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  “Then go to him. You deserve each other!”Thomas snatched up his overcoat and stormed past Michelle in the hallway. In his anger and pain, he did not even see her.

  Annette eyes were round with alarm when she saw Michelle standing in the doorway as though paralyzed.

  “My Lord, Michelle! It's not what you think.” Her hand flew to her mouth.

  “What should I think about you and Ike Batiste, Mama?” Michelle said. She desperately wanted to hear another explanation that would wipe away the ugly thoughts racing through her mind. Yet the look of guilt and fear in her mother's eyes said there no such assurance would come.

  “Michelle, baby.” Annette went to her wringing her hands.

  Michelle walked into the room slowly to stand before Annette. “What did Daddy mean when he said you deserved each other?”

  “Your father is a cold unfeeling man. He says the most horrible things to me.” Annette reverted to her familiar whining tone.

  “Tell me about you and Ike Batiste, Mama. Tell me what that has to do with Dominic being in this hospital.” Michelle brushed aside her attempts to blame Thomas.

  “Dominic is in the hospital because some thug beat him up, baby. It doesn't have anything to do with--”

  “Stop lying, Mama. All these years I blamed Daddy for treating you so badly. You taught me that. But he had a reason, didn't he?” Michelle's eyes bored into her. “Didn't he, Mama?”

  Annette collapsed into a chair. “It's not what you think. Thomas poisoned Brian against me. And now you.”

  “You said Ike wanted you. Your words, not Daddy's. It won't work, Mama. You can't make Daddy the villain this time.”

  Annette straightened her shoulders and glared at Michelle. “This is between your father and me. How dare you interrogate me! It's none of your business young lady.”She tried to rally and assert her parental authority.

  “You made it my business when you deliberately tried to turn me against Daddy. So don't say it doesn't involve me. You owe me more than an explanation, you owe me the truth.

  “What does it matter?” Annette pleaded with her.”It won't help any of us now. Leave it alone.”

  “If you want any chance at saving our relationship, you'll tell me,” Michelle said softly.

  Annette hung her head and shuddered. “How can I? You'll despise me as much as I despise myself.” She covered her mouth to muffle a moan of despair.

  “Hiding from it won't help. I can't pretend nothing happened, Mama.” Michelle sat next to Annette. She stared ahead with a face of stone, not wanting to look at her mother. “I'm listening.”

  Chapter 14

  Michelle moved woodenly around the news room going through the motions of preparing her reports for the six o'clock broadcast. Outwardly, she was the same; a competent professional editing copy, contacting sources, and making notes. Inside, she felt disoriented. The world now seemed a strange combination of foreign and familiar. Even the most common objects seemed to have changed just enough to make her wonder if she was in the right place. Layered onto the pain of losing Anthony was the new awful knowledge of her mother's deceit.

  “How're you doing, babe?” Gracie's brow furrowed.

  “I'll live,” Michelle said in a voice devoid of emotion.

  Jason approached them. “Toussaint, come into my office.”

  “Can it wait? I've got to finish this by four at least and I'll need to visit the library again.” Michelle continued tapping her keyboard.

  “Mr. Lockport and Nathan are waiting for us.”Jason's voice held an ominous, self-satisfied edge.

  Michelle got up to follow him after exchanging a glance with Gracie.

  Gracie caught her hand stopping her for a moment. “Watch yourself. That little snake is up to something,” she whispered.

  Lockport sat at Jason's desk with his elbows propped on the blotter as he doodled on note paper. “Have a seat, Michelle. Terrible thing about your brother. How is he?” He put the pen down and arranged his face into a expression of concern.

  “No change. Thanks for asking.” Michelle nodded back at Nathan as she sat next to him.

  “The public housing story.” Lockport rocked back in the chair to gaze at the ceiling. “Tell me about the information that came from Housing Authority records.”

  Michelle threw a questioning look at Nathan before answering. He shook his head slightly.

  “There were invoices paid for work that wasn't done. You saw that in the reports aired,” she said.

  “And they were authentic?” Lockport's gaze travelled around the room before resting on her.

  “Definitely.” Michelle's eyes narrowed. “What are you getting at?”

  “It seems that an employee of the Housing Authority claims those invoices were faked. That you manufactured them when she told you they had been sent to archives at the district office. You--”

  “We understand if you were faced with a difficult decision, Michelle,” Lockport cut him off. “Ike Batiste almost ruined your father's business.”

  Michelle sat forward eyes blazing.”How dare you suggest I'd fake a story for revenge.” She glowered at all three men. “I based my report on solid information. Those invoices are real. They were given to me by a reliable source.”

  “Then you won't mind showing them to us.” Jason's eyebrows lifted up to his hairline.

  “No problem.” Michelle marched to the large row of cabinets along the back wall of the newsroom with them close behind. When she turned her key to unlock it, the lock turned around without making the familiar clicking sound. The mechanism was broken.

  “Well? Let's have it,” Jason said.

  “Something is wrong...” Michelle examined the cabinet. Deep Scratches on the grey paint revealed the metal beneath. She yanked the drawer out and searched frantically through file folders. “It's missing. The invoices and work orders are gone!”

  “Very convenient.” Jason's voice dripped with sarcasm.

  “Is something wrong?” Jennifer joined them.

  “I don't understand this. All of those photocopies were here with my notes.” Michelle dumped stacks of papers on the desk.

  “Are you sure that's where you left them?” Nathan sorted through several sheets in an attempt to help her.

  “Of course I'm sure. I had them, Nathan.” Michelle turned to him.

  “Let's discuss this in Jason's office.” Lockport lowered his voice and took her arm.

  “They were here! It's obvious someone, probably paid by Ike Batiste, stole those documents.” Michelle pointed to the broken lock.

  Jason grunted. “A stranger got past the security guard and, unobserved by all the staff that are constantly in here day and night, broke into one file drawer. In one of the busiest rooms in the station? Oh, come on.”

  “Sounds farfetched to me, too.”J ennifer cocked her head at Lockport.

  “Michelle, if we could just go--” Lockport tried again to guide them away from dozens of staring eyes.

  “Nathan, you believe me?” Michelle pleaded with him.

  “I uh. . .” Nathan rubbed his cheek as he looked at the file cabinet.

  “This isn't the place for such a discussion. My office, Ms. Toussaint,” Lockport commanded. Through playing the role of the empathetic boss, he stalked off down the hall.

  “Mr. Lockport, I had those photocopies,” Michelle burst out the minute his door closed behind them.

  “Then where are they? And how do you explain the employee's story?”Jason pounced before Lockport could speak.

  “A man has been murdered, my brother and his girlfriend attacked. Obviously, he or she is scared stiff.” Michelle ignored him speaking directly to Lockport.

  “Under the circumstances, I'm afraid you have to be suspended. Without proof that you had unaltered documentation that supported your story, I have no choice. You've put this station in a precarious legal position.” Lockport spoke firmly.

  “Nathan, you know I would never do such a thing.” Michelle's voice t
rembled.

  “Give us a chance to straighten this out, Toussaint. Until then, you can take time to be with your family.” Nathan put out his hand to her.

  Michelle drew back. “Thanks for nothing.”

  She left slamming the door behind her. Michelle walked back to her desk on shaky legs trying to ignore the speculative stares and whispers as she passed others. Clearly word had spread.

  Gracie sprang up to meet her before she got to her desk. “That little troll, Jason, makes me want to puke,” Gracie fumed. “You fight back, honey. With your high profile and us backing you up, we could--”

  “I'm so tired, Gracie.” Michelle threw items from within and on top of her desk into a large book bag. “Honestly, part of me is relieved.”

  “What?” Gracie's mouth flew open.

  Michelle sat down and massaged her neck. “Performing for Channel Twelve is one less thing to worry about. I haven't been doing it very well anyway.”

  “Michelle, listen to me,” Gracie kneeled down and placed a hand on her arm. “You've taken a couple of hard hits, sure. But don't just lie down. What about your career? I don't believe for one minute you don't care about that anymore. Or about LaWanda and the people who live in the projects. If you go down, so do they.”

  “What good am I to them now? My credibility is on the line.” Pulling the bag to her, Michelle started throwing things inside it again.

  “Then defend it,” Gracie said fiercely squeezing her hand.

  “I know you're right. But I can't think about anything else right now except Dom and--” Michelle choked off. Turning away, she drew on her coat.

  “Maybe a short rest would help. Go on home and think about what I said.” Gracie placed both hands on her shoulders forcing her to look up. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

  “Sure.”Michelle's eyes filled with tears. “You're a good egg, Gracie O'Hannon.” She gave her hug then left.

  Despite Gracie's advice, Michelle went straight to the hospital. She walked into the fourth floor family waiting room to find her father seated alone. His face was tired and drawn.

  “Hello, Daddy. How long have you been here?” Michelle perched on the edge of a chair across from him. She looked at him with new eyes. The man she had thought of as hard and judgmental seemed to have been her own misguided invention. What she saw was a man who had suffered a great hurt by someone he had loved and cherished. Something she now understood only too well. Michelle felt a twinge of guilt remembering her sharp criticisms of him.

  “A little over an hour,” Thomas said in a low voice raspy with fatigue.”Your mother is in with him now.”

  “You haven't had much rest. How long did you sleep?”

  “I didn't. I've been at the office working. Anything to keep busy.”

  Michelle sat next to him and put a protective arm around his shoulders. “You'll collapse if you don't get some sleep. Try, all right? Go on home for a few hours at least.”

  Thomas shook his head. “Annette was right. I've pushed Dom since he was a little kid. He's never been like you or Brian.”He smiled to himself. “A real scamp. Always pulling pranks and figuring out ways not to work. He could come up with more wild schemes to make a fast buck. Even when I was angry at him, I had to laugh.” He hung his head. “I only wanted him to grow up and make something of himself. Maybe if I'd accepted him for who he is...”

  “Don't, Daddy. Don't blame yourself.” Michelle held him tightly.

  “Your mother seems to have understood him better than I did.” Thomas swallowed hard.

  “You understood that he needed firm direction. And you were right. When he got into trouble, Mama let you be the bad guy. I didn't help by always criticizing you,” Michelle confessed.

  “Annette has never handled tough situations well.”

  “You mean she's weak.” Michelle's voice was harsh.

  Thomas frowned at her. “I've never heard you say a word against your mother. Has something happened between you two?”

  “I guess I'm still a little angry about the way she jumped on you the other day,” Michelle offered weakly.

  Thomas cupped her chin with one large hand and turned her face to his. “How much did you hear?”

  “Enough. Daddy, I'm so sorry.”

  “Mr. Toussaint.”A tall man dressed in a blue scrub suit stood in the door. He still wore a stethoscope around his neck.

  “Yes.” Thomas stood up, his eyes wide with alarm. “Dr. Frazier, is anything wrong?”

  “No, in fact we think there's reason to believe he'll be okay. And we don't think another blood transfusion is necessary. But he has a long road ahead to full recovery. Dominic will need extensive rehabilitation therapy. He's growing more responsive each day though he hasn't spoken yet. Good thing you were able to give blood. With the AIDS scare, our plasma supply is low. Especially on rare types like his and yours. The other donor was completely incompatible.”The doctor scratched his head looking at Thomas quizzically. “Why did you think--”

  “My wife panicked,” Thomas put in quickly. “How much longer will he be in intensive care?”

  “Another two days at least. But we'll want to get him started in rehab therapy soon after. Come by my office on the sixth floor later and we'll go over the details.” Dr. Frazier shook his hand before leaving.

  “You heard that? Dom is going to make it.” Thomas's eyes shone bright with joy.

  Michelle could manage to only nod she was so overwhelmed by the good news. Tears coursed down her face as they embraced. After a time, they sat together again.

  “It's past time Dom and I really got to know each other. I had to almost lose him to realize that,” Thomas said. He stared down at his hands. “I've got my son back, and I don't intend to lose him.”

  Michelle pressed her cheek to his closing her eyes. “Things are going to be just fine, Daddy.”

  Thomas drew in a deep breath composing himself again. “Toussaint and Son Electrical Contractors. How does that sound?”

  “Beautiful.”Michelle sat silent for a few minutes puzzling over something the doctor had said, or tried to before her father stopped him. “Daddy, what other donor?”

  “Humm?”

  “The doctor mentioned another donor. Who was he talking about?”

  After several moments, Thomas said, “Ike Batiste. Your mother called him thinking he could give blood to Dom.”

  “Because Dom has a rare blood type. But the doctor said...” Michelle drew a sharp breath as the significance it her. “That means Ike can't be Dom's father. Did you know?”

  “I never needed a blood test to tell me Dom is my son, Michelle. I love all of my children.” Thomas smiled as he brushed her hair with gentle strokes. “Fathering a child is more than biology.”

  Michelle took his hand and kissed it softly. “I love you, Daddy.”

  Annette had come in so silently, her voice took them both by surprise. “Thomas, you can go in now.”

  Thomas gave Michelle a little kiss on the forehead before leaving the waiting room. He walked down the hall with a new spring in his step.

  “Doctor Frazier says Dominic is coming along well considering.” Annette spoke in a faltering voice.

  “Yes, he stopped in here on his way out.” Michelle turned away from her mother to gaze out of the window.

  “This has been a terrible ordeal for us all,” Annette ventured.

  “True.”

  “But now everything will be better.”

  “You think so?” Michelle's tone was cold and unyielding.

  “Dominic is our son. Now that Thomas knows that--”Annette began.

  “Daddy has always known Dominic is his son, Mama,” Michelle said sharply. “He was hard on Dominic because he wanted him to be a better person, not because he thought Dom was Ike's son.”

  “So, you've decided to be on his side,” Annette whined. “You're more like your father than I thought. One mistake and I'm branded for life as a cheat.”

  “I could forgive
you easily for one bad judgment, Mama. But you've lied to me for years.” Michelle turned to her mother. “You portrayed Daddy as being an insensitive brute who enjoyed trampling on your self-esteem. How could you use me like that?”

  “Thomas threw himself into work and put everything else ahead of me. I was so lonely. Instead of understanding how he'd contributed to what happened, he placed all the blame on me!” Annette twisted her hands in her lap.

  Michelle's eyes were hard as rock causing Annette to shrink from her. “At least Daddy never tried to turn me against you, Mama.” She moved to the other side of the room as Annette began to cry softly.

  Brian rushed into the room followed by a frightened T'aneka. “What's wrong? Has something happened?”

  “Oh no,” T'aneka cried.

  “Dom's going to be okay.” Michelle hurried to reassure them. “Doctor Frazier says he's getting better all the time.”

  “Then why are you so upset?” Brian went to Annette. She only shook her head and looked away. “Dad, what's going on?” He looked up as Thomas came back in.

  “T'aneka, Dominic is actually moving his hands now. You go in to visit him. The nurse won't mind.” Thomas smiled at the young woman. He led her down the hall then returned. “I'll take your mother home. She's overwrought.” He gently guided Annette out towards the elevator.

  “Michelle, what is going on? I f Dom is going to be okay, why is Mama crying?” Brian watched his mother move away with slumped shoulders.

  Michelle took his hand and led him to a seat.”Brian, this is going to be a big blow, but well...”

  “What?”

  “Mama had an affair with Ike Batiste, and Dom was born nine months later. All this time Daddy thought Dom was Ike's son, but now it turns out he's not.” Michelle rubbed his shoulder to ease the blow of such terrible news.”I know what a shock this must be.”

  Brian eyed her for a few moments. “So you finally find out.”

  Michelle wore a stunned expression. “You knew? Why didn't you tell me?”

  “I only heard it as ugly gossip about fifteen years ago. It's not the kind of thing you tell your eleven year old sister, you know. Dom was my little brother regardless. Besides, Dad never treated him differently than he treated me. He was tough on both of us.” Brian shook his head.