Almost Doesn't Count

by Angela Winters

  “What?” She watched as he grabbed his phone from the kitchen counter and headed for the door. “Terrell, what are you . . . Where are you going?”

  “Call off your dogs, Erica.” He opened the door. “Before you do more harm to Nate than has already been done.”

  He slammed the door behind him, leaving Erica standing alone in her apartment in disbelief. What had just happened? She knew she had a paranoid nature, but even taking that into consideration, there had to be more to this than Terrell was telling her. Something was wrong. Something was worse than she suspected, and considering what she suspected, that her brother had fallen into the drug crowd and was using and even possibly dealing, she shuddered at what this could be.

  Her cell phone rang a few times before Erica thought to answer it. She grabbed it and looked at the ID. It was Billie. She sighed before answering.

  “What now?” she asked.

  “This is a mess!” Billie’s voice was panicked.

  “What happened?” Erica imagined a scenario in which Justin came home, a fight ensued, and all hell broke out. Sherise was not the model of restraint.

  “She’s going to confront that bitch,” Billie said. “Get in your car and come over here.”

  “Wait . . . What?”

  “I went to the bathroom and when I came out she was gone and left a note for me to stay and watch Cady. She’s going to confront the woman at the hotel.”

  “What about the agreement to wait?”

  “Obviously, she changed her mind.”

  “Where’s Cady now?”

  “I have her,” Billie said. “You’re gonna watch her and I’m gonna go get Sherise.”

  At first, Erica thought to ask why she shouldn’t go get Sherise, but she knew why. This was a critical-mass situation, and fireworks usually happened between her and Sherise in normally stressful situations. Billie was the peacemaker, and Erica imagined, whatever was going to go down at that hotel, peacemaking was needed.

  “I’m on my way,” she said.

  She would have to figure out what Terrell’s problem was tomorrow. Tonight she had to help keep Sherise from making a terrible mistake.

  Maybe that second martini was a mistake. Sherise wasn’t sure and she really didn’t care. She just wanted that bitch to get here. Try as she might, she was unable to get a hotel room number for Jennifer Ross. She was able to get the male attendant to ring her room, but there was no answer. That was the best she was going to get, so Sherise decided to wait. Meanwhile, she had a drink, maybe two, to try to calm her down.

  This was not wise, a voice told her. Of course it wasn’t. Had any woman yet invented the wisest way to confront her husband’s mistress, the whore tearing her family apart? Billie and Erica had tried to help her. They had agreed to let the reality of this situation sink in for another day and then figure out how to confront this woman and make sure she stayed out of Justin’s life forever. The girls were going to back her up to avoid anything getting out of hand or be her backup if anything went down.

  But they didn’t know about Cady, and Sherise knew she couldn’t wait any longer. She imagined a scenario where she would kick through the door and find her with Justin and . . . Well, the truth was, she didn’t know what she was going to do. She hadn’t had a plan coming over, but she wasn’t going to wait another second. Justin didn’t know about Cady yet. She could tell that much. While she believed her marriage could survive an affair . . . or two, she wasn’t sure it could survive the truth about Cady, especially if that truth came from someone other than her.

  No, this couldn’t wait another moment. This situation was going to be handled now, before it got worse. Before it got irreversible.

  Sherise was feeling calmer, so maybe the drinks were a good idea. She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she could very possibly see her husband walk into this hotel with another woman and she needed a few drinks to prepare herself for that. A half hour later, she was beginning to wonder. Maybe they were in the room and no one answered the call because they were making love. In which case, Sherise would have to deal with seeing her husband step out of the elevators. What would she do then? She didn’t want to confront Justin yet. She wanted to know what Jennifer had told him and what her plans were first so she could figure out how to best play it with Justin to keep him on her side. But could she resist confronting him if she saw him there? She didn’t think so. She only hoped she was right in believing that Jennifer was not at the hotel and would be returning soon.

  “I’ll have another cosmo,” she told the waiter who approached her. She was sitting in a soft set of circular chairs at a small table facing the lobby of the hotel.

  She wasn’t looking at the lobby at that time, but the sound of expensive heels clicking against the hard floor got her attention. Sherise looked toward the lobby in time to see Jennifer walk briskly through. In her mid-thirties, she was a very attractive, held-together woman. She walked with her head held high in a peach and gold wrap dress. She was thin, but had generous curves. Her skin was a dark caramel and her hair was a shiny auburn and went in curls down her back.

  “That’s her,” Sherise said to herself as she shot up from the chair.

  She grabbed the waiter, who was on his way back to the bar.

  “Never mind,” she told him. “I’m good.”

  Sherise didn’t say a word until she’d caught up with her in the elevator lobby.

  “Hey, bitch.”

  Jennifer, who was waiting for an elevator, quickly turned around, her hair swinging with her.

  Sherise smiled at the look of astonishment on her face.

  “Surprise,” Sherise said as she walked closer to her. “Didn’t expect to see me here, did you?”

  It was clear Jennifer wasn’t sure what to do at first. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

  “What’s the matter?” Sherise asked. “Can’t speak? Do you need another napkin?”

  The elevator opened and Jennifer looked at it.

  “You can run,” Sherise said. “I’ll follow. You’re not getting away from me, Jennifer.”

  “So you do know who I am,” the woman finally said, turning to face her. She seemed to have a little more confidence now.

  “You’re the whore I’m gonna beat the shit out of if you don’t—”

  “I’m the whore?” She laughed. “You fucking hypocrite. This is funny because you didn’t know who the fuck I was when you were fucking my husband.”

  “I don’t give a shit about you or your husband,” Sherise said. “Justin is my husband, and if you don’t stay away from him, you’re going to regret it.”

  “It doesn’t work that way,” she said, shaking her head. “You don’t get to say ‘fuck you’ to my marriage, but then I have to respect yours. Nothing works that way.”

  “You don’t have to respect shit,” Sherise answered back. This bitch was not going to tell her how anything worked. “You just have to stay the fuck away from my husband.”

  “You don’t get to tell me what to do. You’re the fucking home wrecker. Like I said, what goes around comes around.”

  “You don’t even want him,” Sherise said. “This is all about Ryan.”

  She shrugged with an evil grin. “He’s not the same type of man Ryan was, but he’s clearly the best you could get to marry you, so it was what I had to work with.”

  “This was all about me.” Sherise laughed, shaking her head. “Aren’t you the most pitiful bitch on the planet? How long have you been planning this? How long have you been obsessed with me?”

  Jennifer’s expression showed she didn’t like what she was hearing. “Not long. I just recently found out about you and Ryan during our divorce. And don’t be flattered. You weren’t the first or the last.”

  “But I was the best,” Sherise said. “I always am.”

  “I’m sure there are thousands of men who can verify that.”

  Sherise started for her, but was stopped in her tracks as a two young women, dressed i
n cocktail dresses and very drunk, entered the elevator lobby. The girls struggled to press the button.

  Sherise moved away from them, almost circling Jennifer, who was staring at her with an evil smile. While she appeared completely off guard at first, Jennifer seemed to be enjoying this now. She was ready for more and Sherise was going to give it to her.

  “What do you want?” Sherise asked, just above a whisper. “And trust me when I tell you, this is the last time you will be asked that.”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” she asked. “You get to experience what it feels like to be betrayed. This is revenge, Sherise. Pure and simple. Revenge and then some.”

  “So you got it,” Sherise said. “You took advantage of my husband to feed some sick envy you have of me.”

  The two drunk girls got on the elevator and the door closed.

  “There was no advantage to be taken,” Jennifer said. “Your husband is an unfulfilled man and was eager for my attention. It took very little.”

  Sherise placed her hands on her hips. “Did Ryan tell you how he pursued me? I know you’d probably love to think I seduced him, but it was the other way around. He chased me relentlessly.”

  “Bullshit,” she said. “You wanted to trade up to a richer, more socially connected man and you didn’t care that he was married.”

  “Didn’t care?” Sherise huffed. “Didn’t know, bitch. He never mentioned you. Never wore a ring. Nothing, ho. Not a thing.”

  Sherise could tell this hit Jennifer hard and it excited her that she had struck a nerve. She imagined Jennifer had spent her entire marriage trying to hold on to her husband. She had probably made him her life, and nothing hurt a woman like that more than to know the disregard her husband showed her.

  “But I know Justin talks about me,” Sherise said. “Because he loves me. Even if you hadn’t gone after him over this sick, twisted, empty revenge quest, you would know all about me. Because, Jennifer, like you said, I wasn’t the first or last in your husband’s infidelity tour, but you are the first and will be the last in mine.”

  “That you know of.” Jennifer was fuming now. “You act very confident for a woman whose husband has rejected her.”

  “Justin hasn’t rejected me. He still lives in my home and sleeps in my bed every night. Obviously, you plotted and planned this. This was your little game and I’m ending it.”

  “You don’t have any say over what I do!”

  “When it comes to my husband, I do!” Sherise came to only inches from her. “You go anywhere near my husband again, and I will—”

  “While he’s your husband,” she said, backing a few inches away. “Which we both know won’t be for long.”

  “You think you could take my husband away?” Sherise poked her in the chest with her index finger. “You overestimate yourself. You’re a tired, old hag who took advantage of a man—”

  “Who doesn’t know his wife has cheated on him!” Jennifer smiled. “You see, Sherise. I have nothing to lose. My marriage is over.”

  “It never began,” Sherise interjected.

  “It was a marriage!” she insisted. “It wasn’t perfect, and bitches like you messed it up!”

  “You are so delusional.”

  “Am I?” Jennifer asked. “Am I imagining what Justin would say when he finds out about Ryan?”

  “What he’ll say,” Sherise answered, “is that we’ve both cheated on each other and he won’t get on his high horse about it. He won’t leave me for doing something he’s done to me. I guess I should thank you. You’ve evened this out for me. Justin is a lot of things, but he’s not a hypocrite.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” Jennifer was undaunted.

  “I always am.”

  “But what about Cady?” she asked. “Will he be as understanding about her? What about that precious little girl that was born only—”

  Sherise lunged for her with a yell that came from somewhere deep inside of her. “Don’t you ever mention my baby!”

  Sherise grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her to the ground. Sherise fell on top of her and tried to avoid Jennifer’s swinging arms and slapping hands. She pressed her hands against her shoulders to hold Jennifer down.

  “Get off me, you bitch!” Jennifer was kicking and struggling.

  “You don’t know who you are fucking with!” Sherise yelled. “You say one more word about Cady and I’ll kill you!”

  “Sherise!”

  Sherise felt someone behind her, grabbing her right arm and starting to pull her back. She looked back and saw Billie struggling to pull her off Jennifer.

  Jennifer took this distraction as an opportunity and pushed Sherise off her. Sherise fell on the floor beside her and Jennifer smacked her in the face.

  “Stop it!” Billie tried to stand between the two of them, but Sherise pushed her out of the way.

  Sherise, halfway turned around, lifted her arm and swung. Her elbow connected with Jennifer’s cheek and sent her flying back, screaming out in pain. Sherise reached again and grabbed a handful of hair and pulled it with a grunt.

  “Hey!”

  A large man Sherise recognized as one of the doormen to the hotel reached down and grabbed each of them. His grip on Sherise was so hard that she had to let go of Jennifer’s hair. Still, the women were trying to reach for each other, but he had them too far apart.

  “You fucking bitch!” Jennifer yelled.

  He lifted them both so they were standing up.

  Sherise tried to jerk out of his grip, but he was like a stone statue. “You better get the fuck out of DC and never come back if you know what’s good for you!”

  Jennifer started laughing like a crazy person. “You’re so stupid. You just confirmed everything I suspected about that baby but couldn’t verify.”

  “You’re dead!” Sherise pointed to her.

  “Sherise!” Billie rushed in front of Sherise and grabbed her by the chin. She turned her face to her. “Shut up! Don’t say that! Don’t say another word.”

  Sherise looked at her, feeling frantic and crazy. She could see the concern in Billie’s eyes, but knew she was being a lawyer right now and not a friend.

  “I know you’re a guest,” the man said to Jennifer, who was still laughing, but was holding the cheek that had gotten the brunt of Sherise’s elbows. “So you need to go to your room.”

  “Let me go and I will,” she said.

  “If you mess around again, I’m calling the police,” he warned, pointing to the elevator. “Now go!”

  He let Jennifer go and she backed away. She looked at Sherise with a smile and opened her mouth to say something.

  “Go!” he ordered. “I’m calling the police in five seconds. Do you want to get kicked out of this hotel?”

  She looked at him, rolled her eyes, and turned toward the elevator.

  “Can you let me go?” Sherise asked, looking up at him.

  “Do you stay here?” he asked.

  “No,” Billie answered for her. “She’s leaving with me. You can let her go.”

  “I’ll let her go as soon as this other lady is in the elevator,” he said.

  “What are you doing here?” Sherise asked Billie. “Where’s Cady?”

  “Erica came over to watch her. She just called and said that Justin was home, so she left. He was asking a lot of questions.”

  “Who the fuck is he to ask questions?” Sherise asked.

  The man finally let her go after the elevator door closed behind Jennifer. “Now both of you, get out of this hotel, now.”

  Sherise glared coldly at him, but said nothing as Billie grabbed her by the arm and started leading her toward the lobby.

  “What questions?” Sherise asked.

  Billie shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s just get out of here first.”

  Once out in front of the hotel, Billie finally let go of Sherise. She looked a mess.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked. “Threatening to kill someone? In public? In front of witne
sses?”

  “Stop fucking lawyering me!” Sherise took a deep breath of air. Her head was still pounding, her heart still racing. “I didn’t mean it.”

  She did mean it. Just hearing that woman mention Cady filled her with so much rage Sherise could barely stand it.

  “This was a horrible idea,” Billie said. “You made things worse. You know that.”

  “You don’t have to tell me,” Sherise said. “That bitch! I was right. It’s all about revenge. She doesn’t give a shit about Justin.”

  Billie stood in front of Sherise, looking into her eyes. “What’s going on, Sherise?”

  Sherise looked at her confused. “What the . . . Where have you been all day?”

  “I was watching you,” Billie said. “When she mentioned Cady, you lost it.”

  “Can you blame me? It’s bad enough that woman is sleeping with my husband. She doesn’t get to put my baby’s name on her lips. She doesn’t!”

  “What will Justin find out about her?” Billie asked, emphasizing her calm in order to keep Sherise from losing it again.

  Sherise swallowed hard, diverting her eyes from Billie’s.

  “What did you hear?” she asked.

  Billie sighed. “Oh my God.”

  She had thought about it for a second when Sherise told them she had actually slept with Ryan. She knew what was going on at the time. For just a second, she thought about it, but then erased it from her mind.

  “I remember when you told us you were pregnant,” Billie said, speaking slowly as her mind processed it all. “We were so happy for you.”

  “Billie.” Sherise began crying as she reached out and touched Billie’s shoulder. “Please.”

  “And I thought for a second,” Billie continued, “that thank God you never went any further with Ryan because . . . How could you, Sherise?”

  “Justin is Cady’s father,” Sherise insisted. The look of disgust on Billie’s face broke her heart. “He’s her father.”

  “Do you know that?”

  “I know it,” Sherise said, nodding. “I know it. He loves her. She loves him.”

  “Do you know?” Billie demanded. “Stop fucking around, Sherise. Do you know?”