If I'd Only Known (Milan Women Series Book 1) (34 page)

“Tina?
What are you doing here?”

Glancing
around the neighborhood, Tina said, “May I please come in?”

“Sure.”
Perri stepped back allowing her entrance. Once inside the living room, she
repeated, “What are you doing here? I thought you were gonna hold down the fort
for me?”

Tina
nodded. “I will. I am.” She took a deep breath. “Is your husband here?”

“I'm
right here, Tina.” Barrington joined them, not liking the vibe he picked up.

Perri
didn't have a good feeling. “What is it, Tina?”

The
tears Tina had been trying to hold back gushed forward. Perri went to hug her,
which only made Tina cry more.

“Barrington,
get her some water please,” Perri instructed like a concerned mother.

“No,
no.” Tina shook her head. “It's okay.” She sniffled. “I just need to tell you
guys something and, you're not gonna like me very much once you hear what I
have to say.” She took a deep breath and plunged into the whole saga of Nia and
the twisted plan she'd plotted against Barrington and Perri from the start.

“Why
the hell didn't you tell us this before?” Barrington demanded.

Perri
shook her head at him. He knew it meant to calm down, so he rolled his eyes
going to the patio to stare out at nothing in particular. She wanted to go to
him, knowing her husband needed comfort, but she had to get answers first.

Still
stunned by Tina's revelation, she turned to her. “How long have you known this?”

“Since
the day before Nia kidnapped your baby.” Tina blinked back tears. “I tried to
tell you, Perri. You remember at the office the same night, I was going to tell
you about Nia's plan. I swear I was.” She looked at Barrington and then Perri.

Disgusted,
Barrington arrested her with a hard stare.

Perri
thought back to the night in question. She remembered Tina saying she needed to
talk to her. She also remembered telling her it would have to wait until
tomorrow because she just wanted to go home to her family, purposely leaving
off the part about her husband waiting for her so they could make love into the
early dawn.

“You
have no idea how much I wish I'd listened.”

Tina
shook her head. “Perri, this is not your fault.”

“You
got that right!” Barrington shot at her.

Going
to stand in front of her husband, Perri encircled his waist. “Please calm down
and let her talk, baby.”

Barrington
nodded but still wore the scowl as he stared at Tina. Now he really wished he
hadn't talked Perri into hiring her.

Turning
back to face her assistant, Perri asked, “Would you be willing to tell the
police everything you told us? Please?”

“Of
course she's gonna tell them,” Barrington barked. “Aren't you, Tina?”

Intimidated,
Tina blinked several times before saying, “Yes, of course I will.”

“Thank
you, Tina. I know this wasn't easy for you to come here today. I respect the
fact that you found the courage to do so. I don't hold you accountable for
Nia's actions, not when I know for myself the woman is completely certifiable.”
Perri squeezed Barrington's hands as they rested upon her belly. “We both thank
you, Tina. Don't we, Barrington?”

He
only nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

***

“This
is the craziest thing I have ever heard in my life,” Hunter was saying. She
looked at Usher who nodded in agreement, taking her hands inside his own to
comfort his wife.

Both
families and friends had gathered at Barrington's mansion to receive the
updated news at one time.

“Tell
me about it,” Tyler said, still dazed from the horror story. Kane kneaded her
arms up and down as a gesture of comfort, and she rested her head against his
strong chest as tears rolled down her face.

Journey
was silently crying as Crush held her in his arms, fighting back emotion of his
own.

Mattie
hugged Tina as she silently wept on her shoulder.

Bobby
was holding Linda as she cried in his arms.

Barrington
held Perri, rocking her as she sat between his legs. They were each all cried
out for themselves. But seeing the pain their loved ones were in caused them
both to cry for them. Mostly, though, they cried for their baby girl.

No
one knew what to say. How could anyone wrap their brain around such crazy
madness? All of them inwardly prayed Imani was safe and would be coming home
very soon.

“And
you say she had your sperm stored at the bank?”

Perri
couldn't help it, she burst into laughter. Everyone looked at her like she was
crazy. “Madear, it's a sperm bank.”

Mattie
looked at her granddaughter with questioning eyes. She explained to her
grandmother exactly what that meant.

“Oh.”
Mattie chuckled. “Well, that's a relief. I guess. In a way; sort of way,”
Mattie said, shaking her head in disgust. “I suppose in a way that's akin to
chopping off a man's testicles and keeping them in a jar on top of your
fireplace mantle, which depending on how you look at it, is just as bad as what
I thought.”

“What
were you thinking, Madear?”

“Honestly,
Sugarplum, you don't wanna know.”

“Yeah
I do, Madear. Tell me. What did you think sperm bank meant?”

Mattie
chuckled. “I thought the poor child had done gone to her bank, bought a safety
deposit box and hid the sperm inside.”

Perri
doubled over in laugher.

“Never
a dull moment with the Milan women,” Barrington who'd been trying to hold his
in, laughed out loud.

Everyone
else joined in the laughter, too.

***

Two
Months Later, Athens, Spain

Nia
held Imani close to her chest until she burped. Raising her in the air, she
said, “You are such a beauty, baby girl. You know that?” She smiled when Imani
giggled, kicking her legs with glee. “Your little sister will be a beauty just
like you. I'm sure of it, because your daddy—God bless him—makes the prettiest
babies.”

Checking
her pamper, Nia said, “I think someone needs changing.” She walked to the
changing table, talking as she proceeded to change Imani. “You don't miss that
mean old woman a bit, do you, sweetheart? You and I are getting along just
fine. Aren't we?” She picked Imani up, kissing her plump cheeks. “There, baby
girl, feels a whole lot better, huh?” She laughed. “Besides, with me, you don't
have to wear shoes.” Nia tickled Imani's bare feet and laughed when she
giggled.

“It
has been a fun two months, baby girl. And as much as I don't like your mum, I
have to send you back home. Your daddy misses you terribly and I know you miss
him just as badly, maybe more. I know I do.” Nia smiled. “I'm sure gonna miss
our girlie talks, Miss Imani. You're such a good listener. You're gonna miss
me, too, aren't you?”

Imani
smiled and babbled her gibberish. Nia's eyes filled with tears. “Of course you
are. Thank you, baby girl. Because of the past two months I've spent with you,
caring for you just like you were my very own, I'll know exactly how to take
care of your little sister, who will be joining us in six short months.” Nia
patted her protruding belly lovingly. She sat in the rocking chair, placed
Imani belly down on her lap and rocked her as she sang her a Spanish lullaby.
Nia dreaded the morning light, knowing she'd have to give Imani back to Perri,
whom she'd declared her sworn enemy.

***

“Baby,
ignore it, it's probably just another crank call.” Barrington gently rubbed his
wife's protruding belly.

Perri
stepped away from his touch. “And if it's not, Barrington? What if this call is
the real deal?” Raising her head in defiance, she questioned. “Can you live
with it if we missed what could be our last and final chance to get our
daughter back? Huh?”

Barrington
looked at the floor and back to his wife. “I'm just saying, Perri, that we've
had a hundred crank calls, supposedly from someone who knew where our daughter
was, and none of them—not one, baby, ever panned out. What makes you think this
one is any different?”

“A
feeling.”

“And
you're willing to risk your life and our unborn baby over a feeling that may or
may not have any merit to it?” He shook his head. “That's senseless.”

“Barrington?”
Perri rubbed her temples. “I'm not gonna fight with you about this, because
it's not debatable.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I'm basing my feelings on
maternal instinct, baby. And I'm telling you that as Imani's mother as well as
the mother of our unborn son—whom I'd do no less for—this is the real thing. I
can feel it in my spirit, Barrington. Imani's coming home. Today!”

“Perri—”

“Enough,
Barrington. You can come or you can stay. But I am going to that museum today.
You may be willing to chance not ever seeing our daughter again, but I'm her
mother, I gave birth to her and she's been with me the longest. So, I'm sorry
if you don't like my actions, but I will not take the chance of missing what I
know will be the last chance to get my daughter back. I love my baby too much.
She needs me and I'm going to her. Right now.” Scooping up her keys with a
shaky hand, Perri headed for the door.

Barrington
was quicker and headed her off, standing in front of the door.

She
pushed at his chest as hard as she could. “Get out of my way!”

“You're
shaking like a leaf. Do you honestly think I'm going to let you take the
wheel?” He pulled a struggling Perri into his arms, holding her tight. “Our
daughter needs both of us, baby.” Barrington coaxed the keys from her trembling
hand. “I'll drive.”

Perri
hugged him for dear life. “Thank you. It wouldn't be a real family reunion
without you. God, baby, I could never be at peace if I had to do this without
you.”

Barrington
kissed his wife deeply. “You'll never have to find out.”

***

Pulling
into the first parking space, Barrington shut off the engine. “Baby, are you
sure this is the place?” He slowly asked, looking around at what appeared to be
a deserted building. “Maybe you just misunderstood.”

“No,
Barrington, I did not misunderstand anything. This is the place.” Perri nodded.
“I'm sure of it. The caller said the old Starlight Museum.” She pointed to the
sign. “This is the old Starlight Museum.”

Taking
her hand, he ordered, “Stay close to me. You hear?”

Perri
nodded, squeezing his hand for a little courage of her own.

Stopping
just in front of the main entrance, Barrington said, “I mean it, Perri. No
matter what happens in here, you don't leave my side for one second. Do you
understand me?” He fingered her lips. “And let me do all the talking. Okay,
baby?”

Swallowing
hard, Perri said, “I heard you the first time, Barrington, and I do
understand.” She exhaled deeply. “But you understand this; I'm not leaving here
without my daughter in my arms. And more than anything, I mean that.”

If
she's here
, Barrington thought, but to his wife he nodded and
said, “Let's do this then. Let's go get our baby girl and bring her home to her
family and friends.”

Both
taking a deep breath, exhaling just as deeply, together, Barrington and Perri
entered the double doors of the main entrance of the old Starlight Museum.
They'd only been open for maybe a good thirty minutes so the place was virtually
empty. An attendant greeted them with a smile from behind a high counter. They
returned her greeting. Barrington led Perri down the long corridor and they
began searching for any sign of their daughter and Nia.

“We've
walked around this place three times already. I don't understand why we haven't
seen or heard anything out of the norm. Where is Imani? Where is Nia? What has
she done with my child? Where is she, Barrington? Where is she?” Frustrated,
Perri was close to tears.

Pulling
his wife into his arms, Barrington said, “You need to calm down, baby. It's not
gonna do us any good if you get this upset, because
when
we find Nia,
you're just gonna wind up ticking her off. And Lord only knows what she'll pull
next.” He glanced around them trying to detect anything unusual.

Angry,
suddenly, Perri pushed away from her husband. “God,” she raised her hands in
the air, a sign of surrender, “why is this happing?” She shook her head.
“Haven't we all suffered enough already? How much more, Lord?”

Trying
to calm his wife, Barrington reached for her. She stepped back like he was a
hot poker. “Don't touch me. I need answers, Barrington. I need my baby!” she
shouted, paying no attention as the onlookers stared.

Pulling
her to his chest in spite of her struggling, Barrington firmly stated, “That's
enough, Perri.”