by Dynah Zale
After dropping Mariah off, Quinton and Tressie rode in silence, neither sure of what to say.
“Are you all right?” he asked. “I know that was hard for you.”
A tear fell from her eye. The pressure of confronting Payce was wearing down on her. She was so mad at Payce for being angry with her that it made her upset.
“I know that you’re still in love with Payce. I could see it in your eyes, and I’m sure he could see it, too. That’s why it bothered him so much to see you with me.”
“I feel so bad. He trusted me and I deceived him. I’m no better than him.”
“You shouldn’t feel that way. You two are no longer together because of problems he created in your relationship—not you.”
“Quinton, I think it was wrong for me to start seeing you so soon after Payce. I’m still unsure about my feelings for him. Seeing him tonight made me think that maybe I was wrong. When I found out about his children, I never gave him a chance to explain. I need to sit down and talk things over with him. If I don’t, I will always wonder what the truth was behind our split.”
“Sweetheart, I think you’re in shock over having to face him so soon after your break up. Once people start seeing us together more often they will begin to accept our relationship, and it will be easier for you to accept us.”
“This has nothing to do with me and you. It has to do with Payce and me not ending our relationship the right way,” she explained. “You said you wanted my mind, body, heart, and soul, but right now I can only offer you my mind and body. My heart and soul are still with Payce. You deserve to be with someone who can give themselves to you entirely.”
Quinton listened to her heart-wrenching words.
“Would you mind if we took a break from seeing each other for a while?”
He didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. He did want all of her. He wanted her to look at him the same way she looked at Payce. “I guess I don’t have any choice.”
“Can I have a kiss to last me until we meet again?” she asked.
He leaned over and kissed her lightly. Tressie cared for Quinton, but the feelings she held for Payce were so much stronger.
Chapter 19
“Tressie, what’s up?” Tressie heard Darshon’s voice and hoped he was calling her for Payce. She had tried calling Payce every night since the basketball game, but he wouldn’t return any of her calls. “Hey Darshon, what’s up?”
“I’m sorry for just getting back to you. I know you called me a few weeks ago, but I had forgotten that you called and I just remembered. So what’s up?”
She sat for a moment trying to remember why she had called Darshon, “Oh yeah. I did call you. I called because I had planned on throwing a surprise birthday party for Payce, but since he won’t speak to me, I’m going to cancel the party.”
“Tressie, he was really upset about seeing you with that guy.”
“Did he say he was upset?”
“No, but you know how guys are. They never want to show their true feelings. He’s my best friend. I know when something is bothering him, but if it helps you to know, I think he misses you.”
Tressie was glad to hear that he missed her. That meant he still had feelings for her. “Darshon, let me ask you a question. Do you think if I go ahead and throw this surprise party for Payce that he’ll forgive me?”
“I don’t know, Tressie. He was really mad. I don’t know if a party will make him forget what he saw.”
“I know, but I’ve already reserved the Borgata Ballroom. I spent all my money to put this party together, so I really don’t have anything to lose. I’m going to go ahead and still throw the party.”
“Wow, this is going to be a nice party. You must have put out a lot of loot to reserve the Borgata Ballroom. How are you planning on getting him to Atlantic City?” Darshon asked.
“I’m going to leave that to you. He trusts you. Tell him you’re taking him to Atlantic City to gamble. I’ll need for you to get him there no later than eleven o’clock. That will allow the guests enough time to get there before him,” she instructed.
“No problem.”
“Darshon, are you sure you can get him there?” she asked a second time.
“Trust me,” Darshon replied. “I’ve already thought of a plan.”
“Payce, would you come on? Man, you take longer than a woman,” Darshon yelled up the stairs. He impatiently sat on the couch next to Payne and made small talk. “So Payne, what do you have planned for your birthday?” Darshon asked.
“I have something special planned for my brother and me.”
“Cake and ice cream at the church?” Darshon joked.
“No, imbecile,” Payne replied. “It’s a surprise.”
Payce raced down the stairs dressed to the nines. He posed for an imaginary camera in a fancy pair of black dress pants and a solid burgundy button-up dress shirt. This was the only time Payne and Payce had ever dressed alike. The only noticeable difference between the two of them was Payne’s pants stopped way above his ankles. Payce walked over to Darshon and gave him a pound. “What’s up, man?”
“Man, I hear you’re going out with your brother tonight. You two celebrating your birthdays together?”
“Yeah, man. This is the first time since we were kids,” Payce responded. “He keeps bragging about how he has something special planned. I can’t wait to see what it is.”
“I bet it’s something out of this world,” Darshon snickered.
“Can I holla at you outside for a second?” Darshon asked Payce.
“Sure.”
They walked toward the front door when Payne jumped in front of them and blocked the exit, preventing them from leaving.
“No!” he shouted. “If you go outside with him, you’ll leave, and I’ll never see you again.”
Darshon laughed. He walked over and put his arm around Payne. “Relax, man. I think you had too much sugar today. I’m not going to kidnap your brother. I just wanna speak with him.”
Payne looked at the two of them suspiciously. “All right, but I’ll be watching you two.”
They moved him out of the way and laughed at his attempt to prevent them from leaving the house.
Once they were outside Darshon spoke quietly. He could see Payne peeping at them through the living room blinds. “Man, I don’t know what your brother has planned for tonight, but the fellows and I had something we wanted to do for your birthday.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with The Dollhouse, does it?”
“No, it’s legit.”
“Darshon, I would love to hang with you guys, but I promised my brother that I’d go out with him.”
“I understand, but can’t you just come out with us for an hour? You can meet up with him later. Payne is probably going to take you to the church for his annual birthday celebration.”
“I don’t know, man. You saw how he was just acting. He’s not going to let me out of his sight.”
“Leave it to me,” Darshon replied.
“Payne!” Darshon yelled.
Payne hurried outside.
“Payce and I were going to hit the liquor store in Camden. Do you want to ride?”
“Do you really want to go to Camden at this time of night? It is dark outside,” he replied. Payce and Darshon both knew that Payne was scared of the small, but edgy city of Camden, New Jersey. Camden was listed as one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Old wives tales circulated throughout Philadelphia about how visitors entered Camden, but never left.
“We’re going to pick up some liquor. That’s the only place that sells alcohol this time of night. Are you coming or what?” he urged.
Payne was hesitant to accompany them.
“Forget it, Payne. We’ll see you when we get back,” Darshon told him. He looked at his watch. Tressie had said to be there no later than eleven o’clock. His watch said a little past nine.
“No, wait. I’ll ride with you. Let me go grab my jacket,” Payne s
aid.
On their way out of the city, Darshon stopped to pick up T.J. and John. The five of them took the Atlantic City Expressway east.
“We passed Camden thirty minutes ago,” Payne yelled out.
“Payne, relax,” Darshon told him. “You are the one who said you wanted to come.”
“I thought we were going to Camden. Darshon has kidnapped us and now we’re going to miss my surprise.”
“Payne, you really are a pain,” Darshon stressed. “Just to let you know, I have my own surprise for Payce.”
“What about what I had planned?” Payne whined.
“Payne, forget about the shindig you put together for Payce. You will have a lot more fun with us. What was it you were going to do?”
Payne didn’t want to spoil his surprise, but he knew that what he had arranged for the evening was already ruined. “I planned on cake and ice cream.”
The car exploded with laughter.
“I told you,” Darshon giggled. “Payne, you do the same thing every year, cake and ice cream at the church.”
“No, no. This year it wasn’t going to be at the church. Reverend Kane offered to hold the festivities at her house.”
The car got quiet. Payce had told T.J and John about Reverend Kane. The only person who didn’t know about Reverend Kane’s double life was Payne.
“Why did everyone get so quiet?” he asked.
“No reason,” Payce responded. “No offense, man, but I’m glad we didn’t go to Reverend Kane’s.”
“Why? She told me she likes you.”
Payce would never tell his brother Reverend Kane’s secret. “You know what?” He put his arm around Payne. “It doesn’t matter where we spend our birthday. As long as we’re together.”
An hour later they pulled up in front of the Borgata Hotel and Casino. They walked in and gazed at a vastly colored sculpture that hung in the front lobby.
“Darshon, you brought us to Satan’s den. I’m going to Hell. God is going to punish us all!” Payne exclaimed with his hand in the air.
“Thanks, this is cool,” Payce said to Darshon and walked toward the casino entrance.
“Sorry fellas. The casino is not the surprise. Payce’s birthday surprise is in the ballroom,” Darshon announced.
“I knew this was too good to be true,” Payce exclaimed. “Darshon never plans anything without any women.”
They followed Darshon down a winding corridor. “Payce, you’re right, I wouldn’t plan anything without women being involved.” The archway opened up to a landing that was immersed in music. “But I didn’t plan this.”
They approached the balcony and Payce looked down. Dancing away on the dance floor were dozens of couples, young and old, doing the two-step. A banner hung along the wall that said “Happy Birthday, Payce!”
Payce turned to Darshon. “This party is for me?” he asked. Darshon nodded his head yes.
“Thanks, man. I would have never guessed,” Payce said, smiling.
“Don’t thank me. Thank Tressie. Tressie is the one who planned it.” He pointed down to Tressie who stood among a crowd of people. A wide smile appeared on Payce’s face as he rushed to her.
“Happy birthday,” she said to him. “You look very debonair.” She pulled a single white rose from behind her back. “This white rose represents you, because you stand out from all the rest.” He smiled at her choice of words.
“Can I have this dance?” she asked.
“I can’t dance,” he replied.
“That’s all right. I’ll teach you.”
Payce followed Tressie’s lead and matched every step she took. While they danced, a lot of Payce’s friends stopped to wish the guest of honor happy birthday. Payce saw T.J., John, and Darshon each trying to step on the dance floor. Even Payne had found himself a dance partner.
Tressie and Payce danced for more than an hour before Payce started sweating. His steps got sluggish and he moved slower and slower.
“Do you want to stop?” she asked him.
“No, no. I’m all right.”
Tressie grabbed his hand and led him to a nearby table. “We should stop. I don’t want the birthday boy to pass out on me.”
“I really appreciate you throwing me this party,” Payce said to her.
“I had to do something. You wouldn’t return my calls.”
“I was mad,” he replied.
“So was I. At least I tried to straighten things out.”
“How does your boyfriend feel about you throwing me this party?”
“He’s not my boyfriend anymore. I asked him if we could take a break until I was able to get over you.”
“That’s what you want to do? Get over me?” he asked.
“No, I would like for things to work out between the two of us, but I’m not sure if it will ever be the same.”
“I wasn’t really mad when I found you with that guy. I think I was more surprised. After all the things I’ve done to you, I had no reason to get upset when you started seeing someone else. I’m the one who messed things up between us.”
“Payce, I have to take my share of the responsibility. I knew exactly what I was doing every time I accepted Quinton’s invitation to spend time together. I should have kept my promise and waited for you to be released from jail.”
“If I would have been a man and been honest and truthful with you from the beginning, none of this would have happened, so I’ll take the blame.”
Tressie looked at him and smiled. “Okay, if you insist. You can take all the blame.”
He laughed. She was definitely the girl he fell in love with.
She laid her head on his shoulder. “You have no idea how disappointed I was to hear you had two children without me. I wanted to be the one to give you your first child. Now you’ve given that gift to two women you don’t even love.”
“Tressie, I promise that you and I will have a family of our own. Although I already have two children, I welcome the day when you and I can have our own.”
“I love you.”
And they sealed their love with a kiss.
Chapter 20
Payce kissed Tressie on the shoulder. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you more,” she replied.
They lay in her bed wrapped in nothing but a sheet. They took advantage of Tressie’s parents’ long weekend getaway by having their own private getaway. This was their last night together before he reported to court the following day. His lawyer forewarned him that his parole would be revoked and he would have to serve out the final three years of his prison sentence.
The hardest thing for him to accept wasn’t going back to jail, but leaving Tressie behind. She was the most valuable thing in the world to him. He had never opened up his heart to anyone until he met her. A lot of the girls he met in the past he used as toys, but Tressie was different. She was the kind of woman he dreamed of spending his life with, a woman who would stand by his side no matter the circumstance.
He pulled his arms around her tighter. Their eyes locked and silence seized the moment as their spirits took a hold of one another and wouldn’t let go. It seemed as if God had taken the blinders off their eyes and they could see for the first time their destiny as soul mates.
“I need to talk to you about something.” Payce broke away from their shared moment. “I’m going to be away for three years and a lot can happen during that time.”
“Three years won’t stop me from loving you.”
“You’re familiar with that old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind?’ The last time I was only away for six days and someone managed to steal you away from me. This time I’ll be away for years.”
Tressie was embarrassed at how she had allowed a moment of weakness to overcome her.
“If you meet someone, don’t hold yourself back because of me. We can use this time as a test. If we were really meant to be, then no one you go out with will be able to come between us. Of course we’ll write and I’ll
call you, but if it is really meant for us to be together, we’ll weather this storm. Do you understand?”
She nodded.
“Promise me one thing?”
“Anything,” she replied.
“Don’t go out with Quinton.”
“What’s wrong with Quinton?” she asked.
“I don’t like him. He’s not someone I’d like to see you with.”
“Don’t be jealous,” she responded.
“I’m not jealous. I think that when you two got together he took advantage of the situation. He knew I was locked up and went after you. I don’t trust him. Let’s change the subject. I don’t want to spend my last night with you talking about him. Where is the shoe box of money that I gave to you?” he asked.
“I put it in the bottom of my closet.”
“I need you to hold on to that money until I come home.”
“That’s a lot of money. You trust me with ten thousand dollars in cash?”
“I trust you with my life,” he replied.
It warmed her heart to hear him say those words.
“Before I forget, can you leave me your Social Security Number before you leave in the morning?” she asked.
“What do you need that for?”
“I have to check your credit report just in case we ever get married. My mother believes that a man is only as good as his credit. She has always told me that a man who pays his bills on time will always take care of you.”
“Well, what does she say about a man who doesn’t have any credit because I don’t believe I’ve ever applied for anything before?”
“I don’t know what she says about that. I’ll have to ask her.”
She laid her head against his chest and drifted off to sleep.
At sunrise, Payce got up and dressed. He sat on the side of the bed for a second and watched Tressie sleep. She is so beautiful, he thought. He knew he was a really lucky guy to have her by his side. He had put her through hell and she still loved him.
“God,” he whispered softly, “watch out for her. She’s a good girl who deserves the best. I’m not going to be around, so can you send a few angels to look out for her until I come home? Thanks.”
