The Stranger Next To Me

by Vasser, LaShawn

  A distraction, is that what she really thought she was to him? Even after he told her that he loved her? “You’ve always been more than a distraction. You know that.”

  He’d never been in love with Sabrina. He was in lust. It wasn’t until after he started to spend unvarnished quality time with Tasha that he realized…what he thought he wanted not only wasn’t what he wanted but wasn’t what he needed either.

  Screw being honorable and noble, he’d heard enough. That’s when he reached out and pulled her close. Expecting her to resist, she came easily. He kissed her. When their lips connected it was like magic, as if nothing else existed but them.

  If this was going to be Tasha’s last kiss…she wanted to put everything she had into it. Her arms snaked around his neck. There was a mixture of hunger, frustration, anger, and love in their kiss.

  Why couldn’t things be different? She let the kiss go on longer than it should. Tasha ended the kiss when it turned from being a goodbye kiss to raw need.

  They were both breathing heavy, “Tim…I can’t do this. I won’t do this.”

  Tim had no intention of the kiss going that far but when he touched her, he lost control. He touched his forehead to hers, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about the pain you’re going through but I’m not sorry about anything that happened between us. I’ll give you some time but I won’t let you go.”

  She pushed him away, “Stop! Just stop. Don’t you know this is killing me? There is no way this could ever work! If I choose you, it’ll be the worst betrayal a woman can make.” Tasha had never cried this much in her life but she couldn’t control her tears, “If you care for me half as much as you say you do, you’ll let…me…go!”

  Tasha opened her car door and got out. She needed to get away as fast as she could. She didn’t even close the door behind her. To hell with her bag, he could keep it, burn it, or whatever. But…she had to get the hell away.

  Tim watched her run. He’d understood her need to escape, but there was no place on earth she could go, or run to, to get away from him.

  He’d never believe his feelings for her were wrong. But, there was no denying being married to Sabrina while pursuing Tasha definitely was.

  The next time he approached her, it wouldn’t be as the other woman. Tasha deserved better than that. He wanted her to know that she was the only woman for him. It was time to get his personal life in order.

  *****

  It was late when Tim walked into the house. He thanked his lucky stars that the house was quiet because he was physically and emotionally drained. All he wanted to do was go up to bed.

  He’d climbed the stairs and headed for one of the guest rooms. After being with Tasha, there was no way he could sleep next to Sabrina.

  “Tim?”

  He turned around to see Sabrina standing there in something that left her nearly naked. She was as beautiful as ever but he wasn’t the least bit stirred by it.

  “Yeah?”

  She sashayed over to him, “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to bed.”

  Sabrina tried to splay her hands across his chest, “But, our room is over there and I’ve been waiting for you all weekend.”

  “Why? We haven’t been together in almost a year.”

  “Look, I know that we’ve had our problems, but I’d like to try and put our mistakes behind us. I have. I hope you can too.”

  Tim grabbed her hands to stop them from roaming, “It’s late. We’ll talk in the morning.”

  “I have to leave for New York in the morning. Let’s talk now.”

  Tim dropped his overnight bag from his shoulder to the floor, “You want to talk? Okay…I didn’t want to have this conversation now, but if you’re leaving tomorrow, maybe we should. I want a divorce.”

  “What? A divorce? I know we’re having problems but a divorce? We can fix things.”

  “Fix what?”

  Sabrina yelled at him, “Our marriage! That’s what!”

  “Is that what you’re calling it these days?”

  “Why would you say that? I know we’ve made mistakes, but I want to put them behind us and start over. I’m even willing to quit my job for you!”

  “I’m sure there’s got to be a reason behind that. But, can we be a little more specific about these mistakes? Was it any of the countless men you’ve been sleeping with a mistake? Or, maybe it was the abortion you had. Was that the mistake?”

  Sabrina’s face drained of all color.

  “What you think I didn’t know?”

  Sabrina spat out, “I’m not the only one who’s cheated in this relationship! I know damn well you’ve got to be screwing somebody. You are a man and we haven’t had sex in almost a year. There’s got to be someone.”

  “I stopped sleeping with you the day I knew I was going to divorce you.”

  She put her hands on her hips and her voice took on a venomous tone, “If you think divorcing me is going to be clean or easy, you’d better think again. So, whoever the bitch is you’re leaving me for, she’s going to have to have to wait a long time for you. I’m going to run her name through the mud. Believe THAT Mr. Horne.”

  “Did you honestly think I would expect anything less from you? I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to that but I’m prepared for it. Let me just ask you a quick question, was Eric and Daniel a mistake too?” Tim had never seen Sabrina’s confidence slip ever…until now.

  “What…what are you talking about?”

  “I think you know. I’d always suspected you’d been cheating probably a year into the marriage. But Felix didn’t give me the final report until last week. It literally made me sick.” Tim tried to control his rage, not for himself but for his sister and Tasha.

  “You…you…had me investigated?”

  “A smart, rich man would especially if he were planning his divorce. But, what I still can’t wrap my head around? Even if you didn’t give a shit about Jenny, how could you do this to Tasha?”

  “I’m just glad this was the final straw for Jenny and that she is finally going to divorce that slime.”

  He shook his head, “You really need to get control of those daddy issues and you might want to reconsider quitting your job. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

  Sabrina had never been stripped so bare before in her life. “I hate you!”

  “Was that before or after your married me? Let me give you one last bit of advice for your next husband. You’re beautiful and smart Sabrina but your mistake is thinking too highly of what you have between your legs.”

  The open-handed slap across his face was loud and it was probably going to leave a mark behind. “You’re a bastard!”

  It took everything in him not to lose control. “And…you’re a disgusting whore. I think we both have room for improvement.” Tim stilled and stared at her before he rubbed his face, turned and walked into the guest room.

  Chapter 31

  Present Day

  Sabrina bulldozed her way into Tasha’s apartment and slammed the door behind her, “So which is it? And, how long have you been sleeping with Tim?”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “Are you really going to play me for a fool?”

  Her worst fears had been realized, “No. You deserve honesty.”

  “So…have you been having an affair with Tim behind my back?”

  Tasha sputtered, “I…I’m so sorry. We’re not…I mean…” Her voice trailed off.

  To say Sabrina was shocked and surprised was an understatement, “My god it’s true.”

  Tasha looked confused, “Wait…I don’t understand? How’d you…?”

  “You! You idiot! You just confirmed it. When Eric suggested it, I thought he was crazy.” Sabrina looked up to the heavens. “I don’t know why I didn’t figure it out sooner. I knew it had to be somebody. After putting two and two together you are the only person that made sense!” Sabrina poked her hard into the chest.

  Tasha put her hands up, “Ple
ase, I never meant to….”

  “Do you honestly think I want to hear your sorry ass excuses?” Sabrina pushed Tasha backwards knocking over a lamp. It crashed to the floor. “First, you tried to steal my father and now my husband!”

  “What? Mr. Links is like my dad. I’m not trying to steal anyone.” Tasha was in tears, “It’s over between Tim and me. I promise that it’s over.”

  “Save that innocent act for them because I don’t buy it. You know EXACTLY what I’m talking about! Your father is dead. I should have told you this a long time ago. You can’t have mine. You’ve been jealous of me ever since we were kids and it’s going to end today!”

  The more Sabrina spoke the more hysterical she became. “Do you hear me? I don’t care how hard you try, you will never be Sabrina Links-Horne! Never!”

  “Sabrina that’s crazy. I know you’re angry and I’m so sorry. I know I’ve crossed the line. What I’ve done to you is unforgivable, but you have to know that I love you and I didn’t mean to hurt you. You’re my sister.”

  Sabrina pushed Tasha again, “YOU…are not my sister! I was your damn friend when you had no one and this is how you repay me?”

  “Sabrina please!”

  “Bitch…don’t please me! Do you know I will kill you? This is my life you are messing with!”

  Tasha couldn’t get a word out, “I…”

  Sabrina had backed Tasha up against a wall. She grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against it again. “I let you into my life because daddy felt sorry for you and asked me to. But, somehow you’ve managed to flip that shit too! Now, you’re the reason that I can’t do anything right in his eyes. If I hear, one more time about Tasha this and Tasha that, I might kill you both!” Sabrina was nose-to-nose with Tasha. “I wonder how he’s going to feel when I expose his precious miss-goody-goody-can’t-do-anything wrong as a slut-bucket-home-wrecking WHORE!”

  Tasha didn’t even try to defend herself. She deserved everything Sabrina was dishing out and so much more.

  “Sabrina, you’ve got to know we didn’t mean for it to happen. I swear! I promise that it’s over. You and Tim can still work everything out.”

  Mentioning his name really seemed to set Sabrina off. In a flash, she pulled her arm back and with a closed hand smashed her fist into Tasha’s face. Sabrina was crazed with anger and was relentless as she kept throwing blow after blow. Tasha put her hands up trying to protect herself but still refused to fight back. Somehow she managed to get off the wall and was able to put a chair between them.

  Sabrina spat out from the other side, “I hate you.”

  Breathing hard and fast, Tasha responded, “I know. But, not as much as I hate what I’ve done to you.”

  “Who needs enemies? I had no idea that the stranger next to me was you! You might have my dad and Tim fooled but Eric could always see through your bull.”

  “Eric?”

  “Yes. Eric. I didn’t stutter. I’m sure there had to be some nights that I sent him to you smelling like me.”

  “What? You’re lying.”

  “You’re slow but you’re not stupid. You know exactly what I’m saying. And, I don’t feel the least bit sorry either.

  “You slept with Eric?”

  “Tim didn’t call to tell you what his little P.I. found out? Oh, don’t look so surprised. You thought screwing my husband this weekend was about you?” Sabrina’s laugh was pure evil. “It wasn’t. He was just trying to get me back for cheating on him with Eric for the last three years. What better way than to screw my best friend.”

  “You’re lying. You’re just trying to hurt me. Why would you? You didn’t even like Eric.”

  “The man you caught me with at Tim’s party? That was Eric. Those days I was out of town when he was out of town, I was with Eric. Or, how about all those late dinners and business meetings he had? We were together. You heard him. He wanted me to leave Tim. He left you because he thought I would leave Tim.”

  Tasha was stunned. “This doesn’t make any sense? If you were having an affair with Eric over the last three years, then why are you here when you’ve done the same thing?”

  “Eric was just some silly boyfriend. Tim was my husband!”

  “Are you serious? You meant to hurt me. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  It took Tasha a minute to process everything Sabrina said. She looked up at her with fire blazing in her eyes. She lunged for Sabrina’s throat. They fell backwards onto the floor. Tasha was on top. Her hands were wrapped around Sabrina’s throat as she bashed her head onto the floor. Sabrina clawed at her arms trying to breathe.”

  “Stop it Tasha! Let me go.”

  The next thing Tasha knew she was being lifted up into the air, kicking and swinging.

  The noise of their fight was easily heard in the hallway. Luckily, the door was unlocked. When Tim walked into the living room Tasha was on the floor choking Sabrina.

  Tasha screamed, “Let me go! Let me go!”

  He wrapped her up in his arms trying to restrain her, “It’s okay. Tasha, it’s me. Baby, it’s okay.”

  Sabrina got up off of the floor, still trying to catch her breath, “Are you kidding? I’m the wife. I’m the one scorned. You’re coming to her defense?”

  Tasha screamed and cried, “Get OUT! Get out of my house!”

  Sabrina grabbed her bag and screamed as she walked out of the apartment, “You two make me sick!”

  Tim was afraid to let Tasha go. At least not until, Sabrina was out of the door. Tasha was crying uncontrollably. He held her trying to offer some form of comfort. He whispered along the side of her temple, “It’s okay.”

  Tasha was shaking hard and doing her best to reign in her anger, “Put me down.”

  He continued to hold her as Tasha screamed, “I said put me down!”

  Tim put her down. The moment her feet touched the floor, she spent around and he became the object of her anger.

  “You knew! You knew she was cheating with Eric before you slept with me at the cabin.”

  “Yes. But…Tasha, wait…it’s not what you’re thinking.”

  “Get out! You used me to get back at her.”

  “That’s not true. I promise that’s not true.”

  “Get OUT! You and Sabrina are twisted. I don’t want to have anything to do with either of you!”

  “Tasha…”

  “I swear if you don’t get out, I’ll call the police.” Tasha ran over to her phone and picked it up as if she were about to dial 9-1-1.

  Tim stood there wondering how things got so bad so fast. He could clearly see she was too angry to listen. He did the only thing he could. He left.

  Chapter 32

  It had been three months since the confrontation in Tasha’s living room and she hadn’t spoken to either Tim or Sabrina in all of that time.

  Of course, Tim had tried to call but Tasha didn’t want to relive anything that had happened over the last few years. She just wanted a fresh start. So, she changed her number, quit her social media platforms, and her job.

  She stood in the center of her living room in jeans and a t-shirt with her hands in her back pockets. There was a lot of sadness as she looked around the place she’d called home for the last several years. Most of her belongings had been moved to storage or was packed up in boxes. The movers would be there in the next couple of hours to clear the rest of her things out.

  Tasha always wondered what it would feel like if she ever left Chicago.

  She blew out a deep breath and spoke her thoughts out loud, “Melancholy, I feel melancholy.”

  There was a knock on her door. She took a quick look at her watch. It was way too early for the movers so she wasn’t sure who it could be. Looking through the peep-hole, Tasha was surprised to see who was standing at her door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself before opening it.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi.” They stood there awkwardly for a moment. “You’re not going to invite me in?”


  Tasha was nervous, “Of course. I’m sorry. How are you Mr. Links?”

  He took off his hat as he walked into the empty apartment. “I’m saddened that I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

  Tasha chewed her bottom lip, “I was pretty sure you probably didn’t want to hear from me.”

  “Why? Because you and Sabrina had a falling out?”

  She was too ashamed to look him in the eye, “I think it was a little more than that. But, thank you for being so gracious.”

  Mr. Links dropped his hat on the floor and stretched his arms out to capture both of Tasha’s shoulders. “You know before your father died, I made him a promise. I told him I would always be here for you. I would always love and look after you. Nothing has changed. A parent doesn’t stop loving their child because we wished they’d made different choices.”

  She thought she was all cried out but the tears began to flow. “What I did was unforgivable. Sabrina and I…we really hurt each other. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to be friends again.”

  “Nothing is ever unforgivable. With time, your relationship might be different but I will always hope my two favorite girls can forgive each other. And as for me, there is nothing to forgive. I haven’t stopped loving you. The only disappointment I have is that we haven’t spoken in much too long.”

  Tasha was finally able to look him in the eye. She whispered, “I love and missed you too, Mr. Links.”

  “I don’t consider you a like a daughter Tasha, you are a daughter to me. That means I will love you through it all. The good and the bad.”

  He pulled her into a tight embrace. They just held each other for a while before he spoke again. “Now that we’ve taken care of that, you’re finally trading in the cold of Chicago for that ridiculous heat of Dallas?”

  Tasha pulled back to see his face, “How’d you know? Who told you?”

  Mr. Links released a hearty laugh, “When you have children you’ll find that we always know what’s going on even if we don’t say anything.” He turned serious again, “Sort of like, it wasn’t a shock that you would fall in love with Tim. Anyone looking at both of you could see that coming.”