Read Online Lawked Flame by Erosa Knowles - Free Book Online Page B

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grin.
    Lorenzo frowned and opened his mouth. Olga waved him
down. “Listen to me. I am old and I know these things. You will
have many babies. Two and three at a time.”
    Alayna gasped. “Not three at a time.”
    Olga tapped the table. “Yes. You were born to do
this, to be a good mother. It has left you empty, this not having
the baby in your arms.”
    Alayna’s eyes filled as the root
of her pain and fears surfaced. No one knew or understood the depth
of her desperate desire to have children. Even she didn’t
understand this bone-deep need to be a mother. Her ex-husband had
told her a number of times he was content with just her.
Inexplicably, there was a craving inside that ached and longed to
be filled. Over the years she’d stopped going to weddings and baby
showers because it hurt too much. So instead, she sent gifts with
excuses.
    “ I’ve...I’ve always wanted
children.” That was an understatement, but it was all she was
willing to give at the moment.
    “ You shall have them.” Olga’s
words were forceful and definite, as though she knew what the
future held.
    Alayna watched the color rise on the older woman’s
face. “You sound sure of that.”
    “ I am.” Olga stood and returned to
the kitchen.
    Alayna stared at the doorway for another moment and
then looked at Lorenzo. “Wow. I’m going to be a mother and have
triplets. Where do I sign up?” Her heart leapt at the words while
her mind scoffed and told her to forget them. She knew she would
never forget what the older woman said and took a second to secure
the promises in the corner of her mind.
    He chuckled. “Olga’s predictions have a reputation
of being accurate. I will start looking at appropriate gifts for
your children.”
    His words made her dizzy with joy
and happiness. If only they came true. Picking up a chocolate
Danish, she pointed it at him. “What about you? Has she talked to
you about your future? How many kiddies are you going to
have?”
    Lorenzo’s smile disappeared and
was replaced by what she termed his blank face. She knew asking him
any personal questions would cause him to shut down, but he’d been
talking more and more as the day wore on, and the time felt right
to share.
    “ My future does not hold children.
It is filled with pain and disillusion. No one has to tell me
that.”
    The monotone of his voice scared her. He believed
what he was saying. She touched his hand. He jerked and stared into
her eyes. For the space of two heartbeats they gazed at each other.
“It’s okay to follow your heart.”
    His eyes widened and he snatched
his hand away. “What, what are you talking about?”
    For a moment she wondered if she'd misread the
signs. Maybe he was metro-sexual or bi-curious. And then she
remembered how his eyes had lingered only on the big male at the
store, and never any females. She pressed on.
    “ Is there someone you have strong
feelings for?”
    He stood and moved to the other side of the room. “I
cannot say.”
    “ That’s fair. We just met today
and you don’t know me. But I have a few friends who are gay and
they live happy with their partners.”
    “ Gay?” He frowned and returned to
the table. “What is that?”
    “ Men who love other men. We call
them gay.” Out of respect for so many of her friends, she would
never go into some of the other names they were called.
    His brow furrowed and then cleared. “Men who love
men are happy? This is gay?”
    “ Some are happy, some are sad. But
that’s with any type of relationship. It’s the toss of the
coin.”
    “ Toss of the coin?” He shook his
head and stared at the table.
    She hid a smile, pleased he had not been offended
with the men loving men comment. He was so cute when he worked
through something. “Yeah, things could go either way. You follow
me?”
    His head whipped up. “Where?”
    She burst out laughing. “It’s just an expression
that means do you understand. You’re out of touch, you gotta learn
the language.”
    He