Imitation of Wife

by La Jill Hunt

  She was pissed that Sylvia hadn’t mentioned that Garry would be at the house. It was a setup, and she certainly didn’t appreciate it. I should’ve known something was up. Syl calling and agreeing to meet up after initially being so negative should’ve been a red flag. Sherrod walked right into the lion’s den without even knowing it. God, I hope he doesn’t think I had anything to do with this shit. Janelle tried making eye contact with him, but he didn’t even look in her direction. She heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, and then Sylvia finally returned.

  “First, I want to apologize to all of you. I should’ve been honest and up front with all of you, but I wasn’t, but you’ve gotta believe my intentions were, and well, they still are good. Aunt Connie is right, though. We all love and care for Jordan, and all of us are her family, whether we like it or not,” Sylvia told them with tears in her eyes.

  Despite her anger, Janelle felt inclined to issue her own apology. “I’m sorry too. I was the one who even suggested that Sylvia and Sherrod sit down and form an alliance. I had my own selfish motives and didn’t consider anyone’s feelings. I had no ill intent, though, please understand. Sherrod didn’t do this, Garry. I did.”

  Garry’s eyes remained on the floor in front of him. He didn’t respond, which made Janelle feel even worse.

  “I know you’re not a bad person, Sherrod.” Sylvia went and sat in the chair closest to her husband. “Jordan stresses that to me all the time. And that you’re willing to fight for her lets me know how much you love her.”

  “I do.” Sherrod’s voice was barely above a whisper. “She’s gone through a lot these past couple of months. We all have. But I promised her mom and I promised her that I would take care of her if anything happened.”

  “You don’t have to take care of her. She has a father to take care of her.” Garry lifted his head.

  “Why do you keep saying that? Don’t you think I know that you’re her father?” Sherrod asked.

  “Then act like it. I don’t need another man taking care of my family. I’m a man,” Garry shot at him. “I don’t need you taking care of my responsibilities.”

  “Garry, no one is trying to take over or take your place. That’s not what Sherrod is trying to do at all,” Janelle explained. “If anything, he’s been there for Jordan, and he’s trying to help.”

  “Help her what? Sneak out of town without permission? Isn’t that what he helped her do?” Garry said. “I don’t need his help. He’s part of the damn problem.”

  “Yes, Garry, you do,” Janelle told him. “You just don’t realize it. He sure did help her sneak out of town the same way I helped Peyton. I guess that makes me a problem too, huh?”

  “That’s not what we’re saying at all,” Sylvia interjected. “But both of you were wrong in that instance and have acknowledged that fact. Let’s be real, these girls are teenagers, and they’re going to do teenage things and get in trouble from time to time. They ain’t perfect, and we don’t expect them to be.”

  “I’m not trying to be her daddy, Garry. She’s already got one. But she’s also got me and has always had me from day one. I know you don’t like to hear that, but that’s what it is. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented you from being present full time, and I was there when you weren’t. That never meant I was trying to take your place. I loved Randi, and I love Jordan, simple as that. But you always looked at me as a threat, and that’s not what I am,” Sherrod said. “I don’t even think you realize that even though you and Randi didn’t have a romantic relationship, you were so adamant with your rules and regulations regarding Jordan that Randi hardly even dated.”

  Garry frowned. “She was free to date whomever she wanted as long as she didn’t have them around my child.”

  “I was her best friend, and you didn’t even want me around your child,” Sherrod said. “Everything had to be your way. And it was to a fault.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do you know how upset I would be when I saw Jordan’s report cards and her school absences? I could’ve tutored her or gone to parent-teacher conferences while her mom was working, or even taken her to school. But you wouldn’t hear it. So instead of insisting on you allowing me to help, she fell back to keep the peace, and my hands were tied. I could only do so much, just like right now,” Sherrod said. “It’s frustrating and it... it hurts.”

  Janelle slid closer to Sherrod and grabbed his hand, now fighting to hold back her own tears. She glanced over at her sister and brother-in-law and saw there was something unusual about the exchange they were giving one another. It was as if Sherrod had confirmed something and Sylvia was pointing it out.

  “We appreciate the support that you’ve given Jordan,” Janelle said.

  “We do,” Sylvia agreed. “And we know that Randi’s death has been hard on all of you. But we have to come up with what’s going to be best for Jordan. That’s what’s most important. And I’m just gonna be honest, Sherrod, as much as you love her, I can’t sit here and say you can just take her and she can go live with you. That’s just not possible.”

  “I’m not gonna just walk away and give her up,” Sherrod told her.

  “Wait, I think it’s safe to say that no one is expecting you to just walk away at this point, right?” Janelle asked, looking from Sylvia to Garry. Neither one answered, so she continued. “Would you at least, for the time being, allow some kind of visitation? The reality is Jordan needs as much support as she can get. This isn’t an ideal situation for any of us, but we’re gonna have to come up with the best solution for her. It’s gonna take some give and take.”

  Whether it was the internal prayers she’d been thinking or the hours of required mediation training for her job, Janelle didn’t know, but Garry looked up at her and said, “What kind of visitation are we talking about?”

  Sherrod’s fingers squeezed hers tightly. Janelle simply replied, “Maybe let them hang out once a week? I think that’s a fair place to start. We don’t have to come up with anything structured right now. It can be as simple as he can pick her up one afternoon a week for four hours, and we go from there. Is that something we can all agree on?”

  “I don’t have a problem with that if Garry is okay with it.” Sylvia nodded.

  They all stared at Garry and waited for his response.

  “I don’t want you picking her up and taking her anywhere without permission.”

  “Understood,” Sherrod told him. “I would also like to be able to call and text her again. Can you unblock me from her phone?”

  “I guess I could arrange that too,” Garry said with a half-smile. “Well, I could use a damn drink. What about y’all?”

  “Definitely,” Janelle said, grateful that the mood had lightened.

  “Everybody good with Jack?” Garry stood and asked.

  “I’m good with whatever,” Sherrod told him.

  “Be right back,” Garry said.

  “I’ll help.” Sylvia followed him out.

  They were finally alone. Janelle leaned her head on Sherrod’s shoulder. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “I know it’s not what you were hoping for, but I mean—”

  “Like you said, it’s give and take, and it’s a start,” Sherrod told her. “I’m just glad we were able to kind of talk stuff out. It was long overdue and had been a long time coming. I’d been wanting to have that come-to-Jesus meeting for a while, but Randi wouldn’t let me.”

  “Come-to-Jesus meeting?” Janelle giggled. “You know who you sound like, right?”

  “Good ol’ Aunt Connie,” they said in unison and laughed.

  “Here you go,” Garry said, handing Sherrod one of the crystal tumblers of whiskey he was holding.

  “And for you.” Sylvia passed Janelle a glass of wine.

  “This ain’t Jack.” Janelle frowned, looking at the glass.

  “I know. I didn’t want to be the odd man out. Besides, ladies sip, they don’
t swallow.” Sylvia shrugged.

  Janelle relented and took the glass from her sister. “Salute, I guess.”

  * * *

  “I guess we’ll speak soon,” Sherrod said to Sylvia and Garry an hour later as he and Janelle stood in the foyer before heading out the front door.

  “We will,” Sylvia said.

  “Sherrod,” Garry said, “uh, man, about that incident at the game the other week...”

  “What incident? I don’t recall.” Sherrod shrugged. “We cool.”

  The door opened, and Peyton walked in, followed by Aunt Connie and Jordan. All three looked a bit confused for a second.

  “Aunt Nelle!” Peyton hugged her.

  “Uncle Rod?” Jordan’s eyes widened, and she seemed as if she didn’t know how to react.

  “What’s up, Jordan?” Sherrod went to put his arms around her, but she quickly looked to her father as if she wanted to make sure it was okay before she allowed it. Garry gave her a slight nod. Jordan and Sherrod held one another tightly for an extended moment.

  “What’s going on?” Peyton whispered.

  Janelle sighed. “I’ll tell you later.”

  “Well, looks like y’all decided to act like grownups and come to an understanding.” Aunt Connie smiled.

  “We did,” Garry told her.

  “We’ve gotta get out of here. I’m starving,” Janelle said.

  “Don’t forget about prom dress shopping with us,” Peyton reminded her.

  Janelle had forgotten about Peyton’s request for her to go shopping for a prom dress. The text had come while Janelle and Sylvia were in the middle of their little rift, which had yet to be resolved. And she still wasn’t sure where she and her sister stood at this point. Though they’d both apologized for the part they played in the debacle earlier, she still needed to have a chat with Sylvia.

  “She ain’t gonna forget. We’re gonna make a whole day of it. Shopping, lunch, right, Syl and Nelle? A real girls’ day with all of us.” Aunt Connie put her arms around both Peyton and Jordan. “We gonna have as much fun as we did tonight.”

  Jordan and Peyton looked as if it were taking everything within to produce the awkward smiles that were damn near identical. Janelle could only imagine what the two of them experienced while hanging out with their aunt. No doubt, it had been quite the experience.

  “Sounds like a plan,” Sylvia said, her eyebrows raised.

  “We’ll see you guys later,” Janelle said, taking Sherrod by the hand and leading him out the door.

  “Wow.” He exhaled as they walked toward both of their cars. “That was intense, but I’m glad it was productive.”

  “Me too,” Janelle told him. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. A warm sensation went through her despite the night chill.

  “So, you want to go grab something to eat?” He looked into her eyes. “You said you were hungry.”

  “I am. But I think I’d like to eat in, rather than going somewhere. How about you grab something and bring it to my place?”

  “Dinner at your place?” He rubbed his chin and gave her a mischievous grin. “Well, I was thinking we were gonna go somewhere special and celebrate my small victory.”

  “Trust me, it’ll be special.” Janelle winked before pulling his head to hers and giving him a hot, wet kiss to let him know exactly what she meant, in case the other hints she’d given him weren’t enough. She wasn’t sure if it was the progress they’d made with Sylvia and Garry, the two glasses of wine she’d had, or the fact that Sherrod was looking fine as hell in the shirt he wore that fit well enough to show off his broad shoulders and chest, but she was feeling some type of way.

  “Damn,” he said when the kiss was over. “Eating in it is. Anything in particular you want me to pick up?”

  “Actually, I’ve changed my mind.”

  “What?” Sherrod’s happiness quickly turned to confusion.

  “You don’t have to pick anything up. We can decide later and get it delivered. Let’s go.”

  He opened her car door, and they kissed once more before she got in. It had been a minute since she’d had sex: not since she met Sherrod, which was indicative of how much she was feeling him. They’d waited long enough, and tonight the wait would be over.

  Chapter 25

  Tricia

  “So, this is the big weekend, huh?” Mr. Dolbert asked.

  It was quitting time on a Friday, and the last thing Tricia felt like doing was making small talk, boss or not. All she wanted to do was leave the building, stop for her curbside pickup that she’d schedule to be waiting, and go to her empty house. Her husband and son were in Atlanta, preparing for the All-American Game scheduled for the following day. Although she’d talked to Tank a couple of times, she had only communicated with Titus via text. Not that his being out of town even made a difference, because after the debacle at therapy, they really hadn’t said much to one another. Of course, what happened at Dr. Guyser’s office was probably the last thing on Titus’s mind. He was too busy being consumed with Tank, practice, and speaking to the media to be concerned with the cold war that was now their marriage.

  “Oh, yeah.” Tricia nodded as she turned off her computer.

  “I saw the interview your son and husband did on channel eleven. Great stuff. Are you having a watch party somewhere?” Mr. Dolbert smiled. “I see the school is having one over at Dave & Buster’s.”

  “I’m gonna watch, but no party,” Tricia told him. “You have a good weekend.”

  “Well, let him know we’re rooting for him. Good luck.”

  Instead of prolonging the conversation that she didn’t even want to be having with a verbal response, Tricia gave him a wave and a weak smile as she hurried past. Her head remained down in an effort to avoid any further small talk about her son and his upcoming basketball game with anyone else as she rushed down the corridor and onto the elevator. Miraculously, she made it out of the building, across the parking lot, and to her truck without any interruptions. It seemed that, unlike her boss, her coworkers were in just as much of a hurry as she was to leave. Twenty minutes later, she had just pulled into the parking space designated CAR TO GO when she looked up and saw someone waving at her.

  “Everett?” She frowned as she rolled down her window.

  “Hey, lady, I thought that was you.” He walked over to the car. “I was gonna knock on the window, but that probably would’ve been kinda stalkerish. I remember how you almost killed me the first time I approached you.”

  “I did not almost kill you.” Tricia smiled. “I threatened to kill you.”

  “Semantics.” Everett shrugged.

  Tricia had no idea what that even meant, so she just nodded.

  “How have you been?” he asked. She hadn’t spoken to him since the time he called to check on her after she got back from her mother’s, but he had texted her twice to say hello. His gesture, albeit nice, was kind of odd. She’d meant to respond, but the second one had come the day that she’d gone to therapy with Titus, and of course, she’d forgotten until now.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Wait, why are you here? Shouldn’t you be in Atlanta? The game is tomorrow.”

  “It is. But I couldn’t get any time off. It’s a busy season at my job.” Tricia didn’t know why she felt the need to lie, but she did. For some reason, it sounded better than, “I didn’t want to go.”

  “Man, that kinda sucks. But I get it.” He snapped his finger. “Oh, wait, I’m glad I ran into you. I have something for you.”

  Tricia squinted through her glasses as she watched him stroll across the parking lot to his car and open the trunk. She wondered what it possibly could be. Whatever it was, he’d mentioned it before when they talked, and now he seemed adamant to give it to her.

  “Hi, the name on your order?”

  Tricia blinked, startled by the appearance of the waitress standing beside her car. She’d been so busy looking at Everett that she’d forgotten about her food order. “Wha
t?”

  “The name for your order. You did place a Carside To Go order, right?” the girl, whose name tag read LYRIC, asked with a forced smile.

  “Would I be sitting here if I didn’t?” Tricia glowered at her. “Last name is King.”

  “My apologies. Most customers call and alert us that they’ve arrived, which you didn’t do. That’s the only reason I came out and asked,” Lyric responded, then walked off. Tricia didn’t have time to regret having an attitude because Everett reappeared, holding a nice-sized gift bag with the Burke University name and shield displayed on the outside.

  “Here you go.” He held the bag toward her as if he were presenting her with the Key to the City.

  “Everett, what in the world?” Tricia was shocked as she took it from him.

  “Look inside and see.”

  Tricia peeked into the bag. Just as she was about to reach inside, she told him, “You don’t have to stand there. Get in.”

  “Are you sure?” He paused, then said, “Hey, they haven’t brought your food out. How about we go inside instead and you can open it? I was going to get takeout myself.”

  “Well, okay.” Tricia opened the door, grabbing her purse and the gift bag before stepping out. She hit the lock button of her key fob, then walked with Everett toward the entrance of the restaurant. They stepped inside, and the first person she saw was Lyric, who was posted up, talking with another hostess. She looked a little shocked when she turned and saw Tricia walk up.

  “They’re bagging your food up now. I’m just waiting for them to bring it out,” she explained quickly.

  “Oh, no worries, it’s fine,” Everett told her. “She actually decided to come in to keep me company while I order my food.”

  “So, you’re dining in instead?’ The hostess grabbed two menus from the pile in front of her.