Married and Trying to Keep it Together

Chapter Four

I was in my closet trying to find something fancy to wear. I only had one hour to get ready before we were late. "Tell me what this dinner is all about?" I turned to face him to see he was standing only in his black slacks that were unbuttoned.

"I told you I don't know. My mom just said to show up with you in tow that's it."

"That's weird."

"Yea tell me about it. I just hope everything is okay with her." I turned back around to my closet and picked out a purple greyish colored sleeveless dress that went long but had a long split down my right side. The neckline was high so that it covered most of my neck and the material fitted to my body but flowed as I walked. I chose some silver ankle strapped shoes and did my makeup. I curled my hair in an up do so I wouldn't have to worry about my hair all night. By the time I was done Cordell was fully dressed in his suit.

"How do I look?"

"Sexy as hell."

"Right answer." I smiled walking over to him.

"Hey I was thinking that since we had such a good time on our date the other night that maybe we could take a weekend for ourselves."

"What about work?"

"I will make it happen if you make it happen." I grabbed onto his suit jacket and looked up at him. "Deal." We stared at each other and then he bent down to kiss me. I knew we were on the right trackback to each other by the sparks I felt running throughout my body as his lips touched mine. We were becoming one again.

"Hmm I've missed this."

"I know and from now on I'm gonna make sure you never miss it again." He pecked my lips two more time and then we went downstairs.

"Now don't you two look gorgeous together," Elizabeth said as we walked down. She was smiling as if we were going to prom or something. "Okay you two stay right there and let me get a picture of this. Conrad is going to want to see what he's missing."

"Ma we really don't have time to be doing this." She stood up and made a face at him. "Boy you better stand there and do what I say before I have to come up there and beat you." He immediately straightened up. Sapphire ran to me admiring my dress.

"Mommy you look really pretty."

"Why thank you lady bug. One day you will own a dress like this and look just as pretty." I kissed her on her forehead. The twins came running in with their hands full with cookies.

"Now I know I told you two no cookies until after dinner," Elizabeth said looking mean. "We got hungry gran gran."

"I don't care now go put them cookies back."

"Even the ones in our mouth," Jaden asked smiling. "You figure out before I come in there and tear your butt up." They ran back in the kitchen trying to stuff as many cookies in their mouth as they could.

Once we got to the restaurant the host showed us to our table. There we found my mom already waiting for us. This whole thing was getting weirder by the minute. "Glad you two could make it."

"You wanna tell us why we're here now?"

"Hold your horses and all will reveal itself soon." I looked at Cordell and he shrugged. I wanted to know why we were requested here and my mom didn't seem to want to tell. I just hoped whatever this was, wasn't something bad. I would hope my mom didn't bring me to a restaurant to tell me something horrible.

"Mom this whole thing is weird. What's going on?"

"Baby will you calm down. Now tell me if you plan on giving me any more grandkids because soon I'm going to be too old to run after them."

"Mom seriously?"

"Yes, seriously! I know you not going to stop with just three."

"Mom three right now is enough. From Sapphire thinking she own the world including us to the twins about to drive me half crazy. Three kids right now is all I think we can take."

"Okay then at least promise me that you will consider having more children when the three become tolerable." I nodded just to get her off my back. "I mean I know the trouble you had to get the twins but I want you to have hope." I wanted to have hope that maybe I could have more children but I knew I probably couldn't. It was a miracle I even got the twins so I know it would be hell to have anymore. I thought about having more but I just can't go through that again. I can't take anymore injections.

"Mom I can have hope but I just don't want to put myself through that anymore. I just want to breathe right now."

"I can understand that darling."

After a few more minutes a man shows up and kisses my mom on the lips. I almost choked on my wine. Cordell stiffened up like the man was kissing me or something. I nudged him to stop but he just looked at me seriously. He was in protective mode.

"Sorry I'm late dear I got caught up at work."

"Its fine sweetie I was just catching up with my two children here." She smiled looking over at us. The man finally acknowledged us smiling at us as well. I wanted to know who this man was in the first place.

"Umm mom you want to tell us who this man is that has just kissed you on the lips." I was holding Cordell from jumping on the man because he seemed unstable. I really felt sorry for Sapphire when she starts to date.

"This right here is Jameson Lockwood and we met at the hospital when I twisted my ankle."

"So what you a doctor or something," Cordell finally asked looking directly at the man. They stared at each other for a minute trying to see who would break for first but this man didn't know Cordell. Cordell would stare him down all day if he had to. I kind of felt sorry for the man but I think he could handle himself. Jameson eventually looked away laughing like something funny had been said.

"Actually my man I am a neural surgeon."

"How long have you two been dating, I mean I assume you two are dating."

"Well baby Jameson and I have been dating for seven months now," my mom said smiling at me. She actually looked happy and I was happy she was happy. I mean this was all sudden but my mom deserved to be happy. I always wanted her to find someone and I was glad she finally did.

"Why are you telling us now mom? It's been almost a year."

"I wanted to know how serious we were before letting my family in and now that I know I thought it was time you knew too."

"So you two are serious?" she nodded grabbing Jameson's hand in hers. Cordell was still uneasy but he seemed calmed a little. The rest of the night we ate dinner and tried to get to know Jameson even with Cordell's mean ass mugging him. I did have my reservations about Jameson but I wouldn't bring them up with my mom because I could be wrong. My mom did the same thing with Cordell and now she loved him so I wanted to make sure I didn't go down that road. I would just sit back and watch him and when he messed up Cordell would be there to take care of him.

"Are you okay," I asked Cordell as he drove us home. He was holding onto the steering wheel like he wanted to strangle it. I couldn't understand why he was so mad though.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine. Why are you so mad anyway, she's my mother not yours. I could understand if he was trying to date Elizabeth but he isn't, so why you mad."

"I don't want to talk about it." I looked at him trying to decide whether to push him on it or to let it go. I decided to let it go because whatever he was battling was much bigger than the guy my mom was dating. I also figured he would tell me when the time was right or when he wanted to.

When we got home everything was quiet and we found the kids sleeping on the couch. Cordell took the twins to their room and I took Sapphire to hers. She was not as light as she used to be. When I had her in bed I stepped back and looked at her. She was my first child. Just looking at her made me feel like I could have another child but I just didn't know if I had the strength to do it again. My body was still weak from the last time and I didn't know if my soul could keep up. I remember what happened to me the last time and I just didn't know if I could go through that again.