by Meisha Camm
When the doorbell rang, I slowly walked downstairs to the door. “Before I open the door, is Xavier with you?”
“No.”
“I’m not in any mood to play games with him or you.”
“Alex, I assure you my son isn’t with me. I came alone.”
“All right.” I opened the door, looking out to make sure I didn’t see Xavier in sight. “What’s that in your hand?”
“It’s a thermal mug of hot chocolate. When I’m upset this is what always calms me down.”
“Thank you,” I said, placing it on the table in the foyer. “Please let me hang up your coat for you.”
“Would you care for anything?” I asked, trying to be hospitable.
“No, I just came here to strictly speak with you.”
“Okay. Just follow me into the living room. We can speak in there.”
“Listen, I know your heart is broken because of what my son has done to you. On Saturday, he came over here in agony and told his father and me everything. I don’t blame you for beating his ass. In fact, he deserves it again. I won’t beat around the bush. The reason I came over here is for you to think about taking Xavier back. He loves you with all of his heart. Please take him back.”
“Did he put you up to this?”
“No, he would be upset if he knew I was calling. He’s my son. If there’s something any of my kids want, I try my best to give it to them. You put our family back together. I still cannot express the gratitude. You’re a good woman, and my son is a good man. Please . . . I beg of you.”
“Ms. Loupe, you are a wonderful woman. It brought so much joy to me for your family to be brought back together. I’m not looking for anything in return from you or anyone else in your family. I just want you to live your life and enjoy your family. I love Xavier with all my heart. Maybe, in time, I may forgive him. Right now all I want to do is hurt him for destroying my heart. No, I cannot take him back. Thank you for coming. Now, you have a nice evening.” I escorted her to the door, tears coming down my face.
Chapter 52
The clock read 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning when I heard my bedroom door crack open. Before I could even sit up, Ma, Maria, and Charlotte were hovered over my bed. After all that happened I was really surprised to see Charlotte.
“Baby, I’ve been calling you since Saturday. We all know what happened. Xavier called all of us. He wants you back. I told him he better stay the hell back, if he wants me to finish the job. I haven’t used my knife in a while, but I have no problem taking ‘Oscar’ out.”
“I beat their asses damn good. You would have been proud.”
Maria rubbed my hand. “Alex, I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“Can I get you anything?” Charlotte asked.
“No. I feel so humiliated,” I whimpered in a daze. “Xavier and I were supposed to get married. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.”
“Why don’t I fix you a cup of green tea and bowl of soup?” Ma asked.
“I just want to lay here.”
“Alex, I know you’re hurt. This has been a traumatic experience for you. Shoot, all the mess your father has put me through doesn’t even compare to your past weekend. You are my daughter and I love you. I love you enough to not let you lay in this bed and wallow in your sorrows. In time you’ll find another man who truly loves you.” Ma sat me upright and moved my legs to the edge of the bed.
“Ma, I don’t want to get up.”
“Yes, you can and you will get up. Now, first you need a hot bath. Maria and Charlotte, run downstairs and heat up that soup in my bag and make a hot cup of tea for her.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison.
I cried so much that my eyes were bloodshot when I glanced in the mirror.
Ma helped bathe me and kept chanting, “Let it out, baby.”
After I got out the bath, Ma and I talked a little bit more.
I threw on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans then headed downstairs toward the kitchen. “Ma?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Thank you for coming.”
“As I have a breath in my body, I will always be there for you and your brother.”
Maria poured the soup in a bowl. “Did the bath help?” I always loved my mother’s soup because she used thick noodles and chunks of chicken in her recipe. “Yes, thank you both for coming. It meant a lot.”
“Maria and I called in sick just to be with you,” Charlotte explained. Maria and Charlotte both gave me a hug at the same time.
I started to cry again but held back the tears. I wanted to be strong and try to get past this as best as possible. I have to admit, my private pep talk with Ma helped a lot.
“I’m glad you girls are free for the day because I’m treating all of you to the movies to go see Diary of a Mad Black Woman. We have to go to a Regal Cinemas theatre because I’ve got to have my blue-raspberry Icee with my lightly salted popcorn.” Ma started looking into the newspaper for show times.
“Ma, that movie already came out. It’s not even in the movie theatres anymore.”
“Well, today it will be in the movies. Your father and I are good friends with the owner at Regal Cinemas outside of Pembroke Mall. I already called him. Now, all I need you to do is get ready.”
The movie helped cleanse my soul in a way. I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced. Through it all, I knew in time, I was going to get past the pain that clutched my heart. The following day, I called Dr. Norris, and she insisted that I take another week off. I couldn’t have asked for a better boss. I picked her up a gift card from her favorite restaurant, Captain George’s, to show her my appreciation.
I took the time to thoroughly clean my house, read a couple of books, cancel all arrangements, and throw away anything that reminded me of weddings.
Today was Saturday, two more days before I returned back to work and try and resume my daily routine of life without Xavier. Despite everything, a part of me missed him, his touch, his lips, and his dick. That man made love—not fucked—made love to me so many times. Countless memories were now and forever tarnished with his lies. I will always wonder if he ever truly loved me.
Chapter 53
I was meeting Charlotte for lunch at the trendy restaurant, Five, in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. That was Charlotte for you. She always loved these upscale restaurants. I, on the other hand, didn’t mind going à a hole in the wall, as long as the service and food were good.
After walking in, the hostess guided me over to the table where Charlotte was sitting.
“I’m glad you could meet me.” Charlotte stood and gave me a hug. “The waiter is about to take our drink order.”
“This is my first time at this place. Besides, I know we have some things to iron out that have been long overdue.”
“Yeah, I want to apologize for my attitude. I’ve had one for so long, I can’t remember when I started having one. I don’t want to be angry any more. I’m driving my husband, my family, and my friends away.”
You got that right. “You’ll always be my girl. I accept your apology. I know I didn’t make matters better with my mouth and you hearing about my abortions. What are the doctors saying now?” I gently squeezed her hand.
“Well, as you know, Bobby’s engine is working and mine needs the work. I’m taking fertility drugs now. Having sex is more of a job because we have to do it when my temperature is just right and so on, you know how it goes.”
“One of my colleagues is conducting an experiment in vitro fertilization.”
“Bobby and I only have a couple thousand saved.”
“Not to worry about your savings draining, this procedure will be free. Dr. Sparkman wanted to know if I knew anyone who would be interested.”
“You would do that for me?” Charlotte had tears in her eyes.
“I know how bad Bobby and you want a baby. I’ll do anything to help you. You should have just come to me in the beginning. This program started about six months ago.”
&nbs
p; “I guess that’s another thing I need to work on, asking for help and letting my pride go.”
“Hello, ladies. I’m Arnold. The special today is almondcrusted trout. Now what can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have an apple martini,” I replied, looking over the menu.
“Watermelon for me.”
I took a sip of my martini and noticed Pop sitting in a booth close to the window.
We hadn’t talked much because he’d been so busy with the restaurant. He did check on me the other day. He too offered to hurt Xavier and Jarrad, but I reluctantly declined, telling him they weren’t worth it.
He must be here with a potential buyer. Carolina Chicken had been desperately trying to buy out some of Pop’s restaurants.
“I see Pop. I’m going to go say hi.”
“I’ll come with you,” Charlotte said. “I haven’t seen your father in a while.”
As I walked toward Pop, he had a happy yet puzzled looked on his face and quickly let his hand go from the other end of the booth. Pop got up to give us hugs. “Alex, Charlotte.”
I glanced over at the other side of the booth and discovered Renee, Jarrad’s nineteen-year-old daughter, sitting down with her arms crossed and the biggest smirk on her face.
Pop was trying to find the words for a good lie. I wouldn’t have bought it anyway. Besides, this bitch and I got history.
“You’re still up to your old ways, Pop. This girl is only nineteen. She’s Jarrad’s daughter,” I said, shaking my head and clenching my fists.
“Alex, please don’t make a scene. Now what are you talking? This is Yasmin and she just graduated from Old Dominion University. She’s just turned twenty-three.”
“Robert, she’s right. Jarrad has been raising me, and I just turned nineteen.” She looked right into my eyes and grinned.
Pop wiped the sweat off his forehead with the cloth. “Why did you lie?”
“Shut up. I’ve got bigger fish to fry. Alex, I fucked your Daddy just like you did mine and destroyed my family.”
I held my hand out to swing at her, but Charlotte was holding me back.
“Go ahead, hit me. The damage is done. I’ll sue you for everything you got, Dr. Gibbs.”
Pop loosened his tie.
“Thank God, I used condoms.”
“Don’t tell my father to shut up. I didn’t destroy your family. Your daddy’s dick destroyed your family.” With that, I poured the whole bottle of red wine on Renee.
She screamed, “You’re a bitch. After that incident at the bookstore, my mother tried to kill herself. To top it off, you put the bug in my ear about Daddy not being my father. It turns out, he’s not my father. We took a DNA test. I had to know. Thanks again for ruining my family.” She spat in my face and attempted to walk away.
I quickly grabbed her by the neck and squeezed so hard, my fingers were turning red.
“If you ever spit on me again, you can blame me and thank me for you ending in the hospital in a coma in the intensive care unit,” I whispered in her ear, wiping the spit from my face from a cloth from the booth. Then I spun her around slowly and punched her in the face so hard, my hand was throbbing. I knocked her down to the floor. She wasn’t trying to get up and didn’t say a damn word. I shook my hand to fight off the pain.
Now I was ready to deal with Pop.
“Before you even lecture me about cheating on your mother again, I want you to know that after the fiasco with your ex-patient Carol Philmore I stopped cheating on your mother. She’s the one who’s been cheating on me this whole time.”
“Yeah, right. Do you think I’m going to believe your lies?”
“I don’t blame for you not believing for all the years that I did cheat, but you got to believe me. I can prove it to you. Of all people, one of my employees told me he spotted your mother in a movie theatre all hugged and sharing popcorn with a man. I’ve been following her for the past month. Yeah, I had a fling with Renee, but I came here today at this particular spot in the restaurant in hopes that your mother would see me in here, to make her blood boil. She’s in the Radisson Hotel right across the street, getting her groove on in Room 266.”
Charlotte and I grabbed our purses from our table and ran over to the hotel just before security and the manager came over to the booth. I didn’t believe Pop, but I wanted to make sure before I brought this newly discovered fling to Ma’s attention. I couldn’t wait to tell her how Pop lied to our faces about her cheating. How dare he?
I knocked on the door to Room 266. “Room service,” I stated in a bubbly tone.
The door swung open to reveal Ma in a pink satin robe and a strawberry in her hand.
“I thought you were getting a massage?” I asked.
She clutched her robe. “Alex, Charlotte, what are you doing here?”
“Pop told me everything. He knows you’re here with another man. One of his employees saw you a month ago.”
“Alex, let me explain.”
“Xavier and now this. I can’t take much more.” I walked away with my head hanging down.
Chapter 54
Charlotte and I went to M.P.’s Island Café and pigged out on curry chicken, rice and peas, cabbage, plantains, and bread pudding. I didn’t know who to be pissed off at. Ma and Pop had both done the dirty deed. Most of all, I was even more shocked that Ma would stoop to Pop’s level. Did she really love this new man? Are my parents going to get a divorce? Many unanswered questions were swarming in my head.
“Take it from me,” Charlotte advised, “don’t get in your parents’ battles. It just gets you more upset. You are grown now. Alex, every time your father cheats, you don’t have to go crazy. Now that little thing, Renee, deserved to be punched, but let them be. They will either work it out their own way or not.”
“I’m twenty-nine years old and a grown woman. Still, I couldn’t bear if my parents got divorced.”
“Well, you know my parents had a messy divorce. I would cry every night because they were so cruel to each other. I can still remember their screaming matches ringing in my ears. Now, they are much happier people, in other relationships. Whatever happens, I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, girl.”
While driving home, I checked my voice mail. I had five messages from the Simmons family. Three were from Jarrad demanding to see me so we can talk about me hitting Renee. He was just using today’s fiasco as a crutch to get back in my good graces and pink pussy. One was from Tina threatening to sue, and the other was from Renee threatening to sue and demanding that I pay for her dry-cleaning bill. I just laughed it all off and came to the conclusion that that family was psycho. If someone wanted to sue me, so be it. I was ready.
Chapter 55
I quickly got back in the swing of things at the office. Most of the patients and employees were glad I returned. Halfway through the week, I managed to dodge all of my parents’ calls.
Jason was another story. I didn’t even bother to tell him about the latest drama. He felt as though I was too involved in our parents’ relationship. I could hear his voice chanting in my ears, “Ease off of Pop.” True, he didn’t like the fact Pop was cheating, but then he’d say, “He takes care of home.”
Pulling up to the house, I saw Ma’s and Pop’s car in my driveway. I didn’t feel like talking. More important, I realized I should have thought twice about giving them a key. I shook my head.
Pop greeted me at the door with a puzzled look on his face. We stared at each other before he spoke. “Hey, baby,” he said, patting me on the right shoulder.
“The key is only used for emergencies.”
“This is an emergency.”
“No, it’s not. This is a way of life for the Gibbs family. You do it to anybody who has a hole. You’re always disrespecting Ma all these years.” I walked into the foyer.
“Alex, honey, we want to talk to you.”
“Yeah, let’s talk about when I was seven and I saw you cut Pop with a knife. Let’s talk about how many ni
ghts I couldn’t sleep because you two were arguing about Susan in the summer, Dianne in the fall, Laura in the winter, Shana in the spring, not to mention, the extra extra ones you had on the sideline.”
“Alex, I didn’t know you saw me cut him. I thought you just came running downstairs because you heard us yelling,” Ma explained, tears in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry I put you through all that pain for so long.”
“Save it. Jason is right. I need to stop getting involved into my parents’ relationship. Pop, you cheat, and Ma you allow it by coming back every time. I just wanted our family to be happy. No violent fights and no other women destroying our home.” I started crying now.
Ma gave me a hug. “I’m sorry too.”
“Sorry for what?”
“I feel partly to blame for your childhood, exposing you to that kind of behavior. I wasn’t raised that way, and neither should you have been.”
“Baby, your mother and I are going to work this out. When I saw her with another man, I truly realized how much it’s hurts to be cheated on and betrayed. I know you don’t believe me, but I’m going to show both of you that I can restore my marriage and this family,” Pop said, joining in on the hug.
They stayed over for the rest of the day. I called Jason to join us as well. We talked, laughed and reminisced about the good times of the Gibbs family. I pulled out my photo album.
Ma looked at a picture of Jason smiling, his two front teeth missing. “You two grew up so fast.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t stand the fact boys were coming to my doorstep for you, Alex. Your mother would have to restrain me from knocking one of them out. You’re my baby girl. If I had my way, you’d still be living under my roof.”
None of us felt like cooking. Pop called the Chicken Shack to cater our dinner. Plus, I invited some more family members to come eat with us. Grandma, of course, brought her apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
Epilogue
I have to admit I truly wanted to believe Pop. Deep down, there were many doubts. To my surprise, he proved me wrong. It’s been three years and Ma or I haven’t had to threaten or beat down someone’s behind. Finally after twenty-five years of marriage, he’s treating her like a queen by giving her his time, love, and attention. That’s all Ma really wanted. That’s all every woman wants.