“I’ll tell you about it later.” Bettye entwined her arm in Brandi’s and marched her forward. “Come on, you’ve got a business to run.”
“First I need to thank these women,” Brandi said, struggling to keep up with her mother-in-law. Lord, that woman could move!
“Thank them at lunch, don’t stop the flow right now. Some of them have never worked a day in their lives.” Then she laughed. “Well, no job outside of their ex-husbands. And that’s some serious office time.” She pointed to the place where Tanya had set up a makeshift training area. “Some have never touched a computer, but they’re willing to learn.”
“And whose idea was this?”
Bettye beamed with pleasure. “Your husband’s.”
“Vernon?” Brandi choked out.
“Did you suddenly become married to someone else?”
“No, but I just—I—I—” she stammered, unable to come up with a single word.
“He loves you, honey,” Bettye said with a soft, caressing laugh as Brandi struggled to compose herself. “And this whole thing has given him a chance to grow and learn. Anytime he listens to me because he’s concerned about you, it says he’s changing.”
Brandi thought about that for a moment. “So should I…? You know.”
“Honey,” she said, with a warm smile. “I don’t think you wanted to be away from him in the first place.”
“No, I was just so hurt by what he’d done, and felt so…not enough.”
Bettye grinned. “Honey, nothing a man does with his dick should make you feel that way.”
Brandi opened the door to her office. Bettye sat in one of the guest chairs; Brandi sat in the other, next to her. “Then why did you divorce William?”
“If I had told him the truth he would have fought me for the divorce instead of just fighting about the details. The details kept him running for cover. He was so busy protecting his assets, he didn’t realize he’d left his ass hanging out.”
Brandi took a moment to mull that over. “If you don’t mind, may I ask what the real reason was.”
Bettye’s gloss-covered lips twitched before saying, “I loved him, I just didn’t like him as a person anymore. At first I stayed because of Vernon, ’cause Lord knows, if I wasn’t around, no telling what would’ve become of that young man.”
“I’d hate to picture it.” Brandi grimaced at the thought. “But just because I value Vernon for all the things he does right, doesn’t mean I’m supposed to expect less of him in other areas.”
“No one’s saying you should.” Bettye crossed one leg over the other, looking every bit as regal as the first day Brandi met her.
“I can’t just turn the other cheek,” Brandi said after shifting through the memories of the last time they made love. Her body quivered in response. Reason swept in quickly. “I’ve only got four and he’s smacked each one of them. He has to know I won’t tolerate this lying down or standing up straight. When he comes to the house to pick up the girls and sees that blonde Amazon serving dinner to me and his children, it brings the point home a hell of a lot faster than a divorce ever could. I love him, but I love me, too.”
Bettye reached out to touch Brandi’s hand. “Then hold on to the lesson you’re trying to teach him and still love him. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I lost my mother over this.” Brandi suddenly felt the overwhelming loss of her mother’s voice and her guidance. But the woman had held true to her word. She wouldn’t take Brandi’s calls and she didn’t open the door whenever she showed up. She did let the kids in, but slammed the door in Brandi’s face right after.
“Honey, you didn’t lose her. Jean’s just a stubborn old biddy.” Then Bettye gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Actually, she’ll be here first thing in the morning to help out. You’ll have your chance to lay a bridge between you.”
“Bettye,” Brandi said, settling back in the leather chair, hoping her mother would be receptive. “All those women out there are college-educated?”
“That’s right, dear.”
“Then why did they settle for just being housewives?”
Bettye blinked and took a long breath. “In our day, we had only a few choices: teacher, nurse, stewardess, secretary, or housewife. The world was male-dominated. Women doctors and business women were practically unheard of—especially Black women doctors and Black Businesswomen. You wouldn’t find a female construction worker to save your soul. Then the Sixties happened—flower children, and the marches for civil and equal rights and all that, and doors that had once been closed to us were suddenly flung wide open. But we were already housewives, we were already raising children and had also made a commitment to support our husbands. And that’s exactly what we did,” she said, looking Brandi square in the eye.
“And if you were married back then to our type of husbands—who were all about status—they became our jobs.” Bettye sighed softly. “And with the egos and everything else it was sometimes harder than just having a nine-to-five. No one knows the sacrifices I’ve had to make. But it was my choice and I stuck with it until I figured out that I didn’t have to put my needs on hold to satisfy anyone. I was almost sixty before I understood that. You’ve picked that up a whole lot faster.”
Brandi nodded, absorbing that bit of knowledge. “How did you convince all of these women to work for free?”
“They’ve wanted to do something for a while, but they don’t need the money, their husbands are still chucking out top dollars in alimony—none of them have remarried.”
“So they stay celibate!” Brandi shrieked, picturing years of keeping the delta on hold. It wasn’t gonna happen.
“Oh, hell no, honey,” she said with a little sway of her hips. “We need to get our stroke on just like everybody else. We just do it in a way that doesn’t compromise our…investment plan. Our time was money.” Then Bettye took Brandi’s hand. “And what better women to help counsel new couples or single women in relationships than women who’ve been part of society’s changes? We’ve been Coloreds, Negroes, Blacks, and now we’re African-American.”
“Great point. So what’s the plan?”
Brandi felt a renewed sense of purpose as her mother-in-law recounted recent developments. After Bettye left the office, Brandi had even more mixed feelings about Vernon. Why would he help her when he’d been so dead set against her working in the first place? Was he changing? And where did that leave their marriage? Still on the path of ending or on the path to true reconciliation?
Sierra poked her head into the office. “Mommy, you have anything I can fax?”
“Not right now,” Brandi replied absently.
“Okay.” She turned and went out the door.
“No, wait a minute.”
Sierra strolled in as Brandi scribbled a short note on The Perfect Match letterhead:
I can’t thank you enough. Dinner’s on me.
You name the time and place.
Your loving wife.
She resisted the urge to write. “Bring your condom,” because they needed to have a serious talk. No judges, no lawyers, nothing between them but air and opportunity. She passed it to her youngest daughter.
“Fax this to Daddy?” Sierra asked with a wide grin.
Brandi nodded. “Right away, little Miss Spencer, Vice President of Communications.”
“I don’t want to be vice president,” the little girl said with a proud lift of her chin. “I want to be president of faxing!”
Laughing as she held her daughter close, Brandi said, “That’s my girl!”
CHAPTER Fifty-Nine
Steppers music blared from every corner of the second level of More than Enough. The place now had four levels, each catering to a different type of music and dances. Latin/Salsa on the first floor, Steppers music on the second, Jazz and New Age on three, and World Music/Reggae on four.
The Perfect Match team wore black and pearls once again—soon to become a standard. Those old women were giving the young men
in the place a run for their money on the dance floor. They could step their asses off—smooth turns, two short moves forward, then two long strides, the cradle and matador turns—almost like ballroom dancing with a bit of R&B style. Tanya’s relatives were right by her side. Brandi and Michelle could have been twins! And Mama Diane and Grandma Belle were absolute delights. They’d planned and coordinated the menu for the evening. Brandi was too nervous to eat, but she had threatened everyone that if she didn’t end up with a plate to take home, someone was gonna catch the wrath.
The music scratched to a halt as Vernon took the cordless mic and strolled across the room to Brandi. They had seen each other in passing, but never made mention of that rainy night of passion. And when he woke up that next morning and she wasn’t next to him, an emptiness filled him that he hadn’t been able to shake. He knew exactly what he needed to do.
He dropped to one knee and looked up at her. “For better or worse? I’ve done the worst thing a man could possibly do to his wife. I committed my one and only unforgivable lifetime infraction.” Then he took her hand. “But if you find it in your heart to forgive me, I would be eternally grateful and forever in your debt for redeeming my lonely heart and healing our marriage.”
Murmurs erupted around them as people came closer and stared at the couple.
“I am not the same man you married fresh out of college; that man is long gone. So divorce him. Let’s bury him. And will you please marry the new and improved me?
Brandi paused, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness engulf her.
Disappointment flashed into his eyes. “If you can’t answer now, that’s all right. Here are the divorce papers,” he said, passing the court documents to her. “Sign them and let’s put that time behind us and start from here. I’ll even…” He swallowed hard. “You know…um—wash dishes and stuff.”
Brandi laughed through her tears.
“It’s against my religion to cook and all that, but I can take a stab at it once a week, but it’s gonna be take-out the other two days. I don’t want you to lose a pound.”
She chuckled.
“I’ll even do—” he placed a single hand over his chest and choked—“laundry.”
This time Brandi roared with laughter. “Okay, okay, okaaay!”
“Is that close to yes or just a maybe?” he asked with a wide grin.
She waited, searching her heart and knew without a doubt. “It’s a yes!”
“Whooo hooo, hoooo!” He picked her up and hugged her to him.
The entire nightclub applauded and cheered for the: divorced? soon-to-be remarried? never-got-divorced? couple. Who knew what to call them these days?
“On one condition,” Brandi said into the mic and the cheers halted.
Vernon didn’t lose his smile as he looked up at her.
“We renew our vows. This time I want you to repeat them three times so you don’t forget.”
Laughter and applause filled the room.
“Done,” he said quickly, “as long as Avie’s not springing for the food.” They both looked over to the lawyer. “I am not having the Corner Bakery for my reception.”
Avie’s middle finger popped up on its journey to brush over her eyebrow. Carlton popped her on the rear and she turned and kissed his cheek.
“Hey, if the results are that good, sign me up right away!” said a tall, leggy woman with long black hair.
William Spencer stood near the doorway and lifted his glass in the direction of the reunited couple. Vernon nodded once before turning to kiss Brandi with a passion that made their night together a few days ago seem like foreplay.
A stampede followed as a crowd formed in front of the registration tables.
In a matter of an hour, they signed up more people for TPM than they expected—even women who were already married wanted to check out their current husbands. Hmph!
♥♥♥
Michael waited for the crowd to die down some before approaching Brandi. “You’re going back to him?”
She turned to face him. “Michael, I’ve never left him.” Wearing a black suit with a red, white, and black print tie, he looked more like a man who had stepped out of the pages of GQ than a man holding out for the woman who got away. She waited a few seconds, but he didn’t respond.
“He’s learned his lesson.”
“But he could do it again. And now this Tanya person’s vice president of The Perfect Match. That’s just like dangling the mouse in front of the cat. He could cheat on you again,” Michael pointed out.
“And so could you. Can you promise me that you’d never, never, never do what he did? Some men are better at hiding their indiscretions than others. As secretive as you are, you could pull it off. And there’s no guarantee, no matter how many vows are said and promises are made. You don’t think I see how you watch Tanya?”
Michael lowered his gaze a little. “That’s just appreciation for the female form. Hell, I’m amazed that a white woman has a shape that I’ve only seen on Black women.”
Brandi laughed. “Yeah, kind of shocked me, too.” She looked across the room to Tanya who stood next to Michelle. “With that much backfield, I still swear up and down, she’s got a drop of Black blood in her family.”
“She’s a good person,” Brandi said softly, elbowing him in the ribs. “And she’s single and she likes good men.”
Michael linked Brandi’s hand in his. “No you’re not trying to pimp me off.”
“Only if she pays me. I think you’re quality stock.” Then she turned to him so their eyes locked. “Since we’re not going to be together, I’d like to at least make sure you’re in good hands and where I can keep an eye on you.”
Michael’s eyes held a glint of sadness. He stroked a thumb across her open palm.
“Plus as my friend she’ll drop all the juicy details so I’ll know exactly how jealous I should be.”
He grinned at the thought. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”
Brandi cast a glance at her husband, who waved to her from across the room, then strolled confidently in her direction. She looked up at Michael, kissed his cheek, and said, “Not ever.”
CHAPTER Sixty
Brandi cuddled next to her husband on the sofa, watching The Long Kiss Goodnight, one of their favorite movies. That Geena Davis could really kick some serious bad boy butt! “Are you sure about me moving back in this weekend?” Vernon asked, tearing his eyes away from the screen.
“I told you, I’ve never had a problem with you being right where you belong—with me.”
“And we’ll share the same bed?”
Her lips twitched in an effort not to smile. “I think first we’ll have a probation period…”
“Very funny,” he said dryly. “You know that judge sent us an Anniversary card?”
“That’s sweet.”
“With his crazy ass.”
Brandi roared with laughter. “But if he hadn’t cared enough to send us to counseling, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
“True, true,” he said, kissing her fingertips. “I still think we need to commit him to the Rubber Room Hilton.”
“Get over it, Vernon. You were wrong and he helped bring that point home. End of discussion.”
Vernon sighed wearily, conceding her point. “I’m glad the new buyers closed yesterday. It’ll take a week for me to wrap things up. Mama wanted to make sure I was on the right track, so she took my key and I had to move everything into storage. I can’t wait to move back home.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Snuggling up to his wife, he said, “I’ve missed you, woman.”
“I’ve missed you…sometimes,” she replied with a sly grin.
Her peered at her. “That’s cold.”
“That’s the truth.” She lifted her glass, taking a long sip. “Thank God for Doc Johnson.”
Vernon stiffened as he looked over to her. “You slept with someone named Doc?”
She laughed so hard a single t
ear streamed down. “I’ve been sleeping with him off and on since last year.”
“What—what! Woman, I—what!”
“And he’s actually here right now.”
Vernon paused to take that in, and sighed wearily. “That damn vibrator?”
“A dildo,” she corrected with a wide grin.
“I’m getting rid of that thing the moment I—”
“You do and I will divorce you. No if, ands, or buts about it. Just like Tanya, he’s part of the family now.”
Somehow that statement didn’t sound too good. “Well, Doc or Johnson or whoever the hell he is better recognize authority,” he said, guiding her hands to his erection.
She laughed. “That might be tough, he’s been sleeping on your side of the bed since you’ve been gone.” Brandi stroked his face. “It took being away from you to discover how much I like myself. I think we did get married too soon.”
“You think we got married too soon. I’ve always wanted the stability of marriage.” He kissed her gently, exploring the moist depths of her mouth with an expert tongue. “I’m going to make it up to you.”
She smiled, her sexy lips parting in a wide smile. “You damn sure will. I’ll take mine in ass coupon.”
Vernon laughed as he curled his wife into his arms, relishing the soft, lush feel of her. “Are you sure you’ve forgiven me?”
“Of course I forgive you, honey,” she said, kissing him softly. “I still love you.”
“And there’ll be no hard feelings when I come back home?”
“Absolutely, it’ll be business as usual.” She kissed him again. “Personally, I think you should’ve taken my advice and kept the house on Wabash. We could just date.”
Grimacing at the thought of being separated from his wife any more than he had to, Vernon looked down at her and said, “That defeats the purpose of being married.”
“Okay,” she said after a moment. “I guess I can see the logic in that.”
“And I—”
Tanya strolled in, wearing a bright blue miniskirt and white halter top. She had pulled her hair back into a youthful ponytail; her face glowed with a healthy tan. Vernon watched as she exchanged Brandi’s glass of Spumanti for another.
Every Woman Needs a Wife Page 36