Trouble In Paradise (12 page)

She scowled, “It’s in my purse in the floorboard of the car.”

Leon looked down he was sitting in the car outside the jail.

“You have one minute remaining,” the operator said. 

“Blow some steam off Danielle, pray, and think about what you’re doing and where you are.  Clear your head and you gone get pass this girl, come on now.” 

“It’s been a long time since I prayed.”

“Then that’s the problem.”

“Ok Leon I’ll talk to you later.” 

“Ok honey bun,” he said and hung up. 

Leon bent down and grabbed her purse. 

Good thing they hadn’t searched the car, he had the forty five in the glove compartment.  He had to admit it was kind of funny, it was drama he was looking for but it almost hit close to home.  He could’ve gone to jail if he didn’t tell the detectives that she stayed at the hotel he stayed at and needed a ride home and this is where he took her.  The detective asked him why he hadn’t pulled off once she got out of the car Leon said he wanted to make sure she was in safely.  The detective had no reason to think Leon was lying so they let him go. 
I had to think fast on that one,
he thought.  He pulled up to The Drake Hotel and hopped out giving the keys to the valet. 

“Thanks,” he said and walked into the hotel.

Chapter 16

Joshua
dialed his best friend.  In a daze, he didn’t know what to do and was literally lost.  Dantae answered the phone.

“What’s up my man haven’t heard from you in about two weeks.  How’s everything going in Chicago?”   

“Man
,” Joshua said dragging it out for effect. 

“You will not believe what is going on with me right now.” 

“That doesn’t sound too good J.” 

“It’s not good,” Joshua said shaking his
head.  “It’s not good at all.” 

“Ok so
what’s going on?” 

“When we first got down here everything was good.  Then Danielle showed up.” 

“Danielle Shumaker? Don’t tell me she brought the drama.”  

“S
he brought more than the drama.”  

“First she attacked Victoria and then she showed
up at the apartment talking about she pregnant.” 

“What, w
hy she bringing that drama to you she couldn’t possibly be pregnant by you, I mean y’all were so long ago.”

Dantae noticed that Joshua or “J” as he liked to call him was silent. 

“J, man she couldn’t be pregnant by you right?  I mean you ain’t hitting that no more, are you?” 

He sounded like he already knew the answer to that question. 

Joshua let out a
sigh, “Yes man.”  Dantae whistled. 

“What you need me to do?  You need me to intervene in some
kind of way, tell Victoria it’s my baby? What you need?  You know I got your back bro.” 

“It’s not even about that,” Joshua said.  “I just need to
talk to somebody about this; I mean we haven’t had sex in about three to four months.  What can I say, I’m used to hitting that and the girl got some good.  It was hard to let it go.  For real do you know how hard it is to be sexing one girl, I mean come on now.  I admit my flesh is weak, still is.” 

Silence. 

“You know Danielle is a fox, she got all those curves and she’ll do anything I ask her to do in bed that turns a brotha on. What can I say?”

Joshua continued to plead his case while Dantae just listened. 

Once he was done Dantae said,

“Are you finished, ‘cause nobody’s judging you over here but it sounded like you needed to let that out. Do you know how much you just said my man, you sounded like a female for a minute rambling on and on I almost dozed off.” 

They burst out laughing. 

“Yeah that’s what I’m talking about,” Dantae said.  “It’s all good man calm down for a second.  I understand, you don’t have to convince me you’re preaching to the choir.  I
’ve wanted to get with that fine friend of Victoria’s and Danielle’s.” 

“Who?”  Joshua asked really wanting to know.

“Shay and January,” Dantae said.

“Ahhh,” Joshua laughed.  “
I’m surprised you ain’t hit one of them yet?” he continued to laugh. 

“Well you know they both act like they too good for a brotha,” he laughed with Joshua. 

“Damn I needed that laugh,” Joshua said. 

“So what’s the plan man?” Dantae asked. 

“Shit, there is no plan really, Imma try like hell to get my baby to come home.” 

“Get her home, where she go?” 

“She came upstairs, packed a bag and left.”

“And you let her leave?” he asked incredulously.  “If that had of been my girl she
wouldn’t have gone anywhere.  Man you should’ve never let her leave.” 

“How was I supposed to stop her?
We would’ve ended up arguing and that could’ve turn into something else.” 

“Still J, you should’ve let her stay and you left, at least that way you know where she’s at and what she’s doing for the most part.  Do you know where she is now?” he asked already knowing the answer. 

“No.”  Joshua said sounding defeated. 

“Put your chin up man, you a MAN, what you need to do now is go find your girl bring her back to the house and tell her you’ll leave if she needs her space.” 

“Your right,” Joshua said. 

He looked down at his Rolex. 

“I can’t believe this happened.  Everything was going great and then boom, a complete one eighty,” he rubbed and squeezed the corners of his eyes.  “I’m tired man.” 

Joshua proceeded to tell Dantae everything that happened from the moment he thought he saw Danielle in the restaurant, to him going to the hospital, to her showing up on his doorsteps with the detectives already ready.  Dantae shook his head he couldn’t believe his boy was going through all that drama.  I mean he knew Danielle was a little psychotic but for her to go all the way to Chicago was
crazy.  Who really does that unless they are capable of doing something real foul?  He listened to Joshua go on and on. 

“Y
ou proposed and everything, listen J go find your woman man.  For real she doesn’t need to be in a new city by herself; and she a fox, you better go get that girl.”

“Hey!” Joshua yelled at Dantae.

“What?  I’m just keeping it real.  If I didn’t know you or her and I saw her out by herself  I would try and pick her up on that quick tip ya heard me, so keep on talking to me while another man probably talking to her.”

“She’s not like that Dantae and you know it.” 

“Yeah but she’s also pissed off and we all know when women get pissed they get revenge or do something just to piss you off,” Dantae said as if it was simple math.  “Same goes for when you’re drunk you do things you wouldn’t normally do.  That’s what happens when you’re pissed off.” 

Joshua knew he was right.

“So stupid,” he said “I should have known that.  Ok Dantae I gotta go and Dantae,” Joshua said, “Shay is on her way up here.”

“How you know?” Dantae said getting excited.

“Because I know Victoria, she won’t be alone for long I don’t care how far away from Memphis she is.” 

“S
ounds like it’s a party, it’s the beginning of the week but you know how this real estate game goes!” Joshua and Dantae were friends from middle school up through college.  They pledged the same fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, and both majored in business management. 

“C
ome on then I need security.”

Dantae laughed.  “You need a DNA test,” they both laughed. 

“Shut up man, you coming or what?”

“Yeah I’m coming with my superman suit on.”  They laughed again. 

“Aight man, lata.”

“Yeah.” 

They hung up.  Joshua looked at his phone he had thirty-two missed calls from Rebecca; she had called more times in one day than some people call in a year. 

“What
does she want?” he said.  “I know I look good but she must be a stalker too,” he said with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

She didn’t even know Joshua
and she blowing his phone up getting on his nerves. 

I know I’m leaving her alone
, he thought.  She’ll get the picture sooner or later.  He hit the contacts button on his phone and scrolled down to her name.  He clicked edit went up to her name and started to backspace deleting her name and replaced it with “DO NOT ANSWER II” in all caps.  Better now than later. 

He went over to the closet and pulled out a pair of all white Air Force 1s.
He pulled out a pair of ankle socks, put them on and put on his shoes.  He grabbed a white tee and threw it on over his O’dog.  His goatee was on point and his shape up was sharp.  He walked to the mirror and looked at himself. 

“Let’s go get your wife
,” he said to his reflection. 

He grabbed his keys off the kitchen c
ounter and put the alarm on.  After locking the doors he jumped in his truck.  Usher blasted with the start of the car.  He didn’t even know where he was going.  He picked up his phone and dialed Victoria. The phone rang four times then went to her voicemail.  Joshua kept repeating her number but she wouldn’t answer.  He slammed the phone down frustrated.  He opened up the door, got out, slammed the door, walked up to the side entrance and opened it.  He stepped inside and proceeded to turn off the alarm.  I would go get my girl, he said to himself, if I knew where she was. 

*****

Shay grabbed her daughters hand,

“Come here Bunnies give me a kiss, Mama will be bac
k ok?  Remember what I told you?” 

“Be good to grandma, do everything she asks and clean up behind ourselves,” they repeated. 

She smiled, “Good Mama loves you.”

She kiss
them on their faces, they kissed her back and repeated in unison,

“We love you to Mom.” 

“Hey Mom, thanks for watching them on such a short notice, Victoria has a lot going on right now and she really needs me so I’m going up there for about a week.  Everything they’ll need is in the bags in the front room.” 

She hugged her mom and kissed her on her cheek. 

“Love you too baby, take your time it’s no rush, just make sure you come back,” they both laughed. 

Selma Morrison was Shay’s forty-five year old mom who looked just as foxy as Shay.  She stayed in shaped, had an active lifestyle, worked as an Administ
rative Assistant and had a man she was falling head over heels for.  Chelsea ran pass them.

“Hey, slow down,” Selma said, “don’t break nothing cause your mama and your daddy can’t afford it and I want mines now!” she said.

“Ok well if you need me, you have my number, call me and I’ll be here in a flash to help you ok?” 

“Ok honey, have a safe trip,” her mother waved at her. 

Shay climbed into her minivan coupe and headed for the airport.  She had packed everything she needed which wasn’t much because she planned to do some shopping.  This mini vacation was long overdue—a full week without the kids in Chicago, yeah and I hope Victoria ain’t got too much drama because I really ain’t trying to beef; I’m trying to chill out, she thought.  She flipped her hair back and forth and turned up the radio, “Gimmie Dat” by Ciara was playing she sang along, switching lanes and rounding corners.  She was so excited. 

*****

Victoria was at work on time at eight a.m. sharp.  She was dressed down in a Burberry pants suit.  She was fierce as usual but she was tired.  She tossed and turned all night and Joshua had called until the break of dawn.  If she didn’t know any better, she would think he fell asleep with his hands on redial.

  “Ahh,” she said. 

She was sitting in the appointed training chair .  Caroline had an early meeting so she had scheduled her appointments to start at nine, this Caroline had mentioned but Victoria still showed up at eight a.m. anyway.  She sipped on the fresh coffee she had purchased from Starbucks and tried to pull it together.  Her life had just fallen apart over night just like that and she didn’t know what to do.  Should she get over it and move on, but three months ago, come on look how long we’ve been together.  She put her face in her hands and sulked.  Caroline walked in and closed her door; walking up to Victoria she could see that something was still wrong it was all over her. 

“Honey,” Caroline said, “is everything ok?” 

Victoria sighed.  “On a personal level, everything is not ok.” 

Caroline looked at her watch. 

“Ok you’ve got thirty minutes if you want to make a long story short I already have the gist of it.” 

“That’s a good thing,” Victoria said. 

She sat up and told Caroline what happened. 

“So you guys had the
detectives waiting for her when she got there,” Caroline said.

“Yeah, yeah, but the w
itch went psycho again . . . .”

“Sshh keep your voice down.”  

“Oh,” Victoria said covering her mouth, “sorry,” she whispered.  ”Well like I said, she’s crazy, she actually spits on me.” 

Caroline gasped, “Oh no she didn’t.”

“Yeah,” Victoria said, “so I started going at her.  By this time the detectives snatch her back putting her in handcuffs.  Joshua was holding me back.” 

“Oh my, did it hit
its mark?” she asked. 

“Sure did
, caught me on my chin.” 

“Ewww, that is so nasty.  I would’ve killed her.”  They both chuckled.

“Yeah, that’s when she screamed out ‘I’m pregnant’.” 

Caroline got serious real quick, the laughing and cheerfu
lness faded so did Victoria’s. 

“Oh no,” Caroline said. 

“Oh yes,” Victoria said, “it’s true.  He said it’s been three months since he’s been with her; we’ve been together six years! What am I supposed to do with that huh?  Seriously can you help me out because I’m thinking for six years you have been sleeping with her, was it off and on, was it on and on, was it just recent and do I really care?  The fact of the matter is you’ve been cheating on me with your ex that’s what it all boils down to.  Then I think about the six years we’ve shared and we’re just as in love as we were then and I look at this three thousand dollar ring and think, I know he loves me and if nothing else don’t say that, this ring does.”