She sensed the worst was over and stomped over to sit across from him. She was now simmering with righteous indignation at his mauling. With an upturned nose, she growled, “Don’t you ever put your hands on me again, or you’ll live to regret it. I promise you that.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have manhandled you,” Michael responded, contrite. His anger evaporated. He had a good idea why Lauren had resorted to pulling such a low stunt. “Lauren, I know you don’t think I should, but I’m still going through with my plans. Nothing that you say or do is going to change my mind. Not even your current wild, harebrained scheme, which is an ill attempt to get me to deviate from my decided course of action.”
Lauren blinked. It was obvious that she was at a loss for words, which was rare. She continued to eye him for several minutes before she declared, “I can’t imagine you’d believe I would lie to you about something like this, Michael, after all that we have been through. I put my career on the line for you.”
Michael should have listened to her tone, but he refused to listen. “Yes, but you reaped the benefits. There was something in it for you. So tell me. What’s in it for you this time? You think I would buy this stunt? What are you looking for? Another TV interview?”
“Michael, I know this thing between us is an arrangement for you, but my heart is involved,” Lauren admitted. Michael cringed at her confession. “Yes, Michael, I broke our unspoken arrangement. I fell in love. If you cannot accept that, and this gift, then you are not the man I thought still existed underneath all that bitterness.”
Lauren jumped to her feet and retreated to the doorway. She turned and said with disgust, “I’m going to give you one more chance to come to your senses and take what I’m offering you. I’ll give you a second chance, even after your awful behavior toward me.”
Michael’s heart hardened. He would not budge on this. With a determined gaze, he told her, “Lauren, it’s done. Gina and Keith already received the papers.” To further prove his point, Michael opened his drawer and retrieved his copy of the documents.
“Michael, I’m asking you, for my sake, let this go. No, I am begging you not to do this. Think about the children.”
“I am.”
“No, you are thinking of yourself.” Lauren’s voice broke. “This is a reality check. I can’t believe I fancied myself falling in love with such an uncaring, selfish man. I can’t believe you would disrupt the children’s lives again, after all you’ve put them through already. Children whom you say you love. It’s cruel and beneath you.”
“I do love them,” Michael stated. “That’s why I am doing this.”
“I see there is nothing I can do to change your mind.” Her shoulders sagged. In a defeated tone, she said, “It’s like you’re on this road to destruction and you don’t care who you hurt along the way.”
Michael basked in his own cleverness. “Admit that you lied earlier.”
Lauren opened her mouth and said, “I can’t utter the words. From today onward I’m done with you. If you think I’m lying, then I am.”
“Spoken like a true reporter,” Michael replied. His arrogance had surfaced. He was more than ready to call her bluff.
“I was never a reporter with you, Michael,” Lauren informed him. “I was always a woman. A woman whom you rejected, I might add. For your sake, I hope your revenge merits all that you’re losing.”
With that Lauren strode out of his life. Michael had already dismissed her and her drama, too caught up in his malicious scheme to give her a second thought.
Chapter Forty-one
Alone in the master bedroom she now shared with Keith, Gina was inconsolable. Keith had been able to rent the same house in Atlanta as before. She’d been tossing and turning the past two weeks, feeling the torture of Michael’s latest ploy. Keith was locked in his study with Nigel Lattimore, a top attorney at his old law firm, Bohlander & Associates.
When Keith had called him, Nigel had agreed to oversee the case himself, flying to Atlanta from New York. He was a slender man, a little taller than Keith, and looked like he should be on the basketball court instead of in the courtroom. He had boyish good looks and a charm that Gina would have found appealing had she not been so worried about losing her children.
Keith had crooked his arm about her shoulders when he made the introductions. He was possessive and was staking his claim. Gina resisted rolling her eyes. He needed not have worried. She had eyes only for him. It was because of her inability to stay away from him that they were now in the hot seat.
Since then, Keith had been working nonstop. It was now past midnight, and the two were still pouring over legal statutes and cases, preparing a defense for a case for which Gina would never, ever be prepared.
“Michael doesn’t really have rights, does he?” she asked Keith the other day. “I mean, he went on national television and acknowledged that Trey and Epiphany were yours.”
Keith touched her cheek. “The law doesn’t see it that way, Gina. His name is on their birth papers, so he’s their legal father, and he has rights.”
Gina had been too distraught for words. How did she prepare for the possibility of losing her own flesh and blood?
Her children were her life. They were her heartbeats. She couldn’t lose them.
“Gina, no judge in their right mind would take children from their mother. You’ve got to believe me. Michael is wasting everybody’s time with this nonsense. I don’t even know how he got a judge to entertain this case,” Keith had assured her.
Though she heard Keith’s words, Gina hadn’t been mollified.
Giving up on sleep and tossing the covers back, she tiptoed out of the room to stand outside Keith’s locked study door. Gina pressed her ear against the doorjamb, hoping to hear something that would ease her mind.
She’d been involved in the process, but her lack of sleep and nutrition had taken a toll after a week and a half of nonstop research. Seeing her lackluster, tired expression, Keith had banned her from his study and ordered her to bed.
Feeling useless, Gina moved her ear from the door. She heard nothing. It had been a pointless attempt, anyway, since the room was soundproof. Next, she went to look in on Trey and Epiphany, who were sound asleep.
Heading to the refrigerator, Gina snatched the pint of pistachio ice cream from the freezer compartment. She’d given up ice cream for the past three months, but now Gina refused to resist the temptation. She moseyed over to the large living room and plunked herself down on the soft red leather couch. It contorted to fit her curves. To kill time, she turned the television on and ate ice cream while she channel surfed.
Gina intended to waylay Keith and Nigel when they came out of the study. She wanted answers They were not getting rid of her so easily.
Keith found Gina asleep on the couch after Nigel had left for his hotel. Keith looked at the cable box and was surprised to see that it was almost one thirty in the morning. He even looked at his watch for confirmation.
Michael’s case was reminiscent of those days when he used to burn the midnight oil. He felt confident with what he and Nigel had prepared, but it was Gina, their star witness, who would take the most prepping. Gina had never been in court before, so of course, she would be nervous. Keith’s heart twisted, because he knew that Michael’s defense attorney was going to paint Gina in the worst possible light.
Putting one hand on his head, Keith took the remote control, which Gina still clutched in her hand, and turned the television off. He picked up his wife, who did not stir. That spoke volumes about how tired she was. He carried her into their bedroom.
As he positioned her on their king-size bed, Keith laughed to himself. He had not yet made love to her since she officially became his wife. He undressed and settled in to cuddle with Gina spoon-style.
Looking up at the ceiling, Keith closed his eyes and whispered a quick prayer to God. Closing his eyes, Keith pictured Gina as she had looked on their wedding day, until Michael had ruined it with his speci
al “surprise.”
Gina had been radiant and glowing, as any bride in love should be. When Keith saw her coming down the aisle, he had done all he could to keep from running and grabbing hold of her. She was absolutely breathtaking. Keith remembered how he grabbed her hand as soon as she was close enough. He had wanted—no, had needed—to touch her. Terence had held his arm, or he would have planted a solid kiss on those lips before the right time for that.
The rest of the ceremony had flown by, and Terence had to tap him to end the searing kiss. Keith had almost lost his composure then. He groaned with horror, as he had seen that kiss repeated on screen so many times that he had count. Their lip locking had made the devastating news even more sensational.
Keith and Gina had decided to have the reception at the same venue, because they intended to make a speedy retreat afterward to start their honeymoon. But in the middle of the celebration, a flashily dressed messenger arrived. He was a young man in his early twenties. His getup and mannerisms screamed that theatrics were afoot. The young man got everyone’s attention and told them to gather round. Then he presented Keith and Gina with an embroidered envelope. Of course, caught up in the festivities, the crowd and the camera crew had eaten it all up.
Enthralled, everyone watched as Gina opened the envelope to read the contents of the enclosed letter. In a matter of seconds her face had frozen with shock. This must have been his cue, because the young man then executed a theatrical bow and proclaimed at the top of his lungs, “Congratulations, Keith and Gina! You’ve been served! Michael is suing you for full custody of his children!”
The loud gasp from the crowd was quiet in comparison to Gina’s reaction. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and pounced on the messenger, who had been making his way down the driveway toward a waiting car with rapid speed. Keith let the young man go, because he knew that the messenger was just another pawn in Michael’s plot for revenge.
To their chagrin, Keith and Gina’s humiliation was now a YouTube sensation. Even Keith’s broadcast station had replayed the day’s events with alarming speed over and over again. Once again his life had become more outrageous than a soap opera.
From that moment onward, Keith had been hitting the law books. Nigel was the crème de la crème at the law firm, and Keith trusted his judgment. Terence and Colleen had also come to his support. They had been praying and fasting with him in earnest two days a week. In fact, he needed to turn his brain off, because they would be at his door at 8:00 a.m. The only one missing from the group was Gina. Keith excused her, however, knowing how distraught she was.
But another part of him felt a small niggling doubt. Keith pondered Gina’s spiritual beliefs. He knew it was a little too late to wonder now, but Keith had never questioned Gina’s convictions before. He had been too in love to let her go. However, he acknowledged that he wanted and needed a firm woman of faith.
Keith knew Gina was not an atheist. She believed in God. She accepted God. But he realized that Gina had not yet discovered her own personal relationship with God. She did not know how much she needed Him.
Caught up in his thoughts, Keith played with Gina’s hair. She looked so tiny in her sleep, but that was deceiving. Gina was a powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with, and he would not have her any other way.
Lord, thank you for giving me the woman of my heart. I will wait for you to complete the work.
Chapter Forty-two
“Why is this day so warm and sunny when I’m in turmoil?” Gina said as she sulked, sinking deeper in the seat. She crossed her arms and covered her eyes to keep the sun from hitting them.
Keith, however, was uplifted. He took the unseasonably warm weather in December as a sign that God was still in control and that there were brighter days ahead.
They had dropped Trey and Epiphany off at his mother’s house. They would stay with her for the day. In lieu of driving, Keith arranged for a car service to transport Gina, Nigel, and himself to the courthouse.
After hugs, kisses, and tears at Gerry’s house, Keith and Gina were on their way to meet with a mediator to resolve the issue. If the mediation proceedings were unsuccessful, they would be facing a lengthy trial. Keith hoped and prayed that it would not go that far. He hoped that Michael’s foolish lawsuit was dropped and that his name replaced his brother’s on the children’s official birth papers since he was their biological father.
Against his wishes, Gina wanted to speak during the mediation proceedings. She felt that as their mother, she needed to at least defend herself and her children. Keith tried to talk her out of it, but Gina would not budge. She was going to plead with the judge on her children’s behalf. The only saving grace was that the mediation proceedings were closed, so the media fanfare would be absent, at least inside the courtroom. Naturally, a huge number of news stations and reporters were hanging around outside the courtroom.
When Gina, Keith, and Nigel stepped out of the car at the courthouse, Gina slouched farther into her oversize cashmere coat, and Keith gave her a thumbs-up for encouragement. Nigel, Keith, and Gina had to tackle their way through the reporters to get inside the courthouse. Keith shielded her against his large frame. Her petite body was undetectable, as both Keith and Nigel hid her from the onslaught of curious onlookers and the media frenzy.
Michael was already seated in the courtroom with his attorney when they arrived. Seeing the woman with him gave Keith momentary pause. Verona “Tiger” Stachs was, to put it mildly, a piranha. She too had come to Atlanta from a competitive law firm in New York. Verona was tall, willowy, and was dressed in a no-nonsense black suit and a sensible white shirt. Her hair was dyed cinnamon brown, which accentuated her honey-colored eyes. Those eyes had earned her the moniker “Tiger.”
As far as attorneys went, Michael had chosen well. Verona was all about winning, and she didn’t care who she devoured or hurt in the process. She had graduated at the top of her class from Stanford. When he was still at Bohlander & Associates, Keith had even deliberated inviting her to join the practice, but at the last moment, he had a change of heart. Instead, he pursued Nigel, who was second in the same class at Stanford.
Keith whispered a silent prayer for strength.
Nigel grunted at Verona. It was common knowledge that there was a long-standing rivalry between the two. Rumor had it that they had once been in love. But something had happened, which neither of them would divulge, and the two were now mortal enemies.
The temperature in the room fell several degrees. This wasn’t going to be a pleasant encounter.
Keith saw Michael’s calculated smirk and resisted the urge to confront him. He knew then that Michael had selected Verona by design. His brother somehow had known about the lawyers’ rivalry and was counting on that to propel Verona into getting him custody of his children.
Gina tapped him on the shoulder. “I’ve got to run to the restroom.”
He nodded. Her trip to the bathroom was a true indicator of her nervousness. She looked so adorable in her blue striped suit. She was wearing a baby blue shirt and a multicolored scarf that was both professional and sexy. He eyed her black shoes, which added about three inches to her stature. Keith thought of another pair of shoes. The glass shoes Gina had donned for the wedding. The ones that he didn’t get a chance to appreciate, because of Michael’s evil doings. That was definitely on his to-do list.
Judge Marisa Wattinger entered the room about a minute after Gina returned. Gina had hopes that a female judge would work in her favor. Keith knew better. He grimaced and could not resist looking over at his brother. Michael looked like the cat that had spotted a delicious bowl of milk.
Marisa Wattinger had never had children of her own. This Keith knew because Nigel had filled him in on the common courtroom gossip. She had had about four miscarriages and yearned for children. Instead of making her sympathetic toward mothers, her experience had served to make her react harshly when she perceived any sign of unfit motherhood. But Keith was counting on a higher power to cha
nge the outcome. Michael didn’t know who he knew.
Keith concluded that Gina was going to have to speak whether he wanted her to or not. Judge Wattinger would want to hear from her. She had been known to pose questions herself as well. Keith reached over and squeezed Gina’s hands to provide reassurance. Our God shall fight for us. He silently recited the verse from Nehemiah to remind himself that God was in control.
When Keith and Gina left the courthouse that day for lunch, they felt as if they had been run over by a freight train. Gina ran into the waiting car in tears. Keith could not comfort her.
Judge Wattinger had put her through the wringer. Verona had painted her in a vicious light with her pointed questions. Gina felt frayed, believing that both women had it in for her. The worst part was that Michael had witnessed her demise. He had seen her reach the breaking point, and he had sat there, wearing a smug look of satisfaction. Nigel had tried to speak up on several occasions, but the judge silenced him. This left Gina swimming on her own in deep, shark-infested waters.
“I’m going to lose my children. The judge hates me,” she cried.
Keith gripped her shoulders and pulled her close. “Gina, listen to me. It’s almost impossible to prove a mother unfit. You’re not a drug addict, and you’re not abusing your children. You would have to have an extensive record of serious abuse or neglect for them to take our children.”
“I’m going to lose my children,” she repeated with a wail. “You saw how she treated me.”
She was inconsolable and could not hear him, so Keith tried to calm her. “Don’t let this process get to you. Try not to take it personally.”
Gina shoved out of his arms. “How can I not take it personal, Keith? Those women are maligning my character. Judge Wattinger is anything but impartial. It is evident that she is not remaining neutral.”
Keith knew that she spoke the truth. “I know it seems as if we are in a losing battle, but the battle is the Lord’s. He will fight for us.”
My Steps Are Ordered Page 23