The Devil Is a Lie

by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

  “But, Mama, it’s not just that,” Todd said. “Giving up on my relationship with Pam is admitting that I’ve failed.”

  “Baby, do you think God makes mistakes?”

  His eyebrows rose in confusion. “Huh?”

  “He doesn’t. Everything is as it should be. God does everything for a reason. We don’t always understand it, but it’s just as it should be. Even your grandmother needing surgery and you having to go to Nina for the money, that was all part of His divine plan.”

  “So I should be with Pam?” He didn’t understand where his mother was going with this conversation.

  “No. Sometimes God gives us signs that He wants something different for us, but we’re so busy trying to work things out ourselves that we can’t hear Him talking to us. You’re not a failure, Todd. And I’m not just saying that because you’re my son. You and Pam had a strike against you from the beginning because of the way you got together. God didn’t put his stamp of approval on that relationship. Not only did you come together in sin but you lived in sin, and not one time did you ever take your relationship to God and ask for forgiveness, direction, or that He bless your relationship.”

  Todd stared blankly at his mother. It had never occurred to him that his relationship with Pam was doomed from the start. Although he still went to church, he never made Pam go with him because she liked to sleep in on Sundays. They dang sure never took any of their problems to God.

  “But more than anything else,” his mother continued, snapping him out of his thoughts, “you’re not gonna make it with Pam because your heart is with someone else.”

  “That obvious, huh?” Todd said, not really surprised. He hadn’t uttered one word about it, yet his mother could still tell how he felt about Nina.

  “Yes, it’s that obvious.” She folded her arms across her chest. “The question is, what do you plan to do about it?”

  That was a question Todd couldn’t answer, but he knew that something had to change. He was a rich man, and he was still as miserable as ever.

  “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do right now,” she said, taking his hands. “We’re going to pray. For Mama and to ask God to send you a sign on what you should do about your love life.”

  “Take it to God, huh?”

  “Nobody else can deal with it like He can.”

  Todd closed his eyes as his mother began praying. He’d tried everything else. Prayer was the only thing left.

  32

  Hate was such a strong word. But Todd couldn’t think of any other word to describe the way he was feeling about his girlfriend right now. When he returned home from his mother’s, Pam met him at the door with her hand out for some money. They immediately began arguing. He wasn’t going to be a fool with this money. He’d put it all in a different account, one Pam couldn’t touch yet.

  “Now what’s your problem?” Pam shouted. “We got the money, and you still trying to be all tight with it! You know me and Alicia are going to Vegas for her birthday for the weekend. You trying to tell me I can’t have any money for that?”

  “One thousand dollars should be more than enough,” Todd replied. He told himself he wasn’t going to let her get him worked up. Honestly, even though he’d forgotten about her trip this weekend, he was happy to hear she was going. He could stay by his grandmother’s side after the surgery without Pam breathing down his neck. “How would you have paid for the trip if we hadn’t gotten this money?”

  He wanted to ask her why she was going off to Vegas in the first place with her friend Alicia, who was five months pregnant. But at this point, he was just tired of talking.

  “Todd, why are you trippin’?” Pam whined.

  “Pam, I am not giving you money when I know you’re just going to blow it all. Now, I think one thousand dollars is more than fair, since I already agreed to give you five thousand to go shopping with when you get back.”

  She looked at him like he had gone stone-cold crazy. “You have got to be kidding me. We are freakin’ millionaires and you’re trying to ration out five thousand dollars to me? I can use that up in twenty minutes in one store. And what in the world can I do in Vegas with a thousand dollars?”

  Todd was so tired of fighting with her. He didn’t know why in the world he thought he’d be able to deposit the check and keep Pam at bay until they got their finances in order. He fully intended on giving her some money but he didn’t want her to have access to all the money.

  “Look, Pam,” Todd said, trying to reason with her. “We are not blowing this money on an excessive shopping spree. We are going to get a house, pay off our bills, my student loans—”

  “What?” she exclaimed. “Pay off your student loans? For what? You didn’t even finish college.”

  “Pay them off because I owe the money, number one. Number two, they’re already in default, and I don’t want my credit score any more messed up than it already is.”

  “Man, screw a credit score. You have cash. You don’t need credit.”

  Todd couldn’t believe he’d ever found her attractive. “I’m paying off my student loans,” he repeated. “Then we’re going to figure out how to stretch this money through investment.” At that point he wasn’t even sure she’d be around to spend the money, but he definitely wasn’t about to tell her that.

  Pam groaned. “Oh, good grief.”

  “Pam, four million dollars is really not a lot of money.”

  “In whose book?”

  “We could go through four million dollars in two years.” Two months if I let you get your hands on it, he wanted to add.

  She pouted as she crossed her arms and impatiently tapped her foot. “So I’m just supposed to suffer because you want to be a tightwad?”

  He sighed. “No, you can take five grand and go shopping, or take nothing and shut up.”

  She had the nerve to look indignant.

  “Here’s an idea,” Todd said, trying to make her think rationally. “Why don’t you take some money and get your modeling portfolio up to par? If you’re serious about modeling, that’s something I’d be willing to get behind.”

  “If my fiancé is a millionaire, I don’t need to model. I shouldn’t have to work, period,” she said flatly.

  He should have expected an answer like that. She didn’t feel like she should have to work when her fiancé was a UPS driver, so why would her attitude be any different now?

  “Pam, this discussion is closed. If you want to go with me to meet with the financial planner tomorrow before you leave for Vegas, then fine. If not, that’s fine, too.” Todd grabbed his Motorola Razr phone and headed to the bedroom.

  He ignored her cursing and slamming things around as he plopped down on the bed. He had flipped his phone open to call Lincoln and vent when he realized he had Pam’s phone by mistake. He was headed back into the living room when the phone began vibrating. The text was from someone named Kevon Fordham. He didn’t usually go through Pam’s phone, but the first two words of the text caught his eye: Hey Sexy. Todd pushed the button to display the whole message: Hey Sexy, hope u had fun @ the mall spending that lotto money. Can’t wait to c u tomorrow in the new lingerie I know u bought (although my favorite way to c u is buck naked). Luv u. K.F. P.S.-this suite u got at the Bellagio is off the chain!

  Todd didn’t realize how tightly he was squeezing the phone until his hand started hurting. Pam was cheating on him! She was going to use his money to lay up in Vegas with some man. He forced himself to calm down. He debated how to deal with the issue. Yet he couldn’t ignore the text.

  Todd stormed back into the living room, where Pam was frantically looking through the magazines on the coffee table.

  “You looking for this?” he asked, holding up her cell phone.

  Her eyes grew wide. “Why do you have my phone?”

  He strolled into the room, trying to keep his anger at bay. “I picked it up by mistake. I told you the matching phone thing wasn’t cute.”

  She scowled and held out he
r hand. He slowly dropped the phone into her hand. “You might want to make sure you check that last text message.”

  A confused look filled her face.

  “Yeah, Kevon can’t wait to see you in that new lingerie,” Todd said through gritted teeth. “He’s at the Bellagio waiting on you. Now, what was Alicia gonna do while you hung out with Kevon?”

  “Ahhh, I…” Pam’s usual confidence disappeared as she searched for a response.

  “What? You’re suddenly speechless? No, my bad, you got a lot to say, just not to me.”

  “Todd, wait, I, ummm,” she stammered.

  “Save it, Pam. Just help me to understand why you’re cheating on me.” Todd was surprised at his calmness. Yes, he was hurt, but he was more stunned than anything.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she protested, scrunching up her face as she studied her phone. “Maybe this was a wrong number.”

  “You’re cheating on me and you think I’m a fool?”

  “Todd, will you listen? I don’t know who this is.”

  “You think I’m going to listen to more lies? I don’t think so.” He walked off, but then quickly spun back around. “I threw away my marriage for you,” he spat, his anger overtaking him. “I put up with your trifling, money-grubbing behind, and you have the audacity to be cheating on me?”

  Her attitude immediately changed. She wiggled her neck. “Trifling? Money-grubbing?” Pam said. “I didn’t make you cheat on your wife. You pursued me, remember? I didn’t owe Nina anything. You did.”

  That hurt. But Pam didn’t give him a chance to let her words sink in because she stepped in close and put her face up to his face. “You wanted me and you wouldn’t rest until you got me,” she said, her hot breath hitting him in the face. “But you sold me a pipe dream. Told me I was getting some big-shot radio executive, and all I got was a broke-down UPS-driving, living-in-the-ghetto wannabe playa. Ain’t nobody trying to play you, because guess what? You ain’t got nothing to play. You’re broke, you’re sorry, and you can’t screw. Made me all these promises. ‘I’m gon’ do this for you, Pam,’ ‘I’m gon’ do that for you, Pam.’ You barely can keep this raggedy roof over our head.”

  He couldn’t believe his ears. He knew she had issues with where they were living and the fact that they were always broke, but he didn’t know she felt like this. “So why don’t you tell me how you really feel?”

  Pam was on a roll because she stepped even closer. “You wanna know how I really feel? I’m tired and I’m disgusted. I put up with your broke behind, but now you finally got a little change, you want to nickel-and-dime me.”

  At the mention of the money, she came to her senses because she stopped short. “Todd, look, I’m sorry,” she said, her voice a lot softer. “I didn’t mean to go off. You just made me mad calling me trifling. We’re both saying some things we don’t really mean.”

  “No, I mean I said everything. I know my girl is about to take my money and go spend it on some other dude.”

  “I keep telling you, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Me and Alicia were going to Vegas.” Gone was the defiant tone she’d used just a few moments ago. She sounded now like she desperately wanted him to believe her.

  “So that’s your story and you’re sticking to it?”

  “Todd, I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” She batted her eyes innocently. “On my mama’s grave.”

  “So you have no idea, huh?”

  She shook her head.

  “Okay, how about I call Alicia?” he said, snatching the phone out of her hand. He scrolled through the address book. Pam looked like she wanted to tackle him to get the phone back, but she just stood there sneering like she knew he wouldn’t really call her friend.

  “Hey, Alicia, what’s up?” Todd said when she answered the phone. “This is Todd.”

  “Hey, Todd. What’s goin’ on?” Alicia replied. She had been Pam’s partner in crime since they were in high school. Todd never particularly cared for her because she was a man-hungry gold digger. But he still remained cordial with her.

  “Yeah, Pam’s asleep so I’m using her phone to call her friends. You see, I’m planning a surprise party for Pam on Saturday night,” Todd said, eyeing Pam. She was trying her best to remain calm, but he could tell she was nervous.

  “Shoot, yeah,” Alicia sang. “You know I’m always game for a party. What’s the occasion?”

  “Just because Pam likes to party.”

  “Well, just let me know what I need to do,” Alicia said.

  “So, you’re straight? You don’t have anything else to do?”

  “Naw,” she said happily. “I was gon’ babysit my sister’s kids, but shoot, I’m gonna tell her she’ll have to find someone else because I wouldn’t miss a party for my girl.”

  “Thanks, I’ll be in touch.” Todd slammed the phone shut before she could reply. “Alicia doesn’t have anything planned for the weekend,” Todd said, glaring at Pam.

  Pam’s eyes darted back and forth, searching for an explanation. Finally, she said, “It’s not what it seems.”

  “Save it,” Todd said, stomping toward their bedroom. This was absolutely the last straw. “You need to get your stuff and get out.”

  “What? And go where?” she cried.

  “Go on to Vegas. Kevon’s waiting on you. Let him show you a good time.” Pam followed Todd as he marched to the closet, grabbed his duffel bag, and tossed it at her.

  Pam broke down crying. “Todd, can we talk about this?” she asked, stepping in front of him.

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” he said. “Now, I need you to get away from me before I catch a case.”

  She paused, then snapped. “Oh, so now you’re a millionaire, you think you can just put me out?”

  “I don’t think. I know.” He stepped around her. If she wouldn’t pack her bags, he’d do it for her. He snatched open her drawers and began removing her clothes and stuffing them in the bag.

  “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have a dime,” Pam screeched.

  “You’re right.” He handed her the overstuffed bag. “Thank you. Now beat it.”

  “Todd…”

  He dropped the bag at her feet when she wouldn’t take it. “Pam, if you know what’s good for you, you will get out of my house.”

  “This ain’t just your place. It’s mine, too,” she said defiantly.

  “You know what? You’re right,” he replied, stomping over to the closet. He grabbed another bag and began throwing his own clothes inside. He ignored Pam’s crying as he continued collecting his clothes and toiletries.

  “Rent’s due on the first. You can have the raggedy apartment and everything in it. I’ll buy me all new stuff,” he said as he zipped his bag and headed out the door.

  “Todd, you can’t do this,” Pam cried.

  “Watch me.”

  He slammed the door just as he heard something crash into the other side.

  33

  As Nina watched her grandmother shell peas, she couldn’t stop her heart from filling with warmth. Despite living in the middle of the city, her grandmother still kept a small garden in the backyard of her wood-frame three-bedroom house. She grew her own peas, greens, and tomatoes. She didn’t like buying “store-bought vegetables” because “ain’t no telling what kind of toxins they got in them.”

  Nina felt good being back in her grandmother’s house. Despite the meager surroundings, it was the one place she always felt at peace. Nina’s father had placed her and Yvonne there when they were little girls. Although he’d remained in their lives up until his death, he pretty much pawned them off on his mother. Luckily, Grandma Odessa had welcomed them with open arms.

  “Grandma, someone paid me a visit last week,” Nina said. She was sitting at the small kitchen table, running her hand through the bowl of peas her grandmother had already shelled. She hadn’t told her grandmother or Yvonne about her mother’s visit yet.

  Her grandmot
her grabbed the bowl of peas she was working on and sat down at the table across from Nina. “You don’t say,” she replied, popping Nina’s hand to stop her from playing in the bowl. “I knew somebody was going to have a visitor. I heard a bird tappin’ on my window three times the other morning.” Nina couldn’t help laughing. She wouldn’t say her grandmother was superstitious, but she was always spouting some cockamamie belief.

  “There you go with that.” Nina chuckled.

  “I keep telling you all, laugh all you want. One day you’re gonna see, I know what I’m talking about.”

  “I know, Grandma. Just like that whole ‘did you feed the pigs’ code.”

  When they were little, Grandma Odessa made them come up with a code in case they were ever kidnapped or in any serious trouble. The code was, if they called her up and asked whether she’d fed the pigs, that was her sign that they were in trouble. Of course, they’d never had to use it.

  “Make fun all you want,” her grandmother said, wagging her finger. “But better to be safe than sorry. And when that woodpecker showed up on my windowsill, I knew a visitor was coming.”

  Nina’s brow clouded. “Well, a visitor came, all right.”

  “You’re gonna have a lot of people paying you visits before it’s all over.” Nina knew what her grandmother meant. This money had already brought more problems than it was worth.

  “No, this one was totally unexpected.”

  “I’m listening,” she replied.

  “I saw Mama,” Nina said quietly.

  Her grandmother nodded knowingly. “Mmm-hmmm.”

  Nina could tell her grandmother wanted to go on, but as she’d done Nina’s entire life, she didn’t say an ill word.

  “So what did she want?” Odessa said.

  “What else? Money.”

  “Did you give it to her?”

  Nina frowned. “You think I would give her a dime?”

  “Hmmm,” her grandmother said.