Chapter 31 Giselle
Giselle
Present day
“Oh my goodness. Look at this place. It’s fabulous and much bigger than I thought. Everybody should have plenty of room to
spread out. I’m so looking forward to this week.” Mama Yvonne rushed up to the house and waited for Papa Aaron to unlock the
door. “This is gorgeous. The pictures didn’t do this place justice.”
Giselle sighed inwardly and headed inside. I’m glad someone’s excited. Her mother-in-law did have a point, however. The elegantly decorated home was amazing and luxurious. “It’s very nice.”
“Now, this is the way I like to camp,” Chanel said, drawing laughter from the family.
Five-year-old Imani and two-year-old Austin ran around the large open front room with squeals of delight.
While she adored them, every time they came around, it only magnified her own failure.
She’d tried tracking her cycle, as well as every diet and supplement that was supposed to increase fertility, yet none of it had made a difference.
After ten years, she’d all but given up hope.
Giselle stood off to the side as the guys unloaded the cars.
Taylor was now dating Damon, and the former soldier had been invited to come along.
It took a good hour to bring everything in and get settled. They’d opted to bring food for the first night’s dinner and breakfast
the next morning. Later, they’d get a menu together, make a list, and shop for everything else at the local grocery store
tomorrow.
When it came time for bedroom assignments, all of the sons insisted that their parents take the largest bedroom. After all,
they had forty years of marriage under their belts, and that was a feat in itself. She only hoped her own marriage would last
as long. However, over the past few years, there had been tension between her and Shawn, most of it surrounding what he claimed
was her unreasonable treatment of Kamryn. One more sin on the list. The rest stemmed from her family’s constant begging, then making them out to be the bad guys because neither she nor Shawn
would finance whatever thing they wanted.
Later, after the children had gone to bed, the adults sat around one of the large kitchen tables that seated ten comfortably
and discussed the menu.
“We’ll do the shopping in the morning,” Shawn said. He and his brothers often shopped for the family functions.
“You boys always bring a smile to my face,” Mama Yvonne said as she stood. “I’m looking forward to a nice relaxing week.”
“Me too” and “Same here” sounded around the table.
“Actually,” Giselle started, “since we’re going to be here for an entire week, I took the liberty of planning several activities.”
She’d decided that this time, she’d be the one to take the reins, instead of sitting off to the side watching everybody fawn over Kamryn like they always did.
“Here we go again,” Kamryn muttered. “Didn’t you just hear Mama Yvonne say a nice relaxing week?”
Of course it would have to Kamryn who said something. “I also decided to divvy up the kitchen duties,” she continued. “And
since you’re supposed to be the cooking queen, Kamryn, you can take care of organizing all the food.”
“Absolutely not! This is exactly why I didn’t want to come. I’m sick and tired of you always trying to take over every family get-together, then telling everybody
else what to do.”
“I’m not the one taking over. You’ve done that from the first day Tariq brought you to meet the family.”
“Take over how? By bringing someone’s favorite dessert or pitching in to help with the dishes or cleanup? At least I’m not the one sitting
down like she’s a queen on somebody’s throne. And don’t get me started about you needing to keep your hands to yourself.”
Shawn raised his hands. “All right, all right. Let’s calm down.”
“I don’t think so.” Kamryn stood and pointed a finger at Giselle. “Every single time we have some kind of family function,
you’re always trying to start something. I’ve put up with your crap from the moment we met, and I’m tired of always being
the bigger person and letting things slide. But today I’m done! It’s not happening this time.”
“Of course you’d try to ruin the family vacation. I don’t expect anything less from you. I have no idea what Tariq sees in
you.” Several of the family members were trying to bring calm to the situation, but Giselle had done calm for seven long years,
and she was tired of always being treated like she was the cause of all the drama. “Beneath all your fancy degrees ain’t nothing
left but a ghetto queen.”
“You crazy heffa. I’m about to show you just how ghetto I can be.” Kamryn lunged at Giselle.
“No!” Tariq grabbed her up in a bear hug before she made contact.
“Stop this!” Papa Aaron’s voice cut into the melee like a crack of lightning. The room went instantly silent. “Now that’s
enough, you two. We are a family, and this is not how a family behaves.”
“I’ve been trying for seven years to be a family with her, and I can’t do it anymore,” Kamryn said. She pushed out of Tariq’s arms and stormed off. Tariq followed.
“Vincent, can you guys finish with the rest of the shopping menu? I need to talk to my wife.” Shawn glared at Giselle.
“We got it. You just handle your business.”
He grabbed Giselle by her hand and all but dragged her upstairs to the room they’d be using. He slammed the door. “What the
hell was that downstairs?”
Giselle placed her hands on her hips and glared right back. “Oh, so now you’re going to say it’s my fault?”
Shawn gave her an incredulous look. “This is absolutely your fault. We’ve talked about this for years, Giselle.” He pointed toward the door. “That woman has never done anything to you but bend over backward to try to be a friend.
Do you see Taylor and Chanel having the same problems with Kam? No. Why do you think that is? How is it that not one other person in this entire family has an issue with Kam, only you? And how is it that you don’t act the same way toward
Taylor? She has a doctorate. What about Chanel? I don’t see you going at her either. She went back to school for advanced
certifications in her chosen career.”
Of course he’d throw all their degrees and certifications in her face, knowing how many times she’d been passed over for promotions
at her job.
“And what did she mean by you not keeping your hands to yourself?”
“I have no idea.” She couldn’t believe Kamryn had said that. She’d been accusing her for years of harboring some feelings for Tariq. He was family. She was supposed to like him.
He blew out a long breath. “And what about my brother? You just insinuated that the woman he married, the mother of his child,
is some ghetto person off the street. You’ve called his integrity and character into question, and that . . . that is unacceptable.”
“I didn’t say anything about his character or integrity,” she said, angry tears burning her eyes.
“Yes, you did when you called his wife a ghetto queen. Your words inferred that he has no class and could have made a better
choice—that Kam is not a worthy partner for him.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Giselle liked Tariq and would never do anything to hurt him.
“Oh, you meant it. Otherwise, those words would’ve never left your mouth. I don’t know what to do with the feelings I have
right now. I’m angry, Giselle. How am I supposed to face my family? My brother? What am I supposed to say to him now? Because of you, what’s supposed to be a celebration has turned into something entirely
different.”
The guilt surfaced so quickly that it almost overwhelmed her. Was the rest of the family angry with her as well?
Shawn dropped down onto the side of the bed and buried his head in his hands. When he looked back up at her, the misery reflected
in his face made the guilt that much stronger. “You said on several occasions that you weren’t jealous of her, but you lied.
You want her degrees, her cooking skills . . . everything.”
“What? No.” Yet at that moment, the lie rang hollow in her ears.
“You sure about that? For ten years I’ve tried to be a good husband to you, Giselle, but sometimes I feel like you don’t love me the way I love you.
I don’t know what to do with that right now.
Tonight, you crossed a line that I’m not sure can be erased.
” He strode over to his suitcase and pulled out clothes and his toiletry kit.
Giselle’s heart pounded with fear, and she rushed to where he stood. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I need space.”
“Shawn, wait.” She latched onto his arm. “I’m sorry.”
Shawn shook out of her grasp and strode out without another word, slamming the door behind him.
She stared after him, willing him to come back. Bringing her hand to her mouth, she tried to muffle the cry that escaped.
What have I done?