Love Never Fails Read online

  Monica wanted to make sure the cake will be ready and since summer time is the busiest time for Sarah, she needs Eric’s cake done by Saturday afternoon.

  Sarah watches Eric go to town with his slice of cake. “Eric’s party is at two right?”

  Monica giggles, “Yes.”

  “If you want we can bring it to the party. That way you don’t have to come up here that day. I’m pretty sure you have a million and one things to do.” Sarah replies.

  That works out for Monica. “Oh thank you. That will be great. See you guys Saturday then.” Monica smiles while cleaning Eric’s mouth and hands with the baby wipe she pulls out of her purse.

  Having a toddler, you should always have a pack of baby wipes on you. It’s like mandatory to have it in your possession at all times or everything you have will be stuck together. Monica tries to pay for the cake in advance but Sarah will not accept her payment. She gives Sarah another hug and Sarah kiss Eric on his head. They wave their goodbyes. Monica does the same thing every time she puts Eric in a car. She buckles him up then kisses him on his head. Monica dreads having to go to the cleaners but she must pick up Jake’s clothes. Pulling up she winces as she sees the silhouette of the owner’s black bobbed-cut hair through the opaque glass window. Monica knows she must find another cleaner to go to, but she’s just a creature of habit.

  With a heavily accent the lady greets sweetly, “Hello Mrs. Harris. How are you doing?”

  Monica knows it wasn’t the lady’s fault for what happened. But it still bothers her that she knows more than she’s supposed to. “I’m good. How are you?”

  “Oh me good. Thank you. Your son getting so big. He looks like daddy.”

  Monica turns and beams as she stares at her beautiful son. “Yes. He’s turning one soon.”

  The lady hands her Jake’s clothes. Eric waves bye and wraps his tiny fingers around Monica’s index finger. After hanging the clothes on the hook and buckling Eric in his car seat, she pauses for a minute as her heart aches.

  She can’t do this right now. Though she hasn’t forgotten, she’s forgiven. Putting her feelings aside she kisses her son on top of his head. “I love you munchkin.”

  “I wuv you too mom-e.”

  Their next stop is to the party store. She needs to buy decorations, party favors, and she needs to pay the deposit for the moonwalk reservation. While browsing the aisles, Eric starts pointing at the toys he wants to play with. Everything he points at, she throws into the shopping cart. This is his party and he can pick and choose anything he wants. All the things he chooses are of course dinosaur themed. After paying for the items, ordering dinosaur balloons, and paying the reservation fee for the moonwalk, Monica places the bags in the trunk and does the usual. While driving, her cell phone rings, but she doesn’t answer. Monica believes, if you are driving, you shouldn’t be on your phone. There have been countless accidents in Baytown where people are distracted with their cellphones instead on concentrating on their driving.

  Jake works so much running their family business, he asked Monica if she can spare her Thursday afternoons for their lunch dates. With it being Thursday, she fixed herself up better than she usually does on any other days. Being married for many years, she still likes sprucing up her looks for Jake. That’s one thing about marriages. After years of marriage and once kids get put into the picture, husbands and wives stop trying. Maybe their energy levels just go down especially with constantly working a nine to five job, and then coming home to take care of the kids.

  2

  Monica’s mom lives in the same neighborhood and it’s on eighty-one acres of straight country. She watches Eric on Thursdays while Jake and Monica have their lunch dates. Lauren loves watching her grandkids like any other loving grandparent. As she’s driving up the driveway, her mom comes out of the house flagging them down.

  “I just tried calling you, but you didn’t answer.” Lauren declares while kissing Eric on top of his head then removes him from his car seat.

  Eric holding his arms out to hug his grandma. “gwama.”

  “Oh munchkin. I love you so much. I missed you. It’s been too long since I saw my munchkin.”

  “Mom, you know I don’t answer my phone when I’m driving, and we were just here last Thursday.”

  “Yes I know dear, but that’s not enough. I want to see my grandkids more. Hint hint Monica.”

  “Mom you know where we live.” Monica pointing her finger in the eastern direction.

  “I just don’t want to stop by every day. I don’t want to impose and be a pest. What if you guys are too busy?”

  Lauren wants to give Monica and her family time to heal without others being involved. She feels if she comes around as much as she wants to, they won’t have the privacy needed to fix their family back together. It’s just too soon, too fresh. She doesn’t want to be one of those annoying mother-n-laws.

  “Mom we are never too busy for you. You are welcome by anytime of the day. I don’t want you to ever feel like you are bothering us. You know how much Ella and Eric adore you. And Jake appreciates you more than life itself.”

  “What about you dear?”

  “Mom I love you more than words can explain.” Monica tilting her head to the side.

  Lauren smiles, puts her hand on Monica’s face, and she exhales when Monica leans into her hand. Lauren is so glad her daughter is ok. She was so worried for her at some point in time, but now she knows she’ll be alright, because she has proven herself to be a very strong woman. She gives her mom a hug, hands Eric and his diaper bag to her, and then kisses him on top of his head. Lauren carries him into the house, and Monica gets on Interstate Ten and heads west to have lunch with Jake. They own an oil rig company in Houston, which builds and fabricates oil rigs for other oil companies. They have over two hundred employees, and they contract with eleven oil companies domestic and foreign, making their business the largest and most successful oil rig fabrication company in Houston. The main office is located in the heart of downtown, but the actual job-sites are East of Houston.

  Traffic is bumper to bumper, and Monica is running late. She’s usually at the office by eleven forty-five so they can leave to the restaurant together. It is already twelve o’clock and she’s still stuck in traffic. Her phone starts to ring, and she knows its Jake. When she doesn’t answer, Jake waits in his office. She pulls up to the Heritage Plaza skyscraper and parks in the garage. Heritage Plaza caters to prestigious real estate agents, major bank companies, and senior oil industries. From afar, the top of the building looks like an eagle spreading its wings, but it was intended to resemble a Mayan pyramid. She calls him back as she’s entering the elevator to let him know she has arrived. When Monica enters his office; he locks the door behind her, greets her with a kiss, and starts exploring her body.

  She lets his hands tour her body, she sits on his rich Merlot Cherry finish solid wood luxurious desk, and right when she can sense him getting aroused, she stops him. What a tease Jake thought.

  “Baby I’m starving.” She giggles.

  “Oh please just give me a couple minutes. That’s all I need. Shit maybe just a couple of strokes.”

  She puckers her lips and gives him a peck in the air.

  “Let’s go baby.”

  “I guess.” Looking down at his protruding penis.

  When they get in the elevator, he tries again. She stands in front of him; he pulls her back towards his chest, and starts kissing her neck. She turns to face him, wraps her arms around his neck, bites her lips, leans closer to his lips, and starts nibbling on his lips. He digs his fingers into her hips to pull her closer to him. The elevator arrives at the first floor, opens, and they hurry to straighten themselves, while others are entering the elevator.

  He opens the passenger door to his white custom Hummer, and motions her in. Before she seats, she bits on his lips softly, bumps her butt on him, and nonchalantly rubs herself, making him stiffen. She stops, pulls herself up his jacked up car, and sits
in his truck.

  “You are killing me baby.” He shakes his body, trying to get rid of the tingling sensation that’s taking over his fervent body. He closes the door, walks to his side and starts the car.

  She ordered his Hummer with the specifications she knew he would like for their tenth year anniversary. He was speechless when she slyly asked him to go with her to pick up a part for her car. She told him she didn’t want the auto shop taking advantage of her since she knew nothing about cars. The exterior of his car has black and chromed grilled in the front and back. It has fat off-road terrain mud tires with twenty-two inch white wheels. The inside has white leather seats with black trimmings with the words Harris embroidered on the headrest in black calligraphy. It has a navigation system, entertainment system, and it has the top of the line radio system. When he needs to relax, and blow off some steam, he rides that Hummer in the mud making sure every inch of his truck is covered with mud.

  As he is driving, their song comes on the radio, and brings back good memories. He grabs her hand, kisses it, and then gently holds her. They get to McCormick’s restaurant, and he hands the keys to the valet. Monica could eat seafood or barbeque every day, but since they always eat at their favorite barbeque place in Baytown with the kids, they always eat seafood on Thursdays. He walks over to her side, opens the door, and helps her out. He wraps his arm around her waist and leads her inside. All the restaurants in Houston are pretty packed during lunch time; Jake makes sure he makes reservations for every Thursday, so they wouldn’t have to wait. The hostess takes them to their table; he pulls a chair to his left, and assists Monica. As they order their drinks and meal, Monica gives Jake him the I have something to ask you smile.

  Jake knows her too well. “What is it?” Jake asks.

  “I have a favor to ask you.”

  “Is this favor for you or for the kids?”

  “The kids.”

  “Let me guess. Ella.”

  Monica purses her lips and pauses for a minute to collect all her thoughts, “Ella wants me to ask you if it’s ok if one of her guy friends can come to Eric’s party this weekend?” Monica said it fast enough so Jake wouldn’t have a chance to interrupt then she clinches her teeth together showing him her fake pretty please smile.

  “Guy friend huh?” Jake questions. “What do you mean guy friend?”

  “Ok, maybe not a guy friend. Maybe it’s her boyfriend.” Monica waits for Jake’s reaction.

  “There’s no maybe. It’s either it is or isn’t her boyfriend. There’s no in between.”

  “Ok fine. It’s her boyfriend.”

  “How long has she been dating this guy?”

  “Well the guy’s name is Luke. And they’ve been dating right after you scared her first boyfriend Paul away.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Come on babe. She really wants him to come, and this will be a great way for you to meet him. He won’t feel nervous since there will be other people there. He doesn’t have to worry about you shooting him down.”

  “I don’t give a damn if he’s going to be nervous or not.” Jake barks. “Plus I already gave you my answer.”

  “Baby she really likes this guy. And I think you should meet him.” Monica said trying to defend for her daughter. “He makes good grades; he’s in the football team, and from what Ella told me, he doesn’t date much. Plus I do recall you and I were their age when we started dating, and nothing and no one, not even our parents could pull us apart. It’s just her boyfriend. Nothing more. ”

  “Yeah nothing more right now. But it will eventually lead to more. You do remember what happened to us right?”

  “But we have no regrets right? He’s much like you in a way.”

  Arching his brows, “The good part or bad?”

  “The good of course. I wouldn’t want Ella dating him if it was the bad part. He is so well mannered. He’s so sweet to her, and she told me he carries her books and takes her to her classes.”

  Jake thinks for a minute, and then gives in, “Ok I’ll meet him, under one condition. If I do not like him, she is to stop seeing him. No questions ask. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.”

  Monica takes a sip of her sweet tea, thanks him and starts talking about other things avoiding the issue from escalating. As they’re eating their meals, Monica tells him about Sarah bringing the cake to the party, making it easier for them, and Eric picking all his party favors. Monica goes on to say she went to the cleaners to pick up his clothes, and Jake sits up, feeling uneasy. He changes the subject by telling her he just hired a new financial adviser.

  “What happened to the other guy?”

  “He was screwing us. For every pay check he received every week, he wrote himself another check. So he was getting paid twice. He stole tons of money from us.”

  “Tons? How much exactly is tons?”

  “Roughly about a hundred fifty thousand.”

  Monica nearly chokes on her food in disbelief the guy they trusted with their money, stole way more than what average Americans make in a year, maybe even two.

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “Well I had to hire another financial advisor. And guess who it is?”

  “Who?” Monica holding her breath as she takes a sip of her sweet tea.

  “Lance.”

  “Lance. Like in Lance Cook.”

  “Yup.”

  “Why?” Monica uncertain on why Jake would hire him after what he said he would do if he was to every see Lance again.

  “Well one of my guys interviewed him. And with his great credentials, he passed him

  to me to re-interview him. We talked about what happened. And I think he’s actually grown up. So I gave him a chance.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “I hired him.”

  “I know that. I meant what are you going to do with the other guy?”

  “What is there to do?”

  “You’re not going to sue him? Take him to court and get our money back?”

  “I thought about it. But I figured what good would that do? He won’t be able to come up with the money to pay us back anyways. The court will just throw him in jail. And he has a family to support, so how’s he going to do that with him in jail? It’s just going to be one big mess. I’m just going to take it as lesson learned. I just need to keep a closer eye on the people handling our money.”

  Jake is the boss everyone wants to works for. He believes, if you treat your employees right, they will bust their butts for you. He gives out excellent yearly bonuses, vacations, and his company has the best medical insurance even wealthy people wished they worked for him just to have the best coverage. Of course Jake will never give him a referral for his next job, but he knows the guy can still get another one to support his family. If Jake pursues to press charges against him, Jake will be taking away the money maker in the family. And if you take away the main source of income from a family, their livelihood will plummet.

  Monica being in her mid-thirties, still turn heads when she passes by. Guys stare, marveling at her beauty. Marriage and kids did not have a bad impact on her exceptional natural beauty. She never gave herself up. Women should never be thought as a trophy or a prize, but Jake loves the fact that he is married to the woman men gawk over. Jake is very self-confident, but that can boost a guy’s ego knowing you have what everybody else wants. But don’t get it twisted. To Jake, you can look at his wife, but dare to touch her, your ass his is.

  After lunch they head back to his office. Jake can’t take his eyes off Monica, and his need for her escalates every time she bites onto her bottom lip.

  “Can I have some now?”

  “Can you have some of what?” Monica playing like she doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

  “Oh you know what I want. All I need is a couple of minutes, and I’ll be satisfied.”

  She walks over to lock his office door, and bosses him to sit on his executive leather chair. She hikes up he
r skirt and kneels by his chair. Collecting her hair, she rolls it into a bun then grabs a pen from his desk to hold the bun in place. The bulge in his slacks lets her know he is yearning for her. Unzipping his pants, she gives him the best toe curling, fisting gripping, hip humping, and jaw grinding orgasm. Minutes later, she wipes her mouth with satisfaction knowing she appeased her husband’s needs.

  Monica heads back to Baytown to pick up Eric, and finish the rest of her errands. As she’s driving back on Interstate Ten, she can still vaguely smell the city’s stench. The pungent egg rotting odor, that people only get used to once you’ve lived there for years. And even after that, you can still gasp the reeking foul pollution. Monica still needs to go grocery shopping, and she tells herself out loud the ingredients she needs to cook her mom’s famous chicken pot pie for dinner.

  From a distant, she can see her mom’s white cottage home. You can spot it from a mile away, because of the bright red shutters. As she’s pulling up to her mom’s crushed concrete driveway, she sees an unfamiliar car parked by her mom’s car. She walks in the house, and Eric runs to her with open arms.

  “Mom-e!” he jumps up to hug her.

  She bends over and carries him, “Hi my munchkin.”

  She walks over to the kitchen, hearing two women talking. One voice was her mother’s, but the other she didn’t recognize. As she enters the kitchen, and sees a familiar entity sitting on her mom’s nook, her heart drops. Her cousin Reese yells with excitement.

  “Oh my god Monica! It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen you. How are you and your family?”