The Real Housewives of Adverse City 2 Read online

  The Real Housewives of Adverse City 2

  Shelia E. Bell

  © 2017

  Published by Shelia E. Bell at Smashwords

  Smashwords Edition License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced mechanically, electronically, or by any other means without prior consent of the publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people living or dead, or to real locales are intended are to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is purely coincidental

  Cover designed by The Final Wrap - Thefinalwrap.com

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  What Others Say About Books by Shelia E. Bell

  “Shelia E. Bell (Lipsey) is one of the few authors who sets my heart to blaze with her writing. Her writing is intense, complex, unforgettable and most of all, needed in the world today. Shelia's novels have everything Christian fiction novels need: brilliant plots, timely conversations, and faith building passages! Keep your eyes on Shelia E. Lipsey...she is definitely a legend in the making.” --- Ella Curry, president of EDC Creations. Publisher of Black Pearls Magazine. Based on novels Beautiful Ugly and My Son's Wife

  By Sherri Gregory ,“The Real Housewives of Adverse City) Shelia, you have done it again, your writing style, storyline and great details as always is above and beyond . From page one to the end, I was talking to myself and turning the page to see what are they going to do next? I got into each character individually and as couples, the drama and life situations are here and there is a lot! Everybody has a separate journey, and I can't wait to see how they handle this. Shelia, please come on with the next book. I can't give anything away (as bad as I want to, especially Pastor Carlton Porter- he is all over the place and he is spreading more than the gospel around). but I can tell you this please get your copy, I'm telling everybody I know this is a must read, you will enjoy.

  The Life of Payne by Shelia E. Bell This book was clearly a tall tale of struggle, Payne and how much can one endure the hardships from as close as a family member as your mother. No matter what the main character did to earn her love, he still was pushed away. Sadly, this fictional story is all too real for many individuals that have family members that are addicted to drugs or just blatantly lost their way. Shelia Bell knows how to flesh out the most from her characters so that she can deliver the best to her readers. Superb job, looking forward to reading more from this author. Amazon Reviewed by Michael D. Beckford, Author of "Little Black Bird"

  “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.” Barbara Johnson

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Words from the Author

  Chapter 1

  “Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.” Nicole Sobon

  Meesha and her oldest sister, Geena, talked while she finished packing for her and the boys return trip to Adverse City. She'd been at Geena's house for the past two weeks which proved to be quite therapeutic.

  Initially, she thought about not telling her sister anything about what had transpired, but with social media these days that was impossible. News about Carlton, Peyton, and now a dead Breyonna was still trending.

  "I hope you at least think about some of what I said. Sometimes things aren't always as they seem, Meesha. Don't get me wrong. From what you told me, I see why you needed to get away, but by the same token, I think you should look at it from Carlton's view too."

  "I don't see why I should look at it from Carlton's view. Nothing that man has said or done lately makes sense. I thought we had something special, Geena. I thought he really loved me. To find out that he's had a baby with Peyton; it's just too much."

  "Girl, that was fifteen years ago. I'm not excusing what he did, but you all were freshly married, new in your relationship, and people mess up. I'm sorry to have to tell you that no one is perfect. But something inside of me tells me that Carlton is not all bad. I just think he made some bad choices."

  Meesha stopped packing and sat down on the edge of the bed, holding one of her son's shirts in her hand. As she toyed with the shirt, she looked at her sister. "I want to believe that he's one of the good guys, I really do, but his actions say otherwise."

  "Like I said, that boy is half grown. And I think you should listen to Peyton. If she says they didn't sleep together, then accept that. Dang, why is it so hard to believe that she adopted the boy?"

  "It's hard to know what to believe. Seems like everyone has a lie on their lips these days. I don't know what to do and I don't know who to believe."

  "It's horrible that that woman, Breyonna, who claimed she was Liam's mother, is dead. But the thing is, she never said anything about Peyton and Carlton sleeping together. She supposedly claimed the boy as her biological son. So why are you so upset? And why would Carlton just accept that woman's word that the boy is his son anyway? I don't care what kind of birthmark he has or how much he looks like Carlton; I would demand he take a DNA test. Are you crazy or what? Have you not seen Maury?"

  Meesha jumped up off the bed and slung the shirt aside. "At the end of the day, Carlton betrayed me and so did Peyton. We're talking about my husband and one of my closest friends, Geena. Ugh, I can't believe you're on their side."

  "I never said I was on anybody’s side. All I want you to see is that things aren't just one sided here. You're angry, you're hurt, and you're pregnant, so everything is out of whack right now. You're not thinking rationally. What you need to be doing is praying about this whole situation. You're a woman of God. Where is your faith? I mean, look at all the times I've had to lean on you for some down to earth, Godly advice. I can rely on you to tell me the truth, even if it hurts. Well, I'm here to do the same for you. I just want you to open your eyes, think about this thing for a minute. That's all."

  Meesha sat back down on the bed calmly. "I know, and I'm sorry. It's just that I wanted a forever kind of relationship and marriage. Now I'm pregnant with my fifth child by a man who wants out. It's just too much to handle right now. And how can I accept that boy if it turns out that he really is Carlton's son. Then again, I guess I wouldn’t have to accept him since Carlton wants a divorce," Meesha said sadly.

  "You’re not going to get me to believe that Carlton really wants a divorce. I don’t care what he says or how many times he’s said it. It’s probably be
cause of all this drama. He was scared that you were going to leave him. You know how some men are, they run scared at the first sign of trouble. Anyway, you can do this. Just rely on God and your faith. Go back to Adverse City and face your problems. Everything is going to turn out the way that it should. You'll see," Geena said with conviction in her voice, hoping she was giving her sister good advice.

  Geena finished helping Meesha pack and then proceeded to take her and the boys to the airport.

  "It was good seeing you and spending time with you and my nephews," Geena told her sister before exiting the car.

  "The same here. I wish it had been more for pleasure than me needing an escape though."

  "I'm just glad you know that I have your back. That's what family should be about. You know to call me if you need me."

  "Yeah, I know, thanks." Meesha opened the door and got out of the car. "Boys, give your Aunt Geena a hug then help me get this luggage out of the trunk."

  The four boys did as they were told. Meesha waved her last goodbye to her sister, sucked in her breath, and walked toward their gate.

  "Time to face the piper," she said underneath her breath. "Come on, boys."

  Chapter 2

  “The wheel of change moves on, and those who were down go up and those who were up go down.” Jawaharlal Nehru

  While Meesha and the boys were on their way back to Adverse City, Carlton made a call to Peyton to check on how things were going between Derek and their son, Liam. She hated that Derek left her when he discovered everything she told him about adopting Liam was a lie. Liam was hurt by the lies, too, and was glad to go with the man he recognized as his father. Both father and son had enough of Peyton's drinking binges and her out of control behavior. But her bed of deceit and lies was the straw that broke the camel's back."

  "Have you talked to either one of them at all?" Carlton asked Peyton on the phone.

  "I talked to Liam for a few minutes yesterday. He was still distant and short with me. I think Derek is poisoning his mind."

  "I doubt that. Liam is a teenager, Peyton. It's hard to tell what they think and feel. But to be honest, he is a bright young man. I don't think Derek is saying anything to make him feel any type of way toward you. Derek is a good guy. No matter what's happening between the two of you, and even if it does involve Liam, Derek is not going to bad mouth you to his son. You're the boy's mother, and I don't care if that's biological or not."

  "Thanks, Carlton. I know you're going through your own drama, so for you to take time to check on me means a lot."

  "I'm not just your friend, Peyton; I'm your spiritual leader, your pastor. It's what I'm supposed to do."

  "Any word from Meesha?"

  "Nope, but CJ texted me this morning and told me they would be home later today.”

  Eleven year old, CJ was the oldest of the Porter boys. Most of the time rather than call him by his name, which was Carlton, Jr. everyone called him CJ. The other three boys were eight-year-old Marlon, seven-year old Malik, and five-year old Micah.

  “Umm, so he did, huh. Bet he’s eager to get home so he can be with his friends,” Peyton said.

  “Maybe, but I bet Meesha told him to do it so she wouldn’t have to talk to me directly. You know it really wasn't about her going to see Geena. I think her intent was to leave me. That's all to it. And I can't say I blame her."

  "I wouldn't say she left you, Carlton or else she and the boys wouldn’t be coming home. I think she just needed some time to gather her thoughts. I mean, so much has been going on in all of our lives lately and sometimes it gets a bit much. And you seem to forget that you did tell her more times than not that you wanted a divorce. Come on now,” Peyton reminded. “Let’s be for real.”

  “I had my reasons,” Carlton said somberly.

  “Whatever your reasons then that’s on you, but I wish that she would hear me out though about you and me. I can't get her to listen long enough for me explain everything that went down with Liam."

  "She doesn't want to hear any of it right now. I'm like you, but what can I say? You’re right, I've been barking down her throat for the past couple of months about wanting a divorce. Then Breyonna shows up and throws the past up in both of our faces, and suddenly all our lives are screwed up."

  "I know it's harsh of me to say, but Breyonna got what she deserved. I don't want to say that anyone deserves to be killed, but I'm telling you, Carlton, it's hard for me to feel bad about her being dead. She set out to destroy not just you and me, but she hurt her own son in the process. Why couldn't she see that some things are better left unsaid."

  Peyton walked around the circumference of her bedroom, holding her iPhone to her ear while talking to Carlton. She wanted a shot of vodka so badly, but fought against the urge. She had promised herself that she would lay off the liquor for a while. Not that she believed she had a problem, but because Derek didn't like her drinking and neither did Liam. It had only been a couple of days since her last drink, but she missed it. Drinking was her mode of relaxation. Some folks liked to smoke cigarettes, some liked to smoke weed, and some liked to eat or whatever. Her vice was enjoying a shot or two or three of vodka, kick back, read a book, and chill. What was so wrong with that?

  "I don't want to say that she got what she deserved. But what I will say is that I'm glad this is over and we can start to try to rebuild from this point forward. I think you should sit down and tell Liam the truth, and Derek too, of course. Reassure him that you love him and that you did what you thought was best at the time. That's all you can do, Peyton. Just be transparent. You know what I mean?"

  "Yeah, I know what you mean, to a certain extent, but we still have some explaining to do. Liam needs to know what your intentions are now as his biological father. All he knows is what the media has spilled, and you know how they over inflate everything they report. I think we need to sit down with him and listen to his feelings about all of this. It would be good if you took some of your own advice, too."

  "Now I'm lost," Carlton said. "What are you talking about take some of my own advice?"

  "I'm talking about you and this divorce crap. Breyonna is dead. Everybody knows now thanks to social media about the situation with Liam, you, and me, so you don't have a reason anymore to divorce Meesha. The two of you are meant for each other. She's the mother of your children, the first lady of Perfecting Your Faith, your rock. You two have been through some times far worse than this, Carlton. But for you to say that you wanted a divorce is wild. When Meesha first told me I was flabbergasted. I thought you had to be losing it or something." Peyton released a light hearted chuckle into the phone.

  Carlton sat behind the desk at Perfecting Your Faith while he sipped on a cup of coffee and chatted with Peyton. If only she knew that it wasn't all because of the secrets about Liam, it was way bigger and it was also because he was feeling someone else. That someone else was Avery Mitchelson. But, strangely the more the dust began to settle about the Liam situation, and now that the boy's birth mother, Breyonna, was dead, things were beginning to feel different for Carlton. Being inside a 5,000 square foot house all alone, without his wife and his sons, gave him reason to pause and think about what he really wanted. He definitely wanted to be a man pleasing to God. Within, he knew he hadn't been acting as such. The mere fact that he had been less than the man he felt God desired and chose him to be was evident. He possibly had a son who was born out of his lust for other women and drugs during the time. Breyonna was the snake that came back to bite him for his adulterous, cheating ways. Now he was involved with his wife's good friend, Avery. He cared deeply for her. His life felt like one big routine and Avery added a spark to it. But God wasn't in agreement with his actions, that much Carlton knew.

  "I have a lot to think about and so do you."

  "Yeah, we do. I want my husband and son back. I want my life back, Carlton."

  "I know, but like you told me, things will work themselves out. Some way, somehow. Anyway, I have a lot to get done today. I'
ll talk to you later."

  "Yeah, me too. Talk to you later, and think about what I said."

  They ended their call and Carlton laid his phone down on his desk, clasped his hands together and prayed. "I need you, Father God. I've messed up so much. My family is gone. My wife is unhappy and I'm unhappy. I don't know what to do. There's a teenage kid that may be my son. A woman is dead indirectly because of stupid decisions I've made. I ask you for wisdom."

  A knock on his door interrupted his prayerful petition. "Come in," he said.

  "Hey, what's up, bro?" It was Kingston, one of Carlton's three brothers.

  Carlton had three brothers and one sister. Two of his brothers, Kingston and Martin, lived nearby in Miami and worked in the ministry at Perfecting Your Faith. His youngest brother and his sister lived in Nashville where his sister was a pastor and his brother worked in the ministry with her. He and his siblings had grown up in the church and were involved in the ministry in some shape or fashion. His father was a retired preacher and his mother a retired Sunday School teacher and public school educator. It had hurt them to hear the trouble their son had gotten himself in. Carlton hated that he had embarrassed his family and caused such havoc.

  "What’s up, Kingston?"

  "I just came to stick my head in and check up on you. Any word from Meesha and the boys?" Kingston asked and stepped further into Carlton's office.

  "Not a word from her, but CJ texted me and said they would be home later today."

  "Have you tried calling her?"

  "To be honest, no, I haven't."

  Kingston took the liberty and sat down in the chair in front of Carlton's desk, crossed his legs, glanced at his cell phone and then focused back on Carlton.