“I was hoping to continue our conversation,” she said. “You really caught me off guard yesterday.”
“I can imagine. I was just as shocked.”
“But that’s just it. I haven’t done anything, so there’s nothing for you to be shocked about.”
“Maybe you still don’t understand. Charlotte, I’m not guessing or wondering—I know for sure that you put this thing together. I have proof, and while I don’t want my daughter to endure any more pain than she has to, I’m willing to work with you on this. I’m willing to give you two days to get the investigation dropped and have MJ returned to her.”
Charlotte wasn’t going to admit anything until she knew more. “You’ve got the wrong person, Neil. I would never do something so foolish.”
“You’re just not going to admit it, are you?”
“No one should admit to something they didn’t do. That would be insane. Especially when your words are based on hearsay.”
“Oh, I see—it’s proof you want. Well, according to my source, you paid four different people to carry out this scheme of yours. It’s also my understanding that with the exception of the caseworker, you never met any of them and you coordinated everything through some friend of yours.”
Charlotte sat quietly but could no longer deny her involvement. Neil knew everything.
“I only did this for my grandson,” she hurried to say, forcing the sound of tears into her voice. “All I wanted was to protect him. I knew Matt and Racquel were too young to take care of MJ. They were too young to be parents.”
“Still, what you did was wrong. But like I told you yesterday, I’m willing to overlook it. What you did would be unforgivable by most people’s standards, but we can handle this quietly and discreetly.”
“I’m not sure what you want me to do.”
“Let me explain something. I love my daughter, and there’s no doubt that I should have told her everything as soon as I found out. But I’m also a man who has certain needs. I’m married, but I haven’t loved Vanessa in years.”
Charlotte already knew what he was hinting at, but she still asked, “Okay…but what does that have to do with me?”
“I want to be with you.”
Charlotte closed her eyes, partly because she didn’t want to betray Curtis and partly because hearing Neil’s voice was stirring the wrong kind of feelings in her.
“I can’t do that,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because I love my husband.”
“I’m sure you do, but I know when a woman wants me.”
“You’re picking up the wrong signal.”
“No, you’re definitely attracted to me, and you can’t control it.”
“I have to go,” Charlotte said, standing up.
“Why don’t you just think about it and call me back?”
“I’m not sleeping with you, Neil.”
“Well, then I guess I should tell you.”
“What?”
“I’m one of the best neurosurgeons in the Midwest and one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet…but I’m also used to getting what I want.”
“And?”
“You know the old saying, ‘If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.’ If you make love to me, your secret will be safe. I’ll never tell another living soul.”
Charlotte couldn’t believe he was capable of this. “So, you’re going to use your own grandson to try to blackmail me?”
“Let’s not turn this into something ugly. All I’m saying is that we’re in this thing of yours together now.”
“No, we’re not. I’m not sleeping with you, Neil. So, please don’t ask me about this again.”
“I know you have a lot on your mind, so let’s talk again tomorrow.”
He was totally ignoring her, but she couldn’t do this with him and hung up. Still, she knew this wasn’t over and that it would have to be dealt with. Only thing was, she had no clue how she was going to get herself out of this mess.
Chapter 42
Curtis nestled his head further into his pillows and felt a slight bit of discomfort. His nurse had raised his bed so that he was in more of a sitting position, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to remain there. Maybe just until he finished his phone conversation with Elder Jamison, and then he’d ask Alicia to lower him a little.
“So is everything good to go?” Curtis asked.
“Yes, no worries. The service will go on as usual.”
“Who’s delivering the message? Minister Simmons or Minister Morgan?”
“Minister Simmons, of course. While we were waiting for you to come out of surgery yesterday, we discussed it. Minister Morgan was more than willing but said he wasn’t fully prepared. You know Minister Simmons was sort of glad to hear that, though.”
Curtis chuckled. “He always is. And let me ask you something. I mentioned this to Lana, but do you think Minister Simmons can be trusted?”
“Why, because of how ambitious he is?” Elder Jamison asked.
“Yes. I think he’s just determined and has a strong passion for the ministry, but Charlotte has always been a little hesitant toward him.”
“I really do think he means well, and I have to say, while you were in surgery, he was just as upset as your children. He loves and admires you that much. His sadness and concern were genuine, and he did a lot of praying for you.”
“That’s great to hear. I’ll have to tell Charlotte about it.”
“Well, I’d better get going,” Elder Jamison said. “Need to get over to the church. I’ll be out to see you this afternoon, though.”
“Thanks for everything. You’re the reason I’m able to rest. And let me just say this now: I’m very sorry for this thing with Dillon. I promised you and the rest of our members that there wouldn’t be any more drama, and I’ve let you down again.”
“If everything Dillon shared is true, then it’s very unfortunate, but we’ll make it through this. I do think you should make things right with that young man, though.”
“I’m going to very soon.”
“You take care, Pastor.”
“You, too.”
Curtis laid his phone at his side on the bed.
“So everything okay, Daddy?” Alicia asked.
“Yep. Sounds like everything’s under control.”
“Good.”
“So when are you going home?” he asked.
“I’m not. When Matt called and told me what happened to you, I packed a bag. And as soon as Charlotte gets back, I’m going over to Melanie’s to change.” Melanie was Alicia’s best friend, who lived there in Mitchell.
“I’m so glad you’re here. I know I don’t deserve it, but I really need your support.”
“We’ve been through tougher times than this,” she said.
“I know that, too, but it just seems that my past keeps causing problems for all of you. I’ve done so many things that sometimes I literally forget about them. I worked hard to push certain incidents out of my mind because it was easier. Selfish…but easier.”
“So what are you going to do about Dillon?”
“I’ve gotta try to find him. I have to talk to him.”
“Do you think he’s going to make trouble? Charlotte thinks he just wants money.”
“There’s a chance he does, but I’m not worried about that. My concern is trying to do right by him. I’m not sure I’ll be able to, but I’m going to try. That’s the least I owe him. Then, there’s Matt and what I’m sure this whole thing has done to him.”
“He’s not happy at all, Daddy. He’s angry at the world right now.”
“I could tell. Plus, he has all this madness going on with MJ. That baby never should have been taken from Racquel.”
“You don’t think any of those allegations are true, do you?”
“Not at all.”
“Then why would someone say such things?”
“I don’t know, but I believe we’ll find out soon.”
<
br /> Alicia shook her head. “Poor Racquel.”
“She’s been through a lot, but God will be the Finisher of all of this. She’ll get MJ back, and life will be good for her again.”
“Oh, and by the way, Mom said to tell you that she’s thinking about you and praying for you.”
“How is she?”
“Fine.”
“And James?”
“He’s good, too. They’re going on a cruise in a couple of weeks, so they’re pretty excited about that.”
“Good for them,” Curtis said. He thought about his marriage to Tanya, and how even though she’d been the reason he’d railroaded Sonya and denied Dillon, he hadn’t treated Tanya like the wonderful wife she was. He’d been unfaithful to her on more occasions than he could count, and when she’d finally gotten the courage to leave him, he’d moved on to Mariah—a naïve woman who knew her place and how to stay in it. He’d treated her worse than Tanya and hadn’t felt a lick of remorse. He remembered how, back then, he’d almost felt entitled to do whatever he wanted. He’d felt at liberty to sleep with other women and had seen no reason why it should cause any conflict. There were a couple of times when Mariah did complain, but he’d set her straight, and she’d learned not to question him. His grandmother used to say, though, that time had a way of bringing about change, and Mariah had proven that fully. She’d spent twelve years obsessing over the terrible way he’d treated her and had somehow found a way to get revenge. He still wasn’t sure how she’d connected with Dillon, but it didn’t matter. She’d done what she’d done because of all the emotional pain and head games Curtis had inflicted upon her. She’d turned so bitter that she’d become spiteful and vindictive, and Curtis would never reveal her name to the police or press charges. He’d already decided that when they’d originally questioned him, but now as he lay there thinking, he was positive. He did hope he never had to see or hear from her again, but he wished her well and wanted her to be happy.
Charlotte knocked and then walked in. Dr. Mason strolled in behind her.
“So, how’s my patient this morning?” Dr. Mason asked.
“Still some pain from the surgery, and of course my body is sore, but I’m not complaining.”
“Things could have turned out a lot worse,” the doctor said. “You were kicked and punched in every place imaginable, and other organs could have been damaged. It’s bad enough that you have broken ribs and had a ruptured spleen, but again, it could have been worse.”
“I’m very blessed,” Curtis said. “I had God and you, and I’m thankful. I appreciate everything, Doctor.”
Dr. Mason read through Curtis’s chart, lowered his hospital gown from his neck down to below his chest and examined him, and then pulled his gown back up.
Curtis fixed the gown so that it was comfortably covering his shoulders again, even though he didn’t have it tied in the back. “So when are you going to let me out of here? I’ve got places to go and people to see.”
They all laughed.
“Maybe in a couple of days or so. Tuesday or Wednesday.”
“That’s an awfully long time from now,” Curtis said, joking with him.
“Well, I just want you to get some real rest, because I know what a busy man you are. If I send you home too quickly you’ll be back preaching or writing.”
“Exactly,” Alicia said. “You’re doing the right thing, Doctor, and I hope you keep my dad for as long as possible.”
Curtis frowned at her playfully. “Whose side are you on?”
“We’re both on Dr. Mason’s side,” Charlotte added. “You know how hardheaded you are when you get sick. You always try to do too much.”
“You’re healing up fine, though,” Dr. Mason said, smiling, “and I’ll stop by tomorrow before my first surgery.”
“Thanks again, Doctor,” Curtis said. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
When Dr. Mason left, Alicia grabbed her black leather shoulder bag and kissed her father on the cheek. “I need to freshen up, so I’m gonna head over to Melanie’s. But I’ll be back.”
“Thanks for everything, baby girl. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Daddy. See you, Charlotte.”
“See ya.”
When the door closed, Curtis smiled at his wife and said, “Come here.”
Charlotte walked closer, and he grabbed her hand. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“For what?” she asked.
“For keeping yet another secret from you. Alicia found the interview with her iPhone and played it for me.”
“She really shouldn’t have done that. You don’t need that kind of stress.”
“She didn’t want to, but I insisted. I was wrong, baby, for what I did, and I’m ashamed. The way I bullied Sonya was just plain evil, and I understand why Dillon went public. Imagine how you would feel if you’d lost your mom when you were a baby and then discovered your father had something to do with it. What if your dad had forced your mom into a severe state of depression and then never had anything to do with you?”
“I still say he could have handled things privately. I mean, what’s with this ‘going public’ thing? Why do people feel like they have to put us on blast all the time?”
“Because of my position, and that will never change. But I’m telling you, that was the only thing I hadn’t told you about. No more secrets between us.”
Charlotte smiled, but she seemed nervous. Curtis wondered why but went on with his conversation. “I’ve decided to contact Dillon, so we can talk.”
“I don’t think you should do that,” she said. “At least not until you’ve been out of the hospital for a while.”
“I feel bad enough as it is, and I need to apologize to him.”
“I still say you should wait. You’ve been through a lot, and I’m still worried about what happened to you. Someone attacked you, and we need to find out who did it.”
“That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I’m not going to pursue that. I just want to move on.” Curtis had been serious when he’d told her that there would be no more secrets, but with the way Charlotte was sounding, he didn’t think he could tell her about Mariah yet.
“Why?” she asked, looking frustrated with him.
“It’s just not worth it. It happened, and it’s over.”
Charlotte tossed Curtis a strange look, but he ignored it.
“So has Matt calmed down any?” he asked.
“I see you’re changing the subject, but no, not really. He’s at Racquel’s, and he’s not listening to anything I say.”
“He’s young, and he doesn’t understand why MJ was taken from Racquel. Just this morning, I said a long prayer for her and Vanessa to be vindicated. It’ll happen soon, especially now that Neil has hired a private investigator.”
“Oh, really? Who told you that?”
“He did. Friday night when Matt and I were over there.”
“Well, I still say Matt needs to follow rules. He needs to keep MJ away from Racquel and her mother.”
Curtis didn’t bother commenting because he could tell Charlotte didn’t want to hear about them being innocent—which was more reason for Curtis to believe she knew more than she admitted. She was hiding something, the same as he’d done with Dillon. But secrets always had a way of coming out. The truth would eventually be exposed, and it would be hard for Charlotte to recover. She would regret her actions from now on. Curtis knew this because he was proof of it.
Chapter 43
As soon as Alicia returned to the hospital, Charlotte kissed Curtis on the lips and started toward the cafeteria. She wasn’t thrilled at all about Curtis wanting to talk to Dillon. And now he also wanted to forget about the thugs who’d beaten him up? It just didn’t make sense, but Charlotte had been too preoccupied with her own problems to debate him. There was a chance he’d eventually tell her his reason for making such foolish choices, but at the moment, she couldn’t stop thinking about something else he’d said.
&
nbsp; Neil had hired a private investigator. She’d been splitting her brain, trying to figure out how Neil had busted her, and now she knew. It explained everything, and sadly, Charlotte hadn’t counted on this. She’d just assumed everyone would take DCFS’s word and then wait for the investigator’s findings. But no such luck. Neil had meddled with her plan, and she had to rethink her options. She had to figure out something else, because she didn’t want to give MJ back. She also didn’t want anyone to know what she’d done, though, so God forgive her, she wondered if Neil would let her keep MJ if she went ahead and slept with him. Maybe this would keep him quiet. She didn’t want to cheat on Curtis, Lord knows she didn’t, but she also couldn’t help how she felt about MJ. She’d said she was willing to do whatever she had to, so if she slept with Neil, it would be for good reason. It wouldn’t be about her marriage; it would be for her grandson. She knew she’d promised Curtis she would never be unfaithful again, but it was clear she didn’t have other alternatives.
Although maybe Meredith could help her think this problem through, the same as she had with other issues. The other day, Meredith had sounded a little strange on the phone, as if she was plagued with remorse, but Charlotte knew Meredith would always have her back. Meredith had a remedy for everything, and Charlotte was sorry she hadn’t called her back from yesterday. She’d called Charlotte four times but hadn’t left a message. Charlotte had thought about answering every one of her calls, but she also hadn’t wanted to hear any guilt trips. Not that this was the reason Meredith had called, because she was likely calling about Curtis, but Charlotte hadn’t wanted to chance it—she hadn’t wanted to talk to anyone who thought she should give MJ back.
Charlotte walked further down the atrium corridor and dialed her number. It rang a few times until her voice mail picked up. She wondered where Meredith was, although, now that she’d become a lot more spiritual than Charlotte could ever remember, maybe she’d gone to church.
Now Charlotte called her mother.
“Hey, honey,” Noreen said.
“Hey, Mom. How are you?”
“Good. How’s Curtis?”
“Doing pretty good. Dr. Mason said he’ll be able to go home by Wednesday.”
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