Love & Lies

by Kimberla Lawson Roby

  “I thought about that, but that will only make him angrier than he already is.”

  “Then what are you going to do?”

  “For now, I’m going to go along with what he wants, but eventually I have to take care of this. I don’t know how, but I will. I just can’t move too quickly, though, because I’ve seen too many women lose their lives because they thought the police were going to protect them.”

  “I guess you’re right, but gosh, J. I can’t believe this is happening to you.”

  “I can’t believe it either, and while I know Antonio hasn’t been the best man for me, his nature is so violent now. It’s almost as if he’s a totally different person.”

  “No, I’ll bet he’s the same. The only difference now is that you told him you wanted him to leave and he realized he was going to be on the street. So now he’ll do anything he has to just to keep a roof over his head.”

  “This is terrible. And not only did he charge the ring, but he charged up the entire limit, which is ten thousand dollars.”

  “He didn’t!” I said, trying to figure how and why Janine had fallen in love with this man. I’d asked myself both questions on a few different occasions, but today I really wanted to know.

  “Hey, I’m turning into the parking lot now, so I’ll have to hang up, but I’ll give you a call this afternoon.”

  “That’s fine. I have to run out for a while this morning, but I should be back here by noon.”

  “I’ll call you after that.”

  “Janine?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to be okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll talk to you this afternoon, then.”

  “See ya.”

  This was horrifying and something was definitely going to have to be done about Antonio. There was no way I could simply sit back and allow him to bully Janine the way he was and then get away with it. I wasn’t sure how I would proceed, but if Janine didn’t get rid of him fairly soon, I would have to do it for her. I would take care of this one way or the other, even if it meant paying the right person to take care of it for me. I would do whatever was necessary to free my best friend from that maniac.

  Chapter 6

  CHARLOTTE

  “Thank you for seeing me,” I said, taking a seat inside Mr. Perry’s office, which was located right here in Mitchell.

  “It’s my pleasure. So what can I do for you?”

  “Well, as embarrassing as this is for me, I need you to get some information on my husband.”

  “Okay,” he said, leaning back in his leather chair. “What type of information do you want exactly?”

  “I need to know if he’s having an affair. He travels extensively, and for the most part, our marriage is not what it used to be.”

  “Is he a salesman?”

  “No, he’s a minister.”

  Mr. Perry raised his eyebrows and said, “Oh…okay.”

  “He and I are cofounders of Deliverance Outreach. Have you heard of it?”

  “Of course. So your husband is the Reverend Curtis Black?”

  “Yes, but he’s no longer the residing pastor. We hired someone else to take that position once Curtis’s first book was published and he started traveling around the country promoting it. He also has a lot of speaking engagements.”

  “I see. And you think he’s having an affair with someone out on the road or right here in town?”

  “Out on the road, because usually when he’s home, it’s only for a short period of time and he spends it with our children.”

  “Well, if I take your case, you do know that I’d have to charge you traveling and incidental expenses over and above my normal fee, right?”

  “Whatever it takes, because I really need to know what’s going on.”

  “Is he in town right now?”

  “No, but he’ll be home sometime this afternoon.”

  “I’m sure my assistant told you that I’m heading out of town on Sunday, but if it’s okay with you, I’d like to get started tomorrow. Which would mean monitoring your house and tailing him wherever he goes. I just want to get an in-person look at him and see what his patterns are when he’s home.”

  “Fine.”

  “Before you leave, I’ll ask Melanie to give you a form that I’ll need you to fill out. This way I’ll have all of your contact information and the addresses of places your husband usually frequents. It would also be good if you could list the names and addresses of everyone he’s close to or interacts with on a regular basis, and I’ll also need his future travel schedule.”

  “No problem.”

  “And then, for starters, I’ll need a retainer of five thousand dollars.”

  I’d said I was willing to pay whatever it took, but I hadn’t planned on paying this much.

  “That’s pretty steep.”

  “Maybe, but I’m the best there is around these parts, and I guarantee my work. Plus I also have to consider the fact that I’ll be traveling to other cities.”

  “Will this include those expenses as well?”

  “For now. And what I’ll do right from the beginning is get you receipts for everything I incur.”

  “But you’re pretty sure you can get me what I need to know?”

  “Mrs. Black, I’m positive. Your husband is nationally known, and thanks to you, I’ll know where he is at all the time. Because he does give you the names of his hotels, am I right?”

  “Yes. He never hides where he’s staying.”

  “Good. Then this should be fairly easy and it won’t take more than a week. Although, as I said, I’ll get started tomorrow, and then on Wednesday morning I’ll be flying to wherever your husband is headed to.”

  “I don’t think he’s going back out until then anyway, so that’ll be perfect.”

  “Well, unless you have any questions, I’ll be in touch.”

  “No, I think that’s all, and thank you,” I said, standing and shaking his hand.

  “I’ll call out to Melanie’s desk right now so that she can get you the form I spoke about.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “And Mrs. Black?”

  “Yes.”

  “For whatever it’s worth, your husband would be crazy to have an affair on someone as beautiful as you.”

  “Well, thank you.”

  “I’m serious. I’m not trying to disrespect you or come on to you in any way. I’m simply stating the truth.”

  “Thank you again,” I said, smiling, and left his office.

  Interestingly enough, I’d noticed how attractive Mr. Perry was from the moment I’d laid eyes on him, too, with his baby-smooth skin and coal-black hair. But ever since that whole debacle with Aaron, I tried my best not to look at any man except Curtis in that way. Although with the way Curtis was treating me, it was becoming a lot harder for me not to.

  When I arrived home, I was shocked to see Curtis’s luggage sitting on the floor, right in the center of our foyer. It was only a few minutes past noon, and I was surprised he’d decided to fly home so early. Especially since he usually never arrived home until it was time for the children to come home from school.

  I scanned his luggage, briefcase, and a couple of large shopping bags from Saks and wondered how he’d been able to carry them on the plane. Because the last I’d known, the airlines were only allowing two carry-on pieces. Needless to say, I couldn’t help wondering who had carried on one of them for him. There was no telling, and this small suspicion helped justify the five-thousand-dollar check I’d just written for KP Investigations.

  When I walked up the stairs and into the bedroom, Curtis and I immediately made eye contact. The man still looked as fine as ever. After all these years, after all the trials we’d had to overcome, Curtis still took my breath away. It was also the reason it was so hard for me to simply let go, walk away, and move on without him.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Hey, yourself,” he responded, and while I wasn�
�t completely sure, he seemed to be in a much better mood than he was when we’d argued on the phone a few days ago.

  “So did you have a good flight in?”

  “I did. No turbulence and the weather was clear all the way.”

  I removed my Chanel blazer and dropped it onto one of the chaises and kicked off my Via Spiga pumps.

  “You must’ve had a meeting at the church or something,” he said, and I wanted to laugh because that statement alone told me that regardless of what Curtis was doing outside of our household, he still cared about my whereabouts. Still, I told the first lie I could come up with.

  “No, actually, I had a few errands to run.”

  “Must have been some pretty important errands if you needed to get all dressed up like this,” he said, smiling.

  “Are you saying I look good?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t want this to go to your head, but yes. You look wonderful.”

  I smiled, but after a few seconds tears rolled down my face.

  “What’s the matter?” Curtis said, and I could tell he was confused.

  “Us. We’re what’s wrong, and it’s tearing me apart.”

  Curtis looked at me and it was obvious that he didn’t know what to say.

  “Don’t you agree?” I continued.

  “I do, but I don’t know how we can fix it,” he admitted.

  “Well, can we at least talk about it?” I said, sliding over my blazer and sitting down on the chaise.

  “But that’s just it, Charlotte, we’ve grown so far apart that I honestly don’t know if we can ever get back to where we were. So much has happened between us, and while I know it’s been five years since you slept with Aaron, I still feel so much resentment toward you. But I will admit that there are times like today when I wish we could be happy with each other again. As a matter of fact, that’s why I flew home earlier than I’d planned.”

  “And we can,” I said, reaching for his hand and pulling him down beside me. I moved my body flush with the back of the chaise and he positioned himself on the edge of where I was sitting.

  “But there are times, Charlotte…”

  “Times?”

  “Times when I literally hate you and wish I had never married you.”

  I finally knew what it felt like to have a dagger pounded straight through my heart. His comments hurt terribly, and worse, I could tell he meant every word he was saying.

  “Hate is such a strong word,” was all I could muster.

  “I know. But I can’t help the way I feel.”

  “Even though I’ve apologized to you for everything I did, over and over again?”

  “Yes, even though you’ve done that. Because the thing is, no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to forget everything that happened. You sleeping with Aaron behind my back. You lying about Matthew being my son. It’s all enough to make me sick.”

  “But I didn’t lie about Matthew.”

  “But you knew you’d slept with your cousin’s husband around the same time Matthew was conceived. Right?”

  “Yes, but…okay, I made a mistake. A huge, huge mistake, but Matthew loves you no differently than if he was your biological son. He worships the ground you walk on.”

  “And I feel the same way about him. Still, though, that’s beside the point.”

  “Well, baby, the only way we’re going to get through this is if you can somehow find a way to forgive me.”

  “I know that, and I struggle every day with the idea of not forgiving you. But nonetheless, I still can’t seem to get past what our history is with each other.”

  “And it doesn’t matter to you that I love you with all my heart?”

  “No. As much as I hate to say it, that doesn’t change anything.”

  “Then maybe the real question is do you love me?”

  When he didn’t saying anything, I got nervous.

  “Just be honest,” I said.

  “I guess a part of me does still love you, but it’s not in the same way as when we were first married.”

  “Are you in love with someone else?” I asked without planning to.

  “No. I’m not.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  I so wanted to believe him, but I knew it was better to just wait and see what Mr. Perry came up with.

  “Then why do you seem so irritated with me when you’re out on the road? I mean, whenever we talk, all we do is argue. It’s almost as if my phone calls are a distraction to you.”

  “But it’s only because when I’m traveling, I have a lot going on and I’m usually exhausted.”

  “But still, Curtis, you don’t have to talk to me so rudely.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “We used to have such a good time with each other,” I said, leaning toward him and caressing the side of his face. “Remember?”

  “I do.”

  “Baby, make love to me?” I said, shocked at my own request.

  “What about Tracy? And by the way, where is she?”

  “She’s taking the afternoon off.”

  “Oh really? Why?”

  “Because I told her we would probably order pizzas for dinner. She went to the grocery store this morning after dropping Marissa at school, but since you and the kids usually like to have pizza when you’re home on Friday nights, I didn’t see a reason for her to cook anything.”

  “That’s ne.”

  “So, baby, come on,” I said, pulling him toward me.

  I could tell Curtis was hesitant, but today I wasn’t taking no for an answer.

  “I really need you,” I said, and kissed him.

  And before long, whatever hatred and resentment Curtis had for me was a distant memory. So distant that he was now kissing me in a ravenous fashion and moaning the way he used to. I moaned with him, and more than anything, I wanted my husband inside of me. I wanted him to give me the kind of love that would linger long after today was over. I wanted him to realize that it was possible for him to fall in love with me again and that no one else was worth his time.

  Curtis kissed me up and down my neck and then unbuttoned my silk blouse. Then he removed it, slipped my bra straps down my arms, and burrowed his head into my chest, giving each breast equal attention.

  I tried my best to control the quivering sensation I knew would overtake my body in a matter of seconds. I tried hard to prevent this from happening so quickly, but I just couldn’t help myself. I just couldn’t deny myself something I’d been thinking about and dreaming about for two whole weeks. Because, sadly enough, Curtis had been gone all that time. Of course, about a week ago, he’d come home for a couple of days, but we’d barely even spoken to each other so to me it was as if I hadn’t seen him at all. It was as if I hadn’t even had a husband and now I was making up for lost time.

  Curtis stood and pulled me toward our bed and we both removed the rest of our clothing. Then we held each other, kissed for longer than usual, and slowly relaxed across the bed.

  “I love you so much,” I professed.

  But Curtis didn’t speak. Just kept turning me on in a way that forced me to breathe heavily and whimper like a child.

  I whimpered and pretended that our life together was good.

  I pretended it was perfect.

  Chapter 7

  JANINE

  No matter how many times I’d come to this particular nursing home to visit Antonio’s mother or anyone else, it always reminded me of the one my grandmother had resided in until the day she’d died. She’d been stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, and while my mother had moved her into her home and taken care of her for five years, it had finally come to a point where Grandmother had needed professional twenty-four-hour care and my mother had had no choice but to admit her. It had been the hardest decision she’d ever had to make, and it had been obvious that she’d never gotten over it. She’d always felt guilty even though she’d known deep down that the nursing facility had been the best place for Grandmother.
The worst part of all, however, had been the fact that Grandmother had eventually lost most of her memory and was no longer able to recognize my mother, her sister, me, or anyone else she’d known most of her life. But nonetheless, we visited her daily, making sure she received the best care possible, and that was the one thing that gave my mother at least some comfort.

  As I walked off of the elevator and down the carpeted corridor, I saw Mrs. Johnson, a sweet old lady, sitting in a wingback chair with her legs crossed—Mrs. Johnson, a lady who had no business living in anyone’s nursing anything. The woman was completely in her right mind, extremely outgoing, and she dressed as well as all her thousands in the bank would allow her. She wasn’t a millionaire, something she made clear every time we spoke, but she didn’t have to worry about how her nursing home bill would be paid every month either. She was set for life, but the sad part was the fact that she had two sixty-something daughters who didn’t see a reason to visit her more than a couple of times per month, let alone invite her to come live with one of them. Which was ridiculously shameful because Mrs. Johnson was still able to take showers without any assistance, walk around with the use of a cane, one that she didn’t always need, and she knew everything that was happening throughout the world.

  But sadly enough, Mrs. Johnson was only one of many residents in their late eighties who were healthy enough to still live a normal life, but too old to continue living alone. This of course—adult children not taking in their parents—was something I would never understand, and it was the reason I gave her a few minutes of my time whenever I came here.

  “So, Mrs. Johnson, how are you today?”

  “Still going the same as always,” she said, smiling.

  “Well, I’m glad to hear it,” I said, sitting down next to her and admiring how sharp she looked. She was sporting a chic-looking lavender lamb’s wool sweater and navy blue dress pants with lavender pinstripes.

  “So how was work?” she asked.

  “It was good but I’m glad it’s the end of the week.”

  “I know the feeling. It’s been over twenty years since I taught at the college, and while I loved it, there were still those days when I was glad to see the weekend come. I guess at some point we all need a break of some kind.”