Troublemaker (10 page)

“I know. I could tell when I looked into his eyes.”

“Even though Chase makes you want to drink, count your blessings because sometimes I want to do bodily harm to Christian.”

“Well, when you put it like that, I guess I should be thankful. And I've got to agree with you, Christian's always been a piece of work.”

“That's putting it mildly and you know it. Christian's been in more trouble than I can name and the sad thing about it is that half of the mayhem he causes goes under the radar from Ted and me because he hides things so well. I'm afraid that either the drugs, wild women, or both are going to be his downfall. He's too slick for his own good.

Physically, Christian was strikingly handsome with the perfect combination of Victoria's and Ted's features. He'd taken her smooth chocolate-brown skin, grabbed Ted's deep, ocean-blue eyes, and picked up his height and lean body shape from both of them, sculpting him into the kind of man who commanded attention whenever he walked into a room. But sadly, he took advantage of his assets in all the wrong ways, especially when it came to women.

Every time Victoria thought about Christian, and the kind of lifestyle he was leading, her mind worried with thoughts of what would happen to him. But she would never give up hope that her son could turn things around, and it was something she'd been praying for ever since he was seven years old and had come home with a note in his book bag, explaining that he'd been sniffing glue and stealing cigarettes out of his teacher's desk drawer.

Tyler pushed his plate of cold, uneaten food to the side. “We're a fine pair—two only children who each have a child that's a damn mess.”

“It could be worse.”

Tyler shook his head. “Please don't say that. I can't take any more right now.”

“Okay, I won't go down that road.”

“Besides, I haven't told you the clincher.”

Victoria put her hand to her temple. “Is Chase's girlfriend having twins?”

“You're right, that would be worse. But no, she's not having twins.”

“Whew!”

“Technically, she's not his girlfriend, and she doesn't even live in Atlanta. She's in D.C.”

Victoria blinked. “Samantha mentioned that when we talked briefly yesterday, but she said it was complicated.”

“I'll say. Nothing about my son is ever easy.”

Victoria looked perplexed. “How did he manage this?”

“A couple months ago, when we went up to D.C. during spring break to visit Sam's family, Chase hooked up with this little girl, and the rest is history. And to be honest, I don't even know when it could've happened because we thought we'd kept such a close eye on him. But apparently not.”

“Tyler, I don't mean to complicate things, but how does Chase know this baby is his? He was up there for a few days, but who knows what that girl was doing prior to or after his visit. Young girls can lay a trap just like grown women can.”

“Now you're thinking on my level. I've already made up my mind that as soon as the baby is born we're gonna do a paternity test. Unfortunately, as you know, I have some experience in this area.”

Ironically, that was how Tyler had found out that CJ wasn't his biological child. At that time when he and Samantha had been dating, she had still been going through her wild, rebellious stage, and had put herself in a position that caused her and Tyler's breakup once CJ was born and the test results had come in. Fortunately, they were an example of a love that was meant to be because five years later they'd walked back into each other's lives and had been together ever since.

Victoria nodded her head. “That's a good idea. You've got five months to go before you'll have your answer, and I'm going to pray for all of you, Tyler.”

“Be sure to get on both knees when you do, and cross all your fingers and toes while you're at it.”

“It's gonna be all right.” Victoria looked at her watch. “Sorry to cut it short, but I have to get back to the office for a meeting, and then I need to go home early so I can bake your wife a chocolate cocoa cake.”

Tyler placed his credit card on the table to pay for their meal. “Thanks, Victoria. I appreciate you doing this for Sam. You've always been a great friend, and I don't know what I'd do without you.”

“You know I'll do whatever I can to help both of you. Just say the word.”

Tyler's eyes suddenly lit up. “Why didn't I think of it before now?” he said with excitement. “Ask Alexandria if I can bring Chase by her place so she can tell us whether he's the father or not?”

“Listen to you! My daughter's not a circus performer with a crystal ball.”

“But she's got skills, Victoria. Talk to her and see if she'll agree to do it.”

Victoria shook her head. She didn't want to speak for Alexandria, but she knew her daughter would be uncomfortable with the situation. Alexandria was still learning how to control her gift, measure her abilities, and ration her powers. She'd told Victoria on more than one occasion that she had no interest in interfering with the natural progression of life and events unless someone's health or safety was at serious risk.

“She's your goddaughter,” Victoria said. “If you want her help, you're more than welcome to call her with your psychic hotline request.”

“That's cold.”

“And true.”

“I guess on second thought it's not such a good idea. I don't want to put any stress in her life just when she's finally happy and about to jump that broom.”

“One thing I've learned is that everything eventually comes out. Time will reveal the truth and you'll know if Chase is the father.”

As Victoria drove back to her office, she thought about her lunch conversation with Tyler. She knew that whether they liked it or not, both their youngest children were headed down some rocky roads, and one didn't have to possess the gift of prophecy to see that.

A
llene smiled as she breathed in the warm, sweet-smelling air. She loved summer nights, and this evening in particular was especially beautiful. After a day of dark clouds and thunderstorms, a rainbow had spread across the city, and now that nighttime had come, a bright moon was hanging in the big black sky, keeping company with the stars.

This was the kind of night Allene used to enjoy in a different lifetime, when she lived in her tiny house up the road. Isaiah had fussed and wanted to build her a large stucco and brick ranch-style home that he thought would be more fitting, but Allene wouldn't hear of it. “I just need a lil peace of somthin' where I can grow vegetables out back, flowers in the front, and lay my head down at night,” she'd told him. Isaiah had grumbled, but he'd also respected his mother's wishes when he'd purchased her modest two-bedroom home and handed her the keys.

Allene loved that little house. She'd sit on her front porch, enjoying her own company and the peace she felt from a life well lived. Now, as she sat in her rocking chair on her son's front porch, she wished that Isaiah, Henrietta, John, Elizabeth, and all the other family members whom she'd loved could enjoy this night with her.

“I sure do miss y'all something awful,” Allene said aloud. “Things just ain't the same without the ones you love.”

Allene was grateful that she had a new generation of relatives whom she could see in the here and now. She smiled when she thought about how good it would be to have her family under one roof, back at the house her son had built with so much love. She'd always valued the power of family and the fact that it created bonds that could get you through joys and sorrows. Family was strong and resilient, and stood the test of time. Allene knew it was imperative that she do everything she could to hold hers together, especially now that lives were at stake.

Family was just as important to Alexandria, and Allene knew that the young woman was equally committed to making sure theirs thrived for generations to come. “You're doin' good, baby girl. I know you're worried 'cause you feel what's comin', but it's gonna be all right.” As Allene whispered those words into the calm night air, she knew Alexandria could hear her, and that it would give her peace as a storm raged several hundred miles away in Atlanta.

Allene had focused her mind, concentrated, and sought out anyone who would be able to assist her in helping Alexandria. She had been pleasantly surprised when she'd stumbled upon Anita Brown, a sixty-year-old nurse who worked at PJ's hospital. Ms. Brown didn't have the advanced abilities that she or Alexandria possessed, but the woman was pure of heart, and she could sense good or evil, which was most important to Allene, and was necessary to protect Alexandria as she and PJ began their family.

Allene was relieved that Alexandria's mind was more at ease knowing that she didn't have to worry about Gary while she and PJ were away next weekend. Now she was free to focus on the conflict that was sure to arise once everyone gathered at the family homestead.

As Allene slowly rocked back and forth in her comfortable old rocking chair, a chill grabbed her that nearly took her breath away. She'd felt it before, though she hadn't wanted to give it much credence—because she knew that sometimes things had a way of working themselves out—but now it let her know that not every situation would be wrapped in a neat bow, no matter how much she hoped it would. Secrets were going to be revealed and one unfortunate person would not survive the weekend.

“Lord, give them all the strength to do what needs to be done.” Allene slowly rose to her feet, opened the front door, and went upstairs so she could rest up for the events that were about to take place.

S
amantha had taken the day off so she could pack and prepare for her family's trip to Nedine tomorrow. Even though they would only be there for the weekend, she wanted a little extra time to relax and unwind before getting on the road first thing in the morning. Her shoulders had been tense and her nerves had been on edge ever since last week when Chase had told her and Tyler about LaMonica's pregnancy.

Samantha was wrought with worry every time she thought about her teenage son becoming a father. The staggering reality was stressful enough, and now, the possibility that her carefully guarded secret was in danger of coming to light only added to her fears.

She was grateful for the much-needed and unexpected getaway that couldn't have come at a more perfect time, and she saw this trip as an opportunity to help her solve her family's growing problems. Last week when she'd heard Victoria speak in detail about the purpose behind going to Nedine, after dropping by to deliver her world-famous chocolate cocoa cake, Samantha had known right away that the small Southern town was where she, Tyler, and Chase needed to be as well. She smiled to herself, thinking about how that evening had unfolded.

“At first I was a little nervous with the whole idea,” Victoria had said as she handed Samantha a large slice of cake. “But after Alexandria explained that this trip will be a way for us to put the past behind us so we can start new beginnings, I knew I had to go to Nedine, and now I can't wait.”

Samantha had never been one to believe in spirits or people who possessed so-called supernatural powers. She'd seen psychics on late-night TV infomercials and hustlers in the streets of D.C. who tried to make a quick buck with tarot cards and mindreading tricks, none of which she'd given a second thought. But the moment she'd met Alexandria, her opinion had changed.

Samantha still remembered the night many years ago when Tyler had brought her over to Victoria's house to share their good news right after they'd gotten engaged. Victoria and Ted had been happy for them and they'd all toasted with champagne, having a joyous time. As she and Tyler were about to leave, an eleven-year-old Alexandria had come up to her and told her something that still haunted her to this day.

With a face and tone more serious than any adult Samantha knew, Alexandria had stared into her eyes and said she was sorry that Samantha's younger sister had died. It had startled Samantha, especially since her only sibling was an estranged brother whom she hadn't heard from in years. A short time later, she'd found out that her best friend, Emily, had been carrying her father's child and had suffered a miscarriage. It had been a baby girl.

From that moment forward, Samantha had been a true believer. She banked on whatever Alexandria said, so if this trip was supposed to help with burying the past she was all for it.

“It's going to be a great getaway,” Victoria had continued. “Nedine is actually celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its annual Flower Festival next weekend, so there will be lots to do. We're going to stay at my family homestead, which is a treat in itself because the place is like a Southern inn. We're going to have a great time, and most of all, I know this will be a healing experience that we all need.”

After cutting her second slice of cake, Samantha was working her fork toward her mouth as she spoke. “Victoria, I have a really huge favor to ask you.”

“No, I already made you a cake, I'm not making you my homemade ice cream, too. I have to draw the line somewhere.”

“Actually, that does sound good.” She smiled between bites. “But that's not what I was going to ask. Would you mind if Tyler, Chase, and I joined you guys on your trip?”

“You want to come to Nedine?” Victoria said with surprise.

“Yes, it sounds like fun. I've never been to South Carolina, and . . .”

“Samantha, I'm not sure that Nedine's your cup of tea. The anchor store at their mall is Target.”

Samantha could see the wheels turning inside Victoria's head. One of the things she'd learned about her friend over the years was that Victoria was one of the most analytical people she knew, and the woman asked more questions than a police detective. Samantha could feel Victoria about to launch into an interrogation so she answered before she could be asked. “As you know, Tyler and I are under a tremendous amount of stress with this whole pregnancy thing. Hell, that's why you're over here now with a cake I know I'll finish by breakfast.”

“Goodness!”

“Girl, you know I can eat. Anyway, I'm so stressed lately I can barely think.”

“I know. I had lunch with Tyler earlier today and he told me everything.”

“Both of us are frustrated and I think it'll be good for us to get away for a few days. We definitely need to put things in our past so we can start new. For us, that means Chase's behavior. With what we're about to go through as a family, we can't move forward if we don't put some things behind us.” Samantha was sincere, but she was also hiding the fact that she hoped she could bury her long-held secret once and for all.

Victoria nodded. “I completely understand. I want the same thing.” She paused and cleared her throat. “I'm hoping Ted and I can put the mistake I made with Parker in our past where it belongs.”

Samantha could hear the strain in Victoria's voice at the mention of Parker's name. Samantha loved Parker, but she knew how he was. He could be relentless when he wanted something, and he'd always had his sights set on Victoria. He'd dated a number of women over the years, and to everyone's surprise and chagrin, he'd been with his current bitch of a girlfriend for quite some time. But he would never make a commitment, and Samantha knew it was because his heart had never gotten what it truly wanted. She understood that feeling because she'd been the same way until she'd reunited with Tyler. “I'm gonna pray for you on that one,” she said.

“Thanks, I need it.”

“I know it's going to be awkward for you and Ted having Parker as an in-law, but trust me, my cousin is going to behave himself. PJ is his world, and he loves that boy way too much to cause any trouble.”

Victoria nodded. “Honestly, I'm more worried about Ted than Parker. We had a conversation last night and even after all these years he's still suspicious when it comes to Parker and me. Can you believe that?”

Samantha wanted to say she didn't blame him, because again, she knew how her cousin was. But at the moment she needed to refocus on the trip to Nedine. “Like I said, I'll pray for you, my friend. Now . . . what do you think about us tagging along? After listening to what you've said, I really believe this is exactly what we need.”

Victoria smiled. “Alexandria said this trip was for our family, and you guys are definitely a part of it. Sure, come on and join us. The more the merrier.”

 

Now it was midafternoon and Samantha was relaxed in her cute, hot-pink loungewear tank top and shorts as she sat on her bed with pillows propped behind her back and her laptop perched across her thighs. She stared at the illuminated screen and let out a deep sigh. She was more than ready for her getaway because at the moment she was annoyed to the point of feeling pissed.

“Shit!” Samantha hissed as she looked at the Facebook friend request that had popped up in her notifications last week. For the past seven days she'd been debating whether to click
CONFIRM
, click
NOT
NOW
, or simply pretend that her past hadn't come back to haunt her.

But time had taught her that you couldn't outrun trouble if it was waiting to find you. She let out a deep breath as she thought about how complicated and downright contradictory life could be, especially hers.

She prided herself on being an open, up-front person. She wasn't the type to beat around the bush and she always told the truth, even when it was difficult to say. That was why being in the situation she now found herself in was so frustrating. She knew that sometimes not only could the truth hurt, it could devastate the people you loved, and when it came to her family she was willing to do whatever it took to protect them—in this case, from the truth.

“This bastard has some nerve,” she seethed as she continued to look at her computer screen. Even with the disguised name he was hiding behind, which had pissed her off just reading it, and the profile picture he was using of a lady holding a sword in one hand while balancing a scale in the other, representing the universal symbol for justice, Samantha knew exactly who had sent her the request. It made her sick, mad, and a little afraid all at once.

“If that asshole thinks I'm gonna play his game, he's got another thing coming,” Samantha whispered aloud. “He's the one who should be sitting in bed, worried about the truth coming out, not me.”

She'd been plagued with anxiety ever since last week when she'd realized that LaMonica's father was David Carpenter, and now she was unsettled by the fact that he was contacting her through Facebook. She wanted to snap her fingers and make him go away, but she knew that was impossible. At the very least, if his daughter was indeed carrying Chase's baby, David would once again be entwined in her life, much like Parker was in Victoria's.

Samantha had been nervous when Tyler had told her that he and David had spoken by phone and that David had suggested they have a conference call last weekend to discuss their children's predicament. She'd been on pins and needles all last Saturday, waiting for David to call Tyler's cell, but he never did. Tyler had been pissed that the man hadn't followed through as he'd said he would, but his negligence had felt like a wave of relief over Samantha's burdened mind.

Now, sitting on her bed, worried out of her mind, the longer she stared at David's friend request, the angrier she got. “He's still a punk,” she said aloud. “He'll dodge my husband, but his sneaky ass will send me a friend request. He's still the same fucking snake I remember. Well, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this shit right now.”

Samantha took a deep breath and clicked
CONFIRM
.

She immediately went on his page and started looking around for information. She was disappointed that it took all of two minutes to search through his photos, timeline, about section, and his events. David hadn't provided much beyond his stock photo profile picture and his phony name, Tic Tac Toe. Every time Samantha saw that name, she wanted to scream. He'd used it on purpose to make sure she knew it was him.

She was about to check out Chase's page to see if he'd posted any crazy or inappropriate messages since last night, when the alert sound dinged, notifying her that she had a message waiting in her inbox. Her heart started pounding when she saw that it was from Tic Tac Toe. She clicked on the message, opened it, and started reading.

Samantha hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until she finished reading his message and gasped for air. “I know his ass didn't just threaten me?!” she yelled directly at the screen.

She was livid. Her first thought was to go down to the kitchen drawer where Tyler had written David's cell phone number on a sticky note, dial him up, and curse him out. But after taking a few deep breaths, which Tyler had taught her to do over the years as a way to help center her temper and calm her emotions, she decided against taking that action. “I can't let that bastard get to me.”

She put her laptop to the side, got out of bed, and walked downstairs. If it weren't for the fact that it had been raining day and night for two weeks straight, she would have laced up her running shoes and gone outside to clear her head. But she didn't do rain, and she didn't want to ruin her hairdo after having had it styled early this morning, so instead she headed to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine.

This time, instead of bringing the bottle upstairs and drinking the whole thing as she'd done last week, she poured a modest glass and stood at the sink as she drank. She was sorry that she'd ever started down a road of deceit. It was long, rough, and bumpy, and she'd never thought she'd still be on the journey all these years later. She thought back to when her secret had started and why, and it made her feel like crying.

Looking back on things, Samantha knew she should've let the truth come out a long time ago. It would've been painful, but she was also sure that time would've healed the wound. Now, twenty-seven years later, everyone's lives had changed in such complex ways that the truth held more hurtful consequences today than if she'd just come clean from the very beginning.

As she sipped the last of her wine, she thought about the secret that David was keeping, too. She used to believe that his dirt was far worse than hers. But then she realized that after everything was said and done, they were neck and neck. Her secret required lies, pretense, and deceit, just like his. “How did I get myself into this mess?” she said aloud. She gulped down the last of the wine in her glass. “It's time for me to take some action.”