A Storm Is Coming (20 page)

She got out of her car and rang the doorbell. Stephanie opened the door, “Hey girl!” Then lowered her voice, “You know mama is pissed at you. You’re late. And…I mean late late.”

“She’ll get over it.”

“Ohh…you’re in a mood too.”

Braylee didn’t respond she just walked into the house like she’d always done on her Sunday visits. As she looked around, nothing had changed in this house in over thirty years. In the past, that hadn’t bothered her but today she couldn’t help think…how sad.

She went into the family room where her father was usually sitting with his drink on the table watching a western. He wasn’t there. But, Maurice was in his usual spot on the sofa playing video games on his cell phone.

“Hey. Where’s daddy?”

Maurice barely looked up to acknowledge her presence, “He went to the liquor store.”

This was going to be a long afternoon.

Braylee picked up an Essence magazine from off the coffee table as Stephanie came back into the family room to sit down.

“So, Braylee…I saw the press conference with that guy…what’s his name Machette?”

“Manchetti.”

“My goodness. Did the Mayor really try to cover up the murder of his brother?”

Braylee flipped a page in the magazine, “I really can’t discuss that case.”

Without looking up from his phone, Maurice chimed into the conversation, “Well…I read somewhere online that ya’ll was hooking up. Figures. We always knew you thought you were too good for the brotha’s.

Braylee looked up over the top of the magazine directly at him, “What…you mean brotha’s like you who lay around and sponge off of the women in their lives? You’re right…I am too good for that. So, who I’m sleeping with or not is none of your concern.”

Mrs. Hinsdale came into the living room just in time to hear Stephanie snap on Braylee.

Stephanie shouted, “Braylee! What’s up with you? If you were going to come over here with an attitude you should have just stayed at home!”

Braylee was seething, “Did you know that I was caught up in that tornado last week? Did anybody in this house even know that I was caught up that tornado last week?”

Stephanie’s hands went to her throat, “My goodness, no. I had no idea.”

Braylee threw the magazine back on the table and stood up. Now it was her turn to scream at the top of her lungs, “Of course you didn’t! You had no idea because no one in this house seems to give a shit about me unless they are asking for money!”

Katherine Hinsdale grabbed Braylee by her arms, “Braylee Ann Hinsdale! You’ve been beside yourself lately, and you will not come into my home and disrespect me. I won’t have it!” She shook her, “Do you hear me, girl?”

The tears started to form in her eyes, “I called you mama. I called you that night. I didn’t know if I were going to live or die and you did what you always do…you turned me away. I never understood why? WHY do you always turn me away?”

Maurice sat speechless watching the spectacle unfold before him.

“You’re being ridiculous Braylee. Stop acting a fool.”

“I will NOT! I deserve some answers.” Braylee snatched her arms out of her mother’s grasp, “When I was younger, and you would go into your dark place sometimes for days at a time…I took care of you and Stephanie!” Braylee beat on her chest, “It was me, mama! I made sure you ate. I made sure everybody ate! I made sure there were clean clothes. I combed your hair and helped you bathe when you couldn’t do it for yourself after daddy would come home from a drunken stupor and beat on you!”

Katherine slapped Braylee across her face, “I don’t have to listen to this nonsense!” She attempted to leave the room, but Braylee was quick.

She blocked the doorway so her mother couldn’t leave. “You’re going to listen to me! Did you know you’re the reason I have such complexes!” Braylee looked around the room, “I can’t stand flowers because of this house! After daddy would beat you, he’d give you flowers to make up for it. You stayed all those years and let him abuse us in exchange for some flowers?”

Now Stephanie was crying, “Braylee please stop. That was a long time ago.”

“It was just like yesterday for me. Mama’s voice is always in my head.” Braylee started to mimic her mother, “Stand up straight Braylee, you’re never going to amount to nothing Braylee. Girl, don’t ever cut your hair, you’ll look just like a boy and no man will ever want you.

It didn’t matter what I did no matter how perfect I tried to be, or how many A’s I brought home; you always made me feel as if I were such a disappointment! Even now…I take care of everybody in this house, and it’s never enough.”

Her chest was heaving up and down. Katherine Hinsdale just looked right through her. “What do I have to do to get your attention mama? What?” Braylee looked over and saw a pair of shears on a table next to a potted plant. She snatched them up. “Do I have to do this?” She grasped a bunch of her long hair in her hands and cut it.

Stephanie screamed and got up to try and stop her, “Braylee stop! Stop…Oh god please stop!”

Braylee pushed her away and kept snipping, “Okay…I see that doesn’t work.” She threw the shears down, “Maybe I need to do this!” She started knocking the potted plants and flowers off of the shelves.

Her mother seemed to come out of her shell, “Stop it Braylee. Stop it!” She crawled around on the floor trying to pick up her precious flowers and plants.

Still breathing heavily and covered in dirt, Braylee stilled. She watched as her mother was crawling around on the floor crying out and trying to save her plants. Screaming, “Get out of my house Braylee! Geeettt ooout! I wish you’d never been born!”

Her father rushed into the house, “I can hear y’all from outside.” He looked around the room wide-eyed, “What in the hell is going on in here?”

Braylee looked at him and shook her head, “I think mama and me have finally come to an understanding.” She was devastated.

She picked up her keys and her purse and walked out of the house.

Chapter 29

Braylee walked into her apartment building like a zombie. Her face was tear streaked and covered in dirt. So was her off-white pantsuit. What alarmed Arthur the most as she walked past his security desk was her hair. It looked half of it had been cut off.

“Ms. Hinsdale are you okay?”

She didn’t have the energy to respond but just continued up to her apartment.

Arthur picked up his phone as he looked for her emergency call list. He called Nate. It went straight to voice-mail. Then, he called Lisa.

“Hi, Ms. Lampinelli?”

“Yes?”

“This is Arthur Jacobs. I’m the security guard in Braylee Hinsdale’s apartment building. She left your name and number as an emergency contact.”

“Oh my god…is something wrong?”

“I think she’s physically okay, but I’m extremely concerned about her. She wasn’t…herself when she came into the building tonight, ma’am.”

“What do you mean?”

“It were as if...I’m not sure if she was very cognizant of the things going on around her.”

“Arthur, I’m out of the country right now. I’m going to try her assistant Nate…”

He interrupted, “I tried him, first ma’am. I didn’t get an answer.”

“Okay. I’m going to call Mr. Alexandro Manchetti, and I’ll call you right back.”

Lisa hung up the phone to call Alex. He picked up on the second ring.

“Manchetti.”

“Oh thank god you answered.”

His brows furrowed with worry, “What’s wrong Lisa?”

“I just received a call from the security guard at Braylee’s apartment…”

His heart dropped, “What’s happened?”

“I’m not sure, but he’s very concerned. Concerned enough to use her emergency contact information. Can you go over and see what’s going on?”

“I’m on my way.”

Alex snatched his phone and keys and headed out the door, “Claudia, please tell Fabi and Cecily…I’ll be back shortly.”

*****

A forty-five-minute drive only took twenty-five to arrive at Braylee’s apartment building. He went straight over to Arthur.

“I received a call about Braylee.”

“Yes. I’ll take you up and let you in if she doesn’t answer her door.”

“Thank you.”

The elevator seemed to be moving so slowly. When the doors finally opened to her floor both men barreled out of it.

Alex knocked on the door, “Braylee…it’s me. Alex.”

There was no response.

He banged louder, “Braylee…open the door, please.”

Again…no answer.

Without hesitation, Arthur opened the door, and both he and Alex went inside.

Braylee was sitting in the middle of the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head resting on her knees rocking back and forth.

Alex signaled to Arthur that he would take it from here. Arthur nodded but mouthed to him to call him if he needed anything.

He sat down cross-legged directly in front of her, “Baby…what’s wrong.”

Braylee was still silent. Alex was terrified. He didn’t know what was wrong or what to do.

All of a sudden, she just started to sob. Loud and gut wrenching sobs. He pulled her into his arms and just rocked with her.

After a while the crying subsided, and she spoke, “I’m damaged, Alex. I’m so so messed up.”

“We’ll figure this out. Whatever it is…we’ll figure it out. Because, I’m falling in love with you and I can’t…I don’t want to see a life without you in it.”

She lifted her head and whispered, “How? How can you love me when my own mother can’t? She hates me. I saw it in her eyes tonight.”

Alex saw Braylee really for the first time. He was shocked at her appearance as he smoothed her hair. “How can I not love you? You’re incredible.” He took a deep breath, “I’ve never met your mother, but I have a feeling her issues are more about her than they are about you.”

She chewed her bottom lip. Alex kissed her forehead, “Let me run you a bath.”

Alex picked her up in his arms and sat her on the sofa while he went to run the water. After he’d finished, he came back for her and picked her up again to take her to the bathroom. Braylee just let him.

She was tired. So very tired and it was nice to be taken care of…for once in her life.

Alexandro undressed her and gently laid her into the Jacuzzi tub. She lay back and closed her eyes.

His voice was so soothing, “Can I wash your hair?”

Her voice was still low, “I hate my hair. I only grew it out this long because of my mother. Tonight, I kind of gave it a cut.” She sighed, “The shampoo is in that closet.”

Alex didn’t want to leave her for even a second, but he did only to find the shampoo. He quickly returned and poured a dollop of it into his hands.

After warming it, he gently massaged the shampoo into her hair, “Whether you wear your hair long or short, it doesn’t matter to me. You’re still the same beautiful woman. I’d love you even if you were bald.”

He took his time washing and rinsing her hair. Then he bathed her body, slowly and methodically trying to remove any trace of doubt and hurt.

Once Alex was done, he removed her from the tub and dried her off. As he was kneeling down in front of Braylee, he couldn’t help but feast on her beauty, “You’re so beautiful.”

She saw the genuine tenderness and love in his eyes. It made her want to cry. And, she had cried enough for one day. Braylee was emotionally spent.

Alex swooped her up into his arms again and carried her to the bedroom. Gently, very gently, he put her down on the bed.

Braylee thought he was leaving, “Where are you going?”

He smiled at her, “I’m not going anywhere. I left a couple of things in the living room. I’ll be right back.”

Alex went to get his phone. It was vibrating like crazy. He left Nate, Lisa, and Arthur a message letting them know that Braylee was fine. Then, he called home to let Fabi and Cecily know he was with Braylee and that he’d be home in the morning.

Finally, he contacted the head of his security and reamed them out for why they hadn’t informed him about her. If they didn’t know, now everyone knew that he was on a hairline trigger when it came to her.

By the time he came back to the bedroom, Braylee’s eyes were closed. Alex took off his clothes and shoes and climbed into bed with her. She snuggled as close as she could get to him, and he held her tightly.

Braylee whispered into the darkness, “Please…don’t ever leave me.”

He whispered back, “I’ll never leave you.”

Chapter 30

Alexandro woke to the doorbell ringing and a sleeping Braylee still cuddled within his arms. He probably wouldn’t be able to feel that arm for a week. It was numb, but no way was he going to remove it from her last night.

He didn’t have the heart to wake her either so he slowly moved his arm, pulled on his pants and went to the door.

He opened it.

While much darker but sharing the same eyes and profile was an older gentleman who was undoubtedly Braylee’s father.

He looked a shirtless Alexandro up and down and frowned, “Is my daughter here?”

“Yes.” Alex stood aside as Mr. Hinsdale walked into her home. “I’ll go and see if she’s up.”

He followed Alex with his eyes. However, Alex was not intimidated. Not in the least. If Braylee didn’t want to talk to him, he had no problem letting him know it. She’d been hurt enough, and while he didn’t know all of it, he understood it came from the worse possible place, family.

When Alex returned to the bedroom, Braylee was awake. She’d gotten out of bed and was wearing her terry cloth robe.

She appeared so vulnerable as she looked at him then touched her hair. It was now a puffy uneven mass. She knew she had to look a hot mess.

“I must look horrible.”

“You’re beauty personified. Inside and out.”

“Thank you for…last night.”

Alex went to her and caressed her cheek, “There was no place else I would have rather been.” He breathed her in, “There’s a gentleman in your living room who looks an awful lot like you. I’m guessing he’s your father.”

Braylee went wide-eyed, “My daddy’s here? And, you’re…you’re almost naked! Oh my god, he’s never been here before.”