Chapter 5: The Woman Who Signed Her Name
Tiana read the email three times.
The person who submitted the guarantor information was not Jaylen Brooks.
She sat perfectly still while her mother leaned over her shoulder.
“What does that mean?”” Denise asked.
“I don't know.””
“Call the man back.””
Tiana pressed the number in the email.
Carter answered almost immediately.
“Ms. Brooks. Thank you for calling.””
“You said Jaylen wasn't the person who submitted the information.””
“That's correct.””
“Who was?””
Carter hesitated.
“I need to be careful about what I share. I've reviewed the security footage from the day the paperwork was submitted. Jaylen was here, but someone else completed the secondary-contact form.””
“Who?””
“I can tell you it was a woman.””
Tiana's mouth went dry.
“Did she give you my name?””
“Yes.””
“Did she sign it?””
“Yes.””
“Did she have identification?””
“She presented a driver's license.””
Tiana gripped the phone.
“Whose driver's license?””
“I'm not comfortable discussing another customer's identification over the phone.””
“Then tell me how I can get the records I need.””
“Come in with identification, and I'll show you the document containing your information. If you believe a crime has occurred, you can contact the appropriate authorities.””
Tiana thanked him and ended the call.
Her mother stared at her.
“A woman?””
Tiana nodded.
“Who would do something like that?””
There were several possibilities.
Jaylen had female friends. He had dated other women since their separation. He had a cousin who sometimes helped him with errands.
But none of those people had any reason to sign Tiana's name.
Unless Jaylen had asked them to.
Unless someone believed the lie he had told.
Unless the person who signed the document thought she was helping him.
Tiana opened her messages and found the unknown number.
She called Keisha again.
“Do you know who filled out the paperwork for Jaylen?””
“I don't know for certain,” Keisha replied.
“But I saw a woman with him that day.””
“What did she look like?””
“Tall. Long braids. Pink jacket. She was carrying a black purse.””
Tiana's heart sank.
She knew exactly who that was.
Nia.
Jaylen's girlfriend.
They had been together for about eight months, though Jaylen rarely acknowledged the relationship around Tiana. Nia was in her late twenties, stylish, outgoing, and very active on social media.
She often posted pictures of Jaylen's car, their dinners, and the gifts he bought her.
Tiana had never cared who Jaylen dated.
She had one condition: whoever entered Amara's life had to understand that the child came first.
She had hoped Nia would be a positive influence.
Now she wondered whether Nia even knew what she had done.
“I think I know who it was,” Tiana said.
Keisha went quiet.
“Please don't confront her without the documents,” she advised.
“I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but if there's a problem, keep records.””
“I will.””
After the call, Tiana went to her car.
Her mother followed her to the front door.
“Where are you going?””
“To the shop.””
“Do you want me to come?””
Tiana considered it.
Then she nodded.
“Yes. I don't want to do this alone.””
They drove across town, passing a row of small businesses and a gas station where men stood talking beside their trucks.
Carter Custom Wheels occupied a large storefront with polished rims displayed behind glass.
Tiana parked near the entrance.
For a moment, she sat with her hands resting on the steering wheel.
She thought of Amara.
Her daughter was spending the afternoon with a neighbor while Tiana tried to untangle the mess Jaylen had created. She would have preferred to spend the day helping Amara choose her shoes, listening to her stories, and reminding her that she never needed to feel guilty for needing things.
Instead, she was about to walk into a shop and confront evidence that someone had forged her name.
Denise touched her shoulder.
“Ready?””
“No,” Tiana admitted.
Her mother squeezed her hand.
“Let's go anyway.””
Inside, the shop smelled of rubber, metal, and cleaning solution. A man in a black polo stood behind the counter.
“Ms. Brooks?””
“Yes.””
“I'm Carter.””
He shook her hand and led her to a small office.
A computer sat on the desk beside a stack of invoices. On the wall hung photographs of customized cars, their wheels gleaming beneath studio lights.
Carter opened a folder.
“This is the paperwork we discussed.””
Tiana leaned forward.
The document contained her full name, address, and phone number. The signature at the bottom was still there.
She pointed to it.
“That's not my signature.””
“I understand.””
“Did the woman say she was me?””
Carter shook his head.
“She said she was submitting the information with your permission.””
“Did she call me?””
“No.””
“Did anyone verify the guarantee?””
“Not by speaking with you, no. We accepted the information provided.””
Tiana looked at him.
“So you accepted a financial guarantee from someone who wasn't me, without contacting me?””
Carter shifted in his chair.
“Our procedures should have been more thorough.””
“Should have been?””
“Ms. Brooks, I'm not trying to dismiss your concerns. I'm telling you what happened.””
He turned the computer slightly.
“This is the purchase record. Jaylen bought the rims, paid a deposit, and agreed to settle the remaining balance by Monday. The secondary-contact form was submitted during the same visit.””
“Can I see the security footage?””
Carter hesitated.
“I can show you the relevant portion.””
He clicked through several files before opening a video.
The footage showed the shop's front counter.
Jaylen stood near the display wall, holding his phone. Beside him was Nia, wearing a pink jacket and carrying a black purse.
Tiana leaned closer.
The footage had no sound, but the actions were clear.
Nia took a form from the employee behind the counter.
She looked at Jaylen.
He pointed at something on the paper.
She bent over the counter and began writing.
Then she signed.
Tiana felt a chill run down her arms.
“Can you zoom in?””
Carter enlarged the image.
Nia's face became clearer.
Tiana had seen that face at a birthday party, in photographs, and once in the school parking lot when Nia had come to pick up Jaylen.
There was no doubt.
“Can I have a copy of this footage?””
“I'll need to check our policy.””
“I need proof that I wasn't there.””
“I understand.””
“Please don't erase anything.””
Carter nodded.
“I'll preserve the relevant records while this is being reviewed.””
Tiana sat back.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Her mother placed a hand on her arm.
Then Tiana looked at Carter again.
“Did Jaylen know she was signing my name?””
Carter rubbed his chin.
“I can't tell you what he knew.””
“But you saw them together.””
“Yes.””
“And he gave you my information.””
“Yes.””
“Then I need you to understand something. I never agreed to pay for his purchase. If you contact me about this balance again, I will dispute it in writing.””
Carter nodded.
“That's fair.””
Tiana asked for copies of the documents, wrote down the purchase number, and requested confirmation that the records would be preserved.
Before she left, Carter handed her a printed page.
“This is the name listed as the person who submitted the secondary-contact information.””
Tiana looked down.
*Nia Williams.*
She folded the page carefully and placed it in her purse.
Outside, the afternoon sun had become harsher.
Denise opened the passenger door but didn't get in.
“Are you going to call her?””
Tiana stared at the paper.
“I want to.””
“But?””
“But I don't want Jaylen to turn this into another story about me being jealous of his relationship.””
Denise nodded.
“Then don't make it about his relationship. Make it about what she did.””
Tiana got into the car.
She waited until her mother had fastened her seat belt before dialing Nia's number.
Nia answered with a cheerful voice.
“Hey, Tiana.””
The casual greeting made Tiana's stomach turn.
“Did you go to Carter Custom Wheels with Jaylen last week?””
There was a brief pause.
“Why?””
“Did you sign my name on a financial guarantee?””
Silence.
Then Nia laughed nervously.
“What are you talking about?””
“I have a copy of the document.””
“Tiana, I think you're misunderstanding something.””
“Then explain it.””
Nia's tone changed.
“Jaylen said you were helping him.””
“Did I tell you that?””
“He said you two had worked something out.””
“Did you speak to me?””
“No, but—”
“Did you ask me?””
“Tiana, he told me it was okay!””
Tiana closed her eyes.
“Did you sign my name?””
Nia didn't answer.
“I'm going to ask you one more time,” Tiana said.
“Did you sign my name?””
“Yes.””
The admission was so quiet that Tiana almost missed it.
“Why?””
Nia exhaled.
“Because Jaylen said he needed the rims to get to work, and the shop wouldn't let him take them without a guarantee. He told me you had agreed to help if anything happened.””
“And you believed him?””
“He said you knew!””
“So you signed my name without asking me.””
“I was trying to help him.””
“You helped him by putting me on the hook for a debt I never agreed to pay?””
Nia's voice grew sharp.
“Don't act like I'm the bad person here. Jaylen told me you were difficult about money. He said you made him feel like he could never do anything for himself.””
Tiana stared through the windshield.
There it was.
The same story Jaylen told everyone.
He was the man trying to do his best, and Tiana was the woman who made everything difficult.
“Did you know he had spent money his mother gave him for Amara?””
Nia went quiet.
“What?””
“Did you know?””
“No.””
“Did you know the school still hasn't been paid?””
“No, Tiana. I didn't know that.””
“Did you know Amara needs shoes?””
“I thought he had handled everything.””
Tiana swallowed.
“That's the problem. Everybody thinks he's handled everything because he says he has.””
Nia started crying.
“I didn't mean to hurt you.””
“But you did.””
“I'll tell Carter it was my mistake.””
“It was your decision.””
“I'm sorry.””
Tiana looked down at the documents.
“I'm not asking you to pay Jaylen's balance. I'm asking you to tell the truth about what happened and cooperate when the shop requests information.””
“I will.””
“And don't ever use my name again.””
“I won't.””
Tiana ended the call.
For a moment, she sat with her eyes closed.
Her mother waited until she opened them.
“What are you thinking?””
“That Amara is going to hear about this eventually.””
“Then we'll tell her what she needs to know, when she needs to know it.””
Tiana nodded.
She started the car.
As they pulled out of the parking lot, her phone rang.
Jaylen.
She let it ring twice before answering.
“Did you go to the shop?”” he demanded.
“Yes.””
“Why would you do that without talking to me?””
“Because you used my name without talking to me.””
“Nia told me you called her.””
“Good. Then she can tell you I have the paperwork.””
Jaylen's voice rose.
“You're making this bigger than it needs to be!””
“You forged a financial guarantee.””
“I didn't forge anything!””
“Nia admitted she signed it.””
“Because she thought you agreed!””
“And why did she think that, Jaylen?””
He went silent.
Tiana waited.
Then she asked, “Did you tell her I had agreed to guarantee the purchase?””
He exhaled.
“I told her we'd figure it out.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I'm trying to keep my life together!””
“Then stop using other people to pay for the life you want.””
Jaylen's voice dropped.
“Listen to me. If you make a formal complaint, this could get ugly for everybody.””
Tiana felt a cold calm settle over her.
“Are you threatening me?””
“No.””
“Then what are you saying?””
“I'm saying you need to think about Amara.””
Tiana stared at the road.
He had used their daughter as a shield so many times that the words barely surprised her anymore.
“I am thinking about Amara,” she said.
“That's why I'm done pretending your decisions don't have consequences.””
She hung up.
A few minutes later, a message arrived from an unfamiliar number.
It contained a photograph.
Tiana opened it.
The image showed Jaylen and Nia standing beside his sedan outside a restaurant. They were smiling, their arms around each other.
At first, Tiana didn't understand why anyone had sent it.
Then she noticed the date.
The photograph had been taken the night Jaylen told Tiana he couldn't contribute to Amara's school expenses because he was behind on bills.
The message beneath it read:
You should know this wasn't the only money he spent that night.
Tiana stared at the screen.
May you like
Another message appeared.
Ask him who paid for Nia's anniversary dinner.
