A Long Time Coming Ch. 07

"When are you marrying him?"

"We haven't decided on a date yet," Jade said.

Briana, who was now leaning on Jade, was paying attention to the conversation.

Clearing his throat, Jackson asked, "Are you in love with him?"

Looking him straight in the eyes, Jade responded. "Yes. I wouldn't marry him otherwise."

Jackson wasn't pleased with the firmness or directness of her response, but knew there was nothing he could do about it.

He had his chance, which he royally fucked up and kept fucking up. He couldn't have expected Jade to stay single the rest of her life. It just pissed him off that Jade and his daughter preferred this man to him. But, to be honest, he couldn't blame them.

Jackson knew that he had nothing to give them. He didn't have anything of his own except jewelry and clothes which came from women or his mother. Even the car was in his mother's name, but he had no one to blame, except himself. Yes, his mother enabled him, but he wallowed in it way past the time when he knew he was old enough to do better.

Looking at Jade now, it was as if he was thinking clearly for the first time. He knew he had to make some changes in his life. He was almost thirty one years old and didn't know what he wanted to do with himself. He couldn't let Jade go without making an effort. She'd loved him at one time. He didn't know what he could do, but it had to start with him getting a job and becoming responsible, especially where Briana was concerned.

Before Jackson could say anything further, his mother came back and sat down in her chair.

"This is something that my mother gave me when I was seven years old," she said to Jade. "I've kept it all of these years so that when I had a daughter I could pass it on to her. But, after Jackson, I couldn't have any more children."

She paused a moment, still feeling the pain of regret.

"Then," she continued, "I thought I could give it to my granddaughter, but because of my foolishness, I never had much of a relationship with Briana. I can't make up for lost time, but I'd like to start to mend our relationship. If it's ok with you, I'd like her to have this locket."

Jade nodded.

Adele opened her hand to reveal a gold oval shaped locket with a gold serpentine chain. It had a cameo of a black child on the front and delicate etchings on the back. She flipped it open and showed Briana where she could put a couple of pictures in it later.

Slipping the chain over Briana's head, she said, "One day when you have a little girl, you can give her this locket.

Picking up the locket and looking at it, Briana said, "It's so pretty. Is it really mine, Mommy?"

"Yes, it's yours, baby; a gift from Grandma Adele."

Getting out of her seat, Briana went over to her grandmother and gave her a hug.

"Thank you, grandma."

With tears misting in her eyes, Adele said, "You're welcome, sweetheart."

They stayed longer than Jade planned, but she didn't want to break the bonding going on between Briana and her grandmother. After a while, even Jackson started participating in the conversation. He was a little rusty, but at least he was making an honest effort. For that Jade was grateful.

When they got back into the car, Jade put her engagement ring back on and took a moment to admire it again. Alex did have exquisite taste, but better than that, he was an exquisite man, inside and out.

Jade could barely believe that she was going to be married to the man who had haunted her dreams in the weeks before they met. She never thought she'd have this life. She wanted to wrap herself in this happiness and never let go. It had been a long time coming, but more than worth the wait.

After their visit, Jade and Briana went shopping. Jade got Briana an array of clothing which she purchased with her daughter's input. The day as a whole had been more rewarding than Jade had thought when it started.

She called Alex at around three o'clock. He was in the car and headed over to her place. She told him that they would be there soon.

*

Later, Jade found herself again packing a bag for her and Briana to take to Alex's house. He suggested that she should just leave some things there. She had no objections, the place felt like home already.

After Briana was put to bed, they enjoyed their alone time.

"Come on, let's go to bed," Alex said, tugging Jade up from the sofa.

"It's only nine thirty," Jade pointed out.

Arching his eyebrow, Alex questioned, "What is your point?"

"Uh, my point is that I'm stupid. Who the hell points out the time when they're going to bed with a hot sexy man?" she grinned.

"Can we take a shower first?" she asked.

"Yep. I was intending to get you slippery," he replied, "but we could do that with water too."

During their very heated shower, Alex refrained from taking her hard against the shower wall, preferring to keep himself in check until he could get her into a supine position.

After toweling off they hurried to bedroom.

Lying on their sides facing each other, Alex tilted Jade's head up and gave her a slow sweet kiss. His hand slid down to cup her firm breast making Jade gasped as he rolled the nipple with his thumb, then pinched the tip. Waves of heat traveled down to her belly, and into her moistening pussy.

"Ummm, Alex," she murmured, lifting her head to kiss his hard lean jaw.

"Suck my nipples," she groaned.

Never a man to deny a lady, he leaned down and took the dark chocolate morsel into his mouth, suckling in a slow ritual while circling it with his hot tongue. Jade's body arch into his, begging for more and he gave it.

Opening his mouth wide, Alex took in as much of her breast as he could, sucking so hard her pussy clinched and squirted out its juices onto her upper thighs.

Releasing her breast, he slid down her body, kissing her flat stomach, licking the deep well of her navel, finally stroking his tongue in the wet folds of her pussy. Jade rolled onto her back and open her thighs wider to give him better access.

Alex moved over her, settling on his knees with his face hovering over the jewel at the top of her pussy. Pushing her thighs up and back to her chest, Alex watched as her juices, slid into the shadowed crack of her buttocks. The scent of her sexual heat was intoxicating drawing him closer to the object of his growing lust.

Holding her opened he brushed her fat little clitoris with the tip of his tongue eliciting a long groan and a desire to close her thighs around his head. But Alex held her open with his thumbs and settled in to gorge on the sweetest of treats.

He slowly slid his tongue into her as if it were a penis, thrusting in and out, tasting the spicy flavor of her arousal. Jade arched into his touch, mewling as she pulled his hair and rolled her head from side to side. In a sensual haze, Alex sucked and bit at her feminine parts, his breaths growing into rasping pants. There seemed to be no end to her ability to produce the sweet cream of passionate hunger. Even as Alex lapped at her opening, it continued to flow.

For long minutes he indulged his appetite for his woman.

With one last kiss on her clit, he moved back up her body, licking and sucking her luscious flesh as he went. When he was over her, looking down into her face, he smiled. Softly he kissed her pouting lips, sliding his tongue between them to engage with her in a duel as he shared the scent and taste of her desire.

The kiss quickly turned intense. Alex's tongue snaked into her mouth over and over, faster and faster, as Jade fought to catch her breath. He pulled her closer, delving deeper, reacquainting himself with the heated recesses of her oral cavity while his hand caressed the warm lush curves of her buttocks.

Trying to regain some control, Alex rolled Jade on top of his feverish body.

It took a moment for her to orient herself once she was on top. As she sat straddling him, Alex remained motionless. Closing her eyes, Jade rocked her body back and forth and around in circles on his throbbing seeping phallus as her vaginal juices joined his copious secretions. He wasn't even inside her yet and she was giving him fits.

With his hand on her hips, Alex held Jade letting her set the pace for now. His cock lay flat against his belly while her hand took up play and stroked the long shaft as she rocked herself against his heavy balls. He didn't know how long he could let her continue this delicious torture.

Jade was lost in an erotic daze, floating along a churning sea of desire, feeling herself drown in her love for this man. Beyond what Alex did to her body, he engaged all of her senses, every time. She rocked her hips beginning to feel a luscious ache deep in her body. That ache, liked tendrils of fire began to spread, licking at her thighs, up the center of her body, spiraling and flooding her breasts with suffused heat.

Alex moaned deep in the back of his throat, aching with growing need. Just as he thought he would surely go mad, Jade pulled up on her knees and guided his cock head to the rose blushed entrance of her saturated pussy.

Slowly, she slid down, moaning loudly as Alex groaned and pushed up, surging until he hit bottom. They both cried out in pleasure. Taking control, Alex heaved upward, while pulling Jade down by her hips to meet his powerful thrusts.

Looking down, Jade's heart skipped a beat as she watched Alex's neck cord with his exertions and his body flex, straining to keep control as his desire grew to a fevered pitch. A light sheen of sweat covered his torso, the fine silky hair glistening, and his breath came in shallow pants. As she watched, his eyes fluttered up to hers and she was caught by the deep blue ocean of emotions riding her man.

Within seconds Jade's inner walls spasmed clutching Alex's driving erection and sparking the fires that foreshadowed orgasm. Her hot inner core gripped his surging cock triggering the approach of his climax, but he wanted the pleasure to consume her first.

Alex's body stiffen and he yelled out his desire, "Oh, fuck...babyyyyy...come...for... me...

Jade's back stiffened and her pussy pulsed wildly, spasming and rolling toward a splendid orgasm which centered all her nerve endings to the place where she and Alex were joined. She hit the apex of her passionate assent and held there long gloriously throbbing moments, withering on his pistoning shaft. Seconds later she was whorling in the intense heat of resplendent pleasure. She held onto the pinnacle of pleasure bursting into flames before starting the slow descent into the soothing warmth of afterglow.

Alex was still stroking her fluttering walls, not allowing Jade to completely descend from her wild ride. Instead, he flipped her onto her back and started to plunge his cock in earnest. Over and over he thrust, hitting her sensitive clitoris each time.

As he pummeled her sweltering core, Jade felt the resurgence of her desire as it climbed again pushing her to the crowning of another orgasm. She cried out her pleasure as she felt his body bucked and his cock swell as he shot jet after of jet of streaming sperm into her aching body.

Oh, god, oh, god, oh god, oooh...ooooohhhhhhh, Alex! Alex!...Alexxxxxx!... aaaggghh...oooohhhh...

Alex, in the throes of his own climax answered,

Oh, fuck.. oooh..aaagghhhhh, oh, fuck, baby...fuck...fuck... fucccccccccck!

Time moved on, but neither could have bore witness as they were lost to the consciousness that grounded them to reality. They were floating, somewhere in the realm of a soul wrenching pleasure.

It was some time before Alex became aware that he had ceased his siege of Jade's womanly fortress. Now he was just holding her as her body relinquished its vice like grip on his softening cock.

Jade laid completely undone, her body melting into soothing throbs.

*

On the day of the pre-trial everyone was up early. Alex and Jade were meeting her parents at the courthouse. Briana was spending the morning at Judy's. The plan after the hearing was to pick up Briana and go over to the Harris's for lunch.

Briana was the first to wake up, knocking on Jade's bedroom door.

"Mommy, I'm up," she called.

Hearing her daughters call, Jade tried to roust from a fitful doze. She had already awakened a few times during the night. She was about to fall back to sleep when she heard Briana's knock and call her again. She checked the clock and saw that it was 7 o'clock; she had set the alarm for 8 o'clock since the hearing was at 10.

Jade eased out of bed so as not to disturb Alex and hurriedly put on her robe and went to the door. Opening the door, she looked down at Briana who was rubbing her eyes with her fist and holding her stuffed tiger, which was a gift from her grandma Harris. "She's no cute," Jade thought. Bending down, she kissed her daughter on her forehead.

"Good morning, baby, did you have a good night's sleep?" she asked.

"Uh, huh," Briana responded, "but, I'm hungry now. Can I have some cereal?"

Smiling, Jade said, "Go turn on the television and watch cartoons for a while. I need to take a shower, then I'll get some cereal for you, ok?"

"Ok," Briana said going off to the living room.

Jade shook her head at the bottom pit that was her daughter. Then she turned off the alarm feature on the clock, and then went to the bathroom to shower.

She took off her robe, dropping it on the floor and stepped into the shower. Turning the water on, she tested the temperature. When it was just right she stepped in and started soaping up her loofah.

Letting the loofah glide over her body was soothing and her mind started to wander. Jade knew her parents were on pins and needles and likely did not sleep well last night. If things could not be worked out at the pre-trial, then Russell would be bound over to trial.

Basically, both sides would give evidence and call witness just like an adult trial. The only difference would be, instead of having a jury of his peers, the decision would be made by the judge.

Mike was working with the prosecutor which gave Jade some hope. If it was resolved at the pre-trial there would be punishment dealt out, but probably not as severely as it would be it went to trial.

Jade was so deep into her thoughts, she didn't hear Alex come into the bathroom and jumped when he opened the shower door. She gave a little squeak and clutched her hand over her heart.

Turning to face Alex, she chucked at her skittishness.

Pulling her into his arms, Alex said, "I'm sorry I scared you sweetheart, you must have been deep in thought."

"I was. I was thinking about Russell and the pre-trial. I'm not normally so jumpy," she said, leaning her head against his chest.

"I can understand that, baby. I'm sure your parents are feeling the same way this morning," Alex said, taking the loofah out of her hand.

Grimacing, she said, "We'd better hurry, I almost forgot that Briana is up and waiting for me to fix her breakfast. No time to play this morning."

She groaned as Alex caressed between her thighs with the loofah, clearly ignoring what she said.

"Too bad," he muttered, while using the hand held shower head to rinse off her body, "I had in mind a continuation of last night, but I guess I have to make do with giving you a quickie."

Sliding to his knees, he pushed Jade against the back wall of the shower and spread her legs. Pressing his mouth to her hot pussy, he quickly brought her to a dizzying orgasm.

*

Jade's parents were already at the courthouse when they arrived. They were sitting on a bench outside courtroom 4 talking with Russell's attorney, Mike Lewis. When Alex and Jade approached, Mike rose to greet them. He shook Alex's hand and kissed Jade on the cheek. Alex greeted Jade's family.

Mike remained standing and Jade took his seat on the bench as he went over his strategy.

"As I explained before," Mike said, "a lot can be accomplished at the pre-trial phase. In juvenile cases, the purpose is to help the juvenile, not punish him, although some punishment will be meted out in order for him to know and appreciate the seriousness of the offense."

"However," he continued, "it is not expected to be on the scale as it would be if he were tried as an adult. Frankly, it can range from probation, community service, juvenile detention, jail time or any combination."

Mike stopped briefly to take a breath. Noting their anxious expressions, he continued.

"I've kept in contact with the prosecutor and I believe that we may be able to resolve this matter today. Once we get into the courtroom and the session is opened, the prosecutor will ask to see the judge in chambers. We both will go into conference with the judge and see if we can iron out a deal. We've already talked about what the deal would entail, but until this is in the bag, I don't want to go into details. The judge has to agree to the resolution."

It wasn't long until court was called into session and Mike and the Florida State Juvenile Prosecutor Will Henry, went into the judge's chambers.

During the conference Alex and Jade talked quietly with her parents and Russell. It was twenty minutes later when everyone exited the judge's chambers. The judged took his seat and addressed the courtroom.

"With regard to the case of the State of Florida vs. Russell Davis Harris..."

The judge went on to state the charges and the agreement worked out by the prosecutor and Mike Lewis. Russell would be on probation for three years. During that time he would perform community service of fifteen hundred hours. The details would be worked out later. In addition, there would be a ten o'clock curfew. Russell's adherence to his sentence would be closely monitored with periodic evaluations by a court appointed juvenile officer.

There was an audible sigh of relief from those in attendance.

However, the judge wasn't finished.

He went on to lecture Russell about the importance of thinking of the consequences of actions beforehand and urged him to be diligent in choosing his friends. He also suggested that instead of following the lead of others he might, in the future, consider being a positive influence on other boys by becoming a big brother.

The Judge concluded by saying that if Russell followed the sentence ordered by the court without further incident, he could petition, in writing, for his records to be expunged at age twenty one. Until that time, the records would be sealed.

What had worked in Russell's favor were his age and the fact that this was his first offense. However, the topper was that the Donaldson boy, Earle, had given a written confession taking full responsibility for the assault to the homeowner. He also stated that Russell had no knowledge of his possession of the firearm, nor had he been in on any other break-ins that the brothers committed.

Everyone was overjoyed at the outcome, none more than Russell himself.

*

Jade and her family had something to be thankful for every year, but this year was special. Instead of their usual full blown Thanksgiving celebration with friends and extended family, her parents decided on a more intimate occasion.

Jade was all for it. With the stress of Russell's arrest and the accompanying hearings, no one was in the mood for planning a mammoth meal. So it was a small gathering of Jade, Briana, Alex and her family. They enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by Jade and her mother with Briana's help.

When it came time for the prayer, Jade's father made sure to include Alex. Both of her parents were crazy about Alex and were happy to have him as a part of the family; happy that their daughter had found someone with whom to share her life and nurture their granddaughter.

Alex's parents understood that Jade and Briana was now part of his family and he was expected to be with them for Thanksgiving. Their own dinner was pared down to include only their sons and their respective partners. However, they did get a promise from Alex to spend Christmas Eve with them.