Justify My Love: An Interracial Romance (BWWM) (10 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Mr. and Mrs. Davis breezed in during the third week of Marnie’s stay in the hospital. Aside from the fact, it took them so long to get there, it turned out to be exactly the kind of visit she’d come to expect from her parents. She knew her father considered time money, so being with her rather than working and earning more money was rough for him.

She happened to be dozing off when she heard her name. Opening her eyes to her mother’s voice, Marnie’s stomach knotted in a Pavlovian reaction.

“You look terrible. Doesn’t she, Alfred?”

Of course I do! I’m convalescing from multiple gunshot wounds and damn lucky to be alive.

“I’ve seen her looking better,” her father replied in a monotone.

“It’s nice of you two to fly here to come and tell me that. How long are you staying?”

“Only overnight. Your father is due back at work.”

“I thought you were a lawyer, not a cop,” Alfred Davis sniped.

“It’s not a common occurrence to be shot, I assure you.”

“Always with the smart mouth,” he replied.

“I don’t want to argue with you, Dad. Actually I’m happy to be alive.”

“Why couldn’t you have been a teacher like your sister?” Emma Davis inquired.

“Don’t you read the news, Mother? More teachers get shot at today than lawyers. Or have you forgotten Columbine and Newton?”

Not caring to hear Marnie’s opinion since it differed from her own, Emma Davis made a tsk tsk sound of dismissal and pursed her lips in a disapproving look, which began the usual process of pressing her daughter’s buttons. However Marnie neither had the strength nor the desire to engage in a war of words with her, either. Instead she tried to end the conversation by saying, “At least neither of you can be blamed for the career I’ve chosen. I paid my own way through school.”

But her father had to have the last word, as usual. “That’s because you wouldn’t listen to us and take a job suited for a woman,” her father added, defiantly.

Skyrockets exploded in Marnie’s head. Her parents hadn’t been in her room for more than ten minutes and were able to push her to her emotional breaking point.

“I won’t grace that ignorant sexist statement with a rebuttal. How was Europe?”

“The French don’t like us Americans very much,” her mother blurted out.

I wonder why
. “Where else did you go?”

“England,” Mrs. Davis said. “They’re more pleasant there.”

“You spent a week in each country?”

“Yes, but I think Europe is overrated,” Mr. Davis said.

“Have you heard from your brother?” her mother asked, changing the subject abruptly.

“Mother, why would he call me?”
Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. The Prince, her favorite child.

“I wouldn’t call someone with such an attitude, either,” Emma said flatly.

The throbbing in her head had become stronger. “He only calls when he needs something. What are you looking for, Dad?”

“Your remote. I want to see what’s on TV”

“Don’t bother, Alfred. We’ve got to be going. Marnie looks simply drained.”

Marnie was perfectly happy to see them go. She wondered why they even bothered to come at all. When she was younger, Marnie would do anything in a vain attempt to win their love. However, as it turned out, nothing that she ever did seemed to please them. It was always Marty, her brother, whom they adored. And he was truly a screw-up. She would come home with all As and they wouldn’t bat an eyelash over it, while Marty got Bs and Cs and they would praise him to the nth degree.

By the time her sister Mandy was born, neither parent had the patience to care for her. Instead, they simply thrust the child on Marnie. At first she didn’t mind, but soon the novelty wore off and she began to resent it. Going away to school was the break she needed from her family. There she was finally able to see her parents as they truly were—parasites sucking the very life from her, without ever giving anything in return.

It took her a long time to understand she didn’t
have
to like her parents. It wasn’t wrong to feel that way and there was no reason she should feel guilty. She could love them as parents, but she didn’t have to like the things they did. As time passed, she soon realized she didn’t have any feelings left towards them at all. That’s when she grew a backbone and became her own person.

Chapter Fifteen

Finally Marnie was told she’d be allowed to continue convalescing at home. At first she chalked up her desire not to rush back to work to the lousy way she felt physically. Walking to the bathroom was still painful and a chore. Nor could she bend without being reminded she’d been shot. But, when she was given the news about remaining home for a week or two, she felt as if she’d been given a reprieve. That’s when she’d begun to suspect she really didn’t want to go back to work. The thought of rubbing shoulders with other psychos like John Kalb sent her heart racing. Though there was no way to protect her from the crazies, hopefully counseling would help her cope with her feelings. Along with that she’d have physiotherapy several times a week.

Frank had offered to take her home. When he walked into her hospital room to collect her, he was beaming. She knew he’d have new pictures of his grandson, Jarrett Oliver Platt, to show her.

“How are you feeling today, young lady?” Frank beamed as he approached Marnie.

“Definitely not as elated as you are. Show me the pictures.”

“How did you know I’d have pictures with me?”

“It automatically goes with being a grandparent. How are Allison and the baby doing?”

“See for yourself,” he said showing her a bunch of snapshots. “He’s already put on weight.”

“He’s a beautiful baby. Looks just like his granddad.”

“Bite your tongue! He looks like his mother.”

Just then the attendant arrived with the wheelchair.

“I see your chariot has arrived.”

“Frank, do me a big favor and get me the hell out of here.”

Debbie had stopped by the hospital the night before with clothes for Marnie. She had also retrieved her mail from the post office and picked up some groceries. By the time Frank brought Marnie home, he wanted her apartment to look like someone actually lived there. He also intended to leave her in Debbie’s capable care before going back to the office. Debbie came out to greet them and give Frank a hand helping Marnie into the apartment.

“Thank you, Frank. I appreciate your taking me home.”

“No problem. I left your briefcase in the hall. Inside, you’ll find several new cases I’d like you to look over. Let me know what you think.”

When she didn’t immediately answer, he asked what was wrong.

Marnie managed a half-smile and said, “Nothing. I guess I’m more tired than I thought. Speak to you soon.”

Frank’s eyes remained on Marnie a beat longer. “Debbie’s going to keep you company today—”

“I don’t need a babysitter, Frank. I’m fine, just a little tired.”

“Hey, humor me. Besides, she’s been lonely and missed you. Right, Debbie?”

“Very much.” Debbie smiled brightly at Marnie while rolling her eyes.

“Okay, you, two. You win,” Marnie said, chuckling.

“Wise decision. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Frank said, kissing her cheek.

The door hadn’t been closed five minutes after Frank had gone before Debbie asked if Marnie was hungry.

“Debbie, you’re not here to wait on me hand and foot. I appreciate all that you’ve done, but I won’t take advantage of your generosity.”

“You might as well, ‘cause tomorrow you’re on your own, that is, until the aide comes.”

“I’ll be fine,” Marnie tried to reassure her and herself, as well.

“You’d better be. No fooling around or you’ll land back in the hospital.”

“That’s the last place I want to go.”

“Is it?” Debbie asked.

“What do you mean?”

“When Frank mentioned work you nearly turned green.”

“It was that obvious?”

“To me it was. Want to talk about it?” Debbie asked.

“What’s there to say? I’m afraid to go back.”

“That’s understandable. You were nearly killed.”

“That’s just it. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the courage to walk into a courtroom again,” Marnie said.

“Not everybody goes postal.”

“But that’s the problem. You don’t know who’s crazy and who’s not. I’m afraid to take that chance again.”

“Are you going to let one man ruin your life and budding career?” Debbie fired at her.

“But—”

“If you quit and never go back, then it will be just as if you had died. Think about it."

Marnie began to say something, but stopped, giving Debbie the chance to press on. “Tell me you don’t love what you do and I’ll drop the subject right here and now.”

“I can’t,” Marnie whined.

“Then you’ll just have to fight those demons, won’t you, if you intend to be a whole person again.”

Even though it was easier said than done, Marnie knew Debbie was right. She needed to find the strength within herself or seek help. There was no way she’d be able to walk away from the profession for good. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d wanted to be a lawyer. And despite her parents and their steeped negativity, she found the fortitude within herself to become one—and turned out to be a pretty damn good one at that. Her pride would never truly allow her to give her parents the chance to say a collective “I told you so.” No way. If she walked away now, wouldn’t they find triumph in it and never stop lording it over her?

“Will you at least give it a try, Marnie?”

“Yes.”

Debbie instinctively reached out and hugged her supervisor, but released her quickly when Marnie yelped loudly. “Sorry,” she said somewhat sheepishly.

“It’s okay,” Marnie said still gasping. “Let’s have some lunch.”

“You’re all right—I didn’t open any stitches, did I?” Debbie asked, worriedly.

“No. I’ll be okay. Just need a moment—that’s all.

“Okay, then. I’ll just rustle up some lunch for us.”

* * *

It took nearly another month before Marnie felt both strong enough mentally as well as physically to return to work. Though she’d spent much of the time looking over the briefs that Frank had left her, Marnie had to work through a case of butterflies in her stomach and an episode of hyperventilation before she was actually capable of leaving the house and driving to the office.

Marnie was well aware that the Kalb trial had begun and the jury had been selected. She followed the local news coverage of the trial very closely. Scott, wanting to keep Marnie in the loop, had stopped by her apartment several times to discuss the case with her. Whenever he’d call to let her know he was coming, she found herself nearly giddy with the anticipation of seeing him. Likewise, she didn’t want him to leave, and it wasn’t because she was starved for company.

Sitting close together on the sofa sipping coffee as they went through the brief, she’d become heady from inhaling the combination of his aftershave with the special smell that she’d had come to recognize as his alone. She hadn’t felt this way about a guy in such a long time and wondered if Scott had any idea of what his closeness was doing to her. Their relationship, if you could even call it that, had been more of a roller coaster ride. She considered herself lucky to be given a second opportunity in order to make things right. Having misjudged him so unfairly once already, she swore never to do it again and desired to nurture whatever they still shared. She truly hoped he cared as much for her.

Probably none of this would have happened had he told her about Angel. She, of all people, would understand when it came to dysfunctional families, but he wouldn’t have known that—could not have known. After all, hadn’t she made her own family sound normal, hiding the truth just as he had?

Chapter Sixteen

Marnie’s first day back at work turned out to be an emotional one. A breakfast was held in her honor which most of the staff attended. Frank handed her a large beautifully wrapped box and asked her to open it so everyone there could see what she’d been given. Her hands trembled as she pulled at the ribbon that bound it. Tearing off the wrapping and casting the box cover aside, she found a new, beautifully tooled, leather briefcase to replace her ruined one. She only hoped her tenuous fortitude held up so that she’d be able to make good use of it.

Someone from the group shouted, “Speech!”

“Yeah, give us a speech. I hear lawyers like to hear themselves talk,” another called out.

That brought on a gale of laughter from the group. Feeling herself blush and far from being an impromptu speaker, she honestly was at a loss for words. Finally, she cleared her throat and began to speak. The room grew quiet instantly, as if a magic wand had been waved over their heads.

“Thank you. Thank you, everyone, for all your well-wishes and of course, this,” she said pointing to the bag. “I doubt that my old one would be much good in the rain.”

That drew some chuckles. When they were still once more, she continued. “Just as I know I’m lucky to be alive and able to be here talking to you today, I realize just how fortunate I am to have friends like all of you.” Feeling the tears welling in her eyes, she ended by saying, “Thank you, everyone. Thank you.”

Frank handed her a handkerchief and pulled out her chair so she could sit.

“Thank you, Frank,” she said, kissing his cheek. Then she hugged Debbie and kissed her. Debbie hugged her back, whispering, “We’re all here to keep you strong.”

Marnie understood exactly what Debbie meant. She only hoped she’d be able to hold up
her
side of the bargain.

After the breakfast Debbie walked with Marnie back to her office, filling her in as much as possible with what had gone on while she’d been away. Frank had taken care of all the timely matters that needed to be done for her clients. She looked through her active files and read all of his notations, making notes on the items she needed to discuss with him. Along with them, she took out the files that he’d requested she look over.

“Debbie, I’ll be in Frank’s office if you need me.”

She nodded and went back to the items she was filing.

Marnie knocked on Frank’s door. She waited until she heard, “Come on in,” before opening the door.

There was a man and a young girl of about sixteen sitting across from Frank. Marnie surmised they were father and daughter. From their body language, she deduced their relations with each other were strained, at best. The man wore a dark suit, conservative in style. His brown hair was thinning and sections of his white scalp peered through. In contrast to the man’s conservatism, his daughter was entirely another story. Her hair was bright purple, and nearly as short as her father’s, except she had used gel to get it to stand up in spikes, resembling the back of a dinosaur. Marnie’s attention was drawn to the man’s hands, which were in constant motion picking at imaginary threads on his suit or worrying a cuticle on one of his fingers. He was definitely not comfortable being there. Nor was he happy. That much was obvious, just as much as his anger, which he directed at his daughter.

“Mr. Silver, Andrea, I’d like you to meet Marnie Davis.”

Marnie extended her hand and shook the man’s. Andrea turned away. “Nice to meet you both.”

”Mr. Silver, please tell us how we can help you,” Frank said.

Marnie listened and watched carefully as the man told them how Andrea had been arrested for shoplifting. This wasn’t the first time she’d been caught, but this time the store was pressing charges. The more she heard the more certain she was that more going on with that Andrea than met the eye. She decided to separate father and daughter to really get to the root of the problem. “Frank, I’d like to talk to Andrea alone in the conference room for a few minutes,” Marnie said. He nodded, and Marnie and Alison left the office.

“What happens now?” Mr. Silver said in a voice thinly veiled with disgust. “My daughter has been arrested and fingerprinted like a common criminal. She’s ruined her life.”

“Mr. Silver, we will work to get this charge dropped so that it doesn’t even go to court.”

A half hour later, Marnie returned with Andrea. Frank noticed her legal pad was filled with notes and smiled. His protégé had gotten the girl to talk.

After the Silvers left, she told what she’d learned to Frank. Alison seemed to be crying out for attention. Both agreed that Silver was clueless as to what made his daughter tick and if nothing was done to change the situation, things would only get worse. Marnie had convinced the girl to show remorse and apologize to the store. Also to donate her free time to one of the store’s favorite charities. She was sure she could get the charges dropped under these circumstance and would take care of it the next day.

* * *

Right before Marnie was about to pack up and head for home, her cell phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Scott. She smiled.

“Hello, Scott.”

“Hello right back atcha. I’m calling to find out how your first day back at work went.”

The sound of his voice was deep and sensual. It sent a ripple of awareness straight to her pussy. “Actually, I’m still in the office. I guess it went well enough. It feels a little weird to be back after being away for so long.”

“I’m sure in a few days it will feel like you were never gone,” he said. “If you’re not too tired, I’d like to stop by tonight to discuss the trial with you.”

“Hopefully, I won’t fall asleep while you’re there,” she teased, though the thought of him coming over later, excited her, causing that familiar, pleasurable tug in her groin.

“Will you be home by six-thirty?”

“Most definitely. I was nearly out the door when you called,” she replied.

“I’ll stop and pick up a pizza,” he said. “Want anything special on it?”

“Pepperoni, mushrooms, whatever. Just no anchovies.”

“Okay. I’ll surprise you, then.”

Just seeing you would be enough
, she thought. “See you later,” Marnie said and they disconnected, just as Debbie stuck her head in and said goodnight.

Five minutes later, Marnie was out the door and on her way home.

* * *

Marnie changed into comfortable exercise duds, promising herself as she dressed that she would take things slowly with Scott. She’d already screwed up big time and apparently had a second chance, which made her damn lucky. Along with the luck she hoped more sense came, as well. Bells didn’t go off when he was near, but her heart certainly raised a ruckus. She had a pretty good feeling that she might be falling in love with the guy and the last thing she wanted to do was muck it up.

Scott knocked on her door at 6:45. He looked as good as the pizza smelled.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi. Come on in. Hmm this smells good,” she said, taking the box from him, cautioning herself to say and do things nice and easy. “Hang your coat up in the closet and make yourself at home while I bring this into the kitchen.”

Scott’s groin tightened as he watched her high, rounded bottom sway in her yoga pants. Not good, he cautioned himself. The idea was to take things slowly. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off. He wouldn’t get a third shot at this.

Marnie set the table with the pizza box in the middle. “Beer or iced tea?”

“Beer goes better with pizza,” Scott replied.

As Marnie bent down to reach the beer on the bottom of her refrigerator, Scott felt his cock grow rigid. She had a gorgeous ass and he had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch it. He sat down before she could notice his hard-as-rock erection and opened the pizza box.

When Marnie placed the bottles of beer on the table and sat down, Scott placed the slice on her plate. “Ladies first.”

“I had no idea you were so chivalrous,” she teased.

“There’s a great deal you don’t know about me,” Scott said, smiling, white teeth flashing in his handsome, deeply tanned face.

“Care to enlighten me?”

“In due time, ma’am”, he said taking another bite out of his slice.

“I’m glad you got a half pepperoni and half mushroom,” she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

“Not knowing which to get, I took the easy way out.”

Marnie smiled and asked, “What happened in court today?”

Scott gave her a condensed version of the proceedings. He wanted to keep her in the loop. Not just because she was directly involved, but because her insight was very helpful.

“Would you care for another beer?” She asked after he finished filling her in.

“No, I really must be going soon. I have an early day tomorrow,” he replied, worried that if he had another beer he might loosen his restraint to keep his hands to himself.

Scott was good to his word and left right after they finished discussing the trial. As he was putting on his coat, he reminded her about their date on Saturday. He reached over to kiss her on her cheek, but she turned her head and their lips met. They pulled back, but their mouth came together again hungrily, their bodies all but melding together. For several moments they tried to devour each other’s lips seemingly with a need and burning desire that couldn’t be quenched. Their tongues danced together erotically and Marnie could feel Scott’s erection hard against her stomach.

Scott caught himself and released her. “If we don’t stop this right now, we might end up doing something we might not be ready for,” he managed to say, breathing hard.

“You’re right,” Marnie admitted, breathlessly.

He reached over and touched his lips to hers briefly, sensuously. “Night, pretty lady,” he rumbled. Then he was gone. Suddenly, Marnie felt truly alone.