The Devil Is a Lie

by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

  “Well, I hate me for what I did to you. I was dumb, and hurting you was the worst mistake of my life. I wish there was some way I could get you to forgive me.”

  Nina wanted to respond, but she kept quiet. There was that word again: forgiveness. Could she ever truly forgive Todd? And if so, what did that really mean? Pastor Ellis had said she needed to forgive Todd for no other reason than that it was the right thing to do. He’d told her there was no place for hate in her heart. Looking at Todd right now, she knew Pastor Ellis was right. She’d wasted too much time and energy hating Todd.

  “I might not be able to forget what you did,” she said, squeezing his arm. “But I want you to know, I do forgive you.”

  Todd’s eyes filled with tears as he pulled Nina into an embrace again. This time she didn’t pull away.

  38

  The feelings swirling through her heart were unexplainable. Nina had spent all night replaying her conversation with Todd. Forgiving him felt good. Having him cloud her thoughts was another thing entirely. She had to stick to forgiving him.

  Nina shook off thoughts of Todd as she spotted Rick standing in the living room. He still hadn’t offered an apology for not being there for her after Roscoe’s attack or even asking what happened. But it didn’t matter. Nina had been consumed with Grams and her operation. Plus, the guilt over her conflicting feelings for Todd was eating at her. She decided to be the bigger woman and take the first step.

  “Hey, baby,” Nina said as she walked into the living room and wrapped her arms around Rick’s waist. He was standing at the entertainment system, tinkering with his stereo. She tried to nuzzle up against his back, hoping he would let whatever had been bothering him go. Their both being at home was a rare occurrence that she wanted to take advantage of. Plus, she wanted to do anything to get Todd off her mind.

  “What are you doing?” she asked after Rick didn’t respond to her display of affection.

  “What does it look like?” he asked, easing out of her grasp.

  Nina placed her hands on her hips. “Are you still mad? Seriously, how long are you going to stay mad?”

  “I’m not mad,” he replied, although his tone indicated otherwise. “My stupid CD player isn’t working, and I can’t afford to buy another one.”

  Nina couldn’t believe he was being such a baby. “Don’t be dramatic, Rick. We can afford to buy another CD player. Even if we hadn’t won the lottery, we could afford a CD player.”

  “Oh, we won the lottery?” he asked sarcastically. “Because I sure can’t tell.”

  Nina took a step back. “Rick, we agreed that we wouldn’t spend any money until after we worked out our financial plan with the advisor. We meet with him tomorrow.”

  “You agreed to that. Besides, you didn’t wait to give money to your family.”

  “Oh, good grief. We’re still on that? I mean, I need a new car, but I want us to plan before we go out and buy one.”

  Nina couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. Other than the money for the gym, he’d never told her anything that he wanted to go out and buy. “I think you’re being very childish, Rick.”

  He licked his lips as he chuckled to himself. “My bad. I’m a little testy because I have to watch my dreams go up in smoke.”

  “So you talked to Mr. Mathis,” Nina said, finally figuring out what had him in a funk. Rick was going to try to talk Mr. Mathis down on the price of the property he was trying to buy.

  “Yeah, I talked to him. After he cursed me out and called me what I’m sure was a derogatory name in a foreign language, he told me I probably was trying to, and I quote, ‘play’ him. He then informed me that he had another buyer who really had the money, so I could just forget I even knew him. So there will be no gym.”

  “Rick, it’s not like you can’t get something.”

  Nina had to breathe in to keep from going off, because he was acting like a spoiled brat. However, she knew how hard he had worked for his gym and how disappointed he must be.

  “Fine, you’re right,” he replied. “I wouldn’t want to act like a child. Because I’m all man. A man who can’t freakin’ provide for his girl.”

  Nina had had enough of the pity party. The last three weeks had been awful, and she was ready to start enjoying life. “Are we still going out to dinner?” she finally asked.

  “Nope, not hungry,” he replied sourly. “Besides, it’s like you said, we need to use our money sparingly. We don’t need to go out to eat, to the movies, shopping, anything.”

  She glared at him. “Now you’re being ridiculous.”

  He spun around to face her. “Nina, it’s just been one nightmare after another for me, okay? First, I find out my fiancée is still married to someone else. Then I get excited that my dream is finally about to become a reality, only to have to watch it go up in smoke because my girl’s husband and his mistress want half our money.”

  Our money? That term sure was coming with ease now. Nina quickly shook off that thought. She’d been the one telling him from the beginning that this win was both of theirs.

  “You don’t get it,” Rick continued. “I’ve been hustling all my life. Trying my best. Trying to make up for one stupid mistake I made ten years ago. My friends are constantly harassing me to get a real job. What people don’t understand is that it’s not that easy for a felon to get a job.”

  Nina was quiet as he continued his rant.

  “And don’t hand me that bull about me not really being a felon. Tell that to all the people who won’t give me a job. Tell that to Uncle Sam, who won’t let me vote.”

  “You were convicted of intoxication manslaughter. You didn’t mean to kill that little girl. You were just drunk.” When they first met, Rick shared his story with her. He’d been in college, driving home from a party, drunk, when he hit a woman and her little girl in a small Volvo. The mother was critically injured, the seven-year-old killed. Rick was sentenced to six years in prison. At first Nina was apprehensive after he shared his story, but he was so genuine and open that she couldn’t help giving him a chance.

  Rick began pacing the room. “I bust my ass trying to make things right and I can never do it. When I take two steps up, somebody is there to knock me three steps back.”

  She tried to hug him. “Baby—”

  “Don’t do that,” he said, pushing her away. “I’m tired. I can’t take this anymore. I’m trying to save up money to get married, trying to build up this gym so we can have a foundation, and I can give you this whole dream life you wanted.”

  “But, Rick, we still have lots of money. Just under four million dollars. We can live off that for the rest of our lives.”

  “It’s not that simple!” he snapped. He was so stressed out, he seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Nina wondered if something else was bothering him. Finally, Rick made a visible effort to calm down. “I just got a bunch of stuff going on, that’s all. You wouldn’t understand.”

  “How could I understand if you won’t even talk to me?” she said gently.

  “Just forget it. I can’t be who you want me to be and I’m tired of trying.”

  Nina felt her heart racing. “So what are you saying?”

  “I’m not saying anything.”

  “Are you breaking up with me?” She couldn’t believe he would do that. Not only because he loved her but because he wouldn’t really walk away from the money, would he?

  “No, I’m not breaking up with you,” he said, much to her relief. “I’m just frustrated right now. Just give me some time, please.”

  He stormed out of the living room, and the sick feeling in Nina’s stomach intensified. Winning the lottery had exposed a whole other side of Rick. He was acting ugly. Her thoughts flashed to Todd, and how sincere he’d been about asking her to forgive him. One ship seemed to be sailing out of the harbor, but was she looking for another one to come in?

  39

  “Grandma, this money was supposed to make everything better, but it’s
caused only headaches.”

  Nina hated griping to her grandmother again, but when she came to visit, Nina hadn’t been able to hide her distress.

  “I tried to tell you, baby. I’ve been poor all my life, but I’ve had something no amount of money could buy—happiness. Man didn’t give me my happiness and man can’t take it away.” She finished drying her hands on a dish towel. “It’s like money brings out the worst in people; they lose all good sense.”

  “So what am I supposed to do?” A full twenty-four hours had passed since she’d heard from Rick. He’d sent her a text that said he was going somewhere to clear his head, then he’d turned off his cell phone.

  “Have you prayed on it?” her grandmother asked.

  Nina smiled. Prayer was her grandmother’s answer to everything. She didn’t take her grandmother’s advice last time, though, because she was too caught up in her problems. “Pray for what, Grandma?”

  “Peace,” she said calmly. “Everything that’s good to you ain’t good for you. And everybody think they wanna be rich, but as you young people say: more money, more problems.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.” Nina sighed heavily. “If I didn’t know Rick any better, I’d swear that he’s only after the money. I mean, I know better than that, but it’s like the money turned him into someone else.”

  “Hmph, that’s what it does.” She squinted at Nina. “But let me be clear with you that I don’t need your money.”

  “I know you don’t, Grandma. That’s why I love giving it to you the most.”

  “Mmm-hmmm, whatever you say,” her grandmother said as she busied herself straightening the canned goods in the kitchen cabinet.

  “And don’t just put your money up in a shoe box or something. Take a trip,” Nina chastised.

  “Hmph,” her grandmother grumbled. “I ain’t getting on an airplane for them terrorists to blow me up.”

  “Grandma,” Nina protested, “you have a better chance of dying on the way to the store than in an airplane.”

  “Mmm-hmmm. If Osama gon’ get me, he’s gon’ have to get me at the red light.”

  Nina laughed. As usual, her grandmother had lifted her spirits.

  “Oh, I meant to ask,” her grandmother said, “how’s Hattie?”

  “She’s better. I talked to Todd this morning, and although she can’t get up and move, she’s fully awake and already feeling a little better.”

  “Well, that’s good to hear.” Her grandmother turned to face her. “So you checking in with Todd every day now?”

  Nina got up and kissed her grandmother on the cheek. “I was just checking on Grams. That’s it.”

  “Mmm-hmmm. And I own part of the Brooklyn Bridge.”

  Nina wasn’t listening to any more of this. “Bye, Grandma. I gotta go. I’m meeting Michelle for lunch and I need to run by my house to pick up this book for her.”

  “If it’s some of that freaky stuff by Zane,” she said calmly, “tell Michelle to let me read it when she finishes.”

  “Grandma! What you know about Zane?”

  “Shoot, I could teach her a thing or two. She ought to interview me for her next book.” Her grandmother wiggled her hips.

  “Ewww. And on that note, good-bye, Grandma.” She kissed her grandmother and made her way back to her house. She was feeling a little better and she called Rick again, hoping that he’d answer. He didn’t.

  Nina pumped up the gospel radio station and sang along to “Never Would Have Made It,” one of her most favorite songs. She had just pulled into her driveway and was heading up the walk when she noticed two men getting out of a sedan in front of her house.

  She paused, not sure if she should wait or take off running into her house. Both of them looked like they could star in the black version of the Sopranos. The light-skinned one was short but stocky, and the darker one, while a lot thinner, looked like he could crush someone with one squeeze. They both wore black leather jackets, even though it was eighty degrees outside.

  “Um, may I help you?” Nina said apprehensively. With a hand fumbling around in her purse, she tried to discreetly position the Mace she had started carrying since Roscoe attacked her.

  “Yo, we looking for Rick,” the tall one said.

  Nina’s eyes darted back and forth between them. “He’s not here,” she replied. “And you are?”

  “His friends,” the short one said.

  Nina had met plenty of his friends, and she’d never seen either of these men.

  “Well, who should I tell him stopped by?”

  The tall one exchanged a glance with the short one, almost like he didn’t believe Nina.

  The short one spoke. “Tell him L.J. and Slick stopped by. We, um, we got a lead on some property he was looking at.”

  “For his gym?” Nina asked excitedly. If Rick could get his gym, maybe their problems would be solved.

  “Yeah, um, that’s right, for his gym,” Slick said.

  “Do you know when he’ll be back?” L.J. added.

  Nina shook her head. “I don’t. But I’ll be sure to tell him you stopped by.”

  The short one flashed a smile—the tall one didn’t bother—before the two of them made their way back to their car. Just as they got in, the back window rolled down, revealing Dior. She blew Nina a kiss as the car took off.

  Nina sent Rick a text, hoping that as soon as he did turn his phone on, he’d get the 911 message about Dior, L.J. and Slick, and would call her.

  Less than ten minutes later, her phone rang.

  “Nina?”

  “Rick? Where are you? That woman came to our house.”

  “What woman?” His voice sounded hurried, like he wanted to get off the phone.

  “Dior, the woman that drove up when we were looking at your land. She was with two characters named Slick and L.J.” She waited for Rick to say something. When he didn’t, she said, “Todd, what’s going on? Why is this woman showing up at our house?”

  He was silent, then said, “Todd? I’m not Todd.”

  Nina grimaced. “I didn’t mean…”

  “You said what you meant.”

  “Rick, I’m sorry.” Nina sighed. She braced herself for him to start going off.

  “I never meant for it to get like this,” he said instead. “I just wanted us to have a good life.”

  Nina was taken aback by his response. “And we will,” she replied. “We got enough money to realize all our dreams. Come home, and let’s get us back on track.”

  “Okay, but um, what did L.J. say?”

  “Something about having a lead on some property. Rick, tell me what’s going on. Those guys looked shady. Is this about the investment stuff?”

  “Yeah, but I told you, I’m not dealing with them. Matter of fact, I’ll call them and let them know right now.”

  Nina released a sigh of relief. “Okay, babe, then come home. Let’s work this out. I’m supposed to go meet Michelle, but I’ll call her and cancel. I’ll wait right here on you.”

  “No, go on with Michelle. How long will you be gone?”

  “Well, I’m meeting her at Star Furniture to help her pick out a bedroom set, then we were going to eat. But really, I can cancel.”

  “No,” he said, a little too forcefully. “Go hang out with your girl. Give me ’til tomorrow, okay? I wanted to get away, so I drove up to Austin to stay with Phil,” he said, referring to a childhood friend. “I’ll come home tomorrow, okay?”

  Nina closed her eyes. He was probably still upset that she called him Todd. “Okay, be careful.”

  “I will. And, Nina, I love you. No matter what, always know that I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” she replied. She hung up the phone and stared at the receiver a long while. Why had Rick asked about what that creep L.J. said? She couldn’t avoid the feeling that Rick wouldn’t be taking care of the problem. It sounded like he was running away from it.

  40

  The heavenly smell of waffles greeted them at the door. Nina
inhaled, closed her eyes, and smiled. She hadn’t really been able to focus on shopping, but after two hours, they finally found the perfect bedroom set for Michelle. Nina even saw a few items she planned to go back later and buy for herself.

  “Man, I can’t wait to dig into some chicken and waffles, heavy on the calories,” Nina said.

  Michelle grinned. “Me and you both.” They had just made it to the infamous Breakfast Klub before the place closed.

  “Two orders of chicken and waffles, coming right up,” the cashier said.

  “Hey, Marcus,” Nina said, waving to the owner of the restaurant. They met several years ago when she and his wife took some real estate classes together.

  Nina handed the cashier her credit card.

  “Wow, you’re actually gracing us with your presence,” Marcus joked to Nina as he walked up behind the cashier. He looked his usual cheery self in his Black Power T-shirt, jeans, bald head, and tousled beard. “How are you?” he asked Michelle.

  “I’m good,” she replied.

  He turned back to Nina. “I saw you all over the news. I thought you’d be having your breakfast catered these days.”

  Nina smiled. “No, you know no matter what, I will always come to the Breakfast Klub.”

  “Well, I appreciate that.”

  Nina noticed the cashier was frowning at the cash register screen. She looked at Nina. “I’m sorry, your card was declined,” she whispered.

  The smile quickly dropped off Nina’s face. “Excuse me?”

  “Your card was rejected. Do you have another form of payment?” she whispered again.

  “There’s something wrong with your machine,” Nina replied. “Can you run the card again because that’s my debit card.” She looked at Michelle and exchanged an uneasy laugh. “If ever in my life my card doesn’t need to be rejected, it’s now.”

  “Yeah, it must be something with the machine,” Michelle agreed.

  The cashier ran the card through again, and this time she signaled to Marcus. He walked over to the register, then ran the card himself. “Hmph,” he said. “It’s still coming up declined.”