Refined Adjustments Ch. 06b

The petite woman, with a complexion of dark chocolate, had a long depressed expression as she set the large dining table for two. Upon finishing, she called to her husband of seventeen years.

"Lester, dinner's ready."

At the age of twenty-three, him being twenty-six, Shyanne and Lester welcomed their youngest of two girls, Nesca, into the world and were happy about it. Two years later, the week before Nesca's birthday, they decided to be wed.

Everything went on happy from then, of course, not until the last day that she saw Nesca and was afraid she would never see her again.

"I'm coming, honey." Lester replied as his average sized, caramel skin toned figure came down the steps of their vacation townhome.

When he sat at the table, he felt her mood change. For months, he noticed her depression ever since seeing Nesca at the hospital and tried to make her feel better about the situation. Nesca was fine and living her life, but all she wanted was her baby girl.

"Shy, she'll be alright. She can take care of herself." He said as he took a bite of the lemon chicken.

"That shouldn't be coming from you since you were the one who made Ness leave."

"I gave her a choice, Shyanne." He said firmly. "She was working there and coming back here. Do you think that would've been a great idea? It would have made more complications on top of the ones we already have."

"Lester Bosami Omorose, you are not telling me that this little business is more important than my children's lives."

"Shy, you didn't make them alone. They're my children too, I think of their safety all the time but, I can't let anything go wrong while this feud is going on. If I did, things would be a disaster and she would be caught in the middle." He said as he pulled his wife to sit on his lap. "You know we can't have that."

"I know. I worry about her. Denise says she recovered perfectly, but I want her here in New York." She said as he wrapped her arm around his neck, "I heard Ness has a little boyfriend now."

"Yeah I know. I checked with the guys down at the Grand Hall in Florida, and I think it's one of Giovanni's boys."

"Giovanni," She said as she concentrated on the name. "You mean Priscilla and Vincent Giovanni, the ones that watched after our girls while we were overseas?"

"Yes."

"So do any of their children actually know about their business here other than Italy?"

"I don't think so," He said then went back to the subject at hand, "But I hope the one with kids keeps to himself."

"I know those boys are too old for my baby girl." Shyanne said in a bothered tone.

"Well, she is old enough, Shy." Lester admitted.

"She's still a baby Les."

"Shyanne, Nesca is about to be twenty-one in two months. The same age you were when you had Denise."

"And it's going to be our nineteenth anniversary too." She said then kissed him then gave a stern look.

"Still, that does not mean she needs to go out with someone who is well over ten years older than her. Anyway, I just want to see my baby girl for her special day. Last time I saw her she was unconscious on a hospital bed. That nearly killed me.

"Okay. My baby asks, so it shall be." He said as he guided her to stand. "But I need some more love instead of all of the sadness you've been giving me."

Shyanne smiled then laughed as she ran up the stairs to their bedroom, with Lester not too far behind.

*****

"I'll be right back." Nesca said as Johnny's black Chevy Camaro with tinted windows pulled into a parking space of the drug store.

"Are you sure you want to go in alone? I can get whatever you need." He offered as he tried to get out when Nesca got out.

"That's alright babe. I'll be quick." She said then shut the car door and quickly went into the store.

Johnny waited patiently in the car, flipping through the stations, and then saw her come out a couple minutes later.

"Only water?" he asked when she got in the car.

Nesca looked at him and felt a little guilt but, she stayed expressionless. "Yeah, I was really thirsty." He looked at her sternly, trying to contain the anger that rose in him.

"Nesca, I'm not an idiot. I'm more offended that you actually take me as a fool to not realize that you came here for one reason." He pointed to the store.

"What? I needed water." She said simply then looked away.

"Are you kidding me?" He grunted in frustration then calmed his voice when he took noticed to his own tone.

"Do you know how many places we passed on our way, which you could've gotten water from? All of a sudden, you need "something" when you see a drug store." He finished then drove out of the lot.

"Yeah, so, what's your point?" She questioned curtly, reaching for the seatbelt.

"What's my point...? You went in there for about five minutes and came out with only a bottle of water, and expect me to believe that." He turned to her as he stopped to a red light.

"You drank the day after pill in there, didn't you?"

"Morning after." She corrected, hesitantly.

"Really," Johnny glared at her with a tensed look in his eyes then back at the road as he heard honking from behind. "I thought I told you nothing irrational, Nesca." He plainly added.

"Drinking the pill wasn't irrational." She said simply as she pulled the visor down and looked in the mirror to fix her hair with her good hand. "What wasn't fair was that you decided to fuck without a condom, alone."

"Yeah, well that didn't stop you this morning in the shower." He said still looking at the road.

"You're acting childish... Plus, you started that shit with your fucking pleasure weekend stuff." She said angrily.

"Can you watch your mouth, Nesca?"

She pushed the visor up then stared at him as his jaw got tighter. She chuckled then continued. "Anyway, I had to get some stronger pills for my wrist."

"What is up with you?" He questioned angrily.

"What is up with ME? Probably, the fact that I'm about to turn twenty-one in two months and our ten year age gap doesn't make the situation any better. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that you are a fucking bachelor, who wants to have a freaking baby... by me!"

"Oh my—you're driving me nuts with this bachelor shit. But since you're so headstrong about it, let's talk everything out."

"Fine," she agreed calmly.

"Alright then, let's talk." He pulled into an empty parking lot, so he wouldn't cause any more traffic or an accident, and parked the car.

Johnny knew that Nesca was someone he wanted to be with since the day he laid eyes on her and even more sure at this moment. It was time for complete honesty and he hoped she was ready.

"I was doing the bachelor thing for, years. I've had many pregnancy scares with many women."

"Really?" She turned away disgusted by his bluntness. "You're an ass."

He continued anyway. "I've never had unprotected sex, nor had the condom popped with almost all of them who claimed so."

"Almost?" Nesca questioned, she looked at him over her shoulder with furrowed brows. "Yeah that's the perfect thing to tell your girlfriend."

"But still, every woman for years told me that they wouldn't want to have a baby for a disgusting scheming sicko asshole like me... I was enjoying my lifestyle too much to give it up. I guess I gave up the lifestyle without really noticing it. Still, I would never encourage abortion as a solution."

Johnny watched the rise and falls of her body of her steady breathing and felt the rhythm of his heart speed up as his palms clammed up. He rarely got nervous but clearly his words meant a lot.

"When I saw you come into my class, your beauty... womanly curves... and even with your bashfulness, your whole aura just drew me in."

Nesca turned to Johnny and looked him in the eyes, "And you decide to trap me. What an amazing gentleman you've been."

He grunted noticing her smile. "That's what I'm talking about, Nesca. You see that I'm casting out all of my feelings, ones I have yet to admit out loud, and you begin to defend yourself from them with sarcasm."

"Okay, Johnny. You want everything laid out, fine." She finished with a smile.

"About two years ago, I was given an ultimatum by my father: working for a low life scum or a stable place to stay in his home. Well, work was more important than a stable place to stay because everything the low life put up was paid for, even the condo."

But, then the whole incident with the guy that I told you about, happened.

I was on top of scum with a letter opener at his throat because he damn near drunk raped me and told me that his wife wouldn't mind. Funny thing, I didn't even know he had a wife." She sniffled as she fought back her tears held in her anger.

"I stayed with my sister for a couple days. Then, Jerome came into money and put me in an apartment of my own. And a week later I was in the hospital getting two blood transfusions, and put on watch for my suicidal actions for a couple more weeks."

"You can see why I'm defensive with my feelings; I don't trust anyone with them. For you to think I would carry a child in this state is impetuous and asinine. I don't believe in getting abortions but, what if the suicidal situation was to happen while I was pregnant?"

Johnny pulled her in and hugged her. She really has been through a lot. He already knew what he felt for her at the moment wasn't sorrow, but something greater.

"Nesca, I know you're under pressure with all that's going on in your life right now. I know that I can't say I understand where you're coming from, and I do apologize for putting you this position. But, the difference now is that I'm here for you. Just promise me that if anything signs of pregnancy show up, you'll let me know."

"As long as we use condoms, we won't have that problem." She agreed in a way. "Just take me home so I can get my things."

"Still willing to come back to my place?" He questioned hopeful, pulling out the empty lot.

"If a professor is offering help with ten pages of homework, I'll take it."

***

After their weekend of 'protected' pleasure, Johnny brought Nesca back to her apartment. Even though his hands were full with her things, due to her fresh cast, Johnny could not keep his lips and hands off of her.

"I can't wait a whole other day to see you again, babe." He admitted when her door was opened.

Her wrist was worse than they thought when they saw her x-ray, to which Johnny gave her a stern look during the review in the examination room. But still, she wasn't ready to spill, which led to a small argument but ended in a hot and steamy session. To which he left it alone.

"I know, but someone kept me so busy, I could barely get my work done." She grinned as she watched his strong arms flex when he put her suitcase from the weekend next to the TV and her bag on the chair.

"Thanks for tutoring with my other homework. I'm sure my professor would appreciate your hard work."

"I do... like... helping... with your... needs." He said between every kiss on her face.

"My lips are here." She said then pulled him in for a deep kiss.

When she pushed away after a few seconds of their passionate kiss, he pulled her back in to finish.

"I might just stay over tonight if you keep that up." He said then groped her ass. "A rain check for the basketball game had better turn up, after this comes off." He pointed to her cast.

She laughed. "Oh it will, and I will beat that fine muscly behind of yours." She said then gave him a kiss and walked him to the door. "Night Johnny, I'll call you later."

"Talk to you later, bella." He gave her one more kiss, then slowly backed away.

As she walked back into her apartment Nesca remembered her phone and the missed calls. She grabbed it out of her bag then called Jerome.

"Hey, Rome. Sorry I didn't call you sooner." Nesca sat down and examined the cast.

"That's okay shorty. I was pretty busy myself. What's up? Was that jerk bothering you?"

"No. We actually got to talk some more. How was every..."

She was interrupted by a pounding at the door. Then Reggie rushed through her doorway, breaking her doorframe.

"Are you fucking kidding me Nesca? This is the kid you're messing with?" He threw down one of the pictures of her old guy friend's. What was even weirder was that she saw this picture before but now wasn't the time for questioning.

She hung up the phone and quickly went for her pocket knife in her purse then pointed it toward his neck, keeping her impaired wrist out of sight.

"Get out of my apartment or I'll finish what I should've Reggie."

"You're fucking, this guy?" He cautioned as the knife came closer to his neck.

"Do it now or I'll have the feds up mine and yours." She promised with the knife still pointed at his neck. "But you wouldn't want that for your business now would you? Leave, now!" She yelled.

"Nes-"

"Refer to me as that monstrous creature one more time. Now, leave." She said pushing the knife against his throat so he got her point. "I won't say it again."

He backed off and went out the door. She grabbed her phone and called Rome back, but there was no answer.

Almost a half hour later, Denise walked through her now broken door way.

"What happened here Nesca? Are you alright?" She said as she walked toward her sister checking for any cuts or bruises. That's when she noticed the cast.

"Fresh cast? What happened here and why didn't you call me?"

"I hit something, hurt my wrist, I got it checked, now I'm stuck with this cast for three weeks. Oh, and I was busy with some work."

"Mmhmm. I bet the professor is that piece of work, huh?" She only received rolling of the eyes from her sister. "And what about this door way... what happened here?

"Yeah, I just had to get in somehow. Someone helped, now I have to call Damian to get it fixed." She finished awkwardly, and then walked over to see the damages.

Denise was stuck in her own little world as she remembered her first encounter with the short Dominican, really it was her sister's encounter when he gave her the walk through of the apartment space. Damian, was shorter than she was, their skin complexion was about the same and he was seriously the most handsome building manager she has ever met, technically saw, but she wanted him to be all hers. The sound of wood chips hitting the floor brought her attention to the wheel of the suitcase that it landed next to.

"Ness? Where were you?" Denise questioned.

"Just went out of town, you know."

"Out of town? Well, for someone who stayed home for almost two years, that's a pretty big step?" She winked at Nesca hinting her knowledge.

"Yes, Denise I was out with, him." Nesca stated simply, knowing her sister would have pry it out of her.

"I knew it. So, was it fun or was it like a lecture?" Denise gasped and pulled her to sit.

"OH MY GOD! You and these questions."

"Oh, Mom asked for you again."

"Why?"

"Uh, because she's the woman that pushed you and me out of her crotch after hours and hours of the excruciating pains of labor. She says dad misses you."

"How can he miss me when he basically threw me out? Don't you remember?"

"I know dad was wrong for doing it that way, but the shit-show job wasn't the reason you left."

"OK, I liked Reggie at the time, Nise. I had no clue that he hid a family behind the whole businessman act." She sniffled

"I know." She said as she hugged her.

"He was the one who did this." She admitted referring to the busted doorway.

"What?! No, you have to tell dad about this." Denise said grabbing her phone out of her purse.

"I know how to protect myself. I got him out of here." Nesca pushed her proffering hand away and walked to the door.

Right when she was about to close the door, Rome comes in, heated.

"Reggie!? You fucking knew this prick and didn't let me know about it."

"Jerome!" Denise exclaimed. "Calm down, she's already said what she had to."

"No, Denise. What she's actually doing is seeking out some attention from that asshole, and then wants to make everything about everyone else's actions when it comes down to it. I should've known, or at least you could've told me. Nesca, it's either you go get some help or I can't be around you like this. Your actions don't seem like a disorder just an angry, bitter woman."

Tears stung her eyes as she listened to his words then bolted for her bedroom and locked the door behind her.

"You're the fucking asshole." Denise said as she went after her. "Ness, open up." She did so only for her then shut it close only to lock it again.

Rome started to pace around realizing what he said was wrong, knowing her past and what she would do. It wasn't his intention but, it just came out that way. What else was he supposed to say when he felt he was crossed?

Half an hour passed as he tried to find a way to apologize. Then she came out with a dismal look.

"Look, sorry-" Nesca hugged him.

"I know you mean well, Rome. I'm going to call to set up the appointment." She said still hugging him.

"Well, I have to go. If you want me to stay I will." Denise asked her sister.

"No, it's alright, Denise. I got it." Jerome replied.

"You sure?" Denise question him, grabbing her things.

"Yeah." He said as he glanced over at Nesca. "I can wait until she's asleep."

"I can protect myself you guys." Nesca said irritated that they were acting like she was a baby.

"See you later, Ness." Denise said then kissed and hugged her sister then punched Jerome. "You better take care of my baby sister." Then she was out the door.

About two hours passed as Nesca sat down with her laptop, typing the rest of her paper. Rome called Damian, whom was his friend, to fix the broken door frame.

Nesca felt the cute short Dominican, stare at her, but she ignored it as she tried her best to complete her paper with only one good hand.

"Hey Rome, are you two together yet?"

"Why?" Jerome asked as he passed him a screw.

"She's looking different now days."

"Don't worry about that, D."

"Yeah, well what about her sister. That woman is everything I need in my life." He drilled the last screw into the hinge and wiped his face with his shirt. "Her hips, those thighs, her face..."

"You know what, why you don't just grab her number from Ness." Rome said then gave a fascinated look.

"You're right." Damian said as he walked up to her.

Nesca was so apprehensive about finishing that she didn't see him.

"Hey." He stood there for about ten seconds before she responded

"Sorry Damian, I really have to get this done." She said genuinely.

"Okay. Since you're busy, is your sister single?"

She looked up from her laptop, quizzical. "Wait, why would you ask me if she's single?" She questioned emphasizing her pronouns.

"Oh, I thought that was okay, plus, you're her sister." Nesca still gave him a questioning look.

"Why don't you ask her yourself when she comes by? She passes by your office when she comes here anyway."

"Okay." He said with a disappointed look. "Well the door is finished. Have a nice evening, beautiful." He gave a smile. "Later, Rome."

"Thanks again, Damian. Bye." She waved and closed the door.

When he left, Rome took off his shirt and walked to the bathroom. She couldn't help but look at his new physique, well new to her eyes, and how the beads of sweat on his back glistened on his chocolate skin under the light then saw his figure disappear.

'What is going on with me?' She thought to herself.

She shifted from the vibration on the couch. She got a text from Johnny.

'Hi bella.'

'Hey babe.'

'Hope you're getting your work done. '

'No thanks to u. Hope u got to those emails u were avoiding. ;-p'