“How dare he?” Vanessa cried. “It wasn’t his place to do that!” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Granted, she didn’t want kids now, but she did want them one day. Now, hearing that she would never have them was a devastating blow.
“Vanessa, this was a matter of life and death,” Ida pointed out. “And just so you know, me and your sisters advised Thomas to sign the papers letting the doctor give you the hysterectomy. It was either that or take a chance on you dying.”
“That wasn’t your choice to make!” Vanessa thundered. Then she recoiled at the pain that was shooting through her abdomen.
“Well, it was a choice that had to be made.” Ida made a harrumphing sound, like Vanessa better come to her senses. “I’m sorry, but if I had it to do all over again, I’d do the exact same thing.” She folded her arms defiantly.
Vanessa turned toward the door as Thomas cautiously opened it. “One cup of nice hot coffee,” he said, easing back into the room. The dire look on Vanessa’s face stopped him cold. “I guess your aunt told you?”
“I guess she did,” Vanessa said. Tears started running down her face. “How could you do that?”
Thomas set the coffee cup down on the rolling tray and walked over to the bed. “I’m sorry, Vanessa. You may not agree with my decision, but I stand by it. I couldn’t take a chance on losing you.”
“I’m not yours to lose anymore. Did you forget that?”
He ignored her sarcasm. “Even if you never talk to me again, I can take comfort in the fact that you’re alive and well. And at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes, but his look was so tender, she knew he meant it.
Thomas turned to Ida. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”
Vanessa refused to look at him as he left. As soon as the door closed, Ida said, “Don’t you ever get tired of being a mean, ornery, stubborn child?”
Vanessa blanched. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“That man has been here by your side since they wheeled you in. He’s been worried sick about you. He didn’t want to make the decision he made, Vanessa, but when the doctor said you might not make it otherwise, he didn’t hesitate.”
“I can’t have kids.” Vanessa said the words like the reality was still sinking in.
“Yes, you can. You can adopt. God does everything for a reason.”
“Including taking away my ability to have kids? There’s a reason for that?” She slumped back against the pillows in defeat. In a quiet voice she said, “I didn’t want kids before, so God decided to show me and take away my ability to have them at all.”
“Girl, hush. God doesn’t work like that. Maybe there’s a beautiful baby out there that He wants you to adopt,” Ida counseled. “Maybe He wanted you to get your marriage right first.”
“Yeah, right. My marriage is over. Especially now that I can’t have kids,” Vanessa mumbled. “Not as bad as Thomas wants kids.”
“Thomas has already told me that he doesn’t care if you can’t have kids. He wants to repair his marriage.”
“What?” Vanessa said.
“That’s right. And I’m going to get him so you can talk to him yourself.”
Vanessa lay back, too tired to argue. If Thomas said it didn’t matter whether or not she could have kids, he was lying. After all, all of the problems they’d had stemmed from the fact that they didn’t have kids. There was no way she could believe he was okay with that now.
Vanessa tried to shift in her hospital bed, but the IV stopped her from turning over and getting comfortable. She was just about to complain when she noticed a white teddy bear with a halo over its head sitting on the stand next to her bed. It looked just like one she had bought for Shelly. Curious, she picked it up and pulled out the card in its lap.
She read the words out loud. “‘I miss the way you make me smile when you walk into the room. So get better fast so you can come see me soon. Hugs and kisses, Shelly.’”
Vanessa leaned back against her pillow, her spirit slightly lifting. Once again, Shelly had been the only one who could ease her pain. She didn’t want Shelly to see her like this in a hospital bed, but when she got out, she was going to visit The Mason House as soon as she could.
Chapter 46
Dionne took a deep breath and rang Roland’s doorbell. Yes, he had told her countless times that it was over. But she simply couldn’t take no for an answer. Yes, Bruce was a good man, but her heart was still with Roland. And his heart was with her. She knew it. All she had to do was get him to forgive her.
After seeing what Vanessa had done with her marriage, she wanted Roland to take her in his arms and let her know they could weather this storm.
He opened the door and blinked at the sight of her. “What part of ‘it’s over’ don’t you get?”
“I left something over here,” she said, pushing her way inside.
“You didn’t leave nothing.”
Dionne turned abruptly so they were facing each other chest to chest. “I want you to feel something.” She took Roland’s hand and put it on her stomach. He tried to pull it away but she held his hand firmly until he felt what she was trying to get him to feel.
“Don’t be trying to use the baby to get—” He stopped and a smile crept onto his face. “Oh, my God! Did the baby just move?”
Dionne nodded. She knew he would be touched if he felt the baby move. Rosolyn had told her to drink some grape juice and that would get the baby moving. So she’d done that just before ringing Roland’s doorbell.
“Dang. That’s wild,” he said in amazement. He looked up at her face and his eyes started watering. “Why’d you have to do this to me?”
“Roland, you will never understand how sorry I am. But you can’t stand here and tell me that you will not be a part of our child’s life.”
He sat down heavily on the living room sofa. “Well, I can be a part of his life without being a part of yours.”
“You’re right. And I can’t do anything but respect that. I just ask that you be a part of your baby’s life,” Dionne pleaded.
He cut his eyes at her. “You know I’m going to be there for my kid.”
Dionne wanted to jump for joy but she kept her composure. “That’s all I’m asking. I love you and I want you back, but if you can’t do that, I understand.”
Roland was just about to respond when they were interrupted by a pounding on the door. Dionne immediately had a flashback to Tasha.
She took a deep breath, praying that it wasn’t her. She was making progress with Roland right now, and she wasn’t about to let Tasha mess that up.
Roland started toward the door, but Dionne grabbed his arm. “Don’t get it.”
Roland snatched it away. “It’s probably my neighbor. I’m parked in his parking spot because somebody was parked in mine.”
Dionne didn’t force the issue. She readied herself for a confrontation with Tasha.
“Yo, man, sorry about that,” Roland said, opening the door.
Before he could get the door open all the way, two men both weighing well over three hundred pounds, burst in. “You ’bout to be sorry, all right.” The first one in launched a ferocious punch to Roland’s stomach.
“Yo, yo, man,” Roland panted, falling to the floor.
The taller of the two, who was sucking on a red Twizzler and wearing a black leather coat even though it was seventy-five degrees outside, immediately shut the door. Dionne recognized the man as the same one who came to Roland’s place that night.
Roland struggled to get off the floor. “Come on, Link,” he croaked. “You don’t wanna do this.”
“Oh, I don’t?”
Link nudged his friend with his shoulder and took the Twizzler from his mouth. “You hear that, Red? He said I don’t wanna do this.”
“Nah.” Red laughed. “I think you do wanna do it.”
“Get up, punk,” Link said, kicking Roland viciously in the side.
R
oland let out a groan as he buckled over in pain. Red walked around and grabbed him by the back of his collar, and hurled him like a rag doll across the room.
Dionne was frozen in place on the sofa. They hadn’t acknowledged her presence and she sure as heck didn’t want to bring any attention to herself.
“What’s the rule?” Link said, angrily.
Roland just groaned. Red walked over and picked him up by his neck. “Tell the man the rule,” he growled.
Roland coughed but couldn’t answer.
Red flung him down on the love seat. Link walked over and stood in front of him. “You seem to have forgotten the rule,” Red repeated.
“I think you need to refresh the rule,” Link said, taking a bite from his Twizzler.
“I think I do.” Red leaned down over Roland. “Say it with me. Keep Link’s name out ya mouth.”
Roland mumbled incoherently. Dionne jumped when Link suddenly reached back and slapped him across the face. “Say it with me, then. Keep Link’s name out my mouth!”
Roland winced in pain, but managed to say, “K-keep Link’s n-name out my mouth.”
Link smiled, but only for a moment. “That’s good.” He scowled as Red came up beside him. “But, Houston, we still have a problem.”
“A big problem,” Red echoed.
Dionne trembled as she debated whether she should go to Roland or try to make a run for it.
“You knew the rules,” Link continued, “but you broke the rules. And Mama says, he who breaks the rules pays the price.” He pulled out a chrome automatic. Dionne let out a small scream.
Link finally acknowledged her—by turning and pointing the gun at her head. “I’m gon’ need you to shut the hell up before I blast apart that pretty little head of yours.”
Roland stood woozily. “Come on, Link. She ain’t even in this.”
Link turned his attention back to Roland and shook his head. “You know, I’m not understanding how all of a sudden the FBI, the IRS, and my baby mama is in my business. Your insurance company has filed suit against me for falsifying claims. The FBI is investigating me for fraud. The IRS wants their money, and my baby mama claims I haven’t been giving her enough money since the cops told her about all my extra income.”
“Link ain’t having a good day,” Red said, shaking his head.
“Really, I’m not. I’m pissed,” Link said sternly. “Naw, I’m ’bout two blocks past pissed.” He used the pistol to scratch his head as he stared at Roland. “Help me understand how I’ve been running my business for nine years with no problems. But one year of foolin’ with you and my entire operation falls apart.”
“M-man, I don’t know what happened.”
Dionne gasped as Link put the gun to Roland’s temple. “I do. Somebody got to running their mouth and forgot the golden rule. How did my name come up in your divorce hearing?”
Dionne’s eyes bulged in horror. She prayed that Roland’s nosy elderly neighbor had heard the ruckus and had called the police.
Link continued, “See, the way I see it, if the FBI and everybody else ain’t got nobody to snitch, they ain’t got a case.”
“Come on, Link. How long have you been knowing me, man? You know I ain’t gon’ tell nobody nothing,” Roland said, begging.
“Then how did they find out about our business deals in the first place?”
“Man, I don’t know. It must be my ex-wife. She must’ve hired somebody to follow me or something.”
“Then that means you weren’t handling yo’ business. You sloppy, boy, and I don’t do work with sloppy folks.”
He screwed a silencer on the pistol. “I also don’t leave no witnesses,” he added, eyeing Dionne. He pointed the gun at her. “I think I’ll do this pretty young Tyra Banks–lookin’ thang first.”
Roland jumped up. “No! Man, this is our beef. Please don’t do this to her. She’s pregnant!”
“Oooooh,” Link said, eyeing Dionne’s stomach. “You know what? It seems like to me that I should do little Tyra over here and let you live with the guilt that your big mouth killed your gal and your kid.”
Dionne was shaking so hard, she didn’t know what to do.
“Yeah, that’s what I’ll do,” Link said, aiming the gun at her head. Cowering, she began crying even harder.
Dionne couldn’t believe her quest for revenge had brought them to this. She closed her eyes and began reciting the Lord’s Prayer as Link slid a round into the chamber.
The next thing Dionne knew, she heard Roland cry, “Noooo!” She opened her eyes to see him dive on top of Link and tackle him to the floor.
The two of them began wrestling, muscular arms flying. The gun went skittering across the hardwood floor. Roland grabbed a lamp and smashed Link across the head. He took Dionne’s hand and screamed, “Run!”
Dionne took off toward the front door. She had just swung it open when gunshots rang out. She spun around; Red had pulled his own gun and fired several times into Roland’s back.
Dionne screamed in horror as Roland stiffened and toppled to the floor. When she looked up, she saw Red pointing the gun at her.
“Freeze!” Several cops appeared in the doorway. “Drop the gun! Now!”
Red hesitated, then cursed as he slowly lowered his gun.
As the two police officers headed toward him, Dionne dropped to Roland’s side. She vaguely noticed the cops placing both Red and Link under arrest, and heard one of them say an ambulance was on its way, but after that she saw only the whites of Roland’s eyes and the pool of blood spreading underneath him.
“Baby, baby!” she cried. “Hang on, help is on the way. I’m so sorry.”
Roland struggled to breathe. “I’m s-sorry, too. D-don’t feel bad. This isn’t your fault.”
The pool of blood was growing larger by the second. “Shhhh. Don’t talk.” She looked up at the cops. “Please help him,” she begged.
“The paramedics are here now,” the cop responded, motioning toward the two men running toward them.
“Please help him,” Dionne frantically repeated as the paramedics immediately went to work on Roland.
“Tell my son I love him,” Roland whispered, wincing in pain.
“Oh, so you just know it’s a boy, huh?” Dionne tried to joke. She gently rubbed his face. “Well, I’m not gonna tell your son anything. You’re gonna tell him,” Dionne said, squeezing his hand tighter. “When you get better, we’re gonna make everything right and you’re gonna tell him.”
Roland didn’t respond as he closed his eyes. Dionne closed hers as well, saying a prayer that God would indeed make everything all right.
Chapter 47
Dionne couldn’t stop crying. She was at Memorial Hermann Hospital inside a cold, antiseptic-smelling hospital room. Roland was barely holding on. He’d suffered two gunshot wounds to the back, and the doctors told her it wasn’t looking good. He’d just returned from a grueling four-hour surgery and had yet to wake up.
“Roland, please wake up. We need you. I’m so sorry.” Dionne gripped his hand tightly. She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. Roland was lying in a hospital, fighting for his life, all because of her.
“Come on, baby,” Ida said, gently placing her hands on Dionne’s shoulders. Dionne didn’t even remember how she’d managed to call her family and tell them what had happened. But somehow she must have gotten in touch with them in the ambulance ride over because Rosolyn and Ida had arrived just minutes after they wheeled Roland into surgery. Rosolyn had gone home about an hour ago, but Ida had been in the waiting room all evening. She’d been the one to call Roland’s parents, who were returning from vacation in Florida.
“You’ve been here all night. You need to go home and get some rest,” Ida gently said.
Dionne pulled away. “I’m not going anywhere.” She was about to protest some more when the hospital door swung open.
“Oh, my God,” a woman said, her hand going to her mouth.
She was a creamy caramel c
olor, with brown, bone-straight hair hanging down past her shoulders. She was slender and dressed in expensive-looking clothes.
“Roland?” the woman said, racing to his bedside.
She paused when she noticed Dionne. “Who are you?” she asked accusingly.
“I’m Dionne. Who are you?” She was exhausted, and worried sick, so really, it didn’t matter who the woman was.
“I’m Liz. Roland’s wife.” Liz’s eyes made their way down to Dionne’s protruding stomach. She raised her eyebrow and cocked her head.
Dionne closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Please, Lord, not this. Not now, she thought.
“Well, well, well. We finally meet. The trick who has my man’s nose wide open.”
Dionne couldn’t deal with the wife from hell right now. “I just want to be here for Roland,” Dionne said, pulling his hand up toward her heart. “Can we do this another time?”
Liz folded her arms. “You and all these other heifers Roland messed with think y’all slick.”
Ida cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Miss, I really don’t think this is the time or place for this.”
Liz curled her lip. “Number one, who the hell are you? And number two, don’t nobody care what you think.” She clicked her teeth.
Ida stepped closer to her. She was clenching her Bible tighter and Dionne could see the little vein starting to protrude from her forehead. “I’m about to be your worst nightmare, little girl.”
Dionne jumped up and grabbed her aunt’s arm. “Aunt Ida, no.”
Ida caught herself, then shook her head. “These young girls today done straight lost their minds. In my day and age, we would’ve never talked to our elders like that.”
“Well, this ain’t your day and age, old lady,” Liz snapped.
Before Dionne could respond, Ida had swung and hit Liz upside the head with her Bible.
“Aunt Ida!” Dionne admonished.
“I don’t know who she thinks she’s talking to!”
“Owww!” Liz screamed. “Are you crazy?”
“I’m about two seconds from crazy!” Ida shouted.
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