“So where is this place?”
“You’ll see. Now, let’s pick a date. I’ll check to see if the place is available then. And we’ll go from there.”
“Okay,” Brianna said. “But I’m not sure that I like surprises.”
He hugged her. “Trust me: I think you’re going to like this one.” He looked into her eyes, leaned down, and gingerly kissed her. She kissed him back.
It was the first time they’d actually kissed since their nuptials, which, incidentally, only garnered a quick, one-second peck on the lips.
Chapter 42
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
—Amos 5:24
“I want to know what’s really going on,” Alana said when she walked into the all-white living room. This was only her third time in Brianna’s new home since she’d moved.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brianna said.
“You call me and tell me that I’m invited to a wedding ceremony. Are you trying to say that you and King d.Avid were never actually married?”
Brianna frowned. “Of course we were married. What do you think? I’ve been living here and not married to the man I’m living with? I’m not you.” She laughed.
“Ooh, that was a low blow,” Alana said. “No, I’m not saying you may have been living here in sin. But it’s highly possible you and King d.Avid made this whole marriage thing up. That’s what I’ve read in the tabloids, anyway. They say your marriage is a sham. That you and King d.Avid don’t even sleep in the same bedroom. Now, something like that had to come from someone in this house who would know.”
“You never said anything to me about hearing anything like that,” Brianna said.
“Truthfully: it really wasn’t any of my business. If you and King d.Avid want to pretend to be married and sleep in separate beds, that’s on you two.”
“And why on earth would you believe we’d do something like that?” Brianna asked. “I’m talking about the pretending to be married part.”
“I don’t know. To protect you maybe,” Alana said. “But don’t think I didn’t notice how you just completely ignored the part about you two sleeping in separate bedrooms.”
“So you’re telling me that you, my best friend—someone who knows me better than anyone—truly believes something like I’m not actually married?” Brianna said.
“Did you invite me to witness this so-called wedding?” Alana cocked her head to the side, as she primped her lips and nodded.
“No. But I also told you that we decided, and then we just did it. But I have my marriage certificate, proving that we were married. If you’d like to see it—”
“Uh-huh. I bet you do,” Alana said. “King d.Avid has enough money to make anything appear like it’s the real thing. But I was your best friend. I was right here in the city already, living in your house, as a matter of fact, with you at the time. All you had to do was tell me, and I would have been there, Johnny-on-the-spot. But is that what happened?”
“Hold up. What do you mean: I was your best friend?”
“These past months, I don’t truly know you anymore. You’ve been keeping things from me. You think I don’t know it,” Alana said. “But I know when you go out of your way to keep me from knowing something. We hardly ever see each other. This is only my third time stepping foot in your house over here in the ‘Beverly Hills’ of Atlanta. You and I hardly ever talk. And when I look back, it seems to all have started a little after we were at that beach house. That’s when you got all secretive and hush-hush on me.”
Brianna shook her head. “Maybe you were just looking for something to make you feel better about the things you were doing.”
Alana held her right hand up like a stop signal. “Oh, don’t even go there. You shut down. And I’m going to tell you. I know you well enough to know that when you’re afraid you’re going to tell the truth about something, you always pull back from people. It’s like you don’t trust yourself to be able to lie, so you just avoid folks altogether. Even your mother said you’ve pulled away from them. It’s like King d.Avid is your best friend now.”
Brianna nodded. “Oh, so you and my mother have been talking about me? And shouldn’t my husband be my best friend? Isn’t that the way it ought to be? Married folks being each other’s best friends?”
“The reason your mother and I have been talking is because we’re trying to figure out what’s going on with you,” Alana said, looking Brianna squarely in her eyes and refusing to back down. “You’ve not been rational, especially since Unzell died. Six weeks! You ended up marrying some famous guy a little over one month after Unzell died. Come on, Brianna! What do you really think all of that looked like to everybody?”
Brianna stood up and began to pace behind the sofa where Alana remained seated. “I don’t know what it looked like.”
Alana turned around to see Brianna better. “So what made you do it? Why won’t you tell me what was going on then? They say confession is good for the soul. Free your soul: tell me what the deal was or is? Confess! Did King d.Avid threaten you? Does he have something he’s holding over your head, even now?” Alana stood and walked over to Brianna. “Did he have something on Unzell that you didn’t want to get out? What?”
Brianna laughed. “You really have some imagination. Is everything a conspiracy in your eyes? My husband died, Alana. I married another man. Granted, there was not much time between those two events. But you’re really out there, don’t you think?”
“Okay, so help me to understand,” Alana said, grabbing Brianna by her hand and leading her back to the couch where they both sat down together. “Make me understand how all of this made perfect sense to you in your mind.”
“Like I really have to explain myself to you.”
“You’re right. You don’t owe me anything. But if it made sense to you at the time, why can’t you make it make sense to me now.” Alana folded her arms. “I’d like to see you make it make sense. Unless you see how crazy it was back then, and you can’t.”
Brianna leaned forward and looked down at her hands as she spoke. “It was a bit complicated,” Brianna said.
“Oh, you mean because you were pregnant?” Alana leaned forward as well.
Brianna looked over at her as their eyes locked, both seeming to dare the other one to be the first to look away.
“Yeah, of course I figured that much out.” Alana sat back up straight. “You know my wheels are always turning. I thought I saw a baby bump when I was in the house with you. But you moped around so much, wearing all of those oversized clothes. So I dismissed the thought. Then your baby was born in February, so that meant you had to have gotten pregnant some time around May or June, not the middle of August, when you remarried.”
Brianna sat up and back against the couch. She leaned her head back, and briefly closed her eyes. She sat back up straight. “Okay. So what’s your point, Alana?”
Alana scooted back a little, then looked over at Brianna. “My point is: Unzell was out of town during that time. At least, he wasn’t anywhere around you.”
“And you mean that to say what?” Brianna stared at Alana without any emotion.
“I’m just stating facts,” Alana said. “That’s all. Just stating the obvious facts.”
“Well, did you know that Unzell got to come back to Atlanta for a few days when they came back to the states and they were setting up for the New York concert? Did you know that fact?”
Alana squared her body with Brianna’s. “He did?”
“Yes, he did. He was summoned to Atlanta for a private, special meeting with King d.Avid. It was right before he was promoted to production manager.”
“Oh,” Alana said with a quick shrug. “I didn’t know about that.”
“Of course you didn’t. Because I never told you. And you’re right,” Brianna said. “I have kept some things to myself. Sometimes, it’s best to keep things to yourself.”
“So yo
u were pregnant when Unzell died,” Alana said. “And you didn’t tell me.” Alana sounded resigned. “But I still don’t understand why you would marry King d.Avid like that. You know we were here for you. Me and your folks would have stepped in and helped you with the baby. You didn’t have to marry anybody else to be sure you’d be all right.” Alana shook her head. “That part I still don’t get. You’ve never been one that struck me, at least, as someone who needed a man to take care of you. Now me, on the other hand, I could see me doing something like that. But not you.”
Brianna chuckled as she shook her head. “You sure don’t pull any punches, do you? Even when it comes to knocking your own self out. Pow! Right in the kisser!”
“So why did you marry King d.Avid at the time that you did?”
“Let’s just say I had my reasons. And at the time, it worked for me. I didn’t have to deal with people asking me all kinds of questions or hovering all over me, driving me crazy. People trying to gauge whether or not I was all right,” Brianna said. “My mother didn’t even want me to stay at my own house by myself. If I hadn’t told her you were going to be there, she was going to move in whether I wanted her to or not. There are times when you just need time to think . . . to heal . . . to sort things out. And you don’t feel like hearing people yak at you or ask you twenty thousand questions about how you’re doing.”
“So you married him to get away from all of us?” Alana said, obviously hurt.
“Let’s just say marrying King d.Avid at that time worked for me, and we’ll leave it at that. But now, I’m in a different place. I lost my husband. I lost my baby.” Brianna pressed her lips tightly, relaxed, then continued to speak. “I can either stay stuck in my grief, or I can move forward and walk in the vocation I know God is calling me to, beginning with those close to me.” Brianna took Alana’s hand. “For starters, I need to get it through your thick head that you have got to make a change in your life. You can’t keep selling yourself short. One day you’re with this man; the next day with another. Alana, I don’t want to sound like a song, but you’re looking for love in all the wrong places.” Brianna shook her head. “You’re better than this, much better than this.”
“I know,” Alana said, her head first dropping, then coming back up. “But thanks to some of your tough love, I’ve already begun improving in some areas. I’m working now at a call center. Eight whole months, it’s been. And I’m taking care of myself for a change.”
“But you’re still giving yourself to men who aren’t your husband,” Brianna said. “That’s a sin.” Brianna lowered her head because for that one second, she felt convicted by her having done the same thing once herself. But she recalled the scripture, Romans 8:1, that declared there was now no condemnation. She was forgiven. She lifted her head high. “Look, I’m not judging you, Alana. Please don’t get that from what I’m saying. I’ve made my own mistakes, believe me. But I’ve repented for my sins. I want you to do the same. Repent, then go in another direction . . . the right direction. I love you. You’re my friend.”
Alana began to wipe her eyes. “You’re making me cry.” Alana looked at her like a hurt child who had been given a motherly hug. “You really do love me, don’t you?”
Brianna hugged Alana. “Absolutely. I love you enough to want the best that God has for you. But you have to want that for yourself. No one can do it for you.”
“That’s why you want to have another wedding ceremony with King d.Avid,” Alana said. “You want to allow us to see the good in your being with him.”
“Truthfully, I want to make some things right myself. Not just with my husband, David, but right in the sight of God. There’s some redeeming that has and is taking place in my life. And you’re right. There are things I’ve kept from you. Some things, I’ll likely not ever share with you, or anyone else, for that matter. But I will tell you this much: King d.Avid told me when I was ready to truly give myself to him, for me to let him know. Well, I’m at that place now. Having this big ceremony is all his idea. But honestly, I like it. I think it’s a great way for he and I to begin again. So, what do you say? Are you coming to our ceremony or not? We’re only allowed to invite twenty-six people. I need to know for sure one way or the other.”
“Only twenty-six? Oh, well, I guess that’s better than your first ceremony to him. So”—Alana began to grin—“has he told you where you’re going?”
“No. He just told me the dates. And that our guests should plan to stay for two days, being sure to pack a bathing suit, of all things, for this end-of-March event,” Brianna said. “He’s taking care of everything. And of course, the place is a secret, and will remain one, until we get there.”
“Famous people sure do go to a lot of trouble just to be able to do private things in their personal lives,” Alana said.
“Absolutely. So no one, including me, will know where we’re going to be until we get there.”
“That sounds like a bumper sticker. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO BE UNTIL YOU GET THERE. I know I never would have believed I would be going to an exclusive wedding ceremony . . . renewing of vows . . . whatever this is going to be, all expenses paid, with my best friend, who’s married to a supermega star. But here we are . . . here we be.”
“So I can put you down as a yes?” Brianna said, smiling.
“Oh, you’d better!” Alana said. “Because if anybody will be there; I will. And I’ll be there with bells on. Ring, ring. Hel-lo!” She popped her fingers and swerved her head like a dance.
Brianna leaned over and hugged Alana. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you.” She wasn’t merely thanking her for agreeing to come. She was also thanking her for caring so much, and for being a constant, steadfast, and true friend.
Chapter 43
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.
—Psalm 107:2
The twenty-six invited guests were all gathered at the lavishly posh hotel per King d.Avid’s instructions. Brianna realized how difficult it really had been for them to keep the number of guests down to that amount. She didn’t understand why only twenty-eight people were allowed to be at the ceremony (she and King d.Avid made it twenty-eight), although the truth was: it would be a lot more than had attended their initial ceremony.
When they were married before, Vincent and Chad were in attendance. This time, only Chad would be present. Brianna had noticed, especially right after Jason died, that King d.Avid had pulled away from Vincent. King d.Avid later told her that Vincent was doing too many things to advance his own agenda, and the vision King d.Avid was pushing for was being sabotaged in the process.
He was also tired of “secret” things being leaked to the media. He had become suspicious that it was coming from Vincent, no matter how much Vincent denied he was the “anonymous source.” King d.Avid now had undeniable proof that Vincent was the one putting his personal business out there. Things like King d.Avid’s marriage to Brianna were nothing but a sham to keep her from suing for her husband’s death; that the two of them didn’t even sleep in the same bedroom—these all came from Vincent.
There was also some discrepancy when it came to the money. King d.Avid had called in his own auditors to audit the books, and the initial findings were not looking good when it came to Vincent. King d.Avid admitted he should have taken Oprah’s and Bill Cosby’s advice to heart and signed all of his own checks. Better late than not at all.
Mack and Melvin came for the ceremony. Brianna was so happy to see her big brother and new nephew. Mack still kept to himself when it came to her and the rest of the family. Then again, her folks were probably saying the same about her. But he seemed to be a really great father to Melvin, who, from all indications, was positively thriving in his environment. His legs were on the mend and getting stronger every day.
King d.Avid’s mother and father were there. That was a good thing since they, as well as his sister and brother, had been estranged for at least the past five
years. In fact, this was Brianna’s first time getting to meet any of King d.Avid’s side of the family. Unzell hadn’t been close to his family, either. King d.Avid told her, when she’d asked about his family, that a lot of it had to do with money and what his sister, especially, felt he should be doing for them financially. A lot of it could be attributed to Vincent and some of his antics in keeping King d.Avid separated from anyone Vincent felt might be a threat to his position as manipulator in chief. That was what had happened with anyone Vincent thought could impose on his influence in King d.Avid’s life.
Of course, King d.Avid admitted to his share of the blame. He had allowed Vincent to do things, very rarely ever keeping him in check. There were things King d.Avid should have done himself that he abdicated and allowed Vincent to handle. Big mistake. And Vincent absolutely took full advantage of his power and position, sealing his place in King d.Avid’s world forever. Or so he had thought.
But King d.Avid had been locked in deep prayer with the Lord. He’d fasted during the time he had prayed so mightily for God to heal his son. And it was during that time when God began to speak to him on a whole host of issues he’d been too busy to hear God on in the past. God gained access back into King d.Avid’s life. And God opened d.Avid’s eyes, essentially telling him to get his house in order, which also included his business house.
So King d.Avid had begun to work toward that end. He had called his family and talked with his mother and father, then his sister and brother. It had been hard, but they had all expressed how they’d felt. King d.Avid heard them speak about how he hadn’t done much for the family financially when he had made so much money. King d.Avid expressed to them that, number one: he hadn’t owed them any money, and anything he might do was not something anyone was due just because they were family. That was number one. And number two: it would be nice to feel like his family cared about him and not what he had or what he could do for them. That was number two.
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