Hot Girlz: Hot Boyz Sequel (18 page)

Star kept her back to them. “He told
me. I just took Skyy and TJ in there with him and the guys.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later. You did
a great job today. Proud of you.”

“Bye.”

Mercedes started to walk out. “You
coming back to the house later?”

Star replied, “No. I’m staying with
Dad tonight.”

“Good. Glad he won’t be alone. You
either. I’ll talk to you all later. Bye Venus.”

“Bye. Call you later.”

Mercedes exited the kitchen.

Star turned to face Venus. “I like
your new house, Auntie.”

“Thanks. We’re still getting settled
in. Honey, I want you to keep your head up. Grammy loved you. You’ve got an
angel now.”

“I know. I loved her. Funny thing is
she was like my friend even though she was almost four times my age. I could
tell her anything. She was my second mother, and then she started being like a little
girl. The older I got it was like the younger she got. She needed me to keep
her calm and make her feel like she still had all the answers, even if she
couldn’t remember our names.” Star shook her head. Venus came to her and hugged
her tight. “I hate Alzheimer’s. I’m gonna miss her, Auntie.” Star broke down,
shaking, trembling, and finally crying. Sobbing in her aunt’s arms.

“Let it out. You need to. You have
to.”

“It’s so hard.”

“I know. I understand.”

“I’m sorry,” Star said, letting go of
Venus and wiping her eyes. It was like she was forcing herself not to totally
lose it. She sniffled and tried to regroup. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to
the bathroom for some tissue.” She stepped away.

“Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Star said as she
headed out at the same time Claude walked back in. Star looked down while
covering her eyes.

Claude said to Venus as he stood next
to her, “Well. Speaking of love, I love you.”

“I love you.”

He put his arm around her waist.

She said, “Sorry about Mom. Sorry
about everything. About the other day at your office. Everything.”

“Me, too,” he said as they kissed.

Troubles seemed to have melted.

At least for the time being.

19

Sequoia

“. . . ever hit or verbally abused your son . . .”

So, Mr. Wilson, I see you’ve changed
your reply to the child support claim and you’re no longer contesting
paternity. Is that correct?”

It was the custody hearing date,
September 28
^th
.

Torino, the respondent, was present
and accounted for. “Yes, Your Honor,” he said, wearing a dark suit and tie.

Sequoia watched, all eyes and ears,
dressed in black.

Kyle was absent.

Colette, the petitioner, was front and
center. And now she had a female attorney. Attorney Randolph.

The judge said, “I’d ordered a DNA
test to be taken and it appears only Ms. Berry has done that for Kyle Brewer,
Jr. Is that right?”

Attorney Phillips replied for his
client, saying, “Yes, Sir. Mr. Wilson is admitting he is the father.”

The judge looked at Colette. “Well,
Ms. Berry, it looks like we’ll move right on into the custody and child support
portion of this case since Mr. Wilson is now admitting paternity, and therefore
is jointly responsible for the health, well being and care of the son the two
of you have together.”

He spoke to Torino’s attorney, saying,
“Now, I see you’ve submitted paperwork to support Mr. Wilson’s apparent claims
that Ms. Berry is unfit, and that she’s been accused of violence against her
former live-in boyfriend.” He flipped through the paperwork. “I see that the
police were called about three times for claims of domestic violence. Each time
Mr. Brewer was the one who called. Yet when police came out it was Ms. Berry
who complained that he was the one who hit her and that she reacted in self
defense.” He looked at Attorney Phillips.

“Yes, Your Honor. And, we have
documents here to verify that Mr. Brewer filed a restraining order only three
weeks ago and has not seen or talked to Ms. Berry since. He is very concerned
about the emotional welfare of the child.”

“Does Mr. Brewer see the child? I
would think not with a restraining order on the child’s mother.”

Attorney Phillips said, “He moved out
and left the child with Ms. Berry.”

The judge asked, “Ms. Berry, have you
ever been abusive to Mr. Kyle Brewer verbally or physically, striking him or
harassing him?”

“No. Sir.”

“And have you ever hit or verbally
abused your son, Kyle Brewer, Jr.?”

“No. Sir.”

“Now, Attorney Randolph, we have the
police reports, but no charges were brought against your client or the other
party. Because there were no charges, these have no bearing on whether or not
Kyle Jr. is in danger. I’m going to take these into due consideration, however.
I’m going to award Ms. Berry, and Mr. Wilson, joint custody.”

Colette looked displeased.

Torino looked surprised.

“As far child support, Mr. Wilson, how
long have you been aware that Kyle Brewer, Jr. is your biological son?”

“Just since Ms. Berry came to my place
of business right before all of this, warning me of this child support claim
and informing me that she used my sperm to impregnate herself.”

The judge looked perplexed. “Is this
true, Ms. Berry?”

“No. Sir,” she said plainly.

“Did you go to his place of business?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Did you impregnate yourself?”

“No. I never said that. Sir.”

“When did you inform Mr. Wilson that
he was the father?”

“While I was pregnant.”

The judge’s eyes moved to Torino. “And
Mr. Wilson, you didn’t believe her?”

“No. I knew it was impossible because
I always used protection, but based on her claim when she came to my place of
business as to what she did, I have concluded that he is my son.”

“Based upon that, huh? Okay. Ms.
Berry, the period of time that Mr. Wilson did not know he was the father cannot
count as time considered in back-child support. I will issue an order of
support,” he began writing, “for two-thousand dollars per month, starting the
day Mr. Wilson filed the answer acknowledging that the paternity was
uncontested. You are both ordered to work out a custody arrangement plan with
the family court mediator immediately following this decision to work out
holidays, frequency, etcetera.”

Colette looked like she wanted to
speak, but didn’t.

Attorney Randolph spoke for her. “Your
Honor, my client is seeking attorney’s fees and court costs, as well as
five-thousand per month, which is a small fraction of Mr. Wilson’s
seven-hundred-thousand dollar income. A great deal of the money Ms. Berry
receives will be spent making a home for Kyle, Jr. Ms. Berry would like the
opportunity to give their son a comfortable and equal lifestyle when he is not
with his father.”

The judge replied, “Attorney Randolph,
the plaintiff and respondent were never married. That’s first of all. Second of
all, I have not awarded Ms. Berry full custody, with Mr. Wilson having
visitation rights. In that case she may have gotten more support, however,
two-thousand is more than enough. Also, one person’s lifestyle does not entitle
the other parent who makes less income to garner the difference through child
support. There is no alimony, as I said they were never man and wife. And the
amount awarded is sufficient to provide for a seven year-old. The medical
insurance is to be provided by Mr. Wilson, so that won’t be an issue for Ms.
Berry. If he goes to a private school, there’s enough for food, clothing and
other necessities. This child can live quite nicely. Some parents don’t make
that per month for an entire household. Ms. Berry is expected to make a living
for herself, and her son actually. Is that clear?”

“Yes. Sir,” Colette replied, looking
let down.

“Yes, Your Honor,” Attorney Randolph
answered.

“I will, however, grant fees and court
costs to Ms. Berry.”

Colette gave a slight sigh of relief.

“Now, as far as the name change
petition, Attorney Phillips, does your client have a problem with the request?”

“Your Honor, I think Kyle Brewer gave
Kyle Jr. his name long ago and has been standing in as the father. We see no
reason to change it.”

“Ms. Berry, why would it matter at
this point? Mr. Wilson has admitted he is the father.”

Colette looked certain. “Because my
son is a Wilson. He has a half-brother who’s a Wilson, named after the father
my son will never be named after. I don’t think Mr. Wilson would want two sons
named, Torino Jr., but I have seen it done before. Mr. Brewer and I are not
together and he won’t be in this child’s life. Mr. Wilson will. Sir.”

The judge said, “Ms. Berry, your
petition is granted. Kyle Jamal Brewer, Jr.’s name change is ordered, his name
now being Kyle Jamal Wilson, dropping the junior, obviously. Ms. Berry, you’ll
need to get a copy of this order and present it to the Social Security
Administration and then when you get his new social security card, take care of
his school and medical records.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now unless there are any further
questions, these matters are closed.”

“None, Your Honor,” said Torino.

“None. Sir,” said Colette.

The judge looked between the two of
them. “I hate to see this. For the sake of this child, get it together. Put him
first. Next case, Thomas versus Jarvis.”

~~

Minutes later, Torino asked his
attorney while standing in the hallway, “So, that’s it?”

Sequoia stood at his side holding his
hand.

“Yes.”

Colette and her attorney had already
walked down the hall. She and Sequoia barely gave each other a glance.

“Now what?” asked Torino.

“We go into the conference room with
the petitioner and the mediator to arrange custody parameters.”

“And then?”

“And then, depending upon which date
it’s agreed to, Kyle Wilson comes home to spend time with his father. It could
be pretty quick.”

“Okay.” Torino nodded. He released his
hand from Sequoia’s and adjusted his tie.

“Excuse me for one moment,” Torino’s
attorney said, and then he walked away.

“Sure.”

Sequoia said, “Wow. Guess you can’t
refer to him as Jr., huh?”

“Guess not.”

“Even though he might really be.”

“I’m calling him Kyle,” said Torino.

“So, you’re satisfied?” she asked.

“Not really. She didn’t lose custody
altogether.”

“No. I guess we’re sharing a child
fifty-fifty with
her
,” she said as if Colette was the devil herself. “A
child we still don’t even know is yours.”

“We will, Sequoia. We will.” He held
her hand again.

His attorney stepped up. “Mr. and Mrs.
Wilson, right this way, please.”

20

Mercedes

“Hang up or I’m leaving.”

The next Saturday evening, Mercedes
lay on the white sofa in the living room under a chenille throw, half asleep.
The television was muted. The only light in the room was illuminating from the
screen.

Since Mattie’s passing, Mercedes made
it a habit to bring Nadia into the house at night just to keep her company. And
when it was time for Mercedes to go to bed in her room, Nadia would head
straight to Mattie’s room and sleep by the side of Mattie’s bed.

Mercedes heard the sound of a key in
the door and the door opening. Then she heard, “Hi.”

“Hey,” Mercedes said, realizing it was
her husband coming through the front door. She sat up slowly, struggling to
focus, squinting as Mason closed the door and turned on the living room light.
She stretched her arms in an effort to force out the kinks, glancing over at
the huge wrought-iron clock on the wall.

Nadia, who Mercedes thought was by the
sofa, came running downstairs wagging her tail and circling Mason. She seemed
more excited to see him than she had ever been when Mason lived at home.

He bent down to pet Nadia, giving off
a few chuckles. “Hey there. Look at you. Calm down, girl.”

Nadia savored the attention and
followed Mason’s steps as he walked toward the recliner, placing his keys and
some mail on the cushion.

Nadia sat next to where he stood.

Mercedes wiped the corners of her
eyes. “Are you coming home, or just coming by?” She rubbed the soles of her
bare feet together.

“Coming by for a minute just to check
the mail and get more of my things. I called but you didn’t answer.”

“Okay.” Mercedes elongated the one
word as though his reply was not what she wanted to hear. She picked up the
remote and turned off the television.