Preaching to the Choir (6 page)

              Alana then noticed his car was parked a few spaces over from where hers sat.

              “Lola, that’s his car right there. He has to be close by.” Alana said, dialing 911 on her cell phone.

              Before she could press send, her phone rang. It was Michael.

              “Um, Lola, I think someone should call the police. I have to go, but I’ll be back.” She said before hurriedly pulling off and answering her phone.

              “What’s taking so long?” he asked when she answered.

              “I—I’m sorry, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Alana said.

              She was so worried about what could’ve happened to Willie that she’d forgotten to pick up diapers and formula before returning home.

              “Where’s the stuff for Michaela?” Michael asked immediately after she walked in and set Michaela down in his lap.

              Alana avoided eye contact as she made her way to the kitchen.

              “I forgot to ask you for some money so I couldn’t get anything.” She called to him as she grabbed a bottled water and gulped it down.

              Before she could defend herself, Michael had grabbed her from behind and sent her crashing into the stove. Michaela started screaming from the doorway. Alana doubled over in pain, moaning breathlessly. Michael grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back towards him roughly. Alana screamed out until he used his free hand to choke her tightly.

              “Take that baby upstairs and put her down for a nap,
now
.” He growled before pushing her away from him forcefully.

              Alana wiped the snot from her nose and the tears from her eyes before she picked up her screaming daughter and comforted her as she carried her up the stairs. After lying with her for a few minutes, Michaela was out like a light. Alana stared at her sleeping angel with love and sadness, almost afraid that she would never see her again by the time Michael got through with her. She closed Michaela’s door quietly and turned around only to run right into Michael. She jumped back with a whimper, his eyes full of rage.

              “Take yo ass to the bedroom.” He said.

              Her eyes welled up with tears as she made her way down the hall to the bedroom with Michael following close behind. As soon as he shut the door behind them, he hurled her cell phone at her head, smacking her in the temple.

              “Who the fuck is Willie, bitch?” he asked as she shielded herself and backed away.

              “My hair dresser!” She cried out as he grabbed her arms and pinned her to the bed. She could smell alcohol on his breath.

              “You spending my hard earned money on getting your hair done and you can’t even remember to buy your fuckin’ daughter some diapers?! Triflin’ bitch!” he yelled, spit flying onto her face.

              “It’s not like that, please don’t!” she cried out, turning her head away from him.

              “You following me around town, too? I knew I shouldn’t have ever let your stupid ass get a driver’s license! I pay the bills around this bitch, not you! I do what the fuck I want!!” he yelled as she began to cry.

              Alana squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of what he would do next. Imagine her surprise when his grip loosened on her wrists and he began kissing her neck.

              “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry, I just…I missed you…I don’t wanna loose you. Please forgive me…” he said between kisses to her neck, his hands pulling her dress up to expose her panties.

              Alana’s eyes shot open when he slid her panties to the side and massaged her clit with his thumb.

              “Michael, what are you---“ she was interrupted by his mouth on hers, kissing her passionately.

              Her nipples immediately stood up as she became insanely aroused. Michael had never kissed her or touched her with such passion and she couldn’t fight it no matter how hard she tried. He lifted her head and pulled her dress over it, leaving her lying beneath him in her lacy underwear.

              “I know I messed up, bad. But I love you, Alana. I’ll do better, I promise. Starting now.” He whispered as he trailed kisses down to her belly button.

              Alana’s breathing picked up as he slid her panties off and knelt between her legs. He bit his lip as he stared at her peach, knowing he was the only one who had ever seen it. Sliding his hands up to her hard nipples, he pinched each one of them between his index and middle fingers as he put his lips around her pearl. Alana shivered almost immediately, her essence dripping down her slit onto the bed.

              Michael hummed and twirled his tongue, sending Alana into tears of passion. She spread her legs, arched her back and grabbed the sides of his head, her mouth hanging open. Once her entire body shook uncontrollably, Michael came up for air and kissed her lips, leaving the taste of her love all over her lips.

              “I’ve been meaning to apologize to you for a long time, baby. I know a lot has happened and I’ve hurt you in so many different ways, but I want you to know that I’m sorry. For everything.” He said as she slowly sat up to where he stood in front of her.

              Alana knew she would be crazy to believe a word he said, but something in his eyes gave her a feeling she hadn’t felt from him in a very long time. A feeling that she could trust him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and lay her head on his toned stomach, wanting the feeling she had at the moment to last forever.

              “I know we’ve been engaged for almost 2 ½ years now, but I want you to know that very soon, I’m going to make you my wife. There’s a few loose ends I have to tie up, but then we can get married, just like you always wanted.”

              Alana wanted to ask Michael about his relationship with Milan, but she decided now was not the time. She didn’t want to ruin his mood, especially when he was talking to her in a way he never had. She decided to trust her fiancé, the father of her child, and forget about everything else. They could finally have the fresh start they so desperately needed.

* * *

              Milan was seething as she stormed out of her and Michael’s lawyer’s office, holding the divorce papers she’d just been served. Her hands shook violently as she tried to use her car remote to unlock the doors. After dropping the keys several times, she finally managed to gain access to her car and immediately called Michael’s cell.

              She began to pull out of her parking space when she suddenly slammed on her brakes.

             
“The number you have dialed is no longer in service.”

              Her jaw literally dropped as she looked at her phone with confusion.

              “Is he serious right now?!” Milan screamed at the top of her lungs.

              Blinded by fury and heartbreak, Milan knew there was only one thing for her to do, and that was to get even in the worst way. Putting her car back into gear, she pulled off calmly, headed for Mr. and Mrs. Matthews’ house.

              “Milan, it’s the middle of the day, why aren’t you at work?” Mama Matthews said as she stepped aside to allow her inside.

              “Mama, there’s a lot that we need to talk about.” Milan said, tossing her now bone straight hair over her shoulder.

              After she’d poured them both glasses of wine, Mama Matthews led Milan out onto the backyard deck to sit and relax.

              “Where’s Daddy?” Milan asked after a sip of her wine.

              “He left early this morning to help Michael with another one of those housing project things he does for the homeless. They’ve been gone awhile.”

              Milan raised an eyebrow. Michael had packed his bags this morning and told her he was going to speak at a church out of state for a few days. Now that she looked back on it, she was willing to bet he was moving out right in front of her face. The fact that she’d been too stupid to realize it only made her feel more vindictive.

              “Listen, mama…you’re not going to be very happy about what I’m going to tell you about Michael and me, but…now’s as good a time as any.”

              Milan fixed her hereditary green eyes on her mother’s worried face and took a deep breath.

              “Michael and I…um, me and Michael…we…we’ve been sleeping together since high school. He’s my husband…he’s Maddie’s father.” Milan stuttered out as her mother clutched her chest in horror.

              “Milan…that is your brother!!” her mom said, tears falling down her quivering face.

              “I know, mama, but we love each other in a different way. I lied to you about who my husband was because I didn’t want to hurt you. I thought it was better for you to think Maddie’s father was in jail than to know he’s your own son.”

              Mama Matthews stood and fanned herself, trying to calm down.

              “I can’t believe I didn’t see it. I always knew you guys were close, but… Where did I go wrong?” she choked out as Milan stood to hug her.

              “Mama, I’m sorry. Please don’t be upset. It doesn’t matter anyway because he served me divorce papers today. He’s leaving me, mama. I don’t know what to do…” Milan whimpered.

              “Do you realize what you’ve done to Madison?? She’s having all kinds of problems because of what you two have done! I borrowed on my life insurance policy for her!” her mother screamed.             

              “You did what?” Milan asked, unsure if she heard correctly.

              “Your father and I can barely afford this house anymore, thanks to what the two of you have done. How selfish can you be?”

              Milan hung her head in shame.

              “I’m just going to go…” she said, turning to leave.

              “Now wait just a minute, daughter! You are going to sit
right
here and—” her mom clutched her chest suddenly, stumbling backwards into the railing of the deck.

              “Mama?!” Milan ran over to her quickly, dialing 911 on her cell phone once she noticed her mother was having a heart attack.

              The paramedics were there within three minutes, and as they performed life-saving measures on her mother, Milan made sure to call her father and tell him to pick up Maddie from daycare and meet them at the hospital. She secretly hoped Michael didn’t show up, or else he’d be the one who needed medical attention.

* * *

              Michael felt bad about the way he ended things so abruptly with Milan, but deep down in his heart, he knew it had to happen. What they’d been doing had always felt sort of wrong to him, and that feeling was what led him to find Alana in the first place. He had always felt ashamed of not being able to bring a girl home to meet his parents, mainly because if he brought Alana over and they mentioned it to Milan, she’d flip out. Just exactly the way she’d done when he told her he’d cheated on her with other women in the past.

              He also felt bad for not going to the hospital to see his mother. He knew he’d run into Milan, and he just wasn’t ready to have a confrontation with her, especially while their mother was fighting for her life. He’d told his father that he’d pick up Maddie and meet him up there, but he’d gone home to Alana instead. They’d had a long, adult talk about Maddie, and he was relieved that Alana was so understanding and accepting after a bit of reassurance. She’d always given him the benefit of the doubt, and that was exactly why he knew he had to start treating her better before he lost her.

              As he prepared dinner for Alana and his daughters while they watched TV, his new cell phone began ringing.

              “Babe, can you answer that for me?” he called out to Alana. The ringing stopped, and he assumed she’d answered it. “Who is it love?” he asked next, but was greeted with silence.

              Setting down the spatula he was using to flip the grilled chicken breasts he was making, he walked through the kitchen and dining room to find Alana sitting up straight, staring at his phone.

              “What is it, baby?” he asked, coming up behind her. When he got closer, he saw a paragraph sized text message on the screen and his heart sank.

              Alana turned on the couch to face him, her big eyes full of tears.

              “Your mother passed away.” She said quietly, handing him the phone.

              “What?!” Michael shouted, snatching the phone from her.

              She got up from the couch and rushed up the stairs without another word as Michael immediately recognized the number the text had come from. Milan’s number.

“So while u were busy trying to escape from our relationship & go play house, I told mom & dad everything. After he found out his perfect son was fucking his little girl, he gave me your new #. How could u Michael?? After everything we’ve been thru, u leave me like this? I could go to jail for falsifying my birth certificate, but I didn’t care because I wanted to marry u. I wanted to be urs forever. No one elses. U messed it up. Oh & guess what? Mom died after I told her the truth about us. Live with that while ur trying to convince everyone ur perfect. U will pay for what u did to me & mommy, Mikey. Watch.”