The Thrill Of It All II
The Setback Pt 3
Tiana sat in the jail cell after spending a day behind bars. Her stomach growled painfully, the spinning in her head on and off, and wondered was all worth it? Of course Jacques would find a way for her to never leave and take her son away. Her chance of happiness taken from her once again.
Tears ran down her cheeks at the thought of her son. The only person who wasn't taken away from her. Now gone away from her.
"What was the point?" she asked herself. "Why did I have to be so stupid?"
The cell opening caught her attention. And there stood a man who wasn't her husband, and if it weren't for his extra weight she would've thought he was.
"Franklin," she breathed, surprised to see the man. "What are you doing here?"
"I come to take you from here," he said extending his arm.
Tiana hesitated but accepted it.
"Jacques left for business earlier this morning and should be back in two days."
Her stomach growled again.
Franklin heard it. "Hungry? My wife is making us some lunch—
"Wait, I thought I was going home?" she asked softly.
He shook his head. "Jacques wanted you to stay with us—
Tiana suddenly grew anxious. "I want to see my baby! My son Daniel."
"I'll be sure to bring him over. I won't tell Jacques," Franklin promised, opening the passenger door.
"I-I rather sit in the back," Tiana said, feeling uncomfortable on being so physically close to any Montreuil man.
"Okay," Franklin closed the door and opened the backseat door. "Comfort is all he wants you to have."
Tiana got in the car, not responding to the comment. She remained quiet until they drove past the river. She saw a ship in ruin. "What happened to that ship?"
"It blew up yesterday. No one survived," Franklin said. "I believe the king of Maldonia was one of the victims."
Tiana suddenly saw darkness.
()()()()
When she did wake up a young woman was smiling at her. "Tiana, you're alright."
Tiana slowly sat up. "Where am I?"
"You're at my home. This is Paulina! Paulina Young...well, Montreuil!"
Tiana knew who she was. "How did I get here?"
"My husband carried you in here after you fainted. You must be hungry," she stood up, rubbing her very full pregnant belly. "I brought you some soup and bread. The bread is homemade!"
Tiana slowly but gracefully ate the meal while talking to the young woman who was only nineteen and pregnant with her husband's second child.
"Franklin really wants a son this time," Paulina said. "He loves our little Debra but a Franklin jr. would really make things better for us...I mean, well enough about my problems. Franklin told me that you needed time away from the Montreuil estate?"
"Franklin told you that?" Tiana asked the woman.
"Well, no. I mean, Jacques told Franklin—
"That's what I thought," Tiana was already beginning to feel like herself. "I want to thank you for the soup and bread. But I really have to get back home and see my son."
"No need to!" Franklin walked into the room as Daniel ran inside.
"Mama!"
"Oh my baby!" Tiana embraced her son, kissing all over his face. "Daniel..."
"I thought I would never see you again mama!" Daniel said.
"I'll never leave you," Tiana kissed him on the head.
Both Franklin and Paulina left the two alone.
"Daddy said that you were sent away and needed help from prosessionals."
"It's professionals, and I'm okay baby," Tiana held on to her son. She wasn't going to let Jacques ruin the relationship she's had with her son since the moment she learned of his existence.
They stayed that way until falling asleep. When she did wake up Daniel was no longer in bed with her which got her out the bed. And worried out of her mind.
A knock was at the door before it opened to Franklin stepping in.
Tiana turned to the man. "Oh, hi Franklin...where's Daniel?"
"I just took him home," he smiled. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I'm okay...," she noticed it being dark outside "What time is it?"
"After eight. You slept for several more hours before Daniel kissed you goodnight."
Tiana frowned. "Why didn't you wake me or at least take me back with him?"
Franklin sighed, feeling uncomfortable. "Jacques wanted you to stay here for your safety."
"But my son..."
"Mentally...," he went over to the closet, opening it. "You can use the bathroom across the hall if you want to freshen up. We have everything you need. Also, your clothes are here in the closet. Paulina have some night gowns she couldn't get in to and..." he awkwardly began.
"Thank you," Tiana said, sensing his discomfort and smiled a little.
Franklin returned the smile. "You look different without your make-up on."
"Oh?" Tiana didn't really think of it.
"It's a good thing. You look younger. I mean, you look younger for your age anyway. I just meant that...well, I'm not sure that you remember the annual Christmas Charity Gala for the poor or lower waged families..."
"I remember," Tiana said. "I was in one of those low income families," she corrected his term.
"You were in the church choir I believe?" he asked.
She nodded. "I was."
"I remember that..." he stopped himself and changed the subject. "Um, well, my wife's night gown...She's never worn them if you have an issue—
"Franklin, I don't mind. I'm not like my husband," she reassured him.
Franklin nodded. "I already knew you two were different. I mean, you two come from different worlds...families and you're like his dark Cinderella...beautiful dark Cinderella who...okay. I'll stop."
Tiana shook her head. "I really need to get back home."
"Jacques won't let me—
"I don't care about Jacques's opinions anymore!" Tiana said, raising her voice. Not caring if the man grew nervous.
"I'll leave you alone," Franklin opened the door. "If you're hungry you can go help yourself in the kitchen." The door shut just as Tiana thought about that bath offer. If anything could calm her it was a warm bath.
So she brought whatever she needed to the bathroom and ran her water a little warmer than she usually went for.
She undressed and got into the tub already feeling the tension leaving her body. As she lowered herself in the water Naveen came to mind. She wondered if he really died or was it a trick that Jacques told Franklin who also went along with it. The man was a Montreuil, but there was also something different about him. The vibe she would get from him was a genuine one. A bit shy and reserved. At least whenever they were alone in a room he would behave that way. He wouldn't lie to her about Naveen's true whereabouts for Jacques, right?
"Can't trust or depend on any man..." she silently said to herself. And as she was about to rians off the lathery soap from her body she heard a bump from the door. She covered her chest as she looked around to see no one in particular. Though remaining suspicious.
Her bath ended quickly after that and rushed back into her room, locking the door.
()()()()
Tiana woke up again the next morning and called her father to pick her up from Franklin Montreuil's home. The night was a long one as she didn't sleep too well.
"Why didn't you call me?" James asked, driving down the road.
"So much was happening daddy. From me getting arrested to—
"Arrested?" James almost lost control of the car but quickly recovered and pulled over to the side of the road. "Jacques had you arrested?"
She nodded her head. "For kidnapping Daniel."
"How are you kidnapping your own son? A child who grew from your body?" James couldn't believe what he was hearing. "And where is Daniel?"
"At home...at the Montreuil Estate," Tiana said. "I have to get back to him."
"How about y'all come over and spend the night with us..." he offered.
Tiana sighed. "Daddy you know how Jacques is with us even staying out of the house after five minutes. He won't allow it unless he has a say in it."
"He obviously has a say in a lot...even to the very white police. The luxuries money can buy," James pulled up in front of the gate.
"Would you like to come in?" Tiana asked.
James shook his head, getting out of the car to hug his only daughter and child. "You made up your mind on what you want to do. And that's living in misery with this man."
"I have no choice now that Naveen is..." she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"I know babycakes. I heard about that ship accident," he held her like he always would...like his little girl. "And I know you want to be strong."
"I have to be," she said, suppressing her emotions.
But James could see right through his daughter. "You know that you can always cry, babycakes," he pulled from the hug to look at her. "When you're ready to leave that place call me."
"I will" Tiana said, opening the gate. "I love you daddy."
"And I love you too, babycakes."
Tiana was first greeted by Dorothy who led her over to Daniel who was eating breakfast. Florence was pouring him a glass of orange juice when she noticed the younger woman.
"Tiana, what are you doing here? Jacques told me that you were sick in the hospital!" Florence was surprised to see her.
"He told you that?" Tiana asked, as her son left his chair to give his mother a hug.
"Are you going to be here for good?" asked the young boy.
Tiana smiled. "I'll never leave you again."
Daniel smiled back and hugged his mother. "Promise?"
She kissed him on top of the head. "Promise. Now go back and finish your breakfast. I'll be upstairs in my room." She walked out the dining room with Florence following her.
"Child, if Jacques found you here..."
"I'm not staying away from my son," Tiana said, walking up the stairs.
"He was furious when he brought the baby here yesterday. I couldn't get a word out of him until right before he and Derek left," the maid explained.
Tiana ignored the woman by shutting the bedroom door. That was when she remembered leaving her luggage at Franklin's. She shrugged it off and decided to pick it up some other time. She pulled out a blouse and skirt that she bought a week before.
She did her normal routine with her son throughout the day and by the time dinner was over...
"Tiana you have a visitor," Dorothy told her.
Tiana walked into the livingroom to see Franklin.
Surprised, she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Just to give you a fair warning on my cousin's return. He expects you to be back in my house and then there's your luggage bag," he explained.
Tiana left the estate with her cousin-in-law after wishing her son and maids a goodnight. She figured that one more night wouldn't hurt and her husband will be there by the morning to take her back home. She'll just avoid taking anymore baths there.
"Paulina had the baby this morning...another girl," Franklin said.
"Congratulations!" Tiana smiled as they turned the corner in the car.
"We were really hoping for a boy," he sighed. "The next child will be it for her. According to her doctor it would be too much for her hypertension."
"Third times a charm," Tiana said.
"And that child will probably be another girl," he said. "No thanks to Paulina."
"You can't help what you have," Tiana said, defending the woman.
"Easy for you to say. You gave Jacques a son," Franklin pulled up at the entrance of the house and looked at her. "Having a son is very important in our family."
Tiana only nodded. "Jacques told me this when I was carrying our son. Now that he has his boy he would like a girl."
"With his luck you would birth another boy," Franklin got out of the car to open her passenger door. "My cousin was always the lucky one, or should I say the quickest," he said under his breath.
Tiana got out of the car and walked into the home after he opened the door.
"Your luggage is still in the guestroom upstairs," Franklin told her, feeling bad. "I'm going to have a smoke. Excuse me..."
"Thank you," she walked up the stairs to where her room was and found the bag sitting on the foot of the bed. As she picked it up, the door shut and locked.
She gasped and already knew it was Jacques. Closing her eyes she says, "You really know how to make an entrance."
"I could say the same about you," Franklin said, smiling.
Tiana opened her eyes and turned to see Franklin with the very same look Jacques would have when he wanted to sleep with her. Lust.
"Franklin," Tiana began without showing any sign of nervousness. Though her heat was pounding in her chest.
He stepped over to her. "You have no idea how much I want you."
She looked dumbfounded. "What?" And shook her head. "No..."
"I don't know what you do to us Montreuil men Tiana...," Franklin reached out to touch her face but Tiana slapped his hand away. He laughed. "Feisty too?"
"Franklin, you're married...," she reminded him.
"You're not fooling me, darling," Franklin grabbed her by the arm and yanked her over to him. "I know how much my cousin shares you with his closest friends!"
Tiana turned her head as he attempted to kiss her. "No..."
Franklin laughed. "Playing hard to get with me?" his lips brushed against her cheek. "My wife never fights...and when I'm having her I always think of you. And request her to do the things you do with my cousin. Now come on and let me have a go at you so that I can brag with the boys."
"No..." Tiana got out of his grasps, stepping back. "What are you doing? I thought you were different than..."
"I'm a man Tiana...," he wandered her body. "That outfit alone told me how much you also want me. I know your track record."
"What are you talking about?" Tiana was puzzled and terrified. She never thought that Franklin would turn out this way with her. He was always so quiet, shy and gentle. The opposite of Jacques.
"Derek informed me of your rendezvouses," he explained. "Sleeping with him whenever you two are alone. I was wondering when you would come on to me—
"I never slept with Derek! He..." she stopped herself and shook her head, remembering the night her husband forced her to give his friend oral pleasure. "...I'm not that kind of woman. I would never do anything like that!" And snatched away her hands again. "I never slept with him!"
"You are lying to me again," Franklin chuckled before taking her hands.
"Stop it!" Tiana pulled a hand away and grabbed her bag.
"You are a fighter...its no wonder Jacques never tires of you..." Franklin pushed the bag and Tiana on the bed.
Tiana didn't have time to roll out of the bed when Franklin's husky sized form pinned her on the bed. "Get off of me!"
Franklin buried his face in her neck. "Mm...I haven't slept with my wife in several months," he then ripped her blouse open.
Tiana cried as he kissed between her breasts and was surprised that she was in this position. Out of desperation she bit on his shoulder as hard as she could but only heard him moan.
"Tiana you are feisty!" He effortlessly grabbed her leg so that he could get between them and brushed his hand up her thigh.
Tiana felt paralyzed at the moment. The man was obviously stronger than her due to his size alone. But she couldn't let him do this to her so she became desperate.
"Your wife just had your baby and is in the hospital..." Tiana told him.
"She'll never know of this," Franklin breathe. "I got to have you just once. Just once Tiana."
"I don't want this..." Tiana cried, feeling his finger roughly entering her. "Please stop it!"
"No," he tried ignoring her. "I never loved my wife anyway! It was always you!"
"No Franklin..." she realized that he was just as crazy as her husband.
"Yes, Tiana. I noticed you before Jacques...I loved you since the charity my father held in your church," he confessed and stopped. "You remember the Christmas charity?"
Tiana remembered him mentioning the event and wondered why he was bringing it up again. The last thing she wanted was this man to continue assaulting her.
"You sang so beautifully," he rubbed his hand over her thigh. "And when you served me the punch I knew at that moment that I loved you...but like a coward I stayed away and let Jacques take you from me, but no more. If I get one chance with you I'm taking it!"
"No. I don't want this! I don't want you!" she cried.
Franklin looked down and saw Tiana's eyes water then stopped, pulling hand away. "Tiana..."
She sat up, shaking her head, getting out of the bed. "Please...I don't want—
"No, I'm so sorry Tiana...," he tried walking over to her but stopped when he noticed the fear and hate in her eyes. A look he would never thought he receive from her. "I'm sorry...I thought that you..." he closed his eyes, now embarrassed for falling for Derek's deceit. "Forgive me please?"
Tiana held her stance in case he tried tricking her. Whatever trust she had for him no longer existed.
"At least don't mention this to Paulina," Franklin said. "It will break her heart if she finds out."
Tiana couldn't look at him. "She doesn't deserve this. I don't deserve this..."
"I know now that your are a lady and that my cousin doesn't deserve you..."
"Stop it Franklin...," she began softly before looking his way. "You are exactly like him."
He fell to his knees. "I'm sorry..."
Jacques opened the door to see his cousin apologizing to his distraught looking wife.
"What the hell happened here?" he asked, humoured.
Franklin was too ashamed to respond and simply left the room.
Jacques shrugged at his wife, waiting for her response.
"It was nothing," Tiana said, her voice shaken.
"Then why is your blouse open?" he questioned.
"He was only being a typical Montreuil male," was her answer, still in shock.
It took all of Jacques to not run after Franklin and kill him with his bear hands but he remained calm. He turned on the heel of his shoes before leaving her alone and within seconds hearing a fiery argument with Jacques threatening Franklin's life.
When he did return he helped carry Tiana's bags and drove them home without saying a word to her.
But she also knew that her husband's mind was calculating his next plan with his new found silence. It wouldn't be like him if he weren't thinking of a plan.
"Mama! Daddy!" Daniel said cheerfully along with Max who was barking.
Jacques picked up his son and handed him gift wrapped box. "Your mother and I need to talk okay?"
Daniel nodded, anxious to open us his new toy.
Tiana looked back at her son before walking up the stairs to their bedroom.
"You really know how to make an impression on the men in our circle," Jacques said, closing the door.
Tiana sighed while looking out the window.
Jacques knew who she was thinking about and grew agitated. "Still mourning for that third world king?" He laughed. "Serves him right for getting his limbs blown off. I bet the fishies are sucking his brain right out of his swollen head!"
"Shut up!" she cried, looking back at him. "I know you had something to do with that!"
"And what makes you think I blew up the damn ship?" he asked.
"You deal with scum and dirt on a daily basis!" she spat.
Jacques stood in front of her, staring down at her face. "What makes him so much worthy for you? A piss poor black bitch like you?"
"He respects me!" Tiana said before getting struck on the face.
"You're my wife! The only respect you need is to raise my son and to submit to my needs," he tried caressing her face but she turned away. He chuckled darkly. "Funny coming a modest whore...,"
She gave him a glare.
"And before you ask. I can do whomever I choose since I am the damn man who makes and earns the money here." He brushed the curl from her forehead and stared at her. "Just as beautiful as the day you married me." He inched closer to inhale her vanilla scent.
Tiana shuddered at his lips touching her forehead
"Your scent is always intoxicating" he groaned, pulling her into his arms. "I don't know what is it about you Tiana, but no matter how pissed off you make me I still want to fuck every inch of you...whether you want me to or not." he ran his tongue over her closed lips. "I have a taste for some chocolate."
She kept her eyes closed. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with me?"
"You know that you're my weakness...," he ripped the rest of her blouse open. "If you saw what I was seeing then you would understand."
Tiana was pushed onto the bed and soon Jacques was on top of her.
Jacques evilly smirked. "You will never get to feel that foreigner's dick in what's already mine...," he whispered into her ear.
But Tiana shook her head and wasn't going to give up without another fight.
"No!" she slapped him.
"What the hel-did you hit me?" his lips came crashing on her neck as his hands forced her arms down.
Tiana started kicking and squirming. "Get off of me!"
"Keep it quiet! You don't want Daniel to come charging in here!"
"Let him!" Tiana exclaimed. "He needs to see how his father really is with his mother!"
"I can keep you quiet," he put his hand on her neck and applied pressure. "Its been done many times. Don't let me do it."
Tiana felt his hand tighten around her neck as his other hands worked with his trousers. "I hate you!"
Jacques laughed. "Good so that means the rump will be fantastic."
Daniel opened the door to see his father moving back and forth on top of his mother and yelled.
"Daddy what are you doing to mama!" he ran into the room and jumped on the bed. "Get off of my mama!" He began punching at him.
Tiana covered herself with the blanket as Jacques fell out of the bed. "Daniel, go in your room!" she cried.
"No mama!" the boy went to embrace his mother in a tight hug.
Jacques pulled his trousers up and was infuriated. "What did I tell you about barging into rooms Daniel?"
Daniel remained quiet and frightened while holding onto his mother. "You were hurting mama!" he mumbled with teary eyes.
"Get out of the bed Daniel!" Jacques took a hold of the boy's arm, making him cry louder.
"Let him go!" Tiana wrapped her arms around her son.
"He is old enough to get punished for his actions," Jacques said.
"Punished? What form of punishment are you going to give a three year old?" Tiana asked.
"A spanking!" He put the boy over his lap.
"What!" Tiana's eyes widen. "If you're going to punish anyone punish me! You've done it enough times! Don't move on to our son!"
Daniel cried hysterically.
Jacques sighed, letting go of his son, closing his eyes. "Daniel...Go in your room."
The young boy hesitated until Tiana gave him a gentle kiss and whispered. "Go on ahead."
"No mama. I don't want you to get hurt," he cried.
"I'll be fine," Tiana tried to reassure him.
"What's going on here?" asked Florence.
"Can you take Daniel back to his room?" Tiana asked.
Florence looked from the boy then at Jacques before finally going to Tiana.
"Come on Daniel," she said gently.
The little boy looked at his father who was now sitting on the foot of the bed with his face in his hands before taking the maid's hand to leave the room.
Tiana sighed heavily while walking over to her husband. "I..." she inhaled and exhaled. "I'm going after him."
"No Tiana wait!" Jacques got up. "Let me apologize to him."
"I don't think he wants to see you right now," she started for the door until she felt Jacques' hand around her wrist.
"Tiana...I'm sorry."
She shook her head just as she yanked her hand away. "No you're not." And left the room.
After a glass of milk from Florence and a lullaby from herself, Tiana finally got her child back to sleep.
"Daniel told me about Jacques hurting you," Florence began, closing the door to the nursery. "And trying to hit him."
"It's all true," Tiana said to the maid.
Florence nodded. "I tried my best to raise him to be a good man."
"I know you have," she went back to her bedroom and found her husband sleeping in bed. She decided that a warm bath would release the tension from her very stressed body.
After drawing her bath she sat in the bubbly, already feeling it effects on her now relaxed body. And as she was about to feel like herself again thoughts of Naveen flashed. The reality of never seeing him again finally hitting her.
"Naveen...," she whispered just as the tears left her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Her body began trembling and that was when she finally broke down hysterically.
"Oh Naveen...why...why couldn't we be happy together?" she covered her face as she cried some more. Her heart will never survive this pain.
()()()()
Naveen woke up in an instant not knowing where he was. He saw that he was in a hospital grown and could see and feel bandages all over his arms and legs. And his throat felt dry, almost sore-like.
A nurse happened to walk in the room and gasped when she saw the king. "You're awake!" Then ran out of the room. Within seconds a doctor soon came in with her.
The doctor was shocked himself, pulling out his stethoscope. "Sir, do you know where you are?"
"At a hospital?" Naveen asked in a groggy voice.
"A coloured hospital," The doctor added with a nod. "Do you know who you are?"
"Yes, My name is Naveen Antonio Marius Raffael..."
"Good, good," the doctor interrupted. "But do you know where ya from?"
"Maldonia," Naveen answered. And was thrown with more questions which quickly annoyed him as he was in serious need of water due to having a dry scratchy throat.
"You are a miracle in itself. You're the only survivor from that ship explosion," said the doctor.
Naveen suddenly remembered the last moments before the explosion and how unhappy he was. Just marrying Eliza alone was...
"Wait, did you say that I'm the only survivor?" he asked.
"Yes sir. With no sign of trauma with the exception of some scratches on your arms and legs. Would you like for my nurse to contact a family member or a spouse?" The doctor asked, pleased to see the patient conscious and very alert.
"No," Naveen stopped him. "I don't want anyone to know I'm here."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded. "Its for the..." and stopped when an idea came to mind that got him feeling hopeful. "On second thought. I do need to make a phone call to Mrs. Charlotte Oliviers..."
()()()()
A/N: I wonder why he needs to call Charlotte? ^_^