April 17, 2018

 Retiree Eugeena Patterson has picked up some new activities which include volunteering at an afterschool program and helping her future daughter-in-law plan a wedding. Eugeena is more than thrilled to see her son, Dr. Cedric Patterson, a longtime bachelor soon wed his girlfriend, Carmen Alpine.

During wedding planning errands, Eugeena notices a man is tailing her and Carmen. When Eugeena finds out the man is Carmen’s ex-husband, this lessens her enthusiasm for the upcoming nuptials, especially since Carmen had failed to share this information about her past. Later, when that man is found dead, Carmen becomes a suspect. As Eugeena begins to investigate Carmen’s past, she’s wondering if this wedding will ever happen.

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From Chapter 1…

When the chef came out to consult with Carmen about the cake invoice, I headed towards the front of the bakery. Sweet aromas had assaulted my nose from the time we entered, and I figured taking a peek at the offerings didn’t hurt. My eyes zoned on a large cheese danish with tiny pecans embedded in the icing. Cheese danish had been my vice for years. I would have one almost every morning with black coffee before starting my day teaching South Carolina history to eighth graders.

I caught sight of Carmen coming from the back room, thankfully saving me from the tortuous temptations. I turned to ask her if she was ready to go when I noticed her face. She was staring out the window at something or someone.

The door to the bakery opened with the jingle of a bell.

I rotated my body to see a man walk through the doors. His eyes were focused on Carmen. The man was tall, probably over six feet. His skin was a deep dark brown and his eyes were almond shaped. He had the kind of lashes many women strived to achieve with mascara. He spoke, his voice hoarse as if he hadn’t used his vocal chords in a long time or was a possible smoker. “Carmen, it’s good to see you again.”

Again? Who was this man and how did he know Carmen?

Carmen brushed past me towards the door. “Ms. Eugeena, we need to go.”

“Okay.” I glanced at the man whose face looked as though Carmen had punched him. I hurried behind Carmen. Her long legs seemed to have forgotten the old woman behind her.

I called out. “Carmen, slow down. What’s your hurry?”

I found myself sprinting as Carmen reached her silver Nissan Murano. Before I arrived, she’d already unlocked the doors with her key fob and climbed into the driver’s seat.

Was she going to leave me?

I rushed around the car and snatched open the passenger door just as Carmen cranked the engine. Out of breath, I hefted my body inside the car. It took what felt like several minutes to catch my breath. I looked at her. “Thank you for the impromptu exercise. Would you mind telling me what’s going on with you today?”

I turned around to look through the back window. The man who Carmen seemed to be running from was standing outside the bakery staring at us. “Carmen, who is that man? Why is he looking at us?”

Carmen glanced at her rear-view mirror. “We need to get out of here now.”

I reached for the seat belt and fastened it as Carmen lurched the car into reverse. She tore out of the parking lot, burning rubber. I tightened my seatbelt and clung to the door rest. “Carmen,” I shrieked, “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

Carmen’s shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry, Ms. Eugeena. I’m so sorry.”

I loosened my grip on the car door and tried to calm myself. “How about we get some real food to eat? I think you owe me an explanation, young lady.”

Carmen nodded her head and drove quietly. She gripped the steering wheel so hard I thought she would break it.

Ten minutes later, she turned the car into Charleston Good Eats, a new family-owned restaurant. It was a popular eatery, especially during the lunch hour, and after much circling, Carmen found a parking space near the back. Looking like a little girl who’d lost her favorite toy, she didn’t immediately cut the engine. I could see she was visibly shaking.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I deserve you caring so much or even Cedric’s love at this point.”

I frowned. I expected tears and drama from my daughter. Watching the usual stoic Carmen break down concerned me. “Carmen, tell me what’s going on.”

She wiped the tears streaming down her face with her sleeve.

I reached over and rubbed her arm. “What’s got you so upset? You know you can talk to me. Who was the man back there at the bakery?”

Carmen lifted her eyes to the top of the car roof as though she sought God for support. “Ms. Eugeena, I haven’t been truthful. I’ve been trying to keep my past behind me, but it’s managed to catch up with me. That…that…that man…was…my ex-husband.”

I clutched my chest. I was trying not to make a Fred Sanford move because that would be overly dramatic on my part, but my heart jolted with fear.

Was this young woman whom I accepted about to break my son’s heart?

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April 2018
Tymm Publishing LLC