Chapter 23 Adesua Ridley
Adesua Ridley
Adesua glared at the cigar hanging from the man’s mouth.
“Dusie, you all right? Let’s grab some drinks,” Amelia said.
Adesua smiled while nodding. They were at the US National Championships, a yearly event that held a special place in their hearts and was their favorite outing as a family.
It had been a long time since they’d felt like that.
With all the parties and galas, it was easy to forget who they were at the core—people who enjoyed simple things, like a tennis match.
Spectators waved at her and all the Ridleys as they walked by.
Adesua perked up as they headed to the clubhouse.
It amused her, as mostly everyone here never watched the tennis players.
They were here to make a fashion statement; she and her sisters accommodated the wish of the masses.
A group of young girls chattered at the nearby table.
She assumed they were laughing at the exuberant hats on all the ladies.
One of the girls approached her with a smile.
“May I have you and your sisters’ autographs? We hear about ya in the papers all the time, miss.” The young girl retrieved her journal for them to sign.
“Of course, dear,” Adesua said happily as she walked over to the table where Kavita and Amelia were sitting to sign it.
Kavita, enthralled not to be seen as something terrible for once, went over to the girls. “Better yet, darlings, I got a journalist who can get a photo of all of us so we can be on the front page. How ’bout that!”
The girls eagerly nodded in bliss. The young man positioned everyone together for a group photo, then the camera flashed brightly.
“Have a pleasant time, you dolls,” Amelia said while Adesua held on to her sister’s arm.
“My stars, can you believe we used to be that young, gushing over God knows who . . . Time goes by so fast.” Adesua chuckled.
Jamison approached Adesua and Amelia, holding a white box. Adesua did a double take, thinking it was an engagement ring, but the box was too flat.
“Mellie, I found this brooch while in town earlier. I think it would look beautiful on you.” He opened the box, which contained a modest but beautiful emerald-colored brooch that matched the color of her eyes.
It was lovely, Adesua thought, how Jamison seemed to fall under Amelia’s spell. Adesua saw Jamison walk past her, and she felt a tap on her shoulder. She couldn’t tell who it was right away.
Jamison pulled his hands out wide, covering whoever was before him. “Theodore Montgomery, as I live and breathe. How are you, brother?”
She turned to the table, pretending to grab something from her clutch as the man made small talk with Amelia and Jamison.
They seemed even closer after his family’s masquerade party.
Adesua found it odd. She’d been sure Jamison was a runner; anytime there was conflict, he was usually the first one out.
Adesua turned around abruptly after reapplying her red lipstick. She hoped he would stroll away, but he turned to her with a smile.
She saw that Theo was engrossed in her looks.
“It seems God may have answered my prayers after all.” Theo approached, kissing her hand. “You look like a sunflower with that yellow on—better yet, an angel from heaven today, as always, Miss Adesua.”
Adesua dipped her head down, thanking him and avoiding eye contact. He stepped closer to her side as Kavita ran over to the table with their cousins from Mother’s side.
“Theo, stop being silly.”
He flashed her a smile. “You couldn’t just let me have a little fun!”
Adesua rolled her eyes. Jamison was clearly confused by the interaction, but saw the apparent attraction between the two as he held Amelia’s hand and sipped his drink.
“Adesua, Theo here is one of the best up-and-coming tennis players in the country. His family comes from Canada. I assure you, he is a mighty fine man.”
Adesua smirked. “I never assumed he wasn’t until now. Are you sure Mr. Theo didn’t pay you to say that?”
Theo brashly looked at her from the corner of his eye, bringing his smile to the side.
“All right, Jamison, you did good work. Not your best, but that will be all for now.” Theo slapped Jamison’s shoulder jokingly, going along with Adesua’s story.
“Jamison, me and Theo went to school together briefly before I went to the all-girls school,” Adesua said calmy.
“Oh, you sly foxes, you got me good. I must admit, Dusie thought I had a hand on Cupid’s bow.” He chuckled.
“Well, you fine folks, I know I will see you again. I have to attend to some business. Enjoy the match,” Theo said, flashing a bright smile.
Adesua waved off his advances. The last thing she needed was another man fawning over her.
She feared the papers would release the secrets about her.
She knew Joseph had good intentions toward her, but she couldn’t stop wondering whether he was the person she needed to spend the rest of her life with.
Adesua thought of all the married people she knew.
None of them ever seemed happy in the balance of things.
Some just settled to have the comfort of a person.
New York, 1916
Adesua had never seen such a beautiful but simple view of horses running in the fields.
She sat on the fence railing, watching Amelia do her jumps to get ready for a competition.
Adesua marveled at how elegant Amelia looked in her perfectly planned choreography with her horse, Mya.
She hoped that one day she would look like that in ballet.
Mother had made sure each sibling found their special talent, and ballet was something Adesua had vied for from the moment she saw her first performance.
Adesua smiled at the figures of ballerinas prancing in her head.
Wei came up from behind, climbing the fence to sit next to her. They were both in awe. No matter how many days it had been, this was their home.
“I wonder if this is a dream we haven’t woke up from.” Adesua smirked.
“Well, if it is, I hope it lasts forever,” Wei added.
He jumped down and went to the nearest wooden post, pulling out his pocketknife. Wei began to carve their initials into the wood.
“Just in case it is one, we will leave our mark here somehow.” He chuckled.
Adesua silently prayed, hoping her birth parents were happy wherever they were, but she knew she had finally found a family that was going to love her more than the orphanage ever could.
Amelia got off her horse and ran up to Adesua and Wei. The staff took Mya back to the stables.
“Last one back to the house has to give their dessert tonight to the winner,” she said while running.
Adesua took off running, getting way ahead of Wei. She felt fast, but there was no way she was faster than he was. All she knew was that no matter who won, they had all won in this life because they had each other.
Two young women bumped into Adesua so hard it made her fall back.
She wanted to slap them all on the face on that balcony.
She knew that was what they wanted her to do.
To make a scene in front of the “fine” folks, proving she didn’t belong there.
Years ago, Adesua used to fall for this type of anger provocation and get stirred up.
They wanted to say, “See, she is crazy!” With rumors going around about her and the potential false business promises, the perception of her meticulously created persona was slowly changing.
It was inevitable: What went up, must come down. With admirers came imitators who wanted to have and do everything she did, but secretly hated her for it. Now it was time for her to rise again.
“Excuse you, ladies.” She smiled, taking a sip of her drink.
They scoffed, rolling their eyes in unison.
Diego tickled the side of her stomach. “Dusie, you haven’t tried any of my little desserts at home recently. Miss our late-night kitchen talks,” he said with a smile.
“You and Henrik might be the only people in the house who have stayed so pleasant throughout this whole ordeal. I didn’t want to dampen your mood with everything I’ve got going on.”
Diego shook his head in disbelief, in an if you only knew kind of way. She could tell he had something on his mind as he put both hands in his pockets.
“Adesua, I haven’t been honest with all of you. Dale had something on me too. I just didn’t want to go into the details. I met someone in Harlem months ago, and I fell in love with . . . him.”
Adesua held her breath, unsure of what to say. She didn’t want to interrupt him, but she also didn’t want him thinking that she didn’t care. Instead of words, she grabbed his hand, encouraging him to keep going.
“Dale was going to release it, as he was one of his rivals. I don’t know, Adesua. I feel sad because I will have nowhere to go if Father finds out. I am sure of it.”
“We are going home now.” Adesua grabbed his hand, heading to his car.
Adesua loved that Diego didn’t even question her. He trusted her more than most and, more importantly, more than he trusted Amelia. She had to have something to do with all this. Adesua had no proof, but she was determined to figure out how . . .
The drive back from the US National Championships in Queens to Long Island was quick, as all the traffic was going into the city for the games.
She was sure that her siblings would be looking for her, but at a busy game like that, they could be anywhere, and that was what she loved about the city.
She hoped in her heart that Wei and Omar would goof around and think she was entertaining a new man like Theo.
But the only thing she was entertaining was the truth.
Which was getting further from the Ridley family each passing day.
She and Diego went to the stables, where Amelia kept her cherished things in a box buried in front of the apple tree.
After digging, Adesua felt not only the sweat beading down into her eyes but also her heart beating out of her chest—which went silent when a navy-colored box appeared.
She held her breath as she lifted the cover.
Adesua and Diego gave each other knowing looks as they knelt on the ground all covered in dirt.
Diego rummaged through Amelia’s journals and treasured relics from Paris.
He knew that what they might find could change everything.
Amelia kept everything in this graveyard of secrets, under a tree that was supposed to be filled with beautiful memories.
Adesua was baffled that Amelia would keep her life’s treasures in a spot underneath a tree.
Maybe that was why she did it. She knew in her heart no one would think she was silly enough to do such a thing.
Oh, how she was very wrong. As they rummaged through old journals, they saw another small bin that was halfway open.
Adesua removed the lid, scanning the first paper she saw: Amelia’s birth certificate.
Acte de naissance
Mère: Cécile Moulin
Père: Edward Ridley
Diego’s eyes widened as he stared at Adesua.
“Wait . . . this means she wasn’t—”
“Adopted,” Adesua interjected.