My Steps Are Ordered (20 page)

“Thanks, Frank.”

Michael ended the call with his attorney. He was glad to hear that his package had reached its intended destination. Gina had received the divorce papers and the settlement agreement.

Michael knew where Gina had been staying for the past months. He'd given Frank the task of locating his wife when he realized that Gina hadn't sought refuge at Colleen's house. It had taken a couple weeks for him to find her. He didn't know where she'd been before that. Fortunately for him, Gina had opted to drive to her father's house. By nature, she was a private person and didn't let too many people get close, but Jeff was different. He was her father, and he had saved her son's life.

But while Michael knew that Gina and her father had gotten closer over the years, he hadn't considered that she would seek Jeff out for help. He was impressed with Gina's brilliance. His wife had chosen a good hideout from the press.

From experience, Michael knew it was only a matter of time before the bloodthirsty media hounds tracked her down. Nothing remained hidden for long in this age of broadband and wannabe private eyes. Someone would wag their tail. It was only a matter of time before a nosy neighbor spilled all for a couple of bucks or a “fifteen seconds of fame” stunt. Gina and Keith were hot news right now. Their life was better than reality TV.

The Internet was all a buzz about the romance. Millions wished that Keith and Gina would reunite, marry, and live in bliss forever. It was like a saga equivalent to Scarlett and Rhett's.

Michael realized he was pushing it with that analogy, but that was how he felt. And he had become the bad guy. He couldn't quite figure that out. He did have his share of empathetic, ticked-off husbands in his corner, but they were the deadbeats and dregs of society. To the middle and upper class, he was despicable for putting his children through the ringer on national television.

His brother was getting unbelievable press and sympathy. Michael attributed it to Keith's good looks and charm. People looked at that face and were willing to give him another chance. To the world it seemed he could do no wrong.

Gina had also generated a lot of Internet blogs and discussion. Women were curious to know the woman who had two brothers panting after her. The men wanted to know if she was ready to date again.

The whole lot of them disgusted Michael. It was like people didn't have anything better to do than get into other people's business. He chose to forget that it was his own actions that had precipitated this intrigue about their private lives.

But at least Keith had paid. Michael consoled himself with that little bit of news. He had relished watching the press conference where it was announced that Keith's show had been pulled off the air. It wasn't even in hiatus. It had been straight-out canceled.

Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars. Do get off the air.

Michael laughed at his dry wit, but his grin faded when his laughter sounded hollow in the empty house. He walked into his study and sat down in the imported leather swivel chair. It was a nut-brown color, which appealed to the senses. Michael ran his hand across the spotless desk. His housekeeper, Nancy, had done an impeccable job. Michael could see his face shining back at him, but he wasn't sure he liked what he saw.

A small droplet ran down the right corner of his eye and hit the desk. Michael used his hand to wipe the small bit of water. It left a smudge on the otherwise pristine shine.

Why was he crying?

Michael had no idea why more tears were threatening to come. He walked out of the study and inspected the house that he'd bought. He'd turned it into a showcase with amenities, which his friends admired with envy.

But it was empty.

Regret tasted like bitter bile in his mouth.

He walked up the long, winding staircase and turned right. Without knowing his intent, he ended up in Epiphany's room. From the canopy bed to the pink pillows and window treatments, Epiphany's bedroom was a princess's showroom.

Michael wandered over to a picture of Gina with Epiphany and Trey on the nightstand, which had caught his eye. He picked up the small frame and studied the faces smiling back at him. The significance of his absence in the family photo was not lost on him. After Epiphany, Michael had kept himself aloof from the family. He had refused to be involved in any of their family outings. Now the feeling in the pit of his stomach could only be attributed to deep, poignant regret.

Michael couldn't fathom why he felt this sharp pang. He didn't have paternal instincts toward Epiphany. He had severed any semblance of a father-son relationship with Trey. Though it had pained him, he kept Trey at arm's length.

Michael acknowledged that Epiphany was innocent and did not deserve his apathy. The child was endearing and beautiful. She had an angelic face and a sweet disposition. Everybody loved her. Everyone but him.

Michael stalked out of the room and closed the door. He rushed down the hallway to his own quarters. He found no comfort there, either. After he took in the large, empty bed, he did an about-face and stomped back into his study to down his agitation with a drink. He needed to drown this funk.

He heard the doorbell chime but made no move to get it. He was already on his second drink when Lauren appeared in his doorway.

“Mikey, I have been calling your cell phone.”

Michael lifted an eyebrow but said nothing. He asked, “What're you doing here?”

Lauren gave her hips a suggestive wiggle. She was wearing a little teal dress that was meant to stimulate the senses. He looked at her with a speculative gleam in his eye.

Lauren pranced toward him with a breathy “I've missed you, and after your performance the other night, let's just say I'm back for more.” She blushed.

“I can't promise you anything more than this,” Michael confessed.

Lauren nodded her head with understanding. “Trust me, I have no expectations. I know what this is,” she said, gesturing with her hands between them. “I'm a reporter. I know how to be aloof and straightforward.”

Michael smiled. He would be hard-pressed to admit that he was hurting. He blinked to hide the pain he knew was in his eyes. Truth be told, he was glad Lauren had come. He didn't want to be alone.

With a groan, Michael snatched her into his arms and kissed her. He hadn't gotten out of his chair, so Lauren was bent over him at an odd angle, but she was not complaining. She seemed to welcome his manhandling. It was impersonal at times, but it was hot.

A moment later his hands squeezed her calves tightly. “That's going to bruise,” she whispered. “But don't stop. I like it.”

A discreet cough brought both participants to a screeching halt.

Familiar with the intruder, Michael bounced out of his chair. He turned away for a moment to adjust his nether regions and to gather his wits. Then he turned to face his mother. “How did you get in here?”

Gerry held up a key. “I know where you have your spare.” He saw her upturned nose in Lauren's direction. “Well, this is an all new low for you.”

Stung by the barb, Lauren felt her mouth pop open. Michael signaled to her to remain quiet. She regained her composure and plastered a wide smile on her face. With a confident sway, she sauntered over to Gerry and introduced herself.

“I know who you are,” was his mother's frosty response.

Knowing his mother's temperament, Michael knew he had to intervene, or Lauren would be flattened. He rushed over to hug his mother and hoped he would be able to smooth things out. Gerry remained stiff under his embrace.

Michael stepped back. He looked over at Lauren, who was still standing there, stupefied by the stare down to which she had been subjected. The temperature had dropped several degrees.

“Lauren, I'm sorry, but I need to speak with my mother.”

Lauren reached up and whispered in Michael's ear, “I'll be waiting upstairs. I have all night.” In a brash move, she stuck her tongue in his ear.

Michael shivered from the feel of her wet tongue. It was downright erotic. He couldn't blame his mother for bristling at Lauren's audacity.

Lauren took her own sweet time to stroll out of the room and could not resist winking at Michael's mother. Her taunt did not go unrecognized.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Gerry said, “You've found yourself a barracuda. Somehow, this woman has sunk her claws into you, and she has no intention of letting go.”

“Are you here to lecture me on my taste in women?”

His mother clenched her fists. “No, but I'm reminding myself that I'm now a saved woman, and saved people don't stomp on people and give them a beat down. I don't like the fact that you already have another woman in your house—and, from the look of things, your bed.”

Michael arched an eyebrow. “Why are you here?”

His mother slapped him hard across the cheek.

Michael's mouth popped open. In stunned denial, he stormed, “What did you do that for? I thought you were saved. Saved people don't slap people across the face.” He rubbed his cheek to ease the sting. He ran his tongue across his teeth and tried to inject humor into the situation. “I'm making sure my teeth are all intact. Thank goodness you didn't punch me. You would've drawn blood.”

Gerry didn't laugh. “That was for keeping my grandchild from me. And if you want to talk about being saved, the Bible says something about turning the other cheek. I must comply with the Word.” With the element of surprise on her side, she delivered a slap to his other cheek.

Michael reeled from the impact. He looked at his mother, wondering if she had gone off the deep end. Michael retreated to the other side of the room.

“That was for what you did to your family,” she said, rubbing her hand. She looked up toward heaven and whispered, “Sorry, Lord, but he had it coming.”

Michael found his tongue. His defenses kicked in. “You dare talk to me about family! What about Keith and what he did to me and my family?”

“Leave Keith out of this for now,” Gerry commanded. “This is all about you and your malicious behavior.” Michael tried to interject something, but she put her hand up. “I'm not through yet. You went on national television without any regard for two children who adore you. Gina and Keith betrayed you, and it was awful, but what you did was contemptible.”

He hung his head. His mother's words were like darts, and his heart was the bullseye. She had hit the mark. Tears rolled down his cheeks. “I know that you must hate me,” Michael began, “but I wanted Keith and Gina to pay.” With slow steps, he moved behind his desk and sat down. Deflated and filled with shame, he put his hands on his head and slumped in his chair.

“Congratulations. You've achieved your goal,” Gerry retorted. She lowered her body into one of the chairs across from him. “Now, I have a question for you. Was it worth it?”

Michael shook his head in the negative. “I saw them.”

Gerry looked quizzical.

Michael leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He clarified his statement. “I saw them that last night before Keith left Georgia.” He stood on jerky feet and walked over to the minibar. Mindful of his mother's presence, Michael picked up two bottled waters. He handed one to her and opened the other. Then he took a seat in the chair next to her.

He went on. “Keith had stormed into our home, demanding that Gina make a choice. She chose me—and her family. Then, after that, her father was a match and Trey's transplant was a success.”

Gerry moved her hand in a circular motion that signified that she didn't need the backstory. She wanted Michael to get to the crux of the matter. “I need to know what happened to transform you into this vindictive person I don't even recognize.”

“If you recall, you and I were at the hospital that night,” Michael stated.

Gerry nodded. “We'd heard the good news about Jeff being Trey's match.”

“Well, I had done some deep soul-searching,” Michael confessed. “I remember sitting there in Trey's room and watching him sleep. I figured it was time to let the past be the past and move on. I wanted to make things work with Gina.”

Then his tone changed. His next words were difficult to express. “So I decided to leave Trey and go make amends with my brother. Life was too short, I told myself.” His emotions were raw as he relived the moment. “I jumped into my car and drove over to his house. I had this speech planned about how we were brothers and should let bygones be bygones. Besides, it had been three years since he slept with Gina, and it had been just one time, as far as I knew.” Tears rolled down his face. His body jerked with pain.

Gerry held her heart before she lifted her hand to stop him. “If this is too much for you, maybe—”

Michael stopped her. “No, Mom. I think this is the best thing. I need to get this off my chest.” He had a half bath in his study and ran into it to get some tissues.
Great.
The tissue box was empty. Improvising, Michael unrolled a wad of toilet paper and blew his nose. He washed his hands before unrolling a generous amount of toilet paper for his mother. He had not missed her tears.

He returned to his chair after handing his mother the toilet paper and continued his story. “But when I neared Keith's home, Gina was already there. I saw them together in Keith's driveway. They were so enraptured with each other, that neither one of them saw me. I watched as my brother snatched my wife and kissed her.”

“Oh, Michael,” Gerry responded with sympathy.

“I felt my hands itch to . . . do something, but I counted to five. I told myself I would give Gina a chance to set Keith straight. You see, Mother, I thought that the feelings were all one-sided and that . . .” His voice broke, and he was unable to go on with that. He figured his mother could read between the lines.

Gerry put a fist in her mouth to keep from crying out. She understood his pain.

Michael started again. “I watched them go inside.” He gulped. “Fool that I am, I sat there, expecting and hoping that Gina would come out the door. Hours passed, Mom. Hours before I got the hint that she was where she wanted to be.”

“Oh, son.” Gerry could take no more. Moved by compassion, she enfolded him in her arms.

“It was obvious that Gina loved Keith,” Michael said after Gerry sat back down. “Why didn't she love me? What did Keith have that I didn't?” His facial expression changed. He saw Gerry shiver from the coldness in his eyes. “I returned to the hospital, and it took all the strength I possessed to return home in the morning. I faced Gina, and she looked devastated. I thought it was guilt, but then you called and told me that Keith had left. No, Gina did not feel guilt. She felt heartbreak.”

With nervous energy, Michael hoisted himself to his feet and walked away from his mother. His back was now turned to her, but he kept talking. “I was so angry. But I had a plan, so I made love to my wife and pretended that all was well. I think a part of me hoped that nothing had happened with Keith.” He laughed in self-deprecation, then stated, “I almost lost my sanity when Gina came to me with the news that she was pregnant. She expected me to be overjoyed at the news. She said it was a new beginning. For her, it was joy, but it was my moment of epiphany. That's when I decided to make them both pay.”

Gerry interjected, “Oh, Michael. You named your daughter Epiphany.”

“Yes, Epiphany was the indisputable proof of Gina's infidelity. Because I knew she wasn't mine. And Gina stood there, smiling in my face, when she was a deceiver,” Michael snarled. “She felt joy, while I resisted the urge to . . . to . . .”

“Don't say it, Michael,” Gerry pleaded. She covered her ears, not wanting to hear that yes, he had contemplated murder.

“Give me credit, Mom.” Michael smiled. “I wouldn't physically hurt a woman.”

“No,” Gerry whispered. “But you could hurt her emotionally and destroy her reputation, Michael. That's what you did.”

“Yes,” Michael admitted without an ounce of regret for his actions.

“You feel you were justified, don't you?” Gerry quizzed.

“Yes,” Michael confessed.

“That's where you went wrong, Michael. You took matters into your own hands. Now you are the one who has lost out on a beautiful wife and family.”

“Yes.” Michael answered.

“If it's any consolation, I don't think your brother or Gina set out to hurt you on purpose. They tried to fight it. I think it was something that was bigger than both of them. You can't help who you love, can you?”

“No,” Michael concurred.

“But you can help who you hate,” Gerry concluded.

Michael had no response.

Silence filled the room.

The silence was deafening.