A Few More Nights (Slice of Life) Read Online Free PDF

this that Nadine hated the most.  She had no one to rely on but a handful of friends.  Bena and Felisha had arrived to offer comfort but her mind was somewhere and on someone else. She closed her eyes sending warm thoughts to Marc.  She would keep this quiet until he got settled and she was better; there would be no Skyping until her face had healed.
                  Bena was fussing over the carelessness of the hospital staff that had cut away the pants leg of Nadine’s suit to put on the cast. The smell of Marc must have still been on her skin and in her nose because the scent of the man was so strong it was almost palpable; but she also realized Bena had gotten quiet and Felisha’s eyes were really wide. He walked into the hospital room, plopped himself on the bed beside her and scooped her into his arms. “Baby, are you okay?” When she heard his voice and felt his hands, it was actually real, he was here. Nadine’s left eye was swollen shut, and her face was scarred with glass cuts, but the two breaks were the worse.
                  “Marc, you missed your flight?”
                  “Lucky thing that I did.” Gentle fingers caressed the swollen skin around her eye while again holding her close saying silent prayers of thanks that she was indeed alright. Bena just stared. Felisha’s jaw was agape and she stood there looking like a suffocating fish. Marc released her, took stock of the room, and introduced himself to the two friends, before he stepped out of the room to call his boss to let him know he had missed the flight, but the supplies were in route.
                  Felisha, finally able to find her voice, “Who is that white man, Nadine?” Bena took a seat in the chair in the corner, “You never said he was that fine, girl!”
                  Felisha and Bena got into a small argument that Bena knew about the mystery man and she did not.  Marc walked back into the makeshift room, looked at the two women, and gave them a “cut out that racket look.”  They both got quiet.
                  “Marc, there is no need for you to stay, you can head back to work,” Nadine told him calmly as her fingers stroked the muscle on his arm, “My mom will be here on Monday, I will be okay.”
                  Marc had no intention of leaving her alone for three days, and he was staying. “Sorry my Beauty, it looks like you will be stuck with me, besides, it gives me a few more nights with you and a chance to meet Mom.”
                  He turned to Bena and chatted with her about what he needed and asked for her help.  Bena lowered her chin and gazed at him over her wire rimmed spectacles. It was a standard schoolmarm tactic to intimidate little bad boys in the classroom. Marc stared back at her.  Bena stared at Marc.  Finally, he smiled, and threw his arm around her and embraced her in a hug.  “I like you Bena. We’re going to be good friends.”
                  Bena’s only response was, “Dang, you smell good.”
                 

Chapter Eight
                   Bena watched in amazement as her hard ass, “ I don’t need a man to take care of me ” best friend, allowed a very intense, but gentle, man to take care of her.  Marc carried her into the building, into her apartment, and gently placed Nadine on the couch.  As he went to prep the bed and get his lady a change of clothing, Bena took a seat, watching, listening, and learning more about the relationship between the two.  She offered no assistance, but remained patient in the large arm chair.
                  In the bedroom, Marc saw the unmade bed and the half-removed sheets.  He completed stripping the bed, loaded the washer with the dirty linens and stopped to give her a pain pill before he would move her to the bedroom. Bena still said nothing as he administered the pills, made sure she drank