What Don't Kill Me: Damaged Goods 2

By Lisa Butler

...Babe, your mother made me a little nervous. she said with a straight face.

I rubbed her arms, Why? I thought everybody was happy. Whats wrong? Im here. You can always talk to me. We said we would stay honest and open with each other a long time ago, right?

She nodded, But she told me to tell you that you need to tell me everything. What was she talking about?

I exhaled as a million thoughts ran through my mind. Where do I start? Let me think

Derek Greene finally had the woman of his dreams, Ciara. Now all he has to do is pray that hes strong enough to prove that she can move on from being Damaged Goods, all while letting her into his life and what ultimately lead him back to her. They say, What dont kill you, makes you stronger, but how strong can one persons heart be?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496939319

Lisa Butler

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Lisa Butler has always had a desire to write. While pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education, she decided to move on and follow her dream of becoming an author. Her creativity and personal experiences has given her all the motivation needed to press forward and share her passion with the world. As a mother of three, Lisa has truly experienced every emotion from Love to Anger to Sympathy to Joy and Peace.

Book preview

~ DEREK ~

SHE SAID YES

All I want to do is love her. Why won’t she just let me love her?

I looked at my watch and saw it was a quarter after ten.

I need to get to her. I need to let her know I’m serious.

I threw my clothes on and packed a bag for Tiana who was knocked out in her Disney Princess bed.

Come on, Sweetie. Daddy has to make a quick run to Ms. Ciara’s house; you can go back to sleep over there, okay?

She nodded as I picked her up and carried her to my truck.

Everything on the way there was a blur and before I knew it, I was standing on her doorstep, praying that she opened the door.

After a minute or so, she let us in and told me to take Tiana to her girls’ room.

When I came back downstairs, she was on the loveseat, balled up like a little girl.

I got straight to the point, Ciara, I need to be with you. You might feel like we haven’t been together long enough for me to feel this way, but I wanted to be with you from the first time I saw you in the store. You have something special that most women dream about. You’re strong. You’re beautiful. You’re a real woman. You remind me of my grandmother; the way she held it down for her family and the way she bounced back from every situation.

She interrupted me and said that she was tired of being hurt, but I gave her my word, I would leave this Earth before I ever hurt you.

I took a deep breath and got down on one knee, I don’t need to wait for a holiday to ask you this: Ciara Thomas, will you please marry me?

It was like I was standing outside of my body watching myself do something I had only dreamt of doing.

What’s taking her so long to answer? What’s with all the excuses? I couldn’t help but wonder why she looked down on herself so much.

Damaged? She’s everything, but damaged. I’ve never met anyone so beautiful. She’s honest, devoted, loyal and independent. This is the woman of my dreams and she can’t see that.

My mind was everywhere, until I heard her say, Yes, Derek David Greene, I will marry you.

Did she say, ‘yes?’ She said, ‘yes!’ I can’t move…

Derek? Baby? She smiled, then whispered, "I said, yes."

I kissed her and said, And I don’t want to hear nothing else about you being damaged. You’re perfect, Ciara. God made you perfect for me.

Then I looked at her and almost yelled, I gotta call my mother!

I pulled out my phone, but put it down when I noticed my future wife still had her hand out waiting for me to put the ring on her finger.

Sorry, baby. This is my first time doing this, I said as I slid the ring on with ease.

She smiled and said, "It’s your first and only time doing this."

Without warning, she kissed me; no, it wasn’t like we’d never kissed before, but this time was different. It was like every emotion, joy, sorrow, passion, pain, love…lust, was in that kiss.

I knew from that moment that this was right. She’s the one.

"Now, you can call your mother."

Actually, I want you to call your father first.

Ciara hesitated for a second, I’m not sure how he’s going to feel about this. I mean, he doesn’t really know you all that well.

Just trust me. His response might actually shock you.

Baby, I…

Before she could get another word out, I had him on the phone.

Hey, Mr. Miller, I know it’s a little late, but I think you know why I’m calling you, I smiled and looked at Ciara. Yes, sir, she’s right here.

She gave me a funny look and took the phone from me.

Hey, dad, what’s up? she laughed and pinched me, "Yes, I do have something to tell you; Derek proposed a few minutes ago and I said, ‘yes.’"

I loved seeing her like this. She actually looked like she was glowing. I made up in my mind at that moment that I had to keep that smile on her face for the rest of our lives.

Okay, dad. Thanks. Love you, too.

I told you he would be okay with it.

Baby, I can’t believe you asked for his blessings. That really means a lot to me. Were you nervous?

Hell yeah! I got his number from Michelle and met with him the next day.

I rubbed her leg and said, Your father loves you more than you could ever know. We talked for a long time; he asked me every question he could think of, and then repeated some, like it was a pop quiz to make sure I wasn’t lying or something!

Aww, I’m so glad you did it though. Now, you need to call your mother.

Right. I took a deep breath and pressed the send button on my cell.

Ma? Yeah, I know it’s late…no, everything is fine. Yes, Tiana’s okay. Ma…ma…ma! I need you to calm down. Everybody is fine, well, actually I’m great! She said yes!

There she goes! I thought while listening to her praise God and go on about how happy she was.

I smiled and shook my head, My mother wants to speak to you. I said handing Ciara the phone.

Hey, Mrs. Greene. Oh…yes. Okay, she hesitated for a minute, "mom. Thank you…Yes, God is good. Right…I know he’s your baby. Yes, ma’am…we love you, too. Do you want to speak to Derek? Okay. I’ll tell him," she blushed and gave me my phone.

I knew she would be excited. My mother is crazy about you and the girls!

Did she know you were going to propose?

Yeah, I told her I was going to do it on Christmas Eve; that’s why I wanted to know if we had any plans.

Oh, okay. Babe, your mother made me a little nervous, she said with a straight face.

I rubbed her arms, Why? I thought everybody was happy. What’s wrong? I’m here. You can always talk to me. We said we would stay honest and open with each other a long time ago, before God brought us back to each other, right?

She nodded, "But she told me to tell you that you need to tell me everything. What was she talking about?"

I exhaled as a million thoughts ran through my mind. Where do I start? Let me think…

GUNS AND ROSES

Rick! Man, I need you down on the docks, now! My supervisor yelled while knocking on the window of my truck.

Alright, can I park? I’m only three minutes late.

And you need to make up those three minutes!

This fool startin’ early in the morning. I thought as I grabbed my bag and walked down to the dock.

Before I could get started, my partner, Wayne, ran up to me, Yo, what happened to you last night? I thought you was goin’ come through.

Man, you don’t wanna know.

You know I wanna know. I wouldn’t have asked you if I ain’t wanna know. And you know I know it’s good, so I need to know.

For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how he was so amped up before five in the morning.

You remember that girl Randy hooked me up with?

Lil’ shorty with the uh and huh! he said while thrusting forward. Yeah, Rose, right?

I ignored him and kept talking, "Man, I went to pick her up and she opened the door with one of those negligee-lingerie things on and told me to come in.

"So, of course I did. She said she had something special for me and wanted to stay home so she could have dessert privately."

Whoohoohoo! Man, I knew she was a freak! Wayne yelled.

"Hold up, it’s more. Then she put her lil’ music on and told me to relax while she went to get the food.

"I’m trying to get as comfortable as possible, but I kept gettin’ this strange feeling; you know, like somebody was watching me or something. I looked around the living room and thought I found what was making me uncomfortable.

"She had mad pictures of family everywhere. It felt like I was fifteen instead of twenty-one sneaking to do it at some girl’s house."

Wayne laughed and said, Maybe she just love her family.

"Naw, man. Listen. So, here comes Rose with the plates, right? She sat them down in front of me, making sure she bent over far enough for her boobs to show. Now, she got me right where she wants me.

"She walked around the table and sat on my lap and was like, do you want me to feed you or are you going to feed me?

"Then she opened her lil’ robe and I was in Heaven!

"It took everything in me to not drool, then I was like, I think I’ll let you feed me.

So she leaned over and picked up a strawberry, licked it then put it up to my mouth.

Now, Wayne’s all excited, Yoooo! Get to the good part! Did she give it to you? She was wild wasn’t she? I know she was wild! Shorty look like one of them lil’ nasty girls! he continued while pointing at me, "I told you, it’s them quiet ones. Them church girls. They the ones. They the ones!"

"Anyway, as soon as I opened my mouth, her front door swung open. I couldn’t see who it was at first, but all I heard was, Rose! I know you don’t have some grown man up in my house! Ol’ girl jumped off my lap and grabbed her robe and was like, Hey daddy! No, I um…he came to fix the cable and I um, I offered him some kool-aid, but he, he tried to have sex with me daddy! She broke into tears and ran pass her father.

"Meanwhile, I’m tryin’a get out the house, but he’s blocking the door. So I tried to explain the situation, Sir, your daughter and I were supposed to be going to dinner, but she invited me in instead. I swear I wasn’t trying anything with her… CLICK!

"Man, do you know he pulled a gun out on me? He said, You expect me to believe that my sweet Rose, my innocent, fourteen year old baby girl would do that? You got two seconds to get the hell up out my house or you gonna be leavin’ in a body bag!"

Fourteen! Yo, Rose only fourteen? I can’t believe that!

Believe it! So, I got outta there as fast as I could. It wasn’t ’til I got home that I realized my wallet was gone. Rose got me for my wallet!

Aww! You for real? he said while trying not to laugh.

Dead serious. Everything was in there…

I was interrupted by the intercom system, Derek Greene, you’re needed in the main office.

Here we go. I know he ain’t trippin’ about those three minutes.

Wayne slapped my back, Hey, you know how he do.

When I got to the office, there were two police officers waiting with John, the supervisor.

Mr. Greene?

I nodded.

We have a warrant for your arrest.

My arrest? For what? Hold up, hold up!

Statutory rape. Unconsented sex with a fourteen year old girl by the name of Rose.

What!

Her father called last night and gave a full report. He even had your wallet and told us you dropped it when you tried to run.

This is some bull, man!

THAT SETTLES THAT

Derek, baby, you know we have God on our side, my mother said as we stood outside the courtroom.

"I know, but ma, her father got all kinds of law on his side. I heard him throwing names around when we came in. He’s willing to take this as high as he needs to just to see me behind bars."

"Mr. Greene, you don’t have anything to worry about.