Joshua agreed. I reached out to give him a hug, he held me back as well.
“I need to go check on my wife. I’m sure she’s been waiting for me, and I apologize for all of this chaos that has . . .”
He backed away from me. “No problem. Go do what you have to do. Just make sure my mother comes here soon.”
Ina wouldn’t be coming here, but she would definitely see us tonight. I couldn’t stop thinking about her and Levi’s betrayal, and as I made my way to the master bedroom, I took deep breaths to calm myself. There was a knot in the pit of my stomach. With so much anger inside of me, I predicted that things would soon take a turn for the worse. In no way could I allow them to get away with what they’d done. Before the day was over, there would be hell to pay for sure.
I went into the bedroom and saw Raynetta standing by the window while looking outside. She had on a cotton robe, white house shoes and her long hair was dripping wet. She must’ve just gotten out of the shower. Her eyes were red, face was pale. She scanned me from head to toe, before rushing into my arms once again. I embraced her as she snuggled against my chest.
“I was so afraid,” she said softly. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it out of there to see you again. Seeing those dead bodies just did something to me. I’ve never seen anything so horrific. Everybody thought they were going to die. Lord knows I didn’t want to die.”
I rubbed Raynetta’s back, trying to calm her trembling body. “I know it was scary, and I regret that you were there. You should’ve never been there, and I’m glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would’ve done if something had happened to you. Please accept my apologies for asking you to leave the White House. It was one of the worst things I could’ve ever requested.”
Raynetta released her arms from around me. She moved back to the edge of the bed and sat down. With curiosity in her eyes, she looked to me for answers.
“What now, Stephen?” she asked. “Where do we go? I saw Joshua and your mother, and I’m so lost because I thought he was dead.”
Yet again, I took a moment to explain how and why Joshua was still alive. Raynetta couldn’t believe what Ina had done, nor could she believe Levi had betrayed me. The whole time I spoke, she covered her mouth with her hand while sitting in disbelief.
“No, Stephen, no Levi didn’t. After all the years he’s known you, he resorted to this?”
“Money can make people do some crazy things. When it pertains to millions, you can get a whole lot of people to stab you in the back.”
“I get that, but what are you going to do? I know you, Stephen. This is not going to be good.”
“It’s not, but I don’t want to go into details tonight. I need to have a quick meeting with the FBI, and then I need to put certain things to rest with Joshua and Ina. After that, I need to get away from here to process a few things in my head. I’m in no condition to be here right now, and I’m starting to feel like I just . . . just want to hurt somebody. It’s best that I step away for a while. After I get my head on straight, I’ll come back and the two of us can talk more about this thing we keep referring to as a marriage. I hate to sound harsh about it, but you already know we have some serious problems. I don’t know if we can fix this, and to be truthful, I’m getting tired of trying.”
Raynetta looked down at the floor and sighed. There was pure silence, before she spoke up.
“I guess what this really means is you’re leaving here to go be with Michelle Peoples. I can’t believe you’re still involved with her, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Just that fast, her assumption set me off and caused me to raise my voice at her. “See, this is what I’m talking about. I tell you I need some space to figure out some things and you automatically assume it has something to do with me wanting to spend time with another woman. The shit I’m dealing with is bigger than Michelle Peoples. If I was going to see her, I would tell you. I’m not, and if it makes you feel any better, Michelle and I are no more. My mother was paying her to pursue me, and I . . .”
Raynetta rolled her eyes and lifted her hand. “Say no more, please. Your mother is such a—a, I don’t know what to call her. I will never, ever like that woman. You go ahead and take all the time you need to decide what you think we should do about us. I’m going to do the same, and I’ll be doing most of my thinking right here. I don’t want to leave, and I feel safe with Secret Service around. Wherever you go, just make sure I can reach you. I need to hear from you, so promise me that you’ll call me every day, until you come back. I wish you would let me go with you, but if you prefer to be alone, what can I do?”
“I do prefer that, but I promise not to be gone for long. VP Bass is going to take over in my absence. I will make sure you have access to Secret Service, but please do not stay cooped up in this room. We hide from no one, okay? Go for some walks, stay busy and continue your duties as the first lady. The people in America love you and many of them want to see that you’re okay.”
“I don’t know if I’ll feel up to doing anything. And I know I won’t be able to get any rest because I have a horrible feeling inside that you’re going to do something to Levi and put your life at risk. I know you’re upset, but you’re not living in St. Louis anymore. That street mentality should have dissipated years ago, Stephen. After all, you are now president of the United States.”
“Before I am president, I am a man with feelings. I’ve been hurt, Raynetta, especially by the people who often claim to have my damn back. With that, I will say no more. I’ll give you a call to let you know where I will be. Be sure to have your phone close, so you don’t miss my calls.”
Disappointment was written all over Raynetta’s face, but I wasn’t about to change my mind. There was too much going on, and I didn’t want her involved. Before I left, I had to make sure Secret Service wouldn’t fuck up and let her out of their sight.
“I doubt that I can change your mind, and what else can I do but have my phone on me and wait for you to call? Either that or I’ll get a call from someone one day, telling me you’re dead because you still haven’t learned how to let go when it comes to situations like this. I know you feel betrayed by many people, including me. But doing what you’re about to do isn’t the answer. If anything, you need to think about the future. About our future, and what’s going to happen to Joshua if whatever plan you have backfires on you? I don’t think you’re thinking clearly right now.”
I moved closer to the bed and reached out to lift Raynetta’s chin. Her light brown eyes were like magnets and they always tugged at my heart. I moved her hair away from her face that had a bruise on it. My thoughts shifted to the explosion—if I’d told her the details about it, she wouldn’t understand. Instead, I leaned in to plant a soft kiss on her lips. She wanted more, and as she leaned back on the bed, I backed away from her. “I can’t,” was all I said, before making my way to the door and closing it behind me. I heard her call after me, but when my mind was made up about something, it was hard to change it. Levi would pay for what he’d done for sure. I just wasn’t sure how I would deal with Ina yet.
President’s Mother,
Teresa Jefferson
I didn’t know what was taking Stephen so long, but nearly two hours had passed, after he’d left the Truman Balcony. Joshua and I continued our conversation on the upper level in the Solarium. I had given him a brief tour of the White House and tried my best to get on his good side. It seemed like he had forgiven me. I wasn’t sure if that would change, once we were face-to-face with Ina. I didn’t want to see that heifer again. If she said the wrong thing tonight, I would make her pay for everything. I wasn’t even sure how Stephen was going to get in touch with her. She sure as heck wasn’t answering her phone. Joshua had already called, at least, four or five times, trying to reach her. I suspected that she and Levi were probably on their way back to the states from Mexico. I wasn’t sure about her boyfriend, Theo, especially since I’d had to shoot his dick off. Thoughts of that little
incident made me laugh, but when Stephen entered the Solarium and told us it was time to go, this was no laughing matter. I stood, so did Joshua.
“Where are we going?” I questioned. “Did you get in touch with Ina yet?”
“Yes,” Stephen said. “She’s waiting on us.”
With Secret Service leading the way, we all followed. Stephen was whispering back and forth with General Stiles. She was a brave black woman, and I could sense that she was attracted to Stephen by the way she always gazed into his eyes when he spoke to her. She had on camouflage from head to toe with black army boots. Her body was packed with muscles, and her short layered hair was covered with a cap. With beautiful mocha chocolate skin, I would say she was Stephen’s type. Then again, who in the hell wasn’t? Every woman he’d dated was better than the trophy wife he’d had, but for the sake of his well-being, I was glad Raynetta was okay.
As we continued to walk behind Stephen and General Stiles, I wasn’t sure what they were discussing. I figured it had something to do with the explosion at the hotel. It also could’ve had something to do with Ina and Levi. I was sure Stephen was eager to get this mess over with pertaining to Ina. She was about to get an earful.
After we got into the president’s vehicle, The Beast, Stephen looked at Joshua who sat silent while looking out the window at the rain. It was pouring down, but we couldn’t hear anything outside of the heavily secured vehicle. A few other Secret Service agents were parked beside us in black Suburbans. They signaled when it was time for The Beast to proceed, and seconds later, we were headed to our destination.
“Did you and your grandmother have an opportunity to talk more?” Stephen asked Joshua.
He looked in Stephen’s direction to respond. “Yes, we did. But I need to speak to my mother. She hasn’t been answering her phone. I hope she’s okay.”
“She’s fine,” Stephen confirmed. “She’s at a hotel waiting for us. We should be there soon.”
Joshua nodded and kept examining Stephen, as if he’d had a million and one questions for him. “I . . . I still can’t believe you’re my father,” he said. “I kept asking my mother if I could go see my father in jail, if she would show me a picture of him, and I even asked if there was a chance I could speak to him by phone. She kept saying no. Now I know why, but I don’t understand how people who say they love you can keep a secret like this for so many years.”
Joshua had taken another jab at me. Maybe he hadn’t forgiven me like I’d thought. I couldn’t really read him, and it didn’t help when Stephen started with his insults too.
“It was a very stupid plan,” Stephen said to Joshua. “I’m not happy about it either and maybe there is something Ina can say, to both of us, that’ll help us understand why she chose to listen to my mother in the first place.” Stephen glanced at me, but I turned my head in another direction. “Shame on them both, but what’s done is done. We can’t go back and undo things, but an explanation for all of this is needed.”
Joshua agreed. While him and Stephen made small talk about some of the things they enjoyed doing, I sat in silence and listened. I remained calm during the whole drive, but as soon as we arrived at the hotel and I saw Ina’s face, something horrible came over me. With tears streaming down her face, she rushed up to Joshua and embraced him as if he had been away from her for years.
“You need to cut the damn act,” I said, walking into the spacious living room area. “There are no cameras here, and if you really cared about Joshua, you never would have hooked up with Levi and fabricated a lie about Joshua being dead.”
Ina pulled away from Joshua and directed her attention to me. She smacked away a few fake tears before lashing out. “Go to hell, Teresa! What I did was try to make a better life for me and my son. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you? For as long as I can remember, you’ve always injected yourself in Stephen’s business, tried to run his life and call the shots! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have ever kept Joshua and Stephen apart!”
See, I knew this trick was going to blame me for her mess. I rolled up the sleeves on my jacket and removed my diamond watch so I wouldn’t lose it when I swung on her. As I stepped forward, so did she. I gritted my teeth as I reached out and tried to snatch that heifer up by her hair. Unfortunately, Stephen grabbed my hand and yelled for me to go have a seat.
“I’m not doing this tonight, Mama,” he shouted. “Go sit down, chill out and act like you have some sense. Can you do that for me? If not, Secret Service can escort you out of here.”
Mad as hell, I barked back with a tight face. “Secret Service is not going to escort me any damn where. And you need to lower your tone when speaking to me. I’m upset about all of this, and how dare you allow this bitch to blame me for the mess she created!”
“Calm down, Grandma, and stop the name calling,” Joshua said with a frown on his face. He looked at me, then at Ina. “Is all of this true? Did you really tell everyone I was dead, when I was in Mexico? Is that why you wanted to move there? And why didn’t you tell me the president, Stephen Jefferson, was my father? You told me my father was a criminal in jail. Was the money you received really worth all the lies?”
Ina’s mouth opened, but she didn’t say anything.
“Speak up, bitch,” I said. “We’re all waiting to hear how you’re going to spin this. If you start with me again, I’m letting you know now we gon’ have some problems. You will leave here with one eye, trust me.”
Stephen shot me a devious glare so I moseyed over to the sofa and finally sat down. He asked Secret Service and General Stiles to step into the hallway until we got finished talking.
“I’ll check on that other thing for you, Mr. President,” General Stiles said. “I should know something by the time you’re done in here.”
“Thank you.” Stephen opened the door for them to exit. After they left, he closed the door and looked at Ina who was still standing with her mouth open, looking silly.
“No words can express how disappointed I am in you for doing what you did,” Stephen said to her. “You are so lucky that you’re still alive, and to be honest, Ina, if you weren’t Joshua’s mother you would be dead right now. While you may think you don’t owe us an explanation, you do. You owe me one, as well as Joshua. It’s not that my opinion about any of this will change, but at least I can get an understanding about why you made a decision to let not only my mother use you, but Mr. McNeil use you too.”
Ina swallowed and reached for Joshua’s hand. She walked him over to the sofa where they both sat. After she wiped her teary eyes, she looked at Joshua who appeared to be waiting for answers. Stephen remained standing with his arms folded across his chest.
“I made a mistake,” she said to Joshua. “I messed up and I thought I was doing the right thing when your grandmother came to me, asking that I not tell Stephen I was pregnant.”
I had heard enough. She wasn’t going to put this all on me, and since I meant what I’d said about her leaving here with one eye, I snatched off my heel and hurled it right at her damn face. My heel hit the left side of her head, and in total disbelief, she jumped up from her seat. As she rushed toward me, Joshua stood between the two of us.
“Really, Grandma,” he said with a mean mug on his face. “You are out of control!”
“You’re darn right she is, and she’s lucky that shoe didn’t hurt,” Ina replied.
I was waiting for Stephen to say something, but he didn’t say one word. I guess he approved of my move.
“If it didn’t hurt,” I said. “You would have stayed on that couch and continued with your lies. It’s time for you to keep my name out of your mouth, because I already told Joshua why I didn’t want Stephen to know he’d had a son. I’ll happily tell him again.” My eyes shifted to Joshua and I held up my fingers to count down. “One, your mother was unfit. Two, your other grandmother was a crack addict and, three, Ina’s father, your grown-ass grandfather, was in St. Louis robbing and carjacking folks. Stephen had gotte
n away from all that mess. He went to college and I didn’t want him involved with such a reckless family like your mother’s. He would not be president today had he hung around being her baby’s daddy. She didn’t have a plan, and she happily took my money, the cars I purchased for her over the years and the house. So don’t get this twisted, and do not let her fake tears fool you.”
Ina’s eyes fired daggers at me. She backed up to take a seat again and so did Joshua. “Is that the best you can do, Teresa? Really? Your run down of what happened changes every month. But when all is said and done, the majority of this is still your fault.”
“No, when all is said and done, don’t make me pull off my other shoe and drill my foot in that big butt of yours. Keep lying to yourself, okay? I think Joshua and Stephen already know better. They’re still waiting on you to take responsibility for this mess and do it now!”
“Just keep at it,” Stephen said. “We’ll wait until the two of you are done. I’m sure this has been a long time coming.”
Ina cut her big round eyes at me and looked at Joshua again. “I do take responsibility for my lies, and all I can say is I’m sorry. I thought money was the answers, and when I got pregnant with you, things weren’t looking up for me. I just couldn’t give up on my baby, and when your grandmother agreed to help take care of us, I accepted her offer. When Mr. McNeil offered me millions of dollars to say you were involved in a terrorist act, I didn’t think it would cause this much harm. I figured I could pretend you were dead and finally move away from St. Louis for good. I wanted us to have a fresh start. Away from everything that was going on in St. Louis, and I could finally rid myself of your grandmother who had been trying to control my life for years.” She reached over and stroked the waves in the back of Joshua’s head. He looked so much like Stephen, and even with glasses on, Joshua was, indeed, his child. “I was miserable, sweetheart. So miserable and I wanted out. I knew you didn’t like living in St. Louis, and you always planned to move elsewhere, after you graduated, right?”
Black President Season 2 Collection Page 2
