Chapter 32

I saw his face, clear as day as we stood face to face. His blue eyes peered into my brown eyes as a glow surrounded us. “You’re okay,” I said as I reached for him. His embrace felt warm.

I stepped back, “I know I wasn’t the perfect wife but why didn’t you ever tell me about your crazy side-chick?”

He shook his head in shame, “That should have ended years ago. It was stupid. I tried hard to end it once I saw that you truly loved me.”

“It’s over now. She’ll go to jail for what she did us.”

He touched my hair, “She won’t bother you ever again,” he assured me before looking over his shoulder, “I have to leave soon.”

“Wait, what do you mean? You can’t leave me—”

“Shh, shhh, I’m leaving you in excellent hands. Everything is okay. You belong with Mario. He’ll take great care of you.”

He wrapped his arms around my collapsing body and held me steady, “I promise you everything will be okay.” He stepped back and touched my nose, “I’ll see you again in another life.”

I watched him walk away into the light. My eyes popped open. My eyes darted around the room. I saw the faces of people wearing scrubs, “Mrs. Harris, how do you feel?”

I had questions flying at me one after, finally I heard my mother’s voice, “Lelani, my god, you’re awake.”

The doctor hovered over me, “Mrs. Harris, you’re in a hospital in Miami. You’ve been here for two days.”

I touched my belly. It was still full. My eyes watered. I remembered the accident and everything else. My head started to ring with the idea that my husband was no longer.

“Your baby is fine. You’ll be on bed rest for a few more days before we can let you go, I’ll let your parents speak with you.”

He left. My mother and father stood on my right side, “I told you marrying this older man was a bad—”

My mother elbowed my father sharply in the ribs, “This is not the time for that.”

He cleared his throat, “Right, sorry, we’re happy you and the baby are okay. Sorry about Richard. Mario is outside, you wanna see him?”

I nodded. My dad left the room and returned with Mario. When he hugged me, I felt a huge release. I sobbed into his chest. He rubbed the top of my head and spoke to me in Spanish, “I know, I know, I got you, don’t worry.”

May 28, 2022. A lot had changed since that trip to the Florida keys. I lost my husband. I had laid him to rest. It was hard for his family to grasp what happened. Richard had left me a substantial amount of money, businesses, and properties.

I had talked with Bill. I signed my rights to the six marina’s over to him. I did not know that business. Since Bill was already managing the ones in Boston, I knew he would do great with the others.

As I sat in the living room where Richard and I once shared many conversations holding his brand-new granddaughter Skyler Anise Harris, I was finally settling into my new reality.

I had sold our house to Bill and Jade. They moved to Florida after the incident. Jade and I wanted our children to grow up together. “She’s so precious,” I said as I strummed the beautiful waves of hair on her head.

Mario sat next to me looking at the baby, “Hola mamita, soon your little cousin will be here.”

Skyler’s little fists moved frantically as she brought them to her mouth, “Looks like she’s hungry.”

Bill walked over and took the baby into his arms kissing her sweetly before handing her to Jade, “Her you go honey.”

As Jade fed their baby with a cover shielding the view of her plump breasts and the baby feeding, we talked. Mario commented, “The doctor doesn’t think we’ll make it to June 22nd.”

I rubbed my belly. Little Mario was restless inside of me.

After spending a few hours with Jade and Bill, we headed to our home. The house Mario had purchased and moved into months ago. It was finally our home. Mario had gone to the bathroom to run us a warm bath. He called for me to join him.

The room smelled like lavender and verbena as the candles burned. Mario sat under the bubbles, “Come mi amor,” he said sweetly.

I removed my clothes and joined him. I sat with my back against his chest. He kissed my shoulders. His hands caressed my breasts. “You haven’t answered my question,” he said as his hand drifted down.

Two weeks ago Mario asked me when we could get married. It didn’t have to be right away but he wanted to know a date, “How does the spring of 2023 sound?”

“I’ll take it.” His finger traveled to my pulsating clit. “It’s been over six weeks you think we can try?”

I turned my head left, and our lips touched. Lord knows I wanted to. We both did. For weeks after the accident, our lives were in turmoil, then we finally found some peace but we were restricted from exploring. Well, penetration was off limits we had engaged in other methods of sexual gratification.

His finger made tiny circles on my clit until I let out a sweet groan and held his hand. “I want to sit on it papi,” I informed him he helped me lift my hips and for the first time since my wedding day, he penetrated my wet center savoring the warmth of me. I could only imagine it felt like home to him because that’s what it felt like for me.

With our mouths opened slightly we looked at each other realizing that that moment would be the first of many more to come. I balanced myself slightly so I could feel his dick as he thrust slowly, “Te gusta?” he asked as if he already knew the answer.