Unfaithful Ties (2 page)

Two years ago I’d just finished my morning jog at Central Park and the heat was draining the little bit of energy I had left in me so I peeled off the soak and wet NYNU T-shirt that contoured my chest like a wet Kleenex, tossed it around my neck, sparkled a wide smile to the two women sitting on the bench drooling over my robust frame, and jogged to my SUV. “Hey sexy” a woman dressed in a pair of fitness strider shorts, and a close-fitting sports bra spoke seductively as she breezed by. “Hello gorgeous” I said, deactivating the alarm system on my vehicle. She turned around jogging in place and boldly said “
Uhm..uhm...uhm! I would love to be the sweat on that T-shirt” I could tell that she was anticipating a flirtatious response out of me and I’m sure she was stunned when I chuckled, and said “I’m a married man”. “She’s one lucky woman” she remarked. “I’m the lucky one!” I told her reaching for my ringing mobile that was tucked inside the side pouch of my gym bag. “Enjoy your run” I smiled, and tossed my gym bag into the back seat, slid into my vehicle, buckled up, and answered my mobile. “Hey there Mrs. Duncan.”  I said cheerfully. I was happy, another wedding anniversary was approaching.

“Hi Baby” Vanessa responded.

“I can’t wait to see you tonight! What time does your flight leave again?”

“Sweetie that’s the reason for my call I’m actually not going to be able to make it home tonight. The seminar was postponed until tomorrow”

“You have got to be kidding me! Our flight to Jamaica departs at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. If you are not back in New York by seven then basically I’ve just tossed a few grand down the drain for those plane tickets.”

“Sweetie I’m sorry! If the money is that big of a deal I will pay you back for the plane tickets and the trip to Jamaica.”

“The money is not the issue. You know that’s not what I meant. I was really looking forward to spending an entire week with you. Away from work, friends, and everything. Is it possible for you to catch a flight home and attend the seminar some other time? I’m sure there’ll be thousands more”

“Jason it’s probably best if we take the trip to Jamaica some other time. This training is very important to me so let’s just reschedule the trip.”

“This is not any ol’ vacation! This is our anniversary trip which happens to come only once in twelve months”

“Baby please,
don’t make this harder than it already is. You know how important this training is to me” she pouted.

I couldn’t believe how mild her perspective was about the idea of cancelling an anniversary trip that we’d spent months planning for. She was well attuned to how much the trip mattered to me. For months I’d talked about how eager I was to sunbathe on the white sand beaches, tour the mountains of Montego Bay, go horseback swimming, and jungle river tubing, and rafting, and just relax for seven whole days. Her words were so impassive
that I knew she didn’t give a damn about how I felt. Evidently it was something that she’d known she didn’t intend on participating in for months.

“Vanessa” I said disappointedly, then glanced at my rear view mirror and reversed out of the parking space. “We’ve planned this trip for months. I’m glad to know that our marriage is on your list of priorities.” I blurted sarcastically and drove into the heavy traffic.

“Keep the sarcasm. You know that our marriage is important to me”

“Vanessa if you cared anything about our marriage you’ll catch a flight home right now, so that we can leave for our trip tomorrow morning.  It’s almost like you made the choice to cancel the trip before speaking with me. This phone call is just a false attempt to make me feel that you’re including me in a decision that you’ve already made.”

“I’m at a loss for words Jason. I can’t believe that you feel like I’m doing this purposely. There is nothing that means more to me than spending our anniversary in Montego Bay, but unfortunately things happen.”

“If our marriage means so much to you then prove it. Leave San Diego right now. And if it’s too late for you to make it here before seven AM tomorrow morning, there is a layover in Charlotte at twelve
noon tomorrow. Meet me there”

Silently we both held the phone for about twenty seconds.

“I’m sorry Jason but this accreditation is too important and I will not be able to attend the trip. I’ll talk to you tomorrow my brain feels like someone turned the stove burner on high, and fried it with a skillet. I’ve been studying all week and I’m tired”

Of course I was disappointed after we hung up. But more than anything else, I was hurt. I felt like our marriage wasn’t important. Like she didn’t care that I had a heart. And feelings. Her words sliced my heart.
That year Vanessa didn’t accompany me in Montego Bay, instead I went alone. There was no way in hell that I was going to throw away that kind of money. That was the beginning of the lies. After she realized that she could place me on the back burner and I would forgive her for it, the lies became more severe, more constant, and more painful
.
In all actuality......

****

The timer sounded and Jason placed the notebook on his lap.

“Okay” Dr. Thompson said, getting to her feet. “Let’s hear your thoughts”

The fear of opening up caused Jason’s heart to race. Opening up had never been easy for him. Like a shy adolescent he looked away from Dr. Thompson and allowed a long heavy sigh to escape through his lips.

Dr. Thompson studied Jason’s body language. His shoulders were slightly slumping, posture saggy, eyes low. “It’s okay, just relax and take your time
” She said calmly.

Jason pulled the notebook closer to his face. “I filed for divorce about six months.” He cleared his throat and with a shaky voice, he
said, “I filed for divorce about six months ago. I married my high school sweetheart. We were only fourteen when we met. She’s the only woman that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. She’s also partly the reason why I’m here. I’m torn. And Angry. And bitter. When it comes to women...well, let’s just say she left a sour taste in my mouth. Most of the time I feel like women aren’t worth a darn thing! Which is the reason why I’m single...” He paused, and sighed “...I can’t do this” he said.

Dr. Thompson was now walking back and forth, arms folded across her chest. “I can tell that this is very hard for you. So lets do this...let’s just forget about you reading it to me for now. I’ll make a copy of the page, read it myself and use it for my notes. What I want you to do is take the notebook home and use it as a journal. I also want you to practice reading it
aloud so that next week when you come back it’ll be a little bit easier. The only way that you’re going to heal is by learning to open up and talk about the things that are taunting you. The last thing that you want to do is continue carrying all of those emotions around because not talking about your feelings doesn’t make them go away. What it does is allow them to become dormant inside your body.”

Jason pulled up from the chaise and tucked the notebook underneath his armpit. “Same time next week?” He asked, heading for the door.

“Same day. Same time.” She smiled.

****

On the way home Malik called.

“Are you ready to see us win the championship tonight?” He chuckled.

“I doubt it. A lot of people are going to be walking around with hurt feelings tonight. Miami is going to be sent home without a championship again” Jason joked.

“Get the fuck outa‘ here.
Lebron’s gon’ make me a rich man tonight. I can’t wait until he pisses off all of you King James haters.”

Jason chuckled. “You’re talking big shit now partner but Durant is going to send them back to Oklahoma crying and scared. Because I’m telling you OKC is not about to let the Heat
win tonight.”

“Well listen up, you just
holla’ at me when Miami wins the championship and my boy gets his ring”

“That could be ten years from now but that’s a bet brother. I’ll catch up with you later.
Gotta’ go in here and whip up some grub for the game tonight, a couple of the fellahs from work are coming over.”

“
Aright partner catch up with you later” Malik said.

“
Yeh you just be ready to western union my three hundred bucks.” Jason reminded him and hung up.

Just as Jason pulled into his driveway and stepped out of his Cadillac Escalade with a few grocery bags in tow the rain began pouring through the grayish clouds. “Shit, just my damn luck, how inconvenient is this?
”
He mumbled sarcastically because the garage door had come off the tracks that morning and he knew he was going to get soaked by walking around to the front of the house.

Grasping the bags tightly, he jogged up the few steps that led to the front door and when his mobile rung he answered it like he’d been running in a marathon.

Breathing heavily while opening the front door he answered his mobile.  “This is Jason”

“I don’t know how to tell you this” He heard Brandi say cho
king back tears. “Trae is dead.” She said, followed by a long weep. “He’s gone”

Eight Months Earlier

CHAPTER 1

Trae
& Brandi...San Antonio Texas

It was just after seven A.M. and the name
Trae…Trae…Trae
echoed around the room as if the room was completely empty.

“Take it a little easier on me baby” A sexy voice whispered.

“Is this your dick?”  Trae asked Cassy, whose face was buried in the pillow as he stroked her doggy style. Sex was in the air in room
2119
and Trae was trying to get his rocks off before his eight AM shift started. “I didn’t hear you say anything.” He indicated as he smacked Cassy on her plumped buttocks.

She slightly lifted her head from the pillow and softly whispered “
It’s mines Trae. It’s mines”

“Well act like it then.”
Trae said thrusting even harder. “Take it” After burying Cassy’s face back into the pillow and forcing a deeper arch into her lower back he groaned, “Yeh keep it arched just like that.” The view of Cassy’s round brown jiggling as he slid his manhood in and out of her dripping wet vagina was his weakness and instantly his masculine voice became the tone of an adolescent. While he gripped Cassy’s ass cheeks tightly, nearly leaving the imprint of his fingers on her skin, he moaned “Ahhhh, it’s so good” He was high on her. His eyes were dreary and the tip of his tongue poked out between his lips. Beads of sweat slid down his handsome face trailing from his forehead. “Baby your shit is the shit” He complimented.

Trae
coached Cassy onto her back and used his tongue to do things that drove her wild. Sucking every inch and every part of her body. Traveling his tongue from one nipple to the other. Licking and suckling her neck, sliding is tongue own her abs and tasting her juices from deep within. For a moment she thought that she was about to explode. Numerous orgasms that was as strong as tidal waves followed one behind the other. Each orgasm started at her toes and traveled through her entire body. No other man could ever make her feel that way…. ever! “I want you back inside of me.”  Cassy begged.

Trae
pulled his tongue away from her tasty pudding pie “That’s where I want to be. I’m about to make you cum like you’ve never came before. Can you handle it? Can you take it?” he asked.

“I can take it”
Cassy moaned with erotic gestures.  Her quivering smooth legs were then forced back toward the headboard as far as she could stand. Trae dove into Cassy’s ocean of love like a deep-sea diver. Their sexual chemistry was the bomb and it was no denying it.

By seven thirty A.M. the lovemaking was over and the crisp white sheets that’d just been tossed to the floor were covered with sweat, semen stains, and the scent of hot sex.
Cassy and Trae were lying in the King-sized bed face to face, their nude bodies inches apart, their eyes surveying one another as the early morning sun peeped through the vertical blinds.

“God made one hell of a combination when he designed you”
Trae said, circling his finger around her flattened tummy. The horizon was the perfect backdrop for her beautiful almond skin. Full breast and the prettiest set of nipples he’d ever seen stared at him invitingly as if they were anticipating the kiss of his lips. Desperately he wanted to devour them into his mouth again, and he would have if he had a little bit more time.  For some reason he just couldn’t get enough of her.

Although
Cassy was gazing back at him with a pair of beautiful big brown eyes. He could tell that she was brooding about something. Her mind and her body were in two completely different places. Interrupting her thoughts and closing the space between them he said. “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”

Cassy
pushed away from his tight embrace. “Trae when are you going to leave Brandi?”

“
Cassy let’s not do this today” Trae snapped as he sprang out of the bed. “We’re having a good morning let’s not ruin it”

“It doesn’t have to be ruined if you would just answer the question for once.” She shouted as she eased up against the headboard and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m getting tired of hanging out in hotel rooms,” She hissed.

“It’s too risky to meet at your place.” He argued. “Look you can either ruin our morning or you can come and join me in the shower. Just know that no matter what choice you make I’m not having this conversation right now.”

A few seconds went by silently.

“Are you coming?” He quizzed extending his hand to help her from the bed.

Cassy
admired his nakedness outlined with toned arms, toned legs, a masculine back, and clasped with 8 sexy abs
he’s perfect
she thought
If only he were mine
“In a second” She told him flatly, as she rolled her eyes and coasted over onto her side.

“Well I won’t be in too long. Don’t want to be late today”

In the midst of listening to the running water drizzling from the shower spray, Cassy sat in the middle of the bed and did a lot of thinking. She’d grown tired of being the other woman.  She wanted to be the only woman. Hell, she wasn’t getting any younger. How much longer would it take for Trae to do what he’d promised her that he was going to do for three years? Every year it was a different excuse.

So why was
Cassy so in love with him?

Three years ago, when
Cassy crossed paths with Trae at the Circle K located only a block away from her estate, she just had to have him. Initially she only wanted him for sex but Trae had a way of making women fall deeply in love with him.  A short while after they’d been seeing each other she found an extravagant home and since the marvelous home had been on the market for a little over a year, she was able to convince the owners to lease it to Trae for three thousand dollars a month. Voluntarily she agreed to pay half of the monthly rent. There was no limit to the things that she would do to make sure that Trae stayed around. And to prove it she’d recently purchased him a ninety thousand dollar vehicle. Of course Trae was very pleasing to the eye, absolutely exquisite.  He carried his two hundred and sixty pounds of sexiness confidently as he flaunted his massive athletic stature embodied with broad-shoulders, long legs, and tight buns. Thick black waves emphasized his perfectly groomed tapeline that blended immaculately with his cleanly shaved Hershey chocolate skin.  Those big dark brown heart-melting eyes, long dark lashes, and thick dark brows spoke volumes to Cassy’s sensuality and with just a simple glance her most intimate place would become soak and wet. Trae was strikingly handsome. The epitome of all her desires! And she was head over heels for him.

Trae
expected that Cassy would have stormed out after the clash that they encountered since she’d chosen not to join him in the shower. To his surprise she was sitting at the edge of the bed fumbling through her overnight bag when he walked back in the room.

“I guess you have an attitude? And I’m assuming that’s why you didn’t join me in the shower.”
Trae said as he walked pass her with a towel wrapped around his waist. He plopped down on the cream leather chair and began getting dressed.

I know he just didn’t’ say that to me?
Cassy thought.
There was utter silence as she ignored his smart aleck remark and rose to her feet.

Grabbing her by the wrist
Trae asked. “Where are you going?”

She broke away from his tight grip and flounced irately pass him headed into the bathroom. “Can a woman ta
ke a bath?” She snapped.

“Oh, now you want to take a shower”

“Go to hell” Cassy yelled back from the bathroom,

Once the water started to rise she poured in a few squirts of bubble bath and stepped her nude frame into the thermal water “A-
hhh-h!” she sighed. “This is exactly what I need right now.” After she cleansed her body she closed her eyelids and slid her tensed back against the back of the garden tub allowing her mind to escape the displeasing circumstances that she’d been dealing with for the last three years of her life.

“I told you every time that you bring that shit up this is how things end up between us.”
Trae’s deep voice grumbled as he charged into the bathroom. “I’m starting to think that you like it when we fight.” He was now squeezing some of the hotel branded toothpaste onto his toothbrush. “Always being stubborn and making a big deal out of nothing” he pouted, and then brushed his teeth.

Cassy
slowly opened her eyes. “That’s because it’s a big deal to me. But you know what? I’m done. Why should I waste unnecessary energy getting upset about something you obviously don’t give a damn about!” She replied bitterly. She could feel the tears forming in her saddened eyes. At that very moment she realized that she’d finally admitted something to herself that she’d avoided for three long years. It was time to move on. Trae had no intentions on leaving Brandi, and she knew it. Carrying the look of disappointment on her beautiful heart-shaped face she wiped the few tears that’d slithered down her cheeks. “I just know what I have to do now” she threatened.

“Oh really”
Trae said after he damped his mouth dry. Quickly he moved closer to the tub and towered over her as she relaxed in the pool of suds. His shirt was half buttoned revealing the curly black hair on his athletic chest. “I’m tired of you threatening to leave every time that something does not go your way” He complained expressionless, fastening the remaining buttons on his shirt.

Cassy
was slack-jawed. Suddenly she blurted, “You’re getting tired...really? You have the nerve to stand here and say that you’re tired?” She yelled. “No, I’m the one that’s tired. You are never going to leave Brandi. You’re satisfied with the way that things are. You have your precious life with her. And then you have me. Stupid me! She shouted as she rose to her feet and stepped out of the tub. “Move out of my way” She grumbled as she pushed pass Trae and snatched a towel off of the rack.

“How many times are we going to go through this?’
Trae questioned trailing dead on her heels. “I have told you a hundred times I will leave Brandi when the time is right” he roared.

Cassy
stopped walking and turned to him “It’s been three years already, I’m not getting any younger” She shouted sarcastically and then walked over to the shelf and pulled down her purse. “I’m about ready to throw in the towel. I’m tired of this game that you’re playing. If you don’t do something soon, as in today, I’m going to be done with you for good.” She grabbed the body lotion from out of her purse, flopped down on the bed and began smoothing the moisturizer over her skin.

“Damn woman” He yelled, and turned in the opposite direction. “You knew my circumstances when you got involved with me. I’m not about to pay child support for three children. The twins will be eighteen soon. I’ll leave Brandi then and not a day before, so drop it.” He declared walking back into the bathroom.

“That’s what you say now but when the time comes you’ll be hollering wait until Trent turns eighteen. I have plenty of money. I can take care of us. I’m starting to think that’s just an excuse.” She blurted peevishly with downcast eyes.

“Look I can’t do this right now. I have to get to work.” He yelled from the bathroom while checking himself out in the mirror. He brushed his hand over his hair, made sure that his attire was perfect, then walked back out of the bathroom. “Check out time is twelve o’clock. I’ll see you when my shift is over” He grabbed his keys, and headed towards
Cassy.

Without lifting her head, she could feel that he was towering over her; she ignored his presence and continued rubbing in the moisturizer. “I’m going out for drinks with Michelle tonight” she replied.

“Like I said” Trae expressed, lifting up her face by her chin and forcing her to look at him. He smiled and Cassy almost forgot she was mad with him. “I’ll see you around seven” He kissed her succulent full lips and hurried off.

“Maybe you won’t.” she mumbled after she heard the door shut. “Maybe you won’t
”

****

Brandi was lying in the bed halfway asleep when she heard the phone rang. She eased up against the four-poster upholstered headboard, shook the covers off of her legs, and answered the phone.

“Hello my name is Ms. Hancock.” She heard a soft but stern voice say. “I’m the assistant principal at North Madison high school and I’m calling to speak to Brandi
Hardnett please”

Steam shot straight
to Brandi’s heart. She was upset and didn’t want to be bothered that early in the morning with her son’s nonsense. “You’re speaking to her!” She said, in a raspy tone. “What has Tremaine done this time?” Tremaine had been suspended from school so many times that she’d lost count. Punishment? Why bother? Nothing she said or did meant a hill of beans to him. He was out of control and she’d disciplined him every way humanly possible. The only thing that was left for her to do was send him to the juvenile home, and she just didn’t have the willpower to go to that extent. And telling his father to talk too him proved to be a waste of her time, because he never did. She was at wits end with that son of hers and she just didn’t know what else to do.

The early morning sun was
gleaming through the drapes, heightening her sudden headache, so she squinted her eyes and turned over to her side. For the second morning in a row she’d awakened to a stinging headache, pouring perspiration, and displeasing information about her son’s actions at school. It’d become a ritual, someone from the school called her at least once, twice, and sometimes even three times a week. The sardonic smile that etched his face every time that she chastised him made her feel foolish, and at times she just wanted to give up.
Where did I go wrong with that child of mines? 
She constantly questioned herself.