Broken Heart (Broken Heart #1) (20 page)

“Jenesis?”

“Yeah?”

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he stared at me curiously.

“I’m fine. Is everything okay? Did something happen last night?”

“I don’t know if you remember, but you were screaming in your sleep last night.” My heart sank at full speed to my stomach. I knew what the next word that was going to come out of his mouth.

“What? No…really?” I said acting surprised and feeling as if I have been stabbed a thousand times in my gut. No…not in front of him. How could I?

“Yeah, you kept saying, no don’t hurt her! Please!” he said as he acted out my nightmare, flailing his hands in the air and shouting.

“Wow…I’ve never had a nightmare before.” I acted as if it were nothing. I didn’t want to have to explain right there and then what had happened to me as a child, the death of my parents, and the nightmares that have ruined me.

“It seemed as if you were running away from something…like a monster or something. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He cupped my face in his hands and kissed my forehead

tenderly. I cringed a little. I felt uncomfortable, especially since I knew he was poking fun at me. This situation was serious, and it was no laughing matter…especially in my eyes.

“I’m fine. Really, I am,” I said dryly, trying to convince myself that I was while dying inside of embarrassment. Michael headed to the bathroom, so I took that as my opportunity to get up and

get out. I headed for the kitchen and put on the Keurig that Dave bought me and made some French Vanilla coffee. 

“I had a great night,” he whispered in my neck as he held me from behind wrapping his arms around my waist, giving me baby kisses on my neck and sending shockwaves up my spine. 

“You had a great night? You didn’t get any…how great was that? And you want to see me again…are you sure? After you spent the night with that girl from that scary movie…she was possessed or something?”

“Yeah, saw that movie, not one of my favorites.” He chuckled and I turned around and looked up at him, staring at his ripped chest and wishing I could bury my face in it. I released myself from

his grip and made him a cup of coffee, handed it to him, and then sat near the window lowering my head in humiliation.

“You know everything, don’t you?” I said lowering my head.

“Hey…what’s wrong? Everyone has nightmares, Jenesis, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.” He placed his free hand underneath my chin and lifted my face up to his. “I liked when

you were flailing your arms up and down…when you were screaming, it was…sexy,” he said jokingly as he rolled his eyes up in his head as if he were possessed.

“Great…thanks, and now you’re making fun of me,” I said playfully as I pretended to punch him softly in the arm. 

“No, I’m not. Why are you having nightmares?” he asked as he sipped his coffee and stood in between my legs.

“I told you. This has never happened to me before,” I said pretending to not know what he was asking.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Jenesis?” he said as his eyes hovered over me. “I’m fine. Really.” I slid my hands up his perfect six-pack abs, and then slid them down to touch his tight bottom. If this isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.

I continued to work for Dave at night and maintained our once a week brunches on Sunday. I tried to maintain my friendship outside of work with Dave because I cared so deeply for him. Deep down inside, my affection for Dave grew and grew each day. He cared for me so much and if I

knew what it felt like to love your father, I’m sure it’s what I felt for Dave. He called me constantly to check in on me and sometimes he would leave money on the desk at work to make sure I had

just enough to take a cab home in case of an emergency. It was the little things I was grateful for, and I was definitely grateful to have him in my life.

“Hey, Jenesis, I got good news,” Dave said as we sat at the diner.

“Really? Tell me.” 

“Veronica Castro called me from children’s services, she wanted to know if you want the job as a caseworker. It’s just a stepping stone to the job you want to have at the coroner’s office,” he said

smiling from cheek to cheek.  “Dave…what did I tell you, you didn’t even give me a chance to try to get a job on my own!” I shouted as I got up and hugged him around his neck. 

“By the way…how’s that guy?” he asked in a heavy, low voice, a bit sarcastic.

“Are you referring to Michael, Dave?”

“Yeah him. What’s he been up to? You’ve been seeing a lot of him lately.” He looked at me, waiting for me to respond.

“Everything’s great. Can I share something with you? I know you don’t really like him, but…I really think I’m in love. I think he’s the one.”

“Yeah, all you women think you’re in love. Can I share something with you? Margaret moved in.” His face was expressionless. He didn’t even crack a smile.

“Margaret? You mean, Margaret from the art gallery? Margaret from brunch?” I said, shocked. My mouth parted as my chin hung toward the floor.

“Yeah, can you believe it? She’s head over heels in love with me, she’s a good cook, and a great lay!” He laughed so hard he almost choked.

“T.M.I! Dave, that’s gross. I don’t want to hear that shit.” I rolled my eyes and placed my hand out to him as if to stop him from talking.

“Oh, sorry. Anyway…she wants to join our Sunday brunches. What do you think about that?” He nodded his head in approval, waiting for me to answer.

“Hey, if you love her, I love her.” I shrugged my shoulders and gave him a sincere smile. She seemed nice enough and a new friend to add to my very short list.

“Who said I loved her? I love her pu…”

“Dave! Don’t…don’t say it!” I covered my ears playfully. “La, la, la, la, la,” I sang.

“Anyway, next Sunday. When are you seeing pretty boy again?”

“Tonight…and, he is a pretty boy isn’t he…” I said as I closed my eyes in delight.

“Ugh…give me a break. I’ll see you tomorrow at work. Then we’ll fax

Veronica your new resume…not that shit you gave me that your college graduate friend helped you out with. Where did you guys graduate from?” 

“Forget you, Dave!” I laughed. 

“Jenesis, Happy Birthday. I know it’s not today. I figure pretty boy would be taking you out next week, so I wanted to give you your gift early.” Dave smiled at me as he handed me a red gift bag with hearts and lots of red tissue. My whole body froze. I didn’t move, I didn’t say a word. 

“Jenesis, Happy Birthday,” he said again, fishing for a response.

“It’s not my birthday?” My eyes welled up with tears, and my lips quivered.

“You filled out an application for the job…remember, February fourteenth, right?” His smile disappeared as he looked at me seriously. I sat pensively for a minute, thinking how I fudged my

birthday on the application. I couldn’t even write my birthday knowing that my mother was killed on that day. I lied, and I wasn’t a good liar. I even forgot that I lied…how stupid am I?

“I don’t remember filling out any papers…you pay me off the books, remember? Besides, I don’t like to celebrate my birthday. Birthdays mean you’re a year older. I’m not very happy about that.” I wiped my face with a napkin from the table, lying through my teeth.

“You’re twenty-two years old, Jenesis. Are you really that upset about your age?” He smiled at me.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Thanks, Dave. What’s this?” I opened the bag and grabbed a big silver mirrored box and placed it on the table. I glanced up at him and smiled. I opened it cautiously knowing that he spent money on a gift I didn’t even deserve, especially since I lied to him.

“Just a little something to show how much I appreciate our friendship and how much I consider you to be like a daughter to me daughter.” 

“It’s a collection of classical music…how did you know?” I looked up at him surprised. I didn’t remember telling him I liked classical music, at all. “I heard you playing it the day I invited you to

the art gallery. Keep looking, I think there’s something else in there.” He folded his hands on the table and leaned back in his chair.

“Oh…wow…you have a great memory, and you are very observant. You definitely are a great detective. Thank you so much. I love it. What’s this?” A small box was wrapped in red cellophane

paper. I removed the paper and opened the box. It was a gold necklace with my initials encrusted in diamonds. The lump in my throat was starting to choke me. I gave Dave a big hug and

whispered, “Thank you.” The memory of my parents’ death haunted me, and I was glad that I celebrated my birthday today, even though it was a lie. My mother’s death will never be forgotten, making it unbearable for me to celebrate my birthday in any kind of way…ever.

“You’re welcome little lady.” He hugged me tighter, and we both smiled.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I have to run.” He paid the waiter, patted me on the shoulder, and walked out. I sat soaking in my phony birthday brunch staring at the red gift big and the silver box on the table as I busted out into tears. My heart descended into my belly as I stood up, gathered my gifts,

and walked out of the diner. I missed my mother so much, and I truly hated my father with every fiber in my body now…more than ever.

I was offered a job working for the city as a caseworker in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Who would have thought? My advisor at John Jay College was right about my degree. 

Michael’s law firm was doing well, but the addition of Mark Gleason caused scandals between his firm and the Gleason firm. Michael was defending the alleged murderer that killed Tina Danielson. It was a gruesome murder. She was raped, sodomized, tortured then killed execution style, shot

right in the back of the head while sitting in her car waiting for her boyfriend to leave a bar they had an altercation in a week before. Dave finally had a lead, and they caught the guy, Stephen

Marquis, three weeks later after Michael insisted during brunch that Dave didn’t have any clues to find the killer. But this guy was a millionaire, and Michael’s job just got harder. The alleged

murderer walked, and Michael’s new client was stepping in with millions of dollars and political pull. As a matter of fact, Mark Gleason was found taking personal donations from

Marquis to open his own law firm. This deception wasn’t taken lightly, and Dave and Marquis were now in a personal war. This case would tear Michael and Dave apart, for sure.

My life almost seemed like a soap opera. The two men I loved were always at each other’s throats and always trying to ‘out do’ each other. Michael was also killing it financially, Marquis paid cash

for his defense, and once in a while Michael mentioned how he wanted a huge wedding. Even though I loved Michael, I wasn’t too excited by the prospects of getting married. My father always

told me, “All men cheat, even your husband.” That was the great advice from a father to his only daughter about her knight and shining armor she would one day meet and marry. He thought I

would appreciate that kind of advice at twelve-years-old. Nothing good ever came out of my father’s mouth, even when he wasn’t drunk, and I always wondered why. I wondered what kind of father Michael would be to his daughter. 

I walked into the precinct ready to go into work. I was so bored with this place. Cassandra was at her desk eating her usual dinner, and I saw Nick talking to someone woman he had just arrested. As he un-cuffed her, he glanced my way. He motioned with his eyes to her big butt that was bulging

out of her jean shorts, each cheek hanging from the bottom that looked like a cottage cheese fest, and he whispered behind her back, “Big booty bitches.” I looked at him with disgust, and then the

woman turned her head around to him and said, “That’ll cost you five hundred dollars officer, and I’ll gladly bend over so you can fuck me in my ass.” Nick grabbed her by the arm tightly. “Man I

wouldn’t touch that ass if it had gold buried in it! Now move, you nasty whore!” he shouted as he dragged her to get finger printed. 

I ignored them both and continued to walk down the corridor. I heard Dave yelling. I slowly approached the door and I peeked in quietly and quickly to see what was going on. Dave was

leaning against his desk with his arms folded against his chest. Margaret was screaming at him. I stood behind the entrance of the door to listen.

“You know what…why do you always have to piss me off?” Dave yelled in her face.

“Piss you off! What about me? It’s always about you and never about me!

I’m too old for this shit Dave!” she shouted.

“Listen, you need to get the fuck outta here. I’m working. I don’t have time for your crybaby shit! You’re a fucking grown woman, Margaret! Act like it…I’ll see you when I get off from work…now go…please…just go,” he said as he grabbed her purse and handed it to her.

“I can’t believe you…I ask you for one thing…one…and you can’t say it…fine…I’m leaving…I’m leaving.” She stormed out of the room, and as Margaret passed me, she shook her head.