We Didn’t See it Coming (8 page)

“Mr. Chavis, we're our parents' daughters. Don't dare bring tissues to us in front of the public,” Milandra said, embarrassed.

“Calm down. I was only checking,” he said as he sat in the front row on the right side.

Noelle wanted to defend him, but it wasn't the right time.

Aniyah, dressed in a hot pink suit, entered the back of the church. Her top clung to her body and her skirt stopped nowhere near her knees. Dark shades covered her eyes. A wide-brimmed, pink straw hat was pulled down over her face.

Aniyah stood up on high-heeled sandals to match the rest of her outfit. She sat in the first row that she came to in the back of the church. She slid all the way over to the far right of the pew.

People continued to flow into the church. Aniyah looked up, and to her surprise, Tessa walked in. She slid down in the seat, turning her head away from the aisle, to avoid being noticed by Tessa.

Tessa was dressed in a black dress. A small black hat accented her dress. She wiped her tearful eyes. She strolled to the front until she approached the Houstons. “It's been a long time,” she said as she looked down at Milandra, now all grown up.

“I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are?” Milandra said.

“I used to work for your parents when you were younger. The prettiest girl I ever did see. You had such a beautiful mother.”

“What's your name?” Milandra asked, curious.

“Tessa Sanchez.”

“Hello, Tessa. I do remember you. You're the help who used to let me lick the spoon from your chocolate cake.”

“You remember that?” Tessa smiled.

“This is my sister, Noelle, and our youngest sister, Kenley.”

Tessa looked over at Noelle. She realized that if she had not lost her baby, Rupert Houston would have two daughters the same age.

Across the aisle, Baron studied the back of Tessa, but when she turned around he could not believe his eyes.

“Tessa,” he whispered. She was just as beautiful to him as when he had met her decades ago. Her long, black hair flowed down her back. Her body had gained a few pounds—in all the right places—which made him hunger for her more.

Baron wanted to go up to her, but the guilt of his encounter with Aniyah kept him in his seat. He held his head down, hoping that she would not notice him.

Tessa went up and viewed the bodies. She glanced over at Rupert's body while standing at Alana's casket. She cried, wiping tears from her eyes. “Forgive me,” she said as she made the sign of the cross
with her right hand. She held on to the rosaries around her neck and moved away to let others take their last view.

The services were short, and so was the last resting place ceremony. Aniyah didn't stay for the services. She exited the church while Tessa viewed the bodies.

• • •

Baron looked for signs of Tessa at the Houston Estate. Hopefully, she had come back to the servants' quarters to visit old friends, like Elsa, who didn't make it to the funeral. Milandra ordered that she stay at the estate and prepare the food for their guests.

Once the house was cleared of family and friends, he sat down with the Houstons.

Elsa took charge and poured them hot tea. She kept her ears open to hear what their conversation would be. She wondered if her job would still be secure now that Rupert and Alana Houston were gone.

Milandra waited until she finished pouring them a cup of tea.

“Excuse yourself, Elsa.”

“Yes, Miss Houston.”

Elsa made her way out of the room. Milandra brought her attention to Baron.

“Let's get down to business, the reading of the will. My sisters and I want to see what Father has put into place for us now that Mother is gone, too.”

“Do I have to stay and listen to all this?” Kenley asked, not caring for any talk on business. She wanted to run along, get rid of the clothes she had on, and change into a pair of jeans. She was ready to contact her friends to drown out her pain.

“Of course you do,” Noelle said. “This is your future we're speaking of also.”

“Kenley, grow up. You have no idea who you really are,” Milandra said.

“I'm a teenager!” she shouted. “I'm not old enough to be handling paperwork and all that stuff. May I be excused?”

“How dare you raise your tone of voice to me? I forbid you to speak to me in front of company in such a way. Apologize to Mr. Chavis,” Milandra scolded her.

Kenley pouted. “I apologize. I wish Father and Mother were here,” she cried out, falling back onto the sofa, no longer sitting in an upright position like her sisters.

The attorney took over the conversation. “Well, tomorrow in my office we can have the reading of the will. If there is anyone else to notify, I'll do it this evening.”

“What do you mean?” Noelle asked.

He hesitated. “I was speaking in general as a lawyer. But I must go over the paperwork one last time to make sure everything is in order. I should be going.”

“That means I can go, too,” Kenley said, beating him out of the seat.

“See you in the morning at eleven o'clock. Is that sufficient?”

“Mr. Chavis, we'll get an early start. Make it nine,” Milandra said.

The sisters saw him out. Noelle wanted her sister to escape right along with Kenley, but Milandra was her twin for that second.

A
niyah tossed her hat onto the bed. She raced to a newly purchased bottle of rum and poured a drink. She spoke out loud, “What the hell is wrong with you, Tessa? How could you come back here to see a dead man who took your innocence? He threw you away like garbage. Are you crazy or what?” she asked, as if her aunt was there in the room with her.

Aniyah took another gulp of the rum. She continued to speak out loud: “How weak can you be? What is it that made you return here to spoil my chance of living the rich life? I may not be your daughter, but I'm your blood. Everyone says I look just like you, but in no way do I act like you. No man stomps on my heart and gets away with it. No man stomps on my family's heart and gets away with it. The man—dead or not—must pay. Tessa, go back to Mexico!” she yelled. “You won't mess up my good fortune.”

Aniyah threw the glass across the room, shattering it against the wall. She kicked off her shoes and put the bottle of rum up to her mouth, swallowing a mouthful.

After a few swallows she passed out on the bed, spilling the bottle of rum and soaking her ruined hat.

She awakened at the time that most people would be leaving work. She realized that the funeral services were over and Rupert was covered with the soil of the earth.

Her head throbbed and she drank a glass of tomato juice.

Baron ran across her mind and she picked up the phone and called him.

“Hello,” Baron said, praying that she had vanished.

“When are you going to read the damn will? I can't wait any longer. I want what is rightfully mine.”

“I've spoken with the Houstons. The will will be read in the morning at my office.”

“Did you tell them bitches about me? I hope you did.”

He paused. “I'm afraid not. They're emotionally drained. Today wasn't the time for me to tell them the news about you.”

“You're saying they're more important than me because I'm his bastard child?” Aniyah replied.

“Calm down,” he said, but at the same time he thought, Women! “I'm not saying that. I know you're grieving, too.” He remembered the service. “Your mother, Tessa, came to the funeral, but you weren't there with her. How come?”

“I was there. You didn't notice me because you were too busy taking care of my freakin' sisters. Did you speak to my mama?” Aniyah wondered, hoping her secret was still intact.

“Things moved so fast. I didn't get a chance.”

“We aren't speaking,” Aniyah said, thinking quickly. “She didn't want me to find my papa.”

“Your mother knew what kind of reaction your father would have. She probably didn't want you to be rejected.”

“Where are you?” Aniyah wondered.

“I'm on my way home. Another long day.”

“Come over, please. I need company.” Aniyah saddened.

Baron drove in the direction of his home. Tessa Sanchez was back in Lake Murray. Whatever chance he had to rekindle his
relationship with her might be squashed. His closeness to Aniyah had put up a blockade between them.

“It's late. The reading of the will is at nine o'clock in the morning. Get a good night's rest. See you in the morning.” He hung up.

Aniyah ran and got the brand new telephone book she had seen on the ground outside of her apartment door. She searched for his home address and she called a cab.

Fifteen minutes later, the cab was parked outside her apartment complex waiting on her. She jumped in.

“This is where I want to go.” She passed the driver a slip of paper with the address on it.

The driver blew a kiss at her. “Hot! And I don't mean the heat from my cab.”

The cab driver pulled off, but peeped at her every so often. He tried to figure out what nationality she was. “So, what are you?”

Aniyah had heard those words so many times. “Black-Mexican.”

“Girl, if I can make a baby girl as pretty as you, I'm going to find me a Mexican girl to have sex with.”

She laughed. “Go for it, but make sure you can take care of it.”

“Done deal,” the driver said.

The cab driver drove about twenty minutes. He pulled up to a large house in a subdivision, not secluded and gated like the Houston Estate. A wide porch accentuated the front of the house. The only light Aniyah saw lit in the house was in one room on the second floor.

“Boyfriend got a little cash, I see,” the driver teased.

“Shut up and take this money.” Aniyah paid the driver ten dollars; the amount shown on the meter.

“Do you need a pickup or you and your boyfriend plan to handle things all night long?”

“I'll tell you what, if he doesn't work out, who knows, I might call on you,” Aniyah teased.

“I'll be the best baby daddy.” He grinned, hoping things didn't work out for her.

Aniyah got out and slammed the door. She stepped onto the porch. A few chairs lined the porch. She rang the doorbell.

• • •

Baron, about to step into the shower, stepped back at the sound of the bell. Leaving the shower water running, he grabbed a royal blue bathrobe and tied it around his waist.

As Baron made his way downstairs, he wondered if his receptionist was at the door with some important documents to sign that he may have overlooked at the office. He flicked two switches and the inside foyer and outside lights came on.

Aniyah stood in bright lights, as if the sun was rising instead of setting.

Baron opened the door. The screened door separated them. Startled, he asked, “What are you doing here? How did you find out where I lived?”

“Thanks to the telephone book.” She laughed.

He looked past her. He saw no parked car. “How did you get here?”

“Unfortunately, I'm not like my sisters. I don't have free limousine services. I took a cab.”

“No you didn't,” he said, looking out the door to see if any neighbors had noticed the goings-on at his house. “Where's the cab, Aniyah? Get back in it and go home. Be ready for tomorrow.”

“Cab is gone. No way to get home.” She smiled. “Let me in.” She pulled on the doorknob.

“What's the number? I'll call you another one?”

“Hell no! Let me in, or would you rather I scream rape?”

He unlocked the door reluctantly. He could see that she was ready to give her lungs some exercise.

“Thank you,” she said as she entered the house. “Wow! Beautiful!”

Aniyah loved the daintiness of his home. Everything looked like the background on a soap opera.

“Girl, what do you want?”

“Tonight, I want you.” She moved closer to him.

Baron backed away. He remembered the shower was still running.

“Stay right here.” He ran up the stairs.

Everything is happening right on time.
She kicked off her shoes and rushed up the stairs, following his lead through the master bedroom to the master bath.

Baron leaned over and turned the water off. He turned around and came face to face with her. He jumped. “Aniyah. Girl, you're adding difficulty to my life.”

“I'm bringing spice to your life,” she said as she shook her body.

He went to walk around her but she blocked his way. She slipped off her skirt to let it fall. Baron was faced with the natural tan of her body. Moving fast, she pulled the tie of his bathrobe. It flung open.

“I love coffee,” she said as she stroked his chest.

He flung his head back as he tried to come up with an excuse as to why it was okay for him to have another sexual encounter with her. The rum from the other night was no longer an excuse he could get by with.

Too weakened by her touch, he grabbed the back of her hair and brought her closer to him to feel her heartbeat. He kissed her and his lips traveled her body. Aniyah moaned. She gradually reached over into the shower and turned the water back on.

Pulling him by the hand, Aniyah led him in. She took a bottle
of body wash and lathered her hands with it. In return, he did the same. Together they massaged each other's bodies with the lather. They let the sprinkling water wash the suds away.

Baron took her into his arms, kissing her. He pushed her against the wall and there he made passionate love to her. As always, in his mind he thought, forgive me, Tessa.

Aniyah turned the water off as Baron reached for a towel. He handed it to her.

“So, when are you going to give me that made-up picture of Noelle and me?”

Instead of drying herself off, she towel dried his back. “When I become Mrs. Chavis.”

“Mrs. Chavis! No marriage for me.”