The Thrill Of It All II

The Setback Pt 1.

Florence gasped. "You killed her!" she went over to an unconscious Tiana and checked her pulse. She sighed in relief when she felt a pulse followed by a low groan. "She's waking up!"

Tiana slowly opened her eyes and the first person she saw was the last person she wanted around her.

"Get out of my face..," she whispered at her husband.

Jacques shook his head. "Darling, you have no idea how sorry I am for my be—

"No!" she turned her head away from him. "No...go away!"

Florence sighed. "Jacques baby maybe you should leave for a few minutes."

"I'm not leaving my wife any damn where!" He stood firm.

"Baby please!" Florence raised her voice and lowered it. "Only for a few minutes?"

Jacques sighed but eventually obeyed and left the room without closing the door.

"Tiana honey...," Florence brushed the young woman's hair from her face. "Chile he's gone...it's alright. Now tell me how this happened?"

Tiana held in her emotions and said, "All because I didn't want to sleep with him."

Florence frowned in disbelief. "What you say?"

"He wanted me to sleep with him and I refused and told him that I will fight him if it meant he couldn't—

"Tiana you are a very bright girl, but you are as dumb as they get when it comes to being a wife. Baby you've got to play along with these men. Compromise with them!" Florence explained.

"I'm tired of playing aling and compronising!" she exclaimed. "I hate him!"

"You want to get back in that institution? Because he will put you there!" she warned.

"I don't care!" Tiana said.

"Think about your son! What about baby Daniel? He will be wonderin' where ya at?" she reminded her.

That made the tears leave Tiana's eyes as she forgot about her son. "Daniel... "

Florence put her hand over hers. "I know its hard to be somewhere ya stuck being at but you have to remember him."

"And what will happen when Jacques goes after my baby and beat on him?" Tiana asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"He will never touch that boy!" Florence was sure of that.

But Tiana thought otherwise. "He will! I know he will! That's why I have to leave here! I know how much Daniel is disappointed with his father, but I also know how much he loves him. I don't want my son growing up knowing or remembering his father being a monster..."

"Why are you so concerned about how Daniel will remember Jacques if you hate him so much?" Florence smiled. "Sounds like—

"What it sounds," Tiana finished before the woman could continue. "I don't love Jacques nor I ever will. But I want Daniel to remember him as the great father who would always bring him gifts. Who actually took the time to teach him how to write his name. I hate Jacques but Daniel doesn't have to."

"But the truth will come out. It always does and what will you tell the baby then?" Florence asked.

"Whatever he wants to know," she said.

Jacques walked back into the room holding Daniel. "See? She's alright."

Tiana saw her son who looked nervous and wondered what her husband really told him.

"Daddy said that you were sick," said the young boy.

Tiana shook her head. "No baby I'm fine," she sat up. "See?"

The boy nodded. "So may we cuddle?"

Tiana cracked a smile for her son. "Oh course!" She opened her arms.

Jacques put the boy down and watched him run to his mother. He knew they were close and had to find a way to break that bond before he gets older.

"Well I'll leave ya alone while I prepare dinner," Florence said and touched Jacques' arm before leaving the room.

"Mama I thought you were going to die!" Daniel hugged his mother, ignoring what she was wearing.

"I'm too stubborn to die," Tiana kissed her son.

Jacques hurried out of the room without anyone noticing.

Daniel didn't know what happened to his mother but did hear Florence's exclamation before the door was closed. He was thankful that his mother was alright and wanted to remain in her arms. He smiled when he felt her gentle caresses and beautiful humming.

The humming eventually got her son to fall asleep and for her to change into some appropriate clothing.

She hesitated on whether or not she should carry him back into his room, but decided to leave him on her bed.

'He looks so peaceful,' she thought and caressed his cheek.

"We created a beautiful son," Jacques said from behind her.

Tiana sighed. "What do you want?"

He touched her arm. "To apologize."

"What's the point in doing so?" she looked back at him. "Please leave me alone. Okay?"

"I'm never leaving you alone," he rested his hands on her shoulders.

Tiana moved away from him and saw him pick up their son. "Where are you taking him?"

"To his own room," Jacques answered, bitterly.

"But he was just fine in the bed," Tiana said walking behind him. "You're not getting anything from me by doing this."

Jacques remained silent as he left the room.

Tiana took a seat at the vanity table and saw her husband returning into the room. "Really Jacques..."

"I've decided to send our son away," he announced.

Tiana frowned. "What?"

"He's going to a boarding school," he sat in a lounge chair, taking out a cigarette.

Tiana rushed towards the door. "No he isn't!"

"Tiana!" Jacques stopped her. "Its for his own good."

"He's three years old!" She pointed out.

"And a boy," he added. "A boy doesn't need to be close to his mother as he is with you."

"He's three," she repeated. "And where in this world is a boarding school going to accept a negro boy?"

"I've been at the school when I was four," Jacques answered. "And I never had issues with being close to my mother!"

"That's because you didn't have a mother! You'll never understand what's it like for one to love you!" She could see that it hurt him, but didn't apologize either.

Jacques glared at her. "Florence was like a mother to me. But I thank my grandfather for sending me away. I wouldn't be the man that I am today if I had a woman softening me up."

"Softening you up," Tiana repeated as she thought about the journals she read on past Montreuil wives. "It was the strength from the Montreuil women to hold you men together."

"Yes, but who made the money?" he challegned.

"Who took the time?" she challenged back. "Raisng the children and actually being there while you do whatever you wanted! I was lucky compared to Rachel, Katherine and Desiree Rose who all died at the hands of your male ancestors!"

"They were dumb enough to want to fight their husbands and got what they deserved," Jacques defended. "Which is why Daniel will be going to school far away from here, leaving us with no interruptions and of cours all of my attention."

"You must really hate that somebody else in this world loves me," she said. "You can take away my family, my friends, even my heart but you won't take away my baby."

Jacques wrapped an arm around her. "It will leave us time to try for another—

"Just stop it!" Tiana pulled away from him. "We will not be trying for anything because I will never sleep with you again!"

Jacques grew impatient again. "You're still talking that nonsense!"

"It's the truth," Tiana said.

"Do you honesty hate me as much as you do?" Jacques asked, balling his fist.

"Yes, if not a little more than a wife should hate her husband," Tiana said with hate in her voice and felt his hand strike against her cheek.

"I don't give a damn if you love or hate me, darling," Jacques said bitterly. "All that matters is that you are my wife, my property and my possession...my greatest possession," he evilly grinned before forcing his lips onto hers in a hard kiss. "You're going to give me another child. You owe me that!"

"No!" Tiana said through the kiss and bite down on his tongue as hard as she could.

Jacques screamed and punched her on the jaw. "You're going to be sorry for doing that!"

Tiana backed up on the floor and wildly swung her arms, screaming.

Jacques ignored the hits and picked her up, throwing her on the lounge chair and got on top of her.

"Its time I remind you of where your place is in my house, darling!" He used his anger to open her legs. "A good rough fucking will do you some good!"

Hard knocking was heard at the door.

"Dammit," he got up. "Who the hell is this?" opened the door to Dorothy the new maid and Daniel standing before them. "What is it?"

"Mr. Montreuil you have a phone call..." Dorothy said, nervously and gasped when he bumped passed her out of the room.

Daniel ran into the room. "Mama look what Dorothy helped me with!" He showed her a drawing of a house.

Still shaken up, Tiana asks, "I thought you were asleep, and whose house is it?"

"Daddy woke me up," Daniel said. "And its the Montreuil Estate if it were the colour green!"

Tiana shook her head. "It's nice baby..."

Daniel noticed his mother's distracted behavior. "Are you okay?"

"Yes baby...," Tiana put a smile on her lips. "See?"

"Did you see Naveen today?" he asked.

"I was busy shopping that I...," she saw how attentive her son was; being and couldn't lie to him. "Yes, I did see him. And he wanted me to tell you hello for him."

Daniel smiled. "Can you tell him that we are friends?"

Tiana laughed a little at his innocence. "I believe that he already mentioned you being friends."

Daniel grinned hard. "Really?"

"Daniel get out of the room," Jacques walked back in. "Your mother and I have to talk."

Daniel ran over to his father. "Look at my picture daddy—

"I said leave!" he raised his voice in irritation.

"Jacques!" Tiana frowned.

Daniel poked out his bottom lip before running out of the room. His crying could soon be heard soon after.

"Now you were being too harshly with him," Tiana said.

Jacques closed the door. "We're leaving..."

"What?" Her eyes widen.

"For a week. To Chicago," he walked over to his closet.

Tiana shook her head, following him, "Wait a minute. Why am I going with you on a business trip?"

"Don't you question me!" Jacques snapped.

Tiana stepped back. "I want to know why we're going to Chicago? You don't normally take me to your business trips."

"I won't let you out of my sight now that that royal is in town," he said. "Unless you already been having him."

Tiana was surprised at how late he found out and remained silent.

"So you haven't seen him around town?" he asked.

"No," she answered, sitting on the bed.

Jacques then sighed before sitting beside her. "Look, I know that I haven't been so good to you or Daniel..."

Tiana rolled her eyes. "Right."

"Really darling I apologize. It's just that the fight with Derek and how much stress I've been going through from our marriage to my businesses...don't get me wrong. We are still doing more than fine financially. It's the constant racism I have to face before one of those pecker woods finally agrees to sign on and..." he sighed. "But enough of that," and took her hand. "I would hope that you forgive me for hitting you."

"I...I...," Tiana closed her eyes and fought pass her hate to say these words: "I forgive you for hitting me."

Jacques smirked before laying his his on her lap, rubbing her thigh under her dress. "I swear I will never hit you again. And if you don't want to go to Chicago that bad then you know what to do..."

She sighed at his meaning and felt like a fool for once again being tricked her into his trap. She gasped when his hand got between her legs. "No...stop it..."

He rose up to kiss her before pulling his hand away. "You're right." And stood up to lock the bedroom door. "I couldn't stop thinking about that little red number you wore."

Tiana would've preferred to save that her 'red number' for Naveen to see her in. As she stood she could feel Jacques' eyes burning through her.

"But like every man..." Jacques took her hand and made her do a spin. "...they would prefer their women to wear nothing at all." and pulled her into his arms. "Show me how much you want to stay home."

Tiana's stomach felt sick at the idea and when she pressed her lips onto his, she felt nauseted.

Jacques was surprised yet pleased that she was the first to kiss, but being a man who was always in control he led her to the bed and took over from there.

()()()()

"Bye daddy," Daniel said to his father. Not looking up at him.

Jacques went down to his son's level and pulled him in for a hug. "I'll bring you something back okay?"

The boy nodded before leaving to run upstairs to his room.

"He's still upset with me," Jacques stood back up. "I wonder where he gets his grudge from?" he eyed Tiana.

"He'll get over it by the morning," she gave him a small smile. Ready for him to leave. "Now you should leave before you miss your train."

"Jacques!" Derek climbed up the stairs to the front porch with a letter.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jacques asked with irritation in his tone.

"She left me!" Derek announced.

"Who?" Jacques asked.

"Tonya! My wife! She took the kids and my money," he confessed.

Tiana saw the calculation going through her husband's head and already knew what he was thinking.

"Wait? So she just up and left? With the children and everything?" Jacques asked.

Derek nodded. "Yes! My housekeeper said that—

"Hold that thought," Jacques said. "You wait in the den and get a drink...and darling?" he said to his wife.

Tiana looked at him.

"Go get Florence to fix Derek something to eat and Dorothy to get one of the guestrooms ready. He'll be staying with us."

"But I thought he said that Tonya left him. He can just go back to his house," Tiana pointed out. The last thing she wanted was Derek under the same roof with her.

"You just do what I told you or do I have to...," he stopped himself. "Just do this for me. I know that you don't like him..."

"Don't like him?" she rolled her eyes. "That's an understatement."

"Alright you despise him but he won't bother you," he said and added. "Not with me being here."

Tiana was expecting him to say that. "So you're not leaving?"

"No, I'm not," he answered.

"All because of him?" she asked.

"You worry about being my wife before thinking you can tell me what to do," Jacques warned. "I'm your husband and with that luxury darling you better respect that!" he ordered "The business trip to Chicago is canceled." he leaned forward to kiss Tiana. "I'll arrange it another time. Excuse me," and headed upstairs to his office.

Tiana never felt so angered. "Like hell I'll stay here with that animal under this roof."

"Oh but that's too bad...," Derek downed a shot of scotch while walking out of the den, his eyes wandering her body. "Hello Tiana."

"Go to hell!" she spat.

Derek smirked. "If Jacques is as generous as he is at the moment then I hope he shares his most prized possession..."

Tiana didn't bother hearing whatever he had to say and left. Feeling irritated all over again.

()()()()