Wanted For Pleasure

Chapter Seventy-eight: one big family reunion

"Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean."

Chris Omar Vaughn

Ten months ago I met someone. She wasn't just anyone, I came to find out she was unlike any other women I'd ever known. I was just working as a glorified assistant to my — to Malcolm when she came along. It wasn't in my plans to meet someone and fall in love. Hell, I didn't even want to hook up randomly at that point. I was focused on elevating myself- work. For so long I just wanted to settle into my career but I wasn't that motivated, plus I had Malcolm to fall back on.

When Malcolm showed me the picture of the girl he met online, I thought she was beautiful, sure. I thought she was a catfish actually, just trying to play on old man and take his money. Then, I saw her. Like, really saw her.
Trying to be loyal to him, I wanted her gone. Once I realized she was different than the rest and more than just her stunning looks, it wasn't about protecting Malcolm any longer, but protecting her from Malcolm.

I found myself quickly drawn to Morgan. Everything about her was so entrancing. She was a great aunt and sister. Her smile lit up rooms and she walked with her head high, always confident. She treated janitors the same as CEOs and instantly became the daughter my mother always wanted. Mom joked that her breasts are so big because her heart is too and it's beating under them.

Morgan Bennett's story was unlike the one I assumed, she grew up hard. And fast.

Responsible, mature, kind, and considerate. All words to describe Morgan.

If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have had the courage to speak with Reuben and land my dream job. If it weren't for her, it would've taken me so much longer to stand up to Malcolm. If it weren't for Morgan, I wouldn't be the man I am right now.

I've known peace since she came into my life. I've experienced almost every up and down you can think of from betrayal to miscommunication, sabotage, jealousy, and more.
After everything we've been through, even the hard times and heartbreak, I feel alive. I feel alive because I know that to have been at those low points means I had highs that make it all worth it and I'm just honored to have felt something at all.

It only took me a couple of days to decide I wanted to hook up. After a few weeks, I realized I liked her. But after a couple of months, I knew I had fallen. It was like some shit you'd see in a movie; that's why I was determined to make sure Morgan had a happy ending, with or without me.

And though our relationship initially was wrong by principle, I never once regretted a thing. Our circumstances weren't the best, but if I'm being honest, I wouldn't change a goddamn thing.

I grew up a pretty good kid. Nothing was wrong with me until I got to middle school. Before that, I had a lot of friends, was outgoing, and always outside playing.
Then middle school rolled around and when I was twelve, Dad left for the first time. I kind of got into a bad streak of fighting and getting bad grades. At first the principal would say "this isn't like you." Then it became "you need to do better." But when that behavior continued even when Dad came home for a short while, I heard, "you're going to end up like him. Or worse."

Sometimes I wonder if my life would be different at all if Dad never was in and out of rehab. What if I never fought Rodney or his cousin, David? Malcolm would've never had to bail me out and take me under his wing.

3:34am

I stopped harping on what if's when I pulled up to my parent's house.