I Saw Your Profile (18 page)

“I’m
sure most of the lies are the same. They’d have to be. He probably had enough
trouble trying to keep all of us straight. So where do you go from here,
Nicole?”

“On with
my life,” she said. “I kicked him out and I’m going to warn all the women I can
and try to have him deported.”

“Huh?”

“He’s in
this country illegally. He only had a temporary visa and when it expired, he
never went back to London.”

“Damn.
It never occurred to me that he wasn’t a citizen.”

“I’m
going to call INS tomorrow,” Nicole said.
 

Arianna
snickered. “Girl you’re not going to get Chauncey with the law. Shit, INS is
too busy trying to catch the bruthas who blew up the World Trade Center;
they’re not worried about some brutha running game on a bunch of sistas. If
Chauncey’s going to get his, we have to be the ones to give it to him.”
     

After
losing Michael, Arianna believed life was too short for regrets. Revenge maybe,
but not regrets.

“What
are you talking about?”

“I’m not
sure yet. But when I am, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Don’t
do anything stupid, Arianna. Besides, vengeance is mine saith the Lord.”

 
“And trying to have him deported is
turning the other cheek? Sorry, but I’m not gonna let a nigga get away with
playing me like Playstation just so he can put his joystick in my X-Box.”

Chapter Twenty-One

“And
you accused me of trying to
con you?” Kenny said, breathing heavily as he sat against the wall of the
aerobics room. “Hell I ain’t got nothing on Mr. Sexy. That brutha got mad
game.”

He and
Arianna had just finished a kickboxing class and she was sharing the details of
what she’d learned about Chauncey as they recuperated.

Arianna
wiped the sweat that coated her face with her hand and flung the drops in his
direction.

 
“I know you ain’t co-signing his mess,
Kenny. And I told you his name is Chauncey.”

He
grabbed the white hand towel from around his neck and wiped his face.
“Whatever. And keep your sweat to yourself.”

“Oh
please. I didn’t even get you.”

“And,
no. I’m not co-signing, Arianna. I’m just pointing out that you were ready to
kick me to the curb for not telling you about a few pounds. This brutha had a
live-in, other girlfriends, and probably a whole lot of baby mamas out there,
too.”

“One of
my girlfriends said this sounded like some Dateline NBC shit,” Arianna said.

“So are
you okay?”

“Sure. I
mean it’s not like I was in love. I wasn’t all up in it like Nicole
–
that’s
his girlfriend. I certainly didn’t have the kind of time, emotion, or money
invested in him that she did. But I do want him to pay, though, for G.P.”

“Come
again?”

“General
principle. He just shouldn’t be able to get away with this shit.”

“So what
are you going to do? Lorena Bobbitize his ass?”

Arianna
laughed as she stood up. “I haven’t figured it out, yet. It won’t be that
drastic, though. I did get a story idea out of all of this, though. I’m writing
a piece for a magazine on blacks and Internet dating. Did you know more black
people are using the Internet to meet? All that talk about the digital divide
and blacks being road kill on the information superhighway doesn’t apply when
it comes to getting laid.”

She
leaned over, giving Kenny her hand and helping him up, before she continued.

 
“There’s precautions you need to take,
like meeting in a public place on the first few dates and taking things slow,
but that’s not much different from meeting people in more traditional ways.”

“The
difference is the ‘net gives players like Mr. Sexy access to more women,” Kenny
said. “So when does your story come out?”

“Next
month. My lead is a couple who got married after meeting online.”

“Maybe
that will happen for you.”

“I’m
through with online dating. Besides, only three percent walk down the aisle.
And Chauncey isn’t the only scam artist. I found out twenty-five percent of
people who date online lie in their profiles and
eighteen
percent, mostly men, of course, were already married or living with someone.”

“Just like the ones you meet in the club,” Kenny said.

“I guess. But it sure would be great…” Arianna stopped suddenly,
looking into space.

“Arianna?” Kenny said, trying to bring her back to earth.

 
“Oh. I’m sorry. I was
in the zone. I just came up with a great idea to catch Chauncey in his shit.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

The
computer was calling Arianna’s name.

She couldn’t wait to get to it
after putting the kids to bed. She was on a mission. Operation Get Chauncey.

She
logged onto LoveMeBlack and created a profile and an email account for
MrFunandFitness. He was thirty-seven, single with no kids. He lived in D.C. and
his interests included fitness, computers, self-improvement, religion and
spirituality.

She
uploaded Chauncey’s picture
–
the one he sent when they first met.

She then
wrote as his bio:

Ladies
Beware,

This
Internet Romeo goes by the name of Chauncey Cockfield. He is a very
intelligent, charming brother with a British accent. He will tell you that he
is in love with you by the second or third date. DO NOT; I repeat DO NOT get
involved with this man. He is a con artist of the worst kind. He conned one
woman out of thousands of dollars. His tools are a computer and a telephone. He
cruises the ‘net looking for his victims. Don’t let that person be YOU!

Afterwards, Arianna created the
same profile for every free online dating service she could find. The emails
started coming within hours:

Good
looking out for the sisters.

I
went out on one date with him and I knew he was full of shit. I feel bad for
the other women, though.

 
How did you get access to his email
account? You are good!

You
go girl. It’s about time we started sticking together instead of fighting over
bullshit men.

Arianna was responding to one of
the emails when the phone rang. The familiar voice on the other end surprised
her.

“Hello my dear. How are you?”
Chauncey asked.

“Do you really care?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why has it been so long
since I’ve heard from you?”

“I apologize, sweethaart. I’ve had
quite a bit of drama in my life lately.”

“Drama that paralyzed your dialing
finger?”

“Point well taken. After all that’s
happened, I wasn’t sure you’d want to hear from me.”

 
“Well, why don’t you tell me about the
drama that has kept you away?”

“I’m sure you know about it.
Nicole’s been in contact with everyone in my address book. Surely, she didn’t
leave you out?”

“Nicole?”

“Yes, my ex-girlfriend.”

“Ex? As of when?”

“A year ago. What did she tell
you?”

“Oh, please. Let’s not play this
game, Chauncey. Are you calling to deny it?”

“Would you believe me? Or do you
have your mind already made up?”

“I’m a reporter. I always get both
sides of the story.”

“So are you saying that you are
willing to listen?”

“Sure.”

“I’d rather tell you in person. I
want you to look in my eyes so you will know I am telling the truth. Do you
think we could see each other?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Just before Chauncey arrived,
Arianna put her video camera on a tripod and tucked it in a corner across from
the loveseat by her front door. She pressed the record button, hoping Chauncey
wouldn’t notice the small red light.

Chauncey showed up in designer
jeans and a casual black shirt. He tried to kiss her. Arianna turned her head.

“I thought you were giving me the
benefit of the doubt, sweethaart?”

“I am. That doesn’t mean I’m ready
to kiss and make up. I said I would listen. That’s all.”

“Fair enough.”

“Sit down. I’m all ears,” she said
pointing to the loveseat.

He took a seat where she directed
him. “Hopefully, I will convince you to give me other parts of you.”

Arianna wore a short jean skirt, a
tight blue tank top and denim sandals with a wedge heel. She sauntered across
the room, sat on the couch and crossed her legs, smooth and shiny from baby
oil.

 
“You’re hoping for a lot.”

 
“You look lovely.”

“Thanks.”

“Why are you sitting way over
there?”

“So I can look directly in your
eyes.”

“You can’t do that sitting next to
me?”

“I like the view better from here.
Anyways, you were going to tell me why I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Chauncey cleared this throat.

“To staart with, Nicole and I have
been over for at least a year. Yes, we were living together, but as roommates.
I didn’t tell you because most women don’t believe that a man and woman can
live together just as friends. Especially ones who were once intimate.”

She uncrossed her legs and leaned
forward, listening intently. “Go on.”

“I came home from a business trip
and she had gone mad. She’d commandeered my email account and contacted
everyone in my address book to spread lies about me. She told people that we
were lovers and that I was cheating on her. She even went so far as to say that
I had dozens of women whom I met on the Internet.”

Arianna tried to appear unfazed,
but inside she waffled between anger and amusement
–
one minute pissed that he
expected her to believe his lies – the next minute laughing at his
attempts at sincerity.

“And none of that is true?”

“Of course not. She found the
emails that you and I had exchanged and some old emails from other women that I
have met online and concocted that story. I have dated other females that I’ve
met online, but you are the only woman with whom I have been intimate. One
minute we are living together as friends, sharing expenses, and the next she is
behaving like a jealous wife.”
    

Arianna sucked her teeth and
rolled her eyes. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“News flash, Chauncey. Women don’t
suddenly flip the script like that. They need a reason. And a cheating man is a
reason. You either cheated on her or did something else, like stole from her.”

“I’m telling you the truth. Nicole
Harris is a crazy woman. In fact, I’ve taken out a restraining order to keep
her away from me.”

She laughed. “A big strong man
like you scared of a woman? She told me
she
has a restraining order out
on
you
.”

Chauncey jumped up and raised his
voice.

“She’s a liar. Lady Singleton, if
I weren’t telling you the truth, I wouldn’t be here. I didn’t make this drive
just to lie to you.”

He slithered to the couch, taking
a seat next to Arianna, out of view of the camcorder.

He took her hand. “I told you that
I was falling in love with you, and I meant that. I know these past few weeks
have been a lot to handle, but I promise I will make it up to you, if you give
me the chance. You are the only woman I want to be with.”

Arianna snatched her hand away and
stood up, hands on her hips. “I know you think I was born yesterday but I was
up
all
night.”

“What can I do for you to believe
me?”

“Give me credit for having some
brains and tell the damn truth. I like you. I enjoy your company. But, I’m not
in love with you and you sure as hell ain’t in love with me. And if I’m not the
only woman you’re fucking then be honest about it. I might still spend time
with you, but it will be my choice, based on the truth, not on your lies.”

Chauncey’s face was paralyzed with
shock. It wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. He was momentarily speechless.

Arianna pounded to the door,
opened it and motioned outside.

“If all you have to tell me are
lies, you can leave.”

He walked to her and closed the
door.

“You are quite something, you know
that?”

She sat on the loveseat. He joined
her.

They were back in view of the
camera.

“You’re right,” Chauncey said, as
if the truth pained his tongue. “You are not the only woman in my life.”

“Nicole and how many others?”

 
“I’ve dated several women I’ve met
online.”

“Nicole says you’ve got a fiancée.
Are you really getting married?”
 

“What is it with you women? Are
you and Nicole keeping in touch now? You don’t even know her.”

“I don’t know you, either. So are
you getting married or not ‘cause I don’t do married men.”

“No. I just told Nicole that so
she would leave us alone.”

“I thought you were going to tell
the truth. You gave the woman a ring. What’s her name, anyway?”

“Janelle. But she hasn’t said she
would marry me, yet. Is this going to be an interrogation?”

“You can leave any time you want.
So what’s the deal with Janelle?”

“Janelle is a sweet woman who
loves me.”

“Do you love her?”

“I care
about her.”

“In other words, ‘no.’ But you’re
willing to marry her?”

“There are many reasons to marry.
Love isn’t always one of them.”

“So what do you want from me? I’m
not going to house you or marry you or pay any of your bills. You can get sex
anywhere and you have been. So what’s the attraction?”

“I told you on our first date. I
love your feistiness. No woman has ever confronted me like you did today. You
are like a breath of fresh air.”

“Save the charm. I’m not
impressed.”

“What would impress you?”

Arianna stared at him. At
that moment, she decided he was good for one thing
–
pleasing her in ways that showerheads and whirlpool
jets couldn’t. Why should she deny herself his services one last time?

She licked her lips.

“How about impressing me
with your
real
skills. What you can do under the covers.”

Chauncey smiled, releasing
the tension trapped in his muscles, and scooted close to her. “Are you trying
to seduce me?”

Arianna slid her hands
between his legs, grabbing his crotch. “No. I’m straight out asking for it.”

She
straddled him and whispered in his ear.

“Fuck
me.”

She
dismounted him, stood up and headed for the stairs. Chauncey followed.

“Grrrrrrr.
Grrrrrr. Grrrrr,” growled Chauncey as he reached the height of his
satisfaction.

“I can’t
believe you had
me
calling
your
name,” Chauncey said. “No woman has
ever fucked me like that before.”

She
looked him in the eyes. “Good. ‘Cause I want to fuck you like you’ve never been
fucked before.”

Arianna
rolled over to her side of the bed and pretended to sleep.

      
As
Chauncey snored, Arianna gently rolled out of bed and slipped on a robe and a
pair of slippers. She tiptoed to the corner of the room where she’d thrown his
pants on the floor and eased a ring of keys from his pocket.

She was determined to unlock secrets.

She opened his truck door and turned on the light, quickly spotting
the Bible still snug in the passenger door pocket. She realized then that it
was for show.

Her palms started to sweat as she opened the glove compartment. She
turned her attention to the house every few seconds to make sure Chauncey
hadn’t discovered her missing.

 
Among the papers she found
was the truck’s registration, which listed the owner as a Bertha Clark of
Lebanon, Indiana. Arianna wanted to write down the address, but didn’t have a
pen.

Instead, she relied
on her memory.

On the passenger side floor was a CD holder with Luther, Stevie,
Gerald Levert, and a bunch of reggae artists she’d never heard of. In the back,
under a pile of dirty sweats, was a steel gray box. She tried three keys before
finding the right one. Her hands shook as she unlocked it, staring at the front
door, scared he would appear at any moment.

Inside
the box was another stack of papers. She flipped through them and found two
birth certificates. One was in the name of Chauncey Robert Cockfield. The
other, Robert Chauncey Cockfield.

There
was a marriage certificate and divorce decree for Chauncey Robert and Lydia
Barrett of London. There was a second marriage certificate, but no divorce
decree for Chauncey Robert and Bertha.