Trickery & Envy (34 page)

“I’m fine
and I’m sorry Patricia for not calling.” Vivian put a finger up to Jennifer to excuse herself then turned and strolled toward the door and out of it. “I know I should have reached out to you again by now. You must feel like I just dumped my salon on you, please forgive me.”

“I
t’s no problem. I understand you are going through something. I’m, as well as a few others are concerned because no one has seen you in months, but there are signs that you’ve been here,” Patricia said and masking that she felt her boss was trying to avoid anyone seeing her pregnant.

“Patricia I’m going to be
candid with you. I am pregnant and due sometime in April. And I have visited the salon. Can I count on you to keep things moving?”

“
Without a doubt, whatever you need me to do.”

Patricia
was happy that her boss had a situation. It was her dream to run her own beauty shop. Her boss had given her the opportunity to be in total charge and she loved it.

“
Ms. Fowler I saw the note that you intended to have security monitors installed. You want me to take care of that for you. I can set the appointment.”

Vivian exchange
d a smile with a nurse walking pass her. Her smile lingered as she was truly grateful for Patricia.

“Please,” she
answered and then said, “Let me know what day you schedule it.”

“
I will Ms. Fowler, no problem at all. I don’t have any kids to go home to and my man knows my work comes first. Whatever you need me to do Ms. Fowler, I’m here.”

“Patricia I sincerely thank you
and especially for keeping my business between you and me. I’ll let the other stylist know I’m a new mom some time after the baby is born.”

“Ms. Fowler my word is bond.
You’re my boss but I consider you a friend, too. I will not share what you tell me with anyone.”

“Thanks Patric
ia, but I have to go.”

Patricia sitting
in her booth chair grinned. “Okay. Oh, Ms. Fowler, I almost forgot to mention the other reason I called. One of the sinks is clogged.”

“Go ahead and call a plumber. Let me know what the cost to unclog it
is before it’s done.”

“
Alright, you have a great rest of the day, Ms. Fowler,” Patricia said and ended the call.

Vivian reenter
ed the room to a sleeping Jennifer.

***

“He’s going to come after me I know it. He’s going to get me!” Tracie said in a panic. She walked her living room floor afraid that Vernon would come back to her house and possibly harm her for going to the police.

“Fran
please…please don’t leave,” she implored her sister and then stood in the middle of the living room and wept.

“No
, don’t you leave until he’s caught!” she said ignoring Tracie crying. “I’m not afraid of him. He’s not going to keep me confined to my home. I have to work.”

Fran needed to get back to work. She
was on her lunch break and had detoured from on her way to make a deposit at her bank to Tracie’s apartment after a frantic call from her. Though Fran didn’t want to show it, she was somewhat alarmed that Vernon had escaped from lockup. Mad, she went over to the front window and looked out. She was in full view if Vernon was watching from somewhere. She wanted him to know she was on the lookout for him and planned to call the police if she spotted him.

“Just do what the police said and keep a
look out for him Tracie,” Fran said turning from the window, still angry about getting called into her sister’s mess. “If he tries to contact you let the police know so that they can track the call. That man is dangerous and no telling what he’ll do if he gets in here.”

Fran looked back out the window and became curious about
a dark-colored car sitting in front of her building she didn’t recall seeing when she first looked out the window.

Tracie said,
“That’s why I’ll feel better if you stayed here with us.”

Fran quickly turned from the window.
“Look, you need to get it together, Tracie! You have a child in there,” she said pointing to Cassidy’s closed bedroom door. Cassidy was inside watching television and playing with her dolls. “You’re going to be fine. There is an unmarked police car sitting out front. They are here for your protection. The police,” and before she could finish her sentence Tracie’s home phone rang startling Tracie. She walked over to the end table scared to answer it.

“It’s the police Fran,” she said
looking at the caller I.D., and picked up.

“Hello
.”

“
Is this Tracie Allen?” an officer asked.

“
Yes.”

“T
his is Sergeant Gilbert Wiener calling from the 3
rd
precinct. I want to bring to your attention about an unmarked police vehicle that, if not already there, will be stationed in front of your home. If Vernon Fowler tries to contact you, call us immediately.”

“Okay,” Tracie said then heard a dial tone. “
The police said they’ll be sitting in front of the house and if Vernon calls to call them.”

“
Good. I don’t think he’s stupid enough to come here if the police are looking for him. He’s a fool, but I don’t think a damn fool. Just keep a look out and if something doesn’t seem or appear right, call the police. I need to get back to work. I’m already late returning from lunch.”

Tracie nod
ded, and then opened the door for her sister quickly locking the door behind her.

***

It was a little after 2 p.m. when Vivian and Toni arrived back at her house. They spoke briefly about Jennifer and how strong she was dealing with her situation. Vivian went to relax on the sofa while Toni headed for the kitchen to make them a sandwich.

Vivian c
licked on the television glad that Toni was there, but wanted to clear something up that was bothering her with him. His steady referring to her as
baby
was becoming uncomfortable; they were not a couple again. It was too soon. There was still a hurdle between them she had to get over.

“Toni,”
Vivian softly called out and at the same time the doorbell rang.

“Would you like me to get that for you?”
Toni said and looking out at her from the kitchen.

Vivian nod
ded, yes.

Toni
looked through the peek-hole and then opened the door. His eyes narrowed at a medium brown skin colored man, with a thick, sprouting moustache in desperate need of a shave. The bulky fur hood on the black down coat he was wearing was absurdly too big for his head.

“Look, I didn’t come here to cause any trouble,”
Vernon stated pushing the hood back some to expose his face.

“Who is it Toni
?” Vivian asked, and she moved her head to get a glimpse of who was at her door.

“I
’m not sure,” Toni answered over his shoulder and keeping an eye on the man. “If I’m not mistaken your brother.”

“
Look, I just need to talk to my sister.”

Vivian
’s eyes grew large. Rage quickly engulfed her like a match thrown onto lighter fluid. She rose from the sofa as rapidly as her pregnant belly would allow and headed to her bedroom.

Toni
turned, saw her mad look and sensed what she was headed for. He called out to her. “Baby” and wanted to go after her but knew leaving Vernon alone wasn’t a good idea.

“Like I said, I didn’t come to make trouble
,” Vernon stated again and wiped at one eye as if he was about to cry. He really was affected by what his friend had done. He gave little thought to the pain he had caused her when he slammed his fist into her face that night.

He said,
“Look, I just want to talk to her. She’s got to believe me that I didn’t know they were going to violate her the way they did. Man that’s my sister and I need for her to know that.”

Vivian
’s adrenaline had her at full speed heading back to the living room with her gun down to her side. As she neared Toni she aimed it at Vernon.

Vernon
saw the gun and quickly raised his hands to protect his face.

Toni mov
ed fast to the side and out of the line of fire. He didn’t know what experience, if any, she had with a gun.

“Vivian
, baby, please listen to me before you do something you might regret,” Toni said.

“What are you doing here Vernon
? If you even attempt to bring your ass in my house I will blow you away!”

Vernon
was at a loss for words, but kept his hands in full view. All the pain he caused her in the last few months was boiling over into revenge.

“
Vivian, listen to me,” Toni said trying to defuse the situation. “He’s not here to harm you. Listen to me. He wants you to know that he wasn’t aware his friends were going to attack you.”

Vivian
’s lips were balled so tight they looked like they were stitched together.

“It doesn’t matter
, it happened! Get the hell away from my house Vernon because I will shoot you!” she spat at him and looking like if she could spit fire she would set Vernon’s ablaze.

The only thing
that separated Vivian and the gun from being inches away from Vernon’s face was the security door that closed when Toni moved out of the way.

“
Vivian, baby think,” Toni said and with outstretched hands. “He’s unarmed. Don’t do something that might harm you and the baby. Firing that gun can traumatize the baby,” he said not sure if what he said was true.

Vivian
thought about what Toni was saying and her expression changed from being irate to looking sad.

“He hurt me Toni. He stole from me and he let his friends
rape me. He has it coming. You were here…you saw what he did to the house.”

“
There’s no doubt he broke into your home sweetie, but you don’t have to be the one responsible for what he has coming. He will eventually pay for what he’s done.”

A few tears fell from
Vernon eyes. He was truly contrite about what had happened to her and now sorry he broke into her house the first time. The guilt was etched in his face and in the tears he just dispensed, but Vivian had been too angry to hear the sincerity in his words.

Vernon tried again to plead with her.
“Sis, I’m so sorry. Please...hear me out,” he said and dropped to his knees, but kept his hands up, surrendering. “I admit that I did break in and threw the brick threw your salon window. I was only trying to scare you. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt and I hope no one did. Sis...I swear I didn’t know they were going to violate you.”

Darren
crept to the front door and gave a few barks at Vernon. Darling followed suit with a couple of soft barks of her own and a warning growl, though she stayed close to the kitchen.

Toni move
d cautiously over to Vivian. “Baby, give me the gun,” he said.

Vivian
narrowed her eyes at Vernon down on his knees begging for her forgiveness. A gust of steam began whirling inside her again.

Vernon said
, “I swear Vivian as God is my witness, I didn’t know they were going to rape you.”

“Don’t
you dare use my Father’s name in vain!” she screamed at him. It was like the more Vernon talked the more incensed she became.

Toni
wrapped his hand around the gun moving it out of the path of Vernon and toward the hinges of the security door.

“I love you Vivian. I don’t want to see anything happen to you or the baby.
You’re upset and have every right to be. But you don’t want to upset the baby. Nothing is going to happen to you, I’m here.”

Vivian
slowly released the gun into Toni’s hands and then brought her hands to her face and cried into them. “He hurt me Toni, you were here, he let them hurt me,” and she turned into his chest and silently wailed.

Toni turned slightly away from Vernon and spoke softly to Vivian.
“I know. Let’s just hear what he has to say. First I need you to go secure the gun,” he said and kissed Vivian lightly on the forehead. He let his lips linger. He whispered, “Go put it away and call the police. I’ll keep him here.”

Vivian look
ed up at Toni and nodded. Her eyes then shifted at her brother still on his knees with a pleading look. She rolled her eyes away from him then turned to go put away the weapon.

“Baby
would you grab my jacket for me?” Toni said to her as she walked away. The cold air outside had him shivering a bit.

Toni after
Vivian handed him his jacket stepped outside sliding his arm into his coat.

Vernon
was glad the situation had calmed. He rose from his knees and then blew out a gush of air.