Chapter 1
COLE
I’m Cole Bennett, and I live in New York City, my favorite city. I inherited four clubs after my father passed away. I was excited to start a new chapter of my life shortly after my divorce from Clarissa, the love of my life. This new adventure would surely pull me out of that loss.
It was a Tuesday, my favorite day of the week. My new driver was taking me to my jazz club to meet a new singer my son had scouted. My old driver had retired, so my father’s longtime friend, Moretti, recommended a new driver. He was roughly my son’s age and very charismatic, a good kid.
Life was good except for one thing: my ex-wife, Clarissa. She’d been pestering me about doing a paternity test for a supposedly long-lost son she had kept a secret from me. Clarissa, with her schemes, was always trying new ways to get money out of me as if the divorce settlement hadn't been enough.
I lit up a cigarette and opened the window. I took a drag to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes, the other one being the fairer sex.
Clarissa didn’t take too kindly to my short-lived romances with other “ladies” when we were married, but she knew what she was getting into when we sealed the deal at the courthouse. I wanted a son more than anything in the world. The opportunity presented itself with Clarissa, and we had a baby.
My mind drifted to the time I saw my baby’s blue pacifier lying there on our bed. The hospital nurse had used it to keep Michael calm in the nursery. I felt immense joy. I felt so proud to be a dad. My dream had finally come true.
“Hello, Mr. Bennett,” the driver said.
There was silence.
The driver snapped his fingers to get my attention.
That’s rude.
“What? What do you want?” I asked.
“I meant no disrespect. You seemed to be in deep thought. Your phone is ringing,” the driver said.
“Oh, right. Thanks,” I replied. “It’s my ex-wife.”
The driver nodded.
I answered the phone. Clarissa started again about the paternity test. I rolled my eyes and shook my head in frustration.
Clarissa and I had already had this conversation a couple of times earlier that day, and this time it was getting on my last nerve.
“He’s not my son. I’ve already told you that. Why don’t you want to accept that?” I replied. “I’m tired of this nonsense. This has gone far enough. Please don’t call me anymore.”
Clarissa simply ignored me and continued talking.
“Well, as luck should have it, I’m back in town. And whether you want to deal with this or not, you will.”
“Oh, my fucking God, Clarissa. Please stop!” I said in frustration.
“Take a deep breath and listen carefully, Cole. You never listen to me.”
I was accustomed to being blamed for not listening. The truth was, she talked too much.
“Yes, I do.”
“Fine. The first time I met you through Moretti, you took me back to the hotel after the wonderful dinner we had at his club. That night, you got me pregnant, but I didn’t know it.”
“But I used protection. I always do. You know that,” I insisted.
“Yes, I know, but you took it off because you were being so passionate. You wanted to feel it au naturel. You told me you were smitten. Your words, not mine.”
“Yes, I remember that last part. I was smitten, so what?”
“Then you swore to me I was the best you’ve ever had,” Clarissa asserted.
“True, I remember you were the best I’d ever had. I don’t remember taking it off, Clarissa. Stop making shit up, for Christ’s sake.”
Clarissa was working really hard to make me listen. I wasn't always the best listener, but I wasn't stupid either. I could see her scheme a mile away.
“Listen, please listen. I went back home to Jersey shortly after that night to take care of my grandfather. He was very ill and passed away. You know that.”
“Yes, we’ve gone over that,” I replied in frustration.
“Soon after, I had my son and named him Rafael in honor of my grandpa.”
I rolled my eyes. I was getting impatient. The pleasant drive had turned into an unpleasant one.
“Again, you’ve told me that before. Bless your grandpa. Now what?”
“And when I came back a couple of years later to pursue my dream as an actress, I didn’t tell you anything because your father could have probably killed me and disowned you. So it stayed a secret.”
“I’ve already told you, even if he were my son, what good would it do? It’s been twenty-five years. Do you really believe he would want to meet me now?”
I shifted uncomfortably in the back seat while my new chauffeur kept his eyes on the road, though I had a feeling he was listening to every word.
“Cole, you’re being an ass. It doesn’t matter if he wants to meet you or not. I don’t want to take this secret to my grave.”
“Take this secret to the grave? What secret? There is no secret. You’re so dramatic, like your mom,” I shot back.
“I’m not being dramatic. And don’t bring my mom into this.
Just do the paternity test, and that will be the end of that.
If he’s not your son, fine. But if he is, if he is your son, then you need to do right by him and, at the very least, put him in your will.
You haven’t taken care of him. My parents have done that all this time. He hasn’t received a dime from you.”
“Well, how could he receive any money from me if I didn’t know I had another son with you until now? And as far as I know, our only son is Michael.”
Clarissa stayed quiet and just listened.
“I see what this is all about. Once a gold digger, always a gold digger,” I said angrily as I put the phone down on the seat next to me.
As I stared out the window, streets and buildings rushed past in a gray blur, mirroring my state of mind.
I could still hear Clarissa’s incessant, annoying voice loud and clear through the phone’s speaker. I had accidentally put the phone on loudspeaker mode.
“Do the right thing for once in your life.”
“What do you have to lose?”
“Be a man, for Christ’s sake.”
Then Clarissa stopped talking.
“Sounds like you’ve got a real firecracker on your hands, if you don’t mind me saying so,” the chauffeur said. “My name is Ralph, by the way. You know, I was a part-time cab driver and part-time therapist. I helped all my clients with their relationship problems,” Ralph continued.
“And who were your clients, exactly?” I asked skeptically.
“Well, all the people who rode with me in my cab back home, of course,” Ralph said playfully.
Ralph looked at me through the rearview mirror.
“Those types of women are no good. Always trying to get you into something or other.”
I nodded.
“Who the hell is that?” Clarissa yelled.
“Oops,” Ralph whispered as his eyes widened.
I turned off loudspeaker mode on the phone.
“Never mind, Clarissa. This conversation is over. I’m going to meet new talent right now, and I need to be in the right headspace. I need to let you go now.”
Click.
“Good riddance for now,” I sighed.
“I hear you, my friend,” Ralph said.
Friend? Who the hell does this guy think I am?
“Listen, Ralph, that’s your name, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s right,” Ralph replied.
“My longtime friend Moretti recommended you for this job. He said you were the son of one of his close associates. Is that right?”
“Umm, yes, that’s right,” Ralph said uncomfortably.
“Good, good. So do both of us a favor and just stick to driving, please. I need to get to this meeting by 2:00 p.m.”
“I understand,” Ralph said. “I’m sorry. I can be a little nosy at times, but believe you me, I’m very helpful when it comes to relationship advice.
I helped my neighbor who has been married five times and had six kids,” Ralph said proudly.
“And don’t you worry, we’ll arrive at the jazz club at 1:45 p.m.”
“Well, thank you, Ralph. You sound like a very helpful person.”
Jesus Christ! Five wives, six kids. Who has that kind of money? I could barely handle my divorce from Clarissa. She would have taken me to the cleaners if it weren't for the prenup.
The rest of the five-minute ride was silent.
Ralph pulled over and parked next to the curb.
“Here you are, Mr. Bennett.”
“Thank you, Ralph.”
I stepped out of my luxury SUV. I put on my hat and jacket, closed the door, and gave it two gentle knocks.
“Hey, Ralph, thank you for getting me here on time. This is a good start.”
“Anytime,” Ralph replied as he stuck his head out the window.
Ralph’s gaze shifted to my right.
“Watch out!” he yelled as he stepped out of the SUV.
I turned to my left and was met with a whack from Clarissa’s umbrella.
“You can’t get away from me that easily!” Clarissa stammered as she yelled.
“Hey, lady, what are you doing?” Ralph interjected, standing in front of the driver’s door.
“Hey, hey, hey. Stop. That hurts,” I said as I tried to take the umbrella from her. “What the hell are you doing here, Clarissa? Weren’t we just on the phone?”
I managed to take the umbrella away from her and gave it to Ralph.
“I’ll give it back to you, ma’am, when you settle down,” Ralph said.
Clarissa glared at him. She frowned, nodded, and then turned her attention to me.
“Didn’t you hear me when I told you I was in town when we were talking on the phone? The same problem as always: you don’t listen to me,” Clarissa said, frustration clearly in her voice.
“I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot on my mind. I really need to get to this meeting.”
My son, Michael, approached us as he came out of the club entrance.
“Mom! What are you doing here?” Michael asked.
Clarissa turned around. She smiled when she saw him.
He walked over to her and embraced her.
“Why were you hitting Dad in the middle of the sidewalk?”
“Nothing to worry about, Michael,” she said quietly.
“There you go. Here’s the umbrella,” Ralph said, handing the umbrella to Michael instead of Clarissa.
“Thank you,” Michael said.
Ralph gave him a thumbs-up, then started walking back to the SUV.
“Wait, wait a minute, Ralph,” I said.
Ralph stopped, turned around, and gave me a nod.
I turned my attention back to Clarissa and Michael.
“Look, I think this has been a big misunderstanding. Clarissa, why don’t you have Ralph take you back to wherever you’re staying? I’ll call you later so we can meet tomorrow and talk things over.”
“Fine. But don’t think for a minute I’ve forgotten what we need to resolve.”
Michael stood there for a moment, thinking.
“This sounds like more trouble,” Ralph muttered.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be happy to take you wherever you need me to take you,” Ralph said louder, in a friendly tone.
“My name is Mrs. Bennett. Stop calling me ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ralph replied. “I mean, yes, Mrs. Bennett.”
Ralph blushed with embarrassment.
Clarissa turned to Michael.
“Michael, my dear boy. It’s so good to see you after all this time. Six months is a long time,” Clarissa said sweetly.
I noticed that Ralph rolled his eyes.
“I know, Mom. I’m happy to see you too,” Michael said with a sigh.
“And you, you better call me later,” Clarissa said, pointing a finger at me.
I nodded and pointed toward the SUV.
Ralph opened the back passenger door, and Clarissa got inside.
“Hey, Dad,” Michael said. “It’s great to see you. I’m sorry about Mom. You know how she gets. By the way, what do you have to resolve?”
“Oh, son. It’s nothing. It’s just a bank account that I need to transfer to your mom’s name.”
“That sounds easy enough,” Michael said. “My friend is inside. She’s the singer I’ve been telling you about.”
“That’s why I’m here. You said she was great.”
Michael and I walked into the club after waving goodbye to Clarissa.
“Jesus Christ, Dad! I thought she was going to beat the shit out of you.”
“Tell me about it.” I paused. “She’s up to something. She’s trying to wear me down.”
Michael shrugged.
What are you up to, Clarissa? Why tell me now, after all these years?