The Winter Wedding

by Rhonda McKnight

  “I’m sure it’s not true.”

  “Kim, I don’t have time to pull it out of you.”

  “Okay. Brace yourself. It’s a story about De—”

  The phone went dead. I looked at it and realized we lost our connection.

  I dialed her back, but the call went to voicemail.

  I decided to check the blogs, but my WiFi was acting janky. I moved around the apartment to get a better signal but couldn’t, so I gave up.

  I put my coffee in a travel mug, grabbed my bag and laptop, and ran out the door. I made my way down the elevator and out to my garage. The 30-degree blast of cold punched me in the chest as I exited the building.

  My heart was already pounding. The idea that a story was circulating about Stephen was causing my anxiety and blood pressure to tick up. Headlines came to my memory in a flood of visions, like newspaper clippings filtering across my face.

  Stephen Pierce is a liar!

  Stephen Pierce not a real Christian!

  What else is Stephen Pierce hiding?

  I climbed into the Range Rover, turned the ignition on and pushed the button to silence the automated voice that would soon be calling me Mrs. Pierce. My cell phone was ringing again. I saw Stephen’s face flashing on the screen. I reached for it, but it slid across the seat onto the floor.

  I swore under my breath, put the car in reverse and backed out of the garage. He’d have to wait. I had to get to the highway before it got jammed.

  But an expedient exit out of the gated parking lot was not to be so. Once I exited the lot, I met a small army of reporters. They rushed the SUV, sticking microphones at the window, and against the glass.

  I cracked the window just enough to hear what they were asking.

  “Ms. Johnson, do you have a statement about…”

  “Have you and Stephen engaged in sexual relations?”

  “Has Stephen Pierce lied about his sex life?”

  I pushed the button and was relieved to hear their voices fade as the window went up. The nerve of these people. Who asks someone if they’re having sex with someone?

  Once I got into the flow of traffic, I tried to get my phone, but couldn’t reach it. It had practically been ringing non-stop. I regretted not setting up the Bluetooth.

  I pushed the power button for the radio. After the close of the new Drake song and a weather and traffic report, the gossip began.

  “So, your boy Stephen Pierce is back in the news.”

  “You know I like to call him Saint Stephen. What’s our video superstar up to this time?”

  “Well, you know he did the worthy thing last week and proposed to his high school sweetheart, Tamar Johnson. As you know, Tamar Johnson is old girl from his nude video days.”

  “So, what’s the rub,” the other commentator asked.

  “Pierce’s ex, Debra McAllister, has announced she’s twelve weeks pregnant and it’s the superstar running back’s child.”

  I slammed on the brakes.

  “But, wait…how is that possible, I mean he’s been celibate for years. Four if I’m remembering correctly.”

  “That’s the longest gestational period on a pregnancy I’ve ever heard of.”

  “Yeah and Debra ain’t no elephant.”

  Laughter. Laughter. Laughter.

  Honk! A horn blared from my rear. I pushed the power button to silence the radio.

  This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be. Stephen wouldn’t do this. But why would she lie? It’s not like she wouldn’t eventually be found out.

  I was glad when it was time for me to get off the highway. I unfastened my seat belt and reached for my cell phone. Ten missed calls. Five from Stephen and twenty-four text messages. I opened the text messages first.

  Babe, none of it is true. Please call.

  I didn’t know what Debra’s game was, but something in my heart was already telling me this wasn’t true. The worse thing about it was I wanted it to be true. I wanted Stephen to be a liar. That would make it so much easier for me – because I was.

  Chapter 8

  I couldn’t stand my phone. When the text message came through, I wanted to ignore it. I picked it up, swiped the screen and read the message from Stephen:

  Open the door.

  I looked through the peephole and then pulled the door open. Stephen was standing there.

  “I’ve been trying to reach you for hours,” I said like he didn’t know.

  “I was on a plane.”

  I stepped back and let him in. “All the way from Giant Nation.”

  Stephen closed the door and turned the lock. He leaned in to kiss me, but I pulled back. “So, just like that. I don’t get a kiss?”

  “I’ve had a horrible day.”

  He chuckled. “You think my day’s been better?”

  “Debra’s not my ex.” I folded my hands over my chest. “I’ve been harassed and stalked by reporters. They came to the magazine. I had to come home, which is why I’m here. They’re outside now, as you can well see. I’m tired.”

  “Baby, I know that, but my sugar though.”

  I wasn’t going to let him disarm me.

  He removed his jacket and fell into the sofa cushions like he was carrying the weight of a linebacker on his shoulders.

  I claimed a spot on the chair across from him. “Are you thirsty, hungry? I have leftover pasta.”

  He waved the offer off. “Thanks, babe. I had something on the plane.”

  “You shouldn’t have come all the way here.”

  “It’s my day off, remember?”

  I played with the buttons on my blouse. He was here. He needed to explain, so I waited.

  “She’s lying, Tay.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut against his words.

  “Babe?”

  I gave him my full attention.

  “This is not true.”

  I stood and moved to the furthest location from him in the room. “What part isn’t true? The pregnancy, the twelve weeks, the paternity? What part?”

  “None of it is true. It’s like I told you before. I never had sex with Debra. If she’s pregnant, I’m not the father.”

  I swallowed. My heart was already pounding. The idea that I was going to have to deal with the media again was making me nauseous. “Why is she saying this?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know? You dated her for two years. How could you not know what she was capable of?”

  He shrugged. “Publicity. She’s a reality TV personality.” He paused. “Debra likes being famous. This gets her the attention she’s looking for.”

  “It’s probably a little more than that. You dumped her.”

  He leaned forward and clasped his hands. “Things ended between us, but it wasn’t that bad of a breakup.”

  I stared at him for a while. “Maybe she doesn’t like the fact that you moved on so fast. The proposal probably pissed her off.”

  He appeared to be considering my words. “That’s possible.”

  “Maybe she thinks we were seeing each other before you broke up.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Have you talked to her?”

  Stephen gave his head a wry shake. “Not yet.”

  Annoyance propelled me to my feet. “Why not?”

  “Because you’re the only woman I need to have a conversation with right now.”

  “If it’s not true…”

  It was Stephen who was annoyed now. “If?”

  “If it’s not true, how is she going to explain it when the baby is born?”

  He seemed unmoved by my question. “I don’t know. You want me to make sense out of something that makes no sense.”

  “I don’t think it makes sense that you haven’t called her.”

  “She’s not going to take my call.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because I know her.”

  I rolle
d my eyes. “Which is it? Do you know her or not?”

  I finally got him frustrated. He growled. “What are you asking me, Tay?”

  “I’m asking you what you’re afraid of!”

  Stephen kept his voice even. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  “Did you sleep with her? Be honest with me. I’m not your agent or your brand management people. We weren’t together so it’s not like you cheated on me. She says she’s twelve weeks. That’s long before I came back into the picture.”

  Stephen paused. He released a long, exhausted breath. “I haven’t had sex with a woman in four years. Four, long, painful, years. This is not my baby.”

  “I want you to at least call her.”

  Stephen pulled his phone out of his pocket and put it on speaker. It began to ring. “I’m calling her.” He got a “voicemail is full” message. “I bet,” he murmured. “She’s probably talking to every reporter and media outlet in the country.”

  He tossed the phone on the sofa. He flopped down onto one of the cushions next to it, again. He washed his face with a hand. “More reporters.” He raised a hand to remove the hat he was wearing. “Just what I need.”

  “Just what you need? This isn’t just happening to you.”

  Disappointment oozed from his pores. “Talk to me, baby.”

  “I think twenty reporters must have called me at work. Some of them called my personal cell. They’re emailing me again. We just got over the video thing and now this. I feel like I’m living a nightmare.”

  Stephen shook his head. “I know, but don’t focus on them. They’ll eventually go away. We’re strong. We can ride this out. We have to stick together and talk to each other.”

  “The reporters are camped outside my house and my job.”

  “Maybe you can take a leave of absence or something. Until it all stops.”

  “I don’t have an off-season. I already have to help my Aunt Joe.”

  He sighed so heavily, it thudded against my heart. “I’m sorry. I forgot about that.”

  “Besides, taking time off wouldn’t help. I don’t know if you’re used to it or what, but it doesn’t seem to ever stop.”

  “It does, baby. I mean most of the time, I’m just playing the game. Living my life and minding my business.”

  I shook my head. “I didn’t sign up for all this drama. You’re the celebrity. I’ve done my time being chased by the media.”

  “Tamar, please stop talking about this like we can’t survive a scandalous ex.”

  I didn’t say anything. All I could think about was the fact that I wouldn’t be able to go back to Yancy with Aunt Joe because I had to keep Isaiah hidden from reporters.

  “You know there are days I wish I had kept my mouth shut about being Christian and being celibate. The standard people hold me to…” He shook his head. “But that never felt right. I feel like this is my ministry, but persecution has definitely come with it.”

  I didn’t offer him the sympathy he deserved. “Well, being a public person is not my calling.”

  “But you love me.”

  I looked at him but didn’t affirm his words.

  Stephen stood. Walked to me, took my hands and led me to the chair where I’d been sitting. He sat and pulled me closer. “I know you don’t like this, but it won’t last forever.”

  I stared into his gorgeous, brown eyes and all I could think about was the fact that I needed to break up with him and soon. This Debra mess was a good excuse to do it.

  “Babe, it’s going to be okay.”

  “I don’t know, Stephen. Maybe we should cool things.”

  Confusion clouded his face. “Cool what things? Things are already moving much slower than I would like.”

  “Stephen…”

  “Tamar, no. We can’t let a stupid stunt like this keep us apart.”

  “I’m not saying keep us apart. I’m just sayin’.”

  “What, babe? ‘Cool it is code for breakup. I don’t care how you phrase it.”

  I stood and stepped back a few feet. “I’m a private person.”

  “You’re my woman.”

  “So, does that not make me a person? I should move to New Jersey, plan a wedding. Is this the Stephen Pierce show?”

  Stephen sighed again. “Don’t do that, Tay.”

  “Do what?”

  “Start out-talking me.” His frustration etched worry lines on his forehead. “Let me finish.”

  I shook my head. “You just said you loved me, so I need you to allow me to tell you ow I feel.”

  I watched his Adam’s apple move up and down hard. He pressed his lips together like he was trying to keep words in his mouth.

  I continued. “Like I said, I’m a private person. I can’t do twenty-eight weeks of drama with you and her. I also find it hard to believe she’d just lie about the baby being yours if there was no possible way it could be.”

  “So, you think I’m lying about us having sex?”

  I shrugged. “I guess.”

  “You don’t even know her.”

  “I feel like I don’t know anything.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  I felt terrible, but I kept it up. I had to distance myself from him. “I’ve been made a fool of because of you before.”

  “Be reasonable. We need to talk about this.”

  “I don’t think there’s anything to talk about. I’ve been thinking about it all day. The entire situation makes me nauseous. I had panic attacks after the video. I had to go to counseling.”

  Stephen tried to close the space between us, but I moved around the chair out of his reach.

  “You don’t understand.” I was dying inside. Lying to him like this was so hard.

  “This will die down. The story will go away. But that’s not really the point is it?” he asked. “The real point is you don’t believe me when I say I didn’t have sex with her.”

  “She’s a beautiful woman. You dated for two years. When we’re together, the heat is intense. How does one sustain that for two years?”

  “First of all, I didn’t see Debra as much as you think. She lived in L.A. She came to the East Coast, but it wasn’t like we were together all the time. And I was careful. When you want to stay celibate, you don’t have a lot of extended alone time.”

  “It’s not just Debra. It’s your entire life. It’s too public. I can’t do it. I can’t be dragged again. They’re already talking about whether I’ll stand by my man like a fool. How much of your sex exploits will I tolerate? It’s starting again all over and I had enough of it twelve years ago. Heck, I had enough a last month when you came out publicly about the video.”

  Stephen stepped toward me, but I raised a hand to halt him. “I can’t deal with another Stephen Pierce scandal. Not right now. If you love me, you’ll understand. Let’s cool it for a minute and see where this Debra thing goes.”

  Finally, his temper rose a bit. “I’m confused. It’s either the media or I’m lying. Like, what’s getting me tossed in the friend-zone?”

  “Both.”

  “And this is not up for discussion?”

  I didn’t reply. I wouldn’t look at him.

  Stephen grabbed his jacket and marched toward the door.

  “Stephen,” I called his name and turned. He looked hopeful. Until he saw I had his ring in my extended palm. “You shouldn’t have asked me.” That much was true.

  Stephen shook his head and stormed out of the apartment.

  My heart shattered into a million pieces. His face. He was so hurt. I hated to hurt him. I fell back on the chair, reached for a tissue and began to cry. This was the only way. I needed this relationship to end. I hated that Debra McAllister’s lie was the foundation of my lie, but it was convenient. The timing was right. I had to let him go before he found out I was no better than Debra.

  Chapter 9

  “Saint Stephen,” Debra’s
voice teased through the phone. “I was wondering when you’d climb down from the cross and call me.”

  “Congratulations on your pregnancy. I’m assuming you’re happy about it since you’ve shared it with the entire world.”

  “Of course, I am. Babies are a blessing no matter the circumstances of their conception.”

  “True.” I fought to keep from screaming. “Speaking of circumstances, I was pretty shocked to hear that I’m being identified as the father of your little blessing.”

  “I was shocked myself. I knew I was pregnant, but I didn’t think I was so far along. The ultrasound…”

  “Debra, stop. Do you know what you’ve done to me?”

  “Done to you? This is my life too.”

  “What do you have to gain by lying about your child’s paternity? One day, your child will see this. Videos last forever. You should have learned that from me.”

  “I’m not lying.”

  “Not lying? Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind since we broke up?”

  “Twelve weeks ago, I was with you so that means this is your child.”

  “Debra, it takes sex, not wishful thinking to have a baby.”

  “I know you’ve got your head in the clouds with your little Video Virgin from the past, but don’t you dare call me now and try to pretend you don’t remember that night. You know, the night before you dumped me.”

  “I remember that night well, and I know that night didn’t produce a baby.”

  “You must have tossed it all in the sea of forgetfulness. Being intoxicated will do that. But don’t worry, I didn’t. I’m also not going to stay on this phone and listen to you call me a liar. I’ve got to go.”

  “Wait, Debra…I don’t. I don’t want to hurt you, but if you persist with this, I’ll have to sue.”

  “Sue for what?”

  “Defamation of character. I have a brand to protect.”

  “I’ve already talked to a lawyer. There’s nothing you can prove here.”

  “When the baby’s born, there will be plenty that can be proven.”

  “Well, then we’ll let the DNA speak for itself. In the meantime, deal with it.”

  I washed my hand over my head.

  “That was a nice proposal last week. How’s your new bae holding up?” I could practically hear the ice water running through her veins. Tamar was right. The proposal had prompted this attack.