“The handwriting is the same. I thought I had given him enough of a warning last time but I guess he didn’t get the message. So now, I guess that message is going to have to be sent much louder.”
“Tell me what you want me to do.”
Bo finally left after two hours and Matthew headed upstairs. He thought he heard voices so he continued towards the guest bedroom occupied by Cheryl. She was thrashing about the bed and her hands were hitting at the air. He rushed to the bed, trying to grab her hands before she injured herself and her eyes popped open and she fought against him. Not wanting to hurt her, he released her and she sprang from the bed like it was on fire. She held her hands up in a defense stance.
“Please Kevin…I’m sorry.” Her voice was low and shaky.
“Cheryl…it’s me, Matthew.” He said to her.
“Please…please…I’m sorry…”
Matthew approached her slowly and continued calling her name until the glassy look disappeared.
“Matthew?”
“Yes, baby, I’m here.”
She threw her arms around him and he pulled her into his arms and picked her up. He laid her down on his bed and climbed in beside her and pulled her close. He smoothed his hand down her unruly hair and whispered that she was safe in his arms and that nothing could harm her.
Chapter 23
Kevin arrived at work after fighting the congestion that was called rush hour and he wasn’t sure why it was called that since no one was ‘rushing’ anywhere. Dropping Corey off at the airport had become much more than a quick trip when all but one lane of the beltway was shut down for an accident. Kevin’s mood went further south when he got a ticket for waiting too long in the departure lane at Reagan National. His mood lightened a little when he saw Toni walk in.
She had smoothed her short hair back and had on a red pantsuit, with black four inch heels.
“Good morning.” She said while standing in his doorway.
“Good morning. Did you have a good weekend?”
“Definitely. What is planned for today?” she said as she walked over and sat on his desk.
Kevin got up and poured himself a glass of juice. He raised his glass and asked if she wanted a glass. She shook her head no.
She walked up to him and took the glass from his hand, “I’ll just have some of yours.” She said as she placed the glass near her lips.
“Thank you.” She said as she licked her lips and sauntered away.
He smiled as she stopped and winked as she closed the door behind her. He shook his head as he sat down at his desk and swiveled his chair to look out of his eight by four inch window overlooking Lafayette Park
He buzzed her phone, “Toni, can you get Santana on the phone.”
“Sure.” She said. “Line two sexy.”
Before he could respond, he heard Santana’s voice on the other end. After asking if he had gotten his agreement in the mail, they started small talk until his other line rang. Placing Santana on hold, he picked up the other line and told the person to hold. He finished up his call with Santana and switched the call to the one he had on hold.
“Yeah, what do you want?” He asked as he picked up line two again.
He slammed the phone down after five minutes and threw the pen at the door just as it opened.
“Is everything ok?” Rebecca asked standing in the doorway.
“Yeah, what do you want?”
“Well good morning to you too. What bee flew into your bonnet?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Damn, nothing, you are in a mood.” she said while folding her arms in front of her.
“Get out of my office. I need to make some phone calls.” He said and turned in his chair.
Rebecca turned to leave and then came back and threw the folder on the desk.
Rebecca was fuming as she walked into her office. She didn’t like being dismissed by anyone but especially by Kevin.
“Trouble in paradise?” Toni asked as she walked in behind her.
“Mind your business.”
“You are my business.” Toni said while following Rebecca behind her desk. “You feel tense.” Toni said as her hand slid under Rebecca’s skirt.
“Toni, stop. We shouldn’t be doing this.” Rebecca moaned.
“Right.” She said as she pulled her hand from under Rebecca’s skirt, licked her fingers and walked over and locked the door.
She walked back over to Rebecca and leaned her back onto her desk and dove between her legs.
The handle on the door startled both of them.
“Rebecca?” Kevin said as the door knob turned again.
Rebecca didn’t immediately answer but managed to answer him with a weak, “I’m coming.”
“Open the door.”
“Ok…I’m coming…” Rebecca said, half out of annoyance half out of ecstasy.
Rebecca pushed Toni from between her legs, fixed her skirt and opened the door.
“I need to go out. I’ll be back this afternoon.”
“Ok, well, I’m going to leave early. I have some things to take care of.”
Kevin noticed Toni coming from the bathroom, “Why are you just telling me this.”
“Something came up…besides Toni is here.”
“She hasn’t handled the office by herself yet. Tell you what, why don’t everyone take the day off since nobody feels like working today.” He said as it was now his turn to storm from someone’s office.
“I’ll be right back.” Rebecca said following after Kevin.
“What the hell is your problem?” She said to him when she walked into the copy room behind him.
“My fucking problem is, nobody came to actually work today! We have a lot of shit to do and now all of a sudden everybody wants a day off!”
“Get off of it Kevin! I came in today after taking care of some of your business and you already had fucking attitude! Let me guess, is it Cheryl this time on one of those spoiled ass kids of yours!”
“Leave it alone Rebecca.”
“Oh, leave it alone! Nigga you the one with your ass on your shoulder.” She said with a half whisper while looking around to make sure no one could hear their conversation.
“Is there a problem?” Toni asked from behind them.
“No, seems like Kevin is in a mood today. I’m leaving. Make sure you lock up when you leave.”
“Look Toni it’s been a helluva day. Set the alarm when you leave and we will start fresh tomorrow.”
Kevin walked into the bed and breakfast and was greeted by the teenager behind the counter.
“Can I help you?” She said with a twist of her hair in her fingers.
“Yeah, is Cheryl here?”
“May I tell her whose asking?”
“No. Is she in back?” He asked while walking behind the counter.
“Umm, sir, she is in a mee…” she said while he pushed by her.
The door slammed open and Matthew stepped away from her.
Cheryl spoke up, “It’s ok Destiny. What do you need Kevin?”
“I need to talk to you in private.” He said while he sat down in the chair in front of her desk.
“Not going to happen.” Matthew spoke up.
“Nigga, this ain’t got shit…”
Cheryl stepped in between both men.
“Wait a minute. First of all this is my office. What do we need to talk about? Matthew, can you give us a few minutes?”
“I’ll be right outside.” Matthew said while giving her a kiss.
“Nigga, ain’t nobody going to do nothing to this bi…”
The door shut and Kevin watched her walk behind her desk.
“Donnell called.”
“I know.”
“Should have known his bitch ass would be running under your skirt, or should I say wearing it.”
“If you came here to insult my child.”
“Oh, your child?”
“Yes, you are the one who said you
didn’t want him calling you.”
“So what the fuck he calling me for then?”
“Lower your voice.” Cheryl said as she looked towards the door.
“Don’t tell me what the fuck to do!” He said while standing.
“Cheryl. You ok?” Matthew said, while pushing the door further open.
“Yes, I’m ok. Can you close the door?” Cheryl continued, “Donnell told me that you didn’t finish paying his last semester yet.”
“I told his bitch ass that I would.”
“Why do you have to always call people names?”
“Whatever. That nigga had the nerve to give me a fucking deadline.”
“Kevin, he needs it paid so that he can get his cap and gown for graduation.”
“A graduation that his faggot ass didn’t invite me too.”
Cheryl stood, “ok, obviously it’s not in you to speak like an adult.”
“So you’re saying I am good enough to pay his fucking tuition but not good enough to get a fucking invitation?”
“Would you have gone?” She asked him, walking past his chair.
“I don’t know, but he never gave me the fucking option.”
“Well, I told him that he shouldn’t waste the invitation if you weren’t going to come.”
“I should have known your crazy ass would tell him some shit like that. Well, maybe since I don’t get an invite, maybe I might forget to pay the balance.”
“You would be that spiteful?” she said, pouring herself a glass of water.
“Don’t tell me about being spiteful. You’re the bitch who told him not to the send the fucking invitation!”
“Because you are the one acting like you don’t know him. You have barely acknowledged him since he came out about being gay. You treat him like he has a disease or contagious, so why should he invite you?”
“Because I’m that nigga’s father.”
“Only when you want to be.” She said as she walked back towards her desk.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he said blocking her path.
She stopped in front of him, “Besides, they say being gay is not a choice, but maybe it’s hereditary.”
He grabbed her and the glass dropped from her hand. She gasped as he pulled her close to him, his hand in a fist.
Matthew rushed through the door and pulled Kevin around to him.
The fight was on as the two men began yelling and punching. Kevin fell to the floor with Matthew on top of him and Cheryl tried pulling them apart.
“Stop it! You’re gonna hurt him!” She yelled. “Stop it! Matthew, stop it! Good lord, please stop Matthew you are hurting him!” she said finally prying him off of her ex-husband.
Kevin was in a heap on the floor. Blood was pouring from his nose and his eye was swollen shut. His lip looked like it had been split into four sections.
“Matthew what did you do? What have you done?” She said as she kneeled down over Kevin.
“You have got some nerve.” He said breathing hard. “You are gonna protect that nigga. Are you fucking serious Cheryl? That nigga had his fucking hands around you throat!”
Cheryl stood, “Matthew just go. I’ll come by later.”
“Don’t fucking bother.” He said and stormed out, slamming the door.
Kevin stood, spit out blood on her carpet. “Get the fuck out of my way!” He said and walked out of the door with Cheryl behind him.
“Destiny, please call the carpet cleaners and have them clean this before morning. I am leaving for the day.”
“Are you ok?” Destiny asked.
“I’ll be fine. If Matthew calls, tell him I’m on my way.”
She drove towards Waldorf, and stopped along the way to pick up some yellow roses. She then stopped in the food court at the Hawaiian Grill and got some of his favorite chicken. She arrived at his development, but the gates were closed. She entered the code and the gate opened. She parked behind his silver Mercedes and Lynette opened the door and told her he was downstairs in the gym. She heard him grunting and the weights clanging down as he did his repetitions.
“Hey.” She said nervously.
“What do you want?” He said without looking at her.
“I got you something.” She said as she pushed the flowers toward him.
“I can smell them.” He said.
“You aren’t going to look.”
“Who are those for? Kevin?”
“Matthew don’t.” She said as she walked closer to him “I’m trying to apologize.”
“For what?”
“What?” she asked.
“You aren’t deaf. What are you apologizing for?” He said as she sat up and stared at her hard.
Her breath caught as she looked at him and then away from him, “For…umm…”
“Go back to Kevin.” He said as he leaned back and picked the weights up again.
“You’re not being fair.” She said, while kneeling down in front of him. He stopped lifting the weights and sat up.
“You want to talk to me about being fair? How about this for fair, when I run in your office and he has his hands around your fucking neck. How about this for fair? When I defend you, you run to him and cradle him in your arms. How about this for fair? You look at him like you still love him. You tell me what’s fair.”
“Matthew, you have it all wrong. I was only trying to protect you.”
“How were you protecting me?” He said as he got up and brushed around her on his way to the punching bag hanging in the corner.
“You were going to kill him. I could see it in your eyes.”
“Death is too good for him.”
“Don’t say that!”
“There you go again, protecting him.”
“I am not!” She said to his back.
“When it comes to the people I love, nothing matters to me. So if I kill him, oh well.”
“What the hell!” she started walking away but doubled back. “You are pathetic. How did I ever think I was in love with you? You are just as crazy as Kevin!” She walked off but Matthew caught her by the arm.
“Really? You think I’m as crazy as him! Maybe I need to be! Maybe I need to treat you like he treats you!” He said, pushing her backwards.
“Stop it!”
“No, maybe I need to treat you like you are used to being treated!”
“Matthew, stop it!” She said, her hands slapping at his sweating arms.
He kept pushing her until she was against the mirrored wall.
“Stop it!” She put her hand on his sweaty chest. He slapped it away.
“No, this is what you want? Right?” He said.
“Stop it Matthew, please stop it. Matthew stop…” His lips crushed hers and he pushed his tongue into her mouth.
“I’m not going to stop until I’m done.” Matthew growled in her ear.
In one quick motion, they were on the floor, with him on top of her and tearing away her pants, he used his feet to pull his pants down. His face was contorted with anger. He pushed himself into her.
“Matthew. Please.” she said again and this time he stared down at her and then rolled off of her.
“Shit…shit!” he yelled as Cheryl took deep breaths and the tears rolled down the side of her face. “Cheryl….I’m….shit!” he got up and grabbed his shorts from the floor. Cheryl got up, following him into the bathroom.
He stood in front of the sink, hands resting on the counter and his breaths were ragged as if he couldn’t get enough air in his lungs.
She said his name softly and touched his shoulder. He turned and looked at her, caressed her face and wrapped his arms around her so tightly it sucked the air from her momentarily.
“I love you.” He said.
“I love you too.” she said as they began kissing each other. She pushed the door closed and for the next few minutes, nothing mattered in that small space. Their moans filled the air until they could not hold back and they both climaxed.
They showered and she told Matthew that she would return later. She would take Kayla to Kevin’s house and she promised him that they would have a nice quiet evening.
Chapter 24
Kevin entered his house, poured himself and drink and was stopping his nose from bleeding when his phone rang.
“What the fuck do you want?” he said into the phone. “Just bring her whenever you want.” he said as he slammed the phone down.
He sat down in the office and tried going over the numbers for the Atlanta office, but his massive headache wouldn’t let him do anything but put his head on his desk and close his eyes.
He opened his eyes and had to adjust to the darkness. His cell phone was vibrating, at the same time the doorbell was ringing. He brushed the empty Jack Daniels bottle off of the desk and into the trashcan.
Kevin opened the door and his daughter brushed past him without a word.
Cheryl walked in behind her as Kevin stepped aside. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a dish towel and put ice in it and held it out to him. He snatched it from her hand and put it on his mouth.
“I think you might need a couple of stitches. Do you want me…?” she said.
“I don’t need you to do shit for me!”
“Kevin, I’m trying to help you.” she said, sucking in a deep breath.
“Bullshit! You don’t care about me, you are only concerned about that nigga of yours and your faggot son!”
“Forget it! I’m leaving!” she said as she slammed the ice tray on the counter.
“Good. I didn’t invite you in anyway.”
Before leaving she turned to him, “You need to make sure that you keep ice on it for at least a couple of hours. The swelling will go down, then you need to massage it every couple of minutes, so that it doesn’t get black and blue. But don’t feel pressured to take my advice.” As she opened the door, she heard him say thanks.
“Look, let me look at it again before I leave.” She turned and walked back towards the living room. “You might not need stitches, and don’t eat anything with salt on it, cause it’s going to burn like hell. You really should get out of those pants. I could probably get the blood out if you want.”
“Without taking them to the cleaners?”
“There are a few tricks I learned while only being a football mom. Remember, Donnell always had a bloody mouth or nose and there was never a blood stain on his yellow jersey. I know my way around a laundry room.”
Let Me Say This, Again Page 10
