Betrayed by Trust (16 page)

Caitlyn woke up an hour before Blake the following morning. She eased her bedroom door opened, hoping not to disturb him. She could smell the aroma of food coming from the kitchen as she rushed to the front door.

“You’re not going to eat?” Betty, the cook, asked.

“No, Betty. Thanks though. I need to get to the office early.”

“But Mr.
Banks insisted that I make your favorites.”

“Maybe tomorrow morning,” she said, hating to disappoint her and hoping her growling stomach didn’t betray her.

“Mr. Banks isn’t going to be happy.”

“He’ll get over it,” she said, as she left Betty standing in the doorway.

She threw her laptop case on the seat beside her and headed to work. Only a few people were in the office early. Caitlyn was glad. She wanted to ease back into work. She went through her email and responded accordingly. She reviewed a word document and was going line by line when she felt someone watching her.

Blake
stood in the doorway holding a plastic container. “Since you were in a hurry this morning, I thought I would bring breakfast to you.”

“Thanks. But you didn’t have to do that,” she responded.

Blake closed the door. “Caitlyn, we need to talk. Not now. Not here, but later on tonight.”

S
omeone knocked on her door. “Come in,” Caitlyn yelled.

Tasha
walked through the door. “Welcome back.” She looked at Blake. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t interrupt anything did I?”

“No. Have a seat. I need to catch up on
a project,” Caitlyn said. 

Blake
walked around the desk and before Caitlyn could react, kissed her. She forgot all about Tasha being in the room. “See you tonight dear,” Blake said, as he winked at her. “Tasha, have a good day.”

“You too Mr.
Banks,” Tasha responded.

Tasha
and Caitlyn watched him walk out the room. He closed the door without Caitlyn having to tell him. As soon as the door latched, Tasha burst out with several questions. “Oooh. Seems like you brought the honeymoon into the office? Where did y’all go? Can I see the pictures?”

Caitlyn
held up her hand. “I don’t have time to play fifty questions with you. We got work to do.”

Tasha
leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. “My, my, my. For someone who has married one of the finest men in Dallas, you seem a little…what’s the word? Testy.”

“I’d appreciate if you refrain from talking about my personal life until after hours.”

“Let me call Blake to come back so he can give you some, because your attitude is funky.”

“Whatever.”

“Look. Call me when you calm down. I’m out.” Tasha stood and headed out the room.

“Wait. I’m sorry. Let’s start over,”
Caitlyn said.

Tasha
sat back down. “I’m listening.”

Caitlyn
got animated as she recanted their trip to Puerto Vallarta. She removed a large gift bag from under her desk and handed it to Tasha. “When I saw this, I thought about you.”

Tasha
acted like a kid on Christmas as she discarded the tissue paper to get to her gift. “Girl this is beautiful and my birthstone too.” Tasha removed the amethyst necklace and bracelet from the black velvet boxes.

Caitlyn
knew her attitude from earlier had been forgiven when Tasha ran around her desk and hugged her. “Girl, you’re the best friend a woman could ever have.” She held up her gift. “There’s perks to being Banks’ wife’s best friend.”

“I
'm not saying she's a gold—“Caitlyn started singing one of Kanye West’s hit rap songs.

“Now all you have to do is introduce me to one of his rich friends.”

“You know Trent.”

“I thought I was high maintenance. Trent
is a piece of work. I’m sure Blake has other friends.”

“Trent’s the only one that I know.
You got all those business cards, use them.”

“Please
Cat. Blake could give me the inside scoop,” Tasha begged.

“No. I’m not getting involved.”

“Spoils sport.”

“Gold digger.”

Tasha relented. “Speaking of gold digging, let me warn you. Folks have been really talking.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

Tasha checked the door and turned back to face Caitlyn. “I hate to be the bearer of gossip, but you need to know what some of these folks are saying behind your back.”

“You know what. Folks are going to talk, so let them.”

“Just watch your back. The main ones who smile in your face are the main ones talking about you behind your back.” Tasha picked up the gift bag from Caitlyn’s desk and left.

Tasha
was no longer in ear shot when Caitlyn said, “Tasha, I hope it doesn’t include you.”

Blake found it hard to concentrate. Overton, his attorney, confirmed the second installment of funds from his uncle’s estate was in place and legally he could now move forward with research and development. The financial burden had been lifted however his heart ached because he wanted Caitlyn’s love. 

“Did you get a chance to read the papers I sent over
?” Overton asked.

“Not yet,” he responded, while opening up the brown envelope. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. “How could this be?”

“Blake, you’re old enough to know about the birds and the bees. I mean you did just get married.” Overton joked, trying to lighten up the situation.

“Man, I’m sorry. I’m talking out loud. Tara told me the kid wasn’t mine. Now I’m finding out years later that he is.”

“Your uncle had everything verified before he died. My associate was working on it but had an accident. The file got misplaced and he just returned to the office, so it’s our fault you’re just now discovering this,” Overton attempted to explain.

“Regardless, it doesn’t change the fact that I have a son. Christopher Matthews Spain.” He read further down on the document. “Wait a minute. He was adopted. Don’t you need both parents permission for an adoption to go through?”

“There was no father listed on his birth certificate. From what we gathered, Tara had previously tried to claim the adopted father, Bryon Matthews, as the birth father. A DNA test taken before she died proved he wasn’t.”

“I don’t know what to say. This here hits me harder than losing Uncle Jack. Me. A father.”

“Let it digest a little and then we can discuss it further.”

“Let me ask you this and then I’ll let you go. If I wanted to see him, can you set it up?”

“I’ll do my best. You might get some opposition from his adopted parents, but because of the unique circumstances, we might be able to work something out.”

“Check on
it for me. In the meantime, I got a lot of thinking to do.”

I have a son. If Tara wasn’t already dead, I would kill her. I can’t believe she tried to pass him off as someone else’s. I asked her if the baby was mine. We took tests and she showed me the results. I should have insisted the results be sent
directly to me and I wouldn’t be facing this situation now.

Joan interrupted his thoughts when she entered his office. “The three o’clock meeting is about to start
Blake.”

He glanced at his watch. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
He temporarily pushed thoughts of Christopher to the back of his mind. He picked up his briefcase and headed to the conference room on the next floor.

The room got quiet when he entered.
Caitlyn sat at the end of the table as if she ruled the world. Her whole persona oozed sex appeal. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he placed his briefcase on the table and took out some forms and passed them around.

“I want to thank you all for being here. We have a lot to discuss. I have some good news,” he said, trying his best to ignore
Caitlyn.

He disclosed his plans for research and development as he saw the excitement of his staff increase. Seeing
Caitlyn smile and her dimples made him feel better.  He hoped she would carry the positive attitude home with her. The meeting lasted for two hours. Caitlyn lagged behind everyone else.

“Congratulations. Things are working out,” she said, as she slipped out before he could respond.

He walked behind her until he felt Joan’s hand on his arm. “Let her go. She’ll come around in due time.”

“Joan, it’s sort of complicated.”

“Love can be that way.”
Joan left him alone in the conference room.

It was after seven before
Blake arrived home. Betty fussed at him about being late for dinner. Caitlyn sat at the end of the dinner table eating. She failed to acknowledge him when he entered the dining room. Blake pretended as if it didn’t hurt his feelings, but it did.

“So how was your day?” he asked, hoping to break the ice.

“It was okay. Felt kind of funny, but things will be back to normal in a couple of days.”

Blake
took his seat and said his grace before eating. “You didn’t have trouble with anyone did you?”

“A few snares and stares don’t scare me,” she responded, as she took a sip from her drink.

“If anyone gives you a hard time, let me know and I’ll handle it.”

“I can handle my own problems.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I just don’t want anyone giving you a hard time because of our relationship.”

“Don’t worry yourself.”

Blake stopped eating. He put his fork down. “Cat. As long as you’re my wife, your worries are my worries.”

“I’m counting the days on the calendar,” she snapped.

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to be like that. We can make this work.”

“Here I thought you were a realist. Wake up from the fantasy, because you and I. It’s not happening,”
Caitlyn responded.

Betty walked in carrying a dessert. “
Caitlyn, I was told peach cobbler was your favorite.”

“It is. You’re spoiling me.”
Caitlyn ignored Blake, as she dug into her dessert.

Blake
watched her in amusement. She couldn’t fool him. Her attempt to ignore him said more than her words could. He felt rejuvenated. He now felt like he had a chance. He saved his business, now he set out to save his marriage.

“
Cat, remember earlier I said I wanted to talk to you.”

“Can it wait? I ate so much, all I feel like doing is laying down.”

“Go upstairs. I’ll stop by your room, when I’m through.”

He watched her leave the room. His cell phone vibrated breaking the trance. “The honeymoon must still be going on, because you hardly have time for your boy these days,” Trent said, from the other end of the phone.

“I’ve only been married for about three weeks, so stop tripping,” he responded.

“So tell me, did you consummate the union or do you have blue balls?”

“Trent, you need to mind your own business.”

“You must not be because you’re too tense.” Trent laughed from the other end.

“I’m tense because of Tara.”

“Tara? I’m trying to remember her.”

“Tara Spain. The one you said looked like Ms America but had an attitude that rivaled a bull.”

“Oh yeah. What’s up with her?”

“Man, she got killed in a car accident a few years ago.”

“Sorry to hear that. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”

“Well, she had a baby and failed to tell me the child was mine.”

“Get out of here. You’re a daddy. Did you do a blood test?”

“I did all of that three years ago, but come to find out, Tara altered the results.”

“I knew she
was crazy.”

“Now I got to figure out what I’m going to do. He’s my son, so I got to figure out how I can make him a part of my life.”

Trent sighed into the phone. “What did Caitlyn say?”

“I haven’t told her yet.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Speaking of my wife.”
Blake stressed the word ‘wife’ “is waiting for me upstairs.”

“Well my booty call is waiting for me, so you go get yours, because I’m definitely going to get mine.”

Blake stood in Caitlyn’s doorway. Her eyes were closed and she was bopping her head up and down. She had changed into a pair of pink hip-hugging shorts and small t-shirt. Her breasts appeared to be bursting over the seams. Blake adjusted his pants before walking through the door. 

Caitlyn
, I know you didn’t sign on for this but we’re about to become parents. I pray Christopher’s adopted parents understood, but he’s my son and a son needed his father.