Truth Be Told

by Victoria Christopher Murray

  The phone rang again before Conner could respond. “I’ll get it,” he growled.

  Grace shook her head and answered the phone without saying hello.

  “Fair enough; I won’t call your house again,” Sara said, as if their conversation had not been interrupted. “But since I have you on the phone, we need to know if you’ve made a decision about the Education Committee.”

  Grace pressed her lips together, hoping that would bridle what flared inside. “Sara, take your offer and …” She left the sentence for Sara to finish. “And if I ever see you following me or anyone else in my family, you’ll regret it.”

  “That sounds like a threat from a Christian. Can I quote you, Grace?”

  “Do whatever you want, Sara. But you don’t want me as an enemy.”

  Sara chuckled. “I’ll give you a few more days to make a decision about the interview I requested.”

  Grace hung up the telephone.

  Chapter 43

  Grace had wondered all day if they should have this dinner at Pilar’s apartment. Now as she leaned against the front door and watched Conner help Pilar, she doubted their decision to bring Pilar to their home. Pilar struggled to stand, then took cautious steps across the walkway. She was too weak for this trip. But Grace knew that Pilar’s beyond-valiant effort was to be by her son’s side when he first came into the house that would become his home.

  “Mommy, is that them?”

  “Yes, sweetie,” she said without turning.

  Grace put her arm around Amber’s shoulders and glanced at the stairs. She didn’t expect to see Jayde. Her oldest child would have to be dragged down.

  “Welcome to our home,” Grace said, stepping aside so that Pilar could enter. They hugged.

  “Hello,” Amber said, swinging her pigtails and reminding everyone that she was there.

  “Is this beautiful young lady Amber?”

  Amber tilted her head. “How did you know my name?”

  Pilar said, “I know a lot about you. Your mom and dad told me you were pretty, but they didn’t tell me just how pretty you were.”

  “Thank you,” Amber said, but she was already looking beyond Pilar.

  Conner had one arm around Solomon, and Amber walked toward them. She extended her hand. “Hi, my name is Amber.” She held a solemn smile.

  “My name is Solomon.” They shook hands, and the adults chuckled.

  “Let’s sit down,” Grace said.

  Amber said, “Do you want to see my room, Solomon?”

  His eyes were big as he looked at Conner. But Grace said, “Amber, let’s do that after dinner.”

  Amber nodded. Anything would work for her. “Okay. Can we go into the family room so I can show Solomon our big-screen TV?”

  Conner laughed. “Yes.”

  Grace breathed, relieved as she followed Conner and Pilar, then Amber and Solomon down the steps to the family room. She wanted to keep everyone, especially Solomon, away from Jayde, at least for the moment.

  “You have a beautiful home, Grace.” Pilar smiled as she lowered herself onto the couch while Amber showed Solomon the remote for the nine hundred channel television.

  “Thank you.” Grace’s eyes roamed to the stairs.

  Pilar asked, “Where’s Jayde?”

  Conner and Grace exchanged glances.

  After a pause, Grace said, “I’ll get her.”

  She dreaded every step as she moved toward Jayde’s room. She knocked on the door once, and then went inside. Jayde was at her computer, flipping solitaire cards. “They’re here, honey.”

  Jayde clicked off her computer and faced her mother. “I don’t want to go down there, Mom.”

  Grace folded her arms. “We don’t have time for this. You’re going to come downstairs and act like the polite young lady you were raised to be.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Mommy, why are you mad at me, and you’re not mad at Daddy?”

  Grace sighed. There were not enough words to explain this to a teenager—and especially not to a daughter whose hero had betrayed them both. She put her arms around Jayde. “Being disappointed with people you love is a part of life. So I understand how you feel.”

  “You do?”

  Grace nodded. “When your father first told me about Solomon, I was upset. But I realized I couldn’t stay angry forever. So I started thinking about the best way to get over it.”

  Jayde looked at Grace, eager for her wisdom.

  “So I just asked God.”

  “And what did He say?” Jayde looked at Grace as if God had given her a written personal message.

  “He said not to sin.”

  She twisted on the bed to face her mother. “I’m not sinning,” she said, defending herself. Then she added in a weaker tone, “Am I?”

  Grace shrugged. “You have to decide that, but …” She paused. “God told us to forgive. If God can forgive your father, then we sure can.”

  “That’s so hard.”

  “How difficult do you think it is for God when He has to forgive you all day long?” Jayde looked at her, and Grace smiled. “And me too. God spends a lot of time forgiving me.”

  Jayde closed her eyes as if she was mulling over her mother’s words.

  “Solomon is a very nice boy. You’ll like him.”

  Jayde twisted the ring on her finger. “Is his mother here?”

  Grace nodded.

  “Aren’t you mad at her?”

  Grace couldn’t begin to utter the thoughts she’d had about Pilar. “I’m not anymore” was as honest as she could be.

  Grace stood and held out her hand. “So, whaddaya say? Let’s go downstairs and show these people a couple of special Monroe women.”

  Jayde took her mother’s hand and they went down into the den together.

  No matter how hard they tried to pretend, this wasn’t a normal family gathering.

  Conner sat at one end of the table, while Grace sat at the other. In between, Pilar sat next to Jayde, with Amber across next to Solomon.

  Tension thickened the air, although Amber and Solomon didn’t notice. While the new fast friends chatted through dinner, sharing stories about school and their hobbies, the rest of the conversation did not flow. It wasn’t just Jayde’s obvious displeasure that strained their dialogue; it was Grace’s own unsettled feelings. One moment, Pilar was the harlot who had tried to steal her husband. But seconds later, she was the dying mother in need of sympathy.

  “So, Jayde, you’re fifteen,” Pilar said, reducing the dinner chat to information gathering. That was all that was left.

  “Yes.”

  Grace sighed as she looked at Pilar. For the moment, she was the mother again.

  “I understand you’re doing well in school.”

  Jayde shrugged.

  Conner said, “Jayde’s a straight A student and a star tennis player.”

  Jayde glared at her father, and Grace knew the talk she’d had with her daughter an hour before was long gone from her thoughts.

  The dinner talk continued with devised questions and strained answers until Conner mercifully asked Pilar if she would like to see the rest of the house.

  Grace almost jumped from her seat. “That’s a good idea, honey. You and Amber can show Pilar and Solomon. Jayde and I will clean up.”

  Jayde rolled her eyes.

  “I’ll help you,” Solomon said eagerly.

  “We don’t need your help.” Jayde cringed under the stare of the three pairs of adult eyes and added, “I can help my mother by myself.” Though her words were softer, her tone was not.

  She deserves a slap for that one, Grace thought, as she glanced at Solomon. His permanent smile disappeared, but only for a moment. Amber took his hand and led him from the room. Conner and Pilar followed.

  When they were alone, Grace whipped toward Jayde. “I don’t care how angry you are,” she hissed. “If you ever talk to anyone like that again, you’re going to have to call the police on me.”

  Before Jayde
could protest, Grace picked up her plate and stomped into the kitchen. In silence, Grace and Jayde scrapped the cream gold-trimmed china, placing the pieces in the dishwasher. When Jayde stacked the last of the catering trays on the counter, she asked, “May I go to my room now?”

  Grace stood at the sink with her back to Jayde. “Please do.”

  Jayde began to walk away, then stopped. “I’m sorry.”

  Grace didn’t respond. She didn’t move until she heard her daughter’s steps fade on the stairs. Then she sank into a chair.

  Jayde had been a terror, but she was more upset with herself. The dinner should have been smoother, but no one knew how to handle this. The only hope was that next time would be better.

  Grace went into the foyer just as Conner was helping Pilar down the stairs.

  “Would you like some coffee?” Grace asked.

  Pilar smiled but shook her head. “I can’t believe how tired I’ve been getting,” she said. “I don’t want to end such a wonderful evening, but would you mind?”

  “Of course not,” Grace said, then paused, hoping she hadn’t responded too quickly. “Where are Solomon and Amber?”

  “Upstairs,” Conner said.

  “I’ll get them.”

  As Conner led Pilar into the living room, Grace paused in front of Jayde’s closed door, then continued to Amber’s. But the conversation inside the room made her stop.

  “I’m glad I have a brother.”

  “I’m glad to have a sister.” Grace heard Solomon’s smile. He added softly, “I have two sisters.”

  “I don’t think Jayde likes you,” Amber said.

  Grace wanted to rush into the room, hold Solomon, and assure him that he was loved. But she held her place, pressed against the hallway wall.

  “She doesn’t know me, so she can’t not like me.” Grace smiled. “I think it’s just the circumstances.”

  Grace pushed toward the door.

  Amber asked, “What does that mean?”

  “Jayde was surprised to find out about me.”

  Grace frowned, wondering if Pilar had told him that, but suspecting Solomon had come up with this on his own.

  “I thought you were a good surprise.”

  “Jayde might not like surprises.” He paused. “And she’s a teenager too. My friend Benji told me that teenagers are crazy.”

  Grace wanted to laugh at Solomon’s seriousness.

  “Really?” Amber asked as if Solomon had spoken a scientific truism. “How does he know?”

  “He has a sister who’s a teenager.”

  “Oh.” Amber’s exclamation gave Solomon’s friend the status of an expert. “Sometimes Jayde acts kind of crazy But she’s really okay.”

  There was silence for a moment.

  Amber said, “I’ll tell her how nice you are.”

  “You can, but she’ll find out for herself.”

  Grace stepped into the room. “Solomon, it’s time for you to go home.”

  Amber and Solomon were kneeling at her bed, shoulder to shoulder, friends sharing secrets. It was so simple to them.

  Amber said, “I wish you could stay longer.” Then she asked, “When are you coming to live with us?”

  Solomon looked at Grace, and she put her arm around his shoulders.

  “We don’t know yet, Amber.” Grace took her daughter’s hand. “Let’s go so you can say good-night to Ms. Pilar.”

  As they passed Jayde’s room, Amber said, “We should tell Jayde you’re leaving.”

  “I don’t think so,” Grace said, and tightened her arm around Solomon. “Let’s leave her alone. You know how crazy teenagers can be.”

  They giggled as they went down the stairs, but Grace’s laughter stopped halfway down. Conner and Pilar stood under the living room’s arch, side by side, the way she and Conner had the day they renewed their vows.

  Grace’s eyes narrowed. The harlot had returned.

  “Well,” Grace began when she got to the bottom of the stairs, keeping her eyes away from the arch. “I’m glad you came over tonight.”

  Pilar stepped closer. “Thank you.” Pilar took her hand. “For everything.”

  The mother replaced the harlot, and Grace squeezed Pilar’s hand. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Conner kissed Grace. “I’ll be right back.”

  Solomon walked toward the door, but before he stepped outside, he turned around and hugged Amber. “It was nice meeting you.”

  Amber giggled.

  Solomon turned to Grace, and when she opened her arms, he fell into her embrace. Like he belonged inside her arms. Grace kissed the top of his head. Then he followed Conner and Pilar.

  With Amber by her side, Grace watched until her husband’s car disappeared into the night with Pilar and their child.

  Chapter 44

  The children had been gone for thirty minutes before Conner pulled out of the garage. The moment the door closed behind him, Grace grabbed the kitchen phone. She dialed, and when it was answered, Grace said, “Devry, can you meet me for breakfast?”

  “Good morning to you, too.”

  “I’m sorry, but I need to talk to my best friend.” Grace paced the length of the kitchen.

  “And who would that be?”

  “You.”

  “Of course. You don’t have any other friends.”

  Grace laughed, knowing that had probably been Devry’s objective from the moment she’d heard Grace’s voice.

  “So what’s the emergency?” Devry asked.

  “I can’t do it over the phone. I’ll treat you to a fabulous breakfast.”

  “No.”

  Grace frowned.

  “And get that grimace off your face,” Devry said, as if she could see her friend. “I’m not saying no officially. I’m going for a walk, so if you want to talk, you’ll have to use some muscles.”

  Grace’s shoulders slumped even more. “You want me to work out?” She sighed, thinking it would be much better to go somewhere and order butter-soaked grits and fried catfish. “You’re weeks away from having a baby.”

  “That’s why I’m working out. And I’m only going to wait for twenty minutes.”

  Grace measured her choices—food or friend. “I’ll be there in fifteen.”

  A foot-tapping Devry was waiting at her door when Grace parked, and she was at Grace’s car before Grace could even get out. “Let’s go.” Devry took Grace’s hand.

  One block later, Devry was swinging her arms and breathing like she was training for a triathlon. Her swollen belly was hidden under the oversized T-shirt that reached her knees.

  “So what did you want to talk about?” Devry asked, granting permission for them to speak.

  “I missed you in church yesterday.”

  Devry looked at Grace though she kept her pace. “That’s not what you want to talk about. How was dinner on Saturday?”

  “How’d you know?”

  Devry chuckled, making her take a stutter-step. “Maybe it was the ninety thousand messages you left or the fact that you’re beating the pavement with me now instead of scarfing down chicken and waffles.”

  Grace laughed, though her chuckles faded quickly. “Girl, if you had been at that dinner, you would have had me committed. It was a disaster. Jayde acted like Blair Witch from the projects.”

  “Sounds awful.”

  “It was worse than that. I didn’t know if I should reach out to Pilar or squeeze the life out of that white woman.”

  Devry frowned. “Why do you have to call her that?”

  “What? White woman? That’s what she is.”

  “Why do you have to put a label on her at all?”

  “Well, to me, she’s a woman who’s not black. So that makes her white.”

  Devry hesitated before she said, “You know that’s messed up.” She kept her eyes straight ahead and pumped her arms higher and harder.

  Grace had to trot to keep up with her pregnant friend. “Okay, what I said wasn’t Godly. I know it,” she said thr
ough heavy breaths.

  “I’m not even talking about God. He’ll deal with you.” She stopped and put her hands on her hips. “Grace, you’re a councilwoman in the most diverse city in the country. How can you talk like that?”

  Grace matched Devry’s stance. “I’m not talking about people who live in my district. I’m talking about the woman who slept with Conner, knowing he was married. I can do my job and hate the fact that my husband had sex with a white woman.”

  Devry rested her arms on her belly. “So this would be acceptable if Conner had bedded a black woman?”

  Grace glared at Devry and swallowed the curse she wanted to spit at her friend. She turned away, swinging her arms, propelling herself forward, faster than she’d been walking before. But she could hold the pace for only a few minutes. She stopped, resting her hands on her knees.

  “Are you okay?” Devry asked, breathing as if she’d been strolling.

  It took a moment for Grace to look up. Perspiration poured from her hairline like slow rain, dripping into tear-shaped puddle son the sidewalk. “It hurts, Devry. Every time I think I’m over it, My heart aches again.”

  Devry pulled Grace into her arms. “I know, sweetie.”

  “And I feel like I don’t have a right to hurt because of all the pain I caused Conner with my affair and …” She stopped, not knowing if it was her tears or that she was still breathing hard that made her pause.

  “Of course you hurt, sweetie. But I’m scared of the hate that is resting in your heart,” Devry said. “The woman who slept with your husband was Pilar Cruise, all those years ago.” She paused. “The Pilar Cruise who was at your home is the dying mother who trusts you with her most precious possession.” Devry took Grace’s hands and rested them on her stomach. “She trusts you with her child. Nothing else should matter.”

  Grace smiled through her tears. “Every time I see Solomon, it gets easier. He’s a joy. And quite the psychiatrist. He told Amber not to worry about Jayde because teenagers are crazy.”

  Devry laughed and squeezed Grace’s hand. “Come on, let’s go back. I’ll scrape up some frozen waffles for you before you go to serve the city.”