Crowning Glory

by Pat Simmons

  Nalani bowed her head and played with the leftovers in her plate. She appeared uncomfortable as she met Karyn’s eye. “I think he let the ups and down of life do him in. We both knew Momma’s death devastated him. Your prison sentence put him over the top…He resigned from his office months after your incarceration.”

  Guilt set in again. Karyn felt her strength draining from her body. She gripped the table. A fresh batch of tears began brewing.

  “Daddy gave up. He didn’t want to live. His high blood pressure soared, then he was diagnosed with diabetes. He took his medication only when symptoms surfaced. I put off college to become his caregiver. I need to ask for your forgiveness.”

  “Me?” Karyn blinked back a tear and patted her chest. “Why?”

  Nalani struggled to answer. “I didn’t know you were released when Daddy died, but…as much as I loved you, and I do love you, I hated you.”

  The words stung, especially coming from her baby sister. But Karyn knew eventually Nalani would lash out for what Karyn had done. “It’s okay.”

  “I never hated anyone in my life and I never thought I would hate my own flesh and blood sister, but at the time of Daddy’s death, I was lost and angry at the world. I stopped writing when Daddy got sick and after he died, I didn’t want to talk to you. I was having a meltdown. I underwent a month of bereavement counseling. A few months later, I felt like I had regained control of my life with no one dependent upon me.”

  Karyn reached across the table and grabbed Nalani’s hands. “Consider us even,” her voice was shaky. “I cut your favorite doll’s hair when we were younger.”

  They shared a laugh.

  “Well, I hope I have redeemed myself because I placed half of what daddy left me in a trust fund for you. I’m here for you.” Nalani mustered a smile.

  “Thank you for loving me.” The last thing Karyn wanted was for her sister to feel bad, so she changed the subject. “What school did you attend?”

  “Northwestern.”

  “Ah. Go Wildcats. You’re major?”

  “I doubled in economics and environmental science.”

  “Whoa.” Karyn beamed. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “But I’m proud of you. I really am despite my actions that might say otherwise. You pled guilty to manslaughter—the prosecutors were willing to give you probation, but the baby’s daddy and his nose-so-high-up-in-the-air family insisted on the maximum sentence under the law. You made no excuses, even when the medical team testified that your actions probably stemmed from postpartum depression.”

  On her death bed, she made Karyn promise to finish her education at Columbia University in New York, she made her promise to finish her education. While studying with the elite, Karyn met Everett Choteau IV a few months after her mother died, and he provided the comfort she needed. They seemed compatible and more than once their conversation included marriage.

  They were attracted to each other, but not in love—her first mistake. Her second was becoming pregnant. Everett had immediately proposed, not wanting to bring embarrassment on their families—her third mistake. When Karyn hesitated, he convinced her it would look better to marry before she showed, but her hormones were on overdrive. And Everett stopped asking and when she delivered, he distanced himself as if the baby weren’t his. Karyn suspected his family had something to do with that since they lived their life in the public eye, and scandals were always denied.

  All she had to do was get through her last semester at the Ivy League college. She loved her baby, and he was adorable, but Evan wouldn’t stop crying. Karyn had changed his diaper, given him his bottle, and tested him for a fever. When the baby wouldn’t stop crying, she picked him up and held him tight until he did. Pleased that he had quieted, she put him in his bassinet and returned to her studies. When she checked on him a half hour later, he hadn’t moved and he looked funny.

  Hysterical, she phoned 911, but when the paramedics arrived, it was too late. She had suffocated—murdered—her child. The Choteaus had demanded justice. In essence, the senator’s daughter wasn’t above the law.

  “Karyn, Karyn,” Nalani called her name.

  Evidently, she had zoned out. “Sorry. I try not to think about that fateful Sunday afternoon. When I do, I hate myself.”

  “You needed help. Some people think postpartum is a made-up label for bad parenting skills, but I read up on it. I always wondered what if I could have been there to help. What if Everett had been there? What if his mother or Momma had been there?”

  “Nalani,” Karyn said firmly, “I don’t make excuses for what I did with my own hands. I don’t ever want you to make excuses for me.” She tried to check her anger. Her sister didn’t deserve to carry her weight on her shoulders.

  Nalani nodded and fanned herself. “Whew, so when do you plan to tell Mr. Dimpled Smiles?”

  “That only God knows.”

  CHAPTER 31

  Jet was suspicious. Her mind had been working overtime since meeting Levi’s special friend. Nobody was too good to be true, she was convinced. Her niece had been a nonstop chatterbox about Miss Karyn where Levi’s lips seemed to be fused together.

  Sitting behind her desk at work, Jet noted the date. It was two weeks before Christmas and she still needed to shop. She paused and squinted at an event for this Saturday. It was Macy’s girls’ night out bash. Tia had invited her only after inviting Karyn first.

  Devising a plan, Jet picked up her phone. “Hi, Levi—”

  “Yes, I know this is your weekend,” he stated with annoyance. “I really wish you’d stop demanding custody. I’ve never denied you from spending time with Dori.”

  Jet rolled her eyes. Levi had begun to misinterpret her requests since her sister’s death. “Chill, brother-in-law. I’m going to Macy’s with Tia and Karyn this weekend. I’m really glad she’s not shutting me out because I’m not a Tolliver.” Levi let her rattle on. “Anyway, will you ask Tia about the time we’re supposed to meet and Karyn, too, or you can just give me their numbers, and I can call and finalize plans.”

  “No need. I’ll have Seth remind Tia, and I’ll remind Karyn.” He sighed into the receiver. “Listen, Jet, Dori and I want Karyn in our lives. We’re crazy about her. Get to know her for who she is, okay? She’s not a man-eater, so don’t treat her like one.”

  “Right.” She twisted her lips in doubt as they disconnected.

  Within the hour, Levi had gotten back to her. Tia was meeting Karyn at the bookstore where she worked since Macy’s was in the same mall. Plus, Karyn’s sister was in town and tagging along. At least Karyn had one, Jet thought as her heart dropped.

  On Friday, Jet arrived early at Bookshelves Unlimited under the guise of wanting to browse. Truthfully, she wanted to observe Levi’s special lady friend. She was disappointed that Karyn was in the back of the store separating customers’ special orders.

  Absentmindedly, Jet made her way to a biography section. Karyn happened to be coming through a door when a phone rang at customer service. She hurried to answer it, “Bookshelves Unlimited. If you want it, we’ve got it. This is Karyn.”

  Listening to the caller, Karyn answered a few questions then disconnected. Jet ducked when Karyn scanned the store before making a call. Jet inched closer to the counter with Karyn’s back turned to her.

  “Hi Monica, I have a recreational pass for Macy’s, St. Clair Square. Right. I’ll leave work at six…” Karyn laughed. “I’ll bring back some samples. Okay, thank you.”

  What was that about? The manner in which Karyn recited the information, Jet thought, was almost akin to a terrorist plot. Jet shook her head. She was getting carried away. It was from all the counter-intelligence movies she had rented.

  As Jet turned to sneak away, she bumped into a woman. She looked up, surprised. “I’m sorry. Tia, what are you doing here so early?”

  Tia lifted a brow. “I could ask you the same thing. I decided to buy a few books and wait in the café. Then we can meet my other girlfriends at Macy�
��s.” Tia stretched her neck, glancing over Jet’s shoulder. “Have you seen Karyn?”

  She was saved from lying when Karyn walked between them. “Hi, ladies.” She checked her watch. “It’s not six yet.”

  “I know. Seth told you I love books. I wanted to see the new releases while I waited,” Tia said, then smiled.

  Karyn looked at Jet with an expectant expression.

  “Yeah, me too. I was considering one of the Obama books. See,” Jet lied and lifted Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy off the top shelf.

  Tia didn’t look convinced, but kept her opinion to herself. Karyn seemed to accept her answer.

  Scanning the shelves, Tia asked for a recommendation, then looping her arm through Karyn’s, the pair strolled away.

  Jet used the opportunity to scrutinize Karyn’s appearance—the uniform. She hoped the woman was not wearing that tonight. Most women would be dressed in professional or business casual attire. As usual, Tia was classy in rust suede pants and a blazer. When Tia married into the family, they would have shopping in common.

  If Levi was considering a replacement for her sister, Jet hoped he would have better choices. Working in a bookstore and looking like a little girl was not a role model for her niece. She headed in the opposite direction in search of the magazines. Although Jet had enough reading material at work, she might as well buy the book she had in her hand. Maybe Mrs. Obama would give her some inspiration.

  Jet was about to pay for a magazine when an oddly dressed elderly woman was trying to get Karyn’s attention. She had the nerve to wear a colorful church hat with drab dark mismatched clothes. Karyn rushed to help her.

  But it was the woman’s chubby face that reminded Jet of her grandmother who died when she was thirteen. It seemed like all the women who were important to her were gone too soon: her grandmother, mother, and sister.

  “Mrs. Harris, it’s not the first of the month,” Karyn said.

  She huffed with each step. “I wanted to send Sonny something special for Christmas.”

  “Did you forget that you just bought him something extra? Two shipments in one month? He’s going to love you. That will be a wonderful surprise. He’ll make the other prisoners jealous,” Karyn chatted, beaming.

  “Yeah, he says some of them get nothing.” She tsked.

  “It’s sad and lonely. The punishment is when people on the outside forget about those on the inside.”

  “That will never happen. He’s my flesh and blood. His pea-size brain was doing watermelon crimes and he didn’t think about the consequences, you know?”

  Jet heard enough. Those two talked about prison so casually that it made her shiver. She headed toward the café where Tia was speaking with a well-dressed and stylish woman. Only one word could describe her: money.

  Tia waved her over. “Jet, meet Karyn’s sister, Nalani.”

  Nalani’s eyes sparkled when she smiled as she stood. Her resemblance to Karyn was unquestionable. Her appearance was like a polished Cadillac compared to Karyn’s fully-equipped compact economy car. “Hi, Jet. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Automatically, Jet didn’t like her. For no other reason than she was Karyn’s sister. God, what is happening to me? When did she start to dislike people she didn’t know? She was turning into someone she couldn’t stand. The evening was turning out to be full of surprises.

  Karyn clocked out and went into a back room. She came out fifteen minutes later with a makeover. Minutes earlier, she looked tired and simple in her uniform.

  Reluctantly, Jet admitted this Karyn Wallace was attractive in her stacked-heel leather boots; good quality wool pants, and her sweater neckline was trimmed in faux fur. Karyn’s earrings even seemed to be an upgrade. Maybe she wasn’t after Levi’s money.

  In Macy’s, Tia seemed to hit it off with Karyn and her sister, which made her feel like an outcast. The trio joined forces with Tia’s sorority sisters. On more than one occasion, the women, including Karyn, had pulled her into their conversations.

  Although Karyn was nothing less than friendly to her, Jet wasn’t quite convinced that Karyn was suitable for Levi. One odd behavior was Karyn’s constant obsession with glancing at her watch. Why? The second, Karyn seemed to avoid another woman who wore long braids topped with some sort of headband. She was fashionable in an amateur way. When the two observed an item, they scurried away from each other as if they didn’t want to be seen together. Was Karyn a homosexual? She was going to have to be the bearer of bad news to Levi. Instead of enjoying herself, Jet was becoming exhausted monitoring the two.

  At one time, Levi’s anguish seemed to be as great as hers, but not since Karyn had come into the picture. About 9:30 p.m., the gang called it a night. Karyn needed to get home, and Tia wanted to see Seth. Without her niece to fill her loneliness, Jet drove away in her luxury vehicle to a big empty home.

  When Jet pulled into her driveway, she didn’t park or activate the garage opener. She just sat with the motor running. People who didn’t know Jet thought she had everything: car, home, and cushy job. Some thought she was a man-eater because she didn’t suffer fools or men who lacked confidence. As far as forming friendships, they were fragile—easily broken and painful to suture. Not so with a sister. The petty cat fights between sisters over clothes and such could never erase the bloodline, the bond, and forgiveness that always followed.

  Sighing, she opened the garage door and drove through. Once inside her immaculate, three-thousand-square-foot house, she began to flip on light switches. Now that she was home, she thought about calling Levi with her suspicions, then thought against it. “I’m losing my mind. There’s nothing wrong with that woman—a little strange, but normal.”

  She had dressed for bed and was brushing her teeth when the phone rang. Spitting out the toothpaste and barely rinsing, she hurried to answer it, but checked the caller ID: Tolliver. “Hello?”

  “Did you have a good time with Karyn, her sister, and Tia?”

  “Yes, Rossi.” She sat on the bed and brought her knees up to her chest. She wasn’t getting off the phone any time soon. “You know you don’t have to call and check up on me so much. I’m not suicidal anymore. You just don’t understand how it feels to lose someone. I hope you never have to experience that.”

  “God knows, Jet. I’m going to say this with the authority of God. One morning, you’ll awake and it will be a new time in your life. You will move past this, and God will restore what you’ve lost.”

  “Ha! A new sister. I’d like to see that miracle.”

  Rossi snorted. “He’s known as a miracle worker.”

  CHAPTER 32

  A few days later, Levi didn’t allow his cell phone to complete the first ring. “You’re late calling me, woman,” he teased. The time never mattered to him as long as they talked throughout the day and before they closed their eyes at night.

  “Poor baby,” she taunted him.

  “I would be jealous, but I know you’ve been catching up with your sister. I’m happy just to see you happy.”

  “Thank you for understanding, Levi. I’m sorry if I’ve been neglecting you. Nalani has one semester left at Northwestern, so she’ll return to Chicago next month. I hated to see her go back to the hotel where she was staying.”

  “I know you wish your apartment was bigger for an extra guest,” Levi guessed that was the reason since Karyn had never invited him inside.

  “We’ve been cramming in every second. I’m she found me.”

  He frowned. “Found you? You weren’t lost. I’m just sorry you couldn’t mend fences with your father before he died.” Levi could have kicked himself. He heard her sadness when she relayed what Nalani had told her about her father’s passing. Levi had experienced her pain. And he had mastered the art of reading her facial expressions—they proved the honesty behind everything she said.

  Thinking fast, he changed the subject. “Since you don’t care if I missed you, I’ll use my secret weapon. Dori asked about you today.” That pull at h
er heartstrings.

  “I love that little girl.”

  Closing his eyes, Levi could imagine Karyn’s smile and genuine look of adoration. “Hmm. What about her old man? Save your response until we see each other this weekend. Do you have any plans for Christmas?”

  “Besides spending it with my sister, no.”

  “Good. Consider you and your sister guests at my parents’ home.”

  After a few moments of hesitation, she thanked him, then muffled a yawn.

  Levi took the cue. “I know it’s late. We better get some rest. Karyn?”

  “Yes?” Her voice softened.

  “Listen, baby, I know we pray together sometimes, but I’m going to do one of my cousin’s spontaneous numbers. I feel led that we should pray. Okay?”

  “I would love that.”

  Of course she would. That was one thing he adored about her. Karyn thrived on their quick prayers. Anchoring an elbow on his knee, he bowed his head. He heard the ember pop in the fireplace as he gathered his thoughts. “Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for Calvary, thank You for my blessings, and my joy in the morning. Lord, I ask You to bless Karyn and her sister. Lord, show us the way You’ve destined for us. Cover her with Your blood in all that she does. Thank You. Ame—”

  “No, Levi. It’s my turn. Jesus, You know my shortcomings, yet You blessed me with a wonderful man who I know loves me even though he hasn’t said it. Thank You for bringing him into my life. Lord, let me be worthy to receive Your blessings.” Her voice cracked as she sniffed. “I love You, Jesus—”

  “Amen,” they harmonized.

  “Karyn let me be the first to go on record and say I do love you. I know it’s not romantic over the phone...” There was no telling how he would react when he saw her. Levi prayed he wouldn’t lose control.