Let Me Say This, Again

by B. Swangin Webster

Cheryl shrugged her shoulders, trying not to say out loud what she was thinking.

  “Who would he get mad with?”

  “Me!” she blurted out. “He would get mad at me!”

  “Why?”

  “Because…because, I shouldn’t question him.”

  “Question him about what?”

  “I don’t know. He doesn’t like when I question him.”

  “Well, he said something about your child, why shouldn’t you question him?”

  “He’ll just get mad and then, then…” her voice trailed off.

  “Cheryl, are you ok?”

  “I…I’m sorry. I was just thinking…”

  “Tell me about it.” the doctor looked into Cheryl’s eyes.

  “I…” her voice was barely above a whisper, “Kevin never liked when I questioned him about Donnell. That made it worst.”

  “And you think Matthew will do the same? You have to stop thinking every man is like Kevin. No one is like Kevin, except Kevin. You can’t live your life scared to say what is on your mind.”

  Dr. Vorite touched Cheryl’s hand.

  “Ok, well, it’s been a long day for you. I’ll let you get some rest, and I will see you in a couple of days, for your regular appointment. Ok?”

  “Ok, thank you for stopping by.” she said, as she walked the doctor to the front door and held it open for her. As she walked past the answering machine, she saw the flashing number. She pressed the play button, heard the female’s voice announcing the message and then she heard Matthew’s voice.

  Message one: Cheryl, please call me back, I’m sorry.

  Delete

  Message two: Cheryl, baby, please.

  Delete

  Message three: Girl, are you ok? You…

  Delete

  Message four: Mom, are you ok? Is Kayla behaving herself? I guess you went out tonight. Enjoy yourself, and I’ll call later. I love you.

  Message five: Cheryl, its Matthew again. I’m sorry, I should not have….

  Delete.

  Cheryl walked slowly to her room and sat in the chair and stared outside. She walked to the door leading to the private balcony off of her bedroom. The tears streamed down her face as her chest ached. It wasn’t like a medical condition, it was more like her heart was breaking.

  Chapter 43

  Matthew wanted to call Cheryl one more time but decided against it when his phone rang.

  “Cheryl?” he answered enthusiastically.

  “No.” said the cheerful voice. “Sherrie. I was feeling a little uneasy. Can you come over for a little while?”

  “I’m tired. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

  “I…I just…”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m scared. Galen knows where I live and I don’t want him coming here.”

  “Did he call?”

  “No, but…”

  “Ok, well, why don’t you come over?” He hung up the phone and went to the closet and pulled on some jeans.

  Cheryl picked up the phone on the third ring.

  Dee asked her if she was ok.

  “Yeah, I’m sleeping. What time is it?” Cheryl said as she rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the clock.

  “Oh, it’s almost eleven.”

  “So you couldn’t call me tomorrow?” she said while rolling her eyes.

  “Well, I wanted to make sure you were ok. You know, with everything that happened today. I just wanted to make sure my girl was ok.”

  “I’m good.”

  “Really? Have you talked to Matthew?”

  “No, he called.”

  Dee asked if he apologized.

  “I didn’t answer the phone.”

  “Look, don’t punish him. He made a mistake, don’t hold it against him.”

  “He called Donnell gay.”

  “I know, I was there. I think he was only mad, you know he wouldn’t hurt you.”

  “But he did Dee. I don’t know…”

  “Are you serious? You let Kevin do far worse than that, and you forgave him over and over again. Matthew says something, granted he was totally out of line, but he has never done anything but love you, and you are ready to throw him back in the arms of his tramp of an ex-wife.”

  “I don’t think…”

  “Don’t be naïve girl. That trick is up to something, and I don’t trust her. She is a slick bitch and you better watch her. Did you hear what she said when we walked up to his crib today? She made a slick ass comment about why we were coming over to see her man. She thought I didn’t hear her sneaky ass.”

  “Dee!”

  “Sorry, I bet she is over there right now.”

  “I doubt it.”

  “How do you know? You are the one not taking his calls. If I only know one thing, I know how to comfort a man when his woman isn’t.”

  “Why would he need comforting?”

  “You don’t know, do you? You weren’t the only one getting locked up today. Matthew got locked up too, something to do with someone from his past.”

  “What! He didn’t tell me that.”

  “Of course he didn’t. You didn’t give him a chance.”

  Cheryl was up from the bed, pulling on jogging pants and a shirt when she told Dee she needed to go.

  “Where in the hell are you going this late?”

  “To comfort my man.”

  “You better work it!” Dee yelled.

  Matthew opened the door as he ex-wife slid past him.

  “As you can see, I was ready for bed.” He said to her as she walked past him.

  “I won’t stay long, I just needed to see you before I went to sleep.”

  “Well, have a seat. Are you ok? I mean, do you think you need to stay in a hotel for the night or something.”

  Sherrie told him she wasn’t sure if she needed to be in a hotel.

  “No matter what, you are the mother of my daughter and I don’t want you to be hurt.”

  “Thank you Matthew.” she said while sliding beside him on the couch and letting her head come to rest on his muscular chest.

  “Matthew.” she said breathlessly, while looking up at him.

  “Sherrie.” He said as he sucked in a quick breath.

  She leaned more into him and kissed first his jaw, and then his cheek finally making her way to his mouth.

  “Sherrie, we shouldn’t…”

  “Shh. Just let me…” she said as she continued to kiss him. She left his lips long enough to push his shirt up his chest. She felt his hands in her hair. She came back and looked at him. He thrust his tongue into her mouth while she let her left hand slid down further until she had a handful of his manhood.

  The doorbell rang but Sherrie didn’t stop instead she continued to squeeze him.

  “Sherrie…stop.” he said while pushing her away from him. “I think you need to go.”

  “Matthew, you can’t be serious.” she said while sitting back on the couch.”

  He stood away from the couch as the doorbell sounded again.

  “I am. This is a mistake and you and I both know it.”

  “Well, it doesn’t seem like a mistake.” she said while eyeing his crotch and the erection that was threatening to break through his jogging pants.

  “Look, I need to get the door. I’ll let you out.” he said while pulling her up and towards the door.

  He opened the door and before he could release Sherrie’s hand, Cheryl fell into his arms and started kissing him.

  “Matthew I’m sorry.”

  “Excuse me.” Sherrie said and moved around them, bumping into Cheryl in the process.

  “Sorry, didn’t know anyone was here.” Cheryl said as she wiped her mouth.

  Sherrie responded by telling Matthew to call her later.

  Matthew closed the door and pushed Cheryl against the foyer wall and pushed his tongue inside her mouth.

  She started to speak but he shook his head no and continued to kiss her.

  His hands roamed under h
er shirt and found her breasts free. His hand lifted the shirt above her head and he bent down and let his tongue slide across her erect nipples.

  “Ahhh…”

  “God, you are so beautiful.” Matthew said as she lowered herself to her knees.

  She pulled him free of his jogging pants and slid her mouth on him. His hands grabbed a fistful of her hair and he let out a loud groan.

  He pushed her face into his groin faster and faster. She gagged a little and had to use her hands to stop him from pushing her too far. He pulled her up and turned her to face the wall. He guided himself into her and quickly pushed her to the point of orgasm. He felt her release herself onto him. He pulled away from her and led her to the couch where he took her again. Slapping skin was the only sound being made. No words, no moans, no grunts. Only skin against skin. He stopped suddenly and lifted her into his arms and carried her to his room.

  He laid her down on his king sized bed. He climbed in beside her and she snuggled up to him. Their love making was fast at times, slow at others. Their moans and grunts filled his bedroom until they finished and Matthew collapsed on top of her before rolling off of her. He gathered her into his arms and they fell asleep.

  Cheryl woke up first and had to adjust to the darkness in the room. As she moved his arm to get up from the bed. She heard him talking as she stood and she sat back down softly.

  “Momma please…don’t leave me. Momma, I love you, it’s only me and you. You can’t leave me in this world. Oh momma, please. Come back to me, please.”

  Cheryl shook him softly at first but when she noticed the tears roll from his closed eyes, she shook him awake.

  His eyes opened slowly, “Cheryl?”

  “Yes baby. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” he said as he got up and walked to the bathroom and shut the door.

  Chapter 44

  As Rebecca climbed out of the tub, Toni met her with a towel.

  “Lie down and let me put some oil on you.” Toni said while brushing her tongue against Rebecca’s neck.

  “…Toni.”

  “No, let me take care of you tonight.”

  Toni guided her over to her bed, and climbed onto the bed with her and straddled her back. She poured the vanilla oil from the bottle onto Rebecca’s wet skin.

  Rebecca moaned as Toni worked her hands down her body. She bent forward and let her teeth graze against the skin on Rebecca’s back.

  “Turn over for me.” Toni said.

  As she did, Toni used her tongue to start a trail of wet kisses down the front of Rebecca.

  She pushed her tongued inside of Rebecca’s mouth while her hands ran up and down her slim body.

  Their lovemaking was becoming fast, furious and downright violent. They were hanging off of the bed as their orgasms rocked them both, threatening to throw them onto the floor.

  Rebecca nudged Toni awake as she slid out of from under her. Her hair was unruly but she could see the discoloration of the marks on her neck, some because of Toni but the others were because of Kevin. She thought of how she would get Kevin to give her the Atlanta office. The things she uncovered about him and his mother was enough to ensure that the Atlanta office would no longer be up for discussion.

  “Look Rebecca, I could lose my job if anyone found out I gave you this information.”

  “Look, it aint like you gave it to me for fucking free. I did pay your mortgage up and gave you five thousand to boot, so don’t get all high and mighty now. I’m sure your wife would find it interesting that you like to play the high stakes game of poker, and never know when to quit, or win.”

  She said while snatching the envelope from Sam Baker “besides, when you were fucking my brains out you didn’t seem to mind.” She said with a twist of her lips.

  He walked away from her and stood by the table, “I could lose my clearance for digging into somebody’s background like this. I’m just saying, why you want to know about this Kevin Goldman guy anyway?”

  “Let’s just say, that I am doing my research for an upcoming project. Now why don’t you come on over here so I can show you my appreciation?” she said, pulling him towards her.

  She had no intention of having sex with him today so after five minutes of being on her knees, he was willing to give her all of the other information she needed.

  Chapter 45

  Cheryl rose from the bed and went downstairs to make herself a cup of tea before heading to her realtor’s office. After last night, she knew Matthew had something in his past that he didn’t want to share.

  “Babe, do you want to talk about it?” she said when he came into the kitchen.

  He opened up the refrigerator and asked her if she wanted something to drink.

  “Matthew, I just asked you if you wanted to talk.”

  Instead of answering her, Matthew told her he would be back.

  Cheryl walked back upstairs and sat in the sitting area of the bedroom. She curled her legs under herself and started drinking her tea.

  He walked back into the room “You need to get some rest. It is only five in the morning.”

  “I’m ok. I need to get ready to see my realtor.”

  “I thought that meeting was at eight? “

  “It is, I just thought you might want to talk.”

  “No, no reason to talk.” He said as he sat beside her.

  She rubbed her hand down his back, “look, I’m a great listener.”

  He turned and faced her, “Don’t ok.”

  “What?” she said while still rubbing her hand up and down his back.

  He turned away from her, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Sometimes it’s better…”

  He turned to her too quickly, causing her to lean away from him, “I’m sorry. Just don’t push it. If I want to talk, I will but until then, don’t ask me.”

  “Ok. Well I do have something else I want to ask.” Cheryl said as he started to stand.

  “What?” he sat back down.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that you were arrested yesterday?”

  “You didn’t seem to want to know.” He said as his hard stare threatened to make her crumple.

  “Baby, I always want to know when something happens to you. What happened?”

  “Sherrie…”

  “Never mind.” She said as she rolled her eyes and sat her cup down.

  Matthew chuckled as he rose and she stood with him. He kissed her on the forehead and walked out of the bedroom. She heard the double beep of the door and heard his car start.

  As she pulled from the driveway her cellphone rang.

  “Are you coming to get me today?” her daughter asked without saying hello.

  “Umm, no. Remember you wanted to be with your dad, and until the court hearing on Monday, that is where you will be young lady.”

  “Tsk, I don’t want to stay…”

  “Too bad.” Cheryl said as she hung up.

  Chapter 46

  Rebecca walked into Kevin’s office and told him that they were set for the trip later that day to Atlanta.

  Kevin put his arms around Rebecca’s waist and tried to kiss her but she was all business.

  “Look, I don’t have time for this. I need to make sure that my… I mean the Atlanta office is running smoothly, so if you don’t mind, get your head out of your pants and back on your shoulders.” She said as she sidestepped him. “Besides after what happened a couple of days ago, you really don’t want to go there with me.” She said as she stood with her arms folded.

  “Well, if you didn’t get…”

  “I know you are not about to say what I think.”

  “Well, I won’t say it then.” Kevin said as he walked away from her.

  Rebecca made a comment about him not wanting to go until he found out that Toni was going.

  Kevin spoke with attitude. “You never even told me that you were going. I don’t give a flying fuck if Toni goes. You are acting like you are running this company…”
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  “No, corrections, I am running the Atlanta office, and whenever I feel I need to be there, is when I will be going there. Now, if you have a fucking problem with that…”

  “Don’t you for one second think that I won’t take your fucking head off if you ever speak to me that way in my office.” Kevin said as he grabbed her.

  Toni walked in. “Sorry to interrupt, but Joseph is on the phone.”

  As Rebecca snatched away from him, she gave him the look that let him know that this conversation wasn’t over.

  Chapter 47

  Kevin rushed from his office and walked towards the reception area while Ashley went over the details with Rebecca for their upcoming trip.

  “I’ll meet you at the BWI, I forgot to make arrangements for Kayla. Ashley, also I will need you to go pick up my suit from the tailor, they said it’s ready. I’ll also need you to call Atlanta and let them know I will be there also, and will need use of the conference room. I think I’ll show the T’wan around while down there. See if you can get him a flight out this afternoon, if not make sure he is on the earliest flight leaving tomorrow morning. Let’s see if he knows how to act like a real star.”

  He pulled up in front of his house just as Kayla was coming in from school.

  “Look, I’ll be in Atlanta for the weekend but will be back on Monday before the hearing. You can stay here or do you want me to take you home?” Kevin said while walking upstairs and going into his closet to retrieve his suitcase and some suits. “I hope you can be trusted.” he said as he continued pulling clothes from the closet and folded them into the open suitcase.

  “Yeah, I’ll stay here, I mean, what is there to do at home? At least I can hang out with some of my old friends.”

  “I’ll be back in a couple of days. I’ll leave you my ATM card in case you need something, only use it if you run out of cash.” he said as she followed him into the bathroom. She pulled his shaver, toothbrush, comb, brush and cologne from the cabinet and handed them to him.

  They walked downstairs while he pulled his wallet and laid ten twenty dollar bills on the counter. He laid the ATM card on the counter and kissed her forehead and headed out the door.