You're All I Need Page 5

  Tia wet her dry lips and brushed her damp palms against her skirt while trying to come up with an appropriate answer. “Wait a minute. You hate Darnell. Most times you want him to drop off the end of the earth. Why the concern?”

  “You’re right. I don’t like him,” Nia snarled. “Trust me, my concern isn’t for him. My concern is, and always will be, for you. Not him. Never Darnell.”

  “You’re not the only one.” Tia’s hand flirted nervously around the bottom of her glass. “Junior can’t stand him.”

  “I’m not surprised. Older brothers tend to be protective of their sisters.” Nia reached for a slice of French bread and buttered it. She tore off a corner and chewed on it. “The difference between Junior and me is that he doesn’t try to hide it. I always did for your sake.”

  Tia chuckled sadly. “No. Junior doesn’t, and neither did you.”

  “True.” Nia sat quietly, nibbling on the buttered bread and munching on her tossed salad while Tia enjoyed chicken and pasta soup. If Nia was waiting for additional info, she’d be waiting a long time. Tia planned to keep her problems to herself.

  The server arrived with their next courses. Relieved to have something to do, Tia dug into her crab and shrimp salad, glad to focus on her meal. “Mmm. Good.”

  Nia took a bite out of her club sandwich and slowly chewed. After several sips of cognac, she leaned back in her chair, tented her fingers, and said, “A couple of the stylists from the shop invited me to Sips last night.”

  “Really?” Tia muttered politely, wondering where this conversation was headed.

  “Have you ever been there?”

  Tia shook her head, spearing a cherry tomato with her fork. “No. I heard about it on the radio.”

  “It’s pretty nice. Great dance floor. Entertainment. Good food. Fun place to go. It’s a safe, comfortable crowd. A lot of black professionals hang out there on the weekends.”

  “What’s this got to do with anything?” Tia sipped her cranberry juice.

  “You know I love you? That you’re my girl?”

  “I know you’re making me nervous with this.” Tia ran a shaky hand over her forehead. “Say what you have to say and then I’ll deal with it.”

  “Okay.” Nia sat straighter in her chair but focused on the tablecloth. “I saw Darnell at Sips last night.”

  Tia’s limbs stiffened. Darnell had been partying while she sat at home waiting for his call? No. There had to be some mistake, some logical explanation for the situation. “It may have been him.”

  “No.” Nia rolled her eyes and stated firmly, “It was Darnell.”

  Still in denial, Tia added, “He had a couple of clients he needed to see on Sunday. They might have met at the club.”

  Nia shook her head and added, “He was with a woman. I didn’t see anyone else.”

  “Again,” Tia rationalized, although her voice wobbled a bit, “it was probably a client.”

  “I don’t think so.” Nia swallowed the last of her cognac, and then captured and held her sister’s gaze.

  “How do you know?”

  “They were all over each other, on the dance floor and at their table. They never noticed me because they were getting busy.”

  Suddenly, Tia’s belly twisted into a thousand knots. She tried to breathe but failed miserably. Tia knew deep in her heart that Nia was telling the truth. Tia always knew when Nia was lying. She couldn’t hide from Tia her little telltale gestures that others overlooked or failed to notice.

  What could she say? There wasn’t an excuse she could make for Darnell or his behavior.

  As if Nia needed to close the deal, she added, “It’s not the first time I’ve seen him out and about, Tia. Darnell is never alone.”

  Tia pulled herself together, and over her pounding heart asked, “If you’ve spotted him out with other women at other times, why haven’t you said something before now? What were you waiting for? What made you decide to tell me this time?”

  “I’m sick of him thinking he can do what he wants.” Nia reached across the table and took her sister’s hand. Tia tried to pull her hand free, but Nia refused to let go. “He’s a no-good piece of crap. I hate the way he treats you. Tia, you are a beautiful, intelligent woman who deserves a whole lot better than this idiot can give you. I want that for you. I’m sick of him messing over my sister.”

  Tia’s head was swimming with images of Darnell with other girls. Nia’s confession supported the idea that things were not going well between her and Darnell, but she never really expected him to be involved with another woman. Infidelity never entered her head. She’d always believed they would talk things out and then agree to go their separate ways. Theirs would be a cool and civilized breakup. Damn him! Now he’s put her in a position where she’ll have to confront him and put her emotions out there for him to tramp all over.

  “Tia-Mia, I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard and then continued. “At first, I wasn’t going to say anything, but the more I thought about it, the madder I got. I realized you needed to know what was going on around you. Enough is enough.”

  “You’re right. It is enough. Thank you for telling me.”

  “What are you going to do?” Nia asked. A worried frown had taken over her face.

  Tia shrugged and answered in a dead tone, “Confront him.”

  6

  Lunch ended on a low note. With her appetite shot, Tia pushed the plate full of salad away.

  “I’m done.” Tia rose from her chair and started for the door. At the restaurant’s exit, she waited while Nia settled the bill. A chill iced Tia’s skin. She wrapped her arms around her middle and turned away, heading out of the restaurant and through the Renaissance Center to her office. Nia raced along beside her. Deep in thought, Tia barely heard her twin’s insistent chatter.

  “Do you need me to be at your place when you talk to Darnell?” Nia asked as they strolled through the GM Wintergarden.

  Tia shook her head.

  Normally the glass, chrome, and greenery that lined this portion of the Renaissance Center provided a sense of beauty and peace for Tia. Today, nothing soothed the feelings of betrayal and embarrassment Darnell had sparked.

  She pressed her lips together and concentrated on moving up a series of escalators to the tower elevators. She smiled at the security person guarding the entrance to the executive wing of Gautier International Motors. Tia flashed her badge before turning to her twin. “Thanks for lunch. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “What? No. We’re not finished.” Nia turned to the guard and picked up the pen from the clipboard. “I’m coming upstairs with you.” With an exaggerated wave of her hand and a flirtatious wink at the guard, Nia signed her name across several lines. If the situation hadn’t been so grave, Tia would have laughed. Her twin was such a diva. Nia loved every moment of it.

  “Don’t you have a home to go to?” Tia asked wearily.

  “Of course. But right now I need to help my sister.” Nia strolled toward the tower elevator.

  “Suit yourself. Remember, I’m at work and I have things to do. I can’t entertain you for the rest of the afternoon.”

  “I don’t need you to amuse me.”

  Tired and wanting a little peace, Tia turned to her sister. “Then why are you coming back to my office?”

  Waving a hand in the air, Nia answered, “To talk with you. To make sure you settle things with Darnell.”

  A sudden and almost urgent thought made Tia halt in her steps. Her head began to throb with the stab of a coming migraine. Did Junior know? Was that why Junior disliked Darnell so much? Had her oldest brother seen Darnell in a compromising position? Was he aware of something that he wanted to protect her from? If Junior knew, had he confided in their parents? Tia shut her eyes against the humiliation of having her family so involved with the most intimate parts of her life.

  “Did you tell anybody about Darnell, Nia?”

  “No. I came directly to you.”

  A sigh of relief escaped her
lips. Thank goodness. The last thing she needed or wanted was a call from her mother, digging for details.

  On the elevator, Nia’s watchful gaze was constantly on Tia. Nia bit her bottom lip. Tia could tell that she wanted to say more, push a little further, but didn’t know how her twin would react.

  The pair made their way across the carpeted floor to Tia’s workstation. Once they arrived, Tia sank into her chair after dropping her purse into the bottom drawer of her desk.

  Nia rounded the desk, perched on the edge of the Formica surface, and folded her arms across her chest. “If you need me, call.”

  Shaking her head, Tia rubbed a weary hand across her throbbing forehead. “Thanks for the support. I’m okay.”

  “You can’t let this situation go on any longer.”

  “I don’t plan to.”

  “So you’re going to kick him to the curb?” Nia asked with a happy gleam in her eyes.

  “After I talk to him.”

  “For what? So that he can lie and sweet-talk his way back into your good graces?”

  “Okay. I’ve had it. That’s enough.”

  “No. It’s not. I won’t let you throw your life away on that lying sack of crap. He doesn’t deserve you.”

  Nia gently caressed her sister’s arm. “I know you are tired, hon, but we’ve got to work this situation out.”

  “I’ve got a lot to think about. I plan to get through the rest of the day, and I’ll worry about Darnell later.” Tia noticed the blinking light on her telephone. Someone had called.

  “You’re not going to keep seeing that ass, are you?”

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. Please, let it go.”

  Nia took her sister’s hand. “I can’t.”

  “Do the words personal business mean anything to you?”

  “Yeah, but you don’t get personal business when I’m the one who saw the jerk out with other women.”

  Tia sighed and studied her sister before asking, “What part of ‘I need time to think things through’ don’t you understand? Why can’t you let me do what needs to be done my way?”

  “I can’t, Tia. You are one of the smartest, most caring women I know.” Nia’s tone held a note of pride and then a touch of scorn. “But you are tenderhearted. You care way too much for that buffoon. You gave him your heart, and Darnell danced away with it.”

  “How about this? I’ll call him and ask him to drop by my place tonight. Will you leave me alone then?”

  Nia’s head tilted to the side as she considered Tia’s request. “Maybe.”

  “Thank goodness.” Tia reached for the phone. She left a message on Darnell’s cell phone before dialing his office. All the while, Nia watched and listened with an unblinking stare. His administrative assistant answered on the second ring. Sorry, but Darnell was out of the office. She expected him back around four. Yes, she’d have him give her a call. After a moment, Tia added that if he was too busy, he could just drop by her place on his way home.

  Tia hung up, turned to Nia, and asked, “Satisfied?”

  “Not really but it’ll do.”

  Chris rounded the corner and strolled toward the sisters. “Hello.”

  Nia turned to face Chris, giving him one of her most engaging smiles. “Hi.”

  For a reason Tia didn’t want to consider, she didn’t like the expression on her sister’s face. Nia was way too enthusiastic with Chris.

  Smiling, Chris focused on Tia. The smile vanished. He rounded the workstation and sat opposite Nia. He touched Tia’s hand. “You all right?”

  “Yeah. I’m fine. There are a couple of things I have to resolve.”

  Watching her closely, he added, “If you need me, I’ll do anything I can for you.”

  Almost in tears, Tia muttered, “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  “I’ll take care of her,” Nia volunteered.

  “Okay.” He rose from the desk and strolled to his office.

  “What now?” Tia asked, although she really didn’t want to know the answer.

  “I’m leaving. Going home.”

  “Good.”

  Nia stood and snatched up her purse, giving her twin a hard, intense glare. “Tia, don’t let him off the hook. Darnell is a rat. You’ve got too much on the ball to let that lowlife stay in your life. Plus, if he’s messing around with other women, there’s a chance he can pass diseases to you that could end your life. I don’t want that to happen. Besides, I’d be in jail because I’d kill him.”

  That’s not a problem, Tia thought. They hadn’t been intimate in six months or more. There always seemed to be a reason why he needed to leave or had something more important to do.

  Tia watched her sister sashay out of the office. With a sense of relief, she sank into her chair. Finally, some peace. Nia meant well. She had made some good points, and in the very near future, Tia would consider them. But right now, she needed time to think, evaluate the situation, and come up with a plan.

  For an hour, Tia sat on the sofa in her living room as the images from the six o’clock news flashed before her. Nia’s words were embedded in her brain, rolling around in her head like a song she couldn’t forget or ignore.

  He was with a woman. They were all over each other.

  Nia’s words continued to echo.

  It’s not the first time I’ve seen him out and about. Darnell is never alone.

  Never alone, another woman…How many women were there? Her head pounded as questions swirled inside. Darnell was and had been cheating on her for some time. He lied Saturday night when he said that he planned to meet a client on Sunday.

  Tia shut her eyes, searching for the strength to handle this situation with dignity while keeping it from digressing into an accusatory shouting match. She needed to hear the truth from Darnell’s lips. No more lies.

  Darnell’s knock on the door came sooner than Tia expected. Like a zombie, she moved down the short-carpeted hallway to the front door. At the entrance, she paused, drawing in a deep, calming breath.

  There was a moment when she thought about pretending she wasn’t home and avoiding the whole sorry mess. Courage, her mind cautioned. Take care of this and then you can move on.

  I can do this, she thought. Darnell stood on the opposite side of the iron security storm door. She opened it with a shaky hand.

  Entering the house, Darnell leaned close to kiss Tia on the mouth. “Hey.”

  “Hi.” Tia drew back, avoiding his lips, then led the way back to her living room and offered him a seat with the wave of her hand. She sat as far from Darnell as possible, choosing the chair near the patio windows instead of the sofa.

  “I got your message.” He reached for the remote on the coffee table and began to channel-surf. “What’s up?”

  “There’s something we need to talk about.”

  Grinning like an idiot, he said, “Everything all right? You look all serious and stuff. Unload. Tell your daddy.”

  Tia cringed. “I had lunch with my sister today,” she responded in a dead-calm tone.

  Unconcerned, he said, “Yeah. How’s my girl doing?”

  “She’s fine.”

  He must have noticed the lack of emotion in her voice. Frowning, Darnell asked, “Is the family okay?”

  Tia nodded. “Nia was at Sips in Farmington Hills last night.”

  Darnell’s grin slipped a tiny bit. He ran his hand across his face. “Mmm. Really? I was there last night. What time did she show up?”

  “I think she was there most of the evening.”

  “Oh.” They sat quietly together for several minutes. Deep in thought, Darnell tapped out a toneless tune on his knee.

  Tia stared straight at him. “Nia told me that she saw you.”

  His head snapped up. A suspicious spark glared back at her, but he kept his tone light. “Did she, now?”

  “Yes. And you weren’t alone.”

  Instantly, Darnell swung into persuasive salesman mode. He smiled innocently and said, “Oh, yeah. Sunday.
There was a couple I met at the club. Old couple. It cracked me up when they suggested we meet there.”

  “Do they have a daughter?”

  “What? Daughter?” He shook his head. “No.”

  “That’s what I thought. Nia didn’t mention an older couple. Just a young woman.”

  “What are you trying to say?” he demanded.

  “It’s pretty clear. You’ve been cheating on me.”

  Darnell jumped to his feet and approached her. “Oh, babe, come on. Nia must have gotten everything wrong.”

  Tia waved him away. “I don’t think so. My sister finally admitted that last night wasn’t the first time she’s seen you with other women.”

  “I’m telling you this is all a mistake. Nia has got me mixed up with someone else.”

  “So you haven’t been at the Motor City Casino on Grand River or the Dirty Dog Jazz Café in Grosse Pointe?”

  “If she saw me at all of those places, why didn’t she say something before now?” He sat down, crossed his leg over his knee, and smirked back at her. “That doesn’t sound quite right.”

  “Nia kept her mouth shut because she didn’t want to see me hurt.”

  He sat up straight on the sofa and shot back, “And making accusations like this is hurting you?”

  “Yes, it is. But she had a better reason for telling me.”

  Grunting, he asked, “What?”

  “My health.”

  Frowning, he stared back at her. “Health?”

  “By messing around with other women, did you ever stop to think about the diseases and germs those encounters bring to me?”

  Darnell opened his mouth to speak and shut it without saying a word. Tia could tell that he hadn’t thought about that.

  She snorted. “That’s what I thought. I’m sure you didn’t. Here’s the deal. We’re done. I want you to get your stuff out of my place.” Tia pointed a finger toward the first-floor bathroom. “I won’t call you. Don’t call me. It’s over.”

  “Come on, Tia, baby. It’s all a huge mistake. I was wrong and I admit that. I shouldn’t have done it. Things got out of hand, and I did a few things that were wrong. But I still love you. You’re my girl. We’ve been together too long to let one little mistake tear us apart.” Darnell gave her one of his sheepish, persuasive smiles. He leaned forward, pressing soft kisses to her cheek and lips. He took her hand between both of his and said, “I can make it up to you. We can make things better than ever.”