“Four hundred stores,” Jake said, mostly to himself.
“Opening eleven more by the end of the year.” Fenny blushed as if she were a schoolgirl who’d finally convinced the boy next door her parents weren’t coming home for another hour.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Legend stepped between them. “Your other fans await.” He stepped back so Jake could see the gathering of retail buyers, men and women, appropriately watered and fed.
“We’ll pick this up later.”
Fenny nodded. “Can’t wait.”
“I can definitely take over where he left off,” Legend offered.
“Don’t worry yourself. I’m a patient woman.” She moved into the crowd.
Jake moved to the center of the room. “I’d just like to thank you all for making JP Wear the success that it is today. I see new faces, but most of you have been in my corner from the very beginning. This evening is dedicated to you all. Thank you, and enjoy the evening.”
The crowd lightly clapped then went back to the lavish spread of hors d’oeuvres and free-flowing martinis. Jake pushed his way past, landing outside of the group. He observed who was talking to whom, what alliances had been formed over the years. His eyes landed on Byron, who rarely came to such events, calling it work beyond the call of duty. Jake started toward him beforeseeing Fenny Maxwell come into the picture. They shook professionally, but the twinkle in Byron Steeple’s eyes gave off more than networking interest.
“Better run while old blue eyes is busy. I see Byron’s good for something.” Legend smirked.
“Yeah, I was headed out.”
Beverly joined the two men. “You’re leaving, Jay?”
“Been a long day.”
“I’ll walk out with you. I don’t like going to my car alone.”
Jake shook Legend’s hand. “Keep an eye on our boy,” he said, nodding toward Byron.
“Don’t mind me—you two run off while I tap dance. Let me just get my white gloves and my bow tie. Just don’t expect to see me in the a.m.”
Jake and Beverly were already gone before Legend could continue his rant.
Best Actress Goes To
If I were logging days into my diary, I would have written, Dear diary, I woke up this morning with good intentions. I would be a better mother to Mya. A better wife to Jake, and possibly a better woman by going into the hospital and telling Morgan Taylor I’d changed my mind about competing for the public affairs position, a job that wasn’t worth the complete demise of my self-worth. Having to deal with Kandi and her smugness. Having to face Clint on a daily basis. Letting Jake down by not being there for him. Feeling like I was losing on both ends of the stick.
But when I walked into Morgan Taylor’s office, who did I see but the She-whore sitting in a chair holding tissue in her hands, dabbing dry tears. I immediately felt satisfaction. Maybe Morgan was giving Kandi the boot. Life was already looking up.
“What’s going on? Is everything all right?” I reached out and gave a patronizing pat on Kandi’s wide back. She nudged my hand away. I gave Morgan a perplexing look, letting her know I had no idea what was going on. Mostly I was vexed by the fact that She-whores could cry real tears. There was my true puzzlement: Kandi’s eyes were red and filled with glistening sadness. Not even Meryl Streep could pull off this kind of performance.
Morgan Taylor leaned forward on her desk. She clasped her hands in front of her and talked with schoolteacher concern. “I had no idea there was going to be this much conflict between you two. Of course, competition of any kind will breed contempt, but on this level, I’m shocked.”
A conflict? Who has conflict? And shocked, that would be me. The She-whore sat as the innocent victim, refusing to look in my direction, her shoulders rising and falling in spurts.
Morgan Taylor cleared her throat to get my attention. She continued, “If I’d known there was a history between you two, I would never have brought you on. There are issues that need to be worked out, or I don’t see how I can keep you here.”
You was obviously me.
“I would like for both of you to stay here and talk for a minute. I’m going to leave the room and when I return, I expect resolution.” I watched Morgan leave her office and close the door gently.
Kandi turned to me on cue. “I’m sorry to have to bring all this out in the open, but I had to tell her about you and Clint.”
“Me and Clint?”
“I understood clearly what you implied yesterday, loud and clear, and let me tell you, I’m not going to put up with it. Clint is my husband, and if you haven’t heard, we’re about to have a baby.”
My mouth dropped. “Honestly, I didn’t mean to imply anything. I’m here for only one reason and that’s to help this hospital. I swear, Clint and I are beyond history. If you met my husband, if you saw my daughter, you would know, I have way too much going on in the present to care about the past. I have nothing but best wishes for you two, and let’s not forget baby makes three. Really, you have my word, I’m not out to harm you or your relationship in any way.”
Oh, Dear Diary, you should have seen me. In rare form. Oscar caliber. Julia Roberts eat your heart out. I apologized for making She feel uncomfortable. I hadn’t meant to offend or project hostility.
“I was hoping after all this time you and I could finally be friends,” I said, just in time for Morgan, who was entering the room. She eyed us both, expecting to see one of us holding an ax dripping with the other’s blood. I told her we were fine, all a misunderstanding. Kandi nodded in agreement then rose from her chair like the Queen of England, grasping her tissue to her bosom before making a grand exit.
Morgan smiled under duress, waiting patiently until Lil Miss Crybaby was out of earshot then leaned toward me in a conspiratorial whisper. “Dr. Fairchild is very important to the hospital right now. Actually, all of the doctors are prized possessions at this point, and if they start leaving, it’s just one more obstacle we have to overcome. We need to keep our staff happy. And you know how a wife can pressure a husband,” she said.
I smiled and nodded my head like this was nothing more than a blip on my busy screen. I rose from my chair and reached out for a womanly handshake. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay completely out of the She-whore’s way. She won’t even know I’m here.” (I’m pretty sure I used her real name.) I also added another brief amendment to the apology: I would be more careful knowing of her mental collapse. I understood about those pregnancy hormones, making a woman emotionally unstable. Morgan Taylor appreciated my compassion. I left her office with my head tilted to the side, humbled with a touch of confusion. Outside in the hallway, I threw my fists wildly in the air. I wanted to hit something, throw something. How dare she? If I had access to Jake’s inhaler, I would have used it. My breathing was shallow, low, and strained from adrenaline pumping out of control through my veins.
Diary entries are private, so I wouldn’t be ashamed to say I hated Kandi Fairchild. Using my long-ago and forgotten artist skills, I would have drawn her with spiked hair and black eyebrows shooting upward with a rectangle body and large droopy tits that scraped the ground when she walked. Mrs. She-whore wanted to play. Dear diary, I’d give her a game she would never forget.
I sat in my office still fuming over the morning’s escapades.
I’d spent the last few hours on an assignment given by Morgan to take past incidents and spin them into something more positive. A man whose leg had been amputated, the wrong leg. A woman who’d spent three days in ICU though she’d been faking just to have a nice soft bed away from the usual concrete where she’d made her home. Then there was the accidental—and I must say proverbial—scalpel sewn into the belly of a woman who’d had an appendix removed. The only spin I could add was, “These things happen.” I scratched the words out as soon as I’d written them. A strange vibrating sound caught my attention. The noise was coming from my purse.
When I answered my cell phone, my breathing was still erratic. I strained to hear over the t
humping blood in my ears.
“You think we can meet for lunch?” Jake asked. “I have a situation over here I need to talk to you about.”
“Oh, sweetie, I can’t.” I looked at the stack of files staring me in the face. I was seriously angry that I’d been derailed by Kandi’s escapades. I was also chewing on the rough fact that Jake had stayed out far later than any other night he’d given his mixer. If I brought it up, he would say “the buyers,” using it like a magic wand that washed away all unanswered questions.
“I really need to talk to you.”
“Jake, I’m sorry, but I’m swamped here. It would take me almost an hour just to get on your side of town, and there is nowhere around here I’d want to eat.”
“Maybe we can—”
“I’m sorry, can I call you back?” I inhaled, preparing myself not to breathe when I saw Jasper coming toward the open office door.
“Venus,” he said, trying to get a hold of my runaway brain. “You all right? Remember what we agreed on.”
“I’m fine. I’m just saying I can’t come all the way over there.”
“No. I understand.” Jake paused. “Is this really what you want to do? You’re supposed to be fulfilled, remember?”
He was mocking me. “What?” This made the fine hairs on my arms stand like prickly fiberglass poking out of my skin. “What? You can’t expect me to just fall into a sweet spot, Jake. Work is still work. I’ll find my balance—I’m just getting started.”
“Okay, okay, calm down. I’m just pointing out the fact that this was supposed to make you happy, and right now you sound a bit pissed off.”
“I’m not. Really, I’m fine.” By this time, Jasper was rummaging through boxes. He adjusted his glasses and looked in my direction. I gave him a friendly nod … still holding my breath and counting the seconds when I could breathe again. He found what he was looking for and left.
“You don’t sound fine. Maybe this isn’t the job for you. Maybe you should keep looking. It’s not like you have to accept the first thing offered. You don’t have to be so desperate.”
“Desperate!” I slammed the small phone closed and went into a silent growl.
Never hang up on your husband. This is a law, not a rule. As soon as the phone left my hand, I tried to call him back but he wouldn’t answer … for the rest of the day.
Eyes Are Watching
You all right over there?”
I looked up to see Jasper standing in the doorway. Ithought he’d gone. “Just trying to clear my throat,” I said, hoping he didn’t realize it was a bona fide growl he’d heard.
“Would you like something from downstairs, water or a Diet Coke?”
“Yes, sure, that’d be great, and one of those macadamia nut cookies if they have them.” I reached in my purse and handed him a five.
I dialed Jake’s number again, accepting that he wasn’t going to answer. I could apologize on the voice mail. “Call me when you get a chance. I’m really sorry for being so rude. You know I love you.”
“Love you, too,” a voice mimicked from my doorway. I looked up to see Clint.
I closed my phone and hoped Clint’s voice didn’t get picked up on the message. “I guess you didn’t get the memo.” I stood up and moved swiftly to the door.
Clint smelled fresh, giving off a minty coolness. “What memo is that?”
“You’re supposed to stay one hundred yards away at all times.” I pushed the door closed. “Kandi told Morgan Taylor that I was rude to her. She also went on a tirade about our past relationship, implying I’m only here to be next to you.”
Clint shook his head. “We had a fight about it. I told her not to start with that insanity.”
“What’s insane is you failed to mention the part about your wife wanting the same job.”
“She only wanted the job after she found out you were interested. The phone call, the message you left kind of tipped her off.”
“Can’t you talk to her? Really, this is going to get out of hand. You know Kandi doesn’t really want this job. And Ms. Taylor is under the impression you’d leave if she doesn’t give the missus a fair shot. Which doesn’t make any sense after you’re the one who recommended me for the position.” I sensed I was whining, though I couldn’t hear it completely. My ears were still stuffed with the early morning’s rage. “Can’t you explain to her she’s only causing strain and confusion? I mean, really, we should be about the business of keeping this hospital open, not dealing with an in-house catfight.”
Clint rubbed his slick head. “I’ll try, but don’t do anything rash, like quit.”
“That’s the last thing on my mind.” I left out the fact that I wanted to crush Kandi with everything I had. I took his shoulders and turned him around. “Time’s up. I have major work to do. And secondly, I don’t want to get into any more trouble from the mean principal.”
He rolled around to face me. “Morgan, she does kind of remind you of the mean principal in school. Promise me you’re not going to quit,” he said.
“Quit what? I haven’t even got the job yet.” I turned him about-face.
He spun back around. “Seriously, promise you’re not going to walk out of here busted and disgusted.”
“I promise. Even though you lied to me. What was that all about?”
“I lied?”
“Kandi, being pregnant.”
His eyes dropped. “You didn’t ask.”
“Oh, but I did, specifically, the first night I saw you. I asked if you and Kandi had any children.”
“And I said we were working on it. That’s an honest answer.”
“Yeah, but…” I had to let it go. I placed my hands on his chest to turn him toward the door. “Go, Dr. Fairchild. We don’t want any rumors to get started.”
“Promise you won’t quit, and then I’ll leave.” He turned around again. “Please … don’t let her bother you.”
“Go,” I said without making any promises. Funny how easy the word please fell from Clint’s lips these days. When I’d known him, loved him, he never liked asking for anything. At least not of me. Years ago, Clint told me I emasculated him by expecting so little of him while we lived together. It’s hard to expect anything of someone who doesn’t have a job. I was just trying to help, that’s what people do when they’re in a committed relationship: support one another. Little did I know we were not committed. Had I known, I would have made him pay his share of the rent, the food, and the utilities.
My record stands undefeated of having men in my life with an image to maintain. Machismo, chest stuck out, must be man, I must be woman. All strange, considering I wasn’t the rescue-me type. Not like Kandi, who cried foul when things got rough. I at least had the decency to do it in private, holed up in a bathroom or closet, somewhere no one could witness.
Then there was Airic, my fiancé of two years right after breaking up with Clint. He said I was impenetrable. What did that mean? Like a new kind of superhero made of Teflon. I didn’t understand how he could make that statement. I blended, molded, and reshaped myself to be by his side. Had I not met Jake, who loved me—supercoating and all—I would probably still be with Airic, pretending everything was hunky-dory. I could be the good docile type if required. Which reminded me, where was Jasper with my damn cookie?
I rubbed my shoulder where he’d connected at full speed.
“Stay out of my way.” He looked directly at me, but it was as if he’d never seen me before.
“Jasper, are you all right?”
“Excuse me, I have to get to the restroom.” Perspiration covered his face. His hands hung by his sides, balling in and out of tight fists. He blinked a few times before removing his glasses and swiping his shirtsleeve to dry his face. “Move!” he burst.
I pushed myself up against the wall, letting him pass. I watched him walk away and turn the corner before I felt safe enough to move a muscle. What just happened?
That’s when I heard all the commotion. Footsteps moving qui
ckly. The swishing of polyester rubbing thighs pushing in stride.
“Four at one time. How does something like that just happen? I’m telling you, there’s a ghost running around here trying to put us out of business.” Two nurses dressed in green scrubs hurried past, pushing a cool breeze.
I caught up and double-skipped to keep their pace. “What’s going on?”
“Who are you?” The nurse with one line of plucked eyebrows barely looked my way. Neither of them slowed their step.
“I’m new in public relations, Venus Johnston.” When they turned the corner, I turned, too, nearly being run into the wall.
“Four incubators were unplugged. Four.” She held up four fingers and shook her head as if she’d take the number to her grave.
“Are the babies okay?” I wanted to stop and go the other direction, where I knew Clint would be.
“So far, so good.” They continued marching until landing into a crowd of nurses filing into a large lecture room. Rumblings of foul play and conspiracy moved between their conversations.
One nurse shot her hands upward and shouted, “This wouldn’t have happened on my watch! Let me catch someone that don’t belong, let me catch ’em,” she threatened.
Mostly women and a few men were all riled up and ready to take action. This was war as far as they were concerned. I backed off and watched as they mumbled forms of attack and retribution.
“Whoever did this needs to be hung by their nails.”
“Yeah, then see how they like it with a bag over their head so they can’t breathe. See how they like it.”
Nappily Married Page 9
