Headaches & Heartbreaks 2

By Tamia Gore-Felton

Paris experiences a roller coaster of emotions as her heart recovers from her grandmother’s death. Suppressed feelings leave Paris overwhelmed with grief, and she rushes to granny’s room for solace. Sadly, her mourning is interrupted when Evie, an obnoxious ex from Sterling’s past brings drama to Paris’ doorstep. After their worlds collide, Sterling’s new title and unlawful activities take a toll on Paris, and she’s drained mentally. While second-guessing their relationship, Paris clings to Angel and Adam and seeks revenge for the ill acts Evie has committed. Along with thoughts of payback, Paris withholds information from her father to protect Sterling’s character. As time passes, Paris doesn’t like the individual she’s becoming and partially comes clean, but things continue to go downhill and a cyclone of events pushes Paris to the edge. When the smoke clears who will hold the key to Paris’ heart? Will she remain with Sterling through the madness or will she give Adam the chance he’s been waiting for?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jun 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781684703029

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Gore-Felton

Copyright © 2019 Tamia Gore-Felton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-1-6847-0303-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6847-0302-9 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 05/06/2019

Also by Tamia Gore-Felton

The Bangles and Broken Hearts Series

Bangles and Broken Hearts: A Tale of Sticky Situations, Lust, and Heartbreak

Bangles and Broken Hearts 2: A Tale of Sticky Situations, Love, and Forgiveness

Bangles and Broken Hearts 3: Return of the Bangles

The Hottest Summer Series

The Hottest Summer: Miami’s Heat Can’t Compare to Summer’s Flames

The Hottest Summer 2: Miami’s Heat is Too Hot to Handle

The Hottest Summer 3: Miami’s On Fire

The Headaches & Heartbreaks Series

Headaches & Heartbreaks: Facing Reality Hurts

Headaches & Heartbreaks 2

Stand-Alone Titles

Kandee’s Crush: An Unforgettable Tale of Being Caught in the Middle

For Chico & Uncle Donald

One

I still find it painful to believe that granny died. I lay awake in total darkness and think about how different things are since she left. Living without her has been a hard pill to swallow, but I am trying my best to cope. My eyes are tearing up now just thinking about her. Other than my mother, I never knew you could miss someone’s presence so much. Only six months have passed, and even though all of granny’s items remain in her room, the scent of the woman I loved dearly had vanished.

I’m sad to say losing the welcoming odor was my fault. I paid a visit to her room and the urn sometimes two, or three times a day. I tried to limit my visitation to preserve the smell, but I developed an unhealthy habit of playing dress-up with granny’s oversized church hats, cardigans, and house gowns. I even used the Jacuzzi and steam shower in the attached master bathroom. The day I noticed that her scent was fading, I minimized my visits to once a day, and I also stopped using the lavatory.

From then, I kept the room door shut with a towel against the space at the bottom until I played in some of granny’s perfume one day. After I removed the cap from a frosted glass bottle; I sprayed it and nostalgia presented itself. The Donna Karan fragrance filled the air, traveled up my nostrils and flooded my brain. Within a matter of seconds, it triggered emotions that made me feel warm and happy inside. When I closed my eyes, I felt as if it nestled me in my dear grandma’s bosom. That was a grand feeling I needed to experience every day. So, I sprayed her room with perfume every other evening and no longer kept the door shut with the towel against the bottom. I also left the ceiling fan on the highest setting so the fragrance could drift into the rest of the house. This was the next best thing to grandma’s oh-so-sweet aroma.

Along with the smell in granny’s room altering, I changed too. I’m not as uptight as I used to be about things. The three-week vacation to Las Vegas and Los Angeles loosened me up. I had intentions of paying for the trip, but once I mentioned the idea to Sterling, he insisted that he cover the expenses. So, I haven’t touched any of the money I received from granny’s estate or the insurance policy. Since Sterling had to handle things in Louisiana, he could only stay for a week. Luckily, Angel joined me the same day he left, and I was only alone for a few hours. We had a blast; we tried different cuisines, went shopping, attended concerts, male-revues, nightclubs, pool parties, and went to the circus. I remained on cloud nine until Angel dropped me off at home to an empty house that didn’t smell a damn thing like my granny. As soon as I stepped across the threshold, I realized that the three-week vacation was only a distraction. Now it was time to figure out what in the hell I would do with myself. Along with being depressed, I couldn’t focus when I went back to work at the daycare. I’d often daydream while a parent talked and sometimes I would burst out crying. Working at the daycare was something I couldn’t do anymore. So I called the previous acting director, Ms. Laura and offered her a raise and a full-time position. She graciously thanked me and accepted the offer without hesitation.

Making sure I handled things at the daycare was my second priority now. My first priority was myself. I had to take time to grieve and get out of this slump I was in. The same day I hired the director, I went home to lie across granny’s bed. At that moment I decided that I would not apply for any jobs because I needed more time for myself. God knows I’m not mentally ready to deal with folks and their ailments just yet.

I bet you’re wondering how my father is doing. He is still handsome, and our relationship is stronger than ever. He supports my decision to hold off on work, and I am very thankful. I visit him at least twice a month, and we talk just about every day. I confessed to him that Sterling wasn’t a mechanic too, and I apologized for lying to him about that. He forgave me, but now he wants to know what Sterling does for work. I didn’t want to lie again, so I told dad to ask Sterling when he visits him. Oh, dad still has the hots for Angel, but she’s focused on her new career. She’s a probation officer now. She no longer drives a patrol car, but she can still get me out of a ticket. Fortunately, I have gotten none.

I know you remember Adam, my granny’s handsome attorney. The guy that blew my socks off after he revealed that I was a millionaire. Him, that’s who I’m talking about. Well, he wiggled his way back into my call log, but I’m behaving myself. He hasn’t gotten the memo yet. Besides being fresh sometimes, Adam has been a great friend. We talk about a lot of the things we’re both going through. Although we have been on a few lunch dates, he and I haven’t swapped spit or done anything else sexual.

I can’t say the same thing about Sterling and I because we finally had sex. It happened about a month after the funeral. We were chilling on the couch one evening after we watched Love and Basketball and it happened. I remember the incident vividly; the lights were low; he nibbled on my neck, and I straddled his lap. Then he unbuttoned my blouse, and sucked my nipples. In between giving my breasts the attention they deserved we kissed until I felt like I would melt into a puddle of nothing.

My ears felt like they were on fire, I was so hot. I wanted Sterling, and I told him I was ready to go all the way. After he asked if I was sure, he took me by the hand and led me to my bedroom. In the room, we undressed, and he teased me with his fingers before he pleased me orally. I didn’t return the favor just in case you’re wondering. Then he sucked on my neck and nipples more before he asked me if I was sure if I was ready again. I nodded my head, yes, and he penetrated me. That night was perfect. Sterling was a gentleman, he went nice and slow. Our first time was an enjoyable experience, and we’ve had sex three more times since then. We would have done it tonight, but we ran out of condoms, and they don’t have the ones I favor at Walgreen’s and were sold out at Walmart.

Other than making me fall deeper in love with him, Sterling has been up to his old ways. Yep, you guessed it! He’s still hustling, and five out of seven days of the week he smells like weed, alcohol, or both. He has said nothing about the courses at the college either, so I will not pester him about it this week. But I will revisit the conversation soon. Oh, and I still haven’t told Sterling about my newfound wealth either.

While a lot of Sterling’s belongings have accumulated here, he hasn’t moved in. We talked about it, but he kept brushing me off when I mentioned it, almost like what he did when I asked him about going back to school. One night I asked him why he didn’t want to move in, and he said it was because he didn’t want to complicate things. I was unsure what he meant by that until Sterling told me that Evie, (his maybe baby mama) had been harassing him. She’d been blowing up his phone and his mom’s phone too. When I asked him why he didn’t tell me about Evie and her shenanigans, he said he kept it from me because of the bouts of depression I’ve had about granny’s death. He claims he didn’t tell me because he didn’t want to stress me out, but Evie is doing a great job at that.

She has put us through the wringer ever since I came back from vacation and I’m sick of her ass. That’s why I’m up now, she called me yesterday from a private number. At first, the conversation was basic stuff, you know, hey, how are you, yada yada. Then somehow the conversation went all wrong, she told me how much she missed Sterling’s sex. Her boldness blew me away, and I hung up on her.

The first time she called back, I didn’t answer. But I answered the next time, and we ended up cursing each other out and hanging up on each other. She hasn’t called back, and I hope she never does. As a precaution, I’m not answering any private calls. I’m still unsure about how she got my cell phone number. I don’t know why she wants to talk anyway, I’m not the one who may have gotten her pregnant.

Oh, that’s not it, Evie busted all the windows out of Sterling’s car yesterday when he was at the barbershop, and there ain’t no telling what else she has up her sleeves. That trick is something else. Believe it or not, last week she came over here, and yes, over here means granny’s house. I mean my house. I’m sorry, I’m getting flustered just thinking about it. Evie came to my house without an invitation. I’m not sure how she got my address. For all I know she may have followed Sterling or me. Whatever the case, homegirl came here looking for Sterling because she went into false labor the day before and couldn’t reach him. She didn’t get out of the car, she only pulled up in the yard and blew the horn like a maniac until I opened the door. This time she didn’t curse, she only blurted, I went into false labor yesterday. The doctor says I have to take it easy. Tell Sterling that all of this is his fault, and tell him to call me.

Then she backed out of the patio area. No one was with her, she was alone. The crazy chicken head didn’t even say hi or bye. I couldn’t believe she pulled so close to the doorstep as I shut the door and ran to the window to make sure she left before I called Sterling to tell him what happened. The same day Sterling changed his number and didn’t give it to her. That’s why she couldn’t reach him. He was tired of her acting a fool, but I reminded him that this might be something he has to deal with for the rest of his life if the baby is his. Then he quickly reminded me I would have to deal with Evie too, if he and I would be together. Ain’t that some mess? I’m not sure if I can deal with her, but I love Sterling. I hope he’s worth the headache and I’m praying to God that this baby isn’t his. So, yeah, Sterling doesn’t live here, but he sleeps here at least three or four nights out of the week. As a matter of fact, he’s sleeping right next to me now. Balled up in a fetal position, looking as if he doesn’t have a care in the world while Evie is probably figuring out a way to make our lives more miserable than ever.

I should be asleep, after the week I had, but I’m not. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts, and I really need to rest. I turn over and find a comfortable spot, put my arm around Sterling and shut my eyes tight. His low snoring combined with the breeze of the overhead ceiling fan sent me into a much-expected light slumber, but not for long because the cordless phone rang. I silently cursed before I reached for the phone on the nightstand and groggily answered, Hello.

Did I wake you, sunshine? An energetic female voice asked.

Who’s this? I asked as I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand.

You know who this is. It’s y’all baby mama!

My God! You are so ignorant, Evie. What the hell do you want and how did you get this number?

Call me what you want, but I had the baby, and I will get my man back as soon as my six weeks are up. Shit, I may not even wait six weeks.

Laughter spilled from her end of the line as she belted out another question, Where is Sterling at with that magic stick?

I reached over to turn the lamp on and sarcastically asked, Did you really have the baby? Or are you looking for some attention?

Yes, I had the baby. I thought we established that already, Paris. I swear you must be slow or something? I had him an hour ago. He’s got all of his fingers, toes, and all of that other good stuff, and he looks just like his daddy. Now tell Sterling to get his ass up here and sign this birth certificate.

I laughed and replied, He ain’t signing a damn thing until y’all get a DNA test.

Her voice changed to a slightly threatening tone, and she said, Bitch, you heard what I said. Now relay the message to my baby daddy. I know he’s over there.

All right! I’ll do just that, but we’re both coming to see who your little heathen looks like.

Aw, hell no! I know you didn’t just call my baby a heathen. Don’t bring your ass up here, Paris. Do you hear me? You’re not welcome.

Bitch, we’re both coming, so fix your weave. Bye!

I ended the call before Evie could utter another word and nudged Sterling who had recently put a pillow over his head.

Baby, get up. You may or may not be a daddy.

Sterling sat straight up and said, It’s too early for this.

Well, Evie started it. She said she had the baby.

Damn! I don’t know if I should believe her ass or not.

I picked up the phone and dialed *69 to see what number had called, and I confirmed it. Evie placed the call from the hospital. I was familiar with the number because it was the same hospital that granny was in when she recovered from her hip surgery.

Yep, babe. It was the hospital. We better go.

Sterling stretched and asked, Paris, can you fight?

Yes.

Who were you fighting? And when was the last time you got into a fight?

I answered right away because I didn’t have to think about it, I haven’t been fighting anyone. I’ve never been in a real fight. Why?

He shook his head and replied, Because you were just talking a lot of junk on the phone.

I took Karate when I was twelve for six years.

Damn, I didn’t know that.

I thought I’d told you. Anyway, it was granny’s idea. She thought of it as a form of therapy. I’m a red belt.

Is that color close to the infamous black belt? he asked.

Yes. The red belt is just before the black belt.

Aw, shit! Evie may have met her match this time.

You know good and well Evie is in no condition to fight. She had a baby for goodness’ sake. She’s all bark, no bite.

You’re right, but if she really had the baby, her family will be at the hospital. You better make sure you stretch before you get in the car.

I slipped on a pair of joggers as he tied his shoes up and said, Damn. I forgot about family members.

I got you, boo. I don’t care how many Karate belts you got.

"Aw,