Stephanie smiled up at him and clasped his hand and led him to the master bedroom.
They managed to get ice cream too.
SEVENTEEN
El amor con celos causa noches de insomnio.
Love with jealousy causes sleepless nights.
~Mexican proverb
Robbie was back at work on Monday, tutoring. His schedule wasn’t full yet, but he scheduled most of his appointments back to back so he wouldn’t have to be away from Stephanie for as long. His second student for the day was an attractive young woman who was struggling in ethics class. They met in the library.
“Miss Rubinski, how did you do on your last test?” Robbie tried to keep things professional as he would have with any client.
“I’ve told you many times, please call me Natasha.”
The young, pert blonde sidled her chair just a little closer to his. “I did okay, but still didn’t make an ‘A’ on the test.” She pulled out the paper and leaned in to him, giving him ample view of her cleavage. It may have been winter in Wisconsin, but she wore a low cut camisole that exposed most of her chest and a skin-tight sweater that was cut in a V that went lower still. She peered up into his face with feigned innocence. “Can you help me figure out where I went wrong?”
Robbie was aware of what the young woman offered. He leaned away and pushed the paper back in her direction.
“Ms. Rubinski, I am here as your tutor. Nothing more. If you want my help, you need to dress professionally for our meetings and respect my personal space.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Roberto,” she purred and batted her eyelashes. “I only want to do well in school.”
Robbie cleared his throat. “Yes, well, perhaps someone else had better instruct you.”
Her hand found his thigh under the table and slowly moved up his leg. “I want you to tutor me.”
Robbie stood up, knocking over the chair. “I do not think that will be possible. I’ll inform Mr. Murphy that he needs to assign another person to assist you.”
He grabbed his coat off the chair and put it on as he rushed out of the library into the cold November air. Roberto shook his head, breathed in deep, and let it out with a whoosh. He stopped and leaned against the brick building and shot up a prayer for the right words to get him out of this assignment. This was paid work, but he couldn’t expose himself to this kind of temptation. Taking another deep breath, the sting of the cold wind hit his cheeks. He walked over to the office of the Department Chair to discuss the situation.
“Mr. Murphy?”
“Yes? Oh, Mr. Rodriguez, good to see you. How is your wife?”
“She’s doing better. She is home on a modified bed rest for now.”
“My wife had to do that with our last child a few years ago. It was tough for her and as a result, difficult for me.” He leaned back in his chair and templed his fingers up by his face. “You’ll make it through, though, and it will be worth it in the long run.”
“Thank you. I’m here to ask a favor.”
“Oh?”
“I need to be released from tutoring Miss Rubinski.”
“Natasha? Hmmm, wonder why? Did she try to proposition you?”
“Not quite in so many words, but yes. I’ve given her three warnings over the past few times we have met. I’m done.”
“She wouldn’t back down?”
“No.”
“She’s a wily one. I believe she’s been trying to influence some of our staff or teachers’ assistants. Her Graduate Record Examinations were not outstanding, and yet she seems to be doing well in some classes.” He leaned forward. “I will see if I can assign her a female tutor. I appreciate your desire to have integrity in your work. What were you tutoring her in?”
“Ethics”
Mr. Murphy laughed. “The irony, huh? Well, I think you might have taught her more about ethics than a textbook ever could. I wonder if she was paying attention to the lesson.”
Robbie grinned. “I doubt it, but thank you for being understanding. I tried to explain the importance of dressing professionally, but she is young and attractive and a little caught up in herself. It won’t serve her well as an attorney, though, if she wants to be taken seriously.”
“Being taken seriously, or winning your case by any means. Some women—and men—will use whatever they can, regardless of ethics, to pad their pocket books.”
“True, but let’s hope your program here is raising up young men and women who can rely on their brains and their knowledge of the law to win their cases instead of their bodies.”
“We’re trying, Mr. Rodriguez.” He cleared his throat. “Would you put your reasons in writing for me? For your own protection, of course. If you can write up what happened, we can keep that on file in case she should try to retaliate.”
“I’ll do that now. You’ll have it within the hour.”
“Thank you. Anything else?
“No, that’s it.”
“Good day, Mr. Rodriguez.” He leaned back to the papers on his desk, dismissing his visitor.
“Good day, Mr. Murphy, and thank you.” Robbie rose and exited the office, closing the door behind him. He went to a spare room and opened up his laptop to write up what had happened and sent an email version and placed a hard copy, in an enclosed envelope, in Mr. Murphy’s mailbox.
* * *
The text messages began arriving on his phone.
“I want you.”
“I need your help. Don’t turn your back on me.”
“I think you’re cute.”
“We could be really good together.”
All the messages were from Natasha. Robbie saved them and documented the messages, dates and times. Sexual harassment of a tutor? He shook his head. He could hardly believe it was happening to him.
* * *
Later that afternoon, he left the campus and because the messages seemed to be getting more blatant and sexual, he threw his smartphone in his briefcase to avoid having to deal with it.
Robbie arrived home and was greeted by Stephanie. He went to prepare a simple meal for them, and they ate dinner together.
“You are not very chatty this evening, Robbie. Did something happen at work?”
“Nah. Just another day helping students understand law.”
“Do you enjoy it?”
“Most of the time.”
“You seem to be preoccupied.”
“Do I?” Robbie looked up, stunned. “I’m sorry, Stephanie, there is something on my mind but I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Okay.” She looked hurt but didn’t press further and focused on her food.
“How was your first day of bed rest?”
“Boring. I’ve never been one much for television or movies, and while I enjoy reading, my trip to the library next door didn’t provide enough diversion. I’m used to being busy.”
“I’m sorry.”
Stephanie shrugged. “One more consequence of sin, I guess. I get more time to think than ever before. I did spend quite a bit of time reading my Bible, more than what I used to do with working so much. Today, I was reading in Proverbs.”
“Ouch, about avoiding temptation and the comparison between wise and foolish people?”
“Yup. I think being whipped would be more enjoyable.” Stephanie put her fork down.
“Hey now. What about grace and forgiveness? Are you going to condemn yourself again and again and again when God has said He forgives you and doesn’t even remember it?”
“He’s an omniscient God. How can He not recall my sin? It’s obvious to me and everyone else.” Stephanie sniffed.
Robbie put down his fork and went over to help his wife up from the table. Together, they walked into the living room and sat on the loveseat. Robbie grabbed his Bible on the side table and opened it up. “Remember what I told you on our first date?”
“No. My brain is mush. Remind me.”
“Philippians 4:8, ‘Finally brethren, whatever is true
, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.’”
“Well, it’s true I sinned and many people, especially you, have been adversely affected by it.”
“But it is honorable that you did not kill your baby or move in with Luis just to make it ‘feel right.’ You repented and set new boundaries and committed yourself afresh to following God’s Word.”
“There is nothing lovely about how I look. I’m fat and puffy.”
“I think you are beautiful in every way possible.”
“Are you taking drugs?”
Robbie laughed. “No. Now you know I’m speaking the truth since we’ve been fighting over that for weeks.”
Stephanie didn’t smile. “I have a bad reputation and my actions tarnished yours.”
“Your reputation was fine until Luis tried to destroy you. I hope that my integrity will wipe away any tarnish you believe you have painted me with by my choice, my willful choice, to be a part of your life.” He flipped to the Old Testament in his Bible. “Psalm 26:1, “Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.” He flipped several pages. “Proverbs 2:7, ‘He stores up wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.’”
He set the book down and grabbed Stephanie’s hand. “Honey, I’m not perfect, you know that all too well, but I have tried to live with integrity and trust that even if my name is blackened due to no fault of my own, God will vindicate me. Even if it never happens on earth, I know I stand before Him clean and pure.” He reached over and turned her face towards him with one hand so he could look in her eyes.
“The same is true for you, darling. People can judge you all they want, but God knows the truth of what’s in that heart of yours. He even knows this baby was not due to your sin, but Luis’s. God forgives you for sin you didn’t willfully participate in. Who are you to tell him He’s wrong?”
Stephanie pulled his hand down and looked away but was silent.
“Steph?”
“If I continue to recriminate myself for getting pregnant outside of marriage, how much more do you beat yourself up and punish yourself for your drug addiction by refusing to allow any relief from your pain?” She turned to look at him, and he could see deep hurt reflected in the depths of her eyes.
Robbie looked away. “You may be right about that. When I feel the intense pain, it is like I’m allowing myself to be punished for my addiction and for my foolishness leading to that car accident.” He turned to face her again. “So how can we both finally be free of these chains that ensnare us?”
Stephanie leaned against her husband, and he placed his arm around her to draw her closer to his side. “I don’t know, but I suppose we could start with prayer?”
Robbie kissed the top of his wife’s head. “I suppose so.”
Together, holding each other, Robbie led them in prayer. The dirty dishes at the kitchen table remained there until the morning.
* * *
Robbie found that the first hour of his workday was spent trying to keep up with the texts that Natasha kept sending to his phone. He stored them in a log. He sent an initial email with a document attached listing the various text messages and email content including dates and times to Mr. Murphy. He was being stalked. To top it off, his neck was flaring into significant pain radiating up into his scalp into what would probably be a major headache by the end of the day.
As part of his time helping out in the legal assistance area, he managed to help several students who had minor legal issues with situations with their landlords or work problems. He was grateful he had no classes to teach that afternoon and was headed to the library exit when he was greeted by Miss Rubinski.
Today, she wore leggings under a short, short skirt, and high heeled boots and a sweater that fell off her shoulder. She let her books fall to the floor, and in bending over to pick them up, gave him a view of her ample chest unencumbered by a bra. Robbie turned his face away and started to walk in the opposite direction. She caught up to him.
“Roberto, wait up! I have a question for you.”
Robbie stopped. He was in a public place with people coming and going, but he was leery.
“I was wondering if you might reconsider tutoring me. I would double what you get paid.” Her voice became soft as she leaned up towards his ear. “I can make it worth your while.”
“No.” Robbie turned to leave but she placed a hand on his arm to restrain him.
“You don’t understand. My father is very influential with this school and I am not used to being denied what I want. I. Desire. You.” She smiled up at him.
“I am not a commodity to be bought and sold and used at the whim of a self-centered woman of loose morals. Let go of my arm, and cease all contact with me.” He peeled her fingers off and took off again toward the outer doors.
“You will regret this, Mr. Rodriguez. Trust me. I get what I want and if I don’t, people pay.” The door shut on those words as Robbie bent into the cold November wind. His headache raged, and colors rivaling the best display of Northern Lights danced on the periphery of his vision. He was building up to a monster migraine. He needed to get home and hide himself in a dark room until the pain and nausea passed.
To be safe, Robbie took an alternate route and drove slow, focusing hard on the road ahead. When he got home, he might even consider the medications Stephanie had been encouraging him to take. His support group met this evening, and he didn’t want to be too sick to make it there.
Robbie entered the apartment and grunted to Stephanie who rose to stand and meet him. He ignored her, threw his coat, laptop and cell phone on a chair and went to the kitchen. He grabbed the prescription bottles, found the correct one, took the maximum dose allowed, and swallowed it without water.
Stephanie followed. “Robbie, are you…”
“I’m in no mood. Leave me alone. Please.” He brushed by her and headed to the bedroom, pulling the blinds and leaving the room completely dark. He kicked off his shoes, stripped off his outer clothing, and crawled under the covers. The coolness of the sheets soothed him as the sledgehammer of pain battered his brain. He intentionally slowed his breathing and fought the tears. He hated that this took him from all he enjoyed, especially Stephanie who had been home alone all morning and needed him. The medication started to work, and he drifted into blissful blackness.
* * *
Stephanie’s heart sank as she saw the pain etched on Robbie’s face. It had to be bad for him to take the pills. She couldn’t complain about his neglecting her when he had finally caved to what she had been telling him to do for weeks. She closed the door to the bedroom and returned to the living room and turned off the T.V., determined to make the house as quiet as possible. She pulled out her Bible and spent time reading and praying for her husband.
A few hours passed, and Stephanie had resisted the urge to check on Robbie. His phone beeped repeatedly, indicating a text message, and finally she grabbed it to see who had been trying so hard to get a hold of him, hoping it wasn’t an emergency. She opened up the last text only to find a picture of a beautiful young woman in the nude with the message—I want you, badly.
The blood drained from Stephanie’s face, and she sat down with the phone. She went through several other texts and found other provocative pictures and some were just messages. All indicated that this young woman was either involved with or desired Roberto. She could find no evidence he had texted or called this woman back. Finally, she turned off the phone and threw it across the room in disgust. She grabbed his laptop bag and fished around inside and found a file of papers labeled Rubinski. She opened it and discovered text messages obviously written to her husband, filled with creative things a woman longed to do with him. She couldn’t read them all, and in disgust, she closed the file, placed it back in the briefcase and cried.
&
nbsp; Later, Stephanie was making soup in the kitchen when Robbie walked in.
“Hey, sweetheart, I’m sorry I was rude. I got hit with a monster migraine.” He looked like he was still in considerable pain.
“I kind of figured you were in agony. Any better now?” Stephanie fought to keep her voice even when all she wanted to do was yell at him.
“A little. The muscle relaxants helped. Look, I’m supposed to meet the guys tonight, but don’t think I should be driving. Can you drop me off? I’m sure one of them will bring me home.”
Stephanie nodded. “I can do that. Would you like a bowl of soup before you go?”
Robbie held up a hand while placing one on his abdomen. “No, thanks. I’m still nauseous.”
Stephanie set the spoon down, turned off the burner on the stove, and placed the lid back on the pot. “Do you need to leave right now?”
“In a few minutes if you wouldn’t mind?”
“No. That’s fine. Let me get my boots and coat and I’ll be ready.”
“Okay.” Robbie turned to the living room and put on his jacket. Stephanie watched as he searched for his phone and spied it across the room on the floor. He shrugged and went over and bent to pick it up. It surprised her that he shoved it in his interior jacket pocket without checking it for messages.
She could tell he was in pain, but so was she. He had shut her out and now was leaving again tonight. She pulled her hurt emotions around her like the coat she was putting on. “I’m ready if you are.”
Robbie started at her and his eyes narrowed at her flat tone. “Thanks.”
They exited, and Robbie helped Stephanie down the stairs and through the slippery parking lot to the car. She refused to lean into him and held herself apart.
“Please be careful when you come home. The parking lot is slick with the new snow fall. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Robbie lowered himself into the passenger seat. His movements testified to how bad his pain was. She fought against her feelings of sympathy for his suffering.
“I will take your counsel under advisement.”
She could tell he watched her as she navigated out of the driveway and to the restaurant where the guys were meeting. He didn’t ask what was wrong, and she was grateful because she feared she would become an illogical, emotional shrew if she spilled out all the anger and fear that was rattling around in her heart.
Salsa and Speedbumps Page 13
