When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) (33 page)

He had had enough. He was doing things his way. He needed that money by New Year’s Eve or else…No, he wasn’t going to think about what could possibly happen to him. He didn’t have time to dwell on that. He needed that money, at least a little bit of it. If he at least showed up with something, it might buy him some more time. His
creditors
were becoming impatient. New Year’s Eve had been his last and final extended deadline.

With the impending deadline hanging like a boulder ready to come crashing down on his head, fear and anger seized his being. Bolting up out of the bed, he stormed over to the light switch on the wall. Flicking the light on, he bellowed, “Get the hell out!”

If you want anything done you gotta do it your damn self!
And he knew exactly what he was going to do. At this point, he would do whatever was necessary to get out of the trouble he had gotten himself into. The irony of it all was that a woman had been his downfall.

For the first time in his life, he’d met his match; a woman just as cunning and wicked as he was. He fell in love with Lolita at first sight. And she knew it, too. Taking advantage of this knowledge, the beautiful, exotic woman with the almond shaped eyes and hourglass figure, drained every cent he had. He had even gone to the maddening point of getting not two, but three jobs, working like a dog to give her what she wanted.

This beauty had him trained like a circus seal. When working three jobs hadn’t fed her appetite for wanting to dine in the best restaurants and shop in the most expensive boutiques. The fool started gambling in hopes of hitting a big pot. The first few ventures in the illegal gambling house were profitable. With his winnings, he had lavished every dollar on the love of his life, giving her whatever her heart desired. Misery soon set in and his lover floated on to the next sucker as he dug himself deeper and deeper into a pit of subsequent losing streaks. Owing the Black mob thousands had brought him to this very hour of despair.

The young woman stared at him in disbelieve. What did he expect from her? Miracles? Every little scheme she tried hadn’t worked. Starr and Kevin’s relationship was solid. What was she supposed to do? Hand Starr over to him on a silver platter?

“Please, I tried everything. Isn’t there another way you can get the money?” She questioned her lips trembling. So what he hadn’t been the best lover she had. That hadn’t matter. All that had mattered was that she didn’t have to spend Christmas alone wishing she was the one celebrating the holiday with the one man she would never have. So being with him, bad sex and all had been better than being alone.

Stalking over to her clothes on the floor, he snatched them up flinging them in her direction, not caring that every piece he flung hit her in the face.

Spending the day with her had been an absolute waste. Having burned bridges with family and friends, having her there with him hadn’t seemed like a bad idea; at least he got a free meal and sex out of it. She had been so happy he invited her over to his studio apartment; she hadn’t balked when he
told
her to bring groceries if they were going to celebrate their
first
holiday dinner together.

In her naïveté, she had prepared a spread for a king. After dinner, he had taken her to bed with the sole purpose of relieving his sexual needs and nothing more. He could care less if she’d got any pleasure out of their coupling. She wasn’t worth the effort of pleasuring.

“I said get out of here. Don’t you worry about how I’m gonna get
my
money,” he growled at her through clenched teeth.

She hadn’t moved quickly enough for him. Yanking her off the bed, he roared, “I’m not playing with you! Go! Get out!”

Scrambling to gather her clothes as he dragged her to the door, she cried, “Wait! Let me put my clothes.”

“Hurry up!” He barked, as he stood naked with his arms crossed over his chest.

Not wasting any time, she put her clothes on and scurried as fast as her legs would carry her. Once outside she walked to her car in a daze as hot tears streamed down her face. She could not believe what started off as somewhat of a decent evening had turned into a disaster. Again, she was not wanted and thrown away like trash. Hate and fury consumed her as she plotted out her revenge. He would pay. Marcus Templeton would pay.

December 26

Rolling over Starr reached out patting the space next to her. It was cold, which told her Kevin had left the bed sometime ago. Pulling herself up, she rubbed her eyes. Looking at the clock on the bedside table, she couldn’t believe it was eleven-thirty.
I never sleep this late.
Yawning, throwing her legs over the side of the bed, she stumbled into the bathroom to empty her bladder. She couldn’t believe how tired she was. True she hadn’t gotten into bed until almost midnight. But still, shouldn’t she feel well rested after sleeping so many hours?

Stripping out of her nightgown, she turned the shower on. Stepping under the spray, she hoped the water would rejuvenate her. Grabbing a thick, plush washcloth, she squeezed a generous portion of scented shower gel on it and began to lather her tired body.

The last few days had been full of endless activities. After hosting the Christmas Eve dinner, the next day she and Kevin spent their day going from house to house visiting. The first stop was to Beverly’s. There they enjoyed a huge breakfast of French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, turkey bacon, home fries, grits, fresh fruit, and a variety of juices along with a choice of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

Although the food was superb, the best treat of the morning was Richard Jr. and his wife Audrey sauntering through the front door, faces beaming with smiles just as Kevin was about to say the blessing.

Rinsing her body and lathering it up again, Starr smiled as she remembered Beverly’s surprised reaction. The sweet woman was beside herself. It had been quite some time since she’d seen her eldest son and his wife. Everyone laughed in good nature when she put her hand to her chest, excitedly exclaiming, “Oh my Lord, Richard Jr., Audrey, is that you? I didn’t think you would make it!” Audrey’s father was still on the mend after having a stroke. She hadn’t expected the couple to travel to Philly for the holidays.

Not wasting any time the older woman turned her attention to Starr. “Richard, Jr., Audrey this here is your new sister.” Starr was touched by her mother-in-law’s pleasure at having her entire family together. She could appreciate how excited the older woman was as memories of her own family and friends from Christmas Eve flooded her thoughts.

Over breakfast, Starr became acquainted with her brother and sister-in-law. Richard Jr. and Audrey were wonderful people. She clicked with them instantly. Between the delicious food and her laughing at Richard Jr.’s stories about Kevin and his crazy schemes as a little boy, she was about to burst. She almost lost it; literally, at Kevin’s Batman antics. As an adventurous seven year old, he’d tied a pillowcase around his neck believing he could fly. Jumping out of his second floor bedroom window, he landed in a thorny rosebush.

Starr thought she was going to embarrass herself and pee her pants when Kevin joined in on his big brother’s ribbing. Standing, he stretched his long arms out to the side swaying his tall frame from left to right. “This is how I was flying y’all until I had my crash landing.”

Everyone hooted in laughter when he rubbed his butt and twisted up his face as if he could still feel the pain. “Man, that rosebush I landed in was no joke. I think I’m still pulling thorns out my butt.”

Beverly wiped tears from her eyes. That boy was always getting into something or another as a child. It seemed like every other month she was taking him to the emergency room to get patched up. “Don’t forget the broken arm. Starr, I hope your children aren’t as adventurous as their daddy.”

Holding her aching stomach from laughing so hard, she agreed with Beverly. “You and me both, Momma.”

Next, they were off to Karen’s. Everyone was having a good time engaging Kyle and Alicia in playing board games. At first the kids sulked; they wanted to play with the new Nintendo Wii Grandma and Pop-Pop Patrick had brought them. They hadn’t liked it all when Karen had put her foot down. “You guys played with that Wii all morning. It’s time to play something that’s going to make you use some brain cells.”

Of course being kids, Alicia and Kyle begged and pleaded to have their way. The little munchkins even attempted to sway the other adults on their side. “Auntie Starr, Uncle Kevin, Grandma, Pop-Pop pleeeeease tell mommy we don’t want to play that boring game. We’re having fun playing Indiana Jones,” Alicia pouted and whined all at the same time hoping one of the adults would come to her and Kyle’s rescue.

“Yeah!” Kyle cosigned, crossing his toothpick arms over his chest.

Starr was about to jump to her niece and nephew’s defense as she always did. That was until she peeped the expression on her sister’s face.

All the begging and pleading ceased when Karen gave Alicia and Kyle the
say another word and I’m sending you to your room
look.

She appreciated the gift from her mom and Patrick, but she wasn’t crazy about her kids turning into video zombies. She didn’t mind if they played the game for an hour, but to sit in front of the television for hours was not about to happen. As far as she was concerned, they should’ve been happy she let them play the game as long as she had.

Initially the youngsters were disinterested, pouting and still refusing to play along with the adults. Ignoring the sulking children, the adults began to play a lively game of Monopoly.

Curiosity finally won out as they watched the older folks seemingly reverting to childhood. They looked on as everyone teased Pop-Pop Patrick as he landed in jail for the third time in a row. The women playfully accused the men of being cheaters. Patrick thought he was being slick and slid Kevin a couple of five hundred dollar bills in exchange for his get out of jail free card.

Wanting to be part of the fun, Kyle quietly eased up next to Donna. Peeping up at his grandmother through long thick lashes, he gave her a lopsided grin. Smiling down at the adorable little boy, she lifted him onto her lap. The small child grinned, bobbing his head up and down when Donna whispered in his ear, “You want to throw the dice for me when it’s my turn again?”

Starr felt sorry for Alicia as the young girl observed her brother being part of the fun. Alicia tried to act as if it didn’t bother her that she wasn’t playing along. As lovable as she was, the pint size version of her mother had one heck of a stubborn streak. Her pride would not allow her to ask the big people if she could play with them. After all, she didn’t want to play
that stupid, boring board game anyway.

Alicia’s sullen expression tugged at Starr’s heart. Before Starr could call to her niece to be her dice thrower, Patrick waved her over. “Come on over hear little darling and help Pop-Pop Patrick handle this money.” Alicia’s downcast expression brightened up as she skipped over to the table; thrilled she was the new banker.

The family was so engrossed, talking loud and laughing, having a wonderful time playing the classic board game, the chiming doorbell went unnoticed. It wasn’t until the loud banging, as if S.W.A.T. was trying to break the door down, captured everyone’s attention. As Karen got up to go to the door, the two men followed. No sooner than she opened the door, her father nearly fell as he staggered in.

Shaking her head, turning off the water and getting out the shower, Starr grabbed a towel and began to dry off as the events of yesterday continued to play in her head like a movie.

Starr and her mother told the children to stay put as they heard voices being raised. When they saw whom the cause of the ruckus was, both women let out a frustrated sigh. Neither could believe he had the nerve to show up drunk as a skunk, ranting and raving about his family being stolen from him. How nobody respected him as man.

Karen had to take a step back when he staggered, angrily pointing at her and Starr. “Look at you all up in here treating this stranger like he’s your daddy! I’m your daddy! Not him!”

Turning daggers on Donna, he yelled, “And you! You’re still my wife! Living down there in them back woods shacking up with another man! You belong to me!” He slurred in a drunken rage.

Kevin had to catch the drawn back fist that was about to connect with the drunken man’s face. Everyone could see the fury raging through Patrick as he turned beet red.