Forlot: Thunder Will Come Down - Book Twenty-Seven

Chapter Eleven

Oh. My. Gosh. How many times do the readers and fictional characters have to go through this routine? A deceitful character approaches the hero or heroes and convinces them that he or she has changed his or her ways for the better. For some stupid reason other than to have a story, the main hero will give in to the villain and reveal secret things. Whoever believes Destiny right off the bat is an idiot.

"Congratulations!" Caleb said to my cousin. "It is a blessing that you will be doing good things from now on."

Caleb is the exception to this. He likes and desires to see the good in everyone. Yes, he is aware that not all people are willing to change, however, he would rather view the positive than the negative. And no, he is not an idiot. If he were, I would not have married him.

Destiny spun around and examined my husband from top to bottom. She had not seen him or her since the day that I ran out on my and Marty's wedding. She did not like Caleb for what he is and who he is, so I would not be surprised if she commented something racist. If she did, her face would meet my fist.

She shifted back to me. "Judging by the fact that your best friend and a baby are with you, I am assuming that you got married to him and had a baby."

"You are only half right," I responded. "Caleb loves me so much that he proposed to me. And I love him so much that I accepted his proposal. We are a married couple and living the best days of our lives. On top of that, we have two beautiful children whom are not even my biological children. But it does not matter to them if I am their biological mother or not. They love me and Caleb regardless of a person who has no clue what true love says."

My cousin motioned to the baby. "I get it. You and Caleb adopted this one."

"Not her. We - I mean, I - found her a few minutes ago. She was lonely in the woods and freezing. Although that she is not mine or Caleb's, I was not about to leave her. She could have been in that spot for days." I smiled at the new baby and waved to her. "You did not want me to walk away, did ya?"

The baby laughed and covered her eyes with her tiny hands. She and Tamara were going to love each other.

"You and Caleb are not planning on keeping her, are you?" Destiny questioned. "I am more than positive that she already has a loving family of her own."

"Could you give me a second, Destiny?" I patted Caleb's wrist. "You and the baby can look at the teddy bears. I will join you soon."

"If you say so, Cindy. Do you like pink teddies, baby girl? My daughter loves them because her favorite color is pink." He carried her down the aisle.

I tucked a hair strand behind my ear. "You know the kind of person that I am, Destiny. Otherwise, you would have admitted the truth that Marty and I are close cousins."

Destiny rolled her eyes. "I really wish that you did not bring that up."

"Why not? 'Cause it offends you?"

"I am a changed soul and will prove it to you."

"And just how are you going to do that?"

Destiny dug her hand into her shirt and pulled out a shiny object. It was her locket. It was valuable because both it and its chain were made from real gold. She slowly and carefully took the necklace off and handed it to me.

"Why the crub are you giving me your necklace?" I demanded. "Is there an explosive in the locket?"

"Do you actually believe that my past self would have a desire to murder you? You are my cousin. I love you no matter what."

I frowned. "Did you love me when I announced to everyone at the wedding that my feelings for Marty were gone?"

"You were not supposed to be with Caleb Night. You and Marty were a perfect couple. The perfect couple. It should not have mattered to you if he and you were cousins."

I shoved the necklace back in her hands. "I know that cousins can get married. But Marty and I were close cousins. It would have never worked no matter how badly you and Marty and Diversity wanted it to. Caleb saved me from a toxic relationship."

"Your relationship with Marty was anything but toxic. He did not abuse you. He treated you like his queen."

"He drew pictures of me! Pictures that not even God would approve of."

"Marty loved you, Cindy. He loved everything about you. Your imperfections. Everything." She bit her lip. "There is something that occurred the day before the wedding that neither you nor the families know about."

"What happened?"

"You...you are not going to like it."

"Does it involve me or Caleb?"

Instead of answering my question, she said, "Caleb and I got together and did...things."

What she just stated was a load of garbage, ladies and gentlemen. I was unsure whether to laugh or be angry or kick her where the sun does not shine. Caleb would never be around a being like her.

"You told me that you had a change of heart."

"I do. That is why I am confessing this to you."

I brought my face close to hers until our noses touched. "Caleb spent part of his life with a girl who tortured him day and night. He is smart enough to know to not come anywhere near you."

"He did not do it willingly, Cindy. I...I tricked him and...had his child."

Now I was confused. "What?"

"I have a son, Cindy. Caleb is the father of my son."