Danielle sat across the table from Nurse Smart, nodding as the woman chatted in animated fashion about her last relationship. The woman’s voice seemed to drone on, and every now and then, Danielle would mutter encouragingly as she let her eyes roam around the room. It never failed, no matter where she was, people would be watching her. Look at them, checking me out. They don’t think I notice, but I do, she observed, lightly touching her hair and straightening up in her chair.
Moments later, they had their plates. Nurse Smart dominated the conversation, but Danielle did not mind. She didn’t have much to say. All she wanted was to get through the meal and return home so she could take a long, hot shower and relax. She was constantly on edge these days and knew she needed to find a way to calm down.
When they parted after dinner, Nurse Smart smiled. “It was really nice spending time with you,” she said. “Maybe we can get together again soon.”
“Sure,” Danielle said and quickly ducked into her Lexus. She waved at Nurse Smart and drove off.
Nikki sat in the middle of the floor at Danielle’s, a plastic cup of sweet tea at her side and the newspaper classifieds spread in front of her. Ink stained the tips of her fingers as she scoured the ads, searching for jobs. She picked up the telephone, eyeing the number of a listed vacancy.
“Do you still have the opening for the receptionist?”
“No, I’m sorry, we just hired someone.”
Shoot! “Okay. Thank you.”
She scratched that off the list and called the next. “Is the position for a cashier still open?”
“No, we’re not hiring at the moment.”
“But the ad in the newspaper—”
“Ma’am, we’re not hiring.”
Nikki sighed as she pressed the END button on the phone. She had tried getting a photographer’s job at the newspaper, had even called the small weekly newspaper to see if they were hiring, but both turned her down. I don’t know how to do anything, she thought sadly. Who wants to hire some housewife whose only skills are changing diapers and fixing dinner?
Despondent, broke and near tears, she sighed. She refused to let the tears fall, though. That, she would not do. “I will beat this thing.”
She looked at Psalm, who was sucking a grape Popsicle. “Don’t get that on Auntie Dee Dee’s carpet,” she told the child.
“I want to see my daddy,” Psalm said.
Nikki stifled a sigh. Of course the child missed William. Nikki touched Psalm’s arm. “Okay. We’ll call him in a minute, all right?”
“No, I want to call him now,” Psalm insisted.
“Psalm, Mommy’s busy right now,” Nikki said. “I’m trying to make some phone calls.”
“I want to call my daddy!” Psalm stomped.
“Psalm, stop that whining,” Nikki said. “We will call your daddy in a moment. For now, finish up your Popsicle and then go on back over there and finish coloring. And please, be quiet. I’m trying to make some important phone calls so I can get a job and get us a new place to live,” Nikki said, wiping a purple droplet from her daughter’s chin.
Psalm poked her lip out but did as she was told.
Nikki turned her attention back to the classifieds. She picked up the phone but it rang before she could dial out. “Hello?”
“Hello? I’m looking for . . . is this the Danielle Esperanza residence?” the male voice asked with hesitation.
“Oh, yeah,” Nikki said. “Yes, this is the right number. I’m just a houseguest. I’m her best friend.”
The voice on the other end instantly warmed. “Oh. Nikki,” concern dripped from his voice.
“Do I know you?” Nikki asked, intrigued that he knew her name.
“No, you probably don’t,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m being rude. I’m Raymond. I work with Danielle.”
“Oh, well, nice to meet you,” Nikki said. It felt good to know her best friend had apparently spoken so well of her, if the warmth in the man’s voice was any indication. “Hey, I know this is a really bad time for you, but I just want to let you know I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of your daughter,” Raymond said.
Nikki almost dropped the phone. “The passing of my daughter?”
“Yes, Danielle told me she died a few weeks ago, from a birth defect, I believe? I know it’s been hard on you. Danielle has taken it hard too. We’ve all been pitching in at work to help her out. Between your child’s loss and the murder of her fiancé, she’s been through so much.”
Raymond’s words clanged around Nikki’s head. She managed to mutter a few words to Raymond and tell him that she would let Danielle know he called.
What was going on? Why did Danielle lie about Psalm? A chill ran through Nikki.
Chapter 89
William high-fived Winston and a volunteer rushed to hug him. Olivia eased next to him and planted a kiss on his right cheek. “Congratulations,” she said softly.
“Thanks,” he said and turned to face the room. “This is the break we needed,” he told his staff, with a Tiger Woods fist-pump in the air. “This is excellent news. Thanks to each and every one of you for your hard work and for sticking by me with so much going on.”
The most recent poll results were the first significant pieces of good news for the campaign. His numbers had shot up, he was getting good name recognition and positive identification.
The election was only days away. As chatter erupted around him, William eased down into his seat, and reached for the phone. He had to share his good news with his wife.
“What are you doing?” Olivia asked, staying his hand. “You’ve just gotten the best news of the season and you’re just sitting there? Come on, let’s get out of here and go celebrate!”
He put the phone back down.
Danielle stepped into her condo. “Hey, girl,” she greeted Nikki, dropping her keys to the counter.
Nikki slowly stood from where she sat on the floor, pushing aside newspapers. Danielle cast a sidelong glance. “You all right?”
“Danielle, we need to talk.” Nikki’s tone was grim.
“Okay, what?”
“I’ve seen some really weird things going on lately, and I need to know what’s up.”
Danielle grabbed a diet soda from the refrigerator, then turned to face Nikki. “Well, stop acting so secretive. What are you talking about?”
“Someone named Raymond called here for you.”
“Oh, Raymond,” Danielle said, smiling. “He’s so cute. He works with me. I’d maybe even be into him, but he is just too nice. What did he want?”
“Well, he asked me how I was doing.”
“So?”
“Wanted to express his condolences for the death of my daughter.”
Danielle stood perfectly still for a beat. “What was he talking about?”
“That’s what I want to know. Why would he think my child died?”
Danielle shrugged and turned up her soda, taking a long, slow swig. “He must have gotten you mixed up with somebody else.”
“No, he seemed pretty certain he meant me,” Nikki said, closing the gap between them. “And then I know you were lying about meeting Reverend Chance.”
Danielle’s eyes flashed and she slammed the soda down on the counter, spilling a drop. “What are you accusing me of? You trying to call me a liar?”
“Danny, I don’t know what’s going on.” Nikki reached to touch her friend’s arm. “I’m just trying to figure it out. Is there something here you’re not telling me?”
Danielle jerked away. “I can’t believe this! I’ve opened my home to you and you come in here snooping around and accusing me of being a liar! I don’t have to take this.”
“I feel like there is so much going on, so many questions,” Nikki said. “You seem so . . . different. You’re lying. You’re being evasive.”
“Don’t try to flip this around on me! I’m not the one who is tripping,” Danielle said. “That’s you! All I’ve tried to do is be your friend.”
Nikki held up a hand. “You know what? We’re both getting out of control. Let’s just take a step back and calm down.”
“No, you calm down!” Danielle said, stalking to her bedroom. “I’m going to bed. I don’t need this stress.”
She slammed the door so hard the pictures on the wall shook.
Chapter 90
Danielle stood in the shower for a long time, letting the hot water wash away the argument with Nikki. “See, I knew something was up,” Danielle nodded. “She’s spying on me, they all are. But I’m going to beat them.” She turned off the water and grabbed her towel to dry off.
She stepped from the shower and bent to look under the sink. Not finding what she was looking for, she opened the cabinet and searched. “Where is my padlock?”
She still didn’t find it, but wasn’t deterred. She would have to be extra careful from now on. Nikki was watching her and she knew others around were, too. She would put a lock on her door. And when she went to work, she would put one there too.
She slathered peach-scented lotion on and lit a candle in hopes of chasing away the bad feelings.
Chapter 91
William hung up the phone following his conversation with Psalm, happy to hear her voice. He scowled though, when he recalled how terse Nikki had been with him. He had hoped she’d be calm by now, but she seemed just as set today on not talking with him as she had been earlier. When she phoned him, she had said Psalm had been asking to speak with him. But she didn’t say much beyond that.
“You look worried, you want me to rub your shoulders?” Olivia asked, walking across the living room in a soft, blue terry cloth robe.
“No, I’m fine,” William said, standing. “I’m going to head to my room.”
Olivia stopped in front of him. “You don’t have to go to that room if you don’t want to.”
“And where would I go?” William looked at her, with his right brow raised quizzically.
“You could . . . you could go to my room,” she said, and reached out to touch his chest.
William sidestepped her. “Better yet, I think I need to go see my wife.” He grabbed his keys and made a quick exit.
He drove to Danielle’s condo and knocked on the door. Nikki opened the door, and he saw the surprise in her eyes.
The surprise was quickly replaced by anger, and Nikki moved to slam the door when Psalm squealed. “Daddy!” the child squeezed past her mother and hugged her father’s legs. He picked her up, kissing the top of her head. His eyes were on Nikki.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” she said sharply, and turned. She didn’t close the door though, and William walked in behind her. “Psalm was on her way to bed. It’s late.”
“Mommy, can I stay up with my daddy, please?”
“Psalm, you have school tomorrow,” Nikki said.
“Nikki, I’ve not spent any time with her lately,” William said softly. “Come on. Let me see her for a little while.”
“Please, Mommy!” Psalm begged and clutched her father, who sat on the couch.
Nikki rolled her eyes and nodded. “Sure, but just for a little while.” To William, she whispered, “You shouldn’t be here.”
William ignored the comment. “Did you have a good day?” he asked Psalm.
“I miss, you, Daddy,” Psalm said and leaned into him.
William’s eyes sought Nikki, but she ignored him. He returned his attention to Psalm. “I know, baby. We’ll do something fun really soon, okay?”
Nikki pursed her lips. “So, what brings you here?”
“I miss you,” William said.
Nikki folded her arms across her chest. “That’s nice.”
“Baby, you can’t still be mad at me. You know in your heart that I didn’t . . .” he looked down at the child in his lap, eagerly hanging on to his words. “I didn’t do the thing you think I did.”
Nikki, also conscious of Psalm, shot back: “Well, these days, I don’t know what I know.”
“Baby, I promise you, nothing has happened,” William said. “Let’s make this work. Let’s go back home.”
“Yeah, let’s go back home!” Psalm chimed in.
“Psalm, tell your daddy goodnight. It’s time for bed.”
“But, Mommy . . . .”
“Don’t ‘but Mommy’ me, little girl,” Nikki said. “Now, tell him goodnight.”
A sad-eyed Psalm turned and hugged her father, then scrambled from his lap.
“We’re about to go to bed,” Nikki said pointedly. She walked across the room and jerked open the door. William slowly stood and walked toward it. He paused at the doorway and searched her face for a long time.
Finding no invitation, he turned. “Fine, Nikki. Good-night.”
William climbed back into his vehicle and slammed the door. A passerby glanced up sharply, but he didn’t care. “She’s being totally unreasonable,” he fumed. “I keep trying to get next to her, and she keeps pushing me off.”
She kept accusing him of cheating, and he hadn’t even kissed Olivia. He thought to just drive to their empty house. But he headed, instead, back to Olivia’s.
William strode into Olivia’s house and she greeted him with a glass of wine at the door. He took it from her, with a surprised smile. “Thanks. How did you know I’d need this?”
“Because I know you,” she said, ushering him to the big armchair. “And I knew if you were going to see Nikki, she would do something to upset you.”
At the mention of his wife’s name, William’s jaw tensed. “Don’t talk about my wife like that.”
Olivia took a step back and held up her free hand. “Hey, I didn’t mean any harm. I just know things have been so strained and I thought you might need something to take the edge off. That’s all I was trying to say.”
William sighed. He knew Olivia had gone out of her way to be helpful to him. She had moved from running her father’s campaign to stepping in to manage his. She had been his one constant supporter, even when all the bad news erupted. She had been the cheerleader in his corner, had even offered him a roof. He stretched out his hand. She placed hers in his.
“Thanks for everything.”
Chapter 92
Nikki spent the remainder of the week looking for employment. She pushed her resume all over town, but each time, she received a rejection. Either she didn’t have the right type of experience, or she didn’t have enough. Or, they told her flat-out that she wasn’t welcome there.
She spent hours on the Internet posting her resume on job sites, but no one responded. “What does it take to get a job in this city?” she exclaimed in frustration, pushing back from the computer desk in Danielle’s bedroom. For some reason, a padlock was lying on the desk.
The last time Nikki had been so desperate for money and a job, Spencer had provided the answer. Thoughts of her past shamed her and she pushed them deep into her consciousness.
“May I have some of your cookies for Psalm?” Nikki asked Danielle after arriving home from a long day of searching for work.
“Yes, you may,” Danielle said, getting up from the couch where she had been sprawled before Nikki stepped into the condo.
“Thank you,” Nikki said, reaching for the cabinet.
“You’re welcome,” Danielle said and went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Nikki heard the lock click and sighed. Things between them had been cool ever since their argument. They were cordial, but the tension rippled through the condo like electricity.
Nikki passed two cookies to Psalm and then she paused. She glanced at Danielle’s bedroom door and made a decision. She knocked. She waited but didn’t hear an answer; she knocked again, louder this time.
She raised her hand to knock again when the door suddenly flew open and Danielle stood there.
“Is something the matter?” Danielle’s tone was cool.
“I’m sorry about the other day,” Nikki said.
Danielle sighed. “Me too.”
The admission caught Nikki by surpri
se. Her mouth fell open, but no words came.
“Don’t look so shocked,” Danielle said. “I can admit when I’m wrong. I’m not totally bad.”
“I didn’t say you were bad,” Nikki said, returning to the kitchen and pulling out a skillet and chopping block. She grabbed bell pepper and onion from the refrigerator. “It’s just—”
“I know, I can be a bit much sometimes,” Danielle said, following her into the kitchen. “It’s just that I get so stressed sometimes, and I just always feel like I have to be on my guard.”
“But you don’t have to be on guard with me.”
Danielle sat on a bar stool. “I know,” she said, watching her friend chop the vegetables. “You’re the only true friend I’ve ever had.”
“You don’t have to feel that the world is against you,” Nikki said softly.
Neither woman said anything as Nikki washed thin strips of steak and dropped them into the hot skillet and let them sizzle, then put the onion and pepper on top. She washed her hands, then leaned on the counter next to Danielle. “So tell me what’s been bugging you lately. And why’d you tell Raymond my baby was dead?”
But before Danielle could answer, her cell phone rang. “Hello?”
She cast a quick glance at Nikki, then sidled off the stool. “I have to take this,” she said and jetted to her bedroom, carefully closing and locking the door behind her.
Nikki stared after her friend. She did not like all these secrets. She would find out what Danielle was keeping from her.
After they ate, Nikki dropped Psalm off at Keedra’s for a play date and drove to the house she had not been to in a week since moving in with Danielle. She was ready to face the fact that her marriage was over. She dragged a large, cardboard box from the Protégé. She would fill it with some items—clothes for Psalm and her, a few toys, some photos and odd items—and leave the rest. Almost seven years, and she had nothing to show. She was feeling sorry for herself.
She placed the box on the ground and unlocked the door. The house seemed to be just as she had left it, though it had the desolate feel of a deserted home. She picked the box up and placed it on the table in the kitchen and walked to the bedroom. Her steps slowed as she approached the room she had so briefly shared with her husband. She stopped at the threshold and took a deep breath and held it. Tears welled in her eyes and she let the breath out slowly, blinking away the water she would not let fall.
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