Once she realized the conversation in the dining room was meant to be private, Diamond walked back into the kitchen where her brothers and sisters were still planning the activities for the day. “Matt she is stunning. Where did you meet her?”
He looked up shaking his head as he finished his breakfast, “She’s not mine.”
“Oh,” Diamond turned to her other brother, “Luke, she’s with you?”
Not bothering to look up from his plate, he just shook his head.
Diamond frowned, “Thomas?” He shook his head no. “Okay, well the woman did not come here by herself and I’m certain she’s not with Adam.”
“What woman?” Pearl asked as she stepped in through the back door.
“It’s about time you got here.” Joseph smiled as he hugged his daughter. “I thought Harrison was going to keep you all day.
“Hey daddy,” Pearl smiled and returned his hug. “Mrs. Harrison said to tell you and mommy hello.” She began removing her coat and gloves when Ruby turned from the greens she was cooking, “We have a guest for dinner.”
“We do? Who?” Pearl asked as Diamond took her coat to hang up in the closet.
“I hope you have better luck with that question than I did. I’ve been asking who she came with and haven’t received an answer yet.”
Samuel and Thomas came into the room with the equipment for the game. “Hey Sammy, I thought you would be working and wouldn’t make dinner. Is Joshua here too?”
“No, but he did bring someone,” Ruby replied.
“She’s with you Samuel?” Diamond asked surprised. “Wow, she’s gorgeous. What’s her name?”
Sally walked through the door with their guest. “Pearl,” her mother smiled and walked to her very stunned daughter and hugged her a little tighter than usual. “I’m glad you made it in time for the game.” She knew this was going to be a defining moment for the day and wanted to do all she could to keep it positive for as long as possible.
Pearl’s eyes never left the woman that seemed as shocked as she was, but that wasn’t possible. This woman never left anything to chance. “Hi Mommy, Mrs. Harrison said hello,” she said dryly. Then she noticed Samuel walked over and stood next to the woman. The past flashed through her mind. The senior prom when her date left her side to be with this same woman. She remember how all the girls at school wanted to hang out with this woman, it was like the rights to passage came with being her friend. She was after all the queen—the one that determined if you are in or out of the popular club.
The tension was instant and almost thick enough to cut with a knife, when Sapphire, the youngest child waltzed into the room full of energy. “Hey, Hey, the gangs all here. Are we ready for some football? She clapped her hands, cheered and wiggled her hips. Diamond, Jade and Opal joined in with the cheer which was a step routine regularly used at the high school. Knowing the cheer and wanting to cut the tension, Cynthia stepped over and joined them. The girls were surprised and delighted to see how she handled the steps with her three-inch heels on. When the cheer was over they all laughed while the men cheered them on.
Sally stood with her arms around Pearl’s waist giving the little support that she could. She loved her daughter just as she loved all of her children. Her daughter was a very caring young woman, but carried scars from the past. Scars that the woman her son was in love with had a small part in causing. Although, she was sure Cynthia was not aware of her part in her daughter’s broken heart or at least she hoped. “Well, it seems you ladies have something in common,” Sally said in attempt to keep things calm.
“Excuse me,” Pearl said and walked out of the room.
Ruby wiped her hands on the towel and started to follow her, but Samuel stopped her, “I’ll go.” He glanced at Cynthia and knew instantly she felt the tension in the room.
“What’s up with her is it that time of the month again?” Luke asked jokingly. With a snap of the towel Ruby popped his arm and turned back to the stove. “Ouch. What is this, hit Luke day or something.”
The girls who had paid no attention to the actions happening around them were busy chatting away with Cynthia. Sally looked to her husband for reassurance that things would be okay. He complied with a smiled and a curt nod of his head. Knowing his wife could handle things in the kitchen, he felt it would be wise to give his support to his Pearl. Yes, she was the one child that always needed him, even now that she was a grown woman and out on her own. Samuel was his first born, first son, the man he knew would take care of the family if anything was to happen to him. He stood at the doorway of the family room and saw the strongest member of his family and the most fragile. He was there to support both.
Pearl stood at the window, not sure if she could speak yet without emotions flowing through. Her parents raised her to be hospitable to anyone that came to their home. Disrespecting a guest in their home was the same as disrespecting them and she couldn’t do that. So she remained silent, as she had in the past.
Samuel hung his head when he saw the hurt in his sister’s eyes. His father walked up behind him and gently pushed him forward into the room. He nodded, encouraging his son to talk to his sister. Regardless of how old he got the man he looked at would always tower over him, but never made him feel intimidated. Joe Lassiter and Samuel were both gentle giants, but when the woman they love hurt, so did they. It was impossible for them to rest until they were fairly certain all the woman in their lives were happy. For Samuel, the number of woman in his life that he loved had increased. He was in the middle of two, Pearl and Cynthia. For a moment he would rather be standing on the battlefield of Iraq, than having to choose between the two.
Knowing his father was there, quietly supporting from the back, Samuel walked over and stood next to Pearl. He could feel the anger radiating from her, but she would not let it out. Something inside of him urged him to force her to let it go. Folding his arms across his chest he decided to use the not so subtle approach. “I have a couple of punching bags in the basement of my new house. You are welcome to use them…..but not me. She exhaled but did not speak. Samuel waited a minute than continued. “My feelings for her are as much of a surprise to me as her being here is to you. I’m not asking you to love her, you don’t have to even like her. All I’m asking is that you give her a chance. She is not the same as she was in high school. Hell, she’s not even the same as what she was a month ago. I want her with me, but not at your expense. If you ask me we will leave.”
With tears rolling silently down her cheeks, Pearl could not miss what Samuel was not saying. This brother did not mess around with woman. If he was with her it was because she meant something to him. Samuel wasn’t like Luke or Matt, a different girlfriend each month. He and Adam were the sensitive ones. If Cynthia was here with him it was because he cared deeply for her. “Are you in love with her?”
“Yes.”
Pearl closed her eyes, and exhaled. Another man for Cynthia to walk out on flashed through her mind. Why did women like her always seem to have it so easy? “She’s engaged to another man Samuel, or has she forgotten?”
“No, but that is something for me to handle, not you.”
“Samuel you don’t know this woman like I do. She chews men up and spit them out. I don’t want you to be one of them.”
“I’m a big boy that knows how to take care of myself.”
“Yeah, Lionel thought the same thing.”
The idea of her comparing him to the worm of an ex-boyfriend of hers hurt, but this was not about him. This was about helping his sister deal with the past. “I know you are trying to protect me and I thank you for it. Please don’t ever stop. But if I don’t stumble and fall I will never know how to get up dust off my boots and move on.”
“Huh, using my own words against me now?”
“Oh, you remember saying that to me? Refresh my memory, who were we talking about at the time.”
She turned and playfully punched his bicep, “You’re not funny,” she smirked enough for him to see those dimples that garnered her the nickname, Dimples.
“Yes I am.” He returned the smile, than became serious. “I love you Pearl, I would never do anything to hurt you. Cynthia is a part of my life now. I can skate around and not bring her to family functions to keep you comfortable. Doing that would not solve the problem. I want both of you in my life. Would you try to find a common ground with her for me?”
Looking up at her brother, she remember he was the one that consoled her for months when Lionel publicly broke up with her at the prom and declared his love for Cynthia. Samuel sat in the hospital with her day and night after the accident caused her to lose the child she was carrying. This was the brother that beat the crap out of Lionel a week after she was released from the hospital when he came by after Cynthia dumped him. Samuel and Ruby were the only siblings that knew of her ordeal and they both protected her. She could not deny him this one request. “I make no promises, but I’ll try.”
Lovingly he shoved her with his elbow, “That’s all you can give me is I’ll try.” He asked jokingly.
Rolling her eyes at him and placing her hands on her hips she turned to him and said, “You’re lucky you’re getting that much.”
That was his Pearl. He reached out and began to tickle her waist. “You can take your hands off your imagination, you don’t scare me.” She fell to the floor and he followed.
“Okay, okay. I give, I give,” she giggled.
“You sure?” He asked before stopping.
“I’m sure, I’m sure. I give, I give.”
“Okay,” he said as he helped her up. “I love you Pearl,” he said as he hugged her.
“I love you too.”
“Well, now that that is settled, are you ready for some football?” Joe asked his two children.
Looking up at Samuel, Pearl asked, “Is the princess playing?”
Samuel frown inwardly, “No, the teams are even.”
“No they are not. She can take Joshua spot on your team,” Joe offered.
Liking the idea, Pearl formed a mischievous grin, “I’ll go change my clothes.”
As she ran from the room Samuel angrily looked to his father, “Thanks a lot dad.”
“Hell son, she going to have to learn to fend for herself if she plans on being in this family.”
♡♡♡
The special thing about the Lassiters’ is if one is missing there are plenty others to take up the slack. Sapphire, who everyone called Phire, was definitely up to the task. Her nickname was a testimony to her personality. She was as lively as a spitfire and her spirit was just as warm. The moment Samuel left the room Phire kept Cynthia engrossed in her high school escapades. The two hit it off instantly. Their personalities were both electrifying. Phire was simply a younger version of Cynthia, without the flaw of being judgmental. However, all the activities and conversations taking place did not keep Cynthia’s mind off Samuel’s absence. It was apparent that Pearl was not pleased to see her. Which was not a surprise; Pearl never made it a secret that she did not care for her. It never occurred to her that she was Samuel’s sister. Damn, it wasn’t as if they did not already have enough to contend with. She still had to tell LaVere’ about Samuel, and then she would have to deal with her family, well at least her mother. Closing her eyes to all the thoughts, she wondered if the feelings she had for Samuel were enough to make it though it all. She opened her eyes when laughter erupted in the room. Apparently Matt was the recipient of one of Diamond and Opal’s take downs, for he was on the floor facedown with both sisters sitting on his back.
“Take that wrestling out of my kitchen while I’m cooking,” Sally jokingly ordered.
“Save it for the football game,” Joe added as he walked into the kitchen. Samuel was behind him, but Pearl was not. Cynthia looked to Samuel as he walked towards her. He took her hand, “Let’s talk.” She followed him out to the closed in porch as Matt teased, “Don’t be closing any doors around here”
“Yeah and make sure both of you remain vertical while you’re out there,” Phire added. Samuel looked back at his siblings with a warning and closed the door.
Not sure how to read Samuel’s mood Cynthia quickly offered, “I know how Pearl feels about me. I can leave. I’ll call one of my friends to pick me up.”
“If you want to leave I will take you, but I’m not asking you to go. I knew how Pearl felt before I brought you.”
“Then why did you bring me here if you knew your sister didn’t like me?”
“Because I like you.”
Touched by his answer, she smiled and asked, “Why?”
He leaned back against the door and folded his arms across his chest. “You are a strong caring woman Cynthia Antoinette Thornton. You walk around making people think you are a selfish materialistic woman, when all you are doing is covering up your insecurities. You silently fight for your friends, but you don’t want them to know how much you truly care for them, because you’re afraid they will leave like your parents did. You voluntarily stand in the background while your brother earns the stardom that very easily could have been yours. Everything you touch becomes as beautiful as you are and you are very beautiful. From the golden curls that hang across your shoulders, to your perfectly shaped lips, to your exquisite body with a butt that don’t need apple bottom jeans to look good, down to your tastefully painted toenails which I hope to gently kiss each before I partake in tasting other things when I get you home tonight.”
She stood there staring into his eyes, with tears on the verge of flowing from hers. Damn if he didn’t make a move on her heart. Afraid to move any closer to him, for fear she would strip him of every stitch of clothing and make love to him on his family’s back porch, she blinked as a tear escaped down her cheek. “I was asking why Pearl doesn’t like me, but I’ll take what you said.” She lowered her eyes to the ground, “You think my butt looks good, wait until you see the rest of me.” She seductively looked up at him and smiled. “You think you know me so well. Tell me what I feel about you.”
He unfolded his arms and took a step over to where she stood and slipped his hands into his pockets. “You are afraid of the love you have for me. You don’t understand it because in your book it happened too quickly and you are afraid it’s not real.” He stood over her five-four frame and looked down into her eyes. He wiped away the single tear, “That’s what’s so remarkable about love, you never know when it will happened or with whom. The amazing part is we have the rest of our life to enjoy, if we grab hold and recognize how great a gift from GOD it is.” He lowered his lips to hers and rendered the sweetest most sensuous kiss she had ever experienced.
This man plays dirty when they’re on his turf, he goes straight for the heart. She had no choice but to surrender her heart to him. She moved her hands to touch him and he moaned. “I will not be responsible for my actions if you touch me. And I would hate to have to fight my father when he tries to stop me from taking you right here on this porch.”
Taking a step back he looked at her and knew she was finally coming to grips with her feelings for him. “I want to talk to you about Pearl,” he said as he took her hands into his. “You are on your own with her. The two of you will have to find a common ground, because I have no plans to spending the rest of my life playing referee between you.”
“I will try. The problem is I have no idea what I’ve done to her. I’m use to woman disliking me without reason, and in the past I didn’t care why. I guess now I have to take the time to find out.”
“You will do that for me?” He asked with an enticing smile.
She contemplated that question for a moment then answered, “I would do anything for you.”
He stepped closer and brushed his lips against hers, “Anything?”
“Anything.”
A moment or two past before either spoke, “How about a game of football?”
Frowning she replied, “Football?”
“Yes, football. We are a man short since Joshua is not here. We need you to take his spot on our side.”
“I’ll be on the guy’s side?”
“Yes.”
“I can do that.” She agreed feeling certain that the boys would beat the girls. Samuel smiled at the agreeable look she had on her face knowing exactly what she was thinking. He was not going to tell her that the girls had beaten them for the last two years.
“Okay, let’s go.”