Broken (Endurance) (21 page)

"Baby, I’m not mad at you," Mei said leaning into his embrace.

"Renee is riding my nerves, too."

"Yeah?"

"Is it something else?"

"Is that a bed?" Mei pulled away from him and turned to the queen sized bed in a corner of the room.

"Yeah, that’s what Renee was talking to me about. While we were at the beach, maintenance delivered beds for everyone. All the couples and families got queen sized beds and cribs for infants, and the other students got the regular twin beds."

"Nice," Mei said lying on the bed.

Max crawled over her. "So does this mean I can get a reward?" He leaned down to kiss her.

Mei smiled. "I guess so."

"Mommy!" Uriel cried and stood up in the crib.

"No, no, no," Max said, rolling over onto his back.

Mei laughed as she got up to get Uriel. She picked him up out of the crib talking to him gently.

"Max, his food?"

"I think you like him more than me."

"Your
daddy is silly," Mei said to Uriel who laughed as if he understood.

Max walked over to them with a small bowl of food for his son. "I think he's going to just want a bottle. He still looks tired." He looked at Uriel who was rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"I think you’re right."

"I'll go heat up some water and make him a bottle and be right back." Max walked outside to the outdoor kitchen and lit the barbeque before setting a pot of fresh water on the flame. When Uriel’s bottle was ready he walked back in the hut to see Mei and Uriel passed out on the bed.

He groaned and walked up to the bed.

Mei woke up and looked at him with tired eyes. "Hey, got it?"

"Yeah." Max sat on the other side of Uriel.

Mei picked Uriel up, coaxing him to wakefulness.  She didn't want him to get sick. She took the bottle from Max and placed it in Uriel’s mouth.  He latched on and began sucking down formula. "He is so tired." Mei smiled.

"So are you," Max said, gently pushing her hair away from her face.

Uriel drank most of his bottle before falling into a deep sleep. Mei handed the bottle to Max and carefully stood to walk over to the crib. She placed Uriel in the crib, careful not to wake him. She tiptoed away from the crib while Max began to put sheets on the bed.

His back was to Mei and she sneaked up on him, gliding her arms around his stomach, smiling at the feel of his abs under her fingertips. "You are one sexy guy. No wonder every girl here is going psycho over you."

Max turned around and smiled at her.  "Too bad for them, I can only see you." He held her, his hands roaming over her back. "You were really upset when you came back. Are you sure nothing else bothered you?"

"I'm fine. It's nothing." Mei stepped back to finish making the bed.

"Mrs. Martinez."

Mei blushed. She loved being called Mrs. Martinez. "What, Mr. Martinez?"

Max chuckled as he walked up to her, pulling the string of her bikini top. Mei gasped as she grabbed her breasts. Max smiled seductively as he pulled the strings on either side of her bikini bottom. He picked her up and threw her on the bed.

Mei moved further back on the bed as she watched Max undress. He crawled on top of her kissing her from her knees to her lips. He slowly spread her legs apart and Mei groaned as Max kissed her neck.

"What did I tell you about groaning?" he whispered. His voice seemed deeper than usual. 

Mei trembled with desire as Max made love to her.

In the morning they awoke entangled in each other’s arms. Max smiled as he held onto his naked wife.

"Good morning," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Morning."

"I’ve missed waking up next to you."

"I should get breakfast going while the baby is sleeping." Mei tried to get up, but Max held her down.

"Just five more minutes." He kissed her.

"Max, stop before you get something started again."

"Like what?"

"You know what."

Uriel woke up and sluggishly stood in his crib, making use of the side bars to help him to his feet. With his pacifier in his mouth, he yelled for his mother. Mei got out of bed, taking the sheets with her. She wrapped the sheets around her as she walked towards Uriel's crib.

Still naked, Max sat up and he searched for his boxers. The front door flew open and Renee burst through holding a tray of food. Max scrambled to grab a pillow to cover himself while Mei stared at Renee as if she were a lunatic. Renee had her eyes on Max as she stood frozen by the entrance.

"Are you crazy?" Mei yelled.

"I’m… I’m sorry." Renee set the breakfast tray on the table by the door and left.

"Max!" Mei yelled turning to him.

"I know.  We need a lock."

"Oh, she did that on purpose. Well I hope she got a good view ‘cause it will be her last."

"I feel so.... violated."

Mei was too angry to even hear Max. "What is it with her? She is freaking obsessed with you."

"Mei, she didn't know."

"That’s why you knock. We could have been doing something else."

"I wish we were," Max mumbled.

"Max, this is not a joke."

Max stood up, found his boxers, and put on his jeans and T-shirt. "I'll go talk to her."

"No, I don't want you around her. Last night she was creating a scene. I don't like that girl. Something is wrong with her. She wants what isn't hers."

Max walked up to Mei and hugged her. "I will make breakfast then put a lock on that door."

"You better."

"Spicy, just how I like it," he said, kissing her neck.

Max grabbed the tray and went outside to cook breakfast.

Renee was waiting for him. When she saw Max she approached him to apologize.

"Look, Renee, don't ever come to my hut and think you can just walk in. Actually, I would appreciate it if you would just keep your distance from me." Max spoke before she could say anything.

Tears flooded her eyes and she ran off crying. Max felt bad. He didn't mean to make her cry, but he was angry about what had happened. He started cooking breakfast when his friend Samuel walked by. Max was surprised to see him there and waved him over.

"Hey, what's up, man?" Max greeted.

"Nothing, just hanging out. How's the family life?"

"Good, I would introduce you to Mei, but she is really busy right now. You should come by later. We can hang out."

"Yeah, I'll see. I got some studying to do... so I don't know," Samuel said. Truth was he didn't want Mei to know he was friends with her husband. "I better go. I'll talk to you later."

"All right."

Max was happy it was Saturday. He could relax a little, though he still had things to build around the hut. However, he was happy he didn't have any classes. After cooking breakfast, which consisted of eggs, bacon and pancakes, he served it to his family. Mei was still sporting the white sheet and holding Uriel.

"I thought you would have dressed by now." He placed the plates on the table.

"Max, I think he's sick." Mei walked over to him.

"What?" Max felt his son’s forehead and neck. He did feel hot. "Let me take him while you dress. After breakfast we'll take him to the clinic."

Uriel fussed and whined while he tried to rub his ear.

"Max, I think he has an ear infection."

Property

It was nine in the morning and Makayla still lay in bed with her left hand outstretched as she admired her engagement ring. It was beautiful. She turned onto her side, happy to learn that her father had approved.  It was mainly because Tamarius was the first man to ask him for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Fa was so old fashion and appreciated the respect he was shown by Tamarius.

Makayla stretched and pulled the sheets off. Today Tamarius and she planned to walk over to the children's home and begin renovating it. She started feeling sick and figured she had eaten something bad the night before, but couldn't think of anything. She sat up in bed holding her stomach. Her skin became clammy as she fought the urge to vomit.

Tamarius knocked on her door. When she didn't answer he opened the door. He became concerned as he took in the sickly green tinge of her complexion.  "Kay, what's wrong?" He set a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," Makayla said, finally taking a breath. "I think I just need to eat." She took a hold of Tamarius’ hand and let him help her to her feet.

"You don't look so good," he said, brushing her hair back with his hand. "Do you want me to carry you to the breakfast table?" He smiled.

"No, I can walk. Just give me a minute, or can you bring me some tea?"

"Sure." He left the room and returned a few minutes later with her mother and a hot cup of tea.

"Kay, how you feeling, love?" Coretta asked.

"I don't know, Mom."

"Tamarius, I need to speak to Kay alone."

"Oh, no problem." Tamarius put down the tea and left the room.

"Kay, did you ever take a pregnancy test?"

"I can't be," Makayla replied.

"I’ll be right back." Coretta left the room to find Tia.

Tia always stored boxes of pregnancy tests for the teenagers that came through the children's home. Coretta remembered that Tia kept a few boxes in her room after many tests went missing a few months ago. Finding Tia she told her what was going on with Makayla. Tia found the tests and brought one to Makayla. The three of them stood around the test stick waiting for the results. It was the longest three minutes of their lives. The test finally showed the results. She was not pregnant.

"Thank God!" Makayla yelled, trying to appear relieved. It depressed her deep down. She would love to have a child of her own, especially with the man that she loved.

"Well, at least you won't have to worry about getting into your wedding dress," Tia stated.

Makayla picked up the test and threw it away. "Yeah, it would just be bad timing." She returned to her room to get dressed.

"Mom, she don't look happy about it," Tia said to her aunt.

"I can see that," Coretta agreed.

In her room, Makayla locked the door and crawled into her bed to cry. Half an hour later she heard a tap on the door.

"Do you feel better?" Tamarius asked through the door.

"I’m… yeah, yeah I'll be ready in a second." She jumped out of bed.

"It's okay. Take your time," he said.

"Thanks," Makayla said, sitting back down.

"Sure, you’re all right?" Tamarius sensed she was upset about something.  Using his abilities he tried to figure out what was upsetting her.