His First Lady (33 page)

Daniela closed the girl’s bedroom door slightly and walked toward her bedroom. She stopped before entering when she saw an unsuspecting Robert sitting on the bed back facing her with his head in his hands. She wanted so badly to go over to him and wrap her arms around him. She wanted to tell him everything. He was her best friend but now that she was in front of him; she couldn’t. He wouldn’t understand that the past five hours had been the worst hours of her life. She stood at the bathroom door watching him. Her body trembled as she stood trying to find the right words. She wasn’t cold, just more scared than she had ever been in her life.

“I’m sorry,” She said looking at him then looking down, “I love you.” And with that the conversation was over for the night at least as far as she was concerned.

Evan was still groggy when she walked into the kitchen. She hadn’t gotten more than five hours of sleep a night since she started sleeping in the guestroom. She was still struggling to get out of bed each morning but some kind of way God was providing her strength. For the last week, she had wondered why God even bothered waking her up at all.
God forgive her
.

The kitchen was quiet; all she heard was the Keurig machine making the one cup of coffee. She opened the refrigerator and decided that she didn’t know what to cook because she didn’t know what she could stomach. She really needed Rosalie; not to cook or clean; just because she missed Rosalie’s company, her wisdom, and her ear that always listened without judgment.

In spite of the fact that she wanted Rosalie around, she knew it wasn’t fair to Rosalie to watch while their home and marriage were deteriorating. She told Rosalie to take some time off and spend it with her son who would soon go off to college. At first, a distraught Rosalie reacted with confusion and fear but Evan assured her that it was nothing she had done and she would be paid salary plus bonus during the time off. Boy, Evan missed her dearly.

Evan reached into the cabinet and pulled out a glass bowl for cereal. She looked in the cabinet and as if another arrow in her back; there was none. She started to close the cabinet then decided that she didn’t want to close it; she wanted to slam it. So she did…hard. She opened it again and slammed it again, then dropped her head.

“I guess sleeping in the guestroom makes you a little cranky,” Leon said walking into the kitchen with a crisp black suit on and red tie. “I miss you beside me.”

Evan lifted her head at the sound of his voice although the smell of the cologne had preceded it. She had worked desperately to avoid him at church and at home. And she planned on ignoring him now. She began walking toward the kitchen door to leave.

“Can you give me a minute?” He asked.

Leon’s question took her by surprise. She stopped without turning around.

“I went to the guestroom to talk to you but you weren’t there. I thought you’d left,” he said with a sympathetic smile.

Evan raised an eyebrow at his sudden humility and contrition but remained quiet.

“I know you’re angry at me and I don’t blame you but I really want us to be on the same team. We need each other. That means that even though we’re still in the process of adopting our baby; I’m willing to give you what you want and that’s our own baby.”

Evan turned around and faced Leon. She couldn’t stomach him and could barely look at him yet he had fixed his mouth to say that they were on the same team.

“Do you see my neck?” Evan put her head back to show him the bruises that were still visible.

“What am I looking at?”

Evan looked at him. “You’re looking at the marks that your hands made while you were strangling me; your teammate.”

Leon said nothing.

She suddenly felt strong; not even sure where the strength was coming from but she had it. “You will never put your hands on me ever again.”

Leon stared at her then took a deep breath. “I’m trying to move forward with you but it’s obvious that you want to dwell in the past.” He shrugged. “So, I wanted to let you know that we’re turning the guestroom you’re in right now into the baby’s room. You can move into the other guestroom if you choose or you can come back to our bed like you should.”

Evan folded her arms. “You can do whatever you want with any of your rooms.”

Leon took a coffee cup off the baker’s rack then looked at the Keurig that prepared Evan’s cup of coffee. He put his coffee cup back on the baker’s rack and took Evan’s cup from the Keurig. He began putting sugar and cream in it while she looked on.

“Since I’m going to be focusing on my campaign, I need you to handle what expectant mothers usually handle,” he stirred his coffee, “like buying a crib, a changing table, you know stuff like that. If you need help, I can give Mimi the afternoon off.”

Evan took a deep breath and tightened her robe. “You shouldn’t be preparing for a baby; you should be preparing for jail.”

Leon turned and looked at her then smiled cynically. “I find it interesting that my First lady is preoccupied with me going to jail for something I didn’t do. You should focus on being a mother as we raise our family.”

His words triggered anger in Evan. “I wouldn’t raise a roach with you Leon,” she said turning to leave.

Leon chuckled. “I find it hilarious that you pretend to hate me so much but you’re still here.” Leon took a sip out of her coffee cup. “That either means that you don’t believe Sundi or it could mean that you love your First lady status more than anything else; in which case, you need me in order to keep that title,” Leon said peering over the raised cup at her.

“Being a First lady means nothing to me if it means having to be married to you. I know you hurt Sundi and you’re going to pay for that.”

“You don’t believe that.”

Evan stared in his eyes to let him know that she would not cower again. “I believe it with my life.”

“Then good luck proving that.” Leon brushed the lapel of his suit. “I have a meeting at the governor’s mansion today. I’ll call you later to make sure you don’t forget to go by the baby supply store,” Leon said.

Leon’s face was almost orgasmic when he told her about the meeting at the governor’s mansion. He began walking out of the kitchen but stopped before he passed her. He cupped her face with his hand, leaned in to kiss her on the lips but she immediately turned away. He backed up and then handed her the cup of coffee that he had made his own.

“Whatever you’re thinking, rethink it,” he said leaving her holding the cup.

Leon looked down at the cellphone as he tried dialing Ariel again then the car hit a bump. He frowned and glanced up at the driver in the rearview mirror who caught Leon’s glare but quickly looked away. He couldn’t complain much though seeing that the governor had been kind enough to send his driver to the church to pick him up in a shiny black late model limousine. The driver was a young guy in a stiff suit and a black hat. He didn’t talk other than to say
good afternoon
and that was just like Leon liked it.

He didn’t want to go into this meeting with the governor and the mayor with a bad attitude. It was a privilege just to be invited to this meeting because hog-noggin it with the upper crust was what he had to do if he wanted to move up the political ladder. He had dialed Ariel’s cellphone again after having left two messages, and three text messages. She would definitely know by now that he was annoyed at having to repeatedly call her once she got the last of those messages.

He looked out of the limo window and saw that they were pulling up to the gates of the governor’s mansion. He secured his cellphone back onto the clip on his side then smoothed out his eyebrows. He reached into his pocket and took chap- stick out applying it to his lips. He hadn’t known for sure how far his destiny was going to take him but looking out at the beautiful manicured grounds of the governor’s mansion and the immaculate estate itself, he knew that the city council seat was just a first step of a grander stage.

When the car stopped and the driver opened the door, Leon stepped out spewing confidence. It was now or never and he couldn’t blow it. He may have just been a pastor but apparently he had made enough waves that made someone notice or enough waves that made someone nervous. Either way, he was determined to leave his mark when he left today. Buttoning his jacket, he walked up the steps to the door that opened when he reached it as if someone had been looking out of the window at him.

Greeted by a smiling young bunned brunette in a black dress, Leon made sure that his smile was large but not overzealous which could come off as too anxious. He stepped into the mansion at the young lady’s pleasant insistence who stepped aside as he entered.

“Pastor Leon Ladson.” The governor walked up seemingly out of nowhere and extended his hand to Leon. “My friend, I’m glad that you could make it.”

The governor’s southern twang bothered Leon but his high energy excited him; it’s what helped Governor Shipley get elected. Leon had studied the man’s campaign and admired how he put that energy to work. “Thank you Governor Shipley, it’s a pleasure to have been invited.”

The older white man with perfectly arranged salt and pepper hair wearing a white button down and khaki slacks patted Leon on his back. “I should hope that you’re ready for some good food and good talk because you know that the people’s business doesn’t get done when their leaders are hungry or sober.” The governor laughed and so did Leon.

“Let’s pray that sobriety is a prerequisite to laws being signed,” Leon said.

The governor laughed loudly as he walked Leon through the long beautiful marble hallway of the mansion. He had never been inside before but it was more impressive than he had imagined. Mayor Wilson wearing a gray suit was all smiles when Leon and the governor entered the dining area. The mayor appeared relaxed and perfectly at home which had Leon wondering how many times these two had scratched each other backs to get where they’d gotten.

The dining room had an old world flare, exquisitely adorned with large dramatic crystal chandeliers, detailed paintings of soldiers hanging on the walls and the state’s flag and the United States flag displayed on either side of the room.

“It’s a gorgeous house, isn’t it Pastor?” Governor Shipley asked sitting down at the table. “We’ve been remodeling since we’ve been here, with the people’s approval of course.” He winked. “My wife’s in charge of that. You know how women are. They want to control everything.” He laughed.

“It’s intriguing,” Leon said looking around the dining area.

“This house has a lot of history son,” the governor said laying a napkin on his lap.

Leon was in awe of the house indeed. He looked down at the antique polished table and saw his reflection. Then it hit him. He looked over at Governor Shipley sitting at the head of the table and realized that he deserved to sit where the governor was sitting. What made Governor Shipley so good that he was there hosting lunches sitting people around him according to where he thought they should be? Nothing made him that good but his plan and executing it.

“Pastor Leon,” the mayor said. “Would you like a drink?”

“Mayor,” Leon looked over at the mayor who brought him out of his thoughts, “call me Leon and yes I need something to loosen me up so I’ll have what you’re having.”

The mayor laughed. “You must be having what the governor is having because I’m drinking sparkling water.”

The governor began laughing and Leon maintained his smile in spite of feeling a bit discomfited.

“I like pastors like you, Leon; you’re not afraid to be yourself.” The governor looked at the wait staff and nodded. “Give him a shot of vodka to loosen him up a bit.” The governor laughed again.

Leon joined in the laughter unsure though if he was joining them to laugh at him or about him. Nevertheless, he’d go along with it this time. He couldn’t get hung up on petty things that wouldn’t put a vote in his ballot box.

“Lunch will be served in a minute, sirs,” An older black man with a full head of gray hair said who had just walked into the dining room. Leon figured he must have worked at the governor’s mansion all of his life.

The governor nodded. “Leon, the mayor here tells me that you are the up and coming firecracker that’s taking the city by storm. I even hear that you’ve got a big rally planned. Coming in with a bang.”

“I’m just a man for the people,” Leon said.

Governor Shipley nodded. “Of course, you are.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “You know that local government is a thankless job. After you win, you won’t ever have peace again.”

Leon grinned. “That’s if I win.”

“When you win,” Mayor Wilson said holding up his napkin and giving it a good shake.

“Pastor Leon, tell me why you would want to enter this demonic world of politics when it seems to me that the real money is in being a pastor.”

Leon laughed.

The governor laughed with Leon. “So, what are your plans, young man because I hope we can help each other?”

Leon smirked inside; someone had certainly taken notice. He sat up straight because this was the moment that he’d been waiting for. As he opened his mouth and began to speak, the text message alert could be heard from his phone. It was just a beep but it still threw his thoughts off. It was a fine time for Ariel to respond seeing that he was in the middle of a serious perhaps life changing conversation.

“You were saying,” the governor said.

Leon cleared his throat. “I apologize, gentlemen.”

“You’re a busy man. That’s alright,” the mayor said leaning back as one of the wait staff placed a bowl of soup in front of him.

“I was saying that I admire what you two men have done for the people. It’s apparent that you two are determined to see this city and state succeed by showing Washington that they won’t keep terrorizing and taxing our citizens unnecessarily. I’m just a simple man that believes that we must start in our own backyard then show Washington the power that the people have.”