On the Way to Heaven (BWWM Romance) (5 page)

CHAPTER
EIGHT

    
Lorraine appeared in the corner of the
bedroom after Neil left. “I know what you’re thinking.”

    
“What am I thinking?” Trina sighed. “Since
you’re so smart.”

    
Lorraine walked up to the bed. “I told you
that you can’t get involved with him.”

    
“Am I getting involved?” Trina raised her
arms. “The man and I are getting to know each other. You expect me to stay here
and not even do that?”

    
“She’s talking about the look on your
face.” Roxy appeared in bed beside Trina. “Even Stevie Wonder could tell you’re
mighty smitten.”

    
“Me?” Trina gasped. “Neil’s the one who
can’t stop staring. What can you expect?” She patted her hair. “He’s probably
never seen a woman as sexy as me before.”

    
“I’m serious, Trina,” Lorraine said. “You
want to get into Heaven, right? Then you gotta keep it platonic with Neil.”

    
“But he’s attracted to me. I can’t stop
that.”

    
“You have to.” Lorraine leaned over her.
“You gotta let him know, clear as day, that nothing can happen between you.”

    
“All right.” She snuggled underneath the
sheet. “I got it, now go.”

* * * *

    
The next morning, Trina snapped Violet’s
neck back when she twisted her hair into a ponytail.

    
“Ow.” Violet ate Cheerios and milk with her
fingers.

    
“Sorry, honey.” Trina straightened her
ponytail. “You’re ready.”

    
Winter and Paige came into the kitchen.

    
“We gotta go, Trina.” Paige ran up to her.
“Did you fix our lunches?”

    
“Yep.” Trina got three lunch kits out of
the refrigerator. “I made you tuna fish sandwiches and cut up some oranges
slices.” She handed the kits to them.

    
“Orange slices?” Winter looked in the kit
with her nose curled up. “Dad always gives us a candy bar.”

    
“Well, not today.” Trina got Violet out of
the chair. “Have a good day at school.”

    
“Why not today?” Winter pushed up her
glasses. “I love candy bars.”

    
“Yeah, but wouldn’t you want something
healthier?” Trina got the empty cereal bowls off the table. “It’s better for
your mind if you don’t eat all that sugar.” She set the bowls in the sink.

    
“You think I’m fat, don’t you?” Winter
asked.

    
Paige glanced at Trina.

    
“No.” Trina hopped over to her. “’Course
not. All of you need to eat better. It’s not good to eat all that junk.”

    
“Yeah, whatever.” Winter slumped out of the
room.

    
“Winter?” Trina stood at the kitchen
doorway. “Honey, I don’t think you’re fat.”

    
“You think she’s fat,” Paige said. “It’s
okay if you do.” She shrugged. “She is.”

    
“I feel terrible.” Trina walked back into
the kitchen. “I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I really did put slices in
there because it’s healthier.”

    
“Winter is a fat butt!” Violet chanted.
“Winter is a fat butt! Winter is a fat butt!”

    
“Violet, stop it,” Trina said.

    
“Winter is a fat butt!” Violet giggled and
ran out of the kitchen.

    
“Damn.” Trina sat down. “I feel horrible.”

    
“Don’t. You’re not the only one who thinks
she’s fat,” Paige said. “She knows she’s fat.”

    
“Yeah, but I don’t want her feeling bad
about it.” Trina sighed. “She’s not fat. She’s just a little chubby.”

    
“Tell that to Gaston.”

    
“Who?”

    
“He goes to our school. He bullies her all
the time.”

    
“He does?”

    
“I try to step in.” Paige moved from the
table. “But it doesn’t help. Plus, he’s bigger than me. He teases her real
bad.”

    
“That’s awful.” Trina stood. “What does
your school do about it?”

    
“Not much.” Paige chewed an orange slice
from her kit. “She told a teacher once, but it only made things worse. Gaston
and his friends started picking on her more because she tattled.”

    
“Does your father know?”

    
Paige nodded.

    
“And he hasn’t done anything?”

    
“No.”

    
Trina exhaled. “He hasn’t even gone up to
the school and talked to anyone about it?”

    
“He said he would, but I guess he hasn’t
had the chance.”

    
“Unbelievable.” Trina gathered crumbled up
napkins off the table. “He can’t keep brushing things aside like this. Does he
realize how hurtful bullying can be? I was bullied in school.”

    
“You were bullied?” Paige’s mouth dropped.
“You’re so pretty, though.”

    
“I got bullied because I was an orphan.”
She stood against the sink. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I think some of it
made me stronger, but I wish I hadn’t had to go through it.”

    
Paige waved. “I’d better go.”

    
“Oh, right. Are you gonna be late?”

    
Paige looked at her plastic watch. “Nah,
the school’s only in the next block. See you.”

    
Trina patted her back. “Okay, have a—”

    
“Hello?” A woman called out from the other
room.

    
Trina and Paige went into the living room.

    
A pale, shapely, redheaded woman in a snug
summer dress and sandals stood by the door.

    
“Hey, Marisa.” Paige rushed past her. “Bye,
Marisa!”

    
“Bye, sweetie,” the redhead said.

    
“Bye, Trina.” Paige waved.

    
“Bye, honey.”

    
Paige ran out the door.

    
Marisa flashed Trina an awkward looking
smile. “I guess you heard who I am.” She held out her hand. “Marisa Dodge.”

    
“Trina Mosley.” Trina took her hand. “Nice
to meet you.”

    
“Nice to meet you, too.”

    
“I see Neil’s truck is
gone.” Marisa pointed to the door. “I was hoping to catch him before he left
for work.”

    
“Yeah, he said he had some big job to do in
the next county, so he left a little earlier than usual.”

    
“I see.” Marisa turned around. “Wow. I
almost didn’t recognize the place.” She walked over to the television. “You
cleaned it yourself?”

    
“The girls helped a little, but yeah, it
was mainly me.”

    
“You do great work.” Marisa ran her finger
across the top of the television. “Oops. Looks like you missed a spot.”

    
Trina glared at her. “Did I?”

    
“Yes, you did. But I give you an A for
effort.”

    
Trina clenched her teeth. “I appreciate
that.”

    
 
“I
offered to clean this house for Neil many times.”

    
“Did you?”

    
“Uh-huh.” Marisa sashayed up to her. “He
didn’t want me to do it. I guess he wanted a professional. No matter how good
you are, I doubt you’d do it as good as Charlotte would.” She smirked. “In
Neil’s eyes, no one will ever measure up to her.”

    
“I’m sure that’s true.”

    
“Oh, it is.” Marisa brushed down the back
of her dress. “I learned that a long time ago. I care about Neil a lot, and I
promised Charlotte I’d look after him and the girls. He’s very vulnerable, and
I wouldn’t want him to get hurt.”

    
“I wouldn’t either.”

    
“No?” Marisa played with her purse strap.
“You don’t even know him.”

    
“What I know, I like. He’s a nice guy and a
genuine person. He could improve on his parenting skills, but that’s not my
business.”

    
Marisa stuck her chin in the air. “Do you
intend on becoming more than the maid, Trina?”

    
Whoa. Now hold up.

    
“What do you mean?”

    
“I would like to save you any heartache if
you think Neil’s up for grabs. He’s not.”

    
“Wait a minute.” Trina sighed. “I think
you’ve got the wrong idea here.”

    
“I’m not so sure. I’m very good at reading
people, and I just feel like something’s off with you.” Marisa circled her. “I
can’t put my finger on it, but I feel it.”

    
“I assure you, I’m just here to do my job.
You just said he thinks no one else could measure up to Charlotte, right?”

    
Marisa stopped in front of her.

    
“I’m just here to cook, clean, and help
out.” Trina clasped her hands behind her back. “No more and no less.”

    
“I just don’t want Neil to get mixed up.
With you staying here and doing wifely things, he might get confused.”

    
 
“You
don’t give him much credit, do you?”

    
“I’ve known Neil since we were kids.”
Marisa put her purse strap on her shoulder. “You’ll never know him the way I
do. I don’t care how many times you cook for him or clean for him.”

    
“Do I threaten you, Marisa?”

    
“Please.” She grinned. “I just want to make
sure you know where things stand. You’re the maid. That’s all you’ll ever be.”

CHAPTER
NINE

    
“Winter?” Trina
knocked on the girls’ bedroom door after dinner. “May I come in?”

    
She didn’t answer.

    
Trina opened the door. “Are you busy?”

    
Winter lay on the third bed, reading her
e-reader.

    
“I think we need to clear something up,
sweetheart.” Trina closed the door. “I can sense that you’re
kinda
upset with me.”

    
Winter turned on her stomach.

    
“I’m sorry about this morning.” Trina sat
on the bed. “I wasn’t calling you fat. I’m concerned with how you all eat. Your
dad lets you guys eat anything you want, and it’s not healthy.”

    
Winter looked up with a tear in her eye.

    
“Oh, honey.” Trina patted her back. “I’m
sorry if I made you feel bad. It wasn’t my intention.”

    
“It’s not you,” the little girl whimpered.
“I know I’m fat and ugly.”

    
“You’re not fat and ugly.” Trina laid her
hand under Winter’s chin and forced her to meet her gaze. “You hear me? You are
a beautiful young lady, and don’t let anyone tell you different.”

    
“Everyone makes fun of me.” Winter wiped
her eyes. “Even my sisters do, sometimes. No one at school likes me. All the
boys hate me.”

    
“Listen, I know what it feels like to be
bullied.”

    
“You?” She sniffled.

    
“Yes, ma’am.” Trina sat with her back
erect. “I was bullied all through school because I lived with foster families
my entire childhood. Believe me, people don’t bully because there’s something
wrong with you.” She touched Winter’s nose. “They do it because there’s
something wrong with
them
.”

    
“Gaston’s the worst.” The bed shifted as
Winter sat up. “He teases me all the time.”

    
“He probably likes you.”

    
“No.” She moved strands of hair from her
face. “He hates me. He keeps saying he’s going to beat me up.”

    
“Wait, this boy is threatening you?” Trina
stood. “Paige said you spoke to your teacher. What about the principal?”

    
“I didn’t wanna say anything because the
kids already think I’m a tattletale. When I told the last time, things got
worse.”

    
“Don’t worry.” Trina hugged her. “You don’t
have to take care of it. Your dad will. It’s about time Neil stops acting like
he’s the only one in pain and does what a father is supposed to do.” Trina left
the room, went downstairs, and paraded into the living room.

    
Paige did her homework on the floor while
Violet watched television on the couch.

    
“Where’s your father?” Trina asked.

    
“On the porch.” Paige scribbled math
problems in her notebook.

    
Trina went outside.

    
Neil sat in the chair beside the door with
another
can of beer. “Hey.”

    
“I don’t mean to interrupt.” She closed the
door behind her. “But we need to talk.”

    
“About what?” He sipped from the can.

    
“About a whole lot of things that are going
on, that you don’t seem to know about.”

    
“Is this another lecture on my parenting
skills?” He scratched his head. “I apologized for how I spoke to you, but I’d
appreciate it if you’d stay out of my business, Trina.”

    
“That would be easy to do if you got your
ass up and did what you’re supposed to do.”

    
“Wait.” He stood. “We’re not going down
this road again. I told you that you’re here to be the maid and—”

    
“What are you here to be, then, Neil? It
surely isn’t a father, because you’re not being one.”

    
He squeezed the can. “Excuse me?”

    
“Your daughter is lying upstairs crying. Do
you even care?”

    
“Crying?” He stepped back. “What are you
talking about?”

    
“She’s being bullied at school.”

    
“You mean Gaston?” He sipped from the can.
“I already know about that.”

    
“Why aren’t you doing something about it?”

    
“I told Winter he’s just teasing her
because he likes her. That’s what kids do.”

    
“That’s not what kids
should
be doing, Neil. How can you excuse it? She’s being bullied and it’s
hurting her. You act like you don’t even care.”

    
“I care, but that’s what kids do!” He
raised his arm. “When I was in school, people teased me, too. She just needs to
stand up to him.”

    
“No.” She yanked the beer can away and
threw it into the yard.

    
“What the hell is your problem?”

    
“I don’t know if I can take much more of
this.” She pointed at him. “This attitude and neglect is sickening.”

    
He looked out into the dark yard.

    
“I know you’re hurting, but you’re
punishing your daughters because of it.” She covered her face and breathed into
her hands. “I’m not asking you to change the world, Neil. I’m asking you to
make an effort before it’s too late.”

    
 
He
looked at the door.

    
“They need you.”

    
“She’s really crying?” he whispered.

    
“Yes.”

    
“I’m not stupid.” He put his hands in his
pockets. “I know I haven’t been there for them like I should.”

    
“Stop knowing and do it, Neil.” She touched
his arm. “Do it.”

    
“I think getting her out of the house will
make her feel better.” He took his keys out of his pocket. “Why don’t we all go
for a ride and I can talk to her? She loves going to the park at night.”

    
“That sounds good.” Trina sighed.

    
He kissed her cheek.

    
She touched the spot. “What was that for?”

    
 
“For
caring.” He opened the door. “What you’ve said might be uncomfortable to face,
but I appreciate it.”