“Hunter, how about you take care of your home and stay out of mine! I neither asked for nor need your self-righteous input.”
“No, Perri, you didn’t ask because you’re too stubborn. But little sister, you definitely need it. And that’s real!”
“Whatever, Hunter,” Perri shouted and mentally kicked herself for telling her sister her business.
“Okay, okay, you two,” Tyler Milan ordered after she let herself in unnoticed. “Both of you calm down and get back to your respective corners.” She frowned looking from one sister to the other and demanded, “What is going on up in here? I can hear you two all the way at the end of the driveway,” she said disappointed in her two favorite sisters for fighting with each other. They rarely did that unless something seriously on a major tip was going on.
“Ask your bullheaded sister,” Hunter said on her way to the kitchen.
Tyler turned her attention to Perri. “Well?”
“Well what?” Perri snapped, rolling her eyes. “Hunter’s just interfering in my life as usual.”
“About?” Tyler refused to let it go. “Because judging from the shouting match you two were having up in here it’s not just some little insignificant quarrel between siblings,” she surmised.
“Just forget it, Tyler. I don’t feel like rehashing this again,” Perri dismissed her.
“Because she’s too stubborn,” Hunter called from the kitchen.
“And you’re just too nosey for your own good,” Perri retorted.
“Um, because I can see you’re really upset and trying your best not to cry, Perri, I’ll let it go for now,” Tyler conceded. “But I do intend to get to the bottom of this before any of us leaves this house,” she said loud enough for Hunter to hear.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Hunter said. “I’m with you on this, Tyler. Finally, there is someone else in here with a little common sense.”
Perri glared toward the kitchen. “Are you calling me stupid, Hunter?”
“Perri—”
“Where is my niece?” Tyler cut in as she rubbed her hands together and smiled ready to play.
“She should be with her father right about now,” Hunter informed Tyler, “but Miss stubborn pants over yonder refuses to let him see her.”
Perri snorted. “Hunter, now you just flat out lying; nobody refused to let anybody see anybody.” Looking at their little sister, she complained, “Do you see what I mean? She just doesn’t know when to quit.”
Instead of taking sides Tyler asked, “What does she mean?”
Smacking her lips, Perri said, “I guess you going to find out soon enough, so you might as well get the real story,” she said loud enough for Hunter to hear.
“Ha, ha, ha,” Hunter scoffed. “Depends on whose eyes you’re looking through,” she remarked to no one in particular.
Ignoring her, Perri turned her attention to Tyler. “I ran into Barrington.”
Tyler’s light gray eyes got big as two quarters. “Ooh.” She covered her mouth, falling into the chair behind her the way she did when a dirty secret was being revealed on As The World Turns. “No you didn’t.”
Amused and amazed at her sister’s animated dramatics Perri laughed and nodded. “It’s true, little sister. Barrington knows about Imani.”
“Wow,” Tyler said to no one in particular.
“You can say that again.”
Dazed, Tyler remarked, “Now I know what all the fuss was about.” She locked eyes with her sister and asked, “How did he react?”
“Humph,” Perri scoffed. “He was hurt. Wanted to know why I kept him in the dark.”
“And you said?”
“What could I say? Other than I didn’t want to mess up his career.”
Hunter came back into the living room holding a glass of iced tea. “Which was a bold-face lie,” she announced, plopping down on the sofa, tucking her legs under her. “This was about your selfishness and need to control every situation in which there is a potential for you to get hurt,” she accused.
“Hunter, I’m talking to Tyler now.” Perri glared at her. “And you are working my last nerve with severity, girl.”
“Good! Maybe now you won’t have the nerve to continue trying to keep that man from seeing his own child,” Hunter retorted.
“So um,” Tyler intervened, “what are you going to do, Perri?”
Wordlessly Perri shrugged.
“You know what she needs to do, right?”
“Hunter, please, okay,” Tyler shot her older sister a warning look.
“What, Tyler? The man has s right to see his child,” Hunter insisted.
“No one’s arguing that point. All I’m saying is Perri has a right to decide when and where that happens, considering she’s the only parent Imani knows.” Tyler shook her head. “It’s going to take time for all of them to adjust. You can’t just expect Perri to send her daughter off—”
“She’s his daughter, too,” Hunter was quick to remind her.
“Yes she is, Hunter. That’s not going to change just because Barrington has to wait a little while longer.” Tyler shrugged unsure herself. “Give the situation time for everyone to adjust to it. For myself, I know I’d worry about Imani, not knowing his people and how they are, so I can only imagine how Perri must be feeling. She is her mother and the one who has been with Imani the longest.”
“That’s not Barrington’s fault,” Hunter said in his defense. “Perri created this situation with her outright dishonesty.”
“And you feel the need to throw this in her face because what?” Tyler wanted to know. “Should she be condemned the rest of her life because she made a onetime past mistake? If anybody else treated her like you’re doing and said the things you’re saying to her you’d be all up in their face ready to take them out.”
“I’m not anybody else, Tyler. Hunter shook her head strongly disagreeing. “As Perri’s sister I’m not afraid to tell her the truth.”
Tyler sighed long and hard. “She made a mistake, Hunter. Cut her some slack.”
“A mistake is accidently picking up the wrong cat food, Tyler. Per her usual, Perri made a judgmental call without giving thought to anyone else’s feelings.”
“Hunter, that’s not fair. You know Perri has one of the kindest hearts you’re ever going to meet,” Tyler said defensively.
“Yes, Tyler,” Hunter agreed. “When she’s not being self-righteous Perris does have a heart of gold. Still the fact is she should have told Barrington she pregnant and then, on his own accord, allowed him to choose what side he was going to come down on.” Seeing the hurt and tears in both her sister’s eyes, she softened her tone. “Look, Perri, you know I love you and I will always be down for you. But right is right and wrong is wrong. And you were dead wrong not to tell Barrington about Imani.”
“Hunter, please,” Tyler said exasperated.
Perri shook her head. “No, Tyler, it’s okay. Hunter is right. I should have told Barrington. I know I was wrong not to.” Hunter reached for her hand giving it a light squeeze. Perri smiled weakly. “But . . . .” she started then stopped.
Taking her other hand, Tyler inquired softly, “But what, baby?”
“I’m scared,” Perri confessed as tears rolled down her face.
“Scared of what, honey?” Hunter wanted to know.
“Losing my daughter to the father she never knew.” She sniffed. “Because of me I could lose the leading role in my child’s life,” Perri said around a sob.
Both Hunter and Tyler had tears in their eyes.
“You’re not going to lose Imani’s love,” Tyler assured her.
“Yeah, like we’d ever let that happen. You know the Milan sisters are a force to reckon with,” Hunter added.
In spite of her gloom mood, Perri laughed. “Thanks for being here for me, you guys.”
“Where else would we be?” Hunter asked.
“Yeah,” Tyler said, “what are best sisters for?”
They all shared a laugh
engaging in a group hug.
“I guess I better get going.”
“No,” Tyler protested. “It’s too soon. I just got here.”
“I know, sweetie; but I left Imani with Madear, so I really need to get over there and pick her up. Speaking of which, can you guys please do me a favor?”
“Anything,” Tyler said, “you know that.”
“Within reason,” Hunter interjected.
Not trying to go there with Hunter again, Perri simple said, “Can you please let me tell Madear about this in my own time? No sense in getting her all stirred up about this until I have concrete answers to give her.”
“I agree. My lips are sealed,” Tyler promised.
They looked at Hunter knowing she would not go along so easily. She believed in getting everything out in the open.
“Personally, I don’t agree. However, I will respect your decision, Perri. Just don’t wait too long to bring Madear up to date on the situation. As much as she likes to visit with Imani, there is bound to be a conflict when Barrington may request to see her, too.”
“I won’t. Thank you both.” Perri stood and glanced at her watch. “Besides, Barrington is supposed to call to set up a time to visit with Imani this afternoon.”
“Oh,” Tyler said, biting her lower lip. “Is that good or bad?” she wondered.
Hunter spoke up. “It’s a good thing. Right, Perri?”
Perri laughed. “You just don’t give up, girl.”
“And you know this.” Hunter and Tyler laughed.
Perris shook her head at her beautiful sisters. “You are not well, Hunter. To answer your question, Tyler, yeah, it is a good thing.” She paused thoughtfully. “I won’t keep Barrington from seeing Imani.” She grinned. “Does that please you, big sis?”
“More than you know, Perri. It’s for the best. You’ll see,” Hunter promised.
“And you, Perri?” Tyler wanted to know. “How do you fit into the equation?”
“In the past,” she told them. “I’m not going back there with Barrington again. I cannot handle that kind of pain and heartbreak a second time.”
“I feel you,” Tyler said.
Taking a deep cleansing breath, Perri hugged and kissed her sisters. “I love you guys. Talk to y’all later.”
“Count on it. And I love you, too,” Hunter said returning her hug and kiss.
“I love you, Perri, and I’m always on your side. Remember that. I’ll call you later,” Tyler said and walked her to the door.
“Talk to you then, sweetie.” Perri disappeared out the door.
Chapter Eight
Barrington flipped through the photo album looking at pictures of him and Perri at a time in their lives when both were happy just to be in the presence of the other.
What the hell happened?
The moment he watched Perri wheel Imani away at the mall, he’d replayed their history together, trying to make sense of the times they once shared. No matter how his mind spent the situation it only led to confusion when he recalled their last night together, when apparently, their daughter had been conceived. He had noticed that she kept insinuating that he’d just up and left her, making it sound like all he did was use her body for his own personal pleasure. That was so far from the truth he couldn’t even begin to wrap his mind around how she could have believed it in the first place. The first time he met Perri he had known she was different from other females even before he ever talked to her. She was innocent and sexy all rolled up into one.
The woman made him feel things he’d never before felt and that had him wanting to honestly get to know her, all about her likes, dislikes; what made her mad, what made her smile. He remembered wanting to know it all and at the time he hadn’t even kissed her yet. His daddy had always told him and his brother one day a woman would come along and they would want to court her the old fashioned way. Of course neither he nor Crush had been trying to hear that nonsense back then. Barrington had never courted any woman in his life, didn’t want to. Until he met Perri and from the first look at her, before he was ready to admit it, he knew he was going to court her the old fashioned way, just like his daddy had predicted he would someday.
They became fast friends, and over the course of the first year, they became strictly best friends. Confiding in one another came natural and they knew things about each other they would take to the grave. They got on each other’s nerves at times and sometimes he wanted to choke the daylights out of her because she had such a smart mouth. But they got each other and they always had each other’s back. He knew with her he could always be himself. Then one day, together, they made a mutual decision that they needed more from each other. While that should have probably scared him, he embraced the idea with open arms, heart, and mind.
For the next year and a half, Barrington did just that and he began to court Perri. Not one time did he pressure her for more and though he was highly sexually attracted to her, he refused to press her for more than the heavy petting they did. He was sure Perri thought that he was sleeping around while on the road, but it wasn’t true. Sure, he went out with a few women here and there, but he did not sleep with them, not that he hadn’t been tempted to cave in to his carnal urges. That’s when he would force his mind to think about Perri and what she meant to him and if he really thought losing her was worth free tail from just about any female he continued to meet and greet. It wasn’t worth it to him to risk losing his sweet Perri over. Perri was the real deal and Barrington’s fate had been sealed the moment he met her. After that he stopped going out with other women, period and became married to his job instead. He and Perri had been dating exclusively ever since then. It wasn’t easy maintaining a long distance relationship, but he was determined to do it, flying Perri out to some of their concerts and spending all his time with her when he was back home, sometimes with her staying overnight in his guest bedroom or him staying overnight in her guest bedroom. But for some reason Barrington never could understand, Perri had never cared too much for his housekeeper and not wanting to fight about it, he mostly stayed over at her place when he wasn’t on the road. They both put forth the extra effort to make it work. Everything was golden between them up until that first and last night they spent together when he had to leave town on the spur of the moment. That was the day Perri gave him her virginity. It was also the last time he saw her before today at the mall.
Why the hell didn’t he just wake Perri up before he left town that night?
Every fiber in his being wished he could turn back the hands of time. On the other hand, his mind played devil’s advocate, why the hell didn’t she accept my phone calls? Wondering that just pissed him off. It just didn’t make any sense to him. Barrington ran his finger over a photo of Perri pouting because he had to go out of town on the spur of the moment. He had to laugh remembering how he had to win her two stuffed animals and buy her three funnel cakes at Carrowinds before she would let him off the hook for promising to spend the entire weekend with her without any interruptions. She didn’t know it, but he would have done anything not to have been the one responsible for that sad look in her eyes.
Was that why she just cut all ties with him? Had it really been about his music career?
He suddenly resented his chosen career field. The regret only lasted a minute or two before he reminded himself that Perri was his biggest supporter and best friend, so her pulling away from him really couldn’t have had anything to do with his musical career.
“Sir, will you need me anymore this evening?” Nia Eusebio, his housekeeper asked in her Puerto Rican accent.
Barrington laid the photo album to the side and stood. “No, Nia, you may go on home now. He forced a courtesy smile for the sake of the attractive Latino woman, whom he knew, as always was going out of her way to show concern for his well-being. “Thank you for asking, though.”
Nia smiled at her boss affectionately.
If Barrington noticed her personal attraction to him he didn’t let on.
“I assure you it is my pleasure, sir.”
Barrington laughed out loud, glad for the humorous distraction from the current chaos his life had become. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn’t yet paid Nia and apologized to her. “Please forgive my oversight,” he said, embarrassed as he reached into his wallet and pulled out three crisp one hundred dollar bills. In light of the news he’d received earlier, he’d totally forgotten that he still needed to cut his housekeeper a payroll check. “I hope cash is all right this time. I forgot to—”
“Cash is fine, sir,” Nia interjected, not wanting him to stress out on her account. The truth is, she longed to be the woman to stroke his stress away as she secretly wished that he were her payment for the evening. Feeling heat infuse her cheeks and needing to temporarily avert her heated gaze she glanced over to the photo album on the sofa, revealing pictures of that woman. So her boss was still hung up on Perri? A root of bitterness quickly sprang up in her heart. What was the stronghold she held over him, anyway?
“Nia, are you all right?” Barrington called out to her a second time, still holding the bills out to her, not missing the fact that she’d been focused on what he was doing before she came into the living room.
“Yes, sir,” Nia said, embarrassed that she hadn’t heard him the first time. “Sir, please forgive me for my lack of focus.”
“It’s all right, Nia,” Barrington assured her. “However, it is getting late and I don’t want you out wandering around at night by yourself, so I’ll have Charlucchi drive you home if that’s okay with you.”
Nia smiled her appreciation, touched by his thoughtfulness. He does care about me. “That would be lovely, Sir. Thank you.” She accepted the money, briefly touching his outstretched hand.
“As always, Nia, I want to thank you for a job well done.” Barrington couldn’t help feeling sorry for her, knowing that she didn’t have any family in the States to speak of. He knew she was only a few years older than he was which would make her about twenty-eight; he thought it an utter shame that someone hadn’t snagged her up yet. It certainly wasn’t because of looks, because she was beautiful in an exotic way. And her accent alone would drive most men wild beyond taming.
If I'd Only Known (Milan Women Series Book 1) Page 10