Loving Cino

Chapter 17

Ramona

            It was now a week later on Saturday morning. I was sitting next to Cino in my car as he drove out on the beach.  I felt very uneasy coming back out here.  I hadn’t been back to the beach since I found him.

 We had been so happy, and things were calm for the last week.  I didn’t know what I would find coming out here.  He parked and looked at me.

  “Why do you look so scared?”  The honest truth?  I knew Kevin was somewhere lurking and I did not want to run into him.  He knew as well as Cino this was where I always ran to when things were troubling me.  After the last time I ran into Kevin, I truly felt embarrassed and was not ready to face him again. 

“I told you the last time I was here I ran into Kevin and then I found you.”  He smiled at me.  “But you love the beach.”  I smiled at him. “I love you more.  Now can we please leave?”    He stared at me a moment reading my expression before driving away.  “Is the park okay?”  He asked glancing from the road to me.  I nodded my head.  “Good because we not going home until tonight.”  “Why?”  I asked.  “Because you need to get out the house.  I go back to work Monday and I want to make sure you are good.”

 He picked up my hand and kissed it and held it.  It melted my heart watching our hands linked together.  I felt so in love and I wanted to stay this way forever.

  “Does that mean you’re going to drug me again?”  He burst out laughing.  “What are you talking about?”  “Did you really think Carline wasn’t going to tell me?”  “Baby look, you were driving my ass crazy!  And your poor body didn’t know who to let out.  Everybody in your body was confused.  Hakeem came out like Sheena.  Mercedes’s ass was trying to fight everybody.”  I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe.  “I’m sorry but I was desperate.  Your crazy ass needed to sleep and so did I.”  We laughed again.

“I was not that bad.”  He looked at me making me laugh again.  “You’re right you were worse.  I almost went back to drinking.”  I stop laughing and looked at him.  

Oh, hell no!  I can’t do that all over again! “I’m sorry.”  “It’s okay.  I’m just glad we are better.”  “Yeah, but if I’m stressing you to the point you want to go back to drinking, I think maybe it’s time for some professional help?”

 He looked at me like I said the most racist thing he’d ever heard.  “I’m okay.  I’ve made it this far.”  “Baby I didn’t mean to upset you.”  “You didn’t.”  “I just meant we are both not right and maybe we both need professional help.”  “Baby I think we are good. A week ago, I couldn’t get you out the house and now look at you.  We’re going to be fine. You’ve brought me through my darkest time, so let me do that for you.”  I smiled at him.  “I am afraid that my darkest time will scare you away.”

 He parked the car, turned it off and looked at me.  “You really think you can scare me away?”  I nodded my head as I looked out the window.  “Baby, I don’t think you get any darker than Hakeem.  And I’ve faced him a few times.  I won’t lie to you and say he didn’t scare me because let’s be real, he scares the s**t out of me.”  We laughed again. “Hakeem is not scary.”  I joked.  “Girl Hakeem is Freddy Krueger’s nightmare!  Don’t play!  He is not to be f****d with.”  I couldn’t help but laugh again.  “For real though, baby, I’m here.  I’m not going anywhere.”  “Your mouth says that, but your feet say something else.”  “I can only show you I mean what I say.”  “Okay so do that.”  I said kissing him on the lips.  “Okay I will.”  “Good.”  “Good.”  We sat there staring at each other before kissing again.  We smiled at each other for a moment.             “Your kids are asleep.”  He said without breaking his stare.  “Yeah, I saw that.”

Cino

  She looked out at the busy park life for a moment.  “They have to wake up now.”  She said jumping out the car.  I followed her pursuit.  She went for Calin and I went for Caleb.  We locked the car and went out to the swings.  On the way over we awakened the boys who were not happy. 

When Calin saw the other kids, he jumped up and wanted to play.  Caleb didn’t care.  He kept trying to go back to sleep.  He soon became frustrated and began crying. 

“YOU TRICKED ME!”  I called to Ramona who was laughing at us as she swung with Calin.  They both were having the time of their lives and I was standing there with a half-asleep crying baby. 

“Caleb man, we can sleep later!  Look at all this fun.”  He turned his head in my chest.  I looked at Ramona who laughed again at us as she walked towards us.  “Here, go have fun with your son.”  We traded kids.  “Hey, time to wake up sleepy head.”  She said to Caleb who was still sniffling.  She kissed him and walked him to the car.

 I looked back at Calin who almost jumped out my arms. “Where are you trying to go big man?”  I asked watching him squeal and reach towards the slide.

 I walked him over to the slide and put him at the top and let him slide down while I was still holding him.  He was so excited and happy he squealed the entire way down.  When he got to the bottom he clapped excitedly.

 “Such a cute baby!”  A woman said standing in front of Calin tickling him.  He reached out for her and jumped into her arms.  I smiled at them watching them play around.  I glanced across the park for Ramona.  I spotted her and Caleb laying on a blanket in the grass laughing and playing around.  “Your son is so precious.  Just like Dad.”  She smiled at me.  I gently took Calin out her grasp.  “Thank you.”  “Oh my God look at that gorgeous baby!”  Another woman exclaimed.  “Oh, my Goodness he’s such a cutie!” 

I looked around at about three women who were admiring Calin. They weren’t bad looking women.  It’s a shame he’s only a baby.  My son could be a pimp right now. 

“Daddy he clearly takes after you.”  One woman said.  “I said that too.”  The first woman said.  “You think so?  I thought he took after his mother.  She is so gorgeous.  Oh, my goodness with those eyes. They clearly took after her.”  “She’s not here.  We only see you.  So, you win!”              “Momma’s right here bitches.”  I couldn’t help but smile as the women focused on the woman standing beside them.  “So, get your hands off my baby and my man.”  I watched Ramona gently take Calin from the woman then walked back to the blanket.  I looked at the women.  “See he takes after his momma.”  I said smiling at them before following Ramona.

 I watched her put our boys on the blanket and began playing with them.  I sat there with them as I watched Ramona struggle to keep Hakeem at bay. 

“Baby?”  She looked up from the boys to me.  “Are we good?”  She stared at me for a moment.  “Please don’t do that again.”  I smiled at her.  “Okay.”  “I don’t like strangers touching them, especially with what happened recently.”  “Baby, it’s okay.  It won’t happen again.”  She forced a smile.  “But you need to tell your son that as well.”  “What do you mean?”  “Calin is the one who jumped in her arms.  He knew what he was doing.”  “What was he doing?”  She asked looking from Calin to me.  “He was trying to get to them boobies, weren’t you?”  I joked tickling Calin.  “No!”  Ramona said kissing him as he laughed again. 

Ramona

            “Stay a baby forever!  Don’t grow up too fast!”  I begged hugging him.  He pushed away from me laughing.  I know he thought we were playing but it still broke my heart.  What’s next, he gets married before he walks?  Oh my God I can’t deal with this.  I watched him play around with his brother as Cino laughed at me again.  “That’s not funny.”  I said quickly wiping my tears. 

            A couple of hours later we were driving home.  As we walked into the house I was attacked with hugs.  When the arms released me, I realized it was Faye and Irene.  “WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?”  I screamed excitedly hugging them again.  “We’re on spring break!”  Faye announced.  “We’re going to celebrate!  Are you coming?”   Irene asked pulling me to the stairs with Faye. 

They looked over my head at Cino holding the boys.  “Who’s he?”  They both asked at the same time.  I looked back at Cino.  “This is Cino. Cino, these are my nieces, Faye and Irene.”  “Hey” “Hello.”  “Hi.”  “These are our sons, Calin and Caleb.”  I announced watching Faye and Irene’s mouths drop open.

 “YOU HAD TWO BABIES ON US?”  Faye screamed in shock.  “HOW?  WHY?  WHEN?”  was all Irene could get out.  Everyone’s attention shifted to Caleb who let out a giggle.  I smiled at him and looked back at Faye and Irene who immediately fell in love with him. 

“He’s so cute!”  “Can I hold him?” Faye finally asked.  Cino looked at me.  I nodded my head.  He leaned towards Faye so she could take Caleb.  Caleb looked at her before reaching out to her so she could take him.  I looked back at Calin as he jumped into Irene’s arms. 

It warmed my heart to see them in their own world.  It felt so good to have my nieces’ home. 

That night I found myself out celebrating at the club with them.  It felt like old times.  I quickly learned that my alcohol tolerance was not what it used to be.  One long island later I found myself out on the dance floor trying to out dance Faye and Irene.  I felt so carefree and relaxed like nothing could go wrong. 

“We need more drinks!”  Irene announced disappearing towards the bar.  “I’m at my max.  I’m good.”  I panted out of breath.  “You only had one drink are you kidding me?  You’re a fish.”  “Not anymore.  I am a Momma now!”  “So that means you can’t drink anymore?”  I stared at her for a moment.  “Hell no!”  She laughed as we continued to dance.  Shortly after Irene returned with our drinks. 

I had drunken mine down halfway before my bladder decided it was full.  I made my way to the restroom.  After I was done and washed my hands, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful I was.  I couldn’t help but smile at myself.

 “Gorgeous.”  I spun around to see Kevin leaning against the door.  Every hair on my body stood up.  “What are you doing here?”  I asked backing away.  “I came to see you.”  “How’d you know where I was?”  “I know where you are all the time.  You forgot you were mine first.  You will always be mine.”  He darted at me making me scream as I stumbled in the stall.  He grabbed me and pulled me into the stall with him. 

Before I could scream, he covered my mouth and held me in his lap.  That’s when the bathroom door opened, and someone came in.  The hand over my mouth squeezed my face so hard I could barely breathe.  I felt his hand run over my thigh as I tried to get my balance to stand.  I tried to push his hand away as the girls outside the stalls gossiped and laughed.  He kissed my neck and slipped his finger inside my panties.  I struggled and pushed at him while trying to breathe through his death grip. 

“RAMONA ARE YOU IN HERE?”  Irene called from the door.  I kicked my shoe off under the stall.  “HEY b***h!  WATCH IT!”  A woman yelled from the other side of the stall.  She snatched the door open revealing me struggling with Kevin.  It startled him enough to where I was able to jump out his arms and the stall.  I grabbed my shoe and fled the bathroom with Irene.  I ran past Faye who immediately followed our pursuit. 

We had run three blocks from the club before I stopped running.  I hid behind a dumpster against a building trying to catch my breath. A few seconds went by with the three of us panting trying to catch our breath.

 A few moments later I heard footsteps jogging towards us.  I covered Faye and Irene’s mouth and glued ourselves against the wall behind that dumpster.  The footsteps passed right by us.  I heard the footsteps come to a stop in the distance which made my heart stop.

 “RAMONA!”  Kevin called as I trembled with fear.  I didn’t dare look up or move.  I heard the footsteps walking back towards us.  “DAM!”  He yelled walking back in the direction of the club.  I listened to his footsteps fade in the distance again.  I looked at Faye and Irene who were terrified clinging to me.

 I nodded towards the alley.  Faye looked down the dark alley and shook her head.  I nodded my head and began jogging down the alley.  I looked over my shoulder to see both of them following me.  We made it around the corner to Carline’s boutique.  Irene called and Uber from there.  We sat in the back of the building under the stairs, in complete silence waiting.  When the Uber arrived, we ran to the front and jumped in.  We arrived home and went in through the backyard.  Irene stopped us before we got around the corner. 

“I don’t care Melissa I want a divorce.”  I peeked around the corner and saw Cino sitting on the back steps on the phone.  “Go near her or my kids and see what happens.”  I studied his anger flushed skin.  “You were a mistake that never should have happened. I love her period.”  “See you keep threatening her, but what you don’t realize is I will do that time for her without question.”  “b***h stop trying me!  You know I’m not gay!”  I watched him pace back and forth.  “YOU MADE THAT BOY SAY THAT!  YOU KNOW I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO HIM!”  “YOU KNOW WHAT, f**k YOU I TRIED!  THERE IS NO TALKING TO YOU!”  “DON’T BRING YOUR ASS OVER HERE!”  “IF YOU BRING YOUR ASS OVER HERE, I WILL LET WHATEVER HAPPENS HAPPEN TO YOUR STUPID ASS.”  I looked at Faye and Irene as they looked at me.  I shrugged my shoulders.  We looked back at Cino as he hung up the phone and stormed in the house.  We walked to the steps and sat down.  All eyes were on me.

  “He’s married?”  Faye asked trying to whisper.  “He’s gay?”  Irene asked.  I smiled at them.  I looked at Faye.  “Yes.”  I looked at Irene.  “No.”  “You had to find an old married man to have babies with?”  Irene asked.  “He’s not old.”  “He’s older, Ramona.”  Faye put in.  “Ok, so he’s older than me.  Big deal.”  “He’s also married.”  “Yes, but they aren’t together anymore.”  “Because of you.”  Irene stated.  “No because of her.”  “Her who?”  “Her his wife, I mean, Melissa.”  “Melissa?  Melissa who works for my mom?”  I looked from her to Faye.  “Maybe?”  Faye laughed as Irene dropped her head.  “It’s not how it seems.”  I protested.  “How is it then?”  I looked from Irene to Faye.  She smiled at me.  “It’s exactly how it seems!  OH MY GOD I AM HORRIBLE!”  I paced back and forth as the reality slapped me in the face.

 Am I really the blame for Cino’s marriage falling apart?  What if I wasn’t here right now?  Where would he be?