Tightening his hold on her, Langston whispered in Ava’s ear, “Shhh, baby, trust me. I’m going to handle this.”
Ava shoved him in the chest when he placed her back on her feet. “You better, before I do.”
A malevolent smirk curled Beatrice’s lips as she watched her idiot son and his whore. She had struck a nerve and got the reaction she wanted. And just like the last time, Langston came to her defense when that ghetto tramp lunged at her. Yes, she still had some measure of control over her son. Tsk, tsk, and she thought she needed Christina to drive a wedge between them. All she had to do was call her a few names to get under her skin, and the little hood rat erupted, acting like an uncivilized heathen.
“Do what, my dear?” Beatrice asked. “The only thing you’re capable of doing is spreading your legs.” Beatrice tilted her head to side. Her lips still held their smirk as she spewed her venom.
Langston looked at his mother incredulously. If she couldn’t respect him as a man, his child, and the woman he loved, then there was no room for her in his life. He loved his mother, he really did. However, she was a cancer that had eaten away at him for too long. He was about to tell Beatrice that until she was ready to act like a mother and a grandmother, he wanted no part of her, but Ava was too fast.
Ava gritted her teeth. No the hell she didn’t! Oh, full of insults, huh? Let’s see if you like this. “Did you say that to Lydia when your husband was crawling between her legs?” The shocked expression on Beatrice’s face was priceless. Ava put her hand to her mouth and said, “Oops.” Dropping her hand, she rolled her neck. “Too bad Lydia was the one big poppa Warrington really wanted to be with. I guess it sucks being sloppy seconds.”
The sharp gasp of air Beatrice sucked in pierced the air. Anger blazed in her eyes as she shot daggers at Ava and then Langston. They knew, but how? And then it came to her…Charles.
“To hell with you! To hell with the both of you! I never wanted you with your black self anyway!” she screeched at Langston. “The only reason I even birthed you was so I could continue to live like a princess! So your father wouldn’t divorce me!” A wicked cackle bubbled up from Beatrice. “Yes, Langston Warrington III, you were my ticket to living the good life. If I hadn’t had you, your bastard of a father would have surely left me for his yellow whore. You were my insurance policy.”
Ava’s heart twisted in pain as her gaze swept from Beatrice to Langston. He had stumbled backward as if someone had kicked him in the gut. She could not believe a mother who was supposed to love and protect her child could say such cruel things. Ava didn’t bother to wipe the tears that were falling down her cheeks as her heart broke into a million pieces for Langston.
All his life Langston had wondered why his mother hadn’t been affectionate with him. Now he knew. I never wanted you with your black self…you were my insurance policy. The words rang in his ears so loudly it felt as if his eardrums were about to burst. He had been nothing more than a pawn in his mother’s sick game to control his father and get what she wanted—wealth.
Looking at his mother, in that instant she became a complete stranger to him. Even though she had never been the kind of mother he would have liked her to be, he’d believed she had loved him. And in spite of all of Beatrice’s faults, Langston had still loved her. Because of this love, he tried to please her, even bending to her will, believing her long ago when she’d warned her against marrying Ava.
“Son I love you,” she’d gently whispered. “Don’t marry this girl. It will ruin your life. Tell her to put the baby up for adoption so the two of you can have successful lives. Think of what this is going to do to your father’s firm. Warrington and Warrington has had an impeccable reputation since your great grandfather and his brother started the firm. Don’t you be the one to bring shame to your family’s name.”
Langston dragged a large hand down his face. It had all been lies. She didn’t want him, didn’t love him, and could give two flying leaps about Warrington and Warrington. Langston saw it clear as day now. If he had married Ava back then, she would have been a threat to Beatrice, the queen bee. From the inception of Warrington and Warrington back in the late 1800s, the wives had played a crucial role in the family business, whether or not they were an attorney. The elder Warringtons passed down the tradition of the wives having an interest in the company. Langston now realized that Beatrice wasn’t about to share that with Ava or any other woman, for that matter. And the fact that Ava was a dead ringer for his father’s lover was all the more reason to make sure Ava was out of the picture.
Beatrice felt triumphant. She had to knock the both of them down a peg or two. She really hadn’t meant to say all those ugly things to her son. She almost felt sorry for him as hurt and agony flashed in his dark eyes…almost. And if she didn’t know any better, she would think the little tramp really did love him. Ava had eased closer to Langston, sliding her arm around his waist in a protective, supportive stance. How sweet, Beatrice thought sarcastically.
But she wasn’t finished yet. When she was finished, he would think twice again about slacking on his responsibilities in order to lie around screwing all day. His place was at the office working on cases to maintain the multimillion dollar revenue the firm brought in every year. To hell with the other lawyers. Everyone knew Langston was the top moneymaker.
Turning to Ava, Beatrice said, “Why do you think the doctor and nurses wouldn’t let you hold your bastard child?”
Ava’s heart thundered in her chest as she stared into the face of pure evil.
“Because I told them a bitch like you didn’t deserve to.”
Ava’s arm that was holding Langston slid from its position as her knees buckled. Before she could hit the floor Langston grabbed her and held her close to his body. Langston’s eyes were cold and his jaw clenched as he growled, “Leave my home and don’t ever come back. As far as I’m concerned, you’re dead to me. I no longer have a mother.”
Slamming shut the bathroom door in Beatrice’s face, Langston held Ava tightly. “I’m so sorry, baby, I’m so sorry.” He repeated the litany over and over as he held Ava’s sobbing, trembling body.
Ava clung to Langston. She was sorry too. She wasn’t only sobbing for herself, but for Langston as well. Maybe if she hadn’t pushed Beatrice, taunting her, the older woman wouldn’t have said those ugly things to Langston.
“I’m sorry too, Lang.”
Chapter 28
Sitting at a booth in the back of Friday’s on City Line Avenue, three pair of eyes stared at her in stunned disbelief. Shoot, Ava was a part of the sordid mess, and she was still in disbelief of what had gone down.
Once she hit Philly city limits, she pointed her car in the direction of South Philly. Entering her parents’ home, her mother Janet took one look at her and knew something was terribly wrong. “What is it, baby? What’s wrong?”
Bursting into tears, Ava told her mother everything that occurred during the entire weekend. As her mother held her, consoling her, Ava’s heart broke into a million more pieces for Langston. This was what a mother was supposed to do—love and protect their child—not try to crush their spirit.
At Friday’s after retelling the tale to Summer, Starr, and Karen, Karen slumped back in the booth, pushing her empty plate away. “Oh, Av, that’s awful.”
“It sure is,” Summer said. “I can’t believe anyone could be that evil. To go so far as to tell that idiot doctor and retarded nurses not to let you hold your own baby?”
Each woman in the booth, having given birth herself, could only imagine the magnitude of distress Ava had gone through at being denied the opportunity to hold a baby she’d carried for nine months.
Letting out a sigh of frustration, Ava explained, “The witch and her husband were on the board of directors, and every year for the last thirty years the Warrington family has made a sizable donation.”
“So, yeah, they’d do anything the hateful old biddy told them to keep the money coming,” Starr interjected. Le
aning in, Starr whispered as if she was going to tell some big secret. “You know what we should do?”
“No,” the other women whispered in unison as they all leaned in toward Starr.
“Take a road trip with Momma Joan to have a visit with Ms. Beatrice. Now y’all know she would tear up that tail!”
“Gon’ on and say what you really want to say, Starr. Tear that azzzzz up!” Karen cracked.
As the waitress approached the table, the small group of women was hysterically laughing. Smiling, she asked, “Can I clear the table now, then bring you dessert menus?”
“That’ll be fine,” Ava told the waitress. They would be here at least another hour talking. After the
waitress cleared the table and went off to get the menus, Ava shook her head. “Uh-huh, Janet Peretti got this one. Mommy said if she ever sees that woman, she’s got a thing or two to say to her.”
It was Summer who asked, “What did your dad say?”
Ava chuckled. “You know he started fussing and cussing in Italian.” Becoming serious, Ava said, “I think for once my parents actually felt sorry for Langston. I think they understand a little better how his mother was able to manipulate him.”
“Hmm, I know I sure do,” Karen freely admitted, reaching for the dessert menu the waitress handed her.
“Yeah, so do I,” Ava muttered, her face taking on a pained expression as she reflected on how she and Langston had stayed in the bathroom clinging to each other for what felt like forever, clinging as if the world would end. Neither one of them wanted to let the other go. That afternoon a special bond knitted their hearts together as they shared in each other’s pain.
Reaching across the table, Starr squeezed her friend’s hand. “Av, I wish I could take this pain away from you.”
Immediately Karen’s and Summer’s hands covered Ava’s and Starr’s. They said nothing. No words were needed. The single tender act of solidarity spoke volumes. They too wished they could take away Ava’s pain.
“What would I do without you guys?” Ava whispered, choking back the tears. Looking at each of her friends, she knew this type of blessing only came once in a lifetime. These women loved and supported her unconditionally, in spite of her many flaws. They’d been there for her through thick and thin, and backed her up even when she was dead wrong. And when she feared they would judge her harshly for giving up her baby, they alleviated that fear by embracing her with the love only a sister could give. It was that same love that gently rebuked her for carrying such a heavy burden alone for so many years. And at that moment she truly realized she would not have made it through the last seven years without them.
Summer gave Ava a tender smile. “What would we do without you? Girl, I can’t count the times you wanted to box Nick for acting stupid.” Summer lifted a perfectly arched brow as she smirked. “Just to let you know, Nick said he knows it was you who keyed his car when he broke up with me.”
Ava’s eyes got as big as saucers. She had no idea until now that Summer knew about that. She had been mad enough to spit nails when Summer called her hysterically crying because Nick had ended their relationship. Not even Starr had known she had set out to vandalize his car. Starr was always the voice of reason and would have talked her out of it. “He did?”
Nodding, Summer said, “He said, and I quote”—Summer made the quote sign with her fingers in the air—“‘I know it was that damn crazy ass Ava that keyed my Benz.’”
The women laughed so loudly they started to draw curious stares from around the restaurant.
“Or the time you wanted to cuss out Kevin when all those heifers was calling my house,” Starr piped in.
Ava smiled sheepishly at Starr. If she only knew. Wanted to cuss him out! Ha, I did cuss him out.
“No, the best is when I called you about the school nurse giving Kyle some other kid’s medicine.” Karen shook her head. “That woman called me all flustered and apologizing. I never did ask you what you said to her.”
Ava shrugged. “I told that dingy chick she better check next time to make sure she’s giving my nephew the right medication. Humph, she better be glad you didn’t want to make an issue out of the incident, Karen, because Kyle was OK. What if he had a reaction?”
When Ava went off on the school nurse when she gave the wrong asthma medication to Kyle, why did that woman tell Ava it was two fifty pm on a Friday afternoon, five minutes before school let out? So many good nurses made simple mistakes when they rushed to complete a task at the end of the day. And this was the case with the nurse at Kyle’s school.
Wrapping her arm around Ava’s shoulder, Summer tilted her head until it rested against Ava’s. “What would you do without us? What would we do without you?”
Ava’s hug enveloped her petite friend. Releasing Summer, Ava leaned back and tilted her head, staring at her friend for a second. Mischief twinkled in her eyes as a smirk danced around her lips. “So your husband thinks I’m crazy?”
Again the women erupted into laughter. Everyone could see the wheels turning in Ava’s head. Nick was in trouble.
Ava smiled to herself on the inside as she gazed at her sisters, loving each of them from the bottom of her heart. Yeah, she was going to be OK. Having them in her corner always made life a whole lot easier.
Chapter 29
Holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder, Ava busied herself packing summer clothes into the three suitcases she had on her bed. It felt like this day would never come. The school year had finally ended yesterday, and tomorrow she’d be on the road to spend her summer vacation with Zoe and Langston.
She had so much to do and really shouldn’t be on the phone talking. It was slowing her down. But how could she tell her mother she didn’t have time to talk to her?
“You sure you don’t need me to come over during the week and check on your place for you?”
“No, Mommy, Karen offered to keep an eye on things and water my plants while I’m gone.”
“Positive?”
Ava laughed. “Yes, I’m positive.”
“Don’t laugh at me. I’m just looking out for my only daughter.” Janet paused for a second. There was something she wanted to talk to Ava about, but she didn’t quite know how to broach the subject. Janet wasn’t all that thrilled with her daughter going off to Georgetown for the summer to stay at Langston’s.
Janet was livid that evening Ava had come home to her and Dominic, devastated by Beatrice Warrington’s harsh words. As a mother she’d felt every agonizing, gut wrenching pain her child was experiencing. But as she held her child’s trembling body, there was something else Janet felt in her soul. Her daughter was in love with Langston.
Ava was a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. If loving Langston made her happy, Janet wouldn’t get involved. However, if that boy or his momma hurt her child again Janet didn’t care if she had to walk to D.C., somebody was getting hurt.
Gently Janet asked, “Baby, do you know what you’re doing?”
Dropping a pair of shorts into the suitcase, Ava sat on the side of the bed. I knew this was coming. “Mommy, I’m just going to spend the summer with Zoe.”
“What about Langston?”
Ava let out a soft sigh. Yeah, what about Langston? Ava would be lying if she denied having feelings for him. She’d also be lying if she said she wasn’t looking forward to seeing him every day. Yes, she wanted to be with Zoe, but having Langston around would be a bonus.
“Yes, Mom, I want to be with Langston too.” Ava reached up and rubbed the locket Langston had given her for Mother’s Day. “It just feels so nice when the three of us are together,” Ava whispered into the phone.
Janet smiled. She had witnessed how Ava lit up when she, Zoe, and Langston were together. There was no doubt in Janet’s mind that having them in Ava’s life was mending her broken spirit.
“All right, baby, you just be careful.”
“I will, Mommy.”
“Promise?”
Ava s
miled. “Promise.”
eee
“Oh, brother,” Charles mumbled under his breath as he stepped onto the elevator while holding the small child’s hand.
Zoe stared up at the older man with an inquisitive look. “Did you say something, Uncle Charles?”
Just as Charles was about to respond to Zoe, Beatrice stepped into the elevator, shooting daggers at Charles.
Ignoring Beatrice, Charles smiled down at Zoe. “Nothing, pumpkin. I didn’t say anything.”
Zoe’s mouth formed a perfect circle when she said, “Oh,” a bit confused. Turning to Beatrice, she said, “Hello, Grandmother. Are you coming to my dance recital on Saturday afternoon?”
Charles again smiled at the child holding his hand. She was such a precious little thing. Too bad she had the wicked witch of D.C. for a grandmother.
“Well, hello, Zoe. Grandmother just might come to your recital.” Beatrice beamed, which literally almost knocked Charles on the floor. Even Zoe was shocked as she stepped closer to Charles, leaning into his body and gazing at the older woman like she’d sprouted another head. Beatrice was up to something, and both Charles and Zoe knew it.
As soon as the elevator opened, Zoe released Charles’s hand and skipped over to the receptionist’s desk. “Hi, Miss Christina. Is my daddy here?”
Christina smiled at Zoe while trying not to make eye contact with Beatrice. “He sure is. Let me buzz him.” Picking up the phone, Christina intercomed Langston. “Mr. Warrington, you have a little lady by the name of Zoe Warrington here to see you.”
Christina’s traitorous body quivered when Langston let out a deep, baritone laugh. “Send her in.”
“Go ahead, Zoe. Your dad is waiting for you.”
Key To My Heart (Love Conquers All) Page 15
