In Need of You

Chapter Four

Elisha's creeping hand found its way under her shirt. He smiled, feeling that she had no bra on. His index finger and thumb circled her nipple, making it stand to attention under his touch. Sabrina closed her eyes. Her lips parted. She wanted him to do so much more. She wanted to feel so much more. 

"Open your eyes, Sabrina Leigh," he whispered. "It's time to get up."

Sabrina frowned. "I don't want you to stop."

"Wake up, Sabrina Leigh. You're going to be late for work."

Sabrina sat up from her bed in a sweat. She glared at Jennifer with wide eyes. "What time is it?"

"Um, time to get you an alarm clock and some good pleasing," Jennifer said. She bit into a red apple and sat at the foot of Sabrina's bed. "Girl, I don't know what mister police officer has done to you, but the way you were grabbing them sheets explained plenty to me."

Sabrina looked around the cramped bedroom. Pictures of her and Madeline sat on a nightstand next to her bed. A picture of her, Edward, and Grandma Zora hung on a dingy light blue wall. She glared at it. The smiles on their faces reminded her of happier times. Times where she had support from Tariq. Times where she thought she was going to be a married woman. 

"Where's Madeline?" Sabrina got out of the bed. Her Pikachu t-shirt and black boxer shorts were stuck to her damp skin. Okay, Jennifer was right, she thought. It had been nearly five years since the last time she had been intimate with anyone. That one being Tariq, of course. 

Before he left her ass in the dust, he had given the best sex of her life. Maybe that was his way of saying "You should let the little heffa go down the drain." Maybe she should have-- God no! Madeline was the best thing that came from their union. His leaving was his fault, not that sweet little rambunctious five-year-old that loved singing her ABC's to her rubber duckies while taking the longest bubble baths she could.

"She's in the other room waiting for you to give her the okay to go see her hero."

Sabrina stopped in her steps. She'd promised Elisha she was going to make him some macarons soon too. "Um. . . I don't know if I want to take her to see him. I don't want her getting attached to him."

"Sabrina Leigh," Jennifer said. She took her by the hand and sat her on the bed. "That man saved Madeline's life. I think she has the right to go see him."

"But, I can't take her today. I've got less than thirty minutes to be at work, I promised this man I'd make him some macarons, and my white shirt needs to be washed."

Jennifer looked at Sabrina and smiled. "You promised him that you were going to make him some macarons. O-M-G! Girl, you better go bake for your man."

Sabrina covered her face with her hands, trying to cover the redness that spread across her cheeks. She hardly knew this man, and she couldn't compose herself enough to not ger all girly over this guy let alone dream about him touching her.

She uncovered her face and sighed as she stood from the bed. "Jenn, I'm not going to entertain the idea. I made him a promise that I clearly can't keep. Besides, me baking him macarons or taking Madeline to see him isn't going to pay this high as rent or my student loan."

Jennifer glared at her. She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Sabrina Leigh Ellis, as long as I have known you, you have never denied anyone of something sweet. You love to bake, and if you promised him macarons, you better get yo' sweet ass to that kitchen and whip some up, cause her man is waiting on them."

Sabrina rolled her eyes and giggled. "Jenn, you're crazy."

"Crazy enough to work your shift and mine."

"Jenn, don't do that. It's a Saturday. Howard is going to kill me if I don't go. "

"I'll be fine. Besides, I know how to handle Howard. He's really a sweet little man beneath that rough exterior and overly greased hair."

Sabrina sat back on the bed. she ran her fingers through her black curls. Of all the times she'd never let Jennifer do such a dumb thing, she didn't want to deny her daughter of talking to the man who saved her life nor fall through on a promise. She couldn't believe what she was about to do.

"Okay," Sabrina said. "But, just for today and not a day more."

Jennifer clapped her hands together as she smiled. "Go get yo' sexy ass in that kitchen and bake that man some macarons. Save me some too," she said. She made her way to the bedroom door. "And, tell Mr. Brysen I said hey."

***

"Are you ready, babycakes," Sabrina asked. She watched Madeline tie her shoes one by one. The smile on her face was the biggest she had seen in a while. 

"Yep," Madeline said. "I've got to get the card I made my hero so that he'll remember me.

Grabbing the freshly baked box of macarons she made, Sabrina took Madeline by the hand and led her out the door. She smiled. She hoped that she wasn't making a bad decision allowing this man to see her daughter. She hoped she wasn't moving too fast. But, for the life of her, she couldn't help but smile. 

Making their way to the car, drops of rain plopped on their heads. The wind blew Madeline's curls into an afro. Getting Madeline situated into the car, she placed the box of macarons on the seat next to her, then kissed her forehead. 

"Okay, babycakes," Sabrina closing the driver's side door. "Let's go visit Mr. Brysen so that you can give him your gift, okay."

She looked at the grinning child through the review mirror. This was going to be a day to remember.