“Me, acting childish?”
“Yes, you. Instead of acting like the jealous wife, you should just go back over to your mother’s house and spend time with your family like I am trying to do.”
“Oh, so Renée is part of your family now. I thought you said she was your friend,” Wendy mocked.
“You know what I mean.”
“How about I just come over there and get my child?”
“Whatever. You won’t be able to get in.” Kevin wasn’t concerned about that at all. He knew Wendy couldn’t get to his apartment unless he let her in. After realizing that his separation with Wendy was permanent, he’d bought a luxury condominium in a gated community. She couldn’t get through the gate without a visitor’s pass or her name being on the guest list with the security officer.
Wendy was fuming. “Well, I’ll call the police then,” she threatened.
“What can they do?” Kevin said calmly. “I am the father. I do have a right to file for visitation if we can’t work it out ourselves.”
“Don’t threaten me, you jerk.”
“Take it as a threat if you want, but I promise that if you call the police I’ll take it to the courts.”
“Ugh!” Wendy screamed.
Kevin heard a thump. Wendy had hit her fist on the table.
“I knew you were no good. That’s probably the tramp you gave me the disease from,” Wendy accused.
Kevin defended her. “First of all, she’s not a tramp. Second of all, you are out of control. I am going to hang up, turn all of my phones off, and spend the rest of the evening with my family. I advise you to calm down. I will bring Kimberly home in the morning as we had planned.”
“How can you do this to our marriage?” Wendy yelled.
“How can I do what to our marriage?” Kevin screamed back. “I tried to get back with you several times if you would recall. You are the one who told me over and over how you didn’t want me. You are the one who said you didn’t love me. You are the one who said you were moving on. So don’t ask me how I can do this to our marriage. I tried to fight for our marriage, but you chose to let it go. You wanted me to leave you alone and I did. You ever heard the phrase ‘Be careful what you wish for because wishes do come true’? Now you want to act like you care because I have a female friend over for Thanksgiving. You want to renege on our agreement and you want me to bring Kimberly home. Forget it, Wendy! I’m not giving in to you and your little tantrum. Call the police if you want, but be prepared because I will fight you on the issue.” Kevin hung up the phone once again.
Wendy sat in her bedroom and cried. She hated the thought of Kevin having someone else over there spending Thanksgiving with her daughter. She had spent the early part of the day at her parents’ house. Marlene had held her celebration earlier than normal because Kim and Terrance had to go over to his parents’ house. They wrapped up about four, and Wendy had spent the rest of her evening at home. She’d really called Kevin just to see how the baby was doing, but somehow the whole thing got off track. She tried calling back again, but no one answered. He must have turned the phones off, like he said he would.
Wendy tortured herself the rest of the evening wondering about Kevin’s friend Renée. Is she pretty? How many times have they kissed? Although she wasn’t ready or willing to get back with him, it bothered her to know that he was taking an interest in someone else.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Two Can Play That Game
IT WAS THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING. Kimberly was playing in the nursery while Wendy and Natalie talked in the living room. Natalie had been keeping Wendy company most of the day. Wendy was still upset about Kevin having a female friend at his house. Neither Kevin nor Wendy had had much to say to one another when he’d brought the baby home that morning. He asked her when would be a good time to come back and get Kimberly, but Wendy’s response was “We’ll see,” and then she shut the door.
“I’m telling you you should call him,” Natalie urged Wendy as she came out of the kitchen carrying two strawberry daiquiris.
“You didn’t put alcohol in mine, right?” Wendy looked at Natalie suspiciously to confirm that her drink wasn’t spiked.
“No. I told you I wouldn’t.”
“Don’t roll your eyes at me. I just wanted to double-check.” Wendy took a sip of her daiquiri. It tasted fine. “Anyhow, I’m not calling Jaylen, so you can forget about it. For all I know, he gave me the wrong number.”
“You’ll never know if it’s the wrong number if you don’t try it.”
“Then I guess I’ll never know.” Jaylen was Wendy’s ex-boyfriend. She had told Natalie about running into him a few weeks ago at the gym. Wendy had finished her workout and he was signing up for a new membership. They talked briefly and Jaylen asked for Wendy’s telephone number. When she refused, he gave her his number instead.
“Why not?”
“Because technically I’m still a married woman.”
“On paper only. Girl, you and Kevin have been separated for almost a year. It’s time to move on.”
“I know, but—”
“Oh, please don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts about him.”
“No, not really. I guess I didn’t realize how definite our situation was until yesterday when he had that woman over.”
“What do you mean you didn’t recognize how definite your situation was?” Natalie exclaimed. “He gave you a sexually transmitted disease, for God’s sake. How much more definite does it need to get?”
Wendy took in her friend’s advice. She does have a point, she thought.
“You know you want to call Jaylen,” Natalie continued. “Why would you keep the number if you didn’t?” She gave Wendy a smile that clearly said Busted.
“Oh shut up,” Wendy said playfully. There was some truth to what Natalie was saying, but Wendy wouldn’t admit it. She had definitely been attracted to him when she ran into him that day. He seemed to look even better than he had when they were a couple. His arms were so defined that his muscles rippled under his light-colored skin. He also had a tiny gap between his front two teeth that proved to be sexy rather than unattractive. Wendy had always been attracted to tall men, and Jaylen was no exception.
“For your information, I only kept the number because I didn’t want to be rude and throw it away in front of him. If I had really wanted to talk to him, I would have given him my telephone number—so there.”
“Sure,” an unconvinced Natalie slurred. “You could have thrown it away when you got home. You want to call him. You might as well get it over with and do it. Since I’ve been back in town, I’ve never heard you mention anything about him until you got his number. I didn’t even know you had an ex-boyfriend named Jaylen.”
“How could you? You went MIA after we graduated from college. Remember?”
Natalie stuck out her tongue at Wendy.
“Besides, I don’t want to make any hasty decisions. I have Kimberly to think about. Maybe Kevin and I could possibly work things out.”
“That’s bull!” Natalie seemed slightly irritated. “You had Kimberly to think about all along and you didn’t want to get back with him. You’re just jealous because he’s seeing someone else. You don’t want him, but you also don’t want anyone else to have him. Now you’re using Kimberly as an excuse.”
“I am not.” Wendy defended herself, although she knew Natalie was telling the truth.
“If you really are concerned about Kimberly, consider this: She’ll respect you more if you aren’t willing to settle for less than you deserve and move on instead of staying with her father just for his money.”
Wendy was offended by her friend’s insinuation. Their conversation had started off light, but now both women were serious. “First of all, I was never with Kevin because of his money. When I met him I didn’t know he even had money.”
“Maybe that’s true. But how can you explain this sudden change of heart that you’re having about him?”
&nb
sp; “I don’t need to explain anything.” Wendy set her drink on the table and looked Natalie straight in the eye. “But, for the record, I have always loved my husband for himself, not for his money. He hurt me by cheating on me. I never wanted to get back with him because I didn’t think I could forgive him.”
“So what has changed? Can you forgive him now?”
Wendy didn’t answer and looked away.
“All I’m saying”—Natalie put her daiquiri down and leaned closer to Wendy, demanding eye contact—“is that you deserve more. Don’t let this other woman pressure you into taking him back if you don’t want to. Explore all of your options and see which one benefits you the most.”
“Yeah, well I don’t think Jaylen can exactly be considered an option. He broke my heart too, you know.” Wendy recalled how Jaylen had dumped her when she wouldn’t have sex with him.
“That’s because he had the upper hand last time. This time, you do.”
“And how is that?”
“What’s the first thing he said when he saw you?”
“That he was sorry and that he regretted the way our relationship ended.” Wendy put a slight smile on her face. “He even said that he missed me.”
Natalie grinned also. “You see what I mean? If you give him a call and y’all do end up hooking back up, the relationship will be on your terms this time, not his. Girl, if Kevin wants to have another woman, then show him that two can play at that game.”
Natalie and Wendy finished their drinks before getting second rounds. The rest of the evening, they laughed and joked about guys and how Wendy could have Jaylen eating out of the palm of her hand if she wanted him to. It was almost midnight when Natalie left. Before doing so, she advised Wendy not to delay calling Jaylen any longer. Wendy didn’t want to call that late. However, Nat convinced her that if Jaylen was serious, he wouldn’t mind her calling. Wendy took her friend’s advice and dialed the number she had kept in her purse.
“Hi, Jaylen. This is Wendy. Did I wake you?” She was nervous. “I know it’s late. I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize. I was just lying in bed, but I wasn’t asleep.”
Wendy knew he was lying. She could tell from the hoarse sound of his voice that she had woken him up. Nevertheless, she was flattered by his anxiousness to talk with her. “I can always call you another time.”
“No, please don’t hang up. I’m glad you called.”
“Are you sure I didn’t wake you?”
“Okay, you got me. I might have dozed off, but I’m up now.” It sounded as though Jaylen sat up in the bed. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. I just called to say hi.” Wendy felt like a schoolgirl holding the phone in one hand while twirling her hair with the other.
“I’m glad you did.”
Wendy and Jaylen spent the next twenty minutes playing catch-up. She found out that after finishing graduate school, he’d started teaching at the community college. He admitted how insensitive he had been to Wendy’s feelings when they were dating and apologized again for mistreating her. When asked what brought the change of heart, he said that none of the girls he dated after her were able to make him feel special the way she did. Wendy had been attentive and he missed that. He never realized how much he enjoyed spending time with her until he no longer had the opportunity to do so.
Wendy told him about Kimberly and that she and her husband were no longer together. She didn’t use the word divorced because it would be a lie, and she didn’t want to scare him off by saying she was separated. They ended their conversation by agreeing to talk the next day. Wendy felt a little guilty about calling her ex-boyfriend. Her guilt was eased by replaying Natalie’s words in her mind: If Kevin wants to have another woman, then show him that two can play that game.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A Chance Encounter
ATTENTION, SHOPPERS!” the man on the PA system announced. “The store will be closing in fifteen minutes. Please make your final selections and go to the registers. We will reopen the day after Christmas at nine A.M. Thank you for shopping with us, and Happy Holidays.”
“Here Comes Santa Claus”played in the background while Marlene stood in line double-checking her grocery list to make sure she had gotten everything she needed for Christmas dinner tomorrow. She had so much to do today that she had thought she would never make it to the store on time. She would have liked one of the girls to go for her, but neither one of them was available. Kim and her family were spending Christmas Eve at Terrance’s parents’ house, and Marlene had no idea where Wendy was.
“Five dollars and thirty-four cents is your change,” the cashier said to her.
“Thank you. Merry Christmas,” Marlene responded before walking away. She held her money in her hand. I hope the representative from the Salvation Army is still out there collecting money. She felt bad about how she had rushed past the gentleman on her way into the store. She’d been trying so hard to make it in and out of the store before it closed that she couldn’t recall even speaking.
Marlene was pleased when she heard the ringing bell outside and hurried to drop her money in the red collection bin. “God bless you, darlin’,” the man said.
“You too, Merry—” She looked up and her words got stuck in her throat.
“Ev’rything all right, ma’am?” he asked, still ringing his bell.
“Um, yes sir. I—I, um . . .” Marlene couldn’t figure out what to say. Sitting in front of her was the same guy she had seen at the hospital back in June. It was Harold Wallace. He was bundled up in a hat, coat, gloves, and a scarf, but she hadn’t forgotten his face. She had given up on the idea that she would ever see him again.
“You have a good Christmas, hear?” he said.
“Yes, thank you. You too.” She proceeded to walk away slowly. No, say something to him! She convinced herself and turned around. “Excuse me, sir?”
“Yes ma’am?” He smiled, still ringing the bell. Several more shoppers were coming out of the store and donating money.
“Are you . . .” Marlene fumbled for words. She had run out of the house so quickly that she hadn’t taken the time to dress properly. The cold air caused her to tremble a bit, but she was also nervous. “Is your name Harold Wallace?”
He chuckled. “I hope so. That’s the name I been usin’ for the last seventy-six years. If it ain’t, I’m sho’ in a heap of trouble.” He was exhibiting the same wit and sense of humor Marlene remembered. “How can I be of service to you, young lady?”
“Were you at Memorial Hospital in June getting some kind of lab work done?”
“Oh, honey, I’m there ev’ry month. You see, I got suga and so I goes to make sure ev’rything all right with my blood. I’m gettin’ up there, but I wanna take care of myself. Why, do you work at the hospital?”
“No. Well I used to, but not anymore.” Marlene took a deep breath. She was stalling. “You may not remember me. . . . My name is Marlene Tibbs. I mean Gibson. It was Marlene Gibson at the time.”
The bell stopped ringing and Harold dropped the smile from his face. He looked as though he had seen a ghost. “You serious?”
“Yes sir. Do you remember me?”
He closed his eyes and nodded. “I’ve never forgotten you.” He reopened his eyes and looked at her solemnly. “You know, I didn’t recognize you. You were ten years old the last time I saw you.”
A manager walked out of the store. “Excuse me, sir. The store is closed. We’re doing some paperwork and then we’re taking off. We can’t leave you out here. I can let you come in and call for a ride if you need to.”
“No, that’s okay. My nephew is sittin’ right over there.” Harold pointed across the parking lot. Marlene turned and saw the same four-door Buick that had picked him up from the hospital the day she first saw him.
“Okay. Well there are no more customers inside, so we need you to wrap it up if you can, please.”
“Yes sir. I’ll be leavin’ in a minute.”
&nbs
p; The manager turned around and walked back inside.
Marlene stood there while Harold started packing up his stuff. She wasn’t sure whether approaching him had been a good idea. He seemed so withdrawn and didn’t really say much. She explained their first chance encounter and how she recognized him. “Sorry to bother you, sir. I just wanted to say hello.”
“When I said I never forgot you, I meant it.” Harold reached in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and handed it to her.
Marlene was shocked to see a black-and-white picture of herself as a little girl. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “How old was I in this picture?”
“I think you were about seven or eight at the time.”
Marlene couldn’t believe how much the picture resembled Tori, but she was more shocked about the fact that Harold had kept it for such a long time.
She gave him back his wallet and noticed that the manager had peeked out of the window. “I think we better get out of here. They’ve turned several lights off inside and that guy just looked out the window.”
“Yeah. Well, thanks for sayin’ hello. You don’t know how good it is to see you again.”
“Mr. Wallace . . . I know this is awkward, but do you and your family have plans for Christmas dinner tomorrow?”
“It’s just me and my nephew. I raised him after my sister died. We usually go to the church and eat there.”
“Would you be interested in joining my family and me for dinner tomorrow instead? I’m sure my mother would love to see you.”
“I’m not sure we’ll be able to make it,” he said without looking at her.
“Oh, please, Mr. Wallace. It would mean a lot to me—I promise.”
“We’ll see, darlin’. I’ll have to check with my nephew.”
Soul Matters Page 18
