At around 11 AM, I'm already making my way back to my hotel, with Jacque following just behind me. In order for my plan to work, we can't be together, so Jacque is waiting for the next ride after I got on the first. I do my best to not lose my composure, because even after all my mother has done to me, I have empathy. For reasons I can't comprehend but, I know in my heart I'm not as evil as my mother. I remind myself on the train ride to my hotel in Manhattan, that I am not a monster simply because this plan I've curated will destroy everything my mother worked for; in the simplest terms, I'm giving her a taste of her own bitter medicine.
Knowing fully well that my mother panics at everything she thinks and believes, I called her just after going over the plan with Jacque. Doing my best to sound cool and collected, even though all I wanted to do was scream and yell at her, I gave her no incentive to believe I was on to her. But knowing my mother, I keep my guard up and still remain aware of any mistakes I could make.
Upon my arrival back to my hotel, I'm greeted by the doorman, who looks like he's ready to collect social security, and I simply smile at him.
"Uh, Miss?" the doorman calls to me before I can make my way to the elevator.
"Yes?" I ask very softly.
"There's a man waiting for you in the lobby, he claimed he knew you and wanted to speak with you, so, as per our policy, I asked him politely to wait for you in the lobby," the doorman explains, and I was expecting Lawrence to be late, as usual. I thank the doorman and make my way to the lobby. To my surprise, it's not Lawrence.
"Hey sweetness," Grant gets up from his seat and leans in to kiss my cheek. I don't push him away since he surprised me without even calling me first, and this angers me more than everything Jacque has already told me, which plays in my mind as soon as he kisses my cheek.
"Grant has old friends at my Magazine company, they were the ones who informed me he was bragging about a 'hot little number' he's been aching to lay."
I gently push him away, trying my best not to get angry. I need to choose my words carefully, even though I know Jacque wants me to end it with him, I know I can't because it will disrupt the plan. For all I know, Grant might be reporting anything I do back to my mother. So, Jacque agreed that we will let this all blow up in Grants' face.
"H-hey, why are you here?" I ask a little too shakily.
"I flew in last night, remember? I wanted to see you before going back to work, and I was hoping we could have lunch together?" Grant asks so sweetly, it's hard to believe he really said those awful things about me.
"U-uh, a-actually, I can't," I interrupt before he tries to hold my hand, "I have a meeting with someone in a few minutes and it's really important, so-"
"Then maybe after the meeting, you need to take a lunch at some point today, right?" Grant says a little more like a kid trying to play hooky. I contemplate on it for a while and very stiffly agree.
"Sure, um, I'll give you a call as soon as I'm done with the meeting, okay?" I say with a high pitched voice, I sound very stressed and this alarms Grant.
"What's wrong? Is it a 'big wig' or something? I can talk to them, maybe I know them-?"
"Grant! It's fine, I'm just surprised you showed up without calling me, I have a lot to do on this trip, so-" I explain trying my best to not sound angry. Grant sticks his hands in his pockets and pouts his lip, initiating a kiss, but I hold his chest firmly, even though I know I can't do anything to spoil my plan, I can't kiss another man knowing my husband is just outside the hotel. "Grant, please, I'm really stressed and I need to get some things together before they get here."
Grant sighs before looking into my eyes and holding my chin up to his lips. Before I can push him away, he plants his lips on mine, the coldest kiss I've ever gotten from him, and it raises my suspicions. I simply stand in awe that he didn't really have feeling in his kiss.
"Just call me after then, okay?" Grant says, and I nod. He carries on and walks out the lobby. I only hope Jacque didn't see anything. At that moment I get a text message on my phone, and reach in to my purse to check. It's from Jacque and he says he's going to kill Grant, my heart drops and I feel terrible. I hope he can forgive me, since I didn't kiss him back. I look out the window and see Jacque eyeing me from the street shaking his head in disapproval. So, I call him.
"I'm just trying to understand, why did you kiss him?" Jacque immediately says after the first ring.
"I didn't, he kissed me, and I tried to push him away, but he's like that, he tries to be romantic and-" I try to explain, but I'm interrupted.
"Him? Romantic? Just know after this is over, I'm giving him a memorable shiner," Jacque says in utter frustration and I know he is only expressing himself. I hope he doesn't actually punch Grant in the face. "Anyway, heads up, I see my bother making his way towards the hotel."
Jacque hangs up, and I still feel terrible, but I have to straighten out my mixed feelings about the whole situation so that I can be prepared for Lawrence. I turn back towards the lobby entrance and find my old brother-in-law standing before me, dressed in a suit and looking nothing like how I remembered. Jacque didn't mention his brother doing well or badly when we spoke last night, but he is clean shaven, well dressed, and his posture is better, too. I simply stare at him, expecting him to say something.
"Nattie!" He calls while waving his left hand to greet me.
"Dammit, Lawrence, I've told you not to call me that, just Natalie!" I shout as if not a day has gone by since I last saw him crashing on our couch.
"Ahh, I know, but it's been so long, I just wanted to see your reaction again," Lawrence answers with an arrogant smirk, "So, what did you want to talk about Big Sis?"
We take a seat in the lobby, since I don't trust Lawrence after everything that's happened, I'd rather have Jacque on stand by in case anything happens. I pull out my phone and pretend I'm looking through messages, but hit the recording app and start recording, placing my phone down on the coffee table in front of us. Lawrence doesn't seem very bothered by the fact that I may or may not have discovered his brother is still alive, and for the time being, I wish to keep it that way.
"I'm living in Paris now, and even seeing someone new, but I came here on a business trip and came across someone with the same name as my deceased husband. But what I want to know is: how did you know I was in town and looking for Jacque?" I begin, and Lawrence starts fidgeting in his seat, a trait very similar to Jacque's, except he only does it when I kiss him in public.
"Well, you know I got myself cleaned up, and even got myself a ride, it's so slick Sis, even you'd be impressed, it's-" I have to cut him off before he drifts away from the question.
"Lawrence? Please, I'm on borrowed time here," I insist, and Lawrence straightens himself in the chair.
"Of course, sorry," Lawrence now seems more serious, and crosses his legs, "I won't get side tracked this time Big Sis, go ahead."
"How did you know I was in town and how did you know I was looking for Jacque?" I ask again more sternly in my voice this time. Lawrence looks down for a moment then takes a deep breath.
"You know already don't you?" Lawrence asks this as if he is getting ready to run. I'm tense now because I'm not entirely sure what he means when he asks me this. I continue to play dumb and stare at him quizzically.
"I 'know what' already?" I ask him as calmly as I can because I don't want him to run away just yet.
"How did you find out about his doppelganger?" Lawrence asks while intertwining his fingers across his lap. I take a deep breath and exhale calmly before answering.
"I'm here on business, and I was asked to contact BabyDoll magazine to help showcase their spring collection with our models," I repeat the lie that I told my mother and Grant, "So, to my surprise I find out the proprietors name and story is so similar to that of my husband, so how did you find out I was in town looking for him?"
"Well, I just want to be sure, did you find Jacque's doppelganger, cuz if so, I can-" Lawrence begins to explain but I feel I need to cut him off this time.
"Please, just answer the question?" I forcibly press, and Lawrence is looking down guiltily.
"Your Mom, and I mean Jacky wasn't kidding when he told me, but your Mom is a really crazy lady," Lawrence says, and my heart goes down a windward spiral of emotions. I already knew what to expect before coming here to meet him, but to actually confirm it felt so good.
"She paid you, didn't she?" I ask while it is still quiet enough for Lawrence to not go off on a tangent. He simply nods, and I get irritated because I need a vocal answer from him so that the recorder catches it.
"How much did she pay you?" I cleverly try to confirm his answer, and Lawrence looks at me suspiciously.
"You recording this convo right now? You know that's illegal without my permission right?" Lawrence tries to turn the tables on me, so I tug on my ear, signaling Jacque to come in and interfere.
"Lawrence, I don't want to get you involved in this, and I promise I won't but I really need the truth," I explain as calmly as I can but Lawrence has already gotten up and buttoned his coat.
"Nah, Sis, I'm clean now, I don't want anymore trouble," Lawrence prepares to leave but turns to face his brother. Jacque stands there, angrily and ready to start throwing punches, but simply stares Lawrence back down into his seat.
"Shit," Lawrence says before pinching the bridge of his nose, "You both set me up."
"That's funny coming from you," Jacque retorts while maintaining his stance, firmly standing in front of Lawrence to make sure he doesn't run away, "You not only betrayed our family, but you took money from that hag, I mean, why'd you do it?"
"It didn't start like that, okay?" Lawrence tries to defend himself, but Jacque kicks his chair, alerting some security to come and check on us. I gently pull Jacque's arm and quietly tell him to calm down. After we tell security it's just a family issue, they tell us to keep it down or we'll have to leave. So, Jacque takes a deep breath and grabs another chair closer to Lawrence since he is sure his brother will undoubtedly take the opportunity to run away.
"Speak, now," Jacque commands his brother like a judge in a courtroom. Lawrence is nervous and loosens his tie around his neck before licking his lips to speak.
"After the accident I got a call from Ma, telling me to rush to the hospital you were at and check in with her, since I was close by, well," Lawrence leans forward with fingers crossed and gestures to me, "When I got there, this rich looking lady was outside your room," Lawrence looks up at me and then looks down, "She said she was Natalie's mom, and she wanted to protect you because you had the seizures and stuff, so I said I knew that and I had to get back to my brother and let him know you were alive and about the mix up with the hospitals and then she made me an offer.
"My claim that you were dead to each other and $500,000 to keep it that way, and you both know I was in a hell of a bind at that time, and I couldn't refuse, so I took it," Lawrence explains this shamelessly yet with so much guilt, it made perfect sense to bribe someone like him, and my mother more than likely planned it all. The car accident was not an accident and I still remember the detective who came to ask me questions about it since there was no one at the scene to claim the car that crashed into us that night.
"Did you know all this from the beginning? Did she tell you anything else?" I ask, desperately needing to know all the answers. Lawrence simply shakes his head, and I can't accept it. Before I can press him to give me more details, Jacque is looking at him angrily.
"You really think I'm gonna let you just act like nothing has happened?" Jacque asks his brother who looks afraid to answer. "After everything that Mom and I did for you, this is how I get repaid? Betrayal?" Jacque says so calmly, it reminds me of the calm before the storm, and like a flash of lighting, Jacque grabs Lawrence by his collar and lifts him up, alerting security again. I pull Jacque by his arms and plead to let his brother go. Jacque never looks at me, not once, and instead is staring intently at his brother, almost ready to throw him across the room, but let's him go, and walks off to the exit before security has a chance to say anything to him.
"Even though this is finally coming to light," Lawrence begins to ask, as I gather my things and prepare to go after Jacque, "What can you do now that your Ma is in another country?"
"Lawrence, if you can help me, I think we can bring my mother down, but this can only work if we do it together," I answer as I close the recording app on my phone. Lawrence flattens his coat and tries to press the wrinkles on his shirt, then sighs.
"I've felt guilty about it these last three years, but I knew if I went back on my deal with your Ma, she'd do something scary to get me into trouble or something, I know it means nothing now, but I am sorry," Lawrence shows some feeling of remorse, and I want to believe him but, only if he helps me.
"Help me, and I'll forgive you," I almost demand, but after a few moments of thought, Lawrence nods in agreement.
"Whatever I can do to help, I'll do it."