It's in the Rhythm

by Sammie Ward

  “And you’re telling us the truth?” Pastor Martindale repeated. “You didn’t do anything to Tamara to make her leave? Because Lord have mercy on you if you did.”

  “Pastor, as God is my witness, I love your daughter and I would never do anything to hurt her.”

  Pastor Martindale looked his son-in-law straight in the eyes. He could usually tell when someone wasn’t being honest. Brian seemed to be telling the truth. He couldn’t understand why Tamara would just up and leave her husband. She was a levelheaded woman, close to him and his wife. If there were trouble in the marriage, he would like to think she would have come to him or his wife for counseling. This wasn’t like her. He had the feeling when the dust settled that he wasn’t going to like the truth.

  * * *

  Garrett let himself into his parents’ house. He walked into the living room and stopped dead in his tracks. Brian was sitting on the sofa, looking like a broken man. He knew what had taken place. Their parents knew Tamara left him. Suddenly, he was glad Tamara didn’t tell him any more than he did.

  “Garrett, come on in,” Pastor Martindale said. “Something terrible has happened.”

  “What’s going on?” Garrett asked, trying to sound as calm as possible. He hated being put in this position. He hated keeping something this important from his parents. He could kill Tamara for putting him in this predicament.

  “Tamara left Brian,” Pastor Martindale said.

  “When?” Garrett asked.

  “Last night,” Ginger replied. “Have you seen or spoken to your sister recently?” She examined Garrett’s face carefully. Her son and daughter were close. If Tamara confided in anyone, it would be Garrett.

  “I’m sorry, Brian,” Garrett said truthfully.

  “Did she say anything? Where she was going?” Brian asked desperately.

  “No. Nothing.”

  “I think I’ll go home. Maybe she called or came back since I’ve been here.”

  “No, you don’t,” Ginger said. “You’re going to spend the night here with us. We’re family. You go on upstairs. You can stay in the guest bedroom. We’ll find out what’s going on.”

  “Thanks, Pastor. Ginger.” Brian slowly made his way up the stairs.

  “I think I’ll turn in,” Garrett said. “It’s been a long day.” He turned to leave. He wanted to get from under his parents’ watchful eye.

  “Hold it, Gary,” Ginger ordered. “Don’t you take another step.”

  Garrett closed his eyes a moment. The only time his mother called him Gary was when he was in trouble. “Ma’am?”

  “Don’t you ‘ma’am’ me. Where’s your sister?”

  “Mom, I don’t know where she is.”

  Pastor Martindale jumped in. “Son, if you know what’s going on, you’d better tell us.”

  “I know as much as you do right now. She left Brian. Honestly, that’s all I know.”

  Ginger replied. “When were you going to tell us?”

  Pastor Martindale shook his head. “Uh-huh, I knew it. Out with it.”

  Garrett threw his hands up in a sudden motion. “Tamara stopped in this morning with Taj. She told me she left Brian. She told me not to say anything.”

  “Are you telling us everything? What does that mean?” Ginger asked the question to no one in particular.

  “I don’t know,” Garrett lied. “But that’s what she said.”

  “I don’t know either,” Pastor Martindale said, “but I’ll bet the devil has some mess going on.”

  * * *

  Brian quietly crept back up the stairs. He suspected Garrett knew more than he was telling his parents. He’d just keep his eyes and ears open. Sooner or later, he’d have his family back.

  * * *

  “I’m gonna kill you,” Trinity leaned over and whispered to Leigh the next morning. They were at work in the teacher’s lounge.

  “For what?” Leigh giggled. “Leaving you alone with a handsome, successful man? You ought to be thanking me.” She poured Italian salad dressing on her salad. “He looks better in person than in his videos. Not as tall as I thought he’d be. But I’m sure you can work with it.”

  “I won’t be working with it, as you put it. I told you I didn’t want to have anything to do with him. But what did you do? Invite him into my home.”

  Leigh leaned back. “Why didn’t you ask him to leave?”

  Trinity studied Leigh for a moment as she pondered her response. She’d asked herself the same question last night over and over again after Garrett left and had not gotten a legitimate answer then.

  Leigh gave her the answer. “I’ll tell you why. Because, deep down inside, you wanted to see him again. That’s why.”

  Trinity inhaled sharply. “For your information, I asked him to leave right after you did.”

  Leigh’s jaw dropped, along with the fork she was holding. “You’re kidding.”

  Trinity would have laughed if Leigh weren’t so serious. “I meant it when I said that I want to avoid that whole media circus. My life has been drama free since Darius and I broke up. I intend to keep it that way.”

  “So, what are you saying? You’re not going to date? Are you going to become a nun? Because, let me let you in on a secret, your life will never be problem free. There will always be something in it to test your faith in God.”

  Trinity exhaled a long breath. She had a feeling that Leigh wasn’t going to change the subject. “I’m not getting any, anyway. So it doesn’t matter.”

  “That’s another thing. I keep telling you that you’re too beautiful and too young not to have a social life.”

  “Let it go, Leigh. The next man I lay down with will be my husband.”

  Leigh speared a slice of tomato. “There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s too bad more women don’t think that way. But speaking of dating, how are you going to meet this future husband if you don’t date?”

  Trinity glanced at Leigh again. “For one thing, men don’t want to go out a woman who doesn’t put out.”

  “That’s not true of all men,” Leigh countered. “Is that why you’re running from Garrett? Afraid he’ll walk if you don’t sleep with him?”

  “I’m not running from Garrett,” Trinity argued.

  “What do you call it? One kiss and you ran for the hills.”

  “Okay, I admit there was an attraction.”

  “Is an attraction,” Leigh corrected.

  Trinity shook her head. “Is an attraction, but even with what’s going on, I’m not over what happened with Darius. So how can I enter into another relationship?”

  “You miss Darius, don’t you?”

  “No. The man couldn’t find the word ‘commitment’ in the dictionary if he tried.”

  Leigh chuckled.

  “There you are,” Principal Fisk said as she made her way toward the table. “Good afternoon, Miss Blake,” she acknowledged Leigh, and then placed a hand on Trinity’s back. “Have you managed to arrange for Garrett Martindale to come and speak at the school?”

  Trinity wished Leigh hadn’t said anything. “I’m still working on it, Principal Fisk.”

  “Keep me posted,” Principal Fisk replied before heading in the opposite direction.

  * * *

  Garrett’s morning was busy. He threw himself in his work, trying not to think about Trinity. It began with several radio and telephone interviews. He braced himself for questions about the photo of him and Trinity. He calmly stated they were old friends, nothing more. That’s the way Trinity wanted it, and that was fine with him. He’d never pushed his affections upon a woman, and he wasn’t about to start now.

  After the last telephone interview, he went into the kitchen to grab something to eat. He entered the dining room and found his mother sitting at the table, reading the Bible. Bending down, he kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, Mother.”

  Ginger glanced up at him. “Morning, Garrett.”

  On closer examination, she looked as if she hadn’t gotten much sleep.
“You look tired.”

  “I was up half the night worrying about Tamara and Taj.” She slowly pushed away from the table and walked into the kitchen. “Coffee?”

  “Sure. I’ll take it black.”

  Ginger poured steaming coffee into two mugs. “Have you had breakfast?”

  “I’m fine. I’ve already eaten.” After he’d showered that morning, he’d whipped up an egg omelet.

  She set a mug before Garrett. “I’m still trying to absorb this whole thing. She should have called or come to the house by now.”

  “I agree.” He took a sip. “To be honest, I thought she was going to stop back by.”

  “I pray things are all right. She has my grandbaby out there. Lord only knows what’s going on.”

  Garrett looked up at his mother. “Maybe Tamara wasn’t happy. That’s why she left.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying Tamara’s marriage didn’t start out on the right foot. That maybe that’s the reason for the separation.”

  “Whose fault was that?” Ginger stated.

  “They were young at the time Tamara got pregnant. Things happen.”

  “And Brian married her. He did the right thing.”

  “Mother, marriages that begin the way that theirs did are almost sure to fail. You know that.” Garrett had to remember that he was speaking to his mother.

  “What I know is, Tamara can’t work out things by leaving the marriage. That’s what’s wrong with marriages today. The first sign of trouble and everyone wants to leave, get a divorce. She needs to stay and work it out.”

  “What if she doesn’t want to stay in the marriage? Work it out. Then what?”

  “Why wouldn’t she?” She tossed over her shoulder. “I believe it was just a fight. Tamara just needs to blow off steam. She will come back home. Everything will be all right.”

  Garrett walked over, leaned against the counter, and said, “But what if she doesn’t want to work things out with Brian?”

  Ginger didn’t answer for a moment. “Is that what Tamara told you? She wants out of the marriage?”

  “You can’t make someone be with you if they don’t want to be,” Garrett replied and walked out the kitchen. It was advice he had to accept for himself.

  * * *

  Tamara crossed the bedroom and looked at the phone. She needed to call her parents. They would be worried about her and Taj. The truth was, she was afraid to call them. She hated misleading Garrett. They were close and always confided in each other, but this was one secret she didn’t know how he would react to.

  Once the word got around church that the preacher’s daughter and son-in-law had separated, the tongues would be wagging. Her parents would be embarrassed, but she had to live her life for herself.

  She sat on the edge of the bed. She knew her parents wanted her and Garrett to follow in their footsteps, but so far neither she nor Garrett were on the Christian path.

  “Marriage is a sacred union,” her father had preached from the pulpit. “Adultery is a sin.” How could she deny her feelings? She bent her head and studied her hands. Her situation wasn’t easy for her or her family.

  Tamara was about to pick up the phone when Nina Cole, her roommate, walked into the room. “Have you phoned your family to let them know you and Taj are all right?”

  “I was just about to do that.” Losing her nerve, she quickly drew her hand away.

  Nina patted Tamara’s back sympathetically. “Scared?”

  “To death,” Tamara admitted. “Telling my family I left my husband is one thing. But telling them the reason I left him is another. I don’t know how they are going to react.”

  “You have to be honest with them. Don’t let them find out from someone else. We agreed that when the time came, we would be open about our relationship.” Nina caressed her cheek and trailed a finger down Tamara’s neck. “It’s never easy. I don’t care who you are.”

  Tamara had met Nina a year ago when she began attending her father’s church. They often ran into each other and eventually became friends. At the time, Tamara was having serious marital problems. One evening, after Bible study, she found herself opening up to Nina, who was a breath of fresh air. She wasn’t judgmental or preachy. She just listened. It was what Tamara needed at the time. After that, they began to hang together.

  A legal secretary at a prominent law firm, Nina was kind, intelligent, and beautiful. Wherever she went, she turned heads—men and women. No one would ever guess she was attracted to women.

  A month later, Nina told her she was gay. She thought it would end their friendship. Little did Nina know that her confession opened up a new world for Tamara, one she wasn’t sure she belonged to—until now.

  * * *

  Trinity made the turn onto the interstate. It had been a long day at work, and she just wanted to go home and soak in a nice, hot bubble bath.

  As she drove, she listened to the radio. Glo’s entertainment and gossip was on the air. “I saw them kissing in the booth in the back of the exclusive restaurant Shay’s Hollywood,” Glo was saying. “I wanted to tell them to get a room.” She giggled. “I’m sure they did later. And speaking of kissing, it appears R & B singer Garrett Martindale has a new kissing partner in his life. Now everybody knows Garrett and Imani are on-again, off-again,” she continued. “Well, I ran into Imani last week at a fashion show and she told me they were on again. I guess Imani forgot to tell Garrett, because he was spotted putting a serious lip-lock on a woman identified as Trinity Blake. According to sources, they were quoted as saying they were just friends. Yeah, right. Just goes to show, ladies, you can’t let your man out of your sight for one minute. Tune in tomorrow for more Glo’s Entertainment and Gossip.”

  Trinity closed her mouth and turned off the radio. She knew the photo was going to be published, but that didn’t make hearing about her and Garrett any easier.

  She hurried inside the house and bolted the door behind her. Leaning against the door, she took a couple of deep breaths to compose herself. The phone rang and she jumped. She went to answer, but stopped in her tracks. What if it was a reporter? Checking the caller ID, she recognized Leigh’s number.

  “Hello—”

  “Quick! Turn on Entertainment TV!” Leigh exclaimed.

  Trinity grabbed the remote control and turned on the television. She flipped to the channel and caught the tail end of the segment about her and Garrett’s relationship. She sat down on the sofa. “I can’t believe how the media is blowing this out of proportion.” She placed a hand on her head. “This is ridiculous. I can’t believe this.”

  “You know the press. Garrett is one of the hottest celebrities today. All the media needs is a headline and they run with it. You and Garrett are now the headline.”

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  “Look, I gotta go. Just thought I’d let you know you were ‘live on five,’ ” Leigh laughed. “Bye.”

  Trinity groaned at the bad rhyme as she hung up. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her life had changed so much since Garrett came back into it. She just wasn’t sure if it was for better or for worse.

  * * *

  Garrett switched off the television. He was sitting in the den, selecting songs for the Gospel Explosion. In a relationship with Trinity, the segment said. He could only wish. He was sure Imani had seen and heard about the photo. He was sure to hear from her.

  A moment later, the phone rang. Garrett strolled into the kitchen. The caller ID revealed his sister’s number.

  “Martindale residence,” he answered.

  “Garrett?” Tamara’s voice came across the line.

  Garrett pepped up. It was good to hear from her. “Tamara, where are you? Everything all right? You’re okay?”

  Tamara’s laugh was strained. “Taj and I are fine.”

  “Everyone is worried sick, especially Mom and Dad. Brian is beside himself. Hold on. Let me go get them.”

  “Wait, Garrett. I need to see you first
before I talk to them.”

  “Why?” Garrett asked. He could hear something in her voice. “Is something wrong? Do you need me to come get you and Taj?”

  “Nothing like that. I just need to talk to you and I don’t want to do it over the phone. Can you meet me tonight at Cadence? Say, seven o’clock?”

  “Sure,” Garrett answered slowly, hoping Tamara really was okay.

  “I’ll see you then.”

  Garrett returned the phone to the cradle. He wondered what Tamara had to talk to him about. He covered his face with both hands and tried to collect his thoughts. Maybe she was pregnant by the other man. “I’ll wring her neck,” he mumbled.

  * * *

  Brian carefully replaced the telephone receiver. He’d hoped Tamara would call. Garrett wouldn’t be the only one meeting her tonight.

  * * *

  At exactly seven o’clock, the hostess led Garrett to Tamara’s table, which was next to the window. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before taking a chair across from her.

  Garrett studied her. “You look good.”

  “Thanks. I feel good.”

  For a woman who had just left her husband, she was very calm. “What’s going on, sis? You said you have something to talk to me about. I figured you told me everything I needed to know.”

  Tamara nodded. “What I have to tell you now…you may want to order a drink first.”

  Garrett leaned back in the chair. “What?”

  “Order the drink, Garrett,” she said quietly. “You’ll need it.”

  He gave a nervous chuckle. “Nothing you can tell me will drive me to drink.”

  “You wanna bet?”

  Garrett sighed. “Tamara, quit stalling. Out with it.”

  Tamara reached across the table and held his hand. “Okay, here goes.” She cleared her throat. “Garrett, I’m gay.”

  Garrett’s mouth dropped open. He didn’t move. He couldn’t. Had he heard her correctly? “What did you say?”

  She dropped her head slightly, her grip tightening on his. “I’m gay.”

  That’s what he thought she said. No way. He’d hoped she meant “gay” as in happy. Of all the things that she could have told him, he hadn’t expected to hear this. He signaled the hostess. Tamara was right about one thing. He needed a drink in the worst way.