“You think her husband sensed it, too?”
“Unless he’s a complete idiot, I don’t see how he couldn’t.”
Jerome sighed again. “Well, I can say bye-bye to any future referrals from him.”
“Maybe not. If Mr. Butterfield’s been married to her this long, he probably knows the deal,” she said, thinking about the way her own parents operated their marriage.
“You’re probably right. Just goes to show you, you never know what goes on when people close their doors.”
Erica stretched her arms and legs as she nestled farther into Jerome’s body. “I want us to close our doors and walk into peace and comfort.” It had taken love a long time to come, but now that it had, Erica knew she was never going to let Jerome go. They shared a gentle embrace and a deep, warm kiss that led them back into paradise.
Chapter 34
Erica pressed her back into the burgundy tapestry of the soft upholstered couch. She’d always loved the comfort of her parents’ home. Although it was over six thousand square feet and was decorated luxuriously, her mother’s classic, comfortable touch made it feel like a cozy cabin.
It was Sunday afternoon, and Erica and her mother were sitting on the couch in the family room, having tea. She loved the way her mother made an elegant production of everything. Tea wasn’t just hot water over dried leaves inside a Lipton bag. Afternoon tea with Maureen Stanford was served on a tray made of hand-crafted jade, topped with a crisp linen napkin and an assortment of cookies, scones, and biscotti on the side.
Erica watched as her mother poured steaming water from the neck of the cream-colored ceramic teapot, filling her cup with hot liquid, which turned the bag of Earl Grey into a small black sea.
“Here you go, sweetie,” Maureen said, handing Erica the sugar dish from the tray. “Would you like a lemon cookie or a strawberry scone?”
“You know I can’t resist lemon cookies.” Erica smiled as she scooped two heaping spoonfuls of natural brown sugar into her cup.
Maureen placed a cookie on Erica’s dessert plate, then reached for a scone for her own. “Nelson’s event last night was lovely, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was.”
“His campaign manager did a fabulous job, and I think she’s taken quite a liking to him.”
“Who? Cynthia?” Erica said with surprise. Cynthia Bowling was a thirtysomething Washington insider who hailed from a long line of politicians and public servants. She had worked on several congressional campaigns and was known as a consummate professional. Stoic and ultrathin, with a stylish haircut befitting a modern businesswoman, Cynthia was one tough cookie. Her whispered nickname was the Iron Lady.
“Yes.” Maureen smiled as she poured hot water over her bag of peppermint-flavored tea. “Cynthia is an impressive and very accomplished young woman from a fine family. She’s smart and capable, and I can see that she’s set her sights on Nelson.”
“She may have set her sights on him, but I don’t think it’s a two-way street. She’s totally not his type.”
“She doesn’t have to be. It’s not about love, my dear. This is politics, and it’s all about the image.”
Erica was completely nonplussed and didn’t know what to say. Her mother had always been strategic, practical, and quick with her wits. But her pragmatism was also layered with a generous amount of compassion and care, no matter how bourgeois she appeared to be. Erica’s forehead wrinkled with disbelief as she absorbed her mother’s unfeeling words.
Maureen took a small sip of her tea, then rested her cup on its matching saucer. “And I’m praying with all my might that Nelson doesn’t fall into that trap. In many ways he’s just like your father when it comes to appearances. He knows that every politician looks better with a wife and children by his side. But Lord knows, I pray it won’t be Cynthia who he chooses to fill that role,” she scoffed. “Just because something looks good doesn’t mean it is good.”
This was the Maureen Stanford that Erica was used to, but at the same time, she was surprised her mother was talking openly about Nelson’s personal business. Inserting herself into her children’s love lives had never been her thing. “Mom, you’re throwing out a lot of stuff. What’s really going on?”
“What I’m trying to say is that life is too short to worry about keeping up appearances. All that time spent crafting the perfect image, and for what? In the end there’s no happiness in that. You have to follow your heart, no matter where it takes you, or who you decide to take along on the journey with you.”
Erica sat her cup on the mahogany coffee table in front of her. “Mom, is there something wrong with you and Daddy?”
Maureen let out a light sigh, uncrossed her legs, and leaned back into the couch. “We won’t announce it until after Nelson’s campaign is over in the spring, but your father and I have decided to divorce.”
Erica’s mouth gaped open. She had felt the vibe last night and knew that something was up, but she had no idea that her parents’ marriage was about to dissolve. She had never known them to argue or even raise their voices at each other; even though her father’s eyes had wandered in the past, it was something that Erica assumed her mother tolerated because she loved him, and he’d afforded her a life of no material want. She loved both her parents, and she didn’t judge them for their decisions because she’d made questionable ones of her own.
“I know this comes as a shock,” Maureen continued, “but it’s a relief for me, and for your father, too.”
“Mom, what happened to make you finally call it quits after thirty-nine years?”
Maureen’s eyes looked upon Erica’s with a mixture of knowledge and regret. “Life happened. Our fortieth anniversary is six months away, and I just couldn’t see spending another day pretending.”
Erica nodded. “I know this wasn’t an easy decision, and I’m a little in shock, but I’m also proud of you for making it.”
“It was time. Your father and I grew further apart from each other little by little, year after year. Once you drift too far, it’s hard to find your way back to shore,” Maureen said, taking a deep breath.
Erica’s voice was low. “Wow. I knew something was wrong, but I wasn’t expecting this.”
“I’m sure you’re not going to be alone in that feeling.”
Erica nodded. Her parents had been together for what seemed like a lifetime. She was sure that everyone they knew—family and friends alike—would be stunned once they heard the news. “Have you guys told Nelson?”
“No, not yet. He’s got too much going on right now with his campaign, and we don’t want this to be a distraction. We’ll tell him in due time.” Maureen sighed as sadness mixed with relief washed over her face. “I finally woke up and realized that life is too short to live what little time I have left existing in something just because it’s convenient.
“When I met Joseph, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. He was smart, handsome, and charismatic, just like your brother,” Maureen said with a smile. “I’d grown up middle class, but your father introduced me to a world I never knew existed. Generations of old money and affluence, and I fell into it hook, line, and sinker. We were the perfect couple, with the perfect house, perfect children, and a perfect life. But what I didn’t know then was that everything comes at a cost. Don’t get me wrong. Your father is a good man, and he has some wonderful qualities. For a time we had a pretty amazing life together. But that ended long ago.”
Maureen sat forward and recrossed her legs. “There are just certain things that I can’t, and I won’t, put up with or settle for anymore . . . not at this point in my life. I refuse to be anyone’s afterthought. I deserve love and fulfillment.”
Erica understood what that kind of disappointment felt like. She loved her father, but she knew how powerful men could be. “Mom, I love you and Daddy, and I just want both of you to be happy. So if it means being happy apart, then I support you.”
“Thank you, sweetie. And I want you to know that I support you, too.
Jerome seems like a fine young man. I like him.”
“You do?” Her mother was giving her more shock and awe than she could take.
“Yes, from the little that I observed. Let me tell you something. Sixty-four years of living has taught me that love is about what’s here.” She reached out and placed her soft hand over Erica’s heart. “This small organ beating inside your chest is the strongest part of your body, and the wisest. Your heart will lead you where your brain can’t follow because your heart is connected to your gut, and your gut is God. And, sweetie, you know you can’t go wrong with Him.
“I admire the way Jerome comported himself last night. Your father and I were hard on him, but he didn’t back down, and he was more polite and tolerant than most people would’ve been in his position. That told me that he’s a man of character. Then I watched how he looked at you, with love and respect. I could see in his eyes that that man will do anything for you, Erica. And even though you were nervous about us grilling him, I could see that you wanted him to be comfortable, and that you were concerned about how he felt. That tells me that you care deeply for him and you want to protect him.”
“I do, Mom,” Erica said with a smile. “Even though we’ve only known each other a short time, it seems like we’ve been together for years. I love him, and he loves me, too.”
Maureen reached for Erica’s hand and held it tightly in her grip. “Then you’re halfway there. It doesn’t take long to spot what you want, if you know what you need,” she said with a wink. “Life is a journey, and like I said, you can’t worry about what anyone thinks. I’m so happy that you’re following where your heart is leading you. It’s the only path to true happiness.”
Erica nodded with bittersweet emotion. As her new love was beginning, her mother and father’s life together was coming to an end. But she knew if her mother had come to this decision, it had been reached after careful thought. “After being with Daddy for so long, it’s going to be an adjustment, so if you need me, you just call and I’ll be here for you.” Erica gave her mother’s shoulder a comforting rub. “I know you’ll be just fine.”
“Yes, I will be.” Maureen reached for her roomtemperature tea and took a sip. “Now, if we can just get Nelson to see the light.”
Chapter 35
Erica walked up the steps to Ashley’s well-appointed Victorian row house, feeling a mixture of emotions. Her day had started off with deep conversation and passionate lovemaking in Jerome’s arms. By mid-afternoon her mother had thrown her a curveball she hadn’t seen coming. And now, as she rang the doorbell and bent to pick up the Sunday newspaper that had been tossed onto one of Ashley’s potted red begonias, she wondered what this late afternoon visit to her best friend would bring.
“Hey!” Ashley said, greeting Erica with a big smile.
“I can see you’ve been relaxing all day. You haven’t even gotten your paper.” Erica handed Ashley her Washington Post. “And look at you, dressed all cute while you’re lounging!”
Ashley placed her hand on her ample left hip and struck a sexy pose, highlighting her hot pink terry-cloth pants and matching top. “What can I say? I’m beautiful.”
“And don’t forget, oh, so modest, at that.”
“So true!”
The two friends laughed and hugged as though they hadn’t seen each other in years instead of just last night. They walked past Ashley’s front rooms, all stylishly decorated in monochromatic colors, with sleek furniture that featured clean lines, and headed back to her den. They settled in, anchoring themselves at either end of her stiff, but fashionable tan-colored couch.
“So what’s going on?” Ashley asked. “When you called on your way over, you sounded a little stressed. That asshole Claude didn’t mess up things between you and Jerome, did he?”
Erica shook her head. “No, thank goodness, even though he tried. Jerome and I are fine.”
“Claude’s more arrogant than I thought. He’s so full of himself, thinking his shit smells like a bed of flowers. I was so glad Jerome put him in his place.”
“And speaking of Jerome, it’s truth time.” Erica tucked one leg beneath her hip and rested the other on the floor as she attempted to make herself comfortable. “Tell me what you think about him.”
Ashley leaned back and paused for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. “You know, I’ve been very skeptical, and not because of what he does for a living as much as because of what his checkered background says. I prosecute criminals, and I see the very worst of humanity, so my radar is up high.”
Erica nodded with understanding. “I get that.”
“You’re not used to dealing with folks like Jerome, but I am, and not just because of what I do for a living. Let’s keep it real.... My family is wealthy, but ours is new, first-generation money, straight from the hood. I grew up behind the gilded gates of Hill Crest Manor just like you, but on the weekends I went to visit relatives who lived in neighborhoods that you’ve only seen on TV crime shows. You come from a family of people who pride themselves on being born into generations of wealth, education, and social status. You can’t even name a single relative who’s been in prison, let alone understand the complexities of that world. So, when I got the report on Jerome, I had doubts because, baby girl, you’re just not equipped to deal with the kind of life and people he comes from.”
“Where he comes from isn’t who he is.”
“I understand that, but the reality is that he’s still somewhat a part of it. Have you been to his apartment yet?”
Erica bit her lower lip. “Not yet. Why?”
“I have his address from the report. I know that area, and it’s straight hood.”
Erica shrugged. “My man doesn’t have a degree or a professional job, and he lives in the hood. You may not think he’s right for me, but I know he’s the one. I know we’ll have challenges, but what couple doesn’t?”
“True, but when you mix family into the equation, it brings on a whole other set of issues,” Ashley said with a sigh. “I love your family, but let’s face it. Most of them are bougie as hell. I saw how your mom and dad looked at Jerome last night. So take my advice, as a person who’s having in-law challenges, you better know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Erica wanted to jump in and tell Ashley a thing or two about her soon-to-be in-laws, but she decided to refrain for now. “I do know, and I’m not going to let either of our families’ views dictate our relationship, and I’m not concerned about what anyone thinks of Jerome and me, except the two of us.”
“If that’s true, why are you asking me what I think about him?”
“Because you’re my girl, and I value your opinion. I know you love me just like I love you, and I want your blessing. But if I don’t get it, well, I guess I just don’t. I asked what you think about him, not about us. I already know where Jerome and I are headed.”
Ashley raised her hand to her chin and thought for a moment. “I’m proud of you, Erica,” she said softly. “You’re a lot braver than I am.”
“It doesn’t take bravery to love someone.”
“Don’t fool yourself.”
The two friends were silent for a moment, chewing on their thoughts. “I’ll tell you what I think of him,” Ashley said. “He’s a man’s man, straight up alpha male for sure, which I like. I could tell that he’s a stand-up guy by the way he handled Claude. I also like that he looks you in the eye when he talks to you, and that says that not only is he confident, but he’s also not trying to hide anything. And what’s most important is that I could see how much he’s into you. Girl, that man would drink your dirty bathwater through a straw!”
Erica laughed. “You think?”
“Yes, and you know he would, too. You got that brothah sprung!”
“And I feel the same way. He’s so loving and wonderful.”
“And fine as hell! You told me he was handsome, but you didn’t say he was a walking, talking piece of chocolate perfection!” Ashley paused and gave Erica
a serious look. “Now on to the real question . . . Can the brothah throw down between the sheets?”
Erica leaned back and fanned herself with her right hand. “Yes, yes, and triple yes. I can’t even describe how incredible he is.”
“Damn! He’s fine, and the sex is good.”
“No, the sex is phenomenal! He knows exactly what to do without me having to tell him. He’s gentle and attentive, and he takes his time. But then he can switch it up and give it to me hard and nasty!” Erica purred with a devilish grin.
“Well, all righty then!” Ashley extended her hand, and the two friends slapped high five as they giggled like schoolgirls.
“He’s so sweet. Just like last night, I know he didn’t want to attend Nelson’s event, but he did it for me, and he even stomached all that society nonsense.”
Ashley’s eyes got big. “Girl, that’s what I’ve been wanting to talk to you about! Did you see the look that Jason’s mother kept giving—or shall I say, avoided giving—Jerome? And then, when he put his arm around you, I thought she was going to come out of her skin.”
“Yes, I saw,” Erica answered. She was treading lightly, just as she knew Jerome had done. She could see that Ashley was dissecting her response.
“You know something, don’t you?”
Erica was quiet.
“I knew it! Something’s up between Jerome and Mrs. Butterfield. He told you, and he asked you not to say anything, didn’t he?”
“I can’t confirm anything, but if you ask me a question that I really can’t answer, because of privilege, I’ll just look away and remain silent. How about that?”
Ashley grinned. “I’ve taught you well, my friend.” She sat on the edge of the couch and fired away. “Jason’s mother propositioned him, didn’t she?”
Erica turned her head and looked away.
“I knew it!” Ashley screamed. “The nerve of that old bitch!”
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