More Than A Four Letter Word (4 page)

Clarissa stares off into space as Alison
looks at the photos. "I can't say that I'm madly in love with
Lawrence, but I thought I could trust him to be my husband and the
father of my children. What hurts worse is that my sister hates me
so much that she takes pleasure in ruining my life. I don't know if
I can be the bigger woman this time. Roberta has crossed the line,
and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive her."

Alison has some ideas of what to do about
Roberta, but she keeps them to herself. "Are you almost through in
the bedroom or do you need my help."

"I have a few more bags of trash to sack up,
and then I'll be done."

"Finish what you were doing Rissa and I'll
take care of everything in the kitchen. I know that it's hard to
imagine a better time right now, but girl you just had a near
miss."

Clarissa hugs her lifelong friend. Alison has
been better to her than her own sister has. "Thanks Ali, I don't
know what I'd do without you."

"Sweetie, that's what friends are for, to
help you when you're down or in trouble."

Clarissa finishes the task of filling up
garbage bags when her anger arises again. How could she let him
store so much of his personal items over her house? Then reality
slaps her in the face again because they were to marry in a few
weeks. Lawrence has been practically living with her for the last
six months. This makes her wonder how long his relationship with
Roberta has been going on. As soon as the Salvation Army opens in
the morning, she would drop off Lawrence's clothes.

She fills five garbage bags, and Clarissa
didn't know how she would get them to the Salvation Army. By the
time she drags the bags into the living room, Ali put a drink in
her hand. "She took a sip of her drink before sitting in her easy
chair. "This is great, you were a little liberal with the rum, but
I don't mind. Just keep the drinks coming."

Alison brings in an enormous two-gallon
pitcher of Long Island Ice Tea and a glass. She goes back into the
kitchen bringing out a tray of nachos sitting them on the coffee
table. "What's a drink without some munchies?" Alison picks up her
glass, taking a swig before addressing Clarissa. "I can tell by the
look on your face that you're through shedding tears, and your
anger is resurfacing. I can get my shovel from my car; I know some
places in Boggy Creek where they'll never find the bodies."

Clarissa genuinely laughs for the first time
this evening. There's a saying about close friends going to jail
with you. She finishes her drink and pours another one. She sits on
the floor in front of the coffee table and starts stuffing her face
with nachos and jalapeño peppers. "These are the bomb Ali."

Alison nurses her drink as she sits there
monitoring Clarissa's alcohol intake. One good thing they're not
going anywhere this evening, nor would she allow her friend to
drink herself into a stupor either. "Okay give me the lowdown."

Clarissa sipped her drink before relaying the
details to Alison. "Ali I was so proud of myself today, I finally
sold Lariat Games to Rosscom. I came home after receiving those
incriminating photos of Lawrence to come up with a game plan for
kicking him to the curb. I went into my bedroom and found Roberta
folded up in a human knot as Lawrence lost himself in her body. You
should have seen the look on his face Ali. He was shocked and
surprised to see me, but Roberta didn't seem so surprised. It makes
me wonder, is Roberta the one responsible for sending me the
photos. I called and left a message for Mother and Daddy telling
them my good news. The only thing I can think of was that somehow
Roberta spoke to Mother and decided to set me up."

"You do know that Lawrence's affair with
Roberta has been going on for some time, right."

"No doubt, Roberta seems to know what
Lawrence likes. I did get some satisfaction seeing the jar of body
butter connect with her head. I hope it didn't break, that jar cost
me $25, and it's certainly worth more than my sister."

Alison couldn't help from laughing; the
thought of Roberta being hit in the head with a jar of body cream
seems funny. She starts laughing to the point where she couldn't
stop. "Did you leave a scar?"

Clarissa starts laughing too, "A permanent
scar on that heffa's forehead would remind her to leave other
women's men alone. Clarissa turns her landline back on before
looking up the Salvation Army's phone number in the phone book.
Just as she's about to dial the number her phone rings.
"Hello."

"Clarissa where have you been? I have been
trying to reach you for two hours."

Clarissa catches her breath as she hears the
urgency in her mother's voice. "What's wrong Mother? It must be
serious if you're calling me?"

"Roberta has been in an accident, and she's
been asking for you."

"Is she going to live?"

"What kind of question is that? She has a
broken leg and a few cuts and bruises. Now how soon can we expect
to see you?"

"Well since she's not on death's door,
there's no way that I'm coming to the hospital to see that trick."
Clarissa hangs up the phone and snatches the cord out of the wall.
She did feel guilty for talking to her mother that way, but she
couldn't help her feelings.

"What's going on Rissa?"

Roberta's in the hospital, apparently, she's
been in an accident and my mother wants me to come see her. I'm
having too good a time to stop and visit her. She's not at death's
door, and she'll still be at the hospital tomorrow."

"You don't have to go to the hospital, but
you should call her."

Clarissa starts getting angry again. Are you
actually suggesting that I call her after what she did to me?"

"She's in the hospital for goodness sake,
just call her room and see if she's okay."

"Why should I do that? If she were standing
right in front of me, I would strangle her. Maybe I'll call her
tomorrow." Clarissa ignores Alison and turns her attention back to
the nachos when she feels the vibration of her cell phone. She
pulls it out of her pocket and looks at the caller ID. Her Aunt
Helen is calling this time; she turns her phone off and puts it
back in her pocket.

"Who's that on the phone?"

"Nobody. Are you going to mix up another
pitcher of Long Island Ice Tea?"

"Somehow I don't think you need another
drink."

Clarissa sticks her tongue at Alison as she
leaves the room. She wouldn't call the hospital, but she could send
a text message to her brother. Clarissa jumps when she hears the
impatient knocking on her front door. Clarissa looks out the
peephole only to see the worry in her Aunt Helen's face. She opens
the door quickly and ushers her aunt into her home. "Hello Aunt
Helen, I should have known that Mother would send you or Daddy
over."

Not taken in by Clarissa's calm demeanor, she
sits on the sofa waiting for Clarissa to join her. "Have you been
drinking?"

Clarissa squeezes her forefinger and thumb
together to convey just how little alcohol she has been drinking.
"Just a little tiny bit."

Alison comes into the living after hearing
the knocking on the front door. "Hi Miss Helen." She gives
Clarissa's aunt a hug.

"Hello baby how's your mother doing?"

"Uhmm, she's doing great she leaves for her
cruise to the Bahamas on Sunday." Alison looks back and forth
between Clarissa and her aunt and decides to vacate the scene.
"Looks as if you two need to talk. Good to see you again Miss
Helen."

"Coward!" Rissa yells at Alison fleeting
back.

"Rissa, would you mind telling me what's
going on? Henrietta tells me that you're refusing to go see Roberta
at the hospital."

"Junior sent me a text, evidently Roberta is
doing OK and currently sleeping. So there's no reason for me to
leave the comfort of my home this late at night."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry for my lousy attitude Aunt Helen.
I just don't feel like having company right now."

"I'm not a fool Rissa, you've been drinking,
and that, is not like you at all." Helen could see the emptiness in
Clarissa's eyes, and she refuses to leave until she finds out what
happen. "What did Roberta do this time?" Clarissa sits on the sofa
beside her Aunt and tells her everything.

After hearing all the gory details, Helen
comes to a quick decision. "I think you should stay with me for a
couple of days. Once you've have a chance to clear your mind you
can determine what you're going to do."

"I've already come to a decision Aunt Helen.
My company is safe; Rosscom takes over operations of Lariat within
the next couple of weeks. I have a month to vacate this place
before the new owners take up residence." Then she thought of
Julian Ross's riveting proposal. If she decides to accept his
offer, she would have to move to Chicago. Chicago just may be far
enough away from her family. "Someone has given me an appealing
offer today. I wonder if Julian Ross's proposal is still
available."

"What about the job in Atlanta?"

"I did accept the position with another
company, but plans change and I'm not moving to Atlanta after
all."

"You owe your parents an explanation; you
just can't tell them that the wedding's off and disappear."

"I'm sure that Mother could care less, but
you're right about Daddy. It would hurt him if I moved to another
state without an explanation."

"Are you going to tell them about Roberta's
part in this love triangle?"

Why did everyone go out of his or her way, to
protect Roberta? Well for once, she's going to get her upcommance.
"Yes I am! I’m going to march over to my parents’ house and tell
them the truth about their slutty daughter and how I caught her
screwing my fiancé.”

Helen gives Clarissa a frown of disapproval.
"They'll want to know what happen between the two of you, but don’t
you think that’s a little drastic? Just tell your parents that you
and Lawrence can't work out your problems."

Clarissa’s fury begins to spike again, "I
understand perfectly, you want me to cover for Roberta again. I’ve
been covering for her all my life. You seem to forget that I’m the
hurt party in this little scenario. For once, my parents are going
to hear the truth about Roberta. I think that moving away from
Orlando is just what I need."

"Rissa, honey, you can't run away from life.”
Helen grabs Clarissa’s hand to get her attention as she tries to
find a way to tell her about Roberta’s accident. She isn’t in a
frame of mind to listen, but Robert’s life is on the line. “I want
to tell you something, the doctor did find spotting on the
Roberta's x-ray. Roberta has an aggressive form of Leukemia she may
have a chance with a bone marrow transplant.

“
What!” Clarissa’s feelings
for Roberta were complicated. Just a few hours before, she caught
Roberta screwing Lawrence as if the world would end. Now it's quite
possible that Roberta needs Clarissa to save her life. The whole
situation is unfair. There's no way she would allow her sister to
die. Especially, if she can save her, but she isn’t feeling
generous right now.

“
You need to go talk to your
parents. You should have been told something long ago. It may help
you to understand your dysfunctional relationship with your mother
and sister."

“
I’ll never understand my
sister and mother, and I’m tired of trying to understand them. This
time I'm going to put me first.”

***

Clarissa didn’t have a restful sleep last
night; her mind keeps revisiting Roberta's betrayal, and the
hangover didn't help either. At the last minute, Alison volunteers,
to drop off Lawrence's things to the Salvation Army. Even her
pounding head wouldn't let that stop her from dragging the bags to
Alison's Van. She should feel guilty about disposing of Lawrence's
things this way, but she doesn't.

"Rissa call me if you need me. I'll come back
and stay the night again if you need me."

"I don't think Jonesy could spare you for
another night. Thanks for listening. The alcohol and nachos didn't
hurt either. Clarissa hugs Alison before walking back to her
condominium. She can't hide out forever. She has to get a blood
test to see if she's a match for Roberta. How can you love and hate
someone at the same time?

After taking a hot shower and eating a bowl
of cereal to fortify her for what is sure to be a trying day.
Clarissa calls her aunt to confirm that she would meet the family
at her parents’ house after she takes the blood test at the
hospital. She's walking on a tightrope right now, and she didn’t
know how to keep from falling.

She arrives at her parents’
house just before noon. Her eyes rest on the Crape
Myrtles. The pink, white, and lavender blooms made
her long for simpler times. S
he opens the
door to her parents’ home to find her family waiting for her in the
living room. The room is full of tension and Clarissa has a feeling
that anger would ensue shortly. As always, her father is the first
to speak.

“
Baby girl come on in and
have a seat, your mother and I have something to tell you.” Raymond
kisses her cheek before sitting next to his wife.

Henrietta stares at her first-born child with
trepidation. The things she has to tell her children today could
damage their relationship forever. The situation with Roberta’s
illness makes it essential now. "I know that Roberta is the reason
for your breakup with Lawrence. I want you to try and put it behind
you and forgive your sister."

Clarissa could hear the words coming from her
mother’s mouth, but she isn’t receptive to them. "Why should I?
Roberta has been a serious pain in my butt since her birth. Why
should I forgive her for sleeping with my fiancé two weeks before
my wedding?"