If I'd Only Known (Milan Women Series Book 1) (28 page)

Accepting
the money with a genuine smile, Sherrington said, “No problem, boss, that’s
what you pay me for. Besides, Imani is an angel, so that makes it all the more worthwhile.”

Grinning,
Barrington agreed, “That she is.”

Imani
started to cry.

“There’s
still another bottle of breast milk in the fridge,” Sherrington volunteered as
she walked out the door.

“I’ll
go to her,” Perri said, grateful for the escape.

“Are
you sure, Perri? I can get her if you wanna take a shower or something”

I
know this man don’t actually think he’s getting some tonight
.
Perri swallowed back a curse. “I got her, Barrington, so you can go grab a
shower.”
A cold one
. “Besides, I need to let down, my breast are full
tonight.” It was true, though she would have said anything to buy some time
from dealing with him any more on this here particular night. She quickly left
the room before he could say another word.

I
guess making love is out of the question
, Barrington thought
watching her flee the living room like a scared straight student eager to
escape the principal’s watchful eyes. He decided it was just as well, knowing
he wouldn’t feel the love on Perri’s part considering the disastrous evening
they just had together. In spite of being upset with Perri, Barrington loved
her like no other and wanted badly to make love to his wife tonight. Sighing,
he marveled at the differences God made between the two sexes that ruled the
world. Considering his own ordeal, he realized a man was always ready for sex,
no matter what other issues he and his woman might have withstanding between
them. A woman, however, had to 'feel up to it' before she would do it. He
chuckled in spite of himself. Loosening his tie, Barrington headed for their
bedroom with every intention of taking a shower.
An extremely cold one
.

***

Barrington
shifted positions causing him to rouse from sleep. Glancing at the clock radio,
he realized he must have dozed off within the two hours he’d been waiting up
for Perri to come to bed. He was going to apologize to her but reconsidered
when he started thinking she purposely didn’t join him in their bedroom . . .
probably thinking he was going to try and jump her bones. “You wish,” he
muttered to her empty spot, rising to his feet.

He
thought he’d find her holed up in Imani’s room and he was right. She’d pulled
out the daybed and was sound asleep when he pushed the door to Imani’s room
open. “Figures,” he said a tad irritated Perri didn’t bother to let him know
she wouldn’t be sleeping in their bed tonight. Barrington sighed heavily and
turned to leave, then stopped himself. “I’m not gonna let you off the hook that
easy. Not this time, Perri,” he vowed walking into the room.

***

Perri
stirred in her sleep causing her to fully awake. “Imani, I can’t believe you
slept through the entire night without waking up,” she whispered with a smile
before opening her eyes.

“What
the heck!” Perri jumped up, looking around her surroundings, realizing she was
in her bedroom.
No he did not
! She couldn’t believe him. Then again, it
was Barrington. “Well, we’ll just see about this bull crap,” she fussed to the
room, swinging her legs over the bed onto the floor, pushing herself up.

“Barrington
Rashaad Knight, you . . .

The
words died in her throat. Perri smiled in spite of her anger. Barrington was asleep
on the daybed with Imani sleeping on top of his chest; it was the perfect
picture to jumpstart her morning and her heart, which was now swollen full of
unconditional love for her man. “Look at my two babies,” she cooed. “Did I just
say that?”

“Yes,
you did, I heard you,” came Barrington’s easy reply.

Forgetting
the fact that she was outdone with him, she said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
wake you.” Walking in the room, Perri took a seat at the foot of the daybed.
Smiling, she patted Imani’s bottom which was tooted up in the air. She was so
cute.

“Oh
yeah you did, don’t lie now. You yelled my entire name loud enough to wake the
drowsy graveyard shift.”

They
shared a laugh.

“Sorry.”

“No
you’re not. You came in here fully prepared to chew me out a new one, ripping
me a new butt hole in the process. Didn’t you, baby?” Barrington winked.

Perri
lowered her gaze feeling exposed and chastised.

“Don’t
sweat it, Perri; I’m not mad at you. Not anymore. I just wanted to show you how
it feels to be excluded from the lives of both your spouse and your child.”

Feeling
the heat rise to her cheeks she could only shrug.

“So
what time is it anyway?” Barrington asked.

“About
9:40.”

Barrington
grinned. “You know what this means, right?”

She
shook her head. “What?”

“Our
girl didn't wake up once all night.” He laughed amused. “I got to be the first
to experience this milestone with her,” he bragged.

Perri
smiled affectionately at him. “Yeah . . . you were, pop.”

Barrington
kissed Imani’s forehead, she stirred but didn’t wake up. “Daddy’s little girl.
My sweet Cupcake,” he announced to no one in particular.

Even
without him saying it, Perri could tell it really meant a lot to Barrington
being the first to share something huge in Imani's life. She wouldn’t begrudge
him his moment as the leading role in their daughter’s life. She had to admit
he’d definitely earned it and deserved it more than her. Not that it was a
contest, mind you.

Standing,
she announced, “I’ll start breakfast. Meet you downstairs,” and pecked the back
of Imani's head and her husband's forehead before leaving father and
daughter—soul playmates, alone. Her heart was full.

“My
cup runneth over,” Perri whispered brushing happy tears from her eyes the
moment she stepped foot in the kitchen. Moments later, she felt familiar arms
encircle her waist.

Hugging
her tightly to his chest, Barrington said, “Don’t cry, sweet Perri. I wasn’t
trying to take anything from you. I swear.”

Turning
in the circle of his arms, she snuggled against his bare chest. “It’s not
that.” Perri looked up into his eyes. “I’m truly happy for you, Barrington.”
Rising on tiptoe, she kissed his lips softly at first, once, twice. Then
feeling a wave of desire sweep through her body, she boldly deepened the kiss,
surprising them both; however, she didn’t have to demand too hard because
Barrington fully gave himself to her just like always. In that instant, she
couldn’t have loved him more, but somehow, she did, the advantage and pleasure,
all hers.

“I
love you, Barrington Rashaad Knight.”

Grinning,
he lovingly framed her face. “Sweet Perri, I love you.”

Barrington
took possession of Perri's mouth and this time, as his tongue led the way, her
tongue followed, creating a soul-stirring, passionate kiss filled to the brim
and running over with pure love. Before she knew what was happening, Barrington
had carried her over to the table, took a seat in the chair positioning her on
his lap so that she was straddling him.

He
broke their kiss long enough to declare, “Perri Tania Milan Knight, my wife, I
love you for life. I need you, baby, and I want to look at you as I make love
with you and to you.” Before she could speak, he captured her lips again.
Again, her tongue followed his tongue wherever it led, initiating a wonderful
challenge of tongue-of-war, the advantage belonging to them both. Together,
Barrington and Perri made sweet love and this time was more beautiful than any
other, as his seed entered her garden, firmly rooting, grounding, and settling
itself in her womb.

“Barrington,”
Perri whispered, spent after giving herself fully to him, “my heart is so full
of love for you, my cup runneth over, darling. My cup runneth over.”

Tightly
wrapped up in a sweet embrace, they cuddled until their daughter woke up
crying, which was exactly an hour later.

“What's
up with the Milan women, Usher?” Barrington asked his brother-in-law.

Laughing,
Usher stated, “That's a loaded question, man.” He pointedly glanced at his
watch. “How much time you got to spare because the answers could take half the
night?”

Barrington
grinned, asking, “That bad, huh?”

Usher
shrugged. “Umm, depends on whose eyes you’re looking through.”

“Tell
me about them through your eyes then.”

“Well,
let's see.” Usher thought a moment then continued. “Perri's the tough one; but
she's all heart, honestly.” He cocked his head. “But hey, I don't have to tell
you that.”

“Barrington
grinned. “No, you don't. But I am puzzled,” he admitted. “Those three sisters,
they're close but they're so completely different.”

“Of
course they are. You just have to get used to them, once you know them, that
is.” Usher beamed before commenting, “Hunter, while she's the first to open her
heart up to you, Tyler, she’s the first to give you the benefit of the doubt,
and Perri, well, she's the first to give you the shirt off her back if she
thinks it'll ease your pain.”

“Yeah,”
Barrington agreed, “Perri's special like that.” He smiled proudly.

***

Barrington
watched the Milan women interact with one another. They’d been poking fun at
each other all day long. “You people are not well.” Barrington laughed.

“Well,
it’s too late now,” Mattie told him. “You’ve done said ‘I do’ so like it or
not, you in this crazy family, too.”

 Barrington
wrapped his arms around Perri’s waist, pulling her close to his chest. “I wouldn’t
have it any other way, Ms. Mattie.” He kissed his wife’s neck as she rested her
weight against him, folding her arms over his.

“Wouldn’t
matter if you did, son,” Mattie continued with a mischievous half smile. “You
can’t handle us Milan women when we band together.”

“That’s
right,” Hunter said, looking at her husband. “Ask Usher, he know all about
that. Don’t you, baby?” She kissed his lips tenderly.

“Oh,
I’m gonna be sick,” Tyler made a gagging motion with her hands.

Mattie
looked at her youngest granddaughter, “You just hush, child. Your day coming
when the love bug bite you in your flat booty, too,” she said as a matter of
fact.

Everybody
laughed, including Tyler.

“Madear
. . .” Tyler whined as she touched the seat of her pants.

“What,
girl? Don’t get new just because the truth embarrasses you. You know good and
darn well I’d have to go down to that school for a parent and teacher
conference on a monthly basis because them raggedy kids used to call you ‘big
gut, no butt.’”

Barrington
fell back on the couch taking Perri with him as she tumbled sideways while he
laughed himself silly. “Say it isn’t so . . .” he managed to get out and
laughed even harder.

“It
is so, too,” Mattie said. “That’s why I had to be down at that school about
twice a week.”

“Madear,”
all three of her granddaughters said.

“Ms.
Mattie, I thought you said it was once a month?” Usher said, trying to control
his laughter.

“Hush,
boy. I know you know it’s disrespectful to correct your elders, especially when
you don’t even know what you talking about. I said I was down there on a
monthly basis the first time, but I didn’t say how many times in that one
month. I’m not crazy. You might think I am but I’m not. That’s why I remember I
was down there twice a week because Hunter, Perri, and Tyler would’ve done
gotten into a squabble or a fight because those mannish kids were picking on my
baby. So see, Usher, you talk what you know and know what you talking about
before you try and dispute it.”

Everyone
was in tears laughing so hard.

“Yes
Ma’am, Ms. Mattie,” Usher saluted her.

Mattie
laughed. “Oh, boy, forget you.”

Barrington
looked at his youngest sister-in-law. “So when’d you lose the gut and gain the
butt, Tyler?” He broke out laughing again.

Tyler
tossed a throw pillow at him. “Shut up, Barrington,” she laughed too.

Perri
shoved his rib with her elbow, “Don’t be laughing at my sister.”

“I
know that’s right.” Hunter looked from her husband to her brother-in-law, “You
about to make us show you how it was back at the ole school.” She was dead serious.

“See
what you got started, Ms. Mattie,” Barrington playfully accused.

“Started
nothing,” Mattie quipped. “All I did was told you all the truth. Besides, I did
tell y’all how protective my babies are of each other, so don’t be blaming me
because you were just foolish enough to see for yourself.”

“That’s
right,” Perri kissed Barrington on the cheek.

“Hey,
hey, hey,” Tyler interrupted. “Don’t be fraternizing with the enemy, Perri.”

Barrington
tossed her a playful dirty look. “Um, little sister, how about you mind your
business.”

“My
sister is my business, big brother.”

“She
may be your sister but she’s my wife and I got the leading role in her life.”
Looking at his wife Barrington said, “And we trying to make love not war.”

“That’s
what I’m talking about,” Usher piped in.

Both
Barrington and Usher looked back at Tyler. “So peace,” they said in unison and
made the sign with their hands.

Everybody
laughed. Imani started babbling like she was trying to get her say in, too.

“That’s
right, Cupcake.” Barrington picked up his daughter. “You take up for your daddy
even if mommy does leave him hanging.”

“Hey,”
Perri cut her eyes at him.

Barrington
kissed her lips and whispered something in her ear that caused his wife to
giggle. He softly kissed her lips again as Imani squealed in delight.”

“Hey,”
Mattie said. “Y’all aren’t over there being mannish are you?”

“Ms.
Mattie, there are some things a husband and wife have to keep between them.”

Mattie
chuckled. “Keep it to yourself then, son. I don’t even wanna imagine what that
husband had to say to his wife.” She laughed.

“Nah,
you don’t have to imagine, Ms. Mattie,” Barrington teased. “Like you said, you
aren’t crazy, so you know what goes on between a husband and wife behind closed
doors. I mean—”

“Boy,
hush!” Mattie scolded. “That’s my granddaughter whose business you putting on
front street. Now, true enough, she may be your wife. But she was my baby
before she became your woman. And there are just some things a mama doesn’t
wanna think about her girls doing.”

Unable
to look anybody in the eye Perri could only lower her gaze as everyone else
laughed.

“And
when little Miss Imani over there gets grown and gone, you’ll see exactly what
I mean,” Mattie went on to say.

Barrington
grew serious, “Nuh-un, no way, no how, Ms. Mattie,” he disagreed. “I’m gonna
keep her on permanent lockdown till she turn twenty-seven.”

“Boy,
please,” Mattie complained, “what kind of foolishness you talking about?”

“I’m
serious, Ms. Mattie. Imani gonna be on house-arrest from age twelve to twenty-six,”
Barrington said serious as all getup.

“House
arrest? Lockdown? Boy, what kind of mess are you tripping on?” Mattie planted
her hand on her hip. “And why weren’t you singing that same tune when you and
Perri were out yonder having big fun making my grandbaby?”

“Madear!”
Perri’s face was a flaming fire. “That’s not funny, Barrington.”

“What,
child? I’m just saying.” She turned to Barrington, “That when the time comes,
you got to cut the cord; otherwise, they’ll try to break free and end up
choking themselves.” Mattie shook her head. “You don’t want that, son, I know
you don’t.”

Beaming
at his daughter with pride, Barrington agreed, “You right, Ms. Mattie. I don’t
want that. I’d kill myself first,” he promised.

“Huh?”
Mattie questioned. “You still talking crazy,” she said, shaking her head.

Everybody
laughed.

“I
just love you, Ms. Mattie.”

“I
just love me some you, too, Barrington. God knows I do. But you still sound
crazy,” she accused then laughed along with everyone else.