Black Lies White Lies (10 page)

“I think I will take you up on that. I’m tired of this hospital food. I want a cheeseburger with all the works.”

“I’ll walk you to the elevators. Sabrina, Stevie has been blowing up my phone trying to find you.”

“Lucinda. You know I can’t think about Stevie right now. Not while Anthony is lying there near death. All of his buddies have been here visiting him. The flowers just keep coming in. I told the nurses to give them to the other patients. Anthony would like that idea.”

“Yes, nothing would please him more. He’s that kind of guy, Sabrina.”

“Why couldn’t I see that before now, Lucinda?”

“Because we don’t know what we have until it’s snatched away.”

“I’m going to make this work if I get the chance, Lucinda.”

“I know you will. God always gives second chances.”

“I know. Maybe he has heard my prayers.”

“Just go home and see your kids.” I thanked her and headed out. “Take care of him till I get back.”

“You know I will. Just go home and get some rest.”

I turned my phone back on when I got down stairs and it immediately started buzzing from all the messages. Forty five messages, and most from Stevie.

Sandra had called, too. Bryan had been up to see Anthony. His prayer over him was so touching I had cried. Made me think of Momma. Bryan was a good man. Sandra was lucky in that aspect.

Stevie’s ring tone started on my phone. I knew now was the time it had to be handled. “Hello, Stevie. What’s going on?”

“I have been trying to reach you for a week. Why haven’t you returned any of my calls?”

“Stevie, I know you know about Anthony’s accident.”

“Yes, it’s been all over the news. Are you alright?”

“Yes, but Anthony’s in a coma as you probably know.”

“Baby. I just need to see you.”

“Well I don’t think that will be possible. This has to end.”

“End? Have you lost your mind? You are all I think about, day and night, Sabrina. Don’t we have something unique?”

“Stevie, you knew I was married when we started messing around.”

“Oh! It’s like that now? You didn’t think about your husband when I was laying this pipe to you.”

“Well things have changed, so you better get used to it.”

“You know what, I will go one better. It’s not over till I say it’s over.”

“You are talking crazy right now, Stevie.”

“You haven’t seen crazy, Sabrina. I just might go to the press with this so they can find out what kind of whore Mr. MVP has for a wife.”

“Stevie, you are taking this too far. I have to let you go. Do what you think you have to.”

“I will. Bye, Bitch!” He hung up.

That fool was out of control, but I wasn’t worried the least little bit. I had a cake baked for him. Mess up my family? Hell no, I don’t think so. He was messing with the
right
one now.

As I pulled into the driveway all I could see was my boys skinning and grinning. “Hey, Boys, did you miss Mommy?”

“Yes we did. How is Daddy? Is he going to be alright?”

“Yes, he’s going to be alright.”

“Aunt Sandra has been over to see about us.”

“She has? When?”

“She came yesterday and this morning.”

“That was nice of her, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Mommy. She brought Sydney and Justin over too. We played in the pool. It was fun.”

“I will have to call Sandra and thank her for coming over and staying.”

“Can Justin come over sometime, Momma?”

“Sure, we will make it a play date for sure.”

“What about today, Momma?”

“Not today. Mommy’s tired. Maybe when your daddy gets better ok?”

“Ok.”

“Anthony, you and Chris come in and get ready for dinner.”

I walked in and called for Kim. She came from the kitchen. “Hello, Mrs. Long. How are you doing today?”

“I’m OK, Kim. Thank you for staying with the kids while I was away.”

“How is Mr. Anthony?”

“He’s doing as well as can be expected.”

“I have dinner fixed for Chris and Anthony. Would you like me to fix you something?”

“No I will just go out and get me something later. Do you need to go home and see your family?”

“No, I left when your sister came over and watched the boys yesterday.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, she came and stayed all day.”

“Alright then, just feed them and put them down for the night. It’s getting late. I’m going to shower and get some rest before I head back over to the hospital in the morning.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of them. You just get some rest.”

I walked up the stairs where Anthony had hit his head. If I hadn’t been a bitch, Anthony would be here today. This was my fault and I was going to spend the rest of my life making up for it. I got in the shower and out of nowhere, the tears started to flow. I just started thinking of the fuck ups, most of them my fault. All the hanging out and sleeping around was about to blow up in my face. I just stood there and cried.

I dried off, pulling myself together to call Sandra. I put on my flannel pajamas, hoping they would make me warm and cozy tonight. Here goes. I sat on the bed and called Sandra. “Hello Sandra, how are you?”

“I’m doing ok, and you?”

“I’m OK. The boys told me you were over here yesterday. I seriously would like to thank you for being there for them.”

“That’s what family is for Sabrina and my kids loved it.. Is Anthony still the same?”

“Yes, he is,” I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

“Are you alright, Sabrina? Let me put on my clothes. I’m coming over right now.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know but I’m coming anyway.”

I laid the phone down on the bed. I couldn’t stop crying. I must have drifted off, because when I open my eyes there stood Sandra. She looked as if she had been crying too. “Sabrina, are you alright? This is going to be ok.” The tears started to flow again. I just needed someone to hold me. I cried into her baggy sweat shirt. “I’m here,” she said through her own tears, “I’m here.”

We held each other for what seemed forever. We hadn’t ever been there for each other and now, here we were. When we finally stopped crying, we started laughing. I don’t know why. “I don’t know why I was crying so hard. You would have thought it was Bryan.”

“You always had a crush on Anthony.”

“I did not.”

“Yes you did and you know it.”

“Sandra, you are still crazy. You always thought everybody wanted Anthony.”

“Look who’s talking. Better yet, look at the pot calling the kettle black,” and we started laughing even harder.

“Hey Brea, let’s go get something to eat at Rally’s burger joint.” I knew all that grease was going to kill my stomach, but what the hell. I slipped on my sweats and we rode out. “Aren’t you scared to ride down in the hood at night in a Range Rover?”

“Girl, it’s insured and I have my phone and my thirty-eight if it gets heavy.”

“You couldn’t shoot shit, so stop playing around. I would have to shake all the bullets out before you got a round off.”

“You don’t know me sister.” I was laughing so hard tears were running down my face.

“Stop laughing so hard before you have a wreck. You are so silly, Sabrina.”

We pulled in the drive through at Rally’s. “What do you want to eat?”

“A burger and some fries. Add a strawberry shake to go with it.”

“Ok.” I gave the guy the order through the speaker and we pulled around to the window.

The guy didn’t have any teeth and was trying to talk suave, “Hey, Ladies. Can I get you anything else? Coffee, tea, or me, or just let me get them digits.” I laughed so hard I was shaking. Sabrina said, “You couldn’t get my digits if you were the last man on earth.”

“Don’t be so cold, Little Lady.”

“Whatever, Dude, just give my food.” We drove off still laughing.

We decide to eat back at the house. “Girl, did you drink that whole shake?”

“I sure did and it was delicious too.”

“Sabrina, you are so crazy. I forgot how much fun you could be. We just stopped being sisters.”

“Yes. We just let things change us. Sandra, I just want to get back to the times when we were happier. Simpler times.”

“You know what, Sabrina? I want that too. Bryan and I have been going through some tough times. I just hold on and hope things will get better.”

“You and Bryan? I thought you two had the perfect marriage.”

“Perfect is just how it appears on the surface. Nothing is perfect Brea, not even the preacher and his wife.”

“Sorry, Sandra. I didn’t know.”

“Most people don’t. He’s always gone, helping this family or that family, but never his own.”

“I hope things work out between you two.”

“Yes, I do too.” We pulled up in the driveway and Sabrina was suddenly quiet. “What’s up?”

“Stevie.”

“Stevie? Who the hell is Stevie?”

“It’s a long story, Sandra.” Sabrina got out and walked up to this Black Chrysler 300 with tint so black it couldn’t be legal. What was going on? And did I want to know. I knew this couldn’t be anything positive for Sabrina. I just had a feeling.

“Stevie, what the hell is you doing here?”

“I told you, Trick. It’s not over till I say it’s over.”

“You shouldn’t be at my house. You better leave.”

“You honestly don’t know who I am. I will make your life hell and you will wish you never met Old Stevie.”

“Stevie, this doesn’t have to go this way. We can work this out.”

“You think that you can just leave me with no repercussions?”

“It’s not that. I want just to make my life work.”

“Too little too late. Should have thought about that before you started tricking with me.”

“I didn’t know you were a fool.”

“You better watch your mouth, Bitch, before you come up missing.”

Sabrina seemed to be arguing with this guy. I didn’t know if I should get in her business. She looked like she had it under control. Suddenly the door opened and this tall, decent looking guy got out. He was all tattooed up and seemed to be angry with Sabrina. I knew he was trouble. As long as he didn’t get cute and put his hands on her, things would be alright. 

Sabrina stepped back and it seemed like she was trying to avoid any confrontation with this guy but he wasn’t letting up. I knew this guy was dangerous and she didn’t need to be
putting her family and life in jeopardy.

“Stevie, you need to leave or I’m going to call the police.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No. That’s a promise.”

“Sabrina, is everything ok?”

“Yes. I’m alright. He was just leaving.”

“This isn’t over, so you better watch your back.”

I don’t know how Sabrina had gotten mixed up with this guy, but he meant business. Sabrina always had a habit of dating or messing around with the wrong guys. I thought she had put that life behind her when she’d married Anthony.

Anthony had been the best thing that had happened to Sabrina. He’d graduated from college and been drafted to the NFL. They had two beautiful boys. She always made everybody think she was doing so well. Sabrina and Anthony where living a wild life style, but I’d thought they still loved each other.

“Come on, Sandra. Let’s go inside.”

“Look, Sabrina, if you don’t want to talk about what just happened, it’s alright.”

“I might as well tell you because I don’t know what this fool is capable of. I met Stevie one night at a club and I started seeing him from time to
time.
He made me feel as if I was the only girl in his world. Anthony was always in the strip clubs, never paying any attention to me. I was home with the boys by myself so much I thought I would go crazy. Believe me, Sandra, if I could go back and change it, that’s what I would do.”

“So, Brea, what are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know. I can’t tell Anthony, he’s in a coma. I honestly don’t know if I could if he weren’t in a coma.”

“You can’t keep up these lies. They always have a way of catching up to you.”

“I think Stevie is just blowing smoke.”

“I know that kind of guy. He’s not playing around. You’re taking this too lightly.”

“Well I am going to take my chances.”

“That’s always been your problem, Sabrina. You take chances with the wrong things. In this case, it’s your family.”

“Sandra, let me worry about Stevie.”

“Ok. I’m not going to meddle in your affairs, just be careful with this guy. I’m going home so call me if you need me.”

“Thanks, Sandra, for coming over. I haven't had this much fun in a long time.”