Mama Dearest

by E. Lynn Harris

  “Or maybe how much alike you two are. How you look alike.”

  “We don’t look anything alike,” Madison protested.

  “Whatever, Madison. Whatever,” Derrick said as he started toward the door. “I just want to make sure you do what’s right for your mother.”

  CHAPTER

  16

  Raymond walked into the conference room with a long, green folder in his hand. He took the chair in front of me and said, “This doesn’t look good. It’s going to be hard to prove your friend Mr. Pinkston set you up, Yancey.”

  “Why?”

  “He has quite the impressive background. You never heard of the Pinkston family from Florida?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, Raymond, why do you ask?”

  “They are a powerful family from right outside Orlando, Florida. They are in the insurance and banking business. It seems his great-grandfather started the first black bank in Florida and then sold insurance door to door to black clients in the forties and fifties. They are a very wealthy and powerful family. They even have buildings named for them at FAMU and Bethune Cookman College. They have given a lot of money to the black community and several politicians,” Raymond said.

  “Well, I knew Seneca was wealthy, but he never told me that.”

  “It seems his name is not Seneca but Steven. Why do you think he lied about that?”

  “I have no clue,” I said, frustrated.

  Raymond gave it to me straight. “Nobody is going to believe this model citizen tried to set you up, Yancey. And if so, why?”

  “I don’t know, Raymond. But I’m telling you the truth when I said that Seneca, or whatever his name is, gave me those drugs.”

  “And then we have the problem of the large sums of money that suddenly start showing up in your bank accounts when you’d gone years with almost no balance. That’s why the DA is talking about adding money-laundering charges as well.”

  That’s why the bastard gave me the money. “He told me he wanted me to keep the money to buy clothes for the show and keep it away from some young lady who had a paternity suit against him.”

  “And you just believed him? You didn’t ask any questions?”

  I tried to make him understand. “Raymond, I was broke and here was a man who I thought cared for me, offering me the chance of a lifetime. Why would I question him? Men for the most part have always treated me that way.”

  “I’m going to try and get in contact with his attorney and see if we can’t set up a meeting with him. Maybe if you make a plea for him to tell the truth, he might explain to us what’s going on. Are you willing to do that?”

  “To get the charges dropped, I will do whatever you tell me to do, Raymond.”

  “Okay. Let me get back with you later on today.”

  “Thanks, Raymond. I really appreciate all that you’re doing for me.”

  “I haven’t done anything if I can’t get the charges dropped and your name cleared. And I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t believe you were being judged wrong.”

  “Can I ask you something, Raymond?”

  “Sure.”

  “Why do you believe in me?”

  Raymond looked at me for a moment and said, “That’s simple. Basil believes in you and I know how hard a task that is. That’s all I need to know, Yancey.”

  I WAS LOOKING OVER my script for the next episode when I heard a knock on my dressing room door. I got up from the chair and went to open it. Dennis Wilson, the show runner, was standing there.

  “Dennis, what can I do for you?”

  “Can I come in? There are a few things I need to go over with you.”

  “Sure.”

  Dennis walked into the dressing room with a couple of scripts in his hands. He leaned on the dressing table and said, “Yancey, we are thinking about going on location in South Beach next week, and the writers want to make sure you can go before they finish writing. We had to make them aware of your legal troubles and how you might not be able to leave the state.”

  “I know. That might be a problem but let me check with my attorney. I do have bail, but I know I have to get permission to leave the state. How long are we talking about?”

  “It will be for at least three days. We need to get some actual beach scenes, and that is not going to happen in New York in December.”

  “I completely understand. I will be meeting my lawyer tomorrow and I will get you an answer then.”

  “Great, because I’d really hate to go down there without you. We wanted to do some scenes with you and Madison walking along the beach.”

  “Sound good. I hope that I can go as well.”

  Just as Dennis was leaving my dressing room, he stopped at the door and looked at me and said, “You know, this is really working out well. You’re a good actress, Yancey. I must admit, I was one of the ones not so high on the idea when Madison approached us about hiring you, but I think it’s turning out well for everyone concerned,” Dennis said.

  I was surprised, and I gave Dennis a puzzled look, making sure I’d heard him correctly. “Madison came to you guys and asked you to hire me?”

  It was his turn to be surprised. “Yeah, I thought you knew. She said you’d run into some hard times and that she and Derrick wanted to help you. She even offered to forfeit some of her salary if money became an issue.”

  I’d never heard such welcome news. “Are you sure about this?”

  “I’m sure. I was in the meeting. Like I said, I’m glad it worked out.”

  “Yeah, me too,” I said.

  When Dennis left the room, I tried to get back to memorizing my script, but I couldn’t get what he had said out of my mind. Why had Madison gone to bat for me to get this job? Here I was thinking I got it on giving a great audition when now I was finding out that I could have come in looking and sounding like a soap opera actress and still would have gotten the job. Maybe Derrick was the real reason I got the job and not Madison, as Dennis said.

  I had opened the script to the first page that had my character’s name when there was another knock at my door. I figured it was Dennis most likely recanting or telling me not to say anything about what he’d just told me.

  “Come in,” I said. A few moments later in walked Madison and Derrick.

  “You got a minute, Yancey? I think Madison has something she wants to tell you.”

  “Sure,” I said, so happy to see her now that I knew the truth.

  “Okay, Madison, tell Yancey what happened.”

  Madison took a deep breath and rolled her eyes at Derrick and then at me.

  “This girl came to see me at the studio yesterday. I don’t know why me and if she’s telling me the truth or not, but Daddy thinks you should know.”

  “Know what, Madison?”

  “She said she had proof that you didn’t know anything about the drugs that were in the bag. She said your mother was the one who set you up.”

  All the happiness I’d felt a few moments before drained away. “Ava? Are you sure? Who was this girl?”

  “She said her name was Lyrical or something like that.”

  “Lyrical? I know her. I wonder why she didn’t just come to me.”

  “How do you know her?” Derrick asked.

  “Ava introduced us. They met in prison. We didn’t exactly get along, but she was going to be a part of my reality show as my assistant.” When I thought about it, Lyrical had always been a straight shooter with me. She was just that kind of person, whether it made me mad or not. “Do you think she was telling the truth, or was she out for something?”

  “Something like what?” Madison asked.

  “She is under delusions that she might be a big recording star. Did she ask you to help her?”

  Madison’s young face became troubled. “Lyrical did mention to Thurston something about leaving a CD. Do you think she’s making this up?”

  “I don’t know, but nothing about Ava would surp
rise me. I asked her if she knew the guy who I was taking the bag to, but she ignored the question.” That made me think she didn’t know him. But what connection did he have with my mother? “I never really thought about Ava and Marcus knowing each other,” I said.

  “Lyrical did mention some guy you were sleeping with who was involved in it with your mother,” Madison said.

  “Did she say it was Marcus?”

  “I don’t remember a name.”

  “Do you think maybe your lawyer can check it out?” Derrick asked.

  “Yeah, you’re right. I should tell Raymond. We’ve been concentrating on how to find Marcus and get him to admit to this.” I shook my head, considering this latest betrayal. “Damn, Ava. Do you hate me this much?” I mumbled.

  IF I WAS GOING to get Ava to admit that she was in cahoots with Marcus against me, I had to beat her at own game. I couldn’t let on that I knew that she was involved. But how was I going to get her in the same room with me and Jeff so he could tell me if she was the one who had an affair with Marcus’s father?

  I thought back on the afternoon at the studio with Madison, and a plan sprang to mind. I picked up my cell phone and dialed Ava’s number. I blocked my phone number because I knew she might not answer if she knew it was me.

  “Hello.”

  “Hello, Mother,” I said in the fakest cheery voice I could muster.

  If she was surprised, she sure put up a good front. “What do you want? Why is your number coming up private?”

  “Oh, Mother, I have the most wonderful news.”

  “What, they’ve promised you a private cell when you go up to the joint?” she said snidely. “I guess they would want to keep a celebrity like you from the general population.”

  “I might not be going to jail, but that’s not my great news.”

  “Oh, I think you’re going to jail, Yancey. If I were you, I’d prepare for that.”

  I didn’t let her get to me. “I’ve reconciled with Madison and I’m so happy. You know, that’s how I got out of jail. She is more loaded than we ever expected.”

  Her tone changed from offensive to suspicious. “How did you manage that?”

  “I’m doing her television show, playing her mother, no less, and we’ve just grown closer. And guess what? I told her about you and she wants to meet you. And, Ava, I think she wants to be in your life as well.”

  “You’re kidding, right? Does she think I’m going to let her call me grandma? I don’t think so.” Yet she was confused, I could tell. She was taking the bait. “How much you think she’s worth?”

  “At least fifty million,” I said.

  “That little bitch worth that much? You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, I’m not. And I think once she meets you, she might be willing to write us both a check. Madison has told me how all her life she’s longed to know her mother and grandmother. She’s even buying me an apartment in the Four Seasons, where she and Derrick live. I bet she’ll want to buy you one as well.”

  Typical of my mother, she found an objection even to an offered gift. “Well, if she’s in a buying mood, then she needs to be looking in California because that’s where Ava is heading.”

  “I’m sure that can be arranged, Ava.”

  She didn’t reply right away. She was probably adding up all the demands she would make. “So when can I meet this spoiled brat? She doesn’t act like a big star, does she, because I’m not putting up with that.”

  “The sweetest girl you’ll ever meet, Ava, and she belongs to us.”

  I must have been laying it on too thick, because she became leery again. “Why you being so nice to me, Yancey? Something ain’t right about this. You were pretty upset when I took over your little house.”

  “I’m over that,” I announced, peaceful as Buddha. “Becoming close to Madison has solved all my problems. All she wants is a family and that’s all I want. Come on, Ava. Please, just meet her. If you don’t like her, you can leave.”

  “Why can’t she come to me?”

  The woman really had a lot of gall. “We can do that, but I have to bring her bodyguard with her.”

  “Bodyguard?”

  “Yes, her bodyguard. Madison is quite popular. She can’t go any where without her fans rushing her.”

  “So what if I come to her?”

  “Then I will have Derrick arrange a private suite at the Four Seasons where you can meet with her.”

  She was sorely tempted. Fifty million was dangling like a bunch of grapes. “I have to think about this. I’m doing okay, but I guess you can’t ever get too comfortable. A little more money in my checking account might not be a bad thing.”

  “So you’ll do it?”

  Ava didn’t say anything for a few moments, and just as I was going to call her name to make sure she was still there, Ava said, “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll meet Miss Thing.”

  “Thanks, Ava. You won’t regret this.”

  Ava didn’t respond and simply clicked off the line.

  I WAS STRUCK BY the strangeness of the moment as I stood at the door of my town house. I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. A few moments later, nothing had happened and so I rang it again.

  The door suddenly swung open and there was Ava, in one of my robes. Ava’s eyes were groggy and confused as she rubbed them. When they appeared to be wide open, Ava looked behind me and asked, “Where is she?”

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

  “Not until you tell me where the little money maker is.”

  “She’s not coming here, Ava. Remember, you are coming to us.”

  “Then what are you doing here?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  I could only put up with so much. “Let me in,” I said as I pushed my way into the house. I was surprised that Ava didn’t offer much resistance, but as I headed toward the sofa Ava called out, “What do you want?”

  I turned around and started to take off my coat. “I told you, we need to talk.”

  “You and I don’t have anything to talk about until I meet Madison and see how much money she’s going to give me.”

  “You’re not getting a dime of Madison’s money,” I said.

  She could tell I was dead serious. “You’re crazy. Then why did you call me and tell me that? What kind of crazy mind games are you playing, Yancey?”

  I snapped a finger toward her. “I should be asking you the same thing.”

  “What in the hell are you talking about? Have you been taking those drugs you were selling?”

  “You know damn well I wasn’t selling any drugs. Now tell me what’s really going on.”

  The first crack in her veneer peeked open. “How would I know?”

  “That’s not what Lyrical said.”

  The crack suddenly got a lot bigger. “What does that lying bitch know? You know she’s an ex-con and once a con always a con, Yancey. Don’t be so stupid, girl.”

  “Obviously Lyrical knows quite a bit. And if you don’t go to the police to tell the truth, then Lyrical and I will.”

  “Get your crazy ass out of my house,” Ava said weakly as she headed toward the door. I followed her and pulled her left arm. She looked startled by my aggressiveness.

  “Bitch, let me go,” she screamed.

  “It was you, wasn’t it?” I hissed, right in her face.

  “What was me?”

  “It was you who set me up. Does Marcus know you were the one who was really having an affair with his father? That you were the reason his daddy’s marriage broke up and his mother killed herself?”

  Her eyes danced around like a trapped animal’s. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

  “How did you do it, Ava? How did you convince Marcus that it was me who had the affair?”

  She regained some of her bile. “That wasn’t hard,” she sniffed. “Your reputation has preceded you in certain circles, darling.”

  “What are you talking ab
out? You’re going back to jail.”

  Now she looked frightened. “You don’t go to jail for a few fibs. It’s no law against lying about love and a few pounds, the last time I checked.”

  I pushed her away, disgusted. “So Lyrical was telling the truth. You used my name, didn’t you? This is how it all came about. You’ve done it before, so I shouldn’t be surprised.” Still, I was hurt. She’d been totally callous toward her own daughter. “Why can’t you leave me alone? Use your own name with your little games.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do, bitch.”

  That was the last time she was going to call me that. I grabbed her arm so hard, she winced. “You’re going to tell the authorities the truth.”

  “You’re going to jail, bitch, for a long time. Now you will realize how I felt stuck in that hellhole that you sent me to.”

  I couldn’t believe it. “Is that what this is all about, Ava? Because I told the truth about the shooting you want to get me back. How childish.”

  “Don’t you call me childish.”

  “Do you hate me that much?”

  She roughly pulled her arm free. “I don’t even think about you, Yancey. Don’t flatter yourself.”

  “Where is Marcus?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I caught a glimpse of the hate in her eyes when she looked at me. I don’t know why, because I consider myself a tough cookie, but I suddenly felt a tremendous sadness that the woman who brought me in the world held me in such disdain. If she hated me that much, why hadn’t she given me up? Or was giving up a child an act of love?

  “Ava, you’re my mother. You’re supposed to love me,” I said, almost pleading. I was trying to stop the flood of tears I felt coming.

  “Who in the hell do you think I am? Jesus. I don’t have to love you, bitch!”

  AFTER MY BIG FIGHT with Ava I retreated to the studio and my dressing room. I’d asked the director if I could run lines with Madison’s stand-in and he’d agreed. Just as I put the finishing touches on my makeup I heard a familiar voice.

  “Knock, knock. Can I come in?”

  “Is that who I think it is?” I asked as I closed up my robe.