May 4th
Dear Journal,
Today is my mother's birthday, and I am so excited to be home to celebrate with her. Jermaine is on tour, and I am home from school. Being smart and getting into college at the age of 17 is definitely a different experience. I am not really legal to do anything, and I am too much of a nerd to even make friends.
I met this beautiful girl named Sydney at school, but before I could tell her how I felt, my roommate Chris got to her first. I am looking into some off campus housing because I can't stand their boo loving in my room. Grant it. I shared it with him, but still.
I waited too late to say something and missed a chance. It's lonely at school, and I tell Mother this all the time. Luckily, I finished the semester early, and I am back home. The only downside is Joseph saying how I could stop my loneliness if I get back to music.
The music industry doesn't care about me or my loneliness. They just want money like I reminded Joseph about. Besides, at least I can go get a malt shake at the local diner if I want to. Grant it. I still get a few paparazzi snapping pictures of me. But it's because they want dirt on my brother. If they see me without my brother or not willing to talk, they leave me alone.
I do miss hanging out with 'Maine, though. We used to be so close before his song I wrote for him. Carousel did so well. Joseph is so hard on me about music because I am a songwriter at his label, and every song I write for him goes gold or platinum. He thinks I am wasting a talent that God gave me.
Well, ain't that something? He hasn't been to church since I was seven. Regardless, I told Mother I would be good and not cause any friction with my father today. No matter how hard he tries to push my buttons. I will show self-control or at least walk away.
Present Day
Sariah's Point of View:
Today is the day among a set of days that cause me pain. Today is my birthday, and I will be thirty-one years old, and none of my family is here to see it. On my birthdays in the past, my mama used to make her infamous birthday breakfast.
My daddy would give me my present early because he had to work but was always back in time for cake. Samir would give me so many birthday punches. My arm would be sore all morning. I miss them so much and grieving them is hard every day now that I have started the actual process.
"Good morning, Angel, Happy Birthday." Michael says, entering the room with a breakfast tray. My eyes get misty to know his timing was perfect.
"Why the sad face, baby?" He asked me, kissing my cheek.
"I was thinking about my mother's breakfast and lo and behold, here you come right on time. I love you so much, Michael." I say to him, and each time, my heart thumps a little harder as he smiles just a little brighter.
"I love you too, Sariah. I am happy I could bring you some joy. But look, I have plans for you today, okay? But I can't take all of your time as Nayelli likes to say. So, eat breakfast and get dressed she has left a note here for you, and she will be here to spend the day with you. But tonight, oh tonight, Angel, you are all mine. I can't wait to show you all that I have plan for you. I want you to know that you are a beautiful soul, and I want to thank you for bringing purpose, love, and happiness back into my life. Happy birthday, baby." He says to me, kissing my lips.
"Thank you, baby. You guys really didn't have to do anything, but I appreciate it. You're welcome but thank you for being the key to me being a better person, dealing with my trauma so patiently, and loving me differently than I ever been loved. Thank you for being the heart of the home I have been longing for but running away from." I say kissing him back. Things got a little heated momentarily before he broke off the kiss.
"You will always be welcome, Angel. Now enjoy breakfast because soon you have to get ready." He says to me as I start eating.
"Are you leaving me by myself here?" I asked him.
"No baby, not a chance. I won't see you for a few hours, I need my daily doses of Sariah as much as I can get." He says, kissing my neck, and I moan, enjoying this kind of affection.
After breakfast, Michael left to make some calls, but not before he drew me a relaxing milk bath so I could enjoy my day. There have been men in my life who cared for me, but not like Michael. He takes extra care with me and thinks about how to please and satisfy his woman. It's the main thing I think I admire about his love. It feels matched to mine. I like to take extra thought into caring for others, and now I finally feel it reciprocated.
I looked at Nayelli's note:
Riah,
Happy birthday to my best friend and sister! I am looking forward to hanging out with you and celebrating your special day. I want you to know that the day you entered my life was a special moment for me. It showed me that I could be accepted by the world much to my parents' disbelief, and you allow me to find myself. I feel as if I owe you for teaching me about freedom. So, for the rest of my life, I am going to show you, my appreciation. Now get dressed and please don't question it, there is a method to my madness. Let's have fun!!!
Love your sister,
Yelli
I looked at Nayelli's outfit for me to wear today. Grant it, I know it is Halloween, but she really expects me to dress up as a Princess of Darkness. I decided not to question it and begin to get ready.
After doing my hair and makeup, I headed downstairs to see Nayelli waiting for me.
"Whoa, you look amazing girl. Come on, let's leave before your boyfriend kidnaps you." She says, making me laugh.
"Where is Michael anyway?" I asked, looking around the hall.
"I sent him off. This needs to be a surprise. Come on, girl." She says, pulling me outside towards her car.
"Happy Birthday, Riah." She says, handing me a small gift bag.
"This is too much, Yelli, you don't have to..." I begin to say, but she stops me.
"Nonsense, you're my girl. Besides, with my wedding fast approaching, I am going to be too busy for you soon anyway." She says, and I nod.
Digging in the bag, I found a silver locket with our picture in it, as well as my family portrait from when I was seven. A tear fell from my eyes as I stared at my parents and my brother. Damn, I miss them so much. The inscription on the locket read family forever.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." Nayelli says as she drives onto the highway.
"No, this is happy tears, I love it Yelli thanks for keeping their memory alive for me." I say as I put the locket on.
"So, what are we up to today?" I asked her.
"Well, I have a few plans. One, we are going on hayrides and a pumpkin farm, things you didn't get to do as a kid. Then we will have lunch and go trick or treating before I send you back home." She says, and I smile.
"I see, hence the costume I have on." I say laughing. We talked a bit before we made it to Finley Farms. There were so many pumpkins, big ones, small ones, jumbo ones, and all in different colors.
Nayelli took pictures of me and of her as a record to have the memories last. We got to carve pumpkins, but we donated them to the kids' hospital drive they were having at the farm.
"So, update me what has been going on?" Nayelli asked me since we haven't seen each other in a few weeks.
"Well, you won't believe who the hell I ran into at my hospital seminar meeting the other week, fucking Colin." I tell Nayelli whose jaw drops.
"The asshole, I am not sexist or racist because I was dating a black woman, Colin?" Nayelli says, shaking her head.
"That very one and trust me when I say he was showing his ass at the meeting. To the point Michael almost wanted to fight him, Dr. Davis was highly annoyed with him, and he almost sent him back to his old hospital." I say to her.
"But why is he even here? Wasn't he working on that promotion at the old hospital to be head doctor of cancer research? Unless they made budget cuts on him too, if so, that would be his karma for suggesting letting go so many nurses on your team, including you." Nayelli says frustrated.
"I don't know, maybe, but he is now on the cancer research study team. We held our symposium last week. Thankfully, I didn't have to talk to him or anything like that. We had a good turnout, and we have fifty people signed up to try this out. Alongside me and twenty-four other medical professionals, we each get to treat and record two patients at a time. In using my method, we want to test if this is just a once in a lifetime chance or if I really did make a breakthrough." I say to Nayelli.
"Well, I believe in you, Riah, always did. Have you considered taking the MCAT? I mean, you matter as well, become a doctor, and stick to Colin even more." Nayelli says, and here is this conversation coming up again.
"I don't know, Yelli, Medical School is expensive, and it's been a minute since I had to study for something." I say to her, and she shakes her head.
"Riah, you were at the top of our class in nursing school, and I am sure you can do it again. Besides, Michael said he would help you." Yelli says.
"Oh so, he put you up to this, didn't he?" I say, narrowing my eyes.
"No, we talked about it, and I suggested I would talk to you about it and see what the hesitation was for. You are thinking about opening up a cancer and research center as well as having a foundation that would be huge. You could be making so many breakthroughs in medicine and using the gift god gave you as a doctor. Why are you so reluctant?" Nayelli asked me.
"Because Michael shouldn't be paying for it. I need to work through my PTSD and get back to working for myself and taking care of myself. What if Michael and I just don't work out? Then it would feel like I used him to get ahead or that he could make or break me in a moment's notice." I say, releasing my hidden fear about this topic.
"Riah, why do you always do that? Anytime things with commitment go well, you freeze up and run away. Michael is so in love with you that if you said to that man to crawl on his knees, he would. He cares for you through and through, and he appreciates being able to be on this journey with you. I highly doubt he would ever do anything like that. He is definitely not a Colin, who went and got you let go from your dream job. You can't keep letting him affect you either. He was a bastard who got mad that you saw him for what he was and decided better for your life. In a lot of ways, his misstep has led you to Michael. Embrace the love, care, devotion, and support that man has for you. You're his woman, and as a man, if he could help provide and get you to your goal, then as a man, he will feel fulfilled. Don't emasculated him now, okay?" Nayelli says, and I consider what she is saying.
"The craziest thing is I don't want to run away from Michael, I love him so much, Yelli. I can't explain it. With him, I feel at peace or at home. Even when he is being a stubborn angry man, I find it cute and funny. He asked me about my dreams, and he tried to get to know all the thoughts in my head. He takes his time and gets to know me for me regardless of my flaws. It's amazing to see. He makes sure to carefully love me the way I need, and he is mature when I sometimes feel like he doesn't have to be. Mature like I never had a guy be, even with Raheem, there were problems. His career always came before me and everything like that, then when I decided on my career, he constantly got jealous of other men who were only co-workers and friends to me. When Michael becomes jealous, instead of fighting with me, he fights for me..." I reminisce about the first night we made love in the sheets.
"He is my person. I feel it in my heart, and that scares me still because I could lose him at any time. I could go, or he could go, so I feel like I am racing against the clock to have as much time and memories with him as I can. And being a doctor, you have a limited amount of time with your family because you're always on call or needed. I will be doing to him, what I wouldn't want done to me, plus I do want children some day and I want to see them grow up and be there for those memories too." I say, finally telling her my real reasoning.
"Riah, then you need to tell Michael how you feel. I think he doesn't want you to have any regrets or feel like he is holding you back in life. You are literally the center of that man's world. I can understand how he feels because that is how I feel for Neima. I would crawl across hot coals, burning all of my body to get to her." Nayelli says, and I smile, I am happy she has that kind of love in her life. I am also happy I do too.
After the hayride, we went to lunch, and then she literally took us trick or treating around Michael's neighborhood, making sure to skip Jermaine and Monica's new house. We drive up the driveway to the house, and it reminds me of my first night meeting Michael. How my life has changed so much in only a couple of months.
All the lights were off, and I wondered why, maybe he had a romantic dinner waiting for me. He loved to plan those, and it felt so good to be courted in that way.
"Okay, Nayelli, I will see you later. I am sure Michael got some romantic rendezvous planned." I say to her, grabbing my bucket of candy.
"Well, I am not through yet. I promise him I will help with this last part. I got to blindfold you and lead you into the house. So come on, Princess of Darkness, your surprise awaits." Nayelli says, blindfolding me and helping me out the car.
"This is weird. Are we in front of Michael yet?" I asked her as I felt her hands leave my own, taking my bucket with her.
"No baby, I am behind you. I want to say Happy Birthday. I hope you like my surprise." Michael whispers in my ear before he removes the blindfold.
"Surprise, Happy Birthday!!!" I hear the crowd says as the lights flick on, and I see they planned me a surprise party. I even saw a face I hadn't seen in years.
"Kahlani!!!" I screamed as I ran up to her, and we hugged each other so tight. She was the last piece of the life I had before and hugging her felt like I could hug my past. Something I couldn't do anymore.
"I am here in the flesh!!! Happy birthday, girl!!!" Kahlani says, hugging me tight, and soon tears fall from my eyes. She started leaking tears too, and my heart felt so full of joy and happiness.
"Yelli called me and told me that someone special in your life needed me to come out here urgently. He paid for a first-class ticket and everything. I missed you so much. Sorry, I had been so busy these last few years." Kahlani says, and more tears fall. I stopped hugging her to turn around and see Michael standing there.
Everyone was dressed up for Halloween. Michael had on black slacks, a white t-shirt, and a white button-down colonial looking shirt that was opened. White socks and loafers, his hair was blown out, and he had a look that was sinister. But to me, he was just the love of my life. I ran up to him and hugged him tightly before I kissed him deeply.
"Thank you so much, baby. You don't understand how much this means to me. I love you so much, and today is the best birthday I have had in a long time." I say, kissing his lips again.
Michael's Point of View:
Her lips make my heart flutter, and my mind soar. She loves me, and I made an otherwise sad day a happy one. I am glad to have the opportunity to make her happy, make her smile, and make her feel all the love I have to give.
"You're welcome, Angel. I love you so much. I wanted today to feel special and be a good one. I couldn't have done it without Nayelli and Liz. Of course, Kahlani agreed to come by, too made it extra special for you. I know you needed this, and I am happy to give you the best birthday that I can." I say, smiling at her as the music begins to play.
Everyone was mingling, and Kahlani took Sariah further into her party so the two could catch up, I am guessing.
"You outdid yourself, Mr. Grouch. But who are you supposed to be?" Liz says as we sip on some adult punch, and I watch Sariah in her element.
Smiling, laughing, and even dancing with her friends. I had Liz invite some other people as well as Nayelii. She had old coworkers, and I made sure this felt like a party. I had all the furniture removed from the living room except the piano. The fireplace was going, the Halloween ghoulish decorations, and all the Forever Susans around. I wanted everything to be perfect for my perfect Angel.
"I am not a Grouch, and I am the creepy poltergeist that haunts the old manor, which is why I am wearing white. My face is pale, and I am even wearing thick black eyeliner around my eyes to look like I have been dead a long time." I say shrugging as Liz was dressed up like Cleopatra. Nayelli was dressed up as Dracula, and her fiancée was Dracula's wife. Kahlani was dressed as a cheerleader.
"Uh huh, very lazy with the costume I see. But I am proud of you Michael, it's great to see you have the love in your life, I knew you were meant to have. And you are doing an exceptional job at keeping her happy, too. Your mother is grateful to see this new lease on life in you." Liz says, making me smile as I watch Sariah in her element.
"Thank you. It is taking everything in me not to jump the gun and make her my wife. I want her to be my wife really bad. My one and only wife, my one and only true lover. She was a bit sad about not being pregnant, and it makes me think that she wants to take them next steps with me too. But I am nervous, I don't want to rush her either. Man, the children we'll have would be beautiful, smart, and sweet like her. They will look like me and to watch her care for them as we build our life together that would be... Sometimes, it makes me cry, Liz. I almost missed out on all of this." I say tears coming to my eyes. Sariah notices me looking at her, and she smiles.
"But you didn't miss out. Relish in that Michael." Liz says passing me a napkin, and I wipe my eyes and smile back at my Angel. She looks concerned and begins making her way over to me.
"Baby, are you okay?" Sariah asked me, her hands holding my face, and I smile like an idiot.
"Yeah, I was just shedding happy tears that I am still here living, loving you, and making you happy." I say kissing her hand.
"And I am forever grateful, now come on my crying grouch, dance with me." She says laughing, and I smile.
"I am not a grouch!" I say exasperating, but I follow her out to the dance floor.
We danced and partied until everyone was partied out and left. Kahlani informed Sariah that she was going to be here for two more days before she had to go back home. After everyone left, it was only us two alone and walking to the bedroom.
"Michael, you are the real Angel." Sariah says a little too tipsy as she wraps her arms around me and kisses me.
"Thank you, baby, but you're the real Angel. I have a present for you." I say to her as I reach into the nightstand and pull out a gift I bought her.
"Ooh, another present, Yelli got me this locket see, and now you got me a..." She says happily as she opens her gift, and I smirk at how tipsy she was from the punch and shots she did with her friends.
"Oooh, a diamond bracelet. Michael, this is so sweet. You spoil me so much. I don't deserve this, but it is so pretty." She says giggling, and I shake my head smiling. I put the bracelet on her wrist.
"I will spoil you for the rest of our lives. You deserve more than this. One day soon, I hope I can further our commitment to each other. when you're ready." I say to her, caressing her face.
"I want to marry you, Michael. We should get married soon and have like four kids and live in this big house until we grow old together. We should have a dog, I always wanted a puppy, and our kids will grow up and have kids too, and we will be spending all of our days traveling and taking care of our family, Dr. Sariah Jackson and Mr. Jackson, I never want you to leave out of my life, I want for me to be in your arms when the time comes, it's how I want to go with you forever." She says the alcohol speaking her hidden inhibitions. It gave me butterflies to hear it, and I smiled.
Kissing her lips, I couldn't wait any longer as this costume had fantasies running in my head since she walked through the door. We begin undressing each other in a mad dash to feel each other. Her lips were on my neck and fingers gripping her now naked thighs. I reach into the nightstand for a condom.
"No, Michael, no condom. I want to feel all of you, please." Her eyes pleaded with me before she kissed my lips.
"Are you sure, baby?" I asked her not wanting to be her morning regret.
"Yes, I want you, all of you forever." She says, pushing herself down on me. I groan loudly as the rushed feeling of her wet pussy tingled every nerve in my body.
"Oh, fucking yes baby girl!!!" I grabbed her thighs tighter as she begins riding me like I was a mechanical bull. I buckled to her whim and hollered when she switches to reverse cowgirl on me, and I got to see that ass clap. I tried hard to hold out. I did, but the mixture of the alcohol I had and her love on me made my whole body explode. Luckily for me, she came with me hard.
I felt all my future kids coat her walls delightfully. I can just imagine the party they are having in her golden inner sanctum. She fell forward, laying between my legs as she allowed for our love to marinate, and I got to catch my breath.
"Fuck that was amazing!" She says making me laugh. I notice her eyes falling lazily as she must be tired.
"Come baby, let's take a shower and head to bed. I love you so much." I say to her and lead us in the bathroom. Where we let the warm water from my dual shower heads coat us.
"I promise this baby, you will be my wife. We are getting married one day. And I will give you all the children you want, I will give you anything you want and everything you desire because you are my love and my eternal fire." I say, ending it with a rhyme corny I know but she makes me feel this way, I kiss to her neck and shoulder to seal my promise. I keep kissing her while she smiles, enjoying my embrace.
"The day I say I do to you is the day my world will be complete." She says, and I can't stop the butterflies in my stomach or the goosebumps on my skin. I know a part of this is probably the alcohol talking, but I will bring it up again, and now I have something new to work on now and plan...Our proposal....
-A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry, I got it out kind of late. Please Vote and Comment letting me know what you think. Michael and Sariah's love is blooming, and things are looking up for our couple. Stay tuned to see more unfold for them and all of our characters in Terminal and what new things are on the horizon.
Thanks so much for the support, Misfitgang.
Xoxo,
Scorpionmisfit27