“Shhhh.” Cliff muffled his retort.
“Cliff, is that Jazz?”
Her brother hesitated before he responded. “Yes.”
“Why are you using her phone?” Torri finally glanced at her phone’s Caller ID.
“Sis, I came to see you last night since you didn’t return any of my calls. Naturally, I went to Jazz’s place, when you didn’t open your door. So, where are you?”
Antonio massaged the tension from her shoulders. She glanced at Antonio and bit her bottom lip. She wasn’t ready to reveal their relationship, especially to her brother. Torri knew her brother wouldn’t approve of the night she shared with Antonio on their first official date. Besides, she had things to figure out. Things were getting complicated by the minute.
Jasmine took over the call. “Girl, your car is here. Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?”
She sighed and glanced over at Antonio again. “Jazz, I’m fine. Besides, you don’t drive.”
Jasmine lowered her voice. “Well, I know something is going on. Cliff refused to leave. He slept here waiting for you.”
“He’s overreacting. Don’t pay him any mind.”
“Yeah, whatever. Just get your butt home.”
Jasmine was like a sister. Torri couldn’t keep anything from her. Yet, how could she tell her best friend, that her mother had an affair and waited thirty years to confess who her real father was? The pit of her stomach stirred. Cliff had Jasmine worried. Torri needed to ease that.
“Jazz, I’ll be home later. You can calm down. I’m with Antonio.”
Jasmine gasped. “Girl, you better fill me in. But, I still don’t get what that has to do with Cliff going loco on you.”
Torri smiled. “Later, Jazz. Just convince my brother I’m in good hands, without mentioning Antonio.”
Relieved she temporarily dodged any further questions, Torri hung up and fell back against Antonio’s chest. He kissed her forehead, her nose and teased her trembling lips with his tongue. She curled into him for more, parting her lips. Her tongue found his. Her nipples swelled with desire as their mouths continued to mate. His sweetness was intoxicating. Jasmine already knew where she was. Another hour in his arms couldn’t hurt.
Antonio’s house phone rang and he threw his hands up in the air. “Don’t move.” He kissed her again and checked the cordless handset.
“It’s only Delilah. She can leave a message and we can continue where we left off.”
Delilah’s message streamed into the room and Torri slipped off the bed.
“Hey, Tony. Call me when you can.”
“I better call her. It must be important. She rarely calls my land line.”
“Don’t worry. I understand. I’m going to jump in the shower.”
He pulled her into him. “If you wait a minute I’ll join you.”
She giggled and wiggled out of his grasp. “Make your call.”
“Can I at least watch?”
She kissed him and let her lips linger near the scar above his left eye. “Let’s save it for later.”
Later. That was music to Antonio’s ears. “Deal.”
“I’ll take a cab to the ferry and jump on the train.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
“Antonio, I’ve been riding the New York subway all my life. I’ll be fine. Besides, Jasmine will be waiting with plenty of questions. Are you ready for that?”
He understood, which was why he waited to share with Xander. They needed to nurture their new relationship before Jasmine and Xander had a chance to pick it apart. Antonio tucked Torri in his arms once more and captured her mouth with hungry urgency, a pledge that what they started was far from over.
The sky held no evidence of the violent force it lashed down the night before. Not a single trace of the frantic fireworks display that spurred her into Antonio’s arms. The storm was a much better matchmaker than her mother and Jasmine. Once inside the cab she sat back and reveled in the monumental lovemaking she shared with Antonio, until her phone rang.
“Good morning, partner. Sorry to call you so early, but I need to shift our lunch reservations to 1:30.”
She’d forgotten all about meeting with Marcus to discuss their next project. She finally understood what everyone meant when they accused her of working too hard. She planned every minute second, leaving room for meals, sleep and little else. That would have to change.
“Marcus, I need to reschedule.”
He drew his breath. “Torri, are you okay?”
“Everything’s fine.”
“How about a late lunch at three? You have to eat sometime.”
She didn’t want to hurt Marcus; he was a wonderful man and partner. When she slept with Antonio, she made her choice. Marcus was no longer part of the equation and he deserved to know that. Just not at that moment.
“I can’t today. I’m meeting Jasmine at the center.”
His response was cool. “No problem. Have Odetta call me when you’re ready to reschedule.”
“I promise.”
A text flashed on her phone after she hung up with Marcus.
I miss you, already. Thank you for last night.
Her heart fluttered as she read Antonio’s message. Twice. Last night was special for her, too. Waking up in his arms was exactly what she needed. She laughed to herself. She had no idea what would happen next. For the first time in her life, she didn’t have a plan. Torri always planned. It helped her maintain control. It was finally time to throw caution to the wind and take it one day at a time.
Her cell rang again. Torri glanced at the screen, dropped the phone into her bag and closed her eyes for the rest of the ride. Her mother could wait.
Chapter Twelve
Lynette called Torri at least ten times in the last twenty-four hours. She pinched her lips tight to prevent them from trembling. She didn’t know what was worse, telling her daughter about the affair or the silent treatment that followed. When Victor showed up at the opening, Lynette accepted it was time to tell Torri. She was selfish when she chose to keep Victor a secret because she felt ashamed.
She knew her daughter was hurt, angry and everything else that went with discovering her childhood could have been different. Lynette did her best to be a mother and a father to her children. Torri didn’t deserve all this confusion in her life. Especially not when everything was going well for her. What did Victor want? Didn’t he think about what it would do to Torri? Lynette struggled not to fall apart when she witnessed the anguish in her daughter’s eyes. Eyes just like her father’s, only Torri never knew it.
Cliff was seven when his father left. Torri was barely three. Both were too young to lose their father. Lynette no longer had a husband’s salary or child support to maintain the household. In order to in to cover rent, Lynette worked at the local pharmacy full-time while she attended college in the evening.
After five long, hard years, Lynette earned her degree in Elementary Education and landed job as a second-grade teacher at a charter school in Harlem. It was perfect for a single mother. She was home every summer and the holidays with Cliff and Torri. Lynette gave everything she had for her children. She never dated. She passed on all opportunities for love in her life. It was just the three of them. She was perfectly fine with that.
Reality wouldn’t let her protect her children forever. Cliff with his sleuth-like personality figured out Lynette’s secret when he was sixteen, long before his sister. Cliff resembled his father including his athletic physique and Torri looked nothing like Eddie and a person had to squint to identify any similarities to Lynette. That alone didn’t mean anything but it became a topic of conversation one evening after one of Cliff’s basketball games.
“Mama, can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure, baby. You know you can ask me anything.” Lynette tried to stay o
pen and honest with her children, for the most part.
“I’m not proud of it, but I noticed I’m starting to look more like my father the older I get. Does that bother you?”
“First of all, looking like your father isn’t a bad thing.”
“I don’t want you to look at me and be reminded of the man that walked out of our lives.”
“Cliff, when I look at you, I see my handsome son that has a bright future ahead of him.”
“Thanks, mom.” Cliff grinned and stroked the newborn stubble on his cheeks. “What about Torri? She doesn’t look anything like you or him. She doesn’t even look like grandma.”
Lynette wished she hadn’t given up smoking because she feared she’d need a cigarette to get through the rest of the conversation. She rolled down the car window and resorted to comic relief. “Are you wondering if your sister is adopted?”
Cliff chuckled. “I guess it was a silly thought, but you and Grandma always teased me about finding my sister in a cabbage patch.” His facial features grew serious. “Mama, I often think back to the night my father left. He said something about Torri before he walked out. It bothers me that I can’t remember what he said, but it made you cry and you kept apologizing.”
She shuddered at his recollection of a night she wished to forget. How could she confess to her sixteen-year old son that his father left because she had an affair? Wide-eyed, he sat on the edge of the passenger seat. Tears welled in her deep brown eyes. It was time to share her secret.
“Your father was a serious musician. I loved that about him. That’s how we met. I heard him at a small jazz spot in the Village. When he picked up that saxophone, I was in heaven.”
Lynette chose her words with care when she described his father. He wasn’t always easy, especially when he’d been drinking. And, he loved women. That wasn’t something she wanted to explain to her son. Nor would she share how the lonely nights opened her heart to new desires.
“I remember the arguments when he came home late. I peeked out of my bedroom door. He always looked drunk. Sometimes he showed up the next morning.”
Even at seven years old Cliff’s astute observation kicked into gear. Lynette assumed he already knew the truth but gave her a chance to reveal it. She stopped tiptoeing around the facts.
“There’s no easy way to say this, son. After a while I felt lonely and unhappy. I know it’s not a good reason for what I did.” Lynette inhaled deep and long before she continued. “I met a man. He filled those empty nights.”
Cliff didn’t respond right away. He tossed his basketball between his hands.
“Well, you gave him some of his own medicine.”
“It didn’t make it right, son. In fact, it complicated things. I ended up pregnant and I allowed your father to believe Torri was his daughter. I’m so sorry.” Tears poured down her face.
Cliff pulled a tissue from the dash and wiped the tears from his mother’s swollen eyes. He didn’t say anything at first. His mother just admitted that she cheated and lied to a man that lied and cheated on her continuously. Eddie used the situation as a way out of the family. He never contacted Cliff or sent any money.
“He was a jerk, Mom. He never cared about us. Please, don’t beat yourself up. I have a beautiful sister and we’re both a part of you. I’ll never bring it up again.”
Cliff wrapped his arms around Lynette. She welcomed his comfort and hoped her secret would remain right there.
Lynette closed her eyes and thanked God for a remarkable son. Torri was equally extraordinary, but Torri had more to lose from the confession. It altered everything she believed about her parents. She respected her daughter’s need for space. She just hoped Torri had someone to help her cope with the revelation. Lynette jumped at the shrill of her phone. With her eyes still closed, she whispered a quick prayer.
“Hello?”
“Listen, I know it’s early, but its time to enjoy what’s left of our freedom before loud kids, frustrated parents, lesson plans, detention and assemblies take over. I’m declaring tonight our girl’s night out.”
“Hey, Sabine.” Her heart sank.
“What’s with the somber mood, Lynne?”
“I’m just having some issues.”
“You know I always have an issue solver. The one I have in mind just opened.”
“Rain check, Sab.”
“The way you sound we don’t have the luxury of waiting for rain. I’ll pick you up at nine. Dress sexy!”
“Seriously, Sab. Not tonight.”
“Are you sure I can’t change your mind?”
“I’ll connect with you in a couple of days. I promise.”
“Fine. Thursday night.” She grumbled. “Be ready at nine. Love you. Bye.”
Lynette acknowledged that a night out with her girlfriend could cheer her up. Sitting at home staring at her phone accomplished nothing. She glanced at her nails. She’d chewed them ragged. Yes, a night on the town was mandatory.
Jasmine stretched out across the front steps. Evidence of a recent run glistened on her face and neck. Eyes closed, plugged up to her phone, Jasmine sang a Teena Marie favorite. Torri not surprised by the human roadblock approached the steps. Jasmine glanced up and snatched out her headphones.
“It’s about time. I was about to call you. I would have called Antonio but I don’t have his number locked in my phone, unlike you.”
“Funny. Where’s my brother?”
“I persuaded him to leave.”
“Good.” Torri’s shoulders relaxed. She progressed toward the front door.
Jasmine blocked the path. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Upstairs to change and you should shower.”
“You’re right. You can fill me in on the way.”
Torri held her hand out like a traffic cop. “Fifteen minutes, Jazz. Just give me fifteen minutes.”
Jasmine rolled her eyes like a fourteen-year old and stuck her headphones back in her ears. Torri legged wobbled as she jogged up the rest of the steps. Jasmine wasn’t going to make things easy for her. Torri dreaded one of her famous clinical tongue lashings. She intended to use the next fifteen minutes to decide which truth she’d share over lunch.
It took less than ten minutes to throw on some fresh clothes. She hovered near her jewelry box. She opened it and pulled out her locket. She clasped it on her neck. She welcomed the familiarity of the glossy, cool metal against her skin. It no longer represented a yearning for the past but hope for a future.
She muttered with her eyes closed. “Don’t let me down again, Tony.”
The ladies ventured to a Tex-Mex spot they discovered on Seventh Avenue to indulge in their favorite “gossip meal”. They ordered nachos with grilled chicken and extra guacamole, paired with mango margaritas with an extra shot of Cuervo.
“Okay. Spill it.” Jasmine demanded.
Torri spent most of the morning rehearsing her response but stammered when the moment arrived.
Jasmine continued. “Let me help you out. You were bored at home, I was out, so you decided to go out on a date with Antonio.”
“It wasn’t a date. Not really.”
“Oh, so it wasn’t just the two of you? Was Xander there?”
“It was just the two of us.”
Jasmine pulled out her cell phone and scanned her messages. “I guess Xander and I missed the call to hang out.”
Jasmine’s brand of sarcasm was sure to get the truth out of Torri. They’d been friends since they were seven years old, so lying wasn’t an option.
“Come on, Torri, just come clean.”
The margaritas and nachos arrived. Torri took a huge gulp before digging into the nachos. Discussing the details of her night entangled in the arms of a magnificent man would be the perfect topic over the chips loaded with spicy beef and cheese. But, Torri wasn’t in t
he arms of any sexy man, it was Antonio. Her legs trembled. She didn’t know where to begin. Torri definitely wasn’t ready to reveal the bomb her mother dropped on her. Therefore, she’d just tell Jasmine about her evening with Antonio.
“Antonio passed by the gallery to catch up and asked me to join him for dinner.” Jasmine didn’t need to know they already planned to meet that night.
“Until 7 a.m.?”
“Tony cooked. At his place.”
“Interesting.” Jasmine chomped on some nachos. “Continue.”
“I made salad.”
“Boring. Skip to the good stuff.”
“I persuaded him to walk on the beach as a storm rolled in, so I could take pictures.”
“Yum. Sex on the beach.”
“Do you want to hear this or what? I’m fine stopping right here.”
Jasmine sipped her drink and grabbed a few more nachos.
“So, the sky opened up and we got drenched. We ran back toward the house to get out of our wet clothes.”
Jazz fanned herself. “Wow. You finally slept with your high school sweetheart.”
Heat rose in her cheeks. Was it that obvious? “I didn’t say that.”
“Tor, you got out of your wet clothes. You were naked. Sex was next. Go ahead; deny it.”
Her best friend knew her better than anyone did. She needed a moment to gather herself.
“You’re stalling. You guys have been sweet on each other since high school. Girl, if you think I’m going to judge you for sleeping with a man that you, in essence, loved for the last fifteen years, don’t.”
Jasmine seldom got things wrong. She had a degree in “Figuring People Out”. Two in fact. Could Jasmine be right and Torri was in love with Antonio? It would be easy to fall in love with him again, if she never really stopped. Torri didn’t want to complicate things any more than they already were.
“You’re wrong.” Until she figured it all out, Antonio stayed her secret.
“You can’t be serious, Tor. Nothing happened? Nothing at all?”
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