by Carl Weber
“I just wanna know if he’s planning on getting back with me or not. So I can get on with my life.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. I didn’t believe her at the time, but Diane had told me Lisa was dating this guy named Mike. Mike was the brother of Lisa’s best friend.
“What do you mean ‘get on with your life’?” I tilted my head and made sure my voice was serious. “Have you been seeing Mike?”
“Please, Wil, Mike is engaged.” She waved me off. “And your wife has entirely too much time on her hands to be speculating on me.”
“How’d you know it was Diane who told me?”
Lisa chuckled. “When I told Diane that I had a really nice dinner with Mike Friday night, the first thing she asked me was if I was sleeping with him. She didn’t even wanna hear that Mike’s fiancée and his sister were at the dinner too.”
“Yeah, Di does have a tendency to hear what she wants to hear.” I’d been putting up with that for years. “Lisa, do you really wanna file for divorce?”
“Of course I don’t wanna file for divorce, Wil. I love Kyle, but I’ve been sitting in that house for three going on four months waiting for him to get over his little problem and come home.” Tears began to stream down her face so I handed her a box of tissues. “And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make things work, but I’m not gonna sit in that house and wait anymore. Now he’s your best friend, and you know I’ve been a good wife to him, but I need to know something. I need to know if he’s planning on working on this together. Otherwise I’m filing for divorce.”
“Aw’ight, I’ll talk to him today. I promise.” I’d planned on talking to him about Jay, but this seemed a little more pressing.
“Thank you, Wil.”
“I’ll do what I can, Lisa.”
Lisa stood up and called Willow. “I’m going to Jersey City to see Kenya’s baby, then I’m gonna ride down to Philly and spend the night with my mom. Why don’t I call you tomorrow?”
“That’s fine, but who’s watching Jade and Jewel tonight?”
“Mike and his fiancée Jenny are going to pick them up from school.”
“You know we coulda watched the kids for you, Lisa.”
“I know, Wil. Truth is, Kyle would have probably watched them. But Mike and Jenny both live with their parents, so they jumped at the chance to stay at my house for the night.”
“Say no more. It wasn’t that long ago Diane and I were living at home.” Both of us laughed as Lisa and Willow walked out of the house. “Call me tomorrow.”
I closed the door then walked up the stairs to change out of my sweats and go pay a visit to Kyle.
I walked into Kyle’s Jamaica Avenue store and smiled at Sharon, the store manager, as she helped a customer.
“Hey, Sharon. Kyle in?”
“He’s in the office, Wil.” She did a double take, probably wondering why I was wearing sunglasses on a rainy winter day.
“Thanks.” I walked to the back of the store and knocked on the door to Kyle’s office, which was marked PRIVATE.
“Come in.”
I walked in and Kyle smiled, taking his feet off the desk.
“Big Wil, what’s up?” He leaned over his desk clenching his fist so that we could knock knuckles.
“Same ol’, same ol’, bro.” I sat down in a chair in front of his desk, admiring his office. Kyle’s office was a shrine to his family and friends. Not only did he have pictures of his family all over the place, but he also had pictures of his friends, including Jay’s family and mine too. He even had quite a few pictures of Allen and Rose.
“Hey, what’s up with the shades, man?” He sat back in his leather chair.
I took off my sunglasses to show him my eye.
“God damn! Did Jay do that?” He scrunched up his face in disbelief. “Ya know, what he did to you the other night didn’t make no damn sense.”
“Yeah, well I got somethin’ for your boy Jay next time I see him.”
“Oh, so he ain’t your boy no more?” Kyle frowned.
“You got that right. I can’t fuck with him no more.”
“Wil, man, I know you’re pissed at him, but Jay didn’t mean to hit you.”
“You can defend him all you want, Kyle. I’m still not fuckin’ with him no more.” I folded my arms across my chest.
“Look, I know he plays by his own rules sometimes. Hell, that condom stunt he pulled a few years back almost cost me my marriage. But Wil, I know he didn’t mean to hit you,” Kyle repeated.
“Even if he didn’t, Kyle, Jay’s out of control. He don’t care about nobody but himself. Look at that shit he pulled this weekend. Would you ever dream of fucking some woman in your wife’s house?”
“No, but...”
“There ain’t no buts, Kyle. The man’s thirty-six years old. That shit was all right when we was teenagers, but we ain’t teenagers no more.”
Kyle sat back in his chair and rocked a few seconds. “I hear what you’re saying Wil, but I’ve got too much love for Jay to give up on him.” Kyle pointed to a picture of Jay and his family on the wall. “Plus, I know he loves his family.”
“You actually believe that shit, don’t you?” He nodded at me. “Do you think he and Kenya would still be together if it weren’t for us? Hell no!” I said, answering my own question. “And that’s because we’re his conscience. Do you know how many times I’ve saved his ass from losing Kenya over the years?”
“Probably about as many times as Allen or I have, but that’s what being a friend is all about. We’re his conscience, Wil, and it’s our job to remind him he’s married.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sick of being his conscience, especially when this is what I get for it.” I pointed to my eye. “From now on, he can fuck up his marriage for all I care.”
“You don’t mean that, Wil.” Kyle leaned toward me.
“Oh, yeah I do. I’m starting to think that Jay and Kenya would be better off divorced.”
“Well, I’m sorry, I don’t subscribe to that theory. I think a family should stay together.”
“No, you didn’t ... No, you didn’t just go there. You got some fucking nerve,” I muttered, sitting back in my chair.
“What’d you say?”
“I said you got some fucking nerve!” I really didn’t wanna go there this way with Kyle. I’d hoped to discuss his situation over lunch, but he’d opened the door, and I was still upset about Jay.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I picked up a picture off his desk and stared at it before placing it back down, facing him. It was a family portrait of him, Lisa, and the girls.
“It means you’re tryin’ to fix someone else’s shit when your shit is twice as fucked up. I guess I gotta give Jay some credit. At least he still lives at home.”
Kyle shook his head. “Ohhh, that’s fucked up, Wil.”
“I call ‘em as I see ’em, bro.”
“So that’s how you see it?”
“Ya know what, Kyle? I never really gave it much thought ’til today. I figured it was your business, and that you and Lisa were working on things and eventually you’d get back together. But Lisa and Willow stopped by the house this morning, and Lisa and I had a nice little conversation.”
“Conversation about what?”
“About you.”
“What about me?” Kyle asked suspiciously.
“Let’s put it this way, Kyle. If you don’t get your shit together and go home soon, you ain’t gonna have a home to go to. Aw’ight?” I stared him down after I dropped that bomb.
“What’re you tryin’ to say? She wants a divorce?”
“She did mention filing for divorce, but it’s a little more personal than that. She’s seeing someone, Kyle. Which means she’s probably giving up—”
“The booty!” Kyle finished my sentence for me, and I could see the concern on his face. I’d lied about Lisa seeing someone, but it was for Kyle’s own good. He really needed a wakeup call. He was probably the most jealou
s guy I knew next to myself, so I figured the thought of Lisa with another guy would drive him crazy enough to get him home.
“You bein’ straight with me, Wil?” Kyle’s eyes were wide.
“Kyle, I swear on both my children that my wife told me Lisa was dating Karen’s brother Mike.” I wasn’t lying this time. Diane did tell me that. I just left out the part where Lisa swore it wasn’t true.
Kyle stared at the picture of his family on his desk. I was expecting him to cry, but not a tear fell.
“Well, she’s a grown woman. She can do whatever she wants as long as she doesn’t bring a man into that house with my kids.” To say I was bowled over by his response is an understatement.
“You serious?” I couldn’t believe it. This was definitely not what I was trying to do.
“Yeah, I’m serious.” He nodded his head as if everything was okay. “I’ve been with Lisa almost eight years, Wil. She’s been a great mother and wife, and she doesn’t deserve this. Shit, this whole thing’s my fault anyway. If she’s found somebody who can make her happy, then I’m happy for her. I owe her that much.”
Well, you could have knocked my big ass over with a feather. I couldn’t believe it. I mean this was his wife we were talking about and he was cool as a cucumber. He musta given this whole thing a lot of thought before I even showed up, ’cause I actually believed he meant every word. But I had to be sure.
“Kyle, you’re talking about breaking up your family, man.”
“No, Wil, my family’s already broken up. That happened the day I walked out on them. It’s about time you and I realize that.”
Buzzzzz ... Buzzzzzzz.
Kyle leaned over his desk and hit the intercom button. “Yes.”
“Kyle, Mr. Webster’s here from Weaves-Are-Us.” Sharon’s voice echoed from the speaker.
“Give me a minute then send him in, Sharon.” Kyle glanced at me. “Wil, I’ve gotta meet with this guy over lunch. Why don’t I give you a call tonight.”
“Okay, man, but think about what we talked about. You don’t wanna lose your family.” I didn’t wanna leave. I felt the need to somehow fix what I might have fucked up. As I got out of my chair to walk out, I looked back at Kyle, who was staring at one of his wedding pictures. God, I hoped he had already been thinking they were through before I walked in the door. I didn’t think I could live with the fact that I was the final blow that ended his marriage for good.
15
Kyle
Wil walked out of the office looking confused, but convinced that I was okay with the idea of Lisa divorcing me. That couldn’t have been farther from the truth. I was devastated, and the minute he walked out the door, I started to sob. It hadn’t been easy holding back those tears in front of Wil, but the little bit of pride I had left made me do it. I didn’t really wanna lose my marriage or my family. The whole idea had me hurting inside, hurting so bad my stomach ached.
“Dammit!” I slammed my hand down on my desk in anger. “How could she do this to me when I was just about to come home?”
As I started to calm down, reason took over for anger and I realized I wasn’t angry with Lisa for starting to date. I was mad at myself for screwing up and not going home a long time ago. Stupid thing is, I’d made an appointment with Dr. Stanley for that afternoon and had planned on taking Lisa and the kids to dinner Friday for her birthday. I was going to ask her if I could come home then, but that was dead now. Besides, she was probably going out with Mike on Friday night.
I picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Stanley’s office.
“Dr. Stanley’s office,” the receptionist said.
“Hi, my name’s Kyle Richmond. I have a three o’clock appointment with Dr. Stanley.”
“Yes, Mr. Richmond, I have it right here.”
“I’d like to cancel that appointment.”
“Okay, Mr. Richmond. Would you like to reschedule now?”
“Nope.”
“Okay, well I’ll let Dr. Stanley know you’re not coming in.” She hung up.
Knock, knock.
Shit, I completely forgot Webster was waiting to see me. “Just a minute!” I sat up at my desk trying to get myself together. I wiped the tears from my face. “Come in.”
Richard Webster walked into my office, smiling like he always did. I’d lied to Wil about going to lunch with him. I needed a convenient excuse to get him out of the office before my emotions got the best of me.
“What’s up, Brother Kyle?” Webster was a short, heavyset light-skinned man with a balding head. He looked and acted more like a preacher than a salesman.
“How you doing, Webster?”
“Woke up this morning, checked to see if I had ten fingers and ten toes, realized I had a little air in my lungs, had to thank God for a good start to the day.” Webster chuckled, and so did I. I always liked his analogies.
“I take it you’ve come for your check?” I was back to business right away. My mind was still heavily clouded with grief.
“Yes sir, praise God, but I’ve also got some new products that I’d love to show you.” He smiled like a Cheshire cat.
“Nope, not today, Webster. I had a death in the family. But you can leave some brochures with Sharon up front.” I reached in my desk and handed him his check.
“Thank you,” he said, taking the check. “I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I’ll keep them in my prayers. Was it someone you were close to?”
I shook my head. “It wasn’t a someone, Webster, it was my marriage. I’m getting divorced.”
Webster bit down on his lip. “Oh Lord, I’m sorry to hear that, Brother Kyle. Were you married long?”
“Seven years.”
“Any children?”
“Three beautiful girls.” I took the picture of my family off my desk and handed it to him.
“Yeah. they are beautiful.” Webster smiled. handing me the pictures back. “Sure you wanna give them up?”
“Not my call anymore, Webster. I had a chance but I blew it.” My eyes were being to tear again.
“Brother Kyle, I don’t know if you knew this, but I’m a minister. And as a minister, there is one thing I know for certain. If you have a problem, the best thing to do is pray on it. God always seems to give me a sign when I pray. It’s not always what I wanna hear, but he always gives me a sign.”
“You know what, Webster? I might just do that. It’s been a long time since I prayed.”
“Well, Brother Kyle, there’s no better time than the present. Why don’t we pray together now?” I don’t know why but I agreed. I’d been to a shrink, went to Africa to find myself, and none of that had worked. Maybe a little prayer would give the answers I’d been looking for.
Webster stretched his hands across my desk and I grasped his hands. We prayed together for a good ten, fifteen minutes, and in truth I honestly felt good about it until Sharon interrupted us.
Buzzzzz.... Buzzzzzzz.
I reached down and pressed the intercom button. “Yeah?”
“Kyle, you have a call from your attorney, Greg Thomas, on line one.”
I didn’t know why Greg was calling, but I couldn’t help but look at Webster with a frown. “I guess God decided to send me that sign a lot sooner than either of us thought, huh?”
It was almost 2 A.M. when I stumbled up to my Highland Avenue apartment. It turned out that my lawyer wasn’t calling me about divorce, but about the lawsuit I was filing against the police department. After I talked to him, the memories of what happened combined with news that Lisa was divorcing me had me so full of anger I had to leave my office before I said the wrong thing to my employees or a customer. So I headed to my apartment to take a nap and hopefully forget what was slowly turning into the worst day of my life. When I woke up, the pain of Lisa divorcing me was still there so I went to the Roadhouse Bar and spent the rest of the evening drinking one drink after another. I did order some food in between drinks to keep myself from getting too high, but I was still drunk enough that Val, one o
f the bartenders, took away my keys and drove me home.
“Hey, Val. I can’t get in without my keys,” I slurred, staring at the cleavage her low-cut blouse revealed. Val had one of those bodies that could get a brother in trouble, a whole bunch of trouble. She had large round hips, a thin waist, and a pair of perfect titties, all highlighted by a beautiful cocoa brown face that woulda made Whitney Houston jealous.
“Here,” she said, handing me the keys. I don’t know how, but I fumbled with the lock and opened the door.
“Where’s your bathroom?” she asked, following me in. “I gotta pee.”
“Down the hall, second door on your right,” I pointed, then plopped down on the sofa watching her hips sway as she disappeared down the hall. Next thing I remember she was shaking me.
“Get up, Kyle,” she scolded me.
“I’m up. I was just resting my eyes.” I rubbed my eyes till she came into focus.
“Well, you been resting your eyes for twenty minutes.”
“Sorry about that.” I tried to get up, but my knees reminded me I was drunk.
“You better sit your drunk ass down,” Val laughed, grabbing me before I fell.
I smiled as our eyes met, thinking thoughts I shouldn’t have thought. Val and I had been friends for about three years and had always flirted and talked shit back and forth about what we’d do to each other if we were single. It was just talk back then but now things had changed. She’d broken up with her longtime beau, and Lisa and I were on the verge of divorce.
“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” I smirked, raising my eyebrows.
Val pushed me back onto the couch sucking her teeth. “Don’t get slapped. You know it ain’t that kinda party.”
“Sorry, I thought with T out of the picture and me getting divorced—”
Val cut me off right there. “Look, Kyle, I like you but I don’t wanna give you the wrong idea. I’m not a ho.”
“Have I treated you like one?”
“No.”
“Aw’ight then.”
“Look, we need to make a decision. Either you’re gonna give me money for a cab or I’m spending the night. Which means you buying me breakfast and driving me home in the morning.”