A shiver went down her back and she was tempted to say “Let’s not go. Let’s finish what you started now.” But she knew it was important that he attended the gala, and as his wife, she had to be there as well.
From the flashing lights of the cameras as they exited the limousine and walked down the red carpet, to the crystal chandeliers, overflowing fountains of champagne and tuxedo-dressed waiters carrying every delicacy imaginable inside, Latonya felt like she’d stepped onto a movie set. The decorations in the ballroom startled her. They’d given a winter feel to the tropics with the overwhelming presence of crystals and stunning ice sculptures. The silver-and-white-satin tablecloths and seat covers also helped create a winter-wonderland ambience.
Walking around the gathering, where everyone seemed to know one another, and no one seemed willing to allow a new person into the fold, she decided it would be best to stick to herself, anyway. It would have been nice to make some friends in the new country, but she would have enough on her plate adjusting to her new life and being a new mom.
The islands of the Bahamas were breathtakingly lovely, and when she wasn’t at one of the high-society functions, she had a wonderful time sightseeing and getting to know the new place. In general, the people were nice. Sometimes she would just walk out to the white sand beaches and gaze at the turquoise-blue water and daydream. It amazed her since she’d never really had the time to daydream before. She’d been too busy working and trying to make something of herself so that she could help her grandmother. Now that she didn’t have to worry about working she found herself wanting things that money couldn’t buy.
In the fairy tales, when the prince finally came, everyone lived happily ever after. Latonya felt like a fairy princess in the bootleg version of the story. Everything she’d never wanted or dreamed about was at her disposal, and the one thing she never dared to dream for—real love—seemed unattainable.
Walking away from the balcony of the swank ballroom, she decided to rejoin the party. Just as she was about to find a spot to rest her feet, which resisted getting used to strappy dress shoes and longed for her sensible pumps, her overactive bladder pulled rank and she found herself in the ladies’ room.
Once done, she prepared to leave the stall, stopping only when she heard the voices of two high-society women, Janice Banks and Sari Underwood. Carlton had introduced her to them at another outing, thinking that since the two women were around her age, they would all become friends. Needless to say, they made it clear not to expect any invites to friendship from them. Having no desire to make small talk with the two snobbish women, Latonya decided to stay in the stall until they left.
“Well, did you see his wife walking around here like she’s the Queen of England and butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth?” Sari’s high nasal voice mocked.
“I know,” Janice agreed. “She thinks she can throw on some fancy clothes and we would all forget that she’s a scrappy little black American nobody.”
Swallowing, Latonya narrowed her eyes behind the bathroom stall. No one had to tell her the two women were talking about her. How many black American nobodies could there possibly be attending the Junkanoo Ball that evening?
“A nobody who snagged one of the wealthiest husbands in the Bahamas. One you had your eyes on yourself,” Sari said.
“Like you didn’t have dreams of one day marrying Carlton Harrington III,” Janice hissed.
“Of course. What little girl in the Bahamas didn’t? But like my mother said, history does repeat. Like father, like son. I guess Carlton Harrington II wasn’t the only one attracted to poor little nothing girls from the States. Must be in the DNA or something,” Sari stated with a nasty snicker.
“Well, I think that the little tramp trapped him and he had to marry her. If he hadn’t then she would have probably ended up raising his child in some rat-and-roach-infested ghetto while she collected welfare and tried to hook up with some other rich guy. You know, a rapper or an athlete. I’ve seen the rap videos. She’s what they call a hoochie. And, his mother was not from the States. She was from one of the out islands. Very rural, and she was poor for sure, but at least she was from here.” Janice’s voice trailed off.
Once she was sure that the women were gone, Latonya allowed herself to come out of the stall. Taking a napkin, she patted her face. The tears had certainly done their job. The beautiful makeup was ruined. Just as well, she thought. It hadn’t done any good. She cursed her hormones. Five months ago women like Janice and Sari would have never been able to make her cry or even pay attention to them. She’d known women like them in college, and she didn’t desire to be in their circle or want anything they had. What the hell happened to me? She repaired her face as swiftly as she could, but she couldn’t do a damn thing about the sadness in her eyes.
The smile that started when he spotted his wife froze when Carlton caught a glimpse of her haunted eyes. Even though she had a dazzling, wide smile on her lips, he could tell she was anything but happy.
After walking over to her and putting his arm around her, he whispered, “You ready to go and finish what we started?”
She took a deep breath and painted on a false smile. “I’m ready to leave, if you are.”
Rather than question what was wrong with her right then, he decided it was best they leave. They could ring in the New Year, as he’d wanted to, anyway, with her wrapped in his arms.
“Let’s go home.”
Back at the penthouse, Latonya still seemed withdrawn. Carlton couldn’t understand it. She looked so beautiful and she was clearly the envy of every woman in the room.
Like always, she appeared to be happy when they took off for the evening and more and more dejected as the evening progressed. The only reason he attended the parties and benefits that they were invited to was because he wanted her to make some friends and acquaintances. She didn’t know anyone in the Bahamas, and he knew she missed her friends and family in Miami.
She took off her clothes and headed straight for the bathroom. Listening to her shower, he thought it was almost as if she couldn’t remove the evening fast enough. What went wrong? Was she really as miserable as she appeared? If they kept going at this rate, would they even make it until their child was born? We have to, Carlton thought ruefully.
He knew that he had to find a way to make her happy. He couldn’t lose her.
When she returned from the shower, he could have sworn she’d been crying. She joined him in bed but turned her back to him and curled up in her pillow.
“What’s wrong, baby? Talk to me,” he pleaded.
All he heard was a sniffle and then a mumbled “nothing.”
“Something is wrong, Tonya. Look at me. Tell me what happened?”
She sighed but didn’t turn around to face him. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking I’d go to visit Gran and stay for a little while. She’s doing much better now that she’s seeing the physical therapist you hired. But I know she must be lonely with Cicely off at college and now me gone as well.”
She wanted to leave. Carlton felt a heaviness overcome him. Even though his chest felt constricted and there suddenly didn’t seem to be enough air, he managed to speak.
“We can go and visit your grandmother this weekend and even stay for a few extra days if you’d like.”
He heard her take a sharp breath before she broke out into hiccupping sobs.
“I just want to go back to Miami for a while. I don’t really fit in here. I’m trying…but I don’t. I know this is your home…our home now. And…I will come back. I just really need a break from it all.”
The sound of her crying broke his heart. He felt a red haze of anger come over him. “What happened, Tonya? Did someone say something to you? Tell me, baby. I’ll kill them. I swear.” He’d never had a stronger urge to inflict damage on another person before.
She gulped. “I overheard Sari and Janice saying some things about me in the restroom. Stuff like that doesn’t usually get to me. I just need to go home for a while.”
“Fine, we’ll move back to Miami. I can be in Nassau in a half hour by jet. And we don’t have to go to any more of these events. I just wanted you to meet some people. But none of these people are worth knowing. You’re all that matters to me. Just stop crying, please.” He pulled her close. “Would moving make you feel better?”
“But this is your home—”
Cutting her off he said, “I’m just as at home in Miami as I am in the Bahamas. I’ve always spent my time between the two places.”
Didn’t she know that she was his home? Couldn’t she tell that home was wherever she was?
“Are you sure, because—”
