An Unexpected Love (Women's Fiction/BWWM Romance)

by Stacy-Deanne

  “Yep. Shanti is a straight-A student.” Layla crossed her feet at the ankles. “I’m so proud of her. She has everything planned out. She wants to go to Texas Southern University for her bachelor’s and then be a teacher.” She pointed at Cross. “A math teacher, to be exact.”

  He leaned back. “Ah, I like Shanti already.”

  “Yeah, she loves kids and helping people. So what would be a better career than being a teacher?”

  “What about your older daughter?”

  Layla’s enthusiasm faded. “The road hasn’t been as straight and narrow for Aliyah. While Shanti does everything right, Aliyah does everything wrong…on purpose.”

  “That’s a teenager for you.”

  “She’s gonna be a senior next year. It’ll probably be a miracle if she ever graduates…with her grades.”

  Cross held a compassionate expression. “I’m sorry.”

  “She’s so smart and beautiful. She could be anything. She used to get good grades and be just as good as Shanti. But she’s changed all the way around. If it doesn’t have a penis attached to it, then Aliyah ain’t interested.”

  “Really?”

  “I hate to say it.” Layla’s stomach filled with butterflies. “My daughter is fast, and I’m so worried about her. I pray every day that she changes. I don’t care if she hates me. I just want her to live the best life she can.”

  “All I can say is: don’t give up on her. Sometimes the older our kids get, the more they need us.”

  “Liyah’s acting like this to punish me. She’d rather ruin her life to get back at me than to live right.”

  “I’ll pray for you and her.” He took her hand. “Everything will be all right. Don’t give up hope.”

  She stared into his comforting eyes and then abruptly let go of his hand.

  He bit his bottom lip. “Hmm…so you and your husband have done pretty well for yourselves, huh…Miss MBA from Harvard?”

  “We’ve done okay.” She beamed with pride. “Patrick is an accountant for a law firm, and I made a nice living with Royal Delights.”

  “I bet.”

  “Money is gonna be a bit tight now that I’m divorced. But that’s to be expected.”

  “Are you going back to work?”

  “I’ve been thinking about it…nothing to stand in my way now, right?”

  “Nope. The world is your oyster.”

  As he stared at her again, she held up the Kindle. “Well…”

  “Let me leave you alone so you can read.” He backed out of the door. “I’ll be in the rec room later, probably playing some cards. Why don’t you come join us? Can you play cards?”

  “Yeah, but dominoes is my game.”

  He blew on his fingernails. “I happen to be a dominoes champ.”

  She laughed. “I doubt you’re better than me.”

  “Is that a challenge?” He walked to the bed with his hand out. “Put your money where your mouth is.”

  “Okay.” She shook his hand. “When?”

  “How about six o’clock?” He winked. “It’s you and I playing dominoes in the rec room, no holds barred…if you’re up for it.”

  Layla lay against the headboard and smiled. “I’ll take that challenge.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Aliyah flounced into Patrick’s kitchen that night in a tight, spandex dress with her boobs popping out of the top and her butt hanging out of the bottom.

  “What do you think?” she asked Shanti as she spun around.

  Shanti stirred the pot of mashed potatoes on the stove. “I think you must be crazy if you think Daddy’s not gonna kill you if he saw you in that ho-uniform.”

  “Daddy ain’t here, is he?” Aliyah patted her hair that she’d piled over her head into a messy bouffant. “And this isn’t a ho-uniform…like I’m supposed to listen to the opinion of someone who still dresses like she watches Dora the Explorer.”

  “No, I dress my age unlike you.” Shanti pulled at her T-shirt. “And Momma would flip if she saw all that makeup you got on. You look like you’re thirty years old. Maybe if you focused more on school instead of how you look, you wouldn’t be flunking.”

  “I’m going out,” Aliyah told her as she headed out of the kitchen.

  “Wait a minute.” Shanti ran to the kitchen doorway. “Get back in here.”

  Aliyah rolled her eyes and sashayed back into the kitchen in her four-inch heels. “What?” She chomped gum. “My man’s coming to pick me up in a minute.”

  “Your man,” Shanti mumbled on her way back to the stove. “Which one is it this time? Some dude you picked up when you were with another dude as usual?”

  “Hey, you want some ice in that haterade, lil’ sis?”

  Shanti rolled her eyes.

  “I told you to stop getting in my business.” Aliyah put her hand on her waist. “You’re starting to piss me off like Layla.”

  “Don’t call her that.”

  “It’s her name isn’t it?” Aliyah went to the stove and sniffed the garlic-flavored potatoes.

  “You need to lay off her, for real.” Shanti checked the chicken in the oven. “I know you’re upset, but this has been going on way too long. Why are you so angry? She never did anything to you.”

  “I’m sick of her shit.” Aliyah batted her fake eyelashes. “I can’t even have a fuckin’ life because of her crap.”

  Shanti turned off the potatoes. “You know how selfish you sound?”

  “You know it’s true.” Aliyah stood beside the table. “She’s pathetic, and she’s always riding my ass. How can she tell me how to act when she can’t control her damn self?”

  “Because she’s our mother, and she’s schizophrenic. She can’t help her behavior, but you can help yours.”

  “You can walk around and play the perfect child-slash-doormat, if you want. You’re the favorite, any damn way.”

  “I’m not the favorite.” She washed her hands and grabbed the dishtowel. “It’s just not fair how you treat Momma.”

  “You know what’s not fair? Not having a mother when I needed one. That’s not fair. She’s spent more time at Wellington than she has with us.” Aliyah grabbed Shanti’s hand. “How can you not be pissed off about that?”

  Shanti yanked her hand away. “She did the best she could.”

  “Yet we’re the ones paying for it.”

  Shanti gaped. “You think she hasn’t paid?”

  The doorbell rang.

  “Thank God.” Aliyah ran out of the kitchen.

  “Wait.” Shanti followed.

  Aliyah got to the front door and looked out of the peephole.

  “It’s my man. Oh.” She patted her thick hair she’d put into a ponytail. “He is so fine.”

  “Yeah?” Shanti crossed her arms. “Like all the others have been so fine?”

  “Shut up.” Aliyah pulled at her dress. “Are my boobs sticking out?”

  “Yes.”

  She licked her lips. “Good.” She opened the door. “Hey.”

  “Hey. What’s up?” A tall, young, dark-skinned guy in sagging jeans, LeBron James’ sneakers, and a Houston Texans jersey, grabbed Aliyah by her waist. “You smell good, ma.”

  He kissed her and Shanti rolled her eyes.

  Aliyah pulled on his jersey. “Stop.”

  He sniffed her neck. “You didn’t say that the other day.”

  “Come on in.” Aliyah pulled him inside. “This is Shanti.”

  “This your little sister?” He licked his lips and held out his ashy hand. “What’s up, ma? I’m A.C.”

  Shanti didn’t take his hand until she noticed Aliyah glaring at her. “Nice to meet you too.”

  “Mmm.” He leaned back, rubbing his flat stomach. “I see good looks run in the family.”

  Aliyah tapped his arm. “You crazy.”

  “How did you two meet?” Shanti asked.

  “Shit, I don’t even remember.” A.C. scratched his cap. “A brotha was drunk as hell.”

  Shanti scowled a
t Aliyah. Aliyah put her purse on her shoulder. “I’ll see you, Shanti.”

  “Can I speak to you real quick?” she asked.

  Aliyah told A.C. to wait outside then shut the door.

  “What’s your problem…today?”

  “Who is that guy?”

  “My man.” Aliyah chewed gum. “What’s the big deal?”

  “You’ve gone out with about five different guys in the last six months. Are you out of your mind? Do you know how irresponsible this is? How old is he?”

  “He’s nineteen, so chill.”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “I don’t see what the big deal is. I’m a teenager. I’m supposed to have fun.”

  “Going from man to man is fun?”

  “Yeah.” Aliyah chuckled.

  Shanti shook her head. “You’re doing this to ignore your emotions. You’re hurting, and you’d rather have false attention from these guys than to face it.”

  Aliyah looked at the ceiling. “Thank you, Dr. Phil.”

  “You’re too smart for this.” Shanti pointed to the door. “That guy looks like a thug.”

  “He’s not a thug.” Aliyah smoothed her hair down on the sides of her head. “You’re just judging him on how he dresses. A.C. is a nice guy, and he treats me better than any other guy I’ve dated.”

  “He’s just trying to screw you.”

  Aliyah pulled her dress down at the back. “Mission accomplished.”

  “God.” Shanti exhaled. “You’re better than this. You keep on, and you’ll end up pregnant or worse.”

  “And that’s my problem, isn’t it?” She smacked gum. “This is my life, and I’m gonna live it any damn way I want.”

  “You’re just doing this to get back at Momma.”

  Aliyah opened the door. “I’ll be back by curfew.”

  Shanti held her waist. “What do I tell Daddy when he gets home?”

  “I really don’t care.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  A Week Later

  “Ah, Cross.” Layla struggled to walk with her hand over her eyes. “Was that the last step?”

  “Yeah, hold on.” Cross held her hand and guided her outside. “Don’t peek.”

  “What the…?” She groaned. “Are we in the courtyard?”

  “Yes,” he sang. “We’re going down the sidewalk now. Turn right.”

  “Ouch.” Her sneaker caught on the cracked pavement. “I’m tired of this. I told you I wanted to stay in my room today.”

  “You need to come out for air sometime, Layla.” He pulled her along. “You haven’t left your room for days.”

  “I’ve been gathering my thoughts.” She inched one foot in front of the other. “Isn’t that what the institution is for…to regroup?”

  Cross guided her toward the left. “Yeah, but you don’t have to be a hermit.”

  “Where are we going?” She held on to him. “Don’t let me bump into anything.”

  He caressed her hand as he held it. “I got ya’.”

  Is he caressing my hand on purpose? Does he realize he’s doing it?

  “Come on, damn it.” She stopped and stomped her feet. “Why am I out here?”

  “You can uncover your eyes now.”

  She took her hand down. Underneath the cluster of trees sat a blanket in the grass with a picnic basket, a container of red juice, paper plates, and plastic cups.

  She looked at him. “What is this?”

  “Ta da.” He waved his hand over the spread. “I figured if I got you out of your room, it had to be worth it.” He smiled. “Is it?”

  “A picnic?” She stared at it as if it were a pile of gold. “You did this for me?”

  “I’ve been worried about you. Dr. Livingston told me to keep an eye on you. She says we’re good for each other, and we can help each other make progress.”

  “Cross.” She covered her mouth. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “It’s just food.”

  He sat down and opened the basket.

  “You don’t understand.” She sat on her knees. “This is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. Just to know that you cared enough about me to…” She took his hand. “Thank you.”

  “You don’t have to thank me.” He took out two sandwiches wrapped in plastic. “It’s as much for me as for you.” He handed her a sandwich and a napkin. “I’ve been worried about you. You haven’t come out of your room in almost a week. Is something else wrong?”

  She slowly peeled the plastic off her sandwich and sniffed it.

  “I love roast beef.”

  “I’m glad.” He bit into his sandwich. “What’s been going on with you?”

  She brushed a gnat off her knee. “I’m trying not to get programmed into thinking therapy and medicine can fix all my problems.” She chewed the soft bread and moist beef. “All I care about is my children, and I can’t stand Aliyah hating me. I find myself staring at that macaroni drawing, and it brings so much pain. If I can’t fix things with her, then nothing else matters.”

  “You gotta have faith that everything will work out.” He poured a cup of juice and set it beside her. “I haven’t known you long, but I know you’re a strong person. I could tell that the moment I met you.”

  “I’ve been thinking about my dad a lot.” She chewed. “Something about this place brings back memories you wish you could ignore.”

  He sipped juice. “Like what?”

  “My dad killed himself when I was nineteen.”

  Cross lowered his sandwich. “What?”

  “He was old school, so he didn’t believe in going to doctors or anything.” She curled her legs Indian-style. “When his illness would get out of control, he drank.” She pinched a corner off her sandwich. “That was his medicine.”

  “I’m so sorry. How did he kill himself?”

  “He shot himself in the head.”

  Cross closed his eyes. “Jesus.”

  “He never learned how to deal with his illness.” She grabbed her drink. “You gotta understand the time he came from. I don’t know how it is in white families, but black people don’t talk about stuff. At least they didn’t when he was young. If you had mental illness, they just accepted it and went on. No one tried to get people help or take them to doctors in those days. Plus, his mother had it, so…”

  Cross set his sandwich in his lap. “I bet it was hard growing up with him.”

  “I loved my daddy.” She smiled. “We were very close. He was a great father and a very nice man…until he drank. He thought the booze helped him, but it made him worse. All hell broke loose when he drank. My momma left him four times when we were younger. He didn’t abuse us or anything, but he just got out of control at times.”

  “You said you had sisters?”

  “Two.” She nodded. “I’m the oldest. Then there’s Val. Corrine’s the baby. Since I was the oldest, I was the one helping Momma whenever Daddy acted a fool.” She slightly chuckled. “It was so hard seeing him suffer, because I know how it feels to succumb to the darkness. I just wish he hadn’t been so damn stubborn and had gotten some help.” She sipped juice. “Maybe he’d still be alive today.”

  “I’m sure he wanted to be here for you and your sisters. You gotta believe that.”

  She looked at her sandwich. “Thanks.”

  “Layla!” Gertie, who managed the front desk, waved from across the yard. “You have a visitor!”

  “I have a visitor?” She put her sandwich down, looked at Cross, then stood. “I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Corrine walked from behind Gertie, holding her Gucci purse by the strap.

  “Lay!”

  “Corrine!” Layla jumped up and down. “Girl, I didn’t know you were coming!”

  Corrine ran across the yard and hugged Layla. “Hey, honey.”

  “I’m so glad to see you.” Layla put her arms around her. “I’ve been down lately.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” Corrine
let her go and examined Layla’s expression as always. “Even in here, you look like you stepped off a damn magazine cover.” She poked her arm. “I hate you.”

  “Hey, you’re Corrine Oates from the nine o’clock news.” Cross stood and brushed off his jeans. “Wow.”

  “Hello,” she greeted with a smile.

  Cross gawked at her. “Jeez, Layla. You didn’t tell me Corrine Oates from the news was your sister.”

  “Corrine, this is my friend, Cross Evers,” Layla said.

  He took her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

  Corrine dipped her head. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  “You’re even prettier in person.” He looked back and forth at the sisters. “You guys were definitely blessed in the looks department. I bet your parents beat the boys away with sticks when you were growing up.”

  Corrine giggled. “You’re a charming one, aren’t you?”

  He put his arms behind his back. “I guess so.”

  “And what’s this?” Corrine stepped on the blanket. “A picnic?”

  “Cross did it for me.” Layla beamed. “He wanted to cheer me up.”

  “I see.” Corrine raised an eyebrow. “Did he succeed?”

  Layla nudged her. “Corrine.”

  “Why don’t I let you two talk for a little bit?” Cross smiled. “I’ll be in the rec room if you need me, Layla.”

  “Okay.” She stared at his perfect ass as he walked away.

  “Well, well, well.” Corrine gestured in the direction Cross left in. “If I’d known they had hunks like that in here, I’d have checked myself in too.”

  “You’re so bad.” Layla sat down on the blanket. “Before you start…it’s not even like that.”

  “Uh-huh.” Corrine brushed down her fitted dress and sat beside her. “Don’t tell me it’s not like that. If it’s one thing I know, it’s when a man has the hots for a woman.”

  “What are you talking about?” Layla laid the rest of her sandwich in the basket. “We’re just friends.”

  “You can say friends all you want, but this…” Corrine gestured to the spread. “…is not a friendly picnic. This is a romantic picnic.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Layla’s face grew hot. “He’s a very nice guy, and he’s concerned about me. That’s all.”