Mattie's Call (21 page)

“Davina's gone. She came back to get the rest of her things. Said she needed some time alone.”

“I thought you two would work things out.”

“If it's meant to be, she'll be back.”

The lawsuit came to mind again. “I'd feel low joining the others to sue you. Besides, money can only do so much, and it can't take the place of family.”

Alice's sullen face grabbed his attention. “What's wrong? Your emotions are written on your face.”

“I miss my family, especially my mother.”

He held her hands again. “I'm all ears.”

“I'm so lonely. I've never discussed my mother's disappearance with you, but she put stipulations in her will. We're all supposed to be doing things to better ourselves before we get the money. Problem is, we're not really talking to each other right now.”

“Why not?”

“They're mad because I went back to Beryl. I never thought I'd miss arguing with Gigi or making fun of Joshua's women, but I do. For a short time, we were bonding after Mama's funeral. Then things changed.”

“Your phone still works, doesn't it?”

“Of course.”

“Sometimes, you have to make the first move. Doesn't matter who was wrong, or who upset whom, it's good to swallow your pride and make an attempt.”

Robert was still holding her hands when Beryl approached their table.

“So this is where you get your eye exams these days?”

“Beryl!” Her anger rose. “You followed me?”

“Don't Beryl me! Get your things and let's go!” He pulled her arm but was shocked by Robert's strength as he removed his hands from her arm.

The men stood face to face now. “I asked her to meet me here. Don't blame her for anything, and don't you dare put your hands on her.”

“So we're playing tit-for-tat games?”

“It's nothing like that, Beryl. We're trying to get the money back that was lost through the scheme. She's here trying to get your family's share.”

Alice sighed, grateful Robert came to her defense. She ignored the onlookers engrossed in their drama. She also noticed Beryl counting to ten backward, one of the techniques he'd learned since attending anger management classes.

Beryl, unsure of whom to believe, addressed Robert. “You couldn't talk to me man to man?”

“I didn't exactly plan on talking to you at all considering the Davina situation. It's taking everything in me to not do anything to you.”

Beryl took a few steps back. “I'm…look, let's just go, Alice.”

She grabbed her purse. “I'll be in touch with you, Robert.”

Robert watched them leave. Alice wilted with each step she took.

Once outside, Beryl pointed toward his car. “Let's talk.”

“I can't leave my car here.”

“You won't. I need to say what's on my mind, then I'll leave.”

Alice sat in Beryl's car and waited for him to speak.

“I didn't
follow
you as you put it. You didn't answer my calls and I wanted you to know Attorney Durk called the house for you. He said something about handling a personal matter regarding your mother. I noticed you've been moping for months since you came back home. Why did you come back anyway?”

“To get back at you for all the things you did to me! Being stuck under your thumb cost me so many relationships. My mother is dead and I never got a chance to say goodbye to her, I'm distant from my siblings, and I don't have many friends,” Alice spat.

“Alice, I treated you badly. I acknowledge my abuse and my temper. If I came home and found you in bed with someone else, I would've murdered you.”

“I wouldn't bring another man into our house.”

“I know.”

“Why are we talking? Why are we even here?”

“Alice, I want a divorce.”

His words knocked the wind out of her. “This is about Davina, isn't it?”

“Davina was a one-time mistake. Weakness got the best of me.”

“You don't love me anymore?”

“Love isn't the issue. I'm miserable, you're miserable, and we're wasting each other's time. We need to move on.”

In all her scheming, she never considered Beryl's stance. They'd gone through the motions so long life without him hadn't occurred to her. At least not with him initiating the move.

“There must be someone else in your life, Beryl. Why the sudden change?”

“Not someone. Something.”

“Something?”

“My mother's misery. You didn't travel with me last weekend to visit my parents, but all these years, I never realized how much I'm like my father. I hated the way he treated my mother growing up, but I saw myself in him and you in her. She shuffled around the house taking orders from him, hiding in the bedroom until he told her she could come out. She may as well have been a zombie.”

“Your father abused your mother?”

“He didn't hit her, but he ruled her with an iron fist. Her sole purpose was to serve him. If he abused her physically, I never witnessed it.”

Alice leaned back in her seat. What would she do now? She'd burned so many bridges she could smell the ashes. Where would she go?

“I
followed
you because I didn't want to move out of the house without talking with you first. I started packing clothes and will get the rest of my things later.”

“Why are you moving out? I can stay with Synaria or talk with Joshua about staying with him.”

“Alice, you're a grown woman. You made our house a home and it's yours. This divorce won't drag on. We'll split the assets and I'll make sure you're okay. I'm not living this way anymore.”

“What about the money from the Ponzi scheme?”

“Keep it. Trust me, I'll be fine.”

She should have been thrilled. She'd dreamt of being free from Beryl's spell for so long, but now, fear gripped her. She went from her parents' home to his. How would she pay bills? Buy groceries? She couldn't navigate the world alone.

“Beryl, maybe we should try and work things out.”

“This isn't up for debate, Alice. Our life together is over.”

32

“A
little to the left, Synaria.”

“If you stop moving, it will be easier.”

“But it feels so good; I haven't done this in a long time.”

Synaria kneaded Joshua's shoulder blades until they slackened. How a routine wellness check turned into a back massage is anyone's guess, but she was happy he'd stopped by to see her. She noted the stiffness in his body as he spoke and offered to give him a back rub.

“Are you sure you heard her correctly?”

“Josh, Beryl and Alice are getting a divorce.”

“He's too evil to walk away from her. Something else is going on.”

“If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd agree with you. I'm telling you, he snatched all his things! Clothes, shoes, golf clubs, everything.”

“She let you in the house?”

“Reluctantly.”

Joshua wanted to believe what he heard, but they'd been down that road before with Alice. He'd stay as far from the situation as possible.

“When did all this happen?”

“She called me crying last night. I hadn't heard from her and was shocked she reached out to me. I was a bit hesitant to go to the house, but I did.”

“And?”

“She was in the middle of the bed crying her eyes out. At first I thought they'd gotten into a fight, but when I realized she was mourning his departure, I wanted to smack her.”

“Exactly!”

“Not so fast.”

“Why are you defending her again?”

“It takes a long time to break the chains of abuse. The devil you know is more comfortable than the one you don't.”

“So you're saying my sister would rather be with a wife beater instead of by herself or with a good man?”

“Until she's safe and healed, yes. Our job is to get her to safety.”

“Your job, not ours.”

“Ours.”

“Not until she apologizes to me.”

“Have it your way. I bet if something happened to her, you'd never forgive yourself.”

He didn't respond. He still hadn't accepted his mother's death; losing Alice would crush his heart.

“Let's suppose—” His cell phone interrupted his statement. The 770 area code made him tremble.
Deborah
. Joshua removed Synaria's hands from his neck. “Mind if I take this call in another room?”

“Sure.” She motioned him toward the patio.

He stepped outside, took a deep breath, then answered.

“Deborah, why haven't you called or responded to my messages?”

Her silence annoyed him. The least she could do was explain herself.

“Deborah—”

“Don't hang up. It's Langston.”

Although he was outside, the wind disappeared and his chest constricted. He'd waited for the moment to speak to his son, have a chance to explain himself, but now the words were caught in his throat.

He managed, “How did you get this number?”

“Everything changed when you came to the condo and no one was giving me any answers. I had to find out the truth for myself.”

“Do you, I mean, who do you think I am?”

“That's what I came to Savannah to find out.”

“You're here?”

“Yes. I'm staying at a Best Western off the Interstate. Mom thinks I'm visiting one of my soccer buddies. I have an idea who you are. I just need confirmation.”

“Listen, I'm at a friend's right now, but I'm heading home. Meet me there. 6704 Calypso Road.”

“I'll MapQuest it.”

“Does Deborah know you found out about me?”

“No. I've named this ride the reverse deception road trip. See you soon.”

Joshua ended the call and went back inside. He watched as Synaria busied herself folding clothes on the couch.

“So, is Deborah your latest conquest?”

The question broke his concentration and fear. “What?”

“You said the name Deborah earlier. I assumed she was someone new you were dating.”

“We used to date. She's my son's mother.”

“Right. Alice told me about her. What's going on? Is she here?”

“She isn't, but my son is.”

She placed the pile of towels on the coffee table. Alice had shared Ms. Mattie's covert operation of keeping Langston a secret. “Have a seat.”

Joshua rubbed his hands down his pant legs. He'd never so much as babysat, let alone had any paternal instincts. How does a father speak to a son? He leaned back on the sofa.

“Where is he now?”

“He's on his way to my house.”

“Get going. He's waited long enough to get to know you. I'll be here if you need to talk.”

She practically scooted him out of the door and watched him drive away.

She called out to the Universe. “Please let the meeting go well. Josh needs a little joy in his life.”

33

M
onths had passed since he'd first laid eyes on Langston, but raw emotions kept him glued near a huge planter in the front yard. Generations of Benson men were nestled in his son's features. High cheekbones, a strong jawline, and dark, seductive eyes were family trademarks. Langston inherited them all. He was handsome, clean-cut, and dressed casually in a Georgia State T-shirt and Levi's. Langston shifted a quilted backpack on his shoulders and closed the gap between them.

Sensing his father's fear, he smiled and asked, “You gonna keep staring or you letting me in this nice house of yours?”

Benson humor, too.
“Come inside,” was all Joshua could muster.

They sat in the living room as Langston placed the backpack on the love seat. Langston's eyes wandered on family photos placed along the fireplace and on the sofa table. Neither knew what to say, so Joshua took the lead.