I’ve always been suspicious of people
who say they’re not prejudiced. I mean if you’re not, you
don’t have to go around telling everyone you’re not. Right?
Having said that, I have to say that I’m not prejudiced.
Never have been. But I still never expected to fall in love
with a black woman, no matter how sweet or beautiful. That’s
exactly what happened to me—when I least expected it.
But I should start at the beginning instead of in the middle
of the love triangle I found myself mired in. As usual, it
started with a problem I inherited from Jared. Just when I
thought things couldn’t get any worse, he sprang his latest
surprise on me.
He came to the garage where I worked to drop the bomb on me.
As soon as I saw him, I sighed.
To my surprise, he cut right to the chase and asked if I’d
bail him out of his latest jamb by taking his pregnant
girlfriend in while he left the state in search of a tv
career.
Having been burned once too often while doing favors for
him, I said no. Instead of accepting my decision, he lurched
into the second phase of his attack plan. He pulled out what
I thought of as the trust card.
“You’re the only one I can trust with her, Doug.” Translated
that meant Jared had already used up all of his favors with
his friends.
“Really?” I continued working on the car engine. I’d
promised the boss I’d have finished by the end of the day.
It was nearly four o’clock so I didn’t have much time to
argue with Jared.
“Yeah. Haven’t I always said you’re as solid as a rock?” He
demanded.
“Yes. You say that every time you want a favor,” I pointed
out.
“That is so unfair, Doug,” he protested.
I smiled. He actually managed to sound indignant. He clearly
had a career in front of the cameras. “Life’s not fair.”
“Which is why I need your help. So will you do it?”
“No.” This was one Friday night I didn’t intend to spend
cleaning up another one of Jared’s messes.
“Why not?”
“Because I have plans that don’t include babysitting your
latest hussy.”
“She is not a hussy!”
Hearing the genuine anger in his voice, I shrugged.
“Whatever.”
“She’s not a hussy, Doug!” He insisted, a hint of steel in
his tone.
She was either a hussy or an idiot since no sane woman would
have unprotected sex these days with a man as commitment shy
as Jared was. Still, I wasn’t in the mood to argue the
point. “Okay. Fine. She’s not a hussy. Now can we move on?”
“Yes—as soon as you promise to do this for me.”
“Forget it, Jared!”
“Oh, come on, Doug! You have to do this for me.”
As usual he said that as if the whole mess was my fault. But
it wasn’t. None of the bad things that have happened to him
were my fault. It wasn’t my fault our parents were killed
when we were kids, anymore than it was my fault that we’d
been placed in different foster homes. From that moment on,
I gave up all hope of going to college. As soon as I turned
eighteen, I took a mechanic’s course, landed a job with the
largest car repair shop in town, and became Jared’s
guardian.
But he never made any allowances for all the sacrifices I’d
already made for him. He just kept demanding I make more.
And idiot that I was, I kept making them. Well, enough was
enough.
I finished tuning the engine, put the car hood down, and
turned to face him. I’d been rescuing Jared from one scrap
after another ever since I was nineteen and he was eleven.
Now nearly thirty, I was tired of being his keeper and
cleaning up his endless messes.
“You’re wasting your breath,” I told him, moving around the
late model sedan and slipping into the driver’s seat. “Not
to mention my time. I have to test-drive this.”
Jared’s eyes narrowed, and a frown marred his handsome face.
“You mean to tell me that now, when I need you the most, I
can’t count on you?”
“That’s about the size of it,” I said and started the car.
“Doug Wait! Please, do this for me, and I promise I’ll never
ask another favor.”
“You mean until you need another one?” I shook my head. “I’m
not falling for that lie again.”
“Doug, please.”
There was no denying the genuine distress in his voice or
his gaze. I frowned.
“She’s special, man.”
“I’ve heard that too.”
“But she really is! I can’t let her down. I can’t.”
I’d never known Jared to really care about any of his throw
away lovers. While I wasn’t convinced this one was special,
I was convinced he thought she was. And that in itself was
surprising. I’d long ago lost track of the number of women
he’d bedded and discarded without a care.
“I’m glad to hear you’ve finally met a women you don’t want
to let down.”
He sighed. “I knew you’d help.”
I shook my head. “Help? Not me, buddy. While I’m glad you
plan to stand by her, I’m not bailing you out this time.
This is just asking too much.”
“Come on, Doug.” he pleaded. “I really need you to do this
for me. It’s only for a few weeks—two months max. And you’ll
hardly know she’s there. Honest, Doug.” He grinned,
revealing the dimple in his left cheek. It always amazed me
how much he looked like Mom when he smiled. “Surely you
don’t want to see your niece or nephew in a shelter.”
My best friend Ryan was forever telling me that Jared would
be a better man if I allowed him to sink or swim on his own.
But how I leave him floundering when he needed help? He was
my only sibling and he was younger. I knew Mom would’ve
wanted me to look out for him. So I’d done my best to do
that.
I bit back the urge to remind him I wasn’t the one who’d
knocked some hussy up. What was the point when he’d hit me
where it hurt? I wasn’t going to see his child in a shelter
when I had an empty bedroom.
“Fine!” I snapped, caving. “But I am only having her for a
couple of weeks. And this is the absolute last time I’m
doing you a favor,” I warned and then sped away before he
could even thank me.
I blasted the car radio, angry with myself for my inability
to insist he stop making me responsible for his problems.
Jared was always getting into trouble, knowing his big
brother, Doug, would come to his rescue. I’d spoiled him in
that respect, and in the process I was ruining my own life.
Not many women stuck around once they realized they’d play
second fiddle to my younger brother.
But as Dad used to say: promises were made to be kept. At
the end of the work day, I made a pit stop at my apartment.
After a quick shower and change, I headed out of town to see
this woman Jared said was so special.
That’s what he says about all of them—until he dumps them,
I thought sourly as I drove onto the interstate. He’d had
far more girlfriends than I’d ever had. I wasn’t jealous of
my brother’s ability to attract women. But I didn’t
understand his need for an endless succession of women in
his bed who met nothing to him.
I’d never wanted or needed a different lover for every day
of the week. I just wanted one special woman I could spend
the rest of my life with. So far, such a relationship had
eluded me.
An hour later, I was in Delaware County. I turned onto a
quiet, tree-lined street and parked the car in front of a
small single home. I reached into my pocket and pulled out
the address Jared had given me: 929 Juniper Lane.
The address above the door read 929. I’d arrived. Great. Now
to meet Ms. Special. I stepped out of my truck.
I rang the doorbell quickly; half hoping there’d be no
answer.
But the door opened almost immediately.
Great. My bad luck was holding, I thought as I found myself
staring into a pair of warm, brown eyes. The young woman
looked about fifteen, but what really startled me was the
fact that she was black.
Then the answer hit me. “I’m sorry,” I said quickly, backing
away. “I must have the wrong house.”
“What address are you looking for?” She had a soft, slightly
husky voice.
“Nine, twenty-nine…” I trailed off as my eyes fell on the
numbers above the door again. Right number, wrong street, I
reasoned, “Could you please direct me to Juniper Lane?”
“This is Juniper Lane.” She stared at me a moment, then her
eyes widened. “Doug Murdock?”
I nodded.
“You’re Jared’s brother?”
Her startled reaction didn’t surprise me. Most of the people
Jared knew were shocked the first time they met me. I guess
they were expecting an older version of my dazzling brother.
We're both just about six feet tall with dark hair and eyes.
But he looks like he just stepped off a movie set. I'm just
an average-looking guy.
“I’m Doug Murdock and I’m looking for Tanya Kimball,” I
said, ignoring her question.
She grinned and extended her right hand. “You’ve found her.”
I couldn’t help it. I just stood there staring at her. This
couldn’t be the Tanya Kimball I’d agreed to let stay in
Jared’s room while he was in California trying to land a
role on a new sitcom.
“There’s b-been a mistake,” I stammered.
The smile left her face, and she bit her lip. “He did tell
you about me, didn’t he? That Mrs. Ashton needs my room for
her sister? You’re here to take me back-with you. Aren’t
you?”
There was no way I was taking her anywhere. But before I
could answer, a middle-aged woman with hard green eyes
appeared in the open doorway. She glanced at my truck,
parked at the curb, then; looked me up and down. “So you’re
the one,” she said with obvious distaste. “A man your age
should know better than to go around taking advantage of
young girls.”
I blushed as I realized she thought I was Tanya’s lover.
“I’m not—”
“Well, come in and get her things,” she interrupted. “She’s
going to be carrying your baggage for nine months. The least
you can do is carry hers.”
I had no intention of doing any such thing. That wasn’t the
deal. Jared never told me she was a pregnant teen. This was
his problem. At twenty-two he was an adult. This was between
him and her. The sooner I got out of there, the better.
I started to back away, but the woman pulled two suitcases
from behind the door and pushing them onto the steps.
Tanya turned to look at me. “You’re not leaving without me.
Are you?”
I froze, shaken by the frightened and confused look on her
face. My options were limited—either I went through with the
plan, or I ran the risk of her ending up in a shelter or
worse on the streets where she’d be pray to God only knew
what.
Disgusted by my brother’s irresponsibility, I grabbed the
bags and threw them in the back of my truck.
When Tanya climbed into the front seat, I slammed the door
behind her, got in, and drove away.
She made several attempts at small talk as I tore down the
interstate, but I turned the oldies station up and ignored
her. I was too angry to trust myself to speak.
She finally gave up her attempts at conversation and sat
staring out the window.
The silent ride home gave me a chance to think. Jared had
gone too damned far this time. As soon as I got home, I was
going to order him and his jailbait girlfriend out of my
house and my life. He could damn well drag her to California
with him. I really didn’t care what he did with her—as long
as he got her out of my hair.
But Jared was long gone by the time we got back to the
apartment. I felt like punching a hole through the wall as I
read his message.
Don’t be angry, Doug, but I decided to leave early for L.A.
so you two can have some time to get to know each other. I
promise she won’t be any trouble. You’ll hardly know she’s
there and I’ll be back to take her with me before you know
it. Tell her I love her and I love you too for always being
there for me.
Jared
How could I stay angry after reading that?
"Is that from Jared?"
I looked up to find her watching me. I nodded.
She bit her lip. "He's gone. Isn't he?"
She looked and sounded so hopeless, I didn't have the heart
to tell her the truth. "He says he loves you." Weary and
dismayed by my predictions, I turned away. "I need a drink."
"You drink?"
She made indulging sound like a deadly sin. And since I
wasn't in the best of moods, I didn't bother answering.
I tossed her suitcases into Jared's room and slammed into
mine. In the morning, she'd better come up with an idea of
where she planned to spend the next few weeks because there
was no way I was going to make myself responsible for
jailbait.
I woke the next morning with a roaring headache. I needed a
cup of coffee and some aspirin. I pushed the covers off the
bed and stumbled into the hallway and toward the bathroom.
I shoved the door open and froze.
Tanya was on her knees, leaning over the toilet, her long
dark hair covering her face. “Oh, Jared! Why did you leave
me alone?” She sobbed like a lost little girl.
