Her lips crooked into a half smile. “All people of faith have their limits.”
“Our limits may be tested, but we don’t have limits,” I said. “If God can tell us to love our enemies and those that spitefully use us, how much more do we owe our family and friends? I should have at least tried to see it from your perspective. I didn’t. I’m sorry.”
Tamar shook her head. “I don’t know what to think.”
“But you knew last Christmas when you forgave me. You said, God could make the relationship between us new. He could restore what we lost.”
Tamar nodded.
“He can do the same for my relationship with Isaiah and for his relationship with my parents. That’s the word of God. I was a little slow to get here, but I’m standing on it and believing all of this was for a purpose.”
Tamar nodded again right before the tears she’d been fighting came rushing down her face. She wept hard, like her belly was filled with her hurt. I sat next to her and held her until she cried it all out.
When she was done, she took a wad of tissues from a holder and wiped her eyes.
“I think you probably cried enough to raise the water level in every creek in Pine,” I said.
She smiled a little. Her puffy, red eyes needed that smile. “Thank you for telling me all that.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t realize it before.” I stood. “It’s late. I have to report to the team meeting and PT.”
Tamar stood too. “I understand. Go. I’m fine.”
“Can I ask you one more thing though?”
“Sure.”
“Why did you name him Isaiah?”
She released a breath and said, “I was sad the entire pregnancy. Scared and alone most of the time. Especially when I was at school. I had to hide it and then at the end of my first semester I withdrew and came to stay with Aunt Joe. I hid out there.”
I nodded for her to go on.
“My mother loved the scripture, Isaiah 41:10. ‘Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ I read it over and over again until I memorized it.
“I was scared. I needed God to keep me strong and to help me. I needed him so much. That was my prayer. I memorized it. As you can see, I still know it.” She bit her lip. “I already knew I wanted to name him Stephen. I felt like I owed both of you that, but I wanted him to have his own identity - separate from you. Isaiah felt right. He’d heard me speak those words over and over when he was in my womb.”
My emotions were thick. I was reflective for a long time. “That’s beautiful.”
Tamar smiled again. “It wasn’t all bad. I love him. I loved him so much, Stephen. I was broken and hurt and –”
I took the steps necessary to close the space between us, pulled her into my arms, and after hesitating for a moment, I kissed her. Not a peck, but a long kiss. The kind I’d been wanting since she crushed my heart.
And she let me have it. She let me have all her sweetness.
Tamar broke the kiss by pulling away from me. We stood there for a long moment staring at each other. I wanted to kiss her again – and again and again, but if I started, I would never want to leave.
I thought back to our conversation before I got injured. Tamar didn’t want me and my Debra drama. She was just vulnerable right now. I released her hand and stepped away from her. “Thank you for taking care of him.”
She seemed rattled. Her voice cracked when she said, “Drive safe, Stephen.”
I fought the urge to tell her I loved her. It was just a kiss. There was no point in putting myself out there again. I nodded, turned, and left her father’s house.
Chapter 23
Isaiah and I stopped in Atlanta before heading back to Yancy. I wanted Kim to meet him. I also wanted to show Isaiah my home. I knew Aunt Joe had help, so I didn’t feel like we had to rush.
We were at Dave and Busters. They had great burgers for Kim and me, and video games for Isaiah. He enjoyed the food, but he liked the video games more. He inhaled his meal and ran off to play.
I’d filled her in on all the details of the weekend, but Kim was most excited to hear about the kiss.
She twisted her lips and rocked in her chair a little. “So, what does the kiss mean?”
I smirked. “You doin’ way too much as usual.”
“I’m asking, girl. I mean it seems like you two don’t have anything holding you back. He knows about the child. He’s forgiven you.”
“I broke up with him right before the Super Bowl. Do you remember he blamed me?”
“That was anger talking. His neck was still in the brace.”
“Well, he hasn’t said sorry about that yet.”
“Because you two people are the least talking folks I’ve ever seen.” She cocked her head curiously. “You do, however, manage to get your lips together when you need to.”
Heat rose to my face. The memory was powerful. “Stephen and I are attracted to each other. He wanted a kiss. I didn’t want to fight him on the kiss. It meant nothing.”
“Tamar, you’re trippin’ and been reading too many of those sad relationship novels. You need to start reading some romance. You might recognize love when you’re in it.”
I rolled my eyes.
Kim continued. “You also need to tell him that the break up wasn’t about Debra. You owe him that.”
“I probably do, but I can’t think about Stephen right now. He’s a huge distraction.”
“I would think you’d want one with all the stress you’re under.”
“Well, I’ve got one. I’ve been writing again.”
Kim’s eyebrows furrowed disbelievingly. “Really? That’s great. About what?”
“I’ve written a novel.”
“I repeat, about what?”
“It’s a story about a young missionary who inherits millions of dollars when her father dies and her decision about whether or not to keep the money.”
A waitress approached our table, refilled our drinks, and cleared our dishes away.
Kim turned up her lip. “Sounds interesting.”
“I think it is,” I said. “Anyway, I know I don’t talk about my experiences in South Africa that much, but I’ve had this story in mind since I came back.”
Kim cocked an eyebrow. “What’s got you feeling empowered enough to get your pen moving?”
“Aunt Joe. She’s been telling me to write another book for years, but now that I’m in her house, she won’t stop. Every time I open a book to read for pleasure, she reminds me I could be writing my own.”
“Hmmm,” Kim said. “She knows you’re burying your gift. She’s on you.”
“Well, it worked. I started writing, and I couldn’t stop.”
“So, tell me what’s the what? Does she keep the money or not?”
I frowned. “I’m not telling. You’ll have to read it to find out.”
Kim rolled her neck and slapped the table. “Well, email it on then, heifer.”
I laughed. “I will. I could use a beta reader. But you have to promise to be honest with me, like brutally honest.”
“I gotcha.”
“I’m nervous about it. Being rejected is hard. It was hard the first time.”
“If God put this project on your heart, He’s going to make sure it does what it’s supposed to do. You have to learn to trust in His plans. They’re better than any plans you could make for yourself.”
I sighed. “My father says that.”
“Your father is right. So, anyway, on another subject. Have you talked to Stephen today?”
“No, why?”
“Debra’s show is airing preview snippets.”
“I’m not watching that trash.”
“You need to. She admitted some pretty base drama on the trailer.”
“What is it?”
Kim stood. She picked up h
er handbag. “You need to see it for yourself, so watch. It’s on YouTube. I’ve got to get going. I loved meeting your baby.”
We both looked over to the area where he was playing. He had been joined by two more boys.
“I won’t disturb his little impromptu playdate,” Kim said. “Tell him, I’ll see him the next time he’s in Atlanta.”
I stood and gave my girl a hug. “Love you.”
“I love you too.” She walked out of the restaurant.
I sighed and picked up my phone. I swiped my screen until I opened YouTube, searched for Debra’s show, and watched the trailer. My eyes bugged out my head. Stephen was going to kill her.
Chapter 24
“I’m going to kill her.”
“Don’t say that in public. She might die to get you locked up,” Vince said. I did not hear a chuckle through the phone’s speaker.
“Debra doesn’t care that much. She’s just trying to emasculate me.” I groaned. She’d been successful.
“You should have paid her off.” Clyde rose from my dining room table and went into the kitchen. He came out with a bottle of water. “I told you. Give her money and shut her up.”
“I was not negotiating with that terrorist. She’s messing up my reputation. She ruined my relationship with Tamar. There was no way I was going to pay her.”
“She’s not making a lot from the network. Paying her would have been worth it,” Clyde said.
“Well, it’s too late now.” I could almost taste my disgust with Debra. “Look Vince, since she’s admitting what she did, isn’t that illegal?”
“I’m not sure,” Vince replied. “I’ve got my research team looking for a legal precedent, but so far, we haven’t found one. This is a new territory.”
“A new level of ratchet,” I mumbled.
“She hasn’t said your name on the show. Legally she can’t. She just said she did it,” Clyde added. “So, the question now is…did she have an opportunity?”
“To what? Steal my sperm?” I groaned. “This is beyond embarrassing.”
“We’re on Team Stephen. If she did, this could be your baby,” Vince added.
“She’s lying.” I shook my head. “There was one night. I was tired. She slept over. I woke up and she was half naked in my bed. But nothing happened. I broke up with her that morning.”
“So, we aren’t waiting for DNA.”
“No.”
They were all silent for a moment. I was annoyed that they couldn’t conceive of a situation in which I had not slept with Debra. That was the thing about being celibate. No one believed you.
“How is Tamar taking the story?” Clyde asked.
“I haven’t talked to her.” I scratched the back of my neck and released a long sigh. “Just when I was starting to think I could have a conversation with her about a future, now this.”
“The universe continues to conspire to keep you two apart,” Vince said.
“The devil,” I said.
“Him, too,” Clyde piped in.
“I’ll let you know if my team comes up with anything. Stay strong.” Vince ended the call.
Clyde walked to the coat closet and removed his jacket. “Let’s go to dinner. I’m starved.”
“No, man. I don’t want to. I don’t want to deal with any reporters. I’m staying in.”
Clyde looked disappointed. “You sure?”
“Positive.”
“Like Vince said, stay strong. Focus on that ankle. This will go away when you hit the field next season.”
Clyde let himself out of the house. I remained seated, but now my head was in my hand.
My mind went back to that image of Debra that morning. Naked in my bed. Nothing had happened. I was glad I had been strong.
Chapter 25
“A turkey baster, baby!”
“I told you it was some base mess,” Kim said. “These scandalous women do it to athletes all the time. Now you know why I told you to watch. Debra is on some stuff you had to see for yourself.”
“And Stephen saw what in her?”
“Girl, you know she’s gorgeous and what she’s doing at the gym to keep that body, I wish they sold in a bottle. Anyway, when she first came out, she was acting like a Christian. She was sweet and anointed. I liked her. I think the heifer done fell from grace. Hold on.”
I held the line while Kim gave directions to one of her employees.
“Did you hear the story about that woman who was sleeping with a bunch of pilots? She got pregnant by all of them, one after the other. That woman is collecting $100,000 a year in child support for four kids. All of the babies are turkey baster babies.” Kim chuckled. “I need to get me a pilot.”
“Oh yeah right, like you would steal a man’s sperm.”
“No, I would marry mine,” Kim exclaimed. “I knew they made money, but I didn’t know they were that paid enough to be coming off twenty-five bills a year in child support.”
“You a mess.”
Kim giggled. “Are you going to talk to Stephen about it?”
“He’s already said he didn’t have sex with her.” I put my cup down. “I feel sorry for him.”
“Then call him. Be supportive. Tell him you feel bad that his name is being dragged across the interwebs again.”
Kim said something else to her employee and then came back on the line. “Support him. This is your opening.”
“My opening, huh?”
“Yes.”
“I guess I need to decide if I want to take it.”
“You are so extra.” Kim sounded genuinely disappointed. “Some of us are working today. I have to go.”
“Me too,” I replied, looking at the call coming through on my phone. “Saint Stephen is going to live forever. You talked him up. He’s on the phone.”
“Tell him I said hi,” Kim said.
I accepted the incoming call from Stephen.
“Hey, Tay, how are you?”
His voice was upbeat and warm. I was instantly soothed. “I’m good.”
“Look, I was calling because I want to come down this weekend.”
“Sure, when are you planning to get in?”
“I was thinking Thursday since he has a baseball game on Friday. I’ll leave Sunday night. I have to get back for therapy. I want to spend as much time as I can with him before training camp.”
“Training camp? So, the ankle is good?”
“It’s better. I’m off the cane most days, so I’m hopeful.”
For some reason, I was nervous. My armpits were starting to perspire. “I’m praying for you.” Oooh, Jesus, that didn’t even sound right to say that when all I could really think about was the kiss.
“I appreciate it,” Stephen said. “So, is Thursday okay?”
“Thursday is great. I have to take my aunt to a specialist on Friday, so if you could get him Thursday night and keep him, that would help out.”
“I’d like to keep him through the weekend if that’s okay.”
“He’d love that. I’ll make sure he’s packed.”
“Just underwear and pajamas. I want to take him shopping. Spoil him a little.” Stephen paused. “How is Aunt Joe?”
“She’s had a really hard time with chemo. Her doctor is saying she may need more, but it makes her so sick. Anyway, there’s a holistic medicine center in Macon. They’ve had some success with natural solutions. I want her to talk to them and see if there’s something we can do there.”
“I’ll be praying for her.”
Neither of us said anything. Stephen broke the silence. “I’ll be in around two on Thursday.”
“He’ll be getting home by then, so that’s perfect.”
“No issues with his driver?” Stephen sounded like he didn’t want to end the call any more than I did.
“He’s great.”
“I guess that’s it. I’ll see you.”
“Hey, Stephen,” I said, thinking abo
ut the new development from Debra.
“Yes.” Expectation had risen in his voice. I could hear it, even on the one little word.
I couldn’t bring it up. “I uh, nothing. You travel safe.”
“You sure? You sound like something is on your mind?”
“No, I was thinking about summer, but we can talk about that when I see you.”
“I have time,” he said. “I always have time to talk about Isaiah.”
“I don’t have time. I need to finish this story. It can wait.”
We ended the call. Kim would be disappointed at how I failed to be supportive. I was disappointed in myself, but I shrugged it off and went back to work on the blog post I was drafting for the magazine. I hated this assignment Eva had given me for this trending stuff. I hated gossip. I didn’t like spreading bad news, even the good news was fluff.
The latest story I was working on was about a politician’s daughter. She’d allowed her boyfriend to take nude pictures of her, and he’d shared them all over social media. She’d taken them on her eighteenth birthday, which meant they were legal. Several hashtags were trending:
#MelissaTeasleyPhotos and #TeasleyTeases
I was mortified for her. She tried to defend herself with a few Tweets, but people were nasty.
I signed in to the anonymous Twitter account I’d created after Eva gave me this assignment to troll for stories. I stared at her profile for a minute.
Lissa Teasey Model/Fashionista/Messenger/ I see you. With a series of emojis behind the description.
I was surprised she hadn’t deactivated her account. I tried to message her, but she had blocked that function. I’d never sent a Tweet before, but I felt compelled to share something positive on her page, so I typed one:
Sorry about your trouble. I’ve been through it myself. Hold your head up high. The story will die, and the trolls will go away.
I pushed Tweet. That was so easy. No wonder people hid behind their phones and computer screens and sent so much filth. The ability to do so took mere seconds.
My phone pinged before I could put it down. I had a message from Melissa Teasley:
Thank you. Who are you?
I messaged back:
I had a nude video when I was your age. It was horrible. I wanted to offer support.
The Winter Wedding Page 14
