Page 8 of Nikki Sinatra: For Her Lover

Angela Kimberly Sinatra, called Kimmie to everybody that knew her, ate breakfast at the dining table and played a video game on her iPad.

It was early the next morning and her mother was also seated at the table, her legs crossed, drinking coffee and looking out through the big, floor-to-ceiling side windows as the groundskeepers began their busy day.

But Nikki was so consumed by what was going on in her own life that she wasn’t paying attention to any of those groundskeepers, and had forgotten that her own toddler was still at that table.

But Kimmie, who was a talker by nature, could never keep quiet for long. “Mommy, when am I going to be allowed?”

It was only when Nikki heard her voice did she remember that she was at the table too. She looked at her. How could she have forgotten her own child’s presence? “I’m sorry, baby, what did you say?”

“How old do I have to be to do it too?”

Nikki frowned. “To do what too?”

Kimmie looked at her mother. “Have you been hearing me at all, Mommy?”

Nikki smiled. She was so like Nikki it wasn’t even funny. “I’m afraid I wasn’t hearing you. So tell me what you’re talking about.”

“Drinking coffee. How old do I have to be for you and Daddy to let me drink coffee too?”

“Eighteen,” Nikki said.

“ Eighteen ? Why that’s forever, Mommy!”

Nikki laughed as Teddy entered the dining room.

Fully dressed in jeans that highlighted his muscular thighs and an Eagles jersey with HURTS 1 on the back that highlighted his muscular biceps, Nikki immediately felt an urge to be in his arms again as soon as she saw him.

He was to her the embodiment of pure male, which made her proud to be his wife.

But that same all maleness, she knew, kept women doing all they could to get some of that for themselves.

Raven wasn’t wrong about that. But it would break Nikki’s heart in two if Teddy ever gave in to those heifers.

When Kimmie saw that her father had entered the room she jumped out of her chair and ran to him with her tiny arms open wide. “Daddy!” she cried. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”

Teddy smiled at the thought of his daughter even knowing what ages meant as he lifted her into his arms. “You’re an old lady in a child’s body,” he said. “Anybody ever tell you that?”

“You’re an old man in an old man’s body,” Kimmie shot back. “Anybody ever tell you that?”

Nikki laughed again and Teddy kissed Kimmie on her smooth brown cheek. “All the time,” he said to his beloved baby girl. “All the time.”

Then he sat her back down in her chair at the table and walked over to Nikki.

She was dressed smartly, he thought, in a bright-blue loosely-fit pantsuit that gave a smooth definition to her gorgeous dark skin.

With one of his ascots around her neck, she looked simply irresistible to him.

He squeezed her shoulder as he leaned down, looked down her sizeable cleavage, and kissed her on the mouth.

Remembering last night and how great it felt to be inside of her, his kiss lingered. He wanted her again.

But he knew once Nikki was dressed she wasn’t coming out of those clothes again any time soon.

There were a number of women he couldn’t even count on two hands that would strip naked in the middle of the street to be with him, but that was his burden to deal with on the regular. It was Nikki he wanted.

He sat down at the head of the table and continued conversing with Kimmie about coffee as Nikki got up and plated him his breakfast. When she placed the food in front of him, he ate heartily as he always did.

And it fascinated Nikki as she sat back down.

If she ate one third of the amounts of food Teddy consumed, she would be big as their house. But Teddy was hogging that food down.

Nikki shook her head as she sipped from her coffee mug.

Kimmie was still going on about why she had to wait so long to drink coffee and Teddy was listening to her as he ate.

But he kept taking peeps at Nikki as she sipped her coffee and stared out of the window.

Late last night he had his guys get pics of Nikki’s wrecked car and send them to his phone.

He was horrified when he saw just how badly it was damaged.

The car was damaged on the front, back and driver’s side.

He could understand that it would have shaken her.

But she was beyond-shaken last night to Teddy.

She was rattled. She was emotional and crying. That wasn’t Nikki.

“I didn’t know he was back in town,” Nikki said.

“Who?” asked Teddy.

“Marco.”

“Marco’s still in Peru.”

“That’s news to him,” said Nikki as the front door opened and Marco walked inside.

As soon as Kimmie saw her half-brother, she jumped from the table and ran out of the dining room, through the living room, and right up to him. “Marco! Marco!”

Teddy was as shocked as Kimmie was to see his son. They were very close in age and he favored Teddy even more than Teddy favored Mick. He was relieved to know that he was back home safe and sound, but it was an early return.

Marco Sinatra grabbed up his baby sister, kissed her on the cheek, and held her tightly. “There’s the queen of the world. The queen is here!”

He walked over to the table with Kimmie still in his arms. “Hey Ma,” he said as he hugged Nikki.

“How you doing, Marco? Your father insists you’re still in Peru.”

“That’s news to me,” he said and Nikki laughed. “Hey Pop.” He sat at the table with Kimmie on his lap.

“Just got back?”

“Yup.”

“What happened?”

“I found the clog in the system and unclogged it.”

“Where was the clog? Spain?”

“France. They failed to register two shipments. We determined it was more laziness than subterfuge.”

“Did you double check it?”

“I triple checked it because I knew you were going to be up my ass if I didn’t.”

“Watch your language,” Nikki said. Then she stood up. “I’ve got to get going.”

Teddy looked at her. “What’s your schedule like today?”

“Work and more work. Yours?”

It wasn’t what Teddy wanted to hear. “Same.”

“Come on, Kimmie.” Nikki grabbed her from out of Marco’s arms. “Time for your studies. Your teacher has already arrived.”

“A two-year-old in full-blown school,” said Marco. “Now that’s how you raise a genius.”

“Uncle Reno didn’t do all that with Carmine and he’s a genius,” Teddy said.

Marco laughed. “True that. But I think Carmine’s genius is on Auntie Trina’s side of the family. Not the Gabrini side. Which is also the Sinatra side. His natural smarts isn’t on our side at all. We have to work at it.”

When Teddy gave him that look, he held up his hands. “My view, Pop. My view.”

“Anyway, said Nikki, “I’ll get her to the nanny and her teacher and then I’m heading on out. But since you’re here, Marco, I’m going to borrow your car today until I can get to a dealership.”

“Borrow my car? What’s wrong with yours?”

“She totaled it,” said Teddy.

Marco was shocked. He looked at his stepmother. “You okay, Ma?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I’m fine. But can I borrow your car?”

“But how did you total your car? What happened?”

“Just answer my question. Can I borrow your car, Marco?”

“But how was you planning on getting to work if I didn’t show up?”

“One of our gate security guys is going to let me use his car today.”

Teddy frowned. “Gate security? What you bothering them for?”

“Why do you think? I need to get to work and you do too.”

“I told you we need an extra car when you gave away the other one we had.”

“Three cars for two people is ridiculous,” said Nikki. “May I borrow your car, Marco?”

“No,” said Teddy. “You take my car.”

“Your car? And what are you supposed to drive?”

“Marco’s.”

“ Mine ? Ah come on, Pop. I don’t want you dogging out my Bugatti!”

“ Your Bugatti? My ass gave you that car when you wrecked yours. Don’t you forget that.”

“I didn’t wreck it. It was stolen.”

“Yeah, yeah. According to you.”

“It was stolen, Pop, why wouldn’t you believe me?”

“I think your ass lost it in a night of gambling.”

Marco shook his head. “Whatever,” he said. “But don’t get me wrong. I appreciate you giving up your Bugatti and giving it to me. But that means its mine now. And I don’t want you dogging mine out like you was dogging it out when it was yours.”

“Who said I care what you don’t want?” Teddy removed his key fob from his ring and tossed it to Nikki.

“Ain’t this some bull?” asked an exasperated Marco. “I don’t want either one of you driving my ride because you both drive recklessly, but I’d rather Ma drive it than you, Pop. She won’t dog it out as bad as you will.”

“Who said you have a choice, boy? Now give me the key.”

Marco held his head back and shook it. “I should have kept my dutiful ass in Peru.”

Nikki smiled.

“How can you stay married to a bossy man like Dad? How can you do it? I couldn’t marry you, Pop.”

Teddy frowned. “What the fuck kind of statement is that? Like I wanna marry your crusty ass. Just give me the key.”

Nikki laughed. “Say bye, Kimmie.”

“Bye fussing Daddy. Bye fussing Marco.”

They both said bye to Kimmie and she and Nikki left the room.

But then Marco, who still hadn’t given up that key, looked over at his father. Just as when Mick fathered Teddy, Teddy was just a kid himself when he had Marco. They looked more like brothers than father and son. “What happened with Ma?” he asked him.

“She said she got distracted and hit a tree.”

“She said? You don’t believe her?”

“It’s not that. It’s how she reacted to it.

Pop always said Nikki has nerves of steel in tough situations.

And that’s true. It’s always been true.

But she was crying and getting emotional over a car wreck?

That’s not like her. That ain’t Nikki. Something else is going on and I need to find out what. ”

“Put a detail on her.”

Teddy shook his head. “No way. Whatever’s bothering her isn’t mob-related. This is something personal. So personal she can’t bring herself to tell me about it yet. I don’t want any of our guys getting involved. At least not yet.”

“Is that why you wanted her to drive your car? Because you can activate the GPS?”

“That ain’t your business,” Teddy said as he stood up. “Now give me the keys.”

“Ah Pop! How am I gonna get around?”

“Call an Uber. Ask one of the guys. Hell, how should I know? You’re a resourceful young man. You’re find a way. Now give me those keys.”

Marco took his key fob off his ring and gave it to his father. “When will I get it back?”

Teddy began leaving the room.

“Pop?Pop?Pop!”

But Teddy, smiling, headed for the exit.

Marco shook his head. “I must really love y’all,” he said, “to put up with all y’all bullshit!”

Teddy turned around. “What did you say?”

“Who me ? I know nothing. I didn’t say a word.”

Teddy turned back around, smiling again at the son he adored, and left.