Guilty of Love (12 page)

“
Accepted, may I come
in?”

“
Parke, this is not a good
time. I’m having a party.” She was getting annoyed. “If you’re
coming to crash the party, someone beat you to it. It’s already in
progress.”

Before she could tell him it was a
private party, Imani and Deb invited him inside and shut the door.
Did Deb forget she was Mrs. Matthews? Cheney rolled her
eyes.

Eyes followed Parke as he looked
around, nodding appreciatively at Cheney’s furnishings. “The place
looks great.”

Deb and Imani watched him, smiling
ridiculously and flirting outrageously. What would Mr. Matthews
say?

“
Everybody, this is Parke.
He lives somewhere in the neighborhood. Parke, this is my family.
My sister, Janae and her husband, Bryce. These are their children,
Alex and Natalie. Finally, this is my mother, Mrs. Reynolds and my
twin brother, Rainey.”

“
Twin?” Parke
asked.

“
Twin,” Cheney
repeated.

Nodding, Parke smiled. Imani and Deb
cleared their throats. What good-looking men like Parke subjected
women to wasn’t any of Cheney’s business anymore. “These are my
friends,
Mrs
. Deb Matthews and Imani, and my neighbor Mrs.
Beacon.”

Natalie patted her leg. “Ant Che, can
I play with your dollies upstairs?”

Squatting, Cheney smoothed back
Natalie’s thick curly bangs. “No, sweetie. Those aren’t for
you.”

Natalie pouted and was about to throw
a tantrum when Janae moved quickly to console her daughter and
confront her sister. “Why can’t she play with them? Who are you
saving them for? You don’t even have kids.”

Gayle stood. “Yes, why are those rooms
decorated like that?” She folded her arms in a challenge. “Is there
anything you want to tell us?”

Was her mother purposely baiting her?
Did she know? Conversations ceased. Why did she feel like battle
lines were being drawn? What did her family want from her, a
confession? She looked around the room.

No one else knew about the abortion
except Imani. Knowing Imani, she was not only the mistress of
sealed lips, but the master of causing major disturbances. Deb,
ignorant to the undercurrent, started to fidget, looking ready to
bolt at any minute, but only Parke’s presence kept her
there.

Mrs. Beacon’s expression remained
unreadable. Cheney could sense her neighbor was cooking up
something.

“
Cheney.” Imani took center
stage as she crossed her long legs in a slow manner, glancing at
Parke. “This is a good time to open your gifts,
girlfriend.”

A diversion, Imani, not
flirtation
. Couldn’t her girl think of something else besides a
man? Cheney guessed not.

Parke seemed oblivious to the tension.
“I’m sure your rooms are displayed like many of ours around here,
as if they’re livable for the upcoming block house
tour.”

What house tour? Cheney nodded, and
played along as if she knew what the man was talking about. Did
Parke just come to her rescue and did his voice drop an octave and
sound huskier than normal? Who was flirting with whom?

“
We don’t—” Mrs. Beacon
began.

Parke and Cheney cut her a
look.

She wiggled in her seat. “Well, ain’t
nobody comin’ up in my house.”

Cheney collapsed in a chair at her
dining table, hoping for the cease-fire reprieve.

“
Back to the gifts. I hope
you like this peace lily. The plant would look nice beside the
couch or really thrive in one of your bay windows,” Deb
suggested.

Standing, Cheney hugged her
rent-a-friend with all her might. “Thank you, short-stuff. I’ll try
and remember to water it.”

“
She’ll kill it,” her
mother stated.

“
That’s my line,” Mrs.
Beacon snarled at Gayle Reynolds.

Everyone except Cheney gave Mrs.
Beacon a puzzled look.

In typical Imani fashion, she made a
big production of standing. Swaying her hips, she walked past Parke
to get a large silver wicker basket by the door. With all the
confusion, Cheney didn’t recall Imani bringing it.

“
Indulge yourself in
calming lavender aromatherapy. It should help relieve everyday
stress.” Imani tilted her head toward Cheney’s sister and
mother.

Cheney fingered the many bottles of
fragrant bath gels, body oils and sprays. She hadn’t pampered
herself in years. “It’s perfect.” Cheney kissed Imani’s
cheek.

Flaunting a smile a little too sexy,
Imani waved manicured nails. “Girl, it’s nothing. Just make sure
you use every drop of it.” She winked then kept on
winking.

“
I will,” Cheney assured
her and frowned.

Reaching for a plum gift-wrapped box,
Imani handed it to her. “Open this.”

Cheney read her mother’s signature on
the card, then ripped off the paper. “Wow, a music box that plays
lullabies. It’s beautiful. Thank you, Mom.” Cheney masked the shock
of the musical selection. Why lullabies and not musicals or
soundtracks?

Gayle smiled. “Roland and I chose it
together.”

Daddy.
Cheney swallowed to wash
down the hurt from her father’s absence. Imani passed a gift
bearing more tape than wrapping paper. She recognized her brother’s
handiwork. Cheney carefully unwrapped it.

“
It’s beautiful, Rainey.
Thank you.”

“
Yeah, it’s a genuine
Lladro
. I know you don’t have any kids, but the woman looked
so much like you, I had to get it. Maybe one day. “

The piece was a young mother cradling
a baby with a toddler sitting at her feet. First her mother’s gift,
now Rainey’s, were they taunting her? Choking back tears, Cheney
stood on her toes and embraced her linebacker-sized brother. “Thank
you, Twin.”

“
Welcome, Twin.”

Janae clapped her hands, interrupting
the tranquil moment. “Okay, open mine,” she demanded, urging Imani
to pass Cheney a long silver box. When Cheney uncovered four bright
white monogrammed hand towels, Jane explained, “When, or if you
marry, you can add his first name.”

“
Thanks.” Cheney leaned
towards her sister for a hug, but Janae folded her arms. The
rejection sparked a headache moving like a nonstop locomotive.
Cheney had pushed them away, now they were shoving back, big
time.

Parke distracted her when he handed
Imani an envelope, and Mrs. Beacon did the same. Cheney hadn’t
noticed anything in her uninvited guests’ hands.

“
Here’re two more,” Imani
advised, passing them on.

Cheney slipped the Mahogany card from
the envelope. “Welcome to the neighborhood. I hope you find peace
of mind and plenty of people who are kind, then it’s a sign that
you’re among the best neighbors. Mrs. Beatrice T.
Beacon.”

She eyed her next-door neighbor. How
did she know? Cheney hadn’t mentioned anything. Was something going
to crawl out of the card and bite her? When a slip of paper fell
out, Cheney laughed. Mrs. Beacon always managed to get the upper
hand.

The joke was truly on Cheney as she
stared at the paper. Finally she found her voice again, “Thank you
for the one-hundred-dollar gift certificate to Friscilla’s
Nursery.”

When she stood to give a hug, Mrs.
Beacon held up her cane to ward Cheney off. Everyone laughed,
including Cheney.

“
This is from that handsome
gentleman in the corner,” Imani advised.

Cheney squinted at Parke. What could
he have gotten her? He also chose a Mahogany card. The
African-American woman portrayed on the cover had extremely long
lashes like Cheney and wore bright red lipstick. Cheney smiled as
she opened the card and read, “You are truly unique, Miss Reynolds.
Parke Kokumuo Jamieson VI.”

Deb chuckled. “What a
mouthful.”

Janae thumped on Rainey’s back as he
gagged on his iced tea. “
Cu cu moe
?”

The first genuine sounds of laughter
filled the house, including Natalie, who mimicked the adults. Even
Parke looked amused. “It’s pronounced
Ko-ku-mu-o.
”

Imani scooped up the two tickets that
fell out. “Ooh,
Bubbling Brown Sugar
!”

Janae smacked her lips together. “That
show is sold out.”

Gayle waved her hand. “Bryce has been
trying to get tickets for months. If you can’t find anyone to go
with you, why not give your tickets to your sister. They’d enjoy an
evening without the children.”

Parke clear his throat. “It’s a
matinee, and Cheney has a date.”

Seconds later, his beeper interrupted
the growing argument as Cheney’s family shot him an annoyed look.
She didn’t know if she was more stunned with her family’s behavior
that was bordering on hostile, or Parke, who had lied for her
again. First Mrs. Beacon, now Parke. The day was turning into an
unsolved mystery.

“
I do?”

“
She does?” Imani
questioned.

Reading the message on his pager,
Parke stood. “I’ll take her,” he said with finality. “Excuse me, I
have another appointment. It was nice meeting everyone.” He left
without a backward glance.

Fanning her face, Deb sucked in her
lips. “Girl, if you don’t go out with him, I’ll go.” She pointed
out the window. “That brother is some kind of fine.”

“
What about your husband
and two kids?” Cheney teased.

“
What husband? What crumb
snatchers?” Deb played dumb.

Imani positioned her hands on her
narrow hips. “Don’t waste these tickets, girlfriend.”

Gayle gathered her purse and sleepy
grandson. “Well, I wouldn’t advise going anywhere with him. He
seems like trouble. You know the kind who would love you and leave
you. I think you’ve had enough trouble with men.”

She gave Cheney a knowing look and
walked to the door. Janae followed, dragging Natalie and Bryce. Her
mother didn’t toss out an innuendo. It was an affirmation that
Cheney’s family knew.
How?

It didn’t matter. She didn’t know who
made her feel guiltier, God or her family. She didn’t yearn for
God, but she hungered and thirsted for her family’s
attention.

Stretching out on Cheney’s brand-new
sofa like he belonged there, Rainey made himself comfortable. He
picked up a remote and pointed it toward her twenty-seven inch
television that rested on a glass and silver stand. If her brother
did know about her past, at least he understood it wasn’t anybody
else’s business.

“
Rainey, aren’t you
coming?”

Looking at his watch, he shook his
head. “No, I’m going to hang out with Twin for a while,
Mom.”

“
I’m sure your father will
want to talk to you once he’s home from the conference.” Her mother
seemed annoyed.

Janae also came up with another excuse
to draw him away, “I thought you were interested in Leah. C’mon.
We’re all going out to dinner.”

Cheney watched as her family spoke in
a secret code. Yes, she served finger food, but it was enough so
that no one would leave hungry.

Rainey clicked off the TV, stood, and
brushed a kiss against Cheney’s cheek. “I’ll be back, Twin, when I
can leave the naggers at home.” He grinned and winked.

Giving a weak smile, Cheney hugged her
brother good-bye. When she turned back to her remaining guests,
Imani and Deb were examining the theater tickets and Mrs. Beacon
was inspecting Cheney’s shutters.

Imani ran her fingers through her
salon-set curls. “You sure you aren’t a stepchild? At least they
gave nice gifts before PMS kicked in. Remind me not to stop by the
same time next month. Forget them. Go clubbing with Deb and me
later?”

“
I’ll pass. I’m
drained.”

Mrs. Beacon made her presence known.
“Don’t worry about them. You’ll always have me.” She grinned like
she was showing off a new set of dentures.

Cheney sighed. Maybe moving back to
her hometown wasn’t a good idea. They acted as if they could barely
tolerate her. Rainey was the exception unless dark and lovely
ladies stepped in front of him, then he had a one-track
mind.

Deb and Imani collected their purses
to leave. Both encouraged her to go see the sold-out play with the
fine-looking brother to lift her spirits. If not, Deb joked, “Give
the tickets to Imani to make a love connection.”

“
I wish.” Imani kissed
Cheney’s cheek. “You know I don’t pass up having a good time.
Anyway, I have to fly out in the morning then I’m out of the
country for the next three weeks, but we’ll talk tonight and
compare notes on today.”

Imani’s hand was on Cheney’s door knob
when she twirled around and stomp her foot. “I can’t help the
hypocrite in me from coming out. Let’s say a quick
prayer.”

“
O-okay.” Cheney frowned as
Deb shrugged.

Mrs. Beacon remained rooted in her
seat. “Don’t look at me.”

The trio bowed their heads.

“
God, we know you have the
solution. Please help my friend to find it,” Imani said amen.
Cheney mumbled amen, not expecting anything to come out of
it.