Secrets On Lake Drive

by Tina Martin

  Warren stepped in between me and Sean. “Man, calm down. She just cooked dinner for us, that’s all. Give her a break.”

  Enough with the drama. I went upstairs, upset and embarrassed. So much for first impressions. I had just met his brothers and this is the way they see Sean and I interact for the first time. Roman was standing in there, too. He had come back into the kitchen when he heard all the commotion. He was only six, but he was a smart six-year-old. He knew a lot about the world around him, and came to realize how disappointed I was.

  “Ms. Smith, why doesn’t my daddy wike you?” he asked, walking into my room.

  How am I supposed to answer a question like that? I just can’t come out and tell the boy that his daddy is an arrogant, selfish, control freak.

  “Sweetie, your father is fine and so am I. Now go back downstairs, okay?”

  “Ookaaay,” Roman said sadly.

  I could tell he didn’t want to go back downstairs, and I didn’t fault him for not wanting to. Sean had some serious personality flaws. Warren knew it, and that’s why he came banging on my door.

  “I’m sorry about that,” he apologized for his brother’s actions.

  “Warren, why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything to me.”

  “I know, but if I don’t, Sean certainly won’t.”

  Warren seemed like the mediator of the family. He was the oldest of the triplets, then came Derrick, then came Sean. Even though they were triplets, I’m sure they developed their own distinct personalities at a very early age. Since Warren was the oldest and the mature one, he was supposed to set an example for his younger brothers. Derrick seemed to be the player, the smooth talker, the womanizer. From the looks of his sons, Dallas and Damarion, I assumed he had two baby mommas since those boys didn’t look anything alike. Sean was somewhat of a ladies’ man, too, but he was the driven one, the one that wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  “Out of us boys, Sean is the one who took after our father the most. He was a strict man. For him, everything had to be on point. He didn’t tolerate any nonsense from anyone. My brother is just like him. He said the reason he went off like that is because he didn’t want people coming here changing things.”

  “Changing what? I just cooked dinner. What’s the harm in that?”

  “I’ma tell you what he told me. He said the last time the stove was ever used was when Shanelle, his ex-wife, tried to cook a romantic dinner for him a few weeks before he found out she’d been cheating. He said he came home after a long day of work to the smell of burned chicken and the high pitch sound of the smoke alarm blaring in his ear coupled with baby Roman’s cries to be saved from his playpen after being cooped up in it all day with a soggy diaper and an empty bottle.”

  “Oh,” I said with raised eyebrows. At least there was a reason behind the madness. “Well, I understand a little now.”

  “Alright. Try to enjoy the rest of your day. We’re heading out to play basketball. I’ll send Roman upstairs with you.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Warren.”

  “No problem.” He patted me on the shoulder before walking out.

  I sat there amazed at the difference between Sean’s raging personality and Warren’s calm one. Warren was warm and inviting, while Sean was cold and disconnected.

  When the men left to play ball, Roman came upstairs with me. I knew his little antsy body was bored, and although I was tired, I took him to the park anyway. Long summer days meant more time for play. After he played for a while, we stopped by Burger King on the way home for vanilla shakes.

  When we got back to the crib, Sean was sitting on the couch wearing just a pair of blue jeans and some Nike sandals, which meant once again, I got to see his hairless chest.

  “Hi, Daddy.” Roman said cheerfully, but I could tell Sean was salty about something.

  Now what did I do wrong?

  “Roman, go to your room,” he demanded, and Roman went upstairs sad-faced.

  Sean then turned his full attention to me. He didn’t budge from the couch, just sat there like a king and said, “I called here ten times…ten times with no answer.”

  “Why didn’t you call my cell?”

  “I don’t have your cell phone number. Where have you been, Monica?”

  “I took your son to the park. What’s wrong with that?”

  Sean jumped off the couch and walked towards me. By now, I was so sick of the drama. I thought this job was going to be easy, but it seemed to be getting harder by the minute.

  “You should at least have enough decency and respect for me to tell me where my son is! Don’t…you…ever…leave this house again…without telling me where you’re taking him! Is that understood?”

  I had to think carefully before I answered. I couldn’t disrespect the man in his own house, but I was ready to snap. I had to say something. He just couldn’t keep dishing out slick comments and think I’m just going to be quiet and take ‘em.

  “Well, you could’ve taken him to play basketball with you. Then you won’t have to sit around the house and wonder where he is.”

  “Yeah, I could have taken him. That’s not the point. What I’m telling you is that when you leave this house, I need to know where you are. Do you understand that?”

  “Yeah. Whatever.”

  I left him there and went upstairs to tuck Roman in. Then I went into my bedroom to take a deep breath and calm myself down. I took the hair bow out and let my hair fall into my hands before sitting on the bed to massage my scalp and ask myself why I agreed to take this job. When I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, Sean was sitting at the table eating some seafood he had apparently ordered since the sacred stove couldn’t be touched. He didn’t even bother to taste the food I cooked.

  When I saw him sitting there, I wanted to run back upstairs. I’d had enough from him and didn’t want any further confrontations. His eyes followed my every move as I walked in the kitchen, while I pretended not to see him.

  “I know you don’t like me, Monica, but you don’t have to make it so obvious,” he said with a mouth full of shrimp.

  Here we go, and I didn’t even start it this time. I think it ticked him off more when I didn’t acknowledge him.

  “Did you not just hear what I said?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I heard you. I just chose not to respond.”

  “Well, I want you to respond to it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because that’s what humans do when someone says something to them. They talk back.”

  “I’m not in a talking mood tonight.”

  He looked at me like I was disgusting to him. To me, Sean was a prick who got everything he wanted and demanded that people bow down in front of him because he looks good and has a lot of money. Not me. I bow down for no man.

  “See, that’s what I’m talking about,” he said, sitting his bottle of water on the table. “You got a serious problem. Why can’t you just try to compromise and get along with me?”

  “What? Sean, I try my best to be nice to you. You just make it impossible.”

  “How am I making it impossible?”

  “You’re always angry and pissed off about something. Then when you called me on the phone earlier today to check on Roman, you just hung up the phone without saying bye or anything, like I’m not important enough for you to actually respect me. You have to give respect in order to receive it. You can’t just demand that someone respect you because of your status.”

  “The only reason I hung up the phone like that was because I was in a hurry. It was no reflection of my feelings for you!”

  “Oh, so both times you called me you were in a hurry? You hung up on me twice.”

  “Well, I must have been in a hurry…twice. I’m not an angry person, but I like what I like, and in case you forgot, this is my house.”

  “Well, in case you forgot, I’m not here for you. I’m here for Roman, and I don’t deserve to be treated like one of your women?”

  What did I say t
hat for? I struck a nerve with that comment. Sean was literally blown away and had more wrinkles in his forehead than an eighty-year-old chain smoker.

  “Women? What women?”

  He left his food sitting on the table and came over to confront me.

  “You know what I’m talking about. Don’t play dumb.”

  “Nah, I don’t know what you’re talking about, so explain. What women?”

  “You know, the women you parade around the city with like you just won the Pimp of the Year Award or something. And I don’t know why you’re up in my face like it’s not true. Everybody around here knows your reputation.”

  “Boy-o-boy. You just know it all, don’t you?”

  “Sean, move out of my way.”

  He looked angry, and at that moment, I realized I didn’t really know who Sean Beauvais was or what he was capable of doing.

  “What’s my reputation since you know me so well?”

  Sean’s temper was getting worse, and it was almost intimidating. He could probably lift up my skinny behind with one hand and spin me in the air like pizza dough.

  “I’ve heard people say that you dog women out and sleep around,” I replied nervously.

  “And you believe that? How is it that you think you can come into my house and judge me? You think you know me, but in reality, you don’t know anything about me or my life or what I’ve been through!”

  Not caring to hear any more of his ranting, I left him standing in the kitchen and made my way back upstairs.

  “Think about that the next time you open your mouth,” he yelled as I was going up the stairs.

  I said nothing in response. Instead, I just kept my mouth closed. Besides, I was ready to go to bed. I wasn’t about to waste any more valuable sleep time on that lunatic.

  Chapter 8 - Making Progress

  Things were going fine for a few weeks into July. Sean was going to work regularly on weekdays (hallelujah) and worked from home on most weekends. I still had an issue with the little time he spent with Roman, although I was hesitant to bring it up for fear that I’d be yelled at again. I stayed clear of Sean and Sean stayed away from me.

  One day when Roman and I were returning home from the lakefront, I noticed Sean was home early. He was sitting on the balcony outside of his bedroom, looking lonely and in deep thought. Or maybe he just wanted to sulk in misery and solitude. I don’t know. Daryl did say that Sean didn’t date women because all they wanted from him was his money.

  I guess that’s all Shanelle wanted, a walking ATM machine. She never really loved Sean. She loved the big house, the fancy cars, and the one and a half princess cut, certified diamond solitaire ring she rocked on that lockdown finger. That is until she found another man with a bigger house, fancier cars, and bigger diamonds. I heard that if it wasn’t for his mother, Sean would’ve never married the gold digger.

  As we got closer to the house, I could see that Sean was bare-chested again, looking like he’d just gotten into a fight with a bottle of baby oil.

  “Look, Roman. Wave at your daddy.”

  Roman was waving like a six-year-old would, while increasing the speed of his walk in order to get to his father faster.

  “Daddy! Daddy! Mrs. Smith showed me how to make a big sandcastle!”

  “She did, huh?”

  “Yeah, and we cowected seashells. See.” Roman opened his little hand, revealing two small seashells.

  “That’s nice, son. Come on in and rinse off and get ready for dinner. Okay?”

  “Okay, Daddy.”

  I walked into the house behind Roman, went upstairs to Sean’s room, and joined him on the balcony. Since that night in the kitchen, we hadn’t talked face-to-face, just on the phone, and I wanted to make things right between us.

  “Sean, I want to apologize for those bad things I said to you.” It took a lot of pride swallowing to do that, but one of us had to be the bigger person. I mean, after all, I am living in the man’s house. “I don’t know you, and I’m sorry for the things I said about you. I was wrong.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” he said, then stuck out his hand as if he wanted to shake and call it even. “Maybe we can be civil with each other from here on out.”

  Thinking he was too arrogant to apologize, I wasn’t expecting that response from him. I smiled but refused his handshake, wanting a hug instead. I wasn’t about to let the first opportunity to feel the ripple effect of his muscles up against my body pass me by, so I hugged him. No, I squeezed him, firmly pressing my body up against his, laying my head against his oiled chest.

  “Amber Romance,” Sean said, equally gripping me.

  “What?”

  “You’re wearing Victoria’s Secret Amber Romance, right?”

  “Yeah. How did you know that?” I asked, as Sean inhaled the scent of my body mist.

  “I just know.”

  I was ready to pull away from our hug, but Sean held on to me, and for that moment, I felt like I was his.

  “We’ve been spending so much time angry at each other that we haven’t had a chance to get to know one another,” he said when he let me go and started staring at me with his darling green eyes. “I really need to get to know the woman that my son is so crazy over.”

  He held my hands and we just stood there on the balcony, staring at each other. Actually, he was staring at me and I had no idea why. The awkward silence was killing me and he seemed to have lost himself in my eyes. Then, out of the blue, he smiled. I smiled, too. It was the first time I’d seen him so sincere.

  He broke the silence. “Besides the fact that you’re a teacher and you like to cook, I don’t know much about you. So why don’t you tell me about yourself.”

  “Depends on what you want to know?”

  “Well, where are you from?”

  “I’ve been living in Milwaukee all my life.”

  “Oh, word?”

  “Yeah. My apartment is near Appleton & Hampton.”

  “Oh, okay. I know the area. I own a few houses over there. So have you always been a teacher?”

  “Yep, since I graduated from the University of Wisconsin. I’ve only been actively teaching for about ten months.”

  “So you’re pretty much new to the game, huh?”

  “Yeah, I guess you can say that.”

  “Well, you’re doing a good job with Roman.”

  If I was doing such a good job with Roman, why did you take him out of my class, is what I thought, but didn’t bother to ask. I shifted the focus of the conversation on him. “How long have you been in real estate?”

  “For about eight years. I used to work at one of the more popular real estate agencies in the greater Milwaukee area. Then, after a while, potential homebuyers and sellers began requesting me by name.”

  “Oh, so er’body started sweatin’ you after a while?”

  Sean grinned. “Yep. So, after eight years of working for the firm, I opened my own real estate agency with a few associates, Beauvais Real Estate Agency.”

  “I bet you have a lot of requests from women.”

  “Why you say that?”

  “Because of your looks. While you’re showing them around the house, instead of checking out the details of the place, they’re checking you out.”

  Sean laughed. “You’re funny.”

  “I’m for real. That’s why all those women want Sean Beauvais to show them around houses.” Sean tried to laugh it off like he didn’t know what I was talking about. “You know I’m telling the truth.”

  “Okay, I do get a lot of female clients, but I would like to think they request me because of my expertise, not because of the way I look.”

  “Yeah, that would be nice, wouldn’t it?” I replied, while nervously playing with my fingers. I tried my hardest to make eye contact with him, but his eyes were so enchanting, so dominant, and so beautiful that I almost couldn’t stand to look at him. “I know you’ve probably been asked this a million times, but how does it feel to be a triplet?”

 
“Ah, man. It’s kinda crazy. I mean, it was crazy growing up because people would always get us confused, but now they know us apart by our personalities.”

  “Yeah, I bet.” I sure did know them apart by their behavior.

  “I have a sister, too. She’s four years younger than us. Her name is Nikita, but we call her Nikki. You’ll meet her one day. What about you? Do you have any siblings?”

  “Nope. It’s just me.”

  “Word? It must have been lonely growing up.”

  “Somethin’ like that.” I wonder if he knew he was making me nervous. I had to get out of here. “Well, I’m going to go and find something for Roman to eat before I put him to bed. It’s been nice talking to you, though.”

  “Nice talking to you, too…finally. We should do this more often.”

  “Yeah, we should.”

  I left the balcony and met Roman in the kitchen, where he ate a bologna sandwich and I had nothing. I just sat there and watched him eat. About thirty minutes later, I tucked him in bed.

  “Ms. Smith?”

  “Yes, sweetheart?”

  “If you and my daddy were married, that would make you my mommy, right?”

  Don’t know where the boy got an idea like that from. Since when do six-year-olds know anything about marriage? “Yeah, that’s right.”

  “Then can you pwease marry him so I can have a mommy?” Roman asked sincerely.

  I grinned at his question, along with the cute way he pronounced his L’s as W’s. The thought of marrying someone like Sean Beauvais was foreign to me. I never imagined being with someone of his caliber.

  “It doesn’t work like that, Roman. But don’t worry. Your daddy loves you very much and he’ll find the perfect mommy for you.”

  “But I don’t want another mommy. I want you.”

  “You have me for right now, hun, but I’m not going to be around forever.”

  “Mrs. Smith?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can I just call you my mommy until you weave?”

  “Roman, I don’t think your father would like that?”

  That’s when Sean stepped into the room. He had been standing by the door, eavesdropping on me and Roman’s conversation.