“Yes. She said she’d be in on Wednesday and wanted to take a couple of days off because she wasn’t feeling well.”
“I’m so worried about her. I couldn’t sleep that night, and even though I don’t want to be critical of anyone’s man, she can definitely do better. Your boyfriend, Lance, was a nice guy, too. I got a chance to speak to him and he really likes you a lot.”
I wanted to tell her what I thought of her husband, but I kept my mouth shut. “Lance is a good friend of mine. There’s nothing serious going on between us, but he is one of the nicest men I’ve ever met.”
“Well, don’t let him slip away. He’s—”
Liz paused when she saw Claudette enter her cubicle with about two dozen pretty pink roses.
“Oh, those are so, so pretty. I guess I don’t have to ask who gave them to you.”
Claudette was all smiles. I peered over her cubicle to look at the flowers and they were, indeed, beautiful. Costly, too.
“Bubbles died yesterday and I’ve been sick to my stomach. Korey sent these flowers today, just to cheer me up.”
Oh, no, he didn’t, I thought. What was that shit all about? He knew those flowers would irritate me and they did. Claudette even read the card to us:
So sorry for your loss, but I hope these flowers brighten your day. I love you, wifey, and I’ll see you tonight.
Liz was grinning just as hard as Claudette was. “Both of you are so lucky to have decent men in your lives. I wish Veronica would come to her senses. I’ve thought about getting her some help.” She looked at me. “Chase, see if you can get her on the phone for me. Hold all of my calls for about two hours, and once you get her on the phone, go ahead and take your lunch.”
I called Veronica’s phone, but no one answered. I buzzed into Liz’s office to tell her, since her door was closed. “All right,” she said. “Go take your lunch and try her again when you get back.”
I told Liz that I would and got ready to go to lunch. Claudette wanted to know where I was going, but I didn’t feel like sitting at a table yakking with her. Besides, I had a phone call to make. Korey’s ass was in hot water for those flowers.
“I have to meet my cousin to drop off some money to her,” I said to Claudette. “We’ll do lunch tomorrow. Do you want me to stop and get you something?”
“No, I’ll just grab something quick from the lunchroom. Or, I just may call Korey to see if he’ll have lunch with me.”
I hoped she didn’t see me roll my eyes. All this chick knew was Korey this, Korey that. Korey, Korey, Korey, my ass! “Okay, Claudette. See you when I get back.”
I left, and as soon as I reached the lobby, I was already dialing my cell phone. Korey didn’t answer, but when I got off the elevator, my phone rang. It was him.
“What’s up, baby?” he said. “I know you ain’t trying to get at me in the middle of the day. What did I do to deserve this?”
“Don’t baby me, Korey. What’s up with the flowers?”
“What flowers?”
“The pink flowers you sent Claudette today.”
“What? I didn’t send her any flowers.”
“Quit lying.”
“Seriously, I didn’t. If she got some flowers, she must have gotten them from someone else.”
“Yeah, right. Do you expect me to believe that? You know darn well you felt bad because of her stupid cat. Of course you thought the flowers would make your precious wifey feel better.”
“I didn’t send those flowers, but now that you mention it, I know who did. My mother did, because she felt bad about Bubbles. I liked Bubbles too, and I understand how Claudette feels. But those flowers I had nothing to do with.”
“I don’t believe you, but that’s cool. Go ahead and do you.”
“Are you jealous?” He chuckled. “I know you ain’t jealous over no stupid flowers, are you? And if I did buy them, what’s wrong with a man trying to cheer up his woman? I’m not as coldhearted as you think I am.”
“Well, I am. And since you think this shit is so funny, I have a suggestion for you. Keep cheering up your woman, and I’ll see the two of you at the wedding.”
I hung up, and Korey kept trying to call back. I refused to answer, and finally turned off my phone. I ran a few errands, then headed back to work.
The afternoon moved by slowly. I never could get in touch with Veronica, and Liz had given up. She seemed extremely quiet today, and when I asked if she was okay, she told me that the situation with Veronica really bothered her. It troubled me too, but I wasn’t going to sit around feeling sorry for Veronica. I was going to help her…in my own way, of course.
When five o’clock came around, I was out. Claudette and I took the elevator to the parking garage, and, yet again, she loved the attention she got from the ladies who adored her roses.
“Someone must really love you,” one lady said. “Those are beautiful.”
“They’re from my fiancé, Korey, and, yes, he does love me. A lot.”
She was working me so badly, and I couldn’t wait to get off the elevator so I could run to my car to get away from her. Without saying “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I hurried to my car and turned my cell phone back on. It showed that I had ten voice mail messages, but I listened to not one. I knew they were from Korey, so I deleted them. He was on my shit list now, and that was a place he definitely didn’t want to be.
I drove down the curvy street, looking for Veronica’s address. I finally saw her house, and was really surprised by how small it was. It was a ranch-style house with two small windows on the front. A one-car garage was attached, and parked in the driveway was a raggedy old car, sitting up with bricks underneath it. Oil stained the driveway, and trash particles were all over the grass. The house was supposed to be painted white, but it almost looked gray. When I got to the door, it was filthy as ever. Dirty fingerprints were all over it, and I could only imagine what the inside looked like. Veronica made enough money to live better than this, but maybe her money was being spent on the wrong things, or on the wrong person.
I rang the doorbell several times, but no one answered. I heard movement inside, though, and when a little girl asked who I was, I asked if Veronica was at home.
“No, she’s not here,” she yelled through the door.
“Is your father home?”
“He doesn’t live here.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but are you alone? I know your mother probably told you not to speak to strangers, but I think your mother may be in some trouble.”
The girl didn’t answer, but Veronica did. She opened the door, but wouldn’t let me inside. Immediately, I noticed a bruise on the side of her face. Makeup couldn’t cover that up; no wonder she wanted to take two days off.
“What is it, Chase? You shouldn’t have come here.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I was worried about you. Everyone is, and I’ve been calling your phone all day.”
“I know. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be okay.”
For whatever reason, I couldn’t accept that. Maybe I was out of line for coming here, but I couldn’t walk away. “Can I come inside and talk to you for a few minutes, please? I won’t be long.”
Veronica opened the door wider and let me inside. She invited me to sit on the couch, but it was so nasty that I started to decline. The smell inside was horrible, and I could tell the trash hadn’t been taken out. She told her daughter to go into her room, and she left the living room while Veronica and I talked.
“Look,” I said, “I don’t know where to begin, but maybe I should start with some things that you don’t know about me. I grew up in an abusive home and I watched my mother and father go at it all the time. I hated my father, and there are not too many people I’m willing to admit this to, but he also molested me. When I told my mother, that was her wake-up call. She did the right thing, and removed both of us from a horrific situation. For years, we kept what had happened to me a secret, but wha
t my father did to me has affected my life in so many ways.
“When I saw Tony the other day, I saw my father. The way he talked to you is the way my mother was treated. A controlling man will do anything, and I’m not accusing him of doing anything to your daughter, but I hope that’s not the case. You can do so much better, Veronica, but, first, you need to realize what a beautiful person you really are.”
She looked down at the floor, already starting to wipe her tears. “I know,” she said. “But I love him so much, Chase. He is so good to me, and you don’t know all that he does for me. I mean, we have our problems, but we always work through them. No relationship is perfect and I don’t expect mine to ever be that way.”
“Perfect, no. Respectful, yes. If he respected you, he wouldn’t put his hands on you. If he does so much for you, no offense, but you wouldn’t be living like this. How can you not see that, Veronica? You are in denial, and he has brainwashed you into believing that you really need him. You don’t, and if you walk away from this, you will feel so much better about life and everything. I see the sadness in your eyes and that is something you can’t hide.”
Veronica sat silent for a while, then spoke up. “Then what am I supposed to do? He said if I were to leave him, he would hurt me and my daughter. I stay to keep down confusion, and I know Tony will make my life miserable if I leave him.”
“My father told my mother the same thing. You have to call his bluff and go get some help for you and your daughter. The house my mother lived in is empty, so if you ever want to move out of here, let me know. I had a lot of bad memories from that house, but maybe you and your daughter can turn it into a happy place to live. Just think about it, Veronica, and get away from your abuser before it’s too late.”
I wrote my number on a piece of paper and gave it to her. As soon as she took it, the front door opened. Both of us looked at the door, and Tony came in with a blue uniform on. It surprised me that the fool even had a job. He had a six pack of beer in his hand, while eyeing Veronica.
“How you gon’ invite somebody to come inside of this nasty motherfuckin’ house? You’ve been sittin’ on your lazy, fat ass all day, doin’ nothin’. I told you about havin’ company and you need to tell this bitch it’s time for her to go.”
Now, I wasn’t Veronica, and he definitely shouldn’t have gone there with me today. I was already hyped about those roses, and to be called a bitch on top of it, no, I wasn’t having it.
I stood, tucking my purse underneath my arm. “Who are you calling a bitch? You don’t know me, idiot, and you’d better straighten your mouth to offer me an apology.”
Tony looked taken aback by my tone; after all, to him, a woman should know her place. He stepped up to me with a mean-ass mug on his face. He pointed to the door, and when Veronica spoke up about me leaving, he ordered her to shut the fuck up.
“Go get my food on the table and that shit better be hot!” Oh, hell no. It was time to put Plan B in place, and if Veronica didn’t have one, I sure in the hell did. Tony turned his attention to me again. “You got ten seconds to get out of my fuckin’ house, and if you don’t, I’m goin’ to whip yo’ ass all over this livin’ room like I whip hers.”
My hand was already trembling by my side, and as soon as the harsh words left his mouth, I slapped the shit out of him, shaking his whole face. The slap was so loud that Veronica covered her mouth. She knew what was coming next, and so did I. He slammed his fist, into my jaw. It staggered me, and I could feel the burn. I kept my balance, though, and lifted the Mace can that I’d already had in my hand. I sprayed it in his cold eyes, and he squeezed them together. When he covered his eyes with his hand and bent down, I went at him. I used my leather Coach bag to strike his back. I kicked him in the groin, causing him to drop to his knees. The bag wasn’t working enough for me, so I dropped it and started to use my fists. While trying to cool the burning in his eyes, and soreness from my kick, Tony fell flat to the floor. I took off my high heel, and used it to go upside his head. I was mad as hell. How dare this sucker think he could get away with putting his hands on me?
Veronica stood there in disbelief, and when her daughter entered the room, she yelled for her to go back to her bedroom. She in no way yelled for me to stop, though, and when I asked her to call the police, she just stood there.
“Call them, now!” I yelled, still wailing on Tony.
“Not yet,” she said. She picked up a heavy, round glass ashtray, about to drop it on his head. I wasn’t about to go to jail for an accessory to murder, and she was crazy if she thought I would go down with her. I quickly snatched the ashtray from her. “Your fists! Use your fists!”
Veronica used her fists to hit Tony, and as she screamed and cried while doing it, I hurried to call the police. I hated that her daughter had to witness all that was going on, but this was some shit that had to be done. The police were there within ten minutes, and when they arrived, I rushed outside. Two of them drew their guns, ordering me to get down on the ground. I did as I was told, and when another officer entered the house, he had to pull Veronica off Tony.
An officer helped me off the ground, asking what had happened. “I came to visit my friend and her boyfriend came in from work and went crazy. He jumped on me.” I showed him the side of my face that I knew had a print on it. “Luckily I had some Mace to get him off me.”
The officer asked me to calm down and told me to go stand by his car. I did, and a few minutes later, they came out of the house with Tony in cuffs. He looked like a damn fool with his head hanging low and a cut on his forehead. It was dripping with blood and so was his fat lip. Seeing him in cuffs made my day, and I hoped that he’d be kept behind bars long enough for Veronica and her daughter to get the hell out of that house.
The officer put Tony in the back seat of the police car, and the other one asked me to come inside with Veronica. She and I both made Tony out to be the villain he truly was, and when they ran a police check on the fool, they found several warrants out for his arrest. He was also on probation and I suspected that he wouldn’t be getting out of jail anytime soon. Thank God for that.
After the police left, Veronica, her daughter, and I sat in the living room. She apologized for getting me involved in her mess and felt bad about Tony putting his hands on me.
“I’ll be fine,” I said. “A little ice should take care of it. In the meantime, I’m not worried about me. I hope you stay away from him, and please, please do not let him come back here. He’s going to apologize for what he did, but don’t believe the hype. Even if he goes to jail, don’t accept his calls. Let that fool suffer for what he’s done to you.”
Veronica hugged her daughter’s waist and smiled. “I’m done. I assure you that I’m not going back, and it felt so good to let out my frustrations. Especially on him. I’ve wanted to do that for a long time, Chase, but didn’t have the courage to. There’s no way I’ll ever put myself in a situation like that again, and I’m going to get some counseling for me and my daughter. She’s only eleven years old and I’m so glad that Tony is not her biological father.”
I stood up, feeling good about the deed I’d done today. Really, I wasn’t a bad person, it was just that men sometimes made me crazy. Women like Claudette did too, but it was what it was.
“My offer about the house still stands. I don’t know if this is his house or not, but I would be more than happy to let you see my mother’s house. It’s nothing spectacular, but it is much better than this place.”
“If you have time tomorrow, I’d love to see it. Tony’s name is on this house, and I’m looking for a fresh start for me and my daughter. I appreciate your help, and if the house doesn’t work out, I can always get an apartment.”
Veronica stepped forward to give me a hug. I was shocked when her daughter did as well. No one ever confirmed if her daughter had been molested by Tony, but my gut told me there was so much more to their story. I told Veronica that I’d get with her tomorrow after work, and when she asked me not t
o tell anyone at the job what had happened, I promised her that I wouldn’t.
When I got home, I thought all of the drama for the day would be over. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Korey kept calling me, and since I ignored his calls, I knew he’d show up. In knowing so, I called Lance and asked if he would come over and take a look at my broken computer. It really wasn’t broken, and when he got to my apartment and looked it over, he realized that I didn’t need his assistance.
I stood in my silk pink pajama shorts and matching tank shirt. I had no bra on, so my nipples were poking through my top. I wasn’t trying to entice Lance, but I needed a favor.
“There’s nothing wrong with my computer, but as a friend, I need a favor,” I said.
He stood in the living room, rubbing his chin with a smirk on his face. “What’s up, Chase? What are you up to?”
“Korey is coming over tonight and I really don’t want to be bothered. Will you stay here until he comes? Pretend that you’re here with me tonight, and he’ll leave once he sees that I have company.”
“Are you trying to get me killed? What’s up with you and that brotha?”
“Sex. Nothing more, nothing less. I can’t get rid of him and he’s starting to work my nerves.”
“I got a feeling that you ain’t trying to get rid of him. But, hey, whatever. I’m gaming. Where do you want me? In the bedroom with my clothes off or on the couch?”
I laughed and so did Lance. “Just sit on the couch. Take your shirt off, but leave your pants on.”
Lance removed his shirt, and I had underestimated his frame. It wasn’t all buffed and ripped or anything like that, but he did have noticeable muscles. He sat on the couch, and I placed a checkerboard on the table.
“Do you like to play checkers?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said. “But first, please go put on a robe or something. I may be a friend, but first I’m a man. With your ass hanging all out of those shorts and your nipples staring at me, I don’t know how much acting I can sit here and do.”
I cut my eyes at Lance and went into my room to get my robe. “Is that better?” I said, covering up.
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