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“I can’t come now. I told you Destiny is in the hospital. I’m staying close by in case she needs me for anything.”
“And I understand all that, but this is important! I went into the office today and did a random check of the books.”
“And? There couldn’t be much off, because I just checked everything a few weeks ago.”
“Oh, but there is some funny business going on and I want it fixed before the end of the day.”
I could tell by the sound of Dad’s voice that the problem was urgent. “Dad, you taught me everything I know. Can’t you handle it?” I said, hoping he would give me a pass this one time.
“We are talking about the sum of twenty-two million dollars missing from our bank account,” Dad said, causing me to sit erect in my seat. “Yes, I know this business from the top to the bottom, but this is happening on your watch,” my Dad added sternly.
“There’s no way! You’ve got to be frigging kidding me!”
“You know I don’t kid about money. That’s why you must come and check these figures behind me. If you come up with the same thing, I want heads rolling before the open of business tomorrow.”
Any buzz I had from the drinks was completely gone. I quickly considered my options. I could stay and fight with Montie and Ms. Clara, hoping they would let me in to see Destiny, or I could go and find out who had the balls to steal from my company. It was a no-brainer that I wouldn’t get anywhere with the first option.
“I’ll be there in a few hours,” I assured Dad. My plan was to straighten out our account and be back before Destiny was released from the hospital.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Destiny
Two Weeks Later
“Thanks Montie,” I said as he helped me into my bed.
After just over a weeklong stay in the hospital and another week at home, I was starting to feel some normalcy in my life. It was Monday night and Mama was in the kitchen cooking a big pot of soup. The kids were in the living room playing board games. I wanted to hang out with them, but I was just too tired after taking my pain medicine.
“You don’t have to thank me,” Montie said with a genuine smile. “I don’t plan to leave here for one minute, until you are up and going. I’m gonna be here for you every step of the way.”
“I appreciate everything you’re doing, but you don’t have to do that, Montie. My mother is here, so I will be perfectly fine when you go back to your house.”
“I know I don’t have to stay. I want to,” Montie said, taking over pulling the covers over me and tucking me in.
I laid back against the pillow and put my hands on top of the covers. I was tired just from the exertion of a long day taking care of the kids. All of the internal swelling had gone down and the doctors gave me a clean bill of health. My arm was in a sling, due to a hairline fracture I got when I tried to break my fall after Justine hit me. I was left with an ugly, dark bruise on my forehead, but I was alive. The doctor said that in time all of my wounds would heal.
Montie leaned down to kiss me on the lips. I moved my mouth just in time for him to catch my cheek. “Don’t try to kiss me like that,” I said pushing him away.
He moved his head. “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”
“Thanks for everything. Mama has the kids taken care of, so you can leave now. I’m going to get some rest.”
“I’m just going to hang out in case you need me, Destiny. I’ll be in the living room playing board games with the kids.”
I studied my ex-husband’s expression for his true motive. The words coming out his mouth didn’t even match the person I’d come to know. For him to take a day off work to play board games with our children would’ve taken an act of Congress when we were married. It would have been out of the question. “You don’t have to do that,” I said again.
“I’m right up the hall, if you need anything,” he ignored me and turned to walk out of the room.
I shook my head. It took me getting banged upside the head with a pistol to see this side of Montie. At the same time Montie was playing his too good to be true role, I wondered where Jacob Turner was in all of this. I woke up after two days in the hospital and he was the first person I wanted to see, but he wasn’t there. I asked mother if he had come to the hospital and she said he hadn’t come back after the first day. The entire week that I’d been home, he still hadn’t called or visited.
My attention turned to Junior when he walked into my room to give me a kiss goodnight. “Hey Junior,” I said after placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. “Hand Mama her cell phone right there.”
He ran to my dresser and got my cell and handed it to me. I checked the phone for messages or missed calls from Jacob. There were none.
“Mommy…” Junior said with a serious look on his face.
“Yes, baby.”
