You and I

by Jacquelin Thomas

  Panicked, they ran off, but Cherise tried to check to see if the woman was breathing. At one point, the woman opened her eyes and grabbed for her shirt, ripping it, but then she passed out.

  Cherise called 9-1-1 before running from the house. She went home and packed up a backpack, emptied out her piggy bank and her mother’s wallet, crept out and headed straight to the bus station, where she purchased a ticket to Riverside, California.

  Maybe it’s not the same person, Cherise kept telling herself. She never did get a clear view of the woman because the house had been dark.

  She had just buried the past for good, and now it was back in the form of Steven’s Aunt Eula Mae.

  Steven had been out of town on business for the past week but was returning home today. She’d missed him terribly but was glad to have some time for herself.

  She spent some time at the library, reading through old newspaper articles dating ten years back. Cherise didn’t bother searching on her computer at home because sometimes Steven used it, and she didn’t want him to find out that she’d been looking into what happened.

  It would bring on too many questions.

  A chill ran down her spine when she found a small article about Eula Mae and the burglary. There were no suspects, the article said.

  Cherise’s eyes filled with tears and ran down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I’m going to do everything I can to make this up to you, Eula Mae. I promise.”

  Rebecca and Eula Mae invited Cherise to join them for lunch, but she gently turned them down, citing a heavy caseload.

  She felt too guilty to even face Eula Mae right now.

  I never meant for anyone to get hurt, she thought. I don’t know why I let Tina and Joyce talk me into going with them that night. I can’t go back and change anything, but please don’t let her or Steven find out. I will lose them both forever.

  She went home to relax and gather her thoughts before Steven arrived. She didn’t want him to see that she was troubled about anything.

  He arrived shortly after six.

  “I’m so glad you’re back. I missed you.” Cherise threw her arms around Steven seconds after he walked through her front door.

  She took him by the hand and led him into the bedroom. “How was your trip?”

  “It was fine,” Steven responded. “I’m just glad to be home.”

  “That’s all?” Sensing something was wrong by his tone, she quickly scanned his face. “You look tired.”

  He nodded. “I am.”

  “Why don’t I run you a nice hot bath?” Cherise suggested.

  “That sounds good,” he responded. “I was thinking about going over to my parents’ house after I rest for a few minutes. You going with me?”

  “Not this time, baby. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

  “Aunt Eula Mae told me that you’ve been really busy.”

  Cherise gave a slight nod. “It’s been crazy at the center,” she told him. “I’m going to go run that bath for you.”

  She needed to get away from him before he figured out that something was going on with her. Steven had an uncanny knack for being able to read her expressions.

  Steven came down and had dinner with her, then left to visit his family. He came back to her house a couple of hours later.

  “Everyone told me to tell you hello.”

  Cherise smiled.

  He sat down beside her and asked, “Honey, is everything okay?”

  She nodded without looking in his direction. Cherise felt horrible about the secret she was carrying, but there was no way she could ever tell Steven. He would never forgive her.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Uh-huh,” she said.

  Rubbing his hand across his mouth, Steven closed his eyes.

  Finally, he spoke. “Cherise, I hope that you know that you can trust me enough to be completely honest. I thought we had something special between us. I at least thought you trusted me.”

  “I do trust you. Steven, I’m okay. Look, there’s nothing going on,” Cherise snapped. “I’m just tired.”

  His arms spread expansively. “Hey, I haven’t done anything except try to find out if you’re okay or if you have a problem.”

  She watched him as he rose to his feet. Steven was hurt, and that only served to make her feel worse. “Honey—”

  “Cherise, I’m going downstairs to make myself a sandwich.”

  He walked out of the room before she could utter a response.

  “I’m sorry for snapping at you,” Cherise said when Steven returned. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you. You just got back from being gone a week. We should not be arguing.”

  His gaze met hers. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be, and the thing is that I’m not sure why we are fighting.” Steven bit into his sandwich.

  “I had a bad day at work and I've got all this casework to catch up on,” Cherise told him. “I’m sorry for taking it out on you.”

  He offered the other half to her, but she refused it.

  “I really missed you,” Cherise said. “I met with the caterer and finalized the menu for the wedding.”

  “You give them the deposit?”

  She nodded. “And I put down the deposit on the flowers, too. Mr. Rogers is a sweetheart.”

  “We’ve known him for a long time,” Steven said before finishing his sandwich. He got up and padded barefoot to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

  When he returned, Steven kissed her. “No more talking or working on case files.”

  Cherise smiled. “What do you have in mind?”

  He bent to touch her sweet, tempting lips once more. As he kissed her, the heat generated from his body, bringing a powerful reaction from Cherise.

  “Make love to me, Steven,” she pleaded. “I need to be close to you.”

  Chapter 17

  “What’s got you in such a happy mood?” Steven asked her the next morning over breakfast.

  Cherise flashed him a grin and said, “I was thinking about last night and how beautiful it was being with you. We’re really good together, but it’s not just about the sex.” Her eyes met his intense gaze. “Steven, I have so much to be thankful for.”

  Sitting down beside her, Steven smiled. “I’m just glad you’re happy.

  “You’re not hungry?” he asked, pointing to her plate.

  Cherise patted him lovingly on the back, and said, “While you’re eating, I’m going to go up and take my shower. Are you coming up after you’re done?”

  Chewing, Steven nodded.

  Cherise hummed as she made her way up the stairs.

  While she showered, she reflected upon her upcoming wedding to Steven, her favorite pastime of late.

  She wouldn’t be able to fully relax until she and Steven actually exchanged vows.

  Later on, Cherise met Elle for a day of pampering.

  “Well, it sounds like you and Steven’s aunt are getting along.”

  “We are,” Cherise confirmed. “She’s really nice.”

  Elle studied her cousin’s face. “What’s up, Cherise? You don’t sound that happy about it.”

  She gave her a sideline glance. “Oh, I’m thrilled about it. I want nothing more than to get along with Steven’s family.”

  “But?” Elle prompted.

  Cherise needed to unburden herself and she knew that she could trust Elle, so she said, “There’s something I need to tell you, but I’ll do it when we get back to my house.”

  “Sure. Okay,” Elle murmured.

  Three hours later, they sat down on the sofa in Cherise’s den.

  “What’s wrong?” Elle asked. “You look like you’re afraid of something.”

  “I am,” Cherise confirmed. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly before adding, “I’ve never told anyone about this and I’m begging you to keep this just between us. You can’t tell the clan or your husband.”

  Elle looked worried. “Okay, what�
��s going on, Cherise?”

  “I need to tell you something—it happened a long time ago, but it’s haunted me forever.”

  “Sweetie, just tell me.”

  Cherise’s eyes filled with tears. “Ten years ago, I made a big mistake. A mistake that hurt someone.”

  “Is that why you came to live with us?” Elle asked. “Why you ran away from home? I always knew that there was something that was bothering you.”

  She nodded.

  “There were these really cool girls at school and I wanted desperately to be friends with them. I know that sounds stupid to you—”

  Elle shook her head. “I know what it feels like to want to belong.”

  “They allowed me to hang with them at a cost,” Cherise said. “I started stealing from my mom just to give them money. But that wasn’t enough for them—they wanted me to prove my loyalty.”

  Elle frowned. “In what way?”

  “They were into shoplifting, stealing from houses…”

  “What happened?” Elle inquired.

  Cherise wiped her eyes with her tissue. “I went with them to this house. It was supposed to be empty.”

  “There was someone there,” Elle said.

  She nodded. “She was pregnant, Elle. She just came out of nowhere, it seemed, and she was swinging this bat. One of the guys with us took it from her and hit her hard. I thought he’d cracked her skull.”

  A look of complete horror washed over Elle’s expression. “Oh my Lord…”

  “They thought she was dead, so they took off, but I couldn’t just leave her like that. I tried to wake her and she opened her eyes for a minute. She grabbed my shirt and she was holding on so tight that it ripped. I was so scared. I called 9-1-1. Then I came out here.”

  “Do you know what ever happened to her?”

  Cherise nodded. “She survived, thank goodness.”

  Elle wrapped her arms around her. “Sweetie, I’m so sorry you’ve had to carry this burden for so long. Why didn’t you tell mama or your father? You could’ve talked to any of us—you know how much we all love you.”

  “I was ashamed, Elle. I didn’t know what any of you would think of me, and I didn’t want to lose you all.”

  “You tried to help her, Cherise. You did try to make it right.”

  “The thing is, I’ve seen her again. She happens to be Steven’s aunt.”

  “The one…”

  Cherise nodded. “It is truly a small world. After all these years of trying to move on, I come face to face with my past.”

  “But you had no idea before that it was her?”

  “It was so dark that night, and of course she’s older now.”

  “So then she doesn’t know that it was you that was there that night?”

  “No, and Elle, she actually likes me. We get along so well and Steven—he adores her. I just don’t know what to do.”

  “I think you should tell Steven the truth. The two of you can decide whether or not to tell his aunt. Cherise, if you don’t deal with this, it will haunt you for the rest of your life.”

  “You didn’t see how angry he got when he was telling me what happened to Eula Mae. Steven will never forgive me.”

  “He loves you, Cherise,” Elle countered. “He will forgive you.”

  “I guess you must think that I’m a horrible person.”

  Elle hugged her. “I know you, Cherise. You are a sweetheart and I love you, cousin. Yes, you exercised bad judgment, but we all have one time or another. I do have a better understanding of why you’re working at the center, and I applaud you. Trust me, sweetie. If Steven is the man that I think he is, he’ll forgive you.”

  Rising to her feet, Elle said, “I hate to leave you like this, but I have to run get my babies. Call me later if you need to talk. Don’t worry, I’m not going to say anything about this conversation. You can tell them when you’re ready.”

  “Thank you, Elle, so much for not judging me. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, sweetie.”

  She walked her to the door.

  Elle was wrong, Cherise decided after her cousin drove away.

  There was no way she could ever tell Steven about that night. He would never understand. She remembered how he’d reacted when he told her what happened to Eula Mae.

  Her secret would have to follow her to the grave.

  Cherise, her mother and sister were on their way to meet Steven at his parents’ house to discuss their wedding ceremony.

  Cherise was all bubbly and seemed happy, but became more subdued when his aunt joined them at the dining room table. She seemed nervous around Eula Mae, and Steven couldn’t help but wonder why.

  She caught him staring at her and smiled.

  He smiled back, searching her face once more.

  Steven realized that what he saw in her eyes was fear. But what was she afraid of?

  Cherise turned to face her mother. “Mama, come here. I want you to meet Steven’s aunt and uncle. They just moved back to the states from Ghana.”

  “Really?” Arlene asked in an easy tone. “I’ve always dreamed of traveling to Africa.”

  “You should go when you can. It’s a beautiful country.” Eula Mae’s expression grew sad. “However, it’s one that’s often marred with ugliness.”

  Arlene nodded. “I suppose we can say the same about our country, too.”

  Eula Mae nodded. “You’re right about that. But I’ll tell you this, I’m glad to be home. Home with my family.” She glanced over at Cherise and said, “I’m glad my Stevie has found himself a real nice girl. Cherise is a sweetheart.”

  Pleased by the compliment, Arlene said, “Thank you for saying so.”

  Cherise wore a smile, but it wasn’t her normal smile. This one looked like it was forced, Steven thought silently.

  She had been acting strangely for the past couple of weeks. There were moments when she was super emotional, then other times she was moody and didn’t want to talk.

  He could no longer deny it. There was definitely something going on with her.

  Arlene sidled up beside Cherise as she stood looking at Rebecca’s latest piece of art. “Honey, I couldn’t help but notice that you seem mighty uncomfortable with Steven’s aunt. Is something going on between the two of you?” She whispered.

  Cherise forced herself to appear surprised at her mother’s statement. “Nothing’s going on,” she said, feigning ignorance of any reason she would have.

  Her mother was not fooled in the least. Pulling her into the living room, she stated, “Cherise Yvonne Ransom, I know you. Now come clean. What is it?”

  Grabbing Arlene by the hand, she led her to a corner of the room. “Mama, we’ll talk when we get home,” she whispered. “I can’t discuss this here.” Arlene nodded.

  They returned to the dining room.

  “You okay?” Steven asked her.

  Cherise nodded, then said, “Why wouldn’t I be? We’re planning our wedding.”

  He didn’t look convinced, but let the matter drop, much to her relief.

  She was thrilled when Eula Mae and Jerome decided to go out for ice cream. Cherise and her family would be long gone by the time they returned.

  Steven walked her to the car.

  “I know there’s something weighing on you, honey. Are you getting nervous about the wedding?”

  “No, it’s nothing like that,” Cherise answered. “I’m looking forward to the wedding.”

  Steven planted a kiss on her lips. “I’ll call you later.”

  “I love you, don’t you ever forget that,” Cherise blurted.

  She got in her car and drove away, wondering how much longer she could keep her secret.

  Eula Mae seemed clueless, while Cherise was eaten up with guilt.

  As soon as they walked into the house, Arlene asked, “What’s going on between you and Eula Mae?”

  Cherise paced back and forth. “Mama, I need to tell you the real reason I left Phoenix.”

  She sat down
beside Arlene and spilled the secret that she’d been carrying for so long. “It’s her, Mama, and I have to tell you, I’m so scared she’s going to recognize me one day.”

  “Did she get that good of a look at you that night?”

  Shrugging, Cherise replied, “I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. She came to for a minute or so.” She shifted uneasily, then sighed and said in a grudging tone, “I wish this wasn’t happening.” Her shoulders stiffened and her hands curled into fists.

  “Stay calm, baby,” Arlene said. “Don’t go asking for trouble. She seems to be fond of you. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  She hesitated before she replied. “I wish I could be sure, Mama. Everything was so perfect…and then she moved back here.”

  “Cherise, I know you probably don’t want to hear this right now, but I’m gonna say it anyway. I really think you should go on and tell Steven about that night. That man loves you and I know he’ll understand. I just know it.”

  Cherise’s eyes widened, “Steven may love me, but I really don’t think he’ll feel the same way knowing that I’m partly responsible for what happened to his favorite aunt. His other mother.”

  “You made a mistake, Cherise and you were only fifteen years old. Hon, I wish you could’ve come to me that night and told me what happened.”

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t love me anymore,” Cherise confessed.

  “I will never stop loving you. You’re my daughter.” Arlene reached over and took Cherise by the hand. “But a secret like this needs to come from you. It’s less explosive that way.”

  “Mom, I can’t tell Steven. I just can’t. I know that he loves me, but he loves his aunt, too.”

  “Maybe you’re just worrying too much,” Arlene suggested. “If you don’t forgive yourself for that night he’s gonna know something’s wrong. I still think that you should be the one to tell Steven.”

  Cherise shook her head no. “I can’t do it. I don’t want to lose him, Mom. If Steven finds out what I did he will leave me, because he wouldn’t want to hurt his aunt.” She put her hands to her face. “I just wish that night had never happened.”

  Chapter 18