Love at Last Part 2

Talita and Shauna watched Tyron walk away and then looked at Collette.

“Lette, girl are you crazy, you got to be. How you gone let that fine piece of chocolate get away?” Shauna asked.

“This is rare, but I agree with Shauna.” Talita said “Lette, what you and Tyron have is real and precious. Don’t let Jason ruin this for you.”

Collette looked at her friends and Sorrors and began to cry. They had been through so much together. They had even joined the sorority at the same time.

“Give me a break guys. I love Jason or at least I though I did and I just walked away from 6 years of a relationship. I can’t forget him that easily. No Shauna, before you get riled up, I’m not going back to him. Stacy won, she proved her point. She is his wife and I’m just the other woman. It doesn’t matter if he says he loves me or not, he married her. He had a choice and he chose her. I was fooling myself into believing that things were different. That I really meant something to him. I was blind, but now I see the truth and him for what he truly is. I’m glad this happened tonight. It hurts, but I’m free.”

“Lette I know this hurts because Jason was your first love, but you did the right thing. You deserve so much more than he was able to give you.” Talita said handing Collette a tissue to clean her face.

“I know I did Lita. And I don’t regret my decision, but it still hurts.”

“This is so touching.” Shauna said, “but what are you going to do about Tyron? That kiss or shall I say those kisses were something else and I didn’t see you pushing him away, and I know that it wasn’t staged. You were both into it.”

“You’re right Shauna, that kiss was definitely something else. Who knew Tyron had that much skill and I do mean awesome with a capital A, but Tyron is my friend. I don’t want to turn to him on the rebound and end up hurting him.”

Talita looked and Collette and started smiling. “Girl, I don’t think what you and Tyron have is a rebound. There has been something special between you and Tyron for a long time. You guys would have been together a long time ago if you weren’t so stubborn. I personally think Tyron is your soul-mate.”

“Me too.” Shauna said. “Think about it Lette, you and Tyron share everything and do everything together. Whenever you’re upset, who do you turn to? Tyron.”

“Oh my God.” Talita said, “Shauna is on a roll tonight. Again, I agree with what she said.”

Shauna looked at Talita and rolled her eyes. “Forget you Lita, but seriously Lette, you said yourself that every time you need Tyron, he comes through for you. How many people are that dependable, especially for a girl who is just a friend.” “Heck Lette.” Shauna said, “You spend more time at his place than you do at yours.”

“Look Lette, I know we can’t tell you what to do,” Talita said, “but face it. Every major even in your life, Tyron has been there, not Jason. Jason always had an excuse why he couldn’t be there.

"I can’t even count the times I’ve heard you say, I can’t wait to tell Tyron about this.” Shauna said, “Face it girl, you got it bad and don’t even know it.”

“Lette Tyron is the one, in your heart, you know that.” Talita said.

“I know that there is something special between Tyron and me, but we’ve been friends for so long. I just don’t want to mess that up. I mean what if I hook up with Tyron and then get weak and go back to Jason like I always do?”

Shauna looked at Collette without the slightest hint of a smile said, “I’ll kick your butt myself if you did something that crazy.”

“I’d probably have you committed cause that would be insane,” Talita said.

“Let me ask you a question,” Talita said,

“Okay, shoot.”

“In the past 6 years that you have been with Jason, have you ever come face to face with Stacy and the reality of Jason being married? No you haven’t, but tonight he basically stood in your face and told you in not so many words that if he wanted to lay Stacy down in the middle of the dance floor and make love to her right there with you standing next to them holding Stacy’s legs, there is nothing you can do or say because she is his wife. He put you in your place and you will always be in that place if you go back to him after this. Is that what you want?”

“No Lita that is not what I want.”

“Okay, now let’s look at it this way; you worked your behind off to help him establish J&S Industries. You even invested your hard earned savings in his company and when he made a big profit and got a major contract, he moved Stacy and her children into a 35000 square foot home, a home that you helped him be able to afford. Now, what did he do for you?”

Collette, now angry again answered, “nothing but bought me a dozen long stem roses, took me to an expensive restaurant to celebrate then spent the night making love to me and crawled home to his wife the next morning. I can’t believe I allowed him to treat me that cheaply. He said that he wanted to buy me a house, but he had to work out the details so that Stacy wouldn’t find out about it. I should have went off on him then, but I was caught up in the moment.”

“You know Lette,” Talita said. “Everything Jason has, he owes to you and he repays you by breaking his vow to you and taking something that was special to you and defiled it. Jason claims he loves you, but he goes and marries Stacy. Even after that, he claims that you are number one in his life, but he brings Stacy to a place that he knows you are going to be and didn’t even consider your feelings. He saw you sitting there about to fall apart, yet he remained next to Stacy like you didn’t exist and then to top it off, he got up and danced off of a song that had a special meaning for the two of you and he justified it all by saying that she is his wife. Lette, is that what you want? Do you want to spend the rest of your life sitting on the sidelines watching him and Stacy have more children? What about when you want children? Are your children going to have to settle for a part time father because his children with his wife have to come first?”

“I know you guys are right.” Collette said with tears rolling down her face. Collette reached for another tissue as her cell phone began to ring.

“That must be Tyron checking on you.” Talita said with a smile.

“Let me look” Collette said looking down at her phone.

“Speak of the devil, its Jason.”

“Hello” Collette said into the phone, while holding her finger to her mouth so that her friends would be quiet.

“How you doing Collette?” Jason asked.

“How do you think I’m doing? You just disrespected me in front of all of our friends, how would you be doing?” Collette asked angrily.

“You’re not being fair Collette.”

“Not being fair. Excuse me. No you didn’t go there. Was it fair for you to bring her where you knew I would be? Was it fair for you to be grinding up on her in front of me to the same song your tired behind play every time we made love, correction, have sex? Huh Jason, was that fair?” Collette yelled into the phone.

“But Collette she is my wife, what was I supposed to do?” Jason asked now sounding a little desperate.

“You were supposed to be a man of your word. There are several clubs around here but you walked her into that one and pretended not to know me." Collette said.

"I'm so sorry Collette. I made a mistake. Please don't give up on us. I need you. I love you."

" No Jason, you don’t love me. You may need me, but you don’t love me, you love the fact that I have loved you unconditionally for the past 6 years. You love that you’ve had you cake and ice cream and I placed the whip cream on top for you. The sad thing is that I do still love you Jason."

Shauna and Talita both rolled their eyes upwards and through up their hands.

"That's why this is so hard, but hard or not, I have to walk away from you now."

"Please Collette, lets meet and talk about this face-to-face, just you and me." Jason begged.

"Okay Jason, you say you want to meet and talk then meet me at my place in 30 minutes and we'll talk."

"You know I can't do that Collette."

“Exactly Jason," Collette said, "You can't do that. You will never be able to be there when I need or want you and I'm tired of living off crumbs. You know Jason," Collette said thoughtfully, "I almost lost the love of a good man waiting on you and helping you build a life for you and your wife. No more sitting on the sideline for me. I want my own family. It’s over Jason. Do not call me again for any reason. Goodbye Jason. "

"Collette wait, don't hang up."

"What is Jason?" Collette asked impatiently.

"What do I have to do to get you back and get things back to normal?" Jason asked.

"Its simple Jason, get a divorce. If you do that, I'll come back to you, but I won't settle for anything less. I will not be the other woman, not now; not ever again."

Jason got quiet. Collette knew that he was not prepared to leave Stacy.

"Goodbye Jason. I wish you, Stacy and the kids well. I’ll be by to pick up my things from the office on Monday and will transfer the books to your secretary. I also expect you to have a check drawn up to repay me for the loan I made to you, don’t worry, I won’t charge you interest and I know you can afford to pay me back. After that, we have nothing to say to each other." Collette hung up the phone before Jason could say another word.

"I am so proud of you Lette." Talita said.

"Yeah," Shauna said, "You did good, had me scared for a minute, but you did good."

"Thanks. You guys are right, I do deserve better and Tyron is better. Now let me get rid of you guys and go find my sexy Sigma Man"

"I here you Soror, and he is a real Sexy Sigma Man too." Shauna said laughingly.

"Alright Shauna, go find your own sexy Sigma, that one is mine." Collette said laughing at Shauna's shocked expression until she realized that Collette was joking.

Tyron just drove around aimlessly thinking. He had taken Dexter’s advice and told Collette how he felt. The kiss that they shared had been awesome. He just hoped that he didn’t run her away. Tyron was so caught up in his thoughts; he almost didn’t hear his phone ringing.

“Hello.” Tyron said into the phone.

“Hey man, where are you?” Dexter asked. “I’ve been by your place looking for you.”

“Man, I just been driving around thinking.”

“More like driving around panicking.” Dexter said.

“Dex man, I really love her, I just hope I didn’t push her away.”

“Listen Tyron; I know that while you guys were dancing, you were so caught up in the moment that you didn’t notice the way she was looking at you. The girl loves you. I don’t know what it was that you whispered in her ears before that kiss, but girlfriend got all glossy-eyed and looked like she was trying to crawl inside of your skin just to get closer to you. A girl does not react that way to a guy unless she feels something. And that kiss, it was real. Everyone noticed. Did you hear people clapping in the background? That how real that kiss was. Man why do you think Jason started tripping in front of his wife; he knows that Collette had to feel something for you to kiss you like that. Seriously man, don’t worry, she’ll come to you.”

“You really thing so?”

“I know so, now stop running and go home so that fine Soror can find you.”

“Thanks Dex. You always come through for a brother.” Tyron said.

“No prob. Ty, that what frats are for. Just remember, I get to be the best man at the wedding.”

“Most definitely, Dex, most definitely.”

“Later.”

“Later.”

Tyron did a U-turn right there in the middle of the road. He was now driving with a smile. Dex was right; Collette did snuggle closer when He mentioned their first and only time together. That had to mean something. Collette had feelings for him and she expressed that to him, especially when she returned his kiss, not once but twice. Tyron was definitely not going to let this opportunity pass him by. After all, Success is just “Preparation meeting Opportunity," and he is prepared to make Collette his forever.

Just as Collette was pulling up in front of Shauna and Talita’s apartment, her phone began to ring. Looking at the caller ID, Collette frowned.

“I thought I told you not to call again.” Collette said angrily into the phone.

“No Collette, you must have been talking to my husband.” Stacy answered smiling to herself because her plan had worked.

“What is it that you want Stacy?” Collette asked sarcastically.

“Oh no she didn’t.’ Shauna said in the background. “She must be looking for a beat down.” Shauna finished.

“I just wanted to know where we stand.” Stacy said.

“You wanna know what?” Collette asked.

“Where we stand.” Stacy repeated.

“Look Stacy, I’m not in the mood for this, but I will say this. You proved your point and as far as I am concerned, you have Jason to yourself; for now anyway.”

“For now?” Stacy asked, her voice trembling a little. “What do you mean by that?”

“It’s like this Stacy, for more than 6 years Jason had the both of us and he was perfectly happy with that arrangement. I mean why shouldn’t he be. He had two women catering to his every need. He asked me what would it take to get things back to normal. By normal he meant having the two of us catering to him again.”

“And what did you tell him?” Stacy asked. Her voice still trembling.

So she is not as confident as she wants me to believe. Collette thought to herself. “I told him that the only thing that will make me come back to him is a divorce.” Collette said.

“A divorce!” Stacy exclaimed.

“Yep Stacy, a divorce and nothing short of that.”

“What, what did he say?” Stacy stammered.

“Don’t worry Stacy, he didn’t answer, so that offer is off the table, besides, thanks to you, I found Tyron. So Like I told your husband, don’t contact me again for any reason or the next time I won’t be so nice and I definitely won’t try to keep Tyron from getting to Jason. Understand?” Collette disconnected the line without waiting for a reply. “I have got to get that number changed.” Collette said to her friends.

“I think you handle that well.” Talita said.

“You’re to nice Collette.” Shauna said. “I would have told that sister off.”

“We know.” Talita and Collette said in unison.

“But seriously Shauna, my beef is with Jason, not her. She was done just as wrong as I was. At least I have Tyron now. She is choosing to stay with him. You know he’ll be cheating again in no time. I feel sorry for her. Now get out of my vehicle so I can go find my baby.”

“Okay, we’re getting out. Gee, it took you a minute to open your eyes, but now you are running with it.” Shauna said with a smile. “But seriously Soror, I’m really glad that you finally realized that Jason was bad news and that Tyron is the one.”

“Wow.” Talita said looking at her watch. “It’s only 10:00. Shauna I bet this is the first time you’ve come in this early… by yourself any way.” Talita teased.

“You guys are so bad. I love you guys. I’ll see ya’ll tomorrow. Don’t worry; I’ll give you a play by play. Goodnight Sorors.” Collette said as she pulled off.

Collette picked up her phone and dialed Tyron’s number. He answered it on the first ring. “Hello.”

“Hi Ty.”

“Hi Lette, how are you holding up?” Tyron asked concerned.

“Better than expected actually.” Collette answered. “Tyron we have a lot to discuss. Do you want to meet me at my place or should I come to yours?”

“Since I’m already at home, why don’t you come here. Do you want me to fix us something to snack on?”

“No thank you.” Collette said. “I don’t think my stomach can take it tonight. I’ll see you in about ten minutes.”

“Okay Lette, I’ll be waiting for you.” Tyron said and hung up the phone with a smile. Dexter was right, Collette is coming to him.

Collette couldn’t believe that she was nervous about going to Tyron’s house. She has been there a thousand times, but she had to admit that this time would be different. This time her and Tyron will be discussing their future; one she didn’t think could ever exist for her.

Collette arrived at Tyron’s house and sat in her vehicle for a couple of minute to compose herself, and said a short prayer. “Lord help me to say the things that need to be said and to accept the things said to me and Lord, if it is your will, help us to find our way to each other. In Jesus name, Amen.” “Well, here goes everything,” Collette said as she got out of the car.

Collette walked to Tyron’s door and knocked. Tyron opened it with the first knock. Collette looked at Tyron standing there and realized that he was just as nervous as she was. Collette walked into Tyron’s waiting arms. “This feels so right,” Tyron thought to himself. Collette didn’t realize how badly she needed a hug until she felt Tyron’s arms closing around her. This was like coming home, Collette thought.

“Hi,” Tyron said smiling.

“Hi yourself,” Collette answered.

“Come on in Lette. Make yourself comfortable. I got a feeling this is going to be a long night. Would you like something to eat or drink”

Collette smiled and nodded as she walked past Tyron, thinking how fine he looked in those jeans. “Umm, that brother can wear a pair of jeans,” Collette thought. “Okay, Lette, get your mind off of Tyron’s anatomy and back on the issue at hand.” Collette said to herself.

“No thank you Tyron, I don’t think I can handle having anything on my stomach right now.”

Tyron watched Collette walk into his living room thinking how good she looked sitting on his couch. It’s almost like his furniture was made especially for her to sit on it. After all she choose every piece of furniture in his house down to the bed in the master bedroom. Now why did he have to mention bed? Okay Tyron, stay focused.

“Lette, I know this is an awkward moment, so before we get started let me say that I love you and I always have, but no matter what, you and I are friends first. You have to know that I would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship and I will respect whatever decision you make.”

“Tyron, you have always been there for me whenever I needed you. You have been my best friend. I really appreciate all that you have been to me.”

“I appreciate your appreciation Lette, although I must admit that gratitude is not necessarily the emotion I want from you at this time.”

“I know Tyron and trust me, gratitude is not all I feel for you. We’ve always been more than friends and deep down; I’ve always known that. I was just too afraid of loosing you as a friend to admit it. Tyron, can I be honest with you?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way Lette.”

“Okay,” Collette took a deep breath. “Ty, I do care a lot for you, more than I ever wanted to admit to you or myself, but I also must be honest with you about Jason. I do have some feelings for him. You can’t be with someone as long as I have been with him and not feel anything. If tonight had not happened, I would probably still be with Jason, more so out of habit than anything else. I’m glad tonight happened because it gave me the opportunity to express my true feelings for you, but I don’t want to lead you on in any way. I care to much about you to purposely hurt you.”

Tyron didn’t know what to think. Collette admitted that she cares about him, but where does all of this leave them. “Lette, I hear what you are saying, so I must ask, where do we go from here?”

“Well Ty, I would really like to see where this is going and I know that I definitely what to be more than friends, but I’m scared. I don’t want to hurt you or jeopardize our friendship in anyway, but I am willing to try. Let’s just take things one day at a time.”

“Okay Lette, I’ve waited this long, I can wait a little longer. I’m not going anywhere. Remember, we are friends first and I never want that to change so I have to ask, how do you really feel about Jason, I noticed that you said you have feelings for him, but you didn’t say that you are in love with him.”

“To be honest with you Ty, I don’t think it was ever love; not real love anyway, it was more of the fact that he had been my boyfriend for so long and I was used to him. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know. I mean I care about him, but I realized tonight that those feelings are not as strong as I thought they were.”

“Is it really over between you and him? I mean, I love you Lette and I want more than anything to be the one responsible for all your future joy, but if you feel that there is still a chance for you and Jason to be together, please be honest with me, because I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think our friendship would survive that kind of let down. What I mean by that is if we pursue a relationship and then you decide to work things out with Jason, my feelings for you will not allow me to just be your friend, but if you tell me now that its not over between you and him, I’ll back off and preserve our friendship.”

Collette looked into Tyron’s eyes and saw the struggle within him. He had a right to be cautious. She had passed up several relationships to be with Jason. She would just have to show Tyron that he was the one for her. Collette walked over to Tyron and gave him a soft kiss.

“Tyron, I know my tract record where Jason is concerned has not been a good one, but I promise you, I would never do that to you. You mean too much to me. It is over between Jason and me and I told him and Stacy that tonight. I am not sure of a lot of things right now, but one thing I do know is that there is nothing left for Jason and me. I’ve given Jason too much of my time as it is and I am tired of sitting on the sidelines. I want more out of life then to be the other woman, Ty, I do know that I want a life with you. Now, if you’re satisfied with that answer, I’ll take some of that food you offered earlier, my stomach is talking to me and it ain’t nothing nice right now. I guess being with you has brought my appetite back and it is back with a vengeance.”

Tyron laughed and got up and walked to the kitchen. He looked back at Collette, “why you still sitting there? You got shotgun. Come on in this kitchen girl.”

Collette laughed as she got up and walked in the kitchen to help Tyron fix them a quick snack. Collette couldn’t resist walking up to him and putting her arms around him as he prepared food for them. Tyron turned around to face Collette and returned her hug. She felt so nice in his arms. Tyron looked into Collette’s eyes and saw something he had not seen before, well only once before. Tyron knew exactly how she felt because all he wanted to do right then was make love to her slowly for the rest of the night, but he didn’t want to rush her.

Collette looked at Tyron hoping that he would kiss her again the way he did on the dance floor. As if he could read her mind, Tyron lowered his head and gave Collette what she wanted. The kiss started soft and then deepen until they were both out of control. Kissing, touching, wanting more. After a moment, Tyron slowly stepped back and put a little distance between them. Collette looked at Tyron shocked, surprised, then hurt entered her eyes. Tyron saw her eyes and the look of hurt.

“Baby, you do know that I want more then anything to make love to you right now, don’t you?”

“Then why did you stop?”

“I don’t want to take advantage of you tonight. You’ve been through a lot and I don’t think we should rush into a physical relationship right now. We’ve been friends for a long time, but we are just now exploring something more. Lets take things slow and develop our relationship before we become physical, besides when I make love to you again, it will be with no questions or regrets the next day.”

Collette looked at Tyron and at that moment her heart grow with love for him. He is so sweet and always thinking about her. He could have taken her to bed tonight, but he is such a gentleman that he would rather wait for the right time. Jason would not have cared about how she would be feeling the next day, he would have taken what he could get at that moment and moved on.

“Tyron, you are so special, do you know that? Anyone else would have taken advantage of the situation, but then you wouldn’t be you if you did that.”

Tyron kissed Collette once more on the lips and returned to the food. “Now lets get some food in you so your stomach can stop talking to you.” Tyron said with a smile.

Collette and Tyron finally finished with the food and spent the rest of the night talking until they fell asleep on the couch in each other’s arms.

Collette came awake realizing that she was wrapped in Tyron’s arms. She wanted to get up, but it felt to good being in his arms this way. So Collette just continued to lay there with her eyes closed.

Tyron knew the exact moment that Collette came awake. He heard the difference in her breathing. She looked so good lying in his arms. Tyron had been up for hours just watching Collette sleep. God he wanted her, but he agreed, even suggested that they wait. So for now, he was just enjoying having her there.

“Lette. Lette. I know you’re awake. Your snoring stopped more than thirty minutes ago,” Tyron said smiling.

“I don’t snore.” Collette answered.

“Yes you do. Anyway, what do you want for breakfast?”

“You cooking?”

“Yep” “In that case I’ll have your sweet blueberry pancakes,” Collette said sitting up.

Tyron leaned over to give Collette a morning kiss.

“Umumm” Collette said, “morning breadth. Let me brush first.”

“Its not like I’ve never smelled your morning breadth before.” Tyron said laughing.

“Not funny Ty. Anyways, can I have one of your spare toothbrushes? I know you frat guys always have spares,” Collette said slyly.

“Look under the sink in the bathroom Lette, and for the record, as of today, I’m getting rid of all the spares. Lucky for you though that I still have at least one spare left with your morning breadth self.” Tyron said laughing as he walked in the kitchen.

“Oh yeah, Lette, the spare towels are in the closet. Just in case you need one of those too, compliments of my mom.”

“Ty, you are just too funny and while you talking about my morning breadth Mr., you need to be joining me in here and checking your morning breadth.”

“Trust me Lette, you don’t want me in the bathroom with you. Not right now anyway.”

“And why not?” Collette asked.

“I’ll let your imagination run wild with that one. I’ll go after you’re done, cause I still want my kiss and I have a feeling I’m not going to get it until we’ve both said hello to Mr. Toothbrush.”

“You’ve got that right.” Collette slipped into the bathroom while Tyron prepared to make breakfast.

Collette came out of the bathroom just as Tyron was sitting a plate full of blueberry pancakes on the table. Collette looked at Tyron with a sly smile, just as she was about to make a remark, Tyron said, “yes, I washed my hands, you’ll just have to figure out if I washed them before or after I made the pancakes.”

“Now, see Ty, that not even much what I was about to say.”