Black Lies White Lies (6 page)

I was like my mother in that aspect. She’d always gotten what she wanted. I pulled up in my driveway. Had I gotten what I’d wanted? I’d gotten Anthony, my high school sweetheart and pro baller, the man I couldn’t live without.

I walked into my living room which was trashed from the party we’d had last night. I felt hungover from too many drinks and not enough sleep. I’d had to get the kids off to school today since the nanny was off. Anthony and all the team had been up in here partying like it was 1999 and it happened to 2010. I knew our housekeepers hated when they came here to this kind of mess, but that’s what they got paid for.

I was going back to bed. My head was pounding. Anthony was still asleep in the other room. I didn’t want to be bothered with him anyway. All he wanted to do was get drunk and hang at the strip bars with his buddies. I couldn’t care less. I laid across my king sized four poster bed that Anthony had made especially for me and passed out. I woke at three o’clock, just in time to pick up the kids.

I ran downstairs, jumped into my Aston Martin and rushed to pick up the kids.

~~~

I lived well. I had every designer anything you could name, from cars to shoes. I wanted nothing but the best at any cost. But lately it was causing me some grief. I was starting not to enjoy my life so much. All this partying, screwing who and when I wanted, was getting the best of me. This situation was not all it was cracked up to be. And in all this, my kids suffered the most. Shit had to change.

Anthony and Chris, my two adorable sons, were a little out of hand and spoiled rotten, just like their mother. Anthony and I gave the boys anything they asked for. The latest games for their Xbox and Nintendo just so they could stay out of our hair when we did us. And it had all seemed to work. Up until I decided things had to change.

As they climbed into the car, they had all kinds of demands. “Mommy, can we stop and get ice cream?”

“I will stop at the ice cream shop on the way home. How was school today?”

“Anthony was fighting today and went to the principal’s office.”

“What? You been acting up again? Wait ‘til I tell your father. He’s going to bust your behind.” Anthony did not play about school and the boys knew it. “You’d better hope I get to your father before the principal does.” Lil Anthony got quiet while his brother just kept teasing him.

We stopped at the ice cream shop, but Lil Anthony was no longer up for any. I knew it was because of his trouble at school. As we finished the ice cream and started to leave my phone started blowing up, it was Anthony. “Hello?”

“Where in the hell are you? I got up and I didn’t know what was going on.”

“I’m getting the kids some ice cream. I’m on my way home.” I didn’t know why he was tripping. I never told him where I was going.

I got on the freeway heading to this boutique in German town I liked to frequent. I needed a new outfit for tonight and they had all the latest fashions. I was about three blocks from the boutique when my phone started again. I let it go to voicemail as I came to a stop.

It was Lucinda, my best friend since high school. I immediately phoned her back. “So what’s up, Girl, you going tonight?”

“What’s up, Girl? Your husband’s been blowing my phone up.”

“He was sleeping when I left home to pick up the boys. That’s all. So anyway, are you going with me tonight?”

“Sabrina, I don’t know. You and your husband are on another page and I don’t want any mess.”

“I swear it won’t be any mess if you just cover for me tonight. Just one last time, then all this will be in the open.”

“Sabrina, I been covering for you since high school. Something’s got to give. You’re going to get caught up in your lies.”

“Yeah, but not tonight, so just keep it on the down low. Lucinda, I’m at the boutique now so I’ll talk to you later.” As I walked into the boutique, all eyes on me. And of course they were. I was there to spend money and lots of it. The boys started getting tired so I paid for the dresses and some lingerie and headed for the door. I had spent at least five thousand dollars. But that’s ok. My husband was a football star.

~~~

I headed home thinking tonight would be the night either this issue with Stevie would end or he would ask me to leave my husband and be with him. I pulled into my driveway and got the boys out of the car. They were tired and I needed to get them fed and off to bed.

Anthony came up from his weight room, “Where have you been, Sabrina? I thought you would be here hours ago.”

“I shopped a little and now I’m home. Where is Kim?” Kim was the boys’ nannie.

“She’s getting the boys’ supper ready. Sabrina, you have been spending way too much money lately.”

“Anthony, you do way too much bitching. I want expensive things. So what? I never complain about the strip clubs you go to.”

“I’m not going to start with you tonight, but you know I can make you stop.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No, that’s a promise.”

Kim came in to take the boys and feed them dinner. “Mrs. Long, will you and Mr. Long be eating here tonight?”

“No, tell the cook it’s just you and the boys. Lil Anthony, is there something you have to tell your father?”

“What’s going on with him?”

“Well he got into some trouble today and had to go to the principal’s office.”

“Anthony, I have told you no acting out in school, didn’t I?”

“Yes, Daddy, it wasn’t just me.”

“I don’t care who else was involved, you are grounded, no games for you. Go eat and get ready for bed.” As Lil Anthony left the room I felt sorry for telling his father but what was done was done.

I had to get ready for tonight. I went to get my bags from the car. I turned to leave and there was Anthony. “Sabrina, what the hell is going on with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean. All this out all night nonsense. We have to stop neglecting the boys this way, Sabrina.”

“And since when do you care so much about the boys?”

“You know I love my sons and you.”

“Well Anthony, you have a helluva way of showing it.”

“I know and you know this partying is getting out of control.”

“Well let’s talk about it later. I have somewhere to go tonight.”

“And where do you think you are going?”

“Lucinda and I are going to a party. I’ll be staying at her place tonight. Tomorrow is Saturday and the boys don’t have school.”

“You think you can just run around here with your friends like I don’t exist? If you keep this shit up, you just might be staying with her permanently.”

“You‘ve been threatening me all night. What’s your plan?”

“There is no plan, but if this shit keeps going on I will put your ass in the street.”

“And if you try that I will take my sons and you will never see them.”

“Sabrina, before I let you take my sons, I will blow your brains out and spend the rest of my life in prison. So Little Sister, you better not push me.”

“Do you think I’m worried about you hurting me, Anthony? I will do with my sons what I want.”

“If you try
to stop
me from seeing my sons, you Conniving Bitch, you will see what I do to you. You are just like that whorish ass mammy of yours was, but let’s get one thing straight. I’m
not
your dumb ass father!”

“You don’t have the right to say nothing about my mother!”

“Right or not, I said it and I meant every word! So you go to your party with Lucinda, but I better not find out you are not where you say you going to be!”

“I will be where I said, with Lucinda.” I hoped this thing with Stevie worked out.

~~~

I went upstairs to change and shower. Who was he to threaten me? I put on my new butt hugging red dress, diamond hoops and six inch, rhinestone studded, Louis Vuitton heels. I ran a brush through my long, black, freshly done hair and felt ready for anything. I was not going to let this fool mess up my night.

I grabbed my bag and was on my way down as Anthony was coming up. “Where are you going all dressed up in everything my money bought?”

“Get the fuck out of my way, Anthony.” I could smell the alcohol.

“Get out of your way? Bitch! I made you. The only reason you have what you have is because of me.”

“Anthony, I’m not up for this shit tonight so just move.” Anthony grabbed for my arm but lost his footing. He fell down the flight of stairs. I just stood there, in shock, not knowing what to do. He must have landed hard because he wasn’t moving. Kim came running out of the next room.

“Call an ambulance, Mrs. Long! I don’t think he’s breathing!” Things were happening so fast I didn’t have time to think.

The boys came running in. “Daddy! Momma, help Daddy!” I snapped out of the trance I was in and dialed 911. It felt like it took forever for the paramedics to arrive. They started working on him immediately. He must have hit his head on the bottom step. They kept saying they couldn’t get a pulse. I didn’t want Anthony to die. He was the father of my kids and I still cared for him in my own way. “Miss, we must get your husband to the hospital or he’s going to die.”

“I’ll follow you in my car,” I called after them as they wheeled him out the door. “Kim, please, will you take care of the boys? I’ll call you as soon as I get any news.” I jumped in my car and went down the driveway, realizing Anthony might not make it.

But he had to. We had our differences, but life had a way of bringing you back to reality. I got on the freeway, doing 90mph and all I could think about was Anthony not making it. I pulled my car up to the front doors of the emergency entrance. I grabbed my keys and ran to the nurse at the front desk. “Where is my husband?”

“Who is your husband?”

“Anthony Long, the ambulance was supposed to bring him here.”

“Yes, Mrs. Long, he is right this way. We need your permission to treat him. Right now the doctor is in with your husband and he is unresponsive, but we are doing everything we can.”

“Can I see him?”

“Yes, but right now they are putting him on a ventilator. The doctor will be with you in just a moment so don’t worry. We are doing everything we can.”

Don’t worry. She must be kidding me. I stood there in shock wondering what I could do, but all I could do was wait. And that was hell.

Chapter 5

I needed to think about getting ready to leave and starting back home. But I wanted to see Lance just one more time. I picked up my phone to give him a call. I’m sure he thought I was on the verge of a breakdown after last night. The phone started ringing. Maybe I should leave well enough alone.

“Good morning, Candice. And how are you?”

“I’m alright. I wanted to call you and say I’m certainly not crazy.”

“I know you’re not crazy. Maybe a little deranged,” we both started to laugh.

“Well I’m leaving tomorrow or the next day. Would you still like to have dinner?”

“Yes, Candice, I would love to.”

“So what about tonight? I would like to get an early start driving back if possible.”

“I don’t know why you didn’t fly down and rent a car, that’s a long way back.”

“Yes, but I will enjoy the time alone to think about things. So, Lance, where are you taking me tonight?”

“Let’s just let it be a surprise. You will love it. I will pick you up at 8:00 o’clock sharp.”

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll be ready.”

It seemed like the day just dragged by or maybe I was just nervous. Being with Lance was like eating your favorite ice cream, always soothing.

I needed to get something to wear. All I had were the two outfits I’d brought to wear to the funeral and a few around the house things. Maybe I would drive to Jackson and visit the mall. I went in the kitchen and asked Aunt Sally’s to go. “Baby, you go ahead and go. I’m going to start dinner for Tee. He will be home in a little while.” Now that was dedication. She waited on the man hand and foot. People didn’t have relationships like that anymore, even though most wished they did.

I put on a blouse and skirt with some low wedges I’d brought on the trip. As I started out the door I asked Aunt Sally once more if she would like to go. “No,” she said again, so I grabbed my bag, got in the car and headed to Jackson.

Jackson had grown since I was there last. Momma would take us on the occasions when she was shopping for herself. It was hard finding a parking place but I finally did, thank God. I hated malls. Back in New York shopping was different, the stores lined the streets.

I strolled through the mall and found a quaint boutique that had a few things on display. I went through all the racks, looking for just the right thing. I found a lovely pink dress with a short slit in the back and not too much cleavage in the front. I wanted just enough hidden to be elegant, and a little something to be revealing. Now I needed to purchase accessories.

I found a beaded ruby multi stone necklace with the last bead right between my breasts and earrings to match. Now shoes.