Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [88]
“You didn’t. In fact, I was just about to find you. Something has come up and I’m going to have to return to New York first thing in the morning.”
Syneda found herself under the warm charcoal-gray gaze of the woman, who gave her an endearing smile. “I’m sorry to hear that. I really enjoy you being here with us.”
Marilyn Madaris’s eyes were lit from some inner glow. “I’ve been in this kitchen since six this morning, and I think I’m more than due a break. I’ve started taking afternoon walks around the neighborhood. Would you like to join me?”
Syneda nodded. She always enjoyed Clayton’s mother’s company. Besides, her conversation with Clayton had taken a toll on her.
The two women walked outside the house. The treetops stirred with the whisper of a cool breeze. They were ten minutes into their walk before either woman spoke. Then it was Clayton’s mom who broke their silence. “Have I ever told you how Jonathan and I met?”
The question surprised Syneda. “No, I don’t think you have.”
The older woman smiled. “I was fresh out of college and had landed my first teaching job. It seemed good fortune was on my side because the elementary school I was assigned to was within a block of my apartment. I was grateful for that because money was tight, and I couldn’t really afford a car payment.”
They continued walking. “My first day on the job I came face-to-face with the principal. He was a stern but very tall, dark, handsome man by the name of Jonathan Madaris. I think we were attracted to each other immediately, although I tried my best to fight it. I had my own set of plans for my future, and they didn’t include getting serious about anyone for a long while.”
Her laughter mixed with the sustained whine of an ambulance siren in the distance. “Lucky for me, the school board had a policy that stated school administrators could not date their teaching personnel. However, Jonathan Madaris had made up his mind that he wanted me, and would not let some school administration policy stop him.”
Syneda’s interest was piqued. “What did he do?”
“Without me knowing what he was about, and after I had worked only a few weeks at his school, he had me transferred elsewhere. I was assigned to another school that was out of his district and over fifty miles from my home. I was furious. Not once did he consider the fact that such a move would be an inconvenience, as well as a hardship for me. He was only thinking of himself. He had only one goal in mind and that was to have me, one way or another.”
“And what did you do?”
“I rebelled and fought him every step of the way. But he didn’t give up on me until I did something that’s almost unforgivable to a Madaris man.”
“What?”
“I injured his pride.”
Syneda raised a brow. “How?”
“I filed a complaint against him with the district school superintendent. It was somewhat similar to a modern-day sexual harassment complaint. Fortunately, although I didn’t know it at the time, the school superintendent was a good friend of Jonathan’s. He called him in and told him what I’d done. By that time, I had cooled off and had regretted my actions and withdrew the complaint. But Jonathan was very upset with me. It took him a while to come around.”
Marilyn Madaris stopped walking and Syneda also ceased her steps. She found herself caught under the older woman’s soft gaze that seemed to probe deep within her soul. “My sons, especially Dex and Clayton, with Dex being the worse, are no different from their father when it comes to the issue of the Madaris pride. They can be stubborn men, but when they fall in love, it’s forever, and nothing, not even Madaris pride, can destroy that. It just takes a very strong woman to work around it.”
Syneda’s eyes widened suspiciously. “Why are you telling me this, Mrs. Madaris?”
“Because I thought you should know.”
Syneda nodded. “All right,” she replied with sudden calm. “And I only think it’s fair that you know that I’m in love with Clayton, and that we’ve been seeing each other secretly for almost six months. But you knew that, didn’t you?”
Marilyn Madaris wore an open, friendly