“To be wronged is nothing…unless you continue to remember it.” Confucius
“Thank you, Babe.”
He did it again—called me Babe. “Did you have a good time? Were you really surprised?”
“Did I have a good time? Do you even have to ask? It was the best party I’ve ever been to, even though it was mine.” He chuckled as he removed his clothes and hung each item in its proper place inside the closet. He was a stickler for organization, but so was Peyton—when she wasn’t drinking. Those items that needed to be washed he opened the small door inside his very own humungous walk-in closet and dropped them down a built-in laundry chute.
Peyton stood inside the door of the closet, watching his every move, as they engaged in pleasant conversation like they were the happiest married couple on earth.
She laughed along with him. “I’m glad you had a good time. It seems like everyone enjoyed themselves.”
“And you asked if I was surprised, yes, I had no idea. I mean, you know I usually don’t like surprises, but this was an exception. The people were the ones I would have invited had I planned it myself. I don’t know if there were any you invited that didn’t come, but it was just the right amount of people and everything was absolutely perfect. The food, the band, and seeing my brother and grandfather was the icing on the cake. Oh, and Miss Emma came, too. That was special. When I walked into the house and I saw that light from the family room, I was thinking someone broke into our house. But then, I said to myself that was highly unlikely with all the security systems we have installed. I would have received a notification of the house being breached or something. I didn’t know what to think. Then when I went to check things out, pulled the door back, seeing and hearing everyone screaming surprise…man, it took a minute for me to digest what was going on. It was crazy.”
Derek was down to his boxer briefs. Peyton looked at him hungrily.
“Aren’t you going to get undressed?” he asked and walked out of his closet.
“Yes.” She backed away and slowly walked towards her own closet on the other side of their bedroom. She had become accustomed to walking in her mobilizers, but she looked forward to next week when the doctor would give the okay for her to wear regular shoes again.
“Do you need my help?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m going to take a shower then.”
“Sure you don’t want to wait on me?” she casually teased, not expecting him to agree.
“Yeah, I’ll wait.”
Peyton stopped dead in her tracks when he agreed, but said nothing. Everything had been perfect up until now and she did not want to do or say anything that might ruin that.
Undressed down to her red bikini bottoms, she picked out a sexy piece of lingerie. With gown in hands, she stepped out of her walk-in closet with her perky full mounds in full view of her husband. From the look she saw on Derek’s face, he was quite pleased with what he witnessed.
Before losing close to twenty pounds, she was considered thick. She would never be a size two, four, or even a size eight like the other ladies, but she was still pleased with her body. Even as a full figured girl, Derek never once complained.
Dang, she looks sexy as all get out. Derek’s thoughts and his manhood betrayed him. Even if he wanted to, and he didn’t, he couldn’t deny his desire for his wife. Since she had stopped drinking, he entertained the thought of staying in the marriage. The only thing was he still had doubts and trust issues when it came to Peyton. As much as he wanted to believe that drinking was a part of her past, the other part of him was still leery. He couldn’t deal with it if she returned to the bottle.
If you’re going to pray don’t worry if you’re going to worry, don’t pray, the voice in his head reminded him. He had done his share of praying for his marriage, for the whole thing with Liam, for his wife’s drinking, and so much more. God had come through every time in one way or the other. It wasn’t always as he hoped but he could always rest assured it was for his good. This was no different. He couldn’t worry about what tomorrow might bring. It was time to thank God for the changes Peyton had already made and forget those things that were in the past. He reached for his wife’s hand, and led her into their bathroom.
“I had a good time at the party, did you?” Meesha asked as she and Carlton lay in their bed.
“Yes, Peyton really outdid things. If she called herself pulling out all the stops to save her marriage, then I’d say tonight was a big plus for her. It was grand.”
“Yeah, it was. Derek couldn’t have looked happier. I’ve been praying for their marriage and for God to completely deliver Peyton from drinking.”
Carlton embraced his wife, wrapping her underneath the crook of his arm, as they lay against the plush, thousand thread count sheets. He nestled her closer and kissed her on the temple close to her hairline.
“You’re such a good friend. Probably a better friend than any of the other housewives.”
Meesha looked over at him. “I wouldn’t say that. I think they’re just as good-a-friends to me as I am to them. I mean, we all have our shortcomings and hang-ups. I’m the last one who can throw the spear at any of them.”
“What about Avery?”
“What about her?” Meesha asked, shifting slightly so she could see her husband.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just saying, I talked to Ryker tonight. He was saying that she’s been dealing with some issues since having their son. Postpartum depression from what he said.”
“Yeah, she has, but she’s getting better. She even seemed to have less of an attitude with me.”
“Attitude with you?” Carlton eased up in the bed a bit, and looked down at Meesha. This was the first he’d heard of Avery having a problem with Meesha. She better not even think about saying anything to Meesha about their brief hit and run. The broad was looney and he was getting fed up with her foolish antics. “You’ve never mentioned this before. Why on earth would she have an attitude with you?”
“I didn’t mention it because it’s not worth mentioning. I mean, Avery, is Avery. She can get attitudish at times with all the ladies.” Meesha shrugged. “I don’t know why she acts like she hates me sometimes. Like I said, I guess it’s just Avery being Avery. Even before she gave birth to RJ she had started treating me with a cool hand, but I didn’t let it bother me then and I won’t let it bother me now. It is what it is. Has she approached you about more counseling?”
Clearing his throat, Carlton responded, “Ummm, no…no she hasn’t.” She just better keep her mouth shut or she’ll be sorry. Some of these women are crazy and I just happened to mess off with one that tops a lot of these fools out here. “Enough talk about your friends. Whaddaya say we concentrate on you and me, Mrs. Porter.”
“If you insist, Mr. Porter,” Meesha cooed.
Carlton’s hands slipped across her belly and her thighs. His mouth connected with hers as they started their own private party.