Episode 108

Episode 108

Redemption

NAOMI

My hands shook as I ran my fingers along the pristine white satin of my wedding gown hanging in front of the standing floor mirror. I was alone in my soon-to-be husband's apartment. His sister, Sydney, had just dropped me off from the rehearsal dinner. According to tradition, Memphis and I weren't supposed to see each other until I walked down the aisle. I found it an odd tradition, but who was I to balk at the Taylor's customs? They had been nothing but warm, inviting, and unbelievably understanding, given the situation with my father and him buying their house out from under them. Even though I bought it back and gifted it to them free and clear, it was embarrassing to say the least. Yet they handled the entire fiasco with grace and aplomb. I wished my family were as kind and considerate.

A knock on the door broke me out of my thoughts.

I grinned as I walked down the short hall and through the small living room to the front door. My man was a cheeky bad boy, coming to see me the night before the wedding. I fluffed my hair, pinched my cheeks, and bit my lips to give them some color. Next, I undid the robe I was wearing, leaving it open to the cute short nightie I was wearing underneath.

"He'll never see it coming…" I breathed as I set my pose, unlocked the door, and opened it wide. "Hey baaaabyyyyyy…" I cooed and then croaked, dropping my hands to my robe, and closing it as quickly as possible.

"I can see you were expecting different company," Abraham Shaw grunted. My mother stood behind him, her eyes wide in surprise, mouth open, looking like a fish out of water. The only fish out of water was me in that dreadful moment.

"What on Earth are you doing here? How did you even find me?" I clung to the lapels of my robe then quickly tied it tight.

The man—I would not allow myself to think of him as my father or dad—tilted his head. "Mrs. Taylor not only gave us this address, she actually encouraged us to come tonight while you were alone, after the rehearsal dinner."

I clenched my teeth, a sudden wave of anger pushing against my chest. I didn't want to believe Robin would do me so dirty. It wasn't in her nature. However, what was in her nature was healing family wounds, and I knew she was deeply hurt when she learned my family and I were not only at odds, but that I'd disowned this man completely.

"Can we come in?" His tone was gentler than his usual booming voice.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shaw," I crossed my arms over my chest protectively. "I don't invite my bosses over to my house. Especially at this late hour."

His nostrils flared while my mother, who'd finally gotten herself together, practically whimpered, "Please, Naomi."

I thought about slamming the door in their faces for all of five full seconds. Abraham stood stoic, chin raised, gaze on me, unflinching. He had always been an immovable force. Something I'd once admired about him, until he stopped using that power for good and, instead, became a controlling monster. Planning my life and future out piece by piece as if it were a business plan that had big checkboxes next to each line item.

"We'd like to talk to you." he started. "May we please come in and have a civilized discussion in private and not out in this breezeway where three other neighbors can listen in?"

I snarled. He made a good point. If Memphis and I were going to stay here on and off for the foreseeable future, we definitely didn't want our neighbors gossiping about us.

"Fine. You have fifteen minutes, but then I need to get my beauty sleep. I'm getting married tomorrow." I held the door open wide.

They entered, both stopping to take in the small apartment. I'm sure he found it lacking because it was simple, and homey, compared to his preferred palatial, opulent lifestyle.

"Have a seat on the couch. Would you like something to drink?" I asked, the courtesy coming out on autopilot.

"A nightcap would be preferred. Scotch, if you have it."

I rolled my eyes and padded to the kitchen. "Mrs. Shaw?" I asked pointedly.

"Naomi, please, I'm your mother . He's your father, and we both love you dearly," she croaked. Her eyes actually teared up, one of the handful of times I've seen my mother show genuine emotion.

As I poured three glasses with two fingers of Scotch in each, I really took in my mother's appearance. Purple smudges underneath her eyes, her skin paler than normal, and if my eagle eye was correct, she'd lost some weight since the last time I saw her in person a couple weeks ago. All of this concerned me, knowing she'd suffered a heart attack earlier this month.

I returned with the drinks, passed them out, and then settled primly in the chair opposite the couch. The three of us sat there like strangers, waiting for someone to break the ice.

Abraham cleared his throat. "Naomi, we're here to discuss the wedding tomorrow and our role in it," he muttered then ran his palm along his pantleg.

"As my future boss, you have no role in my upcoming nuptials."

"Naomi, please, we're here to apologize." Mother's voice cracked, then she set the glass down and stood. With hands on her hips, she glared at her husband. "Abraham, I swear to God, if you don't fix this with our only daughter, I will walk away from you for good."

Her target scowled. "I'm trying," he bit out through clenched teeth.

"Not very hard you aren't!" she snapped.

"I'm here, aren't I? I have never in my life cowered to another, yet here I am, sitting before my only child in what amounts to a hovel, to…" For a fleeting second, he looked like he might actually throw up. "…renegotiate!"

"I am not a business deal to be made," I growled. "This is my life we're talking about. Mine . Not yours. Not Mom's. I want to marry a man I'm in love with. A man who treats me as though I'm the only person in a room. Who loves me for me, not for what I can give him or the money I have, or the connections my family has. Me." I smacked at my chest for emphasis. "Memphis loves me . Do you understand how rare that is?"

Mom crossed her arms over one another. "Naomi is right, Abe. Just because we agreed to marry for status and wealth, doesn't mean our only daughter should. She's in love…real love with the young man. And he dotes on her, I've seen it with my own eyes. And his family have welcomed our daughter into their lives fully. We wouldn't have this opportunity if Mrs. Taylor hadn't urged us to come and make amends. I'll not have you squander our second chance at redemption to make things right."

She came over and knelt before me. I set my drink on the side table as she reached for my hands.

"Naomi, I am deeply sorry for putting pressure on you to live your life the way your father and I planned. You are your own person." She swallowed then took a breath as she stared into my eyes. "You are the bravest, strongest, most intelligent woman I know. You have become more than I could have ever hoped. I am proud of you for chasing after your dreams and making them come true. I love you and I want to be in your life, desperately . You're my baby, my little girl. I want to see you get married to the man you love and have children. Please, don't take that away from me…from us ." She squeezed my hands, her honesty searing a path straight to my heart.

"I love you too, Mom." I croaked and then turned to look at my father expectantly.

"Abraham, I believe you have something to say to Naomi." Her tone cut like a blade. Even I trembled at the severity of her demand.

"Naomi, I am sorry. I'm sorry for pushing you so hard I pushed you away from me. I've always wanted nothing but the best for my child. Everything I've ever done was to ensure your future success. I realize now that I went too far. That meeting we had…" He shifted his shoulders as though shaking off a nasty chill. "That was the first time I realized I could lose you forever. I treated you and your future as a business deal. Thinking back on it, I am disgusted with myself." He ran his hand over his close-cropped hair then down over the back of his neck. "I may be the head of an empire, but I'm also your father. And I forgot that."

"And what you did to the Taylors? Buying their house, having their friend fired from the bank," I hissed, letting my anger show. "These are good people. They don't deserve your wrath because their son fell in love with your daughter. They've welcomed me fully into their family. Instantly, I have five sisters, in-laws, and a granny. I'm gaining so much by marrying into the Taylor family. You should be happy for me, not upset that they aren't as wealthy as you are. Their wealth is in their love for one another, and that can't be bought or sold. It's given. And they've given it to me. It's worth more than anything money can buy, Dad."

"Dad," he whispered and closed his eyes, a moment of true peace crossing his features. "I worried I'd never hear you call me that again."

Mom got up from her position on the floor and went to sit next to her husband.

"I'll make it right with the Taylors, Naomi. I've already contacted the bank and demanded they rehire their friend. He's now in a higher position."

"How did you manage that?" I asked.

He smirked. "I threatened to take my money elsewhere."

I gave him a half-smile. He really was ruthless in business, but he couldn't apply that same method to his daughter's personal life.

"Naomi, we're here because I want to be in your life," he grumbled, sounding exasperated.

Mom cleared her throat expectantly.

" We want to be in your life," he amended.

"And attend your wedding," Mom interrupted once more.

"Yes, and see our beautiful girl marry the man she's chosen."

" A good man . A man that loves me. A man who supports my success. The best man I have ever known." I drove the knife deeper into his ego, wanting him to realize the position Memphis truly has in my life. "I'm no longer daddy's girl who does and says what you want. I played that role for far too long. I am my own person. I am Naomi Shaw, soon to be Naomi Taylor. And if you have any chance of being in my life in any way, shape, or form, you need to accept that, right here, right now. No more discussion about marrying Malik or anyone else for that matter. No demeaning the man I love or his family for not being as wealthy as you."

"I understand," my father answered.

"If you mean that, you will apologize to the Taylors for the pain and suffering you caused them. You will also apologize to Memphis for being so incredibly rude to him and his kin."

My father's jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek with the effort to keep his mouth shut.

"Last, but certainly not least, I will not be working for you."

He tried once more; I don't think he could help himself. "You would excel at my company. Take it all and make it your own one day."

I slashed the air with my hand in a brutal manner. "I will not work for you. I will not be forced into a life I don't want. I'm happy. My company is extremely successful. Be proud of that. Train Malik to be your second. He wants the job more than anyone. He worships you. The only reason he even dated me was to get close to you. Make him the son you never had. I don't care. I want what I have right now. I'm happy with what I've created all by myself."

"I am a man that can admit when he is wrong. And you have done well. Your company is top notch, and the profit margins are extremely high. I am impressed. It may not be at the level of my own company…"

"Yet!" I smirked. "I'm still young, old man. I've got lots of time and support at my back."

He grinned fully, a genuine smile I hadn't seen in too long. "That attitude will get you far."

"I learned it from my dad."

He closed his eyes, his body vibrating at the praise.

"I am deeply sorry, Naomi," he stated as he shook his head.

Mom took his hand. "We both are."

"Can you forgive me?" He glanced at my mother then back to me. "Forgive us, for being so short sighted and controlling."

"And rude, revengeful, demanding, ruthless…I could go on and on."

"Yes. Can you forgive us for all of those things and let us back into your life?" The question was a plea.

"We'll do anything honey." Mom added.

I sat for a full minute, staring them both down, watching them squirm. The fact that they were both here, practically groveling, was an absolute first. Something I doubted I'd see again. But it also proved how much they truly loved me and finally understood how horrible they'd been.

"You can come to the wedding tomorrow. It starts at noon," I announced.

"Can I come help you get ready?" Mom pleaded, her pretty brown eyes filled with shimmery tears.

I nodded, my nose stinging at the emotion filling the room.

"Can I walk you down the aisle?" my father asked, his heart in his throat.

"Depends on how your apology goes with Memphis and his family. I suggest you arrive a bit early so that you can have a chat with them. Knowing how kind they are, I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms. But I'll never allow you or anyone else to look down upon them. They are good people, and they deserve better."

"I will do whatever it takes to earn their favor and respect," my father said.

I stood up. "Then I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding." My voice shook as reality sunk in. My bottom lip trembled while Mom got up and came around the table to pull me into her arms.

"I love you, honey. So, so much. Thank you. Thank you for hearing us out and being so forgiving. We won't let you down." She held me tight, and I held on right back.

"It's time we let her rest. She has a quite the day tomorrow," Dad instructed.

Mom nodded and then let me go. She swiped at the tears that were falling down her cheeks, but the smile on her face was true beauty. I hadn't seen a genuine smile from her in a while. She moved to the side, and I stared at my father, the first man I'd ever loved, standing before me looking wounded and uncertain.

My breath caught at the sight of him, and that was all it took before he opened his arms, letting me choose if I wanted to hug him.

God, I did. I wanted my father to know me, understand me, and more than that, I wanted him to accept me for who I was.

I went into his arms, pressing my face to his chest.

"I love you more than anything in this world, Naomi. I'm sorry I lost sight of that for far too long. I understand what I've done, and I will change. You'll see. He hugged me tight, resting his chin on the top of my head. "I'll never lose sight of what's important again." He nuzzled my hair and then leaned back, and placed a kiss on my forehead. "We'll see you tomorrow."

I swiped at the stubborn tears sliding along my cheeks. "Tomorrow."

I followed them to the door and held it open as they exited.

Across the breezeway, leaning against the wall, was the most welcoming sight in the world.

"Memphis," I breathed, my entire being filled with joy at seeing him.

He winked at me as he stepped forward, hand out toward my father. "Mr. Shaw, Mrs. Shaw, I'm glad to see you both."

My man was the best in the entire universe. My heart pitter-pattered wildly within my chest, knowing he came here to ensure I was okay.

I watched as my father shook his hand. "I can see that you're here for my daughter, but if you would be so kind as to spare a shame-filled man a moment of your time tomorrow, I'd like to apologize."

"You being here and apologizing to her is enough for me. She's what's important." Memphis gestured toward me with a lift of his chin.

My father smiled. "That she is. I'd still like a word with you tomorrow, if possible."

"I'll see to it," Memphis nodded.

My mother was not nearly as chill. Still crying, she threw her arms around Memphis. "Please forgive me for being so rude. I was only trying to protect my daughter. I'm so sorry. I was wrong. About you, about all of it."

Memphis patted my mother's back. "I accept your apology. Both of you. I hope we'll be seeing you tomorrow?" One of his eyebrows rose in question.

"They've been reinvited," I stated softly.

"Good to hear. Now I'm going to make sure my fiancée is okay. Sleep well and we'll see you tomorrow." He let my mother go, who went right to my father's side. My father placed an arm around her shoulders and led her to the waiting limo.

A fucking limo. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

Memphis approached, and I held the door open for him. When I shut it, he spun me around and caged me up against the door.

"How are you?" he demanded instantly.

"Better now that you're here." I looped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his.

"Honestly, Nay. That had to be some heavy shit, and right before our big day…"

I nodded and sighed. "It was, but you know what? It was needed. They apologized, and I believed it. I know when they are playing a part, and they were genuinely heartbroken."

"And that shit about you working for your dad?"

I shook my head. "Not happening. He understands I'm paving my own path. I suggested he hire Malik to be his second."

Memphis snarled. "Please don't speak that man's name while wearing next to nothing, the night before our wedding." He dipped his head and ran a line of kisses along my neck.

"How long do we have?" I pressed my body closer to his.

Memphis slid his hands down my body until he got to the robe's tie where he undid it, letting it fall open.

"Have mercy!" He groaned at the sight of my simple nightie. Then his hands went to my thighs where he ran them up and down and around to my ass. He gripped my butt and lifted me up until I wrapped my legs around his waist. "We have as much time as it takes for me to love you properly and make sure your mind is only on us for our big day tomorrow."

I took his mouth in a long, wet kiss. "I love you for coming to check on me." I nibbled on his bottom lip. "I love you for being so forgiving." I slid my tongue briefly into his mouth to tease him. "I just love you, Memphis."

"Prove it," he growled wantonly, pressed me up against the door and kissed me until I forgot my own name.

Then he let me prove it, all night long.

Traditions be damned.