The Thrill Of It All II
The Love That Never Was Pt 3/Final Goodbyes
Later that evening with Jacques asleep and Daniel busy with his older cousin Tiana excused herself down to the kitchen to find something to eat. She was pleased to find food with the help of the housekeeper and helped herself to some dessert once done with dinner.
She walked through the halls and rooms feeling satisfied yet also horrible for her behavior with Naveen and had to talk to him about it.
She walked further down until she reached the room Daniel stayed in. Opening the door she found Naveen telling her son another one of his famous bedtime stories.
"So the firefly flew up so high that he could no longer see his friends or earth for that matter. This new world was one he found familiar, but one with multiple moons and big bright beautiful stars! One in particular looked like Evangelina, the most beautiful and brightest...fire fly!"
Daniel yawned and tried to remain attentive.
"The fire fly could only stare in fascination at this beautiful...fire fly before he..." he stopped when he saw the young boy fast asleep. "...introduced himself..." he looked over to see Tiana standing by the door.
"Thank you that was very sweet of you," Tiana said, awkwardly.
"Its what he wanted," Naveen responded, walking pass her. "Goodnight."
Tiana watched him walk away but didn't want to end it there. So she rushed after him.
"Naveen!" she called after him as he opened the door to a room. "Wait!" she stopped behind him and didn't have time to yelp when he suddenly pulled her into his room.
He couldn't hold back any longer and pressed his lips on hers.
They didn't say a word as they fell onto the bed. Tiana gasped as Naveen opened her legs while pulling down his trousers. She didn't stop his actions when he entered her roughly.
Naveen's eyes never left hers through each thrust, moan and pant he shared with her.
"Naveen...," she moaned, reaching her hand up to his face. Their lips met again just as she left him fully in her. He was rougher and seemed agitated once his lips parted from hers.
She was first to make her peek but he wasn't far behind. Both collapsing on the bed, out of breath.
"What is it that you wanted again?" he asked.
Tiana wrapped her arm over his torso and rested her head on his chest. "I can't remember...closure?"
"Funny thing about that word. It always leads us right in bed," he said, running his fingers up and down her back. "Not that I don't mind. But why do you need closure anyway? You want to end what we have...had."
Tiana sat up and dressed back into her nightgown. "It isn't closure for what we have," she looked back at him. "It's closure for what I believed in for the past three and a half years."
Naveen didn't understand her meaning. "What about the past three and a half years?"
She pulled on her robe. "For hurting you. Always leaving you high and dry for a man who I never loved or will ever be in love with."
Naveen sat up and knew that she had more to say. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"
Tiana opened her mouth and wanted to tell him that Daniel was his, but she couldn't. "No."
"Then you should hurry back to your husband," he told her.
"I guess I should...," she rose from the bed.
"I'm leaving in the morning," he announced.
Tiana raised her brows, disappointed. "But you just got here."
"The last thing your terminally ill husband need is stress," Naveen knew that it would pain him to see her with another man, even if it is her husband.
Tiana stared at him as if trying to read him. "Naveen, I lo..."
"Goodbye," Naveen interrupted, staring back at her.
"Goodbye," she said, feeling heartbroken.
"Are you alright?" he asked, obviously knowing her disappointment.
"Yes, I'm fine...Have a safe journey home," she opened the door.
"Thank you," Naveen said, watching her leave the room. He groan, falling back on the bed. "Merdi! Why does loving her hurt so much?"
Tiana hurried down the hall with tears leaving her eyes. And by the time she made it back to her room she knew that it was time for her to bath off any sex scent that could linger into Jacques' nose. So she did just that and cried some more during her bath. With everything happening as quickly as did she felt so stressed and overwhelmed. Her life was really draining out of her from Jacques' illness to her relationship with Naveen. All she had to do was tell him that he is Daniel's father but then where would that leave her husband who is terminally ill? He may have not spent as much time with Daniel as a father should with their child he still loved that boy.
But both men had to know the truth. Even if it would eventually hurt one of them.
She decided that she will do it! She had one more chance to tell Naveen the truth and after her bath she will do just that.
After dressing into another gown she opened the door to leave.
"Darling?"
She stopped at the sound of her husband's voice. "Yes, Jacques?"
"Come back to bed," he said softly. "Its so cold in here!"
Tiana sighed before getting in the bed. "How's your face?"
"A lot better than how my body is really feeling," he answered. "It must be whatever I'm dying of. Where were you headed?"
"To the kitchen. I was thirsty," she fibbed.
"For Naveen?" Jacques said with a weak smirk. He could see right though her.
She shook her head and caressed his face. "You know how much we water the both of us can go through. You especially."
He waved away her caresses and said grimly. "I think its about time we go home before I get worse."
"When?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
He closed his eyes. "In the morning."
()()()()
It took almost a little over a week to get home between the ship and train rides. Jacques recovered for the ride much to Tiana's relief. Having Daniel wonder why his father slept for most of the ride on the first day was hard enough. But it did make her realize how real his illness is...whatever it was.
Two months have already passed and Tiana could clearly see her husband's dramatic weight loss. His once perfect, strong sculpt built physic was now almost skin and bones. Her husband's once handsome face looked aged. The only feature that remained the same was his beautiful hazel blue eyes who weren't seen much due to him being asleep for most of the day.
Taking care of Jacques wasn't so bad with Dorothy there to assist. It was the heartbreak of losing him at any day that was the hardest. Especially after bonding with him through the entire process.
"Darling may you bring me a glass of water?" Jacques asked, his voice now in a whisper.
Tiana helped him drink from the glass before setting it on the nightstand.
He smiled weakly at her. "You've always been good to me. After every inhumane thing I've done to you. I hope you forgive me for my wrongdoings."
Tiana gave him a warm smile, taking his hand. "I already forgave you Jacques."
"I ruined your dreams, broken your friendships. All due to my ignorance," he stared at her face. "I know that the money for re-opening your restaurant won't take back—
"It's all right. Everything happens for a reason," she smiled at him.
"Yes, it does," he agreed. "And remember what I told you to do once I'm gone. You know how my family is."
"I do," she said with a nod.
He returned the smile. "Thank you for staying."
"I'm your wife. Its my job to stay by your side," she reminded him of his own words.
"And I love you for that," Jacques said sincerely.
"I love you, too," she said with meaning.
Jacques felt his eyes water with tears. Moved by those four words. "It took me dying just to hear you genuinely tell me that you love me."
"I do," she admitted, wiping away his tears as she grew teary eyed herself.
Jacques slowly exhaled."I can die happy knowing that you love me and that my son will be taken care of by his beautiful mother. Damn this illness. Taking me from you and our son at only almost twenty-six."
"Jacques...," Tiana began.
"You've always reminded me of my mother know know," he admitted. "Such a good woman...a good mother..."
She felt heartbroken for staying silent about Daniel's paternity but thought that it was for the best. Having her and Daniel around gave him peace. So she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. "You want to see Daniel again?"
"No, just you. One last time," he smiled.
She raised her brows.
"Smile for me," he whispered, slowly raising a hand to touch her cheek.
Tiana held onto his hand while gazing into his hazel blues eyes and knew that it was his time so with suppressed tears in her eyes she gave him a smile.
Jacques' eyes slowly shut as his chest suddenly became still.
Tiana caressed his face. "You're now with your mother, father and our babies." She kissed him on the lips again. "Rest my love. You deserve it."
()()()()
Another month went by since Jacques' death and with some emotional support from her parents and Dorothy she was able to get things back to normal as much as she could make it in the Montreuil Estate.
"Daniel is already setting up pretend businesses with his toys," Tiana told Dorothy who laughed.
Eudora shook her head. "How is he handling everything?"
"It was hard at first but now he's come to terms with it and often dreams of him now," Tiana said to her mother. "They were very close at the end."
"You know that if you need any more help from me or your daddy then you can call."
Tiana nodded at Eudora. "I know mama."
"You had a good husband," Eudora added.
"He did the best that he could, mama," Tiana rolled her eyes.
Dorothy excused herself out of the room as the women continued.
"He had a temper but men like him need peace—
"And he has it, mama," Tiana finished for her. "Daniel is upstairs in his room."
"Babycakes don't you think that with all the money he left you and Daniel—
"Whatever you're thinkin' mama...the answer is no!" Tiana said.
"Derek is no longer married..."
"No."
"He's always cared deeply about you..."
"No mama..."
"And Daniel is in need of some new siblings..."
"I said NO!" Tiana yelled in agitation.
Eudora frowned. "Don't you ever yell at me!"
"Well don't you ever think that you can force me to marry a man who is worse than my dead husband!" Tiana said little calmer. "And I apologize for yelling at you."
"I'm only looking after your well-being," her mother said. "Derek would be good for you. I heard he's visited you quite a few times."
"For business, mama! And they were brief visits!" Tiana said, annoyingly. Jacques left her and Derek co-partners in his grandfather's glass company with the option for her to step down, but with all the wild ideas Derek threw at her she decided to stay for the sake of the Montreuil name. She could never trust Derek's judgment.
"I'm just fine, mama! The only man in my life is my son and I would be happy for the rest of my life that way."
Eudora shook her head, not liking the comment. "That sounds really sad."
Tiana knew that she and her mother would never agree on this topic so she waved an imaginary truce flag. "We can agree to disagree?"
"Agreed," Eudora smiled. "Since you're not marring right now what are you going to do with all of that money?"
"Help out you and daddy. Donate and also invest what I can in this dead economy and of course live the life I always wanted. My restaurant is almost finished and booked for the next three months and Grandmother Montreuil's creole split pea soup is still very popular in the other restaurant"
"I'd keep the money from any banks right now babycakes."
"Maybe we'll travel," Tiana shrugged. "Once everything is settled."
"Say what?" Eudora raised her brow.
"Do you want to travel?" Tiana asked.
"To where?"
"Anywhere."
"Look at us! Not every country welcomes our kind," Eudora reminded her.
Tiana sighed. "Jacques actually gave me some recommendations."
"Babycake..."
"Fine we won't be traveling."
"It seems like you have everything in order," said the middle age woman. "And without a man. I've known some women who lived without men, but they would also have lady friends..."
"Mama please!" Tiana said. "I don't have lady friends like that!"
"What about Naveen?"
Tiana was surprised that her mother even mentioned the Maldonian king. "What about him?"
"Are you going to get back with him at least? I don't know much about Maleeona or however you say it"
"Hmm..." she thought about it before answering, "We'll see..." while going upstairs to her room to call him.
An operator answered the call before transferring her to the king's main line and to her disappointment he wasn't available.
She tried reaching him via telephone with no luck. So she wrote a letter telling him about Daniel being his son and apologized for not telling him any sooner.
Naveen,
This letter I'm writing to you in regards of Daniel. He's getting bigger everyday and always asking about you. I've been trying to think of ways to tell you that he is your son. I've known about this for a while, and I apologize for not telling you sooner. With everything that's been going on from Jacques' death, the businesses and the money leech-ers I have no time for myself. I've tried calling for the past week and after several failed attempts I've decided to write to you instead. I've also been thinking about us. Whatever we may be now, I hope that it's not too late.
Please write or call back.
With love,
Tiana.
()()()()