Page 89 of Almost Paradise

“And I was going to have numerous affairs,” she says,

“I’d kill them all and lock you in a room. And did you wake me up to torture me, baby girl?”

“So, what am I in for?” she asks. I close my eyes and groan, having no idea what she’s talking about. “What does being married to a Paradise entail?”

I snake an arm around her waist and pull her closer. “You ride this dick whenever I need you to.” I bite her collarbone, and she yelps.

“Well, obviously, but how many masquerade balls do I have to attend each year? Do I have to run charities and stuff like that? Will I ever meet Mariah Carey?”

“Baby girl, all you have to do as my wife is be yourself, but I would love for you to do some charity work. You can sit on the Paradise Foundation with Mother and Hannah. Whatever you want. Hannah will guide you.” I don’t mention my mother now. She’s still in a dark place, and I don’t want her to turn Nia off. “But can we talk about this tomorrow? I’m exhausted.”

“I don’t need Hannah’s help. I can figure it out myself, but I really have my heart set on a masquerade ball.”

“How are you going to figure it out yourself?” I ask, too tired to talk about our family dynamics right now. But things can’t stand as they are with her resenting my family, and her family resenting me.

“Google,” she says. She turns and I spoon her, pulling her naked back into my chest. I kiss her bare shoulder, and I think I hear her sigh.

“We are going to figure things out between our families. I promise.” She doesn’t say anymore after that. She falls asleep moments later, and I do the same.

Days later, I attempt to make good on my promise to my wife. It took an entire day for me to get her father on the phone. Talking to her mother was easy but her husband was another thing completely. When I finally tracked him down at work, he would only grunt at me. I took it as a good sign when he agreed to see me today. Of course, he made it in the middle of the damn afternoon on a Friday when I have so much work to get done. Especially since I no longer plan to work on the weekends.

I didn’t bother with the driver today. I drove myself to their townhouse. I guess they moved out of the family home when they signed it over to Ray and Nia. Their unit is gray brick and sits at the end of their quiet street. I wonder if they are aware that their townhouse was built by Paradise Construction.

Just as I open the gate, the front door swings open, and Nathanial Nash looms big and unwelcoming at the front door. His wife stands next to him. She’s also unsmiling but seems much warmer. Something about her reminds me of Ray, who is the least hostile adult in this family.

I stand in front of the door and wait while Mr. Nash stares me down before his wife finally invites me in. Their living room doesn’t have anything out of place. There are pictures of Nia, Ray, and the boys everywhere. There’s one on the coffee table of the entire family. Mr. Nash is holding a baby Carter, who appears to be about one. They’re at Disney World, and Nia is standing next to her dad and son, smiling happily. My heart breaks all over again about all that I’ve missed. Had my father not deceived everyone, I would have been there with them on a family vacation.

Mr. Nash takes the picture from me and puts it face down on the coffee table. I guess I know how this meeting is about to go.

“I’ll get right to the point,” I start.

“Please, sit,” Mrs. Nash says. She gestures to her red couch. “I’ll get you something to drink.” By the time I take off my coat and sit down, she returns with a glass of whiskey and a bottle of water. She puts both on the coffee table.

I pick up the whiskey and down it. I clear my throat and say, “As you already know, Nia’s forgiven me for the events leading up to our impromptu marriage. Like I’ve said, I had no idea about Carter. It was my father who did this. He set all of it up, but I love your daughter. I loved her four years ago when we were together, and I love her now. She loves me too, and we’re a family. I hope that in time, you can forgive me and accept me as a member of your family. It probably doesn’t mean much, but I was never going to take Carter from her, and I wasn’t going to get you fired or sue you.”

When no one speaks, I pick up the bottle of water and drink it. I look up, and her father has only gotten angrier. His brows are furrowed, and his eyes are now narrow slits.

“You think I give a shit about myself?” he whispers. “I don’t. Have you ever heard of the police union?” he scoffs. “I would have taken whatever you threw my way, and I would have beaten you at your own game.”

“Nathanial, stop cursing,” Shirley Nash says.

“Pardon me, Shirl, but this boy abandons our pregnant daughter, shows back up years later like the entitled little rich brat that he is, threatens her, threatens me, and blackmails her into a marriage she doesn’t want. Now, he wants to be part of our family. I don’t know how they do things in your family, but we don’t use blackmail in ours.”

“She wants it now,” I say, correcting him. “She loves me. And I did those things because I want my family with me.”

“Yeah, she was here yesterday spouting that same nonsense,” he says. I look at Mrs. Nash, and she eyes her husband. She purses her lips at him, but she doesn’t contradict him.

“It’s not nonsense.”

“It’s our fault.” He points to him and his wife. “We coddled her. She’s been sheltered, spoiled, and shielded from the evil of the world. That’s how she was able to fall for a shyster like you, not once but twice.”

Affronted, I stand. He meets me head-on, but Mrs. Nash rushes over and stands next to her husband.

“I’m not a shyster. I’m a man who’s made mistakes. Look,” I say after taking a breath, “I might have—”

“Might?” he says.

“I went about it wrong, but I don’t regret marrying Nia. I love her. I came here to apologize to you,” I tell him.

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