Topaz went upstairs to take a shower. How had things gotten so out of hand?
She broke into tears at the thought of Germain with Sabre. She had accused him of cheating while they were married when suddenly she remembered her own indiscretion during her climb to the top of the music industry.
I slept with Jamil when we were still married. Oh my God. She slid down into the shower and cried her eyes out.
Germain turned onto the infamous Mulholland Drive. The Porsche could go from zero to sixty miles per hour in a matter of seconds. He sped down the road, enjoying the feel of the car as it hugged the pavement.
Why couldn’t I keep my big mouth shut? I love my wife, and no matter what, I will always love her. I vowed to be with her for better or for worse. She’s a part of me. We’ve seen better, but things could always be worse. Niki is mine. Germain wiped a tear from his eye and smiled. That little sweet thing is mine. Like Mom always used to say, into each life a little rain must fall.
He carefully turned the car around and headed for home. Makeup sex is a great thing. She is so dramatic and tender, like fire and rain.
He was driving over a hundred miles an hour when he took out his voice-activated cell phone and called Topaz. He spoke after the beep. “I’ll always love you, baby, no matter what.” He was about to say more when he glanced at the lights twinkling in the Valley. It was a spectacular view. He hit a large patch of water on the road. It splashed everywhere and the car swerved out of control. It spun around, crashed, and flipped over the barricade. Time stood still as the Porsche sailed into oblivion, tumbled down the hillside, and crashed on the rocks below.
Topaz got out of the shower and phoned Germain. It rang and went to voice mail, so she decided to leave a message. “Hi, baby. I just wanted you to know I’m sorry and I do forgive you. I’ll always forgive you because I love you. See you later, sweetie.” She smiled as she hung up the phone and went to look through her lingerie drawers for her sexiest nightgown.
Topaz had been asleep for hours when she thought she heard the doorbell ring. She opened her eyes and was immediately sad because Germain wasn’t lying in bed beside her. She found her slippers and robe while the bell continued to chime. Security would take care of it, but it was unusual for callers invited or uninvited to arrive at their home so late.
Her intentions were to see if Germain was asleep in the family room, but she was surprised when she saw security in the foyer with a California Highway Patrolman.
“Are you Mrs. Gradney?” the officer inquired.
“Yes.”
“Your husband is Dr. Germain Gradney?”
“Yes.” Uneasiness crept through her body, and she knew something was terribly wrong.
“I’m afraid there’s been a terrible accident.”
She clasped a hand to her mouth, and tears filled her eyes. There was a lump in her throat and she couldn’t breathe. “Not Germain.”
“We found his car on the hillside below Mulholland Drive.”
“He’s okay, right?”
“No one could have survived that fall. It looks like he lost control and crashed through a barricade on Mulholland. I’m sure he was killed on impact.”
Germain…killed? “Oh my God.” Topaz screamed and fell to the floor like a crumpled leaf. “Not Germain, not my sweet baby.”
“Ma’am. I’m sorry, but we’re gonna need you to go to the hospital and identify the body.”
“Nooooo.” She screamed from the depths of her soul. She lay on the floor sobbing, then she jumped up with a straight face. “I don’t believe it. Germain is not dead.”
“Ma’am, we still need you to go to Cedars and make the identification. I hope it’s not your husband. Good night.”
The security guards escorted the patrolman out of the house while Topaz stood there wondering what she should do.
“I’ll drive you to the hospital,” one of the guards offered.
“That won’t be necessary,” Topaz replied coolly. “Germain wasn’t in an accident.”
The men looked at one another as Topaz climbed the stairs in a daze.
Before she realized it, she dialed Keisha’s number.
“What’s up, girl?” The Johnsons had been expecting her call for hours, so when the phone rang at two-thirty that morning, they weren’t surprised at all. Eric looked at the caller ID and handed the phone to Keisha.
“Girl, you know the strangest thing just happened.”
“What’s up, T?” Keisha yawned.
“A highway patrol came to the house and told me Germain had a car accident and that he was dead.”
“Topaz, no,” Keisha screamed. “No.”
“What is it?” Eric sat up straight.
“Please don’t let it be true.” Tears rolled out of Keisha’s eyes.
“That’s what I said. They want me to come to Cedars to identify the body, but I’m not going because I know Germain isn’t dead.”
“What’s wrong, Key?” Eric couldn’t understand why his wife was crying.
“You don’t go anywhere. Just get dressed and we’ll come and take you to the hospital,” Keisha ordered.
“Girl, you don’t have to come all the way out here tonight. Germain will be home by the time you get here.” Topaz laughed hysterically.
“Good, then we’ll eat some ice cream and have a party.” Keisha hung up. Eric was already getting dressed.
“What’s up with queen of drama now?” Eric smiled as he pulled on a Lakers warm-up jacket.
“CHIPs came to the house and told Topaz that Germain was killed in a car accident, but she doesn’t believe it.”
It was close to four and every light in the house was on when Keisha and Eric finally arrived in Pacific Palisades. It was so windy that night. It howled like a banshee. Topaz, still in her nightgown, was drinking Germain’s Tanqueray and tonic.
“Girl, get dressed.” Keisha took the glass from her and pulled her up the stairs to her bedroom.
“He slept with Sabre, Key. Can you believe Germain slept with that bitch?”
“No.” She dragged Topaz downstairs and out of the house. “I think she’s in shock,” Keisha whispered to Eric.
Eric drove as quickly as he could to Cedars while Topaz rambled on about their fight and things they had said to each other. They left the car in front of the emergency room and were eventually escorted into a room where they saw Germain’s badly bruised and mangled body lying on a steel table.
Keisha screamed and fell out on Eric at the sight of her Atlanta homeboy and beloved friend. “It’s him!” she yelled. “It’s Germain!”
Topaz just stood there looking at Germain’s lifeless body. “That’s not him,” she whispered.
“It is too!” Keisha screamed. “Girl, what’s wrong with you? He’s wearing a wedding ring just like yours.” She took Topaz’s hand and held it next to Germain’s slender surgeon fingers, and Topaz snatched it back.
“That’s not my man. Germain’s at home waiting for me,” Topaz said with a spaced-out look on her face. “Now come on, Key, let’s go. You know Germain wouldn’t want you crying like this for nothing.”
Eric stood there watching his wife sob uncontrollably. Topaz looked like a zombie. He looked at the body on the table and knew immediately it was Germain. His spirit and soul had clearly vacated the premises, but what was left definitely had belonged to Germain. He looked at Topaz, who was very much alive and knew she had left the planet, too. Then he prayed for the strength to be the man he needed to be to get them all through this.
The drive back was silent except for Keisha’s occasional sobs and sniffles. Eric knew he had to get Topaz out of the house before the paparazzi got wind of the story and set up camp in front of her home.
Upstairs in the bedroom, Keisha began packing Topaz’s things. She was opening the nightstand drawer when she saw a red light blinking on Topaz’s answering machine.
“T, you have a message, honey.”
Topaz pressed a button and Germain�
�s voice came through the speaker loud and clear. “I’ll always love you, baby, no matter what.”
Keisha looked at Topaz, who was shaking like a leaf.
“Germain killed himself. He killed himself and he did it because of me.” She tried to breathe and things went dark as she passed out cold on the bedroom floor.
Chapter 32
A limousine was waiting for Nina, Kyle, and Niki when they arrived at Philadelphia International early that morning. They had caught the red-eye out of LAX right after Niki’s stellar performance in the school Christmas play. It was cold and snowing. Christmas lights and decorations were everywhere.
“Now this is what I call Christmas.” Kyle laughed as he scooped up a bit of snow with his hands, formed it into a ball, and threw it at Nina. “None of those pink Christmas trees in eighty-degree weather in Cali this year.”
“I like that eighty-degree weather.” Nina laughed. “I kinda like those pink Christmas trees, too.”
“I love the weather, but not at Christmastime. It’s supposed to be cold.”
Nina could only laugh. “Whatever, baby.”
“I haven’t seen you smile for a long time. I miss your smile.”
“It’s great to have something to smile about. No more grown-up problems.” Nina was serious again.
“I know, baby. That’s why I brought my girls here, so I can make them smile.” He kissed both of them. “I’ve got to have a cheesesteak sammich at my spot on South Street. I know my dad will go with me. He’s always down for a sammich.” Kyle was really excited to be home.
“It’s sandwich, Daddy, not sammich.” Niki, who was sitting in Kyle’s lap looking out of the window, turned around to laugh.
“You tell him, baby girl.” Nina smiled at her daughter and then she poked Kyle. “Like you came from the hood and grew up eating sammiches.”
“I did.”
“Oh please.” Nina laughed. “You’re as bourgeois as they come. Got my baby ordering sushi. Take her with you so she can eat her first cheesesteak.”
“Like you can talk, Miss I-was-raised-in-Sherman-Oaks. You ain’t nothing but a Valley Girl.” Kyle tugged gently on Nina’s hair.
“And proud of it.”
“I’m a Valley Girl too.” Niki looked at Kyle. “Right, Daddy?”
“Nope, you’re a Malibu beach bunny. My little heartbreaker who’s gonna be out there breaking all those young boys’ hearts.”
Kyle winked. Nina only smiled and looked out the window.
The limo hit the suburbs, drove down several blocks, and pulled into the driveway of a comfortable three-story house. An ominous-looking huge oak tree stood in the front yard covered with light snow. Christmas decorations were on the lawn and strung around the outside of the green and white house. No matter how great a fortune the Ross brothers amassed, their parents refused to move out of their childhood home, although they had allowed them to redecorate the house and purchase a few trinkets. Mama Ross owned a brand new Mercedes ML truck with seat warmers; Papa Ross got a silver gray Rolls Royce Phantom.
“Hey, is anybody awake in this joint?” Kyle yelled as he burst in the front door.
“Now you know I’m going to be awake to see my boy who came all the way here from California.” Mama Ross came out of the kitchen and gave them all a hug.
“Daddy’s not a boy,” Niki whispered to Nina.
“No, he isn’t, but that’s his momma, so to her he will always be her boy, just like no matter how big and beautiful you get, you will always be my beautiful baby girl,” Nina explained.
“Okay.” Niki smiled as Mama Ross scooped her up.
“And how is my beautiful granddaughter?”
Niki just giggled. This was the first time she had been to Philadelphia to see her grandparents, but Kyle’s parents traveled to California several times a year to see Kyle and Sean and the grandchildren.
“Who is that giggling?” Papa Ross was just an older, wiser version of his handsome sons.
“It’s me, Grandpa.” Niki kissed him on the cheek when he hugged her. “You look like Daddy, Grandpa.”
“Daddy looks like Grandpa.”
“That’s what I just said.”
Everyone laughed. “Don’t be too smart, little girl,” Nina warned.
Papa Ross carried Niki into the kitchen, where his wife had prepared a huge breakfast. Fried chicken, waffles, biscuits, grits and gravy, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and fresh-squeezed orange juice were all begging to be consumed.
“Dang!” Nina was almost drooling. “Denny’s ain’t got nothing on you.” Nina, who always loved to eat, pulled out a chair at the table.
“Look at you.” Kyle laughed and pulled out a chair. “You just forgot all about your baby.”
“Leave that girl alone, Kyle, and let her eat. She’s already a little too thin.” Mama Ross smiled at her daughter-in-law, who was already making her plate. “I’ve been cooking fried chicken with waffles ever since you and Sean took me to Roscoe’s when we were in LA.”
“Roscoe’s ain’t got nothing on you, Mama.” Kyle began making his plate too, while Mama Ross helped Niki pick out her favorite breakfast foods.
Papa Ross smiled at his wife and offspring and blessed the food so they all could eat.
“Your brother should be here by now,” Mama Ross said. Kyle’s identical twin brother, Kirk, lived across the bridge in New Jersey. Out of the three brothers, it was Kirk who decided to follow in his father’s footsteps by accepting the call of God on his life. He and his wife, Karla, were also pastors at his father’s church. It was as if Kirk heard his name called. Kirk, Karla, and their fifteen-year-old daughter, Kyrie, walked into the kitchen.
“Hey, now some real Hollywood swingers are in the house.” Kirk, the elder of the twins grinned at Kyle.
Kyle stood up to give Kirk a hug. “Look at you. You look good for an old man.”
“Old man?” Kirk looked insulted.
Kyle laughed. “You’re older than me.”
“Only by a few minutes,” Kirk replied. “Just make sure you don’t eat too much because we’re going to Jimmy’s for cheesesteaks for lunch,” Kyle said.
There were more hugs and kisses between the in-laws and cousins as the rest of the family sat down to Mama Ross’s delicious breakfast.
“It’s too bad Sean, Jade, and Kobe weren’t able to come. It would have been real nice having the entire family for Christmas.” Mama Ross looked sad for just a moment at the thought of her youngest missing in action.
“Well, I brought the next best thing.” Kyle got up from the table and went for his briefcase and produced a DVD. “All of the kids were in the school play, and our Miss Niki stole the show,” Kyle declared proudly.
“Oh, I want to see it now, Kyle. Let’s go in the TV room and watch it there,” Mama Ross suggested.
The TV room was actually a small theater with a dozen or so red suede rocking and reclining chairs and a myriad of framed classic movie posters on the walls. An antique popcorn popper and an old-fashioned Coke machine completed the décor.
“I like this room, Mommy,” Niki declared as she rocked back and forth in her chair.
“I bet you do.” Nina pinched her nose and Niki laughed. “We’ll get Daddy to put one in our new house in Sherman Oaks.”
“I want one in Malibu, too. Okay, Mommy?”
“Anything for you, baby girl,” Nina replied.
They were silent as the DVD began. Kyle’s cell phone rang, but he ignored it. He took it out of his pocket and turned it off without looking at the caller ID. “I’m on vacation. What could anyone possibly want the day before Christmas Eve?” he said softly to Nina.
A light flashed on and off in the theater, signaling that the house phone was ringing.
“I’ll get it.” Papa Ross got up and went for the phone. Moments later, he came over to Kyle and spoke softly in his ear. “Sean’s on the phone.”
“Tell him I’ll call him right back, Dad.”
“I told him
we were watching the kids’ Christmas play, but he said it was important,” Papa Ross explained.
Kyle got up and went for the phone in the back of the theater. “What’s so important that I had to interrupt the viewing of my daughter’s command performance?”
“Sorry, man, but I’ve got some real bad news. Germain was killed in a car accident earlier this morning. His Porsche flipped over a barricade on Mulholland,” Sean informed him.
Kyle said nothing as his brother’s words registered in his brain. Then he managed, “The doc is dead?”
“Yeah, man. Everybody’s taking it real hard.”
There were tears in Kyle’s eyes as he tried to accept that his best friend was dead. “Okay, man. Thanks for calling. We’ll be back in LA as soon as we can.” Kyle hung up and tried to compose himself as he returned to his seat next to Nina.
“What did Sean want?” Nina whispered.
He sniffed and coughed before he could reply. “I’ll tell you later.”
Nina looked at her husband rubbing his eyes. “Have you been crying?”
“No, I’m cool.”
“You are not cool. What did Sean say on the phone? Is Jade okay?” Nina wanted answers, so Kyle motioned for her to follow him out of the screening room. In the light, she could see Kyle had definitely been crying. She took her husband in her arms and tried to comfort him. “What is it, baby? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Germain. He was in a car accident and he’s d…” He couldn’t make himself say the word.
“Germain is dead?”
Kyle nodded his head to say yes.
“No…not Germain. Tell me that’s not true,” Nina cried.
“I wish I could.”
“I saw him last night at the play and we didn’t even speak. Now I’ll never have a chance to speak to him again.” Nina shook her head in disbelief. “Poor Topaz…she must be losing her mind.”
Nina and Kyle cried together. “We have to go home right away,” Nina said, and sniffed.
Diamond Revelation Page 26
