“How many girls has Chase gotten pregnant?”
“Three.”
“Lord have mercy, Jesus in heaven.”
“Well, let me clarify that. He got one girl pregnant last year, but she had a miscarriage. Then a few months later the other one had an abortion and told him about it after the fact. But this one’s different. This girl is four months pregnant and her father called me the night after Chase broke the news to us because he wants to have a family meeting. I can’t say that I blame him.”
Victoria shook her head. “How did you manage to keep Samantha from finding out about the others?”
“Chase confides in me more than he does his mother because he knows Sam’s liable to say or do anything. Plus, I had a man-to-man talk with him when he started puberty. I told him that no matter how bad a situation gets or what kind of trouble he finds himself in, he better come to me and tell me because I’ll kick his ass if I have to find out about it in the street.”
Victoria let out a deep breath but didn’t say anything.
“Hey, don’t knock it.”
“I’m not—I’m just thinking about what you said. It’s tough to raise kids.”
“Who you tellin’. But I will say this, I’ve spared Sam from a lot of Chase’s fuck-ups, and honestly, if she knew about half of them she would’ve probably escalated an already bad situation to another level. I love my wife, and I have to give her credit because she’s really grown and matured over the years. But I’m also a realist, and trust me, I know how Sam is.”
“You’re managing this situation the best way you know how.”
He nodded. “I’m just a man trying to keep my family together, but it doesn’t look like I’m doing a good job of it right now.”
Victoria reached across the table and touched Tyler’s hand. “You’re doing all you can. Is it okay if I give you a piece of unsolicited advice?”
“Saying no has never stopped you,” he said with a smile.
“Take it from a person who’s messed up in the past by withholding vital information from their spouse. No matter how much you think it will hurt Samantha, or how much you think she might hurt Chase, or make a situation worse, from now on you have to tell her about what’s going on in your son’s life. She’s his mother, he’s her baby, and she deserves to know. You two are a united front, but you’ll fall and crumble if you don’t stand together on everything, especially when it comes to your children.”
Tyler rubbed the stubble growing on his chin. “You’re right.” He nodded. “From this point forward I’m gonna tell Sam everything, no matter what.”
“Good, that way you two can work things out together and you won’t have the burden of carrying Chase’s problems by yourself.”
“True.”
Victoria looked at his plate. “Tyler, I know you’re struggling with this, but you’ve got to pull yourself together. You won’t be any good to your family if you’re not good to yourself, so please eat.”
Reluctantly, Tyler stuffed a few French fries into his mouth. “I’m gonna tell you something that I really hate to admit, and I’ve never shared with another living soul.”
“Okay.” Victoria braced herself because after his confession about Chase’s multiple pregnancy scares she couldn’t imagine what he was going to reveal next.
“I love Chase with all my heart. He’s funny, smart, and he’s a generally good-natured kid when he’s not getting into trouble.” Tyler paused and then looked at Victoria with what appeared to be defeat. “But he’s bad as hell and at the rate he’s going, I think prison is in his future. I work with that population, I see it every day, and my son has all the signs.”
Victoria thought the same thing about her son, too, but she didn’t know what to say so she just listened.
“From the time he was a little kid, he’s been out of control, always breaking rules and getting into unnecessary trouble by doing stupid shit. I remember when he was seven years old I enrolled him in Cub Scouts because I thought it would help him build character and learn about teamwork. How about my son was sneaking Playboy magazines into the scout meetings.”
“Stop lyin’! At seven?”
“Yes. And when the troop leader told me about it, I confronted Chase and asked him where the hell did he get the magazines from, because I know they didn’t come from our house. You wanna know what he told me?”
“I’m afraid to ask.”
“He said, ‘Don’t worry about it, Dad. I got connections and I can hook you up, if you want me too.’ ”
“Good Lord.”
“See, it’s shit like that, that a seven-year-old shouldn’t know anything about, that lets you know he’s been a handful out the gate. You would think he was being raised in a brothel. And let’s not even talk about the fact that he’s been slipping out the house and going to parties since he was ten.”
Over the years Victoria had heard Samantha constantly voice her frustration with Chase, likening him to one of Bébé’s Kids on steroids. But Victoria had never heard Tyler talk about his son with such disappointment and despair, and it made her heart ache for her best friend because she understood the anguish and stress a wayward child could cause.
She’d observed on her own what a little terror Chase could be when he was just a small child. There had been several occasions when Tyler and Samantha had asked her to babysit, and she remembered literally counting down the minutes until they came to pick him up. He’d been the kind of child who was always into something he had no business having an interest in. “Grown-folks business” as her mother used to call it. One time, Ted had outright threatened Chase.
CJ, on the other hand, had been a complete joy to be around, never once giving his parents or anyone else a moment of trouble. He’d always been a level-headed, mature, and responsible young man, and he’d tried unsuccessfully to help steer his younger brother in the right direction.
“Sometimes I just don’t’ get it,” Tyler said wearily. “We raised CJ and Chase under the same roof, never showing favoritism or differential treatment between the two. We let them know that we loved them equally. We gave both of them the same advantages, the same lectures about right and wrong, and the same unconditional love and support. CJ may not be my biological child, but he’s my blood in every way, and he makes me proud to hold my head up and call him my son. But Chase . . .” Tyler sighed. “He has my direct DNA, from the shape of my head down to my body build. But we couldn’t be more different, and he makes me want to hit the damn bottle.”
“I know what you mean. Look at my two. They’re a prime example of everything you just said. Alexandria is one of the most honest, sincere, and naturally kind people you ever want to meet, and she always tries to do the right thing. But Christian,” she said, taking a deep breath, “you can’t trust anything that comes out of his mouth. If his lips are moving that means he’s lying.”
“You said it, not me.”
“Yes, I did. And I’ll tell you something else since we’re baring our souls about our children.” Victoria leaned forward and exhaled. “I think Christian’s getting deeper and deeper into drugs.”
Tyler shook his head. “Damn. I hate to hear that. I knew he had some problems but I thought he’d gotten his act together. Isn’t he going to Columbia this fall?”
“Yes, he is. And it’s a miracle that he’s been able to maintain such a great academic record, given the fact that he drank, smoked, snorted, and partied his way through Morehouse,” Victoria said with frustration. “And let’s not talk about the women. I firmly believe he’s one screw away from a paternity suit.”
“I tried talking to him a few months ago around spring break, and he assured me that he’d cut back on his drinking and he’d left the drugs alone.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “He lied.”
“I know. I could tell when I looked into his eyes.”
“Even though Chase makes you want to drink, count your blessings because sometimes I want to do bodily harm to Christ
ian.”
“Well, when you put it like that, I guess I should be thankful. And I’ve got to agree with you, Christian’s always been a piece of work.”
“That’s putting it mildly and you know it. Christian’s been in more trouble than I can name and the sad thing about it is that half of the mayhem he causes goes under the radar from Ted and me because he hides things so well. I’m afraid that either the drugs, wild women, or both are going to be his downfall. He’s too slick for his own good.
Physically, Christian was strikingly handsome with the perfect combination of Victoria’s and Ted’s features. He’d taken her smooth chocolate-brown skin, grabbed Ted’s deep, ocean-blue eyes, and picked up his height and lean body shape from both of them, sculpting him into the kind of man who commanded attention whenever he walked into a room. But sadly, he took advantage of his assets in all the wrong ways, especially when it came to women.
Every time Victoria thought about Christian, and the kind of lifestyle he was leading, her mind worried with thoughts of what would happen to him. But she would never give up hope that her son could turn things around, and it was something she’d been praying for ever since he was seven years old and had come home with a note in his book bag, explaining that he’d been sniffing glue and stealing cigarettes out of his teacher’s desk drawer.
Tyler pushed his plate of cold, uneaten food to the side. “We’re a fine pair—two only children who each have a child that’s a damn mess.”
“It could be worse.”
Tyler shook his head. “Please don’t say that. I can’t take any more right now.”
“Okay, I won’t go down that road.”
“Besides, I haven’t told you the clincher.”
Victoria put her hand to her temple. “Is Chase’s girlfriend having twins?”
“You’re right, that would be worse. But no, she’s not having twins.”
“Whew!”
“Technically, she’s not his girlfriend, and she doesn’t even live in Atlanta. She’s in D.C.”
Victoria blinked. “Samantha mentioned that when we talked briefly yesterday, but she said it was complicated.”
“I’ll say. Nothing about my son is ever easy.”
Victoria looked perplexed. “How did he manage this?”
“A couple months ago, when we went up to D.C. during spring break to visit Sam’s family, Chase hooked up with this little girl, and the rest is history. And to be honest, I don’t even know when it could’ve happened because we thought we’d kept such a close eye on him. But apparently not.”
“Tyler, I don’t mean to complicate things, but how does Chase know this baby is his? He was up there for a few days, but who knows what that girl was doing prior to or after his visit. Young girls can lay a trap just like grown women can.”
“Now you’re thinking on my level. I’ve already made up my mind that as soon as the baby is born we’re gonna do a paternity test. Unfortunately, as you know, I have some experience in this area.”
Ironically, that was how Tyler had found out that CJ wasn’t his biological child. At that time when he and Samantha had been dating, she had still been going through her wild, rebellious stage, and had put herself in a position that caused her and Tyler’s breakup once CJ was born and the test results had come in. Fortunately, they were an example of a love that was meant to be because five years later they’d walked back into each other’s lives and had been together ever since.
Victoria nodded her head. “That’s a good idea. You’ve got five months to go before you’ll have your answer, and I’m going to pray for all of you, Tyler.”
“Be sure to get on both knees when you do, and cross all your fingers and toes while you’re at it.”
“It’s gonna be all right.” Victoria looked at her watch. “Sorry to cut it short, but I have to get back to the office for a meeting, and then I need to go home early so I can bake your wife a chocolate cocoa cake.”
Tyler placed his credit card on the table to pay for their meal. “Thanks, Victoria. I appreciate you doing this for Sam. You’ve always been a great friend, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You know I’ll do whatever I can to help both of you. Just say the word.”
Tyler’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Why didn’t I think of it before now?” he said with excitement. “Ask Alexandria if I can bring Chase by her place so she can tell us whether he’s the father or not?”
“Listen to you! My daughter’s not a circus performer with a crystal ball.”
“But she’s got skills, Victoria. Talk to her and see if she’ll agree to do it.”
Victoria shook her head. She didn’t want to speak for Alexandria, but she knew her daughter would be uncomfortable with the situation. Alexandria was still learning how to control her gift, measure her abilities, and ration her powers. She’d told Victoria on more than one occasion that she had no interest in interfering with the natural progression of life and events unless someone’s health or safety was at serious risk.
“She’s your goddaughter,” Victoria said. “If you want her help, you’re more than welcome to call her with your psychic hotline request.”
“That’s cold.”
“And true.”
“I guess on second thought it’s not such a good idea. I don’t want to put any stress in her life just when she’s finally happy and about to jump that broom.”
“One thing I’ve learned is that everything eventually comes out. Time will reveal the truth and you’ll know if Chase is the father.”
As Victoria drove back to her office, she thought about her lunch conversation with Tyler. She knew that whether they liked it or not, both their youngest children were headed down some rocky roads, and one didn’t have to possess the gift of prophecy to see that.
Chapter 11
Allene
Allene smiled as she breathed in the warm, sweet-smelling air. She loved summer nights, and this evening in particular was especially beautiful. After a day of dark clouds and thunderstorms, a rainbow had spread across the city, and now that nighttime had come, a bright moon was hanging in the big black sky, keeping company with the stars.
This was the kind of night Allene used to enjoy in a different lifetime, when she lived in her tiny house up the road. Isaiah had fussed and wanted to build her a large stucco and brick ranch-style home that he thought would be more fitting, but Allene wouldn’t hear of it. “I just need a lil peace of somthin’ where I can grow vegetables out back, flowers in the front, and lay my head down at night,” she’d told him. Isaiah had grumbled, but he’d also respected his mother’s wishes when he’d purchased her modest two-bedroom home and handed her the keys.
Allene loved that little house. She’d sit on her front porch, enjoying her own company and the peace she felt from a life well lived. Now, as she sat in her rocking chair on her son’s front porch, she wished that Isaiah, Henrietta, John, Elizabeth, and all the other family members whom she’d loved could enjoy this night with her.
“I sure do miss y’all something awful,” Allene said aloud. “Things just ain’t the same without the ones you love.”
Allene was grateful that she had a new generation of relatives whom she could see in the here and now. She smiled when she thought about how good it would be to have her family under one roof, back at the house her son had built with so much love. She’d always valued the power of family and the fact that it created bonds that could get you through joys and sorrows. Family was strong and resilient, and stood the test of time. Allene knew it was imperative that she do everything she could to hold hers together, especially now that lives were at stake.
Family was just as important to Alexandria, and Allene knew that the young woman was equally committed to making sure theirs thrived for generations to come. “You’re doin’ good, baby girl. I know you’re worried ’cause you feel what’s comin’, but it’s gonna be all right.” As Allene whispered those words into the calm night air, she knew Alexandria co
uld hear her, and that it would give her peace as a storm raged several hundred miles away in Atlanta.
Allene had focused her mind, concentrated, and sought out anyone who would be able to assist her in helping Alexandria. She had been pleasantly surprised when she’d stumbled upon Anita Brown, a sixty-year-old nurse who worked at PJ’s hospital. Ms. Brown didn’t have the advanced abilities that she or Alexandria possessed, but the woman was pure of heart, and she could sense good or evil, which was most important to Allene, and was necessary to protect Alexandria as she and PJ began their family.
Allene was relieved that Alexandria’s mind was more at ease knowing that she didn’t have to worry about Gary while she and PJ were away next weekend. Now she was free to focus on the conflict that was sure to arise once everyone gathered at the family homestead.
As Allene slowly rocked back and forth in her comfortable old rocking chair, a chill grabbed her that nearly took her breath away. She’d felt it before, though she hadn’t wanted to give it much credence—because she knew that sometimes things had a way of working themselves out—but now it let her know that not every situation would be wrapped in a neat bow, no matter how much she hoped it would. Secrets were going to be revealed and one unfortunate person would not survive the weekend.
“Lord, give them all the strength to do what needs to be done.” Allene slowly rose to her feet, opened the front door, and went upstairs so she could rest up for the events that were about to take place.
Chapter 12
Samantha
Samantha had taken the day off so she could pack and prepare for her family’s trip to Nedine tomorrow. Even though they would only be there for the weekend, she wanted a little extra time to relax and unwind before getting on the road first thing in the morning. Her shoulders had been tense and her nerves had been on edge ever since last week when Chase had told her and Tyler about LaMonica’s pregnancy.
Samantha was wrought with worry every time she thought about her teenage son becoming a father. The staggering reality was stressful enough, and now, the possibility that her carefully guarded secret was in danger of coming to light only added to her fears.
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