by Zi'ere
24
Once we were in the car, Liam started up a heavy conversation.
“When do you think you want to say I do?”
He totally caught me off guard.
“Uh, umm, I don’t know right off. I really haven’t had a chance to think about it. When are you thinking would be a good time?”
“I say the sooner the better.”
“How in the world can I plan a wedding now?”
“We don’t have to have a grand ceremony now. We could always get married now and have a formal ceremony later on.”
It sounded as if he had been thinking about the technicalities more than I was.
“Does this have anything to do with what happened yesterday?” I couldn’t forget how he exploded when Que called me his ‘lady’.
“I’m going to be completely honest here: my answer is yes and no.”
“You don’t have anything to be concerned about. I accepted your proposal because I really want to marry you. No one else has ever put a ring on my finger but you. I am committed to you and Que is out of order.”
“I know he is out of order. What he said yesterday did get to me, I can honestly say that. Where does he get off calling you his lady after everything went down and he left you there in the airport all alone with vultures all around you? He didn’t even take his wife with him when he ran away. That’s just one small side though. The other side comes in the fact that you might be now or that we will get pregnant soon. I want my children and their mother to have my last name.”
I reached out and linked my hand in his.
“That’s sweet Liam. I love you so much!”
“I love you more Laini.”
“If you want to get married now then that is what we will do.”
“Really?”
“Yes babe. You have been by my side consistently when I have been called everything but a child of God. I have been used, abused, and have made some pretty messed up decisions when it came to my personal affairs. You never once judged me. Even after I was called a lesbian in the blogs, you still made love to me.”
He started to laugh.
I was in no way done expressing my love for him. “You are a major boss and you chose to stay with me when you could have given this detail to someone else. You were there with me when you could have been anywhere in the world you wanted to be. Do you know how that made me feel when I heard your words?”
He kissed my hand as I continued to talk. “You stayed with me for the simple fact that you wanted to be with me. I have never had that dedication from a man other than my father before.”
“Your father was a good man. He had to have been because he and my father were best friends.”
“Yes they were and I think they are ready to be represented in the joining of us as husband and wife. I’m ready to love you for the rest of my life.”
“How about Christmas day?”
“If you think for one minute you are going to do a combo gift for me on that day you have another thing coming!”
More laughs.
“I wouldn’t dare do such a lazy thing such as that. Give me some credit please?”
“Christmas is in two months, I thought you said you wanted to get married now?”
“Christmas day will be the official ceremony.”
“Whoa wait a minute! I can’t design a gown right now!”
“Your soon to be mother-in-law is awaiting your call on that situation. All I can say right now according to the message I am supposed to deliver from her is that all you have to do is tell her what you want and she is going to take care of the rest.”
“I swear by the time I get done fooling with all ya’ll I am going to need to be committed into a mental health asylum! Ya’ll don’t care nothing about just dropping bombs on me whenever you feel like it!” His idea was genius.
25
Who gets married Christmas day? What makes him think people will want to leave their family celebration to come to a black tie event? Well technically the family would all be flying in from all over anyway. This wedding had to be a formal affair, there was going to be nothing casual about it. My nerves were completely shot to hell. On top of everything else I had going on, this man wanted me to plan an all- out extravagant ceremony fit for a king and queen in two months. I need a stiff drink.
While Liam was picking up Laini’s prescriptions I was busy helping her get herself together for the night. Only Zoey would schedule a hair appointment from the hospital. I was thrilled to know that she really did like everything I had done with her wing of the house. She actually cried. As proud big sister I couldn’t be knocked off my high. Now, the only issue we had was that her stomach was so big, none of the pieces I had bought for her fit. Not one. I had to do some fast thinking to get her into something with a lot of stretch. A white long sleeved off the shoulder top that stopped mid- thigh was paired with a pair of black tights. She had zebra printed flats to slip her now fat feet into. I put accessories on her to jazz up her outfit. Diamonds in place, she looked very regal and simply gorgeous.
There was no way I could contain my giggles as we pulled, tucked, and squirmed to get her dressed. She was huge! If I didn’t know for sure there were only two babies inside of her, I would have guessed quads. With every move she breathed as if she needed a breathing treatment. According to her the babies were in position and she had not been able to breathe normally for the last four months. Now big mama duke’s breath might have slowed her down but what was making the situation worse was her appetite. That mouth had taken over and the amount of food she stuffed into it was shocking to me. The girl had eaten what she called a snack, every hour since we had made it to the house.
“Keep on! Bey didn’t have twins and your snap back ain’t gonna be like hers! It’s gonna kill your ass to get back down to your original weight with all these unnecessary snacks you’re eating!” The tables were turned.
For the first time in a long time I was schooling her and she did not like it one bit.
“How is it unnecessary if I am eating what I want and craving at the time? You have no idea how happy I am to be off of those liquid meals the hospital was giving me!”
“That’s what I’m saying- you don’t need it all today! You just want it, being greedy! I’m not going to no gym and I most certainly won’t be sweating out these tracks to go jogging with you big Bertha!”
“That’s fine! I wouldn’t ask you anyway but I bet my brother-in-law would go running with me!” She stuck out her tongue at me.
She had me on that one.
“My man will be too busy, trust!”
“Get out of my room Laini!”
Zoey’s hair stylist was in fits of laughter. “Ya’ll crazy! If the outside world could see that ya’ll are just like every other sister combo they would love ya’ll even more than they do now.”
“Nawl CeCe, I got a sister up for grabs! Do you want her to go with you when you leave? Let her eat you out of house and home for a few days!”
“I’m not going anywhere! My mail has been transferred and everythang boo-boo. What til my bro-in-law get back here and still talk that noise bout me!”
“He gonna be on my side and tell you that you don’t need to be stuffing your mouth every time you think of food!”
“Get out of my room Laini!”
“Oh so now you gonna put me out after I get your but dressed you don’t need me no more? Your outfit wouldn’t be shit without me!”
I tried to be serious, I really did but I couldn’t stop laughing.
“Oooooh baby, with that fat face and wide nose you don’t need to make that face ever again!”
“Which way is the bathroom? Ya’ll got me bout to pee on myself in here!” CeCe already had tears running from her eyes she was laughing so hard.
She ran off after my directions.
“So you brought me here to make fun of me? I’m mad and hurt! Get out of my room! I’m not going to say it again!”
I wa
lked over to her and pinched her cheeks and nose. It only took a few finger moves to make her giggle. She was super easy to tickle.
“Just wait til your ass gets pregnant! I can’t wait!” She waved her finger in my face.
26
I stopped laughing.
“You’re beautiful Bug, you know that. But when I do have that beautiful thing happen to me, I hope I look just like you. Even though you can’t breathe, I can only imagine how good it feels know you have boys that will carry on our lineage. Here soon you will have two bundles of joy that will love you unconditionally. That has to be the best feeling in the world right?”
Just like that, we were bonding as the twins we were again.
“It is the best feeling in the world sis. I swear there is nothing like feeling them move or when I’m listening to their heartbeats.” Tears started to flow like a river. “It was mom who told me they were twin boys. I can’t wait until you are in this position. It’s going to change the way you look at life, I promise.”
“Girl Liam is on a mission every day! It is just a matter of time before it happens.”
“I love you big sis, I am so happy for you.”
“I love you too Bug and thank you.”
“I see it all in your eyes. You haven’t been this happy yet all the while stressed in a long time. It looks good on you.”
“Isn’t it funny how the right man will change everything?”
“I don’t know sis. All that time I spent getting on to you, I should have been listening to my own advice. I have fallen in love with a married man. Not only was he having an affair, he got his mistress pregnant. What kind of piece of scum am I?” She was in tears again.
“You’re in love Zoey? With Emani’s husband?” I was beyond shocked.
“He says he is in love with me too. I guess we will find out if he lied in a few minutes, huh?”
“Everybody makes mistakes sweetheart, don’t be so hard on yourself. And even though I don’t have a baby yet, I still know it takes two.”
She hid her face but nodded in acknowledgment of my words. Just then CeCe returned.
“We will finish this conversation later love, okay? I’m going to go ahead and start getting dressed. You know your punctual sister will be here any minute. Ya’ll don’t have to be disturbed, Asa is downstairs to hostess until I’m done.”
I gave my sister a pat on her shoulder as I walked past her.
“I probably won’t see you after I am done but I have to say that your home is breathtakingly beautiful Laini.”
“Thank you CeCe, I appreciate the compliment.”
“Sis, do you know if she is coming?”
I knew damn well who Zoey was referring too. I honestly had no idea if Darrell would bring his wife or not. In all my worrying I never considered that problem. She and Emani had come to blows at Amina’s house. My sister was now very pregnant and no matter what she wouldn’t be involved in another fight tonight.
“I don’t know Bug, but the truth is going to be the truth regardless.”
I closed the door behind me and made my way to my wing in the house. When I got to the staircase, I made a detour. A Screwdriver or Tequila Sunrise was in order. Zoey had just admitted that she had fallen in love with the husband of her only enemy in the world. With two fingers up to my temple attempting to massage away the headache, I still couldn’t get an understanding.
Haywood men were supposed to be faithful to their wives for the long haul regardless to if new pudding tang was being thrown at them from a professional pitcher. I found Asa and put in a drink order. I began to look around my sitting room and dining room. After the way Amina’s home was torn up, I didn’t want my priceless pieces broken. It was about to go down in here tonight. I wished there was some way I could bubble wrap the entire house. I debated on wearing tennis shoes that night. The situation was totally out of order. Who knew how the dust was going to settle after the affairs were put up to the light for inspection.
27
We were all seated in the formal sitting room awaiting the arrival of the rest of the Haywood clan. Of course punctual Amina and Carlos had shown up first. It was a quarter til seven and everyone was present and accounted for except Darrell. My prayers were being jumbled together in one long continuous sentence that Emani would be off to her shenanigans and would not bother to show for the dinner. I assumed that I had used all of my prayer credits for the day because Emani walked into my home as if she were Queen Elizabeth. Liam and I exchanged glances. I didn’t know which room I preferred to be trashed. Stephanie looked as if she was ready to pounce on Emani at any second.
I recognized that by her mother holding her hand, she was meant to keep Stephanie calm. Mama Anna wasn’t just showing support, she was restraining her daughter. I refused to offer any of them any type of liquor. We damn sure didn’t need liquid courage on top of all the problems in the room. If my memory served me correctly that had been the issue at Amina’s house that day. Everyone was dipped in the sauce celebrating Amina coming home. The champagne and wine flowed like a river.
Over dinner of course I had to offer a red and white wine. Not everyone partook in it and for that I was grateful. You could cut the tension in the room with a butter knife. I was too intimidated to start the conversation thread as to why it was necessary for all us to meet at one time. My man rubbed my thigh and brought everyone to attention.
“Of course dinner is perfect tonight, but we all know we don’t have all night to skirt around the issues that need to be discussed. Laini, Zoey, and Amina have been through enough already. So, who would like to begin?”
Liam was a trip.
Terrell help up a finger as he sat his fork down with the other hand.
“I will most definitely start off by saying that in the civil suit against Purple Label, the Agency, the Jefferies and Barton building, and corporation will be represented by my legal team.”
“She just got the papers a few days ago, how quick did she come running to you for help? I can’t believe your desperate ass went to my family to represent you in a fight with a member of their family!” Emani spoke directly to me with venom oozing from her snake mouth.
“First, your position in the family is the very reason we are all here. Girl bye! You are not even considered a part of the Haywood family anymore! You are about to get some papers of your own! And I for one think it is long overdue for you to be put on notice of a few things. I should have said something at that scandalous wedding you had!” Stephanie looked liberated to deliver the news.
“Is this true? You brought me here to embarrass me Darrell?” I watched as Emani’s eyes pleaded with her husband.
“Before we get to that, tell me what kind of relationship you have with Angel, Tory, Yvette, and Mekhi?” Darrell was emotionless in his words.
It was clear to me that he had lost a lot of respect for his wife.
I had a feeling that no matter what she said, she knew she was still getting those divorce papers. I said a silent prayer that she would at least tell the truth. Maybe there could be some restoration if she at least owned up to her deeds.
“What are you talking about? The only thing I know about Angel is what you told me, Darrell. The only thing I know about Mekhi is what Zoey has told me. And I certainly wouldn’t have anything to talk to Yvette about and I have no clue who a female named Tory is!” Emani raised her voice but it didn’t improve her argument.
“Emani, after you saw all that stuff on the news and in the blogs did you really just say you don’t know who Tory is? Did I hear that right?” I couldn’t keep my lips together.
“Yes, that is exactly what I just said Laini. I don’t have time to entertain myself with tabloids and blogs!”
“That is the story you are sticking too…that’s your final answer?”
I tried to give her an out. Sure, she deserved whatever was about to slap her in the face but, lying? Really? She had to be smarter than that with all the educated people seated at my di
ning room table.
“Yes, Laini! That is my final answer! Is there anything else you need to ask me?” Her attitude had graduated to stank.
There was no helping her.
“You just flunked both of those tests with flying colors!” Darrell looked down as he shook his head. “I can’t believe I married somebody so scandalous!”
28
“Daddy give her your pictures, maybe that will help her remember the people we are asking her about.” Stephanie’s voice was calm when she addressed her dad.
Mr. Greg Haywood reached inside of his jacket and produced a small envelope full of pictures of Emani in the company of everyone she had just lied and said she didn’t know. There were even pictures of her with Tory the day we had all followed them to Best Buy. It clicked in my head in that moment. Emani had bought all the technology Tory would need to catfish me and Que! The look in my cousin Ced’s face told me to chill, so I did. Under the table I searched for Liam’s hand, arm, or leg. I just needed the safety of his hands on me.
“Now, this time tell me the truth!” Darrell spat at Emani.
Emani sat there speechless for a minute and then burst into tears. No one came to her aide.
“Before we were married I explained to you how this family is run. It was mandatory that I married a woman who knew the value of having a solid family foundation. Every person in this family supports the other no matter how wrong, how long, or what it is. We get our asses spanked but family is still family at the end of the day. Before you had me you had Amina, Zoey, and Laini. They were your family is what you told me! But, look-a-here. Here is my wife with a woman who tried to railroad money from me and my family. Not to mention she tried to trap me with a fake baby. This same woman is the arch nemesis of my best friend and sister. You are supposed to dislike her times three just like the rest of us do! You were scamming money from your business to pay your mom to keep her away from your sister! Why is it you think Amina doesn’t deserve to have a relationship with her own mother? Who made you God in all of our lives? You paid Tory to ruin Laini in the media. Please do not forget the media circus you generated as you played with her heart and Quese Calhoun’s feelings. Mekhi was dating Zoey as far as we all knew until you fronted her and him out to complete strangers. I have no idea why you would have lunch with him so much. Then on top of everything else, you are suing your sister’s company! You attached my family name on a document suing another Haywood! That type of behavior does not happen in this family! And we certainly don’t just laugh it off. You are formally dismissed from your post.” Darrell reached inside of his suit pocket and produced tri-folded divorce papers drawn up by the family attorney.
