The moment Omar walked through the door of the conference room, Marisa threw a stack of pictures at him.
"She means everything to me, I'd never do anything to endanger her, Chloe is number one in my life, I’d sacrifice everything for my daughter.” Marisa was doing what Omar guessed was supposed to be an impression of him. "Right. Everything but drop that crackhead slut."
Omar picked up one of the pictures from the floor and saw that they were of his conversation with Kristina.
"I was saying goodbye to her."
"Liar! You thought you could sneak around and I wouldn't know about it. Well, guess what? All bets are off. You’re gonna wish you never crossed me. By the time I’m done, Chloe won’t even remember what you look like."
“It doesn’t even matter what the truth is, does it? All you want is revenge. You don’t care who it hurts. How did you become so heartless?”
Marisa whooped and smacked the top of the table. “Oh, now that’s rich! The Tin Man is calling me heartless! I guess I learned from the best, huh, Boo?”
Omar’s lawyer tried to interject, but Omar put his hand up to stop him. As much venom as Marisa was spewing, Omar noticed something in her eyes when she said that last sentence.
Pain.
And in that moment, he realized that Brock was right about the only way to end the battling over Chloe, once and for all.
Omar looked at both the attorneys. "I need you to give us a moment alone."
His attorney nodded and stood up, almost eager to leave, but Marisa's didn't budge.
"You, too."
She arched an eyebrow. "I'm not going anywhere. Anything you have to say to her, you can say in front of me."
Omar looked at Marisa. He could tell she was curious to know what he had to say.
She nodded at her attorney. "It's okay. I can handle him."
The woman took her briefcase by the handle but looked at Omar over her glasses. "If you so much as lay one hand on my client…"
It took everything Omar had in him to stay calm. He could only imagine what lies Marisa had told the woman. He never laid a finger on her in all the years they’d known each other. Though at the moment, he was feeling some great temptation.
Through gritted teeth, he managed to say, “Not even a hair on her head.”
Satisfied, the woman got up and left the room. The moment she was gone, Marisa jutted one hip to the side and folded her arms. "So, you have your private time. What do you have to say?"
He took an envelope out of his sports coat and placed it on the table. “I opened an offshore account in your name. All the verification you need is right there."
Marisa threw her head back and laughed. “Are you really trying to buy my child? I coulda sworn that’s illegal or something.”
“Never. There’s not enough money in the world to do that.”
Marisa narrowed her eyes, glanced at the envelope and then back at Omar.
“Go ahead,” he said. “Open it.”
Marisa snatched the envelope off the table and ripped it open. She scanned the document inside and blinked twice. She opened her mouth and then closed it again. She read the words twice more before speaking.
"Is this some kind of trick?"
"No trick."
“I don’t understand.”
“Think of it as a do-over. The money and freedom to have the life you dreamed of instead of the one I gave you. A chance to experience all the things you hoped for. Painting in Paris. Riding a Vespa through Rome. Finding true love in London.” He took a deep breath before saying the next part. “Without any baggage.”
He cringed at referring to Chloe as baggage, but according to Brock, that’s what Marisa thought of her. Omar watched his ex-wife’s every movement and every breath. He watched for absolutely any sign that would prove Brock wrong. Because while he’d never nominate Marisa for Mother of the Year, he didn’t want to believe she saw that perfect little girl as little more than a pawn.
Marisa took a seat, still staring at the paper she held in her hand. “I told you about all that stuff the night we got drunk in that bar.” Her voice was soft and low. He’d almost forgotten what it sounded like before it’d become permanently sharpened with anger.
He sat down as well. “I know.”
She turned away and wiped at her eyes. “I can’t believe you even remember…” And then, after a few moments passed, she said, “You only got part of it right, though. I didn’t want to find true love in London. I wanted to visit London with my true love.” She shook her head. “There was no reason to look for something I thought I’d already found.”
They sat in silence for several minutes, neither of them moving. Then, staring at the paper again, Marisa exhaled. “So basically, you're saying if I let you have full custody, you'll give me a brand-new life? No strings attached?"
"No strings attached."
He couldn't read her expression. As dumb as it sounded, part of him hoped she would refuse his offer. Because if she took it, how in the world would he explain to his daughter that her mother walked away from her for eight figures?
Marisa tossed the envelope back onto the table and headed for the door. Omar closed his eyes as relief and gratitude washed over him. He was glad Brock was wrong. He knew fighting her for custody was going to be the battle of his life, but he couldn't help but feel it would be easier than what he’d just proposed.
Marisa opened the door and called the lawyers back in.
She looked to her attorney and nodded toward Omar. "We've come to an agreement. But I want both of you in here as witnesses to make sure he doesn't back out of it."
Chapter 19
“I’m about to looked busted! No eyelashes, no Spanx, no nothing! Girl, I’m so happy those folks are gone, I might have to have a praise break right here!”
Without getting up from her chair, Kristina balled up her fists, threw her arms out and proceeded to shout it out. Pam burst out laughing. Both women were in Kristina’s bedroom, unwinding from the busy day and celebrating the last-minute announcement that the crew was taking the following day off.
Pam was stretched across Kristina’s bed, watching her remove the day’s makeup at the vanity. “Who you telling? Now we don’t have to hide Xavier from that nosy little girl when the bus leaves in the morning.”
Kristina jerked around in her seat to face her sister. “Oooh! I hadn’t even thought about that! Well, thank the Lord for Jesus!”
“Right.”
“And you already called about the flight schedule? I want to get there early enough to have a good look at the venue and—“
Pam sat up. “Excuse me, ma’am. I know how to do my job, thank you very much. That’s why you haven’t fired me yet.”
Kristina looked at Pam through the mirror’s reflection, a twinkle in her eye. “Actually, I’ve fired you more than once. It’s just that I was usually high when I did it, so you thought it didn’t count.” She let out a high-pitched cackle that prompted Pam do the same.
“I know you got it handled. I’m just so excited to have Xavier on the road with me. Add to that the usual nerves before a tour and a day off for the film crew and I don’t even know what to do with myself.”
“Well,” Pam said, getting up and going to her sister. “I have an idea. You have those final fittings tomorrow, so why don’t we feast tonight? You’ll have to watch your diet for your voice over the next few months, so let’s go all out while we still can.”
“Yasss!” Kristina did another chair shout and Pam shouted her way to the door, laughing.
Alone, Kristina looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done it without flinching. She’d spent so long hating herself, she knew it’d take her a while to get used to it. She sat back in her chair, closed her eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks. Despite her relationship with Omar not moving forward, she had an inner peace about her life and that situation, in particular. After her talk with Robin, she decided to stop dwelli
ng on what she’d lost or would never have. Instead, she’d live one day at a time and be grateful for each moment as it came, trusting God to handle the rest.
Kristina jumped up and ran to her closet. If she was going to truly pig out, she needed to dress for the occasion. She retrieved the one set of old and ratty pajamas she owned from the bottom drawer of her dresser.
After changing, a thought occurred to her and she ran downstairs, hoping to catch Pam before she left to pick up the food.
“Pam! Pam! Make sure you get an extra helping of—“
Halfway down the staircase, Kristina came to a full stop when she saw Pam and Omar standing in the entryway. He had a bouquet of Gerber daisies in his hand and a smile on his face.
Kristina trudged down the stairs wearing, not a smile, but a scowl. “Why can’t you ever show up when I’m looking presentable?”
“You look beautiful.”
Pam chuckled and headed toward the garage. “I’ll leave you two alone.” Then, as she saw Kristina open her mouth. “And yes, I’ll make sure to get an extra helping of macaroni and cheese and a side of pickles.”
“Just so you know,” Kristina said, after Pam had gone, “I don’t care that you’re my baby daddy. I’m not sharing the mac and cheese.”
Omar laughed and put his hand up. “I wouldn’t even ask.” He offered the flowers to Kristina.
“Thank you. They’re beautiful.” She admired the petals. “But, as happy as I am to see you, weren’t we supposed to avoid one another for a decade?”
“That’s why I’m here. I’ll give you all the details later, but I had to drop by because the second the papers were finalized, there was only one person I wanted to tell. I now have full custody of Chloe. Marisa’s no longer going to stand in our way.”
Kristina’s mouth dropped. “But how?”
“Like I said, I’ll explain it all later. But what it boils down to is this, we have our second chance. Only, things are different now. While Chloe and I have always been a package deal, it’s no longer weekends and some holidays. It’s full-time. So, do you still want to sign up for this?”
The conversation with Robin flashed through her mind and Kristina’s heart pounded against her ribcage with excitement. She knew parenthood wasn’t a walk in the park. She knew Chloe might not even like her at first. But she couldn’t help but feel somehow, someway, this was the family she’d spent so many years yearning for.
Did she still want to sign up for that?
“Absolutely.”
“I wish I could be here tonight to meet Chloe,” Xavier said as Kristina kissed him goodbye. They stood amid a flurry of activity as the long and rumbling tour bus beside them was loaded with passengers and luggage.
“Me, too!” Tamia came up behind her sister, wrapped her arms around her waist and laid her head on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry. Omar is coming to the show and he’s bringing her with him.”
“I still can’t believe this is happening. I never thought I’d know where I came from. Now I have a whole family, baby sister included!”
Kristina put her arms over her sister’s and swayed back and forth. “Well, if that’s what you really wanted, I have one I’d be willing to sell you.”
“Ugh!” Tamia pretended to be thoroughly offended and stomp off, but Kristina grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. She hugged her and kissed her all over her face.
“You know I’d never get rid of you!”
“Thanks for that, at least.”
“Not for a million dollars. Now, if somebody offered me two million…”
“You’re a brat.” Tamia was still trying to act mad, but had trouble hiding the smile that tugged at her lips.
After seeing Xavier, Tamia and everyone else off on the tour bus, Kristina did her best to get through the next eight hours of final dress fittings, a hair color touch up, and a last-minute visit to her chiropractor. Along the way, she tried to be polite and seem unhurried, but on the inside she was begging each person to cut the small talk and demanding every driver on the road to speed up.
All she really wanted was to get home and get ready. Her life was about to change and whether that change would be smooth or bumpy, she had no idea. What she did know was that she couldn’t be more excited to find out.
Omar stood in the bedroom doorway and watched Marisa fold the last few items of Chloe’s and put them in a suitcase. She was at a playdate and he and Marisa thought it would be better for him to pick up her stuff then.
He knew it was all for the best, but the sight of a mother packing her child’s things to send her away still brought him down.
“Please get that look off your face.”
“What look?”
“Like you’re getting the last glimpse before they close the casket.” She picked up another small shirt and folded it. “I’m a big girl. You don’t have to hide your relief for my sake.”
“I don’t feel relieved. I feel…”
What did he feel? A lot of things. Almost too many to make sense of. Almost.
“Forgive me.”
The words that came out of Omar’s mouth seemed to shock Marisa almost as much as they surprised him. She sat on the bed, speechless.
“I never admitted it, not to you or even myself, but I used you to mend a broken heart. I didn't realize that's what I was doing at the time, but that's what it was. It wasn’t fair. You deserved better than that.”
Marisa blinked. After a few moments, she threw her hands up and shook her head. "See? This. This is why I fell in love with you. Because, in spite of everything, you're a real man. A good man." She laughed. "If only I could have made you love me…" She said it flippantly, but the regret in her voice was hard to miss.
Omar came in and sat on the bed. “I just keep thinking about all the mistakes we’ve made. And I can’t help but wonder if we’re making another one. I tried explaining this to Chloe, but I’m not sure she understands. Just because we signed that agreement doesn’t mean you have to completely disappear from her life. I think it’d be better if you didn’t. No matter what’s gone on between us, you’re her mother and she loves you.”
Marisa folded her arms and chuckled, but he could see the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “Wow. You really do try to see the best in people, don’t you? Even people like me and Brock.”
“I think anybody can change for the better. I did.”
Marisa stared out the window for a moment before speaking. “You wanna know the God’s honest truth?” She looked at him.
“Sure.”
“If you and I hadn’t slept together the night you got back from deployment, I would’ve had an abortion. The only reason I even went to term was because you thought the baby was yours.” She wiped away tears before they had the chance to roll down her cheeks. “Your baby I could have loved. But Brock’s?” She shook her head. “We were nothing but two desperate and lonely people that hated each other the next morning even more than we had the night before. That’s what Chloe came from. Maybe it makes me a bad person to admit it, but there it is.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way though. You don’t have to see all of your regrets and mistakes whenever you look at her. You could learn to love her for who she is.”
“I tried to make you love me. Didn’t work, did it? Omar, you can’t make your heart feel something that’s not there. You taught me that. Do you really wanna put her through the same thing? I think in the long run, that would hurt her more than me leaving. Besides,” Marisa said, standing and picking up another shirt. “Chloe understands a lot more than you think she does.”
Omar felt a lump rise in his throat. Was Marisa right? Would having a parent abandon you be better than having them stay, but not be able to love you?
Marisa shrugged. ”If it makes me a terrible person, so be it. But at least she'll know I chose not to lie to her. And if she wants to get to know me later or just cuss me out for being the world's worst mother, all she has to do is l
ook me up."
“If this is how you felt, why fight for custody? Especially after I told you I didn’t care that she wasn’t my biological daughter?”
Marisa stopped folding and looked at him in disbelief. Then she laughed. “Wow. You still don’t get it. Omar, that’s why I sued you for custody in the first place.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
Marisa tossed the shirt back in the laundry basket and put her hand on her hip. “Well then, let me break it down for you. I used to daydream about the day you’d discover what Brock and I did. In my daydreams, your reaction would be different each time. Sometimes you’d be angry, sometimes you’d be hurt. But whatever your reaction, it was always big. And I lived for that moment. That moment when I’d be able to look in your eyes and see all the pain I’d caused you. Because then, even if it were for just a moment, I’d know I made you feel something. Finally. You have no idea what it’s like being with someone that’s so indifferent. You never loved me. You never hated me. You never felt anything for me. It was like I didn’t exist.”
She laughed, but it sounded hollow. “So imagine my surprise when the moment I’d dreamed about for so long finally came and you did what you always do. Nothing. ‘It doesn’t even matter anymore.’ Like, what man even says that? ‘You slept with my best friend and passed his daughter off as mine, but you know what? That’s okay. We’re cool.’”
“That’s not what I was saying.“
“Wasn’t it?”
Omar opened his mouth, but Marisa stopped him. “Don’t. Please. What I want, you can’t give me. You never could. At least, now I have a chance to start over. And that’s what I need. No baggage. That’s what you promised.”
Omar nodded. “You’re right. That’s what I said.”
“The deal was I get to walk away and that’s what I’m doing. For good.”
Chapter 20
“How do I look?”
Pam peered up from the contracts on her desk to see Kristina spinning around, her arms out.
“You look great.”
Then Sings My Soul (The Langston Family Saga Book 2) Page 11