The Bryson Blood Wars (10 page)

              So this isn’t a dream. He’s really here.
Opal got out of bed to stretch and freshen up a bit to fix breakfast.

              “Where are you going?” Wallace asked with a yawn as he started to wake up.

              “To freshen up,” Opal answered.

              “Well, hurry up! I’m hungry!” He rudely demanded.

              “Then go and fix you something to eat,” Opal said with an attitude.

              “Oh, you sassy now? Since when did this shit start?” Wallace asked her.

              “Whatever, I do not have time for this,” Opal said. Never mess with someone who just woke up out of their sleep. Wallace didn’t care, for all he knew, she better not talk to him like that.

             
She must have forgotten who the fuck she’s dealing with.
Wallace thought. “Do you want to run that by me real quick?” He said walking up to the bathroom door.

              He startled Opal and all she wanted to do is freshen up and cook breakfast because she was starving. “Nothing, nothing at all. I’m just hungry and ready to eat, that’s all,” Opal said with a defeating sigh.

              “Oh, okay. Better check yourself. I didn’t come back to argue with you. I want to make things right since I was gone, and you want to start.” Wallace went back to the bed and laid back down.

              “You know I want a fresh start too, but how do you expect me to act after you disappeared on me for three years. What you want me to say?” Opal rhetorically asked heading out the door to the kitchen. Wallace shook his head and turned over to go back to sleep.

              I’m glad he’s back. I really am but what’s a girl to do? I love him and love will make you do some crazy things.
Opal thought.
This is his way of showing me he loves me and it may not be right to some people but to me this is his love. I just have to watch what I say, how I say it, and when I say it.

              Opal finished cooking breakfast and put Wallace’s plate in the microwave so whenever he gets up he can eat it.
I guess I’ll watch something on TV.

              “I wonder what’s on?” Opal said aloud. “Oh Love and Hip Hop has a marathon. That’ll do.”

              Opal was deep in the show when she heard loud footsteps approaching. She hopped up and headed to the kitchen to get Wallace’s plate out of the microwave and put it on the table for him.

              “I hope you cooked my food and quit all that playing with your over emotional fat ass.” Wallace snapped. Opal stared at him for a long period of time and washed her dishes and headed back to the living room to continue watching TV.

              Why is he always talking down to you? You deserve better than that.
Opal heard her conscious inside of her.
You need to stand up for yourself. Don’t let this man come back into your life and pick up where he left off like nothing happened.
Opal ignored everything her gut was telling her and continued to watch TV.
We all want that love we never had when we were younger, but if that type of love comes with being talked down and degraded then that’s not love at all.

             
Fifteen minutes has gone by before Wallace got up and sat by Opal while her eyes stay glued to the TV. Deep down she didn’t know what was going to happen. Wallace was pretty unpredictable. It’s like he has two sides, so she thought.

              “Aye, look, I know things have changed since the last time we’ve seen each other. I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I’ll admit my wrongs, which you should too. We can make things happen and change for the better, so we can live a better life.” Wallace said to Opal. “Check this out. I have a plan that can make things change for the both of us. Are you down?” Opal didn’t know what to think from the first time he opened his mouth. She didn’t know if she should just get up and go, or sit and listen. If she moved she knew that Wallace would get up and follow her or say something totally disrespectful. Besides, she was curious about this so-called plan of his.

              “What is this plan of yours consists of, first?” She asked.

              Wallace began to explain, “Alright, baby, here is the plan. You know your sister Clover got that insurance company with her bakery? Well, without telling her or letting her know, I want you to switch it with mines. While I was away, I was building my insurance company and I did well for a while, but I know if we could get Clover’s business on board then we’ll be good to go. I can offer her twice as much money than the company she’s with now, baby.” Wallace’s wheels were turning in his head. This was all a part of his plan.

              Opal was confused, “But, why do you want me to switch Clover’s business insurance without telling her? Why do you even want to do that?”

              “I want to do something nice and start all over. I was a jerk and I want to make it up to her and show you I have changed, since one day she is going to be my sister-in-law. That’s if you still want to be with me.” Wallace pleaded his case with sincerity in his voice.

              “Of course, I want to. You know I love you. I just want for you to stop disrespecting me and stop running away when things get tough and communicate with me, that’s all.” Opal pleaded with desperation while holding Wallace’s hands.

              “I know baby, I am sorry for letting my pride stop me from talking to you. I had to clear my head, which took longer than expected, but it all worked out because of my insurance company. Things could be coming around, if you do your part of the plan.” He mentioned that part to her again.

              “I don’t know. This is my second week working for Clover. It just doesn’t feel right,” Opal said.

              “I understand. Once you get the hang of things at the new job you should have access to Clover’s current insurance information and you can just switch it, babe. This is a blessing in disguise. You got to trust me on this.” Wallace tried to convince her.

              “I will think about it. I promise.” Opal told him.

              “Okay, babe. I love you.” Wallace kissed Opal on the cheek fast before she left to get ready for work. “I know you will make the right choice.”
You better! You dumb fat bitch
! He thought.

*****

              Opal was hard at work in the office while Clover was making a presentation to a customer. Opal was really starting to like her new job. Actually working was the only thing that gave Opal peace, because it took her mind off her drama-filled life. Opal was organizing some files when her phone started to ring. She took the phone out of her purse and saw that the caller was Dennis.

              “Hi Dennis,” Opal answered with a smile.

              “Hey Opal. Just checking on you to see how the new job is going,” Dennis said.

              “It’s going very smoothly so far,” Opal said.

              “I wish I could say the same,” Dennis sighed. “It’s a mess down here dealing with this closure.”

              “I feel you.” Opal said with sympathy. “But it’ll be all over soon. You just have to hang in there.”

              “Right, I can’t wait for this fresh start in Atlanta.” Dennis said with hope in his voice. By hoping he meant to be closer to Opal.

              “I’m sure you’ll love it up here,” Opal said. She looked up and saw Clover walking into the office. “Oh, Clover just walked into the office. We’ll talk later. Bye, Dennis.”

              “Bye, Opal and say hi to Clover for me,” Dennis said before hanging up the phone.

              “Your buddy Dennis from Miami?” Clover guessed with a smile.

              “Yes it was,” Opal answered. “He said ‘hi’ by the way.”

              “That was sweet of him,” Clover said. She never met Dennis but likes him based on Opal’s description. He seems like a good friend. He even sent flowers when Opal and Clover’s father died and convinced Opal to believe Clover about Kayson and patch things up with her. Clover felt like she was forever in debt to Dennis for helping her get her sister back.

              “He’s having a difficult time with the closure and can’t wait to move here,” Opal volunteered.

              “He’s moving here?” Clover asked in disbelief.

              “Yes, his frat brother’s son made him a business proposition and he accepted,” Opal said.

              “Good for him,” Clover said with a nod. “It’ll be nice to finally meet Dennis. You talk about him so much. Besides, I don't know what he looks like.”

              “Really? Oh?” Opal pulled her phone back out and went to the pictures and picked one that she was in to show Clover. “This is from his mother’s birthday party last year and she invited me. This is Dennis, his mom, and her husband. Also, his younger brother and sister from another mother Donavan and Tasha, they’re twins.” Opal explained as she pointed at each individual in the picture.

             
He is fine!
Clover thought.
Look like a short slightly lighter version of Morris Chestnut with dark hazel eyes.
Clover also noticed as she was looking through the pictures that Dennis glows every time he’s around Opal. That’s the same glow Sharp has when Clover is nearby.
This guy is in love with my sister!
Clover concluded to herself and gave the phone back to Opal. “How’s it going in here?” She asked.

              “Great,” Opal said with a smile.

              “Amazing! You’ve been here for two weeks and you have this place running like clockwork.” Clover said and gave Opal a big hug and kiss on the cheek. “I really appreciate you.”

              “No, thank you for giving me this job,” Opal said with great appreciation.

              “Opal!” Wallace’s voice was heard all the way from the main area.

             
That voice sounds familiar. It couldn’t be.
Clover followed Opal to the main area and discovered that her suspicions were correct. “Wallace! What..the..what?” Clover stuttered in disbelief. That was all she could do.

              “Yeah Wallace is back,” Opal said nervously. She had no idea Wallace was going to pop up at the bakery. She wasn’t quite ready to make their reconciliation news yet. “I’ll admit I was shocked too.”

              “Hi Clover!” Wallace greeted with his sexy seductive smile and pulled Clover into a big hug, but she didn’t return the hug. “You look more beautiful than ever. It’s been so long!”

             
Why is this nigga hugging me like we cool?
Clover asked herself before politely pushing him away. “Yeah three years to be exact,” She managed to hide the sarcasm. “So where you been? The last time we saw you was when you left Opal stranded at me and Sharp’s anniversary party so you could take some random hoe home after Calista had to lay hands on her for shamelessly throwing herself at Bray.” Clover recapped.

              Opal went on to explain. “He was being a good samaritan by giving Xizzy a ride home and he explained that nothing happened between them. Afterwards, he went on a business trip trying to start his own company in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island and they wanted him to attend classes to help him out.”

             
She actually bought that bullshit!
Clover decided to hide her highly justified suspicions and asked the big question to trump Wallace’s boldface lie. “Why weren’t you able to pick up the phone or…”

              “My phone died,” Wallace interrupted. “I tried to get another charger for it but my phone ended up getting damaged. I thought about writing Opal but I didn’t remember her address like that.”

             
Oh he’s good!
“What brings you here?” Clover asked.

              “I wanted to surprise my baby and take her to lunch,” Wallace turned to Opal and added while looking at her body up and down. “We all know you love to eat.”

              That last remark made Opal feel very uncomfortable and Clover noticed. Opal tried to brush it off and said, “Clover, I’ll be back in an hour.”

              “Alright.” Clover said as Opal and Wallace took their leave. “Who the fuck is that motherfucker fooling?” Clover wondered out loud. She saw one of the bakers pass by her and called out, “Marsha!”

              Marsha turned around and walked towards Clover, “yes, Mrs. Bryson?”

              “Tell my sister, Opal that I’ll be gone for the rest of the day when she gets back from lunch and help her close up,” Clover requested.

              “Yes Mrs. Bryson,” Marsha said and went back to her duties.

              Clover went into her office and took a seat at her desk. She took her phone out and scrolled through the contacts to find Laliyka Collins-Moore and dialed her work number and waited for an answer. “Raylene’s Salon, this is Eve how may I help you?”

              “Eve, this is Clover. Where’s your boss lady?”

              “She’s putting her last client under the dryer.”

              “Great! Put me through.”