Yet, no matter how hard she strived to reach the mark, mother never seemed satisfied. There was always something she could have done better. Always…
And there was no one to buffer Cheri from her mother’s perfectionism. She had a dad, but he was so pussy whipped or weak or a punk or whatever, that he never stood up to his wife. He never defended his daughter, said what mother was doing was too much, that Cheri should just be able to ‘just be a kid.’ He never stood up for her, so Cheri hated his ass, too. He deserved as much disdain as mother did because he did nothing to make Cheri’s life not even better but easier.
“Good for nothing ass,” she groaned as the weight of how much alcohol she drank started to sink in.
That’s why Cheri was the way she was. That’s why Cheri obsessed the way she did. Her mother made her do it, become it, live it.
Chapter Sixteen
Cheri arrived at work the next day with a newfound determination to make Shannon’s life a living hell. She’d been passive in her previous attempts to drive the bitch mad, but she was still there, still substituting, taking the place that rightfully belonged to Cheri. She spent most of her drunken night trying to figure out what else she could do to make Shannon disappear. Cheri was no dummy, though. Whatever it was she decided to do had to be done in such a way that it looked accidental, that Cheri could not be held culpable for what happened. She needed to do it in such a way that Shannon looked like she was the problem because she was the fuckin’ problem.
Cheri wasn’t happy about how things had gone. Shannon lasted longer than she’d hoped, and Geneva was slated to be back in just a few days. True, Cheri could just wait it out. What were two more days?
“Two more than I can stand,” Cheri said out loud as she rode the bus into work.
Patience was a virtue, but not one Cheri possessed.
An eerie smile spread across her lips as she disembarked from the bus. When the situation blew up in Shannon’s face, Cheri knew she would be blamed by Shannon. She was a bitch like that, blaming someone else for her own shortcomings. But the smile on Cheri’s face was because when Shannon told on her like a little snitch, Cheri knew Ameer wouldn’t believe a word Shannon said. He would undoubtedly side with her, undoubtedly.
Cheri had a spring in her step when she walked down the ramp in the underground garage. The smile increased as she saw Ameer climbing out of his truck, right on time. What made it better was that there was no sign of Shannon.
“Good morning, Mr. Ali,” Cheri beamed as she saddled up beside him, keeping pace with his long strides.
“Good morning, Ms. Jones,” Ameer replied.
The ride in the elevator was just like it had been almost every time before. Ameer held the door for her, pushed the elevator button for her, held the door as she exited. It was the in-between time though that meant the most; those few moments when they were all alone. Cheri basked in his presence, inhaling Ameer’s signature scent, feeling his aura surround her in the closed space. Exiting was always hard, but Cheri handled it because she had those moments with him when it was just the two of them.
In order to make her plan work, Cheri needed just a couple of minutes of time to set everything in motion. She knew how to get it, too.
And that moment came. Cheri didn’t care that Shannon physically cringed when she entered the suite.
“Good afternoon, Shannon,” she sang extra sweetly.
“Good afternoon,” Shannon replied without looking up from her computer.
“I know you’re busy, but I wanted to offer you a peace offering,” Cheri began, holding two large cups of soda pop in her hands.
“Unnecessary,” Shannon replied, the economy of words she spoke reflective of how she felt about Cheri’s uninvited presence.
“I insist,” Cheri said. “You wouldn’t turn down a genuine apology, would you?” Cherri challenged inquisitively. “That’s so unladylike.”
Cheri didn’t wait for Shannon to respond. She walked closer to the desk, making sure to bump into it with her thigh, causing the drinks to go flying from her hands, landing on Shannon and everything around her.
“Ugghhh!” She groaned, popping up from her seat, the red sticky sweet liquid cascading over her blouse and pooling in her lap before she stood up.
“Oh no,” Cheri feigned. “I’m so sorry.”
But Shannon couldn’t hear the fake apology anymore. She didn’t even want to look at Cheri. Stepping out from behind her desk, Shannon moved to get away from Cheri and the mess she made, not realizing that the floor underneath her was wet and slippery as well.
“Ahhh!” Shannon yelped as her feet slid from under her, landing her on the floor.
Ameer heard a loud disturbance outside his door. Getting up from his seat, he quickly crossed the room and opened the door. Cheri stifled a giggle masking it as shock when Ameer appeared. His eyes dropped to the floor.
“Shannon,” he said, lifting his pants legs and bending in the knees to help.
Ameer surveyed the space, seeing the spilled liquid on the floor. He steered clear of it as much as he could as he helped Shannon stand to her feet. He made sure to help her out of the puddle to the carpeted area where she regained her footing.
“Are you hurt?”
Shannon’s eyes narrowly trailed across to the other side of her desk, where Cheri stood.
“She did it on purpose,” Shannon hissed.
“What?” Cheri asked, placing a hopefully convincing hand to her chest as though Shannon’s accusation wounded her.
“I’m sure it was an accident,” Ameer offered, still gently holding Shannon’s elbow to make sure she was steady. Cheri’s heart warmed hearing Ameer say that. She knew he would, she just knew he would. But Cheri couldn’t take her eyes off Ameer’s hand touching Shannon.
“I would have said the same, Mr. Ali, had this been the first time something like this happened.”
“I’m sure you’re mistaken,” Cheri said. “It was an accident, and I am so sorry,” Cheri continued as she moved around the desk, coming closer to where Shannon and Ameer stood.
“Don’t lie,” Shannon scoffed, turning away from Cheri.
“Not the first time?” Ameer repeated.
“Exactly,” Shannon explained. “First, it was the sabotage of the computer when your calendar magically disappeared. Then, it was spilled coffee the first day I was here. Now, this.”
“I wouldn’t do such a thing,” Cheri smiled. “You know that, Mr. Ali. She’s just upset, and I understand, but I promise it was an accident.”
Shannon was beside herself, furious and embarrassed simultaneously.
“Why don’t you go to the ladies’ room and take care of yourself. I don’t have anything for the rest of the day that I can’t handle,” Ameer smiled. “Take the rest of the afternoon, okay?”
“I don’t want to abandon my post despite Ms. Jones’ best efforts,” Shannon protested.
“It’s not abandonment if I suggested it,” Ameer said. “I got this. Go on, take care of yourself.”
Shannon didn’t want to let Cheri win. Leaving felt like giving in to Cheri’s craziness. Ameer must have seen uncertainty in Shannon’s eyes, however.
“It’s okay,” he said reassuringly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ali.”
Shannon was able to leave because Mr. Ali made it okay. She didn’t give Cheri the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Intentionally lifting her chin into the air, Shannon opened the bottom drawer, retrieved her purse, and walked out with her head held high, not veering her eyes to even see Cheri.
“You do believe me when I say it was an accident, right?” Cheri asked, stepping into Ameer’s line of sight so he couldn’t watch Shannon’s pitiful ass walk away.
“It doesn’t matter whether I believe you, Ms. Jones,” Ameer replied. “What matters is that whatever happened upset Ms. Young.”
She didn’t like his answer, but Cheri couldn’t show dissatisfaction. She hated it more
that Ameer said what he said and walked away. Cheri looked at the mess, smiling, remembering Shannon busting her ass.
Maybe I should clear it up, Cheri thought to herself. It would be a way to maybe show that she was sorry, not sorry. Maybe if she tidied up, Ameer would be even more convinced that it was an accident. Maybe if she cleaned it up, then she could knock on Ameer’s door and ask if she could sub for him the rest of the afternoon. That would be a dream come true. That’s the only reason Cheri picked up the phone on the desk, paged housekeeping, and had them tidy her mess. Once it was done and housekeeping was gone, she knocked on Ameer’s door, smoothing her skirt and adjusting her breasts as she waited for him to invite her in.
“Hold on beautiful,” he crooned into the phone. “Can you do that for me?”
“Of course,” Siobhan replied on the other end.
“Come in,” he spoke, making sure to place his hand over the phone so his voice wasn’t too loud in Siobhan’s ear.
Cheri wore a genuine smile as she opened the door, leading with her bosom, giving Ameer a good look at her goods.
“Excuse me, Mr. Ali,” she purred, sauntering towards his desk, using the sexiest walk she could imagine. She’d practiced it many times before, using the space in her living room – the space between all the junk, to sashay up to Ameer, dressed in a beautiful negligee, while he laid across the bed anxiously awaiting her arrival. This was no different. He still looked as dreamy even if he wasn’t in bed.
“Yes,” Ameer replied.
“I wanted you to know I’m available,” Cheri smiled seductively.
“Excuse me?” Ameer questioned.
Cheri saw the crease in Ameer’s forehead and his hand over the phone. It threw her off her game a bit, but Cheri rebounded as fast as she could.
“I’m available,” she said again, “to take Ms. Young’s place this afternoon. To be your secretary.”
“Oh no,” Ameer answered. “As I said, I’ve got it.”
“Are you sure?” Cheri pressed pleasantly. “I don’t mind,” Cheri continued. “I would love to help.”
“No thanks, Ms. Jones,” Ameer insisted, holding up the phone, alerting her to the interruption just in case she missed it.
“Oh, sorry,” she acted as though she hadn’t noticed.
Ameer lifted a hand, offering a polite wave. Before Ms. Jones fully exited, he returned to his call.
Cheri started backing out of the room, defeated that he didn’t take her up on her offer, but refusing to let Ameer see how upset she was.
“Where were we, beloved.”
Her heart nearly stopped, but she couldn’t stay in Ameer’s office any longer. She didn’t have an excuse. She didn’t have a reason to be there. Cheri turned on her half inch heels and trekked the rest of the way to the door, opening it slowly to see if she could hear more of what Ameer was talking about. More importantly, who the fuck he was talking to like that. But before she opened the door, he hadn’t said anything else. Cheri crossed the threshold and then turned to face the door so she could steal another look in his direction. But Ameer had already turned away, focused in on the conversation.
A heavy sigh passed through Cheri’s lips as she closed the door. She lingered a moment longer, pressing her ear against the thick wooden door, trying desperately to hear something more. She couldn’t.
“The fuck,” she uttered, stepping away.
Chapter Seventeen
The feeling of satisfaction Cheri had after serving it to Shannon didn’t last. She was no dummy. She knew Ameer was talking to another woman on the phone. She could tell. His voice was all dreamy and sexy and not directed to her. Cheri sighed loudly as she stood up and prepared to exit the bus. She had had such high hopes for the day. She hated to be disappointed. As Cheri stepped off the bus, walking heavily, reflective of how heavy her heart was, she thought about all those times she wanted to tell Ameer just how she felt about him, how much she loved him; how she could make him happy, if he only gave her a chance. And that’s what Cheri tried to do; get the chance to show Ameer that she was perfect for him, in every way. Shannon had one more day in the office before Geneva was to return. That gave Cheri one more chance to show Ameer just how incompetent Shannon really was. With Geneva nowhere around, the natural choice to make would be Cheri for her replacement. That just made sense to her.
The next morning, Cheri woke up with her game face on. She contemplated most of the night ways she could humiliate Shannon even more than she already had. Cheri was ready. She was determined. She would get her chance with Ameer one way or the other. The hardest part about her plan had to wait until near lunchtime to execute though. But having a plan for dastardly deeds gave Cheri focus during the morning. She got her work done in record time. She was even pleasant to her coworkers, which wasn’t always the case.
“Dorothy, I’ll be taking my lunch break a little earlier today,” Cheri announced as she strutted by her supervisor’s desk.
“Before you leave, Ms. Jones, have you finished all the assignments in your queue?”
“Of course, I have,” Cheri said, pausing her steps only long enough to offer her answer.
“One hour for lunch, Ms. Jones, and not a minute more.”
Cheri didn’t need a supervisory reminder. Dorothy only did that as a power play. She was gunning for Cheri ever since she wrote her up earlier in the week. Dorothy would love nothing more than to have another reason to put pen to paper on Ms. Jones.
Hateful bitch, Cheri mumbled under her breath as she left their suite.
There was a spring in Cheri’s step that only Ameer could put there. She felt so good, instead of waiting for the elevator to take her up the few floors to the executive level, Cheri took the stairs. In a moment like this, her mother would have been proud. She was a little winded when she opened the door on Ameer’s floor, her calves burned some, but it was all going to be worth it when she pulled the last fast one on Shannon.
Cheri sashayed down the hall, feeling good about what would soon transpire. But her steps slowed as she peered through the glass. When Cheri made her feet move again, she marched with a special kind of determination.
“Good morning Ms. Jones,” Geneva smiled as Cheri stormed to her desk. Geneva looked up, noticing how heavily Cheri was breathing and how tightly knocked her brows her.
“Everything okay, Cheri?”
“Why are you here?” Cheri asked, befuddled.
“I work here, or don’t you remember?” Geneva laughed.
“No,” Cheri corrected. “Why are you here now, today?”
“If you must know,” Geneva began, pausing the work she was doing, “I decided to end my vacation a day early. I hope that’s okay with you. It was fine with my boss.”
She wouldn’t get a chance to exact her revenge. She wouldn’t get a chance to see Shannon fall on her face again. She wouldn’t get a chance to prove to Ameer that he needed her. Cheri was beyond upset. She could hardly see straight; she was so angry and disappointed.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell her goodbye.”
The comment sounded so strange coming from Cheri; Geneva looked up again.
“Are you okay, Ms. Jones? I didn’t know how much you cared about your fellow coworkers?”
Before Cheri had an opportunity to respond, the door to the suite opened.
“Good morning,” Geneva greeted.
“Good morning.”
The sound of the woman’s voice caused Cheri to turn around. She’s pretty, Cheri observed. She scanned the woman from the top of her head to the soles of her feet, paying particular attention to the picnic-style basket she held in her hand.
“How may I help you?”
“Mr. Ali, please,” Siobhan smiled.
Cheri’s lip raised into a snarl.
“Is he expecting you?” Geneva asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
Geneva smiled in return, picking up the desk phone. She thought about the woman standing in front of her and remembered
where she’d seen her.
“Yes, Geneva,” Ameer replied on the other end.
“Can I trouble you to come to my desk,” Geneva began. “There’s something I need to show you.”
“Sure,” Ameer answered.
“Thank you,” Siobhan simpered, appreciative of the assist.
“No problem,” Geneva said with a wink and a smile. “Was there anything else you needed, Ms. Jones?”
Cheri looked like the deer caught in headlights again. She didn’t know what to say. Telling the truth would be awkward.
“No, no,” Cheri uttered, yet, she couldn’t pull herself from the desk.
“Geneva,” Ameer said as he opened the door and stepped into the outer office. “What can I,” Ameer’s voice fell off as he looked past Geneva, drawn inextricably to the woman standing behind her.
“Surprise,” Siobhan beamed. No matter how many times she encountered Ameer, she continued to be taken by his virile appeal. Ameer stood there looking devilishly handsome.
“Siobhan,” Ameer crooned. “And you were in on this, Geneva?” He asked, even though his eyes never left Siobhan.
“No comment,” Geneva grinned, feigning business at her desk.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt,” Siobhan offered as Ameer moved in her direction.
“You’re never an interruption,” Ameer hummed.
Cheri’s eyes widened when Ameer leaned in and kissed that woman on her cheek. But it wasn’t the kind of cheek kiss you give your wrinkly old grandmother or a relative that you actually like. Ameer kissed the woman like he knew her. He kissed her like he had feelings for her. Cheri refused to say the word love in relation to his attention to someone other than herself. She continued to watch Ameer wrap his strong muscular arm around her waist, pull her in close to him, walk past Cheri like she didn’t even exist, and saunter into his office, closing the door without so much as a backward glance. Strange and disquieting thoughts raced through Cheri’s mind.
Ameer (The Brothers Ali Book 5) Page 11
