First, I’d like you to know I had nothing to do with Granville allegedly shooting you. I say “allegedly” because I wasn’t at your reception and no one has found the weapon. Not the one he used.
When a man loves a woman, he’ll do irrational things. I didn’t kill my daughters’ mother but I am responsible for her disappearance. Jasmine had begged me not to send Siara to Paris. Said she’d do everything in her power to keep our daughter from going. She never knew about the millions I’d received. Jasmine is alive. Wish I could say she was well but I have no idea. I haven’t visited her in the ten years she’s been in the mental institution.
Her slip and fall down the stairs was an accident. I carried her up the stairs to our room, gave her an overdose of pain medication so she could sleep it off, then lied and said she tried to commit suicide. Sometimes it’s just our time and sometimes not. For you, it wasn’t your time. For me, my time is up.
The institution thought Jasmine tried to commit suicide. With her telling them what I’d done with Siara, it was more convenient for me to let Jasmine stay where she was. Financially, I made sure she was comfortable. I would say, “Give Jasmine my love,” but I have none to offer her or anyone.
Granville won’t bother you ever again. Sindy made sure of it. She moved Granville into The Royalton and accepted you into her house to protect you. She bought and sold your place without ever having her name on the deed. She had Granville take a blood test to prove to you Madison’s baby isn’t yours. The kid is yours. Hopefully you’ll be a better father than you are a cheater. You’re still a married man. You shouldn’t be dating Sindy or any woman.
The way you’ve treated my daughter is unacceptable. When she needed you, you were not there for her. Sindy is royalty. I arranged marriages for my daughters to keep it that way. Siara is happily married. Sindy would be too if she weren’t so stubborn. If you procreate with Sindy, you’ll taint our family’s name. You don’t deserve her. If you truly love Sindy, let her go.
Respectfully, Charles Singleton
Digging into my pocket, I pulled out the engagement ring I bought Sindy. Size six. Fifty g’s. Worth every penny. Now some dead dude was telling me I wasn’t good enough for his daughter. After all he’d said about how his daughter loved me when I didn’t know she was alive. I didn’t believe Sindy had bought my place or went behind my back and had a paternity test done. I knew her. She wouldn’t do that.
I put the ring back in my pocket. Sindy would have to tell me no, because I was definitely going to ask.
A call interrupted my trying to make sense of the letter. “Hello.”
“You all right?” my mother asked.
“Nah, Ma. I’m not.” I couldn’t lie. I was fucked up.
“Go get your son,” she said. “And bring him to me.”
“Is he really mine, Ma?”
“Do what your mother told you. And have your attorney subpoena Johnny Tyler.”
Ending the call with my mother, I had to call Madison.
She answered, “Hi, there,” in the sweetest tone.
“I’m coming to get my son. I’m on my way.”
CHAPTER 46
Sindy
Getting home sooner was my goal but business came first.
Although my cell hadn’t rung, I’d checked every half hour hoping there’d be a text or voice message from Roosevelt. There wasn’t.
No calls from Helen. What now? I thought. Hopefully he hadn’t discovered any of my secrets, especially the one about his son.
I responded to the last e-mail, then powered off my laptop. Numbiya had left hours ago for a dinner date with Chaz. A stack of legal documents couriered over by my father’s attorney would have to wait until tomorrow. Exhausted, I exited the building then sat in my car. I looked behind the passenger seat. Fortunately, the fresh-cut flowers I had delivered earlier hadn’t wilted. They’d been in here over twelve hours.
As expected, there was no after-midnight traffic or accidents. I really didn’t want to go home, or stay at the office, or be anywhere all day. Work helped me get through my sorrow. I couldn’t explain the pain in my heart. I missed my father. After all the bad things Charles Singleton had done, he’d gotten at least two of them right. I dried my tears praying I would not inherit my father’s manipulative ways.
The drive to my place was quick.
“Roosevelt,” I called out as soon as entered my home.
I placed my purse on the table in the foyer. My arms were filled with the two dozens of roses I’d gotten to show Roosevelt my appreciation for supporting me during my loss. Both bouquets were a combination of red and white for love and friendship.
Where was he? I placed the vases on a table in my family room, then searched the first floor. “Roosevelt?” This time my pitch was higher.
Two o’clock in the morning. It was too late for him to be out. Too early for him to be gone to his office. Trotting upstairs, I knocked on his bedroom door. “Roosevelt. Babe, you in there?”
There was no answer. I turned the knob. “Not this shit again,” I thought scanning the room. I knew he hadn’t abandoned me. My father just died.
Don’t make any assumptions. How could I not? He hadn’t contacted me all day. Not once. I started crying. I was hurt. Angry. Maybe I was grieving.
I screamed, “I hate you!” In this moment, that could’ve been meant for my father, for leaving me. Roosevelt, for his fading to black again. Or for myself.
The bed was neatly made. Two suitcases were near the door. I snatched the handles, dragged both bags to the top of the staircase, then pushed them over. I watched his luggage tumble down twenty-one steps then land upside down at the bottom. I was so disgusted I didn’t bother throwing them out. I left them there, went into my room, and slammed the door.
I exhaled in disbelief. A letter neatly lay atop my pillow. Roosevelt wasn’t man enough to tell me in person. The envelope was face down. Picking it up, I had every intention of ripping it in half until I saw: “From: Charles Singleton.” Felt as though my heart paused then pounded.
Okay, this was why he needed to talk to Roosevelt alone. The man was stiff as wood and I still had to deal with his shit. The muscles in my legs weakened. I sat on the edge of my bed holding the letter.
“If I open this, I may have regrets. If I never open it, it won’t matter.”
What difference will it make?
Dear Sindy,
Take care of Siara. It’s okay now for you to visit her and my grandkids. Tell her that I love her. Don’t blame your sister for refusing to see you. I told her not to. At first I thought you’d be a bad influence. Try to convince Siara to come home. Maybe I was right. I did what I thought was best but as I got older, I realized I could’ve done better.
I’m still hopeful you’ll go to Dubai, marry the man that is waiting for you. We must keep the Singleton name associated with wealth. It is the only way you can inherit your riches. If you don’t go to Dubai, your sister will get everything.
Your sister and your mother. You’ll find out where your mother is when the time is right. I know this is shocking but if I’d told you in this letter, you’d overreact and go straight to her. You need to prepare yourself. I have no idea what your mother’s mental or physical state is. I have no regrets. Just sorrow. The two are not the same.
“What?!”
I didn’t care about Charles’s feelings. He was right. I wanted to see my mom. I scanned through the letter hoping to find out more about my mother.
“Thanks for saving me a trip,” Roosevelt shouted from downstairs. “You didn’t have to toss my luggage down here!”
I shouted, “You are truly welcome!” then slammed my bedroom door hard enough to make a picture on the wall crash to the floor. I had more important matters to tend to. How could I tell Roosevelt about my mother when I’d never mentioned Jasmine to him? How could I ignore the fact that he’d left me, again? I sat on my bed staring at the letter.
Roosevelt entered my room without knocking.
“Sindy, what’s wrong?” he asked sitting beside me.
Was he serious? Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! “I don’t need this right now,” I cried.
Roosevelt grabbed my wrists. “Whoa, I am not your enemy.”
I jerked trying to free my arms so I could slap him again.
“Stop it, Sindy. I know you’re dealing with a lot but don’t hit me again.” His arms pulled me to him. He held me close. “Sindy, I love you.”
“You don’t know what love is. Let me go!” I struggled to free myself from his embrace. I was angry. At my father, for not loving me. At Roosevelt, for leaving me for Madison.
Holding me tighter, he said, “Yes, I do.”
I screamed loud as I could, “Why didn’t you call me? Where were you? Get your hands off of me!”
“Fine,” he said releasing me as though I’d done something wrong to him.
I shoved the letter into his hand. “Is this why my dad wanted to see you before he took his last breath? Is it your ownership papers of me? Did you cut a deal with that devil? Do you have his cell phone?”
Roosevelt’s eyes filled with tears. He shook his head, dried his eyes. “I don’t deserve this or you,” he said handing me a letter addressed to him from my father. “I’ll see myself out.”
“Do that! And don’t come back! Madison can have you! You’ve abandoned me for the last time!”
I didn’t want him to go.
Click. I cried when I heard my front door close. Felt like someone had pulled the trigger and shot me in the head. I was going insane. I went to the staircase, leaned over hoping he’d be there. He was gone. His bags were gone.
I was alone. Again.
My cell rang. My purse was downstairs. I didn’t bother. Instead of reading the letter my father gave to me, I unfolded the page Roosevelt had given me.
I swore when I got to the end, it felt as though my heart had stopped beating. If I went to the morgue this moment, I’d kill Charles Singleton if he weren’t already dead.
CHAPTER 47
Granville
There wasn’t much to pack from my condo.
Well, it wasn’t mine anyway. Sindy had leased it for me. That was nice of her. Watching the video on the thumb drive made me sad. I wasn’t responsible for Charles Singleton’s death. But it could look that way. The footage of Mama’s funeral showed Beaux putting the gun in the coffin. I couldn’t let my brother go to jail. I couldn’t be retried but Beaux could be charged.
Who gave Sindy that info from Mama’s funeral? I guess women had their way of getting what they wanted.
If anyone saw that I’d knocked an old man to the floor weeks before he suffered a heart attack, my black ass would have to get real comfortable being in a cell. Sindy knew that wasn’t my fault. She was there. He coughed on me. Blood. Well, at least I wasn’t crazy. The paternity test proved I was right. Madison didn’t have to keep ignoring my calls. I didn’t want her. I had a wife and another baby on the way.
“Big daddy, don’t worry,” Mahogany said kissing my bald head. “When she bring us your son, I’m going to take care of y’all like you’ve done for me. We’ll be one big happy family. I’m going to shower,” she said powering off my computer. “You don’t need to see that again. Ain’t nobody sending my husband or his brother to jail.”
She left me sitting at the dining room table looking at a blank screen. All of her clothes, except the ones she was going to wear, were already in the suitcase I’d bought her. She didn’t have much. I didn’t care about that. Mahogany was the first woman who loved me. I’d buy her whatever she wanted, which wasn’t much. Here and there she’d mention she liked something, but she still never asked me for anything.
I knew Sindy wasn’t my friend but I thought she cared about me. All she’d done was the same as Loretta and Madison—use me.
Material things were nice. Mama had said, “People are more important than possessions.” I was going to miss the simple stuff like the oversize fluffy towels, good-smelling men’s body wash, the big bed and the firm king-size pillows. I had enough money to buy it all again. Just couldn’t stay in Texas. My wife could do the shopping for us when we got to Los Angeles.
Guessed I’d better stop moping. I went into the bedroom. Mahogany was sliding lotion all over her body.
“Put some on my back, big daddy,” she said handing me the bottle.
No matter how down I was, seeing her beautiful naked body and smiling face cheered me up. I rubbed her shoulders and her back.
She jiggled her booty. I squeezed lotion in my hand, slid my palms together, then rubbed her butt.
“That feels good,” she moaned bending over.
Instantly, I got hard wood. “Lay down.”
“Okay.” She sprawled across the comforter.
I knew we shouldn’t have sex on top of the good cover but we were leaving and they’d have to clean it anyway. I stared down at my wife. I had a wife. Still didn’t seem real.
Mahogany never denied me. I’d already cleaned myself, didn’t mind doing it again later. I removed my clothes. This time I put my dick in my wife without licking her pussy first. Soon as my head went inside her, all I could think about was how good she made me feel.
I didn’t have to rush. She wasn’t leaving me. This was my pussy. Stuffing all of my salami into her warm juices, quickly I pulled out.
“Do that again, big daddy,” she moaned.
Easing my head in, I slid deep as I could, then pulled out again. By the third time, I stroked her deep without coming out. She grabbed her titties. Her hips moved toward me. Felt like her pussy was trying to swallow my dick again.
“You ready,” she said.
I shook my head. “Fuck. Motherfucker!” I screamed.
The back of my thigh tightened right when I was cumming. I kept stroking. Didn’t want to mess up either of our nuts. Her sex felt so good, the charley horse would have to wait until I was done making love to my wife.
“You always make me feel good, big daddy. We’ve got to get ready for the baby and our flight to LA.” She kissed my bald head, slid out of bed, and stepped into the shower.
I got in with her this time. I stared at her face as she washed my chest. My bottom lip covered my top. I wanted to cry. I felt bad for having shot Chicago. What if some man tried to kill me because I was in love with his wife. Guess I’d have to live with what I’d done forever.
“What you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” I lied.
How could this gorgeous girl be raised in foster care by a woman who was jealous of her? Mahogany didn’t have to worry about making minimum wage or not being able to pay her bills ever again. Once upon a time I thought I needed a woman like Madison. A showpiece that every man would like to have on his arm. Even after seeing Madison’s bigger boobs, I still didn’t want her no more.
Mahogany was attractive inside and out and that made her my queen for life.
“I love you, big daddy,” she said getting out of the shower. “What time did you say the baby is going to be dropped off?”
“Noon.”
“It’s one o’clock,” she said.
I dried off, then texted Sindy: Where are you?
Getting dressed, I finished packing my things and put my suitcase at the door.
A text came from Beaux. I’m at the gate. Where are you guys?
Damn, my mind really was messed up. Beaux was at the airport. Our flight to Los Angeles was in two hours. I wasn’t leaving without my son.
I texted my brother. Zach isn’t here yet, dude. Don’t miss your flight. If we miss ours, we’ll catch the next one.
You sure?
Bro, I’m positive.
Sitting on the sofa with Mahogany, we watched two episodes of Divorce Court. Two more of Judge Mathis. Two more of Judge Joe Brown.
I texted Sindy again. Where the fuck are you? I wanted to add, “Bitch!” I was tired of doing what women told me. I was a grown man.
It was five o’clock. Beaux had
already landed in LA and checked into our room at the Beverly Wilshire.
“We can come back for Zach. Let’s just go,” Mahogany said. “She’s not coming, big daddy.”
When I opened the door, Chicago’s mother was standing there with my son in her arms.
“Hello, Granville. You have a moment?”
CHAPTER 48
Sindy
What was I to wear to court?
In the midst of dealing with my father’s funeral arrangements, I shouldn’t have had to be sandwiched in between Madison and Roosevelt’s issues. What did Madison intend to prove by having me appear as a witness for her divorce? I had more important matters to attend to. The most important was I still hadn’t found my mother.
How was I to find someone that was legally dead? Had my father changed her name? Had he sold my mother? Was Roosevelt withholding information that my father had given him?
I needed to look better than I felt. I’m not dressing down today. After oiling my entire body, I toweled off the excess. The form-fitting cream-colored sleeveless dress I’d worn the day I met Roosevelt was what I’d selected. The same leopard stilettos, Rolex watch, and diamond earrings were on my feet, wrist, and in my ears. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t wear red lipstick to court but I didn’t care about what others thought. Not even the judge.
I opened the door to the bedroom where Roosevelt had slept. His scent lingered. Where was he laying his head now? Madison’s? His brother’s? His mom’s? Why should I care?
My doorbell rang. I grabbed my purse, made sure both letters from my father were inside. I took them everywhere with me. Didn’t want to risk losing them by any means. I headed downstairs.
As I opened the door, we both laughed. Numbiya had on a red pantsuit, animal print fitted top, and high leopard heels.
“Guess it’s going to be that kind of day,” I said.
“Girlfriend, we’re going to get through this morning, and move on with our day,” she said getting into her red BMW convertible. “After this hearing, I’m dropping this top, we’re popping the bottle of champagne that’s on ice in my trunk. I’m taking you to our favorite spa for a mani-pedi and massage. Then, queen, I’m taking you to dinner.”
If You Don't Know Me Page 23
