Broken (Endurance) (53 page)

"Ah, poor Unk." Mei climbed off the examination table.

"Who did your uncle marry?"

"My cousin. Her name is Makayla," Mei answered.

"Well, that Makayla must be one heck of a woman."

Max and Mei smiled at the doctor, still in shock over what they’d just heard. Max picked up his son and looked at his wife who was talking with the doctor about her next visit. When they finished, Max held the door open for his wife.

Mei smiled at Max. "Can you believe it?"

"It's crazy and it explains so much," Max said.

"It really does."

"I’m speechless. I thought that man told me everything." Max laughed.

"It's sad he loved her, but she couldn't love him."

"He didn't love her enough. Why didn't he go after her?" Max questioned. "If she was willing to almost kill herself to get rid of his kid, she couldn't have really loved him," Max added.

"Well, we don't know why she did what she did. Really, this is all just hearsay," Mei said in Natasha's defense.

"True and we will never know... I wish she was still around. She could have helped us find him now."

"Well, she wasn't so good at it. She got herself sucked up and couldn't return."

"Right," Max agreed. "Enough about them. Let’s do something."

"I want to see Dad," Mei said, remembering she wanted to ask him for a favor.

"Yeah, let's go see Grandpa," Max said to his son who cheered loudly. Uriel loved his grandpa and had him wrapped around his finger.

Forty-five minutes later they arrived at the family's vacation home. Max used his key to enter the house and loudly announced their presence.   He knew Maxwell and Cressida were still staying while the mansion was in repair and didn’t want to barge in unannounced.

Cressida came out and snatched Uriel from Max's arms while giving Max a kiss on the cheek. She hugged Mei and gave her belly a quick rub. Maxwell walked out with his cell phone attached to his head and greeted his son and daughter-in-law with a hug and kiss. Seeing his grandson he rushed off of the phone. He was eager to hold him and play with him.

"Shouldn't Mom and Dad be in class?" Maxwell questioned as he tickled Uriel. "Is this what they do behind Grandpa's back?"

Uriel smiled and shook his head.

Maxwell laughed and hugged him. "I believe you."

"Dad, can I talk to you privately?" Mei asked.

"First, we want to announce something." Maxwell stood next to Cressida who was blushing. Maxwell put Uriel down so he could run around. "We have decided to start a family."

Mei screamed and ran to Cressida, hugging her. "Are you pregnant now?" Mei asked, excited by the news.

"No, not yet. We just decided this morning," Cressida answered.

Max smirked at his father and Maxwell smiled back at his son. "Go ahead and say it. Just get it out of your system," Maxwell said, knowing Max had some sort of sarcastic response.

"Do you think it still works?" Max was unable to hold his laughter in any longer.

Maxwell bolted after his son. Max took off and ran out to the beach, laughing. To his surprise his father caught up to him and tackled him to the ground. They laughed as Maxwell punched him in the shoulder. Max was breathless and couldn't stop laughing. Maxwell threw himself back, laughing. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time and it felt good to be laughing next to his son. Maxwell stood up, still smiling over his son's comment.

"Dad, help me up?" Max asked, putting up his hand.

"Who’s too old now?" Maxwell joked.

"Ah, Dad, I think it's great, really," Max said as his father helped him. "Today with all that science has to offer..."

Maxwell began choking Max playfully as Max fell to his knees laughing. Mei and Cressida approached laughing at both of them.

"Kill him, he deserves it," Mei said.

"Yeah, we can just make a new one," Cressida joked.

"You’re right. I should just start all over." Maxwell laughed.

Max was still laughing when Maxwell released his neck. "My own wife and stepmother… You all know you can't replace this." Max spread out his arms. "Right, Mei?"

Mei shook her head and turned to face her father-in-law. "Dad, congratulation," Mei said as she offered him a big hug.

"Thank you, princess." Maxwell gave her an affectionate squeeze.

"Princess? I hope Cressida has a girl." Max laughed. "Princess?" he repeated, walking away to check on his son.

"Don't worry you will always be my princess," Maxwell assured Mei.

"Dad, I wanted to ask you if Cora could come out to this college next year."

"Cora?" Maxwell looked down at Mei. "Sure, anything for my princess. I'll have to pull some strings, but I know her father will be all for it. He used to go here."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Maxwell stepped over to his wife and pulled her close to him. "We were roommates."

"But, Cora is so…" Mei began.

"When her father married her mother she wasn't like us and he feared she wouldn't understand, so he hid it from her. Jasmine and Cora think he graduated from Princeton."

"Princeton?" Cressida said. "That’s where my brother graduated from."

"Yeah, my dad set up some sort of system with the top ten colleges in the states. When Mei and Max graduate their diploma will have one of the top ten colleges on it. So that way this school remains unknown," Maxwell informed them.

"Shoot, I want mine to say Princeton," Mei smiled.

"Whatever you want."

Mei smiled as she looked up at her father-in-law. "Oh, Dad, don't tell Max. I don't want him to know."

"About Cora?"

"Yeah, you too, Cressida."

"Scout’s honor." Cressida smiled.

"Okay, it will be our secret." Maxwell smiled.

"Mei!" Max called from the patio. "Come and see what your son is doing."

They all came into the living room where Uriel was sitting. All of his toys were spread out around him, hovering. "Oh, my... goodness," Cressida gasped.

"Are you sure you can handle having one of us?" Max questioned, turning to Cressida who was dumbfounded.

"Max, he's only two..."

"Max was about the same age." Maxwell stepped next to Cressida. "Hey, this was one of the things I was explaining to you. Does it scare you?" he whispered to her as Max and Mei proudly watched their son.

"It's strange, but my mind is so open now. I never knew things like this were possible. I have seen so much... my own father.... Oh, Maxwell, would our children be tainted because of my father?"

"Your mother's heart is what saved you and your future offspring from your father... Don't worry. I just want to know that this crazy life won't send you packing." Maxwell hugged her.

"It's crazy, but it feels right to me... and… I cannot explain it."

Maxwell kissed his wife while Max and Mei cheered on their son, encouraging him to do more.

For the first time in a long time they laughed and played together without crying over Tamarius and Makayla.

***

Charleston Dash stared at the picture of Cressida that sat atop his desk. He was infuriated by the turn of events. Charleston looked at his left arm. He was lucky he’d made it to the hospital in time.  They’d been able to save his arm. However, he would not be able to use it properly for some time.

He was determined to get his revenge on the entire Martinez family, including his very own daughter. He did not take losing well and couldn't stand the thought of his daughter being married to Maxwell.

"What are we going to do!" yelled Blake as he slammed his fist on Charleston's desk and knocking Cressida's picture across the room.

"Calm down, this is an office. I have clients and associates walking up and down these halls. They could hear you," Charleston said under his breath.

"I want my wife."

"That contract was broken."

"She is still my wife. You promised me."

"I signed a contract that is now broken."

"That's not my fault."

"Right, you’re an angel." Charleston stood up behind his desk.

"I'm not giving up. I don't care. You made me wait for years... years. I waited for her."

"And my daughter was worth every year you had to wait," Charleston growled.

"Your daughter? Look you’re no different from me. So Master allowed you to come here and play human... you’re still a demon," Blake remarked as he glowered at Charleston.

"Shut up. I don't need you coming around here messing things up for me." Charleston stepped closer and stood face to face with him.

"Children, children, stop fighting." Satan appeared, each hand on the back of their necks.

"He started it," Charleston growled, pointing at Blake.

"And I’m gonna finish it," Blake growled back.

Satan rolled his eyes and slammed their heads into one another. Both men fell back and groaned with pain. Satan stood and watched as he waited for them to regain there composure. "Since you fools are too stupid to perform a simple task, I’ve sent your brother in to get the job done."

Both men abruptly got to their feet and faced Satan, their father. "Damian?" They both yelled.

"That twerp," Charleston snarled.

"What good could pretty boy do that we couldn't?" Blake snapped.

"Your job," Satan replied.

"He's in my territory," Charleston yelled.

"I decide who is in what territory, not you!" Satan yelled in Charleston's face, causing the floors and walls to vibrate.

"Yes," Charleston said, cowering as he averted his eyes and stared at the floor.

"Yes, what?" Satan glared at him and showed his razor sharp teeth.

"Father," Charleston whimpered.

"And, don't you forget it." Satan stepped back and looked at his sons "Useless… both of you are a waste of my time. We are running out of time. The more children those rabbits have, the harder it will be for my chosen to take over this earth!" he yelled.

Satan walked over to Blake.  He stood in front of him as Blake kept his head down. "You failed. Cressida was supposed to bring into this world the anti-Christ. Now I have to find some other woman. You know how hard it is to find a woman who would be capable of raising such a child?"

"It's can't be that hard. The Martinez seem to know where to look," Blake answered.

Enraged by the remark, Satan slapped him to the floor. "She has to doubt God! I need that seed to be there so that I can turn her. Cressida had that seed and now because of you fools she is a firm believer."

"It wasn't our intention. Her mother insisted the whole family go to church," Charleston said in defense.