She was grateful for Mingus, who stood leaning against the car waiting for her. His arms were crossed over his chest and the dark shades on his face made him look only slightly menacing. But just the sight of her family lifted her spirits.
“You still here?” she questioned.
“I’m not going anywhere, Simone. Besides, we both know if you really wanted to ditch me, you would.”
She gave him a slight smile. “Actually, I like having a personal chauffeur. You’ve come in handy.”
“I may have found my calling. So, where to next, mademoiselle?”
“The law offices of Black, Turner and Hayes, please. Do you need the address?”
Amusement crossed Mingus’s face. “Nah, I think I got that one,” he said as he opened the passenger door.
Simone tapped her hand against his chest before she slid into the passenger seat. “See, you are good for something,” she said teasingly.
Her brother laughed as he slid across the car’s hood and into the passenger seat. “So, what’s up? Why are we going to see your brother Ellington?”
“I have an interview with his law firm.”
“When did that happen?”
“It hasn’t yet, actually. He doesn’t know I’m coming.”
Mingus laughed. “And you call me impulsive!”
“I wish I could explain it, but I can’t. Not yet. Let’s see if Ellington will let us in first.”
“Hey,” Mingus said, as he maneuvered the car toward LaSalle Street. “It’s whatever. You don’t ever have to tell me anything and I’ll be good.”
Simone laughed. “I appreciate that. Thank you.”
He reached for her hand and gave it a light squeeze. “Whatever you need, you know that, right?”
She felt herself getting emotional, so she nodded, then changed the subject. “How’s Joanna? I need to call her, but with everything going on...”
“She’s pulling her hair out! She’s in Atlanta with her mother. Her aunt had to have surgery, so they went down to take care of her. She’ll be back next week.”
“She’ll be bald next week. Her mother has that kind of effect on people,” Simone said with a slight chuckle.
“Damn! I was just getting attached to her hair!”
“You’re so stupid!” She tossed her brother a look. Mingus and her best friend, Joanna Barnes, had been together in a relationship for a few months. Ever since he’d been hired to investigate false charges that had almost gotten the history teacher incarcerated. He’d fallen head over heels for the woman and loved her almost as much as Simone loved the two of them together. Everyone in the family was ready for them to be married but her brother was taking his sweet time asking the beauty to be his wife. The couple had only been together a few short months and Simone knew they didn’t feel they had any reason to rush. “So, when do you plan to make my bestie an honest woman?”
Mingus grinned. “When are you going to say yes and marry Paul?”
“Now you’re hitting below the belt!”
“Turnabout is fair play. So, you tell me when you plan to get married and I’ll let you know when I do!”
“That might be sooner than you think. You never know!”
“Oh, I know,” her brother responded with a deep laugh.
Simone shifted against the leather seats, turning to stare out the window. The weather was questionable, the temperatures almost too warm for the time of year. It wasn’t spring yet, but winter still had a hold on the season. The month before, there had been snow on the ground and now the trees looked like they were thinking about blooming.
Three turns and ten short minutes later, Mingus pulled the car into a parking spot in front of the law office of Black, Turner and Hayes. The glass-and-steel skyscraper was located in the three hundred block of LaSalle Street, with the offices occupying the sixty-fourth floor of the massive building.
After feeding the parking meter, Simone led the way into the building, which boasted floor-to-ceiling windows in the exterior offices, expensive contemporary decor and a library and conference room reminiscent of an old English library with polished wood-paneled walls, hardwood floors and three walls of leather-bound law books lined meticulously on shelves.
The two siblings stood together patiently as the young receptionist engaged the intercom and announced their arrival. There was no missing the surprise in their brother’s voice when he repeated their names for verification.
“Yes, sir. They don’t have an appointment but would like a moment of your time if it’s possible.”
Simone and Mingus shot each other a look, fighting not to laugh out loud.
A few minutes passed before Ellington Black came down the hall to greet them.
“This can’t be good,” he said as he shook his brother’s hand before pulling Simone into a deep bear hug. “Where have you been? You’ve had the old people losing their minds.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Simone said. “I told them not to worry.”
“That’s like telling them not to breathe,” Ellington replied. He gestured for them to follow him to his office. “So, to what do I owe this honor?”
Mingus shrugged. “I’m playing bodyguard. Garnering favor from the parents being a good big brother. Until further notice, I go where she goes.”
Ellington laughed. “They’ve got the fox watching the henhouse!” He pointed them toward two wingback chairs as he closed the office door. “So, what’s up?” he asked, looking from one to the other.
Simone reached into her briefcase and pulled out a file folder. “I have a case I’d like for your firm to consider. And I want you to hire me to litigate it.”
Ellington eyed her with a raised brow as he opened the file and began to read. He shifted forward in his leather executive’s chair as he slowly flipped through the pages. “How many patients do you believe have been affected?”
“There are thousands overseas and maybe a few hundred here in the United States.”
“Have you filed your complaint yet with the FDA?”
“I’m just waiting for the results for the last tests Paul and his brother are doing now.”
Ellington dropped the folder to the desk and tapped it with the palm of his hand. “What happened with John Thurman’s firm? I understand they were certain you were going to sign with them. I’d think you would want to put this in their hands.”
“We couldn’t come to terms that we were both in agreement with. There was no point in even mentioning this to them.”
Ellington folded her hands together, his elbows resting atop the desk. “What if I can’t meet your terms?”
“You will have more invested in my demands than they ever will.”
“So that begs the question, what do you want that they wouldn’t agree to?”
Simone shot her two brothers a look and took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant and if I have this baby, I’ll need some flexibility with my schedule because my baby’s father is thinking about moving to Morocco. I’m fully committed to whatever my responsibilities will be, but I’ll also need time to figure out this motherhood thing and a possible transcontinental relationship. I’ll need you to work with me. Thurman wasn’t interested.”
The two brothers exchanged a look, shock and awe blessing their expressions.
Ellington sat back in his seat, turning his gaze to stare at his sister. He cleared his throat, still allowing the news to sink in. “You said if I have this baby...”
“I can’t wrap my head around it right now. I’m not even sure it’s real,” she said, taking a moment to tell her brothers about her last forty-eight hours.
“Damn, Simone! How do you just leave that man hanging like that?” Ellington exclaimed. “That would hurt my feelings!”
“Paul understands me,” Simone said, sinking into a slight pout.
“That broth
er loves you. Anyone else would have left you ages ago! I know I would have!” Mingus interjected.
“Which is why I would never date either of you! It’s a good thing we’re related.”
The trio laughed.
“Seriously,” Ellington said, “you know we’ll support you however you need us to. But I still don’t know if I can give you a job.”
Simone nodded. “I know, and I’m willing to bet that I can convince you to hire me.”
Ellington gestured toward his brother. “Can you excuse us, please? We have some negotiating to do and knowing our sister it might get heated. Maybe come back in an hour?”
“Or two,” Simone chimed. “I doubt he’ll give in that easily.”
Mingus nodded. “I’ll be in the lobby! You two do your thing,” he said. Rising from his seat, he leaned to kiss her cheek, pointed his index finger at his brother and disappeared out the door.
Simone shifted in her seat, she and Ellington locking gazes. “I want to be a partner,” she said, “with a corner office.”
Ellington laughed. “And so it begins!”
* * *
Almost three hours later Simone exited Ellington’s law office and rode the elevator down to the first floor. Mingus was outside chomping on the last bite of a hot dog. He swiped at a dab of mustard that had fallen on his shirt as he balled up the foil wrapper and shot it into a wastebasket on the sidewalk.
“Y’all done?”
Simone nodded. “Done and finished. I’m ready to go home now.”
Mingus nodded. “Must mean you’ve got a job!”
She laughed. “And a corner office!”
“Ahhh, the beauty of nepotism.”
“Nepotism has nothing to do with it. I’m more than qualified and Ellington’s been trying to get me to come work with him since I got my law degree. Now’s just the right time. Of course, he still has to run it by his partners and there are two I will need to sit down and formally interview with, but I’m thinking what I bring to the table will help seal the deal.”
“Okay.”
“Why’d you say it like that?” Simone asked.
“I just said ‘Okay.’”
Her eyes rolled skyward, a scowl pulling across her face. “You play too much. Take me home.”
“Aren’t you moody? Them pregnancy hormones done kicked in big-time!”
“Leave me alone, Mingus,” she said as she slid into the passenger seat.
Mingus chuckled as he closed her door and rounded the car to the other side.
The ride was quiet, and it was obvious she was exhausted. She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. When she next opened them, Mingus was parked in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood in front of the Black family home. Situated on the large corner lot, the stone-and-brick architecture was a timeless reminder of a whole other era.
“Why are we here?” she asked, her head snapping in her brother’s direction. “I said to take me home!”
“You need to have a conversation with your parents.”
“Why the hell do I need to do that? I’m not ready to talk to them yet.” Annoyance flushed her face.
Mingus passed her his phone, a text message filling the screen. Because your other brother doesn’t know how to keep a secret and once he tells, it’s probably a matter of minutes before Ma and Pa Black find out.
Her eyes narrowed as she began to read the message from Ellington, a mass text addressed to all her siblings.
I have news about Simone! Meet me for drinks at 7 if you want the details. And, it’s good gossip, Vaughan! You pick the spot!
“I’m going to kill him!” Simone muttered between clenched teeth. She began to type furiously, responding to the message Ellington had conveniently forgotten to include her in. Mingus snatched his phone from her hands, a wide grin filling his face.
“Go tell them. Let them lay eyes on you so they can stop worrying about you being gone and go back to worrying about your screwing up your life. Then we can go cuss out our brother at seven o’clock. It’ll be good for you to let us all love on you. We missed you!”
Simone lifted her eyes to meet her brother’s gaze. She knew he was right, but she wasn’t sure she was at all ready for the confrontation. She took a deep breath and watched as Mingus exited the car, moving to open the door for her.
“I don’t know...”
“Yes, you do. But take a minute to think about what you plan to say. We’ve got time.”
* * *
The solid wood-and-glass front door with its ornate iron details was rarely locked and the siblings entered without knocking. Stepping inside felt like entering the comfort and quiet of a family retreat. There was a quiet that was not typical, but the calm felt immensely welcoming.
Mingus called out. “Hey! It’s just us! Who’s here?”
Their mother’s voice echoed down from the second floor. “Mingus? I’m in my office, son!”
Mingus gave his sister a nod and gestured up the marble staircase. “I’ll let you take it from here. I’m going to go see what there is to eat in the kitchen.”
“Didn’t you just eat?” Simone questioned.
Her brother shrugged. “Stop stalling,” he said as he moved toward the kitchen at the back of the home. “I’m looking for dessert!”
Simone shook her head and turned toward the stairwell. She moved through the home, past the walls papered in silk, the sparkling chandeliers, ornate wood moldings and fireplaces meticulously carved in stone. The windows were draped in sumptuous fabrics, and every detail, from the coffered ceilings to the highly polished hardwood floors reflected her parents’ refined taste.
Her mother was in her office, seated behind her large glass-topped desk. When Simone walked into the room the matriarch looked up in surprise, uttering a loud gasp at the sight of her.
The Honorable Judith Harmon Black was a tall woman, nearly as tall as her sons. She towered above Simone, who hadn’t gotten her height from either of her parents. The judge had picture-perfect features: high cheekbones, black eyes like dark ice and a buttermilk complexion that needed little if any makeup. She was dressed casually, which was a rarity, but still donned her requisite pearls. A hint of blush to her cheeks complemented her fair skin and her lush silver-gray hair fell in thick waves past her shoulders. The sight of her mother suddenly had tears welling in Simone’s eyes. Judith’s smile leaped across the desktop to wrap Simone in a deep embrace.
Judith stood. “Simone!” she said as she moved around the desk and wrapped her youngest daughter in a warm hug. “Thank God! You’re home!”
Simone suddenly felt as if a cloud burst, tears raining down her cheeks. She stood in her mother’s arms and clung to her for a good few minutes. Her mother held her and allowed her to cry until she didn’t have any tears left.
Judith cupped her hand beneath her daughter’s face and lifted her chin. She wiped Simone’s tears with her thumb, then reached for a tissue from a box on her desk, pressing it into the palm of Simone’s hand.
“What’s going on?” Judith asked. “This isn’t like you. You were never a crybaby, so what’s with all the boo-hoo-hooing?”
Simone shook her head. “I’m pregnant,” she blurted, the words racing past her lips before she could catch them.
Judith’s eyes widened as she pointed Simone into a cushioned seat. She moved back to her own chair and sat down. “When did this happen? How far along are you?”
“Paul says it’s just a few weeks, but I have an appointment with Dr. Seymour tomorrow to confirm his test results.”
“And how does Paul feel about this?”
Simone shrugged. “You know Paul. He’s always ready to step up and do the right thing. It’s why I love him. He’s a standup guy! I don’t know if I would want to do this without him.”
“You don’t need a man
to do the right thing for you, Simone. You know full well how to be self-sufficient. Your father and I didn’t raise any of you—most especially you and your sister—to have to depend on someone else for your own needs or happiness.”
Simone held up a palm to stall the lecture she felt coming. “We wanted to try and work things out. We were making plans. Then this just happened and well, I’m not handling it as well as Paul is. I honestly don’t know if I’m ready to be anyone’s mother.” Her voice dropped to a loud whisper. “I’m scared, Mom. I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared of anything. But this has me petrified! I’m a hot mess on a good day. I don’t want to screw up my child!”
Judith leaned back in her chair, twisting a silver ink pen between her fingers. A slight smile pulled across her face. For a brief moment she seemed to drift into thought as Simone sat staring. Simone suddenly felt like she was six years old again when she had poured bleach into the family fish tank wanting to clean the water. She’d been devastated when all the goldfish were suddenly floating on top and her siblings were screaming bloody murder at her. She’d sobbed like a baby then, too, ankle socks and patent-leather shoes swinging as she’d sat with her mother waiting to be told what a horrible person she was. But her mother hadn’t called her horrible. In fact, she’d commended her for trying to do what she thought was right. Then she’d told her that learning about her fish and how to care for them would ensure future accidents didn’t happen. “Educate yourself,” Judith had admonished. “Be smart about everything you do.”
Now all she could think was if she could kill her pet fish what chance did a baby have in her hands? She didn’t get a do-over if a well-meaning act went awry! Even if she did read every parenting book imaginable.
Judith seemed to read her mind. “I think you’ll be an amazing mother, Simone,” she said softly. “And together you and Paul will be incredible parents, whether you are in a relationship with each other or not. And I trust this because I know you will always put your child first and do whatever you need to do to protect her.”
Reunited by the Badge Page 16
