“Let me go, damn it,” she ordered, freeing herself from Adam’s grasp. She told Ralph, “We can work this out.”
“Keep dreaming,” Ralph said as he walked out.
Gabby raced after him. Adam motioned for Karla to follow them. Alone, Tatum started to speak, but Seth interrupted her with a kiss. “I have two things to say before our marriage. One, I can take care of myself. You didn’t need to confront Gabby like that.”
“I didn’t do it for you. It was about me. Gabby went after me because you wouldn’t let her back in.”
“Two, I love you.”
“I love you,” Tatum said. “I’m sorry I missed the press conference.”
“There wasn’t a press conference,” he explained. “You women were so loud we cancelled it to see what was wrong.”
Embarrassed, Tatum told him, “I’m sorry.”
“Three,” Seth joked, “don’t start apologizing. It’s not becoming of a Carter.”
“Well then, marry me soon or we can forget the whole thing.”
“Now that’s what I’m used to.”
She kissed him.
“Now let’s get out of here before Ralph throws me out of his club.”
“I’m throwing a private party, just the two of us,” she said seductively as they walked out.
“That’s the only party I’m interested in,” he gladly told her.
Outside Score, Ralph was pacing. Gabby was gone and Karla slowly joined him. She didn’t know what to say. If it wasn’t for her, Ralph wouldn’t have lost his bed buddy.
Ralph glanced back, noticing her. Her heart sank when she saw the look on his face. He looked crushed.
Karla stopped in front of him. For the first time in her life, she was speechless. Avoiding his stare, she said the first thing that came to mind.
“Where’s Gabby?” She winced as the words came out of her almost against her will.
“She lost it.”
“She lost what?” Karla quickly glanced at him, then away.
“The baby—my baby. She lost it.”
Karla placed her hand on his arm. “You really loved her, didn’t you?”
He moved away. “Do you want something?”
“I want to make sure you’re okay.”
Ralph didn’t respond. She stared at his back. The weight of her guilt was back again. Why can’t I ever keep my mouth shut? Trying to help Tatum, she had made Ralph’s happy day into one of loss and regret.
“Who told her about me and Gabby?”
“Her?” She pretended to not understand.
“Don’t act stupid with me, Karla.” He turned to look at her.
“Fine.” She gathered her thoughts. She’d lost her job because she lied. It was time to start telling the truth. “When I heard that Gabby was saying Seth was the father of her child, I knew it was a lie because you…anyway, I didn’t want her to get away with hurting people who don’t deserve it.”
“Would you…?” He stopped.
“Would I what?”
“You know I own this place now.”
“Congratulations.” She tried to smile. Karla couldn’t connect the dots between the two subjects.
“You know about the business. You know the marketing and promotion stuff.”
“Not according to Seth.”
“Fuck Seth. Does every woman have Seth on the brain?”
She shook her head. “I know a lot. I could have made this place a huge success.”
“You still can.”
“What do you mean?”
Ralph pointed at her. “I may not want to admit it, but you just saved my life. Gabby could have ruined me, and my child, if she hadn’t lost the baby.”
“What does that have to do with Score?”
“I want you to help me make this place a success.”
Karla frowned. “You want me to wait tables or something?”
“You’re thinking of the old owner. I want you to do whatever specialty people like you do.”
“You know I was fired from my job?”
“Great sis,” he told her. “That means you can start right away.”
Karla watched him smile. Her mind raced with the possibilities. She could make this place a success. She had the ideas that would draw a crowd and… Karla stopped herself in mid-thought. It was too good to be true. Things just didn’t happen like this.
She crossed her arms. “Are you sure you’re not just doing this because of Gabby?”
“I’m not Seth. I know what I’m doing.”
Karla bit her lip as his attitude changed. Quickly, she extended her hand towards him. “It’s a deal.”
He took her hand. “You got it.”
“What are you doing?”
Seth let go of Tatum’s hand as they entered the living room of his apartment. Tatum tried to step in front of him, but he gently pushed her to the side. By the time he’d moved Tatum, his mother was throwing something between the cushions of the couch. His mother looked like a child caught doing something wrong.
“How about some orange juice?” Tatum asked as she pulled him toward the kitchen.
“You’re home early,” Kate said.
“What are you doing?” he repeated.
“I’m getting you some orange juice, my son.”
He pointed toward the couch. “What’s behind the cushions?”
Tatum tried to hold on to his hand, but he pulled away too quickly. It was his curiosity that made him disregard his mother’s privacy. If she was hiding something, it meant something was wrong as far as he was concerned, not that she might have a secret she didn’t wish to reveal.
Seth threw the cushion on the floor. Brushing the lined paper aside, he grabbed the book. He stared at it, trying to figure it out. There was a picture of people with different occupations. Seth didn’t have to figure it out because his mother was already explaining.
“It’s Tatum. She thought I should do it.”
He looked at Tatum, who stared at Kate, obviously shocked by her confession.
He lifted the book in the air. “I’m waiting.
Kate gave her a nudge before Tatum opened her mouth. “I thought it would be a good idea if your mother pursued a degree.”
He didn’t understand. “She already has her high school diploma.”
“That’s why I’m in college.”
Seth watched his mother smile. He still didn’t get it.
“She’s actually enrolled at the university,” Tatum corrected.
“The university.” He paused to look at his mother. “You’re working at the university.”
“No. She’s getting her degree. You know, like what she sent you to Cincinnati to do.”
Tatum grabbed the book from him, then handed it to Kate. “Pick up her papers. She was probably making notes.”
“I was. I haven’t had a communications class in…well, I’ve never had a communications class.”
Seth studied his mother, wondering how he’d missed the clues. It became clearer now. Three days a week she’d dropped by the apartment and stay over because she was too tired to leave. Then there were the times she rushed to the guest room after dinner to “retire” for the evening. Now he realized why there was no breakfast ready in the morning. His mother was in school.
Seth shoved his hands into his suit pants pocket. Staring from his mother to Tatum and back again, he tried to understand. He’d never considered her attending school. He’d spent so long running away from her dream he’d never thought it was possible for her to pursue it herself.
“I think he’s going to faint. You better get some water.” His mother’s joke brought him back to his senses a bit.
The two women in his life laughed, but he wasn’t ready to join them. “It’s dangerous on campus. You could get robbed or worse.”
“Son, how would you know? You never went.”
Seth glanced away. He wanted to tell her he didn’t have to go, but he didn’t. He knew he could still be sent to his room. I
nstead, he asked Tatum, “What have you gotten my mother into?”
“She wanted you to go to college, but you didn’t want to—”
“I know. I was there.”
“Anyway,” Tatum continued as if she’d never been interrupted, “I know she really wanted you to fulfill her dream. So, now that she has the time, she can go to college herself.”
“I’m starting with my Associates like Tatum did.”
Seth glanced at his mother. “That place is dangerous and some punk may try to run you over—”
“I’m taking day classes, and I already have a walking buddy.”
Exhaling, he stared at his mother’s expression. “I should have been able to fulfill your dream.”
“No, my son. It was my dream. I’m the only one who can do it. That’s what Tatum made me realize. All those years we wasted not talking was because I was trying to push you to do what I didn’t have the money to do. You had your own dreams, and I’m glad your daddy and I couldn’t stop you.”
Those were the words he’d waited to hear for years. He couldn’t believe she understood what he’d been trying to convey.
Seth stood straighter than he had in years. The weight—no, the burden—he’d felt was gone. His mother was living her own dream. It was the best thing he could ask for.
“You’re going to have to move here. You know that?”
Kate looked surprised. “I think you and Tatum need time alone after you’re married. I want a degree and grandchildren.”
“I was planning to sell the house so we could get something in the city. So you can stay here.”
She hugged Tatum, then Seth. She grabbed her papers from the couch and waved, yelling from the stairs, “I have a quiz on Monday that I need to study for.”
After kissing Tatum, Seth told her, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And thank you.”
“For not taking no for an answer?” he questioned.
“For helping me realize that having someone who loves you is better than having family who won’t accept you.”
He caressed her cheek as he studied her. He was the fortunate one. He’d regained his family while she’d lost hers. “Are you going to be satisfied with a life without your family?”
Seth watched her smile, but he noticed she didn’t make eye contact. “I’m happier with you than I have ever been in my life.”
“Will I ever meet them?”
Tatum didn’t answer.
“We can pretend I’m just light skinned.”
She smiled, looked at him. “Neither one of us is ever going to pretend we are something we’re not. I’ll invite them to the wedding. If they show, then good, and if they don’t, that’s good too.”
He kissed her. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
He chuckled. Hugging her, he enjoyed the turn his life had taken. Seth had everything he wanted. His mother was back in his life and he’d found the love of his life. Nothing could be better.
“Seth.”
He pulled away from her. “You want to elope?” he joked.
Shaking her head, she didn’t answer immediately. His body tensed when she avoided his gaze.
“What?”
“We’ve never discussed this before, and I was wondering…”
The torture was killing him. There weren’t any more problems unless she wanted him to hire Karla to wait tables at one of his remaining restaurants or something. He started to say something, then stopped. Seth had learned to let her take her time.
“We’ve never talked about children. Do you want any?”
He stared at her flat stomach. “Are you pregnant?”
She shook her head. “I just wanted to make sure you wanted children.”
“Babe, I don’t think Mama’s going to let me get away with not giving her grandchildren.”
“Good. I want a lot.”
“Then let’s get started.” He kissed her.
“I’m not doing anything with your mother in the apartment.” She walked away.
He grabbed her hand and led to her to the door. “I’m starting to get a complex. Babe, this is the second place I’ve given up today.”
“We can stay and—”
“No. We need practice baby making.”
The End
About the Author
Demetrius Sewell, a former legal writer, lives with family in Southwest Ohio. Sewell has always loved writing fiction and creating characters that go through real-life situations. When not writing fiction, she spends time vacationing with family and friends.
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