The Saintwood Series

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Time

Carrington

I haven't seen Gloria during the past two weeks. She didn’t work any of those days. I didn’t understand what was going on with her, but it had something to do with Maurice. I prayed I was wrong.

I minded my business, attending classes, but I won’t lie. I missed Gloria terribly, and it was like a piece of me was missing.

I was leaving a bookstore one day, flicking through a book, and not paying attention.

“Carri?”

I lifted my head to see Gloria standing there. It was a pleasant surprise, making my heart flutter. “Gloria.”

She smiled.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling better. You understand how pesky colds can be.”

Then I remembered what her note said. “I got your note.”

“I’m sorry it was short, but things were a little crazy.”

“I’m guessing this has to do with Maurice.”

When Gloria’s expression changed, it confirmed my suspicions.

“I understand you have to deal with Maurice, and I don’t want to pressure you into making a choice.”

Gloria furrowed her brows. “It’s not that.”

“I can ask, but you won’t tell me. You wanted to cool it, so we’ll put the brakes on.”

Gloria knitted her brows. I didn’t know what else to say, so I walked away from her. My heart wanted her, but my head said it wasn’t worth the hassle.

I returned to the house to read. It’ll keep my mind off Gloria. What else will I do with my time? Do you have to ask?

Joseph came home to find me watching American Pie and laughing hysterically when the apple pie part appeared on the screen.

“What in God’s name is that guy doing to that poor pie?” Joseph sat down.

“He’s assessing the waters.” I chuckled.

Christine walked into the house with Troy.

“What in the world are you watching?” Christine asked me.

“American Pie,” Troy said.

Christine gave Troy an incredulous face as he sat down and watched the movie. We sat there rolling as we watched. Christine rolled her eyes.

My sister has no sense of humor. She continued upstairs, screamed, and came flying down the stairs. Troy and Joseph looked at her in confusion.

“Spider,” Christine said.

Troy stood up and rushed to her side like a dutiful boyfriend. I’m messing with you. He sat in the chair, as most guys do. What guy comforts his significant other when the person screams like a raging lunatic? Plus, Christine was acting overdramatic.

“Aren’t you going to do something?” She asked Troy.

Troy sighed and walked upstairs.

Wham!

He came downstairs and sat down in the chair. “Spider is dead.” Troy continued watching the movie.

Christine groaned and stomped up the stairs.

“Shouldn’t you deal with your girl?” Joseph asked Troy.

“Christine is fine.” Troy shrugged while watching the movie.

Let me explain about Troy. He wasn’t that guy that catered to a girl as most guys do. He found humor in the most obscure things. Christine is melodramatic, where Troy isn’t. Things don’t bother this guy. I like him better than the other guys that Christine dated who jumped to her beck and call.

Christine should marry Troy because I can tolerate him, and I can’t stand most people, including the Fraziers.

*****

It has been a couple of months since I saw Gloria. She wanted to cool it, so we cooled it. It sucked ass. I saw her and had the need to jump her but had to refrain.

I don’t understand why she doesn’t leave that i***t. Hell, I don’t see why any woman would want to wrap themselves up with a Frazier boy. Have you met them? The Fraziers are the definition that their mom should have swallowed them. I don’t understand how Charles was friends with Maurice, and Mason did business with Marty.

Mason was brilliant at stopping business with those boobs. Charles married an intelligent woman who killed his friendship with his idiotic friends. My brother is an i***t for cheating on her. Hell, I was an i***t for having a relationship with Gloria. Damn, I missed her.

After class, I wandered through campus without a care in the world and found myself at the coffeehouse. Yeah, I learned nothing with my time apart from Gloria. You think the distance would kill any romantic urges lingering, but it doesn’t. It makes the heart grow fonder, but in my case, stupider.

My brain said to run, and my heart told my legs to go to your woman. These two things conflicted a lot with each other, putting me in a situation that I didn’t need. I looked at Gloria after walking into the coffeehouse. Even though I don’t need it, I want it.

I stood in line and waited until I reached the counter. Gloria looked at me, surprised.

“Yeah, give me a coffee and,” I leaned in, “you.”

Gloria bit her bottom lip as I leaned back. I’m playing with fire, but I didn’t care. I wanted Gloria in so many ways.

She grabbed my coffee and returned with it. I paid for it, then left. Once I was out of view, I dumped the coffee out. I should have ordered hot cocoa and stopped wasting my money.

Later, I returned to the coffeehouse to find her cleaning up and tapped on the window. Gloria noticed me standing there, and I smiled and waved as she walked to the door and unlocked it. After stepping inside, she locked the door.

“Did you take care of your issues?” I asked.

“In a manner of speaking.” Gloria returned to cleaning.

I followed her. “Does it have anything to do with Maurice?”

Gloria wouldn’t look at me as she cleaned. “When doesn’t it have to do with Maurice?”

That answer bothered me.

“Maurice and his family can do whatever the hell they want, and nothing happens.”

“You don’t have to stay with Maurice.”

Her head snapped up. “It’s easy for people to say that. Leave your husband if you’re unhappy. Find a new place if things aren’t working. It’s easy to say but harder to do.”

“What about our plans?”

“Carri, you still have another year of school to finish. Do you think when you graduate that you will wait for me?”

“I will wait forever.”

Gloria’s expression changed to surprise.

“I meant what I said. After I graduate, I want us to leave, and I'll take care of the legalities of your marriage. We’ll start over, and you’ll never deal with the Frazier family again.”

“I’m not sure.” Gloria shook her head.

I know she was unsure of us. “I don’t perceive what is going on at home. But we can be together when Maurice leaves.”

Gloria gave me a doubtful glance.

I walked towards her and took her hands in mine. “Trust me.”

Gloria sighed. She had doubts, but it was time to call in a favor. Someone owes me for saving their ass. I smiled as Gloria furrowed her brows.

*****

I borrowed Joseph’s car, waited in an empty parking lot, and leaned against it. A few minutes later, a car pulled up next to me and stopped.

Brian Morgan appeared, along with two guys. They walked over to me.

“Carrington, this is Chance Bradley and Shep Holliday,” Brian said.

I shook Chance and Shep’s hands.

“Now, what did you need?”

“I need you to keep Maurice and his brothers busy.”

Brian gave me a sideways glance.

“I’m cashing in a favor that I did for you.” I shrugged.

Brian gave me an annoyed glance.

“Or should I tell your dad about your deal with the Mendoza crew that flew south?” I was playing with fire.

The Mendoza family was a cartel in Mexico that did business with the Santiagos. Both families were into guns and drugs. The Morgan family received their supply of weapons from both families, making the guns untraceable.

Charles made a deal with Santiagos, dealing with drugs and enlisting Charles's i***t friends. It was a lousy deal and pissed off Mason. Our family moved money through a business front, and drugs were a dangerous game. The feds referred to it as racketeering.

All families have skeletons in their closets, and we hid ours well.

Brian thought about it, then agreed to help me. We shook on the deal, and it would prove to be the wrong decision on my part with what was to come.

Love makes us do dumb things and make bad decisions, but someone will show me that love comes from a different source. That person will give me the unconditional love that I thought I had found with Gloria.