I Am Moore

by Celeste Granger

  Tristan knew when he was bested. Steepling his fingers, Tristan considered whether there was another viable option. At the same time, he knew Evan well enough to know that if he bypassed the offer on the table, Evan would slaughter his client for punitive damages and the current $25 million would be pocket change. Tristan’s eyes met Evans. His intensity as disconcerting, and Tristan knew it was for more than one reason.

  Lifting his frame to standing, Tristan offered a slight smile.

  “I’ll have the papers drawn up and couriered over by Friday.”

  He didn’t extend his hand to shake, but instead turned on his heels and moved towards the door.

  “Always good doing business with you Tristan,” Evan called out. “Stop by anytime.”

  Evan had more impetus than ever to make things right with Emery…

  Chapter Thirteen

  Rapid knocking, more like pounding and the simultaneous incessant ringing of the doorbell startled Emery from sleep.

  “What the hell,” she uttered groggily. Emery didn’t fully come out from under the covers, hoping the blithering commotion would end. She ducked underneath the cover, and when the noise didn’t stop, Emery put he hands over her ears.

  “Ugh,” she moaned as the echo from the knocking and the jingle of the bell penetrated her blockade.

  “UGH!” Emery moaned louder, poutingly throwing the covers off and sitting up on the bed. When she heard voices, chorusing with the other noises, Emery rolled her eyes, planted her feet on the carpeted floor and got out of bed. By the time she stomped down the stairs, Emery’s jaw was set. She had a word or two for whoever was at the door.

  Punching the numbers to disarm the alarm, Emery slid the chain lock and then turned both locks on the front door. She pulled the door open.

  “What the hell!”

  “We the hell and we’re coming in,” Kennedy announced. She didn’t wait for further protest and neither did the rest of the Moore girls, plus one. They affirmatively crossed the threshold and into Emery’s house.

  What the hell is she doing here, Emery thought as Samantha was the last to walk in.

  Her sisters didn’t give her a choice. Emery closed the door and followed the group into her kitchen.

  “Really?” she announced, as they all moved as though they lived there. They had grocery bags and other sundry items that they unpacked without so much as acknowledging Emery’s contestation.

  “Uh, when was the last time you showered,” Daphne asked as she started a pot of coffee.

  All eyes were on Emery.

  “Yesterday morning, if you must know,” Emery snapped.

  “Well, it’s time to take another one, sis,” Ivory chimed in, offering her big sister a smile. She walked over to Emery and placed a hand on each shoulder, turning Emery where she stood.

  “I’ll help you,” Ivory said as she pushed Emery to move forward whether she liked it or not.

  “I’ll help, too,” Trinity said. “Just in case she tries to buck up.”

  The two youngest girls escorted Emery to her master bathroom. Ivory got the shower prepared while Trinity went into the master closet, finding something for Emery to wear. While they were gone, the other sisters continued to prepare.

  When Emery re-emerged, freshly showered and dressed, she couldn’t believe what her sister's had done. Emery looked at the kitchen counter, covered with all her favorites, from red velvet cupcakes, to pecan pancakes, to mini paydays to fresh fruit. It was a mish-mash of things to eat, and drink, but she quickly got the point.

  “Since you refused to answer the phone, text back, open the damn door, send a carrier pigeon or smoke signals to let us know you were okay, we came to make sure you’re okay,” Charity announced.

  “We brought the party to you, Emery,” Samantha added. Emery was so overwhelmed by their outpouring, she couldn’t hold on to bitterness for Samantha. The two exchanged a pleasant smile.

  “So, if you want to cuss, cry, laugh, cry some more, plot Evan’s demise or whatever it is, we are here for it,” Aubrey added.

  This time when Emery’s eyes misted with tears, they weren’t tears of sadness. She looked at the spread again, and then into the faces of her sisters as tears spilled onto her cheeks.

  “Oh, you guys,” she sobbed.

  “Aww,” Trinity sighed. Collectively, the sisters moved from where they were and surrounded Emery in a sisterly hug. She cried in the safety of her sisters’ arms.

  “You smell so much better,” Felicity giggled. That statement set off a trail of giggles and laughs that spilled over from one Moore girl to the next.

  “Let’s eat before the food gets cold,” Kennedy announced. He had worked her culinary magic, from soup to nuts. The group parted, and Emery wiped her eyes. Her heart, the one that had been hurting so bad, felt some better. Samantha lingered as the other sisters cleared away.

  “I hope you don’t mind,” Samantha whispered. “I promised to let you make the next move but when I heard what happened, I wanted to be here for you; to support you in some small way.”

  “It’s fine,” Emery replied, taking Samantha by the hand. “I’m glad you’re here.” The smile that appeared on Samantha’s face let them both know that despite everything, and no matter how long it would take, they had a chance to begin to heal the rift between them.

  While her sisters were busy filling their plates, Kennedy stepped out into the back hallway and pulled her cell phone out. She shot a quick text message to their mother.

  We’re here. She’ll be fine.

  All the sisters sat down at Emery’s dining table and broke bread together. Although she still felt blue, it was good seeing everyone and hearing all the mindless chatter and her sisters having a good time. The last family meal had not turned out the way any of them anticipated but this was good. She needed more than she realized. Emery had been in an absolute funk since Evan betrayed her. And although she didn’t have an appetite, she made a plate and picked at her food.

  Seeing that she wasn’t really eating, Kennedy addressed Emery.

  “I did not slave over a hot stove for you to pick, ma’am,” Kennedy announced. That drew all the sister’s attention to Emery.

  Felicity cleared her throat before Emery had a chance to respond. “Okay,” she started. “We have danced around this thing long enough. So, let’s get to it.”

  “Do we need weapons?” Aubrey asked?”

  “I don’t look good in orange,” Trinity simpered. “But for you, big sis, I’ll definitely wear it!”

  Ivory and Trinity high-fived each other.

  “Hey Samantha, you get him high and I’ll get him low,” Charity offered. The girls howled with laughter. Emery forced a smile, but tears pressed against her lids as she picked the icing on her red velvet cupcake. Samantha noticed and discretely tapped Daphne on the arm.

  “Aww, Em, don’t cry,” Daphne said, paying attention to how Emery was taking the jokes.

  The laughter subsided as her sisters notice how hurt Emery looked.

  “You wanna talk about it?” Aubrey asked.

  “It might help,” Felicity suggested.

  She could feel a wave of sadness welling up in her soul. As desperately as Emery wanted to be strong, or at least look strong in front of her sisters, it was too hard, and she crumbled; allowing the tears to fall freely. The room fell silent except for Emery’s sobs. They felt deeply for each. Some of her sisters knew the hurt of lost love, while others felt the pain because their sister was hurting. Finding tears pressing against the back of her own lids, Ivory excused herself from the table and went to the restroom, retrieving Kleenex. When she returned, Ivory sat the box closest to Emery and then leaned in and hugged her sister. The two sisters sitting on opposite sides of Emery reached out a loving hand to console her. No matter how hard she tried, Emery couldn’t seem to stop the tears from falling. The hurt was so deep; aching her head, her heart, and her soul. She didn’t think a man could have that kind of impact on her, but Evan did. />
  “It hurts so bad,” Emery whimpered, finally able to speak.

  The sisters remained quiet, allowing Emery a chance to speak what was in her heart.

  “Have you seen him, since, you know, the paper came out.” Charity gingerly asked.

  Emery nodded as she lifted a tissue from the box and dabbed her cheeks.

  “What did he say, Em,” Kennedy asked.

  “What could he say,” Emery quipped.

  “But did he offer an explanation of any kind?” Kennedy continued.

  “What could he say, Ken? What could he possibly say to make that be okay?”

  Amidst the sadness was anger that simmered on a low boil. It goes without saying that Emery was upset with Evan, but she was also mad at herself for being weak, and vulnerable and stupid.

  “Emery, I know the pictures look bad, but maybe there’s an explanation,” Aubrey offered.

  “Pictures don’t lie. Did you see them?” Emery argued. She felt frustrated just thinking about it.

  “Who was that harlot anyway,” Felicity muttered.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Emery sighed. “You saw the pictures just like I did. Ain’t nothing Evan can say to make that right, absolutely nothing.”

  The room fell silent again. Emery wasn’t crying as much anymore, she was fuming.

  “Do you love him?”

  Emery looked up to see who posed the question.

  “Do you love him,” Samantha asked again. “I don’t mean to speak out of turn, Emery, but do you?”

  All her sisters turned in Emery’s direction.

  “That doesn’t matter either,” Emery scoffed. “It doesn’t matter how I feel, felt about him. Clearly he doesn’t feel the same way about me or he wouldn’t have done it.”

  “That might be true, and I am in no way making excuses for Evan,” Samantha continued, treading lightly. “But this is the thing about love. It’s patient, kind, not easily provoked, right? But its also confusing and all-consuming and dangerous and wonderful. And if you love him, then, maybe you should fight for him.”

  “Did you give him a chance to explain,” Kennedy followed.

  “No. I didn’t want to hear nothin’ from him,” Emery insisted.

  “So, you don’t have the whole story,” Felicity surmised.

  Emery drew back, and the corner of her lip ticked up. “Why ya’ll defending him? Ya’ll suppose to be on my side!”

  “We are on your side, Emery,” Aubrey clarified. “But. I’ve never seen you happier,” she added. “Not today, of course,” Aubrey continued. “Ever since you’ve been with Evan, it’s like you got a glow, girl. You love him Em or you wouldn’t be so upset.”

  There were nods all around the table as though her remaining sisters agreed with Aubrey’s assessment.

  Her first inclination was a swift rebuttal. That’s who Emery was. She resisted that urge though.

  “We’re not saying, make a fool of yourself, Emery,” Felicity said. “Cause if you want us to take him down, you know we will,” she added. “I think what we’re all trying to say is, give him a chance to explain. If what he says don’t add up, then kick his ass even further to the curb. But if what he says makes sense, then would you really want to throw it all away for a misunderstanding?”

  “Everything is not always what it seems, Em,” Kennedy offered.

  “You know more than anyone at this table, that I’ve been hurt badly by a man,” Daphne said. “I don’t want you to be hurt. That’s not what I’m saying. Evan seems like a good dude. He makes you smile. See what he has to say.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  One Week Later

  Emery was back at work. She sulked long enough. Getting back into her routine was just what she needed to shake off the cobwebs of Evan Stanton. As she sat behind her desk, Emery mulled over what her sisters shared with her the week before. It would have been easy to be dismissive of what they offered, but ever since that conversation, Emery found herself returning to it; contemplating the questions and the answers she gave; questioning herself and whether she was making the right decision in severing all ties with Evan. Being honest with herself, Emery missed Evan terribly. She missed the early morning wake up calls and the late-night conversations. Emery missed having that go to person to discuss everything from legal matters to family matters. She missed him.

  But she couldn’t spend her days wavering from being pissed off with Evan to missing him. She had a meeting with her team. That would be enough to get her mind back to the business at hand. Right on time, there was a knock at the door.

  “Come in,” Emery called, as she got up from her chair with pen and paper in hand. Deneen and Malcolm entered and the three sat in the corner of Emery’s office where there was a comfy couch and oversized chairs.

  “Let’s get to it,” Emery announced. Emery thoroughly enjoyed meeting with her team, reviewing old business, discussing new matters and checking in to see how everyone was feeling. She genuinely cared about her staff, not just as employees and the weekly meetings gave her the opportunity to check the pulse of her team.

  “Do we have any new business since I’ve been out?”

  “As a matter of fact, we do,” Malcolm replied.

  “Okay, what’s going on,” Emery asked, prepared to write down the facts.

  “We have a new international client that requests a sit-down meeting with you this week.”

  “This week?” Emery asked puzzled.

  “Actually, they want you to fly out tomorrow,” Deneen added.

  “And I’m sure you told whoever this new client is that was impossible,” Emery replied.

  There was a look shared between Malcolm and Deneen, but neither of them answered straight away.

  “What did you tell them,” Emery prodded.

  “Well,” Deneen began. “Considering this is one of our first international clients, and considering the retainer they paid in advance, and considering this could have a positive ripple effect on the firm”

  Before Deneen finished, Malcolm pulled out the check that was forwarded for the retainer and handed it to Emery. She playfully snatched it from Malcolm. When she saw the amount, Emery’s mouth fell open as her eyes widened.

  “For real,” Malcolm said.

  “And it’s good,” Deneen added. “We confirmed the funds are available and ready for transfer upon deposit.

  “So, you didn’t turn them down,” Emery concluded.

  Deneen started to speak, but Malcolm stepped in.

  “Ms. Moore, had we made the decision to deny the client’s request and you later learned the parameters and disagreed, you would not have been pleased.”

  “We really thought about it and decided that we would rather risk erroring on the side of growing and expanding the firm rather than turning away a potential, obviously lucrative and willing client.”

  “And who is this international client,” Emery sighed. Looking down at the check, she could tell that the name was stamped instead of signed. And what was there was not clear. Most cursive penmanship wasn’t. she looked at the upper left-hand corner of the check for details, but again, the information was limited. That made Emery suspicious, but her staff said it was legitimate.

  “The client is very discreet,” Deneen replied.

  “How do we know this isn’t a set-up, some illegal stuff?”

  “Because the company is legitimate with an excellent track record. They sent over a dossier outlining their business, holdings, and philanthropic interests,” Malcolm offered.

  “Why not a video conference?” Emery asked. “That’s 21st century.”

  “I don’t disagree,” Deneen concluded. “But this particular client insists on a personal meeting.”

  “And the ticket and hotel accommodations are already paid for,” Deneen went on. “Mr. Brown, the client in question, also sent a monetary bonus for incidentals and you taking the meeting on such short notice.”

  Malcolm handed Emery a sealed envelope. Again, Emery was
surprised at the contents.

  “I can’t accept this,” Emery replied, shoving the envelope back toward Malcolm.

  “It’s perfectly legal,” Ms. Moore,” Deneen said. “We did our due diligence.”

  Malcolm refused the envelope, putting up his hand and gently pushing it back.

  “Where am I going?” Emery succumbed.

  This time, Deneen was the one who passed Emery a portfolio.

  “Your passport is there, and your ticket to Gold Coast Barbados.”

  “Your flight leaves at 9:00 a.m. Marcos will be there to pick you up at 6:00,” Malcolm added.

  This was certainly a curveball. She could fuss and begrudged the whole experience or Emery could embrace it. Malcolm and Deneen had done an excellent job, investigated the matter and did their due diligence. The points they made about the potential to expand the business internationally had merit. Being an attorney was Emery’s dream. She’d always loved the law. Having her own law firm, gave Emery the opportunity to be an entrepreneur a businesswoman. That appealed to Emery on a different yet equitable level. Legacies are built when you own something, and Emery wanted her practice and her business to thrive. She would thank Malcolm and Deneen later, after she fussed them out for getting her into this international mess in the first place.

  “Where are you going again,” Kennedy asked and then covered the phone barking orders at her wait staff.

  “Gold Coast, Barbados” Emery replied with the phone balanced on her shoulder. Emery hated packing. More than that, Emery hated packing in a hurry. She wasn’t sure what all she needed to bring. Kennedy barked more orders as it was in the middle of the dinner rush. Emery didn’t mind. She was trying to decide what business outfit would be most appropriate for the climate on the island. Her trusty black suit would be out of place for balmy weather. But how business casual could she go with a multi-millionaire client first meeting?

  “Ugh,” Emery groaned which drew Kennedy back into the conversation.

  “What?”

  “Just trying to figure out what to take,” Emery moaned.