| Spiritual Seduction |
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Chapter 1
Riley Tyson primped and styled in front of the mirror as though
she were on her way to the Oscars, but the outfit she had on
screamed PTA meeting.
“I don’t know why you’re getting dressed, you know your sorry-ass
husband isn’t taking you anywhere,” her younger sister, Tamia
Stewart, said bluntly.
Riley gave a sigh, a long-suffering one that said she had heard
her sister’s comments before. “Don’t you have a man you want to
go out with tonight?”
Tamia grinned. “I have many men that I can be with tonight, but
you’re more fun,” she teased. “Seriously, I don’t know why you
bother. I don’t remember your silly husband ever taking you out
for your anniversary. Why do you keep setting yourself up?”
Riley turned away from the mirror and looked at her sister. “He
said he’ll take me out and I believe him. Besides, I called him
earlier today to confirm.”
Tamia narrowed her mascaraed eyes at her sister. “Did you talk to
him?”
“Well…”
“You got his voicemail didn’t you? Didn’t you?” Tamia pressed
until Riley nodded. “That man is harder to catch than a straight
man in San Francisco.”
“Not true,” Riley said with a laugh. “He checks his voicemail all
the time. And I know that he got my message and we will be going
out tonight.”
“You’re delusional,” Tamia muttered, low enough for Riley to
pretend not to have heard her. “Why hasn’t he called you back?
It’s almost six o’clock. If I were you, I’d stick on a sweat suit, heat
up a Stouffer’s dinner, pull out the Ben and Jerry’s, and plop
down in front of the TV. Because that’s gonna be your dinner and
a movie.”
“We’re going out,” Riley stated firmly. She primly patted her
slicked-down hair. “It’s our fifth anniversary. How can he not
want to celebrate it?”
Tamia tilted her head in amazement, as if to say, What planet do
you live on? “The same way he didn’t want to celebrate the other
four,” Tamia mumbled.
“I heard you,” Riley said. “He always had a good reason.”
“Yeah, right. He had to work,” Tamia said with a snort.
“He did,” Riley said quickly, defending her husband. “And he
always made it up to me.”
“That’s right, I forgot,” Tamia replied sarcastically. “He gave you
wilted roses on your first anniversary. For your second he was
gracious enough to give you a card, two weeks late, and it looked
like he had picked it up off the bathroom floor. And—”
“He took me to the Bahamas,” Riley interjected, cutting her sister
off.
“Yeah, but you admitted that you never saw him. He spent his
days on the golf course and his nights in the clubs.”
“He bought me diamond earrings,” Riley protested while reaching
for her jewelry box.
“Forget it…you don’t have to show me. They’re no bigger than a
crackhead’s brain. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re fake.” Tamia
was silent, then, “And he treats you like his personal maid. I can’t
believe you clean up after him like he’s a two-year-old. This room
looked like Aretha Franklin was in it getting ready for an awards
show before you cleaned it up.”
“I don’t mind,” Riley blurted out. “We’re like yin and yang, he’s a
slob and I’m a neat freak,” she said.
“Yin and yang? Is that what it’s called? You two are more like the
Ying Yang Twins, bizarre.”
Riley ignored her again as she moved from the mirror and sat next
to her younger sister. They looked so much alike that it was
obvious they were related. Each with skin as smooth as toffee
and the color of toasted cinnamon, behinds that were compared
to perfect peaches, and breasts that would never see the inside
of a plastic surgeon’s office because they were so full and
perfect. Riley glanced at her sister. “Why do you hate Bradley so
much?” she asked quietly. Tamia had been making the same
remarks ever since Riley had introduced them to each other.
“Because he’s a fucking jerk!”
“Tamia! Watch your mouth! The children might hear you.” Riley
glanced toward the open door. Even though they were across the
hall, Brie, her one-year-old, and four-year-old Carter had bionic
hearing.
“I’m sorry,” Tamia replied contritely. She tried another tack. “I
don’t think he’s good for you.”
“Tamia, why do you keep pressing this? It’s been the same thing
for the last six years.”
Tamia scrutinized her sister. “Because something’s going on with
you two, I can tell. I don’t know what it is, but something is off.
You two are off.”
Riley quickly averted her eyes. “There’s nothing wrong.” She
picked up a scarf and absentmindedly began twisting it.
Tamia grabbed the scarf. “Are you sure?” Riley nodded. “You’d
tell me, right?”
“I would.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. He’s a very good man. He takes very good care of me
and the kids. You just refuse to see it.”
“In six years I have yet to see Mr. Nice Guy.”
Riley studied her sister and cast her gaze downward, then out of
the blue she said sadly, “Who’d want a lady with two kids?”
“So that’s it—you’re staying with him because you’re afraid of
ending up alone?”
“A little,” Riley admitted. “Sometimes I just think about what would
happen if I left. I’m not delusional, I know what a jerk he is and
that he isn’t perfect, but who is? And I do love him,” she said
honestly. “I have two kids to think about; it’d be selfish of me to
take them away from their father just because he’s a jerk.”
Tamia snorted. “He’s more than a jerk. Anyway, he could always
visit them,” Tamia added.
Riley shook her head. “I don’t want that. It would be too
unsettling and confusing for the children.”
“They’d adjust; children are very resilient. I hate to see you
married to somebody who doesn’t appreciate you.”
Riley squared her shoulders. “I’ll deal with it; I just want things to
work out…for the kids.” She stood up. “Do you like my outfit?”
she asked, changing the subject. She twirled around.
“I still think it’s a waste,” Tamia muttered. “I don’t think his trifling
behind is taking you anywhere.”
“Tamia!” Riley warned.
“Okay, okay. I’ll let it go,” Tamia relented. “And you look aw’
right.”
“Just all right?” Riley asked, exasperated. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, you look like a mommy.”
“I am a mommy.”
“Yeah, but everybody doesn’t have to know that. And if you want
to go out tonight, you should want Bradley to want to take you
out…to show you off.”
“I think I look good,” Riley decided and returned her attention to
the mirror. She paused. “What? Do you think I should change?”
she asked hesitantly.
Tamia bit back a smile. Her sister had as much fashion sense as a
nun. She strutted to Riley’s side. “The first thing you can do is let
your hair down,” she answered while tugging at her sister’s
ponytail. “What the hell did you do, slather it with Super Glue?”
Riley’s reddish-brown shoulder-length hair was slicked to her
scalp. “If it was pulled any tighter, your nose might end up where
your eyes are,” Tamia joked.
“It’s easier this way,” Riley explained. “With two kids…”
“I know, I know.” Tamia had been hearing the same excuse ever
since Brie was born. “You won’t have them tonight. Let it loose.”
Tamia rolled the rubber band off her sister’s hair and ran her
fingers through it. “Now, doesn’t that feel better?”
“Yeah,” Riley admitted, suddenly feeling as though her head had
been released from a bear trap.
Tamia grabbed a comb and dragged it through her sister’s hair
until silky smooth tresses caressed her shoulders. “Perfect,” she
said, taking a second to admire her work. “Now we have to find
you something sexy to wear.”
“This is sexy enough,” Riley protested as she ran a hand over her
long-sleeve, knee-length dress and her confining pumps with
their conservative two-inch heels.
“Yeah, if you’re dead,” Tamia called over her shoulder. She had
sauntered over to her sister’s walk-in closet and was thumbing
through her clothes. “This is going to be a challenge.”
“What’s that?” Riley eyed the garments her sister had slung over
her arm. Victorious, Tamia scooted away from the closet carrying
her selections.
“Girl, your closet is worse than a contestant on What Not to Wear.
I had to dig deep to find this stuff. Very deep.” She held up a pair
of black leather pants, a silky black camisole, and a black-lace
cardigan. Dangling from one finger was a pair of black, strappy,
four-inch heels.
Riley blushed. “I can’t wear that!”
“Why not? It was in your closet. So obviously you’ve worn them
before,” Tamia quipped.
“Yeah, but not together,” she sputtered. “I’ll look like a whore!”
“Well, whores get sex and get taken out. Change!” Tamia ordered.
Riley sighed and quickly did as her sister had told her to do.
“You look hot!” Tamia said as soon as Riley slipped on a pair of
oversize sterling-silver hoop earrings. “Hot! If you weren’t my
sister and I was into girls, I’d take you out.”
“Thanks!” Riley’s eyes were bright as she studied her reflection.
“I do look good, don’t I?”
“Yeah. Too good for Bradley.”
“Tamia!”
“Okay. I’ll shut up.” She grabbed her purse. “I’ma say good-bye
to my niece and nephew then hit the road. I think there’s a bed
somewhere in Atlanta that needs warming.”
“And you’re just the body to do it?”
“You got that right,” Tamia quipped before sauntering toward the
bedroom door.
“Tamia!” Riley called. “Who are you going out with tonight?” She
couldn’t resist asking. Her sister’s proclivity for eclectic men
always amused her. There was Todd, the saxophone-playing
vegetarian; Marcus, the seven-foot-tall bald Buddhist; and Alvin,
the professional student who had more degrees than she had
fingers. And none of her boyfriends lasted more than a month.
“Oh, I have a new one. You’d like him.” She winked.
“I bet.” Riley grinned as her sister jetted out the door.
Three hours later when Bradley strolled into the house, Riley was
in the living room, her gaze bouncing between the TV and the
children. Their eight o’clock bedtime had long since passed, but
Carter wanted to stay up to see his daddy, and fortunately it just
happened to be Brie’s feeding time. Without a word or a glance to
his wife, he made a beeline for Carter.
Grabbing his son by the waist, Bradley hoisted Carter into the air
and spun him around until he screamed with laughter. When he
could no longer stand it, he begged to be let down. This is the
side of Bradley that Tamia never sees, Riley thought happily as
her husband gingerly returned Carter to the floor. Carter
adoringly hugged his father’s leg, and Bradley lovingly patted his
head. Riley’s gaze shifted from father to son, Carter was the
spitting image of his father. Both had hazel-colored eyes that
changed colors depending on their mood, sandy-colored hair that,
like their skin, turned golden in the summer, and long limbs that
made it hard for either of them to find clothes that fit properly.
Brie solemnly watched the action from her mother’s lap. Bradley
didn’t say a word before plucking Brie from Riley. Brie
immediately erupted in tears and Bradley drew his lips back in a
snarl before depositing her back in her mother’s lap.
Twenty minutes later, with Carter trailing after him, Bradley
headed toward his son’s bedroom. Riley followed silently while
carrying a now cooing Brie. He glanced over at his wife, his gaze
running coldly over her outfit. “Why are you dressed like some
bitch ready to hop on the back of a motorcycle?” he asked, his
lips twisted into a sneer.
Riley’s eyes widened at his harsh words. “I’m dressed like this
because we’re going out to dinner.”
“Who’s going out to dinner?”
“We are. Don’t you remember? It’s our anniversary…and you
promised,” Riley said at Bradley’s blank look.
He shook his head. “I didn’t promise you a damn thing. I have a
meeting tonight. I just came home to change.”
“Bradley!” Riley protested. “I got all dressed up, and the
babysitter will be here soon to watch the children.”
“You’d better call her and let her know that we won’t be needing
her tonight.”
“But it’s our anniversary. Our fifth one.”
“And?” Bradley said with a snarl. “Like I said, Riley, I have to go
back to work. If you want to celebrate our anniversary, fine, go for
it! But you’re on your own.” He stepped into Carter’s bedroom.
“Hey, little man, put your pajamas on and hop into bed.”
Carter looked up expectantly at his dad. “Are you gonna read me
a story tonight?” he asked, his voice hopeful. Months ago
Bradley had read him a bedtime story, but he hadn’t cracked a
book since. Riley had been reading to him ever since, picking up
where Bradley had left off.
“I don’t have the time, little man. Daddy needs to get back to
work.”
“But, Daddy,” Carter whined.
“I need to go. Go to bed!” Bradley roared so loudly that Carter
jumped.
“Yes, Daddy,” he whimpered as soon as he found his voice.
Bradley stalked out of the room.
“I’ll be right back. Here, take your little sister,” Riley whispered to
Carter before placing Brie in his arms and racing after her
husband. “Bradley!” He stopped and Riley heard him sigh before
turning to her. “Come on, your work will be there tomorrow. We
don’t even have to go out. You can read Carter a story, then we
can order in and rent a movie. Just spend the evening with me,”
she pleaded softly and reached for his hand.
Bradley glanced down at their intertwined hands then into his wife’
s eyes. All her longing, hurt, and love stared back at him. His
gaze guiltily shifted away.
“Just stay with me, Bradley. Okay? Just stay. Are you going to
stay?” Riley begged her husband as tears began running down
her face. Bradley just rolled his eyes and turned away. Wanting
him to stay with her, Riley dropped to the floor and wrapped her
arms around his legs.
“What the fuck!” Furious, Bradley looked down to find his wife
tearfully peering up at him.
“Tell me that you want to celebrate our anniversary with me,” she
begged.
Bradley shook her off as though she were an over affectionate
puppy. “Get off me!” he ordered.
Suddenly Carter ran out of his room. “Leave my mommy alone!”
“Go back to your room!”
“Leave her alone!” Carter demanded.
“Carter, go back to your room. Otherwise be prepared to get in
line for an ass whipping. You’ll get yours right after your
mother’s.”
Carter’s presence sobered Riley. She sniffled and pushed herself
up to her knees. “Go back to your room, baby. I was just playing
with your father.” Carter’s worried gaze went from his mother
then to his father. “Go on back to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.
Have your book out, baby.”
With an eye roll to his father, he reluctantly backed his way into
his bedroom while keeping his gaze fixed on his parents.
As soon as Carter was out of sight, Bradley slapped Riley across
the face and she fell to the floor. “Don’t you ever do any of that
ghetto shit to me. Grabbing my legs like you’re crazy.” A whimper
squeezed past Riley’s lips, but she pressed back the scream that
threatened to erupt. The children.
Bradley left her on the hallway floor as he went into their bedroom
and quickly undressed, dropping everything on the carpet for
Riley to pick up later. After throwing on a clean set of clothes, he
stalked out of the bedroom.
“Bradley!” Riley called, stumbling after him. The sandals her
sister had picked out slowed her down. “We don’t have to go out,
we can stay home. I have a steak in the freezer; it’ll only take
twenty minutes if I microwave it. Come on, baby, stay with me.”
Bradley suddenly stopped and studied his wife. The right side of
her face was red from the slap, mascara ran down her cheeks like
black tar, and her once neat hair hung sadly around her face.
“You look like a shitty whore.” He slammed out of the house.
Riley fell against the door.
Loud banging snatched Riley from a restless sleep. She tiredly
reached for Bradley but found herself groping air. Her eyes
popped open and she turned toward the clock: 3:00 glared at
her. “He must’ve lost his keys.” She threw on a nightgown,
stumbled down the stairs half asleep, and pulled open the door.
“I see you forgot your ke—” She stopped when she saw the two
police officers standing in front of her.
“Mrs. Tyson?” Riley nodded. “Wife of Bradley Tyson?” Riley’s
hand went to her mouth as she began to tremble. She nodded.
“May we come in? We have some bad news.”
ORDER TODAY
Riley Tyson primped and styled in front of the mirror as though
she were on her way to the Oscars, but the outfit she had on
screamed PTA meeting.
“I don’t know why you’re getting dressed, you know your sorry-ass
husband isn’t taking you anywhere,” her younger sister, Tamia
Stewart, said bluntly.
Riley gave a sigh, a long-suffering one that said she had heard
her sister’s comments before. “Don’t you have a man you want to
go out with tonight?”
Tamia grinned. “I have many men that I can be with tonight, but
you’re more fun,” she teased. “Seriously, I don’t know why you
bother. I don’t remember your silly husband ever taking you out
for your anniversary. Why do you keep setting yourself up?”
Riley turned away from the mirror and looked at her sister. “He
said he’ll take me out and I believe him. Besides, I called him
earlier today to confirm.”
Tamia narrowed her mascaraed eyes at her sister. “Did you talk to
him?”
“Well…”
“You got his voicemail didn’t you? Didn’t you?” Tamia pressed
until Riley nodded. “That man is harder to catch than a straight
man in San Francisco.”
“Not true,” Riley said with a laugh. “He checks his voicemail all
the time. And I know that he got my message and we will be going
out tonight.”
“You’re delusional,” Tamia muttered, low enough for Riley to
pretend not to have heard her. “Why hasn’t he called you back?
It’s almost six o’clock. If I were you, I’d stick on a sweat suit, heat
up a Stouffer’s dinner, pull out the Ben and Jerry’s, and plop
down in front of the TV. Because that’s gonna be your dinner and
a movie.”
“We’re going out,” Riley stated firmly. She primly patted her
slicked-down hair. “It’s our fifth anniversary. How can he not
want to celebrate it?”
Tamia tilted her head in amazement, as if to say, What planet do
you live on? “The same way he didn’t want to celebrate the other
four,” Tamia mumbled.
“I heard you,” Riley said. “He always had a good reason.”
“Yeah, right. He had to work,” Tamia said with a snort.
“He did,” Riley said quickly, defending her husband. “And he
always made it up to me.”
“That’s right, I forgot,” Tamia replied sarcastically. “He gave you
wilted roses on your first anniversary. For your second he was
gracious enough to give you a card, two weeks late, and it looked
like he had picked it up off the bathroom floor. And—”
“He took me to the Bahamas,” Riley interjected, cutting her sister
off.
“Yeah, but you admitted that you never saw him. He spent his
days on the golf course and his nights in the clubs.”
“He bought me diamond earrings,” Riley protested while reaching
for her jewelry box.
“Forget it…you don’t have to show me. They’re no bigger than a
crackhead’s brain. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re fake.” Tamia
was silent, then, “And he treats you like his personal maid. I can’t
believe you clean up after him like he’s a two-year-old. This room
looked like Aretha Franklin was in it getting ready for an awards
show before you cleaned it up.”
“I don’t mind,” Riley blurted out. “We’re like yin and yang, he’s a
slob and I’m a neat freak,” she said.
“Yin and yang? Is that what it’s called? You two are more like the
Ying Yang Twins, bizarre.”
Riley ignored her again as she moved from the mirror and sat next
to her younger sister. They looked so much alike that it was
obvious they were related. Each with skin as smooth as toffee
and the color of toasted cinnamon, behinds that were compared
to perfect peaches, and breasts that would never see the inside
of a plastic surgeon’s office because they were so full and
perfect. Riley glanced at her sister. “Why do you hate Bradley so
much?” she asked quietly. Tamia had been making the same
remarks ever since Riley had introduced them to each other.
“Because he’s a fucking jerk!”
“Tamia! Watch your mouth! The children might hear you.” Riley
glanced toward the open door. Even though they were across the
hall, Brie, her one-year-old, and four-year-old Carter had bionic
hearing.
“I’m sorry,” Tamia replied contritely. She tried another tack. “I
don’t think he’s good for you.”
“Tamia, why do you keep pressing this? It’s been the same thing
for the last six years.”
Tamia scrutinized her sister. “Because something’s going on with
you two, I can tell. I don’t know what it is, but something is off.
You two are off.”
Riley quickly averted her eyes. “There’s nothing wrong.” She
picked up a scarf and absentmindedly began twisting it.
Tamia grabbed the scarf. “Are you sure?” Riley nodded. “You’d
tell me, right?”
“I would.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. He’s a very good man. He takes very good care of me
and the kids. You just refuse to see it.”
“In six years I have yet to see Mr. Nice Guy.”
Riley studied her sister and cast her gaze downward, then out of
the blue she said sadly, “Who’d want a lady with two kids?”
“So that’s it—you’re staying with him because you’re afraid of
ending up alone?”
“A little,” Riley admitted. “Sometimes I just think about what would
happen if I left. I’m not delusional, I know what a jerk he is and
that he isn’t perfect, but who is? And I do love him,” she said
honestly. “I have two kids to think about; it’d be selfish of me to
take them away from their father just because he’s a jerk.”
Tamia snorted. “He’s more than a jerk. Anyway, he could always
visit them,” Tamia added.
Riley shook her head. “I don’t want that. It would be too
unsettling and confusing for the children.”
“They’d adjust; children are very resilient. I hate to see you
married to somebody who doesn’t appreciate you.”
Riley squared her shoulders. “I’ll deal with it; I just want things to
work out…for the kids.” She stood up. “Do you like my outfit?”
she asked, changing the subject. She twirled around.
“I still think it’s a waste,” Tamia muttered. “I don’t think his trifling
behind is taking you anywhere.”
“Tamia!” Riley warned.
“Okay, okay. I’ll let it go,” Tamia relented. “And you look aw’
right.”
“Just all right?” Riley asked, exasperated. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, you look like a mommy.”
“I am a mommy.”
“Yeah, but everybody doesn’t have to know that. And if you want
to go out tonight, you should want Bradley to want to take you
out…to show you off.”
“I think I look good,” Riley decided and returned her attention to
the mirror. She paused. “What? Do you think I should change?”
she asked hesitantly.
Tamia bit back a smile. Her sister had as much fashion sense as a
nun. She strutted to Riley’s side. “The first thing you can do is let
your hair down,” she answered while tugging at her sister’s
ponytail. “What the hell did you do, slather it with Super Glue?”
Riley’s reddish-brown shoulder-length hair was slicked to her
scalp. “If it was pulled any tighter, your nose might end up where
your eyes are,” Tamia joked.
“It’s easier this way,” Riley explained. “With two kids…”
“I know, I know.” Tamia had been hearing the same excuse ever
since Brie was born. “You won’t have them tonight. Let it loose.”
Tamia rolled the rubber band off her sister’s hair and ran her
fingers through it. “Now, doesn’t that feel better?”
“Yeah,” Riley admitted, suddenly feeling as though her head had
been released from a bear trap.
Tamia grabbed a comb and dragged it through her sister’s hair
until silky smooth tresses caressed her shoulders. “Perfect,” she
said, taking a second to admire her work. “Now we have to find
you something sexy to wear.”
“This is sexy enough,” Riley protested as she ran a hand over her
long-sleeve, knee-length dress and her confining pumps with
their conservative two-inch heels.
“Yeah, if you’re dead,” Tamia called over her shoulder. She had
sauntered over to her sister’s walk-in closet and was thumbing
through her clothes. “This is going to be a challenge.”
“What’s that?” Riley eyed the garments her sister had slung over
her arm. Victorious, Tamia scooted away from the closet carrying
her selections.
“Girl, your closet is worse than a contestant on What Not to Wear.
I had to dig deep to find this stuff. Very deep.” She held up a pair
of black leather pants, a silky black camisole, and a black-lace
cardigan. Dangling from one finger was a pair of black, strappy,
four-inch heels.
Riley blushed. “I can’t wear that!”
“Why not? It was in your closet. So obviously you’ve worn them
before,” Tamia quipped.
“Yeah, but not together,” she sputtered. “I’ll look like a whore!”
“Well, whores get sex and get taken out. Change!” Tamia ordered.
Riley sighed and quickly did as her sister had told her to do.
“You look hot!” Tamia said as soon as Riley slipped on a pair of
oversize sterling-silver hoop earrings. “Hot! If you weren’t my
sister and I was into girls, I’d take you out.”
“Thanks!” Riley’s eyes were bright as she studied her reflection.
“I do look good, don’t I?”
“Yeah. Too good for Bradley.”
“Tamia!”
“Okay. I’ll shut up.” She grabbed her purse. “I’ma say good-bye
to my niece and nephew then hit the road. I think there’s a bed
somewhere in Atlanta that needs warming.”
“And you’re just the body to do it?”
“You got that right,” Tamia quipped before sauntering toward the
bedroom door.
“Tamia!” Riley called. “Who are you going out with tonight?” She
couldn’t resist asking. Her sister’s proclivity for eclectic men
always amused her. There was Todd, the saxophone-playing
vegetarian; Marcus, the seven-foot-tall bald Buddhist; and Alvin,
the professional student who had more degrees than she had
fingers. And none of her boyfriends lasted more than a month.
“Oh, I have a new one. You’d like him.” She winked.
“I bet.” Riley grinned as her sister jetted out the door.
Three hours later when Bradley strolled into the house, Riley was
in the living room, her gaze bouncing between the TV and the
children. Their eight o’clock bedtime had long since passed, but
Carter wanted to stay up to see his daddy, and fortunately it just
happened to be Brie’s feeding time. Without a word or a glance to
his wife, he made a beeline for Carter.
Grabbing his son by the waist, Bradley hoisted Carter into the air
and spun him around until he screamed with laughter. When he
could no longer stand it, he begged to be let down. This is the
side of Bradley that Tamia never sees, Riley thought happily as
her husband gingerly returned Carter to the floor. Carter
adoringly hugged his father’s leg, and Bradley lovingly patted his
head. Riley’s gaze shifted from father to son, Carter was the
spitting image of his father. Both had hazel-colored eyes that
changed colors depending on their mood, sandy-colored hair that,
like their skin, turned golden in the summer, and long limbs that
made it hard for either of them to find clothes that fit properly.
Brie solemnly watched the action from her mother’s lap. Bradley
didn’t say a word before plucking Brie from Riley. Brie
immediately erupted in tears and Bradley drew his lips back in a
snarl before depositing her back in her mother’s lap.
Twenty minutes later, with Carter trailing after him, Bradley
headed toward his son’s bedroom. Riley followed silently while
carrying a now cooing Brie. He glanced over at his wife, his gaze
running coldly over her outfit. “Why are you dressed like some
bitch ready to hop on the back of a motorcycle?” he asked, his
lips twisted into a sneer.
Riley’s eyes widened at his harsh words. “I’m dressed like this
because we’re going out to dinner.”
“Who’s going out to dinner?”
“We are. Don’t you remember? It’s our anniversary…and you
promised,” Riley said at Bradley’s blank look.
He shook his head. “I didn’t promise you a damn thing. I have a
meeting tonight. I just came home to change.”
“Bradley!” Riley protested. “I got all dressed up, and the
babysitter will be here soon to watch the children.”
“You’d better call her and let her know that we won’t be needing
her tonight.”
“But it’s our anniversary. Our fifth one.”
“And?” Bradley said with a snarl. “Like I said, Riley, I have to go
back to work. If you want to celebrate our anniversary, fine, go for
it! But you’re on your own.” He stepped into Carter’s bedroom.
“Hey, little man, put your pajamas on and hop into bed.”
Carter looked up expectantly at his dad. “Are you gonna read me
a story tonight?” he asked, his voice hopeful. Months ago
Bradley had read him a bedtime story, but he hadn’t cracked a
book since. Riley had been reading to him ever since, picking up
where Bradley had left off.
“I don’t have the time, little man. Daddy needs to get back to
work.”
“But, Daddy,” Carter whined.
“I need to go. Go to bed!” Bradley roared so loudly that Carter
jumped.
“Yes, Daddy,” he whimpered as soon as he found his voice.
Bradley stalked out of the room.
“I’ll be right back. Here, take your little sister,” Riley whispered to
Carter before placing Brie in his arms and racing after her
husband. “Bradley!” He stopped and Riley heard him sigh before
turning to her. “Come on, your work will be there tomorrow. We
don’t even have to go out. You can read Carter a story, then we
can order in and rent a movie. Just spend the evening with me,”
she pleaded softly and reached for his hand.
Bradley glanced down at their intertwined hands then into his wife’
s eyes. All her longing, hurt, and love stared back at him. His
gaze guiltily shifted away.
“Just stay with me, Bradley. Okay? Just stay. Are you going to
stay?” Riley begged her husband as tears began running down
her face. Bradley just rolled his eyes and turned away. Wanting
him to stay with her, Riley dropped to the floor and wrapped her
arms around his legs.
“What the fuck!” Furious, Bradley looked down to find his wife
tearfully peering up at him.
“Tell me that you want to celebrate our anniversary with me,” she
begged.
Bradley shook her off as though she were an over affectionate
puppy. “Get off me!” he ordered.
Suddenly Carter ran out of his room. “Leave my mommy alone!”
“Go back to your room!”
“Leave her alone!” Carter demanded.
“Carter, go back to your room. Otherwise be prepared to get in
line for an ass whipping. You’ll get yours right after your
mother’s.”
Carter’s presence sobered Riley. She sniffled and pushed herself
up to her knees. “Go back to your room, baby. I was just playing
with your father.” Carter’s worried gaze went from his mother
then to his father. “Go on back to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.
Have your book out, baby.”
With an eye roll to his father, he reluctantly backed his way into
his bedroom while keeping his gaze fixed on his parents.
As soon as Carter was out of sight, Bradley slapped Riley across
the face and she fell to the floor. “Don’t you ever do any of that
ghetto shit to me. Grabbing my legs like you’re crazy.” A whimper
squeezed past Riley’s lips, but she pressed back the scream that
threatened to erupt. The children.
Bradley left her on the hallway floor as he went into their bedroom
and quickly undressed, dropping everything on the carpet for
Riley to pick up later. After throwing on a clean set of clothes, he
stalked out of the bedroom.
“Bradley!” Riley called, stumbling after him. The sandals her
sister had picked out slowed her down. “We don’t have to go out,
we can stay home. I have a steak in the freezer; it’ll only take
twenty minutes if I microwave it. Come on, baby, stay with me.”
Bradley suddenly stopped and studied his wife. The right side of
her face was red from the slap, mascara ran down her cheeks like
black tar, and her once neat hair hung sadly around her face.
“You look like a shitty whore.” He slammed out of the house.
Riley fell against the door.
Loud banging snatched Riley from a restless sleep. She tiredly
reached for Bradley but found herself groping air. Her eyes
popped open and she turned toward the clock: 3:00 glared at
her. “He must’ve lost his keys.” She threw on a nightgown,
stumbled down the stairs half asleep, and pulled open the door.
“I see you forgot your ke—” She stopped when she saw the two
police officers standing in front of her.
“Mrs. Tyson?” Riley nodded. “Wife of Bradley Tyson?” Riley’s
hand went to her mouth as she began to tremble. She nodded.
“May we come in? We have some bad news.”
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