“Accusations? What would she be making accusations about?”
“Nothing, baby, nothing.” He stroked her hair and inhaled the sweetness of her. “We’re going to have a beautiful ceremony. Let’s get this practice show on the road. But first . . . what did I ask you to do?”
“Wash my face.”
“All right, good girl.”
When she was gone, he strolled out to the center of the room. Trevelle was working diligently. She and the older Hulk-size dude were exchanging smiles and glances. New liaisons were always fun. Then the hard work began—the lies or, worse, the truths.
“The girl’s not answering. I just can’t figure out what this is about.” Delma closed the phone, keeping her eyes on Trevelle. “Where’s Keisha?”
“In the bathroom. Mama D, I really don’t see the problem.”
“She’s trying to weasel her way into an invite.”
“Is that so terrible?” He rested his arm over her round shoulders.
Mama D nudged his arm away. Since their run-in about the money, she dropped all pretense. “Since when are you her advocate? You know this is all an act. She’s liable to go off any minute, ranting about being excluded as mother of the bride. She’s only here to ruin everything.”
Gray nodded and blinked understanding from his slightly watering eyes. “We’re all going to be fine. Trevelle’s not going to ruin anything. That’s a solid promise.” He felt like saying it was a money-back guarantee because he was going to have to pay, and pay dearly.
“Well, we’re all going to have to get started without Nikki and the flower girl.” Delma waved the rest of the bridal party to the outdoor area. She was at her wit’s end. What was she paying Venus for? The unwritten part of their contract specifically required a Trevelle intervention, yet here she was, delivered to the front door like an omen. The wedding was going to be a disaster.
“Are you sure, Mom?”
“Hey, your mother’s right. I should’ve told you earlier,” Gray whispered in Keisha’s ear. “Nikki and I kind of had a blowup. She wanted a raise; I told her it wasn’t in the cards right now.”
Keisha looked stricken. “Why would she choose a time like this to ask for a raise? So did she quit, or what happened?”
“She stormed out of the office. Said she wasn’t coming back. I would’ve thought she’d at least honor her commitment to you and be here.” He rubbed a comforting hand on her back. “Show must go on, as they say.”
“I could always be a stand-in.” Trevelle’s voice came from behind them. Keisha and Gray faced her, startled she’d been listening. “Maybe Nikki will show up tomorrow. But for now, I could stand in.”
Delma came forward. “No, that’s quite all right. We’ll be fine.”
“Right, you probably have some more flowers in the van, or something.” Gray stroked Keisha’s back. For an instant, Delma saw some good in him. Not such a bad character, after all. He knew Trevelle and the fact she couldn’t be trusted.
“Just thought I could help,” Trevelle said, turning slowly to walk away.
“Okay, okay,” Keisha said from over the shoulders of both Gray and Delma. She stepped out from their barrier. “As a matter of fact, why don’t you just take her place. You have something in this color you can wear?” Keisha held up the embossed napkin with turquoise champagne glasses.
“What . . . no!” Delma felt her blood pressure rising. “Wait a minute. It’s too late for changes. Nikki will probably show up. You wouldn’t want to give away your new best girlfriend’s spot, would you?”
“She’s not here, Mother. Enough said. And you know what, I think it’s time we stop being afraid of each other.” She looked between Delma and Trevelle. “I just want to have a beautiful ceremony filled with love. I can’t have that knowing I’ve kicked out Trevelle, or hurt anyone’s feelings. I can’t.” She leaned into Gray’s chest for support. “Are you all right with this decision?”
“I want whatever you want,” he said, though his eyes darted to the entrance of the ballroom as if he wanted to run out of there screaming.
“All right, we have a ceremony to practice for.” Keisha reached out and kissed Delma on the cheek. “I love you. You are without a doubt the best mom in the world.”
Miracle at 3012
The decision was made for him. Agent McDonald regretfully informed him that she was off the case as of yesterday morning. Something about outside influence from a local official. Jake crushed the phone closed. He had to think fast.
“Sirena, hey.” He tried to calm his breathing. “I need a favor. It’s going to sound crazy, but you’re the first person I thought of. I need you to pick up my daughter from preschool.” He let her light laughter subside, then let her ask the next question he knew was coming. “It’s an emergency and you’re the only person I know and trust. . . .” He waited as patiently as he could. “Thank you!” He balled his fist for the small victory. He gave her the address. “Please, please, you have to get there before eight. I know that’s like fifteen minutes. Please. You can’t be late.”
He dialed the preschool and explained that his sister was coming for Mya. He couldn’t afford another minute wasted. He called the agent back and made his last plea.
Jake stood in front of the door of 3012. He listened for a second or two. His patience was at an all-time low. He knocked on the door. It flew open, and the strong scent of herb hit him square in the face.
“You decided to show up, late and shit.” Ronny sat on the couch, puffing on a thick-ass cigar blunt.
“Yeah.” Jake looked around, nearly afraid he’d stumble over someone’s body or, worse . . . his wife. He had to keep in mind, it wasn’t Ronny who was the killer, after all—now, was it?
“Have a seat.”
Jake took the offer. “Whatever you thought you needed to do to get your money back, you don’t have to do. You understand what I’m saying? I’ll pay you back whatever Byron stole with interest. I’ll find a way. But—” He choked up. He let his hands slide over his shaven head. “My wife, you have to let her go.”
“Your wife?” Ronny thought this was funny. “Where she at? She here?” He leaned forward. “Go get her, man. I’m sorry. Who knew?” He pointed over his head. “Go on.”
Jake’s stomach turned, and he didn’t think he was going to make it to the door, but he did. He twisted the knob and peeked slowly first. The naked brown bodies were pumping and flowing on top of the bed. The woman’s long shiny hair flung over her head before she looked him in the eye. He slammed the door closed.
“Is that her?” Ronny called from the couch of the suite.
Jake swallowed the nausea trying to rise up. “Nah, man. Where’s my wife? Did you take her? I swear to God, did you take her?”
Ronny cracked up. “Whole lotta mistaken identities goin’ on around here. I got to get back to L.A. At least you can tell folks apart out West.” His friends started laughing with him. “Nah, man, ain’t nobody got your wife. For a minute I thought you was talking about your bitch partner.”
Jake was relieved, but if he didn’t have Venus, then where?
“Legend,” Ronny said, “your boy. Thought you two might’ve took advantage of the legalities and got hitched.”
Jake hadn’t thought about Legend in the moments he was looking for Venus. “Where is he?”
“Good question. When I find him, I’ll make sure you know.” He made a finger slide across his neck for demonstration. “But as for your wifey, can’t help you. Now let’s talk about my money. I believe you made a nice offer and I’d like to accept it.”
“That was before, when I thought you had something I wanted. Since you don’t, I’m out of here.” Jake headed to the door. A wide-as-hell outside dude stepped in front of him. He reached in the back of his pants and pulled out a pistol. Jake put it to the guy’s head and swung him around. “I really don’t have time for this, I swear.”
Ronny laughed. “Ain’t that cute. Look at that little gun. Where you get th
at, out of a cereal box?”
“Yeah, but the bullets are still real.” Jake was glad the guy was so large, since now there were two guns pointed at him.
“Ay, anybody accidentally shoot my brother gone have me to deal with. Put y’all guns down. None of this is necessary, Jake. Seriously, let my brother go and be on your way. Let’s just call it a truce.”
Jake didn’t believe him. He reached behind and opened the door. When he got it open, he used Ronny’s brother as his shield, pulling him all the way to the open elevator. Ronny’s entourage didn’t move. Jake shoved his human shield out the elevator once the doors were closing. He nearly pissed on himself. His heart was beating so hard, he didn’t feel the vibration against his hip.
He caught his breath and answered while the elevator was still moving. He knew once it stopped he’d be in war mode again. “Yeah,” he let out cautiously, hoping it was really her as the name said on his screen.
“Baby!” she cried into the phone.
“Where are you?” His knees bent; he could hardly stand. A mixture of relief and fear. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she said as clearly as she could, though still garbled with tears. She was at a gas station, too scared to move. The elevator doors pulled open slowly. He was on his way and prayed for anybody who tried to stop him.
Jake pulled into the gas station and saw the white Jaguar he was familiar with from the many times Airic had driven it to pick up Mya. He almost forgot to put his own car in park, jumping out while it was slowly rolling. He put the brake on, then walked slowly to the window, cupping his hand to see inside the tinted glass.
He saw movement in the backseat. “Open the door, baby. It’s me.”
“This your car? I called a tow truck.” The convenience store attendant was standing a few feet away.
A click sounded, letting Jake know she’d unlocked the door. “The car is moving, don’t worry about the tow.” He reached inside and pulled her up where she’d been curled in the floor behind the passenger side.
She couldn’t stop crying. “Shh, baby, I got you. I got you. It’s okay.”
“Mya!” she suddenly called out. “Oh, my God, where’s Mya?”
“She’s fine. I asked a friend to pick her up and bring her to the house.” He rubbed her shoulders to try to calm her down. “Come on, we’re home. Everything is going to be okay.”
“So, these guys thought you were Trevelle. You sure you weren’t hearing things, you know, at a time like that,” Jake asked while he drove them home. “You could’ve panicked and went into imagination overdrive.” He was still sure it had something to do with Ronny, but should’ve counted his blessings if they really had grabbed the wrong person.
He remembered Ronny’s comment about mistaken identities.
“What did they want with Trevelle?” He rolled into their long driveway, mostly talking to himself. “Maybe Airic had something to do with it. Their breakup is getting pretty nasty. Maybe he paid someone.”
Venus was still in shock and not paying him much attention. He had to admit he was pretty much in a similar state. The entire day seemed to stream into one long dizzying spin of events.
Inside he helped her upstairs. He started the shower water and helped her get out of her clothes. He took in the bruises around her neck and shoulders, even on her back. “Baby, maybe we should go to the hospital.”
“No,” she said with more resolve than anything else he’d heard from her. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”
He helped her step out of her white jeans that were scuffed with dirt as if she’d been dragged. “Baby, did something else happen? . . . I mean, did someone—?” He didn’t want to say the word.
“I fought. I fought them. They’re lucky I didn’t have my bat,” she said into his chest, still sobbing.
He pressed his face into her wild mane of hair and inhaled. He’d never been more grateful in his life, more aware of the good with the bad, more thankful to God she was alive and in his arms.
Sacrilegious Green
I had nothing in my closet that ghastly color turquoise. With Delma in charge, I knew there would be a whole lot of ugly going on. The flowers were the one gorgeous accompaniment. I admit to being slightly biased in that regard. Mr. Vincent Capricio had made me smile, something I couldn’t remember doing without it being for someone else’s benefit in some time.
After we’d driven back to the floral shop, he offered the steak dinner he’d promised. I politely declined. The florist man was hardly near my standards. Besides, the last thing I was about to do was trust another man.
I told him I’d never fit into the dress I had in mind if I had a steak or anything besides the blanched salad I had waiting at home. We decided on a rain check. He offered his hand when we arrived at the floral shop to help me out of the van. I’d imagined his hands would be rough and callused from rose pricks and hard water, but instead they were soft and strong.
“I can be your date to the wedding,” he said as he escorted me out of the van. I searched inside my purse for my keys to make a quick getaway, and they weren’t there. “I think I left my keys inside. Wait a minute. Where’s my car?”
Vince took me by the hand. “Come inside,” he said quickly.
“What? What is it?” I tried to turn around to see what had spooked him.
He kept the lights off in the store and walked back to the front to peer out the window. I came to his side and looked out, too. Headlights of the large Hummer parked across the street suddenly came on. The car sped away.
“Who was that?”
“I don’t know.” Vince looked around, making sure the place was intact. “We had a break-in a few days ago.”
“Well, you could’ve warned me before I left my car here. Someone obviously has stolen it.”
“All I know is, I’m not letting you out of my sight till I get you home.”
The In Bloom van rattled loudly when it pulled in front of my building. Vince put the car in park, turning off the ignition so he could come and open the door for me.
“That’s not necessary.” I didn’t want anyone to see me getting out of the van. My reputation was damaged enough.
He came and opened the door for me anyway. Worse, he insisted on walking me to the entrance.
“You’re quite a gentleman. I really appreciate your kindness. I imagine you feel sorry for me. But I’m here to tell you, what you’ve seen of me the last few months is nothing compared to what I’ve been through in my life. I’m a survivor. Always have been. You don’t have to feel sorry for me.”
“I don’t feel sorry for you. You got too much going on for me to feel sorry for you.”
“Are you speaking in regards to material things?”
“No. Where I come from, money doesn’t make it all better. I can see your confidence. Your heart. You’re a good person.”
I kept my eyes down. I didn’t want him to see me foolishly fall for his line. If he saw that it was working, there’d be more where that came from, and I simply wasn’t in the mood. “I have to get going. Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Don’t forget about our rain check?”
“I promise.”
He slept in the guest room, and Keisha slept in the master. He listened as the shower ran. In spite of his plan failing miserably, he was looking forward to his wedding day. Now that he was thinking straight and rational, he was glad the plan didn’t go through. Trevelle obviously would hold true to her word and not try to stop the ceremony. He’d call it even Steven, since Ronny dropped the ball on his end. That meant they were square.
He still wasn’t sure of the fate of the other woman Ronny had mistakenly grabbed. What Gray didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.
“Wake up, my handsome groom.” Keisha’s skin was moist and warm with only a towel wrapped and tucked. She straddled him on the bed. He moved the arm draped over his face and grabbed her for a full hug. She shrieked, “H
ere I thought you were knocked out cold!”
“How can I sleep in? I’m too excited for our big day.”
“Me, too. Can’t believe weddings are this much work. You know, when you attend a ceremony, you never guess there’s this much energy put into every detail.”
He ran his fingers underneath her chin and pulled her in for a kiss.
“Gray, don’t be bad.” She could feel the hardness underneath the sheet. “That’s why we slept in separate beds last night—now you want to ruin our luck right here and right now.”
“More old wives’ tales and superstitions. Come on, put me out of my misery. Otherwise I’m going to be speed-reading my vows and telling Bishop Talley to get on with it so I can get you on the honeymoon, reception be damned.” He pushed the sheet down. “I now pronounce you man and wife—you may kiss the bride.” He flipped her over on her back and proceeded to take what was now his from this day forward and ever more.
The bridesmaids lined up side by side. From a distance they looked like a green garden worm. I came and took my place at the end as we’d agreed, since I wouldn’t be matching exactly.
“What is that?” The voice screeched behind me. “You can’t wear that?”
“This is all I had.” I smoothed the front of my emerald green St. John suit. It was my favorite and spoke timeless class. Unlike the hideous neon pool-water green worn by the other bridesmaids.
“You stand out like a sore thumb,” Delma hissed. “I knew this was a bad idea.” She arched her short neck from side to side.
“What are you looking for?”
“My niece. She’s wearing something pretty close to the right color. That way you can just take a seat. No harm, no foul.”
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