Reign on Me

by Zoe Devereaux

  About forty-five minutes into the movie, she was a slobbering mess. When her cell phone shrilled on the nightstand during a pivotal scene, it was more than an unwanted diversion. Keeping her eyes trained on the TV, still somewhat distracted, she answered without looking at the caller ID. “Hello.”

  A solemn silence came from the other end.

  Frowning, she repeated again, “Hello.”

  Still, silence.

  “Well, I certainly don’t have time for this.” Giving a smirk, she punched the end button. “Crank callers---you’d think they’d make better use of their time. Read a book, do something except interrupt my time,” she muttered irritably and tossed it back onto the nightstand. Then, falling back against the pillows, she became fully absorbed in the movie again. “Especially when I’m doing important things like this.”

  The cell phone shrilled again.

  She reared up in the bed. “Seriously, what does a person have to do to watch a little television around this place?” she murmured irritably, snatching the phone from the nightstand again. But, her irritation turned to light anxiety upon discovering her father’s number on the caller ID. Releasing a light expletive, she sat up fully and stiffened against the pillows. After three pulses, it continued to ring. “Shit, what am I going to say?”

  The phone rang three more times.

  Taking a steadying breath, she picked it up on the seventh ring. “Dad, how are you?”

  “What do you mean, how am I?” Pastor Jonas uttered, not bothering to hide his irritation. “Do you have any idea what time it is? Better yet, where are you supposed to be? Services start in thirty minutes, and you are nowhere to be seen.” He blew a frustrated breath. “What’s going on with you, Hayven? The last time you acted irresponsibly was that Atlanta trip you took during spring break week. Don’t pretend that nothing’s going on. I know that it is.”

  “Why would you think that?” she hedged cautiously.

  “Hayven,” her father sighed in exasperation. “You know why. Want me to list the obvious signs that you’re knee deep into something? Fine. First, you haven’t been at your apartment the past few days. I’ve been calling you, and you’ve been ignoring me. Ever since Richard left town---” His words died briefly, but then, as he spoke again, a speculative quality filled his tone. “Don’t say anything at all. The last thing that I want you doing is lying on a Sunday morning of all days. But, I think that I know what’s going on.”

  She frowned against the phone. “Dad, what are you talking about?”

  He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Now, you know that I’m a man of the church, and I live by the commandments set forth.” On the other end, his embarrassment was apparent. “But, at one point and time in my life, let’s say that my devotion wasn’t where it needed to be. There are things that I engaged in,” he suggested, pausing for a brief moment. “Intimate things that I now only share happily and selfishly with your mother.”

  The embarrassment flooded her face.

  He actually believed that she and Richard were having sex!

  Even worse, this wasn’t the kind of topic that one wanted to discuss with their father!

  “Dad, this is really embarrassing---”

  “Sweetheart, I know,” Pastor Jonas said regretfully, but still, he pressed on. “And I’m reluctant to even bring it up. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. The two of you are engaged, so it’s only natural you want to gravitate towards the physical and intimate aspects of your relationship. While I don’t condone that kind of behavior, it’s not my place to judge you either. But, I’m hoping that you’ll exercise good judgment and make the right choice. The best decision is to save those joys for marriage.”

  “Please don’t patronize me,” she cautioned slowly. “We’ve been through this before with you not respecting the fact that I’m an adult or the fact that I can make my own decisions. No matter how right or wrong they may be.”

  “Of course, you’re old enough to make your decisions.” Though he attempted a light recourse, he didn’t allow his argumentative stance to falter. “While you may want to tell me to stay out of your business and let you live your own life, I certainly grant you the freedom to do that. That doesn’t mean, however, that I’m not going to share my opinions or thoughts on the matter.” Then, he took on a different line of offense. “Now, you know your mother. She’s asking questions. When she has them, she’ll do whatever’s necessary to get the answers. So, that’s why I’m questioning your actions and behavior.”

  “You’re right,” she murmured with a hint of stubbornness. “We should talk because there’s something important that I need to discuss with the both of you. But, we can’t do this over the phone. This is something that you need to hear in person.”

  “Hayven, what’s going on?” He blew another fast breath. “I hope to goodness that you’re not going to tell us that you’ve eloped. That’s it, isn’t it? If so, do you know how disappointing that is to me, your mother, and the church? This wedding between you and Richard is like a royal ceremony. Two of our finest Christians joined in holy matrimony. I hope that your selfishness isn’t going to deprive everyone with the joy of witnessing such a union.”

  She pressed her lips in a firm line. “Again, I’m not doing this over the phone. We’ll talk about all of this and soon.”

  “Alright, I understand. So, with only 10 minutes before service, I suppose it’s safe to assume that you won’t be here for services or Bible Study. What about this evening? Are you skipping out on it, too?”

  “There are some things that I have to take care of,” she said truthfully. Like visiting Josephine in the hospital and lending support in anyway that she could. “Next week, I promise that I’ll be there.”

  “We have a lot to discuss. After you and Richard are married, the congregation will be looking for more leadership from the both of you.” He paused briefly. “While I only have a moment or so, I’m going to throw this out there. I’m considering making Richard my associate pastor which means that he’ll be second in command. That also means that more responsibility will fall into your lap.”

  She swallowed past her mounting disdain.

  As usual, her father was carefully plotting out every stage of her life.

  But, not anymore, she determined, tightening her hold on the phone. From here on, she was going to live her life and make her own choices.

  Christopher was that choice.

  She straightened on the bed. “We’ll talk soon,” she said firmly. “Tell Mama, hello, and that I love her. I love you, Dad.”

  “Alright, sweetheart. I love you.”

  A minute later, after the call ended, she just sat there in the bed, watching the movie credits crawl along the screen. But, like the movie’s ending, her dependency on the approval and opinions of others ended. “My life is about me,” she said softly. “Not my father. Not my mother. Not my family or my friends. But, me.”

  Happy and satisfied with this revelation, she settled against the pillows and relaxed again before surfing the channels once more. This time, she chose a lighthearted romantic comedy.

  Three hours later, at exactly 11:40 am, after the 3rd movie concluded, she’d grown restless and bored. Flicking the TV off, she bounded from the bed before heading for the door. When she made it downstairs, he was still in his office. As she wandered inside, he looked up before tossing the pen beside the mound of paperwork. A masculine smile curved his lips as he moved from behind the desk. “A much necessary and not to mention a pleasant diversion---come here.” Giving her a light kiss, he hugged her robed body against him. “You find something to occupy your time?”

  Her soft words rumbled against his chest. “For a little while, then I got bored.” Staring across the room, she listened to his steady heartbeat, and as always, it soothed her. “Dad called.”

  “Really?” he asked, tensing slightly. “What did he want?”

  “He was upset and wanted to know why I wasn’t at church, accused me of havin
g sex with Richard---”

  “That’s crazy.” A hint of jealousy played in his voice. “What would give him that kind of idea?”

  “The fact that Richard is out of town, I’m not at my apartment…” Pulling back slightly, she looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Fuck, I know that I don’t have the right to be jealous.” He sighed with guilt. “But, pretending to be unaffected by your closeness with Richard has been difficult.”

  “Richard and I---we’re friends more than anything else. Sometimes, I think that he has conveniently fallen into the same trap that I have until now. That is spending your whole life trying to please those around you rather than yourself. I’m not the right person for him. He deserves a woman who’s going to love him in the way that he needs.” She curled her arms around his neck. “You have nothing to be concerned about, baby. I love you and only you. Ever since that first time I saw you on the website, I was drawn to you.” She smiled gently. “I’m a believer in love at first sight.” Then, she turned serious again. “You’re the only man that I’ve been with. You’re the only man that I’ve wanted to touch me that way.”

  “Again, I have no right, but, I’m fucking relieved to hear that.” Flashing a roguish grin, he hoisted her up and held her by the hips, leaving her with no choice but to wrap her legs around him. Then, his expression turned serious as well. “Forgive me, princess. Maybe I am a son-of-a-bitch for being so possessive. Crazy isn’t it, since I used to sell my damn body for sex.”

  “That’s all in the past.” She brushed a kiss against his lips and gave him an adoring smile. “And I don’t care about your past. I love you for what and who you are---warts, speckles, blemishes, and everything.”

  “You are an incredibly amazing woman.” He kissed her gently. “Do you know that?” Tightening his hold, he walked her across the room, and then deposited her on the edge of the desk. Situating himself between her open thighs, he loosened the lapels on her robe before pushing it from her shoulders and baring her naked form. “Why don’t I just take a quick moment and show you how appreciative I am of that fact?”

  She pushed the robe from his broad shoulders. “Please do.”

  Their searing kiss sealed the offered deal.

  Chapter 32

  At a quarter to five, she waited outside in the lobby area while he discussed his mother’s treatment with the doctor in her hospital room. In record time, upon arrival at the hospital, their mood had gone from jovial and light to dark in a heartbeat. For how could it not, she determined, flipping through the housewarming magazine for the hundredth time.

  He was on the verge of losing his mother.

  Sighing, she tossed the magazine down. “Surely, there’s something that I can do.” She paused for a moment. “I know. I can get coffee.”

  Passing the other people in the lobby a polite smile, she grabbed her purse before heading out. On this level of the hospital, there were only critical patients which meant that only close those with close familial ties were allowed.

  There was a flurry of activity at the nurse’s station as she passed by. As she stopped at the elevators, there was one gentleman in particular that stopped alongside her. Caucasian, tall, stocky, packing at least 275 pounds, he dwarfed her easily, and it seemed that he glanced at her more than a time or two. Still, though, she paid him no heed as she checked her text messages.

  When she entered the elevator, she was still browsing through them as she moved to the left corner. His shadow fell against the floor as he took the opposite one.

  “Life is bullshit, eh?”

  Startled, she glanced up from her phone. “Excuse me?”

  The stranger met her eyes across the space.

  It seemed that he was feeling her out.

  “Think about it.” Lips curling in somewhat of a smile---or was it a snarl, he revealed the three gold-plated teeth at the front of his mouth. Dressed in a black leather jacket, black shirt, and jeans, the stranger reminded her of a road-killing biker. “One moment, you’re running around, living your life, doing your thing, and sometimes with little care about other people. And then, presto,” he muttered with a caustic laugh and snapped his beefy fingers. “In the blink of an eye, everything ends, and the worst part is that you have no point of reference of when that very ending comes. It creeps on you like a motherfucking thief in the night.”

  “If that’s the way that you want to view it, I suppose.” An uncomfortable feeling swamped her, and she glanced down at the cell phone again. Now, the texts were just blurred lines on the glossy screen. Suddenly, the tan jacket that covered her white top and jeans seemed smothering hot. But, still, maybe she was reading too much into things, and the man just wanted to make conversation. Was it possible that he was struggling with a loved one’s death and viewing it in the most obscured ways? Of course, it was more than likely since he’d been on the exact same floor where the very critically ill patients were being attended to. She forced herself to respond past the awkwardness. “But, we have no control over the things that happen.”

  “I suppose you got a point, to a certain degree,” the stranger shrugged, and his blue eyes were so cold that he seemed unfeeling. Then, he grazed a thumb across his chin. “Makes you wonder what kind of choices all of these dying assholes here have made.” He leveled his cold stare on her. “What about you? Do you think that you’re making the right kind of choices? If not, do you think those bad choices will dictate your very ending?”

  The elevator bell dinged.

  She nearly jumped out of her skin.

  With a flourish, the elevator doors opened, admitting six more people, four of them hospital workers, and the other two, a young Asian couple. Thankfully, they crowded around her and shielded her from the weird stranger. Still, across the way, she could feel his pointed stare and fought to ignore it. But, her pounding heartbeat made it pretty difficult. The elevator descended to the very next floor, and to her relief, he shouldered past the others before stepping off.

  Several minutes later, even after returning with the coffee, she was still slightly shaken. When she stepped into the hospital room, though, and witnessed Christopher’s crestfallen expression, she shook the troubling thoughts off.

  The last thing he needed was to be burdened with her irrational notions.

  Looking defeated, he stared at his bedridden mother from the chair. In any moment, it seemed that he’d fall apart. “The doctor was in just a short while ago.” Pausing, he looked at her with tear-glistened eyes. “Things aren’t looking good.”

  “What is it, baby?” she asked softly, hurrying across the room to him, and then placed the coffee cup on the hospital cart. Grabbing his hands, she pulled him up from the chair. “Come here.”

  “Her kidneys are failing.” He was holding her so tight that she could barely breathe. In the tight clench, every bit of his fear was palpable. “They’re getting ready to put her on dialysis.”

  She held him tighter. “I’m so sorry.” Pulling back, she stared at him with sympathy. “Do you need me to make some calls for you?”

  “No,” he sighed and faced his ailing mother again. “I’ve already contacted my uncle and the rest of them. They’re on their way.”

  “I’ve brought you coffee,” she said softly, and then reaching past him, she grabbed the lukewarm cup from the hospital cart. “Drink this. You haven’t touched anything since earlier this morning.” She laid a comforting hand against his chest and passed the cup to him. “Are you hungry? If so, I’ll go back to the cafeteria and grab you a sandwich or something.”

  “No, I don’t want anything.”

  The hospital door swished open, and three nurses wandered in.

  “We’re getting ready to wheel her upstairs for hemodialysis treatment.” The nurse smiled at him kindly. But, her expression and tone were professional as she addressed him. Already, the other nurses were adjusting the hospital bed and preparing it for transport. “She’ll be there for quite awhile, four or five hours give or t
ake. This will be a good time for you to grab dinner.”

  He gave a brisk nod. “Alright.”

  They watched in silence as the nurses wheeled the bed out.

  When they were alone in the room, she hugged him again. Then, clenching his hands in hers, she stood back. “You ready to grab something to eat?”

  “Guess so,” he sighed, and his anguished gaze met hers. “Is she going to be okay?”

  “They’re going to do everything that they can to help your mother.” She squeezed his hands. “The staff here is probably one of the most professional and caring that I’ve seen. She’s in good hands.”

  Then, after sharing a gentle kiss, they departed.

  It was exactly four hours before his mother’s treatment was done. As determined, Josephine was returned to the hospital room. This time, not only was Christopher present in the room, but his Uncle Parker and two other gentlemen as well. In the lobby area, along with her, more of Josephine’s family members waited, with most of them to saddened or concerned to make small talk.

  She flipped through the gardening magazine.

  A warm and pleasing flush spread through her.

  When introductions had been made, he’d introduced her as his girlfriend.

  It was good to finally acknowledge it.

  The cell phone shrilled.

  She whipped it from the jacket pocket. When she caught sight of Richard’s number on the caller ID, the euphoria quickly turned to red hot guilt. Certainly, here amongst Christopher’s family wasn’t the right place to talk. Standing up quickly, she passed a strained smile before crossing the lobby area and exiting it. As she wandered down the hallway, the phone continued to ring, and then finally, it stopped.

  Good, she sighed with relief.

  The brief respite would give her time to compose her thoughts and words.

  Fortunately, the vending area was vacant, she thought, sinking down into the metal chair. Hailing across from it, about five feet away, the row of vending machines hummed quietly, offering a variety of goods from carbonated sodas, deli cut sandwiches, potato chips, crackers…