Vanya
“Would definitely be my cousin and his new bride. She does not allow the twins in her belly to slow her down. I almost think she’s worse.”
Frankie chuckled sarcastically. “Please don’t get any ideas. The factory is closed for a few years.”
“So yoo’re open to it next year then? We will have to perfect our practice afore then.”
The hope in Liam’s tone forced me to break our kiss. If the two of them were about to get fresh, we would never get out of here today.
I wiped Xerxes’ lips but I could tell he wanted to be the one’s locked up in the bedroom. “Okay, let’s go. If y’all get started y’all will christen the guest room and my fill in won’t happen. We’ll be back, so call us if you need us.”
“What did you do to my son?”
I swore I needed to stop coming in this mall because why were they always finding me here? It was crazy that in a mall this size; they kept finding exactly where I was.
“Vanya?”
“Girl, you know this crazy bitch is very much still crazy. Ignore her.” Frankie shot my adoptive mother a look that screamed she needed to stay away.
We’d just left the Russian spa getting manicures and pedicures and were walking to have lunch at the factory of cheesecakes. But my good afternoon was ruined when I saw this woman’s face that was withered like a white grape in the sun.
“Can I get caught up or do I need to get her moved to a secondary location?” Navi was blatantly ignoring my former adoptive mother as she stood there blocking our path. The mall was less full because it was a weekday, but that didn’t mean it was empty enough for Navi to not be seen dragging a whole white woman through a mall or parking lot.
I didn’t voice that out loud because I felt as though she would see that as some sort of challenge. I looked at the woman that used to force me to call her mother and frowned in disgust.
“I haven’t done anything to your son. Now, I need you to get out of my way and go back to pretending I don’t exist. You’ve wanted that all my life, now you have your wish and you still aren’t happy.”
“Johnathan is losing his hair. He said his thing isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. He told me your husband has some type of curse on him. As soon as you walk away from us you do devil worship with people. Look how easily you could be led astray! You’re much too weak to stand on your own.”
“It’s a damn good thing I’m no longer on my own then, isn’t it?”
She looked at the two women standing with me and I could tell she completely underestimated them both.
“I see the type of people that you hang around now. These women with you with their fake hair—”
“Always a white bitch with over processed hair thinking some shit coming out of my scalp had to be purchased.” Navi was rolling her eyes and glaring at that woman like she wanted to jump on her. I was proud because she was showing amazing restraint.
“You think you’re so much better than us now?” She didn’t have anything to say about Navi so she’d turned her attention back to me. I was sure I’d never be allowed back in this mall since my presence seemed to draw a disturbance.
“I know I’m better than you and it has nothing to do with my husband or the money that he provides.”
Her face was red and she glanced around like a stranger, ignoring us to mind their own business, would back her up. “You are such a jezebel. You could’ve been so much more than you are now—”
“Oh, she’s jealous? Yeah, it’s clear that she wishes she had the life she knows you live. From the way you could outperform all of them when you were on your own. And then you had the audacity to marry a wealthy man. Vanya, you probably keep her up at night sick.” Frankie was standing up for me the same way that Navi had and I could tell that it angered the woman who’d kept me indentured to her.
“Husband? It’s funny that you all would justify bigotry. God is not going to bless this marriage because He doesn’t believe you’re truly separated from our boy. Even as a little girl I could see the spirit of temptation within you. Look at how you acted with my husband!”
Navi gagged and Frankie stood up taller like she was going to lose it. “Did she just say—”
I just laughed in that woman’s face because she was truly delusional. “Don’t try to rationalize her madness, Frankie. You’ll get a migraine.” I tapped their shoulders so we could continue on to where we were headed.
“Don’t you hear me talking to you, girl?”
I turned my head slowly knowing what the tone she was using was trying to evoke in me. I’d long since grown taller than her and I exercised to ensure I was stronger. I took a good look at her and had to agree with my friend. She was a nondescript woman who genuinely looked like at least five other women that had walked by since we’d been standing here. She had dyed blonde hair and a malnourished physique as she desperately tried to hold on to thinness since youth had long since eluded her. Conformity to whatever was the norm gave her a sense of belonging and acceptance and she couldn’t understand why I never reached for that.
“Yes, I hear your voice but none of your words are going to settle in me. When I was a child I was forced to endure your presence. I won’t be beaten or starved because you think I got too smart in the mouth or I wasn’t sufficiently demure enough for you. But then again, you’re a woman that would protect a man who had creep behavior.”
Her face turned redder than my hair as she glanced around to ensure no one heard me. “That is an ugly lie. Just like I said—”
“One thing my friend doesn’t do is lie. If you protected a creep she’d say so. If she said dude was a molester, call his ass Chester. Which just makes you a piece of shit horrible woman who would still be married to someone who would do something so abhorrent.” Frankie spoke furiously and I know it was the combination of being my friend and having small children that fueled her anger.
“And just who are you supposed to be? Are you supposed to be somebody of importance to me? ‘ Let ye who is without sin cast the first stone’ .”
“Oh, so we’re admitting to the sin? Gotcha. I don’t say this the way most wealthy people say this, but I could end your life. Today. With a smile on my face and not think twice about it. See the only thing saving you is that my sweet friend here, despite you deserving everything that is coming to you, would feel some sort of way.” Navi was nodding at Frankie’s words and I knew they needed to get away from one another. Thankfully, Jada and Smoke had left after the wedding, because I couldn’t imagine all of three of them together.
“Uhh… don’t be so sure Frankie.”
With surprised eyes, Frankie nodded her head proudly. “See, you’ve irritated someone as saintly as Vanya. That means we have a problem. More specifically, you have one and we just might be the solution. There’s just no part of you that should be okay with the idea that you’ve made an enemy out of Vanya Cannon.”
“Her name is Kennedy.” That woman hissed her last name like I was going to feel some sort of way.
“My name is Vanya Grace Cannon, princess of the house of Mahdavi. My husband is Xerxes Cannon and I’m sure that ingrate you call a son has more than relayed all of my business to you. But please know he left out one thing.”
“And what is that?”
I bent down slightly to get in her face as I smiled wickedly. “My husband is absolutely insane. His wrath would rival that of a berserker when he’s got his sights set on you. Especially if you’ve wronged me. He told me if anyone even thought of harming one strand of flame colored hair on my head they would have hell to pay. And I believe him. Because one thing my husband doesn’t do is break a promise to me. So, you are more than welcome to play with your life if you want to. I wouldn’t recommend it. The last man who did, well, let’s just say he lost his head. And I don’t mean that figuratively. Oh, and let’s not forget my brother.”
She paled slightly and I knew she was going to run back and tell them, but it was too late. “You mean my son—”
“No, I mean my brother. You know the one you stole me from when you set my parent’s house on fire.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She was gulping and her face looked completely sallow.
“You do. And soon you’ll have to face the consequences of your actions. But you’ll be able to see what I mean firsthand very soon.” I watched her try to silently come up with something that she could say to save herself. Denial wasn’t going to work because there was too much evidence. Since Ahmad had found me alive, there would be plenty of questions that would come up for everyone that was involved with the fire, my adoption and the life I was forced to live. Instead of trying to defend herself she turned and walked away. I noticed that she was going to work and although I was pissed she hadn’t been fired, she would never make it to clock into another shift after today.
Navi was grinning and I was sure she was surprised by what I’d said. “I’m thoroughly impressed.”
“I save my sympathy for those who deserve it. I save my wrath for those who have earned it. And they are well past due for karma to pay them a visit.”
“You know your husband is going to ensure that happens.” Frankie was grinning but her eyes were still on my adoptive mother’s back.
“He will. And soon. Because they aren’t the type of people who learn from mistakes. They don’t take grace as a way to get better. They take it as a divine sign that they are above repercussions. They lack the ability to stay out of their own way.” Navi was speaking way too knowledgeably about this and I was wondering just how much she’d endured. Even knowing how bad it was, I could tell it didn’t even scratch the surface.
“Her coming up to you like she owned you pissed me off. Like she still has some type of authority over you.”
“I don’t even have to give them rope to hang themselves. They’ve supplied the rope and the chair for their demise. Xerxes will be more than happy to kick it away.” In my mind they were already dead and gone, I was just waiting on Xerxes to make it a reality.
“I’ve witnessed a lot of arrogance and boldness in my day but it was normal for people that have been in positions of power. But someone who doesn’t even have power in her own house? That’s a first.” Navi, with all that I was sure she’d seen, even seemed dumbfounded by that woman’s behavior.
“She’s the past. And I know that she will rest there. Even though I hope it’s not peacefully. But more than anything else, I’m ready to eat. There’s no telling what the hell those men have been up to with the kids..”
Navi started laughing and she adjusted the crossbody strap of her bag over her head. She was dressed in leggings and a crop tank top. Navi was oblivious to the attention that she drew or else she ignored it like Frankie did.
“Be ready to take that pony back to Carolina Falls with you.” Frankie’s eyes went wide at my words and I could see the panic in her face.
“You really think that man has a pony for my baby?”
“Frankie, the trailer is probably already on its way to your house.” Navi was admiring her manicure like what she said wasn’t a big deal.
“Shit, we need to get back!” Frankie turned around like she was about to head back to the car.
“No ma’am. We’re going right up here to this restaurant, I’m about to have something good to eat since I’m out with my friends and then we can go home and help Skye pick out a name for her pony.”
“Y’all think this is funny?” Frankie was looking between the two of us like we’d betrayed her while we just laughed.
“It is. Because you should’ve known the Blersian that gifted his wife an entire parure of diamond jewelry for her wedding and another for just because was going to spoil his god baby. Knowing him, he’s gonna have two ponies so that one won’t be lonely.” She spoke so matter-of-factly that even I paused.
Frankie looked so resigned and she should because this is what she signed up for. “Oh hell. Let me get this last meal before all the chaos begins.”