by Amarie Avant
She winced, watching Raven put the clean omelet skillet onto the rack.
“It was my fault, really. I saw the warning signs, but being with Chris erased all the gossip, every link to you. Some of the kids were their parents’ little devil spawns. You were fifteen when you left, the small town gossiped their ass off a year later when your parents brought back a baby. Their teen daughter’s child, no less. Char, you can pretty much think of any cruel story ever invented, add something biblical and snooty to it, and that’s the crap I was dealt. All the cruel stories that kids would say about you had disappeared, because he was revered–respected. Then Liam came back during senior year.” As Raven mentioned Liam’s name, Charlene knew it was with undertones of a deep, maddening love.
She almost wriggled in her seat, recalling the day her daughter found her, asking her to come to North Carolina to save Otis. Liam had been with her.
“Chris thought I was cheating. Truthfully, I was starting to fall in love with Liam, but Liam and I had only been best friends, so I wasn’t sure what I wanted. One night, I went out with Chris. I was so, so stupid. I was going to tell him that night that we were over. But he expected us to have sex and … and ... he, and Ch-Chris pinned me down on the back of his truck. When I got my chance, I took it.”
Charlene couldn’t look in her child’s eyes as she thought of Roy. God, she didn’t believe for a second that Raven was a descendant of Jonathan Lemaître. She wouldn’t put it past Liam’s mother, Elise, for lying to her daughter. Raven had the same summer-blue eyes as Roy the Rapist.
Charlene knew a good soap opera plot when she saw one. Elise Delacroix Lemaître was keeping her son away from Raven. Charlene wouldn’t say a word about the ridiculous DNA test their family had done with Raven when she was eighteen—she didn’t want her daughter mixed up in the family. The Delacroix were never negatively spoke of and always in the limelight. As a celebrity herself, Char knew how impossible it was. Regardless of fans, and or in the Delacroix situation, being respected for business ventures, paparazzi were like flies who flocked around shit. The Delacroix's shit didn’t stink. And they didn’t want their legacy connected to Charlene’s bastard child. Charlene and a rapist’s—who she never knew of—child. Because Raven had eyes like her father. I’m afraid to look her square in the eye and tell her as much, but what’s the use, Liam didn’t want Royael anyway … So why divulge the truth that Raven is a sociopath’s daughter?
Charlene noticed pink liquid and soap suds drip as Raven rinsed a glass cup. “Your hand.”
Raven looked down to see blood mixed with soapy water.
Guilt gnawed Charlene’s heart. She had just compared her child to a sadistic rapist and wouldn’t give her opinion about the Delacroix but hadn’t been that concerned with her daughter’s wellbeing after Marcus rushed out.
Hurrying to the bathroom, she came back with a first-aid kit and started bandaging the cut. Charlene winced at the long slit. “You’re brave. You might need stitches.”
“I don’t need stitches. Guess it happened when I picked up that shard of glass and started poking Marcus.” Raven gave a weak smile.
Charlene doubted it, since Raven helped her down the stairs. But before she could counter, Raven asked, “So have you tried finding Roy?”
Charlene’s face shook, cheeks trembling.
“We should find him. He will pay.” Voice monotone, Raven’s beautiful face finely contoured into gold marble again. So unreadable.
Chapter 4
Los Angeles
“This just in, megastar Char has given birth to her very first child at Cedar Sinai with lead casting agent, Damien Wright. Those are two friggen’ hot people, but they’re not sharing just the tiniest peek at their little chocolate drop, their beautiful baby girl …” The POWER 106 hostess said.
“Oh, sheesh, let me turn down this mess,” Aretha said as Liam slid into the backseat of the town car with her. The partition for the driver was closed, so she pressed the side console.
They greeted each other, and then Aretha tried to explain, “Every time I come to LA, my son has me hooked on this radio station. The music is too much for me. But the morning comedian …” She waved as if it didn’t matter. The car pulled away from his home away from home in Bel-Air.
Her first child … What about Raven? Liam felt a weight on his chest as if he’d been insulted, too. With just these words, Liam was transported back to the small town of Bellwood where imaginations ran rampant on why the Shaw’s brought home an infant after her young mother’s untimely departure. It had been years since he was moved with emotion over his childhood best friend. But then again, it had been years since he had more than his own imagination and demons to taunt him.
He supposed the actress never did bond with Raven, and that shit hurt like a fist to the gut.
As the town car headed toward the gated entrance, Aretha handed him a cup. “Here’s your double shot of espresso. I need you in the present when we arrive at the hotel. The interior design crew has staged one of each of the various suites for approval.”
“Thanks.” Liam wracked his brain for what Aretha had just said. She’d mentioned her son. Gaze narrowed just slightly as he glanced out the window, Liam tried to remember the teen’s name. “So, how’s Arthur?”
“Humph, he could be more like you, I suppose. Just in some aspects,” Aretha gave a wry smile. “UCLA is kicking his behind. I’ll be frequenting the Santa Monica hotel as an ‘honorary resident’ if he doesn’t straighten up and fly right. Next step, the junior college back home, with Arthur fronting his own bill.”
“Tough love is the best love.” Liam took a sip of his drink and allowed it to wash away his lie. The day he left Raven, he’d lost his ability to love.
Chapter 5
CHRISTMAS EVE
“You went out with Melanie last night?” Raven feigned happiness, sitting on the edge of her bed. She held her cell phone in one hand, strapping her combat boot with the other. Melanie was one of the lead singers at Manna Church where Raven joined. Growing up with church as one of the focal points of her childhood, Raven joined the choir after a few months in Texas when she felt a nagging in her heart. It was true that the entire choir had a crush on Stephen, the piano man, and Melanie was a kind heart. I’m no fucking good for Stephen, Raven told herself. Be happy for him; he deserves this.
“Yup,” Stephen said. “Dinner and a movie.”
“Oh, good.” Raven bite her lip. He was more of a jet skiing or dirt biking for a date kind of guy. In fact, Raven was more of a jet skiing, dirt biking type of girl, though her all-time favorite was bungee jumping. She and Stephen were the perfect sports couple. But Melanie was also in the choir, and she was the best choice for him. Besides, Raven had suggested the two go out as they left church on Sunday. Though he’d politely agreed, she knew her friend only did so to make her jealous.
“Tell Royael I’m sorry I have to miss her dance recital today. Still mandatory overtime for Christmas, but I’ll take you Pizza Planet.” It was peak-season at his job, yet each year he made it a habit to be there for them.
“All right, see you soon.”
She grabbed her purse and went to find Royael.
“Royael, I hope you’ve picked out what you’d like to wear,” Raven said, walking down the hall to her daughter’s bedroom. There was a mountain of colorful mesh tutus on the carpet, her daughter right in the thick of things. Except for her two long, silky ponytails, the girl wasn’t ready at all.
Royael seemed to be so busy in choosing that she didn’t even notice as Raven knelt down next to her then caressed her soft cheek. She smiled as Royael’s cheeks pouted. “Listen, beautiful, Grandma Char’s plane should be arriving now. She won’t even get a chance to run home before seeing your ballet piece. So do you want to wear the pink tutu or the purple has always been your fav—”
Harsh knocking caught Raven off-guard.
She flew down the stairs to find Annette arguing under her breath. “What’s with al
l this ruckus?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell her granny to step back so she could check the peephole first. The familiar voice of Charlene started screaming on the other side. “Let me in now!”
“Oh, Lord, is she all right?” Annette hastened to get the door unlocked.
“Where’s Raven?” Charlene demanded.
“Well, hello, Char.” Annette placed a hand on her hip and leisurely assessed Charlene. “Looks like you’re not bleeding or having any sort of emergency, which I would assume is the only reason you’d knock on my door like the Good Lord has never taught you anything.”
“Mama, I don’t have time for this! Where is that girl? I know you like the back of my hand, and all you do is take up for her!”
“Mom, I’m right here.” Raven peeked out from behind Annette’s large hip. She noticed her grandmother seemed to be holding up a hand as if she wanted her to stay back but didn’t understand her mother’s animosity.
Charlene stepped inside and shoved a magazine in her daughter’s face. Eyes narrowed, Raven focused on the pictures of Trinity in a bassinet with a pink and white polka dot dress and matching hat.
“Aww, my baby sister is so adorable.”
“Really, Raven? I’ve offered you money. Finally coerced you into allowing me to pay for your photography school. But you can’t help being conniving?”
Raven bit her lip in confusion; she turned to see Royael padding downstairs. But her mother stood in her face again.
“Charlene,” Annette interjected, “you have no right stepping into our house—”
With a manicured hand, Charlene waved her mother away. She started through the house and picked up a flower vase. “This looks new. Did you buy this with the money you got for fucking me over?”
She slammed the vase into the floor. The sound of it shattering onto the vinyl kitchen floor caused Royael to cry hysterically.
Raven shielded Royael and pointed up the stairs, but the child froze. “Go, now!”
Charlene torpedoed toward a picture, snatching it off the living room wall. “This frame looks new.” She tossed it over her shoulders.
“Mom, I don’t even understand what you’re accusing me of.” Rooted in the same spot, Raven turned the bangles on her wrist.
“Do not call me Mom, ever again.” Stilettos clicking on the vinyl, she pushed past her daughter. Charlene picked up Royael and pulled at the girl’s clothes. “When did your Mama buy you this new-looking tutu?”
Raven wanted to snatch her child away, but had two issues: one, Royael’s eyes bugged out in fear, and she didn’t want to add to such fear, and two, Raven was in total, utter shock.
Out of nowhere, Damien stepped through the wide open door. “Calm down, babe.”
“When did you get here?” Charlene’s anger was momentary fazed. “Oh, I figured you come to save everyone after I called from the airport. Damien, this is family business. You can go back home to watch Trinity.”
He tried to put an arm around her. “Char, I am family. We are all fam—”
Charlene wriggled free. Body shaking, snot and tears rolled down her face, Charlene looked square into her daughter’s eyes. “I won’t take this! Putting my baby’s picture on a gossip magazine. It’s manipulative!”
“Mom, I didn’t do it! I would never sell Trinity’s first photos.” Raven’s body heaved.
Damien tried to grab Charlene’s arm. She popped him with the rolled up magazine.
“Charlene, you best be leaving now.” Annette pointed toward the door.
In a few swift steps, she stepped in front of Annette, eyes pleading. “Mama, I said Raven tried to pimp out my family. She’s got this photography hobby, now the entire world knows what Trinity looks like. I wasn’t ready for everybody and their damn mama assessing my baby! Don’t you care?”
“Get out, now.” Annette’s lips mashed together.
Charlene’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re on Raven’s side?”
“I’m not on nobody’s side. Listen here, don’t you ever come in my house acting all foolish, got the devil in ya. Well, he does not belong here!”
“Mama?” Charlene tried to take her hand, but Annette moved away. “The devil isn’t in me, it’s in Raven. Those fucking murderous blue eyes.” She couldn’t move for sobbing. Damien touched her shoulder, saying something in her ear while rubbing her back. She wiggled away. “I get it. I never even had a chance! You two are always together. Raven’s the child that you wished I had been. Just because she sings in the choir doesn’t make her Christian. You’re still mad at me for running away and not coming home, even after I was raped.”
“I’m not mad at you but disappointed that you’d come into my house and terrorize your first born. Did you see your granddaughter crying a minute ago?” Annette pursed her lips. They mirrored each other’s bewilderment.
“You don’t have to be disappointed in me again.” Charlene stood tall, shoulders squared.
“Char, don’t say something regrettable. We’ll figure out who did this,” Damien promised.
“I already know who.” She turned to her daughter. “Raven, I don’t ever want to see you again. You’re jaded; you don’t know how to truly forgive people. That depression will eat you up one day.” Glancing at Annette, she added, “I don’t want to see you, either.”
The entire scene had been a shock to Raven, almost like an out-of-body experience. In her own way, this had once been exactly what she wanted when hocking over those celebrity wedding photos to Scandalous magazine. Lashing out like a kid, yeah. It was low, but one of the only ways to prove her mother would do what she did best—shun her.
But that was before they’d start to connect. Those were only a few stolen wedding photos. Not something so important and as intimate as a newborn baby.
“Oh, ReRe.” Annette shuffled down the stairs. “Don’t listen to that foolishness. You did nothing wrong, the world has always revolved around that selfish daughter of mine.”
***
Chatter and drunken cackling echoed across the bar. Empty shot glasses scattered the scuffed counter. Raven laughed with her new friend, Jose. He gave a chipped-toothed grin, and they tossed back another round of double shots. She cringed when hearing Sharon’s authoritative voice as her friend came alongside her.
Though Sharon was a gossip reporter, the very one who Raven gave the wedding photos to, they'd met years ago when Raven began her college endeavors. Creative writing had held a degree of interest. While Raven was creative through imagery, Sharon had a gift. She needed to be on The New York Times bestseller list, but settled for a pretty penny at Scandalous magazine.
“Raven, you’ve had enough.” Sharon was dressed in her signature red—a ruby wrap dress and shiny, red, knee-high boots which almost matched her hair color.
She tapped the guy Raven leaned on. “Excuse me. I suggest you stop buying her drinks. You’re not getting any ass from this general direction tonight.”
“Jose, don’t listen to her. She’s trying fill this Mommy void that I have.” She leaned closer to him and waved her empty glass.
“You don’t need a mama, chica, you need a daddy,” Jose responded.
Sharon rolled her eyes away from the lustful, burly man. “Give me your phone. I can’t carry you by myself. I’m calling William.”
“Ya can’t. Bill’s phone is off. He’s got a paper due tomorrow. Last week, it was a big project. Every week it’s something new.” She signaled for the bartender and turned to Jose who nodded his head, happy to pick up the tab.
Sharon grabbed Raven’s purse.
“What’re you doing, Sharon? You know I don’t have any damn money!” Trying to get up, she fell into Jose’s lap. Brain on a merry-go-round, she stayed put. If he didn’t mind, she didn’t mind.
“I’m looking for your phone.” Sharon jiggled the orange case in her hand. “I’m calling Stephen. I hope he remembers me from that one get-together. It’s loud, I’ll be back.”
“Bye!” Rave
n waved from Jose’s lap. She turned back to the bartender, who had just placed three shots on the table, and tossed one after another back. “Bottoms up, Jose!”
Warm breath tickled her ear. Jose put his arm around her, whispering all the things he’d like to do once they left. His Spanglish was funny. His imagination was hilarious!
It took a while to notice her giddiness had spurred him on as he mentioned more outrageous, acrobatic sexual activities she had no intention of performing. Then she felt her body being lifted out of his lap.
“What the—” Raven said, having been planted down on her own two boots. Earth ceased spinning as she looked up into warm honey eyes. His full lips were teasing her to kiss him. “Liam …” Putting her hands over her mouth in disbelief, she gawked at the only love she’d ever known. There, standing so close. If she could have gotten on her tippy toes to plant a big, fat kiss on his lips, she would have. And then slap the shit out of him.
“I know you’re not that drunk to have forgotten my name!”
Soberness slammed into her. Her intact heart crumpled back into pieces again. No, it wasn’t Liam, but Stephen.
Jose stood up, looked Stephen up and down. “Get lost, cabrón.”
Stephen stepped closer and glared at the shorter, weaker guy. Jose glowered, chin held high, chest puffed out. He was living proof that drunken people had no clue of their limitations. Stephen’s hands balled into fists at his sides. “You better sit your ass back down.”
Jose sat. Stephen turned to Raven, swooping her into his arms like she was his to take. He passed a fake Christmas tree on his way out the door. She shaded her eyes as he strode into the cool night. Through long eyelashes, she saw Sharon leaning against her BMW.
“Thanks for calling me. Raven was acting like a fool. I’ll just take her home. You won’t be able to take her up the stairs anyway.”
“Fine by me.” Sharon hesitated, then backed toward her car. “Thanks.”