When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) Read online

  Not wasting any time, she put her clothes on and scurried as fast as her legs would carry her. Once outside she walked to her car in a daze as hot tears streamed down her face. She could not believe what started off as somewhat of a decent evening had turned into a disaster. Again, she was not wanted and thrown away like trash. Hate and fury consumed her as she plotted out her revenge. He would pay. Marcus Templeton would pay.

  Chapter 35

  December 26

  Rolling over Starr reached out patting the space next to her. It was cold, which told her Kevin had left the bed sometime ago. Pulling herself up, she rubbed her eyes. Looking at the clock on the bedside table, she couldn’t believe it was eleven-thirty. I never sleep this late. Yawning, throwing her legs over the side of the bed, she stumbled into the bathroom to empty her bladder. She couldn’t believe how tired she was. True she hadn’t gotten into bed until almost midnight. But still, shouldn’t she feel well rested after sleeping so many hours?

  Stripping out of her nightgown, she turned the shower on. Stepping under the spray, she hoped the water would rejuvenate her. Grabbing a thick, plush washcloth, she squeezed a generous portion of scented shower gel on it and began to lather her tired body.

  The last few days had been full of endless activities. After hosting the Christmas Eve dinner, the next day she and Kevin spent their day going from house to house visiting. The first stop was to Beverly’s. There they enjoyed a huge breakfast of French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, turkey bacon, home fries, grits, fresh fruit, and a variety of juices along with a choice of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

  Although the food was superb, the best treat of the morning was Richard Jr. and his wife Audrey sauntering through the front door, faces beaming with smiles just as Kevin was about to say the blessing.

  Rinsing her body and lathering it up again, Starr smiled as she remembered Beverly’s surprised reaction. The sweet woman was beside herself. It had been quite some time since she’d seen her eldest son and his wife. Everyone laughed in good nature when she put her hand to her chest, excitedly exclaiming, “Oh my Lord, Richard Jr., Audrey, is that you? I didn’t think you would make it!” Audrey’s father was still on the mend after having a stroke. She hadn’t expected the couple to travel to Philly for the holidays.

  Not wasting any time the older woman turned her attention to Starr. “Richard, Jr., Audrey this here is your new sister.” Starr was touched by her mother-in-law’s pleasure at having her entire family together. She could appreciate how excited the older woman was as memories of her own family and friends from Christmas Eve flooded her thoughts.

  Over breakfast, Starr became acquainted with her brother and sister-in-law. Richard Jr. and Audrey were wonderful people. She clicked with them instantly. Between the delicious food and her laughing at Richard Jr.’s stories about Kevin and his crazy schemes as a little boy, she was about to burst. She almost lost it; literally, at Kevin’s Batman antics. As an adventurous seven year old, he’d tied a pillowcase around his neck believing he could fly. Jumping out of his second floor bedroom window, he landed in a thorny rosebush.

  Starr thought she was going to embarrass herself and pee her pants when Kevin joined in on his big brother’s ribbing. Standing, he stretched his long arms out to the side swaying his tall frame from left to right. “This is how I was flying y’all until I had my crash landing.”

  Everyone hooted in laughter when he rubbed his butt and twisted up his face as if he could still feel the pain. “Man, that rosebush I landed in was no joke. I think I’m still pulling thorns out my butt.”

  Beverly wiped tears from her eyes. That boy was always getting into something or another as a child. It seemed like every other month she was taking him to the emergency room to get patched up. “Don’t forget the broken arm. Starr, I hope your children aren’t as adventurous as their daddy.”

  Holding her aching stomach from laughing so hard, she agreed with Beverly. “You and me both, Momma.”

  Next, they were off to Karen’s. Everyone was having a good time engaging Kyle and Alicia in playing board games. At first the kids sulked; they wanted to play with the new Nintendo Wii Grandma and Pop-Pop Patrick had brought them. They hadn’t liked it all when Karen had put her foot down. “You guys played with that Wii all morning. It’s time to play something that’s going to make you use some brain cells.”

  Of course being kids, Alicia and Kyle begged and pleaded to have their way. The little munchkins even attempted to sway the other adults on their side. “Auntie Starr, Uncle Kevin, Grandma, Pop-Pop pleeeeease tell mommy we don’t want to play that boring game. We’re having fun playing Indiana Jones,” Alicia pouted and whined all at the same time hoping one of the adults would come to her and Kyle’s rescue.

  “Yeah!” Kyle cosigned, crossing his toothpick arms over his chest.

  Starr was about to jump to her niece and nephew’s defense as she always did. That was until she peeped the expression on her sister’s face.

  All the begging and pleading ceased when Karen gave Alicia and Kyle the say another word and I’m sending you to your room look.

  She appreciated the gift from her mom and Patrick, but she wasn’t crazy about her kids turning into video zombies. She didn’t mind if they played the game for an hour, but to sit in front of the television for hours was not about to happen. As far as she was concerned, they should’ve been happy she let them play the game as long as she had.

  Initially the youngsters were disinterested, pouting and still refusing to play along with the adults. Ignoring the sulking children, the adults began to play a lively game of Monopoly.

  Curiosity finally won out as they watched the older folks seemingly reverting to childhood. They looked on as everyone teased Pop-Pop Patrick as he landed in jail for the third time in a row. The women playfully accused the men of being cheaters. Patrick thought he was being slick and slid Kevin a couple of five hundred dollar bills in exchange for his get out of jail free card.

  Wanting to be part of the fun, Kyle quietly eased up next to Donna. Peeping up at his grandmother through long thick lashes, he gave her a lopsided grin. Smiling down at the adorable little boy, she lifted him onto her lap. The small child grinned, bobbing his head up and down when Donna whispered in his ear, “You want to throw the dice for me when it’s my turn again?”

  Starr felt sorry for Alicia as the young girl observed her brother being part of the fun. Alicia tried to act as if it didn’t bother her that she wasn’t playing along. As lovable as she was, the pint size version of her mother had one heck of a stubborn streak. Her pride would not allow her to ask the big people if she could play with them. After all, she didn’t want to play that stupid, boring board game anyway.

  Alicia’s sullen expression tugged at Starr’s heart. Before Starr could call to her niece to be her dice thrower, Patrick waved her over. “Come on over hear little darling and help Pop-Pop Patrick handle this money.” Alicia’s downcast expression brightened up as she skipped over to the table; thrilled she was the new banker.

  The family was so engrossed, talking loud and laughing, having a wonderful time playing the classic board game, the chiming doorbell went unnoticed. It wasn’t until the loud banging, as if S.W.A.T. was trying to break the door down, captured everyone’s attention. As Karen got up to go to the door, the two men followed. No sooner than she opened the door, her father nearly fell as he staggered in.

  Shaking her head, turning off the water and getting out the shower, Starr grabbed a towel and began to dry off as the events of yesterday continued to play in her head like a movie.

  Starr and her mother told the children to stay put as they heard voices being raised. When they saw whom the cause of the ruckus was, both women let out a frustrated sigh. Neither could believe he had the nerve to show up drunk as a skunk, ranting and raving about his family being stolen from him. How nobody respected him as man.

  Karen had to take a step back when he staggered, angrily pointing at her and Starr. “L
ook at you all up in here treating this stranger like he’s your daddy! I’m your daddy! Not him!”

  Turning daggers on Donna, he yelled, “And you! You’re still my wife! Living down there in them back woods shacking up with another man! You belong to me!” He slurred in a drunken rage.

  Kevin had to catch the drawn back fist that was about to connect with the drunken man’s face. Everyone could see the fury raging through Patrick as he turned beet red.

  “Come on, man, don’t let him take you there. He’s not thinking straight right now.” Kevin reasoned with Patrick trying to diffuse the situation before it got any further out of control.

  This only infuriated the drunk. Charging at Kevin he demanded to know, “Who the hell are you? You baldheaded bastard!”

  “Daddy! You can’t come in my house acting like this!” Karen hollered, embarrassed by her father’s behavior.

  That’s it! Father or not I’m about to cuss him out! Calling my man a baldheaded bastard!

  Just as Starr was about to light fire to her father, Donna yelled, “That’s enough! Everybody shut the hell up!”

  All heads swung in her direction. Everyone stepped back making room for her as she approached the man she once loved and cared for. Standing before him, she looked him dead in the eye as she hissed through clenched teeth. “You have one hell of a nerve showing up here like this ruining our Christmas.”

  “But Donna, baby I want you back. I want us to─”

  “To what? Be a family?” she snapped. “Negro pulleese! You should have thought about that before you kept walking out on your children and me time and time again! You should have thought about that every time I was stupid enough to take your sorry behind back! Believing all your sweet talk and lies!”

  “I’m sorry, Donna! I swear this time I’ll make it right!” He pleaded dramatically dropping to his knees grabbing Donna around her legs.

  Rolling her eyes, Donna sucked her teeth in disgust as she pushed him away from her. “Harold, get your drunk ass up off the floor and go home! It’s over between us! It’s been that way for years! That was your decision! Your daughters are grown with families of their own! And I’ve already told you that my life is with Patrick now.”

  All of Harold’s begging and pleading went out the window at the mention of Patrick’s name. Staggering to his feet, he attempted to lunge at the man that was solid as a tree trunk. The large man didn’t even have to protect himself. All he did was step to the side, which sent Harold crashing to floor, banging his head on the coffee table knocking him out cold.

  “Just stupid.” Starr hissed under her breath as she wrapped the towel around her nakedness. Entering her bedroom, she went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of panties and a bra. If she didn’t hurry, she would be late for her lunch date with Karen, Donna and Alicia.

  Snatching the perfumed lotion from her vanity, she quickly moved over to the bed flopping down. Smoothing the lotion all over she continued to grumble. “Showing up all drunk, messing up everybody’s Christmas.” Because of Harold’s foolishness, she and Kevin hadn’t made it over to Summer and Nick’s. Instead, Kevin ended up going with Harold to the emergency room, and Starr ended up going home alone. Too frustrated to sleep, she waited up for Kevin. Once he was home, she apologized profusely for her father’s ignorant behavior and the fact he spent hours in the emergency room with him making sure he was fine.

  “Baby, stop apologizing. I actually feel sorry for the guy.” Starr just stared at her husband, momentarily speechless. Was he nuts? She couldn’t believe what she was hearing and she told him so, too.

  “How can you feel sorry for that man after he called you a baldheaded bastard? He didn’t even know who you were before insulting you.”

  Kevin chortled. “I’ve been called worse. Besides he was so drunk he could hardly stand.”

  Letting out a un-lady like snort, “Yeah, I could see just how drunk he was. Reminded me of my childhood.”

  Blowing out a frustrated breath, she grumbled, “Should’ve let his drunk behind go by himself.”

  “Good morning sleeping beauty.”

  She smiled, a shiver running down her spine. She would never get tired of that deep, sexy as sin voice. Glancing over her shoulder at her husband, her stomach did a flip-flop. She nearly lost her footing and fell as she stepped into a pair of white lacey bikini panties.

  Leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed over his broad chest, the man looked good enough to eat. Worn, well fitting jeans and the new Gap sweater Alicia and Kyle had given him for Christmas dressed his well-chiseled form.

  Starr desperately wanted to kick the panties off she just slid into. Her fingers were itching to snatch every stitch of his clothing off. Temptation was flirting with her, begging her to cancel her lunch date. You know you want to. Closing her eyes, she willed the pesky voice to leave me alone.

  “Morning. How long have you been standing there?”

  “Not long.” Pushing himself away from his leaning post, he took the few steps required to stand directly in front of her as she was reaching for her bra and began putting it on.

  “Not long. I just came upstairs to see if you were up.” Gently moving her hands aside, with slow steady hands, he took his time fastening the front clasp of the white, lacy bra she was wearing. Letting his gaze glide over her from head to toe and then reverse, he wished he were removing the lacey scrap of fabric instead of putting it on her. Letting out a low whistle, he could feel his body betraying him. “Girl, you are too fine. I want you so bad.”

  Placing a delicate hand on his chest, Starr stood on her toes planting butterfly kisses on his full lips. “Thank you. And the feeling is mutual.”

  He couldn’t resist pulling her in his arms giving her a long, deep kiss. The little butterfly kisses just weren’t getting it. Kevin was going through some major withdrawal. It felt like weeks since he’d made love to his wife. He understood lately she’d been under the weather, not feeling well. So when she fell into bed at night totally exhausted, he’d just take a very long cold shower to calm his aching loins. This however, was only a temporary solution. The moment he slid between the sheets next to her warm, soft, curvaceous slumbering form he wanted her all over again. With great patience and restraint, he’d pull her close in his embrace until he drifted off to sleep only to wake up in the same condition as the night before.

  Breaking the kiss, Starr took a step back. From the way he had kissed her, he wanted to take her right then and there. A wave of guilt washed over her. Kevin had been so patient with her. Honestly, she wanted her husband just as bad as he wanted her. But by the end of the day, she was just plain wiped out. “Baby, I’m sorry I’ve been so tired lately. I promise as soon as I finish getting dressed I’m going to see if Dr. White can fit me into her schedule tomorrow morning.”

  Kissing the tip of her nose, he smiled. “Good. I thought I was going to have to make the appointment myself.”

  When Starr hadn’t come down stairs to join him for breakfast, he’d decided to let her sleep in. But when eleven forty-five rolled around and she still hadn’t come down, he became concerned. Relief washed over him, she was up and getting dressed. If she had still been in bed, he had made up in his mind that he was taking her in for a doctor’s appointment. She had been feeling bad for too long for his liking.

  Wiggling into a pair of jeans, she told him, “Nope, I got this.” Starr didn’t want to admit it, but she was concerned as well. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this tired and run down. No matter how much sleep she got it didn’t seem to be enough. Pulling her sweater over her head she asked, “So what do you have planned for today?”

  Kevin sat on the foot of the bed, enjoying the view. “Richard Jr. and I are going to hang-out at Dave and Buster’s while Momma and Audrey do some shopping.”

  Finger combing her hair in the mirror, she met Kevin’s gaze. “That’s nice. Are we all still meeting up later for dinner?”

  Standing, Kevin stretched his long limbs.
“Yep. I’ll meet you at Momma’s tonight around six-thirty.” Looking at his watch, he figured he had better get going if he didn’t want to be late meeting his brother. Having been in the military for years the man was a stickler for being punctual. Going over to Starr he planted his hands on her waist, leaning in, he kissed her. “I’ll see you later this evening.”

  “All right.” Starr let out a groan as she watched Kevin leave the bedroom. Come hell or high water, she was getting her some tonight!

  ♥♥♥

  Sitting at the red light, Starr hummed the tune to the song on the radio. She couldn’t wait to spend some time alone with her mother, sister and niece. Just as the light turned green, her cell phone began to ring. Grasping for the phone, she quickly glanced at the display. Smiling, she flipped the phone open. “Hi Momma.”

  “Starr, I need you to come over here now, sweetie.”

  Alarm coiled through her as she noted the shakiness in the older woman’s voice. Something’s not right. “Momma, are you okay?”

  “Yes sweetie. I just need to see you. It’s really important.”

  Starr didn’t like the sound of her mother-in-law’s voice. She could tell Beverly wasn’t telling her the truth. “Okay. Do you want me to call Kevin? He and Richard Jr. are together.”

  Starr really became scared when Beverly urgently demanded, “No, don’t bother them. I just need to see you.”

  “All right, I’m on my way.”

  Making a u-turn in the middle of the street, Starr didn’t pay any attention to the honking horns and offensive hand gestures as she sped off to her mother-in-law’s.

  Chapter 36

  Snatching the phone from Beverly’s trembling hand, the man growled “Is she coming?”

  Even though she was scared out of her wits, Beverly tilted her chin and stared her captor in the eye. “Didn’t you hear me tell her I needed to see her? She’ll be here,” she snapped, annoyed this sorry excuse for a man forced himself into her home.