When Hell Freezes Over (2 page)

Lastly, I want to thank God for allowing me to have the creative mind to continue to bring these exciting novels to all my readers.

 

T
he room was dark and Keaton had listened to Dejá giggle for over an hour. He'd met her at the gym where she worked as an aerobics instructor. She possessed a pair of long, shapely legs, beige skin, and seductive green eyes. She was physically fit with a derriere so firm, you could bounce quarters off it.

“Keaton, why don't you come over here and give me that massage you promised me?” she beckoned him.

She'd been coming on to him for weeks now and had become extremely hard for him to resist; not that he really wanted to. Dejá was very sexy and wasn't the least bit shy about telling him exactly what she wanted.

“I had no idea you was so uninhibited, Dejá,” he replied.

She scooted over to him and kissed her way down his body until she made him quiver in ecstasy.

He hissed seductively and moaned, “Damn, girl,” while his eyes rolled back in his head.

It had been way too long since he'd been intimate with anyone and Dejá was working him like a magician.

After a few minutes, she giggled childlike. “My turn!”

He grinned as he watched her scoot backwards on the bed. He stood and said, “No problem, but first let me get the ice cream.”

“Ice cream? Keaton, you're such an animal.”

He left the room and quickly returned with a half-pint of strawberry swirl. Dejá's eyes widened as she watched him dip his finger into the cool mixture. He turned to her, growled, and said, “This may be a little cold.”

Dejá took a breath to prepare herself. Keaton smiled, disappeared under the sheets, and happily returned the pleasure.

Keaton's doctor had put him on mandatory medical leave, keeping him from working at his beloved San Antonio restaurant, Lorraine's. It was named in memory of his grandmother, who'd spoiled him to no end as he was growing up. Because of that, it meant everything to him. Now, he wasn't even allowed on the premises, just because his blood pressure had been registering a little high. Everyone in his family had become worried that a stroke was inevitable and vowed to help him regain control of his health before allowing him to return.

Locked out from his restaurant by his parents, he didn't know what he was going to do with himself until his sister, Arnelle, had invited him to come to Philadelphia for some rest and relaxation. He'd be sharing a home with his sister, who was a sports medical doctor at her friend's clinic. Winston, Arnelle's husband and a prominent lawyer, would be spending most of his days in court. Following close behind were their two small children, MaLeah, age four and a half, and Fredrick, age one.

Keaton's parents assured him they'd keep a watchful eye on his restaurant while he was away. He tried to remain positive, knowing he had a dependable staff running the restaurant in his absence.

Leaving Lorraine's in the hands of his trusted assistant manager, Trenton, wasn't something he wanted to do. However, Trenton had done an excellent job running things during a brief absence once before. He'd never been away this long and he couldn't wait until his medical leave was up so he could return.

His father, Judge Herbert Lapahie, was in the process of gearing down his campaign to be San Antonio's next mayor. He was patiently awaiting elections, which would take place within three months. Almost daily, his parents had stressed the importance of following the doctor's orders before he left for Philly. He only hoped his visit to Philly would be a short one.

 

K
eaton was awakened by his energetic niece, MaLeah. She found it amusing to sit on his back and bounce up and down like she was riding a horse. He'd had a long night with Dejá and had returned home a few hours earlier.

MaLeah tugged on his T-shirt and yelled, “Uncie Key, wake up!”

Keaton thought he was dreaming at first.

“Uncie Key, I'm hungry! Wake up!”

Keaton turned over, causing MaLeah to roll off his back. She giggled as she tried to pry his eyes open with her fingers. Keaton suddenly grabbed her and started tickling her. MaLeah screamed with laughter as her uncle playfully wrestled with her. Her long pigtails swung wildly as she kicked and screamed for mercy. He finally stopped allowing her to catch her breath. She looked adorable, dressed in her Philadelphia Eagles football jersey.

“Shorty, what are you doing in here waking me up so early? Where are your mom and dad?”

“Mommie's feeding Freddie,” she announced as she poked his dimples.

Freddie was MaLeah's one-year-old brother, Winston Fredrick Carter IV. Keaton threw the covers back and climbed out of bed. MaLeah stood and started jumping up and down on the bed, turning it into her personal trampoline.

He turned and said, “Stop before you fall and break your neck.”

“K!”

He sat her on the side of the bed. “Sit right there until I come out of the bathroom. Then we'll go make breakfast.”

MaLeah giggled and clapped. Her uncle couldn't do anything but laugh as he entered the bathroom.

Dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt, Keaton returned to the room, slid into his slippers and took MaLeah by the hand. Walking out, he noticed the time: seven-fifteen. He sighed and figured this was the first of many rituals he'd have to perform while visiting his sister and her family.

Downstairs, Keaton and MaLeah found Arnelle finishing up breakfast with Fredrick.

Arnelle looked up and smiled. “You had a late night last night, Keaton. Why are you up so early this morning?”

He nodded toward MaLeah as he raised his coffee cup up to his mouth.

She laughed. “You know she can't help herself. You created that monster. That's why she stays up late with you, and she's your alarm clock in the morning.”

“I'm going to start locking my door,” he proclaimed.

“You know that won't stop her. She'll sit outside the door, calling for you until you open it. Accept the fact, dear brother, that MaLeah Carter is going to continue to be your little shadow. At least until her daddy comes home. Only then will you get a temporary break.”

They laughed together.

Keaton added more cream to his coffee, then asked, “Where's Perry Mason?”

Arnelle threw Fredrick's toy at him. “Winston had to go into the office early this morning, and stop calling him Perry Mason.”

Keaton grinned. “He'll always be Perry Mason to me.”

She smiled and walked over and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Whatever, Keaton. You and Winston are always teasing each other about one thing or another.”

He defended himself. “He starts it most of the time.”

Leaning closer, she whispered, “Look, Keaton, I hope you're being careful with those women you've been going out with.”

“Of course I am,” he answered with a frown. “Do you think I'm crazy?”

“You'd better be,” she argued. “You know your history with women.”

Without responding to her last comment, he walked over and kissed Fredrick on the cheek before adding pancakes to MaLeah's plate. He didn't need Arnelle playing momma to him. If that was going to be the case, he'd find somewhere else to chill until he could return to Texas.

MaLeah tried to follow in her uncle's footsteps by walking over to her brother. She glanced up at Fredrick as he sung and made other baby noises. She leaned in and planted a kiss on his tiny hand. As she turned to walk away, he grabbed one of her pigtails with a kung fu grip. It took only seconds for her to let out a bloodcurdling scream. Both Arnelle and Keaton turned at the same time to find Fredrick trying to put MaLeah's hair into his mouth. Arnelle quickly went to them and popped Fredrick's hand so he'd release his grip. Startled, he closed his eyes briefly, but continued to hold on to her hair.

“Fredrick! Turn your sister's hair loose!”

Fredrick was big for his age and he wasn't easing up on his grip at all. She popped his hand again as MaLeah continued to scream. Arnelle couldn't believe that she'd popped his tiny hand twice and he'd neither cried nor turned MaLeah's hair loose. Keaton watched this go on for a few more seconds. He shook his head, then walked over with his plate in his hand.

He stood in front of Fredrick and yelled, “Fredrick! Let go!”

Fredrick's eyes quickly filled with tears as he looked up at his uncle who was frowning at him. He slowly released MaLeah's pigtail as he looked at his momma and burst out crying. Keaton turned around and casually sat down at the table to eat his breakfast.

Arnelle hugged MaLeah. “Don't even try it, Fredrick! You hurt your sister!”

MaLeah clung to her momma's neck for comfort. Looking over Arnelle's shoulder at her uncle, she saw him wink at her and smile. A few sobs later, she kissed Arnelle on the cheek and walked over to Keaton.

He smiled and asked, “Are you okay, Shorty?”

“Freddie hurt my head,” she said as she pointed to her hair.

“I know, but he's sorry. Aren't you, Fredrick?”

Fredrick was still crying as Arnelle hurriedly cleaned up the kitchen. She had no sympathy for her crying toddler.

Keaton picked up MaLeah and took her back over to her brother. He knelt down. “Fredrick, stop crying and give your sister a kiss so she'll know you still love her.”

He poked out his bottom lip and looked at his uncle. He was only one but seemed to understand.

Keaton said again, “Kiss, Fredrick!”

Fredrick leaned over and kissed MaLeah on the cheek.

“Now, MaLeah, you kiss your brother,” he instructed her.

MaLeah reluctantly kissed her brother, then quickly jumped back into Keaton's arms. When all was finished, he sat her in her chair with her plate of pancakes in front of her. Arnelle watched him be the peacemaker with her children. She thought to herself, realizing he'd make a great father one day.

“Why did Winston have to go in so early this morning?” Keaton inquired.

Giving the kitchen another look, she replied, “I don't know, but I need to hurry up and get out of here myself.”

Keaton laughed. “Are you guys ready for tonight?”

He was talking about the Professional African-American Awards banquet. Winston was up for Man-of-the-Year.

Arnelle turned on the dishwasher. “As ready as we're going to be. Winston's so excited, but if he doesn't get it, he's okay. He enjoys working with those young boys over at the youth center. Since he's taken over, the attendance has risen.”

“Dang, Sis, those kids must really like old Winston.”

She smiled with pride. “They love him and so do I.”

Keaton watched his sister's eyes brighten when she spoke of her husband. They'd had a rocky start, but neither of them could fight off the inevitable. With what they'd shared, they were destined to be together. He couldn't imagine having that kind of love and connection with one woman for the rest of his life. Besides, marriage wasn't for everyone.

Looking around the kitchen once more, Arnelle said, “Okay, I'm out of here. We should be home by four so we can get ready for the banquet. Are you sure you're going to be all right with these two rugrats tonight? Camille said she'd watch them for us.”

Keaton frowned at his sister. “You act like I'm the babysitter from hell or something. I told you, I got it. We'll be fine!”

Arnelle threw up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I didn't mean for you to get all bent out of shape.”

“I'm cool. I have a lot of fun and games planned for these two.”

MaLeah was smiling at her uncle as she sat eating her pancakes. She'd heard the words “fun” and “games” in the same sentence. When her uncle said “fun” he meant
fun.

On that statement, Arnelle grabbed her jacket and said, “Well, it seems you have everything under control so let me get out of your way.”