Adored in Oman (Book 2 in Teach Me, Love Me Series): Interracial Romance (19 page)

Carmen had once again used her trusty public records search to acquire information. She discovered Shan’s father was deceased, but that her mother still lived in the home where she had grown to adulthood. Carmen thought it would be nice to ambush her at home, where she felt the safest. Perhaps a well-timed Molotov cocktail would serve as a nice piece de resistance after she confronted her.

She didn’t require an audience, just validation that she should have gotten years ago. With all the other marriages she had helped to end, the wives inevitably called to ask why. That was the moment Carmen craved, the moment when she added insult to injury and explained it was because they hadn’t met the needs of their spouse. She liked to make a woman feel she had pushed her husband to Carmen. For some reason, this satisfied Carmen in a way her improved looks and career success could not. She didn’t just want to be happy. She wanted other to be unhappy.

She had taken care with her appearance and sitting at a stop sign on the way to Shan’s home, she checked her face again. Everything about her appearance was perfect. Hair, makeup, and clothing were flawless. She knew it would make Shan feel insecure to see her looking so good.

Moments later she pulled up to Shan’s home. It looked like there was some sort of party underway. She could see smoke drifting above the roof and smelled food. It looked like her timing couldn’t have been more perfect. With no hesitation, she made her way to the gate and entered the rear of the yard. The backyard was festooned in blue and silver. Carmen found that strange for a party in the middle of the holiday season. There were stands covered in blue velvet clustered in a semi-circle under a blue and silver awning.

The party was in full swing with folks laughing, talking and eating. The weather was in the sixties, it had not been a very cold winter. Everyone was wearing a leather jacket and holding a red Solo cup.

Carmen spotted Shan with a foreigner, “That must be her new man,” she thought.

Shan was having a great time. Her family was all around, the children were running amok, the grill was smoking, the weather was cool and Abdulla was a big hit. She had a premonition of her future and was not one bit afraid. This was the right man.

She felt a chill dance across her shoulders and turned. There, coming toward her, was Carmen. In moments, they were face to face.

“Hello,” said Carmen.

As Carmen and Shan stood looking at one another conversation died down as folks noticed someone none of them knew talking to Shan.

Abdulla, instantly sensing Shan’s change in mood, asked, “And you are?” but without a smile on his face. He wasn’t sure who this woman was, but he didn’t like Shan’s sudden tension. Whoever she was, she needed to state her business and go.

“Oh? You haven’t told your new friend about me?” Carmen asked.

With a smile, she extended her hand toward Abdulla and said, “I’m Carmen.”

Abdulla’s response was, “I haven’t heard your name before. Pardon me for not shaking. I don’t touch unfamiliar women.”

At that, he turned to Shan and said, “Would you like to go inside for a bit?”

Turning to reply she said, “Why don’t we see what it is she wants to say?”

Carmen was infuriated. Here it was ten years later and this chic was still acting as if she was invisible!

“I will be happy to tell you what I want! I want you to know why your husband left you for me!” Carmen shouted into the silence of the fully attentive crowd.

At this outburst, Shan’s mother appeared on the periphery of the trio. The crowd murmured, family gossip had long wondered about the demise of Jack and Shan. Now, here a woman stood, apparently trying to take the credit for the end of their marriage.

Shan just looked at Carmen. She wasn’t going to engage with this woman at all. Period. There was nothing to say to her. However, in light of her recent stunts, Shan did say one thing.

“I’ve filed a restraining order against you. You are fully aware you are in violation of the order. My mother is calling the police as I speak. Leave.”

Sneering, Carmen said, “Why? You don’t want your new friend to hear about how you couldn’t satisfy your husband? You don’t want him to know he was so unconcerned with you that he screwed me in the bed you shared? Why should I leave? Are you afraid this one here will never choose you? Are you afraid that he will leave you for the next pretty face and round ass, like Jack did?”

Sighing, Shan just looked at Carmen, amazed that ten years later, she was talking about the same thing. She wondered what she was hoping to achieve.

As the crowd watched, Shan and Carmen looked at each other and Miss Katy dialed the police while Abdulla made a subtle motion with his hand.

Miss Katy saw it and as soon as she finished giving her address, disconnected the call. She had just returned her cell phone to her side when the peal of a trumpet broke the silence. Then, two trumpets. Then, three trumpets.

The crowd parted as five men in tuxedos approached Shan and Abdulla, who had stepped around Carmen at the third peal of the trumpets. They were holding the blue velvet covered stands at chest height and with a bow settled them before the couple.

All Carmen could see was Shan’s back. The crowd gasped when the velvet was removed and the five stands were revealed.

Each stand held a tray of rings. One stand had a tray of diamond engagement rings, the second had rubies as the primary stone, the third had emeralds, the fourth sapphires and the fifth had pearls.

Looking at Shan, Abdulla said, “I will always choose you. Marry me please?”

With eyes for no one else, Shan said, “Yes.”

The crowd cheered and watched as she spent the next fifteen minutes looking at and discarding rings until she chose one from the sapphire tray. The ring was a three carat square cut sapphire with diamonds on the band. It was beautiful.

After Shan made her selection, the tuxedo clad men made their exit, followed by security.

No one noticed when Carmen left, humiliated. When she got to her car, she popped the trunk. “We will see how she feels when her mother’s house is in ashes,” she thought as she pulled three Molotov cocktails from a carefully packed box in her trunk.

No sooner had she pulled a lighter out of her pocket than she was surrounded by police officers. Carmen had forgotten that Miss Katy called the police. Here she was in front of a house with three ready to throw fire bombs. In a flash she saw the years in a jail cell stretch before her. For a moment, she thought about throwing the bottle anyway—might as well go out in a blaze. But the reality was, she didn’t want to die and the police would shoot her. What a terrible, dramatic, uncouth way to meet her end; dead in the street in front of Shan’s house who was celebrating her new engagement just on the other side of the fence. Carmen was hustled away by the police.

Later that night, Jack heard the good news about Carmen’s arrest and slept peacefully. Miss Katy informed her friends the situation had been handled. Alera was relieved Carmen would burn no more homes.

Carmen was booked and informed there would be no bail hearing for seventy two hours. Carmen was lying in her cell, blaming the world for her troubles.

Shan and Abdulla were locked tightly together. They were trembling, sighing and straining to their finish as quietly as possible. Abdulla’s every stroke was a pleasure to Shan and a promise that he would always choose her. Shan felt safe, loved, and protected. She came apart and together in his arms.

Love wins.

The End

About the Author:

Mariah Violet is an American writer living abroad. She has a wonderful family and extended love circle. She loves to travel, listen to good music, wear red lipstick and sit on the beach while reading. She hopes her readers enjoy a few moments of escape and after reading feel ready to dive back into their routine.