Youngblood

Chapter 26

That night....

Rachel

            I was sitting on the couch listening to Traci and Kenny argue.  She didn't want him to leave for Puerto Rico again. 

I looked at Cameron as he sat next to me on the couch.  The past few months were pretty fun with him around.  And I loved how my daughter lit up around him.  It was like he was filling a void that needed to be filled.  

            We stared at each other for a while until I finally laid my head on his shoulder.  "That's it?  That's all I get?"  I gave him a pat on the shoulder as we laughed.  I jumped as his cell phone vibrated.  "Hello."  He answered as I flicked through the channels.  "Until I see a body, I won't believe it.  Keep looking." He said making me look at him as he hung up.  "I'm looking for my sister's killer."  Oh wow, I thought.  "I'm sorry to hear that."  "I'll get her."  "Her?"  He nodded his head.

 I feel sorry for whoever did that, I thought looking back at the TV.

            He smiled at me.  "I think you should become my lady." I looked at him like he was a marshin.  "I think you lost your mind."  I said turning off the TV.  "Rachel, I love spending time with you, Maryah and Tasha."  "Me too."  I admitted.  "So why not be mine?"  "It was a mistake."  He looked at me in disbelief.  "What was?"  "Spending time with you, letting my guard down.  It was a mistake."  He stared at me in shock making me stare at my feet.

            I got up and walked towards my room.  He stopped me.  "Everything that's happened between us was meant to happen."  "Cameron, I belong to someone else!"  "Rachel he's dead!  He ain't coming back!"  I walked away.  He followed me.  "Rachel look I’m sorry."  Tears fluttered down my face as I tried to slam my door shut.  He caught it and came in.

              "I'm sorry Rachel.  I know I’m pushing you, but you need it."  I turned around and began snapping.  "YOU DON'T KNOW s**t ABOUT WHAT I NEED!  YOU BARELY KNOW ME!" He sat down on my bed and watched me pace back and forth snapping.

            I was overly furious.  I stopped and looked at him sitting down watching me.  He wasn't trying to argue.  He was just listening to everything.

 "Are you trying to handle me right now?"  He laughed.  "No."  I stared at him for a moment.  "Look, me being your lady is not going to work."  "Why do you feel that way?"  "Because I’m still in love with another man."  "But he's not physically here.  Yes, he doses live on through you, but he's dead.  And I know you have feelings for me Rachel.  You're trying to fight them.  But what happens when you lose?"

            She stood there thinking about that.  "Rachel, I see you.  I see the fight, the hurt, your pain, your happiness, your sadness.  I see you fiending for your boys and baby daddy.  I see all of that.  That night you almost drowned, I think you wanted to die.  I see that you’re afraid to love because of the hurt.  I even see the wall you try and put up between you and Maryah.  She tears it down every time."  I smiled.  "You're a beautiful person when you’re not walking around like a zombie.  But Maryah doesn’t deserve a zombie for a mom.  She didn’t do anything wrong."

            So many thoughts were running through my head.  "And I know you'll never stop loving him.  I wouldn't ask you to do that."  "I'm not ready for a relationship right now."  "Then we'll be friends, until you’re ready to be my lady."  I smiled at him.  "You'll do that for me?"  "If you give me a fair chance."  He said smiling at me.  "You can start by getting dressed."  He walked to my

closet and pulled out a dress.  He laid it on the bed.  "I'll be back in twenty minutes."  I watched him walk out the room closing the door behind him.

            About twenty minutes later I was walking out my room to the front door.  I stopped when I saw Cameron letting in Sarah.  She froze when she saw me.  He turned around and looked at me and froze also.

"I haven't worn it before."  I explained as they stared wide eyed at me.  "Kenny bought it to take me and Traci out.  I never went."  They continued staring at me making me very uncomfortable.  "I can go take it off."  "Please don't."  Sarah objected.  "You look so beautiful."  "Thank you."  "Wow."  Traci and Kenny said stepping out the room.  They looked at Cameron and laughed.

A few hours later we had landed in Puerto Rico.  We were getting off their private jet, in Puerto Rico.  I looked at Traci who was laughing at me because I was a little tipsy.  I don’t do well with heights.  We jumped into our limo and went to some night club where they treated us as if we were celebrities.

I felt myself beginning to sway from the liquor as I walked.  To steady myself I clung to Cameron’s left arm.  He smiled at me as we entered the club.  I felt a little uncomfortable but so excited and eager to see how the night was going to go.

            "Hey baby."  We looked ahead at a woman walking towards us.  "Hey."  He said hugging and kissing her.  "Is this Rachel?"  She asked surprising me.  "Yep.  This is her."  "Wow, hello you’re really gorgeous."  "Thank you."  "Wow!  Two gorgeous women, you two are really lucky." 

            He smiled at me.  "More than you know."  I smiled back.  "Hope you enjoy yourselves.  And you two, we'll talk in a few."  "Okay."  They led us to our VIP section.  "They play a lot of American music here."  I said as we sat down.  "Yeah, they mix it up."  I looked at the crowd of people on the dance floor.

I looked at Kenny as he whispered something in Cameron's ear.  He nodded his head.  "Why don't you go dance while we handle some business."  Kenny said.  "Okay."

            Traci and I held hands as we walked down to the dance floor.  We were almost there when I got distracted by the bar.  I walked over and stood in the line waiting for a drink.  I jumped out of my skin as Cameron hugged me from behind.

            "You scared me."  I said as he led me through the crowd.  "I told you I got you."  He said smiling at me.  "Cam.  What's up, baby?"  The bartender said, hugging and kissing him.  Dam you get around, I thought as I watched them.  "Camil, this is my baby."  "Rachel?"  "Yes, take good care of her."  "Of course.  Of course.  You want your normal?"  "Please."

I smiled as Camil began bossing the other bartenders around.  "And what would you like, Ms. Rachel?"  "Blue long island, please."   I glanced at Cameron making him look away.  "Don't judge me." He smiled at me. "I wasn't."  "There you go."  Camil said handing me my drink.  "Thank you."  "Just walk right up.  Cam. yours already at your table."  "Thanks, Camil."  "No problem.  Enjoy."  He walked me back through the crowd.

"Thank you."  He smiled, then reached down and kissed me.  At that moment, everything disappeared.  All I wanted right then, and there was to kiss him forever.  It felt so safe, so right, like all the pain and evil disappeared.  This felt too good, but how could I stop.

            We pulled away from each other when my drink hit the floor.  "Sorry."  I said trying to shake off my daze.  “Cam.”  Traci said smiling at us.  “Who?”  He asked looking at her making me laugh. “Kenny is trying to get your attention.”  “What?”  We both laughed.  “Kenny.”  She said pointing behind him.  He looked at me before walking back to the table.

I stayed on the dance floor the entire night laughing and dancing with my sister.  I had lost track of Cameron for a while. I wasn’t quite sure if he was still here or not. 

            I spotted Kenny making his way towards us.  That’s when I caught Camil’s stare.  She stared at me as if she were trying to figure me out.  I sensed a little jealousy in her stare as well.

            “Hey, are you having fun?”  Kenny asked dancing with Traci.  I laughed at them as I nodded my head.  I jumped as I felt someone holding my arm.  I turned around to see Camil.  She smiled at me.  “Let’s dance!”  She said pulling me to the middle of the floor.  I downed the rest of my drink and began dancing with her.   

“YOU GO GIRL!”  I screamed as Camil got down.  We laughed.  I glanced at Traci and Kenny who were standing nearby watching us as they laughed.

            The song ended just in time for me to catch my breath.  “Okay girl! Save me another dance, okay?”  Camil said hugging me.  “Okay.”  I smiled as the next song came on.  It was one of my favorites.  (Tae Bae- snatching) That’s when I saw them. My gang members who lost their lives protecting me. All my girls, Stephanie, Kierah, Tiffany, Jennifer, Jessica, Katina, and Tammy.  All of us met on the dance floor.  My God, I’ve missed you guys, I thought as we began dancing.

Cameron

            I was just getting back to the club.  I got back to my table as Camil set down our drinks.  “Hey, you missed us getting down.”  She said as we laughed.  “She’s a beautiful woman.  I think you’ve found your match.”  “She’s not like the ones from my past.”  “No, she’s not.”

Kenny

            We were standing in the crowd that was watching Rachel dance.  She was getting down.  “What did you do to her?” Cameron asked from behind us.  “She’s just letting go.  Let her.”  “No, it’s okay, it’s just she’s in her own world.”  “I know right.”  Traci said clapping.  “I’m tired now.”  Rachel said walking towards us.  “Hey.”  She said smiling at Cameron.  “Hey.”  “Y’all ready to bounce?”  “Yes.”  “Let’s go.”  “Hell yeah.”

Traci

            We left the club and went to a restaurant nearby.  It sat right on the beach.  We watched Rachel and Cameron chase each other around on the beach.  I was so grateful to have my sister back.  She was so happy.  “I’m so glad her heart is mending.”  Kenny said making me smile at him.  “Me too.  I finally get my sister back.”  “I just hope she doesn’t find out who he really is.”  I looked at him.  “What did you do?”  “Traci, you’re my wife.”  “That’s my sister.”  “Yes, and you have her back now, don’t lose her.  Please Traci, I’m begging you.”  “Then don’t tell me.”  “Baby, I pushed them together to save her life.”  I looked back at them.  They were sitting in the sand talking.  “I promised Mario I’d take care of her, and I am.”  “Kenny,” “Baby, trust me on this.”  Why did that scare me?