My Rock

by Pat Simmons

  In reality, she was glad he didn’t wake her. She hadn’t felt that well rested since she started with Ceyle-Norman. She woke before the alarm and checked on Aunt Tweet. Although she was resting, Tabitha got her up to bathe and dress her, then cooked them a hot breakfast, something she rarely did until her aunt arrived. Tabitha was responsible for her nutrition and she took it seriously. It was as if she had consumed a couple of energy drinks.

  Happy Wednesday, sleepyhead. I have the evidence. I recorded it, and it’s probably gone viral by now on social media.

  Tabitha blinked and panicked. What! Please tell me you’re kidding.

  I am. Just said it to make you smile.

  You made my heart drop first. When Dr. Bernstein approached, she shoved her phone back into her briefcase and switched to her “all business” mode. “Good morning. I’m following up to see if you’re ready to prescribe the drug for your patients.”

  He waved her back into his office out of the lobby, which had a couple of patients waiting for their appointments. “I do have some concerns about one active ingredient interacting with a couple of medications.” He frowned and seemed to be contemplating his next words. “I do like the benefits it could give at least ten of my patients, so I’m willing to place a small order to give it a try.”

  She exhaled. “Thank you.” Ten patients wasn’t a small number. She could exceed her quota and bump up her bonus, if Dr. Bernstein saw positive results and wrote more prescriptions in this quarter.

  Back in the car, she checked her voice messages for missed calls from doctors’ offices—none—then her texts. Marcus had sent one after she put her phone away.

  Seriously, I slept better knowing you got some rest.

  The man knew how to make her smile. Every caregiver should have someone like Marcus Whittington to make them smile amid the frustration, exhaustion, and the brink of losing sanity. As a matter of fact, she no longer had bouts of tears. Yes!

  Sorry. Had to go earlier—business.

  Can you talk now? he texted back almost immediately.

  Yes.

  Her phone rang instantly. “I would really like to treat you to lunch.”

  She gritted her teeth while deliberating. She had stops in St. Charles, St. Peters, and O’Fallon counties, far west from St. Louis County were they lived. But she couldn’t resist seeing him, if for only five minutes. “My aunt told me long ago never to turn down a free meal when a gentleman offers.”

  “Is that a yes?” He sounded hopeful.

  “It’s a wish, but I’m stuck out west for the rest of the day.”

  “Then, I’ll come to you before I go and visit a client. Name the place and time.”

  The man was so easy to like—and love—if only...their timing was better.

  GRINNING, MARCUS STOOD from his desk. “I’m out for the rest of the day,” he advised Demetrius.

  His brother stopped tapping on the keyboard and gave him a side-eye. “Admit it. You’re in love.”

  “Nothing to deny there. I am,” he said softly, “but Tabitha’s not ready to hear it.”

  Demetrius was quiet. Something was on his mind. “No denying the attraction between you two, but...”

  “But what?”

  “Before you flip, consider whether her feelings aren’t based on...well, are you sure she’s not using you as a babysitter?” A frown was etched on his face.

  “I guess you’ll find out when it’s Rachel’s turn.” Marcus smirked. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you watching her sister and putting in too much effort to show that you weren’t. And I’ve noticed you step out of the office when a certain ringtone chimes. Hmmm.” He patted the keys in his pocket and checked for his wallet.

  “Have a good day.” He whistled until he reached the door, then released an explosion of laughter. “I do believe I’ve upped you, bro,” he mumbled to himself, closing the door as he spied Chess walking down the hall. “Any problems at the work sites?”

  “Nope. You know I run a tight ship.” His employee grinned.

  “Not too tight that you don’t respect other employees.”

  “Yes, sir.” Chess gave a mock salute, then continued toward the supply room.

  Although he had pending business matters downtown, his craving to see Tabitha was worse than any hunger pangs he had ever experienced. Their agreed meeting spot was Chick-fil-A on Mid Rivers Mall Drive.

  Whittington Janitorial Services was centrally located off I-170, so he could get to the three major interstates in under seven minutes. Twenty-five minutes later, he reached his destination when he turned into the restaurant’s parking lot. He looked for her car, then remembered it was now a company-issued blue Taurus. He parked nearby.

  Marcus noticed her right away once he cleared the door. Her light gray suit was classy and professional. The heels were high, showcasing a pair of shapely legs. Apparently, she had a group of admirers and was unaware of their interest. She hadn’t noticed him either as she texted away on her phone. Suddenly, as if sensing his approach, she glanced up and smiled. “Hey. Give me a sec.” She finished her text, then slipped her phone into her bag. “Ready.”

  Me too. Staring into her eyes, Marcus knew his brother had called it right. He was ready to declare his feelings, but would she believe him after less than two months? He decided to tuck away his declaration until he could no longer hold it and when he felt she would return the sentiment.

  Still, he had to let the men in the corner know she was taken, so he put a possessive hand around her shoulder. He grinned when she leaned in to him as a playful gesture, but he didn’t let go. “Have you ordered?”

  Batting her lashes, she seemed stunned. “And deprive you of springing for lunch? I wouldn’t dare.”

  They shared a laugh as they approached the counter and placed their orders. The cashier gave them a numbered tent, so the server could find them.

  Thanking the young man, Marcus accepted it and guided her to a vacant table. “How’s your day?” they practically asked at the same time, then chuckled.

  “I’m always better when I see you,” he answered, which caused her to blush, and that made him grin.

  “I’m having a typical day, meeting with doctors, or bribing gatekeepers to get to the doctors to give them either my three-minute spiel, leave samples, or convince those who have them to write prescriptions.” She paused when their meals were delivered in record time. Taking her hand, he said grace before they dug into their food.

  “Sorry I fell asleep on you last night, but I’ve been exhausted lately. I don’t know if it’s a combination of summer heating up early, the demands of the new job, demands of a first-time caregiver, or a vitamin deficiency.”

  “I would guess it’s all of the above. You have a lot on your plate, and I’m not talking about food.” Maintaining a straight face, Marcus wanted her to see there was no pun intended.

  Tabitha nodded. “Yeah, I do. A woman at the company suggested I join a support group.” She sighed. “Maybe it’s time. Aunt Tweet’s doctor in Philly said the same thing. Honestly, my sisters and I were in denial it would get to that point.”

  Marcus squeezed his lips to keep from whining, but the words spilled from his mouth anyway. “I thought I was your support group.” He dipped his fry in ketchup to mask his bruised ego. He wanted to be her rock she could depend on.

  She rested her hand on top of his. “You are.” She captured his eyes and held them in a stare. “When you’re around, I have to keep reminding myself my aunt is my concern, not yours.” Tabitha shook her head and her long mane bounced side to side. “Every time I unconsciously make demands on your time, like dropping everything that’s important to you to get Aunt Tweet before the adult facility closed, I’m taking you away from doing something important.”

  Her eyes pleaded for understanding before her lashes fluttered and she looked away. “You make me want to be selfish, and I’m trying my best not to,” she said so softly, an untrained ear might have missed it.

 
; Not him. He was in tune with her and caught the sadness. This was proof his brother was wrong about Tabitha using him. She had too much class and compassion for that. “Hey,” he said a couple of times to regain her attention. “I’m good. Trust me.” He winked.

  “I’d be disappointed if I couldn’t be there for you.” Marcus chuckled. “Speaking of your aunt, it seems strange not having her nearby.” He bit into his grilled chicken sandwich and chewed, watching Tabitha dip her Chick-n-Strip into the sauce. “While you’ve been busy feeling guilty about being selfish, I’ve been selfishly thinking about options to give you more downtime—for naps, minus the snoring,” he teased, ducking as she balled up a napkin and threw it at him. “Seriously. What do you think about having Aunt Tweet read to the children a couple times a week at the warehouse? She seemed to enjoy herself.”

  “You mean telling them stories? I’ve seen her get frustrated trying to read her Bible.” Her mouth turned down with sadness. “That sounds like more work for me. Once I get home in the evening, I don’t want to leave, but if she enjoys it, we can give it a try.”

  “Yes!” He grinned. “If I notice it’s too much for you or her, then we’ll think of something else.’ From his peripheral vision, he noted admiring stares coming from a table not far from them. He grunted. When she asked what was wrong, he said, “Nothing.”

  She frowned and tilted her head to the side. “You amaze me, Mr. Whittington...” She seemed to want to say more, but switched gears, keeping her thoughts to herself. “Aunt Tweet said God was talking to her Sunday when she got baptized and the Lord filled her with the Holy Ghost, speaking in other tongues.”

  Marcus twisted his lips. While Aunt Tweet was rejoicing, he was almost pouting. “Yeah, the Lord has been talking to me too. That cost me five thousand dollars.”

  “I’m jealous.” She dabbed her last waffle fry in ketchup. “I mean, God seems to be speaking to everyone, but me.”

  “Trust me, if He’s trying to get your attention, Jesus won’t let you rest. I’ve done my deed, so you won’t see me back in church for a long time.”

  She looked disappointed. “So, if I ask you to go with me, you wouldn’t go?”

  “Woman, don’t call my bluff. When it comes to you, I’ll backtrack in a minute.” Marcus wiped his hands and mouth, then pushed his trash aside. “To tell the truth, God has never spoken to me like that in all my thirty-four years. It was as humbling an experience as it was scary and frustrating. I thought God was pestering me because of Victor, but I think He has other plans for me, and I’m not sure I want to find out.’”

  “I still think it’s awesome that God singled you out.” She sighed, then wiped her hands. She checked her time, then relaxed. “I’ve got about fifteen minutes, then I have to get on the road.”

  “You know, despite the time crunch, this is nice—us having lunch. I guess we can call this a pre-real date.”

  Tabitha slapped his hand. “You won’t give up, will you?”

  “I can’t.” He didn’t smile or smirk. Marcus wanted her to know he was serious.

  “I’m a caregiver. I don’t have time to date. When Aunt Tweet isn’t at Bermuda Place, she’s with me. I appreciate your friendship, support, and all the sweet things you do for me—”

  “But?” He lifted a brow, conveying he was unstoppable.

  “To my surprise and in full disclosure, I wonder what being in a real relationship would be like.” She exhaled. “Now isn’t the time to find out.”

  Marcus smirked this time. Without Tabitha realizing it, she had admitted she wanted something with him as badly as he did. He stood and gathered their trash, then gave her a pointed stare. “If there is even a hint of a challenge in what you just said, I accept. Just like you can’t stop caring about Aunt Tweet, neither can I cut off my feelings for you. Trust me, your aunt can’t get in the way of this.” He patted his heart, then escorted her outside. He opened her car door. “I’ll bring dinner tonight, so don’t worry about cooking.”

  “Did you hear a word of what I said?” She looked up from her seat.

  “I have selective hearing.” He grinned, then leaned down.

  Tabitha lifted her cheek for the expected kiss. Instead, he cupped her soft chin in his hand and brought her lips to his and kissed her softly. “You have been warned, Miss Knicely, I’m not going anywhere.”

  ONE KISS. ONE SHORT, sweet kiss, and she wanted more. Tabitha’s lips still tingled from Marcus’ touch as she drove to her next doctor’s office. She had a hard time recovering from the dreamy state to get back in work mode. “What am I going to do?”

  She waited to see if God would answer her. Nothing. Bummer. Tabitha honestly didn’t know what she should do. Her heart, lips, and eyes screamed, “Don’t you dare let that man walk away,” at the same time her mind said, “You can’t handle him or Aunt Tweet. Stay focused.”

  Since her mind and heart weren’t in sync, she needed advice. Who could she confide in? Her sisters were out, especially since Kym thought Marcus was a distraction.

  Her aunt had always been her confidante, even when her parents were alive, giving her straight talk from a woman who had seen the world’s viewpoint. Tabitha’s heart dipped. The thought that Aunt Tweet was fading, or had already faded away, made her eyes water. She sniffed. Weren’t her days of instant boo-hooing over? Isn’t that what she thought earlier when she chatted with Ava Elise?

  Tabitha connected with her more as a friend than her former trainer. When Ava Elise could have had her terminated from the training program, essentially getting her fired, she reached out instead with a sympathetic ear and served as a silent cheerleader to see her succeed.

  Hopefully, they could chat in the morning. Right now, her mission was to see her remaining four doctors, pick up Aunt Tweet from Bermuda Place and get home.

  That evening, Marcus arrived at her door with carryout from Boston Market in his arms, but tiredness lingered on his face. “Hey.”

  Her guilt trip was back. She swallowed her sorrow. “You look beat,” she said, accepting his kiss on the cheek, but wanting more again.

  “And you look pretty. Sorry I’m late. I needed to go over some things with my crew.”

  “You don’t owe me an explanation.” She allowed him entry, then closed her door.

  “I feel I do.” The smile he gave her was so endearing she felt faint. She ignored that feeling until she could get Ava Elise’s take on her dilemma.

  Within minutes, all three were gathered at the table, grace was said, and they ate, barely pausing for conversation. Afterward, Aunt Tweet retreated to the family room for her game shows while Marcus helped Tabitha with tidying up her kitchen. When he made a move toward the family room, she gathered up courage to say something she didn’t feel. “Thanks for dinner, but you need to go home.”

  “Huh?” He gave her a confused look. “I was just about to play cards with Aunt Tweet, and you want to put me out?”

  “Yes, for your own good,” she said softly with a smile. “Go home and get some rest—please.”

  He hesitated, but the pleading in her voice must have convinced him that she was looking out for him. “Okay. I am tired. What about you?”

  “I think we’re going to head to bed soon. I’ll get up early in the morning and do some reading.”

  “Okay, babe.” He hugged her.

  A kiss and an endearment on the same day. She’d scored big.

  The next morning, Tabitha walked into Ceyle-Norman on a mission to the break room. As expected, Ava Elise was camped out in the corner, sipping on coffee and working a crossword puzzle. Since she carpooled with her husband, the woman usually arrived at the office at least an hour early.

  Ava Elise glanced up. “More drug samples two days in a row? You know that could send a red flag for illegal drug activity or, that you’re exceeding your quota big time.” She folded her arms. “I’m hoping it’s the latter, because I like you.” Her eyes twinkled.

  “I’m working hard to exceed my quota.”
Taking the seat across from her, Tabitha grinned. “I need advice in confidence, since you know what’s going on in my personal life.”

  “Of course. What’s going on?” The lines etched across her forehead were evidence of her concern.

  “I’m stressed,” Tabitha confessed.

  Closing her book, she gave Tabitha her full attention. “O-okay—the job or your aunt?”

  “Both, to be honest. I love my job. I like researching and selling products to help save lives. I had everything mapped out to care for my aunt...but being a caregiver is more intense than any textbook could detail. A few times...”

  She paused because she was ashamed to admit this, especially to her sisters, “I feel my life would be better if Aunt Tweet was in a nursing home—I also thought about quitting my job to be a fulltime caregiver. Since I’m not eligible for Family Medical Leave, and I’m a one-person household, my savings would be drained, even with the stipend from my aunt’s trust fund for her care.”

  “If you’re not getting any help...”

  “Well, I am, and this is where I could use some unbiased advice. My neighbor has been stepping in to ease my burden.”

  “Excellent! That’s great news.” Ava Elise covered her chest. “My neighbors are one of the reasons I haven’t moved. We’ve babysat each other’s children...”

  Tabitha lifted her hand to stop her roll. “Hold on, you don’t understand. My neighbor is fine, strong, and compassionate...and he wants us to date.”

  “Even better.” Her friend beamed. Her eyes sparkled as she folded her arms and leaned across the table. Clearly, she was waiting for more details.

  Her excitement was making Tabitha exhausted. “I have no room on my schedule for free time.”

  “What about having a nurse’s aide to sit with your aunt for a few hours to make room for this hunk?” Before she could shoot down that idea, her new confidante continued, “Any man who is willing to help with the care of a loved one who isn’t related to him—whether it’s an elderly relative or child—is a jewel. There are men who walk away from responsibility and don’t look back. Think hard about this before turning him away.”