The Devil Is a Lie

by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

  Now Rick was rejuvenated, and she had the lottery to thank for that.

  “So how did the meeting with the financial planner go?” he asked.

  “It was wonderful. I think this firm is going to be great. They’ll meet us at the lottery office in the morning.”

  Rick picked her up with his big strong arms and showered her with kisses. “Yes! The first thing I want to do is show you that land. Then I want to swing by Robbins Brothers, have you pick out the biggest diamond they have, and I am going to take you to a tropical island.”

  “That sounds like a great idea!”

  He paused, turning serious. “Let’s get married while we’re there.”

  “Oh, so you want to marry me now that I’m loaded,” she said playfully.

  He pushed her away, a hurt look crossing his face.

  “Come on, baby,” Nina quickly added. “I was just playing.” She knew how much he loved her, and he’d never given her any reason to doubt that love.

  “Don’t play with me like that,” he said. “You know I’m thrilled about the money. But I was there when you didn’t have a dime. I was the one paying for all those real estate classes. And you know the only reason we’re not already married is because you got this crazy idea that you need to wait a certain amount of time after your divorce.”

  “And you said you understood that,” Nina replied. “Besides, you said you wanted to wait, too, until you were more financially stable.”

  Nina could tell he was still upset, so she stepped closer and rubbed his arms. “But, baby, we are financially stable now. So I think your idea to get married is great.” With their newfound wealth she looked forward to doing wonderful things together. Why not make it official? “You’re right. Let’s do it,” she said. “Let’s pick up our check, buy the land for our gym, buy our rings, and go get married.”

  He looked at her searchingly. “Money or no money, don’t marry me if you don’t love me.”

  She threw her arms around him again. “You know I love you. And I would be so happy to be Mrs. Rick Henderson.”

  He finally smiled. “You just made my day,” Rick said, passionately bringing his lips to hers.

  “And you’ve made my life,” she whispered after they kissed. She was surprised at how ecstatic she felt. She was about to be a married millionaire. Life couldn’t get any better than that.

  8

  The incessant tapping was about to drive him crazy.

  Todd glanced down at the source of his rattled nerves. “Would you please stop tapping your foot?”

  “What?” Pam cried. Even though it was cloudy and overcast, she wore a pair of oversized sunglasses. Of course, they topped off the rest of her outfit—a psychedelic Rocawear minidress with thigh-high boots. Before they left the house he’d urged her to change into a more conservative outfit, but of course she didn’t listen.

  “What am I doing?” Pam said when he continued to stare at her.

  “The tapping, the sighing, all of it,” Todd replied. “If you didn’t want to come, you shouldn’t have come.” They were standing outside Memorial Greens Hospice, waiting for his mother to park her car. They’d been about to go inside when they saw her pulling in the parking lot. He’d stopped to wait so they could all walk in together.

  “I’m here, ain’t I?” She didn’t even try to hide the boredom in her voice.

  “My grandmother can sense your negativity.”

  Pam opened her huge Fendi bag and pulled out a cigarette—a habit she knew he couldn’t stand. “Your grandmother wouldn’t know if it was me or Janet Jackson in the room.”

  “Pam.” He eyed the cigarette just as she put it to her lips. “Can you chill with the cancer stick?”

  “Good grief,” she huffed, then tossed the cigarette back into her purse. “I need something to calm my nerves. I’m not in the mood to deal with your mother and her funky attitude. Besides, it’s our anniversary. I thought we were doing something special.”

  Todd knew how that went. Today was the anniversary of the day they officially moved in together. Last month, she’d wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the first time they kissed, and before that, the monthly anniversary of their first date. He lost track of all their “anniversaries.”

  “Coming to see my grandmother is special to me,” Todd told her. “And we’re going to eat when we leave here.” Todd had actually asked Pam to wait at home, but she refused. She wanted to use the forty-five-minute drive to Memorial Greens to try to change his mind about the lottery money. He’d instantly nixed the idea, and Pam had spent all night and most of this morning talking about it. “It’s my grandmother’s seventieth birthday,” Todd continued. “I don’t want any drama. I just want to take her her gift; spend some time with her. Then we can go do whatever you want.”

  “You know what I want to do—go talk to that attorney about our rights.”

  “Pam, drop it,” he said forcefully. “We don’t have any rights. I’m divorced from Nina and that’s final.”

  “But the divorce isn’t final.”

  “Well, it’s supposed to be.” He huffed at the very idea. “I can’t show up out of the blue and try to take half her money.”

  Pam suddenly grabbed his hands and pleaded with him. “Baby, we are like two dollars away from being out on the streets. And our money troubles aren’t showing any signs of letting up. This money would be the answer to our prayers. Think about it. You’re busting your butt to start a record label—”

  “A talent management company,” he corrected.

  “Whatever,” she said. “The point is, this money could make that happen.”

  Todd tried not to let her words seduce him. Yes, he sure could use the money, but he’d hurt Nina enough by cheating on her in the first place. He couldn’t go and take her money as well.

  “Let me ask you again,” Pam said when she realized he wasn’t budging, “if the tables were turned, don’t you think she’d come get her half?”

  “I don’t want to talk about hypotheticals.”

  “Just hear me out—”

  “No. This conversation is over,” Todd said, summoning up a smile as his mother approached them.

  Gloria Lawson looked her usual regal self in a pair of tan slacks and a beige sweater set with beige pearls. Her jet-black hair was pulled back in a bun, and her virtually wrinkle-free skin gave no hint of her fifty-two years. If not for the heaviness in her eyes, she’d easily pass for a woman in her early forties.

  “Hello, Mother.” Todd leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Hey, baby,” she replied. As she turned to Pam, the smile immediately left her face. “Pam.”

  “Mrs. Lawson,” Pam coolly replied. Todd couldn’t blame Pam for the coldness she exhibited around his mother. After all, the women in his family—his mother, grandmother, and cousin Shari—still treated Pam like a pariah. “You look lovely today,” Pam offered.

  “Thank you,” Mrs. Lawson said, looking Pam up and down. “And so do—” She stopped abruptly and turned to Todd. “So, dear, tell me, what did you get your grandmother?”

  “I bought her the Bible on audio and a CD player,” he said, holding up the pink gift bag. He ignored her dig at Pam, which he knew he’d hear about later.

  “A CD? If you can get her to listen to it, that will be a miracle.” She glanced at Pam’s outfit one more time, made a slight moue of disgust, then took Todd’s arm and pulled him to her side. “Well, come on.”

  “I guess I’ll come, too,” Pam mumbled as she followed them in.

  They checked in at the front desk, then made their way back to his grandmother’s room. Todd was grateful that the hospice didn’t have the stale mothball smell that a lot of nursing homes possessed. Memorial Greens Hospice was a top-of-the-line facility. Set on thirty-five acres, the modern hospice had large, comfortable rooms, a dining area, and a fully equipped family center. He’d hated putting his grandmother here, but she’d adamantly opposed going to live with anyone. Fiercely in
dependent, it nearly took an act of God for her to finally agree on an assisted-living center. And because she suffered from a weak heart, they needed a place where she could receive medical care. She’d been there for two years now.

  “Hey, Mama,” Todd’s mother said as she eased the door open. “It’s me.”

  Todd’s grandmother was sitting in a rocking chair near the window, gazing out into the courtyard. She wore a yellow housecoat, and her gray hair was parted down the middle and braided in two plaits, which hung down her shoulders.

  “Gloria?” his grandmother said.

  “Yes, Mama.” She walked over and kissed her mother on the top of her head. “It is so good to see you. You look great. Happy birthday.”

  “Hi, Grandma Hattie,” Todd said, easing up to his grandmother. He waited with bated breath, hoping she recognized him.

  “Hey, baby.” His grandmother’s eyes lit up, causing Todd to smile with relief. “Don’t you look handsome.”

  Pam cleared her throat after no one acknowledged her presence.

  “And look at you,” Hattie said, smiling at Pam. “Just as beautiful as ever.”

  Pam flashed a genuine smile for a change. “Thank you, Miss Hattie.”

  “You are such a pretty girl,” Hattie continued. “Your dress is kinda trashy, but you sure are pretty. Come sit next to me.”

  Pam scowled at Todd. He pleaded with his eyes for her to let the comment pass.

  “Come on, girl, I don’t bite,” Hattie said, leaning over and patting the chair next to her. “Todd, tell Nina I don’t bite.” She giggled when Pam didn’t move.

  Pam’s whole body tensed and Todd immediately put in, “Grandma, this isn’t Nina.”

  “Huh?” His grandmother frowned up.

  “Remember, this is my girlfriend, Pam. She’s been here with me many times.”

  Confusion was etched across his grandmother’s face. “Girlfriend? Oh, Lord, you’re committing adultery.”

  Gloria rested her hand on her mother’s arm and spoke gently. “Mama, Nina and Todd are no longer married. So Pam and Todd aren’t committing adultery.” She paused and gave Pam a wry look. “At least not anymore.”

  “What you say now? Todd, you were raised better than that—cheating on your wife.” She wagged her finger at him.

  “Grams, Nina and I are not married,” Todd said gently.

  “You’re not?”

  “No, we haven’t been together for about a year.”

  She looked at Pam quizzically. “And this is your girlfriend now?”

  Pam bit down on her bottom lip. Todd could tell she was getting heated. She definitely was working hard to hold her anger in. Todd made a mental note to thank her later for at least trying to be civil.

  “Yes, Grams,” Todd said. “You’ve met her before. Her name is Pam.”

  Hattie leaned forward in her seat and slowly sized Pam up. “Girlfriend, huh? Why she got on her baby sister’s dress? I can see all her goodies.” She pointed her long, bony finger. “Gal, ain’t nobody ever told you to leave a little somethin’ for the imagination?”

  “Grandma, that’s the style,” Todd said, coming to Pam’s defense.

  Yet the older woman remained confused. “Is she a streetwalker? ’Cause she looks like a streetwalker to me in that short dress and all that makeup.”

  Pam cringed as Todd’s mother tried to stifle a laugh.

  “Todd…” Pam said through gritted teeth.

  His grandmother’s serious tone was actually quite funny, but Todd didn’t dare laugh because he already knew he was going to have to hear about it all the way home.

  “Well, if you can’t have Nina, I guess she’ll do,” Hattie said matter-of-factly, leaning back in her rocking chair. “She got a nice little figure and she look like she freaky.” She winked at Todd. “I imagine that’s why you got with her.”

  “Todd, I’m going to wait outside,” Pam huffed. She marched toward the door before he could say a word.

  “Bye, Nina,” his grandmother happily called as Pam headed out. “Come back and see me.”

  Pam didn’t reply as she stomped out of the room. Todd debated going after her but decided not to. It was probably best that she wait in the lobby anyway, because there was no telling what else his grandmother would say.

  After the door closed, Hattie turned to Todd. “You listen to your grandma. You dump that gal and go back to Nina. She’s much better for you. You been with her since you was a boy. She’s your soul mate. Not that floozy.”

  It was amazing how his grandmother could remember his relationship with Nina and their long history but couldn’t remember Pam even though she’d been to visit many times. Hattie had always loved Nina, and the feeling was mutual. Hattie and Nina’s grandmother Odessa used to go to church together, and that’s how Todd and Nina met back in middle school.

  Hattie’s gaze drifted to the bag that Todd had set down on the bed. “Is that for me?”

  “It sure is.” Todd picked up the bag and handed it to his grandmother. She excitedly removed the white tissue paper. “What’s this?” she asked, scrunching up her nose as she examined the box.

  “It’s the Bible on CD.”

  “What?” She turned the box over, inspecting it.

  “Yeah, you can put it in this CD player,” he said, pulling the CD player out of the bag. “Then you can listen to the Bible on audio.”

  She tossed the box onto the table in front of her. “Boy, please. I read the Word of God. That’s how He talks to me. I don’t want to listen to nobody pretending to be God.”

  Gloria gave Todd an “I told you so” look, then chuckled as she walked over and began fluffing the pillow behind her mother. “Mama, have you taken your medication today?”

  “No. And I ain’t taking ’em either. They tryin’ to turn me into a crackhead,” she said defiantly.

  “Mama, it’s not crack,” Gloria replied patiently. “It’s medicine, and we talked about how important it is that you take your pills.”

  “Pills schmills. I ain’t taking ’em. If my heart goes out, that means it’s just my time to go.”

  Gloria sighed as she rose to her full height. “Todd, talk to your grandmother. I’m goin’ down the hall and speak to Dr. Phelps. He said he had something important he wanted to talk to me about.”

  “You can talk with that quack all you want!” Hattie yelled.

  “Why is he a quack, Mama?”

  “’Cause he’s black. Gimme a white doctor.” She stuck out her lips and rocked back and forth. Gloria shook her head and left the room.

  Todd patted his grandmother’s hand. “Grams, you know that’s not true.”

  “It is so,” she replied, jerking her hand away. “I don’t want no black doctor giving me no medicine. Them white folks, they the ones that know what they’re doing. That man probably ain’t even no real doctor.”

  Todd let the statement pass. Lately, they’d been going through this every time he came. For some reason, his grandmother had gotten it in her head that black doctors were inferior. She seemed to be getting more and more cantankerous. Dr. Phelps said it was the dementia, even though his grandmother had always been prone to saying whatever was on her mind.

  “You know Dr. Phelps graduated from Yale. I showed you the degree, remember?” Todd said.

  “He probably made that on that computer in his office. I seen on TV you can do everything on them computers,” she said. “And yesterday he tried to poison me.” She flailed her arms, upset. “Ask him why he tried to poison me and to get me a white doctor.”

  “Grams, the last time I was here, you promised me you were going to stop giving the doctors a hard time.” He pulled a sheet of paper out of her nightstand drawer. “Remember this?” He started reading. “ I, Hattie Mae Sturgis, agree not to give the doctors a hard time and take all my medication.’ See, you signed it right there.” He showed her the paper.

  Becoming calm again, she leaned in and peered at the paper. “How I know you didn’t forge
my signature?”

  “I didn’t forge it. It’s your signature.”

  She waved him off, not giving in. “Where’s Nina? I want to see Nina.”

  Todd felt a sudden pang of sadness. He folded the paper and put it back in the drawer. “Grams, I’m not with Nina anymore. And I need you to focus.”

  “Focus on what?” she said, her voice rising. “Are you from that Candid Camera show? Are you a quack, too?”

  “What?”

  “You think I’m crazy!” she exclaimed, wagging her finger at him. “But the devil is a lie! You won’t make me think I’m crazy.”

  “Okay, Grams,” he said, trying to calm her down.

  She started getting really agitated, then a pained look crossed her face as she clutched her heart. “Owww.”

  Todd immediately pushed the nurse call button and rushed to his grandmother’s side. She was grimacing as she let out a guttural moan. “Grams, are you okay?”

  “What you think? My chest hurts. Go find me a white doctor,” she snapped, shooing him away. “I don’t want you to examine me.”

  “Grams, it’s me, Todd.”

  “Go away!” His grandmother started wildly rocking back and forth as she held her chest, her breathing growing heavier as the nurse hurried into the room.

  “Miss Hattie, are you getting worked up again?” the nurse gently asked.

  “Leave me alone,” his grandmother snapped, but then she calmed down a bit.

  Todd stared at his grandmother in shock. He’d never seen her this bad.

  “Please excuse us,” the nurse said, motioning toward the door. “I’ll let you know when it’s okay to come back in.”

  Todd retreated into the hallway. He had to go talk to the doctor and find out what was going on with his grandmother. Outside the room, Todd quickly turned and scanned the hallway for Dr. Phelps. He spotted his office and raced toward it.