A Constant Reminder (16 page)

Roxanne took a deep breath. “Go into Morgan’s room and keep her in there so I can get him out.”

“Hurry up, slut.” Erika poked fun with every bit of seriousness.

Erika disappeared around the corner the same way Morgan went. Roxanne headed toward her bedroom.

“I’m sorry I have to kick you out but my daughters here. I don’t just have men around my daughter.”

“I understand completely.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Stop, it’s okay.” Adam smiled and it made Roxanne feel better about making him leave right after sex.

“Thank you Adam.”

“No thank you. I have one question before I leave. Am I the only one?”

“Huh?”

“The only guy you’re seeing?”

“Yes of course.” That was an odd question she thought.

“Just me, no one else at all?”

“No one else. I’m not dating anybody but you.”

“Okay.” A sigh of relief washed over his face. “It needs to stay that way.” Adam firmly stated. She felt like she had been clubbed over the head by a caveman and she liked it.

“Are you seeing other people?” She asked.

“No, it’s just you. It’s just you and me. Do you understand?”

Roxanne shook her head yes. She thought she understood but she wasn’t sure. No one had ever done it this way before. “Yeah.”

“I only want you. Let’s just do this, us and see where it goes.”

Roxanne watched his lips move and she had to fight every impulse to kiss him.

“Roxanne.” Adam reached out and took her hand.

“Yeah.”

“I just want you all to myself.”

“You have me.” Damn he was good. He was too charming. “I’m yours. I’m all yours.” Roxanne couldn’t believe she was saying these things to Adam.

She couldn’t believe how quickly sex had amped up the status of their relationship. He hadn’t said the words but it sure seemed like yesterday she was single and today she had a boyfriend. She felt stupid for thinking that as soon as she slept with him he would disappear. He clearly liked her as much as she liked him.

Why was she overwhelmed with emotion? She was shocked by her own feelings. She had always had a brick wall built up between her and every man that dared win her over but this time things were different. The wall had disappeared. She wasn’t sure it was ever there to begin with.

She wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck and held him in a tight embrace. She melted when she felt his strong arms wrap around her waist. The carpeted floor left her feet when he lifted her in the air.

There was no kissing, just this powerful hug in the arms of a powerful man. She realized then that a man had never embraced her with that much raw intensity. She loved how this felt. She felt safe and secure and desired.

CHAPTER 12

Adam had been bogged down with frightening images. Roxanne had been great but he had secrets and demons he hid from her. His time with her was special but his time away he was plagued with the mistakes of his past.

Being with Roxanne made him feel complete. He hadn’t actively searched for a relationship with any woman. It was like God had just placed Roxanne in his lap. His faith was stronger than ever now. He had read the Bible in prison. He had grown to have a better understanding of faith.

He never really talked religion with anybody but his mother. Religion is what helped him get through those six lonely years of incarceration. It was also the love and support of his family.

He wanted to go on this journey. He wanted it for a long time now. He needed to make sure he was in an innocuous place in his psyche. He had come a long way and he feared that going to this place could send him back to the past for good.

It took him two and a half hours to drive downstate. He was thoroughly searched before he was led into the prisons visitors meeting area. It was an open area with many circular bench tables. The tables had numbers. You got a number and that table was where your inmate was waiting for you.

Tony Demarco was sitting alone at the table off in the corner. Adam slowly approached with his visitors badge pinned to his shirt. He looked around the room and observed the other prisoners interact with their families and friends. This had been him not long ago.

Adam walked further and he caught Tony’s eye. It was just long enough for Tony to assess him from head to toe. Adam walked over to the table and took a seat opposite his old friend and accomplice.

“Hey man.” Adam tried to sound casual but it came out fake.

“Hey. Isn’t this a treat? I never thought you would come anywhere near a place like this again when they let you out. You must’ve jumped through hoops just to get on the visitors list. They don’t really let too many ex-cons visit felons in prison.

“I had to write a letter to the warden. I had to have the pastor of my mother’s church write a letter to the warden.”

“All this for me.”

“Well, if not you then who?”

“I know you hate this place, any sane person would.”

“Well it’s definitely not my favorite place.” Adam looked around the room.

“I’m happy to see an old friend. But what are you doing here?”

“I just been thinking a lot lately about the things we used to get into.”

“If you’re thinking about a life of crime, you better think again.”

“No, not exactly.”

“Good to hear, you came from a good family. There’s no reason for you to end up back in the can.”

“Yeah, I just had a few things on my mind.”

“You having a hard time adjusting to life on the outside.”

“Not really.” Adam shrugged.

“Are you looking for an apology?”

“I’m good. I’m definitely not looking for an apology. You saved my ass. I know that your testimony shaved five to ten years off my sentence. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I testified on your behalf. So that’s why you put money on my books?”

“Of course. I owe you.”

“Well you definitely keep me at a higher status in this shit hole.” Tony chuckled.

“I just hadn’t written you in a long time so I thought I’d come and visit.”

“You stopped writing but you didn’t stop the money. Adam you are the most loyal dude I ever met.”

“No not really. I just owed you.” There was a silence that loomed. “How’s your kid doing?” Adam wanted to change the subject. He didn’t need any accolades.

“He’s cool, like his dad. That broad, his mother is putting him in private school. She’s trying to make a ballerina out of my boy. I told the broad the Demarco boys don’t go to private school. That broad kicked her coke habit now she thinks she’s Mother Theresa.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“If someone would have told me I would get some spoiled rich girl pregnant. I wouldn’t have believed them.”

“Since I went too high school with her I wouldn’t have believed it either.”

“She sends me pictures and you know my kid looks normal.”

“I’ve seen them at church. He’s fine. She stopped doing drugs when she found out she was pregnant.”

“You see how it was so easy for her to kick the habit but so damn hard for us.”

“We really didn’t want to stop.”

“True.” Tony agreed.

“And we didn’t have anyone to stop for.”

“True…so he’s a normal kid.”

“Weird, I was so high I don’t even remember banging her and she has my kid.”

“I’m sure there are a lot of things we don’t remember from those days.”

“That’s probably a good thing. You got a chick yet?”

“I met a nice woman.”

“Good I was getting worried about you. Those six years in the joint, a pretty boy like you.”

“That’s really funny. I’m taking her to my brothers wedding.”

“Your brother is getting hitched?”

“Yes he is.”

“Oh Daniel would probably shit his pants if he knew you were here visiting me.”

“He would definitely shit his pants.”

“Is she a decent broad, this chick you got?”

“Yeah I think so. No, I know, she is.”

“You know something, these decent broads can fool you. They float around you like a beautiful butterfly and then wham! “Tony forcefully slapped his hands together. “They suck the life out of you like a freakin’ king cobra.”

“I don’t have to worry about that with her.”

“Yeah, why is that?”

“She’s special. She’s a keeper.”

The rest of the visit was filled with small talk. Adam had lost his nerve. He had questions to ask Tony but somehow he was afraid of the answers he might receive.

***

Roxanne liked having time alone. She had to admit that she missed Adam when he was gone. He had become this constant in her life. Her feelings for him were moving fast and no matter how she tried to slow down, he just seemed to take her breath away.

Roxanne sat with her legs crossed in a lawn chair. She was skimming through the pages of a women’s fashion magazine. Morgan played along with two other young children from the apartment complex. They splashed around in a plastic kiddie pool that had a cartoon character with a water sprinkler in the center.

The entrance gate to the chain fence opened. Roxanne looked up from her magazine and smiled as Erika walked toward her and the children.

Roxanne stared, then frowned hard at Erika’s new haircut. As soon as Morgan spotted Erika she went running toward her.

“Erika.” Morgan greeted her with a hug around her waist. She wet Erika’s clothes but Erika didn’t seem to mind.

“Morgan Fairchild, you’re wet and now I’m wet.”

“Sorry.” Morgan shrugged with her bare shoulders.

Morgan ran back to the pool with her playmates. Erika took the vacant lawn chair next to Roxanne.

Roxanne use to hate that Erika called her daughter Morgan Fairchild because she was so light but over the years it stuck and she that it was sort of cute.

“Your hair.” Roxanne frowned. “Who the hell chopped all your hair off?”

“My friend Teri, she does hair.”

“I thought she worked at County?”

“She does. She went to beauty school too.”

“She obviously didn’t graduate. You have like only one inch of hair.” Roxanne thought Erika’s face was too fat for that style.

“I like it.”

“As long as you like it.” Roxanne smirked.

“Well Roxanne everyone doesn’t want to look like Christie the brunette Barbie doll.”

“Christie is the black Barbie and Teresa is the brunette Barbie.”

“Only you would know.

“Only you would make me have to correct you.”

“You started it with the hair insult. Some of us don’t have model bodies. Your ass is small and your boobs are small. I have a big ass.”

“Stop trying to make it seem like I’m so small. My rear and my breasts match my body.”

“I guess. It worked for you. You got this white boyfriend now. He couldn’t deal with too much junk in the trunk. You got that extra small junk in the trunk.”

“Whatever.” Roxanne rolled her eyes. Erika was acting extra grumpy today.

“Hey has he tried to put his little dick on your third whole yet?”

Roxanne looked down at her magazine and then over to the children playing. Sometimes Erika was just too vulgar for her to even entertain. “You are really crossing the limit.”

“So how come you’re not with Adam?”

“He’s working?”

“At the garage?

“No. He works for an architect also.”

“Adam of all trades.” Erika clipped.

“Adam is the best. I’m thinking about letting Morgan meet him.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Why not? Adam is different.”

“How so? How is he different from every other stray you put up and discard?”

“I really feel connected to him. He’s not like any guy I’ve been with after, you know after what happened. I like being with him. I don’t feel dirty after we’re intimate. I feel like he genuinely cares about me.”

“Roxanne I don’t know what to say. You all up in your feelings.”

“I’m going to wait until after I meet his family at the wedding.”

“Then what?”

“Then he can come over to meet Morgan.” Just talking about Adam made her smile. Roxanne looked over at Erika for approval but Erika stared at her blankly with her mouth slightly ajar.

“You’re going to let him meet Morgan.”

“Yeah, I think I’m in love with him.”

“You said you think it but you don’t know for sure.”

“No actually I know I love him.”

“He’s white. What could you possibly have in common with him?”

Roxanne couldn’t help but to stare blankly at Erika. “I could say so many things to you about him but I don’t think you would understand. I don’t really think you have experienced it so I can’t really express it to you.”