In The Company of My Sistahs Read online

  Nadine noticed the plate beside my chair. “What you got there?”

  “Jerk pork. I got it at that little hut over there. Nadine, you should check out the cutie inside.”

  “I will. Right now I’m hungry.”

  “So am I,” Lisa agreed.

  “Let’s go eat in the dining room,” Nadine suggested.

  “Dressed like that?” Kayla asked.

  Lisa chuckled. “Yes, like this. Girl, we can go barefoot. That’s why it’s right off of the pool.”

  We each rose and moved up the path past several vendors and two other huts. One served hamburgers and hot dogs while the other served ice cream. We stepped around a large swimming pool where a recreational director was playing water sports with a dozen or so kids. Coming up the path, three tired-looking workers tried to get our attention. Nadine flipped them off, which sent us all screaming with laughter as we moved toward the patio-style restaurant.

  I moved up the wide tiled stairs into an open dining area. No windows. No doors. Just a roof to shield against the frequent rain showers and lots of open space. There were dozens of tables and chairs surrounding a large buffet. Lisa found a table closest to the pool. Directly across from the half wall was the lobby, with a clear view of the registration desk on the other side of the fountain.

  I took a seat directly facing the desk. Everton wasn’t around but I wanted to see him when he was. “All right, y’all go first. I’ll sit here and hold our table.”

  “I’ll sit here with you,” Kayla offered. Nadine and Lisa went and joined the buffet line.

  I glanced around the room. People were laughing and smiling. There were several couples lip-locking and holding hands. To my far right I spotted a group of large brothas stepping into the dining room. “Kayla, look.”

  There were five of them: three had women on their arms, two did not. They had to be football players. I heard you would always find them in Jamaica.

  “They look like linebackers,” Kayla replied.

  “I think they are.”

  They were all gorgeous, but money could make the ugliest man handsome. However, I have to admit, in this case several of them were naturally fine.

  I sat up straight on the chair and pushed out what little titties I had. As they strolled past us, a guy who was as tall as he was wide winked in our direction. I smiled, showing teeth and tongue. Kayla’s grin was just as big. Our smiles weren’t missed by a pretty Hispanic woman walking behind him all hugged up with a player who was a little smaller and less bulky. She gave us an I-bet-you-wish-you-were-me look as she swayed her narrow hips to a large round table in the corner.

  “No, she didn’t,” I murmured under my breath.

  “Yes, she did. And did you see the size of that ring on her finger? It had to be at least ten carats.”

  “Hmm, must be nice,” I said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “Yeah, some of us ain’t able.”

  I glanced over my shoulder at the bunch and rolled my eyes. “Girl, they probably play for some overseas team we ain’t never heard of.”

  “I know that’s right. And he’s probably with her today and with someone else next week.”

  “You know how they do.” I let out an exaggerated sigh. “He ain’t even cute.”

  “Not at all.”

  Kayla and I looked at each other and started laughing.

  “We need to quit. ’Cause all them brothas are fine. We ain’t doing nothing but sitting here hating.”

  “I know. I would give anything to be on that fine negro’s arm,” I admitted with a laugh. “And the bulky one that winked definitely had potential.”

  Lisa and Nadine returned with plates piled high with several succulent dishes.

  “Do y’all see Clayton O’Neal?” Lisa asked as she lowered into the chair next to mine.

  I glanced at her. “Is that name supposed to ring a bell?”

  “Y’all never heard of him?” She looked at us with disbelief.

  “Nope,” Kayla answered.

  She looked at both of us and we shrugged our shoulders. Lisa shook her head. “Y’all heifers live in Missouri, not me. Clayton plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.” She nodded her head toward the group in the back. “The one in the green t-shirt is Clayton.” Discreetly, I glanced over my shoulder to see which one she was talking about.

  “He just winked at us,” Kayla said.

  Then it suddenly came to me. I remember reading that Clayton had just signed a ten-year 131-million-dollar deal, making him the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. “Oh shit, that’s the hundred-million-dollar man!”

  Nadine took a bite of baked chicken and said between chews, “Yep. And to his left, with that woman hanging all over him, that’s Alex Houston,” she replied, tilting her head in his direction. “He announced their engagement a couple of months ago. She’s supposed to be some Central American model.”

  They usually are. I glanced over my shoulder again with a strong rush of envy, then rose. “Come on, Kayla. Let’s eat.”

  We moved to the buffet line and directly on the other side of the atrium, I spotted Everton standing behind the counter watching me. He waved and I waved back. He wasn’t a football player, and I knew for a fact he wasn’t getting paid shit working behind a desk. But for the time being, his ass would do.

  The buffet had barbecue ribs, pork, salads, desserts, and several authentic Jamaican foods. I helped myself to a serving of oxtails and rice. My grandmother used to cook them, so I know they can’t be anything but good.

  I moved back to the table before Kayla and slid onto my seat. I glanced over at the football group and that same woman was eyeing me down.

  “I don’t know why that bitch keeps looking at me.”

  Lisa followed the direction of my eyes then snorted rudely. “Shit, she’s probably heard the rumors.”

  Nadine laughed. “I know that’s right. She knows if she doesn’t watch her man you’ll be trying to fuck him before midnight.”

  “Fuck you,” I said, then laughed because they weren’t lying.

  Kayla slid in across from me. “They’ve got cheesecake.” It was her favorite.

  I reached for the brochure on the table. “Have we decided what excursions we’re going on?”

  Lisa sipped her drink, then replied, “Definitely shopping. Maybe a sightseeing trip or something.”

  “I want to do that waterfall,” Kayla said.

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m not climbing no damn waterfall. I heard if you don’t hold on your ass might fall. You know I can’t swim.”

  “I thought you took lessons last month.” I knew Lisa was going to bring that shit up.

  “I did. Enough to swim in a pool, not a damn waterfall.”

  Kayla reached for her fork. “Well, I’m going.”

  “Then have fun. ’Cause my ass is going to spend the week hanging out at the hotel, drinking.”

  Lisa frowned. “Don’t be getting drunk either. ’Cause your ass always acts like a damn fool.”

  “Shit. I plan to spend the week fucked up, so you might as well be prepared.”

  Kayla shook her head and laughed. “You are stupid.”

  “Hey, she can do what she wants, just as long as we don’t have to carry her ass to the room.” Lisa leaned back in the seat and gave me a knowing look.

  Nadine started laughing like a hyena. “I know. Remember that time her ass was so drunk she passed out on the middle of the dance floor. We had to carry her ass out to the car and try to get her home.”

  “Girl, I was only twenty-two at the time. Them days are long gone. I can hold my liquor.”

  Nadine tried to come to my defense. “She ain’t lying. Your sister is a damn lush.”

  “Fuck all y’all.”

  Kayla had to add her two cents. “She needs Jesus.”

  Nadine reached for her napkin. “Speaking of Jesus, I’m selling tickets to our church anniversary dinner we’re having next week. Anyone want to buy tickets?”

  Kayl
a nodded. “I already bought a ticket. My pastor’s wife was selling them last week.”

  “I saw Reverend Brown and his wife last week at my GYN appointment. I can’t believe they’re having another baby.”

  I glanced over at Kayla and didn’t miss the look on her face. She didn’t know I knew she was fucking Reverend Leroy Brown, but I knew. Everyone around town knew, except for Lisa and Nadine, otherwise she wouldn’t have said anything.

  Kayla lowered her fork. “I didn’t know she was pregnant.”

  Nadine’s brow drew together in a thin line. “Girl, she’s already three months. Reverend Brown brought her in for her ultrasound. He was so excited you would have thought it was their first child the way they were slobbering all over each other.”

  She took a drink. “Y’all, I’m not feeling too good. I’m going back to the room.”

  “You want me to get you something?” Lisa asked, looking concerned.

  Kayla shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine.” Without another word, she rose from her chair and moved past the pool toward the rooms.

  Lisa looked worried. “I wonder what’s wrong with her?”

  I gladly provided the answer. “She’s fucking her minister.”

  Lisa choked on her chicken.

  “What?” Nadine’s eyes were wide as saucers.

  “I ain’t supposed to know, but I’ve seen them together.”

  Lisa sat back in her chair, shocked. “I can’t believe this shit. When did this happen?”

  I paused for dramatic effect and chewed my food first, making them wait for my answer. “One night I was pulling into the Ramada Inn in Jefferson City when I spotted her and him coming out.”

  Nadine’s eyes danced with amusement. “What were you doing at the Ramada?”

  I rolled my eyes playfully. “Don’t worry about that. Now, getting back to what I was saying, I saw the two of them come out and they were lip-locking and shit. He walked to his car, then as soon as he pulled off she went to hers. Her hair was all over the place and she was smiling like a damn fool.”

  My sister’s gaze held mine for a moment. “Did you tell her you saw her?”

  “Nope. I figured she didn’t want us to know, otherwise she would have told me herself.”

  “I think I better go check on her.” Lisa rose from her chair.

  “I think you need to give her a few minutes by herself.”

  Nadine agreed.

  Lisa glanced over her shoulder, sighed, then lowered into her seat.

  “I don’t understand. I mean, why the hell would she be messing with her pastor? His ass ain’t even cute,” Nadine said.

  “True.”

  Lisa shook her head with disbelief. “But it is so out of character for her. She’s much too spiritual for that.”

  I snorted and almost choked on a chicken bone. “Girl, I heard that mothafucka can talk a woman out of her drawers. He used to mess with Ginger Clark.”

  Lisa’s brow rose. “Who?”

  “You know, Ryan Clark’s sister. The one with the big dimples in her booty.”

  Nadine’s eyes sparkled with recognition. “Oh, yeah. I know who you’re talking about. The one that has a baby by Tony Monroe.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, her. Reverend was messing with her for almost a year, then suddenly he broke it off and she tried to commit suicide over him. Now she’s telling everyone he ain’t got no dick.”

  Lisa bit into a slice of chocolate cake. “Women always say that when they asses get dumped. And that nut was in a mental hospital, so I wouldn’t believe shit she said.”

  “Nah, I know it’s true because he also messed with Teresa Fox. She said as soon as he pulled that little thing out, she started cracking up laughing and said there ain’t shit she could do with that little thing, and put his ass the fuck out.”

  Nadine sat back in her chair. “Oh, my goodness!”

  We screamed with laughter.

  Lisa sobered, then reached for her drink. “Well, as soon as I get done eating, I’m going to go and talk to her.”

  I shrugged. “Good luck. I guarantee Kayla doesn’t want to hear shit we have to say.”

  Chapter 13

  KAYLA

  She rushed down the path as tears burned at her eyes. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. What Nadine said couldn’t possibly be true. There was no way Leroy would do her that way. No way. He loved her and planned to spend the rest of his life with her, just as soon as he asked his wife for a divorce, she told herself as she quickened her steps. Kayla was so overcome by grief she ran right smack into a wall, or at least she thought it was a wall until a large pair of hands reached out, stopping her from falling on her butt and embarrassing herself even more.

  “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

  “No, I’m ...” her voice trailed off as soon as she gazed into his eyes.

  It was Clayton O’Neal.

  She gasped. All the blood rushed down to her feet. She thought she was going to faint for sure. She wobbled slightly to the left. Clayton held out his hand to her, and she grabbed it half expecting a bolt of lightning.

  “Are you okay?” he asked again.

  “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”

  He smiled. “Feel free to bump into me anytime.”

  Stunned by his comment, all she could do was smile. Was he flirting with her? No, he couldn’t possibly. Girl, the impact must have scrambled your brain.

  “I’m Clayton O’Neal.”

  “I know. I mean, my name is Kayla Sparks.”

  “Nice to meet you, Kayla.”

  She stood there looking up into his warm, dark eyes, inhaling everything about him. She slowly took her hand back and stepped away, fearful he might try to touch her again. “I need to make a phone call. It was nice meeting you.”

  “The pleasure was all mine. Hopefully I’ll see you around.”

  She suddenly felt embarrassed. Her guard had fallen down and she felt exposed. The look he gave her was as though he could read her thoughts.

  “Maybe,” she murmured.

  She walked away feeling his gaze on her back. Sure enough, when she glanced over her shoulder, she found Clayton standing there watching her. Heat flowed through her chest and caused her nipples to become pebble hard. Quickly, she swung around and disappeared into her building. As soon as he could no longer see her, she paused and took several deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. Get a grip, girl. He was just being nice. She wasn’t stupid enough to think someone like Clayton O’Neal would be interested in someone like her.

  Shaking off the effects of her encounter, she walked over to the elevator, then hesitated when the doors opened and decided to take the stairs instead. She definitely could use all the exercise she could get. Huffing and puffing, she reached the top step, worn out, but pleased at her choice.

  It wasn’t until she slid her key in the door that she remembered why she had returned to the room in the first place. She stepped inside, reached for the phone, and asked the woman at the front desk to connect her call. As soon as she received a dial tone, she called Leroy on his cell phone. As she waited for him to pick up, she nibbled nervously on her bottom lip and prayed that he wasn’t going to be angry that she had called him directly, instead of paging first.

  “Reverend Brown.”

  “Leroy?”

  There was a slight hesitation before he spoke. “Brother Barton, thank you for calling me back. Can you hold just a moment?”

  It took her a few seconds to realize he was talking to her. It was obvious Darlene was around. She heard mumbling in the background before he finally came on the line again in a lower voice.

  “Kayla, I’m at the movies with Darlene and the kids. Aren’t you in Jamaica?”

  She didn’t miss the hint of annoyance that she had disturbed his family outing.

  “Yes, I’m in Jamaica.” She paused to take a deep breath. “But I needed to ask you a question.”

  “Sure, but hurry. I’m in the bath
room. If I take too long, Darlene will come looking for me.”

  She rolled her eyes at his response. Since when did he care what his wife thought? “Someone told me that your wife is pregnant. Is that true?” There, she’d said it. She took a deep breath and prayed that he would give her the answer that she so desperately needed to hear.

  He was silent for a moment. “Baby, I was going to tell you about that when you got back.”

  She gasped. “I can’t believe this! I thought the two of you weren’t even sleeping together anymore.”

  “We aren’t. I mean, we weren’t until one night. Darlene had just gotten news that her mother had had a stroke. She was emotional and I tried to console her, then one thing led to another. I’m sorry. She’s my wife, so there is no way I could tell her no.”

  “I can’t believe this. What about us?” She felt her heart crack in two.

  “There’s still us. I still want to be together ... only it’s going to take a little longer.”

  “How much longer?”

  “Until after the baby is born,” he confessed, then quickly added, “What would I look like leaving my wife while’s she’s pregnant? I am a man of God. It just can’t be done.”

  “Yes, it can. We can leave and move somewhere else. It doesn’t matter where as long as we are together,” she said, practically pleading.

  He gave a strangled laugh that she felt at the pit of her stomach. “Are you crazy? I’ve worked too hard to get where I am today, and I am not about to lose all that because of a piece of—”

  Even though he had caught himself before he’d finished the sentence, she knew what he was about to say and it hurt, really hurt. Kayla again brushed the tears away, then decided to give up as more immediately fell. It was useless to resist. She suddenly felt older than her thirty-seven years. She felt larger than her two hundred ninety-five pounds.

  “Baby, I didn’t mean that. I am under a lot of pressure right now. I need you in my corner.” His voice broke and he paused for so long she was afraid he was crying. “Everything is going to be okay. You’ll see. Please, understand.”

  She felt her resolve weakening. Dang, she hated the power he had over her. “I’m sorry. I do understand. I was just upset to find out this way. However, I do love you.” She felt compelled to reassure him that she did love him only she felt betrayed.