Playing For Keeps (10 page)

“I need to go pull the car around. You two stay right here with our chairs so no one runs off with them and I'll be right back.”

Both girls nodded.

“And no talking to strangers,” he reiterated, shaking an index finger at the two of them.

Both girls rolled their eyes, ignoring him completely. He chuckled softly to himself as he strode quickly back to the parking lot. As he reached his vehicle he couldn't help but note how well the day was going. He was enjoying his time with the twins and made a mental note to himself to carve more time in his schedule for days just like this one.

He settled down in the driver's seat of his SUV and started the ignition. Before he put the car into gear he stole a quick glance to his cell phone. There were no missed calls or messages and though he had hoped to hear from Cilla he knew that she didn't want to interfere with his time with his daughters. He typed a quick text message to her and after pushing the
SEND
button, backed out of the parking space.

 

 

“Daddy won't be mad at you, Cleo!” Claudia was shaking her head at her sister. “And even if he's mad at you for a little bit, he'll be able to fix this! Because you really need him to fix this!” The young girl tossed a glance over her shoulder and around the space to see if anyone was watching. The crowd at the flea market was oblivious, everyone going about their own business.

Cleo was crying, tears streaming down her delicate face. She was visibly distressed, her face flushed a brilliant shade of red because she was crying so hard. Her slender frame shook with a vengeance, every muscle trembling. She had a tight grip around her cell phone, the device engaged as she scrolled through a text message that had been sent to her. Claudia stared over her sister's shoulder, mortified by what she was seeing.

“This is bad, Cleo. Daddy really needs to know.”

Cleo shook her head. “I'll figure it out, but you swore, Claudia. You swore you wouldn't tell anyone.”

“I don't know if I can keep that promise,” she said, pointing to where Cleo was staring. The phone buzzed again signaling the arrival of another text message.

Cleo narrowed her gaze on her sister, her vision still clouded by her tears. She swiped a hand across her face, brushing away the moisture that dampened her view. “I swear,” she suddenly hissed. “If you tell anyone I will never forgive you, sissy. Never!”

Claudia swiped away her own tear. Before she could say another word, Cleo did an about-face, rushing off in the opposite direction.

 

 

“I like the other one better,” Cilla said as she and Bianca stood two steps away from a gold-framed mirror. She was studying the accent piece intently. It was a classic Louis Philippe rectangular mirror crafted with ornate beading and acanthus leaf carvings around the frame. It featured a dusty gold finish and the original aged mirror glass. “It's too gold,” she concluded. “I think the silver tones in the other one will look better in your foyer with that gray slate tile.”

Bianca nodded. “I think so, too,” she said. “Let's get back to that vendor before she sells my mirror to someone else.”

The two women took an easy stroll through the midday crowd. The flea market was a popular weekend jaunt for young and old alike and the atmosphere was easy and carefree. As the two pushed past other buyers, Cilla's cell phone suddenly beeped, a text message showing on her cell phone screen. A bright smile filled her face as she read the short message from Malcolm.

“What?” Bianca questioned, eyeing her suspiciously.

“What do you mean what?”

“I mean why do you have that stupid grin on your face?”

Cilla tilted the cell phone screen toward her friend. “He says he misses me.”

Bianca shook her head. “Awww!Younglove!”shesaidteasingly.

Cilla laughed, giggling like her first crush had paid her some attention. “Don't be jealous.”

Bianca laughed with her. “Girl, please! You know I don't have a jealous bone in my body.”

The two women continued their stroll, both laughing and joking easily. The two were lifelong friends, having met in grade school. They'd been best buddies since Miss Rayner's third grade class at Pinewood Elementary School. In high school they'd been cheerleaders together. After graduation Cilla had moved to Chapel Hill and Bianca had left the state, drawn by the big-city lights of New York.

When her parents had moved from their Charlotte home to Boone, North Carolina, Bianca had come back to the state, settling herself in Raleigh, and the two had picked up their friendship as if they'd never been apart. For a time they'd shared an apartment, then Bianca had bought a fixer-upper in the historic Oakwood neighborhood near downtown Raleigh. Cilla had preferred the newness of her Brier Creek townhome. Their working together at the pharmaceutical company that employed them had been a fluke and a blessing that neither had ever taken for granted.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted when a crying teenager slammed into Cilla. Hard. Both landed harshly against the pavement, the collision startling them both. The girl's cell phone flew in the air and everything Cilla had been holding in her hands dropped to the ground as well.

“Ummph!” Cilla grunted, the abruption knocking the wind from her lungs.

“I'm sorry,” the girl gushed, shock registering across her face as she looked about nervously. She stared intently, contrition seeping in with the tears in her eyes. She looked about, moving to help Cilla pick up her purse and the contents that had spilled out on the ground. “I'm really sorry!” she said again.

Bianca leaned to pick up one cell phone and then the other. The two Samsung units were identical, both even protected by the same stylish, damage-resistant cases. Without giving it any thought she passed the device that had landed closest to Cilla to her and the other to the girl.

“Are you okay?” Cilla asked, concern washing over her expression. She brushed the dust from her white shorts. “Is there anything we can do to help?” she asked as she reached into her leather handbag for a tissue, passing it to the young woman.

Cleo's tears suddenly came harder. The two women tossed each other a look. Bianca shrugged her shoulders, her expression voicing her bewilderment.

Cilla looked around, tossing a glance over one shoulder and then the other. “Sweetie, are you here with someone?”

Before the girl could answer, a man's booming voice could be heard in the distance. Coming from behind her, it grew louder, the frantic call moving the three of them to turn and stare. Recognition suddenly washed over Cilla's face. She looked from the girl standing before her to Malcolm who was rushing in their direction. The resemblance was suddenly unmistakable. She had her father's eyes and nose but her lips were full with a very feminine pout. Her hair was a thick mass of blue-black waves pulled back into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck that hung down to her midback. She was racehorse lean with long, thin legs, no hint of curves to her hips and the faintest beginning of a bustline peeking beneath her top. Racing behind Malcolm was the child's identical twin. Both girls wore the same denim shorts. One had paired hers with a white T-shirt and floral-printed Converse sneakers. Her sister wore hers with a short-sleeved button-up blouse and sandals. A wave of anxiety suddenly pierced Cilla's stomach.

Malcolm looked from his girlfriend to his daughter and back again. Confusion shimmered in his dark eyes. He shifted his gaze to Cleo as he dropped two hands against his daughter's shoulders. “Cleo, what happened? Why'd you run off like that?”

The girl said nothing, panic shining in her eyes.

Malcolm asked again, his tone a tad more forceful. “I asked you a question. What is going on?”

“Claudia and I got into a fight,” Cleo mumbled as she tossed a quick glance at her sister.

Wide-eyed, Claudia's mouth opened and then closed, her expression telling. Cilla didn't miss the silent exchange that seemed to say more than either girl had spoken.

Malcolm looked at his other daughter just as Claudia dropped her eyes to the ground, biting against her bottom lip. He heaved a deep sigh as he looked back toward Cilla.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked as he leaned to kiss her cheek. He waved a hand at Bianca.

“Hey, Malcolm!” Bianca said, her singsong voice ringing through the warm air.

Malcolm could feel both girls suddenly shift their focus toward the three adults. When he looked, two pairs of eyes were studying them curiously. He heaved another deep sigh as he gave Cilla a bright smile.

“Well, I guess introductions are in order,” he said, his emotions running the gamut from excitement to frustration. “Cilla, I'd like to introduce you to my daughters. This is Claudia Monet and you seem to know Cleo Michele.”

Cilla smiled back. “Cleo and I actually ran into each other. Literally,” she said as she rubbed a palm against her bruised hip.

“I wasn't looking where I was going,” Cleo mumbled.

Malcolm shook his head, suddenly understanding. “I hope you apologized.”

“She did,” Cilla said quickly, she and the girl exchanging a look. “It was definitely an accident. Neither one of us was looking where we were going. We both hit the ground hard. I was just making sure she hadn't hurt herself.”

Malcolm muttered a low grunt of frustration, then took a deep breath as if to calm his nerves. “Are you okay, Cleo?”

Cleo nodded, still not saying anything.

Malcolm and Cilla locked gazes, both laughing nervously.

“Well, I had hoped to do this over dinner, but since we're all here,” he said, “Girls, this is my friend that I was telling you two about. This is Miss Cilla.”

Bianca cleared her throat.

Malcolm chuckled softly. “And that's Miss Bianca. She's a friend, as well.”

Bianca waved. “Hi, girls!”

“It's very nice to meet you both,” Cilla said. “Your dad talks about you two all the time.”

Claudia's smile was bright. “Hi!”

Cleo's expression was less enthusiastic.

Cilla's own smile was nervous as she shifted her focus toward Malcolm. “Bianca and I were just hanging out. She was looking for a mirror.”

Bianca suddenly jumped, remembering where they were headed. “I've got to go before she sells my mirror!” she chimed. She waved and turned. “Catch up with me when you're done,” she yelled as she tossed Cilla a look over her shoulder.

Cilla nodded her head as she called after her friend. “I won't be long.”

A nervous silence suddenly dropped over them. Cilla felt self-conscious under the youthful stares boring through her. Both girls were looking from her to their father and back, waiting to see what the two were going to do. She took a deep breath.

“So, have you guys been having a good time today?” she asked, her eyes shifting back and forth.

Malcolm nodded. “We have. The girls have been giving me a run for my money.”

“We're going to the movies next,” Claudia chimed in.

“I'm not so sure about that,” Malcolm said, his brow raised as he looked at them. “I don't know that we're going to do anything until one of you tells me what you were fighting about.”

That silence swelled thick and full a second time as he eyed one and then the other.

Cilla giggled softly. “Well, I'm sure you'll have fun no matter what you do.”

“Would you like to join us?” Malcolm questioned, his gaze dancing back and forth across her face. “We'd love to have you.”

She shook her head, the twins' gazes narrowed like daggers. “Maybe next time. I can't abandon Bianca. She gets all sensitive when we're supposed to spend the day together and something happens that we don't.”

“We know the feeling,” Cleo muttered sarcastically.

Malcolm's mouth opened and then closed but he didn't bother to comment. He and Cilla exchanged a look and she found herself fighting not to laugh out loud.

“Daddy's going to grill,” Claudia said. “Maybe you can come eat dinner with us?”

Malcolm nodded. “I do a mean barbecue chicken if I say so myself.”

Cilla smiled. “Is he any good, Cleo?” she asked.

The young woman shrugged her shoulders. “He's all right,” she said nonchalantly.

Cilla met the look Malcolm was giving her. Her own gaze was hesitant.

He smiled, emphasizing his comment with the intensity of his stare. “I would really like you to come. Now that you've met the girls I want you to meet my mother.”

Claudia moved into her father's side, wrapping her arms around his waist. Cleo moved against his other side, her head leaning against his shoulder. The trio stared at her intently until she finally nodded her assent. “I'd like that,” she said as her eyes flitted from one face to another.

Something like joy flickered through Malcolm's eyes. His excitement washed over his expression. “Great. Will six o'clock work for you?”

She nodded. “Six o'clock is fine.”

“I'll text you directions,” he said, his grin a mile wide.

Cilla nodded, then before either said another word he leaned and kissed her mouth, the gesture swift and easy. With a slight wave of his hand he turned, pulling both of his girls along behind him.

As they moved off, Claudia's voice echoed in the distance. “Way to go, Daddy! She's so pretty!”

Chapter Eight

Bianca was laughing hysterically, finding what had happened far funnier than Cilla did. “If you had seen your face when you were sitting on the ground! You wanted to be mad and then you saw her boo-hoo-hooing. That soft spot of yours kicked in then!”

“What's up with that?” Cilla questioned. “Something had her seriously upset but she didn't want her father to know what.”

Bianca shrugged. “Probably some boy hurt her feelings. You know what we're like at that age.”

“Maybe, but I definitely got the feeling that she was hiding something and whatever it is her sister is keeping it a secret too.”

“How do you know?”

“Remember how we'd do when we didn't want our moms to know what we were up to? The looks we'd exchange when we didn't have our stories straight so we'd know to roll with the lies you were telling. Well, she and her sister did the same thing.”

“The lies I was telling? I never told any lies. I might have bent the truth a little but I never lied!” Bianca laughed.

Cilla laughed with her. “Bent the truth? Girl, sometimes you'd have the truth so twisted that it couldn't do anything but break. You spun some serious tall tales.”

“I had a vivid imagination!”

Cilla's eyes rolled. “Well, I hope he can get her to talk to him. These days kids have too much going on for a parent to be in the dark.”

Her friend nodded. “I'd volunteer to go with you to dinner but I don't do kids. Besides, it'll give you a chance to play family and see what that's like.”

“Well, I appreciate that but I don't remember Malcolm inviting you.”

“And what's up with that? You let him know that wasn't cool. I like barbecue too!”

Cilla shook her head at her friend. She stole a quick glance to the clock on the dashboard. “It's getting late,” she said. “I need to go get ready.” She pointed Bianca in the direction of her home.

“Do you even know where you're going?” Bianca asked.

“Malcolm should have texted me directions by now,” she said as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket. As she engaged the device Cilla realized the phone she had wasn't hers. There was no password on the unit and as she slid her index finger across the screen it opened to the last page Cleo had been viewing. Cilla's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open in shock as she flipped through the images on the screen.

“Oh, my God!” she gasped.

“What?” Bianca asked, glancing at her from the corner of her eye. “What's wrong?”

Cilla didn't answer as she flipped through the device, moving from one image to another. She couldn't begin to believe what she was seeing, but it was there, in more detail than she would have needed. Someone had photographed the girl and other young girls. The images were nude or seminude. She suddenly understood the child's hysterics, what she hadn't wanted her father to know. Tears pressed hot against her eyelids.

“I can't believe this!” Cilla exclaimed as she slapped a hand over her mouth. “Ohhh! The pictures! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!”

“Who? What?” Bianca chimed as she came to a stop at the intersection, shifting the vehicle into park. She snatched the device from Cilla's hands to look for herself.

Moments later the car behind them blew its horn, the driver clearly annoyed. Bianca passed the phone to her friend before shifting back into drive and depressing the gas pedal. As the car jerked forward, both women let out loud gasps.

“I have to tell Malcolm,” Cilla finally said.

“You can't tell Malcolm.”

“Why not?”

“You being the bearer of bad news will put a serious crimp in your relationship. Plus, this kind of drama is going to upend that family for a good long time. There is no way he's going to take this well. And it coming from you is just going to make it harder for him to want to move forward.”

Cilla shook her head. “What if she was your daughter? Wouldn't you want me to tell you?”

“That's different. I'm not interested in dating you so you had better tell me if my child were caught up in some mess like that.”

“And what if I don't tell and he finds out I knew. He'll never forgive me.”

Bianca blew a deep sigh. “I would really hate to be you right now because you have to tell.”

Cilla turned to stare out the window. In that moment she hated the predicament she'd suddenly found herself in.

 

 

“No, no, no!” Cleo cried as she threw a hissy fit in the center of the room.

“What's wrong?” Claudia questioned.

“This isn't my phone! She has my phone!” she screamed.

Claudia shook her head. “It's no big deal, Cleo. She'll bring your phone back when she comes for dinner.”

“And why did you invite her anyway? This was supposed to be
our
day with Daddy.”

“Daddy wanted her to come. Couldn't you tell? He got all giggly and he seemed really happy. I like it when Daddy's happy. He's downstairs right now humming and singing. Daddy never hums! Besides, I want to get to know her.”

“Well, I'm not interested in knowing her. I just have to get my phone back.”

Claudia gave her sister a look. “What's on your phone anyway? Why'd you get so upset when you looked at that message?”

Cleo shook her head. “It's not important.”

“You're lying. Whatever it was made you really upset otherwise you wouldn't have gone running off like you did. You need to tell!”

“Leave me alone, Claudia!”

“I'm really tired of getting caught up in your lies. I hate lying to Daddy!”

Cleo blew a loud sigh. She shook her head, tears misting in her eyes. “I don't know what to do, sissy! It's gotten really bad and I don't know how to fix it,” she said, the tears finally falling for the umpteenth time. Claudia moved to her sister's side and hugged her warmly. “It's going to be okay. But you have to ask for help. You have to!”

Cleo nodded. “I guess.” She took a deep breath. “I just need some time, okay. I'll tell, I promise, but I need some time.”

Claudia stood staring at her sister, trying to decide if she wanted to believe the half-truth that had just come out of her mouth. “Well, you should start by telling Daddy that you have Miss Cilla's phone. She won't know how to get here if she doesn't get the text message he promised to send.”

Cleo pouted, shaking her head. “Okay, but the minute she gets here we have to get my phone from her.”

 

 

Cilla was still trying to figure out what to do when the cell phone in her hand rang, some current pop song the ringtone of choice. She was only half surprised when Malcolm's smiling face appeared on the screen, indicating that he was the incoming caller. She took a deep breath before she answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, you!”

“Hey, yourself. What's up?”

“I don't know if you noticed but you've got my daughter's phone. We have yours.”

“I did,” Cilla said. “Bianca must have gotten them mixed up when Cleo and I crashed into each other.”

“I still can't get over the way we ran into you today.”

“Me neither,” Cilla said. “Is Cleo okay?”

There was a second of pause before Malcolm answered. “I think so. I get the feeling something's off but I can't figure out what it is. She's been weird all day. Hiding out in her room, locking doors, just behaving out of character. I'm thinking I might need to seek out professional help and maybe take her to a therapist if she keeps it up.”

Cilla nodded into the receiver. “That might be an idea.”

Something in her tone caught his attention. “Are you okay? You sound like something's bothering you?”

Cilla lied. “No. I'm fine. Just nervous about meeting your mother.”

“I hope you can still come. I've already prepped the chicken,” he said, his excitement rising in his tone.

Cilla found herself smiling. “I can't wait,” she said.

She could sense him smiling with her.

“Good,” he said. “Because I really want to see you. I meant it when I texted you that I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” she said.

They talked for a few minutes more and after Malcolm had given her directions to his family's home he disconnected the call. As she moved to get dressed she still didn't have a clue what she was going to do but she knew that insuring Cleo's safety had to be foremost in her decision.

 

 

Cilla's mouth dropped as she pulled her car into the driveway of the North Raleigh home. Its exclusive location with the gated entry had been impressive. The home itself took that impression a step further and then some. The traditional Georgian architecture had to have been a dream come true, Cilla thought. The extraordinary Southern estate was more house than Cilla had seen in quite some time. She'd assumed that Malcolm and his family lived well, but she hadn't imagined, with him being so down to earth and country, them living so lavishly. She suddenly wondered just what else she didn't know about the man.

As she parked her car in the empty space next to Malcolm's she saw Cleo standing in wait. The young girl jumped to her feet. She tossed a glance over her shoulder before moving toward the car, waiting for Cilla to step out of her vehicle. Cilla took a deep breath and then another before she opened the door. She pulled a smile onto her face, preparing herself for whatever might come.

“Hi, Cleo!” she said brightly.

“Hi. Can I have my phone?”

Cilla reached a hand out to brush a strand of hair from the girl's face. “Is your dad inside?”

“Yeah. Can I have my phone? Please?”

Cilla nodded. “Your dad said that you and your sister lost your phone privileges for that fight you had earlier. He asked me to return the phone to him.”

Cleo twisted her face in frustration as she tossed her hands in the air. “I really need to get my phone. I need to . . . to . . . I need to get my homework assignment off of it,” she said brusquely.

“What homework assignment?” a voice suddenly questioned from the entranceway.

Both Cilla and Cleo turned to see who had spoken. Claudette Cobb stood with her hands crossed over her chest. She focused her gaze on her granddaughter, waiting for the girl to answer her question. When Cleo didn't, she shook her head.

“That's what I thought. You daddy said no phone and he meant no phone. Get your behind inside and let your father know his friend is here.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Cleo muttered. She glared at Cilla before turning and moving back into the house.

Mama Claudette gestured for Cilla to follow her into the home. “I'm Claudette Cobb, Malcolm's mother,” she said, her voice soft like cotton. “And you must be Priscilla.”

“Yes, ma'am. But everyone calls me Cilla.”

The matriarch extended her hand. “It's very nice to meet you, Cilla. My son has told me good things about you.”

“It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cobb.”

“Please, everyone calls me Mama.”

Cilla smiled. “Yes, ma'am. You have a beautiful home,” she said, her eyes swinging slowly around as she took in the décor. They'd moved from the foyer to the kitchen and family room. “It's absolutely incredible!”

“Thank you! It was a gift from my son. I'd dreamt of living in a house like this since I was a little girl down in Macon, Georgia. Never imagined that I'd ever have that chance. My husband, Malcolm's father, had bought us a comfortable bungalow when we first moved here after we married and I loved that house but this was my dream come true. After his daddy died he bought this house and moved us all in here.”

Cilla smiled at the words she'd chosen—her “dream come true.” Her head bobbed slowly up and down. “You're a very lucky woman, Mrs. Cobb.”

“I think so. I have an amazing son who's blessed me exponentially and I'm able to watch my grandbabies grow into amazing women. Each day is one blessing after another.” The woman paused in a brief moment of reflection, then rested her gaze on Cilla's face, her smile wide. She gestured for her to take a seat at the kitchen counter. “So, tell me about yourself, Cilla,” she said when she finally spoke again.

 

 

Malcolm paused in the hallway, staring into the kitchen at Cilla and his mother. The two women were laughing comfortably, each seeming quite at ease with the other. Cilla stood at the marble-topped island, helping with the salad fixings. His mother was fussing over a pot of beans. Claudia had joined the two women and they were exchanging anecdotes as they got to know one another. Something about the moment moved his spirit, feeling like everything was right in his small world. He smiled, marveling at how his family suddenly felt fuller, more complete with the beautiful woman there. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted, his mother calling his name.

“I hope you didn't burn that chicken, Malcolm. Cilla didn't come all the way over here to eat bad food.”

“I know that's right, Mama Claudette,” Cilla said with a laugh as Malcolm moved into the kitchen space.

He placed the platter of meat he'd been holding onto the countertop. “I didn't burn the chicken,” he quipped as he leaned to kiss his mother's cheek.

Claudia giggled. “Daddy's showing off, Grandma! This will probably be his best chicken ever!”

Amusement danced in Malcolm's eyes as he tossed his daughter a look. “Are you really trying to embarrass your old man?”