The Thrill Of It All II
Brand Old Rules For A Kiss
Its been almost a week since Naveen and Nyah's engagement and a week since Daniel spoke a word to him. With everything that the young boy had been through and with Naveen recently getting a sure but obvious confirmation that he fathered Daniel the last thing he wanted was for his son to hate him. He made a vow to never let anyone break their bond, and though Nyah is a nice woman with a good heart, he didn't love her, and she didn't deserve to enter into a half committed marriage. He knew what kind of man he was and if Tiana were to show up his temptation would be a battle within itself.
So when he and the princess met later for lunch he had to tell her how he really felt.
"Nyah, we can't marry," Naveen said.
Her smile instantly disappeared. "W-why? Did I do something?"
"No, it isn't at all you. If anyone has done anything it was me living a lie," he said honestly. "You are a very good woman who deserves to be fully loved one hundred percent by a man who will give that to you. I'm not that man."
"A lot of marriages end up working because the couple grows to love one another," she pointed out.
"I don't see myself falling in love with you, Nyah," Naveen said honestly.
"And how do you know that?"
"Because I do," Naveen confirmed sternly.
Nyah's eyes watered. "It must also be about Daniel's mother. That American woman."
"I'm sorry Nyah," Naveen stood from the table and extended his hand out to help her up.
The princess was furious but instead of storming off she accepted his hand as well as him escorting her to her room.
Naveen felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and had to see his son and tell him the news.
"Daniel?" he walked inside his son's room and found no one in it. "Daniel?" he found a sheet of paper with writing on it laying on the bed. Picking it up he read:
Dear daddy I am runny away do not look fa me
Daniel
"Faldi faldonza!" Naveen exclaimed, running out of the room. "Guards!"
The two guards looked over at their king attentively.
"How long have you seen the prince?"
"Twenty minutes ago with a bag," said the second guard.
"And you didn't try following him?" Naveen asked, furious.
"I followed him sire!" said the first guard. "He was heading downstairs to the fuchsia garden..."
Naveen knew where his son was and hurried down the stairs. Soon out of the palace and straight to the newest gazebo in the fuchsia garden, finding his son standing by the door.
"Daniel..." he pulled his son in for a hug. "Don't ever do that again."
"I'm sorry daddy," Daniel said in his father's shirt.
"I'm sorry for breaking my promise to you. And I had to keep my word for not only you but for my own self."
Daniel opened his eyes and looked up at his father, surprised. "You're not getting married?"
Naveen shook is head.
Daniel smiled and hugged his father.
"But Nyah will be staying with us for as long as she wants, okay?" he told his son.
"Okay," he said. "Can I still be her friend?"
"Yes, you can..." he smiled. "Now, would you like some icecream?"
"Yes!"
"All right!" he lifted his son over his shoulders, picking up the small bag he had packed. "We will go to the kitchen and request icecream!"
"Yay!" Daniel cheered.
()()()()
Tiana stepped into Derek's estate with the help of the housekeeper who escorted her into a large room lit with candle lights. She began feeling guarded and was about to leave the room when she heard a low baritone voice with a thick accent.
"You must be my son's fiancee, Tiana!"
She turned to see an older but handsome looking man rising from his chair and walking over to her. When he finally made it to her, Tiana could clearly see the resemblance from the eyes, nose and mouth. This man was definitely Derek's father.
"Yes," was all Tiana could say and wanted to roll her eyes at the very similar smirk on his lips.
"Are you surprise to see Derek with a white Italian father?" he asked.
She could smell the cigar in his breath and felt nauseous. "Um, no. I'm not to be honest with you."
"Dark and lovely...," he complimented. "Yes, my son's taste in women are fine like mine. A chip off the old block as they say it here." his eyes lustfully scanned her from head to toe.
"I see you two are making introductions," Derek entered the room with a glass full of red wine and kissed Tiana on the cheek. "You're late."
"Business never stops," she said, noticing the glass of wine in her fiance's hand.
"You have her working?" the older man was surprised.
"She's independent, papà," Derek said in defense.
The man raised his eyebrow at Tiana who was about to respond.
"Mr. Conti I've always—
"Call me, Alfonso, bella," the man smiled at her.
Tiana knew that by the way Alfonso kept gazing at her that he didn't respect her as an equal. He was a chauvinist and most likely suppressing his behavior for his son.
Derek could feel the tension between the two and cleared his throat just as the cooks stepped out with their dinner. "Finally! It is time to eat!"
Dinner was quiet with the exception of Alfonso talking about his childhood in Bologna and how blessed he was to have the best at everything.
"The money was easy and so were the women!" he bragged before downing glass of red wine.
Tiana could tell that Derek was embarrassed from his frequent glances at her after his father's comments. That and also saw that he's already drunken four glasses of red wine himself.
"Tiana, my son and I have a lot in common you know! We both had his mother!" he winked up at a maid while she poured more red wine into his glass.
Tiana shot a glance at Derek who frowned. "He meant breastfeeding, Tiana!"
"And birthing you!" the old man then chuckled. "She was as black as night..." he eyed Tiana. "His mother was darker than you were dear!"
"You don't say?" Tiana said with sarcasm while trying to calm her nauseous stomach with a glass of water.
"She was a tiger a lot like you," he said smugly, lighting up his cigar. "Before I tamed her to my domestic mulignan cat."
"Father!" Derek interrupted him, disgusted by the comment.
"What?" he smirked.
"Enough," his son responded softly.
"Derek's mother was a very young maid when she began working for me," he inhaled the smoke into his lungs before exhaling it back out. "Who was fifteen or sixteen? I was a young twenty-two year old boy myself."
"More like thirty-two," Derek mumbled into his glass of wine. Tiana noticed that it was his fifth glass of wine.
"When I was through with her she knew when to obey her man," he chuckled and pointed over at his son. "You make sure she doesn't get too much independence or—
"Or what?" Tiana challenged, glaring his way. It was as if she was living through Jacques all over again.
Alfonso licked his lips. "Just like my Nettie..." and put his cigar back in his mouth. "...if my son is anything like me you'd get your answer from the back of my hand!"
"That's enough!" Derek exclaimed.
"Oh don't tell me that this little girl took away your manhood, figlio mio," Alfonso said disapprovingly.
"Her name is Tiana, papà," Derek corrected.
"Its no wonder your wife left you!" Alfonso added. "You let her rule over you when it should've been you who did that to her! You were also the sudden death of your mother—
"Don't you dare blame me for killing my mother! You were pressuring her to..." he stopped and stood up. "Dinner is over."
"It's about time we get up off our asses!" Alfonso got up. "Tiana be a dear and collect the dishes."
"It isn't Tiana's job to collect anything here," Derek said. "I have hired help for that."
"If she's going to be your wife then it is her duty to act like one!" he suggested. "You have help but you must remind her the important women responsibilities such as cleaning, cooking, pleasing you—
"She isn't required to do anything for me if she doesn't want to!" Derek exclaimed.
"You modern men are the end of manhood!" Alfonso fired.
"It's good to know that the cavemen trend is a dying species," Derek fired back, glaring at him.
Tiana was actually impressed with Derek sticking up for her in front of his overbearing father. She never thought of how he grew up and could see that there was still some bitterness behind his mother 's death between the two.
"My apologies, young lady," Alfonso walked over to her. "I'm happy to have met my son's beautiful fiancee."
Tiana didn't dare move. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Conti."
The older man chuckled darkly. "I see that you're still holding that female grudge," he took her hand and kissed it. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. My son is a lucky very lucky man to possess you."
"Hmm," she walked away, leaving the man on the other side of the sitting room.
Alfonso eyed her derriere. "If I were twenty years younger I'd drag her in my bedroom and show her how a woman is suppose to treat a man—
"Father your chauffeur is outside," Derek said, not looking at him. "I'll see you at the wedding."
Alfonso eased his brown eyes toward Tiana again before speaking Italian to his son, making Tiana really feel uneasy and offended. It wasn't the same with Naveen who didn't seem sleazy while speaking Maldonian.
Once Alfonso left, Tiana was ready to leave the estate herself. The entire dinner was awkward and the number of times she wanted the throw her drink in the older man's face was enough to cover the entire nation's debt.
Derek returned to the living room and sighed in relief. "I owe you an apology."
"You owe me nothing," Tiana said, ready to leave.
"Actually, I do," Derek stepped over to her. "My father had too much to drink and was rude and disrespectful. It was humiliating for me."
Tiana didn't know what to really tell the man. Even after all the bad that's happened between the two she felt sorry for him.
"My father is a bigoted, old pervert. He hates women and yet he enjoys going to bed with them, particularly negro women. I know that Jacques treated you a lot how my father did my mother. And I want you to know that I will never treat you that way. I've never touched my ex-wife this way or any other woman including your dear friend Georgia."
"You were also Jacques closest friend," Tiana reminded him.
"I looked up to him as if he were an older brother. Even if he was only a year older than I was. He was also very likable and everyone wanted to be him or around him and in order to be a part of that circle I had to act like him."
"You also said that you never treated Georgia that way, but you also forced her to abort your child."
"Yes, I'm not fully a good man and treated her horribly at the end of what we had. She was my consolation prize and if I could change how I treated her then I would. I do wonder if she's happy."
"She is," Tiana didn't want to continue more about her friend so she changed the subject. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Oh," he laughed, not in humour. "What is it that you want to talk about?"
"I was going to tell you last week but the storm came and postponed everything but now that the weather is better I'm going to be leaving for Maldonia in the morning. I won't be home to make your dinners..." she stopped when hearing him laugh again. "What's so funny?"
"You were joking, right? About leaving?" he asked with a smile.
She frowned. "No, I am going to visit my son—
"Its not going to happen so let's drop the topic, sweet kiwi," he interrupted.
Tiana raised a brow. "I am going to leave whether you cared or not!"
"Really Tiana I am already upset for my father's behavior. I don't need anymore from my damn fiancee!"
"My son really needs me and it isn't as if we're married. I can go wherever I please!" She gasped when
Derek quickly grabbed her arm and violently yanked her over to him. "Just admit that you're leaving because of my father!"
Tiana pulled herself from him only to be pressed against a wall. She protectively put her hand over her stomach.
He pressed his lips against her ear. "You can't leave me. Not after everything I've already given to you." "Get off me!" she ordered.
Derek did as he was told, giving enough distant between the two.
"I'm not staying here!" Tiana walked around him for the door when she heard:
"My mother was one of his victims who unfortunately married him after getting pregnant by him. He bragged about never procreating until her. She was what he would call his 'special little mulignan whore'." he wanted to strangle the man at the thought of such a vulgar nickname for his mother. "And whenever she got pregnant he would force her to abort the child. Or beat it out of her." he wiped at his moist eyes. "One night he went too far. I witnessed my father beating my mother's head with a damn fire poker, the brass stick you use in a fireplace. And of course he blamed me for her death." he exhaled deeply before continuing.
"My mother learned that she was pregnant again and wanted me to leave with her. We were set to leave on a train. I was so excited that when grandfather called I told him everything. Not knowing that he would eventually tell my father our plan and busted us. She begged for her life but he wasn't having any of it and murdered her in his study floor. My mother's blooding up lifeless body on the floor and my father blamed me. I suppose that I am to blame since I told my grandfather the plan," Derek's voice cracked. "I lost my mother at age eight, she was so beautiful, warm, gentle and only twenty-three. After that I've been to many doctors, taken medications for years. That is until I saw you that night at the Christmas party...life was worth living."
"No Derek..." Tiana closed her eyes and hated herself for listening to the man's story. He was clearly drunk because he would've never been this honest about his family if he was sober.
"And as much as I am thrilled to have you for a future wife I still look at myself in the mirror and see that man. The same man who ruined my life, relationships and now you're running away from me."
Tiana really pitied him after his confession but not enough to stay a minute longer. "I'm so sorry Derek. I have no idea what's it like to lose a parent so violently," Tiana said, meaning every word.
Derek stared at her for a moment before saying, "You can go to Maldonia. Daniel needs his mother."
She smiled.
He smiled back, stepping over to her. "May I hug you?"
Tiana wasn't sure if she should.
"I won't hurt you...I really need...I just a need a hug," he suppressed his tears.
Tiana closed her eyes and hope that this wouldn't end disastrous so she wrapped her arms around him, feeling his arms around her waist.
Derek inhaled and exhaled. "Oh, Tiana..."
She patted his back. "Okay," she pulled from the hug. "That's enough hugging."
Derek grew offended by her actions. "Stay there for a week," he said.
"What?" She frowned, confused.
"I want you to stay there for a week and return to New Orleans," Derek said with no emotion on his face. "Stay another day longer and I will expose the boy."
Tiana opened her mouth in disbelief. "It takes almost a week to get to Maldonia! How am I suppose to be there for a week and return—
"Just make sure that you return on the appropriate day. We do have a wedding if you didn't remember," he added sternly.
"Then we should push back the date..." Tiana stopped when he moved in on her.
"Return on the appropriate date or your son will be exposed," he then raised his hand to caress her face. "Unless you're willing to give me whatever I want in exchange for pushing back our wedding date."
Tiana glared at him. "You bastard..."
Derek moved his hand from her cheek down her neck. "Are you willing to pay in exchange for your son's reputation being saved?"
She moved her his hand away. "I'll be back at the right date you heartless bastard. Now get away from me!"
Derek exhaled. "Not before I what's rightfully now mine...," he pulled her in his arms, pressing his lips on hers.
Tiana could taste the wine in his mouth and was then pushed her against the door.
When he finally ended the kiss Tiana slapped him across the face. "You're just like your father and Jacques put together!"
He shook his head in denial. "I'm not like them!"
Tiana put her other hand on the knob, twisting it and once she felt his hold on her other hand loosen she eased out of the door before running toward her car.
"Tiana!" Derek chased after her. "Wait! I'm sorry! Please listen!"
She hurried into her car when she heard him say
"We can push back the date!" he said.
She started the car and quickly drove off. Definitely aware that Derek wasn't fully there mentally and now wondering if a marriage with the man was really worth it. What would her son think when learning that Uncle Derek will be his new step father. She did promise that a marriage between the two would never happen. And what's more scary is if Daniel were to witness one of Derek's random spells. He's already seen so much between herself and Jacques.
"I can't marry him," she said and headed straight home where all the money Jacques left her was hidden securely in a secret door in Daniel's bedroom floor.
Tiana didn't know why she didn't think of it before. She could begin a new life in Maldonia with her son. Her new life could be as if she never been married and had a business that went up in flames due to a controlling husband. She could remember the moment when Jacques showed her where the money was hidden. He was still looking like himself...
'Darling, you have to make sure you remember the code to the safe,' Jacques instructed.
'I remember,' Tiana said.
'Then what is it?' he pressed harder than he wanted to.
She rolled her eyes at his pushiness before reciting the code. ''Ev3ryt1m3...'
Jacques clapped his hands once she was done. 'I'm very impressed. Now you may take out the box and open it,' he instructed.
Tiana opened the box of money and gasped with her hands covering her mouth.
Jacques had to smile at the innocence his wife still had in her. "The estate is already taken care of and protected. If anything ever goes wrong with the businesses or if you need to get out of a bad situation you take this money, my son and get the hell out. You and that boy are all that matters to me. No one else.'...
...
Tiana closed her eyes at the memory. "Thank you, Jacques." picking up a stack of cash she said, "I know what to do."
()()()()
Maldonia – five days later...
"The prince and his highness are out at the moment," Herbert informed Tiana who had just arrived. "Madam?"
Tiana finished yawning before looking up at him. "I'm sorry...but can you escort me to one of the rooms? The trip was a little harsh on me this time."
"Why of course!" Herbert said. "Come along and oh..." he almost fell when Max bumped into him. "And Max?"
Tiana smiled innocently at the valet. "Can you take care of him for me?"
Herbert knew that he couldn't resist "Very well...follow me..."
She followed the man up to the room she was staying in prior to leaving after the nasty exchange she had with Naveen and once her back hit the soft mattress under her body, she let out a sigh in relief. The ship ride really took a toll on her and soon she fell asleep.
Three hours later...
"Do you think I can send mama flowers from the garden?" Daniel asked as they made it up the royal corridors.
Naveen shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why not."
The young boy was about to respond when he saw his dog with Herbert. "Max!" He ran over to the mutt.
"Max?" Naveen couldn't believe that the dog was even at the palace. "Where did he come from?"
Herbert smiled.
Naveen knew what that smile meant. "Where is she?"
"She woke up a half an hour ago and is..."
Naveen stopped listening to the man when he hear his son's voice...
Five minutes earlier...
Tiana finished getting something to eat and went right to her son's room where everything looked organized and neat. His nursery back in New Orleans was pretty tidy but not this clean. She then found a photo of him and his father on a table an exhaled deeply at the two. Her son looked so handsome and Naveen made her heart skip. He too looked handsome and very happy on the photo.
"This must have been from the day they went to the carnival," Tiana said. 'Daniel sounded so happy that day,' she remembered the telephone conversation she had with her son.
"Mama!"
She turned her head and saw her son and Max standing by the threshold of the door.
"Oh, baby!" she opened her arms as he ran over to embrace her in a loving hug. "Oh I missed you do much!"
"I missed you too, mama!" Daniel said as the dog ran around them barking happily.
Naveen entered the room and couldn't believe his eyes. There Tiana was holding their son and looked absolutely beautiful.
"I didn't know that you would be here today," he said.
Tiana looked up at the king and couldn't tell if he was thrilled to see her or angered. She brushed off the feeling by answering, "You said that I am always welcomed here as long as my son is here."
"How long are you planning on staying here?" Naveen mentally cursed at himself for asking the wrong question.
"Not long," Tiana said before returning to Daniel. "I'm actually going to be looking at homes here in Maldonia."
Naveen's eyebrows rose, surprised. "Really? Here?"
"Mmhm," she nodded.
"Really mama?" Daniel asked, his blue eyes brightened.
"Yes, and I promise that we'll have everything we had in New Orleans!" she smiled at her son.
But Daniel wasn't satisfied. "Can't you just stay here at the palace? I like my room here"
"He's right," Naveen agreed. "You are always welcome here..." he made sure to add.
"I don't want to be a burden," she said, shaking her head.
"I insist," he said with a weak smile.
"We'll see," Tiana returned the weak smile but wasn't sure if her heart was strong enough to stay under the same roof as Naveen. Even after all they've been through and said to one another she still loved him.
"You just arrived here and I want you to stay," Naveen walked over to them. "And as king of Maldonia I would find it a terrible offense if you refuse my offer."
Tiana raised a brow at the arrogant request but got back on her feet to look up at the king with confidence.
Naveen looked down at Tiana already suppressing the urge to kiss her. He could also see that her confidence improved, dealing with men like Derek and the Montreuils along with her independence. It looked good on her and his love for her only made him want her more.
Daniel watched his parents and couldn't be more bored. He was glad to have everyone together, but he wanted to play with his dog Max.
"Well I hope you'll be joining us for dinner," Naveen said.
Tiana put her hand over the small and unnoticeable bump, remembering that she was pregnant. "I wouldn't miss it." she smiled, a little stronger this time
He smiled back. "Good. I'll be at there in ten minutes." And began walking toward his suite followed by his two guards.
"I come on, boy! I'll share some of my food with you!" Daniel ran down the corridor with the dog following him.
"Daniel!" Tiana exclaimed.
The young boy slowed down and began walking down the stairs.
Herbert chucked. "Now he'll be all over the palace with Max and the other dogs he have."
"How many dogs does he have?" Tiana asked, walking down the stairs.
"With Max here three in total!"
She sighed, already known how that will end. "Chaos." she then noticed a young woman giving her son a hug.
Herbert also noticed. "Her name is Princess Nyah of Akiniyi."
"Akiniyi?" Tiana frowned. "I've heard of that name."
"His highness told me about a dance you shared with the prince of Akiniyi," Herbert revealed
Tiana rolled her eyes. "Of course he would know."
"Mama! Come this way!" Daniel ran over to take her hand. "Come meet my friend Nyah! She's a princess!"
Nayh looked over at Tiana walking in with Daniel and couldn't help but to feel jealous. She gave Naveen a first born son. Something even if she did ended up becoming his wife would never do.
"My you are very beautiful," Nyah complemented, shaking her hand. "I am Nyah, princess of Akiniyi. It such a pleasure to meet the woman Daniel is always talking about."
Tiana couldn't deny the woman's beauty and wondered who she was to Naveen. "Likewise, Nyah. I shared a dance with your brother some months ago at Naveen's birthday celebration."
"Ah so you were the beautiful 'princess' he was dancing with that night!" Nyah remembered the story her older brother share with her.
"Good evening everyone!" Naveen stepped into the room first taking Nyah's soft hand and kissing it. "Nyah." then took Tiana's soft hand and kissed it. "Tiana...," he glanced at her a little longer before letting go of her hand and sitting at his place at the head of the table.
Nyah noticed and felt jealous, but what could she do? Naveen wasn't hers to fight for now that he ended their very brief engagement.
Tiana looked over at her son who was seated, waiting for dinner to arrive and then at Nyah who had her eyes on her. She wasn't sure how to feel about the woman. She was a princess who also happen to be a guest of Naveen. Maybe she was on a friendly visit or could there be something more between the two?
The princess quickly looked away and soon dinner was brought into the room, ready to be eaten.
()()()()
After dinner Tiana and Daniel went outside for a walk before the sunset. The sky was lit up with bright streaks of clouds in beautiful hues blues, purples, orange and reds. It reminded her of her very youthful days in New Orleans. Where she and her father would quietly sit out on the front porch as the sun fell lower and lower into the sky.
"I really want you to stay with us, mama," Daniel said.
"I guess...," Tiana thought about staying but also decided to still look at home in the morning just on the safe side. That is if Nyah really was engaged to Naveen.
"Daddy said that you can stay."
"I know."
"But will you really?"
"Daniel we're suppose to be looking up at the cl...are those stars?" she wondered how long have they've been outside for.
"Yes!" Daniel laid his head on his mother's lap. "Can you sing for me?"
Tiana smiled and kissed his forehead. "What would you like for me to read?"
"Any song!" he said.
"Okay...," she cleared her throat and began:
When I think, how life used to be;
Always walking in my shadows.
Then I look, at what you've given me;
I feel like dancing on my tip-toes.
I must say everyday I wake
And realize you're by my side;
I know I'm truly...
Blessed for everything you've given me;
Blessed for all the tenderness you show;
Do my best with every breath that's in me;
Blessed to make sure you never go.
There are times, that I test your faith,
'til you think you might surrender.
Baby I'm, I'm not ashamed to say,
that my hopes were always slender
You walked by in the nick of time
looking like an answered prayer
You know I'm truly...
Blessed for everything you've given me;
Blessed for all the tenderness you show;
Do my best with every breath that's in me;
Blessed to make sure you never go.
Blessed with love and understanding;
Blessed when I hear you call my name; (Hear you call my name)
Do my best with faith that's never-ending;
Blessed to make sure you feel the same.
Deep inside of me you fill me with your gentle touch...
You know I'm truly
Blessed for everything you've given me;
Blessed for all the tenderness you show;
Do my best with every breath that's in me;
To see you never go.
Never, never, never go...
Naveen walked over and clapped. "Brava! Brava!"
"Hey daddy!" he got up and ran over to his father who picked him up.
"Its time for your bath," he told him.
"Aw!" Daniel whined.
Tiana laughed, standing up. "I thought you enjoy baths?"
"I do but we were having so much fun outside."
"I'm sure Max will be happy to be sleeping by his friend again," Naveen smiled.
"Is Max in my room?"
"As we speak," Naveen said, looking at Tiana. "I need to talk to you in my office."
"After tucking Daniel in," she told him as they walked into the palace.
()()()()
After the bath Daniel got into his large soft bed with Max and listen to his father tell him one of his funny stories about a frog prince and a waitress going on some wild adventure in the bayou. The ending was a bit too girly for him but at least it was a happier one and soon he was off to dreamland with Max sleeping at the foot of the bed as well.
"I guess I didn't have to sing to him tonight," Tiana said with a smile.
"After his father he usually fall asleep soon after," Naveen opened the door for the both of them to leave the room.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Tiana asked as they neared his office.
A guard opened the door for them both to enter the room with Naveen making sure to lock the door before joining Tiana who was standing by the desk. "Have a seat."
She sat and repeated her question. Noticing him acting a little nervous. "Are you all right?"
Naveen sighed and pulled a seat up to hers. "I can't stop thinking about you."
Tiana was a little taken aback by his confession yet also flattered. "Naveen..."
"Things between us haven't been the best I know, and I'm pretty sure you hate me as much as I try to pretend that I did with you. I want to give you an apology for all of the hurt I've caused you during the time you really needed to care for your husband," Naveen said. "If I was dying I would definitely want you by my side," he cleared his throat. "Which makes this all the more difficult for me—
"What are you saying, Naveen?" Tiana asked, her heart racing at the possibility that something could be wrong with him health-wise.
Naveen took her hand to his, gazing into her brown eyes. "Tiana, I'd like for us to happen again."
She sighed in relief. "Oh, Naveen—
"I read that you are engaged—
"No, I'm not," she shook her head. "Not anymore. I gave him back everything he's given me. I owe him nothing!"
Naveen couldn't help but to smile happily. "You're not engaged to anyone at the moment?"
She shook her head. "Are you?"
"No," Naveen also shook his head while gently placing her hand against her cheek. "But I am willing to make that happen again. Hopefully sooner than later."
Tiana placed a hand over his. "What made you want to give us another try?" she asked.
"The moment I saw you and our son together. It made sense to have you complete what was missing for me and this family," he admitted, feeling good about the outcome of his confession. "I forgive everything that's happened between us over the last several years to this point."
"And I forgive you as well," Tiana closed her eyes.
Naveen leaned forward to kiss her until she stopped him.
"But there is something I need for you to know," her expression serious.
"What is it?" Naveen asked as Tiana took his hand from her face and placed in over her lower abdomen.
"Do you feel that?" she asked, a little anxious.
Naveen was a bit confused by the question until he felt the firm bump. His emotions rushed to him and he closed his eyes, suppressing it as much as he could. "How far along are you?" his voice cracked.
"Almost three months."
He swallowed the lump in his throat as he added up the days. "Conceived on the night of my birthday celebration."
"Yes," Tiana's eyes watered.
"That morning I told you that it was all a mistake," he opened his honey coloured eyes. "That couldn't be further from the truth." Naveen got down to is knees and rested his head on her lap. "I love you, Tiana. I never stopped loving you even when I was being a grudge-headed fool."
"Enough about the grudges, Naveen. Everything is all forgiven," She ran her fingers through his thick hair as the tears ran down her cheeks. "And besides...I never stopped loving you, too," she said, watching him look back up at her with his honey coloured eyes.
"What is it?" Tiana asked, smiling.
"How good it feels to have you with me again," Naveen stood up, helping her up as well. "Mi benita..."
Tiana loved his nickname for her. "Say it again."
He caressed her cheek while leaning forward to her. "Mi benita." and kissed her. "Mi benita..." he kissed her again. "Mi benita..."
Tiana stood on her tip toes to deepened the kiss and truly knew that they will be all right.
()()()()
A/N: I guess she won't be looking for any houses after all.
Not the end just yet! But we do have two more chapters to go...