by Curtis Bunn
“Yes, the CT scans look good. She might have to go through some rehab, they’re saying. She also might not.”
“Yeah, they have to prepare you for the worst.”
“So, Charles, a few days ago I was in that room in Sausalito, looking out at the water as you slept and thinking about my future. Our future. I was so into that moment—and as soon as I felt really good about it, I got word about my sister to bring me back to earth.
“Being back to earth is not as much fun as the fantasy I have had with you. You really have put a bounce in my step and opened me up to new things. I’m grateful for you. But at the same time, just like you said you can’t leave your wife, I can’t go on doing this to my husband.”
“Doing what to your husband? You told me you felt better about him because of me, because of what we’ve been doing.”
“What I told you was I felt better about myself and was able to deal with him better. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is I have to end this now.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I love my husband and because he deserves much more from me.”
“What about what I deserve?”
“Charles, I’m surprised at this pushback from you. You’re married. I’m married. It’s wrong. As good as it might have felt, it’s wrong.”
“It always has been wrong. What changed overnight?”
“What changed is that I don’t want to do this anymore. My husband almost found out about us and that scared the hell out of me. I don’t want to do that to him.”
“That’s not acceptable.”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s not acceptable, Stephanie. I’ve fallen for you. I’ve been everything you need. And now you’re going to end it? Just like that?”
“You told me you would never leave your wife. I understood. So what’s the point of us continuing this?”
“Because it has been good—for both of us.”
“What if your wife found out?”
“No way. She can never know. Never. That would ruin my life, ruin her life, and that can’t happen.”
“But the longer we continue this, the bigger the chances are that it becomes a setup for disaster. We almost saw it play out last night. I can’t have that.”
“We can be more careful, careful like we had been. Last night was no reason to stop seeing each other. No.”
“Not for you, it wasn’t. I know cheating on my husband doesn’t make me a bad person. But it’s not the best reflection of me. He deserves better. He deserves me working with him to make our marriage better. And I can’t do that thinking about you and especially being with you.”
“You were doing it before. Keep going as if Saturday never happened.”
“But it did happen, Charles.”
“It takes two to end it, and you only have yourself.”
“What? ‘It takes two to end it’? What are you talking about? It takes two to make a relationship. Why are you being so unreasonable?”
“Listen, this ends when I say it ends. Period.”
Stephanie rose from her seat. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I’m leaving.”
“Sit down. You’re not going anywhere. Sit down and listen to why it’s not over.”
“I can’t believe you. What’s wrong with you?”
“We have a good thing. It’s made my life easier and exciting. I’m not ready to give it up. I’ve spent time and money on you. And if you think you’re going to end a good thing for me, that’s not happening.”
Stephanie looked into Charles’ eyes and she saw something she had not seen—desperation. That look made her scared, but she was even more convinced by his actions to move on.
“How can you prevent me? You can’t make me see you.”
He reached inside his jacket pocket and passed her an envelope. Inside were the naked photos of Stephanie. She was mortified.
“Why did you print these out? And why are you showing them to me, Charles?”
“Do I have to say it?”
Stephanie did not respond. Her eyes said it all.
“You try to end it, and these photos surely will end your marriage when they end up in Willie’s hands. I know about his business and where it is. They could end up there easily.”
Stephanie’s anger was palpable. Her hands shook, she was so incensed.
“You would do that? You’re telling me you’re a lowlife? Really? I feel like I need to take a shower. How could I ever let you have even touched me?”
“You like my touch. Know how I know? You said it in these.”
He pulled out a second envelope, a larger one that had the e-mails they had exchanged.
“Fuck you,” Stephanie said so loud the waiter turned around. “You’re a maggot. I spent the morning deleting all of this to protect us from exposure, and you have it all printed out? And you’re threatening to send it to my husband? Oh, wow, that’s a real turn-on, big boy. And how do you think I could ever be with you after you’ve blackmailed me? That’s not exactly romantic.”
“Don’t be condescending. We can get past this moment. But you have to see the big picture. The big picture can be pretty or it can be really ugly. The good news is it’s your choice.”
“So you think you can extort me into having an affair with you?”
“Continuing our affair.”
“I know you must think I’m cheap to deal with you now. But I’m worth something. I would have to be nothing to let you touch me again, much less sleep with you.” She rose from her seat again. “Go ahead. Send them to Willie. I’d rather wreck my world than spend another second with you.”
Stephanie took one step toward the door and turned back to Charles. Then she reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope and tossed it on the table. It was full of nude photos he had sent her, and his heartfelt e-mails, including comments about how his life was stale with his wife. And the envelope was addressed to Priscilla Richardson with her and Charles’ home address.
“When you mail your envelope to Willie, be sure to drop that one in the mail to your wife. I’m sure she’d enjoy as much as Willie would enjoy your package. I read up on her. She comes from a wealthy, prominent family. I see why you won’t leave her. I’m sure her family would love that package, too. The good news, as you put it, is that it’s your choice.”
Charles rummaged through the photos and e-mails and slammed the envelope on the table.
“And I know where you work, too. Maybe the superintendent of schools would like to see your inadequate penis and read about your love e-mails to me. And I hear she’s somewhat of a prude, so I’m sure they’d get a real reaction out of her. . . Bye, Charles. Oh, and fuck you.”
She left him sitting at the table, tearing up all the photos. Stephanie expected it to go much differently. But something told her to bring a little insurance. Still, it hurt her to know Charles was such a loser. She was so caught up in what she thought she wanted that she did not see beyond the surface and the physical, did not see beyond who he could be as someone who was cheating on his wife who had helped him overcome cancer.
She arrived at the hospital feeling secure that she had heard and likely seen the last of Charles Richardson. She could focus solely on Toya. She found Terry and Willie in the hallway outside Toya’s room.
“I’m nervous,” she said to Terry. “What if she—”
“We’re not playing the ‘what if’ game,” Willie said. “We’re sending up prayers and positivity.”
After several minutes, the doctor emerged. “Our patient is resting comfortably. She opened her eyes and began to cry. I told her what happened and that you all were here, down the hall. She didn’t say anything. She went back to sleep, this time on her on volition.”
“What about neurologically? Any damage?” Terry asked.
“She’s fine. She showed movements in her arms and legs. Recovery to full strength will take about four-to-six weeks. She seemed cognitively fine and her brain waves are stro
ng. She’s going to be fine. Oh, and here’s a piece of news you probably didn’t know: The baby is fine, too.”
“Baby? Baby?” Terry repeated.
“It’s likely that’s what caused her to faint,” the doctor said. “Your wife was pregnant. Congratulations.”
Stephanie hugged Willie and then Terry with tears streaming down her face. “I’m going to be an auntie. I can’t believe it.”
“I’m going to be a father,” Terry said. “We had given up. We really had. This is a miracle.”
Stephanie stepped away from the men and said a quiet prayer: “God, thank You. You have spared me my family and my sister’s life. And You’ve given us new life in our family. I know You have forgiven me of my sins because You have blessed us with new life. Thank You, God.”
New life meant the baby growing in Toya’s stomach and the committed woman that had emerged in Stephanie. She thought to herself, while looking at Willie: No relationship is all sunshine. But two people who love each other can share the same umbrella to get through the storm.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Curtis Bunn is an Essence magazine No. 1 best-selling author of eight novels, including Seize the Day, The Old Man in the Club, A Cold Piece of Work, The Truth Is in the Wine, Homecoming Weekend and Baggage Check.
A Washington, D.C. native and graduate of Norfolk State University, he made the transition to author after a 24-year career as an award-winning sports journalist in Washington, D.C., New York and Atlanta. Curtis is the founder of the National Book Club Conference, an organization that hosts what has been called “Literary Bliss” for readers and authors, which marks its 15th conference in 2017.
You can visit Curtis at www.curtisbunn.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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ALSO BY CURTIS BUNN
Seize the Day
The Truth Is in the Wine
The Old Man in the Club
Homecoming Weekend
A Cold Piece of Work
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
© 2016 by Curtis Bunn
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means whatsoever. For information address Strebor Books, P.O. Box 6505, Largo, MD 20792.
ISBN 978-1-59309-686-1
ISBN 978-1-50111-969-9 (ebook)
LCCN 2016948698
First Strebor Books trade paperback edition December 2016
Cover design: www.mariondesigns.com
Cover photograph: © Keith Saunders/Keith Saunders Photos
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