When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) Page 18

  Not hesitating to cut her father off, she hissed between clenched teeth, “Explain to me how you could turn your back on your wife and daughters time after time. Explain how you could make promises knowing you weren’t going to follow through on them. Explain how you sent my mother into a depression so deep she’d almost killed herself and left me and my sister to fend for ourselves. I was barely out of high school and Karen was still in college.”

  By this point, Starr’s chest was heaving as silence answered her. She wanted him to say something, anything that would show he had an ounce of regret. She didn’t want to hear some nonsense about him being her father, and because of their biological connection, all should be forgiven. When he didn’t answer, Starr wearily mumbled almost in tears, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Click.

  It was sad to admit, but the truth was her father was so insignificant to her, she hadn’t thought twice about telling Kevin. But now that her friend had brought it up she realized she had been wrong to withhold her father’s recent attempts to meet with her. Bending down, she pulled her purse onto her lap.

  Giving her a quizzical glance, Ava watched Starr fumble through her purse. What in the world is she doing? Starr had taken everything but the kitchen sink from her handbag. Finally, she pulled out the cell phone that had been buried under all the stuff now sitting on her lap. “Who you are getting ready to call?”

  “My honey, so I can apologize. Av, you’re right. I should have told him when my Dad called the first time.”

  “Mmm hmm. Handle your business.”

  Ava closed her eyes trying to relax as the technicians sat at the end of the pedicure chair pampering her feet. She drowned out Starr’s voice as she confessed her little transgression to Kevin. She didn’t have time to be nosy; she had other things on her mind. Lately, her painful past was coming back to haunt her. She wanted to talk to someone, but didn’t know how to go about doing so. Over the years, she had shared every secret with her two best friends, except for this one. Too ashamed of what she had done, she didn’t know how to go about telling her friends her dirty little secret. What will they think of me?

  Flipping the phone shut, Starr grinned to herself. Kevin hadn’t been upset with her at all. To her surprise, he’d said, “I know you would have told me if things had gotten out of hand.” Sheepishly she confessed, “Things may have already gotten out of hand.”

  Starr was furious with Karen when she learned she had met with their father to discuss family business. She was flabbergasted to learn their father wanted to reclaim his family. The man clearly believed they were still impressionable children who would be thrilled to have him back in their lives.

  As always, the man had an ulterior motive. The only reason he contacted them was because Donna had tracked him down and served him with divorce papers he refused to sign.

  During his meeting with Karen, he carried on and on about how he was a changed man and wanted his family back. When Karen didn’t buy into what he was selling, he became irritated and threatened to track their mom down when she refused to tell him Donna’s whereabouts.

  Livid, Starr decided to give her mom a visit to warn her of his threat. The last thing she and Karen wanted was for that man to track their mom down and sweet-talk her out of divorcing him. For some reason neither of them understood, their father had a strong hold on Donna. They often wondered if he had roots on her. It wasn’t unreasonable for them to think he would be able to worm his way back into their mother’s life after all these years. He’d done so in the past on several occasions.

  After briefly talking things over with Kevin, they decided to drive down to Virginia to visit her mom. Starr didn’t want her blindsided in the event her father did track her down. The last time she had talked with her mom on the phone she was happy. Getting away from Philly and the painful memories had done wonders for Donna. No way was Starr going to let that shiftless man destroy her mom’s life again.

  Hearing Starr flip the phone shut, Ava asked, “Everything okay?”

  “Yep. We’re going to drive down to see my mom next weekend.”

  “I thought y’all only went to see her on Mother’s Day?”

  “We do. But my dad is threatening to track her down. Says he wants her back.”

  “What?” Ava yelled jerking her foot, nearly kicking the technician in the face as she applied nail polish to her toes.

  The technician huffed, rolling her eyes as she shot daggers at Ava for smudging three of the toes she’d just painted.

  “Sorry,” Ava mumbled.

  Sucking her teeth at Ava, Starr apologized to the technician. “Please forgive my friend. She hasn’t had her medication today.”

  The woman ignored Starr’s apology. Grumbling in Russian under her breath, she yanked Ava’s foot as she removed the smudged polish.

  Starr firmly held Ava’s hand, shaking her head no. Ava balled her fist up ready to strike the grumbling woman on top of her head. She hadn’t taken too kindly to the woman yanking on her foot.

  “Can’t take you anywhere. Don’t know how to act.” Starr teased.

  Ava laughed. “Shut up girl and tell me why your pops is talkin’ crazy.”

  “He’s refusing to sign the divorce papers he was served. Talking about he need to find my mom to talk some sense into her. Karen said she got so sick of him going on and on about us still being a family.” Starr sucked her teeth still annoyed with Karen. “I told her that’s what she gets for meeting with that foolish man.”

  “Ain’t he a piece of work?” Ava sarcastically drawled out.

  “Girlfriend, you ain’t neva lie.”

  Each woman fell silent in her own private thoughts. One wondered how she was going to deal with the nightmare of her past, while the other prayed a master manipulator wouldn’t bewitch mother.

  ♥♥♥

  “It’s not working,” hissed the female voice.

  “What do you mean it’s not working? You said you had everything covered.” The irritated male voice snapped on the other end of the phone as he watched the two women leaving the day spa on Germantown Avenue.

  It had only taken a few months of sweet-talking and a quick romp in the sheets to win over the plain Jane bank teller at Starr’s bank. After one night in the frumpy teller’s bed, she sang like a canary giving him all of Starr’s financial information. He was blown away by the amounts in her checking and saving accounts. The one surprise he hadn’t been prepared for was that she had married. Initially he was furious, that is, until he figured out how this new inconvenience would work out to his advantage. With a little more digging, it wasn’t hard for him to learn she had married well and had access to her new husband’s accounts.

  After using the bank teller to get what he needed, he dropped her like a bad habit. Now if he could get the bimbo on the phone to do her part, he’d have the money he needed and then some.

  Huffing with an attitude, she snapped, “Like I said, it’s not working.”

  “Well, you better make it work. If you can’t get that punk Dawson out of the picture one way, then you’d better do it another way.” A deathly pause hung between the phone lines before he spoke again. “Not unless you want your cousin going to prison.”

  Fear quickly replaced her attitude. She knew she should have walked away when he caught her slashing Starr’s tires early that morning. Instead, he had talked her into joining forces in destroying Kevin and Starr’s relationship. He made it all sound so good. “We’ll both get what we want. You’ll get Kevin and I’ll get Starr.”

  She had been so caught up in having Kevin she hadn’t been thinking straight when she pulled her younger cousin into her schemes. In a million years, she would have never dreamed the man she was scheming with was an officer of the court. Lady Luck definitely wasn’t on her side. The guy was her cousin’s probation officer. When she contacted him a few weeks ago telling him she was having second thoughts, he wasn’t too pleased. “You know all I have to do is call your cousin in for a piss test
and switch the specimens.”

  Dumbfounded, she yelled in disbelieve, “You wouldn’t do that. Aren’t you an officer of the court?” Because her cousin had a drug offense, any positive testing for drugs meant going back to jail serving out the remainder of the sentence. His sinister chuckle sent chills down her spine. “Try me.”

  Voice trembling, she begged, “Please, I’ve done everything I can do. He’s not interested.”

  “You got one month.”

  “But─” The phone went dead before she could finish pleading her case.

  One month was all he had to get the rest of the fifty thousand he owed. Juggling women with his charm was beginning to get on his last nerves. None of them had enough money for him. A hundred dollars here and there wasn’t getting it. He needed someone with a substantial bank account and Starr fit the bill. Once he got that punk of a husband out of the way, he’d swoop in to save the day with empty promises of forever. Heck, to get at that hefty nest egg she had chilling, collecting interest; he’d be willing to marry her this time right after she divorced Dawson, taking with her a nice sizable settlement.

  Pulling off from the curb, he smugly chuckled to himself. “Once I get in those panties, she’ll give me anything I want.

  Chapter 30

  Grabbing the collar of her coat, Starr wished she had worn a scarf. The cool early December air was brisk, chilling her to the bone. Shivering she prayed, “Come on, please open the door.”

  No sooner than the prayer left her lips, the door swung open.

  “My, isn’t this a wonderful surprise.” Holding the door open, the sweet woman beckoned, “Come on in here out the cold, sweetie.”

  Starr quickly stepped into the warm living space. Closing and locking the door, she embraced the older woman. “Hi Momma, how are you?”

  Returning the warm embrace from her daughter-in-law, she beamed, “I’m fine honey. To what do I owe this wonderful visit?” Beverly loved having one of her daughter-in-laws living so close by. As much as she loved her sons, she’d always wanted a daughter. Her sons had chosen well. She adored their wives.

  Since that night Kevin shared with her, Beverly had been harassed Starr had taken to calling her every day and popping in on her regularly. She wanted to make sure she was okay and hoped she would catch Trina lurking. She was still itching to get hands on her one good time.

  “I just wanted to stop by to see you before Kevin and I go visit my mom this weekend.”

  “That’s good you’re going to see your mom. I hope everything works out.” Starr had mentioned to Beverly what was going on with her father. Though she never met the man, she didn’t like him. What decent man would treat his wife and children that way? Going into the other room she mused they sure don’t make them like my Richard anymore. She thought it was wonderful how protective Starr and her sister were of their mother. She prayed if their mother showed the slightest hint of going back to a man like that, that Starr and Kevin would be able to dissuade her if possible. Beverly let out a small sigh. Love can make you do some crazy things.

  Taking off her coat and hanging it in the hall closet, Starr went into the kitchen where she was sure Beverly had gone and was waiting for her. They had set up their own little routine every time she came over. After washing her hands, she proceeded to take down two mugs from the cupboard then handed Beverly the canister containing several herbal tea bags.

  “What flavor?”

  “Vanilla.”

  Beverly smiled. “Good choice.”

  The two women worked in comfortable silence enjoying each other’s company as they prepared their tea.

  “Momma, do you have any more of that lemon pound cake?”

  Beverly softly giggled. “Your husband ate the last of that the other night when he popped up over here.”

  Beverly was so blessed. Many of her friends’ children could care less about their elderly parents, let alone coming to visit. Most of their children had spouses who pressured them into throwing their parents into state managed nursing homes because they’re less expensive than privately owned elderly assisted complexes. Thank goodness, Beverly didn’t have to worry about that. Her children understood how important her independence was to her. What her husband’s pension didn’t cover her sons gladly paid the difference without hesitation.

  “But there are some chocolate chip cookies I baked earlier in the cookie jar.” Beverly had sensed Starr would be coming to visit when she called earlier wanting to know if she would be busy later in the evening. Wanting to have a snack prepared for her, she baked her secret recipe chocolate chip cookies.

  “I tell you that son of yours eats like there’s no tomorrow.” Starr joked as she removed two cookies from the snowman on the counter. It’s a good thing Kevin was active and worked out on a regular basis, otherwise he might end up as round as the snowman on the counter. If she didn’t watch it, she would end up the same way, too. That’s why she only took two and not three or four of the sweet treat.

  “He’s always had a healthy appetite. He was the greediest baby and chubbiest little thing. When he started walking he would topple over because he was so fat.” Beverly chuckled “His little legs could hardly hold him up.”

  Starr laughed imagining the chunky baby from all the pictures she looked at falling on his rump every time he tried to stand. “Well, he better cut it out before he becomes a chubby old man.”

  Biting into the thick cookie with huge chunks of chocolate, Starr moaned. “He couldn’t help but to be a fat baby with the way you cook and bake.” She knew it was rude to talk with your mouth full, but she couldn’t help it. Beverly cookies were delicious. “Momma you’ve got to give me the recipe for these cookies.”

  “It’s a secret. Momma can’t give you the recipe right now,” Beverly said as she brought the mug to her lips hiding a smile. Starr looked rejected by her mother-in-law’s refusal to give her the recipe.

  “Why?” Starr asked in a pitiful voice.

  Beverly sat the mug down looking directly into the younger woman’s eyes. “Well, because it’s not for you.”

  “Oh.” Starr mumbled dropping her gaze, feelings hurt, wondering what she had done to the older woman.

  Placing her hand onto top of Starr’s to soothe her hurt feelings. “I said I wouldn’t give you the secret recipe now. You want to know why?”

  Nodding her head, “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I can’t give it to you until after you have my first grandchild.” Gently squeezing her hand she added, “That’s the only way you’ll get my secret chocolate chip cookie recipe is to make them for my grandbabies.”

  Relieved, Starr smiled. “Not even for my big baby, your son?”

  Chuckling, shaking her head, “Nope. Not even for our big baby. My recipe is for a new baby.” Lifting her brow, she inquired, “Y’all are working on some grandbabies for me… aren’t you?”

  Blushing with embarrassment Starr lower her gaze again, she didn’t want to tell this sweet elderly woman they were going at it like a couple of rabbits. That would be downright tacky.

  Starr mumbled in total humiliation, “Yes, Momma we’re working on it.”

  Beverly stood up and wrapped her arm around the younger woman’s shoulder. “Sweetie, you don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. There’s nothing wrong with loving your man and making some grandbabies for me in the process. I’m an old lady. I’m just trying to make sure y’all aren’t sleeping on the job.”

  Standing, Starr laughed all embarrassment fading as she hugged her mother-in-law. “Believe me we’re trying real hard to give you those grandbabies.”

  Stepping back from the embrace Beverly’s keen eyes zeroed in on the spot on Starr’s neck right above her collarbone. With a wink, she teased, “I see how hard the two of you’ve been working.”

  “Momma!” Starr squealed embarrassed as her hand flew to her neck shielding the passion mark.

  ♥♥♥

  Starr twisted and turned, trying to get comfortable, bu
t it was no use. No matter what position she settled into she couldn’t get comfortable. Most of her restlessness was due to the fact that her mother didn’t know she was coming for a visit. She intentionally hadn’t contacted her because she was afraid she would’ve refused her visit.

  After talking with Karen, Summer and Ava, they all agreed the element of surprise would be best. However, she was now second-guessing her decision. She hoped this didn’t blow up in her face. Or better yet, that her father hadn’t gotten to her mom first. Starr would just die if she got there and her father was already there with his feet propped up, acting like he owned the joint.

  Taking his eyes off the road briefly, he glanced over at his wife’s restless form. “You all right baby?” He could tell something was up with her from the time they hit the road. The entire time she was supposed to be sleeping, she was fretful.

  Opening her eyes, she rolled her head to the side and studied her husband before she spoke. Realizing how blessed she was to have a man to support her was giving her the strength needed to confront her mom. She had so desperately wanted her sister to come with her. The two of them together had a better chance of getting through to their mother if their dad had showed up working his voodoo.

  However, she understood Karen would have her hands full with Kyle and Alicia’s weekend activities. When she insisted on getting a sitter for the kids, Starr assured her she would be able to handle things. She wouldn’t ask her to sacrifice her children. That just wouldn’t be right.

  Needing to draw comfort from him, she rested her hand on his thigh. Letting out a deep breath, she voiced what was troubling her. “What if my mom gets upset when we show up unannounced?”

  “Why would she be upset?” He asked quickly glancing at her, briefly taking his attention away from the road. He hadn’t said anything before because he didn’t want to pry, but he wondered why Donna would only see her family once a year. He just couldn’t shake the feeling that she was somehow punishing them because of her husband’s past sins. He prayed that wasn’t the case.