I Love You More Than (6 page)

Harrison already had Dana in his arms as if she weighed no more than a feather. Felicia knew better than that. She hasn’t been able to lift Dana in four years. Felicia went around to the other side and grabbed Elena. The look Harrison shot her clearly showed his irritation at her assistance. He clearly had things under control, but Felicia was used to always having to be in control. So it was hard to just stand around and watch someone do something she could also be doing.

He followed her to the back of the house where the girls’ slept and helped to put them to bed. After making sure they were comfortable, Felicia stepped out the room and closed the door behind them. Harrison was standing in the middle of her family room looking at her walls lined with pictures and art.

“Thanks for helping me get the girls’ home. You didn’t have to do that. We’ve already taken up your whole day.”

“Nonsense! There’s nothing I would have rather done today than what I was doing. You are doing an amazing job with them. They’re a joy to be around. Where’s David?” he asked looking around, surely wondering where David’s stuff was.

“On the weekends he goes to Alton to tend to his rental properties.” Harrison just stared at her, not uttering a single word when he finally broke the silence.

“Walk me to the door.” That definitely wasn’t what Felicia was expecting or wanting to hear. When they reached the front door, Felicia went to grab the doorknob when Harrison stopped her by placing his hand on top of hers.

“If you were mine,” he started as he raised her chin up so she was looking him in the eye, “I’d spend my weekends tending to you and only you.” And with that declaration he placed a kiss on the very corner of her mouth and walked out to his truck.

It was always hard to get going on Mondays. When you threw in lying awake in the bed all night replaying the
almost kiss
from two nights ago in your head…over and over until the wee hours of the morning. She knew without a doubt it would be a long, rough day! After the staff meeting that morning, Felicia and Jenna worked on a prospective clients mock ups. They worked through lunch, electing to order in takeout. Maybe they would be able to leave on time. The strategy worked and they were able to leave earlier than expected.

Since she was off earlier than planned, Felicia decided to stop by her parents’ house before she picked the girls up from aftercare. Felicia let herself in with her key calling out as she closed and locked the door behind her.

“Hellllooooooo, anyone home?”

“Hey baby.” Her mother greeted as she came out from the kitchen. “I didn’t expect to see you today. How you doing?” Cassandra asked as she pulled her daughter into her embrace.

“I’m fine Momma. I left the office a little early and thought I’d stop by to see how you two were doing.”

“Aww we’re fine baby. Your daddy took the week off, so it’s going to be a long one for me. But besides that, we’re good.”

“Cass when is dinner going to be ready?” Jacob shouted as he entered the room, stopping short when he saw Felicia. “Hey suga! To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?” He asked as she stood to give him a hug.

“Geesh, the way you two act one would think I never came by to see you.”

Felicia sat back down in the lazy-boy chair next to her father’s throwback recliner chair. His vinyl pleather chair had to weigh two-hundred pounds. Toes have been broken when they’ve had a collision with the corners of that monstrosity. But Jacob just wouldn’t give the chair up.

“Not at all suga. We just saw you Friday. Just didn’t expect to see you so soon since you skipped out on service Sunday.” Of course between the two of them, one would be able to slip that into the conversation. Felicia closed her eyes so her parents would not call her out on the serious eye roll she just did. A trick that saved her face a lot of slaps growing up. She may have been loved also known as spoiled growing up…but her momma didn’t play when it came to certain things. And rolling your eyes just happened to be one of them.

“Yeah. Me and the girls were tired from being out all day Saturday.” Right as the words left her mouth Felicia was wishing she had the ability to recall them.

“Oh? What did you three get into?” Her parents didn’t even play into the whole make believe family unit Felicia tried to put on for the girls. They knew if they were out spending time as a family it was without David.

“Well momma I got up your time Saturday, so by ten all the chores had been done. I decided to take my car into Kincaid’s to get the oil change I’d been putting off.”

“Good for you suga! I hate that you don’t have a real man living with you that would take care of that for you. But that’s neither here nor there. Was Winston or Harrison there?” Felicia could feel Cassandra’s eyes boring into her as if she were giving her a wireless lie detector test. Using their DNA to determine if her daughter was telling them everything.

“Mr. Winston wasn’t there, but Harrison was.”

“Well if Harrison was there I don’t see why it would have taken all day to get that oil changed.”

“Hush Jacob! Felicia didn’t say that was all she did. Continue baby.”
There she was, Special Investigator Cassandra Montgomery on the case
….

“Well as you know Saturday was a beautiful day. Harrison had Chad do my oil change and took the girls’ and me to Forrest Park.”

“That was nice.” Jacob replied to break the silence that hung in the air.

“And after the park?” Cassandra prodded.

“After the park we grabbed dinner at Chili’s and went home.”

“I see. And where was David when all of this was going on?” While Cassandra couldn’t stand David, she also wouldn’t be supportive of Felicia starting anything while she was still in a messy situation. Regardless of how fucked up the situation was.

“He left for Alton right after work on Friday. Came back late last night.”

“Felicia sweetie, I understand wanting to give your girls the benefit of having their mother and father in the same house. You yourself was afforded that. But baby that my babies are being raised in, is not the same household you grew up in. My grandbabies are smarter than you give them credit for. They know you two are not in love with each other, but love them dearly.”

“You need to give this dream you have of being the Huxtable’s up, so you can move on with your life. Stop allowing that worthless piece of shit use you. His greatest accomplishment is Dana and Elena. That’s it. We knew he was dumb when he failed to see what he had in you and lost your love. Without you and them, what does he have going for himself? Not a damn thing!”

Felicia couldn’t refute a word her mother had just spoken even if she wanted to. For everything that had just tumbled from Cassandra’s mouth was the honest to goodness’ truth. She herself was tired of not living. There was so much she wanted to do. To get out and experience. However, David’s presence and negativity stifled all of them to no end. She had no control over her own home.

He had his own bedroom and yet completely took control of the living room as his. Her parents had bought Felicia a fifty inch flat screen for her bedroom a few months back. Elena had told them they had to turn off Frozen because David wanted to watch the game and go to sleep.

“You’re right momma.” Felicia agreed, her eyes tearing up. “I think I am finally at my threshold. I can’t take living like this any longer. I will have a talk with him tonight and ask for a definitive date on when he’s moving out.” David had been telling Felicia he was moving for about three years now and nothing has happened. And after the blowup over Dana’s friend Leah coming over, things had been exceptionally tense.

“Good suga. And you know if you need me, Joe and I will come over.” Joe was her father’s twin, a twenty two caliber pistol.

“I know daddy. We should be good. I better run and get the girls. I’ll talk to you guys later and let you know how it goes.”

“Alright baby, drive safely! And give my grandbabies some suga from us.” She called to Felicia’s back as she walked out the house to her car. Cassandra knew her baby didn’t share everything that has transpired between her and David. But she didn’t think she would have to worry about him putting his hands on her. Jacob had introduced David to Joe a long time ago. Jacob had made certain they had understood each other. Put his hands on their baby girl and Joe would lay hands on him.

They were the first ones to arrive home. Much to Felicia’s relief. She pre-heated the oven to warm the leftovers she’d hidden in the refrigerator from David so she wouldn’t have to cook tonight. She then went off to start the girls’ bath water. Felicia heard the front door close, signaling David’s arrival and the end to her peaceful evening. After Felicia had changed out of her work clothes she helped the girls finish up and get their pajamas on. Instructing them to pick out their clothes for tomorrow.

 “Mommy do I have to have cabbage again tonight? I just want the chicken, rice and gravy.” Elena asked while giving Felicia the sad face. “Oh and the biscuit!”

All she could do was shake her head at her tenacious five year old. She literally was a chip off the old block.

 “No baby, you ate it last night, you don’t have to eat it again if you don’t want it. What about you Dana? Do you want everything or just the rice and chicken?” Dana appeared to be in deep thought contemplating the pros and cons of cabbage or no cabbage.

 “I want cabbage too please.” Dana told her as she walked to the cabinets to take out their glasses and to the drawers grabbing their silverware. Felicia began making their plates and sent up a prayer of thanks as she did so. There were just enough leftovers to go around. Felicia was only left with one chicken wing to go with her rice and gravy, she’d just get more cabbage to make up for it.

 “Hi Daddy!” Elena called out to David as he walked into the kitchen. He headed to the stove to get a look at what they were eating for dinner. It would be too much to ask or even look at the food that was plated on the table. David gave his customary grunt, too occupied with his actions to acknowledge his baby girl.

 Elena took it in stride as normal. The only telltale sign that he affected her with his inattention was the dimming of the bright shining light her eyes had held before he ignored her presence. Felicia was used to his callous treatment, but when he extended it to their children, it pissed her off like nothing else in this world.

 “There’s no more chicken?” he asked finally finding his vocal chords.

 “Is there any in the pot?”

“No.”

 “Then no, there’s no more chicken.” Felicia answered not in the mood to placate him or stroke anything on him. His feelings or his ego. His ass could care less if he hurt her baby’s feelings. Why should she give a fuck about his? Keeping in line with their intuitive nature, Dana and Elena picked up on the tenseness that existed between their parents immediately.

 “Why am I not surprised? You’d actually have to count to make sure that you made enough for everyone. That would be asking way too much of you.” He told her as he moved to the pantry to no doubt grab a can of tuna. He was such a waste of skin and bones. Normally Felicia would spare dick. But his dick the female gender could live without.

 “Do we have any paper towels? Where are the paper plates? Did your dumb ass go to the fucking grocery store this weekend?” David asked her in an irritated voice

 
Well looks like there was no time like the present
, Felicia thought to herself.

“So when are you moving out again?”

“What?” David asked Felicia as he was caught completely off guard. Felicia turned to the girls and told them to go their room, she’d be in momentarily to put them to bed. She then turned her body and full attention to face David who was still standing by the pantry door. He looked to be in a somewhat frozen state.

“I asked when you are moving out of my house. You’ve been saying for the past three years you’re moving out. Six months ago, you are moving out. And here we are three and a half years later and you’re still here. So I need to know, when are you moving out? Last month you said six weeks. Does that mean you’re moving out in two weeks?”

 “Look I don’t know where the fuck all this is coming from. Are you on your period or something?”

 “No David I’m not. It’s coming from the fact that you don’t like me just as much as I don’t like you. I’m tired of paying mortgage for a house that I can’t come home to and do what the fuck I want. Want to watch a movie in the living room? Can’t because you’re always in the living room. Want to veg out on the couch and watch television? I can’t, because you sleep in the living room like it’s your bedroom. Want to park in
my
garage? I can’t, because you have two junked up pieces of shit sitting in my garage. Along with all the other shit you’ve collected over the years. I want my house back and that’s not going to happen until you move out. So again, when are you moving out?”

“I’ll be out of here soon enough. Don’t you worry about it! It’ll happen when it happens.”

“As long as it’s within four weeks I’m good with that.” Felicia countered leaving David in the kitchen wearing a dumbfounded expression.

****

It was Wednesday and even though it was hump day for most, Harrison and his workers saw it as just another day. They were there Mon-Sat. Harrison’s first garage the one he was at most of the time. It was located in Glendale and was outfitted to do everything. But the specialization was in restoring classic cars. Harrison’s real first love. For so long he had been busy getting things setup that he’d had little to no time to dedicate to his hobby. It wasn’t until he had opened his fourth chain that he was able to focus fully on restorations. He made exceptions for his family and Felicia.

Everyone else’s vehicles were taken care of by his very capable crew. Harrison’s father Winston usually came by Kincaid’s a couple times a week just to chat with Harrison. Really to see what beauty Harrison was working on or the progress that had been made on it. He came by more if he was on Carolyn’s last nerve. As he often was. Winston had retired eight months ago and they were still trying to get a routine going that fit the both of them. Carolyn has worked from home for the last fifteen years, with little to no interruption. So needless to say they were still getting acclimated to each other.

Harrison couldn’t quell the feeling this was going to be a week where he’d be seeing his father a few more times. Winston made his way to the stand alone garage stall Harrison restored the vintage beauties in.

“Hi Son.” Winston called as he made his way to his usual perch on a cement boulder.

“Hey Pop. Heard I missed you Monday.” Harrison had been short staffed at his garage location in Creve Coeur so he had worked from that location Monday and Tuesday.

“Yup! I also came by on Saturday, but Trey said you’d taken Felicia out to lunch.”

It was all starting to make sense to Harrison now. He’d missed a couple of calls from his mom. He wasn’t avoiding Carolyn, he’d just had a feeling she was on a fishing expedition. Since she hadn’t been able to hook him, she was trying new bait. His dad.

“Hmm yeah. She brought her car in for an oil change and had the girls with her. I didn’t want them to waste a perfect Saturday afternoon in the shop. So we went to the park and hung out.”

Rubbing his chin hair Winston nodded his head.

“I see. Is there anything more here than just two old acquaintances spending time together son?”

“No Pop.”

“I mean not that there would be anything wrong with the two of you getting together. You know Felicia was like another member of the family. She just distanced herself from us after her and Emma put their friendship on hold. But we still love her and those beautiful girls she’s raising. I was just under the impression that she was still with him.”

Emma Kincaid-Ross could not bear to hear anyone utter David Foster’s name. So Winston and Carolyn have become used to referring to David as him. Everyone pretty much knew that Harrison was sweet on Felicia. And everyone was rooting for them including Emma. If Harrison was with Felicia that would mean David would be out of the picture. She’d have her best friend back.

But they were leery too. They didn’t want Harrison to get hurt if Felicia wasn’t able to get up the courage to leave David once and for all. But none of this concerned Harrison. Out of everyone, even though they lived in what most would call a small town city, he saw Felicia the most. Especially of late. And he’d sensed a change in her. A shift in her mood towards David that had never been present before. Had it been, Harrison would have made his move before now.

Sure some would look down their noses on his intent to poach on another man’s woman. But if said man wasn’t appreciative of the woman and hadn’t made her his, Harrison had decided she was fair game for the taking. He didn’t just want Felicia in his bed, with those chocolaty creamy soft thighs wrapped around him. He wanted her for life. As his wife. No one except his brothers Luke and Stone knew of his intentions. They’d taken him out to drown his sorrows after he and Chloe divorced. Somewhere around his twelfth shot or so he’d confessed to them that Felicia would be his one day. Whether or not David was still in the picture.

When he’d found out she was expecting her and David’s second child Elena, he had kicked himself. She should’ve been ripe with his seed. Not that idiots! Harrison’s plan hadn’t changed one iota in all this time. It was kicked into action a couple weeks ago when he’d ran into Felicia at the grocery store. Feeling for the first time that she was open to him, and was just affected by him as he’d always been by her.

Now his plan had an endgame and timeframe. Harrison was done letting life continue to pass them both by. He would do everything in his power to get Felicia to be his.

“She is.”

“Hunh. Well son, all I can do is tell you to be careful. Emotions run high where love is concerned on all sides. Even those you wouldn’t expect.” Winston lectured as he pinned Harrison with a stare that spoke a thousand words.

“I hear you Pop.”

“Alright then. My work here is done. I’m about to meet Jacob for a round or two of golf. Gotta find something to do to stay out of your mother’s hair. That woman can be downright evil if you interrupt her routine. The things you learn about a person when you get to spend all day and night with them, it’s truly amazing.”

“Would you change it if you could?” Harrison couldn’t resist asking.

“Shit no! That woman knows how I like my bread buttered like no other. There’s not another one out there like her. Alright Son, you take care. I’ll be checking on you later.”

“Bye Pop. Tell Mr. Montgomery I said hello.”

Harrison called to his dad’s back. A backhanded wave was the only sign he’d got that his father heard him. Winston had definitely given Harrison some things to think about. Starting with how he was going to let Felicia know with certainty what he wanted. He just had to figure out how to do so without throwing her over his shoulder and kidnapping her for a week or two. That might be a little too much to begin with. He needed something a little more subtle…