“I have to go. I shouldn’t have stayed,” she said, trying to pull away from me.
“I can take you wherever you need to go if—”
“No,” she snapped, snatching away. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.” She rushed out of the bedroom, giving me no choice but to watch her leave in complete confusion. What in the hell just happened?
I ran a hand over my head. It wasn’t like we had sex for her to regret the next morning. All we did was talk until we eventually fell asleep. Aaliyah didn’t look much different when we were teens, but she wasn’t who I remembered. She used to tell me everything, confiding in me with her deepest secrets, fantasies, and dreams. Now she could hardly talk to me. I can’t expect her to automatically trust me just because the two of us have history. We haven’t seen each other in years. I sighed and headed into the master bathroom to get ready for work.
Hopefully she’d still come to dinner tonight.
*
Work went along as usual. Aaron and I went over strategies for the upcoming custody hearing for the Kent case and I filed a couple of new cases to the court for a date. Despite being productive, my mind kept drifting back to Aaliyah. She looked stressed out and afraid, which confused me. I still didn’t think to ask where or who she lived with. Hell, did she even live anywhere? Was she homeless? With someone abusive but didn’t want to tell me?
I sighed. I had no idea and I knew she wouldn’t tell me, at least not now. A solid knock on my open door brought me out of my musings.
“Joseph Wilde to meet with you, sir,” Sabrina said, the blond-haired man standing at her side.
“Thanks, Sabrina,” I said, nodding to her before gesturing to the man to come inside. “Have a seat, Mr. Wilde.”
“Thank you, thank you,” he said, plopping down on in the chair in front of me. “So I’m here because I’d like to file my papers. She didn’t sign in time, so it looks like I’ll have to start over. This time I want her to be properly served so that there’s a record that she’d been served.”
I nodded. “We can do that. Are you wanting to basically copy what you’ve had originally or do you want to add something else?”
He pulled a stapled pack of papers from the inside of his jacket. “We can basically duplicate this and refile. Hopefully it’ll get her to respond faster,” he muttered.
I took the papers and looked them over. His wife’s name was Tiana Wilde. I fought the urge to smile as I thought of Aaliyah. Her middle name was Tiana. It was as if everything was reminding me of her now that she was back in my life. I could still smell the cocoa butter and strawberries that surrounded me as we slept last night. I was almost tempted to bring in the pillowcase she’d slept on last night just to have her scent close to me.
Slightly shaking my head, I turned to my computer and got to work. We drafted new paperwork and prepared them to be sent out to be filed. Joseph kept his eyes trained on me the whole time, his mouth in a tight line. It was odd, but I didn’t know this man from a can of paint to think he’d be made for me for some reason. I couldn’t remember having any relations with any woman named Tiana unless she’d given me a fake name. Whether she did or not wasn’t my problem. I was sure if he wanted to confront me on it, he wouldn’t be paying the exorbitant fee he was just to meet with me.
“Looks like everything is ready to be sent out,” I finally said. He nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks, man. I’m just ready to get this over with, you know?” The last thing I want is a long, expensive divorce.”
“With me on your team, I’ll make sure there’s nothing long and expensive on your end, sir,” I said, giving him a confident smile as I stood. He returned my smile and shook my extended hand.
“I have no doubt. I heard you’re one of the best, so I’m fully confident in your ability to make this as easy as possible for me.”
“Of course.”
“How long will be before she’s served?”
“Well, the mail has already gone out for the day, so I’ll put it in first thing Monday morning. Depending on how backed up they are, she could be served by the end of next week or early the following week.”
“Good, good,” he said with a nod.
“Any leads with the private investigator?”
“Not quite,” he said with a frown. “He said he managed to lose track of her. How in the hell does a private investigator lose track of someone?”
I chuckled. “Sounds like you may need to hire another one.”
“You may be right,” he mused. “I’ll be in touch.”
He walked out of the office, closing the door behind him. I pulled my phone from my desk drawer and unlocked it, seeing nothing from Aaliyah. I opened her text thread.
Mason: Everything okay? Haven’t heard from you all day after what happened this morning. Are we still on for dinner at my parents’ tonight?
I hit send with a sigh. I couldn’t afford for her to flake on me tonight.
*
I paced the living room floor later that evening, constantly checking my watch. I hadn’t heard from Aaliyah all day and I had to be at my parents’ soon. My mom had already called me twice to ask where I was.
“Don’t bail on me, Liyah,” I mumbled to myself, resting my hands on top of my head. My anxiety slowly crept up with each passing minute. I looked at my watch again. If she wasn’t here in the next five minutes, I’d have to go without her.
No sooner than the thought crossed my mind, a knock sounded at the door. I damn near ran over and pulled the door open, my heart nearly stopping when I gazed at her. She wore a sleeveless, flowing flower print dress and white stiletto heels. Her curly hair was straightened from its usual coils and held big, loose curls. Her manicured hands held a small white clutch, a Tiffany bracelet wrapped around her wrist.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said with an apologetic smile. “Traffic was a bit crazy coming here.”
I stepped out into the hallway, relief flooding over me. She was here. Thank fuck, she was here. “It’s fine. That’s the downside of living downtown, I suppose.”
“Yeah,” she said. I locked the door and escorted her to the elevator.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” I said as we rode down to the basement level.
“Thanks. Hopefully it’s not too much, but it’s your parents we’re talking about,” she teased. I chuckled.
“Yeah, you’re right about that. Hell, it’s my parents but yet I’m still wearing a tux,” I said.
“Which looks good on you, by the way,” she said. I shrugged.
“Eh. It’s not that much different than what I wear to work every day,” I mused.
She playfully rolled her eyes. “Oh right, Mr. Lawyer,” she said sarcastically.
I led her to my car, opening the door to let into the passenger seat before closing it behind her.
“Nice car,” she said when I got inside.
“Thanks.”
“You seem to be doing very well for yourself. You know, considering everything going on with you,” she said.
“I still have to survive.”
“I know, but from what I read, most people with sex addiction end up losing a lot of things because of their addiction, especially jobs.”
“Yeah. I don’t want to get to that point. I’ve worked too hard to let it all go.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, smiling over at me.
The ride to my parents’ house was quiet. When I pulled up to the big brick house, I sighed when I saw Malcolm’s car parked in the circle. Just be cool. Aaliyah will be here, so it’ll be fine.
“Oh wow, I don’t know why I expected a different house,” Aaliyah said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “It looks just like it did in high school.”
“Yeah, not too much has changed. They did some renovations inside though,” I mumbled idly, my mind occupied of what was probably to come. We walked up the paved driveway to the door. My mom opened the door before we even made it to the porch. She loo
ked as she always did, her dark hair cut in a bob, her brown skin glowing and clear and her brown eyes that were usually warm filled with annoyance.
“Mason, I’ve called you several times. You’re late,” she snapped before looking to Aaliyah. “Oh, I didn’t know you were bringing someone.”
“Mom, this is Aaliyah. I used to date her in high school, remember?” I said. She stared at Aaliyah for a few moments before recognition filled her eyes.
“Oh my goodness! Honey, I haven’t seen you in years!” she exclaimed, giving Aaliyah a hug when she was close enough. She held her at arms’ length. “And look at you! You grew up to be so beautiful! Come on in; I’m sure Maxwell would love to see you.” I shook my head and followed in behind them, already feeling invisible and I hadn’t even stepped foot in the house yet.
My father, Malcolm, and Courtney were already seated at the dining room table talking with each other with Aaliyah and I walked in. They paused in their conversation and looked over at me. Courtney scoffed in disgust before rolling her eyes, Malcolm ignored me completely, and my father frowned at me.
“I’m glad that we’re worthy of your presence even though you’re late,” he said, his voice flat.
“Sorry. Traffic was bad,” I said.
“Maxwell, look who joined us tonight,” my mother said. “Do you remember Aaliyah?”
“Ah, Aaliyah Tindell. How are you, sweetheart?” he asked as he got up and moved over to hug her.
“I’m great, Mr. Carter. I hope I’m not intruding by joining you all for dinner,” she said, her voice sweet. My dad waved her off.
“Nonsense. It’s great to see you after all these years. Have a seat. They’re just getting ready to serve dinner,” he said as he took his seat back at the head of the table. She and I walked over and took the seats across from my brother and his wife.
“Hi Malcolm,” Aaliyah said with a smile.
“Hey. Good to see you,” he said with a nod. “This is my wife Courtney.”
“Nice to meet you,” Courtney said with a smile. I was so used to seeing Courtney scowl that I didn’t even know she was capable of producing a smile. Her eyes shot daggers at me across the table, her mouth pulled in a frown. I cleared my throat and scooted closer to the table as the cook wheeled out a cart with a roast on it.
“So Malcolm, what’s new with you?” my father asked, taking a sip from his glass of scotch.
Malcolm looked over at Courtney, who smiled lovingly at him as they held hands. “Well, Courtney and I are expecting a baby,” he announced.
“Get out!” my dad exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement as my mother gasped. “Really? How far along?”
“Next Friday will make two and a half months,” Courtney answered proudly. “We’re so excited about becoming parents.”
“I’m going to be a grandmother,” my mother nearly shrieked, clasping her hands together. “Oh dear, this is amazing news! I’m so happy for the both of you! There’s so much to plan! Baby showers, the method of birth, the right doctor to handle your care—”
“Actually,” Malcolm interrupted. “There’s something else we need to announce.”
My heart pounded in my chest, knowing what he was about to say. The cook placed a slice of roast on my plate, following up with a dollop of mashed potatoes, gravy, and string beans. Even though the food looked and smelled delicious, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.
“What’s going on?” my father asked.
“Courtney and I think it’s best if we move and start fresh. I accepted a job offer that will take me to another state,” he said slowly. My father cocked his head.
“Is your current job not paying you enough? I told you about Stanley starting up that new software company that he needs a programmer for. I even talked him into giving you a great starting package with great pay and benefits—”
“Dad, it’s not just that,” he said, glancing at me from across the table. “There’s just a lot of stuff going on where I don’t feel as if my wife and I will be safe.”
“Safe? Why don’t you feel safe, honey?” my mother asked, concerned etched over her features.
“Because of Mason,” Courtney spat, glaring at me. My father looked at me and back to them.
“Because of Mason? I don’t understand,” he said.
“Mason and his psycho girlfriends or whoever they are keep mistaking Malcolm as him. We’ve had windows of our car broken, people stalking us, and just the other day, a girl punched Malcolm in the eye because she thought he was Mason and she saw Malcolm and I together and thought Mason was seeing someone else,” she explained in one breath. I sighed and leaned back in my seat. Here we go.
“Seriously?” My father looked at me, his eyes blazing with anger. “What the hell are you out here doing to have people harassing your brother?” His voice was now loud and accusing, a complete difference from his normal tone he was just using.
“I didn’t even know that was happening. I didn’t know until Malcolm told me yesterday—”
“Where the hell did I go wrong with you?” he grumbled, draining the rest of his scotch.
“Like I said, I wasn’t aware all of that was happening. If he would’ve told me—”
“You would’ve what? Tell him you’re sorry to appease him for the moment to go back out and do the same nonsense again?” he asked.
“That’s exactly what he did,” Courtney quipped.
“Not now, baby,” Malcolm said under his breath.
“Then when? He’s been affecting our lives for years and now we have to uproot everything just to feel safe. I don’t think that’s fair,” she replied.
“And it isn’t fair,” my father added. “If anyone should be the one moving, it should be Mason. He’s made this problem; he should deal with the consequences.”
“It’s fine, Dad. Besides, I think a fresh start is what we need when starting our own family. I think it’ll be good for us.”
“But you’re about to have a baby for crying out loud! You don’t have family in many other states. Where are you trying to move to?”
“Arizona,” Courtney answered.
My father glared at me, pointing his knife at me. “See what you’ve done? You’re always ruining things! You’ve messed up your brother’s life so much that he feels he has to move clear across the country just to feel safe. You’re constantly disgracing this damn family,” he spat, shaking his head. I gritted my teeth and didn’t say anything. The dining room was quiet aside from the cook serving the rest of the food.
After a while, my mom finally cleared her throat. “I hope you two can reconsider moving so far. I’m sure something can be worked out,” she said.
Malcolm shook his head. “Sorry, Mom. I already accepted a job there and turned in my two-week notice with my current job. It was a hard decision to make, but I think it’s for the best.”
“Fucking unbelievable,” my father muttered, violently cutting into his pot roast. My father rarely ever cursed unless he was irate, so I knew this dinner would be long.
“Well, congrats on the baby,” Aaliyah finally said. My father focused on her.
“I hope you’re not dating Mason,” he said. “All he’ll do is drag you down like he’s dragged his brother down. You deserve better.”
I sighed audibly. “Gee, Dad, tell me how you really feel,” I mumbled. He dropped his silverware and narrowed his wild eyes on me.
“How I really feel?” he bellowed, his voice filling the room. “It should be you moving clear across the country, not Malcolm. You have no self-control and you blame your failures on a so-called addiction, which only weak men do. I don’t even see how you can even call yourself a man.”
“Dad, you—”
“No, you fucking shut up while I’m talking!” he yelled, slapping his hand against the table top. My ground my teeth, seething as I listened him berate me in front of everyone. Even as a grown man, he still had the power to make me feel like a child when he spoke to me. He went on and on
about me being a disgrace to the family, how I ruined everything I touched, and how I was weak.
“And just so you know, you can forget about inheriting the law firm,” he concluded. I looked up at him with wide eyes. I’d been working my ass off since graduating law school to prove to him that I was worthy of taking over the business. I took on the hardest cases, the most difficult clients, and extra case loads when I was already overwhelmed just to prove to him that I could handle it and now he was telling me it was all for nothing?
“What?” I asked, my mind unable to process what he’d just said. “I’ve literally been doing everything you told me to do to show you that I could handle it—”
“I’d rather sell it to a stranger than to give it to you and watch you run into the ground.”
“I wouldn’t run it into the ground! The family firm is important to me—”
“Like your family is so-called important to you? Like the beautiful young woman you cheated on was important to you? You have a terrible way of showing how things are important to you,” he stated. My jaw started to hurt from how hard I was clenching my teeth. His words were a slap to the face. Of course he’d bring up what I did to Aaliyah being that she was here. Here I was thinking that her being here would buffer some of his verbal abuse, but it just seemed to spur him on more. I now knew that everything I’d worked so hard for was now a waste. My father would be retiring soon and the firm would go to someone else whether or not I went to the meetings. What the hell was I fighting for then?
My father released a deep sigh and picked up his silverware again, cutting into his roast. “Had I known you were going to turn out like this when you were a child…” he trailed, shaking his head.
“Then what? You would’ve sent me away?” I asked bitterly.
“I guess we’ll never know now,” he answered sarcastically.
“Okay, Maxwell, that’s enough,” my mother finally said, her voice soft. The rest of dinner was quiet. My mother did her best to initiate conversation, but no one wanted to talk. I hadn’t touched anything on my plate, waiting for Aaliyah to finish so we could get the fuck out of here. When the cook brought dessert, I excused myself from the table and went outside.
Lawfully Screwed (Lawful Affair) Page 9