Every Bitch Has A Secret

by ASHLEY SHAVONNE

  “Okay.” Madison left the theater and went to the ladies’ room, standing in front of the mirror. An older woman came in and stop at the sight of her. She waited for the scream and the fan line but it didn’t come.

  “Baby what’s wrong? It looks like you’re about to cry.” Madison turned to her.

  “A man broke my heart. I still love him but he’s with someone else. I told myself-” She stopped.

  “Life it’s a tough and heartbreak happens a lot. I’m Kim.”

  “Madison.”

  “Parks?”

  “Yeah. I know I must look stupid. A celebrity crying in the bathroom like a teen girl.”

  “No. Just shows you’re human too. We never formally met although we were supposed to though Madison.”

  “We were?” She asked shocked.

  “Yes. I’m Ty’s mother.” Madison felt her stomach dropped.

  “Oh..oh I’m sorry I should go.”

  “No you shouldn’t. Don’t let who I am stop you from talking about how you feel. I see you still love my son and he loves you. Now he’s a grown man and I won’t make excuses for him.” Madison smiled. “There you go. A pretty smile.”

  “Well it’s hard to tell. My understanding he’s with that Sam girl now, which is fine. He can do what he wants.”

  “She’s a nice girl but she’s not you. Ty’s sister doesn’t like her though. Carmelle thinks she’s sneaky for reasons I don’t know why, but she got tickets for us and a free limo so that’s why we are here.” Yeah. Probably to stick it to me. The sister is right and I think I like her already, Madison thought.

  “Well thanks for the talk Ms. Carpenter. I should be going.”

  “Of course. You take care of yourself.”

  “I will.” She left the restroom, passing Carmelle on the way out.

  “Mom you’re missin’ the free affair. Ty just had me run interference with Sam so he could find Madison. Was that her?”

  “Yes. It was. Go tell your brother.” Carmelle left the bathroom and found Ty looking in the main lobby.

  “Hey Ty.” He turned around. “I saw her.”

  “Where?”

  “Get rid of that bitch you wit’ an’ I’ll tell you.” She threatened.

  “I’m not with her.”

  “But fuckin’ her. In some ways you are wit’ her. She’s around most of the time.”

  “Carmelle which way?” He asked, getting pissed.

  “I don’t know but she talked to Mom.”

  “About what? Was it about me?” She shrugged. Madison had past behind Carmelle down a back hallway. He ignored his sister and took off towards her. “Madison!” He called out. She stopped and turned with a stunned look on her face. Ty stopped and stared. She looked beautiful with a forlorn look on her face. She gave him a slight smile. The dress she had on didn’t do her body justice. Ty stood there, feeling stupid as hell for cheating on her and not being patient with her. She told him she was damaged and it would take her time to be there fully. The moment was broken up by her mother appearing and talking her back inside to the movie. “FUCK.” Now he had to wait for movie out to see her again.

  “Ty?” Sam grabbed his hand. “What are you doing out here? Let’s go back inside.” She pulled him back inside and he shrugged her off. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “I wanna be alone right now. I’ll hit you up later.”

  “Fine. Call me then.” She rolled her eyes and went back inside. Ty walked out a side door and saw the crews breaking down the front entrance. He missed his chance tonight.

  ******************************

  Ty sat in the corner, staring out the window. Kim and Carmelle watched him from across the room.

  “What’s goin’ on wit’him?” Carmelle asked.

  “Wish I knew. He’s been like this all morning.”

  “Well then...mama teach me how to me them catfish nuggets. I got a date I wanna cook for.”

  “Alright come on.” They went to the kitchen and Ty was able to breathe easy. He knew they been watching him like a hawk. He had too much on his mind. He still haven’t dealt how things went down at the movie premiere. The fact she gave him a smile gave him hope then yesterday Sam called him, saying she might be pregnant. That was his own fault for raw dogging. If he did have a chance with Madison, Sam being pregnant couldn’t be at a worse time. There was a soft knock at the door and Ty went to open the door.

  “Madison what’chu doin’ here?” She was hanging onto the door frame.

  “Hey we need to talk.”

  “Good. Come in.” She walked in slowly and he closed the door. “I’m glad you stopped by. I wanted to talk to you and see if we could get on some ground or something.”

  “Uh-huh.” She responded, glassy eyed.

  “How you know where I was?”

  “Your mother.”

  “Any other time I woulda told that old lady to mind her damn business.” He felt good talking to her, without any screaming or tears falling. “You wanna sit?”

  “I’m good.” He slowly grabbed her hand and held it.

  “I missed you.” Her head dropped and she nodded.

  “Me too.” He pulled her into a hug and inhaled her scent. She smells so fuckin’ good. She broke the hug and kissed him. This was so familiar. Her hair. Her body. Her smell. She tasted of peppermint and vodka. He snatched away.

  “You been drinkin’?! Seriously?!”

  “What? Why shouldn’t I? This how I cope without wanting to stay in bed. You killed any chance of me loving and trusting anybody again. You were supposed to be different!” She screamed at him.

  “Leave Madison. Go! Don’t come back here until the shit is out yo system.”

  “Fine!” She yanked opened the door and stalked out.

  *****************************

  She got into her car, turning the radio all the way up, driving away as fast as she could. She groped around in the back for her bottle of vodka. She snatched the bottle up and continued what was left. She took the exit towards the hills, taking the long way back to her house to think. The pain was coming to her in huge waves. She couldn’t cry anymore she been crying for too long. The bottle slipped out her hand, reaching down to get it she took her eyes off the road.

  “GET BACK HERE!” She yelled at the bottle, grabbing it by its side. She looked up and the corner took her by surprise and the car broke through the rail, plunging over the cliff causing several contents of her car fly out the window.

  ****************************

  It was four thirty when Josefina came knocking at Ty’s door. He opened right away.

  “Mrs. Parks what are you doing here?”

  “Madison called to tell me she was coming over here to talk to you and promised to call me right after. I haven’t heard from her in hours. Did she come by?”

  “She did but she wasn’t in the best shape.”

  “What do you mean?” Her phone rang. “Hold on...Hello?...WHAT?!...What do you mean accident? What kind? ...Oh my god I’m coming.” Ty felt sick to his stomach as she hung up. “Madison been in an accident. I have to go.”

  “I’ll come with you.” They raced back to her car and she made several calls on her way to their destination. Josefina climbed out of the car when she pulled up to the site of the accident. There were police and ambulance everyone.

  “Where is she? Where’s my daughter?! Where’s Madison?” She yelled, running with Ty behind her. They ran over to the crowd standing by the rail. They pushed their way through and a cop grabbed Josefina as the obvious was made clear. The yellow tape blocked off the gaping hole of the rail and several teams were below working through the charred mess of a car. “OH MY GOD NOOOOOO!!!!” She fell to the ground. Her screams and her tears could be heard for miles. Tammy then Nick appeared, stopping short of the hole.

  “How do they know?” Tammy asked. Another cop held up scattered pieces of her belongings.

  “They found these along the hillside of the cliff. Her wallet
and cell ma’am.”

  “NOO. NOO.” Tammy cried, turning to Ty to cry on. Nick grabbed his heart and staggered. Ty stood there, stunned. He couldn’t move. It was his fault. All his fault. He shouldn’t have never told her to leave when he knew she shouldn’t been driving. The burnt smell in the air hurt his lung. She was gone. Forever…The same cop who broke the news began explaining things. She died on impact and the fire burned what was left. She died was what he was stuck on. It was his fault. Madison would never come back to him. Tammy’s sobs shook his body and he stood there lost.

  Chapter 10

  Ty woke up and checked his clock. That was a horrible ass nightmare, he thought. He reached over and grabbed his phone to check on Madison. The dream was so vivid and it bugged him. Sam slept next to him. He slid out of bed and went to his living room. His dialed her number.

  “Sorry the number you’ve dialed is no longer in service.” He hung up and called again, getting the same message. His heart started to beat faster. He called Tammy. She sounded half-asleep.

  “Tammy.”

  “Ty what’s wrong?”

  “Madison’s phone is off. How can I get ahold of her?”

  “Nigga is you on drugs?!”

  “Hell naw.”

  “Then why you doin’ this?”

  “Doin’ what?”

  “Ty she’s dead. Don’t play on my phone like this. You were there like everyone else. She was drunk and drove herself off the cliff. Goodbye.” The line went dead in his ear. He threw it into the couch and put his head in his hands.

  “Ty you ok?” Sam appeared next to him.

  “I think I lost my damn mind. Yo ma be straight with me. Is she really gone?”

  “Yes.” She whispered. “We went to her services already. You’ve been walking around in shock the past few days. The doctor said you would come back and realize eventually.”

  “Aight.”

  “Come back to bed.”

  “I will.” She nodded and went back in the room. Ty started crying in the middle of the room. It’s been years since he cried and he knew he needed to. He had a nervous breakdown and would have to accept the fact that she was gone. It killed him they never made up and she left the world hating him. He should have never told her to leave the house while she was drunk. If he stopped her, she would be alive today. If only he stopped her…

  **************************

  Tammy pressed the send button on the fax machine. The folders in her arms were heavy but she dare not dropped them. She had a million thoughts in her head and had to focus on what she was doing in front of her. She made the walk up the winding stairs to her boss’ office to deliver this morning transcripts from his meetings. Working at a law firm that represented celebrities during their troubles had its ups and downs. This was a down moment. These past three weeks have been the hardest. This job, the death of her friend, and her noisy new neighbors. She knocked twice then walked in.

  “Dean here. You wanted these.” She set down the folders.

  “Thanks Tammy. I been meaning to ask. How are you doing with your loss?”

  “I’m managing…Dean. Thanks for asking.”

  “If you need any time off just ask. I didn’t expect you to come back to work right away but you did.”

  “If I took off, how would you get anything done without me?” She questioned with her hands on her hips.

  “That’s very true.” He laughed. “But you’re wellbeing is more important. So whenever you need it ask. I mean it Tamela.”

  “Oh real names. You are serious. Okay Dean. I’ll put in for some days.” She walked out the office. Some days off would do her good. Today was the day that they would pack up Madison’s place and sell it. She had been dreading this day. It would really mean admitting that she was gone. It was obvious Ty was having a hard time, calling her like that his morning bugging out. The new girlfriend said he had a breakdown and not to contact him until he got better. Tammy felt she was being funny. Josefina, Ty and herself were each other support throughout this and for her to take him from the equation was wrong. Tammy returned back to her mini office. In the corner on her desk stood a picture of Madison and her on her twenty-first birthday. A picture she would forever cherish now. She got drunk and passed out. It was a fun night and her friend stayed by her side all night even though she had an early call in the morning.

  “Tammy, I’m going to Starbucks. Want something?” Gloria asked from her doorway.

  “No thanks. Watching my intake.”

  “Okay.” Tammy glanced at the clock and saw that it was near noon. She gathered up her bag and endured the thirty minute drive to the townhouse. The door was already opened and Josefina with Ty were loading things into the truck in the driveway.

  “Glad you’re here. I need the extra hands.” Josefina said.

  “Where you need me?”

  “Her room please. Ty help her.” They walked up to the room. Quietly, they took things off the shelves and stuffed them in the boxes. Tammy came across a framed picture from the Oscars. They were so happy. The smiles full of life yet the frame was so cold. The tears were forming in her eyes.

  “We were so happy. Where in the hell did we go wrong?” Ty came over and took the frame from her.

  “Tammy, I don’t know. Everything happened so fast.” He took her in his arms to comfort her.

  “She was my best friend. I miss her.”

  “I miss her too.” She looked up in his face.

  “Are you doing any better?”

  “Yeah. I am now. You’re warm and comfortin’.” She laughed.

  “Weirdo.” The frame slipped from his hand and shattered when it hit the floor. They didn’t notice the crash because they were embracing and kissing fiercely. Everything was happening so fast. She freaked and pushed him away. “Yo what are we doin?”

  “My bad. I’m trippin’ I’ve been trippin’ fo’ a while now.” He apologized.

  “We both miss her Ty but it’s not a good idea to look to each other in that way. It wouldn’t be right and you got a girlfriend. Let’s just finish up here.” They went about the room, packing whatever they could then load to the boxes downstairs to find Josefina, sitting on the couch in tears. “Josefina! Que pasa?”

  “Tammy..I can’t do it. I can’t be here.” She whispered. Tammy set down the box she had.

  “Ok that’s fine. I’ll put an order in for some movers. Come on. Let’s get you to your car.” Tammy helped her up and took her to the car. Josefina got in. “Just go home. We’ll finish up here and I’ll call the movers.”

  “Gracias Tamela.” Tammy tapped the hood and Josefina drove away. She smiled sadly after her then went back to the house to face Ty. She found him, sitting in the same spot Josefina just left.

  “How are you doin?”

  “I’m here.”

  “Samantha said you had a breakdown and you were outta it for a few days. Is that why you called earlier?

  “Yeah. Guess I didn’t want to believe. I still don’t actually but Sam told me now I have to accept it. I’m dealin’ wit it bad cause it was my fault.” He admitted.

  “What you mean?!” Her temper flared a bit.

  “Um...she came to me drunk, tryna fix things. I don’t know we didn’t get far. I said sorry, we kissed, and then I noticed she was drunk. I told her to leave. You know how we felt about her seeing stupid drunk.” Tammy nodded slowly. “I was pissed that she did the shit. She left screaming at me. I wish I could go back every time. She didn’t have no business drivin’ and I had no business tellin’ her to leave fucked up as she was. I don’t even have the balls to tell Josefina I played a part in her daughter’s death after breakin’ her heart. I can’t. Tammy I should have stopped her.” He confessed with his head down. Tammy sucked in so much air that her chest hurt. Yes she knew Madison drunk herself stupid at times. She did know that her and Ty wasn’t together anymore for reasons unknown. She felt bad but she didn’t blame him. Walking over she touched his arm.