This man let my sweet Mama, who never hurt a soul in her life, be hurt by a man that he called ‘friend,’ and even told her to keep it a secret. He made her embarrassed to tell anyone, for fear of not being believed, but also being ridiculed. He made my Mama feel like less than a human being, and that ain’t gonna go unpunished – not by me. This pain and hatred will eat me alive unless I find an outlet, and the madder I get, the more a plan is forming in my head.
Yep, I’m going to Cali, but my daddy ain’t gonna know a thing about it. I’m gonna fly under the radar until I carry out my plan – and when all hell comes crashing down around him, I’ll be there to watch.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Lukas
At around seven thirty, we get a knock at the door.
“You expectin’ anybody?” Sam asks, not used to company coming by this late in the evening.
“Nope, not me,” I shrug. Sam opens the door, and it’s Kassidy.
“Well, what an unexpected surprise,” Sam says, happy to see her. “Come on in, darlin’, have a seat.”
“Sorry to come by without callin’ first,” she says, taking a seat beside of me on the couch. “But I wanted to talk to both of ya’ll. I’m leaving in the mornin’,” she says, cutting right to the chase.
Sam gives me a look, to which I give him a shrug.
“Wow, this is kinda unexpected,” I say, trying not to sound too nosey. “Everything alright?”
“Everything’s fine. I’ve just got something that I need to do in Cali, is all. Shouldn’t take too long,” she says simply. “Anyway, just wanted to tell ya’ll goodbye.”
“In Cali?” I say, sounding like a mocking bird. “did you decide to take your daddy up on his offer to live with him? I know you’ve been weighing your options on what the next step is in your life,” Lord, I’m panicking and just babbling like a lunatic. What on earth brought all this on?
Raising an eyebrow, Sam shoots me an ‘I told you so,’ look – I shoot him a ‘kiss my ass,’ look in return. I feel bad enough…should I do it now? Should I tell her? She’s sayin she’s got business out there, and that she’ll be back, so I don’t wanna blow my cool if I don’t have to.
“Nope, definitely not goin’ out there to live with my daddy. To be honest, I really hate him right about now. That journal I found that was Mama’s – it has some information that I won’t divulge, but let’s just say that it made me physically sick, and I got business to attend to, to make things right by her,” she says sadly.
“I didn’t know your mama had any business dealings out there,” Sam says, confused. “Not that she ever mentioned to me, anyway.”
“The business doesn’t concern Mama, but it’s sure gonna be concerning my daddy. Let’s just say the shit has hit the fan, and leave it at that, shall we?” she gives Sam the cutest wink. What the hell am I doin’?
I’m letting the girl of my dreams run off to California without so much as a notion that I’m crazy nuts for her, that’s what. Never have I had such an emotional battle within myself as I’m having right now. I can’t – I cannot do it. If my angel flies away and doesn’t come back to me, it’s just not our time.
Standing to leave, Kassidy hugs me tightly. As we separate from the hug, for a brief moment I had the urge to kiss her, but I fought like hell to keep from it. Something in her eyes flashed for a moment, and then it was gone – disappointment, maybe? If so, it will be all the sweeter when she comes back and I tell her that she’s all I can think about, all that I want and more. Then, and only then can I bare my soul to her without sounding like a man who pities a girl who just lost everything.
“I’m really gonna miss you, Kas. I mean that sincerely,” I tell her, tears shining in my eyes. The tears in her own tell me that she’s gonna miss me too.
“I’m gonna miss you too – both of ya’ll. And to be honest, I’m scare outta my wits – I ain’t never been anywhere, and now I’m gonna get on an airplane…it feels surreal, ya know?” she smiles nervously. She throws her arms around my neck again, then kisses me on the cheek.
“Take care of yourself, Lukas Crawford. Don’t let me come back and find out you were dumb enough to get back together with Jessica Henderson…you’re too good for that,” she says softly.
“That is one thing you will never have to worry about. That girl is a distant – and very bad memory,” I tell her, and I mean every word.
Kassidy hugs Sam, also kissing him on the cheek. “I just wanted you to know that our question was answered in Mama’s journal…her keeping her distance had absolutely nothing to do with you. That much I can assure you. I can’t tell you much, but I can tell you one thing, had things gone differently in her life, she woulda been with you long ago – you’re a keeper!” she grins, hugging him again. The smile on Sam’s face is priceless, and seeing how well they get along is just precious. But then again, Kassidy is so loveable, who wouldn’t adore her? I’m just hoping that the guys out there in Cali don’t notice how amazing she is, and take away my chances forever.
After Kassidy leaves, Sam turns from the door and just stares at me, his arms crossed.
“What?” I ask, confused.
“That’s exactly what I was about to ask you. What the hell was that?” he says, his voice on edge. He’s starting to get pissed at me, so I know we’re about to have ourselves a talk.
“What was what?” I ask him. “That was Kassidy sayin’ goodbye before leavin’ for a business trip, unless I heard the wrong conversation,” I say sarcastically.
“You gotta be kiddin’ me! Boy, I just got as much action from that girl as you did – what does that say to you?” he says. Not getting an answer, he starts again. “Well, I can tell ya exactly what it says to me – it tells me that you’re a dumbass!” he says, shaking his head in disbelief before continuing.
“Remember when I told you that it wasn’t you the other day that was stupid, but your answers? Well, I officially retract that statement, because I just witnessed the most idiotic display of a man lettin’ a damn good woman walk out the door.
I told you that you were makin’ a mistake before I even knew her that well – but now that I know what a phenomenal person she is, I know that you’re making the biggest mistake of your life…and that’s sayin’ something, considering the epic mistake you made of being with a woman like Jessica! They are like night and day, those two,” he says, looking at me like I’m in the Freak Show.
I don’t know what to say. I’ve justified my reasons to Sam already, as well as myself, and honestly, I’m tired of all the drama. I’ve taken a stand, and I cannot let another person’s opinion change that. Not when it’s something as important as this.
“She’ll be back,” I say wearily, my head throbbing from stress. “And that’s when I’ll make everything right.”
“Boy, I don’t even need to be an ex-detective to figure out what’s gonna happen in your case…boy falls in love with girl, boy lets girl run off to Cali, girl meets Cali Boy and forgets about Country Boy, Country Boy feels like a damn fool. Case closed.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Kassidy
Sitting in the backseat as Vivian and Melanie drive me to the airport, my stomach is in knots. Not just about the airplane ride – my first ever, but because I was setting out on a mission to destroy someone’s world – my own father.
Destroy might be a strong word…cripple is more accurate. I need for my daddy to feel the complete and utter devastation that Mama felt, after years of emotional abuse at the hands of the man who vowed to love and protect her. Not only did he not protect her, he forced her directly into the lion’s den…and for this, he must pay.
Just the very thought of my precious mama being so afraid, turning to her husband to do something about her being sexually mauled by his friend, and not only did he fail to do anything, but he laughed at her! That is the vilest thing that I have ever heard of.
As I enter the airport, following the signs and going through security, I start t
o relax – this isn’t so bad after all. Considering what I’ve been through lately, an airplane ride should be a cake walk.
As I board the plane and take my seat, I stare out the window the entire ride. As the flight attendant offers to get me a drink, I gratefully accept, telling her to bring me a Jack and Coke. I’ve got an agenda once I get to Cali, and want to relax a bit while also going over the plan once again in my head. As the drink starts relaxing my body, my mind fine tunes what I believe to be the ultimate act of revenge.
I know the Good Book says that vengeance belongs to the Lord, but my mama never had anyone to protect her in this life, so it’s only fair that someone makes things right for her now that she’s in the next. As the closest person in my Mama’s life, that duty falls on my shoulders, and I am more than proud to take on the task at hand.
After checking into my hotel room, I unpack and settled in for however long it will take to finalize the events that are about to unfold. I’m very much looking forward to the big finale, and this urges me forward to getting things done. I don’t wanna be in California any longer than necessary, so time is of the essence.
I dial up Melanie on Facetime, happy to see my bestie after hours of travel. Being in a foreign city, it makes me feel warm inside to see Mel’s dorky face grinning at me, feeling like old times, back when we hung out at my house with Mama.
“How was your flight?” Melanie asks excitedly. Neither one of us has ever flown until now, although we used to daydream about how it would feel. “Was it scary?” she asks anxiously.
“Not at all,” I say with a shrug. “After the weird feeling you get in your tummy during lift-off, the rest was honestly just like a car ride, bumps and all. But the view is so much more amazing!” I say, awestruck.
“So, have you decided what you’re gonna do with the info that DJ dug up for ya?” she asks. Her cousin, DJ, or Donald James to be precise, has always been a computer geek. I use the term in the kindest regard, because, personally I think geeks rock. They’re the smartest people that I know. I knew he’d be the one to find the dirt on my daddy – and that he did. Taxes owed to the IRS, totaling over two hundred thousand dollars, pyramid schemes that lost people their hard-earned savings – and that was before he finally developed Kane Labs, where Sexy Slim Max is produced.
Now I just have to figure out exactly what I want to do with that information.
“I’ve pretty much decided that if the women that work for Daddy have the stories to tell me that I’m willing to bet that they do, I might not throw the pyramid scheme scandal in the pot – but I’m still debating on the tax evasion. Wouldn’t the world love to know that the wealthy and famous ‘Sexy Slim Max King,’ can’t be bothered to pay his income tax?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“I’ll betcha they would!” Melanie says, nodding her head in agreement. “Might just knock him off his throne, sure enough!”
Before I left North Carolina, I’d decided to let Melanie in on Mama’s secret, because for one, I couldn’t bear to hold this inside me any longer, and also because I needed her help, and the truth was bound to come out while we were working on my plan anyway.
“As long as it pays him back for what he did to Mama, I’m all for it. Depends on how big of a story I get from the ladies at Kane Labs, though. That might be all I need, honestly.”
“When are you gettin’ in there to talk to them?” Very good question, and I’ve had to time my trip just perfectly to coincide with Daddy and Shelley being out of the country on vacation.
“Gotta wait a few more days. Daddy told me that they had to postpone their trip to Costa Rica for a few more days – something to do with work. But they’re definitely leaving Friday.”
“What if one of the girls recognizes you?” Melanie asks nervously. “I mean, your daddy probably has your picture in his office, wouldn’t he?”
“Girl!” I say, laughing out loud. “Do you think they’re gonna recognize me from an older picture of me? I’ve only lost like a hundred pounds!” I say, laughing again.
Melanie starts laughing as well, facepalming.
“You’ve got a point there,” she giggles. “Honestly, you really do look like a different person.”
“And definitely not thanks to Sexy Slim Max! I’ve gotta say that I’d much rather have lost it with the pills than with losing my Mama, but at least him and his shady business won’t get any credit for it!”
That was the other thing that DJ dug up for me – Daddy deleted, or had someone to delete hundreds of bad reviews of his diet pills – including many people who were demanding their money back. Those reviews and requests have been deleted – but thankfully, not purged from the system. Meaning that DJ can easily retrieve them, and did – they’re in the folder that I brought with me in my luggage to California…special delivery into any hands that I see fit. Yep, I’ve got plenty of dirt on Nick Kane…and I cannot wait to use it.
I decide that while I’m waiting on Daddy to leave for his trip, I will do a little shopping. I want to be dressed nicely when I infiltrate the offices of Kane Labs, to talk with the women who work for Daddy. I want them to believe that I’m a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, working on an expose’ about Sexual Harassment in the workplace, especially by CEO’s of those companies.
I’m willing to bet my life that at least one woman will have a story to tell about my daddy. Then, when I get what I’m looking for, I’m going to take the story to the LA Times myself, and show the world what a low-life piece of garbage that their Sexy Slim Max King truly is.
I decide to take an Uber to Laguna Beach, which is a little less than twenty miles from my hotel in Irvine. That way I don’t have to chance running into Daddy or Shelley.
There, I do some shopping at Nordstrom, which we don’t even have in little ol’ Clayton. I decide on a stylish tailored Margaux Paisley dress by Rebecca Taylor, and some nice flats. Not wanting to look too stern, this dress is the right combination of sophisticated and casual, plus fact that the Jade Green color accentuates the light jade of my eyes perfectly.
Speaking of accentuating, I can not believe my eyes, as I’m looking at myself in the mirror, wearing a size eight dress! I wore a size ten at Mama’s funeral, but I suppose the stress of finding her journal has brought me down yet another size. Again, I feel a pang of guilt. As badly as I had wished to lose weight, I would never have wished for it to be under these circumstances. It certainly makes it difficult for me to enjoy the after effects of my recent depression.
I also purchase an article of clothing that I haven’t owned since I was twelve – a swimsuit. I find a really cute one-piece with a palm leaf print, and ask the sales girl if she has it in my size. She returns with a two-piece in the same pattern.
“This would look really cute on you, don’t you think?”
Eyeing the tiny pieces that she’s holding up; my heart begins to pound – can I really pull this look off – or am I just kidding myself? As I try the suit on inside the dressing room, I walk out to get her opinion, honestly shook.
“Omigosh, that looks amazing on you!” she says. Ordinarily, I’d think she’s just trying to make a sale, but looking at myself realistically in the mirror, I cannot help but believe her.
“I’ll take it!” I say enthusiastically. This is a whole new world opening up for me, and I’m liking the way it feels.
I grab a ham and cheese, chips and a soda at a nearby deli, and decide to take my lunch to the beach, which is walking distance from the shopping district. It’s a gorgeous, sunny day, but I’m quite certain that all days in California are the same way. If the situation were different, I could totally see myself living out here, but I won’t give my daddy the satisfaction. Besides, if things go the way I plan, I don’t want my name associated with him by the time that I’m done.
I pay the rental guy and climb into a canopied daybed right on the shore, watching the waves crash. Every now and then, I see dolphins break the water, in synchronized leaps. I can barely eat my lunch as
I squeal and laugh in delight.
This is all so surreal…never could I have imagined leaving the Tarheel State and coming to the Golden State. Daddy used to take Mama and me to the beach every summer, although Carolina, Virginia – and even South Carolina beaches pale in comparison.
He did take us to Miami when I was ten, and it was insanely beautiful there, but even those golden sands can’t compete with this sugary-white shoreline.
I’m so glad that I decided to spend the day at the beach, and I plan on coming back for the next few days until Daddy and Shelley depart for Costa Rica. No way am I spending my time sitting in a hotel room, plotting my revenge. No need, really – the perfect plan is already set into place. All I have left to do now is bask in the gorgeous rays of the sun – then later, in the fruits of my labor…and either one is just as sweet.
Yeah, I sigh to myself, watching the dolphins and pelicans, and smelling the amazing ocean breeze – I needed this…I so needed this.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kassidy
I video chat Melanie again when I return to the hotel, exhausted from my busy day and fun in the sun.
“I hated that you couldn’t be here with me to enjoy the beach, but when I get back, we’re gonna take us a trip to Miami – I promise,” I tell her, remembering how much I enjoyed it there as a child.
“Sounds amazing! I can’t wait!” she says excitedly. “Call me tomorrow while you’re on the beach – at least I can enjoy it through your eyes!” she says, as we say goodnight.
Yawning, I decide I’m ready for a shower and bed, but I wanna Facetime with Lukas before I do – once my shower is done, I’ll be knocked out.
“Well hey stranger,” Lukas grins as he answers the call. “We thought you’d done run off and forgot about us,” he says, nodding his head toward Sam.
Slim to None Page 14
