My Word_Interior.indd

by Gizelle Bryant

  to Virginia. Even though it was about four in the afternoon,

  there were plenty of people strolling across the edge of the

  river. Folks playing hooky from government jobs. It was that

  kind of beautiful day on the outside. But a storm raged inside of me. “What are the chances of this?”

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  “I know, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Sharonne

  Phillips I know may not be the Sharonne that you’re looking

  for.”“I wish I had a picture or something to show you.”

  “Well, what does she look like?”

  I described the leggy woman with the almond shaped

  eyes, butterscotch skin and expensive weave that stopped just

  above her behind.

  Dru nodded. “The woman I know is about that

  complexion, she’s tall, like the one you’re describing. It’s been awhile, though, and when I knew her she had a short haircut,

  not a weave down her back.”

  “Yeah,” I said feeling a little encouraged. “She had a bob

  back then. I think it’s the same woman, Dru. Now, I have to

  find out if she’s involved with Jeremy and if she’s pregnant.”

  “So, she wasn’t pregnant when you saw her.”

  I shook my head. “Far from it. If she was pregnant then,

  she was in her first few weeks.”

  “So if she’s that early in her pregnancy,” Dru began, “how

  did Sonya and Cecily find out so quickly?” She shook her

  head and continued before I could answer. “I think they got

  this wrong.”

  “Unless it’s a different Sharonne.” The hope I’d felt just

  seconds ago was beginning to fade fast.

  “Look,” my best friend scooted closer to me, “I know

  this is really tough for you and I’m sorry, but don’t make any judgments yet. Let’s figure this Sharonne twist out first. And I have an idea.”

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  “What?”

  “I wanna talk to Sharonne Phillips.”

  “You think she’ll talk to you if you call her?”

  “Oh, definitely. But uh...I wasn’t talking about calling her.

  I think I need to check this out face-to-face. So, if I could get my boss to give me some time off from work, I’ll fly down

  to New Orleans, hang out with my mom for a few days and

  figure out a way to hook up with her.”

  I sighed. “You just got back from New Orleans.”

  “So?” She shrugged. “The way my mama cooks, I’d fly in

  for Sunday dinner every week if I could. That two-hour flight

  is nothing so the only thing that’s in between me and that

  plane is my boss.”

  I thought about Dru’s offer, but it didn’t take long for

  my lips to spread into a smile. “Open up your United app.”

  I motioned toward her phone with my chin. “Let’s buy this

  ticket now. For tomorrow.” Leaning over, I hugged her. “Thank

  you so much, Dru. Thank you for doing this for me.”

  When she leaned away, she said, “This is part of the best

  friends code. To have each other’s back no matter what. And

  no worries, Chica. I’ve got yours.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “This is an opportunity that few people will ever have.

  It’s not even something most people can dream

  about.” Clyde paused. “Ginger? Are you still with us?”

  Our agent’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Huh?”

  He stood on the other side of the small conference table

  across from me and Jeremy in Jeremy’s office. His grin was as

  wide as any kid’s on Christmas.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m still with you,” I said, though I hoped he

  wouldn’t ask me to repeat anything he’d told us.

  He’d been going over the paperwork the Amazon

  executives had sent to him and he’d wanted us to see every line.

  His voice had been trailing in and out of my consciousness,

  but I’d certainly caught the gist of his words: Amazon had

  stayed true to their promise. Their offer was for $8 million.

  It wasn’t Michelle and Barack Obama money, but there were

  bonuses included that would put us in the outfield of that

  league.

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  “You don’t seem excited,” Clyde said as his smile dimmed.

  I turned the ends of my lips up into something that

  hopefully could fake a little joy. That was the best I could do considering I couldn’t focus on the millions in front of me

  when I wasn’t sure about the man who sat beside me.

  It had been just two days since I’d taken Dru to the airport

  to head to New Orleans and she’d given me a kind of pep talk.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to find,” Dru said, “but I’m

  going to do my best to find something so you can get out of the constipation that has become your life.”

  I frowned. “Really, Dru?”

  “I’m just saying.” She held up her hands and I guess that

  was some sort of an apology—kind of. “It’s just that you’re stuck.

  Nothing’s moving. Just think of me as the laxative that’s gonna get things going.”

  She’d winked before she jumped out of the car and headed

  into the terminal.

  I hadn’t heard from her since.

  “And you got the Netflix people to give us an out?” Jeremy

  asked, bringing all the way back into his office.

  Even when Jeremy spoke, I kept my eyes on Clyde. I

  couldn’t look at Jeremy; I hadn’t been able to look at him since my lunch with Sonya and Cecily on Tuesday.

  Jeremy asked, “I mean, they will really nullify the contract?”

  Clyde nodded and the way his chest inflated, I could tell

  he was proud that he’d brokered this deal. “Yep, because from

  the beginning, I had a clause in your contract that they’d have

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  to match any offer that doubled their package or they’d have

  to let you go, so...” From his tone, I half-expected him to pop his collar.

  Jeremy shook his head. “I can’t believe you worked that.”

  “That’s why you pay me the big bucks.” Clyde laughed.

  “And it works out for me, too, because once we sign this deal

  and we get the signing-on check....”

  Jeremy laughed and reached over to give Clyde dab. But

  after they shared their moment, Clyde once again, turned his

  attention to me. “Ginger, are you sure you’re okay?”

  I gave him a one-shoulder shrug and Jeremy released a

  long sigh. There was a long moment of silence as Clyde looked

  from me to Jeremy, then back to me. “Look, I don’t know

  what’s going on here,” he pointed his finger between the two

  of us, “but you guys have to fix this—whatever this is.” He

  leaned forward on the table and all signs of his Christmas

  cheer was gone. “This deal is huge and Amazon is serious.

  Think about how fast they got these contracts together.

  Nothing in business moves this quickly. These people are

  serious and we don’t need any types of chinks in this armor.

  So whatever this is about, it’s not bigger than this.” He patted the contracts in front of him.

  “I’m all the way on board,” Jeremy said. He flashed an

  aggravated look at me. “We both are. Just give us the weekend, we’ll read this over, work it out and we can all reconvene onr />
  Monday.”

  Clyde nodded his agreement. “Okay. That’s all you two

  need. A night. A weekend. To either kiss and make up or go

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  into that big ole sanctuary down the hall and take your issues to the altar.”

  If Clyde hadn’t been Jeremy’s best friend since we’d arrived

  in D.C., I would have told him to stay out of his business. But he’d been there for every part of our life when, as a member

  of New Kingdom, Clyde stood by Jeremy’s side at our quick

  wedding because Jeremy knew no one else in D.C. who could

  stand with him. And Clyde had been by Jeremy’s side ever

  since serving first as one of Jeremy’s armor bearers, but very quickly moving to our agent when deals started coming in and

  we wanted to take advantage of Clyde’s law degree.

  Clyde grabbed his briefcase. “Let’s get this done.”

  Jeremy stood with Clyde and I didn’t budge.

  Jeremy said, “Let me walk you out and make sure the

  door’s locked since there’s no one else here.”

  After a pause, Clyde said, “I’ll see you later, Ginger.”

  “Bye,” was all I could manage.

  The moment Clyde followed Jeremy out, I leapt from

  the chair and ran into my office. I wished I’d already had my

  bags together to get out of here; I didn’t want to be left alone with Jeremy.

  But not even a minute passed before Jeremy was standing

  in my office’s door. Why hadn’t I packed up my stuff before?

  Jeremy asked, “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

  I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to sliding

  the folders I needed to take home with me for the weekend

  into my tote.

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  His voice stayed steady as he said, “You’ve been in a funk

  since I got back from Alabama. And I don’t have any idea

  why. So do you want to stop acting like the kids and tell me

  what’s going on?”

  Raising an eyebrow, I raised my voice, too. “Acting like

  the kids?”

  “Come on, Ginger.” He threw his hands in the air. “You

  know what I’m talking about. Clyde just told us we have a

  contract that with bonuses could more than triple that eight

  million and will help secure the future of our grandchildren’s grandchildren. Babe, you and I have talked about building

  generational wealth and a financial legacy. This is it, yet you sat there like you were watching a boring movie. All I’m asking

  is that you talk to me.”

  I folded my arms. “So you have no clue what’s wrong?”

  “How would I know what’s wrong with you? If I had a

  clue, I wouldn’t have asked you.”

  Never show your full hand. Get your ducks in a row.

  My mother’s words rang in my mind, but holding this

  in, not saying anything had been more than I could take—

  especially after my meeting with Sonya and Cecily. I’d been

  on an emotional roller coaster going back and forth, up and

  down, inside and out, between believing Jeremy had gotten a

  woman pregnant, then, believing he had not.

  Never show your full hand.

  My mother was right about this, the same way she’d been

  right with every piece of guidance she’d given to me. But I

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  didn’t have it in me to stay silent. My mother was a far better woman than me. So I looked Jeremy straight in his eyes when

  I asked, “Who is Katrina Brunson?”

  And he looked straight into mine when he asked, “Who?”

  My husband stood there as stiff as a statue. Not a muscle on

  him twitched, he hardly even blinked.

  But I was not about to be fooled. “You know, the woman

  who lives over in Southeast. The one who’s mad at you because

  not only won’t you return her calls, but she says you’re treating her like a booty call and now, you’re cheating on her.”

  I hadn’t meant to say all of that. I hadn’t meant to play

  that much of my hand.

  But he still stood there, cool, beyond collected, not

  twitching, not blinking. “I don’t know what you’re talking

  about.”

  Slowly, I moved from around my desk, but I didn’t dare

  get too close to him because I truly didn’t want to catch a

  case. “You know what pisses me off the most,” I said through

  clenched teeth. “How many times have you sat next to me

  on television with a straight face and talked about how God

  had given us a gift and that we couldn’t provide the proper

  spiritual care if we didn’t honor that gift. How many times

  have you sat next to me on TV while Katrina and her friends

  were watching and laughing at the joke of our marriage.”

  He squinted, then shook his head as if he was confused.

  “So is this what’s been bothering you?”

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  “Bothered?” I leaned back a little. “You think that’s all

  I am is bothered when I hear that you are screwing some miscellaneous chick?”

  “That’s all you can be is bothered ‘cause it’s not true. I told you. I don’t know any Katrina.”

  “I can’t believe you’re standing in God’s house in the place

  where He’s blessed you to be and you’re telling me this lie.”

  “And that’s one reason why you should realize I’m not

  lying,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to dishonor God, I wouldn’t

  dishonor you, I wouldn’t dishonor God’s house.”

  Without thinking about it, I took a couple of steps back

  to get out of the way of the lightning that was about to smite him. “Seriously, Ginger,” he continued, “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

  Now, I busted out laughing. I mean, I laughed so loud and

  for so long that all Jeremy could do was stand there and wait

  for me to get it together. It really took me about a minute

  to gather myself enough to ask him, “So you wouldn’t lie to

  me?” But then, I stopped all laughter when I said, “What’s so

  sad about this is you think I’m stupid.” I paused. “I talked to Katrina and she told me everything!”

  He paused. And for a moment, there it was. Just a little bit

  of a twitch of his eyebrow, just a little shift of his feet and in that instant, I was relieved. Maybe Jeremy still did have a soul.

  Then, he said, “Wait, what does she look like?”

  “Jeremy!” I shouted his name, which was something I

  never did. My parents had never raised their voices and I had

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  followed their lead. But Jeremy was driving me to places I

  never thought I’d go. “Do. Not. Even. Try. To. Play. Me.”

  “Ohhhhh.” He snapped his fingers as if he’d had a sudden

  recal . “I know who you’re talking about. I didn’t recognize

  the name Katrina. I call everyone by their last names.” Then

  he paused. “But are you for real? You think there’s something

  going on with me and her? She’s someone who came by the

  church seeking counsel and you can ask Lizzy. She’s sat in on

  every session.”

  So this woman had been to the church and I hadn’t

  noticed?

  “And so, what? You suddenly remember that? Now you

  know who I’m talking about?”

  “Yeah, it took me a minute, but Ginger, you’ve got to
>
  know....” He took a step toward me. “I would never dishonor

  you....” He got closer. “In that way at all.” He reached for me and I frowned, confused. Did this man really think he could

  hold me and kiss away my fury?

  I took a step away from him. “Do not touch me.”

  He sighed and dropped his hands to his side. “You’re

  being ridiculous. I don’t care what she told you; you’ve been

  married to me. You know me.”

  “And I know what she told me, too.”

  “She’s delusional,” he said, raising his voice for the first

  time. “I don’t like sharing people’s issues, but you’ve left me no choice.” He paused and his face became clouded with sadness,

  as if he was grieved by what he was about to say. Finally, he

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  spoke, “She’s a woman who’s struggling with the death of her

  baby’s father.”

  My eyes narrowed. It wasn’t that I believed him, it was

  that I no longer completely believed Katrina. The truth was,

  I didn’t know what to believe.

  He continued, “If she said anything is going on, it’s just

  in her mind. I can assure you of that,” he said.

  I wasn’t sure if it was a straight lie or not, but I said

  nothing.

  “So,” a smile crept onto his face, “are we good?”

  Again, I gave him nothing.

  “Well, at least you’re not screaming at me. That’s

  something.” His smile was wider now.

  I folded my arms.

  “Ginger, you’ve got to know how much I love you.”

  His tone was soaked with sincerity and these were words

  I did believe. I just wasn’t sure anymore if our definitions of love were the same.

  I grabbed my briefcase. “I want to get home to the

  children. I don’t like keeping Carmen late on Fridays.” I

  crossed the room, walking past him, not looking at him,

  saying nothing.

  I’d told him more than I wanted to, but the thing was, I

  hadn’t played my full hand. I’d said nothing about Sharonne,

  nothing about her pregnancy. My plan was to only go to him

  when I was locked and loaded. When there was no way he’d

  be able to deny it.

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  That is— if Sharonne were pregnant.

  If what Sonya and Cecily told me turned out to be a lie,

  that would be a relief. I would still be faced with Katrina,

  though.

  Inside my car, I dialed Dru once again and like these last