Troublemaker (6 page)

“Emily, please pull off your rose-colored glasses. This isn't a long-distance relationship. He banged the girl while we were up there on spring break a few months ago and now she's four-months pregnant.”

“But you said that Chase said she's his girlfriend.”

Samantha sucked in her breath. “That's the term that he used to make it sound better. That boy has I-don't-know-how-many little so-called girlfriends running around Atlanta. He's rarely mentioned her name until last night.”

“I know you're furious, disappointed, and worried all at once. I know I would be.”

“Yes, and the thoughts that have been going through my mind . . .” Samantha let out another deep breath. “I should've never let him out of my sight while we were up there visiting.”

“Don't beat yourself up. Chase has always been the type of child who's done what he wants to do, regardless of what anyone tells him. You and Tyler have tried over and over to help him make better decisions. CJ has tried and Ed and I have tried. Even Elise tried to talk to him while you guys were up here. This is on Chase and no one else.”

“I was the same way, stubborn as hell when I was his age. I got into all kinds of trouble because of my mouth and quick temper. And yeah, I was boy crazy and I got around, but pregnancy wasn't even on my radar. How hard can it be to put on a damn condom? I know for a fact that he has them because I've found them in his room when I'm in there snooping.”

Emily sighed. “That falls in line with making good decisions and being responsible.”

“And my son doesn't do either. I can only imagine what kind of girl this LaMonica is.”

“Did you say LaMonica?” Emily asked, drawing in a sharp intake of breath.

Samantha cut off the running water that had filled the tub, set her glass on the vanity, and stood completely still. “Yes . . . oh Lord, do you know who she is?”

“Is her last name Carpenter?”

“I don't know. I was so upset when Chase was telling us that I don't remember what he said her last name was. But I do know that she lives in Crestwood and she's a year older than he is.”

“Lord have mercy, it's a small world,” Emily said. “This has to be the same girl.”

“You know who she is?”

“Yes, and she's friends with Elise. They're in the same Jack and Jill chapter as well as this year's debutante cotillion.”

Emily proceeded to tell Samantha as much as she could about LaMonica Carpenter.

LaMonica was an attractive seventeen-year-old who looked more like a college senior than a high school junior at the private school she attended. She was a straight-A student and had been inducted into the National Honor Society last year. Her mother was a high-ranking employee in the federal government, and her father was a successful businessman who was running for a seat on the city council.

A funny feeling came over Samantha and she was hoping it was just a combination of frayed nerves and an over active imagination. “What are her parents' first names?”

“Millie and David. They're our age and they both went to Georgetown. Do you know them?”

Samantha's head was swimming.
This can't possibly be,
she thought to herself.

“Do you know them from your days here in D.C.?” Emily asked again.

“Uh, I'm not sure.”

“They're a very nice couple and LaMonica seems to have a good head on her shoulders. But . . .”

Samantha knew that “but” was code for bad. “Spill what you know.”

“I hate to talk negatively about the girl, and I'm only going on what I've seen from afar, but she's always seemed a little too streetwise and grown for my taste. You know, the kind who has something up her sleeve. Slick, as you would say.”

Samantha shook her head, pulled off her robe, and slid down into the warm bubbles. “Now it makes sense why Chase was interested in her.”

“I probably shouldn't say this, but I just have to ask . . .”

“What?”

“How do you know this baby is really Chase's?”

The thought had crossed Samantha's mind as she was thinking about it earlier today, but she'd been so flustered she'd barely had time to process it thoroughly. And now, if LaMonica's father was who Samantha thought he was, she didn't put anything past the girl. “That's a good point. All we know is what Chase has told us, and all he knows is what she's told him. That's why I can't wait to speak with LaMonica's parents this weekend. Trust and believe, Tyler and I are gonna get down to the bottom of this.”

Samantha and Emily talked a few minutes longer before Emily was pulled away by after dinner kitchen cleanup. Samantha lay back in her Jacuzzi tub and tried to relax, but she couldn't. All she could think about was her son and the child he possibly had on the way, and how it would change everyone's lives. She prayed it wasn't Chase's baby, and if bad luck had it that it was, she prayed even harder that her suspicions about LaMonica's father were wrong.

She closed her eyes and exhaled, but then shot straight up when she heard her name.

“Sam, I'm home,” Tyler called out as he walked into the bathroom. “I had a long day and I'm so glad to be back.”

“Me too. Why did you tell Chase it was okay to stay at Brad's house tonight? That boy should be here, on punishment.”

“Sam, the damage is already done. I let him stay with Brad because you and I need tonight, alone. We need to talk, and be together, then tomorrow we can bring Chase back into the fold when our heads are a little more clear.”

Tyler's words and presence had relaxed her more than the warm bubbles and wine. “You're right.”

He reached over and took a sip from her glass. “You know I prefer my Ketel One, but this isn't half bad.”

Samantha smiled wide. She'd initially wanted the house all to herself, but now she was glad that Tyler was home, giving her the steady reassurance and comfort she so desperately needed. They locked eyes with each other and she didn't have to say another word. He removed his shirt, then his pants and boxers, and slid down into the tub behind her, cradling her back against his chest.

“It's gonna be all right, Sam. We're gonna get through this.”

Samantha didn't want to ruin the wonderful moment, but as she lay relaxed into the comfort of Tyler's chest, she had to ask him the question that was on her mind. “Do you remember what Chase said LaMonica's last name is?”

Tyler nodded. “Carpenter. Why?”

“Oh, nothing, I just wanted to make sure.”

Right then another rock landed in the pit of Samantha's stomach.
How in the hell can this be happening?
she thought. Her past was coming back to haunt her in the form of David Carpenter, the handsome football player she'd briefly dated in college. They shared a secret they'd each sworn to take to the grave. They each had dirt on the other, which had sealed their “I'll never tell” deal. But now that the game had changed and the stakes involved her son, Samantha knew she'd use the information she had against him in order to save her son, even if it meant sacrificing herself.

P
J
created a relaxing mood by cuing up music from his latest jazz playlist, then he set the table and poured the wine while Alexandria prepared their plates for dinner.

Last month, Alexandria had moved out of her apartment across town and into PJ's luxury condo, which had more room. With their nuptials just a short time away, they'd decided to move in now rather than have to go through the hassle after a busy wedding and honeymoon. Being with him and living in the same space had given her a small taste of what married life was going to be like and she knew she was going to enjoy it.

Alexandria loved evenings like this that gave them a chance to bond over a good meal and conversation. “A happy stomach equals a happy home,” her mother always told her. She knew that PJ's appetite was always ready, and she planned to satisfy it, in and out of the kitchen. As she looked at him, she knew she couldn't ask for a more loving fiancé, and without a doubt, he was going to make an even better husband and father. “Thank you, baby,” she said with a smile.

“For what?” he asked as he finished lighting the candles on the table.

“For simply being who you are. I love that I can drop crazy stuff on you, and you just roll with it like it's no big deal. I know this last-minute trip to Nedine wasn't in the plans, but you're still willing to rearrange your schedule at the hospital so you can go with me.”

“As much time as I put in at work, they know they owe me.”

“Yeah, but you still didn't have to offer to go, especially under the circumstances.”

“You said that this is about family, and there's nothing more important than that.”

Once they settled in at the small dining room table, they were ready to eat.

“When do you want me to book our flight to Nedine?” PJ asked as he took a bite of his shrimp scampi.

Alexandria sipped her wine slowly. “I'm thinking next Friday morning. I need to talk to my mother tomorrow and see when she, Dad, and hopefully Christian can fly out, if at all. I'm also going to call Uncle Maxx and see if he's up to making the trip.”

“Okay, just let me know and I'll handle it.”

“Thanks, honey,” Alexandria said as she and PJ tapped their wineglasses together for a toast. “How's Gary doing?” she asked. Gary Mosley, the adorable five-year-old boy whom PJ had been treating for the last three months, was one of the hospital's Boarder Babies, which was part of a national program at hospitals across the country. Boarder Babies were children who either had been abandoned in the hospital at birth, or had been dropped off at its doors by parents who could no longer handle the responsibility of caring for their child. These abandoned children were boarded and cared for by the nurses and doctors, who relied on grant funding, and in most cases, their own wallets, to cover the financial costs of keeping the children healthy and safe.

Gary had been abandoned three months ago by his drug-addicted mother, who'd been in and out of rehab for years. One of the nurses had found him near the back entrance one night, lying on the ground, barely alive, wearing nothing but a pair of soiled underwear and a dirty T-shirt. He was badly malnourished, dehydrated, and whimpering in pain. Gary was so small he looked more like a three-year-old than his five years.

After a thorough examination, the doctors had discovered that little Gary needed a kidney transplant in order to save his life. Miraculously, he'd received a new kidney within a few months of being placed on the list. PJ had been an instrumental part of the surgical team, and had grown attached to the little boy, as had Alexandria, who came by the hospital and visited him every chance she could get.

“He's making great progress,” PJ said. “He asked about you this afternoon. He said, ‘Where's Miss Ali? I want Miss Ali to come and see me.' ”

Alexandria smiled. “Awww, I miss that little guy. I would've stopped in after work, but I had so much running around to do. I wonder if it'll be okay to swing by there tonight. Maybe I can read him a bedtime story before he goes to sleep.”

PJ looked at his watch. “I don't see why not. I know he'll light up when he sees you walk into his room.”

“How much longer do you think it will be before he's ready to leave the hospital?”

“At least another month. But even then, I'm really nervous about it.”

“Because of where he'll go and what will happen to him . . . ?”

PJ nodded. It was a sobering reality that neither he nor Alexandria wanted to face. Over the past several months Gary had become a significant part of their lives. Each day, they either visited his room or talked with him by phone, and each night they prayed for him, speaking affirming words for his healing. From the moment Alexandria had heard PJ talk about the sick little boy who'd been abandoned in a state of near death, she had known that there was something different and special about Gary Mosley.

Initially, Alexandria had wanted to look into the future and see what it held: would Gary get a kidney in time? If he did, would he survive? And if he survived, what would happen to him once he was well enough to leave the hospital? Would he be put into the foster care system, relegated to a childhood filled with bad memories like her paternal grandmother had experienced? Or would one of his distant relatives step up to claim him and give him a happy life?”

Those questions were constantly at the forefront of Alexandria's mind whenever she thought about Gary. She knew she could use her gift to easily find out the answers and put her anxiety at rest, but she decided against it. She was learning how not to be so attached to the outcome of things, but instead, to savor the journey of getting there. She was exercising patience, allowing herself to be content with discovering new experiences and unexpected joys each day. Going through Gary's journey with him had already proven to be a rewarding endeavor, and she was looking forward to what was next to come.

She still remembered the first time she'd seen Gary. After listening to PJ talk about the little boy for a few days, she had decided it was time to go by the hospital and pay him a visit. She'd brought him a pack of crayons and a coloring book, along with a cherry-flavored lollipop. Gary had been asleep when she'd slipped into his room. She'd stood beside his bed and instantly fallen in love. He was small, and fragile, and helpless. He reminded her of how she'd felt as a child when spirits would bombard her with their voices at night.

She'd pulled up a chair beside Gary's bed and watched him as he slept, taking shallow, labored breaths. Even though he had been a very sick child whose health was hanging in a precarious balance, he'd looked beautiful and bright in Alexandria's eyes. His deep, chocolate-colored skin had been taut and smooth. His long lashes had extended from his closed lids, making them look almost false, and the shallow rise and fall of his tiny chest had made Alexandria's own heart ache for him as he struggled to breathe.

Even though she'd had to wear protective gloves at the time, she'd put her hand over his, hoping he could feel her warmth and love. She'd waited patiently for two solid hours before Gary had finally opened his eyes, and when they'd looked at each other, she'd known at that moment that he was going to be a part of her life.

“You're a big reason why Gary's recovering so well,” PJ said.

“He's a precious little boy and I'll do whatever I can to make his life as complete as it can be.”

“Alexandria Elizabeth Thornton, this is one of the many reasons I can't wait to make you my wife.”

Alexandria leaned over and kissed PJ. “And I can't wait to get you down that aisle.”

After they finished dinner and drove to the hospital, PJ and Alexandria held hands as they walked down the hall, headed toward Gary's room. “This is really gonna make his night,” PJ said, giving Alexandria's hand a gentle squeeze.

“Mine too.”

As they passed the nurse's station, Alexandria slowed down when a warm sensation came over her. Ms. Brown was in the area. She could feel her presence, and although she'd never met the woman and had only heard about her today, through PJ, she instantly knew without a doubt that the nurse also had the gift. She looked over to her right and saw a kind-looking lady smile at her and nod.

PJ looked in the direction where Alexandria had trained her attention. “That's Ms. Brown,” he said.

“Yes, I know.”

Alexandria could see that PJ fully understood what was happening. He nodded. “Go ahead and talk to her. I'll check on another patient, and then I'll head down to Gary's room and wait for you.”

Alexandria watched as Ms. Brown slowly walked from behind the nurse's desk and stood over to the side, waiting for her with a look that said she'd been expecting company.

As Alexandria drew closer, she examined every detail of Ms. Brown. At a little over five feet tall, she was shorter than Alexandria had imagined, and her chubby cheeks and soft eyes gave her an almost cherubic appearance. Her dark blue scrubs looked as though they'd been laundered at the dry cleaners, and when she leaned on one leg Alexandria could see the perfectly neat crease running down the front of her pants. She was a meticulous woman, evidenced by the other careful details of her appearance. Her short black hair was streaked with flattering auburn highlights, which complemented her chestnut-colored skin. She gave Alexandria another warm smile and stretched her arms to greet her.

“Hello, Alexandria,” Ms. Brown said. “It's so nice to meet you, sugar.”

Alexandria bent down and welcomed the woman's embrace, which felt as comfortable and natural, as if she were hugging a loved one she'd known all her life. “It's nice to meet you, too.”

Ms. Brown smiled. “I'm glad you received the message I delivered to PJ today.”

“Yes. But how did you know about me?”

“I saw you for the first time last week when I came up to bring a new patient on this floor. You were visiting with Gary Mosley and as soon as I saw you I could tell you were special, and that you had the gift. Then today, I woke up with a strange sensation, but in a good way. It was a warm feeling, and I kept hearing a woman's voice inside my head saying, ‘You can't fight the devil on an empty stomach,' and somehow, I knew that I needed to repeat those words in front of PJ because that message was meant for you.”

“Did the voice you heard have a Southern accent, kind of heavy, yet gentle at the same time?”

Ms. Brown smiled and nodded excitedly. “Yes, yes, it did. Almost like I knew her, but I know I don't. This kind of thing has never happened to me, so I knew I had to pay close attention and go where the spirit led me. Do you know who the woman is that contacted me, or why she wanted us to connect through that message?”

“It was my grandma Allene,” Alexandria said. She felt a warm tingle on her arm and the smell of sweet magnolias in the air. “She's here with us right now.” But as soon as Alexandria's words came out, the scent disappeared and Allene was gone. She knew that this was Allene's way of letting her know without a doubt that she'd orchestrated this meeting.

“She's standing here with us right now?” Ms. Brown asked.

“No, but I felt her presence just a few seconds ago. She wanted me to know that it was indeed her who contacted you.”

Ms. Brown squinted her small eyes. “What does all this mean?”

Alexandria wasn't sure of how to answer the question because she really didn't know. Allene had a way of leading her down a road, and then stepping back to let her find her own way down the right path. Alexandria knew that like most everything else, her great-great-grandmother was guiding her and giving her a lesson. She closed her eyes, concentrated, and then re-opened them quickly.

“You just had a vision, didn't you?” Ms. Brown asked.

“Yes. And I want to thank you right now for watching over Gary while PJ and I are gone next weekend, and during our honeymoon.”

Ms. Brown nodded. “This is really something. My director just told me today that I'll be working on this floor, and specifically with Gary, for the next month or until he's released, whichever is first.”

Ms. Brown went on to tell Alexandria that her gift was limited, and didn't allow her to see into the future, reach back into the past, or communicate telepathically as Alexandria could do. But she could sense things, and in particular, the presence of good or evil. She told Alexandria that she would watch over Gary and make sure that nothing bad happened to him, or PJ for that matter.

“Thank you, Ms. Brown. I'm sure that we'll be in contact from here on out,” Alexandria said with a smile.

“We sure will, sugar. We sure will.”

 

Alexandria was on her way to Gary's room when she saw PJ coming toward her.

“I just finished checking on another patient down the hall,” PJ said. “Is everything okay?”