Chapter 122-The Final Straw

My head rested on the steering wheel as I sat in the garage. I know I couldn’t stay in here long since I was positive Marcus would have heard my arrival. I’d missed Finley and the quads and was eager to see them, but facing Marcus was going to be hard.

Mulo and I had spent the night together going over his plan to rid me of Marisol. It was risky, but could work. I'd be free of her, I just had to hope Ceula was alright. He had everything planned out, apparently he’d been working on this for a while. Afterwards he stayed and we spent the remaining hours just talking. We both knew this thing needed to be over. I couldn't imagine life that didn't include him on some level. He'd told me he planned on permanently relocating to his home in France, he needed the distance as much as I did. It was the only way to make this work.

All night we spent together fighting the desire we both knew was there. All night we spent enjoying what time we had left. I’d stopped by to see Trey before coming home. He was still a wreck, and Ashley wanted her mother. The kids had been doing a good job stopping by and helping out. I couldn’t wait until that bitch was dead for what she was doing to my family. She needed to pay for all the pain and suffering and I was going to be there when she took her final breath.

Realizing I couldn't delay any longer, I climbed out of the car so I could face my husband. Finley and Zana were in the dining room working on home work.

“Hey mom,” she said with a smile getting up to hug me.

She looked different, older somehow. Her hair was dyed an electric blue color with gray streaks. Behind her smile, I could see the same weariness and fear we all had with Ceula still missing. Bynni had even attempted to reach out to Marisol, hoping to reason with her on some level, but she couldn’t find her either. We were all stressed and worried. Angry!

“Hey sweetie, how are you?” She shrugged in response.

“Hi Mrs. Smith.”

“Hello, Zana. What are you girls working on?”

“Calculus,” they both answered with defeat in their voices.

I heard cooing coming from the steps followed by his voice as he talked to one of the babies. My heart rate increased. After Mulo left this morning, I threw away the clothes I’d been in and took a hot shower. I needed to wash away any traces of him because it seemed Marcus had his scent committed to memory and would know the moment I was close. Feelings of guilt settled on me. My actions were that of an unfaithful woman, but I’d not crossed that line, however the lack of sex didn’t make me any less a cheater.

I walked into the hall in time to see Marcus holding Graham. From the way he looked at me, for a moment I thought he knew, but then a smile spread across his face.

“Mommy’s home,” he said to the wiggling bundle in his arms. “How was your trip?” he asked, buckling Graham into the swing.

I watched the gentleness of his actions as he cared for our son. He was a good man, no matter how much I pushed his limits with my actions, he stays and keeps trying to make things work. He’d lost so much. We’d lost so much. I loved him. I’d married him three times. I could be happy with him. I would be happy with him, I just needed to make sure he was happy with me. I needed to uphold my wedding vows. Forsake all others.

When he turned to face me, I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tightly. Marcus wrapped his arms around my waist in response. “Baby did something happen in Riverview?”

Keeping my face buried in his chest, I nodded slightly.

“Are you going to tell me what?”

“Just hold me for a minute please.”

“I can do that.”

His strong arms tightened around me, this was my safe place. When he held me, I just felt like things would be okay, like everything was alright with the world. I wished I could stay here forever and never have to think about the outside world, but the cries that came from upstairs was one of the many reasons that wasn’t possible.

“I’ll get her.”

Marcus reached for my arm as I pulled away. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

I gave him a weak smile, and a quick kiss on the lips. My hand caressed his cheek, “Not right now.”

Marcus didn’t push and let me walk off. I held my baby close, breathing in her soft baby powder scent. First the change, then this thing with Marisol had kept me from really bonding with them. I was missing out on so much, time I wouldn’t be able to get back. When Marcus and I had talked on the phone, he’d told me Gwen had rolled over for the first time. He was so excited and I’d not been here to see it. Her little fingers wrapped around mine and we just stared at each other. The sweet innocence they all possessed was comforting. They were too young to know what was going on and although Marisol’s games were keeping me from spending as much time as I liked, this was the most she’d affect their lives.

“Your daddy loves you,” I said keeping my voice low. “He’s a good man and a great father. You and your siblings are really lucky to have him and no matter what happens he will always be there for you and love you.”

She gave me a toothless grin in response.

“She might be hungry.” His voice made me jump. “I’m not supposed to be able to sneak up on you,” Marcus said handing me the bottle.

“I guess I just tuned out the world as I spent some much needed bonding time with my babies.”

Marcus just smiled before checking on the other two who were starting to wake. We easily worked as a team getting the girls changed and fed. Marcus had asked me again about Riverview, but I told him I wanted to talk about it later. I knew I was going to tell him, but I just wanted to wait. I wanted to enjoy the time with them without the tension and frustration that would seep in once I told him about my trip. I hated this position I found myself in and I felt like I was sinking into a bigger hole. I just wanted this to be over. I wanted my life to be uncomplicated.

Finley was trying her best to maintain as normal a routine as possible given the circumstances. She tried to keep her grades up, and do things that high schoolers should be doing. It was hard to believe she was a senior, set to graduate in a few short months. Over dinner she excitedly told me she’d been accepted to the Bridgeport Art Academy.

“Wow…Fin, um Bridgeport? When did you decide to go there? I didn’t realize you were even applying for colleges yet.”

“Well, yeah Mom. We talked about it remember. I was applying to there and two others...” She looked disappointment that I wasn't able to recall the conversation.

Marcus reached over and held my hand. “That was her top pick. The program there is really sought after and getting in is tough.” He spoke as if he was hoping to trigger my memory.

I thought for a moment, then it hit me. “Yes! Right, okay. You did the contest, the mural with your art club. Right, but it’s just Bridgeport…it’s so far away. Other side of the country far away.”

Finley smiled and rolled her eyes at me. “Mom…it’s not like I’m your first to leave or heck even the last. Besides there’s video chat and phone calls and emails. And I’ll be home for holidays.”

I got up and gave her a tight hug. “It doesn’t matter where you fall in the line, I’m never okay with having my children far away.” My embrace got tighter as I thought about my missing one. She had to be okay.

“Mom…” Finley croaked out, “you’re crushing me.”

“Oh sorry!”

We talked about housing and the fact she wanted to live off campus since Zana was moving with her. Zana’s grades had always been borderline, but had improved some over the course of their relationship. She wanted to go into nursing, so her plan was to work a year then attend one of the community colleges before applying to a larger university. They had things all planned out and wanted to go over the summer for a campus tour for Finley as well as scout out apartments. Aric called and wanted to know how things went. He apologized for sending Mulo, but I told him it wasn’t necessary. He was only trying to help. We all wanted her home safe and sound; it was my judgment that was clouded. It was nearly midnight before I got Graham down. He was last man standing, but I guess having 3 sisters, he had to get his extra attention somehow. When I walked into our room, I expected Marcus to be in bed, but instead he sat in the chair looking at a picture.

 “There’s only one reason you’ve avoided talking about Riverview,” he said, placing the photo back on the table. Our last wedding photo; we looked so happy in that picture.

“Marcus…”

He held up his hand to stop me. “No. I don’t want to know. You tiptoe around me. You guard your words and you always have this look of guilt behind your eyes.”

I bit down on my lip not sure how to respond. His voice was eerily calm which only served to heighten my anxiety over where this conversation was headed.

“I didn’t tell him where I was going. I promise! I didn’t plan for him to be there.”

I knew he could hear the increase in my heartbeat. It was all I could hear, the constant and loud pounding within my chest. Even though the subject had been dropped, I felt he still didn’t believe me when I’d told him Mulo and I hadn’t had sex, although I couldn't blame him. I certainly didn't behave like a woman who wasn't having an affair.

  

“Can he help?” I was shocked by his question. Marcus had spent a lot of time telling me I always ran to Mulo in situations and now he was asking for his involvement? I didn’t know what to make of it. I studied his handsome features. He looked tired. Not just from caring for four infants, but this was a different kind of weariness; like he'd finally admitted defeat in the battle he'd been waging to be the only man in my life.

I nodded. “He…he said he has a plan for…taking care of her. Once we find her that is,” I answered.

Marcus stepped closer and pressed his lips to my forehead. “Okay then. I’m going for a run.” He turned and headed towards the door.

“Marcus!” He stopped, but didn’t turn around. “Please…please don’t leave me.”

I watched as he took a deep inhale and heard the slow exhale. “It’s just a run Amari. When I get back, you can tell me about his plan.”

He wasn’t dressed for a run, but I didn’t push. The weight of it all bore down on me. Curling up on the bed, I buried my face in his pillow. Marcus said I had his support. He’d accepted the fact that Mulo was needed, but accepting it and liking it were two entirely different things.

The sounds of crying came through the baby monitor. As I got up to check, I noticed Marcus’ side of the bed was cold and empty. Sighing heavily, I headed towards the nursery. The impatient cries of Graham woke up Gwen, which woke up the other two.  I smelled him before I saw him.

He reeked of liquor and that was no small feat considering it took a lot for us to get drunk now. Marcus headed towards one of the cribs, but I stopped him.

“Go shower. I can handle them.”

He didn’t protest and I busied myself with the babies to avoid looking at him. Marcus had never been a big drinker. He was always level headed and always had a smile for me, even in the toughest times. For him to have consumed so much alcohol that he still smelled of it when he got home, I knew he was at his limit. Silent tears ran down my cheeks as I went about my tasks of changing the babies then making sure each were fed. I needed to keep busy, if only for a little while so I didn’t have to think about how I’d single-handedly broken the spirit of the man whose only crime was loving me.

After getting the babies settled downstairs, I made sure Finley was up and getting ready for school. The shower was still running in our bathroom as I passed by to head back downstairs.

An hour later Marcus came downstairs. He said nothing as he maneuvered around the babies and their gear and I slowly sat up, making room for him on the sofa. The nasty smell of liquor was gone and I could tell all traces of it were burned from his system. The only thing that remained was the clean and refreshing scent of his soap. It always made me think of a warm spring day after a light rain.

I inched closer to him, ignoring the nervous flutters in my stomach. Intertwining our fingers, I let my head rest on his shoulder. We both knew there were things to discuss, but we needed just a moment.

“I love you Marcus.”

Unlike other times, there was no instant response. His silence spoke volumes.

Tilting my head up, Marcus gave me a brisk, feather light kiss. “I know, Beautiful…but…” His response was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell.

“But what Marcus?” Whoever it was could go away. I needed to know what he was thinking. I needed him to finish that sentence, but the doorbell chimed again.

“I’ll get it,” he said pulling away.

“Marcus?”

He turned and gave me a smile, but it wasn’t the same. “I love you too Amari.” He headed towards the door, as the bell rang again. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m looking for Amari Smith please.”

I rounded the corner to find a man dressed in a weird bell boy type costume.

“Are you Amari?” he asked and I nodded in response. He put down some machine that started playing music.

“I made this song up just for you.

Because you’re baby girl is missing

and you’re feeling a little blue.

Misery loves company.

You know it’s true.

Here’s one last clue

To tell you what to do.”

The song finished with confetti being shot in the hair and the guy in a ta-da pose with an envelope in his hand.

I saw red, rushing forward I grabbed his neck throwing him against the wall. “Where is she?” I yelled.

All color drained from his face and the smell of piss filled the air. “I…I…I was just hired to…to sing.”

“Bullshit! Are you working for her? Are you one of her lackies?”

My fangs extended and my hands tightened around the guy’s throat. His heartbeat increased and I could feel the pulsating vein beneath my fingers. I hadn’t drank from a human since France and now his blood called to me. I could drain him dry without a second thought.

“I…I…swear…” he struggled for air, his feet kicked against the wall as he clawed at my hands.

The babies were crying, the music and commotion had frightened them.

“How dare you come into my home!” His eyes started to roll back as I squeezed tighter.

“So…rry…” he croaked out.

I leaned forward, preparing to sink my fangs into the soft flesh of his neck when I felt Marcus come up behind me, prying me off the man.

“LET ME GO!” I screamed, fighting to get free.

Marcus turned to look at the man huddled on the floor. “Leave. Leave and forget you ever came to this house.” His voice was even and calming.

The guy stumbled to his feet then out to his van. Marcus held me until he was gone.

“Why did you do that?” I yelled.

“Because I wasn’t about to let you kill that man in our house!”

“Why not? It would have been one less opportunistic asshole in the world!”

Marcus stared at me for a moment before walking back to the living room, taking deep breaths as he did. All four of them were crying and I heard him trying to calm them down. I should have gone in there. I knew they needed me, that he needed me, instead I picked up the envelope that guy dropped and walked out the door.

***A/N***

Firstly, sorry for making you guys wait so long for this update. Secondly, like with Fiendish (for those of you who read that story) I will be doing a Q&A session with the cast of KOV. I'll be posting soon asking for your questions close to time the final chapters should come out. 

Thank you all for your support over the last 3.5 years! It's been a wild ride. Be sure to become a follower for my upcoming story. Retraction.