After they finished eating, Rip realized his cousin needed more time, so instead of pressing him about his father, they spent the rest of the evening reminiscing about all of the fun they had playing tag football in the field down the street. They laughed out loud about the day Rip wrecked his bicycle while riding down the stretch of road that they all called thrill hill. He skinned both knees, his elbow, and even loosened a tooth, but he got back on and they kept on riding.
That type of tenacity was a quality that Rip had never lost over the years. He'd moved to Atlanta in his early twenties and in a few short years he'd become one of the most successful drug dealers in the entire city. At one time he lived in and ruled over Sand Poole Manor as their unofficial king. The residents feared and revered him because of his ruthlessness that had earned him his nickname, which spelled out “rest in peace”; the eventual fate of anyone who dared cross him. During those years, he kept in contact with his best friend and cousin from childhood even though they both lived vastly different lives on opposite sides of the law.
“Do you want to spend the night here?” Semaj asked. They had just finished watching a movie on cable and it was almost eleven at night.
“Sure, why not? I'll stop by the house and see Aunt Jen before we leave tomorrow.” He looked intently at his cousin. “We
are
leaving tomorrow, aren't we?”
Semaj nodded his head, then silently walked down the hallway to his bedroom.
Rip went to the hall closet and pulled out a blanket, impressed that things at the house had hardly changed at all since the two of them were young boys. Semaj had purchased some new furniture and a flat-screen TV for the den. He'd also upgraded his bedroom from the bunk beds he'd slept in as a kid to a queen-sized sleigh bed. He'd painted the outside, had new shingles put on the roof, and replaced the air-conditioning unit. However, the majority of the house remained exactly as his grandparents had left it on the day they'd died. The hall closet still contained big fluffy quilts that Semaj's grandma Nettie sewed with her quilting group.
Rip settled comfortably under a quilt on the den couch; then he took out his phone and called Ellen. She didn't pick up so he left her a simple message. “I found Semaj. He's fine, and he'll call you tomorrow,” he said. He felt tired from the long drive, and it only took a few moments for him to drift off to sleep and begin snoring loudly.
“Marion, I didn't know you were here too!” Miss Minnie screeched.
Rip slowly opened his eyes realizing that it was early Sunday morning. Miss Minnie stood over him wearing a bright pink flowered dress with a matching huge pink and white hat. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up.
“Good morning, Miss Minnie. I got here last night. How are you?”
“I'm fine, just fine. You boys better get up or you gonna be late for church.”
Rip threw the quilt off of his lap and stood up. “I'm sorry, I didn't bring any church clothes with me this trip. Maybe I'll go next time.”
“You can borrow one of my suits,” Semaj suggested.
Rip noticed his cousin standing in the doorway dressed in a charcoal grey suit with a black tie and white shirt.
“Um, all right, I guess. Give me a few minutes to get dressed and I'll join you guys.”
In their small community the local AME church was only a few miles down the street. After Rip was dressed, he offered to drive both Semaj and Miss Minnie in his Chrysler 300.
“This is a nice car, Marion,” Miss Minnie remarked once she was seated in the backseat.
“Thanks, and please call me Rip. I hate being called Marion. That sounds like a woman's name.”
“I'm not gonna call you by that awful drug name. I thought you'd left that lifestyle behind you after you got shot,” she said.
Feeling reluctant to discuss his past, Rip quickly changed the subject. “Marion is fine, Miss Minnie. I only hear it when I'm home, so I guess I can tolerate it.”
After church, Rip was anxious to get back to Atlanta, but he felt Semaj stalling as he made a point to speak to and hug almost every single member of the congregation. When he heard Semaj accept an invitation to dinner with the leader of the Men's Worship group, Rip felt that he had to step in.
“Um, Semaj, you have to go work in the morning so I think we'd better get back to Atlanta. We won't be able to make that dinner.”
Semaj looked over at Rip. He didn't want to go back to Atlanta. He wanted to remain in South Carolina around the people who reminded him of his childhood and his home. He wanted to stay there forever and revel in all of the feelings he'd only felt when he was there. But he knew his cousin was right. He was hurt, he felt defeated, but he couldn't hide forever. He knew that he had to go back to Atlanta and go on with his life.
They returned to Semaj's grandparents' house, and after they'd changed clothes and Miss Minnie had gone to her trailer for her Sunday afternoon nap, Semaj asked Rip to sit with him on the back porch because he was finally ready to talk about the day he met his father. When he was done speaking he looked over at Rip for a reaction.
“So this dude who's supposed to be America's favorite dad both on TV and off just looked you in the eyes and lied to you?” Rip asked.
“He sure did. He's such a phony. I remember seeing him on TV after he adopted his oldest son. He went on and on about how much he'd always wanted a son and that he couldn't wait to be a father. He even had the nerve to thank God for blessing him with his son. What a hypocrite.”
Rip sat seething with anger at the way his cousin was treated. “So what are you gonna do about it?” he finally asked.
“Nothing. I mean, what can I do about it? I can't force him to be my father. It just really got to me, but I'm good now. I'm heading back to Atlanta later today, and I'll explain everything to Ellen. We'll finish planning the wedding and life will go on.”
“I just don't like letting this jerk get away with the way he treated you. You are a grown man with a successful career so he should have known that you didn't come to him looking for money or anything. You just wanted a chance to know your father. That's a right that every man should have, and he stole that from you.”
“I understand what you are saying, butâ”
“But nothing,” Rip said, interrupting him. “My father spent his life behind bars for shooting my mother in a drunken jealous rage. You know that. As horrible as that was, he still wrote me letters from the pen every week until the day he died. If a murdering bastard like that can try to be a real father, then Wayne James at least owes you an explanation.”
“You're right, man. You know what I wish? I wish I could just have thirty minutes in a room with just him and me where he couldn't leave, he couldn't deny me, and he'd be forced to explain. Remember that scene from the movie
Uptown at Last
when the wife tied her husband to a chair in the basement to force him to listen to her and answer her questions? That's what I wish I could do to Mr. Wayne James.”
Rip listened intently and nodded his head. “I understand perfectly,” he said.
“It's getting late. We'd better hit the road. I want to go see Ellen and explain everything before I go home. I'm going to wake up Miss Minnie and let her know I'm leaving.”
Rip sat quietly as Semaj walked across the backyard and knocked on Miss Minnie's door. There was a time in his life when he would not have hesitated to put the fear of God into anyone who came close to disrespecting his family the way Wayne James had disrespected Semaj. Even though he'd put that lifestyle behind him, he sat struggling internally as he fought the overwhelming urge to contact some of his former associates and make his cousin's wish come true.
Chapter Six
“Gwen, I'm so glad you could make it,” Wayne said. He quickly took off his lapel microphone and rushed over to where she was standing.
“I was surprised when your publicist called. You usually don't like to have family members visit you while you're working,” she answered. Gwen stiffened up when he reached out to hug her.
“Hey, what kind of hug was that? We're family, girl.” He squeezed her tightly until she finally relaxed and hugged him back. “That's better. I just thought you'd enjoy coming down to the studio and watching me tape my appearance on
The Kandyss Kline Show
. She's nationally syndicated, and I think she's destined to be the next Oprah.”
Gwen smiled for the first time since she arrived. “I'm a big fan of hers. I've loved her since she was a member of that eighties girl group Star*shine. Do you think I can get a chance to meet her?”
“Of course. I will personally arrange it. She's in her trailer right now, and I've reserved a spot for you right over there,” Wayne pointed to his left. “As soon as the show is over I'll bring you down to chat with her.”
Beaming with excitement, Gwen rushed over to the luxurious and comfortable chair Wayne had reserved for her. He'd also arranged for her to receive VIP treatment while she watched the show.
Wayne James was not the only celebrity guest to appear on that day's show. Feeling starstruck, Gwen sat and watched in awe as Kandyss interviewed her favorite rapper, LL Cool J. After his segment, Gwen thought she was going to faint as she watched Shemar Moore step out on stage. She thought he was even more gorgeous in person and felt her heart racing when Shemar took off his shirt and flexed his muscles for the cameras. The last guest to appear before Wayne was Tia Mowry who starred in Gwen's favorite TV show,
The Game.
As she sat watching her idols she was served an assortment of finger foods and several glasses of champagne. By the end of the show, she was feeling happy, full, and tipsy. So tipsy that she completely forgot to ask Kandyss for an autograph. Instead, she just stared at her with a stupid grin on her face. At Wayne's request, Kandyss was extra polite and friendly and even invited Gwen to come back and watch a live taping of the show whenever she wanted. It didn't matter to Kandyss that it was all a lie because she knew Gwen would never get past security again. When the show was over, Gwen followed Wayne back to his large and lavish dressing room.
“This is so nice. Can I take a picture with my camera phone? Momma has gotta see this. Oh, shoot, I should've taken a picture with Kandyss too. It's too late, isn't it?” Gwen asked.
Wayne chuckled. “I'm afraid so, but I'll ask her to autograph a picture for you when I see her later.”
“That would be great,” Gwen said, then plopped her ample behind onto the couch. “This is the most comfortable couch I've ever sat on. It feels like a big cloud.” She kicked off her shoes and stretched out on the sofa. “You know who else would love to see this?” she said.
“Who?” Wayne asked.
“Semaj, your son. I know things didn't go well last week when I brought him to meet you, but I think you both were just overwhelmed by the whole thing.”
Wayne grabbed a chair and pulled it closer to the sofa where Gwen rested. He sat down in front of her. “I'm glad you brought that up, Gwen. You don't really believe that guy was my son, do you?”
“Of course, I believe it, and you should too. I told you before she died your momma told me all about your marriage and your son. It's not just family rumors. Your momma would not lie about something like that.”
“You're right, my mother would never lie,” Wayne nodded his head in agreement. “Listen, that's one of the reasons I asked you to come by today. We need to talk about what you know and also about this guy, Semaj. He's not my son. I don't know what he told you, but he's not who he claims to be.”
Gwen looked at Wayne strangely. “What do you mean?”
“Well, everything my momma told you is the truth. I was a young, rebellious teen, and I ran away from home and got married when I was only eighteen years old. The girl I married was a beautiful young girl named Allison Matthews. We were very immature, and neither of our parents approved of the relationship, but we were very much in love. Shortly after our marriage we had our son, Wayne, Jr. I loved them both with all my heart, but when Wayne, Jr. was just a few months old, our home was destroyed in a tragic fire, and I was left alone and heartbroken.”
Sitting up and scooting to the edge of her seat excitedly, Gwen interrupted him. “That's exactly what happened to Semaj's mother. He was pulled out of the fire that his mother died in.”
“Gwen, my son, wasn't pulled from the fire. My son died along with his mother.” Wayne stared sadly at the floor. “I was at work at my night shift job as a waiter in a diner when it happened, and when I came home, both of them were dead.” Dramatically, he paused and wiped away a tear. “Even after all of these years, it's difficult for me to talk about. No one in the family knew the whole story except my mother, and that's how the rumors of my long lost son got started.”
“What about all of the things Semaj told me about his mother? The details matched up perfectly.”
“He's a reporter, Gwen. Digging into people's backgrounds is what he does for a living. The same way that you were able to research my life story and marriage, he did the same thing.”
Gwen sat still on the sofa feeling very confused. She wasn't sure if it was the story that Wayne was telling her or the three glasses of champagne she drank earlier, but the details just did not add up inside her head. “He could not have done what I did. His grandparents changed his name, and he never knew his mother's married name or your name. That's why he's looked for you so long. I had inside family information that helped him out.”
Wayne sighed. “Gwen, you told him some things, and he filled in the blanks with his own lies. It's that simple.”
Trying to shake off the effects of the alcohol, Gwen sat thinking for several moments before speaking again. “I still don't get it,” she finally said. “I mean, what could he possibly gain by pretending to be your son? Semaj is a celebrity.”
“I'm one of the richest men in the entertainment industry. This guy is a nightly news anchor on a local television station. He could gain everything by being my son. Things like fame, notoriety, and money mean a lot to people. He could even use my name to advance his own career.”
“Wow, I never thought of that. When his cousin asked me to speak to him, I honestly believed that he was being sincere.”
“His cousin sent you to him? Gwen, that information should convince you that the whole thing was a setup. Somehow they found out we were related, and unfortunately, they used you to get to me.” Wayne turned around and pulled out his briefcase that was sitting on the dressing-room floor. He pulled out a worn newspaper clipping and handed it to Gwen. “During your research, did you happen to find this article?”
Tentatively, Gwen took the paper and read it. Her mouth fell open in surprise when she read the headline. “Y
OUNG WOMAN AND INFANT SON KILLED IN HOUSE FIRE”
She stared at Wayne as she searched for the right words to say. “Wayne, I am so sorry. I was wrong. I was completely wrong. Can you ever forgive me?”
Wayne smile broadly. “Of course, I can, but I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything, you just name it,” Gwen said. She handed him back the newspaper clipping.
“Let's keep this conversation and our visit with Mr. Matthews between us. I would prefer that none of the rest of the family or anyone knew anything about it.”
“I don't understand. Why do we need to keep it a secret?”
Wayne dug down deep and managed to bring up a few more crocodile tears. He reached into his pocket for his handkerchief and wiped them away slowly. “It's really been painful for me to have to bring up the memories of my wife and son. If everyone in the family knew the truth, I'm afraid that I'd have to keep reliving it over and over every time I saw them. Gwen, please don't make me go through that,” he pleaded.
Gwen reached out and hugged him tightly. “I'm so sorry. I promise I will not breathe a word of this to anybody. I won't even tell Momma. It will be our secret.”
When they broke the embrace Wayne smiled with relief. “If this guy contacts you again, just let me know. I don't think he will bother you, but just in case he tries, I want to know about it.”
“I don't think that he will either, but if he does, I promise you that I will handle it. You don't ever have to worry about hearing from him again.”
Wayne decided to treat Gwen to lunch, just to make sure that he had cemented her complete trust and loyalty. He told her he'd take her to any restaurant in the city that she picked. He was slightly amused but not at all surprised when she requested to go to Red Lobster. Without making her feel bad about her choice, Wayne convinced her that due to his celebrity status he'd like to take her to the restaurant of one of his personal friends. Her face lit up when he suggested they go to Justin's and perhaps get a chance to see Sean “Puffy” Combs.
As they ate, Wayne reveled in her colorful stories of life in Sand Poole Manor and catching up on all of the latest family gossip. Unlike many celebrities, Wayne did not look down on the members of his family who were still forced to live in low-income neighborhoods, work menial jobs, and live paycheck to paycheck. Wayne realized that without the grace of God, he could have been stuck there just like they were. For that reason, he went out of his way to be sure he kept in close contact with them. Gwen was one of his favorite cousins. She was funny, outgoing, and full of life. For those reasons and many others, he never grew weary of spending time with her. His schedule while in Atlanta was jam-packed with promotional appearances, and he had to admit that had it not been for the situation with Semaj, he would not have had his publicist call her again. He smiled at her across the table realizing that regardless of the circumstances, he was really glad to see her.
While they were eating, Wayne received a call from Kandyss. Due to a timing issue, her producers had advised her that Wayne's segment of the show had been cut in half. They'd been friends for a long time, and she wasn't happy giving him less time than an up-and-coming comedienne would receive. So she'd talked her producers into having a part two and allowing him to appear on her show for two days. She asked him to return to the studio, and with a change of clothes and the magic of editing, it would appear that he was there for two shows.
Wayne excused himself from lunch and called Doug to come to the restaurant and give Gwen a ride home. He rushed back to the studio and returned to his dressing room to wait for the second taping to begin. He chose a powder-blue three-piece suit from his vast collection, matched it up with a striped tie, and sat down to wait for the makeup girl to arrive.
While he waited, he realized it was almost four o'clock so he turned on the television to catch up on the local news. He flipped casually through the channels until he saw Semaj's face on the screen talking about a multiple shooting that had occurred on the city's east side. In spite of himself, Wayne beamed with pride. As he watched, he couldn't help but notice that Semaj had inherited Allison's high cheekbones, thick eyebrows, and dazzling smile. Semaj's teeth were perfectly straight and white, just like his mother's had been. “You have her smile, but those are definitely my eyes,” Wayne said to television.