by Pat Tucker
CHAPTER
5
The evening with the Thomases was like nothing Leela or Riley had ever experienced. By the time they left, both were equally depressed. Tension in the car was thick and heavy. The ride back to their house was unusually quiet.
“It’s probably best that those two go their separate ways,” Riley finally blurted out.
He spoke cautiously, but his words sounded like he had clearly staked his alliance.
“You can say that again. Samantha’s got this warped idea that because there’s such a shortage of men, expecting you guys to be faithful is like believing in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy.”
Leela told herself to ignore the slight flinch she thought she saw at the corner of her husband’s right eye. There was no reason she should let Samantha’s insecurities become her problem. Their marriages had always been different, and there was no reason to start looking for similarities now.
“She’s bitter,” Riley finally said. He kept his focus straight ahead as he drove. “I hate that Bill fell for someone else, ’cause that’s gonna make things worse for her, but he feels like she’s about to take him to the cleaners.”
“You’re not blaming her, are you?” Leela asked.
Riley shrugged. At first, he didn’t respond to his wife’s comment.
“I mean, she has every right to be bitter,” Leela added.
“Does she really?” Riley looked at her. “Let’s look at the facts. She invaded his privacy, had him followed, shamed him in front of everyone we know, then embarrassed him further by putting everything she found on social media sites for everyone in America to see. Now, my man could lose his job, all because of some shit she pulled.”
“What’s his job got to do with this?” Leela asked. She was confused by the connection, but more concerned that Riley didn’t point at the affair which led to Samantha’s so-called bitterness.
“You know what we do. We work for a private brokerage firm. There’s a morality clause in the contract, and now he’s been put on leave. A bunch of his clients started calling and complaining almost immediately.”
“Wow!” Leela said.
Samantha mentioned the status of Bill’s job over the phone, but in person, her main focus was on plans to sell their house and the amount of assets she would get.
“I’m sure she didn’t think that move through all the way,” Leela added.
“Ya’ think! Then on top of that, Bill says she refuses to take that crap down. So not only are his dirty deeds out there for everyone to see, but she won’t take it down. I told him from jump, he didn’t need to have her doing his social media campaign,” Riley said.
“I think she should take it down too, but I could see why he trusted her to handle that. It’s what she does. But still, despite the details of how it all went down, I don’t think we should be taking sides,” said Leela.
“If you ask me, there are no sides here; it’s obvious she was wrong for dragging my man’s name through the mud like that. But it’s gonna backfire on her anyway. He’s gonna lose a lot behind her little stunt, and if he loses, so does she.”
“You act like he wasn’t wrong for screwing around on his wife!” Leela snarled. “Let’s not forget. He screwed another woman, lied about it continuously, and tried to make his wife think she was crazy for even suggesting that there might be something going on with him and Kelly,” Leela said. “You do see where he was at fault, right?”
She noticed her husband flinch, and silently, she dared him to defend his friend’s actions as it related to the affair.
CHAPTER
6
“Yeah, Dawg. What’s up?”
Riley knew the call was from Bill because his number popped up on the cell phone screen. But there was no sound on the other end of the phone.
“Bill? What’s up?” Riley called out again. He was on his way to the parking garage after work, when his cell phone rang, but he waited to get on the elevator for fear the call would drop.
As he was about to hang up, he heard a faint voice.
“Bill? That you, Dawg?”
“Yeah. Uh, can you come scoop me? I’m downtown ’bout to leave the DoubleTree. You know where it is?”
Bill’s voice had dropped a few octaves, but the more he talked, the clearer he became. Riley had lots of questions, but felt they could wait since he’d see him soon.
“Yeah. You just caught me. I’ll be there in ten; lemme grab my ride,” Riley said.
“Bet that.”
Behind the wheel of his Cadillac Escalade, Riley tried to coach himself on how to handle his friend’s constant ups and downs. He wanted to be supportive, but Bill made it challenging at times. He needed him to man-up!
Bill was waiting curbside, so it was easy for Riley to slow down and allow him to hop into the passenger’s side of the truck.
Bill looked disheveled, needed a trim, and his clothes were wrinkled. For a man who prided himself on his meticulous appearance at all times, Riley could hardly believe the change in his friend. Riley made a mental note to talk to him about it at a later time.
“What’s up, Man?” Riley asked.
He maneuvered the truck into traffic and waited for the predictable sob-story from Bill. He’d become accustomed to it ever since the divorce proceedings had started.
“Bruh, this crap with Kelly is about to kill me. She ain’t leaving, Man.”
Riley’s eyebrows rose. He clutched the steering wheel tighter and focused on the road.
“Can you believe that shit? For more than a year, we’ve been hot and heavy. Now that I’m single, she’s talking about maybe we should chill!”
“Don’t you think it kinda makes sense?” Riley asked. “I mean, the investigation is still underway, right?”
“Dude. She’s talking about staying with her husband! After my shit was blown all out the water, I thought we had an understanding. I thought, given the opportunity, we’d be together,” Bill said.
Riley turned to look at him. “Man. You sounding real suspect right now. You weren’t trying to jump right into something else before the divorce is final, were you?” Riley shook his head. “That’s probably not a good move.”
“What difference does it make? As soon as Sam agrees to the terms, we’ll be divorced. She’s getting what she wants, so she’s not tripping. When Kelly told me to meet her at the hotel, I didn’t think it was so she could dump me!” Bill sighed.
“So it’s over between you two then?” Riley asked. “Kelly, I mean?”
“Yeah. Seems I’m not all that irresistible after all, since I’m single now. Go figure.”
The entire situation was a mess. Riley couldn’t believe how emotional Bill was being. So Kelly didn’t want him; he could simply find another chick that did. Riley didn’t see the problem, but the way his boy was looking, Riley kept his thoughts to himself.
“She should’ve said she wouldn’t leave dude no matter what,” Bill muttered.
Riley’s eyebrows went up, but he didn’t say anything else about it. He silently wished Bill would do the same.
• • •
For Leela, alone time became time to reflect. She had a lot to reflect on. All she could think about was that last lunch with her mother and grandmother.
Lunch with her mother and grandmother was usually a good time over colorful cocktails and an array of scrumptious appetizers. In the past, Big Mama was the center of attention. But everything was different at their last lunch meeting. And different was not good in this instance. Leela couldn’t shake the memory that took her right back to that restaurant.
Gloom hung over their table like a dark cloud on a bright summer day. From the moment Beverly rose to hug her, Leela noticed her grandmother’s features were clouded with concern.
There was no sign of her usual vibrant smile, and her weary face wore a sad expression. It was as if her grandmother had aged more than a decade since the last time she’d seen her, two weeks prior. Leela felt so bad for her.
“I’m gonna need a drink before you start, Big Mama,” Linda said. She looked at her daughter and said, “You should get one too.”
Leela looked at her mother and dismissed the suggestion. She wanted a clear head so she could decipher what was about to be said. It was usually Linda who broke any family-related news—good, bad, or devastating.
But this time, all Linda did was carry on about how life was about to change.
Leela had been haunted by the revelation for days, that something major was about to happen. She only backed off from talking about it because her mother had all but begged her not to ask any questions or say anything. Linda explained it would hurt her grandmother and that was all it took for Leela to leave it alone.
“Leela. You remember Miss Sadie down the street, right?” her grandmother Beverly began.
“Of course. You two have been friends for years; we practically grew up with her daughter, and Rhonda’s kids,” Leela said. “Rhonda. She’s like your age, right, Mom? You guys went to school together?”
Linda’s lips were pursed together before she brought the glass up to her mouth. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Big Mama.
“Well, apparently your grandfather is the father of Rhonda’s kids,” Beverly said.
Leela heard what was said, but she needed the words not to be true. They didn’t make sense.
“What?”
Leela looked back and forth between her mother and grandmother; confusion was all over her face. Suddenly, she regretted not getting that drink.
“Rhonda? How…” Leela’s voice trailed off. Suddenly, a thumping headache came out of nowhere. Leela felt lost.
“Now you know how I felt,” said Linda. “All the times she and her illiterate, illegitimate kids came around like we were all just good neighbors and the trick was secretly screwing my daddy!” Linda smirked. “You better than me, Big Mama, ’cause I woulda cut ’em all!”
“Wait. When was all of this going on? Big Mama, didn’t Rhonda used to bring her kids over to the house? You babysat them, and all along she knew your husband was their father?” Leela asked. Words scraped the back of Leela’s throat as she struggled to grasp the situation. She swallowed back tears.
“Honey, that’s what we’ve discovered,” Beverly said.
Leela watched her grandmother closely. Her poise and elegant manner remained fully intact. When she told the story of the ultimate betrayal and heartbreak, she did so with a peaceful and relaxed tone. She’d always been the calm and laid-back type, but the story she told was enough to drive anyone over the edge. In that moment, Leela admired her grandmother even more.
“I wanted to whup that bitch’s ass!” Linda said. “Then her half-senile mama over there crying every day, asking how did she go wrong. It’s like they’re all crazy!” Linda chimed in between sips.
“Wait. Rhonda had a drug problem. Why would he?” Leela asked. The question was rhetorical, and she barely realized she had verbalized it.
“Yes. She did. She ran off for a few years, but that stuff really had a hold on her,” Beverly said. “I never would’ve thought my husband was doing anything but helping over there. You know Sadie never married and she seemed okay about it. I didn’t even mind your grandfather helping out. I figured that was doing the right thing. Everyone needs a man around the house.”
“Big Mama. Rhonda’s kids spent so much time with us!” Leela added. She was stunned. She couldn’t make sense of it no matter how hard she tried.
“Yeah. I remember that. I remember you and the church really banding around Miss Sadie,” said Linda.
“After fifty-two years of marriage,” Leela muttered. She shook her head slowly. “For all thirty-four of my years, I’ve never known another marriage like yours.”
“It’s unbelievable to us all, Honey.” Beverly took Leela’s hand.
But Linda remained defiant. “That goes to show you,” Linda said. “When all is said and done, ain’t none of ’em loyal!”
• • •
SNAP!
SNAP!
“What the hell, Leela?!”
Riley snapped his fingers as if to pull Leela back to the present.
“Oh. Babe. I’m sorry.” Leela shook her head.
“You didn’t hear me talking to you?”
“What did you say?”
Riley gave his wife a stern look.
“I know. The whole answer the question with a question thing,” Leela said.
“So how long do I have to come in and find my wife staring off into space? You act like it’s the end of the world. I need you to get over it, dammit!”
Leela couldn’t remember how long she’d been zoned out. If she didn’t dream about that lunch with Big Mama and Linda, she thought about the video of Bill and his mistress. She felt like her mind was slowly slipping away.
It didn’t help that Samantha carried on as if nothing in her life had changed, but now that her own husband’s frustrations were growing, Leela knew she needed to do something and she needed to take action quickly.
CHAPTER
7
When Leela learned her best friend’s divorce was final, she still couldn’t wrap her mind around it. And while she’d heard and seen horror stories about life after divorce, Samantha’s battle scars were very hard to find.
The bright-colored wrap dress that hugged Samantha’s shapely, statuesque, size-13 figure made her stand out as she maneuvered her way through a throng of people near the bar. Samantha had always turned heads, so that was nothing new to Leela, but for a person who just officially ended a ten-year marriage, the girl looked bad!
“Hey, Boo!” Samantha approached the table, and breezed in like she didn’t have a single care.
“Wow! You look fab!” Leela said.
“Don’t sound so surprised. Get up and give me some love; act like you ain’t seen me in nearly two whole weeks!” Samantha said.
Leela rose and fell into her friend’s embrace. They were meeting for dinner at Pappadeaux off I-10. As they settled into their seats and took in the hustle and bustling sounds of the busy restaurant, Leela couldn’t help but compare the two divorcees in her life.
For one, it looked like the move had ushered new life into her. Samantha had always been attractive, but she didn’t believe in going the extra mile when it came to her appearance. Now, however, she looked different, and in a very good way. She was stunning in her outfit and new makeup.
But for her grandmother, who had for the very first time in her life, moved into her own one-bedroom apartment, divorce looked completely different. Big Mama rarely ventured out, and that forced Linda to set up a schedule to pull her out to lunch or out for shopping.
Big Mama was no longer connected to her church, and unless Linda or Leela insisted, she tried to remain holed up inside the apartment. The apartment stayed dark with the blinds and drapes closed night and day.
“Maybe she should go talk to somebody,” Leela suggested the last time she and her mother talked about Big Mama.
“Girl, ain’t nothing wrong with her but a broken heart. You know how many times I’ve been divorced?” Linda asked.
Leela knew it was a rhetorical question, but still. Her mother’s lighthearted approach to everything sometimes rubbed her the wrong way.
“Ma. You might hold the Guinness World Record for the number of divorces for any one woman, but you’ve gotta remember, Big Mama was married to the same man for fifty-two years!”
That shut her mother up—temporarily.
“I may have to downsize my lifestyle, but that’s okay. Thank God we didn’t have any kids,” Samantha said with a small whistle and a wide-eyed grin.
Her comment brought Leela’s attention back to their table. Leela couldn’t get over how quickly and seamlessly her friend seemed to be moving on.
Their first appetizer arrived and they dug in. Leela had ordered as she waited on Samantha to arrive.
Once the waiter walked away, Samantha leaned in
. “I had a date the other night and I have to admit, it felt kind of strange.”
“Oh, I can imagine. You were married for a long time,” Leela said. “I’ll bet it was odd to be out with another man, after being with Bill for so long. Did it make you realize you do miss him a little?” Leela bit into a Shrimp Brochette.
The bewilderment on Samantha’s face gave Leela pause.
“Oh…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to go on talking about what must’ve been a real emotional event for you,” Leela quickly added.
Samantha drew her eyebrows together. “Umm. It was nothing like that. I was just wondering whether it was socially acceptable these days to go down on a man on the first date.”
Samantha’s comment was met with a blank stare. Leela was speechless. She wasn’t sure how to even respond.
After a long and awkward stretch of silence, Samantha shrugged and bit into a shrimp. The waiter had returned at the perfect time.
“Oh. You and Riley doing okay?” Samantha asked after the waiter left the table with their drink orders.
“Of course; why do you ask?” Leela didn’t know Samantha was already dating, and obviously having sex. She welcomed the subject change because she didn’t want to sound like the prude she felt like.
“Oh. No reason. I’m just glad that after all you’ve been through between Big Mama and me, that you guys are still doing good.” Samantha’s eyes followed Leela’s. “What’s the matter?”
Leela frowned. “I could’ve sworn I just saw Natasha.” Samantha whipped her head in both directions. Her eyes searched the room, but she didn’t see anyone who looked like Natasha.
“Natasha, as in…”
“Yes. That Natasha,” Leela said. “Natasha stalker-bitch Robinson! You know what, I can’t be sure of anything anymore. It probably wasn’t even her.” Leela took a sip. “Now, what were you saying?”
Natasha was Riley’s ex. It didn’t end well, and Leela only got peace after the woman picked up and moved because she couldn’t get over the fact that Riley had moved on.
Samantha scanned the room again before she spoke. She was looking for Natasha too, but suddenly, her eyes connected with a handsome man who didn’t flinch or attempt to look away when her gaze stopped on him. As a matter-of-fact, his stare overpowered hers, until she finally looked away.
