Broken: The sequel to THE PREACHER'S SON Page 18

  Eric’s words stung, but Matthew wasn’t going to let him know it. “What have you to be happy about? You’re broke, you’re struggling, and you leech off of your relatives to make it.”

  Matthew knew he wasn’t being fair and could see that his words hurt his brother, but he couldn’t take them back.

  “Is that what you think about me, Matt, that I’m a leech? Well, you keep your money. Make your millions! Don’t bother to give the girls anything either if that’s how you feel. We’ll do just fine without anything from you!” Eric snapped, the hurt evident in his voice. He turned to leave.

  Matthew came around the desk and grabbed Eric’s arm before he could reach for the door. He lowered his head and his voice.

  “Look, Eric. I apologize. I was out of line. I don’t think you’re a leech at all. I don’t know why I said that. I haven’t been sleeping well, and I know that I’m a bit cranky. You’re a responsible father, and I am proud of you for that. I didn’t mean what I said.”

  He rubbed his temple and let go of Eric’s arm. Maybe he just needed to take some time off and relax. He looked at his brother’s angry face. “Man, I’m sorry, OK? I didn’t mean it.”

  He watched as Eric’s expression finally softened. “Look, Matt, I know you didn’t really mean it, but words hurt. You need to watch what you say. You’re hurting, so you strike out and hurt. Things are hard for me right now, but I am happy with Nadine and my daughters. Are you happy? It’s obvious to me that you’re hurting and working yourself to death isn’t helping your situation.”

  Matt looked at him and then looked away. He didn’t want to tell his brother how miserable he actually was. “When I reach another $10 million year I’ll think about being happy.” Eric looked at him, obviously disgusted by his response. “I hope you spend some of that money to warm your bed at night.”

  “Now who’s being ugly?” Matt snapped, sitting back down.

  “It’s the truth. Look at you! You’re so tense you’re about to explode any minute. Just answer me this: Why are you fighting what you feel for Max?”

  Matthew looked at his brother and stood back up.

  “I have plans, big plans. Let’s face it, Eric. Even though there’s a black man in the White House, marrying one is not acceptable if you want to get ahead, and I do want to get ahead!

  “You’re right. I’m attracted to Max, but I can’t have her on my arm with my political aspirations here in Horry County, it won’t work. Just because you’ve decided to limit your options by marrying out of your race doesn’t mean that I plan on following in your footsteps.”

  “When did you become so intolerant? Even Pop has come around to accept my marriage. Why are you so against what you know you want?”

  “Pop?” Matthew spat. “He is the reason I feel the way I do today. He was the one telling me to stick with my own. He was the one telling me that the races shouldn’t mix when I was in high school. I listened to him, respected him, believed him. I did what he told me in order to make him happy and proud of me.”

  “Why do you sound so bitter?” Eric asked, surprised. “Was there a black girl you liked in school?”

  Matthew didn’t want to discuss LaKeisha with his brother. “Maybe, but that’s in the past. The point is that, even though people say times have changed, they haven’t changed all that much, and I want to be able to be with a woman that doesn’t draw stares and whispers.”

  “Since when have you cared what people think, Matt?” Eric insisted. “You’ve always gone against the grain, did things your own way. No, this is just an excuse! You can lie to yourself all you want, but I know the real reason you don’t want to get with Max.”

  Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” Eric said, moving into his brother’s personal space. “You always have to be in control. All those women you’ve been out with before Max didn’t mean a thing to you. You didn’t love them. Yeah, you may have been attracted to them, but you didn’t really have feelings for them. Since you weren’t emotionally invested, you could love and leave them. You could use them for sex and discard them. I’ve watched you, Matthew,” Eric said, moving closer.

  “You’ve never even brought a girl home or to any intimate family event. Why? Because you didn’t care about them. You didn’t care if you saw them again or not. Now that Max has gotten under your skin, you can’t handle it, and you’re trying to fight a losing battle because all you can think about is her.”

  “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!” Matthew snapped. “You’re so off base. I know what I want. You don’t know me as well as you claim. Yes, I’m attracted to her, but I’m not head-over -heels in love with her. If what you say is true, then tell me, Mr. Know-It-All, how am I supposed to go back and recant everything I said before? I plan on running for that seat next year!”

  “You stand up and say that you were wrong! How hard is that? You say that you met a woman that just happens to be black and she made you see that race doesn’t matter when it comes to your heart!”

  “You’re insane!” Matthew snarled. “I’ve got a business to run and more millions to make, so, if you’ll excuse me, Eric.” He walked around his brother and opened the door for him to leave.

  Eric shook his head. “Unbelievable! Go on, get ahead. Sit in your lonely ivory tower of wealth. Just be sure to have your will all made out because I doubt if you make it to fifty. The stress will probably give you a stroke or a heart attack. You feel sorry for me because you think that I’m bad off being married and broke with two babies. I’m rich, Matt. I feel sorry for you because you are pathetic and don’t even know it.”

  Eric then walked out of the office and slammed the door.

  James Rogers stared blankly at Fredericks, his work release officer, as he read the conditions of his release and was already making his own plans. All he wanted was a chance to be let out of this hell-hole. He had been in prison for thirteen long years. Being on good behavior had been fairly easy; he knew how to play the game.

  “Are there any questions, Mr. Rogers?” the work release officer asked.

  He shook his head and gave the man a fake smile. He lowered his head in submission, even though his mind was already plotting his next move.

  “You will be staying in a halfway house in Socastee, but your assignment is in Surfside Beach. We will advance you monies for your bus transportation. You are to report to the halfway house to Mr. Craig Taylor.” The officer handed a packet to him.

  “I thought that I was supposed to be in Florence,” James said. “Why am I being shipped to that hick town of Socastee?”

  “Change of plans. What difference does that make? You’ll be out of here working off your debt to society,” Fredericks responded. “Why is it so important that you go to Florence?”

  “It’s not,” Rogers said, quickly backtracking. “I was just saying.”

  “Socastee is a small town, but it’s not like you’re going to have any free time on your hands,” he pointed out.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  Several hours later James Rogers climbed on the bus leaving Columbia. It felt good to be free—well, almost. He looked down at the monitor on his ankle. He leaned back on the bus seat. He could use a cigarette.

  Rogers knew that he had to be careful. He had almost messed things up back there. He wasn’t about to let that happen again. He would check out this halfway house, and he was sure he could figure out a way to get a little free time. Perhaps he could meet up with some nice young thing. He grinned to himself. Prison had not changed his appetite for sweet young girls. If he played his cards right, he knew that he would have an opportunity to meet up with a few while out on work release.

  He looked out of the window and thought back about the girls he had taken. He had made a few blunders that led the cops to his hideout. He wouldn’t make those same mistakes again.

  Rogers grinned as he reminisced. The last one was especially sweet. She was a fighter. He enjoyed
a good fight. Some girls cried and screamed, but this one had been different. Of course she was no match for him, but still it made the victory all the more sweet.

  He wondered what she was doing now. What was her name, Pauline? No, Maxine. Yeah, Maxine. She was some sort of athlete. Her family had been the only one around to threaten his chance of being released, but the warden had handled that one. Rogers remembered that she had been strong to have only been thirteen. Dumb twit didn’t know anything. By that age most girls at least had seen a naked man’s body before. She must have had a sheltered life. He remembered the look of shock on her face when he had undressed and stood before her, all ready for action. He could tell, innocent as a lamb. He snickered to himself. Ah, the memories.

  He looked around at the other prisoners on the bus. They most likely would end back up in this place. He wasn’t coming back. He’d made up his mind that they’d have to kill him first.

  He crossed his arms across his chest. Yes, he would settle in and figure out the routine, and perhaps he’d get a chance to look up his old friend Maxine. He thought that there was a chance that she would be married. He grinned as he remembered that she had a bit of trouble accommodating him back then and she may have given up on men. He secretly patted himself on the back. He was a hard act to follow for most women. He thought about the souvenir he had taken from her. He wondered if it were still in the spot where he had buried it and made up his mind to check if he got the chance.

  He stretched and settled back on the bus seat. Yeah, it would be a cold day in hell before he would allow himself to be locked up again. He was sure of that!

  Nadine and Max walked through the house that Jeremiah was showing them.

  “It has plenty of room,” Jeremiah said. “Four bedrooms as well as a full basement and two-and-a-half baths. You will have the option to buy it after one year. It has more room than where you’re now staying.”

  “It’s nice,” Max said, looking around. “It’s a little pricey, though. I don’t know.”

  He grinned at her. “You know we’re family. I’ll give you a break.”

  Max looked at him, clearly skeptical. “How can you do that? What will the owner have to say about it?”

  “I’m the owner!” Jeremiah said. “I bought this property last year, and I don’t have a renter. It’s too big and costs too much to heat for just two people because it’s an older property, but I liked it. If you can cover my mortgage and give me a little play money, I’ll let you have it. I’ve fixed it up, you can see that plus I’ve put in all new appliances. I need to recoup some of my investment!”

  “It is nice, Max” Nadine whispered. “But I don’t know. Eric and I can’t help but only so much, and I don’t want you to get in over your head.”

  Max looked at Jeremiah. “How much?”

  “What are you paying in rent now?” he asked.

  “950.”

  “Well, you’re in luck,” Jeremiah said, grinning. “I can let you have it for 800.”

  “What? How can you do that?” Nadine asked in shock.

  “I bought it from the owner who was going into a nursing home. It needed a lot of work, and I got it for 65,000. I fixed it up, and now it’s worth about 150 even with the market the way it is. I did most of the work myself. I paid half up front and have a fifteen-year mortgage. Eight hundred will cover the mortgage and taxes and give me a little something for myself each month.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Max asked.

  “Nope.”

  Max hugged him. “I feel almost guilty about this!”

  Jeremiah laughed and kissed her on the head. “Well, buy it from me next year for 150, and you can get over your guilt. This is not my only property, you know. Plus, after all your mom and dad have done for me, it’s the least I can do.”

  Max grinned. “I guess I’ll have to cook more dinners for you as payback.”

  “What will Matthew say about that?” Jeremiah asked, laughing.

  “It doesn’t matter what he thinks,” Max shot back. “I’m not talking to him right now.”

  “Lovers’ spat?” Jeremiah teased as they walked back to their cars.

  “He just needs to make up his mind what he wants. I’m tired of his excuses.”

  “Don’t make it too easy for him,” Nadine said. “When I talked to Eric earlier to tell him about the property, he told me that he had a heated talk with his brother. Some people just have to learn the hard way. I have a feeling that Mr. Matthew Ferguson is going to have to eat a lot of crow.”

  “Speaking of eating,” Jeremiah replied. “When do I get my first installment of dinner?”

  “You can come to our Thanksgiving dinner. Why don’t you come and bring a date?” Max asked.

  “And pass up an opportunity to make your boyfriend jealous? Naw, I’m coming all by myself. It’ll be more fun that way,” he said, laughing. “Shall I bring you flowers and kiss your hand?”

  Nadine laughed. “This I got to see.”

  “Well, it’s next week, so do whatever you see fit, within reason, of course,” Max said, getting in the car. “It looks like both families are going in together for Thanksgiving. I don’t know how Dad and Rachel pulled it off, but they did, so it will be very interesting.”

  “I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Jeremiah said, laughing.

  He waved to them as he pulled off. Max watched as he drove down the road. Nadine was right. She was not going to make it easy for Matthew. She told him that she didn’t want to hear from him until he was ready to commit to her, and she meant exactly what she said.

  CHAPTER 15

  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,

  And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Psalm 51:6

  Max sat in Dr. Nelson’s office. She was a few minutes early for her 3:30 appointment. She had to admit to herself that she was feeling a bit anxious to talk to the doctor about everything with Matthew.

  The door to her office opened, and Dr. Nelson came out into the reception area and smiled at Max.

  “Hello, Maxine,”

  “Hi,” Max said, looking up at her. She had on that distracting bright red lipstick that she always wore, but today she had wide-legged pants with a colorful print and a white peasant blouse.

  “Come in,” she said.

  Max got up and followed her into the office and quietly shut the door.

  “So tell me, how have you been since we last met?” she asked before sitting in her chair.

  “Things have been very interesting,” Max said, trying to hide a smile.

  “Well, that was a very pregnant answer. How was it interesting?”

  Max looked up at her unable to hold back a snicker. She sat down on a large hassock and crossed her legs.

  “Yeah, I guess it was. Remember I told you at my last visit that I hadn’t seen Matthew in weeks and that I felt that he was avoiding me? Well, he finally came to the gym.”

  Dr. Nelson leaned forward on the desk. “Hm, did he? And?”

  “Well, remember you asked if I looked at men’s bodies in the gym? I had never before looked at men’s bodies, but when he came into the gym, I found myself looking at his body. I don’t know if it was because I hadn’t seen him in a while, but I couldn’t help staring at Matthew.” She felt herself blushing.

  Dr. Nelson smiled at her. “I gather by the blush that you find him attractive?”

  Max ran her hands down the front of her slacks. “Yes, he’s very attractive, and he took his shirt off.”

  “He took his shirt off?”

  “Yeah, after he had finished his work out, and he was all sweaty. I watched him exercise for a while, and then I found myself walking over to him as he wiped his face with the shirt. I wanted to say hi.”

  The therapist gazed at her a moment before speaking. “So are you telling me that you weren’t afraid to approach him?”

  Max shook her head. “No, I mean I didn’t even think about it. I just went over to say hi, and, well, he t
urned around, and we were standing kinda close.”

  “Were there others in the gym watching the two of you?”

  “No, the gym was almost empty. It was near closing time.” Max crossed her arms across her chest, not meeting the doctor’s gaze. “I don’t know what came over me. I touched him without even thinking about it.”

  Dr. Nelson looked surprised and raised an eyebrow. “Touched?”

  Max stood up with her arms still crossed. She walked over to the wall and stared at the doctor’s degrees. “I know it was wrong. I mean, he was all sweaty, but it was a nice kind of sweaty, if that makes any sense. I touched his chest without thinking by running my finger down his chest to his navel.” She turned back around to face her. “I think I upset him because he grabbed my wrist. It was embarrassing.”

  Dr. Nelson sighed. “He may have felt that the gesture was too forward for you to do. How did he respond? Did he say anything?”

  “I tried to tell him that I was sorry, but he got this strange look in his eyes and pulled me closer and then kissed me hard.”

  “Did you enjoy his kisses?”

  Max lowered her eyes as she sat back down across from the doctor. “I did. Then I just broke away and ran to my office and told him that it was closing time and for him to go take his shower.”

  “Why did you run away?”

  “I was embarrassed and scared, I guess.”

  “Was he embarrassed or intimidating?”

  “He wasn’t embarrassed. He came into my office later and told me that he wanted me and that he knew that I wanted him too.”

  “Was he correct?”

  “I guess. I mean, he started kissing me again and touching me in private areas. I couldn’t tell him to stop. It was all so overwhelming, but it wasn’t like, you know, when I was attacked.”

  “OK, let’s rewind here. You were in your office; he kissed you and touched you. Are you telling me that his actions didn’t bother you? Did you ask him to touch you before he kissed you?”

  “No, I mean it happened so fast but I wasn’t upset. I didn’t have an episode. I just couldn’t think. He kissed me and asked me if I liked it. He then touched my breast. Everything he did he told me before he did it and asked if I liked it. He seemed to want to be careful like he wanted to please me.”