Monday morning brought an array of events, the first being the arrival of Carl at Kerri’s house. He had stopped by the school to visit Siri only to be told by Cashmere that she had called in sick. To his knowledge, Siri had never called in sick and he was concerned. When he called Kerri, he was advised Siri had spent a day at the hospital and was now at Eric Davies’ place recuperating. He was surprised to learn Eric had a home in Richmond and wondered if it would be okay for him to stop by to see how Siri was doing. Kerri gave him the address and called ahead to let Eric know he was coming.
To Eric’s surprise, Carl did not come alone. Siri’s friend Cashmere was with him.
“We don’t mean to impose, but we were concerned about Siri. May we see her?” Carl asked Eric as they stood in the doorway. This could have been a very awkward moment, but it wasn’t.
Eric stepped aside. “Please come in.”
As they walked into the foyer, the vastness of the room took their breath away. “This is magnificent,” Cashmere said as she walked over to the windows and looked out at the scenery.
“Thank you.” Eric replied as he motioned for them to have a seat. “Siri should be out in a moment. The doctor put her on bed rest for a few days.”
Eric sat on the sofa with his back to the window, while Carl and Cashmere sat on the sofa facing the windows. “What happened to her?” Carl asked.
“She had a bad fall. Hit her head on the footboard of the bed and it caused a slight concussion.”
“What made her fall?” Carl continued to drill.
“I’ll let her explain,” Eric stated as Siri entered the room.
“Hello Carl,” she hugged him, then turned to her friend. “Cashmere.” She hugged her. “Thank you so much for coming by to see me. How was school today?”
Siri sat next to Eric as Carl and Cashmere retook their seats. As if it was the most normal thing in the world, Eric put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. She did nothing to resist his embrace; in fact she seemed to welcome it.
“School was fine. The children asked about you and sent these.” Cashmere reached into her bag and pulled out a number of homemade cards that were all intended to wish Siri well.
Taking the cards, Siri placed them on the table. “Please tell them I said thank you.”
“I will.”
The room became quiet for a moment as it seemed a little tension was building between the men. “What happened, Siri?” Carl asked, not one bit concerned about irritating Eric by asking the question again.
“I received some disturbing news and became a little hysterical. I began to hyperventilate, blacked out, hit my head and that was all she wrote.” She waved her hand as if to dismiss the incident.
Carl sat forward. “In all the years I’ve known you Siri, you’ve never become hysterical. Is there more to it?”
Eric stood. Carl was concerned about Siri’s well being. There was no way he could be angry about that. However, the insinuation that he may have caused her injuries was a bit much. Looking down at Siri, who was holding on to his hand, he could see the pleading in her eyes to let it go. “Cashmere, I believe Carl and Siri need a moment to talk. May I show you around our home?”
“Yes,” she exhaled a sigh of relief. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
The two left the room. Siri remained sitting with her legs crossed staring at Carl, whose face was impassive. “For a moment you sounded like your mother,” she smiled.
His expression changed to appalled, then understanding, then he smiled. “I did.” He sighed. “I’ll apologize before we leave. I needed to be sure that he didn’t harm you in any way.”
“Eric would never raise a hand to me or any woman. I fell, hit my head. That’s all there was to it.” She stood, took the seat next to him, then took his hand. “Eric asked me to marry him and I said yes.” She smiled. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”
Carl smiled as he squeezed her hand. “You seem so happy and you look good.”
“I took your advice, and stopped running from him. It was the right thing to do. I’ll have to find a way to deal with his career. It won’t be easy, but we will survive.”
“You know I will always be here for you. If you ever need me for anything.”
“I know and I love you for it. Speaking of love, I see a little spark between you and Cashmere.”
He smiled. “We are taking our time to get to know each other. I’m trying to be the gentleman and wait, but she is wearing me down. I seem to want to spend every waking moment with her.”
“Ah, I think I’ve been replaced,” Siri smiled.
“You’ll always have a special place in my heart, but Cashmere is my future, just as Eric is yours.” He kissed her cheek. “You know, you really are glowing.”
She stood pulling him up with her. “Thank you. Let’s see if we can find Eric and Cashmere.” Looking down the hallway, she shook her head. “This place is so big; I don’t think I will ever find my way around.” She opened the door, walked across the hallway into the other condo and could immediately hear the music. Walking through the rooms, they stopped at what would eventually be the studio and saw Eric playing the piano while Cashmere leaned against it. She looked up and watched them walk in. Carl went to stand next to Cashmere, as Siri sat on the stool next to Eric.
Eric glanced at her and continued to sing. At the end of the song he kissed Siri and then looked over at Carl. “Your concern for Siri is appreciated. As her friend you are welcome to our home anytime.”
Carl extended his hand. “Please accept my apology for offending you before. I can see you care very deeply for Siri. I just wanted to make sure she was happy and safe.”
Eric took his hand. “Apology accepted. We were about to have dinner. I cooked, so it’s at your own risk.”
They all laughed. “I think, we’ll pass, but thank you for the offer.” He took Cashmere’s hand. “We should be going.”
When the two left, Eric turned to Siri. “Okay, he’s not so bad.”
Siri walked into his arms. “No, he’s not.” She kissed his cheek. “I think he and Cashmere are going to make a great couple. He’s serious and she’s spicy.”
They walked arm in arm back across the hallway. “She thinks he is still in love with you. But I assured her the man’s eyes said something different.”
“It’s all in the eyes, as Nana would say.”
“That’s right.” Eric smiled. “Know what I see in your eyes?”
“What?”
“A lifetime of love and happiness.”
♫
Maybelline Austin sat at her desk and began sorting through her mail. The day was a busy one and this was the first moment she’d had to review the items her secretary had put on her desk. Not seeing anything pertinent in the stack, she decided to check her emails. She hated the computer, but that was the way most people today chose to communicate. She preferred the good old telephone or snail mail system herself, but as an elected official, she had to be open and available for her constituents to contact her at any time. Emails or texting was the quickest form of communication. There were quite a few messages and she was about to exit when the subject line on one caught her attention. It said, Personal and Confidential – Siri Austin. She immediately clicked on the file. The message was simple. “Disgraceful pictures of one of your teachers.” There was a slide show attachment to the message. She opened the slide show and sat back. After a number of pictures of Siri and a man flashed across the monitor, she began to laugh. “Finally, I have what I need to get Siri out of Carl’s life. Finally!”
She picked up the telephone and called the school board members to set up an emergency meeting for that evening. After she made the calls, she sat back smiling as if the world had just blessed her with the gift of life. Indecent exposure would not only get her fired as a teacher, but there was no way Carl would want her back after this hit the news. She looked at the message, but could not determine who sent it. Soon she gave up searching; it wasn’t important where the information came from. All that was important was that she knew exactly what to do now. She saved the pictures to a flash drive and left for the meeting. An hour later, she had convinced the board to hold a hearing to dismiss Siri Austin from her teaching position.
♫
Kerri stepped off the elevator leading to Eric and Siri’s new home. The envelope in her pursed weighed heavy on her mind. The certified letter had been delivered to the house early that morning. The return address indicated it was from the school board. The experience was reminiscent of the last time Siri was suspended from teaching. The fear that the mess with the Latoya woman had reared its ugly head again was so strong that Kerri could hardly breathe. Looking down the hallway, she saw Siri standing in the doorway waiting for her. The smiles on her daughter’s face over the last few days were priceless. She would give anything not to destroy that smile, but she knew the letter was going to do just that.
“Hello Mother.” Siri hugged her tight with excitement. “You have to see what Eric did. It is ridiculous, but I love him for it.” She took her mother’s hand and led her to the back of the condo. She opened a door next to what would eventually be the master bedroom and walked through. “Look.”
Kerri stepped in and began to laugh at the sight. One half of the room was painted in blue with a crib, changing table, a rocking chair, and other baby furniture. The other side was a duplicate, only painted pink. Toys of every kind were piled up from the floor to the ceiling. “My word,” was all Kerri could say as she walked through the room looking from item to item.
“Mom, I’m not going to even try to take you into the closet. It is totally ridiculous,” Siri laughed.
“Where is he?” Kerri asked.
“He’s in the studio working.”
Kerri watched her daughter, with the big smile that reached her eyes. This is where she was supposed to be in her life, happy and carefree. “Have you been to the doctor yet?”
“I go tomorrow. If everything is okay I can return to work on Monday,” Siri replied as a bit of the light left her eyes.
Kerri sighed thinking maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought. “May I see the studio?”
“Of course, come on.” They walked out of the room and across the hall, with Siri talking a mile a minute. “He’s been writing for the last three days, almost non-stop. It is so amazing to see him like this. He’s in this zone,” she laughed.
Kerri touched her daughter’s arm before she opened the door to the studio. Siri turned to her and Kerri had to smile. “You look absolutely radiant. I’m so happy to see my daughter loving her life again.”
Siri reached over and hugged her mother. “Thank you, Mother. A few months ago I would not have believed I could be this happy.” She sighed and released her mother. “But now, I can’t imagine my life any other way. As soon as Jason and TK get home this weekend, we’re setting a date for the wedding. I’m going to marry that man and have his child. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“I’m happy to hear that. Is Eric in here?” Kerri asked as she opened the door and walked through.
For a minute Eric did not look up, he continued to write something down. He then stood and hugged Kerri. “Did I thank you today for your daughter?”
She returned the hug. “No, it’s my turn to thank you for bringing her back to life.” She sighed. “I need you both to have a seat.”
The two looked at her strangely, but did as she asked. “Is everything alright, Mother?” Siri asked.
“I’m not sure,” Kerri replied as she pulled out the envelope and gave it to Siri. “This came special delivery today.”
Siri took the envelope. Seeing the address, she frowned. “I guess Maybelline is trying to get me fired for what I said.”
“What did you say?” Kerri asked.
“That she was a lonely pathetic old woman that was secretly in love with her son,” Eric answered for Siri.
Siri laughed. “That is not what I said. Well, not exactly in those words.”
“It was close enough,” he laughed.
Kerri was relieved to see that the blow to Siri was not as severe as she thought it would be. “You realize that this letter means she’s convinced the board to at least have a hearing about it.”
“Yes, I know.” Siri replied as she read the notice. “I have to appear before the board on charges of …...” she hesitated then frowned. She looked up at Eric then back to her mother.
“What is it Siri?” Eric asked with a concerned look on his face. When she did not respond, he took the letter and finished reading it. “Indecent Exposure?” he continued to read the letter as Siri sat with her eyes closed shaking her head.
Eric picked up his blackberry from the music console and dialed Ty’s number. “We are going to need you in Richmond right away. Are you free?” he asked calmly.
Siri stood and walked out of the room. She walked over to the window that overlooked the James River. Kerri walked behind her. She rubbed her daughter’s arms and stood beside her. “We need TeKaya to come home and beat that woman to a pulp.”
Siri looked at her mother and began to laugh. When she finished she simply shook her head and sighed. “I have never met this woman and yet she has caused more problems for me than she did for TK and TK’s the one that took her man.”
“Well, not really,” Eric said from the doorway. “Technically, you took her man.”
“What?” Siri turned and asked a little confused.
He walked over and stood near the window with the women. “The night Latoya was arrested she stated that I was her original target. Her plan was to meet and seduce me into a relationship with her. She blames me for all that has “gone wrong” in her life for the last four years. She turned to Jason as a backup, so to speak.”
“What do you mean you were her target?” Siri asked.
“When you’re in the business, some women put themselves in a position to get close to you in any way they can. There is not a place I go to perform where I don’t have my choice of women. My father taught us to be careful when choosing women. I learned the lesson a little too well for Latoya. I recognized her game the minute she walked in the door. Now, because of that you are paying the price. I’m so sorry, Siri.”
“You keep saying that and it is so unnecessary. You can’t control what that woman does, no more than I can control what Maybelline does. They are going to have to answer to a higher being. In the meantime, I can’t allow them to steal my joy.” She kissed Eric. “We’ll go to the school board meeting on Friday. Hear what they have to say and if I lose my job—so be it. Just like before, it will give me time to concentrate on my book and my new family.”
Kerri looked up at the two and knew they were going to be okay. But, there was no way she was going to allow Maybelline Austin to smear her daughter again without payback. “How would you two like a home cooked meal?”
“What did you have in mind?” Eric asked.
“Well, I couldn’t help but notice that state of the art kitchen. Mind if I have a run in it?”
“Not at all. Need some help?” Siri asked as she pulled away from Eric.
He watched as the two women walked out of the room. Turning back to the window, he looked out over the river and wondered how he could turn all this turmoil into something positive.
♫
Friday morning, as they arrived at the School Board office for the hearing, Eric wanted to leave an impression. Eric “Silk” Davies was not just any man in Siri’s life. He was going to be her husband and a force to be reckoned with from this day forward. After her mother left the evening she’d brought the letter over, Eric had another visitor, a jeweler. He picked out the ring he wanted to present to Siri when he officially got down on his knees and begged her to be his wife. Yes, he’d told her and she’d said yes, but now he wanted to ask her.
The next day, he had a romantic dinner prepared for the two of them on the riverside balcony. Just as the sun set, very close to the first time he’d laid eyes on her, he serenaded her with a song he had written just for that moment, got down on one knee, and asked her to be his wife. The moment was so perfect; it brought tears to her eyes as she accepted his ring and his proposal. Now, they stood together outside the boardroom doors, hand in hand ready to face whatever was coming their way.
Ty had another agenda. His agenda was to satisfy the two women who would have his head if he failed at his mission: Kerri Kendrick and Miriam Davies. Apparently, Kerri called Miriam and invited her to the dinner she was preparing for Siri and Eric. When he boarded the plane heading to Virginia, he was surprised to see Miriam there waiting for him. On the flight to Richmond, she was very specific as to what she and Kerri wanted to take place at the school board meeting, as well as the upcoming court case against Latoya. All he could think as he watched Eric and Siri talking was that he was very happy the two mothers liked him, for he would not want to be an enemy of either of them.
Eric stood rubbing Siri’s back. “Are you nervous?”
“A little. I just don’t know what to expect from Maybelline. I’m sure she is going to try her best to humiliate me. Not knowing what she has is a little scary.”
“Whatever she has, we will work through it together. Just remember that and this will be over soon.”
“Ms. Austin, the board will see you now,” a woman announced.
Together, Eric, Siri and Ty walked into the boardroom. As they looked around Siri recognized all of the members of the board, Roscoe Ford was there as the principal, and of course the ever persistent Maybelline as the complainant. The meeting began with a reading of the complaint and the request for Siri Austin to be removed permanently from her teaching position.
The floor was turned over to Maybelline to state her case. Just before she began, the doors opened and Carl walked through. He took a seat near Siri and gave his mother a look she could not decipher. She turned and began to address the board. “A few years ago a complaint was brought against Ms. Austin for indecent behavior with a minor, specifically a young man that was her student. The young man came forward and recanted his original claim against Ms. Austin. We find ourselves here again, in a situation involving Ms. Austin, regarding her behavior of a sexual nature; bringing into question yet again, her fitness to teach our children. When she was reinstated, it was clearly indicated by this board that we expected, in fact, demanded her behavior be of high moral standing if she wished to remain in her teaching position. Unfortunately, indisputable evidence has come to light that leaves this board no alternative than to request that Ms. Austin resign from her position or be released without the possibility of reinstatement.” She paused and took a quick glance at Carl. “Since this information will no doubt be all over the internet soon, I don’t feel it is inappropriate to show in this forum. I direct your attention to the front monitor.”
All eyes turned to the monitor where the first picture of Eric and Siri appeared. “Turn that off!” Eric shouted. The pictures continued. The second and a third appeared and just as Eric made it to Maybelline, Carl stood and shouted for her to turn them off. The look he gave his mother would have burned most men where they stood. “It is beyond my understanding why you felt it necessary to show these pictures to this board!”
“The board has a right to see what type of person is standing before our children. It is our moral obligation to ensure that the teachers behave in a manner that is representative of what this board stands for—integrity, and moral decency.”
“Yet this board is content to stand here and watch picture after picture of a couple during a very private moment. How decent of you. This is your way of embarrassing Siri. Did you ever think what this would do to me?” “May I address the board?” Ty stood.
“Who are you?” A board member asked.
“Tyrone Pendleton, I am Ms. Austin’s attorney.”
“Yes, you have the floor.”
“It’s amazing to hear you speak of decency yet you put on a display of photographs that continue to invade a person’s privacy. I would be very interested in knowing how you came to be in possession of such personal photographs. However, I have what I believe to be a more pressing issue. Ms. Siri Austin has been harassed by your board member, Mrs. Maybelline Austin for the last two years. I can only believe it’s personal. What I can’t fathom is her using this board to carry out that harassment. There have been numerous occasions when Mrs. Austin and Mr. Ford have threatened Siri Austin and I am prepared to bring witnesses to that effect. However, I am one that believes in an eye for an eye.” Ty walked over and requested the remote from Maybelline as Eric returned to an obviously distressed Siri.
Hesitantly, Maybelline handed the remote to Ty. “Let’s begin with the facts. Ms. Austin’s privacy was violated by a woman who is now incarcerated for the crime. And she has been violated again here. A private detective upon the request of one Latoya Wright took the pictures you just witnessed. Ms. Wright has been arrested for attempting to blackmail Eric Davies, Ms. Austin’s fiancé, by threatening to expose these very pictures. At some point Ms. Wright forwarded these illegally obtained photographs to Mrs. Maybelline Austin and she saw fit to invade Ms. Austin’s privacy again here. Allow me to show my solution to all of this.” He hit the play button on the remote. “Here you have Maybelline Austin entering a Hotel on West Broad Street. A few minutes later we have, Mr. Roscoe Ford entering the same hotel on the same date. Here we have Mrs. Austin entering room number 223 at 3:00 pm and Roscoe Ford entering the same room at 3:15; with neither leaving before eight that evening. ”
“Stop this madness!” Maybelline stood and yelled. “Turn that thing off.”
“There’s a perfectly good explanation for that. It was a meeting.” Roscoe stammered as he stood.
“A meeting, you say?” Ty asked. “Well, let’s examine that theory. Here’s another day, different hotel, different time. Was this also a meeting? I think not. But none of us know what went on in those hotel rooms, because it was done in the privacy of the room. The same expectancy of privacy Siri Austin was entitled to in her own home. How does it feel to have your business displayed for all to see Mrs. Austin?”
“Nothing there is indecent. None of those pictures you have are indecent. We are both fully dressed and handling business.”
“It’s the kind of business that’s in question Mrs. Austin. There are cameras all over hotels, shall I continue. I have quite a few.
“No!” Siri shouted. “Enough. I will resign my position effective immediately.” Siri shook her head. “This is too much. No one deserves to go through this!” she cried. Eric reached up and took her hand. “No, I want this to stop now.”
“I want to see what you have.” Carl said to Ty. “Do you think for one moment she would stop if this were the reverse? Hell she already proved she wouldn’t.”
“Carl!” Maybelline shouted.
“In fact, at this time I’m calling for your resignation for indecent behavior, Mother. “
“Carl?” Maybelline and Siri shouted.
“Stop, please, stop,” Siri cried out. She looked up at the people sitting in judgment of her. “Nothing you have said or shown here today negates the fact that I am a good educator. It’s not as if this school board has an abundance of people waiting in line to teach at our schools. Yet, you’ve allowed this woman, and her personal vendetta, to rule over me for the last two years.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Yes, I made love to Eric in my home. Someone trespassed on my property, took pictures of us and attempted to blackmail us with the pictures. You used those very same pictures to attempt to get me to do what you want. Well, why should I at this point? You have shown nude pictures of me to every member of this board. Look around Mable, have you noticed that, other than you and I, they are all men. How in the hell do you think I feel at this moment? Or do you even give a damn? Even if Ty had nude pictures of you, I would not do to you what you just did to me.” She looked at the board members. “Each of you will have to answer to a higher power for your actions here today. As for me, you’ve lost a damn good teacher.” She turned to Eric. “I’m ready to go home.”
Ty took the flash drive from the computer, reached into his pocket and gave the board members an injunction. “If those pictures appear anywhere this board will be held responsible.”
Siri, Eric and Ty walked out of the board room. Carl followed behind them. “Siri!” he called out. He seemed so defeated. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault Carl,” she said as his mother walked out of the room.
“Carl!” Maybelline called out. “As a member of city council you just called for my resignation. The board needs you to tell them you were not serious.”
“I was serious mother,” he said as he turned to walk towards her. “But that is the least of your problems. As of now, you no longer have a son.”
He walked out leaving a stunned Mable staring after him.
Eric turned to Ty. “Anyway we could get her into a cell with Latoya?”
“Now that would be poetic justice,” Ty smiled.
Eric turned to Siri and could tell this had taken an emotional toll on her. “I know it feels as if you have no control over what’s happening. But baby, take it from someone that has been there, the only way to take control back is to eliminate what your enemy has over you.” She looked up at him with tears still lodged in her eyes. He cupped her face between his hands and gave her the sweetest kiss. Eric took her hand. “It’s time to piss a few people off.”
♫
The next morning Jason and TeKaya returned home to Gabby telling them all the turmoil that had taken place while they were away. “Can your chief friend get me inside that jail to kick Latoya’s butt. You don’t mess with my sister and get away with it.” TeKaya turned to Jason. “Can you get me inside that jail?”
A laughing Jason pulled out his cell phone. “No baby, I can’t, but I can get Eric on the phone to see what’s happening.”
“Jason, I’m going to Richmond. Are you coming?” TK asked as she walked toward the steps to change her clothes.
Jason smiled as he watched the sway of her hips when she walked away. “When you ask like that, how can I refuse?” He picked up Sierra. “Hey pumpkin. You want to go see Uncle Eric?”
“Yeah,” Sierra clapped her hands as Jason dialed his phone.
“Hear you’ve been busy while I was away,” he said when Eric answered.
“Man, it was unreal,” he replied in almost a whisper.
“How is Siri?”
“She’s asleep, but weary. I hate what this has done to her.”
“Why didn’t you call me? You know I would have come home.”
“That’s exactly why we did not call. You and TeKaya deserved your honeymoon, uninterrupted. How’s TeKaya?”
“Pissed. She is ready to break into the jail to kick Latoya’s butt for messing with her sister.”
“Then by all means do not tell her what the ex-mother-in-law did.” He cut off the next question. “Don’t ask. If I answer you, your wife will be on her way to Richmond. What we have to do now is stop this snowball from picking up any more speed. You’re the PR expert, what should we do?”
“Make the story a non-story.”
♫
At eight o’clock, that evening, Jason, Ty and Kiki had assembled a group of reporters from several media outlets to announce the engagement of Eric “Silk” Davies to Siri Octavia Austin. It wasn’t just a normal press conference, it was an impromptu celebration. The highlight of the evening was the private video viewing an unreleased song by Silk Davies—Heaven’s Gate.
Eric spent the day in the studio getting the music just right, while TeKaya spent the day in her dark room putting the photographs into a sequence of poses of Eric and Siri. Once the music and pictures were merged together, neither Eric nor TeKaya could have imagined the final product would be so powerful, so touching, so sensual.
“Wow!” TeKaya said when the video ended. She looked at Eric, who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the monitor.
Eric turned to Siri, who sat motionless beside him as tears streamed down her face. She looked over at him, then at TeKaya. “Can I throw my wet panties at him now?”
Eric and Jason looked at the two sisters as they were nearly on the floor laughing.