Risqué 3

by Perri Forrest

  Elise didn’t respond. Her focus had returned to the words on the stationary. She was re-reading what she had already read to herself twice:

  Sister,

  By the time you get this letter, I’ll already be gone. Gone for good. Never to be a bother to anybody that I love. Or who loves me. And I know that you are one of those people. I was just too selfish to give that same love back in return.

  I’m sorry for all that I took you through. I’m very sorry for all the disrespect and the lack of accountability for my actions. You didn’t deserve any of it. Auntie’s memory didn’t deserve any of it either. I don’t know what got into me, but whatever it is, or was, needs to be dealt with. Keep the company. Keep the money. All of it. Just go ahead and be great.

  I love you,

  Al

  The next thing Elise felt was someone softly touch her shoulder, before slowly lifting the piece of paper from her hands. In her trance-like state, she remained still. She was in shock. She was concerned; and not exactly sure what she had just read. It was clear that Alyssa was retracting her request for money or even so much as a piece of the company. What wasn’t clear was whether or not her sister was dead or alive. The letter’s wording seemed so cryptic.

  Finally breaking her silence, Elise asked, “Have you talked to her… live, Mr. Slaughter?”

  Slaughter nodded his head slowly. “When we spoke, my understanding was that she was leaving town.”

  “For where?” Elise asked, her voice trembling softly.

  “I really don’t know,” he replied. “She asked that I bring the letter, to this meeting, in her place. Now that it’s open, I’ll need a copy for my files. Especially given that it’s a retraction of her original legal position.”

  Elise fell silent, leaving her attorney to respond. “I’ll see to it that you receive a copy of the letter.”

  “Thank you.” He pushed back his seat and stood. “I’ll be closing this out. I wish you well, Ms. Brown.”

  “Thank you,” Elise responded quietly, watching him exit the office suite.

  “I guess we won,” Craig said when they were alone. “Seemingly, by default.”

  Elise lowered her head for a few seconds, then looked at her attorney. “That’s debatable…” was her comment.

  It was all she had to offer, during a time where her thoughts were doing a cha-cha-cha on her brain. She couldn’t make up her mind whether to be relieved that the shit was over. Or, if she should feel that the letter was all a part of the dramatics, that Alyssa had proven to be so capable of. Or, if there was something deeper, maybe even sinister at hand, that she should be worried about.

  “Elise, nothing about this is debatable. You’ve been stressed about this situation for weeks. And now it’s come to a head. Just welcome it, and do what your sister said… Go be great. You deserve it.”

  A slow, deep inhale filled her lungs with air; and a hefty sigh forced the air out. Elise felt a soft blanket of calmness wash over her. She was now centered enough to marry the moment. A moment where the dust had settled, and where Elise could regroup without worry. It was a gift that she had decided she would gladly accept, with no questions asked.

  “You’re right, Craig. I was expecting a battle, and got a blessing instead. I trust that my sister’s simply doing the right thing for once. Maybe she just sat with herself one day during all of this, and realized the error of her ways. She’ll reach out when she’s ready. And by that time, we’ll both be ready. Until then…” Elise’s beautiful face opened into a beautiful, broad smile of relief. “It’s only up from here.”

  49 | NOREEN WELLINGTON

  2 weeks later…

  Noreen Wellington loved her job.

  The job had many, many perks. Not the regular perks of a regular job, either. It wasn’t about a great benefit plan with the best PPO, or a cushy 401k plan. It wasn’t even about employee discounts at some of the premiere shops. No, her perks were more in the form of things like a luxury car, a 10,000 square foot Reno mansion. Not just any mansion. There were four bedrooms, six full bathrooms, a 2-story foyer with staircase, 2 terraces, an elevator… and a bunch of other amenities. It was a dream home—a four-million-dollar dream home, to be exact.

  At fifty-nine years young, Noreen had what most people wouldn’t see in a lifetime. She’d earned it. Loyalty, has always been known to reward those who deserve it. Especially, when that loyalty is given to the right people. In her case, it was her best friend of eight years, Cicely McCall. If she hadn’t met CiCi when she did, Noreen didn’t know what she would have done. She had just been through the ringer with a man that trampled on her, every chance he got.

  A full-figured woman wasn’t one that he saw for his life, as a Hollywood producer. So, when Noreen went from the size four that he met her at, to the voluptuous size sixteen that she currently was, Mr. Hollywood producer did all that he could to make her feel as low as the ground she walked on.

  And for a while it worked.

  Until CiCi came along.

  Noreen’s marriage had gotten to the point where she was ready to drive herself off a cliff. It was that bad. When she married Douglas, he isolated her from family, so she had nowhere and nobody to go to, when she felt at her lowest point. He never brought his friends or their significant others around, so she was all alone inside her own head. And the Devil was busy in there. Every day she became bolder and bolder and knew that she was going to do it. It being, end her life. But before she did that, she wanted to embark on a trip that she had always wanted to take. So, one weekend, on one of her husband’s many business trips, Noreen booked a trip to Sedona. There, she would visit the mountains and soak up some of the magnetic energy that Sedona was rumored to have.

  It was on the second night at the Enchantment Resort, that Noreen encountered CiCi.

  “For the last two days I’ve seen you. Each time you look so solemn, it makes me sad. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad. Chin up…”

  Those were the words that Cicely had spoken. Those words led to a conversation, that led to a path of empowerment, that led to a meeting with a high-powered divorce attorney. From there, amazing moments were born: a mansion, two vacation homes, and a seven-figure settlement. Over the years, there had been many instances where CiCi had shown up for Noreen. For that reason, whenever CiCi called, Noreen was there.

  Even if it meant sharing her lavish home.

  “Miss Noreen…” a voice called out. Hearing her name, snatched Noreen’s attention away from her computer screen. The piece of real estate that she was eyeing would have to wait. “I’m sorry to disturb you,” the person continued.”

  Noreen stood from the plush seat of her office chair, and adjusted her white button-down shirt. She was careful to tuck a loose piece back into the waist of her jeans.

  “It’s no bother, Charlotte. What can I do for you?”

  Without pause, she replied… “We have a problem.”

  Several minutes later, Noreen accompanied Charlotte and of one of her contracted security to a third-floor master suite.

  “Open the door,” Noreen requested, of the tall, muscular man.

  The moment all three entered the room, it was evident why Charlotte had asked for Noreen’s presence.

  “What is going on?” Noreen asked sternly.

  “Where is the Devil?!” the woman screamed. “Get the Devil here… now!”

  “How much of a Devil is she, if she’s letting your ungrateful-ass live?” Noreen spat.

  “She’s not letting me live. We both know why I’m breathing. So, where the fuck is she? Because I’d rather die now, than be here in captivity like a goddamn, trapped-ass animal!”

  “Listen,” Noreen stated, stepping forward. “Unless you want to be put in my very uncomfortable, very dark basement, stop the bullshit. Show some re—”

  “Whoa!” the woman roared, throwing her heard back and releasing a menacing laughter. “You were not about to say respect. Right? Because if so, that’s funny. You wanna t
alk about respect? The fuckin’ ner—”

  “Noreen! No!” someone yelled from a short distance away. It was a save for the woman; because Noreen’s hand was mid-air and about to deliver a fierce blow. Noreen spun around toward the door, and was met with her dear friend, Cicely.

  “Tigress…” CiCi entered the room smiling. She greeted both security and Charlotte, then proceeded to where the feuding women stood in near-battle. “Stand down, Tigress.” The two best friends hugged briefly, before CiCi redirected her attention. “You better pipe all the fucking way down if you know what’s good for you. I’m not to be fucked with, little girl. You keep disrespecting my friend, her house, you will be dealt with.”

  “Yeah… right,” the woman stated defiantly, in a low growl.

  CiCi reached out, roughly grabbing Alyssa’s chin, with the tightest grip she could muster. “What was that?” When Alyssa hesitated, CiCi yanked her chin, causing her to stumble forward. “Say it!”

  “We both know that as long as I have this child in me, you won’t do anything.”

  After releasing her hold, CiCi turned to her friend. Both women burst into laughter. “Honey, in two weeks, when you reach your fourteenth week of gestation, you’ll be having an amniocentesis. And then a few days after that when the paternity results come back… if it’s not Trevor’s you’re dead. If it is, you will definitely be spared… just long enough to deliver.”

  “And after that?” she asked visibly shaken.

  “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” Those were CiCi’s last words before she turned on her heel and exited the room.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you old bitches? Lettt me the fuck out of herrre!”

  Neither the yelling, the demands nor the crying, fazed Cicely. Alyssa could scream herself to sleep for all she cared. As far as Cicely was concerned, any and everything that Alyssa was going through, she deserved. She had brought it on herself. The woman was a menace to society; and if indeed the child she carried belonged to Trevor, there was no way she would be around to taint that beautiful being…

  “Girl, I was about to smack the skin off her pretty little face,” Noreen admitted, once she and CiCi were on the other side of the door.

  “Oh, I know. She’ll lead you to it for sure. Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with her too much longer. I have a strong feeling that the baby isn’t Trevor’s. And if I’m right, she’s as good as deceased.”

  50 | TREVOR

  “I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

  “I can,” Skai stated confidently. She grinned, mocking me over the power she held. “It’s called persuasion.”

  “Yeah, and you got a lot of that. Surprise role-playing at bars. Vixen sex into the—”

  “Hold on! Vixen sex? What is—”

  “Vixen sex into the witching hour…” I continued. “And then breakfast to seal the deal.”

  I smiled thinking back to all the fun we’d had.

  “Is that complaining I hear?”

  “Ha! You’re funny. You know good and damn well that I’m not complaining. If it was up to me—which clearly, nothing seems to be these days—we’d be back in your bed, or mine finishing off boxes of latex, and fucking up perfectly good sheets.”

  “Whew, as tempting as that is…”

  “Right. I guess we should save a little for later. I think I’m gonna like this, ‘friends with benefits’ situation. I like the idea of you importing your… umm…” I looked down between her legs. “Importing the goods every now and then. Precious cargo.”

  She cleared her throat; her eyes travelled to the growing tent that was my jeans. “I’m not the only one with precious cargo,” she acknowledged.

  “We gotta stop doing this shit or we’ll never make it to where—”

  She giggled. “I know, right?!”

  “Speaking of destinations. You sure your mom’s not gonna tell me to get the fuck out of her house?”

  “What’s wrong with you? You always make those silly comments about my Mama not liking you. Where do you even get that from?”

  “Trust me. Your mom does not like me at all. I can tell. Kinda like an expert on women. So, I know when one can’t stand me.”

  “First of all… expert? Whatever. And second… I need you to stop sounding so paranoid. Seriously, Trevor. Stop it. Just because she’s not ridin’ your nuts don’t mean—”

  “Whoa! Hey! That’s disrespectful, young lady. I got so much respect for your mom. Don’t say shit like that.”

  “Noted. As long as you don’t keep accusing her of something that’s not true.”

  “Cool.”

  “Make a left at the end of the block,” she instructed. “When you see my mom’s Benz, park.

  “Damn, look at these homes.” I slowed the car when I spotted the Benz. “Moms moved up.”

  “Yep. Wait until you see the inside. It’s so pretty. Like, sophistichic.” She laughed.

  “Sophisti, what?”

  “Chic. Like a sophisticated and chic blend. Don’t front like you didn’t know what I meant.”

  “Well, you’re making up words that ain’t in the dictionary. I’m not frontin’ at all. I am concerned, though.”

  She nudged my shoulder and laughed. “Forget you!”

  “You can’t do that.”

  “Pssh, please.”

  “Please what? You know I got whatever you’re pleading for.”

  She mugged me, turning up her lips in a smirk. “If you don’t stop it.”

  He shrugged. “Stop? You sure?”

  “Trevor.”

  “Alright, alright.”

  She pushed out a sigh. “Geez, thank you.” We exited the car, and made our way to sleek gate made of redwood, and wrought iron. It was slightly ajar, so we walked right through to the courtyard. “Nice, right?”

  “Hell yeah. Who the fuck has a gated courtyard in the front of their house? Shit is next level.”

  “I know, huh? This is my first time seeing it in person. I’ve only seen it on FaceTime when my mom showed me the virtual tour. I can’t wait!” Skai shrieked.

  “Fuck…” I whispered. “Why the hell am I nervous as shit right now?”

  “Trev, just re—”

  Suddenly, the door swung open and Skai’s mother, Giselle, appeared. “My baby!” she pulled Skai into a tight hug, and started to love on her. “Come here, you! Zane!” Giselle called out; her face buried into Skai’s cheek.

  “Ma!” Skai whined. “Let’s get inside!” she pleaded, through the hugs and kisses. “These people are about to think the ghetto is alive and—”

  “Like I give a damn!”

  Giselle commenced to kissing Skai in every available spot on her face. There was nobody else in the world right then… just the two of them. I was mesmerized, watching their display of parent-offspring affection. Never saw it this up close and this personal; and for sure not in my own life. It was beautiful.

  “Dang, Mama! Thank God I didn’t bother putting on any makeup. It would’ve been a done deal.”

  Minutes after the smothering, Giselle relented. “Okayyy,” she said, grabbing ahold of Skai’s hand. “You win. Let’s get inside. Hi, Trevor!” She’d finally seen me. I was surprised when she extended her free hand in my direction. “Come on in!” she exclaimed, shutting down my whole theory about me not being welcome in her home.

  51 | SKAI

  “Who’s this stranger?” Zane glided into view. “Come on over here for some more love. Might as well get it out of the way now.” He approached our gathering spot, stealing me from my mother and pulling me into a warm embrace. “It’s good to see you, Skai.”

  I reciprocated the hug. “Same here, Zane.”

  I snuck a glance over at Trevor, who was giving me the eye. I already knew what it was, and that he wasn’t going to let me live it down. He teased me about being spoiled, every chance he got; so, I already knew I wouldn’t hear the end of it.

  When all the kisses and hugs had been handed out,
we still hadn’t abandoned the enormous foyer area. And just when I thought that’s what we were about to do, suddenly, a thick cloud of silence engulfed us. I had no idea what it was… until Zane spoke.

  “Is this your friend, Skai?” he asked, staring in Trevor’s direction.

  I was reluctant to answer. The tone in Zane’s voice wasn’t welcoming. It sounded more like agitation. I wondered if he felt a way, that I’d brought a stranger into his home, without clearing it with him first. I immediately felt badly. Because although Trevor wasn’t a stranger to my mother, he was to Zane. Still, his response to Trevor, surprised me.

  “He is my friend,” I replied, stepping closer to Trevor. Right then, I felt protective of him. He didn’t ask to walk into what seemed to have quickly become an uncomfortable encounter. “This is Trevor. He’s our neighbor,” I offered. “He lives across the street from… or rather… across the street from where Mama used to live. Trevor, this is Zane. Zane, this is Trevor.”

  I looked over at my mother for a sign of affirmation or approval, and that’s when she smiled wide. She moved to Zane’s side. Rubbing his chest, she said, “Baby… down. Trevor is good people. Stop that.”

  Trevor extended his hand in Zane’s direction. “Trevor Rossi.”

  Zane hesitated at first. In fact, if I’m being honest, it was several moments. Then he finally extended the gesture. “Zane Cabot,” he said, shaking Trevor’s hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Zane,” Trevor responded, laying out his best bed of manners. “Nice home you guys have here.”

  “Thank you…” was Zane’s curt reply.

  My mother and I shot each other quick glances, before the collective headed into the open-space living room. Cream, burgundy, and black were the colors used in the sophisticated décor. There was beautiful slate tile for the flooring. But then, a large black carpet spanned across an area where the sofas and chaise lounges were planted. In another part of the room, sat a full bar. What caught my eye were the four giant windows that started at one end of the living room, then travelled all the way to the other.