Page 34 of Love Me Now: Baltimore & Madelyn

“Ya daughter asked you to leave, yet you’re still here. I’ma take a wild guess and say there’s trouble in paradise.”

Although she glanced away, I caught the truth in her eyes.

“Mind your business,” she spat.

“You first. And ya business is in Texas, not here at Bell Estates. Once you learn how to communicate and come at Maddie wit’ some sense, then you’re welcome back here. Otherwise, you have ten minutes to pack, so I can get you home.”

“You can’t force me to leave,” she argued.

“I can. And I will. Either you’re getting on a plane wit’ ya shit, or you’re not. That’s up to you.” She stared at me in defiance, but I tapped my watch. “Nine minutes.”

Before stalking off, she glared at me. I wasn’t fazed. She had to get her negative ass up out of here.

Dallas, Texas…

ThelasttimeIsat through anyone’s church service was when my maternal grandmother died. Her funeral was packed from wall-to-wall and the only thing I remembered of the preacher’s sermon was that my granny was a good woman. And she was.

As I sat here listening to Minister March give his speech, I listened for anything that was slightly off. So far, he seemed to know what he was talking about. He was able to hold my attention for the forty-five minutes he spoke, and I even stayed after to hear the closing remarks of other speakers.

After service was over, I moved from the aisle and walked towards Mr. March. He saw me coming, and his eyes bugged.

“Is Maddie okay?” he questioned. The gentlemen standing around him looked at me curiously.

“Maddie is perfect. I’m here to see you. Got a minute to catch an early dinner?”

“Uhm…” He glanced at his watch.

Stepping a little closer, I said, “The answer is yes… Yes, you have time for dinner.”

His gaze bounced between the other men, then back to me. He chuckled nervously. “Yeah, sure.”

Thirty minutes later, we were at a steakhouse down the street from the convention center where the conference was being held. Mr. March was uncomfortable the entire ride here. He started loosening up once he ordered his food.

I let him get comfortable, even listening to him relive his glory days, his time in the pulpit, and his extensive travels. Patiently, I listened and waited until his dinner was before him before I decided I had enough of his mouth.

“When you finish ya dinner, I want you to go back to ya hotel, pack ya shit, and go back home to ya wife,” I said as I cut into my steak.

He sputtered. “Excuse me?”

“I didn’t stutter, Mr. March.”

“Minister—”

“Yeah, I know. I respect you as Minister March, but I don’t respect Mr. March in the least. I gotta talk to you the way ya daddy should’ve talked to you. Therefore, I’m talkin’ toMr.March right now.”

His eyes widened, and his food was forgotten. This steak was good as hell, so I kept eating.

“I’ve heard you talk about the good life you have, and not once have you mentioned ya daughters or ya wife,” I said.

“I love my daughters,” he defended.

“And ya wife?”

He glanced away and fumbled with his drink before taking a sip. “I uhm… I filed for divorce a few weeks ago.”

“Take it back.”

“What?” he asked incredulously.