For Better or For Worse (22 page)

Hmm…I could only imagine
the look on Oden’s face when he got to the hospital…priceless. I
knew Lucy and I needed a change of venue, I had to take her away to
someplace where we could be alone and she would have no choice but
to talk to me. I managed to take some much needed time off of work
to help my wife heal her body and our marriage. I just needed to
get her to see that we belonged together, and that we had been
through too much to let it go now…regardless of anything else. I
walked up stairs to Lucy hoping she had calmed down and at least
eaten her breakfast. I knew she was going to put up fight but damn,
I don’t know if I could handle all this animosity, she seemed
completely against us being together. I got to her door and braced
myself for the worst.

When I walked into her
room I saw her sitting on the bed with bags packed sweating
profusely, I could tell she was in a lot of pain. “What the hell
are you doing?” I yelled. She took a much needed breath before
answering. “Look Grant you have had your fun but now I’m ready to
go.” I looked at her as if she were plum crazy. “You’re not going
anywhere.”
You silly ass woman,
I thought.
Your about to
kill yourself and you don’t even realize it.
Slowly she rose to her feet refusing to listen to me or her
body which looked as if it were ready to shut down at any moment.
“Well your insane if you think I’m going to stay here with you….so
go get the car ready or better yet give me a phone and I call for
help.” Lucy grabbed her bags in an attempt to head out. I blocked
the door, “You’re not leaving…sit your ass down.”

She looked at me in
disgust. “Don’t tell me what to do. Move.” She tried to walk past
me but I stopped her. “Let go…let g.g.g.” Lucy nearly fainted; she
had no idea the pain she put on herself. I pulled her into my arms
trying to comfort her. “It’s ok…its ok I got you.” She didn’t even
think about fighting me, she just closed her eyes and dozed off. I
laid her on the bed and stayed next to her, holding her like I used
to. I looked into her bruised and beautiful face and pulled back
her curly hair. “You almost killed yourself trying to get away from
me.” I said resting my chin on her head as we lay together. “Do you
hate me that much?” I wondered.

Lucy

By the time I woke up
light from the moon was peering in through the balcony doors,
making the scene of the room very beautiful…like a midnight bayou.
I took it all in while trying to recollect what happened earlier. I
must have really overworked myself my body felt wearier than usual.
I noticed my bags were still packed and laying on the floor where I
dropped them from earlier.
Damn,
I thought.
Maybe I
should have thought about my plan before I tried to execute it
given my current state now.
I looked down
at myself, my hair was wet, and I was in my dark silk robe. My body
scented of vanilla wash and my face became flustered as I realized
I had been bathed. I didn’t know why I was so embarrassed, it was
not like my husband hadn’t seen me naked before, but it has been a
while. I became alert has the doorknob to my bed room turned. Grant
flicked on the light, “Good I figured you would be up by
now.”

He was carrying another
tray of food, being that I didn’t touch my breakfast. He stood
there watching me for a moment I could tell he was staring at
something. I looked down and my robe was half open, I quickly
covered up. He laughed at me and sat the tray on the dresser. “Here
you need to eat.” He motioned to the tray. It was filled with
lasagna, green beans, a roll, and peach delight. I plopped down on
my pillow not wanting any part of it. “I’m not hungry.” I could
tell Grant was becoming frustrated with me by his deathly stare and
long silence. “Look you haven’t eaten all day…if you are going to
get any better you will need some food.” I pretended to go to sleep
by rolling over and closing my eyes. Grant bit down on his lips
trying to quell his anger. “Look I know you hate me now but could
you at least be civil…for Greg. You really scared him
tonight.”

He placed the tray beside
me and headed for the door. “Goodnight.” He said as he left. I
opened my eyes and thought about what he said, as much as I didn’t
want to admit it he was right, I must have sacred my son…hell I
scared myself. I sat up and placed the tray of food in my
lap.
This looks really good,
I thought.
Must be that
TV dinner I saw in the store knowing good and damn well Grant
couldn’t cook.

Chapter
23

Not that Mad

Grant

I crept in on Lucy as she
slept, I was pleased that she had eaten most of her food and
watched her silently. I gazed in wishing I could lay there next to
her, smell her, hold her body, whisper in her ear and tell her I
love her. I exhaled knowing I couldn’t get close enough to her to
do that at least not yet and left her medication on the dresser. I
rose a little late the next morning, I quickly washed up, turned on
some cartoons for Greg and sparks and made my way upstairs. I was
hoping things with Lucy would go a little smoother…but dealing with
my precious angel you never know. “Knock, knock”, I said as I
walked into the room, but I didn’t see what I expected. Lucy was
nowhere in sight. “Lucy…where are you?”
There was no way in hell she could have left this room, so
where the hell is she? Did this crazy woman get up and leave
agai
n? Just as I was about to run
downstairs she opened the door to the bathroom. “What are doing?” I
said angrily. She rolled her eyes at me not appreciating my tone.
“Going to the bathroom is that ok with you?” She limped back to bed
and I managed to calm down.

“
Why didn’t you call for
me? I could have helped you.” Lucy smirked and laid back. “Umm... I
could handle it.” I grew tense, I was sick of her putting herself
in harm’s way to prove that she didn’t need me. That was an
absolutely childish thing to do in her situation now. “Look I’m
here to help you. You are not well enough to be taking care of
yourself.” “Just because I’m injured doesn’t mean I’m helpless. I’m
pretty sure I can handle certain things like going to the
bathroom.” Instead of arguing with her today I tried to be
reasonable. I walked closer to the bed and looked over her. “I got
breakfast for you.” She closed her eyes as if she were going back
to sleep…like I wasn’t even speaking. “Leave it on the table.” Now
I rolled my eyes. “I was hoping you could come downstairs.” Lucy
twisted her face at me like I was crazy. “I said I could go to the
bathroom not jump hurdles.” “I could carry you.” I said timidly.
She chuckled a little. “I’d rather stay up here.” I was growing
tense again. “I didn’t bring you up here so you could not talk to
me.” “I wish you hadn’t brought me here at all.”

Unbelievable,
I thought. I rubbed the back of my neck where it
was starting to pain, then started laughing. Lucy looked a little
disturbed but continued to lie in the bed ignoring me. “Woman, You
really are not going to make this easy for me are you?” I asked
leaning over her. Lucy pretended to be asleep and ignored my
question. I sat down right next to her. “And that’s how I know you
still love me… because if you didn’t you wouldn’t be fighting me so
hard.” She tried to turn away from me but I pulled her back. Our
eyes locked and I brought my mouth down to hers. Instantly that
burning passion that had been building up inside of me exploded.
She tried to fight me but the familiarity of my lips must have been
too enticing. She let me overcome her and caressed her soft dark
brown skin. She moaned as I licked and kissed all over her neck. As
my hands began to travel under her robe, she reluctantly pushed me
off. We both tried to catch our breath. I sat up and looked at her
smiling. “Well you’re not that mad at me.” Lucy still trying to
regain her composure scowled at me. “Oh, get out.” She gnarled at
me. I was still smiling. “You sure. Is that what you really want me
to do?”

She rolled her eyes and
tried to cover herself. “Seriously Grant leave.” “Really?” I
responded while moving back closer to her. “Do you really want me
to leave?” Before we knew it things got hot and heavy again, my
hand found their way inside her and she clung to my mouth. We could
see it…we could see ourselves coming back together again. “Dad…Dad.
I don’t know how to work the remote.” Lucy and I both fell across
the bed in disappointment. “Dad!” Little Greg yelled again. “I’m
coming.”
Or at least I was about
to,
I thought.

Lucy

After hearing little
Greg’s voice I covered myself.
Damn saved
by the kid.
Grant exhaled and made his way
to the door, but not before looking back at me and smiling in his
victory. I was losing my grip, we couldn’t keep doing this, we
would be making love by nightfall. After some time passed I heard a
knock on the door. I jumped but to my relief it was little Greg.
“Hey mama, are you feeling better?” I smiled at him. “Yes baby much
better.” He made his way over and sat beside me. “How is my little
man huh?” “I’m good,” He grinned. “Dads downstairs microwaving
dinner.” In the mist of laughing I quickly thought of something.
“Hey baby, do you want to have dinner with mama tonight?”
“Yessss…!” He screamed.
Good
, I thought,
I would spend time with my son while holding Grant off…just a
little longer. Oh boy, but damn didn’t it feel good to touch him
again.
I was getting hot just thinking
about it. “Mama are you ok?” Little Greg asked looking at me
puzzled. I broke away from my thoughts and recollected myself. “Yes
baby. I’m fine.”
Oh Lord give me
strength.

Chapter 24

How we
met

Grant

Ah Yeah,
I thought as I found those black love candles
I’ve been waiting to use…and tonight was the night. I knew Lucy
still wanted me but we just needed the right atmosphere and the
right time. So while in town I paid a visit to my barber and got my
waves lined up just right, stopped by the store bought the best
food I could get. I showered up real good and was in my black pen
stripes suit and put a dash of that Burberry cologne on; I knew she
couldn’t resist the Burberry. I glided through the kitchen, the
smell of the steaks and wine was like an aphrodisiac…and had me
ready to go. The only thing that was missing was a good R. Kelly
cd. I put everything on a tray and made my way upstairs, there was
a big ass grin on my face because Lord only knows what we were
about to get into tonight.

I exhaled before I opened
the door. “Woman I hope you’re ready, because you’re about to get…”
I stopped in mid-sentence. “Hey Dad, what it is mama about to get?”
Little Greg said while cradled in his mother’s arms.
Damn,
I thought.
I knew I forgot something… the
kid
. “Dinner, Mama is about to get
dinner.” I said putting the tray of delectables down and scowling
at Lucy knowing good and damn well she planned this. “What are you
doing up here little man?” I asked all ready knowing the answer.
“Mommy wanted me to have dinner with her tonight.” He said while
Lucy had a big grin on her face. “Did she?” He nodded. “Daddy why
are you so dressed up? Were you going to a party?” Lucy chuckled to
her own amusement. “Yes Grant, are you planning on going
somewhere?” I chuckled too and looked down at her robe. “Oh I
planned on going a lot places tonight.” She gave me a stern look
not liking such talk in front of Greg so I eased up. “But since we
are all in one room, we might as well have dinner together.” I put
the tray of food on the bed and admitted defeat…for
tonight.

Lucy

Unbelievable….I mean
unbelievable he really thought just because he came in here all
dressed up and decked out that I was just going to give him some…
and damn he was right. That bastard, he knew he was looking
entirely too damn good in those pen stripes. My God if Little Greg
was not here Lord knows what would have happened. As he sat on the
bed I got a whiff of his Burberry cologne. He tried to hit me with
the Burberry; now he knows he was wrong for that. You don’t play
with a sista about the Burberry. I had to shake this hot feeling
off. I wasn’t going to let him know he was getting to me; I refused
to let him now he was wearing me down. I was going to eat this
dinner and act like everything was fine. “So baby what did you do
today?” I asked Greg keeping the conversation as unsexy as
possible.

“
Oh nothing just roamed
around the market today.” Grant answered well stuffing steak down
his throat. I sighed at him. “I was talking to Greg.” He gave me
that surprised look like he didn’t know. “Ooops. My bad.” “I taught
sparks how to sit, but I had to give him like half a bag of
treats.” Greg sadly confessed in the mist of it all. “Sounds like a
rip off to me kid.” Grant chuckled and unknowingly so did I. “My
teacher says you should reward dogs for good behavior.” I nodded.
“Your teacher was right on the money with that kid, but sometimes
you have to punish dogs for bad behavior.” I glanced in Grant’s
direction. He gave me a sarcastic smile and bit into his steak.
Little Greg stared at both of us as if something was on his mind.
“I’ve been wanting to you ask a question.” We both looked at him
curiously. “Say what’s on your mind son.” Little Greg looked at
both of us and took his time to say what he wanted to say. “At
school during share time Elizabeth shared with the class how her
parents met and got married, and it made me wonder how you guys
met?” Grant and I looked from Greg to each other not knowing what
to say. “I‘ll tell you...”