More Than A Four Letter Word (25 page)

Raymond shook Julian's hand and welcomed him
to his home, but he gave particular attention to Micah. "Well how
are you doing young man? I put in a specific order for
grandchildren years ago, are you the one I've been waiting
for."

“
Daddy!”

“
Raymond!”

“
What! I asked a legitimate
question. Clarissa’s obviously serious about Julian or she wouldn’t
have brought him home to meet us.

Micah thought about the question while
shaking Raymond's hand. "I think so, is it true that you like to
fish."

"I sure do, would you like to go fishing with
me."

"That would be cool, sir."

"Now if you're going to be my fishing buddy,
I can't have you calling me sir."

"Dad doesn't allow me to call older folks by
their first name."

Raymond winked at Clarissa before turning his
attention back to Micah. He rubbed his chin for a couple of
minutes, and then he snapped his fingers. "Why don't you call me
pops, that's what the children in the neighborhood call me?"

"Okay Pops, you have a deal."

Clarissa watched the developing relationship
between Micah and her father. At that moment, she realized how
badly her father wanted grandchildren. She holds the door open as
everyone moved into the house. Her father helped Julian with the
bags and showed them to their rooms. Aunt Helen walked into the
house, and she pinched Clarissa on her arm.

"I think Julian's a keeper."

"He definitely is Aunt Helen."

***

Clarissa's mother walks in as she's getting
settled in her old bedroom. "I've missed you Clarissa."

"I missed you too Mother." Clarissa is still
shocked by her mother's attitude. She has to get used to this, her
mother never openly showed much affection towards her.

Henrietta shuts the door and sits on the bed.
"Julian and your father seem to be hitting off; he's just the sort
of man I would have picked for you and his adorable son. When you
marry him, you're going to become a wife and momma with one
ceremony."

Clarissa sits on the bed next to her mother.
"What makes you think I'm going to marry Julian?"

"Oh mothers have a way of knowing these
things. I think that Roberta has finally grown up."

"Mother I hope you’re right, but soon as she
puts this cancer scare behind her I’m sure she’ll be up to her old
tricks again. Roberta is never going to grow up."

"Rissa, I think having cancer has turned out
to be a blessing for Roberta. When people face life threatening
events, they usually change for the better. Roberta has changed in
ways I couldn’t believe. She’s more mature and responsible.”

“
Mother I hope you're
right.”

***

Roberta put in an appearance the day before
Father’s Day. Clarissa and Micah went fishing with her father.
Clarissa was putting the fishing equipment away in the mudroom when
she heard voices from the kitchen. Clarissa eased up the stairs and
stood outside the kitchen door listening to Roberta and Julian's
conversation.

"Julian I don't know what Clarissa told you
about me. I'm the reason she ended her engagement to Lawrence Tate.
I lost love and respect of my sister. There is nothing I won't do
to protect her. Mom and Aunt Helen seem to think that you're
serious about Clarissa. I'm only going to say this once if you
marry my sister, you better make her happy."”

"Next to my son, Clarissa is the most
influential person in my life. I don't need you or anyone else to
tell me how to treat my woman."

Clarissa decided that she'd heard enough. She
had to interrupt Julian and Roberta's little discussion before it
turned into a fully fledged argument. "Okay, your voices are
beginning to get a little heated."

Roberta has only spoken with Clarissa twice
since Easter. "How much did you hear of the conversation?"

Clarissa hugged Roberta; maybe her mother was
right about Roberta's change in attitude. "I heard it all, and I
want to thank you for loving me enough to look out for my
interests."

Roberta smiled at the happy couple, before
making a face at Julian. "I guess I'll leave you two alone. See you
be at church tomorrow."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world."

Julian pulled Clarissa into his arms. "This
is the first time we have been alone since we arrive in Orlando. I
think that your family is trying to keep us apart. I promise you,
the next time we come to Orlando we're staying at a hotel."

Clarissa rested her head on Julian's chest."
Are you trying to proposition me in my parents’ house?"

Julian tightened his hold, pulling her closer
to his body. "Do you feel what you're doing to me? If we were
anywhere else, I would strip you naked and be inside you already.
Just my luck your mother or sister would choose to make an
appearance. I honestly don't like the idea of not sharing a room
together."

Clarissa couldn't restrain the giggle that
escaped from her. "I imagine that my mother and father would have a
lot to say about that. We only have to wait one more day, then
we'll be back in Chicago and you can have your wicked way with
me."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

***

Antioch Baptist church is filled to capacity
on Father’s Day. Reverend Coleman pulled out the same sermon he
gives every Father’s Day for the last twenty-five years. However,
in Clarissa's mind, everything is perfect. Her family accepted
Julian and Micah into the family fold.

There's nothing better than Easter Sunday
dinner at her parents' house. Clarissa couldn't think of anything
that could make the day more memorable, but to her surprise Julian
found a way.

After dinner, Julian asked for everyone's
attention. "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but I want to
give Clarissa a gift." Julian pulled a small black box out of his
pocket.

Clarissa is rooted to her chair; she couldn't
believe that Julian is going to ask her to marry him in front of
her whole family. "Julian maybe we should go out on the porch."

"No way, if I take you outside you might say
no." Julian opened the box. Inside the box was a platinum 5-carat
Princess Cut diamond ring. "Clarissa I love you and I know that you
love me and my son. I would be eternally blessed if you would be my
wife."

Clarissa could feel the tears on her cheeks.
When Lawrence asked her to marry him, she just took it as a natural
progression of their relationship. The day she met Julian she
considered him a dangerous man. Now she knows that he was best man,
the only man she will ever marry.

"Oh Julian, I waited a long time to hear you
say that. Yes, yes, yes I'll marry you." Julian grabbed Clarissa's
left hand and slid the ring on the appropriate finger. Julian
kissed her like a hungry man who hasn't eaten food in two
weeks.

Clarissa and Julian were so caught up in each
other they seemed to forget that her family is present until
everyone begins to congratulate them. Clarissa's mother, sister,
and aunt were shedding happy tears. Clarissa could have sworn that
her father's eyes looked a little misty too.

Micah threw himself into Clarissa's arms.
"Rissa, after you marry Dad will it be okay if I call you Mom?"

"Nothing would please me more." If Clarissa
lived to be one hundred, she would always treasure the memory of
this Father’s Day.

***

Two weeks after their trip to Orlando, Julian
pushed and pushed until he finally got Clarissa to set a date for
their wedding. He wanted to marry Clarissa immediately and saw no
reason to wait. The wedding was scheduled for the first Saturday in
August. They put their wedding announcement in the Chicago
newspapers, picked out rings and sent out wedding invitations.

Now all Clarissa had to do was find a wedding
dress for herself, a bridesmaid's dress for Roberta, and a matron
of honor dress for Alison. The wedding will be held at Julian's
house, with the reception immediately following in the garden. They
would be married in front of a small gathering of friends and
family. Clarissa sighed to herself, in less than a month she would
become Mrs. Clarissa Ross.

A sense of déjà vu became present in
Clarissa's mind; she remembered that same euphoria she felt about
becoming Mrs. Lawrence Tate. Then disaster struck and ruined all
her wedding plans. This time things would be different, for she
knew without any doubt that Julian loved her and this time nothing
would stand in her way.

***

Clarissa finished her morning jog and in the
process of picking up her mail when she notices the new security
guard sitting at the front desk. She grabs her mail out of the
mailbox and heads over to the front desk. "Excuse me, my name is
Clarissa Marks, and I live on the fifth floor. Are you new to this
job or are you covering for Eddie?"

"My name is Norman. Eddie has been injured in
an accident, and I've been called in to take over for him until he
recovers."

"Is Eddie going to be okay?" Clarissa liked
Eddie, the first time she met him, he seemed to be aloof and rude.
As she learned more about him, she realized that Eddie's bark is
worse than his bite.

"I really don't know what his condition is;
I'm just here to cover for him until he recovers."

"Thank you." Clarissa couldn't be sure, but
Norman the security guard reminded her of someone. Oh well,
Clarissa didn't have time to dwell on it, her wedding is in two
weeks, and she still has to finalize some arrangements. Clarissa
flips through her mail as she walks towards the elevator. Most of
her mail is bills or advertising; however, there is one envelope
with no return address on it. Clarissa couldn't wait until she
reached her condominium before opening the envelope. The envelope
contained a letter and some newspaper clippings.

The letter is particularly nasty and abrupt.
It said, “Every woman in Julian Morgan's life has died a horrible
death." Clarissa is so intent on reading the letter that she barely
remembered getting on the elevator. She takes out the newspaper
clippings and read them. The first one was about Tanya Dresser, a
teenage girl who died in a car wreck. The second newspaper clipping
really gets Clarissa's attention. Woman murdered in her home. Her
husband Julian Ross was taken into police custody for questioning.
Their child was found unharmed in his crib.

Clarissa unlocked her door, walked into her
condominium and finished reading the clipping about Julian's wife.
Julian was taken in for questioning, but he was released after the
police verified his story. Clarissa was thunderstruck as she sat on
her sofa and re-read both clippings. She still didn't understand
the significance of the first clipping. Who's Tanya Dresser? What
was she to Julian?

Clarissa is going to get to the bottom of
this; someone wanted break up her and Julian. After taking a quick
shower, Clarissa dressed hurriedly without taking the time to put
on any makeup. Julian is working at the office today, so she would
drop by and ask him about Tanya Dresser, the teenage girl killed in
a car wreck over sixteen years ago.

***

When Clarissa reached the office, Julian's
office light is on, but there'd no sign of Julian. Clarissa decided
to catch him later when she hears voices coming from the break
room. To Clarissa chagrin, Julian is sitting at one of the tables
drinking coffee talking to Karen Nash. Karen looked beautiful as
usual, and Julian seemed to be enthralled by her stimulating
conversation. What in the hell is she doing here, especially on a
Saturday? Julian didn’t mention meeting Karen this weekend and why
were they sitting in the break room of all places.

She isn’t walking away until she finds out
what's going on. “Excuse me Julian I didn’t know you were meeting
with Karen today.”

Julian didn’t know why, but he feels guilty
for keeping the meeting secret from Clarissa. “Hey sweetheart Karen
and I were just discussing a little business before she leaves for
New York.”

Clarissa’s begins to understand at once;
Julian is trying to protect her and he didn’t want to meet with
Karen in the intimacy of his office. “Okay, I need you to stop by
my place later, there’s something urgent I need to discuss with
you”. Before Julian could answer, Karen cut him off.

“
Really Julian I don’t have
time to sit around while you pacify your pet."

Clarissa isn’t taking any crap from this
trick. Clarissa put her arm around Julian's shoulder making sure
Karen could see her engagement ring. “While I may let Julian pet me
from time to time, I will never be his pet. In case you didn't
know, I am going to be his wife in a couple of weeks.” She could
tell by the shock on Karen’s face that her barb hit home. “We would
have invited you, but the ceremony is only for close friends and
relatives. See you later baby!” She kissed Julian and strutted out
of the break room.

While she trusted Julian with Karen, she
didn’t like the fact that he kept her in the dark about the
meeting. She didn’t believe for one minute that he was planning a
secret rendezvous with that vicious little cat, but situations like
this have severed many engagements.

Clarissa didn't go straight home she knew
that Julian would make a beeline for her condo as soon as his
meeting with Karen is over, but she didn’t want to see him right
now. Clarissa decided to go to the Field Museum, which is the one
place Julian wouldn't think to look for her. She makes a right onto
Lake Shore Drive, and a car ran through the red light and hit
Clarissa' car. Clarissa feels something running down the side of
her face before she blacked out.

***

Julian is excited about the new project Karen
Nash recommended for his company, but he's eager to see Clarissa.
She put on a good front, but he could tell by the fire in her eyes
that she's pissed. He walked Karen to her car and waved good-bye to
her, he hoped everything worked out for her in New York. All
thoughts of Karen slipped away as he headed for his car. He pulled
out of the parking lot when his cell phone rang. Who could be
calling him on a Saturday? "Hello."