A Chance for Growth

A New Person

The Next Morning

At Terrence's House

Taraji laid snuggled in Terry's chest, letting out light snores that filled his ears. He didn't mind it, because she was everything to him. And after last night, she let him know that he was everything to her. She rolled over, finally letting him stretch out his numb arm. Once he got the feeling back, he sat up to see the time. 6:27a.m. He moved a few strands out of her face and kissed her cheek. She squirmed under him then laid on her back, slowly opening her eyes and peering into his.

"Good morning, Beloved," he greeted her, shocking her with the pet name he called her. "Good morning, why are you awake?” she asked through a yawn. “No reason. How did you sleep?” he asked, still playing in her hair. She smiled at him then tried to hide under the covers. ‘We did it. We had sex last night. Oh my God! I have to tell Tracie.’ She thought in her head the whole time. Terrence chuckled then started tickling her, bringing her from under the cover and filling the room with laughter.

“Okay, okay. I slept amazing. I felt like I was on a cloud. How did you sleep?” she asked him back, laying on her side, running her fingers up and down his chest and outlining his abs. “I slept great,” he said with the biggest smile plastered on his face. He leaned in to give her a kiss and she pulled back. “I need to brush my teeth. Morning breath is a thing, you know,” she said as she sat up to climb out the bed. Terry watched her stand up, not noticing the little red stain that sat on his sheets. Raji turned on her toes and looked down and gasped. “Oh my God,” She whispered.

Terry furrowed his eyebrows and followed her eyes to the stain. “I’m so sorry Terry. I didn’t know that my period was gonna start so soon,” she said panicking and embarrassed by the blood. Terry raised an eyebrow as he looked at her worried face, then gave a not so silent chuckle. “Why are you laughing? I’m so embarrassed,” she asked starting to get annoyed by the thing that he found humorous.

“I’m laughing because you’re not on your period, babe. That was supposed to happen. Remember, I popped your cherry last night? You’re supposed to bleed,” he explained as he sat up in the bed. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’ll throw the sheet in the washer and put new sheets down. You’re ok,” he said, calming her down, but now she was embarrassed by the fact that she didn’t know that bleeding came with the territory.

He got up, pulling the sheets off the bed while Taraji went to the bathroom. She spent so much time at his house that she often left some type of clothing there to put on. She looked under the sink and saw a brand new toothbrush. She spent some time doing her hygiene then got in the shower. She stepped out and saw Terry finishing up putting new sheets down. She walked up to him with a towel wrapped around her body and snaked her arms around him. Her head laid against his back as he put the pillows in place then stood up.

“What’s up baby?” he asked, turning around to face her. “Are you going to call me Beloved from now on?” she said in her innocent voice. He smiled and traced his finger down her neck and right above her breasts. “Do you like it? If not, I can stop calling you that,” he asked, not taking his eyes off the hills that sat upright and perfect on her chest. “I like it. I’m just wondering why you decided to start calling me that. That’s all,” she said, breathing heavy from the slightest touch. Terry sat down on the bed and pulled her to stand in between his legs.

He looked up directly into her eyes and licked his lips as he began answering her. “I decided to call you Beloved because you are loved by me way more than you could know. You make me better and I can’t imagine my life without you. I don’t want to see you hurt or angry. I want to see you happy and glowing with all the love I plan on giving you. I want to be with you forever and give you my seed. I want to marry you Penda and I don’t say that lightly. I mean everything that I’m saying to you. And last night was pure bliss for me. The way you felt wrapped around me, how beautiful you were when you reached that point. The way you said my name and told me you loved me. I couldn’t want anything or anybody else more perfect than the way you were last night. You’re everything to me. And I’m so in love with you,” he said not noticing the stray tears that escaped his eyes as he never let his view of Taraji falter.