His mind continued to remind him of his past failures, bad decisions, and unmentionable mistakes. One by one, over and over like a broken record, they played until he reached the one that he knew was the ultimate betrayal. Betrayal, not just toward his family, but toward the God he gladly served.
Carlton couldn’t allow the past to ruin everything he had built and as long as Breyonna was living, breathing, and spitting venom about him it was a good chance that among everything else he’d gotten himself into that she would not stop until his life had gone to the ashes. She knew things he’d done in his past that were sure to ruin him.
Breyonna was the real reason he initially asked Meesha for a divorce. She had started blackmailing him way before she showed up in Adverse City to so called claim Liam as her son. Carlton had wired her money several times to keep her mouth shut and keep her away from him and his family, but as time passed, Breyonna pressed him for more money, in larger amounts, and more often. She threatened to tell Meesha, the media and his church about his penchant for drugs, their sordid, sick sex life, his fetish for pornography, and of course her secret about Liam.
When she showed up in Adverse City, Carlton almost lost it. He had to do something to stop her. When she went to Peyton, he knew that everything was coming to an end. His life as he knew it would be over and done. The last straw was when she showed up at Perfecting Your Faith and caused a ruckus. She had to be stopped somehow someway.
No one but God and the man who had been his best friend since they were three years old knew the weight of the decision he made and how it bared down on his soul like a concrete block.
Klay Gentry and Carlton grew up in the same neighborhood and attended the same daycare. As little boys at the daycare center, they clung to each other and took up for one another. Their friendship continued over the years and their bond of friendship grew tighter as they became young men and lasted to this day. Klay was like another brother to Carlton. Being that Klay had no brothers himself, he formed an attachment just as close with Carlton and his brothers.
Klay was a good guy from a dysfunctional family. He and Carlton hung out twenty-four seven. When he became a teenager, Klay practically lived with Carlton’s family because he was always at their house.
As Klay grew older, the Godly influence of Carlton’s family rubbed off on him and he seemed to escape the perils of his life at home. Klay’s was the too often typical story in a sad way—alcoholic father, abused mother, neglected kids.
As a young man of seventeen at the time, Klay met Allison, a nice girl who attended the same church as Carlton and his family. Like always, Klay was right with them, going to church every chance he could.
Klay was the first in his family to graduate from high school. He went to trade school and became an electrician. When he turned twenty, Klay and Allison, the girl of his dreams got married.
The first two years everything was going good for the couple, until Klay got wind that Allison was cheating on him with the dude who lived next door to them.
Klay never said who clued him in on what she was doing, but needless to say, when he got the call that Allison and the guy were at dude’s house, Klay left his job and sped toward home. He parked his truck a half block away and trotted to dude’s house. Peeping inside the bedroom window, he saw Allison and the guy. Allison was doing things with their neighbor that he had a hard time getting her to do with him. He felt sickened to the point where his mind went to a deep, dark, horrid place of no return.
He raced to the front door and hammered on the man’s door until the guy opened it. The man’s eyes grew so big they looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.
With brute force, Klay shoved the man back inside his house and commenced to pounding him while Allison appeared wrapped in a sheet, screaming and pleading for Klay to stop as the man’s blood splattered everywhere. Her screams only intensified Klay’s anger. He bound their mouths, tied both of them up, went to the guy’s kitchen and retrieved a bottle of cooking oil. He spilled a stream of expletives as he poured the bottle of oil over their bodies. Next, he pulled out and flicked the lighter he had in his pocket and…..set them afire.
Klay was serving a sixty year sentence for their murders. That had been eleven years ago since his conviction, and he had become a model inmate. He was able to use his electrician skills behind bars and was often sent on various assignments throughout the prisons and jails in Miami and Adverse City.
Carlton remained in Klay’s life, visiting him as time permitted.
Klay felt like he owed Carlton his life. It was Carlton who hired the best attorney at the time to represent Klay. Even though he got a sixty year sentence, he was spared from a life sentence and the death penalty. Carlton was his best friend and the only one that still cared about him. He was the only visitor Klay ever received and the only person who kept his prison books padded with money.
Carlton paid a jail visit to Klay when he found out that Klay was working at the Adverse City jail on a big electrical project. It happened to be during the same time that Breyonna was sitting behind bars at the very same jail.
Days later, Breyonna was found dead in her jail cell. Coincidence? Perhaps or perhaps not.
Breyonna, Breyonna God have mercy on your revengeful soul.
Chapter 13
“When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.” Catherine Murdock
Peyton called Meesha for the umpteenth time. This time, Meesha answered her phone.
“I don’t know what to say. I was expecting to get your voicemail again.”
“And I started to let your call go to my voicemail, but I realized that it was time we addressed the issues like mature women,” Meesha said.
Peyton exhaled, glad to hear that Meesha was ready to hopefully get everything out in the open. Peyton had a lot to say to Meesha. In the end, after it was all said and done, she hoped they could revive their friendship.
“I thought we could meet for lunch,” Peyton suggested nervously.
“I have a few errands to run. I’ll be free around one. We can meet up at Zodiac Café.”
“I’ll see you at one,” Peyton replied. “And, Meesha.”
“What is it, Peyton?”
“Thanks.”
“See you later,” Meesha replied and ended the call.
Peyton called Derek before leaving the house to see how Liam reacted to seeing Carlton Porter as the man who could possibly be his father rather than the preacher he knew him as.
“He did fine,” Derek assured her. “That son of mine is a boss, I’m telling you. Just like his dad,” Derek said proudly.
“That’s good. Now the waiting game begins,” Peyton said.
“Yeah, but however it turns out, I’m good and so is Liam. He understands more than you give him credit for. Now what about you? You still have plans to enter rehab”
“I said that I would, and I am,” she told him. “I haven’t had a drink and I had Elsa to get rid of all the alcohol in the house, including the wine.”
“What did she do with it?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care. I told her not to tell me. She could throw it away, give it to her family, friends, or whatever. As long as it’s out of the house.”
Derek felt a tender spot forming in his heart for his wife. Could Peyton be serious this time around? Only time would tell. He prayed that she would make a serious change in her life for the sake of herself, Liam...and their marriage.
“Would you like to have dinner with me later?” he offered.
Peyton couldn’t believe what she heard. Derek had asked her to dinner? For real? Peyton smiled with joy on the inside. If she could stay away from the drinking, maybe she would be able to get her family to come back home.
“Dinner sounds fine,” she answered, hoping her excitement wasn’t too apparent.
“Okay, I’ll call you back and let you know the exact time. I think this time around it should be just you and me. I d
on’t want to pressure Liam into seeing you just yet.”
“As much as I hate the fact that my own child doesn’t want to be around me, I do understand. I’ll see you this evening, okay?”
“Okay, good deal.”
Peyton looked at her phone after she and Derek finished talking. It was time for her to get dressed and go meet Meesha for lunch. She decided to wear a pair of straight leg jeans with a pure white off the shoulder button down blouse and a fashionable new sun hat she’d found on one of her many shopping excursions. The heels she chose made the whole outfit pop. She walked out the door feeling confident and rather happy that her life just might be making a turn for the better. God knows she’d been praying enough.
She got in her cream Maybach S600, pushed the ignition button, opened the garage door with another push of a button, and off she went. Along the way, she would go over everything she would say to Meesha. By the time she left lunch she prayed that everything between them would be back to being as normal as possible.
Chapter 14
“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” Rita Mae Brown
Today was Avery’s free day. School was out for the next three weeks, so she didn’t have to take the girls to school or pick them up. Because of that, they had gone to spend a few days with their paternal grandparents, something they enjoyed doing. Ryker didn’t have to go to the office until later that afternoon, so it was a good time to tell him that she wanted out of their relationship. She remained in their bedroom while he was downstairs in his office.
She picked up her phone to call Carlton to see if they could meet up later that day but he beat her to it because her text chime sounded.
“can u talk?”
“Yeah,” she texted back and right away her phone rang.
“Hey,” she said as soon as she answered.
“We need to talk,” Carlton immediately said, but not in the tempting sexual tone she had become accustomed to hearing.
“Uh, I agree,” somewhat startled by his brashness. “I need to know what was up with you and that little charade the other night at the pizza place. I haven’t seen or heard from you since I saw you, Meesha, and the boys playing the perfect family. You have a lot of explaining to do. ”
“Don’t start with the ultimatums, Avery. Just meet me in an hour,” he basically ordered.
“Uh, okay. What about we meet at that quaint restaurant on Adverse Boulevard. You know the one I’m talking about don’t you? The Bistro.”
“No, we need some privacy. I’ll get a room at the Westin on the east side. I’ll text you the room number. What I have to say isn’t meant for any other ears to hear.”
“Okay, see you in an hour.” She ended the call and wondered what Carlton meant. First of all, he sounded like he was angry with her and if he was, she had no idea why he would be. If anyone had a right to be mad, it was her after overhearing what Meesha said. If Meesha was pregnant, then this would possibly put a dent in the plans she and Carlton had to be together. And what would that mean for her after she told him that she was pregnant with his child, too.
“Hey, what do you say we have a little lunch before I go to the office,” Ryker proposed.
Avery jumped slightly when he first spoke, not aware that he’d come into the room. She swiftly turned around while at the same time saying, “Ryker, I al…” She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Ryker approaching her in nothing but the attire he came into the world wearing – nothing.
“What are you—”
Again, her words were cut off. This time by his lips on top of hers. He began slowly undressing her while continuing to smother her with kisses. She was weak to him, always had been and though she planned to walk out on their relationship, today was not that day. Carlton would have to wait. Family first she thought as Ryker eased her down on the bed. Hunger and desire rose and flared in her like a wild animal. She missed this part of Ryker. He could always bring out the best or the worst in her, depending on how one looked at the situation.
When they were done with their mid-morning lovemaking session, Ryker led her to the shower and made love to her again.
“I love you,” Ryker said hungrily. “Marry me. Please, say that you will. Don’t deny me any longer,” he pleaded as his hand moved magically over what seemed like every crevice of her naked body.
At that moment, she was torn between her love for Ryker and her desire to start anew with Carlton. Her only answer to his question was her own sounds of satisfaction as she molded her body against him, wanting more.
Carlton had been waiting on Avery for well over an hour. “Where are you, Avery?” he said aloud as he sat in the hotel room chair. He glanced at his phone again, and again he texted her. She hadn’t answered any of his messages since they talked and that had been three hours ago. He couldn’t wait much longer, but he also didn’t want another day to pass without him breaking things off once and for all with her.
Meesha was back and she was pregnant with his child. There was no way he was going to leave her. God had surely intervened and saved his marriage and his family, and for that he was thankful. He got up from the chair and walked over to the window and back to the chair. His phone rang. “Hello,”
“Carlton, I’m meeting Peyton for lunch then I’m going to pick up the boys from day camp,” she said.
“You’re meeting Peyton?”
“Yes, I’m meeting Peyton. She’s been calling me for the longest and I keep ignoring her. It’s time I hear what she has to say. Maybe we can put everything behind us,” Meesha told him.
Carlton smiled. Although she couldn’t see how happy he was, he hoped she would hear it in his voice.
“Meesha, that’s great news. I’m so proud of you, baby. It takes someone with strength and resilience to do what you’re doing. First, you found it in your heart to forgive me and now you’re going to give your friendship with Peyton another chance.”
“I didn’t say all of that, but I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. When she called me earlier, my spirit was touched. I knew God was telling me to let him handle everything. If I allow him to handle it, then I know everything will work out.”
“Amen and amen,” Carlton said.
A knock on the door made him jump. “Okay, baby, I’ll see you later. I have a meeting of my own, so I’ll see you and the boys at the house around five.”
“Okay. Talk to you later. Bye.”
“Talk to you later,” he said as another knock came on the hotel door.
Carlton ended the call and walked to the door. He looked through the peephole. He opened the door. “What took you so long? You’re over two hours late. I was about to leave,” he scolded.
“I had some personal business to take care of,” Avery said, still reveling in the hot lovemaking session she’d had with Ryker.
“Well, I don’t have much time now. I have to be back at the church in about an hour and seeing that we’re on the other side of town, I need to leave here in the next fifteen minutes or so.”
“You talk too much,” Avery said, walking up on him and kissing him.
Carlton eased her back. “No time for that. This is serious. We need to talk.”
Her face fell in disappointment and she flinched at the tone of his voice. “I hope this doesn’t have to do with the other night. So what, Meesha’s pregnant. That doesn’t mean we have to change our plans to be together.”
“You can’t be serious,” Carlton retorted. “This changes everything. Look, I care about you Avery. I really do, but I realize that God has given me a second chance. He’s restoring what the locusts have stolen.”
Avery stiffened as she felt a shudder of humiliation. “Stop all the holy moly talk and tell me what you’re saying, Carlton.”
“My family came back. Don’t you see? I’ve been praying to God for clarity and direction, and he brought my family back. Not only that, he’s giving me another child. Surely, you understand that I can’t,
I won’t, leave my wife and family now. I love Meesha, Avery.” He stepped up to her and placed a hand on each one of her shoulders.
“You understand, don’t you, sweetheart? Now things can work out for you and Ryker. You’ve said that he wants to mend your relationship.” He kissed her on her forehead. “What we had was good while it lasted, but it’s over now, Avery. It’s time for me and for you to pour everything into our families, into our spouses. God wants that for us. He’s given us a way out of this adulterous affair.” He looked around the hotel room as he emphasized the word this. “What we’ve been doing is wrong. You know it and I know it. Thank God, no one else knows about us. We can start fresh with our families.”
“What about our child, Carlton?”
Carlton looked. “Our what?”
“Our child. I’m pregnant, too.”
Carlton rubbed his head and began pacing nervously across the carpeted floor. “You’re pregnant? Have you told Ryker?”
“Why would I tell Ryker when this is your child in my belly?”
Carlton shook his head. His expression was like someone who’d been struck in the face with a tire iron. “No, no, no, Avery. That is not my kid. Look, it’s over. We’re over. Go home to Ryker, Avery.”
Avery felt like a fool. She’d been played. Shock quickly yielded to all out rage as she began screaming and curses fell from her mouth. She yanked the covers off the bed, swiped the lamp and TV off the dresser and everything else in her path. It was like she had suddenly turned into a human tornado.
Carlton lunged at her, tightening his strong arms around her upper body while she kicked and screamed.
“Stop it, Avery! Stop this foolishness.” The more she kicked and screamed, the tighter he squeezed her. He put one hand over her mouth, almost covering her nose. She tried to bite him, but his forceful and big hand against her mouth was stronger than her own physical strength to open her mouth. He held her until she exhausted herself. When he finally released her, like a snake, she slithered to the floor, fell in a heap and began sobbing.
The Real Housewives of Adverse City 2 Page 8