeper he goes. “Aaron, mmm.” “Tell me you love me?”

Deanna didn’t udder a word as he turns her over and pulls her back to the end of the bed, he part her legs and eases inside her. Her eyes widen as she feels him entering her, he bends down and kisses her while the noises of enjoyment dances out of her mouth. She puts her fingers into his back. “Don’t stop Aaron” Aaron never heard anything sweeter then the sound of her voice as she climaxes, the feeling of her shaking body brought Aaron to his knees. He pulls the cover over them and held her in that spot. “I love you.” Deanna said She kisses him as he smiles. He looks at her and brushes her hair out of her face. “I love you too ma, always and forever.” The next morning Aaron gets up and Deanna has already made pancakes and links. Aaron sits down next to Giovanni, Deanna leaves to go back to the apartment for all the things she has left. As she walks up to the door, everything was worse than the first time, the smell of wet unhardened paint made it unbearable for her to even stay to get anything. As she walks back out to her car she sees light bright and nappy man walking her way, Deanna starts to cuss in her head for leaving her gun in her car and not putting it on her. “Where is your man?” Light bright said “News flash, he’s not my man anymore and he’s in jail.” Nappy man walks up to Deanna, Ebony drives in the apartment blowing her horn. Nappy looks over to her as she jumps out the car. “This is over Johnny is locked up” Ebony said while trying to catch her breath. “We know, we were about to leave.” Light bright said “I still don’t like you bitch” Nappy said “Why? Could it be because you got your ass handed to you by a girl?”

Nappy made a face while light bright pulls him away. Ebony walks up to Deanna while Deanna rolls her eyes. “That’s why we couldn’t be just family, because you feel the need to tell people who don’t like me where I stay. I’m your blood Ebony, your blood and you still tell them where I lay my head at. You know you wrong for that” “Deanna that was before I said all that to you the other day, that was when I found out where you stayed. When I found out that Johnny really didn’t want me, I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I don’t feel good about any of it, but little cuz, you still my family.” Deanna looks at her while she gets back into the car and drives off. Deanna sat outside wondering if Ebony would have just thought about anybody else but herself they would have a different relationship.

As Deanna walks into the house Johnny and Giovanni is the room sleeping, Deanna goes and puts up more pots and pans as the phone rings. “Can I speak to Aaron?” A soft voice rang in her ears, knowing she wanted to hang up the phone and pretend that it never happened. She knows she is jumping to a conclusion and she couldn’t do that. “He’s sleeping right now. May I ask whose calling?” “Tell him that Ronda Liftmen called.” Deanna hangs up the phone thinking about her name. Ronda Liftmen, she made it up in her mind that she had to be a striper and she wanted Aaron. As she goes back and forward with herself, Aaron walks in the kitchen and gets a sprite as he shuts the door Deanna is looking at him. “Who is Ronda Liftmen?” Aaron starts to choke on the sprite that hasn’t fully went down his throat, and he starts to rub his head, and looks back at her.

“Aaron who is she?” “She’s nobody baby, she’s and ex.” “An ex, should I worry about you two?” “No baby, don’t even go there. I don’t want that girl, I love you and only you.” Deanna turns and closes the cabinet, while the phone rings again and she looks at Aaron as he looks at the phone. Deanna knew it had to be her again, calling to check up on him. But not expecting a girl to answer the phone. That may have thrown that Ronda chick for a loop. “Hello” “Hey baby, what you been up too?” “I’m not your baby, I’ve been just fine, and what can I help you with?” “I know that chick didn’t tell you that I called.” Deanna face changes as she slams the pot down, Aaron puts his hand out, as he shakes his head at her, she placed her hands on her hips. “Yo, you being very disrespectful, that’s my girl you need to calm that shit down. That shit shouldn’t even left your mouth.” “Aw Aaron starting to fall for theses bitches now. That’s what it is Aaron, you want that bitch?” Deanna walks up to Aaron while he’s shaking his head, Deanna grabs the phone out of his hand. “Little girl, I know you don’t know me, so I’m going to excuse the shit you just said. Aaron has a woman now and I’m not going anywhere, so kick rocks, oh and to let you know I live here now and if you call here again I will be here to answer the phone.” Deanna hangs up the phone while Ronda is talking and hands the phone back to Aaron and walks away. Aaron grabs her arm as she about to leave.

“Baby don’t be mad at me.” “I’m not mad, I just want to lay down.” How could she be mad at him, he can’t stop anyone from calling. As a few weeks went by they went out one night to Red Lobster as they sat in the middle somewhere, a dark-skinned woman starts their way and Aaron looks up and gets mad, as she stops in front of their table. “Hi Aaron” Deanna knew by her voice who she was, Deanna looks at the girl and then back at Aaron who’s rubbing his head. “You still being disrespectful, you see me having dinner with my family.” “I know and I don’t mean any disrespect. I really just wanted to say hi.” “Ronda this is Deanna my girlfriend and the mother of my soon to be child and her son Giovanni.” Ronda looks down at Deanna’s stomach that’s almost pushing against the table, she looks at Aaron and then at the floor before walking away she waves bye to Aaron. Aaron forces a smile on his face and Deanna looks at Ronda and touches Aaron’s hand. “You need to talk to her and get everything off your chest.” “No baby, she likes to start shit.” Deanna opens her purse and smile while saying so do I. He gets up and bends down and kisses Deanna before walking five tables over where she is sitting. Aaron couldn’t believe his eyes when he sees her for the first time in three years going on four. “What are you even doing here?” “I don’t want to be without you, don’t you still love me” “Man no I don’t and never will again. I haven’t loved you in three years now, uh.

That’s about the same time you left and never returned.” “Aaron leave with me now, I’m staying with my sister, I have nothing to go back for.” “From what you said the last time, you had nothing to go back too. But that didn’t stop you from leaving. You know what, I’m so tired of hearing the same shit from you. The same tired ass lies you think you can tell me, I need you to understand that we have been over for a long time, I don’t want you, I love her and my babies, I would never leave her for you. I wouldn’t even think about that.” Deanna mouth drops when Ronda crosses the line and put her hand on Aaron’s face, he moves and pushes her from in front of him. She catches herself. “You don’t get to touch me, not at all, let the past stay in the past. Let me go.” “Aaron we could just leave right now, we could walk out the doors and you could send that bitch and her babies some money.” He grabs her by her shoulders and pulls her close to him. “You don’t get to talk about her like that, she means more to me in the past two years then you ever could in the last 7 years I’ve known you, so fuck off.” As he starts to get madder, Deanna calls out to him. He turns and lets her go, before he walks off Ronda puts up her arm and shakes her head at Deanna. Deanna imagines shooting her from where she sat, just to avoid getting up. Deanna squeezes her pregnant ass out the sit and grabs her purse. “No baby don’t” He pushes her off of him and he steps in front of Deanna, Deanna stood there pointing her finger in Ronda’s face. “Little girl, I already told you that you don’t know me like that. I would put your ass on the morning news. Keep fucking with me, this man right here is mine, go get your own and leave mine the fuck alone. You look stupid, dumb trick.” “Shut the fuck up before I hit you in the damn stomach.”

“Bitch I wish you would touch my girl, I don’t hit women but I will lay your motherfucking ass out.” “Move along, if you can’t tell he don’t want you anymore.” “You know what Aaron fuck you. I don’t need your ass, the only reason I started talking with you in the first place is because the money looked good.” “Yeah that’s cool, the only reason I let you back is because the head was good. The pussy, not so much. I’ve could have done without that shit, that’s why at times I just didn’t feel like it.” Deanna starts to laugh at Aaron, Ronda runs off as they walk back to their table. Giovanni is sitting there eating his bread, Aaron let out a deep breath. After they ate they left.

Chapter 14

GIOVANNI GOES TO his room, while Aaron is on the living room floor. Deanna walks in and stands behind the sofa, Aaron turns and smiles at her. “You want to sit with me?” As she sits next to him while he turns on the Quite Storm, he holds her and stares at her face. “What” “I’m happy and I want you to know that.” Deanna knew how he felt for her, she knew that he wanted her in every good way. But she didn’t know anything about his past that never came to light until the day Ronda showed up. At that time she wondered what else is lurking around him. The next morning Linda calls Deanna. “You got a call from a police officer. He said that Johnny’s case will be heard on the 19th of next month.” “I don’t want to go, I don’t want to see him.” “You want to get that devil out of your life? Then you need to take your ass up to that court house. Where is my baby?” “Staying with you while Aaron and I go to court.” The month flew past as Deanna gets ready to have her baby in a mouth and a half away. “We got to get ready to go.” Aaron said while walking into the room fully dress and Deanna is still in her night clothes.

Aaron helps her out the bed and she gets ready while Aaron drops off Giovanni, when they arrive at the court house. They had all the inmates on one side, chain together while they call them case by case. They end up getting Johnny a new court date and let him out on 10 thousand dollar bond, Deanna got up and walks out, Aaron looks over to Johnny while he smiles at Aaron. Aaron nods at him while following her to the car. Aaron sees her upset to where she couldn’t even talk, all he could do is try to keep her calm. Aaron takes her home and she lays there in the bed for most of the day and onto the night. Deanna couldn’t believe that they would just smack him on the hand and let him walk away. Deanna couldn’t control the tears flooding her eyes, she just lays there until Aaron walks in the room with a plate of food. “Deanna you have to eat. Feed my baby please, I know thing could be better but you have to let this go right now until after this baby is born.” He helps her sit up, she ate as much as she could, in the middle of the night she waken with sharp pains from her stomach. She tries to get up and the pain went to her back, like someone took a knife and stabbed in the middle of her back, then pushes and pulls it up and down her spine. She grabs her stomach and falls to her knees. She screams from deep within her, Aaron jumps up and looks over to find her on the floor. He scoops her up and puts her in the car and goes to get Giovanni. Aaron calls Linda and her OB to meet them at Northside, as Aaron runs in the building asking for help. Linda is in the waiting room standing there crying, while they wheel her in. Giovanni ran to Linda as they walk off to keep him from hearing his mother curdling screams. Aaron runs into the delivery room and nurse after nurse runs in and out the room and her OB comes in the room to see 6 people standing around trying to see what’s going. Deanna felt the urge to pee as she gets up to go to the bathroom, blood was falling out of her and tinkling down her leg, as she look down she starts to cry even harder. Aaron held on to her and walks her back to the bed. “I need to push, I have to push.” “Wait Deanna don’t push, I feel her feet.”

She looks back and tells the nurse that she breached, call to opening up an O.R. She knew if she had gone into that O.R. she could never have another baby

vaguely. Deanna sits up two minutes later. “I really feel like pushing, I really do. If you don’t catch her I will push her out on the floor.” She came back and checks her and five minutes later she was delivering a baby girl. They wrap her up and rush off with her, without saying a word. All the nurses disappear but 3, Deanna looks over to Aaron who is standing by her bedside. “Where are they taking her, is she okay.” “They just going to check her out, don’t worry. They will bring her back.” Aaron kisses her on the forehead as they bring her back in the room. They put her in Deanna’s arms, Deanna couldn’t believe that all of it was over. Aaron took her and sits down and smiles at the little light skin almost clear little girl in his arms. Aaron goes out to get Linda and Giovanni. Giovanni kisses her while Linda goes to pick her up, the nurse gave Deanna two big white pills. Just so she could sleep, after they change her room, Aaron sits on the bed and rub her hair as she drifts off to sleep. She smiles and tells Aaron she loves him, well she thought she said I love you, her l’s were m’s and before she hits you, she’s out. Deanna awakens 3 hours later and calls for Aaron who’s siting in the recliner next to the bed. “Thank you for being here for me” “Where else could I be, than next to you.” “Where is she? Baby we need to think of a name.” “They took her to take a bath, I’ve been thinking of names. The first one is Naomi Willow or Naomi Ire.” Deanna really didn’t like either of the middle names, but she wanted to give him the honor to name his first born. Just the smile on his face made her happy. “I’m going to leave it up to you.” Deanna said “Really”

“Yes, so which one?” “The first one, I like that the most.” All Deanna could think about is her little girl, she has always wanted a little boy first and have her little girl. She never thought that she would be having another child, she knew her and Aaron was something real just because of the way she responded to him. Deanna tried her best at keep Aaron away, most of the time it was hard to do at first. Then she couldn’t keep him away, Giovanni would ask for him. Deanna just didn’t want Giovanni to get attached to a man that’s not his father. But what could she do, she started to need him around, more than want but needed. His touches, has always brought chills up and down her spine. Deanna looks into Aaron lovely eyes, and he says the first one. “Naomi Willow Blackman” “I love it” Deanna said “That good, because I love you” They wheel her back in and Aaron picks her up and stood there until she opened her eyes. Even though Naomi was a month early, she was 6 pounds and 9 ounce. Aaron couldn’t stop smiling at his new born, as he looks at Naomi, the door opens and there stood Deanna’s oldest friend Katrina. For some reason unexplained to Aaron, he never knew why Deanna and this hood ass excuse of a woman, even cross path with each other. Katrina walks in like she just came from the club, all gritty and grimy, but still glammed up. Aaron never really liked her from the first time they met, outside of Deanna’s apartments. Katrina walked up on him with all the attitude in the word, she gave him the works, head rolling, finger pointing, back talk and everything else you should do when you meet someone for the first time. Katrina stood there with her hands folded over her newly bought breast, her hair has a corner shaved and the other side down her back. With six inches of toes falling onto the ground, and this sparkly ass tube dress on. Aaron got out his car while they stood there and talked, Aaron walked up and Deanna smiled. Katrina made a face and looked at Aaron from head to toe, Aaron smiled at a girl he thought was so ghetto at first site. When she opened

her mouth he was convince that she was just that, a ghetto hot mess and she shouldn’t be talking to his perfect woman. “So you the man Deanna can’t stop talking about?” “Yeah, I guess so” “If you hurt my good friend here, I will get someone to kick that ass.”

Aaron looked at her like she has lost her mind, because she had to be just a little bit slow. To be talking that reckless and not to even know Aaron or anything about him. “She just playing Aaron.” “Don’t believe that shit she talking, just know if it happen to her it will happen to you.” Katrina made a face and gets into her coverable red hot corvette, and pulled off into the night. Aaron turned and looked at Deanna that has her hand over her mouth. She could tell that Aaron was a little disturbed. “How do you even know that girl?” “We grew up together, I knew her since we were 10 and I know she can be a little much. But she’s my only friend and I love her.” “She looks . . . .” “Like a striper” “I was going to say a hooker but that too” “Okay, but she is a striper.”

Chapter 15

KATRINA WALKS IN the room and sees Deanna laying there and Aaron holding Naomi, as she close the door Deanna opens her eyes and sits up in the bed. Katrina nod at Aaron while she sits on the bed. “Why do I hear that you been in the hospital twice since I’ve been gone?” Katrina looks back at Aaron as he puts Naomi down. “What you got to say?” Aaron said “What are you good for?” “I’m here and don’t worry about what I’m good for and your sitting over there talking shit while your best friend just had a baby.” “I know why she’s here now but what about before, why was she in the hospital the first time?” Aaron sat there and didn’t say anything. “Just as I thought, you have nothing to say. Hitting her in her face, how do you think she felt when you slugged her?” Aaron stands up and starts to put Naomi down in the cart. “Katrina don’t do that. Aaron don’t leave” “Nall baby she thinks she know everything, I can’t just sit here and let her talk to me like that” “Bye” Katrina said “Aaron . . .” Deanna said “It’s cool love, I’ll be back, I’m going to take Naomi to the nursery. I don’t want

her around this filthy ass excuse of a woman” “Oh you hurt my feeling, good one Aaron.” Aaron walks out the door and Deanna turns her head away from Katrina “Really Deanna, he asked for that. He shouldn’t have hit you, I can still see it. He got what was coming to him, don’t be mad at me.” “He is a good man Katrina” “That might be but he had that coming even if he is, he needed to hear my mouth.” “Katrina you shouldn’t talk to him that way, he has been there for me and your God son, you’ve been gone for almost a year now and you still coming back with trouble, it’s like you never left.” “Deanna please if he can’t take me fussing at him, then he’s not the man you need. He will be alright.” “Katrina you are my friend. Do you love me?” “Of course” “I love him and I need you to go talk to him and make everything better, you making me sad Katrina and I don’t like feeling like this” Deanna put her hands on her face and Katrina sits back on the bed and rubs her shoulder. “If it means that much to you and you don’t cry, I will go talk to him” Deanna smile as Katrina walks out the room, Aaron is in the Cafeteria. Aaron sees her walking up to him and he stands. “Don’t’ leave” “Why? My baby up there by herself.” “She wanted me to talk to you, just sit down for a minute.”

Aaron looks at her while he sits down, Katrina smile as he makes a face.

“Why don’t you like me? What have I done to you?” “It’s not that. I’m just trying to protect me friend, she loves hard and I don’t want anybody to run over her.” “I’m not them and you wouldn’t know that because you didn’t give me a chance to show you who I am.” “Well I’m here now to tell you I’m sorry about that, I’m not that person, I’ve just been there when she been up and down with everything and I don’t like to see her helpless and that’s all I saw when I walked in the room.” “We want the best for her, I know you were there first and she loves you, but I’m here now and have been for 2 years going on three. I need you to let me be her man.” Katrina shakes her head, Aaron never meant to bad mouth her friend, all he wanted is to get to know her nut from the minute he open his mouth she acted like he was a dog. He never cared about Katrina or her thoughts. He still shook hands with her and agreed to let everything be and just be there for Deanna. They walk into the room Deanna is holding Naomi, Katrina smiles and goes to pick her up, no before looking back at Aaron and getting his permission first. He nods and kisses Deanna as she smiles. They discharge Naomi and Deanna two days later, as they got to the house Deanna walks up to Giovanni’s room. When she opens the door the blue sports room, Deanna turns and looks at Aaron and smiles. “You like it baby?” “Yes. Oh my goodness.” “Follow me” Aaron took her hand and they walks in Naomi’s room, the light pink room put a smile on Deanna’s face. The cherry bed set and a monitor for her room, she never had a nursery for Giovanni. Just because she could never afford it for the

most part.

“When did you do this?” “All it takes is a phone call to get things done. Don’t worry about that, I’m just glad that you like it.” “I love it.” Deanna lays Naomi down and goes off to the kitchen. Aaron couldn’t even imagine his life now, he would never think that he would be in a long term relationship and now have a daughter and a son. Aaron sat there thinking about all the things that he has been through to get to this moment. Deanna felt safe in the house plus Aaron and her doctor ordered her to stay put and that’s what she did for about two months. She didn’t leave that house, knowing that Johnny was on the loose and she couldn’t bare running into him. Her every thought put her back in the safe comfort of her home. Linda calls Deanna. “Hey baby” “Hi mama” “I’m worried about you. You haven’t left that house in a long time, not even to go shopping.” Deanna had started worrying about herself too, Linda wasn’t too emotional and for her to show it was big. Deanna was shocked that she even felt that way, out of nowhere Olivia starts talking.

“Sister I’m glad to hear that you had that baby girl.” “Yeah she’s about to be ten weeks old.” “Mama wants to have a cook out tomorrow at her house, nothing to big but it’s

just for you.” “Are you here?” “No but I tried to be, but I can’t make it, but I will come down shortly. Just go to your mama’s house so she can stop worrying about you please.” “Okay I will come.” “Tomorrow is Friday and I want yall here, okay” “Yes, that’s fine” Deanna rarely saw her mother choke up, not even when she got divorced. She wasn’t the type of person just to break down for anything and if she did, no one would know. Deanna goes to lie down, Aaron walks in the room and lies next to her and wraps his arms around her. “Mama having a cook out for us tomorrow” “Aw, that’s thoughtful, that will get your mind off everything.” “I guess so, I could use a day out” Aaron went over earlier that next day to help prepare the food, around twelve Aaron came to pick them up, as they pull up little tables and chairs are in front Deanna goes to sit down with Naomi, a dark green Monte Carlo pulls up. Deanna slightly turns around, and out steps Ebony. With roses and a bag in her hands, Deanna turns and looks at Aaron as she walks up. “I’ve heard that you had your baby, I just wanted to give her a little something and bring you some roses.” “Yeah, thanks to my current problems. I had her early but thanks for this, you really didn’t have too” Ebony looks down trying to figure out what she should say, or even if she should say anything at all. “So what’s up?”

“Oh, John had called about two weeks ago, I just wanted to check up on you and the family.” “Thanks but we’re good” “Well I would like to stay, if you have enough room” Deanna wanted her to leave, Ebony has caused Deanna so much pain in the last few months, how could she think she was welcome. Deanna stood there looking at Ebony like she’s going to disappear, even Ebony knew it would be a long shot that Deanna felt comfortable around her. Linda walks up and invites her to stay, and even walks her over to one of the tables. Deanna looks at Lind and she shrugs her shoulders, Deanna goes to sit down while Aaron fixes her a plate. As Aaron put the plate down, Johnny walks into the yard with a smile from ear to ear. Deanna quickly gets up and meets him, while Aaron stood up and Ebony did too. “You know you’re not supposed be here” “Baby, I thought you would have known better than that, them fucking papers don’t mean shit to me. You owe me” Johnny looks down and sees Naomi and shakes his head at her while looking off to see Aaron. Johnny smile once more, Deanna felt like screaming on the inside, as Johnny face changes. “What do you mean I owe you Johnny?” “Come on Deanna, I was in Jail for you, just to be with your ass and look how you do me. Bitch you owe me your life. Why? Why you had to have this baby? I didn’t think it was a good ideal.” Johnny said “This is my child and she’s not going anywhere.” “What happened to us?” Johnny said “What happened to you? You’re not the same person I knew. You need to ask yourself what happen to you” “What happen to me! BITCH! I was in jail because of you, you ungrateful little

girl, if I can’t have you neither can he” Deanna held her breath a little bit as Johnny stops smiling and touches her face, Aaron starts to move and Johnny pulls out a gun. Johnny points it straight at Deanna and looks over to see Aaron. Aaron stops dead in his tracks, he balls up his hand and hits the table. Deanna turns around and looks at her purse, Aaron bites his lips as he sees a tear falls from Deanna’s eyes, Linda is holding Giovanni and Ebony is still standing there. Johnny looks over to her. “Deanna don’t even like you. Why are you even here?” “She’s my family and I can be here if I want too” “Did you tell your family that you told me where she was?” “I talked to you two weeks ago, I found out about this yesterday, stop lying on me.” “I never liked your ass, I was waiting for my baby to come back in my life.” “Fuck you Johnny” Johnny laughs when pulling the gun on her and shooting her right under the shoulder blade. The force from the gun pushes Ebony’s body over the table and into the chairs. Linda screams while pulling Giovanni down to the ground, Aaron gets closer. Johnny turns the gun back on Deanna and looks back at Aaron. “You alright back there, it’s so funny. It’s so funny how the mother fucking tables turns” “Please come see me, come try me right motherfucking now” “Fuck you” “Before this is over with you’re going to wish I had fucked you” “You move one more time, and I will shoot both of these bitches. I love it when things go my way. Sit back there like a good little boy and enjoy the show.”

Chapter 16

DEANNA TEARS FELLED up her eyes as her heart falls into her stomach, all she could focus on is her babies. She looks down at Naomi. Aaron is turn in his head trying to figure out what he could do, how he could stop this from happening. Aaron already had the gun behind his back, but he couldn’t shoot at him without hitting Deanna. “What’s the problem Deanna? You have no more fight in you ever since you had this man’s baby” Deanna can hear Aaron talking to himself and Johnny pushes the gun at her, Johnny rubs Deanna’s face with the gun as she jerks her head away. All she felt is a gush of wind flowing her ear, Aaron shot Johnny. Deanna looks back as Johnny falls backwards, Aaron mouthed I’m sorry. Deanna gave Naomi to Linda as she runs over to Ebony, Deanna turns Ebony over as she starts to shake violently before ing out. Linda called the police right when Deanna gave her Naomi, Linda never seen anything so outrageous in her life and it’s even more crazy that’s it happening to her child. Deanna sat there on her knees with a shirt holding Ebony’s shoulder, Aaron drops the gun as the cops pulls up. The ambulances pulls up first and runs up to Ebony, Deanna moves while they put Aaron in handcuffs. “Stand back ma’am” “He was protecting us, you can’t take him. He had no choice, he would have shot us.” “Ma’am I’m sorry I still have to take him in” Deanna put her arms around him as he tells her to be strong for the kids, Deanna stood in that spot as they took everyone away. Deanna gets in the car and goes to the hospital, as she goes in she still in surgery. Deanna sat and sat there until they brought her to recovery, as they roll her in. She stops the first nurse she sees.

“Is everything going to be okay?” “As of right now yes, she should heel up just fine. I don’t know about the usage in her arm, only time the will tell with that.” Deanna walks in the room and Ebony is laying there with an oxygen mask on, Deanna grabs her hand as she takes the mask off. “If you don’t get him I will” Ebony said “Trust me he will get his turn, believe me. Your sisters are on the way, call me when you’re feeling better” Deanna sped out the hospital and went straight to Dekalb County. As she stand there thinking of what she could do, Detective Jones walks right by her, she reaches out to touch him. She stood there thinking of what to say, while he pulls her off to the side. “You have to help me, Aaron is here because the guy who broke into my house, got release from jail and found me and stuck a gun in my face, before and after shooting someone. Aaron shot him, but he had too, there was no other way to resolve things.” Mr. Jones goes to the computer and Aaron is in the system. “I fully understand what you both been going through, but Ms. Wright. They got him in the system for attempted murder. He will have to go to court, but I will be there to testify on his behalf.” He stops and looks her up and down. “Ms. Wright, you know you have blood all over you. Go home and get some rest and let me see what I can do, everything will be alright” Deanna knew she had to go, but doing so, is so hard for her to just leave and let it go. Deanna pulls up at her mother’s home, as she walks in Linda is looking at the floor. “What’s going on mama?”

“You know how they said it was attempted murder?” “Yeah” “As of 45 minutes ago, it turn into murder.” Deanna fell to her knees, just the thought of Johnny dying because of her. She couldn’t even bare it. Aaron calls and Linda hands the phone to Deanna. “Did you hear the news?” “Yes, are you okay” “Yeah, don’t worry about me. I needed to say I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s going on in your mind. But me killing him wasn’t my plans baby, I feel bad that I took Giovanni’s father way.” “Baby no worries, you didn’t take his father. You’re his father, just come home. I can’t do this without you, Aaron I can’t! I just can’t!” “Know that I love you, and I will be home soon. Your daddy got me a hearing at 10am on Monday, he said that they will kick it. I have to go, but I love you and the kids” “Aaron I love you” As the phone hangs up, Deanna lays out on the floor. Linda walks in the room and sits beside her. “Baby no more crying, you’re a big girl now. You have to handle this standing up, I know how much Aaron means to you, so let work on getting him back” Deanna smiles at her mother and stands to her feet while wiping the tears from her face. Deanna couldn’t bear going back to the house without Aaron, so the next two nights she stayed with her mother. Sunday morning Ebony stops by. “So you’re telling me that when Aaron shot Johnny, he was dead at that moment” “They could have called on the way to the hospital or when they got there,

because they got him to respond but it didn’t last that long.” “Damn” “You could say that again” “Where is Aaron?” “In Jail” “Is there something I could do?” “Come with me to court tomorrow, so you could testify” “That’s the least I could do for you”

The very next day Ebony met Deanna in court, as we sat down everything began. Teddy got Aaron a lawyer, and the lawyer assured us that he would be home at the end of today. Detective Jones is called to the stand, as they ask him about Deanna. “The night you arrived at Deanna Wright’s apartment, the defendant girlfriend apartment. What did you see?” “Well Deanna Wright had a 9mm gun pointed at the victim.” “This 9mm” The lawyer raises the gun and put it back on the table, Aaron looks back at Deanna as she smiles. “Yes” “The same gun he was shot with two months later on her mother’s front lawn.” “Yes” The prosecutor sits down as Aaron lawyer starts.

“Detective Jones. Do you know Ms. Wright?” “I know her father.” “Who is her father?” “Objection, where is this going?” “He brought up only one part of the story, I’m getting to the reason why the gun was drawn, her father is the reason she has a gun.” “Over ruled” “So Detective Jones, who is her father?” “Detective Teddy Wright.” “Why was Deanna Wright pointing her gun at the victim?” “The night before he had broking into her house.” “So is it safe to say that he was harassing her?” “Objection, he has no idea what the victim was doing.” “Judge, it was clear what Johnny Sander was doing.”

“Yes, I think I know where this is going, so closing arguments starts now.” The Judge said. “Johnny Sander may have had a gun on him that day, but he did not have to be killed and Aaron Blackman took the law in his hands to shoot and kill Johnny Sander. Aaron Blackman should go to jail for Manslaughter and nothing less.” “He’s right about one thing, Aaron did shot and kill Johnny Sander, but not before Johnny Sander’s ransacked Deanna Wright’s apartment, then that same day he showed up blocked her in from leaving. The day of his death, he came to her mother’s house with a gun and shot his ex-girlfriend. Right after tell Deanna herself that if he can’t have her, and he’s words were. If I can’t have you then

Aaron can’t either, while Deanna was holding the child of Aaron Blackman in her arms, so you tell me. If you had that chance to shoot, would you? Or would you let this man wave a gun around to shoot as many people as he felt like, Johnny Sander’s son was there and Deanna’s mother, her cousin who was shot, he could have took her arm off, if he knew what he was doing. Her new born baby that was in her arms while Johnny threating to shoot them both and the defended was there. He was there watching all it. Tell me what would you do?” Deanna grabs Ebony’s hand and smile while her heart felt a little better, she starts to cry as the lawyer sits down and the Judge starts talking. “Well I’m ashamed that this got this far, that Mister Blackman spent two days in jail, so the state could bring me nothing. The state has no case, Aaron Blackman had every right to shoot Johnny Sander, to protect his family. I’m dismissing all charges, Aaron Blackman you are free to leave.” As she speaks Deanna knew her man was coming home, and Aaron shakes his lawyer hand and they walk Aaron way. Deanna looks up and Johnny’s mother and two brothers were standing there looking at her. Ebony stood by her side as Ms. Sander walks up on her.

“How could you let this happen?” “I asked him to leave me alone, but he couldn’t let the past go.” “The past stuck him in jail for almost a year, so I lose my baby twice and all because of you. You silly little girl.” Deanna couldn’t say anything, what could she say. I’m sorry your son had to die, so she didn’t say anything. His two brothers walk up behind their mother. “I hate you, I knew you were bad news when my brother told us about you the first time.” “That shit isn’t called for, I think it’s time for us to be leaving. She shouldn’t feel guilty for his actions, he did that to himself” Ebony said Ebony grabs Deanna’s arm and they walk off to see her daddy standing there.

Teddy walks Deanna and Ebony and right up to Ms. Sander’s and her sons. “I know this is hard for you, but it is what it is. You’ve lost one son, I would hate to lock these other two up for threating my daughter. You understand me?” Teddy meant every word he said and Deanna didn’t want it to go that far, but she knew when her daddy said something, she needed to stay out of it. Deanna just stood there looking at Johnny’s mother cry for her son’s, at that moment Deanna felt guilty for everything. Ebony and Deanna walks out as Ebony leaves Deanna waits for Aaron. Aaron walks out the door, Deanna walks up to him and kisses him. He picks her up and they get into the car, as Deanna drives off Aaron is looking out the window. “What” Deanna said “Oh my God baby, I never would have thought that I would get away with murder or even me murdering someone.” “I know and it’s all my fault, Johnny mother is right. I am a stupid little girl.” “Deanna don’t, you’re not stupid at all. You have to understand that what he wanted to do you is take your life, you didn’t make this happen. He did it all, the breaking into your home, the gun he brought to shot. He did that baby and all you wanted him to do is leave you alone. Don’t blame yourself for someone else thoughts.” Linda walks to the door and smiles when she sees Aaron, and hugs him. “Thank you for taking care of my baby. I was afraid for her and then you, but as long as you both are together. I know you will be fine.” “I’m here for them all Ms. Wright, I wouldn’t have it no other way.” They get the kids and went home and stayed there most of the year.

Chapter 17

AARON GETS A call from his old friend. As the day’s go by they talk on the phone like little school girls. Danny Benson. One Friday afternoon Danny call and Deanna gives the phone to Aaron while there was a knock at the door. Aaron opens the door, Deanna could hear them shacking hands and patting one another. Giovanni run up to them. “This your little man” “Not officially but hell yeah. I have a little girl too” They walk up to Naomi’s room and Deanna walks in behind them. Danny turns and sees her standing at the door like she was an angel. “Danny this is my Deanna. Deanna this is Danny one of my good friends from back in the day.” Deanna looks at them like that could have been brother, Danny was an inch shorter and a little lighter with brown eyes. Deanna says hi and walks off to the kitchen with Giovanni. Aaron has a three part garage and one part he made into a man cave. As they go down Deanna makes some food, Aaron came up to get two plates and kisses her, as Aaron went down Danny came up. Danny stood behind her as she stood there getting them some beers. “I heard about what happen with the whole baby daddy thing. I’m sorry to hear that?” Deanna turns and sees him standing there holding up the wall. Deanna hands him the beers while getting the plate ready. “Well if it wasn’t for Aaron we wouldn’t be here.” “Yeah, I don’t know what we would have done if you wasn’t here.”

Deanna smiles while Danny smiles and walks away, that’s where it starts. The next month Danny would leave at 11pm and be back the next morning at 11am, it’s like he lives there and he makes himself seen and heard. Deanna is getting pushed to the edge, one night Aaron came up to the room about 12am after staying in his cave all day he slides in the bed and pulls Deanna to him. As she pulls away and moves to the other side of the bed, Aaron turns on the light. “What’s your problem?” “Oh well I don’t know, how about you ask Danny? You sent more time with him than me, you might as well fuck him too?” “Baby, I know I haven’t spent that much time with you and the kids. I’m sorry. It’s just my old friend, and we are catching up.” Deanna turns over and pulls the cover over her head, Aaron rolls on top of her as she rolls him off onto the floor. After Aaron hits the floor Deanna peels off the top cover and tossed it to him. “It’s cool baby. You can be mad at me now, but you will love me in the morning” “Sleep on the floor”

Deanna rolls over and falls asleep, as she wakes up Aaron is sitting at the end of the bed. She looks up at him and he walks her into the bathroom. Deanna smiles as she sees the bubble bath, Aaron helps her in and she sits back. “Where are the kids?” “Don’t worry about that, that’s already taking care of. Just relax while I run them up to mammie.” “Why?” “She wanted to see them, so I asked can they stay for the day.”

Deanna sunk herself into the tub while the bubbles relax her body, when she gets out and wipes off there is a knock at the door. As she goes to the door she puts on a bodysuit, when she looks out the peephole, she sees Danny standing there. “What up girl. I hope I’m not interrupting anything” “Nall Aaron isn’t here, but he will be back shortly” “Cool” Danny walks her and sits on the sofa, Deanna closes the door and walks in the room. Danny turns on the tv and call Deanna’s name. Deanna is in the room blowing out her hair and couldn’t hear him. As she finish up Danny walks in the bathroom, as soon as Deanna sees him she jumps. “Oh ma, I’m sorry, I wanted to talk to you.” “Okay I will be out in one minute” As Deanna walks out Danny mouth opens. “I have seen you with your hair down before.” “Yeah I mostly be in the house.” “Well I love it. So how long you and my boy been together?” “About three years now, that’s my baby” “Why are you standing all the way over there?” “No reason, I just want to stand.” Deanna smiles as Danny stares at her standing there with her back to the wall, Danny hit the cushion next to him and looks at Deanna. As Deanna smiles and shakes her head, Aaron walks through the doors. Aaron looks at Deanna as his eyes get big, Danny turns around. Deanna walks over and kisses Aaron, he grabs her arm and moves her out the way. Aaron walks up to Danny. “What’s up?” Aaron said

“Nothing just had some time and wanted to know if you wanted to go to the bar with me.” “My dude no disrespect, I don’t want no man in the house with my girl and I’m not here. I know you like fam, but no.” “Yo, real talk that’s my bad. Never happen again.” Danny walks up to Aaron and they did some fancy ass handshake, Aaron grabs Deanna’s hand and walk to the back while Danny sits back down. “Baby please baby, I know you don’t know this about me, but I don’t want you here with no dude by yourself. From now on baby please don’t open the door, I almost fucked him up.” Aaron lean down and kisses Deanna as she smile. “Sorry baby, I didn’t know that you felt that way.” “I know, just to be known, I really don’t trust him like that just yet, it’s just that he pops up out of nowhere and we are kicking it again.” Aaron walks out and sits in the living room with Danny, and ten minutes later comes back into the room with Deanna. “Where is your girlfriend?” Deanna said “Oh, Damn, Alright. I thought she was in the bed with me, but the girl next to me is tripping again. If you’re talking about Danny, I sent him home. But he does want me to go out tonight, I told him I have to ask the misses.”

“Mmm, I don’t care, go where ever you like” “Baby don’t say it like that, I just want to see if you don’t mine.” “Go baby and have fun” Aaron kisses her while he pulls the cover over their heads. Deanna starts to laugh while Aaron bites on her thighs. Aaron held on to her while they look at

movie together, as night fall Deanna gets up to go get the kids while Aaron leaves to meet up with Danny. Deanna walks in the living room about three that morning and sees Aaron on the sofa, Deanna kneels down and rubs his face, as he wakes up he smiles. “Long night” “Nall not at all. I stayed at the bar because he found him a girl to chill with, so I end up drinking a little too much.” “Come on to bed, are you hungry?” “Nall, doll I’m good” Aaron walks in the room as Deanna picks up the living room, the phone ring as Deanna goes into the kitchen. “Hello” “Hey Ma. This is Danny, tell Aaron I won’t be over there later and call me when he can.” Deanna smiles as the days and nights roll by with no Danny there, she felt good not having him walking all over her house. Two weeks turn into four weeks and Danny hasn’t been over more than an hour or two. Deanna comes in after going to the store, and Danny and some girl is sitting in the living room. Deanna looks at Aaron as they stand and greet her, Aaron get the bags and sit them down in the kitchen. Aaron walks Deanna to their room as Aaron shuts the door.

“Who is that?” “The girl that Danny is falling for.” “Why are they here?” “They wanted use to go out to night. To Scores, Danny said it’s free on Friday’s. That’s cool.”

“That’s fine so I’m going to rest then” “That’s fine, I will get you up about 8” As Deanna gets up and walks into her closet, Aaron walks in behind her and kisses on her neck. Deanna turns and smiles at him as he kisses her. “You look damn good baby” “I don’t have anything on” “I know” Deanna smiles as Aaron sits in the chair, Aaron kisses Deanna as she sits on top of him. “I saw you, I saw you when you pulled off that shirt and when you started to lotion yourself. I want you.” “Mmm, really” “Damn ma move that thing.” Aaron grabs her hips as she rides him, she kisses him as she puts her arms around his neck. As she picks up speed Aaron puts her on the floor, Aaron kisses her thighs and then her stomach and then on her breast. “Why are you so fucking soft?” “Milk baths” “You should never run out of that shit” Aaron lays on top of her and pulls her to him as she raps her legs around him. As she moans Aaron looks into her eyes as she cums, he leans down and kisses her and whisper in her ear how much he wants to cum in her. How much he doesn’t want to stop, Aaron pulls back as he cum on the towel, Deanna laughs at the faces he makes. Aaron picks her up and walks her to the bed.

“No we’re going to be late.” Aaron kisses her as she moves. “Fuck them, they can wait.” “No, stop I have to get dress. It takes me awhile.” Aaron smile and gets up while Deanna runs off to the bath room, Aaron gets dress and walk out to the car and Deanna is right behind him. As she gets in, he shuts the door behind her. Aaron is clearly a happy man with everything he has been through, why shouldn’t he be happy for a chance. He walks around with her like she his prize, and she is just that, his prize and he loves all of her. Danny and the girl are sitting in his Ford F-150, they get out and she walks up to Deanna with her hand out. “I know I didn’t get to meet you formally earlier. But my name is Angel.” “Hi Angel, I’m . . .” “Deanna, yeah I know. Aaron can’t stop talking about his Deanna.” Deanna looks back at Aaron and he grabs her hand and they go get in line, as they walk in and sit in-between the bar and the dance floor. As they order food, people are dancing around. Danny and Aaron making jokes as they dance, Aaron gets up as “Tonight by John Legend” comes on. Deanna smiles as they go on the dance floor, Danny and Angel watches. After two songs they sit back down and Aaron goes to the bathroom, then Angel goes too. Danny moves to the sit next to Deanna. “Yo come dance with me mami?” “I don’t think so, I shouldn’t” Danny leans into her and puts his hand out and she puts her hand into his. “Come on now. Angle don’t like to dance. Please dance with me, all you have to do is say yes.” They got up and go to the floor, as he show her how to two step, she laughs at

how crazy she must look doing that dance. Like she don’t have 6 inch heels on, with this short pink poufy dress on. As she walks off the dance floor Aaron was standing there waiting on her. Deanna walks up on him and touches his stomach. “We are leaving right now!” “What’s wrong with you? Where are we going?” “Home! I can’t believe you danced with him” “Baby, what I suppose to do, say no?” “Hell yes, you should have said no” Aaron walks up to Danny and they walk out and get into the car, as Deanna looks over to Aaron and he’s still mad.

Chapter 18

DEANNA FELT CONFUSED about the whole back and forward thing that Aaron is doing with his old friend. She looks at him again, while he drives. “Aaron if you don’t trust him that much. Why do you hang around him?” “I just think he might be still mad about what happen between his ex-girlfriend and me” “What happen”

“Okay look, a while ago when we were friends. We all went out to the club, at the time I wasn’t seeing anyone. I just went because he asked me too, me and his girlfriend was on the dance floor dancing our ass off. While Danny was off at the bar, as he walks back, his girl starts kissing on me and grabbed my head and everything. I pushed her off of me and he was standing right there looking at us, I walked up to him and tried to tell him what was going on and he said he saw everything. He left her at the club that night and he dropped me off at home, and that’s the last time I heard from him. He haven’t seen me or even want to see me, I just want to know why is he here now.” “Baby you know I don’t want Danny right?” “Baby I know how you feel, but I don’t know what he feels.” As Aaron walks in the room, Deanna answers the phone. “Hello” “What’s up ma?” “Nothing, we just got here” “I’m glad you answer the phone. What’s up with Aaron?”

“He just not feeling like himself” “I hope you have a good night, thanks for the dance” “You’re welcome, good night” After two days they really didn’t talk, Aaron spent most of his time at work and told Danny he was busy. Danny calls and asks Aaron can him and Angel come over to have movie night. “Well I don’t know we have the kids” “We will come over after the kids go to sleep” Aaron told him okay, and Danny and Angle came over to look at “Drive”. Every chance Aaron got, he got up to check on the kids. Deanna gets up and goes to the kitchen, Danny walk in behind her with some cups. As he sees Aaron and Angel walk back in, he walks off to the bathroom. Danny came back out and Aaron stands. “Well that was nice movie, but it’s time for me to go to bed.” Deanna looks at Aaron holding up the wall, as she looks into his eyes she could tell something is going on. As Aaron walks off to the room, Deanna smile and walks them to the door. Danny stops but Angel walks out. “How about you come with me to Waffle House?” “I’m good, I’m going to stay here with my three babies.” “Yeah you right.” Danny walks out and Deanna goes into the room to see Aaron sitting in the chair. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t like that girl he with” “She seems sweet to me” “It’s something about her, I can’t help it but I don’t want her with my boy”

“What you going to do about it. I can make something up and talk to him about her to see how he really feels about her.” “You would do that just to make me happy” “Baby I would do more than that for your happiness” After Aaron gets into bed, Naomi starts to cry. After an hour Naomi get back to sleep Deanna tip toe back down the stairs and the phone ring. “Damn” she thought while picking up her feet just to answer the phone. “Hello” “Sorry to wake you, I was trying to check up on Aaron.” “He’s good, he’s asleep” “Well good night” “Tomorrow morning could you meet me at Waffle House” Deanna said “Yes I would love too, see you then”

Deanna goes and gets into the bed and Aaron wraps his arms around her. Deanna wakes up to the sound of Giovanni running up and down the stairs, Deanna gets up and gets dress as she walks back in the room Giovanni is up under Aaron falling back to sleep. Deanna pushes Aaron to wake him. “Baby 5 more minutes” “I need you to get up, so you can hear Naomi when she wakes up. I’m about to meet Danny. Baby wake up” He opens his eyes and set up in the bed. “You have your phone” “Yes, I love you”

“Love you too” Deanna pulls up to the Waffle House, Danny is sitting off to the side. He smiles as he sees her walking through the door. As she sits down, he has already got her an OJ. “Before you start talking about what’s on your mind, lets order” The waiter walks over and Danny gets something scattered, covered, and chunked. Deanna gets an All Star. “You said you love Aaron, with all your heart, right?” “Yes. He is the man I thought I could never have” “I think you are a wonderful person, inside and out. I feel I would have loved to known you better.” Deanna sat back hearing what he’s say but just not getting him, as he go on she get more confused. “Well I came here to talk about Angel and how you really feel about her, there is something about her. I think you could do better, she’s just not for you.” Deanna said Danny looks out the widow and then back at Deanna, as Danny finishes his food. Deanna smile as things get even stranger. “I hear you but I just don’t care about her like that. She’s cool and all but I’m really digging this other female. She is so fucking sexy, I can’t get her out my mine. Can you understand that.” “So I can drop the hold Angel thing” “You the one keep talking about her while I’m trying to tell you that I’m feeling you. Fuck that girl, I want you, and I mean all of you. Deanna eyes open wide, she had no clue that this was coming. Why he even saying this to her. Danny sits there with a big grin as she pieces everything together. As her phone rings and she sees Aaron name pops up, her thoughts

were all over the place. Her eyes connected with Danny. “Hey baby. How are the kids?” Deanna said “Everything is good here. Where are you now?” “I’m still here. Everything is okay.” “Why you sound like that” She stops and catches herself from sounding any different, after a minute goes by. “I’m okay sweet. I will call you back in a minute.” Danny looks down at his plate as she gets off the phone. “That’s just like that dude, checking on what’s he’s, he doesn’t like anybody in his space.” “What are you thinking about? What do you want form me?” “I want you to love me as much as you love him, I’m not asking you to leave him if you don’t want too. But I want you too. I care so much about you that it hurts to even look at my homie.” “You care. Ummmmm” Deanna just looks at him while her mind is telling her to get up. Danny reaches over and grabs Deanna hand, she pulls away from him as her phone rings again. Danny made a noise and looks at Deanna. “Baby I don’t like the way you sounded earlier. What’s the matter?” Before she could even say a word Danny grabs the phone and hangs it up, Deanna looks over at him like he’s lost it completely. “Why would you do that? He would have no problem coming up here.” Deanna gets up and Danny grabs her and pulls her back down.

“What?” “It’s too late he was in the car when he called the second time, he’s walking in now.” Deanna looks at her hands and at Danny as he winks at her like he’s happy. Like he wanted this, and maybe he did. As Deanna looks up, Aaron is standing there like King Kong protecting his fare lady. “What fuck you grabbing my girl for?” “Just sit down so we can talk” Danny said Aaron sits down and picks up a napkin and wipes Deanna’s hand, he reaches over and snatches her phone away. Deanna looks down while Aaron is staring at Danny. “I’m not going to ask your ass again” “I was talking to your beloved over here, about how much I want to be with her. I know I want your girl” Aaron mind just got blown as he mouth opens and looks at Deanna and then at Danny.

“This got to be a fucking Joke? You are my homie and this is how you do me dog” “I know how much she means to you, I never wanted her to leave you if she didn’t want to. I just want your fucking girl, I’m dying for a taste of Deanna right now man.” Aaron face changes as he hears the words Danny is saying, he pushes the plate as he gets madder. “Are you for real homie? You want to fuck the only girl I would kill for. Dude you not thinking straight?”

“All them times we on the phone and you tell me how good she is and how great her pussy is. You said that my dude, you said that. I want to find it out on my own, I want her dude and that’s that.” Deanna looks at Aaron and then back at Danny as Angel walks in, she stood by the table. Deanna looks at her looking at Danny. “Deanna please don’t get mad at me, but I needed her hear for this.” Danny said while looking at Aaron. “Mad? Why would I get mad?” “I know what you’re trying to do and I know what you did. I thought you were like fam, you not shit to me.” Aaron said “Again, why would I be mad” “Didn’t you tell Deanna what you did?” Deanna looks at Danny then at Aaron and then at Angel who’s looking at Aaron, Deanna moves away from Aaron as she gets mad. “What? What does he think you did Aaron?” “Dude, you didn’t tell the girl that you would kill for what happen between you and Angel?” Danny said Deanna start to cry and hit Aaron in his arm, Aaron grabs her hand.

“It’s not even like that, I didn’t do anything with that girl. Baby you going to believe him like that?” “It’s not that I believe him, it about how you looking right now. Like you did something. Why you look like you did something Aaron?” “If you were with me you wouldn’t be crying like this.” Danny said “You are making me cry, because you did all this. You Danny and that bitch. I let you into my home Angel and now you want to sit in my face and smile”

Deanna grabs her shirt and pulls her into the table, Danny grabs her hand and Aaron knocks him off of her. “No disrespect, you don’t have to act like that, I just did what any woman would do if they see something they wanted.” Angle said “No fucking disrespect!” Deanna jumps over the table and hits her in the mouth, Angel jumps up, Danny jumps up and Aaron too. Aaron grabs her as Deanna tries to hit her again, Danny is holding Angle. “No bitch you get disrespected! Keep fucking with my shit you get missing, I can’t believe that bitch.” “Get you girl before she gets tossed” Angel said “Toss me, I like to see that shit. You dumb ass wanta be me.” “Deanna just calm down, just look at me, just be with me.” “She would never be with you. Never, that’s my pussy and I know you want what you can’t have.” Danny gets in front of Angel and touches Deanna, Aaron pushes him into the wall and grabs Deanna and they walk out. Danny smiles and blows a kiss at Deanna as they walk out, Deanna pulls away from Aaron and jumps into her car.

Chapter 19

AS DEANNA PULLS off Aaron id right behind her but gets caught by the light. Deanna storms in the house and Lyli is in the living room with the kids. “Hi Deanna” Deanna didn’t even think to even look her way. “Okay bye Deanna” Aaron walks in the house and stops and looks at Lyli. “What did you do?” “What did I do? I didn’t do shit, man Danny tried to get at her. Telling her he wants her, sis he said more than he needed too.” “Damn, he stupid, but why she mad at you thought?” “He told her something I didn’t want her to know, something that he set up so I can fall in.” Lyli made a face and hits Aaron “Why?” Aaron said “Go fix this shit, if you really didn’t do anything. You can fix it, you so stupid, just like a man. Not keeping it real.” “I don’t need to hear this shit from you right now.” “Then why are you still talking to me, go fix it.” Aaron knocks on the door and Deanna didn’t say a word. “Baby, I didn’t do anything with her”

“You lying to me, if you want her, go be with her. I don’t want to be with someone who will lie to me”

“You think I would want someone else after all it took just to get you. Girl I shot a man in his fucking face to be with you, to save you too. If you wasn’t around, I wouldn’t be able to see my son, that’s how much I love you and my family.” “Whatever” Aaron hits the door as Deanna jumps and looks at the door. “I don’t give a fuck, this door will come off the hinges, if you don’t open it. I’m not playing Deanna” Deanna walks over and open the door, Aaron sees her suitcase on the bed. He tosses the suitcase against the wall. Aaron scoops Deanna up and they hit the bed, Deanna starts fighting him to get him off of her. “I didn’t do anything with her. She did try me but it never went anywhere.” “Why didn’t you tell me, why all the lies?” “I didn’t want you to think anything, so I didn’t tell you or Danny. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.” Deanna hits him and tries to get up, Aaron grabs her leg and pulls her back to him. “Well good job Aaron you didn’t hurt anyone important. You made me look stupid, like you wanted her. Right now I can’t believe anything you saying.” “What do you want me to do?” “If nothing happen, then tell me everything that happened.” “Okay fine, the night we went to the bar is the first time she came on to me. As we walked to the bathroom, someone pushed her into me and I caught her and stood her back up and we started walking again before I get to the bathroom, she

tapped me on the shoulder as I bend down to see what she wanted. She pushed me into the wall and put her hand on my dick. I pointed my finger in her face and tell her don’t touch and stay away from me. I tried to give her enough time to go back, but when I got there yall wasn’t there, so she sat by me and kissed my hand as I pull away. She told me that you can act for now, but it will not last because I have more than your girl and with no kids. The next time it was movie night and she got on top of me and I pushed her down on the floor and she got mad as hell. She asked me why I’m doing her like that, and I told her that she could never be you. So stop trying!, after I said that she kept repeating, that everything will be okay and everything will be taking care of. I should have known then, but I couldn’t get the past out of my mind. I promise that’s all that happen.” Aaron kisses Deanna as she calms down. “Don’t ever lie to me again, you can tell me anything and I mean just that” “I know I should have told you everything but I couldn’t believe it myself” Deanna walks in the living room and talks to Lyli, while the kids looks at tv as Lyli leaves Deanna goes into the kitchen to cook. Aaron walks up behind her and kisses her on the face as the phone rings. “Hello” Aaron said “Man I know what I did today was fucked up. You got to understand that I wasn’t trying to hurt you.” “What? Why are you still doing this to yourself Danny, she’s not going to leave me and she don’t want you. So why even call?” “Let me talk to Deanna please. Please Aaron” “Hell no, and say what, that you tried.” Deanna walks over and touches Aaron’s arm as he looks down at her and he rolls his eyes, Deanna takes the phone and walk back to the stove. “Deanna I’m so sorry, I don’t regret telling you my feelings about you. But I do

regret bring that girl into it. I can understand if either one of you don’t talk to me anymore.” “Well Danny what do you think was going to happen, me leaving Aaron and going with you. I would never leave his side like that, what you did was wrong. That was your friend and now look at you.” “I just need to see you again Deanna, when can I see you?” Deanna looks over to Aaron and he walks up and takes the phone back. “Alright that’s enough, your time is up, bye” Aaron made a noise and looks at Deanna, as he shakes his head and walks off. Deanna knew Aaron didn’t want to lose his friend again, but he rather lose his friend then his girl. Aaron couldn’t understand what makes a man run after another man’s girl, surly he never did anything like that or even wanted to. So he wouldn’t understand why another man would. The next morning Deanna took the kids over Linda’s house and stop to get some wine and went home. As she turns on the TV Aaron get a call from work, he is needed because something is broken. Aaron leaves and Deanna gets up and pore her a glass of wine. As soon as she turns around Danny is standing there holding up the wall. Deanna jumps and drops the glass while Danny smiles a little bit more. He was different, his eyes were hollow, he looks like man changing into a monster. His hand relaxed on his side, and his body standing firm, Deanna looks at him with her mouth open and then looks over to see her phone. “Don’t do it” Danny said “What are you doing here?” Deanna reaches for her phone, Danny pulls her to him and wraps himself around her. Danny smells like heat, like an explosion waiting to happen. Heat is coming off his body as Deanna stood there wrapped in his arms. “You feel so good in my arms, all this time I wanted you to come to me. You never saw me Deanna, Why? All I wanted is to be good to you?” “What about Aaron?”

“Don’t say his name!” As Danny shook her for saying his name, all she wants to do is cry but she couldn’t. Danny starts to smell her and rub her butt as he gets hard.

“Don’t do this? Just please don’t.” Deanna said “No you don’t need to say that to me. I won’t hurt you, I just want to make love to you.” “You will be hurting me if you do that Danny, you’re hurting me now, just let me go please.” “Sorry” Danny leans down and kisses her as she starts to hit him, he grabs her hands and put them behind her. She couldn’t move, she felt helpless while Danny picks her up over his shoulder. Deanna starts to kick anything her legs could reach and scream as loud as she could. Danny drops her down on the bed, like a piece of caucus he just got finish killing. Quickly Deanna moves to the edge of the bed, Danny pulls her back by her hair. Deanna screams even louder as the feeling of her hair getting pulled out, it brought tears to her eyes. Danny throws his body onto her and takes off her shirt. “Don’t think it’s me, just think I’m him. Baby just calm down.” Deanna starts to hit him again and then spit on him as he gets closer to her face, Danny face changes and he grabs her by the neck and hits her head on the bed while trying to get her shorts off and her legs open. Deanna cries and cries as she scratches at his hand. Deanna breathes and moves to the back of the bed while Danny hits the wall. Aaron and one of his employees are kicking and kicking Danny deeper and deeper into the carpet. The sounds of fist hitting flesh and bones cracking, Deanna breath gets heavier. All Deanna sees is blood, she cover her eyes and ball up on the bed. “Aaron!!!” Deanna said “I don’t believe this fucking shit Danny. Why my girl? You know what we been

through and you goina try to rape her Danny. Rape her!” Aaron talks while the stomps get louder not knowing that Deanna has pasted out, the pharmacies are over her rushing her out and police are everywhere and Aaron is punching the wall while the police tries to calm him. “Wake up baby girl, wake up” “Mama, what happen?” Deanna looks at her hands and then she feels her neck throbbing with pain, she lays back and blinks her eyes. “You ed out and now you’re at the hospital. Are you okay?” “Yeah just a little dizzy. Where is Aaron?” “He’s coming, he had to make a report, that’s why I’m here.” “The kids?” “With his sister. What about you? Did he hurt you?” “Not in that way, he pulled some of my hair out but I’m lucky Aaron came.” “Yes you are. Aaron.” “Aaron what?” “It’s been three years and look what yall have been through. Something’s that most married people wouldn’t go through.” Deanna turns and looks at the wall, as Linda rubs her hair and she smile. Aaron walks in and looks at Deanna, Linda gets up as she walks to the door Aaron hugs her as he starts to cry. He sits and kisses her as Linda walks out, Deanna rubs his face as he kisses her hand. “Hi” Deanna said “My girl. You know you my girl right?”

“Yes. I love you” “Damn girl, you don’t know how much I love you.” After a while the policeman came in and took her statement. They charged Danny with breaking and entering, battery, and attempted rape. After they left Aaron pulls over and looks at Deanna as she starts to cry. “Baby I tried to get him off of me, but I felt helpless, very helpless.” Aaron starts to cry and hit the wheel. “If it wasn’t for me letting him into my home, without knowing why he wanted to see me. You wouldn’t have never went through that, I just don’t know what to do anymore.” “If it wasn’t for you, I would never know what true love is.” “I just got so much on my mind.” Deanna walks in the house and played with the kids while Aaron leaves and goes to the bar, Aaron didn’t come home until 12:30. As he sits on the sofa Deanna comes down from Giovanni room. “You don’t want to be with me anymore?” Aaron looks at her then he looks away Deanna starts to cry, as she starts to get up Aaron grabs her arm. She turns away from him as she sits down. “Look at me” Aaron said “What” “I don’t know alright, I know I can’t live without you, but I also don’t know if I’m the right one for you either. I can’t keep you from harm all the time and that kills me” “Aaron you’re not superman, I know you do your best and you protect me just fine, more than fine. Sometime shit just happens and there’s nothing you can do about that. I can handle it myself sometimes, but sometimes I’m out numbered

or out sized.” “Deanna rape! Rape! You know what happened to my sister and you know that shit is killing me right now.” “I know you told me some of it.” Aaron couldn’t shake the feeling of being less of a man, and that he even left in the first place, because after he picked up his employee. Aaron told is worker that he got a call, and he told Aaron that he called that morning and everything was fine. Aaron felt he should have known that something was up, be how could he. Anybody would have got up and left if something is going wrong with in their business. But he still blamed himself for leaving, without calling back. Everywhere Deanna stands it reminds her of Danny, as morning comes and she goes into the kitchen and cleans the glass up. Aaron wakes up and walks in after all the glass is in the dust pan, as she stands up and turns she jump and drops everything. Aaron is standing there with his mouth open, as Deanna starts to cry and bend down and put her hand on her face. “Baby I’m sorry I didn’t mean . . .” Deanna runs into her closet and sits in her chair and rock back and forward. Aaron stands there looking at the glass on the floor and picks it up. As he walks to the back Deanna is still in her closet, he knocks on the door. “Deanna please. I’m so sorry.” “I know you didn’t mean too, but I’m trying.”

Chapter 20

DEANNA WAS TRYING her best to let it go, but that was the one of the most frightening things she been through. Deanna mind is still scared, as she tries to move forward she can’t help but to look backward. To see if she’s safe, Deanna sat there in her closet looking at Aaron get down on his knees. She smiles as tears fall from her face, Aaron couldn’t take that memory out of her mine. Johnny pointing a gun at her was less hurtful then Danny trying to rape her. When she looks into the mirror she sees Danny’s hand print on her neck, she never felt so helpless in her life. Aaron stares at her while she looks so confused, he kisses her and he rubs her hair.

“You know you’re wonderful to me. I can’t breathe without you, I need you bunny and I know that this has been hard for you but whatever you need Deanna I’m here for you.” “I know you will baby, just bear with me. I hope this will as the day’s pasts.” Aaron kisses Deanna as she puts are arms around him, Aaron picks her up and walks her to the room and lay her down. As Deanna lays there Aaron walks up stairs and gets Naomi and checks on Giovanni. Who’s looking at Sponge Bob as Aaron walks back downstairs and there is a knock at the door. Lyli is standing there looking like something is bothering her, as she walks in she hands Aaron a letter. “I just got a letter from daddy and it has your name on it” Lyli said Aaron walks in the room and sits on the bed, Deanna looks at him while Naomi bounces on the bed. “What’s wrong?” Deanna said “My daddy wrote me a letter.”

Aaron just sat there and Deanna calls out to Lyli and she comes in the room, as she stands there she reads the letter. “Dear son, I am so sorry how everything happened. I don’t have much to say but I’m dying, there’s nothing I can do to stop this process of my life, but I need you there for your mother. She will be at your house around 5pm todays before the New Year, I want you both to be nice to your mother. She couldn’t control what happen and didn’t even know about it. Tell Lyli I still wish the best for her, I want to see you both before I die. I’m at Grady Hospital” Aaron walks out the room while Lyli looks at the floor, Deanna move next to Lyli, as she smile Deanna pats her on the back.

“You should look up to a father, and he should be there for you in all the right ways. But not me, I couldn’t get that chance to really love him more, he took all the good thoughts I had of him away. He did things to me that I would kill a man for now, I just can’t let him own me by living in fear that another man would do that to me. I’m saying this for you too Deanna, we can’t live in fear, we shouldn’t live in fear. Now I have two day to see the mother that wanted me to leave.” Lily said Deanna knew Lyli had it worse than her, she lived that every night and Deanna knew if Lyli could pull herself together, she shouldn’t have any problems forgetting the men who tried their best to end her life. Lyli gets up and hugs Deanna, as she walks out the door Aaron walks her out. Linda calls to tell Deanna that her sister is here and she wants the kids, as Deanna get dress and takes the kids over to her mother’s house. Olivia is standing outside, she walks over to the car and picks up Naomi and Giovanni hops out the car. Deanna smiles and hugs her sister, as they stand there and talk for a while. Deanna leaves and goes home, as she drives up, Aaron does too. “Where the kids” “With mama and Olivia” As Aaron kisses her, as they walk in the house he looks into her eyes and kisses her again.

“I want a real kiss” Deanna raps her arms around him, as she lends her head back and starts to kiss him as hard and ionate as she could. Aaron makes a noise as pull her to him, as Deanna looks into his eyes, Aaron stops dead in his tracks. He sits down and Deanna looks at him. “Are you okay with being with me?” Aaron said “I’m just fine, is there something wrong?”

“All I see is him on top of you, I so hate that shit happened. I hate myself right now.” Deanna grabs her face and starts to cry, as steps back to the wall and shakes her head. Her chest started to hurt. “I need you to be strong for me, that’s the only way I will get past this. Please! When you look at me just see me and nothing else. You are looking at me like I’m damage goods. Aaron is that how you feel about me?” Aaron stands up and pulls her to him, as he picks her up and walks into the bedroom. “I see you just fine sweet heart, I will try my best and I want you and you know that.” Aaron gets down on the grown, and smiles up at Deanna. “I went to the to a special place today and picked you up something I’ve been working on way before all these things happen” Deanna smiles and puts her hand on his face. “What?” “Deanna Nicole Wright will you marry me.” Deanna mouth opens and she looks at the shiny rose gold ring that should have

it’s on zip code, she can feel her cheeks meeting her eyes as she smiles. She shakes her head yes as she starts to cry, as Aaron put the ring on her finger. The seven caret pink solitaire with a two part entity bands connected to it. “Oh My God” she said to herself while she stares at it. “Let’s go get the kids and go out to eat.” Deanna couldn’t believe that he asked her to marry him, surly she thought he was going out the door after Danny did what he did. Never this, never marriage, as they pull up at her mother’s house and get out. Deanna tells her mother the good news, when they left and get in the Stake House. Aaron calls his sister and Lyli screams in the phone, Aaron hands Deanna the phone and tells Giovanni to come here. “I’m going to marry your mother” “What’s that?” “Where a man and a woman get together and spend the rest of their life with one another. So is that okay?” “Okay daddy” Deanna looks over to Giovanni and smiles. “Okay son, go finish eating.” After arriving home Aaron walks Giovanni up to his room as Deanna put Naomi down. Aaron walks in the room while Deanna sits there with a smile on her face. “I know you love me, I never knew like this” Deanna said “How you didn’t know? All the things that’s been though and you didn’t know.” “You never told me, I know we would do anything for one another but you never told me anything.” “Sorry, I didn’t think I had to. Deanna I love you, I’m so deeply in love with you and I can’t be without you.”

Aaron goes in the room while Deanna falls asleep on the sofa, Deanna hears Naomi upstairs crying. As she gets up and picks up Naomi and put her on her hip, there was a knock on the door. As Deanna opens the door there is this lady standing there looking like she came to the wrong house. “Does Aaron Blackmen live here?” “Yes he does. Can I help you?” “Could you tell him that his mother is here please?”

Deanna smiles and tells to come in and Deanna walks to the back to get Aaron. Aaron looks at Deanna while he stands there brushing his head. “Your mother is here?” Aaron hits the wall and shakes his head, Aaron get his phone and hands it to Deanna. As she calls Lyli, Aaron puts on a shirt. And walks out the room, Aaron stops as she looks at her son. Deanna puts Naomi down in the play pin. “Well hi to you” “You came to my house.” “Is that your daughter?” “Yeah, and no you can’t hold her. I don’t even want you looking at her.” “That’s fine, is this the maid?” She looks Deanna up and down like she has a flesh eating disease, Deanna turns and walks to the door. “Don’t be rude in my house Bethany Blackmen. She going to be my wife, and I have a son too.” Deanna smiles when she sees Lily face as she walks in and puts her hand on Deanna’s shoulder.

“Okay you’re here for what?” Aaron said “I just wanted to see my kids” “Your kids, do you even know what you did to your daughter? You know what? This is stupid, I don’t know why I’m allowing this to continue” “Aaron please. Lyli I’m sorry what happen to you, I’m so ashamed of myself, but I couldn’t do anything and I’m sorry that my little girl got hurt.” Ms. Blackmen reaches out for Lyli, Lyli steps back and looks down at the floor. “Please leave” Aaron said

“You know what Aaron, I’m not going to let them control my life. So you know what mother, welcome. I will respect you but I don’t think I could treat you like a mother should be fully treated. I will never go see your husband, I don’t care if he dies or not, I will not go up there.” “I will, I need to see him, I can’t believe this hold thing.” Ms. Blackmen walks toward the door and Aaron kisses Lyli and asks her to say while we go to the hospital. As they get in the car and Ms. Blackman gets in her car. Aaron looks at Deanna as he starts up the car. “Baby I know this might be uncomfortable, but I’m glad that I have you here. Just stand beside me and love me even if you see something ugly come out of me.” Aaron said As they walk in the room, Aaron’s father is laying there with most of his color gone. Like the life is almost coming out of his body, Aaron smiles when he sees him. He looks at them as they walk in and starts to frown, “Where is my daughter? I wanted to see her.” “She didn’t want to come and I can’t make her.” Ms. Blackman said “I asked you to do one thing for me and you still can’t do anything. Aaron look

at you, you’ve gotten big boy. Who is this?” “Let’s stick to why I’m here, you’re not my father, you’re not even a man. You aren’t shit to me or my sister, I want my words to be on your brain when you die. I want you to know hell is hot and you better get ready for it.” “You’ve always been a stupid ass little boy, you’re not going to get the best of me while I’m already down. Just tell your sister that I love her and everything that we did together is still dear to my heart.” Ms. Blackmen walks over to him and starts to hit him, as he grabs her arm.

“You old fuck, don’t you know that’s your daughter, your own blood that I cared for 9 mouths and for what. To bring her in the world so you could rape her when you felt like it. I’m just so stupid, I should have believe my daughter. I can’t be here anymore, when you die you die alone.” “Bethany guess what? Her pussy was so much better than yours.” Aaron flips and walks up to his father and put his hands around his neck and head butts him. As they walk out the room he starts to go in Cardiac arrest. Aaron looks back at the hospital as they all out the parking lot. Deanna did exactly what Aaron asked of her, she just loved through his pain. She knew when Aaron’s forehead collided when his fathers, his daddy had no fighting chance. His heart couldn’t take it. Lyli is standing by the door as they walk in, Aaron puts his arm around her and they sit down as he tells her everything. Aaron just finishing up telling Lyli what happened before Ms. Blackmen came to the door. You could tell she’s been crying and trying to hold it back. As she walks in she breaks down. “What do you want us to do? Come over there and pat you on the back, for what. When I drove there to pick up my sister, you didn’t even fight for her, you just let her go like you was okay with everything. That’s when I knew it was all true, because I saw it in her eyes and yours.” “I’m so sorry Lyli, you should blame me for everything that happen to you. I am bad mother”

“Don’t do that, you don’t get to cry over something that happen to me. You weren’t there when I was getting rapped, you were in the other room pretending like you didn’t hear him get in and out the bed in the middle of the night.” “I know I acted like everything was okay, but in my defense. I really did think it was.” “You should have asked me something, anything and I would have told you everything.”

“Why would I ask that? I just didn’t know it was you, I knew it was someone but not his own daughter.” Lyli looks at Aaron trying not to get mad, she walks up to her mother and hugs her, and tells her that she’s not mad anymore. “I didn’t want to be around you because of your husband, since he’s out of the picture. I guess I can let you in my life but don’t expect too much from me. Just one day at a time.” “Thank you Lyli, I would love that. What about you Aaron?” “What about me? Oh you want me to take you in with open arms.” Aaron continue. “You start off with Lyli and if she excepts you, then I will work on it, but nothing before then.” “What about your wedding?” “I never said you could be there, but I’m not going to praise you either.” Deanna looks at Lyli smiling at her mother and telling her everything will be alright, Aaron get up and walks in his room.

Chapter 21

“HOW DOES IT feel to be engaged?” “I don’t know yet, I don’t think it hit me just yet.” “Yeah it will. I can’t wait to see that gorgeous body in a white dress. Who are you going to get to help you?” “Olivia is in Boston, but I have your sister and Katrina.” “As long as she don’t bring that stripper theme to my wedding, I don’t mine.” “Stripper theme? The night you met her she was going to the club, that’s why she looked like that. But she didn’t come to the hospital like that.” “I would hope not. Key word hospital”

Deanna kisses Aaron and they set the date on their anniversary, on April 19th almost 4 months away. As the morning rise she call Olivia, as Olivia explains that she can only be there for the wadding but she will not be about to help, Katrina and Lyli walks through the doors. Deanna goes through all of her family that will be there, Lyli wrote down the family and friends that will be there on his side. Even though Aaron doesn’t have that many family , he has a lot of friends and most of his employees will be there too. About two hundred people so far will be there. Deanna family wants her to get married in there church in Atlanta, Aaron and Deanna drove to speak to the pastor. He agrees to marry them only because Deanna is like family, he doesn’t marry people who are not . “You two will have to go through three classes with me before you’re fit to marry each other.” Pastor said “Okay”

“The first thing you both have to do is get tested, for any and everything. Second thing is one of you will have to move out of the house you share, if you share a house with each other. A month before the wedding. The last and final one is write out how you truthfully feel about one another. Everything I asked you to do, you will bring everything to me when you’re done.” As Aaron drove off, and he starts to laugh. “What?” Deanna said “He’s doing that because of your family.” “Yeah he might be pushing it, but it will mean so much to my family if we have it there.” “It’s okay because at the end of that day we will be together forever.” As the month flew past Deanna picks out all her colors which are wine, black and silver. The reception will be at The Plaza downtown, Aaron books a flight to Key West for their honeymoon. The place Deanna wanted to go but couldn’t afford it, after her car broke down again. Deanna got all the paper work for the Pastor. “I see you have everything for me” Pastor said “Here is our papers and this is the doctors” “Now I want you to read what you said aloud” “Aaron Jerome Blackmen. You are the man I couldn’t dream off, because you are more than that, than a dream. You are my hopes, wishes and thoughts, you are the blood that runs through my veins. You’re more than my partner, your my soul mate, you’re the one God sent to walk with me. No matter what we go through I will be there for you, for us, for our family.” “Now Aaron” “Deanna Nicole Wright. When I think about you it’s like my own personal heaven, just the thought of losing you. It makes me do the crazies things, my shadow walks with you, my arms are there to wrap around you. My feet moves

when you move, I forever owe you my life because you’re giving me yours. I don’t just love you Deanna, I’m in love with your soul.” Pastor looks at them while Deanna looks at Aaron with a tear coming down her face, Aaron smile at her and holds her head. “Well I’m convince that you too are ready, you must move out this last month and get bands for one another.” As they get in the car Deanna calls her mother and tells her that, she and the kids will be moving in for the last month. Linda said okay as they pull up to the house. Aaron looks at Deanna as she gets off the phone. This is the last night Deanna would lay next to Aaron, Deanna smiles while Aaron plays with the kids. Deanna goes in the room to pack, she doesn’t feel like a soon to be bride. Just because she’s been with Aaron and everything felt like second nature. Aaron walks down the stair after putting the kids upstairs, he see Deanna putting the bags by the door. “When are you living?” “In the morning.”

Aaron walks up to her and picks her up and carries her to the bed, as he laid her down as she smiles. “What are you doing?” “I can’t let you leave for a whole month, what about two weeks.” “It’s just a month, than I will be back in your arms and that’s when you can call me Misses Deanna Blackmen.” “Misses Deanna Blackmen, I love the sound of that.” Aaron smiles and gets in-between her legs and starts to kiss her. “Baby stop” Deanna said

“I’m not going to do anything, I’ve made you that promise.” He wraps her in his arms and they lay there. As the morning Deanna get the kids ready to go, while Aaron wakes up Deanna sits in her closet. “What’s on your mind?” Aaron said “I’m a little glad that I’m leaving and not you, because I couldn’t be in this house by myself. We need to get an alarm for them nights that I’m going to be home alone.” “Don’t worry about that baby, I will take care of everything while you’re gone. Just come back to me.” Aaron walks them to the car and put Deanna’s bags in the back. Deanna waves as she drives away, after getting settle at her mother’s house. That afternoon she walks to the door as her Uncle Cal walks in, his standing there with Pedro Carmelo. Deanna looks at him like he wasn’t even standing there, as she walks away Pedro walks in. “You’re not going to speak to me” “I was hoping that you wouldn’t come in, but you did.”

Pedro and Deanna grew up together, they met when they we’re 16 years old. When she sees his chocolate skin glowing from the overhead light, she everything he told her, that how he wish could be with her, and he knew that Cal wouldn’t like him to talk to his niece. He still didn’t know why he wanted her so much, she looked like an angel and talked like a princess and didn’t give him the time of day, some of the time. “Why are you here? I know you knew you were coming here too.” “I knew it, but that don’t change the fact that I’m here. I wanted to see you before you got married, I wanted to say that I’m sorry for every”

“Sorry for what? For leaving, or for leaving with an older woman, oh no wait, for thinking that it was okay what you put in the letter you left me.” “I said I’m sorry” “Okay you said it. Does it make you feel better?” “Stop trying to be so hard” “I can’t make any promises unlike you I like to keep my word.” Deanna walks upstairs and stood in the bathroom looking at herself, wondering what made him think it was okay to come to her mother’s house like everything is just fine. Pedro wrote Deanna a letter stating that he is leaving town with this woman he met online, a woman he didn’t really know but she was paying him to be with her. He went on to tell her, no matter how dumb this may seems he loves her and would do anything for her. But he has to go and would hope that she would understand. Two days before he wrote her that letter, they shared a kiss and he promise to wait for her to be ready. He promise that he would grow to be the man she needed, and he would always be there. Deanna knew after reading that letter she would not see him again, even though that’s all she wanted, is just to see him. “Girl get down here” Cal said Deanna smiles as she hears her mother laughing at the TV, Uncle Cal sit down at the table and Deanna pulls up the chair next to him. “I came here to see you, just to tell you congratulations. Where are the babies?” “They upstairs, how are you” “You know I’m still trucking and Pedro here is helping out, but today was his last ride along. I was just about to take him home, but I wanted to tell you that I might not make it to your wedding.” “That’s okay, but still try though” “Okay, I’m going to talk to you mother before I go.”

“Can I come see how beautiful you will be on your wedding day?” “Umm . . . No but thanks though. Now I’m about to go to bed. Goodnight everyone” Deanna wanted to forget that she knew Pedro, that he even decided to come to her mother’s house. He was just hoping that she was there, she needed to forget him. Katrina and Lyli came over the next morning, with a notebook full of wedding books and to do list, as they get everything ready for her wedding, Katrina planes everything for Deanna’s night out with the girls. First she plans to go to an all-male revue, then off to the club to finish the night off. Deanna has never been around male shippers, that was more Katrina’s thing then hers. But Lyli is down to go so Deanna couldn’t say no. The whole month is full of food tasting with Aaron, and venues they picked out, flowers, cakes, and every other little thing Deanna could think of alone the way. As the night before her wedding day came alone Deanna got dress for her last night out as soon as she walks out the door. Pedro walks up to her, she turns and looks at the door. As she turns back Katrina and Lyli I walking up. “Hey” Pedro said “What do you want?” Lyli said “Just to talk to her” “You know she’s getting married tomorrow?” “I know that’s my ex, and I just want to talk to her.” “I’m not your ex, don’t play” Deanna said Katrina walks up to Deanna and grabs her hand and they start to walk off. “Deanna talk to me?” “No, I’m sorry, I can’t let that happen, I’m looking out for my brother and I say no.” Lyli said “Just leave me be, I can’t and I will not talk like everything is just fine. You left once so leave again.”

As they get in Katrina’s car Pedro hops into his and watches them drive off, after seeing everything she really didn’t want to see they left the male strip club and made their way off to the night club to dance the night away until Deanna got tired and was ready to go, so they went to Lyli’s house. As they pale in the bed together Deanna woke up the next morning and walks down stairs to see Katrina. “I thought you would have gone home?” “Nope, I thought you would need me for any last minute things.” “Good Katrina that’s very thoughtful” “What yall talking about?” Lyli said “I have some last minute checkups to do before tomorrow”

Chapter 22

DEANNA LOOKS DOWN at her ring and starts to smile, she could see herself already married to Aaron and the life that’s waiting her. As she looks off out the window Lyli came and sit beside her, Lyli smiles at Deanna when she looks at her. “So I have to call the car place so they will know where to come get us.” “What can I do” Lyli said “Call the caterer and check on the food coming, and make sure she knows where to come and when to get there. Make sure all the people RSVP and that they bring their asses.” “Anything else mommy dearest?” “Go on with that smart shit.” They spent most of the morning planning and then off to the nail shop. After they drop Deanna off at home, she goes in the house and walks upstairs and looks at the phone hoping that Aaron would call even though she made him promise that they would not speak the day before. Linda walks in and looks at Deanna looking at the floor. “It’s tomorrow. You will see him tomorrow so put a smile on the pretty face of yours. How do you feel?” “I’m happy but I’m worried about a lot of things. Like am I going to be enough for him, or am I going to be a good wife. Can I give him everything he needs from me? I just have a lot on my mine” “I see that, baby if he didn’t want to be here, you would know that. He asked you because he loves you, and all the other things will fall in place. Just follow your heart and if your heart lands in his hand, then let it be and just be you.”

Deanna smiles and hugs her mother while they go look at her dress which is sliver with a red sash around it. The bride mates are red with a slivers sash, everybody hair will be down in curls. The men will match the women and Aaron will be in a white suite. Linda walks back down stairs and Deanna lay there with all her thought’s running through her head. Before she knew it, it was two in the morning, she turns over and goes to sleep. Deanna wakes up to the sound of Lyli’s voice, Deanna wakes up to see her at the end of the bed. “It’s time sweetie, come on and make my brother a happy man.” Deanna smiles and ask her the time 6:30 and the hairdresser will be arriving at 7, Deanna pops out the bed and get in the shower, as she gets out and goes downstairs, Katrina in the chair getting her hair done. Deanna stands by the table and looks at the counter top, Lyli walks over to Deanna and pulls her off to the bathroom. As Lyli shuts the door Deanna starts to cry, as she looks at Lyli she shrugs her shoulders. “Deanna it’s okay, just tell me what’s going on?”

“What if one day he feels like I’m not worth it anymore? All the fighting we have done just to get to this place, like he’s has made mistake about everything that he has done. I just don’t know if I’m hurting his life more than bringing joy to it” “Deanna really, he loves everything about you. I understand why you would think this, but I know him, and you do too. If he didn’t love you, he wouldn’t give you everything he has. Deanna a man is easy, sometimes you can look into their eyes and see everything you worried about, but only if you truly want to see it. Just wait and you will see when you meet as husband and wife.” They have to be at the church at 11 and everybody’s hair is done and make-up is almost finished, the guys came and got Giovanni that morning, her auntie came and got Naomi. Olivia came in hugs Deanna and starts to get ready. Deanna got the dresses out and put them on the bed, while Deanna gets her make-up done the car call to tell them that their on the way. Linda walks up to Deanna with this box as she open it she smiles. “This chain was given to me by your grandmother, before she died, I want you to

wear it. Baby you have a good thing and I want you to be happy, no matter how much pain it took you to get here. This is something borrowed and old.” Deanna smile trying to hold back her tears as her mother puts the necklace on, Katrina walks in the room. “I have something new I got for you three days ago” Deanna opens the box. She smiles as she looks at the tennis bracelet, then looks at Katrina. “Baby girl you didn’t have to do this.” “That’s nothing, you’re like a sister to me and it matches your ring, so you know I couldn’t help myself.” “What do you have that’s blue?” Lyli said “My guarder is blue, so that’s everything.” “The car is here” Linda said As she walks out she feels like a princess, her dress big and puffy and as she gets in the white Hummer. Her mother walks to her father, who’s standing at the church doors. The smile he had that made a tear fall from her face. As she walks up the stairs into her father’s arms, the joy grew bigger in her heart. All the things she felt herself worrying about, floated away, she couldn’t live without Aaron, she felt whole being next to him. Giovanni walks in with the room, then the flower girl behind him. As the bridemates and groomsmen walk arm and arm, Deanna looks at her father looking at her. “I never thought that you will be getting married, you made a beautiful bride and I know that he loves you. He asked me when he got locked up could he have your hand in marriage, any man that gets locked up over a girl wouldn’t think about even seeing her again. He wanted to and he looked me in my eyes and Deanna I like him because I know he loves you.” Deanna smiles at her father as he talks, she knew Aaron loves her and it made everything better that her father approved of her marrying him. They open the doors and people stands and look back at her in her pure white dress, Deanna

only wants to see Aarons face. As she gets closer Aaron face lights up like a little kid and Deanna was Santa on Christmas morning. As her father put her hand in his, she couldn’t whole on any longer when sees a tear come down his face. She steps up and looks him into his eyes. The union was secret and full of love and tears and smiles, and all Deanna wanted was to be his wife. As the preacher them as one and people start to clap and they walk out and off to the Marriott Hotel. As they announce Mr. and Mrs. Blackmen, they walk out and the party begins. All Deanna could think about is seeing Key West for the first time, as they start to dance for the first time as husband and wife. Everyone stands off to the side and watch them glide all over the floor, laughing and smiling at one another. As they sat down the announcements starts Linda stands up and walks to the middle of the floor.

“Well as you may know that’s my lovely little girl. Aaron has come into my baby life and made it better with every moment, I wish nothing but the best for you both and I love you both.” They raise their glasses and Linda sits down, as Lyli starts walking to the middle of the floor. She stands there looking at them, as Lyli tries to talk a tear falls from Aaron’s eye. “My brother is everything to me, that man right there. The only man I know that has a heart as big as the sun, from friend to family he will have your back as long as you have he’s. Deanna is a sweet, loving and caring person and Aaron you picked a good woman to call your wife, because it was touch and go there for a minute with them other girls you brought home. I’m proud of you and everything you are and I know how you both feel about one another, I love you both you have no idea how much.” As she starts to get choked up she leaves the floor, Aaron looks at Deanna and grabs her hands as she smiles at him. Aaron kisses Deanna and turns to see his mother walking to the floor, Lyli quickly walks+ up behind her. “I really don’t know how they found one another, but I’m so happy that he found his blessing. Now it’s time for my daughter to jump the broom next, I’m just saying. I’m so happy for the both of you.”

Aaron rolls his eyes and Lyli gets mad about that little comment about her being or even nowhere close to getting married. As everything settle down all you hear is “Clap clap clap your hands”, everybody get out there chair and run to the floor like kids just to do the slide, as people line up to eat every little thing from wings and meat balls to any type of dipping sauce, little grilled cheese corners and fruit, with a chocolate and caramel fountain. Fish and sushi for them non meat eaters. Wine, liquor, and punch, everything stops when she sees Pedro walks up on them, Aaron turns and looks at Deanna.

“This is the guy my sister was telling me about?” “Yes that’s him” “What is he doing here?” “He’s friends with my Uncle Mal” Pedro walks up looking at them while Aaron face changes and Deanna steps in front of Aaron and he grabs onto her sides. “Yo this is a family function and you were not invited, you need to leave” Aaron said “I know and you’re right, but I have to say something to Deanna. I’m so happy for you both, I don’t mean to hurt anyone but do need to talk to her. I’m not going to do anything you’ve already won.” “I’m not going to let you talk to her alone, that’s not going to happen. If you have something to say then say it.” Pedro looks at Deanna who looks back at Aaron, Perio drops his head and looks at the floor. “I know you felt like I just up and left, but I didn’t do that to you and I wouldn’t have. The lady I was with, was paying my way but not just for me but for you too. I had bought you everything you wanted plus a ring. So you could be mine, but when I go back you were gone, and I also heard that you were pregnant too. I let go, you had your own life to live and I didn’t want to bother that.”

“You didn’t want to bother her when you heard she had a baby, but you bring your ass to her wedding. That I don’t understand” Aaron said Perio looks at Aaron and then back at Deanna, as she looking at Perio. All this time has and Perio is still standing in front of them, talking about nothing but the past. “I just wanted you to know that I never intended for you to feel that way about me.” Pedro said

“Well that’s all and good but I’m sorry that you’ve wasted your time, but I’m good and I don’t hold any bad feeling for you or about you.” “Okay I’m sorry to break up this little petty fest, but the past is in the past. So just let it be, and you have a good day.” “Are you sure that you’re happy?” Pedro said “Are you sure?” Aaron said “I’m sure that I want to be right beside Aaron and nowhere else, are you done now?” “I didn’t mean any harm, I just wanted to tell you the truth, I guess I will leave.” As Pedro walks away and Aaron turns toward Deanna and makes a face. “Really, I know he knew that wasn’t going to get you to run off with him. I guess I understand” “What you understand?” Deanna said “I would do anything to get you back, I see where he coming from, that’s all.” “I can’t wait until we get to Key West.” “Baby I have a surprise for you first before we get there.” “What?”

“We are going to New York first for some shopping.” Deanna has never been to New York before, but she haven’t really been anywhere. So just the word New York makes her smile. As 11:30 rolls around everything is dying down. Deanna walks up to Aaron with a piece of cake as they cut it and take a bite, they kiss and dance some more. “How about we get out of here?” Deanna said “Okay then let leave, our flight leave in four hours anyways”

As they leave the party and go to the room and change, Lyli drives them to the airport. As they drive to the airport Deanna goes on about Lyli making sure she picks up Naomi. “Okay you don’t have to keep telling me, I will go pick her up as soon as yall get out.”

Chapter 23

AS THEY WAIT for their plane to board Deanna receives texts from the photographer, all the pictures that came through Deanna’s phone put a smile on her face. With every shot you could see the love that they have for one another, one picture Aaron is holding her up in the air and she is smile down at him, one where Aaron picks her up to his face and they share a kiss. As she looks through the rough copy a tear fell from her eye, Aaron looks at her smiling with the sweets look on her face. He just hugs her and they kiss. “What’s on your mind?” Aaron said “Just that today was one of the best days of my life, besides having my kids. Every time you get a chance you surprise me, and I’m so happy to have you in my life. I would be nothing without you.” “Don’t talk like that, yes you would because you’re a fighter and you love them kids more then you love yourself sometimes.” As the plane takes off Deanna sleeps and so did Aaron, as the plane landed it was still dark outside being that it is 5 something in the morning. They walk toward the exit and a man is standing in front holding a sign. Misses and Mr. Blackmen, Aaron walks up to him and Deanna stood behind him while they put the bags in the car. “When did you have time to do all of this?” Deanna said “I didn’t. A co-worker of mines told me he got me, and don’t worry about nothing” Deanna sits back and look at all the buildings and the underes they went under and by, she never seen anything so congested but lovely at the same time. They pull up to the Grand Plaza in Manhattan, as they get out the car they were greeted by a doorman. She smile and walks through the doors, everything is so fancy and all did up. While she looks around Aaron checks in. As he hands Deanna a key they go up to the 20th floor, and the room is bigger than she

thought and a view that made her feel on top of the world, just like a star and this is one of the many rooms she would stay in around the world. Aaron turns on the TV while Deanna lies down on the bed and falls asleep, about five hours later Aaron sits next to her. “Baby I have something’s plan for us, so get up before you sleep the day away” Deanna smiles when she sees his face and runs off to the bathroom and get ready, when she walks back in the room Aaron is standing there with a smile on his face. “How did I get a woman like you?” “You’re saying that like you’re not fine, you know you’re hot.” Yes, Aaron is sexy standing there with a fitted on his head and nicely dress with his arms busting out of his button down shirt. Deanna is his perfect garment walking beside him, her soft light skin shining with the sun when they leave out. Deanna sees all buildings towering over her and people on each corner with something to say, prove, or sell. All the shopping for everything and anything that she could want or need, and bag and bag of things are on Aaron’s arms, Deanna smile but feels bad at the same time. Because of all the unnecessary things she has bought, as they get back to the hotel Aaron sends the bellboy up to the room with the bags. While Deanna goes off to take a bath, Aaron does some work off in the bar area down stairs. Aaron comes back up and gets dress while Deanna gets out the tub. “Two days we’re leaving to go to Key West. I can’t wait to be out there for the peace and quiet.” “I can’t wait to be next to the beach and sleep with the patio door open.” “We have to make it to our dinner, so let’s get going.” While Deanna get dress Aaron goes down to get a car, she walks out in her thigh high lace dress with her red pumps and red clutch bag. As she walks off the elevator, there is Aaron standing at the door, as he turns and sees her. Everything just stops, Deanna feels him watching her every move as her feet hits the floor, like she is the only one in the lobby. Aaron just stares at her as this skinny man

walks in front of her. He stops dead in her face with a smile from ear to ear, Deanna puts her ring finger up, he starts to smile even harder. “I still want to say hi” “Okay, hi, now I have to go” Deanna starts to walk off and he grabs her hand, Aaron walks up and pulls her hand away. “Really, you don’t know how to take no for an answer, this is my wife, step off.” He puts up his hands and walk backward, Deanna looks over to the man and shrugs her shoulders. While they order their food Aaron looks at her and smile. “What?” Deanna said “Just everything that we been through would make the ordinary man run for the hills, but me being me, I run to it and love everything about you.” “What about me you fell for?” “Really?” Deanna smiles while shaking her head.

“Okay, you are a good mother, your eyes are so fucking lovely. I love the way you keep yourself up, all the little things that makes you who you are. That’s what I love the most.” “I want to ask you something that I didn’t ask you before. What made you come back that night?” “My phone was on the kitchen table and I had already picked up my store manager. When we got out front I could hear you screaming from the front door, I knew me and Greg was cool but I didn’t know he was that cool. Until he threw that punch in and them kicks, that’s my dude and I rock with him from now on.” Deanna looks at the table and then at her food, she couldn’t help the thought of

feeling Danny’s hands around her neck. Aaron smile and grabs her hand, as she looks into his eyes she smiles.

“I know you’ve been through a lot, but it’s done and over with now. It’s just me and you and no one to hurt me or you anymore.” Aaron said “I know you went through a lot too and I thank you for being there for me and the kids, if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here.” As they go back to the room Deanna gets in Aaron’s arms. “I love the way you smell and the way you can’t sleep without being up under me.” Deanna kisses him as he tells her how tired he is, while he lays there with one eye open. Deanna puts her head on his chest, and falls asleep as she sleeps Deanna starts to sweat as she sees a man walking up on her. All distorted looking and he walks up to her and pushes her, she starts to fall and fall until she see the ground as she wakes up Aaron wakes up and sees her grabbing at anything she could, pulling and tugging at any and everything. He gets a wet rag and puts it on her face, as she opens her eyes she starts t gasps, he sat beside her and hold her as she cries. Aaron gets up and looks out the window and then back at her. “I’m a little worried about you, maybe when we get back I can take you to talk to someone. You’ve been through a lot and we have been through a lot together and we need to talk to someone, just to get it off our chest. Will you go with me?” “Sure.” As morning came they met up with some of his college friends, they are all rugget and down to earth. Two are business major, Nazi and Terry are the business majors, Terry is a tall with dreads, Nazi is a little taller than Terry, with a fade, every clean cut guy. The other is Bally and he is a Cardio Doctor at the local hospital and is the shortest one. When they walk in they came with their wives, the ladies were all glitz and glam. Nazi wife is Jennifer, Terry’s wife is Monica, and Bally’s wife is named Shonti. Aaron told the ladies Deanna’s name, they smile as they greet her one at a time.

“Girl lets go shopping” Shonti said “No more shoes, alright” Bally said “You say that every time I leave to go shopping, have you realized that I still bring shoes home. Just let it go” The girls start to get up and Monica looks at Deanna “Girl that means you too” Deanna looks at Aaron and he nods his head and gives her a black card. “Look at that shit Bally, did you see that. He didn’t ask her any questions and didn’t tell her not to get certain things, he nods and hands her a black card. A black card.” Shonti said Bally looks at Aaron and then at Terry. “Yall hear something?” Bally said “Yeah that’s what I thought, come on girls” As they walk away the guys starts to laugh at Bally. “You know you can’t stop a woman from shopping” Terry said “Well you pay for it then” “I have my own wife to take care of Doctor cheap” “Why we just now seeing you after you get married” Nazi said “It’s not like yall right up the street, I have to do a lot to get here. I just can’t up and come just to be coming, I was there at yall weddings.” “We came to your wedding too, but I understand I just can’t pick up and leave either” Bally said “You were trying to tell us something about you were in jail” Nazi said

“I . . . I killed a man” “Hold up the fighter turned into a killer. What the hell happen?” Terry said “I had to do it, he had a gun pointed at wife and my newborn. So I popped him when I got a chance.” “Well I understand I would have done the same thing, I’m wondering why Danny called me from jail. Tell me yall got into it and you put him in jail.” Bally said “Really, he didn’t tell you anything else” “I know that’s your boy Aaron, but something is very wrong with him. He got into it Terry too and got fucked up.” Nazi said “He didn’t tell me that’s why he came to Atlanta, I got the bitch too though, he tried Deanna and I had to finish him.” While the guys sit there and catch up, the girls walk into this small boutique, the sales girl walks up to Shanti and hugs her and greet them. Deanna never been somewhere so fancy, they have wine in their hands and some of the clothes or out front but most of the things are in the back. Deanna never grew up around people with money or that will spend their money like that. Monica sits down next too Deanna and smiles at her. “You like your new lifestyle?” “What you mean, being married?” “No girl the money” “What money, I don’t know anything about his money” They look at her like she had to be lying, then they look at one another and then back at Deanna. Shanti starts to choke on the wine she couldn’t get down, as they look at her like she had to playing. Deanna looks at her glass and then back at them. “Really! You don’t know that your man is rich” Shanti said

“Rich, no” How would she know, if he never told her, she also never asked him how could he afford all the things he could do for her. But she knows he had his own business, but being rich never crossed her mind. “Trust me boo. Your husband has over 20 million in the bank and that was 4 years ago, now he has three more car lots. Trust me mama, that’s why he have a black card, they just don’t give that to anybody. I bet you the card you have is unlimited and I bet it’s yours to keep. Just wait until you try to give it back, and see what he says. He’s been waiting for the day that he could give his wife everything.” Deanna thought that Shanti could be right, she’s talking like she knows everything about his income, but Deanna didn’t know and really didn’t feel too happy about not knowing her man. Deanna is not a spender but more of a homemaker. “Girl just look at the ring on your finger, you should know all that is real and if you don’t we can go see today.” Jennifer said Deanna buys her outfit that she couldn’t stop looking at, as they pull up to this glass store with nothing but diamonds in the window. Jennifer walks in and greets the man behind the counter, as he asks for Deanna ring. He looks at it and back at Deanna, the first thing he said with his thick accent is he must love you.

“How much would you sell this ring for here?” Jennifer said “100 grand and not a dollar less.” “Girl, where we from, that right there will buy someone a car or a house, I know he knows but it’s about time you know too. It looks like he found a good girl, if it was Shanti, dollar signs is all she would have seen.”

“Damn, thanks for that labeling you just did” Shanti said

“I don’t have to label anything, you do that just fine for yourself.” Rich he couldn’t be she thought but her ring appraised at 100 grand is blowing her mind, how could he not say anything to her. How could he let her find out this way. Her eyes got even bigger as he wipes her ring off and put it back on her finger. “She married into money and didn’t even know it” Shanti said He starts to laugh with Shanti and all Deanna feels is out of her league with these women. But she has to get use to these types, if she’s going to be with Aaron. “Well she’s with the right group of women to show her the ropes.” They start to laugh and buy some things and go into two more stores. As they make their way back, the guys went to Bally’s house. “Now Deanna we’re going to my house and I’m going to show you how I live” Shanti said As they pull up to this grand house, the gate opens up and the house looks almost like the white house. Deanna looks out the window and Shanti said wait until you see the inside. As they walk in, the floors are marble and a lady standing off to the side waiting to take her bags, they walk down stairs to the game room. The guys are sitting down talking, Deanna kisses Aaron. “Come on Deanna, you have all night to do that, let’s go see more of my house” Downstairs is the game room, steam room, and a gym. On the main floor there is a big kitchen with two of everything, living room, dining room, sitting area, and a TV room. Out back is a pool and a maids loft, an outdoor sitting area and back upstairs is a loft area, 3 more bedrooms and the master suite. It has windows everywhere and his and her closets, the heated floor in the bathrooms. “I see why he tells you not to buy anymore shoes, most of your shoes are still in the box.” Deanna said “I have these Menlo’s that you would love, I don’t wear them, I really haven’t even put them on.” Shanti said

She ran back to get the shoes and Deanna puts them on and smile, they go back to sit with the boys as Deanna sits down she finds herself falling asleep. “Mama you sleepy” Nazi said “I think it’s the wine we had everywhere we went” “She’s not a drinker” Aaron said “Now I know you went to them high ass stores” Bally said “Don’t start” Shanti said “When yall leaving?” Terry said “12:20pm” Aaron said Terry stands up and walks over to Aaron and puts his hand on his shoulder. “Well as you know I didn’t bring y’all a gift to the wedding, because I wanted to wait until y’all got here. I have something for the both of you.” Terry said Out walk a lady and a man with racks of clothing and shoes, and another man with jeweler. “Okay Deanna and Aaron, yall can pick out two outfits and one thing from the jewelry man.” Terry said “Man you didn’t have to do anything like this” Aaron said

“We’ve been down for a long time and when I hit rock bottom 5 years ago, you were there and now I want to do something special for you and yours. That the least I can do Aaron, just take it and I’ll feel better. Deanna picks her out two dresses and the shoes to match, and Aaron got two suits and shoes. While she picks up some earrings, Aaron gets a watch. They talk for a while and went back to their room, Deanna went to take a swim and the next morning Deanna sits on the end of the bed and looks at the floor. Aaron walks in the room and sits beside her.

“What’s wrong” “Are you rich?” “I knew I needed to have this talk with you, but yes I guess that’s what they call it, I didn’t want the money to change you.” “Change me, you know that I’m not a big spender and I’m sure not a gold digger.” “I know that you’re not, I know I should’ve told you so I’m sorry. Can’t you understand why I didn’t tell you?” “Yeah I guess so, I’m not mad, I just wished you would’ve told me, before your friends did. I have to give you your card back.” “No you keep it, I have three and that one is for you. I have one with your name on it coming to the house.” “I guess so.” “I hope I’m not freaking you out with all of this, I love you and I want you to have everything that you need. I should have told you when you had my baby, but all the things that was going on at that time, I wanted you to want me for me.” “When have I giving you the intention that I wanted you for your cash? I’m not like that, I didn’t know that you had that type of money” Aaron didn’t know the right thing to say to Deanna, he felt like his words are getting twisted no matter how many times he said that he didn’t mean that. Deanna just didn’t understand why he couldn’t tell her the truth, and still didn’t say anything after they were married. “I never said you were like that, but at that time you didn’t want me anymore.” “How you saying it making me feel like you been thinking I was like that.” “I don’t know what to say to you, but I love you. I’m going to call our ride.”

Chapter 24

AARON GETS UP and walks out the door, he couldn’t say the right thing, so he decided not to say anything. Deanna sat there feeling silly about the whole thing. As they arrive at the airport Aaron helps her out the car and kisses her while she puts her headphones in her ear for the entire flight. They got off the plane in Mami just to get on another plane to Key West, when they landed a car was waiting on them to take them to Duval Street. Right in the heart of everything, as they checked in, people are looking at them like they in the wrong place, mostly because they were the only black people in the hotel. They walk back out to walk to hot streets of Duval. The breeze that they are feeling isn’t anything compared to how high the sun is beaming down. They stayed out until the sun went down, as they stand out on the pier. They look into each other eyes and fall all over again, Aaron kisses Deanna while the wind blew threw her hair. They walk down to Fat Tuesdays to get a slushy that everybody is walking around with, as they go back to the room Aaron gets undress. Deanna walks into the bathroom and puts on something sexy, a red laced up see through outfit with black pumps on and her hair all flowing down. As she walks out Aaron sits down in the chair, and smile as she walks up to him. “Hi” Deanna said “Miss Blackmen when did you get this?” “Does it matter just relax” He closes his mouth and look at her as she sits on his lap, she starts to kiss his neck and they kiss. Aaron picks her up and they go to the bed, Deanna gets on top of him and connects her hands with his. As they kiss Aaron gets harder and turns her over, and pulls off her dress and kisses her back. Deanna felt his ions as he rubs his hands down her body, Aaron couldn’t resist all the temptations that is coming off her body. Deanna moans as he enters her, the harder he pulls her to him the more her mind is exploding. They lay there and held onto one another, until Deanna gets up and gets into the shower, Aaron is standing in the door way. Deanna looks at him and smiles as he stares at her, Aaron steps in the shower, as Deanna turns Aaron kisses her. After they finish

showering Aaron gets a phone call, Deanna stands there looking at Aaron fussing on the phone. “What was that?” “The people at the house doing the alarm system, messing things up, It’s cool baby, I’m going to get Greg on it in the morning.” “I’m sure everything will be fine.” As it gets later and the water hits the sand, Deanna body relaxes, then the rain starts to fall and they fall asleep. Aaron wakes Deanna up the next morning. “Let’s go to Banana Café” They get dress and walk down to the Café, they ate the best crapes they ever had. They went back to the hotel to get dress for the beach, when they get out to the water Deanna walks out into the water, that comes up above her knees. Deanna sticks her arms out to feel the breeze, as the water bounces against her body, she turns and see Aaron sitting looking at her. As he starts to walk out to her, his face changes as he feels the sea weed against his legs, they stand there holding one another looking at the other people ing the warning sign. After a minute or so Aaron turns and goes back to the beach, Deanna goes out a little more and two tall slender white men stood beside her while she pulls her hair up. “This is your first time here?” He said “Yeah, it’s so lovely here.” “Yeah, you need to come see the sunrise with me.” “Oh that’s sweet of you but I’m on my honeymoon.” “Damn really?” “Yeah, you see the man on the beach looking like he’s about to come in. That’s my husband.”

He touches her arm and winks at her and swims away, Deanna starts to walk back while the guy get out the water. Aaron walks up to the guys, Deanna walks up behind Aaron and takes his hand. “Baby these men bothering you?” “No baby” “You tripping, It’s just a female, there are a lot of them out here, just look around. There is no need for that bro.” “She may not mean nothing to you, but I just made her my life, so keep it moving.” While walking away, the guy said my offer still stands. Aaron turns while Deanna grabs his hand and they walk back to the hotel, he sit down and looks at Deanna. “I hate that shit sometimes, I just wanted to put my fist through his face, I just can’t stopping thinking about that.” “Baby you’re right we need to talk to someone because your anger takes over you at times.” “You right, but I still want to fuck him up, maybe I need to relax” They go down to the bar and play pool in the lobby, and eat and order a massage, as they get to the room the lady is standing by the door.

After their massages the lady showed Deanna something to do when they get home, to keep his tension down. Key West is and was everything they needed it to be, it relaxing, peaceful, and carefree. As they get back they pulls up to Linda’s house and she steps out. “Did yall have fun?” Linda said “Yes mama it’s wonderful there, the people are so carefree.”

Deanna pulls Linda in the room and shut the door. “Mama Aaron is rich, and I didn’t know, and I mean really rich. I don’t know why he didn’t tell me anything before we got married” “Baby why would he, that’s his business not yours. Don’t worry about that, that’s nothing to be worried about, just be happy about the love that y’all share and let the little things go.” “I guess I should be happy that he even has a job” “Yeah I know, so did you bring me back anything” Deanna hands her a bag and gets in the car where Aaron and Giovanni is waiting, they go and get Naomi and pull up to a brick house that has columns in the front. With a wraparound porch and double doors, Deanna sits back and looks at Aaron. He gets out the car and walks around and opens Deanna’s door. “I just wanted to go home. Where are we?” “At home, come on and let’s see the inside” “Hold on what? What about all of our things?” “Well I took care of all that, I had this lot, so I build us a house so the past can stay in the past. We can start new.” Aaron took the kids in while Deanna stood by the door, as he walks out he picks up Deanna and walks her in the house. As you walk in, there is a fireplace on the back wall. Hardwood floor all shine and dark and grand stairs case, as she looks to her left there is a kitchen that almost made her tinkle on herself.

A dining room with a table that could seat 12 people, rooms on the bottom floor all the way up to the top. As Deanna looks back Aaron is standing there looking at her float all over the house, she walks up stairs into a play loft area, double doors leads into the master bed room. Everything she sees is white, from the bed to the chairs and she smile when she sees her bathroom and the counter tops from wall to wall. The closet almost made her cry when she opens the doors, as

she walks out and walk down the hall the kid’s rooms are upstairs, with a bathroom connecting the two. Deanna walks back downstairs and smile at Aaron while he turns on the tv, she turns and looks out onto the back yard. The kids own little play area off to the side of the yard, with a gate surrounding the whole house, Aaron walks up behind Deanna and puts his arms around her. “You like it?” “I love it, It’s big baby, you didn’t have to do all of this” “I know I didn’t but I wanted to, and being in that last house we wouldn’t shake what happen there.” “I understand that, I love you” “Love you too” Deanna felt like nothing less than a Queen and her King loved her and needed her, and Aaron did need her as much as she needed him. As she walks back to her room to put up her things up Aaron stayed downstairs with the kids. The next week Aaron book them an appointment for the shrink, as they walk into the office, it is very serine and calm for all their senses. The doctor walks out and stands over them like they are students in her class. She greets them and they walk in and sit down, on a big brown couch. “Hi I’m Heather Dash. So why don’t you tell me why you’re here?” “We have been through a lot and we have to see how we can get past it and not let it change us.” Aaron said “So tell me some of the things that you both been through”

“Well I’ve been in jail for killing her ex, which is her oldest child father. He had a gun and wanting to shoot them, them being her and my little girl that she was holding” “So Deanna how are you feeling about the death of your ex?” Heather said

“I know Aaron didn’t mean for him to die, I don’t hold any bad feeling for Aaron, it was me who was thinking of going back with him because we had a son together. I feel like most of this is my fault.” “Baby I don’t think so, he wanted you and wasn’t going to stop and that’s that. I don’t want you to take that burden, if it wasn’t for you my ex friend wouldn’t have tried to rape you.” “So you were almost raped by his friend?” Heather said “Yes, but Aaron stopped him before he could go that far. I just don’t want the past to keep us from moving forward.” “Is there something you feel that would keep you from moving forward?” “His anger is a little scary at times, I know him and his heart and any little thing will set him off and it worries me that he will go back to jail for hitting someone or stepping to the wrong person.” “Aaron do you understand what she’s saying? Do you think you’re a little out of control?” “Well in a way yes, it’s a little out of control and I understand, and I can’t help it. I feel like I have to protect her, and then I may step out of line but I can’t help it. I may need to check myself because I don’t want to scare her.” “We need to talk about your anger. How does it feel when you hit someone?” Heather said “I don’t really know, I don’t know what I really think about. All I see is how to take someone down in my head. I know it’s a problem but when it’s time to lay a dude out for messing with my girl, I have no problems.” “There is a fine line between taking up for your wife, and blowing something small into something so big. You need to know how to separate the two, when the time presents itself and you find that you are getting overly excited, ask yourself is it worth it. At that time make sure your brain is the one that have the control and not the emotions you’re having at that time. People sometimes confuse the thoughts of

emotions with thoughts or reality, they are so different and when you separate the two, you will find yourself in another mind set. You understand what I’m saying?” Heather said “Yes, I will try not to react so quickly.” “I’m not telling you not to fight for your wife, I’m just saying don’t get in that place of no return when she’s not in harm’s way.” “So just pick and choose my battles. I feel you and I will do so. I want to talk to you about Deanna and the dreams she has been having.” “What are you dreaming about?” Heather said “My ex walking up to me putting his hand on my arm, I smelled nothing but heat. The same heat I felt from Danny when he got on top of me and chocked me. I can’t explain it.” “Okay that’s fine right there. How did you feel when he put his hands around your neck?” Deanna knew how she felt but she also know it hurt Aaron too, she looks at he and he starts to choke up, Aaron looks off to the wall and Heather turns toward him. “Okay Aaron what’s going on? Where is all this emotion coming from?” “Well he came home and that’s what he saw. Danny chocking me and on top of me with his pants halfway down” “Okay Deanna hold that thought. Aaron how did you feel when you saw that happening?” “To really be honest about it, I saw red and I wasn’t going to stop until I saw blood.” “Did you?”

“Not right when I saw just a little after when she called my name, when I saw him lying there, I realized what I just did. Even thought he was bleeding from his face and his hand was broke, I still hit the wall after all that happen.” Aaron said “Do you know how she feels about that moment?” “The sound of Danny’s voice telling me to not think its him, think I’m Aaron. He said that so many times in my ear, I could feel his breath get hotter and hotter as he talks. When he put his hands on my neck for me to stop screaming and trying to get me to calm down. I felt like I wouldn’t see my family again, like that was is and I was gone.” Deanna couldn’t hold it in, she just starts crying, and Aaron holds her. “Well I think that’s enough for today, is there anything else you both like to talk about” “Aaron never told me that he had money, until his friends took me out and told me everything that he was keeping from me.” “Baby I don’t know why I didn’t tell you when we got married, I really didn’t have the chance too. All I wanted to do is keep it like it was.” “Aaron do you think she wants money or even money hungry?” “No she’s so different, she loves me for me and nothing more. I’m giving to her in the past and she thought it was too much to be giving, but I never took no for answer. I couldn’t ask for a better girl, I been through it with girl who just wanted that from me. I just felt like when we started to date I was going to keep it to myself.” “Deanna can you understand what he’s saying?” “Yes, I just want him to keep it real with me, his friends shouldn’t have told me that. He should have.” “I know you told me that before and I’m sorry, this is all of me I have more money then you could think about spending in this life time. I have a heart that could love you until the end, you gave me my kids and you make me happy. All

I want you to do is love me and we could get through anything. Can you do that for me?” “Yes, just tell me the truth about everything, and I’m yours for life.” That was there bond and nothing could break it, as long as they believed in one another. Aaron had the love of his life and Deanna has the family she always wanted.

By: M. Cheree Murray