Loves Redemption by Kimberly Terry (best books to read for teens .TXT) 📕

blood. It was all he ever wanted to do.

“Mess, huh?” he mused aloud to her. “Yeah I guess I do. You know my dad and brothers

are in practice together.” At her nod, he absentmindedly rubbed his hands over her hair before answering.

“Even though I went to law school I never really saw myself in the role of criminal

lawyer. I wanted to experience what it was like to actually get both my hands and mind engaged in solving the crime instead of defending the criminal. I respect what my brothers and father do. I don’t think that I could separate myself in the same way they do. Needless to say, that didn’t go over to well with my dad. He said it said a lot about my character. He thought I lacked follow through skills. I didn’t have what it took to be a good criminal defense attorney like my

brothers.”

“You could if you had to. And besides it wasn’t your chosen profession, it was your father’s.”

“You’re right it was never my chosen field and I know had I wanted to, I could have gone

into practice with my family. I didn’t want to. I wanted to be a cop.”

“Your father probably knew it as well. His desire for you to join them fueled his more

hurtful words.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He pulled her pliant body closer and rested his chin against

hers.

His father’s disappointment paled in Mark’s eyes to insignificant crap when he thought of

the obstacles Maya had been forced to overcome to achieve her success. As he closed his eyes and listened to Maya drift into asleep, his mind raced, as the issue of racism and poverty took on new meaning for him.

CHAPTER 30

“How did it go with the family, Sesute?”

It was Sunday morning, and Dalia had come to Imani House with Maya. Maya had called

her on Saturday morning to nervously ask her what she should wear to a family cookout.

“It went well, surprisingly well.”

“Surprisingly?” she repeated questioningly.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, and it went a lot differently than I had imagined, pleasantly so,” she answered her with a reminiscent smile.

She’d wakened to Mark’s kisses and fully turned her body into his as he began to make

love to her in the early morning hour. After they’d made love, he had reminded her of his

mother’s invitation, and asked her if she would come with him. Reading the hesitation in her eyes, he’d begged her to meet them with such a puppy dog expression that Maya nearly gave in on the spot.

After showering together, they dressed and went into the kitchen. As he made his way

around her kitchen, pulling out pans, and taking food from the refrigerator, wearing nothing but an apron barely protecting his essentials from the flying grease from the pan of bacon, Maya couldn’t deny her feelings for him.

She knew he was frustrated with her because she’d never expressed her feelings for him.

She’d had to bite her tongue lately as they made love, not to shout out her feelings in the heat of the moment.

Never having told a man she loved him was only one of the reasons for keeping her

feelings to herself. Another reason was fear. Fear that he wouldn’t return the sentiment. Either way she would feel stupid and exposed and that was not a feeling she looked forward to experiencing.

However, as she sat at the table watching him deftly crack eggs in the small metal bowl,

while maintaining a running commentary on the importance of putting just the right amount of sour cream in a Denver omelet, she knew it was an unfounded fear.

His love for her was obvious in his every interaction with her. Maya admitted to herself it was more than fear of meeting his family holding her back, it was the uncertainty of what it would mean to him to meet his family.

She came to a decision as she sat at her kitchen table, the sun shining brightly through her pretty yellow curtains. She allowed it all to fall off her like the dead weight it was. She decided instead, to take a chance and believe she was worthy of someone truly loving her. She walked quietly behind him, and placed her arms around his waist and hugged him tight.

“Hey what’s that for?” He placed the pan on the back burner before turning around and

hugging her in return.

“Nothing. I’m looking forward to meeting your family.”

“Oh really? And what brought on the sudden change?”

“No sudden change. Maybe more like a dawning realization.”

“Oh yeah? Of what?”

“That I love you, and I’m happy you want me to meet your family,” she told with a catch

in her voice.

Her declaration of love was met with stunned silence, before Mark let out a loud whoop.

Before Maya knew what hit her, he had picked her up and her legs automatically circled his

waist.

“Breakfast can wait!” he said, nearly running with his small burden hanging on and

laughing at his reaction.

He closed the bedroom door with a resounding thud and gently tossed her on the bed. He

landed lightly on top of her, kissing her frantically, as he demonstrated how important her words were to him, taking away any lingering doubts she may have had.

* * * *

“I had a wonderful time with his family, Dal. It was obvious, despite their obvious

wealth, they’re involved in each other’s lives; they really cared about one another.”

Maya knew there was a wistfulness in her voice, but she had always longed to be apart of

a family like Mark’s. One that loved each other, and wanted only the best for the other.

Dalia walked across the room from where she’d been listening to gather her small friend

into her arms. “Sesute, I am so happy to see you have found love with this man. Of course his family would love you, why