“First thing someone told me to do when I moved to Texas was buy a gun.”
“Nicky, what the hell are you doing?” Rashad asked. “Why do you have that?”
“Don't worry, it's just for show. But if I have to use it, I will.”
“You don't have that gun for show,” Alexis replied. “There are only two reasons people obtain a gun: to kill an animal or to kill a human being.”
“Guess which one you are.”
“Nicole, one thing people should have schooled you on about Texas,” Alexis said in anger, “is that you cannot wave or point weapons at anybody. Not jokingly. Not even for show. You're about to catch a case.”
“And you're asking for trouble rolling up at me and my man's place unannounced, especially when everyone knows you and I have had beefs. I don't care if you do have a kid together. It's all about respect.”
“
You
want respect?” Alexis set her purse down on the couch.
Nicole lowered the gun to her side. “I know how to get respect.”
“Crazy-ass woman. Put that thing away. Don't play like that.”
“I'm not playing,” Nicole said. “Trust me.”
“I'm not bothered,” Alexis replied. “Trust me.”
“Wait, hold up you two,” Rashad said, stepping in between them. “We need to seriously sit down and talk. We have kids; kids that I love, with more on the way. I-I blame myself for not handling my business like a man. And I apologize, Alexis. I did forget about the visitation.”
“I guess this is another thing that comes with the territory?” Nicole said to Rashad mournfully. She loved him so much and was afraid of anything that could come between them.
“You already know I have a daughter and I'm serious about having a relationship with her.”
“Yeah, you've told me,” Nicole admitted woefully.
Rashad wished there wasn't so much conflict regarding the women and the kids. And Alexis's brave front didn't fool him.
Just then little Hayley reentered the room. Alexis gasped and immediately ran to her daughter. Her slender hands trembled as she tried to shield Hayley's eyes from the woman with the weapon. The air in the room felt tense.
“It's all right, baby girl,” Rashad said in a gentle voice. “Nothing bad is going to happen.” Even though Hayley's eyes were covered, Rashad gave her a protective squeeze. And right then knew that he would never want anything to hurt the people he loved. He calmly turned to Nicole.
“Babe, don't do this. I know you don't mean what you said about using that thing, and I won't let any accidents happen around here. You're my girl, my kids are here. Hell, as the man of the house, I'm telling you we are
not
about to handle grown folks' business like this. Now go get rid of that gun right now or I will do it for you.”
Nicole felt humiliated. She was shocked that her jealousy would cause her to act so recklessly. She carefully withdrew the gun. “I-I'm sorry. I was just kidding.”
“Don't play like that. You ought to know better,” Rashad told her.
Looking sheepish, Nicole hesitated, then quietly departed.
Alexis trembled at the thought of what could have happened. Even though she didn't love him anymore, she felt concerned for Rashad. “Look at what you've gotten yourself into. And guess what? I doubt that it's going to get any better.”
Alexis glanced around. “I don't care how many hopeful-looking wishful-thinking paintings that were nailed to these walls. I'm not sure what you see in her, but Nicole is trouble. And that's all you're going to have from knocking up a woman like her: a life of trouble.”
Nicole came back into the room followed by Myles. She felt more self-conscious with the boy in the room. She certainly wouldn't want to make a horrible impression on him. And she felt a little sorrowful about her actions. She quietly observed Myles and then glanced at Hayley. It had been a while since she'd seen the little girl; her legs were longer, her cheeks fuller. She was growing up. Like it or not, Hayley was Rashad's child and Nicole needed to face reality.
“Sorry about that,” Nicole said with all sincerity. “I actually meant no harm.”
“It's okay,” said Alexis.
On the spur of the moment, Nicole playfully forced Myles to stand in front of Hayley.
“Do you know who this cute little baby is?” she asked him.
“Nicoleâ” Rashad interrupted.
“If we all are going to be around each other in the future, then it has to be done,” she answered. “Myles, this darling little girl is your baby sister. I guess that makes me her future stepmom.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” Alexis protested.
“That's the problem,” Nicole continued. “There is too much âwaiting' and not enough âdoing' when it comes to this situation. Now I may not necessarily like that my man has a bunch of kids. But it is what it is. And at this point no one should give two squats about how this baby got here. The issue is that she exists and if people don't like it, they can kick rocks.”
“Nicole,” Alexis said, her voice shaking. “It wasn't your job to do something like that. I don't need you to do that.”
“I know. But if the people who are supposed to do their job don't, it gets delegated to someone elseâsomeone who's not afraid to tell the truth.” Nicole ignored the vicious stare Alexis gave her. Then she bent down until she was eye level with Myles.
“Did you know Hayley was related to you, son?”
“Um, a little bit. I heard about her but never really got to meet her.”
“Well, this is your opportunity to get to know her. I think you should know who all your siblings are,” she said and went to sit down. Facing the truth definitely could hurt, but Nicole wanted no pretense in their home life.
Suddenly she felt exhausted from all the activity. “Dammit, my feet hurt. Anybody wanna be nice enough to give a pregnant woman a foot massage? Rashad? What are you standing there for? Please go and get some lotion and take care of my aching feet. Geez, do I have to take control of everything around here?”
Rashad could only do what his lady asked of him. And Alexis, too stunned and frustrated to move an inch, felt that her prediction of Nicole Greene being nothing but trouble would not only hurt Rashad, but could hurt her, too.
Chapter 6
Something to Talk About
I
t was December first, the Monday following Thanksgiving; Kiara and her employees returned to work at Texas South West University. She held the position of senior manager in the communications department and Alexis served as the administrative assistant. Nicole had been hired last summer and now worked as a communications coordinator. The whole gang was employed in the same office and there was always something to gossip about, since this was the location where Rashad expertly handled illicit relationships between his wife plus Alexis and Nicole.
That morning Shyla Perry, the social media coordinator, was standing in the break room fresh from her delayed honeymoon exploring Central America. Everything went off without a hitch. Now she wanted to be known as Shyla Perry-Fallender. With her short hair, big brown eyes, and wide mouth, she was a standout in their department.
“Hey, ladies.” She warmly greeted a couple of female coworkers who entered the room to make themselves coffee. Shyla loaded two bagels into the toaster.
“There goes the new bride,” said Taylor, one of the communications coordinators.
“Look at me, because I am a changed woman.” Shyla laughed.
“I'll bet you are,” Taylor remarked, being facetious.
“How was your holiday?” Shyla asked.
“Mine was good,” said a tall, big-boned woman named Aisha. “My man came by and I cooked and we ate andâ”
“Well, I think it's a shame that a woman who works at this college tries to pretend like she's one thing when actually she is another,” Shyla continued. “She acts if her relationship is so intact, yet she's one of the main people getting her freak on with someone else that works on this campus. And they spent the holidays together.”
“Wait. What?” Taylor said. “Didn't you just return from
your
honeymoon?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“I'd think you'd be giving us details about your
own
rendezvous instead of spilling the tea about other people.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” remarked Alexis, who'd been hovering nearby and decided to pop in and join the conversation.
“Oh, but what happened on my honeymoon is nothing compared to all the extramarital humping that's going on at the university.”
“Shyla, you ought to be ashamed of yourself,” Alexis told her. “Why are you tearing down another woman? Marriage hasn't changed you at all.”
Even though Alexis did have an affair with Kiara's husband, she wasn't proud of her actions. Not anymore.
“I'm not tearing down anybody. I'm just telling the truth, something you have always had a problem doing,” Shyla responded. “I'm just saying. I don't like working in an office where coworkers are fucking work husbands, and folks are getting pregnant by people on the job. That brings way too much drama.”
“Are you trying to tell us something, and if so what?” Aisha asked
“What you think?” Shyla smirked. “I'm talking about someone that works in this department, the one who wants everyone to believe she had such a great marriage and a wonderful man. Well, he ain't that wonderful if she gotta creep behind his back.”
“Nooo, not Kiara Eason,” said Aisha, reaching out to touch Shyla with her long fingernails. “Who is she screwing?”
“Oh, I can't tell you that.”
“Why not spill all the tea?”
“Well, it's like this. I
do
need my job.”
“But if she's humping a man on campus, I'd want to know exactly who it is,” Aisha replied. “Mrs. Eason has it going on. She can hook up with whomever she wantsâbut I need to make sure she ain't messing around with
my
boo.”
“What? You got a lover on this campus, Aisha?”
“Mmm hmm. And he's tied to me like Super Glue, but still, you never know.” Aisha paused. “You don't know who I'm sleeping with, right?”
“You'd be surprised whose business I know around here.” Shyla replied. “And I don't really tell all of it even when it is good and juicy.”
Like clockwork, Nicole entered the kitchen. Alexis took one look at her and immediately left.
Nicole gave Shyla the look. She snatched her by the arm and dragged her from the kitchen, down the hallway, to her office.
Nicole slammed the door before she twirled around.
“Shyla Perry, are you out of your damned mind?”
“It's Shyla Perry-
Fallender
.”
“Girl, I don't care about your hyphenated name. You need to chill on that gossiping.”
“What gossiping? What you talkin' about?”
“I thought you were my girl. But I see how you do a sister when you think her back is turned. I heard everything you said. Your voice carries.”
“Oops, my bad. I guess I was overly excited.”
“You need to watch that. I want to know who my friends are around here, as well as my enemies.”
“Girl, stop! I am Team Nicole. We're good. We'll always be good,” she said, even going out of her way to give Nicole a comforting hug. “I know you don't want everyone in your business. But I just really hate that you got knocked up by the boss's husband.”
Last summer, when Nicole had first come on board at the university, Kiara found out she was living in a house with minor contracting issues. In an effort to be hospitable, Kiara recommended that Rashad help Nicole out since she knew his business oversaw renovations. Once he started working at Nicole's place, they quickly developed a friendly bond that eventually turned into a full-blown affair. Then Nicole became pregnant. And she fell in love.
“I somewhat hate that it happened, too. My mother had a fit when she found out.”
Nicole always felt the need to impress her doubtful family. And she was determined to prove them all wrong.
Nicole continued. “My mom thinks it's shameful to have sex with men that are already taken.”
“It
is
shameful.”
“Look, Shyla, things happen, okay. I did not go out of my way to be with Rashad. But after we started kicking it, I could tell he was feeling me. And of course, I developed feelings for him, too. I mean, he told me his wife wasn't satisfying all his needs in his marriage.”
“He could have been lying.”
“But what if he was telling the truth?”
“Even if he was, it wasn't your job to fulfill his needs. That was between him and Kiara.”
“Then why would she send him to my house to help me out with my renovations? It's not all my fault.”
“You sound like you're suffering from guilt.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. All I know is that you cannot change the past. I'm not trying to sound unsympathetic, but it's safe to say those two will never get back together again. And if he is free and available and I am, too, why not be with him? We now have history.”
“And a future,” Shyla said, and stared at Nicole's belly.
“What's done is done. More importantly, I can't forget that I made an agreement with Kiara not to tell her secret.”
Nicole wanted to run and tell everyone the news after she overheard Kiara and Eddison discussing her pregnancy. So after Nicole found out about Kiara's dirty deeds, she didn't feel so bad about the sex she was having with Rashad
“Shyla, you know that Ms. Perfect agreed not to fire me if I swore not to tell anyone about her and light skin,” she said, referring to Eddison.
“I know, but at this point, even if I didn't spread Kiara's business, it's obvious she can't front anymore. She's just making herself look like a fool.”
“Check this out. And you better not tell a soul.”
“I swear to God.”
“Anyway, Rashad filed on her. I know it sounds crazy, but once this is over, we could potentially have a divorce party, an engagement party, and a baby shower, all at the same time.”
Shyla began laughing. It
did
sound crazy. “Are you serious? That's so scandalous. Yet you're the type who'd do something over-the-top like that.”
Shyla didn't realize it, but she was right. Because little Nicole from Alabama always wanted more out of life than just going to school, getting a job, and visiting her cousins every other weekend. No, Nicole wanted to drive a car that drew envious stares and she wanted to have cute babies that she could dress in the latest designer fashions. She knew that by capturing Rashad's heart, she was one step closer to fulfilling her dream.
“I want what I want and I know just how to get it.”
“Whoa, girl. Your life is more amazing than mine.” Shyla eagerly listened as Nicole spilled more details about what had been going on over the Thanksgiving holiday.
“And I know you're dying to tell the world about these amazing events,” Nicole said, “but it's me we're talking about. I am not Kim Kardashian, so you cannot try to break the Internet with my business, you hear me?”
“Okay. I'll keep my mouth shut from now on. But you know that people are talking.”
“Let 'em talk.”
Shyla was referring to how the whole office was gossiping about the identity of the father of Nicole's baby. Starting a few weeks ago, every time Nicole left the building for lunch, a few women would discreetly follow her to the parking lot to see if a man was picking her up in his car. But they never witnessed any such thing.
“Think of how they're going to react once I get that ring on my finger,” Nicole replied. “After Rashad is officially divorced, we'll give it a little bit of time. But then I am going to want to shout it to the world. I will be so happy and I won't care who knows it. Whether folks can handle it or not doesn't matter. I plan on having the baddest wedding Houston has ever seen.”
“Oh, really? That costs a lot of money.”
“Money won't be a problem.” Nicole squealed and hugged herself. “Shyla, I shouldn't be telling you all this, but I've hit the jackpot. This man is loaded.”
“Shut the fuck up!”
“But see, I can't help it. I'm finally getting to be happy . . . just like in a Terry McMillan novel.”
“Baby, rich man, and nuptials worthy of a reality show. You're living the dream, Nicole. Make sure and invite me.”
“You
are
invited. Just keep your damned mouth closed until I tell you when it's okay to pour that gasoline and strike that match.”
After they both laughed, Shyla told Nicole she'd talk to her later. They'd been chatting for a good twenty minutes and both needed to do some work.
A little while later, Nicole was in her office typing a press release. Their department had recently been awarded a two-million-dollar endowment and her job was to spread the good news. Nicole was concentrating on her document when she heard a rapped knock on her door. She glanced up from her computer.
Two uniformed officers stood there. The young cop had freckles and bright red hair; the older gentleman wore a nametag that read “Sims.”
“May I help you?”
“Do you have a Nicole Greene that works here?” asked the freckle-faced cop.
“Who wants to know?”
“Ma'am,” he continued, “we are looking for Nicole Greene. We've been given a photo and need to positively verify your identity.
“I, um,”âher voice quiveredâ“I'm her.”
“What's your date of birth?” asked Sims.
She replied August second and handed over her driver's license when requested.
“This isn't the same address as your current residence,” said the younger cop. He and his partner both closely inspected her license.
“No, it is not.”
“You will have to take time to update your license, ma'am.” That was Sims.
“I could go to the DMV right now ifâ”
“Later for that; first things first,” snapped Sims. He returned her ID. “Nicole Kelly Greene, you are under arrest for disorderly conduct and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.”
She tried to not make any sudden moves while she got patted down and then handcuffed.
“Ouch, that hurts.”
“Have you ever been cuffed before?” asked freckle-face.
“Never,” she said. “I'm not a criminal.”
“If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I could retire,” remarked Sims.
“This is nuts! I don't believe this. That stupid gun wasn't even loaded. I was justâ”
Sims continued his spiel. “You have the right to remain silent.”
Silence.
Nicole felt that was exactly what was happening to her. She thought Alexis would do anything to silence her, shame her, and get revengeâonly because Rashad was with her now. Nicole fumed as she was escorted out of her office, down the hallway, past Alexis's empty desk, and through the exit doors of her work facility.
When she bumped into Shyla, who was trying to come into the building the same time that she was going out, Nicole yelled, “Follow us.”
“Girl, what happened? Why are you in handcuffs?”
“I need you now more than ever. Please follow us.”
“I got you,” Shyla promised and she raced for her vehicle.
The officers placed Nicole in the back of a squad car. They made some notes and eventually drove off with Shyla right behind them.
Nicole's mind raced in several directions. Would they make her stay overnight? How could Alexis be petty enough to actually call the cops? Was Nicole about to follow in her ex-boyfriend's footsteps and experience the isolation he felt when he was put away?