A Private Affair (17 page)

“I thought as much.”

He slowly spun around ready to face him. “She wouldn’t believe you anyway, so there’s no use mentioning anything.”

“Really?”

“I’ve turned my life around. I was just doing what I had to do to get by.”

“Supply and demand, right? It’s not like you forced anyone to be your client, right?”

Glenn took another drag and grinned, glad he understood. “Yea.”

“And when your little boy grows up, it won’t be a big deal if someone makes him a client of their own?”

Glenn exhaled and watched the smoke float upward. “Are you threatening my family?”

“Just talking possibilities.”

“They sound more like guesswork and I don’t like guesses.”

“And I don’t like having to look at you right now,” Riverton said in a grim tone. “But I’m stomaching it.”

Glenn looked at him, although it was an effort, he didn’t want to admit how much Riverton scared him. “What do you want? Want to try to finish me off? Imagine if I told my sister how violent you are.”

“I don’t plan to have any secrets between us.”

“How about you and the rest of the world? Wouldn’t it be awful for people at the office to find out the real relationship you are having with her?”

Riverton narrowed his gaze. “You’d hurt her that way?”

“You’d hurt her even more if you told her about me. I think we can both agree that we care about Carissa. You keep my secret and I’ll keep yours.”

But as he listened to his wife continue to complain about Riverton, he knew he’d offered an empty threat. He could keep him quiet for awhile, but not forever. Soon their private affair wouldn’t need to be a secret. And what if Riverton used his sister to get revenge on him? But then again, Riverton hadn’t known he was Carissa’s brother until after he’d gotten involved with her. Maybe it was real. Maybe he really did care about Carissa. Glenn sniffed at the thought. That was wishful thinking. Riverton hated his guts. He knew he wouldn’t stick around long. He felt sorry for his sister, but it would be for the best.

Besides, he hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d held up his end of the deal, why bring up the past anyway? Through his sources, he knew that Riverton was worth even more now than he had been back then.

“Are you listening to me at all?” Lina asked.

“Yea, sure,” he said flipping through the mail.

“We have to break them up. Ow!”

He glanced up alarmed. “What is it?”

“I stubbed my toe. Just the thought of him makes me so mad.”

“Come on and sit down. You shouldn’t upset yourself.”

“You should have seen the way your sister spoke to me in the store. And those earrings she was wearing were so expensive.”

“He’s got money.”

“And I’ll bet you he’ll become stingy with it.”

He took her hand. “Don’t worry, if I read him right, I don’t think he’ll be around for long.”

Her eyes brightened and she smiled. “You really think so?”

He took her hand and kissed it; glad he could make her smile. “Yes, I do.”

***

“I wish I could stay,” Kenric said as he and Carissa stacked the dishwasher after dinner. “But I have to go away for a few days.”

“Oh, great, I bought them for nothing,” Carissa grumbled, thinking of her breathing strips.

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“While I’m gone there’s something I want you to consider.”

“What is it?”

“Every year my parents host a party on the Potomac and I’d like to take you.”

“You want me to meet your parents?”

He nodded.

“But—”

“Just think about it. The event isn’t until several weeks so you don’t have to make a decision now. I’ll be leaving Simus Labs soon and then we can be open about our relationship and I thought that would be a good start.”

“Okay,” Carissa said trying not to sound as panicked as she felt. He wanted her to meet his parents?

He grinned then kissed her on the cheek. “Good.”

She walked him to the door, missing him already. “Well, enjoy your trip.”

“It’ll be boring but that’s business for you.” He kissed her on the mouth and opened the door. “And don’t worry, I saw what you bought. We’ll be able to use those nose strips when I get back.”

She slammed the door shut on the sound of his laughter.

***

Carissa kept herself busy in his absence, which basically consisted of grocery shopping and cooking with Malcolm. Her phone rang one evening as she was cleaning out her stove. She saw Lina’s number and ignored it. A text came soon after then the phone rang three more times before it stopped. Minutes later someone pounded on the door.

“Carissa I really need you this time. Please.”

Carissa stood in front of her front door and stared at it determined to resist.

The pounding grew. “Please Carissa. I’m in labor.”

She threw up her hands in surrender. She didn’t want her disturbing the neighbors. She swung open the door and saw Lina, a thin layer of sweat on her face, her cheeks red. She breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed the side of her stomach. “Why didn’t you answer my call?” she demanded pushing past Carissa.

“I told you I wouldn’t. Did you call Glenn?”

“You can call him at the hospital,” Lina said taking a seat at the dining table. “You can get my suitcase and then drive me to the hospital.”

“That wasn’t the plan. You were supposed to call Glenn and then take a taxi.”

“That was only if no one else was around. I don’t want to take a taxi or anything else. I want you to drive me.”

“No.”

“What?”

“I’ll get your suitcase, but that’s it.”

“Do you know how hard it is for a woman in labor to walk down two flights of stairs?”

“You’re doing well so far.”

“I’m really in labor. Do you think I’m faking it?” she said through clenched teeth.

“No, but if the contractions were really close together you wouldn’t be sitting here so calmly.”

She folded her arms. “I’m not leaving until you say yes.”

“I can outlast you.”

Lina laughed. “I doubt it.”

Carissa’s phone rang. She looked at the number and saw it was Kenric. “Hi.”

“I wasn’t going to call you today, but I couldn’t stop myself.”

Lina looked at her appalled. “Are you really going to talk to your boyfriend while I’m in labor!”

“What’s going on?” Kenric asked concerned.

“Lina thinks she’s in labor.”

“I am in labor,” she shouted.

Carissa shot her a glance. “Then call your husband.”

“No.”

“I should let you go,” Kenric said.

Carissa sighed, disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to talk to him more. “Sorry about this.”

“It’s okay, I could tell you stories about some of my brother’s women.”

“Carissa, I’m serious!” Lina said.

She squeezed her eyes shut. “An ambulance may be coming here for another reason, if I don’t get rid of her soon.”

He laughed. “Remember to breathe. Bye.”

“Bye,” she said then hung up.

Lina walked up to her and pointed. “I’m not going in an ambulance. I want you to get my suitcase and take me to the hospital now.”

Carissa pushed her aside and turned on the TV.

Lina fell down beside her. “You can’t treat me this way.” She winced then swore. “We’re family.”

Carissa kept her gaze on the screen. She wouldn’t be manipulated anymore. She wouldn’t let her bully her. It stopped now.

After the first hour she heard some grunts and moans and groans but soon they quieted. When Carissa finally looked over at Lina she was fast asleep. She gripped her hands into fists. So much for labor pains. She felt like shaking her awake and shouting at her for continuing to play such a dangerous game. She didn’t understand the need. Everyone adored her, wasn’t that enough? Why did she always need to have Carissa come running?

After another hour Lina woke up, yawned and stretched her arms over her head.

“How are the labor pains?” Carissa asked in a flat tone.

Lina let her hands fall to her stomach and flashed a sheepish grin. “I guess it was a false alarm. I wasn’t lying. I did feel them this morning and I was scared.”

“I’m sure you were.”

“I guess coming here calmed me.” She yawned again. “I didn’t realize I was so tired.”

“Then you should go home and sleep.”

“Couldn’t you just make me a little something to eat?”

“No.”

She pushed her lower lip out in a pout. “Please.”

Before she could reply someone knocked on the door. When Carissa opened it she saw her brother. He looked past her and grinned at his wife. “I thought I’d find you here.”

“And you can take her to go find something to eat,” Carissa said.

“Couldn’t she have something here?” he asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because she’s a little angry with me,” Lina said. “It was a false alarm.”

He rushed over to her, sat by her side and held her hand. “You were in labor?”

“I thought I was, so I came here and now Carissa thinks I made it up.”

He turned to his sister. “You don’t really think that, do you? How could you be angry with her? She didn’t know it was a false alarm.”

Carissa wasn’t in the mood to argue. When it came to his wife everyone else was always the enemy. “I’m really not in the mood to prepare anything. If you want to eat you can get it yourself.”

“Fine,” Lina said starting to stand. She paused halfway, gasped and slowly sat back down, grabbing both sides of her stomach.

Glenn looked at her anxious. “What’s wrong?”

“Something funny just happened.” Her face brightened. “I think I really am in labor. That contraction was stronger than the rest.”

“Are you scared?”

“No,” she said with a note of awe. “We’re soon going to hold our new baby boy in our hands. It’s exciting.”

He jumped to his feet. “Let me go get the suitcase. I’ll be right back,” he said and darted out the door.

Lina stood and stared at Carissa triumphant. “Isn’t this amazing? In a few hours I’m going to be a mom and I’m not frightened at all. Now this is what I want you to do. You’ll drive Glenn and me to the hospital. I want my husband in the backseat with me, holding my hand.”

“I’m not going to the hospital with you. When Glenn returns he’s taking you.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“But I want you to be there. I don’t want to do this alone.”

“You won’t be alone. You’ll have your husband and when you call her, your mother and then my mother too.”

“But you
have
to be there. I’m really in labor this time.”

“But you weren’t last time?”

Her expression tightened. “I told you, it was a false alarm.”

“I wish I could believe you, but I don’t and that’s the problem.”

Lina folded her arms. “I’m not leaving until you say you’ll take us.”

“Suit yourself.”

“I’m serious,” Lina said resuming her seat on the couch.

“So am I.”

“Okay, baby I’m back,” Glenn said coming through the door.

“I’m not going,” she said.

“What do you mean you’re not going? Has the pain stopped?”

“Carissa said she won’t come and I won’t leave without her.” She suddenly winced then groaned.

Glenn looked at his sister with panic. “Come on, Carissa. It’s time.”

“Then take her,” she said. “I’m not coming.”

He looked down at his wife. “Come on you don’t want the contractions to get any worse.”

Lina closed her eyes and let out a long breath. “I’ll be fine as long as I’m not over stressed because of tension.”

“You should go with your husband.”

She glared at her. “I’m not going anywhere until you say ‘yes’.”

“You know your stubbornness could really put your life in danger,” Carissa said.

“Just say you’ll come,” Glenn said.

“No,” she turned and headed for the kitchen.

“Please, just do what she wants,” her brother said. “Just this once.”

“It’s never ‘just once.’ It will be forever and I won’t take it anymore. You and the rest of the family can spoil her but I won’t. I don’t think she’ll last much longer when the real pain starts to hit and she stops smiling. Just wait another couple of minutes and she’ll change her mind.”

But Lina was more stubborn than Carissa thought and after another hour her breathing had become a little more shallow with mixtures of painful gasps and anguished groans that increased in depth and volume.