Make You Mine(Redemption 2) - Episode 18

 

Cheryl:

 Loud thunderbolt shakes the ground and I relunctantly pull away from Phillip. My eyes flutter open slowly and I feel drunk on the man squatting with me with a heated look on his face. For some insane reason, I feel shy looking at me so I shuffle on my feet and turn slightly away from him to stare up at the pouring rain. We don't say a word for a long time . I can still feel him beside me but he's as quiet as I am. I don't want to risk looking into his eyes for fear of what I'll see. What does this mean then?
 My fingers goes up to trace my lower lip and I hear Phillip release a long sigh.
"I don't like you crying." He says softly. I let my gaze drop to the wet floor.
"I don't like it either."
"Wanna talk about it? Your ex husband. Did he...did he..." He doesn't seem to be able to say the word. Usually, I'll do anything to change the subject but I just feel like talking to him about this.
"It started with spiteful words and criticism y'know. I'll always think I was doing everything wrong. I wanted to please him. I believed him when he when he always told me how useless, how clumsy, how slutty I was." I take in a shaky breath at the vivid memory.
"He's a damn fool!" I hear Phillip cuss under his breath and I feel warmed up by his anger on my behalf.
"I strived to be the best wife. The epitome of perfection

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/make-you-mine-redemption-2

. That was what he wanted from me. It shouldn't have been so hard right?" A cold tear escape the confines of my lid and cascades down my cheek. I try to sniff it back but I know that wouldn't help. I can't sniff back the pain embedded inside me. That feeling of worthlessness, it always shows up when I think I'm done with it. When I think I'm done with my past. I wrap my hands tighter around my knees, cold suddenly wrapping around me.
"You don't have to say more." Phillip says quietly, I feel his warm hand creep up my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. His big hand cover mine, warming me up inside.
"It got better y'know. Until I got pregnant." My voice has gone dull like it always does when I talk about what I lost. What I could not protect. That's what kills me the most inside.
"You don't have a child." Phillip says without question, his hand tighten around mine like he's trying to hold me back from the painful memory.
"There was no more hurtful words. Worse. He got violent. For some unknown reason, having a baby made him angrier with me. He'd push me too hard. Slap me. Throw things around the house when he gets into a rage on trivial things." I shake with the memory.
"My God." I hear Phillip mutter as his hand comes around me. He pulls me closer but I'm too far gone in memory lane to stop now.
"I don't remember what the tipping point was but that fateful day, he came home boiling mad. I knew it was the wise thing to hide. Just till he calmed down. I don't even know what was making him mad. Well I didn't, but I think I know now."
"He hurt you."
"He caught me hiding in the bathroom and he dragged me out. He was drunk. U still remember the stench of alcohol on him. He took me by my hair and dragged me down. He kept screaming that I ruined his life. That he couldn't be free because of me. That he couldn't have the one he loved because of him. I was more confused that ever. I thought he loved me yknow. He was the one who chased me for months before I agreed to marry him." A sob catches in my throat and I stop to take in calming breath.
"That's enough." Phillip's voice sounds raw to my ears.
"I don't think he meant to but I fell down the stairs that day. All those painful flights of stairs. I broke my neck, my ribs and lost the baby."
"Cheryl..."
"No, I need to get this out. I don't think I've told anyone in this many details before. I need to get this feelings of fear out. He's out of my life now. I'm not going back there. Even if my father and that callous woman are trying to push me towards him again." I stop to catch my breath again before I continue.
"Do you know how long I spent in the hospital? Three weeks! I didn't want to go home to a monster. I knew it was time to leave. Surely staying wouldn't mean love anymore but stupidity. Infact I think fear was the only thing keeping me with him prior to the accident but after spending almost a month in that dull hospital room and feeding my father lies about being clumsy and falling down the stairs, I was ready to leave. I left the hospital that fateful day without telling anyone and headed for home. To find my husband in bed with another woman."
"Jesus!"
"Yeah, that was what I thought at first but then I slipped out of the house without notice but with the conviction to leave. I never looked back after that. Damon tried to get me back but I threatened to tell my father all about everything he did to me. He stopped coming after me and left the country. But I was broken. My father couldn't understand what was wrong with me but he sent me to get therapy. That's how I met your sister and the rest is history." I finish. Oddly enough, I feel lighter. I'm free. I'm never going back.
"You're amazing you know that?" Phillip says out of the blue and I turn confused eyes to his shiny ones.
"How can someone so beautiful be broken? You bested your demons. You slayed them without anyone's help. I respect that so fucking much." He says and I feel so adored with the way he's looking at me.
"You're beautiful." He says and before I can blink, his lips are upon mine. This kiss isn't hard or hot. It's soft and like a whisper of promises. I revel in his arms and moan into his mouth. He pulls away too soon.
"You're never going back. Not if I have anything to say about it." He brushes his fingers against my cheekbone and I lean into his touch.
"What...what does this mean for us?" I can't help but ask. He's kissed me twice in one night and the look on his face tells me there's something here.
"I don't do relationship, Cheryl..." He starts to say and I push myself away from him.
"Of course. It's getting cold. I'm going inside." I stand up to walk away but his hand catches my arm.
"What?!" I snap, barely able to contain my anger.
"You didn't let me finish." He says.
"Yeah, thank you very much but I don't want to hear more." I stick my nose in the air snottily, my head looking away from him.
"Stubborn woman." I hear him mutter and I scoff.
"Look at me."
"No." I stand my ground and focus my eyes away from him just before his palms cup my face and turns it around to face him.
"What?!" I snap at him and he actually grins. What's so funny?
"It's when you're acting all cute like this that makes me question my principles about dating." He says so softly, it awakens butterflies in my stomach. Cliche, I know.
"What do you want from me Phillip?" I let my eyes lock with his.
"I think I want you." He says and I frown.
"You think?"
"It's just been a week but I know I like our time together. I like our movie night. I like you feeding me. I like getting your message on the kitchen wall every day without fail. Hell I even like your lazy ass when it comes to our cleaning session. I know I like kissing you." The pad of his thumb brush across my lips lightly.
"That's a lot of like." I trail off and he smiles.
"I know right. What are you doing to me, Bambi?"
"I like when you call me that." I find myself saying and his brow jumps up slightly.
"Really now. What else do you like, Cheryl. Tell me."
"I like your wide shoulders. Your cheeky smile. Your laugh. Yeah, I like the sound of it." I tell him with a smile.
"And?"
"I like the way you eat my food. Like you enjoy the hell out of them." I say and he nods.
"I love them actually. That's one thing I can say I love." He tells me, giving me pause.
"I don't know what's going on between us Phillip. I get this weird feeling anytime you're close and smiling or doing anything at all actually." I say truthfully. I feel like it's safe to fall because he'll catch me.
"I don't know what's going on either but I say we let it happen. You deserve to be happy." He tells me and my heart swells. These feelings seem too intense too quick.

Read " Mirage " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. He's so going to hurt me beyond repair if he doesn't catch me. But if I don't fall, how will I know if he'll catch me? Isn't life too short? Haven't I gone through enough to take this chance at happiness.
"You're over thinking." His fingers press lightly on my forehead to smoothen the folds caused by my thinking.
"You know what? I'll let you date me. You don't deserve the honors I know but, I guess I can manage. My dad already thinks we are a thing. This is like killing two birds with one stone." I shrug nonchalantly.
"Thank you your highness for the privilege. Can I kiss you again?" He asks.
"You're a bad kisser but I think you can do with so practice. Proceed good Sir." Phillip chuckles deeply and when our lips meet again, our teeth clash with our smiling lips. I let him hold me as the kisses get more intense and I go slack in his arms. I'll like to go with this flow and see where it leads me. Moreover It can't possibly hurt more than it did with Damon. I can take this leap.