Heartbreak And Past Mistakes

by Chenell Parker

  “I’m leaving but call me later. I want all the details,” Lyric said as she and Bronx walked away to his truck.

  Mr. Malone headed over to the car where Spencer was and the detective opened the back door for them to talk. Regret was written all over Spencer’s face but it was too late for that now. Because of one stupid mistake, his life was ruined forever. Mr. Malone didn’t even know what to say and he was happy when Spencer started talking first.

  “Does Jena know?” Spencer asked as he looked straight ahead.

  He was too embarrassed to even make eye contact with the man that he looked up to. Mr. Malone was like a modern day Johnnie Cochran and his name was one that opened doors. He gave Spencer the opportunity of a lifetime when he hired him and he repaid him by embarrassing his firm’s name.

  “Yes, I spoke with her this morning. I don’t have to tell you how devastated she was because I’m sure you already know. She just wants to know why and so do I,” Mr. Malone replied.

  Spencer had lots of reasons why, but none of them would make sense to anyone else. Truthfully, he had began to embrace the idea of Jena having his daughter. When she refused to sign the agreement that he presented to her, he was done trying to convince her. Unfortunately, Michelle felt the exact opposite. She was livid that she would have to share her man with another woman and their child. That wasn’t a good look in her eyes and she came up with a plan to eliminate them both. She didn’t want the financial responsibility of caring for a child that wasn’t hers. If she and Spencer got married, that was exactly what would have happened.

  Quinton Rogers was someone that she had defended a while ago and she kept him around for certain things. Getting him on board with her plan was easy and it wasn’t the first time he had to put in work for her. Michelle had gone over the plan with him for an entire week and he still managed to mess things up. He was supposed to follow Jena home from work and shoot her, but he changed the entire plan without consulting anyone. He made Mr. Malone’s firm the scene of a crime and that was a stupid mistake on his part.

  Another stupid mistake was him burning the car and starting the fire in the trunk. The fire department got there so fast that the front half of the car was still intact. They lifted his fingerprints from the steering wheel and the rest was history. He was truly a dumb criminal and that’s exactly why he got caught.

  “Just tell her that I’m sorry,” Spencer said.

  “It’s too late for sorry and I doubt if she even wants to hear that at this point. Not only did you almost take her life, but you succeeded in taking the life of her child. A child that was also yours. I need you to understand the seriousness of this Spencer,” Mr. Malone replied.

  “I’m an attorney, Mr. Malone. I already know how serious it is,” Spencer said as he finally locked eyes with him.

  “You’ve probably just ruined your only chance of becoming a father. It’ll be a while before you see the light of day again. You just better hope they don’t use you to make an example for all the others.”

  “I guess wanting you to defend me is too much to ask,” Spencer assumed.

  “Why not ask me to close down my practice and leave the state? I’d be committing professional suicide if I even thought about it. I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am to let your mistakes destroy my name. I’m sorry but I have to disassociate myself and my firm from you and this entire case,” Mr. Malone admitted.

  “I understand,” Spencer said as tears fell from his eyes.

  He lost count of how many people he’d put behind bars since he’d been an attorney. Now, he was going to be behind those same walls with some of them. He got word that Michelle had been arrested too and he could only imagine how she felt. At least she would be able to make bail if they were given that option. Spencer was the only one in his family with a little money, so it wouldn’t be that easy for him. He and Michelle would never be able to practice law again and their licenses were worth nothing now. His family was so proud of him when he became a lawyer and he was sorry that he had to disappoint them. He was just like the rest of them now. A criminal with nothing going for himself.

  “Is everything okay Mr. Malone?” Javier asked when he walked up behind him.

  He looked at Spencer with a satisfied smirk on his face. Seeing him in cuffs was like the best thing that could have ever happened to him. He and Spencer had never bumped heads before until he learned of his continued involvement with Lyric. Jena finally confessed to being the one who sent the videos to him from her brother’s phone. Javier already knew and that’s why he was all too happy to assist her with getting what she deserved from Spencer.

  “Everything is fine, but I think I’m gonna shut the office down for today. We’ve had a lot going on around here lately and I’m sure we can all use a break,” Mr. Malone replied.

  “Say no more. I’ll send out a companywide email and make sure that everyone knows,” Javier said as he turned and walked away.

  “He’s not as great a lawyer as you think he is,” Spencer said once Javier walked away.

  “Javier should be the least of your concerns right now. You’ve got your own cross to bear. And I’m sure what I’m about to say doesn’t matter one way or the other, but I have to say it to protect myself legally. Your employment with the firm is terminated, effective immediately,” Mr. Malone commented before he turned and walked away.

  He had to protect himself and his company at all cost. That meant distancing himself from Spencer and everything that he had going on with him. He would get one of the receptionists to clear out his office and start preparing yet another statement to deliver to the press.

  Chapter 40

  “Close your mouth nigga. You been smiling since you picked me up,” Darnell laughed as he looked at Deuce.

  They were at Ace’s restocking the bar and Deuce was in a good mood. Darnell couldn’t ever recall seeing him smile so much but he was happy for his cousin. For the first time in a while, Deuce was content and had nothing to complain about.

  “Man, you just don’t know. I’m happy as fuck. My divorce is final and I got five or six more weeks before my son gets here. Life is sweet and it’s only gonna get sweeter,” Deuce replied.

  “You and Lyric must be good too,” Darnell assumed.

  “Better than ever. I got us some tickets to go see Mint Condition tomorrow night,” Deuce noted.

  “Nigga what! You soft as fuck now. That girl got you doing all kinds of feminine shit,” Darnell laughed.

  “Nah man, I had to make up for the last time. She didn’t even get to see them when we went to the concert before. Zina walked down on us and everything went left. She reminds me of that shit almost every day and I’m tired of hearing it,” Deuce chuckled.

  Every time a Mint Condition song came on, Lyric made it a point to say how she never got a chance to see them perform. She always said how she was in a musty holding cell instead of seeing her favorite R&B group live in concert. She saw a few more of her favorites that night, but they were who she really wanted to see. It was like an act of God when Bronx saw an advertisement saying that they were the featured guests at another local event. It was at a different venue, but he got two front row seats for them to attend. Lyric was excited and he was praying for a better outcome than before.

  “Zina has been laying low lately. I haven’t seen her come through since her and Sanai got into it that last time,” Darnell said.

  “Man, I haven’t seen Zina since I moved all my stuff out of her house. She changed her number and seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. I miss the kids but I can’t make her let me see them,” Deuce replied.

  “I heard that she’s fucking with that nigga Tripp now,” Darnell said.

  “She probably is. He fits the description of her kind of nigga. She loves them dope boys,” Deuce replied while shaking his head.

  “That nigga is like a walking target. Muthafucka got nine lives. I never seen somebody get shot and shot at so much in my life. He’s always in
to it with somebody,” Darnell said.

  “He was with Blue when he got killed. That was his boy,” Deuce pointed out, referring to Zina’s ex.

  “Yeah, I know. Nigga said Tripp was the one who killed the dude who did it. He got shot up too, but Blue checked out,” Darnell replied.

  “I really hope Zina don’t have them kids around all that dumb shit. I just don’t understand her infatuation with that life,” Deuce said while shaking his head.

  He and Darnell continued to talk as they worked. He had to pick Lyric up from work at five and he had a lot of free time on his hands before then. Once they were done with the bar, Darnell suggested passing by their grandmother’s house to see her for a little while. Deuce was always by Mildred, but he rarely visited his father’s mother unless it was for a function. Her house was where all his aunts, uncles, and cousins hung out and there was always some drama going on.

  “Hey baby. This is a pleasant surprise.” Melba smiled when Deuce and Darnell walked into her living room.

  Deuce bent down and gave her a kiss before taking a seat on the sofa right next to her. “We just left from restocking the bar at Ace’s and decided to come see you,” Deuce replied as he looked around.

  His grandmother had a mini shrine of his father in her living room. Ace was the first and only child that she lost and she took his death hard. Deuce had a huge photo of his father up in the club, but it was nothing compared to what Melba had. Although she never voiced it out loud, Ace was her favorite child. He purchased the home that she lived in and got her anything else that she wanted. Knowing that he was an innocent bystander during the shooting made it hurt even worse.

  “I’m so happy that you decided to keep it. Your daddy loved everything about that club. How is business? Is it still making you some decent money?” Melba asked, right as Sanai and one of her other granddaughters walked into the room.

  “Business is good and money is even better,” Deuce answered.

  “That’s good.” Melba smiled.

  “Hey grandma. Yeah, it’s me, Darnell, your other grandson,” Darnell said sarcastically since their grandmother never acknowledged him.

  “Hush up boy. I see your disgusting ass around here all the time. I don’t get to see my baby as much as I want to,” Melba said, making Deuce feel bad.

  He had to make it a point to visit his grandmother more often. He was closer with Mildred but that was no excuse for him to stay away. His mother was always around and they saw her more than they saw him. They were messy just like her and that was the main reason why. When Wanda wanted to gossip, his family was who she usually did it with.

  “That girl be keeping him away grandma. She got him acting funny with everybody,” Sanai said, being messy.

  “Mind your business Sanai. Always got something to say about somebody,” Darnell fussed.

  “Go sit your ass down somewhere Sanai. That’s just why you don’t have a man no more. Get your ass out there and go to school or get a job. I hope you know that you can’t stay here and nowhere else for free,” Melba argued as Deuce and Darnell laughed.

  Deuce wanted to say something, but he knew that’s exactly what Sanai wanted. She had been in her feelings since their last altercation in the mall, but she was the least of his worries. She thought she was hurting somebody by not attending Lyric’s baby shower but her presence was not needed or missed. He finally found out through Sanai’s ex, Colby, why they broke up. Colby was done with her and his boy and he was already kicking it with somebody else. Without Colby, Sanai didn’t have shit going for herself. She lived with him in his house and drove his car while he was at work. She talked all that shit about Zina but she didn’t have room. Zina always had her own and she kept a few dollars saved just in case she needed it.

  “How’s your girlfriend? I can never remember nobody’s name,” Melba chuckled.

  “Lyric is fine. I’m going pick her up from work when I leave here,” Deuce replied.

  “She should be about ready to drop that baby soon. Your daddy would have been crazy about his first grandson,” Melba said with a sad smile.

  “Yeah, I know. I can’t wait to spoil that lil nigga,” Deuce replied.

  “Wanda is ready to spoil him too. She told me that she was going to be keeping him once your girlfriend went back to work,” Melba said, shocking Deuce with her revelation.

  He and Lyric never discussed that, so that was news to him. Deuce sat there for a while and talked to his grandmother. Once he dropped Darnell off home, he parked in front of Lyric’s job and waited for her to come out. About ten minutes after he got there, Lyric came wobbling out of the building. Bronx jumped out of his truck and went to open the door for her to get in. Lyric was on the last stretch of her pregnancy but she wasn’t lazy. She still got around the same or as much as her stomach would allow. She still went to the gym with her mother or she sometimes used her treadmill at home.

  “What’s up baby?” Deuce greeted as he pulled her close and kissed her.

  “Hey boo,” Lyric replied, sounding like she was tired.

  “What’s wrong?” Deuce asked as he looked down at her.

  “Nothing. I just had a draining day,” Lyric replied as she got into the truck.

  “What’s going on now?” he asked once he got into the truck and drove away.

  “All this mess with Jena and Spencer is just draining. Jena decided not to come back to the firm. I haven’t heard from Sabrina yet, but I’m almost sure that it’ll be the same with her. Tremaine gave his notice and next Friday is his last day,” Lyric sighed.

  Jena looked so pitiful when she came in there and cleaned out her cubicle. As dirty as she did Lyric, she still felt bad for her. Nobody deserved what Spencer did to her. Lyric was still in shock about everything once she learned of all the details. The man who Spencer and his girlfriend got to do their dirty work really messed everything up. He was high when he did it and that showed by how sloppy he was. Jena was thankful that he didn’t shoot her though. At least she was still alive. Nova started a collection for her at the office and they’d collected well over five thousand dollars for her before she left. That didn’t include whatever the amount of the check was that Mr. Malone had written for her. She still had the money that she’d collected for her shower too and she needed every dime. She hadn’t found another job yet, but she needed a mental break.

  “I can understand ole girl leaving. I’m sure she don’t want to be reminded of what happened to her and her baby. But, why is dude leaving? None of this had anything to do with him,” Deuce pointed out.

  “I know but Sabrina had everybody thinking that it did. He said that the other receptionists were always looking at him sideways and a few of the attorneys too. I feel bad for him and I can understand why he doesn’t want to be there anymore,” Lyric replied.

  “Damn, everybody is trying to leave,” Deuce said.

  “That’s how it feels. I’ve been trying to train Nova to take over while I’m out and now I have even more bullshit to deal with,” Lyric fussed.

  “Why can’t your boss do that?” Deuce questioned.

  “Because I’m over those departments. I’m not thinking about none of that until after I have the baby though. I’ll deal with the temp agency until then,” Lyric noted as her hands rested on her stomach.

  “And speaking of the baby,” Deuce said.

  “What about him?” Lyric asked.

  “Did you tell my mama that she could keep him when you go back to work?” Deuce asked.

  “No, I thought you did. She told my mama that he was going to be at one of her daycare centers with her. I thought that was something that you discussed with her,” Lyric replied.

  “We never discussed anything. I don’t want my son in daycare around all those germs. Those kids be sick and all kinds of other shit. I’m home every day and he can stay with me. If I need to do something, my grandma can help out,” Bronx noted.

  “That’s fine with me,” Lyric replied.

  �
�If one of them lil bad ass kids hit my baby, I’m going to jail for fighting a minor,” Deuce said seriously.

  “Are you serious right now? He’ll be an infant Bronx,” Lyric laughed.

  “He won’t be an infant forever. Besides that, I can’t see my mama turning my son into her brother. I’m good on that,” Deuce said.

  “My mama will be happy to hear that. You know how she is. She was worried about the baby knowing your mama more than he knows her,” Lyric laughed.

  “He won’t be knowing nobody more than he knows his daddy and that includes you,” Bronx smirked.

  “You can spoil him if you want to. You can forget about ever getting somebody to watch him,” Lyric warned.

  “I don’t give a damn. If my son can’t go with me, then that means I don’t need to be there,” Deuce replied.

  “I hear you but forget all that. My concert is tomorrow!” Lyric yelled excitedly.

  “I know that boring ass shit is tomorrow. But, other than that, you know what today is, right?” Deuce asked her with a smile.

  “Yeah. I guess you’re official my man now,” Lyric replied.

  “I’ve been your man since the first day I laid eyes on you,” Deuce said.

  “Don’t even get me started on that right now. At least I can enjoy my concert in peace without worrying about an angry wife interrupting.”

  “Ex-wife,” Deuce corrected.

  “Whatever,” Lyric said with an attitude as she rolled her eyes.

  “Come on Lyric, please don’t do this. We’re in a good place and we’ve been there for a while. I don’t want to argue. Are you hungry? My grandma said she cooked,” Deuce said, changing the subject.

  “What did she cook?” Lyric asked.

  “She didn’t say. I can call and ask her though,” Deuce offered.

  “I’ll call,” Lyric replied.

  He smiled as he listened to Lyric and his grandmother interact over the phone. As crazy as it sounded, her getting along with Mildred meant more to him than her getting along with his mother. Wanda’s ways sometimes pushed people away, so that was understandable. Lyric tolerated his mother and she always respected her. Being in her company just because would never happen though. He was cool with that and, in a way, he was happy. Zina stayed in too much mess with his family. He knew that he didn’t have to worry about that happening with Lyric.