One in a Million Page 8

  Soon, she hoped, this nightmare would end and she could take her baby home where he belonged.

  "Shh. Momma's here," she comforted, focusing her attention back on him. His eyes fluttered open and she noticed the watery glaze to them.

  "I wanted to say goodnight before you left."

  He mumbled his words but she understood him. "Goodnight, Baby. I'll be back tomorrow." She kissed him again but he was already asleep.

  Oh, how I wish I could take the pain away from you. When Whitney turned from the bed, she noticed his sketch-pad lying haphazardly on the floor. She picked it up and stared in surprise at the picture. It was a beautiful drawing of the dream that governed her nights; Gregory, Demetrius and herself were a family. And in the background of the small church he had drawn, was his Uncle Mike. She closed the pad and placed it on a nearby chair then gathered the rest of her things.

  A light drizzle of rain descended from the late evening sky as Whitney dashed to her car. She got in with a minimum amount of water splattered on her clothes, then closed her eyes.

  Numbness suppressed grief for the moment, though she knew that would come, too, as pain always followed her visits. I have to be strong. Gregory's words resounded from her subconscious and offered her hope. And she needed it on a day like this.

  During the drive home, while she held her tears at bay, she felt thankful to have Gregory back in her life. He helped cushion the anguish. Now, it seemed as though they had never been apart and the past ten years were just horrid nightmares. She desperately wanted things to work out, for them to have a second chance at a dream they thought had died.

  A voice of doubt questioned her reality. What makes you think that this time will be any different? You were thrown together by circumstances and nothing more. What if Demetrius had never gotten sick? She wanted to pretend that there wasn't truth in those statements, but her mind wouldn't let her. The cold, fact remained; she and Gregory had this opportunity together only because Demetrius was sick.

  She fought the pain of those words with tenacity. What good would it do to badger herself with 'what ifs'? The point was they got a second chance, all of them. Demetrius needed his father, and she needed Gregory. She accepted the truth that she should've never made the decision to keep Gregory out of their lives.

  Arriving home with her mind still focused on the eventful day, Whitney opened her front door and came to an abrupt stop. Inside her apartment were flowers, roses, and balloons that read: I Love You.

  "Welcome home."

  She screamed and jumped from the unexpected voice. She wheeled around with a hand pressed against her chest, then promptly smacked his arm in retribution. "You scared the living daylights out of me."

  Gregory leaned down and kissed her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

  She smiled when he pulled away. "How did you get these inside my apartment?"

  Gregory moved and pointed at Yolanda, who grinned from ear to ear, as she waved frantically from her open apartment door.

  "Thanks for your help." He gave her the O.K. sign with his fingers.

  Yolanda returned the signal, then when Gregory turned his back, she gave Whitney the thumbs up sign.

  Whitney laughed as her friend closed the door. "I should've known you would resort to recruiting co-conspirators."

  He clutched at his heart. "Ouch. I thought I was recruiting advocates for my new M.W.H. organization."

  With her arms crossed, she shifted her weight to one hip then smiled up at him. "And what organization is that?"

  He locked gazes with her, placed a gentle hand beneath her chin, then reclined his head for a soul scorching kiss. This time when he withdrew from her lips, he waited from her eyes to flutter open before he whispered. "The Make Whitney Happy organization, of course."

  They kissed again.

  "It's so easy to love you," she whispered as they held each other.

  "When will it be easy enough for you to invite me in?"

  She smiled and turned back toward her door. I hope there's enough room in here for both of us."

  They entered the cramped living room while Whitney shook her head. "We can open a shop in here. Look at all of this. I hope there is a place in here where I can sleep tonight."

  "There isn't." Gregory grabbed her hand and spun her around to face him. "I guess that means you'll sleep at my place again."

  She blushed before he kissed her.

  "I love waking up to you in the mornings," he said, lowering his lips to nibble on her earlobe. "Love feeling your body pressed against mine." He brushed his lips across the hollow of her neck.

  Whitney knew he held her up because her legs gave out, for what seemed, a lifetime ago. His fingers ran through her hair, around her breasts; she even felt fingertips on the small of her back. How many hands does he have?

  "Tell me you want to stay with me tonight," he moaned. His lips left a trail of fire across her neck.

  What is he saying? She couldn't focus.

  "Say it." His mouth captured a nipple.

  Where's my shirt?

  "Whitney."

  She almost didn't recognize her name. "Yes," she groaned. 'Yes' to anything he asked, just as long as he didn't stop. Something hard was pressed against her back. When she realized, she found herself stretched out on the floor.

  Jasmine, roses, and even the faint scent of honeysuckle drifted around her as they lay in a bed of flowers. The sensations he made her body feel, and the ecstasy she clung to, forced heaven's floors to quake from their cries of pleasure.

  She awakened some time later with their bodies entwined, and she wondered with amusement where he stopped and she began. Their love was different from ten years ago. This time they were older, stronger, and wiser.

  While he slept, she knew this was the perfect time to let her eyes and hands roam across his features. She wanted to sketch every detail of his body in her mind. She remembered the last time she studied this wonderful male specimen. It was their last night together before she went back to California. That night she had watched him as he slept while her fingers took their time gliding down the length of him.

  The contrast of their skin color was beautiful, she thought as she enjoyed the way his skin felt. She lowered her head and kissed an erect nipple. His body jerked from the touch of her lips.

  "I love it when you do that."

  Her eyes snapped up to his smiling face.

  "I've always loved it." He pulled her beneath him. "I love to touch you, too," he said, nuzzling her neck.

  When she felt his arousal, her body tingled. This was the way she had always dreamed it would be, laying together while they gazed into each other's eyes. Before this moment, she knew the odds against the reunion of their love affair had to be one in a million.

  Epilogue

  Gregory Woods opened his front door and jumped when voices boomed into the house.

  "Happy Father's Day and Anniversary!"

  Gregory Woods' handsome features softened as his smile beamed with happiness at seeing his son and his family standing in the open door. He saw their arms filled with gifts and stepped back, allowing them to enter.

  "Now, you guys know you didn't have to go through all this trouble," Gregory said, taking some boxes from Elaine and Demetrius.

  "It's no trouble at all, Pops. There was no way we were going to miss you and mom's thirty year anniversary." Demetrius whacked his father proudly on the back and smiled. Standing at an even six-four and built like professional football players, both men were mirror images of each other, except for Gregory's salt and pepper hair-coloring compared to Demetrius' ink black. "Where is Mom anyway?"

  "She's still getting dressed. She'll be down in a moment."

  Elaine Woods looped an arm around Demetrius' back then received a tender kiss from her husband when he leaned down and captured her lips. "I love you," she whispered as she pulled away.

  "Grandpa, Grandpa!" Elizabeth, shouted and bounced up and down, an indication that she wanted
to be picked up.

  Playfully, Gregory tugged on a platted pigtail. He bent down and groaned as he lifted her into his arms. "Ah, you're getting a little heavy," he complained, leaning over to slurp on a chubby cheek, she squealed in delight.

  "What is all this noise I hear down here?" an angelic voice questioned from above.

  Everyone turned to watch Whitney Woods, a woman of style and elegance, descend from the mahogany-frame staircase.

  Gregory's eyes lit up with love and adoration. Even now at age sixty, to him, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. Her once dark, auburn-hued, hair now trimmed into a short, silver bob remained elegant and stylish. Her beautiful, smooth complexion had enhanced over the years by the tiny laugh lines surrounding her mouth while the sparkles in her eyes were just as vibrant as the first time they had laid eyes on each other.

  "Grandma!" Elizabeth shouted then wiggled, trying to get out of Gregory's arms. The minute he let her feet touch the floor, she sprinted to her grandmother.

  Demetrius and Elaine walked over and kissed Whitney on opposites cheeks. "Happy Anniversary," they said in unison.

  "Why, thank you," she replied, returning their kisses, including Elizabeth's. "Why don't we all go into the living room and see what's in these boxes?"

  "Yeah!" Elizabeth cheered then ran ahead of everyone.

  "My goodness," Whitney exclaimed, excepting her husband's offered hand. "I think she have more energy than any other kid I've known."

  After everybody had settled, Whitney and Elaine went into the kitchen. They made coffee for the adults and chocolate milk for Elizabeth then rejoined the family in the living room.

  Elizabeth sat on her grandfather's lap as she handed him his Father's Day gift first.

  Gregory acted like an excited kid and ripped the wrapping paper off while Elizabeth giggled and tried to help.

  "Well, look at this. I have a new finger-painting of a horse," he laughed heartily.

  "No, silly," Elizabeth interrupted, "That a picture of my new puppy, Charlie, Mommy bought for me."

  "Oh, I see," Gregory nodded in understanding. "Thank you very much." He slurped on her cheek again and Elizabeth shrieked with laughter.

  "Here's a gift we got you both for your anniversary," Elaine said, pushing a tall package toward her mother-in-law.

  Whitney stood and smiled. "Why, thank you." Delicately, she opened the package. The family knew they would see the wrapping paper again, it was customary for her to save everything.

  "Oh look, Honey. It's a portrait of us."

  "Demetrius worked day and night on that painting. I think he did a wonderful job," Elaine boasted.

  Whitney walked over to her son and kissed him and, out of habit, pinched his cheek. "Thank you, Baby."

  "You're welcome, Mom."

  "Grandpa, why is your anniversary on Father's Day?" Elizabeth asked innocently.

  "Well, it differs from year to year, but we were married on Father's Day back in 1998 in a hospital."

  "Wow! That was back in the dinosaurs days, wasn't it?"

  Everyone laughed. Elizabeth's fascination with dinosaurs was legendary.

  "Not quite that long ago." Gregory answered. "We did, however, date back in high school, then split when Grandma moved to Florida with her parents," he paused. "Maybe I should tell you how it all began the second time around..."

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