Mistress (13 page)

My house was a mess. Unfolded clothes piled up and dust everywhere. I only found time to wash the dishes and wash my ass.

The doorbell rang as I took the last bite of chicken teriyaki. The
Physicians’ Desk Reference
fell on my toe when I rose from the couch. “I’m coming,” I said, hopping in agony to the door.

“Hey, honey.” I hugged Maria.

“What’s with the new dance? Girl, I need your help. I’m about to be in a gigantic hole of trouble.”

“I dropped the book on my toe. Don’t talk about it. I feel it throbbing now.” I plopped in the chair. “What’s going on?”

“Well, freaks do creep at night. I’ve been cheating on Hasaan, you know, dibbling and dabbling a tiny bit in another jar. I liked being with an older man.”

“You’re better than me. He’s old enough to be your grandfather. I thought you ended things with Mr. Logan.”

“I tried to, but the sex is so good. Working with some one for twelve hours or more, I became attracted to him. Honestly, I loved the thrill of having sex in the restaurant after hours. The fingers on my hands can’t hold the number of times he had me on top of a wobbling booth.” Maria could go on and on when she’s feeling giddy.

“What’s the problem?”

“Logan wants to continue our fuck schedule. He threatened to tell Hasaan and fire me if I don’t oblige him. What am I going to do? Hasaan will kill him, and I’ll be the ho on the five o’clock news.”

“Simple. If he wants sex we’ll give him sex. Hand me a pair of those rubber gloves on my jacket. Don’t let the bleach scare you.”

“Your jackets reek of embalming fluid.”

“Dead people have been my friends for a while now.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I want you to act as normal as possible. Avoid him at all costs. When he’s coming in, you’re leaving out. I’m going to write a unanimous letter to the corporate center stating that he sexually harasses his female and male employees. This will teach him not to bother you anymore. All I need you to do is run to Office Max and buy a pack of copy paper and a box of envelopes. I don’t want our prints to show up. I can’t stand men who use their influence and power to have control over someone else. He’s threatening your livelihood and everything you’ve worked hard for. Yeah, we’ll teach him.”

* * *

Jarrad knew I always needed to get away whenever he pissed me off. It was no surprise that he bought me a condo in South Beach, Miami after I brought up the divorce. This property was in my name too. Tina was trying to get more than half of his earnings. Deep down, I couldn’t knock her, but at the same time, it meant less money for
our
household.

“Patience is a virtue,” he kept saying, but the virtue was running out. His days were numbered to get his shit together. Next year, I’d be graduating medical school, and I had no qualms about reminding him that I would leave.

“Baby, come here please.”

“Give me a second. I’m washing my hands,” I yelled upstairs.

My hands felt gritty coming from the sand at the beach. While grabbing a paper towel, a picture of Jarrad and me caught my eye. I couldn’t believe he had last year’s Christmas picture blown up twenty-by-fourteen style. I made damn sure I looked exquisite that night with a winter white dress and matching creme fur. I looked happy and I was. All I cared mostly about was Jarrad, and us building a life together. Plus, it was before I found out he was married.

I turned around to face him. “You’re very creative.”

“I knew you would like it, although I’m not finished yet,” he explained, coming down the stairs.

“What else you got for me, daddy?”

“Close your eyes.”

“Your wish is my command for about sixty seconds.”

“Please follow me. When we get to the top of the stairs, close your eyes. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”

He guided my body to the master bedroom.

“Can I open them?”

“Now you can,” he said, placing a necklace around my neck.

I gasped for air. “I love it.” It was the two-carat canary diamond necklace advertised on the Tiffany Web site last month. He happened to be walking by the computer, while I was drooling over it.

“Which one do you like the most?”

“The picture, because it brings back wonderful memories.”

“We’re about to make another one.” Jarrad licked my second and third fingers.

“Don’t forget the condom.”

“I can hardly feel your good pussy with a rubber. I promise to pull out. I’ll use a condom next time, I promise,” he said, my left breast in his mouth.

I savored the moment of popping a cherry Jolly Rancher in my mouth as I headed to the cafeteria for a grilled chicken salad, a bottle of water, and a mental break. Plus, I wanted to catch up on some much-needed reading. If it wasn’t for this scholarship I was riding on, Jarrad, and my parents, I didn’t know how I would make ends meet with the nine-dollar-an-hour paycheck I was getting for being an admin associate. The medical exposure was priceless. I’d seen trauma victims, HIV patients, burn victims, and critical care patients.

“Mind if I join you?” Leonard Walker stood before me with a white coat on and a cup of soup in his hand. As he was coming out, I was coming in. He had a brownsugar complexion and oval-shaped matching eyes. The whiff of Polo Sport aftershave caught my attention before he did. Walker specialized in cardiology and was one of the finest doctors to ever graduate with honors from Eastern Virginia Medical School. He’d saved many lives with the art of his craft. The buzz around the hospital was that he
wasn’t
a lonely bachelor. We worked on two different floors, so I didn’t see him around much.

“Of course, you can. I’m glad to finally get to meet you. My name is—”

“Alexis Gibbs,” he stated, shaking my hand. “It’s nice to meet the up-and-coming in the flesh as well. You’re specializing in OB, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me know if you need help. I had to do my fair share of rounds there.”

“Thanks for thinking about me with your hectic schedule.”

“I don’t mind helping out a fellow doctor.”

“I’m not one yet.”

“You will be.” he looked into my eyes, his pager buzzing off. “I’ve got to run. Would you like to get together for lunch or dinner to talk about anything other than medicine or patients?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Umm, I’ve got to get going as well.” I grabbed my books together.

“I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re such a gorgeous woman.”

“No, you didn’t. It’s just that I don’t want to get involved with anyone from the hospital.”

“If I worked at a hospital down the street, would you give me a chance?”

I flirted. “Maybe . . . if I didn’t have a boyfriend.”

“I understand. Take care and enjoy the rest of your day.” He smiled and rubbed my arm.

* * *

I just got off the phone with Maria.

Every conniving man has his day. Corporate companies do not tolerate the mention of the words
sexual harassment.
It turned out Mr. Logan was given his walking papers.

My mind was racing into one direction. I paced the floor, in between me blowing up his cell phone. Deep down, I hoped Jarrad had a good explanation to share with me.

“What’s eating you?” Jarrad asked.

I turned my head away. “Where were you last night? I thought we were supposed to go to the movies.” I crossed my arms and slammed down on the sleigh bed.

“I forgot to call you to mention I couldn’t make it last night. Tina and I needed to talk some things out, and I lost track of time.”

“So let me see it.”

“See what?”

“The divorce agreement or, at least, the separation papers you’ve been preaching about for the past month.”

“Oh, that? Well . . . I’m still working on it,” he said, rubbing his fingers through my hair.

“Whatever. Go back to where you came from. You’re not staying in this house without any documentation.” I hit his hand away.

“Look, I’ve been working all week just like you. I’m sick of your damn attitude. Ever since we got back from Miami, you’ve been acting funny. Hell, you even gained a little weight in the right places though. You must be on the rag. I don’t need this shit.”

“I’m not on the rag. My period is late again.”

“It’s probably stress from school.”

“It’s probably your dumb ass not pulling out in time.” I reported to the bathroom.

“Where are you going?”

“To see if you knocked me up again. Get your checkbook ready because I’m not paying for this one either.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me what the verdict is?” Jarrad pointed to the bathroom.

“You can read. Go look yourself since you want to know for sure.” I already knew I was.
My breasts and ass are a giveaway.

“Fine, I’ll go look.” He headed to the bathroom door with an attitude.

There was complete silence for five minutes after he walked back over to the bed.

“You’re pregnant. Damn, baby, I thought I had pulled out all the way. Tina wants half of my fortune. She would take half of my body if she could. Now this . . . you’re pregnant again. What do you want to do? I wouldn’t mind having another baby girl. She would look just like me, but with your sweet dimples.” Jarrad tried to hold me.

“Get off of me. This is all your fault. You don’t listen. I told you to pull out. Now I’m going to be the one with my insides torn up, reducing my chance of ever having babies again. I don’t want to have any of your babies, not like this. Not to mention, you’re not even divorced yet. Are you still working on it, or do you use it as an excuse to screw her behind my back? If my phone rings one too many times you have a hissy fit. At times, I think you are very insecure. I’m so sick of you looking through my cell phone. If I wanted to cheat, I would. Remember dick is free every day of the week.”

“You hardly ever answer your phone. What are you doing?”

“I’m busy either in the lab or the library. I’m pretty, but my looks won’t get me to passing my exams.”

“You’re trying to pick a fight with me.”

“No, I’m just trying to express to you how I feel. You can be a little more understanding and compassionate especially since I’m pregnant again due to your—”

“Alex, I told you I’m tired. I don’t need this shit, and I damn sure don’t want to hear your broken-record mouth. I want you to have my baby. It is my baby, right?”

“How dare you even come at me like that?”

“Hmm, you’ve been putting in a lot of late nights in the so-called medical library all by yourself for three weeks straight.”

“You need to concern yourself with putting a damn ring on my finger. Don’t even think I’m giving you a DNA test. To be honest, I don’t want to be a mother anytime soon. I had intended to graduate medical school childless.”

“Don’t give me any ultimatums. Do you really think ultimatums make me want to marry your ass? You’re acting just like—”

“Your wife, Tina.”

“With this attitude, you’ll never be my wife. If I wanted to be scrutinized, then I would be with Tina. You’re supposed to be my outlet for fun and relaxation. All you ever do is nag and nag about the divorce. If you wait, things will fall into place. Stop trying to rush shit.”

“I’m not you, Jarrad. I can’t let this situation just fall into place. I’m not just going to wait in the wings for my turn of matrimony with you.”

He yelled, “You’re talking nonsense. I’m outta here. I need a break. Believe me, I’m so relieved I kept my apartment in Columbus Horizon even after moving in with you.”

“You told me the lease ran out,” I replied, bewildered.

“I lied.” He trampled out of the bedroom and headed for the staircase.

I followed quickly in pursuit. “Get out.” I threw a vase at the front door and just missed his head.

“Your ass is crazy.” He slammed the door.

I fell to my knees and wept.
I can’t take this much longer. I deserve much better than this
, I thought. Even when Jarrad was laying by my side, I kept wondering if the divorce would ever happen.
Can I really plan a future with a man who refuses or is unsure of closing a chapter in his life?
I was tired, torn, and confused. How could Jarrad even question the paternity of his own child?

I ended up falling asleep on the burgundy leather couch.

The next morning, there was a knock at the door. I cracked the door open for Maria and Charlotte to enter.

“Alex, you look worn down. School must have you stressed to the limit,” Charlotte said, stepping over the broken vase.

“It’s not school,” I whimpered.

“What is it?” Maria asked.

“Jarrad and I had a fight and it got ugly.”

“What were you fighting about?”

“I’m pregnant and Jarrad is taking his sweet time divorcing his wife. Deep down, a part of me feels that he’ll never leave her. I’m just a side chick he loves to string along.”

“It comes with the territory.”

I looked at Charlotte. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what I said. You made the choice to continue on a relationship with a married man and fall even more in love with him after the fact you found out he was married. I’m not knocking you for having your fun, but play your position. Do you really think he’s ever going to leave his wife for you?”

“Look, he’s going to leave Tina as soon as possible. She’s just being difficult, that’s all,” I explained, trying to convince them as well as myself.

“You’re being naïve.”

“Honey, it’s been in the process for two years now,” Maria reminded me. “You need to see some action going on and stop hearing a lot of bullshit talk.”

“I love Jarrad. He just needs a little bit more time. I have faith in him and our relationship.”

“What about the baby?” Charlotte asked.

“You both know I’m not mother material now. Finals are right around the corner. I can barely take care of myself. I’m going to make an appointment with the abortion clinic tomorrow morning.” I started to pick up the broken glass.

Charlotte said, “It’s as simple as ordering take-out, right?”

I shot back, “This isn’t a stroll on Rodeo Drive for me either. Jarrad doesn’t have to deal with the physical and emotional pain, the stress, trauma, nausea, and vomiting when it comes to getting an abortion.”

“There are plenty of women who would love to have a baby but are unable to. You, on the other hand, are literally throwing lives away.”

Maria tried to change the subject. “Let’s help you get your house in order before we go get fitted for our wedding dresses.”

“If I wanted to clean, I would do it to my own apartment. This is my day for my wedding. Alex is more of a broken record. I don’t feel sorry for you because you chose to stay with Jarrad this whole time. My wedding is more important right now. Let’s discuss this later. I’m ready to go.” Charlotte put her sunglasses on and headed for the door.

“What’s wrong with her? I’m ready to knock her out. My life is in shambles and all she’s worried about is dresses. If I hit her, I don’t think we’ll ever be friends again.”

“Charlotte has been acting crabby for at least a week. Something is bothering her, but she refuses to talk about it. Let’s go get fitted for the dresses. I’ll drop her off, and we’ll come back here so I can help you get your house in order.”

“Okay. I’ll put some clothes on. Give me eight minutes,” I said, running up the stairs.