My Destiny

by Adrianne Byrd

  “I’m sorry.” Destiny drew in a deep breath and pressed the mute button on the remote control. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I just...” She shrugged and a thick silence hung over the line.

  “I’m coming home,” her mother declared.

  “No, Mom, no.” Destiny exhaled. “There’s nothing wrong. I’m just taking some time to reevaluate my priorities.”

  “Does this have anything to do with the Nissel case?”

  It had everything to do with Keith Nissel; a pro bono case where her young client was accused of murder, when all he was guilty of was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She’d slaved over the case, trying to win a stay of execution from the Supreme Court.

  But she had lost.

  “No, Mom. This has nothing to do with Keith Nissel.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Destiny responded with a note of desperation. “Mom, please. I need some time to sort things out. That’s all. I promise I’ll call you if I need you to come home.”

  Once again silence stretched between them before her mother finally acquiesced. “You promise to call?”

  Destiny nodded and fought the next tidal wave of tears. “I promise.” She ended the call and fell back across the bed exhausted. Maybe she was coming down with something. If so, then perhaps there was a pill she could pop to soothe her woes.

  The Nissel case wasn’t the first one she’d lost, but it was the first with such deadly results.

  She rolled back to the center of the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Something was definitely wrong. In her career, she’d accomplished everything she’d set out to do. Her boss had recently told her she was on the fast track to making partner. Once upon a time, such praise would’ve had her floating on cloud nine—but not now. In fact, it had the opposite effect.

  Maybe the simple truth was she no longer wanted to be a lawyer. Destiny groaned as she slammed her eyes shut. To even consider such a thing deepened her despair. She’d come from a long line of lawyers. And because of the scandal her brother had caused, it was up to her to redeem the family name.

  She allowed the last declaration to ring in her ears and waited for the words to revive conviction in her heart. But nothing happened. Nothing had happened for a while.

  The doorbell rang.

  Destiny held her breath as if doing so would convince her visitor she wasn’t home. She prayed she wouldn’t hear a key rattle in the door. If she did, it could only mean that her dear friend, Lu Jin, had taken it upon herself to come check on her.

  A key rattled.

  Destiny grabbed a pillow and covered her face to muffle a scream of frustration.

  “Destiny?” Lu Jin’s concerned voice floated throughout the apartment.

  Destiny removed the pillow. “Go away.”

  The front door closed and she heard the soft clicking of high heels as they headed toward her room.

  Lu Jin stopped when she reached the bedroom door. She crossed her arms and glanced around. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

  Destiny sat up and propped her pillow against the headboard. “I want my key back.”

  “People in hell want iced water.”

  They gave each other a sour look.

  “When was the last time you cleaned this place up?” Lu Jin moved farther into the room, carefully stepping over piles of clothes.

  “I forget.”

  Lu Jin sat on the edge of the bed and jumped when she heard something crumple beneath her. She removed a pack of crackers and sat down again. “All right. Enough games. What’s bothering you?”

  “Nothing. Since when is it against the law to vegetate in the privacy of one’s home?”

  “Why are you snapping at me? Because I’m concerned?”

  Lu Jin always had a way of dancing around Destiny’s anger.

  “I’m just taking some time out to reevaluate my life. No big deal.” Destiny cringed. She was beginning to sound like a broken record.

  “Reevaluate? That sounds like guilt or regret talking. What do you have to feel guilty about?”

  “Nothing, Lu Jin. You know my life is perfect,” she sneered.

  “I don’t know about perfect, but from where I stand it don’t look too shabby.” She shrugged while she thought about it. “In a few years you should make partner. You’re engaged to Jefferson Altman—gorgeous Jefferson Altman, I may add.”

  “You marry him, since you think so highly of him.”

  Lu Jin frowned. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you like this.” She leaned forward and placed a hand over Destiny’s forehead, which was promptly slapped away.

  “Stop it. I don’t have a fever.”

  “Come on. Talk to me.”

  Another smart retort crested Destiny’s tongue, but she managed to prevent it from tumbling out. Through the brief ensuing silence Destiny could feel her friend’s heavy gaze follow her every move. She had no choice but to confess. “I thought I could take his place. I want to fulfill his dreams, but I don’t think I can do it anymore.”

  Lu Jin pulled away. “Who are you talking about?”

  Destiny read suspicion in Lu Jin’s face and knew her answer wouldn’t come as a total surprise. “Adam. Who else?”

  * * *

  Miles returned to his condo after completing a four-mile run. It was just what he needed to relieve his stressful week and begin a fun-filled weekend. He closed the door and made a beeline to the refrigerator where he grabbed a nearly empty bottle of Gatorade and drained it.

  He glanced at his watch and assessed it shouldn’t take him more than half an hour to shower and change. As he headed toward the bedroom, he pushed the play button on the answering machine.

  “Hey, buddy. Wes here. I was just calling to make sure we’re still on for the night. Donna has already called me half a million times to make sure I have a date for her cousin. I’m counting on you so hit me on my cell when you get this message.”

  Miles smiled at the note of desperation in his best friend’s voice and knew just where Wes was coming from. They had pulled the same favor for each other more times than either cared to remember. Generally, he had a good time with the women his buddy set him up with, probably because they shared the same taste in women—the no-fuss, no-strings-attached type.

  Of course, his mother still plagued him about settling down. Her efforts grew more desperate as the years rolled by, but Miles had no intention of sentencing another child to the Stafford curse.

  In the shower, he relished the water’s pulsing rhythm and allowed himself to wonder what his date looked like. Exactly thirty minutes later, Miles was ready to go. He gave the place a quick once-over, pleased that the maid service had once again done a splendid job and placed fresh flowers throughout the apartment—women love flowers.

  Snatching up his keys, he headed out the door and was surprised when he came face-to-face with his old nemesis, Jefferson Altman.

  A wide, even smile cracked Jefferson’s usually stoic features as his brown eyes turned coal black in an instant.

  Jefferson tilted his head in a light greeting. “Stafford.”

  “Altman,” Miles mimicked, hating how the man had always insisted on calling him by his last name as though they were in the military.

  Since their college days they’d managed to stay out of each other’s way until Altman started dating Miles’s next-door neighbor. Truth be told, he didn’t know which person he pitied more. Then again, maybe Destiny and Jefferson were an ideal couple.

  Miles locked his apartment door and headed toward the elevator bay without further comment. When he walked away, his thoughts traveled to his neighbor. For the past five years, they’d managed, and exceptionally well, to avoid each other—except in the mornings. She was usually headed out to work about the same time he was leaving for his morning jog.

  The elevator arrived at the same time Jefferson announced himself through Ms. Brockman’s door.

  Miles frowned and
searched his memory for the last time he’d seen Destiny. He couldn’t remember seeing her all week. How odd.

  He stepped into the elevator, and then watched as Altman entered the apartment. For the first time, Miles noticed the flowers Altman carried.

  Miles shrugged. Maybe Destiny had caught a bug or something. Anyway, it was none of his business.

  * * *

  Lu Jin returned to Destiny’s bedroom and declared in an excited whisper. “It’s Jefferson.”

  Destiny buried her face within the pillows again and screamed. Jefferson Altman—boring Jefferson Altman was the last person she wanted to see. “Tell him I’m sick.”

  “What?” Lu Jin removed the pillows. “Destiny, get up. You’re acting ridiculous. If you hate your life so much then get up and do something to change it.”

  Destiny stared at her. In one sentence Lu Jin had the solution to her problems; so simple in its concept, and yet difficult in its application.

  “Well?” Lu Jin settled her hands on her hips. “Are you going to get up or am I going to send him back here to this pigsty?”

  It wouldn’t do any good to call Lu Jin’s bluff. Her friend always said what she meant and meant what she said, so Destiny threw back the covers and pulled herself out of bed.

  “That’s my girl. Now, I’ll go tell him you’re coming,” Lu Jin gushed, and then rushed out of the room.

  Despite the overpowering urge to dive back into bed, Destiny shuffled her way to the adjoining bathroom to make herself presentable. However, when she stood in front of the mirror, she didn’t feel like prettying herself up and pretending that everything was okay—far from it. She just wanted to be left alone where she could start on another quart of ice cream.

  She looked down with a certain detachment at the simple diamond ring glittering on her finger. She had no right to accept a ring from a man she didn’t love. He was, however, a man she cared for—but that wasn’t enough anymore.

  Destiny went to her living room still dressed in her frumpy pajamas and with her hair pointing in every direction. There was a horrified gasp from Lu Jin and Destiny watched as Jefferson’s expression fell.

  Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. “Hey,” she said with a ghost of a smile.

  Jefferson and Lu Jin exchanged looks before Lu Jin bailed out.

  “Well, I think I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”

  Destiny thought to stop her, but knew it was because she wanted emotional support for what she was about to do.

  “I’ll call you later,” Lu Jin said, waving from the door, and then slipped out.

  Destiny felt as if she had been cast in a commercial; if a pin dropped, she was certain it would sound like a car crash.

  “I brought these for you.” He awkwardly extended a bundle of carnations.

  She smiled and stepped forward to accept them. “They’re lovely.”

  Jefferson slid his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels. “Is everything...okay?” he asked.

  Destiny drew in a deep breath and danced around his question. “Things could be better.” He’d never been a good shoulder to cry on. His involvement with her was nothing more than a power move on his part. She was a sort of intellectual trophy to drag to one social function after another in order to help elevate his career. And he was the same for her.

  Jefferson cleared his throat. “Well, I was beginning to worry about you when you hadn’t returned any of my calls this week, but it’s good to see—” he swallowed and looked uncomfortable “—that you’re okay.”

  Destiny rolled her eyes and turned away. “I’ll go put these in some water.” This definitely wasn’t going to be easy.

  * * *

  Miles wanted to kill Wes and go home—in that order. Miles’s date, Lakenya, or something to that effect, seemed nice enough—until she got a few drinks in her. Then she was loud—bullhorn loud and way too touchy-feely.

  Wes, on the other hand, was having a grand old time with Donna Klein and was ignoring every signal Miles tossed his way.

  “So tell me how a woman hasn’t dragged a fine brother like you down the aisle by now?” Lakenya blew a stream of smoke out the side of her mouth.

  Miles entertained thoughts of dying from second-hand smoke inhalation. At least it would end the date on a high note. “I don’t know. I’ve just been lucky, I guess.”

  “You mean lucky for me.” She eased closer, giving Miles a good whiff of alcohol and cigarettes.

  Miles smiled despite himself.

  “So how are you two making out?” Wes finally managed to drag his eyes away from his date long enough to ask.

  Miles didn’t blame him. Donna was hot and the total opposite of her outlandish cousin. “We’re doing just fine.” He made sure sarcasm dripped from each word.

  Wes pretended not to notice.

  “Hey.” Lakenya directed Miles’s chin toward her. “How about a dance?”

  His brain screamed no, but she was already out of her chair and pulling him along with her. There were a few gazes that swung their way from both sexes when Lakenya passed. It was most likely because Lakenya was a size twelve squeezed into a size eight dress.

  Once they were on the dance floor, he tried to lose himself in the music, but was instead irritated by the crowded dance floor and hard-driving bass booming from the speakers. With his fortieth birthday looming on the horizon, he was beginning to feel he was getting too old for the club scene.

  Lakenya grabbed his attention, or rather his butt, and then flirted with more than mere body language.

  “My cousin told me to watch out for you,” she said, leaning up to his ear.

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah. But I don’t know. As good as you look I may just have to take my chances.”

  “Is that right?” He laughed, but felt like crying. It was definitely going to be a long night.

  Chapter 8

  “You’re giving back my ring?” Bewildered, Jefferson stared down at the diamond in his hand.

  Destiny nodded and wiped at a stray tear. “I’m sorry. I know this must come as a surprise and I’m sorry that I don’t have this long, wonderful speech on what went wrong.” She was rambling again, she realized. It was a habit she’d picked up from her mother. However, she needed to get this over with while she still had the courage.

  Jefferson nodded as if he understood, but his confusion remained evident in his expression.

  Her heart squeezed. Jefferson had been nothing but kind and patient. For more than a year he’d waited for her to pin down a wedding date when all along she’d been thinking of ways to do just this—break up with him. In the past few months, they’d even gone as far as to go house hunting.

  “Was it something I did?” he asked. When she hesitated to answer, he went on. “Because I thought we were perfect together. I mean, we want the same things.”

  Destiny lowered her gaze and asked him an important question. “Jefferson, are you in love with me?”

  The lengthy silence forced her to look at him again. His Adam’s apple bobbed incessantly as he struggled for the right response.

  “We’d agreed that our pairing was based on mutual respect. I mean, we complement one another—our ambitions, our lifestyles,” he finally said.

  She nodded and even managed to smile. “I know that’s what we said, but that’s not enough for me anymore. I need—I deserve more than that.”

  He swallowed and looked as if he still had a hard time processing everything. “When did all of this change—

  yesterday or last year?”

  It was a loaded question and she knew it. “I don’t know.”

  “I see.” He closed his hand around the ring and slipped it into his pocket. “Well, I guess I should leave, then.”

  She should say something else, but she feared it would only make matters worse.

  He turned and she followed him demurely to the door. It was possibly the last time she’d see him and a sudden sense of loss engulfed her.

&nb
sp; They exchanged awkward smiles. When she closed the door behind him, Destiny slumped against it and ignored the sting of fresh tears. Was this some kind of midlife crisis she was going through? She shook her head. That didn’t make any sense, she wasn’t in the middle of her life; she was still young and vibrant. “Oh, who am I kidding?”

  She pushed away from the door and shuffled back toward the bedroom. Maybe this was early menopause; maybe tomorrow she’d wake up and realize she’d made a terrible mistake.

  Her heart skipped a beat and she stopped in her tracks as a ball of anxiety rolled heavily in the pit of her stomach. Jefferson was right. Their relationship had never been based on love; it had been based on a commonality. They were both career driven and motivated.

  “Dear God. What have I done?” Destiny pivoted, rushed back to the door and then jerked it open. “Jefferson!” she shouted down the hall.

  He was gone.

  She raced to the elevator bay and frantically stabbed the down button. If she hurried she could catch him in the lobby or at least before he left the parking deck.

  An elevator arrived and she jumped in.

  * * *

  Seconds later, Lu Jin returned to the fourteenth floor in a different elevator. “I must have left my keys on the bed,” she mumbled under her breath. When she reached Destiny’s door, she made a quick knock, and then entered. “Hello, it’s just me.” Silence greeted her. With no sight of either Destiny or Jefferson, Lu Jin hesitated to move toward the bedroom.

  She smiled. Apparently, they had patched up their differences. “Hey, Destiny, it’s me,” she called out. “I think I left my keys in your bedroom.” She waited and frowned when she didn’t receive a response.

  She eased toward the bedroom. “Hey, you two lovebirds. I hate to interrupt, but I need my keys.” She knocked on the door, anticipating an awkward moment when Destiny opened it.

  When no one came, she pressed her ear against the door, and then frowned when she heard no sound. She pushed it open. “Destiny?”

  Nothing.

  “I can’t believe she actually left and didn’t lock up.” Lu Jin moved into the room, found her keys on the edge of the bed and waltzed out. “Sometimes I swear that girl isn’t playing with a full deck,” she mumbled as she dashed out the front door, locking it behind her. “She can thank me later.”