When Saint Goes Marching In (52 page)
Read When Saint Goes Marching In Online
Authors: Tiana Laveen
He stood swiftly from his seat and walked towards the cloaked window, snatching the curtain open with all of his might. Just as he suspected, he noticed a car winding its way erratically towards his drive-way. Saint raced out of the basement door and barreled as fast as his feet could carry him down the path. He hustled past the caterers, looking over his shoulder briefly to ensure that no one saw him as he disappeared further and further into the brush. Payton slowed down as he rapidly approached.
Saint stood by her car door. She looked up at him, grinned and unlocked it. Just as she prepared to step out, he snatched the door open, grabbed her roughly by her arm and pinned her against the car, sliding her upward.
His eyes narrowed as he put his finger in her face, his voice trembling. “It wasn’t enough that you caused me and my family pain. You still came back for seconds.”
“I tried to let it go,” Payton crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. “But then I found out she stopped the divorce proceedings and you two were getting remarried, renewing your damn vows.”
Saint could smell the hatred for his wife oozing out of her spirit.
“She threatened me, you know.”
“I see you didn’t heed her warning. You should have.” Saint yanked her away from the car, dragging her deeper into the brush by her arm. He walked so briskly, she was barely able to keep up. He suddenly stopped and looked at her.
“I hate you, Saint! You were mine first. Why should you and she get to be happy while I’m miserable?” She attempted to get out of his grip.
“If she had seen you out here, I promise you, you
wouldn’t
leave the same way you came in,” he said through gritted teeth. “But you have a worse problem on your hands now.
I
know that you’re here…trust me, that is much worse, Payton.”
“Saint, you can’t do this – you can’t be with her,” Payton hissed. “And you won’t do anything to me. I’m not worried about that,” she smirked.
Her smile soon faded the exact moment when he knew his eyes turned from white to black. He always felt the heat intensify as they changed color.
Saint looked both ways and drew closer to her. Payton reared back as far as she could, stumbling in the long, unkempt grass of untamed wilderness. He put his hand over her mouth, forced her to watch his eyes change again, going from black, to bright red and then back to normal. Payton bucked, her screams muffled from his massive palm across her red lipstick covered lips. Her body squirmed as her eyes, filled with terror, darted frantically back and forth, occasionally looking back at him in horror.
“Payton, I don’t hit women,” Saint said, his voice sounding like three people speaking at once as it vibrated through his entire system and echoed in the air. “But I will make you see a side of me that only comes out when I’m extremely pissed off. He let her watch his irises turn black once more, the entire eye now shiny ebony. He opened his mouth, and immense heat poured out in the form of a faint, light blue smoke cloud.
“You’re angering me, Payton. I don’t want to be angry. It’s my wedding day,” he said between clenched teeth. “You just couldn’t stop, could you? You think because I didn’t come after you, that because I didn’t beat you up like you’re used to, that I didn’t care or that you could keep fuckin’ with me and mine? Did you really?” he roared.
The tree leaves blew as a vortex of wind swirled around them. Payton was frozen with fear, tears welled in her eyes. Birds flew frantically in various directions, squawking and shrieking.
Saint drew even closer to her face, clutched her tightly around the throat. “You’re sick in the head. I have pity upon you. I will not rip you to pieces, Payton. I won’t. But if you come into my life again or bother my family, terrible things will happen to you…terrible, terrible, things, Payton.”
“Now, I’m going to let you go. You have thirty seconds to get in this car, and get your crazy ass off my property. If you call me, come by, or do anything to me or my family again, I will make
sure
you disappear. Erase me from your mind completely. If you don’t,” he looked away briefly then turned back towards her, “Do you want to be that peculiar smell in the back of a car trunk?”
Payton shook her head, visibly trembling.
“I won’t even have to touch you, to do it. That’s the beauty. I can just envision the shit, and poof!” Saint looked up in the air and smiled. “You’ll be gone. Do you understand me?” He glowered down at her.
Payton glared at him, but more in fear than anger.
“Do you fucking understand me?”
Payton nodded and averted her eyes. Saint rolled his shoulders and neck. He exhaled, and his eyes returned to normal. He slowly released her neck and dragged her aggressively back to her car. Opening the door, he brusquely pushed her inside, slamming the door behind her. She did a U-turn, tearing up part of his lawn as she high-tailed it back down his driveway.
Don’t make me have to do it, Payton. Now you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I will…and I won’t hesitate.
He looked down at his watch, shook his head in disbelief and made it back inside the basement to finish his thoughts…
* * *
Xenia
nervously paced her bedroom.
“What the hell is wrong with me? I’m acting like an eighteen year old virgin bride. I’m already married to the man!” She wrung her hands as she looked herself in the mirror, admiring the wedding dress she’d dreamed about wearing even as a little girl. Xenia spun around in the mirror, she felt like she was in a fairytale. Everyone was out in the backyard waiting.
Xenia
had the Baptist minister she desired to help conduct the ceremony and Saint had a Buddhist Monk come to bless the marriage. Pam came into the bedroom.
“You look beautiful, baby,” she beamed. “I’m so glad you and Saint decided to do this right and give us a chance to see you all do it instead of running off like the first time! I always dreamed of your wedding, Xenia. Well, come on, it’s time for me to walk you down the aisle,” Pam said cheerfully, dressed in her purple pant suit with large silver hoop earrings and her hair up in a slick French roll.
“OK.” Xenia breathed as deeply as she could in the form fitting ivory dress with the cross hatched bodice and diamond embellishments. An elaborate, hand sewn lace train completed the exquisite gown. Her pressed, soft mane had a large white flower pinned to the side and her neutral yet striking make-up was beautifully done.
“He is going to faint when he sees you,” Pam complimented as she hooked her arm around her daughter’s, and escorted her down the long, winding steps into their backyard. They surveyed the scene from the inside. Stacy stood on one side with her purple bride’s maid dress on, smiling sweetly as she held her purple roses close to her bodice.
“OK, they are starting the song for you,” Pam whispered as she looked back at her perspiring daughter. “Xenia, you are nervous as hell!”
She quickly dabbed her daughter’s face with the back of her hand. “You’re going to sweat out your hair and end up lookin’ like Buckwheat on this hot ass day! It took me almost four hours to get it like that for you, don’t you dare mess it up!” her mother warned. “Now come on. You act like you ain’t never seen him naked before. Hassani told me all about the sexcapades going on in that house when y’all was livin’ with me during the split. You probably just did it an hour ago! You should be nice and relaxed then and stop letting your son know all of your business!”
“I didn’t Mama! We even got the room soundproofed and…”
“Hush! I don’t wanna even hear it. My point is, you ain’t shy, so stop actin’ like it now!”
Xenia
suppressed a laugh before anyone heard her.
Pleasure P started to sing “Say Yes.” Xenia looked on in shock because it wasn’t a record but the actual artist, who stood by Saint and Raphael, holding a mic. He looked just the same as when she’d interviewed him years ago. A shriek escaped her lips, alerting everyone to her presence. Her appearance elicited a few gasps.
Saint had been insistent on planning everything; he just wanted her input and for her to pick out her own dress and specify what type of decorations she wanted. He did her bidding, made sure that the wedding coordinator understood that everything, from the runner, to the chair covers and the candles were to be purple and ivory, with silver accents.
“This song is unsuitable. Saint picked this shit out, didn’t he? Damn freak.” Pam laughed as she listened to the sexual lyrics of the song while she walked Xenia down the aisle.
Saint stood at the end of the long white runner that was covered in purple petals and smiled proudly at her. His hands were clasped in front of him. The light wind stirred his freshly cut raven black hair. It contrasted with the ivory tailored suit he was wearing and the purple vest underneath.
Raphael and George stood by him, staring at her as though they’d never seen her before. Xenia caught her sister Porsche wiping a tear from her face as she approached her. Stacy wore a long purple bridesmaid dress that flattered her figure. Hassani and Dakarai sat in the front row with Chantel, their babysitter.
“Mommy, you look pretty!” Hassani yelled, causing a ruckus of laughter through the guests. Xenia looked over at him and winked. When she reached Saint, he scooted closer to her until their arms touched. He got a bit closer, crowded her space.
Xenia
looked straight ahead at the minister. Saint glared at her because she didn’t look directly at him. If she did, she wouldn’t be able to control the giggles that bubbled at her throat. The minister put his hand on Saint’s arm and pushed him back to where he was originally standing. Everyone started laughing again. Saint smiled and looked down at the ground then back up at the Minister.
“Slow your horses, Saint,” the minister said, his round, chocolate face shiny and comforting to the eye. “I didn’t say kiss the bride yet.” Xenia bit her lip to prevent from laughing – it was getting harder not to do so.
Saint snuck a momentary glance at her. He looked like a shy little school boy.
The minister said, “Repeat after me. I, Saint Aknaten, take thee Xenia Aknaten, to be my wife and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true husband."
Saint repeated the words and made sure to add “…
and lover
” at the end, causing some loud snickering in the crowd. The Minister smiled and shook his head.
The Minister continued the ceremony. When it was time to exchange rings, Saint produced another one, much to Xenia’s surprise.
“Xenia, you have your wedding bands and engagement ring. This ring righty here, though, is to be worn on your right hand. It signifies that what we have is special, unique and valuable to me.” Saint took her right hand and slid the huge solitary princess cut diamond onto it. Xenia gasped at its sparkling beauty.
Her hands trembling, she slipped Saint’s second wedding band to join the other on his ring finger. This one was similar to the first, only it had two additional diamonds, representing their children.
Saint flexed his fingers and smiled down at his hand. “I’m a G. She got me iced out.”
Saint stood by her car door. She looked up at him, grinned and unlocked it. Just as she prepared to step out, he snatched the door open, grabbed her roughly by her arm and pinned her against the car, sliding her upward.
His eyes narrowed as he put his finger in her face, his voice trembling. “It wasn’t enough that you caused me and my family pain. You still came back for seconds.”
“I tried to let it go,” Payton crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. “But then I found out she stopped the divorce proceedings and you two were getting remarried, renewing your damn vows.”
Saint could smell the hatred for his wife oozing out of her spirit.
“She threatened me, you know.”
“I see you didn’t heed her warning. You should have.” Saint yanked her away from the car, dragging her deeper into the brush by her arm. He walked so briskly, she was barely able to keep up. He suddenly stopped and looked at her.
“I hate you, Saint! You were mine first. Why should you and she get to be happy while I’m miserable?” She attempted to get out of his grip.
“If she had seen you out here, I promise you, you
wouldn’t
leave the same way you came in,” he said through gritted teeth. “But you have a worse problem on your hands now.
I
know that you’re here…trust me, that is much worse, Payton.”
“Saint, you can’t do this – you can’t be with her,” Payton hissed. “And you won’t do anything to me. I’m not worried about that,” she smirked.
Her smile soon faded the exact moment when he knew his eyes turned from white to black. He always felt the heat intensify as they changed color.
Saint looked both ways and drew closer to her. Payton reared back as far as she could, stumbling in the long, unkempt grass of untamed wilderness. He put his hand over her mouth, forced her to watch his eyes change again, going from black, to bright red and then back to normal. Payton bucked, her screams muffled from his massive palm across her red lipstick covered lips. Her body squirmed as her eyes, filled with terror, darted frantically back and forth, occasionally looking back at him in horror.
“Payton, I don’t hit women,” Saint said, his voice sounding like three people speaking at once as it vibrated through his entire system and echoed in the air. “But I will make you see a side of me that only comes out when I’m extremely pissed off. He let her watch his irises turn black once more, the entire eye now shiny ebony. He opened his mouth, and immense heat poured out in the form of a faint, light blue smoke cloud.
“You’re angering me, Payton. I don’t want to be angry. It’s my wedding day,” he said between clenched teeth. “You just couldn’t stop, could you? You think because I didn’t come after you, that because I didn’t beat you up like you’re used to, that I didn’t care or that you could keep fuckin’ with me and mine? Did you really?” he roared.
The tree leaves blew as a vortex of wind swirled around them. Payton was frozen with fear, tears welled in her eyes. Birds flew frantically in various directions, squawking and shrieking.
Saint drew even closer to her face, clutched her tightly around the throat. “You’re sick in the head. I have pity upon you. I will not rip you to pieces, Payton. I won’t. But if you come into my life again or bother my family, terrible things will happen to you…terrible, terrible, things, Payton.”
“Now, I’m going to let you go. You have thirty seconds to get in this car, and get your crazy ass off my property. If you call me, come by, or do anything to me or my family again, I will make
sure
you disappear. Erase me from your mind completely. If you don’t,” he looked away briefly then turned back towards her, “Do you want to be that peculiar smell in the back of a car trunk?”
Payton shook her head, visibly trembling.
“I won’t even have to touch you, to do it. That’s the beauty. I can just envision the shit, and poof!” Saint looked up in the air and smiled. “You’ll be gone. Do you understand me?” He glowered down at her.
Payton glared at him, but more in fear than anger.
“Do you fucking understand me?”
Payton nodded and averted her eyes. Saint rolled his shoulders and neck. He exhaled, and his eyes returned to normal. He slowly released her neck and dragged her aggressively back to her car. Opening the door, he brusquely pushed her inside, slamming the door behind her. She did a U-turn, tearing up part of his lawn as she high-tailed it back down his driveway.
Don’t make me have to do it, Payton. Now you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I will…and I won’t hesitate.
He looked down at his watch, shook his head in disbelief and made it back inside the basement to finish his thoughts…
* * *
Xenia
nervously paced her bedroom.
“What the hell is wrong with me? I’m acting like an eighteen year old virgin bride. I’m already married to the man!” She wrung her hands as she looked herself in the mirror, admiring the wedding dress she’d dreamed about wearing even as a little girl. Xenia spun around in the mirror, she felt like she was in a fairytale. Everyone was out in the backyard waiting.
Xenia
had the Baptist minister she desired to help conduct the ceremony and Saint had a Buddhist Monk come to bless the marriage. Pam came into the bedroom.
“You look beautiful, baby,” she beamed. “I’m so glad you and Saint decided to do this right and give us a chance to see you all do it instead of running off like the first time! I always dreamed of your wedding, Xenia. Well, come on, it’s time for me to walk you down the aisle,” Pam said cheerfully, dressed in her purple pant suit with large silver hoop earrings and her hair up in a slick French roll.
“OK.” Xenia breathed as deeply as she could in the form fitting ivory dress with the cross hatched bodice and diamond embellishments. An elaborate, hand sewn lace train completed the exquisite gown. Her pressed, soft mane had a large white flower pinned to the side and her neutral yet striking make-up was beautifully done.
“He is going to faint when he sees you,” Pam complimented as she hooked her arm around her daughter’s, and escorted her down the long, winding steps into their backyard. They surveyed the scene from the inside. Stacy stood on one side with her purple bride’s maid dress on, smiling sweetly as she held her purple roses close to her bodice.
“OK, they are starting the song for you,” Pam whispered as she looked back at her perspiring daughter. “Xenia, you are nervous as hell!”
She quickly dabbed her daughter’s face with the back of her hand. “You’re going to sweat out your hair and end up lookin’ like Buckwheat on this hot ass day! It took me almost four hours to get it like that for you, don’t you dare mess it up!” her mother warned. “Now come on. You act like you ain’t never seen him naked before. Hassani told me all about the sexcapades going on in that house when y’all was livin’ with me during the split. You probably just did it an hour ago! You should be nice and relaxed then and stop letting your son know all of your business!”
“I didn’t Mama! We even got the room soundproofed and…”
“Hush! I don’t wanna even hear it. My point is, you ain’t shy, so stop actin’ like it now!”
Xenia
suppressed a laugh before anyone heard her.
Pleasure P started to sing “Say Yes.” Xenia looked on in shock because it wasn’t a record but the actual artist, who stood by Saint and Raphael, holding a mic. He looked just the same as when she’d interviewed him years ago. A shriek escaped her lips, alerting everyone to her presence. Her appearance elicited a few gasps.
Saint had been insistent on planning everything; he just wanted her input and for her to pick out her own dress and specify what type of decorations she wanted. He did her bidding, made sure that the wedding coordinator understood that everything, from the runner, to the chair covers and the candles were to be purple and ivory, with silver accents.
“This song is unsuitable. Saint picked this shit out, didn’t he? Damn freak.” Pam laughed as she listened to the sexual lyrics of the song while she walked Xenia down the aisle.
Saint stood at the end of the long white runner that was covered in purple petals and smiled proudly at her. His hands were clasped in front of him. The light wind stirred his freshly cut raven black hair. It contrasted with the ivory tailored suit he was wearing and the purple vest underneath.
Raphael and George stood by him, staring at her as though they’d never seen her before. Xenia caught her sister Porsche wiping a tear from her face as she approached her. Stacy wore a long purple bridesmaid dress that flattered her figure. Hassani and Dakarai sat in the front row with Chantel, their babysitter.
“Mommy, you look pretty!” Hassani yelled, causing a ruckus of laughter through the guests. Xenia looked over at him and winked. When she reached Saint, he scooted closer to her until their arms touched. He got a bit closer, crowded her space.
Xenia
looked straight ahead at the minister. Saint glared at her because she didn’t look directly at him. If she did, she wouldn’t be able to control the giggles that bubbled at her throat. The minister put his hand on Saint’s arm and pushed him back to where he was originally standing. Everyone started laughing again. Saint smiled and looked down at the ground then back up at the Minister.
“Slow your horses, Saint,” the minister said, his round, chocolate face shiny and comforting to the eye. “I didn’t say kiss the bride yet.” Xenia bit her lip to prevent from laughing – it was getting harder not to do so.
Saint snuck a momentary glance at her. He looked like a shy little school boy.
The minister said, “Repeat after me. I, Saint Aknaten, take thee Xenia Aknaten, to be my wife and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true husband."
Saint repeated the words and made sure to add “…
and lover
” at the end, causing some loud snickering in the crowd. The Minister smiled and shook his head.
The Minister continued the ceremony. When it was time to exchange rings, Saint produced another one, much to Xenia’s surprise.
“Xenia, you have your wedding bands and engagement ring. This ring righty here, though, is to be worn on your right hand. It signifies that what we have is special, unique and valuable to me.” Saint took her right hand and slid the huge solitary princess cut diamond onto it. Xenia gasped at its sparkling beauty.
Her hands trembling, she slipped Saint’s second wedding band to join the other on his ring finger. This one was similar to the first, only it had two additional diamonds, representing their children.
Saint flexed his fingers and smiled down at his hand. “I’m a G. She got me iced out.”
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