Color of Deception

by Khara Campbell

  He walked up the two steps in the garage to open up the door to enter his kitchen. He fully expected to hear Carl crying and see Debra moving smoothly around, baby in her arms, to help soothe his cries. The last thing Pete wanted was to come home to noise. Carl’s crying was a sound he knew would take a while – if ever, for him to get accustomed to. Especially late at night when all he wanted to do was sleep. Thankfully an arrangement was made where Rachel, Leah and Debra rotated spending the night in Carl’s nursery. They weren’t fully convinced Pete could handle baby duties – which was true. Plus, they wanted to do anything they could not to give him reason to put Carl up for adoption. Because of the nature of the unique situation Pete was in with his responsibility for Carl, a social worker was assigned to make regular visits for a short period, to ensure Carl was well taken care of.

  Despite the cries of little Carl, Pete was looking forward to seeing his cherubic face. It was becoming the highlight of his day – seeing Carlisha’s infant son’s big eyes and smooth dark mocha skin looking up at him as he changed his diaper or fed him his bottle. Pete was surprised at how quickly he was getting the hang of it, he wouldn’t admit it to the ladies though. He still had his reservations about permanently being the baby’s guardian. He just didn’t know if he could truly be the father figure Carl needed him to be. His guilt for his negative view of black people was eating at him ever since he allowed Carl to creep into his heart. He hated the fact that he was even capable of thinking yet alone uttering the word nigger. He felt that he wasn’t worthy of being responsible for Carl especially after the way he treated his mother after his wife’s death. Moriah was probably rolling in her grave like Rachel had once stated. Pete was beginning to feel pathetic for his actions and his thoughts.

  But his wife was still dead because of a black man.

  Pete had gotten accustomed to his new normal since his wife’s death, of getting home from work, kicking off his shoes and relaxing in front of the TV with a beer bottle in hand, but that had changed. Pete walked into the kitchen and was almost startled to see Debra standing in front of the stove frying chicken. The flavorful aroma hit his nostrils instantly and sent hunger pangs to his stomach. Watching her from behind, it would’ve been easy for someone to mistake her for Moriah. Her gorgeous natural red hair was tied up in a knot on the top of her head. The black leggings she wore hugged her thighs and hips perfectly. Pete scanned her entire body from behind. He swore under his breath as he felt the sensation of his desire for her travel down to his groin. Debra was so engrossed in her cooking she didn’t notice Pete standing behind her until he cleared his throat and closed the door shut behind him.

  Debra twirled around with a start – cooking fork in hand as she looked over at Pete. The grease in the hot fryer was crackling and popping. A shy smile washed over her face at the sight of him. She hoped he didn’t mind her taking over his kitchen. She had a desire for fried chicken tonight for dinner and since it was her night to sleep over for Carl, she took it upon herself to get comfortable. “I hope you don’t mind, I’m frying chicken.”

  “Not at all,” Pete answered softly as he gazed at her. She was absolutely beautiful to him and he felt so guilty for thinking it and having the feelings he was having for her at that moment. God, I can’t be having a desire for another woman! He chastised himself. He physically shook his head, hoping that would’ve erased all the things he wanted to do to Debra at that moment. Seeing her standing in his kitchen cooking, was the sexiest thing he’d witnessed in a long time. Pete walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottled beer, in hope that the act would distract his thoughts. He popped the top with an opener and tossed it in the trash bin nearby.

  Debra resumed her cooking, oblivious to Pete’s attraction to her. She suddenly had to question her own sudden attraction to him. When the heck did that happen? When did he get so tall? Handsome? And when did his voice begin to sound so darn sexy? When she had turned to see him standing by the door, it was like she was seeing him for the very first time. His dark blue eyes were penetrating hers. She could’ve caught on fire from the electricity she felt from their eye contact. Not even her ex-husband ever made her feel sparks like what she just felt from Pete.

  After her bitter divorce she swore off ever getting involved again. She didn’t want to get hurt in another relationship, and even though she had eventually accepted that God had other plans for her life than bearing children from her womb – she still felt that she came as an incomplete package to men. Debra had many opportunities to start a new relationship. Working as a cashier at the grocery store had afforded her numerous advances from men – but she politely declined them all. Her focus was on finishing her college degree and starting her life over – not dependent on a man. Her ex-husband proved how quickly a seemingly good marriage could quickly come to an end. Debra never wanted that to happen again. Her divorce took the life out of her. It took her a long time to get herself together, thanks to her parents and family who were there by her side helping her to recover. The hurt, the deceit – it almost killed her. She wouldn’t allow that to happen to her again.

  “Smells good.” Pete sat at the kitchen island and watched Debra.

  Still milling over her thoughts, Debra barely heard what he said. “Huh?” she turned to look at him – staring at her. Her heart caught in her throat. What is going on here? How could this man suddenly have this hold on me?

  “I said, the food smells good,” Pete smiled at her awestruck face. He admired her full lips as she smiled shyly.

  “Thank you! I hope you like it. I’m cooking enough for us to even have leftovers.” She quickly turned beet red at the release of her words. They sounded so much like they – her and Pete, were in a relationship. Or it suggested that they be. Debra didn’t like this sudden turn in their arrangement. She was only there assisting in the care of Carl – not to start a romantic relationship. Far from it.

  “I’m sure I will enjoy it.” Pete smiled at her before she quickly turned away to pull the chicken from the hot grease. He already knew that his dreams would be starring her tonight and he was quite looking forward to it.

  “Carl of course is sleeping. I don’t think he’ll be getting up for a bottle until nine.” Debra purposely changed subject in an effort to remind herself, more than anything, of her purpose of being in Pete’s house and subsequently in his kitchen cooking.

  “I can give him his bottle then if you want,” Pete suggested as he continued to study her from behind. Her curvy full-figured body was a masterpiece he couldn’t take his eyes off of – especially her full round butt. He groaned at the direction of his thoughts again. He was starting to feel like a horny teenager. He got up abruptly from the stool, where he was sitting at the kitchen island and started toward the family room.

  “No – that’s okay. That’s what I’m spending the night for – remember?”

  “Which I really appreciate. But I can still assist.” He continued to the family room off from the kitchen. He needed to distract his thoughts with something on TV. Or take Rachel up on her numerous invites to attend bible study at church.

  The TV would do the trick. Pete started to surf channels after Debra told him dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes. He hoped he wouldn’t be tempted to add her to his meal.

  Chapter 27

  Porsha Smith’s heart erupted with fear when she heard the judge set her bail at five hundred thousand dollars. That was the best her public defender could do – at least if she could get the down payment for the bail she wouldn’t have to spend time in jail awaiting the trial. The charge was ridiculous – involuntary manslaughter because her attack on Carlisha resulted in her death. She did go to Carlisha to confront her about sleeping with her husband. And, yes, she did smack the heck out of her – but killing her was not her intention. There was no way in hell she was going to jail for that. She tried to get her racing heart to calm down as she was being led out of the court room to be taken back to jail.

  Roger watched in shoc
k as his wife was carried away in handcuffs.

  Porsha was arrested when she had arrived home two nights ago after she’d left her job at the hair salon and went to her mother’s house to pick up the kids and have dinner. Two plain clothes detectives approached her as she was cussing at the kids to get out of the Dodge Charger. Her youngest had spilled grape soda all over the floor that had sent Porsha into a rage. She had just recently pressured – rather threatened, Roger to buy her the new car, which she had only had for three weeks. Porsha had already slipped off one of the red flats she was wearing preparing to whip her five-year-old daughter’s butt for being so careless with the soda. Porsha’s eyes widened with shock when she saw the two men striding purposely toward her. She automatically thought they were Child Protective Services – then she wondered how in the world someone could have reported her so quickly. She knew her noisy neighbor had threatened to call Child Protective Services before when the kids were playing outside in the street unsupervised. After Porsha had cussed the old lady out she was certain the old bat wouldn’t dare bother her and her children again. But when the men flashed their badges her fear of losing her rotten kids was replaced with possibly losing her deadbeat, sorry-excuse-for-a-man, husband. Then she realized it was worse – they had a warrant for her arrest. She couldn’t believe she was being arrested in the front of her children, in front of her home. Just another damn reason for her lousy neighbors to be talking trash about her behind her back. Roger flew outside the house when he heard the commotion. The kids where crying and Porsha had released her entire arsenal of ghetto verbiage as she told the detectives all about themselves for arresting her. She was kicking and screaming like some possessed demon – which Roger was convinced she was – and probably even the detectives after her act. Roger almost felt sorry for her. Almost. When he heard the reason for her arrest his expression was blank.

  Pete, Rachel, Debra and James along with some of the other co-workers Pete allowed to attend the hearing began to file out of the courtroom that late morning. Rachel’s parents, Leah and Noah, were at Pete’s house taking care of Carl.

  “Finally Carlisha is going to get justice for what was done to her,” James spoke breaking their silence as they all walked out of the main building of Prince George’s County Court House into the bright sunlight. He’d been beating himself up for not calling the police immediately after Carlisha was attacked by Porsha. He should have called, even though Carlisha told him not to. And he felt he should have insisted that she went to the doctor. Heck if he had known she was pregnant he would have carried her to the hospital in his arms if he had to. Since what happened to Carlisha he’d been even more protective of his wife, Kim, who was in the first trimester of pregnancy. But Carlisha was gone and James couldn’t help but feel he could’ve have done something to help her.

  “Yes!” Rachel agreed.

  “Do you guys think that the charges will stick? I mean Mrs. Smith’s lawyer did state that it would be difficult to prove that her attack on Carlisha was the main cause of her death,” Debra said soberly as they all gathered away from the front entrance of the court house.

  Pete had been silent during the entire hearing. When he told Rachel and James they could go and pursue their information on Carlisha being attacked, he meant it when he said he didn’t want to have anything to do with it. His life was complicated enough. He didn’t want to deal with any more stress and heartache. But if that woman he saw in the court this morning maliciously caused Carlisha’s death and left her son an orphan – he hoped that she would rot in jail.

  “We’ll just have to wait and see. But if she is the reason for Carlisha’s death, I hope she goes to jail for what she’d done,” Pete said softly.

  Everyone simultaneously nodded their heads in agreement, then they dispersed to their vehicles to leave.

  **KC**

  “You better find me a better damn lawyer,” Porsha hissed through gritted teeth.

  Roger looked at her angry face as he was given a brief moment to speak to her before she was carried back to her cell. They sat face to face in a small room separated by a mirror. For the life of him he couldn’t understand why the heck he was even there. Why didn’t he just take the opportunity to leave her sorry behind? But he knew why – and so did she, unfortunately.

  “I’m working on it, but it’s not that easy. Lawyers cost money and if you haven’t forgotten we don’t have any, especially after putting a down payment on your new car,” he hissed back, trying so hard to remain calm and not get tempted to break the multi-layered glass that separated them and strangle the life out of her. He didn’t know he could hate a person so much.

  “Well you better try a little harder or need I remind you as to why your best effort in my regard is of utmost importance to you?” Porsha slyly spoke with great sophistication. She knew how to be ghetto as all get out and how to put on the bougie charm if necessary. “And you need to pay the down payment to get me out of here. No way in hell am I going to spend another night in this hell hole!”

  Roger rubbed his hands down his dark trousers as his long legs stretched in front of him. He waited a moment to put a handle on his anger, before he too was arrested. Roger sat back further in the uncomfortable chair and said, “I’ll have to get rid of your car and that still won’t even come close –”

  “Like hell!” Porsha said sternly, trying her damndest not to be loud and have to end her meeting with Roger earlier than needed.

  As Roger looked at her, she looked so innocent with her natural, shoulder length hair parted down the middle with two plaits on either side of her head. But he knew differently. Innocent was never a word used to describe her. Not even as a child.

  “I have to find fifty freaking thousand dollars in order to make your bail – how the hell else do you propose I get it Porsha? Unfortunately, you’re locked up so you won’t be able to screw the money from one of your Johns.” Roger stared at her fiercely. He hated her, hated her with passion. A passion so fierce he wouldn’t freak if steam came piping through his ears at any minute. And if he had to pay for what he’d done – then so be it. He was tired of being her puppet.

  “I should have known I wouldn’t have been able to depend on your sorry behind!” Porsha shot a deadly look at the man she had been married to for six years. “But let’s be clear, I will be making bail and you best have my house and car ready for me when I return home – sweetheart.” Porsha stood up abruptly and walked over to the door to let the guard know she was ready to leave.

  Roger sat and watched as she left. He regretted the very day he ever laid eyes on her – May 6, 1998. The worst day of his life! Burning in hell couldn’t be any worse.

  Chapter 28

  Debra quietly tiptoed up the stairs and into the nursery carrying a plump, sleeping Carl. They just returned from Babies R Us where Debra went to stock up on diapers and wipes. She had coupons for a sale and went crazy buying sizes two and three diapers. She carefully placed Carl in his crib, flipped on the baby monitor then turned to walk quietly out of the room. Not before bending over and giving the one-month old joy of her life a kiss on his forehead.

  As she walked past Pete’s bedroom to head back downstairs, she heard a faint sound coming through the slightly open door. She stopped and knocked. “Pete, are you in there?” Silence. Then she heard the faint sound again. Curious, she pushed the door open wider and stepped in the bedroom. “Pete?” After she walked in further, she saw Pete sitting in a chair in the corner of the room holding something in his hands with his head bent over it.

  Pete lifted his head slowly when he sensed her presence in the room. His eyes were bloodshot with tears peddling down his face. He didn’t care what he must have looked like to Debra as she silently appraised him. He was in pain and turmoil and today of all days he just couldn’t fake that he had it all together.

  Debra was immediately struck with grief at the sight of him. She’d never seen him in such a state. She wondered what could’ve have possibly caused
him to be in such anguish.

  “Oh Pete,” she said walking toward him. As she grew closer, she noticed that he was holding an eight by ten picture of his wife.

  “Today is her birthday,” Pete looked back down at Moriah’s picture in his hand. “She would’ve turned forty-three today.”

  Stricken by the need she felt to comfort him, Debra knelt down in front of him and cautiously placed her hands on either side of his arms. “I’m so sorry for your loss. She was beautiful!”

  Pete smiled softly for the first time all day. He immediately realized how just the presence of Debra made him feel a little bit better. “Yes, she was a knock out. I never ceased to remind her of that every day.”

  “I bet she’s even more beautiful in heaven,” Debra said softly, looking at him after he drew his attention from Moriah’s photo to her sincere face.

  The photo softly slipped from Pete’s hand as he drew nearer to possessively cover his lips over Debra’s. He’d expected her to recoil and perhaps slap him across the face for his forwardness, but it seemed she eagerly awaited his kiss. The contact of their mouths was electrifying and startling to them both at the same time. Pete drew Debra nearer to him, feeling her full breasts pressed against his hard chest. Her orchard scent pleased his nostrils as he inhaled her while their tongues mated. When he drew his hand to slide down her back, Debra instantly pulled away like she was just struck by lightning.