Guilt Trip

by Pat Simmons

  Noticing the way Talise was fussing over her outfits, Lois asked, “Where are you going, looking so cute?” Her eyes were barely opened. “Don’t you have to work at the salon today?”

  “Yep. And I want to feel and look pretty. I’m moving on. I have to.”

  “Good. So did you tell everyone you want to know about the pregnancy?”

  “Yep, everyone on my list—you, Sinclaire, my Dad and his wife, and the father of my baby. Oh, and Sasha knows too.” She twirled around and walked back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The baby book said to expect more frequent trips to the bathroom as waste flushed from her body.

  “Good. You don’t want to jinx yourself before the end of the trimester. Well, I hope you won’t be upset that I added one more person who wasn’t on your priority list—Cameron,” she spoke louder to make sure Talise heard her through the door.

  She didn’t believe in jinx. Drying her hands, Talise opened the door. “Why did he need to know? I asked you to stay out of it.”

  Talise’s scolding wasn’t convincing to her own ears. Deep down inside, she had hoped Lois would give a Jamieson a piece of her mind—even if he was the wrong one. Maybe Cameron would pass it on to Ace.

  “Humph!” Lois lifted her chin. “I did stay out of it—for almost a week. When I didn’t see Cameron at the university, I hunted him down. His response was rather surprising after I told him what his sorry cousin had done to you. He was speechless and irate. I’ve known Cam for years. It was a genuine reaction.”

  “You mean, Cameron didn’t know? I thought he and Ace were close.”

  “Anyway, he wants the two of you to have lunch—today.”

  “Why? Didn’t you tell the man I have to work? I have eight clients, press-n-curls, relaxers, a few colors, and no telling how many walk-ins. I’ll do good to get out the door by four. Five o’clock tops. In hindsight, I don’t see how Ace and I were able to go out as much as we did on Saturday evenings.”

  After Talise slipped into a looser fitting summer dress, her roommate stood and zipped it.

  “I don’t want to see another Jamieson for the next twenty years, Lois. Thank you very much.” She dismissed Cameron’s request.

  Talise gathered some of the hair products she had at home and dumped them into a tote bag. Then grabbing her lunch and purse, she was about to tell Lois goodbye. But it was already too late, Lois had dozed off. It was her friend’s nightlife that left her exhausted. Talise covered her with a throw blanket and left.

  Sassy’s Salon was located on Mass Ave. It was busy when Talise breezed through the door fifteen minutes later. Most of her clients were students from nearby Berklee College of Music, Northeastern, and BU.

  On any given Saturday, juicy gossip entertained the stylists and their clients. Talise would hold off as long as she could before she became the next hot topic. She planned to be very careful about to whom she would reveal her secret. So far, only Sasha knew.

  “Was it that fine brother who would sometimes bring you those box lunches?” Sasha whispered. Talise nodded. Sasha shook her head in disgust. “But, no doubt about it, you’ll have a pretty baby, even if the father is no good. I thought he was one of the good guys.”

  “Me too,” Talise mumbled and walked to her station.

  She kept her lips zipped around her clients, especially the college students. As a university graduate with no husband—or boyfriend—for that matter, here she was pregnant. Somehow Talise felt that she had failed them as a role model. It was always her hope to have the traditional family with marriage first and babies later.

  Three hours passed and she was able to grab a snack, along with another much-needed potty break. When she came back to her station, munching on grapes, Priscilla Stanford was waiting in Talise’s chair. She was there for her regular blow-dry and flatiron press to her natural hair. The woman wasn’t just another client, but more like family. She could be trusted. When Talise told her, Priscilla was in shock.

  “Baby, if there is anything I can do, just let me know. I can send plenty of customers your way. I get so many compliments about my hair.”

  “I appreciate it, Miss Priscilla, but I don’t know how I could handle the extra load. Already the odors from the chemicals are starting to make me sick,” Talise whispered.

  “I guess we’ll have to think of something else. It’s a shame what he did. If you repent and walk away from temptation, the good Lord will forgive you.”

  Talise nodded. She hoped it wouldn’t take her a lifetime to forgive Ace. Just then, a bell chimed, indicating another customer had entered the salon lobby. Suddenly, conversations ceased. Glancing up, Talise recognized the man Lois held responsible for her woes. Removing his sunglasses proved that the new visitor had the handsome face to back up his athletic body.

  “What is he doing here?” Talise sighed.

  “I hope he’s here to take me home,” Priscilla replied and waved her hand in the air. She happened to be the mother of three grown children. “Do you know him?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. That’s Cameron Jamieson, my ex-boyfriend’s cousin.”

  “Why didn’t you say so?” Priscilla rolled her neck. “You want me to jump him? Others carry a knife or a gun, but I’ve got a thick belt in my purse to protect myself.” She patted the oversized shoulder bag sitting in her lap. “And I don’t mind dishing it out.”

  Talise chuckled. “Nah. He’s supposed to be the nice one.”

  Without approaching Talise’s station, he walked farther into the waiting area. Some of the clients were quickly painting their faces with eyeshadow, blush, and lip gloss. Without him asking, two women parted an opening for him on the sofa.

  Besides their first introduction, Talise really didn’t know much about him. According to Lois, he was extremely smart, courteous, and family-oriented. Beneath his macho exterior, she described Cameron as a sweet and patient man with a double degree in engineering. Too bad those good genes hadn’t been passed on to his cousin.

  Talise finished straightening Priscilla’s tresses and then trimmed her ends. She had to focus, as she became incensed that Ace’s cousin would suddenly come to see her when he found out about her pregnancy. He hadn’t bothered to pick up the phone and check on her or visit her.

  With the last flip of a curl in place, Talise brushed the excess hair off Priscilla’s cape. Standing, the woman dug through her purse for her wallet. At the same time, she glanced over her shoulder to the waiting area and sneaked a peek.

  Turning back, she winked at Talise. “I don’t mind giving him a spankin’.” Priscilla pointed to the object and laughed. “It would be my pleasure,” she said in a sultry tone.

  “Hush. Come on. I’ll walk you to the register, so I can see what he wants.”

  “Here’s something extra.” Priscilla handed Talise a twenty-five dollar tip, ten dollars more than usual. “For the baby,” she whispered.

  “Thank you.”

  “What are you doing here?” she asked Cameron, after escorting Priscilla to the lobby.

  He stood. “We need to talk.”

  Talise shook her head. “I’m having a good day. I don’t want to mess that up. Plus, I’m busy for at least another hour, maybe longer.”

  Reclaiming his spot on the sofa between his admirers, Cameron crossed one ankle over his knee. “I’ll wait.”

  Jamiesons. Flustered, Talise headed back to her station to service her next client.

  Chapter Twelve

  It was after six when Talise left the salon with Cameron. Her hefty tips made the long day worth it. When she and Ace dated, she never scheduled eight clients. That way she could leave by one or two to be with him. Saturday evenings were always theirs.

  Cameron checked the time on his phone. “Orinoco’s just reopened for dinner. Is that cool?”

  Talise shrugged. She was hungry. Anything sounded good at this point. “Lois loves that place.”

  “I know. It was voted the number one Latin American restaurant,” he sa
id with a grin. Walking Talise to her car, he said, “I’ll follow you.” Cameron then jogged to his Audi, parked not far from the shop.

  Shawmut Ave was a comfortable walking distance from Sassy Salon or less than a ten-minute drive from Talise’s apartment. She could best describe Orinoco’s unique décor as whimsical.

  The South End neighborhood hangout was cozy. With limited seating, twenty patrons at best probably tipped its occupancy max. Choosing one of only three booths in the place, Cameron waited for Talise to be seated before taking his seat.

  Moments later, a server appeared with menus.

  “Do you know what you want?” Cameron asked her, since they both had been to the Venezuelan eatery before.

  “The Beef Tenderloin Churrasquito, please. And can I get the salsa chimi on the side?” Instantly, she recalled a section in her baby book about spicy food. “Never mind, scratch that salsa.”

  “I’m not that good. I need to look at my menu.” The server waited while Cameron scanned the choices. Quickly, he made up his mind. “I’ll have the Parrilla Caraquena and some fried sweet plantains.”

  After scribbling their orders, the server walked away to do their bidding.

  “Okay, what’s going on?” Talise anchored her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her linked fingers. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself. “Did Ace send you with a stake to finish stabbing me in the heart?”

  He stared at her with the oddest expression.

  She didn’t appreciate his scrutiny. “I’m not waiting all night. I can change my order to carry out.” Talise started counting down the seconds. She wasn’t bluffing. Tired, she wanted to go home and rest. The next morning’s work day at the airport would come all too soon.

  “Talise, are you pregnant?”

  Blunt and to the point. “Do you want to see my pregnancy results?” She lashed out and then apologized. “Sorry, you’re not your cousin. That attitude is reserved for him.”

  Although he and Ace were cousins, a strong resemblance was detected in their facial expressions and proud swagger. Both men were tall, fit, and good-looking. Cameron’s smile brightened his smooth, honey-toned face, while the remnants of a small facial scar on his cousin’s rich chocolate skin seemed to add to Ace’s angular masculinity.

  Talise was always attracted to dark chocolate men and considered Ace the “pretty boy” of the two. However, Ace wasn’t the only fine man she had dated. Over the years, Talise’s looks had garnered the attention of many attractive men. That would change once she started showing.

  Cameron asked the question, and then seemed to be shocked by her answer. Stroking his goatee, he frowned. “Does Ace know?”

  “Of course.”

  “When did you tell him?”

  “I found out on a Friday and told him two days later on a Sunday.”

  “This past Sunday? Like almost a week ago Sunday?”

  “Why are you repeating everything I say?” Talise had the strangest feeling she wasn’t going to like his answer.

  “Ace relocated to St. Louis where his brother lives about a week and a half ago. I thought you knew,” he said hesitantly, with a grief-stricken look.

  Slap! Talise emotionally felt the hit. She fought back a sinking feeling and struggled to regulate her breathing. She refused to faint. Ace had up and moved out of town? “Hmm. He didn’t mention that,” she heard herself respond with a shaky voice.

  Rejected. Could she be any more humiliated?

  Cameron leaned closer. He seemed concerned. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he hadn’t told you.”

  “Ace is his own man. He does and treats people as he pleases,” she managed to say, blinking back the tears.

  “Are you okay?”

  Shaking her head, she couldn’t answer. Talise was visibly numb.

  “I’m going to change our orders from dine-in to carry-out. You don’t look like you can eat right now, but I’m sure you’ll be hungry later.” His expression was grim as he summoned the server, paid the bill with a handsome tip, and requested their food be bagged to go.

  I doubt it, she thought. “He left because of me?” What a drastic move. Was she that much of a threat?

  “You are not in this alone.”

  “I disagree, Ace … I … I mean, Cameron. I’m on a roller-coaster ride, and the conductor went home and left me hanging. I had no idea I meant so little to him.” How could someone fake feelings that way? She had questions that only Ace could answer.

  “Do you need me to drive you home? Lois can drive me back for my car, or I could walk back.”

  “I’ve changed my mind. I think I’m going to stay here and eat—alone. I’ll be all right.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He didn’t need to know she wasn’t sure. It appeared Talise Rogers wasn’t anybody’s concern anymore.

  The server arrived with their carry-outs. Standing with his bag, Cameron reached into his back pocket and slipped out his wallet.

  “Didn’t you already pay for our meals?”

  “This is for you.” Cameron held out a fifty-dollar bill.

  She didn’t have to make a comment. Her squinted eyes conveyed what she thought of his so-called generosity.

  “It’s for my little Jamieson cousin you’re carrying. Put it in his piggy bank.”

  Shaking her head, Talise refused. “My child and I aren’t charity cases.”

  “One thing you should know about the Jamieson men. We’re stubborn. Ask our mothers,” he said, smirking. “You ain’t seen anything yet. I’ll be in touch.”

  Nodding, Cameron walked away with the same bowlegged strut as his cousin. She thought Ace owned the copyright on it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Have you lost your ever-loving Jamieson mind?” Cameron barked into the phone before Ace could finish his greeting. What was his cousin’s problem? Even-tempered, Ace couldn’t recall his older cousin sounding this angry.

  “What’s wrong with you? I’m in the middle of the game—”

  “No, you’re in the middle of a life crisis,” Cameron spat. “You knew, didn’t you … about the baby?”

  So that’s what caused his cousin’s uproar. Immediately, Ace was irritated for the interruption. “Oh, so you’ve heard the rumor? That’s what Talise claimed before I left, but protection is a sure thing. Can’t believe everything you hear, cuz.”

  He resumed watching a good matchup on TV between the Yankees vs. Red Sox. When the Yankees cleared the bases, Ace tossed the remote aside in further annoyance.

  “… or see,” Cameron added.

  That got Ace’s attention. “What do you mean? You saw Tay? She looked pregnant?” His nostrils flared. Instant disdain for Talise consumed him.

  “Yes, I saw her. Her emotions were real, dude. You played her. As far as her being pregnant, she said she is—and I happen to believe her.”

  “You’re a sapsucker, always believing the best in everybody. News flash …”

  “I had faith in you while you wrestled with whether you wanted a career change from the streets of Boston to a corporate profession. But I’ve got to tell you, if Talise was my sister, I would be after you.”

  “Whoa. Lay off those energy drinks and calm down. She’s my ex, not yours. Remember?”

  Cameron didn’t back down. “That’s why you took off out of here as if a tsunami was coming after you. You said the St. Louis office needed immediate help. I can’t believe you lied to me.”

  Ace was seconds away from boarding a plane and finishing this discussion with Cameron eye-to-eye and toe-to-toe. Ace was anything but a chump. He was certain that if he even whispered his brand of choice words, Kidd would hear it and jump into the fray.

  As far as he was concerned, the conversation was already out of control. And he wanted to be careful not to get Kidd or Eva involved. That would only mean further torture. Trying to keep his voice down, Ace sucked in a deep breath to freeze his testosterone. It didn’t work.

  “Do I need to remind you t
hat she isn’t the first one to claim she’s carrying my love child?”

  “You either have a learning disability, you’re blind, or on drugs. But from what Lois said about her, and the way she carries herself, I think it’s highly unlikely she would lie about something like that. With her looks and personality, she could get any man she wants. Seriously. You need to talk to her, man.”

  Rubbing the back of his neck, Ace closed his eyes. He hoped he wouldn’t regret the day he met her. “Let it go, Cameron,” he warned.

  “So you’re going to sit back and do nothing?” His tone was that of sheer disbelief.

  “And what would you like me to do, cuz?”

  “For starters,” Cameron said, “after you beg her forgiveness, make things right and marry her. Don’t act like you don’t have strong feelings for her. I know you, Ace. Even if you won’t admit it, I will. As close as the two of you were, I thought Talise was the one all along. Don’t be a fool and let her get away.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I did have strong feelings for her. But that was before she tried to trap me with the, ‘I might be having your baby’ song and dance. She messed it up for both of us with that stunt.”

  “I love you like a brother, regardless of the ten generations that separate us as cousins. Repercussions from situations like this can affect our bloodline. It’s your responsibility—”

  Growling into the phone, Ace snapped. “Maybe on your side of the Jamiesons’ tree, but according to my old man, Samuel already demonstrated that responsibility is optional. Look, we both know the Jamiesons aren’t fools. I’m just choosing to invoke my option clause. Talise is not my concern. If she’s pregnant, then that’s on her.”

  “Jamieson men seek the truth and then take action.”

  “I am so through with this conversation. Let me get you off my back. If she is pregnant, and if I decide to seek a paternity test, I’ll support the child. There, are you happy now?”

  He was still doing his best not to raise his voice and hoping it wasn’t too late. The last thing he needed was for Kidd or Eva to overhear this conversation. His brother’s ranch house was spacious, but noise traveled, even with him on the lower level in the game room.