Upon recognizing the voice of his best friend, Deveron, Therman's frown eased as he took a step to turn around. However, he stopped halfway and turned back to look at Daliana squarely before he warned; "If I hear you say anything..." he began, "If you so much as breath air in a telling manner... you'll be sorry when he leaves."
Daliana's stomach churned and she felt her heart squeeze. She was literally in prison with this man and what she was going through wasn't good for her in her condition. She'd listen to him, she concluded, and would not say a word to Deveron when he came in even though he'd become her friend too. She rushed to the sink as nausea swam over her and her stomach emptied all of its content. She felt stiff as if her bones were solidifying. This wasn't living, Daliana would often think to herself. This wasn't the picture she had for her future -- their future. This wasn't the kind of environment she wanted to bring her child into.
She didn't know what to do, or where to turn to, especially with the child on the way. She wanted her child to have a father. She wanted a complete home.
So, Therman opened the door.
"Hey man!" he said with a smile on his face that was handsome if not for the wickedness that he showed to Daliana. He stretched out his hand for his friend to shake as he sidestepped and opened the door wide enough for Deveron to walk through.
Deveron Hill was Therman's best friend whom he'd known since their college days. They had naturally gravitated toward each other and had even applied to the same organization after their graduation from college. Deveron knew Therman in and out and vice versa. Their friendship ran deep and Deveron was there for Therman even at this low point that Therman had found himself in.
Deveron's eyes scanned the sitting room and landed on Daliana was hunched over the kitchen sink. He noticed that there was no electricity in the house and he could not help but feel bad about that. He made a mental note to help with some funds before the end of his visit.
"What's wrong with Daliana, Therman? Is she okay? Does she need medical attention?" Deveron asked breathlessly as he worried for the pregnant woman. He was aware of their struggles and how Therman had been treating Daliana and had even tried to talk to his friend about it. But, his pleas and advice always fell on self-righteous, deaf, and stubborn ears. Therman never listened to him and always had an excuse for his actions towards Daliana even though Deveron had told him that nothing required such abuse.
The tension in the house was so thick that one could cut through it with a knife and Deveron could not even begin to imagine what must've happened and what he'd interrupted. Somehow, he found himself being happy that he'd come at the time that he had.
"Therman?" Deveron called again in a low tone after his friend had not responded to his barrage of questions.
Therman had been looking in Daliana's direction to see if she would react to Deveron's questions or even say hi to him. He pulled back his attention and looked at Deveron.
"Does it seem like something is wrong?" he asked with a smirk on his face. He waved his hand in a dismissive manner, "Do not mind that woman, she always overreacts with this pregnancy thing," Therman stated as he motioned for Deveron to take a seat on the sad-looking sofa.
"Sit down, man..." Therman muttered. "What you got in your hands there?"
Deveron slowly took his seat as he was not convinced in the slightest that everything was alright. He just hoped, really hoped that Daliana was doing fine. He knew that she shouldn't be in the position that she was in -- not bent over a sink -- she didn't even say hello to him or reacted to someone entering the house.
Deveron sighed as his heart went out to the beautiful woman. He didn't think that Therman appreciated who he had. Daliana was smart and gorgeous as Deveron had noticed from the first time that Therman had introduced her to him a few years ago. He wondered how a man could handle that carelessly and hoped that things get better between the couple.
* * *
Presently...
Deveron Hill returned from where he'd gone that day, smiling from side to side. His eyes shone like a new bulb that had just been replaced. The song that he was humming loudly to, which was playing through the stereo of his car could be heard from the garage. He parked the car, got down, and began to offload the groceries that he'd purchased from the mall. Deveron could not wait to get into the house and share the news he had with his wife and daughters.
"Hey, Cupcake!" he yelled from the garage and the echo traveled into the house. Deveron entered with a little struggle from all the bags that he was carrying and stepped into the kitchen through the back door. He knew that he'd find his wife cooking in the kitchen as that was what she loved to do -- and he loved her meals.
"You..." Daliana cooed as she spun around to look at Deveron who in turn grabbed her into his bear hug. This was twenty-something years later and Deveron Hill had done the same thing every time he returned from wherever he went.
Daliana felt lucky to have spent her years with Deveron. She left blessed that she'd gotten to know the compassionate, smart, and understanding man. She thought that agreeing to marry Deveron was one of the best decisions that she'd made in her life. Daliana had always thought to herself that if the hands of time were taken back, she would make the same decision again. He had saved her all those years ago and had taken care of her ever since.
She looked into his face and knew that he had something to share with her.
"What is it this time, Mr. Deveron Hill?"