“All right. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll do it.”
Rachel hung up the phone and dialed Matthew’s cell.
“Hey, Mom,” he said.
“Hello, Matt. I need a big favor from you,” Rachel said cautiously.
“What is it?”
“I need you to take me to Max’s this evening after you get off.”
“Can’t do it, Mom. Sorry.”
“Matt, please—”
“Absolutely not!”
“Well fine, then,” Rachel said. “I’m only your mother. Eighteen hours of labor I endured. I don’t ask you for much. I don’t call you and make demands. I know you’re busy, but that’s all right.” She began to sniff. “I’ll be gone after a while, and I won’t be there to bother you anymore. Just come and visit me at my grave on Mother’s Day.”
“Mom, please!” Matthew said. “Stop talking crazy talk.”
“I tried to show you love, Matthew. Why can’t you help me just this once?”
“Mom, can’t you get Dad or Nathan? I don’t want to go over there!”
“So many times I’ve done what I didn’t want to do. Cleaned up after you when you got sick, did all the things a mother is supposed to do. I know you don’t owe me anything. I just thought that maybe, just maybe you loved me enough to go out of your way for me once in a while.”
“Mom, you know I love you,” he said patiently. “I just don’t—”
“No, that’s all right. If you had taken the time to teach me to drive like I asked you and your father a dozen times, I wouldn’t be such a burden to you.” She sniffed into the phone.
“Mom, you’re not a burden—”
“Yes, I am. I’m so sorry, Matthew.” She began to cry harder.
“Mom, stop it. If it’s that important, I’ll come there straight from work, okay?”
“You will?”
“Yes, Mom. I’ll be there,” he said, sounding defeated.
“You’re a good son. I’ll see you then about six.”
Rachel hung up the phone and hoped that whatever Max was up to was well worth the performance she had just put on.
CHAPTER 24
INSECURITY AND DECEPTION
Aura looked at the proofs that were in the folder that Jeremy left on the desk. She had sent him out to pick up some Chinese food after they had returned to his apartment.
She had tried to be objective about the news from Chaz, not wanting to be the one to sway him one way or the other, but inside she was fuming. She took it personally.
She was no fool. She knew that she did not meet society’s standards of beauty and that many people could not figure out what Jeremy saw in her. Sometimes she asked the same thing, even though she would never actually verbalize it.
The proofs were of Jeremy and Joan. They were dressed in winter wear, posing in the fake snow with a Christmas tree. They were a stunning couple, smiling at the camera. His wedding band could be seen as his left hand was holding the scarf that was around his neck. Joan’s left hand was hidden in the pocket of the fur she was wearing.
She thought about her upcoming wedding. Would Chaz try to put a damper on the festivities? She hoped not. She didn’t want Jeremy to make a decision based solely on her. She wanted him to make the decision based on what he wanted.
She stood and looked at herself in the mirror. Her twists had grown longer, and she was debating whether to take them out and have her hair braided. Her nose wasn’t really that wide, but her lips were full. Nope, she wouldn’t kid herself, she didn’t meet the standards of beauty set by the industry.
She was deep in thought and did not hear Jeremy return. He found her staring at herself in the mirror and walked up behind her. She glanced at his reflection.
“What’s up? What are you thinking about?” he asked. He put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. She smiled back at him.
“You… I was thinking about you and us.”
“And Chaz, I suppose,” he said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I just want you to do what you feel is best,” she confessed. “I don’t want you to base your decision on my feelings alone or about me being mad.”
He looked at her. “I’m mad… aren’t you mad?”
“I am, but, Jeremy, I’m mad every time people look at us like ‘what’s he doing with her?’ or when people don’t like seeing black and white together. I know it goes with the territory, but it doesn’t make things any easier. Now Chaz is saying the same thing, and that’s your livelihood.”
He turned her from the mirror. “What has that got to do with you looking at yourself in the mirror, babe? Don’t tell me you’re feeding into that hype.”
She looked at him seriously. “If I ask you something, can you be honest with me and not get mad?”
His eyebrow rose in surprise. “What do you mean?”
She looked away. “Can you?” Her voice was pleading, and she looked to him for understanding.
“Yes, Aura. You can ask me anything, and I won’t get mad. I promise.”
She looked up at him. “What is it that attracted you to me? I know you said that God revealed it to you… but I believe that you still have to be attracted to a person. I know that I am not the type of girl that attracts a lot of guys, especially white guys. I don’t meet society’s standard of beauty, plus I am not a small girl—”
“That’s enough!” Jeremy said, cutting her off.
“You said that you wouldn’t get mad,” she reminded him.
“I’m not mad, just hurt that you don’t have confidence in yourself. I think you’re beautiful. I thought so the moment I first saw you. I’ve never been attracted to Joan in that way. We’re both blond… I’ve never been attracted to blonds. She’s skinny, that’s what the business requires… but that doesn’t do anything for me. Opposites attract, you know. When I saw your hair, I was fascinated. I wanted to touch it, to bury my nose in it… I can’t explain why.” He grinned at her.
He ran his finger over her lips. “These lips looked so soft and inviting… I wanted to kiss them right then, but we were in church. Remember?”
She laughed. “I remember.”
His eyes roamed over her lovingly.
“Everything about you… made me warm. I love your size. You’re not that big… you’re curvy. I told you that I’ve never liked skinny women.”
He ran his hand over her behind. “I used to imagine what it would be like to grip this with both hands… now I know what it’s like, and I can’t get enough.”
He pulled her down on the bed. “I don’t care what Chaz thinks or what society thinks or even what our relatives think. All I know is that you fill the void that had been in my life for so long… and when I am with you, I am happy. For me, you are the only woman that exists, the only one I want to join my body with, who can make me feel like I’ve never felt before. You’re mine, Aura Vanderleigh Ferguson, and I’m not going to let anything interfere with that!”
With that, he began kissing her; his confession seemed to heighten his arousal. His kisses became urgent, his hands roaming over her, and she felt him unzipping her jeans. “Get undressed, right now,” he said hoarsely, his voice commanding.
“What about the food? It’ll get cold,” she protested.
He yanked the top over her head. “Let it. That’s what microwaves are for.”
Max double-checked the time. Her mother had called and told her that she was meeting Nadine and Eric at the hospital. She was being discharged around noon. She glanced around the room that she had prepared for them. Everything was ready.
Nadine told her that she would go back to the hospital to be with the babies around six, so she knew that she and Eric would not be at her apartment when Rachel and Matthew arrived.
She glanced out of the window looking toward the road and wondere
d what it would be like to have Nadine and Eric living with her. The thought of it made her a little nervous. She liked Eric and all… and he seemed to love Nadine, but men always made her uneasy. She would just take it one day at a time.
Max walked back through the room, looking around again, and then heard the sound of a car door. She quickly glanced out of the window and saw Eric and Nadine. Their mother pulled up beside them and got out of the car.
Max quickly opened the apartment door and watched Nadine walk slowly with Eric’s help while their mother fussed over her. Eric had his arm around her, leading her to the house.
“Come on in,” Max said. “Everything is ready.”
Max led them to the bedroom with their mother on their heels.
“Oh, Max, you gave up your room for us?” Nadine said. “I didn’t want you to do that.”
“Well, it has the bathroom connected. Two people need the bigger room. I’ll be fine in the other one.”
“What about your office stuff and your computer?” Nadine protested as she sat on the bed.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s in the living room,” Max replied. “I’ll make do.”
“I’m going to find us a place, Max. We won’t be an inconvenience for long,” Eric pointed out.
Max shook her head. “We’re not talking about that right now, Eric. Let’s just concentrate on Nadine and those babies.”
“I bought some food,” her mother said, heading to the kitchen.
Max followed her. “Where’s Dad? Isn’t he coming?”
Her mother looked away. “I don’t know, Max. I am hoping he’ll come by when he gets off work.”
Max didn’t reply and walked back into the bedroom with Nadine.
Eric looked up at Max and came over and hugged her. “Thanks for everything, Max,” he said.
Max immediately tensed up, and he looked at her confused. “Are you all right, Max?”
“Yeah… I guess I’m not much of a huggy-feely person,” she said, looking away.
Eric looked at Nadine, who would not meet his gaze. He made up his mind to ask her about it later.
“Look, I’m going to follow your mom back to her house. Will you be here for a few minutes? She has some more of Nadine’s things she wants to bring over here.”
“Sure,” Max said. “I have to check in at the gym around two. Can you be back by then?”
“I’ll do my best,” he said.
“I’ll sit with Nadine when I come back, and you can run over to the gym,” her mom said.
“Fine,” Max replied.
She shut the door behind them and returned to the bedroom. Nadine was lying on the bed.
“How are you doing?” she asked Max.
“I should be asking you,” Max said, laughing
“You know what I mean.” Nadine patted the bed for her to sit.
“I’m fine,” Max replied but she knew that Nadine could tell that she was lying.
“No, you’re not. How do you feel about Eric being here? I’m worried about you.” Nadine grabbed her hand.
Max looked at her a moment and then looked away. “What’s it like, Nadine?”
“What do you mean?”
Max began picking at a string on her jeans. She would not meet her sister’s eyes. “What’s it like to be with a man… to love him and to trust him… to really want him?”
“Oh, Max… it’s wonderful. I wish the same thing for you.”
“It’s too late for me,” Max said, standing “I-I can’t… trust men. You know that, Nadine. I’m damaged goods.”
“Stop saying that! That’s not true!” She got up from the bed even though it caused her some discomfort. She grabbed her sister by the arm. “You need to go back to Dr. Nelson. You need to tell her what you’re feeling, Max. I can’t begin to understand what you had to endure, but it’s not your fault. You need to find a way to move forward.”
“I can’t,” Max said with tears in her eyes. “I can’t even bring myself to date, Nadine. The thought of getting intimate with a man makes me physically ill. I insisted that you and Eric come here because I felt maybe that might help me in some small way… seeing the two of you together.”
Nadine put her arms around Max, who hung her head.
“I’m so tired. I’m tired of being afraid, and I’m tired of being angry all the time.” Max sniffed. “But I can’t help how I feel.”
“You shouldn’t have stopped seeing Dr. Nelson. Go back to her, Max,” Nadine insisted. “Please go back. She can help you.”
Max didn’t reply and avoided looking at Nadine directly. She knew that her sister was right, but she wasn’t sure that the doctor could do her any good.
“Will you at least think about it?” Nadine said, softly pushing the hair back from her sister’s face. “I know you’re afraid, Max. I know you don’t want to face your demons, but that’s the only way for you to conquer them.”
“All right,” Max replied finally. “I’ll call her.”
Matthew pulled up to his mother’s house promptly at six o’clock. He was surprised to see his father’s truck. Why didn’t she get him to take her to Max’s?
Before he could get out, his mother came down the walkway carrying two bags.
“Open your trunk, Matt. I have food that I’m taking over to Max’s.”
He popped the trunk and got out, taking the bags from her. “I see Dad is here. Why couldn’t he—”
“Hold up a minute,” his Mom said, interrupting him. “I have to go back in the house for something.”
Matthew watched as she ran back in and shut the door. He wondered what she was really up to. That little performance of hers earlier hadn’t fooled him. He just hoped that she wasn’t trying to play cupid or something. He was beginning to reach the end of his patience.
She came back out carrying two more bags, grinning from ear to ear.
“Ma, what is all of this? Who’s going to eat all this food?” he asked, shaking his head and putting it in the trunk.
“I bought food for us to eat too after we get there,” she replied, climbing into the front seat.
Matt slammed down the trunk and tried to hold his temper in check.
“Look, Ma,” he said, getting into the car, “I never told you I was staying. I planned to just drop you off. What’s this all about anyway? I hope you are not planning on some sort of matchmaking effort, because you can just forget all about that!”
“Don’t be silly,” his mother replied as he pulled into the traffic. “I knew you went out of your way to do this for me, and because of that, I fixed you dinner. What’s wrong with me showing my appreciation? I fixed roast beef and potatoes and carrots. I made broccoli and homemade rolls. I also made a lemon pound cake.”
Matthew’s mouth began to water. This was his favorite meal. He knew now that she was up to something, but it had been awhile since he had eaten his mother’s roast beef.
“All right, Ma. You know I can’t resist your roast beef,” he confessed.
They arrived at Max’s apartment after his mother pointed the way.
He saw Max standing in the doorway as they got out of the car. She held the door as they brought in the food.
“Where is everybody?” Matthew asked, looking around.
“Eric and Nadine have gone to the hospital. Nadine wanted to go back and feed the babies,” she said.
“She’s not going to keep doing that, is she?” he asked. “That doesn’t make any sense. Don’t babies have to be fed every few hours?”
“Yes, she’s not going at every feeding, but since she is breast feeding, she does want to go often so that her breasts don’t dry up.”
“TMI,” Matthew replied. He turned to his mother to explain. “Too much information.”
“Well you asked,” Max replied tartly.
Rachel helped Max set the table, and Matthew stood in the doorway watching the two of them. He was still on his guard, wondering what his mother was really up to.
“Are you going to tell me what this little get together is really about?” he asked. “My mom won’t give me a clue.”
“That’s because she doesn’t know,” Max replied, ushering him to a seat.
She sat down and reached for their hands. “You want to bless the food, Matthew?”
“I don’t pray,” he replied. “That’s my uncle’s thing.”
Max looked at Rachel. “I’ll do it,” she said.
“Lord, bless this food that I have prepared. As we break bread together, help us to be on one accord. Thank you for my children and now my grandchildren. Thank you for Matt and for Eric and Maxine. Amen.”
“Amen,” Max replied.
“All right, the blessing has been done,” Matthew said, cutting his beef. “Care to elaborate now?”
Max looked at him. “Look, I’m just trying to help you out,” she said “I understand that you looked at a business today and that you’re considering purchasing it.”
Matthew dropped his fork. “How did you know about that?”
“It’s a scam,” Max replied firmly.
“What! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Matthew shot back.
“I overheard a conversation between two men. One tall and gray-haired with glasses and a thick mustache, the other was a short man, dark hair and big, gray eyes. Sound familiar?”
Matthew stared at her and didn’t reply.
“What did they say, Max?” Rachel asked, looking back at Matthew’s stunned face.
“They said that you were going to buy into their business for a half-million dollars and that they had hired people to come into the business to make it look like things were booming. However, the business is really failing, and they planned on getting you to come in, take your money, and skip town, leaving you bankrupt.”
“When did you hear this conversation?” Matthew demanded. How could this be? He had been thorough!
“Yesterday. They are supposed to meet with you tomorrow to get the check and papers from you. Am I correct?” Max asked, staring at him.
The Preacher’s Son Page 23
