“And like I said before you need a woman who accepts you for you.”
“Does that mean you no longer wanna be with me?”
“No, what it means is that I’m tired of the lies. I have tried to be nothing but honest with you since the beginning yet all I keep hearing is lies and more lies. I just don’t get it.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I know Angel. And it hurts my heart every time I think about the lies I have told you.”
I surprised myself by laughing. Hell, it was either that or cry. “And then you embarrassed me in front of your family! How could you have treated me that way?”
He looked like he was on the verge of tears. “I’m so sorry. I just was embarrassed that my family put my business out there and I didn’t know how to react.”
“Why didn’t your mama know we were getting married?”
He leaned forward with his elbow resting on his knees as he spoke. “I told her on the phone I wanted to get married again but when she started telling me it was too soon, I backed off. I was planning on announcing it before we left Memphis. You just beat me to it.”
“Because I thought they knew,” I said defensively. He wasn’t going to blame this on me.
“And I apologize for that. I didn’t want to worry you about my family being against the idea so I lied and told you I had told my parents about our wedding. I know now that was wrong, but I knew they wouldn’t believe how much I loved you until they had a chance to meet you. Now, they think you’re the best thing to have ever happened to me.”
I smirked a little. Knowing his parents liked me really meant a lot. Especially since my ex-mother-in-law couldn’t stand me for no reason at all.
“I should have told you the truth. I knew they would judge because this would make my third marriage and I just didn’t want anyone trying to talk me out of it. As you can see my cousins had a field day.”
“This is your fourth marriage.” I wasted no time correcting him.
He shook his head. “I wasn’t ever married to Jasmine’s mother. I just told my mother that. She and my dad had been getting on me and I just decided to tell them we had gotten married so they would leave me alone. But Angel, she was never my wife.”
I looked at the defeated look on his face and all I wanted to do was believe him, but I just wasn’t sure yet.
“You embarrassed me in front of your family. Not to mention you have lied to me so many times before that I just don’t know what to believe anymore.” Tears started to stream down my face. Nothing made any sense.
Jeremy turned on the seat and reached for my hand. “Nyree, I have lied. I have mistreated you, and taken your love for granted and for that I am so sorry.” He took a deep breath. “All my life I desired to meet a woman like you and then when I find you I let my insecurities get in the way. But I swear to you that from this day forward I’m going to treat you like a queen.” He waited calmly, even smiling ever so often. There were tears in his eyes and I could see he was trying to hold it together yet a voice in my head kept reminding me that this wasn’t the first time he had lied.
And I had a sinking feeling it also wouldn’t be the last.
36
JANELLE
“Janelle, did I tell you what happened to Crystal?”
I looked up from the Essence magazine I was browsing through to look over at Veronica. “No, what happened?”
She shifted on the chair and smacked her lips. She did that whenever she was about to say something juicy. “Her man wiped out her bank account.”
“What?”
While she went into details about this trifling chick we had gone to school with, I leaned back in the massage chair. We were at Lucky Nails doing some female pampering. Lord knows I needed an hour of relaxation. Because my man was enough to make you think you were losing your mind. And then there was that situation with my mother and Uncle Todd that I refused to think about. Mama had been blowing up my phone but I just wasn’t ready yet to talk to either of them. Fucking in my daddy’s bed was wrong on so many levels. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even call my brother and tell him what I had seen.
With all the unnecessary stress in my life, I had decided to schedule a pamper day with my girls. Nyree needed it. She had been going through some bullshit with that lame-ass fiancé of her. I hadn’t seen her in three days and when I texted and asked her if she was still planning to get married. She had texted back, I don’t know.
“I thought Nyree was coming?” Veronica asked.
I looked down at my cellphone. It was after seven. “She was, but I guess she got tied up. She and her mom were supposed to meet with the caterer this evening.” Although, I think she wasn’t planning on being there. I hated seeing her going through all the drama. I could handle shit like that but for Nyree it was just too much. She did everything she could to try and please everybody else all the time. That why I hoped for once she would do what she wanted to do.
Veronica beamed. “Isn’t it exciting she’s getting married?”
It took everything I had to keep a straight face. “Yeah, it’s great. I’m happy for her.”
Really, I’m not a hater. I was happy for her. I just felt she was rushing things. Marrying Jeremy was like me being stupid enough to marry Kaleb when I knew we couldn’t go a day without arguing over something as silly as dripping water on the floor after a shower. Don’t get me wrong. I loved him and the drama, but I’ll admit at times, it could be a bit too much.
The nail technician was painting French tips on my toes when I spotted Nyree coming through the door.
“Heifer, where you been?”
She gave me a look like I didn’t want to know. Wrong. I wanna know.
“I need a pedicure—bad!” she mumbled and took a seat in the chair beside me. “Hey Ronnie!”
“Hey girl! One week until your big day!” Veronica looked more excited than we did.
“Yep… it’s right around the corner.” Her words didn’t quite meet her eyes.
I waited until Nyree put her feet in the water and relaxed in the chair before I said, “You okay?”
She didn’t even bother opening her eyes. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“How was the catering appointment with your mother?”
“I didn’t go.” She turned to look at me.
“What?”
Nyree shook her head. “I told my mother I was having second thoughts and then blocked her number so she couldn’t call me.”
“Are you serious?” I gave her a weird look. Where was Nyree? And who was this imposter because my best friend never stood up to her parents.
I had been around the Dawsons for years and although they tried to act like a Huxtable family they had issues just like everyone else. Well, not like mine but what I’m trying to say is they weren’t perfect. One thing I immediately noticed was how her parents always tried to control her. Nothing Nyree decided on her own was good enough. She wanted to be an engineer but her father insisted she join the military. When she married Shane without their approval they stopped speaking to her for over a year. After that Nyree tried to do everything she could to make them happy and I found it so sickening the way her mother would turn her nose up at her. Ms. Mabeline needed to look at herself with that hairy double chin she was sporting. That chick was no better than anyone else. Okay, let me quit.
“What did your mother say?”
She didn’t even look over at me. “I didn’t even give her a chance to speak. I just hung the phone up before she could get a word in.”
“Gurrrl! Mabeline was probably so pissed she threw that tired wig of hers across the room!” I joked.
Her eyes widened. “Oooh, you know you’re wrong for that!”
I started laughing and despite the way Nyree was feeling, she joined right in.
“What’s so funny?” Veronica asked. She had been on her phone gossiping.
I shook my head. “It’s an inside joke.”
As soon as our pedicures were done, Veronica ha
d to hurry home to her boo. For once I didn’t have anywhere I needed to be. As usual Kaleb was blowing me up with text messages, but I just didn’t rush to respond anymore. He was supposed to be working on getting himself together. And I’ll admit he seemed to be acting a lot better on the phone but as many problems as that man had, I knew it would be weeks before I saw any significant changes. In the meantime, I was keeping my hotel suite.
“You got time to run to Starbuck’s?” There was something on Nyree’s face that said she needed to talk.
I nodded. “Sure girl. I’m not doing anything but going back to my hotel.”
Nyree shook her head. “I don’t know why you won’t just come and stay with me.”
“Because I like my privacy and you get up too damn early for me.”
She gave me one of those playful eye-rolls.
I hopped in my BMW and headed toward the coffee shop and noticed I had a missed call that I needed to return.
“Hey CJ, whassup?”
“Hi Ms. Jae. Can I stay at my friend Jordan’s house?” he asked
Why the hell was he calling me? “What did your dad say?”
“He’s got a game and he’s in Kansas City until tomorrow. I tried to reach him but he isn’t answering.”
My eyebrow flew up. “Gone until tomorrow?” What the fuck? The mothafucka had been texting me all afternoon but not once had he mentioned anything about being in Kansas City. I made a right at the light and asked, “Who’s watching you?”
“Nobody.”
See…, niggas ain’t shit. Who leaves their thirteen-year-old home alone without letting another adult know they were leaving town? I could feel my blood pressure rising. Those two were definitely stressing me the fuck out.
“Yeah, go ahead and make sure you come back in the morning and let Midnight out.”
“Okay,” he replied in that irritating voice.
“Oh CJ!” I yelled before he hung up. “Make sure you leave your phone on. Matter of fact, text me when you get there so I’ll know you made it.” Jordan only lived around the block but in this crazy world anything could happen.
I ended the call and was prepared to call Kaleb and cuss his ass out for leaving his son alone. Sure, CJ was responsible and used to taking care of himself, but that didn’t make it right. Besides, I already knew he wanted me to call him and that shit wasn’t happening. I’d just drop by in the morning and check on CJ and Midnight.
By the time I made it to Starbuck’s, Nyree was sitting at a table in the corner of the shop. “Let me order me something,” I said and put my purse down on the table. “You want anything?” She quickly shook her head.
Whatever was bothering my girl had her looking worried as hell. Nyree was probably afraid her mother was going to show up at her house tonight.
I ordered a hazelnut macchiato, then walked back over and took a seat.
“Ree, you look like you just lost your best friend and I know that isn’t the case because I’m right here.”
“No…, it’s worse.” She had poured herself a glass of ice water and brought it to her lips.
“Worse? What in the world did you do?” I asked and then leaned forward, elbows on the table and waited to hear what she had to say.
“I had sex with Timmy,” she confessed.
“What? Whoa!,” I held up my hands. “Time out.” I needed a moment to clear my head and make sure I had heard her right. “You fucked Timmy again?”
“Damn, why you gotta say it like that?” Nyree had the nerve to suck her teeth and try to look disgusted.
“It is what it is,” I said with a dismissive wave. “And when did this shit happen?”
She took a moment to form her words. “Yesterday.” She then shook her head. “I told you I would be down at Knob Noster for a few days doing some training, right? Well, I was working with Timmy and his team. Anyway he and I had dinner yesterday and one thing led to another, and we were sexing it up at his place.”
“Hell nah!” This was just too juicy.
Nyree shook her head and looked like she as on the verge of tears. “I’ve been feeling guilty ever since.”
Her comment threw me. “Guilty for what? You ain’t married.”
“But I’m engaged to be married! Engaged people don’t sleep with other people.” Panic was written all over her face.
“You do when you know something ain’t right about the person you’re engaged to.”
Nyree looked like she was ready to defend that lame-ass fiancé of hers. Thank goodness the barista called out my order. I walked over and retrieved my drink, then grabbed a few napkins before I lowered back on my seat. I decided I needed to wear kid gloves with her.
I took a sip then asked, “So what’s Timmy saying?”
She blew out a long breath. “He wants a relationship. He’s made that clear from day one he wants to be with me.”
I wanted her to be with Timmy too. I’ve never met him but Nyree’s talked about him so much, over the years, I liked everything I’d heard. But I had to remind myself it wasn’t about me. “And what do you want?”
“I just want to be happy.” There were the tears and I quickly passed her a napkin so she could wipe her eyes. “Thanks girl.” She managed between sniffles. “I have never loved a man like I love him.”
“Who Timmy?” I knew who she was talking about but I love to play dumb.
She swallowed hard. “No, Jeremy.”
That was the last thing I wanted to hear but like I said, it wasn’t about me. “Then what are you doing to do?” I asked between sips.
She paused, glancing up at the ceiling as if the answer was written on the tiles above. “I don’t know. Part of me feels that once we’re married everything is going to be a’ight. That all Jeremy needs is the love of a good woman. But, then there is that part of me that keeps saying he’s still hiding something.”
Probably two or three more kids, but I wasn’t even going there.
“And then there’s all that money that’s been spent. My dress is bought, the banquet hall reserved, invitations have been sent out.”
I sucked my teeth. “Forget all that. Fuck that money and your parents because I know that’s what’s really bothering you. For once do you boo.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” Nyree paused and took a sip of water then cleared her throat. “I’m not like you.”
I brought my coffee to my lips then shook my head and said, “That’s where you are wrong. You’re more like me than you think. You just have to start believing it.”
There was a long silence and I could tell she wasn’t completely convinced.
“Try putting together a list of pros and cons. Reasons for marrying Jeremy and reasons for not.” She may not see it but I already saw a long list of reasons why she needed to stay the fuck away from him.
There was this sad distant look on her face. “Together Jeremy and I have been on this spiritual roller coaster ride and I don’t want to get off. I love having a man who I can pray and fellowship with. Men like him are rare.”
“But liars come a dime a dozen,” I murmured.
Nyree cringed at the mention of his dishonesty but she had known me long enough to know I don’t hold punches for anyone.
“If Timmy was the one, we would have already been together yet something has always kept us apart.”
“How about miles?” I answered without missing a beat. “He’s now within a ninety-minute commute. You’ve known him long enough to know what you’re getting yourself into.” I took another sip then leaned in closer. “Look, I’m not saying break up with Jeremy. Hell. If you love it—I like it. What I’m saying is maybe you just need to take a little more time to get to know him… and his kids before you decide this is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with.”
She stared at me for a moment, then nodded. “Maybe you’re right.”
Of course I am. I grinned and brought the cup to my lips.
37
NYREE
We had just gotten done with our Monday morning staffing meeting and I was heading back to my office when I saw something that made me duck behind a chair in the conference room.
“Girl, what’s wrong with you?” Jenna said and laughed. I guess I did look ridiculous trying to hide. What I really wanted to do was slide under the table.
“I think I just saw my mother go by,” I whispered.
“Why in the world would you be hiding from your mother?”
“It’s a long story.” My heart was pounding like crazy. I prayed to God I was just seeing things. “Can you please go tell her I’m not here?” I know I was being a coward but what choice did I have?
“Are you serious?” Jenna had this incredulous look of disbelief on her face.
“Yes!” I snapped then waved my hand. “Go—now—before she comes and find me.”
“Okay, I—” As soon as I heard her voice trail off I already knew even before I heard my mother’s voice that Mabeline had stepped into the room.
“Where’s Nyree?”
“Sorry, but I can’t lie to your mother.” Jenna whispered and before she scurried out the room I caught her pointing down at me.
Traitor.
“Nyree Gail Dawson, get from under that table.”
Oh my goodness. I peeked out over the edge of the table. “Hey Mama.”
“Don’t, hey Mama me! You have a lot of explaining to do.”
I guess I could pretend I had no idea what she was talking about but Lord know I’d been avoiding her calls all weekend, and for obvious reasons. I needed to figure out what I wanted to do about my wedding to Jeremy that was five days away.
I rose to my feet and watched as my mother closed the door to the room. I swallowed hard and hoped there were no meetings scheduled because Mabeline wasn’t going to tolerate any interruptions. Regardless of who it was.
“Sit down,” she ordered and I quickly dropped onto the nearest chair. “What’s going on with you?”
I counted to five, drew a deep breath then replied, “I’m not sure if I want to get married.” I leaned across the table and told her about the last few months. All the lies… Jeremy’s wives and children.
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