After All (16 page)

“
Are you sorry?”Anthony
stared at her, a worried look shadowing his handsome
features.

Michelle searched for regret and found
none.”No, I'm not.”

“
Then talk to me.”He rested
his chin on her head.

“
This scares me. It's so...
intense.” Michelle felt naked in more ways than one. Was the
happiness worth the pain he could bring?

“
I can't promise we'll never
have an argument or be angry with each other. But I've cherished
you for years and I won't let anyone or anything keep us a
part.”Anthony gripped her tighter as if to prove his
words.

“
But your uncle is still who
he is.” Michelle drew back to look up at him.

“
Yes, and though I love him,
it doesn't mean I support everything he does.”Anthony caressed her
cheek, his eyes soft with love. “I don't want to
choose.”

“
I'm not asking you to.”
Michelle felt a surge of guilt at the thought of her investigative
report. She struggled with her duty to the story and her desire not
to hurt Anthony. “Just understand that I can't overlook some
things,” she said.

“
Believe me, Chelle, I
do.”Anthony's voice was low and full of tenderness. They nestled
back against the large fluffy pillows.

“
What time is it?” Michelle
murmured.

“
Almost three.”

“
I should be getting home.”
Michelle made no move to leave the warmth of his bed.

“
Might as well stay for
breakfast.”

“
I can't drive home in broad
daylight in that dress.” Michelle said, her voice
drowsy.

“
Trust me, without it you'll
attract a lot more attention.”Anthony chuckled.

Michelle gave no reply because she was
already asleep, her arms wrapped around his waist. Anthony pressed
his lips to her forehead and dozed off to the sound of low music
drifting in from the living room.

***

“
Good morning all.” Michelle
bustled in.”This cool weather is wonderful. I hope it holds up
until Thanksgiving. Ahh, fresh coffee.”

“
Who's she?”Kate spoke in a
stage whisper to Gracie.

“
Someone doing a bad
impersonation of Michelle Toussaint, who we all know is not a
morning person.” Gracie squinted at Michelle.

“
What are you two chattering
about? Why Kate, you look stunning. That shade of green brings out
your eyes.”Michelle beamed at her.

“
Thanks.” Kate turned to
Gracie. “Whoever she is, I vote we keep her. I won't tell anybody
if you won't. Bye all.” She waved as she left.

“
Guess I don't have to be
Sherlock Holmes to deduce you had great weekend.” Gracie sat
forward eagerly.

“
A perfect description.”
Michelle's peered over her cup with eyes that sparkled.

“
That flush of joy means a
man is responsible. And no ordinary man. We’re talking good
old-fashion, bone shaking Doctor Feelgood.”

“
Well....” Michelle pursed
her lips primly.

“
You don't have to give me
details. He left the evidence all over you like fingerprints,
darlin'. Just tell me who it is. I won't tell a soul, cross my
heart.”

Michelle grinned at her. “Liar. Anyway,
you met him.”

“
Yeah.”

“
He's kind,
sensitive--”

“
Yeah, yeah. Skip that and
tell me who he is.”

“
Anthony
Hilliard.”

“
Hello! Handsome and great
in bed. What a combination.”

“
Gracie!” Michelle shushed
her looking around.

“
Being handsome doesn't
guarantee a man's got the right stuff.”Gracie shrugged.

“
What makes you think we...
you know.”Michelle lowered her voice.

“
Are you kidding? You've got
so much afterglow you look like a giant light bulb.”

Michelle sighed and propped one hand
under her chin.”I know I'm wearing this goofy grin, but it won't go
away. I stood in the mirror for fifteen minutes trying.”

“
My oh my. Things certainly
are racing along with you two.”

Earl walked up with a steaming mug of
coffee.”What things? Who are we talking about?”

“
Girl talk. You wouldn't be
interested. On my way to the editing room. I'll be back in a few
and we'll finish this discussion.” Gracie left with a hand full of
papers.

“
Saw you at the Halloween
dance. It was really nice.”

“
Why didn't you come over to
say hello?” Michelle pointed to a chair for him to sit
down.

“
Y'all were on your way out
by that time. I didn't know you were friends with Anthony
Hilliard.” Earl sat at the vacant desk.

“
We've known each other for
years.”

“
Pretty close then?” Earl
stirred his coffee with a small plastic spoon still sticking from
his cup.

“
You could say that.
Why?”

“
This story you're working
on. It could hurt his uncle. Does he know about it?”

Her blissful mood vanished at the
mention of Ike Batiste. “Of course not.”

“
I hear Jason is complaining
long and hard that you aren't moving fast enough on it. If he finds
out that you and Hilliard are involved, it could be trouble for
your career,” Earl said.

Michelle glowered at him.” Who do you
think you are questioning my professional integrity?

“
No I'm not.”

“
Yes you are! Do you think I
would compromise a story?”

“
We've been colleagues long
enough for you to know how I feel about you,” Earl replied in a
composed voice. “Calm down. I'm trying to tell you how Jason could
use this to hurt you.”

“
Oh come on,
Earl.”

“
Stop and
think
. You and I both
know he wouldn't hesitate to use this as a way to get you off the
story, even question your credibility in general.” Earl studied her
for several seconds as what he was saying sunk in.

Michelle breathed deeply. “Sorry.
You're right. But I've thought about that. I started working on
reports about problems with public housing long before Anthony and
I started seeing each other again for one thing. Plus, dozens of
people know what Ike Batiste did to my family. No one would believe
I'd go easy on him.”

“
Can you be objective
though? Before you answer think about the worst case scenario.
Batiste is in it up to his neck, you break the story and
indictments are handed down. Could you go forward knowing it will
hurt someone you care deeply about?”

“
That would be tough, Earl.
I'd be lying if I said otherwise. But knowing Anthony as I do, I
honestly don't think he could support his uncle if it were proven
he's harming people who can't defend themselves.”

“
Maybe not.” Earl placed a
hand on her shoulder. “Any way, step carefully on this
one.

Michelle mulled over their conversation
after he left. Earl put her worst fears into words. Despite her
confident speech to him, Michelle was unsure of herself. Earl had
said nothing she had not said to herself dozens of times in the
last weeks. It was the reason she held back from giving in to her
passion for so long. The nagging voice in her head had been stilled
only to have Earl wake it up again.

Gracie came back and plopped down in
her chair. “Damn machine. More temperamental than movie star. Now
where were we?”She noticed Michelle's grave expression. “Say, the
glow is gone. Don't tell me in the few minutes I was out of the
room you two had your first fight?”

“
No, I haven't talked to
Anthony.”

“
Then what?”

“
Anthony's uncle does
business with the Housing Authority. He may be involved in some
dubious transactions.”

“
So what? Listen, a reporter
has to be cautious sure, but we can't shape our whole lives around
this job. Life isn't that simple. It's damn complicated in
fact.”

“
Tell me about it,” Michelle
said.

“
So do what you gotta do,
champ. Go after the story. Nail whoever is dirty, and break it to
your man gently an hour before the big story hits. One hour, no
more.”

“
What if he reacts
badly?”

Gracie shook her head. “Honey, I didn't
say it would be easy.”

Michelle felt a cold, hard knot form in
the pit of her stomach. “Just once I wish something could
be.”

***

Thomas sat brooding in front of the
fireplace in his huge den. The big screen television, sound turned
down so that it was barely audible, played in the background.
Thomas ignored the football game, staring instead into the flames.
A tall glass of dark beer rested on his knee. When Annette came
into the room, he did not speak or acknowledge her.

“
How monotonous. Grown men
crashing into each other for three and a half hours.” She made a
great show of changing the station in a bid for attention. Annette
looked at him sideways. “You don't mind do you?”

“
No.” Thomas still did not
move.

“
Good.” Annette fiddled with
the remote for several long minutes glancing at him from time to
time.”You've been home for all of two hours now. I mean waking
hours, of course. Sleeping doesn't count. Are you well?”

“
Yes.”

“
Just wondering. You seem
not to be your usual vivacious self.”Annette snickered into the
tumbler she brought to her lips. She gulped a mouth full of its
contents. “What gives?”

“
I really don't want to get
into it with you, Annette.”

“
Maybe I can help. Wow, I
must be drinking too much to say that.” She laughed as she held up
the glass. “Come on, tell me.” On less than steady legs, she
crossed the room to sit beside him on the loveseat.

“
Dominic has a
job.”

“
That's what you wanted, so
what's the problem?”Annette drank again.

“
With Batiste.”

“
Oh. Well, so what? You
wouldn't give him a job or any money. You told him to stand on his
own. So he did what you told him to do.”

“
Typical.”

“
What does that
mean?”

“
Dominic goes to work for a
crook like Batiste, a man who stabbed me in the back, out of spite.
And you see nothing wrong with it.”

“
What happened was as much
your fault as it was Ike's. You even said so at the time.”Annette
got up to refill her glass.

“
Even knowing his reputation
as a scam artist, I was gullible enough to think we could do
business together.” Thomas spoke in a voice raspy with anger.
“Little did I know how badly he wanted to bring me down. You never
said a word, did you?”

“
This was years ago. Why
keep raking it up?”

“
Ike Batiste tried to ruin
me because you left him to marry me. Well, he needn't have
bothered. I got my punishment for it all right. You.”

“
I love you too,
sweetheart.”Annette held up her drink in a mock toast.

“
You and your friends must
have had a good laugh over how you made a fool of me.”Thomas stared
at her hard causing her to turn away.

“
That isn't true. How many
times do I have to say it? How many years before we put it behind
us?”Annette slumped into a leather chair. “God, I'm so
tired.”

“
Months of lying, sneaking
to hotels. Then he dumps you like a piece of trash. Without missing
a beat, you come home to play the loving young wife. I still
remember that romantic weekend you pleaded for. We went to Houston,
and left the kids with your mother. Eight months later, Dominic is
born.”

“
Stop it, Tommy.”Annette
covered her face.

“
He patiently waited five
years before he cleverly orchestrated my humiliation. Once again, I
played the fool. Accepted a contract from him. He nearly succeeded
in destroying the business my grandfather built from nothing, but
he made sure I know about your affair.” Thomas stood over her, his
voice steely with bitterness. “I'll never forget how he smiled when
he told me the exact day you'd gone back to his bed.”

“
Please stop it!”Annette
jumped up to leave.

Thomas clenched her arm dragging her
back. “But I stayed. I stayed because I couldn't bear the thought
of leaving my children alone with you.”

“
They're gone now so why are
you still here?”Annette wiped her face with the back of her
hand.

“
Because I'll be damned if I
see you get half of what I've got now. I worked too hard to get
where I am.” His eyes raked her with a contemptuous glare. “Like
the song says, It's cheaper to keep her.” He released his hold
letting her fall back into the chair.

“
You're crazy.”Annette
shrank into the cushions in a vain attempt to escape his cruel
words.