by Pat Simmons
His response had been some naughty, off-handed comment, but she laughed and scrunched her nose. The intimacy they shared in the moment told him that she was different.
“Ha!” Ace shook his head in major disappointment. Shifting in his chair, he needed to pay attention to the work in front of him. But his stubborn mind craved more memories.
They went shopping at Macys while waiting for show time. Instead of bargain hunting for herself, Talise had been on a scavenger hunt for him. Hours later, they were huddled together in their seats at the Broadway Theatre. It didn’t take long for Ace to lose interest in the play that had Talise enthralled. The merriment, passion, and distress all shone through her facial expressions. To him, she was more interesting and he chose to watch her instead.
Finally, Talise had elbowed him, breaking his trance and indicating there was an intermission. “Stop looking at me,” she demanded with a laugh. “We stood in line for more than an hour for these expensive seats. At least, you’re supposed to pretend you’re enjoying this.”
“No, babe. My money was well spent because I’m enjoying you.”
Talise had rewarded him with an engaging smile that never left his memory.
The next day on that Sunday morning in April, the only place to be was in Central Park. The moment had been unhurried, as they wrapped their arms around each other. Later he insisted on visiting Ground Zero before heading back to Boston.
As they stood and scanned the thousands of names of those who had perished that fateful day, Ace recalled sniffling. It was a moving experience, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried. It had to be in grade school after his mother tore his behind up for some infraction at school.
Since fourth grade, he had developed leather skin on his bottom. Ace was determined his mother wasn’t going to get another tear out of him. She didn’t. Yet he stood there while Talise used a tissue to dab his eyes that day, and he let her.
“This is why my sister is stationed in the Persian Gulf right now. Yet we can never bring these people back,” Talise had whispered.
“Or turn back the hands of time,” Ace added.
That statement snapped him out of his reveries. Despite Talise’s underlining deceit, he would turn back the hands of time in a heartbeat to be with her again. Maybe if he had confessed his feelings up front, she wouldn’t have felt the need to trick him.
When Ace’s stomach growled, he signed off the laptop that he wasn’t using anyway. Standing, he stretched. “Why do all good things have to come to an end?” He asked himself. Opening his bedroom door, Ace strolled out into the hall. He was on his way to the kitchen and was about to tap on Eva’s door to see if she was hungry. Although he had shut down his mind from recalling more memories with Talise, his ears began to play tricks on him.
Standing by her bedroom door, was that Talise’s name he heard Eva mentioning? No way. The two didn’t even know each other. Leaning closer, he heard Eva giggle. She was definitely on the phone. As he strained to hear the conversation, he was abruptly shoved out of the way.
“What are you doing?” Kidd roared from behind him. Dressed in a suit and tie, his brother didn’t look any less intimidating.
Recovering from being slammed up against the wall, Ace scowled. “Well, I was eavesdropping, but you put an end to that with your he-man heroics.”
“Not on my wife, she’d better not find out. So what are you trying to hear? Is something wrong? Has she stopped breathing?” Kidd was poised to barge into his bedroom.
“Believe me, she’s alive and well.”
“She’d better be. You’re on duty when I’m not here.” Aggravated, Kidd cracked open the door to make sure Eva was all right. He waved at his wife and then motioned Ace toward the kitchen.
“What’s up with you, dude?” Kidd asked.
“I thought I heard Eva mention Talise’s name.”
“Oh.” Kidd shrugged as if it was no big deal and then opened the refrigerator. Grabbing some bread, lettuce, deli meat, and condiments, he offered, “You want one?”
With an agitated frown, Ace stared at his brother. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? Why would she mention her name? Can you ask your wife what’s going on, please?”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t care who my wife talks to, unless it’s another man trying to hit on her.” He paused to slap mayonnaise on both slices of bread. “And because you don’t care anyway.”
“I don’t.”
“If you don’t stop lying to yourself soon, you just might start believing it.” Kidd piled slices of turkey and ham on one piece of bread and then topped it off with the other piece. After slicing an apple and pouring a glass of milk, he balanced the dishes on a tray. Kidd then dismissed Ace and headed toward his bedroom to feed his wife.
The next morning in his office, Ace stood from behind his massive mahogany desk and strolled to the window From the twentieth floor of the Peabody Coal Building, he could overlook downtown St. Louis.
Since the previous day, his mind had worked overtime trying not to think about Talise. How could Talise be pregnant—by him? They both protected themselves. In any case, he thought he did, especially after lessons learned from his past relationships with long-legged gold diggers. Now he was more than a thousand miles away, and Ace still couldn’t shake his ex. He didn’t believe in good or bad ghosts, but the woman was definitely haunting him.
Refocusing, Ace watched the sea of red moving on the streets below. The St. Louis Cardinals were playing a day game and fans were headed to Busch Stadium. Everything was red, including the water in a fountain at Keiner Plaza.
Ace loved baseball and missed the excitement at Fenway Park. He couldn’t possibly switch his allegiance to the Cardinals. That kind of defection would be long in coming. Besides, when the coast was clear, he could hopefully return to Boston. When that time came, he prayed that he would never run into Ms. Rogers again.
Ironically, the thought saddened him. Turning around, Ace stuffed his hands in his pockets and perused the large, nicely furnished office. “Not bad for a boy from a single-parent home in a Boston ghetto,” he noted.
When his workload was pretty much finished for the morning, Ace wanted to escape. He could go sightseeing or maybe to the game and pretend that he was rooting for the Red Sox. Unfortunately, he had to hang around for an afternoon meeting with new clients.
Instead, Ace took a moment and weighed whether he wanted to stay in and order a couple of sub sandwiches or test the humidity and run across the street to Imo’s. The unique taste of their pizza already had his mouth watering.
There was one more option, which involved a member of the opposite sex. Ace couldn’t explain why he hadn’t accepted the sexual overtures from several of his coworkers. Simply put, his heart wasn’t into the office “cat and mouse game” people play at work.
When his cell phone rang, Ace smiled at his mother’s number and welcomed the distraction. Their conversations since the disagreement about Talise had been civil, but strained. In spite of that, every now and then, Sandra would prompt him to discuss his relationship with his ex. She wasn’t about to let him off the hook.
“Hey, Mom, what’s up?”
“You have good taste, but poor judgment.” Sandra’s insult was pleasant.
Flattening his tie, Ace settled behind his desk and then frowned. “Huh?”
Just then, there was a light knock and his office door opened. Shala, a woman with a pretty face and enticing body, popped her head in and mouthed, “Lunch?”
Although his stomach said yes, his mind was focused on what his mother had to say. He declined and Shala backed out, pouting. She had been after him since day one. The Jamieson charm. Ace loved it. If Talise didn’t still have her handprints on his heart, he definitely would have explored that opportunity.
“Mom, am I supposed to know what you mean?”
“Talise.”
Ouch! Just the sound of her name made his
heart scream out from the prick. Holding his breath, he attempted to sound casual. “What about her?”
“We had lunch.”
Ace gripped the edge of his desk to keep from falling out of his chair. Fully alert, his body stiffened. His nostrils flared at his ex’s nerve. She was more aggressive than he had given her sweet self credit for.
“Oh, really? First, she runs to Cameron with her sad story, and now she’s after my mother.” Ace was livid.
“Let’s revisit that conversation we had not too long ago. Talise is the one who is having your baby, isn’t she?”
“You saw her. Does she look pregnant?” Pressing his ear closer to the phone, Ace listened intently.
“I couldn’t tell. She’s probably not far enough along yet for it to be so obvious. Plus, you can’t always go by looks. One time, I made the mistake of asking a woman when her baby was due. She wasn’t pregnant, but overweight. Believe me, it was an embarrassing moment.”
Ace pinched his nose, impatient by his mother’s idle rambling when he needed a straight answer. “Mom, what about Talise?”
“Very pretty, but she’s divorcing herself from the Jamiesons. You’ve hurt her badly, and she doesn’t want to ever see you again. Aaron, please, if that woman is having your baby, it’s time for you to take responsibility. I’m asking you to reconsider your stubbornness and avoid another generation of single parenting in this family.”
It’s time to do damage control, Ace thought, tuning his mother out. He was going to contact Talise and make sure she put an end to her vicious lies.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Talise wasn’t expecting the call and had no doubt Sandra was behind it. But by the time the conversation ended, she had to smile and admit that all Jamiesons weren’t created jerks.
Without having ever met her, Talise could tell that Eva Jamieson was a gregarious woman who oozed contagious enthusiasm. To Talise’s delight, Eva’s outgoing personality had made it easy for the two women to engage in an enjoyable thirty-minute exchange.
The woman’s timing was uncanny. Talise had just returned from her doctor’s appointment. The baby’s vital signs were good, and Talise was maintaining a healthy weight gain. She was happy.
Lois had tagged along and fired one question after another at Dr. Sherman, as though she was the patient. Although amused at her best friend’s excitement, admittedly, she learned more than she would have imagined.
However, nearing the end, the pleasant visit took a turn—in her opinion—for the worse. The obstetrician was once again harping on needing the father’s medical history. Talise voiced her reservations about asking his mother for help. She couldn’t believe how Lois betrayed her and sided with Dr. Sherman. Outnumbered, Talise was irritated that she had no choice but to call Sandra again and admit she needed something from her.
After one final attempt to encourage Talise that it would be okay, the doctor’s visit was over. The two friends managed to part ways on good terms. Lois had to get back to the campus, leaving Talise stressed and on her own about contacting Sandra.
Since Thursday was her regular day off, Talise looked forward to relaxing the rest of the day. She showered and felt refreshed and pampered after being in the summer heat. Climbing in bed for a nap, she let out a long sigh. It seemed as though she had just crossed over from consciousness to dreamland when her cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Talise Rogers, please.”
“Speaking.” She didn’t recognize the number or the voice.
“Hi. You don’t know me, yet, but we have something in common. We’re both having babies by Jamieson brothers.”
Catching her breath, Talise gripped the phone tighter. What? The only thing her brain registered was “something in common,” “having babies,” and “Jamieson.” Not another woman deserted and pregnant by Ace. Please.
“I hope you don’t mind me calling. My name is Eva Jamieson and I live in St. Louis. My mother-in …”
Sandra’s daughter-in-law? Talise somewhat relaxed that it wasn’t another victim of desertion. But why was she calling her? Groaning, Talise rolled her eyes. It didn’t matter. She was not about to have another debate, defending her condition.
“Don’t you mean if I’m pregnant? Listen, I just came from the doctor and I’m not in the mood—”
“Really? What did your doctor say? Is the baby okay?”
Talise stared at the phone in disbelief. This woman could not be seriously quizzing her.
“Eva, why are you calling me?”
If she came off rude, then too bad. Talise felt cranky and the Jamiesons had an uncanny way of taking her attitude to the next level.
“To be honest …” she started, then exhaled. “I’m in baby solidarity with you, girl, because I’m mad at Ace too.”
“Get in line,” she said dryly. “What’s your beef with him?” Talise didn’t really care. She wasn’t up to another enlightening moment.
“I have a list of them, but the top one is he’s cheating me out of a sister-in-law.”
Talise almost choked on her own air. “What?” Was it possible to get dizzy while lying down? So far, this short conversation was making her head spin. “What are you talking about?”
“We’re both pregnant and we could be sisters-in-law, doing baby stuff together. Instead, his sorry self is hiding out at my house and you’re there.”
“Ace is staying with you?” So that’s where he was. If Talise knew how to contact a hit man, she would … nonsense. She had to redirect her thoughts. Despite how badly he had treated her, Talise didn’t thrive on that type of drama.
“Yes, and don’t think I’m making it easy for him either. The only reason he gets a home cooked meal is because I have to feed my husband. Otherwise, I would starve him.”
Talise withheld her laughter. Unlike Sandra, who came at her in a hesitant manner, Eva was a tell-it-like-it-is person. Talise liked her for that.
“I hate to disappoint you, but we’ll never be sisters-in-law.”
Unfortunately, it was the truth. She swallowed back the hurt. But there was one thing. Talise wished Eva could help get answers to her many questions: what was the real deal behind him leaving? How could he walk away? Yet to ask would make her seem desperate.
“Does Ace know you’re talking to me?” she asked, as a tear dropped.
“It’s your call. He doesn’t at the moment, but I can change that if you want. Nothing’s more frustrating than a stupid Jamieson. I didn’t take anything off Kevin. Come to think of it, I did hear them arguing outside my door.”
“I would prefer he doesn’t know.” She would die if Ace refused to speak with her. Talise couldn’t take another rejection.
“So Kevin is Kidd. Right?” She wanted clarification.
“Yes, ma’am. Oh, I hate that nickname. It sounds too thuggish for me. Plus, I wanted a man who was ready to put away his play toys. Unfortunately at the time, Kevin was an angry Black man. Talise, believe me. I know about rough patches, but it was worth it for Kevin and me to hang in there and make it to our smooth sailing.”
Talise teared-up at Eva’s happy ending. “Humph. Ace’s nickname is fitting. He’s a gambler with women’s hearts. In trying to explain his pathetic behavior, Sandra disclosed his conquests. I’m just the latest, so I’m sure you’ll understand that I’d rather keep my distance from the Jamiesons.”
“You’re having one in less than nine months. By the way, when is your baby due?”
Grinning with anticipation of that glorious event, Talise rubbed her growing pouch. “At first, my doctor thought the baby was due at the end of January. Now, she estimates mid-January.”
“Cool. I’m due around Christmas. Our babies will be first cousins. Do you have any siblings with children?” Eva asked.
“I have one sister, Sinclaire, who is serving in the air force, but she isn’t married.”
“Oh,” Eva’s voice softened. “God bless her and keep our troops safe. Please tell your sister thank
you.”
Talise always sniffed when people said that. “I will. What about you, any brothers or sisters?”
“I have a twin sister who has been engaged for a year.”
“Do you know if you’re having twins?”
“Nope. Only one, and Kevin and I can’t wait to find out what God’s blessing us with.”
“Well, we both know Ace doesn’t care, and I don’t think I want to know yet. If it’s a boy, then I’ll worry about how to do a better job than …” Talise let her words fade so she wouldn’t insult Eva’s mother-in-law.
“The Jamieson men are a special, stubborn breed. But this is God’s world, and things will work out according to His plan. You’ll see.”
Talise didn’t see God anywhere in her situation. Even though she had picked up on reading her Bible, it felt like not much was sticking. It seemed as though every time she read an encouraging Scripture, the next thing she knew, she would turn around and have a bad day.
Sinclaire’s last email listed Scriptures about God’s will in her life, but Talise just couldn’t see it. And now Eva brought God into the conversation.
“If I were to have a little girl, I would still have to break her heart one day. The time will come when I’ll have to feed her lies about why her daddy deserted us. I’m not looking forward to that.”
The line was quiet. It was the first time Eva didn’t have a positive comeback. Maybe she finally comprehended the hopelessness of Talise’s situation.
“I hope you don’t mind me sharing this. We make mistakes, but God knows. He is in control of everything that happens in our lives. From your last breath, to your baby’s first breath, and everything in between—God knows. He is blessing you right now—and me too. And we don’t even know the details of what’s going on behind the scenes.”
Talise listened with tears in her eyes. She needed to hear that God hadn’t taken His eyes off of her. A while back, she had prayed that He would put people in her path to help her. So far, He kept sending Jamieson people, just not the right one. Talise didn’t realize tears were falling until she heard herself sniffling.
