by Tracy Reed
He had visions of being the most sought after marriage therapist in Manhattan with books, talk show appearances, and even a syndicated radio show. However, none of that would be possible without a wife. A married marriage therapist seemed more knowledgeable and trustworthy.
He thought he had the perfect life. A caring wife to handle the social obligations of his life. And a hot girlfriend to take care of him physically. He was doing fine until a month ago when his girlfriend decided she wanted to be his wife. And because he couldn’t control himself a few months ago, his wife now felt their marriage was finally on track.
He thought promising Kyla all she had to do was say she wanted to get married seemed like the right thing to say. After all, he had proposed three times and she always rejected him. But now he was going through withdrawal and wanted Kyla back in his bed. What he didn’t have were the right words to make that happen.
“Baby, I meant it at the time.”
“And now?”
“I…I…”
“Eric, I was done with you the minute you let me walk out that door. Good bye.”
“Kyla—”
“What?” The sound of that one word question felt like an icicle piercing his eardrum.
“So that’s it?”
“Yes.” Click. She stood silently with her arms folded.
“Are you okay?” Sean asked. Her mouth was trembling and she was fighting the tears sitting on the edge of her eyes. Sean stood up and wrapped his arms around her and the tears came streaming down her face. “Shhh…”
“What’s wrong with me? It’s not like I loved him.” She cried harder. He rubbed her back trying to calm her.
Sean knew better. She may not have been in love with Eric, but part of her loved him. “Shhh…” He hated seeing her like this.
Moments like this were making it even more difficult to just be Kyla’s friend. He wanted to hurt Eric. Now he had a name, the only thing missing was a face and an address. If he had those, he’d go over and knock him into the next millennium. Kyla may not have been perfect, but no one deserved to be treated like this.
They stood still, with Sean rubbing her back until she calmed down. “Where’s your phone?”
“Why,” she pulled back and wiped her eyes. “I don’t want you…”
“I’m not going to call him.” She handed him the phone. “I’m going to send Antonio a message to give everyone the day off.”
“I can’t do that.”
“I thought you decided to take the day off?”
“I did.”
“So why not give everyone the day off? Call it Employee Appreciation Day.”
She looked at him smiling. “I don’t believe I’m doing this. Give me that.” She snatched the phone out of his hand. “Employee Appreciation Day.” She pressed the programmed number. “Good morning, Antonio.”
“Good morning.”
“I want you to send an email, text, or whatever to everyone giving them the day off.”
“What?” Antonio sounded shocked. Kyla very rarely gave her staff time off other than national holidays. “Who’s this?”
“It’s me and watch it or you’ll be the only one working.”
“Yeah it’s you. What about your schedule?”
“I think I only had a couple of meetings, right?”
“Yeah, and there was a new woman coming in,” he reminded her.
“Who?”
“Olivia King.”
“Who scheduled that?”
“I think she’s a referral.”
“From who?”
“I’m not sure. Mya set this up.”
“Call Mrs. King and tell her we are not taking new clients.”
“What? Kyla, this is a big job. She said the budget is approximately $150,000 for a master bedroom.”
“I don’t care. Pass it on to Gwen Samuels,” she instructed.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. What else?”
“That’s it. I can reschedule everything else. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’ll see you Monday. Bye.”
“Bye.”
She hung up the phone and banged the counter.
“What’s wrong?” Sean asked.
“My ex.”
“Eric.” Sean said his name. No sense pretending we don’t know his name.
“Yeah, somehow his wife managed to get an appointment.”
“Do you think he did that?”
“I don’t know what to think. Maybe that’s why he called this morning.” She folded her arms in front of her.
“I thought you only took referrals?”
“Mostly.”
“Then how did she…”
“I don’t know and don’t care. Enough about Eric and his wife.” The strength was coming back in her voice. She took a deep breath and looked at her watch. “I’m going to finish packing and I’ll be ready in about ten minutes.”
“You still want to go?”
“You’re not backing out on me, are you?”
“No, I just…”
“Sean, I’m a big girl. Sure I had a little break down, but I’m fine. And you’re right. A little time out of the city will be great. I’ll call my mother on the way and let her know we’re coming.”
He watched as she walked down the hall. He heard what she said, but knew she wasn’t fine.
Chapter 48
KYLA STOOD IN THE LOBBY waiting for the doorman to get approval for her to ride up to the Matthews apartment. He nodded and waved her through like he had so many times before. However, today was different…today she wasn’t here as a decorator, but as a desperate woman looking for help.
The elevator ride seemed longer than normal, but Kyla knew it was just her nerves. The elevator finally came to a stop and she waited for the doors to open. She was frozen. The sound of the doors closing startled her. She reached her hand forward to stop the doors from closing again. She exited and walked down the hall and stopped in front of the white door. She took a deep breath and began knocking. A few seconds later, the door opened.
“Hi Kyla.” DeeDee’s smile and cheeriness was the perfect counter to Kyla’s nervousness.
“Good morning.” Kyla tried being cool, but it wasn’t possible.
“Come on in.” Kyla walked in and followed DeeDee. “Mike is in the living room.” They walked down the hall and she called out, “Honey, Kyla’s here.” She continued into the living room and stood next to Mike.
“Good morning Kyla,” he extended his hand to her.
“Good morning, Pastor, I mean Mike.”
“Have a seat.” He waited for Kyla and DeeDee to sit down before sitting next to his wife. He looked at DeeDee and she looked at him and then they looked at Kyla smiling.
Kyla folded her hands in her lap fidgeting.
“Kyla,” DeeDee moved to the edge of her seat. “You said you wanted to talk and it wasn’t about the apartment.”
“Uhm, where do I start?” she mumbled.
Mike looked at DeeDee. “Kyla, let’s try something. We’ll all close our eyes and you just blurt out what’s on your mind.”
They closed their eyes and Kyla blurted out, “I’ve been hearing voices and I don’t know what’s going on.” They opened their eyes.
“Excuse me?” DeeDee asked.
“I’ve been hearing voices and I’m not sure what’s going on,” Kyla repeated herself.
DeeDee looked at Mike. “Kyla, is that what you wanted to talk about, because maybe this is a psychological, female or…,” Mike replied.
“No, it’s not a female issue. Let me start over. The voices started around the time I came to Bible class.”
“I see,” Mike said looking at DeeDee.
“Oh great,” Kyla threw her hands up. “You probably think I’m crazy!”
“No, Kyla,” DeeDee said softly. “We don’t think you’re crazy. Why don’t you start at the beginning.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “For
the past five almost six years, I was involved with a married man. Actually, he wasn’t married when we met. Over time, he proposed, but I didn’t want to get married. I also didn’t want to stop seeing him.”
“So, you’re here because…,” Mike started to speak and she stopped him.
“When I started seeing Sean socially, I would fantasize about him when I was with my ex. And the more time I spent with Sean, the more attracted I became to him and then I told him all about my boyfriend and…I mean my ex and…”
DeeDee and Mike leaned in a little closer. “And…,” they said in unison.
“He uhm, he was angry and offered to help me.”
“Help you?” Mike asked.
“Yeah.” She started smiling. “He said he wanted to show me how I deserved to be treated. He spent a week being the perfect boyfriend. He even gave me a dog.”
“A dog, how sweet,” DeeDee said smiling.
“I’m pretty sure he gave me the dog so I would have something to love and keep me so busy I wouldn’t have time to be with my boyfriend.” She shook her head. “And it worked. I tried introducing Winnie, that’s my dog, to my boyfriend but she bit him.” She started laughing. “I think she saw right through him. One afternoon after we made love, he told me he goes to church and that the rules at church had changed and that God was fine with us sleeping together. He even told me that his pastor had a girlfriend on the side.”
“What!” Mike shouted.
“Baby, calm down,” DeeDee said patting his leg.
“Baby, how could…,” Mike barked.
“We know how. Calm down and let Kyla finish. I’m sorry, he gets a little upset when he hears about his fellow brothers misleading their members. Continue,” DeeDee said.
“So I asked Sean and he explained how that wasn’t possible. I think that’s about the time I met you two. And then, Sean got hurt, and I went over to take care of him. A couple of weeks ago we went to dinner, as friends, but it was the most romantic date I’ve ever been on.” Her face lit up. “Sean’s been really sweet to me and he’s been teaching me that I deserve more and better.”
“Uh-huh,” Mike chimed in.
“The only time he got upset was when I told him about my boyfriend. Other than that, he’s been the perfect gentleman. Like last week, when I told him about the ultimatum I’d given my boyfriend.”
“Ultimatum?” DeeDee asked.
“I gave my boyfriend thirty days to make a choice, me or his wife. And when he didn’t, I made it for him. Then he called me begging for another chance and I said no.”
“Good for you, Kyla,” DeeDee cheered.
“I was a wreck and Sean helped me get through that.”
“Really?” DeeDee asked smiling.
“Yeah, he uhm, helped me see I was on the right track and that I’d done the right thing by dumping him.” She wrung her hands. “And now I think I’ve fallen in love with Sean.”
“Oh,” Mike sounded shocked.
“I know, considering the things I’ve done.”
“We’ve all got pasts and that’s where that is, in the past,” Mike told her.
“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been told, but like DeeDee said in class, I deserve better.”
“That’s a lot to take in,” DeeDee said. “Honey, do you think you can help Kyla?”
“First of all, have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?” Mike asked.
“I was baptized when I was younger,” Kyla answered.
“For mine and DeeDee’s peace of mind, let’s just confirm that. Here,” he handed the Bible to Kyla.
“I have mine.” She reached inside her bag and pulled out the fabric covered book. Mike and DeeDee both smiled.
“Is that the Bible you got a few weeks ago?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He nodded. “We need a more traditional translation for what we need to read. Here,” he handed her a Bible. “Okay, turn to Romans ten, verses nine to eleven and let’s read together. If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. He and DeeDee joined hands with her. “Now repeat after me. Dear God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and that I am in need of your son Jesus Christ. I ask right now that Jesus come into my heart and make me alive in You. I thank you now that I am a Christian and can now call You my Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
They dropped hands. “Is that it?” Kyla asked.
“Yep. Now there’s no doubt who you are. Although, I think you already knew, but now you know for sure.” She started smiling. “Okay, let’s tackle the next thing. You said something about voices,” Mike asked.
“Yes, I’ve been hearing this soft voice.”
“A voice?” DeeDee asked. “Sounds like the Holy spirit is trying to tell you something.”
“The Holy Spirit? That’s not that thing that makes you faint and fall out, because I’m not interested in that.”
They both tried not to laugh at her naivety. “No sweetie, that is not the Holy Spirit. I’m not sure what that is. God calls the Holy Spirit a Comforter. He’s sort of like a guide. He’s there to help you, kind of keep you on track. Now it’s up to you if you want to follow His lead or not, but for me, I wouldn’t live my life without Him,” DeeDee explained.
“So when I…”
“You said you were baptized when you were a little girl?” Mike asked.
“But I hadn’t been living a very…pure life,” Kyla confessed.
“No, but when you came to Bible class and were receptive, it probably opened the door for the Holy Spirit to come alive again in you. You said you started hearing the voices after the first time you came to Bible class?” DeeDee asked.
“Yes.”
“All this angst and confusion you’ve been experiencing is your spirit man fighting with your carnal man.” Mike got up and left the two women alone. “See, your spirit man was asleep and that environment, hearing the Word, woke her up and she sensed you were eager to change. You said you’ve been spending time with Sean.”
“Yes. He’s been talking to me about God and church. Honestly, in the beginning I was asking him questions so I could get close and seduce him.”
“Oh.”
“But…he wouldn’t give in. Instead, I…and I thought he set this job up with you two as a way to get me in church and save my soul.” They laughed. “And look what happened.”
“All of that opened the door for the Holy Spirit. Do you know what speaking in tongues is?” she asked.
“Not really.”
“That’s how you communicate with God on a higher level.” DeeDee started speaking and it sounded like babbling, but it also sounded beautiful. And then she stopped.
“I want that,” Kyla announced.
“Okay, stand up.” They both stood up and DeeDee took her hands in hers. “Close your eyes. Repeat after me. Father, I believe in You and Your Son and want that gift, Your Holy Spirit in my life. Amen. Now follow my lead and just let the words flow.”
Kyla closed her eyes doing as DeeDee said and the babble flowed. Her inside felt free and she felt strong and empowered. DeeDee let go of her hands and hugged her.
“Now what?” Kyla asked.
“I pray in the Spirit every day and,” she leaned in close. “If Mike ticks me off, the Holy Spirit and I have a long talk.” They laughed. “Seriously, when you’re praying in the Spirit, your carnal man doesn’t know what you’re saying, but your Spirit man does. That’s what’s so good about it. You’re communicating with God on a level no one, not even you can interfere with. Before you leave, I’ll give you some books on the Holy Spirit and if you want to talk, call me.”
“Okay, thanks.” They sat down.
“Honey.” Mike came back and sat next to DeeDee.
“We good?” he asked.
“Yes, Miss Kyla is armed and dangerous,” Dee
Dee replied.
“So what’s next? Do I come to church?”
“Oh, you want to join Phillips?” Mike asked.
“I guess. I like what I’ve seen so far and Sean speaks so highly about you two and your Pastor.”
“Okay. I’ll take care of everything. I have a little pull.” He smiled. “You come by my office tomorrow and I’ll have a new member packet for you.”
“Thank you. Can we keep this between us? I don’t want Sean or Trina to know.”
“I understand. So what’s next?” Mike asked.
“What do I do about Sean?”
“What about him?” Mike asked.
“I think I’ve fallen in love with him.”
“Okay, I know this is a female thing.” He started to leave.
“Honey, sit down.” DeeDee patted his leg.
“You know I’m no good with the dating stuff,” he pleaded with DeeDee.
“I know, but you’re his friend.”
He took a deep breath. “He’s a great guy, but you already know that. And you probably know how much Francesca hurt him. Has he given you any reason to think he may feel the same?”
“Kyla, forgive my husband. Honey, you’re right, I’ll handle this. Go check on Michelle.”
“Thank you.” He stood up, “Kyla, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thank you Mike or is it Pastor?”
“It’s still Mike. We’re friends, remember.” He smiled and walked down the hall.
“Okay, tell me everything,” DeeDee urged.
“I can’t get him out of my head. He told me he was going on a blind date and I got upset. And after I told him I broke up with my boyfriend and how hurt I was, he came over with ice cream. Well, gelato. It’s one of the things we like to do, eat gelato. We meet twice a week for coffee and lunch, and occasionally we go to dinner or brunch. And when I’m not feeling well, he comes over with groceries and rubs my feet and takes care of me and Winnie. Then he drove me to my parents and stayed with us the weekend. He said I needed to be around my family. He and my mother have become friends.” She chuckled. “I think they’ve been conspiring to get me to change.”
