Unfaithful Ties (6 page)

Lena laughs. “Stacy you tickle my stomach.”

“Let’s change the topic all this talk about men makes me think about Kelvin and I get pissed off all over again.”

“Fine with me”

“I talked to Brandi earlier today and she informed me that she fainted in the shower”

“She told me.  I told her butt she needs to go to the doctor. And she also needs to leave that man of hers for once and for all. You know what? I do agree with you about the Jackass category because Trae definitely belongs in it. He doesn’t give a damn about Brandi. He never has and he never will. Sometimes I wish that I could knock some common sense into that birdbrain of hers. There is no way that I could put up with his shit for all of these years. And he rides around in a new Jaguar while Brandi and his children cruise around in a busted up Mini-Van that doesn’t have any damn air conditioner. I offered to drive our Honda Accord down to Texas because, hell, we’re not using it anyway. And do you know this helfa said that she didn’t want it because Trae would feel like she came to me for help. I told her crazy behind- well he needs to buy you a new car then?”

“And what’d she say?”

“That helfa ended our conversation. You know she doesn’t like to hear the truth. Especially if it has anything to do with him”

“Enough of talking about that. The way she lets him handle her irks my very last nerve. Well at least Vanessa and Jason or doing good, it’s hard to believe that their thirteenth year anniversary is right around the corner. Time sure does fly”

“Yeah, don’t remind me. Gosh we’re getting old.”

“I wonder how did Deon take it when she told him that she couldn’t see him anymore?”

“She hasn’t told him yet but she says that she’s going to tell him soon. She loves Jason and she says that he’s been trying to be more affectionate lately. The things that she’s done are killing her.”

“Thank God she came to her senses! I’ve always thought that Jason belongs in the
Mr. Right
category”

“You and these categories” Lena laughs.

“What are you doing for your birthday? It is Monday right? “                                                                   

“Don’t remind me. I
feel so old. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. Knowing me I’m probably going to be working. I have a couple houses that have been on the market for months now that I’m still trying to sell.”

“Yeah, I forgot about that”

“Oh shoot, what time is it? Lena asks.

“It’s a little after six thirty here, so it’s about seven thirty there.”

“I’ve got to go and pick up Khi and his friends from the bowling alley so I need to get off of this phone because my motherly duties are calling. I hope you decide to come visit soon. I’m going to take you to a couple of clubs and show you how we do it in the A.”

“Alright chic I’ll talk to you later”

“Talk to you later Stacy”

And we hung up.

****

The next day, which is a Saturday I lounge around my condo doing absolutely nothing. I’m bored out of my mind. Most women wish that they could just lie around and be lazy. Me, I’m tired of being able to be lazy whenever I want to. How is that possible? How can a person be tired of being lazy? Maybe I’m just tired of this same old boring routine. I do the same thing day
in and day out.

Uuuuugggghhh
!

God please send me a man

I decided to get out of the house and pamper myself. I’ve gotten my brows waxed, a manicure and pedicure. I have so much time on my hands that I even get a Brazilian wax. Hell I don’t even know why I wasted my money doing that, it’s not like anyone is going to be visiting my coo-coo anytime soon.  Now, I’m in Alaina’s boutique browsing through designer purses. This does make me feel a little better until a couple walks in the store pushing their twin boys in a stroller. I so want what they have, love, and I think that the woman knows it too. Which is probably the reason why she just gripped his arm tighter. I don’t blame her. If I had a man that looks like Morris Chestnut I’d hold on to him to. That is of course if he has his shit together. When I leave the boutique I head to the mall and every store I visit is filled with happy couples. It’s driving me crazy. What are these women doing that I’m not doing? Lena would probably say that they probably don’t have a book of standards in their heads. And she’s probably right.

I finally head back home. When I get here I relax in a hot bubble bath. I soak for thirty minutes before I get out. I’m determined to figure out why I’m s
exy, successful, and single. So as soon as I throw on my robe I pour a glass of red wine, slouch down on my sofa and continue reading where I left off yesterday. 

****

On Sunday Morning I’m awakened by the chirping of the blue jays, mourning doves, and slandering’s. It’s early; only eight o’clock and I realize that I fell asleep reading last night. The book is smothered in my breast so I set it on the ottoman in front of the dark brown leather sectional I’m lying on. I’ve slept here the entire night, which explains the reason for the uncomfortable crook in my neck. I yawn, stretch, then get up and walk into the kitchen. When I hear the coffee spilling into the mug I gain an immediate urge to release myself so I pace quickly down the hall and head into the guest bathroom. I clean my face, brush my teeth, wrap my hair and tie it down then head back into the kitchen. Steam lingers around the mug as I remove it from the Keurig. The broiling coffee is full to the rim and I realize that I must’ve brewed a ten ounce cup instead of an eight ounce cup which is the reason that I’m spilling drops of coffee all over the hardwood floor. Luckily not one drop of the scorching beverage brazes my feet.

When I step out onto the terrace of my high-rise condo a crisp breeze floats through the morning air. From where I’m standing, everything looks so tiny. It’s beautiful up here. Right now, I wish I had something to do or at least someone to do but instead of feeling sorry for myself I’ve decided...just this very moment, to make myself useful. So, I walk back into my condo, head straight towards my bedroom, and grab something out of my walk-in closet that’s appropriate enough for church. It’s a lavender knee length dress. After I toss it on the foot of the bed I take a quick shower.

****

Church has already started by the time I trot through the church doors. The church house is already crammed. I squeeze my way down the stuffed pew excusing myself as I cross over one lap after another. That’s when I accidently drop my bible into the lap of this undeniably handsome man, wearing a light tan Armani suit with a cream collared buttoned down shirt, a coral necktie, and a pair of expensive looking shoes.

It has to be a sin for a man to look this good in church
.

“
Ooops, you’re going to need this aren’t you?” He says with a breath-taking smile.

Oh God he fits the description of the man I’ve been praying for
, I thought. His smile is hypnotizing and judging from his looks he’s definitely my type. He’s well groomed; caramel toned, with a cleanly shaved baldhead, sumptuous lips, and deep dimples. Even though he’s sitting down I can tell that he frequently visits the gym. And his height? If I had to take a guess I would say that he’s about six five. Because even though he’s in a seated position it’s obvious that he’s tall. 

God please let my words come out
, I pray before I whisper, “I’m so sorry for being clumsy. I definitely need this.” Then I retrieve my bible from him and sit down beside him.

During the sermon I’m scoping him out with my peripheral vision, contemplating whether or not I should approach him.

Yes, thank you Jesus! He’s not wearing a wedding band
, I almost said aloud as I watch him lift his arms and praise the Lord.
Should I say something to him when the sermon is over
? I wonder.
I probably shouldn’t if he’s interested he’ll approach me
.

This man is fine as all get out. Suddenly I hear Vanessa’s voice echoing in my head saying “Stacy Moreland you should be ashamed of yourself for lusting over a man in the Lord’s house.” So I do my best to maintain the little bit of composure that I have left.

After the service “Excuse me miss.” I hear a baritone voice say as I’m walking down the church steps. Stopping dead in my tracks I glance over my shoulders.
Oh God it’s him

“You just don’t want this bible do you?” He jokes.

“It looks that way doesn’t it” I say, and grab my bible. “Thanks”

“I’m Harold
Lattimore” He says extending his hand  “and you are?”

“Stacy”

“Sta-c-yyy....?“

“Moreland” I say.

“Is that your maiden name or married name?” he asks.

“That’s my maiden name”

“Stacy mind if I ask if whether are not you are single?”

I’m as single as they come
“Unfortunately I’m not spoken for” I say while scooting out of the way so that the people behind us could get by. He scoots over too.

“Well today must be my lucky day
” He says.

             
And mines too,
I’m sure I’m blushing bashfully.

“Stacy I would love to take you out, if that’s okay with you?”

Heck yeah that’s okay with me. I should be ashamed of myself for thinking like this while I’m standing right outside of the church house.
“Sure take down my number”

He pulled out his cellular. “Okay, what is your number?”

“It’s three-one-two...wait a minute, you are single right? You’re not married or anything?” I joke.

“No, I’ve been divorced for about four years”

He’s been divorced! Was he the blame? He probably was. And if he wasn’t he probably has a psycho ex-wife. Cut it out Stacy. Don’t judge the man before you get to know him.
“It’s 312-475-6321”

“Alright I have it. I’ll give you a call around seven, maybe we can have dinner or something soon”

“Sounds good, I look forwarding to hearing from you” I say and walk down the steps.

“I’ll call you at seven o’clock on the dot and not a minute later” I hear him say as I walk away.

“Thank you Jesus! I hope he’s my
Mr. Right
” I mumble amongst myself and head to my car.

CHAPTER 3

Kenneth & Lena...Atlanta Georgia

"Well how has the birthday girl's day been so far?"

"It's just another day to me"

"Hopefully I can change that, I have something that'll help brighten up your day"

"Look I've had a long day okay, I just-"

“
Shhh” Kenneth said with his finger pressed against his lips. He revealed the rectangular box hidden behind his back and handed it to Lena. “Happy birthday baby” he was standing right beside the front door entry. He'd been standing there since the moment Lena walked inside their high-rise condo. “Go ahead, open it" he begged her.

"We can't afford this so it needs to go back"

"I swear woman your detrimental attitude can spoil a damn wet dream. Why do you always have to be so damn negative?"

"If stating the facts means being negative, then so be it"

"And I guess saying thank you is a little bit too much for you?"

"Thanks" Lena said, and flashed him a cynical smile. She was a little frustrated because he hadn’t given her time to get in the house good. “Can I at least get in the house and get settled first? I wasn't really looking forward to being
harassed as soon as I walk through the door" Lena sauntered pass Kenneth and headed to the kitchen, dropped the gift box on the countertop and grabbed the container of coffee grounds out of the Monaco designed cabinet. “Money is tight right now and he goes and buy a damn piece of jewelry" she mumbled sarcastically amongst herself as she dumped a few teaspoons of the instant coffee into a mug.

Her behavior had Kenneth rattled as he remained at the entrance of the doorway, where he stood still for a brief moment with a stunned expression on his face.
Why did I even try to do something special for her? Every fucking time this is what happens
he thought. The heels of his leather shoes clacked briskly against the hardwood floor as he cantered towards the kitchen. Once there, he sat down on one of the four bar stools that were in front of the bar counter and just stared at Lena for a long silent moment. "So you don't even want to know what it is?" He finally asked.

Lena finished pouring the steaming hot water into her mug before focusing her eyes on him. "Why should I? It's going back to the store anyway.
What part of we cannot afford it don't you understand?"

He was broiling with anger as he pulled the dark gray collared shirt out of his black slacks and loosened his necktie. "How in the hell can you tell me what I can and can't afford?"

Lena walked over to the glass pub table and sat down. "Because I'm the one that foots majority of the bills around here, that's how."

Kenny released his gun from the holster attached to his slacks and set it on top of the bar counter. He could feel his forehead knotting. So, rather than study
Lena’s pulchritudinous features such as her big beautiful eyes, that one dimple that transpired every time that she smiled, her creamy exotic skin and the connect-the-dot freckles on both sides of her cheeks, her long curly hair, her hourglass figure and the way that her perky D cups looked in the purple silk blouse that she was wearing, he ignored all the things about her that usually turned him on. At the moment none of those things mattered to him and he couldn’t remember one thing that he loved about her. He didn’t even know why he'd even tried to make her day or why he'd put up with her attitude for so long. He was flustered. He then crossed over to where Lena was sitting and slammed his enormous hands down on the table "You know, I'm getting sick and tired of your bullshit Lena. I've put up with it for years and I have had enough of it"

He accidently knocked over the cup of coffee.

"Now, look what you’ve done” She yelled, then pulled away from the table. “Unlike you, I work hard on my job and I’m too tired to clean up behind your ass! So will you please learn to be careful?”

She flounced over by the stove where a paper towel holder was mounted onto the backsplash, yanked off a handful of paper towels and then stormed back to the table and wiped it dry.

By then Kenneth had grabbed the gift box from the countertop and threw it into the wall. "And I suppose that you think I don’t work hard on my job? You know what, forget it. Don’t even answer that question because I’m sure your answer is only going to piss me off more than I already am. For years you've carried on in this marriage as if you're the only one that said I
do.
  Everything that has anything to do with this condo, the cars we drive, the trips that we take, are always your decision as if I'm nonexistent in this goddamn marriage. I'm beginning to wonder if whether or not you want to be married. Or if you married me because you'd gotten pregnant." He roared, and then grabbed his vibrating mobile. “You’re real close to having your wish come true!” He didn’t mean that, he was just so frustrated. Kenneth stood, then grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator, and sat back down on the barstool.

"This is Detective Gibson"

“Gibson, where are you?”

“I had to run home for a bit”

“One day you’ll learn to leave those Krystal Burgers alone. They mess you up every single time” Storm chuckled.

Storm was Kenny’s partner, the only partner he’d had since he’d joined the Atlanta Police-Homicide Unit
almost seven years ago. She was gorgeous with a super-model face and a figure to die for. Which didn’t set well with his wife. That damn
women intuition
. She believed that Storm had feelings for her husband. And she was right. “My bed or yours?” Storm had asked Kenneth years ago while she sat on the corner of his desk, a few years after they’d started working together. Every man in the department longed to be in his shoes but Kenneth would never dream of cheating on Lena. Storm’s beauty didn’t entice him. To him, she was just another beautiful woman. A beautiful woman that could never beguile him into cheating on his wife. Although Lena didn’t believe him, the only thing that he found appealing about Storm was her adoration with solving cases because he shared that same passion. Seven in a half years ago when Kenneth’s parents were found sitting on their front porch lying in a puddle of their own blood, a gunshot wound embedded in his mother’s skull and a bullet hole stamped on his father’s heart, he resigned from his position as the finance director at JB&L accounting and became an officer of the law. Since that tragedy happened to his family there has been nothing that means more to him than capturing bloodthirsty criminals and locking them away. His marriage hasn’t been the same since.

He could feel Lena gazing at him. She hated when Storm called. “Get off my phone with that nonsense” He cackled, although he wasn’t in a joking mood. He got a kick out of it because he knew that it was pissing off Lena. “You better be calling me to tell me that we have a lead on Sanchez”

“That’s exactly why I’m calling. Captain says that he had a witness call him this morning that claims they can identify Sanchez as the shooter.”

“No shit!” Kenneth said, sparking up a little bit. “I’ll meet you at the office in a few”

“Why don’t you just meet me on Kenwood, witness says that Sanchez has been spotted recently hanging around his sister’s house.”

“Alright let’s just meet there around three thirty”

“Let’s make it four”

For a moment Kenneth had forgotten about the problems that he was facing at home. Communication couldn’t fix his marriage, because his wife was a wisenheimer, and it’s hard to resolve anything with a know-it-all.  The only thing that seemed to keep down arguments was for Kenneth to be compliant with everything that Lena wanted to do or had done. And even that wasn’t working anymore. “I’ll see you at four o’clock on the head” he said “Don’t be late”

He drummed his fingers against the bar top as his eyes glared at Lena. She was sitting at the table scanning through her Ipad. Without moving her eyes away from the touch screen she asked. “Guess you gotta’ go and meet your little girlfriend?”

“Don’ start with that bullshit today.
              Do you think that we’re better off getting a divorce?”

“I can’t believe that you have the audacity to even ask me a question like that”

“Oh, you can’t? I don’t see why not. You carry on like you don’t have a husband. I never come home to a cooked meal...a massage or anything along those lines. I’m sure that you don’t remember the last time we made love or even had a decent conversation.”

Lena pulled up from the chair “This conversation has lasted too damn long, and I’m going to leave before I say something that I will not regret.”

“Since you won’t regret it, then say it”

Lena was
now walking down the hall headed to their bedroom. Kenneth was trailing dead on her heels. “Don’t temp me” she warned.

“Go ahead. Say what you want to say. Say what you feel. You always say what you want to say in this damn marriage anyway. Does it matter to you that I’m tired of feeling like I’m the only one in this marriage? That I’m tired of feeling like I married my goddamn self? I’m lonely Lena”

Lena sat down at the foot of the bed, slid off her pumps and rubbed her feet. “I’m so sick and tired of your damn whining. I work full time and I have a ten year old son that has, baseball practice in the spring along with soccer, football practice in the fall, basketball practice in the winter, track and field practice, wrestling practice and now that school has started back I have to make sure that he brings nothing less than a A-plus home on his progress report because I refuse to let him end up with a nickel and dime job like the one that you have. So, no, I don’t have the time to rub your back, are cook!” “Screw” she chuckled, “When you can learn that there is more to sex than just wam bam, I’ll screw you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.” She shouted, then sprang up from the bed because she was about ready to storm out. She’d had enough of dealing with him for today. “We’ve talked about having oral sex for years and nothing has changed. What is your problem? Forget it, just don’t act surprised when I refuse to give you some.  I’ve dealt with the issue of you not wanting to go down on me for our entire marriage and I’m tired of it. When are you going to acknowledge the fact that something is wrong? What’s the point of making love if you don’t go all the way?”

The vein in Kenneth’s left temple was pulsating as he stood toe to toe with his wife. He’d never hit a woman let alone his wife, and although he wished he could’ve knocked her deleterious words back into her mouth he eased both hands into his pockets and peered at Lena. “I don’t have a problem. The problem is you. You have to be in control of everything. Even sex. Oral sex is not that big of a deal. Half the time I just want to get it over with anyway
” He said. “You have absolutely no respect for me, in fact you never have and I don’t know why I continue to put up with this shit. You know what? You don’t have to worry about me whining anymore. And don’t be surprised if soon, very soon, you’re in this goddamn condo by yourself”

Lena walked over to
the chest drawer and yanked the top-drawer open. “Is that a threat? I pay majority of the bills around here anyway, which I’ve been doing since you came up with the bright idea to resign from a two hundred thousand dollar a year career and settle for a thirty thousand dollar a year job.” She tossed her undergarments onto the bed. “So if you want to leave you know where the door is. I can handle all of this on my own.”

“So the fact that we’ve been together since we were kids doesn’t mean a damn thing to you, does it? It’s really that easy for you? You can just walk away just like that?”

“Look I can’t do this right now” Lena said stumping into the master bathroom “ I need to take a shower because I’m going out for a drink so that I can wind down before it’s time to go and pick up our son, the one that I pretty much raise on my own because you’re always working, but yet your paycheck is barely enough to pay the damn cable bill.”

She slammed the bathroom door.

“How predictable, my wife, doing exactly what she always does. Run from our problems.” Kenneth yelled.

Kenneth sighed disgustedly. Lena was starting to get on his last nerve; she was parsimonious, adamant, brash, and downright abhorrent. Quite frankly she didn’t deserve him. Sometimes when he arrived home from work he’d sit in the parking deck for hours because he dreaded going inside his condo. Her bitching and griping was so irritating. Lately he’d been hanging in every strip club he could find.

When the front door slammed shut and the vibration from the window panes ricocheted through the condo Lena stepped out of the bathroom butt naked, walked down the hallway and grabbed the body wash out of the hall closet.
Don’t be surprised if one day soon...very soon, you’re in this damn condo by yourself,
replayed in her head like a Yellow-Nape. She didn’t want to lose her husband but they had problems, big problems, problems that had been slowly extirpating their marriage for years.

Lena was the type of woman that most people would consider high maintenance. Every piece of clothing, pair of shoes, and handbag that she owned had a designer label on it. Dolce &
Gabbana, Versace,
Prada
, Roberta Cavalli, you name it she owned it. In order to blend in and impress other investors that she associated with at the National Association of Realtors gatherings that she attended annually she felt as though she had to drive what they drove, wear what they wore, and live how they lived.  Her excessive spending habits were the sole reason that the couple was drowning in debt. But you couldn’t tell Lena that, instead she blamed Kenneth for their financial issues. And the main reason was because of the career change he’d made years ago. The company she started with the help of her husband twelve years ago, which consisted of buying old houses, completely remodeling them and selling them for a huge profit was on the verge of folding. Prime Realty was on its last leg. She’d been carrying secrets for quite some time and the hidden lies were chipping away her spirit like cells in stage four cancer. The weariness made her bitter. Lena had kept Kenneth in the dark about a lot of things. He had no idea about the financial infidelity, that she’d refinanced her car, or that she’d borrowed money on her business. Now and days the money coming in wasn’t matching the money spilling out.  And they were damn near broke. She desperately wanted to fill Kenneth in on everything. Maybe he could save her. Maybe exposing the truth could salvage things between them. But she didn’t know where to begin. The lies had gone on for too long and now her secrets were on the verge of surfacing. Financially they were tapping on bankrupts door. In only a matter of time Lena would have to trade in her Jaguar and start back driving her 1999 Honda Accord. Before long Kenneth was going to find out everything because she’d pawned his title a while back because she was a few grand short of purchasing a home that she thought would be profitable but she ended up losing money. She hadn’t been able to make one payment. She knew by now his car was probably on the repo list and it wouldn’t be long before they found it.