“Who’s that?” came a little voice from the middle of the room. They all looked at Cody who was standing there, pointing at Anthony.
“That’s Anthony. He’s my friend, Cody,” was all Christy said. Her obvious concern for her brother’s girlfriend and finding out what was wrong negated the plan to introduce Anthony as her boyfriend. As a matter of fact, she’d forgotten Anthony was even with her until Cody asked about him. She was afraid to hear what Nadine was going to tell her. Scary thoughts of car accidents and heart attacks were swirling in her brain. All kinds of frightening scenarios pounced on her, and she recognized the fear that was pooling in her stomach.
As Nadine explained the situation, the fear was replaced with fury so intense, Christy could feel herself trembling.
Apparently, nobody had been hurt. At least not yet, Christy thought. Richard had gone back to his old ways. Nadine explained how she'd suspected he was seeing someone else before Zachary was born, but she didn’t want to believe it. However, her fears were confirmed when Richard insisted that she sign over the title of the car that Christy had bought them.
“He wanted to trade our car in for a new one. For his girlfriend,” Nadine cried. “When I wouldn’t do it, he took what little savings we had and gambled with it. I guess he won or maybe traded in his car,” she said sadly. “I didn’t even know he’d cleaned out our bank account until yesterday when he showed up here with her and the new car. He told me that I have until tonight to get my things moved out.” She let out a big sob. “I have no choice. It’s his house. Oh, Christy!" she cried, swiping at her tears. "I can’t believe this happened. I don’t know what to do. There’s no time to find somewhere to go. I was hoping Nana and the boys and I could stay with you until I can figure something out.”
She sniffled and looked at Christy as if seeing her for the first time. “What happened to your head?” she asked. Her words were sincere, and it warmed Christy’s heart to know that even with everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, Nadine was concerned for her.
“It’s nothing. I walked into a door,” she told her, brushing off the inquiry as she tried to focus on what her brother had done. How had she ever let herself think that Richard could change? He was an irresponsible, womanizing, gambling, cheating, rotten human being. Same as Van.
Christy jumped up, her fists balled at her sides. “No,” she said, looking down at Nadine. “No, Nadine. You can’t stay with me.”
Anthony, standing off to the side, had watched the entire exchange. He shifted when Christy told Nadine no. Sure, she could drop a brand-new car in the driveway. When you had as much money as Christy Chapman seemed to have, it was like throwing a dog a bone. But when it came to something that didn’t involve her checkbook, the entitled heiress couldn’t be bothered. She was shallow and self-serving. Exactly like he’d thought. With a self-righteous smirk, he crossed his arms and glared at her.
They were interrupted by a loud engine outside. A shiny new Camaro rolled up on to the lawn. They watched from the front picture window as Richard and a woman got out of the car and approached the front door. Anthony immediately recognized the type of woman Richard was with. She had all the makings of a serious drug user who tried to hide behind too much makeup and knock-off designer clothes—he could spot an addict a mile away. Richard wasn’t what Anthony had expected. Christy was short and filled out, where Richard was tall and overly thin. Almost sickly thin, Anthony thought. He had the same skin tone as Christy, but it looked paler because it contrasted with his dark hair.
The door opened and Richard waltzed in, his eyes immediately finding Nadine. “Good,” he said. “I guess you got someone with a truck to help you get your things out of here.” His normal skin tone seemed paler after he noticed Anthony. Since Anthony was obviously Native American, Richard probably assumed he was a relative of Nadine’s.
Preferring to look anywhere other than at the larger-than-life man filling his living room, Richard’s eyes fell on his sister. It was obvious by his expression that he hadn’t expected Christy to be there. The woman who’d followed him in surveyed the room, ignoring its occupants. With her hands on her hips, she whined, “Ricky, promise me we’ll get new furniture. This looks like something that was in my grandmother’s house.”
Christy noticed from the corner of her eye as Cody started to run toward Richard, but was immediately pulled back by Nadine.
“Marcia,” Richard said, never taking his eyes off his sister. “Umm…Marcia. This is my sister, Christy. I’ve told you about Christy.”
“Oh, yeah,” Marcia replied, cracking her gum. “Nice to meet ya, Christy.”
Marcia began to shrivel under Christy’s glare as she recognized her misplaced sense of welcome. Evidently, Marcia had convinced herself that the Bobbi Bowen heiress would be happy to see her brother with a respectable white woman instead of the Seminole trash he’d been shacking up with. She couldn’t have been more mistaken.
Christy slowly approached her brother, doing her best to harness her anger. Her hands were still clenched at her sides and she had to will herself not to punch him. She was now standing so close she had to stifle a cough from the overwhelming stench of Marcia’s cheap perfume. It was all she could do not to spit in the woman’s face.
She took a big breath and measured her words carefully. In an even voice, she told him through clenched teeth, “I hope that Camaro," she nodded toward the window, "has a big trunk, Richard. Nadine isn’t moving. You are. This is my house. And you don’t have until tonight to get out. I suggest you grab what’s yours now, because you won’t be coming back here. Ever.”
“What?” Marcia asked, surprised. “Richard, you told me this was your house,” she snarled.
Ignoring Marcia, Richard addressed his sister. “You’re kicking me out? Your own brother? Are you joking, Christy?”
“You’re trash, Richard. You’ll always be trash. I thought you’d finally gotten smart. Nadine is the best thing that ever happened to you, and you ruined it because you’re incapable of change. The clock is ticking. Get out or I’ll call the police and have you removed.”
Richard stood there slack-jawed for a moment before he grabbed Marcia by the arm and headed outside. “C’mon, hon, there’s nothing here that I want.”
“The car is mine though, right? You bought it for me? I get to keep the car, don’t I?” Marcia harped as Richard dragged her out of the house leaving the sick-smelling trail of her cheap perfume behind them.