“Thanks, Mom,” Karlie said, savoring the smell of brownies baking in the oven.
Brownies were comfort, love, and home wrapped up into a delicious chocolate morsel. Karlie couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into the tasty treat. She pushed thoughts of Jamaal aside to devote time with her family.
“You’ll have to wait until after dinner,” Myra said, pointing a finger at her.
Karlie laughed. It felt good being around people who knew her. Addie delighted her with all sorts of antics. She enjoyed the barbecue chicken, beef ribs and macaroni and cheese dinner. The ribs were so tender they slid down her throat, and the barbecue sauce tasted like heaven popped into her mouth.
Even with all that, Karlie saved room for a piece of brownie. She took a bite. “Mmmm, this is so good, Mom,” she uttered.
Myra bagged a few pieces for Karlie to take back with her. All in all, Karlie’s heart rejoiced. It was after ten p.m. when Neil walked her out to her car to see her off.
“Where will you be?” he asked as he flicked a small crumb of brownie off her cheek.
“I’m going to see Jamaal,” Karlie said, biting another piece of her brownie.
Neil opened his mouth but must have changed his mind. Karlie was glad, although he would not have been able to talk her out of going across the bridge anyway. She had put Jamaal off long enough. She needed to settle things with him tonight.
Forty minutes later, she swerved into the parking garage of Jamaal’s apartment complex. Dressed in her jeans and heels, Karlie strutted with the confidence of a New Yorker used to roaming the city at all hours of the night. At the entrance, she caught the door as Jamaal’s roommate exited.
Pharrell’s comedic double take brought Bugs Bunny to mind. He pushed his cap further down his head, although those ears couldn’t be helped. He muttered, “Jamaal’s up there. Although I don’t know if—”
“Thank you,” Karlie said quickly, and she slipped inside the building. She made her way up to Jamaal’s room. With a sharp rap, she stepped back and waited for him to answer.
“It’s you,” Jamaal said when he opened the door. Shirtless, he fidgeted with the belt on his shorts.
Her woman radar beeped loud and clear. Karlie narrowed her eyes. Jamaal is nervous. “Are you going to let me in?”
He immediately closed the door behind him and chuckled nervously. “It’s like a hurricane in there. I’m embarrassed at the empty pizza boxes and clothes tossed everywhere . . .” He gazed at her. “Let me grab a shirt and we can go somewhere to talk.”
Karlie clutched her stomach. Oh, noway, nohow, was she buying that nonsense spilling out of his mouth. “No. I don’t mind the mess. I’m coming inside.”
Jamaal blocked the door.
She noticed a tie on the doorknob. Karlie wasn’t stupid. She knew that was man code for “woman-inside-don’t-come-in.” Her chest heaved, and her palms grew sweaty. “Jamaal, get out of my way.”
“Karlie,” he pleaded. “I can’t. It’ll ruin everything.”
She gritted her teeth. “Move. Out. Of. My. Way.”
Jamaal shook his head.
With the strength of a woman betrayed, Karlie swung her hips, and Jamaal tripped over his Tims. She barely spared him a glance and shoved open the door to the studio suite.
Karlie rushed inside. She saw tossed jeans and empty soda cans but no female in sight. But, her radar still beeped. Carefully treading through the clothes, Karlie headed to the bathroom. She pulled the curtains back with a flourish. No one.
Hmm. If I were creeping with another woman’s man, where would I slither to hide?
“See, I told you no one is here,” Jamaal said from behind her. His frantic, bright eyes told the truth.
Karlie turned up her nose and elbowed him as she went back into the room. “You must think I’m stupid. I know there’s someone in here.”
She wandered over to the closet. Bingo! Her heart pounded, but Karlie opened the door. When she saw who stood there quivering in her undies, instant rage flowed like lava through her being and erupted into a wail powerful enough to rattle the apartment building.
“Nikkiiii!!!”
Chapter Thirty-five
“Your call was a lifesaver,” Ryan said, pulling Brian into an embrace.
They had agreed to meet up at a nearby park as Brian had spent the night at Karlie’s house. It was just before dusk and surprisingly the Baldwin Harbor Park was empty, which was fine by him.
Brian did not return the hug; instead, he shoved Ryan hard. Ryan flailed backward. He would have fallen on his butt, but a bench saved his nasty fall.
Ryan grabbed his son by the shirt. “Don’t you ever dishonor me by putting your hands on me again! I might be a lousy father, but I command your respect, and you will give me that.”
Brian pursed his lips and gave a slight nod.
Ryan released him, and Brian slunk into the bench. He couldn’t believe Brian had the audacity to put hands on him. Ryan counted to ten, and then sat next to him. “I thought Karlie would be with you.”
“No, she went to see her parents.” Brian glared at him. “Her real parents.”
Ryan flinched at the jab. He swiped at his brow. The humidity was no joke. “I’m not trying to take Neil’s place. I just need to know if Karlie’s mine.”
Brian crammed a finger in Ryan’s chest. “Why now? Five years went by, and you didn’t say anything. Your only motivation was to ruin my life.”
Ryan shifted toward Brian. “If you want to leave here with all your fingers, you’d better move your hand.”
Brian removed his finger.
“I’m not ruining your life, son. I’m straightening it out. Whatever you think you feel for Karlie must end. I can’t have you pining after your sister.”
“I didn’t know who she was!” Brian jumped to his feet and inhaled deeply to catch his breath. “Have you thought about the damage you’ve done? Last night, Karlie was crying in my arms trying to figure out why you didn’t want her.”
Ryan stood so he and Brian were eye to eye. “It’s not that I didn’t want Karlie. Let’s face it. I was a chief contender for the world’s worst parent. I was a horrible father to you. I neglected you. I was always working, and I—”
“Enough!” Brian interrupted. “Your excuses are as flimsy as a cheap paper towel.”
Ryan lowered his head. There was no talking his way around this mess. “I’m sorry. If I could turn back the clock—”
“But you can’t,” Brian interrupted. “When I was growing up, I craved your attention. I acted out and did all sorts of schemes for you to notice me. I thought that was painful, but what I went through was a breeze compared to Karlie. Her mother died. Her grandmother rejected her, and now her father didn’t have the time or energy to claim her.” He held out his hands. “Do you understand her devastation?”
Ryan realized he was worse than mildew scum around the toilet bowl. “I’m beginning to see, son. Before I gave my life to God, I really didn’t see the error of my ways.”
Brian snorted. “Please don’t excuse your bad behavior because you weren’t saved before. You knew right from wrong.”
Ryan sighed. “If you called me here to crush my head with your foot, it’s working. You’re contradicting everything I say.”
“Are you really saved? Or are you playing at being saved? I’ve been watching you, and you seem to think God is there for your convenience.”
Now, where did that come from? Ryan wondered.
Brian pierced him with his eyes, and Ryan stepped back under their intensity. For a second, it felt as if God was looking at him. Ryan shook off that feeling.
Ryan was quickly losing patience with what he viewed as a dead-end conversation. His cell phone rang. He saw Frank’s name and number pop up. Frank moved fast.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to take this,” Ryan said, and he walked away from the park bench.
“Why didn’t you tell me Jackson Higgins was telling the truth?” Frank bellowed.
Ryan glanced nervously at his son. Worried that Brian might be listening, Ryan discreetly lowered the volume on his cell phone and walked a few more feet away.
“Will that be a problem?” Ryan whispered. His chest constricted. He needed Frank. Millions of dollars were at stake.
“No, but I like knowing what I’m dealing with. This means I’ll have to strong-arm—change tactics. I’ll be tossing this phone. We need to meet in person.”
Ryan twisted his body to signal to Brian he would be off the phone soon. His son shrugged, but Ryan wasn’t fooled. He knew Brian was still angry.
Sweat beads formed across Ryan’s bare upper lip. He didn’t like the sound of strong-arm tactics. He considered himself a child of God, and God didn’t like this kind of ugly. Maybe he should pay Jackson’s demands.
“I also learned his wife is sick,” Frank said. “Dying. He needs the money.”
If this made the news, Ryan worried he’d be the monster who couldn’t empathize with a man and his sick wife. Michael Ward’s reputation was also on the line. Ryan tensed. He didn’t want to alert Michael about this nightmare. It’s best he settled it.
Yesterday.
“I need this to go away,” Ryan said.
“Give me a couple weeks.” Frank ended the call.
Brian could practically smell his father’s fear.
From the bits and pieces of conversation he’d overheard, he knew whatever was going on wasn’t good. His father looked scared. Brian touched his chin. He had to find out. This might be the opening he needed in his plan for revenge.
“I’m giving up my apartment and coming home,” Brian told his father as soon as he ended the call.
Brian knew he had stunned his father.
Ryan blinked rapidly. “Whoa! Where did that come from? Are you on something? My head is spinning. I would love to have you home, of course, but after all you said to me, I would think you’d want to be as far away from me as possible.”
“You’re right,” Brian said. “My coming home has nothing to do with you.” Brian didn’t trip over his lie. He wanted to know what trouble his father was in and find out how he could use it against him.
“I can’t stay at Merle’s house, and I want to be near Karlie,” Brian added. That was true.
Ryan froze. “You need to leave her alone. There are plenty of other women out there.”
Brian folded his arms. “You’re not going to dictate my actions. You need to fix yourself because your deeds are way past reprehensible.”
“I’m only saying you can have any woman you want,” his father said in a much more even-tempered tone.
Brian knew that. It didn’t remedy Karlie plaguing his mind, though.
“I’ll arrange to close up your apartment and get your things moved into storage,” Ryan said. “Are you coming home tonight?”
His father was nothing but efficient. “I’ll be home tomorrow. I’m going to check on Karlie. See how her visits went.” But first he had to call Nikki, who had been calling him nonstop.
“See you then.” Ryan walked off.
By this time, night had fallen and the streetlights were on. Brian watched his father’s departure.
Soon, Dad. I’ll avenge Karlie, and I’ll derive great satisfaction knowing it happened right under your roof.
Chapter Thirty-six
“This Girl Is on Fire” by Alicia Keys was taking on new meaning.
Patricia left her sixth session with Dr. Flowers hissing her teeth. Same old tired jargon. Dr. Flowers had yammered on about reducing stress. How was she to reduce stress when her adult son was back at home and at odds with his father?
Brian and Ryan were engulfed in a war of wills, and she hated being in the middle. Playing peacemaker. This was how it had been for the past two weeks.
After one such battle, Patti had yelled, “Brian, why did you move back here if all you’re going to do is cause contention?”
Brian’s eyes had widened with hurt. “Do you want me to leave?”
“No, I don’t.” She shook her head. “But you and your father are driving me nuts. I don’t think both of you under the same roof is a good idea.”
“Then make him leave,” Brian glared, engaging her in a stare down.
Patricia stayed out of their way after that. Whenever they argued, she retreated to her room or went in to the hospital to monitor the twins. The good news was that the twins were now healthy enough for surgery, a surgery she felt unprepared for because of the turmoil in her personal life.
Next to praise, sex was the ultimate stress reducer. She loved a good praise session in church, but if she had to choose between the two . . .
She flicked her wrist to glance at her watch. It was about 5:30 p.m. Patricia had bumped up her prayer life. She had increased her scripture reading, but that did nothing to quench the fire raging between her legs.
She jumped into her vehicle and slammed the door. “Think of something else. Think of something else.” She slapped her head with her hand several times before plunking her head onto the steering wheel.
Tim’s face flashed before her. Though she had diligently avoided him, it didn’t stop Patricia from craving a small sampling.
Once she had married Ryan, Patricia had honored her vows. Their marriage had been the kind of obsessive relationship which kept her satisfied and her cravings under wraps.
But things between them were rocky, and Ryan had been distracted. This time she knew what was wrong. He was worried about the paternity test. He and Karlie had met up and given samples. The results would arrive by messenger soon.
She only wished Ryan wouldn’t obsess so faithfully about it during their follow-up counseling sessions with Pastor Ward. Like a good Stepford wife, she had said the right words during the sessions, but deep down, Patricia was naughty.
Patricia liked riding on the edge.
She gritted her teeth. She needed something.
Call your husband.
Patricia tapped her feet. That was what she should do, but it wasn’t what she wanted to do. Tim’s “I’m in love with you” teased her mind every night.
Her palms shook like a drug addict in need of a fix. She did need her “fix,” and she knew just how to get it.
Patricia started up her vehicle and screeched out of the parking lot. She drove at breakneck speed until she arrived outside Tim’s waterfront home in Baldwin Bay.
Her chest heaved, and her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She studied the closed front door. If she went inside, there was no turning back. She would be an adulteress, but Ryan would not find out.
It would be her secret.
God knows.
Patricia was fine with that. She knew she would need someone to talk to, and no one could keep a secret better than God.
That did not stop her feet from wobbling as she exited her vehicle and made her way up the path to Tim’s door. She spotted the docked boat and admitted she was impressed. She took a moment to appreciate the allure of the water before walking up the three steps to Tim’s front door. Patricia noted the numerous sliding glass doors, which she was sure provided a spectacular, uninterrupted view of the bay. Patricia pressed the doorbell. Guilt made her scan the other houses for Peeping Toms. She saw no one.
God, if you’re going to stop me, make Tim not be home.
The door swung open.
He was dressed only in a pair of slacks.
Patricia’s eyes widened.
Tim flashed a smile and reached for her hand.
Without a backward glance or another selfish, demanding prayer, Patricia stepped inside and shut the door.
Ryan stood inside his front door holding the paternity results. His hands shook, the envelope flapping against his chest. The results inside would change his life forever.
Brian approached him from the kitchen. “Where’s Mom?”
Ryan shrugged. He didn’t want to delve into Patricia’s whereabouts. She had been spending eighteen-hour days at work on the twins�
�� case. However, Ryan suspected Patricia was running away from the tension between him and Brian. Not that he blamed her. He would run too, if he could.
“Are those the results?” Brian crunched into an apple.
Ryan nodded, went into his office, opened a drawer, and found a letter opener. He slid it under the seal to open the envelope and withdrew two sheets of paper. He allowed the envelope to fall to the floor.
“What does it say?” Brian asked.
“Give me a chance to read it.” Ryan turned his back on Brian and focused on the words.
I am Karlie’s father.
“Well?” Brian asked.
Ryan turned and met Brian’s eyes. He tried to cover his disappointment but failed. “I’m, um, I’m—”
“Karlie is my sister?” Brian bellowed, dropping the apple to the floor.
Ryan nodded. “I’m sorry, son.”
Steam emanated from Brian’s eyes before he snatched his keys off the armoire in the foyer. “I’ve got to get to Karlie. She’s going to need me when she gets this.”
“She’s with family,” Ryan said. He did not want to be alone. He was surprised at how he wanted his son’s compassion. A human connection.
“Well, I’m her family now,” Brian shot back before slamming the front door.
A tear slid down Ryan’s cheek. Pain crippled him and sent him to his knees. Crying out, he wailed, “Lord, what have I done?”
Chapter Thirty-seven
Karlie squatted on the living room of her mother’s three-bedroom colonial home in Hempstead where she had arranged to have the results delivered by messenger. Neil and Myra wanted to be there with her, but she needed to be with her Mom. Tiffany was gone, but Karlie had good memories in this home. It was where she had had her first kiss and one of the best holidays ever.
She wrapped herself in the Karlie blanket, a gift from Thomas Knightly, the man she had grown up thinking was her father. She had a framed picture of her mother’s final live performance in her lap.
She picked up the picture frame and outlined her mother’s face. How she wished she could hear Tiffany’s voice. “Mom, we’re going to learn the truth once and for all.”
My Soul Then Sings Page 20