Page 95 of When Love Takes Over
“Are you still seeing her?” my father asked.
“Nah, Pops. Not only did y’all not raise an abuser, but you also didn’t raise an adulterer. I wouldn’t disrespect my wife like that. Callie thought we were more than we were, even though I’d made it clear to her what it was. She can’t let go and wants me to pay for it.”
“Mrs. Goode, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Malyah said.
“Excuse me? What are you insinuating?”
My mother was very defensive for no reason, which reminded me of something Callie had said the night before.
“You don’t have anything to say?” Malyah questioned.
“I had nothing to do with this, and I’m just as shocked as everyone else.”
“No one said you did, Ma, but I’d love to know exactly how close you and Callie are.”
“Callie and I aren’t close at all. I’m friends with her mother.”
“If that’s true, how does she know the details of my marriage?”
The room was silent as we waited for my mother to respond.
“I may have mentioned it to her mother when we went to lunch a few weeks ago.”
“You told Mrs. Richards, the biggest gossip in the city, my business, and you don’t see the problem.”
“Dinah, you had to know that could get messy. Why would you share something like that with her?” Pops asked.
“She kept talking about how disappointed she was that Kenny and Callie didn’t work out. I thought if she knew Kenny’s marriage was fake, it might make her feel better.”
“Sometimes, I find it hard to believe you went to law school and passed the bar,” Gramps said, throwing his hands up and leaving the room.
“See, Pops. This is what I’m talking about. Ma’s need to fit in with these uppity-ass women blows my mind. She was the one talking about one of my random women making up something horrible about me, and she gave one of those very women she spoke of all the ammunition she needed to screw me over.”
“Kenny’s right, Dinah. I’ve let this behavior from you go on for too long. You need to stop with this shit. If you can’t be yourself with those women, fuck them, baby,” Pops said.
“Ma, you’ve kinda lost yourself trying to be someone you’re not.”
“You’ve changed a little bit, Auntie,” Ronin added.
Matthew had been quietly observing my family, not saying a word. He cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention, and it was the first time I’d actually looked at him since I’d arrived.
“My bad, Matthew. I’m sure you didn’t come here to listen to my family go back and forth. What did you find out?”
“It’s fine. I understand that tension is high and things need to be hashed out. Besides, this is billable time, so feel free to take all the time you need,” Matthew responded with a smile.
“We can hash that out later. I need you to tell me you can get me out of this situation.”
“Between the footage I got from the bar and what Ronin recorded, I assure you, the charges will be dropped.”
Today wasKenzo’s thirty-fifth birthday, and tonight, we were celebrating him. The past month and a half since he’d been arrested had been trying, to say the least, but as trying as they were, I believed they made our relationship stronger.
As Matthew, Kenzo’s lawyer, promised him, the assault and battery charges against him were dropped. The day he was released, we came up with a strategic plan to clear his name both legally and publicly.
The video from the bar was enough evidence to drop the charges against Kenzo, and because Callie knowingly gave false information to the police, she was charged. She went on social media with a sob story about how much Kenzo hurt her, claiming she had to do what she did to get his attention.
Of course, she gained sympathy, but she also admitted to the charges against her. Ultimately, she only paid a hefty fine, which was probably pennies to her, and was ordered to stay away from Kenzo. It wasn’t much, but he felt somewhat vindicated.
The video that Ronin recorded was posted to social media, but unfortunately, the redemption and apologies were never as loud as the accusations. He still had to do a few interviews to ensure he had control of the narrative, but it finally paid off.
