“Oh honey, I don’t even know where my manners are tonight. I’m Paige, Gideon’s long suffering mother.” She informs, making me laugh.
“Long suffering? Really Mom?” Gideon cuts in, annoyed.
“He’s a bit controlling, isn’t he?” Mrs. Black says.
“Oh, don’t worry Mrs. Black, I have a handle on the situation.” I tell her with a wink.
“She really does.” Max cuts in, bringing a bottle of water to me, “I have never seen ole’ boy being put in his place before. I’d charge all of you money to see it!” Max informs loudly, making everyone laugh.
“I don’t doubt it. And please dear, call me Paige.” She says and all I can do is smile.
“Why is everyone outside? Did I miss something?” Comes a deep voice from within.
And, we all laugh, well all of us, apart from my sexy Adonis.
“Let’s go in the house. That would be Gideon’s father, George. Impatient as ever.” She says, clapping her hands in obvious glee and excitement.
We proceed to move into the house, with me being led directly by Paige. I look over my shoulder and I search for him. He is looking at me, while being surrounded by his family as they all give their well wishes for his birthday.
But he is looking at me, questioning me if I’m alright. Because he knows, Gideon knows that what happened outside is as a result of trauma and heartache too deep, I don’t know how to deal with it.
So, I nod my head slightly, to let him know that I’ll be alright. I mean, I’m not but, I know I’ll be alright. Just as long as I see the strength and power in his eyes and the way he stands there, dominating the room.
I’ll be alright.
“Let me introduce you to everyone dear.” Paige says as we move deeper into the house, passing the classically decorated foyer.
“You have a beautiful home, Paige.” I compliment as I look around. Kids are running around, there is laughter and warmth. I wonder why Gideon doesn’t like coming here so often.
“Oh, thank you dear, it took me a while to decorate it but, I did it.” She informs with pride.
“You didn’t have someone do it for you?” I question.
“Do it for me? Oh no dear, I’m a ‘hands on’ type of gal, and I like to direct my own vision.” She declares and wow, I think I like her.
“I support that.” I tell her quietly, to which she smiles.
“Hello there, sorry about my mother here, she couldn’t contain herself.” This comes from a beautiful woman, with long, curly black hair like Gideon. She has the same eyes as her mother.
This must be Alice.
“And, this is Alice, my daughter.” Paige introduces.
“Nice to meet you Alice. I’m . . .”
“Chloe. Yes, we’ve heard all about the beautiful Chloe. Was just waiting for the day we would meet you.” Alice says.
I think I have a confused expression on my face because she explains, “Oh, Max isn’t really good with keeping his mouth shut.” She says with a bit of volume in her voice. I think she wants Max to hear her.
“Ayye Scotty, can you give your woman something to do? She’s getting angsty here!” Max hollers to some guy, who I presume is Alice’s husband.
“So. I’ll leave you with Alice.” Paige informs me, while shaking her head at the banter between Alice and Max.
“That’s alright. It was nice to meet you, Paige.” I tell her sincerely, hoping she forgets what happened outside.
“The pleasure is all mine.” And with that, she gracefully turns and moves away, talking to one of the servers as she goes.
“Really, I am sorry about that whole thing from outside.” Alice tells me as she links our arms together, “My dearest brother hasn’t brought any woman here in years. Not since that bitch Tabitha.” She informs as we move.
Tabitha? Now who the hell is Tabitha? But I don’t ask as I detect some hostility towards this Tabitha woman.
“Oh, these are my babies. Ella and Edward. They are twins.” Alice says as she calls the two children over. They are so cute and adorable. I like twins, and at some time in my life I was hoping I had a twin somewhere. I mean, being alone sucks.
“Hello.” I say as I drop down to my haunches to greet them.
And thus goes my evening.
Alice takes me around the beautiful house, decorated in artful tones, with tables laid around with party snacks and drinks. It’s elegant, modern but classic.
I meet Gideon’s family members and it’s actually much better than I anticipated. They are all lovely people, very joyful and open.
That is, until my world is crushed at my feet.
Chapter 19
Gideon
“Dude, we have a code blue going on.” Max informs me in my ear as I stand there, talking to my uncle.
“Code Blue?” I question, looking at him like he has lost his mind. “Have you been drinking?” I question. He doesn’t look like he has been drinking. We don’t have any ‘code blue’
“I just said it because I’m reserving my red for another time. You know, a more life-threatening time.” Max explains, hurriedly.
“Okay.” I excuse myself from my uncle. Max and I move to a quiet corner so we can talk about this new code properly. There are too many people here. I knew my mother would do that, and she even told me this was going to be a family affair.
Wow.
“What’s happening?” I demand, as my gaze searches for Chloe among the throes of party people. Some of these people, or ‘family members’, I haven’t seen in a while. Hell, I don’t even know most of them
“Dude, tell me you have already told Chloe about her Grandfather?” Max questions and at his tone, I feel a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach
“No, I haven’t. Don’t tell me . . .”
“Yes man, Alexander Hamilton is here.”
Shit.
“It gets worse.” Max’s ominous voice reaches my ears as I’m about to leave in search of Chloe. There are just some things that she has to know, and she needs to know them now.
“What else can be worse than that?” I demand, impatiently.
“The old man is drunk.”
And just like that, a bomb is dropped. This night is not going to end well.
The ringing of a small bell is heard throughout the house, announcing dinner. Things are about to get interesting and I honestly don’t know what to do about it.
“Get Tom ready with the car. Tell him to prepare for a quick and clean exit.” I grit out. Honestly, I feel like I’m spinning out of control. I don’t know what to do.
“Man, that won’t work, it’s already too late.” Max says as my gaze meets the breathtaking sight that is Chloe.
“Why is that?” I ask, absentmindedly.
“Because she is already being introduced to him by your father.”
I look up again and sure enough, there she is. Her beautiful, taunting neck tilting to the right as she extends her arm to shake the hand of her Grandfather.
She is mesmerizing and graceful. She doesn’t even know that the whole room is gravitating towards her and her easy charm, including my niece and nephew who stand at her side, waiting to grab her attention with their toys.
“Well shit.” I mutter.
“My thoughts exactly man, let’s just hope he doesn’t go on his sad spree.” Max says, thumping my back, prompting me into action.
As I walk, I watch as she turns her head back, her gaze searching, and I know who she is looking for. I walk behind her and watch as her beautiful body shivers and goosebumps grace the back of her neck.
I have come to realize that this reaction only happens when I’m around. I have studied her enough to know that and it pleases me for some reason.
Tonight, I’ll have her tonight.
“Gentleman.” I effectively cut in, placing an arm around her waist. She doesn’t tense as I was expecting her too, instead, her body seems to melt into my side and I feel her take a deep sigh. I guess she was looking for me
after all.
“Gideon! The man of the night. Happy birthday young lad!” Alexander says. For an intoxicated man, his words are clear and strong. That can’t be good.
“Thank you, sir. It’s good to see you here, honoring my special day with your presence.” I inform him.
“Of course, doing it for my good friend Samuel!” Alexander says, “He would have been here, with us.”
“I would love that too.” I grit out. I can’t think of my Grandfather right now, not when she is right beside me.
“Happy birthday, son.” My dad says as he gives me a handshake.
“Thanks Dad.” I respect the hell out of this man. For everything he has put up with, bringing Black House to the main street and making it huge; and still finding the time for his family.
“What I want to know is, how did you manage to convince a woman like this to take pity on you, let alone tolerate dating you.” He jokes as he looks at Chloe.
“Oh, with a whole lot of begging.” Chloe cuts in, making both men laugh.
“You remind me so much of my daughter. You talk like her too.” Alexander observes.
I do my best not to tense, I know she can perceive all my moves and thoughts. I don’t want to accidentally give myself away.
“I didn’t know you knew Alexander Hamilton of the Hamilton Luxury Hotel chains?” Chloe inquires as she looks up to me.
Something about the way she phrased that question has my eyebrow lifting. “I didn’t think that would be important to you.” I inform calmly, trying to read her. But she is difficult to read right now.
“Dinner is served. Gideon, my love, everyone is waiting on you.” My mother cuts in, effectively breaking the stare down between Chloe and I.
“Of course, Mom.” I tell her. “Shall we?” I ask Chloe.
“We shall.” She agrees and starts walking the direction my parents and Alexander are walking.
Something isn’t right here.
WE ARE SEATED AROUND the long dinner table and dessert has just been served. Jokes and anecdotes of my earlier years in life are being shared around the table; and just like the alcohol being served in abundance, flowing like a river, so are the stories.
And also, just like any flow of any river, unpredictable in nature, so are the stories.
“I can’t believe you keyed your father’s car.” Chloe gasps and then throws her head back and laughs, just like everyone else at the table.
My mother is happy, watching Chloe and I closely. I wouldn’t be surprised if at this very moment, she is planning and counting the many grandchildren Chloe and I would bless her with. The thought makes me eerily uncomfortable but at the same time, making me wonder what that would be like. Having Chloe as mine. In every sense of the word.
“Yeah, that was just the beginning Chloe. A few weeks later, and mind you, this was after the car was back from the shop; somebody decided that the paint job was all wrong.” My dearest, annoying sister chimes in from the other side of the table.
She is busy directing her children on table manners and at the same time, wanting to keep up with ‘stories’ about me.
“No!” Chloe gasps and looks up at me “You didn’t?”
“Girl, he did! He was like a demon child.” Alice says and everyone laughs.
Honestly, I just want to go back home, to my office, but I can’t deny Chloe this moment. I’d also be man enough to admit that I really love to hear her melodic laugh. It’s almost like she is singing when she laughs. It’s that enchanting and I also think that’s why everyone at the table wants to tell more jokes.
Because they all want to hear her laugh.
“You know young girl, I swear, you remind me of my daughter.” This time, I can’t help my reaction, my body tenses.
I look up and Max’s gaze is waiting for me.
“Oh yeah, where is she? I’d love to meet her.” Chloe, as sweet as ever responds to him, unaware of the harsh silence around the table.
We all know how this song ends and starts. Each time Alexander Hamilton is invited here, and he is invited as sparingly as possible. He always drinks, to drown his sorrows no doubt, and then decides to get into the whole ‘woe is me dance’ that he has memorized.
And honestly, I don’t blame the man. He has been suffering for a long while now. But then at the table tonight, there is someone who he doesn’t know is related to him. His very own Grandchild.
Also tonight is the first time anyone has ever engaged old Alexander in his tale, the story too tragic and sad for anyone to know exactly what to say to him.
But Chloe being Chloe, she dives into the situation with everything.
This time though, it’s going to hurt her, hurt her to the core. I can see that much. I think my Grandfather’s dearest friend was also aware of the fact that no one ever answered back to him once he started, because he sharply looks up and directly at Chloe.
“My dearest Sue?” He asks, his voice breaking with the name of his daughter. The name of Chloe’s mother.
“Yes.” Chloe confirms. “Where is she?” She asks again, this time I don’t know what to do. On one hand, I want to stop this entire conversation and on the other, I know that there is no way I can stop it, not now.
“My baby was murdered!” He starts, “I always knew that stupid boy was no good, taking my baby to live in a bloody trailer trash park, only to die there!” Alexander bursts out but I’m not watching him, I’m watching Chloe.
I watch as the glass of water that was on its way to her lips pauses halfway. I watch as her gaze tracks from the crystal glass, across the table and to the side, then it latches onto Alexander Hamilton.
“Murdered?” Chloe questions in a whisper.
“Yes, that’s what I heard. Nine years after she left. I told her to stop all that nonsense and the unholy relations she was having with that bastard, James. Now my baby is dead.” He says.
There is dead silence around the table, even my niece and nephew wisely keep their mouths shut. Max and I though? We are watching Chloe.
“James?” She gasps out.
I watch from the corner of my eye as my father looks at Chloe. He studies her for a bit then he looks at me. The Black men have always been known as smart and intellectual, much more perceptive than most.
It doesn’t surprise me that my father is already piecing together the puzzle. A broken puzzle.
“Yes, the fool that I gave a chance to work for my hotel. I regret it to this day!” Alexander declares, taking another swig of whiskey from his tumbler.
Chloe listens to all of this but I watch as the dials in her brain begin to click. I watch as the gears shift and the puzzle pieces come into place.
“You didn’t tell me you knew Alexander Hamilton of the Hamilton Luxury Hotel chain?”
I hear her question from earlier echoing as if from another time. Another life time even. She knew something then. The seeds were already planted, but by who?
As far as I know, she didn’t even know anything about Alexander Hamilton. And now she does, enough to see the bigger picture? No, something must have happened. Someone told her something, but who?
“I’m so sorry Paige for dampening the mood around your boy’s special day. It’s just that, my sweetheart’s birthday is a few days away, you know.” Alexander says as he pushes his chair away to stand.
But I’m watching Chloe. If she needed any more confirmation as to who ‘Sue’ was to Alexander, the knowledge that he unknowingly imparts about Chloe’s mother birthday solidifies who old Alexander is.
I watch, as if in slow motion as she drops the glass with a clank on the table, sloshing the water onto the table cloth, but luckily, no one else is paying any attention to her as all eyes are on the drunk man.
Chloe turns, ever so slowly and my breath hitches when our gazes meet.
Pain.
Raw, unfiltered, deep, authentic pain.
It’s in her eyes as well as fear. It takes my breath away in a matter of seconds as I register the turmo
il that is going on inside of her. The turmoil that I know is just the beginning.
“Uh, we will take our leave as well.” I announce and my mother looks up at me sharply.
“Now, but we haven’t had cake yet.” My mother gasps, not used to having her plans shortened by anyone.
“Yeah, Chloe and I just received an emergency alert for work. You know how unstable the ship is at the moment.” I explain as I get up, watching Chloe who is doing her best not to fall apart.
“Oh no, that’s not acceptable Gideon. You can pause work for just one evening.” My mother tries to implore and honestly, I have no time or patience for her, I need to get Chloe out of here.
“Paige honey, we can celebrate him another time. You know how Black House needs all the attention it can get at the moment.” My father chimes in, saving me from saying something that I would regret in the long run.
“But, Max hasn’t enjoyed the cake yet.” My mother states as she looks at Max who is already up and ready to go.
“Oh, sweet Paige, you best believe I’ll be back for my share. So long as fat Alice doesn’t eat it all.” Max jokes, making everyone laugh.
“Fat? Who are you calling fat?” My sister fires back.
I owe Max one for causing a much needed distraction because it gives me time to get Chloe up.
“Just a few seconds and we’ll be alone.” I whisper to her ear but I don’t know if she is even hearing me.
She is in a state of shock and I wonder if she is having a panic attack. Shit.
“The back door.”
I look up and my father stands there, watching Chloe sympathetically. But she isn’t looking at him, as she looks, dazed, at her shoes. With my arm supporting all her weight.
We look at each other, my Dad and I. I know he has many questions but I can’t answer them now. So as the jokes are being told about Alice and Max as children, I slip Chloe through the back door and into the waiting car, with Tom already in front, ready to peel out of there.
As soon as I have Chloe seated, her seat belt secured, I dash around the side and jump in. And the car lurches forward.
But I know, no matter how fast this car will go, what happened tonight is inescapable. Not in the slightest.
A Billion Broken Pieces (Incongruity Series Book 2) Page 14