BFF'S 3

by Brenda Hampton

  I climbed the curved staircase, which led to numerous rooms on the second floor. Before going into Charles’s office, I knocked and he buzzed me in.

  “Come in, Trina,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  I entered the office, nervous as hell. Charles sat with his back facing a huge bay window that stretched from one side of the spacious room to the other. Fancy drapes hung from high above, and the old-fashioned desk that he sat behind looked as if it had come straight from the early 1900s. Bookshelves lined the walls, and several computer monitors were all over the place. None of them were on, but CNN played on the TV mounted above the stone fireplace. An American flag on a pole was next to it.

  He swung his chair around to face me. Without a doubt, I knew how easily Evelyn had gotten herself caught up. Charles looked just like an older Keith, one without all the muscles and with much more power.

  “Have a seat,” he said, his eyes scanning me like radar.

  I wondered what in the hell he was thinking, but I quickly sat in the chair in front of his desk and started to tell him the purpose of my visit. As I spoke, he kept switching positions in his chair, sighing, and looking at me as if he were looking through me. Not once did his gaze venture away from my eyes. That made me even more nervous.

  “That’s why I need your help,” I said with a cracking voice when I was done recounting my tale of woe. “I’m just as responsible as she is, and I feel obligated to do something and help her out of this.”

  Charles cleared his throat, and then he sat up straight. He clenched his hands together while resting them on his desk. “You may be at fault for fucking over my son, but you’re not at fault for what happened at Evelyn’s place. The way I see it, she is one hundred percent to blame for everything, and I haven’t made up my mind yet as to how I’m going to deal with her. You see, that woman came into my home with her lover and attempted to extort money from me. I allowed her to think that I wanted that little problem between her and Bryson to go away, but anyone who knows me knows that if I want a problem to disappear, I can make it do so just like that.” He snapped his fingers and then got out of his seat.

  As he walked over to the bay window to look outside, he slipped his hands into his pockets. “That day, I gave her some money and told her to be gone. I knew that money would eventually wind up destroying her, as that’s what happens to people who believe that money can save them. But what she did next really took the cake. She thought she was so good, so special, that she could whip her pussy on me and control me. Yet again, I decided to let her have at it. By design, I messed with her head to put her under my spell. She was definitely hooked, and when I tried to set her free and let her off the hook, she still wouldn’t stop there. So now here we are. I have two choices. Would you like to hear what they are?”

  I slowly nodded, though deep down I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to like where this conversation was going. “Please proceed. And I thank you for sharing this with me.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said, then sat in his chair again. He leaned back in it and held up one finger. “I can make everyone believe that your friend is delusional and suffers from a mental illness. It runs in her family, so I won’t have a problem convincing anyone that she killed Cedric because he was seeing other women and he didn’t want anything to do with her. I will get people to go on that stand and tell a jury that she fantasized about me and our relationship—that it was all made up, that I had never worked where she said I did, and that all of it, every single thing, was part of her wild imagination. And I will say that even though she claimed we had sex, we never did, and she was plotting to kill me too, because I wouldn’t get with the program. That, for sure, would send her to a mental institution for the rest of her life.”

  My stomach hurt so badly, and my throat ached. My heart went out to Evelyn, because this was not looking good. Charles sipped from a glass of water on his desk; then he reached for a pack of gum in his drawer.

  “Have some,” he said, offering me a piece and then putting one in his mouth.

  “No, thank you.”

  He folded his arms across his chest, then continued. “Option number two goes a little something like this. I can have all her assets unfrozen and allow you to take that money and get her out of this. I would also appreciate it if some of that money got returned to me, but I’m sure—no, positive—that the majority of it will have to be used for her defense. I will put women on the stand who can vouch for her. Who will allow that jury to see what kind of animal Cedric really was and how he deserved to die. Evelyn will look like an abused, distraught, and destroyed woman who had no other choice.

  “Even so, I want to be very clear about something. If I decide to go that route, your friend will still have to do some time. I don’t want to let her off the hook that easily, and sometimes, people need time to sit and think about all that they’ve done. When you keep on rescuing them and forgiving them for their mistakes, they tend to take advantage of that. I think that a year in prison . . . maybe two to ten, will do her some good.”

  I wanted to break down right then and there and just cry. I didn’t know how to tell her this, but it was as if there were no other options. I knew she was probably already losing her mind up in there, and I had lost sleep, knowing that she was probably in some kind of hole for getting herself in trouble.

  “Mr. Washington, she will not survive in there. I know that she won’t, and I’m asking that you please reconsider. She will give every dime of your money back. I will make sure of that, and you will never have to worry about her again. She’s had a very difficult life, and many of those things done to her in the past cause her to be this way.”

  “Believe me when I say I know all about her and her past. And I don’t worry about Evelyn at all, nor have I ever lost any sleep thinking about her. Her past is exactly what it is, her past. She used that as an excuse to hurt people, and that kind of shit doesn’t fly with me. Being in jail causes people to see things in a different light. I have faith that Evelyn will find that light, and she’ll come out of there a reformed person. Stronger, smarter, and humbler than she has ever been before. Nonetheless, I’m delivering my final words to you. They are that there will be no option three. Overnight, I will decide what I believe the best option to be. I’ll call you in the morning, or no later than the afternoon. Now, if you don’t mind, I have other serious matters to tend to.”

  In fear of pissing him off and making him change his mind about option two, I remained silent and stood to leave. As I approached the door, he said something to me that made me slowly turn my head.

  “Sasha is sweet, isn’t she? Good thing you found out she wasn’t for you. And just so you know, my son is. Tell him about the baby. He needs to know.”

  My mouth dropped open, but I didn’t bother to elaborate on Sasha or the baby. All I did was reply from my heart, “I know he is for me. That’s why I love him with every fiber of my being.”

  He nodded, then buzzed the door so I could exit.

  21

  Kayla

  Trina came over this morning to tell me about her conversation with Mr. Washington. I was shocked. I hadn’t even known about any of this. Yet again, Evelyn had been screwing around with somebody else’s husband. I tried not to be so harsh about this, but I knew we all made our own beds and we had to lie in them. I found myself still on the fence about so many things, but there was no question that Evelyn needed my help.

  There was a side of me that felt so bad for her. Even one year in prison seemed like a long time. Like Trina, I surely didn’t think Evelyn would be able to cope. I was worried about her trying to kill herself and about never seeing her again. I guessed my life wouldn’t seem complete without her around, and at this point, at this very point in my life, I started to feel like we were a small yet unique dysfunctional family.

  Trina and I waited, on pins and needles, for Mr. Washington’s call. I had never met him a day in my life, and I couldn’t believe how much au
thority he had. This was something that you saw on TV or heard about from those who felt that juries were tainted and that people were purposely put on the stand to fabricate stories. If I hadn’t heard it from Trina, I wouldn’t have believed any of it.

  Trina looked at her watch while sitting at the kitchen table. “It’s almost one o’clock. Do you think I should try to reach out to him?”

  “Do you have his number?”

  “No, but I could call Keith to get it.”

  “Let’s wait. If he doesn’t call by three, call him.”

  The next two hours seemed like a whole day. We tried to keep ourselves busy by watching TV and even doing a little exercising. As we sat on some mats, doing yoga, I told Trina how happy I was about the baby.

  “I’m happy too. I can’t wait, and I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl.”

  “With Jacoby, I didn’t care, either. I’ve always wanted a girl, though, but you know how that story goes.”

  “I do, but who would have thought that it would end like this?”

  “End? Girl, it’s just the beginning, especially for you and Keith. You need to tell him that you’re pregnant, and whatever your reasons are for not telling him, I’m telling you that they’re not good enough. All you’re doing is setting yourself up for more chaos between y’all. He’s going to be upset about you not telling him, and then y’all will be fighting about that. Keeping secrets has already cost us enough damage, only because one day those secrets all come out.”

  “I agree, and I will tell him after all this stuff with Evelyn is over. I’m too stressed right now, and believe me when I say that I’m not trying to keep any secrets from him. If I was, Mr. Washington would bust me out. I don’t know how he knows so much, but I swear that he knows everything about me, about Evelyn, and probably about you too.”

  “It sounds like he does, and he’s probably thinking that I really need to get a life. In due time I will.”

  Trina and I started talking about our future plans, but there was no question that Mr. Washington’s call was on our minds. And just as we finished exercising, Trina’s phone rang.

  She snatched it up and hit the speakerphone button so I could hear.

  The only thing Mr. Washington said was, “Option two. She’ll be released on bail by six o’clock this evening.” After that, he ended the call.

  “How much time in prison?” Trina yelled. “Damn it! Don’t hang up! Tell me how much time!”

  Trina had been through so much with her BFF’s. If there was any one of us who stood by the other one’s side, it was her. She had fought hard to keep our friendships together, and I had rarely told her how grateful I was for her support. In the moment, she seemed very overwhelmed. I reached out to hug her, and she broke down in my arms.

  “I want this to be over with,” she cried out. “When will all the pain end?”

  “Real soon. It will end soon, but we have to stay prayed up and continue to be there for each other. I thank you for always trying to make things right. I know I haven’t said it in a long time, but I thank you for everything, Trina. With all my heart, I love you, and you are the best friend any woman could hope for. I know for a fact that Evelyn feels the same way.”

  “I love you too,” Trina said, wiping her eyes.

  Sometimes people just needed to hear those three words.

  When six o’clock rolled around, we were outside the jailhouse, waiting on Evelyn to come out. Like clockwork, the doors opened, and there she was. A small bag was in her hand. I had never, ever seen her look the way she did. Her eyes looked swollen, her hair was matted, her clothes were slouchy, and her lips looked dry as hell. Not to mention her very pale skin. Trina and I tried to play it down by smiling at her. We hadn’t even had a chance to tell her how everything was supposed to go down, and that she would have to spend some time in prison. At this point, we still didn’t know how much time, but some time was set in stone.

  We met her halfway, and the first person she hugged was Trina.

  “Thank you,” she said in a light whisper. “Thank you for everything.”

  “Thank you too,” Trina said. “And you already know why.”

  Afterward, Evelyn and I hugged too. I hadn’t done nearly as much as Trina had done for her, but she knew that I had put up a substantial amount of money for her attorney fees and bail. We were sure that even her attorney would be replaced and that Mr. Washington would assign an attorney who could make things go according to his plan.

  “I’m going to get your money back to you,” she said to me. “And like always, I owe you.”

  “Don’t worry about it right now. We have other things that we have to deal with. Trina and I will tell you about them in the car.”

  On the drive back to my place, Trina broke it all down for Evelyn. She remained real quiet. Didn’t say much at all. Just listened and listened some more. By the time we reached my place, her only response was, “I guess I just have to do what I have to do.”

  After that, there was silence.

  22

  Evelyn

  As Trina and Kayla broke it all down for me in the car, I felt numb. All I could say to them that day was, “I guess I just have to do what I have to do,” but I didn’t feel that way at all. Not after being in that cell with a bully like Niecy. Not after staring at four walls all day, lying in filth, eating garbage, and sitting my ass on those nasty toilets. No, I wasn’t ready for that, and I didn’t have the guts to tell them how scared I really was. That would worry them. I didn’t want to keep stressing them out, and Lord knows, they didn’t need any more stress, especially Trina. If something happened to her baby, I would never forgive myself.

  So, no question, I needed to take action and do it fast. I was sure there were many more Niecys in prison who couldn’t wait to get their hands on me. Therefore, I had to do something . . . anything to get Charles to change his mind. I knew that I was taking a big risk by confronting him, but I didn’t have a choice. Trina and Kayla had done so much, and they really couldn’t do much more. It was my time to stand up for me, and if Charles had that much control over the outcome, I couldn’t sit around doing nothing.

  I allowed things to settle down a bit, and a week after I was released from jail, I headed out to find Charles. I had to be careful about going anywhere near his house, but since he was no longer at the office, I basically didn’t have a choice. I wanted to catch him when he was by himself. When Netta wasn’t around, or Keith or Bryson. It was a Sunday afternoon when I saw the garage door go up and his white Mercedes back out. Thankfully, he was alone. I followed his car, but in no way was I too close. He was too observant, and I knew he would see me, even with my dark shades on and a scarf tied around my head. I had a nice little dress on, as if I had just come from church. My face was makeup free, but I did have on loud red lipstick, which gave me a different look altogether. I glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following me, and then I looked straight ahead, where I could see Charles making a left to get on the highway.

  He drove for about twenty minutes or so and then got off at the Delmar exit, heading toward the Loop. Minutes later, he parked his car and then went inside an Italian restaurant. I waited for a few minutes, just to see if he would be dining with someone. But as I looked through the window, I saw him sitting alone. He glanced at his watch, and when I saw him look toward the door, I figured I’d better hurry up, because maybe he was waiting on someone. I went inside, and as Charles’s head was lowered—he was looking at the menu—I slipped into the booth. He slowly lifted his head, and as usual, the pearly whites didn’t show.

  “I figured you were coming,” he said. “I just didn’t know when. What do you want, Evelyn? And please make it quick, because I am expecting someone.”

  I was a little nervous, but I came to say what I had to. “I don’t know how quick I can make this, but I really need your help. Trina told me how all of this is supposed to play out, but I can’t do this. I can’t spend any more time in that
place, and if we can work out some kind of deal where I don’t have to go back there, I—I will do anything.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about what you can’t do, but there’s really not much else that you can do for me. And the last time we tried to work out a deal, it was in your favor, not mine. I don’t like to keep negotiating with people who continue to make me feel like a loser. At some point, I have to come out a winner.”

  “But this isn’t about winning or losing. This is about my life.” I couldn’t help that I started to get emotional. “My life, Charles, and I want it back. I’ve changed. This entire experience has changed me. I totally get it now. Going to prison will do me no good. It will destroy me and make me bitter. Right now, I’m good. I’m so good, and all I want to do is go live my life in peace.”

  Charles removed several napkins from the napkin holder, then gave them to me. There was a soft spot in him, for sure. I was trying my best to reach it.

  “It’s too late for tears, Evelyn. You’ve been given too many opportunities to correct yourself, and you haven’t. I said the same thing to Bryson, and when shit starts to affect me, and I have to inject myself into these little petty matters that I don’t have time for, well, it upsets me. I get angry, and, unfortunately, some people have to pay.”

  I wondered what had happened to Bryson after our meeting that day, because I hadn’t seen him. I really didn’t have time to inquire about him, but I still asked.

  “How did Bryson pay? Where is he? And please know that I have already corrected myself. You just don’t know how different I am. I’m loving the new me, and you would be proud of how much I’ve changed. My friends are proud of me too, and I know you’ve spoken to Trina about me. She told you everything, didn’t she? She believes in me, and I need for you to believe in me too.”

  Charles snickered, then rubbed the long hair on his chin. He stared at me. I stared at him. Seconds later, he got up and stood next to me. Immediately, my eyes shifted to his package, then to his lips, which found their way to mine. As his tongue entered my mouth, I made mine dance with his. The kiss was intense, and with my eyes closed, I savored every minute of it. I hoped that he did, as well.