I nodded.
“Oh, my. You all need to move asap,” Mrs. Reed said.
Malcolm appeared by my side. We exchanged glances and I gave him a nod to share the news.
“Speaking of that, we have some news to tell you guys,” Malcolm said, putting his arm around me.
“Oh my God, you’re pregnant?” Mrs. Reed said with excitement.
“No, it’s not that,” Malcolm laughed.
She slumped back in her chair, pouting. Mrs. Reed would be happy if each of her children gave her five or six grandchildren, even though she wasn’t exactly the type of grandma that would keep kids all summer. She was the come by, kiss them, and keep it moving type.
“We’ve been going through some things,” Malcolm continued, causing both Kendra and his mother’s expressions to turn serious.
“What’s wrong?” Kendra said.
“You’re not sick, are you?” Mrs. Reed said, panic immediately setting in.
“No, Mom, would you let me finish?” he replied. They both fell silent and he continued. “Jill and I recently had some discoveries about her family.” He squeezed my hand as he spoke. “Several years ago there was this kidnapping in Beaumont, a biracial baby from a wealthy family. It was a pretty big story in the area. Well, we recently discovered that Jill is that kidnapped child.”
“What?” both Kendra and her mother exclaimed.
“So Mama Connie isn’t your mother?” Kendra asked.
I shook my head.
“She stole you from those people,” Mrs. Reed said. “No way.”
My eyes teared up. Mrs. Reed’s eyes met her son’s and their unspoken communication caused her to fall quiet as she took my hand and patted it. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry.”
Kendra handed Destiny to her mother and walked over to hug me. I choked back my words and nodded because if I opened my mouth, I’d start crying.
Malcolm continued, “Well, naturally this discovery has led to a lot of changes in our lives. Jill’s biological family is extremely rich and they want her to share in the fortune. I have taken a job with Logan Industries, the family business. It’s a good job.”
Mrs. Reed fanned herself. “Wow, so you mean to tell me that you guys are now rich?”
“Kinda sorta,” Malcolm said. “Jill’s family is anyway, but this job is good and well, our lives will be changing a bit. We will be moving to Beaumont.”
“Beaumont?”
“It’s just an hour and a half away,” he said. “That’s where I’ll be working and we’ll end up getting our own place. But in the meantime, we’ll be staying in the Logans’ guest house.”
I could tell Kendra and Mrs. Reed were dumbfounded. I got it. It would take me a moment to come to terms with the new course of my life, too.
Chapter 31
Maybe it was all the crime shows I watched, but I was convinced someone knew about the money my father had given me and was scoping me out. Maybe they planned to kidnap Destiny and demand ransom. Whatever it was, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being followed. I’d first felt like someone was following me in the grocery store after I’d returned from lunch with my father yesterday. I’d blown it off as an overactive imagination. But when I’d spotted the woman with long burgundy-tinted hair, butterscotch-colored skin, and a body that screamed daily cardio workouts, my antenna went up. This was definitely the same woman from the grocery store. And now, looking at her trying to be inconspicuous as she followed me through the mall, I also remembered her coming into Starbucks recently.
I’d been talking to Cynthia on my cell when I spotted her several feet behind me.
“Okay. I know that I’m not crazy,” I whispered into my microphone. “That same woman I told you I thought was following me the other day in the grocery store is here at the mall. I thought I was being paranoid behind learning I’d been kidnapped. But this woman is for real following me. Do you think she’s trying to kidnap Destiny?” I asked in horror.
“No, I do not,” Cynthia replied. “But I do know I’m the paranoid one. So if you think someone is following you, someone is following you. If I were you, I would go confront her and ask her what she wants.”
“But what if she tells me I’m crazy and she doesn’t know what I’m talking about,” I whispered.
Cynthia tsked. “What if she does? You don’t know that woman. You’ll never see her again so you have nothing to lose.”
“And what if she says she is following me?”
“Then you bust her in her eye.” From the tone of my best friend’s voice, I could tell she was serious.
I don’t know why I found that so funny. Maybe because I’d been so on edge lately. Malcolm was sinking further and further into the Logans’ web. They’d given him a company car, a Cadillac STS. And since it was ten times better than the 2003 Honda Accord he’d been driving since we met, my husband was on cloud nine. And I now knew all hopes of getting my husband to think objectively were out the window. Thank goodness Major had given him a sign-on bonus. It was only ten thousand, but since it was more money than we had ever seen at one time, it was a lifesaver and it was enough to keep Malcolm from harassing me about cashing that check.
“Okay. What mall are you at? The Galleria? You know, since you’re rich and all.” Cynthia laughed.
“No, I’m not at the Galleria and I’m not rich. My biological parents are,” I replied.
“Whatever. That means you’re rich. As long as you’re not at Sharpstown Mall, you’re fine. Then I would really worry about you being followed.”
“Is that even a mall anymore?” I said. “But no. I’m at First Colony.”
“Okay. Cool. Why don’t you go into one of those kiddie stores, like The Children’s Place? That way if she follows you in, then you know she’s following you.”
“What if she says she has kids, too?”
“Then you know she’s lying. And so you’re justified to bust her in the eye.”
I ignored my friend’s violent solution and said, “Okay. Gymboree is right here,” I said, glancing back at the woman who had suddenly stopped and was looking at stuff at a kiosk.
“Keep me on the phone,” Cynthia said.
I did as my friend instructed and eased into the Gymboree store and started looking at the little girl’s clothes.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “She came in here.”
“Unh unh. For real, you need to go confront her.”
“What am I supposed to say?” I asked as the woman casually walked into the store. It was so obvious now that she was following me.
“Just walk up to her and say, “What’s up?’ If it’s nothing, she will say, ‘Excuse me, I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ If it’s something, you punch her in her eye.” I could picture my best friend feverishly pacing across her apartment. “Just walk up to her and repeat after me.”
“Cynthia . . .”
“Girl, do it. Tell her that you know she’s been following you,” Cynthia said. I had no idea why she was whispering. “Tell her if she doesn’t back of off you, you will put those Taekwondo skills to use.”
“I never took Taekwondo.”
“She doesn’t know that. Just do it.”
I summoned my inner Cynthia and approached the woman. I was ready for her denial and my subsequent embarrassment. “Excuse me,” I said. “Do I know you?”
She crossed her arms and glared at me. “Do you?” she replied.
“Is she getting smart with you?” Cynthia asked.
I wanted to tell Cynthia that I got it from here but I didn’t want the woman to know someone was in my ear.
“It seems like you’ve been following me,” I told the woman, stepping closer to her.
She rolled her eyes. “And it seems you’re invading my personal space,” the woman had the nerve to say to me.
Now was my turn to say, “Excuse me?”
“I’m just in here shopping for kids’ clothes and you’re in my personal space.” She motioned around
her like she had a legitimate claim to the space around her.
My left eyebrow went up. “Well, since I’ve seen you a number of occasions, I’m really feeling like you’re stalking me,” I said. “So, naturally, I’m trying to figure out why.”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Cynthia said in my ear. “Tell her you’re no fool.”
“Please, don’t flatter yourself,” the woman said. She swung her long hair over her shoulder. Either she had some amazing genes to give her tresses like that, or she had paid top dollar for a weave. “But I don’t need to stalk anyone, especially the likes of you.”
“Oh, hell no!” Cynthia exclaimed. “Did she just say what I thought she said? What mall are you at again? I’m on my way!”
I ignored my friend as I said, “Look, what is your problem, lady? It’s obvious that you’re following me and I’d like to know why?”
She folded her arms, rolled her eyes again, and said, “What are you to Major?”
I frowned in confusion. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I didn’t stutter,” the woman said.
It was my turn to fold my arms and glare at her. “So that’s what this is about. Wow. What I am to Major is none of your business.”
The woman jabbed a finger in my direction. “The wife I can deal with, but he is not going to be cheating on me with the likes of you.”
I almost burst out laughing but didn’t want to give her that satisfaction. “Lady, I don’t know who you are and why you are following me but you’re so far off base it’s not even funny.”
It was her turn to take a step into my personal space. “Let me tell you what’s off base. I have played my position with Major for years. And I’ll be damned if I let some little”—she looked me up and down—“thot come along and take what’s rightfully mine.”
“Hit her in the eye,” Cynthia screamed.
“Seems like since you’re the other woman,” I replied, continuing to ignore my friend, “nothing would be rightfully yours.”
She stepped so close to me, our noses could’ve done the Tango. “Don’t play with me, little girl.”
The woman couldn’t have been any more than ten years older than me, so the little girl comment was baffling.
“If you don’t back up off me . . .” I said.
“Back up?” Cynthia shouted. “Oh, hell no!”
I know my friend was about to blow a gasket, but I couldn’t focus on her.
“How long have you been messing around with Major?” the woman demanded to know. Her eyes scanned me in disdain. “Why he would want to be messing with a Starbucks barista is beyond me.”
Wow, so this woman really had been stalking me.
“Answer me!” she demanded.
I inhaled, reminded myself that I was in the middle of a children’s store, and said. “You know what? These are questions you need to ask Major yourself.”
“You know what?” she said, mocking me as she pulled out her cell phone, “I will ask Major myself. I’ll get him on the phone right now.”
In my ear Cynthia was shouting so loud that I was sure the woman heard her. “Are you freaking kidding me? Is this really happening? FaceTime me so I can see.”
If I hadn’t been so pissed, I would’ve cracked up at Cynthia’s reaction. I was glad that my best friend wasn’t here because this would so escalate out of control. Though my friend was the college educated professional one, she was most likely to administer a beatdown.
“Yeah, I’m going to let him know I know about you and there won’t be any way of finagling out of this. Because trust me, if it comes down to Major choosing me or you, he’s going to choose me.”
Her confidence made me find my funny bone. “Sweetheart, I promise you he won’t.” I laughed.
That seemed to enrage her even more. “Oh, we’re about to see about that.”
I thought the woman was dialing Major’s cell, but I was stunned when his face popped up on the screen and I heard him say, “Hey, what’s going on?”
The woman’s demeanor instantly changed and she flashed a seductive smile. “Hey baby,” she said. “How is your day going?”
“It is fine. How can I help you?” The formality of his voice caused her lips to turn downward.
“Why are you talking to me like that?” she whined.
“I’m in the middle of something. What’s going on, Stephanie?”
“I’m in the middle of something, too,” she said, her attitude resurfacing. “I’m here with your little thot and I’m letting her know, and you know, that this thing the two of you have going on isn’t happening.”
“What little thot? What in the world are you talking about?” Major said. I could hear the exasperation in his voice.
“This thot,” she said, turning the camera toward me.
I cocked my head, waved and said, “Hi, Daddy.” It was my first time calling him daddy, but it couldn’t have been more fitting.
“And is she calling you daddy?” the woman said, turning the phone back around to her, her anger meter on ten now. “Oh, hell no. Are you for real?”
By this time Cynthia was dying laughing. “Oh my God. Did she Facetime him? I knew I loved those air pods I gave you for your birthday. I hear everything. I wish this was being recorded. You could so go viral.”
“Yes, I call him daddy,” I told the woman, ignoring my friend as I leaned into the camera’s view. I guess he was too shocked to realize that I’d called him daddy for the first time. “Daddy, your mistress is stalking and harassing me at the mall.”
I could tell she was about to go in rare form when my father bellowed, “Have you lost your damn mind? I told you this craziness is unacceptable and I don’t do this ghetto mess.”
“Well, I told you. I’ve been waiting a long time and I’m not going—”
“And this is not the way to handle this,” he said, cutting her off. “I do not believe this.” His chastisement actually brought her level down a notch.
“But you’re out here seeing other women,” she pouted. “You promised that there was no one else.”
Major took a deep breath, pursed his lips, then said, “Stephanie, she called me daddy because that’s my daughter. My. Daughter. And as I told you before, this isn’t working so please do not call me again or I promise I will have you arrested.” He hung the phone up.
She stood there with a confused look on her face. “His d-daughter?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Yes.” I shrugged. “So now let’s see who he chooses, me or his psychopath mistress. You have a nice day,” I said, as I turned and walked out of the store while my best friend shouted cheers in my ear.
Chapter 32
Now that the reality TV moment had worn off, reality hit me like a mack truck. My father had a mistress. And I was packing my belongings to move in with my angry mother and cheating father. What in the world was I getting myself into?
I was asleep when Malcolm got home last night so I hadn’t been able to fill him in until this morning.
“I guess you just never know with some people,” Malcolm said.
I could tell already that as far as my husband was concerned, Major Logan could have all the women he wanted and Malcolm wouldn’t utter a bad word about him. Malcolm loved his job and he’d had a pitch meeting with the Logan Investments Executive Board that he felt had gone well. So I could probably tell Malcolm that Major shot Barack Obama and he wouldn’t care.
“So, I’m assuming it’s just who he is—a cheater,” I said. “First my mother, now Elaine.”
“You never know what’s going on in someone’s relationship,” was my husband’s response.
I side-eyed his attempt to absolve my father. “I actually feel bad for Elaine. No one deserves that. I don’t understand. Why don’t men just leave rather than cheat?” I said.
Malcolm pulled me toward him. “How about we stay out of their marriage and we focus on ours.” He flashed that cheesy grin that had captured my heart from day on
e. It’s a new start, baby. We don’t have to worry about a stray bullet coming through and hurting one of us, or worse, hitting Destiny. We’re finally about to get the life we deserve. Let’s embrace it.”
I sighed. “Yeah, but why don’t we just get our own place? I just felt some kind of way about moving in with them.”
The neighbors had been arguing again last night and we’d barely been able to sleep in fear that something would jump off, so I knew we had to go. I just still wasn’t sure going to the home of parents I barely knew was the answer. I wanted to get to know them. But I felt like they were rushing me. Plus, the more time I was around them, the sooner I was going to have to bring up my mother and I didn’t want to lie to them.
To his credit, Major had offered to buy us a house outright. But that had been one thing that Malcolm had been adamant about. He wanted to work so that he could contribute to a house of our own. He told Major that he wouldn’t feel right until he had something to bring to the table. Of course, my father loved that.
“It’s just temporary, baby. You’re the one who doesn’t want to cash this check yet.” He pursed his lips like all I needed to do was say the word and we’d detour to the bank on our way to our new home.
“You know that I’m hesitant because of their stipulations. I don’t want anyone making me completely cut off contact with my mother. I know you have so many things you’d like to do with that money but until they agree with the contract, we just have to pretend that check doesn’t exist.”
He kept his smile. “Yes, that money is awesome, but with the sign-on bonus and the fact that I’m working a good job, we’ll be okay for the time being. That check can take us to the next level. But this money will help us get on our feet. It will give you time to decide what you want to do about the check.”
“Thank you for understanding,” I said, standing on my toes so that our lips could meet. Our quick kiss turned into a long, passionate one, that made me pull back and say, “Whoa, okay. Let’s dial it back or we’ll never finish getting this stuff packed. We’ll end up on that bare mattress.”
He popped me on the behind. “And would that be a bad thing?”
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