DUBIOUS

by McKinney, Tina Brooks

  “Is everything okay? It’s not often that you come to visit.” His graying eyebrows pointed inward.

  “Things are good. I came to discuss the Jennings case with you.”

  “Oh, have you had a look at it yet? We do a lot of work for him with regards to his corporation. This is the first time we, however, will be handling something for him on a personal level.”

  “No, I’ve not seen the file. When my assistant went to pull it, it was already signed out.”

  “Really? That’s odd.” He stroked his chin in thought.

  “I said the same thing. I thought you assigned the case to me, so I am following up with you in case I misunderstood you.”

  “No, it’s your case. Who pulled the file?”

  “Desiree McCall.”

  “Who is she?” I tried to hide my smile. “She works for Anita Williams.” I kept the skeezer and tramp adjectives to myself.

  “Oh, Anita. Well, if she wants to work with you on this one, I don’t have a problem with it.”

  “Well I have a problem with it!” I snapped back before I could stop it from exiting my lips. I didn’t want to show any attitude just in case he was propelling her ass on some sort of fast track.

  Gary’s eyebrows shot up. I immediately regretted my outburst. His fingers formed a temple in front of his face, and his ears started to turn pink.

  “Gary, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with using some of the junior associates on my cases; however, I want to pick my own associate.”

  “That’s understandable. Why don’t you have a talk with her?”

  “Talk with her? Why should I have to talk with her? Shouldn’t it be the other way around since I’m the senior partner?”

  “Now, Felicia, let’s not blow this thing out of proportion.” He settled his back against the leather chair. His body language was asking questions his mouth hadn’t asked.

  “Gary, no offense, but I don’t trust Anita. She’s having lunch with Jennings today and she didn’t say anything to me about it.”

  “How did you find out?” His brow raised. It was a good thing he didn’t play poker or he would give himself away every time.

  “I had my assistant call to schedule lunch and she mentions his and Anita’s meeting today.”

  “I see. I’ll admit it is unorthodox for an associate to approach a large client without informing the senior partner, but I’m sure she has a valid reason for not informing you.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re sure because I’m not. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not work with her on this or any case. If I can’t trust her now when he hasn’t even signed the representation agreement, how can I trust her later on down the line? I’ve asked my assistant to do the research for me. She’s getting her degree and has become a vital part of my operation. I was going to speak with you and the other partners about promoting her.”

  He nodded. “I’ve heard some good things about her. I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

  “That also means that we will need to hire a secretary because I intend to keep her so busy, she won’t have time for anything else.”

  “Let’s discuss this at our next meeting. But getting back to Jennings, what are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to that lunch meeting. I just wanted you to be aware of what I was doing.”

  “Okay. Let me know how it turns out.” He leaned forward and opened a Manila folder.

  “Gary, I don’t want any drama behind this. Can I count on you to have my back?”

  “Sure. The case is yours if he still wants this firm to represent him.”

  * * *

  I rushed back to my office to get Talisa. Since Anita was trying some tricky, underhanded shit, I felt like I would need a witness in case the shit got ugly. My plan was to intercept Anita before she could pitch herself.

  “Grab your stuff, Talisa. We’ve got a lunch date.”

  “You want me to go with you?” She seemed surprised.

  “Yeah, somebody has to tell the truth if I have to strangle a heifer.” I laughed as I entered my office to get my purse and briefcase.

  Talisa was at the elevator when I came out of my office.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  “Good. I thought he was going to trip on me because them white folks lookout for their own, but he was cool. He even bought off on my promoting you. He told me we would discuss it at the next partners meeting.”

  “Damn, you weren’t playing were you?”

  “That’s one thing about me, I don’t play about business.” I couldn’t wait for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

  “I heard that. So how do you plan on handling Ms. Thang?”

  * * *

  “Oh, I got this. Just watch me work.” We arrived at the restaurant as Anita and the man I assumed to be Mr. Jennings were being shown to their table. We followed them in as if we were all one big, happy group. Anita was spitting bullshit to Mr. Jennings. I just wanted to snatch the fat heifer by her hair and cold cock her.

  I had to hand it to her. To be so fat, she was light on her feet. I guess she must have practiced walking in heels because her ankles no longer wobbled when she walked. But her thighs still swished together, and her clothes looked like they came from the pages of JC Penny’s catalog. It was a wonder she hadn’t started a brushfire with all that polyester rubbing together.

  I waited till she had pulled out her chair before I made my move. “Oh, Anita, thanks so much for setting up this meeting for me. You can head back to the office now. Talisa and I will handle this from here on.” I gave her my bitch-beat-it look.

  If looks could kill, this heifer would have blasted my ass straight off the planet. I could see the tiny wheels of deception spinning as she tried to recover. I grabbed the chair out of her hand and sat down, totally dismissing her with the back wave of my hand. “Mr. Jennings, my name is Felicia Clark. I’m a senior partner with Anderson, Nelson & Yeager. This is my legal assistant Talisa Melvoy. We’ve been asked by Gary Yeager to speak with you about possibly representing you in your pending litigation.” I didn’t bother turning around to see if Anita was still there. I could feel her eyes burning into my neck.

  “Is there something else, Ms. Williams?” Talisa inquired before she took the seat adjacent to Mr. Jennings.

  If I could have given her a high five at that moment and gotten away with it, I would have. Slowly I turned, giving Anita a second dismissal that was sure to get her ass moving. “Anita, I’m sure some of the cases you were assigned could use some of your attention.” I had stressed the word assigned just in case she wanted to buck up at me. I might not have been the one to sign her check, but I had a vote in weather or not she received a bonus at the end of the year.

  “Uh … I’m glad I could be of assistance. If you need anything else please don’t hesitate to call me.” She feigned a smile.

  “Sure, sweetie. If I ever need the help of a junior associate, I’ll be sure to give you a call. Oh … sweetie, please see that Mr. Jennings’s files are back in my office by the time we return from lunch. Thanks bunches.”

  This was the defining moment. Anita’s face had turned red, and I thought her eyes were going to burst from their sockets. I looked over at Talisa. She was about to burst out laughing. My eyes warned her to keep a straight face until the enemy had left the building.

  After Anita slithered away, I focused on the handsome man seated before me and said, “Mr. Jennings, it so nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard some pretty good things about you, and I congratulate you on your success.”

  “Thank you, please call me Sherman.” His eyes took in both of us.

  I could see the confusion written over his face. I knew that I would have to act quickly if I didn’t want to lose him.

  He showed us his palms. “Whoa, what just happened here?”

  “Call it a takeover attempt.” I smiled to cover the rage flowing through my veins. “Your case was assigned to me. Ms. Williams i
s a junior associate looking to rise above her position. Her ethics often come into question in her attempts to do it.”

  “I see. I’ll admit I was taken aback by her persistence. Her secretary has been calling every day for an appointment until she finally wore me down.”

  “I won’t apologize for her behavior, but if you allow us to represent you, I assure you that she will not be bothering you again. Our team does not operate that way. While we want your business, we will not move into your neighborhood to get it.”

  “I appreciate your honesty. I’m a very private man, and I don’t like divulging my personal information.”

  The way he looked at me almost caused me to squirm in my seat.

  I caught my breath and said, “We can understand and appreciate that. You’re in the trade-secret business, and we will handle your affairs with the utmost confidentiality. Should you hire us, you will only deal with me or Talisa. She is my right hand, and I value her professionalism.”

  “Shall we order?” Talisa said, surprising us both. Her smile, however, said it all: I was about to start babbling and possibly say some of the things that were on the tip of my tongue.

  I got control of my feelings. “I agree. You’re a busy man. We don’t want to hold you any longer than necessary.”

  Sherman nodded his head in agreement as we all raised our menus.

  CHAPTER 19

  Randy

  In spite of the poison running through my brain and sluggish body from a long weekend of drinking, I managed to get out of the house by nine Monday morning to speak with one of the counselors at DeVry Institute. I was looking to join a group of like-minded students whose focus was exchanging information and passing the CPA exam. I knew that I would have to treat this test like a twelve-step program if I had any hope of passing it.

  An overweight Hispanic woman greeted me when I walked through the door of the counselor’s office. “Hi, can I help you?”

  “I hope so. I’ve been out of school for a minute, and I am looking to take my CPA exam.”

  “Do you have a copy of your transcripts?”

  “Yes, I do.” I pushed the envelope containing my transcripts across her desk. My grades weren’t perfect, but at least I finished college.

  “I see you graduated in 2003. What have you been doing since then?”

  “Nothing remotely close to accounting.” I couldn’t help but notice that she looked like J.Lo on saturated fat.

  “I see.”

  She took a minute and studied my transcripts. I was hoping nothing in my scores would reveal just how much I hated accounting. This wasn’t about finding something that I liked to do, it was about finding something that would pay the bills until I could do something better.

  She gave me back my transcripts. “Have you taken any of the test yet?”

  “No. This will be my first time.”

  “Good. As you may know, testing is only available at certain times of the year. If you start now, you should be ready, based on your transcripts, to take the test during the April or May sessions.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

  “We have a group that is getting started at the end of the week. It’s a small group, and I will be one of the instructors. The course is five hundred dollars, but I believe you will find the information that is covered will be well worth it.”

  I didn’t expect the class to be free, but I certainly wasn’t prepared for the five-hundred-dollar price tag. My mind wandered as I tried to think of someone who would be willing to spot me the money.

  “This fee covers the cost of course materials and application fee.”

  “I already have the materials for the test. I just need some assistance organizing my thoughts to prepare for the test and some coaching on what I can expect.”

  “Good then, the study materials make up the bulk of the fees,” she said. “If your materials are less than five years old, you can get started for $150. Are you prepared to get started today?”

  “Uh … I need—”

  “Why don’t you think about it. We are only taking six students so there are two more slots available. If you decide this is something that you want to do, call me in the morning. I will make sure you get in.”

  “I appreciate that, Ms….”

  “Call me Ladona.”

  “Thanks, Ladona. I just need to make a few phone calls, and I can get back with you later today.”

  “That’s fine. We will be here until five o’clock. Take this application with you, fill out the forms, bring us your check, and we will be all set. The classes meet twice weekly at six o’clock for two hours on Mondays and Thursdays. Attendance is not mandatory, but no refunds will be given after the first class.”

  “Okay. I’ll bring my paperwork back later today. Thanks.” I felt good about myself for the first time in a long time. Now I just hoped that Kelvin would front me the money since it was his idea that I go back and finish up the course.

  * * *

  I had nothing left to do with the rest of my day. I didn’t really want to go home and park myself in front of the television. I was feeling inspired, a strange feeling that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Without even allowing myself to think, I drove to Felicia’s office. I felt like sharing with the woman that I’d spent most of my adult life with. I probably should have stopped to think about what my visit would mean to her, but I was riding on a cloud.

  It was times like this that I had forgotten she was no longer my right arm. I rushed into her office expecting the same secretary and prompt recognition as to who I am. None of that happened. Instead I was given the hand by some knucklehead while she finished a phone conversation. I was jumping from foot to foot eager to share my plans.

  After a few more intolerable minutes, her secretary finally hung up the phone. “Can I help you?”

  Her face looked familiar, but I could not exactly place it. Her cool tone suggested that she had no idea who I was.

  “Yes, I’d like to see Felicia.”

  She started browsing through an appointment book. “Do you have an appointment?”

  “Uh … no. I was just in the neighborhood.”

  “And your name is?”

  “Uh … Randy.”

  Her eyebrows raised as if a bell was finally going off in her head, but she still treated me in an impersonal manner. She turned away from me as if I would learn some trade secret and dialed a number. When she hung up, she turned back to me. “She will be out to see you in a few minutes.”

  “Thanks.” Fear slapped me in the face. What was I doing here? We were no longer a couple and haven’t really been in years. Why did I feel compelled to share with her? ’Cause the damn dog would not understand. This thought alone almost made me bolt from the room. Felicia hadn’t mentioned the tapes yet, so there was still a chance I could get them before she watched them.

  Felicia opened her office door. “Randy, what are you doing here?”

  “I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to drop by. Do you have time for me?”

  There was a pregnant pause before she invited me into her office. I guess if I were thinking straight, I would have ran the hell up out of her office. My mind wasn’t working properly, though.

  “I have a few minutes. Come on in.”

  I followed behind her, closing the door behind me. “You look great, Felicia.”

  “I guess I should I say thanks?”

  “I know this is difficult, but regardless of everything that has gone on, I still love you. When something good goes on in my life, I need to share it with you. I hope you don’t mind.” I was giddy with excitement.

  “When you put it that way, I can’t help but to be curious.” She sat down behind her huge desk.

  “Damn, I just realized what I’m doing. I’m coming to you like you’re still my wife. You must hate me for that. Damn, how did I fuck up so bad?”

  “I ask myself that every day.”

  “I don’t know what to say. Deep in my heart
we are still connected. I don’t have someone else that I’m trying to holla at; it was never about another woman.”

  “I guess that is good news. Randy, I am trying real hard not to be mad at you and to be civil, but this shit eats me up. If I knew what I did wrong, I could accept it better.”

  I took a deep breath. “Felicia, it was never about you. Can’t you see that? You were perfect.”

  “Then why the fuck did we end up with a divorce?” She didn’t attempt to hide the venom in her words. She was hurt and that pain was transferred onto me ’cause I had caused this shit.

  “I wish I had an answer for you. It’s like I woke up one day and didn’t recognize myself. I felt like I was drowning. Can you understand that?”

  She didn’t say anything for a few minutes. She started walking back and forth. I knew the expression on her face. I knew she was wound tighter than the strings of a guitar. I wanted—no scratch that—I needed to hear how she felt, but I was scared how the words would affect me. Suddenly, she sat down. When she did, my heart sank. The look on her face was of defeat. It hurt me to know this woman so well that I felt the disconnect by one look into her eyes.

  She said, “What do you want from me? I’m trying so hard to be civil to you, but I can’t be your fucking friend.”

  “Felicia, please—”

  “Felicia my ass. I’ve played the pitiful bitch before, and I hated the part. I don’t have to beg a nigga to love me.”

  Her voice was getting kind of loud, and I was thankful that I had shut the door when I entered her office.

  “I’ll always love you,” I practically whispered the words, hoping she would follow my lead.

  “If you loved me, answer this question. Why are you living some fucking place else?” her voice raised two octaves higher.

  Damn, she took it there. I couldn’t answer her questions because I didn’t know myself. How could I explain what had happened to me without appearing to be less than a man?

  “What, cat got your fucking tongue?”

  “Felicia, can you speak to me without cussing? It’s not a good fit for you.” Why the fuck did I say that?