Page 68 of Saint
“I married him because I wanted to. It was hasty, and once I realized it, I was ashamed to come to you all.”
…Because I got involved with a man that was a sex trafficker and would have likely trafficked my black ass, too. My parents didn’t need to know that. Nor did they need the additional information concerning the million dollars that was promised to me… that I declined and still ended up receiving.
“Well, what’s done is done, I suppose. Tell us about the fellow. Can I at least know a thing or two about my son-in-law?”
“Saint is a sweetheart. He’s gentle but a veteran,” I nodded to my father, who was a retired marine, hoping that would earn brownie points. “He has autism, but he’s lived independently for years. He’s super smart, he respects me, and he makes me feel secure. I love him.”
“For him to be so monumental, you sure had a way of hiding him,” my father interjected.
“I wish we could have been there for you,” my mother added with a solemn look on her face. “You’re our only daughter, and we’ll never get to share any of those memories with you.”
My skin melted into the Winchester leather lounger of my parents’ living room. I was convinced it would swallow me before I was ready to leave. Ignoring my discomfort, I sat quietly in the sticky chair. Words were wearing on my mother’s heart, and they needed to be freed.
“And I wish he could have come to me and asked for your hand. This isn’t the way we used to do things,” my father fussed. “This new generation of millennials is something different, Henrietta, I tell ya.”
The pain my parents felt was evident in their posture and expression. They were disappointed that I hadn’t shared with them the news of my marriage. I knew it was wrong to have closed myself off from my friends and family. Shame and fear were to blame because of the agreement Saint and I had in place.
Now, with the news of my marriage out in the open, I could freely share that our love was indeed pure. It had been a few weeks since the fashion show. I didn’t expect water under the bridge when I decided to visit my parents. I knew they would eventually get over it, so I let them cook. Despite their complaints, my mother was elated that I’d settled down ‘with a nice gentleman.’ My father was glad I was in good hands.
Earlier in the week, they’d both made the journey out to Paramour Beach to see the home I shared with Saint. I’d settled back into the space comfortably, putting my condo up for sale and moving endless piles of clothing over.
A contractor spent the prior week transforming one of the bedrooms closest to the master bedroom into a closet for me. With my surplus of a wardrobe, sharing with Saint wasn’t an option. I was gassed when the closet construction was finally complete. I opened our doors to share the new addition with anyone who would bother visiting. And for the people who couldn’t swing by, I sent a video.
“Have you considered having an actual wedding where we could all be a part of sharing this special time with you, Tori?”
I issued a tight smile at my mother’s question. Of course, I wanted to do something to capsulate the memories of my marriage that included everyone. To date, I only had the few photos Saint had taken of us at the library. A grand display wasn’t necessary, but a display of some sort would have been nice.
Saint’s discomfort with crowds gave birth to my hesitation. I didn’t want to put him in an awkward situation if it meant sending his nerves into high alert. It would be unfair to ask him to do so for the sake of catering to other people. When we were first married, it was beautiful, despite the absence of profound feelings we now housed for one another. I wouldn’t take anything from that experience. Those memories were engraved across my chest in the home my heart dwelled. It was all I needed.
“Yeah, but it’s not necessary, Mom. Not really.”
My mother shared a look with my dad but said nothing.
“You still like peonies, Tori?”
It was such an aberrant question. Coming from my father, it made my face scrunch. “I do.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Well, I think you should get going back to the beach. It’s getting late. I would hate to keep you and then have you driving back in the dark. It’s a little over an hour’s drive, after all.”
My mother stood to her feet, waiting for me to follow suit. She’d inadvertently indicated the depletion of my welcome. I’d never seen her behave in such a way. It was odd.
Feeling the sting of their dismissal, I left my parents and made my way back home. Pulling up to the circular drive, my face dipped into a frown. I noted the various cars lining the driveway. Saint and I didn’t have company. He was a hermit, and while a social butterfly, I enjoyed our blissful solitude alone. We hadn’t discussed anything taking place at our home. The cars parked outside set off my internal alarm.
Despite my reservations, I forged ahead, scanning the vehicles as I approached the front door. Immediately, I noticed Supreme and Sincere’s vehicles. Robyn’s vehicle was next. As I continued my ascent up the drive, the front door swung open.
“Good,” Saint smirked. “You’re here.”
Again, he was dressed in a linen suit, unlike the day he’d come to collect me after the show. Standing inches from me, he looked good enough to eat. As I raked over the man I’d shared the better part of the year with, my face flooded with heat. My mouth watered, and my pussy thudded with the evidence that he still maintained dominion over it.
Coconut and sandalwood made a fool of my panties, and the man standing before me made a fool of my chest cavity. There was no steady syncopation of the tool I’d used to traverse through life in that space. It was gone. Held captive by him, my heart remained. I was smitten, unable to deny the chemistry that floated through the air.
“Saint, what’s going on? What is everyone doing here?” I wanted them gone so he could relieve me of the need I housed for him.
“Waiting for you, Beauty.”
As my face wrinkled with confusion, Saint sent a friendly wave to someone behind me. The gesture caused me to turn around, and I witnessed my parents easing up the driveway.