Vexed Read online

  Zach gazed into Aunt Jackie’s eyes, which were glossed over with unshed tears. He and Jay had always wondered if she’d ever wanted to birth her own children. Now he had finally learned the truth. Zach didn’t think it was humanly possible to love and respect her any more than he already did, but at that moment his heart was about to burst. He leaned over and kissed her smooth brown cheek.

  “I hope you ain’t over there feeling sorry for me, boy. God blessed me with two wonderful children. Y’all may not have come from my womb, but I couldn’t love you or Jay more. Larry wasn’t the man I was supposed to marry. Julius was, and we had a good life together until he passed away.”

  “Uncle Julius was a cool cat. I didn’t get a chance to spend a lot of time with him, being away at school and all, but I liked him. You two seemed so happy together. I was at peace knowing Uncle Julius was here taking care of you and Jay.”

  Aunt Jackie rose from her seat and started clearing the table. “Julius was sweet to me and Jay. Those few years God gave us together were amazing. I miss him terribly.” She waddled into the kitchen, her ample hips swaying from side to side.

  Zach removed Nahima’s empty plate from her place mat and gave her a pat on her head for eating all her food. “Good job, pumpkin. Now we can eat a slice of Aunt Jackie’s pound cake with a scoop of ice cream.”

  “Yeah!” Nahima shouted and pumped her small fist in the air.

  For the remainder of the afternoon, Zach, Aunt Jackie, and Nahima relaxed in the den and watched movies on BET. They chatted and laughed during commercial breaks about weird Mrs. Taylor next door, Sister Talton’s new jet-black wig, and the young gal down the street who had ten kids. Nahima soon fell asleep on the love seat, allowing Aunt Jackie the opportunity to ask Zach something she’d been itching to from the moment they’d walked in the house.

  “Did you know Jay has applied for a job here in Atlanta?”

  Zach sat up from his slouching position on the sofa and rubbed his goatee thoughtfully. He shook his head.

  “Well, she told me yesterday that she was interested in managing a new hotel in the convention center the city is building here, near the airport. You’ve seen it. They’re almost finished with it. It’s supposed to be a multimillion-dollar complex with an auditorium, sports arena, a mini mall, and dozens of restaurants. Jay wants to manage the hotel. You sure she didn’t mention it to you while you were over there?”

  “I would’ve told you, Auntie. I can’t understand why Jay would wanna leave that gravy job in Jamaica to come back here. That’s whack!” Zach frowned and shook his head.

  Aunt Jackie started rocking nervously in her big burgundy recliner. “Well, I think her decision may have been influenced by something I accidentally let slip.” She raked her stubby fingers through her short salt-and-pepper sister locks.

  “Aw, man, Auntie. What did you say?”

  “A few weeks ago, I told Jay that Venus was engaged. I didn’t mean to, Zach. One minute we were talking about you and Nahima, and then Venus’s name popped up somehow.”

  “Why were you discussing Nahima with Jay? She doesn’t give a damn about her!” Zach covered his lips. “Oops. I’m sorry, Auntie. I meant no disrespect. It just irks me how Jay pretends like the child doesn’t even exist. Whenever I mention Nahima, she flinches.”

  “You know as well as I do that there are some painful memories for Jay surrounding that precious baby.” Aunt Jackie’s eyes floated over to the love seat, where Nahima lay sleeping. “I’ve been praying about it, and I believe one day your sister will come around.”

  “It’s too late for that now. Nahima is almost five years old. The truth will be too much for her to handle. Jay needs to keep her ass in Jamaica and leave well enough alone. I’m sorry again, Auntie. This whole situation just brings out the worst in me.”

  * * *

  On the way to Venus’s house, Zach mentally hit the REPLAY button on his conversation with Aunt Jackie. The thought that Jay was considering moving back to Atlanta was disturbing. What would it mean for Nahima? Would Jay suddenly want to play a role in her innocent life, and if so, who would she tell the child she was? Zach shook his head and blew out a hard, frustrated breath. Poor Jill, he thought. She would be devastated if Jay got up one morning and announced she was moving back home.

  Zach dreaded it, but he had to give Venus a heads-up. He owed her that much. Then he’d have to call Jay to see what was really going on. Nothing could be left to assumptions. Zach needed to know the real deal, and he could get it only from the horse’s mouth. He gunned the engine of his black Mercedes GL450 and headed eastward on I-285. Twenty minutes later, Zach dropped the pink overnight bag on Venus’s stoop and rang her doorbell. Nahima was hoisted over his shoulder, limp as a rag doll. She had slept through the entire conversation with Aunt Jackie and the ride to Venus’s house.

  “Hey,” Venus whispered when she opened her front door. “Look at my baby girl. She’s out like a light.”

  “Yeah, she ate some of Aunt Jackie’s good old soul food and fell asleep.” Zach took in Venus’s appearance. He’d always thought she was an attractive brown-skinned girl. Her smooth dark skin glistened against the off-white caftan she had on. Zach could hear Teddy Pendergrass in the background, begging her to turn off the lights. “Do you have a minute?” he asked, hating to interrupt whatever plans she and Charles might have.

  Venus turned and looked inside the house. “Sure. Come on in.” She stepped aside and allowed Zach to enter the foyer of the stucco ranch-style home. He followed her down the hallway to Nahima’s bedroom.

  “Is it okay for us to talk in here? I wouldn’t want Charles to hear our conversation. It’s of a sensitive nature.” Zach carefully placed Nahima on her bed and faced Venus.

  “You’re scaring me, Zach. What is it?” She peeked in the hallway before she closed the bedroom door. “Just spit it out.”

  “I have reason to believe Jay may be considering moving back to Atlanta.”

  Venus dropped down on the pink lace-covered bed. “Oh no,” she whispered, shaking her head. “She can’t be. Why the hell would she do that?”

  “Don’t panic. I’m not sure yet. I’m gonna give her a call as soon as I get home. I’ll ask her and demand that she tell me the truth.”

  “Ain’t nothing that damn simple with Jay. She’ll string you along with a bunch of bullshit just for the hell of it. That’s her style,” Venus spat, with anger in her voice.

  “Nah, she’ll tell me the truth. She has to. Jay knows not to run game on me when it comes to Nahima.”

  Chapter Nine

  Zach welcomed the hustle and bustle at work that Monday morning. The fast pace helped keep his mind off the big blowup he’d had with Jay the night before. It was the worst argument they’d ever had. Jay had cut right to the chase. She’d admitted that she had indeed applied for a job at the Georgia Global Cultural and Exchange Center. She’d told Zach that she was in negotiations with Atlanta’s mayor and city council, as well as the organization’s executive board of investors, about managing the five-star Seven Seas International Hotel. The shit had hit the fan after her confession. Zach had gone in for the kill, provoking Jay to take off her gloves and swing back hard. The conversation had wrecked Zach’s nerves so bad that he had thought about calling in sick for the day just to cool off. But staying at home would have only made matters worse.

  At around noon, he sat at a table in the hospital cafeteria, waiting for Dex’s slow ass to come through the line so he could vent. Zach badly needed his boy’s support and advice. Dex approached the table, which was the exact same one at which he and Zach had been sharing lunch together for the past nine years. Before then, they had been young and stupid. They used to spend hundreds of dollars a week going out to restaurants in the area. Now they either brought their own food from home or used their employee discounts in the cafeteria.

  “You look like shit!” Dex placed his tray on the table and took the seat opposite Zach. “What the hell is going on wi
th you?”

  “Everything is going on, man. I spoke with Jay last night. Can you believe her trifling ass is talking about moving back here to Atlanta?”

  “Whoa!” Dex stretched his eyes. “For real, man?”

  Zach nodded. He drained the Styrofoam cup of lukewarm black coffee and dropped it on the table. “She claims she wants to be here to take care of Aunt Jackie and be near the rest of the family. Jay is lying, Dex. She wants to come here and stir up some shit. Aunt Jackie mistakenly mentioned that Venus and Charles are engaged, and I’m sure you can pretty much figure out the rest.”

  Dex grunted and shook his head. “Your sister is a pimp, dog! She’s gonna try to stop that wedding. I hate to say it, but she’ll probably use Nahima to do it too. That’s some foul shit . . . even for Jay. I knew she was gangsta, but damn . . .”

  “She’s so damn selfish, Dex. Jay cares only about Jay. She has the sweetest, most beautiful woman in the world, who loves her to death. Her name is Jill. She’s a young native from Kingston. Man, that girl is fine as hell! Jay treats her like a piece of property. Jill deserves so much better.”

  Dex chewed his turkey sandwich and watched Zach’s eyes and body language. Talking about this Jill chick had brought out a mellow and gentlemanly side of Zach. A side that Dex hadn’t seen since Zach’s early days with Tara. Could his boy be in love with Jay’s woman? Had he tapped that ass while he was on the Caribbean island? Dex wondered. After all, they’d been talking about Jay possibly moving back to Atlanta to turn Venus’s and Nahima’s world upside down. Jill had nothing to do with that.

  “What the hell happened between you and this Jill girl?” Dex cocked his head to the side and fingered the neatly trimmed beard on his chocolate-colored face.

  “Nothing happened. I’m just saying she’s a nice girl who happens to be in love with the wrong woman.”

  Dex’s brows furrowed. “It’s me,” he said, slapping his chest with an open hand. “I’m your boy. I know you, Zach. Did you hit that while Jay was counting pillowcases and silverware?”

  “Nah, man, I would never do that. I like Jill. We spent a lot of time together because Jay was always busy working or chasing ass. Jill and I got close. That’s it.”

  “Yeah, right,” Dex mocked, sitting back in his chair. He looked Zach square in his eyes. “Did you wanna hit it? I know you thought about it.”

  “Nope, I never even thought about it. That’s enough about Jill. What do you suppose I do about Jay?”

  * * *

  Venus had agreed to meet Zach at a small rib joint near the school where she taught fifth grade. Charles had promised to pick up Nahima from preschool on his way home from work to give them a chance to talk alone. Once they were seated, Zach dropped the bombshell, and Venus became upset and started crying.

  Zach reached his hand across the table and grasped her trembling hand in an attempt to soothe her. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her more distraught. “Venus, we will get through this, but it’s time to come clean. You’ll have to tell Charles the whole truth. There’s no getting around it now.”

  “He will leave me!” she shouted and snatched her hand away. “Do you know how many lies I’ve told him to protect my little girl? The only honest thing I’ve ever told Charles about my past with Jay is that we were lovers for four years. He didn’t have a problem with that, but once he finds out everything else, he’ll . . . Oh my God . . . Zach. I can’t lose him! I love Charles, and he loves me and Nahima.”

  “And because he loves you, Venus, Charles will eventually understand. It may take some time, but he will come around and forgive you. You’ll still become his wife . . . and you, Charles, and Nahima will live happily ever after. Of course, Uncle Z will too.”

  Venus looked over at Zach’s face. She wanted to believe him, but her heart was aching, and her mind was twisted. What he had advised her to do sounded simple, but it was very complicated.

  “I never thought this day would come, Zach. I guess I was a tad bit naïve. Now we’re staring reality in the face. I will tell Charles, but not until it’s absolutely necessary. I’ll tell him if Jay gets the job and is on a flight headed for Atlanta, and not a moment sooner.”

  * * *

  The thought of moving to Atlanta both thrilled and frightened Jill. Jay had been talking about it for a couple of weeks now, and the more she talked, the more anxious Jill became. The idea of living in a big city overflowing with culture, history, and opportunity was exciting to her. On the other hand, there was the dread of leaving her family behind. Although Jill wasn’t able to spend as much time with them as she would like to, she was comforted by the fact that they were just across the terrain. She wasn’t sure how far Atlanta was from Jamaica, but she was certain she couldn’t hop on a van there and be home within an hour or so.

  Jill picked up the cordless phone and went out on the penthouse terrace. She dialed Zach’s home number, which was now fixed in her memory. The last time she had spoken with him, his voice had sounded distant, and he had seemed distracted. Jill still didn’t know what to think of that weird conversation.

  “You have reached Uncle Z’s house. This is Nahima Angelique Lawson. What’s your name?”

  Jill laughed out loud. “My name is Jillian Josephine Bessette. It’s so nice to hear your voice, Princess Nahima.”

  Zach stood in the doorway, listening to Nahima chat with Jill. He’d seen Jamaica’s country code and the resort’s number flash across the caller ID in the kitchen. He was impressed with how well spoken Nahima was, even when conversing with a complete stranger who had a thick Caribbean accent.

  Nahima’s jaw dropped, and her bright eyes grew wide. “How did you know I was a princess?”

  “Your uncle told me so. May I speak with him please?”

  “Yes, you may.”

  Nahima let the phone fall onto the sofa when she hopped down from it. She was about to yell to Zach that the phone was for him, but she slapped her hand over her mouth when she saw him standing in the doorway, staring at her.

  Zach took a seat on the sofa and grabbed the phone. “Hello,” he said as calmly as he could. His cool demeanor defied the excitement within. The sound of Jill’s voice quickened his pulse.

  “Oh, Zachary, Nahima is simply precious! She’s awfully smart too. I know you and her parents are so very proud of her. I can’t wait to meet her. I’m sure your sister has told you she has applied for a job in Atlanta. Isn’t it great, Zachary?”

  “It’s something.” Zach propped his long legs on the coffee table. Nahima sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Jay is downstairs on an important conference call with some executives in Atlanta as we speak. If she gets the job, I’ll be relocating with her! How wonderful is that?”

  Zach’s body jerked forward involuntarily from the shock. Nahima toppled sideways, and she laughed like a goofy rabbit. Zach reached over and pulled her onto his lap. “Did Jay tell you you’d be joining her in Atlanta if she gets the job?”

  “Of course she did, Zachary. Why else would I have said it? I asked Jay if I could attend school in Atlanta, and she’s considering it. Oh, Zachary, I’ll get to study dance and soak up the American culture! Do you know what the best part about moving to Atlanta will be?”

  “What?”

  “I’ll get to see you every day!”

  “Yes, that would be nice, Jill,” Zach lied. Seeing her every day and not being able to have her would make his life a living hell.

  He sat quietly for the rest of the conversation and listened to Jill’s continuous chatter about Atlanta, Jay, and her family. He appreciated her enthusiasm, but he was still stuck on her earlier statement about Nahima’s parents. Zach knew Jill was ignorant of the truth and had not meant any harm, but he couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in his gut. Jill had stumbled onto an off-limits subject. As far as Nahima knew, Venus was her mommy, her father was dead, and Zach was her uncle. She called Aunt Jackie her nana, and soon Charles would become her stepfather.
That was the world according to Nahima, but Zach had no idea what changes Jay’s entrance on the scene would bring to the situation.

  Chapter Ten

  Zach stood over Nahima, watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful and comfortable. It had been his prayer for her since the day she was born that she would live a happy and secure life surrounded by all the people who loved her. Zach believed that no child should have to grow up without their mother and father, the way he and Jay had. Aunt Jackie had been an incredible substitute, and she had showered them with all the love and affection in her heart. But she wasn’t Belva King. Uncle Bubba and Aunt Hattie Jean had done their part too, as well as Aunt Bertha, Cousin Phoebe, and Cousin Dolly Mae.

  After the murder of Zach and Jay’s mother, and the twenty-year prison sentence imposed upon their father for shooting her, the Dudley clan had come together. They had formed a protective village around the two orphaned King children. They had done their best to ensure that all their needs and most of their desires were met. But because Zach had been seven years old at the time, while Jay had been barely two, Zach had been affected more by his parents’ absence. Even to this day, he had not been able to maintain a healthy monogamous relationship with any female for an extended period of time. Zach avoided falling deeply in love out of fear that he’d be driven to kill in a fit of jealous rage someday, just like his father had.

  Newspaper clippings, court transcripts, and loose talk among family members all indicated that Reverend Wallace King had not meant to kill his wife of ten years. But a horrendous murder had taken place in room 214 at the White Cloud Motel that night twenty-eight years ago. The popular Atlanta pastor had been aiming his .45 automatic pistol at his best friend, Claudius Henry, not at the first lady. That low-down bastard had caught bullets in the right leg and buttocks; but Belva, the preacher’s adulterous wife, had taken a shot to the heart, which had killed her instantly.