Never Again, No More 6, page 5
The food was delicious, and the drinks were on point. Whoever was mixing up those cranberry and vodkas was handling their business. Lucinda and I talked a lot about work, her upcoming graduation, and our kids, and then she finally told me why she felt she was still in love with Aldris. It hurt like hell to sit there and listen to that, but I had to endure. And endure I did, until I got my cue.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but this is my song. I love Babyface. Would you care to dance?” I asked.
“Sure,” Lucinda agreed, and we walked hand in hand onto the dance floor.
I held her close as the saxophonist bellowed the panty-dropping classic, “Soon As I Get Home.” I wanted her to feel the connection with me on that song. I wanted her to know that I gave good love, too. In fact, better love than her beloved Aldris.
She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I wanted to jump for joy. The spark was still there, but the mission wasn’t complete yet. After the song ended, we walked hand in hand back to our table, and lo and behold, whom did we see? Jennifer and Aldris.
“Aldris? Jennifer?” Lucinda said, looking back and forth between them in confusion. “Wow. Fancy seeing you two here,” she said uneasily.
Aldris nodded. “Hello, Lu and Mike. Out enjoying yourselves, I see,” he said, pointing toward the dance floor, giving us the message that he had seen us dancing.
“Yeah, just a little bit,” I said, noticing that Lucinda was eyeing Jennifer.
Lucinda nodded, looking toward Aldris. “It’s good to see that you and Jennifer can hang out like this. Not everybody has that relationship with their baby’s mother or daddy.”
Jennifer tossed her a lazy smile before looping her arm with Aldris’s arm. “I guess getting along would have to be a big part of the equation when you’re getting married.” She cast her smiling eyes up at Aldris as he stared back down at her.
Lucinda coughed and directed her attention to Jennifer. “Excuse me?”
Aldris put his hand on Jennifer’s hand. “Sweetie, just let it go for now.”
Jennifer pretended like she hadn’t heard him. She smiled at Lu. “Aldris and I are getting married.”
Lu blinked several times as if someone had punched her in the face. “Oh. Um. Wow. Really? Damn. Okay. Um. Oh. Wooow. I . . . uh . . . I guess this is uh . . . umm . . . congratulations.”
Aldris sighed and looked at Lu. “Lu, I didn’t want you to find out like this—”
She put her hand up. “No. It’s cool. We’re not together. I would’ve eventually found out anyway, though I doubt I would’ve gotten a wedding invitation,” she said, and I could tell she was trying to keep her composure.
Aldris rubbed his fingers about his forehead before shrugging. “Yeah, I guess.” He gestured his hand toward Lucinda and me. “I mean, but you and Mike are together and probably headed down that path yourselves.”
Thank you, Jesus! He just sealed the deal for me. I started to speak. “Uh. Actually, Lu and I aren’t—”
Without warning, Lu pulled me close to her and patted my chest. “We aren’t sure what day is good to set a wedding date. You see, Mike wants it to be a summer wedding, and I’m looking more toward maybe Valentine’s Day. Isn’t that right, baby?” she lied, caressing my cheek.
Playing along, I looked down at her and smiled lovingly. “Uh, yeah. That’s right. I’m trying to convince her not to do the Valentine’s Day thing. The anniversary would have to be killer on that day.” My joke let off a series of giggles from Jennifer.
Aldris held an awkward smirk plastered on his face. “So, I take it congratulations are in order for you, too?” Aldris commented, looking directly at Lucinda.
She nodded. “It’s like you said, move on and be happy, right?” she quoted with a slight air of arrogance in her tone.
Aldris huffed and grabbed Jennifer’s hand. “You are exactly right, and I’m very happy.” He smiled at Jennifer.
“And I’m super happy,” Lu said, smiling at me.
“Well, I guess we’re just a set of happy-go-lucky people, huh?” Jennifer giggled as she caressed Aldris’s hand.
“All day,” Lucinda answered.
Pretending to be tired of the strained exchange, I offered, “We shouldn’t hold you guys up—”
Lucinda lightly tapped her forehead. “You’re right. We’re being rude. We’re just going to go back to our table and finish enjoying this date. And that is a beautiful rock, Jennifer.”
“Thank you. Where’s yours?” she asked.
“Getting sized,” Lucinda lied again. “It’s gorgeous. You’ll see it one day. You all have a good night,” Lucinda said as she wrapped her arms around my waist.
“Good night, you guys,” I said, and we walked back to our table.
As soon as we sat down, the waiter came over. “Would you like anything else to drink or eat? Perhaps dessert.”
“No dessert. Give me a shot of Patron silver. Two actually,” Lucinda said quickly.
“And for you, sir?” he asked.
As I looked up at the waiter, I held up my hand. “I’m good.”
When the waiter walked away, I refocused on Lucinda, who was fidgeting with her purse, and I reached out and grabbed her hands. “Are you okay?”
“Who, me? I’m fine.” She shrugged then continued rambling. “It doesn’t matter. We’re not together, and they do have a child together. Thank you for playing along with me. I just . . . I couldn’t give him the satisfaction.” Lucinda huffed.
The waiter came back, and she downed the two shots almost before he could walk away.
“Can you call him back over here? I think I need another shot.”
I placed my hand atop hers before she could lift it to signal the waiter. “I think maybe I should take you home. I’m not gonna let you have an emotional breakdown in front of him.”
She didn’t readily agree, but she didn’t protest either. After a few moments of contemplation, she acknowledged that I was correct. “Thanks. I think that would be best.”
After she conceded, I called for the waiter and paid the bill. On our way out, we waved goodbye to Aldris and Jennifer. Lucinda held me by the waist all the way to my SUV. Once inside, she broke down.
“I can’t believe he’s marrying her,” she cried into my arms. “I thought we were meant to be together. Why can’t I just get over him?”
Rather than address her questions, I focused my attention on comforting her. “Just let it all out.” I rubbed my hand up and down her back as she cried on me until her cries became whimpers.
When I arrived at her house, I helped her to the door and opened it up for her. She threw her heels to the side and plopped down on the sofa.
“I’m sorry for using you. I know you want to go, so you can,” she said with the pillow covering her face.
Easing in front of her, I removed the pillow and tossed it to the side. “I’m going to make you a cup of coffee and watch some television with you. Or we can talk. But what I will not do is leave you like this.” With that, I walked in the kitchen and put on some coffee.
Once it brewed, I made her a cup just the way she liked it, then brought it to her and began massaging her feet as we sat on the sofa in silence. After a few minutes, she sat up and drank some of the coffee. Then she got up and put the bouquet I had bought in a vase with water and placed it on her dining room table.
“It’s beautiful,” she commented, staring at the floral arrangement.
“Not as beautiful as the owner.”
She turned to face me. “You’re such a good man.”
“I try.” I shrugged then stood and walked over to the dining table that she was leaning against. “If you’re feeling better, I guess I should go.”
In a move that shocked me, she wrapped her arms around my neck. “You don’t have to go.”
My head fell forward as I released a small sigh. “Lu, you’re hurting. I understand. But we can’t keep doing this to ourselves. You love Aldris.”
“He’s marrying Jennifer.”
“And what does that have to do with us or your feelings?”
“Nothing and everything. I’ve allowed him to come between us. I should’ve been focused on you and not on Aldris. I messed up again. You are the man who brings me flowers just because, or listens as I tell you I love someone else knowing that you love me. You’ve sacrificed your own happiness just so I could have mine, and for that, I am ashamed. I’m ashamed because while I was chasing a broken dream that I should’ve had the sense to let go of, I was hurting the only man who has truly been there for me through thick and thin. I’m sorry, Mike.”
Pretending to be taken aback, I smiled softly. “It’s okay. Like I said, I’m always gonna be here for you no matter what. Love makes me do crazy and unexplainable things.”
A beat passed before she flashed her beautiful eyes at me, and I swear I got lost in them. “I want to learn how to fall in love with you.”
I won’t lie. Even though this was the result I’d hoped for, her statement caught me off guard. “You’re just heartbroken over Aldris.”
She looked away. “You’re right.” She groaned in frustration. “I’m such a mess.”
I held her in my arms, giving her a while to sort through whatever was dancing around in her head. When she seemed to gather herself, I turned her face back to mine.
“You’re right. You are a mess, but I don’t mind helping you pick up the pieces. I love you.” My words came out with conviction. Seizing the moment, I kissed her passionately, so passionately she swooned.
She gasped as we pulled apart. “Mike. I . . . uh . . . don’t think you’ve ever kissed me like that before.” She fanned herself.
“I have,” I replied, staring deep into her eyes. “You just weren’t paying attention.”
The realization passed over her face, and she hugged me tight. “Can you just hold me tonight?”
“And I’ll never let you go,” I whispered, gripping her just as tightly. “And we can work on finding our way back to each other later. How’s that?”
“Perfect.” Without another word, Lucinda pulled away from me and led me to her bedroom, where we slept holding each other all night.
Oh yes, Aldris was officially out of the picture, and I was on my way to etching my name in Lucinda’s heart forever. I loved it when a good plan came together. And soon, Lucinda would have an engagement ring of her own. Yep, it was going to be nothing but sweet, sweet dreams for me from this night forward.
Chapter 4
Ryan
“No,” I bellowed, jumping from my sleep.
Charice turned to face me. “Are you all right?” she asked groggily.
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes. I’m fine. Just go back to sleep.”
She settled back into the bed and immediately fell back into a deep slumber. Instead of attempting to join her, I got up and went downstairs to grab a bottle of water.
For the past two weeks, I’d been having the same recurring dream. Charice and I were on this great vacation, wining, dining, and having the best sex of our lives. Then the next day, I’d walk into our hotel room and see her with a man. He had no face, but I wasn’t focused on that. I was focused on Charice’s lips telling me that she was leaving me and taking the boys and Lexi with her. We’d argue, and she’d leave with this man with no face. Suddenly, I’d be standing in my bedroom, and her side of the bed was empty. I’d run to our closet to find all her clothes gone, all her personal items gone, everything gone. Then, I’d make a mad dash down the hall to Lexi’s empty room and quickly make a left turn and head to the boys’ room only to find a picture of all of us left on their computer desk. At that point, I’d scream, and that’s where I woke up. Every night. For two weeks.
As I sat at the island in the kitchen, I tried to piece everything together. The dream seemed so real, except nothing Charice had been doing was out of order. By that, I meant she was always where she said she was when she said it. No mysterious phone calls or secret early-morning or late-night meetings. Nothing. It was like my mind was playing tricks on me. Usually, whenever I had a dream about something, especially a recurring dream, it was dead on, but not this time.
I figured that maybe the information I’d been given was driving me insane. You see, my teammate and friend, Don, told me before Charice and I went on our honeymoon vacation that he thought that Charice was cheating on me with Lincoln. He swore he heard Rico bring up Charice’s name to him in the parking lot, and it sounded like he was asking if she’d left me for him yet.
At first, I thought Don had his facts screwed up. I mean, my wife and I were about to take a romantic getaway. Also, Charice would never do that to me. Even if she did, she wouldn’t be trifling enough to sleep with both of us at the same time.
I had to admit I got worried the more Charice avoided sex with me, but I refused to believe it. Then, when she told me about not wanting to get pregnant, I was relieved. I was even more so relieved when I explained to Lincoln that we were having a baby when we returned from our romantic getaway and he didn’t seem fazed because, come on, I’d never buy him a T-shirt on my vacation for the reason I gave him. Everything I did had either a good intention or a very bad motive. I figured if he wasn’t fazed and Charice gave up the sex, then Don had his facts wrong. Rico worked closely with Charice at the community center, so there was no telling what Don heard.
That was until I saw the name Mona Sims on our caller ID one day. It wouldn’t have stood out to me except I knew all Charice’s female friends, and none of them were named Mona. I figured she was a new dance instructor or staff member at the studio, so one day when I went up there to meet Charice for lunch, I asked the receptionists, none of whom had heard of her. I wanted to let it go, but something about it just got the best of me, so I called the number from my cell phone on the way to training camp, and when I heard the receptionist say, “The Law Offices of Berchman, Reynolds, and Sims,” I nearly choked.
I asked her what type of law office it was, and she promptly told me family law. My mind immediately went back to what Don had told me. I couldn’t admit that shit to anybody that Charice was possibly thinking of divorcing me. I psyched myself up to believe that maybe she was getting a new child support attorney, or maybe Mona was Lincoln’s new child support attorney. There was no way I could question Charice about it without looking suspicious myself, nor could I question the attorney for confidentiality reasons. I just prayed for the best and tried to do whatever I could to show a good face in front of Ricey.
That’s when I noticed she was always wound up extra tight, reserved, and at times, completely shut down from me. I had to figure something out to stop this damn divorce. Then I saw the woman who I now knew as Mona Sims hugged up with Lincoln at that restaurant, and none of this shit made sense anymore. Maybe Lincoln had simply called Charice from his girlfriend’s office. Maybe Mona was representing Lincoln because she was his girlfriend and was giving Charice a hard time. All I knew was that none of this shit made a lick of sense, even down to that damn dream.
It bothered me to think that Charice may want to leave me. I knew I’d done some ill shit to her, but I didn’t want my marriage to fail. If it failed, then I’d be a failure, and I had never failed at anything in my life. That meant I’d stay married to Charice even if I ever fell out of love with her. Even if I had to get sex on the side, I’d never give up on my wife because I was Ryan Chad Westmore, the Prodigy, and I never failed.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” I heard Charice say from beside me while my head was down on the island.
I jumped slightly before answering. “Yeah.”
“You’ve been having a lot of bad dreams lately.”
“Yeah.”
“Ryan,” she spoke and then paused.
The way she spoke my name stirred my deepest fears. I could sense the pending words looming over us like a thick cloud of smog threatening to suffocate me. I couldn’t allow her to complete her thoughts. Emotions welled up inside of me, and tears began to fall from my face. I turned to face her, and my voice filled with emotion.
“Charice.”
My outcry threw her off kilter, and her mouth snapped shut. She stared at me, shocked and confused. “Ryan?” she asked with worry as I pulled her to me by the waist and leaned my head on her chest. She slowly embraced me. “What’s going on, Ryan?”
“I just love you so fucking much,” I cried. “I don’t want to lose you. Please tell me that we’ll be together forever. Please tell me that you love me, too.”
“Ryan, I love you. What’s this about? What has gotten you so upset?”
I lifted my head to peer at her and wiped my tears. “I keep having a dream that you are leaving me and taking the kids with you. It just seems so real.”
Her expression was blank, but I could tell that it shook her. Her eyes blinked rapidly after a few moments, and I couldn’t read whether it was because it was true. “Wow. What would make you have a dream like that?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” I decided to give her a little bait to see if she would bite. “I guess I’m still a little apprehensive of you and Lincoln. I mean, things have been going so well between us lately that sometimes I wonder if it’s real. But then, I saw Lincoln with his girlfriend Mona down in Tampa Bay, so I figured that it’s just me.”
She sighed deeply and folded her arms. “When it comes to Lincoln and me, you don’t have to worry. We’re only tied together for Lexi’s sake. He’s living his life with Mona, and they are happy.”
I was shocked. “So, you knew about Mona?”
She nodded nonchalantly. “Yes. I don’t broadcast it or anything because that’s their business, which I have nothing to do with.” She shrugged. “His life outside of Lexi is a moot point for me. Lincoln Harper is the least of our troubles.”
Talk about ecstatic! I was overjoyed to know that Don had been wrong. I was overjoyed to know that the phone number meant that she only knew of Mona through Lincoln and not about a divorce. Woo! I could breathe a sigh of relief and get back to loving my wife instead of having restless dreams. Now that I knew that Lincoln officially had a woman, I might even let go of the notion to have another child.
