Paxton's Peace

by Bailey West

  I looked at Paxton trying to gauge his mood after hearing my truth. He cracked his knuckles and sat back in his chair. I took another large gulp of my wine.

  “Why does he think he can have you back, then? He doesn’t deserve you? From what you just told me, he never deserved you. Were you ever happy with him?”

  “No, I was never happy with him. I married him because people thought that I should, so I did. I had given up on happiness. I remember one time, he had punched me in the stomach and I fell to the floor in pain. He continued to hit me, but I didn’t really feel it because I was busy praying that God would just let me die. I’d considered taking my own life a time or two.”

  I downed the wine in my glass and poured another one.

  “Did you tell your mother?”

  “Yes, she never knew to what extent he put his hands on me. Her advice was to be more submissive,” I chuckled. “I thought I was all alone until one day I had a conversation with Mrs. Belton, my mother’s boss. She gave me the courage to leave. When I first left, I didn’t tell anyone where I had gone, not even my mother. Mrs. Belton owned a home that no one knew about. She used it to go and clear her mind. She let me stay there and didn’t tell my mom. I called my mother to let her know that I was okay. Mason happened to be at my mom’s house when I called and took the phone from her. I guess my mother walked out of the room to let us speak in private because once she was out of earshot, he told me that if he found me, he was going to kill me. I said something along the lines of you’ve tried more than once and failed, just like you do with everything else you’ve tried…or something like that. I may or may not have used some colorful expletives. Anyway, I knew I was never going back, not alive anyway. Mrs. Belton helped me get a lawyer, and I filed for a divorce. He couldn’t contest it because I didn’t take anything. I even gave him his last name back. I gave back the wedding rings. I left all my clothes at his house. I didn’t have anything except the money in my bank account that I’d been stashing away.”

  I swallowed the last of my Malbec.

  Paxton

  “Did you ever go to the police?”

  “No. I didn’t. I was too scared to go to the police. You know how they usually handle domestic disputes. They would probably make him leave for twenty-four hours, then he would be right back and ready to go at it again. No, I just tried to stay low and not cause friction even though that didn’t work either.”

  I listened to Olivia’s story, and all I could think about was murdering her ex-husband. I knew his name, where he lived and what he did for a living. All that information came up when I did a background check on her. Roman ordered it because it was a part of her hiring process. I was curious about this ex-husband. Now I know. Her not going to the authorities would explain why none of this came up in her background check.

  “Olivia, you know that’s not how a real man treats a woman, right?”

  “You know, I’ve heard people say that, but my two examples of how men treat women are my father, who cheated and created babies on his wife and my ex-husband who used his wife as a punching bag. The first time I’ve ever been treated differently by a man was when you checked to make sure my house was secure. Then you opened the car door for me. That is not my norm.” She shook herself. “Anyway, would you like your ice cream now?”

  “Sure,” I smiled as she got up and walked away from the table. I watched her take two small containers of ice cream out of the freezer. Then she removed two spoons from one of the drawers.

  “I have two flavors. We can try them both. Which one would you like? This one is chocolate with marshmallows and nuts. Sort of like a rocky road. This one is Vanilla Bean.”

  “I will let you choose first.”

  She smiled and handed me the Vanilla Bean. Both sounded great, but I enjoy a good vanilla bean ice cream.

  I followed her to the living room and sat next to her on the couch. She removed her shoes and tucked her feet underneath her. She had a long black shirt that had holes where her shoulders were. She wore black leggings underneath. I glanced at her toes before she tucked them in. They were manicured, and tips were painted white.

  “You know when I left Savannah, I promised myself that I would start living life. I don’t just want to survive anymore, you know? I want to live. See new places and try new things.”

  “Where do you want to go? What do you want to see?”

  “France, so I can see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, and I want to see the Eiffel Tower. Zimbabwe, so I can visit Victoria Falls and Dubai because I want to have dinner in the sky.”

  “Those are all nice places. What about in the United States?”

  “I’ve never been to D.C. I want to see the White House and the Martin Luther King monument. I want to go to New York to see Niagara Falls because I heard it’s beautiful.”

  “The best view is from the Canadian side.”

  “Yeah, I heard that too. I want to go to New York City and see a Broadway production and eat from a street vendor. I want to visit Massachusetts so I can go to the Ink Well.”

  “Oak Bluffs? The historically all-black beach at Martha’s Vineyard?”

  “Yep.”

  “All of those places are doable. Do you have a passport?”

  “No, not yet. I guess I should get one huh?”

  “That would be a good start. They are easy to obtain.”

  “I’m going to look into that.”

  “Cool.”

  We finished our ice cream. She took my spoon and an empty container to the kitchen.

  “Well, I have to go. I have an early morning tomorrow. Thank you for dinner. It was amazing.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I have another container of ice cream for you to take home and I made you some containers of food to take with you if you want them?”

  “I was wondering if there was anything left. Yes, I would like to take some home with me. I will return your containers.”

  “Don’t worry about them. They are my gifts to you.”

  “Would you like to have dinner with my family and me tomorrow? It’s after church at Roman and Zanetta’s house.”

  “I had planned on visiting the church tomorrow so yes, I would love to come. Will I need to bring anything? Will Zanetta be okay with me coming?”

  “No, don’t bring anything. She cooks enough to feed an army. No, she won’t mind, but I will tell her that you are coming. If you come to the last service, you can follow me over to their house.”

  “Okay.”

  “Cool,” I pulled her in for a hug. “I will see you tomorrow.”

  I stretched as I opened my eyes and sat up in my bed. This was the third night in a row that I fell asleep immediately and slept the entire night. I thought the first night it happened it was a chance occurrence, then it happened again. Now it’s been three nights in a row. I had a good idea of why I am sleeping all of sudden, but I don’t want to rush to any conclusions.

  11

  I was nervous and excited about spending the evening with Paxton and his family. I thought dinner went well last night. He enjoyed the food and the ice cream was a hit. Paxton continues to treat me with so much care and respect. He listened while I talked about Mason and when I was tired of talking about it, he didn’t mind me changing the subject. I think he likes me, but I can’t tell for sure. I know I like him, a lot.

  I got up very early to prepare myself for church. It had been awhile since I’d attended any church, so I’m not sure what to expect. I did look on YouTube at some of Pastor Bluette’s sermons. The church seems pretty laid back so it should be fine.

  I chose a black knee length dress with a knot detail across the bust. My mother had recently sent the dress to me. She loves to shop and is constantly sending me clothes. I don’t mind even though I’m over thirty and still wearing outfits picked out by my mother.

  Bessie started without a problem, and I arrived at church about fifteen minutes before it was scheduled to begin. I settled in a seat in the m
iddle of the church. I saw Zanetta come from the back of the church followed by a very pretty woman who looked to be around her age. They sat next to each other on the front row.

  Everyone stood up when the singers began singing. Pastor Bluette came from the back of the church and took a seat in the corner of the stage. Paxton followed behind him. Paxton looked good in his dark blue double-breasted blazer. He had one of those cute little lapel flowers that men wear on their suits. He wore a red shirt under the blazer and paired it with some dark denim jeans. His cognac brogues finished out his look. When he sat down, I noticed his colorful socks. He had my undivided attention. Paxton scanned the congregation until he made eye contact with me and tilted his head slightly. I smiled and then tried to pay attention to the service.

  I don’t have any experience with evangelical churches so the people crying and yelling out was very different. I somehow understood, though. The singers were singing a song that the whole congregation seemed to know. I followed along with the words on the screen it was simple but powerful, way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, that is who you are. The singers, the leader of the song and the musicians all moved together in concert to deliver a supremely moving performance. To top it off there were two women who danced while the singers sang. The tears started to fall freely as I watched them dance. I love to dance and never knew there was a place for it in church. I felt someone pass me some Kleenex. I wiped my eyes while feeling a profound sense of thanksgiving. I don’t consider myself a religious person by any definition, but I felt something that I’ve never felt before, and it feels good.

  After the singing was over, Pastor Bluette stood to deliver the message. He talked about people who are called to walk with you through life. He used the movie The Wiz as an example. I thought it was creative and relevant. I’m so used to zoning out at church when the minister starts talking because usually, they speak about such abstract things that it never really made a whole lot of sense to me. I enjoyed Pastor Bluette’s message.

  As the service was ending, a young lady tapped me on my shoulder, “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  “Brother Paxton asked me to escort you to the back where he is. If you would follow me please.”

  I followed her out of the sanctuary to the area where my office is located. She knocked on Pastor Bluette’s office door. Paxton opened it immediately and stepped out.

  “Thank you, Leslie,” he spoke to the young lady that led me back.

  “No problem,” she turned and walked away.

  “Hi,” I smiled at him.

  “Hey, I’m happy to see you.” He pulled me in for a quick hug. He smelled amazing.

  “I’m glad I came. I enjoyed myself.”

  “That’s good to hear. You ready for dinner?”

  “I am,” I smiled.

  “I will walk you to your car and then pull around so you can follow me to their house.”

  He took me by the hand and led me out of the church. He took my keys and opened my car door.

  “Wait here, I will pull around.”

  I followed behind his truck until we arrived in front of a beautiful two-story home. The lawn was immaculate, and the flowers and shrubs were beautiful. We entered the house as Zanetta came from the back with her arms open, pulling me into a hug.

  “Olivia, welcome!”

  “Thank you for having me. Your home is beautiful. I especially like this picture of you and Pastor Bluette.”

  I was referring to a poster-sized picture that rested on the fireplace mantle. The picture was of Zanetta fixing Pastor Bluette’s tie while he stared at her intensely.

  “Thank you. That was a gift from a photographer friend of mine. Roman was doing a photoshoot, and I was the stylist.”

  “Were you married already?”

  “No,” she giggled. “We weren't even dating yet.”

  “Whoa…”

  “Yeah, I know.” She smiled. “The photographer was just pointing and shooting trying to adjust his lighting when he took this shot. He gave it to us a wedding present.”

  “It’s amazing.”

  “Thank you. Please have a seat.” She motioned to the couch in the living room.

  Paxton sat next to me just as Pastor Bluette came from the back of the house. He had changed from the suit he wore to church into a pair of dark denim jeans and a white t-shirt. I stood to greet him. He hugged me and motioned for me to sit down.

  “Thank you for having me, Pastor Bluette.”

  “Please call me Roman,” he smiled and sat down on the other small couch with Zanetta.

  “How do you like Houston so far?” Zanetta questioned.

  “Houston is huge, and the traffic is something else but, I love it here.”

  “That’s good. Do you have any family here?” Roman asked.

  “No, my mother lives in the Savannah, Georgia area. I hope when things settle down, she will move here with me.”

  “Oh, that would be nice to have your mother close. My brother, aunt and uncle are all in Saint Louis.”

  “I’ve heard Saint Louis is a nice city. I didn’t really know a whole lot about it until that horrible Ferguson incident.”

  “Yes, that did put Saint Louis on the map in a negative way for sure. Please don’t get me started on that topic,” Zanetta said as she got up to go to the front door.

  I heard her say, “Welcome home, Zeke.”

  “Thanks, Lil Sis,” I heard a male voice reply.

  The pretty lady I saw at church this morning sitting next to Zanetta appeared in the living room along with a little boy that I immediately recognized as BJ. Followed by a man that I knew was Ezekiel because he looked exactly like Paxton and Roman.

  “Olivia Callahan, this is my best friend, Zora, and my brother, Pastor Roman’s youngest brother Ezekiel. Olivia is the new director of the Academy.”

  “I saw you both at church this morning. It's nice to meet you.” I extended my hand.

  I shook Zora’s hand then shook Ezekiel’s. I waved at BJ. He smiled and waved back.

  “Zora, Olivia you want to help me in the kitchen?” Zanetta asked.

  “Sure,” I said as I followed her into the kitchen.

  “What's for dinner? I'm hungry!” Zora asked as we walked into the kitchen.

  “Pot roast, roasted potatoes, and green beans,” Zanetta replied.

  “Is there something to eat now? I'm starved!” Zora rubbed her stomach.

  “It's some fruit in the refrigerator, Drama Queen,” Zanetta laughed.

  Zora found some red grapes in the refrigerator then sat next to me on the island.

  “Olivia, are you from Houston?” Zora asked while popping a grape into her mouth.

  “No, I'm from Savannah, Georgia. I moved to Houston after my divorce. Well actually before my divorce…that's a long, complicated story.”

  “He messed up, huh?” Zora commented while she popped another grape into her mouth.

  “Yes, he did, terribly,” I responded.

  “You will be the director of the academy at the church?” Zora switched subjects.

  “Yes, I was fortunate to be selected for the position.”

  “Please, you are the most qualified plus you did so well during all your interviews. We are fortunate to have you.” Zanetta responded.

  “Do you have family here?” Zora asked.

  “No, I don’t have any family here. That is one of the reasons why I chose Houston. I wanted a fresh start. I needed to go where no one knew my name. I spent a lot of years in my ex-husband’s shadow. Now I want the sun to shine on me so that I can cast my own shadow.”

  “I know that’s right!” Zora smiled.

  “I’ve survived having lived with one of the most heartless, callous, vile, vituperative, supercilious people on earth- my ex-husband. Now I just want to live.”

  I got angry all over again after thinking about Mason calling me talking about he was coming to get his wife.

  “You better use your
words! Come through thesaurus!” Zora slapped the island.

  We all laughed.

  “I’m sorry. It was a hard time in my life.”

  “You don’t have to apologize! We are glad you are here now,” Zanetta said.

  “I’m glad too. Everyone has been so nice and helpful.”

  “Especially Paxton,” Zanetta smiled.

  “Really?” Zora questioned.

  I smiled.

  “Dinner turned out good yesterday. Thank you for the suggestions.”

  “You’re welcome. What did you end up preparing?”

  “I grilled some meat and vegetables. I found some hand churned ice cream at the open air market.”

  “Ice cream?” Zora looked at me surprised.

  “Grilled food and ice cream,” Zanetta smiled.

  “I bet that night ended well,” Zora laughed.

  “It did,” I smiled. “We talked and got to know to each other. I told him…”

  “No, no sweetie,” Zora interrupted. “By ended well I mean some hair pulling and name screaming,” she explained.

  “Sissy!” Zanetta said.

  “What? That’s what I meant!” Zora shrugged.

  “No,” I laughed. “Nothing like that happened. I don’t even think he likes me like that. I think it’s more of a friendship we are forming.”

  “Has he mentioned my son to you?” Zora asked.

  “Yes, he told me all about BJ and how smart he is. We talked after he put BJ down the other night. He says BJ is learning about math.”

  “Then, he likes you. Not as a friend. Trust me.”

  I looked at Zanetta and she nodded her head.

  “She’s right. He’s very protective of his family. So if he has told you anything about any of us, especially Braeden, then he likes you. Plus, he invited you over for dinner. He doesn’t invite anyone over for dinner.”