Love Never Fails Page 3

  Monica looks at her, then at her mom, and then at Reese again, not knowing if she’s dreaming.

  “Are you serious? You’re asking me how my family and I are doing. It’s none of your damn business, how we’re doing! Why are you here?”

  “I lost my job a couple a months ago, and just last week I lost my home, so I was hoping your mom will let me live here for a while till I can get back on my own feet.”

  Blood starts to boil, and without letting her mom say anything, Monica responds back outraged at Reese’s request, “You can’t come here every time you need something. You don’t come around for long periods of time then you expect everyone to just drop everything to help you out. You screwed me over; you’ve screwed Jake’s parents, and you fucked up my family. You practically burnt all your bridges with your entire family. And now you expect for everyone to forgive you. How many times do you need to screw us over, and how many times are you going to ask for our forgiveness before you realize that family doesn’t do that to each other. You keep screwing the only family that cared for you.”

  She looks at her mom feeling betrayed, and tears start to form, but holds back from crying.

  “Look mom, you are a grown woman, so I can’t tell you what decisions to make. But, she is not to be around me, my family, and she can never come to my house. And if you want to spend time with your grandkids, it will have to be at my house. I will not bring my kids to this house if she is here. No you know what I take that back. If you ever want to see your grandkids again, she better not live her. Yes I am giving you that ultimatum. And how dare you help her knowing what she did to me and my family.” The tear Monica has been trying to hold back accumulates around her tear ducts, and gushes down her face.

  Monica’s mom sits quietly, not knowing exactly how to respond to Monica’s outburst. And before her mom can respond, Monica grabs Eric’s bag, runs outside, buckles Eric in, and drives off.

  “Mom-e you cwying?”

  “I’m ok munchkin.” She wipes her tears, hoping Eric didn’t have to witness that.

  Her phone rings continuously. She knows it’s her mom, wanting to explain herself, but there is nothing her mom could say to change how she feels about Reese. What she did was too soon to forgive and forget, and seeing her again just brought back horrible memories. Memories that Monica did not want to remember.

  3

  How dare her come back asking for favors, Monica thought. How can she think she can just come around whenever she feels like it? How can she think this is ok to stab her in the back, and think there are no repercussions? Yes blood is thicker than water, but how much can you allow a family member to get away with? How many times can you forgive them, until you realize enough is enough? Constantly forgiving those who do you wrong, make you more gullible for them to continue to misuse you. It was because of Reese, her family was torn apart. How can her mom even let her live there knowing what Reese did? Monica does not want to relive that horrible time in her life. All these thinking makes Monica forget what she was doing, and it snaps to her, she’s driving on the road and she hasn’t given her son a kiss on his head. As she stops at the red light she kisses the tip of her fingers, leans to the back seat, and touches Eric’s head with her fingers. Monica knew she had one last errand to do that day before going home to cook dinner, but her mood was ruined. She’s just going to have to order pizza for dinner. She turns her car around and heads back home.

  When they get home, her mom keeps calling their house phone, but Monica doesn’t want to answer. Eric wanted to play outside, so Monica pours sweet tea into a glass mug, grabs her book and plops herself on the swing that sits on the wraparound porch while Eric plays on his playground. They have so much oak and pecan trees, which keeps them shaded from the scorching sun. As she’s reading her book, her mind drifts away, thinking of the past. How can she forget, if every time she turns around, it gets thrown back in her face? First the lady at the dry cleaners and now her cousin Reese.

  She watches Eric play and smiles at how happy he looks. She looks at their yellowish light green grass. Jake has been working so much; he doesn’t have time to upkeep their yard. She’s been reading the same sentence over and over, so she finally gives up reading. Seeing her cousin brought back horrible memories, causing her to be emotionally drained so she decides to take a nap with Eric. Plus she can tell it was time for Eric to take his mid-day nap anyways. He keeps rubbing his eyes, but he’s trying to fight it so he can play longer. Heading inside, they lay side by side on the couch.

  Monica awakens as Ella leans over to give Eric a peck on the head.

  “Hi baby. What time is it?”

  “It’s three-thirty.”

  “Do you not have cheerleading practice today?”

  “No. A couple of the girls didn’t get their physical done. We’ll have our first practice Monday. Did you ever talk to dad?”

  Ella jumps to give her mom a hug, excited her father said yes.

  “How was your first day back?”

  “It’s the same I guess. Learning and more learning.” Jokes Ella. “How was your day?”

  “It started off great, until I saw your Aunt Reese at your grandma’s house.”

  “What? Why was she there? Why would grandma even let her in? What happened? What did she say?”

  “You know how she is. Same story, just another day.”

  “Did grandma tell you why she’s over there?”

  “No she didn’t even say anything. Well, I didn’t give her time to say anything. Your aunt said she lost her job and just lost her home, so she needed to live at your grandma’s till she can get on her own feet.”

  “Yup, same story, just another day. Did grandma say yes?”

  “I just exploded at the both of them, and left before anyone can say anything else. Your grandma has been calling, but I just don’t want to hear it.”

  Sitting by her mom, she rubs her back. “I’m so sorry mom.” Ella tries to apologize to ease her mom’s pain.

  “It’s not your fault baby. But everything will be alright.” Monica smiles, and gets off the couch.

  Right when Monica stands up, Eric feels her move, so he turns to face her.

  “Mom-e?”

  “Hi baby. You ready for a snack?”

  “Yes mom-e”

  Eric follows them in the kitchen. Monica makes them a peanut butter sandwiches, cuts off the edges, and pours milk for Eric and Ella. While they’re eating, Monica goes to her car to get Jakes’ clothes and party decorations. She leaves the party stuff in the living room, and walks upstairs to hang Jake’s clothes in the closet. Why did she leave the party decorations downstairs? She should have known better. As she’s walking downstairs, Ella and Eric are going through all the party decorations and favors. What is it about toys that attract kids to tinker with it? It’s like a magnet. Eric blows on one of the dinosaur whistles, and right when he’s fixing to start blowing on another whistle, Monica grabs it from him and hides the rest of the whistles. She doesn’t want him to put all his germs on the other kid’s party favors. Hiding the rest of the party things in the hallway closet, she decides to put all the party favors together tomorrow while Eric is taking a nap. Eric keeps himself entertained with the only whistle his mom would allow him to have, by blowing on it every ten seconds. Good thing Monica has a lot of patience. Ella grabs the remote and turns on the television. She flips through the channels for a while, till she leaves it on some reality show. Her cellphone rings, and its Luke.

  Ella answers her phone in a very girlish high pitch voice, “Hi baby.”

  There’s a pause. “My dad said you can come.”

  There’s another pause. Then Ella looks at her mom, “Do you think dad would mind if his parents and brother come too?”

  “I’m sure they can.”

  “My mom said yes. Ok. I’ll call you later. Bye.”

  Ella sits next to her mom to butter her up.

  “Mom, you know I love you right?”

  “What
do you want Ella?” Monica knows her daughter too well.

  “Can I buy a new outfit and swimsuit for Saturday?”

  “Sure. When did you want to go?”

  “Can I go after school tomorrow? Lisa and I can go together. We won’t have cheerleading practice.”

  Monica grabs her wallet from her purse and hands Ella her credit card. Monica gets on her laptop to order the pizzas. If she orders it now, it will be here when Jake gets home. Ella switches the channel to cartoons, grabs her backpack, and starts on her homework. How do the kids already have homework on the first day of school? Grabbing the book she started earlier, she tries to read again. With all the energy Eric received from his nap, he jumps on the couch one minute to watch some cartoons, and then runs to the playroom to play with his toys the next minute.

  As the front door opens, Eric’s face glows when he sees his daddy. He runs to his daddy and gives him a hug. Jake kisses him on his head, and walks over to Monica and kisses her on her lips. Nonchalant, Jake walks in front of Ella, gives her a kiss, and then sits next to her on the couch. Ella knows it is coming, so let the twenty questions begin she thought. Jake sits there quiet, watching cartoons with Eric. Rubbing his chin. Monica pretends to read, peeps at Jake and Ella. She is giggling inside. Aside from Eric making noises and the cartoons, there’s straight silence.

  “Ok dad! Let me hear. I know what you’re trying to do.” Ella frustrated at her dad for these playing games.

  “What are you talking about honey?” Jake hiding a smile, acting like he’s confused.

  Ella glares at her dad and then smiles. Jake grabs her hand. Rubbing it, pausing, then kisses it. Ella knows her dad is just there to protect her like any good father should, but sometimes she gets annoyed at him for doing it too much.

  “Look dad. If something bad ever happens, you will be the first person I turn to ok.” Ella rolls her eyes.

  The thought of his kids being hurt aches inside him. He can’t bear to see his kids hurt. “But, honey I don’t ever want it to get to that point where something bad might happen. I don’t ever want to see my baby girl hurt. I am supposed to protect you guys from getting hurt. And if you do ever get hurt, then I failed you.”

  “Daddy, I will never grow up to be an adult if I do not learn from my own mistakes. You guys raised me well. So, please give me some credit to do the right thing and to make the right decisions. I know I am going to make some bad decisions. Everyone does. But that’s part of living and learning right. To learn from our own mistakes, and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes again. I have a great family that taught me to be the person I am today and in the future. I am not saying Luke is the love of my life. But I won’t know until I give it a try.”

  “Love?” Jake repeats the word, seeing if he heard correctly.

  “Oh my god daddy. I am not saying I love him. But I’m just trying to make a point.”

  “And your point is?”

  “To trust me to make good decisions because my parents raised me well.” She snaps at her father.

  Jake looks at his wife, his son, his daughter, and his wife again. As his eyes start to get cloudy with tears, he gets up real fast and goes in the kitchen, before Monica and Ella sees him. Ella winks at her mom and Monica starts to laugh. Ella feels like she accomplished something. Jake knows his daughter is right. He made plenty of mistakes in his life, making him the man is he today. He looks around in the kitchen searching for dinner, but there’s nothing.

  “Baby what’s for dinner?”

  “I ordered pizza.”

  Smirking, Jake walks back into the living room swaying back and forth on his toes and heels. She knows what he’s thinking and starts to laugh.

  “So the pizza man will be here.”

  “Yes baby, that’s usually how the pizza is delivered” Monica giggles.

  Ella looks at her parents confused, “Why are you two talking about the pizza man?”

  “It’s an inside joke your mom and I only know about.”

  “Should I ask what?”

  “No dear don’t bother asking. Your dad is just being silly.”

  The doorbell rings. Jumping off the couch, Jake darts to the door with a grin on his face. Before opening the door, he squints at Monica. After greeting the pizza man, he lets out a little chuckle before turning to face Monica. The pizza man looks like he’s in college trying to pay his way out of debt. Handing Jake the boxes, he reaches in his pocket for the receipt and pen. Jake leaves a very good tip for the young man. As Jake is walking to the kitchen with the pizza boxes, Monica giggles before closing the door.

  After dinner, Monica gives Eric a warm lavender bath, reads him a bedtime story, and tucks him in. Kissing his head, he sleeps so peacefully. Ella chit chats on phone acting giddy as can be. She gives her daughter a kiss on top of her head, and closes the door.

  She hears the water running. Walking in the bathroom, Jake has started the hot tub. The scent of apple cinnamon candles fills the room. He has poured white wine in two wine glasses, placing them on the corner of the tub. The whole serenade looks so beautiful. He walks towards her slowly undressing her, and then tenderly kisses her neck. Caught up with his caresses, she did not notice him removing his clothes. He puts one foot in the water, and flinches because it’s too hot, but continues to get in. Grabbing Monica’s hand to join him, he helps her in. She too flinches. They sit facing each other with her legs crossed over his. He gets a washcloth, and dips it in the water then squeezes the water on her back. The heat felt hot but great. He does this a couple of times, and asks how her day was after they had lunch. Wishing he didn’t ask that question.

  “Well when I got to my mom’s house, Reese was there.”

  “Reese, your cousin?” Jake trying to confirm he heard the name correctly.

  “Yes her. She had the nerves to say she needed to live at my mom’s because she lost her job and her home.”

  Jake sits in silence, not knowing if he should say anything else. He’s afraid if he does, it might hit a soft spot inside Monica and he doesn’t want to hurt her ever again. Monica continues to tell him that she yelled at her mom and Reese before she left. And her mom has been calling her all day; but that she’s so mad at her for letting her cousin live there. Monica felt like her mother choice her cousin’s side instead of hers. Why would her own mom do this to her? Jake drops the washcloth in the water. He feels horrible for doing what he did to Monica. How could he be so stupid?

  Pulling her closer to him. “I am so sorry baby. I am so sorry I put you through that.”

  She cups his face with her palms, kissing him tenderly. She wants to reassure him that she was no longer mad at him. It was painful, but she forgave him because she loves their family too much to give up and lose everything she has worked hard for. They make solacing love that night in the tub. After drying each other off, they slip in their night clothes. Making his rounds, he makes sure the doors are locked and gives his kids kiss goodnight. As she lies in bed, he snuggles next to her, holding her tight in his loving arms.

  4

  Minutes before the alarm goes off, Monica gets a sick feeling in her stomach. Running to the bathroom, she barely makes it to the toilet. She hurls. Jake hears her so he helps by holding her hair back. Rubbing her back knowing it won’t help, but it’s the thought that counts.

  Still trying to open his eyes. “Baby, are you alright?”

  “I probably have a stomach virus.” She wipes her mouth with the hand towel he hands her.

  “Are you sure you’re not pregnant?”

  “No I don’t think so.”

  “If you continue to feel sick, can you make a doctor’s appointment? Please!”

  “Ok.” She isn’t pregnant. Repeating it over and over in her head, convincing herself she isn’t pregnant. Can’t be. Not now.

  As the alarm buzzes, Jake walks over by the nightstand and turns it off. Walking back to the bathroom he helps Monica off the floor.

  “I’ll go check on the kid
s and make some coffee.” Jake volunteers knowing Monica isn’t feeling well.

  “No baby I got it. You have to get ready for work.” She rinses her mouth and checks on the kids.

  Ella is dressed ready for school, talking on the phone with Luke. Has she been on the phone since last night? Monica will never tell Jake that or shit will hit the fan. She checks on Eric. Her baby boy is still asleep. She heads to the kitchen to start the coffee. While walking back upstairs, Eric is jumping on her bed. How long has he been jumping on there?

  Pulling him closer, she gives Eric a morning kiss on his head. After Jake puts his tie on, he sits on the bed while Eric jumps up and down on their bed.

  Eric throws his precious little arms around his father. “Dad-e, patty torow.”

  “Yes son. Your party is tomorrow.”

  Jake scoops his son in his arms, carrying him downstairs, while Monica gets dressed. He turns cartoon on in the kitchen. He removes eggs, milk, and butter from the fridge. Pulling bread, syrup, cinnamon powder, and pumpkin powder from the pantry, he cooks French toast for breakfast. That is one thing he knows Eric will eat for breakfast. Jake’s two favorite gals enter the kitchen simultaneously.

  “Daddy it smells great.”

  “Yes baby it smell delicious.” Monica inhales the incredible flavors offering to help.

  After breakfast, Ella and Jake get in their cars and go about their day. Monica starts to feel sick again. Running to the guest restroom, she empties everything she ate for breakfast in the toilet. She really needs to see what’s wrong with her. Calling the doctor to set an appointment, she wishes her mom was around to help watch Eric while she sees the doctor. Rinsing the stickiness from Eric’s body, Monica is startled as the doorbell continues to ring. She pushes the intercom that Jake had installed throughout the whole house.

  “Yes.”

  “Ma’am it’s me.”

  Monica instructs Patricia to come in. She is their house keeper and cleans their home and does their laundry every Friday. Ella’s school calls Monica throughout the day needing her to help do this and that. With Monica volunteering at the school and still having to take care of Eric, she doesn’t have the time and energy to tend to their home.