Honk! Honk! “Move out my way,” I shouted motioning for the woman in front of me to stop switching lanes just so she could stay ahead of me.
She sat at the green light. Curved her tires to the right, moved a few inches. Then she cut to the left when I attempted to go around. When the light showed yellow she crept across the intersection.
Ooh I wished we were in bumper cars, I’d knock her ass on the curb.
I wanted to hit this woman and run Sindy over. Once I saw the green light, I made sure I stayed ahead of every car behind me on Westheimer Road. Turning left onto Kirby Drive, I parked in the lot, got my baby out of his car seat, left the diaper bag, and stormed into his office.
“I need to speak with my lawyer now!”
Standing in front of the receptionist, I rocked my son in my arms.
“He’s with a client, Ms. Tyler. Do you have an appointment?”
“Are you hard of hearing or just dumb? What part of ‘my lawyer’ don’t you understand? And it’s Mrs. DuBois, not Ms. Tyler.”
Zach started crying.
“See what you’ve done!” I told her.
My divorce attorney’s office door opened. A woman walked out smiling. I bypassed both of them and stormed in. Standing in front of his desk, I said, “Close the door, Vermont.”
He stood with his hand on the knob. “Madison, we do not have an appointment.”
“We do now,” I said inviting myself to a seat. “We have to do something about my husband sexing another woman. I want to sue Sindy Singleton for alienation of affection.”
He closed the door, sat in his chair, then shook his head.
“Don’t tell me no. I pay you. Look at this video.” I placed my cell on the glass covering his desk.
He exhaled. “The first thing you need to do is calm down. And yes you are on the clock.”
I didn’t care about the money I’d have to pay him. I was getting it back from Sindy. She’d screwed the wrong woman’s husband.
Vermont firmly said, “You can’t sue for alienation of affection.”
“Are you watching?!” I pointed at my cell. “She’s a home wrecker.”
If the baby in my lap wasn’t Roosevelt’s, as Zach got older he might start to look like Granville. Sindy would probably be the first to notice since her ass wanted my man.
“This videotape doesn’t matter. You can’t sue because alienation of affection is not against the law in the state of Texas.”
“What! Says who? Why not? Goddamn Republicans. That’s why they send their wives to the crazy house and get away with it. Well, nobody is sending Madison Ty—I mean DuBois—up the river. I’ll drown that bitch first.”
Zach started crying. I rocked him in my arms.
Vermont shrugged his shoulders. His crisp white shirt and designer gold tie were immaculate, just like him. If he weren’t twenty years my senior, I’d let him put an engagement ring on my finger.
The ring was mandatory. I didn’t believe in dating a man exclusively unless he proved he was serious.
“Texas is a testosterone state, so to speak.” A smile crept across his face. He placed my phone in front of me, then leaned back in his chair.
Guess that was why he never married, had no kids. The more I thought about it, most of the divorce attorneys I knew were single.
“I’m serious about getting rid of this woman. Preferably the legal way. What can I do?”
“You can say three Hail Marys and hope Chicago changes his mind.” He laughed.
I didn’t. I wasn’t joking with him. Vermont was always good for comic relief but if that were meant to be a joke, his timing was off.
“You’re entitled to half of whatever he’s earned since the marriage.”
I thought about the ten million Roosevelt’s grandfather had given him but that was before we walked down the aisle. His buying Papa’s company was after we were married.
“I need to sue Sindy! Not my husband.”
My lawyer stared at me, then exhaled. “You can subpoena her to court to testify about her relationship with your husband but that wouldn’t work in your favor. Regardless of what Sindy says, the judge will still grant Chicago a divorce. And let’s not forget, the man you had sex with shot your husband. Chicago could subpoena him to court. And, if that happens, depending on how the jury deliberates, you may end up with nothing. Court is tricky, Madison.”
Yeah, and you’re no damn magician. I know. “Walk away with nothing. Over his dead body,” I said. Even if Roosevelt took it that far he wouldn’t deny his son because he didn’t know what my father had done. For a second, I hated Johnny Tyler.
“Watch your words. That crazy guy is already back behind bars. And it’s alleged that he’s going to kill Roosevelt. You go threatening Chicago and the community will think you’re the one who wants Chicago dead.”
“What are you talking about? Granville is back behind bars for violating his protective order.”
“You need to get back into the world soon as possible. It’s all over social media. I think some guy started the rumor. Probably a football fan. Whether it’s true doesn’t matter. Watch what you say to others. Maybe you shouldn’t follow this stuff. All the online drama can be a waste of your time. Get out of the house more. That’s healthier.”
“Zach is one week old. I can’t take him out for another five weeks.”
Quietly, Vermont raised a brow.
“I’m not leaving my baby with my mother before then.” I scooted to the edge of my seat, picked up my phone. “Watch the video again. There’s got to be something here we can use,” I said pressing PLAY.
This time Vermont watched until it stopped. Looking at the expression on his face, I wasn’t sure if he was trying to decipher what to do, or if he was being entertained.
Placing my cell in front of me, he said, “I refuse to present this as evidence. I don’t even want to know how you got this but I can tell your method is illegal. I suggest you delete it immediately.”
He was saying delete while his eyes were fixed on me and barely blinking. “I’ll decide what to do with it but I’m not getting rid of it.”
Vermont walked to the door and opened it.
“Madison, it’s time for you to leave. My best legal advice is for you to let the Sindy situation go. If you truly want your husband, focus on Chicago and how to win him back.”
CHAPTER 14
Granville
I couldn’t believe I was back here.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I wanted to wobble my head and smirk at her. Whoever gave her a robe should give me one too. She wasn’t the boss of me. I already had one supervisor. Hope Manny hadn’t fired me.
“Mr. Washington. You’re charged with violating the protective order Loretta Lovelace has against you. You were within five hundred feet of her residence. How do you plead?”
Was there a right answer? I thought it was supposed to be one hundred. Could I get off on a mistake? If I said I was guilty, I couldn’t go back to see my son. If I plead innocent, I’d be found guilty because Madison’s house was next door to Loretta’s.
I hated this orange jumper they’d given me. I didn’t need a court-appointed lawyer. I’d represented myself on an attempted murder case and won. Hopefully, I could beat this charge too.
Standing tall, I squared my shoulders. Confidently, I said, “Your Honor. My girlfriend lives next door to Ms. Lovelace. I was within five hundred yards by default. I’d like to request a court order granting me visitation to see my son. I mean, can the protective order be modified so I can legally visit my kid? Besides, Ms. Lovelace failed to appear so technically my case should be dismissed.”
That judge stared at me through narrow eyelids the width of a sheet of paper. How’d she do that? She looked scary. I leaned back a little. Did the same. Where were all the male judges? Why did I always have a woman deciding whether I was right or wrong?
“Mr. Washington, how do you plead?” she said.
“Oh, wait. Strike my last
comment from the record. I meant to say feet. Not yards.”
I swore she didn’t blink those big brown eyes once she opened them wide. I did the same but I couldn’t hold out as long as her. She won. I blinked. If she let me do her, I bet she’d shut her eyes and open her mouth and scream my name.
I could tell when a woman was fed up with me. I said, “No contest.” Before she got mad, I said, “I mean, not guilty.” I shook my head. “No contest. That’s it. I don’t wanna say either way.”
What difference did it make? She’d probably already made up her mind. That’s how women were. Decision already in their head and they messing with me.
“Who’s your girlfriend, Mr. Washington?”
I stood taller. “Loret—I mean Madison.”
“Mr. Washington, you think my courtroom is a platform for your humor. Thirty days mandatory in the Federal Detention Center.”
I’d seen on television how that football player slapped his attorney on the ass after the judge let him off. That female judge gave him thirty days. Somebody on a talk show said if the player would’ve apologized, he might have gotten that judge to change her mind.
“I’m sorry, Your Honor. But I made a mistake. Please forgive me. Please, please, please.” Get out of my head, donkey! “I wasn’t joking. I wouldn’t do that.” Of all times for me to think about Shrek. I hung my head. Mama would be embarrassed for me if she were alive.
She banged her gavel. Handing my file to the clerk, the judge picked up another file. “Lyons versus Perkins.”
“Your Honor, I don’t understand. What you decide?”
Ignoring me, she spoke to the bailiff. “Get him out of here.”
At least I didn’t have to go back on suicide watch. That glass-enclosed room was freezing cold. The cover they gave me was a sheet, no blanket. Guess all of that air conditioning was to keep my mind off hurting myself, which was never my intention.
I’d lain in that bed staring at the ceiling. No cellmate. The only way I could communicate with the watch guard was to speak through that beige telephone receiver. Mama used a telephone something like that. She never had a cell phone. But hers had a long spiral cord.
Checking back in, I was happy to get that brown blanket. I got another pair of tan pants and a matching colored top, socks, and shower shoes. Last time I served, I got a green shirt and pants. That was for inmates with jobs. The only job I wanted was my construction one. Hopefully, Manny would hold it for me for twenty-eight more days.
“Fuck!” I yelled.
The guard put his hand on his gun. “If you’re going to go upside your head again, man, I’m sending you to isolation on the seventh floor.”
I shook my head. “I’m good.” Chill out, dude! I wished I could trade places with him for one day.
Solitary confinement would’ve kept me from getting into trouble. The seventh floor was where the worst prisoners were housed. A few that should’ve been transferred to state pen had been there for more than the three-year limit at FDC. One kid should’ve been sent to state but the warden didn’t send him because he was eighteen, small framed, blond haired with blue eyes. She knew what was going to happen to him if he transferred. It had probably happened here. Just not as often.
Where was Charles Singleton? I needed his number so I could call him. Now that I thought about him, he should’ve bailed me out. Maybe he wasn’t in a hurry for me to get dude. If Charles was trying to break me, that was not happening.
The door to the cell closed. I had a new cellmate.
Being raped wasn’t my concern. I was worried about my being promoted to supervisor and by the time I got out I’d probably get fired. Manny was a good father to his kids. If he gave me the chance to explain my side, I was sure at a minimum I could keep operating heavy machinery. Before all this mess, I hadn’t missed a day of work. Finally got the recognition I deserved. Now it might all be gone because I wanted to see my son.
My son! I’m not crazy. That boy looks just like me!
CHAPTER 15
Sindy
“Is Madison going to let us get Zach today?”
Babies were adorable, cute, and innocent. If Zach were Roosevelt’s, I had to accept him into my heart, help rear him as though he were mine. He’d have two moms. Lucky kid didn’t know how amazing his life was going to be.
I recalled the day Madison was in labor with him. The moment I stepped into her birthing room, Roosevelt was magnetically drawn to me. That was not the case right now.
I wrapped my arms around him. Roosevelt shook his head. He slouched on his sofa. Clamped his hands behind his neck.
“You look like you could use a hug,” I told him.
He sat motionless beside me. I held him. There was no reaction.
I knew Madison didn’t want me in her delivery room a week ago. But with her being in bed with her legs up, what could she do? Her mother was passive. Rosalee hadn’t told me to leave, nor had she attempted to escort me out.
“Baby, what’s wrong? Talk to me. Are you upset from last night? Was it my not wanting to have intercourse?”
“Sindy, please.”
Please, what? Go away? Shut up? That wasn’t going to happen.
If my mother had spoken up, she might still be alive. It was foolish of me to hold on to the possibility of her not being dead. My father had done ruthless things but I’d never proved him a liar. My mother hadn’t seen any of my sister’s three children. Someday I wanted two, maybe three kids by Roosevelt. I’d never give up on them or him.
If that were me in that birthing bed, and my husband’s mistress walked in, and my mother was there, I was sure the other woman wouldn’t have made it past step two. But what would Roosevelt have done?
He moved his hand, then moved my arms. “Please, Sindy. Not now.”
Had the things I’d done with him, to him, made him reject me? I went to the kitchen, poured a tall glass of orange juice. The doorbell was a welcome interruption. “You want me to see who that is?”
Roosevelt didn’t move. “Sure.”
I opened the door.
“Hey, Sindy,” Chaz said kissing me on the cheek. “Hey, man. Why you not answering your phone? We’re late. Let’s—” Chaz paused then looked at Roosevelt. “Not this again. Let’s go. We can discuss it on our way to the office.”
Slowly, Roosevelt got himself together. He picked up his cell, wallet, and keys. “I’ll call you later,” he said somberly.
Why was he acting and sounding like someone had died?
“Long as we have our health, honey, everything else is secondary,” I said trying to lift his spirit. “I’ll lock your door on my way out.”
He knew that but I didn’t know what else to say.
Normally, he’d respond, “I love having you here. Stay long as you’d like.” This time he didn’t say anything. Men internalized too much. I was not wasting time speculating. When he was ready, he’d bring it up.
When the door closed, I called my contact, the prison guard at FDC.
“Hey, I haven’t heard from you since we took care of Nyle last night. That GM must have you on lockdown.” He laughed, then asked, “Do I hear wedding bells?”
“We’re getting there. Listen, I called to find out if you know anything. I know why Granville was arrested but what is he saying?” It was best to start the conversation discussing business first.
“He’s pretty much kept to himself. The judge is making him do the full thirty. It’s only been two days but he’s staying out of trouble.”
Narrowing my quest for information, I asked, “Does he talk about family?”
“Aw, man. I see where you’re headed. When I processed him in . . . that dude is bent on seeing his kid. Claims Chicago’s baby is his. I don’t know if he’s crazy but he’s definitely bananas over that lil boy. Hopefully he won’t do anything stupid like kidnap the kid. Have you seen the online posts about that dude?”
I thought about Roosevelt’s sudden mood change. Had Nyle started spreading the al
legation of Granville attempting to kill Chicago? “Thanks. I’ve got to go.”
“Anything for you.”
We ended our call at the same time. Swallowing a sip of juice, I placed the glass on the counter, then retrieved my iPad from my purse.
A reminder popped up. My Skype session with Siara was in fifteen minutes.
I googled “Granville Washington.” OMG. This was not what I expected. We had a major problem. Nyle was ahead of me. I texted him: Don’t do anything else until we speak.
Instantly, he replied: What about Port Arthur?
Nothing.
He responded: OK
The threats had to be the reason Roosevelt was despondent. Calling my dad wouldn’t help my position. I googled “Sindy Singleton +Granville Washington.” Various listings popped up. Nothing connected Granville and me. Did the same with Nyle Carter. Thank God there were no pics of us together.
Exhaling, a search for “Granville Washington+Madison DuBois” didn’t reveal a connection. I sensed that baby was his. At least I prayed it was. Now I had to prove it.
Inside contacts at FDC were invaluable. One call to my friend at the Federal Detention Center and I’d concluded Granville had no intentions of violating his protective order to harass Loretta. Madison’s home was his destination. Still, I needed Granville behind bars until I reevaluated my strategy. If my father hadn’t hired Granville to kill my man, I’d talk to the judge, request Granville’s release, and help him present a case for paternity.
Granville had a heart. A huge one. His emotions made him dangerous enough to kill. He needed an incentive to do right, not wrong. That man believed Zach was his son and I did too. Now it was time for Sindy to form a stronger alliance against Madison and my father. I had the perfect personal assistants in mind.
First, I had to face-chat with my sister. Opening Skype, I clicked on her screen name. Her eyes sparkled. “Hey, you look more amazing than usual. What’s the good news?” I asked.
If You Don't Know Me Page 9
