At the ripe age of forty-nine, Stephanie Coles knew two things: her finances were running low, and her looks were not going to last forever. To her way of thinking, her daughter Sasha was the key to setting her up for life. Hell, it was the least she could do, since her birth was what ruined it in the first place.
Working from her computer, Stephanie started doing a little research on Sasha’s newfound family. She began with the net worth of Tracy Harrison, the First Lady of the United States. During the holidays, Stephanie discovered that the First Lady was Al’s baby sister, making Sasha her niece. Imagine that, Sasha was related to the First Family. She remembered the girl Sasha introduced her to as her cousin said she worked at Tracy’s company, but she did not remember the name. The search she entered into the computer returned with not only the woman’s net worth, but information on her life and the name of her company, Next Level Consulting.
“Bingo.” Stephanie smiled. “I knew there had to be money somewhere in the family.”
The search showed Tracy owned a multimillion-dollar company and her personal net worth was well over 100 million dollars. “Surely she should be open to sharing some of that wealth with her newfound niece.”
Stephanie sat back, thinking she had to get her hands on some of that money. Either the soon-to-be husband or the aunt was going to put some dollar bills in her bank account. It could be a one-time hit, or hell, make it monthly, but she needed something that would set her up for life.
The doorbell sounded, causing Stephanie to frown. Other than a few girlfriends here and there, people did not show up at her house uninvited. Walking down the staircase, she smiled, thinking maybe her new male friend, Peace Newman, the ex-NFL player she met, was stopping by. Now, that was a body she would not mind exploring a few more times. Stopping at the mirror in the hallway, she glanced at herself. Everything was tight and in the right place. Hell, she smiled, she could easily pass for thirty-something. Continuing to the door, she opened it, ready with a sexy greeting but stopped before she spoke. It wasn’t Peace at the door. It was her daughter.
“Hello, Mother,” Sasha said as she stepped inside the house.
Stephanie stood with her hands on her hips and the door wide open. “What are you doing here?”
Sasha turned while unzipping her coat. “I came to talk.”
Stephanie’s eyes went to the diamond on Sasha’s finger as she removed her coat. Good lord, she had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.
“You can close the door. It’s a little chilly out there,” Sasha said as she looked around her childhood home.
Stephanie closed the door, then walked from the foyer into the kitchen. “I’ve been calling your for over a month. You didn’t answer or return my calls. I guess you were too busy with your man and new family. Why show up now?”
Sasha had followed her into the kitchen. “You got new furniture.”
Stephanie glared up at her. “The furniture is five years old now. Time for something new.” She turned on the coffeemaker then reached in the cabinet and took out a cup. She placed it under the machine, then pushed a button. “What are you doing here?”
Sasha exhaled. “I came to tell you I’m getting married.”
“Congratulations,” came the cold reply. “You could have told me that one of the twenty times I called you. So again, what are you doing here?”
“I thought we could spend the day together and talk about what happened during the holidays.”
Stephanie chuckled. “Ha, I spoke some truths, your father had his wife fight me, then had his people throw me out while you stood there, watched and did nothing. What part do you want to talk about?”
“I see you have selective memory and a unique way of excluding facts. I came here because you are my mother. I’m about to get married. If you want to be a part of that, we have to set some boundaries.”
“Boundaries.” Stephanie picked up the cup of coffee, then slammed it on the countertop. “I am your mother. I gave birth to you. There are no fucking boundaries.”
Sasha threw her hands up, then walked back towards the foyer. “Okay.”
Stephanie stared at her daughter’s back, wondering if she would really walk out the door. Sasha picked up her jacket and purse she had left on the bench in the foyer and walked towards the door.
“You’re just going to leave?”
“Yes.” Sasha exhaled. “My coming here was my effort to include you in my life. If you don’t want that, there is no need for me to remain. I’m done begging you to spend holidays together, or take a vacation with me. That part of my life is done.”
“Oh, you have this man in your life now, so you don’t need your mother? Is that what you are saying?”
Sasha turned on her. “I’ve never had a mother. I haven’t needed you since I was sixteen years old. You made that decision when Grandmother died and you took off. I have tried for the last ten years of my life to be a family with you, since it was all I had at the time. You wanted no part of me unless you needed money. Okay, I accepted that then, but no more. You want to be done with me, fine. Go live your life and be happy. But don’t come looking to ruin my happiness when you get bored or broke again.”
“Oh…you’re happy now.”
“Yes, I am. I can walk out that door and never return if that is the way you want it.” Sasha stared at her.
“So, you have your father, who had nothing to do with you for thirty years, and now you no longer need me. The mother who raised you.”
“That was your doing,” Sasha hissed. “You were the one who did not want me to have anything to do with my father. You were the one who told me my life would be in danger from his street gang and his rivals if I let him in. That was all you. As for raising me, you did the bare minimum when Grandmother was alive. The day she was buried and you got that insurance check you took off, leaving me on my own at sixteen.”
“I was taking care of a baby at sixteen. All you had was you. As for your father, that was on you.” Stephanie stepped up to her. “When he came here to talk to you, you made the decision not to let him in. That wasn’t me, you were old enough to make that decision for yourself.”
“My decision was based on lies you told me. Hell, Mother, you didn’t even tell me he had half-sisters. I had aunts on that side of my family. All you said was Al Day was a drug dealer with enemies who lived the street life. And if I wanted to be around him, they would come gunning for me, too.”
“That was the truth,” Stephanie huffed.
“It wasn’t the whole truth, Mother, and you know it,” Sasha hissed back. “But you know what, I can put that behind me and move on with my life. Just like I can put you behind me, too. I don’t want to, because for some strange reason family is important to me now. But if I walk out that door there is no coming back, family or not.”
Stephanie had to think quick. It was one thing to handle Sasha when it was just her in her life. But now she had all of Al’s family and Luke’s money and could really do without her. If she wanted a chance at getting her hands on any of the money that would be coming Sasha’s way, she had to think, not react emotionally. Then again, maybe she needed to play on Sasha’s emotions. That always worked in the past.
Stephanie stared at Sasha for a long time before speaking. She exhaled, then turned to walk back into the kitchen. “So, have you set a date yet?”
Sasha did not follow her into the kitchen. Stephanie stepped back and stared at her.
“No,” Sasha replied as she dropped her jacket and purse back on the sofa, then slowly walked back into the kitchen. “We are waiting to talk to both families. I came here first because you are my mother and I would like for you to at the very least be there.”
Stephanie nodded but showed no outward reaction. However, inside she was smiling. That was her in. Sasha had just opened the door for her. “Who’s planning your wedding?”
“We are hiring an event planner,” Sasha replied.
“Do I get a say in that?”
“My wedding?” Sasha questioned, then answered. “You never planned anything in your life.”
“I’m good at planning shit.”
“It’s the follow-up that concerns me,” Sasha replied. “No, I think it’s best we stay with you attending at this point.”
“Well, at least let me help with picking out a dress,” Stephanie huffed. “If I’m not good at anything else, I’m good at shopping.”
Sasha raised an eyebrow. “Yes, you were always good at spending other people’s money.”
“Hey, it’s what I do.” Stephanie laughed.
“Yes…it is,” Sasha smiled.
She had just stepped inside the inner circle of Sasha’s world. Stephanie peered over her coffee cup at her daughter, counting dollar bills and thinking … cha-ching.