Loving Cino

Chapter 15

Hakeem

            I LOVE IT HERE!  I AM NEVER GOING BACK! I FEEL SO FREE! LOOK AT ME I HAVE NEVER FELT SO ALIVE BEFORE! I AM GOING TO FEEL LIKE THIS FOREVER!

“HAKEEM!” I looked up into the most beautiful hazel eyes I’d ever seen before.  They showered love into mine which made me feel so lucky.  Those eyes engulfed me into a world of love, lust, rage, and fear.  I couldn’t hear or see anything but those eyes.  I needed to become one with those eyes.  I reached out to them and a hand guided my hand to his face and held it there.  I want those eyes not the face, I thought before I witnessed the gorgeousness of his face.  I watched the strong appearance of his face stare at me panicked and confused.  I looked at his lips and couldn’t help but press them against mine.  WOW!  The moment our lips touched a hunger inside me became uncontrollable.  And those lip could only satisfy my hunger.  “Baby?”  I looked at the face again and studied his confusion.  “Are you okay?”  He asked me.  Why wouldn’t I be?  I looked at his chest where he held my wrists.  I looked at the body I was straddled over and felt my rage returning. “Baby?”  I looked back at my peace before he pulled me to my feet by my wrists.  He stood there staring into my eyes before he pulled me away without breaking his stare.  The more I stared into his eyes the calmer I became.  Those eyes were the last thing I remembered.

Ramona

            I watched Cino’s concern and panic fade away behind the perfect smile.  “Welcome back baby.”  I smiled back.  “Thanks, I guess.”  “SHE’S NOT BREATHING!”  Carline shrieked stealing my attention.  She was on the ground leaning over Melissa, who was laying there unconscious.  What in the hell?  I looked around at the chaos.  Derrick was on the phone with 911.  Carline was freaking out over Melissa’s body.  Cino was standing there in shock. 

I’m not sure what happen but dam.  I watched Carline screaming at Cino and me, but I couldn’t hear her over my thoughts.  So many random questions came to mind such as should I help or watch her die?  Why is she here?  After a couple of seconds my conscious kicked in and I quickly pushed Carline to the side and began CPR.  After two cycles Melissa began coughing and gagging. 

I sat next to her holding her on her side letting her lungs fill with air.  I looked towards my right for Cino.  He was sitting on the stairs watching me.  His expression was annoyed.  My attention returned to Melissa who was pushing me away to sit up.  She looked from Cino to me.  “Before you do whatever it is your about to do, remember it was her who decided to give you your life back.”  Cino announced stealing her attention.  “She did it all on her own.  Nobody asked her to do it.”  “What’s your point?”  Melissa growled.  “She was the only one who thought you should live.  The rest of us just stood back and watched you die.” 

She stared at him and let his words sink in before she looked at me again.  She then staggered to her feet.  Her tears fell at my knees while I watched her stare at Cino before she fled from the house.  I stood up and walked to the door.  I saw the paramedics rushing past her toward me.  “She’s right there!”  Carline instructed pointing to Melissa who was now in her car.  I looked back at Cino who was still watching me.  I walked over to him and sat beside him on the stairs. “Did I do that to her?”  I asked quietly.  He stared at the door and nodded his head.  “I think she will leave us alone for a little while now.”  I smiled at him.  Part of me wondered what I did to her.  The other part of me said f**k her, now you can enjoy your man in peace.  After we dealt with the police and paramedics, that is exactly what I did. 

Everything was peaceful and quiet.  I went back to being happy with my family. My sisters held back their feelings and pretended to be happy for me.  My sons were happy and healthy.  Cino and I became inseparable once again. 

It was now a month later.  I awakened with an uneasy feeling.  I looked at Cino’s face, which was in mine, snoring. I smiled and kissed his nose which instinctively stopped him from snoring and contracted his arms, so he held me closer if that was possible. 

When he went back to snoring, I unwrapped his strong arms from around me and sat up on the edge of the bed.  I looked across the room at my sleeping sons in their crib.  I slid into my shirt and underwear then walked over to them. 

How could I not smile at them?  Caleb laid on his back sprawled out like he worked all day and night. Calin was bald up and cuddled against his brother.  They were complete opposites but the same. It always fascinated me to watch them interact with each other.   Caleb was more independent and did not like to be helped.  Calin was very clingy and demanded attention all the time.

 I looked at my door as Carline walked in.  “Are you okay?”  She asked standing next to me.  “Yes, are you?”  She nodded her head.  We stood there watching my boys sleep for a moment.  The fact that she never came in my room before the sun was up let me know she felt something was wrong as well.  We both looked at Daria who appeared beside her.  The three of us watched my sons sleep and dreaded whatever it was making us feel this way. 

“You feel it too?”  Daria asked.  “Yes.”  Carline answered.  I nodded my head.  “Everything okay?”  Cino asked.  We turned and looked at him.  He was still in bed trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.  “Yes, everything is fine.”  I lied.  I looked at my sisters.  “He’s not dressed.”  They nodded and walked out the room closing the door behind them. 

            I walked back towards the bed and picked up his boxers off the floor and handed them to him. He slid into them and walked in the bathroom.  I sat on the bed watching my babies sleep.  I few seconds later Cino was kneeling in front of me. “What’s wrong?”  He asked.  I smiled at him.  “Nothing.”  “Stop lying to me.”  “I’m not.”  “Do you really think I can’t tell when you are lying to me?  What’s wrong?”  “I don’t know.”  “How do you not know? Since when do you not trust me to tell me anything?”  “Cino, I leave my kids with you of course I trust you.”

 He stood up and looked down at me.  “They are my kids too.”  “Cino, everyone knows that.  I didn’t mean it like that.”  He sat next to me waiting for me to talk.  “I just woke up with a feeling.”  “What kind of feeling?”  “I don’t know.  It’s like an uneasy feeling.” “About?”  “I don’t know.  I just woke up feeling like this.”  “Yeah, but why?”  I let out a breath of frustration.  “What part of ‘I don’t know’ do you not understand?”  “First of all, calm down.  Second of all I am only trying to understand what’s going on and why you’re feeling this way.”  I looked at him.  “Cino, if I don’t understand my feelings how can I expect you to understand them?”  He smiled.  “Because I am Cino.  And you are Ramona.”  I wasn’t sure if I should smile or punch him in the face.  I went with the smile.

Cino

            She gave me her fake smile which meant shut up and leave me alone.  I kissed her cheek and grabbed my phone off the nightstand.

 I had a full battery and no missed calls or text messages.  That’s new.  For the last three weeks I had no hate messages from Melissa which was very odd.  She normally did not stay this quiet for this long.

 I slid into my shorts and went to the kitchen where Carline and Daria were making breakfast. I washed my hands and helped them.  About thirty minutes later the sun was up and everyone had eaten. 

After I cleaned the kitchen I returned to the room where Ramona was bathing our sons in the tub.  Today was going to be their first day at daycare since I was supposed to go back to work with Derrick.

 “CALIN STOP!”  She yelled as he splashed the water at her.  He stopped laughing and became angry.  He wanted her to have fun with him like they always do, and she was so worried she was distracted and agitated. “NO SPLASHING!” He yelled back at her in gibberish which pissed her off even more.  “BOY HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!”  “Baby,” “WHAT?!”  “Calm down.”  “I AM CALM!”  I smiled at her. 

She stood up and took a deep breath.  “I’m sorry.”  “It’s okay.”  “You got them?”  “Of course.”  She walked out the bathroom.  As she passed me, I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me.  I held her face to mine and kissed her soul for the next three lifetimes. I felt her trembling into me, and it inspired me to hold her closer.

After a while I pulled my face away but continued to hold her.  She stared up at me for a moment before laying her head on my chest.  I glanced at my boys.  Calin was splashing water everywhere and laughing. Caleb was watching Ramona and getting frustrated with his brother. “Your son is crazy as shit.”  I mumbled making her look at Calin.  “He’s your son too.”  I couldn’t help but laugh as she smiled.  We finished bathing the boys and dressed them for school.  We then got ourselves ready for work. 

After everyone was ready, we all met outside at the cars.  I was supposed to go with Ramona to drop the boys off for their first day, but a client called, and we had to meet them right away.  So, I was going to ride with Derrick.  Daria and Damien had already left for work.  Carline was standing at the door yelling for Lorenzo as Ramona and I strapped the boys in their car seats. I then stuffed their book bags on the floor in front of them. I looked up to see Ramona throwing her bag in the front seat.  I smiled at her.  “You good?”  She forced a smile and nodded.  Liar, I thought opening the door for her.  She walked over to slide inside.  Before she did, she stopped and kissed me.

 “Have a great day.”  I said to her.  I felt so relieved to see her face ignite in her naturally beautiful smile.  “You too, baby.”  I kissed her again before she slid inside the car.  I closed the door and watched her buckle up.  She then started the car and backed out the driveway.  I waved to my boys who were watching me from their seats.  They smiled back.  Caleb attempted to wave which made me laugh.  I watched Ramona’s car disappear from sight before I got in the truck with Derrick.

We are going to be okay, right?  Everything’s going to be fine.  She’s just overwhelmed, right? 

Ramona

            I drove about ten minutes until I reached the Ginger Man Daycare.  I glanced in the rear-view mirror at Caleb who was looking out the window.  I glanced back at Calin and he was watching me.  I parked the car and got out. The daycare was busy with parents dropping off their kids and rushing away to work.  I got the boys and their bags and walked inside with them.  I watched both of their expressions as we walked inside.  Caleb was curious but cautious.  He held onto my scrubs with a death grip as he observed everyone we passed.  Calin on the other hand was ready to mingle.  He seemed to almost jump out my arms to anyone who was in awe at him, which was everyone we passed.  I followed the signs to their classroom where their teacher greeted me at the door.  “Hey how are you guys.  You must be Ramona.”  I looked at her. Do you greet everyone like this?  I watched a dad walk in with his daughter.  They nodded at each other as he entered.  My boys are new here, that’s why she’s greeting me like this.  Everything’s okay.

“Yes.” I answered forcing a smile.  “Great, is this their bags?”  She asked taking the bags from me.  “Yeah, they have their clothes and blankets.”  “Diapers too?”  She asked.  “Yes of course.”  “Okay!”  She reached for Calin and he jumped in her arms ready to play.   I looked at Caleb as he looked at me.  He seemed to be terrified.  He leaned away from the teacher and turned his face into my chest. 

“It’s okay babe.”  I whispered kissing his cheek.  “You’re okay.”  I watched the tears forming in his eyes.  Caleb please don’t do this now!  I looked around as the other teacher walked around to comfort the other six babies.  She put them on the mat with the toys and sat with them playing with them. They all seemed happy.

 “I will take him.  I know you have to go to work.”  She said trying to take Caleb.  He began crying making the teacher look in our direction.  She smiled at us and continued playing with the babies.

 I looked at Caleb and realized this was not like him.  Something was not right.  He was my quiet and observant one.  If he is afraid it is for a reason.  “I’m going to stay a while if you don’t mind.”  She smiled at me. 

“Of course.  Come on in.”  She held the door open to me and I walked in with Caleb who was losing his mind.  I held him closer and kissed him trying to comfort him.  No matter what I did he would not calm down.

 “Is this his first day?”  The teacher asked smiling at us.  “Yes, he’s not normally like this.  I don’t know what’s wrong.”  “It’s okay, it happens.  He should calm down soon.”  She said standing next to us.  She looked at me.  “You must be Ramona, right?”  I looked at her.  “Yes.”  “Hey nice to meet you. I am Charlotte.”  She said rubbing Caleb’s back with me.  “And is this Caleb or Calin?”  She asked.  “This is Caleb.  Calin is over there.”  I gestured behind me.  “Where?”  Panic filled my heart which made me spin around.  No Calin or his teacher.

 “He is with the other teacher.”  “I am the only teacher for this classroom.”  Oh my God!  My fear took over and I darted out the room. I looked down the hallway for any sign of Calin.  I saw nothing.  I ran to the parking lot franticly looking around for any sign of him.  I spotted the woman I gave my son to turning out the parking lot in a white Toyota Camry.  “STOP!”  I yelled running after the car.  She looked at me as I reached out for the back door.  My fingers grazed the door before she slammed on the gas darting out into traffic.  My panic and fear carried me behind her screaming for her to stop.  A blaring car horn brought everything to a deafening halt.