History Repeats Itself

Years went by and, through the grace of God, Angel managed to survive high school while raising her son, Marques. She never made any new friends and no one ever asked about Khiry. He seemed more like a distant memory to most people, but to Angel, it still felt as if he left only yesterday.

Marques was now four years old and Khiry still didn’t know he existed. The letters stop coming about a year ago. Angel never responded to any of them. Although, over the years there were many arguments between her and her parents whether she should contact him. Now, she was officially an adult. She was 18 years old, had just graduated high school a few weeks ago, and was ready for another round of arguing this topic with her parents. This time they would not stop her.

After giving Marques a bath and putting him to bed, she approached her parents, who were in the kitchen washing the evening dishes.

“Mom, Dad, can we talk?” she asked.

“What’s the matter, sweetie? Asked Nancy.

“I just wanted to say that I love you both. I appreciate you taking me in and loving me, despite everything, but I’ll be leaving in the morning.

Nancy holds her heart. “Where are you going?” she asked.

“I’m going to finds his father,” Angel replied boldly.

Lawrence inhales deeply. “Oh, not this again. Angel, we’ve been through this once before,” he said. “I thought we decided that it was best to leave the past in the past, and not to chase behind silly dreams.”

“No, you decided that. I was a child, so I had to do what I was told,” said Angel.

“That boy has probably moved on with his life, and he won’t put it on hold for you,” said Nancy.

“I’m eighteen, now, and you can’t stop me this time.”

“No, we can’t,” said Nancy, “but we just want you to think about what you’re about to walk into. That boy broke you down into so many pieces, and I know it wasn’t his fault, but it doesn’t make it right. I just don’t want to see you set yourself for another heartbreak.”

“I have to try,” said Angel.

Lawrence walked up to Angel and began pleading to her, “Angel, please don’t do this to yourself again.

“I’ve already packed a bag for Marques and I. I bought a ticket to Corpus Christi.” Angel puts her head down as she spoke again. “It’s a one-way ticket.”

“One way?” Nancy asked, confused, as she walked up closer to Angel. “So you’re not coming back?”

“I’ll keep in touch.”

The silence that filled the room was louder than all their voices put together. Angel didn’t know what else to say to them.

“I’m sorry,” she said walking away.

Early the next morning Angel got up and dressed herself and her son. With her bags in her hand she headed for the hallway, but turned and took on more look at her bedroom. She saw something sticking out of her desk drawer. She walked over to it and pulled out an envelope. It was one of the many unopened letters she had received from Khiry over the years. She opened it and read it.

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Angel:

 

I’m sorry I left you. How are you doing? Why don’t you write me back? I miss you. No one will ever be as special to me as you were.

Love Khiry.

Although the letter was basic and short, she couldn’t hold back the tears. It dredged up so many old memories of the bond they once shared. Memories that she had been afraid to think of all those years, but after thinking back for a moment she realized that most of her memories of the time they spent together were happy ones. She was more determined than ever to find him now. She read the return address that was written on the front. This is where she would begin her search. She took the letter, stuck it into her purse, and walked out of the apartment.

It was five o’clock in the morning when the bus pulled out of the station. She and Marques both slept most of the ride. They arrived in Corpus Christi late in the afternoon. Both she and Marques were still exhausted, so she checked into a motel near the bus depot, and slept for the rest of the day.

The next morning, she called a cab and asked them to take her to the address written on the envelope. They pulled up to a cute little yellow and white bungalow house, with a large oak tree in the front yard. Angel and Marques got out and walked slowly to the front door. She couldn’t stop her hands from shaking as she rang the doorbell.

“What will I say to them? What if they don’t live here anymore? What will I do then?” she thought.

But before she could conjure up an answer, the door creaked open and Crystal stood before her.

Angel swallowed hard. “Here goes nothing.”

Crystal held her hands over her mouth in disbelief. She could not believe who she was seeing.

“Oh my Lord. Angel, is that you?” she asked.

“How are you Ms. Crystal?” Angel asked.

“I’m great, and you?”

“Wonderful.”

“Come on in,” Crystal said as she backed out of the door way. “Khiry is gonna be so happy to see you.”

Angel walked into the home and entered the living room.

“Is he here?” she asked.

“No, he went to the store, but he’ll be back soon. Have a seat.”

Crystal sat on the sofa, and Angel sat on a chair across from her, placing Marques on her lap. Crystal looked at him for a moment.

“Who is this little man?” she asked.

“This is my son, Marques,” Angel replied.

The words hit Crystal like a ton of bricks.

“Your son?” she asked, suspiciously. “When did he come along?”

“About four years ago,” Angel replied, as she swallowed hard.

Angel bit down on her bottom lip, nervously. She didn’t know how to tell them that Khiry was his father. She could see the questions burning in Crystal’s eyes, as she examined Marques from head to toe. Just when Angel was about to speak again, the front door swung open.

“Thank God,” Angel thought. She had no idea what she was going to say.

“Hey mama,” said a deep husky voice. Angel froze and her heart began to race. “I couldn’t find everything on the list, but I got the basics. So how about that meatloaf for your baby boy?”

Standing near the door, behind the chair where Angel and Marques sat, Khiry did not see her there.

Crystal stood up. “Khiry, we have company,” she announced.

Removing Marques from her lap, Angel stood up and turned to face him.

“Angel!” Khiry said, as his heart began doing flips inside his chest.

“Hey friend, how have you been?” Angel asked nervously.

“Missing you,” he said as he walked up to her and hugged her.

“And, she has a son,” Crystal added.

Khiry turned and saw Marques standing next to Angel. He looked back at her with the same burning question in his eyes that his mother had. Angel looked away from him, afraid that he already knew the answer.

He got down on one knee in front of Marques. “Hi there,” he said. “What’s your name?”

“Marques,” the child answered in a sweet soft tone.

“It’s nice to meet you, Marques. My name is Khiry.”

“Khiry, are you crying?” asked Marques.

“Yes. I’m just so happy to meet you. Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, you just told me your name is Khiry,” Marques said.

“Yes, that’s my name, but I’m also your daddy.”

“My daddy?” Marques asked.

“Yes,” Khiry replied.

Marques wrapped his little arms around Khiry’s neck. “It’s nice to meet you, Daddy.”

Khiry stood up lifting Marques in his arms, and hugging Angel again.

“Thank you, for bringing him,” he whispered into her ear.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” cried Angel.

“It’s okay,” Khiry said.

Crystal stood there watching, with a few tears of her own.

Chester walked in on the sob fest and looked around at everyone crying.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

Crystal pointed at Khiry. Chester was shocked to see Angel standing there with him.

“Angel, girl what are you doing here?” he asked.

“Hi Mr. Chester,” Angel greeted him.

“Dad,” Khiry said, “this is Marques,” he takes a deep breath, “our son.”

Chester’s eyes widened. “Your what!” he said surprised.

He was ready to tear both Angel and Khiry into pieces, but Crystal stepped in.

“Chester, let’s talk about this later,” she said. “Let’s leave them to catch up. Come into the kitchen and help me with dinner.”

Khiry’s parents walked out, and he and Angel sat on the sofa, with Marques in his lap.

 

“He’s so beautiful,” Khiry stated, “just like his mother.”

He leaned over and kissed Angel softly on the lips. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“So am I,” she said. “My mom kept saying this was a bad idea, that I shouldn’t come here. I’m glad I didn’t listen to her.”

Chester stood in the doorway of the kitchen watching them.

“Chester, come away from there,” Crystal said as she began to prepare dinner.

“I don’t like this, Crystal,” Chester said walking away from the doorway. He leaned himself against the kitchen counter, next to the stove. “The nerve of her coming here after all these years.”

“Chester let it go.”

“Does she have any idea how much damage she did to that boy, when she didn’t respond to his letters? Now, here she is with a kid, his kid, which he didn’t even know about. None of us knew about it”

“It’s not like we didn’t know something was going on between them,” said Crystal.

“And how could they be so irresponsible?” Chester continued.

“They were just kids. Anyway, the damage is done, there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

“Why didn’t Lawrence or Nancy call us and let us know something?”

“Probably for the same reason we stopped Khiry from writing those letters. They wanted to protect their child.”

“She’s the one that turned her back on him. She’s the one that didn’t respond to not even one of his letters. She hurt him,” Chester said accusingly.

“He hurt her too, Chester.”

“That wasn’t his fault.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Crystal said, looking at Chester in his eyes.

“Are you trying to say it was my fault, because I took this job out here?”

“No Chester, it’s not anyone’s fault that these kids got hurt. None of that is important. What’s important is that they are together now, and they have this baby. So, let’s just leave the past in the past, have a nice dinner, and get to know our grandson.”

Dinner was ready, and they all gathered at the table.

“So,” Chester began as they sat down to eat, “Why did you wait so long to come here?”

“What Chester means is, what have you been doing with yourself since we left?” said Crystal.

“No, I meant what I said,” said Chester. “I want to know why you waited so long to bring this baby to meet us.”

“Dad, why do you have to be so rude?” asked Khiry.

“It’s okay,” said Angel. “I know I was wrong for keeping this from you. It just took me a while to come to grips with everything after you left. For the longest time, I just went numb. I tried to pretend that you never existed. I couldn’t do that anymore once Marques was born and I wanted to come shortly after. My parents wouldn’t let me. They said I was setting myself up for another heartbreak, and that Khiry would not put his life on hold for me.”

“He won’t” said Chester. He has just made one of the most important decisions of his life. A decision, now that he’s a father, that will benefit him and his son. I won’t let him screw that up for you.”

“What decision?” Angel asked.

“I’ll tell you about it later,” said Khiry.

“Angel, where are you staying?” Crystal asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“I got a hotel room near the bus depot,” said Angel.

“Well, after dinner we can go and get your things. You’ll be staying here,” said Khiry.

“I don’t want to impose,” said Angel.

“Nonsense,” said Crystal. You’re family. Besides, I wouldn’t dream of having my grandbaby sleeping in some hotel,” she said pinching Marques’ cheeks.

Chester said nothing more, but Angel could sense he wasn’t fond of the idea of her staying over.

After dinner, Khiry did just as he said and took Angel to get her things to bring them over to his house. When they got back, Crystal helped Angel get settled in the guest bedroom, next to Khiry’s room. Then she and Chester settled down for the night in their room down the hall.

Angel was lying in the bed next to her son, who was fast asleep, staring at the ceiling. She heard a soft tap on the door and saw Khiry peek his head in.

“Hey, are you asleep?” he asked.

“No, just lying here,” she replied.

Khiry walks in and sits on the edge of the bed.

“So, this is what you were talking about the last time we spoke,” he stated.

“Yeah,” she replied.

“Why didn’t you tell me then?” he asked.

“I didn’t know how,” she said.

He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.

“I’m sorry I left you,” he said.

“I’m sorry too,” she said, as she examined the depressed look on his face. “What was your dad talking about? She asked. “What decision did you just make?”

“It’s not important right now.”

“To him it is, and I know it’s something big because you can’t bring yourself to tell me. It’s eating away at you. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Can’t we just focus on now?” he asked.

“No! Those few days, just before you left, I knew you wanted to tell me something. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t speak up. I figured we had time, and you tell me when you were ready. Then, the next thing I know, you’re packing up and moving away. I want to know what this big life changing decision is.

“Just give sometime to figure things out.

“Figure what out?”

“I need to rethink things, so that whatever happens, you and Marques are with me no matter what okay.”

“Okay,” she said.

He kisses her softly again, and it soon became very intense. Remembering Marques sleeping next to her, Angel pulled away. Angel and Khiry both looked at their son.

“Let’s go in my room,” Khiry suggested.

“What about your parents?” Angel asked. “What if Marques wakes up? He’ll be scared if he doesn’t see me.”

“We’ll be right next door. We’ll hear him if he starts to cry. And, don’t worry about my parents. They’re probably getting it on too.”

Angel smiled as she slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

“Come on, let’s go,” he says.

“Okay.”

They entered his room and he undressed himself quickly, but Angel stood there, near the door, like she was ready to flee the room at any moment. She was nervous because she had never been with anyone since she lost her virginity to him.

He walks up to her and she backs away from him. She presses herself up against the door as he puts his hands on her waist and kisses her softly on the lips.

“Why are you so nervous?” he asked.

“You make me feel like a virgin again,” she replied.

He chuckles as he pulls the straps of her night gown down to her shoulders.

“Relax,” he whispers.

Looking into her eyes, he lets her gown fall to the floor. He gets on his knees pulling her underwear down with him.  He lifts her right leg up onto his shoulder. She jumped as she felt his tongue flick across her c**t for the first time. He places her other leg on his shoulder and lifts her up. He carried her to the bed, all while his face was still buried between her legs. She closed her eyes and got lost in the feeling, as orgasm rocks through her entire body. He climbed on top of her and slipped inside of her gently. She holds him tightly as he pushes deeper inside of her. In that hour, all the pain they had caused each other was wiped away.

It was two in the morning. She lies there, in his arms, in silence.

“I know you’ve traveled a long way to find me,” he began. “My parents had planned for me to go to college last year, when I graduated, but I wasn’t feeling it. So, I decided to take some time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I made my final decision just last week. Now that you and Marques are here, I’ve been trying to figure out how to make it work for all of us.”

“Get to the point,” she told him.

“I’ve enlisted in the army. I’m leaving next week.”

Angel got up from the bed. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me again,” she said.

“Hold on, Angel. I have it all figured out,” he said. “You can live here with my parents while I’m in basic training.”

“I’m not gonna sit around here with nothing to do but wait for you.”

“Why not? I’ve waited for you.”

“No you haven’t. You’ve moved on with your life. Maybe it’s time I do the same.”

“When did you become so selfish?”

“Screw you, Khiry,” she said as she began dress.

After putting her clothes back on she headed for the door. Just as she opened it, Khiry jumped out of the bed and shut it before she could walk out.

“Angel, I’m sorry. I don’t want to lose you again. My training is only nine weeks. Then, once I’m stationed, I’ll send for you. We could get married and have a life together.”

“Khiry, you and I both know an army life is no kind life for a kid. You and I both bounced around from place to place and we hated it.”

“What you and I went through was completely different. You were a foster child, and my dad just had a traveling job.”

“It all adds up to the same thing. I don’t want that for my baby. But, you go ahead and do what you have to. I’ll be leaving in the morning.”

“Please don’t leave, Angel. I know nine weeks may seem like a long time, but it will be over before we know it.”

“Then what? You’ll probably be stationed somewhere like China or something like that.”

“Where ever they send me we can be together.”

“But it’s not a stable life, Khiry?”

“Angel, I’m begging you. Please don’t leave. I’ll come back for you this time. I promise.”

“I’ll think about,” said Angel. “I need to go check on Marques.”

She walked out of the room and went back into the guest room to lie next to her son.