"I wanna hear it from you."
"No need, I'm sure the story is still the same."
"Fine, I'll reiterate then shall I? Dear ol'Dr. Chan came to your job, scaring the living shit out of you, waving about a toy pistol, that about right?"
"He was just - just messing with my head. Harassing me, because I won't take him back, it - it was just an ugly joke."
"Then why aren't you laughing? Hm? You told Sheila and Dennis, did they laugh? Don't think so. Jokes are usually funny, I'm not laughing. You called in today, why? Why really?"
She could only stare at him.
"He scared you that bad."
She didn't know what to say, to deny it would be ridiculous at this point. Right now, all she wanted to do was go to him, have him wrap those arms around her and tell her it was okay, he was there for her. But as she could see, he wasn't exactly in that type of mode at the moment.
"You know what this means don't you?"
That spurned her to speak, "What?"
"You're out of here-..."
"Jake - no! I can't!"
"YOU'RE FUCKING - OUT - OF - HERE!!!"
She burst into tears, her hands flying to her face, "Please Jake, I can't just walk off of my job like that!" She cried, starting to plead with him.
With his hand up to halt anything she had to say, "I don't wanna hear it! We're loading up the truck and the SUV with what's left of your things and you're out of here."
"Jake please, please listen to me..." Tears were rolling, "... I'm willing to go - but I have to do my two weeks - I have to."
"You are starting to really - really piss me off!"
"I'm not trying to piss you off! You don't understand, I've worked long and hard-..."
"I do not wanna hear this!" He growled.
"Jake pleeease..."
"You know what, you wanna stay - fine - where is he?"
"Huh?"
"You heard me, I asked, where is he!"
She really started pouring then, "This is why I didn't tell you! We don't need this kind of trouble, please Jake, just listen to me!"
"LISTEN TO WHAT?! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO, VIVIAN!?"
Upstairs, for a woman of her age, Ms Earthaleen's ear was glued to the floor as Jake's deep resonating voice bounced off the walls and penetrated the floor boards. Ms Earthaleen worked her way back up on her feet leaning on her bed and went to the phone, calling upstairs, Lydia answered, "Hello?"
"They fightin' down there, already! She done did something, got him all mad..."
"Ms Earthaleen, look now..."
"...hear him say somethin' 'bout some other man. He shouten up a storm down there..."
"Ms Earthaleen, look, they a young couple..."
"... you need t'hear him, he just - just F'in this - f'in that - surprised you can't hear'em. Em hm, I knew it wud'en gone last. She 'bout out there cheaten on'im, I think I hear somethin' bout some doctor."
"Ms. Earthaleen, please mind your own business, all couples fight sometimes."
"You can ig'nor it you want to, but the way he carryin' on, he gone be whuppin' on'ha in a minute. Black gal like that can hol' no man like that - she too black, he don' already tol'ha get out!"
"Ms Earthaleen, I don't think he'll be hitting on her, nor would he be putting her out, please stay out of their business."
"I ain't tryin' t'be in they business! It's these thin flo's - I can hear it all - if they ain't doin' the hoochie koochie, carryin' on - they fightin' - and I mean he blarin' sista'."
"Ms. Earthaleen - put your TV on or something, I'm sure they'll be calming down soon."
"You ain' goin' down there?"
"No ma'am I'm not." Lydia answered right away.
"Then I need to go'on down there."
"No ma'am you don't - now I'm tellin'yah - leav'em alone."
"She gone be hollin' fo'help in minute - need t'call the po'lice naw."
"Look here Ms Earthaleen - she in love with him, he in love with her - I know that - seen it for myself. Leave - them - alone."
"Hmph - I'ah leave'em - but they stress'in me - I can't take no stress - I'm ol' - Lemme get on back here and listen fo'he kill'ah - bye."
"WELL? WHO THE FUCK IS HE, THAT I SHOULD LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT? WHEN I FIND HIM, MY FUCKIN' FOOT-...."
"Jake! Stop yelling! She gone hear everything you saying!" Vivian cried pointing at their ceiling.
He realized she was right, having forgotten about Ms. Earthaleen. He walked in circles, hands on his hips blowing to calm down, then turned back to glare at her. "I want to know where he works - where he lives. I wanna know now." He demanded, his eyes blazing furious.
"Can you first just - calm down a minute? Please ... just ... take a few more deep breaths and listen to me - please."
"Why? I know what you're gonna say, Vivian! You cannot possibly expect me to get up in the morning and drive back home as if - nothings happened here. That is not who I am! I am - my father's son! I am not made - to just turn my back and walk away - sorry - don't let this face fool you baby - don't let the face fool you. Now - once more - here we are - you and I - at a draw! You have a choice - you wanna stay here? Tell me where he is - let me go and deal with him, you can stay."
"No Jake - no! Please don't go looking for him!"
"I tell you what, I'll just have a little talk with him, that's all - just a little talk."
Worrying her lip, Vivian thought about it, "You promise, you're just gonna talk?"
"Hang on here, you worried about him, or me?"
"How can you ask me that!? I don't give a shit about him! But I don't want things to get out of control - and I don't want you getting hurt - or - arrested." She wiped at her eyes, still pleading with him to understand.
"I tell you what - you that worried about me - get ready to head back with me - you're gonna be my wife! You're gonna have to learn, that what I say, goes! I give in to you, over and over and its getting so - you don't give a shit about what I want - what I say!"
"That's not true Jake! You want me to do things the way you want them, but I'm not like you! I've worked too long and hard to build my employee profile! If I were to walk away now, and end up needing a job later on - this job is my last job reference! How's it gonna look - oh - she put in her final notice and then showed up only two days and then never saw her again. I don't want that said about me Jake! Not when it comes to a job, when it comes to work! It took me years to build my reputation - I'm not gonna throw it away! Its easy for you to say, just walk away, because come what may, you as a white male - will always land on your feet!"
"Not true." He tried to deny.
"Bull! The world is dying to give you shit! That same world, just wishes I would die! I am a black woman and we do not always land on our feet! I screw this up for myself and I might as well cut my own legs off at the shins. I have - to see my final notice through! I'm not going to flush away, everything I've done - my shinning work record - because Laek Chan is tripping!" She stood her ground, breathing hard, praying with all her might that he would listen to her. She swiped at the tears rolling, scared because she loved him dearly - even now, that he stood furious and determined. She wasn't stupid however, she'd seen it happen too many times, women giving up everything to totally depend on a man that ended up leaving her with nothing and needing a job, and couldn't get one, because they had no references or work record. Well she had one - and she was keeping it as clean as she'd maintained it all of these years.
Jake ran his hand across his face trying to think and calm down.
She slowly approached him, cautiously putting her arms around him. "Baby please, it's just - 9 more days, that's all."
"Yeah, 9 days for anything to happen, 9 days that he could use to get to you."
"Nothings going to happen Jake."
He stared down into her eyes, wrapped his arms around her, good and tight, leaned down close to her face, looking it over, "You know why, nothings going to happen? Because you're going to tell me where
I can find him, and then I'm going there so that he and I - can have a little talk. That's why. Because once more, you have a choice of that, giving me what I ask for, or - telling me - to fuck off - once and for all."
She stared at him with tears rolling, once more facing the fact that here was a man she could do nothing with. He simply would not, give her - her way - not entirely. Her mind kept going to Sylvia - things that she said about Shawn. Sheila was right, they were different - he and his brother. Something about these men, the McPhersons - that was startling to a woman. She was breathing hard, watching the play of thoughts flickering in his hazel blue eyes. It was like he was reading her mind, his gaze transfixed on her own, patiently waiting for her to make up her mind. Also there was his hold on her, while he was not as broad in width and build as Shawn, he was solid and strong to the core, the power in his arms, in his body against hers was whipcord dense and firm.
He leaned his face closer to hers, their eyes mere inches apart, so close his lashes could almost brush hers, "If you're gonna be my wife, you're gonna learn something about me. I am not - the kind of man - who tucks tail and runs. You are mine, Vivian Cooke - soon to be, McPherson - and everybody is going to know it." He spoke to her now with a very deep, slow drawl that sounded so much like his father, it made her shiver, "...what they also better know, understand - is one thing I will not abide, and that's messing with my lil'girls. That - includes the doctor. I'm not asking again."
Vivian realized at that very moment, she did not know - Jacob Patrick McPherson.
"Promise me - you'll just talk."
"You want me to lie to you? I will ... sure, I'll just talk."
Her head fell forward and she started crying, "Please Jake."
"Hey, hey... look at me, look at me I said."
She looked up at him, "I'll try - you hear? I'll try to just talk. If it goes beyond that - its because of something he says - or does. Now, I'm done talking about it." He paused a moment more, leaned forward and kissed her, kissed her hard. Vivian couldn't wrap her arms around him because they were banded by her side with his own. One of them moved so that he could cup the back of her head, and moved in deep, his tongue filling her mouth. Her heart was fluttering and tripping in beats so she could barely breathe. His kiss, the power of it, was meant to brand her, show her who the man was, who was in charge, who would be calling what shots. The kiss was all under his control, refusing to let her up for air until it was crucial that she breathe, it was then, he pulled his mouth from hers. Vivian was gasping for air, ears ringing, body quaking, urges lit ... her lips were throbbing.
"You do know, that once we're married, that's it. Because unlike that dick head doctor, who has to let you go - I - never will."
He let her go then, she almost lost her balance falling back a bit, he grab her arms to steady her. "Now pick up this money, write down what I asked for, and uh, I'll be back."
Jake should have known that the hospital Dr. Laek Chan worked in would not be far from the bank. Located on E. Erie st. a huge structure bunched in close proximity with so many others he had a bit of driving around from one street to another to find the parking lot closest to the emergency room. After a bit of consideration, he decided not to park in the parking lot, just in case. Instead, he parked down the way along some homes and hospital dormitories on the way. He really didn't care for Dr. Chan possibly knowing his vehicle or registration, again, just in case.
Entering the emergency doors, he took his time looking around, hoping to spot the doctor right away. The hospital was top of the line, most current on everything from the decor of the waiting rooms, to all the flat screen monitors used by administration. Being that he'd never been shy or reluctant, he continued on, reading the hospital wall directors and followed them onward. As he passed, several persons glanced at him, most women, he immediately turned on his charm, the eyes, the smile. Few could resist it, a young nurse coming from the back corridor, carrying some files - very pretty, petite - black, dark in coloring came through the double doors as he was moving towards them. She looked up at him right away, smiling, Jake tipped his cowboy hat, "Excuse me lil'lady - I have a bit of a problem - I need to speak with a Dr. Chan, you see I've dealt with him before, you wouldn't happen to know where he's working would you?"
"Uh, sure - hang on a second, let me drop these off, you're lucky - its a slow night, not much going on."
"Ah perfect timing then." He drawled.
She couldn't help looking up at him again, thinking how attractive and alluring he was. She dare not show any undue interest, although very tempting, the fact that he knew Dr. Chan, was the - no, better not alarm. They'd been seeing each other for months now, and just recently, they'd grown closer and were becoming more serious; to the chagrin of everyone else, proving them all wrong with what they were saying about him. That he cheated on his wife, was seeing some woman from a bank, while he'd been hitting on another nurse that had transferred to another clinic because of the lies he'd been telling her. She knew that there were two sides to every story, people were stupid and jealous, mad because he wanted her, a young attractive black woman, over the few white nurses that had been coming on to him.
She dropped off her files, went into the other room for a moment and then came looking for Jake, "Follow me."
"Don't mind if I do." He flirted.
Talk about temptation - she had to fight it with everything in her, and remember - she was after a doctor, that was a six figure sum man, this one, while he was definitely one hot looking cowboy type, he was probably as broke as they came and was good only for a one night stand. She lead him to the nurses desk and low and behold, who was leaning there, laughing with another doctor, and turned to see Jake, making him almost swallow his tongue.
"Dr. Chan, this man was looking for you, says he knows you." She greeted with a smile.
Laek stood and fought back gulping in as he faced a smiling Jake.
"Dr. Chan, I was telling this young lady that you and I have some business to see to. Considering how private it is, I'm certain you don't want our consultation conducted out here, in front of everyone, do you?" Again Jake smiled, but his eyes told no lies.
Laek stood unsure of what to do, one thing was certain, he didn't want all of his business spewed before his colleagues. Especially not in front of the young nurse he was now sleeping with in every hidden nook and cranny of the emergency ward when they could steal away.
"Ah yes, Jake-..."
"So you remember my name, that's good, helps to save time."
"Yes, ah, follow me." He invited turning and making his way down the hall, his heart hammering in his chest. One consolation, they were in a public hospital, Laek felt secure with that - knowing that at least here, he could call out for help. He wanted this confrontation to go as quietly and gently as possible. He couldn't believe that Vivian had actually given this Jake his work location. It was bad enough that his wife was threatening to come there about financial matters, but he couldn't have both coming there, that would be too much. He lead Jake into one of the empty consultation rooms for viewing X-rays, the moment they crossed the threshold into the room, Laek held the door, letting Jake all the way in first, making sure to stay by the door, he wasn't foolish enough to be caught in the dead end center of the room with no way out except through him, Laek was the first to speak.
"I know why you're here."
Jake turned facing him, "Do you now, doc?"
"I didn't hurt her, I just - shook her up a bit."
Jake stepped a bit closer to him asking, "So then its only fair that I do the same to you, give you that same feeling that you're about to die, with me being the only one knowing if it's so."
"I wouldn't if I were you, you come near me, lay one hand on me - security, the police - will be here in an instant."
"Doc, that instant is all I would need, to snap your neck clean in two."
"Look, I'm done with her now, okay; finished with her! You're welcome to her, I've had my fill, now that sh
e's all worn out and used up, I didn't want her anymore anyway."
Jake laughed at him, "If she's all worn out, you Doc, must have a dick no bigger than my pinky..." Jake lifted it and gave it a wiggle for emphasis, "That's no doubt the reason I've had virgins that weren't as tight as she is, still. In fact, when I leave you, I'll be going at her again, trying to fit myself in." He smiled cunningly.
Laek's face turned to fire, what he thought to use as a jab to his enemy had backfired on him.
"No matter, she was mine first, no man has had her before me, I took her virginity - you can have the rest."
"I thank you doc, I'll take it. See the fact is, as you and I both know, she's like a well built vehicle, you gotta break it in first, before you can enjoy the ride and believe me, I'm breaking it in, and enjoying every mile..." Jake stepped a bit closer, "...so much so doc, that I've decided, I'm gonna keep her. Because of that decision, you have this promise from me. You go near her again, the next time I see you, if I don't kill'yah, I'll leave you wishing I had. I know where to find you. I know where you work. I know how to find your wife, and I know, you don't want everyone out there, to know what a nasty little slug you are, do you? Let's keep our lives simple doc, let's keep it simple." Jake stood staring him down and waiting.
"Are you done now?" Laek asked.
"I don't know, am I? Are you?"
"I'm done, she's yours - and by the way, just so you know it, she's expensive."
"I'm not surprised by that doc, we both know, you get what you pay for."
Jake tipped his hat, opened the door and walked out of the room, sauntering back down the hall, smiling at the ladies at the desk as he strolled by, winking and smiling. They all looked, waiting for him to get out of earshot to comment.
Vivian had worried herself into a frenzy. She'd tried to eat, but couldn't. She'd counted the money he threw at her, five times, in total disbelief that he had $800.00 dollars on him and gave it to her, she wondered had he some how taken out a loan? She'd taken all of the stuff out of the bags, unwrapping the pictures, ornaments, candle holders, candles, silk flowers, vases, everything and placed them around the apartment to add the warmth it needed, anything to burn off the anxious energy. When she was done, it was a vast improvement. She kept fighting down calling Jake on his mobile while wishing he would call her. In the end, after all was done but wait, she went to take a shower. Standing in the spray of it, she took her time washing her body down, she may have been in it for possibly fifteen minutes when she froze hearing someone in the apartment, and then, in the bathroom.
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