Color of Deception (16 page)

Chapter 41

Pete didn’t have the desire to call or go to Roger’s job and confront him about his letter. He was afraid of physically taking his anger out on the man – a fight he probably would lose, but a fight he would initiate none the less if he saw him. He watched as the teller counted five thousand dollars cash in front of him. He would pay fifty thousand dollars if it meant Carl wouldn’t be taken away from him.

He still hadn’t told Debra or Rachel about the letter. It was best that they didn’t know. No need for them to worry over something he could handle.

Pete smiled remembering Carl lying on his stomach this morning scooting toward a toy that was in front of him. His chubby little legs kicked, pushing him forward as his arms reached forward for the toy.
He’ll be crawling in no time.

“Here you are Sir. Five thousand dollars.” The teller placed the money in a large envelope and pushed it over to Pete. “Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

“No, thank you!”

A few minutes later, Pete arrived at the bank called out in Roger’s letter. Pete used the key for the safe deposit box that was also inside the letter he received and placed the envelope with the money inside before locking it. He just wanted this whole thing to be done. If five thousand dollars secured Carl’s place with him, it was money well spent. He breathed a sigh of relief, then turned and walked back out of the bank and into his car. He had to go back home to spend a few more hours with his son before heading in to work today because he knew he would be working late.

**KC**

“Thank you James for helping me,” Debra said, working on a design program on the computer. She was trying her hand at designing a simple logo for a couple that wanted to incorporate their names as a logo on their wedding invitations.

“No problem!” James said, sitting in a chair next to her watching as she clicked on a few icons in the program as she tried to familiarize herself. “I taught Carlisha how to work in this program too. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.”

“I really like graphic design. I can see myself doing this long term.”

“James, are you ready to head out for lunch?” Rachel asked, interrupting them.

James and Debra looked up at her after she approached the counter that they were sitting behind working on the computer.

“Yeah sure. Let me grab my cell from my desk. I’ll be a sec,” he said to Rachel as he jumped off the stool he was sitting on. “Finish working on this and let me see what you come up with, okay?” he told to Debra before walking away.

“Okay. I’ll email you the file when I’m done.” Debra turned back to the computer screen and continued working as James walked toward the back, away from the retail store. The air immediately became awkward. Ever since Debra stormed out of Pete’s house after Rachel’s outburst about her moving in on her aunt’s territory, they’d both been avoiding each other. Even though Debra had been working at the printing company for a couple weeks, they had been successful with only communicating with each other for business purposes
only
which was always brief.

“You really are getting pretty comfortable here aren’t you?” Rachel spat after James was no longer able to overhear what she was saying.

Debra head snapped up at her words. She still couldn’t believe the nice, godly young lady she had come to know was being so nasty. Yeah she got that Rachel was being protective and loyal to her late aunt, but this new attitude still stunned Debra.

“Just as comfortable as you are with being rude and nasty. Do you have to pray for God’s forgiveness every night for that attitude?” Debra looked at her directly, seeing how her words struck a chord in Rachel. A flash of condemnation flickered across her face but disappeared so quickly that Debra would’ve almost believed she hadn’t seen it, but she did. “Pete and I are friends, not that it’s any of your business! And my main objective is to assist in taking care of my godson. Nothing more, nothing less.”  This was similar to what she told Pete on their date. After they left the restaurant, they went to play pool at a sport’s bar. She told him that she wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship. And going forward she would prefer if he needed her to care for Carl overnight, that she took care of him at her house and not his. Seeing her ex that night really brought her reasons for remaining single back to the forefront and allowed her to focus on her task of starting a new life for herself. She wouldn’t allow Pete to get her off track. Not even the mind blowing kisses, oh my, the kisses left her numb with awe and had her wanting to do more, would keep her from meeting the goals she had set for herself. Whatever attraction she had suddenly developed for him she had to lock away from her heart and mind with bolts, screws, and torch sealed to not be released again. Pete didn’t like what she had to say, but he respected her decision for them to remain friends – at least that was the impression he gave her.

Rachel considered what Debra said for a moment. “I think that’s best. Which means you won’t have any issues from me.”

“I’m ready, let’s roll,” James said after returning with his cell phone in hand.

“You won’t have any problems with me either,” Debra stated to Rachel before returning her attention to the computer screen. “Unless you dare disrespect me again.” Debra looked up again to make sure Rachel heard her correctly and understood who the grown woman was in their conversation. Debra didn’t go off on Rachel when she first verbally attacked her, she understood her protectiveness of her aunt’s memory, but she would not allow Rachel to cross that line of disrespect again. She’d been through too much in her life to allow a twenty-something year old child talk to her any kind of way.

James looked back and forth between them trying to decipher what he walked in on.

“I’m ready,” Rachel spun on her heels and walked toward the door, her long hair bouncing on her back as she went.

Debra felt James looking at her as she began working on the design on the computer screen again but she didn’t give any facial clues as to what her conversation with Rachel was about. She was sure he had a good guess though. Since working there, she noticed that James and Damian were pretty close, so she had no doubt that Damian pretty much told him about walking in on her and Pete kissing in the break room a couple weeks ago.

              “You want me to bring you back anything?” James asked.

“No thank you! I brought lunch.”

“Okay, cool. Be back in a few.” He turned and started for the exit.

Chapter 42

A few days later Leah dropped by Minute Print with Carl to visit. “Hi Debra,” Leah greeted, after pushing the stroller with a bright eyed Carl strapped securely in the seat into Minute Print.

“Hi Leah. What a wonderful surprise. You brought Carl for an afternoon visit!” Debra hopped off her seat behind the counter and came around to greet Leah and Carl.

“Yes. We just had a walk in the park and I decided to drive over here before heading back to Pete’s to put him down for his nap.” Despite Leah’s objection to Pete wanting to date Debra, she had no problems with her and spoke with her as cordially as before walking in on them kissing three months ago. Leah wasn’t sure if Debra and Pete had pursued dating, she hadn’t heard nor seen them in that manner, so she figured they probably weren’t.

Carl was now five months old. He was sitting up comfortably on his own, crawling and even pulling himself up to a standing position. He was advancing very quickly. He sat in his stroller swinging a rattle in his hand while giggling showing his two teeth.

“And today is a perfect day for a walk too,” Debra said, referring to the cool autumn temperature. She stooped down in front of the stroller. Carl reached for her when he saw her face. She unsnapped him out of stroller and lifted him up, hugging him to her chest. “Hi sweetie! Do you miss me?” She kissed the top of his curly dark head. She inhaled all his baby scent, taking pleasure in it.

“Looks like we have a little visitor?” Damian said strolling in, joining them. “Hello Leah.” Leah greeted him with a big smile and hello. Damian placed the folder he had in his hand on the counter then walked over and rubbed his hand over Carl’s head. Debra, now standing, still held him in her arms. “Hey lil man. You look so much like your mama.” Carl smiled at Damian as if understanding what he just said.

“Doesn’t he?” Debra asked, beaming at her godson. Carl reached for the necklace she had around her neck. She caught his chubby hand before he snatched it. “Oh no you don’t. You popped the necklace I had on yesterday.”

“He such a busy body. That’s why I take him for walks in the park. At least for that few minutes in the park I know he is in one place, and not crawling all over the place being Mr. Inquisitive,” Leah smiled. They all laughed. “That’s one of the reasons I stopped by too. I want to ask Pete if it would be okay if I sign Carl up for a baby and me class.”

“Oh, I think that’s a fabulous idea Leah.”

The door chimed indicating a customer. All three adult heads turned toward the entrance. Roger had walked in, dressed casually in dark jeans, dark t-shirt, timberlands and a leather jacket. He stopped midstride when he noticed his son in Debra’s arms. For a moment, he was oblivious of the stares Leah, Debra and Damian had directed at him.

Debra clutched Carl closer to her chest remembering the last encounter she had with Roger when he was drunk and demanding to see his son.

“Hey, man,” Damian broke the crackling silence. “What’s up?” Damian walked toward Roger.

Damian slowly moved his eyes away from his son, his only seed. His heart warmed at the sight of his chubby, handsome face.
He definitely looks like Carlisha.
But he also noticed, even from the short distance, that there was some resemblance of him in his first and only born. They had the same shaped nose and mouth. Guilt gnawed at him as he remembered not wanting Carlisha to have his baby, denying that she was even pregnant, and secretly hoping that she would miscarry.

“Hey, I’m cool man.” Roger and Damian did a quick fist pump greeting.

“How can we help you?” Pete asked from behind them. He stared at Roger with unhidden hostility in his eyes. From the security camera in his office which was installed after the attempted robbery months ago, he saw when Roger entered the building.

“I would like to have a word with you,” Roger stated, meeting his hostile gaze.

Leah and Debra remained quiet, not sure of what to say or do. Fear gripped them both, both with their own reasons of knowing the threat Roger’s presence brought.

Pete regarded Roger for a second, then said, “Follow me to my office.” He turned and started back the way he came. Roger followed quietly behind him.

**KC**

After closing the door behind them, Pete gestured to Roger to take a seat in one of the visitor’s chairs in front of his desk. Pete reclaimed his seat behind his desk. Today was Rachel’s day off so they were alone in the office.

Pete reined in his temper and avoided going
crazy white man
. He was tempted beyond more than he thought he could control. But he remained calm wanting to hear the reason for Roger’s unwanted visit.

“I know I said I don’t want anything to do with Carl, but I want to have visitations with my son. You can keep custody, I just want to see him on a regular basis.” Roger looked at Pete, sickened by the fact that he had to ask a man, a white man at that, to have visits with his own
damn
son. But he knew he wasn’t in any position to attempt raising him on a fulltime basis, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to bring Carl home to Porsha. He’d rather his son be raised by a white man than have Porsha anywhere near him, doing so would bring his son more harm than good as far as he was concerned. Maybe later on he would fight for permanent custody. Plus Porsha would probably kill Roger in his sleep for bringing Carlisha’s son home – chick was CRAZY! But he had to at least have a relationship with his son. Especially after finding out that the kids he thought were his with Porsha, weren’t his after all. At least according to her, which only confirmed the doubts he’d had for years.

“Visitation?” Pete assumed he wanted to ask for more money – or worse. Make good on his threat to get custody of Carl. But visitation?

“I want to be a father figure in his life. Besides, he needs to have a black face in his life. He is black. No offense, but you can’t fully prepare a young black man for life when you have no clue of the difficulties he would have to face.” 
Plus I want to teach him not to make the same dumb mistakes I’ve made in my life. Getting involved with Porsha is one of them. And the other crap I’ve got my hands in that I need to straighten the heck up.
“I want Carl to know who I am.”

Pete was quiet for a long time. He knew one challenge of raising Carl was the fact that he didn’t feel adequate with knowing how to prepare Carl for the cruel world he would have to face as a black man. Heck, just months ago he despised blacks just because of the color of their skin because it reminded him of the black man that killed his wife. So although reformed from his brief hatred, he wasn’t naïve to the fact that racism existed and that there were people that didn’t flinch in demonstrating their hate. He wished he would be able to protect Carl from all of that, but he knew it was impossible. The thought made him sick that he was once one of those racist bastards – but thank God for forgiveness and healing!

“How do I know you won’t take off with him during one of your
visits
?”

Roger laughed. “We both know that if I wanted custody of my son the courts would have no problem handing him over to his
biological black
father.” He sat back against the chair and allowed his long legs to stretch out in front of him and crisscrossed them at the ankles. “So no, I won’t take off with him during one of my visits.”

“If I agree to this—”

“If you agree to this?” Roger spat, forgetting just moments ago he was the one
asking
, not demanding to see his son.

“Yes! If I agree to the visitations. I want to ensure that you won’t be using the ‘I’m going to get custody because I’m the biological black father’ over my head. If you want your son then
fight
for custody, if not I’m not in the mood for any more of your schemes.” Pete countered, placing his forearms on the desk and leaning forward to emphasize his point. If he had to deal with Roger he wanted him to be straight with him, even if that meant facing each other in court. He didn’t want that, but he also didn’t want to be running around like a fool unsure of when Roger would want to use his son as a pawn again.

Roger regarded Pete for a moment. Pete wasn’t weak or gullible as he’d expected. “Like I said, I just want to have visitation with my son. I’m not BS-ing you! I’m man enough to admit that you’ve done a great job so far raising him. He looks good. Carlisha would be happy.”
Besides I have no right to raise him since I didn’t want him to begin with. But he is my son and I want him to know who I am.

Pete accepted the compliment, though he wished he could turn back the hands of time and apologize to Carlisha for pushing her away after Moriah’s death. She was like a daughter to him at one point and it killed him now when he remembered how cold he was toward her. But now he had a chance to make it up to her by taking care of her son.

Pete blew a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Alright. But we’ll have to have a written agreement about the conditions of the visits. That way we’re all on the same page. He is your son, but I am his legal guardian.” Pete sat back in his chair. He couldn’t believe he just agreed to this.

“I just want a few hours a week on my days off. I’m cool about a written agreement.”

“What about your wife?” Pete asked, suddenly remembering that Porsha attacked Carlisha hours before she died in childbirth. Although she wasn’t found guilty of causing Carlisha’s death, the thought of Carl being around her made him uncomfortable. “She assaulted Carlisha. How does she feel about you wanting visitation?” He desperately wanted to renege on his verbal agreement for visitation. How could he have forgotten that Roger was married to Porsha? If she did something to hurt Carl, Pete knew he would end up in jail, no doubt about it. That woman killed Carl’s mother as far as he was concerned.

“She doesn’t need to know.” Pete looked at him skeptically. “She won’t be around when he’s with me,” Roger assured him.
No way do I want her to poison my son’s mind like she’s already done to her rotten kids.

“That will be part of the agreement then. Under no circumstance will Carl be around your wife,” Pete said through gritted teeth. Roger was Carl’s father and the fact that he wanted to have a relationship with his son was commendable considering he’d been ghost for months.
Carlisha must have told him about her pregnancy.
He knew he had a son for months and for whatever reason denied it. But now he was stepping up and Pete couldn’t deny him or Carl that despite the
nutcase
he had for a wife.

“Have something written up, I’ll look it over and sign.”

Pete nodded. “I’ll have my lawyer write something up.”

Roger stood up. “I would like to keep this between us. You or me can write an agreement and have it notarized. No lawyers!”

Pete hesitated. “Alright!”

“Good. I’ll like to see him before I go.”

Pete stood up, rounded his desk and walked toward the closed office door. Before opening the door he turned to Roger. “I know you are Carl’s biological father, but if you do anything to hurt him, you and I will have some
serious
problems!” He moved two fingers back and forth between the two of them.

“Trust me, I’m not a dude you want to mess with. But I appreciate your concern for my son. It’s duly noted,” Roger said in a serious tone.