The Side Effects of You

by Anna Black

  “Charles, you’d better be worth it,” I said as I shut the door. If he messed up, I’d hate that I’d dumped Ethan for him.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Andrea

  I was dead asleep, until Jeremiah burst into my bedroom, roaring like a lion. “Ann, get your ass up!” he blared.

  I jumped up, jolted out of my sleep. “Wha, wha, what?” I mumbled.

  “What in the hell is this?” he yelled and threw a newspaper in my face. Yesterday and the day before, the newspaper’s headlines and front page had showcased him and me, but this morning it was me and Quentin. My heart started to race.

  Our publicist had been working nonstop on our image because of all the whispers and rumors among the congregants at the church. We had agreed to interviews, television appearances, you name it, to prove our sham of a marriage was real. Jeremiah had assured me that this would blow over and that they were taking care of things. Now, the fact that I was in the headlines with Quentin was another fish to fry. Lately, there had been reporters at my salon door every day, with questions, trying to get answers. Quentin had shown up to rescue me, but one of his attempts had been captured by a camera, and I had been found out.

  “I . . . I . . . I can explain,” I stuttered. I didn’t know what to say, but I was going to come up with something.

  He snatched up the paper and read, “Bliss or bull? Pastor Jeremiah Young and his wife, Andrea Young, pretend to be the happy married couple, but are they? Whisked away by her lover, Quentin Hughes, Mrs. Young avoided a mob of reporters—”

  “Listen, Quentin and I are . . .” I couldn’t say lovers. “Friends, okay? We started hanging out, catching up, and he just happened to come down to check on me that day. That was a day when reporters stormed my salon and bombarded me with questions about the rumors, and I was outnumbered. I was grateful he was there, Jeremiah, to save me from that aggressive crowd of reporters, because you weren’t.”

  “Don’t give me no bullshit,” he said. “If I find out your ass is sleeping with him, so help me God . . . ,” he growled, trying to threaten me.

  I refused to be bullied when he was the one in the hot seat. “So help you God what, Jeremiah? Don’t threaten me, Pastor Young, because you are the one who is living foul in this house.” It just jumped out of my mouth. I was trying to keep the peace, but I was exhausted from him, his lies, and the bullshit.

  I went on. “If I’ve done anything, I’ve been here and stood by your lying-ass side to make you look good. You don’t love me. You don’t want me. You don’t even sleep next to me at night, so don’t come at me with this crap. I’m not afraid of you, and what I do is my business, like what you do is yours!” I snapped.

  He backed up a few paces. “Okay, you want to test me, Mrs. Young? You want to see what I’m really capable of doing? You, my dear, underestimate the power I have in this city. You, sweetheart, are a nobody. And since you want to try me, want to make a fool out of me and make me look bad, I got something for you.” He walked out and slammed my door so hard, it sounded like a gun going off.

  I got up and went for my phone. I called Quentin to tell him what was going on, and he told me to relax and not to panic. He said that Jeremiah was all talk and that I should not worry. I trusted him, so I relaxed.

  I dressed for work and went in. When the busy day was done, I knew I should’ve gone straight home, but I let Quentin convince me to stop by his place. We hadn’t seen each other since the day he rescued me from the mob of reporters, and it was like a breath of fresh air to be with him.

  “So you know we have to chill for a while, until this scandal with Jeremiah blows over,” I told him as we sat on his couch in the living room.

  “Yeah, I know. I just miss you so much, Drea.”

  “I miss you too, Q.” I rested in his arms. He gave me gentle kisses on my cheek.

  “So, can I get a li’l bit?”

  “Q, didn’t I just say we have to lay low?”

  “Yes, but you’re here now. And since I won’t be getting it for a while, I think I deserve a li’l bit.”

  I smiled at him. I agreed because I wanted a “li’l bit” too. “Okay, but we have to get it in now, because I got to get home.”

  I stood up, and he undressed me. Then I lay down on his living-room floor, and he opened my legs wide and dipped his head low. I felt the heat from his breath on my clit. I couldn’t take the anticipation, so I lifted my bottom from the floor and put it in his face. He didn’t make me wait any longer. He pleased me, he teased me, and when I came, he didn’t release me.

  “Q, baby, let go. It’s too much, baby. Let go,” I begged, trying to get free.

  He finally let me go and came up and went for my nipples. I wanted to reciprocate, but he plunged inside of me and started pumping like he had never felt my insides before.

  “Awww, baby,” he moaned. “Drea.”

  He panted and pumped like he was enjoying the pleasure my walls provided him. Then he pushed my legs back farther and went deeper, his sweat dripping down on my skin. The more he pumped, the wetter I became. It felt better with each stroke.

  “Get it, baby. Do it, baby. That feels so good,” I moaned.

  He picked up the pace and then pulled out. “Turn over, baby. Let me hit from the back.”

  He got no argument from me. I flipped over, and he had me facedown and ass up. He banged and banged, pushed and pulled. I moaned louder, cheering him on with sexy bedroom talk. He pumped hard and fast until he came.

  He swatted my ass cheek. “Drea, baby, that was the best, baby. I mean, I want this every night.”

  “It was good, babe. I need some water. My mouth is dry.”

  He headed to the kitchen, and I went down onto the floor. He came back and handed me a bottle of water. I propped myself up on an elbow and drank it down.

  “Damn, Drea. You need another one?”

  “Nah. I’m good.”

  I handed him the empty bottle. I needed to get up and get dressed, but I was exhausted. He lay down on the floor with me.

  “You know, I’ll be so glad when this is all over,” he mused.

  “Me too,” I said. I rested my head on his extended arm.

  “I have to ask you a question.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Do you want more kids?”

  That caught me off guard. “I haven’t thought much about it, Q. I mean, initially when I got married, I thought I’d have more than two, but my marriage ended so fast that this idea went out the window.”

  “Well, I wanted to know if you’d give me another chance at fatherhood.”

  “I don’t know, Q. That’s a lot to think about.”

  “Well, can you at least think about it? I want to be with you, Drea, and I do want to have children. If not children, at least one child.”

  “Okay. I’ll think about it.” I sat up. “I have to head home.”

  He looked sad. “I know,” he mumbled.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I smiled.

  “I just wish you could stay.”

  “Me too, Quentin. But soon. Soon we will be together again.”

  “And this time, I’m never letting you go.”

  “You couldn’t if you tried. I’m not that young woman anymore. This time, I’d fight for you.” I kissed him.

  “I’m all yours.” He stood and helped me up from the floor.

  I dressed, grabbed my purse, jacket, and keys, and he walked me out. When we reached my car, he gave me a sweet, passionate kiss and then opened my car door.

  I got in and smiled up at him. “I love you.”

  He leaned in and gave me one more kiss. “I love you too, babe. Drive safe and let me know when you’re home.”

  “I will.”

  He shut my door, and I headed back to the house of horrors.

  When I got in, of course, the kids were running around like crazy, and the kitchen was a mess. I knew they had made grilled cheese sandwiches and fries, because the evidence had been left
out.

  Jeremiah was nowhere to be found, so I headed upstairs to shower and change. After ordering my children to clean their rooms, bathe, and get ready for bed, I took a long shower and thought about Quentin and a baby.

  It would be nice to give him a child. I was still young enough, so I thought, What the hell? I’ll do it. I got out of the shower, did my moisturizing routine, dressed in sweats and a tee, and went downstairs to clean my kitchen. When I finished, I went back upstairs with my glass of wine and checked on the kids. They were getting ready for bed. I thanked God that they hadn’t had any trouble in school, what with the scandal going on with me and Jeremiah.

  I went into my bedroom, climbed in bed, and texted Q, and we messaged each other for about an hour before I finally said good night. A few minutes later I was fast asleep. Around 2:00 a.m., Jeremiah came into my room and shook me awake.

  “What?” I asked. I hated to be woken out of my sleep.

  “Here,” he said and tossed me a large manila envelope.

  “What’s this?”

  “Open it.”

  I did, and I found pictures of me at Quentin’s. Pictures of our last exchange, when he opened the door and greeted me with a kiss and a tight hug. There was one of us kissing in the driveway when we said good-bye. I didn’t say anything for a few minutes. I just looked at the dozen or so photos he had handed me.

  Finally, I spoke. “Now you’re following me?”

  “Um, yes. This morning I put someone on you. And since you’re such a whore, it didn’t take long to get what I needed. So, in the morning, pack your bags and get the hell out of my house. I am filing for a divorce, and I’m keeping my children.” He headed for the door.

  “Jeremiah, please, don’t do this to me. Not like this. I was wrong. I have no excuse for my behavior. No matter how bad things were, I didn’t have to step out, but I did, and I’m sorry. Please don’t throw me out of this house, and don’t threaten to take my kids. A divorce is exactly what we need. I won’t argue about that.” Tears rolled down my cheeks. I didn’t yell, and I didn’t cuss. I was too tired to fight. “We can draw up the papers, and I’ll sign, but you’re not taking my children, and I’m not leaving my home. You left me long before this. You stopped loving me long before it came to this.” I stuffed the pictures back into the envelope.

  “Ann, you don’t call any shots around here, and if you don’t want this to get any uglier than what it has, I suggest you go. My kids will stay put. No judge is going to give our children to an adulterous woman.”

  “No judge is going to give our children to a faggot-ass bastard,” I barked.

  He rushed over and grabbed my neck. I fought back, but he pinned me down. He was foaming at the mouth, spitting words of warning that he’d kill me if I ever said that to him again. I thought I was going to die. I clawed and punched, and he finally released me. He backed up, breathing like a man who had just run the one-hundred-yard dash.

  “Get out of my house, you whore!” he growled.

  My face was drenched with tears, and once I could catch my breath, I just sobbed. He backed out of my room and left me there alone. I didn’t want to call Quentin, but this time, I had no choice. Pastor Young had put his hands on me one too many times, and I thought that night would be my last night on God’s green earth.

  I didn’t pack a bag, I just got my coat, purse, and keys and left.

  The next day, Quentin was by my side when I went to pack up my clothes. I didn’t get to say good-bye to my kids, but I knew I’d have them soon. Pastor Young thought he had me with those photos, but I had something worse—a video of him banging another man in the ass.

  I knew the judge would see things my way, and if not, the press would. Hurting me, I could handle, but my kids were a different story. I could live without any and everybody, but I could not live without my kids. I had been silent for too long. If exposing him for what he was, was the key to keeping my kids, so be it.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Josephina

  “Are you sure you wanna do this?”

  “I’m sure,” I said.

  The officer handed me a pen, and I signed a restraining order against Ana. My child, my offspring, my firstborn, one of my babies. My hands trembled, but I signed my name on the line.

  “This goes into effect immediately.”

  “I understand,” I told the officer.

  Jayden squeezed my thigh in a show of support.

  “I . . . I just want to make sure my daughter is safe. Like at school. What if Ana goes to her school?” I asked in a panic.

  “This restraining order means she can’t get within a hundred feet of you or Angelica at school, at home, in a restaurant, at the local grocery store, or anywhere,” the officer explained.

  I knew what the restraining order meant, but I also knew that a piece of paper didn’t guarantee that she would not show up. I didn’t want to be overprotective, but after finding out what had gone on, I was now keeping a careful watch on Angelica. I now stood outside and watched as Angelica walked across the parking lot to get to the hotel, just in case Ana was lurking there.

  I was sure I’d kill Ana with my bare hands if I saw her. Putting her evil hands on Angelica had me in a rage, and I wanted to give her an old-school Puerto Rican ass whipping. I wanted to see her challenge me. I hated that I had allowed my baby girl to be hurt by her, and I was a minute away from riding the streets like a hood chick to find her.

  “You ready?” Jayden asked.

  “Yes. I want to make it back before Angelica gets out of school.”

  “Okay.” He grabbed my hand, and we walked out. “They will find her, Josie. I know you want to put an ass whipping on her, but it won’t help.”

  “It may not help, but I’d feel a hell of a lot better. She hurt my baby. Angelica is a special kid. She’d never hurt anything or anyone. She is sensitive, and she is loving. I can’t believe that Ana would do her harm. The bruises, Jayden, were horrific. And I wasn’t there to protect her. Do you know how bad I feel? I never thought in a million years that Ana would hurt her little sister. Every time I think of the abuse my baby endured, I just want to explode.”

  Angelica was soft-spoken, funny, smart, and so loving. I imagined my baby being defenseless against her evil sister. The bruises on her stomach and back were horrible, and I was so mad at myself.

  “Josie, it’s not your fault. No matter how much thought and anger you put into this, it won’t change the facts. We just have to find Ana and let the courts decide.”

  “Fuck the courts, Jayden. The courts don’t feel like I feel. The courts have no idea the impact she’s had on Angelica. My baby didn’t have to suffer like that, and I’m so furious that I want to find her and ... and ... and ...,” I cried.

  He wrapped his arms around me and held me when we reached the car. I was so angry.

  “Come on, babe. Let’s go and get Angelica from school,” he urged.

  “Okay.” I sniffled as I got in the car.

  We drove straight to the school and parked. It was ten minutes before the bell, so I texted Angelica and told her we were out front in Jayden’s SUV, waiting for her.

  “So, do you want to go to my place or hang at the hotel?” Jayden asked while we waited.

  “Your place. I’ve been cleaning little by little. My housekeepers have been a big help, but the place is not back to normal yet.”

  “Okay. How about we cook something special for Angelica?”

  “That’s a great idea. What did you have in mind?”

  “I don’t know. Why don’t we let Angelica decide?”

  “That’s fine. Thank you, Jayden.”

  “For?”

  “Being great. I mean, you are a great man, and I’m lucky to have you.”

  “Well, I love you, and I want to see you happy.”

  “You what?” I asked, surprised.

  “Huh?”

  “You said you love me.” I smiled at him.

  He looked at me and smil
ed back. “I love you,” he repeated.

  “I love you too.”

  He leaned in, and we kissed. I was happy with him and my baby, but I was sad about my eldest.

  “There she is.” I pointed.

  Jayden blew the horn, and I let down the window and waved. Angelica looked our way and headed over.

  “Hey, Mom. Hey, Mr. Jayden,” Angelica said as she got in the SUV.

  “Hey, baby. How was school?” I said.

  “Good.”

  “What’s going on, Princess Angelica? We were just talking about making you a special dinner tonight, but we need to know what you want.” Jayden put the truck in gear.

  “Wow. For me?”

  “Yes, for you,” I said. “Seat belt, baby.”

  “I don’t know. I mean, I like lots of things.”

  “Well, can you narrow it down to one thing?” Jayden asked.

  “Um . . . Beggars Pizza. Mom used to take us all the time.”

  “We wanted to cook, Angelica,” I reminded her.

  “I know, but I can’t think of a special dish. But I’d love some Beggars Pizza.”

  “Beggars, it is,” Jayden declared. He was too easy. Angelica had him wrapped around her finger.

  We went and stuffed ourselves and then ended up going back to the hotel instead of to Jayden’s place. We settled on a movie, and I rested on Jayden while Angelica rested on me. Halfway through the movie, we were interrupted by a loud bang.

  Someone had thrown a brick through my kitchen window. Jayden rushed to another window to see if he could catch a glimpse of whoever had done this, but all he saw was a dark car speeding off.

  “Stay here,” he ordered.

  I nodded as I held Angelica. She was shaking like a leaf.

  Jayden ran out of the apartment.

  “It’s Ana, Mom, I know it’s her. She is going to kill us. She said if I told, she’d kill you,” Angelica cried.

  “Listen to me. Ana isn’t going to hurt us, okay? Don’t worry. I’m going to protect you. Do you understand?”

  “But, Mom, I’m so scared. She texted me and said she is coming back for us.”

  “She did what? Where is your phone? Let me see.”