He hurled expletives at Marvin, but only the trees and shrubs were witnesses to the outburst. Kenny walked to the entrance with his hands in his pockets, unable to open the door when he reached it. Tears began to form in his eyes, and before long they came down in buckets, barreling down his face at record speed. He could not comprehend that what he believed might have been his fortune had turned out to be his misfortune. And for some unknown reason, it seemed God allowed it to be revealed the way it was because the man Kenny trusted was a coward and didn’t have the balls to tell him the truth. The more he thought about it, the madder Kenny got.
Kenny used his key and entered the building. He walked, then picked up his stride, continuing to hurl curses and punch his fist in the air as if he was gearing up for a heavyweight fight. It was dark in the outer office of Marvin’s suite, but upon entering, Kenny saw that a faint light oozed from beneath the closed door.
“Marvin, are you in there?” Kenny shouted to the rafters. Silence ensued. Kenny banged on the door to Marvin’s office, but there was no response. Twisting the handle on the door, Kenny barged in and found Marvin sitting with his head on his desk.
“Damn you, Marvin. When were you going to tell me? Huh?” Kenny hit the wall. “What do I look like to you—some kind of fool that would not have understood? Nigger, answer me. Don’t lie there and pretend that you don’t hear me. I’ve given my all to help you make this company what it is, and when the going gets rough, you just give it all away—everything you’ve worked hard all your life for like it was pennies you were throwing in a fountain. What’s wrong with you? Answer me!”
Marvin didn’t budge. Kenny moved in front of Marvin and noticed the overturned bottle for the first time. “Oh, hell. You are a damn coward.”
Kenny shook Marvin, but still no response. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell and dialed 9-1-1. “Hurry, please,” Kenny barked, after giving the dispatcher the address and information.
“Sir, please check his pulse.”
Anger ate at Kenny, inside and out. His first thought was to let Marvin do what he’d set out to do—kill himself—because if he came to, Kenny was going to kill him for sure. He reached over and pulled up Marvin’s arm and placed two fingers over his wrist. The pulse was faint, but there was one. “There’s a slight pulse,” Kenny said to the dispatcher.
“An ambulance should be there any minute.”
“Alright.”
Kenny pulled up one of the chairs that sat opposite Marvin’s desk and slumped into it. He picked up Marvin’s hand, searching again for the pulse that was barely there. “Don’t you die on me. Don’t you dare die on me until I’ve had my say. Cheated me out of my company, now you’re trying to cheat me out of having the last word. No, sucker, you better hope you live. Your tail is going to straighten this mess out. I’m not going to work for some Joe Blow that don’t give a crap about Thomas and Richmond Tecktronics the way we do. Hell no. Ain’t going to happen in this lifetime.”
Sirens screamed outside. “I’ll be back, Marvin. I’ve got to let the paramedics in so they can take you to get that poison out of your stomach. After that, you’re mine, buddy. You’re all mine.”
Kenny placed Marvin’s arm back on the desk and walked to the door with his head down. He looked back at Marvin and turned to walk out the door. “Oops, excuse—Rachel?”
Rachel looked at Kenny and then into Marvin’s office. She pushed past Kenny and rushed to where Marvin lay slumped on the desk.
“Oh, my God, Marvin...baby. What have you done?” Rachel first lifted his head and then his hands and checked for signs of life. “Help! Somebody help me.”
Rachel grabbed the phone and picked up the receiver. Kenny went to Rachel and put the receiver down.
“I’ve already called for the ambulance. They should be here in a minute.”
Rachel glared at Kenny as tears ran down her face. “What did you do to Marvin? Were you even going to call and tell me my husband had tried to take his life?”
“How long were you standing outside the door?”
“I just arrived. I don’t know why I didn’t come right away after I had talked with him earlier. But after you called, I knew I needed to check on him.”
“Marvin sold me out.”
“He’s in trouble, Kenny. You’re his partner, and you should have known. This is the man who gave you access to his company, the man who allowed you to prosper.” Rachel pointed her finger at Kenny. “Yeah, Marvin had his faults, but you’re equally responsible. So don’t go putting the blame solely on Marvin. Now get out of my way and let the paramedics in so they can take care of my husband.”
Kenny could hear Rachel’s sobbing as he made his way down the hall. How had all that Marvin had done suddenly become his fault, Kenny wondered. Maybe Rachel was right. Maybe he was responsible for some of what happened, but he had only a day or two before begged Marvin to tell him what was going on because he sensed that something wasn’t right. He should have insisted, but his ego was riding high about the big opportunity that turned out to be a bullet in his head. He heard the paramedics knocking and he ran to let them in.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Twenty-one pills had been pumped from Marvin’s body. They stood vigil by his bedside, lips sealed as each family represented said a silent prayer and tried to understand the rhyme or reason behind Marvin’s attempt to end his life. It was a scene reminiscent of their earlier days together, their old group reunited by the bond that connected them. Before, they were simply individuals trying to massage their broken hearts, to move forward with their lives after divorce had rendered them confused, lonely, and in need of closure. However, each had managed to find their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as their lives prospered and new life and new love sprung forth.
Sylvia and Kenny, Mona and Michael, Claudette and Tyrone, and Rachel prayed that Marvin would be alright. The doctor’s prognosis was good—Marvin would be released sometime tomorrow with a clean bill of health. Well, maybe a clean bill as far as his physical health was concerned, but his mental state was still in question. That was the battle that loomed over Rachel and her extended family.
Kenny inched closer to Rachel, who clutched the side of the bed where Marvin lay resting. “Some pretty strong words passed between us today.” Kenny reached out and put his arm around Rachel’s shoulders. She didn’t move. “Didn’t mean to say all those things, you know. I was just hurt because I had asked Marvin only a couple of days ago to let me know what was going on with him when I sensed that something had him preoccupied.”
“I’m not mad at you, Kenny,” Rachel finally said, putting her arm around Kenny for support. “I was mad at him, too, but I didn’t want him to die. When you called earlier, I knew why. Wasn’t sure how you found out, but I knew why.”
“We’ve got to help him get well, Rachel. That’s my brother lying there.” Kenny squeezed her arm. “I promise that I’m going to do whatever I can to help save the company because it was Marvin’s life.”
“We’ve got to save Marvin Thomas first or there won’t be a Thomas and Richmond.” Rachel snuggled tightly into the crook of Kenny’s arm. It felt safe, if only for a moment.
As if an alarm clock had gone off, Marvin woke up, lifted his head slightly, and looked around the room. Though dazed, he could make out the faces of his wife, Rachel, and his business partner, Kenny. Focusing, he saw Sylvia, Tyrone and Claudette, and Mona and Michael gazing at him like he was just born—a brand-new baby—and they were checking to see who he looked like and if he had all of his fingers and toes. But Marvin wanted the images to go away because now he remembered what he had done only hours earlier, what he’d done to become trapped in a hospital bed. He had hoped to never wake up.
“Marvin,” Rachel whispered. “Baby, I’m here. I’m here for you. I’m not going to leave your side.”
Marvin smiled and blinked in understanding. The others moved closer to the bed, taking turns stroking his arm, placing a kiss on h
is forehead, or squeezing his hand in reassurance. Marvin tried to close his eyes, but Kenny took up the lens. He wondered if Kenny was aware of what he’d done...what he hadn’t been man enough to tell him. Finally, his eyelids gave way.
Everyone’s chattering was getting on his nerves. Why couldn’t they just go away and leave him alone? Because they loved him.
“Marvin,” Rachel cooed. “The doctor said you’re going to be alright. You’ll even get to go home in the morning. I’m going to take good care of you.”
Tears formed in the corners of Marvin’s eyes. He didn’t deserve Rachel. She didn’t deserve what he’d put her through. He felt her breath on his face as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. His eyelids fluttered. “Okay, baby.”
Everyone cheered. “Thank you, Lord,” Sylvia cried. “God, You are so good.”
“All the time,” Claudette chimed in.
“Yes, He is,” Mona said, not wanting to be left out.
“Why don’t we all leave and let Rachel and Marvin have some time together?” Sylvia suggested.
“That’s a great idea, baby,” Kenny said, grabbing Sylvia and leading the way.
“Thank you all for being the best friends in the whole world,” Rachel said. “We couldn’t have made it without you. And Claudette, let’s set aside a day to go and see Ashley. She deserves our love, too.”
Claudette smiled. “You’re right, she does.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Hey, baby, some night, huh?” Sylvia asked as she pulled off her coat and hung it up in the guest closet.
“Yeah, quite an ordeal,” Kenny responded, as he dragged behind Sylvia and headed straight for the bar. He shook his head. “I can’t believe this night.” He turned and looked at Sylvia.
“What is it, babe? What’s on your mind? I noticed that you and Rachel were in deep conversation.”
Kenny picked up a glass from the bar and filled it with Hennessy. “Let me take you back to what happened at dinner tonight.” He looked around. “Where is Kenny, Jr.?”
“I called Maya, and she came and got little Kenny and Michael Jr. She’s going to keep them overnight. Little Kenny will get a chance to play with his nephew. I can’t believe my daughter and I have children that are practically the same age.”
“Well, I appreciate you giving me a son in your old age.” Kenny laughed for the first time in a while. Then his face took on a serious look. “I learned something tonight, baby, that is going to affect us, possibly in a negative way.”
Sylvia walked over to where Kenny was standing and put her arm around his waist. “Does...does it have anything to do with Marvin and why he tried to commit suicide tonight?”
“It has a whole lot to do with Marvin. He sold his shares in the company—all fifty-two of them.”
Sylvia’s mouth gaped open. “What? Are you sure, Kenny? Why would he do something like that without telling you?”
“Exactly what I wanted to know. Except that when I went looking for him so he could offer an explanation, I found him stretched out on his desk with a stomach full of pills. I was so damn mad, Sylvia, I wanted to shake him awake and kick his ass. Unfortunately, the pills beat me to it.”
“You know, this may explain why Rachel was having trouble with her credit cards the other day. We had gone shopping, and everywhere she tried to use her credit card, it was declined. Even at the bank. It made Rachel go ballistic.”
“And you’re just now telling me?”
“You were so excited about going to the dinner Mona catered. You talked about nothing else, so I didn’t burden you with the day I had spent with Rachel. Oh, my God, she was a monster, and it didn’t help that we ended up at Steak and Ale, and there was Marvin sitting with his secretary eating a steak when Rachel had been humiliated all over town.”
“He was with Yvonne?” Kenny frowned. “That’s strange. I’ve never known Marvin to ever take Yvonne out to lunch.”
“I think it was innocent enough. But Rachel turned that restaurant out, shouting and screaming at Marvin like he was the creature from the Black Lagoon. It was downright embarrassing. I’m not going to show my face in there for the next three years.”
“Rachel knew what Marvin had done.”
“How do you know that, Kenny? She couldn’t have known it while we were out shopping.”
“I’m not sure when Rachel found out about what Marvin had done. When we were standing at his bedside, Rachel told me she knew. She showed up at the office after I had called their house looking for him. I was angry and I guess she knew that I must have learned what Marvin did and figured that was why I was trying to locate him. I said some terrible things to him, although he didn’t hear me...but I believe Rachel did. She had some pretty choice words for me, too, and she was apologizing to me at the hospital because she understood better than either me or Marvin how I was feeling.”
“What are we going to do, Kenny? Does this mean...does this mean you are without a job?”
“Not exactly. Last night at the dinner, the men I made my proposal to just happened to be the ones who purchased the stock from Marvin.”
Sylvia slumped down in a seat nearby. “Shut the hell up. So, what you’re telling me is that you and Marvin don’t own Thomas and Richmond Tecktronics?”
“You’ve concluded correctly, but they did tell me that my proposal was great and that I had no fear of losing my position with the company. Bastards! Who are they to tell me that my position is safe when I’m in partnership with the owner of this company?”
“I can’t believe Marvin did this to you, to us. After all that you’ve invested in this company, surely Marvin owed you more than a cheap cop-out. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he’s going to be alright, but it makes me so pissing mad that he didn’t think enough of you to at least give you a heads-up.”
“Imagine how I feel. You know, babe, now that I’ve had some time to let this episode digest, I’m going to give Marvin a couple of days, then go and have a talk with him. He didn’t even try to fight, didn’t ask anyone to help him, but now that I know what’s been eating at him, I’m going to make a few suggestions. We’re not going to give up that easy.”
“That’s my man—a fighter.”
“I didn’t give up on you, did I?”
“Kenny Richmond, you’re just a lucky man. If I hadn’t been in that grocery store that Sunday, you would still be just an ex in my book.”
“Girl, don’t go playing like that. This was our destiny; can’t deny it. So why don’t we go on up to bed. I’ll get out of this monkey suit and you go and put on one of those fire and desire numbers that always has me lusting for your flesh.”
“Boy, it’s two in the morning. I’m tired after all the excitement.”
“Daddy needs some TLC, sugar, and I promise if you make my dreams come true, I’ll make yours come true beyond your wildest imagination.”
“Sugar, I’ve got a wild imagination, so you’ve got to bring it or stay at home. Although, I’m tired, you’ve got my adrenaline flowing.”
“Girl please, you know you’re my freak of the week and then some. If we had a chandelier in the bedroom, you’d be swinging from it.”
“Naw,” Sylvia said seductively. She took her index finger and curled it, beckoning for Kenny to come closer. Before Kenny realized what was happening, Sylvia unhooked her belt, slipped it from her slacks, and smacked his behind like she was controlling a lion with a whip. She walked backward up the stairs, unbuttoning her silk blouse as she inched her way upward. She threw out her belt again, but this time Kenny grabbed it and pulled himself up to where she had fallen back on the step. He held the belt solidly in one hand while he straddled her and placed wet kisses all over her mouth and neck. He stopped long enough to unbutton his shirt and slide out of it; his slacks were next to go. He let out a roar and tilted his head back, coming back down for the kill.
Sylvia lay trapped in the middle of the step like a helpless damsel in distress with one leg stretched straight
out, the other bent at the knee. Kenny’s hot breath licked at her making her weak from the heat. Not putting up a fight, she let the lion lick her neck, tracing his tongue down to her breasts until he finally dropped the belt and ripped the blouse from her body. He roared again, which made Sylvia giggle, but she gave up the ghost when he devoured her whole, pawing and licking, her kicking and screaming until her legs trembled in surrender.
Out of breath, the lion lay upon the lioness satisfied that she was satisfied. He placed another kiss on her lips, then he raised his head and said, “I’m the king of the jungle.”
“Yes, you are, baby,” the lioness said in a soft whisper, her body limp with perspiration. “You’re the king of my jungle.”
“Now if I can only save our kingdom from falling down.”
“You’ve marked your territory; nobody can take it from you.”
Kenny smothered Sylvia with kisses. She wrapped her arms around him. “Today is a brand-new day,” Kenny whispered, his breath still hot on Sylvia’s face. “I won’t let those men take the company from us.”
“I know you won’t, baby, ’cuz you’re the king of the jungle.”
Their bedroom felt like a dark cloud without rain. Seeing Marvin stretched out on the hospital bed had left Mona with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Marvin was the champion in their group. He made sense when everyone else didn’t. She couldn’t believe that of all people, he would resort to ending his life when the chips were down.
Mona glanced back at Michael, whose silence meant he was hurt too. He looked up when he saw Mona looking, then went to her and wrapped his arms around her neck.
“What a damn shame. Mona, this was supposed to be your night, but Marvin had to upstage you by trying to kill himself.”
“A damn shame indeed. I can’t forget the look on poor Kenny’s face when he practically ran from the country club after talking with those men. How could Marvin be so selfish? Was he even thinking about the lives he was going to affect by giving away the company? Poor Rachel.”
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