Helen broke the silence. “So, who’s gonna call him? Who has his number in Miami? Because I don’t.
“I got a house number for Renee a few weeks ago, after she hounded me for the favor,” said John. “But I told her she was a fool. Really, how honest are his explanations if he can’t even give her a number to reach him at?”
“Your friend Kenny still works for the phone company?” asked Helen. When John nodded, Helen said, “Good. Get the number again, and I’ll call Reggie. He needs to come down here and talk some sense into this girl before somebody gets hurt, because I swear if I see one more bruise on that little girl, I’ll give Renee one to match! Did you guys hear me? Blood pressure be damned. I’ll flatten her.”
“Oh now, Helen, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t know if I could stand the thought of you two fighting like a couple of strangers.” Bea patted Helen’s shoulder.
Ben stood. “Come on, Beatrice. Let’s get on home before it gets late. This day has worn me out.”
•
When her parents and brother had left, Helen went about straightening the den before heading upstairs to shower and go to bed. Brian and Ashley were already asleep, and the house was finally peaceful after all the day’s hustle and bustle.
Though she didn’t want to alarm her mother and father by admitting it, Helen had a terrible sense of foreboding about Renee and Denise. The poor child was suffering for…for what, really? The fact that her father was gone, perhaps for good? Or was it more than that? Was it for being his child, but not good enough to keep him in Orlando? Was that the real truth behind Renee’s reckless behavior?
Helen slowly climbed the stairs, heading for the bathroom. Her heart was so heavy, worrying about her precious little niece. She prayed to God that Denise went safely to bed on this Thanksgiving night…Without any fresh bruises.
PART THREE
Chapter 31
Miami, Florida
Franklin stood staring into the refrigerator for far longer than was necessary. His mind could not have been farther from the roast beef and mashed potato dinner Theresa had prepared and left for him.
His life was unrecognizable.
Weeks ago, Theresa had informed him that she was pregnant.
What the hell else could go wrong?
The day following his last discussion with Reginald had proved to be a red-letter day in the life of Franklin Bevins. He and Theresa had gone to a house party the night before, and she spent the entire evening complaining about every scent she smelled, even mentioning how Reginald’s cologne had nauseated her the day before. The thought of pregnancy had never even crossed Frank’s mind. He’d told her she might be coming down with something…Little did he know that something was a mini Franklin.
When she broke the news, his first instinct was to deny, to question that it was positively his child. But alas, even he was above such cruel conduct—he was nearly 100 percent sure it was his baby. Anyone who knew Theresa would know it had to be his baby.
In the end, though, he inflicted just as much damage as if he had denied it. Theresa had practically begged for him to “see the light,” as she put it. With hope in her eyes and urgency in her voice, she’d begged him to realize that this was a sign; a sign that they should’ve married years ago, when he left her. He had been cold and distant, telling her that he didn’t want a kid right now and that she’d better think about an abortion.
Frank closed the refrigerator door as he recalled that dreadful evening in his study. He would probably never forget it, since it had been his birthday and Theresa had planned the perfect evening for two. He had been at his desk, replying to e-mail, when she arrived. Her reaction to his suggesting abortion had taken him aback. Theresa had flung her imitation Louis Vuitton handbag directly at his head. Luckily, he had ducked before it hit its target, but it landed on his desk instead, knocking the lamp to the carpet. She proceeded to rant and rave about how she had spent years being his showgirl and sex slave. And for what? To end up pregnant and alone! Theresa had shown more emotion in that one tirade than she had in all the years he’d known her.
He remained at his desk and said nothing throughout her rant. Frank had even found himself hoping that maybe she’d get mad enough and have a miscarriage or want nothing more to do with him, at the very least.
No such luck.
For reasons he didn’t think he would ever understand, she’d ended up apologizing for the things she said and asking his forgiveness for ruining his birthday. If he thought he couldn’t get rid of her before, it would be damn near impossible now that she was having his baby.
A fire truck wailed in the distance, snapping Frank out of his trance, and he realized that he hadn’t taken a thing from the fridge. He opened the door again and pulled out the food Theresa had prepared. How dumb was she? He had seen some silly women in his day, but Theresa topped them all.
Though he had been refusing to accompany her to the doctor visits, refusing to even talk much about the damn baby, she still came by nearly every day and cooked for him, saying he’d come around one day and accept that they belonged together.
Despite the recent developments in his bizarre relationship with Theresa, Franklin’s mind was cluttered with something else…With someone else. Someone that had been haunting him for weeks, when he should’ve been thinking about Theresa and her damn baby.
Tracy.
And Frank would be damned if he knew what to do about it.
He had actually lost Tracy…to Reginald.
Chapter 32
Olivia made useless attempts to calm her frazzled nerves as she spun into the three-story parking garage of Dr. Ulysses Berenger’s office building. She’d been circling the building for more than ten minutes, searching unsuccessfully for a parking space. “I sure hope all these people aren’t here to see the shrink,” she said aloud. Olivia had to admit that an elusive parking spot had little to do with her annoyance.
The day had finally come. A day that she had been dreading for weeks. Time to go sit in front of a headshrinker and play stupid. She was dressed casually in a brown cotton dress under a black knit cardigan that she’d left unbuttoned, yet she felt stifled.
After circling the first floor of the garage with no luck, she spun up to the second. To her relief, she immediately spotted an elderly couple walking away from the elevators toward the row of cars on the right. She drove up, putting on her indicator, because the last thing she needed now was to have some jerk come and rob her of one of the closest spots to the elevators.
After parking, Olivia consulted the card that her mother had given her the night before. SUITE 315, ULYSSES BERENGER. She stepped out of the car, smoothed her dress, and half slammed the door.
She was not thrilled about having to be there. Olivia did not expect things to go well at all.
•
Valerie slid her feet into her Chanel slip-ons and ran a brush through her hair. Her mother had said they’d be leaving in about fifteen minutes.
How did she feel about going to a psychologist’s office? Valerie wasn’t sure. She was almost certain that things couldn’t get much worst at home. Their entire world had been diced to pieces. She was no longer Daddy’s little girl. Daddy had a new little girl now. Denise.
At the thought, Valerie felt a weird sensation in the pit of her stomach, the same sensation she’d felt when her father’s words had seeped into her mind and rang true. For reasons she could not explain, after that awful and strange day in the den, the need to be close to her mother became overwhelming. She sensed the pain in her mother every time she looked into her eyes. This had really devastated her, and Valerie could tell that her mother was trying hard to hide it…Perhaps a bit too hard.
There was a knock at her door. “Val? Let’s go. We’re ready.”
•
“She should’ve gotten that letter by now,” said Reginald. They were in Tracy’s Jeep, riding along I-95 toward the doctor’s office.
Tracy turned her gaze
from the window and glanced at him. “You’re worried about that, aren’t you?” When Reggie gave no verbal answer, only met her eyes briefly, she sighed. “What do you think she’ll do?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.” After a brief pause, he added, “I just hope for the best…Once she digests it all, you know?”
Valerie sat in the back of the Jeep and kept quiet. She watched the people in the cars riding alongside them. Look at that girl, she thought, as a young woman drove by in a gray Honda. I wonder what’s going on in her life.
When another car pulled alongside them, there was an older woman at the wheel, bobbing her head to music, and Valerie envied her cheerfulness. I wonder if she’s ever been to a psychiatrist…
Chapter 32
Dr. Ulysses Berenger welcomed the Brookses into his office at precisely eleven o’clock that morning. His secretary efficiently closed the door behind them, and it was then time to begin.
As the family took seats and politely greeted him, giving their names, the silver-haired doctor made quick assessments of each. He was immediately aware of the palpable anxiety in each of them, though all four hid behind facades of ease.
Dr. Berenger smiled kindly and began the session in his soft and comforting tone. “Well, I am quite eager to find out what a lovely family such as this has to discuss with me.” He smiled warmly at each of them. “Which of you would like to begin?”
Valerie gazed out the large window behind her father. She could see the tall buildings across the street and she wondered about all the people in those buildings. Had any of them ever been to a psychiatrist?
Tracy took her eyes off the doctor and glanced at Reginald, who just stared back at her; he had an uncertain expression in his eyes. Where should they begin? Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Olivia interrupted.
“Doctor, it’s very simple, I think. We’re here because my mother thinks we can’t handle our family problems as a family. She seems to think we have to seek help from a stranger in order to solve them.” Olivia, crossing her legs, swung her eyes to her mother.
Before Tracy could respond, Dr. Berenger said, “Would it be a safe assumption that you don’t agree with your mother, Olivia?”
“Yes, it would, because I don’t think we need to be here.”
Dr. Berenger turned to Tracy. “Why do you feel the family should be here Mrs. Brooks?”
Tracy hesitated briefly before saying, “Doctor, some things have occurred over the last few months that have greatly affected our family, and because of changes, I thought seeking professional help was our best hope for dealing with them.” She cast a loaded glance at Olivia. Why was she making things more difficult? Why couldn’t she just cooperate?
Tracy continued, “We’ve just recently learned that...that Reginald has another child, an outside child with another woman.”
“Is this true, Mr. Brooks?” Dr. Berenger addressed Reginald politely.
“Yes, she’s six years old.” Reggie shifted in his armchair. “She lives in Orlando with her mother.” He cleared his throat. “I just recently told Tracy and the girls about her, and as you can imagine…we haven’t been doing all that well since.”
Just then, Olivia sighed dramatically, drawing everyone’s attention. Dr. Berenger looked to her. “Olivia, why don’t we talk a little about how this has affected you...specifically.” He clasped his hands in front of him atop his desk.
“Dr. Berenger, I can’t sit here and do this,” Olivia said, uncrossing her legs.
“Do what, exactly?” the doctor asked gently.
“Do this.” She waved her hand in front of her. “Sit here and be a character in this farce. This isn’t going to help—if anything, it’ll just make things worse. Coming here today is just about going through ridiculous motions.”
Dr. Berenger smiled. “Well, I don’t know why you feel that way, Olivia, but please believe that I have the best interest of this family at heart and I will try my very best to be of whatever help I can. Why do you feel this is a farce?”
Everyone was staring at Olivia, with the exception of Valerie, who appeared to be studying the mauve vase on the doctor’s desk. Finally, Olivia said in irritation, “Why am I here? Why did I even bother to show up?” Then she looked at her father and said, “He knows it’s a show. Mom seems to think coming here can somehow fix things, but he knows better. You don’t hide a kid for six years and…” She trailed off, appearing too offended to continue.
Reginald straightened. “Olivia, this attitude of yours….your reluctance to forgive is part of why we need to be here. Can’t you at least try meeting me halfway...even now?”
Dr. Berenger interjected, “I gather, Olivia, that you were particularly upset when you learned about your father’s other child?”
Olivia hesitated before answering stubbornly, “You know, I don’t know if I could respectfully express my feelings about what my father’s done—especially in this setting.”
Reginald flinched.
Dr. Berenger nodded. “It is understandable that you are angry, Olivia. I feel you are all entitled to your emotions under these particular circumstances, and I gather that you’ll get no argument from your father about that. However, there should come a time for forgiveness and progression, don’t you agree? You are a family, and the mere fact that Reginald is here now shows that he cares a great deal about getting his family back in order. Can you agree with that?” He leaned back in his chair.
“No, Doctor, I can’t say that I would agree.” Olivia snorted. “If he had cared, we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place. If he cared and really wanted to fix things with us, he’d have come into this office and began honestly with you. Instead, he does what Reginald Brooks always does: He plays a part—he acts. That’s what he’s done for as long as I can remember.”
Reginald’s eyes widened, struck by the apparently endless hostility in Olivia. He looked at her long and hard in the brief silence that followed. “Have I really alienated you this much?”
“Olivia, let me ask you this,” said Dr. Berenger. “Did you know about your father’s other daughter? I mean, prior to him telling the family?”
In curiosity, Tracy and Valerie swung around to face Olivia.
Olivia looked confused. “No. Valerie and I found out at the same time, when they sat us down and told us.”
“I only asked because there seems to be something more, something in addition, surrounding this mere incident for you.”
Olivia smiled sweetly at the doctor. “That’s my point, Dr. Berenger. Like my mother said before, a lot has happened to cause these problems. There’s a lot more to it than just this kid, and Daddy’s sitting there acting like there isn’t. You heard what he said about things not being ‘all that well’ since we heard about his other kid. My point is, things haven’t been ‘all that well’ for years. In fact, I wasn’t the least bit surprised about this other child. I’ve learned to expect nothing better from my father.”
“Olivia, pipe it down a bit, okay?” Tracy’s tone was clipped when she finally found her voice. She was appalled by Olivia’s bluntness in the short ten minutes that they’d been there.
A glance at Valerie showed that her anger was rising with every word that flew from Olivia’s mouth. Despite what had happened, it was obvious that she still felt very protective of her father. She looked as if she was itching to retaliate, but the fact that they were sitting in a counseling session must’ve humbled her.
Reginald spoke then. “Olivia, don’t you think I realize how my being away so much—for so long—affected you? All of you? I know that it’s driven us apart and onto separate paths.” He turned to Dr. Berenger, his face rigid, determined to be understood. “Doctor, for the past ten years or so, my job has required me to travel back and forth between here and Orlando. Every month my time was split between here and there—two weeks here and two there.”
“He’s basically had two separate homes,” said Tracy. “I know that, as a little girl, Olivia gr
ew to resent that almost right away. She would cry constantly when he had to leave or whenever he missed her birthday or a recital. I think that’s why she’s had all this pent-up anger to this day. She’s just missed him.”
“I think Olivia recognizes her father’s desire to reconcile the disconnect his absence has caused,” said Dr. Berenger. “However, it seems that there’s a desire to reflect pain. On some level, you want your dad to hurt just as you’ve hurt. You want to make sure he understands what he’s done by being away all these years. Could that be true, Olivia?”
“I don’t want him to hurt. I want him to stop pretending. He needs to recognize that the acting can’t last forever. For years, he’s been basically living two lives, and I’ve always felt it. He stopped being my daddy the first day he left for Orlando. And now we all know why.”
Reginald spoke in his defense. “I have come to realize that my family is what’s most important to me.” He looked at Dr. Berenger and continued. “I want everyone to understand how I really feel…I began to see that I didn’t know my daughters. One day, they were little girls, and the next day, they were grown young women who were practically strangers to me.”
“And is this the realization that led you to admitting you had another child?” asked the doctor.
“Yes,” replied Reginald. “But not only that, Dr. Berenger. There’s a great deal of time I need to make up for here. I’ve tried to reach out to Olivia, to get to know her as she is today, but she’s hell-bent on keeping this wall between us.” Reggie hesitated. “My biggest grievance is that recently she’s been going through a lot, and if it were left up to her, I wouldn’t even know half of what’s been going on in her life.”
THE GREAT PRETENDER Page 24