Chapter Nine

Jason couldn’t take his mind off seeing Ingrid’s son as he headed back to the hotel. Was he a father? The boy’s age and his resemblance to him made Jason believe he was the father. Though he knew he needed to get ready for his show in Columbia, Jason wasn’t going to make a move until he knew the truth about why she kept this from him. Ingrid knew more than anyone else that he would’ve done the right thing. He’d already planned to marry her and after the father he had, he would’ve been everything his son needed.

“There you are, finally,” Ruby said when Jason walked into the lobby.

“You know what, I don’t feel like dealing with you this morning,” he snapped.

“Too bad,” Ruby said as she picked up her paper plate of fruit and day old muffins from the front desk. “We have a show to get ready for.”

“We don’t have to get ready for shit and I have more pressing matters to consider. My show is at eight, I can do sound check at six and Columbia is only about an hour and a half away. Don’t come at me with your shit this morning,” he said.

“Feuding with the fat girl already?” Ruby asked before popping a grape in her mouth. “You came all the way back here just to fight with her?”

Jason side stepped her and headed for his room. He knew he had to prepare for his show, but if that little boy was his son, nothing else would matter and Ruby could choke on her damned breakfast. As he unlocked the door and walked into his room, Jason was shocked to see a naked Debony sleeping in the middle of his bed. Here was another distraction that he didn’t need.

Slamming the door, Jason shook his head as she sat up in the bed. “What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.

“I was waiting on you,” she said through a yawn.

“How in the hell did you get in here?” Jason asked, leaning against the door and shaking his head. Her body was an amazing testament to silicone injections. But Jason had no desire to go there again.

Debony rose from the bed and sauntered over to him and stood inches from him. “You know, people around here aren’t used to seeing stars, so when I flashed a smile and told the desk clerk how close we were and I was given a key.” She shrugged her shoulders. “That would’ve never happened in L.A.”

“Get some clothes on and get the hell out of here,” Jason said through clenched teeth.

“You know, I don’t appreciate the way you’re treating me,” she said, slapping her hands on her hips.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I really don’t give damn what you think. Now, go.”

Jason stalked into the bathroom and waited until he heard the door slam. He wished that he’d taken Chrissy’s number down because he needed to talk to her. He wondered if Ingrid would still come to the concert or if she was going to stay away because of what happened in her house this morning? Jason knew if he wanted her to talk to him, he was going to have to get her alone. Jason pulled out his cell phone and called his tour manager, Terry Bradshaw, who was already in Columbia.

“Jay, what’s up?” he asked. “Man, Ruby has been calling me all morning! What’s wrong with that bitch?”

“T, man, you know how she does,” Jason said. “But I need a favor. I have guest who may be coming to the show tonight and I need you to take care of her, all right.”

“What’s her name? Please don’t tell me it’s Debony. Ruby already told me that she’s making an appearance and I’m supposed to have her come on stage for one of your numbers, like we didn’t have the show planned already. I hate her and I thought she was done with working on your tour.”

“That’s my bad, dawg. I should’ve warned you she was here. But check this, Ingrid Rus-Harrington maybe coming to the show, make sure you find her and she gets access to back stage,” Jason said. “And no matter what Ruby says, you get her to me as soon as she gets there. As a matter of fact, I want you to arrange for her to get chauffeured to the show from Elmore.”

“All right, but why don’t you just have her ride with you?”

“I got one word for you.”

“Ruby,” the men said in unison.

“Man,” Terry said, “she thinks she has to control everything. But word on the street is that her days at Def Jam are numbered.”

“I can only hope,” Jason said. “Just make sure Ingrid gets there and has access to me. I know this might be asking a lot, but please find a way to keep Debony and Ruby away from her at all costs. If you have to, lock those two in a closet or something.”

“I can’t promise that, but I’ll try.”

After hanging up with Terry, Jason headed for the bathroom and took a long shower. All he could think about was the little boy he’d seen at Ingrid’s house. Everything in his soul told him that was his son.

Ingrid sighed as she poured water into the back of the coffee maker. Her mind was replaying the scene that happened in her bedroom. How could I have been so stupid? Why did I fall into bed with Jason knowing that this could happen?

For three years, she’d been fooling herself to think that DeShawn could grow up believing Louis Harrington was his father. But after seeing DeShawn standing next to Jason, she knew there was no way she could keep the truth from either of them anymore.

“Miss Ingrid,” Yolanda exclaimed, “the water is spilling out.”

“Damn it,” Ingrid swore as she dropped the container and scrambled to find rags to mop up the water from the counter. Yolanda grabbed a few rags and helped Ingrid clean up the mess. “Are you all right?”

Ingrid nodded. She looked out into the dining room and saw the breakfast crowd was light and she told Yolanda that she was going to check the supplies in the storage room. When she made it back there, Ingrid sat down on the foot stool and dropped her head in her hands. What was she going to do now that the proverbial cat was out the bag?

A scream rose from the dining room and Ingrid rushed out of the storage area to see what the commotion was about. Had she waited three seconds, she wouldn’t have moved.

“Debony! Oh my God! I can’t believe Debony is in Elmore,” Yolanda yelled.

Debony, who was dressed in a pair of form fitting jeans and a crop top, locked eyes with Ingrid. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here,” she said snidely.

“What are you doing here?” Ingrid asked, not giving a damn what her customers thought.

“It seems as if this is the only restaurant in this Podunk town,” Debony said. “I came to eat, something that you’re well versed in.”

“No, she didn’t,” one of the patrons exclaimed. Yolanda, who had been excited when Debony first walked into the restaurant, scowled at the singer.

“Bitch,” Yolanda mumbled. “Miss Ingrid, you want me to take the trash out?”

“You work here?” Debony asked with a laugh. “That’s rich.”

“Get out of my restaurant,” Ingrid snapped, stopping herself from taking a step toward her. As much as she wanted to snatch the weave from her head, she had too much class and pride to stoop to that level.

“I will, because if eating the food here is going to make me look like you, then I need to stay away,” Debony snapped then turned on her heels. Yolanda rushed toward the door and opened it for her.

“And stay out. You ain’t no Beyoncé, anyway. Your music sucks!”

Debony turned to reply to her, but Yolanda slammed the door in her face and Ingrid broke out laughing. “Who does she think she is? Don’t nobody disrespect Miss Ingrid!” Yolanda said as she slapped five with one of the patrons sitting closest to the door.

“I know that’s right,” the woman said.

“Thanks,” Ingrid said. “Yolanda, I’ve got to go check on something, can you hold this place down for me?”

“Sure.”

Ingrid dashed out of the back door of the restaurant and headed back to her place. Seeing Debony and hearing her words didn’t make her morning any smoother. I should’ve slapped that heifer. But she’s not worth it and I have bigger problems. When Ingrid pulled into her driveway, she saw Christina sitting on the front porch.

“Just what I need,” she mumbled as she emerged from the car.

“Ingrid,” Christina called out.

“Not right now, I can’t deal with you right now,” she replied as she walked slowly up the steps.

“Have you talked to Jason since this morning?” Christina asked, not paying attention to Ingrid’s pissy mood.

“Christina, what part of I don’t want to deal with you right now are you not understanding?”

She rose from the chair and shrugged her shoulder. “When have I ever listened to you?”

Ingrid’s frown turned to a smirk because she knew her friend wasn’t going anywhere. “I have not talked to Jason and if you want to continue talking to me, you’re not going to bring him up right now.”

“I know, heard Debony walked up in the restaurant and turned a whole town against her,” she said.

“What do you have cameras in my restaurant?”

Christina smiled, “The Elmore grapevine is the ultimate instant message. I got three text messages and two phone calls before you got here.”

“These people sure don’t let anything pass,” Ingrid said as she took the seat that Christina vacated.

“I’m glad someone told that no talent heifer off. She deserved it.”

“She did deserve it,” Ingrid said. “I can’t believe Jason invited her and that other woman here.”

“He invited them? Please tell me the other woman isn’t that Ruby chick that you’d always hated.”

Ingrid nodded. “He claims he’s doing a contest and the record company sent Ruby who thought it would be a great idea to bring Debony. I wonder if she thought putting those two together would rekindle that thing they had.”

“So, the stuff on the blogs was true?”

Ingrid shrugged. “Jason said nothing happened between him and until after I left. But I don’t know what to think and I don’t want to go to this concert tonight because I know Debony is going to be jumping in front of every camera with Jason on her arm.”

“So what? He invited you to the show and she’s just trying to drum up publicity for her sorry album.”

“Or Ruby is going to push them together and throw it in my face again.”

Christina placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “That should be the least of your worries. You have a tie him to that’s stronger than anything Debony or Ruby can throw out there.”

“Can we not go there?” Ingrid pleaded.

“I’ve held my tongue for three years,” Christina said.

Ingrid shot her a look that said, “Really?”

“Somewhat,” Christina retorted. “But you really need to tell DeShawn and Jason the truth. Tell Jason he’s that little boy’s father and introduce your son to his dad.”

“And how am I supposed to explain to my son that his dad’s first love is music and we’re going to be on the back burner? Or how do I tell him that touring comes first and we’ll see his father whenever he feels as if we’re important again? And what am I supposed to tell him when he sees pictures of his father on the cover of magazines with other women?”

“What are you going to tell him when he wants to know more about Louis, the man who he thinks is his father, and you have to tell him the truth? What’s going to hurt him more?”

Ingrid swallowed her reply when she saw Jason pull into her driveway. Christina watched him as he approached the porch.

“Ladies,” he said.

“Hi, Jason,” Christina said.

“Ingrid, can we talk?” Jason asked as he walked up the steps, stopping just one step below the top one.

“Jason, I’m tired,” Ingrid said. “Besides, I think you need to go talk to your friend, Debony.”

“I don’t give a damn about Debony, we really need to talk,” he said.

Christina quickly walked down the steps. “I’m going to the art gallery,” she said, though Ingrid and Jason seemed oblivious to her presence. Once she was gone, Jason reached his hand out to Ingrid. “I know you had your reasons, but I’m asking you to be honest with me now.”

“What are you talking about?” Ingrid asked nervously.

“Please, don’t sit there and try to play me,” Jason said, struggling to keep his voice even. “Your son is our son.”

“J-Jason,” she stammered as she rose from the chair, “DeShawn is a Harrington.”

“Then why does he look just like a Campbell? Maybe you had to lie to yourself, but I know in my soul that he’s my son. He looks just like I did when I was his age.”

“He’s already lost one father, I can’t just tell him. . .Yes, DeShawn is your son.” She dropped her head and he walked over to her. Jason wrapped his arms around her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked as he cupped her face in his hands.

“How could I?” she asked. “When I left New York, I didn’t have a chance to talk to you and when I tried to call you, your handlers didn’t put any of my calls through.”

“Why didn’t you call me on my cell phone? Never mind, I remember when I had to get a new phone.”

“And you didn’t think to call me?” she asked as she pushed back from him.

“The last thing I heard from you was the e-mail that Ruby said you’d written and when I tried to come home, she had this tour planned or these concert dates. That night in Atlanta, I thought you were going to be there. I asked my agent to find you and bring you to me. When you didn’t show up, I figured it was over. Then I found out that you had gotten married. Up until the other night when we got everything out in the open, I didn’t know that other people had been standing in our way.”

“I didn’t know that either, so I assumed that you chose your career over me and I wasn’t going to subject my son to that kind of rejection,” she said forcefully.

“Do you think I would’ve walked away from the responsibility of my child?”

Ingrid stared into his eyes deeply before saying, “Yes. How was I supposed to know that you were willing to be there for us? It’s not as if everything was roses and champagne between us when I left.”

Jason dropped his head in his hands. “Is that supposed to change the fact that you kept my son from me? All couples have problems. It didn’t have to be this way!”

“Our problems were caused by people around you who thought that I wasn’t good enough. I never heard you take up for me or defend me to Ruby,” she said.

“But I did, there were plenty of times when I told her to back off,” Jason said.

Ingrid folded her arms across her chest. “Obviously, she didn’t listen or you didn’t fight hard enough.”

“Maybe I could’ve done more, but you knew this was my dream and I didn’t know how to balance you and what the record company wanted from me.”

“So,” she snapped. “You sold me out and you think I was going to just put everything on the line for you?”

“What about my choice and my decision in how my child would be raised. And your husband, did he know that he was raising my child?”

“Louis accepted me and DeShawn without question and without having to be talked into it,” she said after a few moments of silence. “He didn’t put anything ahead of us and what we needed. He was the stability that my son and I needed. You can’t even offer me that now!”

“It never crossed your mind that I would want to know about my son?”

“How many ways do you want me to answer that question?” she snapped. “I told you what I was thinking and how I felt. Stop questioning me!”

“You can’t expect me to fall in line with the fairy tale that you’ve concocted?” he railed back. “I lost three years with him.”

“And that’s my fault?” Ingrid asked as she pushed him. “What was I supposed to do, write a letter to your damned fan club? I did the best thing that I could for me and my child. At the time, it didn’t include you.”

He reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Ingrid, I’m not going to let you do this. I came here because I wanted to reconnect with you. Now that I know DeShawn’s mine, I’m not letting you push me away again. I grew up with a sorry excuse for a father and I’m not going to let my son grow up not knowing that I want to be there for him.”

She shook out of his grasp and sighed. “You don’t even know him,” Ingrid said as she turned her back to him. “And how do you plan to get to know him between touring and performing and doing whatever else you do?”

“Why don’t you stop assuming that I’m going to put record sales above my son? I’m not my father or yours. I’ll move back here if I have to and I will get to know him and be the father that I would’ve been if you hadn’t kept the truth from me.” His words stung like a thousand bee stings.

She flung her arms into the air. “Why don’t you get ready for your show because I have things to do,” she snapped as she turned toward the front door.

“Ingrid, wait,” he said.

She whirled around and glared at him. “What?”

“I want to be officially introduced to my son,” he said.

She crossed over to him, her face contorted with a mixture of fear and anger. “No.”

“Look, I’m not going to tell him anything until we’re ready, but I want to spend some time with him and be more than just the man he saw leaving his mother’s bedroom.”

Heat flushed Ingrid’s face, “That can never happen again.”

“Him seeing me or being in your bedroom?”

“How about both?” she said. “I can’t do this right now, I have to go.”

Jason stepped back from her. “A car is coming for you and my son. I hope you will get in it and come to the show tonight.”

Before Ingrid could respond, he bounded down the steps, got into his car and peeled out of her driveway.