Color of Deception

by Khara Campbell

  “Hey handsome, you’re such a cutie pie,” Debra cooed at Carl, he gave her a gummy smile that only melted her heart. She loved him more than she thought was possible.

  The doorbell rang breaking her admiration of the delightful baby in front of her. She placed her text book to the side and walked to the front door.

  When she got to the front door and peeped through the peephole she turned around quickly pressing her back against the door in shock of who she saw on the other side. What is he doing here? Her right hand covered her mouth as she tried to muzzle the gasp that escaped her mouth. She contemplated ignoring the other ringing of doorbell that the unwelcomed guest pressed announcing their visit.

  Debra looked over at Carl a few feet away in the living room swinging away contently. Her heart constricted like a momma bear in protective mode as she turned around toward the front door and started to unlock and open the door.

  “Hello,” Debra greeted as calmly as possible watching the unwelcomed guest, with a guarded expression on her face.

  “I want to see him.” Roger demanded, lifting his head which showed a flash of fury in his eyes. This caught Debra by surprise, that – and some resemblance of Carl she saw on the man’s face. She knew her baby’s face well enough to know.

  She had heard the rumors of him possibly being Carl’s father since he was the last person people remembered Carlisha being involved with, but since he’d not voluntarily admitted it or stepped forward to claim the baby, she assumed he wasn’t the father after all. But now, with him standing in front of her, her emotions were haywire. She wanted to protect Carl from anything and anyone. Plus, she’d already bonded and gotten used to her role in his life, that she couldn’t imagine him being taken away from her – not even by his father. Succumbing to his conscience and wanting to do the right thing be damned, because Roger couldn’t be trying to take Carl away from her.

  Fear gripped her, making her pale skin even paler, and she stepped back and tried to shut the door in his face, but Roger shoved his Timberland booted foot in the door preventing her.

  “I want to see my son!” He angrily pushed the door open with his hand. Debra could smell alcohol on his breath which only intensified her fear.

  “He’s sleeping,” she lied trying to buy time.

  Roger stumbled back drunkenly trying to get his footing.

  Two hours ago, he and Porsha had gotten into another one of their arguments. She went on a rampage with him when he was disciplining their eight-year-old son for cussing at him, calling him every word out of his name. Roger was whooping his son’s butt with the belt when Porsha came running out of their bedroom after hearing the cussing and fighting. She yanked her eight-year-old out of Roger’s way while calling every other word out of his name that their son hadn’t used. When Roger retaliated by calling her an unfit mother for teaching their children how to be disrespectful, ungrateful brats, was when she vehemently announced that the eight-year-old wasn’t even his son.

  Roger had his doubts about the paternity of all their children. But heck if what she said didn’t knock the wind out of him. Which only became worse when the eight-year-old taunted – “Yeah you’re not my daddy!”

  Roger stormed out of the house quickly – afraid if he stayed a moment longer he would’ve killed Porsha with his bare hands and he would have enjoyed every moment of it as life slipped from her vile body. The word hate was an extremely underrated word to describe his feelings for his wife.

  Moments after he left the house, he was parked in front of his favorite liquor store. He needed a drink. Something dark and potent. That or go back home to feed his flesh by getting rid of his wife. He didn’t understand why he was angry with her. He always suspected as much. But reality was tormenting the hell out of him. He sat in his car after the purchase and drank until his feelings were numb. Then he started his car and drove, by miracle of not killing someone or himself.

  Now he was standing drunk on Pete’s doorsteps demanding to see his son. At least he knew that this child was his. A child you wanted to get rid of, his intoxicated conscious taunted him.

  “I don’t care if he’s sleeping gotdammit, I want to see my son!” Roger pushed his way inside the house. Debra tried to block him, push his unstable body backwards outside the door, but his height and weight were too much for her. Roger staggered forward, toward the living room when he caught sight of Carl in the swing.

  Debra dashed ahead of him quickly unbuckling and scooping Carl into her protective arms. “I swear to God I will call the police if you don’t leave now!” she screamed as Roger now drunkenly stumbled toward her as she tried to make an escape out of the living room through the dining room.

  “I just want to see my son! That’s not your baby –”

  “What is going on in here?” Pete thundered, appearing out of nowhere.

  When he pulled up to the house and saw an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway and the front door wide open he became alarmed, so he parked and came through the front instead of parking in the garage like he usually did.

  “Oh thank God, Pete!” Debra exclaimed clutching the baby to her chest. “He’s trying to take Carl.”

  “I’m his father,” Roger slurred looking at Pete as he charged toward him.

  “Get out of my house!” Pete snapped, nostrils flaring, fists clenched, his cream complexion reddened with rage.

  “I just… want to…sss…see him…” Roger lost his footing and spilled backwards falling to the floor just inches away from knocking a side table in the living room over.

  Pete cussed under his breath at the pitiful sight of Roger trying to pull himself up off his living room floor. He continued toward him. He recognized him immediately as the rumored possible father of Carl.

  Kneeling before Roger, Pete spoke “Let me make this clear to you, Roger, or whatever your name may be. Carl is my responsibility now and I’ll be damned if I let you or anyone one else try to hurt my son.”

  Roger laughed, giving Pete a whiff of his intoxicated breath as the two men looked at each other at eye level. “I’m his father. Do you see the color of his skin? There’s no trace of white in him. So your days of playing daddy is over!” Roger laughed again as he slumped back against a couch to help support his drunken weight.

  Pete jumped to his feet, snatched the collar of Roger’s shirt and began dragging him out of the living room. Roger was too drunk to care anymore as Pete forcefully dragged him out of his house, down the porch steps and left him at the end of the driveway. Debra called the police to report a drunk man in the driveway and left it as that for the police to deal with him.

  Chapter 32

  “I can’t believe your drunk ignant behind went to their house. What the hell for? Did you go to clear your conscience and tell Peter the real reason behind his wife’s death? Or what, you feeling sorry for yourself because I said our son ain’t yours? Worthless piece of sh–”

  “I…re…really can’t stand you!” Roger slurred. His eyes were closed as he reclined in the passenger seat of his car as Porsha drove. He was sick of hearing her voice, it was only increasing the thumping from the headache he had. Spending the night in jail would’ve been like paradise in comparison. Anger radiated through his body even in his incoherent state.

  The police showed up at Pete’s house and found Roger on the ground leaning against the back left tire of his car, with the heat of the late afternoon sun bearing down on him. He was a sweaty, drunken mess. Sweat stains ringed the collar and arm pits of his tan shirt. After Roger got the number wrong multiple times, because of his drunken state, the police officer was finally able to get through to Porsha on the phone to come and pick him up so he wouldn’t have to spend a night in jail. Porsha got one of her girlfriends to bring her over so she could drive Roger’s car back home. Debra and Pete watched the scene from the window not wanting to get involved, desperately wanting to distance themselves from the threat of having Carl taken away from them.

  “I can’t stand you
r drunk behind either! What the hell were you doing there Roger?” Porsha slammed on the brake coming to a stop at a red light. Roger bumped forward a bit from the drag of the car halting. “That baby isn’t yours any more than Raheem is,” she laughed. “Raqual and Reema probably ain’t yours either.” SPLAT! She slapped him on the face. “For all you know you shooting blanks!” She rolled her eyes at him in disgust as he pushed her hand away.

  Her words stung him even in his intoxicated state. But he refused to let her put him down. “No…no wonder they ain’t mine when their momma a WHORE!” He shouted with a taunting laugh. “Their daddy could be any man in the state of Maryland, hell Virginia and DC too cause I know your coo… coochie don’t discriminate,” Roger barked in her face. He didn’t care if his words just unleashed the demon in her. He was drunk enough to forget the whole episode by tomorrow. Roger shot her an evil look. If looks could kill she would disintegrate into ashes, and the devil in hell would be kicking her out for disturbing his peace.

  Porsha exploded by throwing blows to his face – scratching and punching him. He was too drunk to care or feel the effects of her hits. He just blocked her with his hands as best he could.

  Horns sounded off harshly from other drivers behind them because the light had turned green. This snapped Porsha out of her rage on Roger and onto the drivers behind her by putting her arm out the window and sticking up her middle finger. Which only increased the angry horn blows and choice cuss words addressed to her.

  Porsha slowly drove forward continuing her taunt on the drivers behind her.

  “I’m lea…leaving you and those damn ungrateful, disrespectful kids! I’m through with you!” Pete closed his eyes unable to keep them open any longer.

  “Like hell you leaving me. You ain’t going nowhere!” She now sped like a wild woman down the highway after smacking him again in the face with her free hand.

  Twenty minutes later they were back home in the bedroom vigorously tearing each other clothes off. One thing they both could always count on was being turned on for each other after their violent arguments.

  Roger had Porsha pressed against the bedroom door, her bare legs wrapped around his bare waist. He held her voluptuous naked butt in his hands as he sucked her full lips, then down her throat, slowly making his way to her full eager breasts. He effortlessly unclasped the front snap of her bra to release the twins. His mouth hungrily covered both nipples as he pushed her breasts together with his hands. Porsha moaned in pleasure, throwing her head back. If nothing else, she knew Roger could sex her senseless, blow her freaking mind, which only made her hungry for more. There was no way she would ever let him leave her no matter how difficult she made it for him. He was sentenced to her for forever.

  Porsha fought to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants to hold his throbbing flesh in her hands. She wanted him badly, she needed to feel him thrusting inside her, now. Within seconds Roger was deep inside her, pounding lustfully in her womanly folds. She cried out in ecstasy until minutes later they both exploded together gasping for air. Forgetting their disgust for each other.

  Chapter 33

  After feeding Carl a warm bottle and putting him down for a nap, Pete made his way downstairs to check on Debra. She was really shaken up by Roger’s surprise appearance just hours ago. It took Pete a while to get her to calm down. He made her some herbal tea which his wife Moriah drank whenever she wanted to relax and relieve stress. After Debra took a few sips of the hot tea, Pete noticed that she had seemed to a little bit calmer than before.

  He found her in the living room, lying back on the couch with her feet up and her eyes closed. God she’s beautiful. He quietly admired her freckled face and her gorgeous natural red hair draped around her shoulders. Her full-figured, shapely body looked delicious in her yellow tank top and black knee high skirt which revealed toned spotless legs. He imagined them being wrapped around his waist as they endlessly made love. He inwardly groan at the thought.

  “Hey,” Debra spoke sensing the heat of his gaze on her. She slowly opened her eyes to find him staring down on her. “He went down to sleep okay?” She sat up, throwing her legs over the couch and letting her bare feet rest on the hardwood floor.

  “Yeah.” Pete walked further into the living room. “Did I wake you?”

  “No. I just had my eyes closed.” She felt extremely self-conscious with his sexy blue eyes studying her. “Come sit,” she pat the space on the couch next to her. “You’re making me feel like an invalid the way you’re looking at me.”

  “Sorry,” Pete said, snapping out of his trance. He didn’t realize he was staring at her. But who could blame him? Every time he was near her his emotions were haywire. He had to mentally talk himself out of wrapping her in his arms and kissing her senseless whenever they were alone – hell even when others were present he wanted to do forbidden things with her, things he’d only done with his wife.

  Pete walked over and sat on the couch next to her, but not too close leaving a few inches between them. He didn’t know how much more torture he could take having this beautiful, caring, intelligent woman in his life and not have her – all of her as his own. He had been replaying their brief kiss in his mind constantly for days – tormenting himself, wanting more.

  After he sat down next to her, Debra began regretting her suggestion for him to sit there. His nearness was already wreaking havoc on her mind and body. It had been two and a half years since she had sex. Her ex-husband was the last man she slept with. So she figured her lack of sex may have been the reason her sex drive was severely heightened whenever she was near him. Every night she spent under his roof, when it was her turn to stay over to help care for Carl – she took a cold shower before bed. That or she knew without a doubt she would end up naked in his bed begging him to do unspeakable things to her. A few days ago she’d decided she had to tell him that sleeping over wasn’t working out for her anymore, that perhaps Carl should sleep at her house during her nights to share in the care. But that can wait.

  “Do you think we need to worry about Roger?” Debra asked breaking their momentary silence.

  Pete relaxed his long legs, stretching them out in front of him as he leaned back against the couch to get more comfortable. He looked straight ahead, at nothing in particular – the pictures on the wall, the window. Carl’s baby swing, the view to the dining room – anywhere but on her as to not distract himself. As to not want to haul her over his lap and devour her.

  “No. He was drunk. He’ll probably forget and regret his whole episode tomorrow.” Pete finally turned and looked at Debra watching him. “I’m not going to let anyone take Carl away,” he promised. He may have not been one hundred percent sure over a month ago – but he was positive now that he wanted to raise Carl and give him the life his mother was robbed of giving him herself.

  Debra released a breath and sighed with relief. Even though it had been over a month and things seemed to be going well with everyone pitching in to care for Carl, she still wasn’t sure that Pete was fully committed to taking on his guardianship role indefinitely.

  “What if he is Carl’s biological father?” Debra asked. She had her reasons for wanting a permanent role in Carl’s life. But even though Roger scared the crap out of her showing up unexpected today, she just knew it wouldn’t be fair to deny him the opportunity to raise his son – if in fact that’s what he wanted to do. Carlisha didn’t mention who the father of her son was, other than he had denied she was pregnant with his child.

  “We’ll just have to wait to cross that bridge if the time comes. Right now I am legal guardian. If that guy is his father I will have no problems working out some type of arrangement. But as drunk as he was today I doubt he’s in any position to raise a child.” Pete watched as relief swept over her gorgeous face. Oh God I want her! His eyes narrowed in on her pouty lips, he ached to taste them again, to let his tongue explore the sweet heat of her mouth. He discreetly shifted his body to adjust his pants to hide the bulge that wanted to st
rain through. He felt like a horny teenager and it was driving him CRAZY! He had to get a grip.

  “Okay,” she responded, looking away from him. She was pleased with his stance on his responsibility for Carl because it was a helluva lot different weeks ago.

  “I’ve been thinking,” this caught her attention. Debra turned and looked back at him, his eyes were intent on hers. “Would you be interested in working for me, at the print shop?” Unfortunately since Carlisha’s position was open, he couldn’t think of a better person to fill the vacancy than Debra. He knew the pay would be more that what she made as a cashier at the grocery store, plus, he would be able to see her more often. The few nights she spent at his house for Carl wasn’t enough. “The pay is great and learning the ins and outs of a printing business would be beneficial for your degree in business,” he enticed.

  Debra was surprised by his job offer, but pleased none the less. She’d been trying to find another job but with no luck. “I…I would like that actually.” Although she knew this meant that they would be seeing each other more. Working at Minute Print would be better for her than her position at the grocery store. She was tired of working different shifts, the pay wasn’t that great, plus she’d be able to manage her time better for school and other personal reasons. “Thank you!” she smiled shyly which only made Pete’s groin ache for her even more.

  Pete smiled admiring her beautiful smile and freckled face. “Great! We can go over the details later.” He felt like doing summersaults for some odd reason. This woman made him so giddy he didn’t know what to do with himself.