“Protect him from what?” she snapped as she glared at him with disdain. “I wasn’t going to hurt him. I loved him. I loved our life together. You destroyed my family. For what? Because I’m an African-American? Because I grew up poor? What? Why do you hate me so much?”
The forcefulness in her tone and the anger in her eyes took him aback again. He cursed the fact that the girl had the power in her hands to take his grandson away from him for good. He tried to placate her. “Hate is a strong word. Yes, I did take issue with the fact that your family apparently hadn’t been able to achieve more in this country, especially given the fact that my great-grandfather came here with nothing and was able to build—”
“Oh, cut the crap!” she hissed as she interrupted him. “You are not going to sit here and tell me that you ruined my life over some old black-on-black conflict that doesn’t have anything to do with anything! The immigrant experience is different from the experience of black folk who live in and deal with entrenched racism and oppression on a day-to-day basis their entire lives. But you’re a smart man. I don’t have to tell you that. Because that isn’t the real problem you have with me. I realize that now. The cultural differences might have bothered you a little, but that’s not really why you had to get rid of me.” Her eyes narrowed and he felt as if she could see right into him. He didn’t like the feeling at all. “What are you scared of, old man? What did you think I was going to do? Love him too much?”
She knew! The girl really knew what power she held and clearly she took great joy in having him worry about it. The elder Harrington tried to mask the suddenly very real fear he felt. “I wasn’t afraid…I’m not afraid. I just…Well, when are you going to tell him what I did? Are you just making me wait because you think you can make me suffer?”
The girl shook her head as if she pitied him. She actually had the nerve to pity him! “You are the one who betrayed your grandson and you should be the one to break his heart and tell him that the man he loved and trusted lied to him.”
The elder Harrington flinched before letting out a sigh. “Well, if you’re not going to tell him, then we can—”
“We can’t do anything. I want nothing to do with you. I will tolerate you because you seem to love my sons. But that’s it. And if anything were to happen to either my grandmother or Cicely, then so help me…” She narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Her threat was certainly more real than the one he had used on her three years ago.
“I wouldn’t harm them,” the elder Harrington offered. He hadn’t meant the women any harm. He was just trying to protect his flesh and blood in a way that he had failed to before.
“Wouldn’t harm who?”
Both the elder Harrington and Latonya looked up when Carlton entered the study.
“No one, son.” The elder Harrington pretended to look at his watch as he silently thanked God that Carlton hadn’t overheard the entire conversation. “It’s getting late and I’m going to head out for Coral Gables. I think I’ll stay there a few days and then head back to the Bahamas for a while.”
“Sure, Grandfather. I’ll see you out,” Carlton offered.
“No, no. I know the way out.” The elder Harrington glanced at the girl and gave her a shaky smile. “Stay put and catch up with your wife.”
Carlton watched as his grandfather scurried out of the study. His eyes narrowed. Something had happened. Latonya didn’t appear to be upset, but she did seem a little irritated. If his grandfather said anything to upset Latonya, Carlton vowed to get his family as far away from the old man as possible.
“Are you okay?” he asked hesitantly.
“I’m fine,” she replied before sighing. “Listen, Carlton, I want to thank you for taking care of Gran and Cicely while I was away. Cicely’s job sounds wonderful. And I know that they both appreciated being able to spend time with little Carl.”
Stunned, Carlton didn’t know what to say. “You don’t have to thank me, Latonya. It was the least I could do since I couldn’t take care of you. I know how much family means to you.”
It struck him that family meant the world to Latonya. That’s why she’d been working so hard when he first met her. That’s why she gave her all to their marriage. That’s why he should have trusted in her instead of kicking her out. He felt even more like a heel. Having her thank him for helping her family made him feel even worse.
“Do you think we will ever be able to move past what happened?” He hadn’t meant to ask her that, because it was probably too soon. But he had to know if he had a chance.
The change in her demeanor occurred as soon as the words fell from his lips. Latonya’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head. “When you threw me out of this house and kept me away from my child, because you thought that I was screwing another man, you hurt me beyond anything words could express. You did so cruelly and callously and without regard for my feelings or my innocence.” Biting out the words in a furious rant, she visibly tried to calm herself. Taking several deep breaths, she wrung her hands a few times before continuing.
“I’m willing to get past that eventually for my children’s sake. I might even one day forgive you for the way you hurt me. But I really can’t say when we will be able to get past it all.”
Turning, she left the room.
Stunned, he stared after her. She’d said so much and had spoken with such intense emotion that he didn’t quite know what to do with it.
He should have apologized to her when she was in the study with him a moment ago, but he couldn’t form the words aloud for some reason. Saying I’m sorry won’t be enough to make it up to her, he thought ruefully. Talk about too little too late. He wanted, no needed, for things to work out between them. Her being in their home again provided an opportunity for him to make things right. And he vowed that he wasn’t going to let anything stop him from doing so.
Chapter 21
Within a few days, Latonya and Pamela had worked out a smooth routine for taking care of the boys. Latonya smiled as they worked together to get the boys’breakfast in the kitchen. The Trinidadian woman had finally realized that she wasn’t going to be able to stop Latonya from helping out. And Latonya resigned herself to that fact that Pamela loved her job and therefore Latonya needed to get out of the way sometimes and let her actually do it.
“I want juice now,” Terrence said with a pout as he pushed away his small bowl of oatmeal.
Latonya eyed the barely touched food. If she let Terrence, he would gladly fill up with juice. “Take a few more bites for Mommy and I’ll get you a little more juice.”
“I want juice. Don’t want more food.” Terrence stuck out his lip.
“No oatmeal. No juice,” Latonya said firmly.
“I finished my oatmeal. May I have some more juice, Mommy?” little Carl asked.
“Yes, you may.” Latonya got up to retrieve the juice, but Pamela headed her off.
“I have it.” Pamela poured some more juice in little Carl’s cup. Except for a few more gray hairs, Pamela looked the same. She still wore her severe bun and still radiated the same almost contagious joy and happiness.
Terrence eyed the juice for a moment before taking a few more bites of his oatmeal. “See. I eating all, Mommy. Can I please have more juice now?”
Pamela laughed. “Their little personalities are so different. That’s why I love working with kids. Each one is so unique and special.”
Latonya reached for the juice and poured a little in Terrence’s cup. “I know. Are you going to be okay now that there are two of them?”
“Of course! I love children,” Pamela responded. “So please tell me you have some place to go today or something to do?”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Latonya teased. “Actually now that you mention it, I do have somewhere to go. I’m going to the beauty salon so that I can dye my hair back to its natural color and then I’m going to meet a friend for lunch at Soka’s.”
“Excellent!” Pamela exclaimed. “We are going to do a little reading, a little playing and, if we are good—” she glanced at the boys before continuing “—we will watch one of our favorite movies.”
Latonya left knowing that her boys would be in good hands.
