Until My Heart Stops Beating (11 page)

              They drank and nibbled on the Italian bread while they discussed, during commercial breaks, what had transpired at his mother’s house. Several times, he apologized to her for having been subjected to less than optimal behavior from his family. He had expected so much more from them. He was angry after hearing what she had endured while he was gone. As a result, there would surely be consequences for their actions. He was going to give each and every one of them a piece of his mind when he returned to the house in the morning.

              Another intermission, Makeba began to tell him about the conversation she had with Granny Whitaker. He was shocked after hearing what she had revealed to him.
Granny, must have really adored Makeba for her to share something so intimate with her, he thought.
That in itself said a lot about the woman he desired to make his wife but hearing such details was disheartening. It sent a sharp pain through his chest. Knowing his grandmother was beaten and prevented from being with the man she truly loved solely on the basis of color hurt him to his core. To him, it seemed like history was trying to repeat itself but he’d be damned if he let that happen. He loved Makeba and no one or nothing was going to stand in the way of that. Yes, he had lost friends and some family members refuse to associate with him but he didn’t care. If they felt that strongly about their disapproval of his relationship with Makeba then he didn’t need them in his life anyway.

              “Declan,” called Makeba.

              “Yes,” he answered breaking from his thoughts.

              “Are you ok? You seemed so far away.”

              I’m fine. You know granny never divulged such stories to us. It stings a little to know she encountered such a thing. I know it was a different era but what gives people the right to tell others who they should and should not love.” He got up and began pacing the floor. “You can’t help who you fall in love with.”

              “I know,” she replied as she watched him move back and forth.

              “I mean look at us. You were a dream I never knew I had. A dream come true. You have made me so happy.”

              She rose from her seat and hugged him. “I love you honey.”

              He grabbed both sides of her face. “I love you more and I couldn’t imagine someone keeping you from me. When I saw you jump in that cab, I was terrified. I felt like my world was about to come crashing down like an avalanche. I knew I had to stop you from leaving. If I lose you, I’ll die Makeba.”

              She gazed into his eyes. They were glossy, giving the impression that he was on the brink of tears. She leaned into him rising on her tiptoes. She covered his mouth with hers. He pulled back as they locked into a gaze.

              “Let’s go to bed. I want to cradle you in my arms.”

              “I’d love that,” she replied.

              He turned the television off, took her by the hand and led her to the bed. Gently, he pulled back the covers as she climbed underneath. He covered her up to her chest then walked around to the other side of the bed joining her between the sheets. After pulling her into his arms, they drifted off into a deep slumber.

~*~

              The following morning Makeba showered Declan in wet kisses waking him from his sleep. He opened his eyes smiling. Her morning wakeup call was like a cool breeze blowing in his face on a 102 degree summer day. He pulled her down into his arms as they giggled, rolling from one side of the bed to the other exchanging soft kisses.

              He gazed deep in her eyes as she lay on him. “I wish you didn’t have to leave so soon.”

              “I wish I didn’t have to either but I do,” she replied planting one last kiss on his lips before getting up.

              He pulled her back down on top of him. “You know I can take care of you right? You don’t have to work.”

              She giggled. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I have to decline. I’m very capable of taking care of myself. I don’t need a prince to rescue me.”

      “I didn’t say you did. Look, I’m kind of a traditional guy. I want to be able to provide for my family.”

      “And that’s commendable. It really is but I don’t need you to take care of me,” she snapped getting up from the bed.

      He followed suit. “What do you make a week?”

      “Why?”

      “Ball park,” he said grabbing her hands, “what, about 3, 4, 500 dollars?”

      “Sometimes more sometimes less. It depends on the day, month and time of year. All are factors in determining how much I take home.”  

      “Ok, I will deposit $500 a week in your account plus, provide you with credit card to any store your heart desires and give you a quarterly increase?”

              “I’m not Julia Roberts and you’re not Richard Gere. This is not a scene from Pretty Woman. I don’t need you to rescue me.”

              “Makeba, that is not what I am insinuating dammit! I just think it’s my responsibility to take care of my family.”

              Her eyebrows furrowed. “Did you go back in time? This is 2014 you know.”

      She snatched her hands from his grasp and walked away.

      “Makeba, do not walk away from me when we’re having a conversation.”

      She stopped abruptly. “Excuse me?” she snarled through clenched teeth.

      “I think it’s rude for you to walk away when we’re having a discussion.”

              “It may have started as a discussion but now it’s an argument Declan, and right now I have no time to get into this with you. I have a flight to catch,” she said as she resumed walking. She stopped again before entering the bathroom. “You have another thing coming if you think I’m going to relinquish my independence to you. I haven’t had to depend on anybody since I was 16 and I’ll be damned if I start now. I’m keeping my job.”

              “For now I’ll accept that but when we bring children into the mix, I’ll expect you to be a stay at home mom. Working outside the home will be unacceptable.”

              Did he say what she thought he said? Nah, couldn’t have. She was hearing things, she was sure of it. She frowned, turned on her heels and crossed the room standing toe to toe with him. If her eyes were a bow the glare from them would have shot a poison arrow right in the middle of his forehead. That’s how angry she was.

              “We’ve been engaged for not even a whole week yet and you’re already making demands? Are you serious? Do you really think you can control me? I’m a grown woman Declan in case you’ve missed it. I don't need your approval or disapproval for anything I do. Who do you think you are?”

              “Your fiancé, soon to be husband, that’s who I am.”

              She shook her head. She was livid. How dare he make demands on her. Yes, he was her fiancé but that didn’t give him the right to control her life. That quick he had flipped a switch, turning into someone she wasn’t so sure about. She hadn’t had many relationships but of the few she did have, a deal breaker was a man with control issues. She had little tolerance for someone deciding things for her as if she couldn't decide for herself. Declan was crossing the line, a very thin line. She wasn’t on his employee roster nor was she a child of his. She was his future wife.

              “That just might be an arrangement I need to reconsider after this mess,” she hissed.

              He ogled her. “What mess?”

              “Thinking you have the right to dictate to me what I will and will not do. You don’t own me,” she shouted.

              “Own you? Own you? Well where the hell did that come from? I was merely trying to be the man I was raised to be. I’m a man, a real standup guy and you’re not going to take that away from me.”

              It was no use. Talking to him was only making her more frustrated. She was like a boiling pot with a lid on top. It wouldn’t take much more before the steam eventually blew the top off and put some heat to his behind. She had been upset with him before but not to this magnitude. For the first time she wanted to cut him to shreds with her words. She had to end it before it got out of hand and she said some things she wouldn’t be able to take back, so instead of continuing to argue with him, she walked away. He hurried behind her only to be stopped by a slamming door inches away from his face.

              Declan was incensed. So much so, he punched the door with his fist. He frowned at the throbbing pain he was experiencing. Her stubbornness was no secret. He was fully aware of how feisty and bullheaded she could be but he was just as headstrong. For the life of him he couldn’t grasp why she was making it such an issue. Any other woman would have jumped at the chance to stay home but no, not her, not Miss Independent.

              He shook his hand trying to shake off the little bit of pain he was still feeling in his hand. He stormed over to the sofa and sat down. A million thoughts ran through his mind. The last 24 hours was monstrous. First, the disappointment in the behavior of his family towards her, then the fact that she almost left without so much as a goodbye, now this. This was the biggest disagreement they’ve had thus far but he was sure it wouldn’t be their last.

              Declan began to simmer down from his heated anger. Little by little common sense started to return. She would be leaving soon and they would be separated for about a week before he’d be able to lay eyes on her again. He couldn’t let her leave angry or wonder if she had made the right choice when choosing him. He had to make things right before she returned to Newark.

              Ten minutes later the bathroom door opened. Declan charged at Makeba like he was a bull going after the matador. He backed her up against the wall. She tried putting up a fight but to no avail. He was too strong for her. She slapped him across the face thinking it would get him to back up. No such luck. Her actions had the opposite effect than what she desired. All it did was cause his cheek to turn beet red from the sting of her hit. She pushed him. Not one step from where he stood did he move. She tussled with him. That didn’t work either. All her efforts to get him away from her was in vain.

              Declan became more aggressive with her. He grabbed hold of her arms slamming them against the wall above her head. It wasn’t in a way to hurt her but to let her know he was in charge. He pressed against her leaving no space whatsoever between his body and the wall behind her. Leaning in, he attempted to kiss her. She turned her head in resistance. This did nothing but turn him on. He put a little more weight against her body, locked her arms above her head with one arm and gripped her jaw with the other steadying it as he covered her mouth with his forcing her into a kiss whether she wanted it or not. He moved from her lips down her neck to her chest. He freed her arms so he could have the liberty of doing what he wanted to do next.

              He ripped open her blouse causing the small white buttons to pop off and fall onto the floor rolling to God only knows where. After pushing her bra up exposing her dark erect nipples, he latched on to one as if he was a week old suckling kitten. As he rotated from one to the other, she tried to fight him again so he positioned her arms above her head once more then returned to her bare-naked breast. He resumed sucking and kissing on them until she became weak in the knees but still trying to wiggle free nonetheless. Her actions only fueled his hunger, his need, his raging desire to have her, all of her at that moment.

              Unable to move, Makeba glared at him, her eyes filled with anger. He saw it but it had no effect on him at all. He didn’t care how upset she was with him. He wasn’t angry with her and his actions proved it.

              He raised his head to kiss her. Parting her lips with his tongue, he exploring every inch of her mouth in an effort to satisfy an insatiable hunger that increased with every passing moment. He ran his hand to the split in her skirt ripping it letting it fall to the floor. He turned her around forcing her to face the wall. He began kissing her neck, her shoulders and her back. Using his knees, he separated her legs giving him full access to her jewel box. He pushed her lace underwear to the side.

              “This is what I was looking for,” he whispered in her ear, moaning as he slid his finger inside her wetness.

       Makeba almost buckled at the knees. Fight? What fight? The only fight she was in was with herself trying to keep from losing all self-control. She lost that fight when he inserted another finger and increased his speed. The way she was feeling was making it difficult to stand on her own two feet. Self-control? What was that? It was gone. She lost it a finger ago. Where did this man come from? She thought. She didn’t know and she didn’t care. She just wanted to enjoy the ride on the magic blanket he was taking her on.

      Declan replaced his finger with his erect penis. She gasped as the tip fought its way inside her love tunnel. There was a slight discomfort because she was tight. It didn’t last long at all. Declan pumped her from behind like a wild animal in heat. He tried to calm down, take things a little slow, and add a little gentleness. Despite his efforts, it couldn’t be done. He had an uncontrollable desire for her like a vampire on a hunt for virgin blood at feeding time. He needed better access. Her underwear caused him to feel restricted. Trying to get deeper inside her would require the removal of them, not just pushing them to the side but he didn’t have time to properly take them off. Noticing his agitation, she attempted to assist by reaching her hand to the back in an effort to help him get them off. He didn’t need any assistance though. In no time those too became shredded material that had fallen to the floor at her feet.