Pamela Yaye - Escape to Paradise

“I’m sure, and if you finish within the hour, I’ll give you a very generous tip.” Claudia patted her purse as if it was stuffed with hundred-dollar bills. “Please hurry, I’m in a rush.”

That was all it took.

Forty-five minutes later, Claudia sailed out of the beauty salon feeling like a younger, trendier version of her thirty-year-old self. Angled bangs fell dramatically across her right eye, thick layers kissed the tips of her ears and the sleek, black hue gave her a bold, bad-girl edge.

Touching her fingertips to the nape of her neck, Claudia wondered if she’d ever get used to the chic, no-fuss do. Unrecognizable now, she loved the anonymity that her new look provided and planned to use it to her advantage. That was why she was making a run for it while she still had the chance.

With fast, quick steps, she hustled down the alley, toward the city center. Another block and she’d be in the clear, home free. But instead of shooting across the intersection, she paused at the top of her street.

Reporters, clutching coffee cups and microphones, were camped out on her lawn like a bunch of well-dressed vultures. They were peering into her windows and trampling through her garden to set up camera equipment. Spotting her favorite reporter—a woman who took on only the meatiest news stories—reminded Claudia of just how serious the situation was. Anger welled up inside her, but she swallowed hard and gathered herself. Claudia never imagined that she’d be the lead story on the evening news, and as she considered the events of the last two weeks she cursed the day she’d laid eyes on William Prescott III.

Shivering like a naked woman sleeping on a park bench, Claudia stuck her hands into her pockets and resumed walking, her thoughts on the man she’d been married to for the better part of a decade. Disgust churned in her stomach at the thought of her heartless ex-husband.

The night they met played in Claudia’s mind like a movie on the big screen. When William Prescott, CEO of the largest investment firm in the South, approached her at a bar mitzvah she’d been hired to plan, Claudia wasn’t sure what to make of him. The suave, brown-eyed businessman had a reputation with the ladies, and after he introduced himself she could see why. He was forward, the type of guy who wouldn’t take no for an answer, and although he was too aggressive for her tastes, she admired his self-confidence. He was ten years her senior, but after dating a string of immature boys, she welcomed being with a strong, take-charge man. Dating a man of William’s stature opened doors for her, and when they married after a brief, whirlwind courtship, the city’s elite had come calling.

Her event-planning business, Signature Party Planners, took off like a rocket, netting six-figure profits that year, but her life was far from perfect.

Shaking off bitter memories, she turned onto Atwell Avenue. Anxious to put more distance between herself and the media hounds, Claudia hustled across the street as if her life depended on it. And it did. The sooner she got out of Richmond the better.

A black Honda Civic with personalized plates was idling at the curb. Her heart pounded, beating strong and fast. Approaching the car, she glanced cautiously over her shoulder. Claudia didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t mean no one was watching. Opening the back door, she slipped inside and dropped her bags at her feet.

“You weren’t kidding about wanting a drastic change,” Maxine said, turning around to face her. “I almost didn’t recognize you! Cutting your hair short was a good move, sis.”

“Let’s get going. I don’t want to attract any attention.”

A scowl pinched her scarlet-red lips. Ghetto chic, and proud of it, her older sister could give an exotic dancer half her age a serious run for her money. “This is not a shuttle service and I’m certainly not a cabbie, so get up front.”

“Just drive. I’ll explain later.”

“I don’t even know where we’re going.”

“The airport.”

“The airport!” she yelled, her eyes shooting out of her head. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not sure yet. I just need to get out of town.” Peering outside the window, she clicked on her seat belt and slid down in her seat. “Someone might be tailing us, so be on guard. Reporters are very crafty, and they’ll do just about anything to get a story.”

“You’ve been watching too much TMZ!” Laughing, Maxine put the car in Drive and joined the light, early-morning traffic. “Are the reporters still camped outside of your house?”

“There were more pulling up as I left.”

“Keep your chin up, sis. I know the last few weeks have been tough, but hang in there.”

“‘Tough’ is an understatement. Since the arrest my life has become a living hell.”

“Oh, come on. Things aren’t that bad.”

“You’re right. They’re worse.” To keep from having another breakdown, Claudia slowly drew air in and out of her lungs.

How could something like this happen to someone like me? she wondered, fighting back tears. She’d done everything the right way. Gone to university. Graduated with honors. Worked tirelessly to build her event-planning business. But it was her desire to have a family of her own that had been her downfall. And so she’d overlooked William’s selfish ways and stayed in the marriage as long as she did. “I woke up this morning thinking the last few days were a bad dream, but then the phone started ringing and I remembered how many lives William destroyed, how many people he’s hurt.”

“Is that why you called and asked me to meet you here?”

Afraid she’d dissolve into tears if she spoke, she nodded in response.

“The story will die down before you know it.” Maxine watched her kid sister in the rearview mirror. “You’ve been through far worse and survived, so try not to stress.”

Claudia drew strength from her sister’s words. She’d come a long way, overcome insurmountable odds. It was a miracle she’d made it out of Lynchburg’s eight-block housing project in one piece, but despite all the hard times, she knew growing up in the hood had made her who she was today—a tough, hard-nosed woman who wasn’t afraid to fight.

If that’s true, her conscience challenged, then why are you running away?

Because what happened last night terrified me.

“I thought I was strong enough to handle all of the media attention,” she began, shuddering at the thought of what had taken place twenty-four hours earlier, “but it’s become too much. The prank calls, the cruel stares I get whenever I’m out in public.”

“The chatter will die down before you know it.”

Claudia wasn’t so confident. Not after everything that had happened since her ex-husband’s arrest. Her mind slipped back to two weeks earlier, to the day her peaceful, uneventful life took a turn for the worst. She woke up that morning with a smile on her face, a song in her heart and a reason to celebrate. Finally, after months of William’s bitching and complaining, their divorce was final. He was gone, out of her life forever.

Or so she thought.

Shaking her head, she remembered the exact moment her world came crashing down around her. The phone rang, and a husky voice on the other end asked her to comment on William’s arrest. Claudia hung up the phone. It had to be a prank call. A bunch of bored suburban kids who had nothing better to do than play phone games. But the calls kept coming. The Wall Street Journal. Newsday. Her friends and associates. It seemed everyone knew the details of the case except her.

Their questions were harsh, probing. And filled in the missing pieces of the puzzle. Her ex-husband and three of his business partners had been indicted on eight counts of corporate fraud. Logging on to the computer confirmed it, and the pounding in her head—that started seconds after the first phone call—quickly infected the rest of her body. The whole city was talking about the collapse of Qwest Capital Investments, and Claudia couldn’t turn on the television without seeing another interview with a teary, shell-shocked investor. Her heart went out to each and every one of them, from the retired naval officer to the school superintendent.