Chapter 1

April

Waking up next to Darius every morning, and feeling his strong arms embrace her medium brown torso, seemed like a dream that Melissa had been reliving daily for almost seventeen years. Darius had a unique way of exploring Melissa’s five-foot-eight-inch frame with his hands as he fondled her tawny tone body.

They seemed to fall continuously in love with each other. Darius was a romancer and making love to him always brought a sense of oneness to Melissa, spiritually and emotionally over and over again.

The alarm clock’s siren and the sound of mumbling voices from the boys’ bedroom ended the sensual love scene in the Edwards’ bedroom.

“Good morning, baby. I really enjoyed you last night. We made the best of love,” Darius whispered as he stretched his arms and reached over to finger her light brown hair out of her face so he could see her hazel eyes clearly.

“I love you,” Melissa whispered softly.

“I guess the boys are up already,” Darius whispered in Melissa’s ear, seemingly frustrated about the ending of what could have been another episode of major lovemaking. He attempted to caress her curvy body with his fingertips as he had done the night before.

She moved hastily out of bed to start their morning together as a family. “I enjoyed you too but we really need to get going. I want to get to the mall before it gets too crowded. I have to get Grandpa Jimmy a birthday gift today.”

As Melissa sauntered toward the bathroom, Darius trailed behind her, watching her walk gracefully. She captivated his attention with every step she took, epitomizing elegance. She was his jewel, his precious diamond. She was his wife.

 He grabbed her by her thin waistline and pulled her in close as she stood in the bathroom mirror brushing her hair.

 “I want some more of you, baby! I really do,” he whispered in her ear as he stood behind her.

 “I want you, too.” Melissa turned her head slightly toward Darius to kiss him on the cheek. She loved the affection he showed her every day. Their bedroom was always a place of solace for them.

 As she undressed for the shower, he could smell her natural fragrance, and it was an aphrodisiac for him.

 “I’ll tell the boys to get ready while you start your shower,” he said while smiling before leaving the bathroom.

 “Okay, honey. Can you make sure they get some cereal for breakfast? I don’t want to make any stops before we get to the mall.” She winked her eye in a knowingly manner that suggest that she knew their boys familiar behaviors.

 He left the bathroom, nodding his head in agreement and winking, as she smiled.

 Melissa was in the shower thinking about her wonderful, faultless marriage to Darius. He was every woman’s dream—six-feet-two inches, nicely built with a dark chocolate skin tone and seventeen years later, he was still able to turn her on with his bright white smile.

Darius hopped in the shower after Melissa, and they were dressed in less than thirty minutes.

 “Baby, do you want me to fix you some cereal as well?” Darius asked, while walking toward the kitchen. Their master bedroom suite was diagonal from the kitchen.

“Yes, thank you. I will be ready in a few minutes. I just need to finish my makeup.” She winked at Darius.

 The boys were finished with their breakfast and had gone upstairs to finish getting dressed when Melissa entered the kitchen.

 “Hurry up, boys!” Melissa yelled upstairs as she was finishing her last bite of cereal. “Your dad and I are ready to go to the mall now.”

Darius was standing next to her with his hand behind her back gracefully touching the top of her buttocks. She turned and kissed him once again while she waited on the kids’ response. Melissa and Darius kept the passion going in their marriage.

 After some time had passed, ten-year-old Joshua, the youngest son who favored Melissa’s father deep wavy hair, pointed nose and rich chocolate skin, came running down the stairs waving his stuffed bunny in his right hand. He interrupted his parents talking and asked a question that he had been thinking about all morning.

 “Am I going to take Easter Bunny pictures at the mall today? All of my friends said that they are taking pictures with the Easter Bunny this weekend.”

  Laughing with Darius over his question, Melissa responded with a slight chuckle. “Probably not, Joshua. We are going to the mall to get a gift for Grandpa Jimmy. His birthday is in two weeks. Plus, Easter is about—”

 “But, Mom,” Joshua interrupted.

  “Don’t ‘but’ me. It is time to go! Go get your brothers. We are getting ready to leave. Tell Joseph to turn on the alarm and lock up so we can get going. Your dad and I will be in the car waiting for you guys to come out.”

 “Okay, Mom,” Joshua groaned, whining and pouting as he stomped his feet back upstairs.

 Joshua thought to himself, I’ll bring my stuffed bunny just in case. He figured that he could change his mother’s mind if he tried hard enough while they were on their way.

 As Melissa sat in the car with Darius, she reflected on the season of the year. Spring was her favorite time of the year. 

 Darius and Melissa were approaching their seventeen-year anniversary next month, on June 1 to be exact, and their marriage was growing stronger than ever. They had three handsome young boys—Joshua, Jacob, and Joseph. Joshua favored Darius and Jacob had Melissa’s characteristics.

They had a beautiful home, and their own company, Edwards and Edwards Accounting Firm, which they started shortly after they were married.

Darius was the perfect man for Melissa. She had always believed he was called into the ministry, but he didn’t think it was time to accept the calling until he had gotten his life together. God had another plan for him.

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