“There’s nothing in that picture that would tell the police where she is. It’s an old picture.”
Vanessa decided to try a different approach. “Charlene, this picture proves that Zack lied to you at the hospital about knowing Mabel Joe. Now she’s missing, and he has a picture of her in his car. Don’t you at least want to know what he’s doing with it?”
Charlene slowly nodded her head. “Yes, but he never said he didn’t know her. He just said that she was mistaken about living next door to his grandmother. There could be a perfectly logical explanation for that picture. I don’t want to involve the police until after I talk to Zack.”
“I hate to say this because you are family and I love you. But that man has your nose so wide open that you can’t see the forest for the trees, girl. Mabel Joe could be locked in your basement right now, and you want to give him a chance to lie to you, again?”
Charlene snatched the picture away from Vanessa and put it back inside her purse. “I’m sorry that I told you. You’ve never liked Zack. I don’t know why I thought you’d at least have an open mind about this.”
“Your mind is the one that’s closed. Zack could tell you the sky is falling and just like Chicken Little, you’d be running away scared.”
“That’s enough. I’ve put up with the snide comments about my husband for my entire marriage, and frankly, I’m sick of it. You and the rest of my family have given me no credit since the day you met him. I know that Zack is not perfect, but I love him, and I want our marriage to work. So instead of nagging him, I pray for him and with him. I’m not stupid, like most of you think. I just know how to choose my battles. In return, God has blessed me with a loving husband, three beautiful children, this exquisite home, and just about any material thing I could want. I’m happy, and I have learned to accept the fact that my family won’t be happy for me. But I’m not about to sit here and let you disrespect me in my own home.”
“Charlene, I’m sorry. That picture just has me freaked out. I’ve been concerned about Mabel Joe, and when you showed me that, it was just scary. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
Charlene sighed loudly. “It’s okay. I’m just not ready to accuse Zack of anything. All we really know is that he knew Mabel Joe. So did you and a lot of people.”
“I’ve got an idea. Just promise you’ll hear me out before you say no.”
Charlene eyed her suspiciously. “What is it?”
“Let’s just take a look in the basement. I’ve got a friend who’s a locksmith, and I could have him over here in less than an hour.”
“No way. That’s an invasion of his privacy, and I won’t do it.” Charlene suddenly heard Coretta crying. She left the family room and rushed up the stairs to tend to her with Vanessa following closely behind her. Picking her up, Charlene bounced her and rubbed her back to soothe her. “Mommy’s here, sweetie. What’s the matter? Are you hungry?” She turned to Vanessa. “Will you get me a bottle from the minifridge please?”
“Sure, do I need to go downstairs and warm it up?”
“No, just take it to the bathroom and run it under the warm water for a few seconds.”
Charlene was sitting in the rocking chair still trying to soothe Coretta when Vanessa returned a few moments later with the bottle. Vanessa handed it to her, then sat in the chair beside her. Silently, she watched her cousin lovingly feeding her baby while trying to think of a way to convince her to search the basement.
As much as she hated to admit it, Vanessa really did not dislike Zack. She was well aware that he was a good provider and a loving husband and father. She’d visited his church on numerous occasions and truly believed that he was a man of God who preached the Word. Those were not the things about him that bothered her.
She couldn’t pinpoint it or give it a name, but something about him just didn’t sit well with her. There was something about him that was bubbling just under the surface of his character that made her wonder who he really was. It had taken awhile, but she’d gotten used to the fact that he wouldn’t shake hands with most people, and his nose worked like a bloodhound.
She believed his overprotectiveness of Charlene was his way of showing love, and she knew lots of men who had private home gyms. Individually, none of it was worthy of concern, but collectively, it made her skin crawl like hearing fingernails scratch across a chalkboard.
Because Charlene loved him, Vanessa had ignored her gut feeling for years, but she wasn’t willing to do that anymore. Something in her spirit told her that Zack was connected to Mabel Joe’s disappearance, and she just had to convince Charlene to go into that basement.
Charlene placed Coretta on her shoulder and gently patted her back until she let out a loud burp. Then she smiled and cradled her in her lap before looking over at Vanessa. “I see that look in your eye, but I’ve already given you my answer.”
“You promised to hear me out before saying no, remember?”
“I heard you. You want to break into Zack’s basement gym.”
“But you didn’t let me tell you why. Okay, I know I made that crack about Mabel Joe being down there. I was out of line. But in all these years, you mean to tell me you’ve never wondered what he’s hiding down there?”
“He’s not hiding anything. There is a gym and a full bathroom with a shower down there. He locks it to keep the boys out. For Pete’s sake, I have the keys.” Charlene walked over to the crib and laid Coretta down while Vanessa stared at her with her mouth gaping wide open.
“You have the keys? He won’t be home for hours; we can go down there, look around, and be back upstairs in no time. If he has nothing to hide, what’s the harm in looking?”
“I trust my husband. He’s always trusted me with the keys, so I know that he isn’t trying to keep me out. I’ve just never had a reason to go down there.”
“Honey, you said yourself that he acted as if he didn’t know Mabel Joe, but you found that picture.” She walked over to the crib and looked Charlene directly in the eyes. “I’m not trying to destroy your trust in your husband, but we both know that something is not right about this whole situation.”
Charlene stood quietly thinking for several moments. To her knowledge, Zack had never lied to her during their marriage. He was a truthful man. Even if he thought the truth would hurt her, he’d always been honest. But his reaction to Mabel Joe at the hospital was unnerving. That feeling intensified when she’d found the picture. Pondering Vanessa’s request, she realized that Zack had never asked her not to go into the basement. It was just a mutual understanding between them that it was his private domain. He’d told her that he did not like to be disturbed while working out, and she’d always respected his wishes. Based on that logic, Charlene reasoned that if she went down there now, she would not be going against his wishes. She turned to Vanessa. “Okay, let’s go do it now before I lose my nerve.”
The two of them trotted down the stairs into the kitchen and over to the basement door. Charlene opened the utility drawer next to the sink and retrieved her keys. First, she unlocked the padlock. She tried to do it alone, but it took the strength of both of them to raise the iron bar. Next, she unlocked all of the dead-bolts and turned the tumblers. Finally, she put her key into the lock on the basement door. Pausing to take a deep breath, she looked over at Vanessa. “This just feels wrong. We shouldn’t do it.”
“Girl, I just broke a sweat lifting that bar,” Vanessa said indignantly. “We are going in. Now go ahead and open the door.”
Charlene inhaled deeply and turned the key in the lock, then pulled the basement door open. As soon as she did, Zack walked into the kitchen.
Startled, both Vanessa and Charlene quickly scampered away from the open basement door. “Honey, what you doing home?” Charlene asked.
Zack looked back and forth at the two women and then the basement door before answering. “I forgot my iPad. Why is the basement door open? I’ve told you it could be dangerous if the boys went down there.”
>
“Um . . . the boys are at school, and um . . . Vanessa wanted to see what kind of equipment you have down there. She’s thinking of building a gym in her home.” Charlene barely squeaked the lie out, and it seemed to burn her lips as it left her mouth.
Zack looked them both over again once more. “Sure, go ahead and show her the whole layout, but don’t forget to lock the door when you’re done. I’m going upstairs to get my iPad. I have a meeting downtown.” He started to leave the kitchen, but then he stopped and turned around. “Oh, I’ll probably be a little late for dinner.”
As soon as he was gone, Charlene rushed over and closed the basement door, and locked all of the locks.
“What are you doing? He said it’s fine if we go in,” Vanessa whispered.
“That’s exactly why I’m not going down there. It proves that he has nothing to hide, and I should not be snooping around. Help me get the bar back down.”
Reluctantly, Vanessa took the edge of the bar, and they both heaved it into place. She crossed her arms across her chest in frustration as she watched Charlene place the padlock on the door and return the keys to the drawer.
Outside the kitchen door, Zack stood watching and listening. Once he was sure they’d locked up the basement, he grabbed his briefcase and left the house feeling grateful that his wife has so much trust in him. As he got into his car, he made a mental note to change all of the locks on the basement door.
Chapter Fifteen
“Honey, we’re going to be late if you don’t hurry up,” Brandon yelled. Tia was in her private bathroom getting ready for the Revelations cast finale party.
“I’m dressing for two. I’ll be out soon,” she yelled through the door.
“Fine, I’ll be waiting for you downstairs,” he said before leaving the bedroom.
Inside the bathroom, Tia stood posing in front of her full-length mirror admiring her naked body. Whenever she had the luxury of removing the padding, she could not help gazing into the mirror at her lean and trim physique.
Over the past few months, she had found that padding her figure to appear increasingly pregnant was the worst part of the whole plan. After years of Pilates and a strict diet, she hated that she now had to hide the figure she’d worked so hard to maintain. It was especially difficult for her during the summer when she wanted to wear short shorts and midriff tops. Attending the cast party at Evangelist Hyatt’s home that summer had been humiliating for her. Instead of being able to show off her washboard abs in a tiny string bikini, Tia had to wear a one-piece bathing suit dress with padding underneath. Brandon told her that she looked beautiful, but Tia felt fat and ugly. But she took consolation in the fact that unlike real pregnant women, her weight was artificial, and each night before taking a shower, she had the luxury of shedding it all to strut her stuff in front of the mirror.
During the past few months, Tia also learned that being pregnant had perks that she had not expected. Quincy had encouraged her to fake morning sickness. “Look, girl, you are supposed to be sick every morning. Tell Brandon that you are nauseated, then go in the bathroom and make throwing up sounds,” he had said.
“That’s disgusting.” Tia’s nose sneered up at the thought of it.
“Maybe so, but if you expect your husband to believe that you are pregnant, you are going to have to simulate the symptoms.”
The following Sunday morning, Tia did as he asked. After Brandon left for church alone she was elated to realize that being sick allowed her to skip service. From that day forward she used her pregnancy as an excuse to get out of all sorts of church business. Brandon felt she should not be on her feet too much, so he took over her duties at the soup kitchen, and replaced her as a Sunday School teacher. When the Ladies League announced their clothing drive, Brandon sent over two church ladies to help Tia sort through clothes to donate. With her feet propped up, Tia worked the two women like Hebrew slaves. They not only cleaned out all four of her closets, but they also agreed to rub her feet and legs after she pretended that they were swelling.
Although his constant prodding and reminders were annoying, Tia was actually grateful that Quincy was helping her through the entire process. He kept in contact with the surrogate and went with her to every doctor’s appointment. He also helped Tia run interference with Brandon to be sure that he conveniently missed all of her pretend appointments. Even Tia had become excited when Quincy delivered to her an ultrasound that confirmed the baby was a boy.
One morning she’d gone into her bathroom and realized that she was out of feminine hygiene products. She’d already pushed the intercom and was prepared to wail Sophia’s head off for not replenishing them, when she suddenly realized that her maid thought she was pregnant and did not need them. Tia began to panic as she wondered how she could get more. There was no way that she’d walk into a store and buy them. Even when the TV cameras were not following her, everywhere she went, someone in Atlanta recognized her from the show. The gossip blogs had written a story on the last pair of shoes and matching purse that she’d bought, so she knew they’d report it if she bought anything else. Feeling desperate she called Quincy.
Half an hour later, he arrived at her home wearing tight jeans, a hot-pink tube top, a lime-green feather boa, and three-inch stiletto heels. In his hand he was carrying a large shopping bag. He swished his hips up the stairs and into her bedroom without waiting for Sophia to announce him. “Here you go, girlfriend,” he said with a big, boisterous smile.
Tia gave him a big hug of gratitude. “You are a lifesaver.”
“Gas to get to the store . . . ten dollars, two boxes of feminine hygiene products . . . twelve dollars, the look on the old biddy’s face at Target as I pranced up to the register and bought them . . . priceless,” he said. The two of them doubled over on the bed in laughter.
At last, through with admiring her body in the mirror, Tia grabbed her six-month pregnancy padding and put it on. She began to step into her royal-blue strapless sequined gown, but remembered that she couldn’t get it over her belly. Instead, she had to pull it over her head. As she struggled into the dress, she wished she could call for help. How do fat women get dressed every day? she wondered just as she was finally able to get the dress to slide past her hips.
She emerged from the bathroom and pressed the intercom to summon Sophia to escort the makeup artist upstairs that she’d hired and to put on her shoes. That was her favorite pregnancy perk. Instead of trying to reach around her stomach, she simply sat down in a chair while Sophia placed the shoes on her feet for her. Tia loved every moment of it. There was just something about having people kneeling at her feet that made her feel all warm and tingly inside.
Growing weary of waiting, Brandon returned upstairs to check on Tia’s progress. “Honey, I’ve been dressed and waiting for over an hour. Can we go now?” he asked.
“No. Ming is here, and she has to do my makeup and hair.”
Brandon shook his head. In all the years that they’d been married, Tia had always been high maintenance. He smiled politely at Ming and went back downstairs. He knew that it would be at least another half hour before they’d be ready to depart.
To pass the time, he decided to call his parents. His mother picked up the phone on the second ring. “Brandon, honey, I thought you were attending a finale party tonight in Atlanta,” she said.
“I am. I’m just waiting for Tia to get ready. You know my wife likes to make an entrance.”
“Oh, how is Miss Thing enjoying her pregnancy?”
Brandon chuckled. His mother had referred to Tia by that nickname since the day they’d first met. “She’s fine, Mom, and so is the baby. Did I tell you it’s a boy?”
“Are you sure? You’ve been saying it’s a boy all along.”
“Yes. Tia had an ultrasound last month, and it was confirmed.” Brandon had wanted to be there to hold her hand through the whole thing, but he’d been out of town. When he returned, Tia presented him with the ultrasound picture. He had it framed and h
ung on his office wall.
“It’s a boy!” his mother yelled out. “Brandon and Miss Thing are having a boy.”
Brandon heard applause, screams, and cheers in the background. “What’s going on?”
“Your father and I are throwing our own finale party right here at the house. Your brothers and sisters are all here, and the grandkids. I’m so glad that you gave us that big-screen TV for our anniversary.”
Brandon felt a twinge of sadness mixed with jealousy. As much as he liked his cast mates, he’d much rather be sitting in the middle of his mother’s den floor watching the last show with all of his loved ones. In his mind, he could imagine the food that his mother had cooked. He was sure she had her kitchen counter weighed down with fried chicken wings, honey-glazed meat balls, pigs in a blanket, and sweet & spicy shrimp. His siblings would be in charge of the side dishes. He could almost taste his big brother’s famous red cabbage coleslaw and the fried corn he just knew his sister had brought. “It sounds like you guys are having a ball,” he said.
“When are you coming to visit, son?” Brandon’s father picked up the phone extension and joined in the conversation.
“Dad, I would love to come home for Christmas, but I don’t think Tia will be up to traveling. She’ll be almost eight months by then. But I promise we’ll be home in the New Year. As soon as the baby is old enough, we’ll bring him to see you.”
“How’d you jump all the way to Christmas? Thanksgiving is next week. The show is done filming, so can’t you come then?” Brandon’s mother asked.
Brandon sighed. “I wish I could, but the church is serving the homeless on Thanksgiving Day. It’s one of our biggest projects of the year. As the pastor I have to be there, and I really want to be there.”
“That’s my boy. You have always put other’s needs above your own. We are proud of what you are doing with your ministry, Brandon. Just be sure to give us a call that day,” his dad said.
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