1.6 - Mistakes

Warning: This chapter is NSFW.  There is uncomfortable content in this chapter.  Proceed with caution.

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Time seemed to pass by too quickly for Danisha.  Her little guy was getting bigger by the day, it seemed.  He could take tottering steps, now and had even started talking.  She'd nipped his 'mommy' chatter in the bud quickly, though, insisting that her little man call her by her name 'Danisha'... as soon as he was able to pronounce the word, that is.

Unfortunately, her professional life was not going nearly as easily as her home life.  After getting a promotion to desk jockey, Danisha found her work was stagnating and she didn't understand why.  She had a good relationship with Bianca, a good relationship with her boss, strong skills... so what was she missing.  She wasn't going to be able to get any justice accomplished for her husband sitting behind a desk.

She'd considered putting in more overtime hours, but she left Nielson alone enough as it was.  But the more time that went by without a promotion the more anxious Danisha felt.

In fact, one Saturday she was feeling so upset about it that when she got a call from Romeo inviting her out to drink she agreed, even though this was supposed to be her day off with Nielson.  Maybe he'd have some advice for her.  And besides, Nielson liked hanging out with his babysitter so he probably wouldn't mind if she was only gone for a few hours.

It was raining when she got outside and she didn't have an umbrella so she hurried her way to the sports bar that he'd invited her to join him at.  She still couldn't believe that a high-class guy like Romeo didn't frequent the high-class places more often.  Then again, maybe it was for the best.  A sports bar was a place friends went to with each other, a lounge was a place for a date.

"Careful, you'll get soaked," Romeo commented with a smile as she ran up to him, positioning his umbrella so it covered both of them.  As always, he was ever thoughtful and smooth.

"Thanks.  Sorry I'm late," Danisha replied, smiling back at him.  Although Romeo seemed to want to go right inside, Danisha couldn't hold her questions back any longer.  "Um... I was hoping you could give me some advice.  Why am I not getting promoted?" she asked frankly, not bothering to disguise her words.

"Danisha, it hasn't been that long since your last promotion," he responded with a laugh.  This was not the response she was hoping for.  "Give yourself a little more time.  You're making plenty of progress," he assured her.  "Now, let's go inside before we both get drenched.

"But..." she began to protest, but felt a little foolish.  Maybe he was right.  But it still didn't feel good enough and didn't make the anxiety go away.  "All right," she finally agreed, letting him lead her toward the bar.

As they took their seats at the bar, Danisha was feeling miserable.  This wasn't how today was supposed to go.  She needed something to do different, something to do better on Monday or else her anxiety wouldn't ease.  "I'll have the house special," Romeo ordered, once he got settled.  "I know you don't like to drink, but this place has some good bar food..." he began, but Danisha interrupted him.

"I'll have what he's having," she informed the bartender.  Romeo looked at her uncertainly but then looked away.  She was an adult and there was nothing wrong with an adult having a drink on the weekend.

When the drink was placed in front of both of them, Danisha hesitated.  She wasn't sure about this.  She'd never had drinks like these before, didn't know what to expect.  Perhaps she was a bit sheltered.  And maybe that was her problem.  How was one supposed to catch the criminal element if one was so naive.  With new resolution she grabbed the drink, brought it to her lips, tipped her head back, and gulped it down.

The liquid burned in a way that nearly sent her into a coughing fit.  But she didn't want to look bad in front of Romeo so she fought in down.  And once it had settled in her stomach, she found that it eased some of her anxiety.

"That was good," she announced as she finished it.  "I'll have another," she informed the bartender.

"Pace yourself," Romeo warned in a teasing manner.  She smiled back at him and didn't listen.  Two more of the house specials and she was feeling quite pleased with herself and couldn't remember why she'd been so anxious at all.

"You wanna keep drinking the same drink all night?" the bartender asked with a raised eyebrow when she went to order another.

"Well, what would you recommend?" she asked.  He glanced from her to Romeo and back again before mixing up another drink.  This one was a pleasant deep pink and when she brought it to her lips she was pleased with a sweet it tasted.  She liked this one quite a bit better.  She also didn't notice the look Romeo shot the barkeeper as she drank it down.

This one made her feel tingly all over and she swayed a bit with the music, humming to herself.  She was about to order another when Romeo interjected.  "I think that's enough drinking for one afternoon," he informed both her and the bartender.

She pouted and was about to inform him that even if he was her boss he couldn't tell her what to do when she got a better idea.  "Fine, if you won't let me drink then you'll let me dance," she announced, getting out of her seat and heading over to the dance floor.  There were a couple of guys on the floor but she was the first girl to step on it.  The others instantly started moving toward her but Romeo immediately cut in.

"All right, but if you're going to dance, it's going to be with me," Romeo informed her.

"Why, Mr. Rake, taking awfully good care of me, aren't you," she teased, her words a little slurred.  But she was happy to dance with him.  He was a very good dancer.  She tried to match his moves and the beat of the music.  It was fun.  She felt genuinely happy again.  Oh, there had been glimpses of this happiness recently, like on Nielson's birthday, and hanging out with Bianca, but even then that niggling bit of anxiety and worry had always stayed with her.  But happily the alcohol had completely drowned that voice out and she smiled.

Just when she was really getting into the music, the song changed.

A slow song.

With a sigh, she started to get off the dance floor but Romeo caught her arm.  "Come on, these songs can be fun too," he assured and pulled her close.  The deep timber of his voice was impossible to resist and the tingly feeling that last drink had given her returned in full force and caused her to practically melt in his arms.

The day was going so perfectly... up until she proceeded to vomit right there on the dance floor.



"Ugh... the world's still spinning," Danisha groaned as she sank down onto the small couch.  Romeo sat next to her and rubbed her back in the hopes it would help.

"We're lucky the bar had a hotel on the upper floors.  And that you didn't get anything on your dress," he pointed out.

"Or your suit," she groaned, flushing with humiliation.

"Here, let me get you something to drink," Romeo suggested, getting up and leaving Danisha alone on the couch.  The world lurched violently and she lay down in the hopes it would get it to stop.

She didn't hear when Romeo came back but she did hear him sigh.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have let you drink so much.  You weren't kidding about never having had alcohol before," he confessed, seeming genuinely remorseful, and Danisha opened her eyes to look at him.

"Well, at least you reserved this very nice room for me, thank you," Danisha replied, feeling embarrassed.  This was all her fault, he shouldn't be apologizing.  "Would you be willing to help me over to the bed, though?" she asked.  Right now, going to sleep and hoping that would cure the horrible churning in her gut was her only hope.

Romeo did what she asked, supporting her as she unsteadily made her way to the bed and ungracefully fell onto it.

"I've already paid for the room, so when you're feeling better you can just head home," he assured, before starting to turn to leave.

"Wait!" she called out before she realized what she was doing.  "Please... I don't want to be alone," she confessed, feeling tears in her eyes.  What she wouldn't give, at this moment, to have Nielson by her side.  Not the little guy at home, but her tall and strong husband.  She'd never felt this way before.  Never felt this miserable.  And she wanted someone by her side to take care of her.

There was silence in the room.  She was too afraid to look over at Romeo to see the pity in his eyes, or disgust, or that he was leaving.  The only man who would stay with her now was gone.

"I'd be willing to stay with you," Romeo finally admitted, breaking the silence.  "But I want something in return," he announced.

"Something...?" Danisha repeated, and suddenly found herself pressed against the bed with Romeo's hand pinning hers to the blankets.

Her shock was plain on her face as she looked up at him.  "You can't really expect me to stay beside a beautiful young woman like yourself when you're so vulnerable and not do something, can you?" he asked, and it took her a moment to realize what he was saying.  "So the only way I can say, is if you acknowledge that."

For a moment her mind screamed at her to say no, to push him off of her.  But the alcohol was still strong in her system.  The tingling from that last drink still making her feel all fuzzy inside.  And as she looked up at him she couldn't help but think about just how handsome he was, and just how long it had been since she'd had any sort of intimacy.  She hadn't even been able to satisfy herself between little Nielson sleeping in the same room and being exhausted from work nearly every night.

Before she even knew what she was saying, "Okay" slipped from her lips.

Their clothes were divested quite quickly.  Tossed carelessly on the floor.  And Romeo was a true gentleman, very gentle with her.  And for a brief time, she really thought she wanted this and let herself get swept away.

They both fell asleep after the fact, and it wasn't for another few hours before Danisha woke up.  She was feeling much more clear-headed now and when she looked over at Romeo and saw what they had done she moaned in despair and slowly lifted herself to a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

It wasn't Romeo's fault.  He'd given her plenty of opportunities to refuse.  It was her own fault for being so weak.  She'd betrayed Nielson in the worst possible way.

Romeo was still sleeping, and Danisha couldn't bring herself to face him so she quickly pulled on her clothes.  After leaving a brief note to thank him and to promise to pay him her share of the hotel fee she quickly made her way out of the hotel.

It was late but fortunately the subway system was still running so she was able to get home.  When she got home she tried to creep inside quietly so that she wouldn't disturb Nielson and hoped the babysitter wouldn't be too mad for not coming home for such a long time.

Instead, when she entered the apartment she was shocked by what she saw.

"Look!  Look, Danisha!  I had my birthday!  Don't I look cool now?" Nielson announced proudly as he stood in front of her.

Danisha stared at him uncomprehendingly for a long time before she felt her grief resurface and overwhelm her.  She couldn't even support herself as she fell to her knees and started to cry.  Not only had she cheated on Nielson, but she'd even forgotten his birthday!  How was she ever going to forgive herself for this one?  Why did she keep messing up when it came to him?

"Danisha...?  What's wrong...?" Nielson asked uncertainly, wondering if it had been something he'd said.  Was him aging up really that bad?  Danisha wanted to reassure him that it wasn't his fault.  Everything was her fault.  But she had a hard time getting the words out.


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This chapter was hard to write.  I hope it turned out semi-okay.  And Nielson having his birthday while Danisha was gone was actually not intentional.  I hadn't checked when he was set to age up and just suddenly got the notification while I was doing the scene with Danisha and Romeo.  But I figured it would play well into the story.  I apologize to those who found this chapter uncomfortable.