Violation (20 page)

“You look fine. Your hair is a little wild.”

“Oh God, I don’t have a brush.”

“Stop inside the bathroom at the top of the stairs before you go out to the party,” I ordered.

“Right, okay. I’ll go first. Wait a minute or two before you come up and turn the lights off.”

“Okay I got it. You go.” I watched her smooth her dress down and look for stains. “You’re good. Be careful on the stairs.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay, I need to get through this night.” She grabbed the basket from the table. “I don’t want you to go.” Her eyes rang with sincerity.

“That woman, Margo is my sister’s partner. She’s not with me. Remember, my sister’s a lesbian.”

I watched Serena’s face form into the most beautiful smile. I had witnessed her sigh of relief. I had garnered enough proof that she really cared.

“I love you. Noah, I really missed you.” The words clumsily stumbled out her mouth.

I smiled back. She brings so many smiles to my face. “I love you too.” I kissed her on the forehead. “Go.”

I stood there and watched her disappear up the stairs. She moved slowly because of the high heels and my member had reduced her legs to jelly. I removed my cell phone and saw a text from my sister.

[Where’d you go?]

I texted back. [Men’s room. Be there in a sec.]

Justine texted me back quickly. [Whatever turd boy. We’re at the bar.]

I slipped my cell back in my pocket. I looked down and I spotted Serena’s panties under the table. I wanted to leave them there so Dee could find them. But what if Tenisha or her brother found them.

I’m not that guy. I don’t know why I even thought such a thing.

I reached down and grabbed the soaked panties off the floor and pushed them into my pocket. I am the guy that fucked his best bro’s wife. I did it right under his nose, right in his house. Our friendship was back on track and now I go and fuck it up. What the fuck is wrong with me? Does love make you do dumb ass shit? This is tomorrow’s problem. I just need to get through tonight. I looked down at my watch. It was ten forty-two. New Year please get here quick.

I walked to the staircase and waited. The coast should be clear. There are too many people in this house to put us together. I walked up the stairs and hit the light switch. I listened at the door. I opened the door when I didn’t hear anything other than the dull roar of the music. I turned the corner and saw Tenisha with her cell phone to her ear.

FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!

She had her intimidating eyes on me. We made a direct awkward eye contact. I pressed my lips together as she glared at me with eyes a few shades darker than her mothers.

I had to pass her to get back to the party. This part of the house was remote and away from the guests. I didn’t even know what to do. I couldn’t even think of a clever explanation to why I was back here and emerging from the same place as her mother.

“Tenisha.” I tried to form a smile but I’m sure it didn’t go over well.

“Mr. Hart.” Shit! She never calls me Mr. Hart. I’m Uncle Noah. She suspiciously watched me as I passed her. I made my way back to the party. I didn’t dare turn back to see Tenisha’s face.

I forged my way to the bar. Justine was waiting there for me.

“Hey, where’s Margo?” I was trying to take my mind off all the previous events with small talk.

“She’s out on the dance floor.” I turned in that direction. “She’s dancing with Deshawn. For some reason, she felt like she should keep him occupied.” Justine smirked.

I spotted them dancing out there right away. They were both smiling. “Okay.” I turned back to my sister.

“Did you know you have a hand print on the side of your face?”

“Ah, ah, no I didn’t.” I chuckled to unsuccessfully cover my activities.

“Yeah you do.” Justine frowned. “Some woman slapped the shit outta you.”

“Ah, nope.”

“There’s a little speck of blood on your neck.”

My hand flew to my neck. “God,” my only word-thought at the time.

Justine leaned close to me. “I hope you don’t have a rape case in your future.” She pulled back to look me in the eyes. She was wearing her big sister all-knowing, overbearing, judgmental cap. “Noah, say something?”

“I didn’t rape anybody.”

“More words. That’s not enough to get me off your back. Words. Now.” She demanded.

“It was consensual, just rough.”

“For the rest of the night--”

I stared at Justine as I waited for the rest. “Yeah?”

She leaned into my ear. “Stay away from Serena Jones.”

My heart dropped into my balls. I stepped back to evaluate her familiar blue eyes. Her glare was the warning I needed to knock the lovey-dovey stars out of my eyes. I felt like a little boy being scolded for misbehaving. I was a grown man being scolded for misbehaving.

“Okay.” What could I say when my sister was right and I was so incredibly wrong.

“Here, drink this.” She grabbed her drink off the bar and handed it over to me. I took it and drank it down. “I’ll get you another.”

“Thanks.”

Justine licked her thumb and wiped the blood from my neck. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be a good responsible brother tonight. You have my permission to get totally wasted.” She turned her back to me and called out to the bartender.

I am humiliated and happy all at once. Serena loves me and she missed me but Justine knows I’m not perfect. I think she knew that already. My sister knows me better than anyone. Instead of dwelling on the events of this day I think I will drink and drink some more. I want to get fucked up. I can tackle my problems tomorrow. And oh I have problems.

I didn’t actually remember ringing in the New Year. I didn’t remember counting backwards from ten. I didn’t recollect arriving home although I was certain Justine drove. Or was it Margo? My head was pounding like techno music when I finally crept of out the den. I was sure that Justine and Margo didn’t have the strength or the patience to help me climb all the stairs that would have led me to my bedroom.

Who can remember what drunken shit fell out of my mouth? I was sure I didn’t mention Serena. Or I hoped I didn’t. I checked my face in the mirror and my face was intact. Dee hadn’t punched me so I was sure I didn’t do anything too embarrassing or dumb at his house.

I brushed my teeth and showered upstairs. I grabbed some fresh clothes from my bedroom. I took a few aspirin and realized I needed some food in my stomach. I went downstairs to the kitchen. Justine was in the kitchen loading the dishwasher.

“Hey there, I would say good morning but it’s afternoon.”

“Yeah I know. Where’s Margo?”

“She’s somewhere doing her yoga.”

“Yoga,” I repeated.

“Margo made breakfast but it’s lunchtime. Do you want me to warm up the leftovers?”

“Yes please, my stomach is empty.”

Justine grabbed a plate from my refrigerator and transferred it to the microwave. She poured me a glass of orange juice.

“You look like shit but you’re sober.”

“I’m sober.”

“So little brother. You are hiding a scandal in your trousers.”

Trousers? I decided to keep my, you’re not British joke to myself. “How could you tell?”

“I just put the pieces together. Margo told me you wanted her to play along with your little charade.”

“I’m sorry you found out about this. I know you think I’m a little shit.”

“You’re six-six so you’re a big shit. Next time tell me when you want to use my girlfriend in your fiendish plot.”

“I didn’t try to do this, any of it. The affair, it just happened.”

“I guess you just dribbled your basketball up and down the court and you tripped over your penis, picked it up and dunked it into her vagina.”

I thought about her analogy. “Honestly, it was kind of just like that.”

She laughed. “Don’t make me laugh you little shit.”

“Okay sorry.”

“How long has this been brewing?”

“Just a few months.”

“And you didn’t force her?”

“No, I would never force myself on anyone. Last night Serena slapped me. She thought Margo was with me and it pissed her off. She was jealous.” The microwave beeped.

“And you went out of your way to make her think that my girlfriend was your girlfriend.” Justine removed the heated plate from the microwave.

“I did and I’m sorry. Serena broke up with me and I needed to get her back for hurting me.”

“So you tried to hurt her. That’s real mature.” Justine pushed the plate of warmed food over to me. I stuffed bacon in my mouth.

“I think it worked. I think we’re back together.”

“Last time I checked she was married to Deshawn Jones.”

“She still is.”

“Last time I checked you were Deshawn’s best friend.”

“I am.”

“So is this some swingers, wife swap, kinky, rich people bullshit?”

“No, of course not. I love them both. I don’t want to hurt Dee but I can’t give her up. Justine honestly, I love her.”

“Love?”

“Yes.”

“You never use that word.”

“I do now,” I admitted.

“What do you plan to do about this love?”

“Wait until she leaves him.”

“Are you retiring from basketball?”

“No.” I frowned. I was in my prime at thirty-years-old.

“Are you going to be a free agent?”

“I could but my people are negotiating my new contract with the Cavs. I love Chicago.”

“You can’t play on the same team as Deshawn.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I can.”

“So you plan on sneaking around after she gets a divorce? If she ever gets a divorce? You know people who have affairs claim they’re leaving their spouse and they never do.”

“Serena is not like that.”

“How do you know?”

“She loves me too.”

“Does she?”

I stopped stuffing my face to look Justine in the eyes. “She does.” I was getting a bit emotional discussing this with my sister.

“Noah, I believe you.”

I went back to eating. Justine busied herself around me by cleaning the kitchen that my housekeeper was going to clean when she returned on Monday.

I finished my food and Justine took my plate before I could hand it over. “You need to comb your hair.”

“Why?” I asked.

“We’re going to Skype with our parents in thirty minutes.”

“They don’t know how to Skype.”

“The neighbors teen is going to do it for them. I paid him to set it up.”

“Why didn’t you say something? I would have paid.”

“You pay for everything. I can handle this one thing.”

“Okay well if you need anything.”

“I know. You will handle it.”

My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I was so hung-over I didn’t remember putting it in my pocket. I fetched it out and saw it was Serena with a text.

[This year things will be different.]

I texted back. [I will love you more.]

[Not more than I love you.]

[Do you want the ring back?]

[YOU STILL HAVE IT???]

[YES!!!]

My cell phone started ringing. It was Serena. I stood and answered. My sister was glaring at me as I escaped from the kitchen for some privacy.

***

My sister went back to Paris with her girlfriend. This was only after lecture upon lecture about the perils of affairs with married women. She sounded like our Ma. I pretended to listen but having Serena back in my life and back in my bed was the best thing that happened to me in the New Year. The winter was mild and I was able to see Serena more often.

The Cavaliers were winning. We had the eastern conference on lock. It felt good to be on top. It felt really good when Serena was on top of me. We were able to spend more time together because Deshawn had his hands full with another new conquest. His main flame was some young actress that didn’t know her worth. This one actually resembled a younger, browner version of Serena.

Since she was an actress she was discreet. It seemed she cared about her public persona and her reputation. Dee met her at a local radio station interview and he worked his charm on her. Like all the rest she knew he was married but he had charisma and money. Her name was Nia Pillar and she had been in a few Hollywood movies. She didn’t really stand a chance. Dee was a master with the ladies.

Somehow I hoped that he would really fall for this one. I hoped Nia would demand that he leave his wife and be with her. It would help me have what I wanted but Deshawn seemed to only be enthralled with a woman in the initial stages of the courtship. He was Prince Charming for the first few months and then he collected another woman for his harem.