Wrath

by Victoria Christopher Murray

  “Don’t tell me you’re working over this holiday weekend,” Bryce said.

  “Nah.” I stopped. As much as I wanted to, there was no way I could share my plans with Bryce. He’d talked me out of this before—when I was setting it up for Roxanne.

  “Well, maybe the four of us can get together. You haven’t hung out with me and Samantha in a while.”

  For a moment, I imagined what it would be like if Bryce could see what I saw. If he would listen to me, maybe he and his girl would even join us in New Orleans. But until I could trust his support, I wouldn’t bring him into that part of my world.

  We were still brothers, though, and we chatted as we changed into our suits, then, with our bags slung over our arms, we walked out of the gym shoulder to shoulder.

  23 Chastity

  For the last three days, I’d been trying to make Melanie’s words come true. I’d tried to figure out how to speak to my parents, but there was no scenario I could work out in my mind where this would work out for me. Maybe if my parents had been more receptive to Xavier the first time, maybe if they’d met him more than one time, maybe if my dad had the opportunity to talk to him for more time—then I’d be able to run to my parents with this news.

  But there wasn’t anything I could say that would bring my parents around, not even my mother. Yeah, she liked Xavier, but she’d need more than an hour with him before she’d embrace the idea of me marrying him.

  Which is why I was sitting here with panic squeezing my gut but a smile on my face as my mother stepped inside this Starbucks. She’d told me last night that an early cup of coffee was the only time she had today. So I’d invited her to Midtown, just blocks from my office.

  She slipped off her oversize designer sunglasses, scanned the on-the-way-to-work crowd, then weaved her way past the line and through the dozen tables to where I sat in the back. As she approached, I stood and once again wondered if I had enough courage to tell her about the ring tucked inside my purse.

  “Sweetheart.” She air-kissed my cheeks, then slid into the chair across from me. “Do you know how happy I was to get that call from you last night? Even if it’s just for a few minutes.” She beamed, and I relaxed.

  “I ordered your coffee, and here’s an unbuttered croissant.” I pushed the two toward her.

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” she purred. But then, in the same sweet tone and signature drawl, she said, “Did you invite me to coffee because you’re feeling guilty?”

  My heart became a weapon that was about to hammer me to death. “Guilty?” I croaked, licking lips that had suddenly dried.

  Her eyes bored into mine. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  She knew! My mother knew. But how? Had God started speaking to her, too?

  “Chastity?”

  “Mom… I…” I stopped and looked around at the young men and women, mostly in suits, all on their phones, each oblivious to me dying in the back of this coffee shop.

  “Sweetheart, why are you stuttering?”

  “Because… I…”

  She reached across the table and covered my hand with hers. “Truly, it’s not that serious,” she whispered. “You only missed one weekend.”

  I blinked, bringing her and her words into focus.

  “Of course, I love having you join me on Saturdays,” she continued, “and you know how your father feels about Sundays, but as you’re so fond of telling us, you’re grown.”

  She was talking about missing the stretching class… and church? I exhaled a thousand breaths, and she released my hand.

  “We know that you have a beau,” she started, sounding like fifty years needed to be added to the fifty-five she’d already lived, “and we’re going to see you less, though your father and I want the chance to get to know Xavier.” She held up her hand. “And before you say it’s not serious, we know that, but still, we want to be a part of what’s going on in your life.”

  And just like that, all the relief I had for those ten seconds dissipated.

  She finished taking my breath away with “Let’s make sure we get together this weekend. With it being a holiday, we can do our regular thing on Sunday and then maybe something special on Monday.”

  Shaking my head, I spoke my first words. “Not this weekend. We’re going away.”

  “Who’s going away?”

  I didn’t have the guts to tell my mother I was engaged to a man I’d only known for a little longer than fifty days, but I was grown enough to tell her about my trip.

  “Xavier and I,” I continued, even though her elevated eyebrow almost stopped me. “We’ve been so busy, and we don’t know when we’ll have the time to do this again, so we’re going to New Orleans for a little fun and to get to know each other.”

  “Wow.” Her surprise made her drawl more pronounced. “You’ve known him for such a short time. Do you think going away with him is a good idea?”

  “I think it’s a great idea.” I inhaled, then exhaled the truth: “I really like him, Mom. A lot.”

  “Oh,” she said. Her stare bored deeper into me. “Oooh,” she said again, this time, making the word sound as if it had seven syllables.

  I knew what that meant; she was asking if Xavier and I had been intimate. My mom wasn’t a prude; we’d had deep conversations about intimacy, especially about things she’d had to explain to a child about her father’s infidelity.

  Now, though, was a good time to help her understand what was going on with me and Xavier. Since I was going to have to show her this ring in a week or so, I needed to set the foundation. “I really, really like him” was all the preparation for that talk that I had in me now.

  Her stare made me shift from one side of the seat to the other until the edges of her lips twitched into a bright smile. “I’m really happy, Chastity,” my mother said. “I’m glad you’re finally letting someone in.”

  I nodded.

  “He seems like a nice guy who’s been through a lot.”

  “That’s one of the things I love about him.” My mom raised her eyebrow again at my slip, but I just continued, “He never gave up, even though he had so many reasons to just give in. He’s a warrior.”

  “And he’s quite impressive. Your father and I caught his press conference yesterday.”

  That made me smile because I’d watched it, too. Except for seeing him on TV and a couple of FaceTime calls, I hadn’t seen Xavier all week as both of us worked to clean off our desks before Friday.

  “He’s on his way to being one of the most well-known attorneys in the city,” I said, feeling so proud. “Maybe even the state. He has such big goals. Politics one day.”

  “Oh, that’s something. Maybe both of us will be First Ladies.” She chuckled but then waved her hand. “Just kidding. I know you’re a long way from talking marriage.” Her pause gave me just enough time to groan inside. “But seriously, Chastity, one day, you will meet a man you’ll want to marry. And our prayer is that he’ll love the Lord first. Because if he truly loves and honors God, he will love and honor you.” She held up her hand before I could even think of all the reasons why that didn’t sound right coming from her. “I know you’re thinking of your father, but here’s something you may not understand. Even in his sin, your father knew and loved God. Even in his sin, your father and I were equally yoked because of purpose, and even in his sin, your father knew that, too. That’s why he and I are here today.

  “So, sweetheart, all I’m saying is that I want the same for you. Not the trials, of course. I want you to live a drama-free life,” she said with a shake of her head. “But on those days when that’s not possible, I want you to be able to stand on God’s word and know that He will get you through because you are with a man who is your purpose. And you will be his purpose, too.”

  I nodded, then gave my mother a test. “Well, suppose that man is Xavier?” Before she could answer, I continued, “I know his relationship with God isn’t strong right now, but his foundation is there. Circumstances pulle
d him away, but God is in his heart.” I paused. “He can come back to the Lord, just like Papa.”

  She nodded. “Maybe Xavier is the one. The good thing is you have time to discover whether that’s true. And if he is, then you’ll find your purpose together.”

  “I believe we will.”

  Again, her raised eyebrow revealed her surprise. “Well, if you do, I will be there to support you… and your father will, too.” When I smirked, my mother said, “Pastor wants you to be happy… with the right man.”

  Once again, I thought about all that my father hadn’t said, all that I’d surmised. I asked, “Do you think Papa could ever accept it—if Xavier is that man?”

  Without a moment’s hesitation, she said, “Of course. Truly, your father has nothing against Xavier. But here’s the thing… even if he did, even if your father didn’t like him… if Xavier is the man God has chosen, then your father would be the first one to step up and not only accept him but love him. We both would have no choice. Because God has the final say.” She laid her hand on top of mine. “Don’t be concerned. Whether it’s Xavier or another man, your father and I are looking forward to the day when you tell us this is the man God has chosen for you.” When she paused and swallowed, I could tell emotions were rising inside of her. “Chastity, I have prayed for this. You lived through so much of the bad, I want only the best for you now. Xavier has to be special if God chose him to usher you into this time of your life.”

  Even from across the table, I felt my mom’s emotions, felt her love. The foundation had been set; she would accept our engagement. Now I was ready, but I wanted to tell my parents together, with Xavier by my side. We would do that as soon as we returned.

  Standing, I took my mother’s hand, then hunched down so I could hug her tight. “Thank you for this talk. Thank you for always being there for me.”

  “And I always will be, sweetheart. You can always count on that.”

  24 Xavier

  Once again, I’d nailed it. Just a little over twelve hours in New Orleans and everything had gone the way I wanted. I’d made this entire trip first-class: seats 1A and 1B on our flight, then, last night, a little before seven, we’d checked into our Ritz-Carlton suite. But I didn’t give Chastity time to swoon over the accommodations. We’d dropped our bags then hit the streets, because this was New Orleans on a holiday weekend.

  First up were the reservations I’d made for dinner at August, where Chastity feasted on red shrimp salad and blackened tuna, while I opted for the crispy oysters (which I made sure I shared with my lady) and the duckling with grits. Then we strolled through the ebullience of Bourbon Street. Even in October, this place was lit, as people partied like it was New Year’s Eve.

  Finally, we’d burned off our calories making slow, wonderful love beneath the moonlight that shone through the hotel’s windows. All I wanted was for this weekend to be the best for Chastity, one she’d always remember.

  That was my thought as I stood at the bathroom’s threshold, clad only in the towel tucked at my waist. I leaned against the doorjamb, watching Chastity as she scooped forkfuls of the grillades and grits I’d ordered before I’d hopped into the shower.

  “So you couldn’t wait for me?”

  She glanced up and grinned like a kid caught in the act. “I’m sorry. But you have to taste this.” She filled a fork with the beef and grits and offered it to me.

  As I strolled toward her, my towel slid away, but even as it dropped, I kept moving. Her glance froze.

  “So,” I said, my voice suddenly sounding thick, “you like it?”

  Her eyes hadn’t left what she’d said was the best part of me second to my brain. “I love it,” she whispered.

  With a chuckle, I stepped back, grabbed the towel, and wrapped myself inside. “We can’t do this right now,” I told her, even as she pouted. “We need sustenance so that we can do it again”—I leaned over and kissed her—“and again”—another kiss—“and again.”

  She sighed when I pulled away, then I slipped into the bed next to her. “Well, if we’re not going to do that,” she said, “then taste this.”

  As she aimed the fork toward me, I licked my lips and once again froze her stare. For a woman who always felt guilty afterward, sex stayed on her mind.

  I grabbed one of the croissants.

  She asked, “So, what do you have planned for today?”

  I stiffened, mostly from anxiety, but then, as quickly, I relaxed. All of this was going to work just fine. Picking up the remote, I clicked onto the hotel’s channel. “Let’s see what’s going on in the city.”

  She frowned before she rested her head on my shoulder. “You want me to believe you’re looking at television for your ideas?” She chuckled. “Okay, I’ll go with it, but I know you, Xavier King. Not only do you have everything planned, you have big plans.”

  As she snuggled closer, I was amazed, because she had no idea how true her words were. I pretended I was engrossed in the show’s anchor’s discussion about all that could be done in New Orleans, but my thoughts wandered to the checklist in my mind and everything I’d set up from thirteen hundred miles away.

  I was paying good money for all of it and hadn’t received confirmation for the most important part until three days ago, when I’d left Bryce at Sluggers and answered the call on my way home.

  “Everything’s set, but like I said, the weekend made it tough,” Will told me. “My brother will do it, but it’s gonna cost.”

  “I don’t care what it costs,” I said.

  “Roxanne must be a special lady.” He chuckled. “I remember when you were going to do this last year. I thought you two had broken up, but I’m glad you’re cool. So here’s the deal: my brother will do it for five thousand.”

  I was shocked that he’d mentioned Roxanne’s name, surprised that he’d even remembered it. So the first thing I needed to do was correct him, tell him this was Chastity. But the five thousand changed my focus. “I’d said I didn’t care, but I hadn’t expected it to be that much.”

  “My brother’s taking a lot of chances. Chances cost.”

  With a sigh and a nod, I said, “Just let me know how he wants to be paid.”

  “Cash is king, my man.”

  “Done.”

  “That’s what I’m talking ’bout. Oh, there’s just one thing. Like I told you, we need a photo ID: driver’s license or passport. But the bad news: He won’t do it without your birth certificates. You have to bring those.”

  “What?” I froze, then said, “Okay, just up the price. How much to get it done without our birth certificates?”

  “There is no price. I already asked, but my brother is not willing to go that far risking his license. So if you come without a birth certificate, there’s no way it can be done.”

  I hung up without even saying good-bye, feeling like my plan had just crashed, burned, and now was nothing but ashes. What could I tell Chastity to get her to bring her birth certificate?

  I was committed to making this happen, and by the time I got home, I had a new idea. When I called Will back, he told me he would see what he could do. It wasn’t until a couple of hours before Chastity and I boarded the plane yesterday that I received the call—it was a go.

  “He just wants to make sure you understand this won’t be valid.”

  I’D TOLD HIM I understood, and though this wasn’t the way I wanted it, this was the best it could be. I just hoped that not only would this work but if Chastity ever found out, she’d love me enough to understand. Once we left New Orleans, I’d make it right.

  Chastity pulled away and looked up at me. “Did you hear what I said?”

  I blinked a couple of times to bring her into focus. “What?”

  “Where did you go? I’ve been asking which of these things we are going to do.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

  She twisted to face me. “Okay, what’s up? Because if I’m lying next to you and you can’t hear me, then something�
�s wrong. Please don’t tell me you’re getting husband ears.”

  “What?”

  She laughed, having no idea how her words made my heart pound. “Husband ears. That’s what my mother calls it. It would be boyfriend ears for you, but you’re acting like my father. My mother can be sitting right next to him and he won’t hear a thing she says. So is this what I have to look forward to?”

  Her question cracked her up, but all I did was stare. She was talking about me being her husband. This had to be a sign.

  I held her face in my hands. “I love you, Chastity Jeffries.”

  “That I know for sure,” she said with an assurance I hoped she’d feel forever. “And I love you, too.”

  “I’m so grateful you came into my life.”

  My shaky voice removed all of the laughter from hers, and she kissed me, pushing me back and down onto the bed.

  I gave Chastity all of my pain, and I released my pleasure. As I lay there trying to hold on to this feeling for every second, I knew there would never be a woman I loved more than Chastity Jeffries.

  * * *

  I PANTED. MY relief was in my release. Chastity sighed as she curled beneath me and I wrapped my arms around her. This was how I wanted eternity to be.

  But then she rolled away, and although she said nothing, I knew her thoughts. And her thoughts made this the moment.

  Looking down at her, I said, “I have a solution.” She tilted her head in question. But my next words were the most important I’d ever speak. “Let’s get married.”

  She laughed as she raised her finger. “Let me introduce you to this beautiful ring that my fiancé gave me.” She twisted her hand so that the diamond faced me. “Dude, you already asked me, and I said yes.” She raised up, gave me a quick kiss, then added, “And I’d say yes and yes and yes again.”

  My heart was pounding, my adrenaline pumping. “No, I mean let’s get married now. While we’re here in New Orleans.”