The Fall of the Prodigal (13 page)

“Trey, stop making both twins and your sister run up and down the stairs! This isn't a playground.”

The clamor of feet continued despite Gina's call.

“I've got them,” Keith said, eyeing her haggard expression. There were enough children in their home to fill a classroom: Colleen's twin daughters, Kim and Kaye, Michael's children, and their own made for a lively group of kids. All were there to join in the scrumptious Thanksgiving feast Josie had prepared before leaving for Jamaica to spend time with her family. Keith, however, had overseen the turkey preparation himself.

“You think Trey would be the example; instead he's the ring leader.” Gina shook her head and called out again. “Trey!”

Her strong voice rang in his ears. He knew he had to intervene. “I'll take them outside.” He bent to give Gina a kiss on the cheek.

“Listen, don't go starting something you can't finish.” Gina shook her finger at him. Before heading into the kitchen, she said, “Have fun. I'm going to hang with the grownups.”

“Go, I'll have more fun with the children,” Keith returned. He stood by the stairs. “I'm going outside, who's coming?” he yelled.

Sure enough, he heard their “Yay's!” and the dash to find shoes, socks, and winter gear.

As they were going through the door, Michael approached.

“You're right on time,” Keith said. “Help me herd the kids to the backyard.”

“What are they cattle?” Michael asked.

Keith arched an eyebrow. “You don't want me to answer that.”

Keith's backyard consisted of a pond and a huge play area decked out with every sort of amusement. It boasted a tree house, jungle gym, seesaw, and a safety mat. It was a kid-friendly hazard-free zone.

Keith noticed Michael's eyes were pinned to Olivia and John. “I'm glad you're going to be in their lives.”

Michael breathed, “There's no feeling like this. I'm not sure I can even put it into words.”

“I know. I felt that way the moment I knew I was Trey's father. It took every ounce of willpower I had within me to walk away and leave him with you.” Keith swallowed at the memories, but shoved them into the past. There was too much love in the world. He refused to harbor bitterness. He continued, “Then when I saw Epiphany, my heart literally expanded in my chest. I was afraid it was going to burst from pride. How did I bring such a precious little girl into the world?”

Keith turned slightly to face Michael, surprised to see small water pools forming in his brother's eyes.

“I'm sorry.”

Keith tried to shrug it off. “It's in the past,” he assured Michael.

“No, I need to acknowledge my dirt. I loved Trey because I thought he was my son and I had loved him from birth, but Epiphany . . .” Michael lowered his head with shame. “I barely acknowledged her presence. Even if they weren't my children, they were still my blood. No matter what, they were family. Innocent. I shouldn't have involved them.”

Keith listened to Michael's impassioned speech. “I accept your apology because I love you. I forgave you years ago, but it feels good to hear you say the words and own up to your wrongs. I respect that.” He shifted the conversation. “Since we're going down memory lane, I want to take this moment to say I'm sorry for breaking the man code; no, make that the brother code. I betrayed you by sleeping with Gina. It was wrong to do. I won't try to make any excuses. The only explanation I can give is I was bound by a love bigger than me. I loved her almost from the moment I saw her.”

Michael nodded. “Yes, Gina is a special woman. It took me years to accept and admit you two were meant for each other. When I found out about the affair, I was hurt. I wondered what I could've done to make her love me. But now that I think about it, most of my hurt stemmed from the fact our bond as brothers had been damaged.”

Keith gulped. “That guilt rode me for years, but it led me on the path to salvation. If I hadn't been such a lost soul, I wouldn't have met Christ. I prayed for years for God to open up a way to heal the past and repair our relationship. Today is answered prayer.” He patted Michael on the back. “God's going to see you through this court case and He'll raise you higher than you were before. His Word says if we wait on the Lord, He'll renew our strength and we'll mount up on wings like eagles. Michael, you're low now, but you're going to soar. You're going to be back on top again, even higher than before.”

“Funny you should say that . . .”

Before he could continue, Gina, Colleen, and Lauren walked up. “We're here to relieve you,” Gina said. “Terence is inside waiting on you guys to start up the Monopoly game.”

Keith nudged Michael on the arm. “He doesn't know who he's up against. Right, Mike?”

Michael laughed and cracked his fingers in anticipation. “It's been awhile.” The brothers began the small trek back to the house.

As soon as they were out of earshot from the women, Keith returned to the subject at hand. “What were you saying?”

“I was going to say your comment, about my going to be back on top again one day, reminded me of when you brought up Joseph from the Bible. I remember Verona said Joseph went from prison to second-in-command over the entire land of Egypt.”

The brothers dusted off their shoes by the back door and entered the kitchen.

“Hearing Joseph's story gives me hope,” Michael said.

“The Bible says without hope, we'd be men most miserable.”

Michael studied him. “You're always preaching.”

“It's not a button I can turn off,” he defended. Was he always preaching?

“I'm glad,” his brother said. “I like the new, inspiring you and your messages are on point. I never imagined when we were growing up this was where you'd be. But, if ministry is a suit, it fits you well.”

Keith was moved by the compliment. “Thank you. Coming to God was like coming home.”

“About time you both got here,” Terence Hayworth interjected. “I'm ready to show you who's boss.” He cracked his knuckles as a means of playful intimidation.

Keith grinned at Michael's fierce expression. His brother's competitive nature had led to many overturned boards and scattered game pieces. Terence had met his match. Within minutes, all three men were embroiled in the game.

On Keith's third trip to baste the turkey, Terence and Michael eliminated him from the game. Keith shrugged. He prepared both the adults' and children's tables with festive trimmings. If asked, he would not be able to put into words the fullness of his heart seeing everyone gathered together. His family.

When it was dinnertime, Keith had everyone hold hands as he led them in grace. “Father, we thank you for friends and family. We ask you to bless the food spread before us and we remember those who are alone and in need. Bless them as well today, as we partake with grateful hearts. Amen.”

“You've been dumped. Admit it.”

Verona toyed with her fancy takeout. It was an upscale spin on the traditional Thanksgiving meal. She hissed her teeth at Nigel. “Shut up. I agreed to share a meal but I won't be put through an inquisition.”

“It's not easy getting tossed like a rotten tomato,” Nigel teased.

She dropped her fork. “Why don't we address the fact that you're scared to face your family with the truth about your sexuality?”

Nigel glared. “Why do you always do that? Why do you always fight back with a taunt about something I've tried to fight all my life? You think it's easy for me to spend Thanksgiving away from my family because I don't want to fence questions about why I don't have children, why I'm not married?”

Seeing his hurt, Verona felt a little ashamed. “Then why don't you tell the truth? It sets you free.”

“How can I tell the truth when I myself am living in denial? I keep thinking I'm going to shuck this feeling and get back to what I've been taught all my life.”

Why was he looking at her as if he thought she could provide guidance? Verona broke eye contact by reaching for a sip of water. “This is getting too serious for me.”

Nigel leaned over and touched her knee. “No, we're not going to avoid this anymore. Verona, I know you've been angry with me for years. Heck, I was just as angry at you, and it's time we dealt with it.”

She squirmed under the heat of Nigel's gaze and his firm tone. She did not want to go there, but she was curious about something. “Come to think of it, I do want to know why you've been mad at me. I know my reason for being mad at you, but you had no right to . . .”

“Be furious?” he filled in.

Verona nodded her head. Her heartbeat accelerated. She took another sip of water.

Nigel slammed his fist on the table. “I was mad at you because you were supposed to fix me, to change me. I mean look at you,” he said, waving his hands at her. “You're a beautiful, desirable woman. There isn't a male alive who wouldn't want you.”

There are two,
she thought. Him and Michael. Why was it that the ones she wanted were not available? Was she doing that on purpose?

“I did want you, Tiger,” he confessed, using her pet name. “I wanted you; but, I was overcome with a temptation bigger than me. I look at Donnie McClurkin's testimony and I have hope. Frankly, I thought you were my cure. I was mad when you weren't.”

Her eyebrows shot up to her forehead. “That's where you went wrong. I can't be your cure. The only One who can cure you, so to speak, is God.”

Nigel's sardonic grin returned. “I think God and I have reached an understanding. I'm prepared to meet my judgment.”

The air tightened. Verona chose the easy way out. She stuffed her mouth with food to keep from talking. Nigel took that as a sign to return to his meal. The scraping sounds of metal hitting crockery made her grit her teeth. She should say something. As the silence grew, Verona grappled with her conflicting emotions.

In the end, she decided to speak what she knew. “Nigel, I care about you. We're friends, I think. I won't lie and say I agree or understand your choice but you know the Bible. It's up to you to search the scriptures for the truth.”

He gave her a piercing look. Verona read the yearning in his eyes. He whispered, “Let me try. Give me a chance.” He reached for a tendril of her hair and rolled it around his index finger. His hypnotic voice urged her, “In many ways, I'm your equal. We had something once. We can have it again. You get the husband and children you want, and I'll get a respectable wife to take home.”

Nigel was persuasive. Verona would give him that. But she was neither crazy nor desperate. “Aren't you forgetting about your partner? What would you tell him?” she asked.

His eyes slinked away from hers.

“That's what I thought,” she said. “Case closed.”

Nigel sneered, “Well, it's a more lucrative option than you pining for a man who doesn't know you exist.”

Verona jumped to her feet. “Better that than to be used as a substitute.”

 

 

“Why are you just telling me about Bishop Combs? He could be in Timbuktu by now,” Gina fumed.

“I didn't want to ruin the holidays. All this drama with Michael kind of took preeminence.”

“We have to alert the board.” She glared at him. “You need to set your priorities right. I know Michael needs you but so does the foundation. A foundation we set up in Trey's name.”

“I already called a meeting. We have to notify the federal investigators. It's going to hit the news.”

Gina's body slumped. “The foundation might not recover.”

He did not like how dejected she sounded. Quick to reassure her, Keith said, “It'll work out somehow. We will get through this. Together. I know Michael's case is time consuming, but my priorities are still in order.”

“They'd better be. The foundation needs you. I need you. Your children need you.” She lowered her voice. “If it came down to it, I need to know you'd choose us.”

“Over my brother?”

Her neck rolled. Gina dared him. “If need be.”

“It won't come to that,” Keith said. Once he had uttered the words though, he faced doubts. Fortunately, he was a praying man. Keith slid to his knees. If there was ever a time he needed God, this was it.

“I'm seeing someone.”

Lauren's bombshell punched him in the stomach. Michael twisted his cap in his hands. Then a thought struck. “Has he been around my children?”

With wide eyes, Lauren answered, “No, he hasn't. It's too soon.” She clutched her chest into a protective gesture like she was hugging John or Olivia. The twins were spending the night with Keith and Gina. Michael had jumped at the chance of accompanying her home. Well, he had followed her.

Michael nodded in agreement. He stood outside her front door, ignoring his red-tinged ears, which stung from the cold and wind. Lauren shivered and stepped back, before inviting him inside. He closed the door behind him with a thud. Sort of the way his dreams of a reunion with Lauren were ending. But, Michael had never been a man to give up easy.

“You loved me once. You can do it again. I'm ready.”

Her green eyes flashed. “Where do you get off thinking all you have to do is to come back into my life, wave your hands, give me an okay sign, and I'd fall back into your arms?”

When she put it like that... “I never imagined you'd have moved on,” Michael said. “Not once, not even when you faked your death. Good one, by the way, but I didn't buy it. Not even when you skirted all my attempts to make reparation for my rotten behavior, I didn't consider you wouldn't be waiting for me, waiting for me to get my act together.” It took a lot for Michael to admit that. However, his words were not leading to the desired effect.

“Is this the part where I swoon and confess my undying love for you? As if!” Lauren swiveled and stormed into the direction of the dining area. Her heels click-clacked on the shiny wooden floor as she walked away from him.

Michael tossed off his jacket as the heat crept under his cashmere sweater. Feeling like a chump, he said, “I didn't expect you to be . . . Well, I hoped . . .” He stopped, clearing his throat. Maybe it was time he shut up.

“I've got to get out of these shoes,” Lauren said, and headed up the stairs, presumably to change.

At least she hadn't kicked him out, yet. Michael sank into one of the chairs and rested his head in his hands. He had sacrificed a lot to have everything life had to offer at his fingertips. Now, he was losing it all. He wished it hadn't taken such drastic circumstances for him to see what truly mattered: family and the love of a good woman. Michael had one out of two, but he wanted more. Seeing Keith with Gina and Terence with Colleen had created a hunger for him to have a woman by his side.

Lauren would be perfect since she already had his children.

“I thought you'd left.”

Michael looked at his watch. He had been sitting there for twenty minutes. He sprang to his feet. “I didn't realize . . .”

“His name is Martin. Martin Weston. He's a wonderful uncomplicated guy and he's financially stable,” Lauren offered.

Michael yawned. He wasn't impressed. Hope flared. He'd be able to swat this guy out of her life. “He sounds safe and boring.”

Michael made a mental note. He was going to get Frank running that name as soon as he left. Michael would find out everything he needed to know about this Martin Weston: his competition and potential daddy replacement.

Lauren's sharp intake of breath was followed with, “Martin's what I need. I'm a mother and a Christian. I don't have time to run after self-absorbed millionaires.”

Okay, he deserved that. Michael strutted close into Lauren's space. Her eyes widened with apprehension. Good; he liked that reaction. She was not as unaware or unmoved by him as she projected. Michael's confidence rose and he reached over to curl a strand of her red hair around his index finger with slow, practiced precision.

“Say what you will, Lauren Goodman, but I know you. You could never settle for safe or boring. You need more.” With a quick move, he snaked his arm around her small waist and dragged her against his chest. Lauren let out a startled sigh that did things to his insides. He kept his gaze pinned to hers as he kissed the lock of hair still wrapped around his finger. Desire sprung to life in her eyes.

Her eyes said one thing, but her mouth opened and said another. “I won't try to deny I'm still attracted to you. That may never change, but my response is something I can control. I'm not going down that road with you, Michael Ward. Not now, not ever.” She patted his cheek before pushing herself out of his arms. “Besides, you can't expect me to believe you've been living like a monk, pining away for me these past few years. Please.”

Her words taunted him. An image of Verona flashed across his mind. Michael had had brief affairs, but they had been inconsequential. He had kissed Verona, but it was a little kiss. No harm done. Nevertheless, Michael knew it was time to stand down. For now. Tomorrow was another day. He bid Lauren good night and strode toward the door.

Her voice stopped him. “I'll testify for you!”

He executed a slow about turn.

Lauren sauntered over to him. “You're the father of my children and, for them, I'll do what I can to help.”

Michael had a quick flash of years ago. He had grabbed Lauren so hard he bruised her. If anything, she would make a good witness for the defense. Michael was surprised she would be willing to take the stand for him. Michael shook his head. “I don't get you, Lauren. In one breath, you reject me and in the next, you want to help me. I can't figure you out.”

“Then, don't try to,” she said. “All you need to know is I'll do what I can to help you. I've been reading my Bible and praying and I'm at a good place. I'm happy and I want the same for you. It just won't be with me.”

“I'll respect your wishes.” Michael's lie rolled off his tongue with ease. He had no intention of letting Lauren slip through his fingers. He did not want another man raising his children. He would have it all. But, first he had to take care of his tarnished name and rebuild his torn reputation.

Michael turned on the car and rubbed his hands to warm up. He stopped at looked at both of his hands. It was time he took matters in his own hands. It was time for this rape charge to go away.