Spoiled Secrets (13 page)

Chapter 17

(Chase Mitchell)

              As the minutes tick by I’m starting to wonder where Amber is.  Her mom is cool and all, but come on.  I did not plan on having dinner with just her.  When I hung up with Amber, she made it seem as if she would be meeting me as the door opened.  What has it been ten, fifteen, twenty minutes?

              “Excuse me Mrs. Wallace, but is everything okay?  It’s been what, fifteen minutes and Amber isn’t down here with us.”

              She gives me a smile that doesn’t really need words.  I hear what’s plastered all over her face.  I can hear it in my head as if her smile has words;
isn’t that cute!

              “Sorry Chase, I thought I mentioned it when you arrived.  Before I answered the door she had a little accident.”

              “What?”  I jump up from my seat.  “What happened, is she okay?  Where is she?”

              “Calm down Chase, she’s fine.  She took a little tumble and banged herself up, her dad is seeing to her.  I’m sure she’s fine.”

              “Do you mind if I go check on her?”

              As I stand there I decide that I really don’t care if she gives me her approval or not.  If it has taken this long there must be something terribly wrong.  I turn towards the entry of the dining room and come face to face with a scowling man.  In an instant I know this is the asshole the girls were telling me about. 

              This motherfucker just stands there without speaking.  He stands there staring, frowning and drinking some sort of dark amber colored liquor in a crystal tumbler.  I can tell when someone’s sizing me up and that’s exactly what this guy is doing.  But, it’s fine, I’m man enough to take it. 

              I smile because intimidation never has affected me.  Now, I take a page from Mrs. Wallace’s book and let my smile speak for me.  It’s my turn for my smile to speak without words;
Fuck you asshole!
  You dish the bullshit and I’ll serve it back to you.  Open wide you pompous son-of-a-bitch!

              I reach my hand out and offer it as another serving of, FUCK YOU and your intimidation.  “Hi Mr. Wallace, my name is Chase Mitchell.”

              My offered hand is ignored.  He flicks his steely eyes to my offered hand and raises his hand to take a drink of the contents of his crystal tumbler, all the while he just stand there and stares.  I lower my hand and take in this fool in front of me.

              His dark complexion is a shade or two lighter than my chocolate skin tone.  Maybe, two inches shorter than me and his build is stocky.  He’s impeccably dressed in black slacks, crisp white button up, no tie, a couple buttons are undone around his neck and he is sporting a gold Rolex on his wrist.    He’s sporting nice leather loafers and his hair is cut short to the scalp accompanied with a perfectly trimmed goatee.  Yeah, this dude has asshole stamped all over him.  My lips tip up in a slight smirk.

              “You done sizing me up…
little boy
!”  This was said with menace. 

              The shit kind of caught me off guard. Yes, he didn’t shake my hand.  Yes, he gave me the stare down, but I didn’t expect him to open his fucking pie hole and go for my jugular right of the bat. 

              “Okay, Mr. Wallace….I mean no disrespect.  I don’t usually go over someone’s house for the first time and get talked down to.  This,” I point from him, me and also include Mrs. Wallace in my all-encompassing wave.  “This, I am not used too.  I was told I was invited for dinner.  If it’s an issue, I’ll be more than happy to leave.”

              He stands there and takes another swig from his glass of liquid courage. 

              “Listen here
boy
, I didn’t invite you.  I was badgered into this goddamned dinner.  Do you honestly think I would want to sit down with some random little punk who wants to…”

              I could tell he was working himself up.  Working himself up to what, I have no idea.  And, for what?  What confused me, is why would a parent act like this?  I watch as he literally stands here and loses his fucking shit.  He tilts his head back and downs the last of his drink.  I see his arm rear back and the tumbler flies, impacts the wall and shatters into a million pieces.

              “
You SONOFABITCH!
  You think I’m going to break bread while you visualize fucking what is MINE!  You think I’ll sit here and give you the okay to violate my shit!”

              I look at this crazed motherfucker in shock.  I’m pulled from my state of shock by a shrill voice.

             
“What is wrong with you?”

              Mrs. Wallace stands in shock gawking at her husband.  She turns to me and the apology and embarrassment is written all over her face.  Yeah, I’m owed that for sure.  What the fuck have I gotten myself into?  Better yet, what has my babe been enduring on a daily basis?  One thing I know for sure is that, this is some straight up crazy shit!

              “I’m sorry Chase!  I’ve never seen him act like this.  I apologize, he’s been sipping on whatever was in that tumbler all day and I think it has finally caught up to him.”

              She turns to her husband who is standing there fuming and out of control.

              “This young man has come to our home upon my request and this is how you act.  I understand you being overprotective of our daughter, but this, this is just too much.  Fucking and speaking of violating!  Honestly, that girl is eighteen years old.  It will be her decision regarding her body.  Not yours!  You have seriously crossed a line!  I trust
my
child to make the right decisions, for
her
.  Maybe you should too!”

              “But, he…”  He was unable to complete his sentence before Mrs. Wallace put her foot down. 

              “SHUT – IT - NOW!  I will not have you speak to him in such a manner.  Nor, will I have you speak of
my
child in such a way.  I will advise you to walk up those steps and sleep off the alcohol you have clearly drank too much of.  You have made a fool of yourself and I will not have you make a fool of me.”

              At that, he turns and walks away.  That is when I notice Amber standing stock still as if she is a part of the wall she is standing against.  Our eyes connect and the string that has held her in place snapped.  As the first tears escapes its embankment, I reach her and enfold her in my arms. 

              “Mrs. Wallace, do I have your permission to take Amber away for a few hours?  I promise to have her home before curfew.”

              “Go ahead.  Amber, I apologize on behalf of your father.  Come here.”

              Amber leaves my embrace in exchange for her mothers.  It breaks my heart to hear her cry, to see her cling to her mother in this broken down version of herself. 

              “Thanks mom.”  She wails, as Mrs. Wallace rubs her back to sooth away the hurt.

              “Your dad’s under a lot of stress lately.  He will not tell me what’s going on.  Unfortunately, he decide on this moment to crack.  I promise it won’t happen again.  He loves you…but this…I don’t know what to say…the only thing I know for sure is that he loves you, we both love you!” 

              She lets Amber go and walks out of the room.  I grab ahold of my girl, as she clings to me I whisper into her ear. 

              “She might not know what to say, but I do.  This shit is unacceptable!  If he ever and I mean
EVER
flips out like that on you, I demand that you tell me ASAP!”

              Never in my life have I witnessed a grown man throwing a temper tantrum.  Today I must say, I’ve seen something new.  One thing is for certain, that silly motherfucker kept his ass by the door throughout that whole scene.  Toddlers and babies throw tantrums, they yell and scream when they don’t get their way.  I’ve been told a good ass whooping usually solves that problem.

              One step in my direction and a serious ass whooping is what I would have given him.  FOR SURE!  I might catch his ass on a dark night and beat the shit out of him on G.P. (general purposes), for upsetting my girl.  I don’t know what I thought tonight’s dinner would reveal about Amber, but this sure as fuck was not what I had in mind for the evening, nor was I not thinking this dinner would be this insightful. 

              Amber has had my nose wide open since I met her.  Now, my eyes are open wide and peeping out this whole fucked up scene.  I do not like what I’m seeing that’s for damn sure.  I’ll promise you one thing; my eyes will not shut until I know for sure that my girl is in good hands.

              You can believe that!

****

              Although, I cannot imagine sitting in that house eating dinner knowing that I wasn’t welcome, I’m not going to lie; Mrs. Wallace had the house smelling good.  I would rather be eating a home cooked meal right about now, but I had to get Amber out of there.  I decided to stop at KFC to pick up something to eat.

              “Are you ready to talk about what went down?”  I ask after paying for the food.

              I glance at her out of the corner of my eye as I pull into traffic.  We’re not too far from my destination.  I’m taking her someplace where I know I’m welcome…my house.

              “Why did you buy so much food?”

              Okay…that’s not what I was meaning when I asked her that question.  I know she’s trying to change the subject and that’s fine.  I’ll bite, but I will not be deterred for long.

              “I’m taking you home.”

              She takes in a gulp of air and whips her head in my direction. 

              “No Chase!”

              “I’m taking you to my house.”  We speak at the same time.  I grab her hand to silently show her that I’m here for her.  Her anxiety tugs at my heart strings.

              “Babe, if it were up to me I would never allow you to go back there ever again.”  I say vehemently.  I pause to control my anger.  “I don’t know everything that’s going on, but what I witnessed today gives me a little insight on the things going on in the Wallace household.”

              She looks at me with panic stricken eyes.  I can tell that there is more to this than what I observed today.

              “What’s going on Amber?” 

              She visibly swallows.  “Nothing’s going on.”

              “Amber, don’t lie to me.”

              “I’m not lying Chase!  Nothing is going on.”

              I grab hold of the steering wheel so hard that my veins start to pop on my hand. 
He’s hurt her!
  That
MOTHERFUCKER
has hurt her!  I know it in my gut.  I knew that new money, Rolex wearing sonofabitch wasn’t right.

              Thank GOD, I have finally made it to my house.  At least I can park before I totally lose control of my temper.  I can’t recall being this steaming mad before.  I place the car in park and turn the car off.  I look over and see her panic stricken face, that’s when I snap and lose my shit.

              “How can you sit here and lie to me?”

              “I’m…”  She’s crying outright at this point.

              “DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE, DON’T FUCKING LIE TO ME AGAIN!”  I’m yelling and yanking the steering wheel simultaneously. “DON’T YOU FINISH THAT SENTENCE?  I’LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS SHIT!  HE’S THE REASON WHY YOU WERE CRYING?”

              “Chase, PLEASE…PLEASE!”

              “He’s the reason, isn’t he?”