Open Door Marriage

by Kai, Naleighna

  Alicia parted her mouth to speak but Dallas held up his hand. “Not one word. Not a single word!”

  She held up her hands in surrender as he brushed past her on the way to his loft.

  Chapter 25

  Tuesday, December 25 - 2:37 p.m.

  Arlington, Texas

  Dallas pulled his Buick Enclave into his parent’s garage and maneuvered it between two other Buicks—a Regal and his mom’s LaCrosse. All three were part of an endorsement deal his agent had brokered with General Motors a few years prior. Pops’ Regal had never left its original place. A year ago, that was cause for concern. Now, Dallas tried not to give it too much thought.

  He sat in his car for a moment, thinking about the grueling two weeks that had passed since Bernice took his private life public. Finally, he entered the house through the den, walked past a heavily decorated Christmas tree, a mountain of presents, the fireplace and an area filled with his high school trophies.

  “Hey, Pops.”

  The nut brown man with graying hair and a stocky build snatched his focus from the football game and gave Dallas a sidelong glance. Pops didn’t have a love for any sport, even though he watched a football game from time to time. Never basketball, though. Never basketball.

  John Avery never set foot inside of a single court to watch Dallas play—not in grammar school, not in high school and not when he went pro. Pops had done his best to discourage Dallas from participating in sports altogether. And those were some of the biggest arguments in the Avery household. The more vicious ones between his parents were when his mother claimed that John was letting jealousy cloud his judgment.

  With not so much as a hello, his father launched into, “Son, you know I’m real proud of you.”

  Something in John Avery’s tone put Dallas on guard. He responded, “Thank you, sir.”

  John took a swig from his can of beer and shifted on the sofa. “And I’m proud that you put all that money into the church. We really needed those new buildings.”

  Dallas took a seat on the recliner across from his father. “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m really looking forward to that wedding with Tori,” he ventured.

  He realized his father was leading to a place he didn’t want to visit. Dallas was hoping a trip to his parents’ house would be a nice getaway from all the grief he had been getting inside and outside his own home ever since Bernice’s interview.

  “She’s one fine young lady, that one,” John said, nodding at his own observations. “All the times you brought her over here, that’s what I thought. Smart. Beautiful. Will make a good wife. Give you babies. Lots of ‘em. Give you a family. A real family,” he said with a cautious glance at Dallas. “You understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  John refocused on the television and Dallas did the same. They were just in time to see the Bears wide receiver miss a perfectly good pass and a clear shot to a touchdown.

  “But, son ...”

  Dallas braced himself for more of what he’d been hearing for the past two weeks. The public was carrying on so badly that Alicia couldn’t leave his condo most of the time. Women’s magazines were taking Tori to task over openly accepting Dallas’ relationship with Alicia. As far as they were concerned, both women exemplified everything that was wrong with women today.

  “Son, what you doing with that other woman?” John’s lips twisted in a frown. “You bringing a whole lot of shame on this family. We’re a good Christian family.” John inched forward until he was on the edge of the sofa. “You carry the Avery name, boy. My family name—a name my grandfather gave himself, not some slave master’s name. You hear me, son?”

  Dallas put his anger in check and weighed his words carefully so he could be respectful.

  “Pops,” Dallas began the moment the game switched into half-time and he knew he would have his father’s complete attention. “I ask your advice on a lot of things, but my intimate relationships are my business.” John’s expression went red hot, but Dallas held up his finger to keep him from interrupting. “Now, I never had nothing to stay about things that I saw around here that weren’t quite right, so I expect the same courtesy.”

  John slid back and shifted his focus to the screen, a vein in his temple throbbing at a furious pace. “I’ve done some wrong things in my time, son, but my dirt wasn’t all out there for the world to see.” He took another hefty swig from the can. “I don’t want you messing up your life the way I did.”

  Dallas nodded, but then said, “I’m just wondering why everybody’s so concerned with what’s going on in my bedroom.”

  “The women are family, son. Family!” he spat, his body shaking so vigorously that Dallas thought he would drop the beer. “That makes it even more wrong.”

  “So it’s fine as long as the women aren’t related?” Dallas said, his gaze locked on his father. “It’s fine as long as the women don’t know each other?”

  “Even the Bible says having relations with two women from the same family is a sin.”

  Dallas didn’t miss a beat. “It doesn’t say that! The Bible does say that adultery is a sin. But that certainly doesn’t stop people.” He slid a sideways glance at his father, who grimaced at the not-so-subtle hint.

  “Are you sure the older one’s worth all this?” John asked, ignoring Dallas’ plea to stay out of his business. “The young one is all you need to have a family.”

  Dallas stood and stretched before making it to the threshold. “I’m going in the kitchen to see Mama and get a plate before Quan eats it all.”

  John looked up at Dallas and mumbled, “I just want what’s best for you.”

  Dallas walked back into the den and leaned down to give his father a hug. “I know, Pops.”

  He went into the dining room, where his sister, Carrie, was putting out the last of five plates for the people who would be seated at the table for the next hour. The immediate family ate together before guests came.

  Dallas shot a frustrated glance at Quan, his redbone, wavy-haired, freckled faced brother-in-law. Quan tended to think that the fact that all the other family members weren’t around gave him easy access to Dallas’ wallet.

  Carrie shot a mean look Dallas’ way.

  “What’s kicking, chicken?” he asked, hoping the familiar childhood greeting would break the ice. His sister was a beautiful woman, with light brown skin, deep set eyes and a wide, generous mouth. She was smart, educated and could have her pick of men. Unfortunately, she scraped hers from the bottom of the barrel.

  Carrie didn’t bother to answer. Instead, she stormed from the dining room and went into the kitchen. Dallas looked down to the other end of the table, where Quan gave him a nod along with a shit-eating-grin that made Dallas bristle. “What’s up?”

  “I’m keeping it light, my brother.” Quan extended his fist for a pound. Dallas totally ignored it. “Yes, Lawd, keeping it light,” Quan repeated, putting his hands flat on the table. “But not like you, my man.”

  Dallas peered at him a moment, then decided he was better off not responding.

  Quan crossed the distance and caught Dallas before he reached the kitchen. “Heard you’ve been tappin’ a little extra ass man—and some old ass at that. I thought you ballers could have any kinda woman, and you go in for the AARP club.”

  Dallas ignored him and went straight into the kitchen toward the petite, brown-skinned woman who would break out into a smile on a moment’s notice.

  “Heeeeey, Mama,” he crooned. “My stomach said it’s not waiting for the dressing to get done. Let’s get to the good stuff!”

  She chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and practically lifted her from the floor to plant a kiss on her cheek.

  “Mmmm,” she said, giving his back a hearty pat. “You always give the best hugs.”

  Dallas raised an eyebrow as he lowered her to the natural wood floor. “Sounds like you’re trying to butter me up.”

  “Would I do that?” She nudged him wit
h an elbow as she gave him a wide smile.

  “Yep. Sounds like I’ll be cleaning gutters before the weekend’s over.”

  “I made your favorite.”

  He scanned the area until his eyes landed on a lattice crust dessert cooling on the blue granite counter.

  “Peach cobbler!” He rubbed his hands together. “Yes, indeed. All right, I’ll get to the gutters, clean the garage, attic, and—”

  Anna Avery released a hearty belly laugh.

  Carrie snatched up the platter of homemade dinner rolls, scampered out of the kitchen and back into the dining room. Dallas watched his sister from behind, wondering what he’d done that would make her give him the silent treatment. She couldn’t be that mad over his personal life. Maybe Quan had screwed up again and she was just mad at the world.

  Anna placed a hand on his face. “Son, are you all right? That’s all I want to know.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said, leaning down to give her another peck on the cheek. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  She stroked a hand across his jaw line. “Does she—that other woman—does she make you happy?”

  “Yes, ma’am. She truly does.” He took in the concerned glint in her dark brown eyes. She’d probably been hearing all kinds of things about him and Alicia on the news and from gossiping family members.

  Anna withdrew her hand, then switched off the stove. “So, you’re not going to marry Tori?”

  “Actually, it looks that way.”

  His mother froze for a moment, then focused on taking the pan of dressing from the oven. “And you’re still going to keep seeing that woman?”

  She looked over her shoulder at him. Dallas lowered his gaze. Anna nearly dropped the pan as she jerked upward. “Oh, Dallas!” she said in a pained tone. “How could you do that to Tori?”

  Dallas leaned against the edge of the counter. “Mama, it’s complicated.” When his mother remained silent, he added, “Come on, Mama. Don’t give me that look. This was the best solution we could come up with.”

  Anna pulled off the oven mitts and tossed them on the counter as she pondered his words. “So why doesn’t that other woman—” She looked up at him. “Her aunt, right?”

  Dallas nodded.

  “Why doesn’t she step away and just let you get on with your lives?”

  Dallas looked his mother square in the eye. “I would rather lose Tori than Alicia.”

  By this point, Dallas really did think Tori would’ve thrown in the towel. But she was determined. And he wasn’t making any progress with swaying Alicia on the marriage issue. His plan to get her to see that she was better suited for marrying him than Tori ever was—had failed. Big time.

  Anna didn’t move. “How on earth could something like this happen, Dallas?” she whispered.

  He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and it saddened him.

  “I went to meet Tori’s family in Chicago and …” He swallowed hard, realizing he had to filter quite a few thoughts. “Things took on a life of their own. I connected with Alicia in a way that I never have with Tori.” Seeing Anna’s sour look, he continued. “And it’s not like this was my idea. Tori was the one who suggested this whole open marriage thing. I wanted one woman—Alicia. But there are some benefits to having Tori around.”

  After several moments had passed, Anna nodded, but he could tell from the weary set of her shoulders that she still couldn’t understand.

  “Alicia,” he began, pausing the moment she grimaced at hearing the name. He steadied her, trying to find the words to convey what he felt. “Mama, you know I’m no saint. I’ve been with plenty of women. But with her, it’s something beautiful. I don’t know how to describe it, but the thought of not having it, not having her, makes life seem … dull.”

  Anna moved out of his reach and placed a top on the sweet potatoes. An expression crossed her features. She suddenly looked as if she understood. “She brings out your passion.”

  Dallas gave her a smile. “Sort of how I feel about basketball. How understanding it, knowing my position, and how I was supposed to play within the team, made us win most of the time.” Her lips lifted in a small smile as he said, “I want to win in my personal life, too. Alicia makes me feel like I’ve already won five championship rings. Tori makes me feel like I’m still learning to play the game.”

  His mother turned back to him, her eyes the size of saucers. “You really love that woman!”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “But you just met her!” Anna shook her head. There was a world of hurt in that small movement. “Why do I have children who can’t have normal one-on-one relationships?”

  “Hey! Don’t lump me in with Carrie and Quan,” he warned. “And the gossip rags are only giving half the story. I knew Alicia before Thanksgiving. I loved Alicia long before I ever met Tori.”

  Seconds ticked by, the scent of all that good food wafting in from both rooms made his stomach growl.

  “Mama, sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing. I love Alicia in one way. I love Tori in another. Both are important to me for totally different reasons,” he said, hoping his mother would get the message that he was tired of justifying his personal life.

  His mother was silent for so long, he thought she wasn’t going to say anything else.

  “Come here,” she finally said, wrapping her arms around his midriff. “I might not agree with—no, let me be honest.” Anna looked up at him. “I don’t agree with it. But I love you, and I’ll support you all the way down the line. You hear me?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He kissed the short cap of dark silky curls that graced her angular face. “I love you, Mama.”

  “I know, number one son. And I love you more.”

  She went back to the stove, and he peered at her. Somehow he expected his mother, of all people, would want to put Dallas over her knee and whip his ass. He decided to ask her something he’d been wondering for years.

  “Those years,” he said, trying another approach to a delicate subject, “when Dad wasn’t the best husband in the world ...”

  She tried to make eye contact but failed. And Anna Avery was never one to shy away from the truth. If you had the balls to ask the question, she had the presence of mind to give the answer. “Your father wasn’t doing dirt by himself. I’m just more discreet than your father ever was,” she said without looking up from the pot of collard greens she was stirring.

  Dallas blinked to clear his vision. When he could focus again, he watched his mother. Her hands were trembling; her chest was heaving in an effort to brace herself for whatever Dallas might rain down on her.

  The question that had always lingered in the back of his mind now took center stage. Everyone in his family was his mother’s and father’s size—petite to average. Dallas towered over them by the time he was in high school. Many who knew the family whispered, “How could those two have spawned a virtual giant like him?” And there were no grandparents on either side who could explain his abnormal stature.

  Dallas looked at his mother, waited for her to stop fidgeting with the parts of dinner that were already done. “Am I my father’s son?” he asked point-blank.

  “You are your mother’s son,” she countered smoothly, as though she had been expecting the question for a lifetime. “That’s all that matters.”

  “John Avery is not my father,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone that belied the pain settling in his heart. If he had known that kernel of truth growing up, it would have made things a lot easier.

  After several moments had passed, Anna shook her head. “Do you love him any less?”

  Dallas thought about all the lectures over the years about the Avery name and the integrity that was supposedly attached. John had given him his name, but now it made sense why there had been a disconnect between him and the man he affectionately called Pops.

  “He’ll always be my dad no matter what.”

  Dallas was poised to ask who his real father was when his mother placed a shak
y hand on his arm and asked in a pained whisper, “Do you love me any less?”

  He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, causing her to smile up at him. “Mama, you know the answer to that.”

  She didn’t bother to hide her relief. This was not the time to call his mother into account for not only keeping a part of his life hidden, but coming clean about the fact that she wasn’t the innocent, victimized wife he had always believed her to be. No wonder John Avery was always so bitter.

  “Now, you get on to the table so I can put some meat on your bones,” she said, shooing him away. “Both of those city women don’t know how to feed you. You’ve got to be up to speed when your team meets up with that Kobe fella.”

  Dallas gave her another hug.

  She nodded slowly, while keeping her eyes fixed on his, answering his unspoken question that they would have to talk about his real father at another time.

  Chapter 26

  3:03 p.m.

  Dallas walked into the dining room, and Carrie glared at him. Seconds later, she was out of her seat, straightening the already perfectly positioned napkins. Things were pretty damn serious if Carrie was giving him her back to ponder.

  “My man!” Quan bellowed on the heels of Carrie’s second disappearance into the kitchen. “Been telling your sis she needs to loosen up a little. Roll like her big bro.”

  “So, that’s why she’s giving me the evil eye.”

  Quan shrugged, put his grubby hands on one of the dinner rolls and crammed it into his wide mouth. “I figure, hey, if you can do it, then I sure as hell can.”

  “Difference is, I can afford it,” Dallas snapped, glaring at the redbone man. Quan glared back with beady eyes and a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile.

  Dallas had never liked his brother-in-law but figured he had to have some redeeming qualities since Carrie had snuck off to Vegas to marry him. A few weeks later, she miscarried the baby that no one had been aware of. Now, she was stuck with a man who could barely hold on to a job since, as he put it, the white man was keeping him down. A crock of well-oiled bullshit if Dallas had his say, but since Carrie wouldn’t hear of leaving Quan, Dallas held his tongue. He had bought her a house and nestled the money for it into a trust for her and whatever children she would eventually have. Quan wouldn’t see a penny if they parted ways. Then, somehow Quan talked Carrie into going behind Dallas’ back and trying to put his name on the deed anyway. To this day, Carrie didn’t know that Dallas knew. He had attached a “forgivable loan” to the deed—one that would not need to be paid back as long as the house stayed in his sister’s hands. So any activity on the house—taxes not being paid, insurance lapse, notices were sent to his accountant, who notified him.