9781631052347OnCallKenyan

by M. O. Kenyan

  “AJ!” Katherine walked out of the bedroom butt naked, hoping to convince AJ into another round of lovemaking. But the echo in the apartment let her know she was alone.

  * * * *

  AJ hated leaving the apartment when Katherine was still asleep. He had missed the contented, peaceful look on her face once she was sexually sated and enjoying her sleep. He couldn’t bring himself to wake her up. He had kept her up all night, and was rough and hard with her. AJ couldn’t help himself. Once she entered the room his desire and passion had taken over. He had tried to rein it in, even tried to ignore her but that only lasted for a second. Even now, he wished he was still in bed with her.

  But the call from Catalella’s oncologist had him running out of the apartment. They were scrutinizing her state of mind because of the attempted suicide. Dr. Chaplain was under advisement from the Transplant Committee to postpone her procedure. He had been with the committee the whole morning trying to convince them to go ahead with the procedure.

  “Hey! You sneaked out on me.” AJ turned toward the sound of Katherine’s voice.

  “I’m sorry.” He gave her one of his prize-winning lopsided grins. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but did you take the pill?”

  “I will and of course…of course I understand why you would want to make sure. I didn’t handle our first pregnancy the best way.”

  AJ had to cut her off. He didn’t want to focus on the past. “I just want us to start over on the right foot. I don’t want us in a situation that we are not ready for. Besides, you have too much on your plate right now, career wise. Fixing hearts and delivering babies.”

  “Starting over.” she chewed down on her bottom lip in thought. “Does that mean no sex?”

  AJ felt the warmth crawl into his body as he laughed. He missed laughing like this, especially with Katherine. “Of course not. I wouldn’t punish myself like that.”

  “So why did you run out on me?”

  “They want to postpone Catalella’s procedure. They don’t think she is in the right frame of mind. Whose idea was it not to put her in a 51/50?”

  “Mine. I didn’t think she needed it. It was a damn mistake, and she doesn’t exhibit any psychological problems that would make me worry for her safety. Why?”

  “Katherine, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  AJ looked over Katherine’s head and there was Lyle. He definitely hadn’t missed him and the way he would have acted around Katherine while he’d been out of the country. But now he was back and would have to figure out how he was going to interact with Lyle without wanting to punch him. AJ leaned down and planted a kiss on Katherine’s cheek. “Find me when you are done. I’ll be in Catalella’s room.”

  * * * *

  Katherine couldn’t help the headache coming on. It was always a result of being in the same space as AJ and Lyle. Trying not to upset AJ and also not hurting Lyle’s feelings was too much to do in the same moment. She held onto AJ’s hand as he began to walk away, pulling him back for a kiss on the lips. “It’s your bone marrow. It doesn’t matter if you are giving it to a crazy guy down the street. If we must we’ll just take her to a different hospital.”

  “Where would I be without you?”

  “Djibouti,” Lyle put in.

  “I’ll see you later?” Katherine nodded trying not to pay attention to the evil eye AJ shot Lyle.

  In AJ’s absence, Katherine thought she had formed a civil friendship with Lyle. She never went out with him, or promised him any romantic relationship, but she had thought they had moved past the hostility. Watching AJ’s strong back walking away from her, his strong back muscles and cute butt had a calming effect on her.

  “I see you jumped into bed with him as soon as his flight touched the ground,” Lyle snipped.

  “And it was the best night of my life,” Katherine spat out. She saw Lyle wince and immediately regretted what she’d said. But somehow she needed to get her point across. “Listen, I don’t understand why you are so mad. AJ and I—”

  “You are not together!” Katherine’s eyes widened as she saw Lyle in a new light. He looked almost crazy. “He left you. He just packed up his shit and went to a different continent, to get away from you!”

  “No! The chief explained it to me. He had already committed to the program and AJ always keeps his word.”

  “Then why didn’t he ask you to go with him?”

  The question she wanted answered was why AJ had never told her about the Doctors Without Borders trip the moment it was offered to him. Sure, at the point they weren’t really dating. But it was common courtesy.

  “He didn’t even let you know he was leaving.”

  “He couldn’t reach me.” Katherine thought it beat saying, My mommy wouldn’t let me talk to him. “This is the thing, what I do with my life and who I do it with is none of your business. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to go.”

  “Don’t leave. I came to tell you your father is here. He thinks he had a heart attack. We are running tests on him right now.”

  When the shock wore off, anger claimed her. The blood rushed through her veins the thumping echoing in her ears. Through clenched teeth she snarled out, “You waited until now to tell me my father’s had a heart attack?”

  “I just—”

  “You just what! You’re just more interested in what happens between my legs than what happens with my father’s heart.”

  “Katherine, you don’t need to get vulgar.”

  “Just show me where he is.”

  Katherine rushed Lyle down the halls. She walked blindly and so quickly she didn’t notice Lyle stop until he called her name. Walking into the room she staggered at the sight of her family. She hadn’t seen them for almost two years.

  Her mother hovered over her father who lay back in a bed. Duke paced in a corner, his phone glued to his ear. Yvonne sat in a chair, her hand on her swollen belly, and Christopher sat at the foot of the bed, seemingly not interested in what was going on. Only Christian wasn’t there. Otherwise it would have been a perfect family reunion.

  “Why are you here?” Her mother’s glare almost made her turn around and leave the room.

  “I get that you’re pissed at Mom, but why did you shut Duke and me out?” Christopher pouted as he reached in for a hug.

  “I’m sorry, Toffer. How are you?” She let out a giggle when her feet lifted off the ground. Katherine looked on and waited for Duke to realize she was around. And when that didn’t happen she waved at her sister in-law and walked toward her father’s bed where Lyle was standing. Lyle handed her the chart and she couldn’t help the smile that crept on her lips.

  “Trust you to find your father’s heart attack funny.” The steel on the tip of her mother’s tongue slashed through her.

  “It’s nice to see you too, Mother. I am only guessing here, but are you the one who diagnosed father’s heart attack?” Victoria had a way of exaggerating. A molehill to her was a mountain. And when she shrugged as if it was obvious, Katherine couldn’t help but laugh. Cautiously she stepped beside her father. Chancing rejection she leaned own and kissed his cheek. “How are you, Daddy?”

  “According to your mother I’m having a heart attack. But I’ve missed you.” He smiled at her and she was relieved.

  “Well, I guess I can start coming around more. Plus, you didn’t have a heart attack, just a severe case of indigestion. The discomfort you probably felt on your chest was heart-burn. We’ll prescribe you some antacids and send you home.”

  “I knew it,” Harold grumbled. “Promise me you’ll come for dinner tomorrow. It’s Sunday. I’m sure you won’t have much to do.”

  “And you can bring your doctor friend,” Victoria piped in.

  “A second ago you thought Daddy was on his death bed, now you are playing match maker?” Katherine snorted. “I’ll be there, Daddy, alone.”

  “But I’m inviting your friend.”

  “Don’t give him any ideas. I’m seeing someone else.�
�

  “Oh? Who?”

  “The same guy you tried to run off a year and a half ago. You see, Mum, I’m worth fighting for.” Katherine gave her father a quick kiss and started to leave when Duke called her. “Dear God, Duke, it’s a miracle. The phone does detach from your ear.”

  “Very funny, Kat. I was wondering if you would mind giving Yvette an ultra-sound.”

  “No!”

  “I don’t mind.” Katherine frowned at the pregnant woman when she realized they had both spoken at the same time but with different answers. “I seriously don’t mind. I have a few minutes to spare.”

  “I’m just—I’m not wearing the right outfit.”

  “Okay.” Katherine had never had the time or patience to try and decipher anything coming out of Yvette’s mouth. And if she didn’t want Katherine to give her an ultra-sound then even easier. She didn’t know what they would say to each other during those few moments. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  Epilogue

  It had been a month since Catalella’s attempted suicide and AJ’s return. Catalella had been doing better and the transplant had finally taken place. The hours Katherine spent pacing the waiting room with Catalella’s family stuck with her. She felt like she belonged.

  But she didn’t like feeling helpless. It was her own fault she was kicked out of the operating room in the first place. She kept on questioning every move the surgeon made. Finally exasperated and at his limit, the old man tossed her out. Now she sat at AJ’s bedside waiting for him to gain consciousness. He was taking his time.

  Impatiently she poured cubes of ice in a cup and held it in her hand trying to figure out if what she was about to do was insane. Medically it wouldn’t hurt him or come in the way of his recovery. Tilting the mouth of the cup over his neck, she let two ice cube fall out, and as soon they came into contact with his skin, AJ’s eyes flew open.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” she cooed at him.

  “What the hell, Kat!” His voice was hoarse, as he shook the ice off himself.

  “I wanted you to wake up.”

  “So dropping ice cubes down my gown was your last resort. Why couldn’t you wait like normal people?”

  “I’m not normal. Scoot over.” Katherine helped AJ move while making sure he remained on his side. “Are you in pain?”

  “I’ll survive. But I don’t think I can handle any more ice baths, so just get over here.” AJ curled his arm around her and pulled her into him. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you too. Close your eyes. Now I know you’re okay, you can go back to sleep.”

  AJ closed his eyes and before he fell back to sleep he whispered, “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  *The End*

  About the Author

  Love is supernatural. When I write romance its just like I’m writing a fantasy novel. I believe in love and love believes in us.

  BETRAYED; THE NEW YORKER I; Reno Kanaloa Kent, had been abandoned by both his mother and father. His father, Dennis Kent, a prestigious business man in New York, left his family behind when his inheritance was threatened. He had been given a choice the love of money or that of his family and he had picked the former. His mother Kono Kanaloa, a simple island girl, had stopped taking care of his little sister, him and herself when the love of her life walked out the door. Reno’s misfortune didn’t end there. In the dead of the night his sister had been abducted from his bed and he wasn’t able to save her. The guilt of letting down his little sister, Rhyne has followed him through his entire life. Revenge for the betrayal of his father is the only thing that drives him, especially after his mother’s death. He goes to New York to seek his revenge. His luck improves when he meets Dennis Kent’s godchildren at a university end of summer bash.

  Lisette had always wanted freedom to be a woman. But her adoptive father and brother are overprotective of her. Her potential boyfriend betrays her and runs off with her underage sister to get married in Vegas. Reno seems to be the only one to help keep her sanity. But she learns that he isn’t who he says he is. She angry with him, but she can’t deny the love in her heart.

  Reno and Lisette have to work through the betrayal they feel to be together. Their relationship runs a course filled with obstacles and they finally reunite they love.

  DENOUEMENT; Marietta Parks believes that the only way to stop surprises from happening in life is to control your own fate. Paying attention to every detail she scripts out her own life. Leaving love, romance and children out of it. But then she meets a man who just has to be added into her story, Tobias Harden was the man of everyone’s dreams but t her he was a lovely addition to her already scripted life.

  Tobias Harden was the modern day Casanova. Love was not in his vocabulary, and he was allergic to the word commitment, like poison Ivy to the bare skin. A chance kiss with Marietta Parks makes him question his single life. He was to be the best for her, and oddly enough she happens to be the only woman he wants to kiss. Tobias convinces Marietta that she needs him in her life. But after three years of marriage and life’s obstacles, he finds himself in bed with another woman. He has to convince her that he is still the man for her, especially now that she’s pregnant.

  RED TEARS BLUE BLOOD; Alma had said no to love. The pain of a lost love was too much. But when Christoffer walks into her life, Alma decides to give love a second chance, hoping that fate would be kinder to her this time. However, loving Christoffer seems to take everything out of her. They are so different. He’s white, and she black, he’s rich and she’s poor. But Alma is determined to fight for her love.

  Christoffer was running away from his past and future and ran into Alma’s arms. Al he wants is to see a smile on her face, but his secret is threatening their happiness. Christoffer is living a double life. He was brought up to honor his duties to his family. But now he has to honor duty to his love, Alma. Christoffer has to hope that Alma will keep standing by his side.

  THE NEW YORKER III

  BEATING THE ODDS

  He sat at the bar, his eyes glued on the bronze beauty. Her skin was like a mocha latte; her full lips gleaming from the almost pink gloss. He could almost taste them. He couldn’t see her eyes because her head was bent over a stack of papers she had on her table. But he had a full view of her hair, thick, curly, forced in the death grip of a simple but stylish grip at the back of her head. Her beige business suit and the lack of color in anything she wore told him she was business oriented, a career woman who didn’t have time for fairy tales. She was serious but and would want to be treated as an equal.

  He smiled, knowing she was the perfect description of a one night stand. But part of him wanted to set her free. How he wanted to release her hair, to let it free and see how wild it made her look. Usually he was confident in approaching a woman but there was something about this one that made him hesitate. The aura around her just said ‘fuck off’.

  “Don’t try it.” The barman warned.

  “Why?” He smiled at his friend and was amused by the concern in his eyes.

  “Don’t try it, Rich.” The barman shook his head. “She has a habit of castrating every man who tries to approach her. Sometimes I think I should put a sign at her table, ‘Beware’.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Rich laughed at his over dramatization. “She just needs someone to thaw her out.”

  “I guess you’re the guy?”

  “I’m the guy.” Rich chimed.

  “You are one of my closest friends and the owner of this restaurant. Before you venture into the dragon lady’s cave, could you leave a piece of paper that says the restaurant is mine upon your untimely death?”

  “Yeah, right.” Rich cleared his throat and stood up. He slowly closed the gap between him and the beauty. But before he was even close to the table he watched as her hand went up to stop him. He froze and looked around. He looked at the bartender and saw him grin. He decided he wasn’t going to fail, he was determined to leave her table with a number and his b
alls intact.

  “I—”

  “I said no.” She spat out even without looking up at him.

  “I just wanted to ask if you need another table.” He started and when she didn’t cut him off he went on. “I can see you’re pretty busy and you have a lot of stuff on that one table. I thought you might want another one. I’ll bring it to you of course.”

  He felt his breath hitch as her head slowly raised. He stared into her evasive eyes and felt as if he was swimming in a pool of honey. Although there was a hard set in her face and jaw, her eyes sold her out. She was kind, sweet even. So he wondered why she hid all that behind a wall.

  “I never thought about that,” she said as she looked around her workspace. “I guess I could use some more room.”

  “You might even be able to make room for a plate of food.” Rich added with his best smile on display.

  “I guess I should eat something,” she said seeming a bit lost. “I swear that was my intention when I walked in here. But I got lost in all of this.”

  “I’ll bring you the table and call a waiter for you,” Rich offered and walked away.

  * * * *

  Catalella watched the man as he walked past her and toward a waiter. The first things she had seen when she looked up at the strange man were two beautiful aqua-blue eyes and a killer smile. She was glad he was gone because she didn’t know how long she could pretend he didn’t affect her in anyway. There was an aura of confidence about him which she liked. His six-foot-three frame was padded with muscles. She couldn’t see much from all the clothing draped over him, so she let her imagination filled in the rest. But what she could see was his taut, broad chest, and how his jeans hugged the muscles in his thighs—and she liked it. Physically he was delicious, and if she was the person she used to be, she wouldn’t have let a second pass before she praised his beauty.