Ex-Terminator Life After Marriage (22 page)

“Well, Mr. Thomas, you’ve finally found some time to call me back,” Rachel said in a sharp tone.

“I’ve calmed down enough to speak with you.” Marvin was snippy right back.

“I was so angry. Seeing Denise all up on you…and then you defending her like I was the Wicked Witch of the West.”

“I can explain it to you.”

“Actually, Marvin, you don’t have to explain a thing. I was wrong. Jealousy got the best of me. I just don’t want to lose the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”

“Rachel, I told you a dozen or more times that I love you. I’m not a turn-it-on and turn-it-off kind of guy. You have nothing to worry about.”

“That’s what Sylvia said. I don’t know why I can’t be levelheaded about that woman.”

“Speaking of Denise, I’m with her now.” Silence lay on the line. “Are you still there?”

Rachel sighed. “Yeah.”

“You have to trust me, Rachel. That’s what our relationship is going to have to be about. I went to chemo treatment with Denise today and she wanted to get something to eat afterward.”

“Is she sitting in front of you?”

“Of course not, she’s in the ladies’ room. This is the first chance I got to call you. I need you, Rachel. I don’t think I can do this alone.”

“Look, Sylvia and I were talking today, and she’s going to talk to everyone in the group about doing something to support Denise during her illness—maybe take turns going to treatment with her.”

“That would be good. Denise decided to have her breast removed.”

“What? Oh, my God.”

“The surgery is scheduled two weeks from Friday. Denise thinks this might prolong her life.”

“Maybe it will, Marvin. I guess she’s scared.”

“Real scared. She doesn’t want to die, Rachel.”

Rachel sighed. “I feel so foolish. She’s battling what could be a death sentence, and I was jealous for her wanting to live. I don’t deserve you, Marvin.”

“Rachel, I love you.”

“I love you, too, Marvin. Please forgive me.”

“It’s been forgotten.”

“We’re going to help Denise through this, and I promise to be by your side wherever this takes us.”

“That means a lot to me. I’ll call you later.”

Marvin closed his flip phone. His eyes traveled around the room and stopped when he saw Denise staring at him. She had a frown on her face, but Marvin didn’t care. For all she knew, he was conducting business.

Denise moved toward the table once she noticed that Marvin was watching her. She flopped in her chair and fiddled with the napkin that contained her silverware.

“So who were you talking to?” she inquired.

“The office,” Marvin lied. “I told you I had a lot of business to take care of today.”

Denise’s face relaxed and she offered a little smile. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I told you I would be.”

There was truth to the cliché about beauty being skin deep. Denise was a beautiful woman, but the beauty that Marvin once saw in her, mainly because of her infidelity, had long departed. Looking at her didn’t make him quiver or his blood boil like lava in an active volcano. There was an arctic chill between them that no amount of heat could warm.

“What’s the matter?” Denise asked. “You’re looking at me like you saw a ghost. Baby, I’m not going anywhere. I may be getting ready to lose one breast, but I’ve got so much more of life to live.”

“That’s a good attitude to have. And just so you know, I’m pulling for you, too. I want you to do something for me.”

“Depending upon what it is.”

“I want you to call your family today and tell them about your illness. No more delays. And I want you to call Harold, too.”

“Look, Marvin. Can we have a pleasant lunch?”

“We can, and we will. I need you to promise me that you will take care of this matter today.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I will call them myself.”

“Even Harold?”

The waitress arrived at the table and placed their plates on the table. “Will there be anything else?” she asked.

“No, thanks,” Denise said.

Marvin turned to Denise. “Eat your food, Denise. End of discussion.”

C
laudette pulled up in Ashley’s empty driveway. Everything seemed still. The flowers smiled as they drank the liquid sunshine and the towering pine trees in the backyard offered protection.

A bulky white cloth circled Claudette’s head, lifting her braids high in a slight twist. A wide smile crossed her face as she recounted Mona’s conversation yesterday about getting married. She never thought she’d see the day. Men came and went in Mona’s life. The woman was a nomad crossing the desert sand when it came to men, never wanting to settle with one for long.

Claudette pushed the doorbell and waited. She could have easily stayed in the car and honked the horn, but she half expected Ashley to be outside since she was about five minutes late getting to the house. With no answer, Claudette rang the bell again.

Sweat began to form on Claudette’s face. It had only been an hour since she spoke with Ashley. Claudette began to bang on the door. Then she remembered the story she told Mona about her girlfriend’s ex-husband beating on the door. There still was no answer and she began to pace, contemplating what she should do.

The front door opened suddenly. Out stepped William in a pair of blue jeans and a sleeveless, scoop-neck T-shirt.

“Go home. We don’t need you meddlin’ in our affairs. I’m taking Ashley to the doctor.”

Claudette stared at the towering giant.

“Cat got your tongue? You had plenty of talk the last time I saw you. This is none of your business, so go get in your car and get off of my property.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I see Ashley.”

“Lady, you are getting on my nerves. Take your…”

“Take my what?” Claudette asked, waiting for an answer with both hands on her hips.

Ashley suddenly appeared at the front door.

“What’s going on, Ashley? We’re going to be late for your appointment.”

“Claudette, William is going to take me. I appreciate you taking time away from work to go with me—”

“Look, Ashley, I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m here if you need me. If you didn’t want me to take you, you should have told me before I came over.”

“You heard my wife,” William said, moving closer to Claudette. “I’ve got this.”

“I’m not scared of you.”

William moved to within inches of Claudette’s face.

“William, stop!” Ashley hollered.

“You better move back or you’ll regret the moment you got up in my face. You don’t scare me, Mr. Lewis.” Claudette raised her finger in William’s face. “I will not hesitate to go to the police if something happens to Ashley.”

“Get the hell off of my property, you fat ass…”

“Who are you calling fat, you no-good, cheating, wife manipulator!”

“Shut up!” Ashley screamed. “Please stop this!”

“I’ll leave if you want me to, Ashley, but I’m not scared of—”

Before Claudette knew what was happening, William picked her up off the ground and single-handedly lifted Claudette to her car. Ashley began to run after them, but William turned around and gave her a “don’t take another step” look. He opened the door to Claudette’s car and dumped her in it.

“Don’t let me ever see you on my property again or I’ll call the police,” William said to Claudette, slamming the car door.

As soon as Claudette was able to straighten herself up, she started the engine and barreled down the driveway, leaving Ashley to fend for herself.

“Next time, I’ll be ready for him,” Claudette vowed.

“I’m going to be late for my appointment.” Ashley watched as Claudette drove out of sight.

“That woman is to never blacken my door again. Those crazy braids stuck to her head have suffocated her brain cells—getting all up in my face like she didn’t have good sense. She was within two inches of getting her ass kicked.”

“That wasn’t necessary, William. You were out of order and out of control.”

William stopped and looked at Ashley, then headed into the house with Ashley at his heels.

Once they were inside, he grabbed Ashley by the shoulders and stared straight into her eyes.

“Understand this, Ashley: You and I are going to get married tomorrow. You’ll probably need an extra hour for lunch. There are no ifs or ands about it. We are going to be a family again and raise our child.

“Your meddling friends are off limits, and there will be no need for you to go to your little meetings any longer.”

William released Ashley’s shoulders. Words had yet to escape her lips. Ashley just stood there transfixed as if waiting for a spell to be lifted.

“You don’t have to say anything, Ashley, so long as you know the rules. Now, go on and get in the car. I’ve got to get my shirt, and I’ll be right out.”

Ashley stood in the foyer and looked around. She rubbed her stomach, which showed little evidence that a baby was on board. She picked up her purse and headed to the car through the garage. It would be so easy to just get in and drive off without ever looking back, but somewhere lurking in the shadows would be William, reminding her that she was carrying his baby. She was carrying his baby all right, but she had no plans of meeting him at the altar a second time.

“Hey ladies.”

“Hey, Sylvia,” Rachel and Claudette said in unison.

“Hold on a moment. Someone else is calling in.”

“Good afternoon, divas.”

“Hey, Mona.”

“Has anyone talked with Ashley lately?” Sylvia asked.

“I was manhandled and thrown off the premises by that big Mandingo she calls an ex-husband,” Claudette said.

“Manhandled how?” Sylvia inquired.

“That sorry excuse for a husband put his hands on me when I went to pick Ashley up for her doctor’s appointment. He picked me up and threw me in my car and told me not to set foot on his property again.”

Laughter erupted across the telephone lines.

“Do you mean…hee, hee, hee, hee.” Mona couldn’t contain her laughter. “He…heeeeeeee…he picked you up off the ground? Hee, hee, hee.”

“It is not a laughing matter!” Claudette shouted. “Something crazy is going on in Ashley’s house, and if we don’t rescue her soon…”

“He, he, he, heeeeeeeeeeeeee. Was your tail turned up to the sky?” Mona asked.

“I’m through with you sisters. You don’t know how to be serious. But I’m telling you, I’m afraid for Ashley, and we need to be ready to move in and help her as soon as she sounds the alarm.”

“I think you’re right, Claudette,” Sylvia said. “We work in the same building, but I rarely see her. I believe she’s even avoiding me.”

“How is it that our exes have got us so messed up?” Rachel inquired.

“Because we’ve settled for less than our true worth,” Mona said. “You get what you pay for.”

“Look,” Sylvia interrupted. “Let’s meet for lunch tomorrow around eleven-thirty. Can everyone take a lunch break at that time?”

“You’ll have to eat without me. I have a plane to catch,” Mona reminded the group. “I’m going to New Orleans with my man.”

“What time is your flight?” Rachel asked.

“Four in the afternoon, and I’m not going to miss my flight because I was sitting around snacking and jacking my jaws with you crazy women.”

“Mona, we’ll meet somewhere close to the airport,” Sylvia said.

“No can do on my lunch hour,” Rachel piped in. “I can’t waste it sitting in ATL traffic.”

“Okay, I’ll come to you all, but if I miss my plane, all of you will have to answer to me.”

“I’m surprised you’re still going with that hurricane whirling so close to New Orleans,” Sylvia said.

“Nothing’s going to stop me from seeing my parents and showing off Mr. Broussard. That hurricane has been unpredictable. It’ll probably come close, wave its mighty arms a few good times and New Orleaners will be back gambling, slopping down Hurricanes—no pun intended—and just living it up in the French Quarter in no time.”

“Well, okay, that’s settled,” Sylvia said. “Rachel, you need to see if Marvin can come and…”

“Uhh, uhh, you and Marvin okay now?” Mona asked Rachel.

“There was nothing wrong with us.”

“Not according to what I heard.”

“Listen, Mona, don’t worry yourself about it. Marvin and I are finer than we’ve ever been.”

“Mmm, hmm.”

“So, Sylvia,” Claudette asked, “what prompted this lunch?”

“Besides the fact that we just need to come together more often and hang out, I think it is time we put the crap in our lives on the back burner and make way for new and better things. Also, we need to talk about what we’re going to do for Denise.”

“Sylvia, the Gordon Foundation is geared toward cancer research,” Mona interjected. “I think we can take turns going with Denise to her therapy sessions.”

“Denise is going to have a mastectomy,” Rachel volunteered.

“What?” Mona said excitedly.

“Has her situation turned for the worse?” Sylvia asked.

“According to Marvin,” Rachel said, “she decided that she didn’t want to continue chemotherapy. I guess she wanted to hold on to her last bit of dignity, being her hair.”

“But if it was going to save her life,” Mona began.

“She believes she can prolong her life even more if she goes ahead and has her breast removed,” Rachel said.

“Who’s having their breast removed?” Ashley asked, walking into Sylvia’s office.

“Ashley, is that you?” came Claudette’s voice.

“I’m really sorry about yesterday, Claudette. I didn’t have any energy left to deal with William.”

“Did William really turn Claudette upside down and throw her in the car?” Mona asked. “He, he, he, he, he, heeeeeeeeeeee.”

“Mona, it’s not funny. If I was taller, I would have squashed that Amazon to the ground. What did the doctor say, Ashley?”

“The baby’s all right.”

“Well, that’s good news,” Rachel said.

“Ash, we are meeting tomorrow for lunch at eleven-thirty, since Mona has to catch a plane, to talk about how we are going to help Denise.”

“Okay.”

“Ashley,” Claudette called out, “tell us what’s going on with you. I hear it in your voice.”

“Claudette, I’m all right. I’m tired of fighting with William is all. I will be making some tough decisions about my life soon.”

“Does William still expect you to get married?”

“Tomorrow.”

“What are you going to do, Ashley?” Rachel hurriedly interjected.

“What I said I was going to do all alone. I’m not getting married.”

“How are you going to get out of it, living in the same house and all?” Sylvia probed, getting up from her desk to stand beside Ashley.

“I haven’t quite decided, but know that I will not—I reiterate, will not—be getting married tomorrow.”

“Ashley, I say punch his lights out and head for the border,” Mona said, putting in her two cents.

“If you need me,” Claudette said, “call me. I’ll throw my curling iron down so fast, and I’ll be at your front door before you hang up the phone.”

“Thanks, Claudette. I might need you.”

“Ohhhhhhhhhh,” Sylvia said, “I’ll let you all know where we’ll meet later on tonight.”

“Sounds good,” everyone said, in unison.

“Ciao,” Mona said

“Talk with you later,” Rachel piped in.

“Bye,” Sylvia said.

“I’m here if you need me, Ash.”

“Thanks, Claudette.”

Sylvia hit the off button and turned back to Ashley.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. I feel better just in that brief moment of conversation with you and the other ladies.”

“Ashley, I see that you’re hurting, but you’ll get through this. You have your baby to think about. You are already divorced from William. It’s just a question of how you are going to get him out of the house.”

“I know. Sylvia, sometimes I do some dumb and stupid things. I never should have invited William back to the house no matter how hard he begged. He’s this person I don’t recognize, and it frightens me.”

“Have you thought about getting a restraining order?”

“What good is that going to do if he lives in the same house with me?”

“I guess that was a bad idea.”

“That’s all right. I have been giving it some serious thought, but my first thought is about not getting married tomorrow.”

Ashley stood by the window that looked out at the Atlanta metropolis that dumped into I-85.

“That bastard grabbed me by the shoulders yesterday and told me I was going to marry him on Friday. A cold chill ran through me, Sylvia. I wanted to slit his throat. He no more cares about me than the man in the moon. He is obsessed with having this baby—you know, the way those crazy folks did in
Rosemary’s Baby
. But my baby is not a devil, and he will not be raised by one.”

Sylvia went and stood by Ashley and rubbed her shoulders.

“You can come and stay at my house tonight. William will have to come through me.”

“I can’t involve you in this, Sylvia. I’ve got to take care of this myself. I’m going to face William head on. There will be no wedding tomorrow. I’ll see you at eleven-thirty for lunch.”

Ashley hugged Sylvia and walked out of the office. Sylvia stood staring at her until the phone rang, disturbing her disturbing thoughts.