by Sammie Ward
Tamara closed her eyes. She tried not to think about what happened. “I told him the truth,” she began.
Ginger bit her lower lip and looked around. “How did he take it?”
“Not very well. He wants full custody of Taj.” She purposely left out the part where Brian threw her out.
“Did he mention divorce?”
“No. But I know it’s coming.”
“Sweetheart, if you insist on being with…” She trailed off as she realized she didn’t know the woman’s name. She cast her daughter a nervous, sidelong glance.
“Nina,” Tamara answered, not bothering to give her last name.
“Nina,” Ginger said in a soft tone. She was curious to meet the woman who turned her daughter’s life upside down. “Where did you meet her?”
Tamara faced her mother. “Here at church.”
Ginger closed her eyes a moment. “Jesus. The devil sitting right here in the pews.”
“Mother.”
“What? It’s true. Do I know her?”
“I don’t know,” Tamara said. “We met at Bible study. Our marriage was going through some rough times. I needed someone to talk to, and Nina was there.”
“You should have come to me,” Ginger reproached her.
She turned a troubled face to her mother. “You’re right. Maybe then I wouldn’t be in this mess.” Ginger reached out, taking her hands in hers. She patted them in comfort. “I feel so confused right now.” Her eyes misted. “I don’t know what to do.”
The anguish in her voice touched Ginger down to her soul. It was hard to watch her child go through so much pain, but she knew the Lord would set her feet in the right direction.
* * *
“It’s about time you returned my phone call,” Imani yelled into the phone from her penthouse in Beverly Hills. “I have been calling you for the past two days.” She tossed the tabloid magazine with photos of Garrett and Trinity plastered on the cover on the dining room table. “Maybe you were too busy with your new girlfriend, you know, the one you said is just a friend.” Pictures of Garrett and Trinity were splashed all over Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and BET.
Garrett was on his way to choir rehearsal. “I’m returning your call, Imani. What do you want?” He wheeled his vehicle into the parking lot. He made a quick U-turn when he saw the media frenzy outside the church.
“You and that woman are splashed all over the magazines and television,” Imani said. “You lied to me, Garrett. How can you treat me like this? I have never been so embarrassed in all of my life.”
Garrett made a left turn onto the one-way street. He wasn’t sure where he was headed. “I didn’t lie to you. We really were friends.”
“That’s bull. You were seeing her all along. Don’t try to lie your way out of it.”
“You don’t know that,” Garrett protested.
Imani leaped from the sofa. “I do know it. I thought you were different, but you’re just like all the other no-good men. You are nothing but a low-down dog.”
Garrett pulled the vehicle over to the soft shoulder of the road. He switched on his warning signal. He’d thought Imani was above this kind of drama. “I thought we were going to be civil about this.”
“We were until I found out you were cheating on me. I’m not about to let you get away with it.”
Garrett ran a hand down his face in frustration. “Imani, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry.”
Imani melted at the sound of his voice. She was angry, but he still tugged at her heartstrings. “Forget the apology. I need to see you, Garrett. We really need to talk.”
“Imani, there’s nothing left for us to talk about.”
Feeling lightheaded, Imani sat back down on the sofa. “That’s what you think. If you don’t come and talk to me, then I have to talk to the media. I know they will be interested in what I have to say.”
“And what might that be?”
“Come and find out.”
Garrett took a deep breath, lowering his head. He thought Imani was behind him. “I don’t have time to play games with you.”
“This is no game,” she said, her voice turning serious.
“Then tell me what it is over the phone.”
“No. This is something we have to discuss in person. I expect to see you soon.” She hung up before he had time to reply. He called back, but she refused to pick up.
Before he knew it, he was parking in front of Trinity’s place. His mind was running to and fro. He had no idea what Imani could tell the media that they didn’t already know. They knew about him and Trinity. He didn’t want to take chances; he’d go see Imani whether he wanted to or not.
Trinity opened the door and his heart dropped. “Hello, beautiful,” he said. She was dressed in a pair of blue Bermuda shorts with a matching top and a pair of flip-flops. She threw her arms around his neck. Pulling him inside the door, she raised a leg, meshing her body with his. Garrett’s insides turned to mush.
“Hi yourself,” she crooned. “I missed you.” Her breath was hot against his ear. Next she pressed her lips to his. “Hmmm. Sweet.” She captured his lips again and again. “I missed that the most.”
“Is that what you miss the most?”
Trinity wiggled her lips against him. She felt so wicked. Garrett made her feel so sensual, so alive.
She smiled, turning her face up to his, her hands moving up and down his broad chest. “Maybe there’s something else.”
It turned him on more to know that she wanted him. “I’ve created a monster. I like it.”
“Let’s take this to bed.” Trinity’s lips brushed against his as she spoke. “You can try and tame me.” She thrust her tongue deeper into his mouth, guiding him toward the bedroom. She loved being in charge.
Once they reached the bed, they tumbled together into the center, her lips never leaving his. Her hands began touching him all over his body.
Garrett wanted Trinity as much as she wanted him, but at the moment there were other things to discuss. He always wanted to honest with her.
“Trinity,” he whispered as she lifted his shirt and her tongue found his skin. He almost came off the bed.
“Trinity,” he spoke a little louder. She lifted her head, an incredulous look on her face.
She reached between his legs and squeezed. Her only focus at the moment was on loving him. “What is it?”
Garrett took time for his body to calm down before he was able to speak. “I, uh, we need to talk.”
She leaned forward, kissing him again. “You want to talk now?” She kissed his face, nose, and neck. “Let’s talk later.” She said as she attempted to position herself on top of him.
As hard as he was, he held her at arm’s length. “Baby, this is important. I need to talk to you. It’s serious.”
Trinity sat up in the middle of the bed. She stared at him, baffled. “It must be. Okay. What is it?”
Garrett slowly sat up. “I spoke with Imani earlier.”
Trinity tensed up at the mere mention of Imani’s name. She placed a hand to her forehead, rising slowly from the bed. She looked at him like he’d grown two heads.
“What did you talk about?” She crawled out of the bed.
“She wants me to come see her. She said there’s something she needs to talk to me about.”
“Why can’t you do it over the telephone?”
“I suggested it. She says she has to tell me in person.”
Garrett looked in her eyes and saw that she was hurt just by the mention of Imani’s name. He followed her out of the bed. “Look, I don’t know what she wants.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Whatever it is, she threatened to go to the media if I don’t come and see her.”
Trinity stepped out of his embrace. “I know what she wants.”
“And I know who I want.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Trinity replied.
“Come on, Trinity. We are a couple. We are going to stay a couple.”
Trinity stepped back into his embrace. “Do you mean that?” She snuggled close to him.
“I finally gotcha.” He tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes. “I’m not ever going to let you get away.”
“Do you know what you’re saying?” Trinity was sure he was referring to marriage, but it was too soon for them to talk about it.
“I know what I’m saying.”
She stood back, placing her hand in his. “You and I together for life. Hmm. I don’t know about that,” she teased.
He smiled that captivating smile of his. “What? You wouldn’t want to become Mrs. Garrett Martindale?”
Trinity returned his smile with a smile of her own. “Are you asking?”
Like with Darius, she knew the word “marriage” was taboo. She didn’t take him seriously. But her heart skipped a beat at the thought of walking down the aisle with him and becoming a bride.
“One day I will.”
“It’s too soon for us to think about marriage now,” Trinity said.
Garrett removed a strand of hair from her face. “We have known each other for a long time.” He kissed her, then ran his tongue along the nape of her neck. “It’s not like we are strangers, so, uh, let’s get back to what we were doing before.”
“I think we need to cool down.” She stepped out of his embrace.
Garrett sighed deeply. “Why the deep freeze all of a sudden?”
“We will talk after you return from seeing Imani.” She couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth.
“Do you trust me, Trinity?”
“Of course I do.”
Garrett understood why she was a little apprehensive. He wasn’t going to push her. “You’re right. We will talk after I return.”
She cleared her throat. “When are you leaving?”
“I’m going to fly out tomorrow. The sooner I leave, the sooner I return.” He brushed her forehead with a tender kiss. “I’d better get going. I need to take a nice, long, and cold shower.”
Trinity forced a chuckle.
“Sleep tight.” He turned and walked toward the door.
As Trinity closed the door behind him, she had the feeling that something wasn’t right.
* * *
“You can stay as long as you like,” Ginger said as she placed a set of fresh sheets on the bed in her daughter’s old bedroom. Regardless of the circumstances, she was glad to have both of her children home.
“I just need time to get my thoughts together. Clear my head,” Tamara said. At church her mother and other members of the prayer team prayed with her. She had to admit she felt a little better than she did this morning.
“I don’t want to sound selfish, but I’m glad you’re home,” Ginger said as she began remaking the bed. “I was worried about you and Taj.” Brian had stopped by earlier in the afternoon and had taken Taj home with him.
Tamara helped her mother remove the pillows and strip the old linen from the bed. “I didn’t mean to worry you and Dad.”
“Well, you’re home now.”
Ginger realized now was the perfect time to apologize. She spread the fitted blue sheet to the head of the bed. She glanced over at her daughter, who seemed to be deep in thought.
“I need to apologize, Tamara,” Ginger said as she replaced the pillowcase.
Tamara looked at her oddly, and then fastened down the right corner of the bed. “For what? I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
“Your marriage?” Ginger fluffed the pillow.
“What about it?”
“I should have spoken up when your father forced you and Brian to get married. I’m sorry.”
Tamara grabbed and fluffed the other pillow. “Forget about it. It wasn’t your fault. It was my own fault. Dad thought he was doing the right thing.”
“He’s not always right.”
Tamara blinked. It was the first time she had ever heard her mother speak against her father. “Don’t hold it against Dad. I don’t. Taj is the best thing to come out of the marriage. I grew to love Brian.”
Ginger stopped in mid-motion. “If you are in love with Brian, then what is this about? Explain it to me, because I’m trying to understand what’s going on with you.”
“I don’t understand either.”
Ginger frowned. “What do you mean?”
Tamara sat on the bed again. “When I saw Brian the other night, I felt old feelings that I thought were dead. It’s confusing.”
“You still love Brian. There’s nothing confusing about that. It took this separation to make you realize it. Are you in love with Nina?” Ginger wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer, but she had to ask.
Clasping her hands in her lap, Tamara said, “I thought I was.”
“Now you’re sure,” Ginger said.
“I’m not sure of anything anymore.”
“Look who’s here,” Garrett said as he stuck his head inside the room.
Tamara managed a smile. “How did you know I was here?” He moved further into the room and gave her a hug.
“Dad told me. He said you might be staying a while.”
“Only until I can figure some things out.” She pointed at Garrett. “And he still doesn’t know about Nina.”
“What about Brian?” Garrett inquired.
Tamara bobbed her head up and down. “I told him everything the other night.”
Garrett could only imagine how Brian took the news. “What happened?” he prompted.
Tamara didn’t respond.
Ginger walked over, placing her arms around Tamara’s shoulders for comfort. “He threatened to take Taj,” she said, answering for her daughter.
“Where’s Taj?” Garrett asked.
“Brian took him home earlier,” Ginger said.
“Do you think Brian is serious?” Garrett asked.
“I don’t know,” Tamara said. “He sounded serious. He was upset. All I know is I can’t lose my son.”
“I don’t think Brian will go through with it,” Garrett said. “Like you said, he’s just upset right now. Once he cools down, the two of you will sit down and work this out.”
Tamara seemed to accept the answer. “You’re right.”
“What about Nina?” Ginger asked.
“What about her?” Garrett asked.
“Does she know you’re here?” Ginger asked.
Tamara placed a hand to a throbbing forehead. “No. I left this morning and I haven’t spoken to her since. I’m not concerned about her right now.”
“You should call her and let her know you will be staying with your family for a while,” Garrett said, worried Nina might show up and cause a scene. “The last thing we need is for her to show up and cause trouble.”
“Don’t worry. Nina isn’t going to show up here. I will phone her when I’m ready,” Tamara explained. “I, uh, just need more time.”
Garrett reached out, touching her hand. “You know what’s best.” He stood. “We will talk about it more when I return.”
“Return?” Ginger asked. “Where are you going?”
“I’m flying to California to see Imani.”
“Wait a minute,” Ginger frowned. “I thought she was in town.”
“She was. She left a couple of days ago. It’s a long story.”
Tamara pepped up. “Is everything okay between you two, or is there trouble in paradise?”
Garrett had to chuckle. It was good to hear some lightness in his sister’s voice. “We broke up.”
“Then why are you going to see her?” his mother asked.
“I need to put this relationship behind me for good so that Trinity and I can move forward.”
“Trinity?” Mother and daughter spoke in unison.
“It’s about time,” Tamara joked.
“I see things have changed,” Ginger said to Garrett’s retreating figure.
“For the better,” Garrett threw over his shoulder.
* * *
The next morning T
amara removed the dishes from the dishwasher and put them away. She yawned. Sleep last night was futile. She tossed and turned until she finally dozed off around three, only to rise at seven.
“Good morning,” she said as Garrett strolled into the kitchen and put his bag down in the doorway. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah.” He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. “My plane leaves at twelve-thirty. I figure if I leave two hours early, the flight may leave on time.”
“Good luck.”
“Tell me about it.” Garrett stared at her. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. You have problems of your own.”
“Is that your way of saying you don’t want to talk about it?” Garrett bit into the apple. “Say no more. I’m gone.” He threw the remainder of the fruit into the trashcan. Picking up his bag, he waved to Tamara and was out the door.
Several hours later, Tamara found herself winding down from a busy morning of doing house chores. She sat on the sofa, flipping through the pages of Ebony Magazine when the doorbell rang. She opened the door to an expressionless white man she didn’t recognize. Her first thought was to close the door in his face, but she reconsidered when he called her by her full legal name.
“Are you Tamara Kaye Mitchell?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said hesitantly.
The stranger removed a white envelope from a black binder and handed it to her. “You have been served.” Without another word, he walked off.
Tamara stood immobile. She watched as the man got into his vehicle and drove off. She took a couple of deep breaths. With trembling hands, she opened the envelope and unfolded the papers.
Brian was divorcing her.
* * *
Garrett stepped off the plane to find Imani waiting to pick him up from the airport. As soon as he settled in the passenger seat of the BMW, the discussion picked up where they left off on the phone.
“So what do you have to say that you couldn’t tell me on the phone?”
Imani gripped the steering wheel. “Do you love her?”
Garrett froze. “Let’s keep her out of this.”
Imani threw him a hard look. “She’s the reason for all of our problems.”
“No, she isn’t. Why can’t you see that? We just weren’t meant to be.”
