Trouble In Paradise (14 page)

“Hey man I tried to call you about two hours ago but it kept going straight to voicemail,” Joshua said. 

“Oh that was probably because I was on the plane and you know they don’t want you on the phone.” 

“Oh, where
are you now?  I’m about to pull into your driveway.  I got a rental at the airport and you need to put on some clothes.” 

Joshua sighed.  “I have some clothes on man I have been trying to call Victoria, I don’t even know where to look and she won’t answer my calls.”

“Well guess what?” 

“What’s that?” Joshua said with no enthusiasm. 

“I know where she is,” Dantae said with certainty. 

Joshua got to his feet. 

“What How?”

  Bee
p, Beep he heard someone blow. 

“That’s me,” D
antae said, “now bring yourself.  I called Shay and she is in Chicago at The Drake Hotel.  I have the room number,” he smirked.  “Hello?” Dantae said. 

Joshua
had already hung up and was on his way out the door. 

Chapter 18

Victoria’s phone chirped, she had a text message.  She picked up the phone and opened the text.  It read:
enjoyed talking to you briefly today, I love the sound of your voice and the seduction in your lips.  I hope you don’t mind if I text you from time to time
.

Victoria blushed and hit reply:
you sure know what to say to make a girl blush, you can text me anytime cutie
.  Send.  Victoria stood over the bathroom sink, she had been in there for about an hour and she was going crazy in her mind of what to do.  “This is why being in love is not healthy,” she said to her reflection in the mirror.  She turned on the water, checked the temperature, ran some into her hands and splashed it on her face.  “That feels great,” she said.  She dried her hands off on a hand towel and blotted her face.  She pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail and walked out the bathroom.  Shay was standing in the mirror modeling a flirty outfit.  Victoria looked her up and down. 

“You trying to catch you a date or something, I like that skirt.” 

She had on all white, a short flare spring skirt with a flirty ruffled collar spring shirt, four-inch white stiletto pumps, “yeah that’s the move,” Shay said to herself. She turned around and looked at Victoria.  “Girl, you will never believe who just called me.” 

“Who?”

“Dantae.” 

Victoria’s expression turned from excitement to puzzled.  “Umm Dantae who?”

Shay picked up a pillow and hit her with it.  “How many Dantae’s do we know girl?”

“You’re talking about Dantae Matthews?” 

“Yes, girl dang.  Come on slow, earth to Victoria.  What’s wrong with you?  Do I need to take you to see a doctor because you have gone through some dramatic shit and you were in the bathroom like forEVER. So what’s really going on?  Come here, let me feel your forehead,” Shay said as she stepped toward Victoria and placed her hand on her head.  “Mmm, you don’t feel like you’re running a temperature.” 

“That’s because I’m not smart ass.” 

“Well you could’ve fooled me.”

“Yes, I’m going through some thangs, Joshua has called me like a thousand times, he is driving me crazy.  And the worst part about it is I want to talk to him but I feel like I shouldn’t, I just don’t know what to do.” 

“Ok why do you feel like you shouldn’t talk to him, you guys are engaged, the least you can do is talk to him, punish him—yes I am all for that—but talk to him girl, these things happen.” 

“Shay, if this girl is pregnant with his child, I will not ma
rry him.  There is no way I can go into a marriage where my husband has an infant child with another woman.  That is just too much for me; maybe other people can do that.  But me no can do.  I’m just saying.  Would you really be able to live with a man for the rest of your life, being a step mom to his son who is younger than the relationship, so every time that child is around he is a constant reminder of his infidelity?” 

Vict
oria had a strong point and Shay understood. 

“I completely understand, but some people go through this all the time.  I’m not saying that makes it right, I’m just giving you another option to consider.  I mean you guys are so happy together and you complement each
other on every level, you are meant for each other I really believe that, I also believe this was a bump in the road and you can overcome it.”

“Baby bump.”

Victoria muttered under her breath.

“Honestly Victoria, I’ve never seen a couple as happy and in love as you guys.  I really believe Joshua loves you and his manhood got him caught up and twisted.  Now that goes back to you making sure you put him on punishment but girl think about it, before you let it completely go, infant or not.

Victoria looked up at Shay,

“
Girl I need Jesus to help me through this I really don’t think I can shake it if there’s an infant in the picture.  I can’t get past something like this if that bump in the road has to grow up in the house with us.” 

Shay took a step back. 

“Ok, you right I guess.” 

“Now what did Dantae want?”

“Oh.  Girl,” she smiled, “he got to talking all slick like he wants me.” 

Victoria rolled her eyes, “that’s because he does want you, he’s always wanted you,” they laughed.  “So what did he say?”

“I told him I wasn’t in Memphis that I was in Chicago.  He said he was too.” 

“What?” 

“Yes, girl he is on his way over here, he said in an hour, but that was about an hour ago.”

She smiled
from ear to ear. 

Victoria’s brain started to buzz. 

“OK why do I feel like this is a set up?”

“What do you mean?” 

“You do remember that Dantae is Joshua’s best friend.” 

The light bulb in Shay’s head came on, she crossed her arms,

“So, you think the purpose of him calling me was to get Joshua with you?” she asked as she realized she had been used.

Her mouth dropped open and she went to pick up her phone and call Dantae back, she could be wrong, it was real coincidental that th
ey happened to be best friends.  Dantae answered the phone. 

“What’s up beautiful?” he said. 

“Dantae please don’t tell me you set my girl up and used me to get Joshua with her, because I know you know what’s going on with them so don’t play.” 

Dantae chuckled. 

“You know I like it when you’re feisty, it’s a real turn on.”

She smirked, “Don’t play.”

“What’s wrong if I got Joshua with me?  He don’t even know where we going I just asked him to ride with me.” 

“You full of it
.”

“Ah, come on baby girl don’t do me like that, I’m serious, he doesn’t have a clue and you know I was here checking on my man why else would I be in Chicago, so what’s wrong with that?  To know you’re here makes this trip worthwhile, I’m not
playing with ya girl I’m serious.”

Shay rolled her eyes.  By this time Victoria had put her purse on her shoulder and was ready to leave.  She knew if Shay was fussing at Dantae then this was a setup no ifs, ands, or buts about it. 

“I gotta go,” Shay hung up. 

Victoria walked towards the door. 

“Wait.” 

“What?” Victoria snapped. 

“Why are you leaving?  Didn’t we just have a conversation about you talking to Joshua?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to be ambushed.”

“He’s not trying to ambush you but how else will he reach you if you’re not answering his phone calls, now if this was a setup he has exhausted all of his resources to find you girl. Think about it, he really got his friend to come from Memphis to Chicago to get me to spill the beans and it worked.  Talk to him.”

“I need something to drink; I’m going downstairs to the bar.  I’ll be back.” 

Victoria opened the door and walked out.

“Wait.” Shay yelled, “Victoria, please don’t leave.

“I’m not leaving.  I promise I’ll be right back.” 

Victoria walked down the hallway.  There were two sets of elevators.  Victoria pressed the down button, it lit up.  Seconds later the second elevator dinged and the doors opened.  Victoria stepped on and pressed the “1” button.  Just as the doors began to close the first elevator dinged and Dantae and Joshua stepped off.  Joshua looked at the second elevator right as the doors completely closed.  He turned and kept walking behind Dantae. 

Outside, Danielle and Leon got out of the Dodge Durango and Leon handed the valet the keys.  Once inside, they walked up to the first set of elevators and pressed the up button.  Seconds later both the first and second set of elevators dinged simultaneously and opened.  Danielle and Leon stepped on the first elevator just as Victoria stepped off the second elevator.  She made a left and walked right past the first elevator as the doors were closing.  Danielle caught a glimpse of her and tried to stop the elevator door from closing but it closed anyway. 

“What?” 

Leon looked confused.  Danielle had the most bewildered look on her face. 

“What is it?” Leon asked. 

“I think it was Victoria,” Danielle said. 

Leon put his right hand on his chest.

“Child you have got to stop trippin’.  Why would she be in this hotel?”

Leon was right Danielle thought. 

“I need something to eat, I feel lightheaded and I’m hallucinating.” 

“Yes you do,” Leon said.

****

Shay opened the door, on the other side at six foot two inches was a light skinned smooth LL Cool J look alike.  Shay bit her bottom lip.  He stepped in. 

“Hey beautiful,” he said an
d handed her a rectangle style box with a bow on the top. 

A smile lit up her face
and she accepted it.  Inside were 12 of the plumpest chocolate covered strawberries arranged in a rose floral style. 

“Mmmm, wow this is a sexy sweet treat.  Thank you so much.” 

“You’re so very welcome; I felt I should have a sweet treat for my sweet treat.” 

She blushed, “Come on in.” 

He walked in and Joshua stepped in behind him. 

“You
’re here alone?” Dantae asked. 

“Hi Shay,” Joshua said. 

“How are you Joshua?” Shay said.  “I’m here alone at the moment, when Victoria learned that you were bringing Joshua she decided to go to the bar downstairs and have a drink.  Would you guys like to join her?” 

“Yes,” they said together. 

“Well then let’s go,” she said. 

She picked up her
purse and the brass room key and headed out the door.  Downstairs in the bar room Victoria was having a Long Island Iced Tea.  Her phone chirped.  She looked at it.  It was a text message.  She opened it.  It read:
let me take you out, dinner and a movie
.  She hit reply. 
When?
  Send.  She took another sip of her drink; the place had a medium crowd.  I guess this is the kind of place that has people around all the time.  Victoria went to take another sip of her drink when someone put their arms around her.  She tensed up and turned slowly to see Joshua standing behind her with Dantae and Shay.  Shay sat down next to Victoria on a bar stool.  Dantae sat next to her.  Joshua stood in front of Victoria. 

“Can I talk to you?” he asked. 

She drank the rest of her Long Island. 

“Sure, why not?” 

He tried to hug her and she pulled back. 

“Joshua, I’m really not in the mood for hugs and kisses OK.” 

“Baby, I love you.  I’m sorry.  I really don’t know what to say.”

“You really don’t know what to say?  So you have no clue what to say?  You called me a million times and sent a GPS signal up and found me and now you don’t know what to say?” 

“Listen baby, I messed up, I mean I messed up big time.” He said.

“Well, there’s something we both agree on.”

“Listen.  I need you in my corner baby; you are the only one in this world that I love.  I never want to be without you.  Against all odds I would do whatever it took to make sure this love never dies.  You are a part of my soul.  There is no way I could live without you.” 

He was grabbing at her now, not roughly, but soft stern grabs, he was trying to pull her in to him, but she was resisting.  There commotion wasn’t so unruly where it was noticed, but they didn’t go unnoticed either. 

“If you have a child with another woman I can’t be with you Joshua.  There’s no way I could put myself through reliving your infidelity for eighteen years and so on, yes maybe I would get over it, but in the back of my mind it will always be that pain of this infidelity walking around in my face, and I can’t deal with something like that, it’s too much.” 

Joshua pulled her into him.

“I’m sorry.” He repeated it over and over, “I’m so sorry baby, I love you, I never meant to hurt you, ever.”

She pul
led from him and ordered a Grey Goose on the rocks.  He kept his arms around her. 

“Will you come home please?” 

She didn’t respond. She had mixed emotions now that he was in her presence with his arms around her.  She felt that familiar touch smelled his familiar scent and she knew without a doubt she loved him.  The bartender came back with the drink.  She took a sip.  Dantae and Shay were in their own little world. 

“Please baby, will you come home?  I’m sorry.  I love you; we can come up with a solution of how to work this out.  There’s no way I will let this ruin us.”  

She looked up at him.  He had such a pleading look in his eyes.  What he didn’t realize was this hurt Victoria just as much as it hurt him; she was so torn because she was in love with Joshua, he was truly her equal,
what would she do without him?
She wondered.  It could be a cruel thing when you fall in love with someone and feel you know that person completely and your whole world is centered on that person, and then something happens.  Something you always thought wasn’t possible happens.  He cheats, or lies, or dies.  Either way you’re stuck with the most unimaginable pain and regret, you start to wonder if you did things differently maybe there would’ve been a different outcome.  The pain becomes unbearable and it continues on and on until you’re numb and then you feel nothing.  Love, hmmm she shook her head, it can be so cruel.