We Didn't See It Coming Part 18

"I have no home here. I'm using money I had saved to stay in this place," she said as she looked around the hotel room.

He noticed that her plate just sat in front of her. "You've eaten already?"

"Not hungry. I'm so nervous for Rosie."

"Trust me; she can handle herself in a lot of ways."

Tessa could tell by the statement he made that he found pleasure from being with Aniyah. "I'm just nervous for her."

"I have the perfect job for you."

"I dare not work at the Houston Estate."

"Come work in my home. It's not like the Houston Estate. It's a four-bedroom home. You can be the lady of the house. You'll sleep in the master bedroom with me or I'll sleep in the guestroom."

She tapped him. "I'll take the first offer. I want to be in bed with you."

"Be my wife-Mrs. Baron Chavis," he proposed.

Tessa couldn't believe that he wanted her to marry him. She thought he just wanted a servant and a woman to have in bed. "Me, your wife?"

"Yes. Say yes!" he rejoiced as he took his finger and rubbed it across her lips. She looked up into his eyes. She became mesmerized by the way he didn't bat an eye.

"Yes," she said with joy.

They forgot about the rest of the breakfast they left on their plates. Baron scooped her up into his arms. He messed in her hair as if he were shampooing it. She held him around his neck. They kissed pa.s.sionately.

Shoving his hand up her dress, he removed her panties, then lifted her up and laid her on the bed. He released her favorite muscle for her to feast her eyes on.

Tessa hungered for him as she reached up and pulled him closer to her. She fastened her lips to his. He forced himself inside her with such power that it made her scream. He kept his eyes glued to hers as he caressed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. All their worries vanished as they got lost in pa.s.sion.

Tessa packed her bag and left with Baron. He dropped her off at his house and went on to the office.

Baron gave her full access to the Houston limo service, even though he rarely used it. He enjoyed driving his own vehicle.

Tessa admired his home. She was ready to finally be the woman of the house for the man she loved.

Chapter 17.

Kenley's plans were to visit the estate as much as she could to keep an eye on the house. In reality, she wanted to make Aniyah so miserable that she would be forced to leave.

She put her key into the lock of the front door and entered. She sniffed a stale odor. Kenley covered her nose; it wasn't the pleasant smell of fresh-cut floral arrangements that were used as accent pieces throughout the home.

The house was silent until she looked up and saw Pete coming from the east wing. He froze at the top of the stairs. The dark hair on his head was fluffy. He wasn't looking fresh in his uniform of black pants and a crisp white s.h.i.+rt. Kenley came to the conclusion that he looked like he had just gotten out of bed.

"What's going on here?" she asked. "I know you're not getting relaxed in my parents' house."

Pete did not know how to respond to her. He hunched his shoulders and mumbled, "I no speak no English."

Aniyah heard voices. Strutting toward them, she wore a short red robe. The robe hung open and a red nylon baby doll gown was exposed under it. "Oh, h.e.l.l no! Just what are you doing coming here to my house?" she shouted as she looked down over the banister rail.

Kenley held up her key. "In case you forgot, we share the house-that's what Father said in his will."

Aniyah tapped Pete's shoulder. "Wait for me in the bedroom."

Pete did as he was told and dashed to the east wing.

Aniyah made her way down the stairs. "Girl, I'm not no babysitter. You need to go back to your other two uppity sisters."

"I see what's going on here. You want to keep me out of here. You're playing around with the help."

"And? I'm grown. What's it to you? Go to school. Do something. Just disappear," Aniyah said with her hands on her hips.

"I'm not! I'm going upstairs to hang out in my room."

Face to face, Kenley tried to go around Aniyah but Aniyah blocked her. .

"Oh, no, you're not!" Aniyah shouted.

"You smell just like this nasty odor in this house," Kenley said as she turned up her nose.

"Incense smells way better in a house. Flowers should stay outside just like you should."

Aniyah lifted her left hand as if she was going to strike her.

"You touch me and the police will be all over this place. I'll have you arrested for abusing a minor."

Aniyah backed off. She didn't want the police anywhere near her. She thought about the years she would get for fraud, and she changed her tune. "Heifer, go ahead upstairs. But the next time you come here, the locks on the front door will be changed."

Aniyah stepped out of her way and Kenley ran past her up the stairs. "Miss Half wh.o.r.e." Kenley yelled back at her.

"You're jealous." Aniyah laughed. "I know, little sister, you've got the hots for Pete. I saw you looking at his cute b.u.t.t. I'll share him with you when you're old enough."

"I'll eat dirt before I ever go behind a wh.o.r.e."

Kenley went into her room, happy the decor still looked the same. She ran downstairs to the kitchen. Elsa and another servant were busy cooking.

"What's that smell?" Kenley asked as she walked in. Again, she covered her nose.

Elsa turned to see her. "Is that one of the cutie Houston girls coming in here?"

"It's me." Kenley giggled as she ran over and gave Elsa a hug. "I've never been in this kitchen and it smelled so awful."

"I'm making chitterlings for your newfound sister. And would you believe, she wants red rice and black beans to go with it?"

"They smell like the way she acts-funky."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming by? I would have fixed you a pan of baked lasagna."

"Elsa, with garlic bread?"

"Spread with b.u.t.ter." Elsa licked her lips.

"I'm getting hungry. Don't tease me."

"You're welcome to have some of this." Elsa pointed to the pot that the chitterlings were in.

"Disgusting!" Kenley turned up her nose.

Aniyah heard Kenley as she spoke to the help, but they all became silent when she entered.

"Do you have anything else better to do than to mess with the cook? I told you to disappear."

Aniyah waved her hand at Kenley. She looked at Elsa. "Where's the soda I asked for with plenty of ice?" she yelled.

"Sorry, I forgot." Elsa went on to find Aniyah the soft drink.

"No yelling goes on in my parents' house. Do you have any cla.s.s?" Kenley asked.

Aniyah walked up to her. She pointed her finger in Kenley's face. "Girl, you're working my last nerve."

"Back off," Kenley said, and then yelled, "You're a wh.o.r.e and your mother is a bigger wh.o.r.e."

Aniyah pushed her. "You have a fresh mouth."

When Elsa approached them with the drink in her hand, Kenley s.n.a.t.c.hed the gla.s.s of soda from her. She tossed it on Aniyah. Kenley ran out of the kitchen, leaving Aniyah's nightgown drenched in soda. She called back. "Talk to you later, Elsa."

Aniyah grabbed a dishtowel and wiped herself off. She called. "Fix me another d.a.m.n drink."

Elsa and the other servants laughed amongst themselves after Aniyah left.

A few days later when the servants were off duty in their quarters, free to do what they want, Kenley decided to come back to the Houston Estate. She tried to enter using her key, but the lock did not work. She tried several times.

"I don't believe this."

The driver saw her struggling with the key. He tilted his hat. "Do you need my help, Miss Houston?"

"No." She sighed. "The locks have been changed."

Kenley thought for a second. She recalled the secret pa.s.sage to the house. When she turned ten, her father had told her about the pa.s.sage. "Wait here," she said, "I'm going down to another entrance."

The driver got out of the limo and watched her walk in the heat. He wiped sweat from around his neck. "It's some kind of hot out here, Miss Houston. Come back and let me drive you to the entrance."

Kenley stopped and yelled back, "I'm good. Go on and wait for me near the help's residences."

The driver watched for a moment as she took her time walking down the front of the house. After a few steps, Kenley looked back to see if he had followed her orders.

Just that fast, the driver had driven away to the servants' quarters. He reared his seat back to take a nap. He figured this was going to be a long evening.

Kenley dashed through a walking path attached to the house. She made her way behind a palmetto tree. Under a fake patch of gra.s.s hid a trap door. She twisted the lock and pulled the door open.

Making her way into the wine cellar, she reached out into the darkness for a string hanging from a light to turn it on.

She could see the rows of wine bottles labeled by dates on the wine shelves. It had been a long time since she had come down to the wine cellar. Her father had forbidden her from going in there. He told her it was not a place for a young girl to be.

Kenley walked down a narrow hallway to get to the stairs that led to the ground floor of the house. She stopped at a bookshelf that stood against the wall. It was filled with books.

Browsing the collection of romance books, she saw that there was a journal in the midst of the books. She took it out and opened the first page. Her mother's name, Alana Houston, was written in script on the page.

The young Houston realized that this was her mother's personal journal. Alana dated each page of her thoughts. Kenley read the first note in her mother's handwriting.

I know Rupert loves me but he can't be true to me. He has a love for other women. He doesn't think I know it, but I do. It hurts. But he's such a good man that I forgive him for his unfaithful ways. I know the baby Tessa is carrying is his. I'm appalled because I'm with child while his wh.o.r.e is, too. I could never tell Rupert I know the truth. Maybe he loves her and if I uttered a word to him he would disown me and put her in my place. I'll just keep it to myself. He's good to me, and I don't want to show I don't appreciate him. I will continue being the sweet and loving wife he married. Let him have his fun. I can live with it for the sake of my family.

Kenley was annoyed. "Mother, it's not all right. You knew, and yet you let Father run wild. I can't wait to tell Milandra and Noelle that you knew about Father's other women."

Kenley read many of her notes. But the note that touched her most was one of the most recent: I know my heart is weak. Any little upsetting thing can shut it down. But what keeps my precious heart beating are my loving daughters. My girls and my home have been my strength to overlook the evildoing that I've allowed Rupert to get away with.

Kenley wiped a tear from her eye. She was more determined to get Aniyah out of the house. The estate had been nurtured by Mother's hand, not Father's mistresses.

Kenley left the journal on a table. She left it in sight for her to take with her when she was ready to leave.

Tiptoeing quietly up the staircase, Kenley heard voices when she reached the top step. She opened the door and saw Aniyah and Baron in the midst of an argument. She realized that he must have driven up while she was in the wine cellar.

Aniyah was dressed in a white baby doll gown. Baron was still suited from work. Kenley listened to their conversation.

"I think you know, as well as I do, we're not a match. Your father has left you a nice home. You seem to like Pete, so move on," Baron said.

Aniyah yelled, pointing her finger at him, "I'm training that young thang. And don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do. It's not your call. I call the shots when it comes down to what I want. You'll come whenever I call you because I have the picture of you and my sister."

Kenley watched as Aniyah stepped out of her lingerie and flung her arms around Baron's neck.

Aniyah smothered his lips.

Baron thought of Tessa being at his home. "I'm not having this," he said as he took her arms away.

Aniyah grabbed his crotch. "This is payback for the way you rich men treat us common women."

Baron held her tightly by her right wrist. "I said I'm not having this anymore."