Chapter 2
A Man That Loves His Woman
Kiara drove away from Rashad reflecting on the dreadful path her life had taken. After being married for a little over ten years, breaking up with her husband was never part of the plan. Change terrified her, but she was up to the task.
After a pleasant half-hour drive, Kiara arrived in front of Eddison’s house. It was an immaculate two-story dwelling located in the Wilchester subdivision of Memorial West. Marked by towering oak trees and neatly manicured lawns, the neighborhood enjoyed a country feel in the big city. Kiara drove onto the horseshoe driveway and wasn’t surprised when the garage was already open.
Eddison met her inside the doorway. A beige towel hung around his neck. He was shirtless and wore a pair of mesh shorts. And his hair was longer; with his medium-length dreads, in Kiara’s eyes, he was as handsome as singer Eric Benet. As soon as she stepped out of her sedan, he reached for her purse and weekender duffel bag.
“What happened to your hair?”
“Long story,” she said. “I don’t even want to go into it.”
Kiara had stopped limping by then, knowing that she had exaggerated her physical pain in order to make Rashad feel guilty. Although her slipping and falling were genuine, she felt confident that her unborn child was safe within her protective womb. She was miffed that Rashad failed to express any sympathy for her, and his lack of concern encouraged her to forget about him and focus on her new life.
Like an airport attendant, Eddison carried her belongings inside the house. They proceeded to his first floor master bedroom. He placed the items on a chair and as Kiara sat down, he gently pulled her soaked shoes from her feet.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” she told him.
“Why are you wearing this type of shoes? They’re much too high for a pregnant woman. And your feet? Usually they’re very pretty. But now?”
“Oh, Eddison.” She tried to hide her feet. “Don’t look at my jacked-up toes.”
“I’m not looking.” He bent down to inspect them even further. “The paint is all chipped. And you look stressed as hell.” He rose up and began to caress her shoulders. “I have something in mind to make this situation better. I can’t have my baby looking any old kind of way.”
She was amused by the way he fussed over her and had to laugh in spite of herself.
“Eddison, I swear you’re like a dream come true. I sort of wish I would have met you first, considering everything that’s happened.”
“Hey, I wish the same.”
Ever since Kiara had kicked Rashad out of their house five weeks ago, she’d been spending more time with Eddison and she provided him updates on the status of her and Rashad’s relationship.
“But, Eddison,” she continued, “if I had met you first, then you wouldn’t have met Nina. Now you two had a great thing going. And I’m sure you don’t regret that. Being with her probably made you into the man you are now.”
Nina was Eddison’s late wife; she had died a few years ago. She was a golden-hearted woman who lost her life in the Middle East while she was on a tour of duty.
Eddison and Kiara met at work and had always been friends, but after Nina passed away, he saw Kiara through different eyes. He knew she was married and kept his distance. But last summer, when they had engaged in personal conversations and she’d tell him about Rashad, he recognized the cracks in the armor of her relationship. Eddison could no longer hide his true feelings. And he finally let her know how he felt about her.
“If I’d met you first,” Kiara said, “Myles wouldn’t exist. I can’t imagine life without him. So, no, I take that back. But I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say.”
“No one is a hundred percent in control of their future and how things turn out. We just have to do our best and deal with whatever fate brings us.”
“I agree,” she admitted. “I learned that the hard way.”
“I did, too.” Eddison stopped massaging Kiara’s shoulders. He removed his gym shorts and got dressed in a navy polo shirt and some tan shorts. “I’ve never told anyone this, but at first I was very angry at God for taking my wife from me. I wondered why He let me find her just to snatch her away a short while later.”
Kiara thought about her own situation. Letting go of a marital relationship was difficult, and she sympathized with Eddison.
“I know how you feel, Eddy, even though I’ve never been through your exact experience.”
“Yeah. So, at first I was hurt, confused, and angry, but as time passed, I looked around.” He heartily laughed. “And I saw all these women out here . . . lonely, smart, attractive ladies who’d never had a husband. And it occurred to me that I’d been blessed. At least I got to spend six years of my life with Nina.” He paused in thought. “It was brief but definitely worth it.”
Kiara nodded. “I believe that. And it’s good to hear you open up about it and come to terms with everything.”
“’Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all,” he said dramatically.
“That’s a famous saying,” she remarked. “Who said that?”
“I’m saying that.”
Eddison stared deeply into Kiara’s eyes until she became deliciously lost inside of them. His loving ways swept her off her feet and made Kiara’s current situation easier to deal with.
Once she got dressed in more comfortable clothing, she allowed Eddison to take over. He asked her to put on some flip-flops. Then they boarded his Chrysler 3000 and Eddison drove to a nail salon located in an impressive part of Sugar Land. Kiara loved money and was used to the finer things in life, but she had to admit that Eddison was on a whole different level than Rashad.
They parked and walked into a beautifully decorated, high-ceilinged room with soothing lights, tan walls, and relaxing yoga-type music that played in the background. The entire place was brimming with women getting manicures, pedicures, and facials.
“When you first came over to the house,” Eddison said, “you seemed frazzled. I could tell you had a hard day. The original plan was for me to simply run you a nice hot bath. But, baby, you’re about to get pampered by real professionals.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.” She laughed. “And I love that you are full of surprises.”
Eddison marched over to the receptionist. “We want a Piña Colada pedicure. As soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir.” The receptionist immediately escorted them past the other customers to their chairs.
Kiara selected her nail color, a pretty teal green that was perfect for the holiday. Eddison sat beside her and decided to get a gentleman’s pedicure. They were offered a complimentary glass of white wine and reclined in their shiatsu massage chairs.
“Oh, my Jesus.” Kiara reacted to the massager that kicked in and helped release the tension from her shoulders and lower back. “I thought your massage was great, but, baby, this feels absolutely amazing.”
“It should. You’re sitting on a five-thousand-dollar chair.”
“Get the hell out of here!” She laughed.
“Seriously, Kiara. You are. . . .”
“You used to take your wife here or something?”
“Yeah. Nina always told me it was one of the greatest stress relievers she ever had. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all, Eddy. I’m flattered. And I want to pinch myself.”
“Pinch on.” He grinned, happy to have made her happy.
The royal treatment felt incredible, especially after what she just went through. Kiara could have wept for joy. The more Eddison treated her with love and respect, the more she felt like she could potentially fall in love. Yet she was scared; she never again wanted to endure the pain that Rashad gave her.
Kiara reached in her satchel and pulled out a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, with the intention of reading while her toes got worked on.
Several women stared at the couple and noticed Eddison’s open affection.
The glances he gave Kiara made her feel protected, desired, and as precious as a soaring butterfly.
“A man that loves his woman will love his child,” a female customer told Kiara when she noticed the spine of the book she was holding.
“A man that loves his woman is worth keeping,” Kiara responded.
“And yes, I love this woman. I do love her.”
Kiara gasped. She wanted to slink in her chair and die. This was his first time publicly confessing his love for her.
“Mmm mm. Look at them,” the lady cooed. “Your baby will have a wonderful father.”
“Yes, he or she will,” Kiara replied.
“So you won’t know the gender till it’s born?”
“I won’t know a lot of things until it’s born.”
Eddison and Kiara heartily snickered.
At that point, she had no idea whether Rashad was the father or Eddison.
“Must be nice to be pampered in and out of a nail salon,” the manicurist said in a wistful tone as she assembled all the tools for Kiara’s pedicure.
“It’s heavenly,” Kiara answered. “He’s a wonderful man.”
“I wish my man was like him.”
“I found out that if one man doesn’t treat you right, you don’t have to put up with it. You gotta trust that you will come across another man, a good one, who will treat you the way you’re supposed to be treated.” Kiara said this to her manicurist but she was preaching to herself in an effort to encourage her own heart. The memory of Rashad’s recent behavior when she fell on the street was fresh in her mind. How could the man who once loved her do her that way? It hurt her heart to realize how bad things had gotten between them.
But Kiara grew sick of Rashad invading her mind. She decided to enjoy her pedicure and let Eddison do all the nice things he wanted to do for her. She picked her book back up, but as she read the chapter titled, “What You May Be Wondering About,” multiple thoughts hammered at her:
Why are you pissed at Rashad? Yes, he cheated on you, but didn’t you inadvertently help him? You know the man loves sweets; and you handed him a plate of his favorite cake with icing on top. Did you actually think he wouldn’t want a piece? Why are you so stunned he slept with Nicole Greene? Rashad’s a good-looking man. And since you slept with Eddison for revenge, you’re no better. You don’t even deserve Eddison. And once he realizes who you really are, he’ll let you fall down and lie in the gutter, too.
Kiara trembled violently and returned the book on her lap. Her heart sunk, and suddenly being pampered didn’t feel so good. She caught the ongoing envious stares from the women sitting near her. She knew they only saw the shell of her: the woman whom others admired because it looked like she had her life together. If only they knew the truth.
Myles, her unborn baby, and her new man were the things that made her happy. And even if the way that she ended up with Eddison was completely immoral, no one on earth wanted to admit bad things about themselves, even if they were true.
“Are you all right, sweetie? You don’t look so well.”
“I’m great!” she told Eddison. “I’ll be even better in time.”
Kiara offered Eddison an encouraging smile and tried to relax.
“Maybe a little drink will help me feel better.” She allowed herself a teensy sip of wine.
“Try not to take more than that one sip. In fact, I will ask them for bottled water. Put that glass down.”
She instantly obeyed him. “You really do care,” she whispered.
“Your life impacts more than just you.”
Eddison requested a cold bottle of water for Kiara. His take-charge attitude made it seem like he was enhancing her life even in tiny but important ways.
Right then she refused to allow negative thoughts to condemn her. She was eager to face her future, a better future, and not be mentally punished by her conscience.
Eddison was a rare man. Kiara believed it with all of her heart. But the heart can be fragile once it’s been hurt.
Kiara guzzled a swig of water and asked, “Eddy, do you believe that people can have just one soul mate?”
“Hey, I loved my wife until the day she died. But she’s never coming back. I know that Nina wouldn’t want me to mourn her forever. And everyone deserves to have love throughout their life, not just one time. So yeah, my next soul mate . . .” he whispered. “Could be you.”
“Me! That sounds wonderful but crazy.” Kiara laughed nervously. “I-I’m still . . .” She cautiously eyed the women around her who seemed to envy her.
“You won’t be in that dilemma forever.
“True, but I feel like a flop. Like, if it didn’t work the first time, why would God give me another chance?”
“Because no one is perfect, Kiara. And if the Lord is good, He can give anyone who needs it a second chance. There are far too many people on this earth who didn’t hit a home run their first time at bat, but they stepped up to the plate again. They forgot about their failure. They took another chance, swung the bat, and knocked the ball out the park.”
“You make everything sound so easy, and doable, and possible.”
“That’s because anything is possible, if you’d only believe.”