Suspicions (14 page)
Authors: Sasha Campbell
“Where the hell you been all night?”
Grant didn't even look in my direction as he spoke. “A few of us went out to dinner and drinks after we got done bowling.”
“Some of you like who?” He better not say that new guidance counselor Ms. Peachtree. She was cute. I'd give her that, but I've seen the way she looked at my husband, and I had no problem snatching those kinky twists from her head if I had to.
“Just a few of us. Damn! Why the twenty questions?”
“Because you should have called to let me know you weren't coming home so I wouldn't have bothered cooking.” There was no way in hell I was letting him know I had sat there until ten o'clock dressed in a waitress's outfit ready to take his order. He could have had whatever he wanted on the menu, preferably me. By ten-thirty I had changed clothes and was heading to Hyde Park to pick up Sierra when I decided to drive past Ms. Peachtree's house. The reason how I knew where she lived was because last Thursday, I waited in the parking lot for her to leave the school and followed her home. It was a good thing I hadn't found Grant's car parked out there tonight, but that wasn't saying much. Her mini Cooper wasn't there either. I glanced over to the clock on the wall. It was now a quarter to twelve.
“Cooked? I'm surprised. You haven't cooked once since Sierra came into this house,” he replied with a rude snort.
I folded my arms and raised my eyebrows. “It's hard juggling an infant and preparing a meal. If you would help me sometime with the baby, maybe cooking for you wouldn't be a problem.”
“I already told you I didn't want a baby in the house, yet you went behind my back and did it anyway.”
The look on his face told me he had reached his boiling point. Too bad. So had I.
“As far as I'm concerned, she is your grandchild. And as soon as I figure out who her mother is, then we can get her to take care of her responsibilities.” I tried once more to explain my actions.
“What if she doesn't want the baby? Then what? Who's going to raise Sierra?”
I hesitated, because I knew Grant wasn't going to like my answer. “Well . . . I guess we will, at least until Scott graduates from college and gets a job so he can provide for his daughter himself.”
“It sounds to me like you got it all figured out and you didn't even bother to ask me what I thought about the situation.”
His angry tone put me on the defense. “I already know what you think. You don't want another baby in the house; but I'm sorry, I can't turn my back on my granddaughter.”
“We don't even know if that child is Scott's!” he snapped.
“If she isn't, then I've definitely been fooled. I think you're too blind to notice she has the same hazel eyes as you and Scott, and even that small, pudgy nose. If she doesn't belong to Scott, then the only other person who could be her father is you.”
He gave me a look that said,
Don't even go there.
“Until we find out if she's Scott's, let DCFS take the child. Seriously, Noelle . . . I hate to see you get attached to this baby only to get your heart broken again.”
Don't even go there.
“Until we find out if she's Scott's, let DCFS take the child. Seriously, Noelle . . . I hate to see you get attached to this baby only to get your heart broken again.”
I shook my head. “I can't do that. If she is, and I know she is, my grandchild, I would never be able to forgive myself for putting her in foster care.”
He reached for a beer in the refrigerator, then moved to the family room and took a seat on the couch. For the longest time he sat there staring at the television screen, saying nothing.
I stood in the doorway with my arms crossed. “Are you planning to ignore me all night?”
“No, I plan on drinking this beer; then I'm going to go jogging, shower, and get ready for bed.”
I don't know how we had gotten to this point. I'll admit ever since the baby came, Grant has only tried making love to me once. He was seconds away from going down on me when Sierra started crying from the other room, letting me know her diaper was wet. I don't think I'd ever seen Grant's dick get soft so quickly. I'll admit a baby can affect a man's libido; however, I don't care what he said, there was more going on than him not wanting a baby in the house.
Pushing away from the door, I went upstairs and checked on Sierra, who was sleeping like an angel in the bed. She was so precious. There was no way I could just turn my back on her no matter what my husband said. She was the innocent victim here. I went back down to the living room and the second I moved around the corner Grant slammed his flip phone shut.
“Who you talking to?” I asked.
“No one,” he mumbled. “I was just checking my messages.”
“Uh-huh.” At this point, I didn't believe anything he said.
He rose and went to put the can in the trash. “I'm going to get dressed and go jog for a little while.”
He pecked my cheek, then moved into the bedroom. Five minutes later he came out in sweats and a T-shirt and his MP3 player at his waist. I watched out the window as he jogged up the street, and as soon as he was out of sight, I hurried into the bedroom and rummaged through the clothes he had just taken off. I dug through every pocket looking for receipts or anything else that said where he had been all evening. When I didn't find anything, I reached for my key to his car and went out into the garage and started digging. I checked under the seat, between the seats, and the glove box. I was about to give up when I spotted a balled-up napkin on the floor mat. I smooth it out.
Angelina's
. That was the name of the new restaurant people have been buzzing about over on the north side. He said they went to dinner. But tell me why they traveled to eat at an establishment that was more than forty-five minutes away from the school, especially when there were several good restaurants in the area?
Angelina's
. That was the name of the new restaurant people have been buzzing about over on the north side. He said they went to dinner. But tell me why they traveled to eat at an establishment that was more than forty-five minutes away from the school, especially when there were several good restaurants in the area?
I slammed the car door shut and went inside. Sierra started crying and I went up and changed her diaper and gave her another bottle. By the time Grant returned, she had been burped and was going back to sleep. I went into our bedroom and shut the door so we wouldn't disturb her.
“So where did you go to dinner tonight?” I asked trying to remain as calm as I could.
“Applebee's.” That was a damn lie. I could see it in his expression, because the fool couldn't even look me in the eyes.
“Oh really. What did you have?”
As he slipped off his running shoes, I saw him looking at me nervously out the corner of his eye. “I had the rib basket. Why?”
“I'm just curious. I heard there is a really nice restaurant on the north side called Angelina's. You ever been there before?”
Grant's golden gaze grew wide. “Ummm, let me think about that one a moment.”
“Yeah, you think long and hard.” I then held up the napkin so he could see I already knew where he had been for dinner.
“Okay, we went there tonight. So what?” he said, and shrugged like it was no big deal. If he was lying about dinner, what else was he being deceitful about?
“Why you lie?”
He pulled the sweaty T-shirt over his head, then sighed. “Because I didn't feel like explaining why I went to check out a new hot spot without you. You always act like your feelings are hurt if I try to do anything and don't include you.”
“Probably because we rarely do anything together anymore.”
I saw anger flash across his face. “That's your fault. I planned a vacation and you canceled it. Remember?”
For a moment, we both fell silent. Grant was right. I had postponed our vacation because I didn't want to leave Sierra alone, but there was no way he was going to make it my fault. We were having problems long before she came to live with us.
Before I could try to make things right, Grant moved into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. I don't know what was wrong with our relationship, but I needed to find a way to fix things fast before it was too late.
15
Chauncey
“Why you like me?”
Candace turned up her nose and frowned. “What kind of question is that?”
“One that I hope you will answer.” We were having lunch at Nikki's, a popular bar and grill at 97th and Western, eating Angus cheeseburgers and fries, and drinking cold draft beers served in frosted glasses. There were three pool tables to the far right, flat screens over near the bar to watch the game, and the smell of grilled steaks filled the air. Just the way I liked it. Tonight was probably our best date. We went and saw Denzel's new movie, then drove to Lincoln Park and walked along the beach, by ourselves, just talking and holding hands. At one time doing that would have sounded corny as hell, but I was at a different point in my life since I met her and had a deeper appreciation for the simpler things.
It had been a week since Candace and I had our first date, and each day things got better. Somehow that woman had managed to do something in a week that no woman had been capable of doing beforeâgot me thinking about settling down. Never once had it crossed my mind we were spending too much time together, or that talking on the phone more than once a day was a bit much. Instead, it was the exact opposite. I just couldn't seem to get enough of her. We'd sit and talk for hours, or even just lie on the couch together and watch television. With most of the women I'd dated, after a little conversation and sex, there wasn't much else except to make plans for me to tap that ass again. But with Candace, it wasn't about the sex. She made me feel like anything was possible and that together we could do anything. She was great, and the truth of the matter is, I was crazy about her.
“Chauncey, that's a silly question,” she replied with a soft laugh that always made me smile.
I leaned across the table. “Boo, I'm serious. I'm renting a room at the Y. I got a hoopty, and a GED. I see the way cats be checking you out. So I know you could have anyone you wanted, yet you're with me.”
“Chauncey, like I told you before, I've dated the guys with money, education, and was bored to tears. There's just something about you that I find myself drawn to.” She gave me her sexy sixty-watt smile.
“It must be my bad-boy image.”
She stroked my arm on the table, running her fingers across the letters carved in my flesh. “It's not even that. Tyree's hood and I vowed I would never go out with anyone else like that.” She paused long enough to frown. “I guess I like you because you keep it real. I'll be honest . . . in the beginning I was a little hesitant about getting involved with someone who looked like a thug.”
Her comment made me laugh. “Nah . . . I had my days, but at some point we all have to grow up.”
“I wish I could say the same about my baby's daddy, but Tyree maturing ain't gonna happen anytime soon.” She didn't go into serious detail about her ex and I appreciated that. I just needed to know enough to know who my competition was, that's all. “I had enough little boys. At this point in my life, I need a man. Seriously . . . Chauncey, I love the way you take pride in your work. Women be sweating you and you just let it roll off your shoulders.” She paused, sipped her beer, and laughed. “I never thought about a dude . . . a straight dude doing women's feet for a living, but you got the monopoly. Don't be surprised if other brothas try to follow in your footsteps. You know how they be hating.”
I chuckled. “I'm already seeing it. One of my boys is talking about doing pedicures in his barbershop. With all those female clients . . . he said that would be reason enough for brothas to start flocking to his shop.”
“See! What I tell you?” She screamed and started laughing again; then she got all serious and stared me dead in the eye. “So tell me what it is you like about me.”
“What's there not to like? You're sexy as hell. Smart with a good head on your shoulders. I like a woman with enough class to have on my arm, who can also shoot pool and slug down a couple bottles of beer. A brotha would be a fool not to want to push up on you.” Take tonight, for instance, Candace was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a gold blouse with matching stiletto heels. She didn't look like the hoochies at the table next to us. One had her ass cheeks hanging out her shorts and the other one needed a bra on because her breasts were practically sagging down to her waist. “Now that you with me, all them other brothas can hang that up.”
“Why is that?” she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice. I loved the way her beautiful eyes crinkled.
“Because I like what I got too much to want to share with anyone else.” I leaned in close. “That's unless you got a problem with it.”
She stared at me and grinned. “No . . . I kinda like the sound of it.”
I lowered my head and kissed her. It wasn't a quick peck either. I lingered long enough to taste beer on her tongue and make her moan. Damn, I was horny! Our relationship wasn't about sex, because as of yet, I still hadn't gotten none. However, I'd be lying if I didn't say I couldn't wait to get between her thighs. The suspense was killing a brotha.
I ordered another round of drinks and we laughed and talked some more. I leaned back in my chair, enjoying her company and sexy smile. We were debating who was going to win the NBA Finals when my cell phone chirped, indicating I had a message. I pulled it out my pocket and glanced down at the text message on my screen.
She ain't even cute.
It was Tameka. I sat up on my seat and glanced to my left and right, looking to see if that crazy-ass chick was somewhere in the restaurant. If she was, I couldn't find her.
Candace gave me a weird look. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I took one last sweep of the room, then reached for my drink. I don't even know why I was worried about Tameka, not when I had this fine woman sitting across from me. Yet, I had enough history with Tameka to know there was no telling what that chick was capable of doing. “Candy? I wanna know if you'd go with me to my family reunion at the end of the month?” I don't even know why I was going to spend time with my father and his family, except to say I was curious.
“You're asking me to meet your family?” I nodded. “Sure, I would love to.” I could see the look of surprise on her face that I was ready to introduce her to my relatives. “Being around family is a good way to find out about someone,” she said.
“Well, to be totally honest with you . . . I don't know much about my father. He hasn't been in my life since I was six years old.” I sighed. “It's a long story, but the gist of it is, he messed around on my mom with another woman and the two of them ended up getting a divorce.”
“Are you saying he stopped being a father to you?”
Reaching for my beer, I nodded and couldn't believe it, but I started getting angry all over again. I don't even know why I brought him up and was allowing that man to spoil a perfect evening. “I never heard from him again until my eighth-grade graduation. He had married the other woman and they had my sister, Linda.”
Candace gave me a curious look. “Now, if your father wasn't in your life, how did you know you had a sister?”
“She started writing me while I wasâ” I stopped when I suddenly remembered I still hadn't told her anything about being incarcerated. Damn. My cell phone rang and I was so glad for the interruption, I didn't even bother to check the caller ID first. “Hello?”
“You might wanna order the key lime pie. It's to die for,” Tameka purred on the other end. I looked over my shoulder. She had to be somewhere in the restaurant, watching me.
“Whassup?” I replied, and tried to act like I was talking to one of my boys while I glanced around so Candace wouldn't become suspicious.
“What's going on is that you've taken someone else to
our
favorite restaurant and my feelings are hurt,” she replied with a pout.
our
favorite restaurant and my feelings are hurt,” she replied with a pout.
“Yo, shit happens.”
There was a long pause. “You're so right. Shit does happen, so I advise you to watch your back.” With that, the phone went dead. I felt a chill at the back of my neck and looked over my shoulder again.
“Is something wrong?” Candace asked. The frown on her face said she was smart enough to know something wasn't right.
I gave a nervous laugh. I didn't know what was worse, Candace asking about my past or Tameka stalking me. “Everything's fine. I just feel like someone is watching me.”
“It's probably that woman sitting over near the bar. She's been staring you down since we got here.” She tilted her head in the direction of the pool tables.
I swung to my left, and there sitting on a stool at the end of the bar was Tameka. As soon as she saw me staring, she raised her glass in my direction. That psycho was determined to make my life hell.
“Do you know her?” Candace asked.
I picked up my beer, draining half the bottle with one gulp before answering, “She's someone I used to know. Now . . . the only female I'm worried about is you.” I leaned across the table and brought my lips down on hers. I was making sure it was clear to Tameka that what she and I had was over.
“Excuse me.”
Startled, I looked up to find Tameka standing in front of our table, grinning like a damn fool. She was definitely up to something. “Whassup, Tameka,” I replied, trying to sound like it was no big deal.
“Chauncey? I thought that was you! How you doing?” she added with theatrical effect. “I just had to come over and say hello to you and your . . . uhhhh . . .”
“This is Candace,” I replied, hoping she would just get the hell away.
Tameka tossed her a fake smile. “Candace, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you. Chauncey and I go way way back. In fact, we used to date. So I'll warn you, he doesn't stay in relationships long because he's afraid of commitment.”
“Really? Well, Tameka, I'm here to tell you . . . that may have been the way things were when the two of you were together, but my man has eyes for just me. Isn't that right, baby?” Candace cooed. I looked over at her in time to see her wink. She knew Tameka was a shit starter. I could have jumped across that table and kissed her.
“Absolutely, boo. Now, if you would excuse us, Tameka, me and my
girl
would like to get back to our meal.”
girl
would like to get back to our meal.”
She looked humiliated for a second before she cut her eyes at me. “You can have him. It ain't like he eats pussy.”
“Really? That's funny because Chauncey can't seem to get enough of mine.” She held up her bottle. “Cheers.” Candace tapped her beer against mine, dismissing her.
If looks could kill, Candace and I would have blown up in smoke. “Whatever,” Tameka mumbled under breath, then started toward the door and practically tripped on the heel of her shoe.
Candace and I both took one look at each other and tried to hold it together until she exited the restaurant.
“Sorry, I couldn't help myself,” she laughed. “That chick rubbed me the wrong way.”
I was laughing my ass off. It felt so good. “No, believe me. I appreciated your help. I've been trying to get rid of that chick for months.”
“You must have been doing something right; otherwise, she wouldn't be acting like that.” Candace leaned forward, revealing all that luscious cleavage spilling from the top of her blouse. “What could that be?”
“I'll let you in on a little secret . . . I've never had any complaints.”
“Hmmm . . . apparently not.” Candace gave me a long, thoughtful look like she was finally thinking about giving a brotha some. Maybe Tameka's popping up just might turn out to be a good thing. “The look on Tameka's face, I doubt she'll be bothering you again.”
“One can only hope.”
This moment would go down in the history book as priceless. Hopefully, Tameka had finally gotten the hint, I had moved on and it was over between us. However, I lived long enough to know that nothing is ever that easy.
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