Forever Yours: Broken Promises

Chapter 17

Andre's POV

This year has been one for the damn books. Tahleea found out about my infidelity. I guess Macy was right, but who could be the culprit that was alerting Tee? Most of the guys I hang out with don't bring their wives around. They most of the time have their mistress with them. I was the only one that would sometimes have my wife with me. The guys knew about Macy. I've been fucking around with her since college. She was the only girl that could handle my sexual aggression. Most of the times I didn't fuck her with my dick. We used other items. Hell she'd let me use a plunger if that's what it took for me to get off.

The things that I do with Macy, I wouldn't dare do that with my wife. Tahleea is my beautiful and delicate flower. I'm so deeply in love with my wife and I'm angry with myself for hurting her yet again. She would never understand my reason for messing around with Macy, though no explanation is reason enough to be forgiven for what I've done.

Not only is Tahleea dealing with my cheating ways, she's dealing with the loss of our baby girl. When Tahleea and I found out she was expecting again, that was the highlight of my day. In a way I hoped the news would bring Tee back to me, but at first, it only drove her away.

The day she left me, I broke down. I thought I was going to lose my shit those few days that she was gone. She wouldn't talk to me but made sure our little clan was taken care of. That's one of the many reasons I'm so in love with her. No matter what she's going through, she always makes sure she provides for our babies. Though I've caused her pain and heartache, she still takes care of me.

I still have the journal Tahleea gave me the day she told me she was aware of my unfaithfulness. I tried to deny it, but she had too much information. The journal highlighted dates that I messed up being with Macy, starting back to the day I was drafted.

After Tee left me those few days, I looked through the journal. The date that made me realize I had a problem and really needed to get myself together was the page of the accident. It had the date and a picture of the twins in the NICU and a picture of Tee lying in bed in a coma. The title was "I almost lost". Yes! I almost lost my wife and babies. How in the hell would I have forgiven myself if they didn't make it through that horrific accident? I don't deserve her.

When Tahleea came back, we started working on our relationship. She made it clear that she was only doing it for our children and I believed her. I knew she still loved me, but it wasn't in the way that it used to be. I could see it in her eyes. I knew I would have to work to get my wife back.

I needed her to stay with me because of her true unconditional love for me, not just for the children's sake. We had gotten to a point that she would talk to me. It was only to discuss what the Hassan clan needed but that was a start. As she got further in the pregnancy, I was finally able to sleep in the room with her. I was happy to be able to hold her even if it was just to help her sleep. I was happy to take whatever she was willing to give me. I'm going to work my way back into her heart if it's the last thing I do.

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Things seemed to be on track for us. Tee and I were talking a little more, still not sexually intimate but I was happy to be able to massage her feet, her back, or whatever I could do to make her comfortable.

She had the cutest little baby bump. We found out that we were having a girl and were looking forward to welcoming the last of the Hassan clan. She wanted two boys and two girls and I did my part to make it happen. Every opportunity I got, I would kiss her belly and talk to my baby girl. It was during those times that Tee would relax a little with me. I would talk to our baby girl while she would run her hands through my hair. Oh my, how I loved her touch and yearned for it.

Tahleea was handling this pregnancy like a champ. Right off, she made sure she was eating properly and exercising. She walked with the children as they rode their bikes through the neighborhood and I would join them when I didn't have a game or practice. I think it was during one of our walks that I decided I was ready to retire and I made my announcement after we told the family we were expecting our baby girl. We were going to name her Tahlia Amir Hassan. Such a beautiful name for a special little girl. I knew for sure she'd be another daddy's girl.

A few months passed with things going as normal. At our last appointment, Amir was right on track with her growth. I was eager to meet my other little princess.

While I was away preparing for a game, Isaac called me to let me know something was going on with Tee. I could hear her crying that she was in pain. Tee can handle pain. I saw her do it with AJ. But it was something in her cries that let me know there was something wrong.

I told my coach that there was an emergency and I'd be leaving on the earliest flight back home. When I told Tee I was coming home and she didn't protest, I was really shaken. That meant that she was enduring a lot and couldn't do it by herself. When I arrived at the hospital, I ran straight to the labor and delivery room that Tee was in. She was hooked up to so many different machines.

I wasn't expecting this. I was scared for my wife and my baby. She looked over at me with fear and sadness in her eyes. The pain wore on her face. I leaned down to hug and kiss her as best as I could trying not to get tangled in the wires of the machines.

Just as I was telling her I love her and everything would be ok, she started screaming and grabbed her stomach. I ran to get the doctor. After doing a check up on Tee he told the nurses to prep for delivery. I don't know anything about carrying a child but I do know that this was way too early to be delivering Amir.

So many questions popped up in my head. How would she survive being so small? How long would she have to be here until she was healthy enough to come home? What I did know, is that whatever needed to be done to help my baby, me, Tee and our family would do just that.

I hurriedly put on some scrubs and cleaned my hands so that I could be by Tee's side. She didn't have to push much. When the doctor didn't ask me to cut the umbilical cord, I knew something was off, but pushed that thought out of my head. Maybe because Amir would be in a critical condition that he wouldn't ask me. We were waiting to hear a little cry or at least for the doctor to tell us they were rushing her to the NICU. The nurses rushed Amir to the incubator.

There was so much commotion going on. Tee looked at me with tears in her eyes. It was almost as if she knew. Seconds felt like hours. The nurses continued to work on Amir as I tried my best to hold myself up and comfort Tee.

The doctor soon came to us to tell us they did all they could, but our Amir wasn't breathing. Those words pulled my beating heart from my chest. This can't be happening. Not our baby girl! Was I being punished for my wrong doing? It has to be the reason my baby didn't survive. Tee cried so hard. She held onto me so tight. The nurses wrapped our baby and placed her in a cuddle cot and brought her over to us so we could spend time with her. I asked the nurse to immediately place Tee and Amir in a private room so our family and friends could meet her and spend time with her as well. It was going to be hard telling the little Hassans that their baby sister wasn't going to be able to come home with us, but I had to do my best to explain.

After Tee was released from the hospital, we spent a few days just lying in bed crying together. I was hurting, but I had to comfort my wife. I wanted to make sure she knew that she wasn't alone. We planned a simple memorial service for Amir and the day had come for us to say our final goodbyes. Tee had no strength. I bathed and dressed her while Ma Layton styled her hair and applied a little makeup. My wife was broken again. I tried to be strong during the service, but when they started lowering my baby's tiny casket, I lost it. Thank goodness for LaShae and Darah. They ran up and grabbed Tee. All I knew is that it looked like she was about to fall to the ground and I couldn't move. Grief had struck me like a lightning bolt. My heart hurt so bad. I can't bury my baby. My Tahlia Amir!