All I'll Ever Ask (The Greatest Love Book 1) (12 page)

“Paige, you are the one that went to Atlanta and whipped Kevin’s mother like you’re Straight Outta Compton. Now I am not saying Julia was not out of line, because she was. But sweetie, you have got to start taking responsibility for you and your alter ego, Rage’s actions.” Karen burst out into laughter with Camille.

Paige was furious, “How dare you take that evil woman’s side, she spat in my face. What was I to do?”

Karen chimed in on that question, “You were to take a step back and ask yourself if beating her down was worth you losing Kevin. That is what you were supposed to do. Then you should have told Kev and his daddy so they could deal with her. Had you done that, you would not be here ruining this great girl’s day out. We are planning my wedding and we are supposed to be happy!” Karen rolled her eyes and looked at Camille and said “this is the one.” Camille jumped up and down with Karen as they chanted “We are getting married, we are getting married.”

          Paige stepped out of the dressing area and sat on a nearby couch. She had to admit, Rage was out and in rare form. If she were to have an honest moment with herself, Karen was speaking the truth. She could have dealt with Julia differently but she just could not see herself letting that woman or anyone else walk over her. Why should she have run to Kevin like she could not take care of herself? The sensible Paige took over and said, so you won’t lose the best man that you ever met. So that you can have a girl’s day out in the future, when you can try on ten dresses and get on Karen’s nerves.

        Rage did not like those thoughts and cut in, yeah and see how long Kevin will want a weak woman.

      Sensible Paige said, Kevin just wants me to stop reacting negatively to his mother’s antics.

     She recalled Sunday night when Kevin came into her apartment and laid his cards on the table. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she wiped them angrily as the memory played back in her mind.

Kevin was holding Paige stroking her hair as her head laid on his chest. She looked up at him and said, “Why can’t we stay like this, the two of us together without the outsiders ruining everything?”

Kevin raised Paige up gently and responded. “Paige outsiders are not ruining us; we are ruining us.”

Paige jumped to speak but Kevin put his index finger to her lips and continued. “I love you Paige, with all of my heart but for us to be together you have got to get your anger in check. I know my mother was wrong and Ms. Carol was wrong but you have got to learn how to respond in an appropriate manner. I am an Assistant D.A. and I will not have a girlfriend ruining my career because she cannot control her temper. I am willing to work with you in counseling. I will continue to go to Liberty church if that will help us. This church thing is really working for the others. But what I will not tolerate is anymore acts of violence from you, do you understand me?”

Paige was at a loss for words; she really could not answer him. She had been protecting herself all of her life. She knew no other way to preserve her dignity when people crossed the line. Kevin stood up breaking her trance and pulled her up too. He kissed her temple, and said “you don’t have to answer me tonight, get some rest and call me when you are ready to move our relationship forward. Otherwise, I guess we are ruined. I don’t want that but will I accept it.”

Paige could not move as she accepted his lingering kiss and watched him stroll out of her apartment and possibly out of her life. Now she sat six days later, ruining their girl’s day out with her bad attitude. All because to date, Kevin remained true to his word and had not called her all week, but she could not let go of her stubborn pride to reach out. She saw him on Wednesday when everyone went to Benjamin’s to celebrate the two engagements. Benjamin was doing well, he had no injuries from being hit with the skillet. She still wanted to knock Mrs. Carol on her behind for that one. That night gave Paige a dose of what it would be like without Kevin. He acted as if she was invisible. Kevin spoke to her saying hello and then later on good-bye. She missed him sorely but did not know how to let go of her own stubborn will.

     “Paige are you coming with us?” Camille asked her, breaking her thoughts. “We have checked out and now Karen wants to go to Owen Brenanns for an early dinner.”

        Paige got up and approached the girls, “I am sorry for my attitude Karen and Mille. I have to go and think somethings through. You both go on without me and enjoy the rest of the day.” Paige walked off without allowing them to respond. She pulled out her phone, activated Siri and said, “Call Kev’s mobile”.

“Hello.”

“Hi Kevin, its me can we meet?” “Sure Love, I’m at the office.”

Hope sprang in her heart as he called her love, she would not ruin them. “I am on my way.”

***

              “Paul, I am sorry to hear Brian is going to have to do that much time. But man, the young lady he hit and left, could have died.” Frankie truly regretted how Brian let the alcohol and whatever other substance he took that night, overtake him. Although his friend Paul had called to update him on Brian’s case, Frankie was already aware of the ruling and subsequent sentence. He was there when Kevin revealed it to them at Benjamin’s house, for the engagements celebration. The ladies came up with that idea of a double engagement party and it was nice. They were relieved, including Frankie, that Brian was to serve five years. However, Paul, was unaware of the connection he had with the victim through his now fiancée and baby daughter. Paul ended the conversation with Frankie stating he just wanted him to know. Frankie thanked him and disconnected.

Frank took a seat on his sofa to watch some SEC Football. Alabama was playing Ole Miss and he hated not being at the grove for game day. However, he was expecting his bride-to-be, to be back after shopping with the girls. He smiled thinking about the last week. Dawn and Autumn were ecstatic for him and Karen. They agreed to be in the wedding and had Nikki out, taking her to the Children’s Museum and to her favorite restaurant for lunch. He thought about how God had given him a new life. It could have easily been him, looking at a five year bid. He could easily be jobless, with no family or friends because of his substance abuse. But God! Frankie’s thoughts were interrupted by his mobile device buzzing. It was Shayla. He had not talked to her in a couple of weeks. He wondered had the girls shared the news of his pending nuptials. He gave Karen two weeks to make it happen and he was serious. On the third ring he answered, bracing himself for Round Two with Shayla Yvonne Jones.

“Hello.”

“Frankie, I am going to see you at church tomorrow, right?”

“And good morning to you Ms. Jones, how are you?”

“Cut the crap, Frankie and answer the question.”

“Shayla, I will be attending Liberty Fellowship tomorrow as I have become a member.”

“You have got to be kidding me! Frank what about me and our daughters? We have been attending church together for years. You told me it was the least you could do for all the hell you caused us. Now that doesn’t mean anything?”

“Shayla of course it means something, I am eternally grateful for our friendship. However, I have done all I know to do to make amends for the hurt I caused you and our daughters. I will not feel guilty for moving on with Karen and the family we have created. They are my future.”

“Wow, so just forget about us?”

“Shayla, my girls are part of my future, they are in the wedding. At this very moment, they are out bonding with their little sister.”

“So you just have everything, huh. You treat me miserably for years, then get yourself together and make a new family. One you didn’t know about for three years. Now you do and you just take my girls and everything away from me.”

“Shayla, you are talking nonsense. Dawn and Autumn are not being taken for you. They are adults and can share in both our worlds. What is wrong with you?”

“You Frankie, you are what is wrong with me. I am still in love you. I want our family back. Nikki can be a part of our family. I will love her because she is a part of you. But I will not accept you leaving me, leaving us behind.”

“Shayla! There. IS. NO. US! Get yourself together! We have been divorced for six years. When I got out of rehab and was clean for a year, I asked if you wanted to try again and you told me no. Now you bring this family crap to me. We are friends, Shayla but I am in love with Karen and we are getting married next Saturday!”

“Frankie don’t you scream at me. You know why I couldn’t marry you again. But we made love whenever you wanted. That is all I had to offer you then, but I can give you more now. Please let’s try again. Karen is too young for you, it won’t work. What if she does drugs again? She will bring you down with her and all your progress will be ruined.”

“Shayla my sobriety is not in jeopardy with Karen. Now, I am done with this conversation. Please don’t look for me on tomorrow or any other Sunday. I have moved on. I apologize for my having sex with you over the years. I see my actions led you to believe I was not looking for more and for the longest time I wasn’t. But now I have more and it is with Karen. I hope you can understand. Goodbye, Shayla.” Frankie swiped the phone to end the call. He said, “Lord help her.” Then he picked up the remote and tuned into the game.

Shayla set on the other end of the ended call crying and swearing at Frankie Lee Jones. She called Dawn and got voicemail, she then called Autumn who picked up. Shayla lit into the girl, calling her and her sister traitorous, ungrateful spawns. She vowed to make them all pay. She disconnected the call with Autumn and gathered herself to a point of psychotic calm as she began to plot on making sure that marriage never happened. Frankie and their daughters would pay for this betrayal.

***

After leaving the restaurant on her drive to Benjamin’s, Camille could not believe what a coward she had been. She would not admit to herself that she did not bring up the possibility that she and Karen could be sisters out of fear. She rationalized with herself that she did not want to deflate Karen’s day any more than Paige had already. Karen was the happiest she had ever seen her. What would the knowledge that they shared a father do to their bond? Would she be overjoyed that they were sisters? Would she blame her for not being able to get their dad to stick around? As she watched Karen take a phone call from Frankie’s twin daughters, Nikki and Karen were glowing as Nikki expressed how much fun they had at the Children’s Museum. Camille resolved that she would wait until after their honeymoon to bring up this family dilemma to Karen. She also wanted to get Benjamin’s take on the situation. She was pulling up at Benjamin’s enormous home located on Southwind Golf Course to see her fiancée. She was just coming to terms that in the next year she would be somebody’s wife and could start working on becoming a mommy. God was indeed good to her despite all the hiccups that had been occurring. She used the garage door opener Ben had given her and drove into his third car garage. She found Benjamin in his home study, where she knocked on the door and he immediately rose to greet her with a warm embrace, kiss on the forehead, and light kiss on the lips. Benjamin took her hands a led her to the love seat in his office, while he pulled a chair to sit across from her.

“How did you enjoy your girl’s day out sweetie?”

“It was great, well after we got Paige’s attitude in check. She was a royal pain with her pouting, but we handled it and she apologized. We actually found Karen’s dress and ours. Only Karen and I went to lunch, as Paige I assume, went to patch things up with Kevin.”

Ben raised an eyebrow and gave an incredulous look. “Do you think that is wise?”

Camille shrugged, “I don’t know Ben, they are a mess together but Paige is a bigger mess without him. I am just praying that they both seek the Lord and try to find a common ground whether it’s them being together or just being friends.”

“Yeah you are right, I just don’t want anything bad happening.” Ben looked as Camille started rubbing her forehead and shaking her leg. He knew this was a nervous habit of hers.

“Babe, is Paige and Kevin’s relationship bothering you this much? You seem nervous.”

“No it’s not their relationship that has me troubled.”

“Is it us? I know we have had some hard times lately and Carol’s crazy attempt to knock me out did not help. But mom and I are going to get her the help she needs.”

It was Camille’s turn to give an incredulous look. “I can understand Mother Ellen helping her friend but why are you involved? That lady could have killed you.”

“Because I owe it to Lauren, to make sure her mother heals.”

“What if she does not want to be healed? What if she just wants you to stay single, hurting and mourning over Lauren with her, for the rest of your life?”

“Camille, I have to try. Please don’t give me resistance on this. I have found my soul mate in you but Carol’s only child can’t be replaced.”

“I understand that but there are medical professionals and other members of the church that can assist her. Besides, if Paige hadn’t stopped her, I would have been next on her injury list. Paige also may lose Kevin because she snapped trying to defend me. All because Mrs. Carol lost her daughter and does not want you to move on.”

“Babe, I owe it to her and I am going to help her.”

“Benjamin, she physically hurt you!”

“It doesn’t matter, I forgive her. I owe her this.”